End of the Year Worship & Awarding for 10 years Serving Devotion at UPH Christ Centeredness Reflection

Ending the year of 2014, Universitas Pelita Harapan?s family established a worship as thanksgiving for God’s participation throughout 2014 and also announced and gave appreciation to employees who have served for 10 years.

Christ Centeredness (centering on Christ) became the end of the year?s theme message conveyed by the Rector of UPH, Dr. (Hon) Jonathan L. Parapak. He started with the word of God in Luke 3: 4-6 about the prophecy of Isaiah which was delivered to John the Baptist saying … “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God?s salvation.?

Valleys, mountains and hills refer to our hearts, our motivations, our knowledge and other things that we treasure more than God. This is what God wants leveled, aligned in advance to be ready for the coming of the Lord. Rector reminded that each individual in UPH should reflect on these words when welcoming Christmas.

“Let’s crosscheck our hearts, which mountains inside us that preclude the presence of God. Maybe it’s vanity, greed, selfishness. What God wants is humility. Just like Christ who became our role model, he was willing to be a servant and humble himself,? Rector said.

Furthermore, he explained the meaning of ?crooked? in the verse. “Maybe it signifies how we do not center on Christ when thinking and communicating. Some examples are plagiarism committed in academic environment, or cunning methods and thoughts of doing things. All of them have to change. Transformed,” he said.

Rector reminded the three main things we should have in welcoming Christmas, namely: God?s glory, salvation and peace. He invited the entire family of UPH to evaluate on those three things, whether we have glorified God, whether we already obtain salvation from God and whether we really feel the peace from God. These three main things can only be gained by those who know the true God, and Jesus Christ who was sent by God (John 17: 3). Our knowledge of God makes us more doubtless and faithful. God?s truth gives us courage. This is a Christ-centered life.

At the end of the message, Rector reiterated UPH as an institution that promotes Christ (Christ-centered university), meaning that the quality of the projects must follow the standards of Christ, both in education and teaching. And it should also apply to all life aspects of every individual in UPH.

After delivering the end of the year message, Rector presented awards to 13 employees who have served in UPH for 10 years. It is then continued with thanksgiving event for employees who have served for 20 years. (rh)

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