24th UPH Festival: UPH Welcomes 4.507 New Students with a message ?Bear Fruit?

?We gladly welcome all the new students who have now officially become a part of the civitas academic of UPH. Through this year?s theme, ?Bear Fruit, we pray that every each one of you is able to find your talent and calling, for you to use them for the glory of God,? said UPH Rector Dr. (Hon) Jonathan L. Parapak as he welcomes the new students of UPH.

With the ?Bear Fruit? theme, which was taken from John 15:5, the Rector hopes that everyone in UPH can bear many fruits in the lives. With a thought on this, UPH created UPH Festival, an event that shows UPH willingness to welcome the students and to let them know every aspect in UPH; and also to let these students start finding for their biggest talent, which they will be used to bear fruit in the future. The theme ?Bear Fruit? has also become an implementation of UPH?s vision.      

?In our spiritual growth, we have to understand the true meaning of bearing fruit. Have we bear our own fruit? Just like plants, God has created plants to bear fruit since the very beginning. Plants also have their own seeds that will become their successor in becoming another plant that also bears fruits. We have to understand this principle. As we bear fruits, we have to continue on with the process and pass it on to others. You are the future leaders of this nation. At the end of our life, think about what noble thing would want to hear from the people closest to you about yourself? At the end of your life, would you want to be remembered as the smartest, or the richest? These thoughts become our focus. If we would want to be the richest, then our focus will only be in finding more money, the same thing goes if we would want to be the smartest, our focus will only be in finding more knowledge. Our focus should be to be remembered and known as a righteous person, who is faithful to God,? said James.

?A fruitful life is where you can understand God?s will and decide to do the most important thing, even during urgent circumstances, just like what Daniel did during the ruling of Nebuchadnezzar. To bear fruit is to obtain the true knowledge of God. On this very day, all of you will be entering your college life, right at the 72nd Indonesian Independence day. In 3 to 5 years, when Indonesia has become 77 years old, Indonesia will also bear its fruit, and this fruit comes from all of you, UPH students,? said Pdt. Yung.