GPIB Congregation Immanuel Curah Harapan Through Paper At Christmas Tree

JAKARTA - The congregation of the Protestant Church in western Indonesia (GPIB) Immanuel Gambir, Central Jakarta poured out hope and prayers through scribbles on the hands of pieces of paper hanging on the Christmas tree.

"So there are indeed two Christmas trees in front, only for decoration, this is for worship, so they are given the opportunity for the congregation to write whatever they hope for," said Chairman of the GPIB Jamaat Council Immanuel DKI Jakarta, Pastor Abraham Ruben Persang, quoted from Antara, Sunday, December 25.

Abraham said the congregation was given the opportunity to write down hope after going through the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Well, we continue to be given the opportunity to the congregation because this is the year of opportunity or the first time we can work together but don't forget that there are also difficult things, because of the pandemic or maybe still being laid off and why for the sake of a family who has died," he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2022 GPIB Christmas Immanuel Yoshua Tampubolon said the congregation's high hopes, which generally contain health and safety requests.

"There is a lot of hope for the congregation which contains requests for health, safety, business smoothness, work because there is a lot of sadness during the pandemic, then the smooth relationship, including for families and the Indonesian people, is not divided and everything is devoted in writing," said Yoshua Tampubolon.

Yoshua revealed that in the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the many journeys of life were marked by sadness and tears as well as many people who lost their family members after being exposed to the virus.

For Christmas 2022 after conditions improve, the congregation hopes that the recovery will be completely so that the situation returns to normal and life will run well in the future.

From observations, white paper containing scribbles on the hands of the congregation of the Church of Immanuel was hung on a Christmas tree next to the pulpit of a sermon in the Church.

The scribbles contain words, prayers, collections hanging in the form of small pieces.

The congregation seemed not to want to miss the Christmas worship celebration with full prayers because it was one of the difference between the 2022 Christmas celebrations at the Immanuel Church.

"Many congregations have also given new prayers and hopes in the paper so that in 2023 the conditions will be better for everything," he said.

Christmas worship at GPIB Immanuel is divided into three sessions. The first session was 09.00 WIB, the second session at 16.00 WIB afternoon in English. And at 18.00 WIB in Indonesian.

"For the first day this was attended by around 800 congregants both offline and online using YouTube media," said Yosua.