'Parsingan Taon' a time for Christians to reflect
'Parsingan Taon' a time for Christians to reflect
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
Juli Simanjuntak, who hails from Deli Serdang regency but now
lives in Medan, says that he has always attended two Christmas
church services. One on Christmas Eve and the other on New Year's
Eve.
As far as he knows, the extra service on New Year's Eve, is
unique to his church.
"I never knew the history behind it, and I never asked other
people about it either. Our parents do not tell us why we should
do something, but we are already used to it, so we just do it,"
Juli told The Jakarta Post.
Juli is one of millions of members of the Batak Protestant
Church (HKBP).
Ompu Monang, one of the senior members of HKBP, confirmed the
tradition. But, he added that the service on Christmas Eve was
the official Christmas service.
"We call the service on New Year's Eve Parsingan Taon,
(meaning the change of the year)," he said.
Monang said that Parsingan Taon had been celebrated for 142
years, after Christianity came to the Tapanuli area of North
Sumatra. The custom was later spread by priests and Protestants
to other areas in Indonesia and even overseas.
He said that during the Parsingan Taon service hymns were sung
and the priest gave a sermon and led prayers.
All family members were encouraged to attend the service.
"The service starts at 12 p.m in all HKBP churches, after the
church officials ring the bell," said Monang, a member of the
HKPB District X Medan-Aceh, Medan, which is dubbed to have some
one million followers.
The service is a solemn occasion, because it is the best time
for church members to reflect upon the year and their past sins,
and decide what they should do in the future.
"After the service, the congregation will hug each other and
cry, and apologize to each other for their past mistakes," he
said.
Juli said, after the service his eyes would glisten with
tears, as he hugged his brothers, sisters and parents while he
apologized to them for the sins he had committed against them.
He also recalled that he was once given the chance to confess
his sins before the congregation and had been deeply moved by the
procedure.
R.J. Hutagaol, chairman of the HKPB District X Medan-Aceh,
said Parsingan Taon was not on the official church calendar. But,
he supported the service for its many positive aspects. During
the service, the congregation can reflect upon the year, he said.
Hutagaol admitted that for some people, the Parsingan Taon was
accepted as the official celebration of Christmas. But, the
different beliefs among HKBP members never turned into conflict.
"We have no problem with this trivial thing," said Hutagaol,
who graduated from HKBP's Nomensen University in Medan.