Though many post- and under-graduates were on time
for school, Salvation PhD got off to a late start. A few hundreds were
on hand to receive their ‘spiritual degrees’ and about a dozen
lecturers were billed for the night to instruct, impart and encourage
students who are struggling to make it through school. The Utech
Activity Center was the classroom and the over-lit stage the
blackboard. The principal was Love 101’s Olecia Wedderburn who ensured
that each lecturer came to the blackboard well prepared.
School was in and the University of Technology
Jamaica Students Union’s concert was underway. The title for the event
was “Salvation PhD, Radical for Christ” and everyone was indeed
expecting a radical variety of praise as different brands of lecturers
ranging from Perpetual Praise to Sons Of The Prophet were set to
minister.
For those present to receive their degree school commenced with a few new, upcoming artists, such Biblical, DJ Equip, Gospel Boy and Krystal Morgan. Things got off to a rough start, as the inexperience surfaced during the performances of some. But it’s a growing process, right? We won’t fire anyone for that. Throughout the night Principal Wedderburn would step in between lectures to give away some prizes to the keen students, including DigiCel Flexcards and t-shirts.
Performances came and went, but the most exciting and challenging one was the entrance of Sons Of The Prophet to the blackboard, teaching from “My God” and “Still Standing”. Following were Minister Blessed and Chosen Vessel, who thrilled with Kirk Franklin’s “Imagine Me” and rocked the classroom with “Holyghost Party!” Kerron Ennis also had a high energy performance, but Perpetual Praise gave us a break from it all with some good ol’ (and new) praise and worship songs, with one of the more recent ones being “Empty Me” by Jeremy Camp. As the voices of worship echoed across the length and breadth of Utech, it was evident that many students remained focused were successful in their finals, giving God the glory.
It was graduation time, and so Principal Wedderburn called to the podium the valedictorian, Dj Moses, who was the final artist for the night. There was a mysterious guest speaker who charged both graduates and those who weren’t successful to look into themselves and be honest. To the graduates there was a special charge to not fake it. If they say they were Christians, then live like it and be true to God, man and themselves.
A late start usually means a late end, and in this case it was no different, but that’s how school is (though we hope for better). Well, God’s willing, we will have another impartation as children of God gather to proclaim some radical praise for Jesus Christ!
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