SUHS Batch '73 donates ceramic communion sets to 32 NDC pastors through the Pakig-ambit Project

The Silliman University High School (SUHS) Batch 1973, in partnership with the SU Divinity School’s (SUDS) Elena Maquiso Center for Liturgy and Music, turned over ceramic communion sets to 32 pastors from the Negros District Conference (NDC) during a ceremony held on August 6, 2025, at the Chapel of the Evangel’s Wednesday Chapel Service.

This initiative, called the Pakig-ambit Project, is part of Batch 1973’s 52nd reunion celebration and reflects their commitment to supporting local churches and pastors in their ministry. Dr. Jean C. Nalam, coordinator of the Elena Maquiso Center for Liturgy and Music, facilitated the program.

The handcrafted communion sets were designed and produced by renowned ceramic artist Lanelle Abueva Fernando, also a proud member of SUHS Batch 1973. Earlier, on May 19, 2025, the batch officially launched the Pakig-Ambit Project by turning over 88 ceramic communion sets to the Center for Liturgy and Music. These sets, carefully crafted and deeply symbolic, were created to serve as tools for meaningful and contextualized worship across local congregations.

Rooted in the vision of Dr. Elena G. Maquiso, a pioneering advocate of contextualized Filipino worship, the Pakig-Ambit Project embodies her lifelong passion for authentic expressions of faith shaped by local culture and theology. This project, which reclaims and revitalizes locally made symbols for use in worship, ensures that Filipino congregations worship in ways that are both faithful and culturally grounded.

Present at the ceremony on behalf of the SUHS Batch 1973 were Addily Utzurrum, Rachel Alviola, Emily Sun, Elsie Regalado, Rhodora Baol, and Manuel Utzurrum.

Meanwhile, representatives who received the communion sets came from the 32 NDC churches of the UCCP located in Barangays Actin Basay, Avocado, Bal-os, Buenavista, Bul-at, Bulay, Bunsod, Cadawinonan, Calicanan, Cambagilid, Cambucad, Camp Lookout, Cansumalig, Culipapa, Guinhamogan I, Jantianon, Kakha, Lonoy, Milagrosa, Nagbalaye, Pala-Ew, Palangging, Payawpayawan, Polo, Polopinggan, Sangke, San Isidro, Siit, Sta. Agueda, Tagpo, Tamlang, and Tingcolong.

Also present at the event were Dr. Lope B. Robin, SUDS dean; Dr. Rev. Van Cliburn M. Tibus, immediate past dean; and faculty and students of SUDS.