Page 31 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

GENERAL SECRETARY’S REPORT

(September 2002 - August 2003)
Rev. Eric S. Y. So

Forward
quarantined, and the city was put under a travel advisory by
Two years ago I wrote an article in the HKCC the WHO. April and May of 2003 were described as the most
"Message" addressing the news that 15 people had difficult moment in the history of Hong Kong that people have
committed suicide in one day (September 5, 2001) due to ever experienced.
different reasons. The youngest was 12 and the eldest was What should the Church of Hong Kong do in such a
80! It was so sad to hear that so many people felt they had time of difficulty? What message would God's people in Hong
no future even though they were living in a rich city, Hong Kong proclaim to the public? Day after day, we saw people
Kong. The tragedy of suicide cases challenges us to ponder living with fear and anxiety. Hundreds of innocent people
the value of life in comparison with the importance of were staying in the hospital wards facing life or death
economic growth, which many in Hong Kong put as top because of this disease. How would the Church react?

priority. Unfortunately, the news could not wake up Hong On the morning of March 30, 2003, a joint Christian
Kong people until SARS came and spread in March 2003. Prayer Meeting was held at Edinburgh Square sponsored
SARS forced the whole society to rethink their order of by the Hong Kong Catholic Church and the Council. Four
priorities in life and to treasure the virtues of humanity. Church leaders - Rev. Dr. Li Ping-kwong, Archbishop Peter
Kwong, Metropolitan Nikitas and Bishop Joseph Zen - prayed
Joint Action for Common Mission for peace, rest and confidence for the people. In April and

1. Churches' Concern on Unemployment May, the Council joined other Protestant organizations to
formulate programs and actions to tackle the problems
Under the support of the Hong Kong Chinese
created by SARS. It is so good to see that by joint action
Christian Churches Union, the Hong Kong Church Renewal
during the time of SARS, we found more understanding and
Movement, and the Council, a campaign was founded in
collaboration in the Christian family of Hong Kong and more
M a r c h 2 0 0 2 , n a m e l y " C h u r c h e s C o n c e r n o n
new friends have been made.
Unemployment". The purpose is to express our Christian
concern to the unemployed through concrete action. Till June
气 Rev. Eric So delivered
2003, we have set up a Service Centre and a telephone the joint message.
hotline. In response to our invitation, around 807 new posts
have been created in which 210 received subsidies from
us. The joint action did not only bring a positive impact to
the community but also was an ecumenical witness of the
Churches in Hong Kong. I hope this experience may become
> Service leaders o f the Joint
the prelude of the visible unity of Hong Kong Churches. Christian Prayer Meeting, (from
left to right) Archbishop Peter
Kwong, M etropolitan Nikitas,
Rev. Dr. L i Ping-kw ong an d
2. Hong Kong under the attack of SARS Bishop Joseph Zen
Nobody knew that the destructive power of this virus
could make the whole city fall into panic including the medical 3. Visitation of the Delegation of China
experts and our government. Face masks were everywhere, Christian Council
schools and hospitals were closed, the infected were Last November, a delegation of the China Christian

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