Page 34 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

Chairperson’s Remarks

Bishop Dr. Tai Ho-fai, Nicholas

"The Lord is good to all; and his compassion is over all that he has m ade." (Psalm 145:9)
W h e n G od c re a te d th e w o rld , h u m a n s a re the E dinburgh 1910 W orld M issionary C onference, ChairpersorTs
th e h ig h e s t am o n g c re a tio n . H ow e ver, th is d oe s w h ic h g a v e b irth to th e e c u m e n ic a l m o v e m e n t.
not m ean th a t all th in g s are cre a te d fo r h um an s H a v in g lo o k e d a t th e p ro g re s s o f u n ity a m o n g
alone . W e hum ans, how ever, live as if e ve rythin g churches all over the w orld, we can then gain m ore
e xists fo r o u r own use and purpose. Such se lfish understanding o f w hat we can do to m ake progress
b e h a vio r has caused in fin ite dam age. B ecause of fo r Hong Kong's ecum enical m ovem ent. First o f all, Rem arks
endless econom ic grow th, voracio u s a ppetites and the ecum enical m ovem ent o f churches all over the
o vercon su m p tio n , we co ntribu te to the d estructio n w orld starts with dialogue on Faith and Order. Then
o f e n d a n g e re d s p e c ie s a n d th e d e p le tio n o f they fu rth e r seek m utual acceptance of sim ilarities
natural resources. G lobal w arm ing, w ate r pollution and differences. In this way, churches will get along
and s p e c ie s e x tin c tio n can a ll be a ttrib u te d to w ith one a n o the r and gain m ore und ersta nd in g so
consum erism and greed. In this year, the S outhw est that different denom inations can even reconcile and
o f C h in a e x p e rie n c e d d ro u g h ts , flo o d s and p oo r start having conversation. In the past, the R eform ed
h a rve st. P e o p le 's livin g w as even w orse o ff than C h u rc h and th e L u th e ra n C h u rc h had d ia lo g u e
before. As the Bible says, God is com passionate to firs t, th en e s ta b lis h e d a re la tio n s h ip , re su ltin g in
all creation. W e could solve the disasters brought by the Leuenberg A greem ent betw een the tw o parties.
global w arm ing only if we return to the com passion Lastly, they practiced concrete integration. Lutheran
o f G o d, jo in in g H im to ca re fo r and p ro te c t th e and o th e r E u ro p e a n C h u rc h e s (m a in ly A n g lic a n
w orld. In the statem ent of the M ission C onsultation C hu rch e s) signed the P orvoo C om m on S ta te m e n t
o f th e H ong K ong C h u rch e s 2 009, c h u rch e s are w hile Lutherans and M ethodists in the U SA signed
ca lle d to sh ow conce rn a bo ut the g loba l w arm in g
“C onfessing O ur Faith Together” . These agreem ents
issue by a d o ptin g a sim p le life sty le and resistin g enhanced unity in truth and practical integration.
the consum er culture. If we do not take im m ediate
C hin ese ch u rch e s are tra d itio n a lly p ra g m a tic
steps to reduce our daily carbon em issions, God s
in th e ir th in k in g , and th e y e xp e c t th e re w ou ld be
cre a tio n in clu d in g h u m an kind c a n n o t e sca p e the
g re a t d iffe re n c e s o nce issue s o f F aith and O rde r
disasters caused by global w arm ing.
a re d is c u s s e d . T h e re fo re a u n ifie d w itn e s s o n ly
Besides unusual w eather patterns, there w ere h appens w hen th ey respond to g e th e r to the w orld
also earthquakes happening in Sichuan and Q inghai, a nd s o c ia l n e e d s b u t a v o id is s u e s o f th e o lo g y
c a u s in g g re a t s u ffe rin g in th e M a in la n d . H ong and church polity. The path o f the w estern church
Kong C hristian C ouncil has alw ays been receiving m ig h t not be w ell su ite d fo r th e C h in e se ch u rch .
generous donations from local churches and donors H o w e ve r, co u ld th e ir s u c c e s s a lso be o u r s ta rt,
fo r e m e rg e n cy re lie f w ork and pove rty a lle via tio n . e n h a n c in g th e u n d e rs ta n d in g a m o n g c h u rc h e s ?
T herefore, our Five Loaves and Two Fish office can H ong K ong C h ristia n C o u n cil has a lw a ys been a
respond rapidly and appropriately. For this, we are b rid g e and e n h a n c e r fo r c h u rc h u n ity. In M arch
very th a n kfu l b ecause G od’s com passion reaches
2010, the E xecutive C om m ittee held a brainstorm ing
m any needy persons through our efforts. m eeting to d iscu ss the fu tu re path o f the C ouncil.
C h u rc h e s in H ong K ong w o rk to g e th e r v e ry W e have d iscussed the p rospects and m ethods of
closely. This is a very obvious te stim o ny to others th e e c u m e n ic a l m o ve m e n t in o rd e r to d e fin e the
sin c e th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f H ong K ong C h ris tia n role and duties o f the C ouncil. W e hope th at every
C ouncil . W e can look at the support to earthquake m em ber o f the C ouncil w ill take action to prom ote
v ic tim s in W en C o u n ty in th e p a s t and to th e the w ork of C hristian unity at the pastoral level. It is
R eb uildin g C olla p sin g S chools P ro ject. H ow ever, o ur pra yer th a t all the ch urches o f H ong Kong w ill
w hen w e ask if w e could w alk to g e th e r in u nity in be m ore p rofoundly com m itted to w itnessing to our
m ore concrete term s, this never is an easy question unity in Jesus C hrist.
to answer. This year is the centenary anniversary of
“Beloved since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11)

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