Page 15 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

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C. Work of Special Committees (Cpnt’d)

4. Christian Centre Committee
The scattering of Christian organizations and mission offices can
be a great inconvenience; and the need of a Christian Centre to house
different Christian organizations has often been expressed. This idea
met with the approval of all m embers of the Council. Careful investiga-
tions were made concerning availability of land, size, location, cost
of construction, etc. There is general agreement that the site of the
manse of Kowloon Union Church is an ideal location for this proponed
Christian Centre. The Centro* would serve also as a witness to Church Unity.

The Kowloon Union Church has now expressed its own agreement with
the proposal, and approval of Government is being sought for the re-
development of that very central site.

Enthusiastic participation by all members and friends should assure
s u c c e s s i n the effort to raise HK$1,200,000.00 for the new Christian
Centre.

We sincerely hope that a visible landmark in the history of Church
Unity may thus be soon established in Hongkong.

5. Hospital Chaplaincy Service Committee
An appeal was received from the Christian group working in the
Grantham Hospital requesting help to do evangelistic work on Sundays.

In view of this need, volunteers from member churches were enlisted
to accept this responsibility. A four-months' experiment is being carried
out. The Services are well attended and the programme has been proved
very successful. A special Committee has :been formed to study the possi-
bility of organizing Hospital Chaplaincy work, with r eference to any
hospitals wishing to participate.

D. Work of Auxiliary Organizations

1. Hongkong Christian Welfare and Relief Council
The Council is an operational arm of the Hong Kong Christian
Council in which the churches work together in carrying.out irelief and
welfare work in the Colony. Funds are raised overseas on an inter-
denominational basis. such as Inter-Church Aid, and the work of the Council
are several pilot projects in inten-denominat ional cooperation. The Council has
twenty-four leading Churches and Christian agencies working together and spon-
sored world-wide appeals for funds through the World Council o f Churches.
About $2,75O.000 as received and disbursed during 1961. The Council
w
itself developed three rehabilitation projects on the Churches’ behalf,
one for resettlement of Swatow-speaking refugee of farming origin on
small-holdings on the island.of Chu Lap Kok, to the north of Lantau
Island. Another, which is.carried out with the co-operation of the
Prisons Department, provides for the rehabilitation of cured drug
addicts by settling them with their families on small holdings, or
by giving help to enable them to re-establish themselves in their
former occupations. The third project is for the vocational training
of more than 400 students in four trades, dealing with electricity,
diesel engines, painting and refrigeration, together with a basic
education in Ehglish and elementary mathematics, which is carried out
in the community centre at Wong Tai Sin, in new pranises in Bridges
Street, Hong Kong and in a special floating classroom for fishermen’s
children which is moved from harbour to harbour.