Page 14 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity
P. 14
After the delegates returned to Hong Kong, there was a meeting
o f the Youth Committee with the delegates to share with them th eir
rich experience of the Assembly and to discuss a wider sharing with
other youth groups, A report o f the Assembly in Chinese has been
published by the Christian Weekly. In response to the Photo com-
p etition o f the Youth Department of EACC in relation to the First
Christian Youth Assembly, we are most happy to report that the fir s t
prize went to a Hong Kong youth, Mr. Fok Kit Hung o f the St. Paul’ s
Church.
The Youth Committee is planning to hold a one-day consultation
on youth work fo r a ll local youth workers in June, 1965.
VI. WORK OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES
1. Christian Centre Committee
With the rapid growth of the c ity in population, in industry,
in commerce, in tourism, in education, and in the spread o f the
Gospel, Hong Kong is unique in many respects, and has become an
exceedingly Important centre in South and East Asia.
To meet the appalling needs o f the refugees and to witness
to Christ in a predominantly non-Christian community, i t is essential
that the Christian forces pull together and be "with one accord in
one place. " A Christian Centre w ill afford easy access to one another,
mutual consultation, close co-operation and united action.
The price of land, however, has become almost prohibitive because
o f the unusually rapid development of the building industry during the
last ten years. A cen trally located s ite is almost unavailable.
Fortunately, the Kowloon Union Church, situated at an easily accessible
lo c a lity , owns a piece o f land, and has offered to the Hong Korg Christian
Council to develop i t together. The plan is to put up a twelve-storey
building to be known as the "Hong Kong Christian Centre". The Kowloon
Union Church w ill occupy four top f l oors, and the Hong Kong Christian
Council, the remaining eight flo ors.
Of the eight flo ors occupied by the Hong Kong Christian Council,
six flo o rs w ill be completely used by ecumenical organizations which
are now operating in rented quarters. These include the Hong Kong
Christian Council, the Hong Kong Christian Welfare and R elie f Council,
the Audio-Visual Evangelism Committee, the Council on Christian
Literature fo r Overseas Chinese and the Bible Society. Other features
to be incorporated are an Ecumenical Library, a combined Chapel and
Conference Room, and small committee rooms, to serve the entire Christian
community in Hong Kong. The remaining two floors w ill be occupied by
Churches and Missions which apply fo r o ffic e space in the building.
Like the Bible Society, these w ill meet th eir own financial requirements.
The building, when completed, w ill be tru ly ecumenical.
The to ta l cost o f the building project was origion ally estimated
at US$480 ,000. Of this amount, the Hong Kong Christian Council is
d irectly responsible fo r US$220,000 fo r the construction of flo o rs,
plus an additional amount o f US$20,000 fo r books and special equipment.
However, the cost o f construction has gone up by 65% since the time
when we made out our plans in early 1963. This would greatly increase
the amount i f the project is to be completed.
At the present, g ifts fo r the financing of the building project
amount to US$190,000.- more g ifts are expected to come from Mission
Boards and friends in the near future.
Steps are being taken to raise US$50,000 in Hong Kong as soon as
the plans are fin a lized by the Hong Kong Government. It is hoped that
the construction of the building may begin during the la tte r part o f
13