Page 14 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity
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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


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