Page 6 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

INTRODUCTION

Our city, Hong Kong with its rapid growth in population, in industry,
in commerce, in tourism, in education, and in the spread of the Gospel,
has become unique in many respects, an exceedingly important centre in
South an d East Asia. To meet the need and to witness effectively to Jesus
Christian a pre-dominantly non-Christian community, it i s essential that
the Christian forces act together and be "with one accord in one place".
For this reason, the Hong Kong Christian Council was founded in 1954.
It has a membership of 19 major church denominations and Christian or-
ganizations. These member church denominations represent 73% of the
total Protestant Church membership in Hong Kong which is estimated to be
150,000 (adults) at the end of 1965.

As has been clearly stated in the Council's Constitution,the purposes
of the Hong Kong Christian Council are:(l) to develop closer fellowship
among the various Christian Bodies in Hong Kong; (2) to bring about better
understanding and more effective cooperation in their work; (3) to promote
the welfare of the Christian Community; (4) to take such common actions as
may be necessary on matters affecting the religious, moral and social life
of the Community, and (5) to maintain contacts with ecumenical bodies
abroad. The Council is itself a member of the Division of World Mission
and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches and a member of the East
Asia Christian Conference.

Ever since its inception, the Hong Kong Christian Council has been
aiming at a unified social service program through its auxiliary agency,
the Hong Kong Christian Welfare and Relief Council. As regards meeting
new needs, the Hong Kong Christian Council is sponsoring a United
Christian Hospital of 600 beds which we hope will materialize in the
near future.

We are grateful to God and to our many friends that once again we
are able to report that the Council under His guidance has made further
progress during the year under review.

. LOCAL ARRANGEMENT FOR ECUMENICAL CONSULTATIONS

During the year Ecumenical church leaders from all around the world
came to visit Hong Kong. Their visits to our churches and community form
strong bridges of Christian fellowship whose value cannot be measured in
words. The Council also had the previlige of making local arrangements
s
for the following conference’ which had been held or to be held in Hong
Kong:

1. The Working Committee of EACC Youth Department held its sessions
during June 21-25, 1965.

2. A Consultation on "Japan and Korea Relations" sponsored by the
EACC was held during February 15-18, 1966.

3. The EACC Consultation on Theological Education was held during
25-28 March, 1966.

4. The EACC, Inter Church Aid Consultations to be held from 25-26
October, 1966.

5. The EACC Faith and Order Conference to be held from 26th October
to 3rd November, 1966.

6. Meeting of t he enlarged Continuation Committee of EACC will be
held from 3-4 November, 1966.

7. The EACC Consultations on University Education will be held from
4-11. November, 1966.

8. The Youth Training Course, EACC will be held in November, 1966.