Page 25 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

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a talk on "Youth’ View of Marriage”, Rev. Tung spoke on "Marriage
and Society", and Rev. John Ma gave his talk on "The Christian
View of Marriage". 125 people representing 15 denominations
participated in the Consultation. The findings of the
Consultation were published by both the Chinese Christian Weekly
and the Wah Kiu Yat Pao.

During group discussions, it was recognised that the average
parents in Hong Kong were not prepared to give healthy sex
education to their children. As a result, young people are
tempted to search for this kind of knowledge secretly and often
times leading them to develop wrong attitudes and wrong ideas
about sex.

It is important that parents and the Church should help the
youngsters to have a healthy concept regarding sex.

During the year, the Committee explored the possibilities
of setting up a pre-marriage counselling service. This is still
not a common practice in Hong Kong. It was felt that church workers
should include this type of service in their programme so that
young people who are going to get married may have healthy
knowledge about sex. Pre-marriage counselling would psychologically
and physically enable young people to understand the actual
meaning of family life and the meaning of marriage ceremony.

It was felt that the holding of a Consultation once a year
is not enough and that the Committee should set up seminars or
meetings to strengthen the family life programme of the churches
and help them to solve some of the problems.

It is hoped that the Committee, can find adequate resources for
the setting up of a family and Marriage Counselling Center to serve
our young people and the community in Hong Kong.

Youth Committee

It was reported that more than 50% of the Hong Kong population
is under the age of 21. This is a massive work force. The
question is how to organize and utilize this work force.
As a Committee with a special concern for youth, the Youth
Committee must constantly train and use young people and provide
constructive outlets for their energy and initiative. Since
all the committee members are heavily laden with work in their
own fields, it is impossible for the committee members to
undertake any major projects or offer direct services to the
churches. A youth secretary as a co-ordinator is badly needed to
gather facts and to plan joint projects for Church youth. However
The Committee has worked very hard to approach several candidates
for this post in the past year. The Council would like to see
this person:
- to organize seminars and models for youth leadership training.
to relate EACC youth programs.

to carry on Youth Tea House programme.
- to engage in lay training.
to co-ordinate youth activities among churches and Christian
schools.
- to involve in Christian education in schools.

- to plan and to initiate creative programs and project
for youth.

However, since we do not yet have a youth secretary, the Committee
provided opportunity for Christian youth workers from various
churches and Christian organizations to share their problems,
to. exchange ideas, and to suggest problem solving methods in the
Christian spirit.