Page 30 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

During the year, an increasing number of Christian groups have
come to use the Christian Centre facilities for holding a total of more
than 300 meetings and several consultations. The Clergy and Ministers'
Group whose members include both Roman Catholics and Protestants continued
to use the Centre's Conference Room for their regular meetings. The
Department of Extramural Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
has also continued to use the Conference rooms for holding evening
sessions. It is our hope that this Christian Centre may continue to be
a place of Christian witness and service as well as a Centre of Christian
nurture in international and interdenominational relations.

World Day of Prayer Committee

Once again in Hong Kong a bilingual service was held on 3th March
1971 at 3:00 p.m. in the Chinese Methodist Church, Kowloon. Almost
700 attended, mainly Chinese and with a few men present. For the third
year there was no speaker, and the service closely followed the material
sent out. Eight people took part in leading the worship and, as they
represented different countries and denominations, the unity of this
world wide day of prayer was emphasised. The choir was made up of members
from several Churches and led the dinging most ably. Choir soloist and
congregation gave an effective rendering of the chant "Hallowed by Thy
Name". Two young blind girls joined the choir for the first time and it
was a moving experience to watch them singing with evident enjoyment.
Many people had expressed appreciation of the Service. It has been
thought both beautiful and original, and for some it has been a new
experience of worhip. The offering of HK$1,000 was given to the
Community Chest of Hong Kong.

In planning for this Service the Committee gave much thought to its
publicity. At a Promotion Meeting in January, to which Churches were
invited to send two representatives, those attending were urged to make
contact with any school, hospital or group who might be willing to use
some part of the Service. Two Committee members were interviewed for
a programme on Radio Hong Kong.

It was felt that the symbol of the broken cross would not have real
significance for most Chinese, and a Deacon of a Chinese Church designed
a simple but striking poster of the cross superimposed on the world.

The printing of all Chinese service programmes for South East Asia
is done every year in Hong Kong.

At the November Committee Meeting Mrs. Rayan Ma gave a full report
on the International Committee of the World Day of Prayer which she had
attended in Bangkok in September 1970. It has been decided that Hong
Kong should participate in the proposed 1/10 scheme whereby 1/10 of the
offering from each World Day of Prayer Service should be given towards the
expenses of the International Committee and 1/10 kept for local leadership
training.

In this comint year the Committee plan to assess the moaning of the
World Day of Prayer for Hong Kong and decide what changes could or should
be made.

Thanks are due to all members of the Committee and it was with regret
that they said farewell to the co-chairman, Miss Alice Dickinson on her
retirement from Hong Kong after many years service.