Page 15 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

APPENDIX 工

HKCC
Division of Inter-Church Relations
Annual Report, 1972/73________ ___

The aims of the Division of Inter-church Relations include
promotion of Church unity, inter-church cooperation involvement
in mission, and mutual participation in discussion of particular
issues. The time of the staff executive secretary was divided
for half of the year, part being given to the general program.

Church unity

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity continues to be one of
the major means of promoting a joint observance of Holy
Communion in commemoration of the 25th Anniversary af the
Church of South India and using its liturgy, was a significant
first in Hong Kong. Ministers from several denominations and
nationalities jointly celebrated the Lord’s Supper. Two
church union conversations continue slowly with HKCC staff
participation, and it now appears that t h e union of the two
Methodist churches may be consumated in 1974. The Church
Unity Committee considered a statement providing for mutual
recognition of baptism, but decided not to proceed with a
formal proposal at this time. The staff has visited and
participated in a number of church services, the meetings of
EMF, provided information to a number of representatives of
Christian groups about Hong Kong.

Inter-church cooperation
Detailed preparation for the initiation of a Hong Kong Ecumenical
Loan Fund is now complete. A t i d e s of Incorporation are in
the final drafting stage, and the Constitution and Administrative
Rules have been finalised. It is expect that the Geneva ECLOF
will give official recognition in June, 1973 and that the fund
will begin in the fall. Initial capital funds will amount to
0
$
0
5
H
.
,
0
K
0
approximately
A significant ecumenical project in which HKCC is involved,
concerns the Mission to Seamen and their present efforts to
prepare materials for use at sea.
The Joint Development Committee is another channel of
Inter—church cooperation. The committee has met a number of
times, and is attempting to think of development in broader
terms than just economic development. It has met with a
representative of T h e City District Office, and has considered
plans for an anti-pornography campaign. A series of high level
inter-disciplinary seminars on Development Issues in Hong Kong
was postponed due to lack of staff time. It may be that the
time has come for this committee to become a liaison committee
between the HKCC and the Catholic Churches.