Page 14 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

services were held. Asian neighbours. The chief tool for this purpose
is the publication of a reference bulletin on Hong
Education Kong’s Economic and Public Affairs which takes
the form of a series of 30 topical information
The concern for education is expressed by sheets covering every aspect of the social and
a committee of 7 persons who work alongside economic life of Hong Kong. A typical format
with the Education Secretary of the Council. consists of the most up-to-date statistics, trends
Their efforts have been focused on four major and policies along with Christian reflections.
programmes, all geared towards supporting the Begun less than nine months ago, it is now
church’s involvement in education. The most subscribed to by teachers of 265 secondary
crucial is the design of a new Secondary School schools both church related and otherwise.
Religious Education Syllabus. It is envisioned to
have the entire Syllabus (student’s book and Another project for grassroot missional
teachers manual) for Forms I —V completed education was the production of a series of slides

and published in two to three years, the on the churches in ten S.E. Asian countries. This
response from the Churches and from the series of presentations will be completed during
publisher has been very positive. the current year.

Two Christian models for student develop-
ment, complete with staff training manuals, were
introduced —a one week " Senior Student Per-

sonal Development Retreat", and a 5-week
“ Summer With A purpose” camp.
The education desk also produced two
popular material packets, one for Education
Sunday and the other for the International Year
of the Child.
DIVISION OF SERVICE
Labour
Labour education in terms of workers rights,
social sciences and religious studies continued to
be the main task of the Christian Industrial
Committee. Labour law classes were held, more
often than not taught by trained worker
instructors, every day of the week in over 40 The Division of Service is the social service
bases in working class area, community youth arm of the Council. It provides comprehensive
centres, churches and homes. There was also programmes for the healing and growth of
a teaching network covering 26 evening schools, people. It operates the Hong Kong Christian
most of whose students were factory workers. In Service which has a staff of 300 with a budget of
addition, workers rights, both general and more than $12 million. The Division also
particular (such as industrial safety) were high- includes two Committees made up of volunteers.
lighted through mobile exhibitions in 14 major
industrial estates. The Committee and its The Committee for Service to the Mentally
network of allies has been the single largest and Retarded and the Junk Bay Medical Relief
most influential labour educator in the Hong Council have been operating the Sunnyside
Kong community. Hostel. During the year, the Committee began
plans for a second hostel for the mentally
Legislative lobbying focused on two import- retarded.
ant items: the revision of the ordinance which The Health Concerns Committee (previously the
provides annual paid leave, and the drive for Medical Service Committee) has drawn up plans
paid maternity leave. The former was success- to introduce, by means of a seminar, the concept
fully accomplished and the latter remain un- of Primary Health Care.
certain. However, support from church and
women’s groups was most encouraging. HONG KONG CHRISTIAN SERVICE
Labour evangelism took the form of gospel During the year 1978-79 the HKCS Handi-
camps, fellowship meeting and Bible studies. The craft Department was closed as the need for such
most important sign was the active cooperation a service no longer existed. New programmes,
of five local churches in working class areas in such as providing shelter and training for
the programme. Vietnamese refugees and a Hostel for the
rehabilitation of exdrug addicts, were set up in
Ecumenical Issues For Grassroot Concern response to new needs. The reception area at the
Head Office was re-arranged to establish an
This project is an attempt to acquaint the enquiry service for people from the neighbour-
church’s grassroots with the issues and concerns hood.
of the Hong Kong community and that of our

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