Page 24 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

Renewal laity alike. Last year we worked on the follow­ Women s
ing：
The Women’Committee continued to search for
adequate “roles for church women”last year. It

hristianity is concerned with the “Ideal” ， Students is hoped that a small group for theologically
Cbut it also places emphasis on its practical Last year, as in previous years, our Education trained women will soon begin. The Female

implications. “The Kingdom of God”is not Committee ran a Form V Retreat Camp (for 100 Church Workers Fellowship remained a very
something “ut there” ； but is in our midst. “The Form 5 students) and a “Summer with a Pur­ active group.
o
Kingdom of God has already begun”was what pose”Programme (for 40 Form 4 students) in

Jesus Christ came to declare and indeed was what June and August respectively. Both programmes Efforts were made to organize a women's con­
he accomplished through his life, death and re­ are aimed at providing opportunities for young ference on Concern for the Elderly this autumn
surrection. This was the basis of faith for the people to develop as whole persons through as a response to the United Nations’sponsored

early church. The church is a sign of the various planned recreational and social activities Conference On the Elderly held in Vienna in
Kingdom of God. Therefore as Christians, it is and through devotional periods, study and social July. The Committee will become a consultative
important to demonstrate some of the qualities service programmes. (The S.W.A.P. programme committee after September. Special task forces
of the Kingdom in our lives. also includes English conversation and writing). will be set up to deal with specific issues or tasks.
s

For too long, the church has been concerned Life’goals, values and meaning, in the context This should eliminate some of the overlapping

s
with women’work in different churches.
only with searching for its Mission in a narrow of the Christian faith, are discussed. These pro­
sense. The church tries hard to find ways to grammes aim at helping students acquire a more Lay Education
express such a mission in different ages and in positive attitude towards life. (Manuals for such Laity education is one of the most important
different situations. All these are important programmes may be obtained by youth workers tools in the whole process of church renewal.
issues. But we must not overlook the importance on request.) Unfortunately, due to a shortage of staff
of the Missioner (Missionary). We need to refocus members last year, we had to give up this area of
ourselves now as we look for some answers re­ Youth work. We hope that soon we will have enough
garding the missioner's vocation, role and life Last year, the Youth Committee devoted a great manpower to resume what we did two years ago,
style. deal of time to trying to set up a resource centre to help new town churches to run training
for youth fellowships. It was hoped that this courses.
From another perspective, the church in the New
Testament started with the witness of Jesus centre would provide some useful methods, tools Family
Christ (c.f. the gospel according to John) and the and ideas and eventually help to revitalize youth On the Monday before Christian Family Sunday,
witness of His disciples (c.f. the apostolic preach­ fellowships so that in turn local churches might a seminar was held for over 40 ministers (includ­
ing in Acts). The authenticity of a witness does be renewed. ing quite a few couples) on how to make church
not only lie in his word and deed but in the In the area of social concern, they planned to run life more family oriented. They recognized that
person of the witness himself. An authentic wit­ an experimental Television Awareness Training often church activities do not encourage the
ness flows out from an authentic life. The Course for a group of kindergarten parents this whole family to participate as a family. They also
Christian Faith is about how to be faithful to autumn. They also sent a representative to a realized that churches fail to provide ways for
Christ. A Christian is a follower of Christ. When C.C.A. Seminar on “Asia Militarism” In families to bring church life back to their own
.

we talk about Church Renewal to-day, we have addition, two Canton study tours were organized families. The staff are now looking for ways to
to pay more attention to bringing about a total and both resulted in good exchanges with young follow-up the findings of this seminar.
renewal and growth in the lives of clergymen and Christians in Canton.

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