Page 25 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

in Hong Kong. On the whole, the response was support from grassroots citizens.
favourable. We were particularly gratified to see that Last year, the Association for the Rights of
some anomalies in clauses in question were eliminated Industrial Accident Victims continued to flourish.
in the final-form of the constitution. It enjoyed the absolute trust of those who sustained
WORLD PEACE was another concern of the injuries due to industrial accidents, and the relatives
Council during the past year. We tried our best of those who were fatally injured.
to encourage individual Christians and Churches The Christian Industrial Committee increasingly
to respond to "Peace on Earth’’， a world-wide call played a co-ordinator’s role for many trade unions.
for special prayers during the Advent Season. It was instrumental in forming a coalition to lobby
EVANGELISM AMONG THE LOW INCOMED for more adequate labour legislation, especially in the
was still very much in the hearts and minds of our area of Industrial Safety and in trying to get serverance
staff. We did not forget this had been the Number pay for redundant workers due to the. closure of
One concern of our Consultation on the Mission of factories.
the Church in Hong Kong in the 1980’s. We were still In the area of labour education, more than 9,000
in the formulation of ideas stage. Plans were drawn people enrolled in the 86 courses organized by the
up to publish a series of booklets, including a series CIC. A certificated course for labour organizers was
of Bible Studies for workers and a series on how to be also offered.
a truly community church. We particularly need the In the area of labour evangelism, the two com­
prayers and guidance of our supporters in this import­ munity churches, one in Kwun Tong and the other
ant area of the Mission of the Church! in Shamshuipo continued to hold Sunday worship
services and weeknight Bible Study Groups. Bible
9. FINANCE
studies were also held in workers' homes.
The Council spent a total of HK$1,510,000,
In the area of management — labour disputes, the
during 1982 - 83, with a total income of HK$1,530,
CIC was often asked to provide counselling. CIC
000. That left a slight surplus of HK$20,000. Our counsellors worked on 6373 such cases in 1982-83.
major income came from rentals. The second biggest
2. HONG KONG CHRISTIAN SERVICE
item was income from service fees. The Hong Kong
Council, the Church of Christ in China, gave us a very Hong Kong Chirstian Service is the service arm of
generous grant of HK$140,000. Other churches also the Council. Because of its long history, its size and
contributed generously to our special (non-recurrent) diversified roots and the many changes introduced by
projects. The Executive Committee voted to ask our the General Secretary since January, 1980, we felt
member churches to increase their contributions over that a Management Audit was called for. We therefore
and above the membership dues in the coming years. invited the Business School of the Chinese University
of Hong Kong to do the exercise. On the whole we
were declared healthy. However, the report pointed
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF AUXILIARY out that there was an acute shortage of top level staff
/RELATED ECUMENICAL which hinders overall planning and the setting up of
ORGANIZATIONS concrete goals and directions for each of the 17
services.
1. CHRISTIAN INDUSTRIAL COMMITTEE
Financially, HKCS has had three good years.
Ever since its beginning in 1967, the Christian However, in the coming year, it will be extremely
Industrial Committee has decided to side with the difficult to avoid a deficit. From the carefully worked
workers, the poor and the oppressed. In recent out budget, the deficit could be as high as HK$1.4
years it has become one of the most formidable million (out of a total expenditure of HK$29 million
pressure groups in Hong Kong, enjoying very wide for the regular programmes and HK$35 million for

7