Page 26 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity
P. 26
III. THE CHURCH AND ITS COUNCIL every year, the Council has engaged in a massive
campaign to awaken Christians in Hong Kong to
Hong Kong Christian Council is not a church, the plight of famine victim in Asia and in Africa.
least to say a super-church. Many churches and Last year, we raised a total of almost HK$1.3
church organizations came together to form the million which was sent to Ethiopia.
Council, because they wanted to give a common, and
therefore a stronger Christian witness under the 4. Theological Concerns
motto: "Joint Action for Mission’’. There have also The Council has been a major Christian organi
been times, however, when the Council has acted as zation in Hong Kong to give theological input to
a catalyst, playing an enabling role in stimulating and ongoing issues facing society in genera! and the
supporting the Mission of the church in Hong Kong. church in particular. The Council’s Commission
on Mission did some significant work in reflect
During the year, the Council tried to serve and ing theologically on serveral major issues,
support the mission of the church in Hong Kong in including the Sino-British Agreement, the
the following 5 main areas: Further Development of Representative Govern
ment in Hong Kong as well as on the plans for
•1. Pastoral Concerns Civic Education. These group or individual
Joint services and ecumenical meetings in the reflections formed the core of the Council’s
1985 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and official Chinese Monthly Publication, "Message”
for the 98th World Day of Prayer, organized by which has a circulation of 3,000.
Councils respective committees, were well
attended; the former by 'church leaders, local In Inter-faith Dialogue, the leaders of Buddhist,
church pastors and seminary students; the latter Confucian, Islamic and Taoist Associations, the
by more Christians from the pews. During the Roman Catholic Church and the Council met
year, the Council promoted 7 Special Sundays twice lastl year. Ongoing work for the group was
for local congregations to observe and 2 pastoral done by the joint secretariat. One of Council’s
letters signed by heads of the Roman Catholic affiliated agencies, Tao Fung Shan Ecumenical
Church and the Council were published on Com Centre has also contributed significantly in this
munications Sunday and Christian Unity Sunday. area.
2. Christian Communications 5. Services to Community
The Council give staff and technical support to The Council provided much needed social
the Joint Religious Broadcasting Committee services to the wider community in Hong Kong:
through its Communications Centre. This com through the following auxiliary or affiliated
mittee is responsible for producing 214 hours of agencies:
English and 3 hours of Chinese, Religious Pro a. Hong Kong Christian Service (founded in
grams per week for Radio Hong Kong. (1952)
b. Christian Family Service Centre (found in
The Communications Centre also serves the local 1955)
churches and Christian organizations through its c. United Christian Medical Service (founded
audio-visual library as well as in its audio-visual in 1971) and
productions. e. Alice, Ho Miu Ling, Nethersole Hospital
(founded in 1887)
Last year, the Communications Centre continued
to offer a number of courses including a new one For details, please refer to their separate Annual
entitled "Television Awareness Training’’. Reports.
3. Mission Education
1984 was the Council’s 5th year in publishing the
IV. COUNCIL S OPERATIONS
"Economics and Public Affairs Bulletin". The
purpose of this publication — 30 issues per year
1. The General Assembly
— is to assist Christian professionals to get hold
The Council's 21 members form the General
of some essential data and information about
Assembly and the last A.G.M. was held on 23rd
Hong Kong. Brief theological reflection is also
September, 1984. It also marked the 30th
included in each of the issues. There were 1,700
Anniversary of the founding of the Council. A
subscribers last year.
thanksgiving service, a Program — hearing, as well
The Council started the "Five Loaves and Two as an Open Forum were held to mark this
Fish campaign" in 1975. Since then during Lent occasion.
24
