Page 66 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

General Secretary’s Report
Heyward Wong

This past year has been the most vicissitudinous one in of uncertainty regarding 1997. Migration has been on the
the thirty-five year history of the Hong Kong Christian increase at a rapid pace. With the turmoil which has
Council. We must give thanks to our Almighty God for His occurred since May in China, people in Hong Kong have
wonderful blessings. Appreciation should also be extended to become even more apprehensive about their future. Such a
the Executive Committee for its leadership and to the staff state of affairs has affected the work and activities of the
members for their dedication and cooperation so that the Council to a certain extent, which will be reflected in the
Council is able to sail smoothly past the remaining year of report below.
this decade and move steadily forward into the nineties.

The most vital change within the Council during this The Annual General Meeting:
period is in personnel. Early in 1988, the former General Immediately after I assumed the post of General
Secretary submitted his resignation, which was to become Secretary on the 1st September, 1988, the first thing I had
effective from September of that year. However, the to involve myself in was to prepare for the Annual General
Executive Committee until the middle of July was still Meeting which was to take place on the 29th September at
unable to appoint a person to fill the post. To the surprise of the Truth Lutheran Church. The worship service right
everyone, the Executive Committee then asked this writer, before the A.G.M. was conducted by Col. A.A. Lim of the

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who has already retired more than once, to return to Hong Salvation Army. Col. Lim used “ trusted God”as the
Kong for one year to serve as Interim General Secretary in theme of his sermon. He recounted the experience of the
order to give the Council more time to search for a Apostle Paul during his voyage in the Mediterranean on
permanent General Secretary. I was then just out of the his way to Rome. They encountered a severe storm that
hospital and was still weak. Furthermore, I humbly was threatening to overwhelm the boat. Other people saw
recognized that my ability was limited. Physically and only peril and hopelessness, but Paul saw the saving grace
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mentally, I would not be suitable to assume such heavy of God. With staunch faith Paul declared “ trust G o d ’’!.
responsibilities. Yet, I also realized that the Council was in a Paul strongly believed that God would lead them out of
very difficult situation. In addition to the General Secretary, danger. Col. Lim applied this story to the present situation
one Executive Secretary, one Assistant Executive Secretary, of the Hong Kong Christian Council in this transitional
one clerk and later the Personal Secretary of the General period plus the apprehensiveness of the Hong Kong society
Secretary were also leaving. It was indeed a very hard as a whole in facing the uncertainty of the future. He
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decision for me to make, knowing that the Council had only encouraged us to echo Paul’words in putting our trust in
half of its already small staff remaining without a leader. I the Almighty, who would lead us to sail in the right
could only rely upon the Almighty to show forth His strength direction through troubled waters.
through my weaknesses when I reluctantly accepted the
invitation. I am extremely grateful to those very few who Activities in Unity:
remained and were willing to take on additional duties before To promote the spirit of unity among churches in
new staff members were engaged. It was due to their Hong Kong has always been one of the main objectives of
faithfulness and good stewardship that the work of the the Council since its inception. The annual Week of Prayer
Council could continue to carry on smoothly. for'Christian Unity was celebrated on 18th - 25th January,
1989，with the theme “United in Christ - Building One
It should also be mentioned that in 1986, through the Body” The main feature during this week was the
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sponsorship of six church bodies in Great Britain, Mr. Ecumenical Communion Service, which was held at the
Richard Worssam was made available to serve the Council Kowloon Methodist Church on 19th January. The homily
for three years. During this sojourn in Hong Kong, Mr. was given by Rev. Li Ping-Kwong, the President of the
Worssam was responsible for editing the quarterly United Methodist Church. The Service was very well
publication, News and Views. He also helped maintain the attended, probably the highest in recent years. Some
relationship with local English-speaking churches while church workers from China also participated and the spirit
he was in Hong Kong. Mr Worssam returned to the U.K. of unity was deeply felt.
after completing his term on 9th June this year. We are
very grateful to our partner churches in the U.K. for their The W orld Day of Prayer this year was held at the
support of our work. Chinese M ethodist Church, W anchai, Hong Kong, on the
3rd M arch ， 1989，under the them e “Teach us to Pray,
Besides the personnel problem in the Council during this Lord” Ms. Kw ok ，Pui-Lan，ecturer of Chung Chi College,
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past year, Hong Kong as a whole has been under the shadow Theology Division, gave the homily. The attendance was
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