Page 197 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

THE LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION

LUTHERISCHER WELTHUND FEDE RATION LUTERANA MUNDIAL- FEDERATION LU THERIENNE MONDIALf:
DEPARTMENT FOR WORLD SERVICE

H ong K ong C hristian Council
33 G ranville R oad
T sim shatsui
K ow loon

D ear B rothers and Sisters in C hrist,

G reetings on the occasion o f your 40th A nniversary celebration. W e are pleased to be a
part o f this celebration and joyfully accept your invitation to send this m essage. O n b eh alf
o f the L utheran W orld Federation, I w ish to congratulate you and rejoice w ith you on this
historic anniversary o f the H ong K ong C hristian Council. W e also jo in you in thanking
G od for the m any years o f blessing H e has bestow ed upon the various m inistries and w ork
o f the Council.
T he C ouncil should be com m ended for its dynam ic w ork in affirm ing the unity o f the
churches as O ne Body in C hrist, proclaim ing G od's w ord and serving the m ultifaceted
needs o f people in your com m unity. W e are proud to have been partners in your m inistry
and w ish to continue so in the com ing years.
In view o f the 1997 transition w hich w ill m ost certainly usher in new challenges as w ell as
opportunities for the C hristian C om m unity in H ong K ong, w c pray for an extra m easure of
G od's grace to be bestow ed upon the Council in order to m eet these new dem ands. Y our
role as the H ong K ong C hristian Council in prom oting an ecum enical spirit and relating to
w orld-w ide com m unions is ju st one m anifestation o f how the churches in H ong K ong m ay
continue to face the challenges and visions that lie ahead.

T he L utheran W orld Federation is com m itted to continuing its m inistry o f accom panim ent
w ith the C hristian com m unity in H ong K ong. T his com m itm ent includes the holding of
our 1997 assem bly in H ong K ong seven days after its return to C hina. W e are excited
about this prospect and look forw ard to our interaction w ith the H ong K ong C hristian
C ouncil during both the planning and conducting o f this international m eeting.
A gain, w e send our congratulations and m ay the grace o f our Lord Jesus C hrist be w ith
you during this 40th A nniversary celebration.

In C hrist,

G unnar Staalsett
G eneral Secretary

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