Page 56 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

During the past year, the Council has received
in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The theme of the Assembly
was “Hope in God in a Changing Asia”. Rev. Po many church leaders and visitors from different
Kam-cheong, Rev. Andrew Chan and I, representing churches and ecumenical agencies all over the
respectively the Hong Kong Council of the Church world. The NCCCUSA and the German Churches
have already sent us invitations to visit their
of Christ in Cfhina, the Anglican Church and HKCC,
participated in the Assembly. In addition to theme countries next year for strengthening our ecumenical
presentations, worship services, and Bible studies, ties. Moreover, I have also given dozens of talks,
the Assembly approved the revision of the sermons and lectures in churches and church
constitution and the election of members of different organizations in Hong Kong and abroad and written
articles to promote the unity of the Church. The
committees. Mr. Simon Sit, Ms. Alice Yuk and I
publications of the Council have also been God’s
were elected to serve the Mission and Evangelism
Committee, Development and Service Committee instrument, not only to strengthen our faith in God
and elevate the quality of our spiritual life, but also
and General Committee respectively. A total of
to develop the unity of the spirit and Christian
415 people attended the Assembly, including about
two hundred Asian delegates and other fellowship.
representatives from ecumenical agencies, advisors
and guests. It was a wonderful ecumenical
fellowship with dedicated participants working Exchange Programs With China
whole-heartedly for the future direction of the
mission of CCA for the next 5 years. The Hong Kong Christian Council was the first
Christian organization in Hong Kong to establish
The Friends of Hong Kong Committee in London relationships with the Church in China since the re­
invited me to speak on “The Contextual opening of China in 1979. After the "Consultation
Understanding of Human Rights” at their seminar on the Mission of the Hong Kong Churches in the
on June 23,1995 at the House of Lords. The theme 90, s’， sponsored by the Council, there have been
o f th e sem inar w a s “H ong K ong in Transition”. even more exchange programs and activities
Later, I was interviewed live on BBC television at between the churches in Hong Kong and China, not
its headquarters. While I was in London, I also only to strengthen our ties, but also to assist the
visited the Council of Churches of Britain and churches in Hong Kong to move beyond 1997
Ireland, speaking at the International Affairs smoothly into the 21st century.
Committee and the Hong Kong Steering Group
meeting on the present situation and the iuture ol When I was first invited by the China Christian
Council to make a lecture tour on “Pastoral
Hong Kong. I was also invited by the Archbishop
Counseling”， I had the opportunity to visit and to
of Canterbury to visit Lambeth Palace and to meet
with his assistant secretary on Communion Affairs, give a series of lectures at Nanjing Theological
to improve the ecumenical relationship between Seminary, East China Theological Seminary in
Shanghai and Zhejiang Theological Seminary in
the Council and the Church of England.
Hangzhou from October 3-12， 1994， and the
Thirteen teachers and students from the Tokyo privilege to preach at the Community Church in
Union Theological Seminary made a visit to the Shanghai on October 12. This was one of the most
spiritually and intellectually rewarding trips I have
Council on March 3, 1995 to learn more about the
had in China with deeper sharing with the seminaries
churches in Hong Kong in facing 1997. After their
stay in Hong Kong, Rev. Wendell Karsen and churches in China.
accompanied the delegation to visit China to
My second lecture trip was to Guangdong Union
understand more about the Church in China and its
Theological Seminary, having been jointly invited
theological education.
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