Page 54 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

General Secretary’s Report
(S eptem ber 1996 - A ugust 1997)

R ev. D r. T so M an-king
FORWARD M etropolitanate to be H onorary m em ber o f
the C ouncil to b e approved at the 43rd
B eginning from July 1, 1997, H ong K ong A nnual G eneral M eeting to be held
has already becom e a Special S eptem ber 26, 1997. If it is approved, the
A dm inistrative R egion (SA R ), under the C ouncil w ill start w ith a new m ilestone in

p o licy o f “O ne C ountry, T w o System s”， ecum enical representation and operation.
im plem enting the principle o f “H ong K ong
people govern H ong K ong w ith high degree D uring the past year, the C ouncil has been
o f autonom y” . D uring the entire process w orking w holeheartedly to consolidate its
o f the transfer o f sovereignty, there w as no financial situation. A fter a long concerted
m ilitary coup, no bloodshed. It w as a very effort o f b oth the F inance C om m ittee and
peaceful transition w ith the flags o f B ritain the P roperty D evelopm ent C om m ittee, the
and o f H ong K ong being low ered ju st C ouncil w as able to strengthen its assets by
before m idnight on June 30, and the selling the properties on P eking R oad and
hoisting o f the flags o f the P eo p le’s C am bridge R oad, using proceeds to m ake
R epublic o f C hina and the Special diversified investm ent. T he C ouncil is
A dm inistrative R egion im m ediately also in the process o f changing the use o f
afterw ards. W e have to give thanks to the ground floor o f the C hristian
G od for the peaceful “H andover” . E cum enical B uilding to generate som e
revenue for operational and program
T he past year has been a trem endous and expansion causes. M oreover, the
colorful year for the H ong K ong C hristian developm ent plan for the K w un T ong site
C ouncil. O n the one hand, due to the is still in the planning stage. A t present,
im pact o f the social and political changes, the financial situation o f the C ouncil has
the C ouncil took the initiative to respond been im proved and stabilized. I w an t to
actively and adequately w ith express m y thanks and appreciation to all
com prehensive assessm ent and full those w ho have been w orking d iligently for
consideration. O n the other hand, the the C ouncil.
C ouncil dealt w ith the issues o f ’97
p ositively and constructively, to stand in In responding to the dem ands o f the new
solidarity w ith th e churches in H ong K ong era, the E xecutive C om m ittee at its June
together, hand in hand, m oving steadily m eeting approved tw o im portant
beyond 1997. docum ents, nam ely, the “D eclaration on
C hurch U nity” and the “ 1997 H andover
In order to adjust to the special and fast
D eclaration” ， to reaffirm the tasks o f the
changing situation o f H ong K ong w ith high C ouncil as w ell as setting new direction for
efficiency, the C ouncil passed a resolution the C ouncil in the future. P lease refer to
at the July S pecial E xecutive M eeting to the appendix o f this annual report for
restructure the C ouncil from seven details. T he docum ent on C hurch and
C om m ittees to three departm ents, nam ely State R elations has to be postponed due to
C hurch U n ity and C hurch R elations unanticipated com plications. It is hoped
D epartm ent, Social C oncerns and C hristian that this docum ent can be com pleted by the
M ission D epartm ent, and H um an end o f 1997. T hese docum ents w ill
R esources D evelopm ent D epartm ent. It is certainly contribute to the future tasks o f
hoped that through the restructuring process, the C ouncil.
the C ouncil can strengthen its operational
efficiency and quality o f service. T he “ 1997 H andover” is a historic event
M oreover, the E xecutive C om m ittee also w hich attracted the attention o f the w hole
resolved unanim ously to invite the H ong
w orld. T ens o f thousands o f visitors m ade
K ong and S outh E ast A sia O rthodox
a special trip to H ong K ong to w itness this
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