Page 69 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

fellow ship. children, and groups o f students w ith the ir
teachers, led by the Chairperson, the General
4 . S o c ia l W it n e s s Secretary and the Chairperson o f the C hristian
M ission and Social Concern D epartm ent o f the
Jesus said "you are the salt o f the earth; b u t if salt Council.
has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be
restored? ....You are the light of the w o rld. A city In March, the Executive Secretary of the C ouncil,
b u ilt on a hill cannot be hid." (M att. 5:13-14) Rev. Hans Lutz, provided the secretarial back-up
The Church is b u ilt on the earth, to w itness for for the efforts o f a new ly form ed "C o a litio n for the
our God am ong the people. Every deed and w ord Concern on G am bling” . The C oalition is made up
o f the Church reflect the righteousness and mercy o f representatives from the education sector,
o f God in society. For many, the service o f the academic field and social concern groups. A
Church represents G od's love and grace; the voice statem ent on M ay 15, 2000 was published, calling
o f the Church represents G od's justice and tru th . on the G overnm ent and different parts o f society
to take action to meet the dangers b roug ht by
In late N ovem ber last year, the w orkshops o f the gam bling. The statem ent was signed by 132
2 I st C e ntury M ission C onsulta tio n generated schools, churches and organizations and 144
m any recom m endations w h ich are related to individuals. They include: U n iversity o f Hong
social concerns: Kong Education Faculty, Tung W ah G roup of
H ospitals Education D ivision, The Society for Truth
(a) The form ation o f an education concern group and Light, The Chinese U n iversity o f Hong Kong-
for the purpose o f fo llo w in g up on local Faculty of Education, Breakthrough, the
education problem s and to study and give Conference o f Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Secondary
response to education policy. Schools, A ssociation of Principals o f Secondary
(b) To encourage the concern for fam ily issues Schools (the HK C ouncil of the C hurch o f C hrist in
am ong churches o f Hong Kong. China), Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools
(c) To encourage m in is try to the m arginalized C ouncil, A ssociation o f Principals o f Primary
groups am ong churches of Hong Kong. Schools (the HK C ouncil o f the C hurch o f C hrist in
(d) Concern about issues o f pornography in Hong C hina), Subsidized Prim ary Schools C ouncil, Sha
Kong, and to respond to the related policies of Tin D istrict Secondary School Heads A ssociation,
the G overnm ent. SKH Prim ary School C ouncil Principals Conference,
(e) Concern for the gam bling trend th a t may the A ssociation o f Secondary School Heads in
bring harm to yo u th . Taipo, Caritas V ocational Training b Education
Service, Hong Kong East Parents-Teachers
Last year on December 4. the C ouncil in itiate d an A ssociation Federation, Baptist O i Kwan Social
action against moves to expand gam bling in Hong Service, C hristian b M issionary A lliance Church
Kong. A state m en t on "A strong dem and to the U nion, Po Leung Kuk Educational Service, Hong
G overnm ent: Protect our yo u th from the harm o f Kong Special Schools C ouncil, Sha Tin Parents-
gam bling" was published in M ing Pao, supported Teachers A ssociation Federation, Sai Kung D istrict
by 193 churches, schools, organizations, social Secondary School Heads A ssociation and Hong
service agencies and individuals. O n the same day, Kong C hristian C ouncil. The C hairm an o f the
about 150 people gathered in Chater Garden to C oalition is Dr. Frederick K.S. Leung o f the
present the statem ent as a p e titio n to the Chief U niversity o f Hong Kong Education Faculty.
Executive, Mr. Tung C hee-hwa. The group was
made up o f C hristians, m inisters, parents w ith Appointed by the Hong Kong SAR Government,

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