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English Quarterly Newsletter

33 Granville Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2368-7123 Fax: (852) 2724-2131e-mail: hkcc@hkcc.org.hk Website: http://www.hkcc.org.hk

Editor:Judy Chan

HONG KONG CHRISTIAN COUNCIL

Elder Dr. Wong Fook-yee

Christian Community Responds to

in Hong KongCOVID-19

The Director-General of the World Health Organization announced on 11 March that COVID-19 has

become a global pandemic. This was the result of the rapid spreading and a sudden increase in the number

of cases all over the world. China has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus and Hong Kong has

also been seriously affected since end of January this year.

As of 25 March there are over 350 persons infected with four fatal cases in Hong Kong. The COVID-19

has affected the livelihood and functioning of the entire city. Most non-essential social communications

have been restricted or closed; citizens were advised to stay at home. Schools were shut down and students

have to learn from online lessons at home, people have to adapt to working from home office, public

entertainments and sports competitions were stopped, and communal ceremonies including wedding

banquets were either deferred or cancelled. Most of the

church Sunday services were shifted to online broadcasting

and many churches suspended or postponed their planned

activities and meetings.

The latest public gathering of the Hong Kong Christian

Council was the Joint Ecumenical Communion Service

held on 23 January in Kau Yan Church with over 300

pastors participating. A few days later, one of the pastors

who attended the gathering was diagnosed with the Church collection of supplies for the needy

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coronavirus. HKCC immediately informed the

church and all participants to take precautionary

measures to sanitize the building and monitor their

health. Since then, nearly all planned meetings and

public ceremonies were cancelled or postponed.

Due to the rapid transmissibility of the virus, non-

pharmaceutical interventions have been introduced.

One of the measures is the wearing of facial masks. Suddenly there was a huge demand and yet the

supply was limited. This has created a panic in the society. Whenever masks were available, long queues

of purchasers appeared. Yet the cost is also increasing. This has affected the poor and the grassroots

populations most. Churches and Christian organizations started programs to donate masks and other

hygiene products to those in need. Here below I give some examples:

The Hong Kong Christian Service has received donations from organizations and private bodies of masks,

alcohol hand rubs, antibacterial liquid, cleansing and bleach water, toilet paper, alcohol spray and food etc.

They distribute and share them with the poor people and grassroots families.

The Hong Kong Church Network for the Poor (HKCNP) launched a similar program. It received support

from local churches and organizations. One of the supporters is Christian Action, a member of the HKCC.

Christian Action had contributed 1000 masks to HKCNP and will further provide 500 in supporting this

movement.

Christian Action organized a joint event to bless neighbors. On 14 March, Christian Action together

with volunteers from churches of different denominations delivered some 4,000 blessing bags containing

masks, alcohol hand rubs and rice to residents at Choi Wan district. They also shared the Gospel with the

recipients.

As most of the health self-protection assistance is given to the local people, some sharing of marks were

confined to those with Hong Kong Identity Cards. Temporary migrant workers and refugees are not

covered. HKCC recently has supported the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) to conduct a survey

on needs of migrants and to set up a website to disseminate information on COVID-19 and the provision

of protection supplies to cope with the additional household costs and personal safety. The Website will be

made available in the languages of migrants so that they can access to timely information and resources.

The Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre, a member of HKCC, launched a website-based spiritual exercise

namely “In the Midst of Coronavirus Threat: Tao Fong Shan Spiritual Resource Online.” It seeks to provide

Standing in line to buy masks

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emotional support as an epidemic prevention measure for Christians

and the public. (https://www.youtube.com/c/taofongshan).

During the period of COVID-19, the Chairperson and Vice-

Chairperson and committee leaders of the Hong Kong Christian

Council will prepare special messages for Christians and citizens of

Hong Kong to share different aspects of our faith. These messages

will be written or videoed, eventually these would become historical

records of HKCC in the time of COVID-19.

COVID-19 could be seen as a disaster to people. However, it also brings along some unforeseeable side

effects. Now people can spend more time at home, they have more quality time with family members and

more quiet time for Bible study and prayer. With less social commitments, there is more opportunity for

mental and physical relaxation and taking care of one’s health. Many go to the countryside where the air is

fresh and environment is healthy. They are more close to nature. Christians can now experience different

ways of worship, and eventually they would treasure the times of communal worship and meeting each

other in the fellowship which are often taken for granted.

I must say this is a very unique period in the history of Hong Kong. Economically it is a difficult period for

the Christian community. Many churches and Christian organizations had suffered from the reduction in

offering and some small church units and organizations can only afford to provide half pay or even no pay

for their staff. This is a period to test our generosity and our willingness to share according to the teachings

of the Bible.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has

no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without

clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and

well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? (James

2:14-16)

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

(Romans 12:12)

Photos: HKCC, Hong Kong Christian Service, Christian Action

Hong Kong Christian Serviceprepares masks for distribution

Christian ActionBlessed to Serve Our Neighbors

Elder Dr. Wong Fook-yee is the Acting General Secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council.

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Hong Kong churches observed the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with three worship services held from 18-25 January 2020. The theme was “They Showed Us Unusual Kindness” based on the story of St. Paul’s perilous sea journey as told in Acts 27-28. The materials were prepared by an ecumenical working group of churches in Malta and Gozo.

The Ecumenical Prayer Meeting was held on 18 January at the Chinese Rhenish Church with Fr. Jacob Kwok of the Catholic Church as the preacher. On 21 January, the English Unity Service was held at Kowloon Union Church with Rev. Mark Rogers of St. John’s Cathedral preaching. Hong Kong Christian Council held the Joint Communion Service on 23 January at the Tsung Tsin Mission Church of Hong Kong Kau Yan Church. Bishop Ben Chang of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of HK gave the sermon.

Besides the three services, Hong Kong Christian Council issued a joint statement with the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Metropolitanate. Unity Sunday was observed on 19 January with exchange of pulpits among different churches and denominations.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity –

“They Showed Us Unusual Kindness” (Acts 28:2)

Service leaders

Rev Mark Rogers Bishop Ben Chang

Maltese Prayer CrossHoly Communion Rowing with Christ

Fr Jacob Kwok

Choirs

Photos: Courtesy of Kung Ka Po, Kowloon Union Church and HKCC

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The material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2020 was prepared by the Christian Churches of the Islands of Malta and Gozo. The theme is based on distressing experience of St Paul at sea by reflecting on how people of different languages, cultures or religious beliefs extend their hospitality to one another to achieve unity.

First of all, the 276 people on board can be divided into several different groups. The centurion and his soldiers are in power. But they have to rely on the skills and experience of the sailors. Although everyone feels endangered and afraid due to the huge storm, Paul and the other prisoners are the most vulnerable ones. Under extreme stress and fear, we can see the mutual distrust and suspicion among the different groups. They have widened their differences. Do the different Christian groups today also carry distrust and suspicion, widening their differences too?

Paul became the center of peace in the crisis. He knew that his life was not bound by fate, but was under the control of the Lord to whom he belongs and whom he worships (Acts 27:23). It is because of this faith, the Lord’s plan can be realized. We must all be willing to be a center of peace, with each of us in our own position fulfilling the will of God according to His plan.

The centurion decided to set sail in the bad weather. During the storm, the responsibility on how to control the ship fell in the hands of the sailors. However, in the end, everybody's respective calculated interests were defeated. Only when they were united together and abandoned the ship, that they can be saved through the Providential arrangement of the Lord. This ship and all its valuable goods would be lost but all the lives could be saved. In the process of seeking unity among Christians, God’s wisdom is such that we are being asked to let go of many things to which we are deeply attached.

God set these diverse and conflicting peoples to "run aground on an island" (Acts 27:26). They are arranged on the same boat, and they arrived at the same destination. The hospitality they received from the islanders revealed that the fundamental condition for unity is nothing but mutual warm reception. While they gathered around the fire, these 276 people were no longer controlled by the power of indifference. Rather, they were embraced by God's love. This love was shown by the "unusual kindness" of the natives (Acts 28:2). We are also willing to dissolve the indifference and hatred among us through mutual embrace and build a peaceful and harmonious society together.

Hospitality is a much needed virtue in our quest for unity among Christians. This virtue urges us to be more generous towards people who need help. Despite its importance, we can discover Christian unity not only through mutual expressions of hospitality. We can also discover unity through the mutual respect among peoples of different languages, cultures, or religious beliefs.

In such a difficult and tortuous journey of St Paul, the Lord brought about the salvation for all. We firmly believe that our Lord would again proclaim the universal salvation He prepared for us (Acts 28:28).

2020 Joint Statement

They Showed Us Unusual Kindness(Acts 28:2)

Diocesan Ecumenical The Ecumenical Patriarchate Church Unity andCommission of the Orthodox Metropolitanate Relations Committee ofHong Kong Catholic Church of HK and South East Asia Hong Kong Christian Council

January 2020

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HKCS Newswww.hkcs.org

HKCS NewsHKCS NewsHong Kong Christian ServiceHong Kong Christian Service

Territory-wide education always plays an important part in combating an epidemic or a pandemic. That is the reason for HKCS to take a series of measures to fight against the recent coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong. One measure is launching quick tips for fighting the disease in 10 languages, including Chinese, English, Bahasa Indonesian, Hindi, Nepali, Tagalog, Thai, Punjabi, Urdu and Vietnamese. It helps all ethnic groups in Hong Kong understand how to stay healthy and alert to prevent the disease from spreading. We also designed a set of WhatsApp stickers for sharing the tips in a more creative way.

Last but not least, we would like to express our gratitude to many individuals and groups for donating hygiene products to people we serve and the staff who take care of them. The generosity of these donors is the greatest support for us to go through this tough period.

Donations of hygiene supplies: https://www.facebook.com/hkcs.org/videos/503918097217607/

Quick tips for fighting coronavirus: http://www.hkcs.org/sites/default/files/files/coronavirus-quick_tips.pdf

WhatsApp stickers:https://www.facebook.com/303604372997317/posts/3068512053173188/?d=n

It is a tradition for HKCS staff to celebrate Christmas at the headquarters each year. The latest gathering, however, was a bit different from the previous ones. As the headquarters was under renovation in late 2019, the annual party turned out to be a lunch buffet for over 160 staff to celebrate Lunar New Year. The turkey-cutting ceremony was also changed to crispy suckling pig-cutting. The buffet held at both lower ground floor and the third floor of the headquarters on 17 January 2020 was a great success. Apart from snacks, accessories and toys, there was a special prize in the lucky draw – the delicious roast pork.

Hand-in-hand to Prevent Coronavirus from Spreading

Special Celebration for Lunar New Year

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