Mondaywrap13october2014

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ISSUE NO.15

MONDAY WRAP Western Province Chinese Association October 13 2014

NATINLINE DANCING Line dancers at the Cape Taiwan Festival held at the Chinese Community Centre on Sunday 12th October 2014

The Story of the Cape Town Chinese Christian Fellowship The Story of the Cape Town Chinese Christian Fellowship

by Arthur Song

THE BACKGROUND TO ITS ESTABLISHMENT Sunday School Anniversary at Observatory Baptist church In October 1968,Arthur Song, the minister of the Chinese Baptist Church was invited to be the speaker at the Observatory (now Mowbray) Baptist Church Sunday School Anniversary, with the theme, “Outreach Beyond Our Borders”.While in Cape Town for the special services at the church, Arthur was able to visit a number of Chinese families after learning that the Baptist church was involved at the Chinese school in Mowbray in the person of Mrs Mary Paine who provided some teaching there. Apparently Arthur’s visits encouraged the church in its growing desire to minister to the Chinese community as well as opening the door for some Chinese to visit the church.

Attempts to assist the Mowbray Chinese School Arthur involved himself during his October 1968 visit to obtain information about the Chinese school and its problems and found an eager respondent in the principal, Mr Chu Fi-ling, who knew him from their common Johannesburg era. Concerted efforts were commenced by Arthur to obtain financial and academic relief for the embattled school from various sources, including the Treverton School Trust in Natal, the relevant school authorities in the Cape and advice from the Baptist Union of Southern Africa. Unfortunately, the Cape educational authorities were unable to provide suitable guidance and a clear plan as the Nationalist Government was uncertain how to classify the Chinese under their Apartheid regulations.

The birth of the concept of an informal Chinese Christian Fellowship This personal involvement with the educational needs of the Cape Town Chinese community opened the challenges to the spiritual needs of the small community which used the School premises in Mowbray for all their social activities.The thought surfaced over the following months: why not help organize an informal Chinese Christian Fellowship, consisting of interested persons, regardless of church or lack of church affiliations, to meet on a monthly basis to share the Christian Faith and to enjoy each other’s company in such a setup?

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHINESE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Community Preliminary Discussion Meeting During his next visit to Cape Town in November 1969, Arthur met with a number of the community in the School lounge to talk about the basis of such an organization and how it was to be run. Two important core realities in establishing such a Fellowship were leadership and programme planning. The following persons attended this discussion meeting: Rita and Priscilla Lee Pan, Barbara and Daphne Chong, Dolly and Tunie Loy, Yungchang Daniel Paul Loy,Arthur Chong, Eileen Hunt, Malcy Kwongsee, Easelane Quat and Aubrey Kwongsee.

Founding Document, Potential Future Speakers and Initial Programme A recommended programme for the first three months was accepted by those present as well as a founding document in which contained the framework in which the Fellowship was to operate. Arthur also recommended a list of potential speakers available to the Fellowship. A short list of evangelical publishers was recommended to the meeting to provide good Christian books for personal spiritual development and general religious reading.

The Original Committee Members In order to provide mature and local Christian oversight, the meeting adopted the following recommendations: the pastor of the Observatory Baptist Church, Rev. Glyn Tudor as Chairman of the Committee, the Vice-Chairman: Rev. Don Houliston, a former CIM/OMF a Hakka speaking missionary, Rev. Arthur Song as the Superintendent, the first Organizing Secretary: Miss Daphne Chong, the first Treasurer: Miss Eileen Hunt and the co-opted Community member: Mr. Bertram Lee. The Chinese Christian Fellowship Inaugural Meeting The Inaugural Meeting was held on the following Saturday the 16th of November 1968 at the School and typical of the South African ethos, it took the form of a Braai! The structure of the Fellowship was explained and adopted by the meeting and the appointment of the Committee members of the new organization was ratified.

Some of the highlights of the CCF The 1969 visit of Pastor Stephen Wang from the Chinese Overseas Christian Mission in London to the major centres in South Africa served as a highlight for many of us in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Kimberley and Port Elizabeth. He preached the Gospel wherever he went and always won the hearts of old and young with his sincerity, his message and of course his smile. His visit to the Cape Town community was no different.

The Chinese Baptist Church in Johannesburg made the Cape Town CCF ministry a priority and released their pastor to pay pastoral calls on a regular basis on the Cape Town Fellowship and its members. This involved time, energy and expense, with the latter at times being met by the CCF or the Observatory Baptist Church.

On a number of occasions, one of the church elders, Shou Low Fok, accompanied Pastor Song to Cape Town.

Low soon became a close friend with the CCF committee members, and continues to the present to keep in

touch with a number of them as well as a few “exported CCFers” in Canada.

The annual Christmas Programme presented to the community has been held each year over the 40 years, an opportunity of sharing the true meaning of Christmas. When the move to the new community premises in Observatory took place in 1999, this meeting took place in the courtyard which venue created a beautiful setting and atmosphere. However, after about 5 years it had to be held in the hall due to increased numbers and weather conditions.

The annual Christmas Carol Service at the Princess Christian Home, which the CCF has been conducting for at least 14 plus years, later moved to Kirstenhof about four years ago, and visits continue there each year.

The CCF arranges special teas for the seniors on a regular basis. The Western Province Chinese Association (WPCA) annually hosts a seniors’ luncheon, and this has become part of the CCF ministry for the past five years with a Christian message being shared at the luncheon. The menu is designed, prepared, organized and cooked by the CCF members, a practice which Frank initiated when he served on the WPCA committee and when Maureen and Lily wanted to step down from this responsibility.

Tribute must also be paid to the sterling work which Maureen Kai and Lily Keeson have done for many years with the preparation of these luncheons. These luncheons are provided gratis as a community service by the WPCA. The most important meetings over the past forty years have been the many hundreds of Bible studies which various godly men and women have conducted for the CCF, either in small groups or in larger gatherings.

God’s Word will not return without positive results, and the sowing of the seed by people such as Victor Paine and Judith Hopley, Judy Coxford, the Houlistons and the Watersons, Rev. Frank Manley, and many others, will always serve as a testimony to many Cape Town Chinese who have grown in their understanding of the Bible and in their walk and talk with the Lord Jesus.

We remember with gratitude those who have been called home by the Lord.

Over the past forty years, children have matured into adults and parents. Some no doubt are now young grandparents! Many of the senior community members who supported the CCF over many years have gone to their eternal rewards.We honour those who are still with us and say to them, “Thank you for all your help and support over these four decades! God bless you abundantly!” A goodly number of young adults have married and migrated to greener pastures overseas. Many church Friends and Supporters of the CCF, especially our friends from the Observatory/Mowbray Baptist church who prayed and helped and served within the CCF framework in various ways, have also gone to their Lord and Saviour. Many of the older Chinese community members who shared in the CCF activities over the years and who were relatives of our Committee members have also passed on to their eternal reward. To them, we also express our heartfelt gratitude and deep appreciation. Among those missed from the ranks of leaders from outside the Chinese community are the Tudors, the Paines, the Goodwins, the Houlistons, and the Watersons.

The latter two couples were honoured by the WPCA by having honorary membership bestowed upon them many years ago for their contributions to the community. This was the Association’s way of expressing the community’s recognition and appreciation. Of special interest is the fact that Donald Waterson sat in on the Building Committee at times to provide insight and experienced advice prior to the erection of the new community centre (email from Easelane to Arthur, 6 March 2009).

Our thanks to the committee members and to Christ Our thanks to all those who served on the CCF Committee over the past forty years.

Many new committee members have sat in the “hot seats” over the past forty years. To each one who has served the Lord in whatever capacity in the CCF, we also wish to say a hearty “Thank you for doing your share in the Lord’s work in the CCF!” Our thanks to the “Ever Faithfull and Ever Greens” of the CCF To the “ever faithfull” and “ever green” CCF members who have maintained their close association with the CCF over the forty years, a big “Thank you” for your unremitting faithfulness. Easelane, with Michael’s support, Daphne (and the late Rev. Frank Manley for his many years of wise leadership) and Val. These are a few names which readily come to mind. Other “more recent”, yet also long standing, committee members are Andy, Berenize, Rosemary and their partners, also Adelia. Of course others represented by Victor Chong and Patrick Chong, past Chairmen of WPCA, who work behind the scenes, are also part of the Ever Faithfull

and Evergreens of the CCF. We salute you all for your faithfulness, your time and money rendered in Christ’s service.

Our Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ Forty years is a lifetime for many people. For those of us who have had the privilege and the joy of serving in the ranks of the Cape Town Chinese Christian Fellowship, whether for the whole forty years or less, we raise our corporate voices of thanksgiving to our Lord Jesus Christ.We are grateful to our Lord who has not only spared us but also gave us the strength and perseverance to continue in spite of the disappointments and frustrations.

The words of Romans 8:28 bring us much encouragement when we have done our best for Him: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose...”

It will be good for us to remember that even an apostle as gifted and as spiritual as Paul, also went through difficult times in his ministry. In times of persecution and disappointment, and when he experienced special needs, he took comfort in the words of Christ to him: “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9) OUR CONTINUING MINISTRY CHALLENGES We too are challenged, like Moses who obeyed God’s call from the burning bush and humbly said, “Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh...” (Exo 3).

Moses became Israel’s leader for forty years in the wilderness, like Isaiah who caught a glimpse of God’s majesty while worshipping in the Temple, and responded to God’s challenge to serve Him, “Here am I! Send me!” (Isa. 6:8), like young Samuel who responded in the darkness of the Temple, “Speak Lord, Thy servant heareth” (1 Sam. 3:9), or like Paul on the Damascus Road who was challenged by the Risen Lord.

Paul responded, “...trembling and astonished...Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6.)

Likewise, we as servants of the Most High, the Risen Lord of the Church, need to respond in like manner to be His witnesses in our Jerusalem, our Judea, our Samaria, and to our Uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

We may falter and fail Him at times, but He assures us as He assured Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9) We may become discouraged and disappointed in our ministry, but He affirms,“I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Mat. 28:20).

There is much more land to be conquered, but His Word encourages us,”Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal.6:9).

We are at best unworthy servants, yet we humbly anticipate His words of praise one day: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Mat. 25:21).

To that end, we are reminded: “The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory are His!”(Mat.6:13).

With one voice, we can therefore affirm as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the CCF: “To God be the Glory, Great Things He has done.”

To the CCF, a word of warm commendation: “Congratulations on reaching four score years. May the Lord take you into the half a century years with the faithful preaching and teaching of the ‘whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:27) and the reaching of precious souls for Christ in a very secularized world.”

Arthur Song. 7 March 2009. Pinetown.

Western Province Chinese Association is hosting a fundraising lunch on Sunday 26th October 2014 at 12.00 Please support a worthy cause.

See details on left.

Please email me (rwong@colorfuzion.co.za) with any news and will be more than happy to publish in this weekly Monday Wrap.