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Member Church News
EAST ASIA Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China (HKCCCC) General Secretary’s Message
Image of HKCCCC GS via YouTube
In today’s digital age, we receive a massive volume of information transmitted instantly to our phones, be it critical world news, or ordinary video clips of everyday life from our relatives and friends. The vast amount of information delivered instantaneously to mobile phones has inevitably shaped perceptions of current social situations, even for Christians, said Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China (HKCCCC) General Secretary Rev. Wong Ka Fai in his recent message. Rev. Wong cautioned that unless Christians are willing to make time daily for diligent Bible study and focused prayer, their understanding and perception of what is happening in the society will also be heavily influenced by the direction of the world.
Starting from the new church year, all HKCCCC pastors and missionaries have begun following a daily lectionary, sharing information and their reflections on Bible passages in video format. It is hoped that HKCCCC church members, ministry workers and affiliated school teachers and students will watch, be enlightened by, and share these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/c hannel/UCD5lONE6N4QHSV CaRXLHC2A Visit https://www.hkcccc.org/202 2/1979/ for more information.
With the country battling a record COVID-19 surge, the HK government has tightened anti-epidemic measures including the population to undergo three rounds of coronavirus testing. In line with the latest developments, HKCCCC has provided advice on the guidelines applicable to churches at: https://www.hkcccc.org/202 2/2303/
HKCCCC provides advice to churches on dealing with tightened anti-epidemic measures SOUTH ASIA Church of South India (CSI) General Secretary’s Message
Church of South India (CSI) General Secretary C. Fernandas Rathina Raja has exhorted church members to work towards unity and compassion in his message in a recent issue of CSI Life. In the editorial, he wrote about moving forward towards a fuller communion of faith and love, with respect for legitimate theological and liturgical variety.
Image via CSI Life
Emphasising the need for unity and the need to commit themselves to work tirelessly for it, he said: “Our ability to initiate steps to build unity depends on one’s witness and its fruitfulness. We should find areas of unity and initiate sincere efforts to translate them into actions, especially for the vulnerable.”
The CSI General Secretary also called on them to be compassionate and have empathy on others and their needs, recalling the occasions when they needed compassion from others. Knowing that compassion is woven into
the fabric of Christianity and that the Lord’s heart is for those in need, he urged them to re-commit themselves to be His instruments in alleviating the pain of those in distress.
EUROPE Churches and mosques launch new programme of local conversations
Online kids chapel by CSI South Kerala Diocese
Image by CSI
Image courtesy of CSI
CSI Kerala Diocese launched a new online worship platform for children last year, inaugurated by the Most Rev. A. Dharmaraj Rasalam, Bishop in South Kerala Diocese. This initiative by the Board for Christian Education in South Kerala Diocese uses child-friendly liturgy to provide a spiritual learning experience for children unable to attend Sunday School during the pandemic, and can viewed on their YouTube channel at:
Image by URC
Congregational members from Banstead United Reformed Church (URC) in Surrey and the Muslim Cultural & Welfare Association of Sutton gathered for an open Q&A to learn more about each other’s faith. In Darwen, Lancashire, churches and mosques partnered to offer food and furniture for refugees and asylum seekers in the town. These were practical outcomes arising from a scheme that brings together churches from various denominations and mosques to meet and share conversations in their local settings.
Following a successful digital pilot programme last year, a group of churches and mosques have announced a new phase of dialogue. Members of churches and mosques which have not attempted such an interfaith encounter are encouraged to volunteer for the new programme, to take the first step to meet and learn more about each other’s faith and practices. For instance, topics of exchange from last year’s Zoom conversations included lessons learnt from living through a global pandemic, comparing religious festivals and developing more local co-operation.
URC’s Interfaith Secretary, Rev. Philip Brooks said of this new phase of dialogue: “We believe that by encouraging local mosques and churches to meet with one another, it is not only beneficial in terms of mutual understanding, but it also offers greater potential to extend the support that faith communities are so good at providing to their local communities.”
Hot meals for school children in Madagascar
A catastrophic food crisis in Southern Madagascar which faced its worst drought in 40 years, has pushed over a million people to starvation. Since September 2020, Madagascar has been trapped in the worst drought it has experienced in 40 years.
