26-28 October 2012
How wonderful it is, how pleasant for God’s people to live together in harmony” says the writer of Psalm 133. This was a faith experience of Rev. Po Kam Cheong, the General Secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council (HKCC) and Rev. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang, the General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) when they visited the China Christian Council (CCC) from 26-28 October 2012. Rev. Po and Rev. Lebang visited the office of CCC in Shanghai and were warmly welcomed by the present leadership of CCC, namely: Rev. Baoping Kan, the General Secretary, Rev. Bao Jiayuan, the Associate General Secretary, and Elder Ou Enlin, Deputy Director of Overseas Relations Department. (Please see picture on left)
The CCA General Secretary conveyed her heartfelt greetings on behalf of the CCA members to CCC, thanked CCC for their warm hospitality and expressed a strong desire of the CCA to strengthen its relationship with CCC. She further mentioned that as a fellowship of Asian churches, CCA needs to be closely related to the churches in Asia beyond its present membership. She noted the important role that was played by the church leaders in China especially in the beginning of ecumenical movement in Asia. Further she underlined that a strong bond of churches in China with the rest of Asian churches is considered crucial especially in this juncture of time when we as churches in Asia are facing interrelated issues that have emerged in our Asian communities. The changing Asian realities demands, more than before, to strongly collaborate in responding to common challenges of globalization in Asia today and in accompanying the Asian churches to witness Christ from within Asian experiences and spiritualities. The leadership of CCC expressed their openness and shared the same need to relate with the churches in Asia, and welcome the visit of their sisters and brothers in Christ particularly from Asia.
It was a delightful opportunity to meet Rev. Dr. Cao Shengjie, a former President of CCC, and to worship together with the local congregation at Grace Church on Sunday, 28th October. This congregation has around 10,000 members, served by 5 pastors and supported by a strong lay leadership and a team of elders.
The team was able to visit East China Theological Seminary and meet with the President, a few faculty members and students in the midst of their sports day activities. They said that it was an enriching time to get to know more about theological education in China and their focus on preparing pastors for local congregations, as there is a need for more pastors. They also discussed possible collaborations of the theological institutions in China and the rest of Asian countries in the near future. Another visit was made to the International Church in Shanghai, a congregation which retains its uniqueness as an international Christian fellowship.
Though it was a brief visit the team felt that it meant a lot in strengthening further co-operation of CCA and CCC. It is hoped that in the near future CCA can be instrumental in building the fellowship of churches including theological institutions in China with the rest of Asia, in their journeying together, to manifest and witness more clearly the oneness of the body of Christ in life.
posted by communications on Thursday, November 08, 2012
