Hong Kong Inaugurated as Anglican Communion's 38th Province
Episcopal News Service. November 19, 1998 [98-2258]
Margaret Rodgers, James Rosenthal
(ACNS) Anglicans in Hong Kong, and visitors from around the world, participated in the inauguration of the Anglican Communion's 38th and newest province October 25.
The Province of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui comprises the dioceses of Hong Kong Island, Eastern Kowloon and Western Kowloon with Macau as a provincial mission district.
Welcoming the Most Revd Peter Kwong Kong-Kit as the Primate, Bishop K. H. Ting, the Honorary President of the China Christian Council, said Kwong was "the first Archbishop of the Chinese Christian Church, of whom the entire Christian Community of China is most proud."
Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey preached at the Inauguration Service and installed the new Primate. "When I look more closely at the face of the Church in Hong Kong, I see the possibilities of great things in the future, at least if its history is anything to go by," Carey said in his inauguration sermon.
"When we come to look at the contribution which Hong Kong Anglicans have made to our world-wide fellowship, we see a church which has been ever-ready to think and to do the unthinkable. And we all, of course, immediately think of Bishop R. O. Hall, that giant of the Church in Hong Kong in the 20th Century, and the ordination of Li Tim Oi, the first woman priest of Anglicanism. At the time, it was to the irritation of the rest of the Communion," Carey said.
"Today, as we rejoice in the superb ministry of so many women, here and in many parts of the Communion, we are able to thank God for Li Tim Oi, and Bishop Hall's courage," the archbishop said.
Over 140 Anglican and other church leaders from Asia, China, Australia, Canada, New Zealand Great Britain and the United States, gathered in Hong Kong to join in the lavish celebrations.
Archbishop-elect Peter Kwong and Bishops Thomas Soo and Louis Tsui welcomed their overseas guests at a special dinner held the evening prior to the inauguration events. The visitors came bearing magnificent gifts, many of them made by skilled craftsmen from wood, metal, and cloth worked and shaped with patterns and designs indigenous to their country.
"Thank you for your love and support, not only now, but in the past," Archbishop Kwong said, in welcoming his overseas guests. "This is not just a perfect party, a family gathering, a sharing of fellowship -- this is a sign of love, that we are one, and with this unity we will provide a good witness to the world that we are Christians, we Anglicans," he said.
At a Eucharist the next morning, Carey assured Bishop Kwong that all were praying for him and would continue to do so as he charted a new future for the province. He emphasised the excitement of this particular "new beginning" because they would be "working among a quarter of the world's population."
St John's Cathedral on Hong Kong Island was too small so the inauguration service was held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the scene for the official hand-over ceremonies in July 1997 when Hong Kong became a part of the People's Republic of China. The congregation of overseas visitors, Hong Kong civic dignitaries and Anglican parishioners totaled nearly 4,000 people.
Carey presented Archbishop Kwong with a primatial cross to signify his authority and responsibility as chief pastor of the province. The Declaration of Metropolitical Authority was read by the Rev. Canon John L Peterson, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion.
In presenting the new primate to the people, Carey asked if they would uphold him in his ministry and support him with their prayers, their loyalty and their encouragement in the fellowship of Jesus Christ. Clergy and lay representatives from the three dioceses gave a promise of commitment on behalf of all the people.
Carey spoke with pleasure in his sermon of the presence of Bishop K.H.Ting and others from the China Christian Council, saluting their "remarkable witness over the past 50 years." He also noted the strategic place of Hong Kong in Asia and the need for the Anglican Church to be a "thoroughly Chinese Church."
He said "Perhaps you have heard it said that families only really gather for parties or funerals. Well, this is undoubtedly a party."
In looking at modern Hong Kong, Carey said, "Long gone are the days of which Lord Palmerston spoke, when he described Hong Kong as a 'barren island with scarcely a house upon it.' Its rapid development, following colonization, into the city we see today, teeming with people, vibrant, exciting and wealthy in so many ways, is a symbol of success to many of us in the West. Yet it carries its share of human suffering and degradation too, which will continue to be a challenge to the church's ministry, but so do its roles as a great trading centre and a great meeting place of nations and cultures."
Carey observed that "you, the people of God in Hong Kong, have set yourselves a huge task. In a region where you are small in numbers, and in a nation whose experience of Christianity has sometimes been far from positive, you are committing yourselves afresh to reflect that glory of God which is to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ."
Ting, who was an Anglican bishop before Chinese Christians moved to a post-denomination church, brought greetings from the Christians of China in a special message to the Hong Kong Anglicans. "This important event leads us to the realisation that the Anglican Church, the Christian faith and indeed the religions of Hong Kong are not dwindling but thriving and flourishing," he said.
"Some say that people turn to religion because they are poverty stricken and they live in constant sorrow, therefore they seek refuge from adversity and anxiety. This view is not entirely correct." he said. "But we see China and Hong Kong of today, people are becoming wealthy, living standards have soared, yet there is an unquenchable thirst, and people still look toward religious belief; they still love and care for the church, and the church prospers still."
At a celebration show a video was shown that gave information about the early missionary work of the Church in Hong Kong and Macau, tracing its origins and development to its present commitment to the community through spiritual guidance, education opportunities and welfare services. To the amazement of the audience, the video concluded with some scenes from the Inauguration Service.
Archbishop Peter Kwong emphasized the opportunities open to the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui in his message delivered at the celebration dinner. "Some thought that Hong Kong is too small in size and therefore stood no chance of becoming a province because, according to tradition, jurisdiction of dioceses and provinces are determined by their geographical boundaries, and hence cover greater expanse of land," he said.
"Hong Kong might be small in size, but we have a population of over six million, which amounts to twice the population of some provinces. We feel that the establishment of the province will lead to the magnification of four times our resources in serving the church actively. With the opening up of opportunities for the laity to serve the church, lay leaders will emerge through nurture, and our work may reach yet higher standards," Kwong said.
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