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4. Social Ministry Project
HKCI provided ecumenical formation resources through theological courses and a practicum and supported local churches to link Christian ministries and social development.
4.1 Seminary Courses and Practicum
In 2002, HKCI launched a new course, Social Policies and Christian Values, at Lutheran Theological Seminary that offered an examination of policy analysis and criticism through the filter of Christian values.
At the practical level, HKCI invited two seminarians to join the practicum. From June to August, these seminarians participated in the July 1march and HKCI's networking and education programmes in churches. Thanks to their efforts, HKCI started a new initiative to introduce social issues to church fellowship groups.
4.2 Church-Based Social Concern Education Programmes
HKCI staff members were invited to deliver sermons at Sunday services in various churches. HKCI was also invited to teach a Sunday school course about globalisation. This year HKCI will focus on the major prophets.
About the time of the July 1 demonstration HKCI was invited by several churches to hold workshops to enhance theological reflection on social issues, especially Article 23. HKIC also anticipates that the district board elections in November 2003 and the Legislative Council (Legco) elections in September 2004 will arouse the interest of most churches. These events offer an opportunity to help churches be more socially concerned and to bring up the development of social concerns and political theology from below.
4.3 Church Youth Workers Gathering
Beginning in October 2002, HKCI initiated an alternative youth ministry by gathering youth workers and exchanging ministerial experiences. The participants formed the Youth Workers Ministerial Platform and invited more youth workers to participate. HKCI is now providing the secretarial support and consultancy services for this initiative. On March 22, 2003, HKCI held a youth work salon at Sum Oi Church.
HKCI also supported a youth-centred variety show that included the performance of a band, a jazz dance, a digital video show and magic, etc., and a DVD was produced and shown.
The cooperation of youth workers and the reflections on youth ministry are still at the initial stages of development. HKCI anticipates more experiences and reflection topics can be accumulated in written form and that these can offer new insights for the churches in the future.
4.4 Evaluation and Projection
The social ministry theological courses are a systematic, coherent and comprehensive programme and are respected by both seminarians and the theological seminaries.
HKCI will bring social issues into more and more churches in the upcoming year; and through our cooperation with the churches, we anticipate more forms of social ministry will be developed that can provide fertile ground for building a practitioner-based political theology.
Frankie Ng
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