Great Development (1960s)

Appendices

A. List of Chaplains and Advisors since 1950

B. List of Chairmen of Christian Union since its establishment

Great Development (1960s)

Background

The 1960s were a special period in both the histories of Hong Kong and St. Paul’s College. From the broad perspective, it was a time of political instability. If we narrow down our scope, it was also a time of changes and growth in the College. The new Stewart’s building replaced the old St. John’s Hall. From a small college with about 600 students, St. Paul’s grew to become one with 1,300. It was against this background, that an exciting drama of the development of Christian Union was set.

Morning assemblies continued to be an important part of every day school life. Before new school hall in the Stewart’s Building was built, the daily morning assemblies were conducted in open playground. Students lined up with respect to their classes. Hymn singing, prayer, speech and announcement were the normal format of the assemblies, just the same as in the years to come.

Since 1964, senior boys were present in the hall for Assembly, and the service was relayed to junior boys standing below the hall in the covered playground. A further change was made in 1969, when two assemblies were held each morning. Half the boys attended the first assembly, and the rest attended the second assembly. This became the standard format for the years to come. (1)

A Living Witness to the Paulines

With an average attendance of 60 members (2), the Christian Union was a thriving force among the societies in the school. The weekly meetings were resumed on every Friday since September 1964 (3), and continued to be on Friday up to this very day. Since the completion of the interior decoration of the new chapel on the 8^th floor of the Stewart’s Building in 1965, the chapel has always been the meeting place of the fellowship. It was surely a distinct advantage since “other clubs are striving to find a place to hold meetings.” (4) However, this could turn out to be a drawback. “Those who want to attend our Union meetings have to climb up to the eighth floor where the chapel is. Some took this as an excuse and thus have become irregular members of the Union.” (5)

Prayer meetings were held every morning in the chapel before the morning assembly in 1963. Since 1967, the prayer meeting was held weekly. Although the time at which it was held has been changed many times, it continues to be the source of spiritual strength for the generations to come. (6)

The Christian Union had a library operated by the Union Librarian. Collections of biographies, doctrines, commentaries, spiritual guides, religious articles and short Bible stories, both English and Chinese, were available to its members. The post of librarian continued to exist until 1984. (7)

It was a divine grace that many people would like to participate in Christian Union activities. In 1965, “members were divided into six groups according to their forms, but since September, all the six groups have members from nearly all classes.” Through discussion, Bible study, games, excursions, and social gatherings, group members could express themselves freely with friends of their own age and acquaint one another deeply. In 1968, these transformed into Form Groups, which met independent of the general meetings. They continued into the seventies, and were the precursors of the cell groups in the eighties onwards. (8)

In the memories of many alumni, summer conferences were the most exciting event in the year. Together with 50-70 schoolmates, one could go to a remote camp site, away from the bustles and hustles of the city, for 4 or 5 days. Usually half of the participants were not Christians. Through these evangelistic conferences, many of them came to believe in Christ eventually. Although some might regard the programmes, like hymn singing, Bible study, games and sermons, too traditional, many appreciate the trust and frankness found among their Christian friends, who friendly introduced their faith to them. (9) This tradition continued through the seventies to the eighties. The last evangelistic conference organised by the Christian Union took place in 1988. (10)

Going out of the school

Christian Union had been very active in social service since its establishment. In the 50s and 60s, some of the members assist at St. James’ Clinic in Wanchai and St. Luke’s Clinic in Keneedy Town. “Every Tuesday, three members of the C. U. are responsible to give a 2-hour service at St. Luke’s Clinic in Victoria Road. The Clinic offers a free medical service to the needy people of the district and our boys help to register the patients, label medicine bottles and interpret for the European Doctors.” (11) They, together with St. Stephen’s Girls’ College Christian Union, even organised a Christmas Party for the patients of St. Luke’s Clinic and made a collection of old clothes and toys for the occasion. (12)

Inter-school connection was very good in the 60’s, especially with St. Stephen’s Girls’ College. Joint-school meetings and activities were not uncommon. In December 1964, Christian Union invited the Christian Union members from our sister school to participate in a Christmas meeting held in the newly-built school hall. In return, our members were invited by their Christian Union to a joint meeting with Heep Yun School and Bishop Hall Jubilee School. On 19^th March 1965, Ying’s Wa Girls’ School invited members of our Christian Union to attend an inter-school meeting together with the Christian Unions of St. Stephen’s Girls’ School and Ying Wa Boys’ School. In December the same year, a traditional combined Christmas Service with St. Stephen Girls’ School in our new school chapel. Two years later, in 1967, our members in return were invited by their Christian Union to attend their Christmas service. (13)

There was an interesting episode in 1969. Our Christian Union was invited to organise a Christmas party for Tai Po Government Primary School. However, it was a dilemma for the members. Although it was a “good opportunity for entertaining and bringing the joy of Christmas to the children”, they were “both financially handicapped and inexperienced.” How did they solve the problem? Here is their answer.

“Yet, with the enthusiastic help and close co-operation offered by the Christian Union of St. Stephen’s Girls’ College, we managed to get through the encountered difficulties. Witnessing the joy of the excited children, when we distributed the gifts, was a great reward.” (14)

Many Christian Union members were also active participants of the Inter-school Christian Fellowship (ISCF), a branch of the Fellowship of Evangelical Students, Hong Kong. Youth workers of ISCF gave a lot of training to the committee members of the Christian Union. Through the ministry of ISCF, like Bible study groups and evangelistic camps, many Paulines were given another channel to know Christ. However, due to certain unknown reasons, the school seemed reluctant to see any formal connection between Christian Union and ISCF. This created problems for the committee and they had to handle this issue delicately in an implicit way. (15)

Besides these inter-school activities, the Christian Union was also active in Diocesan activities. In both 1964 and 65, members attended the Diocesan Candlelight Service. In August 1965, representatives were sent to the Summer Conference of all the Christian Unions of the schools under the Diocese in St. John’s College, Pokfulam Road. (16)

Valuable Traditions

The Christian Union also took its part in creating traditions within the College. Do you remember the Christmas tree in our school hall? It was first put up by the Christian Union in 1968. Toys were collected and placed under it. After the carol services, the Interact Club distributed the toys to children in hospitals and special homes. This then became a tradition of St. Paul’s College. (17)

One important tradition that Christian Union can be proud of is that it is a student-led movement. Advisors, who were mainly the Chaplain and Mr. C.K. Yuen in the 1960s, gave the committee a very great degree of freedom to run the Union. They seldom overran the decisions made by the committee. This encouraged an active participation of the students, because they found a sense of belonging in the fellowship. Christian Union was their. (18)

Another characteristic of Christian Union was its ecumenical orientation since its establishment. Although it was more Anglican-like in its very early days, it soon became a Christian Union in a broad sense, embracing members from different denominational backgrounds. Roman Catholics were welcome as well. (19)

“Although we have been successful to some extent, we are still not satisfied. This union is a ‘Christian’ Union, not a ‘Protestant’ Union. But to our surprise we cannot find even one Catholic among us. I wish to stress here that all Catholics are welcome; the only qualification for anyone to become a member of our Union is that he must be a student of St. Paul’s College.” (20)

Celebrating the variety among the different churches, we are one in the body of Christ. Hence, besides connection with neighbouring Anglican churches, e.g. St. Stephen’s Church, a strong connection was made with the Chinese Rhenish Church and Poon Fok Church, both on Bonham Road, in the 1960s. (21)

Christian Union owed much to its faithful advisors. Mr. C.K. Yuen had been advisor from 1963 to 1999, playing an active role especially in the sixties and seventies. Rev. Fisher, the longest serving chaplain in St. Paul’s College, from 1967 to 1984 (22), also helped much.

Christian Union was, and is, never confined to Christians. Non-Christian schoolmates were always welcome to come and discover more about the Christian faith. This is clearly shown in the Christian Union reports in the Wayfarer, in the past five decades. The follow abstract is clearly the mission of the Christian Union.

“It is hoped that, through the C.U., Christian students may grow into adult Christians and be trained to serve and to help, while the non-Christian students may find a way, besides school lessons in Biblical Knowledge, to get to know God during their school lives.” (23)

Footnotes:

1. Principal’s report, Wayfarer 1969, pg. 6; Interview with the Very Rt. Revd. Peter K. K. Kwong; Interview with Rt. Revd. Thomas, Y. P. Soo on 1^st September, 2001.

2. According to the reports in Wayfarer in the following years, the average attendance of Christian Union was 40-50 (1963), 60 (1964 & 65), and 75 (1966). The total number of members in 1963 was 75.

3. Christian Union, Wayfarer 1964, pg. 26

4. Christian Union, Wayfarer 1965, pg. 29.

5. Ditto.

6. Our Christian Union, Wayfarer 1963, pg. 30. Christian Union, Wayfarer 1967, pg. 62-64. There were no records of prayer meetings between 1964 and 66 available.

7. Our Christian Union, Wayfarer 1963, pg. 30.

8. Christian Union, Wayfarer 1965, pg. 29; Christian Union, Wayfarer 1967, pg. 62; Christian Union, Wayfarer 1968, pg. 94. According to records in Wayfarer, Form Groups existed until 1975. Cell groups came to existence in 1981. Their existence was sporadic, depending on the contemporary situations. Records of cell groups were found in 1981,82,83,87,88,89,96*,97*,98. (*Author’s memory) In 1982, there were more than ten cell groups, with members from the same form or class. (Christian Union, Wayfarer 1982, pg. 116)

9. Interview with Mr. C. K. Yuen on July 23, 2001.

10. Christian Union, Wayfarer 1987-88; Principal’s report, Wayfarer 1988-89.

11. Our Christian Union, Wayfarer 1963, pg. 30.

12. The Christian Union, Wayfarer 1964, pg. 26.

13. The Christian Union, Wayfarer 1964, pg. 26; Christian Union, Wayfarer 1965, pg. 29; Christian Union, Wayfarer 1967, pg. 62.

14. Christian Union, Wayfarer 1969, pg. 82.

15. Phone interview with Mr. Hoi Pak Yuen. One possible reason was that the 1960s was a period of political instability. The school was very afraid of any kind of student-motivated movement, which was out of their control. For the Christian Union activities within the school, and its connections with other Anglican schools, they were under the supervision of the advisors and hence safe from the point of view of the school. On the other hand, the school might find ISCF, as a highly student-motivated movement which seemed to some being quite radical, unsafe to deal with.

16. In 1964, the service was held in Southern Playground and our Union banner was presented. In October 1965, it was held in Trinity Church, Kowloon City. See The Christian Union, Wayfarer 1964, pg. 26; Christian Union, Wayfarer 1965, pg. 29.

17. Principal’s report, Wayfarer 1968, pg. 6.

18. Interview with Mr. C. K. Yuen on July 23, 2001.

19. Ditto. An important message is that our Principals were all open-minded Christians who did not limit the Christian students’ movement in school within the Anglican tradition and gave a free hand to its advisors and committee, who might not be Anglican. For example, Mr. C.K. Yuen is a member of the Church of Christ in China.

20. Christian Union, Wayfarer 1965, pg. 29.

21. Phone interview with Mr. Hoi Pak Yuen.

22. Our Christian Union, Wayfarer 1963, pg. 30.

23. 1970-71 was the Sabbath Year of Rev. Fisher. Rev. Abbot served as Chaplain that academic year.

Background

A Living Witness to the Paulines

Going out of the school

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