Adaptation to the ever-changing world (1993-2001)

Appendices

A. List of Chaplains and Advisors since 1950

B. List of Chairmen of Christian Union since its establishment

Adaptation to the ever-changing world (1993-2001)

Chaplains and Assemblies

In September 1993, a new Chaplain arrived at our school. After graduation from Nottingham University and spending a year in Cambridge University for her Teaching Certificate, she undertook this challenging job through the connection of Church Mission Society to teach in a foreign city, which she had never been. Her name is Miss Kerry Jay Thorpe.

Miss Thorpe was a very friendly young lady, and was very willing to make friends with students. She was also very creative. As the College Chaplain, she made several important breakthroughs in the morning assemblies. She invited students to take part in various forms. Not only delivering speeches, students, as young as form one boys, were invited to perform short sketches or recite poetry. One scene was still clear in the author’s memory. One day, after singing the hymn and listening to the Bible reading, to the author’s surprise, two junior students, dressing like two travellers, walked from behind the hall through the central aisle to the very front. They held a map and a compass, looking for the direction to their destination. This was a short sketch prior to Miss Thorpe’s speech on “Direction in Life”.

Another thing of which the author still remembers it clearly was the lighting of Christingle in the Christmas carol service in 1993. With a lighted candle sets on an orange decorated with a red ribbon and four sticks with fruits, the Christingle symbolises Christ as the light of the world. Student representatives were invited to hold the Christingles around the hall, when the flame was passed from one to another. The entire school hall was filled with the Christmas atmosphere. This was done again in the special carol service organised by the Christian Union in the chapel.

Miss Thorpe also put new meaning into traditional practice. Every day in the morning assembly, all of us said Grace together. In the past, it was a solemn practice when every one was supposed to bow his head and say the prayer. Miss Thorpe taught us that the Grace was also a greeting, bringing the Christian blessing to one another. She encouraged us to turn around and face the classmate next to us, saying the Grace to him. All these acts of creativity enriched the content and atmosphere of the morning assemblies.

In recent years, there was a trend of increasing number of guest speakers delivering speeches in the assemblies. Old boys returned to tell the audience their experience in university or at work. Representatives of voluntary organisations, like UNICEF, introduced our students to the needs of the world and the ways they can help. Guest preachers provided the congregation with contemporary insights into the ancient biblical texts.

Furthermore, in the past our Principal, Mr. W.H. Ha, did not say greetings before the announcement. However, on the advise of a foreign exchange student, he started to say, “Good morning, Assembly,” to his students every day.

In August 1998, after serving in St. Paul’s for 5 years, Miss Thorpe left for theological studies in England. The next Chaplain was a person very familiar to the College, because she was in the same post a decade ago. She was Rev. Nam Wong, Jenny. (Students a decade ago used to call her “Jenny Wong” while students nowadays used to call her “Rev. Nam”.)

Rev. Nam continued with the same policy of increasing the variety of speakers in the morning assemblies. More students, teachers, alumni and guest speakers were invited to share their experiences and thoughts with the whole student body. The school also provided better facilities available in the school hall, e.g. video projector.

Christian Union: General Trend

From 1993-97, the usual attendance of Christian Union was around 15-20. It was a hard time for the committee to consolidate the existing membership on one hand and out-reach to the majority student body on the other hand. Despite the difficulties ahead, each generation of committee members dedicate themselves to Jesus’ Great Commission, and preach His Gospel through various ways.

Evangelistic meetings were held in school each year with guest speakers from different backgrounds. Group discussion was introduced as the last part of the evangelistic meeting since 1997-98.

Evangelistic or recreational camps were held in the Chinese New Year holiday in 1996, 97 and 99.

Cell groups started again since summer 1997, when we tried to provide follow-up course for 6 F. 1 students who believed in Christ lately. Although cell groups were extremely labour intensive, they were entirely worthwhile. In a cell group, one can witness the growth of each other and the friendship established there is long-lasting. When the author witnessed the later development of each cell group members and looked back to the work in his school days, he knows that the labour in Christ was not in vain.

Christmas Sing-a-long is also a long standing tradition of Christian Union. In the past, it was just an outdoor “concert” in the Lower Playground. Students joined and sang Christmas carols to the “audience all along the corridors. Starting from December 1994, as a suggestion by Miss K.C. Ho, Sing-a-long became a parade with students singing all along the corridors. Starting with a prayer outside the 5/F staff room at one o’clock, it always ends with “We wish you a Merry Christmas” in the Lower Playground. In some years, with the help of Music Union, music accompaniment, like saxophone quartet or side drum, was provided.

In 1997-98, the attendance of Christian Union attained an average of about 30 students. The suggestion of splitting the Christian Union into 2 fellowships again was seriously entertained. In September 1998, this dream came true. There were 4 differences compared to the 2 fellowships in 1976-85.

Firstly, form three students belonged to the senior fellowship instead of the junior one. Secondly, both fellowships held their general meetings on Fridays. This was because we found that if we held the Junior Fellowship on any other day, the attendance would decline much. Hence, thirdly, the Junior Fellowship had to use classrooms or general purpose rooms for their general meetings, since the Chapel was used by the Senior one. The advantage was that the lower form members needed not climb up the numerous steps before reaching the venue, but the drawback was that as the space in a classroom was limited, the activities of the Junior Fellowship were restricted. Fourth, contrasted to the system of separate chairmen and committees, we had one committee which split into two groups. The Chairman led the Senior Fellowship, while the vice-chairman served the Junior one. Since we had separate activities and meetings, we had regular joint-meeting between the two fellowships. There were also retreats, specially designed for the whole committee, to foster fellowship among the committee members.

In 1999-2000, the two fellowships system continued. However, there were then two vice-chairmen, each responsible for one fellowship, with the Chairman over-saw the whole Christian Union. However, due to lack of experienced committee members, the Christian Union resumed its single fellowship format in September 2000.

Relationship with St. Stephen’s Church and the Diocese

St. Stephen’s Church was a keen partner of our Christian Union since the 50’s. Even four decades later, it was still a source of support especially in the days of difficulties. In 1993-94, Rev. Y. F. Tsui, Miss Wong and other members of St. Stephen’s Church organised lunch time Bible Study Groups for our schoolmates. They were held weekly in the church. In subsequent years, they gave our committee a big hand in organising weekly general meetings or other activities, like the visit to St. Stephen’s Church in 1996-97. The Christian Union also often borrowed their rooms for its activities or committee meetings. Their help was much appreciated.

In summer 1996, St. Stephen’s Church organised a joint school evangelistic camp. In subsequent years, i.e. 97,98 and 99, it was organised by the Diocesan Youth Committee. Combining the labour and resources of the churches in the Diocese, it was a large camp held for the Anglican schools on the Island. They were all well received.

Since summer 1994, the College Council sponsored members of Christian Union to join overseas tours organised by the Diocesan Youth Committee. Altogether 7 students had been benefited since then. Destinations included the Holy Land (1994), Greece & Turkey (1995), South Korea (1996), East China (1996) and England (1998). Valuable experiences like visiting the ruins of the ancient churches, church life in China or even religious life in a monastery, were brought back to the school and shared in the Christian Union and even the morning assemblies.

Joint school activities and Inter-school Christian Fellowship (ISCF)

Besides the Diocesan summer camps, joint school meetings were held sporadically. In 1994, a joint school meeting with St. Stephen’s Church College was held in their music room. In March 1999, another one was held with St. Stephen’s Girls’ College in their Kwok Siu Lau Hall.

Inter-school Christian Fellowship (ISCF) was another great partner of our Christian Union. ISCF provided training and support to many of our committee members. Youth workers of ISCF were invited to share their insights in our general meetings and preach in our evangelistic meetings. Some members of the Christian Union participated in the monthly ISCF prayer meeting on Hong Kong Island as well as other ISCF activities.

One of the biggest events of ISCF each year is the annual joint-school evangelistic meeting held separately in different areas. The participation of our Christian Union in the one on Hong Kong Island in recent years could be traced up to March 1994, when it was held in the Rhenish Church on Bonham Road. Our participation varied greatly among different years. While it was attendance only in certain years, many of our members participated greatly in its organisation and arrangement in other years. Many schoolmates attended the one held in Queen’s College in May 1998. It was a great encouragement to those who involved.

In the next academic year, six committee members and two members were involved in the organisation of the joint-school evangelistic meeting (Hong Kong Island). With the theme of “I SEEK YOU”, it was held on 30^th April 1999 in the hall of True Light Middle School of Hong Kong. Altogether 150 schoolmates attended the meeting. We hired 3 coaches to transport them from St. Paul’s to the venue. It was really fantastic.

In the two subsequent years, our Christian Union continued to participate in ISCF annual evangelistic meetings.

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Chaplains and Assemblies

Christian Union: General Trend

Relationship with St. Stephen’s Church and the Diocese

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