ENG-1968 — Page 309

RELIGION AND CUSTOM

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Its roots go back indeed to the earliest days of the Colony. St John's Cathedral was founded in 1842, and established as a Cathe- dral by Letters Patent from Queen Victoria in 1850. A representative of the London Missionary Society arrived at about the same time. St Andrew's Church was consecrated in October 1906. There is an annual increase of four per cent in communicant church membership. New churches and chapels in housing estates and satellite towns are constantly being built. It is estimated that there are now 261 churches and chapels in the Colony.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was again the occasion for fellowship between the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches. In addition to a joint meeting for prayer and exposition of a passage from the Bible held at the City Hall, combined services were held in churches in both Hong Kong and Kowloon.

While about 12 churches in the Colony hold services in English, the great majority of the congregations are Chinese speaking, mostly Cantonese. There are some churches using Kuo-yu (Man- darin). Christians in Hong Kong are notable church-goers. The major world denominations are represented in the Adventists, Anglicans, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and Pentecostals, while churches of a Presbyterian type are joined in the Church of Christ in China. There are, in addition, a number of undenominational churches.

In a community like that of Hong Kong, where problems of live- lihood and development are acute, it is natural that the churches should wish to make their contribution to social service. This takes the form of educational and welfare services. The churches are responsible for approximately 164 primary schools and 101 middle schools and colleges in the Colony, a number which may be expected to increase with the growing population. They also sponsor hospi- tals, clinics, orphanages, and social service centres. While some funds for social service are locally raised, generous contributions are received from outside the Colony, many of them channelled through the Hong Kong Christian Service.

Churches which are in relationship with the World Council of Churches come together with missionary societies, YMCA, YWCA, and other groups in the Hong Kong Christian Council. The council's new headquarters, the Christian Centre, houses the offices of the