Priest's Report, as presented at Emmanuel Church's 2007 Annual Meeting for the period 2006/2007.
This has been exciting year for Emmanuel with our long awaited move to Béthanie on 17th December 2006. This has opened a new chapter in our life together as the English-language Anglican Church in Pokfulam.
Sunday Worship
Our Sunday Worship is the most important part of our life at Emmanuel. We come together each week as the people of God to worship and pray.
This year our Sunday attendance has increased, and particularly so since moving to Béthanie. We now expect around 70 people each week. There are various indicators of a healthy church, not just numbers, but increased attendance is encouraging. The quality of our worship and of our welcoming are attractive features for newcomers. Thanks are due to the people who work hard each week to ensure that quality: from those who set up, to welcomers, to musicians, to readers and intercessors, to refreshment providers and so on.
With more visitors and newcomers each Sunday, the task of welcoming grows. Welcoming people is something all members share in. We may need to review how we follow up with newcomers to ensure none are forgotten.
A high proportion of our members are families with children. Our Sunday School plays a vital role in providing for our younger members. Thanks are due to our Sunday School leaders for the excellent job they do. The children clearly get a lot out of the experience.
Highlights from this year's Services have included:
- the move to Béthanie during our Service on 17th December.
- the Thanksgiving Service for the move, led by Archbishop Paul (10th February).
- the visit of Alain Le Pichon, author of the new book on the history of Béthanie and the French Mission.
- a series of "firsts" at Béthanie: Christmas; Bishop Ken Mason preaching in January; Palm Sunday procession, Good Friday Service; Easter; a baptism.
- regular family services, this year on: Good Shepherd Sunday, Trinity Sunday with baptisms, Harvest, Remembrance Sunday, Christmas Eve, first Sunday in Lent, Mothering Sunday and the second Sunday of Easter (with baptism).
- two discussion sermons: being the body of Christ at Emmanuel; the move to Béthanie.
- Christie Gilson (Emmanuel Member) preaching about her experience of faith and disability. (Christie is blind and was conducting research at HKU last year.)
- the visit of the Cantata Choir in May - the choir for former students of Ebenezer School for the Visually Impaired
Béthanie
Since we are still new to Béthanie our committee is monitoring the various practical aspects of Sunday Services: the location of refreshments; the acoustics and noise levels in the Chapel; car parking arrangements etc... Our storage facilities will change once the APA finishes fitting the cupboards in the vestry. The furniture in the Chapel will develop in the coming months: new altar cloths; a new lectern with hangings; wooden chairs for the chancel; a font
Building Community
As the body of Christ it is good to deepen our fellowship as we seek to be Christ to each other. So we have held these social events:
- regular bring and share Church Brunches immediately after Services.
- our annual Quiz Night in June.
- our annual trip to Shek O will be held in October or November - when its cooler!
- our Midweek Group continues to meet on Thursdays. This year we have: watched TV programmes on Christianity ("Who wrote the New Testament" and "St. Paul"); read about the history of the early church; watched films with faith themes; and read the Lent Book "Life Source". The group has regular attendees, but all are welcome to come regularly or occasionally.
Our sense of community at Emmanuel remains strong. It is strengthened by people joining Emmanuel and different members knowing each other in contexts other than church. Our goal is to be a 'joined up community' in which people know and share each other's joys and pains (rather than a community of gathered strangers). Including the prayer requests of members in the intercessions and the pew sheet each Sunday encourages this sense of community.
Community Links
We continue to maintain our links in the Pokfulam community. This year we:
- welcomed the Cantata Choir (former students of Ebenezer School)
- donated Quiz Night profits to the Pokfulam Riding School for the Disabled.
- donated Harvest gifts to Ebenezer School for the Visually Impaired,
- served mulled wine and mince pies at Kennedy School Night Market,
- sung carols around Pokfulam on 2 evenings: at Middleton Towers and the Bisney area.
- collected Christmas gifts for the work of the Anglican Social Welfare Council
Our Priest-in-Charge continues to be the Chair of the School Council at West Island School and to maintain links with Kennedy School. We also now have a healthy
relationship with the Academy for Performing Arts through Béthanie.
The possibility of visiting patients in Queen Mary Hospital has not been forgotten.
Advertising Emmanuel has continued to be by word of mouth and inviting friends. We benefited from the media coverage of the APA's opening of Béthanie. It was decided to allow word of our Services at Béthanie to spread around Pokfulam, rather than produce publicity materials. We have had plenty of visitors and newcomers at Béthanie. For people new to Hong Kong, the website and the SCMP on Saturdays provide our details.
Finally
Thank you for all your support and commitment to Emmanuel and to each other. Being your Priest-in-Charge is enriching and rewarding. Emmanuel is blessed by the faith, commitment, humour, kind-heartedness and generosity of spirit of its members.
Revd Matthew Vernon, Priest-in-Charge.
|
