香港基督信仰教会旨在生活出信仰的合一
这是今天发表的香港基督信仰团体基督信仰合一祈祷周文告中所阐述的主要内容。从一月十八日开始，普世教会将举行为基督信仰合一祈祷周活动。文告以马尔谷福音——“他所做的一切都好：使聋子听见，叫哑巴说话（7，37）”为主题。香港天主教会基督信仰合一委员会、基督信仰教会理事会各教会合一与关系委员会、香港和东南亚东正教会大主教办公室在文告上签字。
以下为文告英文版全文：
Joint statement The week of prayer for Christian unity 2007
(January 18-25)
“He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” (Mark 7:37)
We, as the Church, are called by God to be united together as the Body of Christ. We all belong to Christ and are sent by him to proclaim the wonderful deeds of God which we have seen and heard. Hence, the Church is a blessed body of faith with the call to bring the blessing to others.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has set an example of compassion. He cares for those who are in difficulty and helps the needy ones. The scripture says, “He has done all things well; they said, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak” (Mark 7:37). Therefore, the Church should seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to love the poor and the weak as Christ did.
Whenever the hardship of under-privileged communities has been recognised, the Churches extend their help and service. Those services include medical care, education, relief, caring, shelters, mentoring and reconciliation. Some of these services are funded by the Churches themselves and some by public funds. In fact, the Churches have gained credibility in society through these services.
The services of the Churches are many, yet their mission is diverse. Competition is sometimes evident among ourselves, preventing us from bearing witness that the Lord our God is one. St. Paul said, “There are all sorts of services to be done, but always to the same Lord working in all of sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose” (I Corinthians 12:4-6).
With one heart and one mind, let us show our unity of faith by expressing the love and care of Christ to the needy in our society in Hong Kong and throughout the world. Through visible services, we bring a visible testimony that we are one in Christ. “All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
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Diocesan Ecumenical |
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The Ecumenical Patriarchate |
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Church Unity and Relations Committee |
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Commission of the |
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Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong |
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Hong Kong Christian Council |
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Hong Kong Catholic Church |
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and South East Asia |
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2 January 2007
