（© 教聲/ ECHO） The Province held a welcoming meet-up for newly joining headmasters and teachers on 27th August. Due to COVID restrictions, the event was held online. More than 800 new headmasters and teachers from Hong Kong and Macau joined on the day.
Peter Kwok, the Executive Director of HKSKH Education Services, delivered the opening speech. He welcomed all newcomers for joining the Anglican family, and stated that with hundreds of secondary schools, primary schools, and kindergartens under the Anglican banner, we are bound to have many newcomers every year. With this meet-up, he hoped to introduce Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui to the newcomers, to bring them deeper into the faith, tradition, history, and ethos of this institution so deeply entwined with education.
Kwok made a point of stressing that it is the whole person development of students, and not just their academic results, that is written as the educational mission in our province’s School Education Policy Paper. It is through the faith and ethos of our church that we should let our students experience the love of Christ, and make that love a living element of their lives.
Archbishop Andrew Chan gave a speech, saying that the first and foremost thing isn’t some grand mission, but the happiness of our headmasters and teachers. For if they are truly happy, then that is sign of a fulfilling job, and the relationship between their colleagues is bound to be a supportive one. The newcomers are joining the wider family of Anglicans, and this is a family that spans beyond education, as our church also deals with social services and various church ministries. The roles that we play in this family are diverse, and we should encourage and support each other in our various endeavours, seeking unity within diversity. We may be working in different fields, but we are all united in the vision of serving Hong Kong and the wider world.
Bishop Timothy Kwok mentioned how he had previously heard from various headmasters and teachers, on how they sometimes feel hopeless and powerless in the face of social movements, the COVID virus, and now an emigration wave. They came to the Bishop saying that they find themselves disheartened during working hours. The Bishop, however, replied by congratulating them, because such feelings are a sign of humility when we are encountering hardship. The Beatitudes tell us that the poor in spirit are blessed, and from this blessedness we find happiness. To be humble in our hearts is to forgo the arrogance of facing danger alone, and learn to unite with our brothers and sisters, supporting each other in our hour of need. Such is the founding aim of the HKSKH Education Services.
Bishop Mattias Der spoke in turn, commenting how each newcomer came from a different background, with different beliefs and different faiths. But as we have now joined the Anglican family, we are each a blessing from God, for each newcomer has brought with them their passion in education, their kindness, and their experience. With these, we can guide our children as their minds and spirits grow, and that is a blessing to our wider Anglican family. The Bishop also said that the church is an organisation of faith, hope, and love. He hoped that these three things can be made known not only in the classroom lessons, but also in the relationship between colleagues, and the relationship between students.
Next was the Provincial Secretary General, the Revd Kenneth Lau, who gave a briefing on the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui to our newcomers. Moses Cheng, Chairman of the Board of Education Services, then gave an explanatory talk on the ethos and mission behind HKSKH’s educational endeavours. The welcoming event ended with the Archbishop giving a blessing.
