Group photo of officiating clergy, guests, members of the School Council, principals and flag-bearers from different altar party cohorts
This year marks the 120th anniversary of St Stephen’s Girls’ College, whose anniversary theme is ‘Legacy of Grace, Go Forward in Faith’. The year-long celebrations were inaugurated by the 120th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service, held on the morning of 30 January at St John’s Cathedral.
The school invited alumnae from different graduating years to take part in the service. As the organ prelude began, the procession was led by the servers, followed by representatives of alumnae and current students carrying their respective graduation year pennants. One by one they placed their pennants on the St Stephen’s Family Tree, signifying the growth of each generation and the dedication of their service to God.
In all, pennant-bearers from 64 graduating cohorts and 15 current students from the kindergarten, primary and secondary sections took part, with the most senior alumna having graduated in 1951.
Archbishop and Primate of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, the Most Revd Andrew Chan, preached and gave the blessing, while the Rt Revd Matthias Der, Bishop of the Diocese of Hong Kong Island, led the prayers for dedication. The Revd Augusta Leung officiated at the prayers. Ms Cheng Yim Ngor, Headteacher of St Stephen’s Girls’ College Kindergarten, and Ms Or Ching Yu, Headteacher of St Stephen’s Girls’ Primary School, read the Scripture lessons.
The Revd Canon Peter Koon, Chairman of the School Council, Prof Angelina Yuen, Vice-chairman of the School Council, Dr Lam Lai Yung, Principal of St Stephen’s Girls’ College, Dr Lee Sing Cheung, Head of Religious Education of the Secondary School, Ms Yu Chi Man, Head of Religious Education of the Primary School, and Chang Hoi Yiu, Head Girl of the Secondary School, led the intercessions. The Chamber Choir of the Secondary School offered an anthem.
The graduation year pennants of different cohorts are placed on the St Stephen’s Family Tree
In his sermon, Archbishop Chan observed that the school motto, ‘In Faith Go Forward’, has given strength to generations of students to persevere in times of danger and difficulty. This, he said, was because the school has fostered the moral, intellectual, physical, social, aesthetic and spiritual development of its students in their formative years, preparing them well in every aspect of life.
The Archbishop went on to say that in recent years the challenges facing education have become increasingly complex. Whatever educational model is adopted, if it is not grounded in the truth of God the Creator, it may amount to no more than transmitting knowledge to the next generation, and artificial intelligence technology on its own cannot stimulate the growth of life. How then are we to locate and understand our educational endeavours amid all the emerging models of the age of artificial intelligence?
It is the truth of God that enables us to move beyond this dilemma. God’s will is that we should love and respect one another, patiently embrace differences, live lives of happiness and peace, cherish the earth, and uphold mercy and justice. Therefore, whether in teaching or in learning, we must seek and embody the will of God, so that our insight may be deepened and we may discern which ideologies are truly in accordance with spiritual standards.
The Archbishop gave thanks to the Lord for his guidance in the spiritual formation of the school. In addition to nurturing students in moral, intellectual, physical, social and aesthetic development, the school has also fostered their growth in Christian faith through religious education, the class teacher system, the ‘Moral, Civic and National Education’ curriculum, life and values education, and the Global Exposure Programme, so as to promote the whole-person development of students.
The Secondary School Chamber Choir offers an anthem
Brief History of the School
St Stephen’s Girls’ College was founded in 1906 by the Church Missionary Society of the Anglican Church of England. Through the vision of Bishop Joseph Charles Hoare and the dedicated support of Chinese leaders such as Dr Tso Sin Wan and Sir Ho Kai, the school became a pioneer in providing quality education for girls in Hong Kong and in furthering the work of the gospel.
Across two centuries, amid relocation after the ravages of the Second World War, the school has continued to stand firm, steadfastly upholding the spirit of Christ. The main school building, the June Li Building, whose foundation stone was laid in 1922 by HRH the Prince of Wales, has now been declared a monument, bearing witness to a cross-century mission of education and a journey marked by grace.
Over the past 120 years, the school has nurtured countless women of deep faith and outstanding talent. From the early missionary principals to their successors, Chinese educators in later years, eleven principals have passed on the torch, remain committed to a vision of whole-person education that integrates moral, intellectual, physical, social, aesthetic and spiritual formation, and carrying forward an educational ethos rooted in the love of the Lord.
Looking to the future, St Stephen’s Girls’ College will continue faithfully to uphold its school motto, ‘In Faith Go Forward’. Relying on the grace of the Lord, the school will go on forming women of compassion and service to the community, as it journeys into a new era.