Hong Kong Christians in Stockport

When the Rev Andy Crook learned Cantonese as a young recent graduate, working in Hong Kong as a helper in a house for recovering heroin addicts he believed he would never have any other use for the language back in the UK.

“Aged 21 it was a fully immersive experience in Hong Kong learning Cantonese: it was basically sink or swim as almost no-one spoke any English. When I came back to the UK, I believed I would most likely never use it again,” he said.

He certainly never predicted that, 30 years later, he would be preaching in Cantonese at a weekly service in St Mary’s Church in Stockport in the Diocese of Chester, where he now works as a curate.

“About six months into my time at St Mary’s, a group of young Christians turned up from Hong Kong and saw St Mary’s as a great potential partner for their missional ideas, including a monthly Asian food festival. I think that my Cantonese helped them feel a sense of belonging,” he said.

The church, in one of the most deprived parishes in England, now runs an Alpha course in English and Cantonese, recently extended to Farsi as well – and in 2024 began a monthly Cantonese service which has become a weekly service.

“I often preach in Cantonese, I’ve had to work incredibly hard at this, and no doubt I make lots of errors,” Andy said. “But I find that people see it is symbolically very significant that someone would take the time to learn their language.”

The regular worshipping community at the church has risen from around 20 people to over a hundred, with a rise in the English speaking congregation to more than 60 and between 30 and 40 people attending the weekly Cantonese service. The trilingual Alpha course also attracted 35 course members in late 2025, and has been a vibrant opportunity to share faith, friendship and culture.

“In the face of a national crisis in identity, our worshipping community is a wonderful and diverse expression of the Christian faith. What we are saying is that God’s Kingdom celebrates and includes the diversity of nations, in unity in worshipping God, in a way that nothing else in our society can replicate.”

• A new steering board has been set up to support the rapid growth of Hong Kong Christians in the Church of England.

Andy says: "I would also like to commend the following YouTube video to you, which I think is hugely powerful and gives a case study of a young life transformed by Christian faith, and worshipping at our Church. The person involved is a YouTube influencer who has come to faith and worships in our Cantonese congregation, and the video is his story of why he has been silent for the last year and how he has found Christ. This extraordinary video testimony has English subtitles almost throughout - they briefly drop out about 2 minutes in, but soon come back. But I hope you enjoy this amazing story as much as I did!"

Example of a young Hong Kong influencer who has been baptised and worships at St Mary's. Subtitles are available using the settings function.