CCA Executive Committee approves plans for Asia Mission Conference, Platinum Jubilee Celebration, and 16th General Assembly

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

No preference updated.

15 June 2026

Chiang Mai, Thailand: The Executive Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), during its meeting in Chiang Mai from 3 to 5 June 2026, approved several plans of action to be implemented over the next three years, including a series of major CCA events and programmes.

The Asia Mission Conference (AMC), CCA’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and the Eleventh Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS XI) are key milestones scheduled for 2027, reflecting the shared commitment and inspiring engagement of the CCA, the world’s oldest regional ecumenical organisation, founded in 1957.

The Executive Committee voted to designate South Korea as the venue for the Asia Mission Conference in 2027 and Thailand as the venue for the 16th General Assembly in 2029.

Following deliberations on recommendations submitted by the CCA Programme Committee and the AMC Preparatory Committee, the Executive Committee adopted the theme for the Asia Mission Conference as “Called to Be Pilgrims of Hope: Partners in God’s Mission in a Broken World.”

Presenting his report to the Executive Committee, CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara highlighted the significance of the AMC, the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and CATS XI as major events that will strengthen ecumenical engagement and cooperation across Asia.

The General Secretary emphasised the need to develop collective ecumenical responses to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, as well as to the wider crises affecting many Asian countries at multiple levels. He noted that the conflict has had severe consequences for West Asia and has also had repercussions across multiple continents.

The General Secretary also reported that, since the conflict began, the CCA has been unable to communicate with its member church in Iran, and its current situation remains unknown.

“How are we, the Asian churches, going to respond to these crises affecting the world due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia?” the General Secretary asked in his report.

The report presented by Dr Chunakara was his final General Secretary’s report to the Executive Committee, in which he provided an update on the proposed plans of action for forthcoming events and programmes.

The General Secretary drew the Executive Committee’s immediate attention to matters requiring consideration to ensure the smooth functioning of the CCA in the coming years. He highlighted several key developments related to the life and witness of the CCA, particularly in the context of the changing ecumenical and ecclesial landscape in Asia, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing the CCA as a regional ecumenical body in the future.

The Executive Committee adopted the proposals presented by the General Secretary, including the digitisation of CCA archival documents to improve accessibility, the processing of new membership applications, measures to facilitate conflict resolution within the Kampuchea Christian Council (KCC) in cooperation with the Cambodian Government, and preparatory processes for major events scheduled between 2027 and 2029.

An Assembly Planning Committee (APC) was constituted and mandated to commence preparations for the 16th General Assembly in 2029.
 
The Executive Committee also established a four-member subcommittee to address disputes concerning property owned by the Kampuchea Christian Council. The property was originally acquired with financial support from the CCA and the World Council of Churches (WCC) in the 1990s. The subcommittee has been tasked with pursuing the matter with the Cambodian Government.

Recognising the growing presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in several Asian countries, the Executive Committee viewed its membership application as an opportunity to broaden ecumenical fellowship within the region. Full membership is expected to be considered for final approval at the 16th General Assembly in 2029.

The financial report and the budget for the next three years, presented at the meeting by the CCA Treasurer, The Very Revd Kwok-keung Chan, were approved by the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee also decided to increase the frequency of its meetings to twice a year.

Bishop Reuel Norman O. Marigza, CCA Moderator, and Dr Anna Alisha Mathew Simon, CCA Vice-Moderator, chaired various sessions during the meeting.

Please click here to view photos from the CCA Executive Committee Meeting 2026.