The 35th General Assembly of Church of Christ in Thailand Commences

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.

22 October 2018

 

The 35th General Assembly of the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) was opened in an opening worship service led by the Moderator of CCT Rev. Dr. Thawesak Mahachavaroj at the Lotus Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The theme of the General Assembly being held from 22 to 26 October 2018 is “You are the light of the world” based on the gospel of St. Mathew 5:14.

More than 1000 delegates from all over Thailand, as well as representatives of mission agencies and ecumenical organisations, are attending the assembly.

In a message of greetings delivered at the opening day of the assembly, the General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) Dr. Mathews George Chunakara stated, “The CCT has a unique place in CCA’s history as CCT’s accompaniment to found a fellowship of Asian churches had started from the time of the first initiative of Asian Church leaders, when the first consultation of Asian church leaders was held in Bangkok in 1949.”

“CCT’s support to CCA in various ways during the past 61 years demonstrates the significance of a special place for CCA in CCT’s history and vice versa. No other church in CCA membership and fellowship can claim such a unique privilege”, added the CCA General Secretary.

Dr. Mathews George Chunakara further stated that the theme CCT had chosen for the 35th General Assembly, “You are the light of the world”, was  pertinent in the current Asian and global context.

“The message conveys through this metaphor in the gospel of St. Mathew teaches us something very significant and Jesus likens His disciples to be the light of the world. It is not only a great compliment but also a reminder about the enormous responsibility of all disciples”, the CCA General Secretary said.

The history of the first Protestant Church mission in Thailand dates back to 1828 and subsequently, several Western mission agencies were involved in propagating the gospel in different parts of the country.

The CCT was founded in 1934 as a united church. The General Assembly meets once every two years and the election of the new leadership takes place once every four years.

The CCT is the only member church from Thailand of both the Christian Conference of Asia and the World Council of Churches.

To view the full message click here.