AEYA Celebrates the Risen Christ at the Asia Easter Celebration in Indonesia

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).

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09 April 2018

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Manado, Indonesia: Songs and dances of celebration filled the Maesa Open Stadium as participants of the Asian Ecumenical Youth Assembly, together with thousands of faithful from more than one thousand congregations and denominations of Christian churches in Indonesia, came together for the Asia Easter Celebration in Tondano Stadium in the Minahasa region North Sulawesi, April 8th.

The mountains standing firmly against the bright skies provided a dramatic backdrop for the celebration with the theme “Send us your light and truth to lead us.” The gathering emphasized the resurrection as the most powerful event in the life of Christ and is the very reason for the celebration.

In a sermon delivered by Dr. Henriette H. Lebang, General Chairperson of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia expounded on the meaning and relevance of resurrection to the churches today.

“In Christ, there is new life beyond death and futility. Just as Christ has raised from the dead, so we are to live in the new-ness of life. Thus, commit ourselves to the new-ness of life, to the new-ness of hope. Whatever problems we face in our families, churches, nations and the world, we can overcome them because of the risen Christ.”

She also powerfully challenged the participants to be the witness of the light of Christ, and to let the truth shine in the midst of daily lives in order to overcome falsehood, lust, corruption and greed.

“Let the resurrection of Christ inspire us and to renew us to walk in the light and truth. By the power of the holy spirit, we should be changed significantly from being children of darkness to being children of light.”

“We should transform from loving ourselves to loving others. From marginalizing and excluding others to embracing inclusivity with the love of Christ and sharing the light with others.”

“Stop manipulating the truth and to start speaking the truth and light of God.  Keep our integrity as children of Christ and to be witnesses of resurrected Christ through concrete actions. In whatever difficult situation that we face today, the light of God will shine in the whole world,” she added.

The event, organized by the Gereja Masehi Injikli di Minahasa (GMIM), or the Evangelical Christian Church in Minahasa, and the member churches of the PGI in North Sulawesi region in coordination with the provincial government of North Sulawesi, was also graced by some national and local government officials of Indonesia.

Dr. Yasonna H. Laoly, Indonesian Minister of Law and Human Rights, in his greetings said “It is indeed true that the resurrection of Christ is an amazing grace. Only by the grace of God that we are saved.”

“As young generation, as you see all churches from Asia celebrating the resurrection of Christ today, may it lead all of you in this ecumenical experience and encourage you to share the grace of God.”

The Indonesian leader thanked the Christian Conference of Asia for coming to the event and said that the people of Indonesia in North Sulawesi, being inheritant’s of God’s grace, celebrate with the church the resurrection of Christ.

CCA General Secretary, Dr. Mathews George Chunakara, said that the celebration is a very unique opportunity as it provides a common platform for churches and participants all over Asia to celebrate Easter together.

“Easter brought us here because Easter gives us the strength and the power. Easter binds us together through the sacrifice of Christ and his love and care for the humanity. That is the reason why we are here to celebrate the resurrection of Christ,” he said.

The CCA General Secretary also recognized the initiative of Indonesian churches that worked hard to bring together Asian countries into the event.

The event ended with a high note as Indonesian local artists performed songs for the crowd followed by a parade showcasing colorful traditions of Indonesia and different symbols of celebrating the resurrection.