Asia Sunday–2021 prayer service on 16 May to focus on God who assures healing and restoration of health amidst COVID-19

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.

10 May 2021

The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) invites people around the world to join the observance of Asia Sunday, which will be held this year on 16 May 2021 (Sunday) from 16:30 to 17:45 hrs Bangkok (Thailand) time.

This year’s Asia Sunday will focus on the theme, “I am the God who Heals You and Restores Your Health” (Exodus 15:26).

Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that continues to ravage the world, the prayers beseech God’s divine intervention for healing from the suffering and devastation caused by the coronavirus.

The CCA headquarters in Chiang Mai will facilitate the virtual Asia Sunday service on 16 May 2021, which will be led by church and ecumenical leaders from across Asia.

The CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara urged member churches and councils of the CCA to participate in the online prayer service and said, “Let us continue to pray together, without losing hope, for God’s mercy and healing for the sick, and for health and strength for all who care for them.

“Asia Sunday is a special occasion to commit in prayers all those who are suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has claimed millions of lives and is tearing apart several Asian countries. Even in the face of the death and devastation caused by the pandemic, we are given the assurance of our God, who heals all wounds and disease,” added the CCA General Secretary.

To facilitate the participation of people from around the world for the special prayer service, the Asia Sunday worship will be broadcast live on the CCA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

The YouTube livestream link is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvB-djGWjuk
To be notified of the prayer service, subscribe to our YouTube channel and click the bell icon to receive all updates.

Follow us on Facebook and join the virtual service through our Facebook page: https://facebook.com/ChristianConferenceofAsia

The online service will be held on 16 May 2021 from 16:30 to 17:45 hrs Bangkok time. Use this time zone converter to check the local time of the service in your region: https://dateful.com/eventlink/2036559856

Please download the Asia Sunday–2021 Worship Resources using the links below: