Asia Sunday–2023 will focus on CCA Assembly theme, ‘God, Renew Us in Your Spirit and Restore the Creation’

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.

13 June 2023

Chiang Mai, Thailand: Asia Sunday–2023 will be observed on 1 October 2023 and the theme will be the same as that of the 15th General Assembly of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), ‘God, Renew Us in Your Spirit and Restore the Creation’. 

The 15th CCA General Assembly will be held from 27 September to 4 October 2023 in Kottayam, India. 

CCA member churches and councils are requested to observe Asia Sunday on 1 October 2023, a week before the 15th CCA General Assembly begins. 

Asia Sunday is usually observed every year on the Sunday before Pentecost, but this year’s Asia Sunday observance will be in conjunction with the CCA General Assembly, offering CCA member churches and councils the opportunity to reflect upon the Assembly theme and pray for the forthcoming Asian ecumenical event. 

The General Secretary of CCA, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, stated that the Asia Sunday–2023 beckons the CCA member constituencies to reflect on their participation in God’s work of reconciliation, renewal, restoration, and transformation of the entire creation.

The theme of the forthcoming CCA Assembly features the theological significance of ‘creation’ for the first time in the history of the CCA Assemblies. The theme acknowledges the theological emphasis of creation more comprehensively and considers how affirming the truth of God’s creation affects human beings created in the image of God, who are the culmination of God’s creation, added the CCA General Secretary.

The CCA urges its member churches and councils to dedicate and observe 1 October  2023 as Asia Sunday–2023 and use the special Asia Sunday liturgy and prayers, which will be shared soon.