Asia Sunday to be observed in conjunction with 15th CCA 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.

14 September 2023

 

Chiang Mai, Thailand: The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) will observe the Asia Sunday–2023 in conjunction with the 15th CCA General Assembly, on 1 October 2023. 

The theme of Asia Sunday and the General Assembly is the same; namely, ‘God, Renew Us in Your Spirit and Restore the Creation’. 

The 15th General Assembly of the CCA will be held from 27 September to 4 October 2023. Over 500 Assembly participants will join several local congregations in and around Kottayam for Sunday worship on 1 October 2023. 

“God’s expansive love encompasses all creatures, from the smallest life forms to the vast ecosystems that shape our planet. Rooted in this divine love, this specially prepared liturgy for Asia Sunday–2023 beckons us to rekindle our commitment to care for the earth as God’s entrusted stewards. The Asia Sunday–2023 draws us into sacred dialogue with our Creator as we beseech our Lord for divine intervention, ‘God, Renew Us in Your Spirit and Restore the Creation,” said CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara in the Foreword to the special Asia Sunday liturgy.

“We respectfully urge all CCA member churches, councils, and ecumenical partners to observe Asia Sunday on 1 October 2023. We also request special prayers as the CCA begins a new implementation period and continues its journey of accompaniment and of being an instrument of God for the Asian churches,” said the CCA General Secretary. 

The specially prepared Asia Sunday liturgy and the poster can be found in the links below:

Asia Sunday–2023 Liturgy
Asia Sunday–2023 Poster