CCA and Senate of Serampore joint programme aims at training prospective church leaders in good governance and stewardship in pastoral ministry

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.

06 June 2024

Participants of National-workshop on 'Good Governance and Stewardship in Parish Ministry'

Kolkata, West Bengal, India: The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), jointly with the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore Colleges (BTESSC) organized a national-workshop on 'Good Governance and Stewardship in Parish Ministry'.

The workshop was held at the Senate Centre for Extension and Pastoral Theology Research in Kolkata, India from 3 to 5 June 2024.

About 30 final year students pursuing their studies in Bachelor of Divinity Course from various theological institutions affiliated to the Senate of Serampore attended the workshop.

The aim of the workshop was to equip the ministerial candidates with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective governance and stewardship in their future parish ministries.

Rev. Prof. Eleazar S. Fernandez, a distinguished Professor Emeritus of Constructive Theology at the United Theological Seminary in the Philippines shared insights from his extensive academic pursuit. Rev. Asigor P. Sitanggang, Th.D, Th.D, of the Jakarta Theological Seminary expounded on how to apply biblical principles to teach what it means to be a good steward in the eyes of God and how to embody these qualities in pastoral ministry.

Key sessions facilitated included ‘Biblical foundations on Good Governance and Stewardship’, ‘Good Theology = Good Governance: Being God’s Stewards‘, ‘Church Leadership Models and their Roots in Ecclesiology’, ‘Church as Christian Organisation’, ‘Financial Stewardship, Transparency and Overcoming Corruption ‘, ‘Integrity and Accountability in Parish Leadership‘, ‘Human Resource Management, Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking’, ‘Fostering Good Governance and Pastoral Leadership in Digital Spheres’, and ‘Contextual Values: Indigenized Management Principles‘.

Sharing feedback on the programme, Rev. Dr Rodinmawia Ralte, Professor and Dean of the Senate Centre for Extension and Pastoral Theological Research (SECPTRE) commented, “these intensive workshops on Good Governance and Stewardship are essential means to instill both Christian values in church administration as well as right management skills for students who will join Pastoral ministry after their Theological studies.”

The workshop was a resounding success, providing participants with valuable insights and practical tools to enhance their leadership and stewardship roles in their respective parishes.

For more photos, please click here: (Photo Gallery) National-workshop on 'Good Governance and Stewardship in Parish Ministry' in Kolkata, West Bengal, India