CCA Bids Farewell to Dr. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang

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.

11 July 2015
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity
After 5 years of being at the helm of affairs at the CCA and steering it from troubled times to fairly good times, Dr. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang, the first woman General Secretary of the CCA in 50 years, will be leaving the CCA. She leaves with mixed feelings of happiness, pride and sadness.

She was happy with her tenure that was marked with strengthening of ecumenical relations and reaching out to councils and churches that were not part of CCA; sincere efforts in building inter-religious dialogue and other programs.

She is modestly proud of the success of the General Assembly and in her own words: “Let us thank God who has journeyed with us, providing guidance for the 14th General Assembly of CCA and related meetings” and acknowledges with gratitude “the important role played by the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP); the Pasundan Christian Church (GKP); the Women’s Commission of the PGI West Java region, and the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI).

In a letter thanking all her ecumenical friends, church leaders and ecumenical partners, she said, “As I am completing 5 years of service as General Secretary of CCA, let me express my deep appreciation to you, the leaders of the CCA Member churches and councils for entrusting me with this challenging task and for your kind support during my ministry. A special thanks to the ecumenical partners who have supported the ministry of CCA. My experience in this office has enriched me in my ecumenical ministry and indeed has contributed a lot for my next assignment as the General Chairperson of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia.”

Warmly welcoming her successor, Dr. Mathews George Chunakara, she wished him strength and wisdom. And with a hint of sadness at leaving friends and colleagues behind, she said, “As I say my goodbyes to my colleagues and friends, I take with me the strength and good qualities in each of you and the goodwill that you have showered on me. May our memories and prayers for each other guide us and empower us in the days to come!!!”

CCA had a fellowship dinner on 6 July 2015, and in amid prayers, goodwill and laughter of ecumenical friends and staff and their families, bid farewell to Dr. Ery. She will be moving to Jakarta, and taking over as General Chairperson of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI). We wish her well in all her future endeavours.