CCA extends greetings to Ninth General Assembly of the Igreja Protestante Iha Timor Lorosa’e (IPTL)

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.

04 July 2024

Opening Session of Igreja Protestante Iha Timor Lorosa’e (IPTL)'s Ninth General Assembly

Dili, Timor Leste: The General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) Dr Mathews George Chunakara extended warm greetings to the delegates of the Igreja Protestante Iha Timor Lorosa’e (IPTL) on the occasion of the Ninth General Assembly being held in Oecusse, Ambeno from 4 to 10 July, 2024.

In his message, Dr Mathews George Chunakara commended the “perseverance and unwavering dedication of Igreja Protestante Iha Timor Lorosa’e members and of its leaders” in serving God and the people of Timor Leste.

The CCA General Secretary expressed gratitude to IPTL for being a valuable member of CCA, and an excellent collaborator in jointly initiating and implementing various impactful programmes in recent years such as the ecumenical enablers’ training for capacity building, empowerment of women and ecumenical women’s action against violence, and the promotion of good governance and integrity leadership.

The General Secretary also lauded IPTL leaders for their dedication and passion for nurturing the young people in the church, and for promoting successful ecumenical collaborations with different churches both within and beyond the borders of Timor Leste, which “helped the church to broaden its vision of witnessing together.”

The IPTL is the only member church of both CCA and the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Timor Leste. 

The full text of the message can be found below: CCA General Secretary’s Message to the Ninth General Assembly of the Igreja Protestante Iha Timor Lorosa’e