CCA General Secretary extends congratulatory message on occasion of the enthronement of Philippines Independent Church’s (IFI) 14th Obispo Maximo

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.

30 June 2023

Manila, Philippines: The General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), Dr Mathews George Chunakara, extended greetings and congratulations on behalf of the CCA constituencies to His Beatitude Joel O. Porlares, the 14th Obispo Maximo of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI). 

His Beatitude was installed as the supreme spiritual leader of the IFI on 29 June 2023 at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente National Cathedral of the Holy Child in Manila, Philippines. 

In the congratulatory message, the CCA General Secretary said, "As you begin to lead the IFI, whose constituencies include fifty dioceses located within the Philippines and overseas, into a new era with a renewed spirit of mission and witness, I pray that Divine grace may guide you in every area in which you will be involved as part of your ministry. I pray and hope that your call to walk in fidelity to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will strengthen your commitment and vision, and you will be abundantly blessed."

The CCA General Secretary also recollected their participation in the Asian ecumenical youth movement in the past and said, "It is a matter of great joy for me to recollect our participation at the Asia Youth Assembly (AYA) organised by CCA in 1984, which was held in New Delhi, India. I recall that several of those participants who attended the AYA–1984 almost forty years ago, including you and myself, are now holding different positions in the ecclesial and ecumenical arena in Asia and beyond."

Obispo Maximo Joel O. Porlares was an ecumenical youth leader and has held several positions over the years from the local to the national levels in various capacities. 

The full text of the Congratulatory Message can be found below: