CCA General Secretary extends greetings at 18th General Assembly of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI)

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).

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09 November 2024

Opening session of PGI 18th General Assembly

Toraja – South Sulawesi, Indonesia: The 18th General Assembly of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), the largest national ecumenical council of 97 Christian churches in the country, began on the morning of 8 November 2024 in Rantepao, Toraja, Indonesia. Hosted by the Toraja Church, the grand opening was attended by over 12,000 Christians from Indonesia and beyond.

The theme of the quintennial Assembly is ‘Living as a Light Bearing Goodness, Justice and Truth: Towards a Pancasiliac Plural Society and at Peace with All of God’s Creation’.

On behalf of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara, Rev. Jung Eun (Grace) Moon, Programme Coordinator of CCA, extended greetings and delivered the General Secretary’s message to delegates and participants from PGI’s 97 member churches, gathered at the Assembly from 8 to 14 November 2024.

In his message delivered in absentia, Dr Mathews George Chunakara expressed deep appreciation for PGI’s commitment to fostering harmony and unity within Indonesia’s diverse and pluralistic society. 

The CCA General Secretary emphasised that the theme of the Assembly serves as a powerful call for Indonesian churches to uphold goodness, justice, and truth, while embodying the transformative light of Christ.

“This shift from darkness to light is not merely a change in behaviour but a profound transition toward embracing God’s will and purpose, rooted in a desire to reflect God’s goodness to the world,” stated the General Secretary.

Dr Chunakara also noted the Assembly’s focus on Pancasila—Indonesia’s foundational philosophical principles—as a significant guide for promoting unity, peace, and justice among people of diverse backgrounds, reflecting Indonesia’s multicultural fabric.

“From a Christian perspective, unity is essential for the effective and impactful witness of the Christian faith, transcending cultural, ethnic, confessional, and denominational barriers, and bringing the transformative power of the Gospel to diverse contexts,” he affirmed.

As an important partner in the Asian ecumenical journey, the CCA General Secretary expressed sincere gratitude for PGI’s longstanding support, commitment, solidarity, and willingness to nurture the Asian ecumenical movement ever since CCA’s inception in 1957.

The 18th General Assembly of the PGI marks an important milestone in the Indonesian churches' journey toward greater unity and collaboration, symbolising a renewed commitment to living out the Gospel in a spirit of mutual respect, integrity, and compassion.

The General Secretary of PGI, Rev. Jacklevyn F. Manuputty, stated that the theme and sub-theme will frame PGI’s journey for the next five years, translating into strategic directions for PGI’s programmes and activities, as well as inspiring its member churches.

The full text of the CCA General Secretary’s message at the 18th PGI General Assembly can be found here: "Living as a Light Bearing Goodness, Justice and Truth: Towards a Pancasiliac Plural Society and at Peace with All of God's Creation"