CCA MESSAGE FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY

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).

First Preference:
Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)
Second Preference:
Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)
10 June 2011
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…”

A local congregation in Central Java, Indonesia, invites people especially those who originally come from this particular village to return home to celebrate Pentecost.  Farmers bring their first harvest of fruits of their labor like rice, fruits and vegetables, chicken, etc.  Market vendors bring some of the items they sell and the workers their tithes. There will also be a parade around the community with cultural nuances.  Pentecost is a thanksgiving celebration for the many blessings God has bestowed for this community.

This reminds us of the Pentecost event as told in the book of Acts 2 that happened in Jerusalem in the time of harvest attended by people coming from different places with different cultures and languages.  As they were all gathered in one place, a rushing mighty wind struck, strong and violent.  That was not a tsunami or tornado that kills life, but the Spirit of God which empowers people to speak in diverse tongues in various expressions, yet in a sincere unity of affections. The people were able to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, speaking in languages foreign to them, yet understanding each other.  The Holy Spirit filled the entire place and each person, and granted them the ability to go beyond human divisions and overcome segregations.

We are facing many crises in our communities because of the absence of, and the misappropriation of truth.  Many people have lost confidence and trust for each other and for their leaders. Even within the family and the churches the spirit of deceit and betrayal has blown strong, infecting and destroying the lives of many.

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his disciples when he was about to ‘go to his Father’s house’.  He reminded them of the challenges they would face.  They will be marginalized, thrown out of their communities and even be killed, and those who kill them “will think that by doing this they are offering worship to God.” (John 16:1-4)  This reminds us of the many Christian communities which are isolated and persecuted because of what they believe in, and the many forms of hatred and enmity in human history.

To the disciples who were scared and dismayed in facing life’s turbulence, Jesus promised that on his behalf God will send the Advocate, the Comforter and Healer – to defend them, to console them and to heal their wounds.  He assured them that “When the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all the truth…” (John 16:13)  The Holy Spirit, the Comforter descended upon the apostles also to shake them up from their complacency. Pentecost is God's power over the evils that victimize communities, including the church.

In the midst of the plurality of Asia and our common calling to witness to Jesus Christ today, we need the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to meet the challenges of our time, and help us to understand each other despite the different expressions of our Christian faith so that we can be credible agents of justice and peace in our communities. Despite our alarming realities we are thankful that God continuously invites us to be co-workers in proclaiming the truth.

As we celebrate Pentecost let us be mindful of the many people in Asia who are starving because of drought and poverty, besieged by hopelessness in the midst of continuous conflicts and war, and persecuted because of their faith. Let us pray for those who are preoccupied only of their own interests and who have lost direction and commitment to uphold life for all.

Let us humbly yield to God and boldly pray together:  “Come Holy Spirit…, come and guide us into your truth.”

REV. DR. HENRIETTE HUTABARAT LEBANG
General Secretary
10 June 2011