Congratulations Revd. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris

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.

02 August 2015
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity
“Stewards of the mysteries of God”

The Christian Conference of Asia congratulates Revd. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris, who was installed as the Principal of the Theological College of Lanka, Pilimatalawa, on July 10, 2015 at a solemn service that was held at the Theological College of Lanka (TLC) .

Dr. Mathews George Chunakara, General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia and Chief Guest of the occasion, brought greetings and congratulations on behalf of the Christian Conference of Asia and said that he considered it a great privilege to be part of this solemn function, and speak on the special occasion of the installation of “our friend and ecumenical colleague the Revd. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris,” as the new principal of TLC.

Tracing the roots of the special bonds between the CCA, the Sri Lankan churches and the Sri Lankan ecumenical movement to the time when the original idea of the CCA was conceived and discussed in the 1950s and launched as EACC in 1957, Dr. Mathews said that the CCA has been linked in a very special way to the spirit of ecumenical solidarity with the churches and the ecumenical movement in Sri Lanka.

Hailing Revd. Jayasiri as a committed ecumenist who is known and respected beyond the Sri Lankan churches, he acknowledged the important role he played as General Secretary, National Council of Churches in Sri Lanka, and in his capacity as a member of the governing board of CCA from 2005 to 2010.

Dr. Mathews commended his contributions to the life and witness of CCA, especially in the area of ecumenical formation, theological education, interfaith relations, peace and reconciliation and advocacy on democratic governance, which were beneficial to the Asian and global ecumenical movement during the past several years. He was sure that Revd. Jayasiri’s skills in sharp analysis, objective comments and critical questions on various issues; his rich ecumenical experiences and his special gifts will be beneficial to the Theological College and the academic community as he continues his ministry as the head of this institution.

Praying for God’s blessings upon the ministry of Revd. Jayasiri as he assumes the leadership responsibility of the Theological College of Lanka, he wished that the ministry of Revd. Jayasiri be a blessing in every sense, as Paul says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”. (2 Timothy 2:15). He prayed for God’s blessings on the student community in the TLC, especially those who had completed their studies and were now entering into God’s vineyard for greater services. He concluded with prayers for “….this noble and historic institution in this country and the leadership of the churches who are demonstrating a united witness through their support and encouragement to this institution.” He also congratulated and prayed for the members of the faculty who are carrying out their responsibilities of training and molding future servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

 

Photo: Rev. Dr. Jaysiri Peiris ( middle) is being inducted as the new Principal of Lanka Theological Seminary at the installation service on the College Day. In the picture are Rev. Saman Perera, President of the Governing Council of the TCL and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Sri Lanka (right) and CCA General Secretary Dr. Mathews George Chunakara ( left).

Photo Courtesy: TCL