Gereja Toraja Centenary Celebrations 1913-2013

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.

28 July 2013
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

Toraja Praises God: Celebration Time at Gereja Toraja

Warm and Hearty Greetings to the Leadership and Members of the Toraja Church in South Sulawesi, Indonesia on the occasion of their Centenary Celebrations held from 12-26 July 2013. This collage brings glimpses of the colorful and joyous festive mood at the celebrations.

The celebrations commenced on March 16, 2013 in commemoration of the first baptism of 20 Torajanese on March 16, 1903 by a pastor of Indische Kerk from the Netherlands. As the congregations representing 88 districts returned home from the opening day festivities, each carried a torch which symbolized their commitment to continue the celebrations in 88 districts in more than 1000 congregations of Toraja Church. The theme of the celebration was "Shalom to All" and the sub-theme "Toraja Praise the Lord."

The final celebration was held from July 12-26, 2013 in Rantepao, Toraja where the Toraja Church headquarters is located. Thousands of people, especially the Torajanese from different places in Indonesia flooded the arena of celebration. The peak was on July 25-26 in commemoration of the day when the first missionary, Antonie van de Loosdrecht sent by the Gereeformeerde Zendingsbond (GZB) from the Netherlands was killed on July 26, 1917.

Toraja Church, which became an independent church at the time of its first synod that was held on March 25, 1947, has continued to wrestle on how to become Toraja Christians and how to witness Christ in the concrete life of the Toraja people and Indonesian society. In proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ the church has been sensitive to the local culture, transformed it in the light of the Gospel and incorporated the cultural values which promote life for all, through worship and various ministries of the church. The dynamic relationship of gospel and culture were expressed during this celebrative occasion, through hospitality, communal celebration and worship. Indeed, Torajanese celebrated the entering of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and transforming of their lives especially through preaching, teaching and healing.

May the church stay united in prayer and vibrant in action in the years to come.

Dr. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang

Toraja Church is a Protestant Christian Denomination in Tana Toraja, or Land of the Toraja, in Indonesia. During 1912-1913 the Gerevormerde Missionary Bond-Holland of the Dutch Reformed Church began working in this part of the country. On November 7, 1913, Rev. A.A. van de Loosdrecht became the first missionary to come to Rantepao, the capital town of North Toraja Residency, and the cultural centre of the Toraja tribe.
This day is hailed as the ‘historic time when the Gospel started growing in the heart of the Torajan people.’ Toraja Church was formally established on March 25, 1947 in Rantepao and is a member of Indonesian Council of Churches since 1950. From a total of 14,000 Christians in 1938, to 300,000 in 1995, the strength in the year 2012 has surged to 400,000 members and 959 congregations. This church is the largest in South Sulawesi, with approximately 80% of the population belonging to it.