Mekong Mission Forum 2014

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.

16 May 2014
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity
Mekong Mission Forum
1-4 May 2014, Lutheran Center, Petaling Jaya - Malaysia
 

Mekong Mission Forum (MMF) started in 2000 as a network of Christian churches, theological institutions and diaconal outreach programs, serving  five countries around Mekong River, namely Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. Over the years, this Forum has been growing. The meeting this year was attended by 38 participants representing churches in Mekong area and its partner churches, theological institutions and diaconal services from Lutheran background in Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore) and beyond (Germany, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and USA).  Dr. William Chang, the Secretary of Asia Desk of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has been the Moderator of the MMF since 2013. As an ecumenical organization in the region, the General Secretary of CCA was invited to attend this meeting, during which she introduced the ministry of CCA.    

In his opening remarks, Dr. William Chang highlighted three important challenges and needs for the churches in Mekong area, namely: (1) capacity for inter-faith dialogue, peace and reconciliation, particularly in the context of escalating violence in the communities; (2) capacity for theological education, reflection and formation for effective ministry of the churches in proclaiming the Gospel through people’s languages; and (3) capacity to be united and be dynamic, in order to serve the needs of the people.

This Forum has provided an opportunity for members to know each other and share their works and concerns. As theological education is one of the priorities of the MMF the meeting spent some time to discuss the ongoing theological education in Mekong area and share their experiences in various forms of theological formation and continuing education programs for pastors and lay leaders at local congregations. The participants felt that MMF has been instrumental in accompanying the ministries of the churches in Mekong area as well as building and strengthening partnership of the related churches and institutions in Asia and beyond. A need to deepen the discussions on specific areas of concerns was expressed as a way to move ahead.  In order to enhance the ministry of the churches in the region and strengthen the solidarity of the partner churches and institutions outside the region especially in advocacy work, there is also an urgent need to provide opportunity in such meetings to highlight the socio-political dynamics in this region and the challenges for the witness of the churches.

Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, General Secretary of the Council of Churches in Malaysia was invited to speak on the importance of Interfaith Dialogue, Peace and Reconciliation and Church Life especially from the experiences of the churches in Malaysia.

Henriette Hutabarat Lebang
CCA General Secretary
 
 
Photo:  The point where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar 
                 as seen from Chiang Rai, Thailand
 
Photo credit: Susan Jacob