The National Council of Churches in India Calls the Nation at large

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:
General Secretariat (GS)
Second Preference:
Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)
22 August 2012
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity
August 19th 2012, Nagpur, India. The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) the apex body of the 30 Protestant and Orthodox Churches and representing 13 million people expresses its deep concern over the mass exodus of the North East Indians (NEI) on unwarranted, inflammatory, sedative and fabricated rumors of attack on the diaspora communities of NEI, by miscreants and divisive forces.
It is a tragedy when citizens feel unsafe and insecure in their own democratic country. The NCCI views this situation as a syndrome which would collapse the Unity of our Country. This mass exile would possibly invite unnecessary and unwanted repercussions on the unity of our Nation.
The Nation cannot just be irresponsible as being silent observers. It is time for each citizen to proactively respond to the threat against the Unity of our Country and contribute to constructively to strengthening the unity of the Nation.
Therefore the NCCI: • Re-assures the Diaspora communities of North East India, of its prayerful solidarity, and particularly upholds those who are seeking refuge by fleeing back home or by living behind locked doors. • Requests all its member Churches and institution to be hospitable, assure comfort and provide courage and strength to those in need, and be agents of peace as well as campaign against racial profiling and racial discrimination. • Re-affirms that India is land of unity in diversity and that divisive communal forces should not be allowed to destroy this beautiful multi-flower garden. We appreciate pro-active statements and assurances given by Muslim communities in Karnataka and other parts of India. • Is committed to expressing compassion and peace building, and is sending a delegation of solidarity and peace to visit the violence affected areas of Assam. We hope and pray that all the communities will come together to re-solve the issue. It is time to build trust for each other. No particular community in Assam should be blamed.
Hence the NCCI urges:  • The Central and State machineries to play a proactive role in finding solutions for such situations instead of labeling the problem as a ‘law and order’ issue. • The Political parties to stop blaming each other. Instead they should come together on one platform, condemn rumour-mongering and assure security to the diaspora communities of our country. We do appreciate the statements made by members of different political parties in the Parliament, but much more has to be done. • The Central Government to come up with strong and concrete policies against ‘racial profiling’ and ‘racial discrimination’ in our country. All citizens should be assured of dignity, and a sense of being considered brothers and sisters of one nation. • The State Governments and the Central Government to  encourage the exiles to return to their respective places of study and livelihood with a demonstrated assurance of security and peace.
Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad General Secretary, NCCI This Statement was issued because of the unfortunate events in Assam and its repercussions on the migrant workers from North East India. According to BBC reports more than 300,000 people fled to their home towns, after fighting between indigenous Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers in Assam. Fresh violence between the two sides was reported on Thursday when a mob set fire to a bus and a road bridge, reports say. At least nine people were reported to be injured in clashes.

The mass flight was triggered by rumours of imminent attacks on people from the Northeast in Karnataka ebbed on Thursday. Hours after Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar intervened, a semblance of sanity returned to the state, arresting what had threatened to become an unprecedented exodus. It was all blamed on widespread rumours that Northeastern people would be targeted on Eid day on Monday to avenge the killings of Muslims by tribals in Assam. (The Shillong times)