Pastoral Letter to CCA Member Churches and Councils in Sri Lanka and India

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.

03 April 2013
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; so that nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)

April 3, 2013 To: CCA Member Churches and Council in Sri Lanka and India Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Easter greetings to you!

We are shocked to hear of the series of attacks and demonstrations which took place against Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu, India, in protest against war crimes of the Sri Lankan army during the Eelam conflict. We are further saddened to hear that the protests took several forms of attacks on individuals, groups and institutions. Increasing instances of intimidation of Sri Lankans visiting India for sporting and cultural activities, tourism, pilgrimages, and professional training, including Buddhist Monks is, to say the least, very distressing.

India and Sri Lanka have always had a special relationship, not only due to their geographical proximity but because of their cultural, religious and ethnic affinities and shared history. Violence against our own brothers and sisters to correct the wrongs of the political class only aggravates rather than heals.

We are also disturbed by the religious conflict within Sri Lanka that threatens to divide the people along the fault lines of religions and religious minorities. We the Church, as the body of Christ, however small we are in number, are called to be the leaven that inspires the community to be filled with love and peace, to follow the steps of Christ to be friends to everybody regardless of their backgrounds. Christ has shown us not only the way to reconciliation and peace, but also to embody the reconciling and healing community especially in our pluralistic society. The role of Sri Lankan Churches is unique in these troubled times. We call on the Indian Churches to be instruments of reconciliation and healing, and speak for justice and peace for all.

We feel helpless and hopeless when challenged by the mounting incidences of conflict and clashes in Asia and around the world. We earnestly pray that the people of the world will ‘beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; so that nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)

Please be assured that the churches in Asia uphold you in our prayers. May the power of the risen Christ continue to empower you in responding to these complex and challenging situations. May God grant you the spirit of discernment and the courage to accompany the congregations to practice love and respect for all.

In solidarity and prayers, Sincerely, Henriette Hutabarat Lebang General Secretary