Peace and conflict resolution facilitators from Kachin churches in Myanmar visit CCA headquarters

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.

19 July 2024

Delegation of the Asian Kachin Baptist Association during their visit to the CCA headquarters

Chiang Mai, Thailand: A group of peace and conflict resolution initiators and facilitators from the Asian Kachin Baptist Association visited the headquarters of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 18 July, 2024 and shared information about the peace and reconciliation initiatives of the churches in conflict-affected areas in Myanmar.

The CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara informed the delegation about CCA’s long term involvement of accompaniment and solidarity with the people of Myanmar in their struggle for peace with justice and reconciliation.

Dr Mathews George Chunakara introduced the training programmes of CCA and encouraged the participation of representatives of the Asian Kachin Baptist Association members who belong to the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC)/Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC).

The Asian Kachin Baptist Association, one of the 19 associations under the KBC/MBC, coordinates with the member churches established by the Kachin Baptist Diaspora in countries like Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia.

The members of the delegation told the CCA General Secretary and other staff that the networks of the Kachin ethnic group residing in different countries are interconnected, and they participate in worship services, engage in mission work, and ensure that young people migrating to different countries receive essential support, capacity training, and proper education.

The discussions also focused on creating opportunities for young people from the Asian Kachin Baptist Association to participate in upcoming CCA programmes.

The members of the Asian Kachin Baptist Association shared their hope of being able to participate in CCA’s Myanmar peace and reconciliation initiatives in the future.

The CCA leadership and the members of the delegation expressed optimism about prospective collaborations, with the shared goal of promoting the message of Christ and advancing peace initiatives.

For more photos, please click here: (Photo Gallery): Visit of the Asian Kachin Baptist Association Delegation to the CCA headquarters, Chiang Mai