A Prayer for our Countries

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.

15 August 2014
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

Gracious Lord, we bring you praise and thanksgiving as we in India, Indonesia, Korea and Pakistan celebrate Independence Day this week and remember the days that mark the liberation of our countries from the yoke of colonization and imperialism. We remember in prayer our leaders and fellow citizens who have paid a heavy price for our freedom. Help us to never take lightly or take for granted the precious freedom that they have earned for us.

Loving Lord, bless our nations and make them icons of freedom, justice, peace and security. Teach us to be in harmony, not only with those who live within each country, but also with neighboring countries. Grant, we pray, that we may live in comity and friendship with nations that share borders and beyond; and that we may learn to cherish and share the common inheritance of the natural bounties of your creation. Make us aware of our heritage, our ancient philosophies and civilizations that have shaped our histories and have defined our space. May we be sensitive not only to our rights, but also our duties and responsibilities as citizens of these great countries.

Bless our leaders with vision and courage, as they make decisions that affect peace and religious harmony in our countries and will eventually affect the future of the world. While we pray for growth, development and good governance in all countries, we specially ask for the re-unification of North Korea and South Korea, for blessings for the President elect of Indonesia, for religious harmony in Malaysia, for freedom and security in Pakistan, and for peace and food security in India.

Almighty God, guard us from compromises, fear and confusion; from wars, calamities and unforeseen events that lead to death and disaster; from ignorance and denial, and from the “blinding of our eyes to the beckoning call of the future.”

As we journey together in this pilgrimage of life, may we walk together in understanding, compassion and concern for all, including the sick and the differently abled.  'Let there be peace and let it begin with us'.

Amen