Solidarity visit to Bhutan

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:
Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)
16 June 2013
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

May they all be One (John 17:21) : Ecumenical Solidarity Visit to Bhutan

An Ecumenical Solidarity Visit to Bhutan, from 13-16 June 2013, was jointly organised by the World Council of Churches-CCIA and the Christian Conference of Asia. Rev. Lhatru Wangchuk, the General Secretary of the National Christian Council of Bhutan (NCCB) warmly welcomed the 3 member team comprising Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), Rev. Ebenezer Joseph, General Secretary of the National Christian Council in Sri Lanka (NCC-SL) and Rev. Dr. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang, General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).

The ecumenical team was able to visit churches and church leaders in Bhutan and convey the message of unity among them, in order to become common witnesses of God’s love and to play a meaningful role in nation building. They had the privilege of visiting and having a fruitful discussion with Rev. Dr. Tshewang Dorje, Chairman of Bhutan Evangelical Alliance on the need to strengthen the fellowship and co-operation among the churches in Bhutan. During the event ‘A Day of Fellowship’, the team was able to reach out to 30 church leaders of various local churches, members of NCC Bhutan, and the Evangelical and Pentecostal Fellowship in Bhutan, who had attended the fellowship.

Rev. Hutabarat Lebang shared her reflection on the urgent call for the churches to manifest the unity of the church as the body of Christ. She said, "We are here because of Jesus' prayer, 'may they all be one.' (John 17:21) We, the followers of Christ, should be always in unity beyond our ethnicity, culture, language, nationality and social background. She further highlighted two important aspects of Christian unity.

‘Christian unity’ she said ‘is unique’, as it reflects the divine unity, as Jesus said: "As you Father, are in me, and I am in you, may they also be in us..." Christian unity is broader, all embracing and inclusive to others, rising beyond many human boundaries. If Christians live in disunity, it will seriously affect the integrity of our mission in proclaiming the love of God in the world.

Rev. Roger Gaikwad spoke about the historical roots of the World Council of Churches (WCC). He emphasized the Christian basis of the WCC. He then highlighted important practical aspects from the document "Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World" thereby drawing attention to the importance of responsible evangelism in the Bhutanese context.

Rev Ebenezer Joseph shared his experience of living and witnessing Christ in the context of Buddhist society in Sri Lanka. He emphasized the need, especially in a multi-religious context, for one to be well rooted in one's own faith, so that we can relate to them. The importance of discerning what needs to be adopted from our culture and what needs to be transformed was discussed. He urged them to be Bhutanese Christians who love their country, relating to others on common social endeavors, while being rooted in the love of Christ.

The leaders of the churches in Bhutan felt the need to further equip the church leaders to help the Christians in the country to contribute positively to the development of Bhutanese society creating a meaningful happiness in the fullness of life for all.