Tribute to Rev. Harvey L. Perkns

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:
Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)
Second Preference:
General Secretariat (GS)
28 November 2012
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity
Rev. Harvey L. Perkins
27 November 2012
We regret to announce that Rev. Harvey L Perkins, former staff of CCA, passed away on 25th November 2012, at Canberra. He was 93.
He held the posts of Secretary for Inter Church Aid, 1968-1971, in the early days when CCA was still known as the East Asia Christian Conference, and later as Executive Secretary, Development and Service from 1976-1980.
In a letter to his wife Ms. Jill Perkins and family members, Rev. Dr. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang wrote, "We received with great sadness, the news of the passing away of your beloved husband, Rev. Harvey L. Perkins. At this moment, we would like to convey our deep sorrow to you and all family members, relatives and friends."
She said that the CCA was grateful to God for the life and rich talents that Rev. Perkins was gifted with, and was certain that "he has used these gifts effectively in his life and ministry, and has left an indelible mark in the ecumenical world. He brought to his work a passion to relate biblical theology and social action for justice and to nurture action groups theologically, as he said: 
“To relate biblical theology and social action for justice is particularly important for Christians who are participating in community action groups alongside colleagues of other faiths and ideologies, and in situations where the minority character of Christians makes this community-based participation socially more meaningful than isolated action by the churches.” (Harvey L. Perkins, “Roots for Vision: Reflections on the Gospel and the Churches’ Task in Re-peopling the De-peopled,” Singapore: WCC-CCPD/CCA, 1985).
She affirmed that his "vision has been the source of inspiration in the ecumenical work on Churches’ Participation in Development, both in his time and in the present."
She conveyed heartfelt condolences, prayers and solidarity of the CCA family.