“We are partners together in the ministry of Asian Christians,” says Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, president of the UMC Global Mission

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.

27 March 2017

UMC92Ecumenical leaders and UMC partners at the opening of the Asia regional office of the UMC Global Mission in Seoul, South Korea. 

In a solemn dedication service held at the Kwang Lim Methodist Church in Seoul, South Korea, the Global Mission of the United Methodist Church (UMC) opened its Asia regional office on 23 March 2017 in the presence of a large number of national and international ecumenical and ecclesiastical leaders, as well as the UMC’s partners in mission from various Asian countries.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, president of the General Board of the Global Ministries (GBGM) of the United Methodist Church, who led the dedication service, said, “As we celebrate the opening of the new office, we make our “Global Ministries” more than just a name. It is our witness to go, be present, and work where the need and the opportunity is the greatest.” 

“In a networked, connected world, we are becoming a better connectional church. As part of the growing global community, the General Board of the Global Ministries becomes a midwife and steward to our expanding ministries with all the Methodist families in the world. It is a keen awareness of full partnership together for God’s cosmic kingdom, and we come with a humble mind to reach out to all of Christ’s churches in the world,” Bishop Jung stated during his sermon at the service.

The Korean-American Bishop of the Wisconsin Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church in the United States of America, who chairs the Board of the Global Ministries of the UMC said, “This is not a ministry of the United Methodist Church in the United States done “for” or “on behalf” of others.  We are not in ministry “to” Asia. No, in this newly emerging reality, we are partners together in the ministry “of” Asian Christians, shared “with” the United Methodist Church. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, one body, working together to see God’s will come to fruition.”

The General Secretary of the Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Kemper, in his welcome address, said that the newly established regional offices of the Global Ministries of the UMC are new initiatives for building stronger connections and effective partnerships with greater regional presence, localised perspectives and increased dialogue with partners in strategic locations around the world.

Dr. Kemper, head of the GBGM headquartered in Atlanta, USA added that, “the dedication of the new regional office in Seoul, South Korea for the Asia region is cause for much celebration as the UMC cherishes its strong history of missionary service, and commits to continue its partnership across the continent.”

Rev. Paul Kong has been appointed to lead the new regional office located at the headquarters building of the Korean Methodist Church in Seoul, South Korea.