Pastoral Letter to members in Japan

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 March 2011
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Japan –

Our hearts bleed in unspeakable sorrow for the calamity that befell Japan recently, claiming lives and properties in one quick swoop. The potential meltdown of nuclear reactors like a black mantle descending upon strikes fear in our hearts. And all we can do is trust that

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult

. (Psalms 46.1-3, NRSV)Getting down our knees in earnest prayer is what we can do for the people of Japan right now. The entire CCA family is praying with you, and walking with you in this dark moment.

We are coordinating with the National Christian Council in Japan (NCC Japan) in responding to the situation as one Body of Christ. As a gesture of solidarity CCA will send a small amount of USD 10.000 from the CCA Emergency Fund to immediately support the emergency response of NCC Japan, and accompany it with continuing prayers for the work of the churches in helping those in distress.

Sisters and brothers in the CCA member churches and councils, I take this opportunity to appeal to you to support the churches and people in Japan in this time of difficulty, through your prayers and financial support. Intended to respond in the quickest way to emergency needs that arise, this is our small way of expressing our unity as an ecumenical family.

We were advised by the NCC Japan that in order to minimize the currency exchange fee (which is USD 70 no matter what amount involves), it will be better if contributions from CCA members that has not been sent directly to Japan, be sent via CCA Emergency Fund. We will collect them and send them to NCC Japan acknowledging your contributions. The following is the bank details re CCA Emergency Fund:

      Account Name: Christian Conference of Asia
      Bank: Hang Seng Bank
      Branch: Hankow Road (4 Hankow Road Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China)
      Account No.: 295 - 4 – 7095
      Account Type: Multi-Currencies Account
    Swift Code: HASEHKHH

You may want to send your letters of solidarity and support to Japan through the Rev. Hiroko Ueda, NCC Japan Interim Acting General Secretary ([email protected]).

We are terrified and are grieving, but God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

HENRIETTE HUTABARAT LEBANG
General Secretary

cc.: CCA Member Churches and Councils
Members of the CCA General Committee
Ecumenical Partners

14 March 2011