Letter from CCA

(“A Letter from CCA” is a sharing message of the CCA General Secretary to update member churches and ecumenical friends about the life and works of CCA. It is electronically published every Wednesday.)

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ!

On 8 March the International Women's Day will be commemorated. We pray for women's strength and unity, so that their struggle for a better position and equal status in the global community becomes a reality. A message from CCA on this special day can be found on its website at www.cca.org.hk

Feminist theological reflections

CCA-FMU organised the meeting of Asian Women's Resource Centre for Culture and Theology (AWRC) at the McGilvary College of Divinity in Chiang Mai from18-21 February 2008. They also organized a one-day seminar on 19 February where around eighty Thai women, students and faculty members from Payap University participated. AWRC members of the meeting also paid a visit to the CCA office on 21 February.

The meeting was to assess AWRC project on Asian feminist theologizing modules. Two module have been produced; (a) an introduction to Asian feminist theologizing and (b) an introduction to Asian feminist rereading of history. The other two modules are being planned (c) on Asian women and religions; and (d) an Asian feminist view of leadership. In relation to the modules AWRC will conduct a workshop on Asian Feminist Women Leadership in Chiang Mai in December. 

Dr Hope Antone, Joint Executive Secretary for FMU shared; 'I felt that it was really good for AWRC to come to Thailand and make connections with the Thai women and the seminary here. It was also good for the group to specially make a visit to the CCA office and meet with the CCA General Secretary and the staff. 

CCA meetings in New York

In New York, I attended the Christian World Service (CWS)-Social and Economic Development committee meeting from 26-27 February. It was the first meeting of the new quadrennial committee members. The major objective of the meeting was to share what CWS expectations are, and how SED committee members can contribute to CWS. 

Mr. Richard Williams, SED Director said, 'I am happy to welcome our international partners to be a part of this committee for this quadrennial. We look forward to their on going participation, and their experiences regarding their regional contextual learning as partners of CWS, that they bring to this table.

Dr. John Mc Collough, CWS Executive Director, in his welcome address emphasized

CWS' commitment and closer cooperation with the churches and regional ecumenical movements. 'CWS will continue this relationship and cooperation, as CWS is also a church-based organisation,' he said.

Mr. Skip Danger, CWS's Asia Regional Representative will be the liaison person between CCA and CWS. Heal so represented CWS in the last CCA Round Table meeting.

In New York the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP) office was also visited. There I met with Dr. William Vendley, WCRP General Secretary. We discussed the common ecumenical issues of concern and we look forward to a closer cooperation between CCA and WCRP in future.

With Dr. Kyoichi Sugino, Director for Interreligious Council, Development, follow up preparations for WCRP sponsored Women's Conference were discussed. The conference will be jointly organised by CCA and International Network of Engaged Buddhist (INEB) from 21-23 April 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. From CCA, our colleague, Ms. Moumita, Executive Secretary for EGY, will be the contact person. The agreement of cooperation was also signed.

At the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) office I had a series of meetings with Shannon Trilli (Health and Welfare), Andris Salter (Women's Division), Matt Morgan (Advance Office), Diane Allen (Mission Contexts and Relationships), Jungrea Chung (Mission Personnel) and Jorge Dominques (Mission Contexts and Relationships). I would like to thank all these ecumenical friends for their hospitality and support.

At the CWS office, I met with Ann Walle and David Weaver. I would also like to thank and Christine Villafuerte for their support. 

It was a privilege to share CCA's life and work with Rev. Michael Kinnamon, the newly elected General Secretary of National Council of Churches, US. We discussed common concerns of churches in context of and regional issues in the field of development. 'As moving towards a peaceful global development, the churches' prophetic voice is needed.' 

The General Board of Church and Society (GBSC) meeting was arranged with Mr. Liberto Bautista, who is the GBSC representative to the United Nations. He has been elected as a President of Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with United Nations (CONCO). He introduced CCA to the committee board members and encouraged CCA to become a member of CONCO. 

At the WCC-International Affairs office, Mr. Chris Ferguson shared about their work and programs in New York. Chris Ferguson will attend the Regional Ecumenical Organisation (REO) meeting to be held from 9-12 April 2008 in Chiang Mai. 

On my way back to Chiang Mai I met with Mr. Emanuel again in Bangkok, who is our new CCA Consultant for UN/ESCAP. He is in Chiang Mai now, carrying on UN/ESCAP project work at the CCA office.

The interactions and sharing in New York bring more expectations for CCA to cope with the challenges in Asia and be more active for peace and the fullness of life. 

Vacancy in World Vision Malaysia

Dr. Hermen Shastri shared the information about the vacancy openings in World Vision Malaysia . Please circulate the information to any of the Malaysian nationals, who might be interested. 

For details contact :
Liew Tong Ngan 
Chief Executive Officer 
World Vision Malaysia 
Tel: +60-3-7880-6414, Fax:+60-3-7880-6424
Email: tong_ngan_liew@wvi.org

Prawate Khid-arn
General Secretary

No. 10/5 March 2008