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!

Today, April 22, is "Earth Day" – the day people around the world commit to protect the natural environment.

The celebration was initiated in 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, USA, and other lawmakers passed the law on environmental protection.

On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was held. People all over the United States made promises to help the environment. Since then, the observance of Earth Day has spread all over the world, to look at the planet Earth and to see what needs changing.

The Earth Day 2009 campaign focus is on "The Green Generation". It will also be the focus of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010.

With negotiations for a new global climate agreement coming up in December, Earth Day 2009 must be a day of action and civic participation, to defend The Green Generation's core principles:

In Chiang Mai today, CCA together with other 50 organizations and groups - NGOs, GOs, local government offices, schools, universities and people's organizations – are organizing in-door activities at the Pang Suan Kaew Department Store from 8:30 am to 09:00 pm. Activities include folk singing competition, exhibits from participating organizations, and video presentations on Earth and environment issues and concerns. The Chiang Mai governor will give an address at the celebration.

CCA - ETE in Nepal

Dr. Hope Antone, Joint Executive Secretary for FMU, reported on the recently concluded "Ecumenical Enabler's Training" organized jointly with the National Council of Churches of Nepal. The program was held at Staff College in Lalitpur from April 5-11. Twenty-eight participants, including pastors, youth committee members, and 5 women from local churches participated in the program.

Resource persons were Rev. Dr. John V. John (from Bishop's College), Rev. Dr. A. Wati Longchar (from Serampore University), and Dr. Hope S. Antone (from CCA-FMU). Dr. K.B. Rokaya, NCCN General Secretary, gave words of encouragement in his welcome and closing remarks. He encouraged the participants to commit to God's mission in Nepal at this transitional time.

"It will be good of course for CCA to organise similar trainings in Pokhara (Western Nepal), Chitwan (Central Nepal) and Dhangadhi (Far Western Nepal). We had participants from these regions and they were keen to have such training in their region." Dr. Rokaya wrote after the training.

Birbahadur Tamang, a pastor from Chitwan district and a BTh second year student in Kathmandu, said at the closing: "I have attended a similar training in Dhaka but I have learned much more from this training. I have also read the Bible many times before but this training gave me a new experience in reading the Bible. Dr. Hope's presentation on ecumenism based on Genesis 1 was impressive and unforgettable – now I will look at creation differently and see myself as part of God's creation. I hope that CCA can continue to support us so we can hold trainings like this in other parts of Nepal."

New leaders in the ecumenical movement

Rev. Matoko Iijima was appointed as General Secretary of the National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ) effective April, 2009, in the NCCJ General Assembly held in March, 2009.

Mr. Kohei Yamada, General Secretary of the National Council of YMCAs of Japan, is the new General Secretary of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs. He will be assuming the post on June 1, 2009.

Mr. R. Christopher Rajkumar was appointed as Coordinator for Ecumenical Clergy Forum for Human Rights, and as Secretary for the Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), effective April 2009.

CCA congratulates Rev. Iijima, Mr. Yamada and Mr. Rajkumar. Our prayers are with you as you assume your new responsibilities and important work in the ecumenical movement in Asia.

Prawate Khid-arn
General Secretary

No. 16/22 April 2009