Christians urge the government not to celebrate ‘Digital India Day’ on Good Friday this year.

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  • LETTER 1

(from The Synod of The Church of North India)

 

  • LETTER 2

 

Text of the letter

Nongpyngrope,  Circle  III,
Mawpat,
Shillong  793 012.
13  April,  2017.

The  Honourable  Chief  Minister,
Meghalaya,
Shillong.

Subject:  Expressing appreciation for your stand with  regard  to  sacredness  of  Good  Friday:

Sir,

It  is  with  a  deep  sense  of  relief  and  appreciation  I  have  come  to  learn  that  you  have  made  your  stand  unequivocal  with  regard  to  the  sacredness  of  Good  Friday  for  Christians  not  only  of    the  State  of  Meghalaya  but  the  world  over  as  it  is  the  day    observed   with  all  solemnity  and  introspection  on  the  death  of  Jesus  more  than  2000   years  ago  through  and  an unjust  decision made  by  Pontius  Pilate,  as  he  was  swerved  by  a  crowd  crying  for Jesus’  crucifixion  through  manoeuvring  by  religious  and  political leaders  of the  day.

Though no  one  would  express  reservation  on  having  Digital  India  Day  but  the  choice  of  date  which  falls  on  Good  Friday  does  not  behove  well  as  also  Christmas  Day  has  been  declared  to  be  Good  Governance  Day.  Here again, everyone  wants  good  governance  on  a  daily  basis,  in  fact,  24 x 7   but  to  have  chosen  25th  December,  which  also  happens  to  be  the  birthday   of   former  Prime  Minister,  Shri  Atal  Behari  Vajpayee  is  akin  to  belittling  the  spiritual  sentiment  of  Christians  in  India  and  to  marginalise  the  date  observed  as  the  historical  date  of  birth  of  Jesus.

As  the  date  for  observing  Digital  India  has  been  fixed,  we  would  like  to  thank  you  profusely  for  having  stated  that  in  Meghalaya,  it’ll  be  Good  Friday  on  Friday,  14  April,  2017.

It  is  hoped  that  through  your  intervention  along  with  request  made  by  our  two  Lok  Sabha  MPs,  Church  of  North  India,  Meghalaya  Youth  Federation  (MYF)  and  others  for  Government  of  India  to  defer  the  date  of  Digital  India,  the  Union  Government  will  henceforth,  consider  alternative  proposals  not  hurting  religious  sentiments  of  minorities.

As  it  is,  14  April  also  happens  to  be the  birthday  of  Dr.  Bhim  Rao  Ambedkar,  the  architect  of  India’s  Constitution  who  also  championed  for  the  Sixth  Schedule to  become  a  reality  through  the  efforts  of  a  three  member  Committee  led  by  (L)  Gopinath  Bordoloi  with  (L)  Rev.  J.  M.  M.  Nichols-Roy  and  (L)  Jaspal  Singh  as  members.

May  God  bless  and  guide  you  and  your  Government.

Yours  sincerely,

Rev.  Dr.  P.  B.  M.  Basaiawmoit

 

Church Leaders Consultation on “Healing Ministry and the Role of the Churches and Hospitals”.

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Christian Medical Association of India as the official health arm of the National Council of Churches in India has the mandate to equip the churches in responding to the healing ministry. The National Consultation will bring Church leaders from various denominations and the leaders of hospitals governed by the church together for a time of introspection and review on the contribution of Christian health services to the health challenges. Moreover, it will also be a time to dig deeper into the issues preventing or stopping us from fulfilling our role in the healing ministry.

We as the network of Christian healthcare professionals, institutions and churches are facing real challenges with regard to persisting with our vision and mission. In today’s context, we find most Christian mission hospitals – and some of its educational institutions –in a state of disarray, with out-dated infrastructure, poorly financed, equipped and staffed, struggling to eke out a living for those dependent on them. Our mission hospitals are closing down at a rapid pace. From the 900-odd thriving mission hospitals in the country at the time of independence, we are barely numbering 200 or so, most of which are struggling to keep afloat. And it is NOT for the lack of relevance of these institutions, as many are still situated in areas of tremendous need – it is simply that there is no one willing to man them, with courage and conviction that they are still tremendously useful tools in the Hands of the Master1.

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Chalo Nagpur March ! Women’s Action for Justice and Peace Against the Forces of Hatred, Inequality, Fascism and Dominance

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 ‘Nagpur Chalo March’  gathered more than 3000 women from different parts of India on 10th March 2017 in Indora Maidan, Nagpur. Women from Dalit, adivasi, bahujan and minority communities, women from different faiths disabled, queer women, transgender people, sex workers, nomadic tribeswomen, students and many others discriminated against on the basis of caste, class, religion, community, sexuality, gender, disability, occupation or age came together to raise their voices against the forces of communal, brahmanical, feudal, casteist, capitalist patriarchy on 10th of March 2017.

International Women’s Day on March 8th 2017 geared up women different parts of the world to protest against fascism, racism, discrimination, intolerance, hatred. Fascism is increasing in the world today which is fueling heinous crimes and breeding culture of violence. There are  countless cases of heinous gendered and sexual crimes by dominant castes upon Dalit girls and women of minority communities in India . Women’s and girls’ bodies have become battlefields where caste and communal wars of hatred are being fought . Rape has become an instrument to revenge, creating terror and shaming communities.

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Manipur Situation: Appeal letters to Prime Minister and National Commission for Minorities, India.

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Manipur situation appeal from NCCI_Page_1

Manipur situation appeal from NCCI_Page_2

Manipur situation appeal from NCCI_Page_3

TEXT OF APPEAL LETTERS TO

  • SHRI NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA; and
  • SHRI NASEEM AHMAD, CHAIRPERSON, NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITIES, INDIA.

 

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Brief Report of Unity Prayer Week: Council of Baptist Churches in North East India observed “Unity Prayer Week”

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cbcnei 1The Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) together  with the rest of the World’s Christian Community commemorated the anniversary of “The Reformation” from January 18-25 ,as Christians around the world come forward to dedicate a week of prayer for “Christian Unity”  among fellow Christians and churches all over the world. The theme for this year is “Reconciliation-The Love of Christ compels us” ( 2 Corinthians 5: 14-20).

Today marked the last day of the prayer week and the Rev Dr Solomon Rongpi, General Secretary, CBCNEI led the worship service which began with a hymn followed by responsive readings and meditation. Rev. Dr .Solomon Rongpi in his message exhorted that “Reconciliation and Love among ourselves as followers and as churches will strengthen us in overcoming trials and be united in our hearts for Christ.  It is only through forgiveness and love of Christ that can help us destroy the divisions and disunity we have developed in our hearts.”

cbcnei 2The offertory prayer was offered for NCCI by Mr Rabin Basumatary followed by candle lighting to signify the acceptance of Christ’s entrusting the reconciled to be ambassadors for Christ and pass on the light to others as we carry on the ministry of reconciliation through our thoughts, words and deeds. This is also to symbolise bearing the light into the dark places of our world or to any place where we are. The service concluded with prayer and benediction offered by the Rev TP Mordecai.

Editor

Baptist News of the CBCNEI

Nagaland church seeks repeal of good governance day on Dec 25

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Guwahati, December 6, 2016: Church bodies in Northeast India opposed NDA government’s decision of holding good governance day on Christmas Day on December 25. The church bodies felt that this will hurt the sentiment of minorities.

Church body, Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) the decision if not reversed will be discriminatory move against the minorities. Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitu Committee (MKHC), a committee of church leaders in the State has moved President Pranab Mukherjee to repeal the Central government’s decision to observe Good Governance Day on Christmas Day.

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NCCI journeying with All India Baptist Fellowship to Promote Women’s Ordination

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Young Women Leaders Promoting 16 Days of Activism Campaign Against Violence on Women during Baptist Women's Forum in Orissa

Young Women Leaders Promoting 16 Days of Activism Campaign Against Violence on Women during Baptist Women’s Forum in Odisha.

All India Baptist Fellowship organized a Women’s Forum from 25th – 27th November 2016 in Chandipur Odisha to discuss about the role of women in Church and strategize to promote women’s ordination. 25 key  women  leaders from 12 Baptist Conventions from Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and North Eastern states attended this Forum .  There were women leaders also in this forum who are ordained. According to Mrs .Katie Longkumer- Development Consultant of Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) and Rev Narola  Coordinator of this Forum,  “ This is an historic event in All India Baptist  Fellowship in its journey to promote partnership of women in ministry.”

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Ecumenical Dhorom Sabha 2016 Report

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Ecumenical Dhorom Sabha (EDS) was organized by the Santalia Council of Churches (SCC) from October 14 – 16, 2016 at Jidato Mission Compound, Pakur, Santal Parganas, Jharkhand. The theme of the programme was based on Mathew 19:19 Love your neighbor as yourself. The Methodist Church in India (Pakur & Birbhum District) was the official host of this mega event which witnessed a gathering of about 2000 delegates from the three member Churches – Methodist Church in India (MCI), Church of North India (CNI) & Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC) from Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

The programme officially began in the morning of  October 14  with a procession led by a musical band playing hyms, from the Jidato Methodist Church to the venue covering the main road and the market area. This was a great show of unity for Christians when we are going through a time of turmoil because  right wing forces are constantly blaming us for conversions. The EDS 2016 was declared open by our Chief Guest Rev. Caesar David from the NCCI through a Ribbon cutting ceremony, after which Flags of all the three Churches were hoisted along with that of the SCC in the venue.

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Presbyterian Church of India appreciate COP21 Paris Agreement

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The email below was received from Rev.  Rolianthanga  Lalsim of the Presbyterian  Church  of  India, which is a constituent member of NCCI:

 

Dr.  Roger,  members  of  the  media  fraternity,

It  is  my  pleasure  to  send   as  attachment  copy  of  our  fax letter  to  Honourable  Prime  Minister,  expressing  appreciation  on  India  having  ratified  the  COP21  Paris  Agreement  and  which become  enforceable  from  tomorrow,  04/11/2016.

It  is  hoped  that  you  will  share  the  same  through  your channel  of  communication.

Thank  you.

Sincerely,

Rev.  Rolianthanga  Lalsim,
Adm.  Secretary  I/c  Peace  and  Justice,
Presbyterian  Church  of  India”

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download the letter

Press Release – Tamilnadu Churches Commemorating the 500 Years of Reformation.

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Press Release.

Tamilnadu Churches Commemorating the 500 Years of Reformation.

The recently held Executive Committee of the Tamilnadu Christian Council in Chennai chaired by Rt. Rev. Dr. M Joseph, President of TNCC has decided to commemorate the 500 Years of Reformation on the theme: “Reformation of the Church for the Renewal Communities”.

This commemoration would be at the inauguration of the next General Assembly of Tamilnadu Christian Council, which is scheduled to be held at Thirukovilur in Tamilnadu from 3 to 4 November 2016 and hosted by the Arcot Lutheran Church.

The agenda of this commemoration includes biblical-theological reflections, ministerial espouses, seminars, conversations and sessions to plan the joint ecumenical actions. The outcome of this commemoration would set an ecumenical-missional agenda  for the Churches in Tamilnadu for the near future.

There would be around 100 Church Leaders, Theologians, Mission Workers, Women, Men Youth and Activists expected to participate.

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