EASTER 2025: Calling the bluff, bouncing back with zing…

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Events that unfolded on that First ‘Easter’ Day are reminiscent of individuals and communities bouncing back to life.

This bouncing back with zing comes alive in the contexts of the stories in which the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the disciples going back to their previous contexts, and a distraught Mary, were face to face with the reality of a ‘possibility of possibilities’.

At this realisation the stories of a beleaguered, battered, battle-worn christ-community that was withdrawing from action, feigning a ‘time-up’ context, comes Alive !!!!

Every situation around us today expresses a ‘There Is No Alternative (TINA)’ syndrome, while Easter calls the bluff and helps bounce back with ‘There are A Thousand Alternatives (TATA)’. History is replete with umpteen such instances of bouncing back.

This ‘dead with Jesus and rising with him’ experience, challenges death and the grave – O death where is your sting, O grave where your victory… (I Cor. 15: 55). It joyfully proclaims, Blessed be the name of our God who gives us victory through Jesus Christ (I Cor 15: 57).

May this jubilant cry that supposes a sense of victory while yet under subjugation, energise us and all christ-communities, to call the bluff and help bounce back as we seek to serve God as christ-communities that are critically conscious and contextually relevant.

Current contexts are quite complicated, and seem irreparable. Yet ‘miracles happen all the time’. Saturday is silent and long… Easter however is an ever present promise of all times.

Happy Easter Hope ! Let’s bounce back with zing ! Let’s make it happen ! Everyday….

Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary, NCCI

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Honouring the Bibhas legacy – Recognising Brave Youth combating Gender Based Violence

Stories like that of Bibhas Nayak, a young man whose courage and bravery saved lives, deserve recognition for acts of selflessness.

It is reported that Bibhas (a young man from the Church of North India and the son of the Most Rev. B. K. Nayak, Moderator of the Church of North India) stood up against a group of three men who physically assaulted two young women under the cover of dark. Unfortunately, despite his valiant efforts, we note that Bibhas tragically lost his life. Even in the face of such danger, his actions were filled and propelled with love for others. His sacrifice saved the lives of his two male friends. More importantly, his heroism will echo through the hearts of all who hear his story.

A committed person, adventurous in his outlook to life, Bibhas’ heart of goodwill reportedly shines through his contribution towards the education of girl children from deprived communities as well. It is appropriate to recognise Bibhas and such other young people among us for their selfless acts that affirm life of many despite the challenges to their own.

We recommend that it will be most appropriate to award Bibhas for his act of selflessness, and more importantly to institute an annual honour in his name to be awarded for exemplary contribution of a young people in addressing Gender Based Violence. The National Council of Churches in India  will institute a National Award on these lines.

By recognizing Bibhas we not only pay tribute to his life but also send a message to the world that true courage and sacrifice, especially when displayed by young people, should never go unnoticed.

We offer our prayers to the family of Bibhas, and pledge our solidarity with the women who were assaulted. We urge the authorities to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice, and step up vigilance to prevent such heinous acts of violence against women.

Smriti Priyansha
Executive Secretary
NCCI Commission on Youth Concerns

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NCCI Disability Awards 2024 Winners Acknowledged and Appreciated

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The NCCI-IDEA Disability Awards 2024 winners were announced on February 1, 2025, during the monthly online Persons with disabilities Fellowship 2025. The awards featured four categories for persons with disabilities (PWDs): Individual, Innovative Interventions, Institutional, and a special category for Persons with disabilities.

In the Individual category, the winner was Mr. M. David Jeyasekar, a special educator with three decades of experience from I.E.L.C Church in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. He was acknowledged for his significant contributions to the lives of Persons with disabilities.

The Persons with disabilities category winner was Mr. Rongsen Jamir from Ao Baptist Church in Dimapur, Nagaland, recognized for his extraordinary achievements and contributions in the rehabilitation and support of individuals with disabilities.

The Innovative Interventions category was awarded to Mr. Aashish Samuel, an engineering student from Sion fellowship Church in Telangana. He was awarded for his groundbreaking initiatives aimed at enhancing the lives of persons with disabilities through the invention of devices that provide relief from pain.

The Institutional category winner was CSI VHS&HSS School for the Deaf in Valakom, Kollam, Kerala. The School was celebrated for its significant contributions in the area of care and sensitivity for persons with disabilities.

The NCCI-IDEA Disability Awards 2024 celebrated the remarkable achievements of individuals and institutions making a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities. From pioneering inventions to decades of dedicated service, the winners exemplify resilience, innovation, and compassion. Their contributions not only uplift communities but also pave the way for an inclusive and accessible society, inspiring many through their individual and collective efforts.

Report By

Nelson Nag
Program Executive
Ecumenical Fora

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Unity Octave 2025: Celebrating the Spirit of Oneness in the Indian Churches

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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in India was observed from January 18 to 25, 2025, with churches across the country coming together to pray for unity. This annual event, promoted in India by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), highlighted the importance of Christian unity through prayer and reflection.
The 2025 observance was especially significant as it marked the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, held in 325 AD, which played a crucial role in shaping the doctrinal unity of the Church. The theme for this year’s event, “Do you believe in this?” was inspired by John 11:17-27, inviting Christians to reflect on the essential question of faith that unites them. The prayers and reflections for the week were prepared by the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy.

NCCI Sunday was observed on 19th, January. specifically to uphold the activities of NCCI in prayer.

Throughout the week, regional councils of NCCI and CBCI held worship services and gatherings, fostering a sense of unity and fellowship among Christians of various denominations. This special time provided an opportunity for participants to deepen their faith, reconnect with their shared Christian heritage, and commit to the principles of Christian unity, strengthening the bonds between believers across India and beyond. NCCI expresses its appreciation to those who worked diligently to translate the liturgy into different vernacular languages and to those who put in significant effort to organize many events at the regional level.

Click here for the photo album or visit our FB page https://www.facebook.com/nccionline

Rev Dr Abraham Mathew
Executive Secretary,
Commission on Policy, Governance and Public Witness

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At 75: Recognising the time of God’s favour

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India wakes up today brimming with hope as we her citizens celebrate 75 years of collective dignity and self-respect. As a young democracy and a vibrant Republic we have done well to rally around each other and hold our heads high.

While on this day we come out in our best, we do not forget the responsibility that is reposed on each of us jointly and severally in order to see that the smiles with which we pose today are real in the life of the least of our fellow-citizens.

We stood up to being bullied, we rallied around each other  during the worst of calamities, we had each others back to overcome our failings, and we depended on each other to set governments in power.

At this time of celebrating our common heritage, we commit to uphold the trust we have in the wisdom of each other, the collective strength of our varied faith experiences and ideological expressions, and the passion that we have to be among the first of the nations.

This dream can be ‘dearer’ than distant when we learn to hold up the least and the last among us as the most important, and design a polity that protects their right and ensures their personal and spatial safety.

Rhetoric and actions that continue to demonise the ‘other’ and terrorise the least do not quite pave the way to where we want to be; they at best create more mistrust and perpetuate polarisation.

It is time we the common citizens identify together the elephant in the room, the wolf in sheep skin, and set the house in order so that we can last for many more years to come.

It is time to affirm the democratic principles not just toy with numbers, the visible expression of a secular state that is equidistant from all religious traditions, and the enhancement of the naturally prevailing goodwill and harmony of all peoples in every neighbourhood.

It is time to be ahead of the curve with all well meaning citizens of the country and consciously start cultivating the spirit of India, concertedly identify and nurture selfless leaders for the future, build a consensus people’s vision of the nation, and plan a time-bound strategic framework to realise the dream.

It is time to harness the spirit of building a New International Financial and Economic Architecture that ushers in a measurable inclusive development where the sovereignty of the least prevails

It is time to reawaken the literary and cultural legacy of the peoples of the varied landscape breaking forth into a renaissance of liberation

It is time to pay forward the sacrificial grace that we have received from our forebears and ensure to the future generations the idea of India that was handed down to us

It is time to ward off our shackles and walk free into the streets of our motherland singing songs of liberation dancing to usher the era that will know no fear

Now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation

God bless India

Jai Hind !

Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary
National Council of Churches in India

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Emerging with the scar(s) of Bethlehem

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Christmas 2024

Banksy’s iconic ‘scar of Bethlehem‘ (2019) depicts the traditional manger scene against the backdrop of a grey wall which is suggestive of the wall that separates Israel and the Palestinian territories. The mark of a bullet hole in the painting creates an image reminiscent of the nativity star on the wall.

This piece of art serves as a candid reminder of the call to recognise the holes punched into the projections of supposedly impregnable posts that have until today sought to perpetuate vampirical empires of the times. Many years after the British artist’s work of resistance appeared in Bethlehem’s Walled-Off Hotel and drew media attention to The Wall, many walls continue to haunt situations of self-inflicted contexts of wars, want and despair.

Twenty years after the Accra Confession introduced by the World Communion of Reformed Churches named (read nailed) the empire as the enemy, we still see projections of supposedly informidable and unsurmountable empires with their treachourous trap to enslave all.

Our calling, after the manner of Jesus, puts us face to face with ‘powers and principalities’ underlying such empire constructs that deny life to all affirming it only to a few privileged ones. In these engagements we are invariably mauled and pressed from all sides by the unholy nexus of politics, religion and the market. Many have fallen resisting, but not without scars of the fight. Many since the Jesus of history, and in our own neighborhood, have been crushed and/or have fallen in resisting the vampire. The vampires have inflicted grievous wounds in our struggles leaving many a scar, yet ‘by those stripes we are healed’ and recouped for pressing on.

Let us add meaning to the observance of Christmas this year by identifying and lifting the likes of the scar(s) of bethlehem that will drive us to committing to a world with no walls, and a world that recognises and respects the dignity and rights of all individuals, groups and communities. In this process we too may be inflicted with many a scar; yet it is these scars of having stood up that can lead generations to the manger(s) of liberation and life-flourishing.

Wish you all a blessed Christmastide, and prayers for a good start to the New Year 2025. Let us emerge with, and recognising such imageries as, the scar(s) of bethlehem; rising to Life acknowledging ‘failing’ babylons of our times.

Rev. Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary

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Building and Growing Churches for All: NCCI IDEA and ECI Chennai Diocese Hosts Disability Sensitization Session for 300 Pastors

“Imagine a church where everyone feels they truly belong—where physical, emotional, and social barriers are removed, creating a community that embraces all.” With this vision, over 300 pastors from the Evangelical Churches of India (ECI) Chennai Diocese gathered for their monthly prayer fellowship, on 2nd November 2024 at ECI Zion Church Chennai. This included a thought-provoking disability sensitisation session. This initiative reflects ECI’s commitment to building an empathetic and accessible church environment, where disability inclusion is treated as essential to living out the Gospel’s message of love and acceptance. The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), through its Indian Disability Ecumenical Accompaniment (IDEA), collaborated to lead the session, sharing tools and insights to help pastors make their congregations more welcoming for people with disabilities.

The session covered key aspects of disability inclusion, including understanding disabilities, addressing barriers to accessibility, shifting attitudes within the church, and the importance of building a church that truly embodies openness and support. A key feature was the introduction of the Engage Disability audit tool—a resource designed to guide churches in self-assessment, helping them identify areas to improve accessibility and advocate for the inherent value of each individual.

The gathering was further strengthened by the presence of ECI leaders such as The Most Rev. Dr. David Onisimu, Bishop President of ECI; The Rt. Rev. Dr. Kathiroli Manickam, Bishop of ECI Chennai Diocese and Chairperson of the ECI Lydia Women’s Fellowship; and Bishop Commissaries Rev. Dr. Duraiswamy, Rev. Sasi, and Rev. Susuai Paul. Their participation highlighted the diocese’s dedication to building a welcoming environment for all.

During the session, Bishop Kathiroli Manickam encouraged pastors to join Indian Sign Language (ISL) courses and observe Disability Advocacy Sunday, underscoring ECI’s mission to raise awareness and support for people with disabilities within its churches. Rev. Ribin John, Executive Secretary of NCCI-IDEA, led the session, inspiring pastors to take these learnings into their ministries. And be committed to making their churches accessible and responsive, marking a meaningful step in the diocese’s journey to becoming communities of genuine care, understanding, and support for all.

 

Rev. Ribin John
Executive Secretary, Ecumenical Fora

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From Learning to Advocacy: The 3rd Batch of the NCCI IDEA ISL Course concludes

The 3rd batch of the Indian Sign Language course concluded with a call to use the learning to minister and advocate on issues and concerns relating to persons with speech and hearing disabilities. The ISL course is conducted by the Indian Disability Accompaniment (IDEA) Program of the NCCI. The first batch began on September 23, 2023, International Sign Language Day. The third batch ran from August 17 to October 20, 2024.

Through the 3 batches, over a period of twelve months, 80 students trained themselves to communicate with those who use sign language as their primary language. Participants included students, professionals, pastors, missionaries, and in the latest course from the services as well.

Pastor G. Shrihari from the Nellore Deaf Fellowship delivered the valedictory address challenging trainees to confront the misconceptions surrounding the deaf community. Rev. Asir Ebenezer, NCCI General Secretary, encouraged the trainees to continue their learning through community engagement. Ms. Madhuriya, the ISL trainer, significantly enhanced the course’s experience.

Classes were held every Saturday and Sunday from 6 PM to 8 PM on Zoom, supplemented by daily homework via WhatsApp. It is hoped that this initiative will build friendships within the deaf community and inspires churches and public events to include sign language interpreters.

Reported by

Mr. Nelson Nag
Porgram Executive, NCCI-IDEA

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Gustavo Gutierez – A Tribute

National Council of Churches in India mourns the passing of Rev. Gustavo Gutiérrez, a pivotal figure in liberation theology, who died at 96. His influential work, particularly his landmark book A Theology of Liberation, reshaped Christian thought, prioritising the plight of the poor and marginalised. Gutiérrez famously declared that poverty is not just an economic condition but a moral scandal, challenging the church and society to address this reality.

His insights encouraged the contextualization of theology rooted in God’s liberating action throughout history. He advocated for theology as a “critical reflection on Christian praxis in light of God’s word,” inspiring the development of third-world theologies that emphasize the experiences of common people. Indian liberation theologies owe much to his vision.

Born in Lima, Peru, on June 8, 1928, Gutiérrez’s early battle with polio deepened his empathy for human suffering. He rejected the prevailing Neo-Scholasticism of his era, instead promoting a theology grounded in the lived experiences of oppression and inequality. His work gained particular resonance during the political turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s in Latin America, where people sought justice.

Gutiérrez reimagined salvation to include human liberation and social justice as essential to the Christian message. His concept of the “preferential option for the poor” became a guiding principle, urging Christians to elevate the voices of the marginalized.

Despite facing criticism for the perceived influence of Marxian thought, Gutiérrez maintained that liberation theology should be subject to critical examination rather than outright condemnation. This approach enriched the understanding of faith in action.

His theological legacy serves as a call to actively engage in the struggles against poverty and injustice. Gutiérrez emphasized that Christian love must translate into action, challenging the church to address not only individual suffering but also the systemic structures perpetuating inequality.

As we reflect on Rev. Gutiérrez’s life and work, we celebrate his unwavering dedication to advocating for the poor and marginalized. His voice will continue to inspire us to seek justice, support the oppressed, and embody a faith deeply intertwined with humanity’s struggles. May his memory guide us in our quest for a more just and equitable world.

On behalf of NCCI

Rev. Dr. Abraham Mathew
Executive Secretary, Commission on Policy Governance & Public Witness

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Bishop Dr. Ezra Sargunam – A Tribute

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) acknowledges with deep respects the life and ministry of the Bishop Dr. Ezra Sargunam, the Father Bishop of the Evangelical Church in India (ECI) – the pioneer missionary and founder of the ECI.

The NCCI Community, and it’s leadership, expresses it’s deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the members of the family and to the members of the churches of the ECI spread throughout the length and breadth of this country and beyond it’s borders. May the spirit and legacy of the rich heritage of the ECI be sustained in you and your ministries of christian faith, and in the spiritual memory of your Father Bishop.

Bishop Dr. Ezra Sargunam is a committed Christian, who fashioned himself after the manner of our Master – Jesus the Christ. His commitment to preaching the gospel and making disciples “from every language and every tribe” is known to one and all. His commitment to the upliftment of the masses is noteworthy; his commitment to social justice and his call to political witness individually and severally was always seen to be born out of his deep rooted commitment to the Gospel. We thank God for his tenure as the Chair of the TN State Minority Commission. I must record with deep appreciation his role, along with several others, in the repealing of the TN Prohibition of forcible conversion Act – the only such Act to be repealed in the whole country. But for his influence in the Government of the time and the leadership of the Churches in Tamilnadu of that time represented by Bishop Dr. V. Devasahayam and Archbishop Peter Fernando we could not have done it.

Bishop Dr. Ezra Sargunam’s life is a witness to the faith of the measure of the mustard seed, and to power of responding to the call of God in deep obedience. It grows as a tree in which the birds of the air could nest, and the weary could rest in its abiding shade. He was an evangelist at heart, an enabler in attitude and an empowering agent – the ECI is a standing witness to who he was and what he believed; it can be said of him that he built the church of God and not a kingdom of his own.

Bishop Dr. Ezra Sargunam was a master planner. What ever he did, he did in scale. His ability for mass mobilisation is a gift from God and an expression of his faith. We note with humility that he pointed them all to God and not to himself.

His abilities to network with people in-country and across borders has been the hallmark of his sharing. He was a Christian who was a friend to peoples of all faiths and ideologies respecting their religious faith and ideological persuasions.

The NCCI Community, of which the ECI is one of the latest members, extends its solidarity and prayers to the members of the family, the leadership of the Church, and to every believer in the Church. May the God who built you up continue to journey with you, may the centrality of the Christian faith in which you are being built up sustain you, and may the in-dwelling spirit of God that unites us continue to propel you and us in the faith and witness of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ, as you are surrounded by witness of all those who have gone ahead of us – even your Father Bishop, Bishop Dr. Ezra Sargunam. Blessed be his memory, and sacred to the witness of Jesus the Christ.

All Glory and Honour be to our God for ever and ever, Amen.

Rev. Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary, NCC India

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