NCCI congratulates the CMCH, Tamilnadu and wishes well for its ECP Therapy centre

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The National Council of Churches in India congratulates the Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) in Tamil Nadu on the opening of a new External Counter Pulsation (ECP) centre.

ECP will promote non-surgical procedures for heart ailments.  ECP therapy — a non-invasive procedure — helps stimulate the growth of new blood vessels in the heart and, in some cases, improves the flow of existing blood vessels. Often, ECP is used when physicians have exhausted other therapies.

The treatment provided at the centre is covered under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme and the revenue generated from the treatment will also help finance the hospital’s development, hospital authorities said.

The NCCI wishes the CMCH, Tamilnadu to be a blessing and a healer to the Indian society and the people at large.

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PETITION TO THE PRIME MINISTER. From The Leprosy Mission Trust India

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The Leprosy Mission Trust India has started an online petition to Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi asking him to take concrete steps to end discrimination against people affected by leprosy and take immediate action on Report 256 of the Law Commission of India.
This petition has already caught people’s imagination. Many have already signed the petition. Every day, more and more people sign to show their solidarity with people affected by leprosy!
The Leprosy Mission Trust India is aiming at getting 50,000 people to sign the petition. They need many more signatures to achieve this. The petition can be signed at the link given below:
Please share the above link on your Facebook timeline (if you have one) and forward the link to your colleagues, friends and family and request them to sign!
People affected by leprosy need our support to get EDPAL Bill passed in the Parliament and for the government to bring new legislation for their rehabilitation and development.Together, we can bring change in the lives of people affected by leprosy.
People affected by leprosy will be thankful to you for signing the petition which has the power to bring healing, inclusion and dignity in their lives.
The appeal of The Leprosy Mission Trust is thus recommended by NCCI (with its emphasis on compassion, healing, justice, inclusivity, dignity of life, and peace for all) for your strong support
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Churches’ response to the crisis of Farmer Suicide

farmer-suicide2NCCI-URM and VCLC responded to this burning issue by visiting and being in solidarity with the families of farmers residing in the Turakmari, Butibori area on the 7th of July, 2015.  Dr.Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of NCCI, Pranita, Intern of the URM, Sanjay Wankhede Support Staff and VCLC Coordinator Rajesh Jadhav had a in-depth analysis with and among themselves.
In a bizarre development, seven debt-ridden farmers, among them three women, in Maharashtra’s Wardha district have sought the administration’s “permission” to commit suicide.
“The situation has become so bad that these seven peasants have approached the district officials requesting their green signal to end their lives,” said Kishore Tiwari, president of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, an NGO working for farmers’ rights.

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Dr. M M Thomas Birth Centennial Public Lecture

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Prof. Dr. Ram Puniyani Delivers Dr. M M Thomas Birth Centinniel Lecture on 'Democracy and Inclusive Governance'2015 is the Birth Centenary year of the late Dr. M. M. Thomas a globally renowned Church Man, Ecumenist, Christian Theologian, Socialist and Humanist. To offer an ecumenical tribute to this great person, the National Council of Churches in India, along with CASA and in partnership with CISRS, ECC and SCMI organized a Dr. M M Thomas Birth Centenary Public Lecture on 24th August 2015 at ECC Bangalore, on the theme ‘Democracy and Inclusive Governance’.
Prof. Dr. Ram Puniyani a secularist, writer and scholar delivered the Lecture. He described how the inclusive spirit of democracy drafted and affirmed by Dr. B R Ambedkar is ‘out –casted’ by the right wing exclusivist ideologues and political parties in recent days. He called the Churches to work for an inclusive society through promoting and affirming democracy and inclusive governance rather than positioning themselves as one of the faith communities in the country.
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NCCI – APCC Press Meet/ Press Note

The Metropolitan of Marthoma Church, the Most Rev.Joseph Marthoma from Kerala; Rev.Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of the NCCI, Dr. J. A. Oliver, Secretary of APCC , Most Rev. Johan Dang and Rt. Rev. Dular Lakra  from Gossner Lutheran Traditions at a press meet in Hyderabad on 18th August 2015.See Press note below.

PRESS NOTE

18th August, 2015

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  • The NCCI is holding a Round Table on the concerns of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on 18th, 19th August 2015 at Hyderabad in which the Metropolitan of Marthoma Church, the Most Rev.Joseph Marthoma from Kerala; Rev.Dr.Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of the NCCI, Nagpur; the Moderator, the Bishops and senior leaders of Gossner Lutheran Church from North and Eastern India are participating in conjunction with which this Press meet is convened.

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ESHA Steering Committee Meeting Reviewing The Present, Envisioning The Future

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IMG-20150805-WA0003The Steering Committee of ESHA (Ecumenical Solidarity for HIV and AIDS) met in Neemrana, Rajasthan for a two-day meeting on July 22-23, 2015.

The Present Phase

As the present phase of ESHA is drawing to a close, the committee took stock of the work achieved.

Work Place Policy: – Ms. Ella Sonawane, Secretary – Publishing and Programmes, ISPCK has been facilitating this work. It was noted that a few of the All India Christian Organizations had made good progress in drafting their work place policies while some others were at different stages of its formulation. Even the NCCI has prepared a draft of the Work Place Policy for approval by the NCCI Executive Committee
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Statement on the Middle East, Future Plans

29 May 2015

Greetings in the name of Christ,

wcrc

I bring you greetings as we have recently completed the 2015 executive committee meeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in the cradle of Christianity, gathering at the Evangelical Conference Center in Dhour Choueir, Lebanon, run by the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon.

While gathered together we heard the stories of our sisters and brothers from many countries of the Middle East, including Egypt, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon itself. We were deeply moved by the testimonies of ministry in the face of great challenges. Our eyes were also opened as their reality was presented to us, instead of the one distorted through the mass media.

Our sisters and brothers in the Middle East need us to be closer to them than ever. Their very existence is threatened even as they are the key to peace and reconciliation in the region. To that end, the executive unanimously made a statement that fully commits us as a Communion to be deeply involved with them.
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Movements for the Cause of Palestine

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Vatican would soon sign its first accord with Palestine, two years after officially recognising it as a state.  The Vatican said that the “bilateral commission of the Holy See and the State of Palestine” was putting the final touches to the treaty.The treaty states that the Holy See favours a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel and allows the Vatican to oversee aspects of Roman Catholic life in the areas President Abbas controls. Israel has however expressed disappointment with the treaty, which uses the term “Palestinian state”.

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MPs protest held at Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises : Joint Statement by Parliamentarians

Regarding the communal situation in the country and the fear among Religious Minorities in wake of Hashimpura Judgment, some MPs organiized a signature campaign followed by a protest. Many MPs participated in the protest at Gandhi Statue in the Parliament premises on 7th May, at 10 am.  The successive state Government’s negligence and failure in producing evidence before the court of law denied justice to the victims. Whereas promulgation of executive order in 1950, 10th August by President without the approval of Parliament amounted to denial of equal opportunity and choice of Religious Freedom not only to Dalits of the country but also to the Religious Minorities.  This was to voice their concern to ensure the citizenry in upholding Constitutional mandate of Social Justice beyond Religion.

The Demands were:

  1. A thorough investigation under the supervision of sitting Supreme Court judge to ensure confidence among Citizenry on the governance and the justice delivery system beyond delivering Justice to the victims. The Union Government and the State Government should take every possible effort in bringing the culprits to the book.
  2. We demand the Union of India to Extend the Scheduled Caste Status to Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste origin.

Fr. Devasagayaraj

Secretary, CBCI Office for SC/BC

 Mr. Samuel Jayakumar

  Executive Secretary, CoP, NCCI

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Bishop Desmond Tutu writes an open letter to the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag

Concern for justice and solidarity with the suffering:
Letter of Bishop Tutu to the German Churches

Please see below  a copy of the letter written by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to the German Churches. especially to the people who are attending the forthcoming Kirchentag.  His letter challenges our churches also as we take a stand for justice and pray for meaningful peace. 

Open Letter to Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentage

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

I send very warm greetings from Cape Town to you all.

Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag is a special organization that occupies a special place in this old man’s heart.

It has played an exemplary and prophetic role in gently nudging modern Germany, with its powerful economy, towards using its power actively and compassionately for justice.

I remember how, in the 1980s, you struggled with your consciences over taking “a clear stand” against apartheid – and ultimately acted on your impulse to do the right thing, closing your accounts at Deutsche Bank over its dealings with South Africa. Thank you.
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