Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2020

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The week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Unity Octave) is from 18th January to 25th January 2020. NCCI joins with all Episcopal and Confessional Traditions in coming together to observe the Unity Octave and to Pray for Christian Unity.

Its worship can be downloaded here

 

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

NCCI – ESHA invites applications for Program Executive

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Title: Programme Executive – Training

Reports To
The Programme Executive will report to the General Coordinator, ESHA Project of the NCCI-CSA
Job Overview
You will be responsible for the planning, coordinating and conducting all training programs relating to Human Sexuality and Gender Identities within the Project. Engaging with experts from theological colleges, social sphere, health institutes and community based organizations within India and abroad, you will be in charge of training theological faculty, pastors, laity and youth from across the country. In addition, you will also engage within the NCCI/CSA network and the LGBTI+ Communities in India and overseas, exploring new areas of learning and research. You will play a strategic role towards strengthening the Prophetic role of NCCI in the area of human sexuality and gender identities.
Responsibilities and Duties
Based in Nagpur, you will
• Plan along with the General Coordinator all training programs
• Coordinate with Resource Persons and Delegates for their participation,
• Conduct the training programs as per requirement,
• Document report of the training programs conducted,
• Settle accounts related to training programs, such as travel expenses, stationary and other program related expenses,
• Engage with experts from Universities to formulate curriculum and courses relating to human sexuality and gender identities and work towards making the course an accredited course,
• Engage with other programs within the Project related to mainstreaming, Forum based activities, networking etc. ,
• Network with Government and Non – Government agencies, experts, church leaders, theological colleges, staff and students from within India and overseas.

Qualifications
• Education level : Post Graduate with an additional qualification in Theology
• Experience: At least two years’ experience in having engaged with issues relating to human sexuality and gender identities, with hands-on experience of having engaged with the LGBTI+ communities, a teaching experience in a theological college with some social work background will be ideal.
• Specific skills: Teaching, Presentation, Basic Computer skill, Good spoken and writing skills in English, knowledge of other Indian languages will be an advantage.
• Personal characteristics: Willing to travel extensively while being based in Nagpur.
Duration: Two years
Interested candidates may apply with hard copies of their Application and CV, which must reach The General Secretary, National Council of Churches in India, Christian Council Campus, Civil Lines, Nagpur, Pin: 440001, Maharashtrabefore 16th January 2020. An advance copy can be sent to: esha@ncci1914.comwith a copy to ncci@ncci1914.com with the subject Line : “Application for ESHA Program Executive”.  Short listed candidates will be called for an interview.

A Call for genuine ‘Beti Bachao’ and true ‘Mahila Shashaktikaran’- Ending and Preventing Sexual Gender Based Violence

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NCCI Youth Concerns invites young people for Ecumenical Internship

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Ecumenical formation is a unique program of National Council of Churches in India – Youth Concerns, which offers young people an excellent opportunity to work in and experience in a setting of ecumenical praxis. The Internship Programme is only the beginning of a long process, it encourages young people to start the journey of ecumenism and become ecumenical ambassadors in the future. The internship programme mainly focuses on the ministry priority areas (Five Foci) for the 2016-2020 quadrennium: Ecumenism and Mission; Human Rights; Peace Building Migration and Trafficking.

Scope of Internship

  1. Learning national and global ecumenical history, heritage and practice
  2. Assistance to the work in NCCI General Secretariat & Commissions
  3. Ecumenical Sunday Worships-Visits to Different Denominations
  4. Weekend-Visits to Ecumenical/Social Organizations
  5. Strengthening Ecumenical & Church Relations with NCCI Member Constituents
  6. Book Reviews & Ecumenical articles writing from ecumenical perspective
  7. Documentation & Report Writing
  8. Internship will be for a period of six months starting from 7th January 2020
  9. Interfaith interactions and exposures
  10. Project work in respective region before the completion of internship

Eligibility

  1. Candidates should belong and be recommended from one of the Constituent Member Churches/ Regional Councils/ Christian Organizations or Related Agency of the NCCI.
  2. Should be a Graduate and be in the age group of 20-30 years.
  3. Should have a working knowledge of English.
  4. Willingness to learn Hindi and other local languages.
  5. Basic knowledge of computer is desirable.
  6. Should be committed and willing to utilize their ecumenical experience and expertise in their respective church/organization.

Application Procedure

  1. Last date of submission: 20th December 2019.
  2. Candidates can apply with bio-data along with endorsements from their Church/ Organization to NCCI at youth@ncci1914.com
  • The applicants who are selected will be informed after a due process of selection.
  1. Basic living accommodation with food will be provided and a nominal monthly allowance of Rs. 5,000/-
  2. Internships are open for young people from other countries also, provided adequate reference is available. Internships of foreign nationals or NRI’s can also apply who are sponsored by the sending Church/Organization.

Jianthaolung Gonmei

Executive Secretary –Youth Concerns

Ph.  +91 84591 18640

NCCI MOURNS THE LOSS OF ITS TREASURER, REV. DR. A. G. AUGUSTINE JEYAKUMAR

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The National Council of Churches in India

Rev. Dr. A. G. Augustine Jeyakumar

Executive Secretary, UELCI & Treasurer, NCCI

A Tribute

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) pays respectful homage to the living memories and rich heritage of its Treasurer Rev. Dr. A. G. Augustine Jeyakumar, Executive Director of the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI), who received his home call on Reformation Day Thursday 31st October 2019. The President and the office bearers of the NCCI recognise and acknowledge with deep gratitude the guidance and services of the Rev. Dr. A. G. Augustine Jeyakumar, both as a member of the NCCI Executive Committee since 2008 and as its Treasurer since the year 2012; a tall ecumenical leader of the Lutheran Reformation tradition.

A committed servant to the liberating Gospel of Jesus the Christ, Dr. Jeyakumar endeared himself to the most deprived persons of the community, the dalits and all persons of the marginalised sections of the society, in the realisation of their dreams and aspirations. He had a keen eye to spot talent and groomed such persons for the service of the church in society.

The Rev. Dr. A. G. Augustine Jeyakumar was first and foremost a churchman. His deep passion for the ministries of the Church was evident in both his perspective of churches’ mission as well as in the implementation of its projects. He desired the relevance of church in society and spent all his life working toward the realisation of this desire.

A keen ecumenist, a shrewd administrator, a challenging yet reliable partner in mission, a friend, deep thinker, strategist and architect of many a plan, Dr. Augustine Jeyakumar stood a head above shoulder amidst his well wishers and critics alike. His penchant for discipline and commitment to keep to deadlines stood him in good stead.

In the National Council of Churches in India he is fondly remembered for thinking through his heart, his sharp observations and guidance in the fields of governance, administration and finance, his deep love for all staff and the support staff in particular, and his motivation and unwavering support to the Executive Secretaries in the discharge of their duties.

May his memory abide in the remembrance of the everlasting love that he showered on us all; may he be remembered in our walk of faith and persistence toward life affirmation; and may his tribe increase as we emulate his passion for the justice to all God’s people and every creation of God.

 

Rev. Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary, NCCI

New Delhi, 1 November 2019

On behalf of the President, Vice-Presidents, members of the Executive Committee, and staff of the NCCI offices in Nagpur and in Delhi

Dalit Liberation Sunday | November 10, 2019

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Respected Moderator /Metropolitan /Bishop /General Secretary /Executive Secretary/ Director /Principal /Executive Committee Member /General Body Member of NCCI and Dear Ecumenical Friends

Greetings from NCCI- Dalit and Tribal/ Adivasi Concerns!

We are happy to inform you that this year Dalit Liberation Sunday will be observed on 10 November  2019 all over India by the Member Churches/ Institutions/ Parishes of the National Council of Churches in India and Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India. The theme for this year’s DLS is Resist Caste: “If one suffers all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12: 26). Let us as local congregation observe this DLS-2019 in all sincerity and truthfulness to our calling as Christians and sensitize people to overcome all forms of discriminatory practices of caste across India and initiate uncompromising actions to eradicate such practices within the Christian community.

We are sending you some prayers and affirmations to be included into your worship service. Attached herewith please find pdf. files of the worship order and poster of DLS-2019 which you may circulate among your pastors, lay leaders and department heads.

Looking forward to receiving your cooperation in observing Dalit Liberation Sunday on November 10, 2019.

Thanking you in anticipation,

With regards,

In Christ,

 

Pradip Bansrior
Executive Secretary
Dalit and Tribal/ adivasi Concerns
National Council of Churches in India

 

Download the Liturgy

Download the Poster

Tribal and Adivasi Sunday | 4 August 2019

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And the people of God said, “Amen” !!

Worship in every Christian tradition has been a corporate affirmation of God’s work amidst us, accomplished in and through all of God’s creation including the human persons.

This year too we affirm God at work in the context of the struggles and resilience of the indigenous peoples of our lands; their affirmation of life, living patterns, search for livelihood options, and more importantly land. Identity, the very essence of being human persons and that which is so intrinsically related to land is denied when land itself is usurped.

We are invited this year during the observance of the NCCI Tribal and Adivasi Sunday to lift our hearts and cry out to this apathy, and more importantly to affirm our participation in the struggle to restore land to the peoples who love, tend and keep it. Affirmed and committed thus, we are also invited to join issue with those persons, policies and processes that usurp land, challenging with all else and God the affirmation of life and dignity to these our kin – the land and her own.

I commend to you the work of my colleague Mr. Pradip Bansrior, the Executive Secretary of the Dalit and Tribal/ Adivasi Concerns of the National Council of Churches in India, and that of his team, who invite us to worship together and thus to this commitment to restore land to the Indigenous people from whom it is usurped thereby affirming rights that’s just.

Sing unto the Lord a new song . . .

Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary
National Council of Churches in India

download the liturgy 

Download the Poster

Christian communities hurt over being discredited by responsible authorities

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The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) expresses deep anguish over the completely baseless and sweeping blanket opinions expressed by one of the judges of Honourable High Court, Chennai against Christian missionaries and Christian educational institutions in a verdict connected to Madras Christian College, Tambaram. It is painful that these comments were made ironically in a case where it was a Christian management which impartially took action against one of the staff, based on the complaint by some students.

These unfortunate comments deeply hurt the sentiments of Christian communities in India who have contributed a lot for the development of education in this country. Tens of millions of Indians belonging to different faiths have graduated from Christian institutions without facing any pressure to convert and remain in their respective religions. They are living testimony contradicting the utterly false conclusions drawn about the vast majority of Christian institutions in India today.

We do feel that expressing an opinion on the possibility of gender-specific laws being misused by women can lead to victimising the victim and turning them away from approaching law enforcement agencies or seek protection under law.

Narratives such as these can be misused by persons and organisations who are anti-minorities further victimising and shaming individuals and groups of minority communities.

The NCCI calls on all concerned including those in responsible positions to be sensitive to and respect the sentiments of minority communities who have and are serving the people of this country with great diligence and commitment. The NCCI expresses its gratitude to all those who stand in solidarity with the community.

Rev. Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary
National Council of Churches in India