“We Embrace You Mother Earth and Sister Tree”. Celebrating Creator’s Oikos: Young Women Artist Painting Murals of Inclusive and Just Communities.

GirlsThe National Council of Churches Quadrennial Assembly is at the threshold. The theme of the Assembly is “Towards Just and Inclusive Communities”. NCCI is mobilizing and inviting churches and communities to participate in this pilgrimage and celebration. Various Pre Assemblies or Forums are being organized. “Our aim is to creatively engage communities, churches  and people to share their stories and contributions and join us in our pilgrimage  to  build just and inclusive communities. Building just and inclusive  communities also calls for just relationships with mother earth” states Rev Dr Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of  NCCI.   Ten young women dalit and tribal artists were invited to share their notion of just and  inclusive communities through traditional Warli art form by painting  murals  embracing walls around  the trees in NCCI campus.  These young women are from indigenous and  dalit background and are trainees from adopted slum communities of  Church of North India – Social Service Institute (CNISSI) of  Nagpur Diocese. Church of North India is member Church of NCCI.

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Visit of Bishop Ralf Meister, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, Germany

1 (1)On the occasion of visit of Most Rev. Ralf Meister, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover with his delegation to India,  the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in India Dr. Martin Ney hosted breakfast on 28thJanuary, 2016 at his residence. Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to India Salvatore Pennacchio also joined for breakfast along with few Indian Church leaders.

The Bishop Ralf Meister, delegation and Rev. Markus Lesinski, Pastor for the German speaking protestant Congregation of India, Nepal and Bangladesh visited NCCI Delhi office on 28th January, 2016 . Bishop Collin Theodore, Secretary, NWICC , Rev. Sailakant Bagh, Treasurer, NWICC and Mr. Samuel Jayakumar, NCCI Executive secretary had discussion with them on various concerns of Christians in India.

Samuel Jayakumar,

Executive Secretary, Commission on Policy Governance and Public Witness
NCCI

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Report of the Pithora Consultation 24-26, JANUARY 2016

To commemorate the long historic legacy of organizing people on issues of life by Comrade Gardiaji, Programme for Social Action [PSA], Public Justice Concern [PJC], Delhi Forum, Urban Rural Mission [URM] and Jan Jagruti Munch [JJM ] and the local groups came together to reflect upon and to redirect the vision of peoples struggle in the era of Neo Liberalization. Peoples Movements including activists of various issue based movements assert the principle that a consultation needs to be “people-driven”. Allowing delegates the time and space to tell their own stories contributes to that goal and plays a vital role in answering the real needs of the oppressed and the victims of the Neo Liberal System.

This principle was put into practice at this commemorative consultation in honour of Comrade Gardiaji on 24th-26th January 2016 in Pithora, Chattisgarh. Over 50 members representing  movements from all over India participated in this consultation. Stories of human rights being violated, of injustice, and of violence, as well as stories of liberation from bondage, dominated the agenda.

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“#RohithVemulaFightsBack” : Peace March for Social Unity

12615267_10208551668088789_2011052128223844174_oOn the 30th of January 2016, thousands of Nagpurians with black ribbons strapped around their mouths marched out on the street to protest against the death of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar from Hyderabad University. The ribbons were tied symbolically to indicate the voices of marginalised people like that of Rohit Vermula being suppressed and their rights being denied. In order to fight for Rohith’s case and such discrimination based on caste, thousands of people from around 50 different organizations gathered at Deekhshabhoomi, the place where the great Dalit leader Dr. Ambedkar embraced Budhhism to do away with the caste system.

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World Day of Prayer 4th March 2016

Theme: Receive Children, Receive Me

Country Focus : Cuba
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World Day of Prayer (WDP) is a global, ecumenical movement of Christian women joined together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday of March. The Motto of WDP is “Informed Prayer & Prayerful Action” signifies that prayer and action are inseparable. It is a movement initiated and carried out by women in more than 170 countries and regions. WDP brings together women of various races, cultures, and traditions in closer fellowship, understanding, and action throughout the year. Each year a different theme is chosen and the resource material and liturgy is prepared by WDP Committee of a particular country. Therefore, WDP gives scope to women all over the world to pray for that particular country. Christian women through this prayer movement raise funds to support projects and programs and initiatives of women for justice and peace through WDP International Committee.

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End Human Trafficking and Sexual Slavery: Priority Mission Focus of All India Council of Christian Women

A Nationaphotol Consultation on Ecumenical Advocacy to End Human Trafficking and Sexual Slavery was organized  by All India Council of  Christian Women ( AICCW)  in Partnership with  Lutheran World Service India Trust on   10th January 2016 in Kolkata. 25 leaders from different faith based organizations and Churches working to end Human Trafficking or justice and peace issues participated in this consultation . Strengthening networking, ecumenical advocacy, capacity building, ending impunity, supporting survivors and their children, alleviating poverty, and intercepting/ending Human Trafficking and Sexual Slavery are  priority foci of   AlCCW.

A part of this consultation involved dialogue with women, men and youth local leaders from adopted communities of Lutheran World Service India Trust who are mainly migrant, domestic workers and daily wage laborers. “Our aim was not only just to strategize to end human trafficking but also to hear the voices of people on the periphery who are more vulnerable and  at risk. It was important for us to hear from them their stories  challenges and vulnerability and how they combat and intercept human trafficking. Our aim was to link Leaders from faith based organizations and church leaders and women’s fellowships to support, rehabilitate and heal survivors also” states Ms Moumita Biswas, Executive Secretary of AICCW.

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NCCI appoints secretaries for Commission on Youth and Commission on Dalits and Tribals/Adivasis

Dear Ecumenical Colleagues,

New Year greetings from NCCI!

I am happy to introduce to you Mr.Pradip Bansrior and Mr.Jianthaolung Gonmei who are recently appointed respectively as the Executive Secretary NCCI-Commissions on Dalits and Tribals/Adivasis, and Executive Secretary NCCI-Commission on Youth.

Mr Pradip BansriorMr.Pradip has a Post Graduate degree in Economics. During the past 15 years he has served as Programme Secretary in SCMI, and as CNI Synod Programme Coordinator for Youth Concerns, Subaltern Concerns, and for Dalit & Tribal Concerns.

passportMr.Jianthaolung has completed his B.D. from the United Theological College, Bangalore. He has a Post Graduate degree in English language & literature. Before he joined NCCI, Mr.Jianthaolung was serving as an intern in NCCI during 2015.

Please uphold their ministries in your prayers, and encourage them with your support and guidance.

You may contact them at pradipbansrior@gmail.com and jian.gonmei@gmail.com

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NCCI thanks God for the life and witness of Rt. Rev. Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus

Bp Zacharias Mar TheophilusRt. Rev. Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus, Suffragan Metropolitan of the Kerala-based Mar Thoma Syrian Church, passed away on 27th December 2015 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
Born on August 29, 1938, as Oommen Koruthu, he was ordained as deacon on May 7, 1966; as a priest on July 9 that year, and consecrated as Bishop in May 1980. He was installed as Suffragan Metropolitan on July 3, 2004.

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Rev. Dr. Bastiaan Wielenga, a renowned Indian Liberation theologian and Biblical scholar moves on… (1936 – 2015)

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Bas WielengaRev. Dr. Bastiaan Wielenga,  a German missionary who opted for Indian citizenship, and a globally renowned Indian Liberation theologian of our times passed away on 23rd Dec 2015.  Among several commitments, he served the Ecumenical Christian Centre,  the Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, and Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, where he played a major role in founding the’ Centre for Social Analysis’, and from where he retired as a Professor of Biblical Studies.

Dr. Bastiaan Wielenga’s contributions towards articulation of contextual theologies, particularly Theology of the Poor and Indian Liberation Theology, through the Centre for Social Analysis and  Tamilnadu Theological Seminary in particular and the Senate of Serampore College at large, are indeed remarkable.

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NCCI Christmas celebration in Delhi

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ccd0The celebration of ‘Christmas joy through carols’ was arranged by National Council of Churches in India and North West India Council of Churches (NWICC) on 5th December 2015 at Free Church (CNI), Sansad Marg . Mr. Justice Vikramajit Sen, Supreme Court of India, was the Chief Guest of the event. He emphasized that as a Christian Community we should contribute to Nation Building.

The service started with a prayer by Rev. Suresh Kumar, Presbyter-in–Charge, Free Church, followed by the welcome address by Bishop Collin C. Theodore, Secretary NWICC. The felicitation was done by Bishop Subodh C. Mondal, the President of NWICC. The gathering was delighted by carols and scripture reading. Around 10 choirs from different churches (Protestant, Catholic, orthodox and Northeast) sang carols in different languages.
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