Tribal and Adivasi Sunday Celebrated Across India

DSC06340The member churches of the National Council of Churches in India celebrated  Tribal and Adivasi Sunday across India on the 9th of August (on the United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Day) with the theme, “Tribals and Adivasis: Custodians of God- given Land and its Eco- systems”.

This celebration was  a meaningful and timely one because the question of the rights of Tribals and Adivasis to their land is becoming more and more a pertinent and disturbing one in the present Indian scenario. The ancestral land of the indigenous people of India is being forcefully grabbed by the affluent as well as by the State under the  ‘development’ rhetoric. On the other side, the rest of the world, which is experiencing the devastating effects of consumerism and ecological pollution, is  gradually starting  to realize that the closely- knit bond between nature and Tribals/Adivasis has to be imbibed to responsibly address the ecological concerns the world faces.

Tribal-Adivasi Sunday celebration in Nagaland

The Executive Secretary of the Commission on Tribals and Adivasis attended the celebrations which were held at the Lotha Baptist Church in Dimapur in Nagaland along with the Rev Dr Solomon Rongpi, the General Secretary of the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI). The special songs and sermon on the basis of the Tribal and Adivasi Sunday theme made the celebration a very meaningful one.

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Legal Literacy and Training Programme for Mission Leaders and Grass-roots Mission Staff

Commission on Unity, Mission and Evangelism
Legal Literacy and Training Programme for Mission Leaders and Grass-roots Mission Staff
5 -7 August 2015, NCCI Campus, Nagpur
DSC08032NCCI – Commission on Unity, Mission and Evangelism on the request from Indian Missions Association (IMA) organized 3 days ‘Legal Literacy and Training Programme for the Mission Leaders and Mission Workers. There were 35 Mission Leaders and Mission Staff including 3 women from 18 Mission Organization from all over India representing 7 language groups. It was a first time experience for the participants in working with NCCI.

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Black day protest in Delhi

Black Day Protest in Delhi on 10th August, 2015

For Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims

Jointly Organised by

CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERRENCE OF INDIA (CBCI), NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN INDIA (NCCI) and NATIONAL COUNCIL OF DALIT CHRISTIANS (NCDC)

IMG_5809The Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950 was signed on 10th August 1950 by the then President of India which says that “No person who professes a religion other than Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of the Scheduled Caste” which was later amended to include Sikhs (1956) and Buddhists (1990) in the Scheduled Caste net. This order is against the secular nature (Preamble of the Constitution) of the country, against Article 14(Equality before the law), article 15(Prohibition of discrimination of any citizen on ground of only religion), Article 25 (Freedom of Conscience and free to profess any religion), Article 26 (Equality before the law and equal protection of the law) and against the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a party.

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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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NCCI mourns the loss of the great leader Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Former president Abdul KalamThe passing away of India’s most beloved and iconic leader, ex-president Dr. A. P. J Abdul Kalam on July 27, 2015, has cast a pall of grief over the whole country and even beyond its borders.
He won the awe and delight of India’s masses because of his profound futuristic contribution to the country and indeed our planet. He was popularly known as the “Missile Man of India”, a reference to his role in shaping India’s missile program during his tenures at India’s space and defense-research agencies respectively from the 1960s to the 1990s. He was also a key player in India’s emergence as a nuclear power. As time.com notes, Few Indian leaders in the 21st century enjoyed the kind of popular support experienced by Kalam, evidenced by the near-unanimous backing of his election as India’s 11th President in 2002 among all the parties across India’s fractious political spectrum, as well as the overwhelming outpouring of grief at his death. (http://time.com/3974357/apj-abdul-kalam-death-tributes-condolences). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna for his achievements.
Although a modest and unassuming man, Dr. Kalam captured the imagination of the country’s youth encouraging them to confidently forge ahead to pursue their dreams. He instilled patriotism and ideas of secularism in the hearts of people that united everyone in the values of humanity and greater benefit transcending region, religion, language and culture. This secularism in praxis is truly remarkable and exemplary.
As the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) joins in mourning the loss of this great leader, a hope is expressed that Dr. Abdul Kalam would continue to be an inspiration and model for the awakening of people to the values of integrity, true joy and peace.
Bishop Dr. Taranath Sagar
President, NCCI
Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad
General Secretary, NCCI
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NCCI Indian Disability Ecumenical Accompaniment

Consultation on ‘Towards Inclusive Society: From Disability Perspective

 IMG_2809_credThe National Council of Churches in India’s (NCCI) Indian Disability Ecumenical Accompaniment (IDEA) joined with the Engage Disability Network (EDN) and Christian Service Agency (CSA) to organize a consultation on ‘Towards Inclusive Society: From Disability Perspective” at NCCI Campus on 21st July 2015.

30 participants including persons with disabilities, activists, social workers, pastors, academicians, educators, counselors and students participated in this consultation.

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Report of YOUNG THEOLOGIANS CONCLAVE “Ecclesiology in the Cyber Age”

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National Council of Churches in India organized a Young Theologians Conclave in partnership with the support from 2014-06-26aw0483bapThe Church of Finland and with help from promoters and partners from Church of Ireland and Church of England in Ecumenical Christian Centre, UTC, Bangalore from June 26-27, 2014.

The theme of the Programme was “Ecclesiology in Cyber Age”. The aim of the Programme succeeded by gathering Young Theologians who are techno savy and cyber oriented to come together to devise plans and ideas to respond to the changing definition of Church in the Cyber Age. The diverse Challenges that were faced by the young people were discussed, the threats posed by the Cyber age were brought to the fore and the action plans were devised to ensure that we respond so that the Church will become a relevant Church even with the growing challenges of the changing times. The various presentations have thrown light on the Cyber Age, Cyber space and the Cyber Church.

The Inaugural worship was led by the students from United Theological College, Bangalore. After this, Rev. Sweety Helen welcomed the gathering, and the inaugural session was led by Rev. Sunil Raj Phillip. The Programme was creatively inaugurated by all the participants after which Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad  lit a virtual lamp. The inauguration encompassed the use of symbols such as Cross and various technologies available with the participants.

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NCCI Tribal and Adivasi Sunday 2015

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“Tribals and Adivasis: Custodians of 
God-given land and its ecosystems”
Tribal-Adivasi Sunday will be observed on 9th August 2015.  The NCCI encourages you to celebrate Tribal-Adivasi Sunday as an important expression of our affirmation of and dedication to the gospel: the gospel is for all including Tribals and Adivasis. Many of us, who do not consider ourselves as Tribals/Adivasis, tend to overlook or neglect the importance of indigenous people in the vision and mission of God the creator. Those of us who belong to indigenous communities take our status for granted and therefore do not affirm our special position in God’s plans and purposes. Hence, NCCI appeals to all churches to give the observance of Tribal-Adivasi Sunday its due importance.
The theme for this year is “Tribals and Adivasis: Custodians of God-given Land and its Ecosystems.” This is in tune with the theme of UN’s International Day of Indigenous People, which is “Indigenous Peoples as Custodians of the Land and its Ecosystems.”
The term “custodian of land and ecosystems” immediately brings to our mind the image of Adam and Eve as custodians of God’s Garden of Eden. Indeed Adam and Eve were indigenous people integrally related to land and all creation. In fact for most indigenous people, land, along with the ecosystem it supports, is the mark of their identity. When lands are submerged because of our development projects, indigenous people experience a vacuum, an emptiness, indeed ‘death’, because their very being and identity is taken away from them. When lands with their forests, rivers, indeed all flora and fauna, are destroyed to make way for concrete jungles and industries, the livelihood of the indigenous people (which is integrally related to their land and eco-system) is also taken away. Most of them are not suited to work in “unnatural” industries and hi-tech systems. They therefore face another ‘death.
Today we are becoming increasingly concerned about global warming and the destruction of eco-systems. Scientists are beginning to talk about the onset of the sixth wave of mass extinction on the earth. When the care of mother earth is an emergency mandate, who best could help us to nurture, preserve and protect mother earth but the indigenous people who have lived in harmonious responsible relationships with nature! “The earth is the lord’s and the fullness thereof” says the psalmist. Paul in his epistle to the Romans observes that “all creation has been subjected to futility” . This is because of human greed and their anti-ecological development economies, sciences and technologies. Indeed “creation is groaning for the revealing of the children of God.” Indigenous people are one expression of this revelation as custodians of God-given land and its eco-systems.
Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad
General Secretary,
National Council of Churches in India.
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Hope in the midst of violence

Chhattisgarh Council of Churches unites churches, Mahila Mandals and organizations to protest and resist atrocities on Women from Minority Christian Community

pic1Atrocities on Christians are increasing at an alarming rate in India. Worst victims of such atrocities are women and missionaries at the grassroots who have dedicated their lives to serve the community, the poor and the downtrodden. On 19th June, a nun was gang-raped by men in masks in ‘Christo Sahay Health Center’ where she was serving as nurse in Raipur the capital of Chhattisgarh state. ‘Strategized Rape’ is used as a weapon to create fear, shame and humiliate the Christian community which is a minority community in India.

The All India Council of Christian Women and National Council of Churches in India gave a clarion call to women’s fellowship of member Churches and leaders of Chhattisgarh Christian Council (CCC) to respond to end this culture of rape and atrocities of Christian missionaries in India.
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AICCW – NCCI Condemn the Heinous Crime of Rape of Salesian Nun in Chhattisgarh

for blogAn Indian Nun in her mid forties from Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate,was brutally attacked, molested and raped in Raipur capital of Chattisgarth state in India on Saturday 22nd June 2015. She was found semi clad, unconscious and hands tied in a medical center run by Christian Missionaries near Pandri locality in the state of Chattisgarh.

Sister Annie John, the nun’s superior revealed that the victim was wakened by the sound of cupboards being opened and the victim asked if they were looking for money. Sister Annie further reports that the victims mentioned the culprits said “We need money, but something else also,” The attackers forced the victim to swallow tablet before they raped her. The victim is in acute trauma and pain. (Source : ucanews.com reporters, Delhi, 22nd June 2015)
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