Homage to Justice Dr. V. R. Krishna Iyer

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iyerThe National Council of Churches in India is deeply saddened by the demise of the world renowned and a genuine Indian Human Right defender Honourable Justice. Dr. V. R. Krishna Iyer.

Dr. V R Krishna Iyer was socially sensitized and spiritually kindled judiciary and a moral rebel against human injustice. He was a peace lover and a visionary.
Without being a member of any political party, he associated himself with political figures, freedom fighters, social reformers, constructive public workers and, with his wife, helped women’s organizations and backward classes including fishing communities. Compassion was his passion.  He identified himself with human rights causes and poor litigants found a defender in him.

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NCCC-USA calls for accountability

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 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them

is forgotten in God’s sight. But even the hairs of your head are
all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
-Jesus, as recounted in Luke 12:6-7 (NRSV)

The decision of a Staten Island grand jury not to indict police officer Daniel Panteleo in the death of Eric Garner, coupled with the recent decision of a St. Louis grand jury not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown, has sparked nationwide outrage and protests.

The National Council of Churches calls upon prosecutors and police forces, juries and judges, to hold police officers accountable when they kill.  The appropriate place to judge innocence or guilt is not in the grand jury but in a trial setting where defense and prosecution come together to carefully present the facts of a case.

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Dalit Liberation Sunday 2014_Worship Order

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“Dalit Culture, Dalit history, Dalit pathos:

Regaining the lost identity in Christ”.

Dalit Liberation Book 2014 coverWe are in a crucial point of time in the Indian history, while we celebrate the Dalit Liberation Sunday in 2014. The grip of fascism and communalism becomes firm on Indian society. These regressive and dangerous elements are only the tip of the iceberg and the undercurrent of all these elements in India is casteism.

Forceful reconversions of the Dalit Christians, adamant denial of any possibility to extend Scheduled Caste status to Christians and Muslims from Dalit origin by a Central Minister of India, brutal killings of Dalits- in which Ahmednagar killing was the most brutal- and the lethargic attitude of police and the state in rendering investigation with justice, and the result of the survey conducted by the Merry Land University of US and National Council of Applied Economic Research that every fourth Indian still believes in untouchability are pointers to the dangerous shift in the Indian social matrix.

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Fire destroys St. Sebastian Church in Delhi. NCCI Letter to Prime Minister

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Below is the text of a letter written to Indian Prime Minister by Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of National Council of Churches in India.


December 2, 2014
Honorable Prime Minister,
288700-delhi-church-burntOn behalf of the NCCI, I strongly urge you to take immediate measures to ensure that minority communities are not subject to attacks by fundamentalist communal groups. The Christian church in the country wants to see that democratic secularism in spirit and practice is strengthened by your government.
Instances of atrocities against Christian communities are on the rise in the country. Earlier in November, Catholic priests in the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh were told that all their schools were to install statues of Goddess Saraswati and they would not be allowed to be called “Father”, the usual honorific, by the students, but would be called “Pracharya” and so on. In other districts of Chhattisgarh, village panchayats under political influence have passed regulations banning non-Hindu religious persons from organising prayers or opening places of worship in their territory. On 16th November 2014 a Mar Thoma Prayer House was attacked during Holy Communion Service at Kongalnagaram, Udumalpet, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu. On Sunday, 30th November 2014, two house churches in Annupur district of Madhya Pradesh were attacked. We are aghast that St. Sebastian Church in Dilshad Garden, East Delhi has been gutted by a fire set off by miscreants on 1st December 2014.

NCCI urges Responsible Journalism

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Nagpur | November 21, 2014

STATEMENT | NCCI URGES RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), the apex body of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches which represents 14 million people around the country registers its protest against the irresponsible use of press freedom. The Times of India and Dainik Bhaskar (Nagpur | 11-11-2014) printed some speculative claim made by a scholar about Jesus and Mary that has caused immense grief to the Christian community at large.
In a pluralistic context of India where not only freedom, but also respect for all religions and religious sentiments is both taught and practiced, such insensitivity on the part of the publishers is intolerable. While we respect and support the freedom of press, surely it must be used responsibly. It may be seen as an irresponsible act purported to incite the feelings of the Christian community. Such provocation must cease in the interest of upholding the cherished secular fabric and principles of love and unity that our Country proudly professes to have had since ages and indeed does.

DISABILITY ADVOCACY SUNDAY – 2014.

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DISABILITY ADVOCACY SUNDAY 
23 Nov.2014

Theme : Church ‘of’ All – Church ‘for’ All

Disability PosterDisability Day, or the International Day of People with Disability, is a day that is sanctioned by the United Nations. The aim of Disability Day is to encourage a better understanding of people affected by a disability, together with helping to make people more aware of the rights, dignity and welfare of disabled people. Disability Day was founded in 1992 and is a day that is marked around the world by a variety of events held in many countries. The original name for this day was the International Day of Disabled Persons. The day’s origins date back to 1981 and the International Year of Disabled Persons, which was created to improve the lives of disabled people all around the globe, as well as to prevent disabilities from occurring in the first place. The Day is used for holding discussions, forums and campaigns relating to disability, and communities are encouraged to organise performances in their local area. These can range from hosting a musical to a play, and disabled people should be involved in these productions. The overall aim is to show that a person with a disability can be a vibrant member of society. Each year the day is celebrated there is an emphasis on a new aspect related to improving the lives of people living with a disability. In 2012 there was a call to help disabled people live in an inclusive society in every country, and to make sure that society was as accessible as possible for disabled people.

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NCCI Centenary Rally in Nagpur. 3000 Christians marched for Peace, Justice and Unity and Love

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Ncci rally news picThe NCCI Centenary Rally started from the All Saints Cathedral, Sadar, halted at Samvidhan Square (near K. P. Ground, Opp. RBI) for Bishop Dr. Taranath Sagar’s (President of NCCI) public address, and continued back to All Saints Cathedral in a circular route.  More than 3000 people from all denominations joined the Rally.

In the field of Social development, the Church in India has demonstrated the compassion of Christ to the Indian Society.  Specific attention to the development of the poor and downtrodden was given due importance.  In the tribal belt the liberation of the tribals from money-lender and landlords served as the first contribution of the Church. Bishop Dr. Taranath Sagar President of National Council of Churches in India at the Samvidhan Square, addressed the gathering with the basic gospel virtue of Love, of loving your neighbour as yourself.   Read more

ACT Alliance elects new moderator, approves new strategic plan

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sushantDelegates at the ACT Alliance general assembly have elected governing board member Dr Sushant Agrawal leader of the highest body of the network.
Dr Agrawal, director of Indian agency Churches’ Auxiliary for Social Action, is the new moderator of the alliance, a global network of 148 humanitarian and development agencies. He replaces Rev Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel.

CNI New Officers

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The Church of North India elects its new Office 


bp.samant roy

Moderator – Bishop P.K. Samantaroy 

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WCC – Theological Consultation on ‘Economy of Life’

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World Council of Churches

Theological Consultation on ‘Economy of Life’

27 – 30 October 2014, CSI Guest House, Chennai, India

0The Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), joining the Board of Diaconal Ministries of the Church of South India (CSI) Synod hosted the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) Theological Consultation on ‘Economy of Life’ from 27 – 30 October 2014 at CSI Guest House in Chennai, India.

40 participants representing different geo-political landscapes and peoples’ groups, global and contextual theological and ecumenical fraternities, civil society  movements, christian churches and local congregations, interfaith communities and ecumenical movements from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America actively participated in the consultation.

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