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Faith, Technology & Mission: Exploring AI and Social Media in Church Ministry

Nagpur, March 10:
An insightful seminar on “AI & Social Media for Christian Ministries” was organized in Nagpur through a joint initiative of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and the Christian Institute of Management. The seminar aimed to equip church leaders, communication professionals, and ministry workers with knowledge and practical skills for effective digital engagement.

The program began with a time of prayer and worship; Mr. Miracle Frank (CIM) and Ms. Neelam Gaikwad (NCCI) took the lead in organising this important learning event. CA. Richard Wesley from Hyderabad was the speaker. Discussions during the day highlighted the importance of media as an essential part of ministry today, emphasizing how churches and Christian organizations can effectively communicate their message through modern platforms.

Participants were introduced to various social media platforms that can support ministry outreach and engagement with wider communities. The seminar also focused on how ministries can enhance their communication impact by understanding media analytics and measuring audience engagement.

Another important aspect of the seminar was the exploration of Artificial Intelligence and its practical use in ministries. Participants were introduced to different AI tools and examples of how these technologies can assist in communication, content creation, and digital outreach.

The seminar concluded with a closing and feedback session where participants shared their learnings and appreciated the initiative to equip ministries with relevant digital knowledge in an increasingly connected world.

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From Bethlehem to Neighbourhoods – NCCI Christmas program in New Delhi

From Bethlehem to Neighbourhoods, the Christmas Celebration of the National Council of Churches in India was attended by a cross-section of the Christian Community in the National Capital. Members of the Parliament, Officers from the Government of India and Delhi, Leaders of NCCI Member Churches and Organisations as well as friends from different faith communities graced the occasion.

               

Speaking on the occasion Adv. P. Wilson MP spoke on the need of the community to continue to share Christ’s message of love to the community despite the pressing times. He offered Christmas Greetings on behalf od the Indian Christian Parliamentarians Council. Mr. Ricky Syngkon MP stressed on Christmas holding all peoples together. He also prayed for the Country and the NCCI.

Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Anil Couto, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India, Rev. Dr. Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India and Rev. Dr. Ajith Kumar, General Secretary of the Church of North India Synod offered Christmas Greetings on the occasion. Ms. Nilakshi Rajkhowa, Director of Public Affairs, Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai in India offered greetings on behalf of the different faith communities represented in and through the India Peace Centre.

His Grace Dr. Geevarghese Mar Yulios, Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, President of the National Council of Churches in India delivered the Christmas message. Rev. Dr. Joshua Peter, Executive Secretary United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India and Treasurer NCCI greeted all present on behalf of the NCCI. Rev. Asir Ebenezer welcomed the gathering and introduced the National Council of the Churches in India and its role and significance in today’s context.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Swarup, Bishop of the CNI Diocese of Delhi, HG John Mor Iraneus, Archbishop of the Diocese of Delhi of the Believers Eastern Church, Lt. Colonel Abraham Lincoln Mudda, Chief Secretary, Northern Territory of the Salvation Army, Rev. Edwin John Wesley, Bishop Commissary of the Delhi Diocese of the Evangelical Church in India participated in the Event. Choirs from the Church of North India, Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Methodist Church in India and Ms. Grace Thaimei from Manipur presented Christmas songs in different languages that brought home the spirit of Christmas as well as the diverse contexts in which we affirm our faith and live it out.

The NCCI Christmas Programme stood as a powerful witness to ecumenical unity, inter-community harmony, and the enduring message of hope that Christmas brings to society.

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NCCI welcomes the appointment of Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) welcomes the appointment of The Rt Rev. Sarah Mullally as the Archbishop of Canterbury, making her the first woman in history to hold the highest office in the Church of England. On 3 October 2025, it was announced that Mullally would become the 106th archbishop of Canterbury in January 2026. She will be the first woman to hold the office.

This momentous historic milestone is a significant step forward for gender justice and equality in global Christian leadership. Bishop Mullally’s appointment has been widely recognized as a symbol of the Church’s commitment to inclusivity, compassion, and progress.

The NCCI, representing the faith expressions of over 16 million Christians in India – the 32 Protestant and Orthodox churches in India, along with 18 Regional Chirstian Councils, 18 Christian Organizations and 7 Related Agencies commends the Church of England for this bold and visionary move.

Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally, who previously served as the Bishop of London, is widely respected for her leadership in both the healthcare and ecclesiastical spheres. Before entering ministry, she had a distinguished career as a nurse, serving as England’s Chief Nursing Officer. Her pastoral sensitivity, administrative acumen, and theological depth have made her a beloved figure in the Church and beyond.

The NCCI recognises the significance of her appointment for the Indian Christian community, where women continue to face structural barriers to leadership in many denominations. It inspires us to renew our commitment to gender equity in the life and witness of the Indian Church.”

The NCCI joins churches around the world in praying for Archbishop Mullally as she assumes this sacred office. May her ministry be marked by wisdom, courage, and the transforming love of Christ.

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Digital Welcome Mats : Accessible Church Communications Network. An online workshop on Global Accessibility Awareness Day

The passion of churches towards promoting and actualising inclusion was revived at the GAAD workshop of the NCCI. Emphasising the heart of innovation is accessibility the participants were encouraged to cater innovative ideas for making digital accessibility a reality.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is observed to bring focus on digital access and inclusion. According to the Global Accessibility Awareness Day website, “The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital (web, software, mobile, etc.) access or inclusion and people with different disabilities.”

In line with this Global observance, the National Council of Churches in India’s Indian Disability Ecumenical Accompaniment and Communications Department collaborated an online workshop on 15 May, 2024 themed “Digital Welcome Mats : Accessible Church Communications Network”. The teams of Communication and Disability from various churches and institutions join to receive insights on making church communication accessible to all.

Rev. Ribin John, Executive Secretary, NCCI Ecumenical Fora moderated the workshop and Mr. Nelason Nag, Program Executive, NCCI- Indian Disability Ecumenical Accompniment introduced Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) to all the praticipants. Ms Neelam Gaikwad, NCCI  Communications program executive spoke about practical strategies to address digital accessibility challenges and Ms. Smriti Priyansha, Document and Research Program Ececutive discussed case studies and identification of digital barriers faced by people with disabilities.

The expected outcome of this workshop was churches will become aware of the digital barriers that people with different types of disabilities face and will receive practical insights and strategies for overcoming these barriers. This will help create a barrier-free digital environment for all church attendees.

This events was not limited to awareness and engagement but also a commitment to pouring ceaseless efforts towards accessibility and prioritising inclusion at all steps.

 

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A Report on Three Months Computer Application Training Program at NCCI Campus

National Council of Churches in India

NCCI Communications | NCCI Youth

Computer Application Training Program

28th January 2018 – 30th April 2018

Venue- NCCI Campus, Nagpur

The biggest challenge that young people living below poverty line (BPL) face in their day to day life is the difficulty of accessing employment opportunities.

Though some of them are educated, they fail to get  jobs due to lack of many necessary skills. One  such necessary skill  is  digital skills, which are needed in this era of computer assisted applications. To address this concern,  Rev. Caesar David, Executive Secretary – National Council of Churches in India Communications (NCCI-Com) and Mr. Jianthaolung Gonmei, Executive Secretary- Youth Concerns (NCCI-YC) started a Digital Literacy Modular Course of three months for Capacity Enhancement of disadvantaged youth. The aim of this project was to provide the benefits of computer based education and skills training to  students from socially and economically backward areas of Nagpur city, and to equip them for work with computers thereby being able to do better in their life.

The list of students is given below-

 Priyanka Arun Nanhe

 Nandini Umesh Wasnik

 Priyanka Umesh Wasnik

 Somiksha Dilip Gawande

 Sumesh S. Rawte

The pilot project which started with 5 students on January 28, 2018  and which concluded on  April 30, 2018 was conducted  in the  NCCI premises at Nagpur. All the students were from economically weak backgrounds, living in slum localities.

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Report of Regional Seminar on Transparency, Accountability and Responsibility (Dumka | Nov. 28 – 29, 2017)

Report of Church Leaders Seminar On Transparency, Accountability and Responsibility (TAR)

November 28-29, 2017 |Dumka, Santal Parganas, Jharkhand

Organised by: National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), Christian Service Agency (CSA) and Santalia Council of Churches (SCC)

DAY I, SESSION I

The TAR Conference was initiated by the Grace of the Lord, with a session of Devotion, led jointly by Revd Francis Hansdak’ and Revd Roshan Hansdak’.

The Keynote Address to the Conference was also delivered by Revd Roshan Hansdak’.

Then Revd Caesar David deliberated upon “the Historical Necessity of Strengthening Good Practices in Our Churches and Organisations”. He emphasised upon the necessity of stringent upkeep of Ethics and Values in these challenging times, when a focused invigilatory approach is being adopted by the Government, and the FCRA Compliant Bank A/cs. of many Organisations are being closed due to detection of irregularities. He explained, to upkeep Ethics and Values, our Churches and CBOs need to do no new things, as these are the same set of Christian Values of Honesty, Love, Kindness and Integrity, we are supposed to adhere in all of our Activities. This of course doesn’t mean that the Church and its affiliate CBOs have been lax in upkeep of Ethics and Values, but merely is indicative of the Grey Areas of Ethics, which is open to opportunistic interpretations to suit the situation at hand. As an example he cited the rampant but inappropriate use of pirated proprietary softwares in our Churches, instead of Freewares and Sharewares.

There is also a shyness on the part of us in acknowledging corruption in our Churches. But denying the existence of corruption is doing disservice to our Churches in actuality. Contrary to the popular perception that, corruption comprises solely of monetary malpractices, Revd Caesar explained, there are various types of corruption involving Power Abuses, Illegalities, Handling of Donations, Procurement Acceleration, Sexual Abuses and Favours, Manipulations and Collusions etc. which erodes the Values, stems the Church growth, perpetuates inefficiencies, and lessens the faith upon the Church. All these factors ultimately compounds towards a weak Church. In contrast, adherence to the Global indicators of Ethics, Freedom and Transparency leads to a Sustainable and Strengthened Church.

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NCCI Song Book and Mobile App Released

NCCI SONG BOOK and Mobile App comprising traditional hymns, contemporary and ecumenical songs from various regions in India were released in the course of NCCI’s Executive Committee Meeting on February 14, 2017 at UELCI, Chennai, by Rt. Rev. Dr. P. C. Singh, President of National Council of Churches in India and in the presence of NCCI Treasurer, Rev. Dr. A. G. Augustine Jeyakumar, NCCI Vice Presidents, Mrs. Aleyamma Thomas and Mr. Liju Jacob Kuriakose, and NCCI General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad.

Releasing the Song Book, Rt. Rev. Dr. P. C. Singh congratulated NCCI’s Commission on Communication and said he is ‘happy to release this song book for the Glory of God and to the blessing of people’. He wishes and prays for this to be ‘yet another channel of God’s love and blessing in the form of hope, victory and fortitude that these songs inspire us for.’ He further noted that “It is an expression and celebration of ecumenical spirituality which seeks to understand, experience and communicate that which binds all creation in groaning and redemption, builds communities, and supports life in its fullness.”

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Manipur Situation: Appeal letters to Prime Minister and National Commission for Minorities, India.

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Manipur situation appeal from NCCI_Page_1

Manipur situation appeal from NCCI_Page_2

Manipur situation appeal from NCCI_Page_3

TEXT OF APPEAL LETTERS TO

  • SHRI NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA; and
  • SHRI NASEEM AHMAD, CHAIRPERSON, NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITIES, INDIA.

 

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Communication for Peace and Unity: Indian Traditional Games Celebration

neelam

26th January 2017, NCCI Campus, Nagpur

 NCCI Commission on Communications in partnership with India Peace Centre (IPC) and Christian Service Agency (CSA) organized an event on ‘Indian non-formal Games ’ at NCCI Campus Nagpur on 26th January 2017. The theme of this unique event was ‘Communication for Peace and Unity’. The main focus of this event was to promote peace, friendship and unity through games and help break barriers of communication, encourage low cost gaming and socializing. There were participants from various churches along with some children who participated in the event.

IMG_7259This event started with registration. After registration, I was privileged to welcome  all the church leaders and participants. Rt. Rev. Paul Dupare (Bishop, Nagpur Diocese, CNI) inaugurated the event with a  word of prayer. Miss Simran, intern from IPC gave instructions to all participants regarding  rules of the games. There were so many traditional games like Gilli Danda, Lagori, spinning tops, playing with marbles, tyre race, skipping etc. All the persons present participated enthusiastically in the games .

The first round was ‘free practice and get together’ round. The participants from different churches and organizations had a time to interact with each other and practiced together. I noticed that even senior participants were fully involved in the games and enjoyed them thoroughly.

IMG_7290Rev. Caesar David conducted the challenge round. In this round, all participants played Gilli-danda, Lagori, Spinning the top, Marbles and skipping. There were 5 prizes for every sport: first, second, third and 2 consolation prizes.  (As one of our aims was to promote good health, health products like Corn flakes, Oats, Honey and Dates were given as  prizes.)

Mr. Kasta Dip led the evaluation session. All participants shared their thoughts and what they learnt from this event.  Rev. Arif Umer Saheb said the closing prayer after that all participated in a fellowship lunch.

The Indian traditional games event was successfully organized and participants from different churches and organizations appIMG_7439 - Copyreciated the concept of playing together for communication and peace-building processes. Playing games of yester years was a very emotional experience for many participants who played the games as kids. Reconnecting with their childhood evoked not only child-like happiness and appreciation of simple joys but also inspired child-like mutual trust and loving harmony.

This event helped us to understand the importance of sports in peace building in our society. Sports can bring people together towards a common goal, while promoting respect and community with others. By building relationships between different groups, conflict can be transformed. In addition, sports can be used to impart values of good sportsmanship, teamwork, respect and communication skills needed to reduce tensions and prevent conflict.

Neelam Gaikwad

Programme Assistant – NCCI Commission on Communications.

 

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DIGITAL REPORTING TOOL FOR DALIT EMPOWERMENT Launched.

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Mainstream media is often found to under-represent the interests of people in the margins of society such as the dalits in India who are outcaste. In this context, the lack of channels and inability to communicate their own concerns and bring to the fore their experiences of discrimination, has led to ignorance, unaddressed issues of inequality, inaccessibility to basic services, neglect, denial of rights and exclusion from the processes of decision-making and policy-making. The emerging consciousness about importance of Information and Communications Technology in the exploration of alternative media to create communication spaces can lead to the creation of pathways to digital frontiers that provide solutions towards affirmation of communication rights and implementation of inclusion concepts.

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