WCC - Theological Consultation on 'Economy of Life'

World Council of Churches

Theological Consultation on 'Economy of Life'

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

The 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.

CNI New Officers

The Church of North India elects its new Office 

Moderator - Bishop P.K. Samantaroy 

Deputy Moderator - Bishop P.C. Singh

General Secretary - Mr. Alwan Masih

Hon. Treasurer - Mr. Prem Masih

Apology: We apologize for the previous communication in connection with news from Church of North India (CNI) as it was inadvertently published in its draft state.  We deeply regret the inconvenience this may have caused.

- NCCI Communications

Press release: Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims

Press Meet | 17th October 2014 | CBCI Centre, New Delhi

Times of India on 10^th October 2014 reported that the Government is opposed to Dalit status for converts.

It reported Union social justice minister Hon.  Thavar Chand Gehlot’s statement about SC status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims, which reveals that the Government is not inclusive in its development policy. 

The demand for the inclusion of the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims has been going on for the past 64 years because of the Constitution (Scheduled Caste Order) 1950 paragraph 3 which reads as “no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste”. Later it was amended to include Sikhs and Buddhists in 1956 and 1990 respectively.

A public interest litigation case was filed in the Supreme Court of India in 2004 (Civil Writ Petition No.180/2004) challenging the validity of this order.  

10000 Gathered in Madurai, Tamilnadu to Celebrate The NCCI Centenary

10000 Gathered in Madurai, Tamilnadu to Celebrate The NCCI Centenary

The TAMILNADU CHRISTIAN COUNCIL joining the Churches in Madurai, Tamilnadu in Hosting the Tamilnadu Regional Centenary Celebration on the 20th September 2014. The Church of South India Madurai Ramnad Diocese gave an exemplary leadership to the celebrations in joining hands with the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church, Methodist Church in India, Salvation Army, Indian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Roman Catholic Churches and over 100 Pentecostal and Front Line Churches and over 40 Christian Mission Organizations, Theological Seminaries and Training Institutes and including the YWCA and Bible Society.

Kerala Regional Celebrations of the Centenary of the National Council of Churches in India

Kottayam: As part of Centenary celebration programs of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) in various regions around the country, Kerala Council of Churches (KCC) hosted a three-day long (September 26th to 28th, 2014) program in Kottayam and Tiruvalla.

CASA's Emergency Response to the devastating floods and landslides in Jammu & Kashmir (Updates 1 - 4).

After assessing the flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday declared the situation a "national‐level disaster" and announced a special assistance of INR 1,000 crore (US$ 170, 940, 171) for the flood‐hit state besides INR 2 00000 (US $ 3419) compensation from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund for the kin of the dead and INR 50,000 (US $ 855) for those seriously injured.

CASA has released INR 21, 75, 500 (US$37,188) towards organizing distribution of dry ration kit and NFIs to 1170 families in Kulgam and Sri Nagar districts in Kashmir. CASA along with its local partner organizations and Mountain Forum Himalayas have been one of the first respondents to the disaster in Kashmir.

Open letter to Palestinian prisoners. In Solidarity and with prayers

As we celebrate the World Week of Prayer for Palestine and Israel, with its focus this year on all those Palestinians who are unjustly imprisoned by Israel, and the theme being "Let My People Go!", Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of NCCI has written an open  letter expressing solidarity with them and assuring them of our prayers.

In Solidarity

Dear Unjustly Imprisoned Palestinian Brothers and Sisters,

As you undergo the brutalities of injustice and suffering meted out to you by the Israeli authorities, we express our deepest solidarity with you in your present condition.

NCCI Centenary Celebration - Hyderabad Region

REPORT OF REGIONAL NCCI CENTENARY CELEBRATION PROGRAMME 

(Hyderabad Region)

September 12 – 14, 2014

The NCCI centenary celebration in Hyderabad region started with a grand Centenary Inaugural programme organized by Andhra Christian Theological College (ACTC) in its campus. The celebration began with an indigenous dance welcoming the dignitaries to the venue: the ACTC chapel.

Kashmir Floods Situation Updates

APPEAL FOR PRAYER AND CHANNELIZING SUPPORT

Extracts from

Kashmir Floods Situation Updates

Up to 13 September 2014

By Arjimand Hussain, Rawalpora, Srinagar

Prepared with Additional Inputs and Edited by Mazher Hussain, COVA, Hyderabad 

Most News Headlines on Kashmir floods continue to fall short of capturing the intensity of this calamity. I have put together some points which our friends in media and humanitarian agencies could use in their communications to capture the enormity of the crisis:

Critical Immediate Aid Requirements

- Critical aid requirements include: boats, drinking water, medicines, water purifying tablets, food, warm clothes, Beddings and Quilts (Razai), baby food, milk, liquid hand sanitisers, women’s hygiene kits, children’s hygiene kits.

The Disaster and Its Impact

- This is the worst flood Kashmir has witnessed in over a century
- Close to 5 million people are affected by the floods in Jammu & Kashmir – 4.5 million in Kashmir valley and half a million in the Jammu region*.
- Some 3 million people and their homes are submerged mainly in the districts of Srinagar, Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla, Bandipora and Budgam.
- The submerged and affected people include Indian and foreign visitors and Indian construction workers whose number is estimated at half a million.

- Flash floods in Jammu region has also resulted in disruption in road services in the district of Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi.

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan - 2015 - UK

No. F. 22-1/2014-ES.4

Government of India

Ministry of Human Resource Development Department of Higher Education

ES.4 Section

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COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP PLAN – 2015 – U.K.

Last Date:         10th October, 2014.

I.            On line applications are invited from Indian nationals, through MHRD’s website http://mhrd.gov.in/ for nominations, of the award of Commonwealth Scholarships in United Kingdom tenable from September/ October 2015 for higher studies/research in the subjects mentioned below in the United Kingdom. Up to Sixty five (65) nominations are to be sent to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for final selection to be made by them. Out of these not more than twenty six (26) are for doctoral studies.