Dr Mathews George Chunakara, a lay member of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church in India, has been elected unanimously as the new General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).
The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of the CCA, which is the largest ecumenical organisation in Asia, and strives for the unity of the church in Asia, joint action in mission and Asian contribution to Christian thought and worship.
Dr Chunakara was appointed to the role for a term of five years and is the first Indian citizen to be elected to this position. He will succeed Rev Dr Henriette Hutabarat Lebang from Indonesia, who was elected General Secretary in 2010.
Dr Chunakara comes with rich ecumenical experiences in Asia and at the global level including as Director of the Commission of Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland from 2009 to 2014. Prior to that, he served as Asia Secretary of the WCC (2000- 2009) and Executive Secretary for International Affairs of the CCA in Hong Kong (1993- 2000).
The General Assembly of the CCA, which will be attended by Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand Moderator, the Rt Rev Andrew Norton, and Asian Ministries Co-ordinator, Rev Kyoung Han, is being held in Indonesia on 20-27 May 2015 under the theme: “Living Together in the Household of God”.
More about Dr Mathews George Chunakara, and the General Assembly of CCA can be found on the CCA website. Read more