CCA mourns the passing of Rev. Saw Shwe Lin, prominent Myanmar church and ecumenical leader

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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27 August 2024

Chiang Mai, Thailand: Rev. Saw Shwe Lin, prominent church and ecumenical leader and former General Secretary of the Myanmar Council of Churches (MCC), passed away at the age of 59 this morning, 27 August 2024, in Yangon, Myanmar.

Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara expressed deep condolences on the passing of Rev. Saw Shwe Lin and recalled their more than two decades of close collaboration in the Asian ecumenical movement.

Rev. Saw Shwe Lin played a significant role as the local coordinator for the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of CCA and the Asia Mission Conference (AMC) which were held in Yangon, Myanmar in 2017.

He was a member of the General Committee of the CCA from 2010 to 2015. He was also an active participant in CCA’s programmes over the years, most recently attending the 15th CCA General Assembly in Kottayam in 2023.

Dr Mathews George Chunakara stated, “Rev. Saw Shwe Lin’s leadership in coordinating two major CCA events simultaneously in Myanmar in 2017 was exemplary. His ability to unite people from different churches and organisations in Myanmar in solidarity, faith, and purpose ensured the success of CCA’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, which saw massive participation.”

The CCA General Secretary reflected, "Rev. Saw Shwe Lin was a deeply committed church and ecumenical leader who upheld Christian values through his faith, commitment, and conviction, as well as through his profound involvement in the democratisation and human rights movement.”

Rev. Saw Shwe Lin, born in 1965, earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div) from the Myanmar Institute of Theology. His contributions to the ecumenical movement spanned almost a quarter of a century, during which he served in various capacities. He worked as the National Secretary of the Myanmar Student Christian Movement (SCM) and held several roles in MCC, including Youth Secretary, before assuming the position of MCC General Secretary for two terms from 2008 to 2016.

“During his tenure as General Secretary of the MCC, Rev. Saw Shwe Lin took a bold stand, encouraging churches and ecumenical organisations worldwide to speak out against human rights violations in Myanmar. He urged the World Council of Churches (WCC) to prioritise international advocacy for democratisation and human rights in Myanmar. This advocacy ultimately led to the WCC identifying Myanmar as a priority concern during the UN Advocacy Week (UNAW) in 2010. Rev. Saw Shwe Lin attended the 2010 UN Advocacy Week, marking the first time a Myanmar church leader participated in an international advocacy campaign. Despite the risks, he participated in a side event organised by the WCC at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva and spoke at the UNAW about the human rights situation in Myanmar” recollected Dr Mathews George Chunakara, who was Director of WCC International Affairs during that period and worked closely with Rev. Saw Shwe Lin on Myanmar’s democratisation and human rights.

Rev. Saw Shwe Lin also served as Vice-President of the MCC, and as Chairperson of the Finance Committee. Since 2018, he served as President of Yangon Council of Churches (YCC) and remained an active member of the Self-Supporting Kayin Baptist Mission Society (SSKBMS) in Yangon until his final days.

His funeral will take place on 29 August 2024 at 9:00 A.M. at Grace Worship Church, Myanmar Christian Fellowship of The Blind, Yangon.