National Council of Churches in Australia
The National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) is an ecumenical organisation bringing together a number of Australia's Christian churches in dialogue and practical cooperation.
The NCCA works in collaboration with state ecumenical councils around Australia. It is an associate council of the World Council of Churches, a member of the Christian Conference of Asia and a partner of other national ecumenical bodies throughout the world. "Act for Peace" is the international aid agency of the NCCA, which aims to empower war-torn communities to protect refugees, reduce poverty, prevent conflicts and manage disasters.[1]
Background
The modern ecumenical movement began to take shape at the end of the 19th century. Initiatives among students and between church mission agencies led the way. In Australia these included the Australian Student Christian Movement, formed in 1896, and the National Missionary Council, created in 1926.
Organised ecumenism in Australia at the national church level was first formalised through the Australian Committee for the World Council of Churches (1946). This movement initially involved only the Anglican and Mainline Protestant churches. In the 1960s and '70s, however, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches joined the ecumenical movement. This developed into the Australian Council of Churches (ACC). Following the Second Vatican Council, the Roman Catholic Church in Australia began exploring possibilities for relationships with other churches. In 1994 the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) succeeded the ACC, with the Catholic Church as a member.
Logo
The symbol of the boat has long been used to represent the ecumenical movement, and its origins are unclear - perhaps in the Gospel story of the calling of the Galilean fishermen to be disciples - "fishers of men". The boat represents the Christian Church as a ship sailing the sea that is the world. The mast, in the shape of the cross, recalls the Christian faith.
The NCCA's version of the boat includes waves and the Southern Cross and was adopted at the formation of the NCCA in 1994. The use of the Southern Cross identifies the NCCA's geographical location.
An updated version of the logo, pictured above, was adopted in 2006.
Member churches
The NCCA has 19 member churches:
| Member Church | Head of Church |
|---|---|
| Anglican Church of Australia | Archbishop Philip Freier |
| Antiochian Orthodox Church | Archbishop Paul Saliba |
| Armenian Apostolic Church | Bishop Haigazoun Najarian |
| Assyrian Church of the East | Archbishop Metropolitan Mar Meelis Zaia |
| Chinese Methodist Church in Australia | Bishop James Kwang |
| Churches of Christ in Australia | Janet Woodlock |
| Congregational Federation of Australia | Dr Joe B Goodall |
| Coptic Orthodox Church | Bishop Suriel - Bishop of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions & Bishop Daniel - Bishop of Sydney and Affiliated Regions |
| Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia | Archbishop Stylianos |
| Indian Orthodox Church | Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros |
| Lutheran Church of Australia | The Revd John Henderson |
| Mar Thoma Church | Bishop Joseph Mar Barnabas |
| Religious Society of Friends | Julian Robertson |
| Roman Catholic Church | Archbishop Denis Hart |
| Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand | Bishop Mihail (Filimon) |
| Serbian Orthodox Church | Bishop Irinej |
| Syrian Orthodox Church | Archbishop Mor Malatius Malki Malki |
| The Salvation Army | Commissioner James Condon and Commissioner Floyd Tidd |
| Uniting Church in Australia | The Revd Dr Andrew Dutney |
Presidents
| Year | Name | Denomination |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 - present | The Revd Dr Mike Semmler | Lutheran Church of Australia |
| 2009 - 2013 | Bishop Michael Putney | Roman Catholic Church |
| 2006 - 2009 | Bishop Richard Appleby | Anglican Church |
| 2003 - 2006 | The Revd James Haire | Uniting Church in Australia |
| 1999 - 2001 | The Revd Lance Steicke | Lutheran Church |
| 1997 - 1999 | Archbishop John Bathersby | Roman Catholic Church |
| 1994 - 1997 | Archbishop Aghan Baliozian | Armenian Apostolic Church |
General secretaries
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 2009 - present | Tara Curlewis |
| 2001 - 2009 | John Henderson |
| 1994 - 2001 | David Gill |
Source: National Council of Churches in Australia website[2]
See also
References
- ↑ History of Act for Peace and the Christmas Bowl
- ↑ National Council of Churches in Australia website
External links
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