Kerala Council of Churches
Kerala Council of Churches or KCC is a regional ecumenical organisation of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches in Kerala, India. KCC is an affiliate of the National Council of Churches in India. Its constitution states "The Kerala Council of Churches is autonomous and inter-confessional, comprising Churches in Kerala and Christian Organization".[1] The jurisdiction of the council is also limited by the constitution to the state of Kerala.
| Abbreviation | KCC |
|---|---|
| Motto | You Shall Be My Witness |
| Formation | 1940 |
| Type | NGO |
| Purpose | Ecumenism |
| Headquarters | Manganam |
| Location | |
Region | Kerala |
Official language | Malayalam |
Secretary General | Reji Mathew Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |
President | Geevarghese Mor Coorilose Jacobite Syrian Christian Church |
| Subsidiaries | 15 churches and 21 organizations |
| Affiliations | National Council of Churches in India |
| Website | www.keralacouncilofchurches.org |
Kerala council of Churches has 15 member churches or dioceses from Kerala along with more than 21 member organizations working within Kerala. The four dioceses of the Church of South India (CSI) within Kerala are separate members in the council as well as the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and its Knanaya Archdiocese having separate memberships as well.
Structure
Triennial General Assembly
The general assembly of the council is held every three years with delegates from each of the member churches and associated organisations where matters relating to the election of the presidium, membership, organizations are deliberated and decided along with a common theme which is studied and explored.
The last Triennial was held at the Marthoma Youth Centre, Adoor from 25 to 27 August 2016. The theme for this assembly was "Nationalism and Pluralism".
Executive Committee and the Presidium
It is in the General assembly that the presidium and the Executive Committee of the Kerala Council of Churches is elected from the delegates sent by each of the member church and organizations. Each church can nominate one or two of their delegates as the executive committee members depending on their demographic size.
The Executive Committee meets in between the three years to decide upon matters that arise.
Member Churches
- Believers Eastern Church
- Chaldean Syrian Church
- Church of God in South India
- CSI East Kerala Diocese
- CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese
- CSI North Kerala Diocese
- CSI South Kerala Diocese
- St.Thomas Evangelical Church of India
- Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
- Malabar Independent Syrian Church
- Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
- Malankara Syrian Knanaya Archdiocese
- Mar Thoma Syrian Church
- The India Evangelical Lutheran Church
- The Salvation Army Church
Emblem
The Emblem of the Council consists of a circular image with a coconut tree, sea and a boat with the motto "You shall be my Witness" engraved around.
Desks
There are five desks handling five areas that are deemed important by the KCC. Each desk is headed by a faculty elected by the Executive committee of KCC.
- Youth and Communication Desk /EYF
- Women and Ecology Desk /EWF
- Dalit, Tribal and Social Concerns Desk
- Faith & Unity, Dialogue, and Pastoral & Evangelistic Desk
- Education and Current Affairs Desk
Commissions and Regional Zones
The Council has constituted various commissions to give particular attention to issues that need extra attention. The commissions are headed by chairpersons elected from the delegates at the General assembly. Commissions on Youth, Social Concern, Dialogue, Women, Environment, Current Affairs, and Education currently function.
The Council also has various regional zones in the different parts of the Kerala state. They include Thiruvalla, Trivandrum, Ernakulam, Ranni, Kollam, Aluva, Kumbanad, Malappuram, Kottayam, Kottarakkara etc.
References
- Constitution of Kerala Council of Churches, Manganam, 2001