Pacific Churches look to greater partnership 

The NCCA Assembly on Friday 27 May was a valued opportunity to meet the Rev James Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC).

PCC comprises 32 member churches and 10 national councils of churches across 18 Pacific Island states and territories – accounting for some 80 per cent of the Pacific’s human population.

The initial, and enduring core purpose for the establishment of PCC in 1967 was and still is the fostering of closer relationships among the various Christian churches, and their congregations and communities, in the Pacific.

Rev Bhagwan is a passionate advocate for the PCC’s advocacy in the areas of Ecological Stewardship and Climate Justice with particular focus on Care for the Ocean. He spoke of PCC’s input to the Pacific Island Forum’s 2050 Blue Pacific  framework    https://www.forumsec.org/2050strategy/ that will guide the region going forward. 

Rev Bhagwan outlined the three core pillars of the PCC’s program framework as – Ecumenism; Stewardship and Self Determination. He explained how Women/Gender issues, Child Protection and Youth Empowerment are integral components across the three pillars.

During the Assembly, Rev Bhagwan also discussed the engagement of the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) with Pacific Church Leaders and communities of the PCC through the Pacific Church Partnership Advisory Network (PCPAN). NCCA will be providing coordination support for the meetings of the network and meetings of Pacific Church Leaders in Australia over the next two years. Both the NCCA President, Rev John Gilmore and General Secretary, Liz Stone, will be involved in the meetings.

The first in-person meeting of the PCPAN group of 10 Pacific Church representatives,10 Australians and DFAT representative will be in Canberra from 18-20 July 2022.

Above: Rev James Bhagwan
Above: Ms Liz Stone, NCCA
Above: Rev John Gilmore sharing his reflection.	Above right: Rev James Bhagwan is thanked for his presentation

(Images courtesy of Rev Matagi Vilitama)