The theme for the 14th Quadrennial General Assembly of Asian Church Women’s Conference (ACWC) is: Asian Women Moving Forward: Non-Violent World/ New Earth/ Life in its Fullness. The liturgy for the 2010 ACWC Day is being developed using the conference theme. The ACWC planning committee discussed how to focus the theme on the panel and the Bible study of the Assembly with the host--Indonesia. Following the theme of the Assembly, speakers of panel will cover two different religious perspectives to encourage Asian women. Therefore we invited two excellent female leaders from the host country--Indonesia, as our key note speakers. One will give the Christian’s viewpoint--Revd. Indriani Bone, and the other the Muslim’s perspective--Ms. Siti Musdah Mulia. Although the ACWC Assembly is for Christian Women, Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country of the world and this will be a good opportunity for us to listen to the different voices between us. For the Bible study, it is our privilege to have Revd. Lientje Pelu to host the two sessions.

I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the program of the Young Women’s Forum (YWF) which will be held on 15 October--the date before the Assembly. ACWC requests that one of four voting delegates from each member country should be under 40 years of age. This regulation was created to provide the opportunity for more young women to join the ACWC. Therefore, the YWF is a platform for the younger generation’s gathering. Their discussion will be presented at the Assembly. It is important to maintain an intergenerational dimension in an ecumenical organization. The younger generation gives us future thinking and the older generation teaches us from their experience.

Another important grogram of the Assembly is group discussion. We will have 4 issues: 1) Natural Disaster in Asia, 2)Ecology and Women, 3)Family Violence & Gender Relations and 4) Human Trafficking. During the 14th Assembly, we will go through some official business: 1) discuss our future program and projects, 2) amend the ACWC Constitutions and By-Law, 3) welcome the new incoming ACWC Executive Secretary (2011-2014) and 4) elect the new General Committee and Executive Committee members (2011-2014). We are proud of that from the ACWC history we do not lobby for the election. Our Lord always arranges the right person and leadership for the ACWC.

Finally, please remember our host’s hard work and efforts in preparing for the Assembly. Remember them in your prayer.