10.06.2025

Asia Regional Board 2025

Even though in-person encounter does the UEM Communion good and improves its work: Quite some meetings happen online today, like every second Asia Regional Board. Photo by: Ridho Simamora / UEM

“For our work, it is essential to be in touch with our member churches. This meeting brought us closer together to support each other”, says Rev Dr Dyah Ayu Krismawati, UEM Executive Secretary Asia.

United Evangelical Mission (UEM) operates in three regions: Asia, Africa and Europe. Once a year, a committee from each regional assembly meets to exchange about ongoing topics, the priorities of the UEM member churches and things that need to be adressed: The Regional Board.

This April 2025, the Asia Regional Board met online, bringing together representatives from Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines. Prior to the meeting itself, Youth and Women Advisory Groups met and shared on challenges and opportunities within their churches, as well as the progress of UEM programs in their sub-regions regarding Youth and Women. 

Youth and Women meet in Advisory Groups

The Women’s Advisory Group shared about an Online Meeting with UEM member churches in Indonesia that gathered 110 participants in June 2024 to discuss domestic violence. Member church GKE* shared about challenges faced by the Indigenous People of Kalimantan on their impending relocation to the New Capital City. While the progress of the city is generally welcomed, as it marks a shift away from Jakarta-centrism in Indonesia, indigenous peoples in and around GKE have expressed frustration over the lack of involvement in decision-making. Large-scale development is causing ecological destruction, which is affecting rivers, forests, and biodiversity. Here it is the commitment of UEM, GKE and the other member churches to stand alongside Kalimantan’s indigenous communities in their struggle.

The Youth Advisory Group also discussed recent developments and activities: Together with member church GKI-TP* and World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) Asia Pacific, the UEM organized a workshop in March 2025 in Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia about Climate Justice and Human Rights in Papua. Working on these two important topics is a longstanding tradition of UEM and GKI-TP, where for example lawyers are reimbursed for their additional expenses, if their clients are moved without notice from one detention center to another. In the Philippines, youth and members of UCCP* continue to face persecution, intimidation for their prophetic ministry. One example given during the meeting was an estimated 1,000 youth who actively participated in a fellowship that integrated a program for World Climate Action Day.

Regional Board: Sharing among churches

In the Board meeting itself, the main agenda was to provide members a platform and opportunity to share on their work and the development in theior own churches and regions as the main agenda. They also received information from the side of UEM office concerning joint programs, the fundraising campaign United Action, and many others. The Board also received results from the previously meeting Youth and Women groups, which will be forwarded into the General Assembly taking place in September 2025 in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Among the decisions taken by the Regional Board was to set the next Asia Regional Assembly, where all Asian member churches will send their delegates. It will be held in Sumatera, Indonesia, next February 2026, and will be hosted my member church HKBP*.

*GKE = Gereja Kalimantan Evangelis (Evangelical Church of Kalimantan)

*GKI-TP = Gereja Kristen Injili di Tanah Papua (Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua)

*UCCP = United Church of Christ in the Philippines

*HKBP = Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (Christian-Protestant Church of the Batak)