Action Steps for World AIDS Day, December 1
Sign the Petition
Insist the United States remain a leader in this global initiative to fund HIV-AIDS interventions. Sign today!
What can I do?
The following suggestions come from HopeSprings, a faith-based non-profit organization based in Baltimore, MD. HopeSprings, working with a conglomeration of churches from the Baltimore region, exists to eradicate the spread of HIV/AIDS and its stigma and to provide hope and healing to those infected and affected by the virus.
- Host a training for your congregation on HIV/AIDS and the impact in your city;
- Hold a conference that brings together local service organizations and churches in your area;
- Hold a health fair and include testing and linkage to care services;
- Participate in the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS;
- Invite people that are HIV positive to speak to the congregation about Living Well with HIV and how we are all infected/affected;
- Hold a prayer meeting on a regular basis;
- Incorporate a prayer in your service on a monthly basis;
- Get involved with national seminars on HIV/AIDS;
- Get involved with the local/state Faith Based Community Initiative Office;
- Get involved with the local/State health department;
- Have your fine arts department create a service designed around the holistic ministry of Jesus – his healing work physically, mentally, socially and emotionally – and weave in HIV/AIDS;
- Have an education booth on a regular basis;
- Create an action plan for reaching those infected and affected by HIV; and
- Take a special offering for faith-based groups that are working in HIV.
Also…
- Get help in organizing a “Face AIDS” event
- Join PHEWA and the Presbyterian AIDS Network
- Join the National Observances Web Community
- Check out the World AIDS Day 2011 Packet
Worship Resources
Organizations
- Presbyterian AIDS Network (PAN)
- International AIDS Ministries, Presbyterian Church (USA)
- UNAIDS, a joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS
- AIDS.gov
- The United Church of Christ HIV & AIDS Network
- Lutheran AIDS Network
- National Catholic AIDS Network
- HopeSprings
Links,
It amazes me how much misinformation still abounds concerning HIV and aids. Like so many things, knowledge is key to its prevention and its survival. Next most important are the medicines to treat it and the means to avoid invection. As with so many things, God’s power is made manifest in the voices and prayers of His church’s people.