Greetings, Friends!!
This Sunday, December 1, is rich with significance this year! We celebrate the First Sunday of Advent, New Year’s Day 
for the church!! But that’s not all: this year, our celebration of First Advent shares the date with World AIDS Day. It seems somehow fitting that as we move into the darkest time of the year and look expectantly for the light of Christ to be born for us at Christmas, we share in the darkness of suffering faced by those struggling with this devastating diagnosis. How might we bring light to these brothers and sisters of ours? How can we bring Christ’s healing love to them?
While there are some resolutions from last year’s General Convention that discuss the issue of HIV/AIDS, we are going to save those for later. For now, we just want to share some resources that might help all of us mark this date in our congregations.
As Episcopalians, you may recall that our Church has supported the Millennium Development Goals, one of which addresses this concern. Remember that the goal is to reach these milestones by 2015!
Goal #6 – To Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
- Challange: One million people die each year from malaria — an easily preventable disease. 14,000 new HIV/AIDS infections are diagnosed every day.
- Target: Stop the spread of these diseases and see a decline in death rates.
- http://www.un.org/en/events/aidsday/
From Episcopal Relief and Development:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/episcopal-relief-development
This year’s theme for World AIDS Day is “Shared Responsibility: Strengthening Results for an AIDS-Free Generation.” You may find more information about this year’s commemoration at:
http://aids.gov/news-and-events/awareness-days/world-aids-day/
Last year, our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Katharine Jeffert Schori and the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Rev Mark S Hanso, issued a joint letter for World AIDS Day that you can find here:
And, finally, a Collect and Prayers of the People that may be incorporated into your service:
A Collect for World AIDS Day
Loving God, You provide comfort and hope to those who suffer. Be present with all HIV positive persons and their families in this and every land, that they may be strengthened in their search for health, wholeness and abundant living, through Christ our Companion. Amen.
Prayers of the People on World AIDS Day
Holy Friend and Comforter: On this World AIDS Day we remember especially the thirty three million persons now living with HIV in all nations. Be with them, we pray. Lord, hear our prayer. Lead our government and the governments of all countries to protect and promote the rights of HIV positive persons to treatment, health and stigma-free living.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Be with groups and organizations that respond faithfully and with sacrifice to the daily needs of HIV positive persons for food, housing, health care and employment. [We remember especially _________________________.]
Lord, hear our prayer.
Guide all organizations that advocate HIV/AIDS prevention through education and outreach that they may be successful in their efforts especially among at-risk populations and among those with health disparities. [We remember especially__________________.]
Lord, hear our prayer.
Inspire and encourage the men and woman who spend their lives researching treatments and possible cures for HIV/AIDS.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Receive all who have died of AIDS and give them healing peace in your eternal presence. [We remember especially ___________________.]
Caring God, you have promised “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b). It is with this calm assurance, believing that your Kingdom will come, that we offer our prayers to you this day through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Liturgical resources for World AIDS Day 2009 prepared by Br. Daniel-Chad Hoffman, CTG, for use by the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition (NEAC)
As we ponder the hope that is inherent in Advent, may we take this Sunday to remember those suffering with HIV/AIDS and commit to learning how we can impact the future so that one day we can celebrate an “AIDS-free generation!
~Judith Schellhammer, chair, Resolution Review Committee, Diocesan Council
Thanks for the resources, Judith! You always make it incredibly easy for us to include them in our worship services!