[bfsa] AIDS Awareness
Arlene Floyd
afloyd at ysu.edu
Mon Feb 28 10:06:37 EST 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2005
Contact: Rev. J. Dwayne Heard, Event Chairman
330. 740. 1982
Rev. Lewis W. Macklin II, Public Relations
330. 782. 8929
CLERGY GROUPS UNITE IN NATIONWIDE RESPONSE TO
AIDS CRISIS AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS
The area IMA & BPC organizations prepares for country's largest AIDS
Awareness Campaign targeting the African American and Hispanic Communities
<>Youngstown, Ohio - During the month of March the Interdenominational
Ministerial Alliance, the Baptist Pastors' Council and several
community-based organizations of the greater Youngstown area will
respond to the impact of HIV and AIDS in the city's African American
communities in the annual observance of Week of Prayer for the Healing
of HIV & AIDS in our community March 6 - 12, 2005.
A community worship service to kick off the week long events will be
held Sunday, March 6th at the Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church,
505 Parkcliffe Avenue. The service will begin at 6:00pm Other planned
activities will encourage area residents to get educated, get tested,
and get involved with HIV/AIDS as it continues to devastate Black
communities. Youngstown is one of more than several hundred cities
across the U.S. that will sponsor programs which call attention to the
problem and seek solutions to halt the epidemic. Initiatives planned
will include:
· PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS FOR CLERGY & LAITY
· YOUTH FORUM & SYMPOSIUM
· FREE ON-SITE HIV TESTING
· INFORMATION ON HIV/AIDS SERVICES
<>· SIMULTANEOUS PRAYER SERVICES
The response to the Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS
events grows every year. "The horrendous exposure of HIV/AIDS among
African Americans is growing and who seems to cares?" said Rev. Willie
Peterson, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance President "This is
the fundamental question that we are challenging our religious, civic
and political leadership as well as all African Americans today.
<>
The events specifically focus on educating African Americans on their
high rate of risk to this disease. In addition, the clergy groups are
calling on every Black religious leader to be a voice in this fight and
to make HIV/AIDS education and related issues a top priority within
their congregations and communities
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of
infection among African Americans has exploded over the past decade. As
reported in the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report (2002), Vol. 14, African
Americans accounted for the majority (54%) of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in
2002. According to Baptist Pastor's Council President, Rev. Lewis W.
Macklin II, "The best weapon in our arsenal against this epidemic is
prayer, under girded by ongoing community awareness, prevention and
education strategies." <>Since its inception, The Black Church Week of
Prayer for the Healing of AIDS has engaged Black Churches to become
centers for education, compassion and care in the fight against
HIV/AIDS. The organization encourages area churches to host educational
workshops, seminars, prayer vigils, or distribute information week
beyond the one week observance. Ministries are also encouraged to assist
getting high and low risk persons to consider taking the HIV test and to
render compassionate care and support to persons and their families
living with HIV.
Many churches in minority community have begun an appropriate response
to the AIDS epidemic. The annual event has resulted in the development
of several congregational-based HIV/AIDS programs in Youngstown. These
congregational programmatic responses range from consistent distribution
of brochures during Sunday Morning worship to full-scale direct service
programs. <>
This project is co-funded and sponsored by the Tri County AIDS
Foundation, The Youngtown Minority Coalition. and the Youngstown City
Health District. The coalition of organizations is strongly committed to
halting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the African American and Hispanic
Communities. All events are free and open to the general public. For
more information about Balm in Gilead's week of Prayer for the Healing
of HIV & AIDS or to find out how your church can get involved please
call 330-740-1982 or 330-782-8929.
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