[bfsa] AIDS Awareness

[Arlene Floyd]

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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