October 1997

72nd General Convention Supports AIDS Issues, But Grants No New Funding

by Susan Erdey

NEAC at the Heart of AIDS and General Convention

PHILADELPHIA, PA — As the 72nd General Convention of the Episcopal Church began in historic Philadelphia, the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition (NEAC) was once again was at the center of activity.

Dozens of members of NEAC’s staff, board, and volunteer corps were visible throughout the Convention Center, in the committee hearings and legislative sessions, and at the NEAC booth in the exhibit hall. The familiar red ribbons of past years had a new look: NEAC’s triennial theme, “NEAC at the heart of AIDS,” prompted a variation in the classic loop that incorporated a heart. Bishops, deputies, and visitors alike wore the buttons proudly.

NEAC Volunteers under the direction of Harriet Langfeldt, NEAC vice president, and Todd Ferguson, NEAC intern at the General Convention Booth.

NEAC Volunteers under the direction of Harriet Langfeldt, NEAC vice president, and Todd Ferguson, NEAC intern at the General Convention Booth.

NEAC’s booth in the exhibit hall kept AIDS in the forefront of attendees’ hearts and minds with its display of panels from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. As one of the tallest displays in the hall, the Quilt was a visual landmark and a constant reminder of the thousands of Americans who have died in the years of the pandemic. New panels were displayed every few days.

Quilt panels were also being displayed at the Domestic and Foreign Mission Society’s booth, which also boasted photographs of NEAC board member Tony Hinds and of the October 1996 Quilt display on the Mall in Washington, DC.

NEAC supported several pieces of legislation put forth by the Commission on HIV/AIDS, including a resolution that names the linkage between racism and the spread of HIV/AIDS, and called for the Commission to undertake a three-year listening process with communities of color. At the end of this process, the Commission was to bring back concrete programmatic initiatives that will be designed by the people in the communities to be served.

The picture, the mom and the subject: Todd Ferguson, NEAC intern, Ted Karpf, the Reverend Richard Younge, Mrs. Hinds, and Tony Hinds, NEAC Board member at the NEAC Booth in Philadelphia.

The picture, the mom and the subject: Todd Ferguson, NEAC intern, Ted Karpf, the Reverend Richard Younge, Mrs. Hinds, and Tony Hinds, NEAC Board member at the NEAC Booth in Philadelphia.

NEAC led the initiative for the reconsideration of Florence Nightingale for inclusion in Lesser Feasts and Fasts and for her addition to the Church’s commemorative calendar of saints. Nightingale’s inclusion was rejected on a second reading at the 1994 General Convention, based on inaccurate information submitted concerning her life, death, and Christian commitment. Since 1994, additional research reveals more fully her service to humanity and her appropriateness as a model for all those who minister and those who suffer from debilitating illness.

In lieu of a printed daily NEACtion Report, NEAC took advantage of the best in electronic communications technology to publicize all daily updates and events on its World Wide Web site (www.neac.org) and via ECUNET, the ecumenical on-line service. Users who subscribe to ECUNET may access the NEAC reports by joining the NATIONAL EPISCOPAL AIDS COALTN meeting or the NEAC AT GC 97 meeting. Updates were posted daily.

NEAC’s web site was redesigned especially for General Convention. Nearly 1500 users visited the site during the 10 day run of Convention. Users reported finding its links helpful and easy to use. All reports to the Convention including the Triennial Report, AIDS and the Common Cup, the Parish Quilt Project “Bringing our Names Home,” and the Florence Nightingale brochures are located on NEAC’s home page.