December 2008

Presiding Bishop’s World AIDS Day 2008 letter with online training announcement

In a letter (attached) for World AIDS Day 2008, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori encourages Episcopalians “to remember, pray, and work together to alleviate the suffering inflicted” by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and “to advocate for strong U.S. responses … by signing up for the Episcopal Public Policy Network at www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn.”

The PB’s letter also announces the launch of the HIV/AIDS Online Training Program by the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, (NEAC) the organization funded by The Episcopal Church that works with the Advocacy Center of The Episcopal Church Center at 815. The Online Training Program can be found at www.neac.org.

Resolution A134 (75th General Convention 2006): HIV Training. Directs the Office of Peace and Justice Ministries to develop an HIV training curriculum that is web-based and encourages diocese to have lay and ordained leadership complete training.

In response to A134, NEAC, the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition has created an online training program for The Episcopal Church. The training program consists of seven online quizzes designed to provide the people of The Episcopal Church with up-to-date educational information on HIV and AIDS. The official launch date is World AIDS Day 2008. Go to www.neac.org to take any or all of the quizzes or add yourself to the NEAC mailing list.

Also, in response to General Convention resolution A132, within the next few months, an interactive session will be added to the neac.org website to assist The Episcopal Church’ efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS stigma.

Resolution A132 (75th General Convention 2006): Eliminate HIV/AIDS Stigma. Urges church members to work to eliminate the stigma of HIV/AIDS. (summary)

Blessings on World AIDS Day.


PB’s World AIDS Day 2008 letter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The first day of December is marked as World AIDS Day, and has been observed since 1988. Episcopalians join billions of people around the world to remember the devastation caused by the AIDS pandemic over the past generation, and to recommit to ensuring a future without AIDS for generations still to come. As our church year begins, it is especially appropriate to remember, pray, and work together to alleviate the suffering inflicted by this disease and its consequences.

As Episcopalians, we understand that we are part of a body that has AIDS — both the Body of Christ and the larger body of the family of God. More than half of our worldwide Anglican Communion lives in countries destabilized by epidemic rates of HIV infection, including several dioceses of The Episcopal Church. Parish communities in the United States have been responding to HIV and AIDS for more than 25 years.

In the United States, this year’s commemoration comes in a moment of transition for American democracy. A new President and new Congress will shape this nation’s response to HIV/AIDS at home and around the world. Many significant challenges face America’s leaders in the coming years.

We must find ways to build on successes in fighting HIV and AIDS in the developing world. American leadership since 2003 has brought life-saving treatment to more than 1.7 million people in sub-Saharan Africa (in contrast to 50,000 in 2002), while supporting more than 33 million counseling and testing sessions and providing prevention services for nearly 13 million pregnant women. Still, more than 6,000 people continue to die each day as a result of the pandemic, and infection rates in some of the hardest-hit places continue to grow. Earlier this year, Congress and the President pledged significantly increased funding, and renewed strategies, for the global fight against AIDS. It will be up to the new Congress and Administration to keep the promises that have been made by their predecessors.

The incoming Administration of President-elect Obama is soliciting suggestions from citizens for national priorities in the year ahead at www.change.gov. I urge all Episcopalians living in the United States to ask President-elect Obama and his Administration to make the fight against AIDS at home and around the world a priority, even in difficult economic times. The security and well-being of the world depends on health and healing for all. You can join your voice with those of other Episcopalians who will take action in the months and years ahead to advocate for strong U.S. responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic by signing up for the Episcopal Public Policy Network at www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn.

I commend to Episcopalians the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, www.neac.org, a grassroots group that has been working in Episcopal communities for more than two decades to support caregivers, give guidance on prevention, and advocate for a more compassionate AIDS policy. In particular, I draw your attention to the online quiz NEAC has developed for Episcopal communities to commemorate this World AIDS Day.

Christians around the world marked the First Sunday of Advent yesterday as a season of hope and expectation, remembering that the “Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2). On this World AIDS Day, I pray that the God who tents with humanity will raise us up to work together to make the divine dream of healing and abundant life for all creation a reality — may your kingdom come, O Lord, and speedily.

Your servant in Christ,

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop
The Episcopal Church

(Download a PDF of this letter)