When anti-retroviral drugs began prolonging lives of persons living with HIV/AIDS, many church AIDS ministries disappeared. Without the constant grim reminder of death, these groups could not sustain HIV/AIDS outreach.

A notable exception is Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Florida. For more than twenty years, this congregation has ministered to HIV individuals and their families within the congregation and throughout central Florida.

The ministry began in 1990 when Holy Trinity assistant rector, the Rev. Jim Wright, started a faith -based support group for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Encouraged by this support group five mothers who lost children to AIDS banded together to address the pandemic locally. Over the years, the AIDS ministry has sponsored community-wide educational conferences; helped establish Gainesville’s HIV/AIDS service agency, Gainesville Area AIDS Project (www.gaaponline.org); worked on HIV/AIDS issues in prison settings; promoted support meetings for families in crisis; addressed needs of local children living with AIDS; and faithfully celebrated World AIDS Day with liturgy and other activities.

On the Sunday prior to the 2010 World AIDS Day, an AIDS-themed liturgy was celebrated at Holy Trinity. The guest speaker emphasized remembrance as a way to honor those who died of AIDS. The sermon theme was strengthened by the presence of the Holy Trinity HIV/AIDS Quilt Panel that had been sent back to Gainesville by the Names Project. Dedicated in 1992, the panel names twenty persons associated with Holy Trinity who died of AIDS.

Following the service, members of the AIDS Ministries gathered at a nearby restaurant for fellowship. One member commented: “We have accomplished a lot in our time together. Now we need to devise new ways to address the changing face of HIV/AIDS in our community.” As she was speaking, other volunteers were organizing a Christmas party for fifteen children living with HIV at the Shands Childrens Hospital.
Through its AIDS ministry, Holy Trinity Church of Gainesville provides healing and hope to persons living with HIV/AIDS. For more information contact: Terry Fleming sfcctpf@aol.com.

Daniel Hoffman is a member of the board of directors for NEAC.