wfn.org | UCC Synod calls for comprehensive HIV prevention in church and community

[Barb Powell <PowellB@ucc.org>]

>Contact:      Michael Schuenemeyer

>Executive Director

>UCAN, Inc.

>Phone: 216-736-3217 or 216-570-7767

>E-Mail: schuenem@ucc.org

>Tuesday, July 14, 2009
>Cleveland, Ohio

The 27th General Synod of the United Church of Christ calls for comprehensi ve HIV prevention in church and community

The 27th General Synod of the United Church of Christ called the whole deno mination to significant engagement in HIV prevention when it overwhelmingly  approved the resolution, "Calling for Comprehensive HIV Prevention in Chur ch and Community" at their meetings last week in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The resolution grounds the action in the call to follow the teachings and e xample of Jesus' life and ministry, and urges both church and community to  a new and higher level of HIV awareness, competency and service.  It calls  on all clergy and lay persons in all settings of the United Church of Chris t to: become knowledgeable about HIV and AIDS; understand how HIV is transm itted and work to prevent infection.  It challenges the church to reduce st igma and discrimination, and to work to increase HIV competency throughout  the faith community.  The resolution also strongly urges everyone in the Un ited Church of Christ to know their HIV status, and calls on all settings o f the church, particularly the local church, to develop and implement best  practice comprehensive HIV prevention programs with particular attention to  vulnerable groups and at risk populations.

UCAN, Inc., the United Church of Christ HIV & AIDS Network, which helped to  author the resolution, is charged with the responsibility to implement the  resolution in collaboration with Wider Church Ministries, and to make prog ress reports to the next 3 General Synods. UCAN, Inc. has already been work ing to provide the needed resources and assistance local churches, pastors  and others for comprehensive HIV prevention.

In testimony supporting the resolution, Oliver W. Martin, III, President of  UCAN, Inc., told delegates, "Every 9 ? minutes, someone's brother, mother,  sister, father, or neighbor is infected with HIV."  He added, "Since the a dvent of anti-retroviral drugs, there has been a growing complacency among  the public, including the church, regarding the severity of the virus.  Thi s has been accompanied by the misperception of HIV as a chronic disease, ma nageable with anti-retroviral drug therapies."

In a poignant demonstration of the response called for in the resolution, M artin said that with 33 million people infected with HIV on planet earth, e veryone on the planet is living with HIV.  He then asked everyone living wi th HIV to stand up in response and the whole room stood.  He told them, "Th is is the level of response that is required if we are going to stop the sp read of HIV and provide the care and support everyone needs."

To read the resolution, go to: www.ucc.org/health/hivaids/uccpolicy.html.

The General Synod of the United Church of Christ is the national representa tive body of the denomination and is composed of about 900 delegates.  The  delegates are local church members who come from the UCC's 38 Conferences a nd the Boards of the national Covenanted Ministries.
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