Title: ELCA Council Recommends Church Commitment to Address HIV and AIDS ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 30, 2007
ELCA Council Recommends Church Commitment to Address HIV and AIDS 07-074-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt a resolution that commits the church to a "deeper engagement" in addressing the AIDS pandemic through development of a churchwide strategy for action in the coming decade.
The council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. It met here April 14-16. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-11.
The recommendation expressed the solidarity of the ELCA with all people living with HIV and AIDS, and with their families in the United States and throughout the world; called on the ELCA to consider a series of actions to express its engagement with HIV and AIDS; and conveyed the deep appreciation of the ELCA to members, congregations, professional leaders, and related agencies and institutions for their support of a variety of HIV and AIDS ministries.
The council asked the assembly to request the ELCA Church in Society and Global Mission program units to take the lead in developing a strategy to address HIV and AIDS. The council recommended that a strategy be brought to it for adoption in 2008 and that the strategy be reported to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly.
In addition, the council was told that new funds have been designated for the ELCA's response to HIV and AIDS.
"Out of the extraordinary support of the (ELCA) World Hunger Appeal, we were able to fully fund our (2006) hunger projects domestically and globally," said the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global Mission, in remarks to the council. Noting a "profound connection between hunger and HIV/AIDS response," Malpica Padilla said a churchwide interunit hunger staff team recommended $1 million of an ELCA World Hunger Appeal surplus to support the ELCA's response to HIV and AIDS. Half of the funds will support the churchwide strategy, and the remaining $500,000 will support the Lutheran World Federation's HIV/AIDS program for three years beginning in 2007, he said.
Malpica Padilla also noted that the ELCA has made "strong and valiant efforts" to address HIV and AIDS domestically and internationally. Since 1988 more than $18 million was allocated to support programs on HIV and AIDS education and prevention, palliative care, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and the care of orphans, he said.
The Rev. Joseph Crippen, council member, Northfield, Minn., and chair of the council's program and services committee, reported to the council that the assembly recommendation will help move the ELCA to a long-term effort on HIV and AIDS response.
"I am so proud of this church and what is in this resolution," said Faith A. Ashton, council member, Chapel Hill, N.C.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog