Churches urged to mark World Aids Day

The head of the London Ecumenical Aids Trust is encouraging Christians to make use of an Asian worship service to mark World Aids Day on 1 December.

World Aids Day is traditionally marked around the world on 1 December each year, but churches may dedicate either the weekend before or after to the day.

Churches across the country will hold special services, events and prayer meetings to mark the day, which centres this year on the theme of ‘Stop Aids keep the promise’.

The Asian liturgy has been endorsed by the Christian Conference of Asia and highlights the fact that someone dies of an Aids-related illness every 15 seconds, often because of a lack of medicine.

The liturgy also challenges Christians to go beyond being passive observers of the global Aids pandemic.

“We have the scientific means to stop much of the dying from Aids-related illnesses, but we lack the will to do it,” it says. “This is a spiritual problem—not of those who contracted the disease, but of churches and societies.

“It is a problem that can be solved by leadership. Leadership from you and me, from our churches and our politicians.”

Rev Stephen Penrose, Methodist minister and director of the London Ecumenical Aids Trust said: “As the Director of the London Ecumenical Aids Trust and also as a Methodist Minister, I would commend this liturgy to be used around World Aids Day by our churches.

“I particularly like the sermon notes. They not only give the facts, setting them in a theological context, but hopefully will stir people into action.”

Christian charity hospital Mildmay is also encouraging congregations to “think, pray and respond” to Aids issues. Mildmay, which specialises in HIV and Aids care and training, has put together an Aids-themed worship booklet that churches can adapt for their services.

On the web:
www.mildmay.org.uk
www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.content&cmid=1523