ELCA NEWS SERVICE
September 27, 2007
ELCA Hosts Consultation on HIV, AIDS
07-157-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) is in the process of developing a national church strategy
on HIV and AIDS. The church hosted a consultation on HIV and
AIDS here Sept. 7-9 that called together about 65 Lutherans from
the United States and overseas to help guide the church's work in
developing the strategy.
"Be attentive to the voices of those living with and
affected by HIV and AIDS. Together we will find the courage to
confront the continued marginalization and stigmatization that
impacts those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS," said the
Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, in a video greeting
to participants.
Hanson said participants should be imaginative in building
capacity to respond to challenges, find new ways to create
awareness and engage in accompaniment and advocacy. He
encouraged participants to continue their collaboration with one
another.
"We as religious people want to be involved on the ground as
centers giving health resources, and to participate in education
and advocacy," said Hanson. "Be prophetic in speaking truth that
not all have equal access to resources. This is a human rights
issue and HIV and AIDS cannot be separated from issues of wealth,
poverty and justice. This involves approbation, legislation and
education."
Special guests of the consultation included Lutherans from
Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, who
shared stories and experiences of their work surrounding HIV and
AIDS and offered the ELCA advice on issues and topics that a
strategy on HIV and AIDS might address. Representatives from the
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, Lutheran AIDS Network, UNAIDS, and
the Lutheran World Federation also attended the consultation.
The consultation served as a "listening post to hear voices
from around the world and to gather input for an ELCA churchwide
strategy on HIV and AIDS," according to Lita Brusick Johnson,
associate executive director, ELCA Global Mission.
The consultation was "an opportunity to take stock of what
we have been doing and see how we might engage more deeply and
comprehensively in the future, to move from a crisis-response
mode toward a more thoughtful campaign that would bring more
synergy between domestic and international aspects of the work,"
said Brusick Johnson.
Information, stories and advice offered at the consultation
were recorded and will be passed on to a writing team that will
articulate some possible recommendations for the church to
consider, said Josselyn N. Bennett, director for poverty
ministries, ELCA Church and Society. This process will lead to a
strategy on HIV and AIDS for the ELCA. "The strategy will be
brought to the ELCA Church Council for (consideration) in 2008
and reported to the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly," said Bennett.
The 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly called for the development
of the strategy.
- - -
Information about the ELCA's ministry on HIV and AIDS is at
http://www.ELCA.org/aids and the ELCA's message on AIDS is at
http://www.ELCA.org/socialstatements/aids on the church's Web
site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
