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Clergy who gathered Saturday in
Philadelphia at the Second Annual Faith Leaders and Community Summit heard
messages encouraging them to fight HIV/AIDS in their congregations. About 200
clergy and community activists attended the meeting hosted by Philadelphia
FIGHT and co-sponsored by Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity and the
city.
According to the city Department of
Public Health, 28,688 people in Philadelphia had been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS
through 2010. Nearly 1.3 percent of the population is living with HIV/AIDS. The
rate of new infections is much higher than the national average.
Mayor Nutter told the clergy that
“as faith leaders you have a unique, personal, and direct relationship with
your constituents.” He called their ability to communicate “far beyond anything
I can do as mayor,” and urged them to bring HIV/AIDS out of the shadows.
Former Mayor W. Wilson Goode gave
the keynote address and presented a plan of action: Get educated, preach about
it, and start an HIV/AIDS committee in the congregation.
The Rev. Jeffery A. Haskins, pastor
of the Unity Fellowship of Christ Church, talked about church issues with
homosexuality as well as women in the ministry, and HIV/AIDS. His theology is
geared toward acceptance of LGBT and heterosexual individuals. “We need to
talk,” he said. “We have a right to disagree, but we need to have compassion
and empathy.”
The Rev. Chris Kimmenez, pastor of
the Recovery Christian Center, agreed. “We'll throw the gay choir director out,
but allow the drummer who is sleeping with every woman in the church to stay,”
he said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
