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Interview with Rev. Gordon Haynes – Nominee for Moderator

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Throughout the 2011 General Assembly, one word seemed to emerge over and over again: Vision. The Record asked the nominees for moderator of the 2012 assembly to introduce themselves and reflect on their visions for the future of the church…

Community News – February 2012

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Accessibility Standards Rise for Ontario Churches
Churches in Ontario must take another look at their customer service this year to ensure they meet provincial standards aimed at improving the ways organizations treat people with disabilities.
The “customer service” standards came into effect for non – profit organizations on Jan. 1, and are the first part of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act to be implemented. Additional standards for buildings, employment practices and other areas of concern will be crafted and phased in between 2012 and 2025.
Most churches (those that employ fewer than 20 people) are required to create a policy and train their staff and volunteers to thoughtfully and respectfully include people with disabilities. Churches and non – profit groups with more than 20 paid employees must also keep a log as they train their staff, and must provide the government with a report by Dec. 31.
To help Ontario churches, the Canadian Ministries office has created a resource, which includes a sample accessibility policy, available online at presbyterian.ca/resources/online/1841.
More information, and checklists and tool kits, are available through the Ministry of Community and Social Services at mcss.gov.on.ca. ¦ —CW

News – February 2012

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Interview with Rev. Gordon Haynes – Nominee for Moderator, by Connie Wardle

Community News – February 2012

Interview with Rev. Dr. John Vissers – Nominee for Moderator, by Connie Wardle

Interview with Rev. Dr. Andrew Johnston – Nominee for Moderator

Mission – (Re)Building Together, by Erin Woods

Letter from the Presbytery of Oak Ridges – Sharing the Good News, by Dr. Jeff Loach

The Other Six Days – The Good the Bad and the Everything, by Bradley Childs

Spotlight – Two Cape Breton Churches Burn Down, by Connie Wardle

Interview with Rev. John Borthwick – Nominee for Moderator, by Connie Wardle

World News – February 2012

Interview with Rev. Dr. John Vissers – Nominee for Moderator

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Interview with Rev. Dr. Andrew Johnston – Nominee for Moderator

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Mission – (Re)Building Together

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The new Beacan Presbyterian in the midst of construction. The congregation is an amalgamation success story.

This is a good news story.
In 2007, Knox Presbyterian Church in Cannington, Ont., was destroyed in a deliberately – set fire. A year later, the fire marshal told nearby Beaverton Presbyterian that they would have to close their 82 – year – old building or spend close to $1 million upgrading it.
Fortunately, the two congregations had already been discussing the possibility of an amalgamation since 2002.
“After the fire, everything sat dormant for a year,” said Rev. Barney Grace, who was the minister of the Beaverton church at the time. Then, in October of 2009, the two congregations officially came together. They met and worshipped in the Beaverton theatre for two years while a new church—dubbed Beacan Presbyterian—was being constructed on the former site of the unsafe Beaverton church.
When the new building was completed, congregants were invited by telephone for a surprise first service, a week before the official opening on Aug. 28, 2011. The following Sunday, then – moderator Rev. Herb Gale led a celebratory service that attracted more than 600 worshippers, including the mayor of Brock Township, several councillors, members of the community, and two music groups: Revelation, a praise band from Orillia, and the Ulster accordion band from Toronto.
Congregation member Jim Hughes describes the new church as “a modern building to serve the community and surrounding area.” At 12,600 square feet, it is fully accessible to those with mobility problems and boasts meeting rooms, a board room, a modern kitchen, a gymnasium that doubles as a banquet hall, and a youth centre.
The youth centre was an important part of the Beacan vision. The congregations included nearly 40 children and young adults when they were first amalgamated, and the number rose steadily during the construction process. In fact, it is still rising.
“Every week it’s busier than the week before,” said Grace. “There are new faces coming, especially young people with children.”
To address the needs of these young people, Beacan hired a youth pastor, Steve Pauls, who came to them from People’s Church in Toronto. The church runs a free after – school program four days a week that offers sports, tutoring and cooking classes to any young people who walk through the doors. There are also two evening youth groups: Just for You, which serves young people aged 10 to 13, and The Rock, which serves youth aged 14 to 20. One of the most important features of these groups, according to Hughes, is that the young people really want to come, and that they can experience “a church setting without it being ‘forced’ upon them.” It has led to “a marked increase … in families attending Sunday services—both adults and teenagers.”
Of course, Beacan’s community involvement doesn’t stop with youth. The church also hosts a Moms and Tots program, a monthly senior’s luncheon, and a seniors’ exercise program run by the Victorian Order of Nurses. In addition to Grace and Pauls, the staff includes Sylvia Pauls, who works part – time in women’s ministries, and Rev. Malcolm Rice, who served at Knox before the amalgamation and who now works part – time with seniors.
“Our hope is that we will continue to grow and make a spiritual impact on the community in a stronger, more vibrant, outreaching way,” said Grace. “That we won’t just be a service or a social club or a babysitter. That we will make a spiritual impact on the community.”
To achieve this, Beacan needs an army of volunteers. Unlike many churches, it draws those volunteers from both the congregation and the community. One day in October 2011, the Beaverton police station—which happens to be next door to the church—held a special evening dedicated entirely to processing the police checks of Beacan volunteers.
“Seeing all these people standing outside because they couldn’t all get in at the same time… it was a very proud moment,” Grace reflected.
Young as it is, Beacan already has a host of positive stories like the one above—so many that they might seem almost too good to be true to another congregation struggling with transition. How did these two churches negotiate change so smoothly?
Keeping the pastors of both former churches on staff helped. An open process of congregational meetings—both separate and joint—also ensured that every member knew his or her voice was being heard. Another factor is the physical building of Beacan, which honours the histories of both Knox, Cannington, and Beaverton.
“Both cornerstones are part of the foyer,” said Grace. “Each has pews from their own church in the foyer. There are memories from both histories.” Collaboration in the building process also helped every member take ownership of the project. “Both congregations went into the new building together, watching it and helping it to be built together.”
Church closures and amalgamations are becoming increasingly common in the Presbyterian Church, but the subject remains a difficult one for many people. Grace’s advice to others facing an amalgamation is, surprisingly, more practical than spiritual.
“Put all of the paperwork in order, no matter what the paperwork is, whether it’s financial or archives or anything. Put all of that in order before you actually do the amalgamation. You can’t leave things lingering on.”
Beacan has certainly left nothing “lingering on.” With every i dotted, every t crossed, and every police check processed, the church that emerged from tragedy and struggle is moving forward in a spirit of community and co – operation.
“We have people dropping by all the time saying, ‘What a beautiful church … what an addition to the community with a place for our youth to come,’” said Hughes. “There is no doubt that Beacan has a bright future.”

Letter from the Presbytery of Oak Ridges – Sharing the Good News

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In the Presbytery of Oak Ridges, we think of our congregations as being in the business of sharing the Good News in every way possible—and that’s precisely what we’ve been striving to do throughout the last few years.
Oak Ridges is one of the denomination’s newer presbyteries, created in 1993 as a gathering of congregations from the extremities of other presbyteries (including East Toronto, Pickering, West Toronto, Barrie and Brampton). It encompasses all of York Region in Ontario (north of Toronto), with small bits of Simcoe County and Peel Region included. There are 21 congregations within the bounds.
The communities within the presbytery are among the fastest growing in Canada, so there is no shortage of potential for growth! This is why it was a visionary act in the earlier days of the presbytery’s existence to create a Presbytery Growth Fund. The fund is accessible to congregations in Oak Ridges to assist with capital projects, with part of the amount repaid, and the rest granted. It has been a great help to several churches, with two deserving special mention.
Two of our fastest growing churches are in two of our fastest growing communities: Bradford and Keswick. Kirk and Allyson MacLeod sensed a call to begin a new work in Keswick several years ago; in 2009, the congregation realized a great dream when, in May of that year, its own building was completed and dedicated to the Lord’s work by the presbytery. In 2004, St. John’s, Bradford, completed a new building, and is already considering an expansion. This is a remarkable ‘God thing,’ considering Rev. Dan Scott was sent to Bradford to close the church back in the mid – 1990s; it had gotten so small, it had ceased to be viable. God is at work!
In 2011, the presbytery engaged in two never – previously – tried initiatives. In March, at the invitation of Rev. Peter Han, minister of Vaughan Community Church in the Presbytery of Han – Ca East, the Presbytery of Oak Ridges shared a fellowship meal and worship with the Korean presbytery, in Vaughan Community Church, which is within the bounds of Oak Ridges. Our time together felt like a taste of God’s eternal kingdom, where worship happens in many languages. We hope to reciprocate in the near future.
The other new initiative was a Day Apart. This was an educational and formational event open to clergy, elders, and worship leaders to hear Dr. Kevin Livingston, Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Tyndale Seminary, speak about worship and preaching in the season of Advent. We were pleased with the attendance for this first attempt, welcoming over 20 people representing several congregations on what was otherwise a busy Saturday in October. The presbytery budgeted for the cost of the event, so congregations were asked to make a donation to Presbyterian World Service and Development as their ‘admission fee.’ The response, even from those not able to attend, has encouraged us to have another Day Apart this year.
While the Presbytery of Oak Ridges is replete with towns seen as bedroom communities for those who work in Toronto, and where income levels are high, we have not forgotten those in need. The presbytery collects needful things for Evangel Hall, a Presbyterian outreach to the inner city of Toronto. And, guests are welcomed from local and national relief and development agencies as we look beyond our borders to offer the compassion of our Saviour as part of the Good News.

The Other Six Days – The Good the Bad and the Everything

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Canadian Music
The band Downhere was founded by Marc Martel and Jason Germain when they were roommates at Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, Sask. For a Canadian Christian band they’ve made a pretty good name for themselves, having released 11 albums, and winning 28 GMA Canada awards and four Junos. But they’ve recently become famous for something else. Martel recorded an audition tape for the role of Freddie Mercury in an upcoming “Queen Extravaganza” live touring band organized by Queen’s drummer, Roger Taylor. His version of Somebody to Love was watched on YouTube 3.5 million times its first week.
marcmartelmusic.com

Spotlight – Two Cape Breton Churches Burn Down

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East Lake Ainslie Presbyterian Church caught fire on Dec. 18th.

In the days leading up to Christmas, two historic churches in Cape Breton burned to the ground, leaving their small congregations to mourn their losses and discern their futures.
The 133 – year – old East Lake Ainslie Presbyterian Church caught fire the morning of Dec. 18, after its two – year – old furnace was turned on to warm the sanctuary. Volunteer firefighters were on the scene by 9 a.m., but flames poured out of the roof and the wood structure and all of its contents were beyond saving.
“It was like you were seeing it and it almost wasn’t real,” said Johnena MacLellan, clerk of session. “It’s so hard to explain. It’s like you didn’t believe it was really happening.”
Firefighters managed to save the nearby church hall, however, which was soon to host a Christmas meal.
Only eight days earlier, Victoria, Birch Grove, whose congregation was preparing to celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2012, was reduced to a blackened heap in the early hours of Dec. 10. That fire is thought to have been electrical, and likely began in the attic.
Officials are not considering either of the fires suspicious, and the towns are separated by a two and a half hour drive. No one was hurt in either case.
Rev. Lloyd Murdock, who preached at Victoria, said a few things survived the fire: the church’s bell, a plaque from the cornerstone, some silver cups, and one pew Bible that emerged from the ashes with only scorch marks. The congregation plans to donate the bell and plaque to a local museum.
“They [the congregants] have been through so much in life, they say ‘our building may be gone but our memory will live on with us,’” Murdock said the day after the congregation met to decide its future. “Thank heavens for memories. [Last night] they all spoke so highly of their previous ministers. We were a friendly, happy family. They were full of fun. It was a joy to be their minister.”
The members of the small, aging congregation plan to attend other churches now.
The congregation of East Lake Ainslie held a turkey dinner two days after their sanctuary was lost.
“That night we didn’t make any decisions,” said Rev. Louis Ihasz, the retired United Church minister who for the past five years has been filling the pulpits in the two – point charge of East Lake Ainslie and Farquharson Memorial, Middle River. “We thought it was too early and thought we’d give ourselves some time to do some mourning and crying.” But he said he sensed the congregation would like to rebuild.
“There has been a church there since 1833 and I thought it’s inconceivable that there would not be a Presbyterian congregation in that community.”
The building was the third to have stood on the site.
Ihasz said he had already been contacted with offers of support. St. Andrew’s in Lancaster, Ont., donated the money collected at their Christmas Eve service, which totaled about $2,400. Others have offered pulpits and church furniture, and a donated organ has been placed in the hall where the congregation of about 20 continues to worship.

Interview with Rev. John Borthwick – Nominee for Moderator

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World News – February 2012

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North Korea Worst for Christian Persecution
The international Christian organization Open Doors released its annual World Watch List in January, naming the 50 countries where it says Christians face the worst persecution. For the first time in 20 years, the situation for Christians did not improve in any country.
For the 10th year running, North Korea topped the list. Open Doors reported that Christianity has been driven so far underground in North Korea that parents wait until their children are old enough to understand the dangers of practicing their faith before teaching them about it. The organization also estimated that between 50,000 and 70,000 Christians are currently interned in labour camps.
The top five countries on the list also include Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Iran. The country where things have deteriorated most since the 2011 report is Nigeria. At least 300 Christians were killed last year and sectarian violence has intensified. On Christmas Day, more than 35 people were killed in bomb attacks on churches across the country.
Open Doors provides training for pastors and distributes Bibles in countries where Christianity is suppressed. It estimates that 100 million Christians worldwide face persecution. ¦ —ENI

Interview with Rev. Peter Bush – Nominee for Moderator

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Mission – Hope for Haiti

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A family from Léogâne, Haiti, in front of their new home after their previous home was destroyed in the earthquake.

The Haitian expression, Dèyè mon gen mon (“after this mountain, another mountain”) could come straight from the pages of Ecclesiastes with its weary wisdom, borne out of too little joy and too much suffering. When one considers that the name, Haiti means land of mountains, the expression only magnifies how troubled and difficult life can be in the poorest country in the Americas.
A trip to Haiti in September to visit some of the projects that Presbyterians in Canada generously supported after the earthquake, confronted me with the harsh reality that is life in Port – au – Prince. There were still many living in temporary shelters, much rubble yet to be cleared and an historically dysfunctional government. There are clearly no quick or short – term solutions to the many pre – and post – earthquake challenges facing Haitian society. But that is why we as Presbyterians are there. Not because the solutions are easy but because the challenges are great and the need clear. With our Haitian brothers and sisters we work and dream in the land of mountains, remembering the words of Psalm 121: “I look up to the mountains—from where does my help come? It comes from the Lord.”
Rebuilding homes is one of the many projects receiving support through PWS&D and it is inspiring in places like Léogâne—where an estimated 80 per cent of the town was damaged—to see families reclaim home and space. As the frame is assembled and the foundation poured, it is not uncommon to see many hands involved, including those of young children. The home that will support the family is first built by the family. A woman was asked if she would stand with her family for a photograph in front of her new home. She responded quickly, “Oh yes, please. My old home was humble, this is a palace.” That a solid wooden home with a tin roof could be referred to as a palace is a reminder of how little it can take to build a better world. Where I live, houses cost more than 500 times as much but rarely is the term “palace” used in my neighborhood.
In Haiti today, homes are being built, livelihoods reclaimed, access to safe water secured and those injured from the earthquake are learning how to move, live and work again. One region in the mountains of Léogâne now runs a program through our partner, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee that ensures every family gets three goats. The goats are later sold in a local market and replenished through the community ‘goat bank.’ To support this project, locals have also been trained as first aid veterinarians to ensure the health and welfare of the animals. The knowledge of animal husbandry that is shared and remains in the village is as important and valuable as the goats themselves.
This work is not nearly enough in the face of so much adversity, so many mountains. But our support and the amazing work of our partners is a little salt, a little light and that is a start. Another ancient but lesser known name for Haiti and the Dominican Republic that share one island is, Kiskeya. It means the cradle of life. Such a name speaks of the beauty, hope and potential that is possible. May our prayers and support join that dream and desire for Haiti to be Kiskeya again.

Read more on Mission – Hope for Haiti…

World News – January 2012

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A member of the Psalm 100 Christian church, wearing clothes representing an angel, demonstrates against violence in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, last September.

Teens Bring Message to Murderers in Mexico
Angels are not a common sight in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico’s most violent border city, where the public cemetery is putrid and overflowing, and where a handful of churches worship the skeletal saint of death, Santa Muerte.
But at crime scenes and busy corners recently, more than a dozen angels have appeared—10 feet tall, with white robes and feathered wings. That these angels are mostly teenagers from a tiny evangelical church makes their presence no less striking: they carry signs to murder scenes that say, “murderers repent.”
“It’s incredible, one of the most spectacular things I’ve seen,” said Jesús Nuñez, director of a local social service agency. “It’s dangerous, but they keep doing it.”
Marches against violence are more common here … perhaps because this city has so much experience with tragedy. The killings of dozens of women who worked in factories here over a decade ago even predated the rash of drug – war violence that intensified in 2006.
The Messenger Angels got started last year, after conversations at a church on the city’s outskirts, Psalm 100. Carlos Mayorga, 33, a leader of the group, said the church’s young people had become frustrated with the violence and wanted to do something hard to miss. So they asked for donations of old curtains that became angelic robes, raised money for makeup and collected feathers for wings.
Then they made signs that speak to criminals and corrupted officials. “We wanted to prick the consciences of the people who have caused this city so much pain,” said Mayorga.
Early on, the angels focused on busy intersections. Later, they started going to crime scenes, where their messages were often greeted with odd stares, and occasionally tears. They have also set up at prosecutors’ offices and police stations.
Mayorga said he hopes that somehow, eventually, they will help bring peace. “The idea is to keep going,” he said. “We have to.” ¦ —Damien Cave, The New York Times

Read more on World News – January 2012…

News – January 2012

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Mission – Hope for Haiti, by Derek Macleod

World News – January 2012

Community – Sanctuary Off Limits, by Amy MacLachlan

Letter From the Presbytery of Seaway-Glengarry – Don’t Close the Doors!, by Donna McIlveen and Mark Tremblay

Spotlight – Faith Leaders Tackle Stigma Associated with HIV, by Connie Wardle

The Other Six Days – FUN, FUN, FUN, by Bradley Childs

Community News – January 2012

Community – Sanctuary Off Limits

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When the Presbytery of Ottawa locked the doors to the sanctuary at St. Giles, Ottawa, to “discipline” the warring congregation, the secular press jumped on the unique measure, saying the congregation had been “sent to its room,” forcing the faithful to worship in the church basement.
But they missed out on the main story: That those worship services now held in the church hall—or, yes, the basement—are filled with laughter, fellowship, and honest discussion about what lies ahead. St. Giles members aren’t mourning their temporary loss; rather, they are discovering and welcoming new voices to the table, and talking about how great things might be.
“There is a genuine excitement, a real lightness of being right now, and it’s catching,” said interim moderator, Rev. Wayne Menard. “We have a Sunday school for the first time in years. We have university students who come on a regular basis. Leadership has popped up. The elders who remained on session who had been silenced are now speaking, and what a wonderful sound!”
The root of the divisions is not unique in congregations across the church: that of tradition vs. change.
The most recent arguments were seemingly buoyed by the arrival of Rev. Ruth Houtby in 2006, who had a community – building leadership style that was, according to Menard, “very different” from the male ministers the congregation had called in the past.
A group of four long – serving elders complained loudly to presbytery, even managing to get other members on their side. Presbytery ruled their complaints unfounded.
Houtby eventually left St. Giles, and following other interim solutions and various committee reports, Menard arrived on May 1, 2011. It wasn’t long before the same group of elders complained about him.
Presbytery stood fast in their decision to station Menard at St. Giles. He is also a chaplain at nearby Carleton University.
“There was a group within the congregation who had lost their voice,” said Menard. “And there was a small contingent of session who held all the power. The fuss came when they were told they could no longer hold that power.
“Some of the eldership had ceased to be the church for others. They were the church for themselves, and it just wasn’t working.”
When the congregation still couldn’t get along, presbytery decided “with profound regret” to make the sanctuary off limits—a powerful symbol showing the congregation that the church is not its building. A closing worship service was held Nov. 20, and presbytery hopes to hold a celebratory re – opening worship once members prove they’re ready to move back in.
“One of the deepest divisions has been over the sanctuary, and what it should be like,” said Rev. James T. Hurd, presbytery clerk. “[T]he sanctuary was not a place of refuge and worship, but a place of argument … So presbytery decided they need a period of time during which we pray fervently that healing and reconciliation will take place.”
One of the elders was removed by presbytery, and others have stepped back. Assessor elders and a support committee have been appointed.
About 50 people attend the breakfast and cosy worship now being held in the church hall—the first of which was on the first Sunday of Advent.
“The irony is, that the very things Ruth was criticized and chastised for are now being realized in worship,” said Menard. “Ruth is still a beloved minister of the church and of this congregation, and we’re honouring her by doing exactly what she wanted us to do.
“The future looks brighter and brighter with each Advent candle lit and each face that returns,” said Sharon Stewart, an elder for 10 years. “I believe that those who wish to worship together will be there and those who cannot will hopefully and prayerfully find a place where they will be comforted.”
“I think there is a message here and it is this: When the liberating Spirit of Christ in his church is allowed some freedom, anything can happen,” said Menard.

Letter From the Presbytery of Seaway-Glengarry – Don’t Close the Doors!

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For some time now, we have been struggling to come to grips with the apocalyptic predictions of post – modernity in the late 20th century. We have heard that religion is on the way out! Churches are dying and closing; this is a coming of age for humanity who has finally discovered that it doesn’t need God! But we also hear, as Harvey Cox says in The Future of Faith that there is an “unanticipated resurgence of religion in both public and private life.” This observation is from around the globe. Can it be so for the people along the shores of the mighty St. Lawrence River, to the rolling hills of Glengarry, and all the points in between?
We hear the cries from congregations who strive to be alive and thriving. They don’t want to turn their backs on the faithful who over the years strived tirelessly to bring the faith to their communities. What they want is to build on the commitment demonstrated over the years, and continue the journey, growing in faith, embracing and serving God in all of life. They want to move forward, “accenting spiritual experience, discipleship and hope,” according to Cox. They want the institution of the church to take a back seat to the moving forward of the Spirit.
But how do we create a movement out of an institution?
Two congregations at the western end of the presbytery have not yet found the answer to that question; but, they have been trying to find it and we share their story with you. The Church of the Covenant in Lansdowne has discussed its future many times over the past few years. Convinced that it still has something to offer, it is working to discover its place in the community. Recently, the congregation decided to put an advertisement in a local paper asking people to participate in an online survey of seven questions. The congregation also decided to send out a letter with a paper copy of the survey to select professionals within the community. The questions were simple: Do you think the church still has a place in the community? If so, what? Would you be willing to participate in a church – based community program? If you do not already attend church, would you consider attending the Church of the Covenant? The congregation even offered a night’s stay at Kingston’s Four – Points Sheraton as a lure.
The responses confirmed what we have been reading in the literature and already knew. Over half of our respondents were in the 30–39 age range—not a demographic currently worshipping in the church. Unanimously, respondents felt that the church still has a place in the community. And while none were willing to come to our church, most said they would participate in a church – based community program! Being part of the community means more than simply having a building in the community, and our challenge is to discern in which part of the community we can become active.
Some 20 km east of Lansdowne sits a modest church building on the Caintown Road—the last country church of its kind in the area. A recognition of the need for community and each other drives the many ways the members of St. Paul’s express their faith in the wider community. Responding to requests from many years of singing at community events, the choir recorded their first CD in 2010 and it sold out within weeks. Cheered on by its success, they recorded a Christmas CD in 2011. The church dinners, held in the Community Hall because the church does not have running water, are well supported by the community, and the yearly Advent concert in the church is a standing room – only event as the choir and local musicians provide great entertainment. Recently, the session of St. Paul’s partnered with a financial company in Kingston and hosted an estate planning evening.
Space does not permit a longer sharing of the hope demonstrated by these two congregations and their willingness to move forward and away from fear. We are encouraged by their openness to the Spirit and we pray that the work will continue. They have shown us that we need not be limited in the ways we model faith in the community. With God’s help, these two congregations—and many more—will continue the journey, moving forward and out into the community, sharing the news that the body of Christ still has a heartbeat. Don’t close the doors yet!

Spotlight – Faith Leaders Tackle Stigma Associated with HIV

web admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:19 +0000

Faith leaders gathered at the Presbyterian Church’s national offices to renew their commitments to address HIV/AIDS.

Faith leaders from across the globe gathered at the church’s national offices in Toronto to examine their responses to HIV and AIDS as the international effort to end the epidemic seems to be teetering on the verge of continued success or a backslide.
The three – day November gathering was a follow – up to an international summit held March 2010 in the Netherlands, which aimed to increase collaboration among high – level faith leaders as they responded to HIV and AIDS. In addition to producing a statement, the multi – faith group crafted a pledge of personal commitment requiring signatories to be accountable to each other in their own responses to HIV, and to report back every 18 months beginning in Nov. 2011. The summit and follow – up meeting were organized by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, which represents 80 faith groups worldwide.
The meeting brought hopeful news about the effort to end the epidemic, and generated renewed commitment to ongoing struggles against stigma.
“The good news is that new infections and deaths are decreasing,” Sally Smith, program advisor with the United Nations’ AIDS department, told the Record. “We have a wide package of prevention measures that are effective. We’ve also discovered this year that treatment is highly effective as a form of prevention.”
HIV – positive people who take antiretroviral medication to suppress the virus are 96 per cent less likely to transmit the infection to an uninfected partner according to results of a medical study released in 2011 by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
With an additional push in its response, the world could see significant reductions in the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, according to Peter Prove, executive director of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance. Yet global financial support seems to be falling.
The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced in November it would cancel its 11th round of funding due to a shortage of funds, meaning services currently financed will continue but it will offer no new funds to scale up the response until at least 2014.
“Despite the quite positive recommitment at the political level by the international community as expressed in New York in June [at the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS, which crafted ambitious targets to be achieved by 2015], the reality is that we see a continuing and rather serious drift in financial support for those political commitments,” Prove said. “So at this moment, at this precise moment when we suddenly have the means of addressing HIV from a scientific and medical point of view—we have the means within our hands of ending HIV—at that precise moment the funding stops. And we put at risk all the gains, which are significant, that have been made.”
According to a report released by UNAIDS for World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, more people are able to access treatment for HIV and as a result fewer are dying of causes related to AIDS. Of the 14.2 million people eligible for antiretroviral medication in low – and middle – income countries, almost 50 per cent (6.6 million) were accessing it in 2010. An estimated 2.5 million deaths have been averted in these countries since 1995.
This also means there are more people than ever living with HIV—an estimated 34 million worldwide. Many of them face stigma and discrimination because of their status, and must deal with misconceptions about the virus.
Swami Techer Advayananda, a Hindu monk from Arsha Vidya Ashram in Reunion Island, said he kept his HIV – positive status a secret from everyone except his family for 18 years. But two years ago he decided to proclaim it publically, so as a religious leader he could better help others.
“There is so much stigma, so much misunderstanding, so much ignorance also about HIV everywhere in the world,” he told the Record. “And sometimes having a religious man or woman who knows directly what it is to have HIV may be able to offer counseling or advice, and would be heard.”
But his own faith community has not always shared his view.
“I noticed that I used to be invited to temples in Reunion, and the doors closed. So there was no more inviting me. I understood. But at the same time, doors of big international organizations opened widely for me.”
Other faith communities have felt the issue of HIV and AIDS did not affect them, since it was often associated with people who were rarely seen in a church pew: drug users, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.
Bishop Gerry Seale, executive general of the Evangelical Association of the Caribbean, did a survey of church – going young people (mostly between 12 and 20), first in his native Barbados and then in other Caribbean countries, to find out how many knew they were already HIV – positive. The reported rates among young people in the church proved to be comparable to or higher than the national prevalence rates.
“That has opened the door for me to have a much greater dialogue with the church leadership about sexuality, about HIV and about the issues around HIV. … We need to move our community from [thinking about] ‘them’ out there somewhere who have HIV to ‘us’ in here.”
“Giving a sermon to a person who is already positive is not going to cure him,” said Prof. Akhtarul Wasey of Zakir Husain Institute of Islamic Studies in New Delhi, India. “He needs an attitude of compassion, care and consideration. He needs medicine. There’s the basic thing.”

The Other Six Days – FUN, FUN, FUN

web admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:18 +0000

TOYS
Isaac Bros. Bobbleheads hasn’t been around that long but I hope they have a good future ahead of them. Citing Genesis 21:6, “God has brought me laughter and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me” as their battle cry, Isaac Bros. gives us some truly wonderful little toys. The company produces a vast array of silly Bible bobbleheads including Moses, Noah, Esther, Samson, Daniel and my personal favourite, John the Baptist. Now it’s true some might find these kinds of toys offensive and hey, everybody has a different since of humour, but what’s best about this company is that they really mean to bring the Bible to life. Each bobblehead comes with a foldout comic that illustrates the life of these Bible heroes. In the end, they hope to make collecting Bible – based toys as popular as collecting athletic cards.
isaacbros.com

Community News – January 2012

web admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:09 +0000

Known to locals as "the pink church", St Andrews Presbyterian in Hamilton, Bermuda is a charge within the Presbyterian Church in Canada and is a part of the presbytery of West Toronto.