Kairos & Ambiguities

525,600 Minutes

    I had an awesome opportunity last night to take our HIV/AIDS Support group to see the opening night of "Rent" at the Beaned Theater in Pittsburgh.  It was an awesome experience and a great opportunity to get to talk with one another about things.

    This trip was really a blessing as the tickets were donated by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.  Rent is in some ways very sad, yet it points to the human longing for community that must be based on love.  That's really the meaning of the lyrics of Seasons of Love.

"525,600 minutes, 525,600 ;moments so dear.

525,600 minutes--how do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.

in inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In 525,600 minutes--how do you measure a year in the life?

How about love? How about love?  How about love?  Measure in love.  Seasons of love."

    The community built by Angel is good, but it is finite.  When I see a film or play like Rent, I remember that the only real and lasting love (and therefore community) is in Jesus Christ.  I am thankful to be part of such a wonderful community.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

Gifts Delivered

It is good to get back to the office to day and star wadding into the backlog of paper work on my desk.  Not a bad feeling though, as I finished delivering the gifts for the HIV/AIDS children yesterday.  I pray that they might experience a touch of the Spirit of Christ this Christmas.  Take a moment and say a prayer for them.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

Back in the Saddle

This week has really been one of recovering from the flu and then catching up on all the stuff piled up on the desk.  Fortunately it really only knocked me down two days with a temperature.  So sorry for the late blog.  Here is a list of some of the exciting things I should have blogged about this week.

1. HIV/AIDS DAY:  Here are a couple things to do (pray for those suffering, give to those hurting, hope for healing)
2. Deer Hunters:  They Believe in Jesus, But Their Religion is Hunting.
3. Black Friday Turned Out O.K:  But Giving is Down (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Phon-A-Thon & Mission Share in the Western PA Conference)
4. Partying with the HIV/AIDS Support Group:  The Spirit of Christmas, Strengthens the Human Spirit.
5. The Indiana District Christmas Party:  Jazz, Joy, and the Art of Choosing Chicken or Ham

6. Funeral For a Friend:  Peggy Curry Howard

Well, I am running out the door for the funeral and next week I will be delivering HIV/AIDS gifts to children dealing with HIV/AIDS.  I may get to write these, but it doesn't look good.  I hope it might have generated a laugh or a good thought.  Have a blessed Advent.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

NW AIDS Coalition Meeting October 2008

Today I went to the Northwest AIDS Coalition Meeting.  We service the 13 northwestern counties in Pennsylvania.  We reviewed our funding streams and organization.  It was an excellent review and Jeff Curtis did a great job representing the NW Alliance and Clarion University.

The 2008 CRSSP was presented and reviewed.  This is the main planning document produced by the Coalition and it is reviewed by the health department and used for providers of services.  Donna Woodman (from 1st UMC in Clarion) did a great job putting this together.

We also took some time to look at grant funidng for a "Network of Caring Churches."  This grant will be due in April/May time frame and we are hoping to put in a better application this year.

Take a moment and pray for those struggling with HIV/AIDs, it will make a difference.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

NW AIDS Coalition Meeting

Yesterday I was in Clarion for our NW AIDS Coalition Meeting.  The Coalition works with HIV/AIDS in the NW Rural Counties of Pennsylvania.  We also include the city of Erie.  There were two things that really struck me from yesterday's meeting.

First, we had some real frank discussions about the folks that we are serving in the area and how that demographic has changed over the past couple of years.  We seem to be dealing with more complicated issues instead of just dealing with HIV/AIDS.  Hard core drug abuse is growing in the area and the complications of mental health also continue to make treatment more difficult.  we will have to continue to work harder and smarter to find ways that reach these folks with healing power.

Second, we broke up into groups to examine how the Coalition Board is functioning and discover ways to improve it.  The groups were based upon years of service on the board.  I can hardly believe that I am finishing up my fifth year on this board.  It has been such a privilege to work with such dedicated people who sacrifice so much for the sake of others. 

Continue to pray for those dealing with HIV/AIDS around the world and especially here in Western Pennsylvania.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

Come What May

I celebrated yesterday, finishing up the Partners in Alliance Christmas Program for kids affected by HIV/AIDS.  We delivered 67 gifts to children in the Northwest Region of Pennsylvania.  I praise God for everyone who helped out with this project!  I pray that each one of them will feel the tender love and care of God this Christmas.

The case worker who helps me with this project gave me an Advent Calender Devotional.  It is entitled "Keep the Promise Advent in a Time of AIDS."  Yesterday's devotion really struck me as I prepared for tonight's Bible study where we will talk about atonement in ministry of Jesus Christ. (We are working through the Christian Believer series from Cokesbury).  It was written by Lene Bergset, who is a volunteer in an AIDS ministry and a theology student.

"God knows my pain.  Jesus' body has felt all the pain and embarrassment that any human has ever experienced.  Jesus carried all our disease, pain, and contempt.  Because of this He knows what this is all about.  He knows my feelings and He knows my heart.  He is raging when human dignity is injured.  That kind of rage can only be provoked by the strongest love there is--the rage that occurs when those we love are hurt or injured in any way."

"These words were spoken to me by a good friend while she was dying my tears.  She had just told me that she was living with AIDS.  Not too long ago, she left this world and entered another, but her words still conjure up the most powerful image of God that I know--the image of a God that knows all pain and loves us so much that we find strength in His rage, comfort in His understanding, and love to keep us safe come what may."

I guess all I can respond to that is with a scripture verse and an Amen.

Isaiah 53:4-5  "Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed."

Until next time...Grace & Peace

World AIDS Day

This is always a day for me to pause in awe and wonder.  Really it gives me pause to see how God's grace can work in and through us if we let it to make a difference.  Even when it seems like we are up against a such a strong great evil.  I really believe that is what God wants us to do on this day.  Here are a couple of things I have done today and perhaps you can join me in one or two of them while you are reading this:

1. Prayed for those suffering from this disease, that they might feel the presence of God with them today.
2. Prayed for those you are seeking a medical cure for this disease, that they might be guided by the Great Physician, Jesus Christ.
3. Read a book about AIDS Portraits of Women: A Positive Life Living with HIV.
4. Remembered friends who have died, and thanked God for their memories in my heart.
5. Prayed for the Christmas Gifts that I will help distribute through the Partners in Alliance Ministry over the next couple weeks.  Prayed for each child that will receive the gift and the family they are living in as well as those who have taken the time to purchase the gifts and make a difference in someone's life.
6. Prayed for the support group that meets here at Lakeside.
7. Made a gift to Partners in Alliance to continue its work against HIV/AIDS.

I was really excited to hear about the events that are taking place in Erie.  I have known Gretchen a long time and have watched her grow in the Lord since she was a youth in the Brookville area.  She is really on fire for God.  I rejoice that Pat Mollick and her might be a blessing to many in their service in this area.  I hope you will be praying with me for them.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

Partners in Alliance Board Meeting

This morning we had our annual board meeting for Partners in Alliance.  It is always good to get together and talk about this vital ministry in the area of HIV/AIDS.  Here were some of the highlights:

1. Sent hundreds of AIDS Bears as part of the "Bears that Care" program to HIV/AIDS Ministries in Hurricane Katrina's path.
2. Prepared for our Christmas Gift outreach program to over 60 children affected by HIV/AIDS.
3. Planned to gather blankets at the 2008 Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference to give to HIV/AIDS Clients.  We would develop a card to go with the blankets similar to the bears.
4. Celebrated our 501c3 status being extended after our five year probationary period as a new start-up.
5. And probably the most excitement was around the celebration of a new HIV/AIDS support group that we are sponsoring.  This group has provided wonderful ministry opportunities.

As I reflected on this meeting and the work that Partners in Alliance does, I am reminded what a blessing it is to be in ministry and the opportunities that come to share in work of the Kingdom of God.  Please say a prayer for those who suffer from this devastating disease.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

Individual & Group Values

Yesterday I had a meeting with the NW Aids Coalition.  Pennsylvania is divided up into five regions to deal with HIV/AIDS issues.  I am on the advisory board for the area that covers the 13 northwestern counties.  We discussed many things, but probably most interesting was our case study for the day.

The case study was a 23 year old female, who was in jail.  She had come from a middle class home.  Her mother had died when she was 13 years old.  This was a traumatic event that shattered her life.  She became addicted to her mother's narcotic pain pills, which led to drug addiction.  She was able to hide it and finish high school and 2 semesters of college.  Eventually she became a heroin addict and had her first encounter with the law, which led to her coming under case management.  Upon her release she was diagnosed with bi-polar/ADHD/OCD by the mental health community.  But these symptoms turned out to be from drug use.  This was finally discovered when she was pulled over for a DUI (no alcohol, drugs in her system).  She is now incarcerated and drying out.  The question was how do we address HIV/AIDS & this serious drug addition.

Most of the folks on the Coalition board are from state agencies.  What was revealed to me was all the treatment responses were individual in nature.  The person is treated in isolation of the context of the behaviors.  My observation was the need to develop communities with values of health.  Values of staying clean (like AA) and values of taking HIV medication (often when we tell young people the dangers of mixing alcohol and drugs with HIV drugs they skip the HIV drugs).  I hope that is the kind of community that is being developed in the support group that meets here at the church and my prayer is that these folks will be integrated into the community of life in the church.  There is power in community, especially in a community empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Not every case is this difficult, but the dynamics seem to be the same.  The church as a community of faith doesn't have the resources to make individual action plans for people suffering from HIV/AIDS complicated by drug addition (or any other challenging addictions).  The state agencies have resources for individual plans, but no community of context to help motivate value changes that support risky behavior changes.  I think that is why we need to work together.  I pray that God will show us the way.

Until next time...Grace & Peace

Tough Day in AIDS Support Group

Yesterday was a tough day for the AIDS Support Group that meets at Lakeside.  Debbie passed away.  She was 41 and loved horses.  Really she loved all animals (she had four dogs).  She was an artist and I got to see some of her drawings of the horses she loved.  She was very talented.

Debbie had a difficult time with her medication.  It just wouldn't stay down.  Sometimes there are a lot of side effects that make this so difficult.  It really is just a reminder how important it is to be consistent with the medication.

It was a blessing to share with the group in this time of grief.  It was a blessing to pray for them and Debbie's husband and family.  I guess I have trouble putting this in words, but it is wonderful to feel God's grace.  In this mystery, they thank me for my presence and what happens through Partners in Alliance, but in reality, I am so blessed by their courage and compassion for one another.  May God continue to bless them and guide them in these difficult circumstances.

Until next time...Grace & Peace