|
On Monday evening, December 1st, a very special event took place at Trinity: the annual World AIDS Day Service and Concert. Our Bishop, James Mathes, presided over the service, and welcomed an ecumenical gathering of people who came from throughout the County to commemorate this day.
Again this year, the North County gospel choir, Through the Storm, lent their incredible talents to the ritual. This year, their music was interwoven with the presentation of a special litany, entitled "Litany in the Time of HIV/AIDS". The power of the words of this litany, together with the power and beauty of the gospel music, was extraordinarily effecting.
Bishop Mathes delivered a very moving and inspiring sermon on how far we have come, yet how far we still have to go, to halt the devastation of AIDS throughout the world, particularly in Africa. He stressed our roles as Episcopalians and as Christians in addressing this problem, through the Millennium Development Goals and through direct action. Bishop Mathes also shared his own personal experiences with awaking to this issue, and his own loss of family to AIDS.
After the service, Trinity hosted a reception in the Parish Hall for the Bishop and the attendees. There were many who stayed after to share in the fellowship, and to share their thoughts and experiences as a community.
This was Trinity's fifth year to host this service in our Diocese, and it has come to have a special place in our hearts at Trinity. The offering taken at the service will be split between Trinity's mission to children in Uganda who have been orphaned by AIDS, and 'Mama's Kitchen', A San Diego organization that provides meals and services to AIDS patients in the North County.
|
