AIDS Foundation of Chicago

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago Releases HIV/AIDS Toolkit for Black Churches

Topics Include How to Form an HIV Ministry, Confront Homophobia

CHICAGO—In commemoration of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) is unveiling a set of tools and resources created specifically to help Black churches spark discussions about HIV/AIDS in their communities and with their congregants.

“By harnessing the power of the Black Church, we can reach community members who might not otherwise be willing or adequately equipped to talk about HIV/AIDS,” said Rev. Doris Green, AFC’s Director of Correctional Health and Community Affairs. “People of faith want to be involved and can make a world of difference. These tools can help more Black churches get involved.”

Participants in AFC’s multi-year project, called Faith in Prevention, helped develop the materials to expand the number of Black churches responding to HIV/AIDS with accurate and engaging messages. The group, comprised predominately of Christians, geared the toolkit to appeal to ministers and pastors with content that builds on core Christian teachings.

“The most effective tools to reach people of faith are those geared specifically for them,” said Johnathon Briggs, AFC communications director. “We have to leverage the cultural and political strength of Black churches to mobilize community members in the fight against HIV/AIDS.”

The toolkit includes a training manual to help churches form HIV/AIDS ministries, factsheets about HIV/AIDS, and tips on how to combat HIV-related stigma.

For example, a novel brochure, entitled “Is It Possible to Be Gay and Christian?,” directly addresses the barriers to effective HIV education and outreach created by homophobia.

“A huge challenge addressing HIV/AIDS in some Black churches is the silence and discrimination aimed at gay and bisexual men,” said Rev. Charles Straight, AFC Board Member and Assistant Pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church. “To effectively address HIV/AIDS in the Black community requires us to support and embrace men who have sex with men with accurate information, compassion, and a ministry of love—as inclusive as we embrace all others.”

While the newly released materials are geared specifically for Black Christians, AFC invites people of all faith traditions to collaborate on HIV/AIDS activities through a committee called Faith Responds to AIDS (FRA).

“Faith Responds to AIDS hopes the lessons from these materials will help all faith communities in their efforts to build HIV/AIDS ministries,” said Angela Wilson, chair of Faith Responds to AIDS, a committee of AFC’s Service Providers Council. “Since its inception, the committee has planned and developed local and national conferences, seminars, and workshops relevant to faith leaders. Everyone is encouraged to join us.”

“In more than two decades of developing effective HIV prevention messages, we have learned that the messenger matters,” said AFC President/CEO Mark Ishaug. “We are so grateful for the generosity of Black church leaders in helping us develop a set of tools that will appeal to church peers and hopefully engage congregations in an innovative way—with a message that combines accurate HIV education and faith.”

Download Materials (pdf)

Faith Responds to AIDS Training Manual:

Is It Possible To Be Gay and Christian?

Call To Commitment Liturgy

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