Overture 04-13. On Authorizing the Inclusion of a Fund to Combat HIV/AIDS and Diseases of Poverty in Africa in the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering—From the Presbytery of New Castle.

The Presbytery of New Castle overtures the 216th General Assembly (2004) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to authorize the inclusion of a new fund to combat HIV/AIDS and diseases of poverty in Africa in the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering for one-fourth (25 percent) of the total funds raised each year for five years beginning in 2005, and that these funds be utilized for education, prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other diseases of poverty in Africa by PC(USA) and partner church programs.

Rationale

The Presbytery of New Castle is aware that Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70 percent of the more than 43 million people in our world living with HIV/AIDS.

The Presbytery of New Castle believes that the devastating pandemic of HIV/AIDS in Africa is a defining moment for the PC(USA) and it confronts us with an urgent challenge and a great opportunity to display an increased level of financial commitment to the healing ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The 215th General Assembly (2003), responding to requests by our partners who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, and called by our God to participate in the fight against HIV/AIDS in new and creative ways, called on congregations to prepare HIV/AIDS Home Based Care Kits for our partners in Malawi. [See Resolution on Africa, approved by the 215th General Assembly (2003) (Minutes, 2003, Part I, pp. 590ff).]

The 214th General Assembly (2002) challenged the denomination, through its members, congregations, and presbyteries, to adopt the giving goal of 0.7 percent in support of the denomination’s international development programs, with an appreciable portion of this funding targeted for HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and care.

The 213th General Assembly (2001) designated the year 2002-2003 to be a year of Global AIDS Pandemic Awareness in the church (Minutes, 2001, Part I, p. 335). [See also Women and AIDS: A Global Crisis, approved by the 213th General Assembly (2001) (Minutes, 2001, Part I, pp. 336ff.)

At the PC(USA) sponsored consultation on HIV/AIDS in October 2002, church partners from the Congo, Malawi, South Africa, and elsewhere told the PC(USA) that the church in their countries is critically affected by HIV/AIDS, and called on us to join them in doing God’s work for the sake of the world God so loves, in the spirit of partnership between brothers and sisters who are most affected by the plague of HIV/AIDS and brothers and sisters who are least affected.