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For Immediate Release
Contact: Teresa Lyles Holmes
Email: tholmes@balmingilead.org
Phone: 212-730-7381
THE
BALM IN GILEAD LAUNCHES 14TH ANNUAL BLACK CHURCH WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE HEALING
OF AIDS
Gospel Artists
Mary Mary, Dr. Bobby Jones and Community Leaders Call Upon The Church and Gospel
Industry to Join AIDS fight in the Black Community
 New
York, NY)…February 7, 2003 -The Balm In Gilead kicked off its 14th annual
Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS today calling on religious
leaders, Gospel artists and national organizations to take the helm in the fight
against HIV/AIDS. The Week, which convenes Sunday March 2 through Saturday, March
8, 2003, calls upon the Black religious community's participation and highlights
the role that many Black churches are playing in addressing the AIDS crisis. The
Balm In Gilead also launched this year the first Black Church Week of Prayer for
the Healing of AIDS National Magazine, featuring stories that address HIV/AIDS
in the Black community including the elderly, women and teen populations.
"The participation of The Conference of Grand Masters, 100 Black Men of
America along with Gospel artists Mary Mary, Bobby Jones and Rev. Dr. Jeremiah
Wright as national partners for The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing
of AIDS, represents the coming together of the Black community to make a full
commitment to stop the out of control spread of AIDS in our community," says
Pernessa C. Seele, CEO and Founder The Balm In Gilead.
"I am very honored and proud to be a national spokesperson for The Balm In
Gilead's fourteenth annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS,"
says Bobby Jones. "I continue to stand tall, hand-in-hand joining my brothers
and sisters in the fight against HIV/AIDS."
"AIDS is devastating our community. The commitment to joining the fight
against AIDS is about saving lives," says Mary Mary's Erica Campbell. "We
as representatives of the Gospel community want to do our part to help save our
people and help educate our community on HIV and AIDS prevention. And, we hope
other members of the Gospel community will join us in this fight."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 1999, more African
Americans were reported with AIDS than any other racial/ethnic group. The rate
is more than 2 times greater than the rate for Hispanics and 8 times greater than
that for whites.
Since its inception in 1989, The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of
AIDS has become the nation's largest AIDS awareness campaign targeting the Black
community. In the past, churches recognized the Black Church Week of Prayer by
hosting AIDS workshops, distributing information, devoting a sermon or song to
those affected and infected by the virus.
To help churches participate in the Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing
of AIDS, The Balm In Gilead is distributing Church HIV/AIDS Resource Kits. Churches
are encouraged to call early and register their church for the Week of Prayer,
reserve their free information Resource Kit, or receive a copy of the premiere
issue of The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS Magazine.
The Balm In Gilead is the only organization in the United States dedicated exclusively
to empowering churches in the struggle against the devastation of HIV/AIDS in
the Black community. Last year the organization expanded its work to engage churches
to address HIV in Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya and South
Africa.
For more information about the Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of
AIDS or to receive your church's free information resource kit, call The Balm
In Gilead at (888) 225-6243 or click
here.
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