Center for the Church and Global Aids Archive
Contents:
AIDS Breakfast
2011 Hero
Awards
A Hike to Heal
News
Remembering Paula Murphy
Historic Highlights
AIDS Breakfast:
EYE CLINIC IN INDIA SPONSORED
by persons at the AIDS Prayer Breakfast
A $1,000 challenge gift was matched
By $2,891 in donations.
BISHOP FRITZ AND ETTA MAE MUTTI spoke:
"Dancing in A Wheelchair: Losing Two Sons to AIDS"
St. Andrew UMC, Highlands Ranch, Co.
REV. VALERIE JACKSON was honored as the Inaugural recipient of the
Paul and Paula Murphy Human Sexuality Award
ROBERT FOLEY described HIV/AIDS challenges among Native
Americans
THERESA MARCHETTA, EMCEE
7 NEWS ANCHOR & CALL 7 INVESTIGATOR
2011 Hero
Center volunteer Jay Patterson has been named "2011 Hero" by the
Board of Directors of the Center for the Church and Global AIDS.
Jay and her husband, Dennis, completed a 2,000 mile bike ride from
Seaside, Oregon, to La Veta, Colorado, with the purpose of raising
$20,000 to support the operating costs of the free Women and
Children's AIDS Center in rural Namakkal, India.
Jay, who has traveled to India and knows the needs and plight of the
impoverished women and children living with HIV, began the journey
shortly after neck surgery. She reports, "It was a great experience,
although a little disappointing with not the mileage I wanted, but
started out only able to ride about 15 miles a day and ended up being
able to ride 60 a day. I lost a total of of a week of riding with all my
bicycle breakdowns. I can't believe that several days of the trip I was
riding with one bolt in my seat and about zero brakes! Luckily the bike
and myself made it to the end in one piece."
In addition to the bike ride, Jay organizes a 9-hole "Swinging at AIDS"
golf tournament in Kansas.
Center Director, Donald E. Messer, noted that "the Patterson's are
extraordinary people whose compassion and caring know no
boundaries."
Gifts to help support this effort can be send to the Center: 7185 South
Niagara Center, Centennial, Colorado 80112
Awards
DR. DONALD E. MESSER HONORED WITH GLOBAL AIDS LEADERSHIP
AWARD
Rev. Dr. Donald E. Messer received an inaugural United Methodist
Global AIDS Leadership Award, Saturday, October 15, at the “Lighten the
Burden III” Conference in Dallas, Texas. Messer is Executive Director of
the Center for the Church and Global AIDS, Centennial, Colorado.
Featured speaker at the event was Jeffrey Crowley, Director of the White
House Office of National AIDS Policy. Following the presentations of the
four previously announced awards to President George W. and Laura
Bush, Bishop Fritz and Etta Mae Mutti, Dr. Musa W. Dube of Botswana,
and the Louisiana United Methodist Annual Conference, Messer was
surprised with the honor.
Messer was cited as having written the church legislation that created
the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund by General Conference action in
2004. Since that date the Fund has raised over $3 million that has been
distributed to more than 80 HIV education, prevention, care, and
treatment projects in 35 countries around the world.
Messer also initiated the development of a special edition of the Upper
Room devotional book for persons infected and affected with HIV and
AIDS. About 750,000 copies have been printed for free distribution in
18 languages. As founder and executive director of the Center for the
Church and Global AIDS, he has raised funds for many projects and
traveled extensively throughout the world speaking about the church’s
role in combating HIV and AIDS.
Four of the fifteen books he has authored focus on the pandemic. His
latest book, just released in October is “Names, Not Just Numbers:
Facing Global AIDS and World Hunger.”
He currently serves as Chair of the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund
Committee and co-chair of the Ecumenical HIV/AIDS Table.
A Hike to Heal
A Hike to HEAL (Help Eliminate AIDS in our Lifetime) was held on
Saturday, September 21, 2013, in Evergreen, Colorado.
More than 100 persons spent a beautiful morning hiking & supporting
persons infected and affected by HIV & AIDS.
Hike Benefitted:
Native American HIV Education in South Dakota and Colorado
Phenomenal Women's program of It Takes A Village
Make plans to join in next year's hike!
Fill out the Form
News
Newspapers and Magazines
AIDS Epidemic Growing in Asia
Local Religous Groups Join Africa's AIDS Fight. Februrary 29, 2008
A Child's Plea: Responding to Plight of AIDS Orphans (Kenya)
Battered Copies of Upper Room Inspires New Spirituality Resource for
Persons Struggling with AIDS from Upper Room Ministries.
Teachers urged to lead anti-AIDS campaign from The Hindu. Nov 5,
2006
Needed: A God Who Suffers with AIDS Patients by David W. Reid. August
25, 2006
Messer Receives Lifetime Acheivement Award October 26, 2005
Methodist Authors Release "Ending Hunger Now" by Jerad Morey.
September 29, 2005
United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Seeks to Raise $8 Million by Diane
Denton, May 11, 2005.
One by one: Faithful step up to fight AIDS by Karen Blessen and Lisa
Rodriguez. September 3 2004
The Social Edge Interview: Author and Theologian Donald Messer by
Gerry McCarthy. May 2004
Messer views book as 'wake-up call' to AIDS crisis by Kathleen
LaCamera. March 12, 2004
Articles
Advent: A Perfect time to Focus on Global AIDS. by Donald E. Messer.
December 1, 2008
If Men Were Women: Christian Reflections on Gender in the HIV and
AIDS Crisis. October, 2008
Si Los Hombres Fueran Mujeres: Reflexiones Cristianas Sobre El Genero
en la Crisis del Vih y Sida. October, 2008. (Spanish version of "If Men
Were Women" Speech given in Pattaya, Thailand)
Messer Confronts Theological Implications of AIDS . August 25, 2006
Gender inequality fuels global AIDS pandemic, speakers say by Donald
E. Messer. August 23, 2006
Commentary: Burma epitomizes conspiracy of silence on AIDS by
Donald E. Messer. May 11, 2005
Responding to God's Call in the Age of AIDS by Donald E. Messer. March
7, 2005
The Chinese Banyan Tree Theology of Bishop K. H. Ting by Donald E.
Messer. February 23, 2005
Saving Grace: Aids in Africa . by Donald E. Messer. November 200
Global AIDS and the 'theology of a few' by Donald E. Messer. August 11
2004
Combating global AIDS: A common calling for people of faith by Donald
E. Messer. July 27, 2004
Church Must Make AIDS Ministry a Priority by Donald E. Messer.
January 4, 2002
Sermons and Lectures
The Sharing of a Miracle by Vaughn Hoffman, Bloomington, Illinois, at
Madras Christian College, Tambaram, India, November 5, 2006.
The Role of Religion in Creating & Combating HIV/AIDS Stigmatization
and Discrimination by Donald E. Messer, October 2005
Come Over . . . And Help Us by Donald E. Messer, Colorado Springs,
Colorado, October 30, 2005.
Theological Reflection on HIV and AIDS by Donald E. Messer, Bangkok,
Thailand, July 10, 2004.
The Global Scenario of HIV/AIDS by Donald E. Messer, Jorhat, Assam,
India, September 21-24, 2004.
A Theological Challenge to Stigmatization and Discrimination by Donald
E. Messer, National Council of Churches of India, February 5-7, 2003
The Global AIDS Crisis: From Lament to Hope by Donald E. Messer, Iliff
School of Theology, October 8, 2003.
Videos
Messer Center for Women and Health Dedicated in India, January, 2011
Paula Murphy
Dr. J. Paula Murphy, Founding Board Member of the Center for the
Church and Global AIDS, died April 26. Her memorial service was held
at Park Hill United Methodist Church, Denver, Colorado, on Saturday,
May 5, at 9:30 a.m.
Paula J. Murphy, Ed.D, was a retired psychotherapist living in Aurora,
Colorado. Paula has taught at the University of Denver School of Social
Work and Arapahoe Community College in the area of human sexuality.
She and her late husband, Paul, were pioneers in the Denver area,
addressing the issues of the church and HIV and AIDS. Together they
journeyed to India for workshops addressing the global AIDS pandemic.
She initiated the program to help AIDS orphans in Kenya.
Memorial gifts in her honor have been designated to the Center for the
Church and Global AIDS.
Historic Highlights
 Yearly Historical Highlights of the Center
 2010
 Golf tournaments in Phoenix, Grand Junction and Denver raised
about $60,000
 "Spring is a Time for Hope" Brunch featuring Jim Benemann and
Florence Murugu of Kenya raises over $20,000 for AIDS orphans
in Kenya
 Delivered approximately $400,000 worth of medical supplies to
the CARE Center in Namakkal, India for women and children with
HIV
 Five students from Case Western Reserve Medical School and the
University of Denver school of psychology did summer
internships in Namakkal, India
 Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya slated to receive $400,000 of
medical supplies and equipment thanks to the Center
 Executive Director Donald E. Messer published new book, Names,
Not Just Numbers: Facing Global AIDS and World Hunger
 Seminar sponsored by the Center on "LGBT: Human Rights,
HIV/AIDS, and Christian Faith" in Nairobi, Kenya
 Doctor of Ministry students in Calcutta, India, studied under Dr.
Donald E. messer: "AIDS and the Christian Faith"
 Workshop for pastors and spouses of HIV and AIDS held in Maua,
Kenya
 Funds were distributed to It Takes A Village in Denver to help
with persons living with HIV who are homeless or recently
discharged from prison, as well as to Sisters of Color in Denver, a
HIspanic AIDS mission program
 Messer spoke at University of Delaware, University of Nebraska in
Kearney, Ripon College, Dakota Wesleyan University, University
of Oklahoma, St. Paul School of Theology, Madras Christian
College
 Participated in the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna
and the national AIDS Congress in Orlando
 Forum on "What Would Martin Luther King Say about Global
AIDS?" held in Denver
 2009
 Raised $48,000 while "Swinging at AIDS" in Denver and Phoenix
 Provided $26,000 in funds to support 173 AIDS orphans for one
year in Kenya
 $24,300 was provided for operating the Women and Children's
Center in rural Namakkal, India
 The Center sponsored a ground-breaking seminar on "Sexuality
and Faith," bringing India's gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and
transgendered community together with Christian leaders
 Center grants invested $16,500 into programs tutoring 139 poor
school girls, ntutritional programs, women economic programs,
etc., in Tambaram, India
 Conferences educating laity and clergy about HIV and AIDS were
sponsored in Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Kenya
 Center honored with 2009 "Outstanding Community Partner
Award" by Hispanic Sisters of Color United for Education.
 Executive Director Donald E. Messer publishes new book, "52
Ways to Create an AIDS-Free World." Reviewed in POZ Magazine,
Outfront Colorado and other publications.
 Messer also publishes edited volume, "Cherishing LIfe and Love:
Reflections of Paul Murphy," with all sales benefiting Kenya AIDS
orphans
 Other grants made to Alliace to End Hunger, Joshua Feeding Tree
in Phoenix, Children of Hope Center in Nairobi, Kenya, and to
sponsor a George McGovern Intern from Dakota Wesleyan
University