Acceptance Remarks for TPUMC Award from Beat AIDS

A week ago Friday I was honored to accept the "Above and Beyond" award for a Faith Based Organization from the San Antonio group Beat AIDS. Beat AIDS is a predominately African-American group who provides education, treatment, and a wide variety of services to those with HIV/AIDS in the San Antonio area. We were very honored to recieve this award. Below you will find the text to the acceptance remarks.

Acceptance Remarks for Beat AIDS Award for Travis Park

· Thank you!
· What an honor and privilege it is to accept this award on behalf of the people of Travis Park United Methodist Church.
· Undoubtedly, HIV/AIDS is the greatest pandemic humanity has ever faced.
· AIDS and Poverty are the defining issues of our generation.
· Sadly, the religious community has often failed in its response to HIV/AIDS.
· Many churches have exuded judgment when we should have been exuding love, compassion and working for justice.
· Thankfully, this is turning a corner. Just the other day I read that Rick Warren, the author of Purpose Driven Life, is hosting a training course on how churches can respond to HIV/AIDS in a loving, caring way.
· Certainly, being a place of love and hope, and creating a community where unconditional love is practiced is part of what a church is called to do. At Travis Park we believe that is true but that the church is called to more than that. We are also called to fight injustice, to advocate for legislation that provides funding for research, for treatment, and, ultimately, for healing. We are called to make God’s world a better place for all of God’s creation.
· And so, we will continue to be a loving and compassionate church that seeks to model what is it to love unconditionally and to work for justice. We will continue to be a place that shines light into a world that is all to often filled with darkness.
· It is an honor for us to be associated with you and this award is very meaningful to us.
· I hope that you will be able to join us on the evening of Friday, December 1st as we will be hosting a city-wide World AIDS day service that will be about remembrance, love, justice, and hope.
· Your secretary mentioned that the time has come for those who support the defeat of HIV/AIDS to stand up and be counted. We want you to know, Travis Park stands with you!
· May God continue to bless you in the work that you do, so that you can continue to shine light in this world.Thank you!