Samaritan Ministry (an HIV/AIDS ministry in Knoxville, Tennessee)

The United States Conference on AIDS
We are thankful for the opportunity to once again exhibit at the USCA. This year the conference was held in Chicago and is was again a very successful trip for us. We had 300 plus visitors to our booth and gave out and took orders for 25 HIV Ministry Kits from all over the US. These Kits are intended to help churches get started in ministry. We also gave out over 100 New Testaments and 200 bags with Samaritan Ministry materials. To get the spirit of our trip, catch Mike Young’s Blog at http://mikeyoung.info/2011/11/19/nobody-will-read-this/. Mike was our cohort at the Samaritan Ministry booth and is a great supporter. We were delighted to be joined at this year’s USCA by the United Methodist Church and the Center for the Church and Global AIDS, the first time for this group to attend. The big news at the conference is that we now have the knowledge needed to bring an end to this epidemic. New research and great treatment has provided a window into the strategies that can reduce the spread of this virus. Do we have the will to make this happen and create an AIDS free generation for our grandchildren?

Pellissippi State Hosts World AIDS Day Testing, Education
Our friends at the Pellissippi State Community College Main Campus always do a great job planning and hosting World AIDS Day testing and education. This year on World AIDS Day (Dec. 1) we helped to accomplish all of those things, including a display of The AIDS Memorial Quilt. Pellissippi students provided refreshments, created an AIDS Quilt Panel, helped fill Holiday Hope Buckets (as a service project), and provide educational materials to fellow students. The Knox County Health Department and Helen Ross McNabb Center partnered with us for this terrific event.

WORLD AIDS DAY 2011
This year World AIDS Day (International AIDS Awareness Day) comes in the 30th year of this epidemic. Our recognition of this important day included a special World AIDS Day emphasis in both morning services at Central on Nov. 27th. At this service we also dedicated more than 160 Holiday Hope Buckets (see below). Samaritan Ministry also sponsored a World AIDS Day Worship service at Central Baptist Church of Bearden on Tuesday, December 29. This is an opportunity to both remember and celebrate, and also to worship together. The message for the evening was given by Central’s new Pastor, Dr. Wade Bibb. The Knoxville Community also held a traditional event on December 1st at the Holiday Inn World’s Fair in downtown Knoxville. This event, sponsored by a dozen AIDS-caring organizations, including Samaritan Ministry, focused on the theme for World AIDS Day, Getting to Zero - Zero New Infections, Zero Deaths, and Zero Stigma. Dr. John Narro from Knox County Health Department spoke and Andy Towe, a Ryan White Case Manager, was honored as “Person of the Year” for his work in the HIV community during 2011.

MATCHING GRANT FROM EQUITAS
Equitas Group will match your donation! That's right. Every gift to Samaritan Ministry will be matched (up to $7500). Don't miss this opportunity to double the impact of your donation! This offer extends through June of 2012! [Checks should be made out to Central Baptist Church of Bearden.]