World AIDS Day Worship Resources
Focus on Young People, Ages 10-24
A number of ideas and resources are suggested. Choose those appropriate to your context and add your own materials.
Ideas
- Hold a candlelight service of remembrance for those affected by HIV and AIDS.
- Encourage religious leaders to speak about HIV/AIDS in sermons
- Invite individuals living with AIDS to share their stories
- Make an offering to "Enabling AIDS Ministries" Advance Special #982215, which provides small grants to congregations and organizations in support of AIDS Ministries. Put the gift (with Advance # noted) in the offering plate of a United Methodist church or send to Advance GCFA, PO Box 9068, GPO, New York, New York 10087-9068.
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Worship Materials
Scripture
Click on the hyperlinks to review the complete text in New Revised Standard translation.
God Is Merciful and Gracious, Psalm 103; God Heals the Brokenhearted, Psalm 147:1-1; The Story of the Paralyzed Man and His Friends, Matthew 9:1-8; The Story of the Woman Suffering from Bleeding, Matthew 9:20-2
Hymns
(The numbers are from the United Methodist Hymnal. Hyperlinks are provided if there are online versions For words and midi music all hymns from this hymnal that are in the public domain, go to HymnSite.com at http://www.HymnSite.com.)
#11, "How Can We Name a Love"; #192, "There's a Spirit in the Air"; #263, "When Jesus the Healer Passed Through Galilee"; #375, "There is a Balm in Gilead"; #378, "Amazing Grace"; #382, "Have Thine Own Way"; #393 "Spirit of the Living God"; #434, "Cuando el Pobre"; #503, "Let It Breathe on Me"; #510, "Come Ye Disconsolate"; #522, "Leave It There"; #657, "This Is the Day"
Prayers
(The numbers are from the United Methodist Hymnal)
#457, "For the Sick; #459, "Serenity Prayer"; #460, "In the Time of Illness"; #460, "For Those Who Mourn"
Be a Force for Change (Responsive Reading)
1. Come, Holy Spirit, be with us today--
2. Enfold us, comfort us, inspire us.
1. Come, Holy Spirit, heal us today--
2. Make us whole, perfect us in love, breathe into us your hope.
1. Come, Holy Spirit, empower us today--
2. Convert us, move us, strengthen us
All: To be a force for change from now on.
by Nancy A. Carter
Psalm 148 (Responsive Reading)
Praise God from the heavens; praise God in the heights.
Praise God, all angels: praise God, heavenly hosts.
Praise God, sun and moon; praise God, all stars of light.
Praise God, to the highest, even to all galaxies of the universe.
Let all praise the name of the Creator: for God commanded, and everything was created.
Let all praise the One who is the Greatest Force for Creation a Change.
Praise the LORD from the earth and from even the deepest part of the oceans:
Fire, and hail; snow, and fog; stormy wind fulfilling God's word:
Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
Rulers of the earth, and all people; Presidents and all judges of the earth:
Both young men and women; old men and old women, and boys and girls:
Let them praise the name of God: for God's name alone is excellent;
God's glory is above the earth and heaven.
ALL: PRAISE BE TO GOD!
(paraphrased and modernized by Nancy A. Carter)
Sermon Materials
- AIDS, Family, Faith: A Force for Change by Richard B. Cory (for World AIDS Day 1998). He updates us on his family's story and says, "There is a solution to the AIDS pandemic. If people around the world join together they can become the greatest force ever known and change the course of history."
- Binding Up the Brokenhearted Children by Nancy A. Carter, United Methodist HIV/AIDS Focus Paper #16: This paper stresses the importance of adults being able to talk with children about HIV/AIDS, sickness, sexuality and death. It emphasizes the importance of enabling children to grieve.
- Inspiring Stories of Living with AIDS
- Life with Alex written by Richard B. Cory (for World AIDS Day 1997) tells what is like for him to have an 11-year old son who has AIDS