Had a great day at the HIV Prevention Leadership Summit. A great day of networking with our friends at UCAN, workshops on HIV Prevention in Rural Populations and The Role of Faith Based Organizations in the CDC's Expanded Testing Initiative.
I was fortunate to be able to meet with staffers in the office of Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana and discuss our partnership with the state of Indiana in further detail. I believe more good things are in our future.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
HPLS
It's been a while since I've last posted. I'm in Washington DC this week at the National Minority AIDS Council HIV Prevention Leadership Conference. I'm here to network with other organizations on how to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic working with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States, recently developed by the Obama Administration.
I was very excited to run into Oliver Martin from UCAN, the United Church of Christ AIDS Network. I have been working very closely with UCAN on several projects and it looks like we may have another one coming up.
I have some very exciting news. Recently we purchased a 30 foot Blue Bird Transit Bus. In January that bus will undergo a renovation to convert it into a mobile HIV testing platform. I'm thrilled to have this new platform to use as we work to battle the HIV epidemic in this country. This bus will be used primarily to test in rural areas in Indiana, where we are based. It will also make appearances at major church functions.
We hope to take the bus on tour this Spring and show it off a bit. If you'd like to have the bus make an appearance at your congregation or function just drop me a line. I'm going to post some pictures and the blueprint to give you an idea of what we're dealing with.
Keep us in your prayers.
Jody
I was very excited to run into Oliver Martin from UCAN, the United Church of Christ AIDS Network. I have been working very closely with UCAN on several projects and it looks like we may have another one coming up.
I have some very exciting news. Recently we purchased a 30 foot Blue Bird Transit Bus. In January that bus will undergo a renovation to convert it into a mobile HIV testing platform. I'm thrilled to have this new platform to use as we work to battle the HIV epidemic in this country. This bus will be used primarily to test in rural areas in Indiana, where we are based. It will also make appearances at major church functions.
We hope to take the bus on tour this Spring and show it off a bit. If you'd like to have the bus make an appearance at your congregation or function just drop me a line. I'm going to post some pictures and the blueprint to give you an idea of what we're dealing with.
Keep us in your prayers.
Jody
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
CTS HIV Awareness Day
I have to say that today was one of the most Spirit filled days I have ever experienced. Disciples HIV-AIDS Ministry, in conjunction with the Christian Theological Seminary Student Association had an HIV Awareness Day. We provided prevention education and testing at CTS today and I felt very fortunate to be asked to provide the Good News for Worship. I'm going to attempt to post the video of the service.
Peace,
Jody
Peace,
Jody
Monday, August 30, 2010
We're gonna need a bigger boat!
Every now and again I get a wild hair. My last wild hair of major significance to was provide HIV Testing at General Assembly last year in Indianapolis. I have to say the whole thing came off pretty good! If you were in Indianapolis you may have even made it to our small AIDS Healing Service on Sunday morning.
Recently I had another wild hair. I was having a meal with Patti Case and Kaye Edwards in Oklahoma City while attending the National Convocation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As Patti and Kaye pecked at their food (is there ANY wonder how they stay looking so good?) and I inhaled mine I managed to wonder aloud between bites who we might find to preach at this years AIDS Healing Service. A few names were tossed around the table and Kaye said, "What about Bill Lee"? I have to admit, Dr. Lee had been first on my list but I dared not speak it aloud. "Could I get that lucky?" I asked aloud and Patti deadpanned, "Why don't you ask him, he's sitting right behind you".
Now if you know Patti at all you know she loves to have a little fun every now and again so I turned around half expecting to see an empty chair and there sat Dr. Lee.
Ever so gracious, ever so kind, Dr. Lee agreed. I thanked him profusely and returned to my table thinking..... "We're gonna need a bigger boat!"
Last year my minister, Rebecca Zelensky was gracious enough with her time to preach for me in Indianapolis. She did a fantastic job and the whole service was moving and brought tears to my eyes. Our service was small, we had a room near the main entry to the Convention Center and around 40 people in attendance.
This year I have Dr. Bill Lee, Past Moderator of the Christian Church (DOC) and one of my favorite voices within the wider church.... we're gonna need a bigger boat for this fish!
After many weeks of wishing and hoping and praying I heard on Friday that the General Assembly planning team has agreed to allow us use of Plenary Hall on the Sunday morning of Assembly in Nashville!
Pray for us as we begin planning this service!
Recently I had another wild hair. I was having a meal with Patti Case and Kaye Edwards in Oklahoma City while attending the National Convocation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As Patti and Kaye pecked at their food (is there ANY wonder how they stay looking so good?) and I inhaled mine I managed to wonder aloud between bites who we might find to preach at this years AIDS Healing Service. A few names were tossed around the table and Kaye said, "What about Bill Lee"? I have to admit, Dr. Lee had been first on my list but I dared not speak it aloud. "Could I get that lucky?" I asked aloud and Patti deadpanned, "Why don't you ask him, he's sitting right behind you".
Now if you know Patti at all you know she loves to have a little fun every now and again so I turned around half expecting to see an empty chair and there sat Dr. Lee.
Ever so gracious, ever so kind, Dr. Lee agreed. I thanked him profusely and returned to my table thinking..... "We're gonna need a bigger boat!"
Last year my minister, Rebecca Zelensky was gracious enough with her time to preach for me in Indianapolis. She did a fantastic job and the whole service was moving and brought tears to my eyes. Our service was small, we had a room near the main entry to the Convention Center and around 40 people in attendance.
This year I have Dr. Bill Lee, Past Moderator of the Christian Church (DOC) and one of my favorite voices within the wider church.... we're gonna need a bigger boat for this fish!
After many weeks of wishing and hoping and praying I heard on Friday that the General Assembly planning team has agreed to allow us use of Plenary Hall on the Sunday morning of Assembly in Nashville!
Pray for us as we begin planning this service!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Yea for an 'A'
Disciples HIV-AIDS Ministry of Indiana, now under contract with the Indiana State Department of Health, scored 46 out of 50 points on our recent review, the first of our contract. This 'A' grade, following an inspection and visit my ISDH staff in July, notes that Disciples HIV-AIDS Ministry "significantly exceeds standards" as laid down by the state contract, which began in January of 2010.
Congratulations to all of our volunteers, friends, and especially our advocates who work so hard to make this ministry viable
Congratulations to all of our volunteers, friends, and especially our advocates who work so hard to make this ministry viable
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The photo that brought AIDS home
This is from LIFE magazine online:
A Picture That Changed the Face of AIDS
In November, 1990, LIFE magazine published a photograph of a young man, David Kirby -- his body wasted by AIDS, his gaze locked on something beyond this world -- surrounded by anguished family members as he took his last breaths. The haunting image of Kirby's passing (above), taken by a journalism grad student named Therese Frare, became the one photograph most identified with the HIV/AIDS epidemic that, by then, had seen as many as 12 million people infected. Now, 20 years after her photograph helped transform public perception of the disease, LIFE spoke with Frare about that picture; the international controversy it sparked when United Colors of Benetton used it in a 1992 ad; and the never-before-published photographs she took before and after David Kirby's death -- photos that reveal the untold story behind one of the 20th century's most heart-breaking, indelible images.
A Picture That Changed the Face of AIDS
In November, 1990, LIFE magazine published a photograph of a young man, David Kirby -- his body wasted by AIDS, his gaze locked on something beyond this world -- surrounded by anguished family members as he took his last breaths. The haunting image of Kirby's passing (above), taken by a journalism grad student named Therese Frare, became the one photograph most identified with the HIV/AIDS epidemic that, by then, had seen as many as 12 million people infected. Now, 20 years after her photograph helped transform public perception of the disease, LIFE spoke with Frare about that picture; the international controversy it sparked when United Colors of Benetton used it in a 1992 ad; and the never-before-published photographs she took before and after David Kirby's death -- photos that reveal the untold story behind one of the 20th century's most heart-breaking, indelible images.
Friday, August 6, 2010
A great week
It's been an amazing week. Just this week I received an invitation to speak at the Church of the Covenant in Lynchburg, Virginia. What a treat it will be to spend a few days with Kaye and David Edwards. If I had been fortunate enough to have people such as these in my life when I was younger......
Great events this week:
A Mexican court upheld Mexico City's gay marriage law as constitutional!
A federal judge overturned Proposition 8, a California law preventing same sex marriage!
Elena Kagan was confirmed as the 112th Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court! She's only the 4th woman to serve but she's also the second woman appointed in as many years!
AND
The National Institute for health is spending 5.5 million dollars to fund research on an HIV prevention gel!
This is one of those weeks I'm really proud to be me!
Great events this week:
A Mexican court upheld Mexico City's gay marriage law as constitutional!
A federal judge overturned Proposition 8, a California law preventing same sex marriage!
Elena Kagan was confirmed as the 112th Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court! She's only the 4th woman to serve but she's also the second woman appointed in as many years!
AND
The National Institute for health is spending 5.5 million dollars to fund research on an HIV prevention gel!
This is one of those weeks I'm really proud to be me!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
A long hot summer
We had a great time in Oklahoma City. I kid you not, it was so hot on Saturday that I got a sunburn through my shirt.
Had some amazing things happen in OKC. Dr. Bill Lee, former Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) agreed to preach at the AIDS Healing Service in Nashville! We have been invited to Lexington to Transylvania University for Black HIV-AIDS day in February and have an open invitation from Jarvis College in Hawkins Texas to have an HIV focus project.
Additionally, we have almost completed our work adapting Popular Opinion Leader. This new intervention (as yet unnamed) will consist of five classes of 1 to 1.5 hours each. Our new intervention utilizes two theories, Diffusion of Innovation and Preparation for Bias, to help us begin conversations about health in human sexuality. I hope to have it available on the DHM website by early October.
Peace,
jody
Had some amazing things happen in OKC. Dr. Bill Lee, former Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) agreed to preach at the AIDS Healing Service in Nashville! We have been invited to Lexington to Transylvania University for Black HIV-AIDS day in February and have an open invitation from Jarvis College in Hawkins Texas to have an HIV focus project.
Additionally, we have almost completed our work adapting Popular Opinion Leader. This new intervention (as yet unnamed) will consist of five classes of 1 to 1.5 hours each. Our new intervention utilizes two theories, Diffusion of Innovation and Preparation for Bias, to help us begin conversations about health in human sexuality. I hope to have it available on the DHM website by early October.
Peace,
jody
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Leaving for National Convocation
So I just checked in online for my trip to Oklahoma City for the National Convocation. I'm very excited about this trip. When Ron emailed me from a Board Meeting several months ago it seemed it would be forever and now the time is upon me.
My friend Allissa Williams is headed down with me. Allissa is a student at CTS in Indianapolis and we have a great program planned.
If you're in Oklahoma City, look for the large RV parked across from the Convention Center!
My friend Allissa Williams is headed down with me. Allissa is a student at CTS in Indianapolis and we have a great program planned.
If you're in Oklahoma City, look for the large RV parked across from the Convention Center!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
A New Year
Good Morning,
It's 7:28 and currently 6 degrees Fahrenheit in Terre Haute. I'm up suprisingly early for a Saturday morning. A bowl of tuna fish followed by some red tea and I'm watching the sun come up as I make final plans for our trip to Wilson, North Carolina at the end of this month. Members of the AIDS Ministry Network of Disciples Home Missions will be traveling to Barton College for an HIV/AIDS focus event. We will provide prevention education, outreach, and free anonymous testing over the course of two days February 1st and 2nd. I'm excited about this upcoming event, our first since General Assembly. Five members of the AIDS Ministry Network will be traveling with me to North Carolina and I am confident we will affect change through our ministry there.
I have high hopes for 2010 for the AIDS Ministry Network, in addition to the Barton College event, plans are in the works for Quadrennial Assembly in Greensboro, NC and just recently we received an invitation to bring the mobile HIV testing unit to the National Convocation of the Christian Church (DOC) in Oklahoma City this summer!
I pray that God will show us new direction this year, and continue to bless our ministry.
Peace,
Jody
It's 7:28 and currently 6 degrees Fahrenheit in Terre Haute. I'm up suprisingly early for a Saturday morning. A bowl of tuna fish followed by some red tea and I'm watching the sun come up as I make final plans for our trip to Wilson, North Carolina at the end of this month. Members of the AIDS Ministry Network of Disciples Home Missions will be traveling to Barton College for an HIV/AIDS focus event. We will provide prevention education, outreach, and free anonymous testing over the course of two days February 1st and 2nd. I'm excited about this upcoming event, our first since General Assembly. Five members of the AIDS Ministry Network will be traveling with me to North Carolina and I am confident we will affect change through our ministry there.
I have high hopes for 2010 for the AIDS Ministry Network, in addition to the Barton College event, plans are in the works for Quadrennial Assembly in Greensboro, NC and just recently we received an invitation to bring the mobile HIV testing unit to the National Convocation of the Christian Church (DOC) in Oklahoma City this summer!
I pray that God will show us new direction this year, and continue to bless our ministry.
Peace,
Jody
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