Knox County Health Department

Feb. 20, 2009

For more information,
Contact: Ranee Randby,
Knox County Health Department    
215-5534 or 388-6186

Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS
20th Anniversary will be observed March 1-7, 2009

The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is a weeklong education and awareness campaign highlighting the role of the African American Church in addressing the AIDS crisis. This year’s events begin with a prayer vigil and celebration of hope on Sunday, March 1, from 4-6 p.m. at Eternal Life Harvest Center, located at 1801 Western Avenue. The finale, featuring keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Eric L. Leake, will be Saturday, March 7 from 5-7 p.m., at the same location.

Activities throughout the week will include testing at local colleges and night clubs, education/awareness workshops presented at churches, colleges and high schools, distribution of resource toolkits to churches containing HIV/AIDS sermons, litanies, bible study topics, devotions and prayers.  Churches will be asked to participate in Seven Days of Continuous Prayer Calendar by committing to a day of prayer during the week for the healing of HIV/AIDS. A complete list of events is included below.

The Black Church Week of Prayer is a powerful time of prayer, education and action made possible by Knox County Health Department, Knox County FAITH Coalition and other community partners. In its 20th year, this AIDS awareness campaign engages African American congregations to support, encourage and empower African Americans, Africans and all people to take action to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in African American communities worldwide.

Long thought to be a disease which primarily strikes homosexual men and intravenous drug users, the face of HIV/AIDS is now predominantly African American. National and local statistics speak to the need for community initiatives to eliminate HIV/AIDS in African Americans: 

• HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death among African American women ages 25 to 34, and men ages 34 to 44, ahead of heart disease, cancer and homicide.
• One in 160 African American women in the U.S. is HIV positive. One in 50 African American men in the U.S. is HIV positive. 
• The rate of AIDS diagnoses of African American men is nearly 10 times that of Caucasian men, and for women 23 times that of Caucasian women.
• African American Gay men continue to be at high risk for infection, accounting for an estimated 57 percent of AIDS diagnoses among men.
• 50 percent of HIV cases among persons over age 55 are African American.
• 62 percent of reported pediatric AIDS cases are African Americans.
• 56 percent of Tennesseans living with HIV/AIDS are African Americans.
• 60 percent of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases in Tennessee are African Americans.
• As of 2007, there were 824 reported cases of HIV/AIDS in Knox County.
• As of 2007, 26 percent of reported HIV/AIDS cases in Knox County were African American.

Because the disease continues to spread out of control in the African American community, every pulpit leader and their congregation, government official, community leader, healthcare provider and organization is needed to take part in raising their voices and encouraging people to speak out about HIV/AIDS and other disparities.

The FAITH Coalition is comprised of the following collaborative partners: Helen Ross McNabb, Knox County Health Department (certified partner of Balm in Gilead), Samaritan Ministry, Knoxville College (Health & Wellness Program), Cherokee Health, Volunteer State Health Plan, Covenant Health, Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority, Positive East Tennesseans, New Hope Baptist Church and TENNderCare (TennCare’s Well Child Exam Program). Sponsors include Helen Ross McNabb, Knox County Health Department, Eternal Life Harvest Center,   Knoxville Interdenominational Christian Ministerial Alliance, (KICMA), AMEZ Church (Knoxville District), Knoxville Regional Minority Health Coalition, East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA) and Samaritan Ministry. For more information on Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS or the FAITH Coalition, contact Trina Gallman, Knox County Health Department, at (865) 215-5535.

Black Church Week of Prayer Calendar of Events

Prayer Vigil & Celebration of Hope
Sunday, March 1 (kick-off)
Eternal Life Harvest Center
1801 Western Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921
4-6 p.m.
Pastors from throughout the community will lead the congregation into Prayer
Nu Way of Livin' — Featured Choir

Free Testing at Pellissippi State (Magnolia Campus)
Monday, March 2
1610 Magnolia Avenue 
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

HIV/AIDS Awareness & Free Testing at UT Black Cultural Center
Tuesday, March 3
1800 Melrose Avenue, UT Campus 
8 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Free Testing at the Magnolia Cafe
Wednesday, March 4
2405 E. Magnolia Avenue
6-8 p.m. 

HIV/AIDS Awareness & Free Testing at Knoxville College
Thursday, March 5
901 Knoxville College Drive
11a.m.-2 p.m.

Free Testing at Club Malibu 7
Friday, March 6 
2514 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
11 p.m.-1a.m.  

Finale with Keynote Address
Saturday, March 7
Eternal Life Harvest Center
1801 Western Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921  
5-7 p.m.
Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Eric L. Leake (Greater Warner Tabernacle AMEZ)
Eternal Life Harvest Center Adult Choir — Featured Choir
Rhapsody(Friendship Missionary Baptist Church) — Featured Dance Ministry