Living the Believers’ Calling – respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic

Here's a way congregations can celebrate 30 years of peacemaking:

Choose a Sunday near World AIDS Day (December 1) to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. Have a special intergenerational church school class that encourages the whole church to learn more and be involved. Use the resource AIDS and Peacemaking. Offer testing. Ask local HIV/AIDS service or advocacy groups if there are any needs the congregation could help meet. Share a part of or the congregation's entire portion of the Peacemaking Offering through the Peacemaking and AIDS Extra Commitment Opportunity. Dedicate volunteers or gifts on that Sunday.

Thirty years ago the 192nd General Assembly (1980) of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. adopted Peacemaking: The Believers' Calling. This statement affirmed that peacemaking is central to the gospel message and to living as disciples of Jesus. It affirmed past and ongoing Presbyterian peacemaking efforts and called for a renewed emphasis on peacemaking. Since 1980, individual Presbyterians, congregations, middle governing bodies, and General Assembly programs have engaged in amazing peacemaking ministries in the name of Jesus Christ. In this 30th anniversary year the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program suggests 30 ways congregations can celebrate ministries past and present and look forward to new adventures following Christ, who is our peace.

Tell the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program how you are celebrating the anniversary.

Your gifts to the Peacemaking Offering help the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program support Presbyterians in ministries seeking peace and pursuing justice.