Support UM News on World Press Freedom Day: Give to help sustain and expand the storytelling capacity of UM News. Your donation today will transform information into inspiration and ensure we can continue sharing stories of God’s work in the world through The UMC. Help us reach our $10,000 goal and keep this vital ministry fair, faithful, trusted and free for all!

Special $4 million global AIDS fund proposed

It is time for the church “to put its money where its mouth is” to help awaken the world to the horrors of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, according to the Rev. Donald Messer.

“Over the past 20 years, the church has passed a number of well-written resolutions but generally has not put the money where their mouth is,” said Messer, author of Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence: Christian Churches and the Global AIDS Crisis. “We have relied heavily on the Board of Global Ministries to carry on the work of AIDS in the world, but we have not given them any special money for that work.”

A proposal is before the General Conference to approve a special global AIDS fund of $4 million that is not included in the denomination’s budget. The church’s top legislative assembly is meeting in Pittsburgh through May 7.

Messer spoke at a news briefing at General Conference, along with Linda Bales, a staff member of the United Methodist Church’s Board of Church and Society; and Bishop Felton E. May of the church’s Washington (D.C.) Area. The briefing was held to focus on the church’s response to the health crisis that is killing millions of people a year and leaving behind countless orphans.

There are 42 million people globally living with HIV/AIDS, and 29.5 million of those reside in sub-Saharan Africa, panelists said.

May suggested there is not more concern on the part of the United States to help the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa because “the people in Africa are of no economic value.”

“As a church, we can’t really point a finger at the (Bush) administration when we as a church talk and pray and do precious little to leverage the kind of support we really have to deal with this issue,” he said.

The global AIDS fund would be used to help strengthen the programs already in place in the church and to expand those programs to reach out to partner churches and agencies, Messer said.

“It is my hope that 25 percent of the funds raised by annual conferences would stay in the annual conferences and 75 percent would go to the general fund to keep the focus both at home and abroad.

“I would hope it would be more than just a traditional United Methodist program that creates committees and subcommittees within our general boards and agencies,” May said. “If we are going to generate that amount of money, I hope we are going to train people to be advocates to help our government to spend tax dollars in a way that is going to bring wholeness and healing and well-being to communities and nations.”

Bales said she would like to see the funds used in “creative partnerships” in order to maximize the money.

“We need to empower women around the world, to give them choices and economic security,” she said. “The most endangered people in the world are married women.”

“We need a holy and bold attitude to use those funds creatively to make adjustments in a system that excludes the poor and improvised, the diseased and disenfranchised, not only here in this country but around the world,” May said.

*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer.

News media contact: (412) 325-6080 during General Conference, April 27-May 7. After May 10: (615) 742-5470.

Related


Like what you're reading? Support the ministry of UM News! Your support ensures the latest denominational news, dynamic stories and informative articles will continue to connect our global community. Make a tax-deductible donation at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now
Human Sexuality
The Rev. Izzy Alvaran (right) and others pray together on May 1 after the 2024 United Methodist General Conference, meeting in Charlotte, N.C., voted to remove the denomination's ban on the ordination of "self-avowed practicing” gay clergy — a prohibition that dated to 1984. Alvaran is on the staff of the Reconciling Ministries Network, which has unveiled a new strategic plan after success at last year’s General Conference. File photo by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.

LGBTQ advocates aim to build on 2024 gains

Reconciling Ministries Network, after success at last year’s General Conference, hopes to help the emerging United Methodist Church live into a more inclusive future.
Theology and Education
Graphic by Taylor W Burton Edwards based on The 2020/2024 Book of Discipline, Copyright 2024, United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.

Ask The UMC: Part 1, Local churches, annual conferences, and general agencies

Some are smaller, and some are bigger, but changes have come in the 2020/2024 Book of Discipline for local churches, annual conferences, and general agencies.
General Church
The United Methodist Church’s Committee on Faith and Order met alongside the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters. The Faith and Order Committee, whose members include United Methodist scholars and ecumenical leaders, is responsible for guiding the denomination in informed theological reflection and discernment. It also is helping the standing committee in developing a General Book of Discipline that includes the essentials for the denomination. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

Committee begins theological work

United Methodist leaders are evaluating what parts of the Book of Discipline can be adapted in different geographic areas and which apply worldwide. The work is heading to General Conference regardless of whether regionalization is ratified.

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2025 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved