“The
Opn Door Support
Group”
“The Open Door” AIDS Ministry is a unique faith-based
AIDS Program. This ministry began as an outreach program of
St. John’s in the Village in March 1998, and was expanded
to a full ministry in 2000 by a startup grant from the Trinity
Grants Program. In 2003 the ministry became fully funded by
St. John’s in the Village, and in 2005, at the suggestion
of Father Prator, the Vestry provided an Open Door Discretionary
Fund. This Fund enables the chaplain to assist people living
with AIDS/HIV expeditiously and confidentially, and as the
need arises, and secure funds when available. The Fund provides
financial assistance to persons living with this illness for
food, rent, health care premiums, the expense of medical procedures,
and transportation to and from hospitals and medical appointments.
In 2008, “The Open Door” AIDS Ministry program
was recognized by the Board of Directors of Episcopal Response
to AIDS (ERA) as a critical and unique faith-based program.
This ministry received a grant from the Board in the amount
of $5,000.00. Along with the parish funds, “The Open
Door” Discretionary Fund has also received generous
donations from individual parishioners of St. John’s
in the Village.
Why a Faith-Based AIDS Support Group?
A Faith-Based AIDS Support Group fills a gaping void in the
lives of people living with AIDS/HIV by focusing on the individual
spiritual journeys, and the participant’s relationship
with God. Most AIDS/HIV support groups are, directly or indirectly,
government-funded, and that means there can be no mention
of God. With the public being convinced a vaccine, or a cure
is just around the corner, or that protease inhibitors are
saving almost everyone living with the disease, the person
living with AIDS/HIV still feels isolated, and instead of
battling discrimination, today they battle public apathy.
Although people are living longer with AIDS they are living
with physical limitations, scarred emotions, diminished mental
capacities, along with side effects from medications. Some
of the side effects include heart disease, stroke, liver and
kidney failure, memory loss and dementia. There are many individuals
who do not respond to drug therapies, or whose bodies have
become drug-resistant. These individuals are now preparing
to die. This Faith-Based support program is limited to people
living with AIDS/HIV, and allows the participants a safe and
confidential environment to be with God.
Goals: Reality Issues + Theological/Spiritual Considerations
= Results
Why are the participants there? is the question that must
be answered if goals are to be set. (1) Participants are infected
and seriously affected by AIDS/HIV; (2) Participants are seeking
solace, or resolve in their lives; (3) Participants come with
hope that certain tools in Christian faith may assist them
in their experience with AIDS/HIV; (4) Participants are attempting
to place their experience with AID/HIV into the larger context
of their individual and corporate Spiritual Journeys. Healing
begins as they acknowledge before the group and God the HIV
issues in their lives, and the feeling, which surround them.
Facilitator Laying a Foundation
The Facilitator, Father Cross, explains and discusses Christian
faith, theology, and spirituality while using some tools of
psychology to help individuals deal with prevalent and persistent
issues, feelings, and experiences which are inevitable living
with AIDS. Father Cross says that everyone has some support
system they have established specifically in living with AIDS/HIV.
He helps the participants identify those support systems which
usually fit into 5 specific categories: (1) Person; (2) Place;
(3) Things/objects; (4) Organization; (5) Activity. Father
Cross explores tools such as sacraments, prayer, meditation,
and the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in their lives
to help the participant live in the now.
Journeying Together
Participants need to know that they are never alone on their
Journey. The common theme of individual spiritual journeys
often enters into the participants shared understanding of
how to get a handle on living with AIDS; the uncertainties
of dealing with one’s mortality, as well as the ability
to live with AIDS without taking anything in this life for
granted. They may identify with the issues and feelings of
others, and offer their opinions and responses to support
each other, as they learn more about the tools of Christian
faith through the experience of living and sharing a Christian
faith with others daily. This is a powerful and rewarding
process, as the outcome is always ... Finding God in AIDS.
2008 Workshops
Churchwarden Margot Shields has been the Administrative Coordinator
of “The Open Door” since its inception, and wrote
the grant application. She is instrumental in organizing the
two workshops, which are focused on the liturgical seasons.
The schedule for the 2008 workshops are: “Pentecost/Summer:
Gifts of the Holy Spirit” [Saturday, June 14], and “Advent/Winter:
Journeying to Bethlehem” [Saturday, December 13}. Workshops
are open to people living with HIV+ and to family members,
spouses, lovers, and care-partners of HIV+ persons.
The content of this article was compiled
from information received through interviews with Father Cross,
and information referred to me by him
.-
Richard Lipscomb,
Outreach liaison
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