World AIDS Day

The Service went smoothly. I have to be honest and say that the people I picked to participate this year all did a splendid job. The organist and cantor were particularly magnificent – the hymns chosen by yours truly, of course. There’s a setting to psalm 27, composed by a Jesuit priest, that I find sends shivers up my spine when performed well. Everybody that had a task to do did it well and at the appropriate time. I was very pleased with the final result. The congregation was around a tad larger than last year’s, and as it took place in a Catholic church, the majority of people were Catholic, which was to be expected, I guess. I was also pleased with the number of people that stayed on after the Service and shared in some supper.

The segments of the AIDS quilt we had this year were, as in previous years, inspiring. The thought and effort some people put into a tribute to a loved one is just amazing!

The leaving collection was the triumph of the night – people were very, very generous in their donations, the proceeds of which goes to support those working with people living with HIV/AIDS in the local area.

I mentioned to some of those who’ve supported me in this Service each year that I’d been having trouble with the more evangelical Protestant churches. So we’ve decided that next year we’re going to stir the pot. I’m going to attempt to have next year’s Service in one of the larger and better known churches of this type, and invite the ministers of these types of churches to take part. It will force their hand. They’ll either have to accept or reject the concept. If they accept they’ll win some support from me. Though I suspect if they accept they’ll want to control the ceremony and turn it into an anti-gay bible-bashing extravaganza. If they reject it, it won’t do their image a lot of good. It will be interesting to see what results. Anyway, there’ll be no movement on this until around June or July next year.

As to the actual Service, I don’t think I’ll change too much this year’s format. A number of people mentioned how well it flowed, so, other than changing one of the hymns, next year’s gathering will be the same as this year’s.

The end result has been that more people are now aware of this horrible disease, a disease that is the most serious to ever inflict itself upon the human race.

HIV/AIDS doesn’t discriminate – people do.