Click here to download the Covenant to Care poster

"Covenant to Care" is a work in progress and will be launched fully in early 2009 !

The challenge to the UK Christian community

Covenant to Care is the Christian HIV/AIDS Alliance’s (CHAA) response to a Biblical mandate and a recognized need in the UK Church to help those affected by the AIDS pandemic. The need was revealed through the survey we commissioned in 2006 and conducted by Christian Research to ascertain the ‘Attitudes and Responses to HIV and AIDS amongst churchgoers, ministers and theological colleges in the UK’. Christian Research’s report in June 2007 revealed that 80% of those surveyed felt that more could or should to done to help those affected by HIV. However, many did not know how to go about supporting an AIDS project.

The Biblical mandate is based on the Apostle Paul’s description in 1 Corinthians 12: 25 & 26 of how the Church should respond when one part is in need and suffering: ‘… there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it…’

Covenant to Care exemplifies CHAA’s vision:

‘to see a mobilised UK Christian community, which is aware of and active in compassionate Christian responses to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic’.

Covenant to Care links churches and individuals with AIDS projects. It is a covenant because caring for those affected by the pandemic must be a long-term commitment both by those running the projects and those supporting them. So we ask both project providers and supporters to take a pledge.

The pledges are:

Partners’ Pledge
We pledge to follow the biblical principles of caring for body, mind and spirit that is accountable and offer the hope of the Gospel to those who are affected by the AIDS pandemic regardless of creed, colour, gender or sexual orientation.

Churches’ Pledge
We pledge to be involved in the long-term support of one or more HIV projects by being aware of their needs, praying regularly, giving generously and promoting awareness of the pandemic.

How can a church get involved?
To find a project to support click on the Project Partners button and there choose from the organisations listed and use the direct link to enter their site. The site will list projects that need supporting and once you have chosen a project the Project Partner will contact you with more information. We trust that this will be the beginning of a relationship where both givers and receivers are blessed as they have equal concern for one another.

Projects run by your denomination or diocese can also be supported.

Please let us know when you are supporting an AIDS Project by contacting us

A Covenant to Care Church’s Pledge involves five areas:

A. Be informed

- Appoint a person in your church to be the AIDS Programme Contact to give regular updates on the pandemic and your link church/project (see B. below).
- Contact your denomination or diocese to find out about their involvement. Your denomination should have an HIV and AIDS Strategy and written framework for responding effectively to the pandemic. If they do not then ask for one to be developed.
- Ask someone from CHAA’s membership to speak to your church once a year. They have experience in working with HIV awareness, care, prevention and treatment.
- Use the church notice board and newsletter to post a monthly update on your church link.
- Find out about the AIDS situation in your area/community and seek to be involved.
 

B. Be involved
- Establish at least one link with a church or AIDS project in an area affected by AIDS. This can be done through a CHAA member, your denomination or diocese.

C. Pray
- Once a month in all church services pray for those affected by AIDS and specifically for your link church/project.
- Hold a special service to mark World AIDS Day.

D. Give
- Commit to long-term funding for the HIV and AIDS project.

E. Influence others
- Support advocacy campaigns. The CHAA website gives news on how the church can get involved.
- Come up with one idea per year on how to communicate the message of the pandemic to other Christians and your community.

Covenant to Care Partners

 

• iThemba AIDS Foundation

  

• Mildmay International

 

• St Philip and St James Church Bath

St Philip and St James' Church in Bath are associated with HIV and AIDS projects in 5 different countries of the world. They offer people a unique opportunity to visit some of the projects and to possibly link up your own church with them.

• The Bethany Children's Trust

As part of our work we partner with church run projects in Rwanda, Togo and Democratic Republic of Congo, who work with children affected by HIV and AIDS, offering practical, emotional and spiritual support.