iembraceaids.com

There is a sweet new website that just went live today, in order to raise awareness of AIDS on this World AIDS Day, 2008. The website is iembraceaids.com. You should go there and "join" the cause - it brings up an instantly updated map that shows where people are letting their lights shine to raise awareness of AIDS. Check it out!

Links & Resources

For those of you who are curious about the Embrace AIDS Project and want to know more we have a few links for you to look at.

• Home page of CRWRC's Embrace AIDS Project http://www.embraceaids.org/

• CRWRC's Resources Page for the Project http://www.crcna.org/pages/crwrc_aidsresources.cfm
  

• Link to a supporting organization of the Embrace AIDS Project http://www.jointherace.org/

• World AIDS Day: http://www.avert.org/worldaid.htm

• Other resources on AIDS:
• http://www.aids.gov
• http://www.aids.org/factSheets/101-what-is-aids.html

We hope that you can use these tools to become more aware of what is going on and start to see just how large the impact of AIDS really is.

Making Progress

Our second mass planning meeting went well tonight. Pastor Jeff opened with prayer and we quickly reviewed previous activities and discussed some new ideas.

First, the subcommittees reported on their projects.

• The Publications Committee will be sending out letters to churches in the community asking permission to make presentations about the Embrace AIDS project and give parishioners a chance become more aware of the AIDS crisis and to donate to the cause. In the near future the committee will be planing the multimedia presentations.

• The Sporting Events Committee is going to be meeting in the next week to plan a community sporting event to raise funds for the project.
  

• The Gift Brochure Committee has printed out a number of copies to be available for distribution. These brochures allow people to buy gifts through the CRWRC to be given to AIDS victims and the poor in other countries.

• Second, there was discussion about World AIDS Day on December 1st. There were several volunteers who will be making presentations and distributing donation envelopes.
  
  The presentations will be at First CRC of DeMotte and Bethel CRC.

Second, we discussed several new ideas for the project.

• AIDS Awareness worship services were suggested. There would be one service at First CRC of Demotte and one service at Bethel CRC. The services will most likely take place in late January or early February. There would possibly be an offering at both services.

• Change for AIDS. This project would include placing donation buckets for spare change at Covenant Christian and Kankakee Valley sporting events. There will also be posters and brochures available to explain what the Embrace AIDS project is all about.

• AIDS Benefit Dinner. We have hopes to contact a speaker who is known nationally and would be able to speak on the topic of AIDS and having a Christian perspective on the crisis. The dinner would most likely be at the beginning of May 2009 and those who wish to attend would buy a table with the proceeds going to the Embrace AIDS project. There is a lot to plan and this would probably be our biggest fundraiser.

• Embrace AIDS T-shirts. Several students volunteered to design and order them and we hope to be able to have them available in the next three to five weeks.

Thanks for taking the time to read this! We ask that you would keep this project in your prayers.

In Christ,

First CRC & Bethel YPS

The Beginning...

On Sunday night we had our first meeting at First CRC. We had at about 15 youth show up to be on the leadership committee, which is still in need of a name. We have some ideas going on how to raise both awareness and funds in the DeMotte community to support the Embrace AIDS campaign.

The purpose of this blog is just what the description below the Title of the page says. So whether you are a member of the youth group, a parent of a youth, a church member at First CRC or Bethel, or a curious member of the community. You are welcome to check out what is going on!

If you are interested in supporting this cause just send us an e-mail and we'll be glad to give you more information on how you can give or help raise awareness!