More than 40 people gathered Sunday afternoon at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Knoxville for a service marking the 19th annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS.

"We, as people of faith, have some confessing to do about HIV and AIDS,” said Wayne Smith, director of the HIV/AIDS outreach Samaritan Ministries. He noted that Christians are typically among the first to respond to natural disasters, “But in HIV and AIDS, we weren’t the first responders, and in many ways, we’re still not.”

“We’ve got grown folks who don’t want to talk about [AIDS],” said Barbara Canada, a minister and an employee of the Knox County Health Department. She challenged those in attendance to commit to more involvement in HIV testing and AIDS support in the black community.

“This epidemic is only strengthened when we are ignorant and prejudiced,” said Rabbi Beth Schwartz of Temple Beth El. She called for greater outreach to those marginalized by society and religion, including the gay community.

The meeting’s organizers, the Faith-Based Approach & Initiative to Help Eliminate Health Disparities, will hold another event marking Black Church Week this Friday at 7 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church on Cecil Avenue.

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