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TRM partnered with Ethan Messer for this year’s walk that generated tens of thousands of dollars for people living with HIV in the San Diego area. Ethan wrote up this blog as to share his heart for this event as a means to invite others to advocate for the Community and draw other Christians to join him in walking next September. TRM joyfully supported him and his efforts this year and hope that the community we have formed and are forming will join in with Ethan in the years going forward. Here is his post:
“This year I participated with my friends from Restored Church in the AIDS Walk that was held in September.
Participating in events like the AIDS Walk are important to me because as a celibate gay christian I am always mindful of ways that I can engage the LGBTQ+ Community. I have been HUGELY blessed by God, because I am a part of a church that is fully aware of my attractions to men and that fully supports, not only me in my life and my desire to honor God with my sexuality, but who desire to find, support and participate in events that have the potential, directly or indirectly to build bridges between the Church and the LGBTQ+ community.
In my opinion, the annual AIDS Walk is a wonderful opportunity for Christians to come alongside the community, more specifically, the LGBTQ+ Community as they raise awareness, funds and resources for those that are living with HIV or AIDS. I believe this to be the case because finding a cure for AIDS is a very “universal” goal, that spans racial, political, sexual and religious affiliations.
I believe that this is a particularly good opportunity for Christians who desire to build bridges with, and love the LGBTQ+ Community in a more effective way. This is because the AIDS Walk is a wonderful event that many individuals in the LGBTQ+ Community are passionate about. Though HIV and AIDS does not discriminate, and can effect any people group, historically it has largely been the gay community that has been most impacted by these diseases and who have been the most closely associated with its emergence in the past. In the past individuals and, unfortunately christians projected their fear and their misunderstanding of these diseases onto the gay community, blaming the emergence of HIV & AIDS on the gay community as a result of their “perverse lifestyle”. Some groups even went as far as to weaponize the existence of HIV & AIDS and coin hurtful phrases such as “AIDS cures fags!” While your average person today is far more educated about HIV & AIDS than a person in the 80s, we are not far removed from the abusive comments such as the [ones] aforementioned. There are wounds to heal and hurt to tend to that remain in this community to this day.
In my experience, for a christian to invite an unbelieving friend, or co-worker to join them in this event will speak volumes to them and will often surprise them that you; a christian, are involved in an event like the AIDS Walk. My experience is that it surprised my friends/co-workers that are unbelievers. They were pleasantly surprised that I would care about this event, let alone that I would join with the LGBTQ+ Community so closely in an event that is so largely tied to the gay community.
I believe that by participating in events like the AIDS Walk gives christians a chance to begin to dispel the negative presuppositions that many in today’s culture believe regarding the Church; which is that because christians have religious convictions regarding homosexuality, that somehow negates the ability of Christians to genuinely love the LGBTQ+ Community and desire to join with them in this noble humanitarian cause.
Many christians seem to be more than ready and willing to share with a gay individual upon meeting them what their biblical view is regarding homosexuality or same sex marriage. I think we need to all take a breath, remember scripture where it tells us to “be quick to listen and slow to speak” and to lean on the old adage; “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!”
It is important for us, as christians, to be mindful that the LGBTQ+ Community is like any other community. They want to be known, loved and respected by others in society. It is imperative that, if we as christians do intend on “building bridges” with individuals in this community that we begin to not treat them as an “issue”, but rather as a community of people that are first and foremost loved by God.
By engaging with and joining with the LGBTQ+ Community in events like the AIDS Walk what we are saying, and more importantly showing this community is that “I am here to stand WITH you NOT against you” and that “Your life and how you choose to live it DOES NOT change my desire to love and support you in this cause”.
I will be participating in the AIDS walk again next September. If anyone would be interested in joining me, please feel free to email me at emesser2063@gmail.com”
As a representative and leader within TRM, I want to say I am honored to been a part of supporting you Ethan. Let’s get that shoe together next year! (Patrick Zaccaria)
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