2009 World AIDS Day Community Interfaith Service
World AIDS Day Interfaith Service
December 1, 2009, 2009 7:00 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee
2810 North Meridian Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312
Sponsored by the Big Bend Cares & Canopy Connection
Twenty-first annual Community Interfaith Service for 2009 World AIDS Day (Tuesday, December 01, 2009) was observed in many places in Tallahassee, FL. One such service sponsored by Big Bend Cares was held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee, 2810 Meridian Road between 7 and 9 PM. During the service members from several religious faiths and communities offered words/prayers of hope, healing, relief from suffering in the fight against HIV. The service was led by pastor from Gentle Shepherd Metropolitan Community Church. We then heard messages from people around the world who are suffering from the disease. Then members of th Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, and Pagan communities offered prayers and encouragements. There Interfaith choir sang songs as well.
Representing Hindu faith, I read a Sanskrit prayer for praise of God. Then read Thirugnana Sambanhar’s Thevaaram in Tamil and meaning in English as a prayer for healing the suffering. I ended my speech from a quote about human being’s greatest gift is “service to others”. Then as the service ended everyone was given a red rose in rememberance of those who have passed away and for keeping hope for who are fighting the disease. That was followed by light refreshments.