Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

Since the crisis began, Grace Cathedral has been a beacon of hope for thousands who have been challenged by HIV/AIDS locally and worldwide. We are proud to host this special presentation that commemorates both the sad losses and the examples of heroic service during twenty-five years of the pandemic. The evening is appropriately headlined by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. SFGMC has a long tradition of community service and musical excellence, “promoting awareness and understanding […] through the language of music and the shared experience of performance.” A meditative contemporary dance sequence, The Passion according to Mary: Fantasy/Mother and Child, set to music from J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, will be offered by the Omega West Dance Company.

Our church and its leaders continue to emphasize that caring for the least of these and working toward fulfillment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals are top priorities in our common life. Among these is the goal of combating HIV/AIDS worldwide, especially in the poorest countries. While scientists continue to develop medicines that help people living with AIDS enjoy higher qualities of life and longer life spans, the medicines are not universally available or affordable. We still have work to do.

This evening honors the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS, celebrates the hope that sustains us, and looks to a brighter future.