On Wednesday, May 18, the 2016 General Conference heard a report from the Global Aids Fund. Rev. Don Messer, originally from Kimball, SD, is the co-chair of the fund.

“At least 37 million people are living with AIDS, half of whom are women. There are 13.3 million children living as orphans due to AIDS, and each day 700 babies are born with HIV. Millions of people still lack access to testing and anti-retro viral medicines,” reported Messer to those present in Portland on May 18. Photo: Rev. Don Messer presents the Global AIDS Fund report to General Conference on May 18, 2016. Photo by David Stucke, Dakotas Conference UMC Communications.

Messer and other leaders gathered to discuss current realities regarding HIV and AIDS at “AIDS is not over! Global issues and the church.” United Methodist Global AIDS Fund-sponsored the event on May 9 in Portland, Oregon.

“This conference will be a rich and rare opportunity for the church to get both a national and international perspective on HIV and AIDS, hearing from the scientific community and Christians from around the world,” said Dr. Donald Messer, co-chair of the Global AIDS Fund.

He recently sat down with Doreen Gosmire, Dakotas Conference Communication Director and talked about the future of the church.

Messer's thoughts on the church from Dakotas UMC on Vimeo.