Beautiful Day partners with The Living Center to host an amazing Day Spa for women living with HIV and AIDS.

In collaboration with the NeilA. ChristieLiving Center,a resource center for those in Santa Clara Countyliving with AIDS or HIV, Beautiful Day hosted a spa day with a lunch for thewomen clients of the Center. Most of these women never receive this kindof service and we were thrilled to be able to bless them in this way.

Here’s an eye-witness summary of the events of that day fromMitzi Macon (director of the Living Well Council, which is Beautiful Day’sextension of compassion to people living with HIV/AIDS)…

I'm home after spending the day atThe Living Center...It was ladies with HIV/AIDS SpaDay for Beautiful Day!

I'm still a bit emotional, butwanted to share with you what a great day it was today. The WestGate 'youngladies', worked tirelessly on hair, nails/toes, massage and make up for 25-30clients. Many came from outside San Jose just for this event. Marianne (the director ofthe Living Center)'got the word out', to many contacts, which in turn brought women to The Living Centerfor the first time. Marianne has never seen such participation...I trulybelieve it started with the amazing invitation created by Charlie (BeautifulDay’s Art Director)...

It was an incredible blessing to seethe women come in the door, a little unsure of what was to come. A fabulouslunch was offered (funded by The Living Well Council) and then each womanpicked the treatment they wanted to experience.

The WG women just worked and worked,as each client was thrilled to have their hair/makeup/nails/toes and bodiesattended to with such love.

I wanted you to know, that thesewomen will never forget their experience today, and think that WG women rock!

Posted by email from Jon Talbert's posterous

Team Beautiful Day and the AIDS walk

The Silicon Valley Walk for AIDS is coming up Sunday October 19th. This will be our 2nd walk (not counting SF AIDS walk), and last year Team Beautiful Day had THE largest walking team. but ironically we did not have the largest fundraising effort. We fell just behind Starbucks. I love Starbucks... so I'm ok with losing to them. But it would have been worse to loose to something that fells wimpy to me like "Team Charmin", or "Team Dress Barn". That would drive me nuts I think.

However, We are mounting up to have the largest team (Team Beautiful Day) this year. WestGate Church will cancel services on the 19th and ask everyone to walk... we will be the church in the streets. Calvary Los Gatos is canceling Sunday services and asking everyone to walk... so is Twin Oaks, and the River. All churches will be part of Team Beautiful Day and will walk as a representation of "The" church of Silicon Valley.

Not only do I feel that its important to have representation of the church in the walk... I feel passionate about a reconnect somehow with the Gay community and church. Rather than focusing on the things that we disagree on and fight over... I choose to focus on what we DO agree on.

That would be...

- A healthy relationship between the church and the Gay community

- A communication channel that allows for respectful conversation

- Caring for those suffering from HIV/AIDS,

- Serving together on Compassion projects that demonstrate God's Common Grace

- Invitations to each others events, celebrations, and service venues

If you would like to be part of the Revolution to stop the spread of AIDS you have two options.

-Walk with me under the banner of Team Beautiful Day

-Support me financially as I walk with Team Beautiful Day

Either way you are making a huge difference in the lives of many in our community.

To find out ways of how to walk or support go to the website http://acsv.kintera.org/faf/search/searchParticipants.asp?ievent=271638&lis=1&kntae271638=D2FF892C24A84BC8B356981A6BE1020F

AIDS, Same-Sex Marriage, and the Inconsistency of the Church

Saturday night Cheri and I went to the AIDS Coalition "Unmask the Mysteries" Gala fundraiser. It was a "whos who" event in down town San Jose. The premise was to raise funds through corporate sponsors and through a silent auction of items donated from people all over the Bay Area. It was nice to mingle with people who care so much about fighting AIDS. There were 5 of us represented from WestGate (Beautiful Day's Living Well group). In fact, we were the only church represented at this event. I actually felt proud to be connected to WestGate and represent our church's ongoing support of those who are suffering from HIV and AIDS, but I was saddend by the lack of support from the evangelical community at large.

It baffles me that churches would work to respond to the AIDS pandemic globally, but make very little effort locally. What I find most ironic is churches rallying together to fight the gay community over legalized same-sex marriage, while making little to no response to those suffering from HIV and AIDS. Why is that? The whole fight feels inconsistant to me. We will rally together and unify churches to fight for something that protects a value that we hold, but we fail to come together to fight for those who are suffering.

I'm not saying that I don't share some of the same convictions with some of these churches about same-sex marriage. What I am saying is that I really dont like the way this thing is going down. The conservative evangelical community is going to do what it seems to do best... that is, rally together to stand "against" something, rather than rally together to stand "along side" someone.

The evangelical community has done so much damage in the past as it relates to the Gay Community and those suffering from HIV and AIDS, that our credibility to say anything worth listening to is almost entirely lost. The only credible voice comes in the form of a servant... who is willing to pick up a towel and wash feet.

The further we get to the Same Sex marriage initiatives in November, the more I will call people to humbly serve, to bless, to give, to care. If we rally around anything it will be around Jesus who came in the form of a servant, and healer. Jesus healed wounds and cared for those who were suffering... we should do the same.

For more information about AIDS Coalition Silicon Valley go to: www.AIDScoalition.org
-Make a one time donation
-register under "Team Beautiful Day" for the Oct 19th AIDS walk
-Donate your Vehicle