Jars of Clay to Headline World Malaria Day Celebration in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On World Malaria Day, Sunday, April 25, The United Methodist Church will officially launch Imagine No Malaria, its $75 million initiative to eliminate malaria deaths in Africa. To mark the celebration, a free concert event will take place in Austin, Texas, on the south steps of the State Capitol from 2-5 p.m. (CDT).

Christian rock band Jars of Clay will headline the festivities, which are open to the public. The event will also feature local music, family activities and food from local restaurants.

"United Methodists are taking on the fight against malaria in a big way, and we're excited about the potential impact of this effort," said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United Methodist Communications. "Malaria is preventable and treatable. It's a fight we can win if we all work together."

Austin is located in the Southwest Texas Annual (regional) Conference of The United Methodist Church, which served as the pilot project for Imagine No Malaria prior to the formal program launch. Although most of the initial support was driven by United Methodist churches, the entire community is invited to the launch event.

The event will also feature live music from Austin's Graham Wilkinson and the Underground Township, the Huston-Tillotson College Choir and a special family area with interactive activities.

"Our entire annual conference embraced the opportunity to lead the way by supporting Imagine No Malaria," said the Rev. James Dorff, bishop of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference. "We are excited to showcase this initiative to the Austin community and to the entire denomination."

For those not able to attend in person, the entire celebration will be broadcast live via streaming video on the Imagine No Malaria Web site at www.ImagineNoMalaria.org.

About Imagine No Malaria

Imagine No Malaria is an extraordinary ministry of the people of The United Methodist Church to eliminate death and suffering from malaria in Africa by 2015. With a goal of raising $75 million to improve health infrastructure and empower a sustainable victory over the disease, Imagine No Malaria is our opportunity to rethink how we reach beyond our church, opening doors to those who need it most.

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