Helping Minds Shine

ABCNJ & UNCF Partner to Endow Lulu Fleming Scholarship Fund

During Black History Month, the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey (ABCNJ) joined forces with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to finish work that began three years ago. In 2017, in keeping with the region’s commitment to mentor and develop leaders to be ready and relevant for the future, ABCNJ formed a partnership with UNCF to establish an ABCNJ /UNCF scholarship fund.

Since then, in recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s American Baptist roots and his emphasis on education as a key to equality, ABCNJ churches have been collecting special UNCF scholarship offerings on the Sunday preceding the observance of the Dr. King holiday. In 2019, understanding, “Today’s students are tomorrow’s teachers, doctors, artists, and ministers. They will educate our children, care for our well-being, remind us of the beauty found in the world, and lead our congregations,” ABCNJ Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor Miriam Méndez designated the funds raised at her Consecration and Call installation service for the ongoing UNCF drive.

“When our two organizations began working together, the fundraising threshold to endow a scholarship was $5,000,” said Ngozi Emenyeonu, UNCF area development director. “Since that time, the national threshold was raised to $10,000 by the directors-at-large.” Thanks to the generosity of ABCNJ churches committed to this cause and those who contributed at Reverend Méndez’s installation service, ABCNJ has had $4,990 in the coffer since February, 2019.

This year, by combining the contributions from participating churches’ January collections and the proceeds from a February fundraising luncheon with the existing monies, ABCNJ raised enough to endow

Photo: ABCNJ L–R: TPC Publisher Adrian Council, Sr.; UNCF Area Development Director Ngozi Emenyeonu; ABCNJ Senior Regional Executive Minister Miriam Méndez; and ABCNJ Associate Regional Pastor Carol Lynn Patterson

the ABCNJ /UNCF Lulu Fleming Scholarship Fund, in honor of Dr. Louise Celia Fleming, who was the first African American woman to be appointed for career missionary service by the Women's American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society in 1886. This Scholarship will be awarded to deserving ABCNJ youth each year at our Annual Session.

“While we are extremely grateful for everyone who did anything to help make this fundraising drive successful,” said ABCNJ Associate Regional Pastor Carol Lynn Patterson, who spearheaded the initiative, “special appreciation goes to our celebrity endorser Gaius Charles, who is known for playing Dr. Shane Ross on Grey’s Anatomy, as well as Ministers Ronica Harris and Kerwin Webb for serving as mistress and master of ceremonies, respectively.”

The region thanked those churches and associations who contributed financially either by receiving a collection or attending the Scholarship Benefit Luncheon: Alpha Baptist Church, Willingboro; Berean Baptist Church, Newark; Central Baptist Church of RivertonPalmyra; Columbus Baptist Church, Columbus; Essex Association; First Baptist Church of Cliffside Park; First Baptist Church of New Brunswick; First Baptist Church, Robbinsville; First Baptist Community Church, Parsippany; First Baptist Lincoln Gardens, Somerset; First Haitian Bethel Baptist Church, Newark; Greater Deleware Valley Association; Humanity Baptist Church, Newark; Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church, Camden; Kings Community Baptist Church, Cherry Hill; Monmouth Korean Baptist Church, Freehold; Mount Zion Baptist Church, Newark; NextGen Church, West Windsor; Saint John Baptist Church, Camden; Saint Paul Baptist Church, Montclair; and Tabernacle Baptist Church, Burlington.