wfn.org | ABCUSA: FLEMMINGS TO LEAD URBAN TEAM

[RICH.SCHRAMM@ecunet.org]

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS SERVICE 
Office of Communication  
American Baptist Churches USA 
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851 
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director 
 E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

FLEMMINGS NAMED INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES 
URBAN TEAM LEADER
 The Rev. Loreno R. Flemmings of Philadelphia, 
Pa., has been named American Baptist International 
Ministries' Urban Team Leader, effective March 12.   He 
will lead the urban priority, one of the six mission priorities 
in International Ministries' new strategic plan, Go Global. 
 Flemmings comes to International Ministries with 
15 years of experience as an urban pastor and city planner 
in Virginia and Philadelphia.  Since 1995 he has served as 
the senior pastor and administrator of the Mount Zion 
Baptist Church of Holmesburg in Philadelphia, where he 
provided spiritual and administrative leadership in the 
church and surrounding community. 
 Historically, because International Ministries has 
served the most marginalized people, ministry has tended 
to focus in more rural areas.  These same people now are 
moving to the world's cities at a rate of 61 million people a 
year, and International Ministries is seeking to be 
responsive to the needs of the urban poor. 
 International Ministries held its first Urban Mission 
Consultation in January 2000 with 18 consultants from 
around the world.  The consultation resulted in clear 
direction for ways to support ministry in urban centers. 
 Flemmings, together with International Ministries 
missionary Jeff Dieselberg and Dr. Ray Bakke, executive 
director of International Urban Associates, will work to 
establish five urban ministry centers in major cities 
throughout the world.  One center will be in the United 
States, and will be selected in collaboration with American 
Baptist National Ministries.  The first center will be in 
Bangkok, Thailand, where Dieselberg ministers.  
 Dr. John Sundquist, International Ministries 
executive director, noted, "In a world where nearly half of 
the world's population is urban, it is International 
Ministries' hope that this strategic initiative opens 
opportunities to make resources available to, and to 
partner with, the urban poor." 

WFN0312A

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