Mother Abby Flemister Honored by the Episcopal Church of Liberia

“Dr. James B. Sellee, bishop of the Episcopal Church of Liberia, invited the Rev. Abeoseh “Abby” Flemister to receive the Rev. E. Bolling Robertson Award for distinguished service to that diocese. The award, named for an Episcopal priest who served as a missionary in Liberia from 1945 to 1984, recognizes Flemister’s “invaluable contributions to the Church and humanity over the years.”

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Mother Abby received the award March 5, 2023 at the closing service of the 87th Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Church of Liberia at Cuttington University, in Suacoco, Liberia.

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Flemister, who has been licensed to officiate in the Diocese of Southern Ohio since retiring to Columbus in 2004, is a priest of the Episcopal Church of Liberia. She and her husband, Clifton, are members of St. Matthew’s, Westerville, where she serves as director of Partners in Ministry in Liberia (PIMIL), a program established in 2005 to educate children in the wake of civil war that ravaged Liberia from 1989 to 2003.

 

“The history of PIMIL is an amazing manifestation of Mother Abby’s lifelong commitment to The Church of Liberia and to honoring those who lost their lives during the civil unrest,” Harold Patrick, former PIMIL board chair and member of St. Matthew’s, says. “This is an amazing story of what God can do through each and every one of God’s children.”

 

Since its founding, PIMIL has sponsored more than 2500 students, including many from families affected by Ebola and COVID. More than 100 donors, organizations and congregations sponsor students and make contributions to PIMIL, which pays nearly $25,000 in school tuition for Liberian students each semester. Today the program also helps renovate schools, establish libraries, and supply safe drinking water in schools.”

 

CONGRATULATIONS, MOTHER ABBY!