On Sunday, the Reverend Charles L. Fischer of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta made a $27,000 contribution to a grant for Episcopal students attending St. Augustine University located in Raleigh, N.C. The grant program is named for Absalom Jones, the first African-American Episcopal priest.

Reverend Fischer said the gift marks his intention for a long-term relationship between St. Paul’s and St. Augustine’s. He noted that he got the idea for the grant at St. Paul’s Men’s Day when the speaker put forth a challenge for the congregation to raise funds for a scholarship and mentoring to students at St. Augustine’s University. The university was founded by The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina in 1867.

Reverend Fischer heard the call and knew his parish, the largest primarily African-American U.S. Episcopal parish, was up for the challenge: “We believe that love is the primary message of Christ, that justice is love in action, and that in serving others we are following Christ’s mandate to love our neighbors as ourselves.”

Diocese of Atlanta Bishop the Right Rev. Robert C. Wright said he is heartened by the donation for the parish which he led for a decade before becoming the 10th Bishop of Atlanta in 2012.

“I am proud of St. Paul’s continuation of their commitment to supporting young people who are educating their minds and deepening their souls,” Wright said. “Congratulations, to St. Paul’s for making an historic investment in the learning and lives of young people seeking education for service.”

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