Everyday Ministry shines the spotlight on those who try to stay out of it. They’re the ones who stay in the background, quietly doing the small things that make life better for others. They’re all around you. To nominate someone for an Everyday Ministry feature, please send information to editor@spiritofabilene.com. Include the name of the person being nominated, contact info, and the reason for the nomination. Include a photo if you have one.

By Loretta Fulton

It might be faster to list the things that Josh Fleming DOESN’T do to help others. A quick checklist of the things he DOES do:

• Team leader at BOBS (Breakfast on Beech Street)
• He and his wife, Kami Fleming, volunteer at First Central Presbyterian Church’s food pantry
• Deacon, Elder, chair of the Finance Committee at First Central
• He and his wife are founding members of a Sunday School class at FCPC
• Donates platelets every two weeks
• Was on the board of the Abilene Philharmonic Association and its foundation and helped with Abilene Youth Orchestra
• Teaches Financial Literacy classes to local high school seniors through Junior Achievement of Abilene and serves on the board
• Member of Southwest Rotary Club and has served as secretary, treasurer, and president, while doing numerous local service projects
• Recently was male sponsor for First Central Presbyterian’s youth trip to Leupp, Arizona, to serve a Navajo congregation

Josh Fleming donating platelets

Even on the job as an independent certified financial planner, Josh is thinking about ways he can help his clients to help others.
“I help people use their money as a tool to live the lives that they want to live,” he said, “and support the causes that are important to them.”

Josh Fleming
Age 44
Wife: Kami Fleming
Sons: Brock and Gunner
Born in Abilene, I was raised in Baird and grew up attending The First Baptist Church of Baird.
Graduated from Baird High School in 2000 and Hardin-Simmons University with a BBA in Finance in 2004

Josh, 44, his wife, Kami, and their two sons, Brock and Gunner, have been members of First Central Presbyterian Church since 2018. Since then, Josh has become “Mr. Everything” at the church.
“Josh is such an amazing servant leader at FCPC,” said Grace Sosa, associate pastor for youth. “He has served in front-facing roles as an elder and chair of our finance committee, but he also does so many things behind the scenes. He cooks dinner for our youth group, serves at Breakfast on Beech Street at 5 a.m., and opens his home for church gatherings.“
It’s hard to image that Josh at one time shunned all churches. Following the divorce of his parents when Josh was a senior in high school, he didn’t attend church for 10 years. He had had a bad experience in his hone church, but eventually joined Southside Baptist Church in Clyde.
“That church, led by Pastor Billy Sellars, played a pivotal role in determining what it meant to be a Christian for me,” he said. “Welcoming, loving, and helpful.”

Josh Fleming, top right, and Grace Sosa, next to him, lead a youth mission trip to Leupp, Arizona

In 2017, his mother, who had always been the servant leader of his extended family, died of ovarian cancer. Josh has watched as she cared for him, his brother, cousins, her parents and grandparents. Her influence rubbed off on Josh. Even though he struggled with his faith following her death, he came back stronger than ever.
“She was my most shining example of being the hands and feet of Christ,” he said. “This is when my passion for service was ignited to carry on and expand the example that she had set for me.”
The family decided to join First Central Presbyterian because of the issue of women preachers in the Baptist church. They wanted their children to witness strong female leaders in addition to male leaders. They settled on First Central because of its numerous ministries locally, nationally, and internationally.
“When I found out about everything FCPC did locally, I dove in headfirst,” Josh said.

Josh Fleming holds a ladder while his son, Gunner Fleming, paints the trim on a house during a youth mission trip

He immediately signed up for BOBs, a ministry that serves a hot breakfast, plus a sack lunch, five days a week. Various churches in town rotate shifts. Josh’s team leader was Don Wright, who along with his wife, Bev, were mainstays at First Central Presbyterian for many years. Both are now deceased. After two years, Don asked Josh to take over as team leader. Josh continues in that role and represents FCPC on the BOBs board of directors.
The church’s recent youth trip to Leupp, Arizona, was a first for Josh and he proved to be a real trooper. Grace Sosa, who led the mission trip told Josh that the kids would be sleeping on church floors and that he could get a hotel room if he wished. Josh would not hear of it.
“He jumped right in and was willing to do anything we asked the youth group to do,” Sosa said. “That is an amazing example for our young people to see.”
Josh was active in his church growing up, but it would take many years before he took what he learned there and put it into practice in his everyday life.
“These days I strive for service about self and seek to live out Matthew 25:35-40,” he said, referring to the scripture which beings, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.”

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene