John Lewis, who represented the area surrounding Decatur First UMC, was a genuine American hero. A committed Christian and ordained pastor, John Lewis called us to care for the most vulnerable among us and to remember all people are made in God's image. In his honor, we have created a scholarship in support of the participants of the African American Male Initiative (AAMI) at Georgia State University. 

The African American Male Initiative encourages students to achieve academic and personal excellence so that they may become leaders in their families and communities. Ultimately, the initiative is designed to increase the number of African American male students who persist through school and earn a college degree. The program addresses "extensive gaps in postsecondary attainment between African-American men and peer groups of African-American women and other student populations," and it has had remarkable success in Georgia since its inception in 2003.

To date, the church has raised just over $19,000 towards our $25,000 goal. Once we reach $25,000, a permanent endowment will be established at Georgia State - a gift that will truly keep on giving. If you’d like to help close the gap towards establishing this fund, you can send a check to the church with “Lewis Scholarship” written in the memo line, or you can give online at this link and select “John Lewis Memorial Scholarship Endowment.”