Helen L. Fling

Helen Long Fling will be held on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at Mountain Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. Time of the service will be 10:00 AM. Dr. Fling passed away March 1 in Wimberley, TX. She was 97 years old. She was a well known and beloved leader in Baptist missions worldwide for more than 60 years. She was closely identified with Birmingham through her national leadership in Woman's Missionary Union, Auxiliary to Southern Baptist Convention, which has headquarters here. Helen Fling was born to a missionary frontier pastor in the young state of Oklahoma, December 9, 1914. She grew up in Texas and graduated from East Texas State University, with studies also at Baylor University. At age 19, she married Robert Cobb Fling, June 9, 1934. He was a traveling evangelist among young people for Baptists of Texas, and he was destined for a series of pastorates in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, New York, and Germany. Helen was a devoted pastoral colleague at each station. For their honeymoon, they traveled to the Baptist World Alliance congress in Berlin, Germany. They extended their travels in Europe and the Holy Land. Kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, they prayed for God's guidance into the right paths of Christian service. During pastoral service in Texas, Helen Fling's ability as a teacher, lecturer, and writer came to the attention of the Woman's Missionary Union of Texas and also of the national WMU network. Always serving as an unpaid volunteer, she was in demand across the southern states as a mission study leader, and she was a prolific inspirational writer for the publications of WMU, SBC. In 1957 she was elected to the nationwide office of recording secretary of WMU, SBC. In 1962, she wrote the popular book, Enlistment for Missions. In 1963 she was tapped for the presidency of WMU, SBC. At the time, she and her husband were serving a pastorate in Seminole, Oklahoma, but they soon relocated to Cleburne, Texas, from which she extended travels nationwide and into many other countries. During her national presidency of WMU, she led in a reorganization of WMU. The organization intensified its emphasis on personal missions involvement through "mission action." Her leadership in Christian social ministries and racial justice was always Biblically based and focused on participation of individuals and families. She also blessed many churches and families through her work with minister's wives. In 1966, she received the Golden Medallion from Southern Baptist Ministers' Wives Conference for distinguished denominational service. In 1969 she resigned as president of WMU, so that she and her husband could engage in fulltime mission work in Westchester County, New York. They lived there as missionaries of the SBC until 1976, establishing the Westchester Baptist Church in Pleasantville. While in New York, Helen helped to establish and became president of the WMU of New York state. Also she retained national leadership of WMU and the North American Baptist Women's Union of the Baptist World Alliance. She became a board member of the American Bible Society (New York headquarters) and served for many years. In 1976 Helen and Robert Fling extended their mission efforts to Munich, Germany, in connection with the International Mission Board of the SBC. Robert served as pastor of the English-language Baptist congregation in Munich, and both were involved in the European Baptist Convention. When Robert Fling retired in 1977, Helen was invited to serve on the national headquarters staff of WMU. She became the traveling promoter to develop new statewide or areawide WMU organizations outside of traditional SBC territory. The Flings took up residence in the Birmingham area, and they joined Mountain Brook Baptist Church. Robert Fling undertook several short-term pastoral assignments in the Birmingham area, and Mrs. Fling taught a Bible study class at Mountain Brook Baptist. Helen Fling had never before received a paycheck for her tireless work for missions, until joining the staff of WMU. Until her retirement in 1984, she nurtured formation of WMU area organizations across the nation, giving particularly leadership in Nevada, Wyoming, New England, and Minnesota-Wisconsin. Simultaneously, she served 1977-1982 in the voluntary post of treasurer of the North American Baptist Women's Union, which encompassed about 20 different nationwide Baptist conventions. During her many years of mission involvement, many additional responsibilities and honors came to Helen Fling. In 1967, she became the first woman ever elected to an office in the Baptist General Convention of Texas, serving as second-vice-president. In 1973 and 1974, at a time when women were rarely accorded leadership in the SBC, she was nominated for vice-presidencies of the SBC. In 1984, Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas awarded her a doctoral degree. By this time, she was in constant demand as an inspirational speaker and preacher. She was noted for her Biblical scholarship and her ability to communicate the missions story with unforgettable humor. Alma Hunt, who had served as chief executive of WMU, SBC 1948-1974, was her best friend and long-time colleague. Together they were in demand as duo speakers and entertainers for Baptist conventions and conferences. In 2001, Helen Fling moved to Texas to live near her daughter. Her last visit to Birmingham was for her 90th birthday party at Mountain Brook Baptist Church. The memorial service at 10:00 AM on March 6 will be conducted by Dr. James D. Moebes, former pastor of Mountain Brook Baptist Church. Following the service, a time for sharing memories around a slide show and refreshments will be held in Hudson Hall. Memorial contributions may be directed to the WMU Foundation, 100 Missionary Ridge, Birmingham AL 35242 or to the Sheila Fling Scholarship c/o Vicki Meehan-Clarke, University Advancement, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666 or via https://tim.txstate.edu/Default.aspx?alias=tim.txstate.edu/uaexternalonlinegiving Dr. Helen Fling is survived by her daughter, Dr. Sheila Fling of Driftwood, TX, her son, R. Michael Fling of Bloomington, IN, her sister Jean Long Corley of Tyler, TX, and many nieces and nephews.