When You Feel Like You’ve Been Looked Over, Remember You Don’t Know God’s Plan

Dr. Michael C. Carson, Columnist

Brother Mark Lyons (someone who greatly helped me in my writing career) made me aware of Mrs. Lena “Bea” Beatrice Young. Mark informed me that Sister Young always read my columns!

Sister Young was 99 years old. She transitioned Sunday, January 29, 2023. Sister Young, God rest your soul; thank you for being an avid reader of my work! Also, a “shout out” to Sister Jennifer Lyons!

Sister Sara Thatcher shared with me a column I wrote that has been on her refrigerator for over fifteen years, encouraging her children to embrace their dreams! Well, when you make it to the refrigerator…

I am so very appreciative of everyone who shares with me how the writing ministry that Evangelist Catherine L. Carson (God rest her soul) encouraged me to pursue and develop greatly blesses them.

To everyone who has read any (or all) of my columns since 1990, thank you so very much!

And now, a word of encouragement to anyone believing you have been overlooked in some way.

Have you ever felt you had been left out, put out, kept out, pushed out, locked out, or ran out of something or somewhere? Have you ever felt, for whatever reason, you were unneeded or uninvited? Have you ever felt as if you resided in the “Land of Unwanted Toys?”

Look into your mirror, and with all the strength and joy you can amass, exclaim: “I am wonderful! I’m chosen. I’m royal. I’m made holy through Jesus Christ! I’m peculiar.” Say, “In God, through Jesus Christ, it is upon me to demonstrate the goodness of God who has called me out of the darkness of this world into the marvelous light of God!”

Did you know that you are inspiring, delightful, extremely good; MARvelous, amazing, astonishing, astounding, FABulous, FANtastic, incredible, MARvelous, miraculous, phen omenal, prodigious, stupendous, unbelievable, wondrous, excellent; divine, FABulous, FANtastic, glorious, MARvelous, sensational, splendid, superb, terrific, and well wonderful?

Given a current situation, it might appear you have been looked over in life.

God sent the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king of Israel. Samuel, in talking with Jesse (David’s father) after seven of Jesse’s eight sons had passed by, said:

“Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.

“And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:11-13).

Oh, I hear Evangelist Cathy saying, “Never count anyone out nor ever count yourself out either. We do not always know just what God is up to. God is always up to something!” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Please stay tuned concerning what great things God has in store for you!

I’m just saying!

Peace with justice and mercy, be blessed real, real good, attend worship, and families matter. ❏ ❏ ❏

Underfunded Pensions And Black America 2023

Yeshiah

Grabie

Blacks in the United States have faced persistent bias and exploitation in housing, lending, and employment, which has hampered the community’s ability to build wealth and evade cycles of generational poverty. This pattern of exploitation risks repeating itself for the beneficiaries of state and local pensions, a matter that disproportionately affects black Americans. Therefore, it is important to maintain political pressure on government officials to ensure that pensions are positioned to meet their future obligations.

State and local pension funds operate as follows: pension funds collect money from employees, employers, and taxpayers, make projections about future payouts and invest in a mix of assets to meet future obligations. The funded status of a pension plan is determined based on the assets in the plan, and futu re payments are discounted at a selected rate.

In the United States, there are roughly 6,000 state and local pension plans, with assets dominated by 300 large stateadministered plans that control $5 trillion in assets in the vicinity. Per data from Equable Institute, in 2007, state and local pension funds in the United States were over 92% funded. However, the 2007-2008 housing market bubble collapse and the Great Recession that followed brought about a sharp drop in funded ratios across the board. Still, in the past decade, increased employee contributions, taxpayer funding, and an extended bull market in stocks helped these pension funds reach a nearly 85% funded ratio across all states.

2022 was a down year for stock and bond markets, pulling state and local pension funds below 78%.

This is an aggregate number for all U.S. states. Different funding ratios vary. New Jersey, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Illinois pension systems are severely underfunded. Further, there are risks to the markets going forward. The large government, corporate, and individual debt built up in the lowinterest rate environment of the last two decades faces refinancing risk, and a prolonged period of higher interest rates would weigh on asset prices. This is all occurring as the baby boomer generation is heading into retirement and drawing down pension balances, limiting the ability of pension funds to make up the projected gap.

The weakening forecast spotlights governance risk, especially at smaller funds. Pension funds have diversified portfolios to include investments in higher fee-generating private equity and hedge funds. As a result, pension funds in deficit positions are more likely to take bigger investment risks or use aggressive discount rates to understate the degree to which a pension fund’s ...continued on p10 underfunded. In the 2012 city of Stockton, incompetence was identified as a factor in its underfunded pension fund.

While states have increased their pension funding, in the more severe cases, there are limitations to what a state can do. For example, New Jersey has pension assets below $100 billion, pension liabilities over $200 billion, and a state budget of only $50 billion. Outside of increased taxpayer funding to close the gap, the potential fixes are not painless. Not all states offer cost of living adjustments, allowing inflation to erode purchasing power. Funds may seek to negotiate a reduction in benefits, which is particularly harmful to public employees who are not eligible for Social Security benefits. The alternative to no reduction in benefits is cuts to basic services. President Biden recently announced a $36 billion bailout for the Central States Pension Fund as part of the American Rescue Plan. Still, it is unclear whether the federal government will, at a later date, be willing or able to provide the current estimated $1.5 trillion needed to bail out state and local pension systems across the United States.

The weakness in pension funding poses a particular risk to black communities. State and local government employment has uniquely been a bright spot in a country where black unemployment has been persistently higher than the national average. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in 2005, blacks held 18.9% of state and local government jobs while representing 12.6% of the total population of the United States. This ratio has only slightly declined since. In 2019, the latest year for which data is available, blacks accounted for 18.3% of state and local government jobs while representing only 13.6% of the total population of the United States. State and local government jobs have traditionally paid less than private sector jobs. The cost of this is a reduced ability to afford a home. The trade-off is the promise to provide a steady stream of income in retirement to workers who have earned their pensions, often through a lifetime of service, to cover their expenses in retirement and keep from becoming a financial burden on their families.

Given this, it is important for black communities and the political leadership to exert pressure on state and local governments to ensure pension funds receive the funds they need to avert a later crisis. This can be an important step in breaking the cycle of exploitation and poverty. ❏ ❏ ❏

Apathy Or Appeasement: Are We Missing The Mark For Social Engagement?

Rev. Brandon A. A. J. Davis, Contributing Writer

Lately, I have been thinking about the church’s level of involvement regarding social engagement within our communities of service. As a pastor in Southwestern Pennsylvania, I notice both black and white pastors are not concerned about responding to the issues plaguing our society. Local ministers in my area would rather meet for collegial fellowsh ip instead of creating spac e and opportunity to address the increasing violence, drug use, and educational concerns that are both loudly and largely affecti ng our community.

Are we still tired from COVID-19 and its mutating variants? Are we overwhelmed by the issues before us and are shocked into silence? Have we abandoned our sense of duty and calling and accepted a laissez-faire outlook on what the church should be doing? These varied questions overwhelm me, especially in motivating pastors and leaders to start small and tackle the essentia ls of gauging the needs of the people we say God has called us to serve.

As I am sure, pastors worldwide are struggling to find meaningful ways to engage their community and address the needs of the people, whatever they may be. What saddens me most is the lack of imagination when envisioning how church leaders can, without significant effort, provide a ministry of service to those who brave the cold, chilling, and lonely winds of societal indifference. People face social angst, social injustice, and social challenges too numerous to count. So again, are we tired from COVID-19? Have we waxed cold with apathy, a seriality of “I don’t care,” or have we vacated our deep sense of care and concern with our mediocre handouts of ministerial appeasement? Sure, all of this sounds rough; nevertheless, I am not talking to you only but myself included.

So many social issues lay before the church, yet we seem too comfortable vacillating between two opinions: do nothing or ignore everything. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., makes a poignant statement I feel honors the moment: “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there ‘is’ such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

Toward the close of 2022, a national survey suggested the following needed more public attention: drug policies, infrastructure, gun violence, immigration, education reform, and foreign policy. At the same time, these issues do not overshadow the lingering reality of police brutality, gang violence, racism, and women’s rights. In truth, there is enough room for the church to formulate an opinion and a plan of action to remedy their menacing presence in our communities and the lives of those we serve.

We have recently seen too much apathy as when the pandemic initially forced us to rethink how to do church. In a repetitious and constantly evolving conversation with my best friend and sister Tina DeVeaux, who consistently preaches to me that “during the pandemic, it was shocking to see so many churches close and remain closed through the pandemic and beyond. Yet they wanted to be included as an ‘essential’ business. Why did we close during a crisis instead of fulfilling our call and commitment to care for God’s people? You can’t be essential if you’re not active. If you’re not active, you cannot be a source of help and support to the very people you call members and neighbors.”

The church has lost much of its influence and luster in many cases, be it political, social, or spiritual. Even those actively part of the church no longer consider the church before making life-changing decisions – let alone as the go-to place for help, healing, and support. Truly as Tina says, we’ve lost our place within our own communities. Habakkuk 1:3-4 (NIV) says: “Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore, the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous so that justice is perverted.”

In the face of so much indecision and apathy, let us decide reverently and soberly to be the church, ready and willing to respond to the combative social nature of a growing and culturally changing world. Instead of appeasement, let us strive to reengage, reimagine, and rethink doing ministry. We can do it; God can help.

Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret

Congratulations to life-long St. John member Barbara Johnson (b.k.a. B. A. Johnson) on releasing her second book, Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret, the second book in what will become a series of books with Mary Margaret Fanson, better known as Sassy, as the main character.

In this book, Sassy and her friends uncover the life of one of Bishop Richard Allen’s six children, Peter Allen. A presentation at St. John by a noted Huntsville historian, Mrs. Ollye Conley, inspired the story. The presentation’s research was done by the Reverend Dr. Mark Kelly Tyler, senior pastor of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mrs. Conley, having been a special friend of B. A. Johnson, shared the information and suggested Ms. Johnson “do something with it.” Understanding that this history had to be shared with other AMEs, Ms. Johnson created the narrative that children of all ages and ethnicities could read for themselves.

Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret is published by Fresh Ink Group, LLC. The book is available online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-

—— TRANSITIONS ——

REV. DR. HERCULES T. MILES, JR.

The Rev. Dr. Hercules Miles, Jr. was born to Hercules and Fae Miles on September 19, 1924, in Marlin, Texas. He received his primary and secondary education in the Dallas, Texas public schools. He obtained the Associate of Arts in Business Administration from Southwestern School and the Bachelor of Arts from Paul Quinn College, with additional studies at the University of Texas. He was later honored with an honorary doctorate from Edward Waters College of Jacksonville, Florida.

In his secular life, he served in the United States Army as a combat engineer from 1946-1948. He was hired as the first African American union employee at the Safeway Store in Dallas, Texas. God called Dr. Miles to preach at Smith Chapel under the pastorate of the Reverend J. R. McGee in 1952. After his first sermon, he was assigned to St. Mary and Forreston CircuitMt. Zion Station AME Church. That same year he was ordained an elder under the “missionary rule” by Bishop Howard Thomas Primm.

Dr. Miles served throughout the 10 th Episcopal District (Texas). At Johnson and Hamilton Circuit, he led the congregations to rebuild both structures. When appointed to Union Center African Methodist Episcopal Church, Conroe, Texas, he helped the congregation to build a new church and rebuild the fire-damaged youth center. At Grant Chapel, Austin, various physical improvements occurred in the church, including a new choir loft, office facility, and reception space. Additionally, the church opened Grant Villa Apartments and a daycare.

Under the tenure of Dr. Miles, Grant Chapel supported the establishment of

NORMAN DEAS (1935-2022)

Norman Deas was born on June 21, 1935. He graduated as salutatorian from Howard High School, Georgetown, South Carolina, in 1954. He attended Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, North Carolina, graduating in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He did further studies at Howard University in Washington, District of Columbia, and Roosevelt in Chicago, Illinois.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1958 until his honorable discharge in 1962. Norman worked for the U.S.

Million, Google Play, iTunes, Kobo, or your favorite retailers worldwide.

Ms. Johnson is open to scheduling virtual book talks entitled “Let’s Talk Sassy.” Contact Barbara Johnson at bajohnsonsassy1@gmail. com.

Visit Sassy’s website at http://bajohnsonsassy1. godaddysites.com.

View the trailer for Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret at https://youtu.be/ T3CO0MJtupQ.

Ms. Johnson is a member of St. John AME Church, Huntsville, Alabama. ❏ several new churches, including Young Chapel (Austin), Anderson Chapel (Killeen), and New Hope (Austin). He was elected to the General Board in 1968 and was president of the AME Texas Council of Progressive Ministers.

At the 1976 General Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, the Conference elected Dr. Miles to serve as the secretary-treasurer of the Church Extension Department. Some of the highlights in his 20 years as an active general officer include: celebrating the 100th Connectional Anniversary of the Church Extension Department; using Allen Travel Agency to charter a plane for the Bishop’s Council Meeting in Jamaica; spearheading the operations of Allen Insurance and Allen Industrial supplies; organizing mortgage relief and contributions to many small churches and letters of guarantee to build new churches; and organizing a carnival in St. Louis, Missouri as an outreach of the Department that was attended by thousands of people.

While serving as an active general officer, he was assigned to pastor two churches. First, Bishop H. Hartford Brookins appointed him to Tri-Union, St. Louis, Missouri, where he helped raise $40,000 for the building fund to construct the church’s first building. Next, Bishop Vinton Anderson appointed him as pastor of Quinn Chapel, St. Louis, Missouri—the original church founded by Bishop Paul Quinn. Then, after his retirement, Bishop T. Larry Kirkland appointed him pastor of Bethel, St. Louis, Missouri, where Dr. Miles reorganized the church after the congregation withdrew, restored the building, and formed a new congregation.

Dr. Miles died on February 17, 2023, in Dallas, Texas, and is survived by his wife, Joyce, one son, and three daughters. ❏ ❏ ❏

Government for twenty-seven years, starting in Washington, D.C., later moving to Chicago, Illinois, and ending his career as executive director of the Cincinnati, Ohio office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He was HUD’s first black appraiser and chief underwriter. During his career, he received accommodations for aggressive leadership and significant contributions to eliminating fraud, waste, and mismanagement. One thing he was most proud of was securing fair home appraisals and insurance for poor families, the lack of which had led to many losing their homes. ...continued on p12

March 2023

He moved to Conway, South Carolina, in 1991 after retiring. Never one to be idle, he volunteered at Holy Cross Faith Memorial School for eight years, where he had once been a student. He served as co-chair of the Horry-Georgetown Technical College Access and Equity Commission, which advises on equal access, especially for black males. He served as chairman and treasurer of the South Carolina Mental Health Association and on the Waccamaw Mental Health Board. He was also a member of the Conway Housing Authority Family Self-Sufficiency Commission, which advises on becoming self-sufficient. He was appointed Trustee for Allen University in 2005, serving in that capacity until his passing.

Norman was a faithful Christian and a dedicated member of St. Mary AME Church, Pawleys Island, South Carolina. He served in various capacities in all the churches he had been a member of, including church school teacher and superintendent, church treasurer, trustee, and steward pro tem. In addition, he was a delegate to the AME General Conference from 2000-2020 and co-chairman to the Seventh Episcopal District Delegation to the General Conference from 2004-2008.

Always supported by his wife Onetta, he served on all levels of the Connectional Lay Organization and was elected president of the Seventh Episcopal District in June 2003 and served until 2011. He served as president of the Council of Presidents for the Connectional Lay Organization and was an advisor for the Connectional Lay Organization from 2011-2019. He was an advisor to the Sons of Allen for the Georgetown District at his death.

Norman was united in holy matrimony to Onetta Hughes on August 14, 1960. They enjoyed 62 years of loving marriage. They were blessed with two children, Norma, Denise, and Dennis. He enjoyed watching sports, doing crossword puzzles, working in the yard, and participating in meetings.

Norman died on December 21, 2022. Those left to cherish fond memories of him include his wife, Onetta Hughes Deas, daughter Norma Denise DeasBrooks (Lawrence) of Norfolk, Virginia and son Dennis O. Deas of Rock Hill, South Carolina; a brother, Simon Deas, Brooklyn, New York; brothers and sisters-in-law; Michael (Pam) Hughes, Shirley Smith, Mary Colbert, Elizabeth (Ted) Bellamy, all of Conway, South Carolina and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. ❏ ❏ ❏

Newark’s New Safe Surrender Program A Haven For Fugitives

Patrick Tagerty, TAPinto

Individuals named in open warrants can now surrender safely at multiple sites across Newark, Mayor Ras Baraka said recently.

Baraka, speaking on the radio program Newark Today, said the city has partnered with houses of worship through the Office of Violence Prevention to create sites where someone under warrant can peacefully surrender to authorities. Baraka said that safety was the paramount concern of the city in creating this program.

“You don’t want police running into your house or stopping you at a traffic stop or anything like that, which can turn deadly,” Baraka said. “If you know you have a warrant and want to resolve it, it’s safer to go into a place that we set aside for that.”

Baraka also wanted to convey to individuals with warrants that their arrest was not a certainty and that the program was designed with a resolution, not incarceration, in mind.

Deputy public safety director of Community Relations, the Rev. Ronald L. Slaughter, who helped facilitate the program, credited Baraka for his goal of safety for both the police and the public. He said safe surrender allows for a peaceful connection between wanted individuals and the police.

“Safe Surrender is the brainchild of Mayor Baraka,” Slaughter said. “It really is a win-win process because it gives individuals with open warrants the ability to choose how and where they will surrender. This [program] gives them a sense of empowerment to face the charges they are accused of because they approach them based on terms they themselves have set. Police resources are also freed up to be allocated to other crime-reduction activities.”

Safe surrender locations include Temple Rock Community Church in the North Ward, Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Central Ward, New Psalmist Church in the South Ward, Masjid Muhammad-Newark Mosque in the West Ward, and the United Community Corporation in the East Ward. Wanted individuals interested in safely surrendering can call the program’s hotline at 973-733-5655.

After calling, a social worker will help connect the individual to the proper location and arrange the surrender with authorities. There, the individual can talk to the police with a lawyer present if they choose. Baraka said the process is meant to be as streamlined and stress-free as possible for all parties and intended to avoid potential injuries.

“We see what’s happened nationally with situations like that,” Baraka said. Newark’s own police force is still under federal oversight following investigations into alleged civil rights abuses in 2014.

Safe-surrender houses developed from an all-day brainstorming session with the Office of Violence Prevention that focused on juvenile justice, public safety, and police intervention.

“It was easy,” Baraka said. “It was low-hanging fruit that was easy for us to set up. And we did it.”

The program mirrors a temporary surrender project that the city offered in 2009. That program, overseen by the United States Marshals Service, offered fugitives four days to surrender to police safely. Over 4,000 people turned themselves in, yet only a handful were arrested. The program was considered a success. ❏ ❏ ❏