�������� ����������������� ����������������� ������

���������������������������������

�

���������������

Like many of you November 4, 2008will have a special place in ourhearts for as long astime lasts. Yes, itwas the day that thepeople of the UnitedStates elected its firstadmittedly “sho nuf”President from theBlack community. Thenext milestone is theInauguration Date just afew days ahead –January 20, 2009. It willbe an enormous historicoccasion.

The election of BarackHussein Obama, 44th

President of the UnitedStates of America signals thatthe American nation is movingin a steady pace toward pushingcolor further down its list ofpriorities and prerequisites forevaluating people and abilities.No, it does not end racism but it isthe latest signal that the majority ofAmericans want to give everyone a fairchance at success.

The one very special best signal that it sends isthat there are strong families in our community andthat they exist in thereal world, outside ofthe television soundstages of the bygoneBill Cosby Show. Oneof the strong pointsmade by, I believe,Michelle Obama’smother was that the

Obama’s were not the exceptionin their community but the rule.It is consistent with what onenoted Ph.D. in Economics toldme years ago – the largestsingle group in the Blackcommunity is the Blackmiddle class.

President-Elect Obama’spath to the presidency ismarked by a unique blendof a strong sense offamily and grounding.He fully employed hisintelligence, andteamed with people ofvision and abilitywithout regard torace. He exhibitedconcern for hiscommunity andwas dedicated tochange in that

community withoutbecoming a one-issue, one-note

Johnny-come-lately candidate. Thisdistinguished him from other candidates for highoffice defying the seeming tradition of the recentpast. Anger and frustration were absent from hisdemeanor and his rhetoric. His successful effortsignals that you may not be lucky all the time butyou can be smart everyday.

I have listened as some commentators suggestedthat now that we have a Black president we have to

����������� ������� �����������

�

The Road UntraveledThe current economic crisis facing our nation

and the world seems to have everyone more than alittle unsettled. Even the economic historians whoview the situation through Macro-Economiclenses are not sure if the past methods ofevaluating and forecasting the length and depth ofrecessions are applicable to this recession.According to the pundits this is not a “road lesstraveled,” it is a road untraveled.

The current recession is unlike any of theothers. The confluence of crisis’ in the banking,housing, automobile, and environmental arenashave the so-called wise menof finance shaking theirheads. “I don’t know” seemsto be the most frequentresponse to questionsregarding the worldeconomy. Our retirees arepart of the world economyand they listen to and watchthe daily news where they

tighten up our collectiveacts and recognize that when we now walk

the streets of this nation we are representing thePresident of the United States. I posit that we havelong passed the time when we must wear our raceon our sleeves as a burden to bear a trumpet tosound or a badge of success to decorate ourgarments. We have had enough successes andfailures to signal that a single person cannot tiethe outcome and destiny of an entire race ofpeople to his or her success or failure. The Blackcommunity has matured beyond that point in itsaspirations and expectations, and so have ourfellow-citizens in the majority community acrossthe aisle and across the tracks .

When I was a boy coming along the path thatled to manhood one could hear it all the time.From inside the Black community it was “You

cannot embarrass our people” and fromoutside our community it was

“He is a credit to his race.” Ido not hear such

statementsanymore and that

is refreshing.Here is

something to thinkabout in our nations

future. Just as in theSeventh-day Adventistchurch of today it no longer

makes headlines when aBlack person assumes a “high” leadershipposition, the day will come sooner than you thinkwhen the second President of the United States

from the Black community will be met withalmost ho-hum inattention. It has happenedalready in city, state and congressional elections invarious parts of our nation without making waves.And since it has happened there it will surelyhappen for the highest office in the land.

So with that expectation and promise for thefuture we say:

Congratulations Barack Hussein Obama!Congratulations Michelle Robinson Obama!Congratulations Malia and Sasha! 44th

President, 44th First Lady and 44th First Familyof the United States of America!

We celebrate and appreciate all the people inyour past who have worked and sacrificed tomake you who you are. We commend you forclimbing the rough side of the mountain in yourpersonal pursuits that positioned you so perfectlyfor this historic moment. As Christians we arethankful and grateful to God for your success. AsAmericans we are just proud.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF!

�

The Lord has blessed us to have a retirementplan that pays us enough to stay out of the “soupline” clutching food stamps. We ought to praiseHim everyday forthat blessing andthe peace andhappiness itbrings to us. Buthere is somethingto tell yourchildren. Youcannot have toomuch money setaside for retirement. Several noted economistsand groups report:

• Forty-nine percent of workers report lessthan $50,000 in savings and investments,not counting the value in their home or atraditional pension plan

• 22 percent of workers and 28 percent ofretirees report no savings at all

• They need to become self-educated aboutretirement issues even if they have afinancial planner

• They should save at least 10% of theirincome if they work for a governmententity. 15-20% if they work else where

• Many financial planners will tell you totry to have $1 million in retirementsavings. The only problem with that is $1million 20-30 years from now will nothave today’s buying power

• Inflation plays a significant role in yourretirement future

• A worker who retired in 1965 experiencedan annual 6.3% rate of inflation in the

first 20 years of retirement• Annual inflation for a1948 retiree was 4.3% inthe first 20 years ofretirement

If some of the above isaccurate, and we have no

reason to doubt it, tell your children they mayneed to seriously consider delaying thepurchase of flat-screen TV’s,luxury automobiles anddining out frequently.Looking at the currentcrisis, the trend may have

hear conflicting opinions from “experts” (ex-hasbeen; spurt-a drip under pressure) on theeconomy. Consequently there is a fair amount ofconcern about how the financial crisis is affectingour fund.

Here is the good news. Short of a completecollapse of the world monetary system in theforeseeable future, we may have need for concernbut certainly not for worry. Part of what gives usrelative peace is that the difference between ourannual expenses and the total value of our fund isconsiderable.

Here is some better news. We are all aware thatour Plan is funded by 10.25% of the Holy Tithesgarnered by the Regional Conferences. Tithes arereturned by the faithful members of ourcongregations. In many instances they are facedwith the threat of staff cutbacks by the businessesthat employ them but God is faithful to Hispromises.

During last month’s Evangelism Council somelocal church pastors told me that theeconomic crisis had comehome to them in theirchurches and that theirmembers werebeginning to lose jobs.My response was to askthem were their faithfulmembers losing jobs.When they could not answer that question withcertainty, I crawled out on a limb and told themthat I was willing to guarantee that the faithfulwere not losing their jobs.

We must remember that in the tough times Godstill takes care of his people. By extension in thesetough times God will take care of our RetirementPlan. He cares for his people. His people take careto be faithful. Those “faithful laden” funds aresent to the conferences. The conferences send the10.25% to us. Wherever we send them theblessing of faithfulness goes with them and neverleaves. “This is the confidence that we have inHim, that if we ask anything according to His will,He hears us. And if we know that he hears us,whatever we ask, we know that we have thepetitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). Let us continue to be faithful andcontinually ask God to bless our Retirement Plan.Now for us that is a road well traveled.

Joseph W. McCoyExecutive Director

Something to TellYour Children

Grandparents

�

For More Information Contact:Regional Conference Retirement Plan

7000 Adventist Blvd—Huntsville, Alabama 35896—www.regionalministry.org—Phone (256) 830-5002—FAX (256) 830-5078

������������������

• Grandparents are a lady and a man who have nolittle children of their own. They like other people’s.

• A grandfather is a old man & a grandmother is a oldlady!

• Grandparents don’t have to do anything except bethere when we come to see them. They are so old theyshouldn’t play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to theshops and give us money.

• When they take us for walks, they slow down pastthings like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

• They show us and talk to us about the colors of theflowers and also why we shouldn’t step on ‘cracks.’

• They don’t say, ‘Come on, hurry up.’• Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie

your shoes.• They wear glasses and funny underwear.• They can take their teeth and gums out.• Grandparents don’t have to be smart.• It’s funny when they bend over, you hear gas leaks

and they blame their dog.• They have to answer questions like ‘Why isn’t God

married?’ and ‘How come dogs chase cats?’• When they read to us, they don’t skip. And they don’t

mind if we ask for the same story over again.• Everybody should try to have a grandmother,

especially if you don’t have television because they arethe only grownups who like to spend time with us.

• They know we should have snack time beforebedtime and they say prayers with us and kiss us evenwhen we’ve acted bad.

• A 6-year-old was asked where his grandmotherlived. “Oh,” he said, “She lives at the airport and when wewant her we just go get her. Then when we’re donehaving her visit, we take her back to the airport.”

• Grandpa is the smartest man in on Earth! Heteaches me good things but I don’t get to see him enoughto get as smart as him!

Question:What is a Grandparent?

(Taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds)

already begun. Listeningto one report on the BBCrecently, the commentatorreported that high incomeearners were responsiblein large part for an 18%business increase byDomino’s Pizza in

Britain. Tracking by postal code (zip codes in USA)they were able to certify that the increase wascoming from the upscale parts of the cities.Conversely, high end restaurants were reporting asubstantial decline in business.

Consequently, economists and financial plannersare beginning to tell us that to expect only a 3%annual inflation rate may not be realistic. So tellyour children to be faithful to the Lord in the“Stewardship of Time” (time devoted to spiritualthings). Tell them to be faithful to the Lord in the“Stewardship of Talent (money put into the Lord’swork). But tell them to also educate themselvesabout matters of retirement even if they have a goodjob, a good pension plan on their current job andeven a financial planner. In other words tell them toget their own answers.

Many of your children are well-educated andvery well employed. You worked hard to get thempositioned for success and surely you are proud oftheir accomplishments. But tell them to take a

lesson from Bill Cosby. He saidin an interview about his

wealth, that although hemade lots of money

early in his careerand had all the

trappings ofsuccess and

fame(managers

andadvisors

and otherprofessionals to

handle his affairs), henever had money until

he began to sign everyone of his own checks.

Tell that to your children.