tr ue

wit ness
m ag azine
FEBRUARY, 2016

LUKE TEN
TWENTY SEVEN

LOVE

YOUR GOD
YOUR NEIGHBOR

W HERE I S
T HE L OVE?
Vernell T urner, Editor
Beulah Priest- W hite, Associate Editor
On- L ine Edition
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas, I ncorporated

tab le of
content s
3

edit or's not e

black hist ory

18 charles & garnet t a lewis

"But ye shall receive

power; after that the
Holy Ghost is come upon
you; and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both
in Jerusalem, and in
Judea, and in Sumaria,
and unto the uttermost
parts of the earth."
Acts1:8

20 where is t he love?
21 nat ional heart mont h
23 what is hacking ?
30 california council
31 sout h cent ral nort h carolina
33 sout hwest ern nort h carolina
34 dynamic prayer
36 ret irement ?

PUBLICATIONS BOARD
Bishop Patr ick L. Fr azier Jr ., Chair per son
Sister Glenda Adams
Rever end Char les Beamer
Dr . Anne W. Fannin
Sister Elizabeth Hallums
Sister Nadine C. Houston
Sister Jeanette Hunt
Jr . Mother G.Y. Johnson
Mother Odessa McCoy
Rever end Dennis Moor e
3

"But ye shall receive

power; after that the
Holy Ghost is come upon
you; and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both
in Jerusalem, and in
Judea, and in Sumaria,
and unto the uttermost
parts of the earth."
Acts1:8

BLACK HISTORY
Each February, we learn about the countlesscontributionsof black men and women in America. We've
learned about Martin Luther KingJr. and hisCivil Rightsefforts. T hismonth I want to concentrate on
the contributionsof children that brought about the changesour children currently take for granted.
-v.turner
Nearly 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in Southern states
lived in a starkly unequal world of disenfranchisement, segregation, and various forms of
oppression, including race- inspired violence. ?Jim Crow? laws at the local and state levels
barred them from classrooms and bathrooms, from theaters and train cars, from juries and
legislatures.
T he conditions of segregation thrived even though the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the
?separate but equal? doctrine in 1954. For about 15 years civil rights activists used nonviolent
protest and civil disobedience to bring about change.
I n 1963 more than 1,000 children in Birmingham, Alabama joined the civil rights crusade to
protest the treatment of blacks in their city. T hese children joined the ranks of prominent
Black community leaders who risked? and sometimes lost? their lives in the name of freedom
and equality.
T hese demonstrators were met with violent attacks using high- pressure fire hoses and police
dogs - - producing some of the most iconic and troubling images of the Civil Rights Movement.
President John F. K ennedy would later say, "T he events in Birmingham... have so increased the
cries for equality that no city or state or legislative body can prudently choose to ignore them."
T he Children's Crusade or March of 1963 is considered one of the major turning points in the
Civil Rights Movement and the "beginning of the end" of a centuries- long struggle for
freedom.
5

CHILDREN'S CRUSADE (CONT'D)

James Stewart and Arnetta Streeter- Gary were among those who marched for civil rights in
Birmingham in 1963.
Stewart was just 15 years old and one of a thousand children who were determined to protest
the city's segregation laws - a social code Birmingham would not give up easily. "We said
enough is enough is enough. We're not living with this," said Stewart. "And when they
brought the dogs and the water hoses out, that was a greater weapon that they were deploying.
So for me, it was war time."
James was one of the first to be arrested and jailed? ?We were put in a room that could hold
fifty or sixty people comfortably. T hey put three hundred of us in that room. I t was standing
room only,? Stewart recalls. ?I t was a concrete floor, it was concrete walls, very small windows
with the bars on them. I t was very hot. And they just kept putting us in that room. We had to
develop a system just to sleep. We would make space on the floor, and most of us would stand
around the walls, or sit in the windows. And those who slept on the floor, slept on the
concrete.?
Arnetta Streeter- Gary was there too, age 16. She recalls the high- pressure water jets held by
Birmingham firemen and used against those marching. "I still remember that water. I don't
think I will ever forget that water and when you would run they had the dogs waiting. I thank
the lord that they didn't put the dogs on me," she said.
T hey were trying to march a half mile, from the 16th Street Baptist Church to City Hall. Only
a few made it.
"I just couldn't believe that children were being treated like that. T hat was just so
dehumanizing," said Streeter- Gary.
I t was a scene that caused headlines across the nation and around the world.
?Pictures of the bravery and determination of the Birmingham children as they faced the
brutal fire hoses and vicious police dogs were splashed on the front pages of newspapers7

16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH BOMBING

On September 15, 1963 a bomb, planted in the church basement at the 16th Street Baptist
Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killed 4 African- American girls during church services:
Addie Mae Collins (14), Denise McNair (11), Carole Robertson (14), and Cynthia Wesley (14).
At least 14 others were injured in the explosion, including Sarah Collins, the 12- year- old sister
of Addie Mae Collins, who lost an eye.
T he church was the 1st and largest church in Birmingham. I t served as a central meeting place
and staging ground for Civil Rights activities. T here civil- rights activists strategized, held
mass meetings, sponsored rallies, and planned demonstrations in the fight against segregation.
At the height of the civil- rights movement, Birmingham was known as Bombingham. By the
fall of 1963, there had been more than 80 unsolved bombings in the city, including at the home
of A.D K ing, Martin L uther K ing Jr.?s brother. T he bombing was intended to stall the
progression of the Civil Rights movement; however, the tragedy had the opposite effect,
galvanizing support and propelling the movement forward.
On that same day, following the blast, riots broke out. T wo African- American boys, Virgil
Ware (13) and Johnny Robinson (16), were also killed (1 by police and the other by racist
thugs). I n all, at least 20 people were injured from the initial bombing and the ensuing riots.
Alabama Governor George Wallace sent 500 National Guardsmen and 300 state troopers to
the city. T he next day, they were joined by 500 police officers and 150 sheriffs?deputies.
T he N ext D ay:
President John F. K ennedy responds by saying, ?I f these cruel and tragic events can only
awaken that city and state ? if they can only awaken this entire nation to a realization of the
folly of racial injustice and hatred and violence, then it is not too late for all concerned to unite
in steps toward peaceful progress before more lives are lost.?
Dr. Martin L uther K ing, Jr. holds a press conference saying that the U.S. Army ?ought to come
to Birmingham and take over this city and run it.?
9

16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH BOMBING (CONT'D)

9/12/2013 ? 50 years after the bombing, all four girls who died are awarded Congressional Gold
Medals.
9/14/2013 ? A bronze and steel statue of the four girls is unveiled. I t is located at K elly I ngram
Park, on the corner of 16th Street North and 6th Avenue North.
Visit www.cnn.com/2013/06/13/us/1963- birmingham- church- bombing- fast- facts/ for photos and the
original article.
Sarah Collins (now Sarah Collins Rudolph) survived her injuries
? but she lost one eye and today lives with pieces of glass
embedded in the other. 53 years later, she lives with her husband
George not far from Birmingham, and is fighting for restitution
from the federal government for medical expenses she incurred
and for literally decades of suffering after the church bombing.
I n short, like thousands of other Americans have done
(especially in recent years), she is seeking some sort of
compensation as a victim of terrorism.
On September 10, 2013, Collins Rudolph attended a ceremony
in Washington, where the four girls who were murdered in
September 1963 were posthumously honored with a
Congressional Gold Medal.
?I t?s just such an awful, awful shame,? Collins Rudolph says, all
these years later, ?that it took that much violence for some
people to finally wake up to what was happening in their own country.?
Note: Sarah arranged to have her sister'sbody (Addie Mae Collins-1 of the 4 who killed in the bombing) moved
from Birmingham'sGreenwood (Woodlawn) Cemetery to a more well-maintained cemetery. Workerswere horrified
to find an empty grave. T hey dug2 feet deeper, then 2 feet wider. Still nothing. No body wasthere to accompany the
11
gray marker that read: "Addie Mae Collins. . . She Died So Freedom Might Live."

11

KELLY INGRAM PARK (CONT'D)

Pr aying Pastor s Sculptur e

16th Baptist Chur ch in the
backgr ound

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13

KELLY INGRAM PARK (CONT'D)

The ser mon mar quee pr oclaimed at the 16th Str eet Baptist Chur ch in
Bir mingham Alabama on September 5, 1963.
A Seemingly usual Sunday. However on this day at 10:22 am. Four young gir ls:
thr ee 14 year olds and one 11year old wer e mur der ed by a bomb planted by
member s of the Ku Klux Klan. A fifth gir l, a sur vivor , was blinded in her r ight
eye. Two boys wer e also mur der ed in two differ ent locations in the city.
Six childr en lost, all in a single Sunday - a day that moved the conscience of our
United States
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15

KELLY INGRAM PARK (CONT'D)

Childr en's Cr usade

"I AINT AFRAID OF YOUR JAIL"

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17

CHARLES &
GARNETTA LEW IS,
W ORLD WAR II
I n honor of Valentine?s Day, which just
passed, I ?d like to tell you about some
pieces on display and in the archives of
the NURFC collection that represent an
epic love story the years could easily have
buried. NURFC was fortunate to receive
a large donation from the Victoria
Retirement Center in 2013, containing
about 800 items belonging to Charles
and Garnetta L ewis of Cincinnati. I n
inventorying and cataloging these items,
we realized that the bulk of the materials
were letters written almost daily between
Charles, a member of the Army Air
Force during World War I I , and his wife,
while Charles was serving in training in
the United States and with the
I ndia- China T ransport Wing of the AAF
during the last year of the war.
T he thing that thrills me most about this
collection is its ordinariness. Charles
L ewis is not a celebrated war hero or
even a particular trailblazer. He?s a
normal man in a happy marriage,
separated from the one he loves. He
battles that separation anxiety and loss
the only way he knows, by writing to
Garnetta ?- prodigiously. For every
letter in the display cases on the third
floor, there are four more in our archives!
T hese are primarily Charles?letters to
Garnetta, who kept each of the letters
through the many years between the war
and the donation to NURFC. T hough
some of the letters are Garnetta?s to
Charles, I imagine it was much harder
for him to keep the bulk if her letters
19
through the many moves required of him

19

w here is t he
love?

by Pastor James & Sister Margaret Neely, Family L ife Education Directors

1 John 4:16 (KJV) "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.
God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.?

W HAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO W ITH IT?

I can?t think of a better way to begin this article than by stating some of the ?Old clichs? of
love. I ?ve heard these examples, "L ove makes the world go around", "L ove is a many
splendored thing?, and ?L ove is blind?. T here is more truth to that last saying than you might
realize.
I like the saying in the song that says, ?W hat?s L ove Got to do with I t?" T he echo comes back
and says, "L ove?s got everything to do with it!"
I t seems the whole world is looking for love, but in all the wrong places. Some people are
looking to find it in the rich and famous, in rock stars, in the night clubs, or on the American
I dol T V show. T hey can?t find love in those locations.
But if you look at it and read your BI BL E, you?ll find that the world is turning out just like it
said it would. T he gospel of John 12:43, ?Man would rather love the glory of men than love the
glory of God.?
T he Bible says L ove covers a multitude of sins and Faults. 1 Peter 4:8. But man would rather
stumble around in darkness, than seek love or forgiveness.
Adam and Eve had a perfect union in the Garden of Eden. I t was a paradise, where all that
they ever needed was theirs. But sin entered in. And the same is true of marriages today. I t
was a paradise of perfection until sin enters in. T he greatest needs of married couples are to
be wanted, to be needed, and to be loved. T he two shall be one in God?s eyes. God has ordained
marriage between a man and a woman to be His ideal of a divine covenant of unconditional
love.
How do you know when you are loved? You feel loved. How do you know when you are special?
You are treated like you?re number one. You feel the greatest love of all.
L ove is shown by what it does. I f you love somebody you?ll go out of your way to show that you
care. T hey will know that you?ve done your best for them. T hat?s what God does. He is there
by your side ?all the time.? Hebrews 13:5b, He said:? L o, I ?ll never leave you nor forsake you.?
W HERE I S T HE L OVE? ?W hat?s L ove Got to Do with I t?? I f you are looking for love, God
will give you the best He has; His son. Jesus Christ. All you have to do is let Him fill you with
His everlasting love.
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Start today with small, simple actions like these:

-

Get off the couch. Step, march or jog in place for at least 30 minutes most days of the
week ? you can even do it while watching T V.
Drop a pound or two. Cutting out just 200 to 300 calories a day ? about one candy
bar?s worth ? can help you lose up to two pounds per week and gradually bring you
closer to a heart- healthy weight.
Become a salt detective. Check out the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged foods to see
how much sodium (salt) they contain. Aim for a total intake of no more than 2,300
milligrams (about a teaspoon of salt) per day.
Celebrate with a checkup. L et each birthday remind you that it?s time for your yearly
checkup and a talk with your doctor about how you can reduce your risk for heart
disease.
Quit smoking in four steps. Can?t go "cold turkey"? Cut the number of cigarettes you
smoke each day in half; then cut that number in half; cut it in half again; finally, cut
down to zero!

Tip s
Get moving! Research shows that just two 5- minute walks each day will get you started in the
right direction.
Decide on a personal fitness goal and write it down. Start at 10 minutes each day, and progress
to 30 to 60 minutes each day.
Choose an activity that fits into your lifestyle. T hat way, you?re more likely to stick to it.
Set a personal weight- loss goal and write it down. Start with a goal of losing about 10 percent
of your current body weight.
K eep a food diary for one week. W rite down everything you eat and drink.
Pay attention to what you are eating now and why. I dentify the sources of your personal
?hidden? calories, such as eating your child?s leftovers.
Substitute fat- free or low- fat milk for whole milk, and save about 65 calories for each 8- ounce
serving.
Watch nutrition labels: Products labeled ?low- fat? can be high in calories. For example,
low- fat yogurt can be high in calories. Enjoy fat- free, no- sugar- added yogurt instead for a
fraction of the calories.
I nclude high- fiber foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, in your diet. T hey take
longer to digest, so they make you feel full longer. I n addition, many fruits and vegetables
contain water, which provides volume but not calories.
Cut your favorite candy bar into bite- size pieces. W rap each piece in plastic wrap, and store
the pieces in the freezer. W hen a sugar craving hits, unwrap and eat one piece. By the time the
candy thaws in your mouth, your craving may be satisfied.

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combinations until a correct password is discovered. Be sure to make strong passwords and
change them on a regular basis
Any system connected to a network can be hacked. T he best solution to prevent hacking is
keep hackers from entering your network or keep them from isolating you system by
disconnecting it from the network.

HACKED E-MAIL
T here are many different ways an e- mail account can be compromised. People invent ways to
hack e- mail constantly. Here are 3 methods of how your e- mail account can be hacked.
M ethod #1
I magine you?re at the food court in the mall. You open your laptop and connect to the mall?s
free WiFi.
Now it?s time to check your e- mail messages because you are expecting important news. You
open the e- mail client on your computer and start browsing the I nternet. After a while, you go
on your way to work, home, or school. But did you notice the guy at the next table with his
laptop? He just took your email credentials while you weren?t looking.
He used the Man- in- the- Middle hack. He set up his computer to act like a router and tricked
your computer into thinking that his computer was the actual router. T he mall's router thinks
the guy's computer - in the middle of the connection ? is your computer.
Once a hacker gains access to your network connection they can view all kinds of data packets
coming from your computer to the mail server (or to any server). Each time you make a
connection to the mail server you are sending your authentication credentials through the bad
guy?s computer.
From there it?s easy to use a program to filter out all packets containing your log- in
credentials. T his includes your Facebook, T witter, and bank account log- in information as
well. Everything!
You can prevent this by not using the free WiFi. Use the I nternet connection on your smart
phone. Most smart phones can turn your password protected connection into a hot- spot for
use with your laptop.

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M ethod #3
T he 3rd way an e- mail account can be compromised is by social engineering. Some e- mail
systems come with a ?Forgot your password?? tool. W hen you set up your e- mail account you
answer the security questions truthfully. For example, the sign- up form has the following
questions:
W hat is your pet?s name?
W hat is your mother?s maiden name?
W hich street did grow up on?
W hich school did you attend in the 5th grade?
I n which hospital were you born?
You had to pick 2 of them and answered the 2 questions correctly.
Because the correct answers to these questions gains access to your e- mail account, it would
be better to answer these questions kind of incorrectly.
So, let?s say you chose "W hich street did grow up on?" and "W hat is your mother?s maiden
name?". L et's say the correct answer to the first question is "Main Street" and the answer to
the next question is "Smith".
I nstead of using the correct answers, you can add a extra character before the real answer. For
example "@Main Street" and "@Smith". I f the system doesn?t allow these type of characters,
then you can also use a letter before the real answer. For example: "QMain Street" and
"QSmith".
Alternatively, you could answer the questions with somewhat or completely unrelated
information that you can remember. You could answer the street question with "across from
the library" and the maiden name question with "epsom salt".
I f you use either of these alternatives and the malicious person finds out the real information,
they will still have a hard time getting into your e- mail account.
You may be wondering how hackers even get the information in order to gain access to your
e- mail account using the security questions method. T he answer is very easy. I n this day and
age most of us use social media sites Facebook, T witter, YouT ube etc. and we like to give out
too much information.
We all like to share, share, share. We don?t realize that we've made it easy for a malicious
person to gain access to our e- mail accounts using the security question method.

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HACKED FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

I f your Facebook account is hacked, the password may be changed and you may be unable to
log in. Facebook has a process in place so you can report if your account has been
compromised and address the problem.
Report to Facebook that your account has been hacked.
Step 1
Navigate to Facebook's Report Compromised Account page. You don't have to be logged in.
Step 2
Click "My Account I s Compromised." T his takes you to the Find My Account page.
Step 3
Enter your email address, Facebook username or phone number in the text box provided and
click "Search." Alternately, click the "Can't Remember?" link for additional prompts to your
identity if you need them.
Step 4
Enter the current or any former passwords you have used on Facebook underneath your name
and Facebook thumbnail image on the following page and click "Continue." I f you don't see
your name or don't recognize the thumbnail image, return to the previous page and try
entering a different piece of information. For example, if you entered your email address the
first time and it didn't bring up your name and thumbnail image, try entering your phone
number instead.
Step 5
Click "Continue" on the Secure Your Account page. I f you aren't taken to this page, try
entering a different password.
Step 6
Create a new password, confirm it in the text boxes provided and click "Continue."
Step 7
Click the "Change Password" link next to the email address Facebook lists as being associated
with your account. T his opens your email login page in a new browser tab. Change this email
password since a hacker who knows your email address and password can access your
Facebook account. Return to the Facebook tab when you have successfully changed your email
password and click "Continue."
Step 8
Click the check boxes on the Account Unlocked page to increase your security by only
accessing Facebook through a secure browser connection and by receiving an email
notification whenever your account is accessed from a device you haven't used before. Click
"L og I n" to complete the process.
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califor nia council

by Sister Vernell T urner, Convention
Reporter

T he California Council was held in L os

Angeles, California February 25 - February
28, 2016 at Gospel T abernacle FBH Church
11861 South Main Street. Upon arrival we
were cordially greeted by 2 young men who
ushered us into the sanctuary and directed us
to our seats. We were elated to meet the pastor of Gospel T abernacle, Reverend Bryan
Davis.
T he morning service was wonderful. We heard greetings from Elder Quintin Hughley and
Bishop Johnnie L . Davis introduced Bishop P.L . Frazier Jr. who brought the morning
message.
Bishop Frazier preached mightily from Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethern,
by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service." Beseech you - I beg you to present your body holy
and acceptable. "On the Altar, but not burnt up". We are living sacrifices. Dead sacrifices
can't speak. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. Bishop told us that Christ Jesus is not
a consultant. He is in charge! We are to give our lives totally to God.
T he Welcome Service was dynamic! T he young people led devotion and we thoroughly
enjoyed them! T he children 's choir and their director were all arrayed in robes (purchased
by the Foreign Mission Directress, Sister Patricia Jenkins). T he children sang out of their
hearts. Pastor Davis was on fire. We all joined him singing, "T his Means War"! Sister
Regina Raiford, National Directress of Jr. Mission, brought the message from Romans
8:28. Subject: "I t's Working for my Good".
Each message was anointed and uplifting: Sister Patricia Jenkins preached Friday
morning from L uke 22:3- 6,34. Subject: "W hat's Brewing I nside of You?" Bishop A.L .
Rodgers preached Friday night from Matthew 16:18 - 19. Subject: "T he Disabled
Church". Mother M.E. Nesbit preached Saturday morning from I I Corinthians 2:14.
T hanks be unto God who causes us to win. T hought: "You are Victorious!"
We thank Pastor Davis & the members for their hospitality. I am honored to be the
reporter. I had a marvelous time and I encourage everyone to visit the Saints in California.
31

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N ational Prayer D ay
Febr uary 13, 2016
12:00 N oon
Greater M t. Z ion FBH Church
Charlotte, N or th Carolina
I ntercessory and personal prayers are important for our spiritual growth in God.
Praise and worship service was started by Elder L ester Powell Jr. We had a powerful praise
and worship.
T he misstress of ceremony was Reverend I rma Gomillion. She did a great job. We all joined in
to sing our Jr. Missionary theme song, "Be a Missionary Every Day". We were made welcome
by Erin Gomillion.
Strong prayers were prayed against the forces of evil. Prayer for the nation was led by Elder
L ester Powell Jr. Prayer for our churches and leaders by Pastor Nadine C. Houston and prayer
for the youth by Pastor Gomillion.
A selection by the SCNC District Choir, "I K now W hat Prayer Can Do", was uplifting. We
learned about the history of the Jr. Missionary Department from Sister Aleyah Stevenson.
An inspirational message was received from Reverend Barbara Hope from Greater Mt. Zion
FBH Church. Subject: "One More T ime". She told us to put away old sinful ways and ask God
to give us one more chance to get it right. T hank God for the message.
T he Sweetheart of the year is a faithful member of New Bethlehem FBH Church. She is the
district secretary of the Jr. Missionary Department, a mother, and a grandmother. Her name is
Minister Mary Fluellen. She had many tears and gifts. We love her!
We were blessed to have Bishop P.L . Frazier Jr. and Sister Demetri Braxton, National
Directress of Jr. Missionary Emeritus, at our National Prayer Day.
T hank God for a Blessed Prayer Day!

Reverend Martha Graham, District Directress of Jr. Mission

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Pr ayer
conversations with God
DYNAMIC PRAYER
Prayer is talking to God.
As His child, you must
speak, talk, and pray to
Him. I t is important!
T he Bible is filled with
accounts of answered
prayers. Moses pleaded
with God to change His
mind and not destroy
rebellious carnal- minded
I srael (Numbers
14:11- 19). Hannah, who
was barren, implored God
to give her a child of her
own (I Samuel 1:5- 11).
David beseeched God to
forgive him for
committing horrendous
sins (Psalm 51). And,
before He was taken to be
crucified, Jesus asked God
to protect His disciples
(John 17:5 - 11). God
answered their prayers. He
will also answer yours.
But, there are conditions.
You must approach God
His way, not your own. You
need to know how to pray,
when, how often, where,
and what to pray for. T he
answers are I n God's
Word.

Ask in Faith: You must

believe and have faith.
Hebrews 11:6 - "But
without faith it is
impossible to please him:".
He who comes to God
must believe that He is that God exists - "and that
he is rewarder of them
that diligently seek him."
You must believe God
exists and that He will
hear you. T hat takes faith.
Jesus said, "And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in
prayer, believing, ye shall
receive." Matthew 21:22.
James added, "But let him
ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of
the sea driven with the
wind and tossed. For let
not that man think that he
shall receive any thing of
the L ord." James 1:6- 7.
Faith is your proof that
God will deliver His
promise. I t is your
guarantee that He will
come through for you.
Scripture says "Now faith
is the substance of things

hoped for, the evidence of

things not seen." Hebrews
11:1. God is faithful to His
promises. I n Zechariah 1:3
he says, "...T urn ye unto
me, saith the L ord of
hosts, and I will turn unto
you, saith the L ord of
hosts."
Be diligent: L et God know
that you are serious about
your request. K eep in
mind that God seldom
answers prayers in the way
or time frame people
expect. God does things
His way and according to
His timetable. I f
something is important to
you, come to God again
and again, but not in a
nagging way. Come with
sincere, heartfelt petitions.
Pray for God's will: I n the
world, most people pray
for selfish reasons. Some
ask God to bless them in
winning the lottery or that
their enemies will get their
"just desserts". Consider
James 4:2 - 3 "Ye lust, and
have not: ye kill, and desire
to have, and cannot35obtain:

35

ret irem ent ?

Social Security Administration
Your retirement decisions can have very real effects on your
ability to maintain a comfortable retirement. I f you retire
early, you may not have enough income to enjoy the years
ahead of you. L ikewise, if you retire late, you'll have a larger
income, but fewer years to enjoy it. You can choose to receive
Social Security while still working, either full or part- time.
All of these choices are available to you. You need to try to
find the right balance based on your own circumstances.T he
following information is designed to help you plan for your
future retirement and retirement options.
Even if you don't plan to receive monthly benefits, be sure to
sign up for Medicare 3 months before you turn age 65. I f you
don't sign up for Medicare Part B (medical insurance) when
you are first eligible, your coverage may not start right away
and you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long
as you have it. You can apply on- line and get more
information at at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly.
Social Security has an on- line calculator that can provide
accurate retirement benefit estimates. I t uses you own
earnings record information. You will NOT need to key in
years of earnings information manually. You can create "what
if" scenarios by changing your "stop work" date or expected
future earnings. To use the calculator go to
www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
W hen you decide to retire, remember to complete your
applications 3 months before the month you want your
benefits to begin.

RECEIVING BENEFITS W HILE YOU W ORK

W hen you reach full retirement age (which differs depending
on the year you were born), you can work and earn as much
as you want and still receive your full Social Security benefit
payment.
I f you retire before you reach full retirement age, some of
your benefit payments during the year will be withheld if
your earnings exceed certain dollar amounts.
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BENEFITS FOR YOUR SPOUSE, EX-SPOUSE, CHILDREN

Even if he or she has never worked under Social Security, your spouse may be able to get
benefits if he or she is at least 62 years of age and you are receiving or eligible for retirement
or disability benefits. He or she can also qualify for Medicare at age 65.
I f your spouse qualifies on his or her own record, we will pay that amount first. I f the benefit
on your record is higher, he or she will get an additional amount on your record so that the
combination of benefits equals that higher amount. I t will NOT include any delayed
retirement credits (benefits received for retiring after your full retirement age) you may
receive.
Ex- spouse:
I f you are divorced, your ex- spouse can receive benefits based on your record (even if you have
remarried) if:
-

Your marriage lasted 10 years or longer;

Your ex- spouse is unmarried;
Your ex- spouse is age 62 or older;
T he benefit that your ex- spouse is entitled to receive based on his or her own work is
less than the benefit he or she would receive based on your work; and
You are entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

I f you have not applied for retirement benefits, but can qualify for them, your ex- spouse can
receive benefits on your record if you have been divorced for at least two years.
I f your ex- spouse is eligible for retirement benefits on his or her own record, Social Security
will pay that amount first. I f the benefit on your record is higher, he or she will get an
additional amount on your record so that the combination of benefits equals that higher
amount.
I f your ex- spouse was born before January 2, 1954 and has already reached full retirement
age, he or she can choose to receive only the divorced spouse?s benefit and delay receiving his
or her retirement benefit until a later date.
T he amount of benefits your divorced spouse gets has no effect on the amount of benefits you
or your current spouse may receive.
Children:
W hen you qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, your children may also qualify to
receive benefits on your record. Your eligible child can be your biological child, adopted child
or stepchild. A dependent grandchild may also qualify.
To receive benefits, the child must:
-

be unmarried; and
be under age 18; or
be 18- 19 years old and a full- time student (no higher than grade 12); or
be 18 or older and disabled from a disability that started before age 22.

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