On Saturday, January 29, we were blessed to hold our 2011 Officers Training Workshop. After a healthy continental meal prepared by the kitchen staff, we participated in two presentations of information that one would not normally see in a church setting.
In the first session, Sister Yvonne Makell, a veteran tax preparation specialist with H&R Block introduced us to many of the tax law changes that are going into effect for the current tax year (2010). She answered questions about filing preparation and planning for future changes, including retirement, real estate transactions and other complicated situations. You if are interested in asking her a question or learning about her expertise, you can contact her at the H&R Block office in the Clinton Crossing Shopping Center in Clinton, MD.
In our second session, Dr. Bester Bonner led a multimedia presentation that asked the provocative question, “Is Debt a New Form of Slavery”. Using video clips from the CNN Black In America series reported by Soledad O’Brien, we viewed examples of families in various stages of financial distress and reviewed some of the programs designed to help them rectify their situation. One such program is the DFree – Living Debt Free Program created by Rev. DeForest Soaries, Jr., Pastor of First Baptist Church of Somerset, NJ.
Overall, the participants were very pleased with the workshop and look forward to sharing what we learned with the rest of the congregation.
