Pastors Alfred and Carrie Deas

Pastors Alfred and Carrie Deas

On May 21, 2016 Pastors Alfred and Carrie Elizabeth Deas were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Allegany County, Maryland NAACP Branch 7007. The following biography appeared in the ceremony program:


"Pastor Alfred Deas has been a warrior for civil rights since he was part of the integration of his high school in 1964. After graduating from New Hanover High in 1967, Rev. Deas attended North Carolina State University, where he participated in the R.O.T.C. program, receiving recognition as a distinguished military honors student while graduating in 1971 with a degree in history education. Following college, Pastor Deas joined the U.S. Army, serving as a military intelligence officer.


While in the Army, Pastor Deas met and married his lovely wife, the former Miss Carrie Elizabeth Shanks. Together they have four children.

After a 25 year career in the Army, Pastor Deas was ordained in April of 1996 as an itinerant elder. In April of 2001, he was assigned to Metropolitan A.M.E. in Cumberland.

In his position, Pastor Deas led the Metropolitan A.M.E. flock until his recent retirement. In addition to his pastorship duties, Pastor Deas has been involved in enormous variety of community activities, including the CommUnity program, Heritage Days, the summer lunch program, and the historical renovation of the exterior of Metropolitan A.M.E. with the Maryland Historical Preservation Office.

When called upon by the community, Pastor Deas has frequently stepped up to the challenge to speak out for civil rights. For example, when the KKK rallied in front of the Allegany County Courthouse in 2014, Pastor Deas led a counter rally to promote community harmony at Canal Place. Similarly, he has frequently offered words of encouragement and wisdom at NAACP events. The community can be thankful that he and First Lady Deas have made the choice to stay in Allegany County after his retirement to begin the Ministry of Encouragement.

Co-Pastor Carrie Elizabeth Deas was born and raised in temple, TX. It was there that she met and later married her husband of 43 years, Pastor Alfred Deas Jr. They were blessed to have four children who have now graced them with twelve beautiful grandchildren. Pastor Carrie Deas wa a devoted and loving stay at home mom for many years. Eventually, she open a home daycare business in Clinton, MD, which she operated for over fifteen years.

In 2001, her husband was called to pastor a church in Cumberland, MD. Of course, she devotedly followed him and became the First Lady of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church. Here she has been able to passionately and lovingly serve and care for the members of Metropolitan and the surrounding community for fifteen years. In addition to her kindness and mentorship, her dance ministry will be long remembered.

In August 2015, Pastor Carrie Deas was ordained a minister. She is now Co-pastor of the Ministry of Encouragement in Cumberland, MD, which opened its doors on Sunday, May 1, 2016.

Pastor Carrie Deas is an energetic, enthusiastic servant who is on fire for the Lord!"

---
(February 15, 2019 update: Pastor Alfred Deas, Jr. was born in 1949 and passed away in 2019. His obituary appears in the Obituaries section of this website.)