DMA Fellowship
Meets the 2nd Thursday of the Month
Room #140 at 10:30 AM
DMA Fellowship is a senior adult ministry for those 55 years of age and older.
The initials, “DMA” stand for “Don’t Mention Age.” This group was organized in 1987 for the purpose of spiritual fellowship, friendship and outreach for the Lord. To join the DMA Fellowship an individual or spouse must be 55 years of age or older and attend at least one monthly luncheon or activity. Honorary membership is considered by recommendation of the officers for those not quite 55. All members are encouraged to purchase and wear the official DMA Fellowship name tag to all meetings and activities.
Officers of DMA Fellowship are elected each October, to serve a one year term. Officers must be members of Johnston Chapel Baptist Church. Serving until October 2025 are:
Bob Worrell – President, Jean Dickens – Secretary, Sheila Dunavant – Treasurer, Blaine Dunavant – Vice President.
Group leader is Jim Nofsinger
2024 DMA Fellowship Meetings:
January 11th – Teresa Larew, Director of the Mercer County Commission on Aging, will present a program on the many services provided by this local agency to senior citizens.
February 8th – Jim Spencer, the Bluefield Economic Development Director, will share about all the exciting developments that are taking place in Bluefield, WV. Please bring soup, salad, sandwiches or sweets for our lunch to share with one another.
March 14th – Leonard Beckett, a D.M.A. Fellowship charter member, will present the program titled “Whitey’s Sawdust Woodworking.”
April 11th – Pastor James Walsh and the Johnston Chapel Youth Group will present a program and testimonies of their 2023 Mission Trip to Bolivia.
May 9th – The Mercer Christian Academy High School Choir, under the direction of Alandra Brannon, will present the program entitled American Hymnody: Stories & Songs.
June 13th – Laura Buchanan, the Director of the Princeton Public Library, and Yuko Scyphers, the Adult Program Coordinator, will present the program, “Resources and Programs at Your Local Library.”
July 11th – Annual Picnic at the church pavilion at 6:00 p.m. The Halls Ridge Boys will bring a program of gospel music. In the event of bad weather, our meeting will take place in the Fellowship Hall. Please note that this meeting will replace our regular morning meeting at 10:30 a.m.
August 8th – Testimony Day. Please come prepared to share your testimony of salvation.
September 12th – Lucas Kalber, a financial advisor with New Peoples Financial Services, will present a program on charitable giving strategies.
October 10th – Lisa Belcher, the WV Operation Christmas Child Regional Coordinator, will present a report on her OCC Distribution Mission Trip titled, “Inspiration Beyond the Shoebox: Peru 2024.”
November 14th – Pat Smith, the Mercer County Historian, will present the program titled, “The Fight for the Mercer County Courthouse,” and the Summit Christian Academy High School Choir will lead us in a time of Thanksgiving worship. Lunch will be provided and served by the SCA students in the Fellowship Hall. Please note: There is no need to bring a covered dish for this meeting.
December 12th – Annual Christmas Luncheon at the Fincastle Country Club, Bluefield, VA, at 11:30 a.m. with the meal beginning at noon. Pastor Rick Setser of the Kegley Baptist Church will bring our program.
2024 DMA Fellowship Outings:
February 22
Join us as we experience The Sound of Music, presented by the Bluefield Youth Theater at Harman Chapel on the campus of Bluefield University. The church bus will leave from church at 5:00 p.m., stopping for dinner at the Culture Grill & Cantina. Cost is $7 per person for transportation and admission to The Sound of Music. See Jim Nofsinger by Wednesday, January 31, to reserve your place and seat on the bus.
April 5
We will travel north to the beautiful campus of Appalachian Bible College in Bradley, West Virginia, for their annual Spring Music Festival, presented by the ABC Music Department. Transportation will be provided, with the church bus leaving at 4:00 p.m. and stopping for dinner at Cheddar’s in Beckley, WV. Cost for travel is $5 per person. See Jim Nofsinger to reserve your place on the bus.
June 4
The “Billy Graham’s Hometown Tour” is a unique outing about North Carolina’s Favorite Son and his hometown of Charlotte. It begins at the Billy Graham Library, where you will discover how a humble farmer’s son became pastor to presidents and shared God’s love with millions of people around the world. Enjoy lunch in the Graham Brothers Dairy Bar and do some shopping in Ruth’s Attic Bookstore. After lunch, you will head out for a tour around Charlotte, seeing some of the historic sites in the life of Billy Graham and his family and learning about the Queen City along the way. Cost is $40 per person and includes transportation on the church bus, library, lunch and tour with a step-on guide. Departure from church will be at 6:55 a.m., returning around 9:00 p.m. See Jim Nofsinger by Wednesday, May 15, with your payment to reserve your place.
August 22
Our travels will take us to Paint Bank, Virginia, for lunch at The Swinging Bridge Restaurant, known for old-time home cooking with Southern gourmet flair. After your meal, go upstairs to stroll across their real swinging bridge to check out their wildlife display and visit the Paint Bank General Store & Gift Shop. Our next stop will be at Gap Mills, Virginia, for shopping at the Cheese ‘n’ More (Amish Store), the Old Gap Mills Country Store, the Dough Ball Bakery, and Valley Springs Furniture. The bus will leave from church at 9:45 a.m., returning around 4:30 p.m. Cost for travel is $5 per person. See Jim Nofsinger by Sunday, August 4, with your payment to reserve your place on the bus.
October 21-24
Daniel and Museum of the Bible is a 4-day getaway tour that takes us to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Winchester, VA, that will feature:
- Daniel at the Sight & Sound Millennium Theater
- Tours of the National Watch & Clock Museum and the First National Bank Museum
- Museum of the Bible, including Highlights Tour
- Step-on Guide tour of Historic Winchester
- Marker-Miller Orchards and Farm Market
For a tour flyer with full details and cost, contact Jim Nofsinger. A $150 deposit per person will reserve your place. Final payment is due by August 30, 2024.