KNOWING THE POWER OF GOD

“Because that which may be known is manifested in them; for God has shown it unto them. For the invisible things of him from creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by things that are made, even the eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20).

Do you know the power of God? Do you know His strength, energy, and authority? I have been watching “Turning Point” by Dr. David Jeremiah, a TV evangelist, who influenced my thoughts about knowing the power of God.

Knowing the power of God is more than knowing that He exists. Knowing Him is more than just calling on Him when we need Him. Knowing His power is having a daily relationship with Him in every walk of our lives.

Do you know that God is in every breath of air that you take? Do you know that He is the reason you can walk, or wake up in the morning, or go to bed at night, or have food on your table? He is the rea-son you can speak, open your eyes, and move your hands. He is the very reason we are alive. God is the reason you have a brain.

Somehow, it seems as if the more we are taught about God, the less we know about Him. The truth is that the more we learn about how the world was made and our place in it, the more there is to learn. Learning about God’s power is how we develop our relationship with Him.

There are four things we should remember about the power of God: (1) All things were created by Him (John 1:3). He created the world and everything in it. None of the studies of creation can prove that God did not create day and night, the sun, the moon, and stars. The creation story in the Book of Genesis makes more sense than the creation theories of man. God’s creation has been so consistent and visible that man has been able to discover and create things that man did not know, such as the clock, radio, television, cell phone, and Internet.

(2) He helps us as we grow older (Isaiah 41:4). As we age, God does not forget us. He knows the path we have chosen and where it will lead. He teaches us to count our days and to apply them to wisdom (Psalm 90:12). We are never too old to learn and teach ourselves and others how to live from our experiences through Jesus Christ. It makes no sense to keep repeating the same mistakes. The Bible is full of stories that teach us the results of doing right verses doing wrong.

(3) He resurrected Jesus from the dead. God is the maker and giver of life. No man has the right to take another man’s life, if God has not granted it. “Thou shall not kill” remains even though men do it everyday. According to Gene-sis 4:8-10, we should be our brother’s keeper. We are commanded to love one another.

(4) He made it possible for us to be saved (I Corinthians 15:3-4) and to inherit eternal life. How God raised Jesus from the dead is a miracle that is not easy for man to understand. We may never know how He actually did it. What we do know is that God has power over both life and death (Jeremiah 28:8). No man has such power. Jesus called Lazarus from the grave, but he had to die again. In contrast, when God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus is alive forever. In the Bible, Jesus was seen fifteen times after His resurrection and before being taken up into heaven. It is by the grace of God that we are saved, and eternal life is sure. However, grace is undeserving favor that is not a li-cense for us to keep on intentionally sinning.

Like the Scripture says, we have no excuse for not knowing the power of God for it is being revealed to us everyday.

Pastor’s 12th Anniversary Celebration

On Sunday, July 15, 2018, at 3 pm, the church celebrated the 12th Anniversary of Pastor Warren L. Anderson. Trustee Donald and Deaconess Gloria Preston escorted Pastor and Mrs. Warren L. Anderson to their seats where they enjoyed a beautiful celebration given in honor of him. Music was rendered by the Peaks of Otter Mass Choir from Bedford, Virginia and the sermon was delivered by Rev. Dewey Lane of the Community Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church in Springfield, Virginia. Reflections were given by Pastor Anderson’s sister Charlene Anderson of Washington, D.C. and his son, Samuel Anderson of Richmond, Virginia. His sister Charlene reflected on growing up with her brother and Samuel revisited his life growing up as the son of Rev. Anderson.

Many of the pastor’s relatives and friends, along with his former classmates from Virginia State University, attended the
celebration. He received many gifts from church organizations, individual members and friends. Among the gifts given to Pastor Anderson were two lovely robes, one black and one white.

A meal prepared by the Hospitality Committee was served preceding the celebration. Special thanks to all persons who worked to make this celebration successful. Congratulations to our Pastor for another year in the pulpit of Diamond Hill Baptist Church. May we all continue to pray for inspired leadership directing us in the Way God will have us to go?

Ladies Bible Study
By Lauretta Spencer

The Ladies Bible Class held their annual luncheon on May 29. The over 50 ladies in attendance from DHBC and other sister churches had a very great time. There were games such as “Name the TV Daughters and Friendship “ (teams of two friends would see just how much they knew about each other). There was great food and music for our enjoyment, thanks to Mrs.Woods and her staff. The highlight was the presence of Rev. Dr. Annette Diggs, pastor of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Tyro, VA. Her inspirational message was titled “Women in Leadership in the Church. Four very valid points were considered:

1. Called by God-Jeremiah 1:4-5. Qualified and sanctified

2. Character-Matthew 7: 16-20. Your personality.

3. Humility – Philippians 2: 3-4. Be humble before God that others may see

4. Self confidence – Jeremiah 1: 7-10. Speak boldly about the Word of God

As women of God we are to be Godly mentors and help to build a stronger church today and for the future. With these points in mind: WHERE ARE YOU?

Diamond Hill Men on the Move

By Gloria Preston

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”John 9:4

As has been our custom since the Men’s Fellowship was formed several years ago, the fellowship meets monthly on the second Saturday of each month. Time is spent exploring books about the role of men in the church. Men are divided into groups with each group being responsible for presenting the month’s lesson on a rotational basis. Men are currently reading “The Cure” by John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, and Bill Thrall. Following an interactive discussion, the men enjoy a fellowship lunch together.

The Diamond Hill Men’s Fellowship has been very busy over the last few months as they strive to be the men God has called them to be. Here is a partial list of some of their endeavors.

Work at the White Rock Cemetery – this cemetery was once the burial ground for most African Americans buried in the City of Lynchburg. Over the years, the cemetery became overgrown and lacked the care needed to make a suitable burial place for the for the ancestors of many current local church members. Working with members of Jackson Street, the Men’s Fellowship has worked over the past year or so to prune trees, cut down weeds, and make this burial ground a suitable place where local residents can memorialize their loved ones. Trustee Ron Smith has taken the leadership in this venture and has even arranged to acquire stone burial memorials to be placed in the cemetery.

Serving at the Daily Bread – The Men’s Fellowship has a regularly scheduled time to serve at the Daily Bread on a quarterly basis. This is a wonderful time for the men of our church to serve those in need and to be an example of Christ’s love.

 

Men Back to School – On August 15, the DHBC Men’s Fellowship partici-pated in Lynchburg City School’s Men Back to School. They greeted and encouraged students at Dunbar Mid-dle School and Robert S. Payne Ele-mentary School.

The men found it very pleasant to see the happy faces of returning students who were both curious about the upcoming school year and encouraged by the men who were there to cheer them on.

The DHBC Men’s Fellowship is always glad to have more men join in their enjoyable time together. If you are interested or have questions, please talk with Trus-tee Donald Preston, Deacon Bill Austin, or any active member of the Diamond Hill Men’s Fellowship.

Professor Consuella Woods retires from Randolph College June 2018.

Three cheers to a distinguished decade plus of service! Consuella Woods has served as faculty, Dean of Education, coordinator of numerous projects and delightful meal presentations for the Education Department.

Instrumental in spearheading the “Tiny House” project with P.L. Dunbar, Professor Woods supervised the Randolph students who worked with the middle school students on the student based project. According to published reports, the yearlong after-school project they call STEAM, which focuses on science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics was ready for sale!

This and so much more is credited to this special woman of God. Her graduate students said it best, a truly GREAT PROFESSOR is hard to find, difficult to part with, and impossible to forget.

Professor Woods leaves a legacy of dignity, respect, loyalty, and intelligence that can not be duplicated or imitated! God bless you Deaconess Woods as you move forward with new adventures along the blessed journey we call life.

By Elaine Duke

Deaconesses After-Glow
By Dr. Loretta Jones-Gafford, Chairperson
Deaconess Ministry

After their installation on April 8th, our newly installed deaconesses have “not skipped a beat”. As was desired and expected from their 7+ months of training, they “hit the ground running” and are already conscientiously contributing to our Ministry and to our church.

In about two months, our new deaconesses have assisted with and accepted leadership roles in all areas. They have prepared and served at the Table for Communion and participated with take-out Communion. They have accepted and carried out assigned tasks as Deaconess-of-the-Month, including making phone calls, sending cards, and offering other acts of support to our sick and shut-in members and to bereaved families of our church. In addition they have participated in our “Safe House” visitations and joined with us in deaconess anniversary celebrations at several of our sister churches. They have met with us in regular and called meetings of the Ministry and have been actively involved with some committee tasks.

By September, 2018, each of the four (i.e., Coretta Jones, Gloria Preston, Joyce Smith, and Joan Spencer) will be officially added to standing committees through the remainder of this administrative term.

We thank and praise God for the blessings He has wrought in expanding our Ministry in this way. We sincerely pray our continued growth and strength in His Spirit and to His service.

Congratulations to Alicia Chaynel Moore!

Alicia recently graduated with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from the Uni- versity of Maryland School of Dentistry. Her graduation took place on May 18, 2018. Alicia is the granddaughter of Deacon Henry Fleming.

Celebrating Our Youth

The Diamond Hill Baptist Church Youth Ministry celebrated its annual youth achievement program on July 8, 2018. Mrs. Michelle Johnson-Lane was worship leader. Other members of the Youth Ministry committee, Ms. Wanda Taylor, Mr. Roger Montgomery offered scripture and prayer. Introduced by Mrs. Adrienne Ross and acknowledged by Ms. Anissa Brown, the keynote speaker for this event was Dr. Crystal Edwards, the newly appointed Superintendent of Lynchburg City Schools, who encouraged our youth with an upbeat message which demonstrated her confidence in their ability to achieve.

Following Dr. Edwards’ speech, all educators who attended the program were given an apple and a document honoring their contributions as teachers of our young people. Then, the audience was able to see presentations of slide shows and posters celebrating their academic and extracurricular accomplishments during the 2017-2018 school year.

These presentations were followed by an intercessory prayer and a fellowship dinner.

Sunday School

By Ann Wrenn

Brother Henry Flemings invited Rev. Robert Day, CEO for Patrick Henry Family Services and host for “Straight Talk” radio show, to speak at DHBC Sunday School this summer. Rev. Day spoke on “ Black Orphanages in Virginia.” His presentation was interest-ing as well as informative.

Since 1869, according to Rev. Day, 104 orphanages have been established in the state of Virginia. Of that 104, twenty one (21) of them were established for black children and of the 21 orphanages established for black children, 11 had black founders/leadership; also seven of the 21 were established in Lynchburg, namely:

1. Lynchburg Charity School, 1823

2. Anne Norvel Orphan Asylum Society, 1846

3. Lynchburg Female Orphan Asylum (Miller Home), 1875

4. Colored Orphan Asylum and Industrial School (Southern Negro Orphan Asylum), 1890

5. Florence Crittenton Home of Lynchburg, 1897

6. Presbyterian Orphans Home of the Synod of Vir-ginia, 1903

7. Odd Fellows Orphanage of Virginia, 1904

I am sure many of you diamonds have heard of these institutions and some of you had relatives who help fund these institutions.

Mr. Day, as CEO for Patrick Henry Family Services, has a strong interest and desire to help families in today’s society by providing homes and schools for children, families and  individuals who are desperate, homeless, or living in critical conditions. Often people lose their way and need help educationally, emotionally spiritually and/or physically to get on their feet. There is a continuum of services available which include: Boys and Girls Home, Hope for Tomorrow, Step Forward, Safe Families for Children, Hot Creek Camps, and Expanded Families.

His radio show, “Straight Talk”, is found at Radio Station WLNI, 105.9 FM Sundays, 8:30-9 AM. He has published two books: WORST OF MOTHERS…BEST OF MOMS and DEPERATELY HEALED…MY JOURNEY TO WHOLENESS which can be purchased at the website, https://www.patrickhenry.org. Of course, you may visit the website for more information

Thank you, Deacon Fleming, for inviting Rev. Day to come to speak with the Sunday School.

Where Do We Go From Here?

A part of the mission of the Virginia Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, is to coordinate community events to keep Dr. King’s legacy alive. On August 1 at 6 p.m., the Commission, in collaboration with Lynchburg’s Martin Luther King Community Council, the Lynchburg NAACP, and the Legacy Museum, sponsored a Beloved Community Dialogue, “Where Do We Go From Here,” to discuss the progress that has been made since Dr. King’s leadership of the Civil Rights Movement and the challenges that still remain.

The panelists for this discussion were Dr. James Coleman, community activist and pastor of Providence Transformational Church; Dr. Crystal Edwards, Superintendent of Lynchburg City Schools; Chuck Moran, who as a child was in attendance at Diamond Hill Baptist during Dr. King’s visit to Lynchburg; Manan Shah, a recent Heritage High School graduate and current student at the University of Virginia; Dr. Aaron Smith, Diversity and Inclusion Officer of the University of Lynchburg; Mrs. Treney Tweedy, Mayor of the City of Lynchburg, and Mrs. Delores Fowler, a member of Diamond Hill Baptist Church, who was also in attendance when Dr. King visited Lynchburg in 1962. The discussion was facilitated by Senator Jennifer McClelland, chair of the Virginia MLK Commission.

Mrs. Fowler and Mr. Moran recalled their memories of seeing and hearing Dr. King and the ways that he affected each of them. Dr. Smith and Mr. Shah spoke from the perspective of younger local residents and expressed the need to include more young people in the discussion and in developing solutions to the challenges that we face re-lated to equality. Mayor Tweedy spoke about the need to collaborate and include all segments of the City’s popula-tion to solve today’s equity challenges, and Dr. Edwards spoke about her new position and the opportunity it pre-sents to advocate for and encourage Lynchburg City Schools’ students to achieve their potential.

On a drizzly, rainy Tuesday morning, sixty Sunshine and Laughter Summer Campers travelled by bus to the beautiful Booker T. Washington National Monument located near Smith Mountain Lake. They viewed exhibits, watch a video and listened to a ranger’s presentation about Washington’s life. Some campers toured the farm, heirloom garden and kitchen cabin where Washington lived. Because of the drizzling rain, the campers could not eat their lunch at the picnic area. They laughed and chatted as they enjoyed their lunch on the return bus trip to Lynchburg. The sun was shining during the remaining days of the camp. Gloria Preston lead the Opening Ceremonies with inspiring devotions. Conseulla Woods and her team prepared continental breakfasts and delicious lunches each day.

Camp activities promoted spiritual, socialization, physical and cognitive health. Mabel Franklin started the bingo games with an invigorating and uplifting laughter exercise. Fernanda Kain lead spiritual songs around an indoor camp-fire. The campers learned We Are Grateful, the camp grace which was sung before each meal. They played Hot Potato and Song Burst. Fernanda also coached the outdoor “Wakanda Games” which featured a Spoon Run, Easter Egg Golf, and Laundry Basket Toss. Rosia Thomas lead

the campers in Zumba exercises and Jill Smith taught the campers how to paint pictures of bird houses.

Special guests came with informative and inspiring messages. “Making Smart Breakfast Choices” was presented by Jenell Smith, SNAP. She brought fresh vegetables for the campers to take home. “Ten Habits to Quit to Be Happy” was presented by Denise Scruggs, Director of the Beard Center on Aging at Lynchburg College. “Genealogy 101” was presented by Lewis Avery, Jones Memorial Library. Christina Delzingaro, CEO of the new Community Health Center talked about the center’s service.

On the final day of camp, Fernanda Kain lead “Dancing Around the World”. The Sunshine Campers dressed in native costumes and danced Greek, African, Hawaiian, and Mexican dances. Also, they danced the Limbo, Electric Slide, and Soul Train Line to soulful tunes. The campers who did not dance played musical instruments (bongos, maracas, and tambourines) to the music. The campers had a rocking good time filled with laughter.

The grand finale was a talent show, “Show Time at The Diamond” emceed by Mabel Franklin. Lena Williams did a monolog about while crocheting an afghan. Rachel Johnson recited “The Deck of Cards poem. Consuella Woods delivered a speech by Sojourner Truth. Shirley Parker did a lip sync to Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary”. Georgia Tucker, Jean Johnson and Faith Multiplied sang gospel songs. Campers laughed at Coretta Jones family comedy skit, listened to Ann Mitchell’s original poem and watched as Mary Byrd struct the fashion runway. The finale of the camp was ice cream from the neighbor-hood ice cream truck. Kudos to Betty Kain and the Diamond Hill Health and Wellness Community Staff for a joyous, inspiring and uplifting Sunshine Camp filled with laughter.

By Amisha Patel

Life is all about evolution. What looks like a mistake to others has been a milestone in my life. Even if people have betrayed me, even if my heart was broken, even if people misunderstood or judged me, I have learned from these incidents. We are human and we make mistakes, but learning from them is what makes the difference.

Submitted by Ann Wrenn


I’ve learned …That the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

 I’ve learned …That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

 I’ve learned …That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

 I’ve learned …That love not time heals all wounds

 I’ve learned …That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

 I’ve learned …That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere

1. For what miracle did Moses neglect to give God credit?

2. What had Jacob been doing all night just before God changed his name to Israel?

3. God is described as physically writing three times in the Bible. Upon what did He write the third time?

4. In which book of the Bible do we read the story of Samson & Delilah?

5. What did the Israelites put on their doors to protect them from having their first-born sons killed?

6. Which book records the first example of book censorship in the Bible?

7. What did the subjects of Nebuchadnezzar have to do when they heard music?

8. Who enticed Samson into telling the secret of his strength?

answers below…

REST IN PEACE

Dorothy Cox Tweedy, July 16, 2018

Michael Early, July 22, 2018

Mrs. Kathryn White, August 9, 2018

Answers From Above
1. Producing from the rock (Num 20)
2. Wrestling with God (Gen. 32:2)
3. A Wall (Dan 5:5-12
4. Judges (Judges 16)
5. Blood of a Lamb (Exodus 11:5-7)
6. Jeremiah (Jer. 36:20-27)
7. Fall down and worship him (Dan. 3:15
8. Delilah (Judges 16:18)

 

SPRING SCHEDULE, 2018

On-Going Church Activities

Sunday School ······················································· 9:30 A.M.

Sunday Morning Church Service ·············· 11:00 A.M.

Monday Prayer at Noon ······································ 12 Noon

Women’s Bible Class ···················· Tuesdays, 12 Noon

Men’s Fellowship ····················· 2nd Saturday, 12 Noon

Bible Study ································· Wednesdays, 7:00 P.M.

Youth Bible Study ··················· Wednesdays, 7:00 P.M.

Computer Class ································································· TBA