NO. 5
A Letter From The Pastor BY RICK WILLIAMS
Dear Church family and friends,
Summer is the time of year many of us cherish. We love the longer days, the warmer temperatures, the slower pace, and family vacations. It's a season that often comes with its own musical backdrop. We tend to select a summer playlist filled with our favorite tunes from years gone by. Some may include country melodies, pop anthems, beach vibes, and nostalgic tracks that are reminders of summers past. Music has a unique way of weaving its melodies into our minds and hearts. In a beautiful parallel, God, the ultimate songwriter, has His own playlist — the Psalms. These sacred songs, found in the book of Psalms, are a divine collection of prayers and hymns that have uplifted generations of His people. With 150 hymns of worship and praise, the Psalms offer a profound connection to God's love and guidance through music. This summer we will embark on a journey together through the Psalms in our sermon series, "Songs for the Summer." Just like a personal playlist, these sacred songs will uplift, fortify, and ignite inspiration within us throughout this season. I invite you to join me as we delve into and focus on these timeless songs together this summer. Let's allow the Psalms to guide our hearts and minds as we navigate the summer season ahead.
Grace and peace, Pastor Rick
A Note From Pastor Eric
Hello Violet Family!
At Violet Baptist Church it's important for us to emphasize the core value of authenticity. Being authentic means being true to how God uniquely designed us, honest with each other, and genuine in our relationships. We value authenticity because it allows us to build trust, foster genuine connections, and create a space where every individual can be their true selves without fear of judgment. Authenticity enables us to embrace our imperfections, share our struggles, and support one another in our walk with the Lord. By being authentic, we can continue to build on the culture of acceptance, understanding, and love within our church family. Remember that authenticity is not about being perfect, but about being real. Let us embrace our uniqueness, celebrate our differences, and walk alongside each other with openness and grace. May we be sincere in our worship, transparent in our communication, and compassionate in our relationships.
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Here are some scripture verses that speak to the importance of being authentic and true to oneself:
1. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." 2. Psalm 139:14 - "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well." 3. Galatians 1:10 - "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." 4. Colossians 3:9-10 - "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." 5. Matthew 5:37 - "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." I hope these verses encourage and inspire you to be your authentic self and live out the calling God has placed on your lives.
In Christ alone, Pastor Eric
MEN’S MISSION TRIP
"To God be the glory, great things He has done." This line from the classic hymn written by Fanny Crosby is a reminder of what God has done through His son Jesus Christ in salvation. One of the last lines reminds us of the supremacy of Christ in salvation: "O come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give Him the glory, great things He hath done." What a reminder that God's supremacy is not only in the work of salvation but in every area of our lives. I bring this up because this is exactly what each of the men experienced on the mission trip to South Dakota. We saw God's sovereign hand throughout the week as we built the house for Pastor David. Thank you for praying and supporting missions here at Violet. We are looking forward to going back to South Dakota on May 3-9, 2025, for another building trip. Truly, to God be the glory!
At Violet, we want to grow larger as we reach out with the good news of Jesus, but we also want to grow smaller at the same time as individuals are connecting to smaller groups of people. At Violet, we call these VioletGroups. Such a group is vital for the spiritual growth of each member and regular attender. Are you currently in a group? Currently, 43% of our members are active in a VioletGroup. I am thankful for the group I can be part of. We have laughed together, cried together, prayed for each other, and grown in our walk with Jesus together. This June, we are going to be doing something new. We will be having a Violet Cohort. This will be a 6-week gathering of individuals who not only want to be in a group but are willing to lead one. During this 6-week cohort, you will be learning the purpose of VioletGroups and then important tools for not only your personal growth but that of the group that you will lead. Please sign up by clicking the image below.
“Money Matters” in Overflow Youth Ministry!
Our Overflow High School group recently had the privilege of having Garret Venetta come and speak about the topic of money. The Bible speaks twice as often about money than it does about Heaven, Hell, fear, and prayer combined! As a financial advisor and a member of the Violet Finance Team, Garret was the ideal person to come and share insights with our group. In an interview format, Garret began by unpacking a Biblical understanding of spending, saving, and giving. He helped our group to understand the power of compounding interest working for you (investments) and against you (debit)! There was a very helpful conversation about the dangers of credit card misuse and the strain that this can cause on individuals and families. Our students face tough financial decisions with the increasing popularity of sports betting, and the ever-increasing cost of college. Garret was able to handle these and other issues with Biblical wisdom and clarity. Our students were very engaged in this topic and walked away with an expanded view of financial stewardship as an act of worship. Thank you Garret for your willingness to help mentor our students in this vital area of discipleship!
Violet Welcomes Hannah Naess as Summer Youth Intern!
Hannah Naess is no stranger to Violet! As the oldest child of Pastor Brian and Sarah Naess, Hannah has attended Violet for her entire life. She has been very invested in our church and youth ministry. In addition to serving at Upward and VBS, Hannah is there to serve whenever the opportunity arises! Hannah began serving as a youth leader in our Junior High youth group as a freshman in high school and has continued to serve through her Freshman year at Cedarville University. At Cedarville, Hannah began pursuing a major in Elementary Education. After prayerful consideration, she recognized that God had called her to change her major to Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Youth and Family Ministries. Hannah desires to provide environments where students can have a safe place to find community and to grow in their walk with Jesus. Hannah has recently begun a summer internship with Overflow Youth Ministry. She will work with Pastor Keith to learn the inner workings of the youth ministry during May and June, and then provide leadership to the youth ministry during July and August while Pastor Keith is on Sabbatical. In addition to a heart for Jesus and students, Hannah brings excellent organizational and administrative gifts to this position. In addition to serving in youth ministry, Hannah will also have an opportunity to spend time with the other pastors and staff at Violet to gain a thorough understanding of the inner workings of a church. We are excited to partner with Hannah as she pursues God’s calling on her life. We are excited to welcome Hannah to the Violet team!
Gopher Buddies and Olympians is over for the summer, which meant a party to celebrate all that these kids have accomplished this year! It’s been a fun year of learning and growing together. We are excited to continue next year and hope to have some new faces! Our May family event was held at Rule 3! Our VioletKids group took over 4 bowling lanes, ate lots of pizza, and had a great time playing with old and new friends! During the month of May, our preschoolers have accumulated some faith skills that we hope they will carry with them forever: that they can hear from God, pray to God, talk about God to others, and live for God. Our elementary kids have spent a month in training camp as they have planned, practiced, and grown! In May, they have learned that one of the best plans they can make is to commit to an ongoing relationship with Jesus.
Beginning on Sunday, May 26th we will be gathering in the VioletKids gym after the second service to pray for the children and youth in our church and the community at large. Between youth summer camps, other kids and youth summer events, and Mega Sports Camp, our kids will be presented with many opportunities to hear the gospel and to grow in their relationship with Jesus. What better way to prepare our families and our own hearts than to come together face-to-face and pray. We will continue this every Sunday until we kick off Mega Sports Camp on Monday, July 8th. We would love to have you join us on any of these weeks to pray for these events, the kids who attend them, and the leaders who serve to make them happen. No matter your current life stage, or whether you plan to attend these events yourself, we invite you to come as we cling to the words of Jesus when he says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them” (Matthew 18:20).
-Chelsea Poole, Children’s Director
Events & Volunteers
The end of May brings the end of the school year and a much-needed break for many. Small groups, weekly programs at the church, and classes often take the summer off to recharge. Let me encourage you to find rest but to also use this time to see where you can get plugged in and connected here at Violet. Last month, Pastor Rick preached about the Jesus Revolution. Recently, he mentioned the importance of serving and the ways you can see all the different serving options here at Violet. Let me encourage you, friends, to take that step and begin to serve at church. Serving is not just on Sundays, as we have so many opportunities all throughout the week. On Thursday nights, I am so thankful for those who serve greeting the Pickerington Parks and Recreation classes that come through Violet. On Tuesday May 21 and Wednesday May 22, Violet hosted a North American Mission Board conference. I cannot even begin to express how thankful I was to all who stayed after service to set up the worship center, those who stayed after groups to set up other rooms, and those who came in during the week to serve lunch, dinner, and then reset the church to be ready for Sunday! The saying “many hands make light work” is so true! I am thankful for the many hands and servant's hearts here at Violet. This summer is the perfect time to reach out to me and explore all the different options available for you to serve the Lord, your church family and your community.
I look forward to hearing from you. Jamie McCleese
Event & Volunteer Director jamiem@violetchurch.com
Attention Men! Grab a friend and join us at Round Lake from August 9th through 11th.
This year our guest speaker will be Reagan Wagoner (Reagan’s Bio and Reagan's Clip).
The schedule for the weekend will include some group events as well as Round Lake’s traditional activities such as axe throwing, basketball, volleyball, fishing, swimming and more! The cost of this year's retreat is $120. However, if you register before July 4th, you can get the Early Bird Rate of $99.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Click the image below to register.
It’s summertime again and time for the big Buckeye Lake BBQ | J.O.Y. at Violet. (J.O.Y. stands for Just Older Youth and is for people 50 years old and older) It will be on Saturday, July 13th, starting at 4pm. We will again be having the BBQ at the home of Kent and Cheryl Holaday. The menu from City BBQ includes beef brisket, pulled pork, macaroni & cheese, baked beans, buns and salad. We will also have coffee, water and, of course, ice cream with toppings for dessert.
The cost is $10.00 per person.
Come and relax while watching the sun on Buckeye Lake, playing games, listening to music, chatting and getting to know the group better or catching up.
Click the image below to register.
Marketing & Communications We are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of a new online merchandise store showcasing our new Violet logo! Our online store will offer a wide range of clothing and accessories featuring our new Violet logo and our Mission Statement, Love God > Love Others > Make Disciples. Whether you're looking for stylish apparel or trendy accessories, we've got you covered. We even have bucket hats! Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the official launch date of our online merchandise store. We are confident that you will love the new products featuring our Violet logo and will find the perfect items.
We’d love to hear from you. Has your VioletGroup recently come together to serve the Lord? Tell us about it. What’s happening in the ministry where you serve? We’d love to hear about it. You can email rachels@violetchurch.com with your stories and photos.
Rachel Stone Marketing & Communications Director rachels@violetchurch.com
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