NO. 8
A Letter From The Pastor BY RICK WILLIAMS
Dear Church Family and Friends,
I am excited about our new sermon series Rooted. This series aims to deepen our commitment as followers of Christ and empower us to make disciples in our community.
Together, we will explore and practice the 7 rhythms of Rooted that the early church embraced:
1. Daily devotion 2. Prayer 3. Repentance
4. Sacrificial generosity 5. Serving the community 6. Sharing your story 7. Worship
The series will run from September 1 to November 10 and will include:
- Inspiring weekly sermons - Small group discussions using the book Rooted - Daily devotionals to enrich our spiritual journeys
A key element of this process is prayer. In Acts 1:14, we see the early church's unwavering commitment to prayer:
Click on photo above for a special message from Pastor Rick
“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” (Acts 1:14, NIV)
Just like the early church, let us prioritize prayer in our lives. May we come together in unity, lifting our voices to God.
In the book of Acts, we witness a remarkable group of men and women who transformed their world by spreading the love and message of Christ. One of the powerful tools they used was prayer. I encourage you to join me this fall in finding a prayer partner and participating in a small group so we can pray together consistently. Let’s seek God’s guidance and see how He can use us to make a difference in our world.
I am eagerly anticipating the incredible work God will do in our hearts and lives through this series!
With grace and peace, Pastor Rick
A Note From Pastor Eric
Hello Violet Baptist Church Family!
September is here! As we head into the fall season, I'd like to share with you the heart behind Violet's mission statement: Love God, Love Others, and Make Disciples. Our mission is deeply rooted in the two greatest commandments given by Jesus in the Bible, the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. The Great Commandment, found in the book of Matthew, chapter 22, verses 37-39, states: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” At Violet Baptist Church, we strive to live out this commandment by placing God at the center of everything we do. We seek to love Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds through prayer, worship, and obedience to His Word. Our desire is to cultivate a deep, intimate relationship with God that transforms us from the inside out. In addition to loving God, we are committed to loving others as ourselves. This includes showing compassion, kindness, and grace to everyone we encounter, both within our church family and beyond. We believe that by loving our neighbors, we reflect the love of Christ and create a welcoming environment where all feel valued and accepted. The Great Commission, given by Jesus in the book of Matthew, chapter 28, verses 19-20, instructs us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” At Violet, we take this commission seriously. We are dedicated to making disciples who are rooted in the truth of God’s Word, passionate about sharing the Gospel, and committed to living out their faith in every aspect of their lives. Practically, living out the Great Commandment and Great Commission at Violet looks like engaging in meaningful relationships with one another, actively serving our neighbors, our community, and equipping believers to grow in their faith. We offer a variety of ministries, programs, and events designed to help individuals connect with God, connect with others, and grow as disciples of Christ. (Continued on the next page)
Our mission to love God, love others, and make disciples is not just a slogan or words on the walls of the church building, it is a way of life for us at Violet Baptist Church. We believe that by following the Great Commandment and Great Commission, we can impact our community and the world with the transformative love of Jesus Christ. I pray that you join us on this rooted journey of faith and discipleship as we seek to fulfill God’s calling on our lives.
In Christ alone, Pastor Eric
Camp UCan Report I thank God so very much for Violet Baptist Church’s faithfulness in financially supporting CampUCan Urban Youth Male Retreat, year after year. As a result of Violet Baptist support and prayers since 2019, CampUCan has seen one hundred eighty five (185) urban male youth between 9 and 17 years old from across Ohio’s urban communities accept Jesus Christ as their Savior during this one week annual retreat. To God be the Glory for the great things He is doing. We are now planning for CampUCan 2024. Without your support, we cannot do this.
Blessings, Reginald Hayes (SCBO Convention Relations) CampUCan 2024
CampUCan 2024: **94 urban campers **65 campers accepted Jesus Christ **28 campers (including 1 adults mentor) baptized at the camp.
Men’s Retreat 2024
“Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”- William Carey
During our time together, our speaker began his first session with this quote from William Carey. William Carey was a missionary in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s and is often considered the ‘father of modern missions’. While we are separated from him by hundreds of years, the reality he spoke of and call to action remains the same. Our time, contexts, and specific applications may be different but William Carey served the same God we serve who “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Over the course of the weekend, we spent time together in fellowship, prayer, worship, and biblical instruction on Christian leadership. Among many things, what we discussed is that all Christians are leaders as they live out the Great Commission in their lives. God has called all of us to proclaim his greatness not only with our words but also our lives. As the Lord places people, circumstances, and needs in our lives, the question we must ask ourselves is if we will take the lead in stepping into God’s will. The reality is that taking the lead in God ordained scenarios is simply an act of stepping out in faith into what God has already lead you to in the first place. While all Christians are leaders, they are also followers- followers of the one who says “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12).” Taking the lead is simply faithfully following the path laid out for you by the one who promises life and light to those who heed his call. May we all be those who expect more than we could ask or imagine as we attempt great things for God. I hope all those who were able to attend found the weekend refreshing and encouraging and I invite you to join us next year on August 8th, 9th, and 10th as we gather again in 2025.
-Jon Camp, Men’s Ministry Lead
Ohio Baptists, this is for you!
The greatest problem facing humankind is not a natural disaster, a humanitarian crisis, or political instability. The greatest problem in the world is lostness. 59% of the world’s population has little to no access to the gospel. The best way we make Jesus known among the nations. Together. Together for the Nations is a unique one-day event to learn more about how you and your church can begin or grow your partnership with the International Mission Board in solving the world’s greatest problem. Join us on September 14!
Learn more and register at imb.org/together/ohio.
Saturday, September 14 First Baptist Kettering Kettering, Ohio
Ohio Disaster Relief responded to Vermont in July to help with the flood recovery from their recent floods. We had two people from Violet Baptist Church who responded with the Ohio team. For five days in Vermont, we worked on 15 different homes. We cleaned their basement by shoveling mud and spraying anti-mold spray on the walls. The most moving part of the trip was sharing the love of Christ with these residents. One of the ladies we gave a Bible to said she had never owned one. It was amazing to think of a lady who is 80 years old who has never owned a Bible. What a reminder of how we need to be reaching out to those around us. We based our operation out of Barre, where I grew up. While there, the fire chief came and gave us Narcan to have in our truck so if we saw a resident who was passed out with an overdose, we could administer the Narcan to them. It was sad to see how so many are filling the deep void in their lives with drugs. We know that God is the only one who can fill this void. I am so grateful for the ministry of Disaster Relief. I again encourage you to get trained to be part of it. Even if you do not have a week to give, you could go on a day or two of deployment in our state. Mission Report A report from Pastor Brian about a Disaster Relief deployment to Vermont
A Note From Pastor Brian I love when the body of Christ is the hands and feet of Christ. This was evident when our men helped one of our members rebuild their deck. Under the leadership of Steve Bottoms, this group of servants spent two days tearing out and replacing the decking of the deck. If you would like to be part of future events like this, please reach out to me at briann@violetchurch.com
If you are interested in joining or hosting a VioletGroup, please click this link.
H.O.P.E. at Violet begins September 6th! H.O.P.E., which stands for Hands Out Providing Encouragement, supports local school students through the Weekend Food Program. H.O.P.E. at Violet delivers bags of food every Friday to all 14 Pickerington school for students of families who have signed up for this assistance. The food bags consist of ready-to-eat, non-perishable, healthy options that do not require cooking or much prep in order for safety for the children and are bagged with Safe Food Handling Regulations. There are three ways to help: Donate needed food items, assemble bags on Friday mornings and/or be a delivery driver. From local events to packaging nourishing meals for the weekly Weekend Food Program to donating food, there’s a place for you in the H.O.P.E. Ministry. We currently have a need for the items photographed as well as small jars of peanut butter and boxes of macaroni and cheese.
Super Summer: Raising Up Student Leaders
A group of 17 students and 7 adults from Violet spent the last week of June at Cedarville University participating in Super Summer. There were 450 people from all across Ohio who attended the Student Leadership program hosted by the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio. Super Summer is for students going into their 8th grade year through those going in to their Sophomore year of college. Super Summer that has been raising up leaders for 23 years. The students at Super Summer have been identified by their church leaders as having a love for Jesus and a passion to impact the world for Him. Worship is a central component of Super Summer. Each age group of students had their own worship leader, and we also gathered together each evening for worship. Our worship team for the week was TakeHeart, led by Noah Ayers. There were several times throughout the week when the vocalists would just stop singing so they could listen to the students' passionate, unhindered worship. In addition to having pastors teaching in each grade level, our speaker for the week was Dan Dewitt. Dan serves as the Executive Director for the Center for Worldview and Culture at Southwest Baptist University. His theme for the week was "Flourish" based out of Colossians 2:6-7 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Words are not adequate to describe the sight of student leaders from across Ohio coming to each session hungry to grow closer to Jesus. Several Violet students made commitments to accept Jesus as their Savior, be baptized, or to consider full time ministry. God is truly at work through Super Summer. Please take 5 minutes to check out this summary video from the week: https://supersummerohio.com/2024- recap-videos. Please pray that God would continue to raise up leaders for His church through Super Summer.
Pastor Keith
Many folks searching for a church in Pickerington will “visit” us online through the website before setting foot in the church—our online presence has become our front door. Every Sunday the worship and message of Jesus Christ that is preached at Violet Baptist Church is simultaneously being recorded and broadcast to believers and seekers across the USA and the globe. Our Livestream (L/S) Audio Broadcast Techs serve a critical role in communicating our ministry as clearly as possible. They arrive at 8 am on Sunday mornings to craft a mix while the worship team rehearses. It requires a good ear for blending the vocals and instruments, as well as an understanding of how to use the software required. Then, at 9:30 am we broadcast our first service, and it requires careful attention to the service plan from the opening countdown through the host greeting, worship and preaching segments, baptisms to the final song. If you’re looking for a place to serve and this seems like something you might enjoy, please let us know. You would be asked to shadow one of the techs a few times until you are comfortable before being scheduled. These volunteers typically serve once a month with a few backups to cover absences, as well as, special events. Contact Fred Staunton (fstaunton59@gmail.com), our L/S Broadcast Lead, or our Worship Pastor, Michael Weimar (michaelw@violetchurch.com), if interested.
During the month of August, VioletKids learned that they are designed for a special purpose. Throughout the month, we discussed how we can follow God, speak up for Jesus, love others, and grow in our faith. Our memory verse was Matthew 5:16, which says, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” We said goodbye to our oldest group of kids who have officially graduated to the youth group. We are excited for them as they make new friends, experience new things, and grow deeper in their faith! We are blessed to have had the opportunity to host another Parenting Seminar from InvestKid. This event has been so helpful to give many of our families more tools to add to their parenting toolbox. Our leaders and volunteers for our Sunday night programs, Gopher Buddies and Olympians, gathered for planning and training. We are excited to begin another year of teaching kids about Jesus and how they can have a personal relationship with Him.
As plans for the fall are underway, we are starting to prepare for VioletKids Sunday night program to begin again. This is the second year that we will continue Gopher Buddies (4-6 year olds) and Olympians (1st grade-5th grade). We had such a great time last year starting a new Sunday night program for kids, growing as a team, getting to know the groups of kids, and teaching kids about the hope they can have in Jesus. As a teacher myself, there was nothing I loved more than working closely with a group of kids over the course of a year and seeing their growth when our time together was done. To walk with them daily was to know them well, to be there when they faced a challenge, which made the progress by the end that much more to celebrate. Sunday night was that kind of experience for me, and I believe the other leaders would agree. It’s encouraging to see that seeds of faith are being planted in our kids and over time God will make it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). If you have a heart for kids, or even for teaching, I would love to have you join the Sunday night team. If you would like to know more about what we do, feel free to email me at chelseap@vioeltchurch.com. We are looking forward to a great year!
-Chelsea Poole, Children’s Director
Events & Volunteers
Hi everyone,
In August, Violet successfully hosted another Red Cross blood drive, collecting many units of blood. If you’re interested in helping with future blood drives, please reach out to me or Jim Barber. Violet aims to continue hosting these drives a few times a year. This month, we’re excited to welcome back the Community Bible Study group of women, meeting every Thursday morning. We’ll also host Pickerington Local Schools, which will meet several times a week over the next couple of months and then weekly throughout the school year. On Thursday evenings, Pickerington Parks and Recreation offers two great classes: a cardio & self-defense class and a Zumba class. For more details, check out their website. We’re also looking for door greeters on Thursday nights. If you’re available, even just once or twice a month, please let me know! The time commitment is from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
As always, if you’re looking to get involved and serve, I would love to connect with you!
Thank you for another wonderful month of serving together. I’m looking forward to all the exciting events this fall! If you have any questions or need help getting plugged in, feel free to reach out.
Jamie McCleese Event & Volunteer Director jamiem@violetchurch.com
Marketing & Communications
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.
Dear Violet Family,
As we continue to find new and innovative ways to reach out to our community and beyond, we are excited to introduce a new initiative that puts a special emphasis on connecting with our guests - the "Plan Your Visit" program. This program is to welcome and assist guests who are interested in experiencing Violet Baptist Church for the first time. We understand the importance of reaching out to the Pickerington community and beyond to share the message of God's love and invite them to be a part of our church family. By showcasing the unique and welcoming environment of Violet Baptist Church, we hope to encourage others to join us in worship, fellowship, and service. Through the "Plan Your Visit" program, guests have the opportunity to let us know when they plan to visit our church. Upon their arrival, they will be greeted by friendly hosts who will provide a warm welcome, show them around the church facilities, and help them feel comfortable and at ease. This personalized approach ensures that every visitor feels valued and cared for from the moment they step through our doors. If you are passionate about welcoming new guests and helping them feel at home at Violet Baptist Church, we invite you to become a host for the "Plan Your Visit" guests. Your kindness and hospitality can make a meaningful difference in someone's experience and open the doors for them to explore the love of God in our community. To get involved and become a host for the "Plan Your Visit" program, please reach out to Pastor Brian at briann@violetchurch.com. Your willingness to serve in this capacity will not only benefit our guests but also contribute to the welcoming atmosphere that defines Violet Baptist Church. As we continue to spread the message of hope, love, and fellowship to all who seek it, let’s welcome new members into our church family with open arms.
Rachel Stone Marketing & Communications Director rachels@violetchurch.com
Links
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