May Update

Shhhh, can you hear that? Yeah, me either, it’s the sound of calm and quiet in Athens, which can only mean that the majority of the University’s Students are gone for the summer. Summer is a vital time in the life of our campus ministry for several reasons. First, the change of pace gives us the opportunity to do things that are necessary to the life and health of the ministry such as planning, fundraising, and staff enrichment. Oh yeah, and rest… rest is a good thing as well. That was God’s suggestion not mine, hahaha. 
 
Some of the ROC Crew and family
members gathered for Year End Bash
Second, it’s an opportunity for many of our students to serve using the gifts that God has given them. In this month’s update, you’ll be reading about one such student, Noelle Mash, who will be returning to serve with Crossroads Missions again this summer. Other ROC students will be joining me at camp this summer to assist with Senior High week, and still others will be joining me on our summer mission trip to New Orleans. 

The third reason that Summer is vital to the life of the ministry is it’s a great time to meet new and incoming students. Noah and I will both be sharing turns working a table at Bobcat Student Orientation where we will be among the first people to welcome the class of 2023 to Ohio University. Noah and I will also be visiting local congregations throughout the summer to give an update from the ministry. If you’d like for us to visit you, just let us know! Connecting with new students is the reason why we are involved in summer camps and missions. Our summer NOLA team will consist of both younger students and adults (those older than college age). 

One of the goals of the ministry of ROC is to teach students to see mission as something that starts in their back yards and extends to the ends of the Earth. With that in mind, we will doing a local mission project right here in Athens next week. Several ROC students, staff, and friends of the ministry will be working to put a new roof on a home. I love these types of projects because not only do we get to meet a local need, but we get to teach students a skill that many of them had previously not possessed, while also glorifying God. 

I do want to take a second to say that we really are blessed to work with some extraordinary students. We honestly have some of the most talented and service minded young people I know. One example of this is ROC’s worship team, Mountains Fall. These young men do a phenomenal job of leading us in worship each week at Crosswalk, but they’ve also recently had the opportunity to showcase their talents and glorify God outside of our weekly meetings. In the past few months this group has performed at Ohio Teens for Christ, led worship at a youth lock-in for one of our supporting churches, and most recently played for the camp kickoff at Ohio Valley Christian Assembly. The best part is just being able to see their hearts shine through what they are doing. 

Last, but certainly not least, I wanted to share with you that we are ecstatic that our friend, and incoming student leader, James Wallace made the decision to follow Christ and be baptized into Him during our annual Year End Bash! Please join us in praying for James as he continues to grow in his relationship with Christ. 

Thank you for being constant encouragers and supporters of the ministry of ROC. Our students truly do feel and see your love demonstrated in real ways through your gifts, kind words, and support of what we are doing here at Ohio University. Thank you for blessing us in this way. 

Blessings,
Baptizing our friend James Wallace at Year End Bash! What a great way
an already incredible year. 

-Dodger