Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for taking the time to read these updates. We hope they are edifying and helpful.
On Sunday, July 16, the membership of Byron Baptist voted to place themselves under the shepherding care of the elders of The Village, for a period of time extending to October 8, when both churches will vote in the decision of merging and becoming one church. This vote gives The Village elders full pastoral autonomy in all aspects of ministry at 410 N. Ann St., Byron, except in matters of finance.
Why until October 8? On October 8 both churches will vote to decide the matter of merging. This length of time is consistent with how Byron Baptist has handled large decision making–and this certainly qualifies as one of the largest decisions that a church could make.
This vote gives The Village Church the freedom to conduct ministry within the Byron Baptist facility without constraint, until the vote to merge takes place.
Along with this vote to give pastoral autonomy to The Village Church, Byron Baptist also graciously voted to provide that, should a vote to merge not pass both churches, The Village Church will have the option to continue using Byron Baptist’s facility through May 2024, ensuring that our congregation is cared for and that we can continue in ministry through the winter months, regardless of the result of the vote.
While we are certain that this news will produce questions, we are also praising God for His provision at this time. We are, as always, ready and available to answer what questions we can at this time. To those who have faithfully served and have longed to return to regular service within the church, look forward to hearing from the elders and various ministry leaders in coming days!
Finally, as a reminder, this Sunday, July 23, will be a joint potluck, with The Village and Byron Baptist coming together for food and fellowship. We would ask, if you are able, please bring a dish (or two!) to pass, as we are expecting a healthy turnout from both congregations. Also, during the potluck, there will be an open mic Question & Answer time with the elders, regarding the merger discussion. If you are interested in serving at 9am on Sunday to help set up tables and chairs in the gym for the potluck, or to serve in the kitchen during the potluck, or to help with cleanup afterward, please contact one of the elders for more information.
All glory be to Christ,
The Village Elders
You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com