One Another: Bear (with)

Hello Village family!

I want to share with you a couple of great opportunities on the horizon that we are praying the Lord will use for the glory of his name and the furthering of the gospel in the hearts and lives of people in Byron.

Gospel Ministry to the Schools - The Break. It has been since before the COVID outbreak in 2020 that The Village has been involved with The Break for Byron Middle and High School. We have been praying for opportunity and for open doors for gospel ministry and this fall, the Lord has opened those doors. Starting September 26th, each Tuesday, between 10am and 12pm, groups of Middle and high School students will be released during their school day; we will pick them up, bring them to the church building, and provide them with lunch and a Bible lesson, and then return them to the school for the remainder of their day. If this local mission opportunity interests you, there are several ways to be involved in this: kitchen help (preparing food and cleanup); providing a sweet treat (cookies, brownies, etc.) to go along with lunch); driving the shuttles back and forth to the schools; or simply coming and being a friend and interacting with the students. If you have anymore questions about The Break you can contact Theresa Krejci by call/text at (810) 444-6516.

Midweek Student Ministry - Kids and Youth. It has been our desire and prayer as a church to see a return of midweek student ministry, a weekly opportunity for the children and teens of our church and the greater community to come and learn the great truth of God ways relevant to their ages. We want to see this begin as soon as we have enough committed volunteers for every area and age, it simply won’t be possible to don’t.

• Kids Club (K-5). will run from 6:30-8pm and be for any student K-5th grade and involve a Bible lesson, Scripture memorization, games, and most importantly, time interacting with the students helping them learn about the Lord. So those who may have children to young for Kids Club can be able to serve, we would like to see a nursery-care as well.

• Youth (6th-12th grade). In addition to Sunday night youth group, we are working toward increasing our opportunity to teach teenagers about living life for the Lord, helping them to grow up into God-fearing, Christians, who serve the Kingdom in mighty ways.

If you are reading this and thinking, “Man, that’s a lot of work,” you’re right. People keep asking about these things and when they will start, but In order to run a midweek student ministry we will all need to be involved and pull in the same direction. If you are motivated to help connect a young heart to Jesus, if you want to see something more for teens in our community besides sports and trouble, join in the effort to bring student ministry to life in the church and let’s reach these kids with the truth and love of Jesus Christ.

Whether The Break or midweek student ministry, look for the signups sheets with volunteer opportunities in the lobby this Sunday and signup! Ephesians 4:12 teaches us that work of ministry in the church belongs in the hands of the saints of the church. Let’s put our hands to the work and bring glory to God!

I’m excited to worship with you this week as we share the Lord’s Supper together and look at the command of Scripture to bear one another’s burdens. Lord willing, I’ll see you Sunday!

Grace & Peace,
John

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

One Another: Pray

Hello Village Family and Friends,

This Sunday, we will be continuing our “One Another” series, focusing specifically on what the bible says about prayer for one another. Dear ones, we are called to pray, and specifically commanded to pray for one another! Please join us for the next message in this important series, this Sunday, at 10 AM, at Byron Baptist Church.

Also, this weekend we will be introducing a new song, “Our God Will Go Before Us”. This song is an important reminder for us, as two congregations gathering together, uncertain of what the future may hold for each congregation. Will we merge? What happens if we do not? And yet, what is most important for us to remember is that our God goes before us. God has always led His people; He led Israel through the desert, and He leads His church still today. I would encourage you to learn this song and be ready to sing it this Sunday together as one. You can listen to it here.

As a reminder, there will be a potluck this Sunday after church, for Jarrod and Emma Buswell, who are moving to North Carolina. All are welcome! Please bring a dish (or two!) to pass, and come fellowship with the church, as we enjoy food and time together as Christians.

Lord willing, we will see you this Sunday.

In Christ,
Jon Collins

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

One Another: Forgive

Village Family and Friends,

As we head into another weekend I hope you are planning to join us for worship this Sunday!

I am excited to open God’s Word as we gather together. But I will admit, it’s really challenging me this week. This Sunday in the One Another series we will look at the command to forgive one another. The biblical doctrine of forgiveness is one that if we pay very careful attention to will revolutionize our life with one another.

Last week we talked about the biblical command to love one another. When we love one another as Christ has loved us, we will forgive one another in ways that lead us to being an even more compelling, Christ-created community.

As we prepare to gather and worship the Lord this weekend, it is right for us to begin asking the Lord to soften our hearts to his word on this difficult to do doctrine and give us the strength to live it out. Everyone wants to be forgiven, we all want forgiveness. But are we as eager to forgive others? Are we as eager to extend the forgiveness that we ourselves want? As we examine God’s Word this Sunday, we will see that not only should we want to forgive others, whether or not to forgive someone should never be a question among God’s people.

I’m looking forward to gathering together this Sunday. Lord willingI’ll see you then!

Grace & Peace,
John White

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

One Another: Love

Hello Village Family and Friends,

I hope you’re doing well and have been able to be in the Word and prayer, despite whatever this week has thrown your way. No matter what we face in life, there is no greater need in our lives than to be fed by God’s Word and have our hearts and minds rightly submitted to the Lord through prayer. I am reminded of a quote from one of my favorite preachers of long ago:

“So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray. Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty. Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord’s mercy show thee thy misery! A prayerless soul is a Christless soul.”
-Charles Spurgeon

Dear ones, may we ever be reminded of our needy state, and therefore depend all-the-more upon the Lord and His grace!

As we head into the weekend, I want to encourage you to join us, as we gather at 9am for Sunday school (all ages), and 10am, for our morning worship service. Pastor John will be continuing in our series on the “One Anothers” of scripture, and we will also hear from Erica Bohman, a missionary to Kenya who is supported by Byron Baptist, as she provides an update on the work the Lord is doing there.

As a reminder, The Village Church has a quarterly member meeting this Sunday evening, August 13th, at 6pm, at Byron Baptist Church. As you may know, member meetings at The Village are intended for covenant members; however, these meetings are not and have never been “closed”. As The Village Church and Byron Baptist Church continue to walk together, toward becoming one church, we will likely have guests from BBC attend our meeting, to see how we conduct family business together. Please join me in making them feel welcomed.

Lord willing, we will see you this Sunday, as we gather to the glory of God.

In Christ,
Jon Collins

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

One Another: A Compelling Christ-created Community

Village family and friends!

We are excited for Sunday school to resume for all ages this Sunday morning! Join us at Byron Baptist Church (410 N. Ann St., Byron) at 9am!

Sunday school is from 9:00am - 9:45am, and the class locations are as follows:

Main level:
Adults - fellowship hall: men on one side, women on the other
2’s and 3’s - Toddler nursery
Under 2 - Infant nursery

Lower level:
4 years-Kindergarten - Classroom 3
3rd-5th grade - Classroom 5
1st and 2nd grade - Classroom 7
Youth (6th-12th grade) - Classroom 8

Following Sunday school we will gather in the main auditorium for our weekly worship service. One change taking place to what The Village has historically done will happen in our nursery care. Typically babies that are checked in to the nursery for Sunday school remain there through for the morning worship service. Byron Baptist’s practice has been to to dismiss children to the nursery and for children’s church after singing. Throughout the summer, a number of VIllage parents have expressed how much they have enjoyed their families being together for the singing portion of our Sunday morning and then taking their children to the nursery. This also allows for nursery workers to participate in singing and praying together with the church, something they have typically missed out on. So, parents, please pick your children up from the nursery after Sunday School and they can be returned when children’s church is dismissed.

Also this Sunday, I am excited to open the Word of God together with you and begin looking at the “One Another” statements of the New Testament. I am calling this sermon series, “One Another: A Compelling, Christ-created Community.” In the King James Version of the Bible there are 100 uses of the Greek word ἀλλήλων which means one another. When ἀλλήλων is transliterated (that means spelled with a different alphabet) into English, it becomes the word allēlōn pronounced al-lay’-lone (Thank you, blueletterbible.com). It’s interesting, when I see and hear this word in Greek it reminds me of the words “All alone”—which is the exact opposite of what it means! I’ll explain a bit more about this Greek word on Sunday, but for now, my best research shows that this Greek word is used nearly 100 times in the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible. So, write that down, two major English translations of the ancient texts both use “one another” nearly one hundred times. That means that ἀλλήλων, or one another, is a word/phrase that we must pay attention to.

In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength; and the second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” A scribe asked, “Who is my neighbor?” We often ask, “How am I supposed to love my neighbor?” I submit to you, loving our neighbors begins with fulfilling the ἀλλήλων, the “one another” commands from God’s Word.

Lord willing, I’ll see you Sunday at 9am for Sunday School!

Grace & Peace,
John

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

Sunday School Returns!

Hello Village Family and Friends!

Summer Kids Club has ended. We had a great recap night this past Wednesday. Many parents and grandparents came to enjoy the evening with their student children and grandchildren. We recapped all of the teaching and were able to share the gospel–amid the chaos of some kids who were really excited about bounce houses and root beer floats and popcorn. To all those who served over the last two months, THANK YOU! Thank you for your commitment to the Lord, for your commitment to the kids, and for your help in every area. Now, let us pray for the gospel seeds that have been planted and watered among so many souls.

We are excited to announce that, starting next Sunday, August 6, Sunday School will resume for all ages, starting at 9am. We praise God and give him glory for making this possible.

Here is a rundown of the classes and age structures:

Children: 2-3 year olds, 4yrs-Kindergarten, 1st-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade

Youth: all students 6th-12th grade

Adult: men’s and women’s, from high school graduate on. We are joining the adult class already taking place at Byron Baptist. They are currently working through the book 9 Marks of a Healthy Church, which is available from multiple outlets; cost is between $20 and $25. If you have any questions or need any help, please contact me.

Nursery care: available for babies under 2.

All children and youth classes will be held in the lower level at Byron Baptist Church. Adult classes, nursery care, and 2-3 year old classes will be held on the main floor.

We are thankful for the opportunity to resume teaching our young people the great truths of God at age appropriate levels. For parental peace of mind, all of our children’s workers are background checked and are members of the church. We take the care and instruction of young people very seriously and do not take for granted the concern you have for your child.

You’ve got one week to get your schedule in order so you can attend and take part in this extremely beneficial time together as a church. I’m looking forward to worshiping with you and opening God’s Word together this Sunday. Lord willing, I’ll see you then!

Grace & Peace,
John White

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

Let's Eat!

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

An Apology

Village Family and Friends,

The Village Church has always been nimble, it’s become a bit of a characteristic for us. But we, as elders, do not desire to take advantage of that. In the season we find ourselves in, it has been difficult to keep information out in front of you, in the way that we normally try to do. We apologize for the inconveniences, the inconsistencies, and the confusion that this has caused at times. We appreciate your grace and patience, but we also hear your questions and feedback about how strange life together as a church has been lately.

There are a few things that we want to help bring clarity to in this update. We pray this will be helpful to you all, and please, if something isn’t clear or you wonder about something else please contact us.

YOUTH - Consistent youth ministry has been difficult to maintain scheduling for, with changing events over the last month or so. This burden has been felt by our youth and their parents. We know and feel this; we both have teenagers that need this ministry. Starting this Sunday night, the youth group will return to meeting every three weeks, and we pray to see an increase in that frequency soon.

MERGER TIMELINE - At a church-wide meeting, held on June 25, we discussed the great need for patience on our part with our brothers and sisters from Byron Baptist. The timeline had already been set for a July 9 merger Q&A and a July 16 merger vote. This was changed to a July 16 merger Q&A and July 23 merger vote. However, due to necessary church constitutional matters being handled at Byron Baptist’s July 16 quarterly meeting, the second timeline also had to be changed and no new plans or dates were ever announced. We are aware that every gap in the conversation leaves room for our minds to assume the worst scenario.

First, be assured that the lack of producing new plans and dates was not in any way the result of backward movement or negative developments in the conversation. On the contrary, very good developments have come about as a result of this shift, to the glory of God! Correct dates and info have been added to this week’s Village News and will be a part of weekly announcements on Sunday. After Byron Baptist’s quarterly meeting this Sunday, we will have more info about the merger vote as well. Please make every effort to attend the July 23rd Village wide meeting, which will take place briefly after the worship service that Sunday morning.

POTLUCKS - With the necessary church constitutional matters being handled at Byron Baptist’s July 16 quarterly meeting, a potluck was simply not practical to maintain on the same day. We will have a potluck on July 23, along with the Q&A. We hope you will plan to bring a dish or two to pass and enjoy the morning worship and sharing a meal with our brothers and sisters of Byron Baptist, as well as hearing answers to questions that exist surrounding the merger. There will be no potluck this Sunday, July 16. There will be a potluck next Sunday, July 23.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

Grace & Peace,
The Village Elders

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

A little R & R

Hello Village Family and friends,

As I write this it’s June 29, but as you read this, it’s July 7th. Technology and the ability to schedule things in advance is really cool.

Lord willing we have all enjoyed a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration, reflecting on the freedom we have as Americans and the even greater freedom that we have by grace through faith in Christ. Perhaps you have enjoyed some time away. I remember working in the outdoor industry and specifically with camping supplies and this week was like the holy grail of vacation weeks, everyone goes somewhere and does something.

Our family was able to get away camping for a few days and celebrate a bunch of birthdays and just be together, away from the normal routine of life. This is so necessary and something that we see exemplified in by Christ.

Lord willing, we are looking forward to Byron Family Fun Day tomorrow and being with our church family among our community and worshiping with you all this coming Sunday morning!

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

Staying Focused

Hello Church Family,

I find myself easily distracted. My thoughts are hardly ever still on a variety of any number of topics. In this season of life together as a church, this is more intense than usual. Caring for the faithful of The Village and those who call it home, ministering in the word and prayer without regularly preaching, answering questions, planning, discussing, all of these things, on top of being an every day Christian, husband, father, and homeowner, there are any number of things consuming my thoughts.

Today, I want to encourage us (I’m encouraging myself) to stay focused on the right things—the main things.

Over the past many weeks we have been updating you on the merger discussions between The Village and Byron Baptist. These discussion are still ongoing and are going well. This passed Sunday night both churches held Q&A meetings for respective members and regular attenders. Both meetings went well. And while this discussion is perhaps the biggest thing either church has ever walked out…it cannot be our focus.

So I ask myself, “What are the main things, John?” And God’s Word answers me ins this way, “Well, John, Jesus said that to love the Lord your God with all our heart, soul mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself were the two greatest commandments (Mark 12:30-31). Let’s start there.”

As I study to preach this Sunday, about how how a man named Jehoshaphat dealt with being overwhelmed, this one phrase from this passage I’ve known for many years has struck anew: “he set his face to seek the Lord.” In every station that God has called me too as a man, this must be my resolve. I must seek the Lord in all things. I must love the Lord more than all that he has given me and called me too.

But that’s no the end. Along with seeking the Lord, we cannot, I cannot lose sight of the mission assigned by Christ. This discussion about becoming one church is happening between two groups of people who are, I pray, already known and marked off as belonging to Christ in this world. Meanwhile next door, in line at the grocery store or gas station, outside the doors of our gatherings, even among us lives a people lost and in need of the hope that we have. The discussion about becoming one church is right and necessary to work carefully through, but we are the church of Christ and Christ said he will build his church; that’s not our job even though we have responsibilities within Christ’s work of building his church. You and I must first love our neighbors. We must determine to know nothing but Christ and him crucified.

If you took time to read every word that is here, please join me! Together, let’s set our faces to seek the Lord. Let’s love God with all that we have, all that we are, and let’s direct the overflow of that love out to the world around us as we gather to worship this Sunday, as we interact with the community next Saturday (Byron Family Fun Day), as we have this great discussion about becoming one church, and as we exist for Christ in this life!

Lord willing, I’ll see you Sunday.

Grace & Peace,
John

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

VBS, Questions, and Meetings

Hello Village Family and Friends,

I want to give you a brief update on things happening around the church and among the body.

First, thank you to everyone who has been involved with VBS kid’s club on Wednesday nights or who have been intentionally praying for this. We’ve had around 50 children coming to hear the truth of God’s Word on Wednesday nights, and this week, the kids learned about God’s Word and the belt of truth. Brothers and sisters, please continue to pray for the salvation of these young ones. as the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed over the course of the summer. May God be glorified! 

Also, thank you to each of you who, so far, have come forward with comments and questions regarding the proposal to become one church with Byron Baptist. Your feedback is beneficial and helps us as shepherds to better care for you in this important time for us as a body, here at The Village Church. Please continue to provide feedback and bring your questions to the elders, as we collectively seek the Lord’s will in this season. 

Next, if you were able to join us last Sunday, you likely heard the announcement regarding two specific changes to the timeline for the proposed one church. The dates for the Question & Answer and the Merger Vote have each moved out one full week. Due to scheduling conflicts, the Question & Answer is now on July 16th, and the vote will be on July 23rd. 

Finally, just a reminder that this Sunday evening, June 25th, at 6pm, at the Municipal building in Byron, the Village is having a church-wide meeting. This meeting is open to anyone who calls the Village church home. You don’t need to be a member of the Village to attend. We welcome you to come and bring your questions regarding the proposed one church. We look forward to answering your questions.

Dear ones, please know that your pastors pray for you often, and that shepherding and caring for you is both an honor and a humbling joy. God willing, we will see you this Lord’s Day. 

In Christ,
Jon Collins, pastor

You can reach the elders anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

Temporary Location Change

Village Family and Friends,

Due to circumstances beyond our control, our ability to gather as The Village Church has been hindered for the past couple weeks and continues to be for the next few weeks. However, our ability to gather as God’s people for the specific purpose of worship, prayer and preaching has not been hindered. After morning worship, last Sunday, The Village elders explained that, due to construction work and lack of staffing at Byron Elementary, we are not able to meet at the school and will be gathering with Byron Baptist Church to worship.

This information prompted two questions from members: “What about Sunday School?” and, “What about giving?”

SUNDAY SCHOOL: in this season, we are going to take a break from our regular Sunday School classes. This aligns with the future thought that we would take summers off from Sunday School classes, though we were not looking to implement that this year. This obviously prompts the question, “So what is there for children on Sunday’s as we gather with Byron Baptist Church?” Byron Baptist offers nursery care for babies and toddlers, and children’s church, during the Sunday preaching, for preschool through 5th grade.

GIVING: In this season, the best means of giving will be by mail (“The Village Church” PO Box 327, Byron, MI 48418) or online (thevillagemi.com/giving). 

We want to make sure you know that in this season, it is only our regular Sunday gathering that is impacted. There is a calendar of events still happening and taking place. There are future events being planned, and Lord willing, executed. There are outlets of ministry being considered and prayed over.

This season of gathering with Byron Baptist has also given us a great unique opportunity to worship and serve with, and to get to know our brothers and sisters with whom we are asking, “Should we become one church?”

Above all, brothers and sisters, we are still able to gather each and every Sunday to worship the Lord together and encourage one another in this life. One of the great characteristics of The Village Church has been our ability to remain nimble and to remember that the church of the living God is so much larger than ourselves. We have often prayed that the Lord would burden us with a greater concern for his glory and the advance of the Gospel than for wordly comfort and satisfaction. It seems to me that we are being called to attest how genuinely we have meant the words of this prayer to our God.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us. Lord willing, we’ll see you Sunday!

On behalf of the elders,
Grace and Peace,
John White

You can reach the elders at anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

Becoming One Church: An Announcement

Village Church family and friends,

Every Sunday that we gather is special and your attendance is always important and valued. This is especially true this Sunday. We will gather with Byron Baptist (construction work has finally started at the school and we cannot meet there), and merger information will finally be available and handed out to both churches.

We also have some important information to share regarding the next several weeks gathering locations. We have asked Byron Baptist for the use of their auditorium after the morning worship service for the purpose of a 10-15 minute meeting to share this information with you. Please make every effort to plan on attending and gathering all of this info.

Brothers and sisters, this is an exciting time with many unknowns still out there. Let us be in prayer for one another, for our church, for Byron Baptist, and for our community. I’m looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday! Lord willing, I’ll see you then!

On behalf of the elders,
Grace and Peace,
John, pastor

You can reach the elders at anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

Becoming One Church: On Track

Hello Family and Friends of the Village Church,

Just a quick update. The Village elder body met again this week with leadership from Byron Baptist Church. The discussion was healthy and we focused our time on drafting a weekly schedule for one church. At this time, we are still on target to provide a final document to both congregations on June 11. Please continue in prayer for the humility, unity, and wisdom of the leaders, members, and attenders of both churches.

This Sunday, we are not able to meet at the school; therefore, we will be gathering together with our brothers and sisters at Byron Baptist Church, to worship the Lord and hear the Word preached. We hope to see you!

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

In Christ,
Jon Collins, pastor

You can reach the elders at anytime by email at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com

Becoming One Church: More Details

Happy Friday everyone! It’s a holiday weekend and we hope your plans include gathering with the church this Sunday morning!

After another good week of discussions with Byron Baptist Church, we have finished the assessment of how both churches operate and what they do. Now, we are putting together what a weekly schedule would look like as one church, as well as what ministries and events we could look forward to being a part of, as a united church within this community.

Our goal, Lord willing, is to present this information to both churches on June 11. We will be gathered together for worship on this day, as the school is unavailable for The Village Church to gather in. This will allow for both churches to receive the exact same information at the same time.

Church, these are exciting times, but they are times that demand our prayer and humility. Let us pray for the protection of God and unity of the Spirit for the people of both churches. Let us walk in humility and love before God and man and may we live to see God glorified in a greater way in our hearts and lives, in our church, and in our community.

Lord willing, I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday morning!

On behalf of the Elders,
John White, pastor

You can reach the elders at anytime by email at:
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com

Becoming One Church: A Discussion

Hello Village Family and Friends,

In March of this year, we, The Village Church, were contacted by Byron Baptist Church with the news that they desired to consider anew the path to becoming one church with us. Their membership was united behind the idea and formal discussion about the two churches becoming one began in early April.

Previous discussion more than a year ago led to an understanding that, as far as matters of doctrine and theology are concerned, we are united. Both churches hold to the authority of Scripture, the autonomy of the local church, and the practice of believer baptism.

With matters of doctrine known and understood, the goal of the discussion to this point has been to come to a working understanding of how both churches operate; what they do; how they are led, and how they are governed. To help us work through these things, we have been looking at the weekly schedules and yearly calendars of each church, for the purpose of providing to both churches, what it would look like for the two to be one church.

It is our hope that in early June, we will be able to provide a plan for the two churches to consider and discuss. Then after a season of prayer, each church will hold a vote of the membership as to the plan.

These conversations have been filled with joy and awe at the work of God among us. The Lord has provided numerous opportunities for these two churches to interact and worship together (including this Sunday as we worship together at 10am, at Byron Baptist Church!). We are looking forward to Summer Kids Club and laboring together for the Gospel in our community.

We are asking that you please be in prayer for these two churches as we walk this forward. If you have any questions or want to know more, you are always more than welcome to contact us. Hearing from you helps us in our discussion.

On behalf of the Elders,
John White, pastor

You can reach the elders at anytime by email at:
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com

30 Days of Prayer: April 1-30, 2023

Hello Village Church Family and Friends,

I pray this letter finds you well, resting and trusting in the grace and peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The elders at The Village Church have felt led to call us, as a church, to a specific season of prayer, from April 1-30, 2023. Whether you are a covenant member or a regular attender, if you call The Village home, or if you are just a Christian from anywhere and found yourself reading this, we invite you to join in prayer over the next 30 days.

This season of prayer will not be for or church only, but also for the collective church of the Living God here in Byron–all those united through faith in and reconciled by Jesus Christ to God our Father.

First, before lifting others to the Lord, let us each come before God in humility, confessing sin (1 John 1:9), looking to him for help (Hebrews 4:16) that we may be holy (1 Peter 1:15). May the words of David, in Psalm 139:23-24, guide us in aligning our hearts and minds with the Lord’s: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

For the churches in Byron, including The Village. Ephesians 6:18 calls us to “keep alert with all perseverance, making [earnest prayer] for all the saints.” We live in a small community, one that is blessed with three churches within the village limits, and all three churches are asking questions about the future. In this season, let us pray:

• For faithful and true gospel-witness, preaching and teaching within our churches and on our streets. May we not be distracted from the work the Lord has called us to by the unknown future.

• For wisdom and unity within the churches. That the best decisions for each church would bring unity and not division to God’s people. That direction followed would be to the praise of God’s glory and grace.

For The Village, specifically. We are laboring to glorify God through obedience to our King, who calls us to love God with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We continue to do this through proclaiming the gospel, baptizing believers, and teaching Christians to obey all that Christ has taught. To that end, let us pray:

• For the Lord’s sight to the needs of our community, both spiritual and physical. As we have opportunity, may we do good (Galatians 6:10) that men may see it and glorify God (Matthew 5:16).

• For summer kids ministry. This year we are trying something different than one, week-long VBS. Partnering with Byron Baptist Church, we will invite the children of Byron to six weeks of VBS, on Wednesday nights, from June 14 to July 26. Pray for the planning, that God would supply workers, and that the gospel truth would reach young hearts and minds and their homes.

• For Mark and Franciska Richardson, who are raising support for full-time missionary work in Belize. They will be in Belize for two weeks in May, delivering Bibles and resources not readily available there. Pray for their safe travel and health. Moreover, pray for their boldness with the gospel and their effective care for Christians there.

There is a lot to pray for! We welcome you to join us in worship on Sundays at 10am or in prayer on Wednesday night at 6:30pm. Let us unite in prayer over the next 30 days and ask God to move for the glory of his name and the advance of the gospel in our community.

On behalf of the Elders,
Grace & Peace,
John White
(You can reach the Village Elders at any time by email at info@thevillagemi.com)

A Plurality of Elders

Hello Village Church family and friends!

I pray this finds you well, resting in the grace and trusting in the promise of our Savior and Lord.

At The Village Church, we believe that the leadership and oversight of the church, as laid out by God in His Word, is given to elders. The term elder is synonymous in the New Testament with the word pastor and the job of shepherding; guiding and caring for the people of God gathered together in a specific locale. Moreover, we believe that God clearly shows in His Word that a plurality of elders is the most ideal and effective means of leading and overseeing the church.**

Elders are charged with the leadership and oversight of the church, but they are not rulers; they are servant leaders. Though tasked, by God with overseeing the spiritual care of God’s people and the management God’s property among them, an elders primary responsibility is to labor in the ministry of the Word and prayer; to “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).

The Village Church began with a plurality of elders in 2017. However, as the church is the Lord’s and as he places its members as he chooses, he called two of our three elders away for His purposes elsewhere. For the past two years I have been serving as a lone elder in The Village Church. As a church, we began praying for the addition of capable and qualified men who desire to shepherd God’s people in October of 2020. In January 2021, I took recommendations from the members of men that they felt led to have considered as possible future elders in the church and began biblical, pastoral examination of those men. One of the men put forward was our brother, Jon Collins.

After a season of examination and prayer, both pastorally and by the members, on Sunday, June 26th, at the quarterly member’s meeting of The Village Church, the members who gathered came together seeking God’s will in a decision regarding our brother, Jon Collins, and his potential eldership at The Village Church.

After several years of prayer on my part and more than two years of prayer as a church, after nearly two years of having only one elder, after a season of examination and prayer, and with nearly unanimous decision of the 38 members present this past Sunday, Jon Collins has been called to serve as an elder at The Village Church.

In fear and reverence before God, we accept this decision as his will for our church.

We are praising God for bringing us back to the biblical design of leadership in the church–a plurality of elders.

As I reminded those gathered on Sunday evening, the addition of one elder is not the end goal. "Great! It was one, now it's two; we're done." By no means! Now we continue praying and working and trusting that God will add, in his time, the next capable and qualified man desiring to serve our church as an elder.

I hope that you will join us this Sunday, July 3rd at 10am, as we pray over the Collins family and commit Jon to service in The Village Church as a pastor among us.

May God be glorified in his church at The Village!

In His service for you,

Grace & Peace,
Pastor John
You can reach pastor John at any time by email at jwhite@thevillagemi.com

**For biblical reference on:
>plurality see Exodus 18:21; Proverbs 11:14, 15:22, 24:6; Acts 5:6, 20:17; Titus 1:5
>the use of elder and pastor, also overseer, see Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:12; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Peter 5:12
>If you have further questions on elders in plurality, I’d be happy to talk with you and refer you to additional resources.

30 Days of Prayer for The Village Church

Hello Village Church Family and Friends,

I pray that you are well! If you are a professing believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, living a life of repentance toward God and faith in Jesus, then I pray that this writing finds you resting in the grace and mercy of our Savior and our God. If you have questions about salvation, if you’d like to know more about Jesus , who he is and what he has done, please contact us today! We’d love to talk with you!

I have felt led and am calling us, as a church, to 30 days of prayer; April 1-30, 2022. Whether you are a committed member or a regular attender of The Village Church, if you call The Village home on a regular basis, I’m inviting you to join in this 30 days.

“Well, pastor, what are you asking us to pray for?” I’m glad you asked! I’m calling us to a season of prayer for, well, us; The Village Church. The Lord has been at work in and among The Village and we give all glory and praise to Him for the good things he has done. We find ourselves in a season of great excitement in a few areas and believe that before we let ourselves think that our own hands or our own brain power has done anything, it is right for us to assume a posture of humility and prayer before Almighty God. So, here is a list of things to keep in prayer throughout this month:

1. Jon Collins, who was recommended by the membership for consideration as an elder at our January 31st meeting, in 2021, has completed a season of pastoral examination and has been recommended back to the membership for examination and consideration as an elder. Upon completion of this season of prayer and examination the membership will meet to make a decision on this matter.

2. Mark and Franciska Richardson will be on a plane to Belize, in less than 40 days, to further explore the direction of God in their life and the possibility for biblical-mission work there. For our part, as a church, we are asking God to help us know if he is using us to be a sending church for Mark and Franciska.

3. Mystery Island VBS, June 20-24, 2022: Tracking Down the One True God! We have not held a VBS since 2019. We are very excited to be able to bring this week-long proclamation of God and the gospel to the children of our community! There’s plenty to do and plenty of room for help! Pray for all the workers involved. Most of all pray for those hearts that God will draw to himself and save through our effort to proclaim his truth.

4. Lastly, pray for The Village Church as a whole. Seven Prayers for The Village Church were developed for a season at the end of 2020. However, we quickly realized that these prayers, grounded in Scripture, were something that a church should always be praying. If you aren’t familiar with these prayers, they are available every Sunday to be picked up at our welcome table. I would strongly encourage you to get a copy of them and add them to your daily prayer throughout April and beyond.

Please pray for The Village Church. We believe that central to our mission and chief among our purposes is to glorify the name of our great and awesome God. We seek to do this through expositional Bible preaching and teaching, through the baptism of new believers, and through the discipling of believers in all of Christ’s commands. Join me in praying for God’s continued favor on The Village Church, that we may stand out like lights in a crooked and perverse generation, as we walk through the rest of this, our short and certain life to the eternity prepared for us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor John White
(You can reach Pastor John at any time by email at jwhite@thevillagemi.com)

Happy New Year!

Hello Village Church family and friends!

As we prepare, Lord willing, to turn the calendar from one year to the next, I am mindful of the work that God has done in and among The Village Church. I hope, by calling our attention to some of these things, to stir your praise and worship of God for his steadfast love and faithfulness to us. In no certain order, we praise God for what he has done among The Village Church in 2021:

• We have witnessed several testimonies, professions of faith, and baptisms!

• Sunday children’s ministry resumed after nearly a year break due to COVID.

• We saw the start of youth and adult Sunday School classes this fall.

• A new opportunity for Wednesday night Bible study, along with prayer, began in the fall.

• Also on Wednesday nights this fall, we were able to start a weekly Kids Club.

• We worshipped alongside our facility host and family in Christ, Byron Baptist Church, on Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve, along with a couple of other Sunday’s as well.

• Conversation opened up between The Village and Byron Baptist about the possibility of becoming one church for the glory of God and the cause of the Gospel.

• Men stepped into new preaching and teaching roles at The Village.

• Prayer for men to serve as elders (pastors) brought about recommendations from the church membership of specific men to be examined for possible service in this role, examination is currently taking place.

• The Lord led us to further consideration of gospel work outside of The Village (missions) and we are praying for his direction in becoming a sending church for a couple from within The Village.

• All of this, including much personal, biblical, and spiritual growth of many within the church.

Church, to God glory, great things he has done! As this year closes, please join me in continued prayer for our church and God’s continued direction and provision for us. May we continue to live a life of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. May we continue to grow in the knowledge and truth of the Lord, and through devotion to his Word, into all the fullness of Christ. May we continue loving one another and showing ourselves to be Christ’s disciples. May we continue to labor on for the glory of God and the renown of his name in all the earth!

Happy New Year Village Church!

Grace & Peace,
Pastor John