Family Matters - The Children

Village Family and Friends,

I hope you are well, and that in whatever way you chose to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, your time was meaningful.

This Sunday we will close out this short series, Family Matters, by looking at the role of children. If you have never noticed, children are extremely important throughout the Bible; they are precious to the Lord and they are given to a husband and a wife as a great blessing and with great responsibility.

As the enemy of God and of God’s people, Satan, wages war on the biblical view of the family, we should understand that these precious, young blessings are also in view as a target. Join us as we consider, more than the children themselves, the great responsibility that we as parents, as adults, as a church have in the lives of our young people, our children.

I hope you are making plan to be involved in Christmas In The Village! What a wonderful opportunity to meet people in our community and share the truth and love of Christ with them! I’m looking forward to being with you this Sunday! To sing, pray, to hear Scripture , and to be together as a family. Lord willing, I’ll see you then!

Grace & Peace,
John

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
 Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
 John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

Family Matters - The Woman

Hello Village Family and Friends,

I hope this letter finds you well. As I sit here and consider this week so far, it has been one filled with difficulty and also blessing, for many among us.

On Thursday, our church held the funeral service for George Spicer, a long standing member of Byron Baptist, who went home to be with the Lord at the age of 90. While we grieve the loss of a beloved brother, we also rejoice, knowing that George is now with his Lord and Savior, seeing by sight what he formerly saw by faith!

In the same week that we mourn the loss of a beloved brother, we as a church also had 28 middle school students walk through our doors for The Break. These students enjoyed a meal prepared by some of the women of our church, as well as a Bible study led by Pastor John. God be praised for bringing the lost and hurting to us, that we may point them to Christ!

Brothers and sisters, in all things, whether it be the passing of a senior saint into glory, or the opportunity to share Christ with a young student, may we seek to exalt the Savior, both as individual believers and also as a congregation in this community, where God has placed us.

I hope you are making plans to gather with the church this Lord’s day. We will be continuing in our “Family Matters” series. Last week, we looked at man and what the Word says; this week, we will continue, looking to God’s Word and what it says about woman.

Lord willing, we will see you Sunday!

In Christ,
Jon Collins, pastor

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

Family Matters - The Man

Hello Church Family and Friends,

I hope this week has gone well for you and I hope you are making plans to gather together with the people of God to worship the Lord this Sunday!

Last week, we opened the Family Matters series by looking at the family according to God’s design. We looked at many aspects of the family and why the family is in the condition that it is in today. This Sunday, as we gather and continue in Family Matters, we will focus our time on the man; the husband and father. God’s Word doesn’t leave room for the man to be complacent in the family and this stand in stark contrast to what the culture would have us think. I hope you will join us!

It has been one month since the two churches voted to become one; and we praise God for the work he has done. However, though we are one church, it will take time for two distinct groups of people who must work, to become one body that moves and grows together. I wanted to provide three simple ways in which we can all work together to become one:

1. Show up! This might seem quite obvious and simple but the Bible literally encourages us to encourage one another to go to church! Come to Sunday School, Sunday Worship, Wednesday prayer, and any other opportunity to gather. Prioritize the people of God in your schedule.

2. Serve! All throughout the church there are ways for you to serve and be involved (especially in this season right now!). As we labor and worship together for a common goal and purpose, we will find greater unity as one body.

3. Seek out! Look for ways to connect with your brothers and sisters beyond the church gatherings, beyond opportunities of serving together. Let the regular gathering and the service opportunities be the means through which relationships form and develop in deeper, more meaningful ways.

It’s almost Sunday; will you be here? There is a potluck; will you stay? Christmas in the Village is coming soon, have you signed up to serve? I can’t wait to gather with you all, Lord willing, this Sunday! I hope to see you there!

Grace & Peace,
John White

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

A New Song and a New Series

Hello Village Family and Friends,

As I write this, it’s now November and we’ve already experienced our first accumulation of snow. How quickly this year has flown by, yet also, how much we have to look back upon and be grateful for! The Lord led has protected us and has faithfully led two congregations into a new season as one church. For that, let us praise His Holy name.

This month, we will be learning a new song together, “All My Boast is in Jesus”. The lyrics for the chorus are so simple, and yet so biblically rich:

“All my boast is in Jesus
All my hope is His love
And I will glory forever
In what the cross has done.”

As we were reminded last week in the message from Galatians 3, Christ’s righteousness, received by faith alone, is the bedrock of the Christian faith. Dear ones, ALL our boast is in Jesus! I want to encourage you to begin listening to and learning this song, as we will be singing it the next few weeks.

Also, this Sunday, we are beginning a new sermon series called “Family Matters”. This series seeks to bring biblical definition and clarity to the family--its member and their roles, and is intended to equip Christians to engage for the spiritual battle that is raging in this present day.

Please join us this Sunday, as we gather to sing, pray, and hear God’s Word preached. Lord willing, we will see you then.

In Christ,
Jon Collins, pastor

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

Galatians: Law and Promise

Hello Village Bible Family and Friends,

I pray that whatever your week looked like, whether full of great trials or flowing with exceeding joys, you are trusting in the rich assurance we have that our God is sovereign and in His hands, all things are sustained. Colossians 1:17 reminds us:

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together

Beloved, what comfort we may find in the Word of our God!

This weekend, we will be returning to the book of Galatians, as we continue our study through this important epistle. I look forward to sharing this Sunday’s message with you, from Galatians 3:10-14, titled “Law and Gospel”.

I hope you will join us, as we gather together to worship the Lord, be equipped, and hear from God’s Word.

Lord willing, I will see you this Sunday.

In Christ,
Jon Collins, pastor

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

Ecclesiology 101: The Church Deacon, Part 2

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

As I write this, Jacqueline and I, along with Jon and Liz Collins are just back from the annual Bridge Fellowship Conference in Muskegon. Bridge Fellowship is the association of churches that Byron Baptist Church was in longstanding fellowship with. You may recall, at the end of June, that Doug Crawford, director of Bridge, came and spoke at Byron Baptist Church during the Sunday morning service and the Sunday School hour. He invited Jon and I to come as guests to learn about the fellowship and to share about the work that God has done and is doing here in Byron. We are thankful glad for the very brief opportunity we had share about the work that is taking place here; to encourage fellow pastors and pastor’s wives from across the state. But something else happened. We were entirely overwhelmed by the amount of people who shared that they had been praying for us. People we have never met, from churches we have never heard of. We were deeply ministered to and challenged by the teaching of God’s Word. We were moved and encouraged by the sound of 150 pastors and wives singing God’s praise. We were inspired to work harder in personal and church ministry. We were humbled by the love we were shown from a community who doesn’t even know us.

And why? Because this is what happens when God’s people focus on the things that matter and unite together. There were a multitude of differences present. From “the boot people from Byron” (yes, we were called that) to the suit people of Grand Rapids (yes, I just called them that). There were some folks who drove from Iowa and Missouri and from Dollar Bay and Munising (in Michigan’s UP). There were preferences and varying theological and educational levels. But there was One Spirit, One Lord, One God and Father. One Gospel. As a pastor, I was greatly encouraged, because in this season of two churches having recently become one, we still have so many challenges ahead of us. But if we are able to focus on the things that matter and unite together, everyone of us will experience what Jacqueline and I, what Jon and Liz, and what every one in attendance at this conference experienced—the joy of belonging to the household of God.

This Sunday, we will examine together the qualifications of a deacon. I am excited to worship with you. I love being with God’s people anytime, anywhere. But I love being with the people of God I am called too and united with in this life. To lift our voices in song. To hear God’s Word read. To pray. To preach and proclaim the truth of God’s word. Lord willing, I’ll see you then!

Grace & Peace,
John White

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

Ecclesiology 101: The Church Deacon

Brothers and Sisters, what a week!

After a long season of great discussion and question asking, and after much prayer and seeking the Lord’s help, on October 8, 2023, Byron Baptist church and The Village Church of Byron together became Village Bible Church. I am not sure that I am able to yet put into words the thoughts and emotions that this statement produces. Church, the Lord has blessed us and our community with one, I pray, stronger and healthier church. We will never be perfect, but as we strive for holiness and live in obedience to God, I am confident that we will bring a greater glory to the name of the Lord and proclaim the gospel in a clearer way.

There are still things to situate and sort. We are now in need of learning about, understanding, and moving forward with finding deacons among us to serve the tangible needs of the church. We will talk more about that this Sunday when we gather to worship the Lord. However, even amid all of our imperfections, in Christ, in whom all of us “joined and held together by every joint with which [we are] equipped” we will grow more and more into what God has designed for his people and what Byron needs in our time.

As I have continued in prayer this week, I no longer pray for two churches. I now pray for our church. I pray for the Lord to guide us; for his love to further unify us for his glory, his purpose, and our good. On October 8, 2023, The Village Church of Byron and Byron Baptist Church together became Village Bible Church. Together, you and me became we. As we give thanks, may we always remember, this didn’t come about because of any effort of our own. We did nothing. God did everything. “To God be the glory, great things he hath done!”

I’m looking forward to worshipping with you this Sunday! Lord willing, I’ll see you then!

Grace & Peace,
John White

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

Ecclesiology 101: The Church Elder

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

As shepherds, called and charged with keeping watch over your souls (Hebrews 13:17), we as an elder body pray for you often—for both congregations that currently gather together in this season. No matter what this week has thrown your way, it is my hope and prayer that you are resting in the grace and mercy of our great God, through Christ Jesus our Lord, in whatever you face.

This weekend, in addition to gathering to worship the Lord and hear the Word preached as we continue in our Ecclesiology 101 series, members of both congregations will also be voting to determine whether Byron Baptist Church and The Village Church will merge to become one church. As we wait patiently for the Lord in this, may we find comfort in knowing that our God is sovereign in all things. Here is our great hope in everything we face; scripture is so clear:

“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” Psalm 115:3

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” Proverbs 16:33

To quote the late Charles Spurgeon:

“the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.”

Dear ones, let this be our comfort as we head into the weekend!

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, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

Ecclesiology 101

Hello Friend,

I hope and pray you are well! I also pray that you have been able to spend time in God’s Word this week and are seeing growth in your walk with Christ, as you devote yourself to His Word.

As we draw closer to the vote regarding these two churches becoming one (MEMBERS: the vote is scheduled for October 8, following the morning service); we also move from one sermon series to another. This next series won’t be exhaustive; rather, a high level glimpse at the topic of ecclesiology, specifically looking at the role of deacons in the church. By way of reminder, if you have any questions about the upcoming vote or about the two churches coming together as one, please contact us today! We welcome conversation and the opportunity to help you in this major decision making process.

Ecclesiology is the study of the nature and structure of the church; specifically, it is what the Bible says about the church; members, leaders, mission, purpose, etc.. I know many are ready and looking forward to the teaching on deacons, but before we can get to the topic of deacons, we need to understand the organization that deacons fit into and how they fit into it. So this Sunday we will look briefly at the church and elders.

It is my prayer and desire, Lord willing, that October 8th will see these two churches joining together as one church. In that event, we will be moving as quickly as we responsibly can to see deacons installed and begin serving the church. However, no matter the outcome on the eighth, God’s people always benefit from further understanding of what God’s word teaches on any given subject. It is my prayer that through this brief look at this important topic, we will gain a more robust view of the design God has for his people, and that we may follow it more closely, glorifying God in a greater way!

I’m looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday! Lord willing, I’ll see you then.

Grace & Peace,
John White, pastor

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

One Another: Serve

Brothers and Sisters,

This Sunday, in our One Another series, we will examine the call of God on his people to serve one another. Peter says we each have received different gifts and we are to use them to “serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). As I reflect on this text, I have considering the joys and sorrows of serving God’s people as a pastor. It is such an honor and privilege to employed by the Most High as a shepherd serving you, his people. Paul wrote to Timothy (1 Timothy 3:1, ESV), “If anyone aspires to to the office of overseer, he desire a noble task.” It is a wonderful, excellent, and commendable thing to hold the role of pastor within the church. However, James wrote (James 3:1, CSB) about the hazards of the job also: “Not many of you should become teachers…because you know that we will receive a stricter judgement.” The fundamental role of any pastor is to give instruction in sound doctrine—to help other Christians learn how to do what the Bible teaches, while also doing what the Bible teaches, so that we may all grow up into Christ (Ephesians 4:12-16). This is how a pastor serves a church. Oh sure, pastors do a lot beyond this basic function, but this is the one thing that must be done!

Many often talk about turning off their work; that’s not possible for the pastor, because the pastors work is people—you. To help illustrate this, I have 6 young children, and older parents often tell me, “It doesn’t get easier when they get older; you’ll be concerned for them forever.” Paul briefly stated how, amidst the dangers and pressures of life, he had daily concern for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28). I feel this. And while I can’t speak for Paul, I can speak for myself. The daily concern that I have for you—your holiness, your godliness, your evangelism, your marriages, your families, your finances, your health concerns—all of this pushes me and motivates me in my service to God for you. It drives me deeper to Scripture, deeper in prayer; deeper in my own faith-walk with Christ. I’m so thankful that God has chosen to use me in this way for his purpose and glory, allowing me to care for his people—you—through this life. As we give our attention to Scripture this Sunday, may we be motivated in our service to one another and show ourselves to be good stewards of God’a varied grace.

I’m looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Lord wiling, I’ll see you then.

Grace & Peace,
John White, pastor

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

One Another: Teach and Admonish

Hello again, friend,

I pray you are well! As I write this, the week has been cooler and the feeling of fall is in the air; though the forecast still has some warm days in it. It’s the middle of September and the warm days of summer are turning to the cool days of autumn.

With the changing season, I am mindful that in a matter of weeks the membership of each church will meet for the purpose of making a decision regarding becoming one church. The decisions of each body will have long-lasting results. On October 8 we will either become unified as one church or continue as two separate churches. We have had a good long season of asking questions and interacting and observing much of what a merged church would look like. There are questions that cannot be answered in this season; the saying, “We don’t know what we don’t know” certainly applies here. But many questions do have answers, or at least vision toward a possible answer. If you still have questions that have not been answered, I and Jon Collins, are personally inviting you to contact us with your questions, in order for you to be as informed and prepared to cast your vote in this decision on October 8.

I hope you are planning to join us for Sunday school (9am) and worship (10am) this Sunday! In our One Another series, we are gong to look at a verse I have known for a long time—Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” I’m excited to unpack this verse together with you and see how God will use it among us for his glory and the further proclamation of the gospel!

If you have a Bible question, need prayer, need counsel, want to help out or just share in the fellowship we have in Christ as Christians, give us a call, send a text or an email, or stop by the church building during the day and say hello! We are honored to serve you as pastors.

Grace & Peace,
John White, pastor

You can reach the elders anytime by email, call, or text at:
Jon Collins, jcollins@thevillagemi.com, (810) 869-3949
John White, jwhite@thevillagemi.com, (810) 275-4267

One Another: Encourage

Greetings Dear Friend,

This Sunday, in our One Another series we will explore God’s command for his people to encourage one another. We are all familiar with those who have the gift of encouragement. Many, if not most, or even all of us, have probably known that person who no matter where they go or what is going on around them they have a way of encouraging the people around them. Some people just have the gift of encouragement. Romans 12:8 even identifies encouragement (or exhortation) as a gift given among God’s people to be used for the for the growth of the body of Christ.

But encouragement isn’t just for the one who has the gift of encouragement. From personal interactions to the collective gathering of the church, there is no end of people who need encouraging; and our service can be a means of encouragement to them. When you think of the elderly and visit them or check in on them; when you hold a crying baby so a mother can take a deep breath for a minute; when you help a teenager with their school work; when you deliver groceries or a meal and pray for someone laid up with an injury. These are all opportunities to serve and encourage one another. Too often we view service as a chore; let us begin to view service as a way to encourage those around us, individually and collectively as church.

If you are interested in getting involved in serving within the church, there is a signup table in the lobby with various ways to get involved or you can visit the Serve page of this website and get connected with a ministry team today. Let us be a people who encourage one another through our serving.

I’m excited to worship with you this Sunday! To spend the afternoon together enjoying good food, playing game, most importantly just being together as brothers and sisters in Christ!

Grace & Peace,
John White, pastor

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

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