Become Family
We're excited you want to learn more about the Bright City family. Below you will find three ways of integrating into this community:
Belong in the Family
Contribute to the Family
Grow with the Family
These are ways we live as family.
Join the Family
When you complete the Bright City Profile form below, you are added to our secure database for easy communication with our staff and leadership.
Two helpful apps to have are Church Center and Planning Center Services.
Church Center lets you view upcoming events, communities that meet, and weekly teachings—as well as make adjustments to online giving.
Services lets you manage everything regarding volunteering at Bright City for Sunday Gatherings—as well as chat with your volunteer team.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Listen to weekly teachings on Spotify or Apple Podcast.
We don’t want to lose make it hard to connect personally. So, before asking you to share your info, we will share ours first.
Josh Taylor; 330.631.2927; josh@brightcitysunbury.com
Sarah Taylor; 443.618.3839; sarah@brightcitysunbury.com
01 | Belong in the Family
We long to know and be known. Everyone wants to know where they fit and who their people are. We all want spaces where we can be ourselves, truly be seen, and find a deeper sense of connection and purpose.
There are two spaces that are the highest priority at Bright City. Both take a level of intentionality to put them on the calendar, prioritize them, and show up regularly.
We are committed to always practicing hospitality in these spaces. We want you to invite and warmly welcome guests. Resist the temptation to only live in the familiar. Be curious when someone is new or unfamiliar to you.
We move toward strangers because that is what we wish people would do for us when we are new. This is also at the heart of God—that strangers become family and find belonging because God moved toward us.
Sunday Gatherings
We currently have Sunday Gatherings at 9:00AM at Big Walnut Intermediate School (777 Cheshire Rd, Sunbury). Kid City programming is available in the gym and classrooms for children (infants to 5th grade). Families can pre-register online to streamline check-in.
Missional Communities
A missional community is a small community of people following Jesus and living on mission together in everyday life. Many churches have small groups to make a big church feel smaller or learn through studies or sermon discussions. Missional communities focus on helping others follow Jesus in their everyday life and blessing those who are in their local community by:
Helping people learn how to experience life in Jesus and discover Him in their story.
Creating spaces where they can become more like Jesus—life on life, life in community, and life on mission.
Embodying the new identity God has given them to be family, servants, and missionaries.
Living intentionally in rhythms together and with those God is calling them to bless—praying, listening, eating meals, having fun, serving tangibly, and sharing about Jesus.
A family strives to have relational unity. At Bright City:
We love and serve one another as a spiritual family
We pray for, invite, and warmly welcome guests
We support the staff and leadership of our church
We speak truth in love, ready to offer grace/forgiveness
We resolve conflict and seek reconciliation as needed
We refuse to gossip, complain, or participate in conversations where others gossip or complain
02 | Contribute to the Family
Being part of a family also means doing our part. We set aside selfish tendencies and value others (Phil. 2:3). This means adopting a mindset of service and making necessary sacrifices for the good of others. Jesus himself said that he “came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life” (Mark 10:45).
Everything we have belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). Therefore, we steward our lives and do everything to reflect God’s heart (1 Corinthians 10:31). We joyfully offer our time, abilities, and resources back to Him.
Volunteer
Volunteering does something both in you and for those around you, while helping the church function at its best. Every person and role matters in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12), giving you a sense of ownership and purpose in this family. We encourage you to find a place to serve regularly, try out different roles, and discover a rhythm that works for you.
You don’t have to be committed to the same role/team forever. Team leaders regularly check in to make sure the frequency and role are the right fit for you.
Explore roles on Sunday Teams (e.g., setup, connect, Kid City, worship, production) or Engagement Teams (e.g., communication, local impact, events). Sign up for the roles you are interested in volunteering through the Volunteer Interest Form.
Generosity
We believe the heart of God is generous. He gave His only Son for us (John 3:16) and provides everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We hope everyone at Bright City experiences God's abundant kindness and becomes an increasingly generous person, not just toward the church but in every area of life. Generosity is a personal decision made joyfully, not out of pressure (2 Cor. 9:6-7).
As a new church, we rely on the financial generosity of many people as we work toward being self-supported by 2027. You can learn more about that through our PLANTED Campaign. We ask each person in the Bright City family to determine how they are able to contribute financially. You can set up online giving or mailing a check to 2545 SR-61, Sunbury, Ohio, 43074.
If you have questions about finances or giving at Bright City, email us at finance@brightcitysunbury.com.
03 | Grow with the Family
Growth is both deep and wide. Growth comes from prioritizing our spiritual formation (i.e. following Jesus) and inviting others into the family.
Walk with Jesus Daily
Bright City isn’t the source of life—it’s a community that finds life in Jesus. Engage in spiritual practices like Bible reading and prayer to stay rooted in Him. We are passionate about helping people discover practices and rhythms to walk with Jesus every day. Sharing your story and getting baptized are both steps to consider taking to grow as well.
Pray for Your “3”
At Bright City, we ask each person to identify three people in your life who need to experience Jesus. Pray for them, pursue them with love, and live as an “everyday missionary” to share God’s hope and grace. This is language we use a lot in our church—and is part of the personal ministry we each have. God wants to work through you!
