Dream together
Pray together
Serve together
Follow Jesus together
Have fun together
Journey together
Take risks together
Share life together
Hope together
Discover together
Dream together Pray together Serve together Follow Jesus together Have fun together Journey together Take risks together Share life together Hope together Discover together
Become Family
We're excited you want to learn more about the Bright City family. Below you will find four ways of integrating into this community:
Talk with the Family
Belong in the Family
Contribute to the Family
Grow with the Family
These are ways you become part of a family and do your part as well.
01 | Talk with 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 apps we often use are Church Center and Planning Center Services.
Church Center lets you view upcoming events, MCs, and teachings—as well as participate in group/team chats and make adjustments to online giving.
Services lets you manage and view everything regarding volunteering at Bright City for Sunday Gatherings. Your chats sync across both apps.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Listen to weekly teachings on Spotify or Apple Podcast.
When we (Josh & Sarah Taylor) started Bright City, we exchanged numbers with people to stay connected. We want that to always be part of our culture, and don’t want to lose make it hard to connect personally. So, before asking you to share your info, we will share ours first. Feel free to reach out to us anytime.
Josh Taylor; 330.631.2927; josh@brightcitysunbury.com
Sarah Taylor; 443.618.3839; sarah@brightcitysunbury.com
02 | Belong in the Family
Belonging has to do with our longing 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 commit to coming (even when on days we don't feel like it). That's not to say that things don't happen—commitments conflict at times and there are sick days. But the only way we can belong and be known is if we show up.
We are committed to always practicing hospitality in these spaces. That means that we want you to invite guests and warmly welcome those visiting in the spaces. Resist the temptation to only live in the familiar. Be curious when someone is new or unfamiliar to you—even if it is just with one person. 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 (MCs)
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 Him and discover Jesus as the hero of 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, it looks like:
Love and serve one another as a spiritual family
Pray for, invite, and warmly welcome guests
Support the staff and leadership of our church
Speak truth in love, ready to offer grace/forgiveness
Resolve conflict and seek reconciliation as needed
Refuse to gossip, complain, or participate in conversations where others gossip or complain
03 | Contribute to the Family
Being part of a family also means doing our part. We set aside selfish tendencies and value others (Philippians 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. Two ways we ask you to explore doing your part to contribute in the Bright City family:
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 the church 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, Kid City, production) or Engagement Teams (e.g., communication, local impact, outreach). Sign up for the roles you are interested in volunteering through the Volunteer Interest Form.
Generosity
We believe the heart of God is generosity—He gave His only Son for us (John 3:16) and provides everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). The Bible teaches that generosity shifts our hope from uncertain wealth to God, enables us to do good in our community, and stores up eternal treasure (1 Timothy 6:17-19). We hope everyone at Bright City experiences God's abundant kindness and grows in generosity, not just toward the church but in every area of life. Generosity is a personal decision made joyfully, not out of pressure (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
As a new church, we rely on the generosity of many people as we work toward being self-sustaining over the next few years. That means 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 PO Box 973, Sunbury, Ohio, 43074.
Meet our finance coordinator, Andy Stone. If you have questions about finances or giving at Bright City, email him at finance@brightcitysunbury.com.
Bright City’s finance aren’t secret. Here is a snapshot:
Total Revenue 2024: $334,697.01
5% Savings (Church Planting): $16,002.19
Total Spent 2024: $217,190.89
Facilities: $34,932.17
Kid City: $7,407.22
Hospitality: $3,879.08
Worship & Production: $15,166.91
Creative Arts & Communication: $13,524.53
Missional Communities: $2,012.18
Local Impact: $22,786.89
Operations: $26,458.73
HR: $88,168.57
*Please note: Bright City officially started operationally July 2024 with numerous startup costs. Therefore, numbers for our full fiscal year (July 2024 to June 2025) will look different in the future.
04 | 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 seeks life in Jesus. Engage in spiritual practices like Bible reading, prayer, and silence to stay rooted in Him. We are passionate about helping people discover practices and rhythms to walk with Jesus every day. One of the best ways to get started with that is by jumping in to our BREAD Bible Reading Plan for 2025 or creating a rule of life.
Pray for Your “3”
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 at Bright City—and is part of the personal ministry we each have. God wants to work through you!
