Paying tribute to John Byers

On Tuesday, October 16, the Brethren in Christ Church in North America lost a valued leader when John A. Byers was welcomed into his eternal reward by the One whom he had claimed as Lord and Savior for virtually the whole of his life. Over the course of his 43-year ministry, John moved easily between assignments within the denomination, serving in congregational and conference settings with equal effectiveness. He also helped extend the reach of the BIC Church through his service on the boards of several educational institutions and in his work with the Christian Holiness Association. He was 73 years of age at the time of his death.

A native of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, John graduated from Messiah Academy (Grantham, Pa.) in 1952. His marriage two years later to Esther Hoke marked the beginning of a 53-year partnership in faithfulness. John had long dreamed of being a dairy farmer, but when Bishop Carl Ulrey invited the young couple to consider a pastoral position in Ohio, John and Esther accepted this as confirmation of their call to ministry. As John would later state, “I was always grateful for that call, and never questioned it. I would not have returned to farming even if I had been able to do so.”

To prepare himself for the work to which God had called him, John went back to Messiah College, completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1963 and a Bachelor of Theology in 1964. From Messiah, John and Esther moved their family across the country to Upland, Ca., where John served for two years as the associate pastor of the Upland BIC Church. The Byers then returned to Pennsylvania and a twelve-year ministry with the Souderton BIC Church, during which time John earned his master’s degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He received the Doctor of Ministry degree from Eastern Seminary in 1985.

Early in his ministry, John earned a reputation as a gifted administrator, mentor, and mediator, and when the position of bishop of the Atlantic Conference became open in 1978, he was a natural choice. He served in the Atlantic Conference for 12 years, transitioning in 1990 to director of bishops, and then to the position of bishop of the Great Lakes Conference from 1994 to 2004. His next role came in 2004 when he accepted the position of associate bishop of the emerging Southeast Conference. And in May of 2007, at an age when retirement would have been a likely option, John joined the ministry team at the Messiah Village BIC Church (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) as Pastor of Congregational Care.

Throughout his four-decade-long ministry, John was known for his personal humility and lifelong commitment to learning and professional growth. As Wanda Heise, a member of the Atlantic Conference Board of Directors during John’s years as bishop of that conference, recalls, “John was open to learning all of his life and cared deeply about the church and its mission. He was always willing to learn about a better way to do things or to communicate his concerns. He grew through some difficult times of transition and turmoil in the church.” Similarly, John Arthur Brubaker, a schoolmate, ministry colleague, and lifelong friend of John’s, describes John as “always reading a book on the church or leadership. He kept on the cutting edge of issues throughout his entire life.”

At the September 2007 meeting of the General Conference Board, John reflected on his recent trip to Zimbabwe as the BIC representative on an eight-member Mennonite World Conference-sponsored delegation, drawing from II Corinthians 4:7-11 as the text for his comments. Recalling John’s words to the group, Perry Engle, bishop of the Pacific Conference, notes that “one can't help but think that the Apostle's words in this passage were meant to serve as a fitting eulogy to our dear brother: ‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.’”

John was the son of the late John and Ida Hess Byers. In addition to his wife, Esther, he is survived by four children, Brenda (David) Cox, Randy (Kathy) Byers, Pam (Daryl) Musser, and Sheryl (Keith) Craun; 8 grandchildren; and 3 great grandchildren. Also surviving are three sisters, June Gibble, Fern (Richard) Peck, and Faye (Richard) Schirato.

A viewing and family greeting was held on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at Messiah Village Chapel (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), followed by a memorial service on Sunday, October 21, 2007 at the Grantham (Pa.) BIC Church. Internment was on Monday, October 22, 2007 at the Air Hill BIC Church in Chambersburg, Pa..

Memorial contributions may be made to Messiah Village Benevolence Fund, 100 Mt. Allen Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. Words of condolence can be posted online at http://obits.pennlive.com/PennLive/DeathNotices.asp.

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