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Koinonia Delegation Member Suffers Fatal Heart Attack

STRASBOURG, France — On Tuesday, October 16, 2007, John A. Byers, age 73, a longtime leader in the Brethren in Christ Church (BICC), died at Lancaster, Pennsylvania (USA) General Hospital after suffering a heart attack at his home.

In August 2007, Byers was part of the eight-member intenational Koinonia Delegation sent to Zimbabwe by Mennonite World Conference. The team visited churches and their leaders, institutions and projects and conversed with ordinary people at the national BICC conference.

At the end of the visit, Byers reflected: “I am changed in how I live my life from now on as a member of a very privileged society.... The challenges for me are how to be most helpful to those sisters and brothers [in Zimbabwe].” Byers noted that despite extremely difficult circumstances in Zimbabwe, the people are resilient, the church is strong and the national conference gathering was a model of hope.

Back home, Byers reported on his Zimbabwe experience to the meeting of the General Conference Board of the BICC just a few weeks ago.

During Byers' 43-year ministry, he served the conference, on the boards of several educational institutions, in congregations in Ohio, California, and Pennsylvania, and as a bishop beginning in 1978. In May of 2007, at an age when retirement would have been an option, he joined the ministry team at the Messiah Village BIC Church in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, as Pastor of Congregational Care.

Throughout his four-decade long ministry, Byers was committed 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.”

Byers is survived by his wife, Esther, four children, 8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. A memorial service took place on Sunday, October 21, at Grantham, Pennsylvania.

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Photos of John Byers available on request:

1. John Byers
2. John Byers visiting a displaced persons project in Zimbabwe with Koinonia delegation members: (l to r) John, Mesach Krisetya (Indonesia), Danisa Ndlovu (Zimbabwe) and Pascal Kulungu (DR Congo).