Valleybrook Community Church first opened its doors in the fall of 2002, meeting on the campus of Broadview Academy.
In 2005, Valleybrook moved to Blackberry Creek Elementary School in Elburn 2005. Now, with attendance on the rise, Valleybrook is looking forward to expanding ministries in the larger space of Kaneland Middle School.
Easter Sunday, April 20, will be Valleybrook's grand reopening at the old Kaneland Middle School on Meredith Road, north of Keslinger. There will be coffee and Panera-goodies reception at 9:30 a.m., with the service at 10 a.m.
Those who attend say they love the church's clear Bible teaching, heartfelt worship, wonderful children's ministry, and the warm and friendly people.
Pastor Brian Smith is quoted as saying, "Many people equate a church with a building and a steeple. Really the word church in the Bible refers to the people who make up the community of believers. For the first 300 years of Christendom, early Christians had no church buildings. They met in homes and other public places."
While having a promise of Elburn-area property when ready to build, Valleybrook is grateful for the rental of school space that meets current needs.
Pastor Brian Smith is Valleybrook's founding pastor. Smith grew up in Batavia attending Batavia High School, Northern Illinois University, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, where he received his master of divinity degree and met his wife Elizabeth. After pastoring in Appleton, Wis., for 10 years, the Smiths felt led to come back to the Fox Valley area to start Valleybrook, begun as a daughter church of First Baptist Church of Geneva.
Working with a small core of people from First Baptist, the church has grown to over 150 people. Pastor Todd Hiller joined Valleybrook as the pastor of worship arts in 2004, and in 2008 Ashley Bucher became the children's ministry director.
Valleybrook's doors are open to everyone.
The old Kaneland Middle School is located at 1N137 Meredith Road, Kaneville. To learn more about Valleybrook or to listen to past messages, visit www.ValleybrookChurch.com. We can be reached by phone at (630) 879-7035.
