Merger Information

Christian Financial Credit Union began 75 years ago as St. Jude Parish Credit Union in Detroit. Today, it serves 56,000 members with more than $900 million in assets. Christian Financial offers high-quality, high-value products and services to promote convenience, trust, and personal service for members. The credit union offers comprehensive financial services beyond typical retail consumer services through ownership of full-service mortgage and commercial loan companies. In September 2019, the credit union built its new state-of-the-art headquarters in Sterling Heights to accommodate its rapid growth in serving residents of metro Detroit.

Christian Financial matched our faith-based history, aligned with our core values and mission, and shared a dedication to its members and the greater communities they served. Both credit unions share a common vision for the future as a combined organization. If approved, the surviving credit union will be Christian Financial Credit Union and all CVF members will be members.

CVF Credit Union and Christian Financial are both in strong capital positions. A combined organization will allow us to react quickly with dedicated resources and continue to offer cutting-edge products and services to benefit our current memberships. Plus, this merger will provide:

More Branch Locations
With this merger, the combined organization will feature a larger footprint and access to a total of 12 credit union branches and free use of CO-OP Shared Branches, where members can utilize other credit union branches like their own.

Products and Services
In a highly competitive financial services industry, a combined organization will offer additional products and services, such as Zelle® Person-to-Person Payments, business services, in-house financial investment advisors, in addition to higher deposit rates and lower loan rates. Together, we will exceed your expectations by providing enhanced products, services, and digital access!

Expanded Membership
Once we receive regulatory and membership approval, our qualifying field of membership will include anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in the entire state of Michigan.

Yes! Over the last six months, the Board of Directors and Executive Teams have met and openly discussed all aspects of a merger. Upon thoughtful consideration it was met with unanimous support.

This merger will provide the opportunity to achieve positive member impact and value, such as:More Branch Locations
With this merger, the combined organization will feature a larger footprint and access to a total of 12 credit union branches and free use of Credit Union Service Centers.Products and Services
In a highly competitive financial services industry, a combined organization will offer additional products and services, such as Person-to-Person Payments, business services, in-house financial investment advisors, in addition to higher deposit rates and lower loan rates. Together, we will exceed your expectations by providing enhanced products, services, and digital access!Expanded Membership
Once we receive regulatory and membership approval, our qualifying field of membership will include anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in the entire state of Michigan.

To complete the merger process, we must receive approval from three sources: our boards, our regulators, and our members. In January, the boards of both credit unions unanimously approved and signed a merger agreement. We then filed a merger application with regulators for approval, which is required before a CVF membership vote takes place. Once approved, as member-owners, CVF Credit Union members will have an opportunity to vote. The official notice and ballot, along with instructions on how to vote, and the date of the special meeting, will be sent to you.

A Notice of Special Meeting of the Members will be mailed to your home in late March. Of course, you are welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting at 6:00 p.m. on May 6, 2025, at CVF Credit Union (8817 Sheldon Road, Plymouth, MI 48170) to vote in-person. You may also mail your ballot to Catholic Vantage Financial Ballot c/o Doeren Mayhew, 8785 SW 165 AVE STE 303, Miami, FL 33193-9935. Please make sure your ballot is received by 5:00 p.m. on May 3, 2025, to be counted.

No. We are using a third party to handle the vote. We cannot accept ballots at either branch location. A postage paid return envelope will be included with your ballot so you can conveniently drop it in any mailbox.

Until CVF and CFCU systems are fully combined, which will be late 2025 or early 2026, continue using the same logins, debit and credit cards, and checks as you normally would. The phone number and branch you currently use will be the same, too. We will keep you well informed of any changes prior to them taking place.

Your account number will remain unchanged for the time being. It may only change when your account is migrated to the Christian Financial platform.  We are taking great care to ensure most credit union members will not have an account change to make the process as seamless as possible.   You will receive new debit and credit cards, but this will all be timed to avoid disruption in service. Additional information will be provided as this process goes forward.

We will retain our current routing number for the time being. Members with automated payments, direct deposit, or other electronic transfers that use the routing number should not have to make any updates. Over time, CFCU will assist you in changing your routing and transit number but we will continue to process with the CVF routing and transit number into the foreseeable future.  Additional information will be provided as this process moves forward.

Not initially. During the transition period you will continue to use the same login credentials to access online banking. Over time, all CVF accounts will be converted to Christian Financial accounts. Christian Financial’s online banking platform includes access to free credit reports and monitoring, a free budgeting and account aggregation tool, allowing you to see all of your accounts, no matter where you have them (Yes, even another financial institution), free access and use of Zelle, access to trust and will services, as well as an online life insurance portal. Business accounts will have additional access to ACH services.

Yes. As referenced above, we will work with CVF members over time to migrate their accounts to the CFCU platform. Additional information will be provided as this process goes forward.

Direct Deposits, ACH, payments, checks, and recurring debit card transactions will continue to work as they do now. Additional information will be provided as this process goes forward.

Our goal is to make the transition easy for you, so it will take several months to complete the work and verify everything is ready. We expect this to be completed in late 2025 or early 2026. We will update you on timing and more details well before the system transition date.

Until our systems are combined, which will be late this year or into 2026, it will be business as usual with each credit union. The CVF team will continue to serve you as we normally do for any products and services you have with us. Please continue using the same logins, debit and credit cards, and checks.  Immediately upon the merger date, CVF members will be able to use any CFCU location.

Until CVF and CFCU systems are fully combined, updates can be made the same way you make them now, using the same phone number, (734) 432-0212, or at either branch location.

Today! All CFCU branches are CO-OP Shared Branches and CVF is waiving the traditional fee at these branch locations for all CVF members.

Yes! Both credit unions are committed to providing high levels of service for our members and our communities. This will continue to be a focus as a combined organization.

No. Both credit unions recognize the importance of retaining talented and dedicated team members and a successful merger is dependent on retaining those team members. Employees from both credit unions will continue to serve their respective memberships and be retained through the merger, with many given more career growth opportunities.

Patty Campbell, President/CEO of Christian Financial, will continue in this role. Pete Bagazinski, CEO of CVF Credit Union, will assume the role of Chief Business Development and Advocacy Officer, at the combined organization.

If approved, the merger will be effective July 1^st, with system conversions happening throughout the remainder of the year.

Once approved, anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Michigan can join!

Yes. Your accounts are Federally Insured by the NCUA throughout the merger process and beyond.