We are Milford First United Methodist Church. We are Milford First, loving all of God’s people as we are loved by God. We are God’s chosen, empowered by God to be the Light of Christ in this corner of God’s Kingdom. We are Milford First, committed to living as the Love of Christ together. This is who we are.

Friends,

We’ve just celebrated the Baptism of our Lord, marking his commitment to fulfilling his ministry, loving us into the Kingdom of God through his life, death and resurrection. In the coming weeks, we’ll recall how he called upon ordinary people like you and me to give of themselves to follow him, learning from him as he proclaimed the Love of God to the world. We’ll be invited to prayerfully commit ourselves to being the Light of Christ in our world by exercising our love for all of God’s people in very real, tangible ways. In short, we’re launching our Love Campaign during the weeks leading up to the Lenten season, a campaign that calls us to support the mission and ministry of Milford First through our time, talents and treasures.

Supporting the Love Campaign is an important way that we can express our love and gratitude to God for the abundant blessings we all enjoy. That’s why the Love Campaign is not simply a “giving” campaign. The Love Campaign asks us to fully commit to being the Light of Christ by investing ourselves into the whole ministry of the church: the fullness of the life and love that is Milford First UMC. How we respond to the Love Campaign will have a direct impact on the future, as it will reflect our devotion to the Love of Christ and our love for all of God’s people, everywhere.

In a couple of weeks, we'll each be asked to make our intentions known through the completion of a Loving Declaration, a form that allows us to offer our more complete selves. In addition to our financial intention, we'll be asked to determine how and when we'll offer ourselves to be the Light of Christ through the ministries of our church. In short, we'll be asked to prayerfully return to God a portion of our time, our talents and our finances – a well-defined expression of our love of Christ. We best prepare to give of ourselves by setting aside time to spend with our Lord, seeking guidance and inspiration. Ponder these and other questions, listening for God’s response and following Christ’s Love:

Lord, how would you have me use my talents for the cause of Christ?
What portion of my treasure am I willing to commend to your hands?
What ways are you asking me to use my time to love others?

In the days ahead, consider: our 2023 budget is $683,475, in order to meet church obligations and to properly fund church ministries. Sunday morning services, alone, require a minimum of 27 volunteers, plus staff, every week. Without those volunteers, the church is less able to take Christ’s Love out into the world. All of our many ministries rely on volunteers to impact the lives of others in loving and effective ways. When we're unable to offer a ministry, we're unable to give our love to others. How do you intend to express your love of God as one of God’s chosen?

Blessings in All the Colors of Christ’s Love,

Rev. Steven Rodgers
Lead Pastor, Milford First UMC

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