The season of Lent begins with the ancient Holy day known as Ash Wednesday. That day, marked by a special evening service, invites us to move our faith from preparing for the Light, claiming the Light, and embracing the Light, to walking with Christ so closely that we become the Light – the very Light of the world Jesus calls us to be.

Are we owners or stewards? What is the difference? Why does answering the question matter to those who follow Christ?

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.

A few days ago, God gifted us with a brand new year of wonders and opportunities to be the people of God in our corner of the Kingdom – what a wonderful gift! And, what a wonderful time to take stock of all we are grateful for during the past year of 2022.

Looking for a United Methodist church home? At Milford First, our doors and our hearts are open wide to welcome all people from every walk of life. We have faithfully served God in the Methodist tradition for more than 225 years and intend to continue our ministry as United Methodists, following the Light of Christ into the future with open arms to all who we meet and gratitude in our hearts for all that God has done and is doing in our church and community.

Through weekly video reflections, Milford First members share how they’ve experienced the Christ Light and what they do to shine that light within our church and community.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, a time when we are invited to remember just how blessed we are as individuals, as a church, as a nation, and to give thanks to God, the source of all blessings. It is a time set aside to be together, to remember, and to be grateful. And, as it happens nearly every year, it is the holiday that prepares us and our gratitude for the Holy Season of Advent.

Our journey nears the end, an end that became the beginning of everything for those God knows as Kingdom People. It has been a journey we chose to take together; with our God, a journey made available to us by our God; a journey that began before creation saw the first ray of light, before humankind drew their first breath. It is a journey that will never end, blessed by the infinite power of God Love for all that God creates, especially God’s love for us.

Four weeks of the journey is now behind us. We can likely feel the weight, as well as the warmth, of walking together with our God, intent on making this walk in the unity of Love, the love we call Christ Jesus. But, sometimes walking, no matter how it makes us feel, starts to yearn for something more, a change of scenery, or a change of pace, or a change of routine. And yet, we know that God never seems to tire of us.

Step by step our journey together continues, as does the journey Jesus made through the wilderness of our need; the vast wilderness of human separation from God and one another. Along the way, we have prayerfully discovered exactly how far God has gone, and continues to go, in order to give us a Love that is undeniably strong, trustworthy, and true.