Milford First’s roots in our community run deep.
More than 225 years ago, Francis McCormick preached his first “class” meeting on land that is now Milford, making us the oldest Methodist church in the entire Northwest Territory.
Humble Beginnings
In 1797, approximately 20 Methodist believers met in Rev. McCormick’s home, a cabin located at the end of what is now known as Forest Avenue. This first class more than doubled in size when Rev. Phillip Gatch moved to the area from Newtown in 1798. While the class had grown to more than 56 people, they continued meeting in the McCormick cabin. They soon outgrew their original home, moving their meetings to Rev. Gatch’s larger cabin.
The Methodist Movement in Milford Grows
From that humble beginning, the Methodist movement continued to thrive, holding revival meetings in the area. By 1806, the congregation built a chapel, located on ground that is now the corner of Main and High Streets in Milford. The congregation continued to grow, and by 1818, they needed additional space to gather. They built a second, larger chapel near the same location, which made room for a Sunday School, beginning in 1828. This second chapel had two doors; one for men and one for women, as well as a high pulpit and a gallery. Both the chapels were wood-frame structures.
In 1835, only 38 years after first forming, the congregation had grown large enough to need a much larger worship space, which resulted in their first brick church, the front wall of which remains standing in our narthex today. The church was consecrated on Christmas Day in 1836. The building underwent a major renovation in 1870 after the end of the Civil War, creating the sixth sacred worship space of what would become Milford First United Methodist Church. From a cabin to our current facility, one thing has been a constant – God has blessed us beyond measure, leading us into the future of God’s intention!
Meeting the Needs of a Changing Community
As the church has grown, we’ve experienced many opportunities to celebrate Christ in worship, outreach and fellowship. Over the years, our structure has changed many times. One of the most dramatic changes was the the addition of our Family Life Center, consecrated for service in December 2002. This remarkable addition expanded our church’s footprint with the addition of the Great Hall, which is used for worship, recreation, fellowship, and community meals. The project also included a beautiful new kitchen, a full lower level with space for our music programs and others groups, and multiple new classrooms on our second floor. As we move into the future, we’re always looking for new ways to share our space and more effectively reach out to our neighbors of all ages and backgrounds with the love and peace of Christ.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our church pivoted, as many did, to reach our members in new ways. In 2020, we we completed a renovation project, converting underutilized rooms into classrooms and celebrating the grand opening of A Million Dreams Learning Center. Voted “Best Daycare Center” by readers of Cincy Magazine, A Million Dreams expands our church’s reach, serving a diverse population of families from communities across the Greater Cincinnati region.
In recent years, we’ve continued to think beyond our walls, investing in technology to connect with people who cannot worship with us in person, using digital tools to share our story and equip people for spiritual growth online. As our impact expands, so does our vision. We’re excited about all that God is doing through us and look forward to a bright future as a beacon of hope where all are loved, cared for and belong.
