Faith @ First - October 30, 2026 | Faith@First

Faith @ First - October 30, 2026

Posted by Rev. Brittney Stephan on October 30, 2026

Some of my earliest memories of church are sitting beside my Grandma Lavie on Sunday mornings. I remember the gentleness of her hands as she reached into her purse to offer me a piece of cinnamon gum or a Werther's candy. I remember how she showed me where to find the hymns in the hymnal and patiently helped me learn the words of the Lord's Prayer.

At the time, I didn't realize just how much those ordinary Sunday mornings were shaping my faith. To me, they were simply moments spent with my grandma. But looking back, I recognize that she was teaching me something far more important than how to follow along in worship. She was showing me what it meant to love God and to make room for someone else to discover that love, too.

This Sunday, we'll celebrate All Saints Day during both worship services, remembering those who have gone before us in faith. It's a day that holds both gratitude and grief as we remember the people whose lives have helped shape our own.

As we continue our ALL IN series with the theme of Multiplying Love, I'm reminded that faith is often passed along in the simplest ways. Through a familiar hymn, a whispered prayer, or a piece of candy shared from a grandmother's purse. And so, as we remember all the saints who have gone before us, may we carry their love forward. The faith we carry today was nurtured by someone who loved us yesterday, and the love we share today may shape someone's faith tomorrow.

We hope you'll join us for worship and Holy Communion this Sunday as we remember and give thanks for the saints who have gone before us. And don't forget to set your clocks back one hour Saturday night as Daylight-Saving Time comes to an end. We look forward to worshiping with you!

Keep the Faith@First,
Pastor Brittney

About the Author

Rev. Brittney Stephan

Rev. Brittney Stephan is an Indiana native and was called to ministry at 14 years of age while attending church camp at Epworth Forest. She is an ordained Elder in the Indiana Conference who currently serves in extension ministry as the Associate Director for Multi-Cultural Vibrancy for the Michigan Conference. She has received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, Organizational Communication, and Peace & Conflict Studies from Butler University and a Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary with a concentration in Liturgy & Music Across Cultures.

A third-generation Methodist, Brittney grew up on a dirt road outside of Huntington, Indiana. She has spent the last decade living in Indianapolis, Chicago, and currently Metro Detroit working in a variety of contexts for The United Methodist Church. Much of her work in the Michigan Conference has consisted of engaging individuals and teams alike to build our cultural proficiency in a way that moves us toward an anti-biased/anti-racist identity that seeks to diversify worship experiences and leadership as a collective whole. Previously, Brittney has served on staff at Huntington Evangelical UMC (Huntington, IN), Sherman UMC (Evanston, IL), Libertyville First UMC (Libertyville, IL), and Meridian Street UMC (Indianapolis, IN). She is passionate about equipping, engaging, and empowering local congregations to foster equitable communities of learning and discipleship.

She has spent time in Zimbabwe at Africa University, initiated a campus ministry at Butler University, and served as a youth leader for a number of years. Brittney’s leadership extends beyond the local church through her involvement in the launch of the new Junius B. Dotson Institute for Music & Worship in the Black Church & Beyond, serving on the Convocation Design Team for The Fellowship of Worship Artists, and on the advisory board with the Center for Congregational Song.