Faith@First - January 16, 2026
This is one of my favorite photos of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Here he’s driving a car, while his young daughter sits in the back seat, joyfully waving. It is an ordinary moment—no podium, no crowd—yet it captures something essential. Dr. King was always moving forward, carrying the next generation with him, believing the road mattered because of who was riding along.
Fresh starts are like that. They are not just inspiring words or shared quotes. They are lived out in community, sustained by love in action. Without that love, even our best intentions stall. Justice becomes theory. Hope becomes a slogan.
This Sunday, we’ll continue our Fresh Start Sermon Series and welcome Rev. Annetra Jones, lead pastor of Scott UMC. Her message, centered on Beloved Community, will invite us to imagine what a fresh start looks like when faith moves us beyond intention and into service to God and neighbor. And over the weekend we’ll help build that beloved community through a series of community events.
On Friday, we will gather here at Noblesville First for a community conversation, partnering with the Noblesville Diversity Coalition to go beyond the quotes and talk honestly about how we can make a difference today. On Sunday at 4:00PM, we will gather at Bethel AME Church, the oldest African American church in Noblesville, for a community worship service—every person, from everywhere, is welcome. And on Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., we will put our faith into action by serving across the city in partnership with Serve Village.
I pray this weekend may be more than remembrance. May it be a fresh start—where we carry one another forward on the road toward God’s dream of beloved community.
Keep the Faith@First,
Pastor Nicole
