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

Faith@First - January 30, 2026

Posted by Rev. Brittney Stephan on January 30, 2026

As we step into February, a month often wrapped in cards, candy, and romantic clichés, we’re invited to slow down and listen more deeply to a familiar but powerful truth: all you need is love. Not the fleeting, feel-good kind, but the kind of love that grounds us, shapes us, and sends us back into the world, changed.

This February at Noblesville First, we’ll be exploring that truth together in a new sermon series, “All You Need Is Love.” Rooted in Scripture, this series will look at love not as an abstract idea or a sentimental slogan, but as a way of life modeled by Jesus. A love that is patient and kind. A love that refuses to give up on people. A love that shows up in hard conversations, everyday faithfulness, and courageous compassion.

In a time when division feels loud and fatigue runs deep, we believe love remains God’s most transformative force. This series will invite us to reflect on how love shapes how we speak, how we listen, how we disagree, and how we care for one another within our families, our church, and our wider community.

Whether you’re feeling hopeful, worn down, or somewhere in between, this series is for you. Come as you are, and be reminded that God’s love meets us where we are and calls us to live that love out loud.

Keep the Faith@First,
Pastor Brittney

About the Author

Rev. Brittney Stephan

The Indiana UMC Conference Cabinet and Bishop Julius Trimble have appointed a new associate pastor for Noblesville First. 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.

Brittney was hoping for the opportunity to serve in her native Indiana and is overjoyed to join the Noblesville First team beginning July 5 and begin sharing her gifts in family ministries and digital ministry engagement.