The First Baptist Church of Milford, established in 1893, celebrated its 130th Church Anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 17, through a day filled with worship, fellowship, recognition, and the distribution of financial support to community service organizations. During the event, four local nonprofit organizations were honored and received grants to bolster their initiatives. Additionally, four members of the congregation were recognized for their longstanding service. The celebration included a communal lunch held on the church lawn.
The campaign, “130 for 130,” was initiated in March 2023 welcoming contributions in multiples of 130 to align with the anniversary year. Following suggestions by the parishioners, 50 percent of the funds raised were earmarked for organizations who ordinarily would not receive financial support. Four organizations were chosen as recipients. The primary gift was awarded to S.P.O.R.T. Academy, New Haven, while the other organizations who received grants included: Uganda Farmers Inc. in Milford; Views from the Struggle in Woodbridge; and the Purple Pantry Boxes in Milford.
From left: Otis Brown, View from the Struggle; Susan Brown, The Purple Pantry Box; Cheryl Poindexter, S.P.O.R.T. Academy, Pastor Rev. Horace A Hough, and Jane Holler and Dan Marecki, Uganda Farmers Inc. Photo courtesy of First Baptist Church of Milford.
S.P.O.R.T. (Streets Poet’s Cipher Real Truth) Academy offers education, job shadowing, music, dance, arts and crafts and a chess club. Uganda Farmers Inc. assists rural poor farmers in Uganda by providing clean running water within villages who have no clean water supply. Views from the Struggle provides funding for youth to participate in extracurricular activities including, but not limited to, arts programs, summer camps and sports leagues. The Purple Pantry Boxes provides an opportunity for the community to donate food and those in need to receive it from their purple wooden boxes, free of charge, in the Bridgeport, Milford, West Haven and East Haven communities.
The church members recognized for their service were Laura Williams, Kacy Pettway, Deacon Lawrence Lazaro and Sharon Scott.
From left: Sharon Scott, Laura Williams, First Baptist Pastor Rev. Horace A. Hough, Kacy Pettway and Deacon Lawrence Lazaro. Photo courtesy of First Baptist Church of Milford.
Williams, of New Haven, was honored for her unwavering dedication and faithfulness to the First Baptist Clothes Closet. This resource, which operated until its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, offering clothing to Milford residents free of charge.
Pettway, a resident of Stratford, was recognized for his unwavering commitment and tireless efforts during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Serving as the custodian, he took on the critical responsibility of maintaining cleanliness and ensuring sanitation across all three church properties.
Lazaro, also a resident of Stratford, received recognition for his outstanding service spanning five different pastorates, during which he provided leadership, guidance, love and devoted service to the First Baptist Church.
Scott, from West Haven, was honored for her exceptional commitment and for holding the distinction of being the longest-tenured member of First Baptist Church.
The First Baptist Church began in 1893 as the sole African American church in Milford.