1020 S 10th Ave, Safford, AZ 85546, US
From the Pastor
April 2026
Friends,
It feels as though spring has already given way to summer here in Arizona. The days are warming quickly, the sun lingers longer, and we are reminded—whether we’re quite ready or not—that seasons can change faster than we expect.
In the life of the Church, we find ourselves in a season of deep movement as well. We are in the final stretch of Lent. This sacred journey has led us into places we may not have anticipated—into reflection, into surrender, into questions we might have preferred to avoid. Lent has a way of doing that. It gently, and sometimes not so gently, invites us into the unknown and even uncomfortable.
And yet, friends… we are nearly to the cross. We know what awaits there.
The story does not hide it from us—there is danger, there is deceit, there is suffering, and even death. The cross is not comfortable. It never has been. But Church, the cross is not the end of the story. It never has been. Because even there—especially there—we are met with the promise, the certainty, of resurrection. God raises Jesus from the dead!
Alleluia! Resurrection is not meant only for Jesus, but for you and for me too. The same God who brings life out of death, hope out of despair, and light out of darkness is still at work in you and me today.
So as we walk these final steps of Lent, I invite you to lean in—not away—from what feels uncomfortable, uncertain, or unknown. These are often the very places where God is doing the deepest work. These are the spaces where transformation begins. Because at the end of this journey, friends, there is new life. And not just existence… but life abundant.
As the desert heat continues to rise around us, may you also feel the warmth and brightness of God’s abiding presence surrounding you and sustaining you.
May the Lord be with you...May the Lord protect you...May God make His face shine down upon you.
Stay safe. Stay hydrated. Feel and know—that you are deeply loved.
With resurrection hope,
Pastor Lesli
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1020 S. 10th Avenue
Safford, AZ 85546
(928) 424-1190
