Author Archive: Curt Christiansen
Ash Wednesday, the Season of Lent Begins
Ash Wednesday, February 26, marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent lasts for forty days, not counting the Sundays, and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. During this period of repentance and renewal, we recall and relive the resurrection story to understand the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection that gave […]
Continue Reading
What’s Happening in Adult Education
Sterling United Methodist Church has many opportunities for adults to meet in fellowship and Christian education. Sunday morning small groups meet at 10 a.m. during our Growing Deeper at Ten hour. There are currently four classes to choose from. Our Spirit Seekers Adult Sunday school class is our longest running adult Bible study. They are […]
Continue Reading
The 2020 Summer Mission Program
Sterling United Methodist Church has announced its summer Missions trips and the applications now available on the Sterling United Methodist Church website Resources page. This year’s program includes two opportunities to serve in mission. The first opportunity is the Youth trip in support of the Appalachian Service Project (ASP) located in the southwest Virginia and […]
Continue Reading
Wednesday Night Fellowship at Sterling UMC
Sterling UMC’s Wednesday Night Fellowship program is a time for fellowship and growth with catered meals provided by local restaurants followed by small groups for all ages and interests. The fellowship meal is served in the Gallihugh Fellowship Hall at 6 PM. There is an option to RSVP online before the meal, but all are […]
Continue Reading
LINK Coat Drive on November 16
LINK, Inc. provides emergency food and financial assistance to those in need in the Sterling, Herndon, and Ashburn, Virginia communities. The workers at LINK, Inc. are all volunteers comprised of dedicated local churches, organizations, and individuals. It is supported primarily by donations of food, funds, and other needs for special distributions such as the LINK […]
Continue Reading
Backpack Buddies for the New School Year Begins August 18
According to Feeding America’s website, twenty-two million children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program and the National School Breakfast Program. For many of these children, school meals may be the only meals they eat. As a result, fifteen or so years ago, Feeding America started their BackPack Program to help make […]
Continue Reading
Ordinary Time? No Way
The season after Pentecost, is the season known as Ordinary Time in the United Methodist Church. The word ordinary, according to the dictionary means with no special or distinctive features; normal. So does that mean that there is nothing special going on at Sterling UMC this summer? There is nothing distinctive? Everything is just normal? Actually […]
Continue Reading
2019 Local Missions Week
Sterling UMC will once again host a week of local missions work focusing on serving those in our local Sterling and Loudoun community. The opportunities to serve will occur the week of July 8 through July 13. The Sterling United Methodist Church has supported our local seniors with luncheons over many years and starting with […]
Continue Reading
Sterling UMC Annual Yard Sale
For many years now Sterling UMC has held an Annual Yard Sale to support our worldwide missions teams and our local missions efforts such as Backpack Buddies and GRACE Ministries’ monthly food and clothing distributions. Over the years the “yard” has gotten much larger as the annual sale has taken on Event status with shoppers […]
Continue Reading
Eastertide: The Season Continues
When everything was dark and it seemed that the sun would never shine again, your love broke through. Your love was too strong, too wide, too deep for death to hold. The sparks cast by your love dance and spread and burst forth with resurrection light. Gracious God, We praise you for the light of […]
Continue Reading
Sound The Alarm in Sterling
Last month the American Red Cross launched a program known as Sound the Alarm which is a home fire safety effort with a goal to install 100,000 free smoke alarms across the country. “Smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half,” said Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American […]
Continue Reading
Holy Week at SUMC
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gently and riding on a donkey…” (Zechariah 9:9) The greatest time of the Christian year, the week that includes the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, begins on Palm Sunday. On that day, the Sunday […]
Continue Reading
Lent Sermon Series
He was not rich or educated, but was familiar with hard work. He was quick-tempered and impetuous, but possessed a passion that would change the world. He left everything to follow his teacher, yet struggled with doubt and fear. (from Simon Peter, by Adam Hamilton) Simon Peter was thirty years old, married, and had three […]
Continue Reading
Response From Pastor Steve Regarding the Special Session of the General Council
Dear Sterling United Methodist Church Family, On Tuesday, the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church voted to adopt the Traditional Plan, which makes no changes to the church’s position on human sexuality. This decision affirms and strengthens the position that United Methodist Clergy do not officiate at same-sex weddings […]
Continue Reading
Sterling United Methodist Players to Perform “Godspell”
The Sterling United Methodist Church Players will present the musical “Godspell” on March 1, 2, and 3! This performance is a production of the 2012 revised version of the original 1971 musical composed by Stephen Schwartz. Godspell follows the story of Jesus Christ as he forms a community of lovable disciples, who teach lessons through […]
Continue Reading
King Street Bluegrass to Perform at Sterling UMC
Speaking about bluegrass music, bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe once characterized the genre as: “Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin’. It’s Methodist and Holiness and Baptist. It’s blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound.” Bluegrass music is referred to as a form of American roots music, an offshoot of country music that was inspired by mainly […]
Continue Reading
Teddy Bear Brigade
“Right now there are children in poverty who have never had a toy. There are children who have survived a natural disaster who need a friend.” (from the GFTW.org website) What difference can a stuffed animal make? When a disaster strikes and the relief efforts have provided food, water, medicine, and shelter, what about the […]
Continue Reading
Re-Imagine Your Discipleship Journey
By Vincent Williams, Director of Discipleship Fall’s programs are now in full-gear at Sterling UMC. Our adult discipleship and fellowship opportunities have all re-launched this week with our Growing Deeper at Ten small groups on Sundays and our newly reimagined Wednesday Night Fellowship starting tomorrow September 12. This time of the year offers us all […]
Continue Reading
Fall Kick Off!
The kick-off celebration Sunday at Sterling UMC has finally arrived and this Sunday, September 9 we will present our new adult and young adult Bible studies, the Deep Blue Kids Sunday School, new sessions for our youth and youth group, and new opportunities to serve. And at noon, we will celebrate with a “Fall Fiesta” […]
Continue Reading
SUMC Youth, Reaching New Heights
“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people” – Philemon 1:7 The Sterling UMC Youth Program has been in a period of transition for the past year or so, but now we are getting ready to launch a new program to reach youth […]
Continue Reading