We are thrilled to announce “Difference 150,” a special initiative to celebrate our church’s 150th anniversary in October 2025.
For 150 years, our church has been a beacon of hope, faith, and service in the Sterling community. To honor this legacy, we invite you to join us in making a difference—150 times over! From October 2024 to October 2025, we challenge each member and friend of our church to perform at least 150 acts of Kindness, Encouragement, and Witness.
These acts, big or small, will collectively demonstrate the impact of our faith in action and celebrate our continued commitment to serving our community.
Make a difference!
Take a look at what is needed to support Sterling Middle School and sign up to help!
Reach out to someone who’s going through a tough time, and offer a listening ear without judgment. Your time and attention is a powerful gift (even if you don’t have all the answers.)
Share a story of God’s goodness in your life with someone who may need encouragement. It could be a friend, a family member, or anyone you feel led to connect with. Simply talk about a moment when you experienced God’s faithfulness, comfort, or answered prayer.
Here are more examples of how you can participate!
- Mow a neighbor’s lawn or shovel their driveway
- Donate blood at a local drive
- Volunteer at our monthly Grace Ministry Food Distribution
- Pay for the person behind you in a drive-thru
- Be part of our Literacy partnership at Sterling Middle School
- Write a thank-you note to a teacher, healthcare worker, or first responder
- Visit an elderly neighbor or nursing home resident
- Send a care package to a college student or military personnel
- Offer to babysit for a single parent or caregiver
- Leave positive reviews for local small businesses
- Share your faith journey with a friend or colleague
- Invite someone to attend a church service or event
- Share church events online through social media
- Offer to pray with someone who is going through a difficult time
- Share an inspiring Bible verse on social media
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Sterling UMC, we are compiling a cookbook of much loved recipes of our congregation. As you know, one of the hallmarks our our church over the last 150 years has been our fellowship around food. Potluck dinners, breakfast fundraiser, chili cookoffs, you name it. Our lives have been blessed with the joy of food and the wonderful hands who make it.
This year we are compiling a new cookbook to celebrate this fellowship. We are collecting much loved recipes, old family recipes, even new finds. If your recipe is tied to a church event (such a spaghetti dinner, or other potluck or meal) we would love to know the backstory! When was the recipe done? Who was involved and the occasion.
We are looking for recipes in the following categories: Breakfast, Appetizers and Snacks, Main dishes, Sides, Soups and Salads, Desserts and Miscellaneous. Our deadline is the beginning of August for publication in September. Multiple submissions are welcome. Please email the recipes to: cookbook150@gmail.com. There is also a box in the narthex, if you want to submit a handwritten recipe. Please write legibly and print.
Join Us in Celebrating 150 Years!
Sterling United Methodist Church is turning 150 in October 2025, and we have a month full of special events planned! Be sure to check back for updates as we unveil more about how we’ll be celebrating this milestone, including guest preachers like our Bishop, Sue Haupert-Johnson, and other special guests. We look forward to sharing this exciting journey with you!
Remember, no act is too small when done with love and compassion. As we embark on this journey together, we'll not only celebrate our church's rich history but also pave the way for a future filled with continued service and impact in our community. Let's make a Difference 150 times over!