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Commending Sterling United Methodist Church.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 10, 2026
WHEREAS, for 150 years, Sterling United Methodist Church has served the Loudoun County community by providing uplifting spiritual guidance, joyful occasions for worship and fellowship, and abundant opportunities for ministry and outreach; and
WHEREAS, Sterling United Methodist Church (UMC) was founded in 1875 as the Methodist Church in Guilford, and the congregation first gathered in a one-room building that also served as a public school; and
WHEREAS, in 1879, members purchased the building and one acre of land, establishing a permanent home for the congregation; eleven years later, when Guilford became Sterling, the church changed its name to Sterling UMC; and
WHEREAS, after Sterling UMC's original church was destroyed by fire in 1897, a new sanctuary was quickly erected on the same site, which served as the congregation's spiritual home until 1983, when the church broke ground at its current site at 304 E. Church Road; and
WHEREAS, over the years, Sterling UMC has assisted the residents and families of Loudoun County through generous community outreach, including a monthly drive-through food distribution, a partnership with Sterling Middle School and the Loudoun Literacy Council that provides language skill development, and ongoing support for recovery groups and preschool education; and
WHEREAS, in celebration of its 150th anniversary, the congregation at Sterling UMC launched its Difference 150 initiative, a commitment to complete 150 acts of kindness, encouragement, and witness between October 2024 and October 2025; and
WHEREAS, the accomplishments of Sterling UMC are a testament to the dedication and vision of its clergy, staff, and members past and present, whose devotion has sustained the church and broadened its influence; and
WHEREAS, by offering a place in which generations of families have been able to gather for worship, service, and fellowship, Sterling UMC has made a profound and positive impact on countless lives; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Sterling United Methodist Church hereby be commended on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Sterling United Methodist Church as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the church's remarkable history and meaningful contributions to the Commonwealth.