Sterling, Kan., RPC

Location: Sterling, Kan.

Presbytery: Midwest

Organized: 1877

Membership: 75 communicant; 40 baptized

Pastor: Joel Wood

Web site: www.sterlingchurch.org

Oldest Member: Maurice Reed

Youngest Member: Joanna Hjerpes

As the frontier moved westward, new Reformed Presbyter-ian churches were established in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. In time some left Iowa and Missouri to come to Kansas.

Early in the spring of 1875, the W.J. Connery family from Clarinda, Iowa, came in three covered wagons to obtain a homestead in a Kansas town called Peace (pop. 150).

The next spring, three more families came from Clarinda and these four families formed the nucleus of a new RP congregation. That year the town’s name was changed to Sterling. In October 1877, the organization of the congregation was completed, with 14 charter members and Rev. J.M. Armour as pastor. One year later, they decided to build a church building and in 1880 they moved in. During the next few years, some families left because of crop failures, but God did not let the church die. Soon other families joined the congregation.

As early as 1883, a Ladies Missionary Society was formed and, in a unique way, solved a problem that has troubled many pastors. To provide light for the church, the society purchased a large chandelier, but wisely hung it in the front of the sanctuary, making it necessary for people to sit close to the pulpit!

In 1887, Cooper College, later known as Sterling College, was established by the United Presbyterian Church. It attracted many Christian families to the community and, through the years, a number of these families were added to the church roll.

By 1911, the congregation had outgrown its meetinghouse, and they decided to build a larger building on the same location. In the early 1920s every pew was filled. Many college students helped to swell the membership of the Covenanter Young People’s Union (CYPU) to 60–80 members. By the 50th anniversary of the church in 1927, church membership reached 211 souls. Then came the Depression of the 1930s, a difficult time for farmers as well as for Sterling College.

In 1946, Dr. A.J. McFarland moved his family to Sterling, having been appointed four years before by Synod as Field Secretary by the Christian Amendment Movement. His role was to “carry this doctrine of the need for the recognition of the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to civil government to the people of the nation.” The congregation spent much time helping by addressing and stuffing thousands of envelopes to be sent out over the U.S.

Between the 75th and 100th anniversaries, the size of the congregation declined as the number of farms and the size of families decreased. Many who got college educations found it necessary to seek employment outside the Sterling community.

During our 135 years, we have had 16 pastors. Dennis Prutow, our 14th pastor, brought his Westminster Evangelistic Ministries and the congregation helped send out tapes and literature.

All known descendants of the charter members are no longer in the Sterling church. Only one family still farms for a living. But since we have become a regional church that preaches Christ from a Reformed viewpoint, God seems to be blessing us by bringing us visitors nearly every week. Many stay to eat lunch together each week, and the whole congregation eats together the first Lord’s Day of each month. In the past 2 years, 33 new people have joined—some by transfer of membership and others by profession of faith. We are working at restructuring our ministry and outreach. A small group meets in Lindsborg (about 60 miles away) twice a month for Bible study, and three other small groups meet monthly in Sterling, Hutchinson and Wichita.

One sign of God’s blessing in the past 10 years is the increased number of children in the congregation. A homeschool group composed of 10 families (2 in the congregation and 8 from the community) meet weekly using our building. Sam Wilkey mans a Christian book table each week at Hutchinson Community College. A group goes across the street to the Presbyterian Manor each Lord’s Day afternoon to minister in song. Our membership is the highest it has been in many years, although 61 percent of the congregation does not reside in Sterling. Forty-three percent went to Reformed Presbyterian International Conference this past summer.

“Hitherto hath the Lord blessed us!”

Please pray for

• The session as they discern who has gifts for the eldership and diaconate. Pray for those concerned with their training.

• Pastor Joel Wood as he studies for the D.Min. in biblical counseling at the RP Seminary.

• Unity in the congregation as we focus and define our ministry as a regional church.