April 25, 2019 - Article Published in the Sterling Journal-Advocate - Written by Forest Hershberger

The story starts only a few years after the Church of the Nazarene was founded, about 10 years. But the message continues 90 years later.

The Church of the Nazarene is celebrating 90 years of serving the Sterling community. The celebration includes a banquet dinner on Saturday, May 4 with former pastors speaking and special music. Sunday will include Dr. Jim Deil as guest speaker in the 10 a.m. worship service and a potluck lunch to follow. The church is located at 1600 Sidney Ave., Sterling.

The Church of the Nazarene started its presence in Sterling in 1929. The Rev. W.P. Jay, an evangelist at the time, stopped his car and trailer in front of the U.S. Post Office and prayed about what God wanted to do in Sterling. As he stopped praying, Postman “Jud” Johnson was leaving the Post Office. According to church lore, Rev. Jay approached Johnson and asked him if he knew anyone in the town who believed in revivals.

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Johnson’s response was quick and to the point.

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“I do,” he said.

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Johnson was somewhat new to Sterling, having moved to the town the previous December after the Fleming and Sterling rural mail routes were reorganized. From that moment, the two made plans to have a tent revival meeting. The trailer in tow by Rev. Jay’s car contained a “one-pole tent” that could seat up to 200 people.

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Since that time, the Sterling Nazarene Church has had several locations in the community, beginning with 431 N. Second Ave. The church later moved to the corner of 480 Logan St., the corner of Logan and Sidney Avenue. The fellowship met at this location from 1963 until the 2000s when an effort was started to build a new and bigger church. After a period of meeting at a school, the church was ready to enter its new home at 1600 Sidney Ave., just north of California Street in Sterling. The new charge has a bigger fellowship hall, more classrooms and a bigger parking lot for guests and members. The new building was completed with the theme of “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain (Psalm 127:1).” The church was built under the leadership of Pastor Dale Wesley.

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The Sterling Nazarene Church has had several pastors in its history, beginning with the Rev. Lloyd Ogden who served from June 1929 to May 1932. Pastors since the Rev. Ogden include Rev. Ray Poole (1932-1934), Rev. Elsie Bauer (1934-1936), Rev. James Barr (1936), Rev. C.C. French (1936-1938), Rev. Lula Haug (1938-1941), Rev. Florence Fox (1941-1942), Rev. Spurgeon Lynn (1942-1944), Rev. Bob Carpenter (1944-1949), Rev. Harry Dickerson (1950-1952), Rev. Paul Lewis (1952-1956), Rev. O Douglas Clem (1956-1960), Rev. Marshall G. Griffith (1960-1961), Rev. Marvin W. Jagger (1961-1965), Rev. Harold J. Westlund (1965-1968), Rev. Clarence L. Jennings (1968-1969), Rev. Stanley Unseth (1969-1972), Rev. Randolph Michael (1973-1975), Rev. William R. Butcher (1975-1976), Rev. Marvin H. Carlson (1976-1987), Rev. Richard E. Sickels (1988-1991), Rev. Brian Smith (1991-1998), Rev. Kevin P. Hopkins (1998-2003), Rev. Matt Palm (2003), Rev. Dale Wesley and Rev. William “Bill” Couchenour.