First Church in Sterling

06/01/2026

Happy pride month to God’s rainbow people! You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

06/01/2026

"You are not defined by the worst thing you ever did. You are God's beloved. That is your true self.

The first word God speaks over you is not 'failure,' 'ugly,' or 'not enough.' The first word God speaks over you is simply this: Good. Very good.

Keep your eyes open. The spiritual life is just learning how to see again. When you look in the mirror tomorrow, I want you to see what God sees: BEAUTY. It is good. It is good. It is good. It is very good. (It is fabulous! 😁)

Our calling is not merely to admire that beauty, but to participate in it—to repair what is broken, protect what is vulnerable, and remind a weary world of its belovedness.

Awe was the first church.

Look.
Look again.
Look until looking becomes love.

Amen."

(Excerpts from Pastor Robin's sermon, "Original Blessing")

We hope you enjoy these moments from today's worship service. In the faces, friendships, laughter, prayers, and connections shared here, may you catch a glimpse of the beauty God sees in each of us. May these photos remind you of a simple but life-changing truth: you are beloved, and so is everyone you meet. ❤️

06/01/2026

This week's Children's Message was a highlight of the service—especially thanks to Chloe's unforgettable declaration of "Fabulous!" 😊
Before you watch Pastor Robin's sermon, we highly recommend taking a moment to enjoy this short clip. Not only is it entertaining, but it also turns out to be quite relevant to the message that follows. 😂

Children’s Message (It Is Good, It Is Fabulous!) given by Rev. Robin Bartlett at the First Church in Sterling on Sunday, May 31, 2026. FCSterling.org

06/01/2026

Video of Pastor Robin's sermon from today, "Original Blessing"

You may want to watch this short video first of the children's message that came before the sermon - you'll probably find it quite relevant, and also entertaining!:
https://youtu.be/DNa45a8QWDs

"Original Blessing", a sermon by Rev. Robin Bartlett, preached at the First Church in Sterling on Sunday, May 31, 2026. FCSterling.org

06/01/2026

Edited, non-livesteam video of today's service at First Church.

First Church in Sterling Sunday morning service, May 31, 2026. Rev. Robin Bartlett leading and preaching. Music by Stephanie Plante, Alexandra Wink, Robin Ba...

05/31/2026

"Our high school seniors are about to graduate this week. They have inherited a world of artificial intelligence that threatens the beauty of human creation and the image of God in each of us. They have spent their whole lives fighting the compulsion to look at a small screen beckoning them with flashes of light and dopamine hits so that they can gaze upon the beauty of a night sky or share the joy of laughing til they p*e their pants instead. Connection is increasingly disembodied and loneliness is epidemic. Division and cruelty has seeped down into their communities from the billionaires that make money off of our rage. War has become their background noise.
Here’s what I want them and you to know as you go out into this terrible, beautiful world.
You are not defined by the worst thing you ever did. You are God’s beloved. That is your true self. The first word God speaks over you is not “sinner” or “failure” or “bad” or “ugly” or “not enough.” The first word God speaks over you is simply this: Good. Very good. God speaks that over everyone else, too. You will not look into the eyes of another human being that God does not love.
Keep your eyes open. The spiritual life is just learning how to see again.
To see what Francis saw when he gazed into the eyes of Christ. To see what Jesus saw when he pointed to the lilies of the field. To see what God saw on the morning of creation when God looked upon the world and called it good. When you look in the mirror tomorrow, I want you to see what God sees: BEAUTY. You cannot love others if you don’t see yourself the way God does. It is good. It is good. It is good. It is good. It is good. It is very good. [It is fabulous!😁]
Our calling is not merely to admire that beauty, but to participate in it—to repair what is broken, protect what is vulnerable, and remind a weary world of its belovedness.

Awe was the first church.
Look.
Look again.
Look until looking
becomes love….

Amen."
(Excerpt from Pastor Robin's sermon from today, "Original Blessing")

We hope you enjoy these moments from today's worship service. In the faces, friendships, laughter, prayers, and connections shared here, may you catch a glimpse of the beauty God sees in each of us. May these photos remind you of a simple but life-changing truth: you are beloved, and so is everyone you meet. ❤️

05/30/2026

Come join us this Sunday, May 31! We’ll be gathering in the sanctuary for a time to reconnect, reflect, and share in the spirit of community. 💜

Can’t be with us in person? We’ve got you covered! Tune in via our live stream right here on the First Church page. The service begins at 10:00 AM, and if you hop on a few minutes early, you can settle in and enjoy the music prelude.

Following along from home? You can view or print the bulletin here:
https://www.fcsterling.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/May-31-2026-Bulletin.pdf

And be sure to take a moment to admire the lovely cover artwork—thoughtfully created by our talented Watercolor with Charlie class. It’s a true gift! 🎨✨

05/26/2026

Video of Pastor Robin's Pentecost sermon from Sunday, "A Candle in the Wind"

"Candle in the Wind", a Pentecost sermon by Rev. Robin Bartlett, preached at the First Church in Sterling on Sunday, May 24, 2026. FCSterling.org