The Church of the Brethern in Sterling was created in 1888 in a store-room on the south side of 3rd St. between 1st and 2nd Avenue. Two missionaries were invited by Mr. H.S.Hoak to go to Sterling and hold meetings.

Members met in several locations, operating as a mission until July 16, 1892, when it became a "church". It was November 10, 1901 when the church removed to 616 Sixth Avenue, a much larger facility. Mr. Hoaks son I.F. Hoak was one of the first baptised in the church.

Before the winter of 1889 there were but two members of the Brethren living in Sterling, and but little effort had been made to establish a church in the city. But during the winter of that year Elders George D. Zollers, of Mt. Carroll, and D.M. Miller of Milledgeville, held a series of meetings in the rooms of the W.C.T.U. and as a result of these meetings quite a number came out on the Lord's side and were immersed in the beautiful Rock River. Among that number was I.F. Hoak, who is still an active member and now a deacon. Reegular meetings were held during the remainder of the winter and the spring of 1890 under the supervision of the Elder of the Rock Creek church of Malvern, IL. Finally the District Mission Board of Northern IL secured the use of the Lutheran church where services were held every Sabbath afternoon for a period of seven months, during which time measures were taken to secure a permanent place of worship which resulted in the purchase of a lot on Sixth avenue between Fifth and Sixth street and the erection thereon of the present house of worship which was dedicated in the spring of 1891.

The board then secured the services of P.R. Keltner as a permanent minister, through whose untiring efforts the membership rapidly increased. July 16, 1892 the church wsa fully organized and designated as the "Brethren church at Sterling," and Elder Daniel Dierdorff appointed as presiding elder. March 31, 1894, Elder Dierdorff was relieved of the oversight of the church and P.R. Keltner chosen presiding elder and resident minister, assisted in the work by the following corps of deacons; Amos Grater, John Harmon, John Fox, Harvey Myers, and I.F. Hoak. The church is free of debt, in a very prosperous condition and now numbers about 70 members. The enlarging and improving of their house of worship is now under contemplation.

The Sterling Standard Dec. 11, 1896