History

The Presbyterian story on San Juan Island begins before the Civil War when the 50 year-old Abraham Lincoln was running for the office of President of the United States. He could not have known that across the continent that very year of 1860, on an isolated island which was disputed territory between the Americans and the British, a “colored” missionary from Victoria was holding services in the log school house at Portland Fair Hill.

The missionary met with the pastor of a Presbyterian church in Victoria who began periodically to cross Haro Strait. Thus, the Rev. Thomas Summerville divided his time between Victoria and San Juan Island, ministering to both congregations.

As the populations of both communities grew, so did the need for full time pastoral care. With this in mind, in 1870 Rev. Summerville sent his young friend, T.J. Weekes, to the San Juan church as their regular pastor. Only two years later, just seven years after the death of Abraham Lincoln, the “Pig War” was peacefully resolved and T.J. and his flock found themselves in official United States territory 17 years before Washington became a state.

If you travel out of town via Spring Street and turn left on Douglas Road, you will pass the history of Presbyterians on our island. Just up the street from the ferry landing the new sanctuary stands. Dedicated on June 5, 1988, its bell was moved from the belfry of the old church just across the street. The old church was dedicated to the Lord a century ago on December 5, 1897. The structure still stands and continues to serve the community as an office building. Yet, if you continue out of town for a mile, turn left on Douglas, go another mile and look up cemetery hill, you will see a “beautiful little Gothic church, (now on the official Washington State Historical Register) constructed almost wholly by volunteers of the congregation…” Begun in 1878, incurring no debt, and four years in the building, the “Valley Church” was dedicated to the Lord on July 8, 1882 by the Presbyterian congregation led by none other than T.J. Weekes.

Weekes continued to serve as pastor of the Valley Church until he moved from the island at the beginning of 1891. Since then God has richly provided the professional and lay leadership we have needed. In that time, the church grew with the nation through its trials and triumphs: the Spanish-American War, the Great War, Prohibition, the Great Depression, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Moon landings, the Gulf War.

Thus, for most of our nation’s history, Friday Harbor Presbyterians have added their own history as people of God, faithfully proclaiming the saving grace of Jesus Christ. That is our job, our mission. With God’s grace that history will be our future.