A century-old brick building stands proudly at the corner of Harvard Avenue and Howell Street. This is the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church. Its history is one of merging congregations and community service.
Initially two separate entities existed. Westminster Church a historic building with declining membership. Church at the Center a thriving informal group meeting in a Queen Anne movie theater. These two groups recognized a shared vision. They merged on Easter Sunday 2006. In 2008 Capitol Hill Presbyterian officially chartered.
The majestic brick structure itself has witnessed nearly a century of history. It’s almost as old as the neighborhood’s emergence as an arts hub. A darkened hall leads to the sanctuary. This hall showcases the church’s artistic legacy. Posters advertising past plays line the walls. Light from the daycare room illuminates a poster for A Christmas Story. Victorian figures dance across the poster. The sanctuary features stained-glass windows. Two dozen pews are upholstered in mottled brown fabric. A large wooden cross centers the stage. A Baldwin piano and a red drum kit flank it.
For over a decade Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church hosted Sunday services and daily recovery groups. However dwindling attendance and the cost of seismic retrofitting led to a difficult decision. The church board announced the final service on June 24 2018 at 9:45 am. Attendance dropped significantly from 161 members in 2007 to just 45 in 2017.
Some attributed the closure to a lack of neighborhood engagement and a reluctance to take a firm stance on LGBTQ rights. Others pointed to a broader identity crisis facing traditional churches. Many churches struggled to adapt to changing times and demographics. The Seattle Presbytery closed five churches from 2012 to 2016. Membership declined from 16958 to 13302.
Former congregants remember the church fondly. They cherished its close-knit community and focus on the arts. They express sadness and yet hope for the future. Some have found new churches. Others remain connected through email and Facebook. The building remains under the ownership of the Seattle Presbytery. It awaits a new purpose. Perhaps it will serve the community in a different way. The story of Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church reminds us that even in endings new beginnings can emerge.