Pine Lake Presbyterian Church (Issaquah, Wash.) Records, 1967-2000

The Pine Lake Presbyterian Church was organized at Providence Heights College auditorium on December 17, 1967 with 32 charter members and six male elders. The organizing pastor was the Rev. Robert Gray, interim pastor of Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. In April 1968 the congregation had the highest per capita giving in the presbytery - $163.37 (average then $82.11). By fall 1968 the session had adopted a mission statement - "Our church is a contemporary, dynamic, action-oriented group committed to ecumenism, study and evolvement with: the individual, the family, the community and the world. We see our church as a cooperative body willing to take risks while seeking a creative, innovative ministry to meet the needs of today's world."

At the annual meeting in November 1969 thirty-nine members were present. It was remarked that "A sense of community would be more difficult as we receive more people. ...The congregation itself was growing older in age and ruts of traditionalism were easier to get into." In July 1976 the congregation declined to become involved in the Bicentennial Celebration of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with Seattle Presbytery. It cited that the church was unique and should be separate from the state and "nationalism."

In February 1978 a dissertation by Rev. Ronald Rice (then of Centralia, Washington) was presented to San Francisco Theological Seminary. A chapter devoted to Pine Lake Presbyterian Church reported "The Pine Lake Church is the smallest, the newest, and certainly the most unconventional congregation in this study. Eleven years old, the church has 76 members, no building, no plans to ever build one and some very different avant-garde styles of ministry and fund raising."

By 1987 the congregation numbered 120 members. It sponsored ten members of a large Russian family. But in May 1988 the "burnout" of session and church members was discussed. The church struggled to maintain the church education program with few junior and senior high age students. The membership had become static. By 1991 the mission budget had dropped to 22-24 percent. In May the Rev. Bob Gray had severe depression and never returned to the pulpit. In January 1996 with decreased pledges the mission budget was again decreased. In January Rev. Mark Smith (called in 1995) took medical leave for ten days. By 1997 the budget would only support a half-time salary for the pastor. In March a discussion was held to discuss the strengths and weaknesses and 'to elicit suggestions for the future of the church." Most prized the small, warm, accepting and safe community. Members appreciated the mission. The biggest problems were the lack of music, members and communication with the pastor. Some felt that the congregation was too inward and past oriented. In June 1997 Smith resigned.

In September 1998 the congregation began to envision its history under the guidance of the Rev. Dean Kokjer. But by November of 1999 it was noted that the energy and willingness of the congregation was waning. On December 14, 1999 a motion was made to petition Seattle Presbytery to form an administrative commission to dissolve Pine Lake Presbyterian Church. In January 2000 an administrative commission was named to close the church. The last worship service was held on January 30th.