By Beverly Shrumm, Executive Director
Our history as an agency has relied on faithfulness to our core mission and on an openness to strategic changes to further that mission. Another significant strategic change lies ahead. I have determined, considering the costs we face and our reduced need for a such a large facility, that selling our building in the Green Lake neighborhood is our best stewardship of the resource.
Presbyterian Counseling Service (PCS) was founded in 1960, two years before the Space Needle became a landmark for the Seattle skyline, built to declare an optimistic future for our world. In those early years, the agency’s services were primarily offered at University and then Seattle Presbyterian Churches. By 1980, the agency was welcomed by Ravenna Boulevard Presbyterian Church to share their building and services grew, expanding into partnerships with additional church hosts. And then in 2005, the Presbytery of Seattle deeded the property to PCS, in keeping with the wishes of the congregation which had closed at that location. It was a welcome move that set us up for further growth and expansion of our services as Samaritan Center of Puget Sound.
We made full use of the property in the following years—until the Spring of 2020. With the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, our counseling service became almost exclusively virtual. Today, the number of people who choose to meet in person has begun to increase gradually, but many still choose to meet virtually. As a consequence, we are not utilizing our office space as thoroughly as before. What’s more, the building is showing its age and is in need of significant work going forward.
Through the efforts of staff and donors, we have made upgrades over the years and have extended the life of the building. Still, time and circumstances have led us to this clear decision point and new opportunities.
We anticipate relocating to a space, perhaps shared, in the north Seattle area, as well as developing an office in south Seattle or Renton. Given our partnerships with Bellevue Presbyterian, Saint Andrew Lutheran in south Bellevue, and First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo, we remain committed to providing substantial access for the region.
Our Board of Directors and staff will soon gather to imagine and plan for our future, a future funded in part by the gift of the property by the Presbytery. In the midst of this planning, we know one thing for certain: We know that we will continue to offer spiritually-integrated mental health services with a commitment to affordability for all who reach out to us. This pledge is the core of our agency. In the words of our founder, Rev. Neal Kuyper, “be the Gospel in Action.”