Pilgrim Congregational Church UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 2802 Commercial Avenue Anacortes, Washington 98221 (360) 293-5675

A Brief History of Pilgrim

Pilgrim Church is a small group of concerned members of the Anacortes community.  It is a group that is committed to discovering answers to questions about living the best life possible.   The story began when the church was formed in 1887 shortly after the founding of the Alden School with funds raised in response to the Amistad trial.  Since there was no history of slavery in the newly founded territory, the money was used to establish a school.

The church has always been small, averaging less than 50 members throughout its history.  For the past several years only about half of the active participants in church activities have been regular members, involved community members making up the rest of the congregation.  Since the church has been so small, to attract effective pastoral leadership the church has formed "yoked" relationships with other churches in the area.  For many years a pastor would begin Sundays on Guemes Island and finish at Mountain View, southeast of Anacortes.  For a short time services were also shared with the church on Lopez Island. 

Pilgrim has always been a group of people that has never been afraid of controversy.  We are a group of people who has always been more interested in where we are going than following a history of what we should be doing. The church has responded to perceived needs of the community in an attempt to do something to relieve the suffering of others.  Sometimes that just meant offering space for groups to meet, like AA and other self-help groups.  Other times it has germinated the seed of community groups and programs like the senior center and Head Start.  In the 1980's that need extended to establishing a sanctuary space for displaced foreign nationals that were threatened with deportation.

That perceived need extends today in an to outreach to the sexually marginalized community and persons who identify with sexual minorities.  Pilgrim continues to be a place for active searching and courageous exploring.  Another area of concern is for the environment and the church's commitment to purchase a share in the Anacortes Forest Land Project, a program dedicated to purchase and set aside forest lands for perpetuity.

The people who are attracted to Pilgrim are people who have questions about life.  We do not always know what is the truth or even what the questions are.  By using each other, somehow we discover a richer meaning of life and how we can more fully be involved.