Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church on Beacon Hill is a well known local community space, as well as a church. It is the first Japanese language ministry for the immigrant issei generation and remains rooted in its Japanese American heritage. Throughout the years, the facilities have been used for everything from political candidate forums to community basketball teams to local crafts fairs. Last year marked its 120th anniversary.
The church was initially known as the Seattle Japanese Methodist Episcopal Church when it was founded on Jan. 28, 1904 and is tied to the larger history of Seattle through the missionary Rev. David Blaine, his wife Catherine, and nephew Edward Linn Blaine. Catherine Blaine led English language classes for immigrant Japanese women while E.L. Blaine remained a core part of the church’s impact throughout his life.
The church was renamed in their honor in 1956.
Because Japanese were not allowed to own real estate, E.L. Blaine held the title to the first church, located on Washington Street in Central Seattle. When the congregation was forcibly removed by the U.S. government to concentration camps during WWII, he looked after the property, where members stored their belongings until the war was over.
Despite many challenges over the years, including anti-Japanese and anti-immigrant sentiment throughout much of its earliest decades, the church managed to build a strong faith community advocating for social justice, equity, and immigrant rights. The Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) started its mental health counseling in a borrowed Sunday school room and the congregation continues to fundraise for their Walk for Rice event.
On Jan. 26, 2025, the community commemorated the special anniversary with a Sunday service, where guests and speakers gathered to reflect on the church’s history and its growth as it shifts into the next 120 years of service.
Photos by Kai Yamamoto and Ryan Kozu.
