Subud Pacific Northwest owned four properties at one time: The Spring Street Center in Seattle, and houses in Portland, Spokane, and Mount Vernon for the Bellingham/Skagit Valley group. It now owns two – Seattle and Portland.
Regionalizing the two existing houses in Seattle and Portland with the purchase of the Spokane and Bellingham/Skagit houses was a long process initiated in the mid 1990s and finalized in 1998 with changes in the bylaws.
The Spokane house was purchased in June 1999 in part due to energy from the World Congress there in 1997. There were around 60 members, many newly opened. But the mortgage was unsustainable and the house was sold a couple years later.
And now the Bellingham/Skagit Valley house has sold after 25 years, almost to the day, being purchased November 29, 1999 and sold November 14, 2024.
Subud Bellingham began in the early 1970’s with a few isolated members moving to the area, including Robina Page in 1973. They traveled long distances to Seattle or Canada for latihan. Then in 1977 Icsan and Roosmiwati Reynolds and Luther and Maryam Schutz drove to Bellingham together from California and a group was formed. They met for latihan at various mostly unsatisfactory locations. By 1980 there were 23 members, which grew to approximately 30 when the Bellingham /Skagit Valley house was purchased. These numbers remained consistent over the decades. For the most part members were transplants with a few local folks being opened.
Creating a house fund as a down payment for a latihan space became a serious endeavor during the latter part of the 1990’s. The membership tripled their donations and we held many fundraisers. Then in 1999 we purchased a house using personal funds from Brent Lindberg, a local member, the Subud USA House fund, and $18,000 the group saved in its house fund. It was a small house in Mount Vernon a couple miles off the interstate highway. We renovated the house to make it suitable for latihan and hosted an open house in April 2000.
But for the first few years the house was seen as temporary with efforts to look a for more centrally located, larger space. That didn’t happen.
When the Spokane house sold the resulting funds went into the PNW regional house fund for Spokane to use, according to the bylaws, but it was agreed the funds could instead allow Bellingham/Skagit to pay Brent back and borrow from the region.
Members drove to latihan from three counties, some as far as 50 minutes one way. The house was well used with twice weekly latihans, kejiwaan days, regular group meetings with potlucks, work parties, special events, and fundraisers. We helped fund center representatives to attend National Congresses.
We hosted Regional Meetings and Regional, National and International helpers. Members served in various local, regional, national and international roles and as is often the case, some in multiple roles over multiple years.
The talent of local members helped define the group in a big way. In 1983 Icsan Reynolds was instrumental in creating a successful SD USA project, Bellingham Community Meals, serving free meals to as many as 600 people once a month. Local members volunteered. It has become a Subud legacy and is still going.
Then there were our tremendously successful ‘Bird Walks’. Paul Woodcock is a lifetime birding expert and led nine birding tours between 2007 and 2018. Paul’s extensive knowledge combined with Skagit Valley’s nationally recognized winter birding reputation made for birding extravaganzas. Members throughout the region saw hundreds of birds, ate well and provided much cheer, all while helping us raise funds for the ever-present house maintenance needs.
In 2009 we hosted a fundraising concert with Luther Schutz singing and Elisha Gullixson joining the band on piano.
Everyone worked to make the house a pleasant space for latihan and it served us well. Several men took care of maintenance work, large and small projects, and many women took on cleaning and hospitality roles. Michael DuBois often served as Chairperson and did yard maintenance for many years.
Rosalyn Neel lived in the house for 16 years until it was sold. This served a dual purpose with Rosalyn as caretaker and as affordable housing for her.
Before Covid hit, the group dwindled to 11 members and energy was low. So when the pandemic happened, members dispersed with only Rosalyn and her sister Serena and brother-in-law Michael doing latihan at the house. Post Covid the three remaining men began doing latihan there again. But by this time it became clear to everyone that the clock was ticking.
It took years for the group to get to a place where everyone agreed to sell. Members had differing views; for some selling became an imperative when at the same time it was a necessary space for others. Over time we had meetings with the Regional Committee, tested with Regional Helpers, and had discussions and testing sessions among ourselves.
Eventually some group members became regional members instead of group members. Structural and maintenance house issues became too much for our ageing, far-flung, reduced membership and we could not sustain the house.
It was evident the Region needed to step in as owners. So in April 2023 the Regional Committee and some Regional Helpers visited and we voted unanimously to sell. A process was developed and deadlines came and went.
Rosalyn’s health was failing and she was unable to move out. As it happened, she spent the remaining weeks of her life in the hospital.
Meantime, we were working with a realtor who identified a buyer willing to purchase the house ‘as is’ at a disappointing but realistic price. By this time it was considered a distressed property. The house was sold to responsible developers who will obtain complicated permits, make extensive repairs, and create housing.
I wish to celebrate and acknowledge all the members of the group, those who have come and gone and those who remain active to this day. I thank two Dewans of Regional Committees and Helpers for their support throughout this sometimes difficult process and Subud life journey. Our Regional Chair, Honora Drew, has been exceptionally helpful. All have contributed to Subud life in this corner of the world; a life lived through the latihan with the gifts, insights, synchronicities, challenges, and unique connections that brings.
Julia Hurd
Member, former Subud Bellingham/Skagit Valley
Watch a 3-minute photo album here.