By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Rev. Terrence Proctor, pastor of Church By The Side Of The Road, was recently recognized with the 2025 King County Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service, a prestigious honor awarded to individuals who exemplify the values and legacy of Dr. King through their service to others.
Born and raised in Seattle, Proctor is a graduate of Franklin High School and the University of Washington. He later studied divinity at Oxford University’s Regent Park College. Over the decades, his work in education, ministry, and social outreach has touched lives across King County. Guided by faith and the principle that true leadership is grounded in service, he has remained focused on helping others find light in moments of darkness.
“The thing is, like King said, ‘service to humanity is the rent you pay for being on the planet,’” Proctor said. “I said well, if that’s the case, I owe and so I’m just paying it forward.”
Established in 2015 by Councilmember Rod Dembowski, the Distinguished Service Medal honors residents of King County who embody the spirit of Dr. King’s message: “What are you doing for others?” Each member of the county council selects an individual from their district to receive the medal for their contributions to community and justice.
At 60, Proctor continues to lead with a steady presence and a firm belief in walking with people through their pain, their growth, and their victories. His approach to ministry and community work is deeply personal, yet universally resonant—one of shared struggle, shared purpose, and shared progress.
Though he’s spent decades in leadership and ministry, Proctor believes the calling was always there—waiting for him to grow into it.
“Of course, faith, but I would argue, and you know as well as anybody, the longer we walk in this adulthood purpose that we’re in, I can honestly say it (desire to serve) probably was there the whole time, I think we just discovered it,” Proctor said. “And I walked into it and then developed it. I wouldn’t say ‘coming out of the darkness into the light’ is the epiphany, but it probably was there the whole time. Now at 60 looking at it, I think I’m convinced that the current purpose I’m walking in now was there the whole time. I just grew into it.”
Current events, from global conflict to local hardship, have left many struggling with fear and despair. Proctor believes one of the greatest challenges we face is the loss of hope—and one of the greatest responsibilities we share is to restore it.
“Martin Luther King talked about hope being a human right. I said, yeah, but I also know that the most depraved state of the human condition is hopelessness,” Proctor said. “One could be poor, but he or she can be all right. One could be sick, they might get well, they might die, but the worst state of the human condition is hopelessness. And so, we carry the torch of hope to the dark shadows and the gaps of our culture. That’s what motivates my service from mentoring to just wherever the need is. We don’t have to have an answer, but we can be present.”
For Proctor, being present means acting with compassion and decency—seeing others not just as neighbors, but as fellow travelers on the same human path.
“And the key, service to humanity as in being humane,” Proctor said. “So of course, as a Christian, I was driven by the love of God, but more of a being human, being humane in the human condition.”
“I think that’s what Christ meant when he said, ‘the poor you’ll have with you always.’ He wasn’t surrendering that we couldn’t do anything about the impoverished—just saying. In the impoverished and how you treat the impoverished, there’s more about walking with God and resolving depravity,” added Proctor,
From an early age, Proctor knew he wanted to be a father and a guide for young people. That conviction grew out of personal struggles he witnessed in his own upbringing, experiences that shaped his resolve to create something different for the next generation.
While he originally pursued a career in international law, it was his gift for teaching that redirected his path. Fresh out of college, he took a position as an educator, and soon after, began coaching sports. What started as classroom instruction became something deeper.
“I started teaching right after college and my love for children was always there, but my activism for them sprang out that,” Proctor said. “It’s just that the kids were showing up broken and you try to meet that need. From teaching it morphed into coaching and that morphed into—well, kids start showing up broken and brokenness transcends the classroom, so then you start serving families. You cannot serve kids without serving families.”
Devin Stubblefield, a longtime friend, says that Proctors recognition by the county is well-deserved.
“Whether mentoring students, supporting community projects, coaching sports, encouraging church members, or cracking jokes at an event Terrence shows up,” says Stubblefield. “Not just in words but in action. He’s the kind of brother whose heart beats for the youth, whose loyalty stands firm for the schools, whose service never wavers in the church and whose presence uplifts his family, friends and fraternity alike. His life is a portrait of commitment.”
“Rev. Proctor has been involved with creating, leading, and generating public support for countless community initiatives – ranging from forming a day care, advocating for affordable housing, developing a community garden, and founding a violence reduction program for youth that continues to this day,” said King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn, who nominated Proctor for the award. “Rev. Proctor also created and operates a drug treatment program out of his church. Church by the Side of the Road has one of the most diverse congregations in King County – which is a credit to his welcoming spirit.”
