Buried in the church columbarium
February 17, 2021
By confessing the story of a racist gift, a Cincinnati congregation takes the first step in dismantling structural racism
by Paul Seebeck | Presbyterian News Service
CINCINNATI â The gift of $22,000, which after legal fees would be worth around $250,000 in todayâs dollars, was given to Knox Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati exactly 100 years ago to aid the congregation in constructing a new church. But according to Knoxâs pastor, the Rev. Adam Fronczek, there was âsome loreâ in the congregation about the gift, which came from a woman who wanted to be buried inside the walls of the church.
Redeeming a racist bequest
December 10, 2020
Knox Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati takes a listen, learn and act approach to mitigate structural racism after it learns about the terms of a century-old gift that helped build the church
by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service
Leaders and members of Knox Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati have been working to end structural racism since learning a gift that helped construct the church a century ago was intended for white people only. (Mike Fitzer/180 Degrees)
CINCINNATI â Ever since discovering  their church was built a century ago partly through funds donated âfor the white race only,â the 1,200 or so members and the leadership of Knox Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, have worked hard not to duck the churchâs history, but to learn from it and to, in tangible ways, reach out and make connections that make it clear where the church is headed during the next 100 years: ending the sin of systemic ra