Creating consensus on moving forward is difficult, especially if we can’t agree on our destination. The people of Sunrise Presbyterian Church know this all too well, because it wasn’t long ago that we called ourselves Kennedy Heights Presbyterian Church, and when we lost our building, we nearly lost ourselves in the transition. It got a bit messy. Fortunately, we have members with experience dealing with particularly messy arguments such as The Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, so most of the congregation hung together. This means, of course, that like most congregations, we’re aging, and honestly, at this point, we’re probably just aged. It also means that when we moved a short way down Montgomery Road to our new home in Norwood, we didn’t just pack our faith. We also brought our diversity, a fighting spirit and a unique history that shows how Christian values may lead to radical and positive change when followed correctly.
Calling the United States a melting pot ignores the fact that it’s mostly comprised of segregated neighborhoods, and Cincinnati is no different. Thanks to red lining and white flight, Cincinnati resembles a checkerboard of isolated communities that only melt together when we clock in and dissolves back into isolation every night when we drive home. When the Civil Rights Movement began to spark across the nation, however, it took flame in Kennedy Heights, so its citizens didn’t just sit back and hope that politicians would make their lives better. They got together and intentionally made their community an island of inclusion. And who could they look to as the best example of how to create radical change? Jesus, of course, and they found Him at Kennedy Heights Presbyterian Church.
Like many American stories, this one has an ugly start. When a burgeoning African American middle class arose in Kennedy Heights, white flight took place as it did everywhere else, and KHPC began as a whites-only church. The minster at the time, Dr. Wilbur Hassebrock, agreed to hold meetings to help stabilize the community. A small but diverse group of eight people attended the first meeting. It quickly became clear that the goals of all the residents, no matter their ethnicity, were the same: a safe place to raise a family, decent and fair schools, and pride in one’s home. Together, they formed the Kennedy Heights Community Council with one driving goal in mind – improving their quality of life through intentional integration. And to set the example, the church accepted two African Americans, Ruby and Jim Metts, into their congregation. They would be the first of many.
The newly formed community council promoted their message of universal integration with a listening tour. They simply sat in people’s living rooms and listened to their problems. Who knew? They then brought White and African Americans together in safe, collaborative training programs designed to build empathy and discover common goals. Never did the council settle on a single plan of action or grow satisfied with their understanding of the issues, but constantly canvassed the neighborhood for new ideas while educating people on the benefits of integration. They even brought in the head of the Cincinnati Real Estate Board to debunk fears that property values dropped in integrated neighborhoods. Eventually, the panic-selling stopped, and the council convinced more people, White and African American alike, to move into the neighborhood.
While Kennedy Heights still benefits today from the changes that were put in place, KHPC’s congregation dwindled until we were forced to downsize to a smaller church in Norwood. We’re very fond of our new building and our new community, but we’re still looking for ways to make an impact. Will it be as transformative of an impact as what was made on Kennedy Heights long ago? That depends. Is the Civil Rights Movement still a work in progress? Can we still expect more progress by rolling up our sleeves and getting to work rather than waiting on politicians to make our lives better? Is seeking a closer relationship with God still difficult while balancing work and family life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then Norwood might benefit from the large influx of wisdom and experience that moved into their community. To save some time, what we all really need is God, but if you tell us what else you need, Sunrise Presbyterian Church will listen. We’ve already proven that’s something we do quite well.