CINCINNATI — A historic Over-the-Rhine church is holding its first outdoor festival this weekend as part of an effort to change perceptions in the surrounding neighborhood.
St. Francis Seraph Church organized the weekend celebration featuring music, food, and community activities. The event comes after WCPO's I-Team reported extensively on problems near the church, including large crowds gathering outside and open-air drug dealing.
"One of the things that we really wanted to do, too, is kind of take back the front of our church," said Brother Tim Sucher, assistant pastor of St. Francis Seraph Church.
"You see this big church building and everything, and people are like, 'Well, we thought that was closed.'"
Since the I-Team's reporting, the church has taken steps to balance compassion with practical safety concerns. Church leaders say they have partnered with city officials to address the issues.
"First of all, they've heard our concerns," Sucher said.
"They were here just the other week for all kinds of services that are available for people in need. And they were out on Republic Street where most of the folks hang out."
The church says its approach reflects the delicate balance many urban congregations face when dealing with neighborhood challenges.
Watch church attendees share more about this weekend's festival below:
"We don't want drug dealing and that kind of thing to be happening around our church," said Mary Glyn Auer, a church parishioner. "But at the same time, we do have a real care for people in need."
The church will remain open throughout the weekend festival, sharing information about its history and various ministries. The congregation partners with St. Francis Seraph Ministries, which operates a soup kitchen Monday through Friday and provides medical services, women's programs, and other community support.
The church also works with Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, an organization that provides housing for low-income residents.
Church leaders hope the festival will help change the narrative around their historic building and demonstrate their commitment to both community safety and serving those in need.
