'Terrible Racist' Who Repented Thanks Anonymously Donates $2K to Black Church

By Leah Marieann Klett
Racism
Reverend Sullivan reads the letter. 'Apart from Jesus and the Holy Spirit, acting through the Presbyterian Church, this transformation never would have happened,' the letter reads. Fox North Carolina

A church with predominantly African American members received a large donation from an anonymous donor who confessed to being a "terrible racist" in the past, but had been "cleansed" of their sin by Jesus Christ.

In May, Nicholtown Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina received an anonymous letter along with a $2,000 donation.

"'First, I am white and used to be a terrible racist," read the letter, according to Fox Carolina. "Thanks to Jesus and the Holy Spirit acting through the the Presbyterian Church, I have been cleansed of that."

The letter continued: "I am appalled at my former thoughts and words. I send this donation as a heartfelt apology to the African American community. If you were ever looking for proof that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are alive and well today, and that miracles, just as in Biblical times, still happen today, this is it!"

It added, "Apart from Jesus and the Holy Spirit, acting through the Presbyterian Church, this transformation never would have happened."

The sender urged the church to use the donation "for any purpose you see fit".

Pastor Michael Sullivan - a preacher at the church for just around 15 months - said the church congregation was "pleasantly surprised by the gesture and the message."

"Hearing his testimony... in a sense he had been changed from a particular mindset," he told Fox.

The money couldn't have come at a more perfect time, said one congregant, who revealed that funds at the church were depleting as the church was in the process of requesting a $1,400 grant from the Presbytery so that they could transport children to church on Sundays and have a nice breakfast.

"It's like a miracle," Beverly Kelly, pastor of the Mattoon Presbyterian Church and moderator of the session for Nicholtown Presbyterian Church, shared with the Greenville News. "'That mission has been something from Sunday to Sunday, and we always find some way to feed them."

Kelly said she's incredibly thankful for the donor's transformation: "We know that if this person has truly asked God to forgive them, we know that God has heard that confession and truly does forgive," she said. "Forgiveness means more than saying I'm sorry. Forgiveness means that 'I am going to change, I'm going to turn around and live differently. I'm going to live as God wants me to live.'"

"I would like to meet and have a conversation with someone who has made such a change and be able to thank them in person."

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