About UsKnox Presbyterian Church is a charter member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church
We are Evangelical in that we establish our faith entirely on the Bible, God's infallible Word, and we believe and proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus' atoning death and triumphant resurrection.
We are Presbyterian in that we subscribe to a church government led by Elders elected by the congregation.
We are a Church in that we faithfully preach the word, and administer the sacraments as found in the scriptures.
All Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is a complete and unified witness to God's redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks. On this sure foundation we affirm these additional Essentials of our faith:
1. We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever!
2. Jesus Christ, the living Word, become flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.
3. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
4. Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God's free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, thereby justifies them in His sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
5. The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.
6. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth—personally, visibly, and bodily—to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20)
7. The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)
These Essentials are set forth in greater detail in the Westminster Confession of Faith. Knox Presbyterian Church had its beginning on January 1, 1913 when the Rev. Alexander Danskin opened Fairview Mission on East Jefferson at Hillger in Detroit. On April 19, 1915, it was officially organized as Knox Presbyterian Church with a chartered membership of 62 individuals. Within five months, the congregation extended a call to the Rev. Arien Muyskens to be the first pastor of the new organization; beginning his pastorate on March 17, 1916.
In the summer of 1916, the church purchased property at E. Jefferson near Harding and eventually erected a steel structure; often referred to as "The Tin Church." It was used for services from 1918 to 1925, and was later sold when it proved unsuitable for occupancy. The church's second pastor, Dr. Calvin A. McRae (1921-1930), began his ministry at the "tin church" and later at the Knights of Pythias Hall when the congregation returned to the Kercheval-Hillger area. Eventually, property at Dickerson and Mack was selected and purchased in the summer of 1926, and a large tent was borrowed from the Detroit Presbytery erected on the site. Rev. William W. McRae, the pastor's brother, conducted services concurrently with those being held in the K. of P. Hall on Kercheval. After the tent was destroyed in a violent windstorm on September 26, 1926, the congregation began using the Uptown Theatre at Mack and Chalmers for all services.
Ground-breaking ceremonies were held for a basement unit at the Mack-Dickerson site on September 16, 1928, and the cornerstone laid October 14, 1928. The first service was held in the basement unit on March 10, 1929 with 100 in attendance for a special Communion Service. The Sanctuary section was completed and dedicated on September 8, 1940, during the pastorate of the church's third minister, Rev. George E. Muran (1921-1942). Rev. Francis Barr Allen came to Knox on October 23, 1042 and served briefly until his death on June 14, 1943, following an extended illness. The fifth minister to serve the church was the Rev. Alfred Holman whose pastorate began May 2, 1944 and continued until his retirement on May 31, 1972. Rev. Holman served as Pastor Emeritus until his death in August 1974. Church growth during his ministry necessitated the addition of an educational wing in 1947, and a fellowship-gymnasium unit in 1957.
Rev. George W. Woodcock, our sixth ordained minister, preached his first sermon at Knox on August 13, 1972. Six weeks later, on October 1, 1972, he conducted the last service held at the Dickerson-Mack building before it was sold to the Presbytery of Detroit. During negotiations and purchase of a 5.67 acre tract of land at Crocker and Metropolitan Parkway in Harrison Township, services were held at the Graham Elementary School until the new 16,000 sq. ft. building was erected and dedicated on February 1, 1976.
In July 1980, Knox Church withdrew from the United Presbyterian Church in the USA and became a charter member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The Rev. John Tenjack served as assistant pastor from September 1980 through 1987. In 1984, five acres of adjacent land were purchased, a new building addition of 5,000 sq. ft. was erected which included two classroom units and the sanctuary overflow area (Patterson Room), and the Jonathan Cary memorial athletic field was developed.
Rev. Mark R. Hudson joined the staff on October 1, 1987 and was ordained and installed as Assistant Pastor on December 13, 1987. He became Associate Pastor on February 24, 1991, and served in that capacity until May 1996. In the summer of 1990, a 7,000 sq. ft. building addition was erected which included seven classrooms, restrooms, and a large nursery and toddler complex. A banquet was held on October 12, 1990 to celebrate of the new addition and the church's 75th anniversary. As a result of the addition, the Creation Station, an early childhood learning center, was established at Knox in 1993.
In 2002, Rev. Chris Gibson announced to the congregation that he and his wife Debbie were feeling God's strong call to serve as missionaries in Budapest, Hungary. While working with SEND International and EPC World Outreach, the Gibsons will be helping missionaries in eastern Europe deal with a variety of distresses that can easily overwhelm them. Chris will also be assisting with planting new churches and training national pastors in theology and counseling.
On November 26, 2003, Rev. Douglas Graham, with the unanimous support of the congregation, was called as Senior Pastor of Knox. Rev. Graham and his family moved to Detroit from St. Louis, Missouri,and began serving at Knox in January 2004.
In mid-February 2004, Associate Pastor Waring Porter accepted God's call to become Pastor of All Saints Presbyterian Church in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. All Saints was begun by Second Presbyterian which was Waring's home church, and is located four blocks from his childhood home. The Porter family moved to Memphis in late March to begin new their ministry at All Saints.
In May 2004, Knox Church completed construction on the Knox Activity Center.
In July 2004, Rev. George Boomer was called by the session to be Assistant Pastor of Congregational Life at Knox. Rev. Boomer and his family moved to the Detroit area from Lawrence, Kansas in early August to begin their ministry.
In December 2004, Fred Albaugh, and his wife Kristen, left Knox so he could begin full-time studies at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. In doing so, Fred began a season of preparation to become an ordained minister.
In August 2005 Benjamin Shear was called by the session to be the Youth Director. Ben and his wife Jen moved to Knox from Lawrence, KS where Ben was the interim Director of Jr. High Ministries.
In 2005 Rev. George Boomer was called by the congregation and the Presbytery to be the associate pastor.
In Fall 2005, Knox received a face lift with a new roof and renovations to the Holman room and narthex.
In Spring of 2007, Associate Pastor George Boomer received and accepted a call from a PCA church to move to Virginia and start a church-plant. Also in Spring of 2007, Knox Called a new Assistant Pastor to serve in Rev. Boomer's place. Ryan McVicar accepted the call and he, and his wife Megan, moved to Knox from Memphis, TN where Ryan served as a Pastoral Intern. We look forward to the future in anticipation of the marvelous things God will do among His people.
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