Poe Mill Driving Tour

If you get some extra time this summer, and are new to the neighborhood, you could get a lay of the land by taking a quick driving tour!

We’re not advocating you go into any of these places without making arrangements first, but simply drive to them to get an idea of where everyone is and see the neighborhood as a whole!

The Poe Mill office building - original office and general store of Poe Mill. Now a private boarding house.

255 A St, Greenville, SC 29609

Across the street from that is the skate park. Built by skaters on the old mill site after the mill burned down.

Poe Baptist Church and Rivers of Life Ministries, the two churches built with the mill around the time of its founding.

13 2nd Ave, Greenville, SC 29609

The grass in-between with the pavilion and the play ground we affectionately call Ministry Park.

Soteria community Development Corp - a famous SC non-profit that helps men getting out of prison to get back to a rich and fulfilled life.

210 Shaw St, Greenville, SC 29609

Mountain Goat Coffee Shop - this one we DO advocate you go in and buy a cup of coffee!

120 Shaw St, Greenville, SC 29609

Famous mural

1410 Buncombe Rd, Greenville, SC 29609

The Poe Mill Achievement Center - after school care for Poe Mill

1215 Buncombe Rd, Greenville, SC 29609

The Siddhi Food Mart which the neighborhood affectionally calls, the yellow store

200 Hammett St Ext, Greenville, SC 29609

Loom street. We just think it’s a cool street sign. As it harkens back to the Mill days.

121 Loom St, Greenville, SC 29609

Park Place Church of God

221 Orders St, Greenville, SC 29609

Investinet - a company that loves the neighborhood, has a cool mural

910 Pinckney St, Greenville, SC 29609

Salvation Army

505 Rutherford St, Greenville, SC 29609

Triune Mercy - has a huge mural on the back of the building

222 Rutherford St, Greenville, SC 29609

Summer Challenge: Go to Textile Heritage Park

Origionally published in Saltbox Quarterly

Every state has a Greenville. But our Greenville is such a unique and vibrant city that we've given it the hashtag #YeahTHATGreenville. But does all of Greenville fall under that hashtag?

The city does, but what about the county? The east side does but what about the West Side? Can we connect our community’s history as a textile powerhouse (mostly on the West Side) to our modern comfort and innovation (downtown and East Side)?

Yes. And a simple first step we can all take is just going to the park. Not Just any park. Textile Heritage park.

The ‘Textile Heritage Park is like a living museum. You literally walk through history. There are 12 alcoves scattered alongside an easy lap of a concrete trail where you stop and read tributes to 12 former Greenville mills and their workers.

The “and their workers” is important. These memorials pay homage to the men and women who worked in the textile mills and essentially put Greenville on the map. It’s not just information, but a window into the culture of West Greenville and the folks who live here - many of whom are the grand, and great-grand, kids of those mill workers.

Some Greenvillians, particularly those in the more affluent areas of the city, mistakenly over-associate West Greenville with all things negative. While it's true West Greenville faces some difficult challenges, including life under the poverty line, the majority of its residents are actually working class individuals who are dedicated, resilient, and industrious.

In Poe Mill, for example, roughly 90% of the neighborhood is employed, mainly in manual labor and other roles that require a lot of energy exertion. I think we all believe this is honorable.

So, understand, though West Greenville is home to some of our low-income neighbors, it’s simultaneously home to some of our hardest working neighbors who will drop everything to do anything for someone in need. They learned that from the people who raised them. The kind of people each of the 12 monuments represent. The kind of people we honor when we visit the park.

Many Greenvillians, even in the more affluent areas of our city, recognize this, love West Greenville, and desire to see more unity and  involvement between those who live on the East and West sides, but don’t know what steps they can take to make that happen.

We believe visiting Textile Heritage Park is an easy step we can all take in the direction of unity. This park is a vital community space because it fosters a sense of connection. This is true whether you live one minute or twenty minutes away from the park.

For West-siders, this park offers a sense of community pride for its contribution to the Greenville we all know and love today. For Eastsiders, it's a chance to adventure over to a side of town you don't usually see and be present for a place that can sometimes feel abandoned. Just by visiting the park you’ll both learn more about the West Side and enjoy being on the West Side in all of its beauty.

Textile heritage park is peaceful and mostly quiet. There's a great playground for the kids, with multiple slides and stuff to climb on. There’s also vast green space, public restrooms, and a pavilion for picnics. Plus, who knows who you'll meet. There's often community residents relaxing on a bench and taking in some sunshine. Ask them how long they've lived in the area, it could make for interesting conversation.

The more this park becomes a community hub, the better it is for the future of our city. Our challenge to you is to forgo your usual park and hold your next family gathering, community event, or play date at Textile Heritage Park.

When you do, you'll be taking a step towards putting all of Greenville under the popular hashtag #YeahTHATGreenville. All with the beautiful Monaghan Mill stack towering over you in the background.

Photos by Isaac Cropsey

The Most Important Thing

In his famous book, The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer states that the most important thing about us is what we think about God. His argument is that our thoughts on God effects everything about us: our emotions, our actions, our habits, the overarching story of our lives, and even our eternal state.

The problem that he see’s within us is that we often entertain a view of God that is far too low. For example, concerning God’s greatness we often think of God as simply the “greatest” being in a line up of beings. The truth is he is infinitly greater than all beings combined.

Tozer says, “We must not think of God as highest in an ascending order of beings, starting with the single cell and going up from the fish to the bird to the man to the angel to the cherub to God. God is as high above an archangel as above a caterpillar.”

When we think this way, that God is just a bit above the archangel, we feel more worry and less trust, and thus our behavior becomes more and more destructive (like being a control freak).

However, when we attempt to hold the massive view of God that the scriptures bring us, we are more likely to trust, obey, and live on the great comission Jesus has given us. For example, in the book, Tozer talks about how we often think of God as juuuust big enough to defeat satan in the end. So, “Whew, we’re gonna be ok.”

When in reality satan isn’t even struggle for God to defeat. God created Satan, Satan has to report to God (Job 1), and God will effortlessly cast him into the abyss on the last day (Revelation 20). Does that not make you more confident that God can give you victory in your sanctification? And more likely to lean into the escapes from sin that God provides? (1 Cor. 10:13)

And not only is our God massive, and mind blowing - he is accessible. He came down in human form and dwelt among us, taking on the name Jesus (God saves). He spoke to us in our own language and lived before us that we might see his splendor with our own eyes. He took on feet and walked in front of us leading the way from miracle to miracle as recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and called us to follow behind him. He then showed us his infinite ability to crush the head of the serpent by dying for sin and paying our ransom, then rising from death the 3rd day and ascending to the right hand of the Father promising to return soon and make all things new! God has revealed just how magnificent he is in Jesus.

Hebrews 1:1-2 states Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

This series is not about AW Tozers book, but we hope meets the same goal: to get people to understand that the most important thing about them is what they think about Jesus. It effects everything. And, similar to AW Tozer, we’re going to attempt to help people think well about the Lord by proclaiming some of his attributes. We’ve chosen 8 attributes and 8 preachers from our congregation. Each preacher will get an attribute, study it, and come and proclaim it.

Out of each attribute can come many applications but one main one that can guide us all summer is repenting of too low a view of God and adopting a higher one. This is something we can all always work on no matter where we’re at in our Christian walk.

Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

A look Back at Neighborhood Network

A Look Back at The Palm Sunday Party

Easter 2025

Sunday, April 13th, we will gather at Ministry Park (27 2nd Ave.) at 4 p.m. for a Palm Sunday Party! Because Jesus is King! 

We will start right at 4 p.m. sharp with singing, teaching, and celebrating baptisms. Our parties are generally drop-in, but since this has a worship service attached to it, we will be starting right at 4:00, so feel free to come early to get parking and a seat. This helps support our members who are serving and getting baptized. Then, after worship, we will serve food, play on inflatables, and have an easter egg hunt for our church and some friends from the neighborhood. Think of it as part worship service, part block party. 

On Friday, April 18th, at 7 pm, we will have our Good Friday Communion Service. This is a simple service with singing, scripture reading, a time of prayer, and sharing the Lord’s supper. There is child care available for kids 3 years old and younger. 

On Easter morning, our worship service is as normally scheduled with kids' ministry downstairs. We will have a big, celebratory worship service praising Jesus for rising from death!  

When you come on Easter morning, be sure to pick up a flower from the welcome table. They will be used in an element of the adult worship service (kids will get their own flowers when they check in downstairs). 

At the end of the service, our new Spring issue of Saltbox Quarterly will be available for pick up! And, there will be a photo booth outside between the sanctuary and the store front. We hope this helps you remember this special day of celebration and praise with your friends and family. 

On Easter morning, everything we take in from the offering plate will be given to our dear friends and partners at Sammy’s Mission (sammysmission.org). David Carson, who runs Sammy’s Mission, was once homeless in the Poe Mill area, battling addiction. Through a series of providential circumstances, he checked into the Miracle Hill Overcomers Program and got sober. He and his wife, Mandi, now run 5 Christian-based transition homes for men seeking recovery here in Greenville. We want to do all we can to help.

The Commitments of Church Membership

MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENT

While a member at Griggs…

1. I AM COMMITTED TO GRIGGS STATEMENT OF FAITH.

I affirm my belief in the fundamental tenets of Christianity as outlined in our statement of faith. As a member, I am committed to upholding, living out, and sharing this faith.

Furthermore, anything that is not in the statement of faith I hold with an open hand so as not to cause division around any secondary doctrine or personal preference.

2. I AM COMMITTED TO ATTENDING AND PARTICIPATING.

I am committed to reasonably regular attendance at worship services. I will actively participate in the life of the church through groups, serving, or both.

3. I AM COMMITTED TO GIVE AS THE SPIRIT LEADS.

I will contribute financially to support the ministry and mission of the church as the Lord leads.

4. I AM COMMITTED TO PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

As much as lies within me, I will live peaceably with all men. Should I offend others, I am willing to be approached and corrected and will do what I can to be reconciled with those I offended. If others offend me, I will seek resolution with them in a spirit of love, following the guidelines in Matthew 18:15–17 under the supervision of the elders.

5. I AM COMMITTED TO UNITY AROUND THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH.

I am committed to being unified with the church in mission and vision. As much as I am able, I will serve the neighborhood of Poe Mill, share my faith, and make disciples.

6. I AM COMMITTED TO GRIGGS LEADERSHIP.

I am committed to following the leadership of the elders and deacons. I will participate in congregational voting when major decisions arise, and so long as I stay at Griggs, I will accept the decisions that are made in those meetings.

7. I AM COMMITTED TO ACCOUNTABILITY.

I am committed to pursuing my brothers and sisters in Christ should they engage in unrepentant sin, and I am committed to being pursued if I should engage in the same.

8. I AM COMMITTED TO LEAVING GRIGGS IN A LOVING, TRANSPARENT SPIRIT.

I understand that my membership at Griggs is a commitment, not a covenant, vow, or contract. Thus, I can discontinue my membership at any time I wish for any reason. However, if I decide to join a new church, I aim to leave with peace and transparency (informing others of my departure) rather than just disappearing, yet doing so without an unnecessarily critical spirit.

LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT

While leaders at Griggs…

1. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING GRIGGS' STATEMENT OF FAITH.

We are committed to exemplifying this faith. We will not allow false teachers into our leadership. Should any false teaching creep in, we will not leave it uncorrected. Furthermore, we will not allow open-handed or secondary issues to rise to the level of rrcore doctrine.

2. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FACILITATING REGULAR WORSHIP AND SERVING OPPORTUNITIES.

We are committed to facilitating worship services that magnify Jesus and spur on gospel transformation. We will lead opportunities for members to engage in Christian community and Christian service.

3. WE ARE COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING BEST PRACTICES IN HANDLING CHURCH FINANCES.

We will handle finances in a transparent, accountable, and mission-driven way.

4. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

As much as lies within the leadership, we will be peacemakers. Should members find themselves in disputes, we will commit to leading them through a biblical reconciliation process with a spirit of love, following the guidelines outlined in Matthew 18:15–17.

5. WE ARE COMMITTED TO LEADING THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IN UNITY.

We are committed to leading the church to unity around our mission and vision. We will provide opportunities to serve, share your faith, and make disciples in Poe Mill.

6. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PLURALITY.

We are committed to following the leadership of our fellow leaders and submitting to one another. We will always seek to make decisions unanimously and never lead in different directions. We are committed to being unified ourselves on matters we bring before the congregation in business meetings.

7. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ACCOUNTABILITY.

We are committed to accountability for our leadership and we are committed to providing accountability for the members of our church.

8. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE LEAVING GRIGGS.

We understand that your membership at Griggs is a commitment, not a covenant, vow, or contract. Thus, you can discontinue your membership at any time for any reason. However, we will aim to help you leave with peace and resolution. We will encourage (or help) you to find a new gospel-preaching church family as quickly as possible.

A list of Spiritual Disciplines

BIble reading & Prayer

Reading the Bible, meditating on how it applies, praying about that very thing back to God, and then waiting to see if anything from the holy spirit comes to mind. (Something to repent of, something to do, something to write down.)

Bible memorization

Take a verse that you need right now, on this day, and it becomes your mantra. Write it on a 3x5 card, or make it the background of your phone, and you say it over and over again like you’re a little kid in AWANA.

Bible study

This is where we seek to learn something specific about theology from the Bible. For example, seeking to know what the Bible says about friendship and digging into all the passages you can find on friendship.

Gratitude

Extended time in prayer or journaling thanking God for specific things.

Intercessory Prayer

This is where we make it a practice to pray specifically for someone else. And this includes praying for your enemies

Fasting

This is where you forego something, most of the time food, so that you can use that important time for prayer.

Confession

Extended time of confessing our sins, our failures, our mistakes, our frailty, our weaknesses, or temptations.

Set reminders using the daily prayer app. https://www.rethinkme.com/dailyprayer

Sabbath

This is the oldest one in the book…literally. It’s a day where you set aside an extended period of time to not work, but to talk with God, to worship God, to enjoy God’s gifts…and rest in God

Hospitality

Hospitality Is the spiritual discipline of creating space for others to be seen and heard - particularly those who are strangers to a new place - or those who are suffering, sick, or sinful.

Simplicity

This is the spiritual discipline of seeking to live with less, be content with less, live with less distraction. It’s not talked about as much as the other spiritual disciplines, but it is ALL throughout the scriptures

• 1 Timothy 6:6-8 – “Godliness with contentment is great gain... If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.”

• Luke 12:15 – “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

• 1 Thessalonians 4:11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.

• 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

Community

Counsel, conversation, accountability, and fellowship with other Christians.

Envisioning the Vision

Take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and imagine the vision of Griggs again…

• You walk into Griggs and see a very diverse group of people worshipping, conversing, and serving together with the familiarity of a family dinner.

• The poor, the rich, and everyone in between are mixing in a happy, hospitable environment so spirit-led a group prayer could break out at any moment.

• You go downstairs and check your child into a super fun but serious kids ministry that teaches theology as if it’s a little church within the church.

• You go upstairs to enjoy a beautifully simple service that is all about Jesus. You hear teachings about Jesus’ rich way of life for us individually and corporately and are reminded so frequently of the good news that your anxieties and frustrations dissolve under a grace that enables you to rejoice in all things, even suffering.

• You are always welcomed to Griggs Groups, that you might live in community. You have others back, and they have yours. You work together to redeem past tragedy and fight future temptations.

• You are given service pathways that help you grow in your spiritual gifting. You give knowing that everything is going to make one of the darkest areas in our city light up with good news and good deeds.

• You hear updates from the stage about other simple churches that we collaborate with and how they are making their West Side neighborhood noticeably better. We know what’s up with them because we are one. We share a network of pastors, resources, and energy throughout the Mill Crescent.

Now, ask Jesus to help us continually realize this vision and ask him to continually reveal to you your part in it.

Community Resource Guide

Our friend Kirsten Windbiel from Grace Church shared this with us recently and we wanted to make it available for everyone. Clicking the image below will take you to the Community Resource Guide! (If you run into any access issues please request access or email media@griggschurch.com with your issue).

This is an attempt to compile information on scores of resources available in Greenville. There’s information on organizations that can help with all sorts of things - free food, housing, mental health, veterans issues, and more.

One hope for this document is to give you a handy way to answer questions. If you meet a homeless woman at Griggs asking about housing, you can use this guide to get her started. If a man comes to a small group and is interested in addiction recovery, there are a few options listed in the guide.

It’s just a helpful, centralized place to find addresses, phone numbers, and websites. We hope it helps us all as we love the people of West Greenville.

The Bible

The Bible is God's Word, completely true and without error. Its ultimate purpose is to reveal God's plan to redeem mankind from Satan, sin, and death. The heart of this plan is found in the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—where we encounter the good news of Jesus. In a profound way, the entire Bible is about Jesus.

This doesn't mean the Bible only teaches us how to convert to Christianity. All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for doctrine, reproof correction, and instruction in righteousness. However, it does mean that the Old Testament points forward to Jesus' coming and is fulfilled in Him. The New Testament, from Acts to Jude, guides Christian living by pointing back to Jesus. And Revelation looks ahead to His second coming.

Therefore, studying the Bible without considering all that Jesus accomplished would lead to empty religion. As Jesus Himself said, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me" (John 5:39).

So, whenever we study the Scriptures, interpret the Scriptures, or seek to apply the Scriptures to our lives, we do so through the lens of all that Jesus did and taught.

The Gospel

The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, God's Son, is the promised King, the Messiah. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He mercifully and justly offers full access to the Kingdom of God to all who repent of their sinful state and believe in Him. This invitation extends to everyone, including those that society often sees as abandoned by God—the outcast, the poor, the sick, the unclean, and the guilty.

Anyone who confesses their sin and wholly depends on Jesus will receive salvation. Salvation is a gift from God, given to sinful humanity by His love and grace alone. Our Salvation includes, among other benefits, being forgiven of our sins, justified before Him, and brought into a right relationship with Him. When we receive salvation, we also receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who transforms us into new creations in this life, serving as a guarantee of eternal life in God's presence.

Ultimately, after Jesus returns and executes His final judgment of the living and the dead, those who trusted Jesus in life will dwell in a new heaven and new earth, where sin and its curse will be no more.

Sammy’s Mission

Recently, on Recovery Sunday, we had David Carson from Sammy’s Mission share their ministry with us. David Carson used to be homeless, traveling between Poe Mill and City View on the West Side. He lived in active addiction. He was eventually introduced to Miracle Hill and was able to get sober and start following Jesus.

His passion became helping other individuals do the same. He named his ministry after his best friend, Sammy Johnson, who died from his addiction. Sammy’s Mission exists so that men struggling with hopelessness and addiction experience hope, hear the Good News of God’s love, live in sobriety and serve others.

They now have multiple transition homes and have helped 83 men live in sobriety. By God’s grace, their graduate relapse rate is about 50% lower than the national average. That tells us that what they are doing is working. Praise Jesus.

Mitch and David Carson praying together at Griggs.

Poe Mill Coins

Did you know that folks who worked in Poe Mill received part of their compensation in a private money system? As part of their pay, workers would receive tokens for the Poe Mill general store.

There was some convenience to this! It was nice having a general store right in the heart of your neighborhood so that you could have consistent, direct access to essential goods.

There was also some conflict of interest in this. Being paid partially in “tokens” kept you from spending your money outside of the mill village and put your pay right back into the mill owner's pocket. Below is a photo of an old token the Mill workers would have received.

What is a Church?

Our word “church” in our English Bibles often stands in for the Greek word “ekklesia,” which literally means “those who are called out.”

“Ekklesia” usually refers to a group of people coming out of the broader population and assembling together. Assembling for what? In the context of the New Testament, the answer is the worship and mission of Jesus.

“Ekklesia” is what Jesus had in mind when he said in Matthew 16:18 that he would build his “church.” He would call a group of people out of the world and to himself to continue his purposes in the world.

If we read further into the New Testament, we see Jesus and his apostles establishing this gathering in two senses. In one sense, the church is universal. All of us who worship Jesus are part of the church, no matter where we are or when we live.

For example, Ephesians 1:22–23 says, “And he [the Father] put all things under his [Jesus’] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body.” The sense of the word “church” here is universal—it speaks of all believers. The other sense in which the word church is used has to do with locality.

The New Testament speaks of, and prescribes, Christians organizing, worshipping, fellowshipping, and evangelizing based on their geography. Paul, for example, writes to the church at Colossae (Colossians), Philippi (Philippians), and Ephesus (Ephesians). Jesus, in Revelation 2–3, speaks to seven local churches in different geographies.

So, were these local churches merely places like homes (Philemon 1:2) or auditoriums (Acts 19:9–10) similar to our modern-day church buildings? No. Though gathering does require a physical place, the marks of the New Testament church were more people- and practice-oriented than they were place-oriented.

WE BELIEVE IT’S HELPFUL TO THINK OF THE LOCAL CHURCH IN THE TERMS OF A FAMILY.

In fact, the Scriptures often refer to the local church by using the imagery of a family, particularly using the term “household.”

The church is a household in which God is our Father and we are brothers and sisters.

• Galatians 6:10: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

• 1 Timothy 3:15: “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

• Ephesians 2:19: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

What makes a household? It’s actually not the house. It’s what the people of the house share. The household may share an identity, like a last name or a bloodline, or perhaps they share agreed-upon responsibilities, rhythms, and purposes.

It’s the same with the local church. What unites us as brothers and sisters is not just where we gather but what we share.

According to the Scriptures, here are some of the things a local church must share to be a true family:

WHAT WE SHARE THAT MAKES US FAMILY

1. A shared statement of faith on essential doctrines (Galatians 1:6–9).

2. A shared, qualified leadership of elders (pastors/shepherds) and deacons (1 Timothy 3).

3. A shared administration of the Word and sacraments (Ephesians 5:19; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26) under the authority of those elders and the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 13:17).

4. A shared practice of church discipline for anyone in the church teaching heresy or living in unrepentant sin (1 Corinthians 5:2).

5. A shared, trustworthy system of receiving and distributing funds to meet the needs in the church community and fuel the mission (Acts 6).

6. A shared mission (the Great Commission) to make disciples locally and abroad (Matthew 28:19–20).

7. A shared dedication to continually discipling each other in Jesus’ ways, using our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4–7) in an effort to present every man, woman, and child mature in Christ on the last day (Colossians 1:28).

In essence, a church is not just a building or a place of worship; it is a family of local believers who are united by their shared faith in Jesus, their shared mission, and their agreement to live it out under a shared authority.

Church Fathers on Mark

Here are the quotes from early church leaders on the book of Mark which we shared recently on a Wednesday night.

A Look into Kid’s Ministry

The following is an excerpt from our kids ministry handbook. All volunteers will review this handbook soon, but we want to share this part with all of our parents and visitors so they can hear the heart behind our program.

Purpose

Here at Griggs our philosophy for kid’s ministry is ”A church within a church.” Simply put, we want Sunday morning for all ages to focus on sharing the Gospel, building community, and growing in our understanding of God. We don’t want the kid’s ministry to just be a “childcare service.” We want it to be a safe, fun environment where children can learn about the Gospel at age-appropriate levels while their parents focus on worship and instruction during the service upstairs. 

We accomplish our purpose by focusing on three main categories: Safety, curriculum, and connection.

Safety

• To ensure that parents feel comfortable with leaving their child, we have a check-in system to make sure every child is accounted for. The sticker they get has their name, any important medical notes the parents want added, and a parent contact number. 

• We also have all volunteers backgrounds checked. The volunteers talk with the Children’s Directors before serving to make sure they feel comfortable with their roles on Sunday mornings. 

• We have Service Leads every Sunday who lead a pre-meeting with our classroom volunteers. The Service Leads also run the check-in system and assist the classrooms if anything comes up (child needs to go to the restroom, needs water, someone gets hurt, etc.). 

• There is a simple first-aid kit in every classroom and a robust kit at the check-in station. Our directors are CPR, AED, and Epi-pen certified and can to step in if ever necessary. 

Curriculum

• We use The Gospel Project curriculum from Lifeway. It is broken down into 12 volumes (there are 13 lessons per volume) that begin at creation and work their way through the whole Bible. 

• This program is gospel centric and has a “Christ Connection” that goes along with every lesson to show the students how the OT and NT are all connected. 

• We practice one scripture passage and catechism for a whole month to help it really sink into the students memory.   

• All students do a review coloring page during class and then get companion activity pages that go along with that weeks lesson to complete at home with their parents.

Connection

• We want to make sure we are connecting with the students and showing them genuine Christlike love, by encouraging them, teaching scripture, and getting to know each of them on a personal level. We want them to know we listen to them and are genuinely interested in their likes, dislikes, hobbies, and lives.

• We want to make sure we are connecting with the parents. We need to check in with them and see how they are doing, encourage them, and discover what ways the church can help them. This may include getting them connected with other families in the same season or with people who have some wisdom because they’re on the other side of the toddler tantrum or pre-teen years.

• We want to connect with the volunteers. We want to make sure volunteers feel confident about what they're teaching and how the classroom should run. We want to pray with them and make sure they know that Children's ministry can be difficult at times. We want to make sure volunteers feel comfortable sharing the wins and the hard parts of their classroom. We also want to take a genuine interest in our volunteers lives and know how we can support them.

Greenville Homeless Report

We’re thankful for our friends at the Greenville Homeless Alliance. Please see their report below to get a good understanding of housing issues on our side of town.

What is Affordable Housing?

Pastor Mitch here.

As we minister in and around West Greenville, you will hear concerns about affordable housing. Therefore, it may be helpful for you to have a definition of affordable housing in the back of your mind.

The general definition of affordable housing is a safe, livable space (apartment, house, etc.) for a family unit that does not cost them more than one-third of their monthly income.

When people spend over one-third of their income on housing, they often cannot afford the other basic necessities of life. They also have a much higher chance of defaulting on their loans.

The more specific definition of affordable housing, in most contexts, refers to governmental laws or programs that aim to help families with low incomes acquire and stay in homes for one-third of their monthly income, even if that amount is lower than the city’s fair market value. Stratham Place, right across from Mountain Goat, is one example in our neighborhood. These apartments are funded by the government, and the wonderful folks living there pay different rents based on their income, which must be below the poverty line to qualify.

In Greenville, the average income is $60,000, meaning the average home buyer can afford a $250,000 home. Yet, the average home in Greenville costs over $300,000. This means people with average incomes will struggle significantly to find a home, and those with low incomes are almost completely locked out of home buying.

The situation is similar with renting. Middle-class and low-income families must constantly choose between having fewer bedrooms than needed or spending over one-third of their income on rent.

As a result, they either have to move away from Greenville or endure a very low quality of life. This can create economic, safety, and crime issues that lower the overall well-being of the city.

The government is compelled, at least in theory, to try and create ways for low-income families to stay, work their jobs, and make progress. There are cases in which this works out and cases in which it does not. For example, I have seen civic leaders claim they are addressing affordable housing, while in reality, they are just developing homes that are slightly less luxurious and expensive than they could be. Thus, they get social credit for caring about the poor while benefiting from partnerships with high-end developers.

Many times, the best solutions come from Christians in our community who care about this issue, like our good friends at Homes of Hope, Front Porch Housing, and Soteria Community Development Corp. These are all non-profits that we fully support. They also aid families in finding and maintaining affordable housing, not by rule of law or tax incentives but through the giving and volunteering of the church and the community at large.

When ministries tackle affordable housing, they often care for people in a more holistic way. For example, they may require (and provide) treatment for addiction as part of their housing program.

This often results in boosting people's financial health AND spiritual health which is a huge, God-honoring win for Greenville.

Because we follow Jesus, we care about affordable housing and recognize it as a need. As a church, our contribution to the issue is to continually pray for and, when we can, support our fellow Christians who have dedicated their ministries to housing our neighbors Jesus’ way and in Jesus' name. They are true heroes who are doing what has to be one of the most challenging ministry tasks there is.

A look Back at 2024

Here's some of the moments we celebrated this year by God's grace and for Jesus' fame on the West Side. 

In 2024 we…

• Hosted college students for a discussion on neighborhood ministry 

• Helped raise money for and send out Jaaz & Kaitlyn Cofer to Mongolia 

• Canvased for the Poe Mill tree planting project & planted the trees requested

• Held a leader and volunteer retreat for over 30 of our people

• Threw 2 Spring block parties and provided serving opportunities for the students at MRCA 

• Hosted a neighborhood carwash and provided serving opportunities for the students at BJA 

• Baptized 4 people 

• Dedicated 2 babies 

• Added 6 members 

• Hosted 3 serve days for students of Fellowship Greenville, setting up work projects for them in Poe Mill 

• Provided significant benevolence for at least 6 neighborhood residents 

• Established the position of elder and installed 2 new elders 

• Supported two of our members as they went on short-term mission trips 

• Held 8 church-wide Wednesday night dinners in the summertime, especially blessing the homeless community 

• Rented out a waterpark for a Poe Mill water night and over 50 neighborhood residents came 

• Ran 3 weeks of kids’ summer camp providing mission trip opportunities for students of Grace Church 

• Ran Fall Family Fun Night for the neighborhood alongside Park Place Church of God 

• Created a community newspaper, Saltbox Quarterly, and distributed over 350 copies. 

• Took two van loads of our neighborhood kids & youth to CiCi's Pizza….twice 

• Held a fall men’s event and a fall women’s event 

• Took approximately 30 Poe Mill kids to Walmart to get Christmas presents for their families 

• Ran the Poe Mill Christmas Parade alongside Park Place Church of God 

• Served dozens of neighborhood families after Hurricane Helene 

• Studied 17 books of the bible line by line through groups and sermon series 

And these are just some of the tangible moments we can point to. 

This list doesn’t point out the hundreds of unseen things Jesus did through daily, simple means. It would be truly amazing to see a list of encouraging words we shared with one another, or helpful insights we gave each other during Griggs Groups, or the new friendships that have formed.  We know that so many of our people serve in quiet, hidden, unofficial ways. And though that service is harder to list, it makes Griggs Church what it is.

For the lists we can and cannot make - All Glory be to Christ.