Cold Weather Shelter Chaplains

From Miracle Hill:

The Cold Weather Shelter season at the Greenville Rescue Mission is here! We need teams of men to come minister as volunteer chaplains!

We are in need to men willing to come and minister to the unsheltered homeless who come in on cold nights. We average 120 unsheltered men on cold winter nights. We need people willing to serve by encouraging these men, praying, sharing the gospel, and practicing a ministry of presence.

Interested?? Watch the video and read on…

What is a Cold Shelter Worker/Chaplain at the Greenville Rescue Mission?

A chaplain is a volunteer who functions in a ministerial capacity at the Greenville rescue Mission by embodying the presence of Christ, showing the compassion of Christ, and sharing the good news of Christ with those who come through our doors.

 What is the cold weather shelter?

When the temperature is forecasted to drop to 40 or below, we open up our cold weather shelter to those experiencing homelessness still living outside. Many are broken, intoxicated, cold, hurt, hungry, and are looking for a safe warm place to sleep. We open at 8pm, and close it around 7am the following morning. We serve a meal, offer a shower, and a mattress on the floor to sleep on.

 What does a chaplain do at the Greenville Rescue Mission?

A chaplain is present when we open up the cold weather shelter, and he would stay from 8-10pm. While he may assist in serving food and handing out some supplies, his primary task will be to engage in intentional conversation with the guests and listen to, encourage, share the gospel, and engage in the ministry of presence with the many different kinds of people and situations in the cold weather shelter.

We would prefer the chaplain be able to commit to once a week, but it can be more or less often if need be. There is flexibility, and there will be periods where the cold shelter will not open due to warmer temps. The more often and consistent, the better it will be for the chaplain and the men.

How often do I need to come?

We would like to see if you have a group of men from your church who could commit to covering a certain night of the week when the Cold Shelter is open. Not all of the men would need to come every time, but you could have a couple of men you could rotate in and out every week to share the load together. We are very flexible on how this might work for your group or individuals interested.

What are the qualifications to be a chaplain at the mission?

A chaplain must:

-Be a mature believer in Jesus Christ

-Agree with Miracle Hill’s doctrinal statement

-Have a sense of calling to this kind of work

-Be willing to learn and receive constructive feedback

-Be willing to engage in cold conversations and be able to share the gospel 

Ready to find out more or get started?

Please reach out to me, Jeremy Huff, or our volunteer coordinator Huff Campbell if you are interested or have any questions.

Huff Campbell: hcampbell@miraclehll.org

Jeremy Huff:  jhuff@miraclehill.org

Fall Family Fun Night 2025

Welcome! We’re very excited about FFFN 2025. FFFN is one of our favorite annual events and this will be our 10th in a row! Here is everything you need to know!

For those who are attending

Fall Family Fun Night is Sunday, October 26, 2025, from 4-6 p.m. at Park Place Church of God (221 Orders Street) right in the middle of the neighborhood. You can let us know you’re coming at this facebook event!

FFFN is a huge Trunk or Treat event in Poe Mill. Come on out and bring everyone you can. You can easily find parking in the lot out front of (or beside) Park Place’s main building.

Feel free to wear costumes or not, whatever you’d like. We will have inflatables galore, giant jenga, games of all kinds, face painting, free food, and more.

Restrooms are in the gym building. There are sensory friendly halloween baskets, candy, and toys available for the kids who need them. The event always goes extremely well and we've never had any issue, but since we always have large crowds (We expect 250-300 people) we have a security team in place so all our guests can feel looked after and super safe. 

Come and stay for however long you’d like any time between 4 and 6 p.m.

For those who are volunteering

If you haven’t yet, touch base with Julia Henderson (Julia@griggschurch.com) and she will let you know who your main contact/leader is for whatever you are doing. We need every volunteer there no later than 3:30 p.m. (though some volunteers are required to come at an earlier time, you will know who you are). Every volunteer gets a lanyard with a name tag in it, pick it up from the Welcome tent when you arrive.

At roughly 3:45/3:50 we will have a short time of prayer with Park Place Church of God volunteers at the sound tent. During the event, you can feel free to get some food, just make sure your activity is covered while you do. If you have any issues during the event ask your team leader, or Mitch, Carter, or Julia. Trunks can start packing up and heading out right at 6 p.m. The more people who stick around to help us clean up and tear down the better, but we do have a tear down team already in place. Pray for and lean on the spirit for divine appointments during the event.

You can find a complete volunteer guide at this google doc.

How to Pray for Our Church

Our church is built by, sustained by, and will continue by the grace of God. If our church succeeds it will be with a success defined by God and empowered by God. Thus, we need to be talking with God and listening to him concerting all things Griggs.

We desire every member to pray for the church every chance they get. But what do you pray for? How do you pray for the church? A simple grid to use is our own core values.

Jesus

• Pray that each and every member would strive to follow Jesus.

• Pray that we’d not be satisfied with being good people or moral people, but that we’d live like, walk like, talk like, and act like Jesus which is the “bullseye” of Christianity.

• Pray that our church as a whole would resemble Jesus, since we are specifically HIS body - the body of Christ.

• Pray that each of us individually would take our next step with Jesus.

• Pray that we would recognize where we are (our “Point A”) and have the courage to do what Jesus is calling us to do next  as his disciple (Point B).

Gospel

• Pray that each and every member would remember and stand firm in their gospel identity.

• Pray that we would all have a good understanding of things like justification (how we can be free from guilt because of Jesus’ cross) and righteousness (how we can be free from shame since Jesus loves us just as much as he everyone else).

• Pray that our elders and ministry directors would be able to lead others in the gospel.

• Pray that our leadership would be strengthened, stay on track, and focus on delivering the gospel over anything else (like growth, numbers, or programs).

Neighborhood

• Pray for any of our upcoming neighborhood outreaches.

• Pray for the any of our Neighborhood Network kids who come on Sundays at 4 p.m.

• Pray for any of the other Neighborhood or West Side churches like Park Place Church of God or Reconcile Community Church.

Prepping for “First Sundays” as a Family

On the first Sunday of every month, we intentionally welcome Griggs Kids—ages six and older—to sit in the service with their parents.

Our primary goals in this are twofold:

1. To raise biblically literate children who are integrated into the life of the church.

2. To support parents in raising their children to participate in corporate worship.

We know this isn’t always easy. Kids who aren’t used to sitting upstairs may feel squirmy or restless. Parents may feel torn between correcting behavior and guiding their children to love the church from the heart.

But we’re all in the same boat. Let’s acknowledge that we all need help to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).

With that in mind, here are some simple, practical steps to help your kids prepare for the Sunday morning service! 

Through the Week:

• First, prepare your own heart: Throughout the days before the first Sunday, take time to prepare your own heart for the Sunday morning service and how it may look different with your children upstairs that week. Ask prayerfully that God would give you patience and guidance and to have the commandments “on your heart” first to be able to teach it to your children as Deuteronomy 6:6-7 states. 

• Second, have "practice" services:  Find a time that works with your family schedule (maybe during family devotional time), and practice what sitting and listening will look like on Sunday morning and how to help keep our bodies calm and hearts ready to hear the Word of God. 

• Third, talk about how the Bible is the LIVING WORD of God (Hebrews 4:12): Discuss with your children about how powerful the Word of God is and how when we are studying the Scriptures at home or at church how it can see into our hearts and help us to grow in our understanding of God…and how the word is all about Jesus. 

The Night Before:

• First, read the passage that will be preached on that Sunday morning: Read through the passage and talk through any words they may not understand, talk about the main themes of the passage, and go over anything that may be hard for them to understand. 

• Watch a summary video of the book or show of the lesson being preached on: The Bible Project has great summary videos of each book of the Bible and different topics in scripture. Here is a link for 2nd Peter specifically. https://bibleproject.com/videos/2-peter/ Superbook also has lots of episodes that match different passages in Scripture. 

• Prep a church bag together: Pack a Bible, colored pencils, water, and potentially a few quiet activities (depending on your child’s age) to help keep them engaged during the sermon.

The Morning Of:

• Talk about the expectations for the morning: Talk about how excited you are for them to be joining you for worship and discuss how to listen, not disrupt others, how communion works, and how to get your attention quietly if they need something. 

• On the drive to church, pray as a family: Help prepare everyone’s heart for the morning, by praying for God to give everyone open ears and hearts to the message. You can have each child pray for something specific, have a parent lead the prayer, or have each person pray to themselves. 

• Make a plan for the service: Talk about the “game plan” for the service with your child. Here is an example one:

• Donuts when we arrive

• Go to the bathroom before the service starts

• We’ll sing 2 songs and have scripture reading, then you can start to color your booklet.

• About halfway through the service, you can get something out from your activity bag

• Towards the end, mom/dad/gurdian will help you put your things away 

• We’ll sing more songs and then you can go play with your friends until it's time to go home  

These are just a few things you can do to help your child prepare for corporate worship. It can be challenging to disrupt routines, and do new things, but our goals for “First Sunday’s” are worth it!

Cookbook FAQ’s

Why are we making a cookbook?

Because it’s more than a cookbook. It’s a collection of stories from our church, beautifully bound to celebrate 10 years of revitalization. It also reaches back into the long, rich history of our church and neighborhood.

Pastor Mitch and other volunteers are writing the church’s story for the introduction so that anyone—inside or outside our church—can marvel at what Jesus has done in Poe Mill.

What if I don’t have a special recipe?

That’s fine! You can even share one you found online—just make sure it’s something you’ve made (or would make) for friends at Griggs. And you can submit more than one recepie!

Our goal is twofold: to collect recipes that are usable, But even more so to celebrate the fact that YOU  were here, breaking bread with fellow members.

While we can all google recipes, this project is about taking part in tradition. For generations, small, village churches in the Midwest and South have created cookbooks like this.

How exact does my recipe need to be?

Do your best, and we’ll fill in the blanks during editing. It doesn’t have to be perfect. For example, Pastor Mitch submitted a fajita recipe with the instructions: “Cook the meat until it’s done—you’ll just know when it’s done.”

So no pressure—just share what you can!

How do I submit a recipe?

Use the official form from the newsletter, or simply send us a screenshot of a recepie, a photo of a recipe card, or an email with a link. You can send it to Amanda, Mitch, or Julia Henderson or info@griggschurch.com

What will the cookbook look like?

A high-quality, hardcover book—something you’d find at Barnes & Noble:

• Portrait 8”x10”

• Full color

• 80lb satin paper stock

• Adhesive case wrap with matte finish

• Custom internal cover pages featuring the painting of the river behind our baptismal

Sayings from the Spindle

Photo by Isaac Cropsey (isaaccropsey.com)

One fascinating part of Mill Village life is its vocabulary. The West Side has a long history of unique words and phrases that come from our textile heritage. You could fill a dictionary with each neighborhood’s distinct language. 

We, at Saltbox, started studying these nicknames and idioms, tracking down their uses, and verifying their authenticity. Here are a few we got a hold of this quarter with help from our friends in the F.W. Poe Textile Heritage Society Facebook group. 

Mill Hill: This was a general term used for the neighborhood surrounding a mill. It didn’t matter if it was on a hill or not. Mill villages could be laid on completely flat ground. They were still called Mill Hills.

Looper Room: This was where workers, usually women, sat to sew the toes of socks—just the toe part. It was repetitive and boring, but it was steady work. You could talk with your co-workers all day (which wasn’t as easy in other parts of the mill due to noisy machinery), so it’s assumed a lot of mill village news was passed along in the looper rooms.

Water House: This was what they called the restrooms. Some say mill workers were not given almost any work breaks by their employers, so they took unofficial breaks by saying they were going to the water house, when really they’d be having a snack or just catching their breath. This loitering around the water house became known as “water house squatting” and was apparently quite prevalent. 

Linthead: A nickname—sometimes affectionate, sometimes not—for someone who worked in the mill. Mill employees often had lint stuck to their hair and clothes after work which made them easily noticeable amongst the general population. Most mill workers considered the term a badge of honor.

Operative: This is what management called mill workers who ran looms and other textile machines. It’s a prestigious step forward from “linthead.” 

Dope Wagon: Not what it sounds like! In the early days of Mill Village life, "dope" was slang for soda. So a dope wagon referred to a snack cart that would drive around the neighborhood selling sodas and sandwiches—almost like today’s food trucks. One historian tipped us off to the fact that Eugenia Duke, of the famous Duke Sandwich Company, served sandwiches out of these carts in the very early days of the company when she was just getting started. We still have a Duke Sandwich Company serving Eugenia’s incredible recipes right outside of Poe Mill on Poinsett Highway!

Saltbox: We can’t not include this one. This refers to standard mill village homes with slanted roofs. Hundreds were built beside each mill in the Textile Crescent. These houses were specifically chosen for their structure, which proved to be especially long-lasting, persevering, and sturdy. The people who inhabit these houses embody those same good qualities. 

Easy Wins for Parents on “First Sunday”

On the first Sunday of every month, we intentionally welcome Griggs Kids—ages six and older—to sit in the service with their parents.

Our primary goals in this are twofold:

1. To raise biblically literate children who are integrated into the life of the church.

2. To support parents in raising their children to participate in corporate worship.

We know this isn’t always easy. Kids who aren’t used to sitting upstairs may feel squirmy or restless. Parents may feel torn between correcting behavior and guiding their children to love the church from the heart.

But we’re all in the same boat. Let’s acknowledge that we all need help to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).

With that in mind, here are some simple, practical steps to help your kids engage with the Sunday morning service, even at a young age:

Before Service

• Teach your children about the body of Christ throughout the week. Remind them: “Jesus put together the church. It’s His family, it’s our family, and we gather to worship Jesus, hear from Jesus, and share life with one another.”

• Set expectations before Sunday morning. Say something like: “I’m so excited for you to come to service with me! Do you remember how we behave in service? We listen, we don’t distract others, we sit in our spot, we pass the plate, we sing, and we whisper when we need something.”

• Get them involved with preparing a church bag. On Saturday, encourage your child to gather their Bible, a pen, and a highlighter. If they need a small, quiet toy or extra paper, let them add that as well.

During Service

• Give your kids the job of opening the hymnals. This helps them practice finding the right hymn, learn songs, and pay attention to the words.

• Let them find the passage in the Bible. Encourage kids to bring their Bibles, locate the book and verses, and even highlight or underline key phrases.

• Use the special bulletins we provide on First Sundays. These are designed to go along with the sermon and help children follow the teaching.

After Service

• Ask questions. Invite your kids to share what they heard or saw. Do your best to answer, or look for the answer together.

• Talk about your spiritual family. Tell your kids about some of your friends who were in church that day and how much it means to worship Jesus with them.

• Encourage and correct. Compliment your child for moments they were engaged, and explain why certain parts of the service are important whenever correction is needed.

• Pray with and for your children. This could be before service, thanking God after service, or quietly praying for them during the service.

There’s always more we can do to train our children to worship the Lord and join with His people. But let’s not overlook the basics. By starting small and staying consistent, we can patiently build a strong foundation for our kids’ understanding of—and relationship with—corporate worship.

Griggs Cookbook Project

By Amanda Peeler

Griggs has a reputation for many things in the neighborhood of Poe Mill. Griggs is known for its corner presence on Poinsett Highway. It’s also known for our church van that has picked up kids in the neighborhood for the Kids Ministry for generations. But most notably, Griggs is well known in the community for memorable and meaningful times of fellowship around amazing food. 

When I was a teenager at Griggs in the early 2000s, some of the highlights of the year were the whole church going to either Olive Garden or Outback for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We could do that because there were only about 10 members at Griggs at the time. It was a time of joy and fellowship. I was the youngest person in the group and would usually receive a lot of encouragement. Arlinda would always bring a delicious cake from Strossner’s and would always give me the biggest piece. The coolest part was that Pastor Yeomans would eat a whole Bloomin’ Onion by himself before the entrees came out. 

More recently, some of our weekly routines at Griggs revolve around meals. When Mitch first came to Griggs and started church revitalization, we had coffee and doughnuts in the downstairs fellowship hall, where the nursery is now. It was a time to chat and hang out before the service, and it was always such an encouraging time. Now it’s turned into coffee and doughnuts on the porch, which allows even more people to hang out and fellowship before the service. 

One of our new favorite times of fellowship is our Summer Wednesday Night Dinners, where small groups take turns providing meals for the church. It is the absolute best time to come share a meal and connect as a church. I might be biased, but the Marriage small group always has the best meal you could have for dinner: breakfast. 

In an effort to tell the story of what God has done and is doing at Griggs through the breaking of bread together, we are compiling recipes and stories into a church cookbook. You may not have heard of a church cookbook. It really is just what it sounds like- a cookbook compiled of recipes from the people of the church.

This new project is the Griggs Cookbook. And we need your help. We would love for you to share a recipe. You could also submit a story you have about having a meal with someone at Griggs. We know so many connections have been made through meals at Griggs, and we would love to hear your story.

Link to Recipe Entry Form

MINISTRY PARK: POE MILL’S MINISTRY HUB

If you walk up the street from the skatepark, where Poe Mill once stood, you'll see two church buildings sharing a yard. That yard is called "Ministry Park."

Why are there two churches sharing a yard? Because, in the earliest days of the mill village, everyone went to church. Mill employees wanted a place of worship close by, just like their mill-owned general store and elementary school. However, they didn’t all belong to the same denomination, so they built two churches—one for the Baptists and one for the Methodists. Today, the old Poe Mill Methodist Church is home to River of Life Ministries.

Fast forward about 100 years. The mill has shut down. Many in the neighborhood and surrounding areas are in need. Poinsett Highway has become a refuge for the homeless. And several ministries visit the neighborhood each week, bringing food, essential items, and the gospel. 

One problem these ministries face is that they struggle to find a consistent place to set up. And that’s important. People need to know where to find help, and ministries need a stable location to serve effectively.

That’s where the idea for Ministry Park was born.

A few Christians ministering in Poe Mill put their heads, time, and energy together and came up with a plan. They used their own resources to build a pavillion in the yard between the two churches.

There’s ample space under the pavilion for worship, with the rest of the yard available for picnic tables and seating to serve meals. There’s already a playground on the property and enough green space for kids to play and people to gather.

A large shed was also built to store sound equipment, essential items, tables, chairs, Bibles, songbooks—everything needed to run a ministry. That means if you’re a ministry leader, all you have to do is show up and serve.

That’s the big idea behind Ministry Park, and that’s how it works.

For a long time, a ministry called "Tuesday Night Friends" met at the park to give out food and clothes, sing, and teach. 

Today, "Nothing But Jesus Street Ministries" meets there every Saturday at 4 p.m. They usually partner with a local church group to provide food. Volunteers set up a serving line, and folks from the neighborhood and homeless community come through, receiving a meal while singing hymns and hearing a short devotional message.

Scott Wienart, who helped set up the pavilion and shed, leads "Worship in the Park" every Sunday at 4 p.m., where he serves food and teaches the Scriptures.

Additionally, the park is open for all neighborhood ministries to use any time. Grace and Peace Presbyterian has hosted many ministry events there. Park Place Church of God once ended their Christmas parade at Ministry Park, where dozens of neighbors gathered to sing carols and drink hot cocoa. Our church, Griggs, has also used the park on several occasions.

One summer, we held each of our Wednesday night services at Ministry Park. We’ve also hosted our spring block parties there for years—including one this past quarter!

One of the key figures behind the scenes is Jack Smith. No one serves quite like Jack.

Jack keeps Ministry Park running smoothly. He organizes the shed and knows where everything is. He anticipates needs for each event or ministry and comes prepared. He’s on-site at every function, welcoming people and troubleshooting any problems that arise.

Whenever Griggs uses the park, Jack is our go-to guy. He arrives early, opens the shed, and sets up tables, chairs, the grill—whatever’s needed. And he’s almost always the last to leave, making sure everything is cleaned up and put away.

Jack has a deep passion for Ministry Park. His favorite thing about it? Seeing churches and ministries from different Christian traditions come together to preach the same gospel. Having been homeless himself at one point, he has a particular heart for the homeless ministry happening in the park. He is patient with those in need, ensures they have a good experience, and has even been known to open his home to them.

When we asked Jack about his vision for the park, he didn’t hesitate— ”baptisms.” He envisions more and more people coming to Jesus and getting baptized right there in the park (which has already happened using a hose and a large silver trough).

The dream is to expand Ministry Park’s reach, creating a community center on the lot behind River of Life Ministries. This space would meet a variety of needs—ESL classes, job training, and continuing the weekly ministries indoors during the winter months.

Ideally, formal ministry would happen at the park every day, from weeknight gospel singing to Saturday kids' events. Fundraising has already begun at River of Life Ministries to make this vision a reality. If you’d like to donate or get involved, we’d be happy to connect you with Jack or River of Life.

Ministry Park is more than a space—it’s a place where the gospel is lived out, where the church comes together, and where the love of Christ meets people’s greatest needs. 

Griggs Kids: First Sundays

On the first Sunday of every month, we intentionally welcome Griggs Kids ages six and older to sit in the service with their parents.

Our primary goals in this are twofold:

1. To raise biblically literate children who are integrated into the life of the church.

2. To support parents in raising their children to participate in corporate worship.

Why First Sundays Instead of Family Sundays?

In the past, Griggs attempted to meet these goals by hosting Family Sundays, which included all children (ages 0–10) in the service with us. We are thankful for that experience and it certainly was helpful in in its time. However, we have way more kids at Griggs now than when we started Family Sundays. So we believe First Sundays will better accomplish the goal for our current needs and also improve upon some of the challenges we faced during Family Sundays.

On Family Sundays, the number of babies and toddlers in the service often overwhelmed the room. As a result, the older children—those most ready to begin learning worship habits—struggled to hear the sermon and engage in worship.

Additionally, Family Sundays were only happening on months where there was a fifth week. This was too infrequent to serve as a healthy, gradual transition for kids moving from children’s ministry into corporate worship. Finally, the focus tended to shift toward simply “having kids in the room,” rather than truly integrating them into the life of worship.

Our aim is not to say that children’s worship is more important than that of others in the congregation, but rather to bring children into worship in a way that serves both them and the whole church body.

We believe First Sundays accomplish this balance. By integrating children more frequently, but in a more manageable way (only 6-10 year olds)—we give them meaningful opportunities to participate in worship while supporting parents as they train their children.

First Sundays are also ideal because the sermon is typically shorter, and believing children may take part in communion with their families.

Supporting Parents

We want to come alongside parents as they guide their children into the life of the church. To that end, we will:

• Provide kid-friendly bulletins (workbooks) that match the sermon, encouraging children to bring their Bibles, listen carefully, and take notes.

• Make a basket of resources available at the welcome table for parents to choose from, such as pens, highlighters, light-colored playdough, or gummy snacks. Parents can take only what they feel is helpful for their child, rather than each child receiving the same pre-made goodie bag.

• Offer materials to help parents explain aspects of worship to their children, from using hymnals, to listening to sermons, to understanding the sacraments.

We will also post articles in the newsletter with practical ideas—such as how to set expectations before Sunday morning or how to prepare a “church bag” with a Bible, pen, highlighter, and perhaps a quiet toy or some paper.

A Gentle Transition

Our hope is that First Sundays will give parents a smoother way to transition their children into corporate worship. Rather than going from none of your children in the service to all of your children in the service, you can focus on guiding your older children first, helping them learn what it looks like to worship as part of the body of Christ, then your younger kids when the time comes.

We know there will be a learning curve. Kids are kids—they will feel bored at times, get antsy, and even make some noise. That’s okay. We love them! Which is why we’re trying obey Christ’s command to teach and train them in the knowledge of God. We’re looking for progress, not perfection.

Griggs Church & Baptism

What is Baptism?

Baptism is when a believer is immersed in water before witnesses, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a public proclamation—to God and to God’s people—of faith in Jesus Christ: the crucified, buried, and risen Savior who has forgiven sins and given eternal life.

Going under the water powerfully demonstrates our death to sin and its power, while rising from the water signifies our resurrection to new life in Christ (Romans 6:3-4).

We believe baptism is more than just a symbol, though it certainly symbolizes gospel truth. It is a sacrament, instituted by Jesus in the Great Commission. It is a means through which God gives sanctifying grace—not through the water itself, but through the Holy Spirit working in our obedience to Christ’s command.

Baptism sanctifies the one being baptized by confirming God’s love in their heart and giving them a moment to look back on for strength in future trials. It also sanctifies the church as a whole by proclaiming the gospel and reminding us that it is still at work in the world.

Why Do We Baptize?

We baptize because:

• Jesus commanded His followers to do so in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20).

• It is an outward, public declaration of inward faith in Christ.

• It visibly proclaims the gospel to the watching church and world.

• It strengthens and encourages both the believer and the congregation.
  

We do not believe baptism saves anyone—salvation comes by grace alone, through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We also do not baptize infants, since baptism is for those who have personally professed faith in Christ.

We baptize once for each believer. If someone was baptized before truly trusting in Christ, we may baptize them again after genuine faith.

Eligibility for Baptism

We baptize those who can clearly articulate their faith in Jesus and demonstrate an understanding of what baptism is and why they desire it.

Our general practice:

• Candidates are known to the congregation and have attended for at least 6–8 weeks.

• Baptism is typically a prerequisite for church membership.

• Willingness to commit to our church community (or partner church) is expected.

We may ask someone to wait if:

• They are walking in unrepentant sin.

• They are wrestling with significant doubts about core doctrines.

• They are unable to explain the meaning and purpose of baptism.

This pause is never out of judgment, but out of love—to ensure baptism is a deeply joyful and meaningful milestone in a believer’s walk with Jesus.

Kendall’s Grill

On Blue Ridge Drive in the Monaghan neighborhood, there’s a restaurant just as passionate about people as it is about food. Their mission is simple: “Real people, real food.”

“We’re relationally driven as much as we are quality driven,” says Kendall Tolston, the owner of Kendall’s Grill.

Kendall began working at the restaurant back when it was Bikas Drive-In. At 13, he would walk there from his home in the Berea area on the West Side. Over time, he developed a love for the food industry. When Bikas was set to close, 18-year-old Kendall bought the place and made it his own.

Now 28, with culinary school and a decade of restaurant ownership under his belt, Kendall continues to serve his community. Kendall is open about his faith in Jesus and views his work as ministry. Christian music often plays overhead, and he has built meaningful relationships with a loyal base of regulars. He’s also hired friends in need of a fresh start during tough times.

According to kendallsgrill.com, “All active-duty police, military, EMS, and firemen receive a 50% discount on their meal.All teachers and school district employees receive a 15% discount, and every Tuesday night children from our community eat for free.”

It’s impressive, especially when you realize that none of the food is frozen— everything is fresh and expertly prepared before dawn. Walk into Kendall’s Grill and you’ll find a retro, 70’s-style joint with an orange roof and vintage signs adorning the walls. There are nods to Pepsi, Texaco, and even a tribute to the old Bikas Drive-In.

Guests can sit wherever they’d like—there are outdoor tables with orange umbrellas, a countertop bar, and plenty of booths. The food philosophy is: “Simple food, done right.” You can order a salad, a sandwich, or one of their 30 different milkshakes. Personally, I love their burgers. To Kendall’s, “Burgers are life.” If you order the John Wayne or Johnny Cash burger, you’ll leave satisfied.

Restaurant longevity is a challenge, with some statistics claiming most don’t make it past year three. When I asked Kendall about his success, he said the key is to “figure out what your neighborhood actually wants to eat and serve them accordingly.”

He recalled trying to get too fancy with breakfast options, which didn’t sell well. So he simplified the menu, and now has a steady stream of hungry neighbors walking in each morning.

His approach reminded me of something Jesus taught 2,000 years ago that applies to every part of life: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12).

We hope all of you, near and far, will make your way over to Kendall’s Grill. Kendall will shake your hand, ask your name, chat with you, and make you a burger—all at the same time.

Family Rooms

If you ever have a small child or baby with you in service that is getting fussy, but you still want to hear the sermon, we have two great spaces for you to use. We intentionally and carefully carved out these spaces for all of our great moms to use so that they could experience as much comfort as possible during service.

There is a room behind the sanctuary for mothers and babies. It’s immediately to your left as you come up the front steps. There is a couch, crib, chair, and changing table, toys, bottle warmers, and a live stream of our worship service.

Additonally, at the very bottom of the stairs, the first room is for moms or dads with any of their kids. Again, there are places to sit, everything a kid could need, and you can watch the service from there as well.

Even though our building is a little small (and our congregation is growing!) We want to strive to make our church to be as approachable as possible for all our young families.

Giving at Griggs

One of financial hopes at Griggs is to simply be a church where everyone is giving something.

You may be tempted to think that this is a vague, low bar. We would disagree, as it’s a bar virtually no church measures up to. One of the biggest issues many churches face financially is that only a small number of their regular attenders give regularly, and only a slightly larger group than that give anything at all.

A church where everyone gives something would be a spectacle.

Now, when when say, “everyone” we mean everyone who is capable. There are some people coming to us with nothing. We’re not talking about them. We’re also not talking about those whom the scriptures tell us to give to, like orphans, widows, and sojourners.

And, When when say “something” we do so intentionally. According the New Testament, giving is not about an exact percentage or an amount, it’s about following Jesus - seeing the need he leads you to see, meeting the needs he leads you to meet, and enjoying the journey.

Paul put it this way in his famous teaching on giving in 2 Corinthians 9:7 which states, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Paul essentially tells the Corinthian church members who are capable of giving that every one should give something.

Everyone or “Each one.” Each member.

Giving something. As in, whatever “they have decided in their heart.”

At Griggs, this leads many folks to give a regular gift to the church. Perhaps it’s always a specific portion of their income, as that’s what their conscience has directed. Or, for some of you, this may lead to a more sporadic giving, where you give larger gifts once in a while and then go long stretches of time where you’re not able to give.

For others, this may mean just giving whatever you can when you can, even if it seems “small” to the human eye. We have had more than a few faithful members dump a zip lock bag of spare change into the offering plate. That is by no means “small” to heavenly eyes.

The only thing following 2 Corinthians 9:7 would discourage is capable givers giving nothing.

We don’t believe it’s spiritually healthy for you to regularly attend and benefit from the church without giving something financially. And we don’t believe it’s what’s best for the body of Christ and our mission.

What would be healthy is if we got to a place where everyone in the church considered the needs of the church as part of their own needs. We would meet the needs of Jesus’ body just like we do our own body. It would be like the early church where they, “had all things in common.”

By God’s grace, we are meeting many needs in and outside of the church. And yet we are blown away by our potential to serve Jesus and Poe Mill in even greater ways in the future if our entire church is giving something that God laid on their hearts. Especially since, when we give financially, we tend to give more energy, effort, and enthusiasm along with it. After all, our savior revealed to us that where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also…

Serving Teams at Griggs

If you’re interested in serving at Griggs, here’s a simple list of common places people jump in:

• Welcome team: Handing out coffee and doughnuts on the porch before church.

• Audio/Visual: Using the sound board and camera equipment to ensure everyone can hear and see the service on Sunday morning.

• Griggs Kids: Ministering to preschool through fifth-grade kids during a worship service through crafts, teaching, and games.

• Nursery: Ministering to infants and toddlers during the service by providing them a safe, clean place to play and rest.

• Worship team: Leading the congregation in musical worship.

• Ushering: Passing the offering plate and the Lord’s Supper to the congregation.

• Griggs Groups Leadership: Leading a small group of men or women each week through a biblical discussion and time of prayer.

• Hosting for services: Welcoming in prayer, announcements, Scripture reading, and closing in prayer from the stage during a worship service.

• Hospitality: Meal trains for members who are sick or just had a baby. Hosting special parties for members passing exciting milestones.

• Mentorship: Meeting with men in a local rehab (Miracle Hill) to simply encourage and help them through a new chapter in their life.

We know all these will need further explanation and of course there are countless ways to serve that aren’t listed. But once you get an idea of where you’re interested in starting out, reach out for a conversation with a church leader in person or by emailing info@griggschurch.com.

Our Core Values

At Griggs Church our mission is to make disciples that transform our neighborhood through the gospel of Jesus. Our core values answer the question, “How do we know we’ve made a disciple?” We’ve made a disciple when they value the following…

JESUS

We focus on all Jesus did and teach everyone to follow him (and nothing or no one else). We want Jesus to be front and center, high and lifted up, and the king of all our hearts all the time. We aim to look like, talk like, act like, walk like, and be like Jesus.

GOSPEL

We focus on filling our minds and hearts with gospel doctrine. We aim to believe, live by, and teach every aspect of Jesus’ good news—justification, imputed righteousness, redemption, ransom, sanctification, and our coming glorification, just to name a few.

NEIGHBORHOOd*

We focus on being equipped and sent to serve those who are poor, vulnerable, sick, sinful, and captive, especially in West Greenville.

*Note on neighborhood: At Griggs we talk a lot about our neighborhood mission. What we mean by that is that all our collective evangelism and benevolence efforts are dedicated toward our neighborhood (Poe Mill). One common misunderstanding when it comes to a neighborhood mission is that it’s somehow a negative thing when people who live outside the neighborhood join our church. Not true.

A neighborhood mission is not about who comes in; it’s about where we pour out. At Griggs Church, everyone is encouraged and welcome to join us no matter where they live. But when we pour out together, we feel led to pour specifically into one place: Poe Mill.

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