Summary In February 2026, the City of Greenville shared a video celebrating Mountain View Baptist Church’s history of faith and service since 1908. The feature looked back on our roots in Newtown, the generations of pastors and members who sustained the congregation, and the endurance that has carried our church through more than a century of change. We are thankful to see this story shared with the wider Greenville community. Remembering where we came from strengthens our co

Summary In February 2026, WSPA covered the rollout of the Newtown master plan by community and city leaders. The report focused on a long-term vision for housing, infrastructure, economic opportunity and preservation in a historically Black Greenville neighborhood that has experienced generations of disinvestment. We are encouraged that the plan is continuing to move from community conversations toward public action. Mountain View and our partners have spent years caring for

Summary In November 2025, The Post and Courier covered the public presentation of the Newtown master plan near Unity Park. The article described a mixed-use vision that brings together housing, commercial activity, cultural spaces and green infrastructure while recognizing the neighborhood’s history and the need for affordability. We see this plan as a framework for renewal rooted in community ownership and shared opportunity. Turning the vision into reality will require rezo

Summary In November 2025, Greenville Journal reported on the Newtown community master plan presented by Mountain View Baptist Church to Greenville City Council. The plan covers 91 acres and grew from years of listening through front-porch conversations, workshops and a community design charrette led with Parish House Community Development Corporation and Johnston Design Group. We are grateful to see this community-led vision receive public attention. With plans for mixed-inco

Summary In July 2025, FOX Carolina highlighted a community rally and forum hosted by Mountain View Baptist Church. The Sunday gathering invited neighbors to come together, hear from one another and discuss issues affecting our community in a setting shaped by faith, fellowship and civic engagement. We believe the church can help create space for honest conversation and meaningful connection. Events like this give us an opportunity to listen, strengthen relationships and work

Summary In June 2024, WYFF reported on a public meeting held at Mountain View Baptist Church about cleanup options for the contaminated Bramlett Road site. Community members heard about decades of coal-tar pollution and an illegal landfill, as well as the state’s preferred cleanup alternative and concerns that groundwater contamination was not fully addressed. Hosting this conversation was part of our responsibility to help neighbors receive clear information and make their v

Summary In June 2024, WYFF announced a public meeting at Mountain View Baptist Church where South Carolina environmental officials would present a proposed cleanup plan for the Bramlett Road area. The report explained the history of coal-gas pollution and illegal dumping near Newtown and noted concerns that contamination in the soil, sediment and groundwater required a more complete response. We welcomed our neighbors into the church for this meeting because environmental hea

Summary In February 2024, FOX Carolina explored how Black churches in Greenville are adapting to meet changing community needs while continuing their historic role as places of faith, safety, learning and civic life. The report featured several local pastors and highlighted Mountain View Baptist Church’s work to assemble land for affordable housing. We believe serving the present age requires the church to respond in practical as well as spiritual ways. Our housing vision is

Summary In January 2024, FOX Carolina reported on a Black Voter Forum organized by Pastors United for Action and on Mountain View Baptist Church’s affordable-housing vision for Newtown. The story connected voter engagement with issues affecting local families, including employment, health care, criminal justice, housing and the long-term effects of displacement. For us, informed civic participation and stable housing are both part of building a stronger community. Through Par

Summary In February 2023, The Post and Courier recognized the Rev. Stacey Mills as one of the Black leaders making a difference across the Upstate. The profile highlighted his long service at Mountain View Baptist Church and the way his ministry connects faith with education, civic partnership and neighborhood development. Our church family is proud to see Pastor Mills’ leadership honored in this way. His work to preserve land, expand housing opportunity and protect Newtown’s

Summary In fall 2022, FOX Carolina shared the story of Mountain View Baptist Church taking worship beyond our walls with an outdoor service at Unity Park. The report looked back on our church’s more than century-long presence in West Greenville and highlighted the generations of members who have helped make Mountain View a place of faith, education, service and community partnership. For our church family, this coverage reflects something we continue to believe deeply: minist

Summary In May 2022, Greenville Journal reported on the launch of a community-driven planning process for Newtown led by Mountain View Baptist Church and Parish House Community Development Corporation. The article outlined challenges including disinvestment, flooding, contamination, limited food access and the pressure of nearby growth, while also sharing the priorities voiced during a neighborhood design charrette. For us, the planning process began with listening. Affordabl

Summary In May 2022, theGrio Politics shared a video about Mountain View Baptist Church’s effort to “buy back the block” in Newtown. The feature explained how our congregation’s long-term land-acquisition strategy creates an opportunity to pursue housing, economic development and cultural preservation in a neighborhood shaped by historic disinvestment and growing development pressure. We believe community ownership is one of the strongest tools available for protecting both p

Summary In April 2022, The Post and Courier published an in-depth look at Mountain View Baptist Church’s vision for a cultural village in Newtown. The story traced our congregation’s decision to begin acquiring vacant neighborhood properties in the late 1990s and explained how that long-term stewardship created an opportunity to shape future development. We want to welcome investment while protecting affordability, history and Black cultural identity. This vision is about mor

Summary In February 2022, Greenville Journal profiled the Rev. Stacey D. Mills and his work as a pastor, educator, bridge-builder and community leader. The article reflected on his service at Mountain View since 1997, our congregation’s decision to acquire and preserve land in Newtown, and a leadership approach centered on building people and bringing partners together. We are grateful for the recognition of Pastor Mills and, just as importantly, for the attention it brings t

Summary In October 2019, The Greenville News told the story of Mountain View Baptist Church’s mission to help rebuild Newtown—the community that once built and sustained our church. The article described a neighborhood changed by decades of disinvestment and highlighted our vision for new homes, business space and amenities on land surrounding the church. This work is personal to us because Newtown’s story and Mountain View’s story cannot be separated. Our goal has never been