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 June 2025, WYFF reported that state environmental officials had selected a cleanup remedy for the contaminated Bramlett Road site near Newtown and Mountain View Baptist Church. The decision followed sustained advocacy by our church, neighborhood residents and the South Carolina Environmental Law Project and included removal of the illegal landfill and contaminated sediment, along with monitoring and restoration measures. This was an important step toward environmen

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 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 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 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