Greenville faith groups join together in fight for justice and equity

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - More than 200 people gathered inside Westminster Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary. But, it wasn’t for church service, it was a large community meeting.

Nearly 20 different church congregations gathered to form the organization GOAL—which stands for Greenville Organized for Accountable Leadership. It’s the first organization of its kind in the county.

For the past two months several faith groups and churches have met to identify the top problems in Greenville county, then they made a list of 4 focus areas.

“We come together to work together to come up with solutions that are more just and fair for everybody in our community” said Rev. Jennifer Fouse Sheorn, the pastor and director of Triune Mercy Center.

GOAL is made of different faith groups from various backgrounds and religions.

“Even if we have different doctrines or different approaches to our faith. We all come together to do justice in our community” said Rev. Fouse Sheorn.

The effort began months ago, through small gatherings, neighbors shared their stories. Which led 700 people to vote and identify the top four concerns in the county; Education, housing, mental health and criminal justice. They even heard personal testimony Monday night.

“Education and poverty are so intertwined that it’s impossible to separate the two” said Annie Leonard, of Westminster Presbyterian.

“I have a full-time job and 3 part-time jobs. I am tired. but that’s what I have to do to live in ‘’yeah, that Greenville’' said Faraja Smith of Valley Brooke Outreach Baptist, while speaking on housing.

Monday night’s goal was to break up into discussion groups, vote and narrow those four focus areas down to two. They chose mental health, then housing.

“Then we’ll have groups that research and come up and dwindle those two down to something that is doable” said Rev. Fouse Sheorn about the next steps.

They plan to push for policy change and hold those in power accountable to make that change.

For more information on GOAL. visit their website here.

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