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Greenville Must Move Forward

By Emily Sanford
M.Div. 2007

June 20, 2005

Hearing the warning, “the water in Greenville is brown—it’s safe, it’s just not clear,” I can tell that something’s not quite right here. As I walk downtown, I am overcome by the contrast between the abandoned storefronts and the glimmer of the riverboat casinos along the levee. “It’s not safe to go outside after dark here,” a congregant informs me. She adds, “Greenville’s not what it used to be, ya know.”

Prayer Group at Mission Mississippi.
People recall a time when Greenville was one of the largest cities in the state, growing in population and prospering economically. However, most people do not remember that the so-called good ole days were also stained with racial oppression. Returning to what Greenville used to be would involve backsliding from the gains made in race relations since the Civil Rights movement. Returning to what Greenville used to be is not a viable option, but we are faced with the challenge of promoting a vision for the city that just may trouble the muddy waters. Greenville, Miss. is known as the Queen City of the Mississippi Delta—the heart and soul of the Delta. Yet the city is facing severe economic decline, suffering from de facto segregation, and it also is in the midst of what the mayor describes as a self-image breakdown. Where is God here? Where is the hope in the midst of the pain?

Last Monday, my brother Eric and I had the privilege of attending the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast along with our supervisors and other local pastors. Over grits and scrambled eggs, we discussed the moral decline of the city as well as ways that the church could connect with the needs of the community. Her vision for Greenville was insightful and encouraging. She employed the metaphor of Greenville as a battered woman who, after years of suffering, possesses such a negative self-image that she is unable to envision positive change and returns time after time to the source of her oppression. The mayor challenged the ministers to counter the negative self-talk about Greenville with a spirit of respect for the community. Her vision of hope involves the people of Greenville coming together despite their differences.

Over the past three weeks, I’ve been encouraged by the spirit of cooperation within the faith community in Greenville. Each Tuesday morning, clergy and lay leaders from Greenville gather for a time of prayer, reflection, and fellowship for Mission Mississippi. The focus of the gatherings is to promote racial reconciliation and pray for unity within the body of Christ. In addition to these ecumenical gatherings, clergy and laity from all the United Methodist churches in the area gather once a month for cluster meetings to plan cooperative activities. On Thursday mornings, the pastors from the churches gather for a time of fellowship and prayer. It is incredibly powerful to see the Holy Spirit at work within the community of faith.

Though I have been profoundly encouraged by these efforts of cooperation, my greatest sense of hope for Greenville has been in my interactions with our two supervising pastors and their families. Their candidness and commitment to joint formation is matched with a sense of humility and a willingness to try new things in order to fulfill the Great Commission and make disciples of all nations. Despite opposition from some vocal members of their congregations, they are laying the groundwork for a multiracial new church development in Greenville. Both their wives and children have welcomed my brother and myself into their families and exhibited Christ-like love. Together, we have had some amazing conversations about church and race and the body of Christ. Through their lives, they are demonstrating the meaning of holistic hospitality and inclusiveness in the family of faith.

I’m thankful to be a part of what God is blessing here in Greenville, and I pray the vision for racial reconciliation will continue to grow within the community. I will continue to find comfort in Moses’ words to Israel in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear . . . for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (ESV). I know that God has not abandoned Greenville.

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