Join us for our annual symposium—an inspiring day that brings community members together to build meaningful connections and take collective action for justice. This year’s theme, Voices of Courage, celebrates those who speak and act boldly in the face of adversity. Doors open at 9:30 AM.

Join Russell Stall, Interim Executive Director of the Greenville County Historical Society, for a lunch and learn about current and past contributions of immigrants.

Join Greenville's Immigration and Faith Coalition for a enlightening workshop that explores our role in supporting our refugee and immigrant neighbors. Together with community experts, we'll dispel common myths about immigration, take part in a deeply moving refugee simulation and identify ways to build a more just and welcoming community.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Andrew Predmore, Executive Director of the Shi Institute and other environmental advocates.

Gather round the lunch table for a special Fourth Friday Conversation focused on deep listening and connection across multiple generations.

Kathryn McElveen and Taylor Culliver with the Center for Courage and Renewal will help us lead us cultivate the stamina and courage to keep showing up for peace and justice during turbulent times.  

This interactive workshop will help congregations and individuals connect and determine their role in supporting our refugee and immigrant neighbors.This year's event will help us dispel myths about immigration, experience an immigration process simulation and discern ways to engage in creating a more just community for refugees and immigrants.

Featured panelists include:

Brandon Baughn, World Relief Upstate SC

Matt Miller, Immigrant Connection

Patrick Gue, First Haitian Wesleyan Evangelical Church

Event Program

5:30 - Doors Open

6:00 - Blessing & Welcome

6:15 - Immigration Myths with World Relief

6:45 - Immigration Simulation with Matt Miller, Immigrant Connection

7:15 - Q & A with Pastor Gue and Matt Rollins 

7:45 - Taking Action Table Conversations

8:00 - Closing Words

Join us for a conversation about creating change with financial professionals, JustFaith Grads and local change makers.

This Fourth Friday Conversations was rescheduled after Hurricane Helene. We will dive further into a topic discussed during our first Faith & Justice Forum: Economic Liberation for All. For Village Engage, economic liberation involves reducing barriers that hinder access to resources, opportunities, and economic decision-making. '

Join us in person or via Zoom for a discussion about the history of racial displacement in Greenville and opportunities to address this issue.  

Senior Associate Julia Coffin and Research Associate Coco Xu from More in Common will share key findings from their new report, Promising Revelations: Undoing the False Impressions of America's Faithful. We will also hear about the critical role that faith leaders can play in healing divides in 2025 and beyond. 

More in Common is a nonpartisan nonprofit research and civic organization working to understand the forces driving us apart, find common ground, and bring people together to address our shared challenges. They conduct unique opinion research, grounded in social psychology, to better understand the complexities and nuances of Americans’ perspectives. They seek to understand not just what Americans think and why. For more information visit www.moreincommon.com.

Join the movement to end homelessness by participating in November’s Fourth Friday Conversation. Susan McClarty, Director of Greenville Homelessness Alliance and Brandon Cook, Senior Medical Respite Manager for National Health Care for the Homeless Council will lead an interactive conversation about effectively advocating for safe, affordable housing for all.

In a time of increasing polarization and division, Village Engage's 2024 symposium brings together community members of all ages and backgrounds for building connections across differences. Our theme this year is finding common ground through the arts. High school students from Legacy Early College and Greenville Tech Charter will perform original music they composed with nationally acclaimed musician Kyshona Armstrong. All attendees will engage in a poetry writing workshop with poets Moody Black and Melissa Whiteford St. Clair. 

During lunch, participants will also connect with other attendees through a My Neighbor’s Voice listening activity. The event will be held at The Peace Center's Gunter Theatre, and attire is business casual.

Our Fourth Friday Conversations are a continuation of last year's Faith & Justice Forum: Economic Liberation for All. For Village Engage, economic liberation involves reducing barriers that hinder access to resources, opportunities, and economic decision-making. '

This Fourth Friday Conversation is about the history of racial displacement in Greenville and opportunities to address this issue.  

We hope you’ll join us for this special dinner and conversation about nurturing your congregation's justice ministry. The dinner will be at First Baptist Greenville on September 12th from 6 - 8 pm in the fellowship hall.  The event is free, but we ask that you register so we know how many to prepare dinner for. 

This event provides tools and inspiration to build on your justice ministry's foundation. Additional details are coming soon.

Join Jeanette Brewster, previous Village Launch Program Director, and Lashonn Edmunds, owner and creator of CAIRS shoes, for an engaging conversation about how you can celebrate and support local black business owners.

Join us for a conversation with Co-Op organizer Stephen Shelato and Table 301 President, Carl Sobocinski, about how Employee Ownership models help to create more equitable and resilient local economies. This highly interactive conversation includes a facilitated breakout session.  

Learn about the important role of our local boards and commissions and about how you can find upcoming opportunities to serve. This conversation will be appropriate for community members of all ages. Panelists Include: Bryant Davis, Chief Diversity Officer for the City of Greenville Kelly Byers, Councilman City of Travelers Rest, and Minelle Sarfu-Adu, 20-year-old Greenville area college student who served on the South Burlington, Vermont Affordable Housing Commission as a teen.