Foothills Presbytery MISSION Newsletter

MISSION & OUTREACH

During 2025, the Mission and Outreach Nurture team of the Foothills Presbytery Committee on Shared Ministry will highlight partner ministries and mission opportunities every month. Each month's newsletter will include ways to engage in the featured ministry

on the calendar below.

NOVEMBER

Homelessness

In nearly every community across the Foothills Presbytery, families and individuals face the painful reality of not having a safe and stable place to call home. Homelessness often looks very different than we imagine — it isn’t always a person on a street corner or someone holding a cardboard sign. More often, it’s a family sleeping in their car, a single mother and her children staying on a friend’s couch, or an older adult quietly struggling to make rent after a medical crisis or job loss.

Homelessness is not just a housing issue — it’s a human issue. It affects families, children, and neighbors whose lives have been disrupted by circumstances often beyond their control: job loss, illness, family breakdown, or the rising cost of living. The gap between income and affordable housing continues to widen across the Upstate, leaving many households only one unexpected expense away from crisis.

According to the 2024 South Carolina State of Homelessness Report, homelessness and housing insecurity continue to rise across the state. “In Fiscal Year 2023, the number of persons counted on a single night in January increased 11% over the previous year,” the report states. “In 2022, 3,608 individuals reported a homeless experience, compared to 4,053 in 2023.”

Children are especially impacted. The number of South Carolina students living without stable housing climbed from 11,970 in FY2022 to 13,770 in FY2023 — a 13% increase. Meanwhile, the costs of housing, utilities, and fuel have risen sharply, and the price of basic necessities such as food and beverages has increased more than 20% since 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Despite these rising costs, wages have remained largely stagnant. For low-income families, the result is clear: higher eviction rates, a shortage of affordable housing, and more children growing up without a permanent place to call home. Looking at these statistics, it becomes evident — we don’t just have a homelessness problem; we have a housing problem right here in the Upstate.

“Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you.”

— Leviticus 25:35

This passage from God’s Word doesn’t simply call us to help others — it calls us to help in a way that empowers them to live among us. That’s a profound challenge. It’s not just about offering food or clothing; it’s about creating space, dignity, and opportunity so that all people can truly belong in our shared community.

Supporting those experiencing homelessness and poverty requires more than charity — it takes collaboration, compassion, and commitment.

Foothills Presbytery is blessed with two validated ministers who serve those experiencing homelessness.

Rev. Jennifer Fouse Sheorn serves as pastor at Triune Mercy Center in Greenville, a non-denominational church that ministers alongside those in need. Triune shares Christ’s love by providing life-changing opportunities, meeting the needs of the disadvantaged, and practicing biblical justice in community. Their vision is to restore people by reflecting Christ’s love through relationships and by leveraging resources to empower and heal the community.

Rev. Dr. Nath Briley serves as Executive Director of Family Promise of Pickens County. Partnering with area congregations, Family Promise provides temporary shelter, meals, and case management for families with children who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing.

Since COVID, new and creative approaches have emerged to house families more effectively. For years, Easley Presbyterian Church has maintained a transitional house for Family Promise families. Now, a new partnership among Easley Presbyterian, Pickens County Habitat for Humanity, and Family Promise of Pickens County is expanding that vision. Together, they are building a duplex behind Easley Presbyterian’s existing home, known as Our Neighbor’s House.

When construction is complete, the three units will form Our Neighbors’ Village — a small but powerful community where up to three families at a time can find stability, safety, and support. It’s a beautiful expression of what happens when churches, nonprofits, and neighbors work together to love God and serve people.

Many congregations within Foothills Presbytery participate in homeless ministries that follow a rotation model — opening their doors and their hearts to offer not only a place to sleep, but also a sense of community, hope, and dignity.

This model reminds us of the power of the Body of Christ at work. When congregations come together, homelessness becomes not merely a social issue but a shared calling of compassion. As Jesus said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35) In every meal shared, every night of safe rest offered, and every act of listening and encouragement, the love of Christ becomes visible and real.

There are many ways for churches and individuals to join this work:

Ask local ministries how your congregation can support working families in crisis.
Volunteer as a meal provider or overnight host.
Donate supplies or financial support.
Advocate for affordable housing, living wages, and community systems that make stability possible for all God’s children.

Homelessness is not an unsolvable problem. It is a challenge that invites us to live out our faith with courage and compassion. Together, as the people of God, we can help families move from crisis to stability, from despair to hope — and remind them, and ourselves, that no one is ever truly alone.

The Committee on Shared Ministry would like to hear how your congregation is involved with homeless ministries.

Please share your stories here.