While serving as a deacon at Christ Episcopal Church, Larry Jesion envisioned an outreach center to those living in the surrounding Harrisburg community.
More than a decade and one hurricane later, The Byllesby Center next to the church on the corner of Greene and Eve streets is well on its way to fulfilling that dream.
“About four years ago, the congregation died out here, and I had moved on and become an Episcopal priest,” said Jesion, who along with his wife, Pam, have been building up the center since it opened Feb. 1, after having been approached by someone who remembered a conversation about that dream and asked if Jesion be interested in running the center if funding was found.
Several community organizations have begun meeting in the center such as an addiction recovery group, a Cub Scout den of 22 children and a counseling group for abused women. These new programs augmented the Saturday meal and food pantry that had been staples in the neighborhood for three decades. The center is also a senior food box distribution site.
Jesion said they were preparing to start a morning meal and Bible study – one for men on Tuesday and one for women on Thursday.
Then, Helene hit. Putting those plans aside, the couple along with some volunteers focused on the community’s immediate needs. They made their weekly trek to the center to get ready for the Saturday meal.
“I live in Columbia County and the whole way down, no one had power. We got here and the lights were flashing. The sconce lights on the church were lit, and I thought ‘no way,’” he said.
They put together the regularly scheduled meal for the week, feeding about 100 people on Sept. 28. It wasn’t long before other churches without power began calling and offering the contents of their freezers and refrigerators.
They packed as much as they could into the center and expanded their outreach.
Since then, it’s been a six-day-a-week operation alternating between breakfast and lunch. They’ve served more than 1,000 plates, he said, as well as provided “water, blessing bags, toiletries, anything people might need. We’re just connecting with them right now. We didn’t intend to become a six-day-a-week ministry. For the time being, that’s what we’re doing.”
Christ Episcopal Church has a rich history in the community. Constructed in 1850, the white building was the original Church of the Good Shepherd. In 1882, it was rolled down Battle Row on logs to the lot donated by Saint Paul’s Church.
The Byllesby Center is named for Ruth Byllesby, who served as a deaconess about 100 years ago.
“She loved the kids in this community. She made sure they were taken care of. She made sure they all had shoes, and she had 250 in Bible school,” he said.
While there are no immediate plans to offer church services, Jesion said the community did ask for a prayer service not long after the hurricane.
“Our purpose is not to build a church, but if it happens incidentally, that would be great,” he said.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
