When Earl Delmarter arrived in Athens in 1998, he was looking at what he termed his "last chance."
"I was a full-blown junkie living in Tampa and I came to Athens for a Christian recovery program," said Delmarter. "I had been an alcoholic since the age of 12 and my alcohol and drug addictions had cost me just about everything, including my family. I came to Athens in search of hope and expecting a miracle. On Palm Sunday, I started pleading for my life, and Jesus gave me a vision."
Fortunately, the six months Delmarter spent in recovery and rehab turned his last chance into a new birth, and the 40-year-old Michigan native has spent every day since working to help the downtrodden of Athens feel that they can be part of the community fabric.
Along with his wife, Annaliese, Delmarter founded the Sparrow's Nest, an inner city mission church that offers spiritual services ranging from drug and alcohol counseling to helping the homeless to feeding the hungry to encouraging at-risk students to stay in school and earn their diplomas.
For the first seven years of the Sparrow's Nest's existence, the church never had a permanent home, although Delmarter was quick to praise the many Athens area churches that have provided space and support for his church's many ministries. The search for a stable "nest" has just about come to an end, however.
"We've been looking for a home for the last two years and we've finally found one," he said.
Delmarter said he expects the Sparrow's Nest to take occupancy in the brick building at 745 Prince Ave. by the middle of the month. The two-story, 10,300-square-foot facility (located right behind Dunkin' Donuts) has previously served as the home of Central Presbyterian Church, Piedmont College and Advantage Behavioral Health Center.
"It seems the building already has the spirit of an educational component," said Delmarter. "Advantage is all about addiction recovery, and keeping that component here is exciting."
Even without a permanent home, the Sparrow's Nest has made an impact on many lives in the Athens area.
"I've been involved with the Sparrow's Nest for a year-and-a-half, and if it weren't for Pastor Earl and the church, I wouldn't be here today," said Hull resident Casey Minish, who came to the church seeking help with his alcohol addiction. "Pastor Earl took me under his wing and we've met at least once a week for counseling. We still talk on a daily basis."
"He's done so much for my family," said Debra Brightwell of Athens, the mother of eight children, with two in college and two at Clarke Central High School. "He's been a father figure for my kids and for many other kids in the church. He's always got time to listen to the kids. He's a great resource for the community."
One of the most ardent supporters of the Sparrow's Nest is former University of Georgia football star Ben Watson, who now plays tight end for the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
"I first met Pastor Earl through Janie Jones of the Northeast Georgia Fellowship of Christian Athletes," said Watson. "She would talk to us about the young people of Athens needing mentors and positive influences. I decided to go to the Sparrow's Nest with my girlfriend Kirsten - who is now my wife - and we went every week for two years.
"We were involved in the Soul Shakers ministry and we definitely saw a lot of benefits. We saw so many children growing up in the shadow of the University of Georgia who thought they had no chance to go to college or even finish high school. But we wanted them to see that no matter what their background was, they could make it happen. We offered a lot of encouragement."
"Ben Watson is an incredible role model," said Delmarter. "He started coming with his girlfriend and became very interested in what we were doing. With a group of kids, Ben was able to do in 10 minutes what it would take me three hours to do. And one of the first things he did after getting drafted in the NFL was buy us a 26-passenger bus, so we could retire the rickety old van we had. He's an awesome role model and a great man of God."
Watson, whose life was clearly changed by his involvement with the Sparrow's Nest, said he would like to encourage Georgia athletes to make a difference in the lives of young Athens residents by working with the Sparrow's Nest or similar liturgical organizations.
"I hope any athlete with some spare time would consider this," he said. "The Sparrow's Nest needs college athletes to help them out, to challenge the kids and to show them what they can accomplish. They'll be able to impact these kids in ways they've never dreamed."
Delmarter and his supporters have been toiling around the clock to have the new Sparrow's Nest operational by Feb. 1, and there are plenty of plans to put the building to good use in the near future.
"Our goal is to transition the city of Athens," Delmarter said. "We want to help people who are hurting and we want to help people transition from their present circumstances to a place of hope. We want to continue to build relationships in the community and to be a nurturing part of this community."
"The Sparrow's Nest fills a huge need more than any other ministry I know of," said Amy Rejmer, a Sparrow's Nest board member and contemporary worship leader at Central Presbyterian Church. "With the purchase of the building, there are so many things that have been on the back burner that will come to the forefront. It will make an even greater impact on the community. ... It's an honor and a humbling experience to work with Earl and Annaliese - they have such heart, compassion and commitment to help people who are in difficult spots."
For more information about the Sparrow's Nest and its many community-based ministries, call Earl Delmarter at (706) 255-7204.