Janisse Ray is known for her thoughtful books that seamlessly weave narrative with an appreciation for our fragile natural environment and over the years she’s been a fearless advocate for fostering community involvement in her beloved South Georgia.
One of her causes has been the restoration of Cedar Grove Methodist Church, which she now owns with her husband, Raven Waters. It has been a labor of love for Janisse, who has devoted many hours raising money and locating carpenters and artisans to complete the project. I’ve proudly served on the board with her, though Janisse has made it all happen.
When Hurricane Helene roared through Tattnall County this past September, the work was nearly complete. Javier Ramos had just put the finishing touches on exterior repairs when the storm came.
Janisse shared the following on her Substack account: “Surveying the damage after a hurricane is like waking up after surgery. You’re bleary-eyed and half crazed, but you’ve got to see what’s forever gone…I found that the damage was relatively minor. A few trees down, a few holes in roof…Thanks to a lot of generous people, the church got a roof for 12K. Then it got handmade windows, built by an 80-year-old carpenter. Then a new pulpit. Then all the repairs inside were finished. Every one of those jobs has a story. The roof story was told in “A Roof for Cedar Grove” a segment of Saving Grace, which aired on Georgia Public Broadcasting…”
Undaunted, Janisse acted quickly to raise more funds to remove fallen trees and put the finishing touches on Cedar Grove. On 14 December 2024, she hosted a lunch at Red Earth Farm and then treated patrons to a concert inside the church, featuring Walter Parks, who once toured the world with Woodstock opening act and musician extraordinaire Richie Havens. Walter’s band Swamp Cabbage accompanied him.
Janisse first learned of Walter’s work in a New York Times article detailing his use of historic hollers from the Okefenokee Swamp in his music. This wasn’t lost on Janisse, who has long championed the swamp and its folklife. And it somehow seemed appropriate for celebrating an historic country church. I’m constantly inspired by Janisse Ray and am grateful for the community she’s created in her corner of Tattnall County.
Brian, this is an inspiring and uplifting story! Perfect for the times we are going through now!
Brian, thank you always for your determination to preserve history and culture in the Wiregrass. Engaging with you in this work is one of my great joys. Thank you for supporting the Cedar Grove project in all the ways that you do. This post is thrilling–to see the color & community & creativity that we brought to life that afternoon is a fine feeling. Much love and may we all accomplish great things while, as John Lewis used to say, “we occupy our space on earth.”
We need more citizens like Janisse and Brian who do much to preserve a culture that is precious to so many. If you grew up in South Georgia, the culture is deeply imbedded in you. Without these kinds of people, we are all deprived of a rich and beautiful heritage. Their attention to history, environment, and tradition is important to a society greatly in need of roots and attachment to the world from which we came. Let us embrace the Wiregrass Culture of Georgia and make it even better. Change is inevitable, so let us cling to the good and let the other pass into the pages of lessons learned. Jesse M. Bookhardt
Brian,
Nice job on the Cedar Grove coverage. She would be gone by now if not for Janisse.
Hope you are doing well. We need a catch up on of these days.
Best,
Sonny Seals
I happened to see Walter Parks and Swamp Cabbage perform in Savannah the night before the Dec. 14 event/fundraiser and he told me about the fundraiser. Janisse is a one of kind human!
Enjoying your somewhat “new direction” photos and comments.