By JESSICA BAIR, The Suncoast News

Published: October 5, 2007

HUDSON - It's designed as an online beacon of hope, where anyone can seek fellowship, answers and support, give a testimony, post prayer requests and 'prepare for God's coming revival upon His church.'

Mel Pettit and one of his partners, Glenn Perry of Ocala, created The Jesus Nexus: Beacon of Hope Ministries, and they run it with a handful of other folks spread across America.

'When I worked in the church, I had limited people I could reach out to,' said Pettit, who was a youth pastor in Connecticut for several years. 'The Internet gives me an unlimited reach.'

Pettit, 47, said he maintains the youth-oriented Web site from dawn to dusk daily, chatting with teens about bad breakups, family abandonment issues and other concerns.

His wife, Patty, writes a daily women's devotional, and daughter Destiney pens missives to her friends.

A youth counselor helps direct Web visitors who have in-depth questions to professional resources. Pettit said he tries to respond to every message.

The ministry also has pages on MySpace and a number of Christian networking sites such as shoutlife.com, bornagainster.com and mypraize.com.

'It's a place to get support and have a lending ear,' Pettit said. 'Sometimes it's easier online because it's not face-to-face.'

Lately, The Jesus Nexus has been logging an overwhelming number of messages about suicide, Pettit said. So now the ministry has a suicide outreach program, which hosted a give-them-hope concert recently.

'I want to let kids know there is a reason to live,' Pettit said.

An active member of First Christian Church of Bayonet Point, Pettit has free youth concerts planned there through November. The Jesus Nexus had its first youth rally on Sept. 22 and attracted 'not a huge turnout but the right one,' a Web account of the event says.

'This is what we were called to do,' Pettit says, 'and it feels awesome when we can help.'

GETTING CONNECTED

A few sites to visit Beacon of Hope Ministries are:

? www.myjesusnexus.com

? www.myspace.com/jesusnexus

? www.shoutlife.com/jesusnexus

? www.hisholyspace.com/jesusnexus

? www.yourchristianspace.com/jesusnexus

For information, e-mail jesusnexus@hotmail.com or call Mel Pettit at (727) 504-0123