Call Committee Update: “He has risen indeed!”
Wow, do I have a great announcement on the heels of the Easter season; we have our associate pastor call committee! Amazingly, when the chair accepted, we received another six enthusiastic “yeses” in succession. There is no denying God’s work in this (God math…again?!), and our Council team is humbled by the group of individuals the Holy Spirit formed to call the associate pastor that God has already chosen for Epiphany. Yes, this is our sincere belief, and I invite all of you to pray for this special team as they receive their training and begin this vital work. We will make the finalized Ministry Site Profile (MSP) and pastor job descriptions available upon request once they are finalized for posting.
Epiphany Associate Pastor Call Committee
- Michele Uhl – Chair
- Diana Pearson
- Lee Dixon
- Sandy Houpt
- Becky Zink
- Jim Lehman
- Cooper Henderson
Note: The installation of our call committee will take place during the Austin livestream worship service on April 30.
Budget-Focused Community Conversation May 7
Epiphany’s leadership has been listening, and we’ve heard you; let’s create an opportunity before the annual congregational meeting to discuss next year’s budget. This event, held after service on May 7, aims to share the draft budget, highlight significant changes from last year, and do our best to answer your questions. We understand there are concerns about what Epiphany can and cannot afford and a desire to see where ministry dollars are being allocated. Wireless mics will be available to ensure everyone can hear questions during Q & A.
Date: Sunday, May 7, 2023
Time: Noon
Location: Far Hills Sanctuary
Strategic Planning
At our March 19 community conversation, we shared that there were 142 respondents to our congregation-wide survey. We now have themes for each question. We are working with staff to identify two to three “quick wins” that align with this feedback. Next, we plan to commission a group of four to six individuals with gifts in strategic planning to review Epiphany’s mission and values, then develop Epiphany’s strategic plan. This work will take a commitment of time with periodic member feedback as part of the process. It will involve digging deeper into member feedback, reviewing the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis conducted last summer, looking outside Epiphany at current community needs, and prayerfully deriving two to three themes that clarify Epiphany’s current expression of loving Jesus by serving others. If this work interests you, please email president@epiphanydayton.org so we can connect with you at the right time!
Check It Out! Austin Ballpark to See Improvements
I am excited about our Council and staff’s new partnership with a local youth baseball team. They will make field improvements this year and have begun collaborating with another local team to utilize this space fully! We have already received plenty of clean-up help (weeds, mowing, etc.), and other exciting upgrades are planned. We will share changes through our various communication channels as they are made. Throughout the summer months, stop by Austin to see the progress!
In Closing
I want to thank the many staff members and volunteers who have worked hard to make our Lenten events and Holy Week successful this year. This is an awesome season for us Christians, and our Council appreciates the many seeds planted and fruits discovered during this special time.
In Christ,
Anthony Brown
Congregation Council President