A History of Epiphany Presbyterian Church

In considering the Epiphany story told by Matthew, it is fitting that Epiphany Presbyterian is itself the manifestation of a great yearning, first envisioned in dream.  While these dreams have roots too complex to trace, they resulted from experiences shared over many lives and many years.  These experiences led to a deep yearning for a new ... and very different ... community of faith.

In February of 2002, Lou McAlister East asked a group of women and men who shared this yearning to gather in thought and prayer.  As a result, very different lives converged in the East's living room on March 10, 2002.  Together, this diverse group ... a feminist Christian ethicist, a cradle Presbyterian lawyer, a poet, a woman nurtured by Celtic spirituality, ordained ministers, a white Republican octogenarian, a wise African-American woman who served in the old UPC church, talented musicians, parents of gay children, a child of a gay parent ... found common cause.  In seeking to create a community of faith committed to welcoming all God's children, the group dedicated itself to Jesus' radical path of love and inclusion.

Honoring the differences and celebrating the many gifts each person brought to the circle, months of prayer and discernment resulted in a Rationale Paper (download the Epiphany Presbyterian Rationale Paper in Adobe Acrobat pdf format) and Mission Statement, which was submitted to Salem Presbytery.  In October 2002, Salem Presbytery granted approval for the New Church Development, called Epiphany Presbyterian, and appointed a Steering Committee.  Presbytery's decision meant that Epiphany could establish, both physically and spiritually, a place of worship and ministry for those who had come to feel left out of the church.  To honor its calling and its mandate from Presbytery, a decision was made that Epiphany begin immediately to provide well-developed and meaningful opportunities for worship and study, and the group began meeting on Saturday evenings.

On Sunday, April 27, 2003, Epiphany held its first worship service in the fellowship hall of St. Paul Presbyterian Church, which hosted Epiphany for the next six months.   With a number of Presbyterian clergy involved, as well as many talented musicians excited about the opportunity to offer their gifts, Epiphany was blessed with powerful experiences of worship and fellowship.

At the October 2003 meeting of Salem Presbytery, the Reverend Lou McAlister East was approved as Organizing Pastor/Tentmaker for Epiphany.  Immediately, Epiphany began preparing for its inaugural public worship service, which was held at 5:00 pm on Sunday, November 2, 2003 at Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Greensboro.  Almost two hundred souls attended the Inaugural Service of Worship.  Since then, Epiphany has gone about the work of growing community, and the congregation has celebrated many special occasions since, such as its first Christmas Eve service and, on the First Sunday after the Epiphany, the installation of the Reverend Lou McAlister East as Organizing Pastor.

Over the years to come, Epiphany Presbyterian Church will seek to visibly honor and celebrate human diversity, thus bearing witness to our unity in Christ.  Epiphany will strive to be faithful by becoming a worshipping and serving community as diverse as the community in which it was created and in which it exists.  Thanks be to God!

Andrew Spainhour