E.P.I.C.

Third Service Task Force

What an incredible year it has been for EPIC. Last year at this time we were just getting ready to kick-off the first 'EPIC service on Sunday, February 4th. The results since then have been truly God-sized!

The goals of the EPIC service are to create an integrated worship service that is faithful to the full gospel of Jesus Christ, for the post modern generation, and to provide room for the 8:30 am and then 11:00 am services to grow. The results in both of these areas far surpassed our imaginations. EPIC has been averaging well over 200 people each Sunday, with 60 to 100 people attending from the targeted age group. As an added bonus, the Central youth have claimed EPIC as their own too, and occupy the first three to four pews on the "friends of the groom" side of the sanctuary. And thanks to the 60+ seeds that agreed to commit their support to EPIC for one year (and the many others that moved just for the fun of it), we also created the much-needed room for growth in the Contemporary and Traditional services.

Along the way, God has provided! He has brought us musicians, worship leaders, creative people both for graphics and drama, ushers, sound techs, great testimonies during 'open-mic' time, power point operators, greeters, great bread for communion (thanks Janice), special music, questions-of-the-week, film clips, problems to keep us humble, and incredible joys to keep us praising. And all of these were covered by a blanket of prayer laid down from the balcony by Central's very own prayer warriors!

In this coming year the EPIC Planning Team will focus on bringing the same type of cohesive, integrated service over a multiple-week period that those of you who have been coming have seen on individual Sundays. Advent was our first attempt at providing a longer-term theme, and by the time you read this, you'll be in the middle of the team's efforts to do the same thing with Nehemiah. Recruiting more people to help in all aspects of the service is another top-priority for the year ahead. It takes a lot of work to pull this service off, and many hands make light work.

Many thanks to the follow-up team, the hospitality team, the Gathman/Oosthuizen/Smith team and especially the preaching team that has worked with us over the past year. EPIC's worship format forces the preaching minister to approach the sermon "differently" from what has been the norm, and George, Jerry and Bill have bent over backwards to make the EPIC service what it is.

Finally, please pray that God continues to use EPIC for his glory, bringing people into the deeper knowledge, love and worship of him.