EPIC Ministries. New Opportunities Open in Washington D.C.

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1 + EPIC Ministries Sending servants to the central city ending servants to the central city Fall 2010 EPIC Volunteers Acco mplish Goo d Thing s in 2010 This year 10 groups of volunteers gathered under the leadership of EPIC to serve in North St. Louis. Most of the servant events took place at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, but not all. maintain their homes so they can keep their homes thereby contributing to the stability of their neighborhoods. To read the entire ministry plan and its scriptural foundation, see the bottom of the address page. Serving existing ministries in the central cities is just the first phase of EPIC s ministry plan. The second phase addresses the needs of church members to repair and With that background, pages 2 & 3 illustrate only the highlights of For the rest of the story, turn to page 4 and read Good Things in New Opportunities Open in Washington D.C. God has opened doors in our nation s capitol so EPIC can now offer servant events there. What an opportunity for a special week serving the churches in most need, with time to visit so many of our treasured monuments and museums!!! Plan now for your youth, adult or family servant event. EPIC will organize the housing, food, work, supplies, and local transportation. Call EPIC(3742) or epiclarry@yahoo.com for more information.

2 Last March, Pastor Schmidtke wrote in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church newsletter: a wonderful servant event work week from our friends, Pastor Mark Couch and friends of Zion Lutheran Church in Kalamazoo, MI. Led by Pastor Bell of EPIC ministry, they did wonderful work in our first floor hall renovations. JANUARY Besides working on the halls (building the soffit, doing the electrical and painting), the 7 adults from Michigan cleaned out the Youth room, organized the 4 th floor, and prepared & served a meal at the homeless shelter Pastor Bell continued to mentor young adults with on-the-job training that included landscaping for the Better Living Community homes in St Louis. FEBRUARY Western Illinois University volunteers re-boarded the windows of the original Bethlehem Church building after vandals tore off the existing boards. They worked with the High School Boys Basketball team who painted the front hall. MARCH The EPIC Board of Directors held its annual meeting in St. Louis so it could include a servant day. With spouses & 1 child, they repaired the ceiling and cleaned up the weeds and brush at the home of one of the members of Bethlehem Lutheran. APRIL 2

3 EPIC ministries PO Box Champaign, IL EPIC (3742) Eighteen adults and children from Lord of Life Lutheran, Westfield, Indiana, braved 100 o + heat to clean up heavy brush and weeds around Bethlehem and paint the chain link fence encircling the parking lot. JUNE Zion Lutheran from Michigan brought 7 people to clean the yard around the old church building, haul away all the brush weeds and garbage accumulated from the June servant event. JULY Epic s Board of Directors returned to clean and paint the cabinets in the kitchen, repair the leaky faucets and drain pipe, and install suspended-ceiling grids at Bethlehem. AUGUST OCTOBER Lord of Life Lutheran in Chesterfield, Missouri, sent 3 adults who continued the repair of the ceiling of a member of Bethlehem. Did yard clean up and painted the house s railing and garage. OCTOBER Students from Lutheran High North worked at Bethlehem as part of their annual Service Day continuing the yard work and fence painting. The confirmation students from Peace Lutheran Church in Thomasboro, Illinois, returned for their annual servant event in St. Louis. Last year they painted the stair rails, built shelves in the tool room and did more yard work at Bethlehem. This year they painted the fence around the parking lot. Last year was warm; this year was COLD! NOVEMBER

4 A Note from Allie My mom knew a pastor that worked with a group named EPIC. The group goes around and helps out Christian churches and schools. So, my mom, my brother and I went to St. Louis. Our job was to clean up a parking lot that had tons of trash. I worked a little, but it was hot... so the pastor gave me a job inside. My job was to clean up some paint. We spent a whole day there! It was a very hard day. I was glad, and I still am, that I did this Allie wrote this for her class newsletter. She, her mom and her brother came to Bethlehem Lutheran Church several times on their own, without affiliation with any formal servant group. They could do this because they live in the St. Louis area. You can, too. Just contact Pastor Bell, or epiclarry@yahoo.com. Klj;lk,dflose4pog534mkl.trm,.h God s blessings allow EPIC to offer servant events in three locations now: St. Louis, New Orleans and Washington D.C. With dates already filling up, plan your service vacation for spring and summer 2011 by contacting Pastor Bell at (EPIC)3742 or epiclarry@yahoo.com Good Things in 2010, continued Besides preparing for and supervising the servant events all year, Pastor Larry Bell worked on his own projects at Bethlehem throughout These included, but were not limited to: Replacing and refinishing the sacristy and second story walls after the pipes behind them had been replaced so the showers on the third floor would drain properly; Finishing the walls and dropping the ceiling in the basement hallway; Painting the classrooms; Bricking-in the basement windows of the old church to prevent unauthorized entry; Supervising the high school basketball team while they painted the front hallway at Bethlehem to earn money to go to the national tournament; Electrical work on the first and fourth floors; Helping with the Wednesday night BBO, an outreach to neighborhood children; Endless organizing and cleaning up wherever needed. Whatever Pastor Schmidtke asked. Pastor Bell also takes every opportunity to introduce churches to the ministry of EPIC by meeting with pastors and preaching in their congregations. We do not include this litany of accomplishments for our own glory. First and foremost, we serve Christ who died that that we and you might live with Him forever. Second, in everything we do, we thank our Lord for the abilities of all the people involved and we give Him the glory. Please join us in prayer that His work may continue through EPIC. 4

5 EPIC ministries PO Box Champaign, IL EPIC (3742) Grace and Peace from Christ our Savior, Despite some of the most difficult economic times in recent history people still desire to serve the central city. They continue to send financial support, bring workers, and tell others about their experiences to encourage new people to come as well. As an example, Pastor Mark from Kalamazoo, Michigan has come three times. He brought college students, adults and, this past summer, high school students. What an affirmation that God is working through EPIC! While working in St. Louis with Pastor John Schmidtke at Bethlehem will continue to be the base of our operations, God is now opening exciting doors for ministry in Washington, D.C. as well. Our Savior Lutheran Church in Arlington Virginia has committed to a Youth servant event in April and two central city churches have expressed interest in the help EPIC can provide their ministries. Like St. Louis, Washington D.C. offers many things to do and see in addition to serving. More people want to combine vacation time with service. Coming to Washington D.C. with EPIC can provide that component. I encourage you to think beyond what you have in the past as you plan your summer travel. We can give you a variety of options for dates, housing and meals. If you have wanted to see our nation s capital, but have not been able to afford the hotels (second only to NYC and Boston), then try the servant event approach. You can have a great time and know you are serving your Lord Jesus. One Pastor calls it, The Gospel after the benediction. EPIC depends totally on donations from individuals. If you are not yet a monthly supporter or your organization is looking for a ministry to help, your financial contribution will allow EPIC to continue bringing servants to work in the central cities. Send your donations to: EPIC PO Box 6622 Champaign, IL Or, contact Pastor Larry Bell for more information: EPIC(3742) epiclarry@yahoo.com Pastor Wayne Fredericksen of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Arlington Virginia and Pastor James Wiggins, Jr, of Peace Lutheran Church in Washington D.C. provide two key elements in bringing EPIC to their area. Don t hesitate to call and explore what this might mean for you. We can adjust the work for all ages and many special needs. We can work with you to find a way your whole family can participate and serve. Think and pray about seeing both sides of Washington D.C. - the one you would expect and the one you won t see on postcards or Monday Night Football. EPIC s need for your financial support is greater than ever as we step out in faith to expand into the D.C. area. We have no doubt God is leading in this direction as evidenced by the doors that have opened. Expanding into a new area has start-up costs. We need air beds, tools, TV trays, food service supplies and a whole host of small items. If you are a regular supporter we ask you to consider increasing your donation a small amount. If you haven t yet become personally involved, there could never be a better time. You could also remember EPIC in your year end giving plans. This opportunity to make a statement of God s love in our nation's capital has presented itself. What a contrast to the competition, conflict and corruption for which it is better known. I pray this season of celebrating God s love made real in the birth of Jesus will bring you contentment and joy. In His Name, Pastor Larry Bell 5

6 EPIC ministries PO Box Champaign, IL EPIC (3742) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, beginning with the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10 This is the scriptural basis for EPIC s three point ministry plan which states: Through God s grace, EPIC seeks to send workers to central city churches with the love of Jesus through organizing servant events to serve first, the churches, second, their people, third, their friends and family who do not know God s abundant mercy. 6