THE EPIPHANY STORY

or  "How The Little Episcopal Church in Leeds, Alabama Got It's Start"


Once upon a time, a long time ago (1979), George Jones had an idea.  He turned to Sue, his wife, and said,  “We need an Episcopal church in Leeds, Alabama.”  Now George and Sue Jones and Robert and Odell Smith and their kids had attended Grace Episcopal Church in Woodlawn for years.  But frankly, they were tired of commuting and thought they just ought to see if there were other folks in Leeds who wanted the same thing.  So an organizational meeting for a new parish was held at the Citizens Bank in Leeds shortly before Christmas in 1979.  The idea took hold.  The Jones and the Smiths, along with Mollie and Zollie Derryberry convinced the Bishop to let them start a church in Leeds.  Bishop Furman Stough said they could start the church but could expect no funding from the Diocese.  Well, that was not a deterrent.

 

The first service was held on Epiphany Sunday, January 6, 1980, at the Leeds Presbyterian Church.  Later, services were held at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Leeds until a permanent church building could be constructed.  The parishioners built the church with their own hands on land donated by church members Bill and Ruth Brazil next to their home on Highway 119.  Other members included Agnes Hann, Clyde and Charlie Pearce, Wade Pearce, Carole Walker Miller and her daughter Ashley, Mike and Shirley Marchman, Mike Carter, Barbara Bivens, and Andy Meginniss. 

 

On December 24, 1981, a very special first Christmas was celebrated in the still uncompleted building.  Surrounded by bare walls, warmed by kerosene stoves, the air filled with the scent of fresh straw, these few determined members gathered around a small wooden crèche where the altar was to be and celebrated the birth of Jesus.

 

The first Rector of the parish was The Reverend Bronson Bryant who served part-time until 1985.  George Jones served as Epiphany’s first Senior Warden and Robert Smith as its first Treasurer.  They were also the parish’s first delegates to the Diocesan Convention.

 

Other rectors of Epiphany were:

   The Rev. William (Bill) Heck – 1985 – 1989

   The Rev. Joseph (Joe) Knight – 1990 – 2000

   The Rt. Rev. Edward Reeves (Interim Rector) – 2000-2002

   The Rev. Glenda Curry – July, 2002 – June, 2004 (first full-time rector)

   The Rev. Lynette Lanphere -  October, 2004 - present 

 

In 1991, Epiphany borrowed money to purchase a double-wide mobile home, connected it to the church, and remodeled it for a parish hall.  This essentially doubled the size of the church space and provided Epiphany with its first kitchen!  The Rev. Bill Yon, Diocesan Administrator at the time, fondly referred to our pride and joy as the “last of the $10,000 parish halls.”

 

In 2000, with the help of the Diocese, Epiphany purchased the land and house next door which was named “Founders Hall”.  Two years later, the parishioners began to seriously plan toward building a new worship space.  Additional land behind the property became available, and the Diocese helped Epiphany in acquiring the property.  Fundraising efforts begin in earnest in March, 2002 when at a Cursillo function at Camp McDowell, Beverly Wilson approached John Paul Mussleman, a fellow Cursillista from the Church of the Advent, with the idea of having a praise worship service.  The idea grew and grew until it became the first Epiphany Jam music festival--four hours of Christian music on the grounds–-held on August 24 to "Praise the Lord and Raise a Roof".  Complete with musicians from throughout the diocese headlined by Advent Five O'clock Band, a huge stage and sound system, Epiphany Jam was a rousing success and was followed by Jam II on August 23, 2003, Jam III on August 28, 2004, and Jam IV on October 15, 2005.

 

At Jam I, Kenneth Traweek volunteered his services as our architect and drew the plans for our new church building.  Clyde Pearce, who was instrumental in building the first building, volunteered to be Epiphany’s contractor through Trawick Contracting Co.  Groundbreaking occurred at Jam II by Bishop Bill Stough.   After much planning and hard work by the building committee, chaired by Barbara Galloway, we were ready to begin construction in the spring of 2004.  The building is almost complete.  Only the facade on the front door needs to be constructed.  Future plans also call for enlarging the parking lot and adding a new meditation garden next to the new building.  Our beautiful new worship facility was dedicated by Bishop Mark Andrus on June 5, 2005.

 

Other Epiphany Firsts

 

  • St. Anne's Chapter of Daughters of the King was installed on June 6, 2004 with ten members.

  • Epiphany's first time to have a choir (consisting of 15 members) that actually processed wearing choir robes occurred on December 11, 2005.  Founding member, Sue Jones, has provided her gifts as pianist, organist, and choir director since the church was founded.

  • Clyde Pearce, one of our earliest members, was ordained Deacon in October, 2004 and is currently serving Epiphany.

  • The first couple to attend Cursillo was Sue and George Jones (# 21).  Since then, Epiphany has sponsored 35 people to Cursillo; 14 have served on staff, 4 have served as Cursillo Lay Rectors, and 4 have served as Head Cha Chas.

 

Leadership

Members who have served as Senior Warden since Epiphany was founded:

George Jones, Clyde Pearce, Sue Jones, Joe Wilson, Beverly Wilson, Steve Karr, Chuck Evans Jim Collier, Karen Lindsay and currently Jimbo Moore.  

Served as Junior Warden are Zollie Derryberry, Clyde Pearce, Mike Marchman, Alan Davis, Charlie Pearce, Ed Blocher, Don Mitchell, Cherry Thomas Scott Lindsay, Keith Smith, Chuck Evans, Joe Wilson, Jim Collier, Karen Lindsay, Beverly Wilson, Jimbo Moore, Pete Bonventre, and currently Diane Livengood.

Served as Treasurer:  Robert Smith, Andy Meginniss, Mary Mitchell, Don Mitchell, Joe Wilson, Larry Odle, Chuck Evans, Jim Collier and currently Terry Rippstein.

 

Epiphany continues to receive God's bountiful blessings.

                 

 

BACK TO HOME PAGE