History of Epiphany Lutheran Church
�In the early 1980�s Ascension Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas gave the Texas District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) $130,000 to start a mission congregation in Pearland, Texas. Because of the Economic problems in the Houston area the mission did not start for several years.
�In 1989, the Texas District of the LCMS called a seminary graduate (Jon Salminen from St. John�s, Michigan) to be mission developer for the Pearland Mission.
�1989�The Pearland mission starts as a handful of people begin meeting for Bible-study in the Club House of Silver Maples Apartment complex.
�1990�The Pearland Mission rents space in a shopping center for worship and ministry. On Palm Sunday 1990, the first Sunday Morning Worship Service is held. Later that year on Reformation Sunday, October 27, 1990, Epiphany Lutheran Church, with 113 baptized members, is officially chartered as a member congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
�1991��Epiphany installs Rev. Jon Salminen as its first pastor.
�1993�Epiphany Lutheran purchases five acres of land in Pearland and �breaks ground� to build the first phase of their master plan.
�1994�Epiphany dedicates its new sanctuary, classrooms and office space on June 4, 1994. That same day Rev. Wayne Dittloff is named �Pastor Emeritus� of Epiphany Lutheran Church in recognition of his leadership and influence in starting the Pearland Mission. Later that year Epiphany calls Mark Sperry to serve as its first Director of Christian Education.
�1998�By the grace of God Epiphany continues to grow and calls an Associate Pastor, Rev. Ryan Rupe, to serve as its second pastor.
�1999�Plans are developed and ground is broken on the construction of the Ascension Family Life Center, a 20,000 square foot facility with classrooms, kitchen and gymnasium.
�2000�Epiphany dedicates the Ascension Family Life Center. The congregation continues to grow to over 800 baptized members.
�2002�After the attacks on America on 9-11-2001, Epiphany�s Associate Pastor, Rev. Ryan Rupe, also serving as a Navy Reserve Chaplain, felt called to enlist full-time as a Navy Chaplain and leaves Epiphany.
�August, 2002�Epiphany calls its second Associate Pastor, Rev. Robert Harbin. Pastor Rob is installed in October, 2002, to work in the areas of education, outreach and youth ministry.
�2004�Epiphany develops and adopts �Vision 2010� which lays the ground work for further expansion of the mission and ministry of the congregation.
�2005�In November, Epiphany retires its debt for land, and construction costs for phases 1 & 2 of its master plan.
�2006�In February, Epiphany purchases an acre of land for further expansion of its ministry.
�2006�In February, Epiphany purchases an acre of land for further expansion of its ministry.
�June, 2006�Epiphany votes to spend up to $300,000 for renovations to the Ascension Family Life Center so that it can be regularly used for worship in addition to the current sanctuary.
�Today, Epiphany is a congregation of more than 1,100 baptized members and worships over 500 people on Sunday morning at three services. We are excited about what our Lord Jesus is doing in this area and see the Pearland Community as a vast mission field. We believe we can become a congregation of 2,500 members and worship more than a 1,000 people each week at Epiphany. We also desire to start mission congregations in the future so that more people might come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Epiphany Lutheran Church 5515 W Broadway Pearland Tx, 77581 Phone: 281.485.7833 Fax: 281.485.5040