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For about ten years, Kristin and I lived in Cleveland, Ohio. We landed there at the invitation of Ron Weinberg, a mentor of mine who owned a bunch of industrial manufacturing companies. Ron brought me on as a product manager at one of them, but I also joined his mergers and acquisitions team.
Over the next decade, I worked for Ron on and off, across a variety of industries. He mentored me, letting me sit in meetings, asking what I thought, sharing his wisdom. I learned how to look at companies, how to read numbers, how to establish value. A lot of those lessons have shaped the way I lead here at Epiphany.
Every quarter or so, I would meet Ron at his club for lunch. We’d talk business, strategy, and life. The day came when I told him I was going to seminary. He was stunned. He knew I went to church, and though he was Jewish, he’d always invite Kristin and me over for Christmas every year… but this move caught him off guard.
He looked at me and said, “Do you need more money?”
“Yes,” I said. “I need more money… but that’s not why I’m going to seminary.”
“Don’t sign on the dotted line just yet,” he requested. “Let’s meet again next week for lunch.”
That was classic Ron. Thoughtful. Deliberate. And always doing his due diligence.
So we met again. Same club, same time. He leaned across the table and said: “Do you really want to do this?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Well,” he replied, “I did some research. That Episcopal Church of yours seems to have just bought the Lutherans.” (He was referring to the concordant recently signed between the denominations).
Ron, ever the mergers and acquisitions guy, saw opportunity. He said, “I think this may be good for you. Looks like the market is ready for a roll-up.”
Then he paused and said something I’ve always carried with me: “And you know, if you ever need a job, I’d love to have you back.”
That story came to mind a couple of weeks ago as Kelli preached. She talked about her life as an editor, and how we all bring our vocational lenses to bear on our spiritual journey.
So today, I’d like to bring you into my old world of M&A and together do some due diligence on Epiphany like Ron taught me. The question we’ll ask is: Is Epiphany worth acquiring? What’s its value? What’s the return on investment?
I wonder what we could get for this place…. Just kidding. Epiphany is not for sale, but there is value here. You know it, and I know it.
Today is the beginning of our annual appeal. It’s the season when we talk about money, not because money is the point, but because money makes this place run. Each year we ask you to make a pledge so we can plan how to keep this place running for another year. 85% of our annual revenue comes from your yearly pledges.
So let’s do a little due diligence together.
We will begin with what we first encounter: the buildings and grounds. We walk into the nave. We sit in the pews. This space is majestic and perfectly designed for purpose: for worship, for stillness, for music. To unleash awe. The acoustics here aren’t just good, they transport sound. If you’ve ever sat in the balcony during Evensong, you know what I mean. The choir sings and yet the sound seems to come from someplace beyond the walls, blowing us into the breath of creation. It is immersive: powerful and peaceful.
That sensation is no accident. That’s design. That’s intention. That’s space serving a spiritual purpose.
Buildings matter. They are what locate Epiphany as a spiritual center of gravity.
And I’d mention to Ron the size of the campus. It’s not too big, too cavernous, in a way that makes its maintenance a resource liability. But it’s also not too small. It’s mama bear, just right.
We can gather 400 plus people over five services every Sunday, and always have room for more. Epiphany has capacity, and that tells me something about scalability, and sustainability, and value over time.
To enter these buildings requires crossing the grounds. And if you do so on Thursday, you’ll meet Gieth, our sexton, mowing the lawn. Undoubtedly, he’ll smile and say “Hi.” Gieth is our second-longest tenured staff member, behind me.
When I used to do due diligence on companies, I’d always look for their Gieth, because they represent the hidden culture of a place. Their commitment, their connection to the people, their attitude always spoke volumes about the company.
I’d also always look for their Amanda, as well, to see how the institution values people over time. How do they let them grow and change and mature? How do they call forth the best gifts of their people?
Amanda has been employed by Epiphany since 2010… 16 years old. She started in the nursery Sunday mornings. And as her skills grew, and her curiosity expanded, she took on more roles, until today she is a significant leader here as our Parish Life Minister.
The average staff tenure at Epiphany is 8.8 years. That’s rare in church world. It’s even rarer that we could attract someone of Kate Wesch’s stature to return to assume leadership in a new, dynamic and much needed way. That says something about the value of Epiphany.
People stay here because the work matters; because they’re valued; because they’re growing; and because they know you love them. And one way you show that support is through your pledge.
Now, due diligence also requires digging into the numbers. I look at the balance sheet, the P&L, and reserves every month. We watch our cash flow. We track our pledged income. We review our chart of accounts.
And we invest in cybersecurity. We employ auditors. We license our software. We pay for insurance, postage, internet connections, laptops, bank fees, disability, and website maintenance. It’s not glamorous. But it’s completely necessary and well done.
There’s a ton that goes on behind the scenes at Epiphany; and it’s expensive, it’s important, and it adds to the value of this parish.
Then, of course, there is what everyone sees. What we do! Worship. Formation. Outreach. Five services every Sunday. 62-person Choir, including 10 choristers. Evensong. RELATA. Pilgrimage. Small Groups. WRG. Men’s Group. Family stuff.
We teach and we teach a lot. We teach at a sophisticated level. We also teach brand new Christians.
We have inquirer classes. We have newcomer classes. We have Catechesis. We teach Bible studies on artificial intelligence… I can assure you we are the only church in this country that is teaching a 12-part Bible study on artificial intelligence. At Epiphany we have something for all ages.
Then there is Outreach. Outreach to connect with the neighborhood through all the events we have: Christmas parties, Easter parties, Halloween parties and Super Bowl parties. We are constantly inviting people to get acquainted with this space.
And then there are the meals we serve all over the city. We do something, on average, every single week to help feed Seattle.
We care for the world as well—Haiti, Guatemala, and the Holy Land. And we connect pastorally with our communities at Horizon House, Maribella, Skyline, and Parkshore.
This is the kind of stuff I would tell Ron about.
The product reflects the vision, the energy, the mission. And at Epiphany it’s working. People are growing. People are connecting. People are being formed as Jesus’ people powered by the Holy Spirit.
Which brings me to the Gospel today. Ten lepers cry out to Jesus for mercy. He tells them to go show themselves to the priests. And as they go, they are healed (Luke 17:11-19). They are not healed while talking to Jesus. They are not healed when they arrive at the priest. They are healed as they go. Transformation happens on the journey.
And one of them, seeing this, turns back and says, “Thank you” to Jesus. That’s what this annual appeal is about. It’s about looking at our own life, our own journey, and asking: Where has healing happened? Where has transformation occurred? Where has clarity emerged? Where has my soul been filled with love? EPIPHANY. That’s why we pledge. Not out of obligation, but out of gratitude. We pledge to honor the value, the worth of this place, and to pass it on.
If I were doing due diligence on Epiphany for Ron, I’d report back: The buildings and grounds are well maintained, beautiful and designed for purpose, AND used for purpose. The staff is mature, industrious, and works really well together, AND are deeply committed. The underlying administrative apparatus is solid. The product is unparalleled and does what it is supposed to do.
But most importantly, I’d tell Ron about you. The people in the pews, the classes, the choir, this community!!! Dynamic. Spiritually deep, and mature.
I would tell him the story that Ben Bradstreet told me about his father, Bob Bradstreet, when visiting Epiphany. Bob was a Congregationalist pastor who has served churches for over 50 years. He came to the 400 series Theology class down in Fireside room a few weeks ago where we talked about Christology: which is the two natures of Jesus, human and divine. The room was full, the conversation lively, and Bob observed to Ben that he had never witnessed in all of his years of ministry such a theologically sophisticated and well-formed community of Christians.
Epiphany is about the spiritual journey, meeting people wherever they are on their way. It is a place of spiritual respite, whether as a way station, a destination, or a final resting place in the columbarium. It is a destination where some come once a week, some come more often than that, some join online, and some come when they can… to touch this spiritual hotspot that is so intentionally cared for because of the financial support that you give.
So let me ask: What would the Pacific Northwest be like without Epiphany? What would this city be like without Epiphany? What would your life be like without Epiphany? What is the value of Epiphany to you?
Next Sunday Barb Marshall will share her reflections on that question as one of you from the pews; the many, who are the pulse of this place, who give it its true value, who are core to what makes Epiphany such a vital spiritual center of gravity.
It is a privilege for me to be your Rector. Thank you.