Press Clippings:

Thief River Falls Times, Wednesday, July 9, 2008 (page 4):

Jeff Gauss is lead pastor at Epiphany Station

Epiphany Station, a local church in the community, has installed Jeff Gauss as their new lead pastor, with his official starting date as the leader of the recent church plant on July 7, 2008.

Gauss (rhymes with “house”) and his wife Heidi, and three sons – Justus (8), Tranquil (5) and Noble (2) – have purchased a home and relocated in Thief River Falls from Cushing, Minnesota.

“We had to look it up on a map before we first came up here to meet with the good folks of Epiphany Station,” Gauss said. “But the shared vision for being part of a church planting movement that so intentionally aims for connecting with young people, young families and future generations, quickly piqued our level of interest. It also didn’t take long for us to grow fond of the community upon simply meeting many of genuinely nice people here. We are looking forward to raising our family here.”

Epiphany Station was initially launched a little less than two years ago under the leadership of local laypeople – Kevin Brown, Dale Schneider, Ben Kosharek and John Kelley. It is through their own nucleus of people and financial support, coupled with the addition of some key ministry partners throughout Minnesota that are making this next important step in the church plant process take place in calling Gauss into the full-time role as lead pastor.

Epiphany Station has qualified for a grant from the Minnesota Baptist Conference, as well as garnering sister church partnership relationships with The Journey North in Brainerd, Adoration Church in Savage, Minn., along with some other churches, institutions and individual family supporters.

“The church has seen effective ministry, spiritual impact and tangible physical progress under the leadership of laypeople over the past couple years,” Brown said. “The ability to bring in someone with Jeff’s qualifications, experience and expertise is truly a blessing. It can only enhance our credibility and effectiveness within the community and it is with great excitement that we enter the next chapter in the history of Epiphany Station.”

Gauss has a Masters of Divinity (with emphasis in theology) from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Youth Ministries from Bethel College. He was the church planter/lead pastor for Lounge Divine (which was written about in the New York Times, Minneapolis Star-Tribune and Worship Leader magazine) in St. Paul from July 2001 to August 2004. Most recently he was the lead pastor of Cushing Baptist Church the past two-plus years. He also received the highest approval from the BGC’s Assessment Center to be a church planter.

Epiphany Station currently meets every Sunday evening at 6:00PM at “the Station” located at 403 Main Ave. North in downtown Thief River Falls. There is also a Gals Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM and a Dude Group that meets on Thursday evenings at 7:30PM.

Epiphany Station is affiliated with the Minnesota Baptist Conference and the Baptist General Conference. For more information, their website is: www.epiphanystation.com.



BGC World Magazine, January-February 2008 (page 3):

Church moves into gas station

Epiphany Station, a new church in Thief River Falls, Minn., bought a former gas station for its worship center, with approval from the city council and a loan from the BGC Cornerstone Fund.  The churchheld its first meeting in the new location November 11, after a renovation team [partially] remodeled the interior.  The church was formally received into the Minnesota Baptist Conference October 26.


The Thief River Falls Times, Wednesday, January 2, 2008:


Epiphany Station plans renovation of Roger's Conoco

Epiphany Station, a local church in the community, recently completed their purchase of the former Roger’s Conoco gas station in downtown Thief River Falls.  The church plans to renovate the 3,400-square-foot facility that includes the gas station, a 30’ x 60’ warehouse and a small garage on the property, to become their base of operations for ministry in the community.

“We are extremely excited to finally have a home base from which to operate the ministry,” one of the church’s elders, Kevin Brown, said.  “We think the high-visibility location is excellent and the facility itself, though in need of plenty of renovation, has the long-range potential to accommodate many of our long-range goals for the ministry, which is primarily aimed at being relevant to young families and the next generation.”

Epiphany Station originally began with a nucleus of about 20 people who first met in the home of Kevin and Carol Brown in Thief River Falls in July of 2006.  After outgrowing the accommodations, the church began meeting on Sunday evenings at the Heritage Center in Thief River Falls, where they met at 6:00PM from October 2006 to November 2007.  Weekly attendance at Sunday evening worship services varies from 30-50 people typically.

Ironically, the fact that the church found a former gas station to purchase and renovate into a church is actually a coincidence.  The name Epiphany Station came about long before the church ever knew where they would find their first permanent home.

The plans for that former gas station are to utilize the lobby area as a kitchenette and serving area, the garage as an open fellowship area and general place to just “hang out” and play games, go online, etc.  The warehouse will be adjoined to the garage with that being the worship center or “sanctuary.”  The church would also like to host various other concerts and events aimed primarily at high school and college-age people there, as well.  The intent with the small garage on the property is to eventually adjoin it to the rest of the facility and create an “E-Station Clubhouse” for younger children to hang out during services.

Epiphany Station currently meets every Sunday evening at 6:00PM at “the Station” located at 403 Main Ave. N. in downtown Thief River Falls.  There is also a Dude Group that meets on Thursday evenings and an in-home Bible study group that meets Sunday mornings.