EPIC Gatherings

Weekly EPIC Student Church Gatherings 6:30 p.m. Tuesday Nights @ Dewey's Coffee Bar, Lounge, & Eatery (Click here for Map)
Regular weekly church gatherinigs will be back in full throttle September 2009, stay tuned.

What you can expect at EPIC Gatherings (it's not your typical 'songs and a sermon' church service!):

• Collaborative, student-oriented leadership.
• A relaxed, relationally-focused setting with small round tables and chairs, no cathedral or big-stage theater setting.
• Great conversations and opportunities to meet new people in a casual atmosphere--with a beer or latte in hand.
• Showcasing of relevant cultural pieces: movie clips, live concerts, artistic readings, news items, visual art, and more.
• Live interviews with passionate individuals from both within and outside of the U of A community.
• Opportunities to get involved in social action and other community groups and initiatives on campus, in Edmonton, and beyond
• Meaningful worship liturgies that enhance a mystical/spiritual perspective while connecting with everyday life.
• Challening, engaging, and thought-provoking speakers.
• Live community dialogues on various themes (communal, conversational learning).
• Personal stories of interaction with God from EPIC community members.
• Flexible, interactive smaller group discussion and ministry times (including prayer & sacramental practices like communion).

EPIC Socials

At EPIC, we think that being a community includes doing some FUN stuff together. What stuff? Well that all depends on what we're up for...

EPIC Socials are periodic EPIC community social events like house parties, BBQs, and retreats.

Check the EPIC Calendar on our homepage for our next Social!


EPIC Conversationals

Want to have interesting, life-changing conversations on a more regular basis--and even have EPIC buy the drinks?

EPIC Conversationals are aimed at getting people together. We at EPIC want people to interact with each other in a genuine way, to talk about stuff that matters. The big idea is that if people were able to have good, ongoing conversations about stuff that is happening in their lives, decisions ahead of them, and what they can do to become better people, an entire campus, city, or world could be transformed.

So why don't you get together and initiate the conversation, and we'll buy the first few drinks! EPIC is currently offering gift cards for EPIC Conversationals at the following 4 locations:

• Good Earth Coffeehouse and Bakery
• Starbucks Coffee Company
• Tim Hortons
• Hudsons Canadian Tap House

Watch the EPIC Calendar for our next "EPIC Conversationals Launch!"
You can also have a look at our EPIC Conversationals Guide here.

EPIC Parties

EPIC isn't just about the people we know right now. One of our biggest priorities is getting to know new people; life gets boring without it.

"EPIC Parties" are all about encouraging parties. Sounds pretty simple; here's the deal:

If you think you host a pretty mean party - tell us about it!

At the most fundamental level, EPIC considers a "party" to be:

• At least 3 people--but the more the merrier!
• At least one new person that not everyone at the party knows.
• Some thing, or combination of things, that brings you together (e.g. food, hockey, music, poker, Settlers of Catan, climbing, art, a work project, social action).

If you recently hosted a party that you think was really great, email us, with the subject line "EPIC Party," and tell us:

• Where the Party was.
• Who came, and who was new.
• What brought you together (food, games, a project, etc.).
• One or two of the most memorable moments.

If we agree that your party was of EPIC proportions, we will feature you in our regular “Where’s the Party At?” feature at a Monday night EPIC Gathering, where you will basically get to tell everyone about your party.

For having a great party that gets featured in our gathering you will receive an “EPIC Social Scholarship,” which is a $50 cheque for you to use towards your next great party!


EPIC Giveaways

Like any church community, EPIC needs money. We have regular operational expenses, and we rely on donations to cover them. We do not; however, like keeping things to ourselves. That's why we give away part of everything we get.

At minimum, 20% of every donation received by EPIC automatically goes into something we call the Mercy Fund.

The purpose of the Mercy Fund is for money to be used to creatively fill the needs of the community around us. How does this look? We're not exactly sure--because it's different every time.

Once every semester the EPIC Student Church community does something called The EPIC Giveaway. We empty the coffers of our Mercy Fund, divide the money up equally, and give it to groups of EPIC members (ya--that means YOU, if you're a member!). We then tell each group to think of the best way they can give the money away. The group may re-distribute it to another student group, a family in need, a local community service, an aspiring entrepreneur who needs a boost--the options are pretty broad. All we ask is that each group take a camera along and take some pictures of the giveaway (if the setting is appropriate and it protects the recipients' privacy and dignity). The pictures help each group tell the story about their giveaway when we get together and have our Giveaway Celebration gathering towards the end of the semester.

By doing this we want people to become aware of the many different needs around them in which they can help out. The Mercy Giveaways should open our eyes and help build encouraging relationships with those around us. We want to bring creativity and excitement back into the act of giving to the poor and providing for those in need.

So go ahead and become an EPIC Member, and check the EPIC Calendar for the next EPIC Giveaway that you can get involved in!




EPIC Networking

One of EPIC's main objectives is to better our world. There are a lot of other groups besides EPIC taking action on this from a variety of perspectives. Social justice, environmentalism, recreation, politics, academics, and arts are just a few. EPIC agrees. We want in.

EPIC thinks that passion is important. We think people are passionate about all sorts of things, and we want to work with people to do what they are passionate about. In short, we want to encourage you to connect to the things that make you tick - ending poverty, politics, playing sports, even engineering - and help you work with people who think the same way.

EPIC doesn't want to start its own campaigns for these things. We want to join up. We want to help out. And here is where we want to start:

EPIC wants to make a constantly expanding 'hub' for these connections. We want to keep track of the other groups EPIC members are involved in, keep track of other groups that exist to get involved with, and help people get connected. We encourage our members - and non-members - to think about what they love to do the most, figure out how they can use it to help the world, and do it. We also want to help groups work together. Those that do similar things should work together, and EPIC wants to be one of the common strands that can help tie it all together.

Obviously, the easiest way to find any registered student group at the University of Alberta is through the Student Group Services website--which we wholly endorse. The EPIC Networking Hub is just meant to give you a smaller, more personalized version of a similar service - and one that specifically connects you with groups that support the things that EPIC believes in.

If you want to link your student group or community initiative to the EPIC Network Hub, email us!


EPIC Specials (Events, Trips, Projects)

It's always a good idea to keep your eye on the EPIC Calendar for special events, besides EPIC Gatherings, Socials, and such, that are taking place.

Whether it be philosopher's cafes, special international humanitarian missions trips, or just an extra hang-out on the weekend--you'll likely find something that piques your interest and draws your involvement!


EPIC Neighbourhood

At a fundamental level, EPIC wants to be a caring community--not just a bunch of people doing programs.

We know that people are great at stuff, and other people are great at other stuff. We also know that people need help sometimes.

So... EPIC wants to help out.

This help can come in a variety of different forms. Since EPIC is based at the University of Alberta, schoolwork is a good example. Some courses are tough and the nature of a university is that there are people around who know that stuff. EPIC wants to get people in the community who are good at stuff to help others with it. If you are having trouble with your killer calculus course, then someone who knows calculus like the back of their hand should be able to offer some assistance. Maybe you're wrestling with confusion and that overwhelming feeling that started when university did. The good news is that there are people around who have dealt with it before and can presumably can offer some advice.

It goes further, too. Is your car broken down? Maybe you need a ride. Are you moving next weekend? Maybe you need an extra set of hands. Do the walls need painting?

You get the idea. Life isn't meant to be attacked alone, so don't be afraid to ask for a little help. In peer-to-peer fashion, the EPIC community wants to lend you a hand.



So if you have a need just email us.