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Epiphany debuts sports and rec ministry at Austin Campus

Staff photo by Jim Noelker The interior of the nearly completed Epiphany Lutheran Church Austin Campus.

Staff photo by Jim Noelker The new Epiphany Lutheran Church Austin Campus is nearly complete at the corner of Social Row and Sheehan roads.

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By Jill Kelley, Staff Writer 4:25 PM Thursday, August 12, 2010

WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County — The Epiphany Lutheran Church’s Austin Campus will hold its first service and dedication Sunday, Aug. 15, at the corner of Sheehan and Social Row roads.

The full-service church, whose 125-member congregation is moving from Epiphany’s Springboro Campus at 3366 S. Tech Blvd., also is introducing a new kind of ministry: sports and recreation.

Pastor Todd Kornahrens, who was the Springboro Campus pastor and is now the pastor of the Austin Campus, said Epiphany conducted a survey in the Springboro and lower Centerville areas to find out what was of value to residents.

“One of the things that came out of that was that people put a high value on families participating in sports,” he said. “Our intention is to bring the community together (with sports and rec activities) and give children good, inexpensive opportunities.”

Kornahrens came to Epiphany about a year and a half ago from South Carolina.

He joined Senior Pastor John Bradosky and Pastor Sara Cutter.

Kornahrens said the sports and rec concept is “huge” in the South.

“It keeps kids involved,” he said, adding that he jumped at the chance to get the concept going here.

“There are some very good upward programs in the area,” Kornahrens said. “But not many churches in the area have designated as many resources to sports and rec.”

The Austin Campus was built on 16 acres, and about seven of those acres are dedicated to sports fields.

Already this year, the campus had a 5K/10K run, as well as a golf tournament, cornhole tournament and 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

There also will be an Upward Flag Football and Cheer League that kicks off this fall. Practices start later this month.

Kornahrens said the other big message that came out of the survey was that residents want more service and ministry opportunities, which the Austin Campus plans to address as well.

“We will have Operation Inasmuch on Sept. 25, and send about 500 people out into the community to help people,” he said, noting that the name of the event comes from the Bible’s Book of Matthew. “Then the group will come back to the Austin Campus and have a cookout to celebrate.”

The pastor added that the golf tournament raised more than $4,000 for global missions.

The church’s inaugural service will be at the church’s regular time of 10 a.m. Sunday, and there will be a service and dedication at 4 p.m.

Shawn Harper, who played for the Indianapolis Colts and is now a motivational speaker, will give the keynote address.

For more information on Epiphany’s Austin Campus, call (937) 886-9885 or visit epiphanylutheran.us.

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