The mission of Epiphany Ministry, Inc. is to offer incarcerated juveniles an opportunity to change their lives and value systems through a three-day short course in Christianity and an ongoing follow-up process. This ecumenical Christian ministry for young men and women, under the custody of Juvenile Justice Facilities, uses models based on Chrysalis, Cross, Cursillo, Happening, Kairos Prison Ministry, Tres Dias, Vida Nueva and Walk to Emmaus.

Epiphany Ministry seeks to meet the basic needs of the juveniles, known as "stars," to love and be loved through the message of God's grace, love and forgiveness, and to feel worthwhile to themselves and others. The stars are 14-17 years old.  They have made some pretty bad choices in their lives.  Many of them come from a broken world of drugs, abuse, and neglect.  Many of them have never had anyone in their lives who loved them without wanting something from them.  

The goal of the adult volunteers who serve on the Epiphany Ministry team is to be the hands and feet of Christ .  The role of the volunteers is to show these boys and girls the unconditional, nonjudgmental love of God.  Our hope is that we sow seeds that God waters and tends.  During the weekend, the stars are given Bibles and taught how to use them.  They are allowed to take the Bibles back to the dorms at night, one of the rare things they can take out of the room.

There are 5 Epiphany weekends each year, three for boys and two for girls, because there are more incarcerated boys than girls.  Each star can only attend one Epiphany weekend, but one Saturday each month the adult team members travel to Columbia for a 2-hour reunion, and the stars can come to that as long as they are in the facility.  Some of them are there for many months.  We go to remind them that God loves them and that we love them too.

Advent supports the Epiphany Ministry with donations each year, and a number of our members serve or have served on the teams.  The most important thing Advent can do for this ministry is to keep the team and the stars in their prayers throughout the weekend.