 Father Jason Epps, 40, has been appointed as the Dean of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Sharpsburg, GA. In the Anglican Communion, a dean of a cathedral usually serves as the rector, or senior pastor, of the cathedral. In the Charismatic Episcopal Church, however, the bishop of the diocese serves as the Cathedral rector while the Dean serves as the rector during the absences or illnesses of the bishop. A Dean therefore serves, in essence, as the Senior Associate Pastor while the bishop is present. Should the bishop become incapacitated or is otherwise unable to perform his duties, the Dean assumes the pastorate until a new rector is appointed.
The Very Rev’d Jason Douglas Epps was born in Kingsport, Tennessee on April 9, 1972; the first of what would eventually be three sons born to William David and Cynthia Scott Douglas Epps. Epps' father was then a minister in the United Methodist Church and his mother was a registered nurse. (Dr. Cynthia Epps is now Associate Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of West Georgia). Epps stated that, "Both of his parents were faithful believers and hard workers, and growing up watching them shaped his life." One of his earliest memories was when, at age three, he gave his heart to Jesus.
When Jason was 8 years old, the Epps family moved to Colorado, where his father took a position as an associate pastor of a large Assemblies of God congregation. When Jason was 11 years old the family moved to Peachtree City, Georgia where Epps' father took a position as the senior pastor of an Assemblies of God church.
During his senior year at Georgia State, Jason met and married Jessica Paula Pierce of Griffin, Georgia and, after graduation, he was sworn in as a police officer with the Peachtree City (Georgia) Police Department in April of 1995. It was during this time that Jason’s father became a priest in the Charismatic Episcopal Church, pioneering Christ the King Church in Sharpsburg, Georgia.
In 1997, Epps became a Detective in the Criminal Investigations Division where he was promoted to the rank of Detective Corporal. During his stint as a detective, he was certified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Hostage Negotiator, and in 2000 he received the Police Officer Purple Heart for injuries received in the line of duty. In 2001 he transferred back to the Patrol Division and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In November of 2004 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Patrol Division. Currently, he serves as a Detective Lieutenant in the Criminal Investigations Division.
In 2005, Jason began the Master of Ministry Program at Saint Michael’s Seminary and, midway through the program, was ordained into the diaconate by Bishop John Holloway on September 10, 2006 in Sharpsburg, Georgia. In 2007, Bishop Holloway suffered a stroke and Father David Epps was elected to serve as the Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-South.
In 2011 Epps was ordained to the priesthood by his father, The Most Rev’d David Epps, Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-South. Also in 2011, he graduated from St. Michael’s Seminary with the degree of Master of Ministry. He is a member of the Rector’s Council at Christ the King and is also a Diocesan Investigator in the event allegations are lodged against clergy of the diocese. He is also president of the Warriors Motorcycle Club, a ministry of Christ the King. He is the chair of the Cathedral Council.
At the Peachtree City Police Department, Epps served as the senior Firearms Instructor and as a member of the Honor Guard/Saber Team. He is also a trained negotiator.
The new Dean lives in Senoia, Georgia with his wife, Jessica, and their four children, Victoria Sabrina, Isaac Pierce, Eliana Elizabeth and Rebekah Grace.
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