Kent Jacobs

Lead Pastor

Kent Jacobs

Kent was born in North Carolina and spent portions of his life there and in Germany, Guam, and Oklahoma before coming to Philadelphia. Since moving to Philly in 2001, Kent has become a HUGE Eagles fan (and is always available to accept tickets). They are a large part of why football is his favorite season and most depressing…come on, Super Bowl! Kent has been married to his beautiful wife, Tiffany, since 2002 and along with starting a church, they’ve also been busy raising two super-cute kids, Kayleigh and Koen (they are award-winning kind of cute).

Kent is the lead pastor at Epic Church. He spent his early years of ministry in Oklahoma and 7 years at a church in the suburbs of Philly before starting Epic in October 2008. With Epic, Kent is excited to help people discover that the most significant thing they can do with their one and only life is give it away...to God, and to others.

And though he might tell you he’s a bocce ball champion, you should know that it’s not true.

EXTRAS:

On Kent's DVR:
American Idol (but only the first few episodes with the people who sing terribly) and Biographies.
On Kent’s iPod:
U2, Coldplay, Beatles, Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, Mike Breaux.
On Kent’s Netflix:
Top Gun, Lean on Me, Rocky, Remember the Titans, The Godfather II, E.T., Forrest Gump, Shawshank Redemption, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Sandlot, GoodFellas.
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
Caddyshack.
Favorite Activities:
Spending time with friends and family.
You're stranded on a desert island and can only have two possessions. What are they (besides your Bible, of course)?
Relevant Episodes of Man vs. Wild and a MacGyver knife.
Fears:
Cockroaches. If I ever see one... we're moving.
Contact Kent:

Tiffany Jacobs

Children's Pastor

Tiffany Jacobs

Tiffany was born in Richmond, VA, and has lived in Rockville, VA, Tulsa, OK, and Jamaica. She graduated from Victory Christian Academy and Rhema Bible with a diploma in Supportive Ministries. Since 2002, she has been married to the debonair Kent Jacobs and is the proud mother of both aforementioned Cutest Children Ever, Kayleigh and Koen Jacobs. Being a mommy and running the children’s church keeps Tiffany's hands full and her life from being boring.

Tiffany is an Associate Pastor at Epic. Currently she's heading Epic Kids, which takes care of the children that come to Epic Church. She also has the difficult and thankless job of keeping Kent Jacobs in line.

EXTRAS:

On Tiffany's DVR:
Prison Break, Lost, House, and anything on HGTV.
On Tiffany's iPod:
Worship and Hip Hop.
On Tiffany's Netflix:
My Best Friend’s Wedding.
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
Groundhog Day.
You're stranded on a desert island and can only have two possessions. What are they (besides your Bible, of course)?
Chapstick and Kent.
Fears:
Dying a slow, painful death. Just get it over with!
Passion:
Helping people
Contact Tiffany:

Joanne Domagala

Executive Pastor

Joanne Domagala

Joanne was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. She has been married for over 30 years to her husband Michael and has 4 kids and 3 grandchildren. Joanne worked as a Church Administrator for 10+ years prior to leaving to help to start Epic. She currently splits her time between Epic and working as a Contracts Analyst for a Clinical Research Organization. She has a BA in Organizational Management from Eastern University.

Joanne is the glue that holds Epic together and the oil that keeps Epic running smoothly, as well as several other clever metaphors that are helpful. As someone who has adopted four and fostered over forty children, Joanne has a genuine passion for people. This passion shows in everything that Joanne brings to Epic Church and the people she meets.

EXTRAS:

On Joanne's DVR:
Airline, Project Runway, Top Chef.
On Joanne's iPod:
A little of everything. Parachute Band, Desperation Band, Mercy Me, and one of my favorites, for reasons that will remain secret, "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkly.
On Joanne's Netflix:
All time favorite: A Beautiful Mind. Others I like are Blues Brothers, Fame, Air Force One (almost anything with Harrison Ford).
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
Groundhog Day.
You're stranded on a desert island and can only have two possessions. What are they (besides your Bible, of course)?
And besides a motorboat? I'd like my iPhone, but since it would be useless after a few hours, I guess I'll take an ax and a lighter.
Fears:
SPIDERS – hate them with a passion. A little spider crawling on me can result in hysteria.
Passion:
Seeing people's lives being changed through a growing relationship with Christ.
Contact Joanne:

Matt Delvecchio

Media Director

Matt Delvecchio

Matt was born in Philadelphia, and grew up in Norristown. He went to Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a BS in Electronic Media with a concomitant in Business Administration (concomitant being a fancy word meaning "accompanying"—you're allowed to be impressed). He’s putting that degree to use doing post-production work for Center City Film and Video.

Matt is our media director at Epic Church. He's the guy who puts the great videos together that you see at Epic. Matt puts his skills as a (self-admitted) technology nerd and his commitment to excellence to work for our services at Epic, and we're so grateful for the outstanding job he does. This job keeps him pretty busy and up late at night...but still he loves technology, always and forever (see Napolean Dynamite).

Matt also can grow a beard better than anyone on staff, hands down.

EXTRAS:

On Matt's DVR:
Prison Break, Heroes, 24, and House.
On Matt's iPod:
The Office, Arrested Development, and the weirdest mix of music you could ever imagine, from Carrie Underwood to Avril Lavigne to Bon Jovi to Fergi.
Fears:
Going bald and cockroaches.
Passion:
My real passion in life is using media to reach into people’s lives and connect them with God.
Contact Matt:

Paul Heggie

Worship Leader

Paul Heggie

Paul was born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Before moving to Philadelphia, he spent five years in State College, PA. Most of that time was spent earning a BS in Secondary Education with English/Communications options at Penn State University (the rest of the time was spent on ill-advised daredevil adventures). In June 2008, he tied the knot with the love of his life, Lindsey. He currently works as an English teacher, which allows him to be a big kid amongst a group of littler kids. Actually, some of them are bigger than him.

At Epic, Paul leads worship. He's usually playing the keyboard and singing, and occasionally hopping around like a disoriented kangaroo. Just look for the skinny Asian guy.

EXTRAS:

On Paul's DVR:
Modern Family, Big Bang Theory, The Colbert Report.
On Paul's iPod:
Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, soundtracks, and much more. And if I’m completely honest, Taylor Swift. There. I said it.
On Paul's Netflix:
Dumb and Dumber, Billy Madison, Batman Begins, Lord of the Rings, and seasons of Lost, Scrubs, and the Office.
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
What About Bob? and his cameo in Zombieland.
Favorite Activities:
Anything that spikes my adrenaline, gives me a good view, or lets me be in great conversation with people.
Fears:
Marionettes, people touching my Adam's apple, and marionettes touching my Adam's apple.
Passion:
Making life an adventure and making it count. Helping people (and myself) find hope and redemption.
Contact Paul:

Meridyth Lanza

Worship Leader

Meridyth Lanza

Meridyth was born in Seaford, Delaware and grew up in Scranton, PA (before Dunder Mifflin moved in), and then moved to Kissimmee, Florida. Because she loved the PA weather so much, though, she moved back to PA (...or something like that.). She's currently in her last year at Valley Forge Christian College pursuing a degree in Church Music.

At Epic, Meridyth leads worship.  She brings her passion and heart for helping people connect with God every Sunday.

EXTRAS:

On Meridyth's DVR:
The Office, Oprah, American Idol, Amazing Race, Survivor. Pretty much any reality TV will do...
On Meridyth's iPod:
Bethel Live, Coldplay, Israel Houghton, Jesus Culture, Rita Springer, Owl City, Rascal Flatts, Hillsong, Skillet. All kinds of stuff!
On Meridyth's Netflix:
A League Of Their Own, Dumb and Dumber, Mrs. Doubtfire, Just Go With It.
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
What About Bob? and Space Jam.
Favorite Activities:
Piano, music, volleyball, spending time with family/friends.
You're stranded on a desert island and can only have two possessions. What are they (besides your Bible, of course)?
Cell phone to get me off that island!!
Fears:
Losing people I love and anything little and furry.
Passion:
Leading worship, helping people find a life of redemption and absolution, including myself.
Contact Meridyth:

Jake Rainwater

Teaching Pastor

Jake Rainwater

Jake was born in Los Angeles, California and moved to Lancaster at the age of nine. He went to Geneva College where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, before earning his Master of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Princeton University.

Jake currently works at AECOM Water, a drinking water and wastewater consulting engineering firm (so feel free to direct all your questions about Philadelphia's "special" water to him). He resides in Roxborough with his wife of 12 years, Alison, and three kids, Anya, Micah, and Elaina. At Epic, Jake shares some of the teaching load on Sundays with Kent and charms us all with his elephant-sized heart (figuratively elephant-sized...figurative.).

EXTRAS:

On Jake's DVR:
Monk, college basketball, Home Improvement, Psych, Jeopardy, and Minute to Win It.
On Jake's Netflix:
Amazing Grace, Rocky 4, Karate Kid (the original, of course), Groundhog Day, What About Bob?, The King's Speech, The Three Amigos, Cinderella (You laugh, but that's a solid 90 minutes of free entertainment for my 3-year old).
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
How can someone possibly choose between Groundhog Day and What About Bob? That's like asking, "Cake or ice cream?" The answer is, "Both!"
Favorite Activities:
Dates with my wife, playing games, hanging out and goofing off with my kids, Sunday mornings, life group, sports, reading, eating out.
You're stranded on a desert island and can only have two possessions. What are they (besides your Bible, of course)?
One is definitely my wife (not that she's a possession), and since I can only have one other, whichever of my kids is most inclined to be pleasant while stranded on an island.
Fears:
The self checkout line at the grocery store and the call back from the mechanic after I've dropped off my car for inspection.
Passion:
Living life as a husband, dad, church member, friend, and professional that rejoices in God and gives glory to Him.
Contact Jake:

Josh Slaughter

Web Director

Josh Slaughter

Josh was born in Warren, Michigan and grew up in Troy, Michigan. After graduating from Oakland University with a BS in Computer Engineering, he now works for PetFoodDirect, Inc., customizing their customer-facing websites. That means he’s good with computers. And the answer to your burning question is yes, he owns a Mac. He also has been married to his amazing wife, Ashley, since 2009, and until a few years ago, was proudly driving around his 1986 black Fiero GT.

At Epic, Josh handles our online presence, so thank him for this great site. Not only does he do a great job with all our website needs (which isn’t easy), he's a welcome presence for Epic on Sundays with hospitality and helping Epic run smoothly.

EXTRAS:

On Josh's DVR:
30 Rock, The Office, Community, Law & Order SVU, House, Chuck, Modern Family, Fringe, Bones, Detroit 1-8-7.
On Josh's iPod:
Contemporary Jazz (C-Jazz), Down to the Bone, Euge Groove, Brian Simpson. I'm a big R&B fan as well.
On Josh's Netflix:
Any action and suspense movies, anything with Will Ferrell.
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
Ghostbusters.
Favorite Activities:
Big soccer fan, love playing and watching. Reading articles on the latest technology and gadgets.
You're stranded on a desert island and can only have two possessions. What are they (besides your Bible, of course)?
Solar-powered laptop and USB internet adapter for a satellite internet connection. I don't think I could survive without the internet.
Fears:
Bees…traumatic childhood experience. We'll leave it at that...
Passion:
I'm really passionate about technology and how I can use it to help and reach people.
Contact Josh:

Ashley Slaughter

Hospitality Director

Ashley Slaughter

Another Michigan native, Ashley was born in Pontiac, Michigan and grew up in Ortonville (that’s in Michigan, too). Ashley was trained to be a medic and nurse in the Army and spent four years in the Army Reserves. Ashley graduated with a BA in Communications from Oakland University and spent some time with Teach for America. She has been married to her husband Josh since 2009, up to which point she could fit everything she owned in her car!

Ashley heads up our hospitality at Epic. She's responsible for giving us that extra boost in the morning when the sheer joy of coming to church at 10:15 or 9 (or 7) is dipping a little bit (doesn't happen to any of us, of course.....). Nothing says hello like tables of free food and coffee. This may be one of the most important jobs at Epic, and Ashley does an awesome job.

EXTRAS:

On Ashley's DVR:
Law and Order SVU. Even though it gives my nightmares, I still watch it because I love it so much. Also The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report.
On Ashley's iPod:
Ne-yo, Anthony Hamilton, Lady Antebellum, and Usher.
On Ashley's Netflix:
Forrest Gump.
Best Bill Murray Movie Ever:
Ghostbusters. I still think about green goo that turns into a monster coming out of the faucet every time I take a bath.
Favorite Activities:
Eating healthy, exercising, reading, traveling
You're stranded on a desert island and can only have two possessions. What are they (besides your Bible, of course)?
A desert island survival guide and plastic bag so my survival guide won't wet!
Fears:
Unsolved Mysteries, because they are unsolved!!!!
Passion:
Trying to making the world a better place with everything I do. Convincing people to treat their bodies well by eating healthy foods!

Jordanna Kelly

Jordanna Kelly

Jordanna was born and raised in Iowa (Jordanna says, "No I did not live on a farm; we didn’t have chickens, pigs, or cows. We didn't grow anything either."). She went to Simpson College and earned a degree in Business Management. After promising to follow a friend where ever she went to grad school, Jordanna kept her word and moved to Philly in 2003. She’s currently working for an IT company that acts as an outsourced IT department for Small and Medium Sized Business.

Additionally, Jordanna would like you to know she can probably beat you in arm wrestling, and is taking on any and all challengers.

EXTRAS:

On Jordanna's DVR:
Prison Break, America's Next Top Model, Monk, Project Runway, Numb3rs.
On Jordanna's iPod:
Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw.
Fears:
Rodents. She throws up a little bit in her mouth when she sees anything that can scurry.
Passion:
LIFE. I hope that when I die, it won't be the beginning and end dates that matter, but the dash in between.
Contact Jordanna: