A Winnipeg pastor and adventure seeker is sharing some tips and tricks to have an 'EPPic' summer.
As of April 1, 2025, Pastor Paul Epp stepped into his first lead pastor role at St. Vital Evangelical Mennonite Church.
"I was an Associate [Pastor] for about nine years before that," says Epp. "One thing I said in my interview was, 'I know I'm looking for a job. But I'm also looking for a new church family for my family."
Deep Loss, Deeper Faith
Epp and his wife, Laurel, have been married for 14 years, and the couple is no stranger to tragedy. They have three daughters, two on Earth and one in Heaven.
"Nova is nine, and she has mild cerebral palsy, so that's a bit of a challenge for us. Zalia is six, and we have Soleil, who passed away last August, stillborn. We talk about her all the time, and we're planning a birthday party for her in about a month from now."
Epp is doing a series of sermons this summer called 'Anchored: Holding Fast to Truth in a Drifting World.'
"This week I'm prepping a sermon called 'In the Beginning...God?' We're going to look at the first two verses of the Bible. We'll study and go through questions, such as, 'How do we know that's true?' We'll try to put on our thinking caps and love God with all our minds to explore some of those evidences that are there."
Nature Lover and Adventure Seeker
Epp grew up on a strawberry farm near La Salle, with a river nearby where he learned to fish. This was the beginning of his love of nature and wildlife.
"One of my favourite hobbies is wildlife photography, outdoor adventure photography, going on canoe trips and guiding them. I have my big heavy zoom camera on my neck often. We've had wolves howling close to us, we've had bear interactions, and all sorts of fun stuff.
Epp often finds himself with his family in one of Manitoba's Provincial Parks, canoeing, hiking, taking photos, or just taking in the view. His Instagram includes photos of these adventures.
"My motto is 'Life of Adventure.' So, how do you pursue adventure in your everyday, but also weekends?"
Epp has taken a few silent retreats in nature where he encountered God in multiple ways, including watching nearby wildlife. He encourages people to just get outside and see all the beauty of God's handiwork in nature.
"You don't have to break the bank to go on an adventure. If it's fishing, you don't always need a boat. Just a cheap ol' Pickeral rig and some worms. My daughter and I fish from shore, and she plays with the worms the whole time we're fishing. I get to chill and relax, and we wait for the bells to ring. I let her reel it in."