Stewardship in the Age of Coronavirus –
a Letter from Pastor Ron and Council President Kim
Dear Members and Friends of Trinity,
We are so glad that, despite Coronavirus, we have been able to keep our lines of communication open among our people. We know that members and friends of our congregation are reaching out to each other through e-mails, cards, phone calls, instant messages, etc., etc., etc.). Thanks to modern media (and Kristin Bowl!!!!) we are able to post each Sunday’s sermon, scriptures, hymns and prayer on our website. We are even able to continue our Bible classes, Sunday school classes and some meetings through ZOOM, e-mails and plain old phone calls.
And even as we have done this, we have found ourselves reaching out in new ways. If you look at our website, you will see that we are offering help to people in this time of crisis. Also, Gaggle members have put some homemade casseroles and soups in the kitchen freezer for anyone who might be in need.
What surprises the two of us most was how quickly these adjustments have been made and are still being made. We started posting a virtual worship service on the website already a week before we had to stop coming to church. And our virtual service is being improved every week. This coming Sunday, Palm Sunday, we will have lectors, just like we do when we are in the building for worship!
Of course, more adjustments must be made. What used to be simple and routine on Sunday morning, namely placing our offering envelope into the offering plate, also needs adjusted. Currently we need approximately $11,000.00 per month to meet our expenses. Some members are sending their offerings through US mail to the church or to Tony Nally at 110 David Dr., Boonsboro, 21713. Others have signed up for the E-offering that is being provided by M&T Bank. This can be done temporarily just until we get back to church or you may continue.
The E-offering is completely secure and has NO SERVICE FEES. It has two profiles you can choose from; one is for weekly giving and the other for monthly. When we say it is completely secure, we mean it has two layer authentication. Of course, it requires that you give Tony some of your account information. Once Tony has you set up, he first uses a special passcode for a certain device (called a “token”) he was given by the bank. He then receives a 7 digit code from the bank that he enters when logging into M&T. Tony has to personally set each of these offerings up through the bank, and he is more than glad to do so.
We ask that you prayerfully consider which method might work best for you and adjust your stewardship habit accordingly. The Coronavirus may have changed our lifestyle temporarily, but it will not defeat us. Don’t forget to reach out to other members just to check in with them and say hello.
Stay safe, stay home if you are able, and take care of yourselves.
God bless you all,
Pastor Ron and Kim
March 30, 2020
We may not be able to gather in our beautiful sanctuary at the moment due to the Corona virus, but remember that the operating expenses of the building(s) continue on.
Trinity understands that many people will be experiencing financial hardships as the flow of business is being greatly restricted. If you are not able to make your regular offering at this time, we certainly understand.
If, however, you are able to continue to give your gifts, we greatly appreciate them. Not only are there expenses to consider, but our outreach into the community means we may need to help others in need. If our offerings stop coming in, it may restrict our ability to help others.
Offerings can be made by mailing them to Trinity’s Financial Secretary, Anthony Nally at 110 David Dr, Boonsboro, MD 21713.
Save yourself the time and effort by signing up for Automatic Offering, with no fees! Click here for more info.
