Remaining Connected: An Easter Monday Thank You!
Over half a ton of supplies gathered for Crosslines by Trinity Presbyterian Church on April 13, 2020. (Tap to view larger)
On Friday I sent Trinity an email asking for help. We had just learned that Crosslines was feeling the crunch on a number of key items to help provide assistance to those in our community who are food insecure. I knew it was short notice and a holiday weekend, but I thought, "why not go ahead and ask and see what happens."
Well, let me tell you what happened: today from 10am to 1pm I had the tremendous joy of unloading carload after carload of donated supplies for Crosslines. For three hours I got to greet our Trinity family as we came, one at a time, and shared what we could. Most people apologized for having so little; a few cans here and a couple boxes of mac and cheese there. But guess what?
We gathered over half a ton of supplies for Crosslines today!!!
To be specific, after unloading the full-to-the-brim truckload, it filled two pallets and clocked in at 1,064 pounds. The team from Crosslines was tremendously grateful. Ricky, who helped me unload the truck, shared that over the past weeks their donations have all but dried up as volunteer teams stay home and churches have stopped meeting.
Thank you to everyone who donated supplies today, and thank you to the many others who have made a special financial gift to support our COVID-19 relief efforts. The combination of donations and financial support are a powerful force for good in our community, and it comes from each of us doing what we can. In the coming days hundreds of families will be blessed by your generosity, something none of us could do on our own.
If you weren't able to bring by a donation today, don't worry! We are already working to plan our next collection date. You can also, of course, always make a financial donation to support our work. You can learn more about how to send a donation via snail mail, or our new online giving system, right here.
Now, a few updates and reminders about remaining connected with Trinity this coming week:
Holy Week Worship
If you missed any of our Holy Week services, or want to share a link with friends or family, you can find all the information here:
Maundy Thursday: Click Here
Good Friday: Click Here
Easter Sunday: Click Here
Trinity Gatherings This Week
Starting last week, you might have noticed two small changes to our Zoom gatherings.
First, you will be specifically asked to put in a password. This can be found in this email below the link. Please do not share the password publicly on social media. This is to help prevent a new form of prank -- "Zoom-bombing" -- where pranksters get the login information for a Zoom meeting and then come in and make inappropriate comments.
Second, when you join a meeting you will also notice you will join a "waiting room" -- this is a new security measure put in place by Zoom to secure meetings against the aforementioned pranksters.
Here are the ways you can connect with your Trinity family this week on Zoom:
Coffee & Conversation - Tuesday from 2pm to 3pm
Join me for a time of conversation and checking in at our virtual coffee shop. We will gather via Zoom (from the comfort of our own home) to chat and check in with one another. Bring your questions, prayer concerns, and more!
Join by computer/smartphone/tablet at this link: https://zoom.us/j/609200160
Join by phone by calling +1 312 626 6799 and entering, when prompted:
Meeting ID: 609 200 160
Password: [Check email or contact office]
Thursday Study Group
Starting NEXT WEEK (April 23) I will be hosting a Thursday Study Group via Zoom. Each week we will be exploring an article or topic that I'll share earlier in the week, so you can pop in for the topics you find interesting. After our Lent Book Study we are taking a week off, but look for more updates coming next week!
Sunday Morning Social Hour & Sunday School - Sunday from 10:00am to 11:30am
Join your Trinity family for a time of conversation this Sunday. We will gather as a large group briefly at 10:00 and then into smaller groups for our Sunday School classes, plus a general space for those who just want to chat (or check out this whole Zoom thing).
Join by computer/smartphone/tablet at this link: https://zoom.us/j/928867456
Join by phone by calling +1 312 626 6799 and entering, when prompted:
Meeting ID: 928 867 456
Password: [Check email or contact office]
Check out our Zoom help guide here: https://trinityspringfieldpcusa.org/zoom
Thanks for being part of the Trinity family. If there is a way I can be a good support to you and your family in these hard days, please let me know.
Peace,
Pastor Chris
