Your Church Staff is in the process of calling every member and regular attender of our congregation to see how they are doing during this crazy time. If you don’t get a call by middle of next week that means we don’t have a current phone number for you. If you haven’t gotten anything in the mail from us lately it means we don’t have an updated address. Please call the church office at 937-335-2826 or email sbrumfield@troyfumc.org and we’d be more than happy to update your information for you. Thanks!

“You have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14

Dear Troy First Friends and Family,

I spent the first few weeks Coronavirus crisis finding solace in the knowledge that our God had been here before.  The Scriptures are filled with scores and scores of examples from virtually every generation in history.  This weekend I realized…we were too!  The legions of faithful from all throughout history have been here before as well.

We, in fact, were made for such a time as this.  While we may have had no clue all our life up to this point, God knew we would face a time just like this!  And we are all in a most “royal” position.  Holy cow! We are all royally in this mess together!  Yet God knew, and built within each of us the resolve to prevail and get through this mess victoriously.  It’s in our spiritual DNA.  Made in the image of God, we are meant to stand the test of time, even in such a time as this.

And so, Easter comes!  I find it no small coincidence that we are fighting this Coronavirus smack-dab in the middle of the run-up to Easter.  After the cross of burden, comes the empty tomb of deliverance.  Death will not have the victory.  Ha!  Take that.  Easter will come!

Troy First Church Family, I want to keep you updated on a couple of fronts:

For Those in Need

We are staying in touch with our shut-ins.  Feel free to call and check on anyone yourself with whom you have a previous relationship.  Call the church office if you know of anyone who has a need, 937-335-2826.  We will be monitoring our voicemail daily.  We have servant teams making meals and dropping off groceries. Several have made themselves available in any way needed.

Our Church’s Financial Position

The good news is that we are in a much better position to handle any challenge than we were last year.  The challenge is that we are into our second or third week of handling an epic challenge for all of our lives.  

We have gone into a hyper-cost-savings mode.  Everything has been cut back to the bare minimum.  This is called “cost containment” in business circles.

Some of our church staff is working quadruple time.  Everyone has made themselves available to serve in any way.  The livelihood for several on our staff is dependent on our maintaining our commitment to support their families and thus salaries.  No one in ministry ever got into the business to make money.  Many have gone without (raises, fair market wages) for a number of years.

Please send your gifts, as you are able, directly to the church by mail or go online at www.troyfumc.org/giving.  

By mail: 110 W. Franklin St., Troy, OH 45373 

Staying in Touch/Our Church’s Facebook and Social Media

The opportunity may have come upon you sooner than what you ever wanted to embrace, but we are actually having fun maximizing every Facebook and social media opportunity.  It is an amazing tool.  If you are old-school and are hesitant to sign up, I ask you to remember the Protestant Reformation when God used the latest technology of the day to exponentially share God’s word (Gutenberg’s printing press).  If you’ve ever read a hard or soft-bound Bible, you should be on Facebook.

Call the church office and leave a message if you would like help joining Facebook and tuning in.  Our entire staff is happy to help, 937-335-2826 (church office) or 937-489-6575 (my direct cell phone line). For our small group leaders, consider using Zoom to host your next meeting. We are putting together Facebook and Zoom help sheets for anyone who wants to take the next step of connectivity.  We can email or snail mail those to you at any time.  Using Zoom is an incredibly accessible way to keep in touch with any group, so too is the App “House Party.”  My family and I will be using it tonight.

For safety purposes, the church office doors will be closed, but again, use the above phone numbers if you know of anyone who needs immediate help, you especially.

Closing

We will prevail because God has destined us to do so.  You AND God were made for such a time as this and we will get through it.

Please feel free to contact me personally if you have any need or concern:

Pastor Chris Heckaman

110 W. Franklin St.

Troy, Ohio 45373

937-489-6575 (cell)

937-335-2826 (church)

checkaman@troyfumc.org (email)

Blessings and all love,

Pastor Chris