Hi, Everybody:
This Sunday, April 5th, is Palm Sunday. Feel free to parade around your neighborhood eating nachos and carrying a palm branch. Hope the neighbors don’t call the police.
So, we have a new shelter-in-place order from the Alameda County Public Health Department that extends through May 3rd. It is stricter and more detailed with paragraphs, sub-paragraphs, sub-sub-sub-paragraphs and even sub-sub-sub-sub paragraphs (really – I counted!). Here are some links from the ACPHD for more information:
Click here the full text of the order
Click here for the summary of the order
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about the order
And here is my summary of what this means for us at Holy Trinity:
- We will not be having worship services, Bible study, or any other gatherings at the church until at least May.
- We will continue to have on-line and email materials for inspiration and information.
- Pastor and I will be working from home, but you can still email or phone us.
- Contributions can still be mailed or dropped off to the mailbox at church or Terri’s home or submitted through Give+.
I will be sending a separate email in which I explain why it’s so important that we as a church follow these guidelines, along with a copy of the required Social Distancing Protocol form, where we explain what we’re doing to meet the requirements. I’m sure you’re waiting with bated breath for that one (or are you just afraid to breathe?).
Now, the good news: Easter is not cancelled – just postponed! The council has met (virtually) and decided that once the shelter-in-place is lifted, we will have an Easter service with Easter Breakfast, Egg Hunt, and all the decoration and fanfare that is a part of the Easter celebration. We’ve had Christmas in July, and every Sunday is a mini-celebration of the resurrection anyway, so it’s really not that odd for us. It’ll be joyous!
Cheryl Hall has been doing her part to keep our spirits up by sending out uplifting greeting cards. if you or someone you know of needs an emotional boost, please email her the information and she will send out a card. Thanks for your thoughtfulness, Cheryl!
Remember, if you need assistance in getting essentials like food or prescriptions (does chocolate count as either?), we have several people who have volunteered to help by picking up and delivering what you need. Just let me know, and I will hook you up. Also, if you are willing to volunteer to help out, let me know as well. We can get through this together!
I usually put financial updates in the insert for the Sunday worship services. But since I haven’t had to produce inserts for non-existent print bulletins, I’m including the latest financial update from our intrepid Treasurer Terri:
March 2020 Financial Summary
Income: $21,279.65 Expected: $22,197.00
Expenses: $18,721.93 Budgeted: $22,037.00
General Fund March 2020:
Month: Beg Balance Income Expense Balance
January $19,585.47 $15,154.33 $21,350.68 $13,389.12
February $13,389.12 $14,582.47 $20,541.12 $ 7,430.47
March $ 7,430.47 $21,279.65 $18,721.93 $ 9,988.19
Great Job Everyone!! April is going to be a very challenging month for HTLC financially, socially and spiritually. Even though we’re not “open” our bills don’t stop. Here are our anticipated expense for April:
Property Taxes (By 4/10) $ 975.00
Payroll Taxes (By 4/30) $ 2,571.00
Payroll $16,146.00
Office (Copier, telephone, internet) $ 325.00
Buildings (PG&E, Pest Control, Garbage) $ 820.00
Property Insurance (By 4/15) $ 317.00
Total $21,154.00
Please prayerfully consider giving a donation to HTLC by cash, check or electronically. You can drop or mail offering the church or drop mail to Terri MacFarlane (Treasurer) at 39639 Iolani Court Fremont 94538.
We are all in this together—together we will thrive—together we will gather and celebrate
And finally, since I haven’t been producing an insert, I haven’t been sharing cartoons (the only reason some people look at the insert at all). Here is one sent to me by the Bierbaums which, had I been drinking a beverage, would have resulted in a COVID-spreading spit-take. Be safe, everybody!
– Keith
your friendly PLC
(Parish Life Coordinator)