Finding New Ways to Live Out God's Call During the Pandemic
The Rev. Dr. Lisa Tucker-Gray, Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Toledo, Ohio, is not shying away from adapting throughout the changes associated with the pandemic. In a recent interview with Kristine Miller, Partner & EVP of Horizons, Dr. Tucker-Gray discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by social distancing. Although Trinity’s signature ministries have historically relied on the ability to be in proximity to others, Trinity has discovered new ways to live out God’s call in the midst of downtown Toledo. During Lent, when the pandemic hit close to home, Lisa describes the constant evolution of the worship experience -- moving from live streaming in the church to pre-recorded worship broadcast on Sunday mornings. She discusses the substantial challenge of involving multiple participants in the worship service but highlights the importance of seeing each other and being together in community.
The Discomfort of Asking for Financial Support
Dr. Tucker-Gray also discusses overcoming her discomfort of asking for financial support during these times and the surprising response of her worshipping community. During Lent, Trinity received online contributions from 50 people (in addition to their 66 pledgers) who had never before contributed. Acknowledging that some families are experiencing financial crises, Lisa emphasizes the importance of not making the choice of whether or not to give for the donor, but rather to allow donors to make the decision themselves. Especially during this time of crisis, many people feel compelled to invest in the church’s ministry as a way of making a difference in the world. Lisa believes the offering is a time of invitation to partner with Trinity to support impactful ministries that are making a difference in Trinity’s community.
Watch the Interview.
From Palm Sunday through the second Sunday of Easter, Trinity’s worship service has been viewed in 12 different countries. Trinity’s Good Friday service had 945 views on Facebook. Creativity, adaptability, and embracing change have enabled Dr. Tucker-Gray and her team to successfully navigate through the pandemic with strength and courage.
Next Steps:
To learn more about how you can use online recurring giving to support ministry funding during social distancing, please visit Giving365, a free, on-demand library of resources designed to help you make disciples and fund ministry. It won’t cost you anything, and you can download as much content as you’d like. In fact, you may even find it helpful for your finance and generosity team members to get their own account. You’ll find resources on a variety of topics—especially about how to promote online recurring giving in your church. If you’d like to talk with someone specifically to guide your church through the evaluation and adoption process, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re ready to help!