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First United Methodist Church in Troy will have a drive-in Easter Sunday service at 9:30 a.m. in the green field at the corner of Oak and College streets in Troy.

Parking for the service will begin at 8:45 a.m.

The Rev. Steve Winton, FUMC pastor, said the drive-in Easter Sunday service is an effort to help keep a sense of community among the people of the church during these very trying times.

“We are able to have this special Easter service but with very strict guidelines,” Winton said. “The vehicles will be parked at a safe distance apart and everyone must remain in their vehicles throughout the service. There will be no sitting on the hoods or standing outside.”

Winton estimated that the field will have adequate parking for between 100 and 115 vehicles.

“This is something new for us so we don’t know what the response from FUMC will be and those from other churches,” he said.”But, it is important to have this service, for FUMC and the community.”

The service will be conducted over a public address system and from the back of a flatbed truck.

Winton, laughingly, said this will not be the first service he has conducted from such a platform but will be his first Easter service from a flatbed.

“I will be on the stage along with the FUMC Worship Team, which will provide music for the service,” he said. “Of course, we will practice social distancing.”

The FUMC Easter Service will also be shown live at 9:30 on TC2 (Troy Cable Channel 2), Facebook and YouTube and re-broadcast on Troy Cable  at 11 a.m.

Winton said at this time, when it is important for people to keep physical distance from each other, it is also important to maintain a sense of church and fellowship so that hearts may grow stronger.

“In this changing culture it is very important for us to re-establish our priorities as Christians,” Winton said. “Easter is the time for us to do so.”