Festival Prep Today – Moussaka– YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!

Attention Holy Trinity Volunteers, Stewards and Festival Fans: Please plan to stay following Liturgy today for the final scheduled Festival Prep Session as we finish preparing Moussaka. Everyone is welcomed and everyone’s help is needed. On-the-job-training is free! Questions? Please see Paula Valliant.

Festival Volunteers Needed – Sign Up Online!
The Festival Committee is asking everyone, new members and old hands, young and young at heart, to pledge a donation of their time and talents so that we can continue to grow both the success of the festival and the fellowship with all our Holy Trinity church family members! Please consider donating your day (or days!) as your offering of stewardship to Holy Trinity Church. Visit www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/volunteer today to sign up for your preferred areas and times! Thank you!

Upcoming Memorials

July 30: Anna Kosanovich (3 years), Herbert Kosanovich (15 years), George Pantelas (10 years)

[Aug 1-14] Fasting and Schedule of Paraclesis Services  
The Church observes the holy season of the Theotokos, August 1-14, with both prayer and fasting. During that time we are in a strict fast period in honor of the Theotokos and Mother of God in preparation for her feast of Koimissis (Dormition or Falling Asleep in the Lord) of the Theotokos on August 15. According to the canons of the Church, this is a time when we abstain from all meat, dairy, fish, wine and olive oil. Adding the complete purpose to this spiritual preparation, of course, is our participation in an increased prayer life, including the Paraclesis services, Holy Confession and personal prayer. "Paraclesis Services" are beautiful sung services asking for the prayers and intercessions of the Theotokos to her Son and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All parishioners are encouraged to attend all services, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Saint George Chapel (8941 Ringeisen Road). Please complete a Paraclesis Names Form to submit prayers for your loved ones and bring it to the services at the Chapel. It can be found in the July-August Herald or online at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/documents/worship. The schedule of services is as follows:

- Wednesday, August 2
- Friday, August 4
- Monday, August 7
- Wednesday, August 9
- Friday, August 11

[Aug 5-6] Services and Blessing of First Fruits for the Feast of the Transfiguration: NOTE CHANGES!

• CHANGES FOR HOLY TRANSFIGURATION SERVICES THIS YEAR!

We usually celebrate Great Vespers here at our Saint George Chapel on August 5 and attend Liturgy on August 6 at the Monastery, but with the feast being a Sunday this year, we will switch the order:

• Saturday, August 5, 5:00pm: Vigil Service (Great Vespers and Orthros) at the Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Ellwood City.
• Sunday, August 6, 8:30 am Orthros/9:30am Liturgy at Holy Trinity Church followed by the Blessing of the Grapes
• BRING YOUR GRAPES FOR BLESSING ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 6!

Following Divine Liturgy on Sunday, August 6, we will offer the Blessing of the Grapes, an ancient traditional summer harvest event. The Blessing of the Grapes (First Fruits) at the Transfiguration is from the days of a farming society, this was the first offering back to God from the summer harvest. It is still a liturgical practice of the Church today. Even though they are most often bought from a grocery store today, we should not lose touch with the idea of offering back to God the first fruits of all our blessings! How is it done? It is customary for each family to bring a tray of washed grapes or fruit to be blessed and distributed at the end of the service. Those fruits are then offered to the community at the celebration after, so we can enjoy them and give thanks for them together. So, please bring a basket or plate of washed grapes (cut into small bunches, please). Other summer fruit, such as peaches, plums, etc.) are also acceptable. We will offer the blessing and then use those fruits during Coffee Hour as part of the refreshments. Thank you for participating in this meaningful tradition!

Festival Ads Available: Space is Waiting for You!

The Festival Ad Book is back and is looking for your support. Please consider placing a business ad or personal listing. Ads start at $175 for a quarter page and go to $550 for a full page, with center and cover spots available at higher prices as well. A personal family/personal line is only $50. Application Forms can be found at the church office window. Please be sure to share them with your favorite business establishments! For more information, contact Al Backeris at 724-263-3622 or Connee Bistolas at 412-999-0111.

Greek Dance Practices – Getting Ready for the Festival

One of the public’s favorite features of our “Taste of Greece” Festival is our live Greek dance performances. To prepare for this year’s event, please note the following practice schedules. Parents, please be sure your children attend.

HOPE (Kindergarten – Second Grade) Contact Eleni Dedousis (412-953-3699 or eadedousis@gmail.com).

• Every Sunday following Liturgy: July 23, August 6, 13, 20, 27
• Weekdays:
  • Tuesday, July 25, August 8, 15, 22, 29: 6:00pm

JOY (Third – Sixth Grades) and GOYA (Seventh – Twelfth Grades)

• Every Thursday from 6:30-8:00pm: July 27
• Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00pm: July 25
  We will be adding new dances to the show this year and ask that dancers come to as many practices as possible. The GOYA/JOY dancers will be dancing every night of the festival!!!  Victoria Andromalos-Dale (412-496-9128 or v.andromalosdale@gmail.com)

[Jul 25 & Aug 1] Greek Dance - Parent Meetings

There will be a parent meeting for both dance groups on Tuesday July 25 and Tuesday August 1 in between the two scheduled practices. Please be sure to attend if you plan on having your child dance. This will be an informational meeting on how the next month of practices will be going and what to expect the week of the festival. Also, there are plans to order dance group graphic t-shirts to arrive in time for the Festival. Please let Eleni or Victoria know if you would be interested so that they can estimate how many t-shirts they will need to order. Thank you!

[Jul 25] Greek Day at Kennywood Park

Join the fun this Tuesday, July 25 for Greek Day at Kennywood Park. Ride all day and be sure to visit Pavilions #4 and #5 for Gyros, Pastries and Greek Dancing provided by Ypapanti Greek Orthodox Church. For discounted Kennywood tickets, please contact the Presentation of Christ Church (Ypapanti) at 412-824-9188 or by email at lkoutsavlis@ypapanti.net  

FOCUS Summer Feeding Program – VOLUNTEER TODAY!

Holy Trinity Church has been designated as a FOCUS Summer Feeding Program host site and this wonderful ministry opportunity is now underway! Each Monday through Friday until August 11^th a team of local volunteers from Holy Trinity and other area churches and organizations will gather here to prepare lunches for delivery to food-insecure children at the Carnegie Library Extension on Pittsburgh’s Northside. Volunteers are needed to prepare and distribute the meals. You can sign up to volunteer at www.focusnorthamerica.org/summerfeeding or by calling the church office at 412-366-8700.

In the Hospital? Home-Bound? Please let the Church Office know! 
In today’s age of information privacy, churches are not notified when parishioners are admitted to hospitals, nursing homes or other care facilities. Both those facilities and your church depend on having the church notified by a friend or family member so that pastoral care and outreach can be offered. The same goes for those homebound. If you or any of your loved ones are in any of these situations, please contact the Church Office at 412-366-8700 to request a visit from our priests or our new and wonderful Visitation Ministry. Also, interested in helping reach out to fellow parishioners in those situations? Please contact Amy Armanious at visitation@HolyTrinityPgh.org.

 [Aug 17] Faith Night at PNC Park

The 5th Annual Faith Night will be held on Thursday, August 17 following the Pirates-Cardinals game at 7:05 p.m.  Enjoy discounted tickets ($25 each) for the Pirates-Cardinals game at 7:05 and stay after the game to hear from Manager Clint Hurdle and many more Pirates Players and Coaches as they discuss how faith has impacted their lives, both on and off the field. To reserve your seat please call or email Joyce Athanasiou at 412-322-6002 or  jcbathanasiou@aim.com  

[Sep 9] Monastery Fund-Raising Dinner at St. Nicholas Cathedral

On Saturday, September 9, the fourth annual fund-raising banquet for the Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Monastery in Saxonburg will be held at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Oakland. The event is once again being held in memory of Gherontissa Taxiarchia, the founder of the Monastery and the theme is, “All Generations Will Call Me Blessed.” Vespers is open to all at 3:00 pm and tickets for the 4:00 pm Dinner Banquet are $100. Please call 724-352-3999 for more information or RSVP online by September 1 at www.2017dinnerbanquet.eventbrite.com   

[Sep 19, 26 & 28] AARP Smart Driver Courses

Please join the Holy Trinity Senior Fellowship Ministry Group as they host two different “AARP Smart Driver” Courses.  On Tuesday, September 19, the Smart Driver Refresher Course will be held for those who have previously taken the course within the last 3 years. The 4-hour Refresher Course will be a one-day only class, to be held here at Holy Trinity from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. Then on Tuesday September 26 and Thursday September 28, the full course will be offered. This two-day classroom course will take place here at Holy Trinity from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm each day (both sessions are necessary). Refresh your driving skills and learn strategies to help you stay safe behind the wheel. There are no tests to pass. Each session will be informative and casual. There will be a 20-minute break with refreshments each day. Upon completion of the course, you may be eligible to receive an auto insurance discount. Consult your insurance agent for details. You can register for these programs by calling the church office at 412-366-8700 or by email to Office@HolyTrinityPgh.org or online at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/events. The cost is $15 for AARP members or $20 for non-members. Be sure to register early, as these classes are open to the public and seats may fill up quickly. New BOGO announcement from AARP: Take the full two-day course (Sept 26 & 28) and Bring a Friend for Free! Both participants will need to register for the two-day course, but on the morning of the first class only one fee will be paid. 

Note for Summer Travel - Don’t Forget Church! 

Where we travel, whenever we go, we take our faith with us, for as it says in the Psalms, "God is with us!" Keeping that in mind, please remember to plan ahead and check for the location of the nearest Orthodox Christian Church if you will be staying over a Sunday. There are two great web sites to check: our own Archdiocese (www.goarch.org) and Orthodoxy in America (www.OrthodoxyInAmerica.org), a multi-jurisdictional listing of all Orthodox parishes. Also, for major trips such as overseas travels, please feel free to stay following antidoron and ask Father John to offer a special blessing to your family for your travels. Remember, "God is with us" always. Let’s not forget to invite Him!

Vacationing or Travelling with No Church Nearby? Watch and Listen Online!

As noted above, we should all try to find a nearby Orthodox Church when we’re travelling or vacationing, but sometimes that’s just not possible. So, for the next best thing, join your church family back here at Holy Trinity by watching or listening online! Find us at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/live. Hint: It’s best to watch by clicking the online video broadcast, but it you’re in the car or not on wifi and don’t want to exhaust your data plan, try listening to the audio only version instead! There’s a link just below the video screen on our Live Broadcast page. The audio stream uses minimal data compared to the video stream, so it’s perfect for travelling!

Welcome, Holy Trinity Guests!

We welcome all our guests to Holy Trinity Church today, whether as visitors from out of town, family members joining others here for worship today or even soon-to-be members here for the first time. No matter what the reason the Holy Spirit brought you here today, we welcome you with open arms and hearts filled with the love of Christ. Please help us welcome you by signing in at the hospitality table in the Narthex, where you will be presented with a yellow lapel Cross to help our Holy Trinity family know you're here. Please fill out an information card so we can contact you with any information you may need concerning life here at Holy Trinity Church.

About Receiving Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church

As an extension of our hospitality and outreach ministries, we welcome all who have come to worship with us today. Whether you are an Orthodox Christian, an inquirer to the faith or a first-time guest in an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us and thankful for the opportunity to share and bear witness to this ancient and timeless Faith. In accordance with the holy canons and traditions of the Church, please note that Holy Communion and the other Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) are received only by those who are baptized and chrismated (confirmed) Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared through prayer, fasting and confession. All others are invited receive the antidoron (blessed bread) and a blessing from the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The antidoron is not a sacramental offering, but is blessing and a reflection of the agape (love) feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church. Please join our parish family for hospitality after the holy services and allow us to meet and welcome you. Interested in joining or learning more about the Orthodox Christian Faith? Please see one of our priests or complete a visitor’s card today!