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Holy Trinity Church
Publish Date: 2021-02-28
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Allsaint
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Holy Trinity Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (609) 653-8092
  • Fax:
  • (609) 653-0375
  • Street Address:

  • 7004 Ridge Ave

  • Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
  • Mailing Address:

  • 7004 Ridge Ave

  • Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday Services: Orthros 8:15 am.

                         Divine Liturgy 9:30 am.


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal First Mode

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

O Father, foolishly I ran away from Your glory, and in sin, squandered the riches You gave me. Wherefore, I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal, "I have sinned before You Compassionate Father. Receive me in repentance and take me as one of Your hired servants."
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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
February 28

Righteous John Cassian the Confessor

Note: If it is not a leap year the hymns of Saint John are transferred to the 28th.

This Saint was born about the year 350, and was, according to some, from Rome, according to others, from Dacia Pontica (Dobrogea in present-day Romania). He was a learned man who had first served in the military. Later, he forsook this life and became a monk in Bethlehem with his friend and fellow-ascetic, Germanus of Dacia Pontica, whose memory is also celebrated today. Hearing the fame of the great Fathers of Scete, they went to Egypt about the year 390; their meetings with the famous monks of Scete are recorded in Saint John's Conferences. In the year 403 they went to Constantinople, where Cassian was ordained deacon by Saint John Chrysostom; after the exile of Saint Chrysostom, Saints Cassian and Germanus went to Rome with letters to Pope Innocent I in defence of the exiled Archbishop of Constantinople. There Saint Cassian was ordained priest, after which he went to Marseilles, where he established the famous monastery of Saint Victor. He reposed in peace about the year 433.

The last of his writings was On the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius, written in 430 at the request of Leo, the Archdeacon of Pope Celestine. In this work he was the first to show the spiritual kinship between Pelagianism, which taught that Christ was a mere man who without the help of God had avoided sin, and that it was possible for man to overcome sin by his own efforts; and Nestorianism, which taught that Christ was a mere man used as an instrument by the Son of God, but was not God become man; and indeed, when Nestorius first became Patriarch of Constantinople in 428, he made much show of persecuting the heretics, with the exception only of the Pelagians, whom he received into communion and interceded for them to the Emperor and to Pope Celestine.

The error opposed to Pelagianism but equally ruinous was Augustine's teaching that after the fall, man was so corrupt that he could do nothing for his own salvation, and that God simply predestined some men to salvation and others to damnation. Saint John Cassian refuted this blasphemy in the thirteenth of his Conferences, with Abbot Chairemon, which eloquently sets forth, at length and with many citations from the Holy Scriptures, the Orthodox teaching of the balance between the grace of God on one hand, and man's efforts on the other, necessary for our salvation.

Saint Benedict of Nursia, in Chapter 73 of his Rule, ranks Saint Cassian's Institutes and Conferences first among the writings of the monastic fathers, and commands that they be read in his monasteries; indeed, the Rule of Saint Benedict is greatly indebted to the Institutes of Saint John Cassian. Saint John Climacus also praises him highly in section 105 of Step 4 of the Ladder of Divine Ascent, on Obedience.


Prodson
February 28

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.

Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God's compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin -- no matter how great it may be -- that can overcome at any time His love for man.


Allsaint
February 28

Jonah the Righteous Martyr of Lerios


Allsaint
February 28

Basil the Confessor

Saints Procopius and Basil, fellow ascetics, lived about the middle of the eighth century, during the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741), from whom they suffered many things for the sake of the veneration of the holy icons. They ended their lives in the ascetical discipline.


Allsaint
February 28

Kyranna the New Martyr of Thessaloniki


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal First Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20.

Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"


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Wisdom of the Fathers

But if he had despaired of his life, and, ... had remained in the foreign land, he would not have obtained what he did obtain, but would have been consumed with hunger, and so have undergone the most pitiable death: ...
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

... but since he repented, and did not despair, he was restored, even after such great corruption, to the same splendour as before, and was arrayed in the most beautiful robe, and enjoyed greater honours than his brother who had not fallen.
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

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PARISH NEWS

PARISH NEWS

Pangari Schedule: Charles Krome, Maria Lianidis and Nick Kafkalas.

Philoptochos will continue to sell Shop Rite Gift Cards. Please see attached flyer with information on how to purchase. There is also flyers attached for the Philoptochos Membership Drive, Clothing Donation Drive and Lenten Retreat.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Please do not socialize and congregate in the foyer of the gym after the Divine Liturgy.

MARCH WEEKDAY SERVICES

Please call or email Ginny Kramvis for registering for weekday services. Seating is limited to 20 people. (609-513-2357 or ekramvis@comcast.net) 

 Saturday, March 6th, DL 9:00/10:00 am.,1st Saturday of the Souls

Tuesday, March 9th, DL 9:00/10:00 am.,40 Martyrs at Lake Sebaste

Saturday, March 13th, DL 9:00/10:00 am.,2nd Saturday of the Souls  

Monday evening, March 15th, First Day of Lent, Compline service 6:00 pm

Wednesday evening, March 17th, Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, 6:30 pm

Friday evening, March 19th, Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 5:30 pm and 1st Salutations 7:00 pm.

Saturday, March 20th, DL 9:00/10:00 am., 3rd Saturday of the Souls  

Monday evening, March 22nd, Compline service 5:00 pm

Thursday, March 25th DL 9:00/10:00 am., Annunciation of the Theotokos

Friday evening, March 26th, Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 5:30 pm and 2nd Salutations 7:00 pm. 

Monday evening, March 29th, Compline service 5:00 pm  

Wednesday evening, March 31st, Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, 6:30 pm 

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 5: OCMC Virtual Event

March 7: Spring General Assembly

March 15: First Day of Lent

March 20: Philoptochos Virtual Lenten Retreat

March 21: Parish Oratorical Festival

March 28: March 25th Celebration

RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION

Holy Communion is offered to those baptized Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves for the reception of the Sacrament by prayer and fasting. Blessed Bread is available for all our visitors at the very end of the Divine Liturgy. Our Sunday School students receive Holy Communion first and then we will approach from the center aisles, starting with the front pews, one pew at a time.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Virtual Sunday School continues this week!  ZOOM links will be sent out via email on Saturdays. Please contact Sarai Taraborrelli if you have any questions. The Sunday School email address is Holytrinitysundayschool2020@gmail.com.

TLC BOARD MEETING

TLC virtual board meeting will be held on Monday, March 1st at 5:00 pm.

GOYA MEETING

GOYA virtual meeting will be held on Thursday, March 4th at 5:00 pm.

BIBLE STUDY

We will have Bible Study on Tuesday, March 9th, via Zoom at 7:00 pm. A link will be sent prior to Bible Study.

STEWARDSHIP 2021

Stewardship packets for the year 2021 have been sent. Please fill out and return to the church office as soon as possible. If you have not received a packet, and would like one please contact the office (609-653-8092 X5). For those who are able, let us strive to give more generously than last year, so that we may continue to strengthen our Holy Trinity Church during these difficult times.
 
PARISH REOPENING INFORMATION

We are happy to announce that we have received permission to reopen our Church.  It will be great to see you all in person after many weeks of physical separation.

We are urging all of us to refrain from being judgmental towards those who are not yet ready or able to attend services.  Oftentimes, we do not know the personal situations experienced by our sisters and brothers. 

Here are many of the guidelines that we all need to follow during this first phase of reopening.

  •  Sunday morning Divine Liturgies will take place in the gymnasium and we will only be able to enter through the front door outside of the gym foyer.
  • We will not be permitted to go to other parts of the facility, except to use the restroom nearby (one person at a time).
  • Only 75 people can register for attendance each Sunday on a first come first served basis.  Overflow registrants will be first in line for the following Sunday.
  • Each of us will receive an email from “Sign Up Genius” each week.  Please be sure to provide all the contact information that is requested.
  • While consecutive Sundays will appear on the “Sign Up Genius”, please only register for one Sunday at a time so that we can give everyone a chance to attend.
  • Chairs in the gymnasium will be spaced in a safe manner.  Please do not move the chairs, nor move around inside the gym to converse with other people.
  • Masks must be worn at all times.  Please bring a mask from home.
  • Upon arrival, each of us will be asked a few general health questions.  If we are sick or have been near a sick person, we will not be permitted to attend the Divine Liturgy.
  • If someone experience symptoms sometime after the Divine Liturgy, THEY MUST NOTIFY THE CHURCH OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.
  • Everyone must sanitize their hands upon arrival.
  • We are not lighting individual candles.  Two large candles will be lit in front of the altar on behalf of all of us.
  • A collection tray will be placed at the pangari, but will not be passed around in Church.  Please bring exact change as no change will be handled.
  • All cell phones must be turned off completely in order to preserve our wifi connection.
  • A few chairs will be set up in the back of the gym for parents with young children.
  • For those who do not use email or the internet, I am encouraging them to seek out a family member or fellow parishioner who can register for them.  A separate letter in the Greek language will explain this to our seniors.
  • We are not permitted to have a coffee hour, nor to socialize with one another after the Services.

 WEEK DAY LITURGIES

Week Day Liturgies will be celebrated in the Church and participants can only enter through the front door of the Church.

  • We are limited to 20 people at a time for these services.  Seating spots will be marked with a blue dot on the pews.
  • We are giving preferential consideration to our senior citizens (who may be uneasy about larger crowds) and to those who are celebrating their name days on a given day.
  • Attendees must contact Ginny Kramvis two days in advance of the Week Day Liturgy so that we do not go over the 20 person limit (609-513-2357).  In addition, a relative or friend can email Ginny at   ekramvis@comcast.net.
  • All of the other guidelines as described above for Sunday Liturgies, also apply to the Week Day Liturgies.

MEMORIALS

If you are planning a family memorial, please contact the church office far in advance of the date, so that we can properly register your family for church attendance.

PARKING

Due to safety regulations, please do not park cars along the curb in front of the church and the community center during church services and other events. Thank you!

 

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