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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2022-08-28
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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (904)-829-0504
  • Fax:
  • (904)829-0507
  • Street Address:

  • 2940 CR-214

  • St. Augustine, FL 32084-2718


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday  Divine Liturgy 10:00am    V. Rev. Father Maximos Politis, Priest


Past Bulletins


Parish News

 A Word from Fr. Maximos:
 
clergy LIONS
11th Sunday of Matthew Η αδικία υπό το φως του Χριστού.

Υπάρχουν στιγμές στη ζωή μας που μπορεί να νιώθουμε ότι έχουμε αδικηθεί. Μπορεί να νιώθουμε αδικία γιατί δεν μας τίμησαν ή δεν πήραμε μια προαγωγή που αξίζαμε. Ή, γιατί μας συκοφάντησαν ή, ακόμα, γιατί οι κόποι μας δεν έφεραν το επιθυμητό αποτέλεσμα. Και τότε νιώθουμε ότι η αδικία μας πνίγει και ότι χάνουμε τον έλεγχο της ζωής μας. Αυτό μας φέρνει θυμό, διάθεση εκδίκησης, θλίψη ή τέλος, αν το αίσθημα παρατείνεται, κατάθλιψη. Αυτά όλα όμως ισχύουν για εμάς. Ας δούμε πώς τα βλέπει ο άνθρωπος του Θεού, ή πώς θα έπρεπε να τα βλέπουμε όλοι εμείς που θέλουμε να μπούμε σε αυτό το δρόμο, να μαθητεύσουμε στους Αγίους και τους Πατέρες μας. 

Ο Θεός είναι Φιλάνθρωπος, Παντοδύναμος και δεν υπάρχει τίποτα που να γίνεται ερήμην του. Και χρησιμοποιεί ανθρώπους του περιβάλλοντός μας ή και καταστάσεις για να μας βοηθήσει να μάθουμε το μάθημά μας. Ο Άγιος Ιγνάτιος ο Θεοφόρος Επίσκοπος Αντιοχείας συνελήφθη και στάλθηκε στη Ρώμη  με σκοπό να τον δώσουν τροφή στα θηρία. Όταν έφτασε εκεί, ο Άγιος όχι μόνο δεν έκανε κάτι για να γλιτώσει το μαρτύριο αλλά έστειλε μια επιστολή στους Χριστιανούς της Ρώμης στην οποία μεταξύ των άλλων έλεγε: 

“...Μη με λυπηθείτε, λοιπόν, αλλ’  αφήστε να με φάνε τα  θηρία, γιατί είμαι σιτάρι του Θεού και πρέπει να μ’  αλέσουν τα  δόντια των θηρίων, για να βρεθώ στον Χριστό άρτος καθαρός και άγιος. Θα παρακαλούσα να κολακεύσετε τα  θηρία να φάνε όλο το σώμα μου, γιατί τότε θα θεωρούμαι αληθινός μαθητής του Χριστού, όταν δεν δει πλέον ο κόσμος το σώμα μου. Τώρα αρχίζω να είμαι μαθητής Χριστού…” 

Σήμερα δεν υπάρχουν θηρία και διώκτες. Ή, μήπως υπάρχουν; Αν δούμε ότι όλα αυτά, δηλαδή τις αδικίες και τις θλίψεις, τα επιτρέπει ο Θεός για να γίνουμε μαθητές Του, σύμφωνα με τον Άγιο Ιγνάτιο, τότε είναι σίγουρο ότι εμείς θα υποφέρουμε λιγότερο, αφού πιστεύουμε ότι αν και εμείς δεν έχουμε τον έλεγχο της κατάστασης, ο Θεός τον έχει ο οποίος βλέπει την υπομονή μας ως εκούσιο μαρτύριο.

Injustice under Christ’s light

There are times in our lives when we may feel wronged. We may feel wronged because we were not honored or we did not get the promotion we deserved. Or, because they slandered us or, even, because our efforts did not bring the desired result. And then we feel that injustice is drowning us and that we are losing control of our lives. This brings us anger, revenge, sadness or finally, if the feeling is prolonged, depression. But all this applies to us. Let us see how the man of God sees them, or how all of us who want to enter this path, to learn from our Saints and Fathers, should see them.

God is a loving one, is Almighty and there is nothing that can be done unknowingly to Him. And it uses people around us or situations to help us learn our lesson. Saint Ignatius Theophorus (the God-bearing) Bishop of Antioch, was arrested and sent to Rome to be thrown to the wild beasts. When he arrived there, the Saint not only did nothing to escape martyrdom but sent a letter to the Christians of Rome in which he said, among other things:

"... Do not feel sorry for me, but let the beasts eat me, for I am the grain of God, and the teeth of the beasts must grind me, that I may be found in Christ a pure bread and holy. I would ask you to flatter the beasts to eat my whole body, because then I will be considered a true disciple of Christ, when the world no longer sees my body. Now I begin to be a disciple of Christ… ”

Today there are no beasts and persecutors. Or, do they exist? If we see that all these, that is, injustices and sorrows, God allows us, so that we become His disciples, according to St. Ignatius, then it is certain that we will suffer less, since we believe that although we do not have control over the situation , God has it and sees our patience as voluntary martyrdom.


thoughts“I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people….  This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

We pray for mercy, life, peace, and healing of all parishioners -prayers for the family and friends of Mikae Gaetanos.  Prayers for Gary Peterson who is fastly recovering from surgery; Michael Colburn; Chris Bersu; Michael and Ingrid Fotianos; Ruza Basimamovic; Chresanthe Lemieux; Zoe Kauttu; Maryann Bolt; James Day; Margaret, James, Kyriake; Joseph, Alex Aclim; Jane Anderson; Gwen H.; and Thanos Nikolopoulos.  Remember also our missionary families: Fr. Stephanos, Pr. Alexandria, Moses & Athan Ritsi serving in Albania. 

spiritual home  Stewardship:

We enter our spiritual home not to be entertained, but to be a part of a community of believers. We receive Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. As we pray, worship and serve together, we become His Body. To be truly a member of the Church as Body of Christ requires our presence and our engagement with one another -- in worship, study and service to others. We grow spiritually as a family. We give sacrificially as we acknowledge that all we have comes from God.

The stewardship theme for this year is "Our Church, Our Spiritual Home" and it bears repeating as we work toward reaching the stewardship goals that fully support the needs of our parish.  The Stewardship segment of our weekly bulletin will now include some additional information regarding our progress.  This information will include the number of families that are active stewards, the total amount pledged and the amount contributed to date.  Please note that the total amount pledged is twenty five percent below what we have budgeted for stewardship income, which makes staying focused on our goals even more important. 

  • Number of Steward Families: 90
  • Total Pledged to Date: $108,832.00
  • Total Contributed to Date:  $81,973.00

To be stewards of the Gospel, we need to be stewards of our parish.  We are called to apply our abilities and resources to the tasks that God places before us.  If we do this humbly and prayerfully, the body of Christ will function to its full potential.

To all who faithfully contribute to their stewardship commitment, thank you.

communityUpdate St. Francis House:
 If are not able to help right now? Please look to help us another day -- we help deliver dinners the 2nd Monday of every month.
Online:  Please visit us online at http://www.facebook.com/holytrinityoutreach   Blessings in Christ, Richard

store

Re-Opening Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Bookstore:  We are blessed to announce the reopening of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church bookstore and gift shop on September 11, 2022. As we pray for those who have fallen asleep in the Lord during the tragedy of 9/11, we are reminded of the love of God for us through His Body, the Church.  Subdeacon Michael Fotianos and his lovely wife Ingrid, who are leaving our Parish after many years, have given their lives to the Church. We have all been deeply enriched as a result.  In their honor, the bookstore/gift shop will be aptly called the “Michael and Ingrid Fotianos Bookstore.” Axios!  In Christ! Paula Marchman Lekas and Melissa Kauttu Strange

Parish Council 9/11 Memorial Luncheon Ministries Fundraiser September 11, 2022: Celebrating - The Dedication and Naming of the Parish Bookstore Gift Shop Ministry!  Menu: Nick Kelley’s Famous Pasta & Meat Sauce, Bill Lulias’ Famous Spinach and Kale Salad; Phenomenal Baklava by Stella Bigelow (Suggested donation $10.00)

helpCalling All Men and Boys (6 years and Older):  Have you noticed your head chanter, Nick Lekas, hustling between the chanters stand and the altar to help Father Maximos during a service? On occasion, it has been others in the congregation who saw the need and were moved to help. This happens because we lack altar help on a consistent basis.

  • It is time we fixed this problem with our parish stewardship – that is to apply our individual time and talents to consistently being altar help during services. It is a blessing and an honor to actually be part of the liturgy in an intimate way by helping Father Maximos with the tasks necessary to prepare himself and the gifts for our collective communion – receiving the body and blood of Christ.
  • The tasks themselves, cutting the “ANDITHERON” (bread), pouring wine and warm water into the flasks for the altar in preparation, censing, leading processions (one in Orthros and two in the liturgy) carrying the light and/or a censor are simple but vital to supporting our priest.
  • I’m calling for volunteers to commit to being at church in time for Orthros on a set schedule. With enough volunteers, we can create a schedule that will not be a burden to anyone and will instead be a blessing to all of us. Once we have a list of volunteers (hopefully 8-10 at least), we will work with Father Maximos to schedule training day(s) as needed for the group, so that we can all learn how to do these tasks comfortably, consistently, and enthusiastically. To put this in perspective, with 10 volunteers, each volunteer will be committed to being trained and then “on-duty” about eight times during a normal year.
Please email me if you or your children would like to help with this need at lekasthomas@gmail.com.

Greek Festival:

2022

The annual Holy Trinity Greek Festival is October 7-9, 2022.  Our popular festival will begin with "Friday to go" with pre-orders only.  Saturday and Sunday will include music, dance and on-site dining.  https://www.staugustinegreekfestival.com/

Sunday School:
See Stefanie Burke for sign-ups for the new Sunday school year.  We look forward to a wonderful school year! Stefanie Burke <sburke0211@yahoo.com>School

Saint Phanourios:

St.

All are invited to offer a Phanouropita in honor of St. Phanourios on this Sunday, August 28.  The holy, glorious and right-victorious Great-martyr Phanourios is commemorated on August 27th.  St. Phanourios is known for assisting the faithful in revealing lost objects, directing or revealing actions that should be taken, restoring health and similar situations.  He is honored by the faithful through a symbolic cake, called the "Phanouropita," which can be brought to the church, at any time, for a blessing.

St.

Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed!

We need volunteers to host coffee hour.  You can do it solo or share the responsibility withsomeone else.  Please sign up at:  www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4CA5AB2AA0FFC34-sunday, email Stefanie Burke at holy3goc.hostess@gmail.com; call 904/671-4566; or speak to Stefanie after church and she can sign you up.  Thank you in advance for considering offering this hospitality to our parish family and guests.

 [Using the SignUpGenius link:  click the blue box that says SIGN UP; then the brown box at the bottom    of the page that says SUBMIT AND SIGN UP - this will take you to the next screen; and click on SIGN UP NOW]

coffee

Holy Services and Events Schedule - Orthros 9 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.

calendar

August

27       Great-martyr Phanourios commemorated

28       Offer a Phanouropita in honor of St. Phanourios

29       Beheading of St. John the Baptist (strict fast)

29       DEADLNE for Newsletter article submission is by or before Monday, August 29th to church office Holy3goc@gmail.com

September

1         Ecclesiastical New Year

8         Nativity of the Theotokos

11      Parish Council 9/11 Memorial & Luncheon Ministries Fundraiser following Liturgy Suggested donation $10

           DEADLINE for sponsoring our 2023 CHURCH WALL CALENDARS!  Suggested donation $500.       

14      Exaltation of the Holy Cross

19      Parish Council 6:30 p.m.

Budget Planning

Stewardship Drive

October

7-9      Annual Greek Festival

17       Parish Council 6:30 p.m. 

26       St. Demetrios

Stewardship Drive

growing
Giving: 
On-Line:  Click “Donate Now” on our Church’s webpage:   www.HolyTrinityGOC.com to make a gift.  Give via credit card, PayPal, or set up recurrent giving through your bank.  Please be sure a specific notation (ex: stewardship) is included for each transaction.
  • Our “Light a Candle & Say a Prayer” ministry lets you to light a candle during divine services.  Your request will be forwarded to a Council member in the Narthex to light your candle.  If  you wish to provide names of loved ones to be prayed for, those will be provided to Fr. Maximos.
  • Celebrations:  Are you celebrating a special day? Birthday, Anniversary, Seasonal House Cleaning? Whatever the event, please consider celebrating it with others and making it a fundraiser for our church. People have raised $6 billion USD on Facebook and Instagram for causes they care about. Create a fundraiser and Facebook will take care of the donation processing with no fees.  You can also place the PayPal giving link for the church in your on-line message for donations to be made directly to our account. This can be a fun way to share your happy day with your friends and community and an effective fundraiser for our church. Please reach out to Fr. Maximos or Nick Lekas for details.

Giving by Check:  Please be sure to include a notation on the memo line to allows us to identify your intentions (i.e. stewardship, candles, trays, memorials, etc.).

Weekly Offering:  The Lord's day is to be the time for a weekly offering for the support of His cause.  Make your offering today and enable our Church to continue to enhance the spiritual growth of the Orthodox Christians entrusted to our care.  Your offering can be made at the collection basket as you exit the service.

Parish Office:   Please call (904 829-0504) or email (holy3goc@gmail.com) the parish office to update your contact information.  Also, if you know of anyone who doesn’t receive parish emails but would like to, please encourage them to contact the parish office with their contact information.
  • NOTE:  If you would like Faye Peterson or Angela Lekos to prepare the Koliva for a memorial, remember there is a fee, usually $100 for time, supplies, etc. for the preparation.
  • If you have a request for a special service such as a memorial, please email the church office at holy3goc@gmail.com or call 904 829-0504 (if you do not have access to email) in advance of requested date with details.
  • If you would like any of the following, please contact Fr. Maximos  via email at fathermaximusa7@gmail.com or text him at 347 500-8176: 
    • To receive a phone message from Father Maximos about services, special events or other subjects.
    • To arrange an appointment for a House Blessing.
    • To offer Holy Communion to someone in need at a hospital, nursing home, in hospice care, or at home.       
  •  The normal deadline for the Church bulletin e-mail articles is before 12pm on Wednesday weekly.
  • If you want your announcements on the master calendar, please remember to e-mail them to the office at holy3goc@gmail.com.
  • PLEASE NOTE:  The deadline for article submission for the SEPT/OCT 2022 Newsletter will be by, or before, Monday, August 29th to church office Holy3goc@gmail.com
  • Note:  Fr. Maximos will be in Greece August 17 to September 13.  Fr. Michael Byars will officiate at holy services on August 21, 28 and September 4. Fr. Martin Ritz will officiate on September 11.


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Special Announcements

    Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society

    Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society

    Philanthropy – Fellowship – Faith in Action We invite you to join Philoptochos & help us achieve our mission!


    2022 Archangel Michael Honors

    2022 Archangel Michael Honors

    Honorees are Parish Members who exemplify the true Orthodox Christian way of life by their deep faith, commitment, dedication and service to the Church and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on their respective Parish level.


    2022 stewardship Pledge form

    2022 stewardship Pledge form

    2022 Stewardship Pledge from


    Book Store re-opening 9/11/2022

    Book Store re-opening 9/11/2022

    Re-Opening Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Bookstore: We are blessed to announce the reopening of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church bookstore and gift shop on September 11, 2022. As we pray for those who have fallen asleep in the Lord during the tragedy of 9/11, we are reminded of the love of God for us through His Body, the Church. Subdeacon Michael Fotianos and his lovely wife Ingrid, who are leaving our Parish after many years, have given their lives to the Church. We have all been deeply enriched as a result. In their honor, the bookstore/gift shop will be aptly called the “Michael and Ingrid Fotianos Bookstore.” Axios! In Christ! Paula Marchman Lekas and Melissa Kauttu Strange


    HTGOC 25th Annual St. Augustine Greek Festival 2022

    HTGOC 25th Annual St. Augustine Greek Festival 2022

    Immerse yourself in authentic Greek culture and heritage Oct 7, 8 and 9, 2022 Oct 7th : 4pm to 7 pm (pan pick-up only) Oct 8th: 11 am to 8 pm Oct 9: None to 4pm FREE EVENT, OPEN T THE PUBLIC


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 2nd Tone

When You descended unto death, O Lord who yourself are immortal Life, then did You mortify Hades by the lightning flash of Your Divinity. Also when You raised the dead from the netherworld, all the Powers of the heavens were crying out: O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You. Ὅτε κατῆλθες πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, ἡ ζωὴ ἡ ἀθάνατος, τότε τὸν ᾍδην ἐνέκρωσας τῇ ἀστραπῇ τῆς Θεότητος· ὅτε δὲ καὶ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἐκ τῶν καταχθονίων ἀνέστησας, πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν ἐπουρανίων ἐκραύγαζον· Ζωοδότα Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for the Church in the 4th Tone

Blessed are You, O Christ our God; You made wise men of poor fishermen by sending down upon them Your Holy Spirit, and through them You caught the whole world, O Lover of mankind, glory to You.

Εύλογητός εἶ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεος ἡμῶν ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἁναδείξας καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν τῆν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας φιλάνθρωπε δόξα Σοι

Seasonal Kontakion in the 4th Tone

Both Joachim and Anna from their sterility's stigma, and Adam and Eve from their mortality's ruin have been set free, O immaculate Maid, by your holy nativity. For this do your people hold celebration, redeemed from the guilt of transgression as they cry to you, "The barren one bears the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life." Ἰωακεὶμ καὶ Ἄννα ὀνειδισμοῦ ἀτεκνίας, καὶ Ἀδὰμ καὶ Εὔα, ἐκ τῆς φθορᾶς τοῦ θανάτου, ἠλευθερώθησαν, Ἄχραντε, ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ γεννήσει σου· αὐτὴν ἑορτάζει καὶ ὁ λαός σου, ἐνοχῆς τῶν πταισμάτων, λυτρωθεὶς ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἡ στεῖρα τίκτει τὴν Θεοτόκον, καὶ τροφὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν.
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Saints and Feasts

Theway
August 28

11th Sunday of Matthew


Allsaint
August 28

Moses the Black of Scete

Saint Moses, who is also called Moses the Black, was a slave, but because of his evil life, his master cast him out, and he became a ruthless thief, dissolute in all his ways. Later, however, coming to repentance, he converted, and took up the monastic life under Saint Isidore of Scete. He gave himself over to prayer and the mortification of the carnal mind with such diligence that he later became a priest of exemplary virtue. He was revered by all for his lofty ascetical life and for his great humility. Once the Fathers in Scete asked Moses to come to an assembly to judge the fault of a certain brother, but he refused. When they insisted, he took a basket which had a hole in it, filled it with sand, and carried it on his shoulders. When the Fathers saw him coming they asked him what the basket might mean. He answered, "My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and I am come this day to judge failings which are not mine." When a barbarian tribe was coming to Scete, Moses, conscious that he himself had slain other men when he was a thief, awaited them and was willingly slain by them with six other monks, at the end of the fourth century. He was a contemporary of Saint Arsenius the Great (see May 8).


Allsaint
August 28

Diomedes & Laurence the Martyrs


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 2nd Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12.

Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.


Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 18:23-35

The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the torturers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."


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