A Thank You Message from Father Gregory:

To the Parish Council and Parish of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Nashville, TN,

Thank you for the beautiful cross depicting Christ crucified – His Holy Mother and the 4 evangelists.  It is truly inspiring and will remain in my prayer corner as a reminder to always pray for Holy Trinity!

In Christ, Father Gregory Hohnholt

Altar Team: Lawrence

Parish Council Members on Duty: Helen Bellos, Bill Phillips & George Plaster

Best Wishes to the Cotter family on the recent baptism of Liam!  We welcome him to the Orthodox Church and wish him many blessed years in the Faith!

The Festival Committee needs help after Church this Sunday, September 1^st, to move equipment from the basement to the Church hall.  Festival preparations and set-up will continue this week on Tuesday-Thursday starting at 9:00 AM.  We will also need help Thursday evening starting at 5:30 pm.  Whether you can come and help all day or just for one hour, any and all help will be greatly appreciated!  Thank you!

Greek Orthodox Youth of America (GOYA) - All children in grades 6th through 12th are invited to participate in GOYA.  We try and meet monthly with organized activities like serving dinners at local shelters, walk/hike fundraisers for charities, fun fellowship outings including: bowling, Escape games, skating, canoeing and meetings where we nurture and discuss our Greek Orthodox faith.  Our next meeting is scheduled for September 22nd after Divine Liturgy at approximately 12:00pm.  We will meet in the Education Building.  Parents and children are encouraged to attend and meet Father Michael and help make plans for the year.  If you have not participated in GOYA this past year or if your contact information has changed, please email the Church office @ htgocoffice@gmail.com with parent contact information, child name, grade and email, if available.  We will add you to the GOYA email list. Father Michael is very much looking forward to meeting with everyone.  He asks that parents and GOYANS be prepared to bring ideas and suggestions to the meeting in September so that we can plan the best first year together possible!

If you are interested in hosting a coffee hour, please contact the Church office at 615-333-1047 or htgocoffice@gmail.com.                             

                                                   PARISH PRAYER LIST

Anatoliy (Tony); Dimitri; Judson Phillips; Joel Rivera; Malcolm; Evan Parhas; Alyssa; Keith Singley; Evie; Ann; David Ward; Fr. George Vaporis; Eleni Taylor; Isabella Marie Fuller; Bryan; Jeff; Gary; Dorothy Nicklas; Mary Beth; Karen Ingraham; Mick Elias Kuttab; Byron Dwight Wallace; Michael; Nicholas; Patrick; Elli; Eleni; Rhea & Juan Carlos; Lazarus; Subdeacon Victor & Robin Poletajev; Rod Caulkins; Christos Tsiodras; Marie; George Pierides; Christina; George S.; Anastasia; Christoforos; Ekaterina; Emily; Jacob Sotiriadis; Twila; Teresa; George; Basil; Heather Ritscher; Matt, Ali, Lucas & Olivia Ritscher; James & Wesley Austin; Gary Andrew; Andreas; Klitos; Kleo; Erica; Antonia; Glenda; Maggi; Dorcas; John Timothy; Abigail; Lisa; John; Olivia; Anastasia; Steve Turner; Timothy; Mark Santana; Tyler Dugas; Angelyn; Tillie; Dale; Amanda; Freeman family; Rose, Scott; Ben, Jessica, Addison & Rogan; Siharya Siloman; Chrysoula; David; Charlie; Nick

To add names to the prayer list, please contact the Church office at (615) 333-1047 or htgocoffice@gmail.com.                                                                                 

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America

Beloved sisters and brothers,

My spiritual children in the Lord,

Thirty years ago, the Ecumenical Patriarchate issued an appeal to Orthodox Christians, urging prayer and care for God’s creation. Since 1989, each year on September 1^st, at the inspiration of His All-Holiness Demetrios, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has opened the liturgical year with prayers for all God’s creation. Since 1992, at the exhortation of His All-Holiness Bartholomew, all Orthodox Churches have implemented the same tradition.

Over the years, the World Council of Churches has heeded this call, while more recently the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion have also embraced this tradition. Today, countless parishes and faithful adopt the same practice in their communities and lives. Therefore, in all corners of the planet, we have perceived glimpses of the polluted creation that we are called to redeem and the new creation that we are called to promote.

All of these initiatives are positive signs of awakening, but much more remains to be accomplished. Moreover, the Orthodox Church has drawn on its liturgical, patristic and spiritual treasures to develop a sensitive and profound theology of creation, emphasizing the Eucharistic and ascetic dimension of creation care, while highlighting the role of human beings as priests of creation.

In many ways, the encyclical of 1989 proved genuinely prophetic. What the world has witnessed in terms of climate change and global warming has only deteriorated and become exacerbated; the predictions of scientists were accurate, albeit restrained. At the same time, as Orthodox Christians, we must admit our failure to integrate our theology with our practice. Now those problems have intensified, while the challenge requires a more urgent response by the Church.

Our response, however, is fraught with difficulties and barriers because we are captive to a mentality of consumption and greed that is fundamentally foreign to Orthodox Christianity and contradictory to the spirit of communion and generosity. Instead, we are called to participate in the “cosmic liturgy” of creation (St. Maximus the Confessor), where “everything that breathes praises the Lord” (Psalm 150:1), where “the heavens and the hills, the trees and the animals exalt the name of God” (cf. Psalm 148:4–13), and where every drop of water and grain of sand offer glory and gratitude for the presence of the Creator.

Of course, we all recognize that we can no longer desecrate God’s creation, whose origin and destiny are inseparably identified with ourselves. What we refuse to do is take the next step that is required of us as priests of creation, which entails consecrating creation to the Creator. Avoiding desecration is only a partial response to the ecological crisis; accepting and advocating consecration is the fulfillment of our divine mandate to “serve and preserve the earth” (Gen. 1:15). Such a sanctification and offering to God of “His own of His own, on behalf of all and for the sake of all” (From the Divine Liturgy) also unleashes the transformative potential and restorative capacity of all creation for healing and wholeness. However, in order to heal the earth, we must purify our hearts and transform our habits. Every act of defilement on the body of creation is ultimately contempt for the Body of Christ. Whereas when we demonstrate respectful consideration for the earth’s natural resources, then we can also begin to discern the perspective of the kingdom “on earth as in heaven” (From the Lord’s Prayer).

As Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has written: “Climate change affects everyone. Unless we take radical and immediate measures to reduce emissions stemming from unsustainable excesses in the demands of our lifestyle, the impact will be both immediate and alarming.” Therefore, each parish and every individual should seek out ways of practicing prayer and care for God’s creation by applying the fundamental principles of scripture, theology and tradition with regard to our relationship with the natural environment by considering changes in our attitudes and habits with regard to food and travel, by reducing consumption of fossil fuels and choosing alternative sources of energy with regard to lighting and heating, as well as by raising and promoting awareness with regard to the divine gifts of water and air. 

Every parish and community is invited and encouraged to open a fruitful dialogue on this challenge of our generation.

With paternal love in Christ,               

            † ELPIDOPHOROS

               Archbishop of America

                                              CHURCH ETIQUETTE FAQs

Who may receive Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church?

Holy Communion is a Sacrament within the Orthodox Church and therefore is offered to Baptized and/or Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Everyone is welcome to receive the Blessed Bread (Antidoron) at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

How should I dress in the Orthodox Church?

Wear modest and appropriate attire.  Common sense and good judgment should prevail.  Avoid wearing lipstick when venerating the icons and receiving Holy Communion.  Also, please refrain from chewing gum.

Why do the Ushers/Parish Council ask us to wait before entering at certain times of the service?  

There are several parts of the Liturgy where all movement within the Sanctuary should be restricted, including entering the Nave from the Narthex.  These parts are:

1)       Procession of the Priest and Acolytes with the Gospel

2)       The reading of the Epistle and Gospel

3)       The priest’s homily (sermon)

4)       The Great Procession of the Priest and Altar Boys with the Holy Gifts

5)       The recitation of the Nicene Creed

6)        The prayers of offering and consecration (From “Thine own of thine own…” until “Especially for our most Holy Lady….”

7)       The recitation of the Lord’s Prayer

8)       Special services (40-day blessings, memorials, processions…) 

My child is being noisy.  What should I do?

Children are a great blessing in Church.  It is very special to hear our young people begin to participate in the Liturgy, by reciting the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and singing along with our hymns.  It is also important that children are present from a very young age to absorb the holy atmosphere of the Divine Liturgy.  But sometimes, children have a hard time being quiet or sitting still.   Little noises here and there are not worrisome, but in those times when the situation becomes very boisterous, there is a cry room located in the back of the Sanctuary in addition to a foyer with a monitor to watch the Liturgy while the child calms down.