Altar Team: Phillip
Parish Council Members on Duty: Helen Bellos, Helen Rogers & Elena Rollins
Fr. Michael will be leaving this Sunday, October 27th to go to an Archdiocesan Retreat and will be back on Friday, November 1st. Should any serious issues arise while he is away, please feel free to contact the Church office at (615) 333-1047. When Fr. Michael returns, he will continue to have office hours, Tuesday - Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. He can also be reached via his cell phone at (585) 530-9265.
Best wishes to Cole and Christina Pratt on the recent baptism of their daughter, Eleni. We wish her many blessed years in the Faith!
Coffee Hour today is being hosted by Tom Falkie. Thank you, Tom!
A Message from our Parish Council: The Parish Council is pleased to advise that our Parish is very close after a good festival, to paying off the remaining debt for the Educational Building. If you have not made a contribution to the building fund, please do so now and put us over the top. Thank you to all those who have given to help educate our children.
We are in need of individuals to volunteer for Narthex Duty/ushering on Sundays. We hope to find 15 people willing to give of their time and help support and serve our Parish in this way. For more information, please contact Elena Rollins @ rollins_family@mac.com. Thank you!
GOYA - All children grades 6-12 are welcome to attend the GOYA gathering at the home of the Rollins Family on November 3rd after the Divine Liturgy and Sunday School. The address is 5940 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, 37215. Please RSVP to Elena Rollins at Rollins_family@mac.com by October 31st. There will be food and drink provided and some fun games and activities. Parents are welcome to come and join in the fun.
Fundraiser for Safe Haven Family Shelter on November 9th! Our church will once again participate in the 15th Annual Hike for the Homeless to benefit families with children experiencing homelessness. It is a family and dog-friendly event that includes hiking on paved trails, live music, food, children’s activities, and more. There is no minimum donation per person, but every person who donates at least $25 receives a Hike for the Homeless t-shirt. Visit our team fundraising page at https://www.classy.org/campaign/15th-annual-hike-for-the-homeless/c235112 to register, donate, and find out more information about the event. Our team name is “Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church”.
Please make note that a 2nd tray will be passed Sunday, November 10, 2019 for the Ecumenical Patriarchate benefitting the philanthropic programs and charities of the Patriarchate. If writing a check, please make it out to Philoptochos with “Patriarchate” in the memo line.
A THANK YOU FROM ST. YPOMONI PHILOPTOCHOS! Through your generosity, $1500 was sent to Hellenic College/Holy Cross to help provide tuition scholarships. And, again, through your generosity on Breast Cancer Awareness Sunday, October 13, a donation of $500 was sent to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure. Thank you for your support of Philoptochos in our mission to promote charitable, benevolent, and philanthropic outreach.
AHEPA is honoring all of our church members who have served in the military. If you served your country, please add your picture with a caption to our Wall of Honor which will be on display through Veterans Day weekend. Thank you!
We are very grateful to all those who have hosted coffee hour on Sundays after Liturgy and we encourage and invite people to sign up to host so that we can continue to offer hospitality to others. If you are interested in hosting a coffee hour, please contact the Church office at 615-333-1047 or htgocoffice@gmail.com.
HELPING VETERANS IN NEED - This fall, the men of AHEPA have teamed up with a local non-profit, Operation Stand Down TN, to help veterans in need. Until November 3rd, you can donate lightly used ADULT clothes (preference winter clothes) or gift cards for basic needs. AHEPA will have a table in fellowship hall to accept your donations. Let’s help some local veterans get back on their feet! Here is a giving guideline: Gasoline cards (Fuel only @ Mapco, Kroger, Exxon, Shell) - $25 increments, Walmart Cards in increments of $25 & $50, Kroger Cards in increments of $25 & $50, Men and women’s gently used clothing including shoes and boots, Reader eyeglasses (Dollar Stores) 1.25, 2.0, 2.25, 2.5, 2.75, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 strengths, and Men’s 2X and 3X t-shirts. All donations will be delivered to Operation Stand Down TN the week before Veteran’s Day. Thank you for your support for this project! http://osdtn.org/
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; 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; Anna; Antonia; Glenda; Maggi; Dorcas; John Timothy; Abigail; Lisa; John; Olivia; Anastasia; Steve Turner; Timothy; Mark Santana; Tyler Dugas; Kalliopi; Angelyn; Tillie; Dale; Amanda; Freeman family; Rose, Scott; Ben, Jessica, Addison & Rogan; Siharya Siloman; Chrysoula; David; Charlie; Balsa; Anastasia; Noah Evans and family
To add names to the Parish Prayer List, please contact the Church office at 615-333-1047 or htgocoffice@gmail.com
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.
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
On this day as we celebrate the valiant stand against the Axis forces who demanded the surrender of Greece, we sing a beautiful hymn to the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary affirming the holy protection she offers to the people of God.
NEW YORK – The New York Board of Rabbis (NYBR) welcomed Archbishop Elpidophoros and honored him at their post-sukkah reception, on October 23, 2019. The sukkot – a week-long festival that takes place five days after Yom Kippur – celebrates God’s protection of the Israelites as they fled bondage in Egypt.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese will celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Elpidophoros, patron saint of Archbishop Elpidophoros, on this, his first year as Archbishop of America.
NEW YORK – The Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Rev. Protopresbyter Andreas Vithoulkas announces that His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros has appointed Dr. Anastasios Koularmanis, currently the Superintendent of Saint Demetrios Greek American School in Astoria, NY, as the new Director of Greek Education.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The National Council of Churches annual Christian Unity Gathering (CUG) and fall governing board meeting met in Newport News, Virginia from October 13-16, 2019. This year’s CUG remembered and lamented the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first people from Africa, who were immediately enslaved, with a ceremony at Point Comfort, the place of arrival. The Very Reverend Constantine Morales attended the ceremony as the representative of Archbishop Elpidophoros.
NEW YORK – The faithful of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America glorify God as they receive with great joy the news from Mount Athos and our spiritual father, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who announced the forthcoming canonization of four Athonite fathers: Elders Ieronymos of Simonopetra, Daniel Katounakiotis, Joseph the Hesychast and Ephraim Katounakiotis.
