Worship Schedule
8:15 a.m. Orthros
9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Worship Locations:
Sunday worship location: Holy Trinity Church, 985 Providence Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Weekday/Feast Day worship location: St. George Chapel, 8941 Ringeisen Rd., Allison Park, PA
English: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, Who has shown forth the fishermen to be most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit. And through them, You drew the world into Your net. O merciful One, glory to You!
Greek: Ευλογητός ει Χριστέ, ο Θεός ήμων, ο πανσόφους τους αλιείς αναδείξας, καταπέμψας αυτοίς το Πνεύμα το άγιον, και δι΄αυτών την οικουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι.
Phoenetics: Ev-lo-yi-tos i Hri-ste o The-os i-mon. O Pan-so-fous tous a-li-is a-na-di-xas ka-ta-pemp-sas af-tis to Pnev-ma to A-yi-on, ke di af-ton tin i-kou-men-in sa-i-nef-sas, fi-lan-thro-pe, do-xa si.
These Saints were from the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia and flourished during the reign of Justin the Younger (565-578). After a pilgrimage to Jerusalem they were moved with a desire to forsake the world; they were tonsured monks by the Abbot Nicon, and soon after left the monastery to struggle together in the wilderness near the Dead Sea. When they had passed a little more than thirty years together in silence and prayer, Symeon, having reached the heights of dispassion, departed for Emesa in Syria, where he passed the rest of his life playing the fool, saving many souls from sin while hiding his sanctity with seemingly senseless behavior. He reposed in 570; by the providence of God, John, who had remained in the wilderness, departed soon after.
5th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 10:1-10
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.
5th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 8:28-34; 9:1
At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one would pass that way. And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.
Please mark your calendars and plan to come and help. All are welcome; no experience necessary! Thank you!
It's a great tradition and it's here again: 47 days of Greek Festivals in the Pittsburgh region, so plan well and you can eat Greek all summer!
TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Memorial Today
Memorial prayers will be offered at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy today for the repose of the soul of the servant of God, Nicholas Gelis (40 Days). Coffee Hour will be sponsored today by the Gelis family. May his memory be eternal!
Summer Teaching Series Sermons through July 29: The Divine Liturgy
Ever get stumped by a question about the Orthodox Christian Faith you know you should know? So many of those answers are found in the Creed. So, recognizing the need for a “return to basics” in our preaching from time to time to refresh the faithful members of the community on the foundations of the Faith we sometimes take for granted, we will be offering a “Summer Teaching Series” during the Sunday sermons of June and July [except Pentecost Sunday]. This summer the series will focus on one of the central features of the Orthodox Christian Faith: The Divine Liturgy. It’s more than “Come and See” …It’s “Come and Learn”! Pay close attention: there will be a 5-minute question and answer session at the end of each Liturgy, too!
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Time to Return FOCUS Backpacks
Thank you to everyone who so generously took the 98 empty backpacks we at Holy Trinity Church offered to provide for needy local students. In order for the FOCUS ministry to receive backpacks (now filled by you with supplies!) in time to distribute them to the children, we are asking for all backpacks to be returned by August 1. Please remember that in addition to the supplies, it is requested that a $10 donation be made to cover the cost of the backpack. Make checks payable to “FOCUS”. Please be sure to check your bag in at the designated table in the Grand Room during Coffee Hour by August 1.
Church School for 2019-2020 – Please Register Today, Classes Start September 8
Registration for Church School classes for 2019-2020 continues today. You may sign up your child(ren) in the Grand Room during Coffee Hour if they are returning students or new students may sign up online or at the registration table. If you have not yet done so, please do it today. Classes start September 8. Thank you!
Church School Snack and Youth Ministries Volunteer Signup for Parents
All Church School families are asked to sign up for hosting one Church School snacks Sunday. Even if there are multiple children in a family, each family is asked to pick just one Sunday. A list is available in the Grand Room following Divine Liturgy. Also, adult volunteers are needed for various events during the year. Please sign up today. Thank you!
Upcoming Greek Dance Practice Schedule
Attention parents: Please plan on having your children attend as many of the Greek Dance teaching sessions as possible. The HOPE dance group (kindergarten through second grade) will be taught by Eleni Dedousis (412-953-3699). The GOYA dance group will be taught by Victoria Andromalos-Dale (412-496-9128). The JOY (third through sixth grade) dance group will be taught by both Eleni and Victoria. Please arrive 5 minutes early and wear comfortable athletic attire. No flip flops allowed in class. All practices from August 13 until the festival are mandatory if you want to dance at the festival. If you are unable to attend one of these practices, please let either Victoria or Eleni know so that they can plan accordingly.
[July 23-Aug 11] Festival Cooking Continues – With YOUR Help!
IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY to get started on our FESTIVAL COOKING 2019! Please mark your calendars and plan to come and help on the following days. Bring the kids, bring your husbands, bring your wives, bring your friends! All are welcome...no experience necessary. Tons of light and heavy tasks for all. THANK YOU!
[Jul 23] Greek Day at Kennywood Park
Join the fun this Tuesday, July 23 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 Church. For discounted Kennywood tickets, please contact the Presentation of Christ Church (Ypapanti) at 412-824-9188 or by email at PresentationOfChristOffice@gmail.com.
[Jul 27] Feast Day Services of St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer
Please plan to attend services to honor the Feast Day of St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer at our St. George Chapel on Saturday, July 27. Orthros begins at 8:30am followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:30am. A relic of St. Panteleimon was placed in the Holy Altar table of our St. George Chapel at the Consecration. This is the first time that the Liturgy of this great saint is being celebrated with his relic present. The Chapel is located 8941 Ringeisen Road in Allison Park.
[Aug 3] 25th Memorial Commemoration of Gerontissa Taxiarchia
Gerontissa Theophano and the Sisters of the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery welcome you to come and honor the memory of Gerontissa Taxiarchia on Saturday, August 3. 9:00am Hours, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy & Memorial Services.
[Aug 19] New Bereavement Support Ministry: Monthly Group Sessions - Come & Join Us
Our Bereavement Support Ministry Team provides spiritual care to our parishioners and their extended family & friends in time of grief and loss. If you have questions about grief and want to learn and share conversation, then please attend our next Bereavement Support Group session on Monday, August 19th in the Conference Room. Light refreshments and relaxed fellowship begin at 6:30 pm for those who choose. Then 7:00-8:30 pm is group learning and sharing with our Bereavement facilitators. Feel free to bring a family member and/or friend. Contact Amy Armanious, Visitation Ministry Coordinator with any questions by email at Visitation@holytrinitypgh.org
Festival Aprons – Place Your Order
Show your Holy Trinity pride by wearing a festival apron while you work! Royal blue aprons, embroidered with our festival logo, are available in both adult and children sizes. Cost is $16 for adults and $12 for children. Aprons can be monogrammed with your name for an additional $4. To receive your apron in time for the festival, your order must be placed by August 17th. Please contact Paula Valliant paulavalliant@gmail.com for more information.
[Aug 28-Sep 1] Holy Trinity’s Taste of Greece - Labor Day Weekend – August 28 through September 1
Please mark Wednesday, August 28, through Sunday, September 1 on your calendar for the next “Taste of Greece” festival. 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!
FOCUS-Pittsburgh Bag Lunches - Sign your Family or Group up for a Worthy Cause
If you’re looking for ways to get your family/friends/group/ministry together for a meaningful day of giving to the poor and hungry in our region, here’s your chance! Sponsored through FOCUS Pittsburgh, the 2019 weekly schedule of delivering 140 lunch bags to our less fortunate neighbors, every Saturday of the year, has many open dates still available. Please see Mike Kritiotis after Liturgy to sign up for a Saturday that fits your schedule or email outreach@holytrinitypgh.org for available dates. Thank you, good and faithful servants of Christ!
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 a personal/family listing. Ads start at $175 for a quarter page and go to $550 for a full page, with premium color pages available at higher prices as well. A patron line is available for only $50. Application Forms were included in the May/June edition of the Herald and can also be found at the church office window. Please be sure to share them with your favorite business establishments and ask them to support our church! For more information, please email FestivalAds@HolyTrinityPgh.org
Summer Sermons Reminder - Be Here on Time!
Please remember that during the summer months, when there is no Church School, the sermon is offered at its proper liturgical place following the Gospel (that’s usually about 9:45am!). Much as we are all reminded how important it is to arrive for the start of Divine Liturgy, perhaps there are times of genuine, urgent need that prohibit our personal on-time arrival. If you arrive during the sermon, please remember to enter quietly and wait until the end of the homily to find a seat. Better yet, set your alarm to get you there on time so you don’t miss a single blessing! Thank you.
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 practical or 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 wi-fi and don’t want to exhaust your data plan, try listening to the audio only version instead! There’s an audio-only link on our Live Broadcast page. The audio stream uses minimal data compared to the video stream, so it’s perfect for travelling!
[Oct 25] Philoptochos Traditional Greek Dance– Save the Date!
Please make plans to support our Ladies Philoptochos by attending a Traditional Greek Dance to be held here at Holy Trinity on Friday, October 25 from 7:30 pm until 11:30 pm featuring live music by Panigiri. Tickets, available for purchase beginning Sunday, September 22, are $15 per person and will include complimentary desserts and coffee. Casual Dress – All Ages – Open Seating – Cash Bar – Hot & Cold Appetizer Platters will be available for purchase.
Holy Trinity’s Connect Center
The “Connect Center” is a great resource and contact display prominently located in the Gallery every Sunday and it is for YOU! The purpose is to help EVERYONE in our Holy Trinity community become more informed about the many ministries and opportunities offered here and to make it easier to become involved in all areas of life at Holy Trinity Church. Stop by and check it out or just say hi!
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.
Visitation Ministry Team Volunteers
The Visitation Ministry is always in need of volunteers to share their talent and time. We need volunteers who may enjoy visiting our homebound family members, designing crafts, baking cookies, transporting individuals to doctor appointments, reading the Bible at the bedside of one who is sick or has poor vision, offering grocery shopping or medication pickup at the local pharmacy, praying for those who are in need, providing a listening ear to those grieving loss, mailing cards to those who need encouragement, and so much more. If you are interested and want to learn more about our Visitation Ministry, please contact Amy Armanious at 412-628-0973 or email visitation@holytrinitypgh.org.
Online Giving Reminder
Holy Trinity Church’s online giving program makes it possible to make contributions of various kinds to Holy Trinity Church securely and conveniently. You can choose to make a one-time contribution or establish a recurring weekly or monthly contribution. Best of all, you don’t need to remember to write a check or bring your offering to church - it’s already taken care of! Payments can be made via checking account, savings account, credit card or debit card. Visit www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/give to get started!
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. Following Liturgy, we invite you to stop by our Connect Center located in the Gallery and join us for our Fellowship Coffee hour.
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!
For those who do receive, please remember the following helpful hints aimed at helping to preserve the solemnity and safety of the Holy Mystery: 1) The Church School Staff only is asked to please proceed first to receive from the left-most chalice so they may depart for their classrooms before their students arrive; 2) All other students, parishioners and Orthodox Christian guests, please remain at your place until you are dismissed by the Parish Council down the center aisle only; 3) We respectfully ask women to remove their lipstick before approaching the Holy Chalice; 4) Please wait in the Holy Communion line reverently, prayerfully and quietly without talking; 5) It is traditional as we approach with awe that we make the sign of the Cross or bow down with a “metanoia” as an act of humility before the Lord; 5) Be sure to offer your baptismal name to priest before receiving; 6) Please take great care to place the red cloth under your chin and to fully open your mouth so that none of the precious Body and Blood of Christ is accidentally spilled, then to dab your lips on the cloth afterwards so none of the Holy Gifts are left on other objects. Thank you for your cooperation, and may God have mercy on us all!