TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES  

Philoptochos Meeting Today

The Ladies Philoptochos meeting will be held in the Fireside Room today following Divine Liturgy. New members are always welcome!

Philoptochos Traditional Greek Dance – Final Day to Purchase Tickets is TODAY!

Please support our Ladies Philoptochos by attending a Traditional Greek Dance to be held here at Holy Trinity this Friday, October 25 from 7:30 pm until 11:30 pm featuring live music by Panigiri. Tickets 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. For tickets, please stop by the Philoptochos table in the Gallery following Liturgy TODAY!

Christmas Pageant Volunteers Meeting Today

There will be a brief meeting in the Conference Room today at 11:30 for anyone interested in volunteering to help with this year’s Holy Trinity Church School Christmas Pageant. Thank you for supporting the youth of our community!

HOPE/JOY Event Today

Join HOPE/JOY (K – 6^th grade) families at Shenot Farm for a hayride TODAY at 2:00pm. We will meet near the ticket booth. Please buy your own tickets ($2 per person which includes an apple). Once the group has gathered, we will get in line to get on the hayride together. It will take us out to the pumpkin patch and corn maze. We hope you can join us. If you have any questions, please contact Renee Caromano (rcaromano@hotmail.com).

[Oct 21-23] “Faith and Family WEEKDAYS” This Week

Holy Trinity Church’s “Faith and Family WEEKDAYS” ministry has been updated once again to provide valuable faith growth and learning to the entire Holy Trinity family. Building on the fruits of our five six years, we are now including more days and more opportunities for everyone to participate in and grow from worship, spiritual life and educational ministries beyond Sunday morning and to make the Church the "crossroad of daily life”.

THIS WEEK’S OFFERINGS:

• Daily: Prayer Partners. Have you remembered your prayer partner every day? Please keep the promise.
• Remember: pray for your Prayer Partner every day!
• Mon. Oct 21, 7:00pm “Discover Orthodoxy” – An all-new teaching series for anyone who wants to learn more about the “fullness of the faith” found in Orthodox Christianity, whether as inquirers, catechumens or life-long members. Interested in becoming an Orthodox Christian? This is for you. Just want to refresh your knowledge of the Faith? This is for you, too! Informative, interesting and interactive.
• Wed. Oct 23, 6:30pm Worship/7:00pm Bible Study: “Explore the Word” - Bible Study Ministry - Prayerfully read the Bible! In Deut. 11, it says, “Lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul.” Each Wednesday come and till your heart in worship in the Church at 6:30pm and then meet at 7:00pm in the Conference Room for the study of the Gospel of St. Matthew led by Father Radu Bordeianu. Learn the Scriptures. Depend your faith. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3.18).

[Oct 27] Regular Fall General Assembly

Please plan to attend the regular Fall General Assembly next Sunday, October 27. An agenda was mailed in the October edition of the Herald. This Assembly is to review parish life, nominate candidates for the Parish Council and other important committees and hear reports on important parish matters. It is vital to the life of a healthy community that all members attend, as these meetings are quite important in the day-to-day life of the parish. Please remember that, to vote at an assembly or in elections, you must be a member in good standing as defined in the Uniform Parish Regulations. Also, the requirements to run for Parish Council according to the UPR and the Holy Trinity By-Laws are indicated in the nomination form mailed in the Herald. These include, but are not limited to, being an enrolled member in good standing for three years prior to the date of nomination, having a signed 2019 Holy Trinity Stewardship Pledge card submitted and attending the Parish Council Seminar on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 6:30pm. The Parish Council elections are scheduled for December 1, 2019. Whether it is attending assemblies, being voted on to Council, taking in a leadership role in a ministry or just getting involved more, the Lord has a calling and a role for every one of us at Holy Trinity Church because you are a part of the Body of Christ and have an important contribution to offer. God has already equipped you with it and is waiting for you to step up and use it. Consider it. Pray about it. What's yours?

[Oct 28] Visitation Ministry Leadership Group Meeting

A Visitation Ministry Leadership Group Meeting will be held on Monday, October 28^th, 6:00-8:00pm in Conference Room A.

Church School Dismissal Times
A message from our Church School Staff to all parents: Please assist us in offering our children the time to fully participate in their lessons each Sunday by allowing them to remain in class until the end of the session. IMPORTANT: ALL CLASSES CONCLUDE AT 11:30am. Parents of Pre-School and Kindergarten students may pick up their children on the upper level Education Center by using the Education Center stairs in the Gallery near the Bookstore. Parents of all other students are asked to wait for their children downstairs in the Gallery or Grand Room during Coffee Hour. Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Attention Current and Prospective Members!

Are you an official member of Holy Trinity Church?  Do you know how the church uses the contributions we pledge every year?  Did you know that unless you have signed and submitted a “Pledge Card” you aren’t officially a member?  As members, we all should know how the church uses the contributions we make and affords you the right to participate in the General Assemblies, where you can find out those answers, as well as understanding the current and future plans for the church.  The next General Assembly is next Sunday, October 27^th, so we hope to see you there! For 2020, the Stewardship Committee will be sending out Pledge Cards again this year.  They will be available for pick-up in the next couple of weeks. We ask that you to fill them out and bring them back to church on Stewardship Sunday, November 10^th. If you haven’t fulfilled your pledge for 2019, please do so.  We are in the last few months of the year and need everyone’s participation to fulfill our obligations.  Lastly, thank you to all those who have fulfilled their 2019 pledge.  We couldn’t do what we do without you and are grateful to God for your continued love and support.

[Nov 4] 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, November 4^th in the Fireside 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.

[Nov 17] Military Appreciation Day – Save the Date!

 In observance of Veteran’s Day, the Visitation Ministry Team needs your support once again to coordinate a Military Appreciation Day in honor of parishioners, family, and community members who have served and are still serving our country in the military.  This tribute will include a memorial service for all veterans and fallen heroes, and special recognition of living veterans and active military service members.  Please provide the full name, branch of service, and period of service (if known) for any active-duty, reserve, and military veterans (living or reposed) so that we may offer our prayers and gratitude on this memorable day.  It will also be appreciated if you are able to provide a framed photo copy of each honoree (no original photos please) that we will proudly display during Coffee Hour.  To submit your service member information and/or to offer your helping hands to the Visitation Ministry Team, please contact Sherry Clayton at 412-216-4793 or saclayton12@yahoo.com. Also, our gratitude will be further demonstrated by a Card Signing event by all parishioners during Coffee Hour. The cards created through our labor of love will be distributed in care packages to Deployed Troops, Veterans, First Responders, and Wounded Warriors by Operation Gratitude, a wonderful organization whose mission is to lift the spirits of the Military. May God bless all those who have served and/or continue to serve with honor and courage! Finally, Clipping coupons for a cause…Coups for Troops is another way we support overseas military families.  Please collect manufacturer’s coupons (internet printed included) in categories of Food, Non-food, Baby, and Pets to be donated by our HT family for overseas distribution by this amazing organization.  Coupons can be used by military families up to 6 months after expiration dates. We were blessed and excited with participation in last year’s beautiful celebration, and we hope you will join us again this year on November 17^th. 

[Nov 24] Philoptochos Bake Sale

The Ladies Philoptochos will be offering frozen 9x13 pans of Spanakopita and Tiropita for $35/pan that are ready to bake for the holidays! We will also have ready to serve pans of Baklava for $40/pan (baklava is not individually cupped). Impress your friends and family this Thanksgiving with homemade baked goods and help the Ladies Philoptochos continue their philanthropic work at the same time!  Visit our table in the Gallery after liturgy on Sunday, November 24^th to get started on your holiday baking!  Don’t forget to pick up an order form for your Christmas baked goods too!

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. Want to CONNECT with a person or ministry? We can help!

Holding a Ministry Activity or Committee Meeting at Church? Reservations Required!

Our community and its ministries are growing! If your ministry or committee is planning a meeting or activity and you are planning to hold it at the church, please note that reservations for rooms and event spaces are required. Please call the Church Office at 412-366-8700 and speak to our Office Administrator, Mary Portellos. There have been times when all the spaces have been filled, so your cooperation helps ensure every group that needs a place has one and helps minimize space conflicts. We have a beautiful facility – let’s work together so everyone who needs it can use it. Thank you!

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.

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!

Upcoming Memorial October 27: Stella Kalaris (3 years)