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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-05-03
Bulletin Contents
Myrrbear
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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (412)366-8700
  • Fax:
  • (412)366-8710
  • Street Address:

  • 985 Providence Blvd.

  • Pittsburgh, PA 15237-5951


Contact Information





Services Schedule

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


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Fifth Tone

English: Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. Greek: Χριστός ανέστη εκ νεκρών, θανάτω θάνατον πατήσας και τοις εν τοις μνήμασιν, ζωήν χαρισάμενος. Phoenetics: Christós anésti ek nékron, thanáto thánaton patísas, ke tis en tis mnímasi zoín harisámenos. (Page 74)

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the Second Tone

When You descended into death, O Life immortal, You destroyed Hades with the splendor of Your divinity. And when You raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers shouted: O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the Second Tone

When he took down Your immaculate Body from the Cross, the honorable Joseph* wrapped it in a clean linen shroud with spices* and laid it for burial in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* and granted the world Your great mercy.

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the Second Tone

The Angel standing at the sepulcher cried out and said to the ointment bearing women:* The ointments are appropriate for mortal men, but Christ has been shown to be a stranger to decay.* So go and cry aloud, The Lord has risen* and granted the world His great mercy.

Apolytikion of Holy Trinity Church (Page 75) in the First Tone

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.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Eighth Tone

Though You descended into the grave, O Immortal One, yet You destroyed the power of Hades, and arose as victor, O Christ God, calling to the myrrh-bearing women "Rejoice," and giving peace to Your Apostles, O You Who grants resurrection to the fallen. (Page 74)
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Saints and Feasts

Myrrbear
May 03

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women

About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to the sepulchre, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to annoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils, that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called the Myrrh-bearers. Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called "the mother of James and Joses" (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence (Matt 27:55-56; 28:1-10. Mark 15:40-41. Luke 8:1-3; 23:55-24:11, 22-24. John 19:25; 20:11-18. Acts 1:14).

Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Saviour, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Saviour's preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence and love for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counsellors who were in Jerusalem. He went boldly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord's body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matt. 27:60).


Maura
May 03

The Holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura

The holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura were husband and wife. Timothy was from Penapeis in the Thebaid, a reader in the Church, and had been married to Maura only twenty days when he was betrayed to Arian, the Governor of the Thebaid, as a teacher of the Christians. Arian commanded Timothy to surrender his sacred books, which he refused to do, comparing it to a father's giving up his children to death. For this answer, heated iron spits were thrust through his ears. As he was being put to other tortures, Arian summoned Maura, hoping that she would persuade her husband to worship the idols, but she confessed herself a Christian. The hair of her head was pulled out, her fingers were cut off, then she was lowered into a cauldron of boiling water, but remained unharmed. Finally husband and wife were crucified facing each other, and after nine days, received their martyric end, during the reign of Diocletian (284-305).


May 03

Ahmet the Calligrapher & Martyr


May 03

Oikoumenios the Wonderworker, Bishop of Trikka


May 03

Peter the Wonderworker


May 03

Father Theodosius, Abbot of Kiev Caves Lavra

Our righteous Father Theodosius was born in 1009, not far from Kiev, and brought up in Kursk. From early childhood he showed the wisdom of an elder, avoiding childish games and refusing to wear anything but the poorest of clothing. When he was about thirteen years old, and his father died, he began to humble himself even more, going out to work with the serfs in the field. His mother went so far as to beat him in her attempts to make him behave more respectably. Hearing of the labours of Saint Anthony of Kiev, he fled to him secretly and was accepted by him as his disciple. He was tonsured at the age of twenty-four by Saint Anthony's disciple Nicon, and was elected Abbot of the Caves Monastery in 1057, since Saint Anthony refused this out of humility, and lived his whole life as a hermit. It was Saint Theodosius who introduced in Russia the cenobitic rule of the Monastery of Studium in Constantinople, and under his guidance many monks attained to great holiness, and the monastic life spread. When Prince Svyatoslav drove out his elder brother the pious Prince Isyaslav, and ascended to the throne of Chernigov in his place, Saint Theodosius courageously rebuked him, and continued reproving him even when threatened with exile. At the request of Prince Shimon, the son of a Varangian (Viking) prince, the Saint wrote a prayer for the nobleman's forgiveness of sins, and, at his behest, had it placed in his coffin, whence arose this custom in Russia. He reposed on May 3, 1074, being sixty-five years of age.


May 03

Theophan, Bishop of Peritheorion


May 03

Xenia of Kalamata the Great Martyr


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

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

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7.

In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
The Reading is from Mark 15:43-47; 16:1-8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.


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Bulletin Inserts

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Wisdom of the Fathers

They [the women] had followed Him ministering to Him, and were present even unto the time of the dangers. Wherefore also they saw all; how He cried, how He gave up the ghost, how the rocks were rent, and all the rest.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 88 on Matthew 27, 4th Century

And these [the women] first see Jesus; and the sex that was most condemned, this first enjoys the sight of the blessings, this most shows its courage. And when the disciples had fled, these were present.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 88 on Matthew 27, 4th Century

The second [Sunday after Pascha] is dedicated to the women who visited the tomb of Christ, hoping to anoint his body with myrrh, but they found an empty tomb instead. In many ways, this reflects the content of every Sunday and every Divine Liturgy: we come to church to celebrate the sacrifice of Christ, which takes place on the altar, a symbol of the tomb of Christ. Our testimony, every time, is that the tomb is empty, a reflection of the revelation to the Myrrh bearers.
Rev. Dr. Andreas Andreopoulos
Gazing on God: Trinity, Church and Salvation in Orthodox Thought and Iconography. Cambridge: James Clarke & Co., 2013, 55-56.

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Parish News and Events

NOTE: CORONAVIRUS PROTECTION MEASURES IN PLACE.
SERVICES BEING CONDUCTED ONLINE ONLY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

 

TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

 

CONCERNING THE CURRENT COVID-19 VIRUS PANDEMIC AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES ENACTED AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH: Until further notice, parishioner attendance at services is not permitted. please continue to participate in worship by attending online only at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/live. We will continue our full schedule of Sunday and weekday services as published in the Herald and listed on our website calendar. For the latest information on coronavirus measures at Holy Trinity Church, visit https://www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/coronavirus.

 

Welcome to Holy Trinity Church's Live Video and Audio Broadcast Ministry

Whether you are unable to attend Liturgy today due to church closures, you are home-bound or are watching from an area where there is no church nearby, it is our joy to be able to welcome you into the worship life of Holy Trinity Church. Today we are blessed to worship from our Saint George Chapel. For a complete list of Sunday and weekday services, please see our online calendar at HolyTrinityPgh.org/calendar.

 

JOIN US FOR COFFEE HOUR ONLINE TODAY FOLLOWING LITURGY!

Nothing can stop Holy Trinity hospitality!! Join your Holy Trinity family and friends today after Liturgy for another Holy Trinity Virtual Coffee Hour! It was a great joy to be together last week, so we’ve had requests to do it again.

While we are doing our best to observe the recommended and required coronavirus restrictions, it's a blessing to be able to join online for worship services. Now, besides services, we also have the ability to connect online for Coffee Hour!

This morning join us online for worship (8:15am Orthros/9:30am Liturgy) on our website at HolyTrinityPgh.org/live. Then, at 11:15am, use the Zoom video conference instructions below to log on to our "Virtual Coffee Hour!" Grab your own coffee or tea at home and stay in your church clothes or come casual. We're looking forward to seeing everyone!

 

HOLY TRINITY VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR INSTRUCTIONS:

 

1. COFFEE HOUR GOES FROM 11:15am-12:15pm

2. BRING YOUR OWN COFFEE!

3. HOW TO JOIN:

 

Join by Video:

To join by video on your computer/laptop (best option to see everyone), tablet or cell phone (it must by video capable):

- Join the Zoom Meeting by using your browser to visit:

https://goarch.zoom.us/j/94092947605?pwd=Vjc0NW9LeVk2L2hQak5tSzZ1T2lnQT09

Password: 014889

You may be asked to install the Zoom video app. Do it - it's safe and really handy these days! No account needed to join someone else's conference call.

- Or, if you already have Zoom installed, launch it and join Meeting ID: 940 9294 7605. Password: 014889

 

Join by Phone (Audio only):

To join by phone only (no video): Dial 646-876-9923. When prompted, enter Meeting ID: 940 9294 7605. Password: 014889

 

Regardless how you join, you will be on hold until the session begins. Instructions on how to participate will be offered at the opening of the session.

 

REPEAT REQUEST: PLEASE Send Stories and Photos of Your Holy Week “Church of the Home!” for the Herald!

Holy Week was certainly different this year, wasn’t it? Certainly not what we expected! But it also held many special blessings for people as they gathered with their families, sometimes for more services than they would have otherwise attended. How about sharing that experience? Please consider two requests:

  1. Our Holy Week Story: Please consider sending a paragraph or two about your Holy Week at the “Church of the Home” experience. Share the special blessings, challenges, stories and lessons you found in this never-before-experienced way of preparing for and celebration the Holy Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  2. Our Holy Week Photos: If you took pictures of your household gathered for worship, meals or celebrations, please consider sending some of those in as well.

These submissions will be considered for a “collector’s edition” (translation: “may this never happen again!”) of the Herald to commemorate this journey and share the blessings with one another. Send your photos and stories to broadcast@HolyTrinityPgh.org. Thank you!

 

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Worship Attendance and Community Activities Still Limited Pending Updates

Please note that we are still operating under the attendance restrictions previously announced but are awaiting updates from the authorities and our Metropolis on anticipated changes to those guidelines. You will be notified via email and our website at the earliest possible moment so we may begin to safely resume our in-person worship attendance and vital community life activities. In the meantime, our office remains open for essential operations and mail and deliveries are being accepted. Thank you to our staff for their continuing dedication and to you for your understanding and patience.

 

“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 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? Especially in these times!

 

[May 5] GOYA Online Meeting – Tuesday 3:30pm

GOYA will host its second online meeting for all our teens this Tuesday at 3:30pm. All GOYAns are asked to participate. To protect the safety of our youth, the login information is not being posted but instead being sent directly to the GOYA email list. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

 

[June 9] Spring General Assembly – Note Rescheduled Date

Please note that the Spring General Assembly, originally scheduled for May 5 has been rescheduled for Tuesday, June 9 beginning at 6:30pm. This is an EVENING General Assembly as voted on and approved at last Fall’s General Assembly.

 

Philoptochos Mother's Day Tea Fundraiser

Once again, the Ladies Philoptochos Omonia is honoring our mothers with a special May Mother's Day Tea fundraiser.  Letters with a complimentary tea bag have been mailed out to the entire parish mailing list, so they can make a donation and enjoy a cup of tea while meditating about their mothers.  This is one of the biggest fundraisers that our Holy Trinity Philoptochos holds each year, and due to the limited amount of fundraising we will be unable to do this year, any monetary donations would be most welcome!  The money collected from this fundraiser is used to help many people during the coronavirus epidemic as well as giving vital support to many local and special charities.  Thank you in advance for your generosity and sending in a donation in honor of our mothers!

 

Non-Perishable Grocery Donations Still Being Accepted at Holy Trinity for Distribution to the Needy

Want to help those in need during this crisis? How about picking up a few extra groceries? While we are all being asked to stay home/restrict our outside activities, most of us still need to make occasional trips for groceries. The needy of the Hill District do not always have that opportunity and could use some help. Thanks to Dr. Chris and Kathy Balouris, we are able to provide it. Here’s how it works. Next time you go to the grocery store, pick up a few extra non-perishable food items. Canned soups, pork and beans, vegetables are in-demand, but use your discretion. Then, even though our Holy Trinity offices and campus are closed to outside visitors, please drive by the main entrance of the church and drop off your items in the labeled bin by the office entrance. They will be collected on a daily basis and be delivered by Chris and Kathy to the FOCUS center in the Hill. Thank you for reaching out with love to our neighbors in need!

 

Visitation Ministry Reaching Out to our Holy Trinity Family!

Our Visitation Ministry has helping hands and time to reach out to those who may need some support during this challenging time. Currently we are concentrating on our parishioners who are elderly, homebound, chronically ill, feeling lonely, grieving loss of a loved one, and/or need some extra home support. We are asking you to contact our Visitation Ministry coordinator, Amy Armanious (412.628.0973) or email visitation@holytrinitypgh.org for assistance. Please leave a voicemail with your full name and phone number so Amy can return your call as soon as possible. We are offering to pick-up pharmacy medication refills, grocery store items, and take-out meals. We can cook simple homemade meals, meet transportation needs in our local community, and run short errands. We have team members in our Phone Call Ministry who are dedicated to calling individuals at regular times throughout the week, or once a week for those who need an encouraging word and a prayer. Our Bereavement Support Team is offering phone calls to those who are grieving loss of a loved one and need a listening ear for support. Also, our Visitation Ministry coordinator is willing to assist families with community resources for extra help in the home. We are here to provide spiritual care and our helping hands. Don't hesitate to contact us for your own needs or needs of a loved one. We have Visitation Ministry team members ready to serve in many different ways. May we all stay safe and healthy these next weeks ahead asking God for His protection and guidance. No one is alone... we are all just a phone call or email away. If anyone is interesting in volunteering their helping hands and time, please contact Amy. Our Visitation Ministry Team is always in need of volunteers. Thank you!

 

[May 12-June 23] Festival Cooking – IT’S BACK! (PENDING FURTHER CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS)

The Parish Council and Festival Committee are evaluating how the current coronavirus restrictions how they will possibly affect the Festival situation. They will engage the community in that discussion when recommendations are ready. In the meantime, please look over the dates and times below. Keep them on your schedule until further notice. You’ll see both evening and daytime hours, during the week and on the weekend. Everyone’s help is needed!

  • Tuesday, May 12, 9:00am-9:00pm – Apricot Rolls
  • Tuesday, May 19, 9:00am-9:00pm - Koulourakia
  • Tuesday, May 26, 9:00am-9:00pm – Galaktoboureko
  • Tuesday, June 2, 9:00am-9:00pm – Finikia
  • Tuesday, June 9, 9:00am-9:00pm – Finikia/Karithopita
  • Tuesday, June 23, 9:30am-8:30pm – Diples

 

“LIGHT A CANDLE” PROGRAM STILL AVAILABLE DURING “STAY AT HOME” STATUS

St. Symeon of Thessaloniki said, “It is impossible to imagine an Orthodox church in which candles are not lit.” Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12). At this time while we are not physically able be in the church, we are praying at home but dearly miss the ability to do so in our parish's spiritual home. And one of the first things most people do upon entering an Orthodox Church is to light their candle and offer prayers for one’s personal needs or that of a family member or friend. We also light candles to pray for divine protection and safety as an affirmation of our trust in the "Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matthew 16:16). Even though we are not able to light a candle ourselves during this time, it is still possible to have a candle lit for you! To light a candle, simply visit HolyTrinityPgh.org/candles. Before pressing the "Place Order" button, please use the space below the donation amount to submit the names of your loved ones, those who are alive and/or those who have departed this life or special prayer requests. During these times when we are not able to visit the church in person, we would be glad to light the candle for you and offer the prayer(s) you have submitted during the next service.

 

Stewardship as Love and Compassion: We Are Here for Each Other!

This has been an unsettling time, to say the least, but one also filled with blessings known and unknown.  After so many weeks of coping with this world crisis, some may be understandably struggling uneasiness or even sadness. But, in the midst of all this uncertainty, one beacon of light and hope remains lit and constant in our lives: our Church.  Even as we have not been able to physically attend services, some of us discovered ourselves actually spending more time “in church” during this Lent and Holy Week than ever before. How ironic is it that what was intended to keep us apart ended up drawing us even closer together through our Holy Trinity Church!

Now more than ever, our faithful Stewardship is at work here to make this all possible. Our Time, Talents and Treasures are keeping the light on for our most needed ministry - our Church itself!  So, a huge “Thank You” to everyone whose pledges and contributions sustain this community - our mother and her big family - and can’t wait to be reunited in person. Your love and continuing support have made it possible for Holy Trinity Church to be there not only for her own members, but for thousands more who have joined our family online during this time of physical isolation as we have set our light “upon the hill.” To keep this all going, now is the time to make sure our support stays strong.

How You Can Help/We Can Help: Knowing that this crisis has affected our parish families in varied ways financially, please prayerfully consider your situation and ability to support your church at this critical moment and see which of these scenarios fits you best:

  1. I’m in financial distress: If reduced income, job loss or other related issues have caused you to be in a financially distressed condition, please do not worry about your stewardship right now; your church understands. Contact stewardship@HolyTrinityPgh.org confidentially to let us know. In fact, we may even be able to help your own situation. Please contact Father John confidentially and our Agape Fund can provide you with assistance. The Archdiocese has also just released an announcement of COVID-19 financial assistance. See our email list for information.
  2. I am thankfully OK: If you are weathering the crisis securely and are able to continue to meet your financial needs, please remember your church and continue your contributions as always.
  3. I am able to do more: If your situation allows you to accelerate your giving by either contributing earlier (such as paying your full 2020 stewardship balance today) or by increasing your pledge from your original commitment as your expression of thanks, that would be a great blessing of tremendous help, and thank you for considering doing so. Contact stewardship@HolyTrinityPgh.org confidentially to let us know.

How to Give: We have recently opened new donation avenues to allow you to contribute in the way that fits you best. In addition to mailing your checks as always, you may now donate By Web using our online donation system, By App using the new Apple or Android phone/tablet app or By Text by simply sending a text with the amount you wish to donate to 833-955-2176. More information about all these giving opportunities can be found at HolyTrinityPgh.org/give-info.

During this difficult time, Holy Trinity is our spiritual haven, our home, our light on the hill. Thank you for continuing to help keep her strong and bright!

 

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