REMINDER: HOLY TRINITY CHURCH IS STILL IN “GREEN PHASE!”
50% Capacity. No Reservations Required. No Age Limits (Welcome Back Seniors!).
Masks And Physical Distance Still Required. Visit HolyTrinityPgh.Org/coronavirus for details.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO OBSERVE SAFETY MEASURES.

TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Summer Teaching Series Sermons: “The Great Cloud of Witnesses”

Saint Paul, in referring to the models and heroes of the Faith who inspire us and provide us with models to learn from and emulate, says “We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12.1). Though many of us are at least somewhat familiar with many popular saints of the Orthodox Christian Faith, the great cloud Saint Paul speaks of is wide and varied. It is both appropriate and beneficial, therefore, that we take time to refresh the faithful members of the community on who some of the members of this family of the Faith are, what they mean for us and what they do for us. This year our “Summer Teaching Series” will focus on 8 of those saints as main features, with others brought in along the way. We started last week with the newly-canonized Saint Paisios of Athos. This week Father John will share Saint Moses the Black. Watch for more to come over the remainder of the summer during this informative 8-week series.

Holy Trinity Church in “Green Phase”

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Savas, we are so thankful to be able to continue welcoming our Holy Trinity family back to worship in-person and together as a community in the Church. As previously announced, we are now in the “Green Phase.” This means some important things for our worship and community life:

• Greater Attendance Levels: We can accommodate up to 50% (approximately 200 people) of our capacity. Reservations are no longer required, but sign-in at entry will be to comply with contract tracing requirements.
• Age Restrictions Lifted: Our beloved senior members 65 and over are no longer restricted from attending, provided they are free from any illness, symptoms or conditions that would put them in a high-risk category.
• Masks and Physical Distance: Masks are still required, and safe levels of physical distancing will still be practiced in both seating and moving around. PLEASE RESPECT THESE PRECAUTIONS AND BE SURE YOUR SEATING IS PROPERLY DISTANCED. ALSO PLEASE DO NOT CONGREGATE IN THE NARTHEX.
• Veneration: The faithful may return to their customary practice of venerating icons and sacred objects if they choose, or they may continue to reverence them by bowing, depending on their comfort level.
• Holy Communion: As stated by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, “The Mother Church of Constantinople knows empirically from its two-thousand-year existence that Holy Communion is ‘the antidote to mortality’ and remains firm in its Orthodox teaching regarding the Holy Eucharist.” As such, parishes are free to return to their customary parish practice of customary method of distributing and receiving the Holy Gifts. Instructions will be provided during the Liturgy.
• Coffee Hour and Meetings May Resume: We are free to resume holding Coffee Hour and meetings, provided that we respect the 50% capacity and physical distance guidelines.

These are the highlights. See the attached “Green Phase” document link at holytrinitypgh.org/coronavirus for more detailed information. Most important: As the members and families of our beloved parish community make the choices that best suit their needs, we need to understand that these choices will vary with time. And there are some who will still not be able to return for a while who need our support and understanding. As a community of believers walking in the love of Christ and the peace of the Holy Spirit, we are all asked to keep in mind the words of Saint Paul when it comes to meeting the needs of others: “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6.2).

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

If you are unable or not yet ready to attend Liturgy in person today due to COVID-19 restrictions, or 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.

“Faith and Family WEEKDAYS” This Week

• Daily: Prayer Partners. Have you remembered your prayer partner every day? Especially in these times! Please maintain the prayer partner you received in January. When we are all together again, we will distribute new cards.

Festival 2020 Update: Have You Ordered/Donated Yet?

As announced on July 12th, out of an abundance of caution for our parish volunteers, our tens of thousands of guests and the community around us, the decision has been thoughtfully and prayerfully made by parish and festival leadership that Holy Trinity Church will not be hosting a public, in-person Festival this year, but will postpone the event until Labor Day weekend 2021. We believe this is in fulfillment of our “Faith. Family. Community.” vision statement by Preserving our Faith, Protecting our Family and Respecting our local Community. However, thanks to the dedicated labors of our Holy Trinity parishioners, a limited amount of full-pan foods are available for purchase. They are available through the "Greek4Home" ordering website. While supplies last, full ready-to-bake pans of Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pita) and Tiropita (Greek Cheese Pita) are available for only $99. That means you can enjoy our wonderful festival food at home! Buy them now to take and bake at home for family gatherings, graduation parties, or to bake and share with others. Each pan has 28 pre-scored servings. The pans are 20” X 13” and are expertly wrapped in premium protective freezer paper. Just unwrap, follow the basic cooking instructions and enjoy! But that's not all! Through our "Greek2Give" ordering website, you can also donate a pan of food to a worthy cause! During the COVID-19 crisis, some of our neighbors are having a tough time making ends meet. The first-responders and “heroes” at our hospitals, safety services and social agencies have sacrificed of themselves to protect us. And some local churches are struggling just to survive. With your help, pans of our existing inventory of spanakopita and tiropita will be delivered to local organizations, churches, hospitals, agencies and the Neighborhood Resilience Project, an Orthodox Christian ministry in the Hill District, at no charge as gifts of love from you and the Holy Trinity family.

Need Yard Work Done? Hire a GOYAn!

Are you in need of someone to do yard work? Holy Trinity GOYA is here to help! Our teens are ready for hire, and why not offer the work to youth from within our parish rather than others? Please send your contact information to GOYA@HolyTrinityPgh.org or call Presvytera Becky at 412-875-5195 with a description of the work you need done. You will be provided with the list of GOYAns willing to come and do the work for you! Thanks for providing the opportunity for our teens to put themselves to work.

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!

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 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 is 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 drive by the main entrance of the church and drop off your items in the labeled bins. Donations will be collected daily 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!

[Aug 2] Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday

On Sunday, August 2, we will honor Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday. The Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry serves those who are incarcerated and their families. They provide visitation, Orthodox publications, Bibles, prayer books, icon prayer cards and catechism courses. Watch for information on how to support this ministry, whose Executive Director is now Niko Petrogeorge, who was with us for a number of years at Holy Trinity Church.

[Sep 15] Holy Trinity Golf Outing

Attention golfers: put the 2020 Holy Trinity Golf Outing on your calendar for Tuesday, September 15. Contact Dean Passodelis at DPassodelis@jonespassodelis.com for information. Please see the flyer bulletin insert for additional information.

To the Faithful Stewards of Holy Trinity Church

In the past few months when some have been limited in their ability physically meet on Sundays, many thanks go to those who have continued to offer their offerings, pledges, and capital campaign contributions. We have expanded out opportunities to do so and now have a number of ways. The first way is that you can continue to bring or mail your donations to the church using the offering/capital campaign envelopes. The second way is Give By Web - the online method on the church’s website. Go to HolyTrinityPgh.org/give, or from the home page click on the Online Giving Tab. The third way is Give By Text, which is as easy as sending a text with the amount you would like to donate to 833-955-2176. You will receive a confirmation link immediately via text. The fourth way is Give By App using the Vanco GivePlus app, found in the App Store and on Google Play. Find information on it and more at HolyTrinityPgh.org/give-info. Lastly, we continue to encourage everyone to reach out to members of our church family and let them know they are being thought of, prayed for and most importantly loved. And, of course, for those still not able or ready to return to in-person services, they may continue to worship together in spirit online with our services as they are broadcast online (made possible through your offerings of love) at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/live. Thank you and God bless you, faithful stewards!