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.

TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Youth Sunday / GOYA Fall Fest “Grab and Eat” Sale Today

Holy Trinity Church will highlight and feature the young people of our community today taking on the responsibilities of the Parish Council and Hospitality Ministry. Three of our young members will also be delivering the youth sermons today: HOPE: Alyssa Mackrell; JOY: Daniel Willow; and GOYA: Ana Bordeianu. In addition, the GOYA will be offering food and baked goods in “Grab and Eat” pre-packed packages for their Fall Fest during Coffee Hour. Thank you for supporting our teens. They love serving this church and greatly appreciate when you support them, too!

Three Hierarchs Bookstore – Open Today

Our Three Hierarchs Bookstore will be open today following Divine Liturgy. Be sure to stop by and browse our great selection of books for all ages, icons, greeting cards and so much more, including a number of new books and items.

Services This Week:

Wednesday, October 21: 8:30am Orthros/9:30am Liturgy – St. John of Monemvasia the Child Martyr (HT)

NOTE: As part of the Summer Teaching Series, on August 23^rd, Father John offered a sermon on Saint John of Monemvasia, a 14-year old child martyr of incredible faith and courage. To honor that saint, we will hold Liturgy for his feast day this Wednesday.In an age when our children need strong faith, courage and God’s holy protection more than ever, Father John is encouraging any children who may be available for services to attend, and all parents of our wonderful Holy Trinity youth should also try to attend to offer prayers for their children and ask for the intercessions of this brave young saint for God’s divine protection and blessing on the wonderful young people of this parish.

“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.

Church School Continues with Safety Measures in Place

With thanks to our dedicated Church School staff, the love and support of all our parents, and the enthusiastic response of our children, our 2020-2021 Church School ministry is off to a great start. Please be assured the physical safety and spiritual well-being of all students and staff are top priorities as our children continue to know and grow in the love of Christ. Here are some highlights of the measures being taken:

• At Holy Communion, children will be receiving first and then proceed to class, after which the rest of the congregation will be invited forward.
• All students and staff are required to wear masks at all times while in class.
• Class structure and room locations have been reconfigured in certain cases.
• Class sizes are limited to observe capacity restrictions.
• Classroom doors are being left open to promote air circulation.
• Hand sanitizer is available in each room.
• Traffic flow to and from class is being directed to minimize congestion and crowding. Access to upper level is limited to students and staff, with the exception of the parents of the Pre-School and Kindergarten classes, who may enter the upper level to retrieve their children if necessary; Parents of all others are requested to refrain from entering the upper level.
• Children are being dismissed and brought by staff to a designated pickup area in the Grand Room at the end of class at 11:30am.
• Instructional signs have been posted throughout the learning spaces.
• As always, food and drink are not permitted in the classrooms.

All this is subject to change as developments require. As Proverbs 22.6 says, “Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.” That is a powerful reminder of the responsibility we have as parents, teachers, and an entire church community to fulfill our calling to teach our children to love the Lord and follow in His ways. Thank you for patience and understanding with these adjustments and for your ever-present support and love for all God’s children!

Festival 2020 Update: Order/Donate Before Supplies Run Out!

As announced on July 12^th, 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, “HolyTrinityPgh.org/Greek4Home”.

While supplies last – and they’re starting to run low! - 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, “HolyTrinityPgh.org/Greek2Give” 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. To date, generous parishioners and friends of Holy Trinity Church have donated over 70 pans already, and 60 of them have already been delivered to the charities and agencies above. Thank you for your offerings of love and gratitude to those in need and those who serve us!

[Oct 25] Philoptochos Meeting – Next Sunday

Welcome back to all Philoptochos members!  We hope you and your families remain safe and healthy during this pandemic.  There will be a very brief Philoptochos meeting following the Divine Liturgy next Sunday, October 25^th in the Grand Room.  There will be physical distancing and hand sanitizer provided to ensure safety for all attending.  We look forward to seeing everyone at this meeting!

[Nov 1] Philoptochos Sunday

Philoptochos Sunday will take place on Sunday, November 1^st.  Because of physical distancing, members will remain seated with their families this year instead of sitting together as a group. In addition, in lieu of Philoptochos members passing the trays, as we have done in past years, there will be a tray placed in the Narthex for donations.  We look forward to seeing all our members on November 1^st as we celebrate Philoptochos Sunday!

[Nov 1] SPECIAL FORUM HOSTED BY HOLY TRINITY CHURCH – “Racism: A View from The Heart”

You won’t want to miss this very important forum on the experiences of and responses to racism. It’s not like anything else you’ve seen on the issue. Rather than discussing it from the point of view of politics or policies, this forum will look at it as seen from the hearts of Orthodox Christians. A distinguished panel of varied professional and personal backgrounds will speak and answer questions. The event will be held at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday, November 1from 6:30pm until 8:30pm. Hear the presentations and ask your questions in one of two ways: 1 - In-Person in the Holy Trinity Grand Room; 2 - Online via Zoom Video Conference. Advance registration is required at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/events. Please note that in-person attendance is capacity-limited and requires safe practices. Register today!

[Nov 2] Bereavement Support Ministry: Monthly Group Get-Together - “Preparing for the Holidays”

Holidays bring mixed feelings for those experiencing a loss especially loss of a loved one. It doesn’t matter whether the loss was recent or for many years. As Orthodox Christians we are reminded that God is ever-present with His love and care. Memories of our missing loved ones can be comforting as we hold onto our hope in Christ. Our Bereavement Support Ministry provides spiritual care to our parishioners and their extended family and friends in time of grief and loss. Our next group get-together will be Monday evening, November 2^nd in the conference room. Our discussion topic will be centered around “preparing for the holidays” as we give ourselves permission to grieve. Please bring a photo of your loved one as we share their lives with each other. Light refreshments and relaxed fellowship begin at 6:30pm for those who choose. Then 7:00-8:00 pm is group learning and sharing with our Bereavement facilitators. Physical distancing, wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer upon entering room, and signing-in are expected of each participant so that all may feel safe and respected. Contact Amy Armanious, Visitation Ministry Coordinator with any questions by email at visitation@holytriniitypgh.org

[Nov 13-14] GOYA Fall Virtual Retreat

The Metropolis of Pittsburgh’s GOYA Fall Retreat will be held virtually this year from Friday, November 13^th through Saturday, November 14^th. Father Nicholas Manuel of Annunciation GOC in Akron, will explore the journey from the head to the heart, diving into authenticity, and how to find our genuine self in Christ through stillness. This retreat will be free to attend and will take place via Zoom. For more information or to register, please visit www.y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org.

[Nov 14] Young Adult Fall Retreat – “In Your Presence, there is Fullness of Joy”

The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh Y2AM, the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese and the Ukrainian Orthodox League invite all Young Adults to attend an online Fall Retreat. Speakers for the retreat will include His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa, Fr. Stephen Loposky, Fr. Gregory Jensen and Fr. Anastasios Athanasiou, along with other Young Adults. The Fall Retreat will be held on Saturday, November 14 from 9:30am-12:00 noon and from 6:30am until 8:30pm online via Zoom. Attend as your day permits. Sign up at tinyurl.com/2020YAFALLRETREAT. Register now! It’s free! 

[Nov 17, 18 & 19] Neighborhood Resilience Project – Hosts a Journey of Hope & Resilience

This year has been quite remarkable for the Neighborhood Resilience Project. They have moved into a new building, created new programming to support medically underserved communities during COVID-19 and continued providing food, clothing, free health care, acute support after gun violence, micro-community interventions and leadership development to the region. Join them in celebrating the accomplishments of 2020 with their “Journey of Hope and Resilience” on Tuesday, November 17, Wednesday, November 18 and Thursday, November 19 from 6:00pm-9:00pm each night. You can take a tour through their facility, learn about their programs, and meet the people who make the work possible. The event is free to attend and donations will be requested at the event. Group Tours are scheduled 10 minutes apart to allow for physical distancing. Each tour will run for approximately one hour. To attend, please sign up at www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4fafa82ca0f8c34-journey to choose your preferred date and time. You can schedule up to 7 people in your group. NRP is located at 2038 Bedford Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15219. 

Calling All Spero’s Books: Please Come Home!

Attention Church School parents and students: Spero needs your help! If you have borrowed any books or DVD’s from the St. Spyridon Children’s Library, please return them by the end of October. Since the library is currently closed to visitors, please drop your returned items into Spero’s drop box located right outside of the Library. Thank you!

We Need Your Help to Help Those in Need!

Our Outreach Ministry has numerous opportunities throughout the year to share your blessings with those in need. Please consider volunteering as a family or ministry group to help our neighbors and those less fortunate. Contact Mike Kritiotis at 412-518-0588 or at outreach@HolyTrinityPgh.org to sign your family/group/ministry up for this worthy cause! Available now: sign Up to provide bag lunches for needy families. Sponsored through the Orthodox outreach of the “Neighborhood Resilience Project” in the Hill District, the 2020 weekly schedule of delivering up to 140 lunch bags to our less fortunate neighbors every Saturday of the year, still has open dates available. Holy Trinity Church’s participation has been critical in fulfilling this mission in the past, and we are grateful for our parishioners’ continued generosity.

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? The needy of the Hill District could use some help. Thanks to Dr. Chris and Kathy Balouris, we are able to provide it. 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/Neighborhood Resilience Project (NRP) center in the Hill District. Thank you for reaching out with love to our neighbors in need!

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 HolyTrinityPgh.org/live. Thank you and God bless you, faithful stewards!

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.
• 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.

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).