CURRENT PARISH OPERATIONS STATUS

WORSHIP - All Services Continuing as Previously Announced

• 50% Capacity. No Reservations Required. No Age Restrictions.
• Masks and Physical Distance Required. Must be observed by all in attendance.

COFFEE HOUR AND MEETINGS - Continuing Today

• Coffee Hour and In-person Meetings have resumed – with safety precautions in place.

CHURCH SCHOOL CLASSES – Continuing Today

• Church School classes have resumed – with previously announced safety precautions in place.

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 souls of the servants of God: George Papadopoulos (40 days), Stella Johnson (1 year) and Homer Johnson (5 years). May their memory be eternal!

Services This Week

- Mon. Apr. 12, 6:30pm: Great Compline

- Wed. Apr. 14, 6:30pm: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy followed by light Lenten Bowl meal and “Faith and Family Weekdays” Wednesday Lenten Series presentation

- Fri. Apr. 16, 6:30pm: Service of the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos

“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 last. When we are all together again, we will distribute new cards.

• Wed. April 14: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, Lenten Dinner and Lenten Presentation

- Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (6:30-7:45pm): This is a mid-week Lenten blessing provides by the Church as a way of offering the Holy Gifts between Sundays during Lent. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is an evening service which comprises the solemn Lenten Vespers with the distribution of Holy Communion at the end. There is no consecration of the Holy Gifts during the service. Holy Communion is offered from the reserve gifts consecrated on the previous Sunday at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Those Orthodox Christians wishing to receive Holy Communion should prepare as usual but should also refrain from eating or drinking after their midday meal. Readings will be done by our older Church School students.
- Lenten Bowl and Presentation (7:45pm): We will continue a MODIFIED version of the tradition of Lenten dinners following Pre-Sanctified Liturgies by offering a simple, light “Lenten Bowl” in the Grand Room, with tables spaced and people seated in household groups if desired and a brief Lenten presentation.

GOYA Lenten Soup Sales

The GOYA is once again offering its very popular Lenten soup and sauces sales throughout the Sundays of Lent. Among the many good reasons to buy some to take home are that they are strict Lenten recipes, they provide fund-raising support for our GOYA ministry ... plus they taste great, and they are good for you! Please visit the Lenten Soup Sales table in Gallery during Coffee Hour each week! Thank you for supporting our youth as you strive to maintain and grow your spiritual discipline of fasting during Lent!

[Apr 13 & 20] Festival Cooking Resumes: This Tuesday – Spanakopita, Next Tuesday - Kourambiethes

Please mark your calendars and plan to come and help this Tuesday, April 13 (Spanakopita) and next Tuesday, April 20 (Kourambiethes), from 9:00am until 9:00pm for our first two sessions of 2021! Bring the kids, bring your husbands, bring your wives, bring your friends!  All are welcome...no experience necessary. Safety protocols will be in place for everyone. Lots of light and heavy tasks for all. See the full cooking schedule in the April/May edition of the Herald. THANK YOU!

[Apr 13] Bereavement Ministry Meetings Resume in Person – This Tuesday

Join us for our upcoming monthly group gathering this Tuesday, April 13^th. The Holy Trinity Bereavement Support Ministry Team provides spiritual care to our parishioners and their extended family & friends in times of grief and loss of a loved one. We are returning to our in-person meetings beginning on Tuesday, April 13th. However, during this challenging time, we are opening our ministry to helping those in dealing with other losses too. Loss comes in many forms such as loss of a job or family business, loss of identity and purpose when family caregiving changes, loss of a pet, loss of independence and mobility when one ages, loss of one’s mental alertness with dementia and chronic illness, and loss of a role when children leave home and go to college. These are only some losses. Everyone’s grief and loss journey are unique. It may be a recent loss or one from many years ago. Grief is a reality and takes time to better understanding when the journey is accompanied by someone who cares. Our monthly bereavement support group gatherings will resume on the first Monday evening of the month after our April 13th meeting. Our session is 7:00-8:00 p.m. Feel free to bring a photo of your loved one. If you are not grieving a loved one, then bring a photo of yourself with family or friends at an event that brings a special memory. All are welcome to participate in group sharing or observe through quiet time with others who care. To learn more about our Bereavement Support Ministry and/or our private support sessions, please contact Amy Armanious at visitation@HolyTrinityPgh.org

[Apr 15] Saint Nikodemos Men’s Prayer Fellowship – Last Meeting of Great Lent

Men, are you tired of just working on work and are you ready to recharge working on your spiritual life as husbands and fathers? It starts with prayer. The Saint Nikodemos Men’s “Prayer and Panera” Fellowship has resumed its morning prayer and fellowship meetings for the Spring. All men in the parish are invited to participate. The group meets at church promptly at 7:00am for a 15-20-minute morning prayer and scripture and then relocate up the hill to Panera for 30-45 minutes of coffee, breakfast, and Christian men’s conversation on living as a Christian man in today’s world. Even if you can’t stay for discussion after - it’s time to return to prayer and fellowship with your brothers in Christ. Change up your morning. Give it a try! Brought to you by the “Faith and Family Weekdays Ministries” of Holy Trinity Church.

[Apr 17] Family Lenten Retreat – Jesus; the Resurrection and the Life of the Family

Please make plans to join the Metropolis of Pittsburgh and the GOA Center for Family Care for a virtual Family Lenten Retreat on Saturday, April 17 from 10:00-11:30am. Has this year of social distancing and the dramatic changes in community life brought some issues to light regarding your family dynamics? Are there areas of family life that could really use God's merciful healing, and direction? Jesus Christ can bring hope to situations that seem lost, healing to areas that are not healthy, and set you all on a wholesome and joyful path. He "has come that we might have life and have it abundantly." Join Fr. Alex Goussetis and Staff from the GOA Center for Family Care as they lead us in a discussion on how to bring ourselves and our families to Christ for restoration and renewal.  Zoom registration link: tinyurl.com/GOMoP-FamilyRetreat

[Apr 20] Saint Lydia Women’s Study Ministry – Final Meeting of the 5-Week Series: “Renewing You”

The Saint Lydia Women’s Study Ministry is one of the longest-running fellowship and study ministries of Holy Trinity Church and is open to women of all ages. To address everyone’s needs and preferences, the meetings will be conducted in hybrid mode, with those able and willing to safely gather in the Fireside Room invited to meet in person, and those preferring to remain online participating via Zoom, since our Fireside Room is set up for video conferencing. Advance registration is required for Zoom only participation by visiting HolyTrinityPgh.org/events. In-person attendance does not require registration. The books are available for purchase by contacting Stacy Dickos at SaintLydia@HolyTrinityPgh.org or directly from our Three Hierarchs Bookstore. The final meeting of this series will be held on Tuesday, April 20 from 7:00-8:00pm. Brought to you by the “Faith and Family Weekdays Ministries.”

[Apr 24] Saturday of Lazarus Liturgy, Breakfast and Palm Cross Making/Candle Cupping]

Everyone has a way to share their time and talents at Holy Trinity Church, including our precious Church School students. Each year they gather for the Saturday of Lazarus Liturgy with their families and teachers, and afterwards enjoy a light Lenten breakfast and prepare the Palm Crosses for Palm Sunday and cup the candles for Holy Friday and the Resurrection Service. Parents, please plan on being there with your families for this great liturgical feast and to encourage your children to serve their Church through this holy offering of love. The entire parish family is invited to Liturgy, of course. As always, these days, safety protocols will be in place during the service, breakfast and project

[Apr 25] Palm Sunday Luncheon – Reservations Required

Holy Trinity GOYA has once more made it their goal to “Find A Way” to continuing serving their community, this time through their annual Palm Sunday Luncheon. Now that capacity limits for dining have been raised to 75% (with other safety measures also in place), they are excited to offer the entire parish its first community meal since last year. The luncheon will be held in the Grand Room following Divine Liturgy on April 25. Advance reservations are required and may be made at HolyTrinityPgh.org/events or in the Gallery after Liturgy today and next Sunday. Seating by households is encouraged and tables will be spaced appropriately. Masks are required except when eating. To-go orders are also available in advance only. Again…advance reservations are required. Donation requested is Adults: $15 / Children 12 & Under: $8. Reserve at HolyTrinityPgh.org/Events by Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Thank you to our GOYA teens for finding a way!

[Apr 30] Holy Friday - Please Submit Names of the Departed for Commemoration

If you have names of your beloved departed ones that you would like commemorated, please be sure to submit their names before the Holy Friday evening service. Prayers will be offered for them in front of the Epitaphion on Holy Friday. A form was included in the recent Herald and they are also available in the Narthex. The Holy Friday Trisagion Names form is also available on our website as a fillable PDF form. (Please note: there are no Memorial services permitted from Palm Sunday through the Sunday of St. Thomas - May 9 this year.) Note: His Eminence Metropolitan Savas will be joining us for the Holy Friday evening service.

[Apr 30 & May 3] Offices Closed Holy Friday and Bright Monday

The offices of the Archdiocese, Metropolis and Holy Trinity Church will be closed on Holy Friday and Bright Monday in observation of these sacred days.

[May 1] Come to the Anastasi Services and Dinner! – Saturday Evening
Don’t forget to make plans to attend the Resurrection Orthros, Liturgy and Dinner at Holy Trinity Church on Saturday evening/early morning of Pascha. Following the liturgical celebration of the Resurrection, join your family, friends and other members of Holy Trinity to break the fast and celebrate the Feast of Feasts! Free-will offerings will be accepted for this annual community celebration featuring – what else? – lamb! Also, as with the Palm Sunday Luncheon, advance reservations are required and may be made in the Narthex at any service during Holy Week until Holy Friday. Seating by households is encouraged and tables will be spaced appropriately. Masks are required except when eating.

[May 2] Agape Vespers Candy Hunt
The Church School ministry is again sponsoring the annual Paschal Candy Hunt on the lawn of the church (weather permitting) on Pascha following the Agape Vespers Service at 12:00 p.m. All the children are invited to come for this beautiful and bright service. It is an especially good way for those with small children who are not able to attend the midnight service to share in a special celebration of Pascha.

[May 11] Regular Spring General Assembly via Zoom

Please save the date and plan to attend the regular Spring General Assembly via Zoom on Tuesday, May 11 at 6:30pm. Advance registration is required. Sign up at HolyTrinityPgh.org/events by Monday, May 10 to attend. Sign-in instructions will be sent to all who register. An agenda has been included in the April/May edition of the Herald. This Assembly is to review parish life 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, to vote at an assembly, you must be a member in good standing as defined in the Uniform Parish Regulations, which includes but is not limited to having a signed 2021 Holy Trinity Stewardship Pledge card submitted. Whether it is attending assemblies, 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.

[Jun 7] Holy Trinity Golf Outing

Please save the date and register to attend the Holy Trinity Annual Golf Outing on Monday, June 7 at Diamond Run Golf Club in Sewickley. Proceeds benefit Holy Trinity Church. See the Registration form in the April/May edition of the Herald.

Host Ministries/Families Still Needed for Bag Lunches - Please volunteer your family or group to help!

Please see Mike Kritiotis today, or contact him at 412-518-0588, or at outreach@holytrinitypgh.org to sign up your family/group/ministry for this worthy cause to help the poor and hungry in our region. Sponsored through the Orthodox outreach of the “Neighborhood Resilience Project”, the 2021 weekly schedule of delivering 140 lunch bags to our less fortunate neighbors every Saturday of the year, has many open dates available. Holy Trinity Church’s participation has been critical in fulfilling this goal in the past, and we are grateful for our parishioners’ renewed generosity.

Please Follow Parish Council Seating/Spacing Instructions…and THANK YOU for Your Cooperation!

Your Parish Council members are volunteers you have selected to take an important role in the leadership of Holy Trinity parish life. During the current COVID restrictions, they are responsible for monitoring capacity, spacing, entrance, dismissals and more. In order to have us all maintain best practices in all these areas, thank you for continuing to respect their guidance with your respectful cooperation when it comes to entering the church, where to sit and how to enter, exit for process in lines. Want to go a step farther? Take a moment to thank them for stepping up in these challenging times!

Stewardship Update

The 2021 Holy Trinity Stewardship Pledge Cards have been distributed and all Holy Trinity Stewards should complete one immediately. If you have not yet received a 2021 pledge card or are new to Holy Trinity, additional pledge cards can be found at the Welcome Table located in the Narthex of the church. And remember, a signed pledge card is required as part of maintaining your membership in good standing at Holy Trinity Church each year. We are grateful for your commitment. Questions? Contact Stewardship Co-chairmen Mike Kritiotis or Ted Stewart or email stewardship@HolyTrinityPgh.org.

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!

Lenten Resources Available on the Internet

Looking for educational or inspirational information and resources for Lent? Start with our own website at HolyTrinityPgh.org/lent for our 2021 Lenten Theme: “Find A Way”. Also, check out one of the best religious sites on the Internet: the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. To visit the general site, go to www.goarch.org/lent. There you will find Lenten messages, scriptures, prayers, articles, hymns, videos and more.

Update: Holy Trinity Church Completion and 2023 Consecration Campaign Underway

As an update, plans are now being developed to complete the necessary items so Holy Trinity Church can be consecrated by the end of 2023, as was approved by the General Assembly last November.  The plans provide for completing all the items required for consecration including completing the remaining iconography in the Church and Narthex; installation of numerous items of handcrafted ecclesiastical wood furnishings, most notably a permanent iconostasis and required new Holy Altar table; Altar furnishings and other liturgically required items for the Consecration; and more appropriate seating to replace the temporary chairs in the Church.  The approved plan to raise the needed monies for the project over the next 3 years comprises a combination of funds from the Greek Festival and catering income, as well as parishioner donations, and all without incurring loans or bank financing, so we will remain debt-free having now paid off the mortgage.  We have asked that all our members pledge what they are able to over the 2021–2023 timeframe to fund the completion of our Church for its Consecration in 2023. We are very pleased to report that we have received pledges from 117 families thus far! If you haven’t done it already, please fill out the center section of the “ONE HOLY TRINITY” Pledge Card with your Church Completion and Consecration Campaign pledge amounts for 2021-2023.  Please do your part as a member of the Holy Trinity family on this important project – you will be glad you did!  If there are any questions in the meantime, please feel free to speak with Jim Balouris, Charlie Petredis or George Dickos.  May God continue to richly bless His Holy Church!

HOLY COMMUNION PROCEDURES REMINDER

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!

CURRENT SPECIAL PROCEDURES: During the current pandemic safety practices, please note that we are concerned that we respect one another and also respect the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, please abide by these guidelines when receiving Holy Communion at the current time:

-       Keep your mask on in the line for Holy Communion until you are there is only one person ahead of you.

-       Before approaching the Chalice, remove the mask entirely (do not just pull it down below your chin) so we do not run the risk of having Holy Communion getting on a disposable or washable mask which may then be thrown in the trash or the laundry – this is not befitting of this Sacred Mystery.

-       Receive the Holy Gifts according to your customary practice.

-       Do not put your mask back on until after you have consumed at least part of the antidoron bread. Again, this is to avoid Holy Communion on your lips or mouth being wiped onto the mask. After placing the antidoron in your mouth upon receiving it, please replace your mask before returning down the aisle to your seat.

Thank you for your cooperation and for your contribution in helping all of us to FIND A WAY back to the life-giving, purifying and saving Holy Gifts the Lord calls us to each Divine Liturgy. May God have mercy on us all!

Upcoming Lenten and Paschal Dates

Wondering about Lenten and Paschal dates? Here’s a helpful guide to some of the important events coming up. Mark them on your calendar!

-          Saturday of Lazarus: April 24

-          Palm Sunday: April 25

-          Holy Week: April 25 - May 1

-          Holy Friday (schedule off work & school): April 30

-          The Great and Holy Pascha: May 2