TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Special Archdiocese Appeal: Tray for Greek Fire Relief

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has issued a special appeal for providing aid to those impacted by the devastating wildfires in Greece. If you can make any contribution to assist in the special collection tray today, thank you! If you would like to donate after today, you can make your contribution by check directly to the “Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,” with “Greece Fires” in the memo line (mail to: 8 East 79^th St, New York, NY 10075), or you can make a direct donation online at: https://www.goarch.org/greecefiresdonate. Thank you!

Dance Troupe Performance Today

Following Divine Liturgy, please be sure to stay for Coffee Hour and visit the Grand Room where our HOPE, JOY and GOYA Greek Dance Troupes will perform. Afterwards, please express your appreciation to our dancers for their hard work and to their instructors, Eleni Dedousis and Victoria Andromalos-Dale, for their dedication to the youth of our parish!

Coronavirus Restrictions Lifted for Those Who Have Been Vaccinated

As of May 15, 2021, in accordance with the updated guidelines of the CDC and the Metropolis of Pittsburgh, note the following changes in our practices at Holy Trinity Church:

1. Masks and social distancing are no longer required for those who have been vaccinated, as per the CDC guidelines and affirmed by the Metropolis. This applies to all services, sacraments and events at Holy Trinity Church and Saint George Chapel, as well as the Grand Room, offices, classrooms, and all other Holy Trinity facilities.
2. Full capacity seating has been restored to the church Nave.
3. The Choir section is once again reserved for the Choir, which has returned to offering Divine Liturgy hymns.
4. Also, per the Metropolis guidelines, a section at the left entry of the Nave has been reserved for those who are still more comfortable with masking and physical distancing. They are not required to sit there, and we are to respect and honor the choices of anyone who chooses to do so. It is being offered as a courtesy so everyone may attend within their comfort level. Everyone is welcome at Holy Trinity Church.
5. Services will continue to be broadcast online to minister to those who are not yet able to return in person.

[Aug 24-25] The Miraculous Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God

The Miraculous Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God from Hawaii is coming to the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery in Saxonburg. The faithful are invited to come and venerate Her during the following times: Tuesday, August 24 (5:00pm until 8:30pm) and Wednesday, August 25 (8:00am until 12:00pm Noon). Visitors should be modestly dressed. The monastery is located at 121 St. Elias Lane Saxonburg, PA 16056.

Sabbatical Schedule

Father John will return from his sabbatical on Monday August 30. In Father John’s absence, Father Radu Bordeianu (FrRadu@HolyTrinityPgh.org) will be offering liturgical services and fulfilling all pastoral care needs. Please contact him or our Office Administrator, Mary Portellos (412-366-8700 or office@HolyTrinityPgh.org) with any clergy requests, including memorials and sacraments, and they will be arranged. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!

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.

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 each year. We are grateful for your commitment. Questions? Contact Stewardship Co-chairmen Mike Kritiotis or Ted Stewart or email stewardship@HolyTrinityPgh.org.

Update: Holy Trinity Church Completion and 2023 Consecration Campaign Underway

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 144 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.  If you need a new Stewardship card to fill in the center section, please see Jim Balouris, Charlie Petredis or George Dickos or stop in the Church Office.  As we’ve stressed, the most important aspect of this Campaign is participation by everyone! 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 see Jim, Charlie, or George above.  May God continue to richly bless His Holy Church!

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. Following Liturgy, we invite you to join us for Fellowship Coffee hour.

Upcoming Memorial: August 22: Charles Henigin (40 days)

Help Spread the Word About our Taste of Greece Festival with Lawn Signs!

You are an important part of the advertising for our 2021 Taste of Greece Festival! Please stop by the Gallery following Liturgy to pick up your lawn sign. These new signs are dated and will only be used for this year’s Festival. Thank you!

[Sept 2, 3 & 4] Holy Trinity’s 2021 Greek Festival is ON as a Drive-Through!

The Holy Trinity community has indeed wanted to offer a great Greek Festival once again for our neighbors and friends. But given the ongoing challenges and uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic and the tremendous lead time and investment need for preparing to host 30,000 people for our traditional event, the decision has been made to move forward with our 2021 Taste of Greece Festival as a "Drive Through" event, where our guests will be able to order from a limited menu in an efficient drive through setting. This will allow us to serve the community while balancing the safety of our guests and volunteers. The event will be held on Thursday September 2^nd, Friday September 3^rd, and Saturday September 4^th, from 11 am to 7 pm each day. Please plan on stopping by and driving through. We will be ready to serve you some great Greek food with a warm smile and a big helping of Holy Trinity hospitality!

It’s time to sign up and volunteer for the 2021 Taste of Greece Drive Through Festival! 

This year’s festival is in less than three weeks, beginning Thursday September 2^nd and ending Saturday September 4^th.  We have 13 roles you can sign up to volunteer and support our hospitality to the community (please see the descriptions listed below). You can access the online signup using this link, which is also on the Holy Trinity Website: www.holytrinitypgh.org/volunteer.  This year’s festival is a drive through, which is new to us.  A drive through might seem like it would not take the same level of staffing, however it does, as there are new/ different roles that must be staffed to ensure we service our guests in a timely manner.  To ensure our guests have the same great experience they have come to expect, we need the same volunteer participation level we have always given.  Please take the time to sign up today, we need to ensure we do our very best to make 2021 a great Festival year!  Any questions can be referred to Dan Willow, Festival Committee Chair, at willowtd@verion.net or call (412) 417-9616.

• Traffic Control: Work with a third-party company hired to help manage flow of cars from entry, order taking, fulfillment, to exit. (10 volunteer slots per shift)

• Greeters: Work outside throughout traffic control, answer guest questions before ordering to ensure guests can place orders quickly to try and help maximize traffic flow. (4 volunteer slots per shift)

• Order Taker-Cash Register: Work in a tent where cars will come through in two lines, two cash registers per line- so four people taking orders at any given time. (5 volunteer slots per shift)

• Order Selector: Work in area called "the Hub".  Orders print here; all menu items brought here pre-packed and placed in a serving line.  Order Selectors will select items for each order, placing on a tray which is given to Order Checkers, to review for accuracy and bag. (8 volunteer slots per shift)

• Order Checker, bagger: This role checks orders which Order Selectors in the Hub area have placed on trays.  Once confirmed correct they are bagged and given to Order Delivery team members to take to guest cars. (4 volunteer slots per shift)

• Order Delivery: Take packed/completed orders to cars.  Each order will have an assigned number, each car will have a tag with that number. (8 volunteer slots per shift)

• Food Line Packers: Portion and package food items in to-go containers in the gallery, to be taken to "the Hub" where Order Selectors will fulfill orders. (16 volunteer slots per shift)

• Restocking Runner: Move inventory from the Gallery where "Food Line Packers" are packing them in containers to "The Hub" as needed for Order Selectors to fulfill orders.  Monitor inventory levels, communicate with Food Line Packers to maintain proper production levels. (6 volunteer slots per shift)

• Gyro Cooking: Responsible for heating sliced gyro meat in bulk (not slicing it off the cone), as well as warming pita bread.  Once heated it is given to another team, the Gyro Makers, to produce sandwiches. (4 volunteer slots per shift)

• Gyro Makers: Wrap meat only sandwiches outside under a tent.  Foil, bread, meat only, no condiments (12 volunteer slots per shift)

• Gyro Condiment Production: Pack diced tomato, diced onion, and tzatziki sauce in portion cups; pack shredded lettuce in bags.  Place all of these in one container to provide a kit for every gyro sold. (10 volunteer slots per shift)

• Pastry Preparation: Pastry cutting and packing in to-go containers.  Work inside, with members of the team moving packaged items out to the order fulfillment "Hub" so Order Selectors can fulfill orders. (12 volunteer slots per shift)

• Kitchen Cook: Cooks to produce chicken halves, rice, pastitsio and spanakopita.  Assist in taking product to Food Line Packing area as needed. (8 volunteer slots per shift)