TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Father John and Presvytera Becky Return from Sabbatical!

Today is Father John’s first Sunday Liturgy since and Presvytera Becky have returned from this summer’s sabbatical. Over the coming weeks and months there will be many blessings and stories to share from this wonderful experience. Father John expresses his deepest thanks for the support, prayers and encouragement offered by the entire Holy Trinity family, without which the sabbatical would not have been possible. Also, many thanks to Father Radu, the Parish Council, Mary Portellos, our chanters, and choir and all our ministry leaders and teams who sustained the life and ministries of Holy Trinity Church in his absence.

Taste of Greece 2021: Glory to God!

We have been once again blessed with a wonderful and successful festival and we thank God and His faithful servants, the many members and friends of Holy Trinity Church who worked so hard to make it happen. This year has been a new experience for us all, with the transition to an all-drive-through event to accommodate various pandemic considerations. Kudos to the Festival Committee for their creativity and excellent planning, and many, many thanks to our Holy Trinity family for stepping up in this unique situation to provide the best possible experience for our friends and visitors. So many of those driving through this year’s festival thanked us and express their happiness that at least this much of the festival was back. May God continue to bless this community and every sacrifice of love the members of the flock make as we glorify our Lord in all we do and in who we are: “Faith. Family. Community.” "Well done, good and faithful servants!"

Festival Clean Up Today

Please plan stay following Liturgy today to help with Festival Clean Up.Even if you have not been able to donate the amount of time or effort you have wanted to because of work, sports, or other commitments, today is a great time to still pitch in. Bring some work clothes - and bring your volunteer friends and family, too, because we have serious work to do! Thank you, good stewards!

Festival CLEANUP This Week!!

Attention ALL volunteers: The job’s not done until the cleanup is finished! Our next task is Festival Cleanup Week. Time to get this beautiful facility back in shape after all the excitement of the festival. Please lend a hand. Cleanup days and times are:

TODAY, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, FOLLOWING LITURGY, 11am- 9pm

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 9am-9pm

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 9am-9pm

[Sep] Sign Up for House Blessings – Offered in September from Now On

At the beginning of the year, Metropolis of Pittsburgh clergy were prohibited by the Metropolis from offering the traditional house blessings for pandemic safety reasons. As a result, House Blessings are now being offered in September. This moves the annual blessing from the beginning of the civil new year (Jan. 1) to the beginning of the Church’s Ecclesiastical New Year (Sep. 1) and in proximity to the Feast of the Holy Cross (Sep. 14). This practice has been blessed by the Metropolis and adopted by many parishes, especially those in cold weather climates, such as Pittsburgh, resulting in fewer weather cancellations and safer travels for the clergy. As usual, please visit our website at HolyTrinityPgh.org/events to sign up for the time slot allocated to your area.

[Sep 10-11] Services for the Nativity of the Theotokos

Gerontissa Theophano and the Sisters warmly welcome you to attend the Monastery’s Feast Day services honoring the Nativity of the Theotokos this Friday, September 10 (5:00pm Vespers, Orthros) and Saturday, September 11 (9:00am Hours, Divine Liturgy). Visitors should be modestly dressed. The Monastery is located at 121 St. Elias Lane, Saxonburg, PA 16056.

[Sep 13] Bereavement Ministry Meeting

Please make plans to join us for our next monthly group gathering on Monday, September 13. 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. Due to the Festival, our monthly bereavement support group gathering will be held on the second Monday evening of September. Fellowship & Light Refreshments begin at 6:30pm followed by Group Support, Learning and Conversation from 7:00-8:00pm. 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

[Sept 19] Church School Begins

The first day of classes for Church School this year will be Sunday, September 19 at 9:30am with Divine Liturgy and the children’s sermon, followed by classes after Holy Communion. Let's make sure all our parish's children are here and ready to start the school year right by arriving on time for Divine Liturgy at 9:30am and hearing the Church School message following the Gospel. You may sign up your new or returning child(ren) beginning next Sunday, September 12 during Coffee Hour. Please see Presvytera Becky.

[Oct 8-10] YAL Conference – CONQUER: The Struggle is Real

The Metropolis of Pittsburgh invites all Orthodox Young Adults of all Jurisdictions (ages 18-35) from around the country to enjoy a weekend of faith & fellowship in an immersive experience which will include workshops, keynote speaker Dr. Albert Rossi, Liturgical services, outreach projects, social events around Pittsburgh and more! For additional information and registration visit https://y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org/ya/2021-yal-conference Questions? Contact Alyssa Kyritsis at akyritsis@pittsburgh.goarch.org

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: September 12: Helen Balouris (2 years)