TODAY'S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Lent Starts Tonight!
Lent officially begins on the Orthodox liturgical calendar this evening with the Solemn Vespers service to be held at the St George Chapel (8941 Ringeisen Rd, Allison Park). It is one of the most beautiful and solemn services of the year and is a deeply meaningful way to step into this season of repentance. Please plan on attending at 6:30pm this evening at the Chapel. If you have never attended a Solemn Vespers of Forgiveness service, you have never experienced Lent like this.
2022 Lenten Theme: “Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation.”
Each year we offer a theme for Lent which builds on our Orthodox Christian tradition in a way that helps us grow and connect with Christ in today’s world. This year the theme is “Restore to Me the Joy or Your Salvation,” taken from Psalm 50/51.12. During the Lenten journey, you will hear lessons on the many opportunities the Church provides as we restore our relationship with God and His Holy Church, through which we find true joy and the gift of salvation. Perhaps the last two years have challenged your regular attendance at worship? Now is the time to restore it to where the Lord is calling us all to be.
GOYA Lenten Soup Sales – Starting Today
The GOYA is once again offering its very popular Lenten soup sales during 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! Starting TODAY, through April 17, please visit the Lenten Soup Sales table in Gallery during Hospitality Hour each week! Thank you for supporting our youth as you strive to maintain and grow your spiritual discipline of fasting during Lent!
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Services This Week - Locations: (HT) Holy Trinity Church (SG) St. George Chapel
- TODAY, Sun. Mar. 6, 6:30pm: Solemn Vespers of Forgiveness (SG)
- Mon. Mar. 7, 6:30pm: Great Compline (SG)
- Wed. Mar. 9, 6:30pm: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy followed by Lenten Dinner and “Faith and Family Weekdays” Lenten Presentation (HT)
- Fri. Mar. 11, 6:30 pm: The Salutations to the Theotokos (SG)
- Sat. Mar. 12, 8:30am Orthros/9:30am Liturgy: Saturday of the Souls (SG)
[Mar. 7] Offices Closed on Pure Monday
Please note that the offices of the Archdiocese, Metropolis and Holy Trinity Church will be closed on the first day of Lent, Pure Monday, March 7.
Faith & Family Weekdays
Faith and Family Weekdays is back, and there is something for everyone! Ready to learn more about the Bible, about your Faith, about navigating life’s challenges as a Christian, a woman, or a man? It’s all there. New this season: the Parish Book Club, based on the Orthodox Christian book “Gratitude in Life’s Trenches.” Having been through the challenges of the past 18 months, we could all use a perspective that helps us find blessings and thanks even in the most challenging situations.
THIS WEEK:
- Wed. Mar. 9: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, Lenten Dinner, and Lenten Speakers Series
- 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 Dinner (7:45pm): We will continue the tradition of Lenten dinners following Pre-sanctified Liturgies by asking for volunteers to bring food if you are able. Plan on a Lenten vegetable, soup, salad, or dessert for approximately 20. Everyone is invited to stay for this light meal. After the meal is served, everyone will remain in the Grand Room for the Lenten Speakers Series presentation.
- Lenten Speakers Series (8:00pm). Each week a special presentation will be offered by one of our clergy or guest presenters. This week Father John will be presenting the Churches and Monasteries he and Presvytera Becky visited while on Sabbatical last summer.
- Thur. Mar. 10, 7:00am: “Prayer & Panera” – Prayer and Christian fellowship for men. Meet at church promptly at 7:00am for a 15–20-minute morning prayer and scripture, then move up the hill to Panera for 45 minutes of coffee & conversation.
[Mar 10, 11 & 12] Festival Cooking This Week - Spanakopita
What do you get when you have…20 pairs of hands, 154 man-hours, 540 pounds of filo, 400 pounds of butter, 675 pounds of walnuts, 6 food processors, a dozen donuts, a pot of coffee, pasta with tomatoes and feta, Greek salad, cheesecake brownies, 2 platters of fruit…and LOTS OF AWESOME VOLUNTEERS??
ALL 270 PANS IF BAKLAVA and CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA FOR OUR “IN PERSON” TASTE OF GREECE 2022!!!
Thank you to all those who helped get that job done! Let’s pitch in and enjoy that kind of fun and fellowship AGAIN THIS WEEK to make 110 pans of spanakopita and 100 pans of tiropita!
Please plan to attend the next Festival Cooking sessions scheduled for Thursday, March 10 (9:00am – 9:00pm) Friday, March 11 (9:00am – 6:00pm) and Saturday, March 12 (11:00am – 5:00pm). Questions? Please contact Paula Valliant at paula.valliant@gmail.com.
[Mar 12] Saturday of Souls
Preceding the start of Lent and during the first week of Lent, the Church offers the “Saturdays of the Souls” to commemorate those who have fallen sleep in the Lord. Services are held at the Saint George Chapel located at Holy Trinity Cemetery. Orthros is at 8:30am followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:30am and the Memorial Service. The final Saturday of the Souls service will be offered this Saturday, March 12. Please see the flyer in the February edition of the Herald or download the form from our website (HolyTrinityPgh.org/documents/worship) to submit names for commemoration and be sure to attend and commemorate your departed loved ones.
[Mar 13] Sunday of Orthodoxy Icon Procession
Church School students will once again participate in the annual Procession of the Holy Icons at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy next Sunday, March 13. All students should bring an icon of their patron saint or other favorite icon to hold in the procession on that day. Be sure to have the name of the student on the back of the icon to identify it!
[Mar 13] HOPE and JOY Service Project
HOPE and JOY Service Project: Please join the children of the HOPE and JOY youth groups as they participate in the Metropolis Day of Service on March 13. They will be collecting non-perishable food items for a local food pantry after church when they host Hospitality Hour on Sunday, March 13th. If you are able, please bring in any canned goods, cereals, cake mixes, peanut butter, or other non-perishable items to offer to those in need. The children will have boxes out during Hospitality Hour for the donations. Thank you for helping!
[Mar 13] Special General Assembly – Next Sunday
Please plan to attend a brief Special General Assembly to be held next Sunday, March 13 in the Grand Room. An agenda was mailed in the March edition of the Herald. The one-item agenda for the meeting will be an Update of the Consecration and Completion Project and a request for the authorization of the revised budget. Please note that only members of Holy Trinity Church in good standing who have submitted a current signed Stewardship Pledge Card and whose contributions are current are eligible to vote.
[Mar 13] Sunday of Orthodoxy Pan-Orthodox Vespers
The Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood of Greater Pittsburgh invites you to attend Pan-Orthodox Vespers on Sunday, March 13 beginning at 4:30pm at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church (601 W. McMurray Rd, Canonsburg, PA 15317). Celebrant and Homilist will be His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa. A Lenten Reception and fellowship will follow.
[Mar 20] GOYA Meeting
Holy Trinity GOYA will hold its monthly meeting on Sunday, March 20, in the Conference Room following Church School. All teens are invited to attend.
[Mar 20] HOPE and JOY Movie and Lenten Discussion
Hope and Joy families are invited to stay after church on Sunday, March 20th for a family movie event! We will be watching the 1971 classic, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and the young people will have a discussion with Father John following the showing. Everyone is encouraged to bring their favorite Lenten candy or sweet treats to share with the group and popcorn will be provided for all. If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Steiner 412-352-0289 or joy@HolyTrinityPgh.org.
[Mar 27] Godparent/Godchild Sunday & Philoptochos Annual Lenten Luncheon - Save the Date!
Holy Trinity Church will celebrate its annual “Godparent/Godchild” Sunday on March 27 this year. In previous years we had asked our Church School students to invite their Godparents to attend, but this year we are asking everyone to do so. To assist with that, there are invitations with envelopes available in the Narthex and at the church office window. Please take one, sign and address it and send it to the one who sponsored you for your Baptism or Chrismation and ask them to join you for this special celebration. If they already entered the joy of eternal life, they will be with us spiritually, so celebrate for them here!
Lenten and Holy Week Schedules of Services
The March issue The Herald contains a complete schedule of services for Lent. A Holy Week schedule will be included in the April issue. Please post them in a conspicuous place in your home. Make a family plan and circle the services you are able to attend and place them on your schedule and on your phone and computer calendars! As the hymn from the Book of Psalms tells us during the Great Compline service, “God is with us.” In keeping with our Lenten theme, ‘Restoration. Joy, Salvation.” let’s let nothing steal them from us! God has planted in our hearts and souls the desire of our hearts and souls to let nothing keep us from worshiping our Lord together as the Holy Church of Christ!
Lenten Hospitality Hour Reminder
Please keep in mind that throughout Lent our Hospitality Hours following the Divine Liturgy observe the Orthodox Lenten fasting schedule. Anyone sponsoring a memorial coffee hour or providing Church School snacks is asked to take care that non-meat and non-dairy items are provided. The Hospitality Hour Committee can provide a list of suggestions for good alternatives. Thank you for helping our community grow in this proper and helpful Orthodox spiritual practice.
Lenten Resources Available on the Internet
Looking for educational or inspirational information and resources for Lent? Try 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.
Sponsors Needed for Bag Lunches for Needy Families through NRP
The Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood of Greater Pittsburgh has for many years been coordinating local Orthodox churches to help feed the needy of our region. That effort continues on a weekly basis at the headquarters of the “Neighborhood Resilience Project” in the Hill District. There are still 2022 dates open, and sponsors are needed. It involves preparing and delivering 140 bagged lunches to our less fortunate neighbors. Holy Trinity Church’s participation has been critical in fulfilling this goal in the past, and we are grateful for our parishioners’ renewed generosity again this year. Please see Mike Kritiotis today or contact him (412-518-0588 or at outreach@holytrinitypgh.org) to sign up your family/group/ministry for this ministry of mercy and compassion.
In the Hospital? Home-Bound? Please let the Church Office know!
In today’s age of information privacy, churches are not notified when parishioners are admitted to hospitals, nursing homes or other care facilities. Both those facilities and your church depend on having the church notified by a friend or family member so that pastoral care and outreach can be offered. The same goes for those homebound. If you or any of your loved ones are in any of these situations, please contact the Church Office at 412-366-8700 to request a visit from our priests or our wonderful Visitation Ministry. Also, interested in helping reach out to fellow parishioners in those situations? Please contact Amy Armanious at visitation@HolyTrinityPgh.org.
IOCC Ukraine Crisis Response
In response to the crisis in Ukraine, the IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) is working with partners in country and across the region to address immediate needs while also looking ahead and planning for longer-term response. Initial work in Ukraine includes providing generators, fuel, and other emergency supplies to a humanitarian partner. IOCC is also coordinating with partners on the ground in Romania and Moldova who are serving refugees arriving from Ukraine. They have deployed staff to the area and are working with local churches to provide emergency supplies including food, water, mattresses, blankets and other bedding, baby food, wipes, and diapers, plus other hygiene, and sanitary items. You can serve people affected by the Ukraine crisis with a gift today to IOCC's Ukraine Crisis Response Fund by visiting www.iocc.org/ukraine22 to make a secure online donation or by phone at 877-803-4622 or by stopping by the church office window to pick up a pre-addressed IOCC donation envelope. Kindly make your personal check payable to “IOCC” and note “Ukraine Crisis” in the memo line. Thank you!
2022 Holy Trinity Stewardship Pledge Cards Now Due
The 2022 Holy Trinity Stewardship Pledge Cards have been distributed and all Holy Trinity Stewards should complete one immediately. If you have not yet received a 2022 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. Our member-funded church needs each and every one of us, no matter the amount. And remember, a signed pledge card is required as part of maintaining your membership in good standing at Holy Trinity Church each year. We’re grateful to all of you for your commitment. Questions? Contact Stewardship Chairman Mike Kritiotis or email stewardship@HolyTrinityPgh.org.
Holy Trinity Church Completion and Consecration Campaign: Have You Pledged Yet?
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. 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 2022-2023.
Keeping Holy Trinity “Like New” Is Up to You
When, by God’s grace, we moved into our beautiful new church and center in 2013, we committed as a Holy Trinity family to do our best to always keep the entire facility in “Like New” condition. Keeping that commitment is up to all of us. It means leaving things as clean and organized, or better, than when we found them. It also means notifying the church office of any maintenance needs as they are discovered. As we come closer to our 10th anniversary here, let’s all double down on that effort so that when we celebrate our upcoming 100th anniversary in 2023, these beautiful facilities are looking as good or better than the day we moved in. Thank you for your support and love!
About Receiving Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church
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!
How to receive: Please remember the following helpful hints aimed at helping to preserve the solemnity and safety of the Holy Mystery. In approaching the Holy Chalice, we respectfully ask anyone wearing a mask to fully remove it as you approach the Holy Gifts and do not replace it until you have received antidoron, so that the Body and Blood of Christ are not spread on the mask and discarded. Also, anyone wearing lipstick should remove it before receiving. For all those receiving, please wait in the Holy Communion line reverently, prayerfully, and quietly without talking. It is traditional as we approach with awe that we make the sign of the Cross or bow down with a “metanoia” as an act of humility before the Lord. Be sure to offer your baptismal name to priest before receiving. Please take great care that the red cloth is fully under your chin and to fully open your mouth so that none of the precious Body and Blood of Christ is accidentally spilled. Thank you for your cooperation, and may God have mercy on us all!
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. Please fill out an information card so we can contact you with any information you may need concerning life here at Holy Trinity Church. Following Liturgy, we invite you to join us for our Hospitality hour.
Holding a Ministry Activity or Committee Meeting at Church? Reservations Required!
Our community and its ministries are growing! If your ministry or committee is planning a meeting or activity and you are planning to hold it at the church, please note that reservations for rooms and event spaces are required. Please call the Church Office at 412-366-8700 and speak to our Office Administrator, Mary Portellos. There have been times when all the spaces have been filled, so your cooperation helps ensure every group that needs a place has one and helps minimize space conflicts. We have a beautiful facility – let’s work together so everyone who needs it can use it. Thank you!
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!
- Cheesefare/Forgiveness Sunday (Last day of eating dairy): TODAY
- Pure Monday (Lent begins TOMORROW): March 7
- Sunday of Orthodoxy: March 13
- Godparent Sunday: March 27
- Saturday of Lazarus: April 16
- Palm Sunday: April 17
- Holy Week: April 17 – April 23
- Holy Friday (schedule off work & school): April 22
- The Great and Holy Pascha: April 24
- Saint George Chapel Feast Day: April 25
- Bright Tuesday Feast of the Holy Fathers of Ntaou Penteli (Relics in Chapel Altar): April 26
Upcoming Memorials
- Mar 20: Marlene Pappis (1 year)
Hospitality Hour Hosts:
- Today: Holy Trinity Choir
- March 13: HOPE and JOY Ministries
