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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-01-22
Bulletin Contents
Hymns of the Day
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Bulletin Inserts
Wisdom of the Fathers
Parish News and Events
Calendar of Events
Luke
Organization Icon
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (412)366-8700
  • Fax:
  • (412)366-8710
  • Street Address:

  • 985 Providence Blvd.

  • Pittsburgh, PA 15237-5951

Contact Information

Rev. Fr. John Touloumes, Protopresbyter
Proistamenos

fjt@HolyTrinityPgh.org | 412-366-8700

Rev. Fr. Radu Bordeianu
Assistant Priest

FrRadu@HolyTrinityPgh.org

Mary Portellos
Office Administrator

office@HolyTrinityPgh.org | 412-366-8700

Services Schedule

Worship Schedule

8:15 a.m. Orthros

9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy

Worship Locations:

Sunday worship location: Holy Trinity Church, 985 Providence Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

Weekday/Feast Day worship location: St. George Chapel, 8941 Ringeisen Rd., Allison Park, PA

Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Seventh Tone

By Your Cross You destroyed death and to the thief You opened paradise. You transformed the sorrow of the Myrrh-bearers, and commanded the Apostles to proclaim that You have risen from the dead, Christ our God, granting the world great mercy. (Page 53)

Apolytikion for Timothy of the 70 in the Fourth Tone

Having learned kindness, and being always steady and sober, vested with a good conscience as befits a priest, you drew out from the Chosen Vessel the secrets of God. And having kept the faith, you have finished the fair race, O Hieromartyr Timothy. Intercede with Christ our God, entreating Him to save our souls.

Apolytikion for Martyr Anastasius the Persian in the Fourth Tone

Your Martyr, O Lord, was worthily awarded by You * the crown of incorruption, in that he contested for You our immortal God. * Since he possessed Your power, he defeated the tyrants, * dashing the demons' powerless displays of defiance. * O Christ God, at his fervent entreaties, save our souls.

Apolytikion of Holy Trinity Church (Page 75) in the First Tone

English: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, Who has shown forth the fishermen to be most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit. And through them, You drew the world into Your net. O merciful One, glory to You!
Greek: Ευλογητός ει Χριστέ, ο Θεός ήμων, ο πανσόφους τους αλιείς αναδείξας, καταπέμψας αυτοίς το Πνεύμα το άγιον, και δι΄αυτών την οικουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι.
Phoenetics: Ev-lo-yi-tos i Hri-ste o The-os i-mon. O Pan-so-fous tous a-li-is a-na-di-xas ka-ta-pemp-sas af-tis to Pnev-ma to A-yi-on, ke di af-ton tin i-kou-men-in sa-i-nef-sas, fi-lan-thro-pe, do-xa si.

Seasonal Kontakion in the First Tone

Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb and properly blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the loving One.
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Saints and Feasts

Luke
January 22

15th Sunday of Luke

Anastasios_the_persian
January 22

The Righteous Martyr Anastasios of Persia

Saint Anastasios was a Persian by race, the son of a Magus, and a soldier in the Persian army in the days of Chosroes II, King of Persia, and Heraclius, Emperor of New Rome. The Saint's Persian name was Magundat.

When Chosroes captured Jerusalem in the year 614 and took the Precious Cross away captive, Magundat heard the report of the miracles that came to pass through the Cross of our salvation. Being of a prudent mind, perplexed that an instrument of torture should be so highly honored by the Christians, yet seized with longing to learn their Faith, he diligently sought out instruction in the whole divine dispensation of Christ: His Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection. When he learned what he sought to know, his soul was filled with wonder and joy. Withdrawing to the Holy City, he was baptized by Saint Modestus, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and became a monk, receiving the new name of Anastasios.

As he read the lives of the Saints and the accounts of the holy Martyrs, his heart was kindled with love for them to such a degree that he prayed to be counted worthy of a martyr's end like unto theirs. Finally, unable to contain his longing, he left his monastery. Encountering certain Persian Magi at Caesarea, he rebuked them for their delusion. Since Palestine was still held in the captivity of the Persians, he was taken before the Persian ruler, questioned, beaten, and imprisoned. He was then taken with other captives to Persia, where, after many tortures, refusing to espouse again the error of his fathers, he was hanged up by one hand, strangled with a noose, and beheaded. The translation of his holy relics is celebrated on the 24th of this month.

Timothy_the_apostle_of_the_70
January 22

Timothy the Apostle of the 70

The Apostle Timothy, who was from Lystra of Lycaonia, was born of a Greek (that is, pagan) father and a Jewish mother. His mother's name was Eunice, and his grandmother's name was Lois (II Tim. 1:5). He became the disciple of the Apostle Paul when the latter first preached there, and he followed St. Paul during the whole period of the Apostle's preaching. Afterwards, Timothy was consecrated by him as first Bishop of the church in Ephesus. Under the supervision of John the Evangelist, who governed all the churches in Asia, he completed his life as a martyr in the year 97. He was stoned to death by the heathens, because, as some surmise, he opposed the festival held in honor of Artemis (Diana). The Apostle Paul's First and Second Epistles to Timothy were written to him.

January 22

Joseph the Sanctified

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Seventh Tone. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 4:9-15.

Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.

Gospel Reading

15th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus was passing through Jericho. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

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Bulletin Inserts

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Wisdom of the Fathers

For Christ's presence is like that of some life-giving, scented balsam which restores health, enriches life and gives savor to the soul, the thoughts, the words of a man. In brief, distance from Christ means corruption and death, and closeness to Him means salvation and life.
Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic
Prolog, 4 February

Each of us, my brethren, is a house in which sin dwells while Christ is afar off, and to which salvation comes as Christ draws near. Whether Christ is able or not to draw near to my house and yours depends on us.
Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic
Prolog, 4 February

In this reading we note Zacchaeus' sense of eager expectation, the intensity of his desire to see our Lord, and we apply this to ourselves. If, as we prepare for Lent, there is real eagerness in our hearts, if we have an intense desire for a clearer vision of Christ, then our hopes will be fulfilled during the fast; indeed, we shall, like Zacchaeus, receive far more than we expect.
Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia
The Meaning of the Great Fast from the Lenten Triodion

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Parish News and Events

 

TODAY'S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

 

Memorials 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, Steve Morris (40 days), Areta (Areti) Kalogeras (8 years), James (Dimitris) Kalogeras (38 years) and Julie (Kathiani) Kalogeras (23 years). May their memory be eternal! The Morris, Kalogeras and Barker families will be sponsoring the Hospitality Hour today.

 

GOYA Meeting

The GOYA teen ministry will be holding its monthly meeting today in the Conference Room following Church School. All teens are invited to attend.

 

JOY Games & Pizza Party

Attention all Holy Trinity JOY children (3rd-6th grades): Join us in the Conference Room after Divine Liturgy today for an afternoon of playing board games. The event runs until 2:00pm. Pizza, snacks and drinks will be provided. Please RSVP to JOY@HolyTrinityPgh.org so we know how much food to prepare. See you there!

 

Greek Dance Troupe Practice Schedule

The dance troupe will be performing at Holy Trinity’s Valentine’s Day event on Sunday February 12th. We will have the following practices to prepare. Please have your children attend as many of the dance troupe practice sessions as possible. The groups are HOPE (5 years old thru 2nd grade), JOY (3rd thru 6th grade) and GOYA (7th thru 12th grade). Please feel free to reach out with any questions to Eleni Dedousis (412-953-3699) or Victoria Andromalos-Dale (412-496-9128) or to let them know if you are unable to attend any of the scheduled practices.

  • TODAY Sunday, January 22: ALL Groups, during Hospitality Hour
  • Sunday, February 5: ALL Groups, during Hospitality Hour
  • Saturday, February 11: HOPE & GOYA 10:00am / JOY 10:45am

 

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

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. There is something for everyone! Watch the bulletin and check the online calendar at HolyTrinityPgh.org/calendar for details and locations.

THIS WEEK:

  • Wed. Jan. 25, 6:30pm Vespers/7:00pm: “Explore the Word” Bible Study - Father Radu continues his exploration of the Holy Bible with a survey of the Old Testament. Bring your Bible & your questions!

 

[Jan 23-Mar 24] Holy Trinity Food Hospitality to the Team of Iconographers – LOTS OF MEALS NEEDED!

The wonderful and talented team of Iconographers are scheduled to arrive later today to complete the iconography of our Holy Trinity Church. As we did during their first visit ten years ago, we would like to provide their meals so that they can fully focus on their work. Volunteers are needed to prepare daily lunches and dinners for the team of five people from January 23 – March 24. Can you help? We need a total of 122 meals, and as of right now there are only 27 covered. There are still 95 to go. Can you please offer at least one? For additional details and to sign up please visit https://holytrinitypgh.org/meals 

 

[Jan 29] Holy Trinity Ladies Philoptochos Meeting

The Philoptochos will hold its monthly meeting next Sunday, Jan 29 in the Conference Room (unless otherwise specified) following Divine Liturgy. All members are invited to attend. Still not a member of Philoptochos? Sign up at the meeting!

 

Spanakopita Prep is Finished – Thanks to You!

Thanks to all who helped with Spanakopita!  Please keep these dates in mind for the next sessions; Saturday March 25 directly after Liturgy (Koulourakia) and Friday March 31 & Saturday April 1 (Pastitsio). Don't miss the fun!  See you there!

 

2023 Stewardship Pledge Cards Now Due

The 2023 Holy Trinity Stewardship Pledge Cards have been distributed and all Holy Trinity Stewards should complete one immediately. If you have not yet received a 2023 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. Or you may make your pledge online by visiting HolyTrinityPgh.org/stewardship. Our member-funded church needs each and every one of us, no matter the amount. And remember, a pledge commitment 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.

 

Sign up Today! Your Help is Needed to “Feed the Homeless” at Pleasant Valley Shelter

Would you like to donate a small bit of your time and treasures, and make 30+ homeless people smile? The dates below are still available to feed the residents of this local men’s shelter, located on the North Side, near our old church. If you’d like to provide a warm meal to our less fortunate neighbors, please sign up for this Holy Trinity Outreach Ministry opportunity. All dates are Sunday evenings, and meals can be dropped off curbside or - better yet – you could stay and personally serve on site. Detailed instructions will be sent to you once you sign up. You will not forget this rewarding experience, and those you help will not forget you! * Four dates are still available: Mar 12; July 9; Sept 10; and Nov 12.

See Mike Kritiotis today, call 412-518-0588, or email outreach@HolyTrinityPgh.org to volunteer your family or group. 

 

Project Mexico 2023 Registration Now Open!

In celebration of the Holy Trinity Centennial, the Missions Ministry is pleased to announce Holy Trinity Church’s return to Project Mexico this year for a Centennial Mission Trip. Since 2002, our parish has sent seven teams to Project Mexico, resulting in our community building seven homes for homeless families in Mexico with your support. The program is run by Project Mexico, an officially endorsed Orthodox Christian ministry. First priority for sign-ups is our teens age 14 and above to give them this life-changing opportunity. But we also need parents and young adult/adult chaperons who are willing to lend a hand, hammer a nail and use a shovel. See the brochure and application in today’s online bulletin or on our website at HolyTrinityPgh.org/missions.

 

Where Are Your Roots? Let GOYA Know Today!

Holy Trinity GOYA’s 2023 Centennial Valentine Brunch has a very special theme in honor of our parish’s Centennial Celebration: HONORING OUR ROOTS. And you get to join the celebration by sharing your roots! Looking to the roots of our family trees, everyone comes from somewhere, and GOYA would like to celebrate the entire tapestry of ancestry that makes up the beauty of this community. Maybe you trace your roots back to the founders of the parish and Greece’s mainland or islands. Maybe it’s another foreign land. Or maybe your roots are from right here in America. No matter where they are, those roots are where you started! Let GOYA know and they will be sharing the whole story with special displays. Look for the HONORING OUR ROOTS table in the Gallery following Divine Liturgy on Sundays, or better yet, visit HolyTrinityPgh.org/roots to submit your information online. Have any photos of the old family homestead, village or other images of your roots? Email them to roots@HolyTrinityPgh.org. Deadline to submit: January 31. Thank you!

 

Visitation Ministry Collection – Yarn Needed for Homebound Parishioner Handmade Gifts

Our Visitation Ministry is collecting yarn (any kind, color, solid or design) to make personal gifts for our homebound parishioners. Please consider purchasing yarn and donating it to the Visitation Ministry. Kindly deliver the yarn in a plastic or paper bag to Amy Armanious during Hospitality Hour. Questions? Please email us at visitation@holytrinitypgh.org.

 

Sunday Hospitality Hour Sponsors Needed – January 29 and all February Dates are Available

Did you know that sponsoring the Hospitality Hour is not just for Memorials or Holy Trinity Ministry Groups? Individual parishioners are encouraged to sponsor the Hospitality Hour in honor of a loved one’s Birthday, Anniversary, Graduation, Baptism, Chrismation or simply out of love for their parish family. Parishioners can also reach out and combine their efforts with other individuals or families! For additional information please contact Coordinator: Stacy Dickos (412-298-9409), Scheduler: Theanne Gagianas (724-986-4546) or by email at hospitality@HolyTrinityPgh.org. Additional information is available on our website: www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/hospitality-hour or on the sign-up board located in the Gallery following Divine Liturgy today.

 

Bereavement Support Ministry – January and February

There are no scheduled monthly group sessions for the months of January and February due to unpredictable weather patterns. We will resume in March. Private bereavement support and care are always available upon request. We offer 1:1 in-person care at the church, in the home setting, and through phone consultation. We also have bereavement care booklets to help those in the grief journey. Our reading materials have been helpful to many people in some small way for comfort, support, and encouragement.  If interested in learning more about our ministry offerings, please see Amy Armanious or Anita Sinicrope Maier during Hospitality Hour and/or email us at visitation@holytrinitypgh.org.

 

Snow Cancellations – Where to Check

Please keep in mind over the winter months that there are a number of options to hear or read about event or service cancellations in the case of snow or inclement weather on the Holy Trinity "Snow Line." First stop: Check our website at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org. To hear by phone, call the church office (412-366-8700) then press option #7 and listen for a recorded weather cancellation announcement. To get updates by computer or smartphone, there are three options: 1) watch the parish email list for email announcements; 2) check the front page of our website, www.HolyTrinityPgh.org. Finally, to get information by radio or television, watch the KDKA Storm Center, as Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is registered there.

 

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 us know that 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.

 

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. Please join our parish family for Hospitality Hour 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. Anyone wearing lipstick should remove it before receiving. Be sure to offer your baptismal name to priest before receiving. Please take great care that the red cloth held by the acolytes (you should not hold it) is fully under your chin and please fully open your mouth so that none of the precious Body and Blood of Christ is accidentally spilled. Thank you!


Holy Trinity Church Launches “Realm” – Have You Activated Your Account Yet?

We are pleased to introduce Realm, an exciting new feature at Holy Trinity Church that will help grow our ministry effectiveness, our stewardship growth and our parish administration. Here are some fast facts about it.

  • What is Realm? Realm is an online ministry tool designed for real time connection. It helps the church connect with you and helps you connect with your church. Realm allows you to manage your personal information and who is allowed to see it, control your giving, and keep in touch with the groups that matter to you.
  •  How will Realm help with pledges and offerings? Pledging and giving should be easy. Realm places giving right in the palm of your hands. You may set up recurring gifts, view your giving history, and make changes at any time. Realm automatically records all electronic gifts and adds them to your giving record making it easy for you to give, and easy for our office to manage.
  • I activated my account and I see my previous pledges and offerings, but offerings I made in November and December using the Vanco online giving or the giving kiosk in the Narthex are not appearing on my app. We are currently in a transition period from the old Vanco donations platform to the new Realm platform. Instructions will be sent out shortly to all members who are currently subscribed to the old Vanco recurring giving system instructing them how to discontinue it and subscribe to the new Realm recurring giving system. During this transition, there may be delay in posting your November/December remaining contributions from the old system, but they will be posted in time for the year-end statements. Watch for instructions and thank you for your patience.
  • I would like to pay ahead in 2022 for my 2023 pledge as I have done in the past. The new Realm system applies all donations to the calendar year in which they were given. You are free to “pay forward” to the next year for tax or other purposes, but all stewardship donations during a calendar year will now be credited toward that same calendar year’s stewardship pledge.
  • Is Realm secure? Your privacy is one of our greatest concerns. Our Holy Trinity Realm account is only made up of the people in our church. It’s not like a social network that’s open to everyone. Realm keeps your data safe and gives you control over what information you share and who can see it.
  • How do I activate my Holy Trinity Realm account? All current Holy Trinity Stewardship members have received or will receive an activation invitation. If not, please email realm@HolyTrinityPgh.org to get one. Then install the Realm app and you’re up and running with all the features and info at your fingertips!

 

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