[Aug 11] Hospitality Hour – Open Table Next Sunday – Please Bring a Lenten Item to Share!

When there is no ministry or memorial hosting Hospitality hour following Sunday Divine Liturgy, we offer “Open Table Sundays,” on which we ask parishioners to please bring something small to share on platter and place it on the table in the Gallery. The next “Open Table Sunday” is scheduled for Sunday August 11. Please remember this is a Lenten period, so refrain from meat, dairy, fish, cheese, etc. Also, we need folks to help set up & clean up on that day. Questions? Contact Stacy Dickos at 412-298-9409 or email [email protected]

[Aug 11] Congregational Card Signing

Please join the Visitation Ministry next Sunday, August 11, in signing cards and sending words of encouragement to our homebound parishioners. These beautiful cards have the theme of Jesus, The Good Shepherd. They have been specially designed by our Creative Team and will be displayed during our Hospitality Hour. Stop by and take a few minutes to send a blessing of love and care. To add the name of a loved one to receive this card and other seasonal cards, please see Amy Armanious or contact her at [email protected].

[Aug 14-15] Services for the Falling Asleep (Koimissis) of the Theotokos

Please note services offered in celebration of the Feast of the Falling Asleep (Koimissis) of the Theotokos:

• Wednesday, August 14, 6:00pm: Great Vespers at our sister parishes of the Holy Dormition in Oakmont and Komissis Tis Theotokou in Aliquippa. Note: Both parishes feature the beautiful hymns before the Tomb of the Theotokos and a procession around the Church.
• Thursday, August 15, 8:30am Orthros/9:30am Liturgy: Services will be held at our Saint George Chapel (8941 Ringeisen Rd, Allison Park) for those who wish to attend locally, and at both Oakmont and Aliquippa as well.

[Aug 22] Dance Troupe Parent’s Meeting

There will be a parent Dance Troupe meeting on Thursday August 22 at 6:00pm. We will review the festival schedule and instructions. All parents of dancers are asked to attend this important meeting.

Hospitality Hour – A Shared Community Experience … And Responsibility

Many thanks to the ministries and families who have sponsored our new format “Hospitality Hour” over two years ago. It has proven to be a wonderful, shared community time and fellowship opportunity for both existing members and newcomers to the parish. Thank you for reaching out in Christian hospitality to those around you. As a reminder, the format is as follows:

1)   Schedule: Hospitality Hour begins at the conclusion of Divine Liturgy; thank you for waiting until the dismissal to head to the Gallery and thank you for waiting until the dismissal to begin serving. Food and drink will be available for 45 minutes following the end of the Divine Liturgy, but all are welcome to stay and enjoy fellowship for the full hour.

2)   Responsibility: On your way out, please assist the hosts and the Parish Council by discarding your plates, cups and other disposables in the trash cans provided. This greatly helps share the clean-up responsibilities.

3)   Hospitality: For those already part of the life of Holy Trinity Church, please watch for first-time visitors wearing our yellow Hospitality Crosses and welcome them as you would like to be welcomed. If you are a new visitor, please give us the opportunity to welcome you, get to know you and answer any questions you may have. And for everyone, it’s a great time to reach out to grow your circle of friends and acquaintances. It’s an important part of being part of this spiritual family and making Holy Trinity Church your home rather than just a place you visit on Sundays.

Want Hospitality Hour To Continue? Please Volunteer To Help!

Our Holy Trinity Hospitality Hour is a wonderful part of the life of this community, but it doesn’t happen on its own and should not be on just a few people’s shoulders. Whether or not your ministry or family hosts a Hospitality Hour, your help is needed! Can you please volunteer to set up/clean up just once a year? It’s not much work and not too much to ask. We need to share the responsibility. If every family in this community took one Sunday we could cover the whole year. See the sign-up sheet in the Gallery on Sunday or email [email protected].

Festival Ads: Space is Waiting for You! Deadline to Submit has been Extended to Monday, August 5

The Festival Ad Book is back and is looking for your support. Please consider placing a business ad or a personal/family listing. Ads start at $175 for a quarter page and go to $550 for a full page, with premium color pages available at higher prices as well. A patron line is available for only $50. Application Forms were included in the June/July edition of the Herald and can also be found at the church office window. Please be sure to share them with your favorite business establishments and ask them to support our church! The deadline to submit your ad has been extended to TOMORROW, Monday, August 5. For more information, please email [email protected].

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

You are an important part of the advertising for our 2024 Taste of Greece Festival!  If you still have your yard signs from last year with days listed as THURSDAY thru Sunday, pull them out and display them! (Please do not use older signs that list a Wednesday start.) If you do not have one, please stop by the Gallery following Liturgy to get one today. Please note that McCandless Township does not permit signs to be placed on public property - only private property with the owner’s permission. Also, all signs must be placed at least 5 feet from the pavement. Thank you for your help in getting the word about our festival and make sure to keep your sign for next year!

Festival Aprons – Place Your Order Now!

Show your Holy Trinity spirit by wearing a festival apron while you work!  Royal blue aprons, embroidered with our festival logo, are available in two lengths.  The regular length apron (31”) is $18 and the extra-long length (34”) is $21. Aprons can be monogrammed with your name for an additional $4. To receive your apron in time for the festival, your order must be placed by Sunday, August 18^th. Please contact Paula Valliant at [email protected] to place your order.

Summer Sermons Reminder - Be Here on Time!

Please remember that during the summer months, when there is no Church School, the sermon is offered at its proper liturgical place following the Gospel (that’s usually about 9:45am!). Much as we are all reminded how important it is to arrive for the start of Divine Liturgy, perhaps there are times of genuine, urgent need that prohibit our personal on-time arrival. If you arrive during the sermon, please remember to enter quietly and wait until the end of the homily to find a seat. Better yet, set your alarm to get you there on time so you don’t miss a single blessing! Thank you.

2024 “Stewardship Independence Mountain” – Have You Joined the Climb? We Need You!

Holy Trinity Church and all its ministries are made possible through the generous donations and support of our stewards, who offer their time, talents, and treasures throughout the year. If you have not yet received a printed pledge card, you may pick one up in the Narthex or call the office at (412-366-8700) to request one to be sent by mail. You also have the option of making your 2024 Stewardship Pledge ONLINE through our new Realm system. It’s so easy! Just visit our website at HolyTrinityPgh.org/pledge or click the “2024 Stewardship Pledge” icon on the front page. Remember, every Holy Trinity member who pledges or donates already has a Realm account, and that makes pledging, giving, and reporting so much easier! You can even access your giving statement any time from your account without waiting for it to be mailed or emailed. Not sure how to access your account? Just visit HolyTrinityPgh.org/give and click “Sign In.” Use your email address and password to login. Don’t know your password? Simply click “Forgot password” and a link will be emailed to you to create or re-create one. And remember, 2024 is the year we ask everyone to make a “Stewardship Independence Pledge” as we together climb Holy Trinity’s “Stewardship Independence Mountain” to fully support our church with internal funding and your love.

Custodian on Leave – Please Pitch In to Help Keep Holy Trinity Church Clean and in Order

Our custodian, Dan Tender, is on medical leave until late September/early October. We have made arrangements for professional help to take care of his main duties, but you can help, too! Please help keep all the facilities of Holy Trinity Church “like new” by cleaning up after activities and meetings, including taking any substantial trash to the dumpster if needed. Everyone should leave every area and room as clean as or cleaner than you found it when you started. Also, in church, please be sure to either take your Sunday Bulletin and Orthros service with you or leave on the pangari in the Narthex. Please do not leave them in the book racks on the back of the seats. This is part of everyone’s stewardship to your church. Thank you!

Attention All Holy Trinity Church School Families – Register for Church School Today – Starts September 8

Please remember to register your children for the 2024-2025 Church School year, which begins September 8. Registration will take place on Sundays through August 25 during Hospitality Hour. Along with updating all records, we are asking that each family volunteer to host Snacks & Drinks after class for one Sunday AND fill in a volunteer form for an area of your choice. Our Youth programs depend on the volunteers that dedicate their time and talents to our most precious children. (Don't have a child in our program, but would still love to volunteer, please stop by the registration table and we'll give you a form.)

[Aug 18] Backpacks for Needy Children – Pick Yours Up Today – Return by Sunday, August 18!

Along with FOCUS North America, Holy Trinity GOYA is sponsoring a "Backpack Drive" for needy children in our public schools. The goal is to provide basic school supplies for those who cannot afford them. We have received 72 backpacks, which will be available following the Divine Liturgy today. There is a list of requested school supply items you can purchase anywhere you see fit. Simply sign up for as many backpacks as you would like to fill. In addition to purchasing the items to fill the packs, we ask that you donate $10.00 for each pack when you themto help cover the cost of providing them. Please return to Holy Trinity by August 18 so we can provide them to the school in time. (Note: this philanthropic outreach benefits our local area, as they will be donated to the students of Manchester Academic Charter School in our old North Side neighborhood, where our own parishioner, Vas Scoumis, is the CEO and Principal.)

[Aug 25] Blessing of the Backpacks – Donated Ones and Our Own Holy Trinity Students

As noted above, we are once again donating backpacks to needy students of the area. We also have our own Holy Trinity students heading back to school. So, on Sunday, August 25, we ask all Holy Trinity students to bring their own backpacks to Liturgy for a special back-to-school blessing for both their backpacks and the ones we will be sending to needy children of the area. Our Orthodox Christian tradition holds education in high regard, and we even have the Three Hierarchs (St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John Chrysostom) as patrons saints of education. So let’s ask the Lord’s blessings on our studies by presenting our study tools before Him as we begin the new year.

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

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 also join our parish family for Hospitality Hour 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, then use the centuries-old practice of receiving: please fully open your mouth, then gently close your lips to make sure the Holy Gifts are securely in your mouth and so that none of the holy and precious Body and Blood of Christ is accidentally spilled. Thank you for your cooperation, and may God have mercy on us all!  

Holy Trinity’s Taste of Greece - Labor Day Weekend – August 29 through September 1

Please mark Thursday, August 29 through Sunday, September 1 on your calendar for our next “Taste of Greece” festival. The Festival Committee is asking everyone, new members and old hands, young and young at heart, to pledge a donation of their time and talents so that we can continue to grow both the success of the festival and the fellowship with all our Holy Trinity church family members! Sign up at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/volunteer or scan this QR Code. Thank you, good and faithful servants of Christ! We can’t do it without you!