UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Upcoming Services - Locations: (HT) Holy Trinity Church; (SG) St. George Chapel, 8941 Ringeisen Rd, Allison Park, PA
- Mon. Mar 17, 6:30pm: Great Compline (SG)
- Wed. Mar 19, 7:00pm: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy at St. John the Baptist Church, 2201 Duncan Ave, Allison Park
- Fri. Mar 21, 6:30pm: Service of Salutations to the Theotokos (NOTE NEW LOCATION FOR LENTEN FRIDAYS: HT)
2025 Lenten Theme: “Living for Christ”
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 “Living for Christ”, taken from Philippians 1.27: “Let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ”. During the Lenten journey, you will hear lessons on the many opportunities the Church provides as we restore our relationship with Jesus Christ and His Holy Church and how we can re-evaluate the priorities of our life and live it in a manner worthy of our high calling as His servants and disciples.
Faith & Family Weekdays
Faith and Family Weekdays is back, and there are many ways for each of to grow in the knowledge and practice of our faith. Ready to learn more about the Bible, about the Orthodox Church, about navigating life’s challenges as a Christian, a woman, or a man? It’s all there. There’s a lot more to church than Sundays, and here is where to find it.
THIS WEEK:
- Thur. Mar. 20, 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.
It's Lent - Time for Confession
Holy Confession is one of the foundations of Orthodox Christian spiritual life and should be practiced on a regular basis. Often times fast periods such as Lent offer us an added motivation to examine our soul and realize it’s time to “clean things up” as we accept the gracious offer of Jesus Christ, who commissioned His Holy Apostles when He appeared to them after the Resurrection, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them” (John 20.22). To schedule a confession, please see Father John, Father Radu or call the Church office. If you would like to have it before Pascha, it must be done prior to Holy Week due to the liturgical and pastoral schedule of that week.
Welcome to the Sundays of Lent and the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil
During the Sundays of Lent, the Orthodox Church changes from using the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom to the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil. Why do we do that and what are the differences? To most outward appearances, the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil differs very little from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and those wishing to follow the service in the Divine Liturgy book may use the regular book to do so. The primary difference is in the prayers said by the priest in the later part of the service and the hymn “All of Creation” (“Epi Si Heri”) which replaces the usual “It Is Worthy” (“Axion Estin”) after the Consecration of the Holy Gifts. Why the change? In general, the prayers of St. Basil are more penitential, and therefore lend themselves to the Church's liturgical preparation for important holy days; hence, their use during Great Lent and on the eves of Nativity and Theophany. During this service, as the priest offers the prayers, there may be times when the choir completes its hymn, and the priest is still offering the prayer. During this season of increased prayer and spiritual attention, please use those times to follow along with the prayers with your own heart and immerse yourself in this beautiful worship experience. Rather than “wait for” the priest to finish the prayers, join him in the prayer of your own heart! The large green Holy Trinity Divine Liturgy books indicate where the changes in those prayers are, and you may follow them to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of their beauty and meaning. A blessed Lent to all!
North Hills Pan-Orthodox Worship - Presanctified Liturgies
There are now three Orthodox Christian parishes in our North Hills neighborhood, growing the presence of Orthodox Christianity together: Holy Trinity (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese), St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Orthodox Church of America) and St. John the Baptist (Carpatho-Russian Diocese). In the desire to provide a greater fellowship among our parishes and communities, we will be sharing in three Wednesday Presanctified Liturgies this Lent. All our parishioners are invited to attend all services. What a wonderful way to build Orthodox fellowship and a stronger connection among our North Hills sister parishes. Each service will be followed by a Lenten Meal. The remaining dates and locations are as follows:
- THIS Wed. March 19: 6:00pm: St. John the Baptist Church, 2201 Duncan Ave, Allison Park
- Wed. March 26: 6:30pm: Holy Trinity Church, 985 Providence Blvd, Pittsburgh
Lenten Hospitality Hours
Please keep in mind that throughout Lent, our Hospitality Hours following Divine Liturgy will observe Orthodox Lenten fasting practices. Any families or ministries hosting a Memorial or Ministry Hospitality Hour and any families providing the Church School snacks are asked to take care that non-meat, non-fish and non-dairy items are provided. The Hospitality Hour and Church School ministries can provide suggestions of needed. Thank you for helping our community grow in the proper and helpful Orthodox spiritual practice and discipline.
Lenten and Holy Week Schedules of Services
The March edition of The Herald contained 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 can 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.”
[Mar 20] “Playtime & Parea”
Holy Trinity Church is pleased to announce the addition of its newest ministry: “Playtime & Parea”! It is a fun, faith-based playgroup for little ones (ages 0 to 4) and parents (or caregivers) to connect, make new friends, and grow together in the love of Christ. Meets twice a month on Thursdays from 10:00am until 11:30am in the Fireside Room. The next gathering is scheduled for this Thursday, March 20. For information, contact [email protected].
[Mar 23] Godparent/Godchild Sunday
Holy Trinity Church will celebrate its annual “Godparent/Godchild” Sunday on March 23rd 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!
[Mar 29] "Care for the Caregiver" Seminar – Sign Up Today!
Caring for or assisting a parent, spouse, child, other family member or loved one? As we give of ourselves so generously, we must be mindful that we, too, have to pay attention to our own well-being. And we need to know we are not alone in the challenges that caregiving can bring. The Visitation Ministry is hosting a seminar titled "Care for the Caregiver" on Saturday, March 29. Our time together will include a guest speaker, lunch and fellowship. Registration is free and online at HolyTrinityPgh.or/events. Please register by March 27. Also, if you have any questions or need a caregiver to stay with your loved one while you attend, please visit the sign-up table in the Gallery following Divine Liturgy today or email [email protected]. Our Visitation Ministry Coordinator, Amy Armanious will be happy to answer any questions.
Meet our Guest Presenter “Care for the Caregiver”
Ms. Maureen Sirianni is a motivated and compassionate care provider and educator. As the Director of Admission for Concordia of Bridgeville, she has worked tirelessly for nearly 30 years providing guidance and support to families and their loved ones living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. Maureen shows others how to see beyond the veil of the illness and truly see the emotions of those living with dementia.
[Mar 29 & 30] Celebrating Greek Independence - Invocations to Liberty
The American Hellenic Foundation of Western PA and the Greek Nationality Room Committee at the University of Pittsburgh invite you to “Invocations to Liberty”; two evenings filled with the beauty of poetry on the Greek War of Independence set to Modern and Classical music. The concerts will feature the talented vocalists and musicians of the newly formed “Halidon Muse Ensemble” of Western Pennsylvania and will be broadcast live over the internet on the evenings of March 29th and March 30th beginning at 7:30pm. For event details, and access to the concerts visit: pahellenicfoundation.org/LibertyConcert
[Mar 30] Holy Trinity Cemetery Notice – Deadline for Removing Christmas Decorations
Whoever wishes to save Christmas wreaths or decorations at their family memorial stones are asked to remove them before Sunday, March 30th to get ready for spring grass cutting. Decorations left behind will be discarded. The Cemetery Committee thanks you for your understanding.
It's Back...FESTIVAL COOKING!
It's never too early to start preparing our delicious food and pastries for our 2025 TASTE OF GREECE! The key to finishing our cooking day goals is to have 30-35 volunteers each time - why not be one of them! Mark your calendars - there is a time and day to fit everyone's schedules. Watch out for more dates in the coming weeks!!!
- Sunday, March 30, following Liturgy – KOULOURAKIA
- Thursday, April 10, 9:00am-6:00pm – PASTITSIO
- Friday, April 11, 9:00am-3:00pm (if needed) – PASTITSIO
- Saturday, April 26, 9:00am-6:00pm - KOURAMBIETHES and FINIKIA
- Tuesday, May 6, 9:00am-9:00pm – APRICOT ROLLS
- Tuesday, May 20, 9:00am-9:00pm – GALAKTOBOUREKO
- Tuesday, June 10, 9:00am-9:00pm – PORTOKALOPITA
- Tuesday, June 17, 9:00am-9:00pm – DIPLES
- Tuesday, June 24, 9:00am-9:00pm – TIROPITA
- Wednesday, July 16, 9:00am-9:00pm – SOUZOUKAKIA
[Apr 6] Holy Trinity Greek School – Informational Session
Please join us on Sunday April 6th in the Fireside Room following Church School for an Informational Session about this Fall’s Holy Trinity Greek School! Greek School will be initially offered to children of ages 3 to second grade as of September 2025. Questions? Please contact Yianni Gagianas and Dean Kraniou at [email protected]
Stewardship 2025 – We Reached the Summit – Let’s Be Sure Not to Slide Back Down!
Thanks to the dedication and offerings of so many faithful stewards, 2024 was a record year for Holy Trinity Stewardship. As we strove together for “Stewardship Independence” we reached levels never seen before. Glory to God and many thanks to the faithful stewards who stepped up to the challenge! Now it’s time to keep it going! This year, let’s maintain and grow as our theme for 2025 calls us to be “Stewards of God’s Blessings.” If you pledged last year, please grow that pledge to keep up with our increasing expenses in 2025. If you have not pledged before, ask our Stewardship Chairperson, Andrew Fournaridis, any questions you have. And whether new or renewing your pledge, there are two ways: 1) Use a 2025 Stewardship pledge card or 2) Go online to your Holy Trinity Realm account (see below) at HolyTrinityPgh.org/pledge. And there are many ways to give: in person via cash; in person or by mail via check; online at HolyTrinityPgh.org/give; via text by texting HOLYTRINITYPGH to 73256; via the Realm app on your phone; and the giving kiosk in the Narthex. Remember, “Stewardship Independence” is not a one-time goal; it is a lifetime commitment to keep Holy Trinity Church vibrant, growing and bearing witness to Holy Orthodoxy for all!
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!
- Godparent Sunday: Mar. 23
- Saturday of Lazarus/Palm Cross/Candle prep: Apr. 12
- Palm Sunday: Apr. 13
- Holy Week: Apr. 13-19
- Holy Friday (schedule off work & school): Apr. 18
- The Great and Holy Pascha: Apr. 20
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. And please be sure to stay and enjoy our after-Liturgy 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!
Upcoming Memorials April 6: Christine Dickos (40 days)