Faith & Family Weekdays
Faith and Family Weekdays is back, and there are many ways for each of us 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:
· Monday, June 16, 7:00pm: “Journey to Fullness” – An overview of the Orthodox Christian Faith for newcomers interested in joining or life-long members yearning to deepen their understanding. Videos and Q&A discussion. The remaining Spring series dates are June 16 & 23. All are welcome!
FESTIVAL COOKING!
Please join us as we continue preparing delicious food and pastries for our 2025 TASTE OF GREECE Festival! 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.
· Tues, June 17, 9am-9pm – PORTOKALOPITA
· Tues, June 24, 9am-9pm – TIROPITA
· Wed, July 16, 9am-9pm – SOUZOUKAKIA
Upcoming Greek Dance Troupe Practice Schedule
Our Dance Troupe has begun practicing in preparation for their festival performances. If you have any questions, please reach out to Victoria (412.496.9128) or Eleni (412.953.3699). The groups are as follows: HOPE- 5 years old-2nd grade, JOY-3rd grade to 6th grade, GOYA 7th grade-12th grade. The practice schedule is below.
· Sunday, June 15: HOPE, during Hospitality Hour
· Tuesday, June 17: ALL Groups; 6:00pm
· Sunday, June 29: HOPE, during Hospitality Hour
· Wednesday, July 2: HOPE, 6:00pm
· Sunday, July 6: HOPE, during Hospitality Hour
· Thursday, July 10: HOPE, 6:00pm
[June 23] Active Older Adults Ministry - Pittsburgh Pilgrimage: Shrines of Pittsburgh Tour – Register TODAY!
Pilgrimages to our historic overseas countries feature many ancient Orthodox Christian sites, but Pittsburgh also has a rich religious history dating back to the early years of immigration, including many sites belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. Please make plans to join our Active Older Adults Ministry for a Pittsburgh Pilgrimage to the “Shrines of Pittsburgh” on Monday, June 23rd from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Bus will pick up and drop off at Holy Trinity. Visit St. Anthony’s Chapel of Troy Hill which houses 5,000 relics (known to the Roman Catholic public as the largest collection of relics outside of the Vatican) and a rare set of life-sized carvings depicting the Stations of the Cross. Then lunch at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish (included in cost). Followed by visiting St. Stanislaus Polish Cathedral founded in1875 and designed by Frederic Sauer in Baroque style with magnificent stained-glass windows from the Royal Bavarian Art Institute. A presentation by the church historian about the church and the “Strip District” will be provided. Then shopping in the Strip District (including Stamoolis Brothers). The cost is $40.00 per person. Everyone, old or young, is welcome to take the trip. Make reservations by TODAY, Sunday, June 15th by Texting, Calling or Emailing Tasy McCann at 724-612-9145 or [email protected]
[June 26] “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. SAVE THE DATE for the final session before summer break on Thursday, June 26. Attendees, along with their families or caregivers, are invited to stay for a celebratory picnic following the story-time session. RSVPs are required and can be done by emailing [email protected] or texting Helena at 412-477-7416 by June 22. Older siblings of the Playtime and Parea attendees are also invited to attend. Crafts will be available for them to complete and will be shared with the Visitation Committee for distribution.
Note for Summer Travel – Easy Way to Find the Nearest Orthodox Church!
Where we travel, whenever we go, we take our faith with us, for as it says in the Psalms, "God is with us!" Keeping that in mind, please remember to plan ahead and check for the location of the nearest Orthodox Christian Church if you will be staying over a Sunday. There are two great web sites to check: our own Archdiocese (www.goarch.org) and Orthodoxy in America (www.OrthodoxyInAmerica.org), a multi-jurisdictional listing of all Orthodox parishes. Also, for major trips such as overseas travels, please feel free to stay following antidoron and ask Father John or Father Radu to offer a special blessing to your family for your travels. Remember, "God is with us" always. Let’s not forget to invite Him!
Hospitality Hour Introduces “Simple Summer Sundays”
Hospitality Hour at Holy Trinity is a keystone of our community experience, and many thanks to those who sponsor or host them, especially in memory of their loved ones. Sometimes, however, parishioners have said they are not sure if they can host because they think there is an expectation of a large variety of food and refreshments. While all hosts are welcome to share their memories and celebrations to whatever level they want, please know that such large offerings are not required or expected every Sunday. To address this and ensure that hosting is open to everyone throughout the summer months when there are often open Sundays, the Hospitality Ministry is introducing “Simple Summer Sundays.”
What are “Simple Summer Sundays?” They are intended to be, well…simple! Fruit, vegetables, cheese, bagels and the like will do the trick. While the offerings may be lighter, please keep in mind that we host around 200 people or so. There are some upcoming Sundays still open and now it could not be easier. So please consider hosting one Sunday with a friend or relative together. How to do it? You bring the food as described above and are responsible for set-up and clean-up. All paper products and coffee items are provided, along with directions. Please sign up today for June 22, 29, or July 6 or email [email protected].
Please remember that when there is no host, we will also still offer “Open Table” Hospitality Hours, where everyone is invited to bring one item to share with the community. Watch for those dates and consider bringing something and offering to help set up or clean up. We can all play a part. It’s how we do “Faith. Family. Community.” at Holy Trinity!
[Aug 28-31] Holy Trinity’s Taste of Greece
Please mark Labor Day Weekend, Thursday, August 28, through Sunday, August 31 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!
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, Aug. 17th. Please contact Paula Valliant at [email protected] to place your order.
Festival Ads Available: Space is Waiting for You!
The Festival Ad Book is back and it’s 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 also available at higher prices. A patron line is available for only $50. Application Forms were included in the June-August 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! For more information, please email [email protected]
Father John Away through July 15
Father John will be away through July 15 to serve at two weddings in Greece and take some personal time in between. One of the important lessons learned by both Father John and the community during his sabbatical was the importance of clergy taking real time away for renewal and recharging. That lesson has carried forward with life-long impact and many long-term benefits, so while Father John is away, he will not be available via phone or email, and all our parishioners are asked to refrain from contacting him to allow this time to be a true renewal (between weddings, anyway!) rather than just another working time away from the office and always on call. In Father John’s absence, Father Radu Bordeianu ([email protected]) will be offering liturgical services and fulfilling urgent pastoral care needs. Please see him following services regarding personal matters or contact our Office Administrator, Mary Portellos (412-366-8700 or [email protected]) with any clergy requests, including memorials and sacraments. For clergy emergencies only, call 412-366-8700 and select option “2”. For all other office matters, including facilities scheduling, Bulletin and email announcements for ministry events, please contact Mary Portellos (see above) as usual. For Parish Council and other administrative matters, please contact our Parish Council President, Anthony Balouris ([email protected]). For all other needs, please contact the ministry or organizational leader directly or pass your request through the Church Office. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!
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 new and wonderful Visitation Ministry. Also, interested in helping reach out to fellow parishioners in those situations? Please contact Amy Armanious at [email protected].
Stewardship 2025 – We Reached the Summit – Let’s Be Sure Not to Slide Back Down!
This year, let’s maintain and grow as our theme for 2025 calls us to be “Stewards of God’s Blessings.” Have you submitted your 2025 pledge yet? 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!
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!