TRINITY TRIBUNE February 2021 Issue

Message from Fr. D To my beloved family in Christ,

Thanks to amazing marketing, Valentines day takes front and center stage in the month. The focus in the secular world shifts to ; with songs, advertisements, nostalgic refer- ences, and so many other ways to express love. Alas, the English word ‘love’ has become synonymous with romantic love alone, exactly what the secular world focuses on during the month of February. What an unfortunate turn of events. To limit love to one mean- ing when in reality there are at least seven for the ancient Greeks and in the early Church (See article on next page). 15 When they had finished eating, said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love ( ἀγαπᾷς ) me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love ( φιλῶ ) you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love ( ἀγαπᾷς ) me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love ( φιλῶ ) you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love ( φιλεῖς ) me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love ( φιλεῖς ) me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love ( φιλῶ ) you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. John 21: 15-17

The above scriptural passage gives us a good understanding of the various forms of love and their application. Christ asks do you love me the first two time as a universal type of love. Peter responds, I love you with a brotherly type of love. The third time asked, Jesus asks by meeting Peter on his level of love...do you brotherly love me? And of course, Peter responds I do brotherly love you. Familiarize yourselves with the true and various meanings of love. Do not allow confu- sion in. Know love is love. God is love. And it is good to love each other, as we would love God. As love of God grows, love of self and each grows as well. And we can express Who was this wonderful the love. The above exchange between Peter and Christ shows us that God gives us a chance to repent for past sinse (asked three times do you love me to replace three times ? Everyone seems of denying Christ in the Courtyard) But the above scriptural exchange indicates that to think he only cares with love, there comes action. Through our actions we can show love. But don’t allow about selling chocolates marketers to say that expensive gifts are the way. Not at all...love is best expressed with and candy and diamonds. simple gestures, consistently displayed. A hug, a smile, a listening ear...are all indicators They couldn’t be more of love. wrong, but I love you all and God us all! means Vigorous in . We continue to use universal precautions, as advised by the CDC and local authorities. Please RSVP to come to as often as possible: (609) 309-1707. The calendar is on the last Next page for more info. page of the bulletin. In Christ Fr. D

The Martyrdom of Saint Valentine in Saint Valentine lived in Rome in the third century and was a who helped the during the persecution of Emperor Claudius II the Goth. The great virtue and catechetical activities of the Saint had become known. For this he was arrested and brought before the imperial court. "Why, Valentine, do you want to be a friend of our enemies and reject our friendship?" asked the Em- peror. The Saint replied: "My lord, if you knew the gift of God, you would be happy together with your empire and would reject the worship of idols and worship the true God and His Son Jesus Christ." One of the judges stopped the Saint and asked him what he thought about Jupiter and Mercury, and Val- entine boldly replied: "They are miserable, and spent their lives in corruption and crime!" The judge furiously shouted: "He blasphemes against the gods and against the empire!" The Emperor, however, continued his questions with curiosity, and found a welcome opportunity to finally learn what was the faith of . Valentine then found the courage to urge him to repent for the blood of the Christians that was shed. "Believe in Jesus Christ, be baptized and you will be saved, and from this time forward the glory of your empire will be ensured as well as the triumph of your ar- mory." Claudius became convinced, and said to those who were present: "What a beautiful teaching this man preaches." But the Mayor of Rome, dissatisfied, began to shout: "See how this Christian misled our Prince." Then Claudius brought the Saint to another judge. He was called Asterios, and he had a little girl who was blind for two years. Listening about Jesus Christ, that He is the Light of the World, he asked Valen- tine if he could give that light to his child. St. Valentine put his hand on her eyes and prayed: "Lord Jesus Christ, true Light, illuminate this blind child." Oh the great miracle! The child could see! So the judge with all his family confessed Christ. Having fasted for three days, he destroyed the idols that were in the house and finally received Holy . When the Emperor heard about all these events, he initially thought not to punish them, thinking that in the eyes of the cit- izens he will look weak, which forced him to betray his sense of justice. There- fore St. Valentine along with other Christians, after they were tortured, were beheaded on 14 February in the year 268 (or 269).

The Orthodox Saint Valentine | MYSTAGOGY RESOURCE CENTER—February 14, 2011

Saint Valentine: Patron of Lovers Apart from the scant historical data we have for Valentine's life, there is accompanied various leg- ends, such as from those who say he is the of lovers. The Saint had a reputation as a peacemaker, and one day while cultivating some roses from his gar- den, he heard a couple quarrel very vigorously. This shocked the Saint, who then cut a rose and ap- proached the couple asking them to hear him. Even though they were dispirited, they obeyed the Saint and afterwards were offered a rose that blessed them. Immediately the love returned between them, and later they returned and asked the Saint to bless their . Another tradition says that one of the charges against Valentine was that he did not adhere to the command of the emperor which stated that men who had not fulfilled their military obligations were not allowed to marry; meanwhile the Saint had blessed the marriage of young Christian soldiers with their beloveds. Besides all this, the likely choice of him as the "saint of lovers" is to be associated with the pagan fes- tival of , a fertility festival, celebrated by the Romans on February 15. Others connect the celebration of this feast with the mating season of birds during this period. Certainly, however, the Saint has nothing to do with the commercialism (marketing) of flowers, gifts and secular centers which trivialize Eros, this great gift of God.

The Orthodox Saint Valentine | MYSTAGOGY RESOURCE CENTER—February 14, 2011 The 8 Greek Words for Love I often find people are reluctant to say, “I Love You”. The English has 1 beautiful word to express so many different concepts of love. And often, only one concept wins out in modern America: 1. Eros. Named after the Greek God of fertility. Eros is passion, lust and pleasure. The ancient Greeks considered Eros to be dangerous and frightening as it involves a “loss of control” through the primal impulse to procreate. Eros is an intense form of love that arouses romantic feelings. This is what many people envision as love. 2. The second type of love is Philia, or friendship. Plato felt that physical attraction was not a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, “without physical attraction.” 3. The third is Agape, selfless universal love, such as the love for strangers, nature, or God. This love is unconditional, bigger than ourselves, a boundless compassion and an infinite empathy that you extended to everyone, whether they are family members or distant strangers. 4. Storge (familial love) is a natural form of affection experienced between family members. This protective, kinship-based love is common between parents and their children, and children for their parents. Storge can also describe a sense of patriotism toward a country or allegiance to the same team. 5. Mania (obsessive love) When love turns to obsession, it becomes mania. Stalking behaviors, co- dependency, extreme jealousy, and violence are all symptoms of Mania. 6. Ludus (playful love) The Ancient Greeks thought of ludus as a playful form of love. It describes the situation of having a crush and acting on it, or the affection between young lovers. 7. Pragma (enduring love) Pragma is a love built on commitment, understanding and long-term best interests. It is a love that has aged, matured and about making compromises to help the relationship work over time, also showing patience and tolerance. 8. Philautia (self love) The Greeks understood that in order to care for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. As Aristotle said “All friendly feelings for others are an extension of a man’s feel- ings for himself.”

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! Kali Xronia! Kalo Mina!

I pray that this message finds you all well. A new year has begun- one that perhaps we approach with both trepidation and optimistic caution. Given the trials we experienced, many of us are content to close the door on 2020. Some of us took ill, others lost someone we love, many of us lived in fear and contin- ue to do so—not one of us was left unscathed. We all were affected, in one way or another, with the changes and disruption the pandemic brought to our lives. Somehow, having to share in these unsought and frequently undesirable changes has made us more aware of our own vulnerability and has in many ways, united us through this experience. May our LORD protect and guide us, that we may follow Him and find our way together in 2021.

As we welcome the hope that this new year brings, let us congratulate our newly elected officers and members of our 2021 Holy Trinity Parish Council:

Dr. John Grossomanides - Vice President Yannoula Ballassi - Treasurer Judy Dafoulas- Recording Secretary Kellie Gale - Corresponding Secretary Rob Anders Earl Bradford III Tom Cardin Anthony Neigel Nellie Rodriguez Kristine Wilk-Huber Larry Wyland

Also, Mr. Hominski has graciously agreed to assist our Treasurer with various tasks in addition to helping out in the Narthex. AXIOS!

I ask you to pray regularly for Father Demetrios and for our council members. They need our prayers and our support as the role they have been entrusted with is a commitment not to be taken lightly. As Saint reminds us, “Everything to do with the Church is like an inner fire enkin- dling us, and looking after it is the best work of all. The humblest , be it only to clean the floor of the House of God, is nobler than all others. Everything you do in the House of God should be done with reverence. For where else could you find greater joy than in the place where our Lord is dwelling.”

Please join me in thanking Father Demetrios and each one of our council members for their willingness to serve our Holy Trinity Church community. Whether this is their very first experience on the Council or they have just begun a new term, we are grateful for their decision to selflessly commit their time and energies to our parish family. No matter their role, and no matter whether it is their first, fifth, or final term, we should remember that their greatest role is that of serving our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST!

Let us pray that as we move forward, we continue moving forward together, as one body, serving first our LORD, putting first His will and His teachings before our own agendas. May we seek to reflect His light as we serve one another and by His grace, may we do that together.

With love in Christ, Stacy

Dear Holy Trinity Philoptochos Sisters and Our Beloved Parishioners,

We hope & pray you are all safe and well during these challenging times. Our next virtual meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 18th, 2021 at 4:30 P.M. A formal correspondence and reminder will be sent soon. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation for your continued support of the Ladies Philoptochos Society and our mission. Most Importantly, we would like to express our thanks for the support of our Vasilopita sale and contributions towards gift cards to benefit St. Basil Academy, such a worthy cause. Lastly, we will continue having fundraisers to assist towards the needs of our church and community, so if you know of a person(s) in need of assistance please feel free to contact us. The Holy Trinity Ladies Philoptochos Society is always seeking new mem- bers to help in our mission and support so many worthy causes. Below is our Mission Statement as a source of reference for those wishing to join us. We look forward to welcoming you soon. Mission Statement

The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc., is the duly accredited women's philanthropic society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The mission of the Society shall be:

• To help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake the burial of impoverished persons and to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help of the Church through fund raising efforts.

• To promote the charitable, benevolent, and philanthropic purposes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, through instructional programs, presentations, lectures, seminars and other educational resources.

• To preserve and perpetuate Orthodox Christian concepts and the Orthodox Christian Family, and through them, to promote the Greek Orthodox Faith and traditions, in accordance with its doctrines, canons, discipline, divine worship, usages and customs;

• To promote participation in the activities of the Greek Orthodox community, with the cooperation of the Parish Priest and the Parish Council.

• The charitable work of the Society shall be performed with discretion, courtesy and kindness.

In the Lord’s Service,

Anna-Helene Grossomanides, Chapter President

Daughters of Penelope AHEPA Lysandros Chapter #181 Chapter #110

Dear Members of the Holy Trinity Community, The COVID pandemic has wreaked havoc on our country. Not only has it taken over 400000 beautiful Ameri- cans from us because of this terrible virus but has devastated We hope and pray you are all safe and well. small businesses and large companies too. I am very concerned The Daughters of Penelope Lysandros Chapter #181 are contin- about the status of our local AHEPA Brother's businesses sur- uing to support and contribute to our National, District & Com- viving the COVID Pandemic. They all need our continued sup- munity Projects in any way that we can. port in their businesses. Try to buy their food and use their ser- Our hope is that we can find ways to reach out to the communi- vices. Our local list, Mannys, Irenes, Fat Cat, Great Oak and ty and help those in need during, these difficult times. Prime 82 in Norwich. Family and Colchester Pizza in Colchester. Our chapter is always looking for new members and would be Papa's in Willimantic. Two Brother's in Salem. Town Restaurant happy to call you a sister! For more information about the in Voluntown. Riverview in Moosup. Westgate Drycleaners in Daughters visit our National Website: daughtersofpenelope.org. Norwich. Also Atty. Phillips in Norwich and Atty. Antipas in If you are interested in joining the Daughters, please contact Mystic. Please I implore you to help them survive this terrible Maria Valkanos & Anna-Helene Grossomanides. time.

With Warm Regards, Sincerely, Anna-Helene Grossomanides George Grossomanides, Chapter 110 Norwich President DOP - Chapter Vice President

Holy Trinity Endowment Fund Report

We are pleased to report that the Endowment Fund has accumulated to $193,819.65 as of January 20, 2021. Also, for the year 2020 we had donations made to the Endowment Fund totaling $1500 thanks to the gener- osity of two of our parishioners. These donations have been transferred to the Endowment Fund.

Respectfully Submitted, Dr. John Grossomanides

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Stewardship Committee Report

With all the challenges that were present in 2020, Holy Trinity saw its best Stewardship offerings in the histo- ry of our parish. All of our parishioners need to be thanked and congratulated for donating, contributing, and helping the finances of our beloved church community. Last year, we collected a record number of $119,000 in revenue thanks to 122 families. This total does not include the Festival sponsorships which yield- ed another $9900. As your Stewardship Chairperson, I want to personally thank each and every one of you who contributed. Let us try to make this a goal once again that we strive to achieve for 2021!!

Respectfully Submitted, Dr. John Grossomanides

You can only watch the Super Bowl, but we all can participate in The Cereal Bowl!!

The Cereal Bowl is Holy Trinity’s way of giving back to our hometown, Norwich. We will have a basket on Sunday, February 7th until 1pm in the entry to the Fellowship Hall to collect for St. Vincent Depaul’s Soup Kitchen. What are we collecting you ask? We are especially seeking:

• Boxes of Cereal, including everyone’s favorite Froot Loops

• Lightly used Coats, hats, gloves, and masks

• New socks

• Cash donations are also appreciated

All of it will be donated to St. Vincent De Paul Soup Kitchen on Cliff St in Norwich, CT

February 2021

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6

Presentation of Bible Study 6 pm Our Lord

Vesperal DL at 6 pm

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

16th Sunday of Theodore the Hiermartyr Har- Bible Study 6 pm Matthew Commander alambros

Orthros and DL at Divine Liturgy at 6 Orthros and DL at 8:45 am pm 8:45 am

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Sunday of th Ca- Theodore the Bible Study 6 pm naanite Tyro

Orthros and DL at Orthros and DL at 8:45 am 8:45 am

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Sunday of the St. Bible Study 6 pm Publican and VesperalDL at 6pm Pharisee **Triodion Begins

Orthros and DL at 8:45 am 28

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Orthros and DL at 8:45 am

March 2021

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6

Bible Study 6 pm 1st Saturday of Souls

Orthros and DL at 8:45 am

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Judgement Sun- Bible Study 6 pm Saturday of day Souls

Orthros and DL at Orthros and DL at 8:45 am 8:45 am The Cereal Bowl until 1 pm

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Forgiveness First Day of Lent Pre-Sanctified Bible Study 6 pm Saturday of Sunday Liturgy for the Souls Compline 7 pm Compline 7 pm Compline 7 pm 1st Salutations to feast of St. Cyril Orthros and DL at the 7pm Orthros and DL at of Jerusalem 8:45 am 8:45 am 7 pm 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

16th Sunday of The Vigil for the The Bible Study 6 pm Matthew Annunciation Annunciation 2nd Salutations to Orthros and DL at Grt Vespers, Or- the Theotokos 7pm 8:45 am thros, DL

28 29 30 31

16th Sunday of Matthew

Orthros and DL at 8:45 am