Sunday, April 25, 2021

Holy Greek Orthodox 250 Gallows Hill Road, Westfield, New Jersey 07090 908.233.8533 www.holytrinitywestfield.org Live streaming services http://holytrinitywestfield.org/parish-news/

Rev. Fr. Peter Delvizis, Parish Priest

The Bright and Glorious Entry of our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ into Jerusalem

On this the Twenty-fifth Day of the Month, the commemoration, of the glorious Apostle and Evangelist Mark is transferred to the Tuesday of Bright Week, May 4.

Click links for Scripture Readings

Palm Sunday Morning Gospel Matthew 21:1-11; 15-17 Ελληνικά Reading: Philippians 4:4-9 Ελληνικά Gospel Reading: St. John 12:1-18 Ελληνικά

Apolytikion: “Before Your Passion, You raised Lazarus from the dead to confirm the common Resurrection for all, O Christ God. Therefore, we carry symbols of victory as did the youths, and we cry out to You, the Victor over death, “Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Apolytikion: “As by baptism we were buried with Thee, O Christ our God, so by Thy Resurrction we were deemed worthy of immortal life; and prasing Thee, we cry: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.” : “Being borne upon a throne in Heaven, and upon a colt on the earth, O Christ God, Thou didst accept the praise of the Angels and the laudation of the children as they cried to Thee: Blessed art Thou Who comest to recall Adam.”

Altar Donations Altar Candles for the Gregory Ganifas family Vigil Light in loving memory of Gus Vlangos

Lenten and Holy Week Liturgical Schedule Sunday, April 25, Bridegroom Service, 6:00 PM Holy Monday, April 26, Bridegroom Service, 6:00 PM Holy Tuesday, April 27, Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts, 9:00 AM Holy Tuesday, April 27, Bridegroom Service, 6:00 PM Holy Wednesday, April 28, of Holy Unction, 3:00 PM Holy Wednesday, April 28, Bridegroom Service, 6:00 PM Holy Thursday, April 29, of the Mystical Supper, 9:00 AM Holy Thursday, April 29, Divine Passion and Crucifixion of our Saviour, 6:00 PM Holy Friday, April 30, Imperial Hours, 9:00 AM Holy Friday, April 30, Apokathelosis, Unnailing with Bishop Apostolos, 3:00 PM Holy Friday, April 30, Lamentations at the , 6:00 PM Holy Saturday, May 1, Divine Liturgy, 9:00 AM Holy Saturday, May 1, Resurrection Vigil, 11:15 PM with Paschal Divine Liturgy The Great and Holy Pascha, May 2, Agape , 11:00 AM Bright Monday, May 3, St. George the Great Martyr, , 9:00 AM; Divine Liturgy, 10:00 AM Bright Friday, May 7, The Lifegiving Spring, Orthros 8:30 AM; Divine Liturgy, 9:30

Palm Sunday On the Sunday before the Feast of Great and Holy Pascha, and at the beginning of Holy Week, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of its most joyous feasts of the year. Palm Sunday is the commemoration of the of our Lord into Jerusalem following His glorious miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Having anticipated His arrival and having heard of the miracle, the people went out to meet the Lord and welcomed Him with displays of honor and shouts of praise. On this day, we receive and worship Christ in this same manner, acknowledging Him as our King and our Lord.

Palm Sunday summons us to behold our King; the Word of God made flesh! We are called to behold Him not simply as the One who came to us once riding on a colt, but as the One who is always present in His Church, coming ceaselessly to us in power and glory at every Eucharist, in every prayer and sacrament, and in every act of love, kindness and mercy. He comes to free us from all our fears and insecurities, to take solemn possession of our soul, and to be enthroned in our heart. He comes not only to deliver us from our death by His death and Resurrection, but also to make us capable of attaining the most perfect fellowship or union with Him. He is the King, who liberates

us from the darkness of sin and the bondage of death. Palm Sunday summons us to behold our King, the vanquisher of death and the giver of life.

Palm Sunday summons us to accept both the rule and the kingdom of God as the goal and content of our Christian life. We draw our identity from Christ and His kingdom. The kingdom is Christ—His indescribable power, boundless mercy and incomprehensible abundance given freely to man. The kingdom does not lie at some point or place in the distant future. In the words of the Scripture, the kingdom of God is not only at hand [Matthew 3:2; 4:17], it is within us [Luke17:21]. The kingdom is a present reality as well as a future realization [Matthew 6:10]. Palm Sunday summons us to behold our King; the Suffering Servant! We cannot understand Jesus’ kingship apart from the Passion. Filled with infinite love for the Father, the Holy Spirit, and creation, in His inexpressible humility, Jesus accepted the infinite abasement of the Cross. He bore our grief and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our transgressions and made Himself an offering for sin [Isaiah 53]. His glorification, which was accomplished by the Resurrection and the Ascension, was achieved through the Cross.

In the fleeting moments of exuberance that marked Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the world received its King; the King who was on His way to death. His Passion, however, was no morbid desire for martyrdom. Jesus’ purpose was to accomplish the mission for which the Father sent Him. This is all accomplished during the forthcoming Holy Week. Please attend these inspiring and moving services.

The of the Saturday of Lazarus shows Christ calling His friend to come out of the tomb. Lazarus is coming forth from the tomb, still bound in the strips of burial cloth. His sisters, Mary and Martha are bowing before Christ, expressing both their sorrow in the death of their brother, but also their faith in Christ as the Messiah and Son of God. Next to them is someone who has followed the request of our Lord and removed the stone from the door of the tomb.

Standing with Christ are His disciples who are witnesses of this miracle, a true manifestation of the power of God that would bring them assurance during the Passion of our Lord.

In the center of the icon is a person who represents the crowd who also witnessed the miracle. Some believed, but others went and told the Pharisees and chief priests who continued their machinations to bring about the arrest of Christ and His death. The walled city of Jerusalem, where Christ will arrive in triumph the following day, is depicted in the background.

The Raising of Lazarus event is placed at the beginning of Holy Week to symbolize and prefigure Christ’s own Resurrection from the dead. We begin the week with life and will end it with life – Christ’s Resurrection.

Jesus Christ brings the miracle of Ressurection to one man. Knowing that He will die on the Cross, Jesus shows all the power He poosesses to give life. Thus, the Raising of Lazarus and combined with His own Resurrection makes this eternal gift possible for every one of us.

Lazarus’ family and friends felt extreme joy, and their most desperate hopes were fulfilled through Jesus. This extreme miracle was a shock that they never could have expected.

This event, like no other before, fuels momentum to both the people believing in Christ as the Messiah and to those whose power is threatened by Him. To the one, their faith is being restored as freedom becomes visible through this mighty prophet of God. To the opposers of God, their hatred grows toward Jesus and thus decide it is time to rid themselves of Him once and for all.

Prayer List Cleopatra, James, Rosa, George, Kathy, Stephanie, Theresa, Dorothy, Shannon, Jeff, Jeffrey, Rowena, Craig, Paul, John, Marien, John, Vasilia, Hellen, Natalia, Angela, Katherine, Patricia, Lily, Thomas, Brennan, Elvira, Bill, Alicia, Diane, Dianna, Michael, Nicholas, Pete, Ann, Amanda, Stephanie, Emma, Marco, Lisa, Margaret, Daniel, George, Ann, Dacia, Tonya, Susan, Chris, George, Eleni, Jim, Jean, Elliott, Priscilla, Maria, Vincent, Patricia, Harry, Andrea, Peter, Edward, Aristotelis, Anna, Elizabeth, Anna, Angela, John, Stephanie, Michael, Victor, Floarea, Andy, Ramon, Augusta, Donald, Gloria, Charles, Anastasia, Christine, Deborah, Fotini, Bill, Joan, Rose, Ashleigh, Tom, Andrea, Marc, Barbara, Brendon, Ryan, George, Vasili, Dorka, Stavroula, Maroulla.

Agape Vespers Readers During the Agape Vespers held on Sunday at 11:00 AM, the Gospel passage is read in various languages to indicate the universality of Christ’s Gospel of salvation. If you are able to read in a foreign language, please call Diana at the church office to volunteer.

COVID-19 Guidelines Lenten Mission Project 2021- Coin Box Collection Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Pascha OCMC Coin Boxes distributed Because of COVID-19, we find ourselves in parish-wide are now being untested waters for this year’s Holy Week and collected. Please bring them to the Easter services. Parishioners are invited to church office as soon as possible. attend every service and we ask for your The entire amount collected will be cooperation to sent to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC). Our The process to register is the same: just call or prayer is for all missionaries and email the church office with the services you those who support the spreading of would like to attend. The office will send you a the Gospel of Christ. Thank you confirmation afterwards. for your prayers and generosity. Please be on time! We still need to wear masks and socially distance, and New Jersey IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE? still has a 50% occupancy restriction, so be on B2B can help. time for the services! Once the church Who are we? We are the buddy 2 nave hits the limit allowed by state mandates, buddy support network of Holy then those who come afterwards will be escorted into the Bouras Center for overflow Trinity . seating. The service will be broadcast on a We are a group of parish screen. volunteers committed to helping you. We realize the continued When it is time to receive the Eucharist, Holy Unction, or any offering, parish council members need for support as we collectively will escort those in the Bouras Center into the navigate this difficult period of church. time. There is no greater sense of Christian duty than serving God *Registering allows the parish to comply to state regulations, it does NOT guarantee a seat in and serving our fellow brothers the church nave if you arrive late. and sisters, which is why Holy Trinity has formed a volunteer team called the B2Bs, to assist you and your families. Our volunteers are available to provide various forms of assistance, including rides to church, helping you register for COVID vaccinations or tests, running errands, bringing you home- cooked meals, and having a conversation. If anyone is need of assistance, please contact our parish office. You will be paired with a B2B volunteer, who will reach out to you upon your request. All requests are confidential. Please call the church 908-233-8533.

Stewardship Commitment and Online Giving Holy Trinity is counting on our parishioners to help the church financially. You are asked to make your Christian Stewardship Commitment today. Our Online Stewardship Giving Program is a convenient way to automate your offering. To sign up for online giving, visit www.holytrinitywestfield.org, and look for the “Donate Now” button on the home page. Or click here. GOYA GOYA will continue collecting dry goods for families in need (i.e. all canned goods, soups, tuna and chicken, beans, rice, pasta and other meals on the go that can be easily heated). Please leave these dry goods in our bins that will be outside the church office. Thank you in advance for your continued support of all our initiatives.

This year because of the Corona Virus, we couldn’t get together to make palm crosses. The palms that you receive on Palm Sunday are long strips or fronds. Use this guide to form them into crosses. Your parents will help teach you how to make them.

2021 Stewardship Campaign Update

Thank you to all who have submitted your 2021 Stewardship Commitment Card. Your faithful support is greatly appreciated.

Currently 276 Stewards have pledged $367,816! 2021 Stewardship Goal: $843,500 Current Pledges: $367,816 Funding Needed: $475,684

If you have not submitted your 2021 Stewardship Commitment Card, please make every effort to do so in a timely manner. Your continued financial support will enable the church to minister to the community. We are counting on every parishioner to help provide the resources the church needs to carry out Christ’s mission. Please help us reach our stewardship goal by mailing or bringing your Stewardship card to the church. Thank you for your support!

Here are some charities you might consider donating to during Lent and supporting throughout the year. IOCC – the official humanitarian and development agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA. IOCC works worldwide to help those affected by human-caused and natural disasters. 110 West Road, Suite 360, Baltimore, MD 21204. www.iocc.org

Zoe for Life is a Christian ministry which affirms the value of all life by providing nonjudgmental, confidential support and education during and after an unplanned pregnancy. www.zoeforlife.org

HCHC is the intellectual, educational, and spiritual center of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. The School helps the formation and education of the person within the life of the Orthodox Christian community. www.hchc.edu

OCN is the official agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops commissioned to create a national, sustainable, and effective media witness for Orthodox throughout North America. www.myocn.net

OCMC ministries are aimed at making disciples of Christ in all nations. They provide a holistic living witness to welcome all people to join the Body of Christ with long-term missionaries and health care. www.ocmc.org

Click to view the newsletter Politismos

Holy Trinity Cultural Committee is pleased to announce the launch of a novel newsletter entitled Politismos during the dual feast celebrations on March 25 of the of the and the 1821 Greek War of Independence.

2021 marks the 200th Anniversary of the Greek War of Independence. In honor of this auspicious day, on March 25, after the celebration of the Divine Liturgy a Doxology Service will be held to recognize the faith and courage of those Hellenes and Philhellenes that made the dream of freedom and liberty come true.

We are blessed to witness the celebration of and Hellenism. Long live Greece! Long live the Greek Nation! Long live freedom and liberty!

AmazonSmile - Assist Holy Trinity Endowment Fund while shopping Amazon Holy Trinity announces that the parish’s Endowment Fund is now a Registered Organization with the AmazonSmile Foundation Program. Under this program, the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of all qualifying purchases made by you to the Fund. To make a qualifying purchase simply place your Amazon order for a product (digital or physical) from your shopping cart on smile.amazon.com and designate Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Endowment Fund as your selected charitable organization. AmazonSmile then donates 0.5% of your purchase directly to the Holy Trinity Endowment Fund. The Program is a wonderful way to donate to Holy Trinity, at no cost to you, while shopping as you normally do. Please help Holy Trinity to raise funds by simply purchasing through AmazonSmile this holiday season and beyond.

Πώλῳ καθίσας, ὁ λόγῳ τείνας πόλον, Βροτοὺς ἐκζητεῖ λῦσαι τῆς ἀλογίας.

Την ημέρα αυτή γιορτάζουμε την πανηγυρική είσοδο του Κυρίου Ιησού Χριστού στην Ιερουσαλήμ. Τότε, ερχόμενος ο Ιησούς από τη Βηθανία στα Ιεροσόλυμα, έστειλε δύο από τους Μαθητές του και του έφεραν ένα γαϊδουράκι. Και κάθισε πάνω του για να μπει στην πόλη.

Ο δε λαός, ακούγοντας ότι ο Ιησούς έρχεται, πήραν αμέσως στα χέρια τους βάγια από φοίνικες και βγήκαν να τον υποδεχτούν. Και άλλοι μεν με τα ρούχα τους, άλλοι δε κόβοντας κλαδιά από τα δέντρα, έστρωναν το δρόμο απ’ όπου ο Ιησούς θα περνούσε. Και όλοι μαζί, ακόμα και τα μικρά

παιδιά, φώναζαν: «Ωσαννά· ευλογημένος ο ερχόμενος εν ονόματι Κυρίου, ο βασιλεύς του Ισραήλ».

Ο Χριστός εισέρχεται στα Ιεροσόλυμα «επί πώλον όνου». Πορεύεται και οι Ισραηλίτες τον υποδέχονται με τιμές ως Βασιλιά. Εκείνος δεν δίνει ιδιαίτερη σημασία στις τιμές, δεν περιορίζεται στο πανηγύρι, στην πρόσκαιρη δόξα, αλλά προχωρεί στο σταυρό και την Ανάσταση.

Η είσοδος του Χριστού στα Ιεροσόλυμα είναι τελικά η είσοδος του μαρτυρίου στην επίγεια ζωή του Κυρίου. Σε λίγες ημέρες θα μαρτυρήσει και θα θανατωθεί στο σταυρό, για να θανατώσει το θάνατο και να χαρίσει τη ζωή.

Λειτουργικά κείμενα Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἦχος α’. Τὴν κοινὴν Ἀνάστασιν πρὸ τοῦ σοῦ πάθους πιστούμενος, ἐκ νεκρῶν ἤγειρας τὸν Λάζαρον Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός· ὅθεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ὡς οἱ παῖδες, τὰ τῆς νίκης σύμβολα φέροντες, σοὶ τῷ νικητῇ τοῦ θανάτου βοῶμεν· Ὠσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου.

Holy Trinity Reopening “My brethren, count it joyous when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Now let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” – James 1:2-4 The year 2020 has indeed tested us in ways unimaginable. Yet in Christ we always find victory. Εν τούτω νίκα! Parishioners are invited to attend church in person once again. If you’ve been to church recently, you’ll see many controlled measures implemented to keep you safe. The Parish Council has implemented many measures to help assure this. Over the past six months, we’ve learned to circulate under the Corona Virus threat. We feel a bit more at ease going to the grocery store and attending school, and pursuing other activities. That is why I invite you back to church knowing that one of the safest places to be is at your spiritual home. While the church surroundings will be familiar when you attend, our behavior during worship and our interactions with each other is different. There are still state restrictions in that we cannot open to full capacity (there is a limit ~90 people). But knowing that you want to be here, we are is still asking the faithful to

register with the church office. It is important that you. Register by Friday by 4 PM and wait for confirmation to attend services. To Register, simply check the Liturgical Schedule to see when a service is offered. Then either call the church office or email a request to: [email protected] In your request, please mention the specific date and the number of people to attend. A confirmation will be forwarded to you, if space is available. Priority will be given to those who are attending a family memorial service. For your convenience, additional weekly Divine Liturgies have been added so that we can accommodate your desire to return to church. When you receive a confirmation, you are asked to read the “Parish Reopening Guidelines”. By attending the service, you affirm that you will adhere to these guidelines. Asking for our Lord the Physician of our souls and bodies, to bless us and banish away this terrible and evil entity, I remain yours in Christ, - Fr Peter