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F EBRUARY 2 0 0 9 V OLUME 17 • I SSUE 2 INSIDE THIS ISSUE H OLY T RINITY G REEK O RTHODOX C HURCH • P ITTSBURGH , P ENNSYLVANIA 2 Father John’s Message St. Theodore of Tyron the Great Martyr- Feb. 17 3 News & Events 4 Gheronda’s Corner 5 “Mouse Tales:” The St. Spyridon Library 6 2009 Parish Directory 7 Why Do You Go to Church? 8-13 Community Life Photo Journal: Zoo Trip, Christmas Pageant, GOYA Basketball Tourna- ment & more! 14 Summer Opportunities 16 The Cultural Side Ç ÐïëéôéóôéêÞ ÐëåõñÜ 17 Philoptochos News 18 Nativity Flower Donors 20 How Not to Pray Also enclosed: February Parish Calendar Holy Trinity Golf Classic Flyer QUICK NEWS Holy Trinity HOPE and JOY chil- dren and their parents spent an exciting and adventurous night at the Pittsburgh Zoo on January. They got to visit the kangaroos, pet a lot of live animals and camp out in their sleeping bags in the exhibit hall with the snakes and the meer- kats! See page 9 for more photos and an article on the event. Our Mission: To proclaim and live the Orthodox Christian Faith in its fullness as faithful members of the Body of Christ Pastoral Message | Father John he Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archan- About the Herald Tgel’s call, and with the sound of the trum- The Herald is the Monthly Newsletter of pet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Editor 1 Thessalonians 4.16 Father John Touloumes, Economos Church: 412-321-9282 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Home: 412-831-3574 E-mail: [email protected] In 1991, the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, Production launched only one year earlier, was in trouble. Prob- Josephine Stofko, Administrative Asst. lems with three of its six gyroscopes, which are devices used to measure E-mail: [email protected] or maintain orientation, were malfunctioning, prompting an emergency Contributors repair mission. Without properly functioning gyroscopes, this massive, Michael Kritiotis Voula Hareras Maria Kraniou Vickie Bellios expensive space explorer would be at risk of not knowing where is was or Rev. Fr. John Androutsopoulos where it was going. Without re-tuning those vital instruments, the mission Rev. Fr. Radu Bordeianu was doomed for failure. Copyright Notice This newsletter contains copyrighted material of Holy Sound familiar? During the pre-Lenten season, we know there is a “mis- Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and third party copyright owners, including, without limitation, text, photos, and sion” on the horizon. As stated in the prayer of the ambon from the Lit- graphics, and the contents of the newsletter are pro- urgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts, it is: “to fight the good fight, to complete tected under the United States and international copyright laws. You may not copy, modify, publish, transmit, display, the course of the fast, to keep the faith inviolate, to crush underfoot the participate in the transfer or sale, creation of derivative works, or in any way exploit, any of the content, in whole heads of unseen tempters, to emerge victors over sin and to come, without or in part. No copying, redistribution, retransmission, reproach, to the worship of Your Holy Resurrection.” Yet no matter how publication or commercial exploitation of any material in this newsletter is permitted without the express written hard we try to stay in good operating condition, constant maintenance permission of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and any applicable third party copyright owner. is needed. Like the hobbled Hubble, sometimes, the “gyroscopes” of our About the Parish life fail to operate properly, too. To dive energetically into the Great Fast Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church without “checking the instruments” for the mission can also leave us not 302 West North Avenue knowing where we are or where we are going. Pittsburgh, PA 15212-4626 There is a place we can run a quick check. For two Saturdays in the Phone: 412-321-9282 • Fax: 412-321-7272 Web site: www.HolyTrinityPgh.org Pre-Lenten season and the first Saturday of Lent, the long-standing tra- Email: [email protected] dition of the Orthodox Church has been to offer the “Saturdays of the Holy Trinity Church is a parish of the Souls” Liturgies and Memorials, during which we commemorate those who Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh have already “completed the mission.” At Holy Trinity Church, we have (www.odpgh.org) and Greek Orthodox had the special blessing of being able to offer those services not just in a Archdiocese of America (www.goarch.org) church, but in a sacred temple right in their midst, since February, 2006. under the Spiritual Jurisdiction of the Now, with the progress of the iconography, we are able to stand in that Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. holy place and truly tune our “gyroscopes” as we see clearly where we are Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (“left until the coming of the Lord”) and where we are going (“caught up Parish Administration together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.“). Clergy Rev. Fr. John Touloumes, Proistamenos Between now and then, the Church offers many maintenance plans: Rev. Fr. Radu Bordeianu, Assistant Priest prayer, fasting, almsgiving, works of mercy, forgiveness and, most impor- Parish Council tant of all, love. So, standing in the midst of the panorama of the Resur- Chris T. Balouris, President rection and Second Coming in the dome of the chapel, surrounded by Anthony Loomis Dean J. Balouris the sacred relics of our loved ones, may our hearts and souls be put back Sondra A. Balouris Yvonne Balouris on track. As the old Greek saying goes, “Where we are, they have been, George Danis George Dickos and where they are, we will be.” May none of be caught off guard or off Joanne Germanos Robert Marsh Nicholas Sarandou Vasilios Scoumis course. In the words of Saint Paul, “Let us not sleep, as others do, but let Alex Trivilas Gerri Valliant us keep awake and be sober“ (1 Thess. 5.6). Ministries Have a blessed Pre-Lenten season. Enjoy the fast-free weeks! Philoptochos ................Esther Ladakos, Pres. Gird yourselves for the mission ahead. And, during this month GOYA ..........Pres. Becky Touloumes, Advisor of Valentine’s Day, extend the love of Christ not just to those Choir ............................John Nychis, Director Over 50 Club .............Stella Athanasiou, Pres. who love you back, but to everyone He sets before us! St. Lydia Study ......Stacy Dickos, Coordinator Cemetery ..................... Bill Fiedler, Chairman Herald Personal Sponsor for this Issue: Greek School ....Effie Kilantonis, Coordinator Happy Birthday to my beloved son, +Jimmie Regakis Social Hall ........Kathy Romanias, Coordinator Bookstore ..................Bill and Linda Areheart I Love You! From your mother, Olga 2 • HOLY TRINITY HERALD / FEBRUARY 2009 WWW.HOLYTRINITYPGH.ORG News & Events RELIGIOUS EDUCATION HOPE and JOY . .February The HOPE and JOY ministries will have hold a snowtubing St. Lydia’s Orthodox Women’s Fellowship . February 5, 19 outing during the month of February. More information will The St. Lydia Women’s Study Fellowship is a ministry for be posted in the bulletin soon. women to share in fellowship and to study scripture, the Orthodox Faith and family life in today’s world. The meet- WORSHIP LIFE ings take place every other week on Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m. at the home of Stacy Dickos, 8130 Brittany Place, Saturday of Souls Services . .February 21, 28, March 7 Pittsburgh (412-367-0925). This year’s topic for study is the All Saturdays of the Souls services are held at the Saint Gospel of St. John, using the Study Guide “The Gospel of George Chapel at Holy Trinity Cemetery, 8941 Ringeisen Rd., John: Beholding the Glory” by Lawrence Farley. A complete McCandless Township. The Memorial Service is held at the end schedule is available online at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org. of the Liturgy. Please use the memorial names list enclosed in St. Nikodemos Men’s Fellowship . February 5, 19 this issue to list your Orthodox loved ones who have fallen asleep in the Lord; and even better, be there yourself to expe- The St. Nikodemos Men’s Study Fellowship is an Orthodox rience the beauty and the meaning of the Saturday of Souls in men’s fellowship, study and discussion group which meets the place where they have been laid to pious rest. Please also on the FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS of each month at consider preparing and bringing “kollyva” (memorial wheat) from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. at the office of TriadUSA, Suite for use during the service as well. 1600, Three Gateway Center, downtown. The group seeks to provide a regular meeting for working men to discuss issues of faith, work and family. The topic for this year is “Practi- SACRAMENTAL LIFE cal Wisdom.” It is open to all interested men and has been Funeral: Father David Sedor centrally located downtown to accommodate easy access for The servant of God, Father David Sedor, fell asleep in the the lunchtime meetings. For directions, call Gus Georgiadis Lord on January 22, 2008. The Funeral service was held at the at 412-880-4999. The remaining dates for 2009 are: Feb. 5, Holy Trinity Church on December 27, followed by interment Feb. 19, Mar. 5, Mar 19, Apr. 2, May 7 & May 21. in Binghamton, NY. A 40-day Memorial Service is scheduled Orthodox Studies Forum (New Room!) . February 4, 18 for February 15. May his memory be eternal! Now in its third year, the Orthodox Studies Forum is Funeral: Theologia Rigas designed for adults who are interested in learning more about The servant of God, Theologia Rigas, fell asleep in the Lord the Orthodox Christian Faith.