Help fill our van to the 47th Annual March for Life!
HolyTrinity and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit are currently accepting reservations by email through this Wednesday for the annual one-day pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. Our vans depart Friday, January 24 at 6:30 a.m., and return around 10 p.m. College students and youth are especially encouraged to attend. As in previous years, all costs are covered by the parish.
Although included in the 2020 Budget, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit’s proposal for a refinanced mortgage through the Archdiocese of Pittsburgh requires a two-thirds vote of no fewer than 51% of the parish membership.
Therefore, the Council will conduct a Special Parish Meeting this Sunday following the Divine Liturgy. It will be chaired by our Dean, Fr. Mark Meholick; Archbishop Melchisedek will also attend as a show of support. If approved, equity from a new $150,000 mortgage (which will be financed by the Archdiocese at 0% APR for 25 years) will be used to build a 12- by 24-foot addition on the Chapel’s east side to house its altar.
The Holy Synod has designated this Sunday as Sanctity of Life Sunday in all of the parishes of the Orthodox Church in America. You can read His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon’s proclamation of life ahead of the 47th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States.
However, the best way to witness life is by attending the January 24 March for Life in Washington D.C. with your fellow brothers and sisters from Holy Trinityand the Chapel. All expenses will be covered by the parish; simply bring a packed lunch or money for food and/or souvenirs. For more information or to RSVP, email events@holytrinity-oca.org.
The work of Holy Trinity, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, and the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at Penn State is entirely supported by sacrificial gifts from its members, family, and friends. Thank you.
Now, at no cost to you—and at a minimal cost to the parish (on average, less than the price of offering envelopes)—your donations can be withdrawn directly from your checking account, savings account, or payment card (all major networks are accepted).
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Holy Trinity’s Vacation Bible School: “Got Fruit?” begins Monday evening, August 5, 2019, and continues through Thursday, August 8 in the Parish Hall. The program includes activities, crafts, songs, and dinner each evening. Our Church School offers VBS free of charge for all children entering Kindergarten through the sixth grade in the Fall (friends/neighbors are especially welcome). Parents are encouraged to register and complete the release forms online as soon as possible.
Galina Mikaelyan, a beloved member of the parish for the past decade, fell asleep in the Lord in her home here in State College yesterday (June 27, 2019). She is the mother of Irina Mikaelian, also a member of Holy Trinity. She was 95.
Parishioners and friends of the family will be received Monday, July 1 at 9 a.m. at Holy Trinity. It will be immediately followed by the funeral service at 10 a.m. and a mercy meal at Irina’s home at 720 West Hamilton Avenue (at the corner with Sparks Street). Preceding the visitation and funeral, parish faithful are also invited to keep overnight vigil with Galina beginning at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 30. A sign-up sheet may be found here (use the side/accessible ramp entrance when entering and exiting the Nave).
Born January 12, 1924, in Moscow, she was the daughter of Boris and Zinaida Aronsky. Galina worked for many years as Professor of English in Moscow State University.
For the past ten years, she lived with Irina’s family. She is survived by Irina, three granddaughters, Maria, Zinaida, and Elizaveta, and eight great-grandchildren. She will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother, a faithful friend, and a beautiful person.
Fr. David Smith will officiate at the funeral on Monday. The Choir will prepare for the service at a special rehearsal in Trinity House on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. The burial will be in Russia.
Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the church. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.
Renowned Orthodox musicians Benedict and Maria Sheehan will conduct a three-day workshop here for the parish the weekend of June 7-9. They will help current and prospective Choir members of all levels reach new levels of mastery and enable the ensemble to sing with “One Mouth and One Heart.” Group training will occur amidst personal breakouts for directors, singers, chanters, and clergy. The goal is to create a worshipful atmosphere full of musicianship, expressiveness, attentiveness, and prayer.
Session I begins on Friday at 7 p.m. with introductions, a lecture, and snacks. The Saturday sessions begin at 9 a.m. and continue through Vespers, with ample breaks for a catered lunch, fellowship, and one-on-one attention. On Sunday, participants will gather at 9 a.m. for warm-ups, and then lead the congregation in responses at the 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy. The workshop concludes with a celebratory coffee hour for the whole parish with an open Q&A with the Sheehans.
The parish is offering this unique opportunity at no cost for all eligible Choir members (i.e., children entering middle school and older). It is made possible from the operating budget, which your sacrificial tithes support. Registration is required either below or in the Narthex so enough food can be purchased. For more information, contact us.
7-9pm — Welcome, Lecture, and Fellowship/Snacks
9-10am — Vocal Technique
10-12pm — Ensemble Technique (how to sing choral repertoire with good individual vocal technique)
12-1:30pm — Lunch
1:30-3:30pm — Break out sessions
3:30-4:30pm — Break out sessions
4:30-5:30pm — Conducting Coaching w/ ensemble
6pm — Vespers
9am — Warm-up; Run-throughs
10am — Divine Liturgy
12pm — Celebratory Coffee Hour and Discussion/Q&A with the Sheehans
Benedict & Maria Sheehan are bringing their uniquely complementary skill sets to a weekend workshop at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church June 7-9, 2019. In intensive sessions they help church musicians of all abilities reach new levels of mastery, with emphasis on how to retain these skills and employ them in an everyday setting. They particularly emphasize the spiritual work of the sacred choral musician, and its connections to ensemble blend, musicianship, expressiveness, attentiveness, and a prayerful ethos.
To aid the parish in transitioning from a long pastorate to what we pray will be another, Fr. David Smith, Priest-in-Charge of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, was hired by the Parish Council as Interim Priest last month. Father David begins a six-month assignment on March 11, the start of Great Lent.
According to Church best practice, an Interim Priest is a clergyman with parish experience who provides pastoral guidance and support to parishes that are between rectors. He creates an atmosphere for the parish to rediscover its mission, vision, and identity while ensuring the community continues its ministry and outreach, as opposed to “coasting” until the new rector arrives. The Interim Priest is not a candidate for the permanent position; instead his charge is to help the new rector assume his role smoothly and effectively.
Father David will be available for pastoral appointments in his Trinity House office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. He will hear the confessions of all the members of the parish—Wednesdays at Holy Trinity and Saturdays at the Chapel. Moreover, his position allows Holy Trinity to conduct weekday services such as Annunciation and other Feasts according to its regular practice, including Clean Week, Holy Week, and Bright Week. On the condition of both our local clergy and the Archdiocese, neither Fr. David’s care of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, nor its current Saturday-Sunday liturgical schedule, will be disrupted. God has planted His vineyard in Snyder County and now is not the time to uproot it, a mere few years before it too can support a full-time priest.
The plan to hire a transitional priest originated as one of three proposals presented by His Eminence Archbishop Melchisedek to the Transition Team during their meetings late last year. As Lent 2019 drew near, this course of action grew in favor as it allows the new rector (who remains known only to God) to move between school years instead of during a time of intense preparation for the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ. Last month, Fr. David sought and received the blessing of His Eminence to serve as Interim. A proposal was then drafted by our local clergy and presented to the Parish Council at its regular February meeting. To aid the Council in making its decision, more than 50 members of the parish offered their feedback at a “Town Hall” meeting that was simulcast live via video and telephone. Hearing unanimous support, Council convened immediately thereafter to hire Fr. David.
The parish asks for your fervent prayers, especially for His Eminence as he vets and assigns the new rector (who will begin September 1); and for Fr. David, who will lead the parish in preparing for his pastorate.
The Parish Council is considering a proposal that will ensure Holy Trinity has pastoral coverage during Great Lent and beyond including the ability for the parish to conduct weekday services, pastoral appointments, regular confessions, and catechesis. While it has the support of His Eminence Archbishop Melchisedek and our local clergy here, the proposal impacts our rector search.
Council will solicit your questions and feedback on this proposal at an open meeting in the nave of Holy Trinity Church this Wednesday, February 20 at 7 p.m. It will be broadcast live via phone and video conferencing for those who cannot attend in person. You may also opt to submit comments and questions ahead of time by contacting us or by calling the Parish Office at (814) 231-2855.
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