Religious Education News: 21 June 2009

Dear Parents, Friends, Fellow Christians,

It is the Second Sunday of Matthew.

The Gospel Reading for this week is from Matthew 4:18-23.

The Epistle Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans 2:10-16.

Altar Team: Open to all altar boys throughout the summer.

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NOURISHING THE SPIRIT
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“Nourishing the Spirit — Orthodox Christian Educational Resources from the Internet”

A great article on Arab Christians in Palestine the and how their numbers are dwindling. The article is from the latest issue of the National Geographic magazine. Make sure that you take a look at the Photo Gallery (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/06/arab-christians/kashi-photography) too.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/06/arab-christians/belt-text

Please visit us

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Holy Trinity:

We are a unique church with many diverse cultural backgrounds, a family, but first and foremost we are a community of worship. Worship is one of the fundamental activities of the church. We are a community of Orthodox Christians who believe and proclaim the Church to be most of all — a worshiping community.

Our Liturgy is the service that all ministry flows from. The Grace of God flows through the Liturgy sustaining it and us. Through worship each believer finds their meaning in life. Through communion with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit -– the Triune God — the gifts of Christ’s saving work are realized in a fallen world. In every service celebrated, as a community, we experience an encounter with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So as Orthodox Christians we affirm that we are shaped and nourished, by our Church’s worship experience — its Liturgy. We begin to realize that our faith is our identity as human beings. We begin to grasp that we are not just physical beings but that we are spiritual beings.

We are a church with a long and full history –- a history that stems back 2,000 years to the Apostle Andrew. It is a history of faithful, not just from bishop to bishop, but from community of faithful to community of faithful starting on the day of Pentecost (The Feastday of our Holy Trinity Church).

I pray that you will make time to visit not just this website but also our Church in the future. May our Lord and God Jesus Christ grant you peace and understanding.

Respectfully yours in Christ,

Fr. Nick Marcus

Test 3 News and Events

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Vivamus semper fermentum leo, nec eleifend nisl fermentum eleifend. Phasellus in neque est. Curabitur vulputate adipiscing neque non faucibus. Curabitur arcu odio, tristique in mattis et, ultrices a justo. Duis mauris velit, aliquam sed interdum dapibus, fermentum vel nisl. Duis dolor nunc, scelerisque et fermentum eget, congue vel augue. Integer et urna neque. Etiam vulputate turpis sit amet velit suscipit placerat. Etiam at urna urna, ac facilisis nisi. Mauris vitae lacus sit amet urna congue tincidunt.

Fr. James Bogdan Retirement

Mark your calendars -

Father Jim’s retirement celebration is set for Sunday September 6, 2009

Doors open at 5:00 PM

Dinner 6:00 PM

Program at 6:45 PM

A formal announcement to follow

Our Church Is Growing

In June 2008, Holy Trinity broke ground on a $1.68 million expansion — the most extensive construction project it has undertaken since it moved to its current site on Lakeside Drive in April 1976. With completion scheduled for the Spring of 2009, the project features new seating, new sanctuary and lobby space, and renovated kitchen and hall facilities.

Highlights include:

– Expansion of the sanctuary and relocation and expansion of the choir loft. The move added seating for 140 people, expanding total seating to 370. New pews were added and existing pews recovered.

– New onyx flooring was installed in the solea and altar areas which gives the front of the sanctuary a brighter look.

– A glass-enclosed cry room was added to the narthex. The cry room is wired with an upgraded sound system that allows services to be heard throughout the Church building. Wire loops under the carpet transmit the sound directly to those with hearing aids.

– A new bell tower, with a dome slightly higher than the main dome of the Church, was integrated with the main building and features an electronic bell system. The new tower is also equipped with a chair lift to the choir loft.

– A new portico was added to the front of the church with Byzantine style columns. Some 23 architectural crosses, painted a gold color, were added to the new exterior. The new crosses include two matching crosses for both domes.

– An enlarged, glass enclosed lobby features a beautiful new candle table and a candle stand covered with matching onyx tile.

– A new fire protection sprinkling system was added throughout the facility, including the sanctuary.

– The entire kitchen was remodeled. Renovations include new stainless steel counter-tops, new/additional shelves, new anti-skid quarry tile floor and a new ceiling. A new 10×14 foot walk-in cooler/freezer is accessible from inside the kitchen.

– Other miscellaneous improvements and repairs include an upgraded front church sign, landscaping and repairs to all cracking brickwork.

The expansion project was the culmination of many years of volunteer planning and fundraising that involved the direct participation of dozens of parishioners. Constantine George Pappas AIA of Troy, Mich., served as architect for the project. The general contractor was Pioneer Construction of Grand Rapids.

Nicene Creed

The Symbol of Faith of Orthodox Christians –

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, True God of True God, Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made:

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from the heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man;

And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried;

And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures;

And ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father;

And shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets;

In One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I Confess one Baptism for the remission of sins.

I look for the Resurrection of the dead,

And the life of the age to come, Amen.