Sunday Hours
Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan, Pastor
- 10:00 am – Morning Service
- 10:30 am – Divine Liturgy
- 10:15 am – Church School
Fellowship Hour takes place in Santerian Hall every Sunday after Liturgy.
Donations / Membership / Stewardship Payments
Directions
101 Ashmead Road
Cheltenham, PA 19012
(215) 663-1600
Fourth Sunday of Advent
THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
Fourth Sunday of Advent
From Today’s Readings
Luke 17:1-10 Jesus shares four critical teachings with his disciples (and us): 1. Sin will come – watch for those who carry it with them, 2. Be generous with your forgiveness, 3. The smallest seed of faith can empower you beyond your understanding, and 4. Doing all I tell you does not call for self-congratulations, for it is simply what you should be doing. Discuss/reflect: Which of these four life guidelines speaks to you? Can you think of a specific experience?
Hebrews 1:1-14 The early readers of Hebrews might have venerated angels to such a degree that the epistle writer felt it important to stress Jesus’ sovereignty over them. In doing so, he lays out a compelling series of statements about who Jesus is. Discuss/reflect. With pen in hand, read today’s epistle reading. Underline or write out the words or phrases that describe Jesus. Begin a prayer with “Lord Jesus Christ, you who…Add all these descriptions and then your personal petitions.
Isaiah 38:1-8 King Hezekiah, ill and at the point of death, prays for healing. God restores the King’s health and pledges protection to Jerusalem. Discuss/reflect: Hezekiah declares to God that he had “done what is good in Your eyes. (v 3).” In St. Nersess’ famous “Wisdom” prayer, he asks God for the wisdom to “do what is good in Your sight.” What do you do that might be God in His sight?
Tuesday December 23 – David the Prophet King and the Holy Apostle James the Brother of the Lord.
David was the youngest of eight brothers and was brought up to be a shepherd where he learned courage, tenderness, and caring. David became the second King of Israel. In the Bible, the name David belongs solely to him, which indicates the unique place he had as an ancestor and forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the New Testament there are more than 50 references to David, including the title given to Jesus—Son of David. David was a poet and is regarded as the author of the Book of Psalms.
James the Apostle is called “Brother of the Lord.” Probably because of his close relationship with Jesus, he was granted a special appearance of the Lord after the Resurrection. He is believed to have been a first cousin of the Lord, or as some biblical scholars have suggested, a son of Joseph. After the Resurrection and the Ascension, while the other apostles scattered all over the world, James remained in Jerusalem where he served as the Bishop and became a leading spokesman of the early church.
James, the brother of the Lord (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Galatians 1:19), was not one of the twelve apostles, the first bishop of Jerusalem.
The Kiss Of Peace – After the gifts of the Eucharist are brought to the Altar Table, the deacon proclaims, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” The person giving the greeting says, Kristos ee mech mer Haydnetsav – Christ is revealed amongst us. The recipient would respond, Orhnial eh Haydnootiunun Kristosee – Blessed is the revelation of Christ.
The Nicene Creed/ Havadamk (Page 18 in New Divine Liturgy Book) – This is the Profession of our Faith which is recited every Sunday moments after the Gospel is read from the altar. Sometimes it is sung, but more often it is recited by the Deacons and/or the Choir. We invite you to affirm your own “Profession of Faith” by reciting along with us. God longs for all of us to express our faith and devotion to Him.
Requiem Services – We Honor And Pray For These Souls
- Serak & Gladys Aslanian and Charles & Alice Basmajian requested in loving memory of all our parents from their family Steve, Dorie, Megan, Daniel and Charlie.
- Andrew & Rosemary Hachadorian requested in loving memory by Edward Muñoz and Rose Garibian.
- Alice Sarkissian, wife of Jean, mother of Rosanne and Paul and mother-in-law of Christine. Requested in loving memory by her children.
- Azad Ayvazian, Haroutioun & Diramayr Hripsime Ayvazian, Garbis & Arousiag Kelyan, Yeznig & Maxim Torossian requested by Alice and Karnig Torossian.
Agape Hour Today – Please join us in our hall for good conversation and fellowship Today’s Agape Hour is sponsored in fond memory of Alice Sarkissian by her family
200 Club News
The November 2025 drawing (the first for 2025-26 season) of the “200 Club Raffle” was completed on 11/30/2025.
All winners can be viewed on the HTAC Website by clicking on “Men’s Club” for details.
Matching Scholarships for ACT College Students – Gor, a first-year Computer Science student at FAR’s new Armenian Creative Technologies (ACT) College, grew up in Stepanakert, Artsakh, dreaming of becoming a programmer. Even after being displaced in 2023, he’s now thriving at ACT—thanks to a scholarship.
FAR’s Ayo! crowdfunding platform is raising $2,500 scholarships for 12 talented students like Gor. And this week, your gift can go twice as far: a generous supporter is matching all donations through December 9.
If our community raises $10,000—enough for four scholarships—she’ll match it with four more. Help FAR unlock the full match and support Armenia’s next generation of innovators. #GoFARwithACT https://www.weareayo.org/active-projects/act-for-armenia/e77f4fbf-9c5c-4c3b-a9b8-285ca2ebbbb3
CHANGE OF DATE Ladies of HTAC (WG) Advent Appreciation Lunch Dec 27th Please join us for an appreciation lunch and an on-the-spot Secret Santa Gift Swap at Alyssa Santerian’s home in Maple Glen, Pa. Let’s come together to celebrate the Coming of Christ and the joy you bring to our church community! Lunch will be provided by the WG, and the fun and laughter will be provided by you! Please bring a wrapped present of no more than a $10 value to participate in our on-the-spot Secret Santa Swap. Let us know if you’d like to bring a holiday dessert or side dish to enhance the menu! NEW RSVP DATE by 12.19.2025 to WG@holytrinity-pa.org
NEW Ladies of Holy Trinity December Event – Thursday Dec 18th from 5-7:30pm – Join Tanya Paretchan for a Christmas Cookie Stroll at the Cairnwood estate in Bryn Athyn PA. Collect a personal selection of traditional cookies by the candlelight glow of thousands of Christmas lights inside and out! A self-guided tour opportunity to see Cairnwood’s halls decked with 8 sparkling Christmas trees and fantasy fireplace mantels throughout the Estate. Step back in time with the special exhibition of vintage textiles, Made to Order: 3 Generations of Custom Sewn Fashions. Admission includes 4 holiday cookies and a cup of hot chocolate per person—$15/pp https://www.bahistoricdistrict.org/christmas-in-the-district. RSVP to Tanya by 12/12/2025 via email to TParetchan@hotmail.com
Reminder: According to the Diocesan Bylaws, membership dues are to be paid no later than December 31st each year, in order to be a member in “good standing” and to be eligible to vote at the annual assembly. Any monies received after that date will be applied to the new year. For any questions regarding your status, please call the church office.
Seeking Christmas Decorations and Jewelry – We are currently planning for 2026 events and are in need of gently used Christmas decorations and jewelry.
As you sort through your items this holiday season – or when you pack them away in January of 2026 – please consider setting aside any decorations or jewelry with which you are willing to part. We welcome all donations and greatly appreciate your support. Please remember to bring your donated items to the church and leave them in the first Sunday School Room. Any questions, please contact Gena DerHagopian Willard or Alyssa Santerian.(01/11)
Discover the Beauty of the Armenian Language! – Learn Eastern Armenian with Mariam, a native speaker, through engaging and personalized classes that focus on the alphabet, vocabulary, cultural insights, and practical communication. Sign up now and start your Armenian language journey with Mariam! For more information, please contact Mariam via Email at marpoghosyan17@gmail.com or call her at 445-256-3966.
Seeking Part-time Organists – The Choir of Holy Trinity continues to seek multiple talented musicians who would be seriously interested in playing the organ for the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy (Badarak) on a rotating schedule. Organ lessons will be provided for the interested candidates, along with one-on-one direction from a senior choir person. For more information, please contact Karinne Andonian at karinne.hov@gmail.com.
Church School Holiday Season Community Service Projects
- Armenia Communities: Consider donating to We Are Ayo! Dishing Up Joy fundraiser. They are raising funds to provide brand-new set of dishwater and cookware for seven FAR centers across Armenia. Go to https://www.weareayo.org/ to find the project listed above and donate! and/or
- Armenia Communities: Advent Season Diocese-wide FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE FOR Church Schools. Consider donating to We Are Ayo! Annual Christmas Wishlist project to bring warmth and cheer to 200 socially vulnerable families with 3 or more children in Armenia’s Syunik region. These include both local Syunetsis and families displaced from Artsakh who live in border regions. Deliver a Christmas tree, ornaments, lights, and festive foods to help restore the magic of the season. Go to the Special Fundraising Challenge Link and Sponsor a family here (and make sure to credit your parish team): https://secure.qgiv.com/event/ayoisyou/ *We Are Ayo! is the fundraising platform for Fund For Armenian Relief (FAR). You can do this throughout the Advent Season starting Nov 16th!
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Fourth Sunday of Advent
~~~~~~~~~UPCOMING EVENTS~~~~~~~~~~