For several years in the mid 1990’s, Holy Trinity was closed. Occasionally, a local Orthodox priest would be sent to serve Divine Liturgy. Although the community was stabilized by the late 90’s, and weekly liturgies were being celebrated, no one felt certain whether we would be there from one month to the next. To say the struggle was mighty would be kind; to say the situation was precarious would be accurate.   

In the year 2000 however, two female students who had recently began their studies at UConn, asked about starting an Orthodox Christian Fellowship chapter on the Storrs campus. Along with an Orthodox professor, the group began to meet weekly in a small and old classroom and served Compline, followed by a discussion. The questions the students asked were challenging, and at times, never ending. I remember oftentimes begging for mercy, just wanting to go home after a day of work and long drive, through traffic, to campus. 

The students then began to come to Liturgy regularly. One week followed another, and other students joined them. Fairly quickly, Holy Trinity was welcoming six UConn students each Sunday for Divine Liturgy. They sang, and directed the choir. Some served in the altar, while others taught Church School. A year later, several went on a Real Break Trip to Project Mexico.

What the UConn OCF brings to Holy Trinity is joy, enthusiasm, and extraordinary dedication; they bring youth, energy, and a desire to hear and live the Gospel. We were no longer old and dying; now, we are young and vibrant.

Mirroring life itself, the cycle of our college students continues to evolve. Years go by quickly, and some years more students participate than in other years. The joy and passion remain, though; unchanged from one year to the next. The growth of our parish has been steady over the years, from a parish that was closed to that is alive with joy in the Holy Spirit.

The first Sunday of each semester in September, our church holds a Welcome Back College Student Sunday. The students are welcomed back and presented with gift bags. It is a significant day in our community. We are always happy to have our students return.

Although we can say with certainly that it is only God who saves, it is also with great conviction and with a pure and open heart that all Holy Trinity parishioners can say, it was the UConn OCF, especially in those early years (200-2006), that perhaps kept our little church from being closed permanently, possibly forever.

- Fr Marc Vranes
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church
Willimantic, Connecticut 

A Student Information & Timeline of Church History Postcards have recently been produced for Holy Trinity Church by Mr. Tony W. Core of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The Student Information Card is 6 x 11 with five color photos on the front. On the back, a list of the ministries a person can become involved with as a member of Holy Trinity is detailed, along with our iconostas and directions to the church. It is a perfect card for our University of Connecticut Orthodox Christian Fellowship students to share with their college friends. The 4 x 6 Church History Timeline Card, printed on a black background, details the history of the Orthodox Church from the Day of Pentecost through the canonization of the North American Saints in the year 2000.

To receive a copy of each of these two beautiful post cards, please contact Fr Marc at: marc.vranes@comcast.net 

or

Click:  Student Information Postcard to download a copy electronically