April 5th, 2026
Stump the Priest: “What is the meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles?” Click here for the Article.
If you have a question you would like to ask, e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
The Orthodox Term of the Week: S’prazdnikom!.
Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:
https://www.saintjonah.org/bltn/palmsunday.pdf
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, March 29th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_palmsunday.htm
Texts for Holy Week:
https://www.saintjonah.org/services/holyweek_index.htm
Reader Service Holy Week Texts, for those who cannot come to Church for some or all of these services:
https://www.saintjonah.org/services/holyweek_index_rs.htm
You can find propers for other upcoming Liturgies by clicking here, and upcoming Rubrics for services by clicking here.
Schedule of Service for the Coming Week:
| Sunday, April 5th | 9:00 a.m. Hours & Liturgy for Palm Sunday
1:00 p.m. Bridegroom Matins |
| Monday, April 6th | 9:00 a.m. Lenten Hours and Presanctified Liturgy
6:30 p.m. Vigil for Annunciation |
| Tuesday, April 7th | 9:00 a.m. Vesperal Liturgy for Annunciation
6:30 p.m. Bridegroom Matins |
| Wednesday, April 8th | 9:00 a.m. Lenten Hours Presanctified Liturgy
6:30 p.m. Matins for Holy Thursday |
| Thursday, April 9th | 9:00 a.m. Vesperal Divine Liturgy for Holy Thursday
6:00 p.m. Service of the 12 Passion Gospels |
| Friday, April 10th | 9:00 a.m. Royal Hours of Holy Friday
3:00 p.m. Vespers 6:00 p.m. Matins of Holy Saturday |
| Saturday, April 11th | 9:00 a.m. Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday
10:00 p.m. The priests will be available to hear confessions, while the book of Acts is read. 11:30 p.m. The Midnight office. |
| Sunday, April 12th | 12:00 a.m. Matins of Pascha, followed by the Paschal Liturgy. After the Liturgy we will have a festive Trapeza.
1:00 p.m. The Agape Vespers |
Announcements
We will be taking special collection for the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission to the Holy Land.
Summer Camp: Registration is now open for the St. Jonah Summer Teen Camp in Denton, TX, running from Monday, June 8th, to Saturday, June 13th. All teens ages 11–18 are invited to join for a week of fellowship and fun activities. The registration fee is $350; if your family requires financial assistance, please reach out to Fr. John or Svetlana regarding scholarships. Visit stjonahcamp.org to register and view program details. See photos from our recent winter session here.
Our next Bible Study will be held on Tuesday, April 21st, at 7:00 p.m. We will be continuing with our study of the Book of Leviticus, beginning with Leviticus 23:15 through Chapter 25. You can catch up on previous sessions by clicking here. This Bible Study will be held only via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/zch-gchd-nvm
Mother Barbara is leading a study of the book “The Art of Myrrhbearing: Encountering Christ Through Serving Others,” by Elissa Bjeletich. Discussions will be held on Google Meets on April 16th, and concluding April 23rd from 7-8 pm Thursday evenings. The group will also be sponsoring Trapeza and April 26th, the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 16th. Pick up a copy from our bookstore. Contact: Mother Barbara Watts 719 207-1055. https://classroom.google.com/c/ODE4ODQ0NjQ2MDkx?cjc=q4qmmlvu
The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, April 18th, at 9:00 a.m.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Thursday, April 23rd, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/jsb-gpzj-zdh
Reader and Singing Classes: Demetra Durham is conducting two sets of classes: one for learning the tones, and one for readers. These will alternate weeks when possible, beginning with Readers on February 1. The Readers class is for all new readers already on the rotation, and any who may be interested in reading – covering not only the orders of the services, but also vocal technique so that they can actually be heard, understood, etc. Anyone interested should let her know.
Choir: The next choir rehearsal will be during Trapeza, on Sunday, March 29th.
Catechumens: If you are a catechumen, or are not a catechumen, but would like to participate in classes for Catechumens, be sure to join the Catechumen io group online.
You can also join the St. Jonah Catechumen group on Telegram.
Our next Catechumen Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 14th, at 7:00 p.m., via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/zie-psrw-ksc
To sign-up to be a presenter, click here: https://forms.gle/zKZeN8iQAk8Jbzdz6
Sisterhood News: The Next Sisterhood Council Meeting will be held on Friday, April 24th, via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/kpj-xucg-kgu
You can become a Sisterhood member by filling out membership forms online, the paper forms located in the trapeza hall bulletin board. Make sure to join Sisterhood io group online or join the Sisterhood Telegram channel, to be up-to-date with all Sisterhood news and announcements.
Brotherhood News: You can join the Brotherhood io group online to keep up with all Brotherhood news and announcements, or follow their Telegram channel.
Parish Finances:
Calendar year to date total (01 January thru February 2026):
Tithes: $41,050.10
Building Fund: $6,200.12
For February 2026:
Tithes: $13,963.68
Building Fund: $2,483.79
Average Monthly Expenses $19,840
Recommended Reading for the week:
You can read “A Liturgical Explanation of Holy Week,” by Father Alexander Schmemann, here:
https://stnicholasmarin.org/media/Holy_Week-A_Liturgical_Explanation.pdf
Recommended Listening for the week:
You can the listen to the Sermon “Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings,” by Fr. John Whiteford, here:
https://www.saintjonah.org/podcasts/sermons/outofthemouthofbabes.mp3
Rotations
Trapeza:
This Sunday: 4/5/26 (Fast: fish, wine and oil permitted): The Ely, Krutov, Marushkin, and Jelinek families.
Next Sunday: 4/12/26 (No Fast): Parish Potluck.
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 4/11/26 – Team Nation
Next (Ending on): 4/25/26 – Team Chebotko
Vigil Readers:
This Saturday: 4/4/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & John Mullins.
Next Saturday: 4/11/26: Subdeacon Paisios Martin.
Liturgy Readers:
This Sunday: 4/5/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & John Mullins.
Next Sunday: 4/12/26: Subdeacon Paisios Martin.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 4/5/26: Team C: Mathieu Powell, Seraphim Powell, Constantine Powell, William De Carion, Luka Chrisanthus, and Michael Chrisanthus.
Next Sunday: 4/12/26: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jens Yates, John Turner, Alexander Mahecha, and Levi (Nicholas) Moreno.
Commemorations from the past week:
The Newly Illumined John Walling, James, Cael, and Case (Cassian) Cammack; Tyler (Gregory) Pemberton, Jeremy Figaro, and Cameron Winters, and their sponsors: Archpriest John Whiteford, Deacon James Hall, Constantine and Elena Craig, Christopher Holmes, and Agustin Rafaelano.
Matushka Patricia Whiteford’s Name day – Monday, March 30th.
Edward Marushkin’s Name Day – Tuesday, March 31st.
Dariya Kuzmin’s Name Day – Wednesday, April 1st.
Anna Peña’s Birthday; Svetlana Cherskaya’s Name Day – Thursday, April 2nd.
Ksenia Nation’s Birthday & Romanos and Zoe Wren’s wedding Anniversary – Friday, April 3rd.
Lydia West’s Name Day; Paul Jackson’s Birthday – Sunday, April 5th.
If you have corrections or additions, e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Prayer Requests:
Orthodox:
For the Servants of God, Archimandrite Benedict (Nelson); Archpriest Andre Papkov; Priest Benigno Pardo; Deacon Vladimir Trussin; Deacon Jorge Luque-Martin; Deacon James Hall; Presbytera Sarah Trembley; Ann (Sonia) Shepherd; Subdeacon Romanos and Zoe Wren; Denise (Leslie) Barnett; Demetra Durham; Sophia (Cynthia) Hirsch; Joan Marie Pennings; Katherine Garbett Casanova; Renee (Ann) Nahlous; Maximus (Garrett) and Merilee (Mary) Eidson; Rozanne (Anne) and Jerry (John Herman) Spires; Michael Murphy; Valentin, Rada and Florentina, Olga, Nathaniel (Barrett) Mahand, Eliasious, Rdr. John Economou, Robert McIsaac, Galina Lay, Lisa (Euphemia) Bornejko, Cosmas (Spencer) Burton, Jeffery Gallagher, Savva (Tyler) Barrett, Dennis Tilley, Rdr. Gabriel Peña, Nun Barbara (Watts), John Watts, John Lickwar, Sophia Drobot, Mikhaela (Jennifer) Diaz, Svetlana, Gerald Campbell, Elizabeth De Carion, Daniel McLellan, Lydia Chernousova, Stephanos Rosseau, Josiah Plumley, Christopher Gulden, Aleksander, soldier Aleksandr, Nathaniel Bhatti, Anna, Cynthia (Melangell) Rausch, Rdr. James Lardas, James Powell, Cristin, Dimitri, Christina, Juliana Blazek, Maria (Nicole) Murphy, Matushka Kara (Mary Magdalene) Hall, Abby (Ruth) Hall, Thekla (Dounya), Panayiotis (Peter) Lardas, and the children Caison Elisabeth Kellam and Anna Krutova, who are ill.
For Nikolai, who is struggling.
For Justin and Nadezhda who are suffering persecution.
For the safety and salvation of those in Ukraine: Yelena, Tatiana, Denis, Sophia, Maria, Ivan, and Artem; and Dimitriy.
For newly reposed servants of God: Patriarch Ilia; Archpriest George Johnson, and those slain in the fighting in Ukraine, Russia, Syria, and the Holy Land.
Expectant Mothers:
Lydia Martin, Rachel Sisco, Helen Cantao, Callandra Maldonado, Emilia Herghelegiu, and Nina Bernardi.
Catechumens:
Savita Bhatti; Jessica Palmer; Nolan (Silouan) Boe, Nicholas Bruschi; Kristofer Sean Hutter; John Ryan Levy; Hunter Jones; Andres Lynch; Moses (Grayson) Culton; Caleb Greene; Daniel and Faith Simmons, Matthew, Veronica, Addison, Sebastian, and Christian Callis; Noah Plasek; Brody Buechner; Domanic Barras; Alexis Prater; Zoe Michelle Lewis; Caleb Mendez; Travis and Alisa Harris; Christian Chacon; Michael and Grace Venegas; Danielle Meese; Peter Demny, Jon Daniels, Juan Rodriguez, Andrew Skellie, and Alejandro Najera.
Non-Orthodox:
For the Servants of God, Aiden, Shawna Hiu; Misty; Harold Wren; Melissa Munster (Moses Munster’s mother); Heather Tolliver (Melissa Holloway’s daughter); Gene and Beth Beggs, Scott and Carol Phillips, Ana Crespo, Liza, Aida Diaz, Antonio, John Lay, Kathleen Sorrentino, Andrea Engelke, Robin Nicole Thomson McMillin, Julie Nelson, Charlotte LeBlanc, Kent and Nicoline, Lara Regis, Ana Maria, Sean, Audrey, Bob Richardson, Dylan DeRosia, Phillip Rice, Tony Beavers, Steven Jimenez, Kara Mahand, Carla, Dorothy Daniel, Beth Willis, Liam, and the children Evan-Marie, Ava and Evelyn, who are ill.
For the Bruto da Costa family, Ken, Christina, Aki and family; and Johnnie, Damon and Elisabeth Myers, and their child, Dorothy, James Franklin and his family, Marcie Dark, Tim, Karen, Taylor, Lindsay, Jon, Alex, and Andrew Burns, Audrey and Michael Morgan, Michelle Brazzil, Robbin Russell, Naseem Bhatti, and Hurucaan Valerio.
The newly departed: Dorothy Daniel (Dennis Daniel’s Mother); Salvador Martinez Jr. (Sophia Hirsch’s Father); Zelma Eidson (Garrett Eidson’s Mother).
If you have prayer requests you would like announced, please e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Sunday School:
No Sunday School this Sunday due to the Feast of Palm Sunday.
Schedule for Holy Week 2026:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/holyweek2026.htm
Schedule for Bright Week through July 2026:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/april-july2026.htm
You can also see our online parish calendar of events and services here:
https://saintjonah.org/calendar/
Fasting in the Coming week: Monday, April 6th; and Wednesday, April 8th, are normal fast days.One Tuesday, April 7th; and Thursday, April 9th, wine and oil are permitted. Friday, April 10th, is a day of strict fasting. On Saturday, April 11th, wine, but not oil are permitted. On Sunday, April 12th, we break the fast, and there is no fasting during the following week.
Click here for Miscellaneous Items of Interest.
St. Jonah Orthodox Church
2910 Spring Cypress Rd, Spring, TX 77388
www.saintjonah.org
