December 12th, 2021
Stump the Priest: Question: “Is the story of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple historical?” Click here for the Answer.
If you have a question you would like to ask, e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:
https://www.saintjonah.org/bltn/pent25.pdf
Requires Adobe Acrobat reader (which is free to download):
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, December 12th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_november29.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:
| Saturday, December 18th | 9:00 a.m. Slavonic Liturgy
5:00 p.m. Vigil |
| Sunday, December 19th | 9:00 a.m. Hours & Liturgy |
Announcements
This year’s St. Herman’s Conference will be held at St. Basil Orthodox Church, St. Louis, MO, from December 27th through December 31st. It is for youth ages 14 and older. Registration closes on December 17, 2021. If you have children who would like to go, please let Fr. John Whiteford know. You can register them by clicking here.
The Sisterhood is selling nut rolls this Nativity season. They are $10 for one, or $15 for two. Scan the QR code on the poster on the bulletin board in the trapeza hall to pay, or see a member of the Sisterhood. The proceeds from this sale will go towards the Sisterhood’s catastrophic fund
We will have a marriage seminar in June of 2022, and so will be restarting the Event Planning Committee. If you would like to be on that committee, and help make that event a success, please let Fr. John Whiteford know.
Project Angel Tree: Orthodox Christian Prison ministry of Houston is preparing for the 8th Annual Advent Celebration “Angel Tree” for more than 65 children of incarcerated parents who live in our community. OCPM will hold a party for the children with games, gifts and goodies on December 18th from 12-2 pm at the St. Joseph Orthodox Hall. St. Jonah Orthodox Church gladly participates in this project by providing gift-giving clothing for kids and 7 dozen cookies and 7 dozen cupcakes. We will collect monetary donations after the Liturgy on Sunday, December 12th to cover expenses, but you can send in a donation at any time, if you make it for “Project Angel Tree.” Also, if you would like to volunteer on preparing/food serving/cleaning during the celebration on December 18th (any convenient time from 10 am though 3 pm), please talk to Matushka Jennifer Companik or Iryna Chebotko.
We will have our next Bible study on the Book of Acts, in the parish hall on Tuesday, December 14th, at 7:00 p.m. We will have Small Compline at 6:15 p.m., followed by refreshments and then start the Bible Study at 7:00 p.m. However, for those who cannot come in person, they can participate via Google Meets by logging in at 7:00 p.m. at this link: https://meet.google.com/jaz-ohsw-knd
The next online Catechumen Meeting will be Wednesday, January 12th, at 7:00 p.m. and will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/eom-bwhp-hye
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Thursday, December 16th, at 7:00 p.m.
The next Slavonic Liturgy will be Saturday, December 18th, at 9:00 a.m.
You will find texts for reader services that you can do at home through the 25th Sunday after Pentecost (December 12th), here:
https://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/2021/11/reader-services-through-25th-sunday.html
Bookstore News: Over 50 new icons from the Damascene Gallery have arrived. We also have Christmas cards for sale, that would be nice.
Sisterhood News: The next Sisterhood Council meeting will be held on Friday, December 17th, at 7:00 p.m.
Parish Finances:
Calendar year to date total (01 January thru 31 October 2021):
Tithes: $163,236.00
Building Fund: $271,198.00
For October 2021:
Tithes: $21,995.00
Building Fund: $910.00
Average Monthly Expenses $13,252.00
Recommended Reading for the week:
You can read “”This is the Humor of a Holy Man!” by Vasilisa Phillips-Pokhil, here:
https://orthochristian.com/143284.html
Recommended Listening for the week:
You can listen to the sermon “The Straight and Consecrated Life,” by Fr. Josiah Trenham, here:
https://thearena.sounder.fm/episode/the-straight-and-consecrated-life
Rotations
Trapeza (to pick your weekend, sign up here):
This Sunday: 12/12/21 (Fast: Fish, wine, and oil permitted): John Ely and Mother Barbara (Watts).
Next Sunday: 12/19/21 (Fast: Fish, wine, and oil permitted): Daria Pino, in honor of Nikolai Pino’s name day.
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 12/12/21 – Team Fernando.
Next (Ending on): 12/26/21 – Team Nation.
Vigil Reader:
This Saturday: 12/11/21: Shane Martin.
Next Saturday: 12/18/21: Rdr. Joshua Gonzales.
Liturgy Reader:
This Sunday: 12/12/21: Shane Martin.
Next Sunday: 12/19/21: Rdr. Joshua Gonzales.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 12/12/21: Team B: Padraig McIsaac, Ezra Wilkinson, Ezekiel Wilkinson, Alex Kettner and Andrew Kettner.
Next Sunday: 12/19/21: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jens Yates, Nikolai Pino, Eric Lickwar, Ivan Kuzmin.
Commemorations from the past week:
Alexander Liepman, Alexander Mahecha, & Alexander Kettner’s Name Day – Monday, December 6th.
Catherine Whiteford’s Name day – Tuesday, December 7th.
Michael McDonald & Agustin Rafaelano’s Birthday – Wednesday, December 8th.
Vassily Rodionov’s Birthday – Thursday, December 9th.
Charles Gregory Powell [Catechumen] & Michael Murphy’s Birthday – Friday, December 10th.
Rosa Mahand’s Birthday – Sunday, December 12th.
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; Matushka Margarita Pardo; Thekla Podrasky; Ann (Eleanor) Wandke; Ann (Sonia) Shepherd; Zoe Wren; Denise (Leslie) Barnett; Marina Watson; Demetra Durham; Sophia (Cynthia) Hirsch; Joan Marie Pennings; Katherine Garbett Casanova; Renee (Ann) Nahlous; Merilee (Mary) Eidson; Jerry (John Herman) Spires; Michael Murphy; and John Gentry, who are ill.
For Nikolai, who is struggling.
For the safety and salvation of those in Kiev: Vladimir, Yelena, Tatiana, Alexei, Maria, Ivan, and Artem.
For the newly reposed Archimandrite Job (Kotenko), Angelina, Anastasia, and the Orthodox who have perished in the pandemic, and those slain in the violence in Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine, and the Holy Land.
Expectant Mothers:
Xenia Evind, Lydia Martin, Nina Bernardi.
Catechumens:
Jonathan Cantao, Tristan Scott, Jessica Kravtsov, Marcus Ballentine, Piotr Fraczek, Tyler Barrett, Ethan Peterson, Annie Nowak, Danny Gonzalez, Jayden DeRosia, George Hixson, Jennifer Diaz, Michael Mahoney, Howard Segal, Ryan Thomas, Ben Dixon, Michelle Jimenez, and the Powell (James, Katie, James, Everett, Charles, Russel, Henry, and Samson) and Walling (Levi, Avie, Mac, Wells, Bayla) families.
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); Pam Morris (Eleanor’s niece); Zee Eidson, Michael and Brenda Eidson, For the child Mason Eidson, Gene and Beth Beggs, Scott and Carol Phillips, Jerald Spires, Sr., Shane and Tami Peacock, Larry West, who are ill.
For Aki and family; and Johnnie, Damon and Elisabeth Myers, and their child, Dorothy, Scott and Shannon Eidson and their family, James Franklin and his family, Wayne Bo Peacock, Vince Powell, and his child, Rex, Richard, Teresa.
The newly reposed Marilyn Perry (a friend of the Whiteford family), Bridgette Dunlap (Matrona Marsh’s cousin), and Earlene Lewis and Stanley Harrison (Paul Jackson’s aunt and uncle).
If you have prayer requests you would like announced, please e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Sunday School:
Toddlers (2-3): Mat. Genevieve Companik and Elizabeth DeCarion.
Children, Age 4-6: Taught by Iryna Chebotko and Vera Yates.
Children, Age 7-8: Taught by Mat. Sara Shephard and Jacob Kettner.
Children, Age 9-12: Taught by Matushka Patricia Whiteford.
Teens 13+: Taught by Christopher Cline and Fr. David Shephard (meeting in the Church).
Teens and Adults: Taught by Fr. John Whiteford.
The Schedule for November 2021 through January 2022:
https://www.saintjonah.org/bltn/november21-january22.htm
You can also see our online parish calendar of events and services here:
https://saintjonah.org/calendar/
Fasting in the Coming week: On Monday, December 13th; Thursday, December 16th; Saturday, December 18th; and Sunday, December 18th, fish, wine, and oil is permitted. On Tuesday, December 14th; Wednesday, December 15th; and December 17th, wine and oil are permitted.
Click here for Miscellaneous Items of Interest.
St. Jonah Orthodox Church
2910 Spring Cypress Rd, Spring, TX 77388
www.saintjonah.org
281-467-0264
