December 17th, 2023
Stump the Priest: Question: “How does doctrinal authority work in Orthodoxy? In a simplified form, how do I know what Orthodox believe? Less simply, what are the common sources for Orthodox when seeking to believe what the Church teaches? And how is it possible to know that certain teachings are definitely the Orthodox position, not only a possible opinion?” Click here for the Answer.
If you have a question you would like to ask, e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
The Word of the Week: Kontakion
Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:
https://www.saintjonah.org/bltn/pent28.pdf
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, December 17th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_december04.htm
Propers for the Feast of St. Nicholas (Tuesday, December 19th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_stnicholas.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:
| Monday, December 18th | 6:30 p.m. Vigil for St. Nicholas |
| Tuesday, December 19th | 9:00 a.m. Liturgy for St. Nicholas |
| Saturday, December 23rd | 5:00 p.m. Vigil |
| Sunday, December 24th | 9:00 a.m. Hours and Liturgy |
Announcements
We will be taking a special collection to help Deacon Jorge Luque, who has a brain tumor, and needs help with medical expenses. If you write a check, or send in a payment electronically, please put “Jorgue” in the memo line.
No Bible Study this week.
2024 Calendars: The Year-at-a-glance Calendars from the Fund for Assistance have arrived. We ask for a $10 donation for these. The monthly wall calendars will hopefully be arriving next week.
If you or your children are interested in performing at the Christmas Yolka, please speak to Svetlana Cherskaya. All children are invited to participate in Yolka’s youth choir performance. The rehearsals will be held on Sundays during Sunday school in church, and on Thursdays during homeschool co-op.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Friday, December 29th, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets:
https://meet.google.com/uuk-qoxx-odk
The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, December 23rd, at 9:00 a.m.
Catechumens: The next online Catechumen Meeting will be on Tuesday, December 19th, at 7:00 p.m. and will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/bdg-qsoq-iqc
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.
Sisterhood News: The next Sisterhood Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 14th, after Trapeza. All the women of the Sisterhood are invited to attend.
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 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 30th October 2023):
Tithes: $155,040.48
Building Fund: $16,493.94
For October 2023:
Tithes: $14,254.85
Building Fund: $529.80
Average Monthly Expenses $13,252.00
Recommended Reading for the week:
You can read “To Whom Do You Entrust Us, My Lord?: About God’s Protection, Part 2,” by Valentina Ulyanova, here:
https://orthochristian.com/157574.html
Recommended Listening for the week:
You can listen to the sermon “God’s Work to Guide Us on the Path of Salvation (Psalm 118:65-72)” by Fr. John Whiteford, here:
https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/amvon/gods_work_to_guide_us_on_the_path_of_salvation
Rotations
Trapeza:
This Sunday: 12/17/23 (Fast: fish, wine, and oil are permitted): Parish Potluck.
Next Sunday: 12/24/23 (Fast: fish, wine, and oil are permitted): The Kim, Kravtsov, and Sisco families.
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 12/17/23 – Team Eugenia.
Next (Ending on): 12/31/23 – Team Kara.
Vigil Readers:
This Saturday: 12/16/23: Shane Martin & Justin Wood.
Next Saturday: 12/23/23: Rdr. Moses Munster & Daniel Gonzalez.
Liturgy Readers:
This Sunday: 12/17/23: Shane Martin & Justin Wood.
Next Sunday: 12/24/23: Rdr. Moses Munster & Daniel Gonzalez.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 12/17/23: Team C: Mathieu Powell, Seraphim Powell, Constantine Powell, William De Carion, Luka Chrisanthus, Michael Chrisanthus.
Next Sunday: 12/24/23: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jens Yates, and Levi (Nicholas) Moreno.
Commemorations from the past week:
Robert (Nicholas) Smith’s Birthday – Monday, December 11th.
Michael Sisco and Rosa Mahand’s Birthday – Tuesday, December 12th.
Andrew de Carion & Andrew Kettner’s Name Day – Wednesday, December 13th.
Alexander & Andrew Kettner’s Birthday – Thursday, December 14th.
John & Lydia West’s Wedding Anniversary; Luciana Wilkinson’s Birthday – Friday, December 15th.
James Powell & Rebecca Jackson’s Birthday – Saturday, December 16th.
Mother Barbara (Watts), John Watts, Gennady Ivanov & Barbara Koulikova’s Name Day – Sunday, December 17th.
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; Thekla Podrasky; Ann (Eleanor) Wandke; Ann (Sonia) Shepherd; Subdeacon Romanos and Zoe Wren; Denise (Leslie) Barnett; Marina Watson; Demetra Durham; Sophia (Cynthia) Hirsch; Joan Marie Pennings; Katherine Garbett Casanova; Renee (Ann) Nahlous; Merilee (Mary) Eidson; Rozanne (Anne) and Jerry (John Herman) Spires; Michael Murphy; Valentin, Rada and Florentina, Sophia Petropoulos, Olga, Nathaniel (Barrett) Mahand, Eliasious, Rdr. John Economou, Robert McIsaac, Galina Lay, Lisa (Euphemia) Bornejko, Cosmas (Spencer) Burton, Jeffery Gallagher, Suzannah Soloviev, Savva (Tyler) Barrett, Dennis Tilley, Rdr. Gabriel Peña, Nun Barbara (Watts), John Watts, Sophia Drobot, Mikhaela (Jennifer) Diaz, Svetlana, Anatoliy, and the children Niklaus Doucet, 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: Vladimir, Yelena, Tatiana, Soldier Alexei, Maria, Ivan, and Artem; and Dimitriy.
For newly reposed servants of God: Archpriest Lazar Kostur, Archpriest Michael Oleksa, Dmitrijs Cervjakovs, Anatoliy, and those slain in the fighting in Ukraine, Russia, Syria, and the Holy Land.
Expectant Mothers:
Emilia Mullins, Vera Yates, Rachel Sisco, and Presbytera Christina Solis.
Catechumens:
Howard Segal, Deborah and Alexander Gessell, Adriane Melnyczuk, William Chandonia, Sabina Centinia, Christine Kim; Nina and Gerasimos Spiers; Josiah Plumley; Kashif (Jude) Bhatti; Savita Bhatti; Jessica Palmer; Janos Roszik; Dennis, Angela, Torin, and Tiergan Daniel; Justin, Ashley, Caroline, and John Turner, Alex Trevino, Moses Abishai Bhatti, John Nowak, Anne Nowak; Sean Elliott Burley; Pablo Chong; Zachary, Kelly, Evyn, and Ezra Locke; and Mason Boren.
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, Shane and Tami Peacock, Larry West, Ana Crespo, Liza, Aida Diaz, Antonio, John Lay, Jennie Mobley, Linda Ballentine, Kathleen Sorrentino, Andrea Engelke, Robin Nicole Thomson McMillin and Ernest Sibley, who are ill.
For the Bruto da Costa family, Ken, Christina, 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. Marcie Dark, Tim, Karen, Taylor, Lindsay, Jon, Alex, and Andrew Burns, and Michelle Brazzil.
For the newly reposed Jerald Vern Spires (Merilee Eidson’s grandfather).
If you have prayer requests you would like announced, please e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Sunday School:
St. Nicholas Day Presentation.
Schedule of Services for November 2023 through January 2024:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/november23-january24.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 18th; Tuesday, December 19th; and Friday, December 22nd; Saturday, December 23rd; and Sunday, December 24th, fish, wine and oil are permitted. On Wednesday, December 20th; and Thursday, December 21st, 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
