December 5th, 2021
Stump the Priest: Question: “How do we know whether or not something is dogma if it was not specifically affirmed by an Ecumenical council?” 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/pent24.pdf
Requires Adobe Acrobat reader (which is free to download):
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, December 5th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_november22.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 11th | 5:00 p.m. Vigil |
| Sunday, December 12th | 9:00 a.m. Hours & Liturgy |
Announcements
We be taking a special collection this Sunday for a parishioner who was recently in a car accident, and has a significant financial burdern due to lost income as a result.
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 Parish Development Committee meeting after Sunday School, and Sunday, December 5th.
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.
If you would like to be part of a Youth Committee, to help plan youth events, 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 7th, 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/nft-zrdf-abp
The next online Catechumen Meeting will be Wednesday, December 8th, at 7:00 p.m. and will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/pxh-erfk-khr
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: We have copies of the Prologue back in Stock.
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 “The Two Main Commandments: On the Gospel about the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25–37,” St. John of Kronstadt, here:
https://orthochristian.com/143129.html
Recommended Listening for the week:
You can listen to the sermon “Heaven: St. Luke 18,” by Fr. Josiah Trenham, here:
https://thearena.sounder.fm/episode/heaven-st-luke-18
Rotations
Trapeza (to pick your weekend, sign up here):
This Sunday: 12/5/21 (Fast: Fish, wine, and oil permitted): Anja Peña, Jessica Kravtsov, and Lydia Martin.
Next Sunday: 12/12/21 (Fast: Fish, wine, and oil permitted): John Ely and Mother Barbara (Watts).
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 12/12/21 – Team Fernando.
Next (Ending on): 12/26/21 – Team Nation.
Vigil Reader:
This Saturday: 12/4/21: Rdr. James Hall.
Next Saturday: 12/11/21: Shane Martin.
Liturgy Reader:
This Sunday: 12/5/21: Rdr. James Hall.
Next Sunday: 12/12/21: Shane Martin.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 12/5/21: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jens Yates, Nikolai Pino, Eric Lickwar, Ivan Kuzmin.
Next Sunday: 12/12/21: Team B: Padraig McIsaac, Ezra Wilkinson, Ezekiel Wilkinson, Alex Kettner and Andrew Kettner.
Commemorations from the past week:
Michelle Morgan’s Birthday – Monday, November 29th.
Rdr. Kodratus Bornejko’s Birthday – Wednesday, December 1st.
Elena Medvedeva McCaughan; Marco Maldonado & Monique Jabbour’s Birthday – Thursday, December 2nd.
Eden Mia Morgan & Monique (Mary) Jabbour’s Name day – Saturday, December 4th.
Natalia Baranov’s birthday – Sunday, December 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; 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, 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 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 Tikhon Pino.
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 6th; Tuesday, December 7th; Thursday, December 9th; Friday, December 10th; Saturday, December 11th; and Sunday, December 12th, fish, wine, and oil is permitted. On Wednesday, December 8th, 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
