December 8th, 2024
Stump the Priest: Question: “I am not opposed to triune immersion, but I do want to question the idea that triune immersion is the ONLY way. Why isn’t there a single mention of triune immersion in the New Testament? Other than the Didache, I see no explicit support for triune immersion from the writings from the first and second century. Tertullian speaks of thrice immersions as being “an ampler pledge” than what is found in Scripture. Ampler means greater. Therefore, he is saying that triune immersion is somewhat greater than what Jesus described in Matthew 28, and therefore something beyond what Christ commanded.” Click here for the Answer.
If you have a question you would like to ask, e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
The Orthodox Term of the Week: Lectionary.
Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:
https://www.saintjonah.org/bltn/pent24.pdf
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, December 8th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_november25_t7.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:
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Saturday, December 14th 5:00 p.m. Vigil
Sunday, December 15th 9:00 a.m. Hours and Liturgy
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Announcements
We will be taking a special collection to help the suffering people of the Canonical Church in Ukraine this Sunday (and on the first Sunday of each month). If you write a check, or send in a payment electronically, please put “Ukraine” in the memo line. We will send the money to Metropolitan Onuphry.
Our next Bible Study will be held on Thursday, December 12th at 7:00 p.m. We will be studying the Epistle to the Romans, Chapters 8 and 9, beginning with Romans 8:23. To catch up on past sessions, click here. This Bible Study will be held only via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/rfi-mnsz-apo
The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, January 11th, at 9:00 a.m.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Monday, December 30th, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/ief-prmf-pvo
We need a volunteer for Parish Youth Coordinator. If you are interested, please speak to Fr. John Whiteford.
We need volunteers to work on a capital campaign for the construction of the new Church.
St. Jonah Teen Winter Camp will be held from January 1st through January 4th in Alvin, TX. All teens ages 13+ are welcome to attend. 18 year olds can choose to be campers or volunteers. Parishioners of 18+ are invited to join as volunteers. The camp tuition is $110 per person. Please visit camp website stjonahcamp.org for further details. You can register to attend St. Jonah winter camp online:
For campers (13+): please register here
For volunteers (18+): please register here
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, December 19th, at 7:00 p.m., via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/okx-sfih-xpp
To sign-up to be a presenter, click here: https://forms.gle/BE5pWuSAezurtJ1i8
Sisterhood News: On Saturday, 12/14 at 9 a.m., the Sisterhood will be making nutrolls, help appreciated.
As a Nativity Lent fundraiser, the Sisterhood is selling pierogies for $5 for a bag of 6.
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 October 2024):
Tithes: $204,094.13
Building Fund: $1,096,627.29
For October 2024:
Tithes: $17,382.08
Building Fund: $943.99
Average Monthly Expenses $19,840
Recommended Reading for the week:
You can read the article “Estonian capital jacks up rent for Orthodox Church remaining in Moscow Patriarchate,” here:
https://orthochristian.com/165262.html
Recommended Viewing for the week:
You can watch to “Hidden History of Early Christian Art,” by Fr. John Whiteford, here:
https://youtu.be/6Pi7peb_pKw?si=EnJKzjtS7eXzj7Ll
Rotations
Trapeza:
This Sunday: 12/8/24 (Fast: fish, wine, and oil permitted): Whiteford, Lickwar, Mahecha families.
Next Sunday: 12/15/24 (Fast: fish, wine, and oil permitted): Beaudoin, Meissner, Ely families.
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 12/8/24 – Team Eugenia.
Next (Ending on): 12/22/24 – Team Jessica.
Vigil Readers:
This Saturday: 12/07/24: John Mullins & Rdr. Kodratus Bornejko.
Next Saturday: 12/14/24: Luke Hall & Rdr. James Hall.
Liturgy Readers:
This Sunday: 12/8/24: John Mullins & Rdr. Kodratus Bornejko.
Next Sunday: 12/15/24: Luke Hall & Rdr. James Hall.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 12/8/24: Team C: Mathieu Powell, Seraphim Powell, Constantine Powell, William De Carion, Luka Chrisanthus, Michael Chrisanthus.
Next Sunday: 12/15/24: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jens Yates, John Turner, and Levi (Nicholas) Moreno.
Commemorations from the past week:
Iryna Poputnikova, Michael Sisco; Elena Medvedeva; Marco Maldonado & Monique Jabbour’s Birthday – Monday, December 2nd.
Eden Maria Morgan & Monique (Mary) Jabbour’s Name day – Wednesday, December 4th.
Celina (Cecelia) Chalhoub’s Name day – Thursday, December 5th.
Ashley (Hermione) Turner’s Birthday; Alexander Liepman, Alexander Mahecha, and Alexander Kettner’s Name Day – December 6th.
Katie Powell & Catherine Whiteford’s Name day – Saturday, December 7th.
Ethan (Nicholas) Peterson & Agustin Rafaelano’s Birthday – Sunday, December 8th.
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; Presbytera Sarah Trembley; Thekla Podrasky; 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; Maximus (Garrett) and Merilee (Mary) Eidson; Rozanne (Anne) and Jerry (John Herman) Spires; Michael Murphy; Aleksandra 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, 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, and the children Caison Elisabeth Kellam, Anna Krutova, Stephanos Rosseau, Josiah Plumley, and the soldier Aleksandr 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, Denis, Sophia, Soldier Alexei, Maria, Ivan, and Artem; and Dimitriy.
For newly reposed servants of God: Archbishop Peter, Niklaus Doucet, Nina, and those slain in the fighting in Ukraine, Russia, Syria, and the Holy Land.
Expectant Mothers:
Filofteia Fraczek, Caitlin Zelesnik, Emilia Mullins, and Emily Munster.
Catechumens:
Howard Segal, Deborah and Alexander Gessell, Lonnie Howard; Savita Bhatti; Jessica Palmer; John Nowak, Anne Nowak; Sean Elliott Burley; Thomas Maroney, Nolan (Silouan) Boe, Nicholas Bruschi; Kristofer Sean Hutter; John Ryan Levy; Brianna Ivanyo; Christopher, Amanda, Naomi, Nova, and Natasha Gulden; Benjamin Grosvenor; James, Diana, Caspian (Cassian), and Beauregard Bartholomew Shepard.
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, Jennie Mobley, Kathleen Sorrentino, Andrea Engelke, Robin Nicole Thomson McMillin, Ernest Sibley, Julie Nelson, Charlotte LeBlanc, Kent and Nicoline, Sean and Audrey, 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, and Hurucaan Valerio.
For the repose of Carmelita Cline (Christopher Cline’s grandmother).
If you have prayer requests you would like announced, please e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Sunday School:
Children, Ages 3-4: Taught by Matushka Genevieve and Elizabeth De’Carion.
Children, Ages 5-6: Taught by Iryna Chebotko and Monica Moreno.
Children, Ages 7-9: Taught by Mat. Sara Shephard and Angela Daniel.
Children, Ages 10-12: Taught by Danny Gonzalez.
Teens and Adults: Taught by Fr. John Whiteford.
Schedule of Services for November 2024 through January 2025:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/november24-january25.htm
Schedule of Services for February 2025 through the end of Lent 2025:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/lent2025.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 9th; Tuesday, December 10th; Friday, December 13th; Saturday, December 14th; and Sunday, December 15th, fish, wine and oil is permitted. On Wednesday, December 11th; and Thursday, December 12th, 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
