February 15th, 2026
Stuff from the Priest: “Observing the First Week of Lent in Our Times” 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: Churching.
Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:
https://www.saintjonah.org/bltn/triod3.pdf
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, February 15th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_triod3_presentation.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, February 21st | 5:00 p.m. Vigil |
| Sunday, February 22nd | 9:00 a.m. Hours and Liturgy
11:15 a.m. Forgiveness Vespers |
Announcements
Mother Barbara will be 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. Starting Feb 19 and concluding April 23rd from 7-8 pm Thursday evenings with two exceptions. Pick up a copy from our bookstore. Contact: Mother Barbara Watts 719 207-1055.
The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, February 28th, at 9:00 a.m.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Thursday, March 19th, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/nxu-rrte-hje
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, February 15th.
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 Wednesday, March 4th, at 7:00 p.m., via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/ama-xtix-rxn
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, February 20th, via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/tjq-csrm-hir
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 December 2025):
Tithes: $279,354.88
Building Fund: $249,700.61
For December 2025:
Tithes: $27,384.49
Building Fund: $201,864.19
Average Monthly Expenses $19,840
Recommended Reading for the week:
You can read “Let’s Talk About Maslenitsa [Cheesefare]” by Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) here:
https://orthochristian.com/45041.html
Recommended Listening for the week:
You can the listen to the Sermon “The Final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46),” Fr. John Whiteford, here:
https://www.saintjonah.org/podcasts/sermons/sheep&goats.mp3
Rotations
Trapeza:
This Sunday: 2/15/26 (No Fast): The Jabbour, Lickwar, and D. Gonzalez familes.
Next Sunday: 2/22/26 (Cheesefare): Parish Potluck.
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 2/15/26 – Team Jessica.
Next (Ending on): 3/1/26 – Team Wilkinson.
Vigil Readers:
This Saturday: 2/14/26: Subdeacon Paisios Martin.
Next Saturday: 2/21/26: Rdr. Moses Munster & Rdr. Daniel Gonzalez.
Liturgy Readers:
This Sunday: 2/15/26: Subdeacon Paisios Martin.
Next Sunday: 2/22/26: Rdr. Moses Munster & Rdr. Daniel Gonzalez.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 2/15/26: Team B: Alex Kettner, Andrew Kettner, Ivan Kuzmin, Ezra Wilkinson, John West, and Mason Boren.
Next Sunday: 2/22/26: Team C: Mathieu Powell, Seraphim Powell, Constantine Powell, William De Carion, Luka Chrisanthus, and Michael Chrisanthus.
Commemorations from the past two week:
Ruth Lichang Rafaelano Xu’s Birthday – Monday, February 9th.
Ephraim (Sergio) Correa’s Name Day; Maxim Singh’s birthday – Tuesday, February 10th.
Serghei Vilcu’s birthday – Wednesday, February 11th.
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; 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, Daniel Gonzalez, Dimitri, Christina, Juliana Blazek, Maria (Nicole) Murphy, 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: Archpriest Stephen Plumlee, Archpriest Christopher Stade, Maria Surakiy, Vladimir, and those slain in the fighting in Ukraine, Russia, Syria, and the Holy Land.
Expectant Mothers:
Lydia Martin, Rachel Sisco, Photini (Ebony) Jenkins, Helen Cantao, and Callandra Maldonado.
Catechumens:
Howard Segal, Deborah and Alexander Gessell, Savita Bhatti; Jessica Palmer; Thomas Maroney, Nolan (Silouan) Boe, Nicholas Bruschi; Kristofer Sean Hutter; John Ryan Levy; Richard Risner; Hunter Jones; Andres Lynch; Cameron Winters; Gregory (Tyler) Pemberton; Moses (Grayson) Culton; Caleb Greene; Daniel and Faith Simmons, Matthew, Veronica, Addison, Sebastian, and Christian Callis; Noah Plasek; Brody Buechner; Jeremy Figaro; Domanic Barras; Alexis Prater; Michael Crain; Zoe Michelle Lewis; James and Case (Cassian) Cammack; Caleb Mendez; Travis and Alisa Harris; Christian Chacon; Michael and Grace Venegas.
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, 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:
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 Agustin Rafaelano.
Teens and Adults: Taught by Fr. John Whiteford.
Schedule of Services for February 2026 through the end of Great Lent:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/lent2026.htm
Schedule for Holy Week 2026:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/holyweek2026.htm
You can also see our online parish calendar of events and services here:
https://saintjonah.org/calendar/
Fasting in the Coming week: Beginning on Monday, February 16th, we begin Cheesefare week, during which we abstain from meat, but may eat dairy and fish all week, including on Wednesday and Friday. We begin Great Lent, on Monday, February 23rd.
Click here for Miscellaneous Items of Interest.
St. Jonah Orthodox Church
2910 Spring Cypress Rd, Spring, TX 77388
www.saintjonah.org
281-467-0264
