January 1st, 2023
Stump the Priest: Question: “Did Christmas originate from a pagan holiday?” 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/pent29.pdf
Requires Adobe Acrobat reader (which is free to download):
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, January 1st):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_wkbfnat_december19.htm
Propers for the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord (Saturday, January 7th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_nativity.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:
| Thursday, January 5th | 6:30 p.m. Vigil for Christmas Eve |
| Friday, January 6th | 8:00 a.m. Baptism
9:00 a.m. Royal Hours and Vesperal Liturgy of Christmas Eve 5:00 p.m. Holy Supper 6:30 p.m. Vigil for the Nativity of the Lord |
| Saturday, January 7th | 9:00 a.m. Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord
5:00 p.m. Vigil |
| Sunday, January 8th | 9:00 a.m. Hours and Liturgy |
Announcements
Our next Bible Study on the Psalms on Tuesday, January 3rd at 7:00 p.m. We will be studying Psalms 18 through 20. For those appearing in person, we will have Small Compline at 6:15 p.m., followed by Refreshments. For those appearing via Google Meets, they can log in at https://meet.google.com/wbx-wjax-sqn
We will take a special collection to cover the travel expenses for those attending the St. Herman Conference.
Christmas Yolka: We will have the Houston Balalaika Orchestra at our Christmas Yolka, on Sunday, January 8th, following the Liturgy. If you would like to sing or play an instrument at the Yolka, please speak with Svetlana Cherskaya.
Ministry Opportunities: If you are interested in serving as a God parent for new catechumens, or participating in our visitation ministry, please speak with Fr. John Whiteford.
The House Blessing Schedule is posted here: https://saintjonah.org/bltn/houseblessings2023.htm If the date your family is listed, please let Fr. John Whiteford know ASAP. If your family is not listed, and you want your home blessed, please let him know that too.
If you have any Nominations for Parish Council for our Annual Meeting in February 2023, please let Fr. John Whiteford or Fernando Maldonado know.
The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, January 28th, at 9:00 a.m.
We will be collecting donations for flowers to decorate the Church on the Feast of the Nativity.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Monday, January 16th, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/uzs-pmqg-fgj
The next online Catechumen Meeting will be on Friday, February 3rd, at 7:00 p.m. and will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/bii-nbpy-khy
Our Annual Parish Meeting will be held after the Liturgy on Sunday, February 19th.
Parish Finances:
Calendar year to date total (01 January thru 30 November 2022):
Tithes: $162,509.23
Building Fund: $11,273.87
For November 2022:
Tithes: $11,267.28
Building Fund: $1,092.45
Average Monthly Expenses $13,252.00
Recommended Reading for the week:
You can read about the persecution of the canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine, here:
https://orthochristian.com/150240.html
Recommended Viewing for the week:
You can listen to the Sermon “The Virtues of the Righteous King Josiah (Sunday of the Genealogy of Christ 2022),” by Fr. Josiah Trenham, here:
https://thearena.sounder.fm/episode/the-virtues-of-the-righteous-king-josiah
Rotations
Trapeza:
This Sunday: 1/1/23 (Fast day: fish, wine, and oil permittted): The de Carion and Valerio families, and Joshua Gonzales.
Next Sunday: 1/8/23 (No Fast): Parish Potluck
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 1/1/23 – Team Eugenia.
Next (Ending on): 1/15/23 – Team Marcus.
Vigil Reader:
This Saturday: 12/31/22: Justin Wood.
Next Saturday: 1/7/23: Rdr. Moses Munster.
Liturgy Reader:
This Sunday: 1/1/23: Justin Wood.
Next Sunday: 1/8/23: Rdr. Moses Munster.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 1/1/23: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jude Morgan, Nikolai Pino, Maksim Pino, Luka Chrisanthus, Jens Yates, Padraig McIsaac.
Next Sunday: 1/8/23: Team B: Alex Kettner, Andrew Kettner, Micah Morgan, Ivan Kuzmin, William de Carion, Ezra Wilkinson, James Powell, Everett Powell, Eric Lickwar.
Commemorations from the past week:
Luciana Wilkinson’s Name Day; Subdeacon Romanos Wren’s Birthday – Monday, December 26th.
Fr. John Whiteford and Elijah West’s Birthday – Tuesday, December 27th.
Tiffany Yates’ Name day & Juliana Wilkinson’s Birthday – Thursday, December 29th.
Danielle Hirsch & Daniel Companik Name day; Rdr Gabriel Peña’s Birthday – Friday, December 30th.
Jessica Kravtsov, Levi Walling, Rachel Burns, Rebecca Liepman, Abigail Morgan, Esther Morgan, Maleiah Morgan, Rebekah Edith Peña, Ezra Wilkinson, Ruth Rafaelano, Rebecca Rodionov, Benjamin Rodionov, Abigail Rodionov, Rebecca Jackson, Abby (Ruth) Hall, Rachel Gutzke, Rachel Burns, Sarah Carlisle, Jesse Kuykendall, Matushka Sara Shephard, Jesse Mussa, Noah Charytoniuk, and Aglaya Baranov’s Name day – Sunday, January 1st.
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; 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, Rdr. Joshua Gonzales, Lisa (Euphemia) Bornejko, and Dennis Tilley, who are ill.
For Nikolai, who is struggling.
For the safety and salvation of those in Kiev: Vladimir, Yelena, Tatiana, Soldier Alexei, Maria, Ivan, and Artem.
For the newly reposed Bishop Evtikhy (Kurochkin), Anna Ibrahim, and those slain in the violence in Ukraine, Russia, and Syria.
Expectant Mothers:
Diakonissa Sarah Shephard, Katie Powell, Ashley (Mary) Richards, Laura Ibañez, Elizabeth de Carion, Elizabeth Albarran, and Anja Peña.
Catechumens:
Annie Nowak, Jennifer Diaz, Howard Segal, Ryan Thomas, Alyson Good, Vanessa Canterbury, Deborah and Alexander Gessell, Steven Villarreal, Robert Smith, Victoria Smith, Cory Messner, Jase Brazzil, Cyprian Corey Patin Sr., Melissa Robillard, John Robillard, Jose de la Rosa, and Daniel Sommer.
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, and Linda Ballentine who are ill.
For 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 child Riley Faith.
For the newly reposed Teodoro Regis (Piotr Fraczek’s Cousin).
If you have prayer requests you would like announced, please e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Sunday School:
Toddlers (2-3): Mat. Genevieve Companik.
Children, Age 4-6: Taught by Iryna Chebotko.
Children, Age 7-9: Taught by Mat. Sara Shephard.
Children, Age 9-12: Taught by Matushka Patricia Whiteford.
Teens and Adults: Taught by Tikhon Pino.
The Schedule for November 2022 through January 2023:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/november22-january23.htm
The Schedule for February and Great Lent 2023:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/lent2023.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, January 2nd; Tuesday, January 3rd; and Thursday, January 5th, wine, and oil are permitted. Wednesday, January 4th, is a normal fast day. On Saturday, January 7th we break the fast, and do not fast again until Wednesday, January 18th.
Click here for Miscellaneous Items of Interest.
St. Jonah Orthodox Church
2910 Spring Cypress Rd, Spring, TX 77388
www.saintjonah.org
281-467-0264
