March 29th, 2026
Stump the Priest: “What is the understanding of the Church on Matthew 27:46? I have done some research myself and I have seen everything from the idea that Christ was abandoned by the Father, to arguments that Christ was not abandoned, nor was He distressed, but was proclaiming that in this darkest hour, so to speak, the Father is still with Him.” 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: Synaxarion.
Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:
https://www.saintjonah.org/bltn/lent5.pdf
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, March 29th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_lent5_t1.htm
Propers for the Wednesday Presanctified Liturgy (Wednesday, April 1st):
https://www.saintjonah.org/presanct/presanct_w6.htm
Propers for Lazarus Saturday (Saturday, April 4th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_lazarus.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:
| Wednesday, April 1st | 9:00 a.m. Presanctified Liturgy |
| Friday, April 3rd | 6:30 p.m. Matins for Lazarus Saturday |
| Saturday, April 4th | 8:00 a.m. Baptism
9:00 a.m. Liturgy for Lazarus Saturday 5:00 p.m. Vigil for Palm Sunday |
| Sunday, April 5th | 9:00 a.m. Hours and Liturgy for Palm Sunday
1:00 p.m. Bridegroom Matins |
Announcements
We will be taking special collections on all of the Sundays of Lent to help with the costs of necessary restoration work on the Synod headquarters in Manhattan.
Summer Camp: Registration is now open for the St. Jonah Summer Teen Camp in Denton, TX, running from Monday, June 8th, to Saturday, June 13th. All teens ages 11–18 are invited to join for a week of fellowship and fun activities. The registration fee is $350; if your family requires financial assistance, please reach out to Fr. John or Svetlana regarding scholarships. Visit stjonahcamp.org to register and view program details. See photos from our recent winter session here.
Our next Bible Study will be held on Tuesday, March 31st, at 7:00 p.m. We will be continuing with our study of the Book of Leviticus, beginning with Leviticus 21:10 through Chapter 23. You can catch up on previous sessions by clicking here. This Bible Study will be held only via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/ztj-ngvv-sie
Mother Barbara is 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 on April 2nd; April 16th, and concluding April 23rd from 7-8 pm Thursday evenings. The group will also be sponsoring Trapeza and April 26th, the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 2nd. Pick up a copy from our bookstore. Contact: Mother Barbara Watts 719 207-1055. https://classroom.google.com/c/ODE4ODQ0NjQ2MDkx?cjc=q4qmmlvu
The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, April 18th, at 9:00 a.m.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Thursday, April 23rd, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/jsb-gpzj-zdh
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, March 29th.
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, April 2nd, at 7:00 p.m., via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/uqq-bvwv-aur
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, April 24th, via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/kpj-xucg-kgu
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 February 2026):
Tithes: $41,050.10
Building Fund: $6,200.12
For February 2026:
Tithes: $13,963.68
Building Fund: $2,483.79
Average Monthly Expenses $19,840
Recommended Reading for the week:
You can read “ROCOR Weighs Canonization of Its First U.S.-Born Saint,” by Dmitry Zlodorev, here:
https://uoj.news/news/86809-exclusive-rocor-weighs-canonization-of-its-first-us-born-saint
Recommended Listening for the week:
You can the listen to the Sermon “We should never despair of our salvation,” by Fr. John Whiteford, here:
https://www.saintjonah.org/podcasts/sermons/donotdespair.mp3
Rotations
Trapeza:
This Sunday: 3/29/26 (Fast: wine and oil permitted): The Whiteford, Crain, Albarran, and Herghelegiu families.
Next Sunday: 4/5/26 (Fast: fish, wine and oil permitted): The Ely, Krutov, Marushkin, and Jelinek families.
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 3/28/26 – Team Eugenia
Next (Ending on): 4/11/26 – Team Nation
Vigil Readers:
This Saturday: 3/28/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & Michael Mahoney.
Next Saturday: 4/4/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & John Mullins.
Liturgy Readers:
This Sunday: 3/29/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & Michael Mahoney.
Next Sunday: 4/5/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & John Mullins.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 3/29/26: Team B: Alex Kettner, Andrew Kettner, Ivan Kuzmin, Ezra Wilkinson, John West, and Mason Boren.
Next Sunday: 4/5/26: Team C: Mathieu Powell, Seraphim Powell, Constantine Powell, William De Carion, Luka Chrisanthus, and Michael Chrisanthus.
Commemorations from the past week:
Galina Lay’s Name day – Monday, March 23rd.
Tiergan (Basil) Daniel’s Birthday – Tuesday, March 24th.
Mary & Zachery Kuykendall’s wedding anniversary; Natasha Gulden, Alexander Liepman, Jesse Kuykendall & Piotr Galitzine’s birthday – Wednesday, March 25th.
Riad (Gabriel) Chalhoub’s Birthday – Thursday, March 26th.
Lydia West and Ezekiel Wilkinson’s Birthday – Saturday, March 28th.
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; Archpriest George Johnson; Priest Benigno Pardo; Deacon Vladimir Trussin; Deacon Jorge Luque-Martin; Deacon James Hall; 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, Dimitri, Christina, Juliana Blazek, Maria (Nicole) Murphy, Matushka Kara (Mary Magdalene) Hall, Abby (Ruth) Hall, Thekla (Dounya), Panayiotis (Peter) Lardas, 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: Patriarch Ilia; Archpriest George Johnson, and those slain in the fighting in Ukraine, Russia, Syria, and the Holy Land.
Expectant Mothers:
Lydia Martin, Rachel Sisco, Helen Cantao, Callandra Maldonado, Emilia Herghelegiu, and Nina Bernardi.
Catechumens:
Savita Bhatti; Jessica Palmer; Nolan (Silouan) Boe, Nicholas Bruschi; Kristofer Sean Hutter; John Ryan Levy; 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; Zoe Michelle Lewis; James and Case (Cassian) Cammack; Caleb Mendez; Travis and Alisa Harris; Christian Chacon; Michael and Grace Venegas; Danielle Meese; Peter Demny, Jon Daniels, Juan Rodriguez, Andrew Skellie, and Alejandro Najera.
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, Liam, 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
Schedule for Bright Week through July 2026:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/april-july2026.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, March 30th; Thursday, April 2nd; and Saturday, April 4th 28th; wine and oil are permitted. Tuesday, March 31st; Wednesday, April 1st; and Friday, April 3rd, are normal fast days. On Sunday, April 5th, fish, 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
