October 4th, 2026
Stump the Priest: Question: “What is the appropriate way for laypeople to use incense in prayer?” 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: Apodosis.
Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/pent18.pdf
Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, October 4th):
https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_september21_t1.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, October 10th | 10:00 a.m. Baptism
5:00 p.m. Vigil |
| Sunday, October 11th | 9:00 a.m. Hours and Liturgy |
Announcements
Altar Servers: All current and prospective Altar servers are asked to register via this link: https://forms.gle/JrZF7sWFSA1HdCBY6 Please list the names and ages of those who would like to server. For children, we ask the parents to fill this out. They must be at least 6 years old. Please fill out the form by September 20th so Fr. David Shepard can plan the next steps. On Saturday October 24th before vigil there will be mandatory training for existing and new servers. If your child does not attend he will not be added to the rotation. We don’t want to exclude anyone, but we want everything to be done decently and in order, as St. Paul tells us.
We will be blessing the marriage of Michael and Kristina Crain at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 4th.
The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, November 7th, at 9:00 a.m.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Tuesday, October 27th, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/cer-fqxi-grz
Choir: The next rehearsal will be held on October 10th, at 12 noon.
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.
Catechumen Classes during the second half of the Liturgy: Beginning October 4th, there will be catechism classes in the trapeza hall beginning after the litany and dismissal of the catechumens. This designed to supplement the catechumen meetings that we do via Google Meets. All catechumens are encouraged to attend. If you are a baptized Orthodox Christian and would like to assist in teaching a catechism class during the liturgy, please reach out to John Mullins.
Our next Catechumen Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 28th, at 7:00 p.m., via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/cgv-wcog-gao
To sign-up to be a presenter, click here: https://forms.gle/zKZeN8iQAk8Jbzdz6
Sisterhood News: The Next Sisterhood Meeting will be held on Friday, October 23rd, at 7:00 p.m., via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/aff-advc-ecg
Meal Trains: If you would like to request a meal train, for postpartum, illness, or etc., fill out the following form. Please only request meal trains for yourself and your family. https://forms.gle/quhW82fSQ71EpYYz5
Expectant Mothers: Please fill out the following survey, to help with baby shower planning. https://forms.gle/7xRVg48WBt7h1Q5D6
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 July 2026):
Tithes: $179,171.51
Building Fund: $20,367.32
For July 2026:
Tithes: $18,249.47
Building Fund: $3,837.99
Average Monthly Expenses $19,840
Recommended Reading for the Coming Week:
You read “The Orthodox World-View” by Fr. Seraphim (Rose), here:
https://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/rose_wv
Recommended Listening for the Coming Week:
You can the listen to the sermon “The Orthodox Worldview,” by Fr. Seraphim (Rose), here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2av5yLsboXFUV7t5KakyVj
Rotations
Trapeza:
This Sunday: 10/4/26 (No Fast): The Mahecha, Jelinek, and Daniel families.
Next Sunday: 10/11/26 (No Fast): The Beaudoin, Sieroschtanov, and Meissner families.
Cleaning Teams:
Currently: (Ending on): 10/10/26 – Team Chebotko & Nation.
Next (Ending on): 10/24/26 – Team Jessica.
Vigil Readers:
This Saturday: 10/3/26: Rdr. Moses Munster.
Next Saturday: 10/10/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & Jonah Companik.
Liturgy Readers:
This Sunday: 10/4/26: Rdr. Moses Munster.
Next Sunday: 10/11/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & Jonah Companik.
Servers (Not including Adult Servers):
This Sunday: 9/27/26: 10/4/26: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jens Yates, John Turner, Alexander Mahecha, and Levi (Nicholas) Moreno.
Next Sunday: 10/12/26: Team B: Alex Kettner, Andrew Kettner, Ivan Kuzmin, Ezra Wilkinson, John West, and Mason Boren.
Commemorations from the past week:
Caleb Greene, Edith Munster, Lyudmyla Solovey’s Name Day; Gabriel (Torin) Daniel and Eric Thomas Lickwar’s Birthday – Tuesday, September 29th.
Faith Simmons, Hope Vilcu-Craig, Vera Nation, Sophie Koulikova, Sophia Cynthia Hirsch, Sophie Bottiglieri, Vera & Sophia Yate’s Name day – Wednesday, September 30th.
Eli (Elias) Casler’s Birthday – Thursday, October 1st.
Konstantin Nicholas Galitzine Sierra’s Birthday; Fernando (Gabriel) & Julie (Julie-Ann) Maldonado’s Wedding Anniversary – Friday, October 2nd.
Gregory Carrow and Garrett (Maximus) Eidson’s Birthday – Saturday, October 3rd.
Joseph and Laura Sanchez Ibañez’s Wedding Anniversay; John Owen West, & Jared (Alexis) Hirsch’s Birthday; Dmitri Galitzine & Rdr. Kodratus Bornejko’s Name day – Sunday, October 4th.
If you have corrections or additions, e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Prayer Requests:
Orthodox:
For the Servants of God, Archpriest Andre Papkov; Priest Benigno Pardo; Deacon Vladimir Trussin; Deacon Jorge Luque-Martin; Deacon James Hall; Presbytera Sarah Trembley; Ann (Sonia) Shepherd; Subdeacon Romanos and Zoe Wren; Nun Haralambia, 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, 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, Matthew, John Lardas, Ella Pound, and the children Caison Elisabeth Kellam, Cassian Shepard, 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: Fr. Alexander Fecanin, George Vilcu, Cornelia, and those slain in the fighting in Ukraine, Russia, Syria, and the Holy Land.
Expectant Mothers:
Nina Bernardi, Magdalena Gore, Marina (Alisa) Harris, Faith Simmons, Emily Munster, Filofteia Fraczek, Emilia Mullins, Seraphima Smith, and Stephanie Dunn.
Catechumens:
Savita Bhatti; Jessica Palmer; John Ryan Levy; Moses (Grayson) Culton; Aaron Lockhart, Brody Buechner; Domanic Barras; Zoe Michelle Lewis; Caleb Mendez; Christian Chacon; Michael and Grace Venegas; Danielle Meese; Peter Demny, Jon Daniels, Juan Rodriguez, Andrew Skellie, Alejandro Najera, Lucy (Lulu) Berard, Charles Jones, Nolan Jones, Daniel Hoosier, Elijah Masick, Jeremiah Coonen, Maggie Stewart Webb, and Joel, Yeimi (Alicia), and Emiliana Jacques; Adele, Arturo Olmos, Corey Burns, Michelle Hipe, Jackline Mwangi, Katrina Yordy, Rebecca Hull, Andrew Plumley, Jackson Schoonover, Daniel Schoonover, Mark Williamson, Lucia and Jesse Alba.
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 and Barbara Rice, Tony Beavers, Steven Jimenez, Kara Mahand, Carla, Dorothy Daniel, Liam, Peter Hipe, Michelle Schunk, Gabe Kennedy, Janis Hall (Fr. James Hall’s mother), 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: Peter Hipe (Michelle Hipe’s father).
If you have prayer requests you would like announced, please e-mail frjohnwhiteford@gmail.com
Sunday School:
Children, Ages 2-3: Taught by Matushka Genevieve and Elizabeth Cline.
Children, Ages 4-6: Taught by Iryna Chebotko and Hermione Turner.
Children, Ages 7-9: Taught by Mat. Sara Shephard.
Children, Ages 10-12: Taught by Pablo Chong and Rosa Mahand.
Teens and Adults: Taught by Fr. John Whiteford.
Schedule for August through October 2026:
https://saintjonah.org/bltn/aug-oct2026.htm
You can also see our online parish calendar of events and services here:
https://saintjonah.org/calendar/
Fasting in the Coming week: On Wednesday, October 7th, wine, and oil is permitted. On Friday, October 9th, fish, wine, and oil is permitted.All other days are fast free.
Click here for Miscellaneous Items of Interest.
St. Jonah Orthodox Church
2910 Spring Cypress Rd, Spring, TX 77388
www.saintjonah.org
281-467-0264
