September 27th, 2026
   
Stump the Priest: Question: "What does the word "Gehenna" mean?"
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: Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Saints of the Day for Sunday and the coming week, and other edifying reading:

https://saintjonah.org/bltn/pent17.pdf

Propers for the Sunday Liturgy (Sunday, September 27th):

https://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_exaltation.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 3rd

10:00 a.m. New Waverly Liturgy

4:00 p.m. Panikhida

5:00 p.m. Vigil

Sunday, October 4th

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.

The Next Slavonic Liturgy we be on Saturday, September 26th, at 9:00 a.m.


The next Parish Council Meeting will be on Tuesday, September 29th, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Google Meets:
https://meet.google.com/yuo-qafj-wcg

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 3rd, 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, September 30th, at 7:00 p.m., via Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/sqi-mjsv-tap

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

Family Promise: St. Jonah will host meals for homeless families at Family Promise the week of September 28. See Hermione Turner if you would like to provide a meal.

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 listen to "Lecture 13: The Antichrist" by Fr. Seraphim (Rose), here:

https://saintkosmas.org/s/OrthodoxSurvivalCourse-Lecture13-FrSeraphimRose.pdf

Recommended Listening for the Coming Week:

You can the listen to the sermon "On the Exaltation of the Holy Cross," by Fr. John Whiteford, here:

http://www.saintjonah.org/podcasts/sermons/exaltationofthecross.mp3


Rotations

Trapeza:

This Sunday: 9/27/26 (Fast: wine and oil permitted): The Harris, Ibaņez, and Gonzalez families.

Next Sunday: 10/4/26 (No Fast): The Mahecha, Jelinek, and Daniel families.

Cleaning Teams:

Currently: (Ending on):
10/10/26 – Team Chebotko & Nation.

Next (Ending on): 10/24/26 – Team Jessica.

Vigil Readers:

This Saturday:
9/26/26: Rdr. Daniel Gonzelez.

Next Saturday: 10/3/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & Jonah Companik.

Liturgy Readers:

This Sunday:
9/27/26: Rdr. Daniel Gonzelez.

Next Sunday: 10/4/26: Rdr. Codratus Bornejko & Jonah Companik.

Servers (Not including Adult Servers):

This Sunday: 9/27/26: Team C: Mathieu Powell, Seraphim Powell, Constantine Powell, William and Jonathan De Carion, Luka Chrisanthus, and Michael Chrisanthus.

Next Sunday: 10/4/26: Team A: Jonah Companik, Daniel Companik, Jens Yates, John Turner, Alexander Mahecha, and Levi (Nicholas) Moreno.
  
Commemorations from the past week:

Elena Shaw’s Birthday; Lily (Maria) Lardas and Nicole Maria Murphy’s Name day – Monday, September 21st.

Annie Nowak, Anna Howard, Anna Dykukha, Ana Lickwar, & Diana Shepard’s Name day – Tuesday, September 22nd.

Michael & Kristina Crain’s Wedding Anniversary; Emily Munster & Jonathan de Carion’s Birthday; Forrest Risner’s Name Day – Thursday, September 24th.

Troy (Wenceslaus) Dollarhide’s Birthday – Sunday, September 27th.

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 Peņa, 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, John Ely, and
those slain in the fighting in Ukraine, Russia, Syria, and the Holy Land.

Expectant Mothers:
Emilia Herghelegiu, 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; 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, and Rebecca Hull.

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, 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, September 30th; Friday, October 2nd, 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