Memory eternal, Fr. John Winfrey!

Christ is risen!

It was with great sadness, but also hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, who has conquered death, that we learned of the sudden falling asleep of Fr. John Winfrey from a heart attack.

Fr. John was the priest of St. Katherine Antiochian Orthodox Church, a new mission that he started just a few years ago. Before that, he was the pastor for well over a decade at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, MI, and had served numerous other parishes before that. Everywhere he served, he will be remembered and missed greatly.

Fr. John was a man of deep faith in Christ and had a deep love for His Church and for the faithful Christians God had put in his pastoral care. In addition to his parish ministry, he also worked hard at putting together liturgical books for the Antiochian Archdiocese, with great skill and attention.

He was also a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. And it's for them that we want to be thinking right now, to help provide for them and comfort them in the midst of this tragic, unexpected loss.

By leaving his established parish to start a mission parish, Fr. John sacrificed much of his own financial security. He was a hard worker, though, taking on other jobs on the side to provide for his family.

Now, with his sudden death, it is for us, all of those who Fr. John has ministered to, helped, guided, encouraged, served, befriended, and loved over the years, to honor his memory by showing love to Kh. Beverly and their whole family. Please consider donating so that they don't have to worry about funeral expenses and so that Kh. Bev has a financial cushion to get her through the next while as she adjusts to the loss of her husband and best friend.

Christ is risen!!