New Beginnings &

Deepening Our Connections with Church

My kids and I recently moved to be closer to the church. It's been an exciting and busy time, and it’s also a lot of work and a lot of change all at once, especially for my kids. Since the work of setting up our new home falls on me, I have lots of tasks to keep myself busy, and many days it has been easier for me to keep my hands and mind occupied than to sit still and be with my grief. It took me several days to realize that in doing this, I had also unknowingly been taking my presence away from my kids, who depend on me to help them work through their own grief.

I realized yet again that the most important thing in the world is our spiritual health—that little part of us that connects to God and to others. It’s easy to put this off “for later” because it’s the least concrete part of our lives. The physical demands of work, taking care of a home, and children, and pets—even just eating every day—demand our constant attention. It’s only when something happens that cuts away the earthly veil that we realize how little these things are compared to the greater spiritual reality of our soul’s journey. When your world is shaken, it becomes crystal clear that the only thing that matters is knowing God and knowing the promises of Scripture.

In seminary, they taught us to always read the Psalms so that we would always be reminded of the cycles of life. There are incredibly joyful times, there are incredibly difficult times, and everything in between. We experience with the psalmists all the language for our life experiences. I know what it means to say, “my tears have been my food day and night.” I also know what it means to say, “you have put gladness in my heart more than when grain and wine abound” (Psalm 42:3, Psalm 4:7).

The Church is here to be our support no matter what stage of life you are in. We are on this journey together, and we support each other in our sufferings and in our most joyous times, just like Paul writes to the Corinthians.

In an effort to provide each other with even more support and connection, we are rolling out the next part of our new database. We are sending out invitations from Realm to the email address that we have on file. When you click on the invitation, you will be able to create a password and then have instant access to all kinds of up-to-date information about Church events, volunteer opportunities, our church directory, and much more. We hope that this tool will provide another great way to connect and support each other in our spiritual journeys.

Renee Stephens

Director of Membership and Children's Ministry

Please let me know if you have any questions, and find out more on our website here.

Backpack Blessing and Picnic

August 11

Join us for a special Backpack Blessing and Picnic on August 11 during the 10:15 service! Bring your backpacks for a blessing to kick off the new school year with positivity and prayer. After the service, stay for a hamburger and hotdog picnic with your church family. It's a wonderful opportunity to come together, celebrate, and enjoy some summer fun. Don't forget to invite friends and family! We look forward to seeing you there.

Reading Connections

August 12



Reading Connections is the women’s book club! The book for August is Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pel. We meet at 6:00 PM in the conference room.

Contact Kathie Larkin | kathie.larkin@retired.paceacademy.org

Third Friday: Men of HI

August 16

Enjoy warm hospitality, engaging discussions, and a fresh sausage and biscuit breakfast. Come for the conversation and stay for the fellowship. 7:30 AM in the Frost Youth Center.



Contact Charles Crosby | charles@corepm.net

VG Opening: Nature Re-Imagined

August 22, 6:00-7:30 PM



Join us for our next gallery opening on August 22, from 6:00-7:30 PM. We are excited to showcase art by Anita Best Misel and Maryam Askaran! The exhibit will be displayed from August 22 to October 7.

Parent Party at Bill's

August 22



We would love all parents of Pre-K-12th grade students to join us for a fun gathering at Rev. Bill's house on Thursday, August 22nd. We will have dinner and drinks and enjoy getting to know each other as the new school year begins! Please RSVP by August 16.

EfM Registration

September 3

Education for Ministry is a four-year adult Christian formation program by the University of the South (Sewanee). It delves into the Holy Scriptures, Church history, and theology, helping us understand our relationship with God, neighbor, and creation. Our EfM group meets every Tuesday from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM, September 3 through May 27, both in-person and via Zoom. The vibrant community engages in stimulating weekly discussions. Registration is open until August 13. Tuition applies; scholarships are available.



Contact Lin Stradley | lstradley@gmail.com (404) 233-3155

Contact Nicole Yarsawich | cole.yarsawich@gmail.com

Episcopal School Sunday

September 8



Join us for Episcopal School Sunday on September 8, as we celebrate the 65th anniversary of HIES's founding. We will unveil the portrait of the Rev. Hugh Saussy, and breakfast will be provided by the school at 8:45 AM.

Men of HI: Braves Game 

September 8, 1:35 PM



Join the Men of Holy Innocents for an exciting Braves game with shaded, first-base seating! Tickets are $25 each. Purchase tickets by August 25.

It’s a perfect chance to enjoy a great game and fellowship! Contact Bill Clark for more information. 

Contact Bill Clark | dandbclark@comcast.net

Men's Dinner and a Book

September 10, 6:30 PM



The next book is The Women by Kristin Hannah.  Ham Henson is hosting. If you would like to attend, please contact Jeremy Webber at jhwwebber@gmail.com for details. All men at Holy Innocents are included and invited.

Ministry Fair

September 15



There are numerous groups where you can worship, connect, and serve! During Formation time, Inglett Hall will be transformed into a Ministry Fair where each group will have a booth and you can learn more about ways to get involved at the church. We are enthusiastic about our ongoing growth and community involvement, and we invite you to join us on this journey.

Church of the Common Ground

September 22

HI will be packing 80+ lunches for our unhoused brothers and sisters who attend Church of the Common Ground in Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta. Please join us in Parish Hall after the 10:15 AM service to help make sandwiches and assemble lunch bags. An additional part of our outreach is to worship with the men and women of CCG at their 1:00 PM service in Woodruff Park. 



Contact Robin Hickey | hickeys5040@gmail.com | churchofthecommonground.org. 

HIYA: Braves Games

September 27, 7:20

Batter up! Holy Innocents’ Young Adults are going to the Braves game on 9/27, 7:20 PM game. Meet at the church if you want to carpool! Tickets are discounted to only $10 each. 

Contact Megan Atkinson | matkinson@holyinnocents.org

Iconography Workshop

October 6-11



Join us in writing an icon! No previous experience is needed. Just a desire to try to push paint around and enjoy the process! This year, we will be painting the icon of Jonah. Jonah may well be the perfect prophet for this moment as we think and pray on our election, our nation, and our world. Where is God in all of this? Where is Jonah? Where are we?

Noted iconographer Mary Jane Miller will be joining us again and leading us in prayer, reflection, and conversation around this unique icon of faith. The class is open to all but limited to 15.  

Youth Group: Games

August 18, 4:00-6:00 PM



It's our first youth group gathering of the school year! All rising 6th-12th graders are invited to join us as we enjoy a taco bar, learn a new spiritual practice, and play hilarious water games! This year, our youth group will focus on missional spirituality and practices that can bring them closer to God. You won't want to miss it! Don't forget to bring a friend and a towel!

Acolyte Training

August 25



Have you ever wanted to serve as an acolyte? We invite all 5th-12th grade students to register as an acolyte this school year! Training will take place every Sunday morning from 8:45-9:15 AM starting August 25th through the month of September. Please sign up for a training date (only one is necessary) if you are interested. All current and new acolytes must participate.

GLOW

September 11, 6:00–7:00 PM



Come and GLOW with us for our first meeting of the year. Our kids are offered seemingly endless opportunities for activities and stimulation. Let’s take a step back and see how we can renew our strength through spiritual disciplines. Kids, PreK-5th grade, will learn four easy spiritual disciplines that we will practice all year long. PLUS hang out with friends, share a snack, and make your very own scripture jar to take home! 

Click above to watch Ruth's sermon from last Sunday!

Pastoral Notes 

If someone is in the hospital, has died, or has some other pastoral emergency, we hope you will contact our clergy directly. Please call the church office at 410-255-4023 and follow the prompts. This will connect you directly with the clergyperson on call for the week. 

If you have joys to share, new births, grandbabies, graduations, or job announcements, we will gladly share them in our weekly Hi-Lights email if you send a note to communications@holyinnocents.org

Warning about email scammers

When you receive an email from a Holy Innocents staff member, please check if the sender's email address ends with 'holyinnocents.org'. If it does not, it is likely not from us. Unfortunately, some individuals are attempting to scam various church members, posing as clergy and requesting gift cards. We never ask for money in this way. If someone claiming to be Bill, Stewart, Ruth, or another staff member contacts you, please let us know immediately. Report the email, block the sender, and delete the message. If you have any doubts, please give us a call.