Music at Holy Innocents

Dock Anderson, Director of Music

One of the great joys of being a church musician is finding music that helps us hear familiar words in a new way. Last Sunday, the choir sang my new setting of Just as I am, taking a text that many of us have known for much of our lives and hearing it clothed in new music. This Sunday, we continue that idea with Gerald Near’s setting of George Herbert’s King of Glory, King of Peace. Herbert’s words are nearly 400 years old, but they still speak beautifully to what we do each Sunday: we bring what we have—our voices, our hearts, our gratitude—and offer it back to God. I especially love Herbert’s final thought: “E’en eternity’s too short to extol thee.” There is something wonderfully humbling in that idea. No hymn we sing, no anthem the choir offers, and no lifetime of worship could ever exhaust our praise of God. Even eternity is not enough.

I’m also very excited about what is ahead for our Friends of Music Concert Series. This season we will welcome:

• Joe Alterman, jazz pianist, with other musical friends
• Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus
• Atlanta Women’s Chorus
• Atlanta Young Singers
• Christine Lyons, soprano
• Coro Vocati



I hope this series will become not only a wonderful part of the musical life of Holy Innocents, but also another way we can open our doors and welcome the wider community into this place. Brochures for the season are being produced now and will be sent to the congregation next month, so please watch for yours—and for ways that you can help support Friends of Music and make this exciting season possible.

Sunday Morning Formation


Come for breakfast, learning, and fellowship as we begin an exciting new season together. Bring the whole family—and invite a friend!

Here’s what’s coming up each Sunday at 9:00 AM in Inglett Hall:

August 23 — A Conversation with Dock Anderson

Bill will sit down with our new Director of Music as we hear more of his story, perhaps sing a little, and talk about our hopes and dreams for the music program at HIEC.

August 30 — Invite, Welcome, Connect

Emily Wilkerson, chair of the Welcome Team, will speak with Stewart for a conversation about the many new faces, especially the many young people, joining our community. What are we doing that is working? How can we do even better? How do we help newcomers become involved? And how can those of us who have been here forever do our part to meet them, so no one feels lost?

September 6 — Labor Day Weekend

It will be a surprise! (as in we haven’t decided yet…) 

September 13 — Episcopal School Sunday

HIES will provide its always-wonderful breakfast. Our forum will include religious education teachers from each division, along with Head Chaplain Dr. Stefanie Taylor. Lower School Chaplain Trey Davis will preach, and we’ll enjoy special music from the HIES chorus, instrumentalists, and our adult choir.

September 20 — Building and Renovation Update

Our Building and Renovation Team will update us on the work they have been doing this summer with our architects, led by Hank Houser. The Covenant Group will provide breakfast.

September 27 to November 1 — The Corinthians Conversation

A new six-week class led by Emory faculty begins. We’ll explore the issues faced by the church in Corinth and the Apostle Paul’s conversations with its members. Paul consistently returns to the “big picture”: the Corinthians’ embodiment of Jesus. We’ll also look to the emotional relationship between Paul and a church in crisis. Finally, we’ll ask how their conversation can offer support and guidance to the church today as we navigate the conflicts of the 21st century.

And there’s more! Beginning in September, we’ll also offer a Wednesday-night opportunity here at HIEC with friends from Sandy Springs United Methodist Church and Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church.

How to Read the Bible

Six Wednesdays, September 16–October 21

Fellowship at 6:30 PM, Class from 7:00–8:00 PM

The Rev. Larry Varghese, a Hebrew Bible doctoral student at Emory, will lead this six-week course. Larry is a phenomenal teacher with a gift for making biblical scholarship engaging and accessible.



The course will explore the various genres found in Scripture, the differences among English translations and how they came into existence, and the Scripture we have inherited. Blending biblical scholarship with the practical questions congregants commonly encounter, the class will equip us with tools for our own reading and study of the Bible.

Last Call for Directory Photos!

If you haven't taken or submitted an updated photo for the directory, please email your picture to Renee at rstephens@holyinnocents.org by Friday, August, 21, at Noon. To check your photo or ensure your contact info is up to date, log in to Realm or reach out to Renee for help.

Immigration Assistance Fund

We have established this fund to provide compassionate support for families in our Our Lady of Guadalupe community who are facing hardship due to immigration-related circumstances. Gifts may be used to assist with urgent needs such as rent, food, legal expenses, and other pastoral care as determined by Father Brito in consultation with the clergy.

To make an online gift, please use the link below. If giving by check, please make it payable to Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church and write "Immigration Fund" in the memo line.



Thank you for helping us care for our neighbors with compassion, dignity, and hope.

Sign up for Foyers!

Want to make new friends or renew acquaintances? Sign up for Foyers on the sign-up sheet at the Welcome Desk. The purpose of Foyers is to get to know fellow parishioners in a small group setting (which is usually a simple dinner). After the sign-up period is complete, groups of between 6 and 8 will be formed. Each group will have a starting host couple (or two singles) who will host the first dinner based on the availability of everyone in their group. At each get-together, plans for who will host the next are made and a date set. Everyone in the group is expected to host one dinner during the year. Since the fall is such a busy time, most groups won’t have their first get-together until the new year. Historically, Foyers met Sunday evenings, but each group can determine the best time for their dinners. A Foyers brochure with complete details is available at the Welcome Desk.  

Contact Phyllis Weisser | pcweisser@yahoo.com

Men of HI: Third Friday Breakfast

August 21, 7:30 AM

Enjoy warm hospitality, engaging discussions, and a fresh breakfast in the Frost Youth Center. Come for the conversation and stay for the fellowship.

Contact Charles Crosby | charles@corepm.net

Coffee for Parents of Young Children

August 30, 9:00-10:00 AM | The Parlor

Parents and caregivers of children aged 4 and under are invited to a cozy coffee hour to connect and get to know one another. This gathering is open to members, newcomers, and families baptized within the last three years. No agenda, just coffee, hot breakfast, conversation, and community.

Prayer Shawl

September 1, 7:00-8:30 PM • Parlor

The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers this fall to knit and crochet shawls that are given to those who are ill or grieving. Not working on a prayer shawl? Bring your needlepoint, cross-stitch, mending, or another project and enjoy an evening of crafting and conversation. All are welcome!

Contact Cammie Ives cammieives@gmail.com

Men of HI: Braves Game

September 13, 1:35 PM

Cheer on the Atlanta Braves with the Men of HI! Join us for an afternoon of baseball, fellowship, and fun at Truist Park. Tickets are $33 each, and space is limited to 30 participants. Reserve your spot today! Payments may be made online or by cash/check in the office. 

Church of the Common Ground 
Sandwich Build

September 27, 11:15 AM

Please join us in the Parish Hall tomorrow to make sandwiches for our unhoused siblings who worship in Woodruff Park weekly. If you would like to help deliver the lunches and worship with our friends, we will leave at 12:15 PM.

Contact Robin Hickey | hickeys5040@gmail.com

College Connection Deadline

September 16

Do you have a child in college who was once part of the HIEC Youth Group? We would love the opportunity to remind them that they are still a valued part of our community! We are putting together care packages to let them know they are loved, supported, and thought of while they are away at school.

Please send Megan Atkinson their updated mailing address, cell number, and any gift card preferences by September 16, and we will make sure they receive a little piece of home from HIEC!

Dollywood Trip

November 13-15

The youth group is heading to Dollywood November 13-15! All 6th-12th graders are invited for a weekend of fun and fellowship in Pigeon Forge, TN. The cost is $475 plus extra cash for fast food on the way there and back. We'll head to our beautiful Airbnb on Friday night, spend all day Saturday exploring the rides, and head back Sunday after a devotional. Friends are welcome to join us but must attend 3 youth group events before we depart.

Reading Connections

September 14, 6:00 PM

Women’s Reading Connections will gather on September 14, beginning with light refreshments at 6:00 PM and book discussion at 6:30 PM.



This month’s selection is Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, a sweeping story of love, loss, and the choices that shape our lives. When a figure from her past unexpectedly returns, Beth is forced to confront old feelings and long-buried secrets, setting in motion events that will change the lives of those around her.

Contact Michelle Driscoll

dris1296@yahoo.com

Men's Dinner & a Book

September 8, 6:30 PM

The next Men's Dinner and a Book is Tuesday, September 8 at 6:30 PM, and the book is Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention–and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari. Rolf Meinhold is hosting. We will be meeting at Holy Innocents Church. If you would like to attend, please contact Jeremy Webber for details. All men at Holy Innocents are included and invited.



Contact Jeremy Webber

jhwwebber@gmail.com

Click the video to watch last Sunday's service!

Realm Access

Realm is our database system, which allows us to communicate all of the things that the clergy and staff do behind the scenes to make Holy Innocents' our home. You are also now able to connect to your record with instant access to the directory, your giving, event registration, and more. To connect to your account:

• Email Renee Stephens at rstephens@holyinnocents.org for an invitation link.
• Create your password and remember it!
• Use your email address and password to log in through a browser or the Connect app

Connect app for iPhone: click here. Connect app for Android: click here.

Once you have your account access, update your contact information and upload a picture that will be used in the directory. Contact Renee for help. rstephens@holyinnocents.org

Pastoral Notes 

If someone is in the hospital, has died, or has some other pastoral emergency, please contact our clergy directly. Call the church office at 404-255-4023 and follow the prompts. This will connect you directly with the clergyperson on call. 

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