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Lord, please be with the rescue workers and keep them safe as they make heroic efforts in dangerous situations to rescue those in trouble.
Lord, please be with everyone waiting to be rescued, keep them safe, and bring help to them soon.
God, bless each and every person affected by this storm and surround them with Your love, protection, and angels.
Let them know there are millions of us out here praying for them and their loved ones. We give You all the praise and glory forever, Lord, and know that even in the darkest hours, You are always with us.
- Adapted from "Prayer for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina"
To donate or to seek assistance, please check out the Episcopal Relief & Development & the Red Cross.
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My yoke is easy…
Many choir members, and those who have been on parish retreats, know that I am the son of a Mennonite preacher. Like it or not, I learned and memorized a ton of scripture – mostly because it got our family a discount to bible camps based on how many bible verses I memorized. As comfortable as it is for me to navigate around the bible, my love for church music fostered my curiosity in pursuing a master’s in theology and/or liturgy. Obviously, music won that internal debate.
I was also straight and narrow in elementary school. It was the stereotypical oldest child, “Sean is a very kind and neat little boy, especially in written work.” However…come Sundays my siblings and I devised our own interpretations of hymns and scripture, as PK kids tend to do. Some of those interpretations landed us in trouble, and we still laugh about them to this day. Some were deliberate; some simply came from a lack of vocabulary. Matthew 11:29-30, dealing with “yoke,” is one good example: “Take my yoke upon you…and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
What eggs had to do with those verses perplexed me. I heard those verses often and they made no sense to me. Being from the Midwest, with many friends growing up in farming families, I eventually learned that a yoke (not yolk) is something to which two working creatures are tethered. It helps share the load and makes the work that much easier. You can probably picture it now: almost always shown in paintings as a single piece of brown wood, with two arches that go over each animal’s neck. Not only does it make the work less, but it also keeps the workers going in the same direction.
The choir is singing several harvest anthems this month. As I think back to my yoke days, and harvest anthems, it is not without coincidence that we find ourselves in the church’s harvest season = a time to gather and make the most of our resources. The yoke is an excellent metaphor for this season of plenty/stewardship: direction (guided by a rector’s overall vision and staff’s vision for their programs); working in tandem (as we all gather our resources toward a common overarching goal); and finally, the gathered harvest of our yoked efforts as we pledge those resources through stewardship.
May we all be richly blessed,
Dr. Sean Vogt
Director of Music
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Newcomers Dinner
October 3, 6:00-8:00 PM
Join the Holy Innocents’ Church Clergy, Vestry, and Welcome Team for a BBQ dinner while making new friends. Alex Allen is hosting!
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Matthew Dickerson, Dulcimer
October 6, 4:00 PM
Come and hear the unique Alpine sounds of the hammered dulcimer; played by virtuoso artist Matthew Dickerson, who tours regularly on the instrument. The hammered dulcimer is acquainted with many countries and regions, often heard at Bavarian, Swiss, and Austrian festivals as well as folk events in Hungary, and other Eastern European countries. The “sweet sounds” [dulcimer = sweet sounds (Greco-Roman origin)] will be perfect in the intimate acoustics of Christ Chapel. We hope you’ll join for this “sweet sounding” opportunity on Sunday, October 6 @ 4pm.
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Blessing of the Animals
October 6, 5:00 PM
Calling all pet owners! Our youth group and 4th-5th graders will be hosting this event and will provide tons of fun and fellowship for our pet families. We are also collecting old Halloween costumes for Agape Youth and Family Center, an organization that serves underserved children. Please bring your pet and your old costumes and join us October 6th!
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Men of HIEC Low Country Boil
October 6, 5:30 PM
Join the Men of HIEC for food, fellowship, and fun at our annual Low Country Boil on the banks of the Chattahoochee.
$30 per person, includes food and beverages
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Compact Wisdom Series
In August and September, we have studied the shortest books of the Bible. We have just a few more to go! Join us in exploring these compact yet powerful books, each offering unique insights into faith, perseverance, love, and redemption. This study will nurture our faith and grow our community as we break open the scriptures together.
October 3: The Rev. Ruth Pattison teaches us about the minor prophets.
October 10: Dave Stockert shares what he has gleaned from James.
October 17: The Revs. John Porter and Bill Murray will begin a class entitled Human Nature & Happiness.
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Iconography Workshop
October 7-11
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, daily from 9:00 AM-4:30 PM. The class is open to all but limited to 15, register online.
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Women of HI: Progressive Dinner
October 10
Due to the inclement weather, the dinner has been postponed. Please RSVP again if you can make it to the new date.
Let’s begin the year progressive dinner style! Each course will invite a new combination of dinner guests to the table with fun get-to-know-you conversations, to cultivate the depth and breadth of our relationships with one another. Bring a bottle of wine to add to the table, as you are able. Please RSVP.
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Foyers Sign Up
A Foyers group is a random collection of 8 people from church, who don’t already know each other, with the sole purpose of sharing a meal and getting acquainted. Foyers captures Holy Innocents’ fall theme of Nurturing Faith, Cultivating Community.
The meals are meant to be simple, inexpensive, and stress-free. For each dinner gathering, two participants co-host a meal.
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LaAmistad Needs Volunteers to Teach Basic ESL Classes October 7-December 18
LaAmistad returns to Holy Innocents offering adult immigrant students in our community the opportunity to improve their English fluency in its English for Successful Living (ESL) program. The curriculum focuses on the use of English for everyday situations, and volunteers are trained and mentored by experienced and certified ESL professionals. Speaking Spanish is not required; conversational English is the goal of this basic class. Classes run October 7-December 18, on Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm.
Contact Howard Clark | ghowardclark@gmail.com.
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Gallery Opening: Spaces&Places
October 17, 6:00-7:30 PM
Art lovers are invited to a special gallery opening showcasing the works of two remarkable artists, Susan Westmoreland and Sharmila Ghose Roy. Both artists bring unique perspectives to their art, drawing inspiration from nature, travel, and everyday life, but their approaches are as diverse as they are captivating.
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Third Friday: Men of HI
October 19
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
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Reading Connections
October 21
Readings Connections is the women’s book club!
The book for October is Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr. Join us at 6:00-7:30 PM in the conference room.
Contact Kathie Larkin | kathie.larkin@retired.paceacademy.org
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Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat
October 27th
Join us after 10:15 worship for an exciting Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat! Children and children at heart are invited to wear costumes to Sunday School and worship and then stay after for a Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat where we will enjoy some time of fellowship and celebrate the change of season. Enjoy chili and hotdogs, a petting zoo, train rides, and trunk or treat! We will have a cake completion so bring your favorite fall flavors!
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Men’s Dinner & A Book
November 12, 6:30 PM
The next Men’s Dinner and a Book is Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 pm and the book is The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann. John Harris is hosting at Jeremy Webber’s house. All men at Holy Innocents are included and invited.
Contact Jeremy Webber | jhwwebber@gmail.com
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Church of the Common Ground
November 17
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.
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Artist Call for Angels Among Us Exhibition at Ventulett Gallery
Ventulett Gallery is excited to announce an artist call for our upcoming show, Angels Among Us, on display from December 5 to January 13. We are seeking artists interested in showcasing their work alongside featured artist Judie Jacobs and friends. If you are inspired by themes of angels, spirituality, or the divine in everyday life, we encourage you to submit your artwork for consideration.
For more information or to express interest, please contact Caroline Fleming.
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Volunteer with the College Connection Program
The College Connection Program is a wonderful opportunity for our church community to support and encourage our college students during their time away from home. Volunteers in this program are paired with one or two college students and send small care packages three times a year to remind them that they are loved and cared for by their church family. Packages can include anything from gift cards and candy to personal notes of encouragement—whatever you feel will brighten their day.
With 31 college students currently enrolled, we are seeking several more volunteers to ensure each student is covered. Your involvement will make a significant impact and help us continue this important ministry of connection and support! Please contact Megan Atkinson if you would like to get involved.
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Buddy Bags
October 1-25
Our students will be collecting items during the month of October to create buddy bags for our unhoused friends. You can bring your items to church or use our Amazon Wishlist to have them shipped directly. The youth will assemble these bags and distribute them to our church members during the Fall Festival on October 27th to keep in their cars for those in need. You can use the link below to view our Amazon wishlist.
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GLOW
October 2
Come and GLOW with us as we continue our series about renewing our strength through spiritual disciplines. Kids will have fun discovering tools to use in their day to day lives to find respite from the constant demands of school and extracurriculars. Come hang out with friends, share a snack, and play some pumpkin games on October 2, 6:00- 7:00 PM. Kids ages PreK-5th grade.
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Youth Halloween Party
October 20
All 6th-12th graders are invited to a special youth group on October 20th from 4:00-7:00 PM. We will enjoy delicious Halloween treats, watch a spooky movie, and play some awesome Halloween games!
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HI Youth Basketball
November 17
It’s time for some fun with basketball! The Holy Innocents Youth Basketball, season is open for registration! All kids in grades 2-5 are welcome to join us.
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Click above to watch Bill's sermon from last Sunday! | |
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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
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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.
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