Pastoral Note

Donne Kim Ellis died on Sunday at the age of 86 after an extended illness. Kim was a former member of the Church of the Atonement. He and his beloved wife Beth faithfully attended the 8:00 AM service. A memorial service for Kim will be held here in Christ Chapel this Friday, December 19, 2025, at 11:00 AM, after which the family will receive friends in Bishop Commons. Beth and her daughters, Keira and Kristin, are grateful for your prayers. An obituary can be found here.

Rest eternal, grant to him, O Lord. And let light perpetual shine upon him.

May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercies of God, rest in peace.

Weekly Pledge Update

We are especially delighted to have received 220 pledges totaling $1,525,000 so far. We are within reach of our $1.6 million goal. This is extraordinary.

Every gift—large or small—helps build this community of love and hope.

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Ruth's Reflection

The Rev. Ruth Pattison, Associate Rector



We know. About the dark.

We know the threatening darkness. We know the darkness that has overshadowed the whole earth. We know. About the dark. External and internal, global and local, communal or personal. Physical, soulful, and existential.

But it is Advent.

We defy the power of darkness with our wheel turned flat. The wheel, here in a candlestand at church, or on the kitchen table. Our Advent wreath that reminds to light the light. We are not the source of light and life, so we turn the wheel flat, where it cannot roll, it cannot drive, it cannot crank the hands of time. It stands – still. It lies, flat. Motionless. Quiet. And still. And we use it to enter the darkness and wait.

We defy the power of darkness by staying in it and going in deep. We join the ones who, Isaiah says, “dwell in a land of deep darkness.” It is Advent. It is in this season, with no small gathering of courage, that we immerse ourselves in this darkness. We go toward it, not away from it. We get inside the darkness. And fear rages in our hearts, but we go.

Because Jeremiah tells us a secret:

There is a root.

Deep down in that darkness, a root ~ that lives.

A shoot! That will spring forth, out of that darkness, a righteous branch that will spring up! A root. Unseen, growing and grounding beneath us, as we speak. It is happening, now, in the darkness of the earth, a winter solstice kind of darkness. “When earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone”, that kind of winter darkness. There, in the earth, where winter stalls in icy stillness, something is happening. Something is waiting to be born. A shoot, a branch, the root of Jesse, the stem of David. Under this quaking earth, inside the deep dark frozen soil, Peace. Equity. Justice. Righteousness. And Salvation.



I’m not ready for Christmas, but I am ready to do battle with darkness. I’ve got to make my list, and strategize for each day, one day at a time: What will I do today to do battle with darkness? What can I do to increase the light? How will I birth this Messiah, who is waiting to be born? This Branch of Jesse.

Advent IV ∙ December 21 ∙ Listen to the Angels Sing

As we move toward Christmas, our Festival of Lessons & Carols at the 10:15 AM service fills the Nave with soaring music from our choir and the timeless words that have steadied generations. Angels sing. Mary says yes. Hope takes on flesh. And just before the dawn breaks, the light we’ve been waiting for grows warm and bright among us. We’ll cover the Wise Men, the Flight into Egypt, and the Holy Innocents in the Adult Forum.

CHRISTMAS AT HOLY INNOCENTS

The Weary World Rejoices

This Christmas we celebrate the astonishing news that God comes to us in tenderness and glory, meets us in our weariness, and fills our world with unquenchable light. Joy and light break into every shadow.

10:00 AM ∙ December 24 ∙ Chapel

Quiet Christmas Eucharist

Begin Christmas Eve in peace before the busyness begins. A simple, beautiful service in Christ Chapel with communion, prayer, and organ.

3:00 PM ∙ December 24 ∙ Nave

Children’s Christmas Pageant

Our beloved, family-friendly pageant. Children may come 30 minutes early to dress as angels, shepherds, or animals and participate in the telling of the Christmas story. Holy Eucharist to follow. 

6:00 PM ∙ December 24 ∙ Nave

Festival Eucharist with Choir & Strings

A joyful and elegant Christmas celebration with full choir, organ, strings, carols, and communion. A favorite for families no longer in the pageant years.

9:00 PM ∙ December 24 ∙ Nave

Candlelight & Incense Festival Eucharist

A stunning, traditional Christmas liturgy with choir, strings, incense, carols, communion, and the beauty of candlelit worship.

10:00 AM ∙ December 25 ∙ Chapel

Christmas Day Eucharist  

A peaceful, reflective Christmas morning service in Christ Chapel with communion and the story of Christ’s birth.

John Cox became a member of Holy Innocents last year with a letter of transfer from St. Benedict’s Episcopal (Smyrna, GA), where he served on their Vestry during its founding years. He is active in the men’s group (MOHI, book dinners, retreat, etc.) and offers his support to other activities such as the Ventulett Gallery displays and outreach to Holy Comforter, Habitat for Humanity, and CAC drives. John’s career background lends experience in several ways, including renovation and refurbishing medium-sized construction projects. Recently at HIEC, he began the Education for Ministry (EfM) series, enrolling in the inaugural ‘wide angle’ curriculum. John has two grown sons with their own families (4 grandkids!) and enjoys golf, hiking, yoga, and an array of other interests. 

Graham Hurtt is married to Clara Hurtt and father to Madison (10) and Sadie (7). He is a managing director in the Technology and Services investment banking group at Raymond James, focusing on financial services end markets. Graham is an embarrassingly big fan of science fiction in all its forms and media, often to the chagrin of his family. In his free time, Graham can most often be found transporting the girls to sports and lessons or losing card and board games to the other members of his family. 

Sunni Newton has been a member of HIEC since 2011, along with her husband, Tommy Newton. They have two children, Boyd (13) and Rosie (10), and live in Buckhead. Sunni works as an education researcher at Georgia Tech, where she has been a student or an employee since 2001. At Holy Innocents, she serves as a Reader, a Greeter, and co-chief mahjong enthusiast. Her favorite free-time activities include reading, cooking, doing crossword puzzles, and playing with the best dog in the world, Lita, whom her family is fortunate to have adopted in 2023. She looks forward to being in the room where it happens on the Vestry. 

Jan Stewart has been an active member of Holy Innocents for 25+ years. She has volunteered her time in all areas of the church community during those 25 years, which included serving as past chair of the Altar and Flower Guilds and as a past Junior and Senior Warden. Currently, she is a team leader for both the Altar and Flower Guilds, a lay Eucharistic Minister, and a member of Community of Hope. She has exceptional finance (profit and non-profit) experience, a passion for outreach, and a commitment to pastoral care. She is the mother of three grown children, and although she continues to work full time she always finds the time for the community of Holy Innocents. She is honored to serve on the Vestry and looks forward to representing the community. 

Anna Blair Gates is a ninth grader at Marist School. She has been a member of HIEC since birth. She has grown up in the church nursery, attending Sunday school, singing in the children's choir, and enjoying youth activities. She has also been a VBS volunteer for the past several years. Anna Blair plays competitive soccer with Concorde Fire; she also runs cross country at Marist.

Mary Brooks McCrystal is a sophomore in high school at HIES and has been a member of HIEC since she was born. She has attended Sunday school regularly as a child and is an active participant in the youth group. She has attended the school since Kindergarten and is now participating in their football cheerleading, basketball, and lacrosse programs. Mary Brooks is also on the yearbook committee as well as many clubs such as HI Trees, HIES for CHOA, and Blood Cancer United.

Third Friday: Men of HI

December 19, 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

Prayer Shawl

January 6, 7:00-8:30 PM

Join us in the Parlor on Tuesday, January 6, 7:00–8:30 PM. We knit and crochet shawls for those in need, but bring any project—needlepoint, cross-stitch, even mending—and enjoy fellowship while you work.

Contact Cammie Ives | cammieives@gmail.com

Bucket List Book Club

January 6, 1:00 PM

The group is reading Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. We’ll meet at 1:00 PM in the Parlor room. All are welcome!

Contact Audrey Sumner audreysum4833@gmail.com

Men's Dinner and a Book

January 13, 6:30 PM

The next Men's Dinner and a Book is Tuesday, January 13 at 6:30 PM and the book is Devil in The White City by Erik Larson. John Cox is hosting. 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

We are pleased to welcome Bill Harkins once again as retreat leader for the 2026 Men of Holy Innocents' Retreat at Lake Logan Episcopal Center in the mountains of North Carolina, where our theme will be “Arete, Faith, and a Rule of Life for Connection Among Men.” Bill will serve as both facilitator and homilist, guiding us with the wisdom, depth, and grounded presence many of us have come to value over the years. Registration information will be available soon.

Contact John Harris harris4338@gmail.com | Charles Crosby charles@corepm.net

Click here 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