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Pentecost Celebration Sunday
The Rev. T. Stewart Lucas
It’s been a joy-filled, spirit-filled week at Holy Innocents with 97 children here each day for our amazing Vacation Bible School, "Road Trip: On the Go with God." On Sunday, our kids will sing their VBS theme song at the 10:15 AM service, and I’ll preach on the gift of the Holy Spirit moving in and through our community.
We’ll also share an update about another Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church in Parmelee, South Dakota, where arson destroyed their church building. At the Adult Forum, Dave Stockert and I will invite you to consider how we might help them rebuild.
And… I’m introducing a pilgrimage to Germany in April 2026, where we’ll follow in the footsteps of Luther, Bach, and Bonhoeffer. Scroll down for details and let me know if you're interested!
Wear your Pentecost reds (or oranges or yellows!) and stay after the service for a festive cookout—BBQ, hot dogs, ice cream sandwiches. Bring your favorite side dish to share.
The Spirit is alive and well around here. Come and see!
Peace,
Stewart+
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Funeral Planning Resources
If you missed Sunday's presentation, please find our funeral planning workbook and Holy Innocents' Memorial Garden and Columbarium burial options on our website here: https://holyinnocents.org/funerals/. Contact Melody McNeil with any questions.
Summer Adult Forum Series | Sundays at 9:00 AM | Inglett Hall
June 8 – Building Relationships with Holy Innocents in Parmalee, SD
Join Stewart and Dave Stockert for a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Lauren Stanley, Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota. Rev. Stanley will share the story of the October 2023 arson fire that destroyed Holy Innocents Episcopal Church on the Rosebud Reservation, and its impact on the community. The church is currently undergoing reconstruction, but insurance proceeds won’t cover certain improvements that enhance the building's utility for the entire community. Come learn about one of our namesake churches and its people, and how we might be of help and start to build a longer-term relationship.
June 15 - Am I Savior or a Servant?
Rosalyn and Chris Devine lead our conversation with a talk by Sister Theresa Sullivan on the profound impact of serving others, emphasizing that it's not just an obligation but a gift. Seeing service as a privilege, rather than a burden, can transform the way we approach helping others. The responsibility that comes with caring for those around us requires effort, empathy, and sometimes sacrifice.
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HIYA: Health & Wholeness Bible Study | Sundays in June, 11:30 AM
This June, we’re creating space for honest conversation and deep reflection as we gather for a Bible study series rooted in The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. Each week, we’ll explore how trauma shapes the body, mind, and soul—and how Scripture invites us into healing, restoration, and peace.
Whether you’re carrying old wounds, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about the intersection of faith and emotional health, you are welcome. We’ll read, reflect, and process together in a space that’s safe, grace-filled, and grounded in truth. Bring your book, your questions, and an open heart.
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WOHI: Mahjong Night
June 6, 6:30-9:00 PM
It’s game night! Mahjong is a tile trading game akin to Rummy or Bridge that’s having a revival in Atlanta. Come learn to play mahjong Friday, June 6th. No experience needed - beginners will learn from Casey Freedman, an experienced mahjong instructor. If you already know mahjong (even if you’re a beginner), join us to play a few games.
Cost is $65 for the lesson with Casey and your own Mahjong card. Free for experienced players.
Please note in your rsvp whether you are signing up to learn or to play, and whether you’ll bring your own tiles and mahjong card (for players). Snacks will be provided; please bring your own beverage of choice.
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Habitat for Humanity Build
June 7-August 2, 7:30 AM-3:30 PM
Holy Innocents’ is once again joining forces with seven other Atlanta-area churches to sponsor Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s Summer Faith Build! This year’s build days are Saturdays—June 7, 21, 28, July 12, 19, 26, and August 2—from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. All adult parishioners and teens 16+ are invited to serve (no skills required!) as we help an Atlanta family achieve affordable homeownership. Holy Innocents’ has 6 volunteer spots on June 7 and 4 on each following Saturday. Volunteers must register individually online; registration closes at 7:30 AM the Thursday before each build day. Youth volunteers (ages 16–17) must bring a printed waiver signed by a parent or guardian. If all slots are full when you register, you’ll be added to a waitlist and notified if a spot opens. Visit our website for full details and to sign up!
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Reading Connections
June 9, 6:00 PM
The Women’s Reading Connections will meet on Monday, June 9 at 6:00 PM in Inglett Hall, Room C. This month we are reading The Women by Kristin Hannah. The novel is set in the 1960’s and 1970’s and tells a story about love, sacrifice, and the courage of women who served during the Vietnam War—only to be forgotten when they returned home. This is a story of resilience, friendship, and the enduring fight to be seen and remembered. Contact Michelle Driscoll (dris1296@yahoo.com)
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Third Friday: Men of HI
June 20
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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Unknown Donations
We’ve received unidentified donations from Fidelity Brokerage Services. If you have any information regarding these gifts or believe they may be connected to your efforts, please reach out directly to Caroline (cfleming@holyinnocents.org) for
further coordination.
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Men's Dinner and a Book
July 8, 6:30-9:00 PM
The next Men's Dinner and a Book is Tuesday, July 8 at 6:30 pm and the book is The Spy and The Traitor by Ben Macintyre. Joe Nuzzaco 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.
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Church of the Common Ground
July 20
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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Pilgrimage to Germany
From Reformation Roots to Musical Heights
A Pilgrimage of Faith and Witness
with Luther, Bach, and Bonhoeffer
April 8-16, 2026
See the trip brochure here.
Join 20 pilgrims from Holy Innocents and 20 from Holy Trinity Lutheran (Hickory, NC) for a joint pilgrimage through Germany, co-led by Vicar Stewart Lucas and Lutheran Deacon Mitzi Budde. We’ll follow in the footsteps of Luther, Bach, and Bonhoeffer, traveling from the printing presses of Mainz to the music halls of Leipzig and the memorials of Berlin, reflecting on faith, justice, creativity, and community.
This Episcopal-Lutheran journey will deepen our connection to God and one another through worship, shared meals, and meaningful conversation. An optional Prague extension is available from April 16 to 19.
Let Stewart know if you're interested and join us for an informational meeting on June 22 in Inglett Hall. Registration for 20 Holy Innocents pilgrims opens at noon on June 25 (first come, first served).
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Welcome Back, Bill!
August 16, 6:00 PM
Let’s give Bill a warm welcome home from his sabbatical with a festive Low Country Boil on Saturday, August 16 at 6:00 PM in the Parish Hall—adults only this time! The kids will have their turn with the Backpack Blessing and Foam Party the week before, so this evening is just for the grown-ups to relax, reconnect, and celebrate. Want to lend a hand with setup, cooking, or clean-up? Contact Jenny Cantrell—we’d love your help!
Contact Jenny Cantrell | jpcantrell@pittman-construction.com
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The Community of Hope will be offering a regional zoom training beginning Sunday, August 3rd. Community of Hope is an international organization, based on Benedictine spirituality, which equips people to participate in pastoral care.
Through ongoing spiritual formation and practical lessons on caregiving, members learn to align theological insights and spiritual practices with their experiences of ministering to others and giving spiritual care.
Pastoral care is when a person is being “present” in a listening, compassionate, non-controlling manner for the purpose of responding to their spiritual needs.
Training sessions will take place weekly on Sunday afternoons for 12 weeks, with an additional Saturday session.
For those who have completed training and decide to move forward in the parish with pastoral care ministry, we gather monthly as the Circle of Care on Monday nights for worship, continuing education, and spiritual support.
Please contact Karen Calhoun (kncalhoun@yahoo.com) or Craig Wilson (crwilson01@gmail.com) if you are interested in understanding more about the group; contact Ruth Pattison (rpattison@holyinnocents.org) if you would like to discuss the discernment process for participation in the upcoming training.
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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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