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Upcoming Adult Formation
Adult Forum Series | Sundays at 9:00 AM | Inglett Hall
- June 1 – Planning Your Own Service
The Rev. Stewart Lucas will lead a reflective session on planning your own funeral service, utilizing Holy Innocents’ updated Funeral Planning Booklet to select scriptures, hymns, and prayers that reflect your faith journey.
- June 8 – Building Relationships with Holy Innocents in Parmalee, SD
Please 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.
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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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Exhausted but Renewed: Finding Strength in the Weary Seasons
Megan Atkinson
Lately, I’ve been saying the same thing to my husband almost every morning: “I feel like I’m falling apart.”
Not in a dramatic or hopeless way- just honest. I’m a new mother to a beautiful 5-month-old baby, and while my heart is overflowing with love, my body and mind often feel like they’re running on fumes. The nights are short, the feedings are long, and the sleep is broken. My arms ache from rocking, my mind races with to-do lists, and my spirit sometimes feels just plain worn out. I know I’m not the only one feeling this way.
As a church family, many of us are arriving at the end of May deeply, deeply tired. The final weeks of the school year bring an avalanche of events: concerts, recitals, exams, awards nights, and graduation ceremonies. The days are longer, but the margins of our lives feel narrower. Even good things can be exhausting when there are too many of them. But now, summer is finally here. And I believe it’s more than just a break in the calendar. It’s an invitation to breathe deeply, to slow down, and to allow God to meet us in our weariness. Not with guilt, but with grace.
In 2 Corinthians 4:16, the apostle Paul offers a lifeline to anyone who feels like they’re running on empty:
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
There’s no sugarcoating in that verse. Paul admits that sometimes we feel like we’re falling apart physically. Sound familiar? But he goes on to say that even as our bodies are tired, our souls don’t have to be. God is still in the business of daily renewal. That doesn’t always mean everything gets easier or quieter overnight. For me, renewal looks like seeing my baby smile after a sleepless night. It looks like being reminded, in the middle of chaos, that this season, though exhausting, is sacred. God is present in the long nights and the endless diaper changes.
And for you, renewal might come in a moment of laughter with your children, a cup of coffee on a quiet porch, a walk outside, or a moment of unexpected peace. Whether you’re a parent, a grandparent, a student, or someone who just feels worn out by life, I want to remind you that God is not asking you to keep going in your own strength. He is offering to renew your spirit today, right now, if you will let Him. Summer isn’t just a season to escape from our schedules. It’s a season to return to God. To let go of what’s been draining us and lean into what restores us.
So if you’re tired- physically, emotionally, spiritually- remember that you’re not alone, and you’re not broken. You are loved. You are held. And you are being renewed. Day by day. Moment by moment. Grace upon grace.
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Support VBS – Donate or Volunteer!
Our VBS is powered by an incredible team of adult and youth volunteers who pour their hearts into making the week special. If you'd like to show your appreciation, we invite you to sign up to bring snacks to help keep them energized throughout the day. Sign up to bring snacks here:
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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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Dementia & Caregiving:
An Evening with Nancy Kriseman
June 2, 5:00-7:00 PM
Noted author and geriatric consultant Nancy Kriseman, LCSW, will be with us to discuss her book, Meaningful Connections: Positive Ways to Be Together When a Loved One Has Dementia, on Monday evening, June 2nd, from 5:00-7:00 PM. We will gather with snacks and beverages in the Narthex, and our speaker will begin at 5:30 PM. Our lay pastoral care team, The Community of Hope, is hosting this event and invites anyone in the parish and friends you might like to bring along. Please RSVP on Realm.
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Bucketlist Book Club
June 3, 1:00 PM
The next meeting is Tuesday, June 3, at 1:00 PM in the Parlor. The reading is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This book club is open to men and women.
Contact Audrey Sumner | audreysum4833@gmail.com
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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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Pentecost & Parish Picnic
June 8, 10:15 AM
Join us for a vibrant Pentecost service where we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. Wear your favorite red attire! After the service, join us for a parish picnic. We’ll provide BBQ & hot dogs. Those with last names beginning with A-L bring desserts, and last names beginning with M-Z are invited to bring sides and salads.
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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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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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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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VBS
June 2-6
Join Holy Innocents Episcopal Church for a very special Road Trip VBS June 2nd-6th! This year's VBS is based on Joshua 1:9, "The LORD your God is with you wherever you go." It reminds us that God's presence is always near no matter where the journey of life takes us. Kids will go on an exciting journey to discover new places, new friends, and new ways that we can discover God's goodness and presence everywhere. Open to rising Pre-K to rising 5th grade. Rising 6th grade and up are invited to serve as youth leaders. The cost is $85 with optional aftercare until 3:30 for an additional $85
| | Click here to watch last Sunday's service! | | |
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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