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Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
December 15
We warmly invite you to a joint service with Our Lady of Guadalupe. Join us at 10:15 AM for a special bilingual service that unites our diverse community in worship and fellowship. After the service, stay for an Agape Potluck Lunch, a celebration of the rich culinary traditions that make our congregation so unique. Bring a traditional dish representing your cultural heritage or a cherished family recipe to share as we come together in unity, joy, and gratitude.
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FOMA: Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus
December 15, 4:30 PM
The three performances of the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus (AGMC) concerts at the Cathedral of St. Philip are sold out. The AGMC are now directing all traffic to Holy Innocents. They are singing at Ponce City Market this Friday and will be further directing people interested in coming to attend the concert here this Sunday as well. We are expecting a full house. We have a wonderful opportunity to greet and welcome many who will likely be with us for the first time. Doors will open at 4:00 PM; the concert is at 4:30 PM.
They are bringing their full chorus — all 148 of them. Be ready for a truly fun and exciting show!
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Grief and Grace
Nothing prepares you for waves of grief during the holidays. One minute everything is fine. There is the soft glow of the Christmas tree, the warmth of the fireplace, the good food, and the perfectly purchased presents that are getting wrapped and beautifully placed under the tree when all of the sudden you feel a swift punch to the gut. All of these things are so perfect but there’s someone not here who should be and you would trade every bit of creaturely comfort for just one more hug. One more moment in their presence, one sound of their voice. One touch of the hand. Anything, just one more chance to say I love you and life isn’t the same without you. Your knees buckle and you don’t know how you will go on. The decorations and the joy of the holiday almost becomes too much to bear. It’s just not right and nothing can make it right.
If that’s you this holiday season know that you are not alone. Scripture and the lives of the saints are full of stories of humans wrestling with grief and loss of all different kinds. In the midst of that they experience the incredible peace and presence of God but it doesn’t erase the pain and suffering. There is always space for both. I tell the kids in chapel every week that the mystery of Christmas is that the all-powerful God of the universe decided to come to earth as a baby. Not a king or a wealthy person with a lot of power but as a baby in a poor family. No one is more dependent on others than a baby. Then with his life, Jesus goes on to show us that loving others is the most important thing that we do in our lifetime. And when we lose those that we love it leaves a mark. Just like the resurrected Christ had marks on his body. The resurrection didn’t erase the pain and suffering.
This Sunday we will celebrate a saint who is revered for her companionship to those who are suffering. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary, the mother of Jesus, who miraculously appeared to a Native American in the 16th century has inspired centuries of pilgrimages and miracles to those who have sought through her God’s companionship in human suffering. When Our Lady of Guadalupe asked Juan Diego to build her chapel, she said “Here I will hear their weeping, their sorrow…”. In this way and in many other ways, God has already provided for the grief of human life and even experienced it with us. I hope that you can join us this Sunday for a special time in worship honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe.
With love in Christ,
Renee Stephens
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Marycelis & Trey's Ordination
December 14, 2:00-3:30 PM
By the grace of God, Bishop Wright will ordain Travion Davis and Marycelis Otero to the Sacred Order of Deacons.
All are welcome via live stream and in person at St. Philip's Cathedral.
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An Unexpected Guide
to Human Nature & Happiness
Join the Rev. John Porter and Rev. Dr. Bill Murray each week at 9:00 AM in Inglett Hall as they lead conversations filled with quotes and ideas from thinkers like Thomas Jefferson, Adam Smith, the French Enlightenment as well as Jesus, the prophets, and a long line of Christian thinkers. Class resumes tomorrow with the topic Know Thyself.
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Directory Photos
As part of our ongoing work to update our directory, we are excited to offer opportunities to update your directory photo. On December 8th, and 15th, stop by our photo station in the Narthex with your family before or after the 10:15 service to snap a quick photo. You may also email your picture to be uploaded or upload it yourself through Realm. For questions contact Renee Stephens rstephens@holyinnocents.org.
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Christmas Flowers & Music
Help us create a beautiful and festive Christmas celebration! You may dedicate your gift In Memory of or In Thanksgiving for a loved one, with dedications included in the Christmas Eve bulletin.
To contribute, use this online form or pew envelopes by noon on December 16.
Contact Renee Stephens for more information.
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Pledge Update
Our stewardship campaign, Nurturing Faith and Cultivating Community, is making exciting progress! We’ve received $1,360,000 in pledges, which brings us to 88% of our $1.54 million goal. This generosity comes from 191 pledges, including 15 new ones—thank you!
If you’d like to discuss your pledge, please reach out to Bill or Stewart.
Visit our Giving Page today to learn more and make your pledge!
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Recharge, Connect, and Inspire:
Building Up Holy Innocents Together
This Presidents Day weekend, join us at Kanuga Conference Center in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina for a beloved parish tradition—a retreat that brings together all ages for a time of fellowship, games, singing, and connection. Whether you’re a new family just getting to know our community or a long-time member, this weekend is for you!
Our theme, “Encourage One Another and Build Each Other Up,” invites us to dream together about our church’s future, exploring how we can grow as a welcoming, supportive, and faith-filled community. Inspired by the Greek word oikodomeite, meaning “to build a home,” we will come together to encourage and care for one another as we envision our next chapter. There will be time for deep conversation, shared meals, laughter, and even a service project in the surrounding area, a chance to live out our call to support and strengthen others.
Come be a part of this special weekend as we embrace the spirit of 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Let’s make memories and build a strong foundation for the future!
We begin with dinner on Friday night and end after Eucharist with a buffet lunch on Sunday.
Click below to register.
$375 for a single
$575 for a double
Children and youth are free with a paid parent/guardian.
Our retreat leader will be The Rev. Daniel P. Strandlund, rector of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in High Point, NC. A 2015 graduate of the Seminary of the Southwest, Daniel has served churches in Alabama and Texas. He holds an MA in Systematic and Philosophical Theology and recently began a DPhil in theology at the University of Oxford. Daniel enjoys music, travel, exercise, and playing Dungeons & Dragons. He and his wife, Lucy, also a priest, live in Winston-Salem, NC, with their cat and a lively extended family of nieces, nephews, and godchildren.
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Third Friday: Men of HI
December 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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Reading Connections
January 13
Join us for our first meeting in 2025 at 6:00 PM on January 13. We meet in the small conference room by the chapel. If you’d like to curl up by the fire with the January selection, pick up a copy of Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.
Contact Michelle Driscoll | dris1296@yahoo.com
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Men’s Dinner and a Book
January 14
The next Men’s Dinner and a Book is Tuesday, January 14 at 6:30 pm and the book is The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson. Rolf Meinhold is hosting. If you would like to attend, please contact for Jeremy for details. All men at Holy Innocents are included and invited.
Contact Jeremy Webber | jhwwebber@gmail.com
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Club 45: Christmas Party
December 22, 9:00 AM
4th & 5th graders: Join us for a festive Club 45 Christmas Party on December 22 at 9:00am. Did you know that in 1965, astronauts played “Jingle Bells” on a harmonica in space? Well we won’t be playing harmonicas during our party but we will play some fun Christmas games and share some special treats. Bring your holiday spirit and get ready for a festive morning!
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Children’s Choir
December 22
Our Children's Choir will sing on Sunday, December 22nd as part of the 10:15 Lessons & Carols.
Rehearsals are ongoing in Sunday School and Children's Chapel; kids can join any time. We are so excited to give children this opportunity to share their joy. Contact Ms. Renee if you have any questions!
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Christmas Pageant
December 24
Mark your calendars for a wonderful afternoon as children retell the Nativity story! Children are rehearsing for the pageant in Sunday school and Children's Chapel, and we invite friends and guests to join in the fun anytime—no prior rehearsal is necessary!
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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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