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Pastoral Note
With sadness we report the deaths of three of our members and friends of Holy Innocents.
Linda Faucette, former member of our Altar Guild, died in hospice care yesterday afternoon.
Pat Schneider, was a long time member of Holy Innocents. She died at her residence at Lynwood on Saturday evening.
The Rev. Deacon Christopher "Chris" Lemley died on Saturday, December 14. You can read his obituary here.
His funeral service will be held Friday, December 20 at 1:00 PM: St. Anne's Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Church of The Holy Comforter in East Atlanta here.
Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord;
And let light perpetual shine upon them.
May their souls, and the souls of all the departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with these families in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Nobel Fir
What a fluke!
As usual, we went on our Christmas tree pilgrimage well after the crowds were already home enjoying their festooned evergreens.
And, as usual, we swooned over the Noble Firs.
Noble Firs are quickly identifiable by their scraggly symmetry, with strong broad branches that spread flat horizontally, with great spans of trunk between the tiers.
They are few in number, only available at selective lots, and cost a fortune, in Georgia, after all, they are native to the Pacific Northwest. (Last year I tucked in my bottom lip and walked away from a magnificent $450 beaut!)
We moved on to a more affordable yet dependable location (which shall remain nameless). Lo and behold, there, leaning along the outer edge of the tent, a dozen Noble Firs!
At first inquiry, a young worker said they weren’t for sale because they were delivered by mistake. With more lingering, oohing and awing, a more seasoned worker said that while that was true in part, they were indeed for sale, at a one price fits all: $89 Any size! So, like noble Christmas bandits, we plucked an 11’ tree from the bunch, trimmed the trunk, bagged, paid, and got out quick, before we woke up from our delirium.
Finally strung with twinkling white lights, Benno and I fancied earlier generations who lit their trees with candles. We are guessing it’s just such a fir as this, with flat branches and wide-open spaces, that could allow such a high-risk ordeal of welcoming the light.
We also realized that lighting candles on a tree would necessarily be for a moment. A brief event of celebrating the light, peak adoration, and being mesmerized at the mystery of beauty. A moment.
In our culture, we are completely immersed in the light for a full season of spectacular light ups. Our experience is that of perpetual light, and we can miss the nuance of light as well as the grand drama.
As we inch our way toward the winter solstice, when deepest darkness takes over, Advent beckons us further into the dark to play with the shadows we cast and to do battle with darkness. We go, deep into the darkness, to catch the moment when light is born. Wait for it. Watch for it. You will see it. It will come to you.
Make no mistake, it is a high-risk ordeal to welcome the Light. It is real. It is holy. It is fire.
And it can light up the world.
With you, in the dark,
Ruth+
Associate Rector
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Pledge Update
Our stewardship campaign, Nurturing Faith and Cultivating Community, is making exciting progress! We’ve received $1,404,180 in pledges, which brings us to 91% of our $1.54 million goal. This generosity comes from 203 pledges, including 18 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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10:00 AM, December 24 - This service is designed to be meaningful celebration of Christmas in the chapel before the parking lots are packed and the chaos of Christmas Eve takes over. Patterned after the 8 am Sunday service, we will break bread together, hear the good news of Christ among us, and pray for peace along with the beauty of classical guitar.
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12:00 PM, December 24 - This service in the Nave will be for Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe), our Spanish speaking community. They will sing, pray, celebrate, break bread, and rejoice together for the birth of Emmanuel – God With Us. Todo en español.
3:00 PM, December 24 - This service is our beloved and annual Christmas Pageant. All children are welcome to come 30 minutes before the start to dress as an angel, a shepherd, or an animal and participate in our re-telling of the nativity. We will celebrate our families, share communion, and ponder anew the ways God draws near.
6:00 PM, December 24 – This service features the full choir, strings, communion, and the celebration of the nativity of our Lord. Many of our families who have aged out of the pageant love to come and reconnect at this service and celebrate Christmas together.
9:00 PM, December 24 – This service features all the bells and whistles possible for celebrating Christmas. We will sing carols with the choir and strings, hear the story of our faith, share communion, and use incense as a visible reminder of our prayers before God. This service is a beautiful way to welcome Christmas together.
10:00 AM, December 25 – This Christmas morning service is in the chapel, has plenty of parking, and is a quiet and meaningful celebration of the birth of our Lord. We will hear the story of Christ’s birth, break bread together, and peacefully reflect on the miracle of God drawing near.
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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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Women of HI: Vision Board
January 9, 6:00-8:00 PM
Create a Vision Board for 2025, a visual to hold all the possibilities for the year ahead using cut-out images. Dana is a therapist and Expressive Arts Facilitator. No artistic experience is necessary, just an open heart!
Contact The Rev. Ruth Pattison rpattison@holyinnocents.org
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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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Third Friday: Men of HI
January 17
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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Annual Meeting
January 26, 9:00 AM
Join us in Inglett Hall for a special time of fellowship as we review our ministry’s finances, reflect on 2024’s accomplishments, and embrace the vision for the year ahead. Let’s step forward together in faith and community!
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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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Family Epiphany Party
January 5, 6:00 PM
Families of all ages are invited to enjoy dinner and cozy up by the fire as we celebrate Twelfth Night and Epiphany. These traditional days of feasting and joy will feature delicious tacos, s’mores, and a fun movie for the kids! Please RSVP so we can plan for dinner. We look forward to celebrating together!
Contact Renee Stephens | rstephens@holyinnocents.org
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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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