This Sunday
8:00 AM: Worship, Christ Chapel
9:00 AM: Formation
    Adult: Faith and Fiction, Large Conference Room
  Adult: Seven Deadly Sins, Inglett Hall
    Children: Sunday School, Parish Hall Classrooms
    Youth: Sunday School, Frost Youth Center   
10:15 AM: Worship, Nave
11:00 AM: Harry Potter Party, Parish Hall
5:00 PM: Spanish-speaking Worship, Nave
6:00 PM: Celtic-style Worship, Christ Chapel
All Day: Still Processing, Ventulett Gallery 

Meditation from Renee

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 18:3-4

     In Children’s Chapel this week, I told the kids the story about when the disciples asked who was going to have the greatest position in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus responded by calling a child forth from the crowd and announcing that unless the disciples changed and became like children then they would not even enter the kingdom of heaven. At this point in the story, it was utter silence in Christ Chapel. Kids had wide eyes and jaws dropped as if they couldn’t even believe that this was a real story from the Bible. I went on to say that as grown-ups, we are constantly trying to grow our faith so that it can be as pure as a child’s. I explained to them that they had something naturally that was so great that even as adults, we strived to have it too. And therefore, each one of them had something to offer to the church that was worth even more than money. This is what the kids wrote on their pledge cards: hope, peace, love, kindness, sharing, etc. Things that are hard to quantify but are worth so much. 

     Changing and becoming like children is a very tall order. A child is naturally dependent on their parent. They don’t even question their dependence. They know that they are not powerful in the world, and they know that they are constantly learning. They are naturally humble. As we become adults, we become a lot more confident in our own powers and abilities rather than remaining reliant on God. These are the walls that are built up as we walk the road of life. We know the perfect reality of the peace that surpasses all understanding and yet daily we are faced with sorrow and sickness and grief that can seem unbearable at times. As we let go of earthly holdings, we are set free more and more. In the months and years ahead as we strive to be set free to serve, we can rest assured that is far easier to let go of our money than it is to let go of our more inner burdens. It is in this freedom that we find the joy of childhood imagination and play. So as we enter into the weekend of All Hallow’s Eve, I invite you to be set free and to become like children.

  With love,
  Renee Stephens
  Assistant Director of Children's Ministries
  rstephens@holyinnocents.org 

All Saints Sunday Baptism | November 6
Our next date for baptism is All Saints Sunday, November 6. If you would like to have your child baptized or are interested in joining the church please contact Bianca Cato (bcato@holyinnocents.org) today. If you have other questions, please speak to Bill, Stewart, or Ruth. Click below to download the form.

Thanksgiving Food Drive for Emmaus House | November 20
Emmaus House, where our friend the Rev. Kenya Thompson works, believes celebrating the holidays together is an important factor in maintaining family ties. With your help, we will help 50 families in need enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Please pick up a bag or two, which includes a list of items, to make all of their favorite side dishes. When you go shopping, pick out all the items from the list and add a prayer or two for the family who will receive it. Place the filled bags behind the information desk by Sunday, November 20.