Formation
Adult Formation Opportunities
Join Us for Learning, Fellowship, and Coffee!
“I Believe in One God” – 1700 years of the Nicene Creed
2025 marks 1700 years since the fourth-century church crafted the Nicene Creed (325 AD). Since this is a notable anniversary, the Rev. Dr. Gabrielle Thomas will teach this four-week class, where we will explore some of the controversies that led to the Council of Nicaea (from which early forms of the Creed resulted) and what was at stake for those involved. We will consider why the doctrine of God is important to Christian leaders in the fourth century, and its significance in the life of the church today.
Dr. Thomas is Assistant Professor of Early Christianity and Anglican Studies at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. She previously served as a lecturer in early Christianity and Anglican studies at Yale Divinity School. An ordained priest in the Church of England, she completed her PhD in Historical Theology at the University of Nottingham while working in full-time parish ministry. Thomas is a keen ecumenist and served as the first woman on the Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Commission (AOOIC). Dr. Thomas has published three books: The Image of God in the Theology of Gregory Nazianzus, Women and Ordination in the Orthodox Church: Explorations in Theology and Practice, and For the Good of the Church: Unity, Theology and Women. When she’s not teaching or writing, she serves as the Theologian in Community at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in downtown Atlanta.
“Fire in My Bones: Jeremiah, Truth-Telling, and the Work of Hope”
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend, October 12, we’ll look at the prophet Jeremiah, whose calling was both a burden and a gift. What does his prophetic witness to truth, justice, and restoration teach us as we reflect on the stories of this land and its peoples? Join the clergy for a rich study of scripture and conversation about how God calls us to tear down, build up, and live with hope.
Formation led by Holly Chesser
Join us for a special two-part Sunday morning forum series with longtime parishioner Holly Chesser, who teaches Upper School English at the Lovett School. Holly holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut. She and her husband Pat have been part of Holy Innocents for many years and are celebrating the birth of their first granddaughter in Denver. She will be joined by the Rev.John Porter.
The Trick and the Treat of Creation
On Sunday, October 26, as we approach All Hallows’ Eve, we will explore the two creation stories in Genesis and the competing images of God as just and merciful—leaving us with the timeless rabbinic question: should humankind have been created at all?
From Frankenstein to Clones: Playing God
On Sunday, November 2, as we observe All Souls and All Saints, we will help us examine human beings as creators in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. Together we’ll wrestle with the haunting question: What obligation does the creator have to its creation?
Children and Youth Formation Opportunities
Godly Play
Godly Play is a Montessori approach to Christian Formation where children in PreK-3rd grade are taught Christian language through the presentation of 3-dimensional stories and open-ended work time.
Club 45
4th and 5th graders are invited to join Club 45 where they will continue their spiritual formation and expand on their language and understanding of their identity in Christ. Club 45 will dig deep into the stories of the Bible using vibrant illustrations to discover their part in God’s big story.
Youth
Each Sunday, our youth gather together to check in on each other, enjoy some breakfast, and learn more about God’s Word. Join us as we explore the Gospels this year and discover how their stories fit within our own.