A Brief History of Holy Innocents' Church
In 1872, as Atlanta had begun to recover from the devastation of the Civil War, signs of prosperity, which would become the hallmark of its future, became evident. The railroad became the source of an eventual booming economy. Growth also brought challenges. The women widowed and the children orphaned by the war were struggling – and Episcopalians responded with great concern. In 1872 the Rev. W.B. Elliott, rector of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, designated the church's Easter offering to found a mission Sunday school for “the poor of the northern suburb.” With the help of a gift of land by Mrs. Richard Peters and building funds by Mrs. George Walker, the little Mission of Holy Innocents' had its beginning at the corner of Ponce de Leon and Juniper Streets with the erection of a chapel-classroom.
Services were held and classes began; the little mission was off to a good start. But in 1878 a tornado demolished the structure and Holy Innocents' moved from home to home. Once again in 1886 Mrs. Peters came to the rescue of Holy Innocents' with the gift of an abandoned warehouse at West Peachtree and 16th to serve as temporary quarters before a new chapel, at the corner of 16th Street and Spring Street, could be built in 1896. In this new location the mission grew slowly. Young clergy from the Diocese offered their services. Deaconess Wood taught the children and raised money for the mission. Holy Innocents' Mission experienced many good years.
Prosperity, growth and expansion continued in the City of Atlanta. This affected the little mission once again and offered another challenge. In 1954 the mission finally closed its doors once more; it stood directly in the path of a new expressway being built to alleviate Atlanta 's growing traffic problem. The spirit did not lie dormant for long. In November of 1954 in response to a need for ministry in the Sandy Springs area the little mission moved to this burgeoning suburb of Atlanta. Under the leadership of Father James Vaught, twenty-five parishioners gathered for worship at Hammond Elementary School. The congregation's growth necessitated another move to Sandy Springs High School.
In 1957 the land where Holy Innocents presently stands was purchased and the Church (now Parish Hall) was built. The Reverend Hugh Saussy arrived and served the congregation and its continued growth. The doors to the school, begun as a nursery, were opened in 1959. To respond to the continued growth of the congregation and the school the present church was built in 1966.
In 1968 the Reverend Robert Oliver was called to be Rector. Father Oliver left in 1971 to become Dean of the Cathedral in Jackson, Mississippi (and later the Dean of the American Cathedral in Paris, France ).
The Reverend Robert Johnson became fourth rector of the growing parish. In 1975 the administrative wing was added in addition to a larger clergy and lay staff. The Hearth Room and additional offices were added in 1982. Over the 17 years of Reverend Johnson's ministry the congregation saw unprecedented growth in the number of communicants, school students, buildings and land. In 1989, Holy Innocents' rector, the Reverend Robert Johnson, was called to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina.
In 1990, the Reverend Joe Reynolds, once an assistant at Holy Innocents', returned as the fifth rector. Under his leadership the church achieved a new stability, the school expanded to twelve full grades and the church underwent a major renovation. In February 2000, another call came to a Holy Innocents' rector and Reverend Reynolds left to become the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Houston.
The Reverend David Galloway served as Holy Innocents’ sixth Rector from August 2001 to February 2007. Under his leadership, the Church extended its Outreach ministries to Haiti and the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast and expanded its Christian Formation offerings. During Reverend Galloway’s tenure, the School again expanded its facilities, increased enrollment, and continued its excellent tradition as a top-tier Episcopal School.
The Reverend Michael Radford Sullivan was called as Holy Innocents’ seventh Rector, beginning August 2009.
Over the years, Holy Innocents' has continued its tradition of outreach to the local and world community. Holy Innocents’ founded a very successful English for Successful Living program; has helped the poor in Haiti and helped fund churches there; has helped rebuild the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast; has sponsored two new parishes in the greater Atlanta community (Church of the Atonement to the southeast and Sts. Peter and Paul to the northwest); has built several Habitat homes; and has been a prime sponsor of the Sandy Springs Community Action Center, just to name a few. Holy Innocents’ has continued and grown its tradition of scholarship, both to parishioners and students. And our tradition of liturgy and spiritual growth is as strong as ever. The future at Holy Innocents’ promises to be very exciting.
Rectors who have served at Holy Innocents':
The Reverend James B. Vaught, January 9 1956- January 13, 1957
The Reverend Hugh Saussy, Jr., June 1, 1957 – January 22, 1967
The Reverend Robert G. Oliver, July 15, 1968 – August 15, 1971
The Reverend Robert H. Johnson, April 10, 1972 – January 29, 1989
The Reverend Joe Reynolds, July 1, 1990 – February 2000
The Reverend David A. Galloway, August 2001 – February 2007
The Reverend Michael R. Sullivan, August 2009 - Present
