Holy Innocents Episcopal Church

10/25/2026

Today, Mrs. Ellen delivered the children’s message. She began by asking the children to share what the word love means to them. The children knew exactly how to define love. Next, she asked them who their neighbors were. Again, the children knew the correct answer, but Mrs. Ellen explained that neighbors could be our friends, teachers, classmates, and others we encounter throughout the day. After a little thought, the children understood that our neighbors can be anyone we come into contact with each day.

Mrs. Ellen shared that in today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us very specific instructions: to love God and our neighbors. She further explained that Jesus wants us to make love the center of our lives by loving God and others.

Mrs. Ellen and the children discussed different ways to show love to God and those around us, such as sharing our toys and snacks, using kind words, forgiving those who hurt us or call us names, and coming to church to learn more about God and how to live for Him.

10/18/2026

🙏 Holy Eucharist Service | Holy Innocents Episcopal Church

If you were unable to join us this morning, or would like to revisit today’s beautiful service, we invite you to click the link below to watch the YouTube video of today’s Holy Eucharist service.

May today’s worship and message bring you peace, comfort, and a renewed sense of God’s love.

Click the link below to watch!

Holy Innocents Episcopal Church, Seven Springs, NC, Rev Jon Sargeant

10/18/2026

Today’s Children’s Message began with Rev. Sargeant briefly revisiting the Gospel, reminding the children of Jesus’ words, “Bring me a coin,” as He explained whose image was on it and to whom it belonged.

Rev. Sargeant then brought out a large replica of a penny and showed it to Kayden. With curiosity, he asked Kayden what he saw on the coin. Kayden replied that he saw a picture of a man. Rev. Sargeant explained that Jesus taught that the coin belonged to the one whose image was stamped upon it. In our world today, money belongs to the government that issues it.

Once Kayden appeared to understand, Rev. Sargeant gently shifted the conversation to something much more personal. He asked Kayden if he knew that he, too, carried an image. Kayden’s eyes widened with amazement as he responded, “Really!” That sweet moment opened the door to a beautiful truth: just as the image on the coin showed who it belonged to, we, too, bear an image that reminds us to whom we belong.

Rev. Sargeant explained that the Bible teaches we are created in the image of God. As believers, we belong to Him, and His love is reflected in who we are and how we live our lives. We are called to carry that love into the world through our kindness, compassion, and care for others.

Kayden’s expressions of wonder, his thoughtful responses, and his eagerness to understand made this message especially heartwarming. Watching a child discover such a meaningful truth reminds us that some of life’s most profound lessons can be shared through the simplest things, even a penny. Today, Kayden was reminded of something truly precious: he is made in God’s image, deeply loved by his Creator, and belongs to Him. What a wonderful truth for all of us, young and old alike, to carry in our hearts!

10/12/2026

10/11/2026

Check out Father Jon’s sermon from his home.

Sermon by Rev Jon Sargeant from Holy Innocents Episcopal Church, Se...

10/11/2026

Today’s Children’s Message began with Rev. Sargeant asking the children what they had been up to during the past week. After hearing a variety of answers, he showed them a glass object with a beautiful gold-and-silver swirl in the center. He then asked the children to imagine what life would be like if they forgot about all the activities they enjoyed, their church, God, and Jesus, and focused all their attention on this one small glass object. The children eagerly agreed that life would be boring!

Rev. Sargeant then asked how they thought God would feel if they gave all their attention and worship to this little glass object instead of Him. Several children suggested that God would want them to put the object away and remove it from their lives.

Rev. Sargeant connected their answers to today’s Gospel by explaining that the Israelites did something very similar while Moses was on the mountain speaking with God. They turned away from God and began worshipping a golden calf they had made. God knew this was not what was best for His people, so He sent Moses back down the mountain to address their wrongdoing.

Through this simple, meaningful lesson, the children were reminded that God always wants what is best for us because we are His children. Just as loving parents become upset when their children make poor choices or experience hurt, God cares deeply about us. His love guides us toward what is good, reminds us when we lose our way, and calls us to keep Him at the center of our lives.

10/08/2026

Happy Priest Appreciation Day to our very own Rev. Jon L. Sargeant who is most affectionately known as Father Jon!

10/04/2026

During Little Church today, Mia and Miss Allyson assisted the children in building a fence, just as Mrs. Susan and Mrs. Ellen talked about in the dedicated readings for this Sunday. As we built our fence, we talked about what it means to be good fruit for God.

We learned that being good fruit isn’t about being perfect. It’s about the way we treat others and the love we show through our actions. We can be good fruit when we share, show kindness, help someone who needs us, include others, forgive, and let God’s love shine through everything we do.

The children were reminded that just as a good vineyard produces good fruit, God calls each of us to produce good fruit in our lives. Every act of kindness, every loving word, and every helping hand is a way of showing others God’s love.

What a beautiful reminder that even the smallest hands can do big things when they are guided by God’s love!

10/04/2026

Today’s Children’s Message opened with Mrs. Ellen talking with the children about wickedness and the story Jesus shared in today’s Gospel.

Mrs. Ellen recapped the parable of the vineyard owner who rented his beautiful vineyard to tenants, asking only that they give him some of the fruit at harvest time. When harvest came, the owner sent workers to collect what was rightfully his. But the tenants were wicked. They beat the workers and treated them terribly.

The owner sent even more workers, hoping the tenants would change their ways, but the same thing happened. Finally, the owner sent his own son, believing surely they would respect him. Instead, the tenants became even more evil and killed the owner’s son.

Mrs. Ellen then asked the children an important question: “What do you think this parable has to do with God?”

After a thoughtful discussion, she helped the children understand the deeper meaning. The landowner represents God, the vineyard represents God’s beautiful creation, the workers represent the prophets, and the son represents Jesus.

Through this parable, Jesus was reminding and warning the people that although God is patient and forgiving, He desires something from each of us: good fruit.

God gives us His beautiful world, His love, His guidance, and countless opportunities to choose what is good. And just as a vineyard is expected to produce good grapes, God wants our lives to produce the fruits of love, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and faithfulness.

What a beautiful reminder for all of us, young and old: God is patient. God is forgiving. And God calls each of us to bear good fruit in the way we live and love others.

09/29/2026

This is borrowed but it describes the sentiment of our parish family along with our priest, Rev. Jon Sargeant. We recognize the blessings of each child so please join us any Sunday.

Please be advised of our Parish expectations regarding children at Mass:
If your kids are loud, please still come to Mass.
If you’re running late because getting everyone dressed and out the door was a battle, please still come to Mass.
If your toddler won’t sit still, please still come to Mass.
If your baby needs to eat, please still come to Mass.
If your child asks questions at the least convenient moment, please still come to Mass.
If someone cries, drops a toy, or has to make their third trip to the bathroom, please still come to Mass.
If your child doesn’t know all the prayers, responses, or exactly when to sit, stand, and kneel, please still come to Mass.
If you feel like you spent the entire Mass managing your children and heard approximately 12% of the homily, please still come to Mass.
If Sunday morning feels messy instead of peaceful, please still come to Mass.
If you’re worried your children are distracting the people around you, please still come to Mass.
If your child has a disability or special needs, please still come to Mass.
Children do not learn how to be part of the Church by staying home until they can sit quietly. They learn by being here.
They learn the Sign of the Cross by watching us make it.
They learn the prayers by hearing us pray them.
They learn the Scriptures by hearing the Word of God proclaimed.
They learn reverence by watching us kneel.
They learn that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist by seeing the love and reverence with which we approach to receive Him.
They learn that the Church is their home because we make room for them here.
The wiggles, whispers, crying babies, and little voices are not signs that children don't belong at Mass. They are signs that the Church is alive.
So bring the babies. Bring the toddlers. Bring the big kids. Sit in the front so the littles can see. Step out when you need to… but always come back in.
At Baptism, these children became members of the Body of Christ. They belong here. They need the grace of the sacraments, the example of their parents, and the love and patience of their parish family.
Children are not simply the future of the Episcopal Church. They are part of the Church right now!

Credit: St. Pius X Catholic Church in Lafayette, LA thanks for the reminder!