Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit welcomes all

Website: www.episcopalholyspirit.org

Services: 8:30, 10:45 a.m. Sunday, noon Thursday

Worship style: Liturgical according to Book of Common Prayer. Organ and choir at 10:45 a.m., contemporary on 5th Sundays

Average Sunday attendance: 140-150

Minister: Rev. Keith W. Oglesby

Denomination affiliation: Episcopal Church

Mission statement:

"A community of faith seeking to love and serve in the spirit of Jesus Christ."

History:

The congregation, formed in 1974 and accepted as a mission two years later, chose the name Holy Spirit to acknowledge the work of the Spirit among it. The current dean of The Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, the Very Rev. Sam Candler, is a former pastor who led the church through a time of growth and establishing the preschool. Oglesby joined the church staff 15 months ago; attendance has grown 25-30 percent during his tenure.

Pastor’s path:

Oglesby pursued ministry after a 22-year corporate career in sales and senior management. He entered the Diocese of Atlanta discernment process in 2002 and, after his calling was confirmed, he enrolled in Candler School of Theology at Emory University and earned a Master of Divinity degree.

Before joining the Holy Spirit staff, Oglesby was assistant rector at St. Aidan’s Episcopal in Alpharetta. The father of three, who has been married to wife Lynn for 31 years, believes his experience as a husband, father, businessman and church lay leader have uniquely prepared him for ministry.

Ministries:

An active outreach ministry includes a pantry that supplies non-food items, including detergent and diapers, to an average of 150 families on the last Saturday of each month.

“It’s a niche that isn’t being met in Forsyth County, and a need especially because food stamps don’t cover these items,” Oglesby said.

On the Saturday before Thanksgiving and Christmas, the fixings for full meals are provided. A new building recently was completed to accommodate the outreach.

“In Stitches” is a group of women who meet every Wednesday morning to knit and crochet blankets and caps for premature babies, prayer shawls for cancer patients, and skullcaps for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Three Alcoholics Anonymous groups and one Overeater’s Anonymous group meet each week at the church. Local theatre companies use the building for rehearsals, and weekdays are busy with toddlers enrolled in the church’s preschool.

Active church members participate in parish weekends, foyer groups for shared meals and fellowships, and community events like the Red Door Festival, an annual barbecue. A pastoral support ministry helps the rector with hospital visits.

Thoughts from the pastor:

“God has been gracious to us in so many ways. Our responsibility is to give thanks to God and share God’s grace with others. We do that through our worship and how we care in tangible ways for people in our wider community, as well as our members. We help people to learn and growth in their faith at all ages and conditions of life. And in the midst of our ministries, we simply enjoy being with each other. This is a gracious church home — all people are welcome here.”

Community outreach

Red Door Festival. 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday at Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit. Barbecue meals, local musicians, baked goods and crafts. Proceeds benefit church outreach ministries.