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Arabella Brown, a young person from St. James Episcopal Church in Marietta GA, gave a powerful sermon to the graduating seniors of The Diocese of Atlanta on May 22. She speaks of leaving familiar places, that it will be hard along the way, and that God will always be with us. 

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about young people and their capacities, their offerings, and what adults must do to create spaces for them to lead. Listen in for the full conversation.

Read Arabella's full sermon: https://episcopalatlanta.org/news/2022-graduation-celebration/

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"...Dr. Catherine Meeks is the most courageous person I know...". That's from your producer, Easton Davis. 

In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with Dr. Meeks. She shares her own story of personal memoir, purpose, the work of racial healing, and her recent award: The President Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement Award and the Presidential Volunteer Service Award medal. Specifically to the work of racial healing, they talk of how The Gospel points us in the direction of this important work and beloved community.

Dr. Meeks will be preaching and teaching at the National Cathedral, this Sunday and Monday, May 22-23. 

Watch her preach this Sunday at The National Cathedral: https://cathedral.org/

Read about her award: https://episcopalatlanta.org/news/presaward/

Learn more about the Center for Racial Healing: https://www.centerforracialhealing.org/

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This episode is in response to the recent hate crime and killing of ten black people in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York that took place on May 14, 2022. 

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright reflect on a speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Cornell College in Iowa on October 15, 1962. A lecture in which Dr. King addresses the hate we have for one another. A hate because of fear. A fear because we don't know one another. Not knowing one another because we fail to communicate. Failing to communicate because we are separated. These are tough conversations, and we invite you to both listen, share, and be in conversation with people about these very things. Because these are hard but holy conversations. 

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We can all agree across party lines that we ought to care deeply for our children. Yet, many children are left in the margins. Jesus says to let the children come to me and not to hinder them. There isn't an argument that certain populations and demographics of children in our country are hindered in many ways!

In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with The Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, President and CEO of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). A nonprofit that envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish. In their conversation, they discuss the history of CDF, freedom schools, a movement of young people to address systemic racism, and the steps we must take to bring the justice of Jesus to life in our everyday lives.

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is president & CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) and CDF Action Council. CDF envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. Wilson is board chair for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) and the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE).

From 2011 through 2020, Rev. Wilson was president & CEO of Deaconess Foundation, a faith-based philanthropy for child well-being and racial justice in St. Louis. From 2008 through 2018, Dr. Wilson also pastored Saint John’s Church (The Beloved Community), a multiracial congregation in the city.  Under his leadership, the foundation constructed and established the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being, a community action tank engaging thousands of citizens annually. After the police killing of Michael Brown, Jr., the church hosted the #BlackLivesMatter Freedom Ride to and other mobilizations.

Wilson was appointed co-chair of the Ferguson Commission, which released the ‘Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity’ Report, calling for sweeping changes in policing, the courts, child well-being and economic mobility in 2015. He currently serves boards for Duke Divinity School, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Dr. Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Xavier University of Louisiana, Master of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary, and the Doctor of Ministry from Duke University. A member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Starsky is married to Dr. LaToya Smith Wilson, a dentist and child advocate. They are raising four children.

Follow Dr. Wilson’s activism, philanthropy, and ministry at @RevDrStarsky and @ChildDefender.

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Join us in celebrating the 100th episode of For People! Over the past two years, we've released an episode almost weekly, and we thank God and you for the inspiration to forge forward.  

Last week, we heard six soundbites from For People special guests. This week, we unpack some of Bishop Wright's best excerpts with Melissa, Easton, and special guest and For People listener, The Rev. Winston Arthur. A priest and rector in The Diocese of Atlanta. 

This is THE episode to share with a friend. We firmly believe For People is unique in challenging people to think of just how BIG God is in loving the hell out of the world. 

Some For People stats to celebrate: We've been heard in 102 countries, 4,600 cities, and have an all-time download of 120k. We average 1,100 downloads per episode. 

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Join us in celebrating the 100th episode of For People! Over the past two years, we've released an episode almost weekly, and we thank God and you for the inspiration to forge forward. This episode starts with Melissa, Bishop Wright, and producer Easton Davis sharing the journey, the innovation, and the Good News they've witnessed along the way. 

The heart of the episode includes six of our favorite soundbites from special guests including The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor, Diana Butler Bass, Sheffield Hale, Dr. Gregory Ellison II, The Rev. Natosha Reid Rice, and Bishop Will Willimon. After each soundbite, Melissa and Bishop Wright share their insights and how these conversations have grounded For People as a podcast of story sharing. 

This is THE episode to share with a friend. We firmly believe For People is unique in challenging people to think of just how BIG God is in loving the hell out of the world. 

Some For People stats to celebrate: We've been heard in 102 countries, 4,600 cities, and have an all-time download of 120k. We average 1,100 downloads per episode. 

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More Easter. More joy. More face-to-face smiles. This is what Easter felt like after two years of more challenging Easter celebrations.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright reflect on Easter and what it meant to them after these past 2 years. They reflect on three soundbites from members of The Diocese of Atlanta. Marycelis Otero, The Rev. Juan Sandavol, and Dr. Mary Hooper all share their insights of what Easter meant to them and the joy they witnessed. Christ is Risen! Alleluia, Alleluia. Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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What is the table on Maundy Thursday is the real intent of Holy Week? And that Good Friday is the moment that Rome decides it is going to destroy the table? So, Rome introduces the cross to stop the feast from going any further than that upper room. 

In this episode, Bishop Wright and Diana Butler Bass continue their conversation on freeing Jesus through a discussion of the triduum, the three days before Easter, and the argument that Maundy Thursday, the day before the triduum, and the day of The Last Supper, might very well be the most important day of them all. Listen in for the full conversation.

Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.  

Diana’s passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world—a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently. 

She holds a doctorate in religious studies from Duke University and is the author of eleven books. Her bylines include The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN.com, Atlantic.com, USA Today, Huffington Post, Spirituality and Health, Reader's Digest, Christian Century, and Sojourners. She has commented on religion, politics, and culture in the media widely including on CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, CBC, FOX, Sirius XM, TIME, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and in multiple global news outlets. In the 1990s, she wrote a weekly column on religion and culture for the Santa Barbara News-Press, which was distributed nationally by the New York Times Syndicate.

She and her husband live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their dog and their sometimes-successful backyard garden.

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Jesus lives beyond the narrow confines of the world. Yet, many people try to put him in a box. And how can we as believers get him out of that box into the world? That is our call. 

In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with special guest Diana Butler Bass. They discuss her calling to free Jesus into the world and how we can do this through personal memoir. They discuss the power of sharing our own stories and how it brings Jesus into people's lives in new and refreshing ways. If the stories of Jesus are to thrive in our current culture, we must share our own stories of struggles and faith. Listen in for the full conversation.

Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.  

Diana’s passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world—a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently. 

She holds a doctorate in religious studies from Duke University and is the author of eleven books. Her bylines include The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN.com, Atlantic.com, USA Today, Huffington Post, Spirituality and Health, Reader's Digest, Christian Century, and Sojourners. She has commented on religion, politics, and culture in the media widely including on CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, CBC, FOX, Sirius XM, TIME, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and in multiple global news outlets. In the 1990s, she wrote a weekly column on religion and culture for the Santa Barbara News-Press, which was distributed nationally by the New York Times Syndicate.

She and her husband live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their dog and their sometimes-successful backyard garden.

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The prodigal son is a favorite parable of many. Partly, because if we are honest, we've at one point or another been the foolish young son, the loving father, or the resenting older brother. It is also because family strife is real, hard, and we all go through it at times in our lives.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about all three of the family members in this story, and when it comes to love there is something more at stake than right and wrong. Listen in for the full conversation.

This episode is based on Intimacy, the fourth of a 5-part Lenten video series from Bishop Rob Wright. Each Wednesday in Lent, from March 9-April 6, a new video and reflection guide is available. Invite a friend and join us in keeping a Holy Lent. Learn more at episcopalatlanta.org.lent-2022.

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