The 10 commandments were a gift given to people newly into freedom - these tenets will create well-being in community. They are a channel to freedom.In this episode, Melissa and a conversation around the 10 commandments, challenging traditional views, and a deep dive into an ordered life. Listen in for the full conversation.Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

Lent is a season where we try to get our minds and behinds in line with God. It's a chance to grow closer to God and let God do some work in us.This Lent, Bishop Wright is offering a 5-part video series themed Jesus Makes the Difference. This 5-part series is based on the Sunday lectionary of Lent and includes a reflection guide.In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the fourth installment, Seeing Like Jesus Makes the Difference.Learn more about the series here.Support the show

“What the poor need is not charity but capital, not caseworkers but coworkers. And what the rich need is a wise, honorable and just way of divesting themselves of their overabundance.” -Clarence JordanIn this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford. They discuss how Jonathan's life of faith and his corporate background prepared him to lead Habitat for Humanity, a massive global nonprofit that partners with families around the world to build better lives. Habitat is a ministry that believes partnership is the center of service. That relationship, community building, and dignity must be present. Bishop Wright and Jonathan touch on these very things, and when we follow Jesus with our best selves we walk shoulder to shoulder with the entire human family, especially those impacted disproportionately. Jonathan T.M. Reckford is chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International, a global Christian housing organization that has helped more than 39 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve their homes.Since 2005, when he took the top leadership position, local Habitat organizations in all 50 states and in more than 70 countries have grown from serving 125,000 individuals each year to helping more than 4.2 million people last year build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Learn more about Habitat.Support the show

Do you ever wonder about the relationship between faith and business? That's exactly what we address with special guest, Jeffrey Small Jr, CEO of MDH Partners. Together, Bishop Wright and Jeff navigate the complexities of economic growth and ethically sound practices. We gain invaluable insights from Jeff’s journey, from his walk with Christ and his business ventures that led him to better serve the world with his unique skill set as an industrial investor. With a focus on industrial properties, we tap into the significance of corporate responsibility while challenging listeners to consider the role of faith in business.Bishop Wright and Jeff discuss the relationship between wealth, faith, and the immense power of partnership in addressing societal issues. Jeff also brings to light the impact of socially responsible investing by sharing the history of the 1980s divestment movement, which initiated a pivotal shift in the perspective of investment returns. Listen in for the full conversation.Jeffrey Small is the co-founder and CEO of MDH Partners. His primary responsibilities include leading the strategic direction of the Company, overseeing the pursuit and underwriting of its new acquisitions and developments, and managing its relationships with its investors. Under his guidance, the firm is currently investing Fund II, which comprises $750 million of equity, and expects to close Fund III in late 2023 with over $1 billion in equity. In addition to its fund business, MDH also has separate account asset management joint ventures with two global institutional investors, totaling an additional $1 billion in equity. Previous capital partners included Harvard University’s endowment (HMC), Bain Capital, Wells Fargo, and multiple Blackstone joint ventures.Jeff graduated with a BA in Political Science with Distinction from Yale University (summa cum laude), with a JD from Harvard Law School (magna cum laude), and he earned a Masters in the Study of Religions from Oxford University in England (Oriel College).In his spare time, Jeff enjoys writing and has published two award-winning, best-selling novels along with an academic text. Jeff and his wife, Alison, spent over a decade as competitive ballroom dancers, winning the US Amateur Championship in their division and representing the US at the Word Senior Latin Championships. Today, they enjoy more mellow outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and kayaking. He and Alison live in his hometown of Atlanta, and their daughter Ella is a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas in Austin. Jeff worships at The Cathedral of St. Philip in The Diocese of Atlanta. Support the show

“From the 5th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John and the 6th verse, we hear Jesus pose a life changing question to a man, ‘…would you be made whole.’ This story is one of my favorites,” Bishop Wright said. This story is about a wholeness and healing made of the coming together of word and deed.“And here he comes, the poet laureate of Nazareth, always the poser of poignant questions. And this morning he lobbed a doozy into our laps. It’s a direct question. All cake, no icing. ‘Would you be made well.’  What a caring question. It seeks to activate agency and commission capacity. I like that question for this man. I like this question for us individually and for our congregations and ministries. I like this question for us as the Episcopal Church in Middle and North Georgia. ‘Would you be made whole?’ Read The General Thanksgiving slowly and you will get a glimpse of wholeness from these familiar words, ‘…and we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives….”An excerpt from Bishop Wright's Sermon given at The 117th Annual Council of The Episcopal Diocese of AtlantaSupport the show

By choosing Jesus, we have some resources available to us today to gain clarity in the grey areas of the world around us. Joshua reminds the people of Israel who God has been to God's people. He reminds them that God has freed God's people from four hundred years of bondage. "...choose today who you serve...". In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the disorienting grey areas of the world we are all experiencing at this very moment. They draw from Bishop's personal experience that points us to the clarity God gives us in disorienting times. Listen in for the full conversation. Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

The recent news of the violence and murder of thousands of people in Palestine and Israel has sent shockwaves around the world. In the midst of conflict lies confusion and finger-pointing. In this very special episode of For People, Bishop Wright has a conversation with Archbishop Hosam E. Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem. His jurisdiction covers Palestine, Israel, The Westbank, and other territories and states. They discuss the current conflict and preserving the dignity of every person - that in this time of war peacebuilding across the table must be the response. They delve into the crucial role the church plays in fostering a lasting, just solution for both Israelis and Palestinians, even in an environment characterized by tension and mistrust. Listen in for the full conversation.Give to The Diocese of Jerusalem here.The Most Reverend Hosam Elias Naoum was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in June, 2020, and he was installed as Diocesan and the 15th Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem on May 13, 2021. He was born in Haifa in 1974 and grew up in Shefa’amr in Galilee. Married to his wife Rafa, they have a son and two daughters: Wadie, Laurice, and Krista.As Diocesan Bishop, Archbishop Hosam is the Chief Pastor of the 28 parishes spread through the five political regions of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. As Bishop, he is also Chairman of the Board of each of more than thirty institutions of education and healthcare spread throughout the five countries of the Diocese, including Gaza. The diocesan schools, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation and vocational training centers provide the best possible services while reaching out to assist those who cannot afford to pay for services and strengthening the Christian presence in this region.In a multicultural, multi-faith, multi-ethnic diocese spread across five countries, Archbishop Naoum is a strong advocate for peace and reconciliation. A significant member of many ecumenical and interfaith organizations, he works with the Archbishop of Canterbury on Anglican and interfaith issues. One of the thirteen recognized Heads of Churches in Israel, Archbishop Naoum faithfully encourages leaders of the Churches to make every effort to strengthen the Christian presence as a moderate and mediating Body in a region torn by anxiety and unrest.In May of 2023, Archbishop Hosam also became the Primate over the entire Province of Jerusalem & the Middle East, which includes not only the Diocese of Jerusalem, but also the Diocese of Cyprus & the Gulf and the Diocese of Iran. In January of that same year, he was also elected as Vice Chair of the Anglican Consultative Council at the ACC-18 Meeting in Ghana, a representative body that serves as one of the uniting Instruments of the Worldwide Anglican Communion.Support the show

If we get quiet with ourselves we can ask ourselves "Who Am I?"... God says some wonderful things about who we are. None of us are alone in wondering who we are and if we're enough! In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the notion of enoughness. They discuss the traps of striving for the elusive standard of being enough and the truth that only God is enough. Psalm 34 reveals the comfort of presenting our not-so-perfect selves to God, and that God is able to make us whole. Listen in for the full conversation. Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

If we believe God is the author of our lives, and we believe God has better ideas for how we should live our lives, then we must subordinate our understanding to God's understanding. That act is worship!  In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the worship and doing your own sacrifice audit! What is worship worth in your own life?!? Listen in for the full conversation. Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

Is your heart getting broad or is it shrinking? One of the clearest indicators that you're in a relationship with the God of all the worlds and many names is a broadened heart. Do you love those who think differently, love differently, and worship differently than you?In this episode, Melissa has a conversation with Bishop Wright about St. Paul and that the new thing that God is doing doesn't mean God is abandoning the old thing. They discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza and why we are called to choose love above our differences. Listen in for the full conversation.Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

If we can hold on to the God that suffers with us and transforms our pain, then the God that is with us comes through. Bishop Bob Fitzpatrick of The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i joins For People to share the impact of the recent fires on Maui and how it has brought waves of shock and sorrow throughout the community.  Together with Bishop Wright, they the deep impact of the devastations in Maui, navigating through the shock, sorrow, and anger expressed by its people. Bishop Bob offers his unique perspective as a spiritual leader, drawing parallels from the scriptural Lamentations, and shares how the church is fostering a space for open dialogue, healing, and support in these trying times.They discuss leadership in the face of adversity, scripture that equips us during times of sorrow, and the outpouring of love in the form of resources and letters from the mainland in the wake of the fire. God is with us in the grief! Listen in for the full conversation.Support the disaster relief efforts in The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i here.Bishop Bob Fitzpatrick is the fifth Bishop of The Diocese of Hawai‘i. He graduated from DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, and received a Master of Divinity degree from the General Theological Seminary, New York, NY. He also has a Doctor of Ministry degree in homiletics from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL. He was elected as 5th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi on October 20, 2006 and was ordained as Bishop on March 10, 2007.  He also serves as the Bishop-in-Charge of the Episcopal Church in Micronesia.  His wife, Bea, is a registered nurse.  He has two adult sons, a grandson, and a granddaughter.Support the show

What if you could truly understand the difference between guilt and conviction? What if you could discover a path to integrate this understanding into living a life of truth and love? In this episode, Melissa has a conversation with Bishop Wright about how an abundant life with Jesus leads us to Christian maturity. They discuss the gaps between what we say and how we live. Listen in for the full conversation. Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

How do we heal from our wounds? Why does sitting in our wounds feel normal? The Rev. Becca Stevens, the fiery and passionate soul behind Thistle Farms, wonders with Bishop Wright across the intersections of woundedness, healing, and faith in the latest For People. In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with Becca about their pilgrimage to Nepal, the work of Thistle Farms, and how wounds and healing can bring forth God's beauty into the world. Becca's tireless work to create nurturing environments for women survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and addiction will leave you in awe and motivated for action. Hear her share how her personal journey has shaped her mission to live authentically and serve others. Listen in for the full conversation. Becca Stevens is a speaker, entrepreneur, author, priest, and founder and President of Thistle Farms. She has founded 14 nonprofits and justice enterprises, mentored another 60, and has raised over $75 million to support them. Becca has been featured on PBS NewsHour, The Today Show, CNN, ABC World News, named a CNN Hero, and White House Champion of Change, and holds five honorary doctorates. Drawn from 25 years of leadership in mission-driven work, Becca leads important conversations across the country with an inspiring message that love is the strongest force for change in the world. Learn more: thistlefarms.orgSupport the show

Ever wondered how faith can transform even the hardest of hearts?  God cracked open a rock to deliver water to people in the desert. God can crack open our hardened hearts and deepest wounds, allowing healing to flow forth.In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about hope found amidst devastation, exemplifying how Jesus offers hope and comfort even in our darkest hours. Listen in for the full conversation.Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

Faith has the power to transform our lives as we pursue an active God! In this episode, Bishop Wright had a conversation with Bishop Frank Logue, Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. They have a conversation about life, as we see it, not being about measuring up, but realizing as Christians Jesus has assured us we are enough and our call is to use our faith for God's goodness.Bishop Logue shares personal stories of his own faith both past and present and how it continues to lead him on his path with Christ. Listen in for the full conversation.The Rt. Rev. Frank S. Logue began his ministry as the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia on May 30, 2020. At that time he had already served two decades in the Diocese first as a church planter and then as the assistant to the 10th bishop.Born in Montgomery, Alabama, where he lived for 6 years, Frank Logue grew up in Marietta, Georgia. A 1984 graduate of Georgia Southern University, he worked as a photographer for two small daily newspapers in Georgia— the Warner Robins Daily Sun and the Rome News-Tribune. Frank married Victoria Steele in 1985. The Logues hiked the entire 2,150-mile Appalachian Trail in a single six-month long hike in 1988. Three years later, after he worked as an Art Director for a non-profit, Frank and Victoria went full-time as freelance writer-photographers, writing books, and magazine articles. Their daughter, Griffin Logue, born in 1991 added great joy and wonder to their lives.Support the show

Can the essence of power and its impact be truly understood without discussing forgiveness? Joseph, the second most powerful person in Egypt, chooses to forgive his brothers who threw him into a pit and slavery. To Joseph, it was settled.In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about Joseph, what it takes to address tough issues, and that every individual person has the power to forgive and restore in our world and in our lives. Listen in for the full conversation.Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

Have you ever been in the midst of an all-consuming pursuit, determined to mold the world around you, only to realize that you're not the potter, but the clay? In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about his illuminating journey to Nepal, where he experienced the impermanence of life firsthand and reflected on the importance of graciousness and giving in our everyday environments. They discuss being stewards of our own lives, overcoming our ego-driven tendencies, and the turnaround God finds pleasure in if we lay it all aside to pursue God. Listen in for the full conversation.Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

In Exodus, God's response to hate and violence is love. In the story, Pharaoh wants every baby murdered to prevent an eventual overthrow of his empire. God uses a woman and a baby child to eventually overthrow an empire with love. That baby turned faith leader is Moses.In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about Moses, how God can use a tragedy to bring forth goodness, and that our faith is knowing nothing withstands the power of love.  Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

The Canaanite woman comes to Jesus asking for the healing of her daughter. The disciples and Jesus dismiss her, but she persists. And Jesus heals her daughter because of her great faith. Jesus became a better Messiah that day.In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation of the Canaanite woman and her faith, what made Jesus a better Messiah that day, and how unideal circumstances can lead to a breakthrough with God.Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show

Family is tough. The Bible is 66 books of family strife! It was a father's favoritism that caused Joseph's brother to throw him in a pit. That poor choice was used for God's goodness as Joseph chose the path of healing and forgiveness. In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about family, the patterns all of us experience, and how our walk with God starts at home. Listen in for the full conversation. Before listening, read For Faith.Support the show