Lots of things give us a quick and cheap energy hit have adverse side effects. Growing closer to a loving God that welcomes all brings no adverse side effects! Instead of an energy supplement, taking up a spiritual practice revives not only our own self but also how we serve a loving God in our world.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the psalmist's words in Psalm 23:3 “God revives my soul…” They discuss the busy and fast-paced world we all face and what can happen when we rely on God instead of other things for revitalization. Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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Peace be with you! These are the 4 words Jesus says when he enters the room to see the disciples for the first time since his death and resurrection. Jesus enters the space with grace. He says look. He says touch. And then He breaks bread. He shares peace over a meal.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about this first gathering with Jesus and his disciples after his resurrection. They draw parallels to the peace Jesus brings and how it is the peace we must seek to share with others in our world today. A peace that sees other, strive to touch/understand other, and gathers community - because to take up peace as Jesus did is to be in close proximity to neighbor.  Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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Happy Easter! As we reach the milestone of our 200th episode, we are taking a moment to reflect on the journey that started as an experiment during COVID. And three years later, For People has reached all 50 states, over 100 countries, and 6,000 cities, It has been downloaded 300,000 times. This podcast has become a beacon of insight on following the teachings of Jesus in the real world.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about how Mary Magdalene's story of steadfast faith in the resurrection narrative can inspire our lives. It's about the small but mighty acts of love that can echo through our existence, shaping our approach to challenges and darkness, just as she did outside the tomb. They discuss our own Good Fridays, how God uses evil for good, and steps we can take to grow in our faith during the 50 Days of Easter. Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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Have we fashioned a Jesus who mirrors our own ideologies, unwittingly reshaping God to endorse our political agendas? On Palm Sunday, the same people that would shout "Hosanna", an exclamation of praise, and the same mob that should shout "crucify him!" a few days later.

In this episode Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about Palm Sunday, it's relevancy to our world today, and how it keeps us honests as people of faith. They dissect the story of Palm Sunday, drawing parallels between the fickleness of ancient crowds and today's volatile public opinion. As we peel back the layers of our own convictions, we confront the unsettling reality that true discipleship may be at odds with the allure of making Christ into our own image.  Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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We all understand our lives as gift, but Jesus tells us to not cower at the fear of death! When this physical form comes to pass, there is an overwhelming reality that will embrace all of us. And that is why we call it faith!

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about death, as Good Friday approaches. They discuss  Western culture's aversion to death, hoping to unearth a more enriched approach to life's inevitable conclusion. It might just be that modern society's tendency to distance itself from death's reality keeps us from living a fuller life. Listen in for the full conversation.

This episode is based on part 5 of Bishop Wright's 5-part Lenten series "Letting Go". Learn more about this year's series, watch the weekly videos, and download the reflection guides here.

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God is using God's power to make sure that those of us who fall short, those of us in need of rescue, have a future available to us. God somehow uses all of our missteps to then help us craft a witness, a narrative whereby we can say to other siblings!

John 3:16-17 show all of us that God loves the world without the stain of condemnation. In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about our own power in everyday life, how we sometimes use it against people, and that ultimately God's mercy in our lives gives us the ability to practice mercy in our daily encounters. Listen in for the full conversation.

This episode is based on part 4 of Bishop Wright's 5-part Lenten series "Letting Go". Learn more about this year's series, watch the weekly videos, and download the reflection guides here.

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The most adaptive challenge facing the church is for the organization that bears his name to actually put him first!. What is at the heart of following Jesus in our world today? If Jesus were here today would he recognize the church he founded?

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the ways in which the church and her regular practices is perpendicular to the one we are to put first, a table-flipping-over Jesus, and steps to take to bring the church closer to her founder.

This episode is based on part 3 of Bishop Wright's 5-part Lenten series "Letting Go". Learn more about this year's series, watch the weekly videos, and download the reflection guides here.

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We know God love us and wants us to know life that is not controlled by fear. What would it be like to get let go of some of that burden???

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about what it means to lay down the desire for control and embrace a life of faith and trust in God. They discuss Peter's control tactics, Jesus's response, and the vulnerability we can experience when we lay it all down before God. Listen in for the full conversation.

This episode is based on part 2 of Bishop Wright's 5-part Lenten series "Letting Go". Learn more about this year's series, watch the weekly videos, and download the reflection guides here.

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Join us in keeping a Holy Lent! This Lent we invite you towards God, towards your self and towards one another using the theme, “Letting Go.” Since Jesus came to set the “captives free,” “Letting Go”of those things and ways that hold us back is central to the new and risen life in Christ that we celebrate each Easter. For the next five weeks, we’ll offer a video meditation on this theme with a study companion for you to make the meditations as personal and useful as possible.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about Lent, this year's Lenten series themed "Letting Go", and the first meditation of the series "Letting Go... of the Familiar". What do you need to let go of this Lent to grow as a Christian and closer to God? Listen in for the full conversation.

Learn more about this year's series, watch the weekly videos, and download the reflection guides here.

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"When we create these wonderful communities, whether in church, in organizations, in institutions, and in schools, all of that is built around human dignity. If we put dignity at the core, we will be surprised how we can maximize the authenticity of our communities and the authenticity of our togetherness and allow for us really to be intentional about seeing each other's dignity." -Dr. Beth-Sarah Wright

In this episode, Bishop Wright is joined by special guest Dr. Beth-Sarah Wright, author and speaker. Beth-Sarah shares her powerful story of battling clinical depression, and how embracing our vulnerabilities can spark deep healing and foster genuine community. They have a conversation about dignity through the lens of the Baptismal Covenant, the acronym behind her book DIGNITY and the strategies used to create authentic community. Listen in for the full conversation. 

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Atlanta-based author and speaker, Dr. Beth-Sarah Wright writes to make a difference. She writes to develop the courage for transformation and change, in our communities, our institutions, and our lives. Beth-Sarah is the author of seven books. Her most recent book, The DIGNITY Lens Workbook: Implementing the Seven Strategies for Creating Authentic Community is a companion to her book DIGNITY: Seven Strategies for Creating Authentic Community. DIGNITY is a comprehensive lens through which to view and solve for insidious barriers to authenticity and narrow the gap between who we say we are and who we are in reality. 

A former college professor at NYU and Spelman College, she currently serves as the Director of Enrollment Management at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Emory School of Medicine. She holds a PhD in Performance Studies from New York University, an MPhil in Anthropology from Cambridge University and a BA (magna cum laude) from Princeton University in Sociology and Afro-American studies.

Beth-Sarah is originally from Jamaica and has lived and studied worldwide, from Edinburgh, Scotland to San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is married to Bishop Wright, Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and they are parents to 5 children.

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What does God take pleasure in? At some point, we have to move in a direction that says I am in relationship with all that is - meaning we aren't in the driver seat! A huge appetite for control tells us God is not a part of our lives - and we are afraid of something - why not give up some of that?

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about what God is unimpressed with, and it is our ability to love and have compassion that truly captivates God's admiration. In simple words, "healed people heal people". LIsten in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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As a society and world, we aren't a single idea away from a better world. What would get us there is a global commitment to loving everybody with dignity. If we are honest, there is a lack of will to love our neighbor!

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the Bible's profound ancient insights and reflect on how its teachings remain deeply impactful in our modern world - especially when it comes to love! Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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Obedience - the four letter word of the bible. Sometimes we've got to do what God is inviting us to do out of simple obedience and offer that as worship! The bible gives us an example of disobedience in Jonah. He wanted to give God some advice!

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the story of Jonah and obedience to God. They discuss the notion that our lives of faith come with a cost, as symbolized by the cross, while also celebrating the redemptive embrace of God's unending mercy. Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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Dr. King dared to dream in the greatness of our nation. He defined that greatness in the "I Have a Dream" speech. It has to do with justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. He dared to believe that we are great enough be human family.

In this episode days before Dr. King's birthday, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about the profound teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bishop Wright guides us through the depth of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, moving past its renowned finale to unearth the call for systemic change and justice within. King's deep-seated love for his country and unshakable dedication to The Gospel formed the cornerstone of his message, transcending the battle for civil rights to craft a blueprint for a most just world house.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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Happy New Year and Happy Epiphany! In Jesus, God manifested God's self in the world! New Years and Epiphany are about new beginnings with God, so what better place to begin again than in the book of Genesis. John Muir can help us: “When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty."

In this episode, Melissa has a conversation with Bishop Wright about beginning again with God, Epiphany, creation, and John Muir. They discuss creation, how God's creation is medicine, and disrupting our routine to grow closer to God. Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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"The breaking news of Christmas can turn your heart and your home upside down, not by guilt, not by shame, but by an overwhelming, unimaginable, illogical, mind-boggling, impossible amount of good breaking news. We don't deserve this infant visitor. We couldn't, not even the best of us, and that is the best news of all. You can't earn the love that appears tonight. You can only respond to it. You can only say, as the shepherd said, "Let us go now and see this thing that has taken place." Or as the angelic choir said, "Glory to God in the highest heaven." Or as the psalmist has said, "When I consider the sun, the moon, the planets in their courses, what are human beings?" That God should come among us and be mindful of us. Tonight's breaking news turns the sad question marks of the world into unwavering exclamation marks of God."

Excerpt from Bishop Wright's Christmas Sermon "Breaking News"

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Mary's Magnificat prayed for the day those excluded from societal greatness would have a measure of God's greatness and have a reversal of their societal standing.  As a governing body, you don't ban a song unless it encourages the lowly in society to have hope for a reversal! 

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about Mary, The Magnificat, Joseph, and betting big on God in 2024. Mary trusted God, and her big yes was a big bet on God to break into the world as one of us! Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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God is the God of reversal! Stick with God and God's promise is that if we gift God our grief sit back and watch God do God's work! Drawing inspiration from Isaiah, Melissa and Bishop Wright navigate the complex emotions that surface during the holiday season, reminding ourselves and our listeners that it's okay if this time isn't filled with unadulterated joy for everyone.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about God's promises and our grief - that the garland we use for wreaths can also be made into a crown.  Maybe the Christmas you gift your grief to God as a crown, and see the reversal happen in your own life! Listen in for the full conversation.
 
Before listening, read For Faith.

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Time is the anvil that God uses to make a faithful soul! Ever wonder if your prayers go higher than your rooftop? One of the great indicators of Christian maturity is understanding it isn't about your time but God's time.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about time, patience, the season of Advent, and trusting God's timing. In the wise words of St. Peter, "Let us not forget a thousand years is but a day to God!"  Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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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. 

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“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 Atlanta

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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