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You can ruin a garden by being too confident, and you can damage a church the same way. The Rev. Michael White joins us for our Summer Shorts series with a story that starts small, weeding a tidy plot, and lands right in the middle of Matthew 13: sometimes what we label a weed is actually the vine that is meant to grow. That simple mistake opens a bigger conversation about Christian community, belonging, and the temptation to do God’s sorting for God.

In this episode, Melissa has a conversation with Michael about why churches struggle with inclusion even when the sign says “all are welcome.” Michael names an uncomfortable truth: a lot of us don't like feeling awkward, so we drift toward people who look familiar, think like us, and fit our preferred style. But The Episcopal Church at its best is a community where whoever shows up gets to be part of the pilgrimage, and that wide embrace can shape us into richer, more grounded people with a deeper “tapestry” of relationships. Listen in for the full conversation.

The Rev. Michael White currently serves as interim rector of St. Luke's Atlanta. Prior to serving at St. Luke's, Michael served as the 41st rector of Christ Church, Savannah. Founded in 1733, Christ Church is the oldest house of worship in the state of Georgia. Michael graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in May of 1995 and was ordained that same month. He has a certificate in Non-profit Management from Duke University. He completed the two-year Clergy Leadership Project sponsored by Trinity Wall Street and spent one year as a religious outreach advisor in the U.S. Senate. Michael has also completed a multi-year training offered by the Interim Ministry Network.

Michael is married to The Rev. Helen Slingluff White. They have two sons, Ethan and Jay. Ethan is beginning his third year of study at Virginia Theological Seminary after serving as a youth minister at St. Stephen’s, Richmond and graduating from The University of the South: Sewanee. Jay is a recent graduate of Princeton University and now lives in Chicago pursuing an acting career.

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Over the next four weeks, For People will feature special guests from the Diocese of Atlanta: the Rev. Matt Babcock, the Rev. Michael White, Holle Tubbs, the Rev. Kenya Thompson. Each guest will write the For Faith weekly devotional and join For People host Melissa Rau to dive deeper into their reflections. Join us each week as they share their stories and insights.

In the first guest episode, Melissa has a conversation with the Rev. Matt Babcock, vicar at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, on the parable of the reckless sower. Reflecting on Matthew 13, they call God the “reckless sower” because God keeps sowing hope, compassion, and grace even where no one expects life to grow. They discuss why the gospel isn’t asking us to obsess over outcomes, why the harvest remains a mystery, and how faith and leadership can look like simply dropping seeds and continuing to walk. Listen in for the full conversation.

Read For Faith, the companion devotional.

The Rev. Matt Babcock began his ministry with Holy Comforter on August 11, 2025. Matt was raised in central Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 2007, earning a BS in Agricultural Business. Following undergraduate studies, he moved to North Carolina, where he was introduced to The Episcopal Church. What began as volunteer service in a food pantry led to a rediscovery of the presence of God through the fruits of a community with a shared vision to live the Gospel. Serving alongside parishioners seeking to restore the dignity of God’s creation eventually led Matt to explore a desire to foster communities of love as he discerned his own call to ordained ministry.

Prior to seminary, Matt had a rewarding career in commodities trading, risk management, finance, and banking. He graduated in 2019 from Yale Divinity School, having earned a Master of Divinity degree; he also earned a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School. Since seminary training, Matt has served in various positions in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, the Diocese of Chicago, and the Diocese of Atlanta. He is a Trinity Leadership Fellow and is currently pursuing a Doctor in Ministry at Candler School of Theology.

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Unconditional love gets talked about like it has no edges, but that kind of “anything goes” love can turn selfish and chaotic fast. Love has a shape. When we pay attention to Jesus’ words and actions, a pattern emerges that you can actually practice in real life, from conflict and apology to courage, sharing, forbearance, and justice.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about Jesus’ teaching on love through John 14:15–21 and the Great Commandment. Together, they discuss what Christian maturity looks like when love is understood as a formative way of life rather than a mere sentiment or feeling. Listen in for the full conversation.

Read For Faith, the companion devotional.

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Follow us on IG and FB at Bishop Rob Wright.