Faithfully Memphis

Since 2002, Dr. David Ouzts has served as Minister of Music and Liturgy at Church of the Holy Communion in Memphis. In this role, he serves as director of music and organist for the parish and conducts the Parish Choir and Holy Communion Ringers. As the parish liturgist, he works closely with the clergy in planning all worship. On this week's Faithfully Memphis, join Emily Austin in conversation with Dr. Ouzts as they talk about the role of music in Episcopal liturgy.  Listen to the full version of The Cambridge Singers' performance of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem: https://youtu.be/TtJeTMRzn8A

On Friday, November 3 at 7 p.m., the Rev. Dr. Robert MacSwain will deliver the Barth House Theological Society's Fall Lecture "Saints As Evidence for God." On the faculty of The University of the South (Sewanee) since 2009, MacSwain's teaching and research combine philosophy, theology, ethics, literature, and spirituality with a particular focus on how these five disciplines interact within the Anglican tradition. 
On this week's Faithfully Memphis, Dr. MacSwain joins Bishop Phoebe for a conversation about the nature of those we consider to be saints.

Justin Brooks is a Jackson, Tennessee native who came to Memphis in 2013 and now serves at Christian Brothers University as the Director of the Center for Community Engagement, where he also leads the annual Memphis Reads literacy program. On this episode of Faithfully Memphis, Justin talks with Emily Austin about going where God leads us, creating community, learning from our neighbors, and seeing the spark of the Divine in everyone we meet.

The Rev. 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.
Stevens joins Bishop Phoebe on Faithfully Memphis to talk about a journey they recently took together with other Episcopal faith leaders to Nepal to learn about social enterprise work being undertaken by women there. 

Fall programming is in full swing at the Barth House Episcopal Center, and this week on Faithfully Memphis, Maggie Schaumleffel and Tori Black will join us to talk about why college ministry matters. Maggie is the Barth House Director of Ministries, and Tori is the newly-elected president of the student board Episcopal Campus Ministries at the Barth House.

You can learn more about the Barth House here: https://edwtn.org/ministries/college-ministries/

This week on the show, join Bishop Phoebe for a conversation with Abbie Hitchon, who serves as Primary Therapist and Grant Manager at Thistle & Bee Enterprises. Learn about T&B's upcoming honey harvest event and other ways to engage with their social enterprise ministry, which is dedicated to helping formerly-trafficked women survivors thrive. We also learn about Joanna, Mary, and Salome, known as the Myrrh-Bearing Women, whose feast is celebrated on Aug. 3.

This week on Faithfully Memphis, Bishop Phoebe returns to the host seat for a conversation with Shari Ray. A teacher of literature and writing for nearly forty years, Shari is Chair of the English Department at St. Mary's Episcopal School in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to her life as a teacher, she is also a writer. Infusing verse throughout much of her prose, Ray leans on the shoulders of the great poets for both inspiration and truth. In her first book, Surprised by Imperfection, she invites readers to look for the humor, wisdom, and the unexpected glory that makes up our collective imperfection. 

We also learn about Macrina of Caesarea, whose feast day is July 19.

Travis Moody is the founder and CEO of Forward Memphis, a financial empowerment group whose goal is to provide sustainable financial assistance to historically marginalized communities that are targeted by predatory lending practices in the Memphis area. As a graduate of Hamilton High School, faith leader, and financial consultant, Travis has positioned himself to lead the working class of the Bluff City to financial stability. This week on Faithfully Memphis, join host Emily Austin for a conversation with Travis. We'll also learn about Benedict of Nursia, whose feast day is July 11.

This week on Faithfully Memphis, join the Rev. Laura Gettys, Associate Rector for Community Engagement and Congregational Development at Grace-St. Luke's, for a conversation with Ann Perry Wallace. Ann is an actor and writer from Memphis, Tennessee who is daring to confront the stereotype of an aging actress. Her new one-person show, Live Rich Die Poor, is based on the life of Zora Neale Hurston, the famed folklorist and Harlem Renaissance writer, and is "a call to action to empty yourself of all of your talent and deny the grave your gifts and determine your worth for yourself."

This week on Faithfully Memphis, Bishop Phoebe is joined by Minnassa Gabon, CEO of Minnassa Wellness. Through mindfulness speaking, coaching, training, and creating mindful spaces in the workplace, Minnassa helps people reduce stress in their lives and incorporate mindfulness in their daily lives. She holds a BA in Political Science from California State University, Northridge and a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is a traditionally ordained AME minister and currently is a New Thought/Unity/Centers for Spiritual Living Minister.

"I think that people in general, when you get down to it, they're looking out for one another. I look around in my neighborhood, and I see how Covid was a great example of that. We stepped up. We helped each other, and that's always happened in the world. Think about the disasters in Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine. Nobody's throwing in the towel. They're all looking, how do I get a drink of water for my neighbor? And that's always going to give me hope." 
Ann Langston has devoted her life to servant ministry. This week on Faithfully Memphis, join host Emily Austin as she talks with Ann about how her lifelong faith has been fueled by the example of Christ. 

Emily also talks about the Feast of the Annunciation, which is celebrated on March 25.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry appointed Ruthie McLain of Calvary Episcopal Church (Memphis) as one of nine delegates from the Episcopal Church to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. This year’s conference theme—"innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls”—is timely, considering how the world has evolved since the pandemic began, noted Lynnaia Main, The Episcopal Church’s representative to the United Nations.

This week on Faithfully Memphis, Ruthie joins Bishop Phoebe live from the UN to give an update from the session, as part of our Women in the Church series. 

Our Women in the Church series continues with a conversation with Blair B. Evans. Blair manages to be "kind with a spine" and politely persistent in spite of the challenges that come her way each day as a woman in the world. In her conversation with Emily Austin, learn how faith shapes Blair's outlook, the people she models herself after, and her servant leadership at St. Columba Episcopal Camp & Retreat Center and Church of the Holy Communion.

This week on Faithfully Memphis, we embark on a new series in honor of Women's History Month! For this first episode in the series, join Bishop Phoebe as she talks with Jeane Chapman, longtime member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (Memphis) about her role as Small Church Consultant for the Diocese of West Tennessee. Throughout her decades-long career in healthcare administration, Chapman excelled in organizational assessment and analysis, consultation and program development, and communication and collaborative problem solving. 

Living God, long ago, faithful women proclaimed the good news of Jesus’ resurrection, and the world was changed forever. Teach us to keep faith with them, that our witness may be as bold, our love as deep, and our faith as true. Amen.

- From the midday gathering of Episcopal Church Women of the lower Cape Fear Deanery (Diocese of East Carolina), at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington, NC; May 23, 2017

"I am fully convinced that if the Church can't model civil, productive, healthy, loving dialogue around intense topics in our culture today, how can we expect anyone else to do it?" - Bishop Doug Scharf

Our discussions around the future of the Church continue this week with the Reverend Dorothy Wells, Rector of St. George's Episcopal Church (Germantown), in conversation with the Rt. Reverend Doug Scharf, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida.

"...let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new"
-Book of Common Prayer, page 540

In Vital Christian Communities: 12 Characteristics of Healthy Congregations, Phil Brochard and Alissa Newton outline how even amidst strong societal forces and global events, faithful communities can have transformative power. This week on Faithfully Memphis, join Bishop Phoebe as she interviews Brochard and Newton live from WYXR 91.7 FM. This episode of Faithfully Memphis is part of our series on the future of the Church, Cast Down, Raised Up.

"...let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new"
-Book of Common Prayer, page 540

"...let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new"

-Book of Common Prayer, page 540

This week on Faithfully Memphis, we continue our discussions around the future of the Church with a special conversation with the Reverend Christian Senyoni (Associate Rector of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Collierville, Tennessee) and JP Senyoni (Barth House Episcopal Center). Emily Austin joins them for a conversation around intergenerational ministry, evangelism, and much more!

"...let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new" 

-Book of Common Prayer, page 540

This week on Faithfully Memphis, we embark on a new series of discussions around the future of the Church: Cast Down, Raised Up; Grown Old, Made New. Join Bishop Phoebe as she interviews the Reverend Dr. Rosalyn "Roz" Nichols, who is the organizing pastor of Freedom's Chapel Christian Church in Memphis, TN. Rev. Nichols also serves as Interfaith Officer for Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA).

What a year of great conversations it has been! This week on Faithfully Memphis, Bishop Phoebe and Emily Austin look back on some of our favorite moments from the show over the past year. Highlights include conversations with Josh Horton (Creative Works) and the Rev. Jonathan Chesney (Holy Communion); Lar'Juanette Williams (Memphis Black Arts Alliance); Sam Bryant (Literacy Mid-South) and the Rev. Paul McLain (Calvary Episcopal Church); and the Reverend Canon Stephanie Spellers, Canon for Evangelism and Reconciliation for The Episcopal Church.

Bishop Phoebe and Emily also share what's in store for Faithfully Memphis in 2023. Thank you for listening! 

What a year of great conversations it has been! This week and next on Faithfully Memphis, Bishop Phoebe and Emily Austin look back on some of our favorite moments from the show over the past year. This week, those highlights include conversations with Allison Pace (Saint John's Episcopal Church), Katherine Pace, and Betty Peyton; Mia Madison (Memphis Tilth); Jeremee DeMoir (DeMoir Books and Things) and the Rev. Gerri Endicott (Holy Apostles); Maggie Schaumleffel (Barth House) in conversation with Shannon Tucker and Laura White (West Tennessee Addiction and Recovery Commission);  Pat Morgan (We Hardly Knew Them); and Father Val Handwerker and Shannon Curtis (St. Patrick's Catholic Church). 

Dec. 29 highlights include conversations with Josh Horton (Creative Works) and the Rev. Jonathan Chesney (Holy Communion); Lar'Juanette Williams (Memphis Black Arts Alliance); Sam Bryant (Literacy Mid-South) and the Rev. Paul McLain (Calvary Episcopal Church); and the Reverend Canon Stephanie Spellers, Canon for Evangelism and Reconciliation for The Episcopal Church. Be sure to listen in! 

On December 4, the Rhodes College Women’s Chorus & Rhodes Singers joined with Dr. Dennis Janzer, Director of Music at St. Mary's Cathedral, and collaborative pianists and organists to ring in the Christmas spirit for the 36th annual Christmas at St. Mary's Concert. This week on Faithfully Memphis, we share the beautiful music of this concert on the show.

This week on Faithfully Memphis the Reverend Sandy Webb (Church of the Holy Communion) returns to the host's seat for a conversation with sacred artist Mel Ahlborn. In the episode, which is the final installment of the Behold It Unveiled series exploring the intersection of creativity and spirituality, Webb and Ahlborn discuss what makes an object "sacred," sources of inspiration, and symbolism.

For Peter Abell, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra isn't just a workplace. He has lead the organization as Executive Director since 2017, but his roots with the organization run extremely deep. In much the same way, music isn't just something playing in the background of his life but a central element of his lifelong spirituality. In this week's episode of Faithfully Memphis, Peter Abell's good friend, the Rev. Dr. Noah Campbell (Church of the Good Shepherd; Barth House Episcopal Center), talks with him about family, liturgy, community, and the music that binds them all together.

Learn more about the Memphis Symphony Orchestra at https://memphissymphony.org/.