ATLANTA – The Revs. Trey Phillips and Matt Babcock are among 22 professional and faith leaders selected from more than 900 who applied for the two-year international Trinity Leadership Fellows program.
Rev. Phillips is Youth Director at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church in Marietta. Phillips said he is passionate about fostering multi-faith encounters with young people that combat antisemitism and other religious prejudices. His work also focuses on reinvigorating the local parish as a center for deep theological learning by employing the best of human learning sciences and religious education.
Prior to parish employment, Phillips served as a hospital chaplain amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned his MDiv from the Candler School of Theology.
Rev. Babcock is vicar at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta where he oversees administration of the 2,000-member parish established in 1864. Babcock said he believes in the power of spiritual entrepreneurship and faith development and empowers all of God’s people to join in the work of transformation.
Prior to seminary, Babcock was a certified Six Sigma process engineer, a commodities merchandiser, and a finance executive. He also served in various roles as a lay and ordained parish leader in North Carolina, Connecticut, and Illinois, and received additional training through the Interim Ministry Network. He received his Master of Divinity and a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.
The Right Rev. Rob Wright, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, applauded the recognition of Phillips and Babcock.
“Trey Phillips and Matt Babcock are bright stars in the diocese, and their Trinity Fellowships will increase their ability to serve the people of St. Catherine’s and St. Luke’s and the wider church,” Wright said. The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta is comprised of 117 worshiping communities in middle and north Georgia.
In a statement about the selection of this year’s leadership fellows Trinity Wall Street said the program “is for individuals seeking to deepen the skills needed to effectively serve their communities and congregations while building lifelong supportive peer and mentoring relationships.”
“This non-residential, fully funded program will prepare professional and community leaders who are people of faith, as well as ordained leaders across faith traditions with the mindsets and practical skills they need to energize and empower their congregations and communities in ways that heal divides and disrupt injustice, as compelled by the Spirit and the Gospel.
“The experience will offer fellows an opportunity to learn from leading scholars from Harvard, experts in the field, and mentors interconnected through their faith and Trinity’s core values. Fellows will build life-changing relationships with like-minded peers who share the passion for faith-driven leadership that produces positive change in our world,” the statement said.
Trinity Church Wall Street was chartered in 1697 by King William III of England. In 1705, Queen Ann granted property valued in 2019 at more than $6 billion for “a lasting foundation of its support.” Today, Trinity’s resources funds programs addressing housing and homelessness, racial justice, mission real estate development, and leadership development.
