The people of the Diocese of Georgia mourn the loss of the Very Rev. Stan White, who passed away on December 20. He was born May 9, 1962, in Dothan, Alabama and lived in Florida, Arizona, and California before settling with his parents in Valdosta when he was six years old.

He has been an Episcopal Priest and Rector of Christ the King Episcopal Church in Valdosta for thirty years. Before that, he served as a non-denominational and Assemblies of God pastor. Stan and the congregation's journey into the Episcopal Church have been featured in Christianity Today, The Living Church, a PBS documentary on religion in America entitled "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory," and A History of the Episcopal Church by Robert W. Prichard. 

The son of Assemblies of God pastors, Stan's passage into a new denomination was fueled by his vision of all people - of every sexual orientation and race - as God's well-loved children. That vision helped to transform his family; his brother, Michael, and sister-in-law, Helen, are Rector and Assistant for Christian Formation and Children's Ministries, respectively, of Christ Church, Savannah. And that vision ultimately touched every corner of our Diocese; Archdeacon Yvette Owens was raised up a Deacon from Christ the King, and continues to serve the diocese while based there. Christ the King's former parishioner, the Very Rev. Denise Ronn, became the first woman to serve as dean in the Diocese of Georgia. The Very Rev. Galen Mirate also raised up from Christ the King is now Dean of the Albany Convocation.

His parishioners will remember his love for them, as well as his passion for spirituality, racial reconciliation, eclectic styles of music, his incredible musical talents, and his preaching, which always celebrated love, diversity, justice, and compassion. The unique expression of God's love and grace which his church embodied moved many within Stan's congregation to seek Holy Orders. Stan was always justifiably proud of the many men and women whom Christ the King sponsored for ordination, and those clergy - as well as the countless laity whose lives Stan touched - continue to carry the indelible imprimatur of Divine love that Stan's life and work always radiated.

In reflecting back on his spiritual journey six years ago, Stan wrote of his move into the Episcopal Church, "I was a young man filled with optimism and hope. A lot of things have not worked out as I imagined they would over the last 24 years. However, several things have been constants - grace, compassion, inclusion, diversity, community, ecumenism, mysticism, love, joy, to name a few - and for these I am very thankful."

Bishop Frank Logue said, "All of us fall short of the glory of God, but some, like Stan, find ways to point to that ideal and draw others toward it. Stan had a vision 'where the whole universe is our Cathedral, where every day is Sunday, where every creature is the Word of God, where every human being is the Beloved' and he shared that ideal of the reign of God in a way that was compelling and winsome. He is fiercely missed."

Stan died at home on Hospice Care on the evening of December 20. Bishop Logue will officiate a service on the Historical Courthouse lawn in Downtown Valdosta on Saturday, January 2nd at 2 p.m. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed.