Welcome back to the latest In Case You Missed It, a.k.a. ICYMI, our weekly blog roundup of the latest stories around the @fwd_mvt and #Episcopal world.
Here at Forward Movement we’re in full-on Lent prep mode. And that can only mean one thing: They’re baaack:
That’s right: it’s just over 2 weeks until Ash Wednesday, and that means a certain annual early-spring tournament is about to sweep office coolers around the nation. We speak of Lent Madness, of course. Not familiar? Check out the video above from the SEC (Supreme Executive Committee), a.k.a. Scott Gunn and Tim Schenck.
The next step in joining the Madness is to pick up a Saintly Scorecard (also available in poster size, great for parish halls). Then make your selections, vote online during Lent, and enjoy learning more about these saints.
Lent Madness is silly by design, of course, but a funny thing happens during the March mayhem—we learn some pretty powerful stuff. Scott writes about that in this week’s Forward Today, titled “Inspiration from the Saints.” A key quote:
“Every saint we remember is known for their advocacy of the vulnerable or for calling people to transformed lives or for prophetically calling the church to return to its Gospel life. To celebrate the saints is to celebrate rocking the boat. To celebrate the saints is to discover that God works for justice through people like you and me.”
Amen!
Speaking of advocacy of the vulnerable: One powerful Lenten practice we’re recommending this year is Meeting Jesus on the Margins. We produced this book in 2016, but just reprinted it for yearly use. It focuses on Jesus’ message in the Gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus urges us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, and visit the prisoners. That message is certainly timeless.
Also: Have you been following along with Minda Cox’s Forward Day by Day meditations this month? It’s not too late to join in this daily practice for February—and to weigh in with the new Moving Forward feature, using #ForwardDaybyDay.
On Feb 6, readers responded to the following action: Take or draw a picture of your favorite real-life servant-leader in action. On the hashtag, we saw a wide variety of answers:
“One of my favorite servant leaders, @elizabethforma #ForwardDayByDay”
“Servant leader #forwarddaybyday”
“Father Bill Wright @eecsanangelo informs & inspires my own servanthood. He’s a blessing to our parish … & beyond. #ForwardDayByDay”
Really cool to see such a range of answers! And there are more great Moving Forward questions and actions coming up. Wishing you all a peaceful week.