Dear friends in Christ,
Today, a few team members from Forward Movement are driving to Indianapolis for the 2019 FORMA conference, a gathering of nearly 500 Christian formation leaders, thinkers, and practitioners from around the Episcopal Church.
In an era of video meeting services and free online libraries of keynote addresses, one might have concluded several years ago that in-person conferences were on the way out, replaced by the ease and affordability of a new, modern way to gather and share ideas in real time. To be sure, Forward Movement uses some of this technology regularly, and with success.
Yet, we still gather for in-person conferences. Why?
It turns out, despite incredibly powerful advancements in how we communicate, nothing can dethrone the power of being present for each other. Nothing forms bonds of trust, understanding, and empathy like hearing a subtle tone of voice, seeing body language of a presenter, or hearing directly from a peer dealing with similar challenges.
These experiences of community help lower our guard and open us to new ideas and fresh thinking. And that is the point. With our guard lowered, we are humbled as a member of a community. Our ego gives way to curiosity and an openness to learn. Innovation and creative thinking rarely come from the daily grind. We humans need space for that thinking, and more often than not, we need help from others. So, we pause and gather.
Please keep us in your prayers this week as we stop the grind to be present for each other and to be witnesses for the community at work around the Church.
Yours in Christ,
Jason Merritt
Deputy Director and Marketing Director
Today’s Flash Sale: Bible Women
Women of the Bible have been trapped in dry and dusty literary caskets for centuries. While a few women, such as Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Mary Magdalene, are familiar, many of the women who speak in the Bible have long been ignored. Yet their words are part of God’s Word, the Bible, for a reason. Through these women, God spoke, intervened, changed, illustrated, and proclaimed the story of redemption.
In this groundbreaking book named best Bible study of 2015 by Illumination Book Awards, Episcopal priest Lindsay Hardin Freeman identifies every woman who speaks in the Bible, providing their words, context, and historical background. We learn which women speak the most (hint: it’s not Mary!) and which books of the Bible have the fewest words from women.
Regular: $22
Today: $16.50
*Discount is valid until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time