Forward Today: Learning in community

Dear friends in Christ,

From my conversations lately with leaders across the church, I’ve heard lots of people talking about resuming programming this fall in way that we haven’t gathered since early spring 2020. Of course, I’m also hearing all the news about COVID cases worsening. It’s hard to know how to plan or what to do!

If your church is able to do it, I hope you’ll offer whatever you can this fall. People need connection now more than ever. After a rough couple of years, going deeper into our beliefs and practices might be just what we all need.

Of course, we’ve learned that we can gather online. We don’t have to get in our cars and drive to church to have a class together. We can also do hybrids, where some folks are gathered at church and others are gathered online. Either way, the point is that we’re gathered.

We in the church need each other. I can watch a video or read a book or study the Bible on my own, but I am immeasurably enriched when I do those same things with fellow disciples in the church.

There are lots of resources out there. The Episcopal Church offers courses, including Sacred Ground, which invites conversations on race & faith. Religious publishers, including our friends at Church Publishing, have lots of terrific books for study.

We at Forward Movement have lots of books and other materials to support learning in community. ChurchNext offers quite a few courses for groups. Revive is a video-based discipleship program geared especially at church lay leaders. Living Discipleship offers free courses for adults (and all ages) on saints, scripture, and practicing our faith.

If you’re looking for books for your book group, check out this list of Forward Movement books. We offer bulk prices for nearly all of our books, making it more affordable for you to buy ten or more copies. Our bulk prices are better than the price you’ll pay from major online bookstores.

Whatever you use, I hope you and your church will find ways to gather to grow in faith and practice.

Yours faithfully,