Forward Today: Advent and beyond

Dear friends in Christ,

I’m looking forward to Advent Word again this year. In case you haven’t heard of it, Advent Word is an international community of prayer through the Advent season. For the eighth year, Christians around the world are joined together as each day of Advent invites a focus on a particular word drawn from the lectionary.

This is an ideal social media devotion—a way to claim an often unholy space with the holiness of preparation and repentance. Whether on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, you can follow along for meditations or images through the season. You can savor Advent Word as an individual practice or you might form a group in your congregation.

So why am I mentioning this now, when it’s not even November? In addition to the free online materials, Forward Movement has published Promise & Praise, a book for this Advent season based on this year’s Advent words. In addition to reflections by yours truly, the book includes reflections by Miriam McKenney, Hugo Olaiz, Richelle Thompson, Lisa Kimball, and Michael B. Curry. In an ordinary year, I’d wait a couple more weeks to mention a book, but this year, with shipping delays, I encourage you to order the book soon.

Unrelated to Advent Word, we are also offering Jay Sidebotham’s wonderful Slow Down. Quiet. It’s Advent colorable calendar. Again, to ensure timely delivery, order soon!

Whatever your Advent plans are this year, I encourage you to think ahead to make sure you have what you need if you’re counting on resources. But of course, it’s enough to use the gift of this season as a time to prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus Christ, and you don’t need to buy anything in order to repent.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn's signature

Scott Gunn
Executive Director


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