All posts by FM News

Forward Today: Curb appeal

,

Dear friends in Christ,

About a year ago, my spouse and I bought a new house. We spent months looking for just the right home for us. Our real estate agent would sometimes talk with us about “curb appeal.” What does the house look like as you drive by?

Some houses have lots of curb appeal. And others might not have so much curb appeal but they still look great on the inside. House buyers might never find their way into a great house if there isn’t enough curb appeal.

It’s not all that different for churches. When people are looking for a new church home, they might drive by to see what your church looks like from the outside. Others might just be driving by and notice that your church looks well-tended and active, or unkempt and stagnant. Church seekers might never find their way into a great church if there isn’t enough curb appeal.

I mention all this because summer is a great time to look over your church for its curb appeal. Is the lawn tidy? Is the landscaping neat? Does it look like this is a place where things are happening?

These things do not need to be expensive. Simple things (perhaps a splash of paint here and a snip of the shrub trimmers there) might make a huge difference. Does your church building have a sign out front? Does that sign look great? Does it offer an inviting message?

And if people might have trouble finding their way to your church, you might consider an Episcopal church sign. Forward Movement recently became the official purveyor of church signs, and we’d love to help you reach new people with the Gospel.

When I was a parish priest, we found that inviting groups of people to come work on the church’s “curb appeal” was a fun way to connect people with one another. Maybe you’ll find the same thing.

If you think your church looks great, send me a photo! If you have an Episcopal Church sign, send me a photo of that. I’m always glad to see how we’re doing on curb appeal, because I’m always glad to know how we’re doing at making disciples.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn's signature

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

Refreshment for lay leaders this summer: Revive small-group series

From ChurchNext: How to Be a Godparent

From Grow Christians: Staying Connected over the Summer Months

Use code GC2022 to save 10% on the Forward Movement website throughout July!

Forward Day by Day app and website upgrades add Spanish content, new features

Forward Movement has updated its popular Forward Day by Day app and Daily Prayer website with a Spanish language setting, as well as a fourth daily podcast.

App users and website visitors may now select English or Spanish in their preferences, changing the scripture, prayers, and devotions, as well as navigation and system settings. Ongoing improvements to scripture translations will continue to improve the reading experience in Spanish in the coming months.

Scripture Day by Day podcast logoThe upgrade also unveils Scripture Day by Day, a new daily office podcast following the readings listed in Forward Day by Day, with lectionary readings for Sundays and Major Feasts following the Revised Common Lectionary.

Created by the Rev. Canon Wiley Ammons of Jacksonville, Florida, Scripture Day by Day joins three podcasts already available for playback within the app and website: the Forward Day by Day Podcast, A Morning at the Office, and An Evening at Prayer. All are available across major podcast platforms and on the Forward Movement website.

The latest improvements are thanks to the work of the Rev. Greg Johnston of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who overhauled the app and website in the summer of 2021. Johnston is also the creator of the popular Venite app, which Forward Movement began sponsoring in 2020.

“These upgrades have a tangible impact on people’s journey with Jesus, especially as we navigate a busy and distracting world,” said the Rev. Canon Scott Gunn, Forward Movement executive director. “We’re honored to work with a dedicated community of partners and donors to improve this free offering for the church.”

Visitors to the website (prayer.forwardmovement.org) will see the new options immediately, though a browser refresh may be needed. Users of the Forward Day by Day app should automatically receive the update, depending on their device and settings.

The donor-supported app is available free of charge on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

About Forward Movement

Forward Movement inspires disciples and empowers evangelists. We offer devotions, Bible studies, formation courses, and other resources to equip and support people in their walk with Jesus Christ. Visit www.forwardmovement.org or www.venadelante.org to learn more.

 

La aplicación “Forward Day by Day” ahora está disponible en español, y con más funciones

Forward Movement ha actualizado la aplicación “Forward Day by Day” y el sitio web de oración diaria, que ahora ofrece el texto en español y un cuarto podcast diario.

Quienes usan la aplicación o visitan el sitio web podrán ahora seleccionar español o inglés, cambiando el idioma de las escrituras, oraciones y devociones, así como las configuraciones de navegación y sistema. En los próximos meses se harán mejoras adicionales.

Scripture Day by Day podcast logoLa aplicación incluye además “Scripture Day by Day”, un nuevo podcast del oficio diario que sigue las lecturas indicadas en Adelante día a día, con las lecturas del leccionario para los domingos y las fiestas mayores tal como aparecen en el Leccionario Común Revisado.

“Scripture Day by Day” fue creado por el Rev. Canónigo Wiley Ammons de Jacksonville, Florida, y se suma a los tres podcasts que ya están disponibles en la aplicación y el sitio web: El podcast de Forward Day by Day, A Morning at the Office y An Evening at Prayer. Todos están disponibles en las plataformas de podcasts y en el sitio web de Forward Movement.

Las mejoras más recientes las realizó el Rev. Greg Johnston de Cambridge, Massachusetts, que en el verano de 2021 renovó la aplicación y el sitio web. Johnston es también el creador de la aplicación Venite, que Forward Movement viene patrocinando desde 2020,

El Rev. Canónigo Scott Gunn, director ejecutivo de Forward Movement, dijo que “estas mejoras impactan de manera tangible nuestro caminar con Jesús, especialmente con los muchos trajines y distracciones de nuestro mundo. Nos honra poder trabajar con una comunidad de socios y donantes para mejorar este recurso que le ofrecemos gratuitamente a la iglesia”.

Las mejoras ya pueden verse en el sitio Prayer.ForwardMovement.org. Quienes ya usan la aplicación Forward Day by Day recibirán una actualización automática según el dispositivo y las configuraciones que usen.

La aplicación, que es gratuita y se logró con el apoyo de donantes, se puede descargar en las tiendas digitales de Apple y de Google Play.

Forward Movement

En Forward Movement inspiramos discípulos y empoderamos evangelistas. Ofrecemos devociones, estudios bíblicos, cursos de formación y otros recursos para equipar y apoyar nuestro discipulado con Jesucristo. Para averiguar más, visítanos en www.ForwardMovement.org o www.VenAdelante.org.

 

Forward Today: Giving thanks for our church

, ,

Dear friends in Christ,

As I write this, I am on a plane on my way home from the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, where I was honored to serve in the House of Deputies. Normally, I would have spent some time in a Forward Movement booth in the exhibit hall, too, but the convention was downsized and shortened this year due to the pandemic.

I’m still mulling over the results of convention. We acted on over 400 resolutions. If you’re curious what all happened, you can read a quick summary of the convention over on the Episcopal News Service. And I was one of the photographers for Deputy News, and I posted some snaps on my Flickr album.

A couple of quick thoughts come to mind. I wish we spent more time and energy considering how our church can more fully carry out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. We need to do this not because our churches are in decline, but because the Good News of Jesus Christ can transform lives and change the world.

There was plenty of Good News at the convention, however. I always marvel at our democratic process for making decisions as a church. Lay people are essential—and involved—at all levels of church governance, along with bishops, priests, and deacons. In our deliberations, there was careful listening even when we disagreed.

It was a joy to be together, even for a brief time, with people who are united in their passion to make our church better. Our vision of what “better” looks like might differ, but each person is there because they love the church and the Lord Jesus.

Sometimes people say General Convention is disconnected from the lives of our congregations. If you only look at the content of some of the resolutions, that might seem true. But General Convention manifests something essential about our identity as Episcopalians: we believe that the Holy Spirit still works in the church, and we believe that lay people, bishops, priests, and deacons together discern where the Spirit is calling us to go. That charism is true at the churchwide level, at the diocesan level, and in our congregations.

Let us give thanks for the Spirit’s work. And let us pray for the grace and courage to be even more open to the winds of the Spirit and the winds of change.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn's signature

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

From the RenewalWorks blog: Living a day at a time

Now available for pre-order: Vital Signs of Faith

New from ChurchNext: The Gospel of Luke

Use code GC2022 to save 10% on the Forward Movement website throughout July!

Forward Today: Of courage and grace

, ,

Dear friends in Christ,

Tomorrow I leave for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Originally scheduled for the summer of 2021, the pandemic has forced us first to postpone and now to shorten and simplify the convention. Instead of the usual two-week gathering of voting deputies, bishops, exhibitors, youth, young adults, Episcopal Church Women, and visitors, we are limited to four days of just those who will be deliberating on legislation for our church.

Photo: Mary Frances Schjonberg / Episcopal News Service

The General Convention is a sometimes unwieldy but truly lovely part of our church. It’s not hard to criticize its excess, but it’s also important to recognize what it shows us about our church. At this gathering, lay people, bishops, priests, and deacons all work together to deliberate. Our church involves lay people at all levels of governance. The gathering will be live streamed for all to watch, and you will witness the careful procedure that is followed to protect the democratic nature of the work.

You can follow along online at the General Convention media hub, and if you’re bored, you can read some of the 412 resolutions that will be considered. But more than that, I hope you will pray for this gathering. Deputies and bishops will be voting on resolutions concerning racial healing and justice, our liturgies, discipleship and evangelism, and many other matters. Pray that we have the courage to follow the Spirit’s will in all things. Pray that we know God’s grace in our lives and in our beloved church.

And those of us who are gathered will need grace of other kinds, too. The necessary precautions to keep us safe during the pandemic are sensible, but they will be challenging. Many of our usual patterns have been upended, as we all have to learn new ways of doing things. Some of what is planned will doubtless unfold in ways that were not planned. We’ll need grace to forgive, to laugh, to apologize, and to be open to new ways.

Isn’t that like the whole church though? General Convention is, in many ways, a microcosm for all our churches, big and small. So much has been disrupted by two years of the pandemic. We grieve those who have died and all the things we have lost. And yet there is also a blessing in disruption. We are necessarily focused on what is most important. We are knocked out of our complacency. We are forced to consider how the church of 2022 can bear the Good News of Jesus Christ in a world that desperately needs to know God’s grace and mercy.

Pray for those who gather in Baltimore.

Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in the General Convention for the renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If you’re going to be there, please say hello. You can find me during legislative sessions in the House of Deputies or outside when the convention is on break.

Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn's signature

P.S. Forward Movement doesn’t have a booth in the exhibit hall this time, but we’re still offering a discount for General Convention shopping. You can use code GC2022 on our website or for phone orders to save 10% throughout the month of July.

More from our ministry:

Follow Forward Movement at General Convention on Facebook and Twitter

From Grow Christians: Pauli Murray: right on time

Pre-order today: The Book of Common Prayer – Gift Edition

Forward Today: The peace of Christ

,

Dear friends in Christ,

It’s been a difficult few weeks for the world and for the United States. We’ve seen earthquakes, gun violence, political upheaval, wars, and the ongoing global pandemic. It wouldn’t be difficult to lose hope at a time like this.

How can we stay hopeful? What are we to do?

Image from the catacomb of Domitilla shows one of the oldest known images of Jesus Christ as the good shepherd / Wikimedia Commons

I find the Gospels helpful in difficult times. There I am reminded that even Christ’s disciples—people who knew Jesus and saw his works—didn’t have the answers and sometimes lost their way. Jesus again and again had to redirect his followers. Sometimes he cajoled them. Sometimes he taught them. Sometimes he showed them signs and wonders. Always, he loved them.

If we lose our way, we are never alone. The Spirit abides with us. But what about all those times we can’t even see the Spirit at work in the world and in our own hearts?

Thanks be to God we have the church. Christ’s body, the church, is our haven and our sustenance. We can be nourished as we hear God’s word spoken to us. We can be sustained as we receive the sacraments. We can inspired as we listen to others bear witness to the grace and mercy of God at work in their lives.

I am not suggesting that we should flee the world and hide out inside our stained glass windows. I am not suggesting that the Gospel magically remedies the injustice and violence of the world. But the fact is that we who follow Jesus need to be reminded that he is the way, the truth, and the life. We need to remember that we are beloved of God, and that we are called to love others as he first loved us.

You and I don’t have to save the world. Jesus has done that. Our task is to give thanks for God’s love for us and to manifest that love in word and deed. I can’t say that we will make everything right in this world, but I can say with every fiber of my being that, in the end, love wins. Easter shows us that.

So what shall we do now?

We can offer compassion. Console those who suffer. Speak up for the voiceless. Give of our substance to those who have less. Name evil when we see it. Love our enemies. Pray for the needs of the world. And above all bear witness to God’s grace and mercy.

I might also add that righteous anger is holy, as the scriptures remind us. Righteous anger is not anger at our own suffering, but rather rage on behalf of the poor, the vulnerable, the widow, the orphan, and all those in great need. God sides with the meek not the mighty, and it’s just fine for God’s people to remind everyone of that.

In these times, I beseech you to spend time with other Christians. Worship on the Lord’s Day. Go to a Bible study. Pray with a friend. That’s how we keep our compass when the world seems to spin out of control.

We can’t make peace, but we can find Christ’s peace even in the midst of the storm.

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn's signature

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

New course from ChurchNext: Organizing for Justice

From Grow Christians: Preparing and Trusting with John the Baptist

Pray with us every day at prayer.forwardmovement.org

Episcopal Church street signage now part of Forward Movement

Forward Movement has announced it is the new official home of Episcopal Church street signs, having acquired the business from Faith Goods, part of Day1, in late 2021.

For more than a half century, the “Episcopal Church Welcomes You” street sign has been used as a highly visible community invitation for churches. Visitors and inquirers may search the internet for directions to local churches, but they also recognize a familiar sign when they see it. Local signage is a valuable strategy for churches to maintain visibility and a distinct brand identity for continued growth and development.

“Street signs are evangelism, plain and simple, but with huge potential impact. They help with community visibility for all churches, especially those located on side streets and outside city centers,” said the Rev. Canon Scott Gunn, executive director of Forward Movement. “We’re excited to help churches refresh their signage to help them reach more disciples.”

Churches can request estimates and place orders for new signage at signs.forwardmovement.org.

About Forward Movement

Forward Movement inspires disciples and empowers evangelists. We offer devotions, Bible studies, formation courses, and other resources to equip and support people in their walk with Jesus Christ. Visit www.forwardmovement.org or www.venadelante.org to learn more.

Forward Today: Giving generously

Dear friends in Christ: We’re pleased to welcome Lindsay Barrett-Adler, our Development Associate, as our guest author this week.

Widow’s Mite – Ancient Roman Bronze Coins

“For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”– Mark 12:44

Like Miriam wrote last week, we fundraisers love to tell stories. We recently shared my story of an addition to our Easter dinner – sharing physical and spiritual sustenance with a friend experiencing homelessness. When I first shared this story with the Forward Movement team, I did not realize that it was just the story’s beginning.

In the months since Easter Monday, we have continued to welcome our new neighbor. My husband has fallen into a bit of a routine with hot water for her instant coffee (she insists a new pot is completely unnecessary), prayer, and sometimes a breakfast of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, as per her request. Sometimes she charges her cell phone. We still know very little about her; we have no clue how she came to sleep on our church’s bench or if she has a team of social supports beneath her. We don’t even know her name.

But we know one thing—she, out of her poverty, has become a regular donor to our little church in Philadelphia. One morning my husband heard the clink of the sacristy door mail slot and spotted a dollar bill on the ground. Since then, he has seen our friend deposit a dollar each day she visits. Sometimes she donates $5 a week; sometimes, she only visits twice. But she always gives generously out of her poverty.

This woman is hardly the first widow and mite I have encountered and certainly not the first in my role at Forward Movement. We receive small gifts from Forward Day by Day readers who are incarcerated, residents in elder care facilities, and military personnel. Each gift is usually accompanied by a handwritten note, sharing how much comfort and love they feel with each edition’s arrival. For some, Forward Day by Day is the only mail they receive.

When someone asks for nourishment like my new neighbor, we can send them materials free of charge, thanks to the generosity of our donors. In the fundraising world, we often talk about major donors, but Jesus reminds us that each of us is a beloved child of God and every gift, even the change that rattles through a sacristy mail slot, is a major gift. Thanks be to God.

Lindsay Barrett-Adler serves as Development Associate at Forward Movement and delights in sharing the story of its mission and impact, made possible by generous donors. In her free time, Lindsay is an often-disappointed Philadelphia sports fan, curious chef, and mom of three, always in need of more coffee.

More from our ministry:

Make these stories of faith possible: Donate to our ministry

Pre-order The Unjust Steward: Wealth, Poverty, and the Church Today

New from ChurchNext: Developing Christian Patience

Forward Today: Our faith roots itself in story

Dear friends in Christ: We’re pleased to welcome Miriam McKenney, our Director of Development and Mission Engagement, as our guest author this week.

Our faith roots itself in story. As director of development and mission engagement, I love to connect givers and receivers through our stories because we are both. I hope the stories remind us that we are made in God’s image and are beloved of God and each other.

Colossians 4:2: "Keep on praying and guard your prayers with thanksgiving."Last week, I attended a conference for non-profit fundraisers called Stories Worth Sharing. Listening to the presentations caused me to question my work and role at Forward Movement. Seeing and hearing the presenters’ passion for their work made me wonder if I was doing mine as well as I could. Jesus took time to himself to pray and discern; I thought, it’s probably time for me to do the same.

Then Lindsay, development associate, sent me this note a donor wrote on the envelope that included her gift:

Hello—
Earlier this year, I made a small donation to Forward Movement. Shortly thereafter, I received a wonderful thank you letter from Miriam McKenney. The thoughtfulness of Miriam’s letter inspired me to donate more. Please keep up the great work!
Sincerely, Holly

What I needed right then showed up! My prayer practice offers lots of space to listen to God’s voice as Spirit. I’m thankful God answered my prayer through Holly. Her note witnessed our ministry sharing the good news of God’s love and gave me an enormous rush of peace and comfort.

When we invite you to donate to our ministry, we do so with the understanding that the call to give is personal between you and God. Only God knows God’s timing. As we seek God’s love and counsel in our lives, we can listen to the Spirit to know when and how to act. I do that best at a specific spot in Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum in Cincinnati. I wonder where you hear God.

We at Forward Movement sincerely appreciate all the gifts we receive in all amounts. Many of you round up when you order on our website. Each offering added with the others affirms our faith and that we must share the good news with all who seek it.

Holly, thank you for reaffirming my role in our ministry. Thank you, God, for answering my prayer when I cried out to you. May you all know your place in the story today and every day.

Miriam G. Willard McKenney serves as Forward Movement’s development director and is on the Way of Love working group. She was a children’s librarian and school media specialist for twenty years before joining Forward Movement’s staff in 2010. Miriam loves to evangelize picture books for all ages and her love of outdoor fitness, even in extreme temperatures — as there’s no bad weather, just incorrect clothing choices. She finds joy in parenting her three adult daughters, Nia, Kaia, and Jaiya, with her husband, David.

More from our ministry:

Discover your practice of prayer: Seek and You Will Find

Forward Today: We are never alone

,

Dear friends in Christ,

This coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday, our annual opportunity to celebrate the revelation of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s tempting to try and use this day to explain the Trinity, but perhaps it’s better to use this day to sing rousing hymns in praise of the Trinity.

Image of the Holy Trinity from Church of Debra Berhan Selassie, Gondar, Ethiopia / Wikimedia Commons

With all the violence, division, fear, and chaos of our time, it might be easy for us to conclude that delving into the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is irrelevant. Sometimes people say things such as, “people are more important than doctrine.” But this is an impoverished view of both the task of theology and the work of loving others.

Doctrine helps us know who God is and how God wants us to live. Doctrine helps me understand our fallen world and the need for a Redeemer. Doctrine challenges me to love those whom I might prefer to ignore.

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity shows us that God has loved us from the beginning of all things, having made this universe in which we live. Jesus Christ is the exact imprint of his Father’s very being, showing us everything we need to see about how God loves us and calls us to transformation. The Holy Spirit is the Father’s gift to us, as promised by Jesus Christ, and that same Spirit is our guide, our companion, and our teacher.

Though I love a good flowchart, the Holy Trinity is best perhaps understood has God’s eternal love for creation and for each one of us. Sure, there is a lifetime of wisdom and inspiration to be gained by studying the relationship among the persons of the Holy Trinity. But while we study and learn, we can also bask in the glory of God and delight in the astounding, unearned gift of God’s love for us.

You see, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not irrelevant to the challenges of our world and of our lives. When I begin to grasp the wondrous mystery of the Holy Trinity, I begin to grasp that God never abandons us, never leaves us alone. And we see that God’s desire is for a world that is filled with justice, mercy, hope, and grace. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to proclaim God’s grace and mercy in a world that yearns for a word of hope.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn's signature

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

From the Grow Christians archives: Celebrating God Being All Things
Explore Episcopal doctrines: Walk In Love

Forward Today: Come, Holy Spirit

,

We hope you enjoy this reprise of Scott’s Forward Today reflection on the Day of Pentecost from 2018.

Dear friends in Christ,

This Sunday, we will celebrate the awe-full (as in full of awe) Day of Pentecost. Consider what it might have been like for those disciples. They saw tongues of fire. They heard people from other nations speaking in their own languages. It’s no wonder some bystanders wondered if people had been drinking too much.

By Хомелка [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
I worry that in our zeal to make Pentecost the capstone of the Easter season – to turn it into a big party – we have missed the awe of the day. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got nothing against parties, and I’m grateful for our realization that Easter is a season of 50 days. But I wonder, on this feast of the Holy Spirit’s descent, if we pay enough attention to the Holy Spirit.

Too often, I hear people saying, “The Holy Spirit was here” when things have gone their way or when an experience was delightful. And perhaps the Spirit was there. But a cursory glance at the scriptures suggests the Holy Spirit’s arrival is not always about warm, fuzzy feelings.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit pushes people to act boldly for the cause of the Gospel. I mean, to do things that risk life and limb. Sometimes the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins, and the fruit of an encounter with the Spirit is repentance. The whole book of Acts is filled with stories of the Spirit’s power leading the church to open itself to the world around.

What do you think would happen if the Holy Spirit descended afresh on our church? Would we hear new things from those who are different from us? Would we be pushed in new, astonishing directions?

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn's signature

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

From Grow Christians: Lifting up the lowly
ChurchNext’s top recommended course: Understanding Systemic Racism
Pre-order the new book on the life of the spirit: Vital Signs of Faith