We are getting very close to an important election in the life of our nation. At all levels— local, state, national—critical decisions will be made about who leads us.
This ought to matter greatly to all of us who follow Jesus. Our Lord commanded us to love our neighbors. One way to love our neighbors is to seek their well-being by political means.
It’s clear that there are sharply different views of which direction our nation should take. And the same division can be found in most states and in many local communities. The end result is that this time seems to be pushing us toward division rather than uniting us as a people who seek the common good.
There are many things we can do as followers of Jesus. We can volunteer in political campaigns or even seek public office. We can encourage voting. We can work for free and fair elections. Above all, we can pray.
Forward Movement invites you to join in a nine-day cycle of prayer for our nation and for this election. Praying for nine days is an ancient rhythm; it’s long enough to feel sustainable, but brief enough to be accessible to all. The season starts October 29 and ends the day after the election, November 6.
All the prayers are taken from the Book of Common Prayer. Forward Movement has put together bulletin inserts and some social media to use in local churches. The materials are also available in Spanish. Social media posts will begin on October 29 on Forward Movement’s Facebook and Instagram channels.
Over the last year or so, a minor controversy has erupted at my church. Like a lot of places, giving patterns have shifted in the congregation over the last few years, with electronic giving becoming increasingly prevalent, and not just among younger members.
The controversy involves the laminated cards we’ve placed in the pews reading “I give online,” and including a QR code to the giving page on the website. The cards are intended to make it easier for visitors to know how to give online, and to allow newcomers and longtime members alike to offer their gifts before God in worship, or, perhaps less high-minded but still meaningful, to avoid looking stingy when the offering plate goes by. But some members of the church worry – and with solid scriptural support! – that the cards fly in the face of Jesus’s admonitions against practicing your faith for an audience. Doesn’t this violate the spirit of the instruction not to “let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3)?
Reminding people that using the cards was optional was enough to resolve most of the angst. But the questions the incident raised about faithfulness in giving, and the act of giving as a sort of social performance, remain.
As you think about your experience as a follower of Christ, whether that’s been for a lifetime or a path you’ve only recently started to tread, who taught you how to give? For Christ’s Jewish audience in Matthew’s Gospel, the answer would have been obvious. The Torah contains detailed instructions for appointed sacrifices, reinforced by social and religious customs, with the temple at the center of worship.
It would be easy to assume that the tithe – 10% of income – as the biblical standard of giving is well understood by Christians. But a 2022 survey by the Barna Group reveals that 44% of Christians cannot definitively say what the tithe is. That’s nearly half of us! So I suspect for a lot of Christians, maybe including you, the lessons of giving might not have come from the church, but from your family, or secular culture, or maybe you’ve developed an ethic on your own.
One of the jobs at the church is to be a “school for saints.” By being part of a church, you commit to daily becoming more and more like Christ through the practices of discipleship, including regular attendance at worship, scripture study, prayer, service, and generosity with the money entrusted to you for the common good and the greater purposes of God.
Are laminated “I give online“ cards an appropriate tool to help model what giving looks like in Christian community when fewer of us are dropping cash and checks in the plate? Your mileage may vary. But I pray that wherever the school for saints you make your spiritual home, your fellow students of discipleship continually and lovingly provoke you and one another to a generosity joyful and pure, a shimmering reflection of the generous grace of God.
Yours faithfully,
Brendan O’Sullivan-Hale
Treasurer of the Forward Movement Board
A message from our Director of Development:
There are many ways to give to Forward Movement, including stock and securities. A donor shares: “Years ago my wife and I bought stock in a fledgling computer company. It has appreciated in value and each year we give a block of it to Forward Movement. Giving appreciated stock both lowers our taxes and enables Forward Movement to continue to bless thousands of people with resources to guide them in listening for the subtle promptings of the Spirit.” Contact me (Lindsay Barrett-Adler) if you would like more information.
As I write this, millions of people in several states are still recovering from Hurricane Helene. And Hurricane Milton is bearing down on Florida. Calamitous weather seems to be the new normal across the nation and the world.
Looking at our political landscape, I think we could find bipartisan agreement that we face many metaphorical political storms. Precisely at a time when our nation needs its elected leaders to work together for the common good, our leaders seem locked in acrimonious division.
Literal and metaphorical storms take an enormous toll on us, both as individuals and as a nation. And these storms are related, because our leaders are not adequately addressing the underlying problem of climate change that leads to more frequent and more intense storms of all kinds.
It would be easy to despair. What is a Christian to do?
Those of us who were not affected by recent storms can help those who were—with prayer and monetary donations. All of us can do our part to work for healthy governance as we enter the voting booth soon.
I don’t have the answer for how to navigate the storms of this life, either the harsh weather and dysfunctional politics. But St. Paul has good advice for us. He knew something about storms and struggles. So when he speaks, he has the credibility and the experience we need.
Here is his advice, found in the fourth chapter of Philippians:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to try to do as he says. The peace of God is just what I need. Maybe you do, too.
I’ve just returned from a few days in the Diocese of Texas, where I’m happy to report the Holy Spirit is doing mighty things!
On Sunday, I preached at St. Cuthbert’s in Houston. It’s one of the most racially diverse churches I’ve ever had the pleasure of worshiping in. A dazzling row of flags hangs in the worship space representing the many nations from which the members of this church come. But more than that, the place is radiant with the Spirit. They have seen dramatic growth in the last year or two, and there’s no sign of that slowing down.
What’s their secret? Why are they so vibrant? There are probably a lot of reasons, but I think their sustained focus on the transforming love of Jesus Christ — changing the world one life at a time — must be the root. Their music is lively and excellent. Their worship is well done and right out of the Book of Common Prayer. And, golly, they are deeply welcoming. If you are in the area, go check it out.
Sunday afternoon, I drove out to Camp Allen, the camp and conference center of the Diocese of Texas. There I met with the Small Church Network. This is a practice I would commend to other dioceses: twice a year, the churches with attendance under 50 get together to learn from one another. These smaller churches are able to offer personal ministry and tight-knit community. While larger churches may have more programs, small churches have their own strengths. Bigger is not better, it’s just bigger.
I heard inspiring stories of transforming ministry taking place in small churches in small towns. The Gospel is making a difference. If you are reading this and you are from a small church, I encourage you to reach out to others and to draw inspiration and support.
Finally, while I was in Texas, I met with their diocesan group of retired clergy and spouses. There were centuries of ministry experience in the room. I was encouraged by their hope for the future of our church and for the love of Jesus to make a mark in the world.
Sometimes it’s tempting to despair over the challenges we face and the seemingly unstoppable decline of our beloved church. But decline is not unstoppable. Jesus Christ, who conquered death and the grave, also promised to abide with his church until the end of time. We are not alone in our work. We have our Lord, and we have the company of fellow pilgrims on the way.
Let us all draw inspiration from one another. And let us never forget the reason our churches exist. It is not for comfort or prestige or security, but rather so that we can make disciples of Jesus Christ.
This coming Sunday’s epistle reading comes from James. It begins:
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.
Whether we are suffering, celebrating, or sick, we should pray. In other words, we are meant to pray without ceasing, as the scripture says elsewhere.
Our epistle reading this week was written to the leaders of the church, offering counsel for the fledgling church. It’s still good advice. We would do well to anchor our churches in prayer.
I have observed, however, that this is not always the case. Lay leaders and clergy discover a challenge and struggle to solve it. Vestries grapple with financial stress or church conflict or some other issue. In our pull-ourselves-up-by-your-bootstraps culture, we are all trained to solve our problems on our own. But this is not the Gospel.
If you or your church is facing a challenge, pray. If you are celebrating, pray. If you or someone you know is ill, pray. That’s just what James says, and it’s spot on. The first point is especially important.
A few years ago, I was working with a vestry who were facing a severe challenge. They talked about the problem from all angles and debated how to solve it. Then someone spoke up, “I don’t think we know the answer. We should pray.” After a moment, it was clear that everyone knew this was the thing to do.
Is your church struggling with a challenge, or maybe several of them? Let us pray.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about travel and how it helps remind me of important life lessons. That same trip gave me other insights, as well.
While I was in Cairo, I went to see the pyramids of Giza. I’d wanted to see them for decades, and they lived up to the hype. The morning I went, I walked all around the site, seeing the pyramids from different perspectives and touching ancient stones.
After a while, I needed a break, so I found a well-known restaurant with a splendid view of all the pyramids. Because it was the height of summer heat, there were very few other tourists. In the quiet, as I sat there sipping my coffee, I gazed at the ancient wonder of the world.
For 3,800 years, the Great Pyramid was the tallest human-made structure in the world. According to the traditional chronology, when Moses lived, the great pyramid was already close to 1,000 years old. Compared to the normal structures of the era—modest dwellings, even palaces—the pyramids must have been mind-blowing.
It would have been easy to see those pyramids and conclude that Pharaoh’s might was the greatest force in the world. And yet, when God sought to liberate his people, the mercy of the Lord exceeded armies, wealth, rulers, and worldly power. Mercy triumphed over might.
As I sat there pondering this, I thought about the vexing challenges of our time. Too many politicians crave power over the public good. The rich exploit others to gain even more wealth. People turn a blind eye toward injustice and oppression. Most of us consume more than we need, poisoning our world and harming others so that we can enjoy cheap goods.
Sometimes I am filled with despair. How can we fulfill our Lord’s command to love our neighbors? How can we work toward a better world? How will the mighty be cast down?
Seeing those pyramids helped me remember that, in the end, God’s mercy endures forever. We surely have a role in proclaiming this truth and in aligning our lives with God’s will. But we don’t have to save the world. We already have a mighty savior. What good news that is!
Today could be a demanding day for a follower of Jesus. The anniversary of the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 will no doubt bring out a range of reactions, some helpful and others less so. As the US presidential election draws near, we may at times alternate between hope and despair. What is a person of faith to do with all this?
Prayer is never the wrong answer.
The scriptures call us to pray without ceasing. When Jesus was met with great challenges, he turned to prayer. So prayer is a very Christlike response to challenges.
In terms of the election, I invite you to join Forward Movement in a season of prayer for an election. We are encouraging individuals and churches to pray during the nine days leading up to this November’s election, but you can use the prayers we’ve assembled any time. Let us all pray for wise discernment for voters and for courage, clarity, and compassion in all those who seek public office.
As the news media remind us of the horrors that were visited on the US 23 years ago, let us pray for those who died, for their loved ones, for those who carry scars from their work as first responders, but also for those whose hearts are filled with hatred, that they may be led from acts of violence to a place of mercy and grace instead.
I’m here to witness to the fact that prayer can bring about miracles. Let us pray for nothing less than a miraculous change in our world, one life at a time.
I’ve just come back from a three-week solo travel adventure. On this trip, I visited five countries that were new to me: Comoros, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, and Spain. It was amazing. And it didn’t all go according to plan.
There are lots of reasons I love traveling to see the world. But one of the big reasons is that nearly every trip ends up serving to remind me of a crucial lesson for the Christian life: sometimes our plan doesn’t happen. It may be that our plan and God’s plan are different, or sometimes it may just be as simple as “stuff happens” and we must adjust to new circumstances.
When I travel, I usually have a list of things I want to see or do, with the most important ones at the top of the list. I read about how I will accomplish all these things, and then I set out. But sometimes things happen: a flight is late, a site is unexpectedly closed, there’s a traffic jam, or some other problem.
As I watch my plans evaporate, it can be tempting to get frustrated or even angry. On a good day, I remember that the point of travel is to see new things, not to execute a plan I made back home. Sometimes disruptions or last-minute changes improve my travels in ways I couldn’t imagine. Other times, I miss seeing things I really wanted to visit, and there’s no way to repair the plan.
Perspective is everything. Earlier this year, I was in Japan to see cherry blossoms. I started to get myself worked into a state because the sky was a dull gray instead of the bright blue I had hoped for. And then it clicked: “Scott, you’re in Tokyo seeing amazing cherry blossoms, and they are stunning regardless of the weather.” That’s all I needed. I went back to being delighted in God’s creation.
This lesson from travel applies to larger life, in big and small ways. We can become angry or frustrated that our plan isn’t working. Or we can adjust to the new plan, whatever the cause, and give thanks for God’s presence with us on life’s turns and twists.
I don’t believe the gospel promises that the Christian life will be easy, but the gospel does assure us that God abides with us throughout life’s journey. It’s a lesson I need to learn over and over.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
P.S. Travel photography is a hobby of mine, so if you’d like to see photos from Comoros, Egypt, Morocco, or Spain, have a look.
While Scott is traveling this summer, we bring you a rerun post from August 2019. Hope you enjoy it!
Dear friends in Christ,
It sure seems like the cool weather of fall is a world away. And yet, we’re only a couple of days away from the change. At Forward Movement, our summer “half-day Fridays” come to an end with the start of September. The point is, you’d better enjoy the last little bit of summer life!
Whether or not the start of September makes much of a difference in your home, it does make a difference to lots of people. This time of year is one of those times when plenty of people think of finding a new church. Is your church ready for an influx of guests?
We at Forward Movement offer lots of resources to help guests learn more about the Episcopal Church, but it’s not just about having a fresh pile of books and pamphlets. Now is a great time to check your signage, make sure your website is up to date, and clear away clutter in the hallways and entries.
I frequently hear that we need to provide a clear path for guests. How do they learn more? How do they get involved? How are they invited into membership? For small and large congregations, it’s a challenge, though the challenge is different. Larger congregations with loads of programs need to provide a roadmap (“Start here, this is next, and finally this is how to become members.”). Smaller congregations won’t have a dizzying array of programs, but they still need to provide a path. Here the solution is probably an individual meeting between guests and either lay leaders or clergy.
Our church is shrinking, and one of the reasons is that we don’t always do a good job of inviting people through our doors. And when they arrive, we’re not often good at welcoming and connecting them into ministries. Check out Invite Welcome Connect to help with this process.
Lots of people are yearning for a community with purpose. They’re waiting on you to invite them and to offer them a place.
In the midst of a warm, muggy summer, it might seem odd to be thinking of autumn. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking on my part. But I’m already leaping ahead to September.
In the old days, that is, just before the pandemic, autumn was a common time for seekers to go looking for churches. Lots of guests would arrive on Sunday mornings in September, people looking for a church home. We don’t have enough post-pandemic years under our belts to know if there’s a new pattern, but I suspect we’ll still see an influx of guests in our churches this fall.
Are you ready? While an Episcopal Church Welcomes You sign is a good start, a warm welcome requires warm greeters. A hospitable church will look at its signage to make sure it’s clear which door to enter, how to find the worship space, and where to use the restroom. Children will be welcomed with kid-friendly materials and perhaps a comfy space to worship alongside their grownup siblings in Christ.
Summer is a good time to look at our churches through guests’ eyes. Ever better, invite a friend who’s never been to your church to come and look around—and tell you what they see.
Jesus taught that welcoming strangers is really important. That’s especially true in our churches, where we have the opportunity to offer the blessing of hospitality to people who may be going through lots of transition.
Forward Movement offers Invite Welcome Connect with a list of ideas, but most of what we need to do only requires common sense and intentionality. The warm days of summer are the perfect time to prepare for the cool days of autumn. Now is the time for us to be ready to welcome the next seeker, to offer them the hospitality that Jesus wants us to share.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
More from our ministry:
Introduce newcomers to our prayer book tradition: Inwardly Digest
Dear friends in Christ,
Dear friends in Christ,