Category Archives: Ideas

Three new titles available for pre-order

Forward Movement announces three new titles available for pre-order

Three new highly anticipated titles are now available for pre-order from Forward Movement. All three will be released in September 2022. Pre-orders will ship in late August.

Cover art for The Unjust StewardThe Unjust Steward: Wealth, Poverty, and the Church Today, by Miguel Escobar, explores the challenges of wealth and poverty, from the beginnings of Christianity to the church today.

$25 each
ON SALE: $22 direct from Forward Movement
Bulk: $16 each for 5-9 copies  |  $14 each for 10+ copies

Pre-Order Now!

 

 

Cover art for Vital Signs of FaithVital Signs of Faith: Finding Health In Your Spiritual Life, by Kate Moorehead Carroll, helps disciples cultivate and nourish their faith through four vital signs: God, Give, Grow, and Group.

$18 each
Bulk: $15 each for 5+ copies

Pre-Order Now!

 

 

 

 

Cover art for The Book of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer: Gift Edition is a new deluxe edition of The Book of Common Prayer, featuring a leather cover, gilded edges, and six satin ribbons. This edition includes the Revised Common Lectionary, and red text for all rubrics, principal feasts, and holy days, make this a unique edition.

$55 each

Pre-Order Now!

 

 

About Forward Movement

Inspiring disciples and empowering evangelists around the globe every day, Forward Movement has been producing excellent, innovative resources to encourage spiritual growth in individuals and congregations for more than eighty years.

2021 AdventWord prompt words announced

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For the eighth year in a row, #AdventWord will gather prayers via a global, online advent calendar.

Forward Movement, the new home of AdventWord, will offer 28 daily meditations and images during this holy season beginning Sunday, November 28. 

Gathering a worldwide community, #AdventWord provides a daily meditation, visual image, and invites your personal reflections via social media to share your own Advent journey. Thousands have participated each year, responding to the words with photos, written responses, crafts, drawings, poems, found art, and Holy Spirit-filled posts. 

“A wonderful diversity of our church is witnessed in the reflections this year,” says AdventWord program director, Sarah Stonesifer Boylan. “The beauty of AdventWord stretches out to include a myriad of voices each Advent. I am looking forward to seeing the prayer-filled responses!”

A new Advent devotional published by Forward Movement, Promise & Praise, corresponds with the daily reflection words of AdventWord. The book features reflections from Scott Gunn, Miriam McKenney, Hugo Olaiz, and Richelle Thompson, with special contributors Michael B. Curry and Lisa Kimball. Promise & Praise is available for sale at forwardmovement.org, along with a reading sample.

The Advent Sunday lectionary readings inspire the word list for #AdventWord. Discover the visual and written meditations and give yourself the opportunity to dive deeper into the stories of this waiting season. 

The prompts for 2021 #AdventWord are: 

November 28: Promise

November 29: Strength

November 30: Soul

December 1: Path 

December 2: Justice

December 3: Fulfill

December 4: Heart

December 5: Praise

December 6: Everlasting

December 7: Offering

December 8: Messenger

December 9: Splendor

December 10: Repent

December 11: Compassion

December 12: Expectation

December 13: Share

December 14: Exult

December 15: Stir

December 16: Gladness

December 17: Bountiful

December 18: Sing

December 19: Blessed

December 20: Feed

December 21: Generations

December 22: Magnify

December 23: Flock

December 24: Greeting

December 25:  Child

The #AdventWord Images and meditations can be experienced through AdventWord.org, direct daily emails, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and ASL videos via YouTube.

Meditations will also be available in English, Spanish, and French via email and on www.adventword.org.

Find Promise & Praise on www.forwardmovement.org. 

For more information:
www.AdventWord.org
www.instagram.com/adventword
www.twitter.com/AdventWord
www.facebook.com/AdventWordOrg

Contact us by email at AdventWord@forwardmovement.org

 

En español

Por el octavo año siguiente, #PalabrasDelAdviento recogerá oraciones a través de un calendario global, en línea, del adviento. Forward Movement, el nuevo hogar de #PalabrasDelAdviento, ofrecerá 28 meditaciones diarias e imágenes durante esta santa temporada, empezando el domingo, 28 de noviembre.

Reuniendo una comunidad global, #PalabrasDelAdviento provee diariamente una meditación, un imagen visual, e invita tus reflexiones personales a través de las redes sociales para compartir tu propio camino por el Adviento. Miles han participado cada año, respondiendo a las palabras con fotos, respuestas escritas, artesanía, dibujos, poemas, arte descubierto, y publicaciones llenas del Espíritu Santo.

“Se ve una magnífica diversidad de nuestra iglesia en las reflexiones este año,” dice la directora del programa de #PalabrasDelAdviento, Sarah Stonesifer Boylan. “La belleza de #PalabrasDelAdviento se estira para incluir una gran variedad de voces cada Adviento. ¡Tengo ganas de ver las respuestas llenas de oración!”

Una nuevo devocional para el Adviento publicado por Forward Movement, Promise & Praise, corresponde con las palabras de las reflexiones diarias de PalabrasDelAdviento. El libro presenta reflexiones de Scott Gunn, Miriam McKenney, Hugo Olaiz, y Richelle Thompson, con contribuyentes especiales Michael B. Curry y Lisa Kimball. Promise & Praise está disponible para la venta en forwardmovement.org, junto con un fragmento.

Las lecturas dominicales del leccionario para el Adviento inspiran la lista de palabras para #PalabrasDelAdviento. Descubre las meditaciones visuales y escritas y date la oportunidad sumergirte en las historias de esta temporada de espera.

Las palabras para #PalabrasDelAdviento 2021 son:

Noviembre 28: Promesa
Noviembre 29: Fortaleza
Noviembre 30: Alma
Diciembre 1: Sendero
Diciembre 2 Justicia
Diciembre 3: Cumplir
Diciembre 4: Corazón
Diciembre 5: Alabanza
Diciembre 6: Eterno
Diciembre 7: Ofrenda
Diciembre 8: Mensajero
Diciembre 9: Esplendor
Diciembre 10: Arrepentirse
Diciembre 11: Compasión
Diciembre 12: Esperanza
Diciembre 13: Compartir
Diciembre 14: Regocijarse
Diciembre 15: Avivar
Diciembre 16: Alegría
Diciembre 17: Abundante
Diciembre 18: Cantar
Diciembre 19: Bendita
Diciembre 20: Apacentar
Diciembre 21: Generaciones
Diciembre 22: Magnificar
Diciembre 23: Redil
Diciembre 24: Saludo
Diciembre 25: Niño

Los imágenes y las meditaciones de #PalabrasDelAdviento pueden ser experimentados por AdventWord.org, correos electrónicos diarios y directos, y también por Facebook, Instagram, y Twitter, y videos de ASL a través de YouTube. Las meditaciones también serán disponibles en inglés, español, y francés, a través de email y en www.adventword.org. Encuentra Promise & Praise en www.forwardmovement.org.

En français

Pour la huitième année consécutive, #MotsDelAvent va recueillir des prières par le biais d’un calendrier de l’Avent mondial et en ligne. Le Forward Movement, le nouvel hôte de MotDeL’Avent, offrira quotidiennement des méditations et des images pendant les 28 jours de cette saison sainte commençant le dimanche 28 novembre.

Rassemblant une communauté mondiale, #MotsDelAvent propose tous les jours une méditation, une image, et invite vos réflexions personnelles par le biais des réseaux sociaux afin de partager votre parcours personnel pendant l’Avent. Des milliers de personnes participent chaque année, réagissant aux mots avec des photos, des réponses écrites, des œuvres artisanales, des dessins, des poèmes, des découvertes artistiques et des messages remplis du Saint-Esprit.

« Nous assistons à une merveilleuse diversité de notre Église dans les réflexions de cette année » déclare Sarah Stonesifer Boylan, directrice du programme MotDeL’Avent. « La beauté de MotDeL’Avent s’étend pour inclure une myriade de voix lors de chaque saison de l’Advent. J’ai hâte de voir toutes les réponses remplies de prières ! »

Un nouveau livre de piété pour l’Avent publié par le Forward Movement, Promise & Praise, résonne avec les paroles de réflexion quotidiennes de MotDeL’Avent. Ce livre présente les réflexions de Scott Gunn, Miriam McKenney, Hugo Olaiz et Richelle Thompson, avec en contributeurs spéciaux Michael B. Curry et Lisa Kimball. Promise & Praise est disponible à la vente sur forwardmovement.org, avec un échantillon de lecture.

Les lectures du lectionnaire du dimanche de l’Avent inspirent la liste de mots de #MotsDelAvent. Découvrez les méditations visuelles et écrites et donnez-vous l’opportunité de plonger plus profondément dans les histoires de cette saison d’espérance.

Novembre 28: Promesse
Novembre 29: Force
Novembre 30: Âme
Décembre 1: Chemin
Décembre 2: Justice
Décembre 3: Accomplir
Décembre 4: Coeur
Décembre 5: Louange
Décembre 6: Éternel
Décembre 7: Offrande
Décembre 8: Messager
Décembre 9: Splendeur
Décembre 10: Se repentir
Décembre 11: Compassion
Décembre 12: Espérance
Décembre 13: Partager
Décembre 14: S’exalter
Décembre 15: Agiter
Décembre 16: Joie
Décembre 17: Bienfaisant
Décembre 18: Chanter
Décembre 19: Béni
Décembre 20: Nourrir
Décembre 21: Générations
Décembre 22: Magnifier
Décembre 23: Troupeau
Décembre 24: Salutation
Décembre 25: Enfant

Vous pouvez faire l’expérience des images et des méditations de #MotsDelAvent par le biais du site AdventWord.org, mais aussi par le biais des courriels quotidiens, ainsi que sur Facebook, Instagram et Twitter, et des vidéos en langue des signes américaine (ASL) sur YouTube. Les méditations seront également disponibles en anglais, espagnol et français par courriel et sur www.adventword.org. Découvrez Promise & Praise sur www.forwardmovement.org.

Spend the year with Forward Movement

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Spend the year with Forward Movement calendar GRAPHIC

Explore our offerings for every season of the church year

Each season of the year brings new opportunity to inspire your small group or congregation, or to find that inspiration on your own. We invite you to spend your program year with Forward Movement.

We’ve organized a 12-month path for you and your congregation to follow from fall discipleship courses through summer reading groups.  Take as little or as much as you need for your community.

View this as an interactive booklet:

Spend the year with Forward Movement

Autumn

Autumn provides an excellent opportunity to grow and learn as a community.

It’s the perfect time of year to start one of our free discipleship courses: Exploring the Bible, Practicing Our Faith, or Celebrating the Saints. Each is designed for all-ages and comes with everything you’ll need to run the program, though you can purchase companion books if you’d like. Most content is available in both Spanish and English.

Living Discipleship Courses

Your church might also want to begin RenewalWorks, which helps churches discover and explore their unique characteristics and helps chart a path to focus on the spiritual growth of their community.

Grow Christians LogoLooking for ideas for children and families, or an inspiring community practicing faith? Grow Christians is our community blog focused on families practicing faith at home. With regular posts from a broad community of writers, this group blog inspires generations to come together as they celebrate the presence of God through the Christian year.

This is an excellent season to get your lay leaders refreshed through the Revive program, especially in this time of upheaval. You can run the complete course for the whole program year or do part of it this autumn.

Finally, if you offer a program for new members, you might find Transforming Questions helpful as a free course for new Christians and seekers.

 

Advent

Promise and Praise CoverA season to slow down and reflect on the gift of Jesus in our world, Advent is a powerful time to read a daily devotional with your congregation or small group.

Our newest Advent devotional, Promise & Praise, corresponds with AdventWord, a global community of prayer that invites people to read and respond to a single word each day. The words are drawn from the weekly scripture readings and prayerfully selected as a way to help us ready our hearts and our lives for the coming of the Christ child. Learn more about AdventWord finding a new home at Forward Movement.

2021 Advent CalendarAdvent calendars are a popular way of marking the season. Get your whole church involved with our popular poster Advent calendars, Slow Down! Quiet. It’s Advent.

With illustrations by Jay Sidebotham, these colorable posters suggest ways to mark the days through the Advent season; ideas for prayer, helping others, and being thoughtful about the true meaning of Christmas. They come in packs of 25 for easy bulk ordering for your entire congregation.

The start of the liturgical year is also a great time to introduce people to the habit of daily prayer through the Daily Office. You can pray it with our website or free app, individually or in groups. Visit the App Store or Google Play store to download the Forward Day by Day app.

 

Christmas

We have books and devotionals that make excellent gifts for your loved ones, including gift subscriptions to Forward Day by Day.

As the calendar approaches the New Year, we also ask you to consider donating to our ministry that provides prayer resources to those in need. Click here to learn how you can help.

Twelve Days of Grace is a campaign on social media over the twelve days of the Christmas season to remind us that we’re grateful not just for presents under the tree, but for the gift of God’s love in Jesus Christ and in our own lives. Share your gratitude on social media with hashtag #graceupongrace every day of Christmastide!

 

Epiphany

The Good Book Club LogoWith partners from around the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion, Forward Movement celebrates the Epiphany season with a new round of the Good Book Club. Join people around the world in reading the Book of Exodus using free materials from our partners.

The second book of the Bible, Exodus recounts the journey of the Israelites from slavery to freedom. We hear the great stories of Moses, from his discovery by Pharoah’s daughter on the bank of the river to the burning bush to his presentation of the Ten Commandments. Along the way, we encounter God’s covenant and explore the grand theme of redemption.

This year, we have a bonus time of scripture engagement: the Good Book Club will dive into the first twenty chapters of Exodus from Epiphany, January 6, to Shrove Tuesday, March 1. For those who want to keep reading, we’ll offer a daily reading guide and an overview of the second half of Exodus. That reading period will conclude on Easter.

ChurchNext LogoThe new year may bring a renewed desire to deepen knowledge and spiritual disciplines. Our online courses from ChurchNext bring talented and passionate instructors directly to you. Courses cover a variety of subjects and are available for individuals or groups; from church leadership and finances to personal growth and holy habits, and everything in between.

Looking to take up a practice of daily prayer in the new year? We suggest starting with our website prayer.forwardmovement.org or downloading our app on the App Store or Google Play store. Both the website and app integrate our daily podcasts, making new spiritual practices more accessible than ever.

 

Lent

The Pilgrim Way of Lent CoverLent is a season to refocus our lives on Jesus. Churches might like to encourage their members to read a daily devotional, and Forward Movement has several from which to choose.

New for 2022, we are offering The Pilgrim Way of Lent, meditations by staff of the Washington National Cathedral.

The popular Join the Journey colorable calendar poster will help families remember their Lenten journey at home. Illustrated by Jay Sidebotham, the calendar calls to mind daily activities or reflections. (link coming soon)

Lent is a wonderful time to engage with scripture, and Forward Movement has many courses and books to help. During Lent, the Bible Challenge series might be especially timely. For congregations who traditionally offer Lenten programs, many of these can be adapted to work over the five weeks of Lent, whether your groups are meeting in person or online.

Lent Madness LogoFinally, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Lent Madness, where online competition meets saintly devotion. Learn about saints, have some fun, and discover how Christ’s light shines through all kinds of people.

 

 

Holy Week

Walk In Love CoverFor those congregations who keep vigil with the Blessed Sacrament on Maundy Thursday, the free Holy Hour devotion could be useful.

If you are teaching about the liturgies and the meaning of Holy Week, Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs & Practices has several chapters that will help prepare people for this most important week of the year. The full book walks through the liturgical year, the sacraments of the church, habits of daily prayer, and the teachings of Anglican Christianity.

 

Easter

Easter Sunday might be the biggest Sunday of the year, but it’s also the beginning of a season that lasts 50 days. The 50days.org blog features a reflection every day of the Easter season.

Journey Through ActsLike Lent, Easter is a fitting time to dive into scripture. We hear from the Book of Acts on Sunday mornings, so why not use the A Journey Through Acts: A 50 Day Bible Challenge or Acts to Action?

We have several other 50-day Bible Challenge books, including all four gospels!

 

Season after Pentecost

This long green season sets our minds on flourishing. Grow Christians is blog for families who are raising children in the faith. You can encourage people to read and act on what they read to bring faith into homes.

Revive Logo

Similarly, this is another good time to consider Revive, a program to engage lay leaders and help them thrive.

 

Summer Reading

Book ideasWhy not organize a summer book group? Many of Forward Movement’s books come with reflection questions or free courses.

Check out some suggested titles that work well for individual and group reading.

Some of our books have a companion course from ChurchNext. Speaking of ChurchNext, churches can offer group courses or encourage individual exploration with our online Christian formation by video.