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Earth Day Litany

FrogDear Friends,

Happy Earth Day!

We hope you spend at least some of your day outside, enjoying the wonder and beauty of God’s creation. Today, we’re sharing an Earth Day Litany, written by our friend Betsy Rogers. We hope you will use this PDF any time you want to say a special thanks to God and be reminded of our holy job as caretakers of our island home.

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

—Rachel Jones

“I’ve been involved with the Climate Change Coalition of Door County, in Wisconsin, for some years. As part of its work to educate the public and encourage climate action, the Coalition has fostered strong partnerships with several congregations—Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Moravian, Unitarian-Universalist, and United Church of Christ. Last spring we recognized a need for Earth Day prayers to be shared with these partners. A reverence for the Earth as God’s creation is a deeply important part of my own spirituality, and after thinking and praying about our responsibility as stewards, I wrote this litany. If others find it useful, I will be glad and grateful.” -Betsy Rogers

Download the Earth Day Litany here, and share with your friends and congregations!

Painting by Kathrin Burleson

Forward Today: No matter what, God is there

Dear friends in Christ,

We stand poised to embark on a great journey, if we will make time for it. The next three days, the church around the world observes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter. Taken together, these are the Triduum Sacrum, or the Three Holy Days. They draw us into the heart of our life together as Christians.

It might seem impossible to go on this journey. All around us, our time and attention are demanded by concerns great and small. The fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris might be a parable for so much of our world: destruction and hope persist together. Political chaos looms in many nations. Poverty and wealth both abound, and violence never fades away. News networks do not relent. Fear grows and hope fades.

Crucifix

Making time for church services will not cause world peace, but our time in worship may inspire us to work for peace. The liturgies of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter show us nearly every side of Jesus. And in knowing Christ Jesus, we encounter the image of the invisible God.

The Three Holy Days will fix nothing on their own, but we will see that God’s presence is never far, no matter what. Whether in love, friendship, betrayal, abandonment, suffering, death, and even hell, God is there.

I bid you God’s blessing and peace as we enter this holiest time of the year. Perhaps you will, as I do, find it helpful to pray this wonderful prayer that is used both on Good Friday and Easter Eve.

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
Image: Flickr

Today’s Flash Sale: Hour by Hour

Hour by HourPray without ceasing with this compact edition of the Daily Office complete with prayers and psalms for one week. This beautiful little book, excerpted from The Book of Common Prayer, will enable anyone to say the hours every day: Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline. Perfect for prayer and worship at all times and in all places. Hour by Hour is a thoughtful gift – the cover is deluxe soft leather, and it’s packaged in a small white gift box.

Regular: $20
Today: $15

*Discount is valid until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Forward Today: Holy Week and the heart of Christian faith

Dear friends in Christ,

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. I imagine regular readers of Forward Today will be in church quite a bit next week, including Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Eve.

As a parish priest, I loved this time in our liturgical year. It gets right at the heart of our faith to move through these sacred days. In our experience of these evocative liturgies, we learn so much about the God we worship. It was also the busiest week of the year, by far. Though the hours were long and the tasks plentiful, I loved the gift of leading people through this pilgrimage every year.

priests

If you are one of the people who helps lead Holy Week worship—clergy, choir member, altar guild, reader, teacher, usher, greeter, preacher—I hope you’ll savor this gift. Take care of yourself in this busy time, and do what you can to enter fully into Holy Week.

If you are a member of a church who is not helping with Holy Week liturgies this year, I invite you to pray for all those who have this calling and this work. Pray especially for your clergy and musicians. They will work long hours.

And let all of us, whatever our role, give our hearts and our lives fully to this week. It will change us.

One of the prayers for Palm Sunday puts us in the right perspective, and I invite you to pray it through the week to come.

Assist us mercifully with your help, O Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the contemplation of those mighty acts, whereby you have given us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

Image: Flickr


Today’s Flash Sale: Broken

BrokenBefore Jesus broke the bread, he blessed it.

In the age of social media, where our lives are curated to show only our best and most beautiful selves, it is easy to believe we are the only ones who are broken. But we are not alone. We are all broken and in need of God’s blessing. No one has it all together; no person is perfect.

In essays both humorous and achingly vulnerable, author Ryan Casey Waller urges us to join him in pouring out our brokenness, not just to God but to each other. Waller takes us through the trials of following Jesus during seasons of doubt and disbelief, anger, shame, and even hate, but always brings us back to the amazing news that Jesus blessed the bread before he broke it.

Through Jesus, our brokenness is blessed, our wounds healed, and our hearts made whole.

Regular: $18
Today: $13.50

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Forward Today: A time to be grateful

Dear friends in Christ,

As regular readers will know, I have been away on sabbatical since the beginning of the year. I’m grateful to those who filled in while I was away, offering weekly doses of information and inspiration. Mostly I ignored my email while I was away, but I did look forward to reading someone else’s Forward Today each Wednesday.

Yesterday when I returned to work, I did so with a grateful heart. It’s a profound gift to have so much time away from work. But that’s not the only reason for my gratitude. Our amazing staff at Forward Movement had done fantastic work during my time away. Our deputy directors, Richelle Thompson and Jason Merritt, ably led the team. Our board’s chair and co-chair, Anne Schmidt and James Harlan, stayed in touch with staff to offer support. And of course, our whole staff worked together to connect with customers, create new content, plan events, and share our work. We have so many new products—and more to come in the next few months—I can’t wait to tell you what’s coming and see how our work will change lives as people are more fully formed as disciples of Jesus Christ.

People have asked what I did while I was away. I traveled around the world in January with Sherilyn Pearce, my partner, and we had a grand adventure. (You can see photos on my flickr if you’re interested.) I visited lots of churches and met with clergy from around our church. I read a huge pile of books. I had plenty of time to pray and ponder. And I went for lots of walks with our dog, George.

Now I’m ready for the next chapter of my work here at Forward Movement. We have lots under way and more to do. Our work is focused primarily in discipleship and evangelism. But for our work to be successful, we must also ensure that we stay focused on our mission and that we practice trust. When we trust one another we can accomplish more and do better work. It’s efficient, because trust means there’s no second guessing. It’s a blessing, because trust means that someone believes in us and that we can do the work. It’s a joy, because we are able to flourish in doing that to which God has called us.

So today I am filled with gratitude—grateful for time away, for good people, for trust, and for the privilege of serving this part of God’s church.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director


Today’s Flash Sale: Walk in Love

Take a journey through The Book of Common Prayer, the Christian life, and basic beliefs of our faith, guided by two Episcopal priests—Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe. Walk through the liturgical year, the sacraments of the church, habits of daily prayer, and the teachings of Anglican Christianity. See how our prayer shapes our belief and our lives and how our beliefs lead us into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Regular: $22
Today: $16.50

*Discount is valid until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

New Infographics

Forward Movement is excited to release a new series of infographics about Holy Week and Easter. This five-part downloadable graphic series provides a contemporary way for individuals and churches to learn more about the traditions, practices, and history of the Anglican tradition of Christianity.

Downloadable PDFs can be purchased individually, or all at once with either our Discipleship Bundle for printing at your church, or the Evangelism Bundle for both printing and digital distribution across your channels.

The series includes infographics on:
Holy Week
The Way of the Cross
The Triduum
Easter
Pentecost

Not sure? Test it out! We’re giving away the Holy Week infographic for FREE through the end of April. Click here and use the promo code ONEGRAPHIC to receive this download for free through April 30 (expires at 9:00 p.m. ET).

Forward Today: Love your enemies

Dear Friends,

A new book, Love Your Enemies, has just hit the shelves. I was instantly drawn to the title. It sounds like spiritual territory, but the author is not a known theological expert, rather he is a think tank leader, Arthur Brooks. A secular perspective-with all its complexities of business, politics, academics, media, and more-is talking about love?

It’s hard to love those you disagree with, and nearly impossible to love someone who is hostile and stands against you, Brooks postures. He recognizes our relationships in the speech we use with one another, especially in the words we use to disagree with one another. He does not oppose disagreement and encourages talking through our differences-but he challenges the attitudes we hold behind our words. He characterizes our current polarization as contempt-eye-rolling, dismissive contempt, that arrogantly boasts my truth is the only truth. He asks us to declare “independence from the bitterness washing over our nation” and offers a few ideas on where to start.

In our prayers each week, we hope to bring Sunday’s messages to every day of our lives. Since 85% of our faith is lived out Monday through Saturday, we are always seeking ways to live faithfully at all times. The Bible says, “Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for the you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best-the sun to warm the rain to nourish-to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.” Matthew 5:43-47 (tr. Peterson)

As a church, we are rightly focused on the Presiding Bishop’s call to follow the Way of Love. We know that by ourselves we cannot overcome our predilections, but by Grace, He can be our guide.

So, what does a think tank leader have in common with Jesus, and what can he borrow with sincerity from the Bible? Love. Love your enemies they both say. Stop your eye-rolling. Find love and warm heartedness and you will be healers, if not of others of yourself, healed from the debilitating effects of unhappy, unhealthy, and unattractive characteristics in yourself. Brooks uses scientific study to “prove” this. Jesus knew it, and us, all along. Loving our enemies brings out the best in us.

So, in this season of Lent, when we are tempted to roll our eyes at our “enemy,” let’s be reminded that God loves her, Jesus blesses him, just as much as He loves you and me.

The sun warms and the rains nourish all, and we can be a healing presence at all times.

With Faith and in His love,
Mimi Murley
Forward Movement Board Member


Today’s Flash Sale: Slaying Your Goliaths

Slaying Your GoalithsHow can God help you, like David, to overcome seemingly impossible odds? The David and Goliath story offers us spiritual guidance on how to overcome obstacles. Rather than offering “self-help,” the story offers “God-help,” rooted in its history as a story told by people of faith to people of faith. The ancient story of David and Goliath speaks to modern people facing modern problems, offering spiritual guidance and reassurance that God is with us always, even and especially when we face and slay our giants.

The Rev. John Ohmer, rector of The Falls Church Episcopal in Virginia, has twenty years of experience as an ordained minister and working pastor. Prior to entering Virginia Theological Seminary in 1994, he worked on Capitol Hill, as well as in his home state of Indiana, as a press secretary and speechwriter.

Regular: $15
Today: $11.25

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Forward Today: The Fig Tree

Dear Friends,

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'”
-Luke 13:6-9

This Sunday we will hear this parable about one such sad fig tree. The owner of this unproductive plant suggests to the gardener that it be cut down because it is wasting valuable land. The gardener advocates for applying special care and attention to the tree to see if it will be coaxed into production. He agrees that if his efforts fail and there are no figs in a year, he’ll chop it down.

Fig tree

It seems to me that Lent provides us with a similar opportunity to pause and evaluate the unproductive trees in our lives. We are given 40 long days to ask ourselves questions like: What parts of our ministries are not bearing fruit? Are we being called to give more attention to the struggling parts of our lives? Is it time to cut our losses and stop giving energy to a project/relationship/program that will likely never produce fruit? Is there an area where an adjustment to how we think or act might invite new growth?

The Forward Movement board and staff spend a good deal of time in such examination of this special ministry we are stewarding. We constantly ask ourselves if our resources align with our mission statement “Inspiring Disciples, Empowering Evangelists.” Is what we are offering still relevant? Are we making tools that are easily accessible by a variety of audiences? Are we keeping up with modern technology so that we remain current? Are our books, videos, conferences, and programs bearing fruit in the church and the world?

This is the holy work God is calling us to as a board, as churches, and in our lives. Like a gardener who carefully tends his plants, God compels us to carefully prune and patiently wait for the fruits of our work, cutting back here, adding soil there.

I hope you will consider joining me in this important work of evaluation this Lent, that we may all find abundance in the gardens of our lives. Together, may we find that God is not bent on destroying figs, but on loving them and watching them thrive.

Yours in Christ,

Anne Schmidt

Anne Schmidt is the Forward Movement Board Chair and Director of Evangelism and Welcoming Ministries at Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, affectionately called “The Fig” by many of its members.


Today’s Flash Sale: Acts to Action

Acts to ActionJesus’ first disciples and modern-day Christians face the same question: How do we share the good news of Christ that we have experienced with the people we meet in the course of our daily lives? The Book of Acts details how the early disciples overcome the challenges of spreading the gospel in the midst of failing institutions, theological differences, and widespread uncertainty. With a focus on Acts Chapter 8, editors Susan Brown Snook and Adam Trambley and contributors from across the Episcopal Church discuss how these lessons from Christ’s earliest followers apply to the mission Jesus still gives us today: to be his witnesses in our churches and neighborhoods and to the ends of the earth. The authors explore essential elements of church mission, including worship, proclamation, loving and serving, repentance, and knowing the community. Framed by reflections from church leaders Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows and Gay Clark Jennings, the book provides encouragement and practical suggestions to help individuals and groups move from Acts to action.

Contributors include: Joseph Alsay, Carrie Boren Headington, Frank Logue, Brendan O’Sullivan-Hale, Steve Pankey, and Holli Powell

Regular: $16
Today: $12

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Forward Today: Sacrificial Love

Dear Friends,

As I write this, I am in my second week of caring for my husband after surgery. Normally one of the most independent people I know, this experience has left him unable to drive, dress without assistance, or cook for himself. Just walking from the bedroom to the kitchen tires him and he finds it difficult to sleep. He is just miserable.

I feel much as I did when our son was a newborn–sleep deprived, a little overwhelmed, yet overcome with love. I recognize that this experience is nothing like that of someone who has been a caregiver for years with no respite but it has given me time to think about the nature of love and sacrifice as Lent begins.

As a child, the question as Lent approached was what I would “give up” for Lent. Over the years, I chose whatever happened to be my favorite indulgence at the time like chocolate, sweets, or wine. I even tried to dedicate myself to positive change like exercise or healthy eating. I confess that I was not very successful in these Lenten “sacrifices”.

This year, I have decided to spend Lent trying to understand the nature of the great sacrifice of our Lord on Good Friday and to appreciate the love that prompted it. I hope to reflect daily on my human experience of love–love as a wife, a mother, a daughter and sister, a friend. I want to take that experience and share it with others in need of loving care. I want to do it because that is what Christ did for me. The love He gives is too big to keep for myself.

Yours in Christ,

Julie Thomas
Treasurer of Forward Movement


Today’s Flash Sale: Inwardly Digest

Have you ever wondered if there was some kind of guide to living a deeper, richer spiritual life that seamlessly incorporated scripture alongside the wisdom of the Church? There is—and you can find it in a pew rack near you! The Book of Common Prayer is more than a service book; it is a map to a deeper relationship with God, a framework for developing a more intentional and rewarding life of faith.

Scholar Derek Olsen explores liturgical spirituality and how the prayer book serves as a repository of Christian wisdom and spiritual practice stretching back to the beginnings of the Christian movement. Focusing on three key elements—the Calendar, the Daily Office, and the Eucharist—he discusses the spiritual principles behind them and provides clear, practical, easy-to-follow explanations of the services. These patterns of life laid out in The Book of Common Prayer serve as a guide to the spiritual life, so that we might connect back to the God who calls each of us by name and that we might love as God loves us.

Regular: $22
Today: $16.5

*Discount is valid until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time


How is God calling you to enter the holy season of Lent? What path will you walk during these forty days?

Forward Movement invites you to explore and respond to how Jesus is tugging at your heart. While the season of Lent calls us all into a particular period of reflection, we choose different journeys. Depending upon where we are in our own seasons of life and faith, we may be called into a time of deep introspection, contemplation, and prayer. Perhaps God is calling us to an outward focus on works of mercy. Or maybe we need a time of formation, to connect our hearts and minds as we walk in love.

We offer three broad paths built around the Way of Love, the Presiding Bishop’s call for practices that support a Jesus-centered life. Each path suggests a primary resource as well as numerous others that expand on the central theme. We offer these as guideposts, as trail markers, knowing and hoping that you will choose your own path during this Lent, and in doing so, make a choice to choose Jesus.

Learn more and choose your Lenten path here.

I find God…

sunsetInterested in the wide array and differences in spiritual experiences, the Forward Movement team was asked, “Where do you find God?” Their thoughtful answers are below. Where do YOU find God? Let us know!



“I am a creative sort of person, so I find God in projects, especially writing projects. When I get excited about writing, especially fiction, I find God there. Which is sort of funny, because my fiction writing isn’t focused on religious subjects at the moment. It’s just that my religion is inherent to who I am, and who I am shows up in what I write. With fiction, and sometimes with a good article, I feel that creative energy rushing through, and God feels involved. To a lesser extent, I feel this with other creative work as well. When I made my kids’ Halloween costumes last October (knight costumes made of foam board), for example, I think God was probably all over that.” -Liz Brignac

“I often find God in music. I can become totally immersed in the beauty of it (both with and without lyrics, but more than likely without) and can be moved to tears (and I am not a crier). I am a musician and a lover of classical music, and I do believe that some works were Divinely inspired by God. When I sense this in something I am hearing or playing, it can leave me breathless. I thank God for this form of worship.” -Vicki Everett

“I find God in clear skies and the sun, hot on my skin. I find her in quiet Sundays spent on my porch and long solo walks around my neighborhood. I find God in the kindness of new people in unfamiliar places and in the awe of all I have yet to see.” -Alyssa F.

“In trying to stay in the moment, I often remind myself to greet the world around me in a mindful way. This morning, in my rush to work, the world was foggy around me and I wasn’t in the moment at all. I was in the deadlines I had, the things on my list, the plans for the weekend. As I walked to my car to drive in, a red tailed hawk flew onto the roof next door. We watched each other as she puffed up her feathers and took in the surroundings from her perch. Stopped in my tracks, I greeted her, and thanked her to reminding me of the beauty God has given all around us, and away she flew.” -Alexis Fortuna Caoili

“Where do I find God? Mostly in the unexpected. Having grown up in the church, I know all the usual places, but it’s the unexpected ones that seem to stick with me the most. Like the surprise of finding grace in my young son’s promise that he won’t mess up again—I love him for saying it but know full well he will. God has heard the same line from me! Or the unexpected connection I found at an open house at a neighboring Mosque—despite differences in dress, worship, and customs, I found God’s unifying presence within their gathering. These moments have gotten my attention and stayed with me when I think of where I find God.” -Amy Golden

“In praying for people I get a glimpse of seeing God’s hand bringing peace and victory over them.” -Barb Hine

“I find God in the little seeds we are planting for our garden this spring. There is so much hope, life, and nourishment locked up in these tiny little things…enough to fill our hearts and pantry. All we have to do is add water and good soil, and God’s own goodness does the rest of the hard work.” -Rachel Jones

“I find God in nature, in every breath I take.” -Tania Jones

“Mostly, I find God when I’m quietly exploring nature—emphasis on the quiet part. I find God standing in the middle of a river fishing for trout, hiking to a mountain overlook, or letting the waves wash over my bare feet while the sun sinks into the Gulf of Mexico.” -Jason Merritt

“I find God when I am walking down the  street and smile and speak to strangers and they return the smile and speak back!” -Aleia Robinson

“I find God in everyone I meet.” -Debbie Springer

“I find God in the brush of my husband’s hand and in one-armed hugs from our teenagers, card games with my family, and morning phone calls with Mom and Dad. I feel God when the dogs lay their heads across my shin, the cats stretch for a rub, and the horse leans into my touch. I hear God in the descant of a favorite hymn, the wind that curls around the mountains, and the cool underneath the first layer of sand. I see God in the outstretched hands of a toddler, earnest in receiving the Body and Blood, and the canopy of trees viewed from a hammock. God is there in the first bite of noodles rolled out by arthritic hands and in the smoke of a campfire fueled by tall tales and s’mores. In so many ways, I find God, and am ever grateful God always finds me.” -Richelle Thompson

“Ah, such a subject: where do I find God?
I must confess, it is God who finds me.

Sure, I do my best to set aside times for encounter, knowing that it often feels as if I’m the only one who remembered the appointment, but I try to concentrate on the fact that faith is not about feeling God is there, it’s about trusting God is there.

When I trust God is there I tend to believe and behave out of generosity, kindness, and purpose. I reach out. I forgive. I laugh.

When I find myself acting as if God is there, lo and behold, I often find God is there. It seems the less I look, the more I find.” -Chris Yaw

Faith with a Twist: The Season of Lent

yoga posesThe authors of Faith with a Twist: A 30-Day Journey into Christian Yoga, Hillary D. Raining and Amy Nobles Dolan, offer Faith with a Twist: The Season of Lent for your Lenten journey.

Lent is a time of preparation as we move toward the great feast of Easter. Since the early church, Christians have marked this season with prayer, penitence, fasting, self-denial, and acts of charity. As you have seen in this book, these themes are often explored in yoga as well as both practices call us into fuller relationship with Christ.

In the Western church, the forty days of Lent extend from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, omitting Sundays. The last three days of Lent are the sacred Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Today Lent has reacquired its significance as the final preparation of adult candidates for baptism.

Faith with a Twist: The Season of Lent offers thirty days of prayer, reflection, and practice. If you want to adapt your practice for the season of Lent, you can extend it to the full forty days by adding Sundays as well as the Holy Week Portions to your journey.

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