Tag Archives: discipleship

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.

Forward Today: It’s all about disciples

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Dear friends in Christ,

Last Sunday marked my ten-year anniversary serving at Forward Movement. What a wonderful adventure it’s been! I’ve visited many dioceses and congregations, and it has been rewarding to get to know the whole church through my ministry.

Last year, I offered my reflections on nine years of ministry, including some ways I think our church needs to change. This year, I want to highlight just one theme. Discipleship.

When I started at Forward Movement in 2011, I used to get pushback for raising the topic of discipleship. “It’s not our word,” people would say. Fortunately, I can say that now discipleship is our word. Our church has realized the value of naming and practices those disciplines that help us to grow into the full stature of Jesus Christ.

Forward Movement logo with tagline: "Inspire Disciples. Empower Evangelists."

I’d like to think Forward Movement has been a leader in the conversation. We have promised daily prayer and scripture engagement vigorously these last ten years, though that was really a continuation of our mission since 1935. The fruit of this work is evident.

More people are aware of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ in their lives. More people can make connections between their own life story and the story of God’s saving purposes revealed in scripture. More people have a deeper relationship with God through the nourishing habit of daily prayer.

It’s all about discipleship.

This is literally the thing Jesus told us to do. You can look it up in Matthew 28.

Over the last year, the church has been greatly disrupted. I know this has been a burden on church leaders and members alike. But this time also offers us the opportunity to reexamine our mission and ministry in the church.

Are we effective at making disciples? Do we need to add new ministries? Do we need to let some things go? Do we need to reinvent the way we do things? Do we need to focus more on discipleship and less on maintenance?

I don’t have the answers for you or your community. Every place will be different. But I can confidently say that the work Jesus has given us in every town, village, and rural area is to make disciples.

Forward Movement will be here with you, ready to offer encouragement and resources to support your ministry.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

 

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

 

More from our ministry:

New online course from ChurchNext: Walking the Labyrinth, with Mel Soriano

A New Chapter at RenewalWorks

Reading suggestion: The Path: A Journey Through the Bible

Forward Today: Serve God in freedom and in peace

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Dear friends in Christ,

This weekend, the United States celebrates its Independence Day. For the Episcopal Church, this is a major feast day. Our prayer book permits the use of a beautiful collect for the occasion:

Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I love how the collect encourages us to see all the peoples of the earth as one people. But also, we are urged to use our liberty in accordance with God’s will, not for our own wants and desires.

Certainly, I am grateful to live in the United States. Our country has much to celebrate and to be proud of. We also have plenty of challenges and sins from which we must repent. I hope as we celebrate the founding of this nation, we can also commit to a zeal for justice. Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone in the country were treated with dignity and respect?

It seems to be that patriotism means both gratitude for our nation and the willingness to challenge it to be better.

What about the United States are you grateful for? And what do you think we can do better as a nation? May God grant us strength and courage to have a zeal for justice.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

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More from our ministry:

New FREE daily email: Spanish edition of Forward Day by Day
Click here to subscribe to the daily Adelante Día a Día email

Reading Suggestion
Gifts of God for the People of God: Exploring Worship in the Episcopal Church

New ChurchNext Course:
Gifts Found on the Bumpy Road

Click here to read more Forward Today messages.

Forward Today: A zeal worthy of his grace

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Dear friends in Christ,

This coming Sunday’s epistle offers a compelling invitation from St. Paul. He writes, “See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!” (2 Cor 6:2b).

There’s a reason this epistle is assigned to the Ash Wednesday liturgy. St. Paul is inviting us to repent, pronto. I love how John Chrysostom reads this invitation:

Let us not let the opportunity slip, but rather let us display a zeal worthy of his grace. We press on because we know that the time is both short and opportune. The acceptable time is the time of the gift, the time of grace, when it is decreed that not only will no account of our sins be demanded from us, but that we shall also enjoy abundant blessings, righteousness, sanctification and all the rest.

Sunrise over the mountains

Can you imagine? If we all had a sense of the astounding grace of Jesus Christ, we would want to bear fruit and to share the Good News with those around us.

Do you see how it works? We repent and change our lives not to earn God’s love but in thanksgiving that God loved us first. It’s a life-changing way of seeing the world.

I invite you to bask in grace. And then display a zeal worthy of that grace. Today is the best day to set a new course; to manifest the transforming love of Jesus in our hearts.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

 

 

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*John Chrysostom quote taken from Bray, G. L. (Ed.). (1999). 1–2 Corinthians (p. 255). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, via Logos software.

More from our ministry:

Read the latest from Grow Christians: Evelyn Underhill and Everyday Mystics, by Sara Erwin

Reading Suggestion: Acts to Action | The New Testament’s Guide to Evangelism and Mission

New ChurchNext Course: My Take on the Trinity with Wayne Jacobsen

 

Forward Today: Discipleship and citizenship

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Dear friends in Christ,

Yesterday, I was invited to join a conversation about discipleship on a regular series called Pew & Beyond. It’s run by Neil Mancor and Lisa Vaughn, friends who work on congregational vitality in the Anglican Church of Canada. We had a good time talking, and there were lively comments from the viewers. If you have an hour to watch Neil, Lisa, and I talk amongst ourselves and interact with viewers, I commend the video to you.

During the conversation, we talked about lots of things, most especially spiritual growth. How do we move from being spiritual couch potatoes to being spiritually healthy? We also talked about a new offering from Forward Movement, Revive for Lent. Check it out if you’re looking for a way to engage spiritual growth using a video-based series this Lent.

Someone asked about the relationship between discipleship and citizenship. Given recent events, in which violence was perpetrated by people claiming to be Christians, I thought it was a timely topic. It wouldn’t be hard to write a book on this topic, but in today’s email, I just want to share a few quick thoughts.

Discipleship is about the journey of individuals in following Jesus, but it can only be done in community. In other words, for a disciple there is always personal accountability and accountability to a wider community. So too it is with citizenship. There is work I must do as a citizen, but I must also attend to the well-being of my community.

It strikes me that this balance of individual and community is something that we often get wrong with disastrous results. In the church, if we fail to teach personal ownership of our spiritual journey, we end up with churches full of people who do not have a prayer life or an immersion in the scriptures. Conversely, if we fail to emphasize community, we end up with a selfish focus on personal spiritual achievement, which is quite the opposite of the sacrificial love that Jesus taught and lived.

So too it is with citizenship. If we fail to emphasize personal accountability, we effectively abrogate our leadership to any number of people who would hijack a nation for their own personal interests. And if we fail to emphasize community, we see a selfish view of citizenship that does not care for those at the margins.

In the coming weeks, I hope we can all reflect on our work as disciples of Jesus and as citizens of whatever nation we inhabit. We have many blessings to enjoy, but we also have much work to do.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

 

 

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Tune in!

Listen to today’s Forward Day by Day reflection on the Forward Day by Day podcast. Find morning prayer on the Morning at the Office podcast and end your day with the Evening at Prayer podcast. Available anywhere you listen!

 

In case you missed it…

New release: With Gladness | Forward movement

Spiritual Truth in an Age of Fake News | ChurchNext

Use REVIVELENT discount to purchase Revive and supplemental Lent material for $50 | Revive

Looking ahead to Lent? Here are some ideas. | Forward Movement

Submit a prayer | Christian Prayers from around the World

Join us on January 13th, 7pm est for RenewalWorks: Connect, featuring guest presenter: Dr. Lisa Kimball from Virginia Theological Seminary

Forward Today: Are we becoming a courageous church?

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Dear friends in Christ,

I’m writing this week’s Forward Today from Atlanta, where I’ve come to the Rooted in Jesus conference. Our friends at ECF have organized a massive conference, with nearly 1,500 attendees. Even more impressive than the size is the way organizations have worked together to build a conference that is, well, rooted in Jesus Christ and in our lives as his disciples.

Forward Movement is hosting a pre-conference Discipleship Intensive. I’ve really enjoyed the conversations among participants about how we can be more effective in making disciples. Not surprisingly, it has a lot to do with leaders modeling lives transformed with discipleship. Disciples making disciples.

If you are in Atlanta, please stop by the Forward Movement table in the exhibit area. Several of us are here for the conference, and we’d love to meet you. If you’re not in Atlanta, you can follow the conference hashtag (#rooted2020) on social media. I’m sure there will be lots of coverage in church media, as well as blogs and posts about what’s happening here.

Beyond this conference, I’m excited about what’s happening in our church. In many places, people are choosing to leave the comfort and safety of Christendom with its model of parishes as preservation societies for the adventure of living the Gospel. To be disciples is to live in a way that chooses transformation, that embarks on journeys, that embraces change, and that takes risks.

What might our church be like if we could be more courageous – more willing to be adventurous? Imagine a courageous church. A church like that would be worth joining, worthy of sacrifice and devotion. A church like that will inevitably grow. A church like that will burst with love and witness. A church like that will be living only for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s be that church.

Yours faithfully,

 

 

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

Today’s Flash Sale: Vestry Resource Guide & Guía de recursos

Whether you’re a new vestry member or a seasoned veteran, the newly revised (2015) Vestry Resource Guide is essential reading. With a deliberate focus on the importance of lay and clergy leadership teams, you’ll find comprehensive information and advice about the ministry of the vestry, leading faith communities, stewardship, and navigating clergy transitions.

 

Esta guía, en versión revisada, es una lectura esencial para toda persona que participa en una junta parroquial. La guía pone énfasis en la importancia de que la junta parroquial y el rector o rectora trabajen en equipo. Incluye información completa y consejos sobre el ministerio de la junta parroquial, cómo dirigir feligresías, mayordomía, y qué pasos tomar cuando cambia el clero.

 

 

Regular: $15
Today: $11.25

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

New Infographics

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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).

New Discipleship Conference Announced

discipleshipmattersNEWMany of us want to grow as disciples. And we want to help others do the same. But we’re not exactly sure what to do. How do we grow as disciples and help others along the way? A new conference seeks to help people understand discipleship and learn how to build a culture of discipleship in their congregations. Sponsors Forward Movement and RenewalWorks invite all to participate in the conference, Discipleship Matters: Building A Culture of Discipleship in Our Churches, at the Kanuga Conference Center on October 26-28, 2015. Attendees will explore critical questions for the future of the church such as: How do we build cultures of discipleship? What actually works? And what doesn’t work?  Download a schedule of the conference here.

Designed for clergy and lay leaders, the conference builds upon the research and learning from more than 1,800 congregations, including 100 Episcopal churches. “There’s a lot of talk about discipleship in our churches, but our years of research and our work with the RenewalWorks process have actually shown us research-proven key characteristics of vital congregations. We can now talk about concrete ways to grow spiritually and to help our congregations become more faithful Jesus-followers, loving God and loving neighbor more deeply,” said the Rev. Jay Sidebotham, director of RenewalWorks. “This conference is a great opportunity for us to take time and reflect on discipleship together.”

Two nationally known leaders will serve as keynote presenters. The Rev. Carol Anderson, former rector of All Saints, Beverly Hills, and the Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile, author of People of the Way and The Agile Church, will guide attendees through both teaching and conversation about practical ways to deepen discipleship in one’s own life and in the lives of congregation members.

Offering great experience in parishes, and a focus on disciples making disciples, the Rev. Carol Anderson will offer insightful reflection for all attendees. “Discipleship formation needs to be an intentional, thoughtful priority in the life of a parish so that followers of Jesus are equipped to serve him in their daily lives.  We hope to encourage and help those who attend to find ways to do that,” Anderson says.

The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile will mix his wise theological insights with parish experience from his work in Minnesota. “Discipleship is about going deeper into God’s life and into the life of the neighborhood,” said Zscheile. “We hope you will join us as we explore why this matters so much for Episcopalians today, what challenges and opportunities face us as disciples in the 21st century, and what renewed discipleship looks like in lived practice.”

For more information on the Discipleship Matters conference, visit www.renewalworks.org/events.

For media inquiries, contact the Rev. Jay Sidebotham, director of RenewalWorks (jsidebotham@renewalworks.org) or Ms. Samantha Franklin (sfranklin@renewalworks.org).