Dec 13, 2024
Dear friends in Christ, Every year in the midst of Advent, we encounter the bracing prophecy of John the Baptist. 2,000 years ago, he was a voice crying in the wilderness. Today, he is a tiny voice crying out in a cacophonous world of consumption and distraction. We all do well to clear away the […]
Dec 4, 2024
Dear friends in Christ, Weâre four days into the season of Advent. Maybe you have a brilliant Advent practice and your beautiful Advent wreath is ready to be lighted in the evening. If so, wonderful! But maybe the whole season snuck up on you. After all, Thanksgiving and the heavy advertising of Black Friday can […]
Nov 29, 2023
Dear friends in Christ, This Sunday the season of Advent begins. Two thousand years ago, John the Baptist was a voice crying in the wilderness to call people to repentance. Today, Advent is a voice crying in the din of our time that salvation comes not from shiny things, but from Love Incarnate. In other […]
Oct 25, 2023
Dear friends in Christ, In a few weeks, we will begin our annual walk through the season of Advent. On the first Sunday of the season, we pray a lovely collect in which we ask God to give us grace to âput on the armor of light.â This phrase comes from Romans 13, which sets […]
Oct 27, 2022
Forward Movement has announced the 2022 reflection words for AdventWord, a global online advent calendar and community of disciples. For nearly a decade AdventWord has inspired followers of Jesus who wish to add an accessible prayer practice to their daily routine during this holy season. Daily meditations and imagesâinspired by a prompt word selected from … Continue reading AdventWord: Announcing the daily prompt words for 2022 | Palabras que invitan a la reflexiĂłn
Oct 21, 2021
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 … Continue reading 2021 AdventWord prompt words announced
Sep 1, 2021
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. Weâve organized a 12-month path for you and your congregation to … Continue reading Spend the year with Forward Movement
May 11, 2021
Beginning in 2021, the multilingual, interactive online Advent calendar known as AdventWord will be offered as part of the ministry of Forward Movement, whose mission is to inspire disciples and empower evangelists. The project has grown for the past several years under the stewardship of Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), having originated from the Society of … Continue reading AdventWord finds new home at Forward Movement
Dec 16, 2020
Dear friends in Christ, One of my favorite liturgical customs comes along every year just before Christmas. In the last days of Advent, there are special prayers to be said during evening prayer starting December 17. They are called the Great O Antiphons, because each of these prayers begins with O. You can find the … Continue reading Forward Today: Oh, itâs time for the O Antiphons
Dec 9, 2020
Dear friends in Christ, I hope youâll forgive this intrusion into Advent, but we need to talk about Christmas for a minute. Itâs coming. Part of our hope-filled Advent is attending to the logistics of Christmas celebration, and we want to be ready to do whatever we can to receive again the gift of God-with-us. Not … Continue reading Forward Today: Looking toward Christmas