What You Didn't know about Forward Movement, the Publisher of the Bishop's Lent Book

Bishop Knisely's book "Lent is not rocket science" was published by Forward Movement, which is a ministry of the Episcopal Church with a fascinating story.  Forward Movement is more than just a publishing house. It's ministry and mission to "reinvigorate the life of the church and to rehabilitate its general, diocesan, and parochial work." grew out of the determination of the General Convention in 1934 to counter a period of anxiety, distrust, and decline in the Episcopal Church by creating a "forward movement".

Forward Movement lives into this mission by publishing "brisk, easy to digest publications on discipleship" and does so at an accessible low cost. They are best known for the popular daily devotional Forward Day by Day, which provides daily meditations based on Bible scripture readings appointed by the lectionary and Daily Office. They also publish a number of books you can find here:http://www.forwardmovement.org

One of the reasons Forward Movement's materials are so inexpensive is because their materials are written by laity, clergy and bishops of the church who write for free (some receive a couple hundred dollars as an honorarium). If you want to write for them, do not expect to get rich! However, if you write for Forward Day by Day, your words will reach hundreds of thousands of people in churches and in hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons where their materials are distributed free of charge. Congregations pay a modest fee for these devotional booklets and many people donate funds to support this ministry.

How did Bishop Knisely get involved? Forward Movement's Executive Director is the Rev. Scott Gunn, is a priest who previously served in the Diocese of Rhode Island. While Forward Movement often invites new bishops to write to give them a national voice, Scott may have had an even greater incentive to ask the new bishop in his former diocese. So far the book has been a huge success. 

The initial print run of 7,000 sold out in a few weeks, and a second print run is being processed as we speak.  Forward Movement plans to offer the book again next year, and they have asked us to not post the entire book on our website. Instead, we encourage you to follow along with us this Lent and support Forward Movement's ministry by buying the e-book, which they just reduced to $1.99 for Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook or iTunes. This is a great way for you to support a ministry of the church that reaches far beyond the walls of our churches!