Forward Movement Celebrates 50 Years of Service
Episcopal News Service. March 15, 1984 [84048]
CINCINNATI (DPS, Mar.15) -- Almost every Episcopal parish has a tract rack with dozens of small pamphlets and books published by Forward Movement Publications, with perhaps the best loved and most widely circulated of these being Forward Day by Day, the quarterly booklet of daily devotions. That organization is marking 50 years of service to the Church this year.
The idea for Forward Movement originated with the late Bishop Henry Wise Hobson of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Attending the 1934 General Convention as a new bishop, Hobson was distressed at the Depression-related low morale he found there. Gathering together some kindred spirits, he spearheaded a church-wide plan for renewal -- a "forward movement". The instructions were "to renew the life and reinvigorate the work" of the church. Out of this came Forward Day by Day, which has been a source of daily comfort and inspiration to millions of Episcopalians.
The Rev. Charles H. Long, editor and director of Forward Movement, estimates that circulation is currently more than 500,000 and growing. Many Episcopal parishes in the U.S. and Canada subscribe on a bulk order basis and distribute Forward Day by Day in their tract racks. He also notes that there are about 20,000 individual subscribers, including a substantial number from other denominations.
Long says that authors come not only from the Episcopal Church but also from many segments of the Anglican Communion. "In the last two years, our writers have included a Canadian dean; the Canon Chancellor of Yorkminster; two bishops; lay persons, both men and women; and not long ago, a whole seminary faculty".
In addition to the daily devotional guide, he notes, "We publish a wide assortment of tracts, pamphlets, and small paperbacks for parish use. We have about 300 titles in stock and mail nearly two million items a year. We add about 30 new titles each year." Interestingly, all this has been done without any church money. All costs are met by the sale of these modestly-priced items.
Long notes a shift of interest in titles and subjects recently. "There has been a shift from the titles dealing with personal crises -- death, divorce, alcoholism, etc. to resources for evangelism, the training of new members, and interpretation of the Sacraments as presented in the new Prayer Book. Other best sellers among recent paperbacks include Countdown to Disaster, on reversing the nuclear arms race; The Final Report of ARCIC, the Anglican Roman Catholic International Consultation; and To Hear and To Heed, a report of the Episcopal Urban Caucus.
As part of an effort to expand to ecumenical circles and other denominations, Forward Movement is experimenting with a monthly periodical, The Review of Books and Religion. According to Long, this is the only independent review of publications in religion from all American sources.
Long was general secretary for the North American Division of the World Council of Churches prior to coming to Forward Movement in 1978. Before that, he had been a college chaplain, parish priest, and seminary teacher, in addition to serving as a missionary in China and Hong Kong.
He says, "The heart of our work will continue to be a response to the needs of local congregations, as the local clergy perceive those needs, for printed material to assist them in their ministry and mission. Our only aim, in the language of an earlier day, is to 'forward' the 'movement' of the Kingdom of God."
A free catalog of Forward Movement Publications can be obtained by writing them at the offices they share with the Diocese of Southern Ohio at 412 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.