Forward Movement is an agency of the General Convention seeking “to reinvigorate the life of the church” through prayer and the devotional life. Established in 1934 by the 51st General Convention, Forward Movement quickly became the primary publisher of devotional materials for the Episcopal Church, with the daily devotional guide Forward Day by Day as its flagship publication, now in its 71st year. In addition, Forward Movement publishes over 400 other titles on topics such as Christian family life, addiction recovery, pastoral concerns, worship, church history, devotional classics, Anglican spirituality, and the Episcopal Church. Some of these titles are book-length, but most are tracts, pamphlets, and booklets. Distribution is through our online bookstore, parish churches, and an annual catalog.

Forward Movement’s offices are located in downtown Cincinnati and have been since the ministry’s inception. The Diocese of Southern Ohio housed Forward Movement until 2004, when the need for additional space required a move eight blocks west, to 300 West Fourth Street, the present location.

The day-to-day operations of Forward Movement are overseen by the Rev. Dr. Richard H. Schmidt, Editor and Director, who works with a staff of twelve full-time and several part-time editors and administrative personnel. Dr. Schmidt assumed his position in 2005, succeeding the Rev. Dr. Edward S. Gleason who retired after eleven years in the position. Associate editor is the Rev. George C. Allen, II; Jane Paraskevopoulos is business manager.

General oversight is afforded by an Executive Committee chaired by Margaret Graham Beers of Washington, D.C. Other members of the Executive Committee are the Rt. Rev. J. Clark Grew, bishop of Ohio (retired), vice-chair; Allene Russell Pierson, Baltimore, Maryland, secretary; Janet Simpkinson, Cincinnati, Ohio, treasurer; the Rt. Rev. Stacy Sauls, bishop of Lexington; the Rt. Rev. Edward W. Jones, bishop of Indianapolis (retired); Phyllis Alexander Tickle, Memphis, Tennessee; the Rev. James Burns, New York, N.Y.; and the Rev. Robert Thompson, Exeter, New Hampshire. The Executive Committee plans to expand its membership in 2006 to twelve and to form four standing committees: Program and Mission, Development, Marketing, and Finance.

The staff and Executive Committee also meet once each year with an Advisory Board for purposes of consultation and recommendation. The advisory Board currently includes Derby Quinn Hirst, Annapolis, Md.; Warren C. Cook, Kingfield, Maine; Joel W. Motley, Scarborough, N.Y.; Bo Don Cox, Norman, Okla.; Martha F. Johnson, Bethesda, Md.; Cheryl Joseph, Cleveland, Ohio; Marianne Rash Rowe, Cincinnati, Ohio; Betsy Wilson, Bellingham, Wash.; The Rev. Bradford G. Whitaker, Grosse Pointe, Mich.; the Rev. James Patrick Adams, Cape Elizabeth, Maine; the Rev. Richard Joseph Aguilar, Brownsville, Tex.; Deborah Smith Douglas, Santa Fe, N.Mex.; John H. Finley, IV, Dorchester, Mass.; Sam McDonald, Shaker Heights, Ohio.

The Forward Movement expense budget for the 2005-2006 fiscal year is $1,922,634. Of this amount, $851,184 is paid in salaries and other personnel costs. Nearly a fourth pays for printing. Other categories of expenses, in descending order of amount, are warehousing, office and building expense, service and consultant fees, marketing, and miscellaneous.

Income from endowment is earmarked for ministries that cannot sustain themselves financially but which are vital to certain sectors of the church, such as the large-print, Braille, and audio cassette editions of Forward Day by Day and copies of Forward Day by Day sent at no charge to hospitals, prisons, and other institutions.

A major capital funds drive was carried out in 2004 and 2005. Some of the funds raised were used to acquire and renovate Forward Movement’s much needed larger offices. After campaign costs were paid, the drive resulted in nearly doubling Forward Movement’s endowment to just under $3 million. The additional endowment income will make possible two new initiatives, plans for which are already underway. They are a series of Spanish-language devotional publications and a devotional magazine for young people.

Meditations in Forward Day by Day are published anonymously. During the 2004–2006 triennium, the following persons have written for Forward Day by Day: Randy and Melissa Hollerith; the Rev. Hill C. Riddle; Sister Mary Michael, SSM; Thomas H. Bartlett; Suzanne Farnham, Episcopal Church Women; Mary Page Jones; the Rev. Roger B. White; E. F. Michael Morgan; the Rev. Mary Lee Wile; the Rev. Alfred R. Shands III; Dr. Carol McCrea, Ph.D.; Ruth McAleer; the Rev. Sandra Kay Rice; Barbara F. Wright; the Rev. Canon Kenneth I. Cleator; Shelly Currier; Kristen Johnson Ingram; the Rev. M. Chotard Doll; the Rev. Beaumont Stevenson; the Rev. W. Pegram Johnson; Kathleen M. Kelly; Elaine Stone; the Rev. Margaret B. Gunness; Tom Linthicum; Jacki Cooley; the Rev. James L. Burns; Sarah Bryan Miller Rix; the Rt. Rev. Edward W. Jones; The Rev. George C. Allen II; Jean A. Stebinger; the Rev. Dr. Edward S. Gleason; Betty Streett; Kit and Leigh Sherill; the Rev. Canon Dr. Russell L. Johnson; the Rev. William L. Dols; Perry Colmore; Chuck Medler; Louann Temple; Lyn Fraser; The Very Rev. Sam Candler; George and Virginia Benson; Robin Lind; and the Rev. Barbara Jensen.

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the Presiding Bishop be authorized to continue Forward Movement Publications under his supervision and to appoint such staff members and commission as may be required to maintain its work.