God's Loving Presence in a Hurting World

18th Sunday after Pentecost

September 27, 2026

Dear friends in Christ,

One of the topics of conversation across the church lately has been artificial intelligence (AI). Church members have debated the tech companies’ boom and its impact on the economy, on the world, on workers, and on the church.

Within the church, opinions are divided. Some church leaders agree with tech company executives that AI represents a better future with higher productivity and lower costs. But other church leaders express fear of the consequences of using AI for the environment, for media, for workers, and for human flourishing.

At Forward Movement, our work is always grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and expressed in our mission: inspire disciples and empower evangelists. Our board of directors recently had some conversations about AI, and this month they have approved a values statement on AI to guide our work at Forward Movement.

Unsurprisingly, we will always seek to celebrate the divine gift of human creativity and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. You can’t outsource prayer, theological wrestling, or wisdom to machines. Nor can machines be led into all truth by the Holy Spirit.

Rest assured that we may use AI as an assistive tool in certain parts of our work, but when you read or listen to something from Forward Movement, you can be confident it was created by a human being. Thanks be to God for his presence in our lives, in our world, in our church, and in our creative work.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn

Executive Director, Forward Movement

Reprinted with permission

We worship at 10:30 AM and are also live on Facebook. Come pray, sing and long for God’s peace. Everyone is welcome.

Two-session

Congregational Discernment Process Meetings

The congregation is encouraged to attend a meeting with Tom Knoll, a retired pastor who will help us discern what a faithful and hopeful future for Hope might look like. 

The second session is THIS Sunday, September 27th, after worship. We will explore our options, what might change, and a process for moving forward. 

Everyone's participation is encouraged! If you have any questions, please speak with Pastor Eric or Lorna. 

Session Two — Exploring Our Options (September 27)

The second meeting will build on what we heard in the first session. We will identify the possibilities that seem most promising and begin exploring what each would require.

We will consider:

• What would we need to change?
• What resources and people would be required?
• What partnerships might be possible?
• How could we make better use of Hope's building and other assets?
• What could Hope realistically sustain with its current human and financial capacity?

We will also develop a clearer picture of Hope's financial situation, including its monthly income and expenses, building and staffing costs, available reserves, and opportunities to reduce expenses or extend its financial runway.

What Comes After the Two Sessions?

Following these conversations, we will develop a 3–9 month discernment and action process:

First 2 months: Listen, assess, and clarify Hope's strengths, finances, building, and priorities.

Months 3-4: Explore possibilities, potential partners, community needs, and new ministry models.

Months 4-6: Experiment with one or two promising ideas rather than simply planning.

Months 7-8: Evaluate what is creating energy, relationships, ministry, and sustainability.

Month 9: Make decisions about Hope's next chapter.

Our Guiding Question: The goal is not necessarily to preserve Hope exactly as it exists today.