We've seen a lot of excited discussions on social media about the campaign, with many wondering how they can get their local church involved. This is incredibly exciting, and we wanted to give you a few tools and pieces of advice when inviting your church to host a campaign.
We want you to know that Forget The Frock doesn't always begin in churches as a church-wide campaign. Often, it is a few brave souls (small groups, youth groups, Sunday school classes, etc.) that are inspired by the movement, that show up on Easter Sunday in very untraditional dress. Then, as they share their convictions and their heart for the oppressed, they see the movement begin to resonate with other people. The next year others begin to join them as they choose to "Forget The Frock," and before they know it many are on board.
If you feel called to take the message of this movement to your pastors, certainly we want you to do just that. We are so thankful to the many that have! Know that we are here to answer your questions and help in any way we can. But also know that starting small, with your circle of friends, can have great impact too! (Hey, that's how this whole Forget the Frock thing got started!) Don't be discouraged if your church initially declines to participate as a body--often, the church staff and pastors have logistical reasons they may decline to host a campaign, but in our experience, are always supportive of the heart and commitment of those who participate. Regardless of the way you choose to help us carry the message, know that we are praying for you and the impact you will have on vulnerable lives.
Here's a sample email you can copy/paste/customize and send to your church staff to start the conversation:
I have recently discovered an amazing opportunity for our church body, a chance to embrace the commands of James 1:27 “to care for the orphan and the widow.” I would love to tell you a little more about it. It's called "Forget The Frock."
Churches across the nation are joining the growing movement. The Forget The Frock Easter campaign encourages people to use the money they would normally spend on a new outfit for Easter and instead, purchase a t-shirt that benefits orphan care. Forget The Frock isn’t focused on one specific organization, rather they encourage us to explore their shirt partners or other ministry organizations and then partner with a ministry that we feel called to invest in.
Participating in Forget The Frock is a simple way our church can rally together to care for the orphan, rescue human trafficking victims or invest in family preservation. I believe this could be a great opportunity for our body to actively join together for a common goal. The pictures these churches share on social media of their people coming together in their shirts is inspiring.
Forget The Frock has tons of resources available to make launching a church-wide campaign easy. You can check it out on their website www.forgetthefrock.org. I would love to talk with you more about this and how I can work to bring this simple campaign to our people.
Here are a few links you might want to include:
Forget the Frock's Church Hosts page: http://www.forgetthefrock.org/church-hosts/
Feeding the Orphans' webpage re: Forget the Frock: http://www.feedingtheorphans.org/forget-the-frock/
Good luck with your conversations, and please, reach out on social media or at info@forgetthefrock.org if we can help!
