ABERDEEN CITADEL SALVATION ARMY
SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST 2020
IN HIS TIME Captain Callum Newton In a recent conversation about our support program, it was pointed out to us that we have helpfully posted the times of what we do, and when, on the windows of the building, but nowhere have we actually put a clock showing what the time is now. The problem many of the people accessing the support have is that they rarely have a watch, and whilst there are ways of them finding out the time of course, it would be a helpful and courteous thing to have a clear readable clock showing the time. Imagine my surprise when I came across this image (right) from the brochure of The Citadel’s stone laying ceremony attended by the Founder, Gen. William Booth. There on the otherwise familiar building, was a clock gracing the top of the, somewhat taller, tower. I can only imagine what the planned maintenance program would have looked like had they proceeded to install a clock and what looks to be a belfry to The Citadel as well. Taking care of the existing building is challenging enough! This week I have been working through another module …Continued Page 2.
‘A Thought From the Word’
‘Music Box’
‘Getting To Know You’
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Captain Emma Newton reflects on God as our comforter and our calling to comfort others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ‘…the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.’
Bandmaster John Still invites us to reflect on Lovatt-Cooper’s epic piece ‘Fire in the Blood’. Written especially for the ISB’s 120th anniversry and containing a message that has touched many hearts since it has first been played.
-Page 8In a new feature, we are hoping to learn some more about people within our Salvation Army fellowship at Aberdeen Citadel. This week we find out more about Major Violet Leiper.
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THE SALVATION ARMY
ABERDEEN CITADEL Serving God & Aberdeen For Over 140 Years 28 Castle Street Aberdeen AB11 5BG 01224 579 370
aberdeen.citadel@salvationarmy.org.uk
@aberdeencitadel Commanding Officers Captains Callum & Emma Newton callum.newton@salvationarmy.org.uk emma.newton@salvationarmy.org.uk
Part of the North Scotland Division and the United Kingdom with the Republic of Ireland Territory. Called to be disciples of Jesus Christ, The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland exists to save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we will be a Spiritfilled, radical, growing movement, with a burning desire to lead people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, actively serve the community, and fight for social justice. Divisional Commander (North Scotland): Major Gillian Jackson Territorial Commander (UKI): Commissioner Anthony Cotterill The General: General Brian Peddle
IN HIS TIME CONTINUED FROM FRONT of a degree course made available to officers by The Salvation Army’s School for In Service Training and Development. It has been good to go through the content provided, to listen and to read. While it has been good to do this, it has of course taken time. The time to listen to the virtual lectures, the time to read what needs to be read and of course time to take it all in. It has also cost time; time I would have been at The Citadel ordinarily, the time that Emma has used to cover some extra tasks to usual, the time I would normally have free to spend with my little girl, not to mention the time it has taken all of the college tutors to prepare this material for online consumption rather than teach in the usual manner. The big looming time though is the deadlines. The two deadlines I am now very aware of as the days I have to hand in the assignments that show that I have understood and can apply the learning I have received in the context of my mission as a Salvation Army officer. While I have given you the story of how time has featured hugely in my week, I am sure that most of you this week will have had some sort of battle with time. Some of you will have had the similar pressures of time as I have experienced, a trade off of some things in order to be able to do others. Some of you may resonate more with the time pressure of an incoming deadline for something to be completed by. Others will be battling with the struggle of having too much time at the moment with very little to fill it with. Perhaps time in this current situation brings a mundanity to you. Often, the problem is, which ever end of the situation you come at it from either too much time or too little, we let time unwittingly become a huge governor of our life. We can allow it to oppress us, to worry us, to depress us or even just plain panic us. Instead of adopting the scriptural concept of being still and waiting, we become more impatient with every passing second that something should be done or we should be doing something. Society has grown up around us telling us that we should expect things to be
‘instant’ because none of us have the time to wait. Technology is making ‘instant’ everything more and more possible. There is no wonder God works in his own time outside of our comprehension of time, time as we understand and live it is not something very characteristic of God. Our time is often too limited, but God is immeasurably abundant. Passing time to us is an eroder, it brings more decline with each passing hour and eventually brings dereliction and destruction. God, instead, works as a creator and preserver in His time. ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time.’ Ecclesiastes 3:11. Ecclesiastes 3 teaches us that time is a necessary part of life on earth, it is something that we have to live with and it is something that can be managed properly. It is a valuable lesson to learn to manage your time well instead of letting time manage you. God should be the only governor of your life, His time is always perfect. There’s so much more of this to explore, and perhaps you can think on this yourself too. I am happy to hear your thoughts as you have considered them. Although I would love to go into more detail of my own just now, I’m afraid I haven’t got time!! Take back control of some time this week and spend it listening to God and how he wants you to use your time. Perhaps you could also pray these moving words from a Maranatha song: In his time, in his time He makes all things beautiful In his time Lord please show me everyday As you're teaching me your way That you do just what you say In your time In your time, in your time You make all things beautiful In your time Lord my life to you I bring May each song I have to sing Be to you a lovely thing In your time
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A Thought From the Word
GOD OF ALL COMFORT CAPTAIN EMMA NEWTON Since mid-March there has been strong coverage on the news, in The theologian Tom Wright in his commentary ‘Paul for social media, and in personal conversations, about people Everyone’ writes this about the word ‘comfort’: struggling. Struggling financially, struggling socially, struggling for “The word [Paul] uses is a bit more many-sided than work, struggling with illness, struggling with mental health. As many ‘comfort’. It can mean ‘to call someone to come near’, ‘to of you are experiencing, both personally and through others, this has make a strong appeal or exhortation’, or ‘to treat in an not ended because lockdown has been lifted. If anything, the inviting or friendly way’. The whole idea of the word is one situation is worse. During lockdown there was a sense of person being with another, speaking words which can togetherness as everyone stayed at home, but as our situation change their mood and situation. Giving them courage, new gradually changes, there is an increasing sense of division, of ‘me’ hope, new direction and new insights which will alter the and ‘them’. All of our situations are different, and as some people face way they face the next moment, the next day and the rest of redundancy, others face loneliness. As some people face illness, their life.” others face anxiety about When I read this today, I becoming ill. Life has found myself in awe at the changed for every one of description. This is the “We love, worship and are saved by God; us, but some people have kind of comfort I have had a lot more change and experienced from God. ‘the Father of compassion and the challenge to face than God has comforted me God of all comfort’.” time and time again, not others. with a tokenistic, ‘I’ll be The reading I’ve chosen, thinking of you’, but with 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, offers hope to each one of us. For those of you whispered words, having drawn in closely, that have who are struggling, I hope this reading brings you comfort. For those changed me and given me the strength to continue moment of you who are supporting others who are struggling, I hope this by moment. If you are struggling today or find yourself having a moment of crisis this week, come back to these reading bring you comfort as you comfort others. words. We love, worship and are saved by God; ‘the Father 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of of compassion and the God of all comfort’. compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort The challenge for us is in the second half of verse 4; ‘so that 5 we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6If we ourselves receive from God.’ When we are faced with are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, people who are struggling physically, we jump in to try to it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the meet their physical needs as quickly and as efficiently as 7 same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we possible. When we face people with worry, stress and know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our anxiety we often feel helpless and might offer to pray for comfort. them. We hope they will receive the same comfort as we
CASTLEGATE NEWS -ABERDEEN CITADEL SALVATION ARMY know God has given us. However, the guidance from Paul here is to comfort others as we have been comforted; to offer time, to speak helpfully, to encourage them and offer hope. There are many people in our world who will not entertain the idea of looking to God for comfort, but who will receive comfort from us. Those are the moments of great opportunity, to show them God through us. Paul goes on to share some of his story; he has suffered at the hands of others because of his faith in Jesus, but he has been comforted by the Father. As Christians seeking to live like Jesus, we will experience suffering, but we will also experience comfort, and we can be a great encouragement to one another as Christians. I encourage you to keep in contact with each other despite the restrictions currently in place. It takes courage to pick up the phone and ask how someone is really feeling when you don’t know if you can make a difference. It equally takes courage to pick up the phone and ask someone for help. This week, make that difficult phone call and talk together. There doesn’t need to be a solution, there doesn’t need to be any action, but by sharing in our suffering together, we
PAGE | 4 share too in our comfort and renew our hope for the future. At this moment in time it feels like the whole world is suffering; some are juggling more issues than others, but it does not make any suffering less painful or meaningful than another. The phrase ‘be kind’ has been circulating in recent days, but I want to suggest that being kind is only a small part of being Spirit-filled Christians. In Galatians 5:22-23 the fruit of the Spirit are listed as ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’ You will see that kindness is listed here, but we need all the fruit to grow in our lives to be effective Christians in this world. As we experience God’s comfort for ourselves in these days, I hope we will endeavour to share that comfort with the rest of the world. As you receive God’s comfort in whatever measure you need it, may you be filled with the Holy Spirit so that you are not only kind in your response to others’ distress, but you are patient and gentle too; bringing joy and peace to those you offer comfort to.
Song 755 Song 626
God of comfort and compassion, God of wisdom, grace and power, Hear our earnest intercession In this quiet evening hour. Strengthen all who fight Thy battles In this land and lands afar, Be companion, friend and shepherd Whereso'er Thy children are.
The Saviour of men came to seek and to save The souls who were lost to the good; His Spirit was moved For the world which He loved With the boundless compassion of God. And still there are fields where the laborers are few, And still there are souls without bread, And still eyes that weep where the darkness is deep, And still straying sheep to be led.
Some we love bear heavy burdens, Some have wandered from the way; Be their guide, and their deliverer, Heavenly Father, now we pray. O'er our world so filled with sorrow, Fear and hunger, pain and strife, Shed Thy light of hope and mercy, Gift of love, eternal life. Sovereign Lord, we bow before Thee, Thou art merciful and kind; Our petitions now presenting, All we need in Thee we find. Lord, we seek Thy strength, Thy guidance, And the Holy Spirit's dower; Grant Thy fortitude and courage In temptation's threatening hour. May Thy grace and peace o'ershadow Those for whom we pray tonight; May Thy mighty arm uphold them; They are precious in Thy sight. Lord, for answered prayer we thank Thee, Thou art good in all Thy ways; With thanksgiving we adore Thee, Fill our hearts with love and praise. Doris Rendell Listen Here: https://youtu.be/nonrU2zAWH4
Except I am moved with compassion, How dwelleth Thy Spirit in me? In word and in deed Burning love is my need; I know I can find this in Thee. O is not the Christ 'midst the crowd of today Whose questioning cries do not cease? And will He not show To the hearts that would know The things that belong to their peace? But how shall they hear if the preacher forbear Or lack in compassionate zeal? Or how shall hearts move With the Master's own love, Without His anointing and seal? It is not with might to establish the right, Nor yet with the wise to give rest; The mind cannot show What the heart longs to know Nor comfort a people distressed. O Saviour of men, touch my spirit again, And grant that Thy servant may be Intense every day, as I labour and pray, Both instant and constant for Thee. Albert Orsborn Listen here: https://youtu.be/1VMH0rVDXU8
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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WHAT’S ON... SOME ONLINE RECOMMENATIONS
Please remain aware that all upcoming events remain subject to change or cancellation at short notice owing to the ongoing Coronavirus situation. If there is sufficient notice, changes and cancellations will be announced in ‘Castlegate News’ and on Facebook.
Saturday 29th August
Fortress Radio Sunday Services 11am and 6pm. Salvation Army music all through the week. “Take yourself back through a day of 'Army' activities and enjoy a day of music featuring Songster Brigades, Bands, YP Sections and much more. During the week, listen again to your favourite Army melodies including special broadcasts such as Songster Gems and Band Fest.”
Divisional Leaders’ Installation (Time to be Confirmed)
Territorial Leaders’ Messages
The Territorial Leaders will be leading an installation meeting of our new Divisional Leaders, Major Gillian Jackson (Divisional Commander) and Major Steve Dutfield (Divisional Leader for Leader Development). Attendance at this event will be by invitation only in order to comply with COVID-19 legislation. Sunday 30th August Divisional Candidates’ Farewell (Time to be Confirmed)
Available at: https://www.fortressradio.online/listennow.html
Available at: https://youtu.be/L17VYJd71EA
‘There are occasions when we have to listen and wait…’ shares Commissioner Anthony Cotterill. The T.C. explains the value of waiting and the potential for Salvationist that is to be unlocked in waiting on God. Waiting shouldn’t be considered idle passing of time but instead the opportunity to better understand what God has to say to us.
A Testimony
Further details for this event will follow.
George Palmer hated everything Billy Graham stood for, so he plotted to kill the evangelist at a 1959 Crusade. This is the story of how God changed his heart.
Attendance at this event will be by invitation only in order to comply with COVID-19 legislation.
In 1967 George Palmer was commissioned as an officer in The Salvation Army and served across Australia for over 30 years.
Sunday 4th October
Major Palmer gives his testimony and shares his gratitude to God that his life was changed so completely.
Available at: https://youtu.be/6GeGqm4ocg8
Harvest Sunday An Album From The Archives
Colonels Lee and Debbie Graves, currently in appointment as Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Leader Development, are due to lead us in worship for Harvest.
Please keep all of our future events in your prayers, especially in these times of fragility in forward planning. Available at: https://www.regalzonophone.com/Albu ms/Festival-of-Gospel-Song-1994
The 1994 Festival of Gospel Song in Canada featured a festival chorus of about 400 songsters from corps in Southern Ontario. They were accompanied by the Canadian Staff Band and vocal soloist Barbara Allen. The name of Jesus was lifted high, and everyone who attended left with the glad sounds of the gospel ringing in their ears and hearts. Enjoy this recording taken from the event and be blessed by the message it brings.
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CHORAL CORNER Captain Emma Newton Written by former ISS leader, Lt. Col. Len Ballantine, Moment by Moment is one of my favourite songster pieces. It reflects the joy of living life with God; knowing that God fills us, sustains us, supports and upholds us, walks with us and loves us. With the refrains ‘show me more of you’ and ‘let me be…more like you’. We cannot have one without the other. When we know the joy of walking with Jesus, we cannot help but want more. When we walk with Jesus, we cannot help but be changed by the encounter and want to be more like Jesus. This video is a recording of The International Staff Songsters singing the piece, with Leicester South Songsters, with subtitles so you can sing along, or reflect on the words being sung to you. As you read the words and listen to this piece of music, I hope it will become your testimony, and your prayer. Moment by moment, I give all my life to you, Moment by moment, dedicate each thought to you.
Listen here: https://youtu.be/cNFi3jjKs3M All my heart, Lord, every dream and each intent, Let me be in every sense, Moment by moment, more like you.
PRAYER MATTERS Corps Prayer Diary – August 23rd - 30th People and Prayer • Pray for Cadet Abigail Gray as she moves to the officer training college. Pray for a smooth flitting, an easy adjustment to life in London and at William Booth College and for an enthusiasm for the studies ahead. • Pray for all the new cadets of Abigail’s session, the Messengers of Reconciliation, as they all prepare to move to William Booth College and begin training. • Pray for wisdom for the citizens and leaders of our city of Aberdeen as we re-emerge from the lockdown. Pray that the transmission of the virus will have been sufficiently arrested and for the many people who have been impacted by the wider effects of the virus and lockdown.
But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand…. Psalm 31:14-15
SUN 30 MON 31 TUE 1 WED THU FRI SAT
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Dorothy Young Jamie Allan and family Major Gillian Jackson and Major Steve Duffield John and Patricia Bain Timothy, Hamsatu Bata and family Robert Bell Alison Black
The above are the names from the Corps Prayer Diary for this week. Our thanks to Major Violet for her dedication in preparing this important diary for us all to follow. Please ensure you take the time to pray for our comrades and friends in order that we may all together be strengthened and unified in Christ. If you would like to be included in the Corps Prayer Diary and have not already expressed this to Major Violet Leiper, then please be in contact with her or the Corps Officers to make them aware of your interest.
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MUSIC BOX Bandmaster John Still Fire in the Blood was commissioned for the 120th anniversary of the International Staff Band of the Salvation Army. It was composed by Paul Lovatt-Cooper and received its world premiere at the ‘ISB 120’ concert in the Royal Albert Hall on June 4th 2011. Three worship songs, which have been used in Salvation Army meetings over a number of years, are featured. The piece opens with Richard Phillips’s setting of Psalm 95, ‘Sing for Joy’, the music is joyful and energetic and captures the spirit of the well-known words of Scripture – Listen here: https://youtu.be/2SYgJ29f0Mk
Psalm 95 v1 - 7 1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Lord, you know that we love you! Help that love to be true; Fill our lives with your Spirit’s power, Lord of love, make us strong! We who to Christ belong. Lord, you know that we fail you; Our sins, how sorely they grieve you! Many times have we fallen, Lord, lift us up again. May we walk to be worthy of the call that is ours, May your will and your purpose Claim our undivided powers
The music then moves into a more reflective section that includes Howard Davies’s emotive song ‘Lord, you know that we love you’ and Laurie Klein’s worship song ‘I love you Lord’. Initially the melodies are introduced by solo instruments then the music builds to a powerful full band sound. Lord, you know that we love you, You know our thoughts and intentions; Know the depth of devotion found in our lives today. If our love has weakened, if our fervour has waned, Turn us, Lord, by your Spirit, Let us love with love unfeigned.
I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice To worship you, Oh my soul rejoice. Take joy, my king, in what you hear, May it be a sweet sweet sound in your ear. The mood of the music then changes again and returns to the melody of opening Psalm setting which in turn leads into a dramatic and powerful finale that combines two key thoughts from the reflective section: “I love you lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, O my soul rejoice” and “Lord, you know that we love you” and finishes with a final statement from Psalm 95: “Come let us sing for joy to the Lord!”
Generally Speaking Bramwell Tillsley, (1931 – 2019) was the 14th General of The Salvation Army from July 1993 until May 1994. He holds the shortest term of office as General after having to step down for health reasons. Born in Canada to Salvationist parents, he emigrated to the UK as a child. After marrying Maude, they entered the training college in 1954 as members of the Sword Bearers session and in 1956 were commissioned back to Canada.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU Major Violet Leiper What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? From my mother; ‘A still tongue’s a wise heid!’ Which book (apart from the Bible) would you want on a desert island? What’s So Amazing About Grace – Philip Yancey. What hobbies or interests do you enjoy in your spare time? Reading, Crosswords, Killer Sudoku and Cross Stitch. What is your favourite Bible verse? John 1:12-13 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. When did you first come to Aberdeen Salvation Army and why?
Which Bible figure would you like to meet, and what would you ask them?
I attended an outpost Sunday School. My mother instructed me to go to the Sunday School to make sure that my younger sister, Peter. How did you feel when Christ re-commissioned you on the beach? who had gone on the previous week, was behaving herself! When we can travel freely again, where would you like to go? To Stockport to visit my niece who has just moved to a new home with her husband. If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose? Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns. What is your favourite food? Roast beef.
Where is your favourite place in and around Aberdeen? The beach. Something interesting people might not know about you is? I love learning about the derivations of languages and similarities between them. What have you missed most during lockdown? Meeting people, especially our Thursday groups at the citadel.
COMPANIONABLE GOD Mrs. General Florence E. Booth Someone has truly said that ‘God reveals Himself as a companionable God’. I hardly liked these words when I first hear them, but I have come to love them, because I find they speak a precious truth. It is not belittling to Jesus that He wants to be your Friend, your Companion. He is so great that He can afford to stoop and dwell with every soul who seeks His Friendship.
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GILLY PARISH ART www.GillyParishArt.com Artist Gilly Parish from Sale Corps of The Salvation Army, uses Gilly has made the below artwork available to us for publishing her talents to not only teach art in schools in her locality but also in the Castlegate News for which we are very grateful. Take to illustrate scripture verses and prayers. You can find her work time to reflect upon the verse of scripture and perhaps colour on the website above and also on Facebook. in the page as you pray.
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