LIFE AS AN RAF SQUADRON LEADER • HUBBLE SCIENTIST FOLLOWS THE STARS
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AT CHRISTMAS
’ S T A C SUCCESS?
WHAT’S THE SECRET OF all-star cast for live action movie
ALISSON How faitH Helps
THE WORLD’S BEST GOALKEEPER
TOM HANKS - THE MAN BEHIND THE
HONOURS
ENJOY THE HAPPYLAND NATIVITY
STREET PASTORBERSS KEEPING CLUB SAFE AT NIGHT
GIFTS T H AT
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The gift of two chickens brings many bene ts for a family in need. The eggs enrich the diets of children. Chickens can also be sold – along with new chicks – to raise extra income. Their manure can even be used to fertilise vegetable gardens. A BOV E : Koko, 5, with one of her chickens, South Sudan. © 2018 World Vision
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04 TOM HANKS Meet the man behind the honours 08 SLAVERY ACT TV soap highlights human trafficking
AT CHRISTMAS Editor: Catherine Butcher Design: S2 Design & Advertising Print & Distribution: Belmont Press Photos: Alamy, MovieStillDB, istock, ITV, The Salvation Army Publisher: HOPE, 8A Market Place, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 3DU office@hopetogether.org.uk 01788 542782 ©HOPE 2019. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement. HOPE 08 Ltd. Registered Company No. 05801431 Registered Charity No. 1116005
HOPE at Christams is published by HOPE Together in partnership with Hope for Every Home.visit Christmashope.org.uk to watch videos linked to features in the magazine and to find out more about Jesus christ.
10 A PURRFECT MOVIE What’s the secret of Cats’ success?
A
WELCOME n astronomer, actor, pilot and football player all feature in this issue of HOPE at Christmas. Each of them is caught up in the greatest story ever told; a true story that became the turning point of history. At Christmas we celebrate Jesus’ birth – his birth was that turning point. You can read about it on pages 13-15. Our hope is that you too will be caught up in this story; that you will find the hope that Jesus offers – hope that lasts, whatever life throws at us. HOPE at Christmas is a free gift from your local church. To find out more about the lasting hope Jesus offers, ask the person who gave you this magazine, ask at your local church or visit christianity.org.uk. Have a great Christmas and a hope-filled New Year.
13 TELLING THE CHRISTMAS STORY The amazing story behind the festive season
16 WIN £100 TOP PRIZE Gift vouchers worth £1500 to be won 18 FREE FESTIVE FOOD Celebrating with a Christmas giveaway 19 HIGHS & LOWS Life as an RAF Squadron Leader 22 FOLLOWING THE STARS How one scientist responds with awe to beauty in the universe 25 MEET THE STREET PASTORS Keeping clubbers safe this Christmas 27 ALISSON BECKER You’ll never walk alone
Roy Crowne, Hope together's executive director
hopetogether.org.uk visit us online
30 CHRISTMAS TRIVIA Christmas factoids to impress your festive guests
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enter the HOPE at Christmas competition
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find answers to your questions about Christianity HOPE at cHristmas 3
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CELEBRITY
titan of modern cinema, icon of acting hopefuls everywhere, humble philanthropist, producer, director, writer, and all-round thoroughly nice chap. meet...
THE MAN BEHINDTHE HONOURS:
TOM HANKS om Hanks is set to receive the coveted cecil B demille award at the 2020 Golden Globe awards in the new Year. the highly-acclaimed star of legendary films Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away, and the recently released A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, will accept the honour in Hollywood on sunday, 5 January.
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4 HOPE at cHristmas
The 63-year-old actor is among the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful actors ever. He’s been nominated for more than 100 industry awards, has scooped two Oscars, four Golden Globes, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honour. Boasting a career that spans 39 years, Hanks’ films have grossed over $9.9 billion at the box office, making
1 him the fifth highest grossing actor of all time. He enchanted audiences with early performances in Splash and Big; charmed in Sleepless in Seattle and Forrest Gump; riveted in Philadelphia and Cast Away, and became an icon of our time thanks to vocal duties in the beloved-by-all Toy Story fantasy series. Universally heralded as an incredible actor dedicated to his craft, the Californian shows no signs of throwing in the towel, with dozens of projects lined up for the next few years. His newest film Greyhound, to be released next year, is a war film based on The Good Shepherd by CS Forester, directed by Aaron Schneider and starring Tom Hanks, who also serves as writer and producer.
nomadic childhood
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A child of divorce, and separated from his mother and younger brother, Hanks lived a nomadic existence with his older sister and brother, chef father and two consecutive stepmothers. By the age of ten he had lived in ten houses in five different cities. Attending the First Covenant Church in his teens gave the young Hanks friends, structure and the sense of belonging that he desperately craved. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times he reflected, ‘because of all the people I lived with, I had a checkered religious upbringing. Then, when I was in high school, I had a serious born-again experience,’ adding, ‘a great group of people ran a church near where I lived, and they provided a safe, nurturing atmosphere at a time there wasn’t much else I could count on.’
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The actor’s route to faith was complex, but as he explained in an interview with George magazine, religion has always played an important part in his life. ‘The major religion I was exposed to in the first 10 years of my life was Catholicism. My stepmother became a Mormon. My aunt, whom I lived with for a long time, was a Nazarene, which is kind of ultra-super Methodist, and in high school, all my friends were Jews. For years I went to Wednesday-night Bible studies with my church group.
they provided a safe, nurturing atmosphere
So I had this peripatetic overview of various faiths…. There was a lot of great stuff to think about.’ In adult life, Hanks joined the Greek Orthodox Church before marrying Greek-American Rita Wilson. Hanks and his family are said to regularly attend the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in the Byzantine Quarter of Los Angeles. In a conversation about his faith with the Philippine Star he said, ‘I’ve been raised in one path after another that took me to some kind of church all the time that I was growing up. I was married in the same church where my wife was baptised, and my kids as well,’ later adding, ‘When I pray, it’s for acceptance and grace. I think that’s the most that I can hope for.’
HOPE at cHristmas 5
CELEBRITY
love story
Tom first met Rita, his second wife, when she appeared in an episode of the sitcom Bosom Buddies. But it wasn’t until four years later when the couple got to know each other properly, co-starring in the 1985 film Volunteers. Speaking to GQ about their romance, he said, ‘Rita and I just looked at each other and – kaboing – that was that. I asked Rita if it was the real thing for her, and it just couldn’t be denied.’ In a love story that resembles that of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (which was incidentally produced by the couple), where a young Greek woman falls in love with a non-Greek, Tom had no
You’ve got to wake up in the morning and make the world a better place problems embracing his wife’s faith and culture. In an interview that appears on appears on YouTube, Rita revealed how a family that prays together, really does stay together. ‘I pray every day, my children pray, I pray with them, I pray by myself, we go to church, we try to live a good clean healthy life and it helps. ‘God is a part of my life. Every single day I prayed to God, every day for I don’t know how many years, that he would bring me somebody that I loved, that loved me in the same way and he brought me Tom, so I believe in that.’ Adding to the discussion Tom chipped in, ‘God is mysterious, but God works every day.’
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9
10
know Your TOM HANKS
MOVIES?
Here’s a challenge for a festive family gathering. who can name the 10 films pictured on pages 5 & 6? tom Hanks stars in each of them, but what’s the film title? turn to page 30 to find the answers.
God and the church
Talking about the church, Hanks told journalist Terry Mattingly, ‘The church does feed the poor. It does take care of the hungry. It heals the sick. I think that the grace of God seems to be not only in the eye of the believer, but also in the hands of the believer. ‘I must say that when I go to church—and I do go to church—I ponder the mystery,’ he said. ‘I meditate on the, “Why?” of “Why people are as they are,” and “Why bad things happen to good people,” and “Why good things happen to bad people.”’ The health issues Tom and Rita have faced may be behind some of his questions. Tom announced in 2013 he’s fighting type 2 diabetes, a condition he blames on his bad diet during his 30s and 40s. ‘I’m part of the lazy American generation that has blindly kept dancing through the party and now finds ourselves with a malady,’ he revealed to the Radio Times. ‘I was heavy. You’ve seen me in movies; you know what I looked like. I was a total idiot. I thought I could avoid it by removing the buns from my cheeseburgers. Well, it takes a little bit more than that. But my doctor says if I can hit a target weight, I will not have type 2 diabetes any more.’ Also, in 2015 Rita was diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery to leave her cancer-free. He told the Daily Mail, ‘Rita and I are lucky because we can afford the best healthcare in the world, we knew that blessing right off, but while it was happening, all I could do was bow down before the courage of my wife. God bless my wife, and her courage.’ As well as a duty to God and his family, Tom has continuously demonstrated a duty to society, allegedly supporting in excess of 25 charities, making him one of Hollywood’s most philanthropic stars. In 2012 Tom was honoured with an Arts for Humanity Award at the New York Public Library. Speaking to reporters at the awards, he said ‘At the end of the day you’ve got to wake up in the morning and make the world a better place. That’s the way I was raised.’ This article is adapted from a feature written by Natalie Denton, which was first published in Sorted magazine.
HOPE at cHristmas 7
TV SOAP
actress Ruxandra Porojnicu talks to sarah olowofoyeku about playing a victim of human trafficking on Coronation Street
SLAVERY ACT
TV SOAP HIGHLIGHTS THE PROBLEM OFMODERN SLAVERY
W
Photo: The Salvation Army
hen Coronation Street regular seb (Harry visinoni) fell for the new employee at a nail bar, he soon discovered she was a victim of human trafficking.
nail bar’s dingy backroom, he confronted her about his discovery. She became scared and secretive, but Seb didn’t back down. Finally, the truth came out. Alina was indebted to her employer, and was forced to remain living in the harsh conditions until the debt was paid off. She had been warned that if she tried to escape, her The young handyman started to family would suffer. Alina saw no way out, get suspicious after Alina (Ruxandra Ruxandra Porojnicu but Seb went to the police, who came Porojnicu), who had recently arrived up with a strategy to set Alina free. from Romania, began to behave strangely. She would Alina regained her independence, but in real life rush home at a certain time when they were together many victims of human trafficking live in fear with little or would send Seb away from the nail bar. hope of release. They can be found working in nail bars, car washes or homes. On the surface they might When Seb found out that Alina was living in the
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Photo: Coronation Street / ITV
The Salvation Army provides specialist support for all adult victims of modern slavery in England and Wales through a government contract awarded in 2011. In that time, it has supported more than 8,000 people. Photo: The Salvation Army
not seem to be in danger, but the writers of Coronation Street highlighted the issue, and through Alina and Seb’s story revealed what can be going on behind the scenes. Ruxandra Porojnicu, the actress who plays Alina, is glad to have played a part in the soap’s effort to raise awareness of modern slavery. Just like the fictional young woman she portrayed on Coronation Street, Ruxandra is from Romania. I met with Ruxandra to find out about her experience of playing Alina, and how it affected her. The first thing that struck her, she explains, was that she and Alina share more than just a native country. ‘To prepare for playing the role, I went back to my own experience as an immigrant,’ she says. ‘Although I cannot compare my living conditions with Alina’s, I know how it is to have the hope that the future is in your hands. ‘When I came to the UK to find work, I found myself in her position. You don’t think too much. You just want to have a job straightaway. You think, “Oh, I can do that job and I don’t need a contract.” You want to trust people.’ Ruxandra’s personal experience gave her a little insight into what Alina would be going through, but the actress says that it wasn’t until meeting a victim of human trafficking that she really began to understand the problem. Coronation Street’s writers consulted The Salvation Army when it came to writing Alina’s storyline. People from the organisation met with Ruxandra and introduced her to someone who had been through their support system. ‘The girl I met was in her twenties. She was very beautiful and I could tell by the look in her eyes that she’d been through hard times,’ says Ruxandra. ‘I learnt that human trafficking can happen under our noses, to people we know, without us having a clue what they are going through. I had only been thinking of sex trafficking before. I didn’t know it had so many sides – there’s child trafficking, debt trafficking, labour trafficking...’
modern slavery turns people into commodities who are bought and sold
And Ruxandra admires the work being done. ‘The Salvation Army does so much to get people on the right path,’ she says. ‘I liked the fact that they don’t just send people on their way. They ask whether the people involved would like to stay here, whether they’d like to work or study. And then they offer their help. That was amazing to hear.’ As well as supporting victims, the organisation is raising awareness of the issue. For Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October, it ran a campaign, #WeAreNotForSale, which urged people to wear and share photos of temporary tattoos. The barcode design showed how modern slavery turns people into commodities who are bought and sold. All the money made from sales of the tattoo went towards the Victim Care Fund, which helps adult victims of modern slavery to take the first steps to living independently. This article first appeared in War Cry and is reproduced with permission from The Salvation Army. HOPE at cHristmas 9
REVIEW
one of the most popular stage musicals of all time is set to take cinemas by storm this christmas. so what makes Cats so great?
A purrfect MOVIE ir andrew lloyd webber’s Cats first exploded onto the west end stage in 1981. ‘memories’, one of its many classic songs, became an instant worldwide hit. since then, Cats has smashed numerous records, captivating audiences in more than 30 countries with productions in more than a dozen languages.
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The award-winning stage production ran for 21 years in London and 18 years on Broadway. The musical was released as a video in 1998, with a feature film adaptation by Tom Hooper set for release on 20 December. This big screen adaptation by Hooper, who directed Les Miserables and The King’s Speech, uses the latest technology to transform the star-studded cast 10 HOPE at cHristmas
Taylor Swift plays Bombalurina
into vivid new versions of the classic characters using digital fur. Hamilton choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler brings his expertise to the production and Francesca Hayward, principal dancer in the Royal Ballet at London’s Covent Garden, dances the role of the innocent and shy white cat, Victoria, who poses the question: ‘Are you going to try for a different life?’ Andrew Lloyd Webber has written a new song for her character.
timeless tale
The timeless tale is based on TS Eliot’s collection of poems Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, originally written for his godchildren in the 1930s and first published in 1939. It tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles, and the night they make the ‘Jellicle
Dame Judy Dench as Old Deuteronomy.
Photos: Lifestyle pictures / Alamy
Director Tom Hooper says ‘At the centre of this incredibly entertaining, comedic, fantastical musical is a very timely story about the importance of inclusion and redemption.’ Author Mike Fulmer adds, ‘At first glance it may appear as though Cats is just a musical about some random cats, with very little or even no theme. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The hidden parallels and symbolism seem to whisper to the subconscious mind of everyone in the audience, a message of salvation. Perhaps the intent of Eliot’s poems was to stir a desire for each of us to better understand our own salvation.
choice’, deciding which cat will rise to a cat version of heaven known as the ‘Heaviside Layer’ and come back to a new life. Idris Elba is the villain, Macavity. Eliot, who was awarded the 1948 Nobel Prize for Literature, became a Christian in the 1920s and often expressed his faith in his poetry. Cats is an example of his preference for ‘literature which should ‘I believe this symbolic Comedian and TV host James Corden brings his ‘Carpool be unconsciously, message in Cats is no mere Karaoke’ singing style to the role of Bustopher Jones. rather than deliberately coincidence, but the creative and defiantly, Christian’. plan of a great Christian writer The movie props have been scaled up As well as music that spreading the message of so the actors appear cat-sized. tugs on the heart-strings, Cats’ salvation in a most unique stirring storyline echoes the manner. To put it briefly, ageless truth that at the heart I believe the musical Cats is of the universe there’s a rescue a classic work of art that goes plan: healing and forgiveness much deeper than just fantastic are possible. singing, dancing, and costume. Could it be that Cats is so Perhaps this is why Cats has popular because it echoes been so popular worldwide.’ eternal epic themes, playing on stellar cast our longing for life beyond the grave? Did TS Eliot The new live action movie version brings together express his Christian faith and belief in God’s great a stellar cast from the best of film, music and stage. rescue plan through this crazy cat story?
at the heart of the universe there’s a rescue plan
HOPE at cHristmas 11
REVIEW
Singer song-writer Bible character Mary Taylor Swift plays Magdalene, carries the flirtatious and ‘memories’ of a painful, confident sinful past. She seeks Bombalurina, one forgiveness, and longs to of the principal be healed. Pouring her characters, alongside Francesca Hayward, principal dancer heart out she sings the in the Royal Ballet, as Victoria. stage and screen words ‘touch me’ – longing legends Dame Judy for a healing touch and Dench, Sir Ian a fresh start. Mckellen and Idris Elba. Humble and repentant, Dame Judy stars as Old it is Grizabella who is chosen to be Deuteronomy, normally a reborn and lifted up into the male role. Old Heaviside Layer. Was this Eliot’s Deuteronomy leads the cats allegory of what the Bible describes into the ‘Heaviside Layer’ as being ‘born again’ to eternal life? Sir Ian Mckellen is Gus, The Theatre Cat. where they receive their Grizabella goes up a new life, much like Moses, stairway into her new life. Is this the character from the Bible the ‘stairway to heaven’ which who led the Hebrew people the Bible character Jacob saw through the wilderness into in his dream: a stairway that the Promised Land. connects earth to heaven Sir Ian Mckellen, who played with angels ascending and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and descending on it; the gateway The Hobbit trilogies, is Gus, The to heaven? Digital fur transforms the actors into cats. Theatre Cat, an old cat who In keeping with the musical ‘suffers from palsy, which makes genre, the Jellicle cats form his paws shake’. Looking back a Jellicle choir singing in with pride on the highlights of ‘Jellicle highs’ throughout his career, he contrasts his frail the musical to its present state with his acting triumphant finale with heyday. Although he is loved and respected, Gus can’t all the cats rejoicing and singing with Jellicle ‘angelical’ rely on his own past successes to give him access to voices. cat heaven. Like every great story, there’s a bad guy; a struggle between good and evil. Luther-star Idris Elba is the villain, Macavity, the evil one with his demons, who aims to scupper the life-saving process by kidnapping Old Deuteronomy. Whatever your preference for pets or entertainment, Dreamgirls star Jennifer Hudson, who grew up the new film will be a hit with millions. If you enjoy the singing in church, plays Grizabella, a former glamour cat show, what’s your answer to the question: what’s the who sings the hit song ‘Memories’. Grizabella, like the secret of Cats’ success?
are you going to try for a different life?
love CATS; loatHe tHem? love MUSICALS; loatHe tHem?
12 HOPE at cHristmas
NATIVITY
can you tell the amazing story behind the festive season?
tellinG tHe
CHRISTMAS
STORY
’
very year a window in each of the entertainer toy shops features a nativity scene. this year, they have created a new nativity display featuring the popular Happyland characters as mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the shepherds, the angel and the wise men.
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Of course, the Christmas story is more than a tale with toys and children. Christmas began with the birth of a baby about 2000 years ago in the Middle East. This baby, called Jesus, was unique. He had been promised for centuries and his life, death and resurrection changed everything, for every person on the planet, throughout history. At Christmas, we celebrate his birth and we look ahead to Easter when we remember how he died and rose from the grave. Jesus made it possible for each of us to know what God is like. Because of Jesus, we can all have peace with God.
eyewitnesses
Millions of people have told the Jesus story in multiple ways. We can read the eye-witness accounts of Jesus’ life in the Bible. Luke, a first century doctor, describes how shepherds – the outcasts of their day – were sent by angels to find Jesus when he was born. Matthew, one of Jesus’ closest followers, describes how Wise HOPE at cHristmas 13
NATIVITY
Men came to worship him as ‘King of the Jews’ and brought him gifts. We can watch the Lumo visual translation of these accounts, authentically filmed to bring this ancient story to life today. You can watch the videos at christmashope.org.uk Jesus’ life has inspired the world’s greatest artists. Musicians and songwriters have been motivated by his story. At Christmas we sing about his birth in muchloved carols. And this Christmas we can read a new re-telling of The Christmas Story by Vicki Howie. You can pick up a copy in The Entertainer toy shops this Christmas, or you can order a copy online from hopetogether.org.uk/shop
Jesus’ life has inspired the world’s greatest artists and musicians
storytelling
Or how about telling the story yourself? You can use your favourite toys or members of your family dressed as the characters. A t-towel makes a great prop as a first century Middle Eastern headdress! We have teamed up with the Speak Life animation team to tell the story using the Happyland characters. You can check out their version online at christmashope.org.uk or you can use the Christmas poem by Speak Life’s Glen Scrivener to read as you devise your own version of this amazing true story. The Speak Life animation team made their own set as a landscape for the Happyland nativity. If you or your family make your own version of the Christmas story, please do send us a photo or post it online #HappylandNativity. Have a wonderful Christmas!
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THE
CHRISTMAS STORY
he very first christmas was long, long ago, a girl called mary had started to grow. she didn’t know why, then she heard something scary. an angel called Gabriel said to her, ‘mary, Do not be afraid, i bring you great joy, You’re going to give birth to a special wee boy.’ mary was speechless, she didn’t know how these things could have happened but was willing to bow.
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the angel then made an appearance to Joe who was worried when mary had started to show. But Gabriel said, ‘You may find this odd, But trust me, these things are all coming from God. mary is carrying God’s only son — the saviour of old, the promised one. so call his name “Jesus” - your maker in skin, He’s come now to save all his people from sin.’
now out in the fields an angel appeared to shepherds who cowered and all of them feared. the angel said ‘peace! i bring you good news! the saviour is born, so put on your shoes.’ the shepherds all hurried to old Bethlehem to worship the baby who’d been born for them. away in the east there lived some wise men, who followed a star wherever it went. the star had brought them to worship the king, for presents: gold, incense and myrrh did they bring. now here round the baby, the world is invited. the strongest and weakest, they all are united. from wise men to shepherds, from angels to sheep, from shiniest heights to the scariest deep. so come to the manger, see God become small. the true christmas story has room for us all. Glen scrivener
meanwhile great caesar augustus in rome, Had made a decree: ‘return to your home!’ for Joseph this ruling meant Bethlehem town, so they rode to his birthplace; all the way down. arriving in Bethlehem, mary was blooming But try as they might no hotels had room in! they asked one innkeeper ‘sir, are you able?’ the innkeeper said, ‘oh go on, use my stable.’ so Jesus was born in a cold cattle shed, with nowhere to lay him: a trough was his bed! HOPE at cHristmas 15
PRIZES
COMPETITION
we have more than 100 gift vouchers from The Entertainer to give away in our easy-to-enter christmas competition
WIN£100
TOP PRIZE c
GIFT VOUCHERS WORTH £1500 TO BE WON
heck out the top toys this christmas. with the first prize – a £100 gift voucher – you could buy any one of these fantastic toys from the entertainer. we also have: two second prizes of £50 and 12 third prizes of £25 in vouchers.
100 runners up will each receive a £10 gift voucher.
WAITING
FOR 115 WINNERS
to enter, answer these five questions – all the answers are in this issue of HOPE at Christmas
1 2 3 4 5
the new movie version of Cats is based on poems ts eliot wrote for his godchildren. what was the name of the collection of poems? in which year was christmas lunch on Jesus started? an angel told mary that she would give birth to Jesus. what was the angel’s name? what colour are street pastors’ distinctive jackets? who said, ‘i’m a christian so i’m not a superstitious person’?
You can enter online at ChristmasHope.org.uk or you can send your answers, with your name and address, to Christmas HOPE, 8A Market Place, Rugby, CV21 3DU. the closing date is friday 10th January 2020. please note: the prices of the toys are subject to change. the editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. prizes will be sent to winners by the end of January 2019. it is our policy to ensure that your details will not be disclosed to third parties.
16 HOPE at cHristmas
pets alive Boppi the Booty shakin’ llama – was £25 now £20
Blume Doll £10
fortnite sp-l nerf elite Dart Blaster with Detachable Barrel £20
paw patrol mighty pups super paws mighty Jet command centre – was £59.99 now £54.99
l.o.l surprise 2-in-1 Glamper playset £99.99
squishmallows £7
Disney pixar toy story 4 interactive Buzz lightyear – was £34.99 now £29.99
rizmo interactive evolving toy £59.99
frozen 2 feature elsa Doll £39.99
ryan’s world ultimate treehouse £34.99
owleez flying Baby owl interactive toy £49.99 HOPE at cHristmas 17
INSPIRATION
free
Hampers packed with everything needed for a hearty, healthy Christmas lunch.
FESTIVE
FOOD
celeBratinG witH a cHristmas GiveawaY
ost people associate the christmas season with family and friends, exchanging gifts and enjoying a festive meal together. However, for some people, christmas can be filled with anxiety. the demands of the season are too costly. for them a festive meal is but a dream.
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Christmas Lunch on Jesus is an initiative that was started by churches in 2007 to help the poorest people in the London Borough of Barnet to have access to a free, nutritious Christmas lunch. Hundreds of hampers packed with festive goodies were distributed free. Since then it has grown considerably, with other churches and organisations getting involved in distributing hampers in communities across the country and beyond. Christmas Lunch on Jesus now exists in 20 boroughs in London, 15 cities in other parts of the UK and three other countries. A Christmas Lunch on Jesus hamper is filled with everything needed for a hearty, healthy Christmas lunch from the Brussel sprouts to the turkey! Working with the local authorities and other agencies, families in need are identified and recommended to receive a hamper. The hampers are 18 HOPE at cHristmas
Volunteers help to pack the hampers.
given free to celebrate God’s More than 20,000 festive hampers have been given gift of Jesus to the world. away in London. Over the years, Christmas Lunch on Jesus in London has given away more than 20,000 festive hampers. The project runs on the generosity of church members and the public who sponsor a hamper. In recent years large corporations have matched donations as part of their corporate social responsibility. One family wrote: The hamper was a lovely mixture of Christmas food. Things we had not been able to buy because of money problems. We had a wonderful Christmas dinner and turkey sandwiches for tea. Even the dog loved it. We had an early present opening the box and getting things out and seeing what was next. The CD was played lots of times and we had a few little dances while peeling the potatoes and sprouts. Thank you for making our Christmas a happy one, God bless you and may he keep you safe. Donations are the lifeblood of the christmas lunch on Jesus project. if you would like to make a difference to the lives of others this christmas, you can get involved by visiting christmaslunchonjesus.com
INTERVIEW
carl Beech talks to Jonathan Palmer about life in the British armed forces
HIGHS & LOWS LIFE AS AN RAF SQUADRON LEADER
Y
If you met the guys I work with, you’d realise that it was a very easy transition! I loved my time working as a nurse. Especially being able to connect with those at their lowest ebb and be part of helping them to gradually lift their eyes back up to the horizon and see that there is life in all its fullness out there to grab hold of. I could easily have stayed and
Photo: Andrew Chittock / Alamy
ou’re a military pilot and commissioned officer in the raf but before that you were a mental health nurse. that’s a big change?!
maybe become a psychologist, but I had that burning desire to fly from my earliest childhood, and realised that I’d never be able to forgive myself if I never even tried to get into the RAF. I have a friend who says, ‘If you don’t risk anything, you risk everything...’ and I think it was that mentality that made me just go for it. Honestly, I don’t think it’s a big change – service is in my blood and is probably the single greatest driver and motivator in my life. Both nursing and the military are about serving others and, often, putting their needs above your own. HOPE at cHristmas 19
INTERVIEW
it’s far worse for our partners and kids who are left to deal with everything
By far the hardest part was leaving the family for long periods of time over and over again. It was heartwrenching and had a massive effect on our kids who could really struggle whilst I was away. People think that going away on operations is a hardship, but it’s far worse for our partners and kids who are left to deal with anything and everything that goes wrong, whilst wondering every day if they would get a phone call or visit from the commanding officer and padre telling them that I wasn’t coming back. Doing that to people you love is heart-wrenching! Tell us about your family My family are great and the centre of my life. I have been married to Hayley for 16 years, which is a significant accolade given how rough-cut I was when she started work on me. She’s a Leadership Mentor with the Armed Forces’ Christian Union and runs our property investment company on the side. More than anything though, she is the most fantastic mother to our three amazing kids! 20 HOPE at cHristmas
Photo: Andrew Chittock / Alamy
You’ve seen active service in Afghanistan. What were the highs and lows during that time? I loved Afghanistan – I loved feeling like we were really making a difference: every time I returned there was more and better infrastructure and lines of communication. My favourite sorties were those where we would taxi-around key Afghan and British politicians or military officers, because they would often open up as to the scale of the challenge, but also the positive movement they were seeing in country. It was also great to have the opportunity to be away with a small team of dedicated professionals focussing on just one task for an extended period. You really got to know each other as we were in each other’s pockets the whole time. On a long flight, there’s only so much time you can spend on small-talk!
Ethan’s 15 and wants to be a screen actor. He’s really very good and we’re trying to encourage him to go for it – we feel it’s critical to teach our kids to pursue their dreams, no matter how crazy or difficult they may be to achieve. Izzy is 11; she’s had a really tough couple of years. She has what can only be described as a Python-esque sense of humour. She’s incredibly loving and deeply brave – she’s taught us a lot about our resilience as a family and how to love each other more closely when the chips are down. Eliora is 7 and possibly the most girly-girl on the planet. She is most likely to be seen dancing around the house in a Disney Princess costume singing at the top of her lungs. Her name means, ‘God is my light’ and she would be able show anyone God’s light though her gap-toothed grin and insatiable appetite for life. You’re a Christian. How does that affect your work? My faith is my reason for being and affects everything I do: work, family, social and business decisions all stem from my desire to follow Christ and live like he taught us to – seeking to live life in all its fullness and bringing some of that to the people around me. I think this is why service-before-self forms such a core part of my perspective on life. What does that mean in reality? I think in many ways you might not notice the difference between my work and the next guy’s. I’m
Photo: Aero Archive / Alamy
couldn’t guarantee them continuity of education or friendship group without it. Ethan was in a different primary school every school year and we’ve moved nine times in 13 years; when you look at it like that, it’s no wonder the kids wanted the option for more stability! We also try to ensure that the children understand why we do what we do – that in being part of the RAF we are serving the country and others around the world who don’t have the ability to defend themselves against those who would seek to do them harm. In doing so, we try to help them see how they are a part of the story; a small cog in a massive narrative which I genuinely believe screams of social justice.
I love what I do and i’m very driven to be the best I can possibly be surrounded by some very capable and intelligent individuals who are seriously impressive at what they do. I think the major difference is in the drive. I love what I do and I’m very driven to be the best I can possibly be at it; but the reason I do it is not necessarily to get ahead, but to work as if I’m working directly for Jesus – for his fame and glory rather than my own. How does your family cope with so many moves and of course, the risks associated with your job? Sacrifice. I think that this is the reality for many military families. My wife and children have given up a lot to enable me to pursue this career, and for that I am eternally grateful to them. A good example of this is that both my older children are in boarding school. This was a massively hard decision to make, but we simply
What does the future hold? I genuinely don’t know – and that’s ok. I like to have an ‘abundance mentality’: God created enough for us all to end up where he intends us to be, doing what he intended for us to do. I just need to stay open to God’s calling. Currently, that looks like being the very best staff officer I can be in the RAF Headquarters and I’m happy to keep marching to the RAF’s drumbeat for the foreseeable future. Hayley and I recently set up a property investment company to provide high quality homes for those on the lowest incomes and to work with charities and the Government to house the homeless. We team up with socially-minded investors to give them a great return, whilst making a genuine difference to the living standards of those on low, or no, income. I’m also beginning to grow links with the political community as I’m beginning to believe that real, meaningful and sustainable social change can only come from Government. I’ve also been approached a couple of times to go into full time work in the Christian charity sector. Any of these could point to what the future holds; but for now, I’m just concentrating on smashing tomorrow out of the park!
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SCIENTIFIC
the glory of the Helix Nebula seen from the Hubble Space Telescope
FOLLOWING THE How one scientist responDs witH AWE TO BEAUTY in tHe universe igel Bovey talks to Jennifer, why did you become a scientist? I like science because I like nature. I grew up on a astronomer farm in the country, surrounded by animals. Science Dr Jennifer wiseman is simply a way of studying the natural world and who has worked with learning how it works. As a child I’d look up into the Hubble space the black night sky, see countless stars and imagine Astronomer telescope and is chief what it would be like to travel to some of those Dr Jennifer Wiseman of the laboratory for stars. As I got older and learnt about other planets in our solar system, I became completely fascinated exoplanets and stellar with space exploration. astrophysics at the nasa Goddard space flight center
N
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Photo: NG Images / Alamy
Photo: NASA / Alamy
in an ordinary place in one of 100 million galaxies. We could conclude that we are not significant and that, in relation to the age of the universe, the human lifespan is insignificant. On the other hand, Earth is populated by a people who need just the right balance of chemical elements in order to survive. They are beings who not only have intelligence but who also can have conversations about significance and meaning, and who can study and explore the universe of which they are a part. So we could conclude that humankind is very cosmically significant. As a Christian, I conclude that humankind is significant, not only because of the sustainability of life on Earth, but also because, through Jesus Christ, God has revealed his willingness to have a relationship with us. / Alam Photo: Art Directors & TRIP
y
How did your childhood fascination develop? After I finished high school my teacher encouraged Jennifer Wiseman speaking me to go to university to event celebrating the 25th at an study maths and science. Anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope in 2015. I got a place at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where I studied physics, and then went to Harvard to study astronomy. I’ve worked in research and also in the field of science policymaking with the federal government. I worked firstly as the programme scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope at Nasa headquarters in Washington DC. That was an exciting time. As well as working with the telescope, which was sending us wonderful observations and discoveries, we were also preparing for a potential astronaut mission to refurbish the telescope. I am now chief of the Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where, among other things, we are thinking about space telescopes to succeed Hubble.
we are thinking about space telescopes to succeed Hubble
Many people look at a twinkling night sky and, awestruck by its grandeur and scale, question their own place in the scheme of things. Is that a common reaction? Our personal place in the time and space of human history is an important question, and because it is a philosophical question we must move from science for the answer. Science can tell us how many galaxies there are and how many stars in each galaxy. Science can tell us the physical history of the universe. But science cannot say whether that means humans are significant or insignificant. We could look at the scale of the universe and consider that we live on a planet orbiting an average star
How did you become a Christian? I was raised in a Christian family. My parents lived out their faith with love. When I was a teenager I was confronted with the decision of whether or not to accept that faith for myself. Would I follow Jesus in whatever I did? I knew there was a difference between having a life that was centred on me and being someone who trusted Jesus. I made a sincere decision to follow Jesus. Since then there have been many occasions when I’ve had to put that faith into practice, to seek God for help and guidance. I am continuing to grow in my understanding of the implications of being a Christian. One area in particular is that of self-will. There have been moments when I’ve had to make major decisions and have asked myself on what basis I should do so: Should I do what makes me feel good? Should I do what everybody else is doing or HOPE at cHristmas 23
should I turn to God in prayer and ask for his insight? How can I best use my life for what God would consider meaningful service? You constantly seek to expand the final frontier of space. Are the biggest challenges to your faith from within science? No, I am troubled when I see the innocent suffer, whether that’s innocent children in a war zone or innocent animals being abused. I often join the chorus in crying out: ‘God, why are you allowing this? Why don’t you intervene?’ I believe in miracles. I believe God answers prayer. So when tragedy strikes I struggle with this question of why. But I also know that God is always present in troublesome situations and he can change people’s hearts and minds in amazing ways. I have witnessed enough of God’s faithfulness and presence and responses to cries for help to be convinced that God is real and that the gospel is true. What does your work as a space explorer teach you about God? I don’t believe studying the heavens scientifically will prove the existence of God. Science is not a tool for proving or disproving God. In fact, when there are things that we don’t understand in nature it is very dangerous to say that this is evidence of God. This is the ‘God-of-the-gaps’ argument, and it falls apart when we later learn that there is a scientific explanation for those processes which we didn’t understand at first. I think it is much more glorifying to God for us to discover the way natural processes work because doing so shows that God has set up a universe that works and is productive for life. Since astronomy and science do not prove God ‘by experiment’, I don’t think one can learn details about 24 HOPE at cHristmas
Photo: NASA / Alamy
SCIENTIFIC
faith this way. However, if one does have eyes of faith – and I believe there are good reasons for people to believe in God – one can look at some of the things we see in the universe and infer some characteristics of God. Such characteristics could include God’s apparent love of beauty, colour, faithfulness, unfathomable magnitude and even life itself. These are not scientific principles, they are faith perspectives. We see unbelievable beauty in the universe – spiral galaxies that are awesome in their symmetry and brilliance. We see thousands of galaxies both near and far in space and time in single images from the Hubble Space Telescope. When you try to imagine this extrapolated across the whole sky it is mindblowing. The distances in terms of space and time are beyond our capability to understand. It is spellbinding to realise there are so many stars. To me, that says something about God’s generosity and the magnitude of his creativity. When I look at the physical laws – the progression of time, cause and effect, the stability of gravity and so on – I see something of God’s faithfulness. In chaos theory and quantum mechanics as they affect subatomic particles, I am reminded of God’s gift of free will within a structured framework. God does not treat us like puppets. In the emergence and presence of life on this planet, I see something of God’s love. God has enabled a universe that supports life on Earth, and life in its many forms is flourishing. Human life, with its ability to think about and commune with God, is evidence of a God of love who desires fellowship and relationship.
reaD more
You can read the full interview with Jennifer Wiseman and more articles like this at Christianity.org.uk
INSIGHT
will you be among the millions of partygoers out celebrating?
MEET THE
STREET PASTORS
keepinG cluBBers safe tHis CHRISTMAS
f you’re out on the town this christmas late at night, you might well meet some of Britain’s street pastors in their distinctive blue and white jackets.
I
On many high streets this group of Christians will be providing support and help for people who have had too much to drink. It is estimated Street Pastors in their distinctive that in the month of and white jackets. December, they will save the blue NHS more than £13 million as they cut down on the numbers of people admitted to hospital because of alcohol. Street Pastors ‘bring added value, not only to the individuals and the community, but they bring added value to the NHS,’ according to Rev Les Isaac OBE, the CEO of Ascension Trust, which runs the Street Pastor network. He said that in one local authority the council leader told him Street Pastors saved £6,000 in one night alone. ‘When you think about that around the country, Street Pastors and the work that they do are saving the NHS millions of pounds every year,’ he added.
Les Isaac founded Street Pastors in the UK in 2003. On that first night, 18 volunteers took to the streets of Brixton, London, as a response to gun and knife crime. Now there are more more than 270 teams of Street Pastors across the UK, overseeing 14,000 trained men and women who provide more than 600,000 volunteer hours every year. Street Pastors are trained volunteers from local churches who care about their community. They patrol in teams of men and women, usually from 10pm to 4am on Friday and Saturday nights, to care for, listen to and help people who are out on the streets, making sure they are safe if they've drunk too much and need help getting home. Street Pastors’ founder Rev Les Isaac was awarded an OBE for his work fostering community cohesion. Born in Antigua, Rev Isaac came to the UK as a young child. Thrown into London life, he experienced street violence during his teens. In his search for hope, he became a Rastafarian. He later converted to Christianity and, inspired by the radical life change brought by his new-found faith, he became committed to sharing it. HOPE at cHristmas 25
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Photo: Marco Iacobucci / Alamy
SPORT
Brazilian footballer Alisson Becker’s faith has supported him on his journey to becoming the ‘world’s best goalkeeper’
YOU’LL NEVER
WALK ALONE sHowinG GRACE in Defeat anD HumilitY in victorY
t has been an incredible year for liverpool’s goalkeeper since he joined the premier league football club in the summer of 2018. recognised as the best goalkeeper in the world by fifa in september 2019, he has won multiple trophies and received plaudits for his performances. However, he has faced tremendous pressure and challenges on the way to achieving this success.
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He started his career at Internacional in the south of Brazil, joining the academy at a young age. He was 23 when he moved to Italy and joined his new club Roma. Then in 2018, with his wife Natalia and oneyear-old daughter Helena, he moved to Liverpool. When his son, Matteo, was born in June this year, Allison, who is up-front about his Christian faith, shared a photo on social media, saying: ‘Children are an inheritance of the Lord! Welcome Matteo! May the blessing of God always be upon your life! Dad and Mom love you so much!’ HOPE at cHristmas 27
SPORT
High pressure
Photo: Independent Photo Agency Srl / Alamy
His achievements have been especially impressive in the context of the high-pressure role of a modern goalkeeper. As the last line of defence for the team, any errors are clearly visible and often have a significant impact on the match. This was evident with Alisson’s predecessor, Loris Karius. He made two crucial errors in the Champions League final, as Liverpool’s opponents Real Madrid went on to win the match 3-1. Loris Karius left the field in tears, apologising to fans for his errors which cost his team so dearly. He then went on to face intense ridicule and condemnation from pundits and fans. In the modern era of social media, this scrutiny is more severe than ever. Media pundits put each performance under a microscope, analysing the errors and faults of players. But this is taken to another level by fans on social media who mock and abuse players, as was the case for Karius.
Jürgen klopp: ‘if i knew alisson was this good, i would have paid double.’
Alisson himself experienced this first-hand early in his Liverpool career. In one of his first games for Liverpool against Leicester City, his bold goalkeeping style, for which he has received much praise, was tested. He conceded an embarrassing goal as he was tackled by an opposition attacker in his own penalty area. Commentators and armchair pundits were quick to criticise him on social media and question whether he was the right man for the job, even at such an early stage in his Liverpool career.
ruthless results business
With the commercialisation of modern football, there is increased pressure on players to achieve results and provide a return on investment for their clubs. It is a ruthless results business where success on the field is paramount and tends to be a prerequisite for any loyalty shown by players. The €75m (£66.9m) transfer fee paid by Liverpool to acquire him from Italian club, Roma, was a world record for a goalkeeper at the time. Liverpool 28 HOPE at cHristmas
had identified the position as one which needed strengthening and made a significant investment in Alisson as the man to boost their defence. From the outset, there was a lot of scrutiny on the transfer fee and whether Alisson would justify the investment with his performances on the pitch. Since then, Liverpool
Photo: DPA Picture Alliance / Alamy
Becker – wearing his symbolic t-shirt – holds aloft the champions league trophy
manager Jürgen Klopp has stated ‘If I knew Alisson was this good, I would have paid double.’ Alisson has certainly justified the outlay from his club. His achievements in the last year have been remarkable. He was at the heart of the best defence in the English Premier League, conceding the fewest goals and going on to win the ‘Golden Glove’ award. He was instrumental in Liverpool’s Champions League victory and was voted the best goalkeeper in the European competition. In the summer, he went on to win the Copa America trophy with Brazil and only conceded one goal in the whole tournament. In September, he was recognised for his achievements and voted the best goalkeeper in the world by FIFA.
I’m a Christian so i’m not a superstitious person Gianluigi Buffon, one of the most successful goalkeepers of the modern era, has also praised him, saying ‘Alisson is everything a modern goalkeeper needs to be. I have been watching him for some years now and am a big admirer… I see that he gives confidence to his defence.’
confidence
That confidence has been fundamental to Alisson’s success and he has been outspoken in saying that his
confidence stems from his faith in God. He does not rely on any particular pre-match routines or superstitions. When asked about this at Roma, he responded ‘No, the only thing I do is point to the sky. I’m a Christian so I’m not a superstitious person.’ When asked what it takes to become a great goalkeeper, he responded ‘If you want to be a great keeper, you need to work very hard. That’s what I do. You need to be very focused on football and I think faith is important too. If you believe in God, you know you have to do your best on the pitch and put love into everything you do in life.’ His technical ability is undeniable, and the countless hours of training and hard work have enabled him to develop this. But in his role and the high-pressure environment, the mental aspect of the game is critical. Having faith that God supports him through the challenges he faces allows him to focus on being the best he can be without being distracted by outside pressure or internal doubts. He has extensively used social media to express his faith. A notable element of his posts is his grace in defeat and humility in victory. After he was knocked out of the 2018 World Cup with Brazil, he thanked God ‘for the incredible opportunity to have played in a World Cup’ and added ‘We don’t always win! God is good all the time!’ This demonstrates how his faith impacts his approach to football. He is able to put things in perspective and to be grateful for the opportunities he has been given. After winning the Champions League trophy, he removed his Liverpool jersey to reveal the message ‘God is Love’ represented by ‘cross = heart’ and he will often use social media to thank God following victories and successes. In using his social media platforms to express his faith, he has frequently used the hashtag #Deusnocontrole – Portuguese for ‘God in control’. This gives an insight into his faith and approach to football. As he walks out on to the field with fans singing the Liverpool anthem ‘You’ll never walk alone’, he has faith that whatever happens on the field and in any challenges that he may face, God is with him. HOPE at cHristmas 29
FACTS
CHRISTMAS
TRIVIA
cHristmas factoiDs to impress Your festive Guests
‘Jingle Bells’ was written for thanksgiving, not christmas.
who earns the most royalties from their christmas songs? well, Mariah Carey makes about £375,000 per year from ‘all i want for christmas’ and The Pogues make about £400,000 from ‘a fairytale of new York’. But top of the tree are Slade, who are reckoned to earn £500,000 per year from ‘merry christmas everybody’.
here are dozens of christmas traditions - turkey, pigs in us scientists blankets, tinsel, trees, presents... calculated that santa would have to visit 822 homes a but most people aren’t aware of the second to deliver all the world’s stranger facts around the standard in Germany, presents on christmas eve, festivities. so here are a few poland, and ukraine, travelling at 650 miles a for finding a spider or second. random christmas factoids a christmas to be a spider’s web on a to dazzle people with officially classified as ‘white’ a christmas tree is believed before, during or after single snow flake needs to be to bring good luck. observed falling in the 24 hours of christmas 25th December on the rooftop of dinner.
T
the met office HQ in london.
the chances of a White Christmas according to a are just 1 in 10 for england and survey conducted in wales, and 1 in 6 for scotland and 2016, 57% of adults in northern ireland. the uk would gladly it’s technically illegal sacrifice seeing relatives on to eat mince pies on christmas Day if it meant they Boxing Christmas Day in England. could spend more time on Day gets its in the 17th century, oliver facebook. name from all the cromwell banned christmas money collected in pudding, mince pies and anything church alms-boxes 6.8 to do with gluttony. the law has for the poor. if you million ios never been rescinded. gave all the and android gifts listed in the devices will be twelve Days of christmas, activated this it would equal 364 gifts. christmas.
TOM HANKS MOVIE QUIZ: 1. Cast Away | 2. Inferno | 3. Apollo 13 | 4. Forrest Gump | 5. A League Of Their Own | 6. Big | 7. Saving Private Ryan | 8. The Green Mile | 9. Catch Me If You Can | 10. The Post
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AT CHRISTMAS
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