3 October 2015 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION | 03 October 2015 | Issue 6627 | $1.50

OTAGO UNIVERSITY: ‘Salvation Army offers world class addiction treatment’

Celebrating 20 Years of Recovery Church

11 OCT: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD 2016 OFFICER APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED THE GREAT NEW ZEALAND SHAKEOUT FIREZONE: FRIENDS FOR LIFE JOURNEY TO A MORE GENEROUS LIFE

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Kia ora It is people WAR CRY

The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga Territory FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL André Cox TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Robert Donaldson The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination.

War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

EDITOR

Major Christina Tyson GRAPHIC DESIGN

Lauren Millington, Amber Wilkinson STAFF WRITERS

Ingrid Barratt, Robin Raymond, Vanessa Singh CONTRIBUTORS

Kris Singh (music reviewer) PROOF READING

Major Jill Gainsford OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Phone (04) 384 5649 Fax (04) 382 0716 Email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department Phone (04) 382 0768 Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT MakeReady | www.makeready.co.nz

My husband, Keith, has led Recovery Church in Wellington for five years. And so, reading about its origins in this edition, I am immensely thankful for Kevin and Merilyn Goldsack’s obedience to God’s vision for this remarkable community!

Every Recovery Church has its own flavour. In Wellington, probably over half are clients on the nearby addiction treatment programme, along with a few ‘graduates’ (with a wide catchment area, many return home to other parts of the lower North Island), and regulars from Wellington South Corps (church) in Newtown, which hosts the Thursday night gathering.

This corps support is invaluable! John is there every week, working the sound desk, chatting to clients and looking out for them on Sundays and at some of the corps’ ‘bridging events’.

Steve is a soldier at Wellington South and a past graduate who sings in the music team and passes out the weekly awards. Most importantly, Steve shares of himself. He’s supported by new wife Karen, who has her own powerful recovery story to tell.

Joan, a retired widow, has the gift of encouragement. When Joan prays, God listens! Pianist Neil comes when work allows and gently welcomes clients into the music team. Carole, who is also on staff at the rehab centre, sings beautifully and also helps any newbies feel included.

Others from around Wellington play their part, including Jocelyn, who attends with cute dog in tow, a great icebreaker.

Guest speakers contribute their wisdom, including popular regulars Karl Foreman, Joe Serevi and Ferrell Irvine.

Last week, a graduate returned to celebrate nine months of sobriety after 35 years of drugging and drinking. He’d spent seven stints in prison and was suicidal when he turned to The Salvation Army for help. ‘Every day’s a blessing for me now!’ he said. His first words on walking through the door were: ‘Recovery Church is like coming home.’ Thank God for that!

Christina Tyson Editor

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Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

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BIBLE VERSE

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1 Corinthians 6:12 Contemporary English Version

‘Some of you say, “We can do anything we want to.” But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me.’

1 Koriniti 6:12

‘He tika ngā mea katoa māaku, otirā e kore e pai katoa.

He tika ngā mea katoa māku, otirā e kore ahau e pai ki tētahi mea hei rangatira mōku.’

Publishing for 132 years

ISSN 0043-0242, Issue 6627

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WISE WORDS

The mentality and behaviour of drug addicts and alcoholics is wholly irrational until you understand that they are completely powerless over their addiction and unless they have structured help, they have no hope.

Russell Brand

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Let’s Talk | 03

BY SAMMY MILLAR

‘W

hat do you wanna be when you grow up, baby girl?’ I asked my four-year-old daughter.

‘A pirate fairy,’ she replied. She dances around the room and chats away, repeating the same thing over and over just for fun. She’s free and unrestrained without a care in the world.

Not one single care. I hope that as she grows, she will know she can be anything, do anything that she wants. I have hopes and dreams for her, but my greatest hope is that my daughter would fulfil her own dreams, hopes and desires.

Can you imagine a world where every single girl born has the opportunity to fulfil her own dreams, hopes and desires?

Although we are far from it, I believe it’s possible.

Imagine a world where the sky is the limit and her choice is never limited. A world where any girl can become a nurse, doctor, midwife, scientist, teacher, researcher, mechanic, lawyer, flight attendant, prime minister, pilot, sales person, pastor, CEO, sound technician, firefighter, astronaut … or pirate fairy.

Imagine a world where gender inequality doesn’t exist and where every girl child, regardless of their ethnicity, their culture, their religion or the situation they are born into is able to thrive, is wanted and is valued for the unique strengths and perspectives she brings to the world.

Imagine a world where unequal education rights, unfair pay gaps, restricted land ownership, child brides, female genital mutilation, breast ironing, acid attacks, dowry burnings, and the infanticide of baby girls are horrific crimes of the past that we look back on and think, ‘How did we let that go on for so long?’

October 11 is the International Day of the Girl Child, a day established by the United Nations to recognise girls’ rights and the unique situations they face around the world.

This year’s theme is ‘The Power of the Adolescent Girl’.

The United Nations acknowledges that while much progress has been made during the past 15 years to improve the lives of girls during early childhood (access to primary education, receiving essential vaccinations and improved health outcomes), there is much work to be done once they reach adolescence.

The UN says, ‘There has been insufficient investment in addressing the challenges girls face when they enter the second decade of their lives. This includes obtaining quality secondary and higher education, avoiding child marriage, receiving information and services related to puberty and reproductive health, and protecting themselves against unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and gender-based violence.’

So, can you imagine a world where every single adolescent girl gets to live life to the full—safe, educated and healthy as they develop into women? A world where these girls know they can and are empowered to change the world around them. The UN says, ‘An investment in realising the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.’

At the moment, not every girl in the world is born with the same opportunities. On this international day of the girl, let’s be intentional about encouraging the girls in our lives about their potential and worth. Let’s encourage them to dream of their own ‘world where …’.

And let’s make a concentrated effort to work together and ensure that our daughters and granddaughters grow up in a world where every girl knows her dreams and desires are possible!

04 WarCry 03 October 2015

Bookshelf Society and Culture The Villa at the Edge of the Empire Fiona Farrell Prompted by her experience of living in Christchurch since its 2010 quake, one of NZ’s leading writers considers the evolution of cities.

Through personal observation, conversations with friends and strangers, and reading everything from daily newspapers to records of major upheavals in Pompeii and Berlin, Farrell explores community, the love of place and, ultimately, regeneration and renewal. The Sunday Star Times describes this book as ‘a response not only to Christchurch’s lethal earthquake of 2011, but also to the very flawed way in which the city is being reconstructed and rebuilt.’

(Vintage)

Playlist

Spirituality Contemplative Bible Reading Richard Peace Contemplative Bible reading (or lectio divina) is an ancient method that’s more about having a conversation with God, than ‘doing a Bible study’. The author, Professor of Evangelism and Spiritual Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary, is fascinated by how the Bible works to bring transformation.

He writes to help people discover this method—as part of a group or on their own. He writes in an accessible style, with all theological terms and biblical characters explained, producing a study that is even suitable for non-churchgoers who would like to encounter God. (wipfandstock.com)

Theology That Contentious Doctrine Melvyn Jones UK Salvation Army officer Major Mel Jones served for five years as principal of William Booth College in London and is currently Spiritual Life Development Secretary in the UK. In That Contentious Doctrine, he tackles the topic of holiness.

The opening epigraph reinforces the explosive nature of this topic: a Methodist bishop writes to Salvation Army holiness teacher Samuel Logan Brengle in 1885 and warns, ‘Brother Brengle, be very careful. That doctrine splits churches’. Well-researched, fresh biblical reflection on ‘sinless perfection’ and the transformation of the converted. (Salvation Books)

Reel News

Dream/Indie Pop Honeymoon Lana Del Ray Honeymoon is the fourth studio record from American singer/ songwriter Lana Del Ray. Following 2014’s Ultraviolence, it distils the smoky silkiness of Del Ray’s jazz club influences and applies them to a dreamy, atmospheric soundscape and indie/hip hop influences. The result is a rewarding and musically deep record. Opening with the haunting strings of the title track, Honeymoon immediately sets its tone. The arc of this album works really well, building in intensity over its 14 tracks. Del Ray’s vocals are incredibly well produced, and her performance is complex and sophisticated. A great record, with its pastiche of genres making for an interesting listen.

Rock Higher Truth Chris Cornell This is the fourth independent record from Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. His unmistakable rock twang is in full force, but applied to some different musical contexts. Folk and country influences liberally dot Higher Truth, to great effect. The title track brings in some country guitar fuzz, but for the most part, the album’s 15 tracks are driven by acoustic guitars and Cornell’s powerful and commanding voice. Soundgarden fans might not find much to like, but the reimagining of Cornell’s voice in a new musical context makes for an interesting album nonetheless.

GIVEAWAY To win a copy of The Villa at the Edge of the Empire, tell us your favourite city.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 19 Oct.

Adventure Everest (2D & 3D) Baltasar Kormákur Most would be familiar with the 1986 mountaineering tragedy in which New Zealanders Rob Hall and Andy Harris perished with six others. And many would also recall the phone calls Hall made to wife Jan back home, as it became increasingly clear this was an adventure from which he would not return.

Everest tells the story of two different expeditions challenged beyond their limits by one of the fiercest snowstorms ever encountered. Hall (who is portrayed exceptionally well by the talented Jason Clarke) and American Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal) pit themselves against one another to race their clients to the top of the world’s highest mountain. The Kiwi is the more experienced, having just completed his fifth summit of Everest, more at that time than any other non-Sherpa mountaineer.

Hall was focused on returning to his wife (played by Keira Knightly) before the birth of their child—daughter Sarah was born nine weeks after her father died. But overriding that motivation was Hall’s selfless dedication to helping others survive.

The real-life Jan says Everest captured the essence of what happened on the mountain. Her only reservation was that the Nepalese Sherpas did not feature more strongly. These ‘unsung heroes’ were the ‘backbone’ of her husband’s expedition, she says on stuff.co.nz.

Yes, this is a movie about a tragedy, with errors made and nature doing its worst. But it is also about the determination to enjoy creation and embrace its challenges. And it shows us in a very impacting way what it can mean when people fully accept that they are indeed their brother’s keeper.

2D was terrifying—3D must be an adrenalin-pumping experience!

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/saresources

Feature | 05

This weekend, people are gathering at Auckland City Corps to celebrate what has often been, literally, a death to life transformation through 20 years of Salvation Army Recovery Church. ‘Making the rest of my life, the best of my life’ is the weekend slogan—a motto that has become synonymous with Recovery Church.

Sadly, one of the co-founders of Recovery Church, Major Kevin Goldsack, was promoted to Glory on the 25th of September, shortly after this interview.

he first inklings of what would become Recovery Church began, not from The Salvation Army, but from a client who had been through the Bridge Programme (which is also known as Addiction Services).

Majors Kevin and Merilyn Goldsack spent eight years overseeing the Bridge Programme in Auckland, including its centre on Rotoroa Island in the Hauraki Gulf. One client stood out: he participated fully in the programme, living in community with gang members, a prison guard and those on probation. He came through the programme a transformed man. At graduation, the man said to Kevin: ‘I could have paid for this treatment. I want to do what I can to help.’

Initially, he bought new toasters, a washing machine and dryer, and even got a roading crew in to improve the roads.

But sometime later, he approached Kevin and Merilyn and offered to send them to the United States to visit Salvation Army Addictions Services there.

This was the birth of a new vision. ‘We saw how they ran the chapel service in the States, it was like what church should be and Recovery Church would become,’ they say.

06 | WarCry 03 October 2015

Back in New Zealand, the couple was increasingly aware of the barriers their clients faced in their fledgling faith. ‘When people come to the Bridge they’re at a crisis point—with family, relationships, often the courts and ill health. Out of that, God works and people may make a decision for the Lord,’ recalls Merilyn. ‘But once they have left treatment, they fall through the gaps. We saw a huge gap between our programme and mainstream church.’

Kevin adds, ‘When God was preparing us for Recovery Church, there was a graduate who was doing really well and made a decision for the Lord. We took him to church and he was literally shaking.

He couldn’t come in. He said it was too big, too flash. So I just sat outside with him. It was another thing God used to show us that we had to bridge the gap.’

The birth of Recovery Church God added to the growing vision. On Rotoroa Island, Kevin had been watching an old log rotting over the years. Suddenly, the log began growing new shoots out of the dead wood. Kevin felt God’s spirit speak to him: ‘This is what I want you to do. Grow new life!’

Kevin consulted US church leader Bill Hybels about whether he should heed the vision. ‘He said to me, you need two things: It’s got to be real, so look for confirmation. And there will be risk.’

At a Bridge Programme reunion, Kevin stood up and announced that a new church was going to start that he was calling ‘Recovery Church’. ‘There were whoops and cheers. Afterwards, about a dozen people came up and said, “Are you for real? Are you for real?” We took that as confirmation—yes, it was real.’

The first unofficial Recovery Church was held in January 1995, in Auckland. By the third week, the space was crammed and they had to open up extra room. By the time it came to officially start Recovery Church in May, 150 people were already attending.

A place to belong Twenty years later, there are 13 Recovery Churches around New Zealand—half are part of a local corps (Salvation Army church), and half are part of the Army’s national Addiction Services.

‘It’s a special place, for a special group of people,’ says Commissioner Astrid Herring, National Mission Coordinator for Addiction Services ‘Recovery Church is vital to Addictions Services and to our corps. People come who are in recovery from addiction or traumatic experiences and they find it a safe, welcoming place.

There really is a sense of community and a spirit of grace that provides a place to heal and grow.’

The emphasis at Recovery Church is on honesty and acceptance. The only requirement is that people are ‘clean and sober on the day’. Doubts and questions are welcomed. People can hold alternative beliefs, or no beliefs. The Recovery Church motto is: ‘A place to belong, before you believe.’

‘Testimony is raw, up-to-date and includes failures and everyday challenges,’ writes former Christchurch Addictions Services manager, Major Sue Hay, in the Army’s Recovery Church Guidelines. ‘Leaders are also appropriately transparent about their own life struggles. There is empathy for those who fail even after long-term recovery. Grace is extended.’ People are encouraged to ‘come as they are’—there is no judgement of relationships, sexuality or where people are at in their journey with God. Clients are welcome to join the music team, which plays secular songs that relate to recovery—such as ‘Lean on Me’ and ‘One Day At a Time’, as well as well-known hymns like ‘Amazing Grace’.

People, including newcomers, are invited to join in by reading the Bible, prayers and reflections from The Recovery Bible.

Prayers are often simple but raw, says Major Paul Clifford, who heads up Recovery Church in Hamilton and has been involved since almost the beginning. At a recent service, one man stood up and said, ‘God, give me a break!’, then sat down again. Another man prayed, ‘God, bless all my children and all their mothers too’.

‘That’s the world they come from, and we don’t judge,’ adds Paul.

Merilyn and Kevin, now in retirement, are still leaders at the Palmerston North Recovery Church. Recently, there has been a lot of prayer for Kevin, who has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia.

A recent prayer was: ‘God, you might think you need Kevin, but we need him more! So heal him and leave him with us.’

Merilyn says, ‘We really treat each other like family at Recovery Church. We share our experiences with openness and honesty. If someone comes and says, “This is my second day clean and sober”, they’ll be greeted with cheers and clapping. If someone says, “I am 15 years clean and sober,” they’ll get the same recognition.’

We saw a huge gap between our programme and mainstream church.

We had to bridge that gap.

A beginners’ guide to faith Most importantly, Recovery Church has given people who may feel excluded from church, a place to discover the Christian faith. ‘Many people have had no spiritual input or have had hurtful Christian experiences, so it’s a place to re-establish their relationship with their higher power, who they come to know is God. It’s a “beginner’s guide” to the Christian spiritual life,’ says Paul.

Although the Goldsacks’ original vision was to bridge the gap, ‘we never thought we’d have people come through to soldiership,’ laughs Merilyn. ‘We got the biggest shock when the first group of people came to us and said, “What do we do to join The Salvation Army?”, and we held our first enrolment service for new soldiers.’

Recovery Church truly reflects the beginnings of The Salvation Army, notes Astrid. ‘I can’t help but think this is the type of group William and Catherine Booth would have led—people who need the help of social services to change their lives, but who also need acceptance and a spiritual community to belong to and give back to. It’s life-changing stuff; we’re bringing life rather than death.’

It’s hard to avoid the fact that Recovery Church is a model of how the whole church should be. And the authenticity of Recovery church has also impacted the wider Salvation Army—it has been a place where many Salvationists have found a new depth of experience in Christ.

‘In church we tend to want to show our strengths, not our weaknesses,’ says Kevin. ‘People in recovery church know they are weak … but God makes them strong.’ A person who had been a Salvationist all his life attended Recovery Church, and said to Kevin afterwards, “I found the Lord tonight!” ’ Recovery Church is not only for people who are in recovery from addictions. People also come to recover from traumatic experiences or situations. Astrid recently met a woman who had been part of a church where she suffered spiritual abuse. She was invited to Recovery Church and after belonging there for a while, felt free to love and serve God again. She is now a soldier, attending her local Salvation Army corps.

Feature | 07

Recovery stories Story after story of changed lives flow out of Kevin and Merilyn. In the first few weeks of Recovery Church, a woman was invited along

by Linda, the Bridge Programme’s chaplain, who simply said, ‘You are welcome here.’

‘The woman came forward and gave her life to the Lord, and the following week she brought her husband and he gave his life to the Lord,’ Merilyn recalls. ‘The next week, they brought a friend and the friend gave their life to the Lord. They realised they were all alcoholics, and they did their recovery through Recovery Church’.

Another story that stands out in their minds is a member of a well-known New Zealand band in the ’80s. ‘He had a very significant recovery. He came into treatment and joined Recovery Church, and wanted to become a Salvationist. He only had black leathers that he wore, so he sold those to buy two uniforms and wore his uniform everywhere he went.’

Another young woman still calls Kevin ‘dad’. She was a prostitute on ‘K Road’ and went through treatment three times.

Her father was dying, and Kevin went and prayed for the family.

‘It had a huge effect on this young woman,’ says Merilyn. ‘She ended up going through Laidlaw Bible College and graduating as valedictorian. She is now very involved advocating for prostitutes and making submissions to Parliament.’

Celebrating 20 years Miracles are still happening at Recovery Church, 20 years after it began—like the young woman who recently moved to Palmerston

North to escape the drug scene in her home town. She wanted to make a fresh start and find a church. She was walking past The Salvation Army, heard the band playing and decided to go in.

‘She began attending Recovery Church and her life has changed spectacularly!’ says Kevin.

And it’s not just individual lives that are changing, it is whole families. For Paul, a standout of Recovery Church is when people graduate from the treatment programme and family are invited to see their clean and sober loved ones graduate. ‘Graduates often thank their family for hanging in there, and that becomes a catalyst for trust and change. It’s great to see individual lives set free from addiction and move on, but it’s even greater to see whole families restored and changed.’

He reflects, ‘Some of these people have done terrible things, and they come and discover that God is a God of love—that there is one source of life, and that everyone gets another chance with God.’ Merilyn laughs when she recalls that as a teenager, she was so scared of alcohol she would cross the road rather than walk past a pub. She freely admits her ‘horror’ when, as Salvation Army officers, she and Kevin were appointed to Epsom Lodge—a home for people who have been sleeping rough. ‘But God gave us such a love for those people,’ she recalls—it was the start of more than 20 years working in the addictions field and in Recovery Church.

‘God has been so good! He’s given us a wonderful ministry and our lives have become so rich because of the people we have worked with. We have loved people, but we’ve been loved so much more.’

‘God is for the alcoholic’ My name is Rangi Hinga. I experimented with alcohol when I was 15 and was a chronic alcoholic around the age of 20.

My dependence on alcohol affected every facet of my life.

I know what it’s like to burn with a desire to drink alcohol so overpowering that anything of value in my life that I treasured— family, friends, employment, even my dignity—meant absolutely nothing. I have experienced the depths of despair and hopelessness. I came to believe that for me, this was the normal way to live life to its fullest.

After a long period of time wasted, a sense of reality begins to take hold and I say, to no one in particular, ‘I don’t have a damn clue where my life is heading!’

It’s a long and hopeless journey that leads to nothing.

A road to nowhere. Life has but

one focus: alcohol, alcohol and more alcohol. The gutter is a place to rest and sleep. Prison, a place that holds one in bondage.

Marriage and children a place of strife and misunderstandings.

Career a place of unemployment and government handouts. A hell on earth experience. Enough is enough.

The time comes when a person hits rock bottom. Life is centred on drunkenness and survival. Rock bottom, how low can you go?

My wakeup call came by way of a situation that’s so sad that even after many years of sobriety, it still pains my heart deeply.

At the unveiling of my mum’s memorial headstone, I arrived so intoxicated that I started to abuse the minister conducting the service. Trying to start a fight with family members on top of my own mother’s grave! How low can you go?

The most bewildering thing

is I don’t even recall being anywhere near the cemetery that day. Several days past before I came out of my drunken stupor and realised I had gone beyond the realm of anything that was decent. The looks of resentment and hate from those close to me convinced me my life was on borrowed time. Alcoholism had defeated me in every facet of my mind, body and soul.

I asked myself, ‘How can I rebuild that which is broken?’ In a darkened room that night, the 3rd of November 1983, I fell on my knees and spoke these words: ‘God, if you’re real, help me—a drunkard, a wino alcoholic bum!’

Nothing else said.

From the moment I called out in despair to God for help, something far greater than I took control of my life. I became a client of The Salvation Army’s addiction programme on Rotoroa Island and began to experience a new wellbeing through the person

of Jesus Christ. Before leaving Rotoroa Island, I accepted Jesus into my life.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge of recovery since taking those tentative steps. I am aware that recovery starts when I have to leave the programme, returning to challenges left behind several weeks before. I had to implement the programme policy of staying sober for just one day at a time.

Recovery can be daunting and frustrating, but I found the presence of a higher power—who I call Jesus Christ—helped me overcome the desire to drink.

Today, I have a wonderful feeling of self-worth, mana, selfesteem and dignity. My life is not alcohol focused, but God focused.

And without being complacent, I will always remember and remind myself that I am only one drink away from getting drunk. Never forgetting that God is for the alcoholic.

08 | WarCry 03 October 2015

ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH

Shake It Off

We Can End World Hunger Ending world hunger is realistic and we can do it, says the United Nations as we mark World Food Day on 16 October.

‘When it comes to hunger, the only acceptable number in the world is zero,’ says the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Eradicating hunger around the world is the very large gauntlet laid down by the FAO, but they say that it can be done. The world produces enough food to feed every person on the planet,’ says the FAO.

Around 1.5 million New Zealanders are expected to ‘shake it off’ for the Great New Zealand ShakeOut on 15 October.

Taylor Swift made ‘shaking it off’ a hit, but Kiwis will be doing their own kind of shaking at precisely 9:15 am on 15 October. They’ll be ducking for cover in a national earthquake drill, with an estimated 1.5 million people taking part—even Sirs Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor have been pictured taking cover at their local cinema.

It’s all part of an international earthquake drill, with more than 28 countries and states participating. New Zealand will be the first country to do the drill.

This is an opportunity for all of us to remind ourselves to ‘drop, cover and hold’. During the drill, participants will drop to the floor, take cover— preferably under a table—and hold tightly onto the table legs or whatever is secure.

Civil Defence describes how to ‘drop, cover and hold’ during an earthquake: ΕΕ If you’re inside: Move no more than a few steps, then drop, cover and hold to protect yourself from falling objects. Stay indoors till the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit. In most buildings in New Zealand you are safer if you stay where you are until the shaking stops. ΕΕ If you can’t drop to the floor: If you are unable to drop, the best action is to stop moving and brace yourself against a wall or furniture. ΕΕ If you are outside: Move away from buildings, trees, streetlights and power lines, then drop, cover and hold. Stay there until the shaking stops. ΕΕ If you are driving: pull over to a clear location, stop and stay there with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Once the shaking stops, proceed with caution and avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged.

The Great New Zealand ShakeOut is also an opportunity to check on your preparedness. Families can stock up on their emergency items and make an earthquake plan as a family.

In 2002, the UN made eradicating extreme poverty and hunger its first priority in its ‘Millennium Goals’. By 2015, they aimed to halve the number of people living on less than a dollar a day, and halve the proportion of people living in hunger.

Believe it or, these goals have been achieved in many countries. Forty countries have halved the number of those living in hunger—places like Kenya, which has supported 245,000 orphans and vulnerable children living in extreme poverty. Nepal has halved the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day, and Moldova has empowered more than a quarter of its population through a fund that allows to can manage their own development needs.

Of course, the challenge is still enormous. ‘There is sufficient capacity in the world to produce enough food to feed everyone adequately,’ says the FAO. ‘In spite of progress made over the last two decades, 805 million people still suffer from chronic hunger. Among children, it is estimated that 161 million under five years of age are chronically malnourished.’

The focus of the day is on raising awareness of the issue. If you want to get involved, you can post online with a message ‘I care about world hunger because …’

In New Zealand, several organisations are helping people living with hunger, including The Salvation Army’s Community Ministries centres. Contact your local corps or community ministries to make a donation of canned food, cereal, rice or other foods that won’t go off. Go to www. salvationarmy.org.nz to find where you can donate.

Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery or apartheid, it is man-made, and can be removed by the actions of human beings. Nelson Mandela

This is a quick and easy drill that will help us ‘shake it off’ whenever or where ever the next rumble hits New Zealand.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Although there are several steps in this recipe, none of them are complicated. This is a great ‘dinner party’ main | Serves 4 3 Tbsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled and chopped 150–200g mushrooms, sliced 125–150g frozen spinach, thawed About 100g feta, crumbled ½ tsp salt Pepper to taste 4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts 8 rashers streaky bacon 4 tsp truffle- or porcini-infused olive oil

Heat oven to 200˚C. Heat oil in medium non-stick pan.

Add garlic and mushrooms. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently until mushrooms have softened, then remove from heat.

Squeeze most of the liquid from the spinach and stir it into the mushroom mixture. Add the crumbled feta, salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

Place chicken breasts top down on a board, then from the side cut a pocket into the middle of each. Stuff as much of the spinach mix into the pocket as you can (you may have some filling left). Wrap each breast in two rashers of bacon, using these to hold the pocket shut.

Place wrapped chicken in a baking paper-lined roasting pan, drizzle each with a teaspoon of infused oil and bake for 30–35 mins or until bacon is golden brown.

From Fast & Fantastic by Simon and Holst. Go to www.holst.co.nz

Lifestyle | 09

Q&A What is Choc-tober?

Choc-tober is the unofficial month of eating chocolate …

Okay, it’s not a real thing, but we at War Cry think it should be, so we’re launching Choc-tober: a month of eating chocolate. Traditionally, dedicated ‘months’ go to a good cause. We believe eating chocolate in itself is a good cause. But to make it super good, you could donate a bar of chocolate to your local foodbank, for every bar (or three) you eat. It is World Food Day (see opposite), and while chocolate isn’t an essential food, it is good for the soul. Giving is also good for the soul—win-win!

Plus, if you buy Fairtrade or other ethical chocolate products, you’ll help change the lives of cocoa farmers around the world. Fairtrade chocolate makes up under one percent of the $66 billion chocolate trade, so we really need people to buy more fairly-traded chocolate.

For those who say chocolate is bad for you, the facts speak for themselves: • Eating (just a little) dark chocolate widens arteries and promotes healthy blood flow that can help prevent blocked arteries.

• Flavonoids found in cocoa products have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting effects that can reduce the risk of diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity.

• The smell of chocolate increases theta brain waves, which trigger relaxation.

The bad news is that for chocolate to be healthy, you should only eat three squares a day at most. However, here are a few decadent chocolate ideas to help you celebrate Choc-tober: ΕΕ Chocolate and avocado mousse: Process together melted chocolate, avo, honey and coconut milk. A bit ker-azy. A bit yum. See www.nadialim.com for recipe. ΕΕ Chocolate fondue: Chocolate, butter, cream and milk gently melted until smooth. Dipping fruit into it makes it healthy! ΕΕ Chocolate mug cake: Just 70 seconds in a microwave. Recipe on www.tablefortwoblog.com. ΕΕ Chocolate-covered strawberries: Another health food—and perfect for spring.

Testify For addictions caseworker Geoff Boyd, serving others feels like home.

My connection with The Salvation Army goes back to when I was a farmer in Southland and the Army came into the pub on a Friday night handing out War Crys in the late ’70s and early ’80s. When I did go to Alcoholics Anonymous, my first meeting was at The Salvation Army.

A while later, I was sitting on the tractor thinking, ‘What are we doing here?’ So I asked God if he had some ideas and if he could make things fairly plain and simple.

It turned out the direction was fairly plain, and leaving the farm was simple. I started following what I thought were coincidences, but they weren’t.

I was directed to Waikato, where I worked with horses and people. I quickly realised it was all about the people. I’d rock up to see a horse and while I expected the owner to talk about the horse, they’d end up telling me about themselves.

I realised I needed more skills and, in particular, skills relating to counselling people. In 2003, I moved to Wellington to study as an alcohol and drug counsellor.

I was led back to The Salvation Army when a work placement at the Bridge Programme (Addiction Services) turned into a job, and in 2006 I became a full-time counsellor.

This job is about helping people—it’s about helping people to make changes in their life, in

what they’re telling themselves, in how they’re feeling, and in what they do. Enabling a more positive way of being.

I see clients once a week, one-on-one, and we hold classes and group sessions. It’s a bit like coaching in a way. People say, ‘I don’t know if I can do that’, but when it comes to recovery, I remember the struggle I had and I have some ideas that might help others, and sometimes I have the right words to say. But as we remind people, recovery is about progress not perfection, and I always have my faith to help me.

Active addiction narrows people’s choices. Working in recovery means I am helping them find some other options. I’ve been here almost 10 years and it is rewarding to see that, while some people struggle, many others learn the strategies to improve their life.

Are you struggling with alcohol, other drugs or gambling? … Or do you know someone who is?

Get tools to change your life: a personal recovery plan tools to identify your triggers skills to deal with trigger situations community and/or residential options available Call 0800 53 00 00 or visit salvationarmy.org.nz/addictions

In this job, you’re looking after the physical, the mental, the family dynamics and the spiritual.

On Thursday nights at Wellington South Corps we have Recovery Church. It can be quite a lively part of people’s recovery. It’s a pretty happy place, always a bit of fun, and an opportunity for some to make changes.

The joy of the job for me is in seeing people come in the door and make the changes for themselves and for those around them. It’s not just the client that comes through the door; it’s all the people in their life. For many, seeking help is all about the kids. For us, if we can help mum and dad, or uncle, to make some changes, we know it increases the possibility of them all having a better life.

It’s a powerful place, the Bridge, a very healing place and for me it’s a bit like being home.

Let’s Talk I would like: to explore what it means to follow Jesus information about Salvation Army worship and activities prayer for the following needs:

NAME: ADDRESS:

Please post to: War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

10 | WarCry 03 October 2015

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Against the current Originative Departs Lack A system of ordering Ask over Grasping Surrounded A mid-way compass point Lovely Collared Flat food Stand firm Bring in Difficult Progeny

QUICK QUIZ 1 2 3 4 5

Who is the Australian Prime Minister?

What day is the International Day for the Girl Child?

What type of fruit is a greengage?

The Orient Express originally ran between which cities?

According to Genesis, what part of man will the snake strike?

Find more Cartoons by McKerrow on www.facebook.com/cartoonsbymckerrow

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

Testing the Bridge

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A study from the University of Otago has found The Salvation Army’s addictions rehabilitation programme is achieving world class results.

Researchers from the Otago University Departments of Psychology, Psychological Medicine, and Preventative and Social Medicine spent a year studying the outcomes of treatment for 325 Addiction Services’ Bridge Programme clients and compared them to research on treatment outcomes for other programmes internationally. Dr Tess Patterson, who along with Dr Julien Gross, was the lead researcher on the study, says when they compared the results from the Bridge to the international studies the results for the Bridge were as good, or sometimes better than the results in the international studies.

‘The Salvation Army’s results were very similar and at the top end of outcomes in relation to the different treatment programmes. It was sitting up there with two or three of the best outcomes from other studies,’ she says.

The researchers spoke to clients before, and during treatment and followed up three months after. They also spoke to friends, family and staff who worked with the clients.

The study assessed the four pillars of the Bridge Programme’s model of treatment, which aims to treat clients’ physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. It found significant improvements for the 225 clients involved in the study who completed more than four weeks’ treatment, Dr Patterson says. Along with helping them address their addiction, those clients received significant positive effects in other areas of their life.

Dr Patterson was surprised to see how much people’s lives seemed to be improved across all areas, not just reducing their substance use, given the severity of the addiction and other health issues clients faced. Not all the international studies showed wider improvements in people’s lives, she says. ‘Physical health improved, as did mental health and social function and reduced criminality. We also looked at quality of life. Again, we got a significant improvement in that. Some international research shows some improvement across these areas, but it’s not a consistent finding to get improvement across all areas.’

Salvation Army National Director of Addiction Services Commissioner Alistair Herring says he was particularly pleased by the wider impacts on clients’ lives, which showed the value of the Bridge Programme to society. ‘Clients reconnect with family, relationships are strengthened and they’re a long way to being work ready or returning to study. Their sense of self-worth is shown to be significantly lifted by the end of treatment. At the end, they have a much better idea where their challenges and problems are and the solutions.’

Close Up | 11

The study also recognised the importance of the spiritual component of the programme and said this was widely valued. The Ministry of Health recommends spirituality be considered as part of New Zealand treatment programmes, and Dr Richard Egan, the study’s spirituality researcher, says other studies showed addressing spirituality was important for clients. Clients showed significant improvement in both of the study’s methods used to test changes in spirituality. ‘I was pleasantly surprised by the results,’ he says. ‘I think you can be proud, from a Salvation Army point of view, that one of the most important areas for clients was significantly improved.’

Clients reconnect with family, relationships are strengthened …

Their sense of self-worth is shown to be significantly lifted …

Each measure they looked at improved during treatment, immediately after and three months on, he says. ‘Hope and optimism significantly improved, spiritual strength improved. One of the things we talk about in health care is meaning and purpose in life, and this programme actually improved people’s sense of meaning and purpose in life.’ Studies suggest the stronger a person’s spiritual beliefs, the more likely they are to be sober, he says, although it was not clear if spirituality encouraged being sober, or if sober people were more likely to seek out spirituality.

Clients in the study gave very little negative feedback about The Salvation Army’s Recovery Church and the use of prayers. But, surprisingly given the number of Māori clients, the study did not show a significant growth in awareness of Māori values and spirituality.

Commissioner Herring says it was good to see that the spiritual component of the programme was working well for clients, and the study’s recommendations would be considered in a review of the programme’s model of treatment that is already underway. The service works hard to allow people to explore faith and spirituality in a safe place, where they are loved and cared for, he says. ‘The international position of The Salvation Army has for many, many years, been that we will love and care for people without discrimination. That means caring regardless of religion, faith persuasion, sexuality, culture or ethnicity, and our services are very good at adhering to that standard.’

Dr Patterson says other recommendations included encouraging the Army to keep collecting data to measure the programme’s effectiveness and to make sure its model of treatment was applied consistently across centres. However, she applauded the Army for its openness to being examined and said she had not met another organisation so open to and supportive of research, or so keen to take recommendations on board and improve.

Commissioner Herring welcomed the report recommendations and says they will be very useful to Addiction Services in improving its work. One area where they’re already working on improving is in the treatment of Māori and Pacific Islanders, who the report indicates are receiving good service, but more could be done, he says.

‘Another area is in working with the wider family of clients. Again, we have already started working on this, but it’s an area we want to expand considerably.’

The most recent Bridge Programme Model of Treatment was written in 2001 by Salvation Army Captain Dr Judith Christensen.

It was designed to find different methods of treatment that fitted different people and encourage them to take ownership of the experience, she says. ‘It’s the job of the provider to always find out what will work for the client and help them achieve that; to negotiate with them, partner with them and walk alongside them as they work out what works for them.’

Captain Christensen has been asked by the Army to help re-assess and re-write the model, using the report’s findings along with other studies into best practice and consultation with clients and staff. The aim is have the new model working by the end of 2016. The Salvation Army is committed to making sure it is a leader in the field, providing the best service it can to the community, she says. ‘We can look back with a degree of satisfaction that we have been able to help a lot of people over the past 15 years. Now, it’s time to look forward, and it’s exciting to know we can continue to be relevant in the future.’

The study came out of a Memorandum of Understanding agreed in 2012 by the Army and Otago University that the university would conduct research projects for the Army. The Army is putting increasing focus on research and assessments to make sure it is delivering the best service, Commissioner Herring says. It is currently in discussion with Otago University about carrying out more research next year.

Other research into Salvation Army programmes will see Auckland University of Technology investigate the clinical effectiveness of faceto-face problem gambling interventions—the first study of its kind in New Zealand. A study is also due to begin this year into the outcomes of the Hauora Programme, a partnership between the Notorious Chapter of the Mongrel Mob and The Salvation Army that helps gang members recover from addiction to methamphetamine.

The Testing the Bridge study was launched with symposiums in Wellington (25 Sept), Auckland (30 Sept), Hamilton (6 Oct), Christchurch (7 Oct) and Dunedin (9 Oct).

For more information, contact the National Office of Addiction Services on (09) 639 1135, or email: nicola_purvis@nzf.salvationarmy.org.

Read the study online: www salvationarmy.org.nz/TestingTheBridge

FRIENDS FOR LIFE

‘We have to talk …’ These four little words can make or break a friendship.

How do you have that difficult conversation with a friend without it getting awkward?

CHECK YOURSELF Before you bring up a difficult subject, check yourself. The most important thing is that your friend trusts you, so think about if you really are the right person to talk to them? If you’re not close, you may not be the best person to bring the subject up. But that doesn’t mean you should do nothing. Talk to a trusted adult or someone who is their close friend.

CHECK YOUR MOTIVES This can be hard ‘cos it means being totally honest with yourself. Sometimes we don’t even know why we feel bad about something: like, if your friend has started a new relationship, and you don’t like it. Perhaps it’s because their new relationship is bad for them.

But maybe, deep down, you’re feeling a bit jealous, or you’re scared of losing your friend. Hey, we’ve all been there!

CHECK YOUR THOUGHTS Are you thinking more about how your friend is feeling, or how you are feeling? If it’s more about how you’re feeling, the problem is probably, deep down, more about you. That means it’s up to you to make the changes you need to feel better about the situation. It could be as simple as admitting to yourself you’re jealous, and asking God to help you be a good friend.

AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS Judy Ringer is a ‘conflict coach’ who writes about having difficult conversations. She says ask yourself these questions before you ‘have the talk’ with someone: 1. What is your purpose? Don’t ever set out to be critical. Make sure your purpose is to support the other person.

2. What ‘buttons’ are being pushed? Have a look at why you’re feeling so strongly about it—is it triggering some needs and fears in you?

3. How are you thinking about the convo? If you start off thinking it’s going to be hideous, it probably will be.

Part of being a Christian means ‘examining your heart’. ‘Come near to God, and he will come near to you … Make your hearts pure,’ says James 4:8. Ask God for wisdom, give any mixed-up feelings to God, and he will help you get your motives in order.

HOW TO HAVE AN AWESOME D&M If you are worried about your friend—like, they’re getting into something that’s bad for them, they seem really low or they’re having other problems, being a good friend means you talk about it.

The Bible teaches us it’s better to be honest with your friend, than stay silent. ‘Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don’t care for him at all,’ says Proverbs 27:5 (GNB).

So, how do you have a deep and meaningful?

1. Pretend you’re from another planet: ‘Pretend you’re entertaining a visitor from another planet, and find out how things look on that planet, how certain events affect the other person, and what their values and priorities are,’ says Judy. So start by asking lots of questions, as if you don’t know anything about your friend’s situation.

2. Ask, don’t tell: Don’t tell them what you think is going on.

Instead, ask ‘open questions’ that don’t have ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, to help them open up.

Things like: ‘Hey, how’s it going with your girlfriend/diet/family [whatever the issue is]?’, or ‘How have you been feeling lately?’

Once they start chatting, you can ask more questions: ‘How did that make you feel?’, ‘What did you do next?’, ‘What have you/ are you doing to cope?’

3. Don’t judge: Don’t act shocked or use language that makes your friend feel like you’re judging them. Don’t say, ‘Oh, so have you been cutting yourself?’, or ‘Are you bulimic?’

It’s important they can talk to you about it in their own words.

4. Sharing is caring: Show you’re there to support them. Even if you don’t agree with what they’re doing, recognise how they’re feeling. It can be as simple as saying, ‘Hey, it’s not okay that you’re going through this. Let’s get some help.’

5. Be straight up: If you sense they want to keep talking, it might be okay to ask a straightforward question. But it’s ultra-important to speak kindly, without judgement: ‘You said you’ve been feeling down and you were joking about suicide.

Have you been having thoughts about killing yourself?’

6. Become an advocate: A true friend will speak up on behalf of another person. If your friend is in serious trouble—maybe they’re harming themselves or others—it’s NOT OKAY to stay silent! It’s your job to speak up, but in a way that won’t break their trust. Talk to your friend about how they can get help —and be open about what trusted adult you’re going to talk to.

7. Keep checking in: Once you’ve had a chat, the hardest bit is over. But don’t expect your friend to bring the subject up again. They’re feeling way more vulnerable than you, so keep asking them how they’re doing.

You can just say something like, ‘How are you feeling lately?’, or ‘Hey, how’s it going with …?’ This will open the door for them to talk again if they want to. If they don’t want to talk, that’s okay.

03 October 2015 WarCry | 13

WHAT IF I NEED HELP? But what if you’re the one who’s struggling with something and don’t know how to talk about it?

Firstly, know it’s okay to talk—in fact, talking is the first step to things starting to get better.

Next, think about who you want to tell. You might want to open up to a trusted friend. Don’t be afraid or ashamed, and don’t be offended if they don’t react the way you want—they may not know what to say. Tell your friend what you need: ‘I just need some encouragement’, or ‘I need to know I’m not a freak’ (you’re not!), or ‘Can I have a hug?’

For really tough stuff, it’s best to speak to an adult who can help you put together a plan. That may be your parents, but if they’re not easy to talk to, it could be your school counsellor, a leader at church, a teacher or a friend’s mum or dad. If they don’t do anything to help, ask someone else. In fact, KEEP ASKING until you get the help you need! It can be scary to speak up, but things will only get better when let someone help you.

THE BIBLE TEACHES US IT’S BETTER TO BE HONEST WITH A FRIEND, THAN STAY SILENT. KEEP PRACTISING! The Bible says by ‘speaking the truth in love’ to each other, we become mature (and strong) Christians … (Ephesians 4:15).

It can be easy to chat online, but opening up face-to-face can be really difficult. Yet a real friend will be there with a listening ear and a comforting hug. So … practise, practise, practise! By learning to speak the truth in love (love being the most important bit!), you will be a good friend—and you’ll also have good friends for life.

BY INGRID BARRATT

WHAT IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU, ‘WE NEED TO TALK …’

Aaaaargh. If you’re at the receiving end of those words, it can feel really awkward.

If you think you are going to be criticised, it’s easy to get defensive. But here’s something to remember: Correction is not criticism.

If someone is worried about you, they are paying you a big compliment by talking to you about it. If they didn’t care, they’d probably just talk behind your back. Your friend is showing they love you enough to bring up a difficult subject.

So, when they talk to you, try to keep an open mind. Ask yourself whether there is any truth to what they are saying, or whether they are just speaking out of their own issues.

If you know, deep down, that it’s true, take a big, deep breath and listen. Remember that no one is perfect. Now that you know what the problem is, you can begin working on it. This could be the start of something great—a chance to change bad habits, or heal past hurts.

The Bible says a real friend will correct you, while a false friend will flatter you (see Romans 16:18, for example). When a friend corrects you, they are not criticising you as a person. They are helping you become a better person.

HOW DO I GET STARTED? ‘Can I get your point of view on something?’

‘I need your help with something —can we have a chat?’

[If you’ve had an argument] ‘I think we’ve got different ideas about ………, but I want to hear your thoughts.’ (Then make sure you DO hear their thoughts, without getting defensive.)

‘How’s it going with ………?’

‘How have you been feeling about……… ?’

[If you’ve heard gossip] ‘Hey, I heard about ……… I really respect you and wanted to ask you about it, rather than talk behind your back.’

‘Hey, bro/sis, I really love ya, and I’m feeling a bit worried about ………’

‘Hey, you know I’m here for you, eh? And there’s nothing you can say that would stop me loving you! So I just wanted to ask you about ………’

YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE FRIENDS We asked you the tricky questions about friendship and you gave us some really wise answers! Check it out …

1. If you could be friends with anyone in the world, who would you choose and why? // 2. Would you rather have one deep friendship for life or 500 Facebook friends? Why or why not? // 3. What do you look for in a friend? // 4. What do you most value about your closest friends?

Brianna Lemin (Invercargill) 1. I think I would choose Stan Walker because he is such a talented guy and he is able to use that talent for ministry and to show and entertain such a wide audience while serving. // 2. One deep friend because friends on Facebook can be so fake—you can know people but never talk to them. But having one real friend, you know everything about each other and it can bring you so much joy. That person can help you, be there for you and help you improve yourself. // 3. I look for a sense of humour, honesty and trust.

These things are important, but there are so many more things that make up a great friendship. // 4. That I can talk to them about anything and I know it won’t be repeated. I can trust them and be completely honest with them without them judging me. They respect me as much as I respect them. These things have been built over time and get stronger and stronger every day.

Bethany Millar (Upper Hutt) 1. Taylor Swift.

She’s always been my fave. She is such an influential person who chooses to use that influence to make positive changes to the music industry. // 2. I would definitely rather have one deep friendship over any amount of friends on Facebook. I’d rather have someone that I can create a lifetime of memories with than 500 people I can ‘share’ a few memories with. // 3. I look for someone I can have a good laugh with, but also someone I can go to when life gets rough and who I know will be there for me. I also look for someone who builds me up and adds to me as a person. // 4. I value their commitment to our friendship the most. Friends

that don’t give up when the going gets tough or if you move away.

The ones that stick around are the ones I especially value.

Talei Banuve (Nasinu) 1. Oh my gosh, I can’t single ONE out! It’s tooooo hard! // 2. One deep friendship definitely! I’d rather have one good friend who I know will always have my back and vice versa, than 500 friends who I probably wouldn’t get to know too well. Besides, most friends on Facebook just check each other’s photos out and rarely have any conversations. And sometimes people can chat really well online but when we get to meet in person … it’s as if they just clam up and have nothing to say. I find that weird! // 3. I like to think I am a trustworthy person, someone who will always lend a listening ear and has time for other people. Those are the same qualities I would like to have in a friend. // 4. The fact that they have time for me. The group of close friends I have now is always there for me. In fact, we have such a tight bond that if there’s something going on that’s pretty rough in a group member’s life,

we pretty much rally around her and just support in whatever way we can—like collect bus fare for her, lend her clothes or whatever she needs. If we have the means to give, that is!

Karthik Sivanathan (Nuku’alofa) 1. Dan Carter.

Why? So he could give me some goal-kicking tips, ha ha! // 2. One deep friendship because I get to share with them my feelings and we can encourage and help each other in different areas of life. To know that they will be with you through the good and bad times. // 3. To accept you as you are and not judge you. Also, it’s important they appreciate you and make time for you. // 4. They take time to listen to me, laugh at my boring jokes and accept me for who I am!

HAVING ONE REAL FRIEND …

CAN BRING YOU SO MUCH JOY.

Our Community | 15

BNZ Closed for Good

Wellington BNZ staff with members of the Community Ministries Coordinating Council.

Salvation Army Community Ministries around the country benefitted from BNZ’s ‘Closed for Good’ initiative on 2 September.

In Wellington, two BNZ teams helped develop a budgeting game and provided strategic support to the Community Ministries Coordinating Council.

In Auckland, a team led by Major Lindsay Chisholm worked on a budgeting evaluation survey for use with Salvation Army Community Ministries clients. The survey will measure what people have been learning and putting into practice. This will help the Army identify which types of budgeting and welfare interventions are working well and then target future interventions to achieve the best outcomes.

BNZ staff in Christchurch worked with Divisional Budgeting Consultant Vikki Stevenson to help develop a financial literacy programme for the Solomon Islands. Vikki will use this material

when she travels to the Solomons later this year as part of a Salvation Army partnership with Catholic agency Caritas in a ‘Train the Trainer’ programme.

Over the past six years, the BNZ has helped out with over 1350 community projects, closing its stores to ‘unleash an army’ of 5500 BNZers to give community groups and charities a helping hand. As well as practical service projects like painting and gardening, BNZ staff have run budgeting workshops and helped organisations prepare fundraising applications and marketing plans.

‘It’s always great to see businesses invest in the community,’ said Territorial Community Ministries Secretary Major Pam Waugh. ‘The Salvation Army wants to say thanks to the terrific group of people who helped our Community Ministries team and BNZ staff who worked at other Salvation Army centres around New Zealand.’

Online Foodbank a New Zealand First

Northern Divisional Director of Community Ministries Jason Dilger receives the first delivery.

In a first for New Zealand, The Salvation Army has teamed up with Lucid Design Company and Countdown to launch www.foodbank.org. nz—an innovative online platform where donors buy much-needed grocery items to help Kiwis in need.

Launched on 1 September as a three-month pilot for The Salvation Army’s food bank in Royal Oak, Auckland, The Foodbank Project is an online grocery store that allows people to easily and securely donate to fill Salvation Army food parcels. If successful, the pilot will be rolled out nationwide before Christmas.

‘All people have to do is visit www.foodbank.org.nz, order from a range of grocery items, and make a donation to cover the cost,’ said Salvation Army Public Relations Director Shane Chisholm. ‘Countdown delivers their items to our food bank in Royal Oak, and donors receive a tax-deductible receipt and our thanks for their support.’

Shoppers can choose from mainly non-perishable food, along with selected personal, baby care and cleaning products. A ‘most needed’ category highlights items of greatest use for food parcels.

‘We’re already seeing a terrific response,’ said Shane. ‘Chopped tomatoes are the most donated item so far.’

With demand for Salvation Army food parcels remaining high since the Global Financial Crisis, Shane says the organisation faces a real challenge sourcing nutritious items , which is why it is so grateful to Lucid and Countdown’s partnership on The Foodbank Project. ‘In the past 12 months we provided 52,704 food parcels to Kiwis in need and our current figures suggest a continuing high level of need,’ he said.

‘Each week 309 new families or individuals call at our centres for help with food and other welfare services. Over a year, 61,147 children are supported by our services through the welfare assistance we provide their parents and caregivers.’

The Foodbank Project is the brainchild of Lucid Director Galen King. As a web developer Galen said the online donation platform was a no-brainer. ‘My wife and I gave regularly to the physical foodbanks in our community, but we felt many more people would give if the process was easier and more transparent. If people could see which items were needed, what was being donated and the difference their donations make, I was confident New Zealanders would give more —and an online platform seemed obvious to deliver this model.’

With the support of New Zealand’s leading online grocery store Countdown, which is supporting the project on a non-profit basis, The Foodbank Project brings together the expertise, experience and infrastructure to revolutionise the food donation arena.

Countdown’s Acting Managing Director Pat McEntee says the company is proud to support The Foodbank Project. ‘This is a forwardthinking extension of our Food Rescue Programme, which has been running for five years and last year saw us donate more than $3.4m of food to foodbanks to help New Zealanders in need.’

Go to www foodbank.org.nz to find out more or make a donation

16 | WarCry 03 October 2015

Preserving Salvation Army History for the Future

Heritage Centre and Archives staff Selwyn Bracegirdle and Sharon Burton pose with one of the new display cases at Salvation Army headquarters.

The Salvation Army Heritage Centre and Archives at Booth College of Mission (BCM) is the repository for wonderful artefacts and fascinating history. The centre preserves and tells the story of The Salvation Army in New Zealand from 1883 to the present day, and also of the beginnings of the Army in London from 1865, in Fiji from 1973 and in Tonga from 1986.

Staff collect and record artefacts and other material to provide an accurate and comprehensive record of The Salvation Army’s life and work for generations to come. Everything is stored in a temperature controlled environment—not always the warmest of environments to work in, but necessary to maintain the valuable holdings.

Two new display cases were recently installed on the second floor at Territorial Headquarters (THQ) to share some of the Heritage Centre and Archive’s more unusual items. One of the display cases contains an interactive ‘Who, What, Where and Why?’ exhibit.

The second display case initially focused on magic lanterns, the ‘PowerPoint presentation tool of the 1880s’. The Heritage Centre and Archives is home to a wonderful collection of magic lanterns and slides, with some slides dating back to the mid-1880s. Staff have discovered a wide variety of slides, with some depicting the early history of the Army, including the life and times of founder General William Booth.

The centre’s collection also includes rare slides depicting the

missionary travels of David Livingstone in ‘Darkest Africa’ and even early Walt Disney slides of ‘Fireman Mickey’. Although there isn’t a di Salvation Army connection, someone kindly bequeathed these items to the Army and they are a valuable addition to its historical collection.

Upcoming THQ displays will highlight some of the Army’s more unusual and interesting characters. Did you know, for instance, that a New Zealand Salvation Army officer was a decorated spitfire pilot in India during World War II or that another officer serving in India ran a successful medical centre during the war? This medical centre was so successful that injured soldiers preferred not to go there—their recovery rate was such that they returned to the front sooner!

If you hold some Salvation Army history at home, the Heritage Centre and Archives would welcome this as a donation to add to the richness of its collection and so it can be shared with others. The centre also offers its services to those wanting to know more about their family connections with The Salvation Army, as well as those interested in finding out more about the Army itself.

Visitors are welcome, so if you have an interest in magic lanterns or would like to take a closer look at some slides, contact the centre’s friendly staff.

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/archives for more information, or p: (04) 528 8628 ext 743 or email archives@nzf.salvationarmy.org

Salvation Army Contributes to Major Green Conference The Salvation Army was represented at an international environmental conference that addressed how people of faith can better care for the environment. Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant, Director of The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission (ISJC), joined delegates representing 24 faith traditions from all corners of the world at ‘Faith in the Future’, a two-day event in Bristol, UK. This was the first time The Salvation Army had attended an Alliance for Religions and Conservation (ARC) meeting, after an invitation to General André Cox from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Some of the faith leaders pledged far-reaching practical action over the next 10 years to help the world’s poorest people. Action plans—called the ‘Bristol Commitments’—included pledges to develop microcredit schemes for the poor, increase access to education, plant trees, invest in clean energy and green pilgrimage. The faith leaders declared they would do all they could to support the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at lifting millions of people out of poverty and creating a more sustainable planet. The 17 goals will set the direction of development work worldwide for the next 15 years and will be adopted by UN member states during the Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September in New York, USA. Martin Palmer (ARC Secretary General) noted that sustainable

development was not a new idea to the faiths. ‘They have been working on many aspects of the SDGs for centuries, whether that’s feeding millions of people, caring for them through schools, managing the land, or simply seeking to be a compassionate presence in a world that for many is extraordinarily tough. For the faiths, it is very important that our contribution has been recognised. We are being asked to help and we are also being challenged to live up to our own words. The UN and national governments should know that we will work with you to deliver these goals.’ UNDP Director Paul Ladd added, ‘More than 80 per cent of the world’s people express a religious affiliation.

Knowing this, it becomes clear that the UN needs to work closely with faith communities over the next 15 years if the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development are to be achieved.’

After the conference, Lieut-Colonel Pallant reflected, ‘The Salvation Army is already engaged in many projects and programmes that care for the planet. However, we must do more. There is much we can learn from other churches and other faiths in how we can do this better.’

Go to www arcworld.org/projects.asp?projectID=661 for speakers’ presentations and other information from the Faith in the Future conference.

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ANNUAL GENERAL CHANGE 2016 Each January, some Salvation Army officers relocate to new mission appointments around the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory.

Cadets currently in training also take up their first officer appointments following their ordination and commissioning. The following appointments are effective on Thursday, 14 January 2016.

Territorial Headquarters Office of the Territorial President of Women’s Ministries Mjr Deborah Clark, Territorial Silver Star Secretary.

Programme Section Mjr Joanne Wardle, Territorial Children’s Mission Secretary (additional); Capt Deborah Clark, Planned Giving Officer; Mjr Kathleen and Keith Wray, Chaplains, Blue Mountain Adventure Centre.

Communications Department Mjr Sharlene Davis, Assistant Officer.

Finance Department Capt Allan Clark, Finance Officer.

Northern Division Mjr Sheryl Jarvis, Divisional Secretary for Personnel (additional); Capt Julie Marshall, Divisional Youth Secretary, Divisional Candidates Secretary; Lt Hana Seddon, Hekeretari Ā Wehenga Raki Manatū Māori (Divisional Secretary for Northern Division Māori Ministry), full time, Divisional Missionary Fellowship Secretary (additional), Divisional Silver Star Secretary (additional); Lts Sarah and Shane Healey, Corps Officers, Albany Bays Corps; Mjr Jeannine Serevi and Capt Josevata Serevi, Corps Planting Officers, Manurewa Corps Plant; Capt Rebecca Gane, Director, Community Ministries North Shore (additional).

Midland Division Mjr Robert Cope, Divisional Youth Secretary and Divisional Candidates Secretary; Mjr Julie Cope, Divisional Children’s Secretary; Capt Robert Gardiner, Divisional Emergency Services Coordinator; Capts Karen and Shaun Baker, Corps Officers, Cambridge Corps; Capts Jennifer and Marcus Collings,

Corps Officers, Hamilton City Corps and Directors, Community Ministries Hamilton (The Nest); Envoys Geoffry and Jillian Smith, In Charge, Hawera Corps; Mjrs Kathleen and Keith Wray, Corps Officers, Taupō Corps; Lts Nicola and Philip Mellsop, Corps Officers, Whakatane Corps.

Central Division Mjr Lesley Nicolson, Divisional Candidates Secretary (additional); Mjr Bronwyn Malcolm, Divisional Youth Secretary; Capt Corryn Vemoa, Corps Officer, Kilbirnie Corps; Lts Bradley and Fleur Carpenter, Corps Officers, Miramar Corps; Lts Michelle and Stewart Lee, Corps Officers, Palmerston North Corps; Lt Stewart Lee, Director, Community Ministries Palmerston North; Capt Miriama Simanu, Assistant Officer, Porirua Corps; Mjrs June and Michael Allwright, Corps Officers, Tawa Corps; Petone Corps Plant, appointment pending—leadership will be in partnership between the Central Division and Booth College of Mission.

Southern Division Mjr Glenda Bezzant, Divisional Silver Star Secretary (additional); Mjr Marilyn Leque, Divisional Missionary Fellowship Secretary (additional); Capt Lindsay Andrews, Divisional Emergency Services Coordinator (additional); Lt Charmaine Travis, Corps Officer, Aranui Corps; Director, Community Ministries Aranui; Mjrs Paul and Stephanie Herring, Corps Officers, Christchurch City Corps and Directors, Community Ministries Christchurch City; Mjr Beverley Price, Services to Seniors, Christchurch City Corps (additional); Capts Nicola and Ralph Hargest, Corps Officers, Dunedin City Corps; Capt Nicola Hargest, Director, Community Ministries Dunedin; Mjr Glenys Fairhurst, Corps Officer, Queenstown Corps and Director, Community Ministries Queenstown; Gore Corps, under responsibility of the Southern Division.

Fiji Division Mjr Uraia Dravikula, Divisional Spiritual Life Evangelist/Mentor

and Divisional Secretary for Men’s Ministries; Mjr Arone Cheer, Divisional Property Manager (additional); Capt Lusiana Leqanidruaivalu, Divisional Communications and Literacy Officer (additional); Capts Amelia and Jeremaia Naviko, Corps Officers, Lomaivuna Corps; Capts Adrian Marika and Phillippa Serevi, Corps Officers, Nasinu Corps; Capts Sevenaia and Vakatoto Wawa, Corps Officers, Raiwai Corps; Capt Vakatoto Wawa, Manager, Raiwai Girls Hostel; Capt Sesenieli Bogi, Court and Prison Officer/Chaplain, Suva Court and Prison; Capt Vilikesa Bogi, Prison Officer/Chaplain, Suva Court and Prison; Lieuts Karalaini and Sekaia Rabuli, Corps Officers, Taveuni Corps; Capts Litiana and Tevita Lewetuitovo, Chaplains, Community Services Western Region; Capt Epironi Toloi, Team Leader, Fiji Alcohol and Drug Awareness Service; Capt Sera Toloi, Assistant Leader, Fiji Alcohol and Drug Awareness Service.

Tonga Region Capt Malia Siufanga, Regional Community Ministries Officer (additional); Capt ‘Asena Sifa, Corps Officer, Fua’amotu Corps; Capts ‘Ana and Frederick Vaea, Corps Planting Officers, Kolovai Corps Plant; Lt Toa Ulamoleka, Corps Officer, Talasiu Corps; Capts ‘Akesa and Petuliki Mosa’ati, Corps Planting Officers, Vava’u Corps Plant.

Addictions, Supportive Accommodation and Reintegration Services Lts Fiona and Rance Stuart, Chaplains and Coordinators, Recovery Church, Addiction Services Auckland; Capt Robert van Abs, Director, Addiction Services Taranaki; Capt Phillipa van Abs, Mission Director, Addiction Services Taranaki; Mjr Nicola Rogers, Mission Director, Addiction Services Christchurch; Capt Ralph Hargest, Chaplain, Addiction Services Dunedin.

Education and Employment Lt Charmaine Travis, Chaplain, U Build 4 the Rebuild, Aranui, Christchurch; Capt Ralph Hargest, Chaplain, Dunedin Centre.

Appointments in Retirement Mjr Colleen Marshall, Assistant Officer, Levin Corps.

Officers Concluding Appointments in Retirement Mjr Raymond Gordon, Mjrs Alison and William Millar, Mjr Gaynor Stone, Mjr Bruce Vyle, Capt Linda Chan, Lt Siosiua Palu.

Officers Awaiting Overseas Appointments Capts Andrew and Rochelle Moffatt.

Messengers of Light Session —Kaikarere O Te Māramatanga Session Northern Division Lts Ameet and Jessica Londhe, Assistant Officers (East City Corps), with responsibility for East City-Flatbush Outpost; Lts Misikone and Sheree Vemoa, Corps Officers, Far North (Kaitaia) Corps and Chaplains, Addiction Services Northland Region, and Education and Employment, Kaitaia.

Midland Division Lts Rachel and Simon Montgomery, Corps Officers, Central Taranaki Corps; Lts Kylie and Ralph Overbye, Corps Officers, Rotorua Corps; Lt Ralph Overbye, Director, Community Ministries Rotorua.

Central Division Lt Francis Vemoa, Corps Officer, Kilmbirne Corps.

Southern Division Lts Gavin and Veronica Rivett, Corps Officers, Mosgiel Corps; Lts Adam and Sarah-Ann Grove, Corps Officers, Winton Corps.

Fiji Division Lt Visa Kaurasi, Assistant to Divisional Director of Women’s Ministries and Divisional Child Sponsorship Officer; Lts Ruci and Seru Napolioni, Assistant Officers, Labasa Corps; Lts Mereyani and Ponipate Bacaivalu, Outpost Officers, Rakiraki Outpost; Lts Peniasi and Tavaita Torocake, Corps Officers, Sigatoka Corps; Lts Mere Gina and Saimonie Gataurua, Corps Officers, Suva Central Corps; Lt Saimone Gataurua, Divisional Public Relations Officer.

GAZETTE Birth Congratulations to Lieuts Jessica and Nathan Bezzant on the birth of Josiah Samuel Bezzant on 4 Sept, a brother to Elisha and Summer.

Bereaved Mjr Peter Bradley and Mjr Susan Jarvis of their mother, Mrs Joyce Bradley of Christchurch City Corps on 2 Sept. A celebration service was held at Linwood Corps on 8 Sept, led by Mjr Paul Jarvis.

Please support the Bradley and Jarvis families in prayer.

Corps Name Change Effective 18 August: At the request of the corps and with the support of Southern DHQ and THQ, Belfast Corps has been renamed Christchurch North Corps.

This decision supports the corps’ vision to reach the community of Christchurch North with the gospel of Christ. The last

Sunday meeting of Belfast Corps was held at the corps complex on 16 August.

The first meeting of Christchurch North Corps was on 23 August at Northcote School. Christchurch North Corps will continue to operate during the week from its buildings on 794 Main North Road and its contact details remain the same.

Resignations The Territorial Commander announces with regret the resignation from officership of Capts Malcolm and Tracy Robinson, effective 31 Dec. Following their commissioning on 8 Dec 2001 Malcolm and Tracy were appointed to the East City Corps Team Ministry with responsibility for the corps planting at Botany Downs, Auckland.

This was followed by an appointment as Divisional Youth and Candidates Secretaries, Northern Division.

In Jan 2005, the Robinsons moved to Christchurch, where Malcolm and Tracy were Corps Officers Belfast Corps.

Malcolm had an additional appointment as Referral Officer, Independent Living Units, Belfast. In 2008, Malcolm and Tracy transferred to the Australian Eastern Territory where they were Corps Officers at Calamvale Corps, Brisbane.

On their return to New Zealand in 2011, the couple was appointed Corps Officers, Miramar Corps. Tracy has also held the additional appointment of Spiritsong Executive Officer since Jan 2013. Malcolm and Tracy believe God is leading them into a new season, and are grateful for the time they have served as officers in The Salvation Army. We thank the Robinsons for their 14 years of service and pray God’s continued blessing on them and their family in the future.

We’d love to share your news Send 400–600 words with one or two clear and captioned photos. Promotion to Glory tributes are usually around 300 words. Please send large, high-quality digital images in .jpg format.

Email news reports to warcry @nzf.salvationarmy.org

18 | WarCry 03 October 2015

LEADERSHIP LINKS

Living a celebratory life reflects the joy and contentment we have in Christ.

This month is a special celebration for our Recovery Churches.

Twenty years since this ministry commenced. Twenty years of celebrating change and transformation in people’s lives! We continue to give thanks for this and for all those involved in this ministry. Enjoy your celebration!

It is always wonderful to have something to celebrate—and Jesus himself loved to celebrate. It’s interesting that the first miracle he performed was turning water into wine at a wedding celebration (John 2:1–11). Ponder this: why was Jesus invited to the wedding? It wasn’t because people knew him then as the Son of God or even that he could perform miracles. I think he was invited because those who knew Jesus appreciated that he liked to celebrate and have fun.

Scripture reminds us to celebrate. In Psalm 150:1–9 (ESV) we read: Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Sometimes, amid all the busyness of life, we can forget to celebrate—we can forget to take notice, give thanks and rejoice in all God has done for us. We know we should, but it can seem less important than all the other things to do. For this reason, among all the spiritual disciplines, celebration is perhaps the most ignored and overlooked, often hidden behind the truly essential disciplines like prayer and Bible study.

Laughing, smiling and enjoying time with friends can seem so trivial and even unspiritual. However, living a celebratory life reflects the joy and contentment we have in Christ. When thinking about celebration as a spiritual discipline, it is more than just having a party or feeling upbeat all the time. Instead, celebration is a discipline that is related to worship. In worship, we focus on and declare eternal, unchanging truths about who God is. The discipline of celebration is focuses on and delights in what God does. We can see that both disciplines are strongly connected.

Sometimes, celebration comes naturally for us. We rejoice with hugs, loud voices and high fives over the birth of a new baby, when someone graduates or finds a job, and when our team wins the Rugby World Cup. But at other times, celebration requires attention and effort—especially when we are disheartened or hurting, tired or angry. Yet, even in such times, we can still choose to celebrate and give thanks to God for his blessings. In this way, celebration is the outworking of abundant joy that flows through a believer’s life, even during terribly dark times. As author Richard Foster says, ‘Celebration is at the heart of the way of Christ.’

Commissioner Janine Donaldson Territorial President of Women’s Ministries

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

Journey to a More Generous Life A 40-day spiritual journey is at the heart of a Salvation Army giving awareness series that aims to help people get comfortable with a lifestyle of generosity, starting at their local corps.

Majors Rex and Geraldine Johnson, Territorial Secretaries for Planned Giving, have been renewing the emphasis on a spiritual focus for giving to support the mission of local corps (churches).

Although the concept of Planned Giving has been around in The Salvation Army for many years, the model was updated last year, after discussions with corps and with the Australia Southern Territory, Geraldine says.

The new model is designed as a discipleship tool that guides corps members through a 40-day series, praying and thinking about their giving before committing to supporting the corps financially.

While it is hoped this will encourage people to be generous, the primary intention is to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading, grow spiritually and ultimately be inspired to a new lifestyle.

‘For us, the most important thing is the spiritual growth! If the spiritual life is right, the giving will come,’ Geraldine says.

When a corps is interested in adopting the Planned Giving Lifestyle, Rex and Geraldine meet with the leadership team to discuss the process and different views on biblical teaching about giving. They also survey them on the health of the corps. This helps the leadership team see whether Planned Giving is in line with their vision and goals for the corps.

An introduction for the wider corps is then held during a Sunday morning meeting, explaining what’s going to happen.

Each corps member receives a pack that includes a devotional book with biblical studies on generosity and a flyer with information about their corps’ goals. This is to give people resources to help them refocus on being close to God and to then consider their generosity in the light of this.

Each Sunday for the following four weeks, the corps discusses giving. Corps are also provided with information for children and youth groups, so they can discuss giving in an age-appropriate way. On the fourth Sunday, corps members receive a ‘God-Given Goal’ card, on which they can write how much they wish to give and how often. An altar service is held on the fifth Sunday, where people return their ‘God-Given Goal’ card, and on the Sunday

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following, a time of thanksgiving and testimony is held.

Geraldine explains that the giving card is called a ‘God-Given Goal’ because the intention is not on how much a person gives to the Army, but how much God has spoken into their heart to give back to him. A key verse for the Planned Giving Lifestyle is 2 Corinthians 9:7, Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ‘It’s got to come out of a heart of love for God that you give,’ Geraldine says. ‘I believe if people go through this 40-day journey with their heart focused on what God wants, they will see this as honouring to God.’

The primary intention is to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading, grow spiritually and ultimately be inspired to a new lifestyle.

Everyone receives a thank-you message after the altar service for taking the time to pray about their giving—whether or not they choose to give or change their level of giving. The intention of the ‘GodGiven Goal’ is that this signals the amount people will give for three years, but this amount can also be changed at any time. ‘We recognise that people’s circumstances change, so they can easily change their giving, no questions asked,’ Geraldine says.

After three years, the process begins again with a new Giving Awareness series. The topic of money is always tricky, but Geraldine says they don’t apologise for promoting a biblical approach to generosity. She notes that while giving time and talents to the work of a corps is also an important, useful and spiritual way of giving, people can be more reluctant when it comes to giving money. But the purpose of giving is for people to honour God for the gifts they have been blessed with as well as to directly enable each corps’ mission, she says. Without those funds, corps can be held back from doing more community outreach, hiring necessary staff to achieve their goals and being good stewards of their resources.

While Geraldine says Salvationists are very generous when it comes to the annual Self Denial Appeal, child sponsorship and giving to other causes, they are not always so generous when it comes to giving to their own corps. That’s backwards, she says, referring to the model shown in Micah 3:10, which says: ‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’

‘I’m a soldier at Wellington South Corps,’ says Geraldine. ‘For me,

that is my storehouse and my first giving is to give to the storehouse where I belong, so it can do the ministry God wants it to do in the community. As people bring their giving cheerfully, God’s going to open up the floodgates in a way that we just can’t imagine in the mission of our corps.’

By the end of this year, 42 corps will have adopted the Planned Giving Lifestyle. Geraldine and Rex keep in touch with corps, offering support and working with leadership teams after the initial 40 days.

And seeing the effects on people as they go through the 40 day Giving Awareness series has been inspiring, Geraldine says.

‘We’ve heard some great testimonies. One man is a sickness beneficiary, he can’t work, but occasionally he can give his time. His wife is in a low paying job. Yet, his experience of giving is that when his benefit or his wife’s pay goes into the bank, the first thing he does is go and withdraw his offering and put it in his envelope to take to church.

I spoke to him after the 40 days series and he said to me, “Everyone should do it. We live on the smell of an oily rag, but God has blessed us and he never lets us down.” ’

Keys to Living a Generous Life 1. Submit yourself and all you have to God, and always remember what he has given to you. Everything belongs to God, but God gives unselfishly and sacrificially to us— even giving Jesus. Generosity is the natural outcome of a relationship with God, strengthened by remembering what God has given to us. See Psalm 24:1 and John 3.16.

2. Study the scriptures on finances and generosity. Studying the Bible helps build our relationship with God so we can understand what God thinks is best when it comes to generosity.

3. Set aside resources to give, and give systematically.

Generosity is a habit the Bible teaches us to help us build in a planned way. See 1 Corinthians 16:2.

4. Simplify your life to be more generous. What you spend money on is a reflection of what you value—spending less on things you want now allows you to have more to invest in God’s plan. See Matthew 6:21.

5. Spontaneously give as the Lord leads you. In the Old Testament, tithing was the basic starting point for giving, not a requirement—and that applies to us too. As we build our relationship with God, along with our understanding of generosity, the habit of giving and our ability to give, God will show us more areas where we can contribute to helping others.

20 | WarCry 03 October 2015

Seeing the Invisible God God is nowhere and everywhere in the Old Testament book of Esther, says Carla Lindsey.

Have you ever felt humiliated? You sent out an important email to important people and it had embarrassing mistakes through it. You backed the car into something right in front of people you were trying to impress. You thought you had ‘that thing’ nailed, but were publically told you weren’t even close.

We’ve probably all had moments similar to these. Ones that still make us cringe when we think about them. Ones that you would rather I hadn’t just reminded you about—sorry!

Feeling humiliated is horrible!

James Barrie describes life as a long lesson in humility. Humility seems to be something we all need to learn from time to time. It also seems the amount of humiliation felt is directly proportional to how sure one feels immediately prior to being humiliated. You see, humility is best learned when pride is at its peak. It’s when we have a long way to fall, that the fall hurts the most.

Pride comes before a fall Jesus said that ‘those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted’ (Luke 14:11)—and that’s exactly what we see happen in Esther chapters five and six. Haman, the villain of the book, falls a long way. He learns that pride truly does come before a fall.

We are picking up the story in Esther 5:9 where Haman, who hates the Jewish people and has a plan to have them all destroyed, has just enjoyed a private dinner party with King Xerxes and Queen Esther.

Unknown to Haman, Esther is a Jew. When Haman left the palace and headed home after the party that night, he was ‘happy and in high spirits’ (5:9). After an extravagant evening of wining and dining with the king and queen, he was buzzing!

But in an instant his mood changed. As Haman walked home, he passed the king’s gate and there he saw Mordecai. Mordecai was a Jew and, unknown to Haman, was Esther’s parental guardian. As Haman passed Mordecai, Mordecai once again did not show the respect that Haman felt should have been given to one in his high position.

Mordecai failed to stand or to bow.

Such disrespect made Haman’s blood boil!

His delight abruptly turned to wrath, but he restrained himself and carried on home. When he got there, he summoned an audience. He called his friends and wife and proceeded to boast. He boasted about his great wealth. He boasted about his many sons—sons were greatly prized in Persian culture.

According to Esther 9:7–10, Haman had 10 sons who held important positions, although an extra biblical source says he had 208! He boasted about the ‘ways the king had honoured him and how the king had elevated him above the other nobles and officials’ (5:11). At the height of his boasting, as his head grew to bursting

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point, he told his friends, ‘I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow’ (5:12). Bible scholar Joyce Baldwin describes Haman at this moment as ‘overwhelmed with his own sense of importance’. But this arrogant boasting would stand in complete contrast to the extreme humiliation that was coming right up.

Haman had everything. On the one hand, everything seemed to be going so well for him; but on the other, he told his friends there was just one thing ruining it all. Just one small irritation that stopped him enjoying everything he had: Mordecai. All Haman had gave him no satisfaction as long while he saw that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate (5:13). Haman just couldn’t ignore Mordecai. He couldn’t let it go. Haman allowed one insignificant person to stop him enjoying all of his life.

Here’s an idea!

Haman’s wife and friends came up with a great solution to the ‘Mordecai problem’. They advised Haman to ‘have a gallows set up, reaching to a height of 50 cubits, and then ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it’ (5:14). I guess that’s one way of taking care of the problem!

Kill Mordecai and then the source of Haman’s irritation would be gone. Life could be enjoyed again. Why wait a few months for Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews to come into effect when Mordecai could be dealt with now?

The Persians were the ancient masters of slow, cruel and humiliating executions. They invented crucifixion, along with other creative methods of getting rid of trouble makers. Most Bible translations have Haman building a gallows, but there is no evidence that the Persians executed by hanging. The Hebrew word for ‘gallows’ can also be translated ‘tree’ or ‘pole’. So it is unlikely Haman intended to hang Mordecai, and more likely that he intended to either crucify Mordecai on a tree, or carry out the Persian speciality and have him impaled on it.

Some scholars have argued the height of the tree is exaggerated; after all, at 50 cubits it would have stood 75 feet (or 23 metres) tall. It could be that the tree/pole stood on top on another structure, such as the city wall, or it could just be that Haman wanted something so big to make a spectacle of Mordecai’s death and send a message to anyone else who failed to respect him.

Haman thought his wife and friends’ suggestion to eliminate his problem was brilliant. He wasted no time. He had the structure built right away and planned to go to King Xerxes early the next morning to get permission to have Mordecai executed.

God’s hand at work Meanwhile, as Haman was busy hammering and sawing into the wee small hours, Xerxes was tossing and turning in his bed. Ancient biblical translations and commentaries say that ‘God took the king’s sleep away’, although but the standard biblical text doesn’t say that—it just says that Xerxes couldn’t sleep. But when we see what happens as a result of the

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Babylon

Susa

king’s insomnia, it certainly seems that God had his hand in it. God may be ‘invisible’ within the book of Esther, but he is still at work!

Since Xerxes couldn’t sleep, he had the annals of his reign read to him. Five years earlier, Mordecai had stopped an assassination plot against the king and this had been recorded in the annals (2:23). When Xerxes was reminded of those events, he asked what reward Mordecai had received only to discover there was no record of Mordecai receiving any reward. For a king to have failed to give a reward in such circumstances would have been considered very shameful. According to Herodotus, Persian kings were known for rewarding benefactors promptly and generously. Such an oversight would have reflected badly on the king, so he needed to set it straight at once.

Humility is best learned when pride is at its peak. It’s when we have a long way to fall, that the fall hurts the most.

If you’ve been following this series then you’ll remember that Xerxes didn’t do a lot a thinking for himself. True to form, he needed to ask someone else how he should reward Mordecai. But who could Xerxes ask? He’d been reading all night and the dawn was just beginning to break. Who would be in the court so early? As it happened, Haman was. Ironically, that was because Haman was on his way to ask the king to authorise Mordecai’s execution.

But before Haman could get his request out, Xerxes made one of his own. ‘Haman’ the king asked, ‘What should be done for the man the king delights to honour?’ Notice that Xerxes didn’t name the man he wished to honour, just as Haman hadn’t mentioned the people he wished to destroy (see 3:8–9). Haman, with his head now so big he nearly couldn’t get in the door, thought excitedly to himself, ‘Who else would the king want to honour but me?’

Can you imagine Haman’s face? White. Shocked. Mouth gaping.

What could he say? He couldn’t argue, especially since he had suggested the reward to start with. Haman had no choice. He had to do as the king asked.

Haman must have been mortified as he led Mordecai through the streets declaring his honour. Mordecai who had refused to honour Haman, was instead given the greatest honour by Haman.

After this, Haman felt such shame that he covered his head as a sign of grief and mourning. He rushed home and told his wife and friends what had happened. He hoped for some comfort, but got a different response. The Persians were very superstitious and saw this turn of events as a change of fortune, a bad omen. Instead of making Haman feel better, they told him, ‘Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!’ (6:13) In other words, ‘This is not going to end well.’ And they were right.

While Haman was still talking to his friends about what had happened, his escorts arrived to take him to the Queen’s banquet. He was hurried away, no doubt upset and still trying to deal with what had happened and what his friends had just told him. But he was thrown into a dinner party where things were about to get much worse.

In one 24-hour period, Haman went from feeling on top of the world to feeling utterly humiliated. His pride was the beginning of his undoing, and his story is a sobering reminder to us all to walk with humility.

Points to ponder Is there something out of your control that’s stopping you enjoying life?

How can you let this go and move on?

A just reward

And so Haman came up with the most extravagant reward he could.

One more valuable than wealth and that was all about public honour.

Haman advised Xerxes to bring his royal robes and a ‘horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honour, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honour!” ’ (6:8–9) The royal robes were of great significance. Wearing them was a sign of the king’s special favour and signalled that he was sharing his own power and stature. Horses wearing crests may sound odd, but Assyrian and Persian sculptures depict horses with crowns on their heads. A herald announcing the honoured man would draw everyone’s attention. Haman’s pride must have been growing even more as he anticipated receiving this honour!

And then the king named the man all this was for. Mordecai. And told Haman that he was to be Mordecai’s herald.

In what do you boast?

To whom do you need to give honour/acknowledgement/thanks?

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Anon

22 | WarCry 03 October 2015

CALENDAR OCTOBER 2–4: Recovery Church 20th Anniversary / Auckland 2–4: Youth Councils / Southern Division 5–9: Kids Peak Adventure / Blue Mountain Adventure Centre 6: ‘Testing the Bridge’ Symposium / Hamilton 6–7: Alpha Training / Tonga Region 7: ‘Testing the Bridge’ Symposium / Christchurch 9: ‘Testing the Bridge’ Symposium / Dunedin 9–11: Her Freedom Song Conference (Sydenham) / Southern Division 10: Fiji Day 11–12: Youth Camp (East) / Fiji Division 13–14: Lead 2 Grow Conference / Wellington 14–15: Safe to Serve / Central Division 16–18: National Youth Band Visit / Auckland City Corps 17: Preschool Ministries Conference / Midland Division 17: Youth and Children’s Ministries Leaders Development / Northern Division 17: Global Leadership Summit / Central Division 19–22: Officers 10-Year Review / Booth College of Mission 19: Women’s Coffee and Dessert Evening (Hutt City Corps) / Central Division 20: Women’s Coffee and Dessert Evening (Auckland City Corps) / Northern Division 23: Hawke’s Bay Anniversary

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS

International Bible Reading Challenge WEEK 40 1 Timothy 6–2 Timothy 4 WEEK 41 Titus 1–Hebrews 1 Go to www.salvationarmy.org/biblechallenge for daily reading guides and more.

New Social Justice Website The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission (ISJC) has launched a new website.

Go to www.salvationarmy.org/isjc and look out for the ‘Speak Justice’ podcasts, helpful and inspiring resources, a ‘meet the ISJC team’ area, and read about what the ISJC is up to at the United Nations. Like the ISJC on Facebook.com/SalvationArmyISJC and follow @SalvArmyISJC on Twitter.

Congress is Coming to Wellington in 2016

Wednesday 28 September to Sunday 2 October 2016 Mark your calendar for the 2016 Territorial Congress! Join Salvationists from around New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga for worship and prayer, great teaching, excellent musical performances, and plenty of opportunities to be inspired for leadership and front-line mission.

Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries)

The 2016 Territorial Congress will be held at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington, with some activities at other Wellington venues as well.

3–4 October: Recovery Church 20th Anniversary Celebrations 9–11 October: Her Freedom Song Conference, Christchurch (TPWM) 10–11 October: Gisborne 13 October: Lead 2 Grow Conference, Booth College of Mission 15–16 October: Jeff Farm AGM, Dunedin 17–18 October: Queenstown Corps

A Salvation Army congress is a time to catch up with friends, celebrate God’s work, and hear and respond to God’s voice. Plan now to be part of this God-glorifying event.

Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 4 October: Napier Corps 6 October: Just Brass Day Camp (CS) 9 October: ‘Testing the Bridge’ Symposium, Dunedin 9–11 October: Her Freedom Song Conference, Christchurch (TSWM) 13 October: Lead 2 Grow Conference, Booth College of Mission 15 October: Capital Prayer Breakfast, Parliament

Tonga Region 30-Year Anniversary

1–4 July 2016, Queen Salote Hall, Taufa’ahau Road, Nuku’alofa.

The Tonga Region will celebrate 30 years of mission and ministry next year, with guest leaders General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox. For more information write to: The Salvation Army, Tonga Region Headquarters, PO Box 1035, Nuku’alofa, Tonga, or email: rhq_tga@nzf.salvationarmy.org.

Find SALVATION ARMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES online:

www salvationarmy.org.nz/employment

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: East City, Far North (Kaitaia), Feilding, Flaxmere and Foxton Corps, Recovery Churches, The Salvation Army Democratic Republic of Congo Territory.

Crossword Answers: Across: 1 Uncles, 4 Daunting, 10 Specimens, 11 Movie, 12 Rates, 13 Converted, 14 Advised, 16 Exit, 19 Dump, 21 Regular, 24 Merchants, 25 Image, 26 Olive, 27 Assistant, 28 Together, 29 Melted, Down: 1 Upstream, 2 Creative, 3 Exits, 5 Absence, 6 Numbering, 7 Invite, 8 Greedy, 9 Fenced, 15 Southwest, 17 Pleasant, 18 Arrested, 20 Pancake, 21 Resist, 22 Import, 23 Trying, 25 Issue. Quiz Answers: 1 Malcolm Turnbull, 2 11 October, 3 A plum, 4 Paris and Istanbul, 5 The heel (Genesis 3:15).

How did these Bible characters feel?

How are you feeling today? Happy, sad, glad, mad? People in the Bible felt all of these emotions. Emotions are a normal part of everyone’s life, but we want to handle them wisely. It’s important to ask God and adults who we trust to help us understand our strong feelings so we don’t say or do hurtful things to ourselves or others.

Can you match the correct emotion with the Bible story?

SADNESS

JOY

FEAR

EMBARRASSED

DISAPPOINTED

PAIN

RELIEF

ANGER

Fun4Kids | 23

how many can you count in the picture frame? Girls with tw tongues?

earings?

o pigtails?

People wearing hats?

ses?

People wearing glas people with curly ha ir? s? smiley face People wearing something blue?

COURAGEOUS SURPRISED

1. Adam and Eve felt this emotion when they had to leave the beautiful Garden of Eden.

2. Noah and his family felt this when they realised they’d been saved from the flood.

3. Zechariah and Elizabeth felt this when they learned they would have a baby even though they were very old.

4. Mary felt this when an angel first told her she would give birth to the Son of God. 5. Jesus felt this when turning over tables in the Jewish temple.

6. Peter felt this after he lied and said he didn’t know Jesus.

7. Jesus felt this while dying on the cross for our sins.

8. The prodigal son felt this when he saw his dad running to hug him after all the wrong he had done.

9. David felt this after he stood up to Goliath and defeated him.

10. Moses must have felt this emotion when Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelite slaves leave Egypt.

Source: scripturelady.com

picture sodoku Fill all of empty squares with a picture. Each picture may appear ONLY ONCE in each row, column, and box.

What’s in the church, But not in the steeple?

The minister has it, But not the people.

The letter ‘R’.

What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, And the rich need it?

Nothing.

Answers: 1 = sadness, 2 = relief, 3 = joy, 4 = fear, 5 = angry, 6 = embarrassed, 7 = pain, 8 = surprised, 9 = courageous, 10 = disappointed;

read it ‘The Lord said, “I have seen how my people are suffering in Egypt. I have heard them cry out because of their slave drivers. I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to save them …” ’ Exodus 3:7–8 (NIRV)

Let’s Talk Sometimes it can be a little scary or surprising when we see an adult get

upset and cry. But everyone feels sad sometimes. And God understands and wants to help us.

The Bible tells us even God gets sad —especially when bad things happen to the people he loves.

When the Israelites (today’s Jewish people) were slaves in Egypt they were treated very badly. God saw what was happening and felt sorry for them. He told his friend Moses that he had a plan to rescue the Israelites from slavery. It wasn’t always easy, but God carried out that plan with Moses’s help.

God always loves us and feels sad when we are sad. If you are feeling sad, talk to God about it and ask for his help with whatever you’re going through.

Let’s Pray Dear God, thank you that you understand what it is like to feel sad about things and that you care about me. Help me not to stay sad or grumpy, but to remember you love me and that other people love and care about me too. Amen.

CARVE MY LIFE! God, take my life, twisted by addiction, beaten by life’s tragedies, crushed by hurt inflicted by some, and ground down by the weight of my failures.

Master Carver, on your lathe, turn my life into something great. chisel strong values into my heart, tattoo integrity into my soul, carve deep love by your Spirit, so I can be all I’m meant to be.

KEITH TYSON