FAITH IN ACTION | 15 November 2014 | Issue 6605 | $1.50
WHITE RIBBON DAY 25 NOV
HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
SPARE THE ROD, SPOIL THE CHILD?
ASPIRE YOUTH PROGRAMME LAUNCHING 2015
SALVATION ARMY SHOP ONLINE
WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT ‘YOUNG ADULTS’?
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Kia ora Take the pledge 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
Martin Barratt (movie review), Kris Singh (music reviewer)
PROOF READING
Major Jill Gainsford COVER
Photo: Colonels Barbara and Willis Howell Photography: Luke Tearle 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 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
The couple on the front cover of this edition is Colonels Barbara and Willis Howell, who arrived in New Zealand from the USA a few months ago. With the title of ‘chief secretary’, Willis is essentially our ‘executive officer’, directing day-to-day operations and reporting to our Territorial Commander. Barbara is Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries. Both are passionate about the White Ribbon campaign, which culminates with White Ribbon Day on 25th November. They see The Salvation Army’s mission statement of ‘caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society’, as a signal of intent that as an organisation we are committed to working alongside others to stop violence towards women. Barbara and Willis are really enjoying learning about Māori culture, but Barbara says one of the things that had to be explained to her at her first pōwhiri was why the women sit behind the men—she wasn’t used to being asked to take a back seat to Willis! She learnt that this seating demonstrates that the man is there to protect the woman from harm. This, says Barbara, provides a clear connection to the White Ribbon cause: a man is to be a defender of women, not their attacker. ‘We don’t want violence against anyone,’ says Barbara, ‘so if there is a particular gender, race or age having violence directed toward them, The Salvation Army wants to step up and advocate for them. God calls us to love our neighbour, and this starts in our own home, our own family. God commands us to love one another, not to verbally or physically abuse one another.’ Barbara says it’s important to help women step out of the abusive cycle they may feel trapped in. ‘But let’s go even further and be proactive instead of reactive. Let’s come alongside the offenders and help them control their emotions and actions so they won’t cause pain to women or children.’ Barbara and Willis are taking the White Ribbon pledge: I promise never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence towards women. They urge War Cry readers to do the same. 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. Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission. Publishing for 131 years
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BIBLE VERSE 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 New Living Translation
‘Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.’ 1 Koriniti 13:4–5
‘He manawanui te aroha, ā, he atawhai; e kore te aroha e hae; e kore te aroha e whakaī; e kore e whakapehapeha, kāhore ōna tikanga whanokē, e kore e whai ki āna ake, e kore e riri wawe, e kore e whakairi kino …’
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ISSN 0043-0242, Issue 6605 Please pass on or recycle this magazine
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WISE WORDS
We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace. William Ewart Gladstone
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Let’s Talk | 03
T
he people next door were fighting again. Shouting, screaming, sounded like someone had thrown something. I checked—the kids weren’t playing on the road, they were inside. Panicked, I phoned the police. They never turned up. The folk next door were the number three family who’d lived in that house that year and number two who’d had loud fights. Not just arguing, but serious stuff. Ringing the cops was the first time I’d done anything. Eventually I asked my pastor about what to do. ‘How about taking some Christmas presents over for the kids, a ball or small toys or something?’ It was great advice—a simple, non-judgemental way of being helpful and showing them some love. I didn’t take it. I hid. ‘Someone else will help,’ I thought. A few months later I interviewed Vic Tamati. He’s the guy off the ‘It’s Not OK’ domestic violence ads from a few years ago. The one that talks about getting love tattooed on his knuckles, because he was told the beatings were love and that way he could share the ‘love’. For some reason, I’d thought that was just a story and not real. But Vic showed me the tattoos and how real it was. He talked to me about the beatings he’d had as a kid; being beaten with a machete, a belt, a Bible. About not believing in God, in part because his parents told him that they were showing him God’s love by beating him senseless and putting him down. Vic also told me about the beatings he’d handed out to his wife and kids. He told me about hanging his baby daughter up by her hands because she was sick and wouldn’t stop crying. About the day he beat his eight-year-old with a platform shoe because she didn’t want to go to school. And about the day she took the blame for that beating. Vic is a big guy; you can tell he was once a scary guy. But the voice of that eight-year-old changed him. He turned his life around. Vic stopped the violence in his own life and now travels the country working to break the cycle of violence in so many Kiwi homes. He’s an inspiration in the face of an issue that seems so overwhelming. New Zealand has the second highest rate of child murder in the developed world and one of the highest rates of violence in our homes. Every year, 1500 adults are arrested for child abuse. Police are called to about 200 domestic violence situations every day—or on average one every seven minutes. I’ve interviewed the former Chief Family Court Judge, Women’s Refuge workers, international experts, politicians, and a Child Youth and Family worker about stopping these appalling numbers. But Vic was by far the most moving and influential, because his story is about an individual who turned things around. It shows us change is possible for anyone and reminds us that violent people aren’t monsters; they’re people like us—people who can change. Vic’s story is of someone standing up and saying ‘no’ to violence. That’s what we need to grasp, not just on White Ribbon Day, but every day. Henare O’Keefe said it right in Nigel Latta’s documentary on child abuse this year. He said, ‘You fix the home, you fix the community.’ The horrific violence in our society is not going to be ended by politicians, police, judges or NGOs. They’re important, but things will only change when we commit to change. Every person who doesn’t resort to violence in their home is making a difference to the future of people’s lives. Every person who encourages someone to seek help is making a difference. Every person who demonstrates God’s love and peace in their home and to their neighbours is making a difference. Every person who doesn’t hide or pass responsibility to someone else, like I did. ROBIN RAYMOND White Ribbon Day is on 25 November. Go to
whiteribbon.org.nz
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Bookshelf Social Commentary Revolution Russell Brand As a comedian and actor, Russell Brand is moderate at best. But as a social commentator, he is astute, cohesive, highly intelligent and compassionate. Here, Brand takes on the giants of culture (capitalism and the unequal distribution of wealth) and argues the revolution doesn’t belong to those with the money, but to the rest of us. His style is rambling and slightly shambolic, and his attempts at humour hit and miss, but his ideas are intriguing. And, dare I say it, more often than not, they seem closely aligned with the countercultural teachings of Jesus. Brand’s opening prayer is to be ‘a channel of peace’. (Century)
Playlist
Relationships Loves Me Not Lesley Elliot Lesley Elliot’s name became etched in New Zealand history when her 22-year-old daughter, Sophie, was murdered by Sophie’s ex-partner. Since then, Lesley has been using her story to educate young people about abusive relationships. Loves Me Not is a companion to the new school programme of the same name, run in partnership with the Police and the Ministry of Social Development. Lesley reflects on the signs of psychological violence that she and Sophie missed. Aimed at teenagers, she outlines the warning signs to look out for in relationships. Her message is: if it doesn’t feel safe, it probably isn’t. (Random House New Zealand)
Psychology Quiet Susan Cain Subtitled ‘the power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking,’ this book will be a still, silent sigh of relief for those who don’t want to be the loudest or the most looked at. Susan Cain examines the formation of the modern cultural ideal of the extrovert, dissecting the ‘culture of personality’ over character, and the myth of charismatic leadership. Instead, she acknowledges the importance of ‘soft power’ and solitude as a creative process, and provides introverts with new frameworks for effective communication. In her ‘manifesto,’ she writes: ‘one genuine new relationship is worth a fistful of business cards’. (Broadway Books)
Reel News
Worship Love Ran Red Chris Tomlin Chris Tomlin is an institution in the Christian music scene; his songs are ubiquitous in worship services and Tomlin’s strength in writing for churches is exercised to great effect in his latest offering. This is an uncomplicated record that knows its audience. Simple, repeated melodic lines give way to predictable chord structures and easy lyrics that only flirt with poetry. Tomlin’s skill at rewriting hymns is highlighted well in the title track, adding a modern refrain and melody to ‘At the Cross’. It’s easy to sense the sincerity and heartfelt desire to lead others in worship through this record, although those looking for stronger artistic stimulation should look elsewhere.
Brass/Vocal When You Believe Melbourne Staff Band featuring Silvie Paladino When You Believe is a collaborative effort between the Melbourne Staff Band and Australian musical theatre performer Silvie Paladino. It’s a collection of vocally driven pieces supported by the band, and includes many well-known songs, including ‘The Prayer’, ‘You Raise Me Up’ and the title track, which was performed by Mariah Carey for the movie Prince of Egypt. The most unique aspect of this record is that it uses Silvie’s prominence in the musical world as a hook, with the band playing a supporting role. It marks a departure from the niche genre and audience of brass music into a much more diverse one—a welcome change of direction and focus.
GIVEAWAY To win a copy of When You Believe tell us a song that makes you smile.
Drama Whiplash Damien Chazelle / R13 (Violence, offensive language) Many of us strive toward some idea of perfection. Whiplash explores this in the context of competitive jazz. It charts the relationship between promising drummer Andrew (Miles Teller) and abusive music instructor (J.K. Simmons). Fletcher shames, manipulates, and physically and emotionally abuses his pupils. One minute Fletcher encourages Andrew, and the next he’s slapping him in the face. One minute Andrew is Fletcher’s go-to drummer, and the next he’s kicked out of the band. Whiplash poses the question: does true artistic genius need to come from a place of fear—fear of failure? Fletcher thinks so. He thrives on breaking his students down, just to see if any will achieve greatness. It’s tough to watch how far Fletcher will go to destroy Andrew’s confidence, and how eagerly other students go along with Fletcher’s methods. Director Chazelle emphasizes physicality, from the close-ups of musicians moistening their reeds to Andrew’s calloused hands to the blood that spatters onto the drums during his most feverish performances. All in pursuit of ‘perfection’. Matthew 5:48 is perhaps the most well-known biblical reference to perfection: ‘You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’ But the Greek word for ‘perfect’ (teleioi) used here does not mean ‘flawless’; it means ‘complete’. Our perfection as Christians is found when we embrace the fullness of Jesus in our lives, not when we mercilessly beat ourselves up in the pursuit of some unobtainable ideal of excellence. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons are phenomenal. Both should receive Oscar nominations, as should the film itself. Brilliantly edited and scored, Whiplash is uncomfortable, yet hugely compelling—the film of the year!
War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 1 Dec. Maud, Emma, Evangeline winner is: C. Elkington
Go to
salvationarmy.org.nz/saresources
Feature | 05
In 2008, Lesley Elliott lived every parent’s nightmare when her daughter, Sophie, was murdered by an ex-boyfriend. This year, Lesley won the Women of Influence Awards, for her campaign to educate young people about the signs of partner abuse. ‘It’s all for Sophie, she’s what keeps me going,’ says Lesley. BY INGRID BARRATT
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esley Elliott’s name is indelibly linked to tragedy. But when we speak, it’s immediately apparent that she is bright, articulate and outgoing. Her words spill out over each other like a white water rapid. She is what is you might call ‘bubbly’. It reminds me of what I have read about her daughter, the beautiful 22-year-old Sophie Elliott, who has been remembered as bright, vivacious, highly intelligent and ‘with a love for life’. ‘Like mother, like daughter,’ I can’t help thinking. Lesley is clearly living beyond the labels that news reports attract. Rather than someone living with tragedy, she seems like someone living with a purpose.
Sophie’s Story It all began—and ended—on a day that has become engraved in our public consciousness. Sophie had just finished her first class Honours Degree in Economics at Otago University, and had secured a sought-after role at Treasury. That day, 9 January 2008, Sophie was packing to leave for Wellington and was preparing to meet friends for a final farewell dinner. Her ex-boyfriend, Clayton Weatherston, unexpectedly came by the house, saying he had something for Sophie. Lesley reluctantly let him in—she had never liked their relationship, and was pleased that it was over. Lesley listened carefully as Clayton and Sophie talked in her room. Then, she heard a terrifying scream. Lesley tried to knock down the locked door, but to no avail. Calling 111, she jimmied the lock, still hearing the terrifying sounds from within. When Lesley managed to get the door open, her daughter was lying dead. She had been stabbed 216 times. That was almost seven years ago. When I ask Lesley what she remembers most about that day, her answer surprises me: ‘The nice thing that stands out—and I’ll probably cry here—is that Sophie was upstairs putting on makeup and packing, and I said, “Are you going out?” With that, I promptly burst into tears, and I said, “I’m really going to miss you, Soph.” And she said, “Mum, I’m really going to miss you, too.’ And she gave me a hug. It feels like that was some kind of destiny, to have that last hug.’ During the extensive news coverage at the time, Sophie’s killer was arguably the most hated man in New Zealand. His lack of remorse bordered on smugness, and he was diagnosed with Narcissist Personality Disorder. When Lesley refers to Weatherston, she prefers to simply say ‘him’. ‘I’ve had a lot of counselling, so I don’t dwell too much on it. I don’t think about him very much; he’s quite faceless to me,’ says Lesley ‘I think people out there hate him more than I do.’ But she adds that after seven years, it still hurts deeply: ‘It doesn’t go away, I still have a meltdown at least once a day, and I still miss her so much.’ Her husband and two sons also continue to grieve in their own way.
Seeing the signs Which, perhaps, makes it even more significant that Lesley has been able to achieve so much, out of such tragedy. Since Sophie’s death, Lesley has made it her life’s work to educate other young people about the signs of abuse in relationships. ‘Why is it so easy to miss the signs? I’m reasonably intelligent, and yet Sophie and I missed the signs,’ says Lesley. It was soon after Sophie’s death that Lesley found an abuse checklist on the Women’s Refuge website, and was shocked to discover that Sophie exhibited almost all the signs of abuse. ‘If we had recognised the signs, Sophie could still be alive today,’ recalls
Lesley. ‘I naively looked on abuse as being hit—and he didn’t hit her. I didn’t like his behaviour, but I didn’t see it as abuse.’ (Weatherston did assault Sophie after they broke up, just 10 days before he killed her.) Weatherston often called Sophie names, saying that the delicately-framed young woman was ‘fat and ugly’. He also played power games—refusing to call her back, or texting at 11 pm and insisting Sophie go out with him. His behaviour was volatile: ‘One day he’d be fine, and the next day, he’d be awful.’ There was a huge power imbalance in their relationship— Weatherston was over 10 years older, and a tutor for one of the university papers that Sophie took. But instead of using the position to favour Sophie, Weatherston actually tried to fail her, despite her being a clear high achiever. He was also controlling sexually, and Lesley remembers Sophie saying, ‘Maybe I’m not sexy enough for him.’ ‘She always blamed herself,’ says Lesley.
If it feels unsafe, then it probably is. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right. Sophie often covered up for Weatherston, minimising his behaviour and telling Lesley it ‘wasn’t really that bad’. Looking back, Lesley says Sophie’s personality played right into his hands. ‘She was always the first to say sorry and hated having conflict with anyone.’ Almost as soon as Sophie started going out with Weatherston, she became much more emotional and insecure. But Lesley put it down to the stressful time Sophie was having, working very hard as an A+ student, coming to the end of her studies, working at a photo shop in the weekends and enjoying a full social life. The psychological abuse she suffered was subtle enough that it was hard to name.
Loves me not Lesley’s work over several years has come to fruition with the development of a national school programme, in partnership with the Police and the Ministry of Social Development. The programme, called ‘Loves Me Not’, is accompanied by a book of the same name. Following up the book she co-authored with William J. O’Brien called Sophie’s Legacy, their new book focuses on the signs of abuse. The authors collated the wealth of research available on the signs and prevention of abuse, as well as talking to school counsellors. The book also includes a chapter titled ‘One for the Boys’ from well-known clinical psychologist, Nigel Latta. Written for a teenage audience, Loves Me Not offers clear, easy-to-read signs and relationship tips. Zonta, an organisation aimed at advancing the status of women, has pledged to make the initial print run of 4000 available free to everyone who does the course. In her research, Lesley found the social media landscape ‘mindblowing’. Online socialising has taken on a much more serious, sometimes malicious, identity. ‘The amount of relationships developed on Facebook is mind-boggling,’ she says. ‘Young people will say and do things they would never do face-to-face, and they’re not developing the skills to face difficulties in real relationships.’ She also warns young people about how online communication can be manipulated. During the court trial, Weatherston’s defence team detailed a digital diary entry of Sophie’s, where she describes a difficult argument with an ex-boyfriend. They used that to slur Sophie’s character, and Lesley still smarts about such a private thought being used so publicly and out-of-context. The day-long Loves Me Not programme, aimed at Year 12 students, begins with a discussion about what makes a ‘good’
Feature | 07
relationship and what makes a ‘bad’ relationship. Then they go over several different scenarios, discussing questions such as: ‘If a girl is wearing provocative clothing, is she asking for it?’ and ‘If someone has been drinking and had drugs, can they give their consent to sex?’ Lesley has found that ‘there is a lot of confusion among young people about what consent means’. Her message to young people is: ‘If it feels unsafe, then it probably is. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right.’ Lesley is often surprised by the messages young people are receiving about relationships. ‘One young guy went up to the Police officer at lunch time and said, “My dad biffs my mum around the ear all the time, I thought that’s what guys did.” ’ The initial programme has had a hugely positive response from young people, and Lesley’s inbox is full of letters from parents as well. ‘I had one parent write and say, “We’ve been telling my daughter that her relationship isn’t right, and she’s been covering up for him. But through your programme she has understood and is stepping away.” ’ Another parent wrote in to say that her non-communicative 16-year-old son spent an hour explaining the programme and what he had learnt. ‘This is so, so important, and why I am such a supporter of White Ribbon Day,’ says Lesley. ‘Because it has to be guys standing up with other guys and saying, “This is not right.” ’
A woman of influence This year, Lesley was named Supreme Winner of the Women of Influence Awards. Yet she insists that she is still a nurse and a mother first—still working part-time in her profession, as well as juggling speaking commitments. ‘It is bittersweet because I would rather have Sophie here. But if it means that no other parent has to experience what we have experienced, and no other person has to experience abuse, than Sophie and I have succeeded.’ It is Sophie, says Lesley, who keeps her going when the times get tough. ‘Sophie is here. There have been times when I’ve wanted to give up, but then I’ll get a sign and it’s like Sophie saying, “Keep going, Mum.” Sophie was a person that would take up issues, and she felt strongly about a lot of things, so I feel like I am doing this for her life. This programme is Sophie’s legacy.’ Lesley feels she has ‘almost accomplished’ what she set out to do. All the research indicates that education is the biggest factor for preventing abusive relationships, so Loves Me Not is a landmark programme for New Zealand. ‘I know it has already saved lives,’ says Lesley. ‘I am 100 per cent certain that if Sophie had done this course, she would still be with us today.’ But she acknowledges there is still a long road ahead before we become a less violent nation. ‘A lot of it is going to be generational, and I won’t be around to see it. But I hope that the kids that are doing the programme now will make a difference in the future.’ As the years wear on, Lesley and her family reflect on where life
would have taken Sophie. She would have been 29 by now. Sophie always said that at 30, she would give up economics for photography, and she wanted to be married with children. Lesley often experiences comforting signs that she believes signify Sophie’s presence with her. One is fantails, which appear out of nowhere and seem to be Sophie keeping her company. ‘She was a passionate photographer. We went to Punakaiki and out of the flaxbush flew a fantail. It hovered near me and I just said, “Oh, Sophie, you would have loved it here, you would have been taking so many photos.” ’ ‘I believe in life-after-death and I know I’m going to see Sophie, because I want to put a few things right with her,’ reflects Lesley. ‘It’s Sophie that keeps me going every day.’
How healthy is your relationship? What to look out for, from Loves Me Not by Lesley Elliott. Power and control: How equal is your relationship? How much control does the other person have over you? An age difference doesn’t indicate an unequal relationship, but research suggests that if a partner is prone to abusive behaviour, age difference can be a factor. All of Weatherston’s girlfriends were at least 10 years younger than him. Confusing communication: Does your partner switch between loving and derogatory remarks? How stable and reliable is their communication? Do they use non-communication to maintain power in the relationship? In a healthy relationship, you and your partner should be able to communicate equally. Threats and entitlements: These traits can be quite subtle. If they feel entitled, they may believe they should receive special treatment and act selfishly. Threats can be made towards you, your family, your pets, or even towards themselves, and are aimed at making you comply with their wishes. Psychological abuse: This is often the most difficult to spot as it involves ‘mind games’, name-calling, manipulation and self-centredness. If Weatherston had physically assaulted Sophie, says Lesley, ‘I’ve no doubt that Sophie would have been out of there fast … it’s the slow build-up of abusive behaviour that’s so confusing.’ Physical abuse: Any physical threats are abusive. Sophie and Weatherston had broken up when he physically assaulted her, putting his hand over her mouth and arm across her throat. She didn’t go to the Police because she wanted to put it all behind her. Sexual abuse: This can range from demeaning words, to unwanted touching and forcing you to behave in ways you don’t want to. Be an ethical bystander: After Sophie died, her friends said they never liked her relationship—and nor did Lesley. But we often feel powerless to get involved in other people’s relationships. If you feel uncomfortable, be an ethical bystander. If it is difficult to speak directly to those involved, go to a school counsellor or someone with the authority to step in gently. If everything’s alright, no harm done —but you could be saving a life.
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BUDGET
LIFESTYLE
Where Did You Get This?
Teaching the Art of Thanksgiving
These homemade gifts look like they came from a chic little gift shop —but without the chic price tag. Start now and you’ll have some beautiful gifts ready for the Christmas season. Chalk board coffee mug: Get a plain white coffee mug, and put masking tape around the middle. Paint the bottom half with chalkboard paint. Once dry, take off the masking tape. Give the gift with a fun packet of chalk. Vintage tea cup candle: Melt candlewax by placing it in a cleaned tin can, and put in a saucepan over moderate heat. You can either recycle your own candles or you can buy at craft stores. Tape candle wick to the bottom of a vintage tea cup. Wind the top of the wick around a pencil and rest on the tea cup. Pour melted candle into the tea cup and set for 4–5 hours. Remove pencil and cut the wick to size. Chocolate body scrub: Chocolate gives this all natural body scrub a luxurious feel. Finely grind ¼ cup of oats in a food processor. Now mix in 2½ Tbsp of cocoa powder. Add 2 Tbsp honey, a dash each of vanilla and cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Present in a beautiful jar. Scrabble fridge magnets: Scrabble ornaments are on trend, but you can pick up second hand scrabble pieces cheaply. Collect flexible fridge magnets (often given out to advertise businesses). Simply cut the fridge magnets to size and glue on the back of individual scrabble pieces. Voilà—funky fridge magnets! Photo coasters: Poach some favourite family photos from Facebook and print out on card. Get flat cork pieces from a craft shop. Cut photos and cork into rounds. Using waterproof craft glue (such as Mod Podge), glue photos to the cork, and add a layer of glue over the top of the photos to seal. Add four mounting dots to the bottom of each coaster. Tie a stack together with ribbon.
It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving. Mother Teresa
One holiday tradition from the United States that we can learn from is Thanksgiving. In the lead-up to Christmas, it’s a great time to instil gratitude in ourselves, and our families. Get into the habit of being thankful every day. One creative way to do this is to create a ‘thanksgiving tree’ in your dining room. On a large piece of craft paper, draw a tree and stick it on your wall. Along with your kids, draw around your hands on different colours of card, and cut out several sets. Each day, get everyone to write one thing that they’re grateful for that day, and attach it to branches of your tree. The ‘thankful hands tree’ makes a great decoration for a special ‘thanksgiving dinner’. This doesn’t have to be anything like the American version, but it’s a great idea to have a celebration dinner with the special purpose of being thankful. It could be as simple as fish ‘n’ chips, something made by the kids, or a family favourite. The focus is not on the food, but on going around the family and each having a turn at saying the things they are grateful for. Then, as a family, say a prayer of thanks to God for all these blessings. Plan a fun family night together afterwards—a special trip to the park after dinner, watching a movie from inside a homemade fort … anything you love doing together as a family. One of the most powerful things you can do for your children is to instil in them the value of helping others—whatever our age, helping others puts our own lives into perspective. Something you can do as a family is go grocery shopping for others in need. With your guidance, get your kids to help choose the groceries, and drop the groceries off to a local food bank together. In some Salvation Army community ministries you can even ‘adopt-a-family’, where you get to buy gifts for specific people—so ask at your local Salvation Army.
Gingernuts Really easy to make because you stir everything together in one pot. It’s fun making lots of little gingernuts instead of big ones! | Makes 80 small biscuits 100g butter 1 household Tbsp golden syrup 1 cup sugar 1–2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp vanilla 1 large egg 1¾ cups flour 1 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 180°C (or 170°C if using a fan-forced oven). Melt butter in a medium-sized pot or microwave dish. Remove from heat when melted. Dip an ordinary tablespoon into hot water, then measure the syrup with it. Add syrup, sugar, ginger (use more for a stronger flavour) and vanilla. Add egg, then mix well. Stir in flour and baking soda, then mix everything together again. Stand pot or bowl in cold water to cool mixture so it is firmer. Then, with wet hands, roll teaspoonfuls of biscuit mixture into small balls. Place on baking trays lined with baking paper, leaving room to spread. Bake one tray at a time for about 10 mins, until golden brown. Transfer biscuits on to racks to cool, then store in airtight jars.
From Best Baking by Simon Holst. www.holst.co.nz
Lifestyle | 09
Q&A How can I listen to God?
Many of us struggle to listen to the voice of God, who doesn’t usually speak to us audibly. But there are proven spiritual practices that help us with the art of listening. ‘If we want to hear someone’s voice, we will be more likely to hear that voice if we are “keeping company” with that person,’ says Lynne B. Baab, in the book The Power of Listening. When we listen to God, we are listening to a life force called the Holy Spirit. So, listening to God is more like becoming aware of the Spirit that is within us through Jesus, without us through the Father, and all around us in creation. Our everyday lives tend to crowd out the voice of the Spirit—it is hard to hear that still, silent voice when our lives are full of busyness, noise, schedules and fluro lighting. Over hundreds of years, proven Christian practices have been useful for discovering the spiritual voice. One practice is simply setting aside time. When we deliberately spend time with God, several resources can help. By reading the Bible we are experiencing words that God has already spoken to his people. We can respond to these words by talking to God about them: praising him, asking questions, and pondering on the beauty of these writings. Prayerful meditation is a wonderful, peaceful practice that helps us quieten our own inner voices, and allows the inner voice of God to shine through. Find a phrase that resonates with you —something from the Psalms, a word of Scripture or a simple prayer. Take a deep breath, say the phrase as you breathe out. Continue to repeat. Respond in prayer to any thoughts that come in, and continue the meditation. Lynne Baab says she has experienced the inner voice of God while walking labyrinths. You may experience the spiritual voice through intellect, emotions, creation, physical exercise, relaxation, conversation—the Bible proves that there are endless ways God can speak into our lives; we simply have to be available. God made you unique, and his voice will be unique in you.
Testify! Terry Murray loves giving back to the community as a Family Store manager. After a career working in textiles, Terry Murray was looking for a new challenge, working with people and giving back to the community. So, becoming a Salvation Army Family Store manager was a perfect fit for his skills. Terry is originally from Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, Scotland, but moved to New Zealand in 1977. Back then, he was a 28-year-old with a young family and the world was his oyster. Moving to New Zealand seemed like an exciting new start, and he’s never left. Terry spent 30 years as a manager for textile companies in Wellington and Christchurch, with companies from carpet giants Feltex to a small family start-up. Eventually, he decided he needed a change, spending four years working at IDEA Services, helping disabled clients get jobs, before becoming the Lower Hutt Family Store manager. While at IDEA Services Terry worked with the Lower and Upper Hutt Family Stores, arranging for clients to do work experience there. After leaving IDEA Services, he was looking for a way to keep working with people, and when the Family Store manager’s job came up it seemed like a great fit with his skills. A chance to give back was also important, he said. ‘Most of my years I have worked for employers where it was all for profit, so it makes a nice change. The last six or seven years
working with the Army gave me an opportunity to give back to the community, so that was a factor.’ After 18 months in Lower Hutt he moved to the Naenae store and then the Upper Hutt store for three years, before moving back to Christchurch with family last year, where he opened a new Family Store in Hornby. One highlight of the job was doing an annual ANZAC display in the shop window with donated memorabilia, photos and the like. Starting the Hornby store with a clean slate was an exciting challenge. With the chance to do things his way, Terry decided to set up the store to be more like other new retail outlets springing up in the area, rather than the traditional look of a second-hand store. He worked on everything— from making the flow of the shop simpler, giving people lots of space, and reducing clutter. It’s getting
good feedback from customers, and the blueprint might be used for other stores in Christchurch. Terry likes building a strong team of staff and said staff input was key to a shop’s success. He also likes helping them develop as people and making sure people enjoy their time at the store. ‘People are people; they’re not numbers. We treat them with courtesy and we do that for everybody. So long as I can send my staff away knowing they really want to come back tomorrow, because they have enjoyed being here, that’s my goal.’ Ultimately, though, it’s about helping out, he said. ‘The end objective for me is to have a successful shop that is helping The Salvation Army’s mission in Christchurch. All the other stuff comes together to get that happening.’
People are people; they’re not numbers. We treat them with courtesy …
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Family Stores
I would like: to explore what it means to follow Jesus information about Salvation Army worship and activities prayer for the following needs:
By donating goods and shopping at one of our Family Stores, you’re supporting the work we do every day to help build communities.
It’s so we can do the things we do. www.salvationarmy.org.nz/familystores
NAME: ADDRESS: Please post to: War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org
10 | WarCry 15 November 2014
SUDOKU
Difficulty Easy
5 6 4 4 6 2 4 9 7 5 3 1 9 1 7 7 5 8 9 1 3 8
Many people say that communication is the most important thing in a relationship, but arguably more important than that, is mutual respect.
2 9 5 7 8 5 1 2 4 9 6 3 8 9 1 4 5
Each Sudoku number puzzle has a unique solution that can be worked out logically (not mathematically). The numbers 1 to 9 appear once in every row, column and 3x3 square. ANSWERS BELOW 5 9 2 7 8 1 4 6 3
6 2 8 3 1 4 5 9 7
4 3 1 5 9 7 6 2 8
7 5 9 6 2 8 1 3 4
2 6 3 1 7 9 8 4 5
9 7 4 8 5 6 3 1 2
1 8 5 2 4 3 9 7 6
1 What was the last book in the Harry Potter series? 2 Which planet is known for its rings? 3 Which is the largest type of bear? 4 In which US city did the All Blacks recently play? 5 What prophet did God tell to shave his head and beard?
3 4 7 9 6 5 2 8 1
LET’S GET QUIZZICAL
8 1 6 4 3 2 7 5 9
A Little Respect
You may be able to communicate for hours, but if you’re not showing or receiving respect, the communication is not likely to be positive. Respect is defined as having admiration for someone, but also ‘giving due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others’. Respect in a relationship is given by treating the other person honourably and acting honourably yourself. Here are some useful ‘relationship rules’ that will help you maintain a respectful and loving partnership: • View yourselves as a team: You are two unique individuals bringing different perspectives and strengths. That is the value of a team—your differences. • Know how to manage differences: Disagreements don’t sink relationships. Name calling does. Learn how to handle the negative feelings that are the unavoidable byproduct of the differences between two people. • Always ask: If you don’t understand or like something your partner is doing, ask about why he or she is doing it. Talk and explore, don’t assume. • Don’t let resentments simmer: Solve problems as they arise. Most of what goes wrong in relationships can be traced to hurt feelings. • Learn to negotiate: Cultural roles are no longer set in stone, and couples create their own roles—which requires almost constant negotiation. • Apologise, apologise, apologise: No matter how clumsy, repair attempts are crucial and highly predictive of marital happiness. • Cooperate, cooperate, cooperate: Share household responsibilities. Relationships
only work when they are two-way streets, with much give and take. • Listen, truly listen: Hear your partner’s concerns without judgement. Empathy is crucial in a relationship and opens the door to confiding and sharing. Look at things from your partner’s perspective as well as your own. • Maintain closeness: This takes work—a good relationship is a lifelong process maintained through regular attention. • Talk about the future: Marriage is an agreement to spend your future together. Check your dreams with each other regularly, and update your dreams together. • Be intimate: Sex is good. Pillow talk is better. Sex is easy, intimacy is difficult. It requires honesty, openness, selfdisclosure, confiding concerns, fears and sadnesses, as well as hopes and dreams. Clinical psychologist Nigel Latta says that finding a relationship is often thought of as the hardest part, but actually maintaining a good relationship is much harder. ‘If you think talking to a girl is hard, try finding one you can happily talk to for the next 20, 30 or even 70 years,’ he says. ‘That’s hard. Worth doing, don’t get me wrong, but hard.’ All relationships have their ups and downs, but working together through hard times makes any relationship stronger. Love is not a limited commodity that you are either ‘in’ or ‘out’ of. Love ebbs and flows depending on how you treat each other. If you learn new ways to interact, the feelings can come flowing back, often stronger than before. Source: ‘Relationship Rules’ by Hara Estroff Marano.
1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, 2 Saturn, 3 Polar Bear, 4 Chicago, 5 Ezekiel (5:1–4)
Close Up | 11
Do You Care About Persecuted Christians? When you talk about social justice, how often do you think about the injustices faced by your fellow Christians around the world? BY RONJI TANIELU When I started working for The Salvation Army in 2011, I was faced with a steep learning curve of unfamiliar terminology: corps, dispo, territory, division, red shield and others new words flooded my work emails and conversations. Added to that, I was introduced to a myriad of acronyms, like DHQ, TC, THQ, MASIC and SPPU, which at first sounded like abbreviations for youth gangs to me! However, the one term that has interested and confused me most is the idea of ‘social justice’. Now, social justice is not just the domain of The Salvation Army. Many organisations, community groups, churches, individuals and even government have attempted to define what social justice is, and then deliver initiatives to enhance social justice in our nation. The Salvation Army seeks to uphold social justice in Aotearoa via the work of the Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit that I am a part of, and through the work of our social services and many other initiatives. Despite this, I don’t use the language of social justice in my own life. I don’t see myself as a social justice advocate, champion or even practitioner. In my opinion, I am a Bible-believing believer first and foremost. A person’s eternal destination is paramount to me. Therefore, any potential social justice activities I might be involved with become the evidence (or fruit) of my salvation in Christ, not the means of my salvation (see Ephesians 2:8–10). I’m also intrigued about what causes or groups we extend social justice to. For instance, it seems to me that when Christians in Aotearoa talk about social justice, these discussions are dominated by talk about social justice for the poor or social justice around marriage and gender equality. We talk about issues of structural and social inequality, the basic necessities of life, and religious tolerance. All worthy of discussion and action. But speaking out about justice for Christians—particularly among the most marginalised and persecuted Christians—seems to be an almost non-existent or even taboo topic among Kiwi Christians. Why do our discussions and action around social justice not extend to the injustices happening to our fellow Christians around the world? Open Doors International estimates that over 100 million Christians are being persecuted or suffering for their faith right now. Most of this persecution happens in Muslim and Communist countries. It includes beatings, rape, torture, murder, political and social isolation, and exclusion from jobs, schools and communities.
The Pew Research Centre in America reported in 2012 that Christians face harassment, government exclusion and social hostilities such as discrimination and violence in 151 countries and were the most harassed or persecuted faith group between 2006 and 2012. World leaders such as British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Pope Benedict XVI and even Prince Charles have spoken publicly about the increasing persecution of Christians around the world. Is this not a social justice issue? So why don’t more Kiwi Christians —who are passionate about Christ, his Word and social justice—speak out or take action? In 2013, Kiwis gave a wonderful $1.6 million in donations and koha to Open Doors NZ, Voice of the Martyrs and the Barnabas Fund, three of the ‘bigger’ ministries in Aotearoa working with persecuted believers overseas. In the same period, we gave over $15 million to The Salvation Army, and over $33 million in sponsorship to World Vision New Zealand. One major Kiwi Pentecostal church brought in $6 million worth of donations in 2013, spending most of this on salaries, property and local projects. These figures are not meant to demean the awesome giving of Kiwis, but they do seem to indicate, as the saying goes, that we are definitely putting our money where our mouths are. The plight of persecuted and suffering Christians is an absolute passion for my wife and me and our small church. Yet I am constantly wondering why these issues don’t seem to be on the radar of other social justice-focused Christians in Aotearoa and other Western nations. What is the value of biblically-influenced social justice thinking if other social causes or issues so often take precedence over the often brutal and extreme suffering of our fellow Christian brothers and sisters? Ronji Tanielu is a social policy analyst with The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (www.salvationarmy.org.nz/socialpolicy)
For more info, check out: Open Doors: Voice of the Martyrs: Barnabas Fund:
opendoors.org.nz persecution.co.nz barnabasfund.org
12 | WarCry 15 November 2014
Spare the Rod … According to Scriptures, the ‘rod’ is not for punishing, but for comforting and guiding. Ingrid Barratt examines a biblical view of authority, and finds that God sides with the powerless. ‘Spare the rod and spoil the child’ … ‘This all too familiar phrase is often used to argue that the Bible supports smacking or hitting children and that responsible parents would be failing in their duty if they did not,’ says Rhonda Pritchard, in the Families Commission booklet Children Are Unbeatable. This excerpt gives a more biblical reading of the famous phrase: ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child’ does not actually appear in the Bible but in a 17th century poem by Samuel Butler. The book of Proverbs does include verses that have been interpreted as endorsing physical punishment: He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. (Proverbs 13:24) Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22:15) It’s interesting that Proverbs is the only part of the Bible that includes verses that might be quoted to imply that physical punishment of children is recommended. But New Zealandbased Samoan minister and theologian Nove Vailaau points out that the word ‘rod’ in Proverbs was translated from the Hebrew word shebet, which meant sceptre or staff—as in a shepherd’s staff used for guiding the sheep. If the original writer had meant a beating rod, the Hebrew word muwcar would have been used instead. ‘In this sense, the “rod” is used metaphorically. Psalm 23 defines this “rod” as a rod that brings comfort in times of uncertainty. “Your rod and your staff they comfort me,” says verse 4. A shepherd uses his rod to gently guide his flock—not to strike them. The “rod” may also be understood figuratively as referring to the Torah, the Law, which guides the people within the boundaries of God’s will,’ says Vailaau. ‘The inference to be taken is not that parents will ‘spoil’ their children if they don’t hit them, but that they will spoil their children if they don’t guide, protect and teach them.’
The Good Shepherd This image of the shepherd who guides and protects his flock was perfected in Jesus. ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me,’ says Jesus in John 10:14. Here, he describes a relationship of intimacy and love between him and his ‘flock’. It is a powerful image of a gentle, guiding, loving hand. Using this metaphor, Jesus tells a beautiful story of his relationship with his flock, or children: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninetynine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep” ’ (Luke 15:4-6). There is no hint of the harsh ‘rod’ of discipline in Jesus’
teachings. Instead, we find the image of a nurturing God who carries us close and rejoices over us. As followers of Christ, constantly learning to become more like him, we are called to mirror this guiding, compassionate love in all our relationships. ‘We are called to be the embodiment of God’s love, perfected in humanity—and for humanity—by Jesus. “Love one another as I have loved you.” This is the kind of love parents must share with their children,’ sums up Vailaau.
All powerful, all loving Jesus’ example of shepherding love can be widened to provide a picture of how Scripture views authority and power. ‘From a biblical perspective, all power and authority belongs to God as the creator, preserver and governor of all things,’ says the Moral and Social (Ethics) Council (MASIC) Talk Sheet on ‘Power in the Church’, adding that ‘human authority—and the exercise of power—is legitimate only insofar as it is understood as delegated stewardship from God’. We are all part of power structures—in relationships, church, work, families and so on. And the Bible has clear guidelines about how we should exercise our power: • If we are in a position of power or authority, we are instructed to use it for God’s purposes (Matthew 20:25). • If we are under the authority of another, the instruction is to respect that authority (Hebrews 13:17). Both of these instructions work together—and if one party misuses their position, these positions become open to abuse. Again, Jesus provides a perfect example of godly authority: ‘In the gospels, Jesus clearly has power. Over and over again he is portrayed as one who has the ability to make things happen. Jesus forgave sins, he healed physical illness, and he changed the course of people’s lives,’ says MASIC. But the way that Jesus made things happen is significant: ‘Jesus’ question to blind Bartimeaus, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51), is a good example. Bartimeaus is a partner in his own healing, which occurs at Jesus’ invitation. The pattern is repeated in many places … Jesus’ way is the way of invitation; not compulsion, coercion or manipulation.’ According to Jesus’ example, authority is exercised only in partnership with others. It is never used to control or subjugate, but only to empower others. In fact, one of the most startling things about Jesus is the generosity with which he imparted his power, always praising others for their faith and even downplaying his own power. As the ‘servant King’ Jesus was (and still is) constantly challenging human power structures.
Head of the household? Power structures in our culture are perhaps most intimately expressed through our family structures. Despite Jesus’ example of servanthood, generosity and partnership, Christian culture has often reinforced an unhealthy power imbalance within the home. ‘Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to
Soul Food | 13
the Lord,’ says Ephesians 5:22. This verse has become the basis for a prominent view of ‘male headship’ within the family. ‘For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.’ Jewish Christian writer Michele Guinness argues that by taking this verse out of its Jewish context, we have distorted the true meaning of this scripture. She points out that we have inherited a ‘Roman-Greek’ view of hierarchy, which looks more like a ladder, with each step of the rung given greater authority. Those above us on the ladder have more power. Those below us have less power. However, in Jewish thought, hierarchy was viewed as interdependent and circular. A Jewish reading of this verse would see Christ connected with men; men connected with women; and women connected back with Christ—in a circular rhythm of life. This is a much truer reflection of Jesus’ model of authority, which was only exercised in partnership and cooperation. To use the concept of ‘headship’ to control or dominate is not only a misuse of power, but an abuse of Scripture.
A shepherd uses his rod to gently guide his flock—not to strike them. A scenario from MASIC helps show how subtly an unhealthy view of power has crept into Christian thinking: ‘Joanna was an intelligent, yet shy person. Her husband, Mark, was held in high regard ... for taking his role as “spiritual head of the family” so seriously. He managed the family finances carefully and expected to be kept fully informed of his wife’s activities during the day while he was at work. ... Joanna took to heart Mark’s expectation that she would defer to him in most decisions. ‘However, Joanna was unhappy and could not understand why she could not get “victory” over her feelings ... Mark was also unhappy with Joanna and increasingly felt he had to “discipline” her verbally ... [He believed] all she needed to do was follow his guidance and that of Ephesians 5,22,24, which he said described how to be a good wife and a victorious Christian. Mark would take care of everything else, he said.’ We can see in this example how spiritual, emotional and verbal abuse can be ‘sanctioned’ by a hierarchical view of headship. ‘Joanna is subject to a husband who is using isolated Bible texts to control her. This is compounded by Mark being held up as a good example within the corps, reinforcing a pattern of thinking that takes away Joanna’s right to direct her own wellbeing,’ sums up MASIC.
A biblical view of violence The misuse of power is abuse. This can be emotional, psychological, spiritual and/or physical, expressed through forms of violence. It is perhaps most prevalent in the family structure, where violence can be perpetuated toward a spouse or children. ‘The Bible portrays violence as fundamentally abnormal and pathological,’ says the New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology (IVP). Instances of Israel participating in violence are
circumstantial, an example of God entering into an epoch that doesn’t reflect God’s original plan and purpose. Interestingly, violence is limited to the Old Testament and not reflected in New Testament teachings. For instance, when Peter cuts off the ear of the soldier who comes to arrest Jesus, his actions are condemned by Jesus (John 18:10). We have a pastoral responsibility to care for those caught up in violence—either as perpetrators or victims. Our first concern must always be to care for the powerless—as we are instructed throughout Scripture. But offenders also need pastoral care. ‘The offender can think of no other suitable act to adequately express the depth of anger and frustration,’ says James D. Berkley in Called into Crisis. ‘For most, it’s a learned response … they wouldn’t calmly choose it from a list of appropriate responses were they sober and in control. For all, it is an inadequate and damaging way to respond to a loved one.’ When Parliament was considering the repeal of section 59 of the Crimes Act, a number of Auckland church leaders joined together to make this public statement, which is a good start to a conversation about a Christian response to family violence: ‘The majority of parents want to do the best for their children. It is misguided to believe that hitting children is in their interests. The most effective way of guiding children’s behaviour is through example. This was the way of Jesus, whose life role-modelled a preference for love over violence. By contrast, hitting children endorses a pattern of violence which is passed on from one generation to the next.’ Most Christians say they do not condone violence. But it is also time for the Christian community to come together and re-think the power structures that allow for the abuse and misuse of power —whether within families, the church or society.
Ponder This It is always easier to recognise when people are misusing power over us, than when we are misusing our power over others. In which relationships might you have power over others? Can you identify any situations where your relationship has been more about power than love? What is the loving Christian response to those we see misusing power? Reflect on your own relationships. How can you be more reflective of Jesus’ model of shepherding authority?
14 WarCry 15 November 2014
Dunedin Puts the Big Value Back in Christmas
Christmas came early in Dunedin for about 800 people as The Salvation Army combined with other groups encouraging people in the city to put the value back into Christmas. The Dunedin Addiction Services Problem Gambling team led a group of 17 Dunedin social service agencies that combined to run the ‘Big Value Christmas’ event in central Dunedin, offering people a different take on how to do Christmas. The event included a sausage sizzle and bouncy castle in The Octagon in central Dunedin and workshops in the nearby Dunedin Art Gallery where families were invited to try out innovative ideas for a value Christmas. Ideas included making cheap decorations and treats, household chore ‘voucher books’ for children, decorating Christmas biscuits, and making bead jewellery and leather purses. The agencies also gave out information on their services and advice. Dunedin Addiction Services Problem Gambling case worker Chris Watkins said the idea definitely caught the public’s imagination, with about 800 sausages given out, while at one point they had about 200 children in the Art Gallery mezzanine. The plan for the event came after the Dunedin Salvation Army group held a meeting with other agencies on how to combat gambling-related problems in
the city. It was recognised that gambling is just a part of a wider problem involving unsustainable debt. Every year, the team promotes Gamble Free Day in September, but Chris and the team decided to try and make this campaign about the underlying problems of gambling and instead run the event to coincide with Money Week. People were not always inspired to come to events about gambling or debt, said Chris, so the aim was to give it a family-friendly twist. The plan worked, attracting a much larger crowd than normally seen at similar events and a greater mix of social services and budgeting organisations to collaborate with. Christmas was a time of high stress, and offering an alternative plan for people helped them get back to the core ideas of the day. ‘The idea lampoons the supermarket idea of buying value,’ Chris said, ‘but we also wanted to promote the notion of putting value back into Christmas. We feel it’s lost a lot of significance with the growth of consumerism. It’s about the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth, but it’s also about spending time with family and not just buying often expensive plastic stuff that often ends up with household debt.’ The day’s slogan was ‘You Choose to Make it Special’, emphasising the way families could have a Christmas that went beyond the ‘more alcohol,
gambling, debt and family violence that Christmas seems to be causing for our clients,’ Chris said. ‘We’re being subtly and pervasively marketed to and being told to buy stuff all the time, and around Christmas we all feel the pressure more intensely. Without being the Grinch that stole Christmas or Scrooge McDuck, we wanted an alternative that leads to togetherness and celebration.’ Top Ideas for a Big Value Christmas 1. Edit your gift list: Write down the names of everyone on your Christmas shopping list, and then take a good, hard look at them. Do you really need to buy everyone a gift? And do you really need a gift from all those people, too? This could be the opportunity to scale down your list and help your friends and family cut down on holiday spending, too. After all, do you really need to exchange gifts with your second cousin once removed? 2. Talk to family and friends: It’s not an easy conversation, but do talk to family and friends and explain that you’re attempting to save cash this year. Suggest alternatives or even no gifts. You might be surprised to discover that they have similar goals in mind. 3. Suggest alternatives or make your own gifts and decorations: There are many ways to make people feel valued without
buying expensive gifts. Consider making a group donation to a charity, run a ‘Secret Santa’ and swap old gifts you don’t use, or make vouchers for your friends offering time to babysit their kids or help out in the garden. Making gifts and decorations can be cheap and fun family time. There are heaps of good ideas online: look up ‘salt dough decorations’, or take a look at www.kidspot.com.au—search ‘make your own decorations’ for a good start. 4. Put some money away … now: If you haven’t been doing this already, there are still one or two pay periods between now and Christmas Day. Put aside some money and keep that for gifts—and if holiday spending is really important to you, build a gift budget into your savings plan next year. 5. If you have to buy, buy smart: Yes, it’s the B-word: budget. Create a gift budget and stick to it. Retailers are smart, they know this time of year creates excitement and stress, and that an extra push can lead you to spend more than you planned. Every time you say to yourself that an extra five or 10 dollars won’t hurt, think about the number of times you think that. The next thing you know, you’ve spent an extra hundred dollars or more. And where is that money coming from?
Our Community | 15
Salvation Army Signs Covenant with Waikato Tainui The Salvation Army and the country’s second largest iwi, Waikato Tainui, signed a formal agreement last month to work together to better help iwi members in need. The Kawenata (covenant), or Memorandum of Understanding, between the Raukura Hauora O Tainui Trust and The Salvation Army was signed at the Iwi’s offices at The Base mall in Hamilton on 3 October. It was signed by The Salvation Army territorial leaders, Commissioners Robert and Janine Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer of Raukura Hauora O Tainui, Tukoroirangi Morgan, and the Chair of Te Ope Koiora O Waikato-Tainui, Tiatimu Maipi. About 16 people attended the signing, including The Salvation Army’s Lieut-Colonels Rod and Jenny Carey (Territorial Secretary and Associate Secretary for Programme), Lieutenant Hana Seddon (Divisional Secretary Māori Ministry, Northern Division) and Gregory Fortuin (Education and Employment National Manager). The agreement was the result of a year of informal and formal discussions that began with discussions between Dr Greg Coyle (The Salvation Army’s Principal Advisor, Social Programme) and Tukoroirangi Morgan. It formalised the relationship between the groups and allowed them to work together and share resources better to help members of the Iwi who needed it, Greg said. Although The Salvation Army formed links with South Island iwi Ngāi Tahu last year, this is the first Kawenata signed between the Army and an iwi. As well as being a chance to extend and improve the relationships between The Salvation Army and Māori, it was also an opportunity to acknowledge some of the painful history experienced alongside the arrival of the gospel in Aotearoa, Hana said. ‘In his speech [at the signing], a kaumatua from Tainui said that in some ways he’d struggled with engaging with us as a Christian organisation, because of the history of the church and its role in the colonisation of Māori and loss of land. However, he was purposefully stepping forward to engage and offering us a chance to partner and to repair some of that damage. That was beautiful to see—the more I understand the history of this country, the more I understand the struggle he described. ‘In the same way that early Christian missionaries had a major role in the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, I see the church engaging with chiefs again—signing the dotted line again in the presence of God.’ In his speech, Commissioner Robert Donaldson said The Salvation
Army had come humbly to learn from Tainui and partner with it. Hana said the connections between the two groups were strong from the first formal meeting at Te Ohaaki marae in Huntly. ‘The wairua, the feeling, in the room was amazing. They made a point of saying to us that they have met with plenty of organisations but there was a connection with us.’ Those connections continued to the signing, with the special nature of the day reinforced when The Salvation Army contingent sang ‘Jesus, All for Jesus’ as their waiata, she said. ‘It was just beautiful, and when I opened my eyes two of the women had been moved to tears. That was symbolic, for me, of the hope of the new relationship.’ Greg said Tainui had many social service programmes that aligned with The Salvation Army’s work, especially in Waikato and South Auckland, and shared a common philosophy. Tainui, through its wide suite of health and social services, could help Salvation Army clients with assistance such as reconnecting people with their whānau. This was important for clients with addictions and clients exiting prison or being helped to integrate back into the community, he said. In return, The Salvation Army could help Tainui in its work with young offenders, assisting with access to education and jobs through the Army’s Education and Employment services and other areas. ‘Where we’re finding Tainui families turning up seeking assistance, it would make sense to contact Tainui and say, “Can we get them some more help together?” ’ said Greg. Māori were over represented among the Army’s clients and the agreement would help address that, but it also offered further opportunities, Hana said. In the Statistics New Zealand 2013 Te Kupenga survey of Māori wellbeing, 66 per cent of Māori said spirituality was important to them and 70 per cent felt it was important to be involved in Māori culture. ‘That has ramifications for the way we deliver programmes and the way we do church.’ There were also opportunities for The Salvation Army and Tainui to partner with government and non-government organisations to improve the quality and connectedness of their services. Both groups have agreed to hold regular meetings between section and department managers and two high level meetings a year between their leadership groups.
Buy Salvationist Resources Online
Salvationists can now get hold of New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Salvation Army resources at the click of a mouse. The Salvationist Resources shop, with sales of Salvation Army uniforms, Army books and CDs and corps supplies, has launching a new website, allowing people to shop online— www.salvationarmy.org.nz/shop launched last week.
Shop manager Emma Buckingham said the online shop would make things easier for people to see what products was available, especially for people not able to physically visit the store at Territorial Headquarters in Wellington. Up to now, orders from outside of Wellington had to be done over the phone or by email, but people often did not
know the range of products the shop stocked or if an item was available. Some people had been getting in touch after visiting online shops for The Salvation Army in the USA, UK and the Australia, Emma said. ‘Everyone’s shopping online these days, so we thought we’d better get with it. We have some great products, including some terrific new uniform options. Being able to display all of this online will hopefully make things much easier for people right around New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.’ The shop also has a great range of Salvation Army publications and music, which will soon be boosted with a broader range of Christian literature and contemporary music. It can also access Salvation Army products from other territories, including the UK, USA and Australia for customers.
Online customers will be able to set up a personalised login, with existing Salvation Army staff being able to use their staff login to buy items from the site. ‘This will provide people with a customised shopping experience, retaining information such as mailing addresses and previous purchase details,’ Emma said. People will be able to pay for items by credit card through the online shop, or corps and centres can be charged directly. Uniforms and other restricted products will be delivered directly to Salvation Army corps to ensure they are only received by authorised people. This includes essential items such as receipt books, explained Emma. Shop online at salvationarmy.org.nz/shop
16 WarCry 15 November 2014
Dollars and Sense–Becoming Powerful With Money ‘Being in debt can be an overwhelming situation, but The Salvation Army is here to help,’ says Major Pam Waugh (Community Ministries Secretary). With 30 budgeting centres around the county, over the past five years the number of clients has grown from 2017 families asking for help in 2009, to 3807 families in 2014. The aims of The Salvation Army’s budgeting services are to help people get their debt under control and paid off and to learn how to avoid getting back into debt. Some clients had unexpectedly lost jobs, or had reduced their hours but were not used to living on less. Some were used to managing every cent from small incomes, but got caught by unexpected bills or payments, while for others debt was for simple things that just got away on them, said Pam. ‘A lot of our budgeting clients are in debt for doctor’s bills, power bills, phone bills or car bills. It’s amazing how much debt is for what we would consider basic essentials.’ Budgeters help people balance their budget, work with creditors and, if necessary, advocate on behalf of the client. They work with other agencies and Army services to provide further assistance, such as food parcels for a few weeks while someone pays off a debt.
The long-term goal is to help people stay out of debt. That can include working with people on how to reduce grocery bills by teaching about buying seasonal food and cooking cheap healthy meals. Other advice includes avoiding getting trapped in debt that looks easy, such as high-end money lenders, car dealers and clothing trucks. In Auckland, The Salvation Army is piloting two loan projects through its South Auckland and Waitakere Community Ministries centres to help low-income clients get out of debt and avoid having to borrow from loan sharks or pay-day lenders. The projects work with Bank of New Zealand, the Ministry of Social Development and Good Shepherd, offering low interest loans of $1000 to $5000, and loans up to $1000 with no interest to people on benefits or low incomes. People applying for loans are assessed on their ability to pay it back. The budgeting service will work with those who don’t qualify to help them get debt free, Pam said. Contact your nearest Salvation Army Community Ministries centre to make an appointment with a Salvation Army budgeter. Go to salvationarmy.org.nz/loans for info on low-income loans.
Building Community at the Heart of Festival One Graham Burt, executive director of Festival One was on Waiheke Island, drinking a coffee, when a good friend, Ian Kuperus, asked him what he thought about the cancellation of the Parachute Festival. ‘I told him I was gutted. That I had been to every one since it had moved north, and I knew that he had done almost the same.’ Ian asked, ‘If I found underwriting for it, would you run it?’ ‘And that was it!’ says Graham. From that genesis over coffee, Festival One is now on track for its debut at Mystery Creek from 23 to 26 January 2015, Auckland and Waikato Anniversary weekends. The festival’s eclectic line-up of artists includes Switchfoot, NewWorldSon, Gungor, HalfNoise, Brady Toops, Omega Levine, Late 80’s Mercedes, No Longer Music, Fire at Will, Swifts and Sparrows, Paper Cranes, Tim Richards, Asher, Chess Countess and Guvna B. Singer/songwriter Omega Levine was the frontman for Parachute Band for seven years. Along with the chance to hear some incredible bands, he’s excited to be part of this new Kiwi festival, which he believes will change lives for the better through music, arts and community. As a Samoan, Omega says that in his culture, ‘hanging out is all about the food’, so he’s also looking forward to all the feasting opportunities. Guvna B is the UK’s highest selling Urban Christian artist. His most recent album shot into the Christian and Gospel charts at number one, and the mainstream UK Urban chart at number 22. His music addresses life issues head on, offering insight based upon his own Christian journey. ‘My upbringing helped me find my faith in Jesus,’ he says. ‘The negative things I saw in my society inspired me to do better and inspire people to be the best they can be, instead of becoming stereotypical products of a negative environment.’ Artistic expression is at the forefront of Festival One, and festivalgoers have the chance to showcase their own talents. There’s a film festival planned, offering people the chance to show off their smartphone skills: shoot a clip, submit it to the judges, then watch the winners on the big screen. Photographer Rachel Soh uses her skill to capture exceptional images of some of New Zealand’s biggest acts; often in extremely difficult stage-lit conditions. She’s leading the onsite photography team for Festival One 2015 and is also running a workshop titled ‘Capturing the Moment’. Rachel is also one of the curators of the festival’s onsite Photography Exhibition. Festivalgoers will have the chance to hear from Dr Rikk E. Watts, Professor of New Testament at Regent College, Vancover. Rikk initially trained as an aeronautical engineer, working for IBM while also undertaking a degree in philosophy, art history and sociology. He later joined a parachurch organisation working in schools and providing crisis accommodation and rehabilitation programmes for the urban poor. At Festival One, Rikk will address tricky questions about how the Bible came to be, how it can be seen as ‘one book’
when so many people contributed to its writing, and who chose what was included in the New Testament. Alongside the music, creativity and teaching, a massive free BBQ is scheduled for Saturday night—with over two tonnes of beef donated by local farmers, plus there’s the chance for families, youth groups and churches to build unique tenting sites (with prizes for the most amazing creations). But it’s building community that’s at the heart of Festival One. Simply put, Graham says, ‘Festival One is a chance for the church to come together and enjoy each other’s company, to enjoy being part of God’s big family.’ Check out
Festival-One.co.nz for more info.
GAZETTE Promotion to Glory Aux-Captain Jean Rubie on 19 Oct from Hamilton Hospital, aged 80. Jean Margaret Lockhart was born in Auckland on 31 Jan 1934. On 19 Nov 1955, she married Syd Rubie. In 1986, the couple became divisional envoys from East Coast Bay Corps and were appointed to Tamaki Corps. In 1989, following their commissioning as auxiliary captains, Syd and Jean served in Te Ope Whakaora Corps and Hamilton South Corps. In 1994, they moved to Addington Social Services Centre and then, in 1996, to Epsom Lodge. The couple entered retirement on 14 Jan 1999, with Aux-Captain Syd Rubie promoted to Glory in March this year. We give thanks for Jean’s years of active service and her continued service in retirement. A service of remembrance and thanksgiving was held at Hamilton City Corps on 23 Oct, conducted by Colonel Ross Gower. Please uphold in prayer Jean`s children, Sharon, Peter, Kathryn and Ann Maree, and other family members. Well done, good and faithful servant of Jesus! International Appointments Effective 1 March 2015: The General has appointed Comm Robert Donaldson as Chair of the
International Moral and Social Issues Council (additional appointment). Following his commissioning on 13 Dec, Lt Daniel Biško will transfer to the Netherlands and Czech Republic Territory as Corps Officer of the Karlovy Vary Corps and Chaplain at the Karlovy Vary Hostel. Bereaved Mjr Heather Rodwell of her father, Sir Tay Wilson, from Riverleigh Hospital Lower Hutt on 26 Oct. A memorial service was held at Hutt City Corps on 30 October, led by Mjr David Bennett. Please remember Mjr Rodwell and family in prayer in this time of grief and loss. Promotion Effective 4 April: Mjrs Charles and Susanne Prattley were promoted from the rank of captain. Birth Congratulations to Cadets Meliame and Panepasa Anau on the birth of Evangeline Tauan Chelinder Anau on 16 Oct in Fiji. First-time Grandparents Congratulations to Mjrs Julie and Robert Cope on the birth of their first grandchild. Gabriella Megan Cope was born to son Chris and daughterin-law Aimee on 17 Oct in Wellington.
Noticeboard | 17
CALENDAR NOVEMBER 14: Canterbury Anniversary 14: Regional Women’s Night of Prayer / Fiji Division 14–16: Candidates Assessment Weekend / Booth College of Mission 16: Sponsorship Sunday (Nuku’alofa) / Tonga Region 17–19: Officers Fellowship (Tonga & Fiji) / Fiji Division 18: Children and Youth Quality Improvement Working Party / Wellington 18–20: 12 Steps Workshop (Part 2) / Booth College of Mission 20–22: One-year Officer Review / Fiji Division 21: Street Day / Central Division 22: Paddy Bash / Southern Division 26: School for Officer Training Spiritual Day / Fiji 28: School for Officer Training 24/7 Prayer / Fiji 29: Youth Fun Day / Tonga Region 30: Children & Youth Workers Appreciation Day / Central Division 30: Farewell to Candidates Meeting / Northern Division
DECEMBER 4: Family Store Quality Improvement Working Party / Northern Division 5–6: Street Day / Fiji Division 6: Blaze Youth Event / Central Division 10: Territorial Executive Conference / Wellington 11 December: Covenant Sunday / Booth College of Mission 12 December: Booth College of Mission Graduation / Hutt City Corps
International Congress: Group Travel 1–5 July 2015
Are you planning to go to the Boundless International Congress in London in 2015 as The Salvation Army celebrates 150 years since it was founded by William and Catherine Booth? If so, are you also interested in being a part of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga group travelling to this occasion? Please contact our congress coordinators, e: nzftboundless2015@nzf.salvationarmy.org to register your interest and receive regular updates on the group travel arrangements. Go to www.boundless2015.org for more information on the International Congress.
Medlands Beach Memories Major Sam Medland has written a book about his early life on Great Barrier Island from 1929 to 1948. Medlands Beach Memories contains 22 chapters of short stories, 100 pictures (some in colour) and information about The Salvation Army, with Sam’s mother being among the first officers trained in New Zealand in 1913. The stories carry messages about forgiveness, being non-judgemental and being adventurous. Readers have been full of praise for this book. Order for $10 (incl p&p) from Sam Medland, 27 Rochester St, Napier 4112; e: samedland@xtra.co.nz
OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 18-20 November: Officer’s Fellowship / Fiji Division 21-24 November: Fiji Division 29 November to 8 December: International Finance Consultation / London (TC) 2 December: Women Not for Profit Leadership Summit / Auckland (TPWM) Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 15–17 November: Welcome and Orientation / Central Division 28 November–1 December: Welcome and Orientation / Fiji Division
PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: East City, Far North (Kaitaia), Feilding, Flaxmere and Foxton Corps, Education and Employment, The Salvation Army in Spain and Portugal.
To advertise your event, email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org
SALVATION ARMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES ONLINE Go to salvationarmy.org.nz/employment
Give a War Cry subscription for Christmas Annual subscription (incl p&p) $75 (within NZ). Contact Salvationist Resources, p: (04) 382 0740, e: mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org
70 BANDS 5 STAGES 3 DAYS Find out more at
18 WarCry 15 November 2014
LEADERSHIP LINKS
Accepted for Training Joyful Intercessors Session He Kaiwhakawhiti O Te Hari 2015–2016
No person can do God’s work alone. Robert and I attended a music concert in which two of our sons were playing. Music has been part of their lives for many years, although admittedly this particular performance was much louder than those I’ve attended in the past. But we did enjoy the music and loved seeing our sons work together. At the beginning of the gig, they experienced some technical difficulties. At this point, they had two choices available: fix the problem or stop playing. Thankfully, they went with the first option. As they played, I was struck by the number of different sounds they produced and yet how they still managed to blend together. Each musician had a part, and for the most part, they played skilfully. In fact, sometimes they sounded like one glorious instrument. I started to think how wonderful it would be to be part of a group working toward one goal like this, ready to put up even with the not-so-good efforts at times in order to play our best together. And then I realised that I am part of such a group because I am part of a family unit that needs to work together. As I’ve been contemplating the way that families strive to work together harmoniously, I realise that each of us has a choice: to apply ourselves to the part God has given us to play and follow Jesus as our conductor, or to try to be soloists who refuse to fit in with others. I want to choose the former. Working together takes a commitment from each member of the family, but we only have control over ourselves. So, working together really starts with me. As a parent, I need to follow God’s instructions and apply myself to the part God has given me to play. I cannot control what the other members of my family do (especially now that my boys are adults!), I can only faithfully do what the Lord gives me to do, listening to God and relying on his strength. As part of the body of Christ—the Church—I am in another group that also comprises different ‘instruments’ working together. No person can do God’s work alone. Not only can no one person do God’s work alone, God never intended for us to even try. God has given each of us unique and special gifts with which to serve him, but we must all work together. We must be faithful in exercising our gifts, and we must also encourage others to use their strengths and gifts in God’s service. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:9, ‘For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.’ My prayer is we never forget that it takes all of us working together to make things work in our families—and in the family of God. When God’s people work together, there are no limits to what can be accomplished! Commissioner Janine Donaldson Territorial President of Women’s Ministries
FRASER AND ERICA KEARSE Waitakere Central Corps We are a blended family of ‘his, hers and ours’: Madison Kearse (14), Tiana Bartrum (12) and Lilibeth Kearse (4). Our family makeup brings a unique dynamic to our lives, and we are excited to see how God will use our whole family to serve and minister. Fraser is a Divisional Family Store Consultant in the Northern Division, currently on secondment at the Henderson Family Store. Erica is a relief special needs teacher aide and home carer for a special needs boy. We are both on the Pastoral Care Council at our corps, involved in children’s ministry and, until recently, were Kids’ Ministry leaders. Fraser first heard God’s call to Salvation Army officership in 1994. He at first sought to fulfil this through various lay roles, but God continually reminded him of that call and so, in obedience, Fraser began the journey toward officership. One of his foundational verses is 1 Chronicles 28:8–10. Erica comes from a non-Christian background, and was studying to become a child psychologist when she first came to The Salvation Army. She had a passion to make a real difference in society, especially for the lost and broken. As a new soldier, Erica received her calling to officership during the New Zeal conference in 2006. This calling came from Luke 4:18–19, which says, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Entering into this next stage of our journey with God, we are both excited and in awe of what lies ahead. Our hope is that as we study, breathe and live in God’s calling, we will be prepared by him to minister to the world. Our journey as a blended family has and will be a challenge and a blessing as God brings us into others’ lives to walk with them and help them find personal wholeness through Jesus.
Mission Matters 19
Aspiring to Help At-Risk Kiwi Teens Salvation Army Corps and Community Ministry Centres around the country are being asked to get on board with a new project aimed at helping 500 vulnerable young people change their lives. BY ROBIN RAYMOND The Aspire Kiwi Youth Development Programme is set to kick off on 1 March next year for young people aged 11-16. The young people may be at risk of poverty and social exclusion, have strained school involvement, or a lack of social engagement in positive groups. Programme coordinator Jono Bell said the four-part project will involve weekly sessions over 32 weeks out of 30 centres across New Zealand. It was designed using the best bits of what Army youth and children’s workers were doing at different corps and schools around the county, with each Aspire course having a ‘local flavour’, he said. In the first stage, young people will meet in groups of 10 for about two hours, weekly, to share food and work through a range of activities to develop and strengthen areas such as identity, selfesteem, goal-setting and problem solving. Their families will also be involved, supporting their teen and being strengthened themselves. Families will be invited to attend at least two family events at corps or centres to build relationships and, where necessary, The Salvation Army will offer other support they might need such as budgeting advice, counselling or other social work. Many youth projects were only focused on the young people, but involving the family was crucial as research suggests young people make their biggest changes when their family is involved, Jono said. The second stage will see the teenagers going on a three-day adventure experience with The Salvation Army’s Blue Mountain Adventure Centre, tackling adventures such as white water rafting, abseiling, mountain biking, and tramping, contributing to personal development and team work. A lot of young Kiwis could not afford to go on school camps or didn’t get the chance to take part in adventure sports. The camps would strengthen their leadership and team work skills and the relationship with their group leader, Jono said. In the third stage, Aspire youth will have a chance to give back, identifying a problem in their community and coming up with solutions before identifying one to plan out, budget and market as a community project. The idea of giving back was part of the Circle of Courage model the course was based on, which identifies four key development areas for teens: the need for connectedness, the need to achieve, the need for responsibility and independence, and the need for purpose and generosity. Young people involved in community projects in the past
had often talked about it being the most fun and empowering thing they had done, Jono said. The course will wrap up with a reflection stage for the teens to review their progress and set goals, before a celebration of their achievements at a final graduation ceremony. The graduation ceremony would be a boost for the young people and help encourage them to keep up the changes they had made on the course, he said.
Youth will have a chance to give back, identifying a problem in their community and coming up with solutions. ‘Young people can act very coy in these types of events, but when you talk to them you can tell they don’t have a lot of opportunity to be recognised and celebrated for their achievements.’ Having a time to reflect and talk to the young people would also allow The Salvation Army to find out more about what gets the best results when working with youth, he said. The research will help The Army run Aspire and other programmes better, but would also be shared with other service providers, hopefully helping improve youth work nationwide. The project is being funded for 2015 by The Warehouse Group and its suppliers, which has nominated The Salvation Army as its charity of the year, but Jono said efforts were being made to make sure it was not a one-off programme and that Aspire kept running in the future. Aspire will bring together people from across the different areas of The Salvation Army—from Community Ministries to chaplaincy. Training and support will be given to all the leaders in February and throughout the course, Jono said. Corps around the country had already committed to running the programme for 100 young people, but more were needed to come on board, he said. Corps were being encouraged to think about who they could help in their community. ‘If there are young people in your community that are needing some additional support or a positive adult to come alongside and help them reach their goals or dreams, Aspire could be a great way to do that.’
GOD & FAITH
What’s all the fuss about young adults? BY VANESSA SINGH
Young Adults … Who are they? And why do we care? You were just chugging along with life, minding your own business and then … bam! A new age demographic was thrown into the swing of things. You either discovered you were one, knew one or wanted to be one. Suddenly everyone was talking about them, trying to figure them out, trying to come up with a solution. The world had given a label to that awkward period between teenage years and adulthood. Young adults. But who are they? And why do we suddenly need to care? Technically speaking, a young adult is any person aged from 20 to 30, although this often extends down to high school leavers/18-plus. There are varying opinions about whether ‘young adulthood’ is about a life stage that someone is in, or if it describes the level of someone’s maturity/independence. In The Salvation Army’s Territorial Youth Department we pretty much consider young adults to be anyone who has left high school (probably 18 years and up) until they are 30, but we also acknowledge that young adulthood is a transitional period of life and that some enter adulthood earlier or later than others. In this way, a married 24-yearold parent who works full time and hangs out more with ‘adults’ may feel that they have already transitioned into ‘adulthood’, but a 27-year-old single student may feel they’re still transitioning into an ‘adult’ state.
child A young human being below the age of puberty.
The important thing to know is that there is no real ‘start’ or ‘end date’ of young adulthood. Really, it’s just a term to describe that fluid period in someone’s life when they have clearly left adolescence but are perhaps are not quite ‘settled’ into adulthood (if anyone ever really does?). Young adults and the church Society has been talking about young adults for a while, and clearly this transitional period of life has been around forever (occurring at different ages across the centuries as culture changes, of course), but the term has really caught on in churches lately. Over the past few years, churches have switched on to the fact that there is an increasing trend of 20-somethings leaving their congregations. This is certainly something we’ve seen in The Salvation Army. But, really, this is something that’s been happening for the last 30 or so years, and it’s down to a whole lot of factors. By definition, young adults are in a very transitional period in their lives. They have left school and discovered ‘real’ freedom. They’ve left youth group and are simply part of the ‘wider church’. They might be moving out of
tween (tweenager)
home, getting married, going to uni, starting full-time work, having kids, or travelling overseas. Two of the biggest outcomes of all of these experiences are newfound independence (and responsibilities) and the broadening of the mind as young people develop their own worldview. All of this totally impacts a person’s priorities, passions … and their faith. As they meet new people at work and uni, learn and discuss different ideas and theories, travel the world and experience new cultures, this may be the first time young people really grapple with their faith and decide if it’s something they are still committed to. A big difference between young adults and some other generations in our churches (particularly children and younger teenagers), is that they can choose whether to stay or leave. In fact, this may be the first time in their lives when they get to decide on their own whether they go to church or not. And so churches have begun to take notice of their young adults, perhaps because they notice this group is missing in their church, or because they see that it’s growing.
teen (teenager)
A child between the ages of about 10 and 14.
A person aged between 13 and 19 years.
(pre-adolescent)
(adolescent)
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FIREZONE.CO.NZ
Supporting our young adults Young adults are not more or less important than any other life-stage demographic in our churches, but in the Territorial Youth Department we see the importance of focusing on them. We’re looking for new ways to look after young adults before we potentially lose another generation. We need all ages in our churches for them to be a healthy, functional form of community, but if we continue to lose young adults, we continue to widen the gap between youth and adults. We lose valuable input and insight. We lose passionate mission and service-minded people. We lose great mentors and supporters for our youth and children. We lose our best way to reach other young adults. We lose really good musicians, leaders, helpers, preachers, evangelists. We lose part of the body! We need to ensure that every person in our congregation feels they belong and are accepted, that they have a place to serve and a place to learn and grow in their faith. But we also need to make sure that one demographic age group doesn’t go missing. Because of this, it’s super important that we consider how our churches cater to and support young adults (but not placing any more or less importance on them than other ages). So, how can we support them? There is a whole lot of research, ideas and theories around how to keep young adults connected to church and strong in their faith (contact the Youth Department if you want
young adult !?
more about this). There’s not going to be one right way to do it, but there’s definitely a wrong way: by not doing anything. Whether you’re seven, 17, 27 or 77, there is something you can do to encourage your young adults ... Acknowledge them. Whether this is by starting some form of organised ministry, offering a Bible study aimed at their age, or simply by being intentional about chatting with them regularly.
A word to the young adults You are awesome! You are in the prime of your life. You are clever, goodlooking and charming. You are a valued member of your church. AND you are part of developing healthy church communities. So here’s how to do that:
Support them. Young adults are in a tricky period in their life and may need your help. They probably won’t ask for it. Invite them over for a meal, help them move into their new place, ask how their study is going etc.
Don’t whinge. ‘Wah, wah, wah—it’s all about me!’ Wrong. It’s all about us! Before you grumble about something, think about how it might be beneficial for others, or if you could be part of improving things. Then do it!
Provide space for them to ask questions and explore their faith. This is super important. Whether it’s creating a study group just for them, going deeper in your Sunday teaching or encouraging mentor relationships, young adults want meaty teaching and discussion.
Connect. Older people are awesome and have a truck load of advice, wisdom and wit to share. Connect with them, learn from them and get to know them. Adults are normal people too. (And don’t forget about younger people as well!)
Encourage intergenerational relationships. There is a lot of research that strongly supports the idea that youth and young adults need five authentic relationships with older people to feel they truly belong to a community. Make ways for this to happen (morning tea after church, corps socials …), and don’t further segregate them!
Ask. There is no shame in asking for help. The church is there to support you. If you have questions, ask. If you are struggling with something, ask. If you used up your student allowance and have no money for noodles, ask— someone will have you over for dinner.
All ages and stages are loved and accepted by God. All ages and stages are important and valued. All ages and stages are necessary in community. Let’s make sure our churches reflect and nurture that.
middle aged The period after early adulthood and before old age, about 45 to 65.
Hang out. Don’t wait for someone to start a ministry that will cater to all your needs; start doing it naturally. Get a group together and go to the movies, have a gaming night, start having regular lunches with people after church. Just start building relationships and journeying together.
elderly The later part of normal life.
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EVENTS | 22
Malo e me’a mai In mid-October, Territorial Youth Secretary, Major Joanne Wardle and Vanessa Singh, travelled to Tonga to connect with the young people and their leaders to find out how to better support youth ministry in Tonga. From the moment we arrived, regional leaders Captains Sila and Malia Siufanga, along with Lieut Toa Ulamoleka (Regional Youth Secretary) and Filipe Saafi (Regional Youth Intern), made us feel right at home!
ALBUM REVIEW
Jo and Vanessa had the privilege of being a part of the final regional youth rally for 2014. Talasiu Corps youth hosted the night around the theme of ‘Jesus Culture’. Each youth group prepared and performed a cultural item, and Jo and Vanessa ran some ice-breakers and shared a tag-team sermon about what it truly means to be part of Jesus’ culture. It was an awesome night!
HOLD MY HOME Cold War Kids
LYRICS
Jo and Vanessa also spent time meeting with the Regional Headquarters team (eating delicious fresh fruit for morning tea … nom nom!) and hearing about all the great work they’re doing.
Sunday morning was spent at Nuku’alofa Corps. The youth led the meeting: from the music, to prayer, to skits and action songs —it was awesome to see them stepping up and leading! During the service, Vanessa shared her testimony and Jo preached about faithfulness.
Jo and Vanessa also spent a lot of time chatting with the Tonga Region’s own Youth Department, Toa and Filipe, about youth ministry in Tonga, the challenges they’re facing and the things they have to celebrate. This was a great opportunity to come up with new ways for the Territorial Youth Department in New Zealand to provide better support for the team in Tonga and to encourage Toa and Filipe in their ministry.
On Sunday afternoon, Jo and Vanessa travelled to Vaini Corps to join in the regional Tribe rally. This was for all the corps cadets from around Tonga to come together and join in worship, testimony and the Word. After worship and some ice-breakers, Jo and Vanessa were interviewed about what Tribe is, its history, some of the stats and outcomes, and what it means to be a corps cadet. Jo then brought an interactive message about finding God’s plan
Indie/Blues Rock
Hold My Home is the fifth record by indie/blues rock band Cold War Kids. Despite losing two founding members, the band retains the melodic piano lines, blues guitar licks and distinctive vocals that evolved from their 2012 record, Dear Miss Lonleyhearts. It’s apparent that Cold War Kids have played it safe with this record. There’s less abrasion and more melody, less rock and more pop. This is not entirely a bad thing—Hold My Home preserves, in essence, the integral sound of the band but presents it to a far larger audience. Fans old and new will find something to enjoy here. MUSIC
for the future. Some of the youth shared their experiences of discovering their calling and about how being a corps cadet had impacted on them. This was such a cool time of hanging out and encouraging each other.
Jo, along with ‘prize-giver and assistant extraordinaire’ Vanessa, facilitated a morning of leadership training for 25 youth and children’s leaders. This was a cool morning of sharing, learning and growing together. The team at Fua’amotu Corps prepared a huge spread for lunch, with a traditional umu for all to share. Flip, it was a lot of food!
GOD CONTENT
ALBUM REVIEW
Two members of the Territorial Youth Department had an awesome time hanging out with young people and their leaders in the Tonga region last month.
BY VANESSA SINGH
After a tiring few days, Jo and Vanessa left Tonga excited about all the amazing work happening there and pumped to work more closely with its young people and leaders.
VOLCANO CROWE
Indie Rock
Halfnoise
Characterised by grand sweeping arrangements and contrasting intricacies, ex-Paramore drummer Zac Farro’s project Halfnoise is an excellent take on the ambient indie rock genre. The album finds itself driven by moving elements combined with reverb-soaked ambient washes of sound. The opening track, ‘Beginning Sounds’, leads into the piano-driven ‘Coast’, establishing the relaxed, melodic atmosphere of the record. Farro’s vocals are delivered with an authenticity and passion that proves his artistry well beyond his label of ‘Paramore’s old drummer’. MUSIC
LYRICS
GOD CONTENT
DESIGN YOUR OWN SHIELD People used to put pictures on their shields to show what was important to them. They might put a lion on their shield to say they were brave, or a dog to say they were loyal. What would you put on your shield?
Fun4Kids | 23
CAN YOU SPOT EIGHT DIFFERENCES?
MATHS SQUARE PUZZLE Each piece of armour is worth a different value. The total of each horizontal line is worked out for you. How much is each piece of armour worth?
10 13 12 Knock, knock. Who’s there? Soldier. Soldier who? Sold your bike yet?
Sister Suzie’s sewing socks for soldiers, Sock for soldiers sister Suzie sews, If sister Suzie’s sewing socks for soldiers, Where’re the socks for soldiers sister Suzie sews?
LET’S TALK When we go to the beach on a hot summer’s day, we want to be prepared. So we wear a sunhat, put on sunscreen, and take food and water. When we go through life as a follower of Jesus, God wants us to be prepared too, with things that keep us safe from the devil’s tricks. In the Bible, these things are described as like ‘armour’: • The belt of truth: The devil tells • The shield of faith: Roman Junior lies, so we put the belt of truth soldiers used their shields to around us by paying attention to stop weapons hitting them. God’s truth. We use faith to keep away anything that might cause us to stop • The breastplate of righteousness: following Jesus. Roman soldiers wore metal plates over their chests so their bodies • The helmet of salvation: This would stay safe. The breastplate keeps a soldier’s head (and brain!) of righteousness is about doing safe in battle. We should never go the right thing so the devil can’t to war without remembering that hurt us. Jesus is the one who saves us. • News of peace: Soldiers need • The sword of the Spirit: safe, strong shoes so they don’t When soldiers go into battle, trip over. Wearing peace on our they need a weapon. Our feet means that wherever we go, weapon is the Bible—God’s we remember Jesus loves us. And instructions for life. we tell others this good news.
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Put on all the armour that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks Ephesians 6:11 (CEV) LET’S PRAY Dear God, thank you for protecting me from the devil’s lies and tricks. Amen.
NEW ZEALAND, FIJI & TONGA TERRITORY
The Heralds of Grace He Tukunga Tomairangi