November 2022 NZFTS War Cry

A Life of Service Remembered Kai Connects Community A Few of my Favourite Things Save the Datewar cry

Deconstruction

Standing in the Unknown

8 A Life of Service Remembered

This year marks 50 years since the passing of Captain Shirley Millar while on missionary service.

12 Standing in the Unknown: Deconstruction to Reconstruction

Faith sometimes involves letting go of beliefs that don’t match our understanding of God: deconstruction.

18 Holding onto God in Grief

Brendan Daly shares with us a time of extreme grief in his family’s life, and the presence of God in this period.

20 Kai Connects Community

The Salvation Army is launching a food security framework to better support our communities.

26 Save the Date

Major Sue Hay reflects on Jesus’ Save the Date parable of the generous host.

28 Significant Things

Salvation Army staff talk about a significant object in their workspace.

Triumph Over Grievous Loss

Captain (Dr) Murray Stanton passed away in Pune, India, seven months before Captain Shirley Millar.

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Re-imagined War Cry

elcome to the first edition of our new-look magazine. This magazine has been produced with you, our reader, in mind. We have taken your views and requests to heart and included new columns, ideas and also opportunities for reader engagement.

Over the past two years, we have all undergone significant changes due to the pandemic. This has had a dramatic effect on many hard-copy publications throughout our four nations.

Many other denominations’ hard-copy publications have ceased and are now solely online. Many main-stream magazines have stopped publishing altogether as subscriptions declined and printing and delivery became difficult over various lockdown seasons.

The Communications Department was already planning for a more online-focused, multi-media model for publishing our content. The plans we were tentatively putting in place became imperative, as overnight at the first lockdown we found ourselves moving to a solely online publication. The team responded to the challenge and War Cry was uploaded on schedule. Once back in the office after lockdowns, planning started in earnest, and this resulted in the magazine you are now reading.

Many aspects of the previous War Cry have been retained. We will still tell the stories of our people, corps, centres and our mission. We still have encouragement from our leaders. We still have a recipe. What’s new is the combination of a hard-copy magazine with additional online content. For example, some stories will end with a link and an invitation to access more information. If you follow the link with your phone or device, it will take you to our online web page where you will be able to read the magazine online, but also access ongoing news and further content with links to videos, podcasts, articles and international Army news.

I hope and pray that this magazine will be a blessing to you. I encourage you to share this resource with your friends and family. We often hear from people outside of the Army who have picked up a War Cry and connected with a testimony, a story or a reflection.

I welcome your feedback and suggestions, but also your photos, letters, crafts and stories. Please email: warcry@ salvationarmy.org.nz

Vivienne Hill Editor

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. TS ELIOT

INTERNATIONAL PRAYER

• Ukraine —Pray for the Church in parts of occupied Ukraine as it comes under increasing persecution from invading forces.

• Iran—Pray for the persecuted Church in Iran as they are harassed, imprisoned and facing trial as a result of their faith.

• Afghanistan—Pray particularly for the children who have unprecedented suffering as a result of the collapse of the political and economic systems

• Rwanda—where, according to the World Food Programme, 35 percent of children under the age of five are chronically malnourished.

• Horn of Africa—including Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan where drought has caused a hunger crisis for more than 23 million people.

SALVATION

ARMY PRAYER

We continue to pray for the Kingdom of Tonga which is rebuilding after the eruption; Supportive Accommodation Programme in Wellington and Christchurch; Epsom Lodge, Auckland; Suva Central Corps; Sydenham Corps; Talasiu Corps; Taranaki Region; The Salvation Army in Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Ghana.

Just Gifts at Christmas

WORD OF THE MONTH Whakahou

(Māori, verb) to revise, renew, rebuild, renovate, update, restore, reversion.

Source: Te Aka Dictionary

Just Gifts is a great way to give a unique gift in time for Christmas for those in other countries who most need it. You can give to people in several countries, such as Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Kenya. Some of the life-transforming gifts include shelter for victims of family violence in Fiji, support for a reading programme in Samoa, bicycles for officers in Tanzania and Kenya and an education pack for a primary school student in Tonga. Find a gift at justgifts.org.nz

Juanita Buckingham

Firezone.Youth

generalbpeddle

The Salvation Army Samoa

Self-Saucing Toffee Apple Pudding

Any old apples from the fruit bowl will be fine for this dish—it’s terrific with whipped cream or ice cream | 40 mins | Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced

• 60g butter

• 75g sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp mixed spice

• 1 ½ cups self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ⅓ cup milk

Method

LEON BROWN

For the sauce

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• 2 tbsp golden syrup

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp corn flour or arrowroot mixed with a little water

• 1 ½ cups boiling water

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish with butter and scatter in half the prepared apple slices.

In a bowl or food processor cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg; don’t worry if the mixture curdles a little at this point. Add the mixed spice, flour, baking powder and milk and mix well.

Fold remaining apple slices into the batter, reserving a few to arrange on top if you like. Spread the batter as best you can over the slices in the dish. Don’t worry if it is uneven; it will find its own levels somewhat as it cooks. Arrange remaining apple slices on top.

In a bowl or jug place the brown sugar, golden syrup and butter. Add the boiling water and stir until well combined and butter melted. Mix in the corn flour or arrowroot and gently pour the liquid over the pudding. Quickly put the pudding in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until well risen and golden. Allow the pudding to stand for around five minutes before serving, as this allows the sauce to thicken. Serve the pudding warm with cream or ice cream.

Source: Sophie Gray | destitutegourmet .com

TOP FIVE One Day Walks in NZ

1 Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Tongariro National Park

This walk features volcanic peaks, glacial valleys and the famous Emerald Lakes.

2 Hooker Valley Track, Aoraki/ Mount Cook

It’s a flat, easy track with breathtaking views, which leads to a close-up view of Aoraki.

3 Roy’s Peak, Wānaka

This walk takes you up Roy’s Peak summit for some impressive views of both Lake Wānaka and Tititea/Mt Aspiring.

4 Mount John Summit, Lake Tekapo

A short walk up a hill allows you to experience one of the best views of Lake Tekapo.

5 Pouākai Crossing, Egmont National Park

This longer walk has cliffs, a waterfall, a swamp and some of the best photo opportunities of Mt Taranaki!

When the storm has passed, put your energy into rebuilding your life. Don’t waste time looking back.

Photography: Melanie Jenkins

QUICK QUIZ

1 How many bricks are there in the Empire State Building?

2 What is the most used material in construction?

3 Which iconic building is actually wind resistant and sways during a storm?

4 What is the largest machine in the world?

5 What is the Statue of Liberty’s full name?

Answers page 32

What’s On?

SpiritSong Weekend | Hastings

04–06 November Enjoy listening to the national choir of The Salvation Army, email hastings.corps@ salvationarmy.org.nz

Father & Kids Weekend | BMAC

04–06 November Connect with each other through a range of outdoor activities. bluemountainadventure. org.nz

Photo of the Month

This photo was taken by Lt-Colonel

Milton Collins last year on a day tour of Milford Sound. Recent rains meant a full river with spectacular views looking back up to the mountain peak.

Do you have a photo you’re keen to have featured in War Cry? Send it to us at warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz

Fellowship Brass Concert | Christchurch Citadel 06 November Featuring original works by composer Lieutenant Grant Pitcher.

World Children’s Day 20 November marks the date of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the United Nation General Assembly in 1959.

Commissioning Weekend | Fiji 26–27 November Covenant Day and Commissioning of the Reflectors of Holiness Yaloyalo ni Bula Savasava. salvationarmy. org.nz/ commissioning

If your corps or centre are holding a specific event in December, we would love to add it to our calendar. Send submissions to warcry@ salvationarmy.org.nz

Letter to the Editor

Dear Reader,

This section of the magazine is for you, our reader. We would like to invite you to share your thoughts on this page. Maybe you have read an article in our magazine and want to comment on an aspect of theology. You might just want to let us know that the new-look magazine does, or doesn’t, work for you. How about letting other readers know about an event or happening at your corps or centre? Whatever your feedback is, we would like to read it.

Please send your thoughts, musings, feedback, suggestions, critique to warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz

We will print one letter per edition. Our hope is to hear from our readers. Your opinion and preferences count.

Currently a point of debate and discussion is the name of our magazine, War Cry. We have engaged with some of our readers as to their preferences and people have thoughtfully and passionately fed back their opinions to us. Some readers have made wonderful suggestions and it has certainly got us thinking.

We invite you to have your say and continue the conversation.

Vivienne Hill Editor

What if Jesus was Serious?

Christian Living, Devotional | Skye Jethani | Moody Publishers

This devotional book takes the reader through the Sermon on the Mount in great detail. Skye isn’t afraid to talk about the things that Christians may choose to ignore or look past. Each short devotion is accompanied by an illustration (my favourite being the three blind righteous mice!). Although Skye addresses serious topics such as self-righteousness and loving those who harm us, it is easily digestible and the illustrations are humorous and lighthearted. I enjoyed the unique aspects of the teachings, particularly things I hadn’t heard before. He also goes into detail about the context and meaning of words from the original Greek which was insightful and helpful. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is a visual learner and wants fresh insight into Jesus’ famous sermon. (Reviewed by Hope Burmeister)

The Place We Find Ourselves

Self Help | Adam Young | Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify

This podcast by Adam Young often features guest speakers who share their stories of trauma, while also focussing on God’s restoration and healing.

Adam includes in-depth episodes into topics about trauma, psychology and spirituality. I have found it comforting to hear people’s stories being shared both honestly and from a posture of being kind to your former self. It is refreshing to hear mental health being explored so thoroughly, but also through a lens of faith. I find Adam explains complex psychological concepts in ways that are accessible to any listener. I would recommend the podcast to anyone interested in learning more about therapy and psychology; however, some of the content deals with serious topics that may not be suitable for younger listeners. (Reviewed by Hope Burmeister)

Do You Know These People?

If you recognise the people in this photo, we’d love to hear from you. Email archives@ salvationarmy.org.nz

Collect

Worship | Renew Communities | Listen on Apple Music, Bandcamp, Spotify

This EP was released on 12 August by a group of Anglican communities in Wellington, following on from their previous album, Reconciled, with its song ‘He Tapu Te Ariki’ which featured on Life FM’s Top 100 Worship Songs of All Time. With a large collection of musicians from across the communities, including a choir, the EP features four songs in English and te reo Māori written by members of the congregations. Their single ‘Your People’ has a musically striking te reo chorus: ‘Tāhoro mai, whakahauora mai, riringi mai, whakahauora mai i a mātou, e te Wairua’ which asks the Holy Spirit to come and refresh them as they work to align their hearts with God’s will. The album was recorded in our very own Community Ministries studio at Territorial Headquarters, so give it a listen! (Reviewed by Holly Morton)

Easy on the Eyes

Try these hacks to fight device eye strain: take regular breaks and walk around; look out your window to a distant landmark, adjusting distance keeps eye strain at bay; keep hydrated, this not only has health benefits but prompts bathroom breaks; stand instead of sitting while working; and, if possible, try a change of scenery.

A Life of Service Remembered

This December marks 50 years since the passing of one of The Salvation Army’s brave missionaries, Captain Shirley Millar, who served overseas with her husband, David, and their three children. Shirley passed away from bowel cancer during their time serving in medical ministry in India, in 1972. David and Shirley’s son Greg reflects on Shirley’s life and the incredible sacrifices she made for her faith and for the mission of The Salvation Army.

WORDS Greg Millar with Holly Morton

n the first day they met, David Millar proposed to Shirley Rose Gray. It was over fish and chips, and Shirley said yes! To be fair, much earlier she had carefully cut out the War Cry photo of David’s commissioning and told her older sister that this was the man that she was going to marry.

This story perfectly encapsulates the life of love and focus of Captain Shirley Millar.

Early years of promise

David and Shirley were engaged for two years while Shirley completed both her nursing training and Salvation Army officer training. She was commissioned as an officer in 1962, and they were married on 12 January 1963. Their marriage brought together two Salvation Army family dynasties: the Grays and the Millars.

Both Shirley and Dave felt called to missionary service even before they met. In 1963, soon after Shirley and David were married, they were on a ship to their first missionary appointment in Mumbai (then Bombay), India. They began serving at King George V Memorial and Lady Dhunbai Jehangir Home for the Destitutes, an organisation managed and supported by The Salvation Army on behalf of the Indian Government.

The service provided residential care, work support and training for up to 500 people with disabilities who would otherwise have to beg on the city streets, along with a 100-bed hospital. Shirley was head of nursing and Dave worked in administration and management during their time there.

Soon after his visit to the young missionaries in Mumbai, Major Ken Bridge recalled the following: To see Dave and Shirley Millar in action is something I shall never forget. Shirley is seen moving around the hospital wards—a smile and a pat of the hand for everyone regardless of the severity of their illness and bodily sores. She loves them each clearly and knows them all by name—the lad without arms whom she feeds and attends to his personal needs—her arms around the blind beggar-mother [who] Dave had lifted out of a gutter in the city along with her children.

Growing family unit

During this five-year period, while living in poor conditions, Shirley gave birth to Greg, and then Janice. Shirley and Dave both continued their ministries while raising two children together—they had very full lives.

After five years in Mumbai, Shirley and Dave accepted an appointment at The Salvation Army Evangeline

Booth Hospital in Ahmednagar, 200 kilometres inland from Mumbai. Shirley was able to continue her nursing ministry and Dave was appointed head administrator. Their youngest son, Bruce, was born during this time. The couple made many heartbreaking sacrifices for their ministry, but one in particular stands out. Once Greg and Janice turned five, Shirley took them on a two days and a night train journey through the middle of India, to a boarding school in the Nilgiri Hills of South India.

‘Although Mum lovingly and sadly said goodbye, as a five-year-old I was distracted by whatever game I was playing,’ Greg explained. ‘There was deep sobbing from many boys that first night, and for many weeks after—I was one of them.’

During their Ahmednagar appointment, Shirley helped train local young people in the nursing school. She worked tirelessly in the hospital, showing the love and commitment she had for her Lord and Saviour, and the deep love she had for others who needed some extra support and care.

Chilling news

They had been serving in India for nine years when Shirley was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer. She immediately went into hospital in Pune, and was operated on days later. Greg and Janice were called back from boarding school. ‘I was picked up at the darkest moment in those early morning hours at the top of the Nilgiri Hills. Janice was in the back of the taxi already and had been picked up earlier from Hebron school.

‘We drove quickly and silently down the hill, through the dark morning, and I remember waking from a half dream in the early hours of dawn to see a large herd of elephants crossing the road in front of our taxi, and in

Above: Captain Shirley Millar with Greg, Janice and Bruce (from left).

Shirley is seen moving around the hospital wards—a smile and a pat of the hand for everyone regardless of the severity of their illness…

From top: Shirley and David with Bruce, Janice and Greg; Shirley and David on their wedding day on 12 January 1963.

the distance, a wild animal chasing down its breakfast,’ said Greg.

Shirley underwent two major operations. Dave stayed at Shirley’s side day and night for the four weeks she was in hospital. Greg can remember visiting once, but as a nine-year-old he was not able to comprehend the situation and remembers turning away to stare out the hospital window. He thinks Shirley may have found it difficult for her children to see her so sick.

Prayers from around the world

There were lots of prayers and overwhelming support from around the world, but Dave watched Shirley’s body give up fighting, and had a sense of when her spirit was promoted to Glory—no more pain, with the Saviour she loved.

Shirley died of cancer on 8 December 1972—now 50 years ago—at the age of 34. Shirley was buried in Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, beside Captain (Dr) Murray Stanton, who died seven months earlier after contracting leptospirosis. Murray had also been working at the Evangeline Booth Hospital, as chief medical officer, before his promotion to glory in May of 1972 (for more information about Captain (Dr) Murray Stanton, see page 33).

Dave Millar describes these 10 years of missionary service in India with Shirley as a wonderful privilege; so full and busy that they felt more like 20 years, but they went by in a flash.

In a letter Dave wrote soon after Shirley’s death, he describes those final weeks:

We had no warning of Shirley’s illness. There were no idle moments with Shirley; her life was lived for the Lord, regardless the demand that it made on her.

Following admission to hospital, they operated on the 14th November and then again on the 6th December. In the first operation they removed about 15 feet of small bowel and, even then, could not remove the root of the growth.

I was with her moment by moment and was able to share wonderful fellowship with her in the Lord and also to tend to her needs as she gradually became weaker and weaker, yet we awaited a miracle from the Lord.

There were lots of prayers and overwhelming support from around the world.

…As I tapped the heart along with the nursing sister and worked at Shirley’s ribs to keep the tired body going, it wasn’t difficult to understand that when the spirit had left the body—it was the body remaining with us, that was the important factor in this difficult experience. It was the glorious fact of the death of one of his saints, and we know that precious in the sight of the Lord is such a happening. Immediately I could in my sorrow praise God, especially in honour of Shirley’s radiant, wonderful faith.

Days of sorrow and mourning

It was a large funeral, attended by so many people who loved and respected Shirley; so many lives she had touched. This all happened far away from her beloved family, long before the days of easy contact; even phone calls between New Zealand and the hospital ward in Pune were almost impossible.

Greg had just turned nine, Janice was seven and Bruce was only three when Shirley died. During the service, Dave cut a small lock of Shirley’s curly black hair while her body lay in the coffin and turned away from everyone. He remembers holding his young son’s hand with tears in his eyes, and thinking the devil has her body, but he will not have the life and future of our family. That was the beginning of a steely resolve of this new solo father, and the family’s new life and future.

Homeward bound and counting the cost

Dave returned to New Zealand with the children. He continued to serve in The Salvation Army and was a wonderful father and sole caregiver. Dave eventually married the much-loved Ofelia on his retirement as a Salvation Army officer, in January 1997, and will turn 90 in February 2023.

Greg says, ‘I think sometimes it’s easier to just focus on the heroic side of stories of sacrifice and service, but at times it is also just deeply sad, personal and there is a sense of loss. There is still beauty; there are no regrets about my life, our family’s life, and it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to remember the young life of my mum, which was so full and well lived—just far too short.’

The sadness surrounding the deaths of Shirley Millar and Murray Stanton—so young, their deaths so premature and so far away—is still remembered and keenly felt by many in The Salvation Army community. But equally, it is indisputable that Shirley and Murray’s legacy lives on through their families and the people they served, who remember them both with love, and through the way they lived and practised their faith.

Return to India

Greg remembers returning to Mumbai in December of 1988 and meeting a man named Shankar, who had both his legs cut off by robbers. When Greg met him, Shankar had his own much-loved sweet shop in central Mumbai, where he also slept. It was no bigger than a kitchen pantry, but he was very proud of this, his livelihood and his own place. When he was introduced to Greg, Shankar smiled so broadly at his memories of Shirley and Dave. With great emotion, he reached behind one of the sweet jars and pulled out a solitary photo album with only three photos, which were of him, Shirley and Dave, during a time he remembered with pride and reverence.

At the hospital in Ahmednagar there is now the Shirley Millar Memorial Hall, a place of worship, renewal, peace and joy that continues to this day, and is such a fitting way to remember the spirit and love of Shirley’s life, 50 years later.

The Gray family will have a small remembrance of Shirley at Foxton Salvation Army hall in early December. Fifty years on, she is remembered by many for her love, work and service, and there is a personal sense of loss for her family. She was a loved mother, wife, sister, daughter and an unknown grandmother, and the family will share and celebrate her life, her deep faith and her service to those in need.

To watch footage from 1968 of the work undertaken by Shirley and Dave Millar in India, including a photo montage honouring Shirley, visit https://tinyurl.com/TSA-Shirley.

Standing in the Unknown: Deconstruction to Reconstruction

In a time when the access to knowledge is increasingly accessible, and with a bit of research we can find answers to most questions on the internet, it can be unsettling to sit in the unknown. Holly Morton explores how deconstructing faith can lead to reconstruction.

There are so many examples of people in the Bible openly questioning God and his plans for the world: Abraham, Job, Jacob, even Jesus had his doubts as he went to the cross. Being able to approach God around the things we don’t understand is a wonderful part of faith, but sometimes that involves a long journey of praying, discerning and letting go of beliefs that don’t align with our understanding of God: deconstruction.

Some people believe that deconstruction is inevitable, while others are afraid of the process of people questioning their faith and do their best to steer them away from it. There is often a fear that deconstruction will result in people losing their faith and turning away from God. Because of this, the term ‘deconstruction’ has in some denominations been considered a dirty word which could lead to the downfall of the Church.

The ‘why’

There are many reasons why people can move into a space of deconstruction. Sometimes they are

only given a very basic understanding of faith from their parents or leaders, and as they get older, they discover that things are more complex than first thought. Sometimes the actions of people they trust in church don’t line up with their understanding of God, and they see people get hurt as a result. Sometimes they have questions about the Bible and don’t know where to find answers, or they feel sad and cynical about the way the world is and wonder how God can be present in it.

Making renovations

Unfortunately, there are times when these questions are met with the unhelpful belief that they point to a lack of faith. However, the ability to look critically at an important aspect of their identity, like faith, and discern what is still good, true and scripturally resonant, adds to their understanding of the nature of God, shows spiritual maturity and strengthens faith.

We need to recognise though, that deconstruction is not the same as destruction. While there are occasions when someone’s faith deconstruction journey leads to them leaving their faith behind, most people want to find a deeper understanding and foundation for what they believe. The deconstruction process is only half of the journey; they need some form of reconstruction too. They need to replace the things removed that are no longer healthy or helpful with things known to be true, good and of God.

It can be helpful to view the process like renovating an older house. The

Faith isn’t a static object to leave safely behind glass.

foundations might be strong, but in order to make sure you can live there for a long time, there needs to be work done, whether that’s having to remove and rebuild a retaining wall or pull away some rotting floorboards. It takes time and can be costly, but being able to have a strong, healthy home for our faith is well worth the work.

Growing pains

It is worth noting that for most people, going through faith deconstruction is not a comfortable or easy journey. It often involves letting go of ideas and beliefs that have kept them company, perhaps for a long time. They might receive judgement and anger or have to sit

with the knowledge that they are isolating themselves from those they love because they no longer agree with them.

It is vitally important to have the space for deconstruction in a safe and encouraging environment, where those around are open to questions and difficult discussions. If you have friends who are reconsidering what their faith looks like, be gentle and

For parents and leaders

As scary as it can be to hear about your young people going through the beginnings of a spiritual deconstruction, the best thing you can do is journey alongside them for it.

When people feel safe and empowered to ask questions, they are more likely to feel they have a place in the church, no matter what they are working through. When your young people come to you with questions about God, the Bible and how to live out their faith, it’s alright to not know all the answers. Look into the topics they are unsure of for more context and work out why you believe what you do on these topics. Model a good balance of curiosity and being comfortable in the unknown.

supportive in your conversations with them. Offer to pray with them, or spend time listening to their experiences.

It is inevitable that people of faith grow and change over the course of their lives; it would be worrying if they didn’t. Faith isn’t a static object to leave safely behind glass. If space is given to do it well, deconstruction and reconstruction should be part of a lifelong faith journey: a slow cycle of reflection and being open to a fuller understanding of who God is and who we are.

It is vitally important to have the space for deconstruction in a safe and encouraging environment...

Give it a go!

‘Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been? I’ve been to London to visit the ... King?’ I’ve lived my whole life with Queen Elizabeth II at the helm of the Commonwealth, and the idea of pussycat going to London to visit anyone but the Queen seems a little odd. Indeed, it’s just wrong!

The rhyme doesn’t flow off the tongue, and I’m not sure that pussycat will ever have as much fun with King Charles III as he did with Queen Elizabeth II. But knowing pussycat as I do, I’m sure that he will want to continue his royal meetings … and so, he will give the new king a chance.

It has been interesting watching the Commonwealth transition from a much loved and respected queen to a new king. People are responding differently: some are embracing it, others are resisting, some are trying to do away with the monarchy all together, but most, for now at least, are giving King Charles a good go.

Transitioning through change is complex. To get to a place of acceptance and commitment to any new thing there will be a certain level of resistance, of grieving, of letting go of what you have known. And it is essential that we allow ourselves the time to go through this process in order that the good of the new is found and cemented in—‘long live the King!’

As part of the He Waka Eke Noa strategic framework, The Salvation Army is currently piloting in Auckland and Northland, a new model for ‘local mission delivery’. By its very nature, a pilot is a learning journey where ideas are tried, gaps are identified and solutions found before taking it further (or not). This process of structural and cultural reimagination is demanding, especially for those directly involved. Working through the pros and cons of a new mission model is disorienting, disconcerting and frustrating—even for those not directly involved in the pilot who may be thinking will this be me soon?

To you all, I want to say, thank you. Thank you for your grace, your patience, your imagination and continued heart for mission through The Salvation Army. Let us commit to helping each other, encouraging one another and spurring each other on (Hebrews 10:24–25) as we work this out together.

Let us not give up, but give it a good go; indeed, give it our best go, and see the possibilities that God may be opening up for us.

Captain Bryant Richards Assistant Secretary for Personnel

Hebrews 10:23–25

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)

Kia mau tā tātou whakaae ki te mea e tūmanakohia atu nei, kei ngāueue; he pono hoki tā te kaiwhakaari mai. Kia whai whakaaro anō tātou tētahi ki tētahi, kia whakaohokia te aroha me ngā mahi pai, kei mahue te huihui i a tātou anō, kei pērā me te hanga a ētahi. Engari me whakahauhau tētahi i tētahi: kia nui rawa anō hoki i te mea ka kite koutou ka tata te rā. (PT)

Tou taura matua na vakatusa ni noda vakabauta me kakua ni yavala; ni sa yalodina ko koya sa yalataka; me da veivakananumi keda vakai keda me da veivakatakatai me dauloloma kai valavala vinaka: me da kakua ni biuta na vakasoqoni vata, me vaka nai valavala ni tamata eso; me da veivakamasuti tiko: ia me vakalevu, ni dou sa raica sa toro voleka mai na siga. (FOV)

Ham log u aasha ke jon ke ham bolta ke hamaar hei, uske kas ke pakaṛ ke rakkhi. Kaahe ke, ham log uspe bharosa kare sakta hei jon hamlog ke sañghe vaacha banaais hei. Ham log ke ek dusra ke himmat baṛhaay ke rakkhe ke hei ki jisse ulog bichaar kare aur ek dusra ke madat kare. Koi koi log weship kare se duur hoy gain hei, lekin ham log ke weise nai kare ke hei. Ham log ke ek dusra ke himmat baṛhaate rahe ke hei, khaas kar ke jab Prabhu ke lauṭe ke din nagichche aay hei. (FRHNT)

Ke tau buke mau ae fakaha oe tau tui o taegau‘eue; (he oku mooni ia kuo ne fakailo;) Bea tau fetokagaaki ke fefaka-aiaiaki akitautolu ki he ofa moe gaahi gaue lelei: Ke oua naa jiaki ekitautolu e tau faa fakataha o hage koia oku fai e he niihi; kae feakonakiaki akimoutolu: bea ajili ai, ko hoo mou ilo oku ofi mai ae aho. (TWB)

Ina tatou taofi mau ia i le faamoemoe ua tatou ta‘utino atu ma le le fefoifoiai; auā e faamaoni o ia ua folafola mai; ia tatou manatunatu foi le tasi i le tasi, ina ia taufaatupu ai le alofa ma galuega lelei. (SOV)

Art: Nicole Gesmundo

says. ‘I loved doing it too. In 2013, I bought a cheap camera, and started taking pictures of my friends and doing mini fashion shoots. I was actually studying theatre at the time, and I quit college to start doing photography full-time.’

Exposing a Message

Photographer Sierra Pruitt explains to Sarah Olowofoyeku how she honours the art form of photography, how she got her start on Instagram and what being behind the lens means to her.

Before Instagram became the home of influencers and a gallery of very carefully curated feeds, it attracted amateurs—including people who wanted to explore photography.

Sierra Pruitt was one of them.

In 2012, a couple of years after the photo-sharing app had launched, Sierra was using her iPhone to

take pictures in her home city of Portland, Oregon, and uploading them to Instagram for fun. But it wasn’t long before she realised that she had a talent.

‘The encouragement of people on Instagram who would say, “this is amazing” made me want to take photography more seriously,’ Sierra

Sierra started working as a freelance photographer, documenting weddings and taking portraits. But a visit to London broadened her view once again.

‘I was obsessed with the fashion in London,’ she says. ‘And I knew I needed to live there. In Portland, Oregon, where I’m from, you don’t really hear about fashion much. But somebody said I should look into fashion photography, and I loved it. I had been doing a lot of lifestyle photography but I wanted to start doing fashion, so I practised on my friends, getting wacky avantgarde clothes and trying to do editorial shoots.

‘Then I decided to apply for a place at the London College of Fashion to study fashion photography, and I got in. That’s when I knew this was my career. It’s more creative and expressive and I’m able to be more weird, whereas with lifestyle photography, I wasn’t able to do that.’

Three years after graduating and moving back to the States, Sierra is working as a creative manager for a PR agency, doing product photography and graphic design

‘Photography is a powerful medium for me to express my faith, without having to come up with words.’

for the social media pages of major beauty brands.

She is also a freelance fashion photographer, and carries out her own personal projects. When she decided to study, she says, part of her motivation was to learn how to put more meaning into her work.

One of the most important themes she wanted to portray through her photography is her faith, and it’s something she still does.

‘A lot of my personal projects are based on Jesus, or they show a different way of seeing the gospel.

Photography is a powerful medium for me to express my faith, without having to come up with words.’

Her faith even influenced her first university project, which was inspired by her own experience of anxiety.

‘I wanted to depict what it felt like to be in silence and solitude, and how I’m anxious at first but then peaceful by the end. So, I did a shoot that started with a guy in white with crazy, plastic clothes on, showing chaos. Then, towards the end, it showed him being peaceful with water over him, depicting renewal and baptism. That was a fashion shoot, based on Jesus. It showed the transition of what it’s like to live in anxiety and then what it’s like to live in peace with God.’

More recently, a project that she called The Ninth Hour made reference to the hour at which Jesus cried out when he was hanging on his cross.

‘It was about deconstruction, and how we can be entrapped by our idea of trying to be perfect when that is not the perfection of Jesus,’ she explains.

Through her photography, Sierra wants to break down misconceptions about Christianity.

‘I don’t want to stick within a Christian bubble of making art that is surface-level,’ she says. ‘My work is very beautiful, but I want to show that you can express yourself and be weird and avant-garde. I want to show people Jesus in a way that they haven’t seen before, and in a way they can understand.’

Left: ‘Home’—Sierra created this magazine editorial based on a poem she wrote about finding home in God.

Below: ‘Silence and Solitude’—a project Sierra shot to convey her journey with anxiety; ‘Slowness’—with this photo, Sierra wanted to show a cultivating of rest.

Sierra is also certain as to the characteristics of Jesus that she wants to portray through her work.

‘He is peace, he is kind, and he’s there in the really hard stuff,’ she says. ‘I want to show people that he is there in the mess. He loves broken people. He is stability and unconditional love.’

Every year, World Photography Day is held on 19 August to celebrate the day in 1839 that the French government officially announced the invention of the daguerreotype. Being able to portray a personal viewpoint is why, Sierra says, photography is always worth celebrating.

‘Photographers are showing you what they see, and that’s really important.’

Reprinted with permission from War Cry in the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory.

Follow this link: warcrymagazine.org.nz

‘I want to show people that [Jesus] is there in the mess. He loves broken people. He is stability and unconditional love.’

Do you want to know more about daguerreotypes?

Holding onto God in Grief

Brendan Daly attends Linwood Corps with his family. He shares with us a time of extreme grief and the presence of God in this period. Content warning: This article discusses stillbirth.

My wife Liz and I were spoiled to have had our son Luke, in 2011. There were some last-minute complications, which meant that he was delivered by emergency caesarean, but he was so healthy we didn’t look into why that might have happened.

When we tried for our next baby, it was a real surprise to find out that we were having twins. I think my first comment was: ‘We’re going to need a bigger car’.

This meant three children under the age of two, so we were going to be busy, but enjoyably so. It was exciting and nerve wracking at the same time because we knew that it was going to be a lot of hard work. I can remember the anticipation as we looked forward to the twins arriving.

It was a risky pregnancy for Liz, as they were identical twin girls which can always carry some danger. They were scanning her every day towards the end of the pregnancy, taking measurements and examining ultrasounds.

One Tuesday night, I had come home from band practice, and can remember laughing as we watched the twins in Liz’s stomach moving. I could see that they were alive and healthy.

The unimaginable

Then, on the 30th of May 2013, Liz went in for her regular scan. There was no heartbeat.

It was just so sudden, so quick, like the rug being pulled out from underneath us. All of the anticipation and excitement for what was to come just crashed.

Liz had to deliver the girls the next day; they were six days away from their due date, so basically full term. It’s hard to watch your loved ones in pain, and to go through that and not get the joy either, was unimaginable.

We got to have a day with them: two beautiful baby girls who we called Emma and Lucy. I know it was just their bodies, but it was amazing to be able to at least hug them.

Later I walked out of the hospital; I could swear I left my heart there.

Where is God?

Faith-wise, it really rocked me. Life presents challenges, but this was the hardest thing that I’d ever had to face. How do you show love and support to people who need you when you feel like the well has run dry?

I can remember sitting in my son’s room trying to get him to sleep. It was in the small hours of the morning, and I was really battling. I remember praying to God and saying, ‘I’ve been told my whole life that you’re almighty and all powerful, but you couldn’t save our girls. Does that mean you’re not all powerful, or did you just choose not to?’

I worked myself up to a point where I said: ‘You know what, God, I don’t believe in you’. I physically said it out loud. Suddenly, a coldness came over that room that I can’t explain, but I didn’t like it.

I think it was God showing me and saying ‘I’m here’. Maybe I tested him to the point where he said, ‘Try and do it without me’, because that’s what it felt like; it felt like something had left my life that I would miss. This was a turning point in my Christian walk. I realised I had a faith that I couldn’t deny, because for a few seconds, I’d seen what life felt like without God and I didn’t want that.

…good things can still come out of a massively rough and brutal journey through the power of God.

A few months after this, we got the news that my best friend and brother-in-law had terminal cancer. Within six months of losing the girls, we were losing Karl as well. In a weird way, I was at peace with it. I was massively sad, and I still miss him, but at the same time I was reassured to know that he was going to be with Jesus and looking after my little girls, because he was their Uncle Karl.

New life

Our daughter Zoey is the twin’s younger sister who we fought hard to have after them. The issue that took the twins was a rare condition, and even if the doctors had picked it up they still wouldn’t have been able to save them. With Zoey, it felt like Liz was in the hospital every two minutes having scans and check-ups. The doctor said that there was a 60 percent recurrence rate of the condition, but also that we had as much chance of a healthy baby as anyone if we took precautions.

It was a massive leap of faith, saying ‘we’ll roll the dice and possibly go through the worst thing for a second time’. That’s how much we wanted to have Zoey. When we had her—though I know Liz wouldn’t use the term—it was almost uneventful. We turned up to the hospital on the day that we were supposed to have her and we were holding a baby in our arms that evening.

I look at Zoey now and the personality and characteristics she has, and I wonder if there is some of the twins in there. It goes to show that good things can still come out of a massively rough and brutal journey through the power of God. I thank God every day for my kids, because I know how hard it was to have them.

I didn’t get to have the twins to love and do all of those dad things with, but I have my Zoey and my Luke, and they are the best things that ever happened in my life. I get a chance to be proud of all the things that they’ve done. But I’m happy to talk about the twins because I don’t get to show them off.

From top: Brendan and Liz with their children Luke and Zoey; Liz and Brendan hold Emma and Lucy.

Kai Connects Community

The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory has launched a food security framework that will help to strengthen food security and sovereignty for our communities. The framework will give centres better guidelines around offering food support and will also champion those already working on initiatives to empower their communities in this space.

WORDS Holly Morton with Ingrid Barratt

The Salvation Army has a long history of foodbased support, providing foodbank services in our territory for the past 130 years. These foodbanks have helped countless people solve their immediate food needs across the territory and continue to be a recognisable service of the Army in our communities. However, with rising living and food costs globally, more and more people are finding themselves in need of long-term aid when it comes to having food and supplies for their families.

‘What we’re seeing is that food hardship has moved beyond the “moment of crisis” and has become much more long-term and enduring. So we’re doing what we do best as the Army: responding in a way that will really enhance the lives of our clients, expressing the generosity and manaakitanga (hospitality) at the heart of what we do, and helping to enable long-term food sovereignty,’ says Territorial Food Security Manager Camille Astbury.

Food that satisfies

The Salvation Army Community Ministries has developed a framework to encourage a shift in response from ongoing emergency food support into a stronger sense of food security and agency for those seeking these services. Te Kai Mākona, the Army’s food

security framework, launched in October 2022, aiming to empower corps and centres to work together and make changes in their response to food hardship and strengthen food security and sovereignty for whānau (families) and communities.

The framework’s name has been gifted by Māori Ministry, translating to ‘food that satisfies’. At the launch, Rotorua Corps Officer and Community Ministries Director Captain Hana Seddon drew on the Bible story in Matthew 14 of Jesus feeding the five thousand. Jesus called on the disciples to provide for the crowds, and when they brought forward the food they had, Jesus multiplied it so that ‘they all ate and were satisfied’.

The vision of Te Kai Mākona is a three-pronged approach that echoes the mission of The Salvation Army: caring for people by strengthening our food provision; transforming lives by providing more responsive food supports alongside existing social service supports to strengthen food security for whānau and communities; and, reforming society by addressing underlying causes of food insecurity.

The way forward

In Te Kai Mākona, foodbank assessments will be adjusted to bring understanding of the client’s

needs, rather than determining eligibility, and kai (food) plans will be implemented to help people with longer-term support. More work will be done to address underlying causes of food insecurity in our territory, including collaboration with The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) to advocate for action from the Government in this space. The Army will also continue to partner with other organisations, including Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective and Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance (AFRA), working as active contributors against food insecurity.

In March of 2023, Community Ministries will be providing tailored food support that meets Kore Hiakai minimum standards and client needs, and compliance with food-safety best practice. By the beginning of July 2023, centres will be expected to have implemented at least two food security initiatives alongside their current wraparound services. These could include things like community gardens, choice-model foodbanks, cooking classes and pātaka (neighbourhood pantry), all with the goal of facilitating further connection and agency for those in our communities needing food support.

Camille has expressed the importance of acknowledging the excellent work that foodbanks have contributed to our territory, while giving communities the space to innovate. ‘We know foodbank staff are already doing so much of this mahi (work), and Te Kai Mākona is really about sharing our knowledge so we can continue to enhance it,’ says Camille.

Above and beyond

There are already spaces in our territory where these innovations are taking place. The Kiwi Kai Co-op at Manurewa began by providing fruit and vegetables from local producers at much lower prices than supermarkets. The co-op aims to enhance mana and increase long-term food security for the community,

…when they brought forward the food they had, Jesus multiplied it so that ‘they all ate and were satisfied’.

where members volunteer once a week to help at the co-op and meet regularly together for a cup of tea, a potluck meal and to share their produce.

‘Foodbanks are often a stop-gap, or more of an emergency situation, and we wanted something that was relational, created belonging and connection, and took people on that journey of food security or food sovereignty,’ says Captain Steve Molen, Manurewa Community Ministries manager.

Kiwi Kai Co-op has also partnered with Whenua Warriors to plant gardens in the homes of every co-op

member and teach them how to grow their own vegetables. Many members are in emergency housing, so the gardens can also be planted in large buckets that they can take with them.

Kiwi Kai Co-op has proved so popular that there are now five co-ops running in South Auckland, with 10 to 15 members each. This has increased the buying power and savings for its families, so that the co-ops now also offer milk, eggs, bread and meat. Each co-op chooses a place to have a pātaka within their local community. They then share the produce from their gardens with the community, through the pātaka.

Laughter and open doors

In Palmerston North and Royal Oak, Community Ministries have been working hard to make their foodbanks more welcoming and empowering for clients. When the Palmerston North foodbank began its choice model, they saw an immediate increase in people accessing its services. ‘The first day we started, there was real relief and excitement from people that they got to choose. All of a sudden there was a lot of laughter, and they were all chatting away with our staff,’ recalls Craig Fleury, centre manager for Palmerston North Community Ministries.

The choice model is a move away from pre-packed food parcels, to giving foodbank ‘shoppers’ the ability to choose their own goods. ‘It’s about redressing the power imbalance,’ explains Craig. ‘It isn’t just, “I get what I’m given”, it’s actually, “here are the things that are going to be useful and helpful to me. And I get to actually choose that”.’

At Royal Oak, some surprisingly simple changes have transformed the foodbank into a place of warmth and friendship. ‘Before we only had one door open, and now both doors are wide open. Clients and the

This spirit of sharing and empowerment is at the heart of Salvation Army foodbanks.

From top: Te Kai Mākona food security framework launch in October 2022; Commissioner Mark Campbell, Territorial Director of Community Ministries Jono Bell, Commissioner Julie Campbell and Territorial Food Security Manager Camille Astbury.

community know they are welcome and can just come in,’ says Wellbeing team member Anita Dadzie.

Inside the doors it’s warm and inviting: there’s music playing, with a ‘tea and talk’ space where people can make themselves at home, and it’s open every day until 3pm. Once a week, the staff make soup or bake, and everyone has the chance to mingle and chat. ‘It’s the social aspect—being able to interact with people and sitting down on the couches together,’ explains Wellbeing team member Rebecca Ruttley. ‘You see people come in with their shoulders slouched down, and when they leave, they’re standing upright. They don’t necessarily want to access our services, but that social interaction can go a long way towards healing.’

For many centres, these changes have developed naturally out of a desire to better care for the people who come through their doors, and this spirit of

sharing and empowerment is at the heart of Salvation Army foodbanks—not only kai, but connection, community and mana. This is encapsulated in the kaupapa of Te Kai Mākona: aroha (love), choice, strengths-based, whanaungatanga (connections), manaakitanga (hospitality), collaboration and sustainability. The hope for this framework is that these centres and services that are already underway with food security initiatives around our territory can inspire other corps to implement innovative food support for their communities.

‘We’re really standing on the shoulders of our people who have already been doing such great work,’ says Camille. ‘This will help us provide a wider range of kai supports and continue to meet the food needs of today, while providing long-term transformation.’

Food Provision

Food Empowerment

We meet the needs of those in food hardship through practice that is: visible—we proactively promote our food supports to our community nutritional—we offer a minimum Kore Hiakai quality and quantity standard accessible—we make it easy for the community to access our kai flexible—we allow clients to choose the level of assessment and engagement

hospitable—we create welcoming environments and show compassion and respect tailored—we provide kai in the form and for the period that whānau need sustainable—we optimise processes and partner to increase donations, reduce costs and improve efficiencies.

We strengthen food security and sovereignty by offering additional food supports: choosing kai through choice-model foodbanks and social supermarkets sharing kai—through onsite pātaka and sharing kai with others

growing kai—through onsite, community and backyard gardening cooking kai—through cooking classes, recipes, meal kits and prepared meals

buying kai—through Kiwi Kai Co-op and fruit and vege co-ops connecting through kai—through community meals, outreach, events and volunteering partnering around kai—collaborating with other food providers, individuals and organisations to deliver collective impact.

In the Long Run

WORDS Bethany Slaughter | ART Sam Coates

At my most recent appointment, my physio had a student shadowing her for work experience. He was tasked with filling in my check-up notes, so I recounted the details of the pesky knee injury I’ve been rehabilitating. He turned to my physio to ask, ‘Is she a runner?’ and she immediately concurred.

Had I been asked, I would have instinctively disagreed. I’m far from a professional runner; I do it for fun and to keep up my fitness. My best achievement in the sport was probably placing second at school cross-country years ago, but that involved a lot of scrambling up hills rather than speed, and I was part of a minority who ran straight through the water rather than balancing on rocks to cross the stream.

But then I realised, by a physio’s standards it doesn’t matter how slow or fast I go; if I’m running two to three times a week, that makes me a runner. I suppose it’s similar to how people often claim they ‘can’t sing’. Sure, they might not have perfect pitch or sound like Adele, but most of us can get the notes out—that is, when insecurity doesn’t convince us that if we aren’t perfect, we shouldn’t try.

At times, I’ve definitely been stuck in a similar pattern of thinking about faith—that there are other people who are better at serving, praying, discerning or hearing from the Holy Spirit, and that my faith pales in comparison.

This little moment in my week was a quick reminder to not let perfectionist tendencies bleed into every part of life. When it comes to running, that’s as simple as lacing up my runners.

As a Christian, it means making time to pray, reading the Bible, building relationships and endeavouring to keep God in the centre of every day. Showing up and getting stuck in is the first step, and it matters.

Save the Date

The excitement of receiving a Save the Date notification means that preparations need to be made for an upcoming wedding, but Major Sue Hay reminds us of the ultimate wedding feast, and we are all invited.

I’ve had the excitement of receiving two wedding invitations this year. It’s been intriguing to see how much engagement notices and wedding invitations have changed since I got married over 30 years ago. For example, these days the couple ensure there is a photo shoot, perfectly staged for a social media announcement of the engagement. The couple select the wedding guests, and they send out the wedding invitations. Before the invitation arrives there can even be a pre-invitation. These ‘Save the Date’ notifications provide advance warning the wedding is coming, which allows us to start planning to attend.

For me, the arrival of each Save the Date announcement prompted me to explore wedding outfit options, plan holidays around the celebration and anticipate catching up with friends and whānau (family). To be honest,

after the long months of Covid-19 restrictions I have really appreciated having something to look forward to.

Jesus’ Save the Date story

Many years ago, Jesus told a Save the Date story. In his story, a rich and generous host sent advance notice to various successful members of his community, inviting them to a banquet. Way back then it wasn’t until the feast was actually ready that guests received the final invitation to attend. Without access to text or social media, the host sent an actual person to find all his invited guests and announce it was time to come. However, every single person on the guest list now declined their invitation. They were all too distracted by external things to turn up: one had just got married; one had just bought some land; and one

had just bought some oxen. These preoccupations were apparently too important to put aside in favour of the generous hospitality of the host.

The host reacted with anger and bitter disappointment. With his heart and his feast ready to share, his servant was immediately sent out again to search far and wide for people who were struggling with life to invite them to come. Many accepted, yet still there was room for more guests. So the servant was instructed to look even further afield. This time he searched along country roads and behind hedges to find any who would appreciate the

Many accepted, yet still there was room for more guests.

host’s hospitality. Essentially the servant was sent to find guests others would have turned away, people who would never have expected such an invitation. He invited people like us!

When I first read this story I thought the point of the invitation was to have a good feed. But what if this story is more about the welcome than the food? The guy throwing the party oozed generosity. He longed to lavish love and welcome on any who would accept it; this welcome was all about being wanted in that space.

The honoured guests

My son’s Save the Date announcement has begun a journey of linking us with the local Arabic-speaking Egyptian Church community he will marry into. We recently attended a church service with him. Through a written translation of the service we recognised some of the content.

For most of the service though, the language, rituals and traditional stories were quite unfamiliar. However, after the service, many greeted us warmly and insisted we stay for a meal. We initially tried to decline but quickly realised that saying ‘no’ would cause disappointment. They really wanted us to experience their hospitality.

And so we accepted the invitation to share a meal. Our hosts treated us like honoured guests, ensuring we were well fed, that we had cuppas, and by being attentive to our every need.

As we left we were gifted a generous plate of food to take home. The visit really impacted me. My heart felt nourished for days afterwards.

I suspect this deep response to the hospitality resulted from my host’s attentiveness to my every need, and how much I felt wanted there.

Jesus told his Save the Date story to help us understand what God is like.

Like my Egyptian hosts, the host Jesus spoke of extended a generous invitation, especially to those who appeared unworthy. In the same way, God longs to lavish hospitality on us. The question is, can we accept it?

Your invitation

I’ve found it’s a challenge to accept God’s invitation when we are too distracted to hear it, or when we feel we don’t deserve it. It’s easier to avoid God’s offer by becoming overly attached to particular people, behaviours or things. It’s easier to isolate down a lonely road or hide behind a hedge trying to numb our pain and shame with substances or behaviours like gambling, shopping, work or even excessive Christian ministry. It’s easier to believe we are unworthy, and therefore unwanted.

The guests who eventually attended the banquet were the broken and bruised of their community. They were the ones who felt the least worthy of an invitation. They were the ones the servant went searching for. Somehow the servant, like my hosts, managed to convince them they were so wanted that they agreed to come.

The depth of the host’s welcome is difficult to accept when we cannot even accept ourselves. We are especially invited to accept the host’s generosity when we have nothing but our messy and broken, raw and real selves to bring. When we have lost everything, all we have left is our vulnerability. And that is enough.

You see, when we find our lives unravelling, it’s often because we have stopped attending to our own needs. Instead of valuing ourselves, we have placed our value in other people or things. Sadly, these false sources of identity cause us to lose

our way. Paradoxically, our souls then fill with an emptiness which leaves us feeling unworthy and unwanted. However, this emptiness opens up space for us to hear God calling: ‘Haere mai. Welcome. Come’.

Answering his call

Remember how my Save the Date announcement set up a journey of preparation? I believe acknowledging our brokenness takes a step towards the banquet hall. We move another step closer by starting to believe a host wants us at a banquet where hope and healing are on the menu. We take our seat at the table when we allow ourselves to receive the attentive care of the host.

Over time, I’ve learned that God does not stop searching for us. God continuously longs to attend to our deepest needs for healing. Our host longs for us to experience being wanted at a banquet which will nourish our souls.

I wonder if we have already acknowledged our Save the Date invitation but not yet risked bringing our broken and vulnerable selves to the table. Or have we simply assumed we are not worthy or wanted?

Let’s overcome our hesitation. Let’s consider accepting the generous gift set before us. The banquet is ready. Haere mai! Welcome! Please come.

You see, when we find our lives unravelling it’s often because we have stopped attending to our own needs.

Significant Things

We spend a lot of time at work, whether at the office or working from home. Although our desks are home to the usual business clutter, we also make space for our own personal pictures, photos and other mementos. David Youngmeyer spoke with four Salvation Army staff about the story behind a significant object in their workspace.

Major Nigel Luscombe, Mission Project Officer, Territorial Headquarters (THQ), Defense Force Chaplain

Significant object: Japanese door curtain, blue cotton with white Japanese characters and images of deer, a forest, and a stream, divided into three panels, 90cm x 42cm.

The door panel is mounted on my office door at THQ in Wellington. It is special to me, not only for the meaning of the text, but also because of my connection with Japan.

I majored in Japanese for my BA degree and spent two and a half years with The Salvation Army in Japan. I can read Japanese and speak it to a lesser extent. I continue to practise by doing my daily Bible reading in Japanese.

The door curtain was a gift from the Japanese Salvation Army band

that visited New Zealand in 1998. I was the corps officer at Feilding at the time, and accompanied the band throughout the South Island and to Wellington to help with logistics.

The Japanese writing is from Psalm 42:1, which in English reads: ‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you.’ To me, the verse means that we don’t have just one drink, but constantly go back to drink. It’s the same for our souls: we go back to God on an ongoing basis.

The door curtain was up on my office door in Southern Division in Christchurch. Several colleagues who came to my office jokingly complained that they had to bend down to get in. I always replied with a line from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: ‘Only the penitent man will pass’.

I was assigned to Japan in 2018, where I was the assistant business secretary and property secretary at THQ in Tokyo, and later also became the executive officer for the Japan Staff Band. I came back to New Zealand mid-2020, where I was territorial risk and audit manager for a year and am now mission projects officer.

Captain Julie Turner, Regional Leader, Samoa Region

Significant object: Painting of flowers on bright background with dark surround, acrylic on canvas, 51cm x 75cm.

This is a painting on the wall of my home office in Apia.

I started my posting in Samoa with my husband Eric in January 2021. Previously, we were directors at The Salvation Army’s Epsom Lodge in Auckland for four and a half years. The Salvation Army has been running an Alcohol and Other Drugs Programme at Samoa’s main prison, Tanumalala Prison, since August 2021. As part of this relationship, I was invited to a talent quest at the prison for prisoners, which was attended by their families. It was an amazingly positive event in a prison environment.

This flower painting—created by an inmate—caught my eye. It has a real life about it. I love the painting because it speaks to me of light

Above: Major Nigel Luscombe with his Japanese door curtain. Opposite page (from top): Captain Julie Turner with her Samoan painting; Sam Coates with his penguin cube; Captain Jacob Howan with his reproduction of a Rembrandt.

coming out of darkness. It speaks to The Salvation Army’s mission to bring light to where there isn’t any.

I ended up meeting the artist and I bought the painting. It’s something special from Samoa and I’ll treasure it forever.

Captain Jacob Howan, Corps Officer, Blenheim Corps

Significant object: Photocopied colour handout of Rembrandt’s 1633 oil painting The Storm on the Sea of Galilee on one side and class exercises on the other, laminated, A4 page.

This picture is pinned to a noticeboard on my desk at Blenheim Corps. I received it in 2015 during my first year at Booth College of Mission in Upper Hutt, where I was in training to be a Salvation Army officer. It was a handout for a class activity, so there are questions for discussion on the back.

The picture shows a dark and stormy sea with waves crashing over a fishing boat. While most of the crew are struggling to control the boat, Jesus is calming things down. In the distance is a visible wedge of blue sky.

The scene is full of meaning for me. It seems that sometimes despite our best efforts, life constantly finds a way to throw rubbish at us. At times like that, it can feel like we are in a storm. Looking at this picture reminds me that no matter what difficulties I face in my life, things will get better.

I think it is helpful to be able to look beyond our current situation.

I’ve taken the picture everywhere with me. First it was on my desk at the college, followed by three years in Tīmaru where I was corps officer, and now it is still with me in my third year as corps officer in Blenheim.

Sam Coates, Senior Graphic Designer, THQ

Significant object: Transparent plastic cube, from SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium. Features two penguins standing on ice, 5cm x 5cm x 5cm. This little cube has been on my desk at THQ since I started working for The Salvation Army in early 2017. It’s a fun item and although it is essentially an Australian souvenir, its real significance to me is that it was a present from my thengirlfriend (now wife), Talya.

I met Talya in late 2016, when I was in my previous job as a designer at an advertising agency. About three weeks after moving to The Salvation Army, we decided to start dating.

A couple of days after this, Talya went to Australia on a pre-planned holiday. It was hard to be apart just after we started dating, so my mind was very much on Talya.

What makes the cube so special is that Talya was thinking of me when she bought it. The object itself doesn’t mean a lot, it’s all about the emotional connotation it has about our relationship.

I brought the cube into THQ in early 2017 and put it on my desk where it has been ever since. I probably wouldn’t have looked at it again if I’d kept it at home. While it is on my desk at the office, it always reminds me of Talya.

We married in December 2018.

The object itself doesn’t mean a lot, it’s all about the emotional connotation it has…

Nomuka Visit

Six months after the January 15 volcanic eruption in the Kingdom of Tonga, the small island of Nomuka still stands in ruins from damage caused by the tsunami. Tonga Regional Commander Captain Kenneth Walker visited the island from 27 to 28 July to assess how The Salvation Army might best assist on the island’s journey towards recovery.

Wellington City Corps Relocates

Wellington City Corps—now known as The Salvation Army Cuba Street—has moved into their new space on Cuba Street, right next to the Territorial Headquarters in Wellington. Work was undertaken to outfit the space and make it usable as a church, with people working many early mornings and late nights. Mission Leader, Captain Daniel Buckingham, said the space was initially supposed to be a temporary solution but realised there was potential. ‘There’s actually no need for us to bang up another millions of dollars building. We’ve got a big building right here that we could use differently. We could reimagine how this space is used,’ he said. The corps is now up and running with an open invitation to all.

Salvation Army Recognises 10 Years of International Day of the Girl Child

Ten years on from its inception at the United Nations, celebrations, campaigns and meetings have taken place across the international Salvation Army to acknowledge the International Day of the Girl Child (11 October) and recognise the position of girls and young women in our world and in the global Church.

Photo: Salvation Army IHQ

Melbourne Staff Band Tours New Zealand

Despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, the Melbourne Staff Band from the Australia Territory recently toured New Zealand from 17 to 20 September, with shows all across the country. The band played music written by Salvationists from around the world and also pieces written by professional musicians who aren’t connected to The Salvation Army. From both the band’s and audiences’ perspectives, the tour was a success.

Go to our website— warcrymagazine.org.nz to access the full news stories, plus further news as it is reported.

Kenya Territories Tackle Drought Crisis

East Africa is currently facing extreme drought and a food security crisis which has been caused by a combination of circumstances. The Salvation Army in Kenya, which is formed by the Kenya West and Kenya East Territories, is finding ways to help people in the worst-hit areas.

Auckland Mayoral Forum

In preparation for the Auckland local body elections, a Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral Election Forum was held in St Matthew-in-the-City in Auckland prior to the local body elections. It was organised by the Living Wage movement and Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga with the purpose of advocating for the wider Auckland community. The four Mayoral candidates heard from a variety of speakers, including Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson from The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit. The key topics covered were poverty, low wages and poor and insecure housing or homelessness.

Queenstown Campaign Takes to the Skies

It is not every day that you see a Salvation Army corps officer jumping out of a plane dressed as a farm animal, but it’s all part of an effort to highlight a serious issue that is leaving hundreds of people in the Queenstown area struggling financially. The ‘#peepsnotsheeps’ campaign is calling for a review of Whakatipu’s Accommodation Supplement Areas which relies on urban boundary data that hasn’t changed in 30 years.

Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill at Parliament

Representatives from The Salvation Army attended the presentation of a petition in support of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Harm Minimisation) Amendment Bill, outside Parliament on 28 September. The provisions of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 have been repeatedly appealed by the liquor industry over the years and many councils had all but given up due to the cost of responding to the appeals. Strengthening the legislation to give communities a say is a key reason for the proposed Bill to amend the Act. Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson, director of the Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, spoke at the presentation, representing the Army’s stance on the Bill.

Fiji Kids Club

Lautoka Corps has started a Kids Club in their community to encourage connections with the children, to reach families for Jesus, and meet the needs of people in different settlements. The club has been running for four months, every second Saturday, with the help of 15 teenagers from the corps. The club started with about 60 children but now upwards of 100 children attend every fortnight.

Official Engagements

Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries)

1 Nov: 15-Year Officer Review, BCM

4–8 Nov: visit to Samoa Region

9 Nov: 93rd Home League Anniversary, Hamilton City Corps, Midland Division (Julie only)

13 Nov: visit to Auckland City Corps

16 Nov: Spiritual Day, BCM

24–27 Nov: Covenant Day and Commissioning, Fiji Division

Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary)

1 Nov: 15-Year Officer Review dinner and Leader-to-Leader Forum, BCM

7 Nov: Retired Officers Christmas function, Palmerston North Corps, (Upper) Central Division

15 Nov: 1-Year Officer Review dinner and Leader-to-Leader Forum, BCM

16 Nov: SFOT Fiji Spiritual Day (online)

Major Liz Gainsford (Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development)

1 Nov: 15-Year Officer Review dinner and Leader-to-Leader Forum, BCM

7 Nov: Retired Officers Christmas function, Palmerston North Corps, (Upper) Central Division

15 Nov: 1-Year Officer Review dinner and Leader-to-Leader Forum, BCM

16 Nov: SFOT Fiji Spiritual Day (online)

24–27 Nov: Covenant Day and Commissioning, Fiji Division

Gazette Summary

Ordination and Commissioning: Effective Friday 16 September 2022, Envoys Malcolm Irwin and Rogena Myrie-Irwin will continue their current appointments with the rank of Captain.

Bereavement: Major Gordon Smith of his sister Fay Drinkwater and his brother-in-law Lindsay, from Stratford, who passed away on Friday 9 September 2022; Major Lazarusa Turaga and Cadet Sailosi Laliqavoka, of their brother Waqa Vakaloloma, who passed away suddenly on Wednesday 14 September 2022; Major Steven Lim, of his father Taeho Lim, who passed away from Hankuk Hospital, Korea, aged 96, on Friday 30 September 2022; Major Lesley Nicolson of her brother Kelvin Ide, from Tasmania, Australia, who passed away on Sunday 9 October 2022.

Reacceptance and Appointment: Effective 6 March 2023, Epironi and Sera Toloi have been reappointed with the rank of Captain, as Corps Officers to Tokoroa Corps, Midland Division.

Quiz Answers: 1. 10 million,

Concrete,

Eiffel Tower,

The Large Hadron Collider, 5. Liberty Enlightening the World.

Captain (Dr) Murray Stanton

The Salvation Army has a rich and varied history which is preserved at the Heritage and Archives Centre (Plowman Research Centre).

This edition looks back 50 years to the life and legacy of Captain (Dr) Murray Stanton.

Captain Shirley Millar’s tragic death in Ahmednagar, India, was sadly not the first unexpected passing of a New Zealand Salvation Army officer in the area that year. Captain (Dr) Murray Stanton was promoted to Glory (passed away) on Saturday 13 May 1972, in Pune, India, seven months before Shirley Millar [see page 8].

Murray’s life and service in India issued from a heart for mission and a dedication to those in need. He served as chief medical officer at the Evangeline Booth Hospital, in Ahmednagar, India, from August of 1971. He was held in great esteem and affection by those he encountered. He was said to have treated 3000 patients in his first three months of service; a reflection of his work ethic and kindness towards those who came to the hospital for treatment.

Murray was born into a Salvation Army family, and was converted at the age of nine, when he swore to live out his life in pursuit of God’s will. He was involved in many corps activities, such as leading a Bible class and participating in the band, songster brigade and the scout troop. Murray’s father previously expressed that ‘from an early age he wanted to be a medical missionary. The moment he was born, we gave him to the Lord, but this was entirely his own choice’.

Doctor Murray Stanton studied at Otago University and interned at Christchurch Hospital. Then, in 1966, Murray and his wife, Janee, travelled to India to serve for a year under a sponsorship from the London Medical Missionary Society. He spent time working at Catherine Booth Hospital in Nagercoil, India.

In 1970, Murray and Janee travelled to London, where he completed a diploma in tropical medicine, as well as a MRCP (Member of the Royal College of Physicians) postgraduate degree, and they

subsequently entered the International Training College. The Stantons were commissioned as officers in 1971, where they were appointed to India, this time to the Evangeline Booth Hospital in Ahmednagar.

Devastatingly, Captain (Dr) Murray Stanton contracted leptospirosis after only a short period in Ahmednagar and was promoted to Glory. Murray left behind his wife Janee (now Major Janee Sawyer), and two daughters, Julie (Captain Julie Turner, currently regional co-leader in Samoa) and Catherine, who is a registered nurse and was in part inspired to join the medical field by her father’s work.

The former Territorial Commander, Lt-Commissioner Harry Williams served with Murray during his time at Catherine Booth Hospital, and shared a moving tribute of the young missionary in the 27 May 1972 issue of War Cry :

‘I mourn the loss of Murray Stanton as of a son in the Lord. Only last year I handed him the few remaining surgical instruments which were peculiarly personal, as he set his sights on a life of service in Salvation Army medicine. He was clever but unassuming; an enthusiast who had the promise of a lifelong dedication. When we first met in Nagercoil six years ago his committal to missionary service was experimental, but there was a humble uncalculating acceptance of discipleship.’

Family

Whether aware of it or not, every family unit has a culture, defined by beliefs, traditions and values that determine how they interact with the world and each other. This can be impacted by your environment, by personalities and by experiences, and this culture can direct the growth of those inside it. If you are not paying attention, it can be easy to pick up some unhelpful practices that don’t align with what you hope for your family, but there are ways to be intentional about how your family culture is shaped.

Habits and traditions that are shared as a family can help to influence culture. Whether it’s celebrating children’s achievements with a treat, making sure to get to church every Sunday or giving kids a mental health day each term, the continuous practices you put in the life of your family will reveal what is most important.

You can also determine and cultivate family culture by considering what values are important to your family. Having a clear set of values can help you make decisions collectively and can help shape your actions and interactions as a family. These could be things like joy, encouragement, honesty, grace, hospitality and open communication.

For Christian families, it is important to think about whether your faith is being represented in your family culture. Do the values that you prioritise in your family reflect the teachings of Jesus? How do you react in disagreements? What are your children picking up from your behaviours and responses?

Consider these questions when thinking about what your family culture looks like:

• What do you enjoy and not enjoy as a family?

• What do you want to prioritise?

• How do you make hard choices?

• What words would your kids use to describe the family?

Leighton,

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My favourite Bible story is: David and Goliath because it shows us how great God is.

If you’d like to appear in War Cry, send us an email: warcry@ salvationarmy. org.nz

Ezra the Encourager

• If you have one, string up a clothesline across the room. Tie it to curtain rods or anything as long as it’s sturdy.

• Clothes pegs or rubber bands are perfect for holding bed sheets and blankets in place.

• Pillows or books can be used as weights to hold fort walls in place.

• Use chairs or the sides of your couch to drape blankets over.

• Create a nest to snuggle into with lots of pillows, cushions and teddies!

Read: Read Ezra 1. After the Israelites were captured and taken by the Babylonians, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and had been in ruins for years. However, Cyrus, king of Persia, allowed a group of Israelites to go back and rebuild their city and temple.

Think: The Israelites had lived for years away from their home and their temple (where they connected with God). Think about when you’re away from home for a little while on a trip. What’s the thing you miss most about home? Is it cuddling your pet, or perhaps being in your nice warm bed? The cool thing about God is that he is everywhere all the time, and not just in one place.

Pray: Spend some time in prayer for those less fortunate than you, who may not have a home or had to leave their home to go to a new country. Thank God for what you have in your life, no matter how big or small. Thank God for sending Jesus so you can talk to him anytime, anywhere.

Do: What are ways you can spend more time with God? Take time to pray and tell God what you’re thinking about. You can talk to him at any time so think about talking to him wherever you go, whether that’s at home, school or out and about. ‘Build’ your connection like the Israelites rebuilt their home and relationship with God.

‘Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.’ Ezra

No step taken in faith is wasted, not by a God who makes all things new.

Rachel Held Evans

Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church