1a_ by The Salvation Army UK and Ireland

War Cry THE

Est 1879 No 6994

FIGHTING FOR HEARTS AND SOULS

1 January 2011

salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

WHOLEHEARTED GIVING New year offers a chance for new priorities

20p/25c

Barbara Windsor as Fairy Bowbells with two of her ‘Dick Whittington’ co-stars

CELEBRITIES COME OUT TO PLAY writes ANDREW STONE

IT’S pantomime season – oh, yes it is! Across the UK familiar faces are putting on outrageous costumes, applying overthe-top make-up and even enduring a custard pie or two in the face as they bring to life traditional stories such as Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Appearing in Dick Whittington at the Bristol Hippodrome, Barbara Windsor is taking her first panto curtain calls since 1995. ‘I have been bursting Turn to page 3

Page 13

NEWS

The War Cry 1 January 2011

NIGEL BOVEY

PARLIAMENTARIANS, staff and visitors I gathered in Westminster Hall for the annual parliamentary carol service led by The Salvation Army’s International Staff Band. As well as providing a selection of festive music, the band accompanied the singing of some favourite carols, including ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ and ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’. The Speaker of the House of Commons, the Right Hon John Bercow, MP, read from the Gospel of John. He then thanked the band for its contribution. ‘Your presence and participation are not taken for granted,’ he said. Commissioner John Matear, leader of The Salvation Army in the UK and Republic of Ireland, prayed for peace, guidance, wisdom and divine strength for all in national public office: ‘Lord, this Christmas-time may the reality be that people increasingly open their hearts and minds to receive you, to celebrate your coming and your continued presence among us.’ After the half-hour service, which attracted a crowd of 300 people, Baroness Stedman-Scott described it as beautiful. ‘It is a testament to the standing of The Salvation Army that so many people want to attend,’ she said. ‘They love the Army and everything it stands for. With poverty on the rise, people need The Salvation Army more than ever, and as far as I’m concerned it is the fourth emergency service.’ The Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who took up her appointment as Speaker’s Chaplain in October, said the service was special ‘because it drew people from all different corners of Parliament. Christmas is It is a time for new initiatives: to seek a wonderful time of year in this public forgiveness and to invest in words of when, space, we can encouragement, reconciliation and love. unapologetically sing This is a time to get things right with “Hallelujah” – John God. Life is a gift. The only time that is wonderful praises to Matear guaranteed to us is now. Yesterday has God.’

A message from UK Salvation Army leader Commissioner John Matear

Get it

right for the new year!

AS the new year arrives it seems many of us intend for things to be different. For those of us in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, 2011 will be challenging. Financial responses to our straitened state have been presented and laid upon us. We have yet to live with the full consequences. It is certainly true that in all areas of life – public, private, economic, emotional – we need more than resolutions. We need solutions. Deep issues, personal and national, need thorough dealing-with rather than cosmetic measures. New year is the time to get it right in terms of life investment – of how we spend, not so much our money but, our time. It is an opportunity to seek forgiveness for mistakes of the past. It is a time to commit ourselves and our future to God. It is a time, with God’s help, to leave the

THIS ISSUE:

OUTBACK HELICOPTER p4

‘I CAN FORGIVE MY PARENTS’ p8

PLUS

CELEBRITY QUOTES p6

past behind us and move forward – to fill our minds with good things and determine to live purposefully. It is easy to let life slip by. But opportunities do not wait for us; they pass. Relationships, including our relationship with God, are a source of wealth. They are valued investments with short and long-term gains. We can build up our relationship capital by reaching out to people for the first time, by renewing old friendships and restoring those that have been broken. Now is the time to consolidate our debts: to drop the grudges, to write off long-held resentments. This is the time to get rid of any dangerous and destructive unforgiving spirit that dictates our actions and attitudes. It is also a time to liquidate our assets: to make use of who we are and what we have. It is a time to invest in other people: to give rather than concentrating on getting. Being of good service to others may well result in us becoming part of someone else’s solution.

GET QUIZZICAL! p7

PUZZLES p12

gone. Tomorrow may never come. January sales will be full of slogans such as ‘must end soon’ or ‘today only’. Jesus’ advice is: ‘Seek first [God’s] Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well’ (Matthew 6:33 New International Version). This is truly the number one priority. Get this right and everything else in life takes its proper place. The new year can be just a calendar-changing event. Or we can take hold of its challenges, commit ourselves to God and make it a life-changing event. I pray for you and yours a God-blessed 2011.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

p14

RECIPES

p15

THE ARCHERS p16

1 January 2011 The War Cry

We don’t have to face our problems alone

Barbara Windsor celebrates her return to panto

From page 1 to perform in pantomime again,’ says Barbara, who left EastEnders back in September. ‘This panto will take me into my 60th year in showbusiness. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate.’ Also among the stars to tread the boards is former TV presenter Cilla Black, who’s returning to pantomime for the first time in 22 years. She’s playing Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre. In true panto tradition it’s not just those on stage who take part. For audiences watching Torchwood star John Barrowman in Aladdin at Glasgow’s SECC’s Clyde Auditorium, it’s a case of ‘it’s behind you, in front of you and all around you’. When they put on 3D glasses they can summon up the genie by rubbing the lamp that appears – as if by magic – in front of them. Audience participation is an essential element of panto. Booing and hissing at the villain, cheering the hero and interacting with the other characters help to make the shows a fun experience. The worries of the world can be forgotten – lost among the scenery, bright lights and music. But when the curtain falls and the house lights go up, many members of the audience will find that their problems return. At the start of this new year, with its economic problems, job insecurities and public-spending cuts, some people face 12 months of worry and fear over what 2011 will bring. There may even be times when our concerns, whatever they may be, threaten to overwhelm us. Then we can feel as isolated as Cinderella when she is not invited to the ball or as helpless as Aladdin trapped in the cave. It doesn’t have to be that way.

We can feel as isolated as Cinderella or as helpless as Aladdin

John Barrowman as Aladdin We don’t have to face our problems alone or feel consumed by them – help is at hand. Millions of people have discovered that God is willing and able to help with any problem. One early Christian writer gave sound advice about going to God with our worries: ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7 New International Version). God cares for each of us. If we

tell him our problems, and admit where we have gone wrong, he can show us how we can get through the tough and challenging times. We don’t need to be alone with our difficulties. God is ready to help us. And with his help we will find the future to be a brand new scene full of hope and promise. God is not behind you – he is by your side, on your side.

SHAIRON PATERSON

4 The War Cry 1 January 2011

g n i Fly thout wings wi Simon and Natalie visit a remote outback location

ISALVATION Army helicopter has gone into service in the Australian Outback. The sparkling white four-seat Robinson 44 Raven II, with the words ‘Christ’s love compels us’ painted on each side, is based at Mount Isa in Queensland among the ochre-red ranges of a huge copper, silver, lead and zinc mining operation, some 1,200 miles northwest of Brisbane. Its role is to transport pastoral care, farming support and urgently needed supplies, including food, to remote properties, many of which are cut off from civilisation for months during floods. Traditional fixed-wing planes are grounded during flooding because they need sizeable strips of secure ground on which to land. A helicopter, by contrast, needs only a small patch of dry ground. The helicopter replaces a series of

Salvation Army padre takes to the skies to reach remote fixed-wing Salvation Army Outback Flying Service planes operated by The communities Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern Territory since 1965. Based at Darwin, writes BILL SIMPSON

the Australian Southern Territory has been operating a similar Flying Padre service using light planes since 1945. Combined, they cover 1.2 million square miles of the Outback. The new helicopter service was made possible by a bequest from Queensland farmer Keith ‘Wild Horse’ Dawson, who died several years ago. For many years Mr Dawson was a supporter of The Salvation Army, especially its Outback Flying Service. He had seen fellow farmers – often deprived and depressed – benefit from the ministry. Last June, Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley officially launched the helicopter at the Mount Isa base. ‘There is no substitute for personal care, which the Flying Padre provides,’ she told onlookers. ‘This is an exciting

Simon and Natalie with two of their children

1 January 2011 The War Cry and historic day for The Salvation Army and Queensland.’ The service assists Australia’s historic Royal Flying Doctor and School of the Air, which also operate from Mount Isa. The helicopter was in service before the official launch. Flying Padre Simon Steele flew to a remote property where the owners had not seen anybody or received fresh food supplies for four months because their farm had been cut off by flooding. He reckons he can reach 15 remote properties a week.

Simon at the controls of the Robinson helicopter

ather-of-four Simon has been a member of The Salvation Army for about three years. He was skippering commercial ferries on Australia’s sun-drenched Gold Coast before he landed the job as a Flying Padre. He was already a qualified fixed-wing and helicopter pilot. Not long before accepting the Outback Flying Service role, Simon turned down an opportunity to fly for another Christian outback group. The job just didn’t seem right. At the time, Simon and his wife Natalie were unaware that The Salvation Army operated its outback service. Natalie says: ‘When our corps offi-

There is no substitute for personal care cer [Salvation Army minister] mentioned the opportunity to me, I knew immediately that it would happen. When I told Simon, he just looked at me and said: “Are you kidding me?” We both knew it was no joke. And, so, here we are at Mount Isa.’

ith Simon flying, Natalie makes sure the service runs smoothly. Two of their children, Isabel, 6, and Joel, 4, are with them in Mount Isa. Natalie, 20, and Halley, 19, remain on the Gold Coast. Covering 800,000 square miles of Queensland outback, Simon tries to visit 10 to 15 properties a week. His mission is to offer the hand of friend-

ship and give practical and spiritual support. He calls at properties to deliver or check if supplies are needed, helps mend fences and machinery, assists with aerial seeding or drops feed to stranded cattle. He also enjoys dropping in for a chat. Simon and Natalie also call in at remote schools to promote the service. ‘I tell the kids that I wasn’t very good at school, but now I’m a helicopter pilot,’ says Simon. ‘I tell them not to feel bad about themselves if they are struggling at school or to let anybody put them down. I tell them that what is important is what God thinks of them. ‘After all, he has given me the best job in the world.’ G This article is reprinted, with kind permission, from The Salvation Army’s All the World magazine

MEDIA

6 The War Cry 1 January 2011

Famous Christians who are not afraid to speak out

NO BONES ABOUT IT

Former EastEnders actress ANNA WING

BBC

In 2010 The War Cry spoke to many Christians whose work places them in the public eye. This is what some of them had to say about their faith

‘My faith has had a far bigger impact on my life than EastEnders. It carries me through the tough times – it’s good to think of God being there for me.’

‘It was the Lord’s decision for me to leave showbusiness – and I’ve never regretted it. In fact, I wanted to leave soon after my conversion, but the Lord told me I had to stay. I’ve done everything, I’ve fulfilled my ambitions. I have no niggling regrets.’

Sixties pop singer HELEN SHAPIRO

NIGEL BOVEY

SailMike/PPL

‘When I’m sailing I can’t control the wind or the waves, but I know that someone up there can. Having God in my life brings such a degree of comfort to me. Wherever I’ve been, I’ve sensed he has been there with me.’

Youngest round-the-world yachtsman MIKE PERHAM ‘I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel that I had a personal relationship with God. But I grew into my faith through the programme and I’m still learning. Faith is not a separate part of my life. It is integral to my everyday thoughts and being.’

‘God places a value on how we treat people, especially those who are weak, downtrodden or hurting. As a Christian, that’s an important part of my belief system. I believe Christians should reflect God’s love to a hurting and broken world.’

Songs of Praise presenter PAM RHODES BBC

Former Test cricketer HENRY OLONGA

‘I feel that God invented laughter. I have Christian parents, and so I had a Christian upbringing. When I was 12 years old I was on a church camp when I made a decision about faith for myself. I still go to the same church that I was christened in – though there’s not a lot of room in that font any more.’

Comedian TIM VINE

‘The Bible is something that everybody should have an acquaintance with, but in this day and age they haven’t – though I think there is an interest out there. I’m a great fan of Paul’s epistles and particularly his Second Epistle to the Corinthians where he says: “We believe, and therefore speak.” I have ‘I try to honour God in everything I do – from the smallest thing to tried to predicate my life the greatest. I’m just trying to show that there is an attitude and on speaking what I a way of living that marks someone out as a follower of Jesus. believe.’ As any Christian working in any environment would, I want to be trusted, whether that is with money or with dependability.’

Football Focus presenter DAN WALKER

BBC

Strictly Come Dancing contestant ANN WIDDECOMBE

QUIZ TIME

1 January 2011 The War Cry

See how many questions you can answer. They are all based on subjects covered in The War Cry during 2010

l a c i z Quiz exercise!

TIME TO GET SOME

breakfast show?

Channel 5 Broadcasting

took over from Terry 1 Who Wogan to become the new presenter of Radio 2’s

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Question 11

What was revealed? Question 4

‘Downton Abbey’ Question 20

Fortuna is the second 2 Oalbum by which former X Factor finalist?

BBC

won the 2010 Six 3 Who Nations Championship? was revealed at the 4 What end of the EastEnders silver anniversary show? were the 2010 5 Where Winter Olympics held? character does Ben 6 What Price play in Coronation Street?

what year did Helen 8 InShapiro release the No 1 hit ‘Walking Back to Happiness’?

NICK BRIGGS/ITV

celebrity won 9 Which Dancing on Ice 2010? Which actor took on the 10Doctor role of the eleventh in Doctor Who? What is the name of the hospital featured in the drama Grey’s Anatomy?

Who won? Question 25

played the part of Who wrote the play The 16TVWho 21 the landlady in the new Mousetrap? series Sherlock? Who plays Lord Who won Ultimate Big 22 Voldemort in the Harry 17 Brother? Potter films?

is the Last year included 12forWhere finishing line 18 commemorations of the London what anniversary of the Marathon?

Battle of Britain?

won the What was the name of 13GotWho year’s Britain’s 19 the single released by Talent the reunited Robbie competition?

Talkback Thames

Which television show has Pam Rhodes presented for more than 20 years?

Williams and Gary Barlow?

which country did 23play?For cricketer Henry Olonga How many years of 24Coronation broadcasting did Street celebrate in 2010?

Who won The X Factor many What was the surname 25 2010? 14forHow teams qualify 20 of the family in Downton the football Abbey? World Cup?

‘Corrie’ character Question 6

album? ITV

ANSWERS 1 Chris Evans. 2 Rhydian. 3 France. 4 The killer of Archie Mitchell. 5 Vancouver, Canada. 6 Nick Tilsley. 7 Songs of Praise. 8 1963. 9 Hayley Tamaddon. 10 Matt Smith. 11 Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. 12 The Mall. 13 Spellbound. 14 32. 15 Praise and Blame. 16 Una Stubbs. 17 Brian Dowling. 18 70th. 19 ‘Shame’. 20 Crawley. 21 Agatha Christie. 22 Ralph Fiennes. 23 Zimbabwe. 24 50. 25 Matt Cardle.

What was the 15Jones’s title of Tom ‘gospel’

8 The War Cry 1 January 2011

My dad put me the streets ‘I

’M told that when I was born my dad boasted: “I’m going to make her into the best little prostitute on the block.” And when I was 13, that’s what he did,’ says Maria Landon, author of the autobiographical books Daddy’s Little Earner and Escaping Daddy. ‘I had a horrible childhood. My first memories are of dad drinking all the time. He was violent and would often beat me and my brother, Terry, with a stick or a slipper – sometimes until we bled. He always told me that I was useless, fat and ugly. ‘When I was six years old, Mum walked out. She worked as a prostitute. Dad had convinced her to go on the game but she left because she couldn’t cope any more. When she went he was heartbroken. ‘As a family we didn’t have much money. And the little we did have went on Dad’s drinking. He never thought to spend his money on food or clothes for us kids. We spent most of our time shoplifting or picking potatoes from our garden so we had something to eat.’ Despite the cruel treatment from her father, Maria was desperate to please him. With one parent gone, she did not want to lose another. ‘Dad had two sides to him,’ she explains. ‘One minute he’d tell me that I was his favourite child. The next he’d say I was pathetic and that no one would ever love me. In public he

MARIA LANDON tells Claire Brine how she recovered from childhood abuse was a charmer. People thought he was a hero for bringing up his children alone.’ But behind closed doors it was a different story. Maria and Terry were neglected. They lived in fear. Sometimes their father locked them in the coal shed. Maria recalls one occasion when her father gave Terry a severe beating. ‘I remember watching as Dad punched Terry in the corner of the room. Terry was about 11 years old. Dad was 6ft 2in and well built. Terry’s body just slid to the floor. The door, which was painted white, was covered in his blood. I’ll never forget it.’ Maria also faced the wrath of her father – for buying margarine instead of butter. He kicked her out of the house, telling her not to come home until she brought back the right item. She was nine years old. ‘By the time I got to the shop it had closed,’ she says. ‘I didn’t dare go home. I

CLAIRE BRINE

Dad abused me every chance he got

Maria Landon

1 January 2011 The War Cry

Library picture posed by model

Maria tells her story in two books

wandered round the streets for a few hours and then tried to sleep in a box outside a vegetable shop. I wished I was dead. It was pitch-black. I couldn’t sleep, so in the end I went home. When I arrived the police and social services had turned up. They were angry with me for making Dad so worried. He was crying, and everyone felt sorry for him. It was awful.’

ut life was about to get even worse for Maria. Her father’s abuse became sexual. ‘I was nine when Dad got me to read pornographic magazines to him. I didn’t understand what he was doing – but I knew that I didn’t like it.’ In Daddy’s Little Earner Maria goes into detail about how her father began to

touch her while she read to him. As she became older, the abuse became more intrusive and more frequent. He always told her to keep it a secret. ‘It was terrifying,’ she says. ‘And it hurt. Dad abused me every chance he got. He told me I mustn’t tell anyone, because if I did he would end up in prison and I’d have to go into a children’s home where I’d be beaten and raped. I kept quiet because I was afraid of losing him. He always said that he was the only person who loved me. But deep down I knew his behaviour was wrong.’ When Maria turned 11 she finally spoke up about her father’s abuse to his exgirlfriend. ‘Dad was arrested, but he denied everything,’ she says. ‘I had to undergo a medical examination. The doctors found evidence of sexual activity but not enough to take the case further. So it was swept under the carpet. The abuse carried on.’ But it was about to take on a new dimension. ‘When I was nine Dad had told me to try on some clothes belonging to one of his prostitute friends. Then he said to her: “When she’s old enough, I’m going to put

her on the game. She’s going to make a fortune.” ‘Our house was always full of prostitutes,’ Maria explains. ‘They were Dad’s friends. I knew that I’d end up being a prostitute because people tend to follow their family’s occupation. ‘When I was 13 I went out drinking with Dad and one of his friends. We got a

Turn to next page

10 The War Cry 1 January 2011

From page 9

takeaway and went back to this guy’s flat. I was really drunk. We sat on the sofa, then the next thing I knew Dad was holding me down on the floor while his friend raped me. ‘I fought and shouted but then I realised that fighting wouldn’t make any difference. So I just waited for it to be over. I felt as though I was outside my body, looking down on what was happening from above. It felt disgusting. ‘Later Dad’s friend sent me money to make sure I kept quiet.’ Not long after the incident Maria found herself working on the streets. ‘My dad plied me with alcohol and told me what to do. He told me to keep going because I was sitting on a goldmine. ‘I used to go over to a car, agree the price and terms with the man and then drive off with him,’ she explains. ‘Sometimes I’d be back on the kerb within 20 minutes. Sometimes the man and I would go to Dad’s flat. ‘I went off with around five or six men on each shift. Afterwards I’d scrub myself clean with bleach. I gave Dad the money. ‘Sometimes I felt that I was putting my life on the line. I had to get drunk to overcome my fears. On one occasion I drove off with a man. Afterwards he refused to pay me. He pushed me out of the car and threw my handbag out after me. He sped off and I was left scrabbling around to pick up my things. I have never felt more cheap and degraded in my life. It was horrible.’

W I used to go over to a car, agree the price with the man and then drive off with him

hen Maria was 15 she met Brian, a man 20 years her senior. They fell in love and ran away to London. Maria started working as a prostitute in King’s Cross, which she describes as ‘terrifying’. She turned to drugs to help her cope. By this time she was also self-harming. ‘It was soothing to cut my arm and see the blood run,’ she says. ‘I felt better when I did it. But afterwards I always felt ashamed.’ The police eventually caught up with the couple. Brian was arrested. Maria confessed to social services that her father’s behaviour had driven her to run away. ‘I told them that Dad put me on the game and that my job was nothing to do with Brian,’ she says. ‘But then the police charged both of them for living off my immoral earnings. Dad got sentenced to four years in prison. Brian got six months.’ Maria remained faithful to Brian and they were reunited on his release. She became preg-

1 January 2011 The War Cry 11

nant and at 18 she had a baby. Motherhood marked a turning point in her life. ‘I promised my son that he would never have a life such as mine,’ she says. ‘I didn’t want to be on the game any more. But I did go back to it on one occasion because I was desperate for money. Afterwards I felt so ashamed that I took an overdose.’

t took Maria a long time to recover from her painful past. After she split up with Brian she re-married. She and her new husband had a child and for a short time life was good. But when he started beating her, Maria left him. ‘I had a complete breakdown. I went for some counselling. For the first time I decided that I wanted to do something for myself so I threw myself into a GCSE course in sociology. At the same time I met John and later married him. But as I became stronger and more confident, our relationship broke down and we split up.’ Maria’s counsellor was a Christian and during their sessions the conversation would sometimes turn to God. Apart from believing that he lived in the sky, Maria had no conception of him. When a friend invited her to church she jumped at the chance. ‘I became a Christian at the first service I went to,’ Maria says. ‘The preacher gave a sermon and said that Jesus died for me because he loved me so much. At that moment I felt this enormous amount of love from God, and I was in floods of tears. There and then I made a decision to follow him. That was nearly two years ago. ‘Today God is my crutch to help me through life. His love overwhelms me. He has helped me to forgive my parents. Every day I am astonished by him.’ Maria’s newfound faith is the subject of her latest book True Identity, which is due to be released later this year. ‘It’s about addressing

I felt this enormous amount of love from God

guilt and shame and finding out who we can become as a result of knowing Jesus.’ The message of Jesus’ love is one that Maria is keen to deliver face to face as well as on paper. Today she is an enthusiastic outreach manager for Step, a Christian charity designed to help vulnerable women rebuild their lives. ‘I go out and meet women who are working on the streets and tell them that Jesus loves them,’ she says. ‘I try to encourage them in any way I can. Each month Step holds a meeting where women can come for dinner and talk. We have Bible studies. We also visit the women in their own homes. They can call on Step for support 24 hours a day. It’s an honour to do this work for them and for God. ‘Every day I pray for women on the game. I remember what it is like to work on the streets. It was the lowest point of my life. But God loved me and was with me even when I was slashing my wrists. Today I know that I am precious in his sight. My hope is that other women come to realise just how much God adores them too. ‘No matter what has happened, it is never too late to start again.’ G For more information visit marialandon.co.uk

Library pictures posed by models

PUZZLEBREAK

12 The War Cry 1 January 2011

SUDOKU

WORDSEARCH

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 Solution on page 15

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to ﬁnd these words beginning with ‘ﬁrst’ AID BORN CAUSE CLASS

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Breadth (5) 4. More secure (5) 8. Exclamation of disgust (3) 9. Consecrate (5) 10. Lid (5) 11. Insect (3) 12. Punctuation mark (5) 13. Pamphlet (7) 16. No one (6) 19. Fertiliser (6) 23. Leg bone (7) 26. Rogue (5) 28. Uncooked (3) 29. Facial hair (5) 30. Separately (5) 31. Automobile (3) 32. At that place (5) 33. Same again (5)

ANSWERS

M R C O H N R B R R E O U P

E F T H G I N C O O A D S D

L P S C H O O L A R G T S E

D E T P O S I T I O N T E M

COST DEGREE DOWN FINGER FOOT FRUITS HAND INTENTION LADY

L I L H T T T O O A I O I A

S S A L C A N E N U D O W N

D N S A O I E E R D A F I F

D O U S F F T F E S E R I N

P S F T F U N S N R R N L E

LIEUTENANT MATE NAME NIGHT OFFENDER OFFICER ORDER PERSON POSITION

E R E R E C I F F O G T O R

E P R I N C I P L E S E R Y

C W L K D T D L R O W R D R

T T E E E T A M P N C A E N

R A S E R G E A N T L F R P

POST PRINCIPLES RATE READING REFUSAL SCHOOL SERGEANT STRIKE WORLD

HONEYCOMB Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. The lowest position 2. Sitting room 3. Sign of the Zodiac 4. Afternoon nap 5. Wind back to the beginning DOWN 2. Fantasy (5) 3. Male spouse (7) 4. Guard (6) 5. Control panel (5) 6. Competitor (5) 7. Explode (5) 9. Breakfast meat (5) 14. Merriment (3) 15. Hearing organ (3) 17. Possess (3) 18. Be in debt (3) 20. Clumsy (7) 21. Choose (5) 22. Coniferous tree (6) 23. Meat speciality (5) 24. Precise (5) 25. Seek by begging (5) 27. Astern (5)

6. Shallow trough beneath the edge of a roof

QUICK QUIZ In which year… 1. Did Heathrow Airport open to passengers? 2. Did Jemini receive no points representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest? 3. Was the film A Hard Day’s Night released? 4. Did the UK enter the European Economic Community? 5. Was the FA Cup Final first played at Wembley? 6. Was the Scottish Parliament re-established?

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1 Width. 4 Safer. 8 Ugh. 9 Bless. 10 Cover. 11 Bee. 12 Comma. 13 Leaflet. 16 Nobody. 19 Manure. 23 Kneecap. 26 Knave. 28 Raw. 29 Beard. 30 Apart. 31 Car. 32 There. 33 Ditto. DOWN: 2 Dream. 3 Husband. 4 Shield. 5 Facia. 6 Rival. 7 Burst. 9 Bacon. 14 Fun. 15 Ear. 17 Own. 18 Owe. 20 Awkward. 21 Elect. 22 Spruce. 23 Kebab. 24 Exact. 25 Cadge. 27 Abaft. QUICK QUIZ 1 1946. 2 2003. 3 1964. 4 1973. 5 1923. 6 1999. HONEYCOMB 1 Bottom. 2 Lounge. 3 Pisces. 4 Siesta. 5 Rewind. 6 Gutter.

INNER LIFE

It’s a

1 January 2011 The War Cry 13

PAUL HOLIFIELD looks at the gifts given on the first Christmas

4: THE HEART

Library picture posed by model

FOR the most part, Christmas is over. The cake has been eaten, the crackers pulled and the cards are beginning to curl up at the edges. A new year begins. Perhaps surprisingly, some of us want to start looking for presents for next Christmas. One of my friends goes out as soon as Christmas is over and buys next year’s presents in the sales. At this time of year retailers want to shift stock, so there are likely to be plenty of bargains about. Gifts that cost so much in the build-up to Christmas go on sale with prices slashed. By the end of January my friend will probably have gathered all she needs for Christmas 2011. She stores the gifts safely in boxes, and at the appropriate time wraps them up and gives them to her chosen recipients. This makes me wonder: Does it mean less if we know that the giver bought our present cheap in a sale 11 months before? I think not. A gift is a gift. Over the past weeks we have looked at the three gifts the Magi brought to Jesus at his birth. ‘On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh’ (Matthew 2:11 New International Version).

WHOLEHEARTED: it is the thought that counts

CAN WE HELP? Just complete this coupon and send it to The War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN

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Each gift has significance. The gold was an offering to a king. The incense was a reminder of Jesus’ role as a priest – someone who stands between humankind and God. Myrrh symbolised his suffering and death. These are the obvious offerings of the Magi. But in bowing down they gave Jesus something else – their hearts. This is the one gift Jesus wants from us all. Jesus would love for us to want to follow him – to give him our allegiance and to make living

life his way our top priority. At the end of life, when we have to face our Maker, only one thing will count – what did we do about Jesus? Some people choose to ignore him. Some people choose to attack him. Wise men and women choose to weigh up what the Bible says about Jesus, and then offer the most precious thing they have to him. They give their lives to him wholeheartedly.

What did we do about Jesus?

We can listen to a friend’s problems

New year offers chances to

We can send The War Cry right to your door

Founder: William Booth General: Shaw Clifton Territorial Commander: Commissioner John Matear Editor-in-Chief and Publishing Secretary: Major Leanne Ruthven

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Editor: Nigel Bovey, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Stephen Pearson Editorial Assistant: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Renée Davis Chief Designer: Gill Cox DTP Operator: Denise D’Souza Secretary: Joanne Allcock War Cry ofﬁce: 020 7367 4900

by JENNIFER HEATON

The War Cry

made us feel valued. Kindness is memorable. Jesus made a name for himself by helping people. He spent time with those who were marginalised. He healed the sick. His actions were so memorable that his friends wrote about them in the Bible. But Jesus did more than just act. He challenged people to follow his example. We may not be able to

In January many people commit themselves to getting fit, losing weight and saving money, which is no bad thing. But when I was looking at popular

resolutions online, I saw several lists containing the idea to help others more. Helping people is not a self-centred resolution. And when we assist our friends and neighbours, they usually remember it. We may struggle to recall what we did only yesterday, but many of us cannot forget those special people who helped us through difficult times, taught us something worthwhile or

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WHAT have wine, chocolates, cigarettes and cream cakes all got in common? They are often among the things that people aim to give up as part of their new year’s resolutions.

perform miracles as he did, but each one of us can carry out small acts of kindness. We can listen to a friend’s problems. We can say sorry for speaking hurtful words. We can share what we have with those who have less. The Bible writer Paul reminded people that Jesus’ Father, God, ‘created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do’ (Ephesians 2:10 Good News Bible). Perhaps this new year we can look for opportunities to do some of those good deeds. To encourage, rather than criticise. To bring peace instead of hostility. Are we resolved to give it a try?

LVATION

Library picture posed by models

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

14 The War Cry 1 January 2011

WHAT’S COOKING? FOR STARTERS

Chilli pork nachos Ingredients: 450g lean minced pork 200g can red kidney beans, unsalted and unsweetened, drained 1 ⁄2 red pepper, deseeded and sliced 500g jar chilli con carne sauce 150g tortilla crisps 2tbsp low-fat Cheddar cheese, grated

1 January 2011 The War Cry 15

THE MAIN ATTRACTION

Sweet and sour pork

Method: Place the pork in a large non-stick wok or saucepan and dry-fry for 4–6 minutes, until browned. Add the kidney beans, red pepper and chilli con carne sauce and simmer for a further 6–8 minutes. Place the tortilla crisps in a serving bowl, then pour the chilli mince over the top and sprinkle with the cheese. Serve the nachos with your favourite dips, toasted pittas, mixed salad, corn on the cob, home-made coleslaw and extra beans. Serves 4

Recipes reprinted, with kind permission, from the website lovepork.co.uk

SUDOKU SOLUTION

Ingredients:

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. In a measuring jug mix together the pineapple juice from the can, tomato ketchup, tomato purée, vinegar and sweet chilli sauce. Pour orange juice into the measuring jug until the sauce quantity measures 450ml. Place the pork and onions in a large casserole dish. Pour over the sauce and

450g lean pork cubes 2 onions, quartered 1 orange pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks 50g baby corn, halved 400g can pineapple pieces, in natural juice For the sauce 2tbsp tomato ketchup 1tbsp tomato purée 2tbsp malt vinegar 1tbsp sweet chilli sauce Orange juice transfer to the oven. Cook for 90–100 minutes until the meat is tender. Add the peppers, baby corn and pineapple pieces to the meat dish and

stir. Return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes. Serve with thick noodles and steamed pak choi or Chinese lettuce. Serves 4

THE world’s longestrunning soap, The Archers, celebrates 60 continuous years this weekend with a double episode on Radio 4 tomorrow (Sunday 2 January).

TAKES A

The goings-on in Ambridge today would have shocked our grandparents YOUR LOCAL SALVATION ARMY CENTRE

writes BRUCE TULLOCH

BBC

Children who began listening with grandparents in the 1950s are now grandparents themselves, yet still perking up to the ‘Barwick Green’ signature tune. In spite of the passing of time – or perhaps because of it – the show is as popular as ever. Up to five million people follow the fictional families of Ambridge, and that figure is growing. Since the soap began its regular broadcasts on 1 January 1951 there have been changes, naturally. Characters have died. Dan and Doris Archer, Walter Gabriel, Tom Forrest, Grace Archer and, more recently, Phil Archer are all just memories. However, June Spencer at 91 is still playing Peggy, upholder of traditional values ever since the initial pilot episodes. The village of Ambridge has also changed. The pace of life in the real world has accelerated alarmingly, and the show has reflected that. It’s no longer a propaganda outlet for government farming policies, and yet the programme still has a professional adviser to keep it on a straight agricultural furrow. The storylines are also kept up to date. Some listeners feel that life in the 1950s seemed much calmer and more secure, whereas the goings-on in Ambridge today would have shocked our grandparents. But feedback proves that Archers scriptwriters have consis-

Radio’s everyday tale of country folk hits the big six-o

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tently succeeded in portraying the atmosphere of a country village and touching the real lives of their listeners. Still, many of us are understandably disturbed by the pace of change in the world. We welcome the benefits of new ideas, but also long for something consistent we can rely on. It sounds like a problem. The Bible claims that Above: God has an answer. As Hayley Creator he is constantly (Lorraine making new things. As one of its writers puts it: ‘Watch Coady) for the new thing I am and Roy going to do’ (Isaiah 43:19 Tucker Good News Bible). At the (Ian Pepperell) same time – as another Bible writer adds – God’s Left: Jack love for us never changes: ‘There is nothing in all (Arnold creation that will ever be Peters) able to separate us from the and Peggy love of God’ (Romans Woolley 8:39). (June That’s why we can trust Spencer) our real lives to God.

The War Cry is printed on paper harvested from sustainable forests and published by The Salvation Army (United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland) on behalf of the General of The Salvation Army. Printed by Benham Goodhead Print Ltd, Bicester, Oxon. © Shaw Clifton, General of The Salvation Army, 2011