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War Cry THE

Est 1879

salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

No 7069

FIGHTING FOR HEARTS AND SOULS

A NEW CHAPTER FOR WOMEN? Page 8

16 JJune 2012 20p/25c

S S A L C TEACHERS GET A LESSON IN GRATITUDE

Library picture posed by model

writes CLAIRE BRINE THEY are used to testing their pupils, but now it is the teachers who are nervously awaiting results. For months, students have been grading their favourite schoolteachers by nominating them to receive a Teaching Award. Thousands have received votes online Turn to page 3

The War Cry 16 June 2012

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS WORRIES OVER ADVERTS INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN

Parents have material concerns MOST parents have not heard of the website set up to help them complain about material inappropriate to children, according to research carried out for the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). The ParentPort website was created by media regulators in response to a government-backed independent review of ‘the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood’. The review, led by Reg Bailey, chief executive of Christian ing aimed at girls and outdoor clothing. Similarly, you’d be organisation the Mothers’ Union, advertising, have changed dramati- hard-pressed to find the kind of published its report a year ago. cally over the past year. The code outdoor advertising highlighted as It recommended that ‘regulators of practice produced by the British inappropriate for children to see, should work together to create a Retail Consortium about what because the Advertising Standards single website to act as an inter- is acceptable to sell to children Authority issued new guidelines face between themselves and pretty much killed stone-dead that imagery should be checked parents’ so that parents could some of the more sexualised with a panel on which parents complain when they felt a programme, advertisement, product or service was inappropriately accessible to children. FAIRTRADE TO BENEFIT AT GAMES But the CIM research found that 85 per cent of parents had not heard of ParentPort. It also found that 86 per cent of parents had been concerned by at least one marketing practice targeting children in the past 12 months, and 30 per cent were concerned by inappropriate and sexually explicit outdoor advertising. Reg Bailey told The War Cry that the high percentage of parents concerned by marketing to children was encouraging rather than disappointing. ‘It’s a sign that marketing has become a highprofile issue, so awareness is high. ‘Areas of concern highlighted in the research, such as adult cloth-

Ripe on track for the Olympics

RETHINKING RETIREMENT

INSIDE

p4 COMMENT

HEALTH

PUZZLES

p12

INNER LIFE

p13

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

p14

WHAT’S COOKING?

p15 SIMON RAWLES

News

were strongly represented.’ Mr Bailey pointed out that since the review, specific perfume, lingerie and deodorant adverts had been withdrawn. ‘A year ago, they would have been permissible,’ he said. However, he admitted to being disappointed by the low awareness of the ParentPort website, and he suggested that television channels could broadcast the website’s address. When publishing the new research, the CIM said that it wanted ‘to sit down with the Government to provide clarity and leadership for the marketing profession’. Mr Bailey remarked that in general the reaction of industries to his review had been ‘overwhelmingly positive’, though he had wanted faster progress on the issues of ‘active choice’ for adult content on the internet and age restrictions on music videos. He hoped future research would ‘indicate that there is a significant change in what we find acceptable as a society. You can’t look at the issues in isolation, one by one. You need to look at them as a whole, because they’re designed to make the society in which we live more valuing of children as human beings created in the image of God rather than seen just as a consumer target market.’

THE Fairtrade Foundation, whose founder members included Christian organisations Christian Aid and Traidcraft, estimates that visitors to the Olympics and Paralympics this summer will consume ten million bananas from the Windward Islands and South America and drink 14 million cups of coffee and 7.5 million cups of tea all carrying its Fairtrade Mark. Games organiser Locog insisted that caterers at Olympic venues offer Fairtrade choices. Banana farmer Moses Renee (pictured) of the Windward Islands Farmers’ Association says: ‘Not only will communities like mine be beneﬁting from the extra sales and Fairtrade premium, but by choosing to source from Fairtrade, which trades with farmers from developing countries on more equal terms, Locog is sending out a positive message.’

16 June 2012 The War Cry

From page 1 – and the teachers with the most votes are to be announced on Thank A Teacher Day next Wednesday (20 June). A panel of judges evaluate the teachers, and the winners of the Pearson Teaching Awards will be announced at a ceremony broadcast on BBC Two in October. Ahead of Thank A Teacher Day, organisers are encouraging pupils to visit thankateacher.co.uk and write comments or upload a video with a personal message of gratitude to an influential teacher. The thankyous are coming in thick and fast. ‘My English teacher is incredible and I would love to thank her for enabling me to work towards my dream job,’ writes one pupil. ‘My maths teacher never gave up on me,’ writes another. ‘Thanks, sir, your hard work is much appreciated.’ Even celebrities are putting their hands up to say something. ‘I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my music teacher,’ says T4 presenter Jameela Jamil. ‘She saw in me something I didn’t idn’t see in myself.’ Another TV presenter, r, Kate Thornton, gives a good report of her English and d drama teacher, before saying that a pupil should never hurt him. He looked after his underestimate the valuee of disciples’ welfare, even if a good teacher: ‘For me, it meant getting his hands teachers are up there with dirty. He taught his listendoctors and nurses. Their ers to follow w his his example. exam ex ampl ple. contribution to societyy is He saw their potential. immeasurable.’ But he also knew that folIt’s true. lowing him – and getting it We remember people eople right – would take a lifetime who teach us well, people eople of learning. So he promwho inspire us, people who ised never to stop offering guide us. The lessons we his help: ‘I will be with you learn from them stick with th us always, to the end of the age’ throughout our lives. (Matthew 28:20 Good News Some of the most impormpor- Bible). tant lessons we wouldd do If we want to be a pupil well to get to grips with come of Jesus, there is nothing from a teacher called Jesus. esus. to stop us. He accepts He gave his followers basic everyone who acknowlbut challenging instructions, ions, edges their mistakes such as ‘Love your enemies’. mies’. – no matter what class He expanded their minds they are in. When when he told them it was we get stuck, we can necessary to forgive people eople ask forr help. help he lp. When Wh who hurt them. He changed nge gedd we need a boost, their view of the world d by we can turn to the saying that truly great people eople Good Book for the were not necessarily royal al or answers. rich but those who humbled mbled Whether we feel themselves before his Father, ather, we make the grade God. or not, Jesus is a Jesus didn’t just teachh by teacher teac te achher who never speaking. He also taught ht by gives up on us. Is doing. He loved the unlovelove- it time to enrol able. He forgave those who with him?

A pupil should never underestimate the value of a good teacher

I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my music teacher Pic Pi P ic credit ic cred c red dit it

‘T4’ presenter Jameela Jamil

Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

Interview

ITTING in his cosy conservatory, David Winter is clearly enjoying his retirement. But when speaking with him, ‘retired’ is not the ﬁrst word to spring to mind. ‘Fulﬁlled’ seems a better description.

‘I’ve enjoyed my retirement, especially the past 11 years of it,’ says the author of The Highway Code for Retirement. ‘I have a pattern. I write in the mornings, do some household chores, a bit of shopping, then go out or watch TV in the evenings. I like to go to the theatre and to the football.’

Not

The Highway Code Q for Retirement is published by CWR

RENÉE DAVIS

But retirement isn’t always easy. Many people struggle with the idea. ‘Retirement often takes people by surprise,’ David explains. ‘People have one of two thoughts about it. Some think it will be absolutely wonderful, and that they can go off on endless holidays and see all the places they want to. But even holidays can get boring after a couple of weeks, and retirement doesn’t quite work out like that for most people anyway. ‘Others think it will be absolutely awful, because there will be nothing to do and they will become a nobody. Well, that isn’t true either, because everybody is a retired “something”, whether it’s a retired banker or a retired district nurse. ‘Retirement is all about how you approach it.’ David is keen to dispel one negative attitude towards retirement. ‘Sometimes people think of retirement as a terminus, the end of the journey. In fact, it’s more like a junction,’ he says. ‘Retirement is simply part of a journey. You are still the same person, you still have the same friends, you probably still live in the same house. All you have done is changed trains.’ David knows more about the journey than many people – after all, he made three attempts at retirement. First, he retired from his position as head of religious broadcasting at the BBC in 1989. ‘The BBC retires you at 60 anyway, so I took slightly early retirement,’ he says. But work was not quite over for David. During his time at the BBC, he had entered training to become a Church of England minister. He had ‘plenty of energy for a new job’ and went to be a vicar of a country parish. ‘I enjoyed being in a church ministry; it was more fulfilling for me than produc-

To young people, retirement can seem unreal – something in the distant future. To those who are nearing it, it can be a cause of excitement or panic. Author of The Highway Code for Retirement DAVID WINTER speaks with Renée Davis about how to approach and make the most of retirement

16 June 2012 The War Cry

Library picture posed by model

shy about

retiring ing TV,’ he enthuses. When he reached the age of retirement for the clergy, David moved on to a part-time clergy job. Another five years passed before he finally called it a day.

ow David enjoys his retirement not only by resting but also by writing – something which he has been doing for decades. After studying English at college, David became a teacher. While teaching, he began contributing articles to a Christian magazine. In 1959, he gave up teaching to become its editor. He continued writing during his subsequent years in broadcasting and church ministry. The Highway Code for Retirement – a practical and spir-

itual guide for people who are about to retire or have already done so – is his 41st book. ‘I gladly wrote it when asked, because I do know what it’s like to be retired,’ he says. ‘In the book I tell a lot of stories about people that I know and have met. I’ve realised that it’s good to have interests to keep you going right up until the last minute. ‘A lot of people are so busy in their working lives that they haven’t got any other interests. Most of their friends are at work. So when the job ends, their life does too.’ David advises that the best way to avoid such a trap and enjoy retirement is by planning, financially and physically. He suggests finding

Retirement is part of a journey. All you have done is changed trains

interests that can still be enjoyed after retirement such as gardening, cooking, golf, walking, caring for a pet, going to the theatre or making music. He says it’s important to be positive about retirement and not see it as a disaster. David credits his Christian faith with helping him enormously in retirement. ‘In the book I talk about the three Fs: faith, family and friends. ‘Faith helps you through all life, not just retirement. It helped me most when my wife, Ros, died. She died the year I retired. That could have blown a hole in my life, but family, friends, the feeling that God was with me, and belonging to the church family helped me amazingly. ‘Every retired person knows that somewhere down the line they will reach the end of their own journey. The best way to come to terms with that end is to have a living faith in God and in Christ.’

The War Cry 16 June 2012

Media

Comment

Marketing forces EIGHTY-SIX per cent of parents have been concerned by at least one marketing practice targeting children in the past 12 months, according to research. That ﬁgure was released by the Chartered Institute of Marketing a year after Reg Bailey, the chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, published the report Letting Children be Children, the result of an independent review into the ‘commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood’. Mr Bailey says that generally the industries he examined in his research have been co-operative – something highlighted by the fact that the new survey was carried out by an organisation representing marketing. He feels that many of his report’s recommendations on protecting children in areas such as advertising are being implemented. But he is concerned that the music industry is not moving quickly towards introducing age restrictions on videos. Many parents are concerned by music videos containing violent lyrics or portraying women as objects. They worry that they affect their children’s attitudes towards themselves and the opposite sex. It may be more challenging to legislate on and regulate music and its accompanying videos than adverts. Whereas adverts usually provoke one overriding question – ‘Do I want to buy it?’ – music and other art forms are valued because they prompt questions about love, hate, oppression, happiness, anger, fairness and injustice. Music has great power. But with great power there must come great responsibility. Reg Bailey says his review was not about ticking boxes but about what society ﬁnds acceptable. Clearly, children should be valued for themselves rather than as a consumer target. By treating each other and children with respect, kindness, patience, forgiveness and, above all, love, all adults can be a powerful advert for a life worth living.

Refresh for greens’ web address CHRISTIAN Ecology Link (CEL) – a network of Christians who care about the environment – has changed its website address to greenchristian.org.uk to make the purpose of the organisation clearer. ‘It spells out that we’re Christian, and we’re green,’ says Jo Abbess of CEL. The website provides information on green activities and church resources.

Restoration for Brontë church THE church where the Brontë sisters are buried is to close for restoration, reported the BBC website. St Michael’s and All Angels in Haworth, West Yorkshire, needs repair work carried out on its roof and tower. In total, the refurbishment is set to cost £1.25 million. A combination of public donations and grants have secured the building work.

When the going gets turf UNDER the headline ‘One man went to mow, went to mow a minster’, the Daily Mail reported that York Minster was carpeted with 16,000 square feet of special grass, ready for a dinner to raise funds for restoration work. According to the paper, the dinner celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the York Minster rose, which was launched at the JOHN GILES/PA Wire/PA

Q PRESENTER Diane Louise Jordan marks Carers’ Week on Radio 2’s Sunday Half Hour tomorrow (17 June 8.30 pm) by exploring what motivates people to help those in need. Songs include ‘Be Still for the Presence of the Lord’ and ‘Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven’. The school choir of Eltham College, London, will also perform.

Q THE first episode of a poetic two-part drama interweaving new translations of the Bible’s Song of Songs and Lamentations is to be broadcast on Radio 4 tomorrow (3 pm). Songs and Lamentations brings together some of the poetry about love and violence found in the Bible. The material in the first episode has an historic and war-like tone, whereas that in the second part focuses on a love story. Q THE question of whether social networking has changed people’s morality is being considered by Channel 4’s daily religious slot 4thought.tv next week (starting Monday 18 June 7.55 pm). On Thursday Christian blogger James Poulter argues in favour of social networking sites, pointing out that they encourage spiritual and philosophical debate.

PA photo Chelsea Flower Show last year. The grass was grown in felt made from recycled British textiles rather than soil, so it could be rolled up afterwards without leaving a mess.

16 June 2012 The War Cry

Health

Peas, oysters and cabbage have medicinal properties

Balanced diet makes a difference OLD wives’ tales about ‘life-saving’ foods are turning out to be true. As scientists study the effect of food on health, they are ﬁnding that ideas that were once dismissed as myths really do make sense.

Eating the right quantities can help prevent disease

French scientists have discovered that many of our daily foods contain medicine. Peas can help bring down blood pressure, oysters can help stave off the ageing process and cabbage can help fight cancer. Scientists have also looked at different parts of the world and compared health records with national diets. For example, Inuit people, who eat large quantities of fish, hardly ever suffer from heart disease. People in the Mediterranean, who consume fairly large amounts of olive oil, are much less likely than Northern Europeans to die from a heart attack. Scientists say that people who eat a balanced diet with all the right foods will live longer, healthier lives and avoid many of the diseases that cause premature deaths. NOW that the warmer weather has begun, so have watery eyes, runny noses, blocked

Nature’s remedy for allergies

‘Bad’ foods which are good for us Bread. This can provide vide the fibre we need for good digestion. Chocolate. A small amount can make you feel brighter. hter. Salt. The body needs salt in moderation. Although ugh too much of it can cause se high blood pressure, scientists say we shouldn’t try to livee without it. Coffee. One or two cups ups a day can help reduce thee threat of stomach cancer. Noodles and spaghetti. etti. They contain little and help satisfy a healthy hy appetite. Red meat. It is high in iron content, which combats fatigue. Library pictures posed by models

sinuses and sneezing. Seasonal allergies are the result of the immune system’s overreaction to pollen, grass and airborne fungi. Other symptoms, such as fatigue, abdominal bloating and mood changes, are not automatically recognised as being the result of allergies but are equally rec draining. Over-the-counter remedies may seem convenient but they merely Over-the-count suppress the problem. A better solution could be found in the kitchen. pr Adapting on one’s diet may help to desensitise the body to the triggers. Taking an antihistamine pill in the morning can delay the symptoms an for 12 hour hours at a time, but why not see whether a diet change can help? Nettle has a long history as a treatment for allergic reactions The nettle plant contains complex sugars that prevent reactions. the body from producing inflammatory chemicals. It can be found in various tea infusions. Honey has antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties. Hone It is said to be one of nature’s best antidotes to the effects of pollen irritation. The best kind of honey to use is the locally sourced source raw kind. It can be found at a local farmers’ market or h health food shop. Only one teaspoon a day is required, perhaps poured on breakfast cereal. p Quercetin belongs to a group of plant pigments called flavonoids that are largely responsible for the colours of many fruits and vegetables. It is most commonly found in red onion, apple skin and red fruits in general. Integrating more red fruit into the diet could reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Interview

Church minister takes novel approach KAREN JONES to Bible tells Claire Brine why she wrote about Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace

Karen and her daughter, Sophie

16 June 2012 The War Cry

HEN her teenage daughughter said that she thought ught ones the Bible was boring, Karen Jones looked for a way to make the stories ries come alive. The result of her efforts s is Babe’s Bible, her ﬁrst novel. The story follows the lives of four women – Lila and Mary (who live in the time of Jesus) and Chloe and Grace (who live in the present day). Ass the women’s stories intertwine, so do their problems. They struggle to navigate their way through ough difficult situations, such as adultery and the breakreakdown of relationships. They are prompted d to consider how they feel about acts of mercy and forgiveness. They wonder if they will be ablee to find acceptance within themselves. ‘Whether we are thinking about today or 2,000 000 years ago, issues facing women haven’t changed,’ ed,’ says Karen, who is a Church of England minister liviving in Bristol. ‘Most women want to feel connected to someone or something in life – and they often look ok to a man to give them that sense of belonging. But a relationship with a man doesn’t always deliver that. ‘However, when people get to know Jesus, theyy experience that feeling of connectedness. It is satisfying because a relationship with him meets their deepest needs: to feel significant and secure. I believe Jesus was the first women’s liberator – and is still the greatest one.’ Karen makes no apology for dealing with some of the gritty aspects of the Bible in her book. Through the character of Lila, she bluntly tells the story from John’s Gospel of the woman caught in the act of adultery. ‘I haven’t changed anything about the account as it appears in the Bible, but I have used my imagination to build up Lila’s backstory,’ she says. ‘I wanted my novel to make Jesus accessible to people. ‘Today, people hold certain attitudes about sex that are destructive. A lot of young women feel they need to use their bodies in order to get power from men. Some men recognise their weak- that is built up around him, you see how ness for sex but don’t see themselves as he relates to women, and that is interestaccountable for their actions. Adultery ing. and divorce happen within the Church. ‘Through my book, I hope women So how do we battle through such bro- will gain confidence and a sense of kenness without letting it destroy our identity. I hope they feel they can strip future relationships? I thought these away any cultural or religious barriers kinds of topics needed to be addressed.’ that get in their way. So far, the response to Karen’s book has been largely positive, from Christians and non-Christians alike. She says her novel is for men and women in their twenties and thirties. ‘My publicist said she loved it and also hope that men will be chalspent the entire weekend reading it. lenged to think about how they She told me she wasn’t a Christian, but perceive women. I don’t believe that after she had finished reading it we had Jesus intended for women to lean on a fascinating conversation about Jesus. men all the time, with the men ruling When you strip away all the religion over them. I think men and women

Why did she embark on an affair, if she knew that the penalty was death?

‘I

should be able to live equally together.’ Writing a novel that embraces the battle of the sexes can be a messy business. Karen reveals that she found the responsibility daunting. ‘I was scared,’ she says. ‘The novel is not explicit in its sexual content, but I wanted it to be real. Sex is as much a part of life as worship or compassion, so why do some people in church pull a veil over the subject? ‘When I considered the story of the woman caught in adultery, I found myself asking lots of questions. How on earth did the woman get caught? Why did she embark on an affair, if she knew that the penalty was death? How horrendous was the experience of being found out? Did everyone in the town know what was going on? ‘Then I considered the woman’s life after meeting Jesus. Did she follow him

Turn to page 10

Interview

From page 9 for the rest of her life? I’d like to think hink she did.’ Through her characters and the problems they face, Karen hopess to encourage her readers. She wantss to point out to them that no one is perfect. fect. Even Christians make mistakes. ‘Christians aren’t like the Waltons,’ ons,’ she says. ‘Most people struggle with all sorts of problems, including sexual xual temptation. It was important for me to highlight that in the book, but ut I also wanted to show those who strugruggle that they can find a way forward. ward. There can be reconciliation, peace and hope.’

Christians aren’t like the Waltons. Most people struggle with problems

he subtitle of Karen’s novel ovel is Gorgeous Grace. Although ough Grace is a character in the book, the word also emphasises a significant cant aspect of Jesus’ nature. ‘Jesus was such a gracious man,’ she says. ‘He was a friend of sinners and hung out with tax collectors and prostiostitutes. Grace is about a person receiving ving something they don’t deserve. ‘Some people think they earn favour vour with God by doing good, but his Son Jesus said that there was nothing they could do to earn God’s acceptance. nce. God’s grace was a gift. Sometimes mes this idea is a stumbling block to people, because they don’t want to feel dependent on someone. They want nt to feel they’ve earned their position, just as they have to in the working world.’ d.’ Karen’s understanding of Jesus has developed as she has matured. She remembers first hearing about him when she was a child. ‘I fell in love with Jesus when I was six years old, when my dad read me the Narnia stories by C. S. Lewis,’ she says. ‘I just loved the lion character, cter, Aslan. When I was about 12, I realised ised that Aslan represented Jesus. I wass so excited to realise that Jesus was real, and that one day I would meet him. ‘I grew up in India and Pakistan, stan,

One day I asked my husband: ‘How do you know that God is good?’

where I studied other religions. But never have I come across anybody as amazing as Jesus. He is fascinating. He’s so kind and merciful. He shows huge amounts of compassion to people who feel broken.’ Although she is passionate about her Christian faith, Karen says that sticking with it hasn’t always been easy. ‘I did not realise it at the time, but when I was a child I believed that if you loved God and were a Christian, bad things wouldn’t happen to you. But that’s not true. A lot of good people have bad things happen in their lives. And a lot of “bad” people experience good things. ‘Growing up abroad and moving house a lot caused me to feel that I didn’t belong anywhere. I had trouble establishing my identity and feeling secure. But then I realised that even though life wasn’t easy, God was with me. I may go through times of pain and rejection, but God goes through the pain and rejection with me.’

ne of the most painful times of Karen’s life led her to ‘wrestle with God’. ‘Eighteen years ago, I had a stillborn baby. It shook my world. I was traumatised by what happened and the shock waves continued for some years afterwards. ‘One day I asked my husband: “How do you know that God is good? I don’t know that for myself any more.” Simon replied that he looked at Jesus, because Jesus said that if we have seen him, then we have seen his Father. ‘I said to Simon that I couldn’t read the Bible any more, so he asked if he could read it to me instead. He spent six months reading me the Gospels,

16 June 2012 The War Cry

a bit every day. Slowly, through the accounts of Jesus, I rebuilt an image of the goodness of God. I saw how lovely he is again.’

nother significant experience in Karen’s journey of faith was when she was healed from myasthenia gravis. It is a chronic disease, characterised by fluctuating levels of muscle weakness. Although the condition can be treated, there is no known cure. ‘When I was eight years old, both my eyelids stopped working,’ she says. ‘I had to hold them up with my fingers to be able to see. I had lots of brain scans and tests. ‘Then a man who had converted to Christianity from Hinduism asked if he could pray for me. He put his hands on my head and prayed for about an hour. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, as he spoke in Hindi. One week later, one of my eyelids came up. The other one followed a couple of weeks after that. The next time I had a brain scan, doctors could see no trace of the

disease. They were amazed.’ As Karen’s faith developed over the years, she realised that she wanted to spend more of her life in Christian ministry. She was ordained as a Church of England minister in 2006. Today – as well as preaching and speaking at church events – she devotes her time to writing songs, designing greetings cards and recording albums. Her focus for this year is to write a follow-up book to Babe’s Bible. ‘I’m planning on writing a trilogy, so I’m working on the second book at the moment, called Sister Acts. It’s about the characters Lila and Mary and the role they play in building the Early Church, based on the Book of Acts. Book three will be called Love Letters and is based on the apostle Paul’s letters to the Corinthian Church. ‘I want to keep writing novels, because people remember stories. When I think back to helpful sermons I’ve listened to, I realise that I’ve remembered them because they contain a good story.’

O Babe’s Bible is published by Darton, Longman and Todd

Above: Karen and Sophie outside St Paul’s Cathedral

Left: Karen with colleagues at St Barnabas Church in Northolt

The War Cry 16 June 2012

Puzzlebreak

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 connected with retirement ARMCHAIR BUS PASS CONCESSIONS COURSES

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Little (5) 4. Eros (5) 8. Exclamation of disgust (3) 9. Basis for calculation (5) 10. Thrown (5) 11. Prohibit (3) 12. Main artery (5) 13. Article of dress (7) 16. Flask (6) 19. Wily (6) 23. Staying power (7) 26. Wither (5) 28. Guided (3) 29. Facial hair (5) 30. Seek to influence a politician (5) 31. Reverence (3) 32. Blended (5) 33. Same again (5)

ANSWERS

R P U V R E G P P F A M I L Y

Y S E E M R I A H C M R A I S

T R L G E T H I R D A G E R S

R I A L F B F I N D A R D O D

A P F R I R O S A C E A Y L E

V O T P B P E N S I O N T S G

E E S E E I S E G R D D I N K

EXERCISE FAMILY FREEDOM GARDENING GRANDCHILDREN HOBBIES HOLIDAYS KEEP-FIT LEISURE

L R E L L E L W D H H C N N P

E B A S I E K F F O R H U S G

A Y U B I P V R L E M I T E B

S U B S I C P I X H R L R S L

B O U L P B D E S E O D O R S

H R O T D A E N R I A R P U P

E N R E Y I S D I S O E P O Y

P A R S N O I S S E C N O C C

LIBRARY NEW FRIENDS OPPORTUNITY PENSION PILLS TELEVISION THIRD AGE SLIPPERS TRAVEL

HONEYCOMB Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

DOWN 2. Shrine (5) 3. Muscular rheumatism (7) 4. Alter (6) 5. Puzzling problem (5) 6. Drench (5) 7. Combat (5) 9. Companion of Snow White (5) 14. Encountered (3) 15. Snare (3) 17. Allow (3) 18. Jewel (3) 20. Burdened (7) 21. Void (5) 22. Story song (6) 23. Sword (5) 24. Scare (5) 25. Forefinger (5) 27. Heavenly path (5)

1. Make of car 2. Monetary unit of the US 3. Bargain over price 4. Measurement of something from base to top 5. Fruit from the Chinese tree 6. Late morning meal

QUICK QUIZ 1. What was the name of the boy who befriended ET in the film of the same name? 2. Who wrote the radio play Under Milk Wood? 3. The Queen Mother is buried in which royal residence? 4. In the original version of the game Monopoly, how much money does a player receive for passing ‘Go’? 5. What is the collective name of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po? 6. Complete the saying: Faint heart…?

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1 Small. 4 Cupid. 8 Ugh. 9 Datum. 10 Slung. 11 Ban. 12 Aorta. 13 Garment. 16 Flagon. 19 Astute. 23 Stamina. 26 Droop. 28 Led. 29 Beard. 30 Lobby. 31 Awe. 32 Mixed. 33 Ditto. DOWN: 2 Altar. 3 Lumbago. 4 Change. 5 Poser. 6 Douse. 7 Fight. 9 Dwarf. 14 Met. 15 Net. 17 Let. 18 Gem. 20 Saddled. 21 Empty. 22 Ballad. 23 Sabre. 24 Alarm. 25 Index. 27 Orbit. QUICK QUIZ 1 Elliot. 2 Dylan Thomas. 3 Windsor Castle. 4 £200. 5 Teletubbies. 6 Never won fair lady. HONEYCOMB 1 Jaguar. 2 Dollar. 3 Haggle. 4 Height. 5 Lychee. 6 Brunch.

Inner life

16 June 2012 The War Cry

EDITH was an elderly person affected by dementia. She lived in a care home and spent most of her days wandering around saying: ‘What have I done? What have I done?’ Her permanent feelings of anxiety disturbed the other residents and the staff. There was obviously something awful on Edith’s mind that no amount of reassurance could ease.

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up

She did not have many relatives, but the staff at the care home did track down a cousin and asked her if she could shed any light on what Edith was so anxious about. ‘I think it must be something which happened during the war,’ the cousin explained. ‘Her fiancé wanted to get married before he went overseas, but she said no. He didn’t come back. He died in Proverbs 12:25 Singapore. It weighed on her mind for years, but we thought she’d got over it.’ Knowing that, the staff found they could comfort Edith by saying that her fiancé had forgiven her a long time ago and that she didn’t need to worry any more. Some people carry around with them huge burdens of anxiety which weigh down their hearts. A kind word may not remove the source of anxiety, or solve any problems caused by it, but it does show that someone is listening – that someone cares. The disciple Peter wrote two letters to followers of Jesus in the 1st century. In the first one, he says: ‘Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7 New International Version). Being a Christian does not mean that people are exempt from worries and problems – if anyone seriously thought that, there would be queues to get into churches. What it does mean, though, is that there is support, love and understanding available from an always-present and unfailing God. Sharing our PHILIPPA SMALE anxieties with God may not takes a look at some remove them, but it does make them lighter to carry. of the Proverbs from the Bible And sometimes God uses his followers to reach out with a kind word and helping hand to show other people just how much he cares for them.

New International Version

roverbially SPEAKING

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LOOKING FOR HELP? Just complete this coupon and send it to The War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN Please send me Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army Contact details of a Salvationist minister Name Address

The War Cry 16 June 2012

Food for thought

Experience beats argument every time

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Your religion is a bad joke!

I like the words of writer G. K. Chesterton: ‘I care not if the sceptic says it is a tall story; I cannot see how so toppling a tower could stand so long without foundation.’ Christianity has survived centuries of persecution and ridicule by godless tyrants and sceptical intellectuals. But sometimes people who delve into the faith to disprove it end up becoming believers. When writer and atheist C. S. Lewis became a Christian, he called himself a ‘reluctant convert’. I have read many books arguing for the credibility of Christianity, including works by Lewis, but I believe the most convincing evidence for faith is seen in the man named Jesus himself. So many lives have been radically changed after people have encountered him and followed his teachings. I may not understand everything about Jesus – or the hows and whys behind a person’s conversion – but I believe what I have felt. I know what I have experienced in my own

life. And the person with an argument is always at the mercy of a person with experience. The Bible writer Paul said: ‘I know whom I have believed, and am convinced he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him’ (2 Timothy 1:12 New International Version). The life, death and resurrection of Jesus convinced people in the Early Church that the message of Christianity was true. Thousands of years later, people still experience the power of Jesus, by feeling his love and receiving his forgiveness, which frees them from the burden of guilt for their past mistakes. How can that be a joke?

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YEARS ago, I walked into a bar in the West End of London armed with copies of The War Cry. A man snarled at me: ‘Your religion is a bad joke!’ I didn’t agree, and told him so. Since that encounter I’ve done a lot of living and I still believe that Christianity is no joke – and certainly not a bad one.

by WESLEY HARRIS

B LO

LVATION

16 June 2012 The War Cry

What’s cooking?

BBQ chicken with tomato

Caesar salad wrap

and red pepper relish

Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts, cooked and ripped into bite-sized pieces 4tbsp Caesar salad dressing 1 cos lettuce, shredded 50g Parmesan shavings Salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 tortilla wraps

Ingredients: Juice of 1 lime 3tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 red chilli, deseeded and ﬁnely chopped 1 handful of ﬂat-leaf parsley 1 handful of coriander 12 chicken drumsticks For the relish 1 tomato, skinned and diced 4 pieces of ready-prepared roasted peppers 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1tbsp olive oil 1tsp balsamic vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper

SUDOKU SOLUTION

Method: Mix the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chilli and herbs together in a small bowl. With a sharp knife, make a deep cut to the bone on both sides of the drumsticks. Rub the herb mix over the drumsticks, making sure it reaches into the cuts. Cover the drumsticks and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. To make the relish, combine the tomato, peppers, garlic, olive oil

and balsamic vinegar with a little seasoning, then place in a shallow ovenproof dish until ready to serve. Barbecue the chicken over a medium heat for 20–30 minutes, turning regularly, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Pour any remaining marinade into a small pan and bring to the boil. Pour over the chicken before serving with the relish. Serves 4

Method: Heat a griddle pan and warm a tortilla wrap until it is charred on one side. Place the wrap charred side down on a plate, then spread with the Caesar dressing. Place a pile of chicken, salad leaves and Parmesan in the middle of the wrap and season to taste. Fold the bottom over, roll the wrap sideways and add more filling if needed. Repeat with the remaining wraps and serve. Serves 4

Recipes reprinted, with kind permission, from the Great British Chicken website greatbritishchicken.co.uk

YOUR LOCAL SALVATION ARMY CENTRE

THE other day, as I was negotiating a roundabout, a wagon passed by on the main trunk road. Nothing unusual in that, of course, but I couldn’t help noticing the advertising slogan emblazoned down its side – ‘Salvation cannot be found in a garage pasty’. The word ‘salvation’ was written across an enormous bacon sandwich, and the advertiser was a well-known Danish butter company. The message suggests that when you are ﬂagging, wondering if you have enough strength to go on, a bacon sandwich rather than a pasty will allow you to ‘keep on truckin’’. Driving long distances can be very tiring, and it is important for those behind the wheel to keep up concentration levels with the substantial calories of a bacon butty or something similar. However, salvation can’t be compared to the temporary satisfaction of a full stomach. It is much more radical, more lifechanging, than that. In his book Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation, Adrian Plass writes: ‘A God who can create the indescribable tastiness of a bacon sandwich

We can keep on truckin’ writes JENNIFER HEATON must be planning something pretty incredible in the salvation line.’ One of the amazing things about salvation is that no one is too good or too bad to miss out. The Bible tells us that ‘salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-ﬁlled, God-honouring life. This

One of the amazing things about salvation is that no one is too good or too bad to miss out

new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacriﬁce to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness’ (Titus 2:11–14 The Message). When we’re at a crossroads in life and don’t know where to turn or where we’re heading, God invites us to turn to him and be saved. Through Jesus, he forgives our sin. He guides us. He puts us on the road that leads to eternal life.

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. © Linda Bond, General of The Salvation Army, 2012

WILF WRETHAM

Rasher hour