why not ask your parents or carers to take out a subscription* for you? Every week, Kids Alive! includes a cartoon Bible story, a competition, puzzles, jokes, comic strips and topical activities and articles for you to enjoy. Ask your parents or carers to go to sps-shop.com/kids-alive, call 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email subscriptions@satcol.org to set up a subscription.
*A subscription costs just £4.33 a month (or a one-off payment of £52). This subscription offer applies in the UK and Republic of Ireland, with 51 copies delivered over 12 months. Please note that different prices apply to Europe and international orders.
DEPUTY EDITOR AND KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku
Email kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk Post 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ
FOUNDERS William and Catherine Booth
GENERAL Lyndon Buckingham
TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Julian Watchorn
Published weekly by The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. ISSN 1363-5662.
In a couple of days’ time (1 July), two tennis players will be dressed in mostly white, stood on either side of a net. One player will hold a tennis racket behind their head, ready to make a powerful serve. The watching crowd will hopefully be silent, munching nervously on strawberries coated with cream, because they’ll be about to watch the very frst match of The Championships, Wimbledon 2024! The United Kingdom’s very own Grand Slam tennis tournament, Wimbledon, will be taking place over the next two weeks, with the fnal matches on Sunday 14 July. During that time, players from all around the world will compete in different events and everybody will be wanting to leave Wimbledon as a tennis champion! There are plenty of players worth keeping an eye on. Aryna Sabalenka has been a force to be reckoned with. She loves playing on grass, so Wimbledon will be perfect for her! She’ll be trying to beat Coco Gauff, who defeated her in the US Open last year. Then there’s Novak Djokovic, one of the world’s best tennis players ever, who was beaten in the 2023 Wimbledon Carlos Alcaraz! There’s no doubt that Djokovic will be trying to reclaim his title as champion. So switch on your television, settle on to your sofa with a big bowl of strawberries and prepare for two weeks of thrilling tennis action!
The Championships, Wimbledon 2024 take place over two weeks from Monday 1 July to Sunday 14 July. You’ll be able to watch matches on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
I’m not a massive tennis fan. I don’t follow the results in matches or tournaments throughout the year, but I always get excited when Wimbledon comes around. Maybe it’s just the excuse to tuck into a big bowl of strawberries that draws me in. Or maybe it’s because it makes me feel all summery. For some people, their relationship with Jesus is a bit like my love of Wimbledon. They might only talk to him when things are tough or only go to church on special occasions, such as Easter or Christmas. Then throughout the rest of the year, they’re not interested. That’s not how we should be, though. Being Jesus’ friend is a year-round love and it’s important that we spend time with him. Even if it’s just checking in every day and telling him what’s happening in our lives – Jesus wants to be part of everything we do.
UPI
/ Alamy Stock picture
Better Than a Holiday
What’s the best holiday you’ve ever been on? I love going camping. There’s something brilliant about putting up a tent in the middle of nowhere and just enjoying the outdoors. Camping can get a bit chilly though, so perhaps you’d prefer somewhere sunny and warm with a big swimming pool.
I’m going on holiday later this year and I’m already looking forward to it. In the Bible, the Israelites were looking forward to going to a special place too! They weren’t just going on a holiday. This place, known as the Promised Land, was going to be their new home! It had been given that name because God had promised a man called Abraham that his future descendants, the Israelites, would one day live there.
About 450 years later, God told Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, that it was fnally time to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites would have to fght to take control of the place, but God would be on their side! They trusted that God had a perfect plan for them and so they followed Joshua into Canaan – ready for whatever they would have to face.
Do you know that God has a brilliant future planned for you? Just like God promised Abraham that the Israelites would one day live in Canaan, God’s promised us that if we follow him, we’ll one day live with him in Heaven! So are you following Jesus? If you are, then get excited! You have an amazing future ahead and it’s way better than any holiday you could ever go on!
says Jacob Adams
Shocking Snapshots
Read the comment on the left about God’s plan for the future
We’ve just been all around the world on a super long holiday. We’ve taken lots of photos but they’ve all come out blurry! Work out which snapshot goes with each description.
Check out your Bible –Joshua 1:5–11, 16–18
Bumper Bible Breakdown
Did you know the Bible isn’t one big book? It’s actually 66 books put together to tell one big story of God’s great love. Join us as we look at each Bible book and discover why God made the world, what went wrong and how in the end God saved the world through his son, Jesus.
God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint David as the next king. David had seven strong older brothers who Samuel thought looked like future kings. However, God told Samuel he didn’t care how they looked. God was more concerned about people’s hearts and David loved God with all his heart. From that moment on, David’s life changed. He became King Saul’s musician, playing for him whenever Saul felt down. David also incredibly defeated Goliath, the Philistine giant. Even though he was still young, David completely trusted God to make the Israelites victorious.
David was liked by everyone, but King Saul soon became jealous of his growing popularity. As a result, David spent many years on the run as Saul tried over and over again to kill him. It was a very diffcult time, but David trusted that God would work everything out in the end.
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KA! JAM is the coolest Bible activity club around. As a member you’ll go on amazing adventures through the Bible learning about Jesus. Each activity sheet is filled with lots of great stuff about being a Christian. You’ll also receive our mini-mag, Chatterbox, which is filled with jokes, games and much more. And to top it off, there are loads of awesome prizes to be won! To join KA! JAM and complete the Bible activity courses online, go to salvationist.org.uk/kajam.
Or if you would like to receive the postal version, simply fill in the coupon below.
To join KA! JAM just fll in the application form and send it – along with two frst-class stamps – to: KA! JAM, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Applicants must be between 7 and 17 years old to join.
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Boy or girl:
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Do you attend a church, and if so, which one?
apply for membership of Kids Alive! Jesus And Me. I understand that joining KA! JAM doesn’t mean I have joined The Salvation Army and that it is not a free subscription to Kids Alive!
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Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday t to You!
To see your name and birthday printed in a future issue of KA! email your full name, address and date of birth to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to type ‘Happy Birthday to You!’ in the email’s subject box.
29 June
Bella Sutherland – age 11 2 July
The Salvation Army – age 159 *
Chloe – age 10 10
Jaycee Coulsden – age 9
Samuel Coles – age 9
4 July
Annaliese Mayo – age 12
5 July
Bertie Hudd – age 8
Pick Out Patch
Wimbledon is NEARLY here! I’m ready to play and watch some great tennis. See if you can spot this version of me on another PAGE IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE.
*It’s The Salvation Army’s birthday this week! To find out more, check out pages 12 and 13!
Optical illusions use colour, light or patterns to confuse our brains – that means the illusions look different to what is actually there.
Here’s an interesting door –is it opening towards you or away from you? The top and the bottom of the door look like they’re opening in different directions. This is impossible in real life – it’s an illusion created by the drawing.
Hoho,hoho!
Identify the mystery item in the magnifying glass
When does a British tennis match end?
When it’s Wimble-done!
Hehe,hehe!
Where do tennis players go to dance? A tennis ball! Hoho,haha,hehe!
Why should you never marry a tennis player? Because to them, love means nothing!
Why is tennis such a loud game? Because every player raises a racket!
How can you tell if a tennis player is happy? If they’re bouncing around the court!
Complete the grid so that every column, row and colour-grouped box contain the numbers 1–6
He he, he he! ÷- ÷ X ÷ + + X ÷ ÷ + - SUPER SUM! X
by Neil Locker
Replace the question marks with an add, subtract, divide or multiply symbol to complete the sum + 4 ? 10 ? 2 ÷ ? 1 ? = 7
Ho ho, ha ha, he he!
What do you call a girl standing in the middle of a tennis court? Annette! 14
What do you serve but never eat?
Why are fish never good tennis players? They don’t like getting close to the nets! Hoho,haha,hehe!
What games do horses like best?
Hehe,hehe! tennis court serve forehand backhand advantage deuce game set love singles doubles the hill ace swiatek jabeur
Stable tennis! What time do tennis players go to bed? Tennish!
by Neil Locker
across:
1 Lower limb. 3 Cipher or secret language. 6 Largest bone in the body. 7 Frozen water. 8 Ray of light. 10 Slide on slippery road, for example. 12 Drawing and painting. 13 Evade. 15 Oak, for example. 16 Mark above the letter i. down:
1 Rescue vessel at sea. 2 Fleshy part around your teeth. 3 Cereal grass. 4 Beverage. 5 Race with no clear single winner (4,4). 9 Church communion table. 11 Verge. 14 Father.
Find the Wimbledon-related words in the grid
cream strawberries
A tennis ball! Haha,haha, ha ha!
ACompetition
brazarse is a Spanish word, câliner is a French word and kuscheln is a German word. All of these words mean the same thing – to cuddle! It doesn’t matter where you are or where you’re from, there’s not much that’s better than a big, cosy hug. If you love hugs as much as the Kids Alive! team does, then say hello to Smooshzees Luvzees! These adorable, squeezable and stretchy characters are softer than a cloud. The combination of a super-squishy flling covered with a stretchy outer skin means there’s nothing softer than a cuddle with a Smooshzees Luvzee! There are eight cute Luvzees to collect and each one has its own colourful personality and date of birth. You can choose from a selection of fun characters including Boltz the Blue Unicow, Sonny the Yellow Axolotl and Willow the Purple Sheep! They’re the perfect size to take with you absolutely anywhere!
For your opportunity to win your own Smooshzees Luvzee, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
Remember to put ‘Smooshzees Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 26 July when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by flling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Smooshzees Competition, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.
What colour is Willow the Sheep?
Name:
Silver Yellow Purple
Address:
THE SUPERNATURALS COLOURING COMPETITION
The Supernaturals is a new book by Andy Robb (who creates the Patch’s Pals comic strips on the back page of Kids Alive!). It’s about how the Holy Spirit can help us to do things we couldn’t do on our own so that we can serve God really well. To celebrate the book’s release, we’re challenging you to turn the design below into a colourful masterpiece. For your opportunity to win a copy of The Supernaturals, email your colouring to: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk Make sure you write ‘The Supernaturals Colouring Competition’ in the subject box and give us your full name, age and address. Alternatively you can post your design to: The Supernaturals Colouring Competition, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. One last reminder, if you’re sending by post remember to fll in the details below so we know who you are.
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
Living a healthy and an active lifestyle and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Founders’ Day
If you’ve read page 7 of this issue of Kids Alive!, you might have spotted an unusual birthday on 2 July. That’s because The Salvation Army turns 159 this year! On 2 July 1865, William and Catherine Booth founded The Christian Mission, which would later change its name to The Salvation Army.
All these years later, The Salvation Army is still doing absolutely amazing things – so this is a birthday that’s defnitely worth celebrating!
William Booth
William Booth was born in Nottingham on 10 April 1829. As he was growing up, William’s family struggled because they didn’t have a lot of money – so at just 13 years old, William was sent by his father to work in a shop!
He worked in one of the poorest parts of Nottingham and although he didn’t like his job, he started to really care about looking after people in need. Then William became a Christian and started telling everyone all about Jesus!
Catherine Mumford
Catherine Mumford was born in Derbyshire on 17 January 1829. She was brought up in a Christian family, and by the age of 12 she’d read the whole Bible 8 times!
When Catherine was a teenager she became ill and had to spend a lot of her time in her bed! However, Catherine didn’t let that stop her from keeping busy –she spent her time writing magazine articles about really important issues.
Fantastic Founders
One day, William came to preach at Catherine’s church. It didn’t take long for the pair to fall in love, and then for them to become engaged to be married!
William and Catherine made a brilliant pair. By 1865, they were working hard to tell others about Jesus and to help people in need. They founded The Christian Mission, which soon became The Salvation Army, and William became its frst general. The Salvation Army didn’t just stay in the United Kingdom. It spread out across the whole world!
The Salvation Army Today
Catherine Booth died in 1890 and William Booth died in 1912, but The Salvation Army didn’t stop with them. It’s still doing wonderful work all around the world today! The Salvation Army…
...helps people who are experiencing homelessness.
...looks after communities by providing food banks and charity shops.
...supports survivors of modern slavery and fghts against it!
...produces Kids Alive!, the comic that you’re reading right now!
...holds church services in 131 countries!
This isn’t everything that The Salvation Army does either! Find out more at salvationarmy.org.uk
Birthday Bash
Here are a few ways that you can celebrate The Salvation Army’s birthday.
William and Catherine Booth cared about helping communities. Why not volunteer to do something to help your community? You could go litter picking or make donations to a food bank!
Raise money for The Salvation Army. You could ask family or friends to sponsor you as you take on a challenge or organise an event, such as a bake sale. To learn more about this, head to salvationarmy.org.uk/fundraise-us
1
Lots of Salvation Army churches have Sunday schools or groups where you can learn more about Jesus! Find a Salvation Army church near you by visiting salvationarmy.org.uk/map-page
If you go to a Salvation Army church, why not have a picnic or a movie night with some of your church friends? Celebrate 159 years of The Salvation Army by having fun together!
Quick Quiz
How old is The Salvation Army this year?
A. 59
B. 159
C. 259
2
A. Beano
B. National Geographic Kids
C. Kids Alive!
What was the original name of The Salvation Army?
A. The Christian Mission
B. The Salvation Crew
C. Booth’s Brigade
Which magazine was created by The Salvation Army?
? ? ? ? ? ?
3 Celebrate The Salvation Army’s birthday on 2 July! Answers on page 2!
Cool Colourings
Wow! This magnifcent Monarch Butterfy Colouring was sent to us by Mary-Rose, aged 6. It looks like there’s been an amazing explosion of colour!
New Junior Soldiers
This dazzling Monarch Butterfy Colouring was sent to us by Hannah, aged 5. The orange and brown butterfy really stands out!
Look at this fantastic Earth Day Colouring sent in by Sophie, aged 7. Those fowers are so colourful they look like they’ve just been picked fresh from the garden!
A junior soldier is a young member of The Salvation Army Bethel, Domita, Michaiah, Tinashe, Rotherham.
The Kids Alive! team were blown away by this Happy Easter Colouring from Tessie, aged 14! We love the glowing sun and colourful Easter eggs!
If you’d like to star in our reader profle section we’d love to hear from you! Get a grown-up to send us an email using the address in the blue box below. Then we’ll send you the forms to complete.
The Kids Alive! team loves to hear from its readers. And guess what –other readers love reading your news! So why not get in touch?
You can email or post your own colourings, drawings and letters. Or you could ask your Sunday school, church or corps leaders to email us or write to us with any news about the fun stuff you’ve been doing at your church or corps. Email: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
Post: Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ
Favourite bit of Kids Alive! Competition pages.
Favourite Bible story and why?
Noah’s ark, because I love animals. Favourite TV programme? Spirit Riding Free
What do you want to be when you’re older? Work with horses. Pets? A dog called Raif.
Hobbies? Dancing, crafts and singing.
Tell us a joke. Why did the horse cross the road? Because it flew across the road!
What special skill or talent do you have? Very good at crafts.
Tell us something interesting about yourself. I am a social butterfly. All my teachers tell me that I am.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I won an award for dance for best improved. I’ve got a medal for it.
WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR TUMMY, PERCY?
I WENT TO THE DOCTOR FOR SOME ADVICE ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT. I’VE BEEN PUTTING IT ON AROUND MY MIDDLE.
I PAINTED IT ORANGE, PATCH.
I CAN SEE THAT, BUT WHY?
BUT I’VE JUST REALISED I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT HE MEANT WHEN HE SAID I SHOULD DIET.
