SALVATIONIST For everyone linked to The Salvation Army
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salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist 11 December 2021
Graduation day Celebrating the class of 2021
PLUS
A BYGONE SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS
SEE PAGES 14 AND 15
QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA
FOOD BANK USE REMAINS HIGHER THAN PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, TRUSSELL WARNS
LOOK OUT LADBABY, CHURCH OF ENGLAND CHOIR IS COVETING YOUR CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE
The need for food banks in the UK remains well above pre-pandemic levels, the Trussell Trust has warned. The charity reported … that more than 5,100 emergency food parcels a day were given out during the six months to September – an 11 per cent increase on the same period in 2019. The latest figures … suggest that families with children have been the worst affected. In the six months from April 2021, 935,749 parcels were handed out. Of these, 356,570 were given for children, an average of 2,000 parcels a day, compared with almost 1,700 in 2019… Winter is the busiest time of the year for the Trussell Trust, especially around Christmas. Its network of food banks expect to hand out more than 7,000 food parcels each day in December. The universal credit cut earlier this year, rising fuel costs and inflation exacerbate the situation, forcing parents to skip meals to pay for food for their children or heat the home, the charity reports. Its chief executive, Emma Revie, urged the government to strengthen the social security system and called for public donations. ‘Everyone in the UK should be able to afford the essentials – to buy their own food and heat their homes.’
Only divine intervention will stop Adele, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Abba or the bookmakers’ favourite, LadBaby, from bagging Christmas No 1, but one unlikely artist claims to have God on side. The Church of England has released its first Christmas single, working with Classic FM to commission a new version of the carol ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’. It was composed by Rebecca Dale, who has topped the classical charts, and recorded by St Martin’s Voices, a choir at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London. Martin Hoyle, a social media performer known as LadBaby, has secured the top spot for three years... He is the favourite again this year... Bookmakers had not yet appeared to take into account the church’s offering...
The Evangelical Alliance’s Changing Church report, which surveyed 552 church leaders and 1,676 church members, reveals a significant shift in the habits of churchgoers since the start of the pandemic… The research finds that attendance at weekly in-person services has dropped by 32 per cent… This finding was also reflected in what individual respondents reported about their own church attendance, with 92 per cent saying they had attended church services in person on a weekly basis prior to the pandemic, but only 68 per cent saying they do so now. This is contrasted by a 16 per cent rise in fortnightly and monthly in-person church attendance… The research also reveals that changing patterns of church attendance have had an impact on giving, volunteering and youth work. Some 60 per cent of church leaders report a decrease in giving. Only 15 per cent said this had increased, while one in five (19 per cent) said it had stayed the same.
Church Times
Christian Today
SALVATIONIST
The Times
EDITOR Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts – 020 7367 4901 MANAGING EDITOR Ivan Radford – 020 7367 4891 EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Simon Hope – 020 7367 4892 Melita Day-Lewis – 020 7367 4887 Major Margaret Bovey ART DIRECTOR Hannah Holden – 020 7367 4883 GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mark Knight – 020 7367 4895 Louise Phillips – 020 7367 4896 PROOFREADER Chris Horne
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Salvationist 11 December 2021
The co-director of a charity which supports refugees when they arrive in the UK says there needs to be a more Christian response to the crisis. Phil Kerton from Seeking Sanctuary says politicians should think about the individual lives of people trying to make the journey from France to the UK… ‘There needs to be a people-centred solution that is based on Christian values. If you look at the parable of the good Samaritan – he saw someone who was from a hated alien race in trouble and he made certain that he was looked after, that his needs were looked after. His first reaction was to treat the person as a human being with a humanitarian response.’ Premier
ATTENDANCE AND GIVING SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY PANDEMIC, STUDY FINDS
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THINK OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN – CHARITY HEAD SAYS CHRISTIAN RESPONSE IS NEEDED TO SOLVE THE REFUGEE CRISIS
THE SALVATION ARMY FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL Brian Peddle TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Commissioner Anthony Cotterill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PUBLISHING SECRETARY Major Mal Davies
CONTACT SALVATIONIST 020 7367 4890 salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk Find Salvationist on Facebook SalvationistOnline Find Salvationist on Twitter @SalvationistUK
CONTENTS
LIFELONG LEARNING
Quotes from the media
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News
4 to 7
Prayer matters
7
News feature 8 and 9 Graduates celebrate success by Major Carolyn Clampton
WHEN he was chief rabbi the late Lord Jonathan Sacks said, ‘Never stop learning. I once met a woman who was 103 and yet who still seemed youthful. What, I asked her, was her secret? She replied, “Never be afraid to learn something new.”’ That could be the motto of the 16 graduates featured in this week’s Salvationist, even though they are quite a bit younger than 103. They were recently awarded their pastoral care with psychology degrees in a special ceremony at William Booth College. They completed the course while busily engaged in their officer appointments, which, as anyone who has studied while working full-time will know, is quite a challenge. But it was also a key ingredient in their achievement because the course required them to reflect on pastoral issues, learning from real-life situations. That meant their academic study was informed by their day-to-day work and their pastoral care was enhanced by what they learnt. Major Jason Snell points out how helpful this was: ‘The learning, which was always applied practically through the assessments, has already enabled my understanding and practice of pastoral care in so many ways.’ Learning from experience is not limited to academic study – it is something we can do in our daily lives. In another article based on The All Terrain Podcast, Matt Little explores the question: ‘How do we move through suffering?’ Hard as the trials we face might be, they do provide some of the greatest learning opportunities. Matt highlights the experiences of two guests on the podcast, including the territorial commander, who spoke about being involved in the Army’s response to the Lockerbie plane disaster in December 1988. He said that experience helps him cope with suffering today: ‘I can face that suffering, knowing that God is right there in the midst of it with me.’ Other articles this week touch on the issue of learning. In their third Advent reflection Ron Thomlinson and the Rev James Macfarlane look at what Hollywood Christmas ‘schmaltz’ can teach us. William Booth’s letter to Salvationists in 1907 focuses on the need to walk in the light. He outlines the ways in which we discover God’s will for our lives and encourages us to obey it continually. The dawning of light is a good image of learning and understanding, and that theme is continued in the Bible study by Major Liesl Baldwin, who looks at the coming of Jesus, ‘the true light’ ( John 1:9). She considers the way John the Baptist learnt to respond to the light of Jesus and ‘worked out how to be a witness’. Every follower of Jesus is called to be a learner. The Greek word for ‘disciple’, mathétés, means ‘learner’ and the key part of that word is math, which, according to Strong’s Concordance, means the ‘mental effort needed to think something through’. We will never run short of things to think through and learn from – life provides a rich curriculum! And as disciples of Jesus we have additional material to understand about the nature of God and living as part of his Kingdom. Discipleship, like the graduates’ course, is on-the-job learning – discovering by doing, learning from experience, making mistakes but learning from them and facing problems but growing through them. So, as with that 103-year-old, may we never stop learning.
Advent reflection Spotting angels
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by Ron Thomlinson and the Rev James Macfarlane
A word from William Walking in the light
11
Photo feature 2021 in pictures
12 and 13
Feature Our Christmas tree
14 and 15
by Steven Spencer
All Terrain questions 16 and 17 How do we move through suffering? by Matt Little
Bible study Reflecting true light
18 and 19
by Major Liesl Baldwin
Through the week with 18 and 19 Salvationist by Lieut-Colonel Ray Oakley
New commitments
20
Adverts
21 and 23
Announcements
22 and 23
The Salvation Army and me
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featuring Sam Smith
COVER PICTURE PAUL HARMER
From the editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS Scripture quotations in Salvationist are from the New International Version (2011), unless otherwise stated
Salvationist 11 December 2021
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NEWS
ANNIVERSARY STAINES After 18 months of being unable to meet due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the corps gathered to celebrate 25 years of worship in its current hall and community centre. The anniversary weekend started with a fireworks display with parents and children who take part in the midweek activities invited. More than 100 people attended and enjoyed light refreshments. The celebrations continued with a video of the hall’s opening, featuring the then territorial commander, Commissioner Dinsdale Pender, cutting the ribbon, accompanied by Dionne Morgan, the newest junior soldier at the time. After the video, Dionne and Commissioner Winifred Pender cut a bright red ribbon draped across a large picture of the building, which was positioned on the platform. A montage of corps activities was then placed over the picture. The band and songsters brought music old and new, reminding everyone present that God continues to work through all that they do in his name. The Unison Choir, the newly renamed singing company, shared ‘I’ll Stand for Christ’ and Commissioner Bill Cochrane provided a timely reminder that a church is not a building but the people in it. – AR
EVENT MERTHYR TYDFIL The Christmas Fayre was well attended and supported by friends from a nearby care home who attend each Sunday. Christmas gift stalls, cakes and festive refreshments were on offer and the band played carols. The event raised more than £500 for the community fund. – LB
Salvationist wants to hear your news Corps press representatives can email salvationist@ salvationarmy.org.uk. Good quality pictures will be included.
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Salvationist 11 December 2021
COMMUNITY
STRAWBERRY FIELD A Hopefulness course, written by Fresh Expression team member Karen Carter, underwent a successful pilot. The six-session course centred on Strawberry Field’s aim to be an inclusive community with God at the centre. The hourly sessions explored how to cultivate and nurture hopefulness amid life’s ups and downs, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Participants connected with what hopefulness meant to them, took time to be still and imagine more hopefulness, got involved in a creative activity and took action to jump-start a sense of hope. The course will run again in January 2022. – LB
FUNDRAISING
WOKING A capacity congregation enjoyed a Covid-safe concert by the Friary Band, organised by Major John Martin, which raised approximately £600 for the Big Collection. Music items ranged from ‘Prelude to an Occasion’ to ‘Just As I Am’ and included solos performed by Lauren Straker (flugelhorn), Chris Straker (euphonium) and Izzy Daws (trombone). – MH
ANNIVERSARY
50
years of mission in Bangladesh SEE PAGE 6
£735
raised for corps funds LEEDS WEST HUNSLET Commissioners Dorita and John Wainwright led a meeting of praise and salvation in celebration of the 137th corps anniversary. They spoke of God’s blessings and invited members to share their thanks for what the Lord has done for them. After the meeting the commissioners shared in lunch to thank God for 137 years of faithful service in the area. Covid-19 restrictions were observed by using larger tables to enable social distancing, but this did not dampen members’ enthusiasm as everyone celebrated another milestone in the history of the corps. – LM
SEE PAGE 7
2.2
miles walked for Big Collection SEE PAGE 7
ANNIVERSARY
Celebrating 130 years BALHAM THE 130th corps anniversary celebration was heralded by a composite band on the forecourt, which attracted some enthusiastic spectators. During the meeting, the congregation enjoyed worshipping through well-loved songs and celebrated blessings past and present. Music items included solos by Peter Bale (saxophone) and Denise (euphonium) and songs by the African choir and children’s singing group. At the end of the meeting, the children marched in with bricks while the congregation sang ‘For I’m Building a People of Power’ (SASB 813). This symbolised the building up of the church and the
anticipation of God’s blessings in the future. The meeting included an inspiring video message from Territorial Commander Com-
missioner Anthony Cotterill and concluded with joyful and Spiritfilled singing of ‘To God Be the Glory’ (SASB 279) with cries of ‘Hallelujah’ and a spontaneous
chorus of ‘Give to Jesus Glory’. Following the meeting, more than 80 revellers made their way to the Lochinvar Hall, where an afternoon tea awaited them. – JM
PRESENTATION Lurgan corps officers Majors Ann and Russell Tucker present a certificate of appreciation and flowers to Yvonne Bentley as she retires after 31 years’ service as home league secretary
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COMMUNITY SALISBURY The corps is enjoying another fruitful partnership with The Entertainer, which is supporting the Christmas appeal by matching donations made by its customers. The partnership is part of a national initiative by the toy shop chain and the Army. Last year the corps supported more than 100 families. This year it has already received more requests for help from health visitors and family workers who distribute the gifts. The corps has also established strong links with schools in the area, which support the appeal and provide opportunities for corps officer Captain Martin Davison to explain the Army’s values. – MD Salvationist 11 December 2021
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NEWS
INTERNATIONAL
PRESENTATION Chatham Salvationist Joan West retires after 27 years’ service as a prison chaplain and receives a certificate of appreciation from Divisional Commander Major Mark Herbert
OUTREACH SHEFFIELD CITADEL Soldier Helen Kayani was invited to St Chad’s 127th Brownies, which she attended as a child, to talk about The Salvation Army. The girls had worked hard for their Charities Interest badge, decorating bags and filling them with Christmas edibles for the corps food bank, along with a message of friendship. Helen thanked them for their generosity and was asked to return for another talk about the Army with the Guides. – GB
FUNDRAISING NORTHERN IRELAND The 2021 Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Family Appeal is under way. The joint Christmas appeal has helped families enjoy a brighter Christmas for more than 40 years. With one in four children impacted by the pandemic and living in poverty, demand for support this year is expected to be at a record high. Thousands of toys have been donated in previous years. However, due to the pandemic, the toy collection has been replaced by the opportunity to make an online donation. Divisional Commander Colonel Neil Webb said: ‘We are inspired by the Christmas message to reach out to people in need. Through our community work, we have seen first-hand the impact of the pandemic on the families we support. That’s why we look forward to working with our good friends at St Vincent de Paul again to bring Christmas cheer to children and young people who might otherwise go without.’ – AR 6
Salvationist 11 December 2021
Army celebrates 50 years of mission BANGLADESH A VIRTUAL visit by General Brian Peddle and World President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Rosalie Peddle was a highlight of the Bangladesh Command’s 50th anniversary celebrations. More than 100 officers and cadets met in person in Savar, in the Dhaka District, with some people meeting together for the first time in almost two years. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, larger numbers were not allowed to gather, so streaming the meetings online was important to reach as many people as possible. The meeting was filled with joy and thanksgiving to the Lord for half a century of God-inspired ministry. The Salvation Army’s work in the command began after emergency responses to a cyclone in 1970 and a refugee crisis in 1971. This history was explored but consideration was also given to the present situation and future vision for the command. Cadets sang a group song and sent traditional ‘showers of blessing’ by throwing flower leaves into the congregation. A group of officers praised God with timbrels and the congregation danced and made music. The General and Commissioner Rosalie shared greetings and congratulations from London in an online video. In his Bible message, the General called on Salvationists to be obedient, believe and surrender to God. He encouraged his listeners, reminding them that God will not abandon his people and that he is too powerful to fail. The officer commanding, Lieut-Colonel Zothanmawia Khiangte, shared Matthew 6:33: ‘All these things shall be added to you’ (New King James Version). He said that this will only happen when God’s people seek his Kingdom. When a call to the mercy seat was made, officers and cadets moved forward to pray together and surrender their lives again to the Lord. The celebrations continued with gatherings taking place in the Dhaka and South Western Districts. There are plans for an event in 2022 that will include other churches and organisations. – AVH
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COMMUNITY
ADVENT FOCUS
by Major Simon Clampton (Overseas Services Unit)
SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER – ‘HE KNOWS OUR NEED, HE GUARDETH US FROM DANGER; BEHOLD YOUR KING!’ Saviour, Lord and King, you know us all by name. We come to you as needy individuals knowing all our needs can be met in you. Protect us, shield our souls from sin and harm, and enfold us in your loving arms, we pray. Amen. Clowne Salvation Army Girls Adventure Corps prepare Christmas shoeboxes as part of an appeal that provides gifts for vulnerable families who would otherwise have no presents at Christmas
SUNDAY 12 DECEMBER – ‘WORSHIP WE THE GODHEAD, LOVE INCARNATE, LOVE DIVINE’ Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we worship and adore you, for by your great love you have made us yours. You gave your all to save us, and in return it is only right that the little we have we offer back to you. Amen. MONDAY 13 DECEMBER – ‘HE HATH OP’ED THE HEAV’NLY DOOR, AND MAN IS BLESSÈD EVERMORE’ Lord, you have opened the life gate of Heaven that all may go in. Help us to follow in your steps on Earth and lead us on the path of life to Heaven that you have prepared for us so we can dwell with you for eternity. Amen.
FUNDRAISING CLOWNE The Christmas Crafts Coffee Morning returned this year with a bang, with a staggered attendance of more than 100 people. The range of stalls included cakes, bric-a-brac, games and toiletries. Tea, coffee, bacon butties, mince pies and stollen were also on offer. More than £735 was raised for corps funds. Mandatory face masks and ‘at table’ orders ensured a Covid-safe environment. – GH
FUNDRAISING
TUESDAY 14 DECEMBER – ‘LIGHT AND LIFE TO ALL HE BRINGS, RISEN WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS’ Lord, in love, shine on each of us to heal and cleanse us from all sin and dross to bring us new life through your Spirit. May your light, life and love be seen in us so that others will be drawn to you. Amen. WEDNESDAY 15 DECEMBER – ‘SUFFERING SAVIOUR, GLORIOUS RISEN LORD’ Lord, you were born to die for us all. You came not to be served but to serve. But the victory is all yours, for you have conquered death and sin. Just now, we bring our lives as an offering to you as our Servant King, Lord and Saviour. Amen. THURSDAY 16 DECEMBER – ‘CAST OUT OUR SIN, AND ENTER IN, BE BORN IN US TODAY’ O Lord, save us, set us free from all the sin in our lives, which leads to death. Recreate us through your Spirit. Come into our lives and our hearts afresh right now and set us on the path to life. Amen.
Wallsend Corps 8th Brownies unit receive their Charities Interest badge by completing a sponsored walk of 2.2 miles and raising more than £600 for the Big Collection
FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER – ‘THOU MUST LEAVE THY LOWLY DWELLING, THE HUMBLE CRIB, THE STABLE BARE’ Thank you, heavenly Lord, that you were born as a babe in Bethlehem, but you became the Christ of Calvary. Help us to remember you are no longer in the manger nor still on the cross, for you live and reign within our hearts. Amen. O A PDF of the Prayer Matters booklet is also available to download from salvationarmy.org.uk/resources Salvationist 23 October 2021 Salvationist 2 October 2021
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Pictures: PAUL HARMER
NEWS FEATURE
Graduates celebrate success WILLIAM BOOTH COLLEGE THE Assembly Hall was the venue for an afternoon of celebration and recognition of the graduates of the BA and BA (Hons) Pastoral Care with Psychology degree, reports Major Carolyn Clampton (WBC). Major Jean Loxley, director of the School for In-Service Training and Development (SISTAD), welcomed numerous guests to the event including territorial leaders Commissioners Anthony and Gill Cotterill, Chief Secretary Colonel Paul Main and Territorial Secretary for Leader Development Colonel Jenine Main. The degree programme is specifically designed for Salvation Army officers wanting to develop their academic knowledge, understanding and experience of pastoral care in their faith-based settings. It is validated by the Open University and delivered at William Booth College by SISTAD’s Higher Education Team, in partnership with Havering College. The 16 graduates have studied for this practice-based degree alongside their full-time ministry appointments, the final 8
Salvationist 11 December 2021
The TC congratulates Major Paula Carré 12 months of this coinciding with the additional challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. That they all successfully completed their studies is testimony to their commitment, discipline and dedication. Before congratulating each graduate individually, the territorial commander addressed the cohort, acknowledging the
personal cost, and sometimes burden, of study. However, this was balanced against the rewards, not so much in terms of qualifications, but in terms of offering themselves to God, better equipped to minister and serve him within the Army. Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Territorial Chaplaincy Support Officer
Captain Teresa Conway
In their own words
Major Keith Burr
Major Keith Burr (Older People’s Services) recounted how studying for this degree transformed his pastoral care, both in how he understood himself and approached others. Captain Teresa Conway (Stroud) spoke of the personal sense of achievement the degree brought her. She expressed delight and surprise that she was the holder of a degree that had enabled her to flourish, increasing her confidence and changing her ministry beyond recognition. They both paid tribute to families, colleagues, tutors and the administrative teams for the varied support they received during their learning experiences. Special words of thanks were given to Major Wendy Knott and Major Heather Yates, both of whom recently retired from their involvement in the degree programme after sharing their expertise and knowledge with students for many years. Lieut-Colonel Judith Payne, principal of William Booth College, concluded the afternoon by thanking everyone involved in the delivery of the degree and made special mention of Major Tom Stirling who was instrumental in establishing the programme in 2005. Music provided by musicians from Staines Corps under the leadership of Ian Jeffery reflected the dignity and joy of the afternoon. The final congregational song, ‘I, the Lord of Sea and Sky’ (SASB 1002), summed up the desire of all the graduates to be available to God and hold his people in their hearts.
MAJOR JASON SNELL PENGE I REMEMBER my journey home after the first residential week – an intense time of learning and processing new information. I sat on the train and thought, ‘What have I let myself in for?’ I experienced anxiety and panic. In truth, some of those feelings never went away, but with help and encouragement from the tutors I have graduated. Space does not permit me to write about all the things I have learnt and been able to build into my practice. Nevertheless, the learning, which was always applied practically through the assessments, has already enabled my understanding and practice of pastoral care in so many ways. The dissertation process was helpful in exploring a question I had been wrestling with for a few years and was one of the reasons I joined the cohort. It is hard work, but it is worth it!
It is hard work, but it is worth it!
CAPTAIN CHERYL STONE NORTHAMPTON I CHOSE to study this degree hoping that it would have a direct relevance to ministry. From the very first class, the psychological approaches to pastoral care have given me an insight into situations and a deeper awareness. The study was well paced and the breadth of subjects taught was highly relevant. It was a supportive learning environment thanks to both my tutors and peers. Apart from essays, the course provided some creative opportunities, for example an academic poster, media report and group presentation. These allowed me to develop my presentation skills as well as explore a range of academic skills. Choosing to study subjects such as forgiveness and grief has broadened my understanding so that these insights can speak into my pastoral care and inform the language I use in my preaching. For my dissertation I used a framework from positive psychology to research flourishing in ministry. Researching this has widened my thinking. I pray that I will continue to learn and use the skills and knowledge I have attained to help others.
O For
information about this course and non-degree courses open to everyone call 020 7326 2780, visit sistad.org or email sistad@salvationarmy.org.uk Salvationist 11 December 2021
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ADVENT REFLECTION
Spotting angels Ron Thomlinson and the Rev James Macfarlane continue a series of reflections for Advent
R
ON, the greatest Christmas song of all time is, in my opinion, ‘White Christmas’. Bing Crosby’s version alone has sold at least 50 million copies. Add other recordings of the song to that and the figure becomes astronomical. Sentimental slush with no real religious content! That’s the judgement you might expect to hear from me, and so it was until I read a reminiscence from Crosby’s nephew, Howard. He asked his uncle about the most difficult thing he ever had to do. The reply detailed one occasion when he had to hold back tears while singing that song. More slush, you might say. Perhaps, perhaps not. It was December 1944. The place was northern France. His audience was 100,000 soldiers on the brink of what became the Battle of the Bulge. Although he restrained his tears, countless people listening could not. Many would never return home. The last reminder they had of family ties was that refrain: ‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…’ Would you call that schmaltz? What about Cary Grant as an angel in the delightful Christmas classic, The Bishop’s Wife? Cary Grant doesn’t feature in any Nativity paintings that I have seen, but if you asked people to name an angel in the golden age of Hollywood, Cary might have been there alongside Gabriel. In the film he plays Dudley, who is sent to fix the misguided cathedral building project of a bishop played by David Niven. We get to recognise Dudley as angelic because he can do tricks. He is able to decorate Christmas trees with the wave of a hand and sort out disordered files that fly through the air into their correct holders – not to mention the down-atheel professor whose hospitality bottle never runs dry after Dudley has sipped from it. More concentrated slush and schmaltz!
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Salvationist 11 December 2021
But the story also has some punch. Dudley brings the bishop’s focus back to the poor and needy in his parish. He fixes the bishop’s strained marriage. He transforms people, not just things. So, for those of us who celebrate this season through faith, do we have something to learn from Hollywood schmaltz?
Jim, you had me going there for a minute: I didn’t know whether ‘schmaltz’ was Gaelic or Glaswegian. But it’s a Yiddish word, originating from German, meaning ‘banal or excessively sentimental’. I understand Tinseltown wanting to sell us angels at Christmas: they provide the feel-good factor of when everything comes right in the end. Who doesn’t want to believe in angels like that? Therefore, I am launching a national campaign: I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ‘A’ – angels. We miss so much when we entertain angels unawares. So let’s start angelspotting. A neighbour of mine recently became his wife’s carer, 24/7. He asked me if I thought ‘things’ were sent – not illness, but kindnesses, such as a helpful chat and spontaneous practical help. ‘If you are asking me if God sends helpers like angels unawares, then yes,’ I replied. For my money, there are three kinds of angels. The first kind are caring and brave professionals dedicated to helping others – firefighters, paramedics and the like. Then there are the volunteer angels who help out at food banks, drop-in centres and, in an earlier generation,
might have belonged to the Army’s Goodwill League. Third are the freelance angels who receive their instructions directly and spontaneously from the Eternal who sends them. When Graham and Doreen Dolby were soldiers at Thornton Heath, despite busy lives and a small family, they continually opened their house to all and sundry. They were great examples of practical angels. Mrs Connie White, now an elderly Salvationist at Brighouse, has taken an interest in me since I was 10 years old. Sixty-six years on, she sometimes rings me on a Sunday morning to sing a chorus that the Spirit has put in her heart. A quick ‘God bless you’ and she is gone. Connie is an angel with a telephone ministry. To use your words, Jim, we ‘who celebrate this season through faith’ do have something to learn from Hollywood angels: schmaltz is no match for the real thing. Mercifully, looking like Cary Grant or even one of Charlie’s Angels is not a prerequisite for behaving like an angel. This Advent season, I plan to try and spot the angels who appear in my path and, when prompted, try and be an angel too. RON IS A CHRISTIAN WRITER IN THE NETHERLANDS AND JIM LIVES IN RETIREMENT IN DUNOON. THEY BECAME FRIENDS IN 1966 WHILE CADETS AT DENMARK HILL
A WORD FROM WILLIAM
Walking in the light
Continuing a monthly series of messages that William Booth sent to corps to be read in Sunday meetings
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HAVE one of the most beautiful and expressive passages in the whole Bible as the foundation of this message. It is full of salvation truth: ‘If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7 King James Version). What does ‘walking in the light’ mean? Imagine for a moment that you unexpectedly found yourself in a trackless forest, in darkness, with wild beasts raging round you and serpents crawling and hissing at every step, with pitfalls before and on every side of you, while the thick darkness prevented you seeing the distance of a hand breadth before you. Now suppose that I came along with a lighted lantern in my hand, knowing the way full well and, throwing the light in the direction in which you were to tread, saying, ‘Walk in that light and you will escape every danger and safely reach your journey’s end.’ What would you do? I think you would gladly walk in the light. You are in a world crowded with peril to your body, mind and soul, to your family and circumstances. Death and destruction are on your track. One false step may plunge you into despair. You cannot by your own skill discover the path of safety. The blessed Lord is saying: ‘I come to be your guide. I will show you the way which will lead you to righteousness, usefulness and Heaven. But all my
efforts will be of no service unless you follow my direction. You must walk in the light.’ Walking in the light means neither more nor less than constant obedience to the revealed will of God. This light will come to you in various ways. It will come through your own conscience, that voice in your own innermost soul which tells you what you ought to do. It will come through the inward guidance of the Holy Spirit. There is the light that comes through the Bible. Perhaps this light has come to you through the lips of a precious mother, a praying father, through a dear brother or sister or a son or daughter. There is the light that has come to your heart through the teaching of God’s servants – captains and lieutenants and comrades far and near, some of whom are now in Heaven. Light has been thrown on your path from a hundred sources. Are you obeying? Are you walking in the light? If so, then great advantages will follow your obedience. First, you will receive more light. The sure way to get a clear revelation of divine things is to be faithful to what has been already given – that is, to use the light you already possess. Second, if you will walk in the light, if you will do God’s will so far as you know it, he will receive you and be a Father unto you. You will remember that Peter said in Acts 10:34 and 35: ‘God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and
worketh righteousness, is accepted with him’ (KJV). That is it. Fear God, as far as God has been revealed to you; work righteousness, wherein you have been made to see what is right; and avoid wrong, wherein you have been led to see what is wrong; and he will put his arms around you and bless you, all the way through life and for ever after. Third, if you walk in the light – that is, if you obey God in putting away your sin, living in daily consecration to his service, trusting him with all your soul to save and sanctify you – you shall realise to the uttermost the cleansing virtue of the blessed sacrifice, and prove in your experience the truth of this passage: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ Finally, walking in the light will bring you the still further blessedness of fellowship or communion with the Father. You shall enjoy the high privilege of walking and talking with God. What are you doing with the light God has already given you? There may be one who has disregarded and disobeyed this blessed light of God, until God has been provoked to withdraw it. Some unfaithful wanderer, with whom the light once enjoyed has become darkness. If this be the case, let me entreat that poor darkened soul to come again to the Sun of Righteousness, in order that he may once more pour his blessed rays upon them and then, by continued walking in the light, they shall grow in knowledge and grow in happiness for ever and ever. Salvationist 11 December 2021
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PHOTO FEATURE
2021 in pictures
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1 Major Ray Brown (DC West Scotland) and Captain Emma Heal (Kilmarnock) raise Big Collection funds in the 10km Roon the Toon Race 2 Murals by schoolchildren and corps folk in Jersey depict the Army’s work 3 Severn and Somerset summer school 4 Dublin City corps folk meet in Phoenix Park 5 Preston songster Vicky Greaves (centre), a paediatric nurse, sings with Michael Ball at the Royal Variety Performance 6 Major Catherine Wyles (Rutherglen) leads an art session at the online Enabled Easter Event 7 Kelsey, Sam and Tania (Milton Keynes) raise £165 for the Big Collection by washing cars 8 Kids Alive! celebrates 140 years 9 Anitha, Alex and Alan Ponniah (Bath Citadel) prepare an Indian curry for 60 people to raise Big Collection funds 10 TC Commissioner Anthony Cotterill at groundbreaking for new THQ at Denmark Hill 11 More than 500 bottles of water given out in a day in Cardiff during July heatwave 12 Community police officer joins in with Sale Band 13 Messengers of Grace are commissioned 14 Divisional leaders Majors Roger and Noreen Batt (right) installed as Wales Division is inaugurated 15 All smiles as SATCoL shops reopen after lockdown; Sarah Kilden and Eileen Lane at Tonbridge 16 Stornoway Corps receives Newhall Shield for pandemic community work
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FEATURE I A Salvation Army Christmas
our christmas Steven Spencer looks at the way the Army presented itself at Christmas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
‘War Cry’, 25 December 1889
‘War Cry’, 22 December 1900
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HAT characterised a Salvation Army Christmas a century or more ago? The International Heritage Centre’s collection of Army periodicals gives fascinating insights. A TEMPERATE CHRISTMAS The Army has been committed to total abstinence since the 1870s and was embedded in the Victorian temperance movement. The traditional celebration of Christmas could be a riotous time, with heavy drinking a key feature of its celebration. The temperance movement set out to promote a Christian, teetotal Christmas in its place. In 1892 William Booth commented on the state of Christmas celebrations: ‘The real old original Christmas … has been so thoroughly perverted and debauched
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as to make it a curse rather than a blessing… We should do better without any Christmas at all than with the social revelry which passes for it now.’ The Christmas issue of The Local Officer magazine advised the readers of its ‘Health hints’ column of the threat posed to the teetotaller by the temptations of Christmas. ‘Men who have signed the pledge and managed to keep teetotal right up to December 24th have often, on that date, yielded to pressure and flung self-control to the winds… There probably are, in every case, certain things which we know we are better without, yet we like them; and at Christmas we are more liable than at any other time to indulge and consequently to suffer.’ The hints then go on to give more surprising advice on avoiding the
tree temptation to relapse into eating what it calls ‘flesh foods’. In this period The Salvation Army heavily promoted a vegetarian diet, and Salvationists were encouraged to ‘stick to your resolution’ in the face of friends urging ‘you must have a bit of turkey … it wouldn’t be Christmas without turkey’. It goes on to advise that ‘Yorkshire pudding, lentil or pease pudding [or] stewed macaroni … [can] so easily take the place of meat’. A FESTIVE CHRISTMAS The pages of Salvation Army periodicals are rich with advice and guidance on how to make the most of the Christmas period. By the end of the 19th century The Officer magazine recognised: ‘If at Christmas our hall remains dull and drab of aspect, and out of keeping with the general endeavour to embody the prevailing spirit of good cheer, it cannot be surprising if many of our own people should find their family gatherings and social reunions more attractive than Christmas meetings.’ Similarly, a 1904 article entitled ‘How to attract the Christmas crowds’ asked: ‘Can we not learn something from the world of business and pleasure that will help us on the question?’ Guidance was offered with suggestions for wreaths and drapery in the meeting hall. Thrift was the watchword here and advice was given to make wreaths from the discarded waste of evergreens and holly to be acquired by ‘an appeal to the friendly proprietor of an estate in the neighbourhood’. A FUNDRAISING CHRISTMAS The War Cry has had a decorative and eye-catching Christmas cover ever since its first Christmas issue in 1880, which carried black-and-white etchings of William and Catherine Booth. The first ever colour War Cry cover was for Christmas 1900, juxtaposing traditional European holly with a scene from India. The issues running up to Christmas carried advertisements for goods sold by the Army that could be purchased as ‘presents for Xmas’. In 1903 there was
‘Christmas Trade Journal’, 1912 a full-page advert for books written by General Booth, a biography of his late wife and recent songbooks. Christmas 1899 saw a page illustrating a whole range of articles available from the Trade Department, including singing clocks, slippers and mandolins. In 1911 Trade used its new, purpose-built premises on Judd Street to open its first Christmas ‘Giftorium’, where Salvationists could buy all their Christmas presents. Such was the popularity of the Giftorium that in 1912 an advert asks the question ‘Will there be a Giftorium this year?’ and emphatically responds: ‘The answer is yes!’ Alongside the long list of toys that were available, the advert goes on to stress that, in keeping with The Salvation Army’s commitment to pacifism: ‘There will be neither guns nor fighting soldiers. The Army is against the kind of war that kills people.’ The 1912 Christmas Trade Journal even included images of Father Christmas shopping at the Giftorium for all his presents. The 13 December 1913 issue of The Bandsman and Songster goes into detail about the Giftorium that year. ‘The showrooms of The Salvation Army supply stores are … tastefully and seasonably decorated… In addition to floral and rustic decorations, there is a fine representation of a waterfall coursing musically through a mountain crevasse. Another ingenious feature is the snow-covered windmill whose planes, illumined with multicoloured lights, revolve by electric power. The good ship Santa Claus has arrived at Judd Street harbour with a cargo of excellent gifts from everywhere... The “rig-out” of the steamship, with its entirely marine setting, is very realistic. To port and starboard the lifeboats hang on their
davits to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers, while members of the crew will give children a free swing in the boats… That good old mariner, Captain Christmas, paces the bridge… The SS Santa Claus can be boarded in the 1st-floor showroom.’ The Giftorium seems to have been a casualty of the First World War as it did not reappear in 1914 or afterwards. CHRISTMAS TREE BELIEVERS The theme uniting all these different Salvation Army Christmases is the celebration of Christ’s birth. The Local Officer in 1903 reminded its readers: ‘Do not let us regard Christmas as merely or chiefly as a time when we give one another gifts and eat, drink and are merry without stint… Jesus was born at Christmas. We are keeping his birthday. Let us then make him the central guest at our table.’ The 1889 Christmas War Cry carried a front cover illustration of the Crucifixion with a Christmas tree and the Christ-child in his manger. The article sustains a metaphor where the Christmas tree stands for Jesus and its cutting down for his death on the cross: ‘The Salvation Army have been Christmas tree believers for over 1,800 years. Our Salvation Christmas tree has never disappointed us.’ O Keep
up with the International Heritage Centre blog at salvationarmy.org.uk/ international-heritage-centre-blog
STEVEN IS DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL HERITAGE CENTRE Salvationist 11 December 2021
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FEATURE I All Terrain questions
How do we move through suffering? Matt Little continues a monthly series exploring the four questions used in The All Terrain Podcast
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WAS initially baffled when, not long into the first Covid-19 lockdown, I heard others likening their pandemic experience to that of being in a ship during a storm. Sure, there had been challenges, like a period of unemployment and helping to home-school three children, but I had enjoyed being with my family more. Of course, I was fortunate – others had very different lockdown experiences. One friend had a tumour the size of a grapefruit removed. Another lost his paramedic friend to Covid-19 and was unable to visit his mother in her new care home. A third lost his wife and has had to grieve without the support of familiar faces and routines. Had my experience mirrored those of my friends, I might well have likened it to being in a boat on stormy seas.
FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES Mark’s Gospel addressed Christ-followers in Rome during the middle of the 1st century. In AD64 an immense fire destroyed much of the city and rumours abounded that Emperor Nero had started the blaze to kickstart Rome’s rebuilding. Under attack by his senators, he found a scapegoat in the messianic Jews – Christ-followers who happened to live in the only part of the city unaffected by the fire – and demanded that the Jewish community collaborate with his soldiers, triggering a minigenocide. ‘If a believer was identified,’ says Alexander John Shaia in Heart and Mind, ‘everyone in his house was publicly executed. Neighbour was forced to turn on neighbour. Even family members betrayed each other, hoping to secure safety before someone reported them to the authorities.’ Had I been a 1st-century Christian living under Roman rule, I might well have likened it to being in a boat caught in stormy seas. Mark certainly did, using the metaphor throughout his narrative. To those in turmoil, without hope, and wondering if help will ever arrive, Mark helps them consider the question: ‘How do we move through suffering?’ FACING SUFFERING HEAD ON American gymnast Simone Biles made headlines in July by withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics due to mental health issues. Media coverage was overwhelmingly positive. Her team stated: ‘We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritising her wellbeing.’ The stigma that used to surround mental health is being dismantled thanks, in part, to high-profile personalities such as Biles showing courageous vulnerability despite the potential backlash. But, while an increasing range of therapies and medical solutions exist, poor mental health can still cause relentless suffering for many. Gemma Hunt, known to some as a presenter on CBeebies and to others as a host of Songs of Praise, shares openly in The All Terrain Podcast
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New episodes of The All Terrain Podcast are usually released on the last Friday of the month on Apple Podcasts, Podbean and Spotify. The third episode of season 3 will be available a day earlier, on 23 December. Sketch notes and group questions that support each episode can be downloaded from the podcast’s webpage at salvationarmy.org.uk/ youth-and-children.
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about attending therapy with a mental health professional. In episode 15 she says: ‘If we try and ignore suffering – whether that’s mental health, a persistent bully at work, physical pain – nothing changes. If we pretend it doesn’t exist or fail to deal with the root causes, it doesn’t go away. The only way to deal with suffering is to face it head-on.’ CROSSING STORMY SEAS Anyone living in Israel would have known how dangerous it could be to cross the Sea of Galilee in a boat at night. Yet during his tour of the 10 cities known as the Decapolis, Jesus has his disciples do just that, four times (see Mark 4 to 8). In the first of these crossings, a violent storm suddenly occurs and batters their boat. The disciples, including experienced fishermen, fear they will drown. They wake Jesus who rebukes the wind and waves, calming the sea. And he asks, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ (4:40). Following Jesus will involve us metaphorically travelling across stormy seas while fearing death, so he expects us to recognise that he’s with us on the journey and to have faith that he will protect us.
RIGHT THERE WITH ME In episode 14 of The All Terrain Podcast, Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill shares how helping in the aftermath of the Lockerbie plane bombing in 1988 influences his ability to cope with suffering today: ‘Walking into that horrendous suffering is helped by an understanding that this isn’t about God abandoning us... He makes it very clear in his word that there is going to be trouble, tribulation, flooding, fire, bereavement, sickness ... but “I promise to be with you”. ‘Now, if I get that into my heart, it makes it possible for me as a Salvation Army officer to actually face up to all kinds of horrendous stuff. I can face that suffering, knowing that God is right there in the midst of it with me.’ GETTING CLOSURE The footnotes to the final chapter of Mark will tell you that most ancient manuscripts end at verse 8. Scholars believe that the two alternative endings printed in most Bibles – written in a distinctly different tone – were added later. So, after the women who visit the tomb receive angelic instruction to tell Peter and the others that Jesus is risen,
the original ending of Mark concludes: ‘Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid’ (16:8). While I appreciate this being dubbed something of an anti-climax, for me it makes for the more authentic ending to a Gospel that encourages us to consider how we move through suffering. As happened to the women who visited the tomb, suffering can confuse us, terrify us and make us feel lost at sea – yet we all will experience it at some point in our lives. Whereas Matthew’s Gospel, with its question of how we face change, mirrors the transitions of autumn, Mark’s Gospel represents the long, dark nights of winter. It can be the most painful of the four paths, and with no end in sight it can be easy to lose hope. But we can face that suffering, knowing that Jesus is right there in the midst of it with us, and that he calls us gently – but firmly – not to give up hope. Spring is coming. MATT WORSHIPS AT SUTTON AND WRITES THE ALL TERRAIN PODCAST SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS Salvationist 11 December 2021
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BIBLE STUDY
Ref lecting true light Major Liesl Baldwin considers how Christ’s disciples can witness to God’s glory
JOHN 1:6–27
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HE season of Advent invites us to enter once more into the mystery of the Incarnation: ‘The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood’ (John 1:14 The Message). They are easy words to say, but our minds burst with wonder as we say them. As we begin to ponder further, we realise that this incarnation wasn’t just for then; the eternal Word is still living in our neighbourhoods today. Teresa of Avila suggested that: ‘Christ has no body now but yours./ No hands, no feet on Earth but yours./ Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world./ Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good./ Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world./ Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body./
Through the week with Salvationist – a devotional thought for each day
QUESTIONS O Can we really be Jesus to others? Is this what we are called to do? Here lies another profound mystery. At the very beginning of everything there was a true light emanating from the very life of Jesus (see John 1:4). This true light was not static; it had a purpose, a destination, a mission to fulfil. ‘The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world’ (John 1:9) – and it came. Although misunderstood, unrecognised and rejected, this light was never overcome
by darkness. The life came to bring true light and nothing thwarted his arrival. John the Baptist was a pivotal character who was ‘sent from God’ (v6). His courageous exploits come later, but what is important is that he ‘came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light’ (vv7 and 8). When asked to recall how John testified about Jesus, people simply remembered him crying out: ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me’ (v15). In the great drama of God’s salvation story, John the Baptist knew his place. He did not attempt to be the light. He simply pointed others to its source. In a similar vein, Jesus’ own disciples would be challenged to consider their place, for the light might actually be in
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He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. ( John 1:10)
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder/ Consider all the worlds thy hands have made;/ I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,/ Thy power throughout the universe displayed./ Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee:/ How great thou art! (SASB 49)
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ( John 1:11–13)
by Lieut-Colonel Ray Oakley
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Christ has no body now on Earth but yours.’ As people in whom Jesus lives, we might ask ourselves: ‘What would Jesus do?’ We want to know the answer so that we can be Jesus to others.
Salvationist 11 December 2021
‘Homeless Jesus’ sculpture, Sydney those they served (see Matthew 25:31– 46). Perhaps Paul also knew something of this mystery when he wrote: ‘We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us’ (2 Corinthians 4:7). QUESTIONS O Are there times when we are tempted to think that we are the light? What impact might this have? For John, how to be a witness to the light wasn’t always obvious. His River Jordan encounter with Jesus appears straightforward in some accounts (see Mark 1:9 and Luke 3:21). In Matthew, however, we see a significant moment of dissonance – even of awkward conflict. As Jesus asked John to baptise him, John tried to deter him: ‘I am the one who needs to be baptised by you, so why
are you coming to me?’ Finally, Jesus persuaded him: ‘We must carry out all that God requires’ (Matthew 3:14 and 15 New Living Translation). In this tense conversation, John worked out how to be a witness. To do ‘all that God requires’ of him, John had to redefine his expectations. Listening to Jesus, he opened his mind to possibilities that made little sense. However, he let go of tightly held convictions so Jesus could come first. QUESTIONS O Have you had such moments of persuasion in conversation with Jesus? What was hard to let go of? What did you gain? Having chosen to let go, John witnessed God’s glory for himself – undeniable proof that Jesus was God’s beloved Son (see Matthew 3:16 and 17). Perhaps he had
always known that he himself was not the light. Having ‘seen his glory … full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14), his passion to witness to it burnt deeply. QUESTIONS O When did you last sense God’s glory? Who else was impacted by it? During Advent, take time to soak up God’s glory for yourself again, so that your full-of-grace-and-truth living points others to the true light source shining within you.
MAJOR BALDWIN IS CORPS OFFICER, BELFAST TEMPLE, AND TERRITORIAL GODLY PLAY SUPPORT OFFICER
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Tell of his birth at Bethlehem,/ Not in a royal house or hall/ But in a stable dark and dim:/ The Word made flesh, a light for all. (SASB 155)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ( John 1:14)
O Christ, who came to share our human life,/ God’s Word made flesh to speak his love for men,/ Lead us in service to thy holy cause/ Till sons of Earth are sons of God again. (SASB 187)
Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ( John 1:16)
Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending Jesus to Earth as the true light. May we allow Jesus to shine his light through our lives so that others will be drawn to him.
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NEW COMMITMENTS Editor’s note In-person meetings were held in accordance with Army safety guidance, following a risk assessment. ADDLESTONE Will Hartley was enrolled as a soldier. He first attended in February 2019 after wanting to connect with God during a tough time in the sixth form. He felt warmly welcomed and began regularly attending Sunday meetings and New Life, the corps youth church, as well as volunteering at the corps. Will is now a key member of the corps finance team and has been commissioned as corps treasurer. Will shared: ‘I am still very much at the beginning of my faith journey but I’ve really felt like it’s for me and I’ve been welcomed here. Now that I have Jesus as my rock and this community to belong to, I thought it was the next step to take to become a soldier.’ Will is pictured with corps officer Major Ian Loxley and gap year intern Bev Revell. – EK
BROMLEY TEMPLE Brother and sister Josh and Lydia Kim were enrolled as soldiers by corps officer Major Iain Hudson. Both testified to the guiding presence of God at work in their lives, giving thanks for the godly influence of their parents, the corps family and the opportunities given in events such as the Exploring Leadership Day and the divisional Transformers course for encouraging them to take this step in their faith journey. They are pictured with Major Iain and their father, Major Byung-Yoon Kim (IHQ). – IH
NOTTING HILL Tracy Cooper was enrolled by corps officer Lieutenant Ian Barker having attended the corps since 1990. She has been faithful to God in loving the church and her community. In the presence of family and friends she gave witness through testimony and song. Her song choice was ‘Give Me Joy in My Heart, Keep Me Praising’ (SASB 362). The corps celebrated her commitment with the first public Timbreltastic group display to ‘O! O! O! How Good is the Lord’. The meeting was followed by a celebration meal. Also pictured is CSM Mandy Sigey. – IB 20
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SOUTHPORT Corps officers Captains Alison and Michael Hutchings enrolled Rodney and Sandra Hoyle as soldiers. Originally from a Methodist background, Rodney and Sandra connected with the Army at a talk given by Captain Michael. Sandra’s enthused observation that she had ‘found someone who talks our language’ prompted a journey of exploration during the Covid-19 lockdowns. After much prayer – and having commenced in-person worship at the corps – they felt led to commit to the Army and to serving God and their community as soldiers. – GM TEDDINGTON Joan Smith was welcomed as an adherent after finding the corps on the internet. Joan has been attending regularly over the past couple of months and testified to how the welcome of the corps and the music of The Salvation Army had a positive impact on her faith. Members celebrated together that Joan has decided to make the corps her spiritual home. She is pictured with corps officer Lieutenant Emily Watson. – EW
ADVERTS TO LET ALTEA, SPAIN Modern two-bedroom, two-bathroom heated apartment, pool, tennis, garden, garage. Shops, restaurants, beach close, hillwalking. Warm winter area. Airport transfers available. Tel 02920 759314 or email dee.jones@virgin.net. TOPSHAM, DEVON Two-bedroom cottage overlooking Exe Estuary and hills. Local shops, inns, teashops, walks. Coast, moors, Exeter nearby. Tel 02920 759314 or email dee.jones@virgin.net. BOOKS FOR SALE AN ARMY SUPPRESSED In June 1940 German forces landed on the Channel Islands, beginning five years of harsh occupation. Although banned, The Salvation Army carried on! BANDSTAND TALES A collection of amusing anecdotes from the brass band world, inspired by fact and greatly embellished by fiction and imagination! Both books £11.50 each including p&p. Michael Thierry 01425 479095 or email michael.thierry@icloud.com.
Searching for Christmas present ideas? Look no further than a subscription to War Cry. The paper is packed with: O TV
and film coverage interviews, including a few famous faces O Christian comment O Puzzles O Recipes O An inspiring back-page quote O Faith-based
The War Cry is the perfect springboard for conversations about faith and is for Christians and non-Christians alike. Share the news of the gospel with friends and family by buying them a subscription this Christmas.
PERSONAL
Best of all, it costs just £4.08 a month and is delivered direct to the recipient’s door.
Seasons greetings from MAJOR JOYCE HOLMES. I am now residing in Lilliput House care home, 297-299 Sandbanks Rd, Lilliput, Poole BH14 8LH.
Purchase yours at sps-shop.com/war-cry-m
WHAT’S ON DIAL A CAROL WITH SALVO BRASS Bandmaster Marc Harry will be in the Fortress Radio studio from 6pm to 7.30pm on Sunday 12 December ready to play your carol requests. He will be joined by Lieut-Colonel Trevor Davis who will bring a seasonal message. Visit fortressradio. online/dial-a-carol to request a favourite or dedicate a carol. O Listen online at fortressradio.online
CHRISTMAS CLASSIFIEDS (CLASSED AS IF I’D ADS) As spotted by Major Nigel Bovey ALL ABOUT THE BASS Does you Pa need more oomph? Then buy him the INFLATABLE CAROLLING CHAIR. Not only will he play the high street in comfort but when he runs out of puff, simply attach the nozzle for another hour’s worth of ‘Ding Dong’! Not suitable for children. £25. No cash taken. ONE-EAU-ONE Distilled from the springs of sacred service unearthed beneath THQ during lockdown, One-Eau–One is this year’s quintessential table water for festive feasting. £1.01/bottle. Minimum order: five bottles (green). NEVER-FORGET-A-FACE MASK Sculptured using stateof-the-art 3D modelling, the Booth’s Beard Face Mask will leave people you meet with a lasting impression. Fully washable. £5/pair. Also available for men. EUPHO DE COLOGNE Distilled from the sacred fluid that drips from the water key of the Army’s legendary soloist, be sent by this season’s linger-longer fragrance. Bargain price £50/oz. ABOVE THE REST VINYL Settle back, relax and enjoy the mystical ambience of the tacet bars from archive recordings of the likes of Tottenham Citadel, the SP&S and the Cairo Red Shield bands. The perfect gift for the band enthusiast who thinks they have everything. ‘Never heard a compilation like it’ – SC. £9.99 plus p&p.
WANTED Hearts baptised with fire. Apply nearest arest Salvation Army centre. Ref: SASB 936. LOST One sheep. Reward for finder. Call Luke on 1501207. 1 FOUND Treasure trove in field. Contact Matt on 1344246. LONELY HEARTS Single-minded, warm-hearted idealist seeks similar for lifelong commitment. GSOH desirable but not essential. No time-wasters. Box JC1. FOR SALE One field (ten acres), bought in error. Selling due to career change. FOR SAIL Fishing boat. Storm-worthy. Limited sleeping accommodation. Family business folded. Contact sp&rew@galilee.il. WANTED Percussion parts that do not require the purchase of four timpani. Contact oldstick@bangon.com. SIT VAC Passionate about brass music but never made the Tylney Hall A Band? Then join Band O. Unlimited places. Apply Music Department. SIT VAC Drone pilots needed for new SP&S delivery service. Will suit lovers of high tech, pipers and long-winded preachers.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARMY PEOPLE APPOINTED Effective 1 December O Major Paul Kingscott (Assistant Chief Secretary), additional appointment, Executive Officer, International Staff Band DEDICATED TO GOD O Edward Andrew Paul, son of Matthew and Victoria Stone, at Regent Hall by Major Alison Stone RETIRED OFFICERS Birthday congratulations O Major Margaret Thomson (90 on 19 December) PROMOTED TO GLORY Muriel Cutler, Rock Ferry, on 20 November
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BEREAVED Bandsman Steve Cutler, Rock Ferry, and Bandsman Simon Cutler, Liverpool Walton, of their mother Muriel Cutler O Major Dawn Scott, Woodford, of her mother Dorothy Trubshaw O Captain Anastasia Arpatzi, Leytonstone, of her sister Marina Arpatzi O
OFFICIAL GAZETTE UKI Territory LONG SERVICE 35 years O Major Denise McGarvey, Kirkby-in-Ashfield ANTHONY COTTERILL Commissioner Territorial Commander
TRIBUTES MAJOR JOSEPHINE DAVIES BORN on 4 September 1941, Josephine Davies was introduced to The Salvation Army by a schoolfriend and made her initial contact
through the torchbearer youth club at Birmingham Sparkhill Corps. Responding to the call to officership, Josie entered the International Training College from Birmingham Sparkhill in 1960 as a cadet of the Soldiers of Christ session. There followed many years as a corps officer in numerous corps throughout the territory as well as divisional secretary at South West Scotland divisional headquarters and finance officer at Edinburgh divisional headquarters and at Scotland territorial headquarters. Josie retired from active service in 2001 from Aberdeen, where she was the regional public relations officer in the North Scotland Division. Josie was well known for her inspirational servant leadership, her strong sense of motivation and her ethos of hard work and perseverance. She was an excellent public speaker, making the best use of her sharp sense of humour and everything she did was to the highest standard, including her sound biblical teaching. ‘My utmost for His Highest’ is an apt description of the driving force behind Josie’s life and ministry. Josie loved God with all her heart and her own testimony was that ‘it was all for him’, everything she did. Soldier of Christ, well done! – CB MARJORIE KIMBERLEY, HADLEIGH TEMPLE BORN in Camborne in 1931 to officer parents, Marjorie grew to love the Lord and the Army. In 1958 she moved to London to work as an accountant. She attended Hammersmith then Ealing Corps, serving as corps secretary and corps treasurer respectively. She was a lay assessor of officer candidates, a member of the British Commissioner’s advisory council and later the Territorial Advisory Council. Each year, she attended the Easter Music Course with her brother, Nicholas. In retirement, Marjorie moved to Kent and was corps treasurer at Minster. Later she moved to Hadleigh to be near family. Marjorie spent her last years at Bradbury
ENGAGEMENTS THE TERRITORIAL COMMANDER (COMMISSIONER ANTHONY COTTERILL) AND COMMISSIONER GILLIAN COTTERILL O Riverside Complex (HSU carol service), Tue 14 Dec
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care home, where the ministry, through chaplains and meetings, was important to her. Even in the advanced stages of dementia, she found comfort in music and sang words reflecting her life of faith, including ‘serving him moment by moment, then live with him on high’. – JK EDNA APLIN, TEIGNMOUTH EDNA Aplin was born in Teignmouth on 31 December 1927. Edna’s aunts were all Salvationists and she was taken to Teignmouth Corps from birth. She remained there for the rest of her life. Edna learnt to play the trombone in the band and played the piano for the singing company. She sang in the songsters and was songster secretary for many years. Edna met Fred through the Army; they were engaged for five years and married at the hall on 3 October 1953. Edna often invited visitors to the corps for Sunday lunch and is remembered for her hospitality. She also helped run the coffee morning and often baked and sold fairy cakes. Edna took up watercolour painting in her fifties. She put her talent to good use and ran a crafts stall at the summer fête each year. She was a wonderful Christian lady and a stalwart Salvationist. – NB EDNA MANN, NORWICH CITADEL EDNA was born in Norwich in 1917 and attended the Railway Mission with her parents. She joined Norwich Citadel in 1927 and, over time, became a member of the Sunbeams, home league and over-60 club. Edna was a soldier at Norwich and Reading Central and worked tirelessly in the kitchen at both corps, where her love for people experiencing homelessness became apparent. She was recognised for her hard work with a special award from the lord mayor of Norwich. At the age of 82 Edna retired and, in 2018, she moved into the Salvation Army home at Furze Hill, North Walsham. She was a great witness to the residents and staff members and was well loved there. Edna leaves behind three daughters, Jean, Pauline and Christine, a son, Malcolm, six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ – CB
GLADYS JONES GLADYS, known as Glad, was a fully committed Salvationist, adhering to the Army’s principles throughout her life. Brought up in a Salvationist home she became a junior soldier and later a senior soldier and songster prior to entering the training college as a member of the Faithful session. At college friendships were made and maintained as she moved to various corps, including Lavenham. Unfortunately, Glad had to return home to look after her mother. She served at Senghenydd as YPSM for 20 years and corps secretary for 30 years. Her dedication to corps activities enabled her to maintain the required duties when no officers were available to be appointed to the corps. Her standing in the community was rewarded with a civic award for her work in the valley. Gladys will be remembered as ‘Aunty Glad – the lady from The Salvation Army’ and is sadly missed by her family and friends. – MH
JEAN LOGAN, PORT GLASGOW JEAN came to know the Lord in her childhood and her commitment to him was lifelong. In her teens she came to the Army in Port Glasgow at a friend’s invitation and found her spiritual home. She met and married Tommy, the love of her life, and full-time service beckoned. However, ill health intervened and, aged 22, Jean was diagnosed with cancer. Surgery left her an amputee but, surrounded by faith and family, she made a miraculous recovery. Her disability did not diminish her service and she held many positions in the corps, among them assistant YPSM and corps cadet guardian. Jean also worked for the Salvation Army Assurance Society and within the Social Services. Aged 91, after a few days of severe illness, Jean was promoted to Glory. She is sorely missed by her family but we rejoice that she is in the presence of the Lord she loved. – DL
DEREK BENNETT, NEWBIGGIN-BYTHE-SEA BORN in 1931, Derek was invited to the Army by a schoolfriend. He learnt the cornet and gave his heart to Jesus, joining the YP band, singing company and later the senior band. He met Sylvia in the junior corps and they married in 1954. Twins Eva and Ina were born in 1955, followed by Ann in 1957 and Lyn in 1964. Derek worked in the mines for more than 40 years. In retirement he and Sylvia enjoyed travelling and seeing their nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Derek’s love for music came second to his love for the Lord. He held many local officer positions, including singing company leader and bandmaster, retiring in 2013. He was active in the sections until March 2020. Derek struggled with health in recent months. He passed peacefully with Sylvia and his girls at his side, knowing he was meeting the Lord he had served for 81 years. – SR
ADVERTS
Be part of the salvationist.org.uk feedback group Interested in digital ministry? Apply to be part of the feedback group for a new territorial website. This new website, launching in spring 2022, will be the go-to digital space for Salvationists and friends of our church and will work alongside the printed Salvationist magazine. It will be the online home of Army news, devotional materials, resources, events and learning opportunities. To help us make the website as engaging, inclusive and accessible as possible, we need a feedback group. The group will meet quarterly to advise editors about user experience and content. Visit our territorial website to complete the short application form and find more information: salvationarmy.org.uk/ salvationistwebsite
ADVERTS
RECRUITING NOW EDITORIAL ASSISTANT SALVATIONIST MAGAZINE
LONDON
Key responsibilities: The post-holder will process, edit and follow up news items submitted by Salvation Army corps, centres or departments, checking facts and rewriting as necessary. They will research and write news features and feature articles, obtaining necessary artwork and pictures, conduct and transcribe interviews and write interview articles. The post-holder will also proofread pages, carry out reporting engagements, contribute ideas for articles, assist in the online publishing of Salvationist and social media posts, and assist the editor with general administrative duties. The successful candidate will: Have proven experience of working in a similar role, the ability to research and write stories in an engaging style, excellent sub-editing skills, creativity with regard to copy, visual content and page layout, previous experience of creating digital content for publication on websites and social media channels, good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to deal confidently with content contributors, correspondents and personnel at all levels across an organisation, good organisational skills, attention to detail, effective time management, the ability to prioritise work and respond to tight deadlines, the ability to work individually and as part of a team, experience of using IT software packages with intermediate level skills in Word, Excel and Outlook, be educated to degree level or with the equivalent practical experience, the willingness to work within, be empathic to and promote the Christian ethos and values of The Salvation Army.
SALARY £27,684 per annum WORKING HOURS 35 hours per week CONTRACT Permanent DETAILS 25 days’ annual leave + bank holidays; a contributory pension scheme; season ticket loan; an employee assistance programme CLOSING DATE 21 December INTERVIEW DATE TBC
This is a permanent position based at our headquarters at 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. In early 2023 we will be moving to our new, modern headquarters at Denmark Hill, London SE5 8BQ. For further details and to apply please visit: salvationarmy.org.uk/jobs Appointment subject to satisfactory references and proof of right to work in the UK. CVs will not be accepted. Promoting equality in the workplace.
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I know Jesus loves me for who I am
All kinds of people attend, join, volunteer with or work for The Salvation Army. We’ve asked some to tell us about themselves. This week… SAM SMITH Welling How did you first come into contact with the Army? My husband introduced me to corps officer Captain Katy Shubotham after he met her through work. What made you want to volunteer for the Army? I wanted to make a difference and keep busy. What is the most interesting thing about your volunteer role? I get to help the corps officer and the other volunteers. What is the most frustrating thing about your role? Sometimes I don’t get everything finished as quickly as I would like. What is your favourite kind of holiday? A trip to Camber Sands in East Sussex. It’s very relaxing. If you could be in a film, which would it be and what character would you play? Shrek. I would like to play an ogre. If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be? Water. What do you do in your spare time? I like colouring and doing crafts. What was the first record, tape or CD that you ever owned? It was something by the Irish boy band Westlife.
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What is your favourite hymn or worship song? ‘Here I Am to Worship’ by Hillsong. We listen to it at prayers and it’s become one of my favourite songs.
What is your favourite Bible passage? I like all the stories about the disciples because they’ve helped me learn about Jesus.
Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness, Opened my eyes, let me see Beauty that made this heart adore you, Hope of a life spent with you.
Which Bible figure would you like to meet and what would you ask them? I would want to meet Jesus and ask, ‘What would you like to change in the world?’
So here I am to worship, Here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that you’re my God: You’re altogether lovely, Altogether worthy, Altogether wonderful to me. King of all days, O so highly exalted, Glorious in Heaven above; Humbly you came To the Earth you created, All for love’s sake became poor. (SASB 114) Is there something about life or the world that you’ve never understood? I don’t understand why people bully others.
If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be? I would get rid of judgementalism. Since I’ve learnt about Jesus, it has made it easier for me to ignore judgemental people because I know Jesus loves me for who I am. If you had to be handcuffed to one person for a day, who would it be? Corps officer Captain Katy Shubotham because she is always busy – I’d like to see how she gets everything done! What is the most valuable thing you possess? My friends and family.
