Called to Be a Soldier: Chapter

COMMUNITY ANNIVERSARY

SALISBURY Marathon runner Melanie Davies is raising money for the corps by running the London Marathon. She visited the hall to get a glimpse of the people and the activities that happen there and spent an afternoon with corps officer Captain Martin Davison and the Recycles team. Mel is a senior member of the cathedral staff and was fascinated to learn how the corps interacts with the community. She was also surprised by how many members of the public stopped to chat with the Recycles team during her visit. – MD

ANNIVERSARY

BATH CITADEL Lieut-Colonels Anne-Florence and Massimo Tursi (IHQ) led the corps 140th anniversary weekend. The Saturday evening featured Morriston Band and Songsters plus African Praise, as Zimbabweans from corps across the UKI Territory joined locals to thrill the congregation with song and rhythm. Songster Leader Chris Lear provided a varied programme from both sections, with band items including ‘Petone Citadel’, ‘Mighty to Save’ and ‘Prelude on “Lavenham”’ and songster items including ‘More Than Wonderful’ and ‘One Life to Live’. The male voices sang the Welsh hymn ‘Gwahoddiad’. The Sunday meeting featured the home sections and African Praise and was followed by a faith lunch and afternoon of praise and reminiscing. Lieut-Colonel Anne-Florence gave the corps food for thought by asking where it goes from here. A mood of contemplation was evident at the final benediction. – KT

MEETING

KNOTTINGLEY Food, fellowship and photos featured in the 135th corps anniversary celebrations, as corps members and friends enjoyed a Saturday afternoon buffet while reminiscing over photographs of the past. Many recognised younger versions of people present and put names to faces of those no longer with them. Territorial Envoy Beverley Waring (Hoyland Common) led Sunday’s meeting, encouraging the congregation to thank God for the past, present and future of the corps. Everyone was asked to plant a sunflower seed and watch it grow, symbolising the way that God often works unseen before revealing his plans. The march ‘Knottingley’, by Retired Bandmaster George Heath, was played on Sunday in acknowledgement of his faithfulness to God and the Army over the 80 years since it was published. Sadly, George was waiting to be discharged from hospital and was unable to be present, but a recording and photos were taken to him at home the following week. – MT GILLINGHAM The corps enjoyed its annual International Sunday celebrating the diversity of its members from 14 countries. The meeting included prayers in Yoruba, a Bible reading in Dutch, songs in Tagalog, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Yoruba and Twi and a poem in a Scottish dialect. A bring-and-share lunch followed, including flavours and cuisine from around the world. – JM

ANNIVERSARY

BELFAST CITADEL Intercultural Mission Enabler Major Jonny Smith was the guest for the 142nd anniversary of the first corps in Ireland. Saturday evening took the form of a relaxed Global Praise Night, featuring an international supper and Zimbabwean singing group Forward in Faith. Celebrating One Body was the theme for the Sunday morning meeting, which was followed by Music for a Sunny Summer’s Sunday Afternoon outside the hall, presented by the band and singers. – NM