Salvationist 17 February 2024

CLIMATE VIGIL PRAYING FOR JUSTICE

WEDNESDAY 14 February marked the beginning of No Faith in Fossil Fuels, a 10-day ecumenical prayer vigil for climate justice at Westminster. In this week’s magazine we spend some time reflecting on this environmental focus around the territory.

The concept of a vigil has several meanings. It can be a period of keeping awake to keep watch or pray, as well as a stationary, peaceful demonstration.

I wonder if we are awake to the things that matter to God. I wonder if we are prepared to do something about them. Caring for creation is one of the UK and Ireland Territory’s five mission priorities. The environmental crisis may seem like something that is outside our influence, but Scripture calls us to care for God’s world. Therefore, prayer should be our first thought, not a strategy of last resort. We need to be praying with our eyes wide open to the things happening around us and affecting not only us but also our neighbours. When the delicate balance of nature is disturbed, so often it is the poor who suffer most.

May we each commit to pray for the environment and may it become second nature.

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TERRITORIAL

And the winner is...

As the BAFTAs are handed out this weekend, Ivan Radford celebrates that God’s love isn’t a prize to be won

ON Sunday night, film fans will be tuning in to BBC One to watch the winners of the 2024 British Academy Film Awards. The BAFTAs, along with the Oscars in a few weeks’ time, are the climax of the annual awards season, which recognises creative artists for their achievements by giving them tiny golden masks and statues. Humans, eh?

This year, two of the frontrunners will need little introduction to anyone who has been near a billboard in the past 12 months: Barbie and Oppenheimer. It’s perhaps telling that two of the most talked about films in recent memory both shine a light on humankind’s capacity to hurt one another, whether through institutional and societal prejudice and bias or through conflict and destruction.

Margot Robbie, the star and producer of Barbie, is nominated for Best Leading Actress at the BAFTAs. However, she has not been nominated for an acting award at the Oscars in March. This sort of

Reflect and respond

Read and pray through Colossians 3:12–14.

How conditional is the love that you show to others?

Is there anyone you need to forgive as the Lord has forgiven you?

situation isn’t new for all kinds of reasons, but Margot Robbie made headlines last week when she gave a strikingly unusual response to the question of her Oscars snub.

‘There’s no way to feel sad when you know you’re this blessed,’ she told a panel at a special awards screening. That remark caught people’s attention because it demonstrated a humility that doesn’t always go with the politics and commerce of awards season campaigning.

I enjoy following the drama of the BAFTAs and the Oscars each year, partly because it’s encouraging to see other people encouraged and celebrated for their talents. It’s important to recognise each other’s value, but it can be so easy to take the fundamentals of awards season and apply them to how we think about others and ourselves. We can be tempted to see being kind to others as a reward for them being kind to us. Or to think of ourselves as being good and therefore deserving of being rewarded.

That transactional, conditional nature of human appreciation is the opposite of how God’s Kingdom works. Because God’s love isn’t conditional or transactional: it’s unconditional. It’s not subject to terms. It has nothing to do with some arbitrary measure of success. God loves you no matter what. God’s love has never failed and will never fail. It’s eternal. It’s constant. It’s a given.

The question we must ask ourselves isn’t whether we deserve this love, but what our faithful response to this love is. Once we’ve accepted our Saviour’s all-encompassing love, as we follow

Jesus and seek to become ever more Christlike, we’re compelled to reflect that same love to others. Not based on what other people say or do, but unconditionally.

‘There is no fear in love,’ 1 John 4:18 reminds us. ‘Perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.’

In a world of money, prizes and reciprocal hurt, we are called to ‘clothe [ourselves] with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’ (Colossians 3:12) so that God’s countercultural love and grace shines through all we do. In fact, compassion is one of The Salvation Army’s values in the UKI Territory. As a territory, that means we all aim to ‘serve with the unconditional love and grace of God as the pattern for our behaviour, with a bias to the poor and marginalised’.

This compassion is something we express – something we feel in our hearts – as a natural result of loving God and living out our faith. Because deep down we know that there’s no way for us to feel sad when we’re this blessed. And we want the whole world to share in experiencing that unconditional love. Beats giving everyone a tiny golden statue, right?

IVAN RADFORD Managing Editor Salvationist

Picture: BAFTA/ Scott Garfitt

seconds with...

Who are you and what do you do?

With my wife, Abby, I’m corps officer at Chelsea. I also have a part-time role as territorial environmental support officer.

Why do you do what you do?

Part of my role is to keep an eye on our formal Environmental Management System. We have a commitment as part of our care for creation mission priority to comply with some key internationally recognised environmental standards.

What was the last website you visited?

The Eco Church website, ecochurch. arocha.org.uk. It’s well worth a visit, and is crammed full of resources to help churches become greener.

What do you do in your spare time?

My wife loves open water swimming and I swim too – a long way behind!

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Let go and let God!

What are you praying for at the moment?

With many others, I’m wrestling in prayer with concern for our world – climate change, war, violence… O Lord, come!

Give your testimony or life story using only one word. Regeneration!

‘I almost gave up on finding a spiritual home’

Frank Higginson (Ballymoney) shares how God led him to the Army

AS a child, I attended church with my mother and grandmother and was baptised and confirmed into the Church of Ireland. I remember Salvation Army bands playing every Saturday morning in Belfast, and I was always fascinated and wanted to listen.

Fast forward many years to when I phoned the Ballymoney Corps office one

d day, enquiring how to d donate some clothing. During the conversation I was given information about what happened at the corps during the week and on Sundays. When I was invited to a Sunday meeting, I took up the invitation and have never looked back

for worship on Sundays. I enjoy being around people and hearing their stories. I have a genuine interest in people and my experience of volunteering with Samaritans for 18 years has helped. I have been given these skills to help others and show compassion and love in each situation. I feel truly blessed by the friendship and support the corps family has given me.

h has me

I for the welcome and ongoing ministry corps

I have witnessed God at work here in for

every of life. I cannot imagine

I am also grateful for the welcome and ongoing ministry from corps officers Major Jane-Marie and Captain Tim Cook. I have witnessed God at work right here in my corps, seeing people’s lives change for the better. My faith continues to help me every single day of life. I cannot imagine life without God.

Have you got a testimony to share?

Have

We’d love to hear your faith

G et at salvationist@ salvationarmy.org.uk

We’d love to hear your faith journey! Get in touch at salvationist@ salvationarmy.org.uk

with God has become stronger and I have been inspired being a part of this lovely church family.

with people at the midweek drop-in and when we gather

One year on and I have made The Salvation Army my church and I am now an adherent member. I love going to the midweek drop-in and talking with people, providing them with a listening ear. My relationship with God has never faltered, yet for many years I almost gave up on finding a spiritual home where I felt comfortable and accepted. I kept reading my Bible and praying, then God led me to the Army. My relationship w a b c w d

me to the Army My ith God has become nd I have been eing a part of this hurch family God is using me to chat ith at the midweek rop-in and we

An Immense World by Ed Yong

Continuing an occasional series, Ivan Radford considers a book for reflection and discussion

‘OLORD my God, when I in awesome wonder/ Consider all the worlds thy hands have made;/ I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder...’ (SASB 49). Stuart Hine’s hymn always comes to mind when I reflect on caring for creation. But what I’ve appreciated recently is the limits of my ability to sense the full wonder of God’s creation.

I can personally see stars and hear thunder, but that’s only two senses. And, as Ed Yong’s An Immense World explains, there are lots more. Yong introduces the word ‘umwelt’, which refers to an animal’s sensory bubble. Because we can each only sense the things we sense. Seems obvious, right? Think about your perceptual world. Now imagine how different an animal’s sensory experience of its environment is from yours.

The challenge is that human brains are wired in a way that fits us: we can’t detect the magnetic fields sea turtles use to navigate or the ultrasonic sounds rodents use to communicate. That, in itself, is not a failure – Yong is clear that this book is about diversity, not superiority. It’s a celebration of how animals use their senses in ways that are essential, and make sense, to them. But the book does highlight humankind’s failure to consider the world around us without being biased by our senses.

If you’re walking a dog, for example, are you thinking about moving from A to B? Or taking a journey of olfactory discovery? How much better for a dog’s wellbeing would it be to let the dog sniff things at leisure on a stroll?

That question hits you before you get to the astounding mechanics of dogs’ noses, the astonishing agility of bats, the beauty of ultraviolet patterns on spiders and birds, or the mind-boggling revelation that zebra stripes aren’t for camouflage against lions but to confuse flies – something humans didn’t initially research because they were preoccupied with their own visual frame of reference.

Yong writes with a colourful turn of phrase that captures the amazement of learning about nature – it’s the reading equivalent of watching David Attenborough’s Planet Earth all in one go. But while this hefty scientific tome is fantastic for adults when it comes to teaching how animals’ senses operate, grow and change, the takeaway for any Christian reader will also be how Yong is often admittedly stumped by the ‘why’.

That God has created a world so diverse in nature is no surprise – but the more examples you read, the more your sense of wonder at God’s magnificent creation grows. And the more you appreciate how interconnected humans are with everything else on this planet, and how our actions – from plastic pollution to everyday light and noise pollution – impact nature in ways that we simply don’t perceive. Except, of course, we’re the only ones on the planet created with the capability and curiosity to find out about other animals’ experiences –and to care about doing so.

CLOSE-UP READING

CHAPTER 3, PAGE 103

All of us … take the colours that we see for granted… The real glory of colour isn’t that some individuals see more of them, but that there’s such a range of possible rainbows.

Remembering that others – humans and animals – perceive the world differently can enrich us individually and as a Church in ways we may not be able to imagine. After all, creation in all its diversity together reflects the rich glory of God.

REFLECT AND DISCUSS

How much do you prioritise your perspective over that of others?

Read Psalms 8, 19 and 139. Take a moment to marinate in wonder.

CLOSE-UP READING

CHAPTER 13, PAGE 346

We are closer than ever to understanding what it is like to be another animal, but we have made it harder than ever for other animals to be.

Lights at night that disrupt bird migration. Low-frequency sounds from ships that drown out whale song. Widening our perception of the planet is bittersweet: it increases our awe at God’s creation and our awareness of how severely we have impacted it in ways that will have consequences for years to come.

REFLECT AND DISCUSS

Genesis 2:15 tells us God ‘took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it’. What is the difference between ‘work’ and ‘take care’? Is there one?

How are you caring for creation individually and as a group?

Jesus heals

Major Steve Dutfield is encouraged by the compassion of Jesus

MARK 1:40–45

MARK’s Gospel is well known for being fast-paced, moving quickly from one scene to another. We are not yet at the end of Chapter 1 and already we have read about John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism and temptations, the announcement of the Kingdom, the calling of the first disciples, the driving out of an impure spirit, and the healing of many.

Within a few short verses, Jesus’ ministry is well under way and the evidence of the Kingdom of God in their midst is clear for all to see.

Clearly news of Jesus is spreading as rapidly as Mark wants us to believe. Then in our study passage we come across this story of a man with leprosy who desperately desires to be clean. There were a number of diseases in the first century that could be covered by the term leprosy, but whatever particular disease this man had, he was considered unclean.

Because of this he had to maintain a distance of 50 paces from other people – much more than the two-metre distancing most of us got used to during the first outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. He was an outcast from society, living alone, unable to work and reduced to begging.

The implications of his condition meant that his impurity was not just medical but also religious, social and financial. This was certainly no lifestyle choice.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Who are the untouchables in the world you occupy? How do you feel when those on the margins of society are treated so badly by people and by the authorities?

In his desperation the man realised that, if there was to be any sort of meaningful future for him, he had to take whatever opportunities presented themselves. He had clearly heard about Jesus, and our study passage suggests that he had total confidence in him. He begged Jesus, falling to his knees: ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ But would Jesus actually help him?

While the New International Version suggests that Jesus was indignant, implying that perhaps Jesus was annoyed, or even angry, some translations suggest that we should better read this as ‘Jesus was filled with compassion’. As Jesus replies, we can almost hear the compassion in his voice: ‘I am willing. Be clean!’

This was no delayed healing. There was no waiting list. Again, the immediacy of Mark shines through as we read that this man was instantly healed.

Of course, this meant a total change in his life – no more religious or social isolation, no more being treated as unclean. Once again, he would be accepted and able to return to normal society. In his desperation, this leper had stepped out in faith. What a risk! Yet it was one he was willing to take.

PAUSE

AND REFLECT

How desperate are you to be made clean by Jesus?

Are you fully confident in Jesus’ willingness to cleanse you or do you have some hesitancy?

Have you experienced the immediacy of Jesus answering your cries to him?

I recently read an inspiring book called A Night Out with the Boys by Haydn Davies. It tells the story of a talented schoolboy footballer who, at the age of 16, was representing Wales at under-21 level. His promising career came to a complete standstill when, after a night out with his pals, he was involved in a serious car accident. Two of his friends died and he suffered life-changing injuries.

Haydn did not receive miraculous healing from his injuries and his football playing days were over. However, a few years later, his life was turned around when he encountered Jesus. He became a Christian and he could not help telling people the difference Jesus had made to his life. Surely this was a natural reaction, the reaction of everyone whose life is transformed by Jesus.

In our study passage, however, Jesus warns the man not to tell anyone. This was not some polite ‘please don’t mention this to anyone’. The words translated for us as ‘strong warning’ were seemingly even stronger in the original Greek – it was an insistence that this would need to remain a secret between them.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Have you ever asked someone to keep a secret?

Have you then found out that the secret wasn’t kept?

How did this make you feel?

Of course, there were formalities to be gone through. Yes, the Law demanded that, for the man to be treated by society as clean, he had to present himself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that

the Law required. But other than this formality, he was not to announce this breaking in of the Kingdom into his life. It seems strange that this appears to contradict what Jesus himself had declared just a few verses earlier: ‘The time has come. The Kingdom of God has come near’ (v15).

I suspect that this man was so overjoyed with what had happened that he simply couldn’t keep it to himself. I understand that there were very good reasons for Jesus’ insistence on keeping this quiet. His time had not yet come, and his challenge to the Temple authorities was to see its fulfilment in a few short years. There was still teaching to be done, and other signs of the Kingdom of God to be made manifest, but the healed man couldn’t help but tell of the amazing thing that God had done through Jesus.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

How will you share something of the good news of God’s Kingdom where you are in the days ahead?

From January 2024, Prayer Matters is following a new prayer rhythm, to pray for renewal in this territory’s worship and mission. Each day has a theme, based on the five mission priorities. To read the unedited Prayer Matters booklet visit salvationist.org.uk/discipleship

SATURDAY 17 FEBRUARY: CARE FOR CREATION – OUR COMMON HOME

Lord, make us conscious that we share this home with your creation, and conscious that our actions affect others – human and wildlife. Help us, through our deeds, to love the family we may not see, looking to make our home a place where all can thrive, not just survive.

by Major Heather Poxon (Territorial Environmental Officer)

SUNDAY 18 FEBRUARY: SABBATH PRAYER – LET’S REMEMBER

We begin Lent by reminding ourselves of God’s unending, unfailing faithfulness to us. We let ourselves be amazed again at how good God has been and how trustworthy he is. Only then can we begin to consider what our faithful response might look like. So, let’s take this first week to remember the myriad ways God has blessed us.

by Lyndall Bywater (UKI Boiler Room Team)

MONDAY 19 FEBRUARY: SHARING THE GOOD NEWS – PLEXUS, THE ONLINE CORPS

Plexus Salvation Army is the UK’s first online corps community. ‘Plexus’ means a network of nerves or vessels in the body, and it symbolises a network of believers and communities forming one church. Please pray with us for a deep understanding of this evolving context, so we can create something authentic within this unique community space.

by Major Ian Emery (Project Lead, Online Corps)

TUESDAY 20 FEBRUARY: SERVING AND CARING – PLEXUS, THE ONLINE CORPS

Plexus is a Fresh Expression of church that aims to reach people who experience friendship and community in wholly online spaces. We run various projects that are designed to create communities in different forms on the internet. We give thanks for new connections, and for those rediscovering faith through our virtual communities. We pray for wisdom as we keep looking for new ways to pioneer this new form of mission.

by Major Ian Emery (Project Lead, Online

Corps)

WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY: GROWING IN FAITH – RESOURCES HUB

Father God, we thank you for all the resources produced by The Salvation Army. We pray that these will inspire people to connect with you in a deeper way. We pray for the Resources Hub; help them stay true to your plans, supporting frontline mission in all its varied and vital expressions.

by Hannah Kingston (Resource Co-ordinator)

THURSDAY 22 FEBRUARY: INTERNATIONAL SALVATION ARMY – SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

We pray for territorial leaders Lieut-Colonels Rafael and Karina Giusti and for the team members who serve alongside them. We ask God’s blessing on all the Army is doing to spread the good news of Jesus in those countries.

by

Lyndall Bywater (UKI Boiler Room Team)

FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY: JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION – SELF-DENIAL APPEAL

Today we pray for Captains Anthony C Lalrutfela and Makimi Lalnunkimi Sailo, who work in the Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Centre near Aizawl in eastern India. The centre offers residential places for men who are struggling with addiction. We pray for their work supporting these men in recovery.

MAJOR STEVE DUTFIELD Divisional Leader North Scotland Division

PRAYER REQUESTS

Do you have something or someone you’d like us to pray for?

Email salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk with ‘prayer request’ in the subject line and it will be upheld in prayer.

Standing against apathy

Cadet Amy Bayliss-Fox shares why she’s taking part in the No Faith in Fossil Fuels Vigil for Climate Justice

GROWING up I always heard that we should recycle, we should reduce our water usage and we should be mindful about the rubbish we produce. I always heard that this was up to us as individuals. But I had no idea of the environmental impact being made

Pause and reflect

Read these lyrics from ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ (SASB 14). How do you respond to the wonder of God’s creation?

For the beauty of the Earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies, Father, unto thee we raise

This our sacrifice of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine

To our race so freely given, Graces human and divine, Flowers of Earth and buds of Heaven, Father, unto thee we raise

This our sacrifice of praise.

by big corporations and governments.

It wasn’t until I was at university and took part in a green award audit for the student union that I became aware of the importance of sustainability –not just at a personal level but on a wider scale.

While attending the 2022 Churches Together in England Forum, I listened to a talk by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, who spoke about reconciliation being a deliberate choice. He said that true reconciliation cannot come from the outside – it had to come from within. There was also a talk by environmentalist and theologian Dr Ruth Valerio, who raised the point that the opposite of love is not hate, it’s apathy.

The whole forum was a ‘road to Emmaus’ experience for me and how I think about caring for creation. It reconciled my thoughts about sustainability with my faith and lit a fire in my heart to speak up for reconciliation between humanity and the creation we were tasked to care for.

That’s why, alongside fellow Salvationists, Christians and activists, I am joining the No Faith in Fossil Fuels

Vigil for Climate Justice between 14 and 24 February. It began on Ash Wednesday with a service where we dedicated the vigil to God and focused our thoughts and intentions. We then made our way to Parliament Square to prayerfully protest and stand up against the use of fossil fuels and stand up for a deeper focus on caring for creation.

I am participating in this vigil because I believe we are mandated by God to care for the world he lovingly placed us in. We do not own this land; the Earth is not ours to destroy as we see fit. As it says in Psalm 24:1, ‘The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.’

We live on a beautiful planet, so let’s stand up for it, let’s protect it for future generations and glorify God through the way that we care for the creation he has made.

AMY BAYLISS-FOX Cadet

Get involved from home

You can support the vigil from wherever you are by praying alongside those gathered in Westminster with the help of the Vigil from Home Prayer Hour Guide.

MARVEL

Read Genesis 1:1–31

Reflect What causes me to marvel at creation?

Pray Creator God, may we all respond to your calling to look after all you have given us.

LAMENT

Read Psalm 30:1–6

Reflect What do we need to turn away from to tackle the climate crisis?

Pray We recognise and repent of our broken humanity that has embedded patterns of inequality.

HOPE

Read Hebrews 11:1–3

Reflect What is your hope for how you, the Church and governments can act for climate justice?

Pray God of hope, help us be part of your vision for all creation.

TRANSFORM

Read Romans 12:2

Reflect How can I be part of the transformation of the world?

Pray Great redeemer, deepen in us the longing for renewal.

For the full guide, and to find out more about the vigil, visit salvationist.org.uk/climate-vigil

Pictures: Andrew King Photography, Louise Norton, Rebecca Reece

Photos from the No Faith in Fossil Fuels pilgrimage to parliament in April 2023

Sharing is caring (for creation)

Stevie Hope finds out what the Environmental Champions Network is and how it’s helping people care for creation

YOU’VE likely heard that The Salvation Army cares for creation. Between declaring a climate emergency and setting an ambitious net-zero carbon emissions target, there’s lots happening on an organisational level to make this territorial mission priority a reality. And this push is equally as strong on the ground.

When I last caught up with Major Heather Poxon, the territory’s environmental officer, she said ‘the core of the eco corps push is the Environmental Champions Network’ (Salvationist 3 June 2023). It’s therefore encouraging to hear that, over the past year alone, the network has grown by more than 400 per cent – from 34 members in 2022 to 176 members today – with every UK and Ireland division represented.

To cut carbon emissions, the network doesn’t gather in person, but communicates via WhatsApp and email. Quarterly online catch-ups help champions inspire and encourage each other in local projects, while helping Heather gauge how best to move forward for the territory.

‘Each champion has their own passions and opportunities,’ Heather enthuses. ‘I see the network as the environmental team on the ground.’

To link up with the network today, email environment@salvationarmy.org.uk

MARGARET MORTLOCK Corps Secretary, Reading Lower Earley

We’ve gained so much from the Environmental Champions Network. A massive shout-out to Heather and the team.

We joined for support, ideas and a common purpose. People have been tremendously supportive, especially in the early days of our involvement in A Rocha UK’s Eco Church initiative. We realised that issues we faced had been faced by others and, often, they had already found solutions!

As an example, through the network, we learnt that we needed to change our bins and labels. Before, we had rubbish and recycling bins with no further information. Now, a sticker with pictures confirms what goes where. We got the signs and bins from our local council, and they have helped people to start recycling more. You quickly move from an idea to completion because others have already been there and done it.

We were thrilled to achieve Silver in the Eco Church survey, and sharing with like-minded people has motivated us to keep going. Solutions we’ve shared include approaching the Royal Horticultural Society for wildflower seeds, asking local refuse centres for recycled compost, and building bug hotels from leftover wood. It’s really encouraging to receive positive feedback and thanks when we share.

Caring for creation is a territorial priority, but what does that really mean in corps life? Yes, we could have a sermon about it. We could recycle. However, it’s not until I joined the network that I appreciated just how vast the topic is.

MAJOR MATT ELSEY Corps Officer, Newark

I joined the network because tackling climate change is a significant issue we face and I believe that caring for God’s creation effectively is not something we can, or should, do in isolation. It’s such a big challenge and can only be solved by sharing responsibility, praying together and holding each other to account.

Being part of the network has encouraged me to do more towards caring for creation and has provided many ideas and stories of good practice. Since joining, we’ve introduced reusable giving envelopes, provided bins to recycle items that aren’t recycled by the council, and hosted a Wild Neighbours exhibition to highlight the wildlife in our area. It has also reassured me that there are others who are also trying their best to make changes but don’t know how. While the network doesn’t tell you what to do, the members encourage you to keep going and give your ideas a go.

STEVIE HOPE Editorial Assistant Salvationist

Meeting on Teams means there’s a diverse group with varying experiences and expertise to glean from, without the need to travel. There’s also an openness to share ideas, thoughts and prayers to help others do their best in their setting. It doesn’t take up lots of time and you always come away feeling encouraged and with a few things you can try out.

Maldon Making a magnificent mosaic

Potential and promise

We arrived in 2019 to a mostly older fellowship of committed Christians who really love the Lord.

The corps council wanted to ‘do something different’, but didn’t know what, and blessed us with a wide scope to consider what we would do next.

Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. The corps and town led the co-ordinated response to the community, especially in provision of food. Worshipping online, a postal Sunday school, and activity bag drops during school holidays increased our congregation.

It was a big shift, and we began to re-evaluate who we were as a corps. We moved from a mission statement that

Fast Facts

DIVISION: East of England

CORPS OFFICERS:

Captains Caron and Jon Doyle

FIND US ONLINE: facebook.com/ maldonsalvationarmy

nobody could remember to something that everyone – from youngest to oldest – could get involved in: ‘We love God, our neighbour and ourselves, and we do this by seeking justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with God.’

God’s growing family

We took some families who became part of our Sunday school during the pandemic to divisional family camp, and they said they wanted something where they could learn about Jesus.

Grant funding helped support our Mosaic family group as a warm hub and a place for people to be fed. Everybody’s family looks different, but when you put them all together you get something quite beautiful.

We started a new family Sunday school with our Mosaic group, where we eat together and people can join in as much as they want. The families, completely new to church, loved it so much they invited friends. Now we have an emerging second congregation who are exploring faith for the first time! Children are learning about Jesus, learning how to pray and what that means. Every week we get asked challenging faith questions from people of all ages.

The congregation emerging from our Mosaic group is desperate to know God more. We want to see them saved, to come to know God in a real and personal way and for people to see us as a place where God is known. Please pray that we will continue to see God working throughout our church and our town.

Realising God’s vision

Desire for community outreach also led to a regular multi-generational soup stop drop-in. Some people attend because they need hot food, others because they like the company. Pat Wilkinson, an employment development co-ordinator from Employment Plus, joins us to offer advice on benefits and housing.

Finding support and accessing benefits isn’t easy in the town. God has given us a vision of becoming a community training centre and hub to help people gain skills to get back into work.

We’ve already offered Multiply money management courses with Red Balloon and worked closely with our Community Voluntary Service to offer cooking courses. These led to volunteering opportunities at the soup stop, enabling people to gain service skills. We also help them achieve food hygiene certificates.

Caring for creation

Corps member Stuart Saunders is our Eco Church representative. We recently achieved a Bronze award, and we’re now taking steps towards Silver. We try to use Fairtrade, ethically sourced food that’s not wrapped in single-use plastic. Our newsletter contains tips to be ecofriendly at home and we actively encourage car sharing. Small actions add up to make big impacts.

We’ve considered our boiler temperature settings and how and when we heat the building, and we’re applying to DHQ for funding to upgrade to energy efficient lighting. Our recycling bins are always available and our cleaner, Ebony, wants to start using eco-friendly cleaning products.

Our young people have genuine climate concerns, and we take these seriously. They will be the ones most impacted.

God has gifted us his world. It’s important to God and must be important to us. If we love God, our neighbours and ourselves, then caring for creation becomes all those things.

To find out more about becoming an Eco Church, visit salvationist.org.uk/ environment

Corps members sign creation commitment cards

Continuing the conversation

Lieut-Colonel Drew McCombe shares an update on the Membership Working Group and what to expect from Belonging and Believing: The Big Conversation

IWANT to start by saying thank you!

More than 2,000 people responded to last autumn’s membership survey, and hundreds more took part in group conversations facilitated by corps and divisions. The data is currently being analysed by the Research and Development Unit and we’ll be presenting the initial findings at The Big Conversation (1–3 March).

This weekend at the University of Warwick will offer attendees further opportunities to listen to and explore how the UK and Ireland Territory can shape exciting discipleship, with a radical vision of belonging, committing and serving the Kingdom of God.

As the Membership Working Group has journeyed together over the past year, we have been reminded of our need for Holy Spirit wisdom as we move forwards. We need to create safe spaces where people can express different views with honesty and sensitivity, respect and kindness, especially when feelings are strong. This isn’t easy, and in recognition of this we will be making space over the weekend to lament the times when we have got this wrong and to hear from

God about how we can do better. We encourage you to pray into this, to continue to share what God is laying on your heart, and to be mindful when you are listening to and speaking with others.

We want to engage a diverse range of perspectives to help inform the Membership Working Group’s recommendations, which will go to territorial leadership this summer. Over the weekend we will be considering themes such as Jesus and discipleship, membership and the body of Christ, and calling and covenant. We will also look at the subject through the lens of the territory’s vision, mission priorities and shared values, and hear personal stories of belonging to The Salvation Army.

While the event is now fully booked, you can join the conversation wherever you are. Articles in the 2 March issue of Salvationist will follow topics from the event programme, and audio recordings and papers from speakers will be available to you after the weekend via salvationist.org.uk

I look forward to continuing the conversation together!

Who’s in the Membership Working Group?

The Membership Working Group is a diverse mix of officers, pioneer leaders, soldiers, adherents and people who are not formal members of the Army but are committed disciples of Jesus. They cover a range of views on the subject and span different ages, genders and ethnicities.

Keep an eye on salvationist.org.uk/ bigconversation2024 for the latest information.

Share your thoughts by emailing belonging@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Self-Denial 2024

THIS year’s Self-Denial Appeal runs from 4 February to 3 March with a focus on the life-changing impact of officers across the globe. This week we are in Mizoram and Aizawl.

Captain Anthony C Lalrutfela and his wife Captain Makimi Lalnunkimi Sailo live and work in a remote part of Mizoram in eastern India, at the Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Centre (ARC). The ARC runs a drug and alcohol treatment programme aimed at helping people who are struggling with addictions. Captains Anthony and Makimi live on site with their young son, Jonny.

Anthony’s role as superintendent, involves looking after general administration, management and spiritual development. Makimi looks after the finances, but also gives pastoral support to staff members. There are places for 20 men at the centre and they stay for four months, during which they get access to counselling and medical support and a full daily programme that includes a series of lectures.

‘In the ARC there’s lots to do, but we give our best in order to properly run this place and our ministry,’ says Captain Makimi. ‘Through the ARC, The Salvation Army is doing wonderful work. Many of the men have been rejected by their families because of their addiction to drugs. It’s not easy to just quit substances like drugs and alcohol. When they come to leave this place, we hope we can help them to become responsible people, so they can have a fresh start to their lives. The Army’s work is global, and I am very thankful that I can contribute through my role as a Salvation Army officer, especially in this very remote corner of the world.’

Everyone’s recovery journey is different, so there’s focused medical support throughout. The staff nurse does a daily check on each resident. ‘This centre, the way I see it, is a place for healing of the body, mind and spirit and that’s key to the work that we do here,’ says Captain Anthony.

The men who come to the ARC are from towns and cities throughout Mizoram. Some are brought by family members or referred by medical clinics, but others are here because they were

CAPTAINS ANTHONY C LALRUTFELA AND MAKIMI LALNUNKIMI SAILO, MIZORAM

“ I love them with everything in me. There’s nothing fake about it.”

helped by the Army’s street ministry teams.

In the state’s capital city of Aizawl, four hours’ drive north of Mizoram, The Salvation Army has a strong presence, with 69 corps and over 17,000 Salvationists. On Friday nights, the Army’s street ministry teams set up with curry and sweet tea. One team member said, ‘People here have problems with substance abuse. They come to have some food with us, and we preach, we sing, we give pastoral and psychological counselling to those in need.’

The sale of alcohol is illegal in Mizoram, but it’s just as easy to get hold of heroin-based drugs, especially the locally named Number Four. One ARC resident openly shared: ‘If the Army’s street ministry team hadn’t found me, I would have stayed on the streets and would probably be dead. The fact that I’m here, it’s changed my life. I’ve been saved, I feel like I’ve received salvation.’

Some residents have nearly completed the rehab programme and will soon leave the centre and head home. Captain Makimi hopes to stay on, saying, ‘We want to be able to continue helping drug users. This is where God has called us to

Your offering

Bring your sacrificial offering to your corps altar service on Sunday 3 March, or hand it in at your corps any time during or after the appeal. Why not ask your corps leader for a collection box and save up for your gift?

Donate using this QR code or by visiting salvationist.org.uk/ selfdenial – and give your corps name when prompted.

be and what we look forward to.’

Although not formally trained in social work, Captain Anthony’s calling is a calling of love, as he explains: ‘My qualifications, my degree is not in this field, but this is where God has called me. The most important qualification is love. I love them with everything in me. There’s nothing fake about it, it’s love that comes from God and I truly love them.’

Based on this week’s Self-Denial Appeal video, available to watch at salvationist.org.uk/selfdenial

Embers fan into

THE SLATE

CONFERENCE CENTRE

IGNITION! was the theme, as people travelled from all parts of the territory for a weekend of prayer, worship, teaching and fellowship at Encounter Prayer Gathering 2024, writes Spiritual Life Development Secretary Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts. Major Gary Lacey, territorial prayer co-ordinator, and prayer consultant Lyndall Bywater welcomed 130 people to launch the UKI Boiler Room, a prayer initiative to enable the UK and Ireland Territory to pray for the mission of The Salvation Army.

An inspiring opening session brought an image of a hearth swept clean and prepared, and the weekend’s five main sessions further enabled Gary and Lyndall to share their vision of an Army ablaze, with the clear reminder that God sends the fire. Colonels Peter and Julie Forrest, chief secretary and territorial secretary for leader development respectively, introduced themselves and shared personal stories of wonderful answers to prayer. It was good to hear our leaders express their support for prayer as the fuel of mission.

Seven seminars gave delegates a varied Saturday programme and an opportunity to learn how to pray into mission. Options included Desperate for Prayer

in Your Context?, Prophetic Justice: How Prayer and Action Can Change the World, Prayer and Mission: Entering Into the Ways of God, Connecting the ‘Connected Generation’ with Prayer and Praying for Young People, Core Recovery: The Foundation and Heartbeat of the Model, Having Faith in the Family, and We Are Not for Sale. Seminar leaders were all people with territorial responsibilities in these specialist facets of mission and they were a gift to the gathering, sharing in prayer and conversation throughout the weekend. Remarkable things happen when God’s people come together in prayerful unity, and the speakers were sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Worship was led by Jo and Joel Thomas (Cheltenham Citadel) and enabled delegates to experience the presence of God as we sang in praise of Jesus: ‘Your name is power./ Your name is healing./ Your name is life.’

Based on Revelation 3:1–6, Gary’s

powerful Sunday morning Bible message referenced the church at Sardis, reminding us that we can no longer rely on merely looking alive.

“ The spacious conference room became holy ground, a place of deep encounter with God ”

The gathering was left in no doubt that power and fire come from God, yet we can each engage in the work of prayer. Prayer furnaces – prayer group meetings in local settings – can be a vital part of engaging in the new and exciting venture of the UKI Boiler Room. In our personal lives, a holy habit of prayer and a daily rhythm enable us to intercede for the mission of The Salvation Army. In the final session, the new prayer rhythm was enacted by walking in small groups to brief prayer times on each of the daily themes of prayer that are highlighted in Prayer Matters – see page 7 of Salvationist each week.

A visual journal of the weekend by

Major Lynden Gibbs

This year at Encounter Prayer Gathering, the spacious conference room became holy ground, a place of deep encounter with God, a place where the breath of God came to blow upon the embers and fan into flame the hearts and lives of his people. Ignition of the UKI Boiler Room came gently as God’s people claimed his transforming Spirit and committed themselves to praying relentlessly.

Picture: Aivis Ilsters

REMEMBRANCE

Army marks 20 years since Morecambe Bay tragedy

FLEETWOOD

TWO decades on from the disaster that witnessed 23 Chinese cockle pickers drown from incoming tides, the Army has reinforced the importance of spotting the signs of modern slavery.

At an open-air memorial, the Army joined others in a short ceremony on the beach. Members of the Movement’s anti-trafficking department released a biodegradable Chinese lantern into the sky, which included a message from survivors currently supported in the North West through its modern slavery services.

Major Estelle Blake, territorial chaplain for the AntiTrafficking and Modern Slavery Department, said: ‘This disaster was never truly linked to modern slavery, locally or nationally, and we feel it is our duty to educate people about exploitation and spread awareness of the dangers that are still present in every community in this country and across the world. Modern slavery hides in plain sight, and we pray and will continue to work for change for the people who are exploited.’ – AR

FUNDRAISING

SOUTHAMPTON SHOLING The corps welcomed ukulele players for a social evening that raised £100 for a diabetes charity and £180 for corps funds. The evening was enjoyed and supported by people from the community. – JH

COMMUNITY

WELLING Felt called to be stewards of the area, the litterpicking team has been busy sweeping up the high street after the recent stormy weather. The corps was really delighted to then receive a note from a member of the public thanking them for their hard work. – KS

ANNIVERSARY

STAVELEY Corps Sergeant-Major Jean Yates provided a faith tea marking 27 years since the re-opening of the corps. The next day, a learn and grow morning meeting was held, followed by anniversary celebrations that included timbrelists, the songsters and the band. Two celebration cakes were enjoyed, and the corps is looking forward to what God brings in the future. – PR

ECUMENICAL

SUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD As part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the corps hosted a united Church service. Prayer stations helped people pray together and reflect on Luke 10:27, and group prayer meditation was well received. Afterwards everyone shared refreshments and fellowship. – WB

EVENT

EXETER TEMPLE The corps celebrated five years since the opening of the local SATCoL Donation Centre, thanking manager Sarah Ward and her team for their valuable work. Band members played inside the centre, where currently four corps members volunteer. Since the centre’s opening, it has raised donations totalling £34,800, with counter boxes adding a further £1,185. The centre also accepts gift and food donations to be distributed to families in the city. – AR

COMMUNITY

HOVE Councillors Mitchie Alexander, Julie Cattell and Leslie Pumm visited the food bank with Vanessa O’Shea from the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership. Inspired by the Army’s work assisting people in their constituency, they offered to support through small departmental collections and fundraising drives. – LH

MUSIC

BIRMINGHAM CITADEL After a break of three years, a Night at the Proms concert invited the audience to come dressed in keeping with a Disney and Warner Bros. theme. Alongside solos from Edward Dixon (Eb bass) and David Taylor (euphonium), vocal soloist Josie Lamplough led the singing. There was also a children’s parade and much enthusiastic flag waving, and corps officer Major Adrian Allman wrapped up the evening with a Bible message. – RO

FUNDRAISING

SALISBURY The hall was filled to capacity as popular local band Second Wind held a concert to raise funds for awareness of homelessness issues in the community. The event raised over £900 with more than 200 people enjoying the hospitality and welcome of corps folk. – MD

STOCKTON

FELICITY and George were enrolled as junior soldiers by corps officer Major Sandy Davis. Following their enrolment, the congregation sang ‘Let Your Light Shine’ as a reminder that Jesus calls us to be lights in the world. Divisional Children’s Officer Lieutenant Luke Cozens supported the children with prayer and gifts. They are pictured with Young People’s Sergeant-Major Nicola Tapstet. – SD

LONDONDERRY

PETER was re-enrolled as a soldier by Major Kelston Stanford (DHQ) after he returned to the corps through the encouragement of his son. Peter is active in the corps ministry and felt that the time was right for him to take this step. Peter is pictured with his two children, Josh and Rebekah, his mum, Roberta, corps officer Lieutenant Sharon Stevens, Major Kelston and good friend Major Keira Wood (Belfast Sydenham). – SS

WILLENHALL

STOWMARKET

MIKE Shave was enrolled as a soldier by corps officer Major Kevin Pitt. Mike’s grandfather was a founding member of the corps, and Mike feels that he has now come home to worship. – MB

DARLASTON

PAULINE Murphy was welcomed as an adherent by corps leader Territorial Envoy Lee Highton-Nicholls. Pauline started attending the weekly welcome space group with a friend last year, followed by Thursday night worship. Witnessing another adherent being recognised led Pauline to question her own membership and she decided now was the time to settle again in a church. – LH-N

SARAH Woodhouse and Trish and Brenda Tipper were welcomed as adherents by corps leader Territorial Envoy Lee Highton-Nicholls. Having been involved in Sunday school, the band and the songsters for many years, Sarah was challenged about her membership at the corps and decided that now was the time to become an adherent. Trish and her mum, Brenda, started attending the Singing by Heart group about a year ago. They have quickly become part of the Sunday worship fellowship. Trish recently came to faith, is volunteering at corps groups and enjoys being in church making new friendships. Brenda has not been involved in a church since her youth and celebrates being able to worship again. They have formed a great support network, and other members of the family have started attending. – LH-N

eight years in the role. Corps officer Major Conny Vogler thanked Paul for his ministry and faithful service, as well as the food bank volunteers, who are taking on extra responsibilities to keep the busy ministry going. Paul received a certificate and gift hamper to share with his wife, Carolyn, who has been a great supporter and encourager. Paul responded by thanking his team of volunteers and sharing some experiences from his time in the role. Paul will continue with his valuable ministry as a herald, selling Army papers in the local shopping centre. – CM

years’

Starting at the age of 7, Bram, now 92, only paused his service during the Second World War, when he was evacuated from his home corps of Acton to Portsmouth. He only recently decided to hang up his cornet and continues to serve in the songsters. Bram is pictured with Bandmaster Andi Harrod and Major Colin Harrod. – CH

ON Covenant Sunday a new corps flag was presented in memory of Retired Young People’s Sergeant-Major Margaret Jones by her son, Gareth. Major David Emery formally presented the flag to Corps Secretary Edward Beach. Corps officer Major Tracy Jackson reminded the congregation of the importance of each element and colour of the flag and how it is used as a continued symbol of the Army’s war against sin and social evils – a suitable legacy to Margaret’s lifelong service to the corps. – EB

PAUL Ellis retired as food bank co-ordinator after

BURTON-ON-TRENT

BRAM Clark received a certificate of appreciation for 77

service as a bandsman in the division.

HARLOW

SISTERS Isa and Margaret Stanger each celebrated 70 years as soldiers of the corps, just weeks apart. Both are an active part of the church family, and the fellowship were delighted to acknowledge such significant milestones. Isa and Margaret are pictured with members of their families. – SS

KIRKWALL

CORPS officer Major Tracy Jackson presented David Saint with a certificate of appreciation and a gift for his faithful service as a herald. David became a soldier after coming to the Army later in life, selling the Army papers in all weathers for the past eight and a half years. Due to declining health, David has reluctantly relinquished this responsibility, and the corps considered it important to recognise his dedication and time in the role. – EB

WILLIAMSTOWN

ARMY PEOPLE

Local officers appointed

CHILDREN’S TEAM MINISTRY LDR COLLEEN

EDMONDS, Dunstable

SL ADAM BLYTH, Kettering Citadel

RS SUSAN BLYTH, Kettering Citadel

SCL CHARLOTTE CALCUTT, Kettering Citadel

CS HELEN MARSH, Kettering Citadel

ADULT AND FAMILY LDR WENDY THOMPSON, Kettering Citadel

CSM EWAN DOMLEO, Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls

SCL JO-ANNE KENYON, Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls

JS SGT RACHAEL RHODES, Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls

Wedding anniversaries

Diamond (60 years)

KEN AND WENDY THAKE, Waterbeach, on 29 February

MIKE AND SHEILA CALEY, Stowmarket, on 7 March

Retired officers’ birthdays

COMMISSIONER BRENDA COLES, 85 on 25 February

MAJOR MARIAN HENDERSON, 80 on 29 February

Promoted to Glory

SHEILA EDWARDS, Shoeburyness

S/RESERVIST SHEILA BOVEY, Exeter Temple, on 23 January

CATH FORD, Colchester Citadel, on 26 January

MAJOR ALLEN BATE from Sunderland Royal Hospital on 5 February

Bereaved

PETER EDWARDS, Shoeburyness, of his wife Sheila Edwards, Barry Edwards, Tunbridge Wells, and Julie Hubbard of their mother

CAPTAIN ANGELA WILSON, Waterbeach, of her father David Starling

ALISTAIR BATE, Portsmouth Citadel, of his father Major Allen Bate

ALICE JOYCE, Boston, Olive Burrell, Northampton, Carol Roberts, Sylvia Major and Major Gledson Wood, Australia Territory, of their sister Songster Mary Morrow

Official Gazette

Retirements from active service

Effective 1 February

MAJOR CHRISTINE LUMM (née France) out of Midsomer Norton in 2001 and last appointment South West DHQ

COMMISSIONERS JENINE AND PAUL MAIN

Territorial Leaders

ENGAGEMENTS

General Lyndon Buckingham and World President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham

Tue 20 Feb – Mon 26 Feb Kenya West (East Africa Centenary Congress)

Mon 26 Feb – Tue 5 Mar Kenya East (East Africa Centenary Congress)

Chief of the Staff Commissioner Edward Hill and World Secretary for Women’s Ministries Commissioner Shelley Hill

Fri 16 Feb – Tue 20 Feb Eastern Europe Territory (Installation of territorial leaders)

Territorial Leaders Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main

Sun 25 Feb – Thu 29 Feb Roffey Park (divisional leaders’ learning and development)

Fri 1 Mar – Sun 3 Mar University of Warwick (Belonging and Believing: The Big Conversation)

Chief Secretary Colonel Peter Forrest and Territorial Secretary for Leader Development Colonel Julie Forrest

Sun 25 Feb – Thu 29 Feb Roffey Park (divisional leaders’ learning and development)

Fri 1 Mar – Sun 3 Mar University of Warwick (Belonging and Believing: The Big Conversation)

Sun 3 Mar – Thu 7 Mar IMASIC*

*Colonel Julie Forrest only

NOTICES

Easter Poetry Corner

Poetry Corner will return for the 30 March Easter issue of Salvationist. If you have an Easter-inspired poem you would like to share, please email it to salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk for consideration by 8 March.

Lent resources

Material for each Sunday of Lent is now available at salvationist.org.uk/ resources and consists of a teaching starter outline, worship and prayer resources.

Banking 2023 Helping-Hand Appeal funds

Please ensure any money raised for the appeal from January to December 2023 is banked by the end of February.

SOUNDS

Sunday Worship

Major Catherine Wyles (Rutherglen) is leading Sunday Worship on the first Sunday of Lent. Can’t join us at 11am on Sundays? Catch up with the weekly podcast of Sunday Worship highlights, including music, prayer and a Bible message. Each week’s broadcast is also repeated in full on Sundays at 6pm, Mondays at 12am and Thursdays at 9am.

Listen online at salvationist.org.uk/radio

Me and My Playlist

This Salvationist Radio show sees a young person linked to The Salvation Army share five tracks they love. This month’s show was recorded at Territorial Youth Band and Territorial Youth Choir. Listen via Salvationist Radio on the third Sunday of each month at 4pm or download the podcast and Spotify playlist.

Listen at salvationist.org.uk/podcasts

The All Terrain Podcast

The latest episode features Territorial Leaders Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main. At the time of interview, they were not aware they were going to be appointed as the new territorial leaders. Sketch notes accompanying the podcast are available at salvationist.org.uk/media/all-terrain-podcast

Listen online at salvationist.org.uk/podcasts

LOUTH, CHURCH STREET LN11 9BS

140TH CORPS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Visiting guests and events

24 March: Palm Sunday Majors Fiona and Martin Sayer

27 and 28 April: Lieut-Colonel Rob Garrad

22 June: Banovallum Brass

13 July: Corps musical

3 August: Corps barbecue

7 and 8 September: Major Brian Slinn and Major Liv Raegevik-Slinn

12 and 13 October: Harvest Majors Julian and Julie Rowley

See Facebook/corps website for updates and further information

BELLSHILL, GLADSTONE STREET ML4 1AT EASTER with the Amsterdam Staff Band (BM Olaf Ritman)

29 March 7pm: Good Friday

30 March 7pm: Easter Concert, Uddingston Old Parish Church G71 7HF

31 March 10.30am: Easter Sunday Concert tickets £10 from seaty.co.uk/asb

CASTLEFORD, BOOTH STREET WF10 1SA

Thursday 25 April, 7.45pm

BLACK DYKE BAND

Tickets £12, available from Sarah Shepherd on 07510 517 567 or sarahshep87@gmail.com

Dates worth remembering.

The salvationist.org.uk events hub is the go-to place for upcoming events and gatherings.

• Online discussions

• Music and creative arts

• Inspiring conferences

• Territorial networks