News

Salvation Army joins YourNeighbour

UK

THE Salvation Army has joined the YourNeighbour initiative, which helps churches across the UK to be good neighbours to others.

The YourNeighbour.org web site exists to support churches in responding to the challenges and opportunities arising at a time when the Church has a vital role to play in serving the country, rallying communities and supporting people who need help.

YourNeighbour provides several services: a team of experts to help and advise local churches on how to engage with and support their communities and congregations via telephone and email; a point of connection between churches, government and other statutory agencies; and a website that provides daily updates, new models of community care, good practice and stories of hope for local churches. The website is also a place where vulnerable individuals can ask for help from nearby churches.

Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill said: ‘I am delighted The Salvation Army is a part of an even larger army, the Church of Jesus. Together we can ensure every person and family in our neighbourhoods are looked out for and provided for at this critical time. The Salvation Army was born on the street and again this is where God calls his people to be!’ – AR

Corps encouraged to make contact with Morrisons

UKI

CORPS officers running food banks are being encouraged to get in touch with the community champion in their local Morrisons after the supermarket chain announced it would make large quantities of non-perishable food available to charities to help restock food banks.

‘We have been working hard to forge a link with Morrisons and I would urge you, if possible, to make face-to-face contact with them so The Salvation Army is at the front of the queue for this support,’ said Territorial Emergency Response Officer Adrian Lee.

‘We are keen to do our bit to help,’ said Morrisons’ head of corporate services David Scott. ‘The Salvation Army is an important partner with whom we have worked for a number of years. Thanks for everything you are doing to help those in our communities who need it most.’ – AR

Supermarket stocks up food bank

SKEWEN

THE corps food bank has had its prayers answered by a major supermarket chain after almost running out of supplies.

The food bank is the only facility of its kind left in the village after five others had to close. It was facing an uncertain future after the unprecedented demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic meant its cupboards were almost bare, despite donations from local businesses.

However after the announcement by Morrisons of a £10 million support package for food banks across the UK, Skewen can continue to help people in the Neath Port Talbot area.

Corps officer Captain Jo Walters said: ‘I was praying all weekend, asking God to direct me to the right organisations I could approach to purchase the large quantities of groceries we needed. I had even prepared a list of numbers of companies to call on Monday morning, but before I could do that this email arrived in my inbox about Morrisons and my prayers were answered.

‘I am so grateful to Morrisons for this act of kindness because it means that we will still be able to provide food for the people in this area who are cut off and struggling.’ – IR

FRODSHAM

Unity Brass, under the leadership of Bandmaster Brian Johnson, presented a concert at St Laurence church, making valuable ecumenical links with Churches Together. ‘Let There Be Praise’ and ‘Jubilation’ were among items enjoyed by the audience, as well as cornet and vocal solos. A rendition of the classic ‘In That Beautiful Land’ was met with a standing ovation. More than £800 was raised for the Army’s anti-trafficking and modern slavery work in the region, bringing the total raised by Churches Together in the town in recent years to more than £7,000. – BJ

Editor's note: Some of these news reports are from events and meetings that took place before the current safety advice relating to the coronavirus outbreak. Please send in news of how your corps is adapting to the situation through innovative ministry opportunities. Copy should be sent to salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk. Thank you.

Audio Salvationist now available online

THQ

THE audio version of Salvationist, which was previously sent on a CD to people with a visual impairment, is now available to listen to on the internet.

The CD has been produced and posted to subscribers free of charge by Galloway’s Society for the Blind for more than 10 years. The sight loss charity is not able to operate during the coronavirus outbreak, so recordings are being put online instead.

Salvationist Editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts said: ‘We realise that not everyone who usually receives the CD will be able to access recordings via the internet, but we are making them available for those who can. I’m grateful to Lieut-Colonel Margaret Wickings and Major Rosemary Dawson for continuing to make the half-hour recordings during these difficult times.’

CD distribution will resume once Galloway’s staff are able to return to work. – AR

The audio Salvationist is available at salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist

NORWICH

The Pottergate Arc drop-in centre is an essential service for people sleeping rough in Norwich, offering food, drink, toilets, washing facilities and pastoral support. To keep everyone safe, the team is limiting the number of people inside the centre, taking temperature checks and using hand sanitiser. Norwich Citadel is making and delivering sandwiches to the centre for people to take away, as well as offering support to the wider community. – AR

IPSWICH

A nearby Sainsbury’s donated spare food to the two corps in Ipswich and to the Lyndon House Lifehouse after it decided to close its café. They were able to make sure that the food reached people who really needed it. – DC

CLOWNE

Before the current coronavirus safety guidelines were introduced, boys and girls from the Winners Club asked if they could raise money for the Self-Denial Appeal. Thirteen boys and girls and their leaders took part in a dancea-thon, dancing to Christian songs for 90 minutes – the length of their usual club meetings. They raised a total of £157. – GH

CARDIFF

The divisional emergency response vehicle has been called in to support people in the city experiencing homelessness who can find food, warmth and comfort on the specially adapted purple bus. The Bus Project usually supports up to 40 people a night. Thanks to the emergency response vehicle’s raised platform and serving hatch, the team can continue supporting people while following social distancing guidance. – IR

PORTSMOUTH CITADEL

The corps is supporting some of the city’s most vulnerable residents during the coronavirus pandemic with the Good Neighbours project shopping service. Despite the challenge of facing supermarket rationing, in recent weeks 40 new referrals have been taken on, most of whom are older people who need staff to do their grocery shopping for them. – IR

Helen Bowman celebrates her 106th birthday with family and friends at Ringwood

MAIDSTONE

Before coronavirus restrictions were in place many people gathered for a Last Night of the Proms-inspired concert. Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School choir, cornet soloists John Boyd and Kevin Ashman and the band presented a wide variety of music, including classical pieces, film music and Army compositions. The evening concluded with a grand finale of traditional Proms music. – GP

Brighton Congress Hall Band Reservist and Dunkirk veteran Cyril Turner celebrates his 100th birthday

IPSWICH CITADEL

Although corps folk were not able to meet as usual, they could not let Mothering Sunday go unmarked. Many corps members listened to the online Sunday morning meeting on Facebook based around motherhood. Corps officer Major Loes Palmer and Louise Brookes also spent eight hours driving to 57 addresses, delivering flowers to women of the corps who were self-isolating. Social distancing guidelines were followed, and there were happy smiles when they opened the doors. – DC

HARLOW

This year’s World Day of Prayer service for churches i n the town was presented by women from Zimbabwe. Senzeni Siyamufinya, a soldier and home league member, opened the service by singing ‘Jesus, We Are Here’ (Jesu Tawa Pano) in Shona and played an African musical instrument. A vast number of items from the country, collected by a member of Potter Street Baptist church, were on display, and several Zimbabwean flags were placed around the church. – RH

IPSWICH CITADEL

Despite having to suspend all activities that involve groups meeting, corps folk remain a close-knit community. A small team is producing an online Sunday morning meeting with a mixture of newly recorded words and music plus congregational songs from previous meeting recordings. It has been suggested that people listen to the meeting, which is shared on the corps Facebook page every Sunday at 10.30 am, so that they still feel part of a congregation wor shipping together. – DC

Prayer pointers

Secretary for Spiritual Life Development Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts presents prayer topics for each day of the week

During these challenging days Salvationists around the territory are invited to pause at noon each day to unite in prayer. This specific time will not be possible for everyone but whenever you take time to pray, the following subjects are offered, which particularly relate to concerns around the pandemic. New topics will be published each week

Monday

The government and all who have to make decisions daily on our behalf.

Tuesday

Key workers and their families whose own health is at risk as they provide essential services for others.

Wednesday

All who work in prisons at this time, especially chaplains ministering to prisoners and staff alike.

Thursday

People who live in situations where there is domestic abuse and for whom home is a place of fear.

Friday

The families of people who have travelled to other parts of the world but are still unable to return to the UK.

Saturday

Couples whose weddings have been postponed and any who are unable to gather for celebrations of all kinds.

Sunday

Today let us offer prayers of praise and thankfulness to God, that we continue to experience the joy of Christ’s resurrection and that his people will worship him this Easter in many different ways.

This week’s link is to the Older People’s Ministries UKI Facebook page, where each day a new Silver Linings daily devotional is shared. Highly recommended for all ages! facebook.com/ groups/1653077905021950

Stay home if you can, stay safe and keep praying.