News

MEETING

Palm Sunday celebrations with international leaders

MAIDSTONE

GENERAL Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle were special guests at the corps Palm Sunday celebration on Zoom. Palm Sunday was also the International Day of Prayer for Children and Youth and was an opportunity to celebrate the young people of the corps.

During the virtual meeting Commissioner Rosalie reminded everyone that Jesus’ kindness and goodness were attractive to people. The General enrolled Gemma, Bethan and Alexi as junior soldiers, and young people unwrapped gifts of books or CDs encouraging them on their spiritual journeys, which had been delivered to their homes.

The meeting also celebrated one year of successful online Sunday schools, children’s praise videos, youth cell group Bible studies and socials. A short video gave a glimpse of these lessons and activities, many of them sparked by ideas from the young people. The video also demonstrated how youth workers had adapted during the pandemic and used their unique gifts to find new ways of teaching and interacting with the young people online.

The YP cell group presented the Bible reading, Scarlett, Camille and Hannah prayed powerfully, and James introduced the benediction song that had come to mean so much to them. – GP

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CORPS

REDDITCH AND BROMSGROVE The two corps joined together with members of the public over Easter weekend for an Easter trail. Fourteen stations of the cross were spread around the communities. Participants were given a map, a quiz and a leaflet explaining Easter. They were challenged to find pictures and Scripture readings and answer the quiz questions to help them understand the importance of Easter, before reporting back to the cross at Bromsgrove Corps to receive an Easter egg and hot cross bun on Good Friday, shortbread and an Easter egg on Saturday and cake and an Easter egg on Sunday. Associate leader Territorial Envoy Hazel Ellison is pictured at station one. – DE

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MEETINGS

SKEWEN Commissioners Carol and Ivor Telfer led the Easter weekend meetings via Zoom. On Good Friday corps officer Captain Jo Walters introduced the theme of He Chose the Nails. Matthew 26:17–66 was read in four sections during the meeting, with each part showing how Jesus accepted the nails. The Easter Sunday meeting took the theme Easter Is for Us. Commissioner Ivor spoke of the film The Case for Christ and stressed that Easter is not only for salvation but for sanctification. During the evening meeting four people shared their memories of Easter. Commissioner Carol affirmed that everyone has been put together for a purpose. An Easter version of the song ‘Hallelujah’ was played, followed by the Scripture reading from Mark 16:1–7. Commissioner Carol concluded the meeting with a challenge to be the bigger picture. – SL

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DARLINGTON On Easter Saturday homemade afternoon teas were distributed to more than 130 people linked with the corps. After the Zoom worship on Easter Day, corps folk delivered more than 250 Easter eggs to nearby households, with an Easter card to share the message of the risen Lord. – SM

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NORTON Easter Sunday was celebrated with drive-in worship in the hall car park. Corps officer Lieutenant Gill McCredie led worshippers in considering their brokenness, made new in the light of Jesus’ death and resurrection. ‘It was wonderful to be able to worship together,’ Lieutenant Gill said. – AR

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COMMUNITY

PRESTON The corps gave out food vouchers to struggling families during the Easter holidays to ensure more than 150 children did not go hungry. Funding was received as part of the Church Revitalisation Trust’s #LoveYourNeighbour campaign, which supports churches to provide practical care and hope for vulnerable communities during the coronavirus pandemic. While most of the donation was spent on vouchers for parents whose children receive free school meals, the money also enabled the corps to fund a community assistant and buy a freezer and shelving for its food bank. – AR

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MUSIC

Easter Music Course goes online

UKI

AFTER the Easter Music Course was cancelled in 2020, the Music and Creative Arts team decided to hold this year’s event virtually via Zoom.

Delegates from previous years were invited to join in with a week that would give the flavour of what the Easter Music Course is all about.

Bible study sessions led by Territorial Evangelist Major Noel Wright, Divisional Leader for Leader Development Major Mandy White (Devon and Cornwall) and Divisional Commander Major Martin Hill (Central East) gave everyone the opportunity to reflect. Guests Bandmaster William Himes (USA Central Territory) and Major Len Ballantine (Canada and Bermuda Territory) shared some of their experiences in music ministry over the years.

Two of the assistant directors of music and creative arts, Paul Sharman (Brass and Choral) and Stephanie Lamplough (Creative Arts), wrote a song that was learnt on the Monday evening and sung at the conclusion of each subsequent session as a benediction.

As well as time to share socially with each other, there was also a Dance Fit and Fellowship session, some practice tips for the brass play - ers from Bandmaster Gavin Lamplough (Birmingham Citadel) and a bake-off.

The week concluded with a Desert Island Discs-inspired session, in which delegates shared their favourite music.

The week gave opportunity for the Easter Music Course community to connect and be inspired, both musically and spiritually, until it is possible to meet in person again. – PS

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CARDIFF Cardiff City Football Club players and staff members donated a van-load of chocolate eggs for families supported by The Salvation Army. Defender Curtis Nelson and winger Josh Murphy took time during the international break to hand over the chocolate treats. – AR

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TEDDINGTON The corps and the local Baptist church produced 60 Easter activity packs for children in the community. No children currently attend the corps, but packs were given to children living near the hall and encouraging conversations took place, building on relationships made during the Christmas mince pie outreach. – EW

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FUNDRAISING

LEADGATE In August 2020, corps member Clare Thompson raised £285 for the corps with her first ‘take-out’ afternoon tea, catering for 36 people. On Easter Monday, Clare was determined to beat that total and received 54 orders. The effort also provided an opportunity for outreach as 14 people with no Army connections ordered tea. Clare’s mother, her sister, Elaine, daughter, Zoe, and corps member Liz Bailey helped make the afternoon teas. A total of £450 was raised for the corps. Clare thanked all those who donated food or money. – DP

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BARROW-IN-FURNESS More than 200 Easter eggs were delivered to families in the area, thanks to generous donations from Morrisons customers and Siemens Offshore. The chocolate treats were accompanied by a Christian magazine and a support leaflet. Among the recipients were families referred to the corps for support at Christmas. – AR

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OUTREACH

STRAWBERRY FIELD After a Facebook Live reflection, the Fresh Expressions team took a handmade cross to individuals in the community who had agreed to join them. They stood in the street together, shared a reflection and then had a few moments to pause at the cross. One family who had been shielding for the past year were blessed as they stood outside their house. A small group of volunteers crafted Easter bunnies and delivered them to homes during the Easter weekend. One lady cried on her doorstep as she was ‘so overwhelmed by the kindness shown from Strawberry Field’. On Easter Sunday a reflection by team member Karen Carter was posted on social media and presented on Premier and BBC Radio Merseyside. A new song of hope, written by team member Joe Doogan and some of Strawberry Field’s trainees, was also shared. – LB

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MEETING

CIRENCESTER Although unable to have the town’s usual Churches Together Easter activities due to Covid-19 restrictions, the corps hosted online Maundy Thursday and Good Friday meditations. Organised by corps leader Territorial Envoy Kim Whyard, the meditations were followed by a Zoom meeting on Easter Sunday, which included displays of artwork from the young people of the Gap Sunday club. A small group from the band provided some of the music. Although open-air activities could not take place, the Crucifixion and Resurrection scenes were displayed in the window of the hall as a reminder to passers-by. – MG

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COMMUNITY

PORTSMOUTH CITADEL Food and Fun at Home packs were prepared and delivered to families who might need food and affordable, fun activities during the Easter school holidays. The packs included recipes and ingredients for four healthy lunches and dinners, with fruit and vegetable characters to help teach the benefits of healthy eating, plus crafts, games and outdoor activities. A message about how Easter is a time of new beginnings and hope, with an online link to the Easter story for children, was also included. The corps is grateful for the help and support of Home-Start and Hive Portsmouth volunteer drivers, Holiday Activities and Food, the Fruit Basket in Stubbington, and insurance company Zurich, which donated Easter eggs. – AS

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SNETTISHAM Marianne Fowke created an Easter garden with help from her husband, Stephen. This was displayed outside the hall over the Easter weekend and drew a lot of interest in the village. On Easter morning the stone was rolled away to reveal an empty tomb, complete with folded grave clothes. – AK

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WELLING Corps folk handed out Messy Church bags to encourage families to engage with the Easter story in a new and exciting way. They handed out 50 bags and more than 100 Easter eggs. Repeatedly asked how much they were charging, they responded: ‘It’s Easter and we want to bless our community.’ The corps folk were delighted that many families who had linked up with them through the food bank visited them specifically to receive a Messy Church bag. – KS

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