Letters

I HAVE begun a personal writing project whereby I ask some open and abstract questions. What is beauty? What is bravery? What is tragedy? The answers I have so far from friends, family and wider members of the community have been varied and wonderful. The thoughts and memories evoked and connections made when talking through these questions have also been really positive and enjoyable. The questions are simple, yet trigger lots of fantastic conversations and realisations.

Would any members or groups within the Army be interested in the project? I would love to include the answers on a website I am building centred on conversations with the general public. The answers to the questions can be anything at all – there are no right or wrong answers. I would be honoured to have the opportunity to do this with some Salvationists. If interested, I look forward to hearing from you: email supplied.

Sarah Palmer London

WHO IS THE SALVATION ARMY?

I HAVE just read with great interest the ‘Viewpoint’ article titled ‘Making the case for democracy’ by Tor Martin Ødegaard from Norway (Salvationist 8 February). What is of at least equal interest to me is that an article of such nerve should find its way into Salvationist at all. What Tor writes is absolutely correct. Anyone who denies that The Salvation Army is undemocratic has no awareness of how it really operates.

This for me raises a simple question: Who is The Salvation Army? Is it IHQ or THQ? Is it the officers? In these two groups the personnel are selected for their particular positions rather than elected. As I see it, the soldiers are the core (no pun intended) of The Salvation Army and are only rarely, in selected cases, involved in certain issues. For instance in the decision to produce the new tune book, I was never asked about any preferences I had despite being a bandsman for most of my life. Whoever decided, to my knowledge, never thought it their responsibility to make an in-depth study at grass roots level.

Gordon Archer Portadown

CHANGING AND THRIVING

I FELT I must respond to Major Andrew Bale’s ‘Dreams and visions’ article (Salvationist 15 February) and the heartfelt letter from Lesley Webb, printed the week before, mourning the closure of Redhill Corps, as I fear many more corps will go down the same route in the very near future.

I belong to a small corps, 133 years old in May. We have a twice-weekly parent-and-toddler group as our only midweek activity. The group is well attended, with families bringing their second and third children and good relationships being established. For many of them we are their church on Wednesday and Friday mornings and they don’t see the need for more than that. When I was asked recently why we couldn’t get any of them to attend on Sundays, my reply was that I wouldn’t expect them to.

Born just after the war, my generation sat in rows at school facing the front listening to the teacher. Children now move freely around the classroom ‘learning through doing’. If families were to walk in one Sunday then the children might be well catered for with colouring sheets and copies of Kids Alive! but however warm the welcome, the parents would find it very different to anything they had experienced before.

Andrew in his article said: ‘Unless we embrace change, and thereby remain relevant, the current rate of decline suggests we will die.’

The corps I grew up in embraced change several years ago, merging successfully with a neighbouring corps with similar values and moving to a new location. It is now thriving, with people of all ages attending on Sunday and a very busy community-based programme throughout the week.

However, many corps are trying to halt the downward spiral of decline and face a very uncertain future, with limited resources locally and nationally. Only the Lord knows which will survive and thrive. May he act quickly to set us back on the right path!

Mary Tyler Pontefract

LETTERS Readers’ letters are a popular and well-read section of Salvationist. Many years ago General Frederick Coutts said letters for publication in the Army’s press should be ‘carefully thought out, logically presented and charitably expressed’. Letters may be edited and should ideally be no more than 300 words.

APPOINTED Effective 2 July O Majors Ray and Pat Brown, Divisional Commander and Divisional Leader for Leader Development, West Scotland O Majors Gillian Jackson and Steve Dutfield, Divisional Commander and Divisional Leader for Leader Development, North Scotland O Majors Mike and Lisa Lloyd-Jones, Divisional Commander and Divisional Leader for Leader Development, Central South

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES Golden O Wynford and Susan Griffiths, Merthyr Tydfil (14 March)

DEDICATED TO GOD O Holly Matilda Grace, daughter of Christopher and Christina Avison, at Bath Citadel by Major Amanda Lee

RETIRED OFFICERS Birthday congratulations O Captain June Filby (80 on 11 March)

BEREAVED O Ethel Raggett, Ripley, Hilary Hill, Hastings Citadel, and Jackie Tribble of their mother Mary Perry

O HLS Pauline Mitchell, Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls, and David Ireland of their mother Major Annie Ireland O Major Beth Maddern, Thorndale Lifehouse, and Major Judith Daniels, William Booth College, of their father George Thomas O Rtd SL Alf Knightley, Edmonton, of his wife Glenis, Ruth Hellen and John Knightley of their mother O Jim Brown, North Walsham, of his wife Marion

PROMOTED TO GLORY O Major Annie Ireland from her home on 6 February O Beatrice Sandell, North Walsham

WHAT’S ON

SOUNDS OF BRASS O Recordings of Hendon, Norwich

Citadel, Bellshill, Winton, Consett, Boscombe, Enfield and Birmingham Citadel Bands will be broadcast from 8pm on Sunday 1 March on BBC Radio Cornwall, Devon, Guernsey and Jersey. The broadcasts will be repeated at 1am on Monday 2 March on BBC Radio Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset Sound and Wiltshire. The broadcasts will also be available for 30 days on the websites of these station s.

ENGAGEMENTS

GENERAL BRIAN PEDDLE AND COMMISSIONER ROSALIE PEDDLE O Aberdeen Citadel (140th corps anniversary), Fri 28 Feb – Mon 2 Mar O Fairfield Halls, Croydon (ISS 40th anniversary), Sat 7 O Lisbon (international conference of leaders), Mon 16 – Mon 23 O India Eastern Territory, Wed 25 – Tu 31

THE CHIEF OF THE STAFF (COMMISSIONER LYNDON BUCKINGHAM) AND COMMISSIONER BRONWYN BUCKINGHAM O Fairfield Halls, Croydon (ISS 40th anniversary), Sat 7 Mar O Lisbon (international conference of leaders), Mon 16 – Tu 24

THE TERRITORIAL COMMANDER (COMMISSIONER ANTHONY COTTERILL) AND COMMISSIONER GILLIAN COTTERILL O Warwick (youth and children’s workers conference), Sat Sun 1 Mar O Northampton (divisional leaders training and consultation), Sun 1 – Th 5 O Fairfield Halls, Croydon (ISS 40th anniversary), Sat 7 O Hendon, Sun 8 O North London (divisional event), Sun 8 O Ilford (Malachi Place opening), Sat 14 O Lisbon (international conference of leaders), Mon 16 – Tu 24

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (COLONEL LEE GRAVES) AND COLONEL DEBORAH GRAVES O Northampton (divisional leaders training and consultation), Sun 1 Mar – Th 5 O Fairfield Halls, Croydon (ISS 40th anniversary), Sat 7 O William Booth College (spiritual day with cadets), Wed 11 O West Scotland (officers retreat), Mon 16 – Wed 18 O Yorkshire North with Tees (officers retreat), Mon 23 – Wed 25

INTERNATIONAL STAFF BAND O Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls, Sat Sun 29 Mar

AUX-CAPTAIN CATH BAILEY BORN in 1935, Cath grew up one of five siblings in North Shields and, as a young woman, worked in a wool factory. The family moved to Liverpool, where Cath committed her life to Jesus and linked up with The Salvation Army. At Liverpool Congress Hall Cath met Hostel Sergeant-Major Reg Bailey. They married, and she joined him in a new appointment in Sheffield, followed by posts in London and Edinburgh.

Appointed aux-captains, they moved to Bath, Bradford, Walsall, Bristol and Reading. Their final appointment before retiring 33 years later was in Edinburgh. Cath, advised by her senior officer simply to be herself, developed a style that was focused, forthright and formidable. She loved people, whom she referred to as ‘my men’, fighting for their rights and against injustice without fear or favour. She took on police officers, magistrates, GPs, hospitals, social workers and council officials until she won.

The whole family turned to Cath in times of trouble. At home, it was ‘my Reg, our Jane and our Malcolm’. Both children testify that they are the people they are today because of their mother. Cath and Reg retired to Cannock and took part in corps activities, helping with the home league and leading Bible classes. Cath had time for people and would always share her testimony.

In recent years she was poorly. This was brought to a head by a car accident. As she lay in hospital the spark returned to her personality before Cath entered Heaven. – GS/RB

DOUGLAS KNEEBONE, REDRUTH AFTER a start at Penryn, Douglas joined Falmouth Corps as a child where he would sing solos at open-air meetings. He became YP band leader and later songster leader for more than 40 years.

He was married to Olive for more than 60 years, and they had two sons, Glynn

and Keith. Together they shared a love of music.

Douglas was bereaved in 2004, later marrying Olive and eventually moving to Redruth where he took charge of the singing group for six years.

He was active throughout his 97 years, serving the Lord he loved until the end. – LG

MAJOR MALCOLM HIGH MALCOLM began attending his home corps of Sheringham when his Salvationist neighbour took him to Sunday school. He grew up in the YP corps, and at 15 received the call to be an officer. In 1952 he entered the Heralds Session at the International Training College at the age of 17. There he met Connie and both were appointed to corps in Scotland. They married in 1957 and continued serving as officers in the South West Scotland Division until 1967 when they left the work.

The family soldiered at Paisley Citadel, where Malcolm was band sergeant and assistant corps sergeant-major. A promotion to senior social worker in 1973 meant the family moved south, transferring to Sunderland Monkwearmouth Corps.

In 1990 Malcolm and Connie returned to officership and spent ten years serving at Bristol Bedminster, Risca and Canterbury before retiring in 2000 to Stoke-on-Trent to be near family.

Initially soldiering at Tunstall, they led Kidderminster and Longton Corps. After returning to Tunstall, Malcolm was appointed corps press representative and recruiting sergeant. With his deep knowledge of Scripture and the Army, his teaching led many to come to know the Lord. He was privileged to welcome and enrol several adherent members and soldiers at the corps.

A decline in health over the past two years meant Malcolm was unable to attend meetings regularly.

Always smiling and welcoming, he was a great ambassador for the Army – an inspirational soldier and officer, now with the Lord he loved and served so faithfully. He is greatly missed. – ML

HAMILTON LAUNAY, JERSEY HAMILTON was born in Jersey in 1923 and became a soldier at Gorey, serving as a bandsman and playing the drums. A generous man who was fully committed to the Army, Hamilton raised funds for a much-needed corps drum by growing and selling Jersey Royal potatoes in his spare time.

He left the island to train as a nurse in London and attended Barnet Corps. There he met Helen and they married in 1982 before returning to Jersey in 1993. Hamilton and Helen were heavily involved as soldiers at St Helier (later Jersey Corps). They worked for many years running the charity shop.

Hamilton’s funeral included tributes to a kind, thoughtful and gentle man. He is greatly missed by Helen, their family and corps folk. – RN

Please note that soldiers’ and adherent members’ tributes should be no longer than 150 words. Please do not send your copy to any individual as this could delay publication. Copy should be sent to salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk