SALVATIONIST For everyone linked to The Salvation Army
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist 3 October 2020
The great Earth house PLUS
No.1776 Price 70p
PERSPECTIVES ON RACISM
SEE PAGES 7 TO 10
QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA
PASTORS PLEAD WITH UK’S LEADERS NOT TO SHUT DOWN CHURCHES AGAIN
TOILET TWINNED? NOW TWIN YOUR BIN Churches, households, schools and businesses in the UK are being invited to take part in a new ‘bintwinning’ campaign to support waste collection projects in Haiti, Pakistan and Uganda… It was launched… by Christian charity Tearfund, which also founded the toilet twinning campaign to improve sanitation in developing countries. Participants are being asked to donate £45 towards the projects, in exchange for a ‘bin twin’ sticker for their bin. Two billion people – almost a quarter of the global population – have no waste collection of any kind, Tearfund reports. In developing countries, it is estimated one person dies every 30 seconds of diseases associated with waste that is not safely managed.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES WARN OF RISE IN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS
Over 20 pastors have come together to urge the UK’s prime minister and first ministers to ‘refrain from socially damaging restrictions’ as the country faces the prospect of a second national lockdown... In an open letter to Boris Johnson and the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, they say that keeping churches open is essential to the well-being of the nation... The church leaders argue that with strict hygiene measures and social distancing in place, public worship ‘presents a hugely lesser risk of transmission’ than pubs, restaurants, gyms, offices and schools, while being ‘more important than them all’. ‘Our God-given task as Christian ministers and leaders is to point people to Jesus Christ...’ they write… saying that they ‘must not be asked to suspend Christian worship again’. ‘For us to do so would cause serious damage to our congregations, our service of the nation and our duty as Christian ministers,’ they said. Signatories... include the Rev Dr William Philip, minister of the Tron Church, Glasgow, the Rev Dr Peter Sanlon, rector of Emmanuel Church, Tunbridge Wells, the Rev Tim Vasby-Burnie, vicar of St George’s, Shrewsbury, the Rev Reuben Hunter, lead pastor of Trinity West Church in London, and the Rev Paul Levy, minister of the International Presbyterian Church Ealing.
Courts in England and Wales have resumed hearings on eviction cases. A ban was originally brought in six months ago to protect people who were struggling to pay rent due to the Covid pandemic. The government has already introduced some changes such as extending the eviction notice period from two months to six, restricting evictions in areas that are in lockdown and giving a Christmas amnesty to avoid a wave of eviction notices. Jonathon Graham, policy adviser for… The Salvation Army told Premier that although these measures have arrived late… they will hopefully protect people in the short-term… Graham… suggests... three main areas of change... that should be introduced. ‘The government needs to bring forward its proposal to end Section 21 notices for eviction… when people can be evicted for no fault’... According to Graham, the government also needs to keep universal credit high... Finally, housing courts need additional investment following years of underfunding.
Christian Today
Premier
SALVATIONIST
Church Times
EDITOR Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts – 020 7367 4901 MANAGING EDITOR Ivan Radford – 020 7367 4891
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Salvationist 3 October 2020
The Tablet
SALVATION ARMY ENCOURAGES CHRISTIANS TO PETITION MPS FOLLOWING EVICTION CHANGES
salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist
Staff are working from home and may not be contactable by phone or able to deal with non-electronic correspondence
Catholic charities have warned that youth homelessness is at the forefront of a significant rise in the number of people experiencing rough sleeping and other forms of homelessness. ‘If you care about homelessness, youth homelessness should be at the top of your agenda,’ George O’Neill, chief executive of the Cardinal Hume Centre, told The Tablet. London rough sleeping figures showed a significant increase in numbers of young people in the first three months of the lockdown, he warned. This should be a priority, ‘not only because it is a tragic threat to the potential found in every young person, but because there is so much evidence to show that too often homelessness at a young age is repeated in later life... we need a coordinated and preventative response.’
THE SALVATION ARMY FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL Brian Peddle TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Commissioner Anthony Cotterill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PUBLISHING SECRETARY Major Mal Davies
CONTACT SALVATIONIST 020 7367 4890 salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk Find Salvationist on Facebook SalvationistOnline Find Salvationist on Twitter @SalvationistUK
CONTENTS
PLAYING OUR PART THE last time my wife, Jayne, and I went to the theatre was to see the 27,309th performance of The Mousetrap. It’s the world’s longest running play, having been staged in London’s West End since 1952 – an unbroken run that came to an end in March this year. The play is a murder mystery, and at the end the audience is sworn to secrecy, so I can’t reveal whodunnit. In any play, the scenery literally sets the stage, and the actors’ roles reflect it. You wouldn’t expect to see someone acting as if they were on a ski slope if the scenery were a country house, as it is in The Mousetrap – although perhaps I’m not supposed to tell you that either. At this time of year many corps are celebrating Harvest, and like the scenery, Psalm 24:1 seems to provide the background and meaning to it: ‘The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.’ If that’s the background, what part are we expected to play? The most obvious thing is to be a worshipper, giving thanks to God for all good gifts around us. But as everything is the Lord’s, then we are also called to play the part of good stewards. Sunday 4 October (the Feast of St Francis of Assisi) brings to an end the annual Creation Time, which began on 1 September – a period when we have been asked to think about God’s world and our care of it. On pages 16 to 18 Major Peter McGuigan writes about the environment and outlines the ‘God-ordained role of humans as stewards of the Earth’. Psalm 24:1 goes on to say that not only does the Earth and everything in it belong to the Lord, but also ‘all who live in it’. So, another role we have to play is that of the good neighbour, regarding everyone as created in the image of God and treating them as such. October is Black History Month, which began in the USA and has been celebrated in the UK since the 1980s as a way of recognising the contributions that black people have made to society. That recognition is part of being a good neighbour, as is ensuring that black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people have every opportunity to participate without discrimination. On page 7 Captain Daniel Diakanwa takes a look at the Army’s history of racial inclusion, especially in the USA. He highlights positive steps but also challenges us to ‘examine our organisational structures and individual attitudes’. That challenge is taken up by Captain Ben Cotterill on pages 8 and 9, where he outlines five things he has realised in connection with racism and how it can be tackled. Then on page 10 we hear from Dr Diamond Emmanuel in the second of a series of articles in which BAME Salvationists share their experiences. Being a good steward and a good neighbour both feature in Jonathan Munn’s article about Faversham Fresh Expression on pages 12 and 13. He says they are exploring ‘new, sustainable, revived ways of reaching and journeying with our community’. The backdrop to Harvest – and indeed to the whole of life – is the reality that everything and everyone belongs to the Lord. That means our roles are to be worshippers, stewards and neighbours. The question is: how well will we play our part?
From the Editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts
Quotes from the media
2
News
4 and 5
Prayer matters
5
News feature 6 New cadets challenged to live and speak the message of reconciliation by Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts
Feature Black lives matter
7
by Captain Daniel Diakanwa
Viewpoint Racing to justice
8 and 9
by Captain Ben Cotterill
Interview Walk a mile in my shoes
10
with Dr Diamond Emmanuel
More rear-mirror views A motorised evangelist
11
by General John Larsson (Retired)
We are The Salvation Army 12 and 13 We’re building momentum says Faversham Pioneer Leader Jonathan Munn
Bible study 14 and 15 Return, faithless people! by Captain Xander Coleman
Through the week with Salvationist 14 and 15 by Major Melvyn Knott
Reflection The great Earth house
16 to 18
by Major Peter McGuigan
Letters
19
Message from the Secretary for Communications 20 and 21 Announcements
22
Adverts
23
The Salvation Army and me
24
featuring Major Mark Rose
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS Scripture quotations in Salvationist are from the New International Version (2011), unless otherwise stated
Salvationist 3 October 2020
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NEEDED BY NOON MONDAY 28 OCTOBER
ARMY NEWS
COMMUNITY
Modern slavery response strategy launches IHQ THE Salvation Army has officially launched Fight For Freedom, its new International Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response Strategy. The Army has a strong history of working in areas of social justice and has made strengthening its response to modern slavery and human trafficking a global priority. Fight For Freedom has been launched virtually across online platforms and through the social media channels of the International Social Justice Commission (ISJC), IHQ and International Women’s Ministries. Every day during September, messages, resources, tools and inspiring videos have been shared to help mobilise the global Army to participate in the ‘fight for freedom’. The mission is to create, implement and ensure a strong and sustainable modern slavery and human trafficking response in every territory, command, region and community, strengthened around eight areas: Prayer, Prevention, Protection, Partnerships, Participation, Policy, Prosecution and Proof. Every officer, soldier, adherent member, employee, volunteer and friend has a role to play. Everyone is encouraged to follow the social media channels and share the content using #SAFightForFreedom. – AR O For more information visit salvationarmy.org/isjc/ SAfightforfreedom
CORPS SOUTHAMPTON SHOLING A weekly newsletter and monthly prayer list maintain a sense of belonging and togetherness. Weekly online worship continues to reach people in places around the world, including Canada and Dubai. – BE 4
Salvationist 3 October 2020
OUTREACH GAINSBOROUGH Corps officer Captain Wendy Brown sent out an appeal after a corps member asked if the Army could help replace damaged books at Charles Baines Community Primary School library, as it had no funds. The response from corps folk and the community was overwhelming. The books were given to the school ready for the new term. – PH
Cowdenbeath herald Steve Thomas gets ready to sell the ‘War Cry’ and ‘Kids Alive!’ in town
FUNDRAISING
PRESENTATIONS Basildon corps officer Lieutenant Lizette Williams presents David Ray with a certificate for 60 years’ service as a bandsman
FUNDRAISING DUNSTABLE Corps officers Majors Lindsay and Stephen Brevitt slept in their garden to experience some of the realities of sleeping rough for a night and raise money for the Big Collection. Although they had some broken sleep, they did not experience the dangers of sleeping rough in open urban or rural areas, or in low or freezing temperatures. Major Lindsay said: ‘This has given us just a glimpse of how it is for those who don’t have a roof over their head at night and what it must be like when it’s wet and cold and not in a protected corner, in sight of home.’ They raised more than £660, which will support frontline services, including those for rough sleepers. – AR
LEADGATE The annual afternoon tea fundraiser was not possible this year, so organiser Clare Thompson came up with the idea of a takeaway afternoon tea. This enabled everyone to partake in the delicious food, while also raising £285 for the corps. Approximately 36 people took part and several members shared food and fellowship in a nearby park. All agreed it was delicious. – DP
MEETING PAIGNTON The corps was joined by Tunbridge Wells corps folk for a Zoom meeting centred on individual uniqueness. Songs and music from YouTube were used throughout. Captains Graeme and Zoe Smith (Tunbridge Wells) participated, as well as corps officer Captain Bernard Stevenson. Arthur Wilmott, whose parents are connected to both corps, was dedicated to God by Lieut-Colonel Angela Irving. – BS
Prayer
NEWS
COMMUNITY OLDER PEOPLE FOCUS
by Major Joy Caddy (Chaplain, Furze Hill House)
FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER ‘But Barzillai answered the king, “How many more years shall I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?”’ (2 Samuel 19:34). Barzillai was a wealthy man who served King David. David wanted to show kindness to him in his old age but Barzillai felt like a burden. Lord, we pray for those in old age who feel they are no longer of use and a burden to their friends and family. May they know they will always be special. Amen. SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER ‘By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion’ (Psalm 137:1). Father God, we pray today for those living with dementia and for their carers. As they move to a strange land within their minds, may the songs sang in Zion remain in their deep subconscious, that one day they may return to the Promised Land and sing a new song. Amen.
PORT GLASGOW Corps officer Captain Ian Arthur and a team of volunteers have worked with local groups and charities to serve more than 12,000 hot meals to people in need. Their work featured in BBC One Scotland documentary Scotland’s Covid Capital, which looked at how the town’s community has rallied to cope during the coronavirus pandemic. – AR
SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER ‘Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”’ (Ecclesiastes 12:1). While age can bring many challenges, it also brings the wisdom of years walking with God. Lord God, may we live our lives in your presence today knowing that, whatever our age and whatever our circumstances, you will be with us. Amen
DIVISIONAL PRAYER FOCUS (CENTRAL EAST) by Major Ann Pugh (Farcet and Whittlesey, and Divisional Prayer Co-ordinator)
MONDAY 5 OCTOBER – ACTS 2:43 Before lockdown Whittlesey’s Music Mites toddler group saw an increase in numbers of families attending. Pray that this will continue in the future. There is a new vision and passion for this work, which they hope will extend with outreach into the community. Pray that the church – which is very small – will also grow. TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER – ACTS 2:44 Leicester West have begun an exciting new missional journey. Pray that they hear the voice of God directing them clearly, enabling the corps to grow numerically and spiritually. Pray too for volunteers and for leadership within the corps setting.
Uniform banks help kids back to school UK SEVERAL corps have opened school uniform banks to support families who need help clothing their children as they return to the classroom. Demand for second-hand uniforms has soared this year due to the lasting economic effects of the pandemic. Cannock’s school uniform bank provided 279 children aged 3 to 16 with blazers, shirts, PE kits, trousers and skirts in the last two weeks of August. Faversham Fresh Expression supported 134 children within a fortnight of opening its Community Wardrobe. People are being urged to donate unwanted uniforms for primary and secondary schools to corps. Clothes should be clean, in good to excellent condition and have any personal name tags removed. – AR
WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER – ACTS 4:31 Hinckley were about to enter into a building project before lockdown, which will eventually see the hall made more attractive and accessible for those needing support. There is a large homelessness problem in the area, and every Wednesday the community kitchen usually welcomes a number of attendees experiencing homelessness. Pray for guidance and wisdom as they endeavour to meet the continuing needs of the community. THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER – ACTS 2:46 AND 47 Kings Ripton Court Lifehouse has a 36-bed capacity and supports young and vulnerable adults between the ages of 16 and 24. Pray for the residents there, as many of them struggle with mental health issues. Pray for strength, health and guidance for the staff as they support the young people with the right words and effective care. FRIDAY 9 OCTOBER – ACTS 4:32 Cottenham recently underwent a major building project, which left them temporarily with no hall for worship. Now that they have seen a physical newness with the refurbishment, they are eager for spiritual development. Pray that in the future the hall will be a welcoming place used for bringing the community together.
O A PDF of the Prayer Matters booklet is also available to download from salvationarmy.org.uk/resources 6
Salvationist 3 October 2020 12 September Salvationist Salvationist 3 October2020 2020
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NEWS FEATURE
New cadets challenged to live and speak the message of reconciliation
Commissioner Anthony Cotterill welcomes the session
Colonel Lee Graves
Cadets Lesley Holland and Matthew Stone speak to Captain Ben Ellis about their calling
WILLIAM BOOTH COLLEGE THE cadets welcome meeting usually begins with an excited congregation, packed into the assembly hall, enthusiastically greeting the new session, writes LieutColonel Jonathan Roberts. Family and friends were not able to attend this year, but there was still a sense of eager anticipation among the small group gathered, and no doubt by the thousands watching online. Accompanied by an International Staff Band recording of ‘Praise’, the Messengers of Reconciliation marched in, saluted Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill and took their seats. After the song ‘Great Is The Darkness’, with its reminder of the world’s desperate need for reconciliation through Christ, Training Programme Director Major Malcolm Martin opened in prayer. The cadets introduced themselves informally in a video, before the TC gave words of welcome, saying: ‘You have the assurance that God is with you. He called you and is equipping you and is going to walk with you.’ The TC also acknowledged the influence and support of those who had been part of
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Salvationist 3 October 2020
the cadets’ journeys, including families, corps, divisional staff and the Candidates Unit. The TC then formally handed the session over to the college, charging Principal Lieut-Colonel Judith Payne and the staff with the task of preparing the cadets for leadership and ministry. In response Assistant Principal Lieut-Colonel Karen Shakespeare welcomed the new session on behalf of everyone at WBC. Cadet Diane Johnson read verses from 2 Corinthians 5, with the declaration, ‘he [God] has committed to us the message of reconciliation’ (v19), before the International Staff Songsters presented the sessional song, ‘You Have Reconciled Our Hearts To Yours’. In his message, Chief Secretary Colonel Lee Graves told the cadets: ‘Your sessional name takes us to the heart of Kingdom work.’ Referring to the Bible reading, he said: ‘God is the great reconciler, wanting that all of his creation would be reconciled under himself.’ He challenged them to ‘speak this text by life, by example, by word’. While the tune ‘All Heaven Declares’ was played, images of each cadet were shown and viewers were invited to share prayers on social media. Secretary for Personnel Lieut-Colonel Beverley McCombe then concluded these reflective moments with a prayer for the session.
As part of the Candidates Unit’s challenge for people to respond to God’s call, Cadets Lesley Holland and Matthew Stone spoke about their calling. ‘I feel excited, I feel nervous, but I’m also really feeling an underlying sense of peace,’ said Lesley. To encourage others to respond, Matthew said, ‘Talk to people, talk about what God is stirring up inside of you and explore it.’ Each of the session then recited a line of the prayer of St Francis, while lighting tea lights arranged to spell the word ‘peace’. In conclusion, Cadet Emma Guest thanked people involved in bringing the session to this point and those who would support in future days, before ‘Praise’ was again brought by the ISB as a video of the cadets arriving and settling into college was shown. Although different from previous years, the meeting was still a fitting celebration of God’s calling, which assured the Messengers of Reconciliation of his continued presence and the prayerful support of Salvationists and friends across the territory. O The
Welcome Meeting of the Messengers of Reconciliation is available to watch at youtube.com/user/salvationarmyvideo
FEATURE I Black History Month
BLACK LIVES MATTER Captain Daniel Diakanwa highlights some positive attitudes to racial inclusion in the Army’s history and challenges us to examine where we are now
A
LONG time before the Black Lives Matter movement came into existence, William Booth made a prophetic statement to show that black lives mattered indeed. In 1890 he wrote: ‘The negro personally is as yet an unknown quantity. His moral character, intellectual ability and spiritual capacity are as yet comparatively undiscovered... Even now, where in individual cases he has had equal opportunities, he will favourably compare with the white man. It is quite possible for us to argue, therefore, that after years of civilisation, education and Christian influence he will equal, if he does not actually surpass, the white man in those things which now make the latter so much the superior.’ It should be noted that William Booth, a former Methodist minister, was influenced by John Wesley’s theology of sanctification and his fight against slavery. Wesley described sanctification as ‘a heart habitually filled with the love of God and neighbour’ and as ‘having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked’. Moreover, Wesley’s 1774 Thoughts Upon Slavery provided a fierce criticism of the slave trade. Black lives also mattered in the early days of The Salvation Army in America. George Scott Railton was appointed as the Army’s first commander in the United States in 1880. He declared that they were ‘the only white people to whose company, to whose platforms and to whose operations, coloured
people had the same welcome as others’. One of Railton’s successors, Commissioner Frank Smith, wrote in an 1884 War Cry article, ‘Our coloured brethren have been very much wronged, the victims trampled upon… We of The Salvation Army have a holy ambition to be among the first Christian community of America who will faithfully and wholly break down the wall of partition.’ In 1896, Booker T Washington, principal of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama, wrote a letter to the editor of the Army’s Conqueror magazine: ‘I am very glad to hear that The Salvation Army is going to undertake work among my people in the southern states. I have always had the greatest respect for the work of The Salvation Army, especially because I have noted that it draws no colour line in religion. I feel that there is a large class of coloured people in the South, especially in the cities, who are not reached by the churches, but who will be reached by your work. In reaching the neglected and, I might say, outcasts of our people, I feel that your methods and work have peculiar value. Certainly, there is plenty of room in the South for your work, and I feel that the coloured ministry of others will give you a hearty welcome. There are thousands of my people in the cities who do not go to church. These as well as others I feel you will reach and help in a permanent form. God bless you in all your unselfish Christian work for our country! If I can
serve you at any time, please let me know.’ While many evangelical churches were relocating from the cities, where many black Americans lived, to move to the suburbs, The Salvation Army remained in the cities to fulfil William Booth’s calling to the marginalised. Black lives matter in the 26 African countries where about 67 per cent of The Salvation Army’s 1.8 million members live. It should be noted that The Salvation Army contributed tremendously to the development of African nations by building schools, medical centres and hospitals. Today, William Booth University is among the top ten universities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. William Booth’s prophetic statement that the black man ‘will equal, if he does not actually surpass, the white man in those things which now make the latter so much the superior’ has been fulfilled as many black inventors have contributed to the scientific development of the world and black businesses and organisations have flourished. Within The Salvation Army, many black officers have been appointed as territorial or regional commanders around the world. In 2002 Commissioner Israel Gaither became the first black officer to serve as the Chief of the Staff, the secondranking officer in the Army world, and in 2006 Gaither became the first black officer to serve as National Commander of The Salvation Army in the USA. The Army’s positional statement on racism says: ‘Racism is fundamentally incompatible with the Christian conviction that all people are made in the image of God and are equal in value. The Salvation Army believes that the world is enriched by a diversity of cultures and ethnicities.’ While that statement is laudable, and although there have been many positive steps throughout the Army’s history, the challenge remains to continually examine our organisational structures and individual attitudes to ensure that racism is acknowledged and abolished.
CAPTAIN DIAKANWA LIVES IN RETIREMENT IN THE USA EASTERN TERRITORY Salvationist 3 October 2020
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VIEW POINT
Captain Ben Cotterill outlines some things he’s realised about confronting conscious and unconscious bias
Racing to justice T
HE Black Lives Matter movement has come to the fore this year with allegations of police brutality hitting the headlines, most recently after the shooting of Jacob Blake in the USA. As the Covid-19 pandemic amplifies inequalities existing in the world, it is incumbent upon organisations to address the extent to which they might, albeit unwittingly, have been complicit in passive or active racism. Individuals are also realising that an unconscious bias can inform their attitudes. Maybe it would be helpful for you to know the factors informing my outlook, before I explain some of my thoughts. I am a white, millennial, Christian, cisgender, heterosexual male – and a Salvation Army officer. Put those dynamics together and they 8
Salvationist 3 October 2020
inevitably create a certain perspective on the world, based largely on the fact that I inhabit what is commonly regarded as a dominant category. As we ponder our own innate biases, I will highlight five things I have realised. 1. PROXIMITY CAN BE A GAMECHANGER If we’re not proximate with people we can’t easily begin to appreciate how life is for them and therefore our opinion has limited credibility. For example, it was an eye-opener for me to go on holiday overseas with a black friend and witness him being evicted from a shop because of his skin colour. If you have a friend or relative who is, for example, homosexual, it is difficult not to be impacted by their often painful
stories of prejudice and hurt. We will appreciate another person’s reality more if we share life with, marry or even holiday with them. Apart from that, one way of educating ourselves is simply to speak with and listen to people who are outside so-called dominant categories. 2. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES ARE NOT ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE WORLD If we are serious about changing society – and, indeed, our church – we have to recognise the reality that individual actions alone are not going to facilitate change. It will take collective action as well. This may mean the updating of Salvation Army positional statements or policies, coupled with the reinforcement
of transparent strategic actions. Within that context, it is encouraging that this territory is undergoing a period of hearing the voices of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) members so as to consider appropriate action.* Maybe, however, in other situations where positional statements cannot yet be comfortably agreed upon by significant swathes of the Movement, we need new positions that state, honestly and humbly: ‘We don’t actually know what is right and wrong on this complicated issue, even though we thought we did. Time is needed, to prayerfully and respectfully discern a way forward.’ 3. DECISION-MAKING NEEDS TO BE ANCHORED IN HOW IT AFFECTS THE MARGINALISED In a world of hard commercial realities, every pound we earn and spend could be contributing to poverty, injustice and exploitation. We are all connected to complex international financial structures that, broadly speaking, endorse concepts of winners and losers – in monetary terms. These issues are often so entangled that we cannot easily recognise fiscal unfairness. Even the straightforward act of buying clothes – including Salvation Army uniforms – commits us to that moral minefield. Questions arise relating to the ethical production of the goods we purchase, and it behoves each of us to investigate sources and means of production. Jesus told a story about a widow who gave the Temple treasury only a small amount, which was ‘all she had to live on’ (Mark 12:44). She was probably poor because of the socio-economic system. The spiritual point from this story is often pitched as a lesson in sacrificial giving. However, behind that point is a burning question of outright injustice. It is possible that she was enduring poverty because her community had failed to organise a reasonable support system. Maybe we see echoes of her plight around the globe and in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland today. What, though, if such issues of corruption, greed and exploitation are actually central to the challenge of the gospel, and not just added-on lessons for good living? Martin Luther King Jr once said: ‘We are caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality.’ Everything is interconnected. The gospel must therefore work on the
level of inescapable mutuality. If it does not, coming generations might dispense with or sideline the Christian faith. And who could blame them? 4. CONSIDER WHITE SUPREMACY People nowadays are considering the thorny issue of ‘white supremacy’ as something other than a skin-headed, neo-Nazi caricature. If that label means or implies racial hierarchy, it is probably a good moment to reflect on how The Salvation Army was formed. Despite efforts to adapt to different cultures and nurture local leadership, arguably what happened was that it centred on the one group of people who were already in the centre – white people – and who continue to occupy international leadership positions. The reality is that the Army is a British export that initially flourished during colonial times. How we uncouple our institutions from any prevailing accusations of white supremacy or privilege – with white people in top positions and with the whiff of gender inequality also pervading our ranks – is not straightforward. We must begin, though, with the acknowledgment that white people had – and may continue to have – what we might refer to as a ‘cheat code’ that often excludes non-white leadership in an organisation in which BAME groups make up the majority. This uncoupling is not simple, and there have been moves to encourage BAME members into international leadership, but we need to be willing to accept correction of our waywardness, if we have been complicit in obstructing equity.
5. STOP SAYING THE ISSUES ARE TOO HARD The time has come for us to stop saying we’re overwhelmed and that the issues are too hard. The reality is that we are simply unpractised at centring other people. All too often, deliberately or inadvertently, we practise racism and sexism, we ignore the calls of the poor, we practise justifying harm and we have somehow become skilled at these things. Unfortunately, it’s part of who we are as fallen people. So countering this tendency requires daily sacrifice. We have to stop nurturing a relationship that is predominantly with ourselves, and focus instead on growing a relationship with the God who is always co-creative with us whenever we endeavour to realise and enhance all that makes us wonderful in his image. The story of Zacchaeus, the unfair tax collector in Luke 19:1–10, follows this pattern. We don’t know what Jesus said to him, but it might well have been, ‘You are ignorant and the way you deal with money is the greatest challenge to justice.’ Zacchaeus recognised that challenge and moved into the mindmode of refunding monies owed – including reparation costs times four. Are we willing to consider these options with heart and mind? Possibly, within this context, that’s the only way fullness of salvation will come to our house, as it did to a first-century tax collector and crook. Zacchaeus worked out what it meant for him personally; we must do likewise. As we do so, Jesus will bless our intentions, our decisions and our actions. O This article was originally posted at mindfulsalvationist.wordpress.com
CAPTAIN COTTERILL IS SUPPORT OFFICER, INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS OFFICE, THQ * The Territorial Advisory Council (TAC) is researching the ethnicity of our congregations and local and officer leadership, making contact with as many people from as many ethnic groupings as possible – primarily to listen to their stories and understand, then to make recommendations to the territory’s senior leadership. Email tac@salvationarmy.org.uk to be put in touch with your divisional TAC member so the process of listening might continue. Salvationist 3 October 2020
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INTERVIEW
Walk a mile in my shoes Dr Diamond Emmanuel talks to Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts in the second of a series of articles in which black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) Salvationists share their experiences
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AVING commenced his medical career in Pakistan, Dr Diamond Emmanuel, a Salvationist at Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls, is now a community paediatrician at Nottingham Children’s Hospital and the designated doctor for safeguarding children with the Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group. Diamond, who grew up in a Salvation Army family, became interested in medicine in his teens. After graduating from medical school in 1988 he started working at a Christian hospital in Lahore. Once he had completed his paediatric training he moved to another hospital where he became head of the paediatric department. While working there he married Sarah and their two boys were born. The family moved to the UK in 2004. ‘My wife moved about ten months before I did,’ he recalls. ‘She is a nurse by profession, so she came and started working in Nottingham. One of the first things she did was look around for The Salvation Army and she found William Booth Memorial Halls. When the boys and I arrived we joined the corps and we’ve been there ever since.’ ‘Everyday racism’ is a term used to describe the behaviour of people who may not be consciously racist but whose normal, day-to-day practices disadvantage BAME people. It’s something Diamond has experienced. 10
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‘Quite a few years ago I went to collect a parcel from the Royal Mail office,’ he says. ‘There were four white people in the queue in front of me, and the lady who was serving handed them their parcels without asking for their ID. When it came to my turn, she said, “Can I see your ID?” It was not a problem because I knew that ID was required, but I thought, “Why did you let the four in front of me have their parcels without showing ID, but when it came to me you asked for it?” She may have looked at the colour of my skin and thought I was trying to steal someone else’s parcel. Some people might think that’s quite a trivial thing but it was not a good feeling; it hurt.’ Diamond has not been subject to overt racism at work: ‘My position as a doctor is such that I don’t get that kind of treatment. I’m so blessed, having such a good group of people working in my department. I’ve never had an issue.’ He is concerned about people in other positions, though, including Sarah. ‘In the pandemic a number of BAME people are actually suffering more,’ he explains. ‘One example is my wife, who works as a nurse. She was asked to take a sample for a virus test without any protective equipment, but would not. The manager put in the notes that she refused to do the test, but she said, “No, I didn’t refuse. I was not provided with the right equipment. I’m happy to do it if you give me that.”’ Having been at Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls for the past 16 years, Diamond is positive about his experiences at the corps. ‘All I have is praise for the way things are,’ he enthuses. ‘We’ve got a good number of BAME people and they feel very much part of corps. I am a member of the corps council and we have a number of other BAME corps council members.’
Dr Diamond Emmanuel and Sarah He does know that racism exists in the Army, however, and was glad to see this acknowledged in the recent statement by the territorial leaders (Salvationist, 13 June). ‘It’s good to know there is acceptance of the fact that racism does exist,’ he says. ‘Unfortunately, a lot of people who are subject to racism don’t talk about it because they fear the consequences. So they accept it to the point where they say that there is no racism in The Salvation Army. It’s like what I see in my safeguarding work. A lot of women who are subjected to domestic violence don’t talk about it; they just suffer in silence, because they want that relationship to continue. This statement from the leadership is important as it gives people some confidence to raise their voices. ‘The other good thing is that it says The Salvation Army will intentionally seek ways to confront and fight racism. It’s not that we should be talking about racism because it sounds appealing and makes us look good. We need to take practical measures so people feel safe and are not afraid to speak up. ‘Our God is loving, kind and merciful. He is also righteous, holy and just, and as Christ’s followers we are called to do justice. We need to ensure that the culture of social justice prevails within the Army.’
MORE REAR-M MIR RRO OR
A MOTORISED EVANGELIST General John Larsson (Retired) shares fascinating glimpses of the early Army
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ARELY a fortnight after the close of the third international congress in 1904, William Booth set out on what the War Cry described as ‘one of the most daring exploits of his career’. Taking hold of the latest technology, still in its infancy, he boarded an open motorcar at Land’s End, Cornwall, and set out on a journey of 1,200 miles to Aberdeen, visiting 62 towns on the way and conducting three, sometimes four, meetings a day for a month. So successful was this first motorised campaign that it became an annual feature for the next five summers, with William Booth’s motorcade of six cars criss-crossing Britain from north to south and east to west. His routes were announced in advance, so people gathered by the roadside to wave him on. And in the towns where he was due to stop, they gathered in their thousands – in Oldham, in their hundreds of thousands – to hear him speak from the car or in the largest hall of the town. As the motorcade bounced along Britain’s rutted roads, William Booth, in his ankle-length green coat and peaked
motoring cap, was often covered in white dust or drenched with rain. With the local papers covering each stage of his journeys, he almost became a national treasure. Aged 75 at his first campaign and 80 by his last, William Booth’s stamina was extraordinary. During these tours, some of them lasting six weeks, he spoke on average for three hours each day. He slept in a different bed each night, except at weekends, when he stayed two nights. He ate almost every meal under a new roof – breakfast in one house, dinner in another, tea elsewhere, and supper late at night at his sleeping billet. But William Booth was in his element as an itinerant evangelist and described the tours as ‘a rush, a whirl, an excitement, a happiness, a hallelujah, a taste of Heaven’. He left an imprint on every town he visited. In Fleetwood they remembered how thousands of servicemen had blocked the highway because they wanted to hear the General. In another place they recalled how his car was halted by factory workers who had
playfully blocked the road with a rope, and how William Booth had them mesmerised when he rose from his seat and said, ‘Some of you men never pray… but I am going to say to you, won’t you pray for your children, that they may be different?’ Within minutes the street was an unending vista of bared heads as 700 men knelt in silent worship. The novelist H Rider Haggard described in 1910 how he was waiting at one of William Booth’s destinations on a miserable, wet afternoon when the motorcade was late because of the weather. ‘At length,’ he wrote, ‘the motors dash up through the mud and wet, and out of the first of them he appears, a tall, cloaked figure. Already that day he has addressed two such meetings beside several roadside gatherings, and at night he must speak to a great audience in a city 14 miles away… ‘Five minutes later he has been assisted on to the platform… and for nearly an hour pours out a ceaseless flood of eloquence, telling the history of his organisation, telling of his life’s work and of his heart’s aims, asking for their prayers and help. He looks a very old man now… but there is no weariness in his voice or gestures; and, as he exhorts and prays, his darkening eyes seem to flash. ‘It is over. He bids farewell to the audience that he has never seen before, and will never see again, invokes a fervent blessing on them, and presently the motors are rushing away into the wet night, bearing with them this burning fire of a man.’ But the impact lives on, and will never be forgotten. Salvationist 3 October 2020
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There are hundreds of corps and centres up and down the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland, but what makes them The Salvation Army? In this series, Salvationist discovers just that
We’re building momentum
says Faversham Pioneer Leader Jonathan Munn
Beth, Lucy, Joe a
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E are Faversham Fresh Expression – a year-old re-establishment of The Salvation Army in this beautiful, historic market town. We are a team of four: my wife, Bethany, and I plus Joseph and Lucy Halliday. The team has been together for about 18 months and we are now building what the Army in Faversham will look like for the 21st century. God’s work through the Army began here in 1898 and continued faithfully for just shy of 100 years, before closing its doors for what they thought was the last time in 1991. The re-establishment of that work began in August 2018, when my wife and I took a leap of faith in following a call from God. We are still in the very early stages of building on initial relationships and conversations, and 2020 looked to be an exciting year. Our main goals were to be present and approachable and to share the gospel in new ways. One of our foundations was to use the market, which is the town hub. We wanted to be where the people are, so getting a regular spot in the market was pivotal in helping make us an approachable presence. We aimed to 12
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share information about who we are, e what we do and why we do it. We would always look to how we could get people’s attention – for example by making doughnuts! Before the coronavirus outbreak this proved fruitful for so many different reasons. It gave us the opportunity to mingle and pray, share the gospel and chat with our community about life. Another part of our most effective outreach has been serving through our Community Wardrobe. We started with school uniforms and are now in the stages of moving on to winter essentials. This came out of the social media ministry we run; we simply asked for donations of uniforms and they came flying in. This has been a vital method of communication between us and the wider town. God spoke to us through this ministry to look at doing it on a wider scale, which we are currently praying into and seeking guidance on. Since the pandemic things haven’t felt out of the ordinary in terms of our ministry. Being a predominantly online church, we didn’t have to start or change how we communicated the message of Jesus Christ. While our market stall and plans for a coffee shop ministry have
nd J o n
been put on hold, hold we have remained present in the community through the Community Wardrobe, our food bank and social media. We have been able to offer support – practically and prayerfully – to our community by being a 24/7 presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Within this online ministry, we have in the last ten months started publishing the At The Table podcast,
which has been a great way for people to listen to the team discussing topics, study Scripture and feel part of a community. We are excited to see where God leads this ministry! God is moving in ways that still amaze us as a team. We feel we’re part of a great revival in the town. There seems to be a real keenness to go deeper, gain momentum in faith and build community. We’ve seen healing of broken souls, with the Holy Spirit moving in a healing way. Through our work, alongside community projects taking place through the council and fellow churches, God is moving in ways we never could have imagined. Our mission is simple: to bring the momentum of the gospel to Faversham – and farther afield – in new and exciting ways. We want to love without borders, gather without walls and create spaces accessible to all. People don’t need to believe to belong, but we are confident in the love of Jesus and that, through journeying together, we will see momentum build in each of our journeys with God. From the early moments of us exploring the prospect of pioneering in Faversham, we felt God lay a Bible passage on our hearts: ‘They’ll rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of the wreckage. They’ll start over on the ruined cities, take the rubble left behind and make it new’ (Isaiah 61:4 The Message). This has been a constant vision for us as we move into this next season and this year of progression. We feel God really speaking to us through the things we have done and the things we have planned. We really believe the best is yet to come, and we feel confident that God will make something new out of the amazing foundations left behind by faithful soldiers at Faversham years ago.
It has been evident – and I am sure many people feel the same way – that the Church is needed now more than ever. Our town may look pretty on the surface, but the hurt, the anger, the brokenness is all around. We hope we can build on our Movement’s 155-year-old foundations as we look to new, sustainable, revived ways of reaching and journeying with our community. We pray regularly that everything we do will be a beacon for people. We have so many opportunities to be with and serve our communities in new and exciting ways. Our world needs a movement like The Salvation Army and we are confident that God is not done with us yet. As a church, we aim to live a sustainable, eco-friendly way. We want to champion this world, of which we have the honour of being stewards. We want to be an example within our community and our Movement in how we care for our planet and its inhabitants.
As a new expression, we need all the prayer we can get. As we try new things, we reach the unreached, serve the unserved and love the unloved. We are at an exciting stage in this re-establishment of the Army in Faversham, with a number of opportunities and, as momentum gains, we would appreciate prayers for our projects and for safety and guidance. We have taken this time during the pandemic to dwell in the presence of God and listen to where he is calling us. Please pray not only for the people who have come into contact with us but also those we haven’t reached yet. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move within their hearts and see them come to faith in Jesus Christ. O Keep up to date with Faversham Fresh Expression on Facebook (Faversham Salvation Army), Instagram (@mofav. salvationarmy) and Twitter (@mofav_SA)
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BIBLE STUDY
Return, faithless Captain Xander Coleman reminds us that God calls us back to repentance and restoration
JEREMIAH 3:11–20
I
HAVE the misfortune of having been born on the same day as two of my brothers. We are triplets and love each other so dearly that we now live in three different countries. One of my brothers is amazingly artistic, a professional dancer and choreographer. The other is exceptionally intelligent. And then there’s me, who is neither particularly arty nor especially smart. Growing up, constantly being compared to one or the other, I had to find my niche, and so formed a self-image as the godly one – the one who (mostly) obeyed the rules, who (mostly) prioritised church. A mentor once taught me that ‘comparison is lethal’. It either puffs up our pride or it makes us feel terrible about ourselves. I wanted to receive a favourable comparison when evaluated next to my brothers but, for the most part, it was an expression of pride.
Through the week with Salvationist – a devotional thought for each day by Major Melvyn Knott
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QUESTIONS O With whom do you compare yourself? O Do those comparisons puff up your pride or feed your insecurities? The Kingdom of Israel split in two after Solomon’s reign, centuries before our study passage. The northern kingdom, still called Israel, was consistently unfaithful to God, with idolatrous king after idolatrous king. The southern kingdom, Judah, which included Jerusalem and the Temple, had a more nuanced relationship with God, vacillating between faithfulness and disobedience. Both kingdoms were in covenant with God and should have been trying to be faithful. Judah looked down on Israel, considering herself better because she was less unfaithful. Both kingdoms, however, failed to live up to their commitments to God. Consequently, the Lord was true to his covenant promises to withhold his
blessing and protection. Nevertheless God calls them both back in love to repentance and restoration. Jeremiah prophesies from Jerusalem during the reign of King Josiah. This is probably about five years before Josiah orders the Temple to be restored and finds the book of the Law that has been neglected for generations – after which, the nation returns to God. Jeremiah looks around at his nation and shakes his head. This is not how things should be. Perhaps he consoles himself by thinking about how much worse things are in Israel. Then, the Lord whispers to him: ‘Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah’ (v11). What a punch to the gut. Judah is supposed to be the good sibling – the righteous nation. Yet God has been hurt again and again by Judah’s rebellion and, somehow, Judah’s sin now outweighs Israel’s. This adds spiritual pride to the nation’s long list of wrongs.
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
God will make a way/ Where there seems to be no way./ He works in ways we cannot see,/ He will make a way for me./ He will be my guide,/ Hold me closely to his side,/ With love and strength for each new day./ He will make a way, he will make a way. (SASB 492)
For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good. (Psalm 52:9)
It is Jesus I need, it is Jesus indeed/ Who will make my faith beautiful and bold;/ And with Jesus in me I need no longer be/ So afraid of what future days may hold. (SASB 499)
people! QUESTION O When has God surprised you or challenged your attitudes towards other people? As much as this judgment must be painful for the people of Judah to take, this prophecy is not aimed at them. Rather, the prophet is directing his message ‘towards the north’, to Israel. ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will not be angry forever’ (v12). Yes, they have sinned badly. Yes, they have known utter spiritual devastation but, in his love, God still calls for them to come home to him. Foreshadowing the parable of the prodigal son, Jeremiah conveys God’s heart to restore fallen Israel: ‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation’ (v19). If Israel turns from its sin and returns to God, he goes on to say, God will
bestow the blessings of his promised covenant: good leaders, generational security, God’s presence, God’s reign and justice, holiness of heart, provision, reconciliation and adoption as God’s children. QUESTION O If the blessings of obedience are so beneficial, why do we stray from what we know is right? Perhaps, like Israel, you feel aware of your sinfulness, weary with the toll it is taking on your life and relationships. Perhaps you know there is spiritual junk you need to get rid of. The good news is that God is still calling you and still waiting for you to come home to him, no matter how far you’ve wandered or how bad things have become. Perhaps you feel more like Judah and, as I did with my brothers, you’ve engaged in more than a little spiritual haughtiness. Perhaps you’ve looked
around at others in judgment of their weakness, rather than with compassion. I know I have. There’s a path of repentance for us to walk as well. May God uncover the sin and self-deception in our hearts and make us more like Jesus. QUESTION O What change of heart do we need to allow God to make in us? Let us make this our prayer: ‘Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting’ (Psalm 139:23 and 24).
CAPTAIN COLEMAN IS CORPS OFFICER, BUCKINGHAM
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants – but let them not turn to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. (Psalm 85:8 and 9)
Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us/ O’er the world’s tempestuous sea;/ Guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,/ For we have no help but thee,/ Yet possessing every blessing/ If our God our Father be. (SASB 504)
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation. (Psalm 85:6 and 7)
And now, hallelujah! the rest of my days/ Shall gladly be spent in promoting his praise/ Who opened his bosom to pour out this sea/ Of boundless salvation for you and for me. (SASB 509)
Prayer
Father God, we thank you that your mercies are new every morning. We praise you for the gift of your redeeming son, Jesus, who shows us that there is no depth so deep that your love can’t reach us. Salvationist 3 October 2020
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VIEW POINT
The great Earth house Major Peter McGuigan challenges us to be good stewards of God’s world
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N 29 August 2016 a group of eminent geologists attending the 35th International Geological Congress in Cape Town announced that the Earth had entered a new epoch. They named it Anthropocene, meaning ‘the age of humans’. The word was not new, having been popularised by Nobel prize-winning atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen in 2000. Crutzen’s claim was that the impact of human activity on the Earth’s waters, landmasses and atmosphere was so profound that after nearly 12,000 years the Holocene epoch had been superseded. His rationale for this new epoch has gained increasing support among scientists. This ‘age of humans’ is still not official, but for the past ten years the widely recognised Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) has focused its energy on the ratification process, and once this work is complete and a formal proposal has been submitted, the International Union of Geological Sciences will vote on the epoch. The dawning of the Anthropocene is a portal in time in which unprecedented changes will be required of humanity, both in how we understand our role in the universe and how we modify – or fail to modify – our behaviour and activity according to this new level of awareness.
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I use the word ‘new’ lightly here. The major religions of the world all present the Earth in some way as ‘the great Earth house’ and the role of human beings as managers or stewards of the house. In the New Testament, the word oikoumene (‘inhabited Earth’) means life in a great world house. And in the Old Testament, Genesis 1 clearly describes the God-ordained role of humans as stewards of the Earth. A SHORT HISTORY The Anthropocene has been marked by first a gradual and then a sharp decline in humanity acting responsibly for the well-being of the great Earth house. There is divided opinion on when the decline began, but the AWG pinpoints 16 July 1945 as the start of the new epoch – the date of the first detonation of a nuclear device in the New Mexico desert. Carried by winds, plutonium fallout has left a mark in sediments worldwide – in rivers, lakes, oceans and glaciers. Similarly our large-scale burning of fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – has created a toxic blanket around the Earth that traps the sun’s heat in the atmosphere, making temperatures rise, climates change, glaciers melt and ocean levels rise. Not only that, but air pollution is also
detrimental to human health and our rivers and oceans are acidifying. Add the impact of mass deforestation on rainfall patterns, and humanity has a self-made dilemma of monumental proportions on its hands. We have been far from the landlords we should have been. Our lifestyle has served to separate us from our great Earth house rather than nurture oneness with it. Of course, that’s easy to say in hindsight and armed with the knowledge of renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar and geothermal power. But there is an onus on humanity today across all sectors of our shared life – global and local – to own our poor
stewardship record and join hands in an attempt to reverse the impact of our recent environmental footprint. Many thought leaders believe that the current global health crisis can be the catalyst for unprecedented action towards the renewal and ongoing sustainability of life. Writer Arundhati Roy’s powerful essay ‘The Pandemic is a Portal’, originally published in the Financial Times, leaves no uncertainty about the opportunity knocking loudly on the doorway of our future. ‘Historically,’ she says, ‘pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.’
A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE A new level of planetary stewardship is an enormous challenge and one that is meant as much for adherents of Christianity as it is for those of other faiths and the world at large. The biggest questions facing Christians now are
about how we live out our faith and how we go about our mission amid the Anthropocene. Exactly what should the Church in this epoch look like? I want to present what could be an Anthropocene blueprint for Christianity. The overarching or empowering idea for this mega-shift in both ‘understanding’ and ‘being’ will be stewardship. In the blueprint, the biblical concept of stewardship that we may have regarded as a principle to live by or a goal to achieve, will fuel a new experience of being Christian. We live stewardship and by so doing become the blueprint.
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THE CHURCH IS THE EARTH We are the dust of the Earth and have the breath of God in us like everyone else. But Jesus called us the ‘salt of the earth’ and the ‘light of the world’ (Matthew 5:13 and 14). In our earthiness then, let us be salt and let us be light, rather than be disconnected because the focus of our faith is Heavenward. Let us understand that in the Anthropocene these roles of salt and light will translate first into the care of the Earth, the stewardship of its resources and remedial action in addressing environmental decline. This will be a way of life for us that reflects strongly in our actions, words, mission and policies. In fact, such a universal commitment could even become part of a preamble to all policy statements at every level of the life of the Church – not unlike the way that our recognition of ‘first peoples’ has become standard preamble commentary in some churches in some parts of the world. In the Anthropocene the Church will lose credibility if it is not seen to be at the forefront of planetary stewardship and sustainability in its actions and advocacy. Such will be the expectation of a world fearful of environmental calamity. ‘What are you doing about the state of the Earth?’ will be the question that trumps ‘What are you doing about hunger and poverty?’ Christians can become, as Romans 8:19–22 predicts, healing oil to the Earth and its inhabitants. Churches can lead by example through such actions as transitioning their properties to solar power.
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THE CHURCH IS CHRIST It is not by chance that an incarnational model of the Church has risen from relative obscurity during the past two decades to dominate discussion about mission and ministry methodology. One of the strongest and most recognised biblical metaphors describes us as ‘the body of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 12:27). If we are the body of Christ, then we are the healing hands of Christ extending out to the ends of the Earth, the face of Christ radiating the love of God for our world and the voice of Christ speaking the mind of God into the world’s present and future realities. In the Anthropocene we cannot be anything but incarnational. Not only do we represent Christ, we are Christ – his body! Our values of integrity, passion for mission, accountability, compassion, respect and boldness will take on enhanced meaning as we engage the world with the priority of stopping the decline of our great Earth house.
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OUR WAY OF LIFE At the heart of these three statements is the idea that we no longer see ourselves as separate from but as one with the context for our mission, with our mission itself and with the one who has redeemed us and brought us into union with him. In the Anthropocene, the future of the Church, including The Salvation Army, will be at risk if we don’t metamorphose in the way we see ourselves and therefore the way we think and act and speak – imbibing environmental stewardship, passion and partnership as a way of life, of being and of leadership.
THE CHURCH IS MISSION It follows that if we are the Earth, and if we are the body of Christ, then we are also mission. We are equity, we are justice, we are mercy, we are transformation – we live and breathe mission. In the Anthropocene, Micah 6:8 – ‘act justly… love mercy… walk humbly with your God’ – will no longer be something we do, it will be who we are. I want to encourage Christ-followers to see that we are perfectly poised to make this paradigm shift in our understanding and, therefore, our impact on and in the world. We do not do mission, we are mission, a foundation from which we must operate with deep humility. In every place, internationally and locally, we must identify, advocate for, work alongside and restore the people most impacted by environmental degradation and climate change, particularly those unable to fight against its effects and with little access to resources. The UK government is committed to closing all coal-fired power stations by 2025 as a move towards reliance on clean energy. But across the country, Christians must be a calming influence in their communities, ready to point people to both faith and action as part of the solution to their fears around the state of the Earth.
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MAJOR MCGUIGAN IS CORPS OFFICER AT PRESTON, AUSTRALIA TERRITORY * This article is adapted from one that first appeared in Others magazine
LETTERS
HAPPY SHOPPING
NECK AND NECK
IN these times when the Army needs every penny, readers may be interested to know that they can raise funds for free when they shop online. Register at giveasyoulive.com, nominate The Salvation Army to receive donations and then use their portal to purchase goods from retailers. It’s as easy as that. The same applies to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.co.uk). For those who regularly order online this is a good way to get funds for free. It may only be pennies at a time, but they can soon mount up if we pass the word to friends and family. Jim Burns Dunstable
SINCE summer uniform was introduced, an open-necked blouse has been part of the ladies’ uniforms but there is nothing like that for men. It has been said that summer uniform for men looks a lot smarter when they’ve got ties on, which is also my opinion for ladies in regards to having a brooch on. I’ve been watching videos on Facebook of the Army where all the men wore ties and all the ladies wore open-necked blouses. I have to admit I very seldom wear a tie with my summer uniform because I feel uncomfortable, so I think if ladies’ summer uniforms should mainly be open-necked blouses then men should not be made to wear ties so that every Salvationist has got equal rights. It did say in a Salvationist last year that men do not have to wear ties with their summer uniform, but if I were a section leader keen on everyone looking the same, then it would either be everyone with ties and brooches or everyone with opennecked blouses and no ties. Gwyn Morgan Penarth
INSIDE OR OUTSIDE? ADRIAN Lyons’ article ‘Crossing the Threshold’ (Salvationist 15 August) raises some important issues for the Army at corps level when a new normal is established. For far too many years we have ‘prioritised our own comfort and seen growth in terms of outsiders fitting in with the way we do things’. The article identifies some of the peculiarities that we take as normal for the time we spend together as the gathered church and, while I do not particularly like using words such as ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ they do seem appropriate for the discussion. Two questions come to mind. First, is the current meeting format outsider-friendly? The format of an Army meeting has hardly changed since the days of the Founder, although instead of three meetings it has been reduced in most corps to one. In practice this tends to mean that all the elements have been amalgamated into one meeting, which we call euphemistically a ‘worship meeting’. The meeting’s content is now overcrowded and much less conducive to quiet reflection. Would an outsider recognise this as worship or just a musical service? Through changing circumstances salvation is no longer a meeting priority specifically for the outsider. I wonder, too, if we are losing holiness teaching for the insider. Second, is the corps welcome team outsider-friendly? Are outsiders helped to find a seat not reserved for an insider’s friends or relatives? Is the outsider introduced to an insider who can guide them through the meeting or are they left to themselves? Many insiders love to join in action choruses, which is fine, but would an outsider feel comfortable? It appears that during the coronavirus pandemic more people have tuned in to religious services than would normally have attended a church service. I wonder if it is because the services and sermons are shorter and more focused, so the outsider feels more comfortable. David Newstead Birmingham
PROMOTERS OF FAITH THE editorial (Salvationist 29 August) took the humanistic view that would have us believe Creation was a lot longer ago than the Bible clearly states. That the first humans were hunter-gatherers is also in dispute because this suggests that they were not made in the image of God but evolved from something primitive. Could it not be that so-called Stone Age people were separated from those with more skills after the tower of Babel? It would be helpful if the Army publications took the approach that we are promoters of faith, not purveyors of doubt. There are still many, including scientists, who believe in the authority of the Bible, and would take a different point of view. Young people are being told at school and university that the Bible cannot possibly be true. We must help them defend their faith. Bryan J Snell Major Coventry
A UNIVERSAL CHALLENGE EVERY year, suicide is among the leading causes of death globally for people of all ages. It is responsible for over 800,000 deaths, which equates to one suicide every 40 seconds. Every life lost represents someone’s partner, child, parent, friend or colleague. For each suicide approximately 135 people suffer intense grief or are otherwise affected. This amounts to 108 million people per year who are profoundly impacted by suicides. There are many factors that cause suicidal feelings and these can include mental health problems, bullying or discrimination, domestic, sexual or physical abuse, bereavement, the end of a relationship, financial distress, being in prison, feeling inadequate or like a failure and other forms of trauma. Following World Suicide Prevention Day in September we should remember that preventing suicide is often possible and everyone is a key player in its prevention. You can make a difference by raising awareness of the issue, educating yourself and others, showing compassion and care for those in distress in your community, questioning the stigma associated with mental health problems and sharing your own experiences. Handsen Chikowore London Salvationist 3 October 2020
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MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS
Communicating principles in a pandemic
If you are ever in doubt, follow your government’s guidance
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N January I was in a meeting at THQ when concerns about a new virus in China were raised. What would we do if the virus came to the UK and the government imposed a lockdown? My immediate reaction was irritation because I felt we were panicking about something that wouldn’t happen. How wrong I was. Within a few weeks the world entered lockdown. The impossible became reality. Fit, healthy friends caught the virus and died. Some survived after months in hospital but are still struggling to get back to full health. We have learnt the hard way that Covid-19 is not a disease to ignore. This virus spreads when people spend time together. This makes it a particularly tricky enemy. For more than 150 years, even during wartime, The Salvation Army has encouraged people to meet with each other. God created us to be social beings. We were not created for social distancing. The life of the Army depends 20
Salvationist 3 October 2020
on people meeting together in worship, Bible study, prayer meetings and music rehearsals as well as serving at the lunch club, selling the War Cry and Kids Alive! on the street, meeting people for a pastoral visit or chatting over a cup of tea. The Salvation Army is all about relationships – with God, with each other, with our neighbours and with strangers. Army life is under attack from this dangerous virus. Like many others, the territory is learning to adapt to the constantly changing environment. Just when we think we’ve settled a matter, new government guidance or new challenges emerge. Communicating during the crisis has not been easy but there has been great support across the territory. Local and divisional leadership teams have proven time and time again to be flexible, agile and creative in finding new ways to serve God and people. Salvationists have been patient, resilient and full of grace with each other – most of the time!
Ministry has continued, relationships have been sustained online and in many other creative ways. The Salvation Army has stepped up – across the territory and across the world – to the glory of God. However, more than eight months into this pandemic, people are getting tired. Despite a second wave of infections appearing, all we want is to ‘get back to normal’. We want to restart corps programmes because people need to be together. People are suffering. Mental and spiritual health is being damaged. The cost of lockdown is not only financial – there is a relational and spiritual cost which is worrying many of us. Unfortunately, it does not seem we will get back to normal anytime soon. Instead of government guidance being relaxed, many parts of the territory are under stricter rules to try and slow down the spread of the virus. It’s immensely frustrating but this is our reality. Communication is very important. We need to listen and appreciate the new challenges we are having to confront. It is easy to get the ‘wrong end of the stick’ so we need to spend time doublechecking we have understood each other. Over the past eight months the senior territorial leaders and specialist advisers have met regularly to pray and seek God’s wisdom to navigate these challenging times. This group is known as Gold. At the beginning of the pandemic, Gold meetings took place every day, seven days a week. In recent months, they have been held twice a week or more. We have been supported by an operational team (Silver) comprising THQ, DHQ and some corps leaders, who have met with similar regularity to develop policy and consider operational challenges. There have also been regular video conferences between territorial and divisional leaders. Out of these discussions a set of principles have emerged that have guided our decision making. We have needed these principles to ensure the territory has a coherent and consistent approach. I share them here in the hope
We know many older Salvationists are frustrated and desperate to get their corps open again that they will help you understand how the Army is moving forward in these challenging times. The first principle is prayer. Every Gold meeting starts at noon with a time of intercession for the pandemic-ravaged world and seeking divine guidance. The Salvation Army is first and foremost God’s idea and we can have great confidence in the future if we rely on his grace and strength in these trying days. The second principle is to ensure the Army is playing its part in fighting the virus, saving lives and caring for people hit hardest by the pandemic. This is not a time for us to retreat but neither is it a time to be reckless. People who would have never expected to need help from The Salvation Army are contacting corps and centres up and down the territory. It seems likely that the demands upon us will increase in the coming months. We must serve those who need us but without causing the virus to spread or problems to escalate. ‘Do no harm’ has been the priority for medical doctors down the ages and we need to accept such wisdom in this pandemic. There is a third principle. We have at least seven jurisdictions providing guidance across our territory – the Channel Islands, England, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In recent weeks there have been additional local lockdown regulations. Trying to set one territorial policy is impossible. Therefore, the third principle we have adopted is ‘follow the government guidance’. This principle is not always easy to follow when political leaders disagree with each other and sometimes the advice from health experts is confusing.
It is tempting to try and find ways around the rules, but this is selfdefeating
However, whenever leadership has considered diverging from government guidance it has only led to greater confusion and uncertainty. So if you are ever in doubt, follow your government’s guidance. It is tempting to try and find ways around the rules, but this is self-defeating. When we ignore the law, we are putting our health – and the lives of other people – at serious risk. The fourth principle is to encourage local decision making. The UKI Territory is large, with more than 600 corps plus all the residential centres and other social services. Decisions need to be taken as close to their local context as possible. The territorial leadership understands that making complex decisions is not easy. Therefore, THQ has produced several risk assessment documents to help local leaders consider the key issues and government guidance. Every risk assessment must be approved by DHQ before any activity at a corps recommences. THQ is neither encouraging nor discouraging activities. If government guidance is being followed, local leaders are best placed to make these decisions in consultation with their respective line managers. There is a particularly controversial part of government guidance that is understandably causing lots of discussion and concern. Should people over 70 be discouraged from coming to the Army? Many corps have people in this age group and our loyal saints are particularly unhappy to be told to stay home and avoid social contact. Be assured, your frustration is heard and felt at THQ. However, the sad truth is that Covid-19 discriminates: the older you are, the greater the risk. We know many older Salvationists are desperate to get their corps open again. The territorial leaders are grateful for your passion and commitment but are also concerned for your well-being. Please do not feel it is your duty to put yourself in harm’s way. Government guidance warns of increased risk of severe disease from Covid-19 for people
over 70 and people with an underlying medical condition. Individuals who fall within this group are advised to stay at home as much as possible and, if they do go out, to take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household. The territorial leaders have decided not to ban any specific group of people from an Army activity. Corps leaders, in consultation with DHQ, will have to decide if a specific activity is too risky. This will depend on government guidance applicable at that time and the specific situation, including the people involved in the activity. Finally, another tough question. Are governments penalising people of faith while pubs, restaurants, shops and businesses are being encouraged to open? Such reasonable concerns have been raised with UK government officials in meetings I’ve attended recently. I don’t believe we are being ignored. Many countries are facing difficult competing choices. How do we slow down the virus and save lives but not cause greater harm to society, the economy and people’s well-being? God bless the politicians who must make these very complicated judgments. As Christians we are part of society and we should not expect special treatment. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:3–5: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.’ Friends, let us follow these principles in the coming months. Keep praying, care for those who need it most, follow your government’s guidance, support local leaders who have to make difficult decisions, protect the vulnerable – and, as we go forward together, we will emerge from this pandemic a stronger, more Christlike, Salvation Army. LIEUT-COLONEL DEAN PALLANT IS SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Salvationist 3 October 2020
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARMY PEOPLE APPOINTED Effective 10 September O Major Susan Dean, additional appointment, Chaplain, George Williams House Lifehouse Effective 15 October O Captains Helen and John Parry, Hayes Effective 28 October O Territorial Envoy Sarah Jones, Eccles and Chaplain, Abbott Lodge WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES Diamond O Irene and Thomas Gibb, Chester-le-Street (1 October) Emerald (55th) O Majors Beverley and John Joy (16 October) Golden O Keith and Yve Atwill, Staines (12 September) O Brian and Glenda Beeton, Cottenham (10 October) PROMOTED TO GLORY O Valerie Craske, Briston O Eileen Clouston, Dudley
Doris Watt, Belfast Citadel Eric Heath, Yeovil O Rtd YPBL Eric Mitchell, Brighouse O B/Reservist Wesley Archer, Lurgan, on 6 September O Helen Bowman, Ringwood, on 13 September O O
BEREAVED O Norman Craske, Briston, of his wife Valerie O Mark Clouston and Alison Preston, both Dudley, of their mother Eileen Clouston O Major Fred Thompson of his brother John Thompson O Asst CSM Bandsman Paul Heath, Staple Hill, of his father Eric Heath O Bandsman Bob Bowman, Winton, of his mother Helen Bowman O CS Catherine Cutts, Brighouse, and David Mitchell of their father Rtd YPBL Eric Mitchell
Please note that soldiers’ and adherent members’ tributes submitted for publication should be no longer than 150 words. Good quality pictures will be included.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE TIGHTENING OF THE RULES Many parts of the territory are under stricter rules to try and slow down the spread of the virus. Covid-19 spreads when people spend time together, which makes it difficult for The Salvation Army, when our DNA is about relationships. Our aim must be to ‘do no harm’. THQ is neither encouraging nor discouraging activities. If government regulations and Salvation Army guidance are being followed, local leaders are best placed to make decisions about a specific activity in consultation with their respective line managers. The principles the Army is using to make decisions at this time are explained on pages 20 and 21. MUSIC GROUPS Salvation Army guidance is that all music groups taking part in indoor and outdoor worship can only be comprised of a maximum of six people. This is different from government guidance but
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Salvationist 3 October 2020
TRIBUTES RUBY JAMES, STAPLE HILL A LIFELONG Salvationist, Ruby was born in Bristol. As a child she joined the Sunbeams and singing company and later served as a torchbearer, songster and company guard. She held a number of leadership commissions and was a loyal member of the home league. Ruby married Charlie James in 1946 and they had a son, Kelvin, and three grandsons. She was proud of their achievements and loved to spoil her great-grandchildren. Ruby and Charlie also fostered children, with whom they kept in contact. Ruby regularly attended Army meetings until ill health prevented her. She spent her last 18 months in residential care before being promoted to Glory. She was 90 years old and No 1 on the roll. She is missed by corps friends and family but they rejoice in the knowledge that she is now at peace with God, whom she loved and served. – VW
Issued by Secretary for Communications Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant and correct as of 3 pm on 28 September
we are being deliberately cautious. Territorial leadership has decided to remove the age restriction for people taking part in these groups. Corps leaders, in consultation with DHQ, will have to decide whether an activity is too risky for people over 70 or those with an underlying medical condition. This will depend on government guidance at that time and the specific situation including the people involved in the activity.
essential for someone to do otherwise. Salvation Army staff should follow the guidance in their area to make the best decision for their situation and within local guidelines. We are aware that for some individuals the impact of home working has had a negative impact on their mental health, while others may have barriers to working in their home environment. We strongly encourage anyone experiencing issues to talk to their line manager who can work CHARITY SHOPS through an individual assessment and ensure we provide the best solution to Unless they have a valid exemption, support and enable people to fulfil their people working or volunteering in charity shops are required to wear face coverings roles. We remain grateful to everyone working, serving or volunteering to deliver in England, Scotland, the Republic of our mission, wherever they are based. Ireland and Wales. At the time of publication staff and volunteers working in a retail setting in Northern Ireland are JOB SUPPORT SCHEME not required to wear a face covering. From 1 November the job support scheme will replace the coronavirus job retention scheme. We are studying the WORKING FROM HOME implications of this and will provide more Governments are now advising people to work from home unless is it absolutely information as soon as possible.
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Salvationist
3 October 2020
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‘‘ All kinds of people attend, join, volunteer with or work for The Salvation Army. We’ve asked some to tell us about themselves. This week… MAJOR MARK ROSE Hendon How did you first come into contact with the Army? I was taken as a baby by my parents. What made you want to become an officer? I realised I wanted to do God’s will at the age of about 20. As I opened up to this thought, I knew that officership was his calling. What are the most interesting – and frustrating – things about your role? Hearing other people’s stories is always the most interesting part. Administration, particularly where attention to detail is required, is the most frustrating thing. What one thing would you change about the Army? I would want to accelerate the shift of focus from ‘the Army’ to ‘the Kingdom’. What is your favourite kind of holiday? Theme parks and sun with all the family and friends, or isolation and peace in a remote cottage with my wife, Lindy, and a good book.
Renew my will from day to day, Blend it with thine and take away All that now makes it hard to say Thy will be done
’’
If you could be in a film, which would it be and what character would you play? Brassed Off. I would play Danny the bandmaster. I have always wanted to make his final speech on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall. If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be? I often use the slogan, ‘I’m not very clever but I can lift heavy things.’ I would love others to say of me, when I’m not in earshot, ‘He made a difference.’ Did you have a nickname growing up? I have had several – including Rosie, for obvious reasons – but the one that has stuck and is still used by my friends today is Ernie, after my footballing hero Ernie Moss. If you could invent a gadget what would it be? A device that detects and cuts out political, organisational and personal spin. If you could bring back any fashion trend what would it be? His-and-hers matching shell suits. What is your favourite Bible verse? At the moment it is 1 John 3:1: ‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.’ I am in awe of the grace of God that adopts me and lavishes love on me and I want to show that love so that the world can know him. Which Bible figure would you like to meet and what would you ask them? Isaiah. I’d ask him about his vision of the Lord (see chapter 6) and his mission (see chapters 60 and 61).
If you could rid the world of one thing what would it be? Injustice. If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be? Wisdom. What is your favourite hymn or worship song? Throughout the years I always come back to a little chorus sung to the tune ‘Troyte’: ‘Renew my will from day to day,/Blend it with thine and take away/ All that now makes it hard to say/ Thy will be done.’ What is your favourite meal? Fish, chips and mushy peas at the seaside. What do you do in your spare time? Swim and watch Chesterfield FC. Apart from the Bible, which book would you want on a desert island? The Essential John Stott. It’s a big book so it would take a while to read and it’s packed with themes that challenge and inspire. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? The advice my dad gave me when I started secondary school: ‘Whatever you do son, don’t get caught!’ And, when I left: ‘As you grow older you will understand the importance of prayer. Don’t wait until you are old to start praying.’ What is the most valuable thing you possess? Loving, supporting and fun-loving family and friends. Something interesting people might not know about you is… I am qualified to fire explosives.
