Quotes from the media

PASTORS PLEAD WITH UK’S LEADERS NOT TO SHUT DOWN CHURCHES AGAIN

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.

Christian Today

SALVATIONIST

salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist

Staff are working from home and may not be contactable by phone or able to deal with non-electronic correspondence EDITOR Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts – 020 7367 4901 MANAGING EDITOR Ivan Radford – 020 7367 4891 EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Shanelle Manderson – 020 7367 4894 Simon Hope – 020 7367 4892 Melita Day-Lewis – 020 7367 4887 Major Margaret Bovey ART DIRECTOR Hannah Holden – 020 7367 4883 GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mark Knight – 020 7367 4895 Louise Phillips – 020 7367 4896 PROOFREADER Chris Horne 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.

Church Times

CATHOLIC CHARITIES WARN OF RISE IN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

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 Tablet

SALVATION ARMY ENCOURAGES CHRISTIANS TO PETITION MPS FOLLOWING EVICTION CHANGES

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.

Premier

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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?

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 7

Black lives matter by Captain Daniel Diakanwa

Viewpoint 8 and 9

Racing to justice by Captain Ben Cotterill

Interview 10

Walk a mile in my shoes with Dr Diamond Emmanuel

More rear-mirror views 11

A motorised evangelist 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 16 to 18

The great Earth house 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

From the Editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS Scripture quotations in Salvationist are from the New International Version (2011), unless otherwise stated

ARMY NEWS

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 COMMUNITY

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

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 OUTREACH

Cowdenbeath herald Steve Thomas gets ready to sell the ‘War Cry’ and ‘Kids Alive!’ in town

FUNDRAISING

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