For everyone linked to The Salvation Army 70p / 3 September SALVATIONIST2022CARINGFORCREATION ECOINCHURCHACTION THE BIG COLLECTION: GET INVOLVED PAGES 8 AND 9
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Simon
Christians are being urged to pray for rail workers as more strikes cause travelRMTdisruptions.strikesare causing difficulties across the country, and Tube strikes are causing a strain on travel around theManycapital.have been left frustrated by the continued strike action, but Liam Johnston from Railway Mission says people of faith need to give grace. He said… ‘There’s a lot of people … who talk about the amount of money that the average rail worker gets paid, but the reality is that a lot of people don’t get paid anywhere near that amount…‘Theyare now struggling, the same as everybody else. ‘I think, as Christians, we just need to put ourselves in the shoes of others and think about their point of view a little bit more.’ Mal Davies Radford Hope, George Tanton, Lyn Woods, Major Margaret Bovey Hannah Holden Knight, Louise Phillips
PROOFREADER Chris Horne weekly by The Salvation Army and printed on paper from sustainable sources by CKN Print, Northampton. © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. ISSN 2516-5909.
QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA PARISHES FEEL THE SQUEEZE AS ENERGY BILLS ROCKET
Soaring energy costs are leaving churches with a choice between keeping their buildings open for community groups or paying their fuel bills next Churcheswinter.and charities are not subject to the cap on energy bills, and most are classed as business for their tariffs, which has meant that they have not been protected from price rises. Churches report huge increases in bills; some clergy say that this has left them feeling sick with stress... One assistant curate has joined the … campaign … urging people to cancel their direct debit payments for energy bills.Among those facing soaring costs is the Rev Andy Fitchet of Andover Methodist Church… He has called for a social tariff to be introduced for the non-profit sector to protect organisations serving the community.
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UKRAINIAN BISHOP THANKS THE PEOPLE OF SCOTLAND FOR INVITING REFUGEES FLEEING THE WAR
The Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic community has thanked the people of Scotland for ‘warmly welcoming’ thousands of people who fled the war between Russia and Ukraine. [The Right] Rev Kenneth Nowakowski stated the ‘generous hospitality and solidarity’ that they have shown to those seeking refuge is an example of people being united as sisters and brothers through Jesus Christ. In Scotland, [more than] 13,000 Ukrainians have settled under visa sponsorshipCongregationsschemes...andindividuals in Scotland have raised more than £408,000 to help support the Ukrainian Church and churches in surrounding countries to help people seeking refuge from the war.
ART DIRECTOR
AFGHAN HUMANITARIANSTRUGGLECHRISTIANSTOACCESSAID
Premier FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL Brian Peddle TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Commissioner Anthony Cotterill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Mal Davies TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN 0845 634 0101 SALVATIONIST @SalvationistOnline @SalvationistUK CONTACT US 020 7367 4890 (main) / 020 7367 4901 (editor) salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk ADVERTISING advertising@salvationarmy.org.uk DISTRIBUTION AND SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Publishing and Supplies (Periodicals), 66–78 Denington Road, Denington Industrial Estate, Wellingborough NN8 2QH 01933 445445 / subscriptions@satcol.org The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Issuesalvationist.org.uk/media/magazineNo1874 EDITOR Major
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mark
Published
Afghan Christians are facing barriers to humanitarian assistance because of persecution under the Taliban and in neighbouring countries where they have fled, a Christian charity has warned.
Premier
Christian Today
MANAGING EDITOR Ivan
Church Times
International Christian Concern (ICC), which monitors persecution hotspots, is calling on the international community to maintain pressure on the Taliban a year after it returned to power in Afghanistan…Thepersecution of Christians in Afghanistan is detailed in a new ICC report, which documents the impact of the Taliban takeover on religious freedom in the country. It describes how in the past year Christians have been killed, tortured to inform on other Christians, kidnapped and held for ransom… Christians have become internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Afghanistan but because they are in hiding, they are ‘isolated from the humanitarian aid normally provided to IDPs’, the ICC warns… Leaving Afghanistan is ‘a highly restricted privilege enjoyed only by a select few’. The elderly, widows and unmarried women are among those most unlikely to be able to leave. Even those who have been able to flee have faced persecution in neighbouring countries like Pakistan... In some cases, the experience of Afghan Christians there has been so bad that they have returned to Afghanistan.
CHRISTIANS URGED TO PRAY FOR RAIL WORKERS AS STRIKE ACTION CONTINUES
Aside from the official talks and meetings held, it was a rewarding time for casual discussions on the environment, says Glasgow City Centre corps officer Lieutenant Scott Garman. For people who dropped by the corps for a chat, Scott made it clear that The Salvation Army was participating in and supporting COP26 because ‘Christians have something to contribute to the ecological movement’.
The fresh expression there includes ministry in a field – yes, I said a field – and Major Vivienne says the work of the Army there is organic in more ways than one, including a revitalised gated garden that provides a quiet refuge from the world.
The Big Collection by Bex Turner Letter from the territorial 9 Featurecommander 10 and 11
Until we each take responsibility for God’s creation and commit to doing our part, the problem will stay unresolved.
It was good
I pray that as you read this week’s issue of Salvationist you will sense something of the urgency required to care for our world. It’s not ‘their’ job, it’s my job and yours.
MAJOR MAL DAVIES Editor Salvationist
CONTENTS
Psalm 24:1 and 2 says: ‘The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.’ It refers to Genesis 1, when God not only created but also said it was good. Is it still good? What has happened to God’s good creation?
In the identity brochure released in 2021, we said that we are committed to changing both attitudes and practices to ensure a ‘more responsible use of our planet’, and that part of allowing people to experience ‘fullness of life’ (from our vision statement) is to ensure that God’s creation is ‘protected and cared for’.
COP26: A year later by Major David Cavanagh
‘It’s not only looking at our church, but also looking individually to see what we’re doing at home and in our own environments. It’s about making those changes while encouraging that as a church. Anything can have such a significant impact,’ says Vivienne.Elsewhere, on pages 12 and 13, we have a reflection on COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference that took place in Glasgow 10 months ago.
Interview 7 Comfort in concert
Brindley Sherratt talks to Simon Hope Preview 8
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS Scripture quotations are from the New International Version (2011), unless otherwise stated
Stories of transformation 14 Coral and Tim Goddard: Finding inner resources by Major Rosemary Dawson Interview 15
I say challenging because it can be easy to abandon responsibility for our planet to corporations or governments or senior leaders in our Movement or, simply, to others.
In this issue we have several articles that focus on our mission to ‘care for creation’.
Running the division with Simon Gash Bible study 16 and 17
At one seminar, a participant asked if Christians could do anything to help with climate change and the professor leading the seminar spoke of ‘stewardship and care for creation as key themes of the Creation accounts in Genesis’. And he was an agnostic!While you’ll find a range of articles in these pages – including information on the Big Collection, a new CD of Salvation Army songs from opera singer Brindley Sherratt, a Bible study on Numbers 21, and a fundraising climb in north Africa –there’s possibly none more challenging than the articles that discuss how we can care for creation.
A wild idea: Becoming an eco church by Simon Hope Feature 12 and 13
What a day should be by Major John Waters Fundraising 21 Trek Toubkal: Challenge complete by Angela Carlucci Announcements 22 Adverts 23 The Salvation Army and me 24 featuring Ann Ward Salvationist 3 September 2022 3
IN October 2021, our territory launched new identity statements including vision, mission and intention statements. These were the product of an Identity Taskforce with representatives from across the territory, along with feedback from senior leaders.
Quotes from the media 2 News 4 to 6 Prayer matters 6
Reflection 20 Sing a new song by Brian Colley Reflection 20
Worship the real God by Major Nigel Bovey Through the week with Salvationist 16 and 17 by Major Lynda Levis New commitments 18 and 19
While the statement of intention – ‘Love God, Love Others’ – has especially caught the attention of the territory, there are also a range of ways that corps and programmes are seeking to fulfil the five mission priorities captured in the mission statement.
On pages 10 and 11 you can read Simon Hope’s report from Forest of Dean Corps, where he’s spoken to Major Vivienne Prescott about the way in which environmentalism and mission go together in a beautiful, God-honouring celebration of life.
On Sunday afternoon Major Michelle Wheeler (East of England DHQ) welcomed Territorial Envoy Alison Parker to the corps, with friends from Snettisham, Fakenham, Sheringham, Aylsham and Norwich Mile Cross joining to worship and give thanks for Alison’s appointment. – MR Salvationist wants to hear your news. Corps press representatives can email org.uk.salvationist@salvationarmy. Good quality pictures may be included.
MUSICMEETING
PRESENTATION
– AR EMERGENCY AID ARDLEIGH The Emergency Response Team attended an incident where fields were alight due to the high temperatures, dry conditions and high winds. In attendance were representa tives of Chelmsford Corps, led by corps officers Majors Ian and Tracey Mountford. From one of the Army’s mobile canteens, the team provided the emergency personnel with sandwiches, tea, cold soft drinks and water. – AR OUTREACH
LLANELLI Corps officer Captain Karen Symonds, her husband Mark and their family were warmly received by the corps at a welcome meeting led by Divisional Mission Enabler Major Steve Wilson. Captain Karen testified to her joy at being appointed to the corps and is looking forward to serving the fellowship and community and winning souls for the Kingdom. – TC
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MUSIC HOMELESSNESS
BRISTON
BRADFORD CITADEL Corps officer Captain Claire Whybrow presented Michael Spargo with a certificate of appreciation as he retired as songster leader after 38 years of faithful service, initially at West Bowling and then at the corps. The corps also recognised more than 800 years of combined service between members of the songsters. – CW
PAIGNTON The band ministered and provided all the music for a Songs of Praise concert at the Quay in Stoke Gabriel, as part of Carnival 2022. The village, on a creek of the River Dart, is a popular location and a good crowd gathered for the event. – AI
PAIGNTON The band engaged in open-air ministry near the seafront during the summer, supported by members of the corps. Such was their commit ment to this outreach that Melvyn Kirby, who plays eupho nium, even supported on his 80th birthday. Good conversations took place with holidaymakers and residents. – AI Anglia Fellowship Band mark the end of rehearsal season with an informal concert at Ipswich Citadel
THE ORCHARD An open day at the Lifehouse brought together agencies from across Bradford that support rough sleepers. More than 70 people attended including represent atives from the city council, Hope Housing, Bradford Homelessness Outreach Partnership, Emmaus Bradford and Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust. Lindsey, a community worker who attended the open day, helps the Lifehouse’s clients access education and training. She said: ‘You need everybody working together to help people. There’s that phrase “it takes a village to raise a child”, and it takes a community to help an adult in crisis move forward. That’s what this open day is about.’
Retired police officer and Band Reservist Bob Cameron gets his hands dirty 'rooting out' weeds in the Northampton Corps garden
FRIDAY 9 SEPTEMBER – PSALM 40:1–3
All good gifts are sent from you, O Lord. Thank you for the money raised through the Big Collection. Bless this offering and guide those who distribute these financial resources so that they may be used where the need is greatest within The Salvation Army’s social work in the territory.
l Devotions l Resources lCORPSEvents
WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER – JOHN 13:34
Dear God, thank you for your inspiration, creativity and strength. We want to praise you today for the concept of Core Recovery and all the blessings that you have bestowed. Please allow the people involved to stay true to your word, walk in confidence with you and be reminded that when you call us, you equip us too. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for all you are and for all that you do.
MONDAY 5 SEPTEMBER – 1 THESSALONIANS 1:2 AND 3
THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER – LAMENTATIONS 3:22–24
CORE RECOVERY FOCUS by Majors Nicky and Martyn Watson (Homelessness Services Unit)
Holy Spirit, we thank you for the times that you meet us and lift our spirits. You meet us wherever we are in our walk with you, renewing and refocusing our minds and hearts. Let our hope in you be strengthened, fortified and refashioned. Dear Holy Spirit, thank you for all that we have seen thus far, but please fill us and each Core Recovery community with such hope that it will resonate with everyone that we meet, talk to and pray for.
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SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER – 2 TIMOTHY 1:6 AND 7
Dear Jesus, we thank you for your example of grace, mercy and love that is shown time and time again in your Gospels. Please change our hearts, minds and agendas in the areas in which we struggle to follow you. Thank you that you told your first disciples that the mark of following you would be the all-inclusive, radical, all-encompassing way that we love. Let our Core Recovery communities be places where all are welcomed – where all can find their way to you.
BIG COLLECTION FOCUS by Christine Thomas (Staines)
l A PDF of the Prayer Matters booklet is also available to download from salvationist.org.uk/resources
newHavesalvationist.org.ukyouseenourwebsite?
Eternal Father, we thank you for the way you have transformed our lives, the way you have transformed the lives of those we journey with and the way that you will continue to transform all those who meet with you. Today we pause for a moment to envisage the party in Heaven that you and the angels are having as lives are changed and relationships are restored. We praise you today and for ever.
PRESCOT Mayor of Prescot Councillor Joanne Burke presented Dorothy Krelle with the Prescot Citizen of the Year award to recognise her work within the community. Dorothy helps at the food bank each week and is always on the go, collecting from various sources and delivering help and assistance to people in need where she can. She is a valued member of the corps and the community. – BH
TUESDAY 6 SEPTEMBER – MATTHEW 13:8 AND 9
Lord Jesus, we desire to walk so close to you that your words, thoughts and ideas will always be the first ones that we dwell upon. Please continue to guide Core Recovery in all its plans, developments and initiatives. We trust you, love you and wish only to honour you – always.
SUNDAY 4 SEPTEMBER
PRESENTATIONVisit
Lord, thank you for the hope that faith in you brings. We give you praise and thanks for all the different Core Recovery communities – the people who are being considered, have just begun and are already up and running. Give them courage and wisdom as they move forward with you. Thank you for your inspiration and the light that guides our steps.
‘YOU are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word’ (Psalm 119:114). When people reflect on recent years, they might begin to read verses like this with new eyes. The storm that is recent history has affected so many of us – who hasn’t, at some point, sought a refuge? Built on music of days gone by, opera singer Brindley Sherratt’s new album hopes to point to the ultimate refuge, reminding us that, even if everything around us is falling apart, we have hope and comfort in God.
In addition to sharing a message of hope, Refuge has become a tribute to Brin’s parents and his past: ‘I put in “Deep River” for Mum. She used to do a lot of solo singing and that was one of her pieces. And we included “He Hideth My Soul” because of the link with Dad. ‘But you know, it’s not to do
inComfortconcert
SIMON HOPE Editorial Assistant Salvationist
Brin found himself in a challenging situation as a performer during the pandemic, as opera houses closed their doors. Nevertheless, although he now worships at an independent evangelical church, the Army has remained a comfort in tough times. He reflects on how two Army songs that his dad used to sing got stuck in his head and became ‘a comforting earworm’: ‘He Hideth My Soul’ (SASB 825) and ‘It Is Well with My Soul’ (SASB 741). ‘Let’s face it,’ he admits, ‘although the lockdowns are over, things are pretty grim. I think we’re living in really weird times. Everything has been shaken. I wanted to put something out there to share with people the message that, even though everything around us looks pretty bleak, God is faithful to provide a refuge for us. That’s simply it.’
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Raised just outside Manchester, Brin fondly remembers Sundays at Cadishead Corps that ‘started early, were very noisy, wonderfully musical, thoroughly exhausting and, above all else, fun’. He grew up in a musical Army family, with everyone in the household playing an instrument and singing. Among other activities, his dad, Jack, served as songster leader and his mum, Jean, served as singing company leader and Brin and his sisters were part of the band.
Today, Brin is a critically acclaimed bass singer and performs with companies and in concerts around the globe. It was reminiscing about childhood memories from Cadishead with Stuart Hall, a long-term friend and the owner of Citadel Promotions, that planted the seed of inspiration for Refuge. Thinking back on the anthems and choruses from their youth, the thought of recording some old Army music was initially no more than a fun idea. But, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread around the world, the words of those old songs began to take on a deeper meaning.
Brindley Sherratt tells Simon Hope about his new album Refuge CollettGerardPicture:
with me. It was a joy for Stuart and me to put together and I hope that people in the Army enjoy it.’ The album includes classic Army songs alongside pieces from the wider Church, with several new arrangements by Stephen Bulla providing ‘a little 21stcentury‘Someshine’.aretender and others we’ve given the full-throated operatic treatment,’ Brin explains. ‘Some you may know, many you may not. Some are quaint and some are sublime. But whatever you think, I hope that maybe even one line might be your comforting earworm when it’s all a bit shaky.’ l Refuge is available from citadelpromotions.co.uk priced £13.95
INTERVIEW
Bex Turner introduces this year’s appeal and highlights the importance of the Army’s chaplaincy work
In line with this, the Big Collection this year will help fund The Salvation Army’s chaplaincy work, supporting the practical and spiritual welfare of communities across the UK and IrelandSalvationTerritory.Army chaplains are working with the Social Work Trust to reach people living on the margins of society. They are present in Lifehouses, prisons, the military and more, helping to support people in difficult circumstances. They represent the Army to the public, who may not be aware of the Movement’s work and mission. They are out on the high streets, in shopping centres and at airports spreading their faith. It is very easy to be overcome by the problems we face in the world today – but faith calls us to be a light in the darkness and overcome injustice with good. We are very excited about this year’s Big Collection and the opportunity it presents us to carry on the work of The Salvation Army, which has been transforming lives since 1884.
WHEN IS THE APPEAL?
WHAT CAN I DO? There are so many ways that you can fundraise! Bake sales, car boot sales, bouncy castle contests, races, fun runs, and lemonade stands are just a few ideas. Fundraising by taking on a challenge or setting up a social event is a great way to build a sense of community in your corps and beyond. Many corps arrange collecting days on high streets and in supermarkets. You can also set up an online JustGiving page for your corps and encourage your corps members to donate.
PREVIEW
The appeal runs throughout the year. If you would like to try door-to-door fundraising, special permits for representatives of The Salvation Army are already in place and these collections can take place in September. For more information, speak to your corps officer or local leader.
William Booth strongly believed that people needed to be helped practically before they could be saved spiritually. He said: ‘You cannot warm the hearts of people with God’s love if they have empty stomachs and cold feet.’
Getting involved is easy, with the appeal running all year round so you can get started when it best suits you – and there are so many ways you can get involved to show your support!
WHAT IF I CANNOT DONATE? If you are unable to donate money yourself, please know that this is not the only way you can help! Sharing a link to your corps Big Collection JustGiving page on social media will make a massive difference.
BEX TURNER Head of Community and Membership Fundraising THQ
l Bex has recently joined the team after working at Christian Aid for 9 years
RESOURCES TO HELP We have plenty of resources that you can use for in-person fundraising: l Appeal video l Donation envelopes l Posters, leaflets and more l Worship resources (coming soon) Download these from big-collectiongiving-fundraising/salvationist.org.uk/faith/
l For more information about the Big Collection, email fundraising@ salvationarmy.org.uk or call 020 7367 4800
EACH year, Salvationists and friends of The Salvation Army donate generously to the Big Collection out of a commitment to their faith and mission to help people in need.
With the increase in the cost of living disproportionately affecting people on the fringes of society, the Army’s work is vital, supporting people who are experiencing homelessness, providing specialist support for adult survivors of modern slavery, caring for older people in residential care homes, and offering support to help people become job-ready.
The CollectionBig
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GET INVOLVED
Dear Salvation Army family, Greetings to you from London!
Sincerely, Anthony TERRITORIALCOMMISSIONERCotterillCOMMANDER
Office of CommanderTerritorialthe
This vital work needs money. The Big Collection helps to ensure that The Salvation Army can continue supporting the most marginalised and vulnerable people in society. This year, we are shining a light on the brilliant work that our chaplains do to reach the most marginalised in society. You may have seen in Salvationist our series of articles on how our chaplains represent The Salvation Army all over the country, from their work in our Lifehouses to their public presence on the streets. Our chaplains are a vital part of The Salvation Army’s mission work to reach out to all people and share the Christian message of faith, peace and hope to them.
The past few years have been difficult, with many people still suffering loss from the pandemic and others struggling to manage their financial anxiety and reality, especially now with the rising cost of living crisis. Our chaplains are working hard to reach and support the most underprivileged in the community, delivering pastoral care. They would not be able to do this without your support and generosity.
Every day, in communities across the territory, Salvation Army people strive towards our vision of ‘fullness of life for all with Jesus’. Thank you for being part of an Army that continues to put our faith into action by offering practical help for people without discrimination, sharing the good news of Jesus, standing up for those who are vulnerable, fighting against injustice and encouraging everyone to deepen their relationship with God. There is still great need in our society, and people in poverty need that ever so vital hand up if they are to escape the poverty of body and soul for good.
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The Big Collection is a way for your corps to support the work of The Salvation Army’s Social Work Trust, including helping to build up The Salvation Army’s presence in the UK through our chaplains, so that we can minister to more people in need. But the Big Collection is about more than just the money. The Big Collection gives us an opportunity to explain the integrated, holistic, God-given mission of The Salvation Army to people in our communities. This is important Kingdom building work. Thank you to all the devoted officers, members and volunteers who have given and will give time and effort to help fundraise for the Big Collection.
May God bless you, our communities and may he continue to bless his Army!
Salvationist 3 September 202210
Simon Hope finds out from Major Vivienne Prescott (Forest of Dean) how mission and environmentalism can intertwine
WHAT does it mean to make a corps eco-friendly? This may conjure thoughts of hastily bolted-on projects that do little more than slap gaffer tape on a leaking ship. But take a trip to Forest of Dean Corps and they will show you how they live out ministry and care for creation as one and the same.
Just as the ancient forest itself has changed over the centuries, so too does the fellowship’s ‘current response to our community’, or ‘Croc’ for short. Vivienne (pictured above) explains how this terminology helps the corps feel able to adapt to changing times – to let something go or start something new. ‘We’re organic,’ she emphasises. ‘We’re constantly looking to respond to the needs that God is making us aware of. Everything evolves. I could be talking to you this week about what we are doing and next week that could look quiteThedifferent!’beautyof Croc is that it is not enforced from the top down. This grassroots approach means that corps members expect change and would be disappointed to see any programme set in stone. Such flexibility means that the mission never sits still. Nevertheless, each location caters towards specific themes. Shared with of Dean
A w ld idea: Becoming
The work of the fresh expression spreads across three sites – a chapel, a pub and a field – each of which serves a specific purpose. Complementing this unique setup is a unique programme.
The pub The chapel
FEATURE I Forest
their United Reformed Church family, the chapel houses a food bank and food share café. So far, all the items on offer have been gifted by nearby shops, and people are encouraged to simply turn up
Working towards a bronze Eco Church award meant facing and addressing small challenges one step at a time.
The Salvation Army’s fully refurbished pub in Broadwell, meanwhile, has become a hub of learning. A string of conversations brought light to the fact that local families frequently rely on convenience meals. The reason behind this is less to do with convenience and more to do with a lack of confidence around sourcing and preparing fresh food.This sowed the seed for Plot to Pot, a series of courses run out of the pub that teach people how to grow food and cook seasonally. Seasonal food has the benefit of being cheap, healthy and good for the environment, fitting perfectly with the mission of the corps.
There is also an important ecological motive behind the creation of the garden, as it will promote biodiversity in an area that has been largely used forAllgrazing.inall,Forest of Dean Corps has gone a long way to show how ‘programme’ and environmental sustainability can be intrinsically linked. But what if you don’t have access to acres of land or growing spaces?
This is a journey that any Salvation Army expression could take.
‘If this is something you want to do, look at what’s involved in becoming a bronze-award Eco Church,’ Vivienne encourages. ‘Even the questions we ask ourselves as part of the process are a great tool to addressing issues that we may have as a worshipping community.
Salvationist 3 September 2022 11
The corps gave the pub garden over to a growing space, with local folk working communally and harvesting as they need. To top this off, the hub is giving out starter packs to help people reap the benefits of their new skills at home.Over in the 3.5-acre field, the Growth and Learning Equine-Assisted Ministry (Gleam) has been helping young people find their voice for the past eight years. In addition to the support the animals provide, a new initiative offers people the opportunity to sit in a moment of Atranquillity.muckheap has been revitalised into a gated garden. This new space allows people to step away from the bustle of the animals and sit quietly in nature.
SIMON HOPE Editorial Assistant Salvationist
an eco church and help themselves to what they need. Recently, however, this has changed as donations have reduced. As an already established eco church, the solution seemed obvious: the team began branching out to supplement the dwindling supply with homegrown fruit and veg. Unused beds on the grounds of the chapel have provided the perfect place to plant produce.
‘We’re trying to be ahead of the game here,’ says Vivienne. ‘We’re anticipating that it’s going to get harder before it gets easier, and we’re going to grow as much as we can.’
Vivienne is keen to underline that a key impetus was registering with Christian eco-charity A Rocha.
Next time In our 24 September issue, Vivienne shares how Forest of Dean’s Wild Ministries is teaching people to love nature through loving God
‘And it’s not only looking at our church, but also looking individually to see what we’re doing at home and in our own environments. It’s about making those changes while encouraging that as a church. Anything can have such a significant impact.’ Whether it’s a greater focus on household recycling or a commitment to reduce the amount of meat we consume, environmentally aware change is important for us all to consider as we strive to care for creation. After all, can we really experience fullness of life if God’s creation isn’t protected and cared for?
Salvationist 3 September 202212 COP26:
The café featured a special ecological menu, which was created together with Nourish Scotland, an NGO dedicated to combatting food poverty, developing a sustainable diet and sharing food together in community. Many of the guests started asking questions about what The Salvation Army believes and does as a Christian church, not only in the UK but also globally. By a providential coincidence, officers who had served in Bangladesh happened to be present when a group
Connecting with others at the corps café
Major David Cavanagh considers how last year’s UN EasopportunityconferenceclimatewasanforministrywellaschangeNGAGINGwithCOP26was‘oneofthemostrewardingexperiencesIhaveeverhad’,saidLieutenantScottGarman(GlasgowCityCentre),lookingbackathowthecorpswasinvolvedwiththeUNClimateChangeConference.Overatwo-weekperiod,hundredsofpeoplevisitedthewelcomehubatthecorpsthatwasclosetotheconferencevenue.Someofthemwerelookingforinformationaboutwhatwasgoingonandhowtogetaroundthecity,otherswerelookingforsomewheretorestormeetotherenvironmentalactivistsandcampaigners.SomeendedupchattingwithScottandhisteamabouthowChristianityencouragescaringforcreationandhowJesusgivesfullnessoflife.Oftenthisstartedwiththecorpscafé,whichseatsupto40people.Itwasanobviousplaceforpeopletogatherandgetabitetoeat,providingapracticalservicetovisitorsfromallovertheworld.Theymixedwiththeusuallocals,creatinganadhocdiversecommunityforthesetwoweeks.
FEATURE I
Caring for creation
Scott was clear that The Salvation Army was taking part in COP26 because Christians have something to contribute to the ecological movement Lieutenant Scott Garman (right) and the team during COP26
One farmer realised how caring for creation was a way of showing love for brothers and sisters on the other side of the world of Bangladeshi chauffeurs, who had just dropped off their clients at the conference, began asking questions, and were able to share stories of their experiences there. It wasn’t just visitors who were asking questions, though: volunteers were interested too. One volunteer at the café spoke about how he felt safe there, contrasting this with his previous church, where he had felt uncomfortable as a bisexual. Scott told him how the Army wants to love people unconditionally and this led into a series of conversations about faith and life issues over the followingAnotherweek.volunteer, from Nourish, who was initially resistant to any conversation about God, eventually told Scott that she hadn’t set foot in a church for years. Aged 16 she had rejected the ultrastrict, cult-like version of Christianity she had been brought up in, but now she was ready to look again at Jesus and Christianity after attending a kids’ club talk on caring for creation, which she described as the best conversation about God she had ever had.
A year later
Purchase what you need
Although some items that are new can be durable so I, in turn, waste less.
by Yelena Grase Jurkenas (Addlestone)
Buy cruelty-free
l Read the full article online at salvationist.org.uk/articles/my-seven-tips-caring-creation
I raid the supermarket reduced section, look for ways to reduce waste and try meat-free days. Repurpose items I embroider over holes in clothes to make them last longer. Be aware of your carbon footprint This motivates me to fly less and use public transport more. I have also invested in a bike and walk more often. Switch off I try to turn off lights when leaving the room – and have jumpers to hand to save putting on the heating.
7 tips to care for creation
Before I buy anything, I step back and consider how much I need the item. Shop second-hand
I check the backs of bottles or tubs for a cruelty-free logo. Be conscientious with food
MAJOR DAVID CAVANAGH AssistantforSecretaryScotland and this obviously left its mark: when an external group using the hall wanted to put up banners and asked whether the cross could be removed, one of the IT tech guys immediately answered: ‘No –this is a church and we respect that: the crossAnotherstays!’example of the Christian perspective being shared came at the end of a seminar led by a team from the University of Texas. A participant asked if the millions of Christians in the world could do anything to help with climate change. Scott was halfway out his seat, ready to reply, when the professor leading the seminar – who was himself an agnostic – immediately pointed to care for creation and stewardship as key themes of the Creation accounts in Genesis. Scott said that the reply ‘could have been an introduction to a sermon on caring for creation’ and that he didn’t need to add anything more! The centrepiece of that seminar was a film showing how many US farmers were sceptical about climate change, summed up by one who said: ‘It’s all part of God’s plan, so I don’t have to worry about it.’ That all changed for one young farmer after he met a Christian farming family from Malawi and heard how climate change affected their daily life: he suddenly realised how caring for creation was a way of showing love for brothers and sisters on the other side of the world and an expression of his love for God and his desire to follow Jesus. Engaging with COP26 was an act of witness. It showed that Christians are concerned about safeguarding God’s good creation. It provided a place for activists from all over the globe to meet and share their plans and dreams. It opened doors for conversations about faith, Jesus, and life in all its fullness. Now that’s joined-up mission! Caring for creation sounds impossible but, if you start small and take it step by step, you might find the foundations for it are already in place.
Tim tried to prepare Coral before she saw him: ‘I expected something monstrous. But Joshua looked at me with his big blue eyes and I fell in love with him straightaway. He was my child. It wasn’t until the next day we began asking, “Why us?” and “How are we going to Anguish,cope?”’combined with feelings of guilt and self-blame, set in later. Both committed Christians, they found reassurance in the reaction of Jesus to the man born blind (see John 9:1–7), that his parents were not to blame for his condition. Tim said: ‘We felt that God was showing us a purpose for Joshua’s existence through it. He is the giver of life, and he decides when it will end.’
THIS is not so much a story of transformation as a moving account of a young couple’s journey of faith during the horrific illness and bereavement of their son.
Tim had a religious upbringing, but Coral became a Christian at the age of 20, after a life-changing conversion. She believed that her faith gave her the inner resources to deal with their insurmountable difficulties. ‘The deeper the pain, the deeper we seemed to experience the knowledge of God’s love,’ Tim confirmed. ‘God’s presence helping us through each day was the powerful answer to our questionings.’Bothacknowledge that their lives were for ever changed and enriched by those special years with Joshua. Everyone undergoing such trauma finds their own way of coping. Tim dealt with each new setback after many tears, prayers and Bible reading; Coral, by living a day at a time and consciously shutting the future out. She only found peace and healing after Joshua’s death. Despite the cancer, Joshua was both strong and determined. He amazed doctors with his recuperative powers after each operation. No staying in bed for Joshua; this typically noisy and curious toddler wanted to be in on everything!Coraladmitted she never got used to his appearance, which changed as new tumours developed. When tumours threatened to strangle his windpipe, doctors warned that Joshua had only weeks to live. His condition deteriorated rapidly.‘Youalways expect your child to outlive you,’ Tim said. ‘Other people can’t enter fully into your suffering. Only God understands our pain; his own Son diedTheytoo.’wanted to help other parents to come to terms with a child’s terminal illness and so they wrote a book, A Birth into Eternity ‘Many books skip over the painful bits,’ said Tim, ‘but we wanted to give it some frank exposure. There must be no taboo areas. Many couples separate after child bereavements, but the grieving process can’t be hurried. It has to be goneEventhrough.’afterhis death, Joshua was still very much part of their family.
FEATURE I Stories of transformation Major
Initially, they had no idea how long Joshua would live. He surprised doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital by outliving their estimation of four to six months. He survived 30 operations and chemotherapy before his short but significant life ended on 1 August 1995.
Salvationist 3 September 202214
l
Coral
MAJOR ROSEMARY DAWSON Retired St Austell
Coral and Tim’s lives had changed irrevocably on 5 January 1993 when their first child was born. As the baby’s head appeared, Tim noticed that it was covered with large brown circle marks. The midwives exchanged worried glances with the hurriedly summoned paediatricians.‘Hisbodylooked as if acid had eaten the skin away,’ Tim recalled. ‘Continuous raw and bleeding tissue extended from the base of the head to the back of the knees. Different-sized lumps formed a hunchback around a large hole on his back, and all over his body.’ Joshua was rushed to the special care baby unit, where he was diagnosed with malignant melanoma – usually caused by over-exposure to the sun in adult life. The condition usually calls for total surgical removal of the malignant mole and surrounding area, clearly impossible in Joshua’s case.
‘We wouldn’t wish him back to that illness,’ said Coral quietly. ‘It’s hard to let go, but now we realise and accept that our relationship is merely interrupted while he is in Heaven.’ Based on an article published in the War Cry, 27 April 2002 Rosemary Dawson concludes a series in which she has remembered some of the inspirational people she met while working on the War Cry and Tim Goddard: Finding inner resources
Coral and Tim Goddard shared their story with the War Cry in 2002. Their son, Joshua, was one of only six in the world born with malignant melanoma (melanocytic naevus), a dangerous and rare form of skin cancer, covering 60 per cent of his body.
‘On the advice of a member of the family who is a nurse, I decided not to run on one of the UK’s hottest days on record, but I did run at the tail end of July’s heatwave when the temperature was still about‘One28C.ofthe runs was longer than I expected – on the day of a strike, the only train I could get went to London Bridge station and I had to run from there to William Booth College before beginning my run down to Wimbledon. What was initially a 7-mile run suddenly became an 11-mile run!
‘The nurses have been amazing from day one,’ says Nicky. ‘They have answered my questions, helped me sort out appointments and supported me emotionally. And I know they will be there for me and for my family when we need them.’ ‘So I combined the two ideas,’ Simon continues. ‘I would raise money by running to every corps in the division.
Salvationist 3 September 2022 15 INTERVIEW
At the time of writing, Simon has raised more than £6,700 via his fundraising page at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/simon-gash
‘The Salvation Army has been my church since I was young and my employer for the past 18 years,’ Simon adds. ‘Nicky also has many Salvation Army links. She was born to officer parents and grew up at Croydon Citadel. She then spent many years at Raynes Park Corps.’
THE longest distance will have been to Addlestone. The shortest will have been to Camberwell. The long and the short of it is that Senior Music Editor Simon Gash (Music Editorial, THQ) is running to every corps in his division – South London – before taking on the London Marathon at the beginning of ‘ByOctober.theend of my challenge, I will have covered more than 250 miles,’ he‘Eachexplains.run begins at William Booth College. Each runs ends at a corps, where, thankfully, someone is always there to give me something to drink and where often corps members and friends also gather to welcome me and do their own piece of fundraising, staging a quiz night or a concert – because all this running has a goal.’ At the end of 2020, Simon’s family received some devastating news. Nicky – who is now Simon’s sister-in-law – was admitted to hospital with an obstruction in her bile duct. It was quickly resolved, but doctors carried out scans in order to investigate. They found that the blockage was cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer.Despite having had no symptoms, Nicky, at the age of 42, received the news that the cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes and the doctors could offer no treatment that would cure it. Instead, the doctors recommended chemotherapy to slow its growth. During the six months of her first course of chemo, Nicky still managed to plan her wedding to Simon’s brother, Nathan. They married at Bexleyheath Corps on 22 May last year. Almost a year to the day later, Simon set off from William Booth College on his first fundraising run, which ended 8.5 miles later at Bromley Temple Corps.
‘But I stay motivated by Nicky’s courage and positivity, which she has shown as she makes the most of each day, enjoying holidays, theatre shows, meals with friends and special family times. And I want to do something for the wonderful charity that has supported her.
‘And that’s the long and the short of why I keep running.’
‘Some of the runs have been more of a challenge than I envisaged,’ he admits.
Simon (Bexleyheath)Gash tells Salvationist why he’s running to every corps in South London
‘When I began speculating about whether it would be possible to run to every corps in the division, it wasn’t a fundraising idea – it was just something I had begun thinking about during the Covid-19 lockdowns,’ he recalls. ‘Then I decided I wanted to take on a challenge to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, because the charity has supported Nicky a lot.
‘It got me thinking that these end-of-run events were an opportunity not only for fundraising but also for a corps to invite people who have links with it but who don’t necessarily attend Sunday worship,’ says Simon. ‘I saw that they could also provide a good excuse for a get-together, perhaps prompting people who had not yet returned to the corps since the beginning of the pandemic to reconnect.’
And as a bonus, I added in the London Marathon, which I have always wanted to take part Somethingin.’ happened on that first run to Bromley Temple. The corps had put on a coffee morning to welcome Simon and further boost his fundraising – and two or three of the mums from its parent-andtoddler group turned up and, in the course of the event, were mingling with other people.
Running the division
Through the week with Salvationist – a thoughtdevotionalforeach day by Major Lynda Levis God has heard enough. He sends ‘venomous snakes among them’ (v6) and many of the people die. Being confronted by death brings the children of Israel to a new perspective. They acknowledge their sin and plead with Moses to ask God to remove the snakes.
Major Nigel Bovey says there’s no need to settle for replica faith
thankfulimagineFather,Prayerwecannotthedepthofyourloveandgrace.Wearesothatyoudonotaskusto,butwantussimplytoacceptitandknowthatwestandforgiveninyourpresence.
BIBLE STUDY
QUESTION l What toxic influences – and influencers – do you need to distance yourself from?
Worship thereal God
QUESTION l In the light of the brevity of life and the eternity beyond death, how important is your displeasure with the spiritual direction – or lack of it – in your corps?
QUESTION l How easy is it to blame others, including those in leadership roles, for things that are partly or wholly your fault?
Salvationist 3 September 202216 SUNDAY I have no claim on grace;/ I have no right to plead;/ I stand before my maker’s face/ Condemned in thought and deed./ But since there died a Lamb/ Who, guiltless, my guilt bore,/ I lay fast hold on Jesus’ name,/ And sin is mine no more. (SASB 463) MONDAY He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. (Psalm 103:10 and 11)
God’s solution is more interactive than the simple removal of the snakes. God instructs Moses to make a bronze snake and mount it on a pole. Anyone who is subsequently bitten and looks at the replica reptile will live.
TUESDAY Though you have failed him, and how you’ve failed him!/ Though you have failed him, God loves you;/ The proof is Jesus, so look at Jesus,/ And learn from Jesus God loves you. (SASB 439)
NUMBERS 21:4–9 ‘S NAKE!’ yells my daughter, grabbing me by the arm. Adrenaline bolts into the soles of my feet. We freeze. I look down. There, a half-step away – half-hidden from carefree Dartmoor explorers – it waits: snake-eyed, zigzagged and forked-tongued. Viper! ‘Stamp your feet!’ I order. As one, four booted feet pound the peat, forcing our intruding companion into beating a hasty retreat. In all the years that my daughter and I have wandered through the Dartmoor wilderness, this is our closest encounter with Britain’s only venomous snake.Asimilar encounter is the subject of this week’s study passage. The story so far: The children of Israel have escaped Egyptian captivity but the journey towards the promised pastures of freedom is not going well. For every spiritual step forward, there is a retreat. Through the covenant of the Ten Commandments, God gifts them a golden opportunity (see Exodus 20) but they worship a golden calf (see Exodus 32). Spies observe the Promised Land but the people rebel (see Numbers 13 and 14). Korah stages a coup (see Numbers 16). Moses disobeys God (see Numbers 20). As often happens when things aren’t going well, the congregation overlook their own shortcomings and blame the leader. They grow impatient, speak against God and start to drip poison about Moses – ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?’ (vv4 and 5).
WEDNESDAY ‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like(Isaiahwool.’1:18)
Salvationist 3 September 2022 17
SATURDAY When I came to Jesus with my sin and shame/ And to him confessed my deepest need,/ When by faith I trusted fully in his name,/ God’s rich grace was granted me indeed./ Higher than the stars that reach eternity,/ Broader than the boundaries of endless space,/ Is the boundless love of God that pardoned me;/ O the wonder of his grace! (SASB 876)
THURSDAY Christ, the blessèd one, gives to all/ Wonderful words of life;/ Sinner, list to the loving call,/ Wonderful words of life./ All so freely given,/ Wooing us to Heaven./ Beautiful words! Wonderful words!/ Wonderful words of life! (SASB 434) long-standing tradition. The Israelites are in the wilderness prior to the Battle of Jericho (1400BC).
It is not until the 600s BC that King Hezekiah ‘broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it’ (2 Kings 18:4).
For 800 years, the Israelites idolised a replica. They should have been worshipping the real God – dare we do the same? Given God’s wrath at the worship of the golden calf and the requirement of the second commandment not to ‘make for yourself an image in the form of anything in Heaven above or on the Earth’ (Exodus 20:4), it might seem strange that God should commission the bronze snake. Perhaps, though, it is an indication that the Law can only go so far. When a person breaks a law, the passing of a new law cannot undo what has happened.Lawbreaking might incur a death sentence, but there is no law that can give life. This is something only grace can do. In the wilderness, God responds to the penitence of his people with grace. In our wilder messes, God tempers his righteous justice by his gracious mercy. This is the point Jesus makes when he is challenged about healing a man on the Sabbath. It is not the Law or rule-keeping that could change this man’s life; it is the mercy of God (see Matthew 12:1–14). Such a miraculous sign piques the interest of Nicodemus. In conversation with this leading Pharisee about a new birth, Jesus directly connects himself with God’s life-saving strategy. Jesus tells him: ‘Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him’ (John 3:14 and 15).
The children of Israel are so impressed by the life-saving power of the bronze serpent that they start to worship it. This adoration becomes a
FRIDAY In him we redemptionhavethrough his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. (Ephesians 1:7 and 8)
MAJOR NIGEL BOVEY Retired Exmouth
Those who admit the toxicity of the sin that infuses them, turn to Jesus and believe in him will live. That’s the good news – the sting, the sentence, of death removed. A danger remains, however: the replica can become a replacement.
Sing a new song
FROM sinking into a pit of soft clay the psalmist says that he has been set upon a solid rock. It is a marvellous illustration that everyone who has been similarly saved by God will understand. We read that there has been a cry for help and, after a period of time, that God has answered this prayer, bringing a feeling of freedom and safety. Now, the writer in his happiness sings a new song – the old song of woe and depression has been replaced. A change of tune in our lives comes about when we experience salvation because we have been plucked from a pit of sin and placed on the solid rock of God’s promises. This is a place of safety, peace and constant care – a perfect situation that calls for a new song, a song of praise to God. The secular song ‘Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo’, written years ago, says: ‘A song of love is a sad song.’ That’s true for some people at times in life but never when God is involved. A song of love for him is always a happy song, one that tells of redeeming grace and salvation. A modern song based on this psalm says, ‘When I was lost, you came and rescued me;/ Reached down into the pit and lifted me./ O Lord, such love, I was as far from you as I could be./… There is a new song in my mouth,/ There is a deep cry in my heart,/ A hymn of praise to Almighty God, hallelujah!’ (SASB 483). The wonderful thing is that what the psalmist experienced all those years ago is the testimony of many today. New songs are still being sung because, although the world is forever changing, God’s love remains the same. It is still available to all those who ask to be rescued by him. John Waters concludes a series of reflections on classic prayers REFLECTIONREFLECTION MAJOR JOHN WATERS Retired Biddulph Moor
WHILE we are not quite out of the Covid-19 woods we are, for the most part, able to attend our corps again regularly. So the purpose for which this series of articles was designed has come to an end. What to select as a final prayer was not easy, but I like this prayer by George Dawson, which puts everything into perspective and emphasises the undoubted truth that we should use each day given to us in the light of eternity.
Brian Colley (Clowne) continues a series of reflections on verses from Psalms He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God (Psalm 40:3)
The Rev George Dawson was a Victorian political and social reformer. He worked especially in Birmingham, where he was first a Baptist minister who attracted a large following, then the founder and minister of an independent Unitarian church. His various concerns regarding civic duty on the part of his members and the causes he espoused were supported by the eminent Congregational minister RW Dale and influenced significant political figures, including Joseph Chamberlain.
Almighty God, We bless and praise thee That we have wakened to the light of another earthly day; And now we will think of what a day should be. Our days are thine, Let them be spent for thee. Our days are few, Let them be spent with care. There are dark days behind us, Forgive their sinfulness; There may be dark days before Strengthenus,us for their trials. We pray thee to shine upon this day –The day we may call our own. Lord, we go to our daily work; Help us to take pleasure therein. Show us clearly what our duty is; Help us to be faithful in doing it.
Let all we do be well done, Fit for thine eye to see. Give us strength to do, Patience to bear; Let our courage never fail. When we cannot love our work, Let us think of it as thy task; And by our true love to thee, Make unlovely things Shine in the light of thy great love. Amen.
REFLECTIONREFLECTION Salvationist 3 September 202220 Major
What a day should be
WHAT WILL MY IMPACT BE?
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED? Contact the Community and Events Fundraising Team on 020 7367 4819 or challenge@salvationarmy.org.uk
Community and Events Fundraising Manager Angela Carlucci thanks this year’s trekkers – and challenges you to get involved
Toubkal: Challenge complete ON Wednesday 3 August at 2am, a group of intrepid trekkers were boarding a flight to Morocco. The challenge? To climb north Africa’s highest peak, Mount Toubkal, and raise funds for The Salvation Army. The journey led the group to explore Berber villages and experience local life in the Atlas Mountains, as well as discover the cultural delights of the bustling city of Marrakesh and admire the diverse scenery along the way, from rocky slopes to the Mizane Valley. They conquered the 4,167 metre-high trek and they were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the landscape below. Between them, the Mount Toubkal Trekkers raised an astonishing £30,266 in total with funds still coming in fast. Each member of the team has chosen to direct their funds to a Salvation Army cause of their choice. Some have chosen to support the Army’s work with people experiencing homelessness and help fund Lifehouses. Others have completed the trek in support of their corps to help their local area. Lesley Theodorus is one of the trekkers from Strawberry Field, the former Army children’s home that inspired John Lennon to write the song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. Lesley gathered together a team who all chose to use their funds to support the Army’s Steps to Work scheme, which is based at the site. This four-step programme supports people with learning disabilities by giving them useful skills and training to thrive in employment. Under the guidance of an employment development co-ordinator, the participants are helped to overcome barriers to employment. The fundraising team extends a massive thank you to the trekkers for their dedication. If you would like to donate to support them, you can contribute to their JustGiving page at trekmounttoubkaljustgiving.com/campaign/ But if, like these trekkers, you want to have an adventure and raise vital funds for the Army’s social work, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. The next challenge is a trek to Iceland, which will see fundraisers take a dip in natural thermal rivers, explore the rift valley lake of Þingvallavatn and visit Reykjavik – with the opportunity to witness the dancing lights of the aurora borealis while knowing their fundraising is making a Registrationsdifference.forNorthern Lights Trek Iceland are now open, with a limited 2-for-1 discount available on registration fees using this code: 241ICE. For more information and to register, visit trekssalvationarmy.org.uk/walks-and– or why not set up your own hike or challenge to fundraise for the Army?
TFUNDRAISINGrek
HOW WILL I REACH MY FUNDRAISING TARGET?
A dedicated team will support you. From a welcome pack to a Facebook support group, the team stays in touch every step of your fundraising journey – providing you with ideas, inspiration and information to help you reach your goals.
FUNDRAISING FAQS
Help support the Army’s work by fundraising for your favourite Army project. Or you can choose to support your local Salvation Army centre or corps to transform lives in your community.
+ANNOUNCEMENTS
Fred, so loved by his family – wife Sue, son Jason, daughter Fleur, daughter-in-law Diane and granddaughters Lavinia and Esme – now rests in peace with his Maker. – JS
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
MAJOR WILLIAMSJEAN
JEAN Clarkson left Hull Newland Corps for the International Training College in 1956, where she became a member of the Faithful session. Following her commissioning in 1957 she was appointed to Social Services. She married Lieutenant Edward Williams in 1961 before the couple continued their work in charge of men’s hostels in Rochdale, Birmingham Jamaica Row and Booth House and Middlesex Street in London. Now majors, in 1981 they were appointed to Grimsby Brighowgate followed by Blackburn Heaton Street, from where they retired to live in Southport in 1991, having completed 65 years of service to God in The Salvation Army. As retired officers Edward and Jean continued their ministry by supporting the leadership team at Southport. Sadly, Edward was promoted to Glory in 2008. Jean continued playing a valued role in the home league, young at heart and the knit and natter group, rarely missing a Sunday meeting until the age of 90 due to failingOverhealth.theyears, countless people have benefited from Edward and Jean’s service given in the name of Christ, and many souls have been saved. Jean will be sadly missed by Margaret and Brian and their families at this time. – GM STANLEY JARVIS, TADLEY STAN was born in Dundee in 1933 to Salvation Army officer parents. He settled in Willenhall, where he met and married his first wife, Mary. He became the songster leader before he entered the RAF. Upon leaving the air force he went into the
l SL Anne Haldane, Falkirk, of her daughter YPSM Mhairi Haldane and CT Lynne Haldane, Falkirk, of her sister l Sue Parker of her husband Colin Parker, Major Marian Parker, Edinburgh Gorgie, Jean Croucher, Stowmarket, and Cliff Parker of their brother
l Major Maisie Bellshaw (85 on 12 September) l Major Joy (Heather) Beacham (80 on 13 September)
JEMIMA RUTHERGLENBRADLEY, MINA took an active interest in the corps after her children had grown up and left home. She became an adherent and soon after became a soldier.Minawas an enthusiastic member of the home league and enjoyed taking part in any events. She was a good encourager and listener and will be sadlyMinamissed.wasamuch-loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. – DSM food industry, moving to Hungerford and soldiering at Newbury Corps. A career with the Ministry of Defence police for 22 years included a move to Tadley, where Stan became songster leader. He retired from this post after Mary became ill and was promoted to Glory. In 2004, Stan married Yvonne. He was then diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, retiring from the Central South Fellowship Band after 25 years when his health took its toll. Stan was recently recognised for serving 73 years as a bandsman and 48 years as a songster. After spending three weeks in hospital, he was promoted to Glory, leaving his wife Yvonne, two sons, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. – SM FRED SELBY, RHYL FRED was born in 1942 in SalvationistLincolnshire,Grantham,toparents.
Salvationist 3 September 202222 ENGAGEMENTS GENERAL BRIAN PEDDLE AND COMMISSIONER ROSALIE PEDDLE l Spain and Portugal Command, Thu 1 Sep – Sun 4 l Leaders’ orientation, Mon 5 l Newfoundland and Labrador Division, Canada and Bermuda Territory, Wed 7 – Mon 12 THE TERRITORIAL COMMANDER (COMMISSIONER ANTHONY COTTERILL) AND COMMISSIONER GILLIAN COTTERILL l WBC (Servants of God sessional reunion), Fri 2 Sep – Sun 4
TRIBUTES
RETIRED OFFICERS’ BIRTHDAYS l Major Janice Main (80 on 11 September) l Lieut-Colonel David Phillips (85 on 11 September)
Effective 11 January 2023
ARMY APPOINTED
PROMOTED TO GLORY l YPSM Mhairi Haldane, Falkirk, on 17 August BEREAVED
As a soldier of Grantham Corps, he served as singing company leader, deputy bandmaster and songster leader. Fred married Sue in 1967 and had two children, Jason and Fleur. In the early 1980s, they moved to Llandudno, north Wales, and transferred to Rhyl Corps. Soon Fred became songster leader, a position he held until his health started to deteriorate. Fred composed many items for the songsters to sing but was always very modest about his talents. In total, he spent 47 years as songster leader at Grantham and Rhyl Corps.
l Major Mal Davies, Adelaide Congress Hall, Australia Territory l Major Tracey Davies, Adelaide Congress Hall, Australia Territory
Diamond l Major John and Captain Sheila Harris (15 September) Emerald (55th)
PEOPLE
l Majors Irene and John Houston (15 September)
Fred was often seen collecting in Llandudno town centre and became well known among locals and holidaymakers alike, sharing his Christian witness in this very visible way.
TICKETS NOW ON SALE: sjss.org.uk
LISTINGS HARVEST PRAISE Bath Citadel, Green Park Road, BA1 1XE. Saturday 24 September, 6pm. The South-Western Fellowship Band, Bandmaster Norman Cassells. Tickets £5 at door or phone Major David Wise: 07518 111092. STUDYING IN YORK? Are you coming to study in this great city? Be sure to link up to our corps, where a warm welcome awaits you. Meals arranged, transport provided and student/young adult fellowship. For further details email: york.corps@salvationarmy.org.uk Or contact Cynthia Smith on 07961 586465 Email: kate.gregory@salvationarmy.org.uk Tel: 01273 607095 salvationarmy.org.uk/brighton-congress-hall
discretion.
EATON BRAY LU6 2DR
STUDENTS MOVING TO NOTTINGHAM! Are you looking for a church to attend? You are warmly invited to Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls Corps King Edward Street, NG1 1EU Sunday worship at 10.30am Student sunday lunches offered. For more details contact Majors Robert and Julia Jepson: 07341864282 salvationarmy.org.uknottingham.wbmh@
Southbourne, Bournemouth SOUTHERN BREEZE LODGE (adults only) Salvationist-owned guest house close to shops and beaches For more information please call 01202 427459 Email enquiries@southernbreezelodge.co.uk or visit southernbreezelodge.co.uk
advertising@salvationarmy.org.uk. ADVERTS&
CELEBRATION of Majors Allison and Andrew Gaudion Sunday 25 September, 11am Led by Majors Granville and Kath Myers Video greeting and messages to granville.myers@salvationarmy.org.uk
All adverts carried in Salvationist are subject to house style and carried at the editor’s For more details email Salvationist 3 September 2022 23
RSA 100 – A CELEBRATION Saturday 24 September 7pm St John’s Smith Square, London SW1P 3HA The International Staff Band and the International Staff Songsters
RETIREMENT
A musical celebration of the life and works of Ray Steadman-Allen. Along with guest speakers, this will be an evening of celebration that you will not want to miss.
I can decimalise the old pounds, shillings and pence to three decimal places. Apart from the Bible, which book would you want on a desert island?
Which Bible figure would you like to meet and what would you ask them? I’d like to meet Jonah and ask, ‘Why did you run away?’
How did you first come into contact with the Army? My grandmother became a Christian in 1865 in The Christian Mission. I entered the Army through her. What made you want to become a soldier? It was the way I had been brought up. What is your day job? Looking after the home. What is the most interesting thing about it – and the most frustrating? Cooking is the most interesting. Nothing is frustrating – I love it all! What one thing would you change about the Army? I would like to go back to wearing the bonnet. What is your favourite kind of holiday? Anywhere by the sea. If you could be in a film, which would it be? The Sound of Music If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be? ‘Anywhere for Jesus.’
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…
If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be? Death. Do you have any hidden talents?
Is there something about life or the world you’ve never understood? Our allotted lifespan.
What sport would you compete in if you were in the Olympics? Tennis. If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be? Energy. What is your favourite food? Fish. What do you do in your spare time? I spend time on my computer. Apart from English, what languages do you know? German. If you could bring back any fashion trend, what would it be? The ‘New Look’ introduced by Christian Dior in 1947 – rounded shoulders, a nipped-in waist and a very full skirt. What was the first record, tape or CD that you ever owned? A Reader’s Digest classical album.
ANN WARD WOODHOUSE
‘‘Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above ’’ What is your favourite hymn or worship song? ‘Blest Be the Tie That Binds’ (SASB 812).
If you had a ‘theme song’ that played whenever you walked into a room, what would it be? ‘Here she comes again, happy as can be.’ What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Always tell the truth. What is the most valuable thing you possess? My life. Something interesting that people might want to know about you is… I never had a childhood ailment, and I was the middle of five children. (SASB 812)
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery.
What is your favourite Bible verse? ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth’ (Genesis 1:1).
