3 minute read
Letter from the territorial commander
Office of the Territorial Commander
Dear Salvation Army family,
Greetings to you from London!
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.
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.
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!
Sincerely,
A w ld idea: Becoming an eco church
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.
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.
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 quite different!’
The beauty of 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
The pub
The chapel
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
