Feature 10 and

Scottish parliament building at Holyrood, Edinburgh

The Army has a role to play in advocating for those who struggle to be seen and heard

what Jesus did – challenge the worst of each camp and pull out the best of each.’

Throughout the Gospels we see Jesus consistently challenging injustices and role-modelling reconciliation. We do not have to look far to find examples of him confronting the powerful and advocating for the oppressed. These countercultural Kingdom values are seen in action in his encounters with Zacchaeus (see Luke 19:1–10) and the woman at the well (see John 4) as well as in the parable of the wedding feast: ‘Then Jesus turned to his host and said, “When you throw a banquet, don’t just invite your friends, relatives or rich neighbours – for it is likely they will return the favour. It is better to invite those who never get an invitation”’ (Luke 14:12 and 13 The Passion Translation).

Some Christians have questioned the Church speaking into political decisions, suggesting it is a step beyond Jesus’ command to love the unlovable, feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, invite in the stranger, clothe the naked and visit the sick and those in prison. We are not Jesus, so why get involved at all?

While it has become normal to think of politics as any issue on which people disagree, where one side is right and the other is wrong, let us remember that the basic tenets of our faith – grace and mercy, radical hospitality and love of neighbour – reach beyond politics and all have political ramifications.

Speaking into political discourse should not be all that we do. However good our governments or great the policies that are made, they cannot do the work of community, love, reconciliation and restoration. Political advocacy does not remove the need for God’s transforming grace or sharing the journey, practically assisting and doing the hard work of love. It is no more or less important than these things. It is, however, part of them.

As a movement, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to challenge when we observe injustice and encourage when we see things that are good. It is as much an element of ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:40) as giving a cup of water to someone who is thirsty or a meal to someone who is hungry. Our commitment to justice for those less heard must be more than just someone else’s job; it must be deep-rooted in our commitment to biblical living.

CAPTAIN ROUFFET IS CORPS OFFICER, MAIDSTONE, AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, THQ

Continuing a series on Salvation Army chaplaincy in diverse settings, airport chaplains speak to Shanelle Manderson about how they provide pastoral support and spiritual care

IN many secular institutions around N many secular i the country – from schools and the country – from universities to healthcare, prisons universities to he and the military – chaplains maintain a and the military – c supportive presence, providing pastoral supportive presenc care and a listening ear and responding care and a listening appropriately to each person they appropriately to eac encounter. encounter.

In 2019, 297 million people passed In 2019, 297 millio through UK airports, with numbers only through UK airports plummeting to 74 million in 2020 due plummeting to 74 m to coronavirus restrictions. Whether to coronavirus restr travellers are in need of a kind word, a travellers are in nee pat on the shoulder, a lunch companion, pat on the shoulder a friendly chat or just directions to their a friendly chat or jus gate, airport chaplains are there to help. gate, airport chapla

‘One of the things I really like to do is ‘One of the things stand at the airport’s main entrance to stand at the airport do the welcoming,’ enthuses Major do the welcoming,’ Bryan Snell, who has been a chaplain Bryan Snell, who h at Birmingham airport for more than at Birmingham airp 17 years. ‘I take every opportunity I can 17 years. ‘I take ev to talk about the things that are most to talk about the thi important. I also wear my Salvation important. I also we Army uniform and my lanyard says Army uniform and m “chaplain”, so a lot of people want to “chaplain”, so a lot know why I’m there and what a chaplain know why I’m there does.’ does.’

Bryan works alongside four other Bryan works alon chaplains, including his wife, Major chaplains, including Alive, who volunteers once a week. Alive, who voluntee Although he officially retired 10 years Although he official ago, he enjoys the role so much that he ago, he enjoys the still serves. still serves.

‘Meeting people, and having the ‘Meeting people, opportunity to represent The Salvation opportunity to repre Army and give witness to our faith, is a Army and give witn great privilege,’ he says. great privilege,’ he

For Bryan, chaplaincy involves a lot of For Bryan, chapla multi-tasking but, ultimately, it’s about multi-tasking but, u coming alongside people and being coming alongside p there for them in whatever way there for them in he can. he can. With experience in street, police, With experie prison and sea cadet settings, Bryan prison and sea stresses that chaplains are always stresses that cha necessary, but that airport chaplains necessary, but that are particularly important: ‘If you can are particularly imp imagine a small town, everything that imagine a small tow would happen there happens in an would happen airport – people are born there, airport – people people die there, people are taken ill people die there there. There is also a lot of emotion there. There is als involved because inv people are saying peo goodbye, sometimes to family goodbye, s they’re not going to see for a long time, they’re not going to and then in other parts of the airport and then in other p there’s a lot of joy because people are there’s a lot of joy b seeing others for the first time in months seeing others for th or years. or years.

Major Chris Connelly

‘Birmingham airport is a busy place and one of the biggest employers in the West Midlands, so it’s essential that there are chaplains available.’

Indeed, airport chaplains support staff members as well as passengers.

‘At the height of summer there are 9,000 staff members and in the cool season there are roughly 4,000,’ says Glasgow Airport Chaplain Major Chris Connelly, a retired officer who works with Assistant Chaplain Major David Wing, corps officer at Bellshill. ‘We deal with the spiritual and emotional issues of staff, as well as just talking to them day-to-day to see how they’re doing.’

Chris says the most rewarding element of his role is gaining the trust and respect of those he’s caring for.

‘It takes time,’ he says. ‘In about two years we’ve been able to make some great contacts, particularly with those who have a fair amount of responsibility in the airport. We’ll check up on them and see how they’re coping. Equally, we’ll speak to the people behind the scenes, such as the cleaners, who do a phenomenal job. This airport would never be able to function without them.

‘There are occasions when staff members just need to vent but they trust us enough to be able to do that, knowing that whatever they say to us stays with us. It’s extremely worthwhile and meaningful to be able to offer that kind of service to anybody within this airport, no matter what race, colour or creed.’

The Salvation Army has a contract with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which means Chris and David are also involved in people’s repatriation.

‘We get official documentation for UK citizens who have found themselves in difficult circumstances overseas being repatriated into the country,’ explains Chris. ‘In fact, we recently had a gentleman who left Scotland in 1976, when he was four years of age, who was being repatriated. He’d never been back to Scotland and has no family here but got into trouble with the authorities in Australia. This gentleman has serious medical difficulties and mental health problems, so we were able to get him into a hotel for 70 days. I’m in the process of trying to get a placement within the community for him to live and

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