SALVATIONIST For everyone linked to The Salvation Army
No.1797 Price 70p
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist 6 March 2021
Staying connected Online youth and children’s ministries PLUS
ENGAGING WITH NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT
PAGES 10 AND 11
QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA
CHRISTIAN CHARITY WARNS OF CHILDREN BEING INVISIBLE TO CARE SYSTEM AS REPORT REVEALS THOUSANDS PLACED IN TENTS AND CARAVANS Rev Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis Charitable Trust, has said too many children in England’s care system have ‘fallen through the cracks’... An investigation has found thousands of children in care in England have been living in potentially unsafe accommodation. Over the past two years, hundreds of young people have been placed in tents, caravans and even barges… In February last year the government launched a consultation on banning under-16s ... being placed in unregulated accommodation. Regulations will be laid in parliament … for the ban to come into force in September, as part of the government’s response to its consultation. Statistics from the Department for Education suggest that 660 looked-after children under the age of 16 were placed in independent or in semi-independent living accommodation across the year 2018–19… The children’s commissioner for England has called for the ban on unregulated accommodation for under-16s to be extended to include older teenagers as she said they will still be at risk of exploitation. Premier
PRIEST SUES FOR RIGHT TO REOPEN CHURCHES IN A LOCKDOWN
READING THE BIBLE HAS GIVEN CHRISTIANS HOPE DURING THE PANDEMIC
A Glasgow priest has begun a legal action against church closures due to Covid-19 rules. Canon Tom White, whose St Alphonsus parish includes the city’s famous Barras, has issued a pre-action letter to the Scottish government demanding that it ends the blanket ban on places of worship... At present worshippers in Scotland face criminal penalties for going to church, though their English neighbours can attend with safety measures in place. White said that he had ‘witnessed first-hand the grief and suffering that Covid-19 has caused for my parish members’. He added: ‘We need to open my church to be able to support them best in their hour of need.’ He is spearheading the opposition ... among the Catholic community, making the case for churches to be considered an essential service.
Reading the Bible during the [coronavirus] pandemic has given Christians hope in God and their future, a survey by the Bible Society has found. In the poll, carried out by Christian Research, some 42 per cent said that reading their Bible had given them an increased sense of hope in God during the crisis, a figure that rose to ... 49 per cent of 45 to 54-year-olds. Over a quarter (28 per cent) said it had increased their confidence in the future, while nearly two thirds (63 per cent) said that reading the Bible had enabled their confidence to remain the same instead of dipping. Just under a quarter (23 per cent) credited the Bible with increasing their mental wellbeing, rising to nearly half (47 per cent) of 24 to 34-year-olds. A third of 16 to 24-year-olds said that reading the Bible had helped them to feel less lonely.
The Times
Christian Today
HOUSING CRISIS IS A ‘NATIONAL SCANDAL’ SAYS ARCHBISHOPS’ COMMISSION Ignoring the housing crisis in England could cost more than solving it, a wide-ranging church report argues. The report … Coming Home: Tackling the Housing Crisis Together [is] the fruit of nearly two years’ work by the Archbishops’ Commission on Housing, Church and Community. It describes as ‘a national scandal’ the fact that eight million people in England live in overcrowded, unaffordable or unsuitable homes... The present situation is unjust, the commission says, and the burden of bad housing is falling unjustly on the poor, with costly consequences in terms of physical and mental health, education, employment and family breakdown... The commission’s report recommends partnerships with housing associations, charities and local authorities to develop affordable housing on church land and has set up a scheme offering expert advice to parishes. Church Times
SALVATIONIST
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Salvationist 6 March 2021
THE SALVATION ARMY FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL Brian Peddle TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Commissioner Anthony Cotterill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PUBLISHING SECRETARY Major Mal Davies
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CONTENTS
WHAT’S THE SCORE? ACCORDING to a newly published health index of local authority areas, Wokingham in Berkshire is the healthiest place in England (the rest of the UK is to be included later). The index, which measures the performance of each area between 2015 and 2018, was put together by scoring people’s physical and mental health, the quality of their lifestyles and the condition of their surroundings, including housing, air pollution and access to green spaces. As well as comparing areas, the index also shows how wellbeing changed in each location over that period. I was interested to see that the average score in my area had increased slightly, with the best improvement being in the reduction of smoking and the worst decline being in the increase of air pollution. The index was put together before the outbreak of coronavirus, which will have altered the figures significantly. Health has been a major issue these past months. And not just physical health – many people’s mental health has suffered, with fear, frustration and a sense of isolation taking their toll. Medication can help to support mental health, and is sometimes essential, but we’re also told that there are things we can do to help ourselves. Mindfulness, positivity, being outside and staying connected with others can all make a difference. The mental health of our young people has been a particular concern, and in this week’s Salvationist we hear from youth and children’s workers whose online ministry has helped. Of course, the primary aim has been to maintain young people’s spiritual health by nurturing their relationship with God, but supporting their mental health has been an important factor as well. Children’s mental health is the focus of an unusual Salvation Army ministry in Sweden, which our news feature highlights. Gabriel and a puppet called Åsskar host a podcast that deals with a range of topics, including depression and bullying. It seems to have made quite an impact in recent years, and has become especially helpful during the pandemic. Mental health problems often don’t just affect the individual concerned but can have an impact on their families as well. Peter Boneham begins his testimony with an extreme example of this: his mother experienced a breakdown and he and his siblings had to be taken into care at an early age. Peter later found the Lord, whose presence has enabled him to face other challenges over the years. The apostle Paul says that our bodies are ‘temples of the Holy Spirit’ and that we should ‘honour God’ with them (1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20). He says this in the context of warning us against sexual immorality, but it also implies that we need to look after our physical health. Since body, mind and spirit all affect each other, it means we need to take all-round care of ourselves. If we were able to score our own overall health, I wonder how we would do. Would it show an improvement or decline over the past year? Of course, there are many factors that are out of our control but, where we can make a difference, how have we done? If we are called to honour God in body, mind and soul, it’s a question worth considering.
Quotes from the media
2
Message from the territorial commander
4
News
5 and 6
Prayer matters
6
News feature Children’s podcast inspires joy and hope
7
Self-Denial 2021 Pakistan
8
Major Fozia Columbus talks to Captain Ben Cotterill
More rear-mirror views The angel adjutant
9
by General John Larsson (Retired)
Interview Developing naturally
10 and 11
with Lynn Chetcuti
Feature Innovating online
12 to 14
by Melita Day-Lewis
Viewpoint Less is more
15
by Major Ray Hobbins
Bible study People of God
16 and 17
by Lieut-Colonel Karen Shakespeare
Through the week with Salvationist 16 and 17 by Major Melvyn Knott
Meditation 18 and 19 Coming back to the art of worship by Major Simon Clampton
Testimony The Lord is my shepherd
20
by Peter Boneham
Preview 21 The Salvation Army Year Book 2021 Resources Great Easter Trail 2021
21
by David Giles
Announcements
22 and 23
Adverts
23
The Salvation Army and me
24
featuring CSM Hazel Horton
From the Editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS Scripture quotations in Salvationist are from the New International Version (2011), unless otherwise stated
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A MESSAGE FROM THE TERRITORIAL COMMANDER
A road to freedom
O
VER past weeks there has been great hope as the Covid-19 vaccinations have begun to be rolled out across the countries of this territory. And more recently there has been another burst of optimism after the prime minister’s announcement in England of a ‘road map’ out of the coronavirus pandemic. The other governments across the territory have parallel plans. The day after the road map was announced, a number of newspapers proclaimed ‘freedom’ in their headlines. A couple of weeks ago Gill and I had to work out our own road map to freedom. We live right in the centre of London and, as we took our regular walk, we found ourselves by the famous Smithfield’s meat market and sat down for a rest in a little park opposite. I looked at the map on my phone to determine the way home. Maps are great for helping you find your way but they also let you know what’s around you, especially when you enlarge the map on your phone. As I did this, I saw to my great surprise that right behind us was a memorial to William Wallace. 4
Salvationist 6 March 2021
William Wallace will be well known to those who hail from Scotland, but others might wonder who he was. He was a great Scottish patriot who stood up against the English – King Edward I in particular – in the late 1200s. He was betrayed and brutally executed in 1305 just a few metres away from where Gill and I stood looking at the memorial. Wallace’s story is highlighted in the film Braveheart. It features one of the most rousing and inspirational speeches in history – although I’m not sure William Wallace actually said any of the words he says in the film. Wallace pitches up on his horse to inspire the gathered clans who were forming an army against the much larger English forces. His speech concludes: ‘They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom.’ In the very last words of the film, as Wallace is about to be executed, he cries out: ‘Freedom!’ As we stood at the memorial I realised again that freedom is not simply being free to do what we want. It is being free to become who we were designed to be. That is truly liberating. It’s why I have met prisoners who, despite being locked up, have said they’ve never felt so free because they’ve come into a relationship with Jesus Christ. And, conversely, I have met people who seem to have everything as far as freedom and freedom of choice are concerned, but who long to be free from darkness or from burdens that press down on them. It’s great that there’s a road map towards freedom during this pandemic. But wouldn’t it be sad if any of us were to arrive at that so-called freedom and find we were still chained by any number of things from our past or present –
things that are held over us by other people, the sting of old regrets, sin that has tangled us up. The Bible has a road map towards freedom for us. John says: ‘If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:8 and 9). We can go free. There’s another marker along that road to freedom found in Galatians 5:1: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.’ If that sounds familiar, it may be because of a song that John Gibson wrote. It was for freedom that Christ has set us free, No longer to be subject to a yoke of slavery; So we’re rejoicing in God’s victory, Our hearts responding to his love. Jesus, we celebrate your victory; Jesus, we revel in your love. Jesus, we rejoice, you’ve set us free; Jesus, your death has brought us life. Freedom in the deepest and fullest sense is not going to come to us as a result of any government road map. It will be ours because of the Lord’s road map. He is the one who said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life’ (John 14:6), and who declared he was sent ‘to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’ (Luke 4:18). Freedom is his gift to us. I hope and pray that you will receive it afresh, even today, as we journey through this season of Lent along a road that Christ has opened up for us – a road to Calvary and freedom.
ANTHONY COTTERILL COMMISSIONER TERRITORIAL COMMANDER O This
message is based on a video that can be viewed at facebook.com/ SalvationistOnline or youtube.com/ salvationarmyvideo
NEWS
OUTREACH
HADLEIGH TEMPLE Passers-by were encouraged to take a heart made by the corps knitting group from the perimeter gate around the hall as a Valentine’s Day gift. Each had a Bible verse about love attached to it, reminding people of the love of others and the all-embracing love of God. – WJ
PRESENTATION Gloucester CSM Sue Matthews receives a certificate of recognition from corps officer Major Gareth Heward as she retires after eight years of enthusiastic leadership and care; Andy Hurd was commissioned as the new CSM
COMMUNITY
EMERGENCY AID
Corps officer supports ambulance crews SWANAGE CORPS officer Major Jonathan Greetham, who is a community first responder with South Western Ambulance Service, has been supporting patients with frontline ambulance crews during the pandemic and manning the ambulance crew welfare vehicle. He views this as very much part of his chaplaincy work with the service. The vehicle has been on standby at Bournemouth and Poole hospital A&E departments, with a team offering refreshments, medical supplies and a listening ear to ambulance crews who have often had lengthy waits to hand over patients. Major Jonathan said that the ambulance bays have frequently become church over this period and that he has been privileged to have many conversations with crews, who have honestly shared their stories and expressed grief and exhaustion. The corps has supported with prayers, and Nigel Dragon, a soldier who owns Corfe Castle Village Bakery, has supplied the welfare team with doughnuts and other baked goods to help feed the crews and boost their morale. Comments of praise and thanks on social media from the appreciative medics have humbled Jonathan and Nigel. – KG
BRIGHTON CONGRESS HALL Every Sunday morning since Easter Day last year, corps members Chris and Joe Crombie have played a selection of hymn tunes to their neighbours. The music has been greatly appreciated and many people have stopped to listen and chat, including residents from the surrounding streets. Each Sunday one of the tunes is posted on Facebook with the associated lyrics. – JC/BW
LINCOLN The primary school nearest to the hall set every pupil the Captain Tom 100 challenge. The challenge, inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, encouraged people to do 100 of anything. Ten-year-old youth club member Finn and his mother helped at the homelessness programme at the corps. ‘I baked 100 cookies for people experiencing homelessness and helped at the food bank,’ said Finn. ‘It was busy but it was fun. I got to meet a lot of new people and it was good to help out.’ – HD
OUTREACH
EMERGENCY AID
Helping people get vaccinated UKI THE Salvation Army is working with the NHS and local authorities to get Covid-19 vaccines to frontline staff and vulnerable clients living in Lifehouses and care homes. Across the country, support workers, corps officers and volunteers are providing practical support to help and encourage people to get vaccinated. At the end of January more than 100 residents and staff at the Army’s Founders House and Riverside Complex in London were given the jab by nurses from the nearby GP surgery. Helen Wilson, the service manager of both centres, said: ‘It is really important that our staff and residents have the vaccine. Ensuring that as many people as possible are
vaccinated will safeguard and protect everyone.’ In Birmingham, clients at William Booth Centre Lifehouse attended the vaccination centre at Millennium Point. Service Manager Edward Dixon, said: ‘We have made information available here at the centre and clients can also talk to their support workers about the vaccine. The NHS knows the needs of our clients and made it easy for those getting the jab.’ The Orchard Community Bradford minibus was used to drive NHS vaccination staff to people temporarily housed in B&Bs, hostels and other places so that no one missed the opportunity to receive the vaccine. – AR Salvationist 6 March 2021
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NEWS
Prayer
EMERGENCY AID
INTO THE WILD: WEEK 3 – LETTING GO
by Lyndall Bywater (territorial prayer consultant)
Army responds to dam collapse INDIA DAMAGE caused to a hydroelectric dam project in Uttarakhand by a breakaway section of the Nanda Devi glacier resulted in severe flooding and loss of life. The Salvation Army provided hot meals and snacks to emergency services personnel and other first responders working under extreme pressure. Major Makhan Masih, emergency secretary for the India Northern Territory, and Major Samuel Lal from nearby Bajpur undertook a needs assessment to identify how the Army could best assist agencies and rescue teams. Due to the collapse of a strategic bridge, the military relied on helicopters to reach the area and transport essential goods and medical supplies. Nonetheless, a second Salvation Army team was deployed to the region to prepare hot meals for more than 200 people working round the clock on rescue operations at the Tapovan Vishnugad Hydropower Plant. Major Amrik Masih, the territory’s communication secretary, expressed thanks to ‘all the rescue operation team members toiling day and night to complete this operation’. – AR
COMMUNITY
SATURDAY 6 MARCH Another word we use for temptations and dependencies is ‘idols’. Idols are things which have come to have too much power and authority in our lives. When we demote them, we find real freedom. Find three or four stones/bricks to represent ‘idols’ in your life that you want to topple. Walk to a quiet place, carrying them with you. Notice how heavy they feel. When you get there, lay each one on the ground as a sign of your desire to be free. Then walk home without them and enjoy the feeling of lightness. SUNDAY 7 MARCH What would freedom look like in your church community? Are there fears or tensions that hold people back? Are there ‘idols’ – things that seem to be more important than God? ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.’ (2 Corinthians 3:17) Spend some time today meditating on this verse and praying for your church community.
INTO THE WILD: WEEK 4 – DOING WITHOUT by Lyndall Bywater
MONDAY 8 MARCH Having left behind every other human comfort, Jesus chose to fast for 40 days. It was a bold choice – even a life-threatening one – and it left him utterly dependent on God. In a pale imitation of Jesus, we fast as a sign of our desire to rely on God more than we rely on food and physical comforts. If you’re able to fast safely, fast from at least one meal today, spending the time in prayer. You could also work out the cost of your meals and give the money to a charity working with those in food poverty. TUESDAY 9 MARCH Hunger may be an uncomfortable experience for us when we fast, but for some people it is an unavoidable daily reality. Lent is a time when churches often work together to raise money for those living in poverty. Find out what fundraising is happening in your area and connect with it this week, either by contributing financially or attending an event. Whatever you do, make sure prayer is part of your response. WEDNESDAY 10 MARCH To walk in the wild is to be willing to have our lives stripped back; to go without; to slow down; to empty ourselves in order that God might work in us. Sometimes circumstances do the stripping back for us and sometimes we do it ourselves by choosing disciplines like simplicity. Today, choose simplicity by walking somewhere instead of driving. If you would normally walk anyway, walk a longer route and slow down, giving time for prayer and reflection as you go.
SHOEBURYNESS In partnership with Southend-on-Sea council, the corps provided 75 half-term food parcels to families who qualify for free school meals. Southend United Football Club Community Trust members delivered the parcels to the corps. They are pictured with corps officers Captains Clare and Rob Davis – CD/RD
EMERGENCY AID VILLA ADASTRA Residents and staff at the care home in Hassocks, West Sussex, received their Covid-19 vaccinations in January. Head of Care Sharon Bacon said: ‘I am pleased to be doing my bit to hopefully help everyone get back to some kind of normal life in the future… I am so proud of all the staff for keeping the residents safe during this pandemic.’ – AR 6
Salvationist 6 March 2021
THURSDAY 11 MARCH In a relatively wealthy society, our first experience of ‘lack’ often comes when our prayers aren’t answered in the way we’d like. The pain of unanswered prayer is a deep hunger and a true wilderness experience. Take time today to journal about some of the prayers you still haven’t seen answered in the way you’d hoped, writing honestly about your feelings and your questions. Then pause and listen to what God wants to say to you. You may still not get the answer, but God wants you to know you’re not alone. FRIDAY 12 MARCH Jesus had grown up in a relatively busy, prosperous town in Galilee. In contrast, the desert must have been an eerily silent place to be for so long. There was no comforting buzz of activity to anaesthetise him against the pain of loss and grief. There was just the space to feel. We’re very good at anaesthetising our pain with noise and activity. Read over yesterday’s journal entry, and then sit in silence for half an hour, letting the feelings come. Remember: you’re not alone. O A PDF of the Prayer Matters booklet is also available to download from salvationarmy.org.uk/resources
NEWS FEATURE
Children’s podcast inspires joy and hope SWEDEN A SALVATION Army podcast for children has proved vital in bringing a renewed sense of purpose and joy to young listeners. Children’s mental health is an important issue, especially with the disruption to routines and reduced opportunities for socialising caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Kylskåpsradion, which began in 2018, addresses an extensive range of mental health topics, from depression to bullying. The podcast stars Åsskar (pronounced ‘ors-kah’), a nine-year-old puppet, and Gabriel, his music-loving human helper. Åsskar enjoys the esoteric delights of cucumber ice cream and, for reasons known only to himself, counting up to 100,000. He loves fridges – kylskåpsradion means ‘refrigerator radio’ – and asking lots of questions. He also often misunderstands Gabriel’s well-meaning answers, which leads to much laughter. Before the pandemic Gabriel and Åsskar would travel to schools for live presentations and classroom discussions about human dignity, and would perform at camps and churches. Since the podcast’s creation they have recorded 240 episodes, which have generated more than 250,000 downloads. At the heart of the programme is the ‘question box’. Open questions from listeners are actively encouraged and no subject is too difficult for the duo. In 2020 Kylskåpsradion received 3,400 questions, of which 2,300 were addressed on the programme. ‘If one child has a question about bullying, there may be 100 others listening who are in the same situation,’ explained Åsskar. Gabriel added: ‘Another benefit that comes from answering questions openly is that vulnerable children tend to feel lonely
Åsskar and Gabriel visit a church before the pandemic in their situations, and hearing other children’s stories can help reduce the feeling of isolation – it normalises conversation about issues that we might not usually want to talk about. The children support and inspire each other and Kylskåpsradion has become a positive community online.’ Nurturing online community is especially important in Sweden where 90 per cent of children use the internet by the age of three. By the age of seven, that proportion has grown to 99 per cent, and nine out of ten 10-year-olds have their own smartphone. This exposes children to the risks of online bullying and other forms of abuse. Kylskåpsradion seeks to use the positives of digital environments to ‘counter the negatives and create a safe platform that spreads joy and hope’. The trust that children have in the podcast is shown by some of the questions that have been submitted. ‘I think I’m depressed,’ shared one anonymous young person. ‘What should I do?’ A 12-year-old boy asked the duo: ‘Weird things show up on my phone! What should I do?’ An eight-year-old posted: ‘I am being bullied. I broke my arm and my friends say bad things about me. Please can you help?’
One 16-year-old listener commented that she had been diagnosed with atypical anorexia and that the podcast helped her to continue fighting the eating disorder. Åsskar added that it’s not just about serious issues, but about having fun too: ‘I’ve done my own TikTok videos and Kylskåpsradion is a place where listeners share all their best jokes!’ The final word goes to a nine-year-old listener and contributor who had been ill with a serious medical condition: ‘I’m healthy now! I’m so happy! You helped me when everything felt hopeless, and because of you I felt hope. Thank you!’ – AR O Kylskåpsradion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean and at fralsningsarmen.se/kylskapsradion
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Pakistan In the final article in this series, Captain Ben Cotterill talks to Major Fozia Columbus about this year’s Self-Denial Appeal
P
AKISTAN is one of our territory’s partners in mission. We featured the Army’s work there in the 2016 Self-Denial Appeal when Major Kerry Coke visited. While filming a video about education she met Major Fozia Columbus (pictured above), who was taking her girls to school. Since then the girls have grown, and Major Fozia is now the core base community development manager at Territorial Headquarters in Lahore. She looks after some of the projects funded by the Self-Denial Appeal. My interview with her brings us to the end of this series in which we have found out how the Army has adapted to the coronavirus pandemic in different countries. We’ve gained a snapshot of what’s happening around the world. We’ve heard how Salvationists and friends have been coping with a host of different crises: typhoons, cyclones, flooding and economic hardship, along with all the other difficulties this pandemic has brought. We’ve heard 8
Salvationist 6 March 2021
about the incredible resilience of the communities where the Army is at work. There are plenty of challenges ahead. Poverty is widespread and the Army has limited resources. But I feel even more convinced of the vital work that needs to be done – work that is possible because of the money given through the Self-Denial Appeal. While we each reflect prayerfully on what we can give, Salvationists around the world are doing the same. HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN? I am fine, praise God. My children are doing well. At the moment they are at home. The schools are closed because of the pandemic and the children have been at home for almost a year. HOW HAS THE ARMY’S MISSION BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC? When the country was in lockdown it was not easy, especially for poor people who faced difficulty getting food. But the Army has done tremendous work within the communities, where we serve without discrimination. We provide food, groceries and health and safety kits, which is a really good initiative.
officers have been able to connect with their communities through phone or via social media. We have faced the pandemic and extreme flooding at the same time, but the churches and nongovernment organisations come out from their offices and homes to serve their communities. WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR MINISTRY AND THE WIDER SALVATION ARMY? My hopes and dreams for my girls are that they will be good, independent, courageous Christian women. My dream for my ministry is that I will continue to give myself to God and say yes to him. I believe he is always with me and will guide me. My dream for The Salvation Army in Pakistan is that we will follow our calling and, through our love and our support, that we may make good disciples for Jesus Christ. O This article is based on a video that can be viewed from Sunday at youtube. com/salvationarmyvideo
HOW MANY CORPS ARE THERE? We have 132 corps in Pakistan and more than 300 active officers. We have 43 cadets in our training college. WERE CORPS FOLK ABLE TO MEET IN 2020? No, we were not allowed to open the churches, but our officers and local
CAPTAIN COTTERILL IS CORPS OFFICER, CLAPTON WITH STOKE NEWINGTON AND DALSTON PLANTS
MORE REAR-M MIR RRO OR Adjutant Kate Lee
THE ANGEL ADJUTANT General John Larsson (Retired) shares fascinating glimpses of the early Army
I
N 1909 a book was published that catapulted a corps officer to unparalleled fame. The book was Broken Earthenware by Harold Begbie, and the officer was Adjutant Kate Lee. She was a diminutive 37-year-old of shy disposition, but a powerhouse as a corps officer. Bramwell Booth had invited Begbie to write about the Army’s work at Norland Castle, a corps in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, where many were being converted. Begbie moved into the district and for several weeks shadowed Kate Lee as she ministered in slums so bad that Begbie had to ask: ‘Would we allow a dog to live in these streets?’ He continued: ‘Well, into these streets come day after day, and every Sunday, the little vigorous corps of The Salvation Army. The adjutant of this corps when I was there was a beautiful and delicate girl. She prayed at the bedside of dying men and women in their lodging houses; she taught children to pray; she went into public houses and persuaded the violent blackguards of the town to come away; she pleaded with the most desperate women at street corners; she preached in the open streets on Sundays; she stood guard over the doors of men mad for drink and refused to let them out.’ In Broken Earthenware Harold Begbie told the stories of nine men whose lives were transformed by Christ through their conversion at the corps. He wrote: ‘It is to the work of this wonderful woman – so gracious, so modest and so sweet – that one may trace the miracles whose histories are contained in the following pages. The energy, resolution and splendid cheerfulness of the present corps may likewise be
traced through her influence. She has left in these foul streets the fragrance of her personality, the fragrance of the lilies of a pure soul. ‘“Ah!” exclaimed an old jailbird, showing me the photograph of this woman. “If anybody goes to Heaven, it’ll be that there little angel of God.” They call her the Angel Adjutant.’ Begbie was struck by the happiness of the converts. There really was joy in The Salvation Army. He said to one of them, a road worker, as they walked down the street together that the people they met seemed to regard him with wonder, and a little envy. ‘You should see them,’ he replied, ‘when we march down here on Sunday morning in the red jersey; I, Tom This, Joe That and Will Otherfellow, all of us at one time the worst men in the whole neighbourhood.’
As a 16-year-old she stood outside a public house with a bundle of War Crys ‘ and exclaimed, ‘I can’t, but I must’ Begbie’s summary was that the ‘amazing work accomplished by The Salvation Army is a work of love fired by joy’. Broken Earthenware became an instant bestseller. With transatlantic editions and multiple translations, its readership ran into millions. Suddenly, Kate Lee was in the limelight. ‘The Angel Adjutant became
an entity whom people all over the world desired to know,’ wrote her biographer. ‘After she had been thus discovered to the world, wherever she went she was received with honour. Churches besieged her with invitations to occupy their pulpits. Civic authorities paid deference to this spiritual and moral specialist.’ Kate Lee’s instinct was to recoil from this unwanted attention. ‘Whenever Broken Earthenware is mentioned,’ she confided to a friend, ‘I want to run and hide my head.’ But she knew she couldn’t. When, as a 16-year-old, she had stood outside a public house in Wood Green with a bundle of War Crys, she had exclaimed, ‘I can’t, but I must.’ That had been her determination throughout nearly 20 years as a corps officer. And in that spirit she met the unsought demands that were now rushing at her. Begbie later became William Booth’s official biographer, and his monumental two-volume work was published some weeks before Kate Lee was promoted to Glory in 1920. When the news of her death reached Begbie, he reflected on what he had seen when he accompanied her in Shepherd’s Bush, and ‘fell into a fit of sorrow’ for not making more real in his William Booth biography the conversions brought about by Salvationist saints like her. He penned: ‘Is there anything in life that calls so urgently for proclamation as the miracle of conversion?’ He concluded his reflections with these words: ‘I never looked into a human face so full of the love of God, so shining with love of humanity, as the face of this Angel Adjutant.’ Salvationist 6 March 2021
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INTERVIEW
Developing naturally Lynn Chetcuti talks to Salvationist about how the Army is engaging with Natural Church Development WHAT IS NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT? NCD is a way of thinking about church health and growth, emphasising quality rather than quantity. At the heart of it is a biblical picture of the Church as a living organism. The growth of organisms is dependent on their health, their capacity to reproduce and how their individual parts interact. NCD is a strategic process for progressively improving a church’s health. It requires long-term commitment, which is intentional and consistent.
HOW DID NCD BEGIN? In the mid-1990s Christian Schwarz surveyed 1,000 churches in 32 countries as part of his theology PhD. He wanted to know if there were any factors that consistently featured in healthy, growing churches that did not feature in those that had plateaued or declined. He identified eight quality characteristics that were consistently stronger in churches that were growing than in those that were not. He and a colleague, Christoph Schalk, developed a survey tool to assess the strength of the eight qualities within each church and a coaching process that would help churches invest in their health and development.
HOW DOES HEALTH LEAD TO GROWTH? You cannot make something grow, but you can plant it in the right place, make sure it has enough light and provide the appropriate moisture and nutrients. Growth then comes by itself. In terms of a church, we don’t focus on numbers, because they are beyond our control. We focus on ensuring there is a healthy, growing environment, and then we see natural growth. When we do what God asks us to do, he does what only he can. WHAT HAVE THE RESULTS BEEN? Some corps began engaging with NCD around 20 years ago. It was introduced more widely in the late 2000s when the Transformational Church process began. There have been some great effects. We’ve seen situations where a corps recognises that it is healthier and more effective and, in some instances, we’ve seen numerical growth. 10
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HOW DO CORPS ENGAGE WITH NCD? Ideally, the leaders begin by providing teaching on the essential church qualities. They will then ask members to complete a questionnaire. When this information is gathered we produce a report that is designed to be shared with the whole congregation. There are also more detailed reports analysing the eight qualities and giving an assessment of the answers about each of those qualities and pointers as to how to go forward. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? We unpack the results with the leaders and the corps council or leadership team. The report shows the areas in which a corps is strong, where there is passion and energy, but also the areas that are weaker. They then need to prayerfully consider where God is leading the corps. NCD will never tell you what to do but it will inform your thinking. It will not dictate your vision but it will help you identify what’s preventing you from achieving your vision and help you remove any blockages. Coaching is an important part of the process. A coach will help corps to identify how they want to move forward, encouraging them to plan two, three or four key action steps that usually lie in the area of their minimum factor – their weakest quality characteristic – and then pursue their own goals. WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MINIMUM FACTOR FOR ARMY CORPS? Overall it is holistic small groups. However, I would suggest that the Army is much stronger in this area than it thinks it is. Many people fail to recognise the wonderful small groups they are in – they might think of them as organic friendships, such as friends that play badminton regularly, or dynamic ministry teams, such as the band, songsters or lunch club catering team. These are often the best holistic small groups, and part of the process is helping people to recognise them as such.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE A LONG-TERM APPROACH? Like discipleship, this is a lifelong process. After the first survey and action steps, another survey is taken ideally 12 months later, although in reality it’s often 18 to 24 months later. And the cycle continues to support the development. In practice, many corps have stalled after just one survey. Between 2009 and 2019, 263 surveys were completed by 131 corps. Half of those corps only completed the first one. It’s very easy to do a survey as opposed to embracing a process, especially if it is the corps officer’s initiative and they move on to another appointment. It’s imperative that the survey and the response to it is in the hands of local leaders who are going to be there for much longer. These days a coach will support the corps team every step of the way. In the long term, people sense a healthier church life, and that is reflected in the surveys. And because the process is constantly asking people what they’re experiencing, they also have a greater sense of engagement in the church. But it isn’t a quick fix: it involves consistent discipleship and consistent investment. HOW DOES NCD FIT WITH MISSION DEVELOPMENT MODELS? NCD focuses exclusively on principles, therefore it supports all models in the mission development process. If you are a purpose-driven church, for example, NCD empowers you to be the best purpose-driven church you can be. You also see that happening across the denominations. The more they focus on NCD principles the truer to themselves they become: Baptists become better Baptists, Catholics become more authentic Catholics and Salvationists become purer Salvationists.
We are recruiting and training coaches across the territory, y, recognising g g that some divisional mission enablers gift nal m issi sion on ena nabl b ers ha have ve the he g ifft an and d passion n for coaching n and ssome om me co ccorps rps officers s are natural coaches with h an interest in coaching ching outside their corps. We are looking g to identify non-officer coaches as well – people willing to travel to other corps. As we coach the coaches, we are multiplying ying the knowledge and expertise across the territory. HOW DO CORPS LAUNCH NCD? The simplest mplest thing to do is to contact me and I will walk them through the journ journey. ney ey.. I will ensure sure that they have a coach h tthey hey ar he are e happy to workk with and who will them nd w ho w ilill he help lp th hem to prepare survey. e for for th the e su surv rvey ey. O For
more informati information t on go to ncd-uk.com or ynn.chetcuti@salvationarmy.org.uk email lynn.chetcuti@salvationarmy.org.uk LYNN IS THE ARMY’S NCD ULTANT T AND CONSULTANT NATIONAL ONAL DIRECTOR, NCD UK
CAN YOU SAY MORE ABOUT COACHING? Coaching is vital, and therefore we offer this to every engaged team. It helps corps plan and remain consistent, achieving what they want to achieve. Salvationist 6 March 2021
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FEATURE I Youth and children’s ministry
Innovating online Youth leaders speak to Melita Day-Lewis about adapting their ministry during the coronavirus pandemic
Bedford Congress Hall Kids Church
‘T
HE measure of intelligence is the ability to change,’ Albert Einstein once said. The pandemic has brought countless opportunities for change and Salvation Army youth leaders revealed their astuteness by quickly adapting to lockdown restrictions. Virtual ministry soon became part of the ‘new normal’ for young people throughout the territory. Using their imagination and initiative, children’s workers and youth specialists have gained invaluable experience since March last year, and their journey provides an instructive and inspiring resource for others. Youth and Children’s Ministry (YCM) Specialist for Discipleship Sergei Grinsted is based at Winton Corps. At the beginning of the first lockdown the corps kids ministry moved on to Zoom and youth music groups began creating virtual worship content through singing, playing instruments, Bible readings, prayer, drama and puppetry. Sergei found that delivering resources to families to use during online sessions and involving older youth in leading virtual meetings were particularly successful. ‘Finding a balance between fun and engaging activities, songs and games,
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creating space for prayer and exploring the Bible together, as well as sharing what was going on in each other’s lives was very effective,’ says Sergei. He also felt that slightly unusual ‘out of the box’ resources helped children to engage more. Chatham also moved its kids club and kids worship on to Zoom. The youth leaders used the YCM unit’s teaching material – which includes step-by-step guides, songs, games and activity sheets – and linked these resources to the corps website so parents could download and print them. Each fortnight they delivered a ‘bag of goodies’ to children, which included Kids Alive! comics, activity sheets, crafts, gifts, cooking ingredients and something to give away. These deliveries also enabled them to have doorstep conversations with families. ‘I have been able to get to know parents better,’ says YPSM Tracy Wood, who is YCM children’s specialist for leader development. ‘When we met in our church building children were dropped off and picked up at the door, so I often didn’t get to speak to parents.’ Chatham found that the most effective online activities included dress-up Bible stories, action games and worship sessions where children wrote or drew on a shared ‘whiteboard’.
Think about what can be done, not what can’t be done The Christmas activities were especially worthwhile. Each child received ‘Christmas in a box’, which contained 15 days’ worth of activities, crafts and goodies. Each day they opened a bag and started to create their own Nativity scene. They also received a YouTube link for a puppet song, a video and a one-minute challenge, plus invitations to a Zoom Christmas kids club, Godly Play, Christingle-making and Christmas Eve bedtime story. The Kids Church team at Bedford Congress Hall had good technical skills and some experience with filming and editing, which enabled them to create weekly videos with songs, challenges, games, Bible stories and prayers. ‘Families were able to enjoy Kids Church at their own pace and at a time that suited them,’ says Children and Family Worker Hayley Greetham. ‘The challenge was knowing how many children were tuning in each week.’ Weekly activities based on the online sessions were sent to families who didn’t have access to the internet. The corps weekly Stay and Play group started meeting virtually using Facebook Live. Sessions included games, challenges, crafts and stories. ‘Families would join me online and we would chat on the live message board,’ explains Hayley. ‘This worked well because it gave families a sense of routine and a chance to talk with each other, and I was able to respond to children if they had any questions or sent me pictures of their crafts.’ The corps was also involved in the planning of last year’s divisional children’s camp and, rather than see it cancelled, proposed a week-long virtual event in the May half-term. Children received a resource pack by post with 10 craft activities and
worksheets, which were linked to teachings uploaded to YouTube each day. Interactive evening sessions included a live quiz, live campfire and a talent night with videos showcasing children’s talents. The past 11 months have come with significant challenges too, and with the benefit of hindsight there are some things the youth leaders would have done differently. Sergei encouraged teams to build stronger connections between the wider corps and young people. ‘We have had lovely feedback where older corps members have seen young people through their participation in worship,’ he says. Developing child-led and initiated activities and ideas was another priority. ‘We need to support young people’s wellbeing now and in the future by providing space for them to be loved, valued and empowered – this includes preparing for returning to buildings by making children’s ministry as much a part of the conversation as adult ministry,’ he stresses. Tracy found the YCM resources ‘invaluable’, as was face-to-face interaction over Zoom. Children and parents felt connected ‘even if it was only 30 minutes of chatter and a game. ‘However, the combination of leading, ensuring that children were
TOP TIPS O Send easy-to-understand instructions and login details to families O Don’t plan too much for the first 10 minutes of an online session to give families time to log in O Avoid audio delays across households when singing together by muting everyone O Practise using the technology beforehand so young people remain engaged O Involve and include everyone by asking questions O Use breakout rooms where appropriate to help build relationships in small groups engaged and trying to share videos and songs was quite draining,’ she adds. Since September, one person has been responsible for leading while another takes care of the technical aspects. Tracy urges youth leaders to think about what can be done, rather than what can’t be done, especially once restrictions ease or are lifted. ‘It would be so easy not to do anything within corps buildings and continue with “safe” online activities,’ she states. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 X
Chatham, ‘Christmas in a box’
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Young adults online W CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 When possible – in between the lockdowns and when restrictions were lighter – Chatham’s Scout group met weekly in person, as Tracy explains: ‘We worked out how to do this within all the guidelines – with spaces marked out, a booking system, time slots, a one-way system, socially distanced activities and cleaning. It was absolutely worth doing!’ Hayley felt that communication with the ministry team and leaders, and with God, was vital: ‘Doing ministry alone is absolutely exhausting, so supporting each other is important and helpful and can spark new ideas and enthusiasm.’ She adds: ‘We had to learn fast, but we learnt by doing. Each time we tried something new it was far from perfect, but as we persevered, we picked up new ways of doing things.’ Although Hayley and her team found the past months difficult and felt the loss of ‘missing out on such a big part of children’s lives’, they believe that this will inspire them to push forward in new and innovative ways. ‘We are excited at the prospect of rebuilding relationships with children and families and finding new ways of journeying together – and, most importantly, we know that God has a plan for each of our incredible children!’
Bedford Congress Hall
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West Midlands Divisional Youth Specialist Laura Kingscott runs a weekly cell group on Zoom for young people aged 18 and older Describe your activities The cell group has been a highlight! We have gone through different studies and it’s been a place where the young people have shared their thoughts, struggles and joys. All of them have supported each other, and a lovely community has formed. Everyone is keen to continue meeting when the restrictions are lifted and we can’t wait until we can meet in person and share a meal together! What are some of the challenges you’ve faced? Keeping young people engaged, maintaining regular contact and finding ways to keep virtual ministry fresh and innovative are some of the challenges – as well as making sure that everyone is involved and included. There’s also the challenge of following the correct safeguarding and consent protocols, and the fact that some young people don’t have access to devices or the internet. Online church doesn’t work for everyone – it just doesn’t suit their learning style – so we needed to find different ways to stay in contact with
them. For those who do engage online, it’s vital to give them the opportunity to speak into what’s being provided. What would you say to encourage or inspire youth leaders? Listen to your young people. They have some great ideas on how to connect with you and the wider community. We are all having to adapt to the current circumstances and learn new skills, and there may be young people whose skills you can tap into and who could support you with online ministry. See if any of them can lead parts of the meeting – I’ve been led by young people in some beautiful moments of devotion and worship. It’s also OK to make mistakes. We don’t always get it right and we might try something that doesn’t work out the way we thought it would. Do you have any technical tips? My top tip would be to try out your videos and sound by first setting up and running a dummy meeting. How do you feel the pandemic has influenced your ministry? It has enabled us to take stock, to reflect and assess and to look forward. We have learnt to appreciate more our freedom to worship, our loved ones, our communities and those that look after us. I believe it’s a time that’s helped people go deeper in their faith. Young people have asked some big questions about life and faith, and finding answers has been challenging and inspiring. We will need to support young people’s mental health as we come out of the pandemic, through one-to-one mentoring and by journeying alongside them. This is when I’ve experienced the greatest joys of ministry!
VIEW POINT
Less is more Major Ray Hobbins suggests we should not expect to understand all God’s mysteries
M
AJOR Bryan Snell’s concise but comprehensive article, ‘The evolution of Creation’ (Salvationist 9 January), challenged the treatment of Creation as a side issue. Our inability to accept or understand some of the great mysteries of God’s almighty power and sovereignty, which Scripture outlines in simplicity, does not mean that we can put such issues to one side. When I was a military bandsman I was often chosen to be one of a fanfare team to announce the arrival and give salute to some VIP. All the attention was focused on them. So it is in Scripture. The account of Creation is like a bold fanfare announcing the awesome majesty of the living God who, out of nothing, created everything including us. Genesis 1:1 states: ‘In the beginning God…’ And in the prologue to John’s Gospel, we read: ‘In the beginning was the Word…’ (John 1:1). Creation comes from nowhere. Like the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, it is sudden and stark. It is beyond our comprehension, beyond our intelligence and imagination. Creation is a total mystery, revealed in simplicity as God sees fit. Less is more. In Job 38:4 the Lord poses a question: ‘Where were you when I laid the Earth’s foundation?’ Where, indeed! Read the whole of that chapter and you will soon be put in your place. So too with Isaiah 40, which is seldom read all the way through. It’s not that we shouldn’t use our intelligence – we should. However, let us recognise our limitations in things we can never truly comprehend, even in faith. Not understanding what has been revealed should not create in our minds a lesser God. When the Lord chose to reveal great
mysteries to the likes of Ezekiel and John, the author of Revelation, they were overwhelmed by what they heard and saw. What is revealed ought to suffice, but even then we fail to stand in awe. We want more or we dismiss what is told. The problem began in Genesis. Adam and Eve knew what was expected of them and went along with it – content until they heard the voice of the serpent: ‘Did God really say…?’ (Genesis 3:1) and ‘You will not surely die’ (v4 New King James Version). Adam and Eve knew the consequences of disobeying one simple instruction and they fell to a simple lie. It’s a trap all human beings fall into. This thread of sin goes right through every human being like string through a pearl necklace. It is apparent throughout the Bible: let’s build a tower (see Genesis 11), let’s make an image (see Exodus 32), let’s have a king (see 1 Samuel 8). To add or take away is a dangerous game and brings judgement. We conveniently forget, or put to one side, the fact that God gets angry, but there are many stark warnings in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. People were born to obey God. Obey and you will be blessed; disobey and you will be cursed (see Deuteronomy 11:26–32). Look at the warnings Jesus gave throughout the Gospels. And in
Revelation 3 there are warnings to errant churches. Revelation 16 speaks of the bowls of God’s wrath and worse. We are all familiar with the glorious promises from Scripture but not so much with the other side of the coin. I’m not suggesting we focus on doom and gloom. We do, however, need a proper balance that we may see clearly, or we shall become complacent and worship that lesser God. A friend of mine attended a ministers fraternal where one of the ministers listed all the verses he considered ought to be removed from the Bible. She offered him a pair of scissors and suggested he cut them out there and then. ‘That would be absurd,’ he said. ‘It’s not that simple. Cut out one side of the page and you cut out what’s on the other side.’ ‘Exactly,’ she replied. God’s salvation plan is revealed to us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords. The gospel is simple and stark. Even so, some want more, some want less. Let us not, in the words of one 17th-century saint, ‘unking him’. Rather, let us stand in awe of him, in all his risen glory, that we may serve and worship him as he truly is. MAJOR HOBBINS LIVES IN RETIREMENT IN ABERYSTWYTH Salvationist 6 March 2021
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BIBLE STUDY
People of God Lieut-Colonel Karen Shakespeare reminds us that we need to be connected to Christ wherever we are 1 PETER 2:4–12
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E met on a hot, sunny day one January for the dedication of a Kenyan church cornerstone. There was a sense of anticipation as people arrived. They had waited many years for this day. During the ceremony people gathered around closely so they could see and hear. After we had prayed, as we made our way back to our seats, it happened. The waiting and longing overflowed into joy and praise, singing and dancing. I found myself being spun around by a lady who had taken my arm and drawn me into the dance. This day was special. It symbolised the foundation for a new future, and the hope of a building where God would be worshipped and the people would be challenged and blessed. As Peter wrote to the Christian communities in Asia Minor, he drew on
Through the week with Salvationist – a devotional thought for each day by Major Melvyn Knott
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their knowledge of the Old Testament for illustration but added his own twist, weaving in resonances to the life of Jesus, describing him in verse 4 as ‘the living stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him’. (See also Luke 3:22 and 9:35.) A cornerstone is the first stone to be set in place in a new building and provides the foundational reference point for the rest of the structure. Christ is the cornerstone from which we take our orientation (see Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22). His life is the source of life for the people of God, who are also living stones (see v5), who become the spiritual house of God and the location for proper worship. Despite the determination of Christians down through the ages to construct buildings that are a worthy house for the Lord, the life of the
Church is determined only by the people’s connection to Christ. The events of the past year have offered us opportunity to discover the truth of these verses in a new way and find strength. We have not always been able to meet in our halls and many corps programmes have been curtailed or closed. We have reminded ourselves repeatedly that the people of God are the Church, and The Salvation Army in any community is not restricted to what happens when its buildings are open but resides in its people when we are built together through our reliance on Christ, the cornerstone of our lives. We have learnt new ways of orientating ourselves to his life and his purposes. As we have experienced lockdowns and restrictions it has been said that our buildings may be closed but the Church, including Salvation Army corps, is still open. I wonder what that has meant for you.
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MONDAY
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Every promise we can make,/ Every prayer and step of faith,/ Every difference we can make/ Is only by his grace./ Every mountain we will climb,/ Every ray of hope we shine,/ Every blessing left behind/ Is only by his grace. (SASB 699)
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the Earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (Deuteronomy 7:6)
Chosen to be a soldier,/ Chosen by God;/ Chosen to be a soldier,/ Washed in his blood;/ Chosen to be a soldier,/ Lost ones to save,/ Chosen to be a soldier/ In the Army brave. (SASB 1020)
Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, give us the grace to live as God’s chosen people. We want to fulfil your will and pray that you will equip us to work in your name to bring others into a loving relationship with you.
QUESTIONS O What are you learning about your place as a living stone in God’s spiritual house? O In what ways are you experiencing Jesus as the source of life and your cornerstone? O What is challenging for you? Echoing words spoken by God to Moses (see Exodus 19:5 and 6), Peter describes the Christian communities as ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession’ (v9). They are people who have received mercy and who belong to God (see Hosea 1:6–10). For the original readers, a minority group who appear to be suffering because of their faith, these verses would have brought comfort and reassurance. The Old Testament resonance may not be so well known today, but to understand and accept that we are chosen, beloved,
accepted and offered mercy speaks deeply to the needs of the 21st century. Alongside this privilege there is responsibility. Like the people of Israel we are called to offer proper worship and be witnesses in the world to the God who has reached out and offers salvation (see v9). This worship overspills from the whole community, who, as a royal priesthood, offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for what God has done. Furthermore, as people of God living in a world that neither knows nor understands what Christian faith means, Peter calls us to be living witnesses to holiness that is noticeable and attractive (see vv11 and 12) whatever the cost or the outcome, or however misunderstood our motives may be.
QUESTIONS O How do you praise God in these days? O Can you think of someone whose holy living is so evident that it is noticeable to people who don’t understand or share their faith? What encouragement or challenge does this bring? As I was spun around during the celebrations on that January day in Kenya, I understood something of the people’s joy and celebration. Now, as I reflect on that moment, I see resonances of the truth of Peter’s verses; the real spiritual house is the people of God who praise and worship, wait and hope, and witness by their holy living. LIEUT-COLONEL SHAKESPEARE IS ASSISTANT TRAINING PRINCIPAL, WILLIAM BOOTH COLLEGE
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THURSDAY
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‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no saviour.’ (Isaiah 43:10 and 11)
Help us, Lord, each one to be/ Consecrated unto thee;/ Make each heart a living stone/ In a temple all thine own./ Holy Spirit, fill this place/ With thy pentecostal grace;/ Dwell with us, and from this hour/ Manifest thy mighty power. (SASB 605)
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11 and 12)
I’m living my life for Jesus,/ His love and grace I’ve seen;/ And now that I live for Jesus/ Life has a newfound theme./ My life has a newfound intention,/ I follow a purposeful aim,/ And life has a newfound dimension,/ I witness that I’m born again./ I’m living my life for Jesus,/ His love and grace I’ve seen;/ And now that I live for Jesus/ Life has a newfound theme. (SASB 858) Salvationist 6 March 2021
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MEDITATION
Coming back to the art of worship
by Major Simon Clampton
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I
N his book, The Art of Worship, the Rev Nicholas Holtam says: ‘The National Gallery and St Martin-in-theFields are neighbours on the north side of Trafalgar Square… About a third of the Gallery’s paintings are of Christian subjects… ‘The Gallery is a reflective space. In the sense of it being set apart, it is holy. In some ways the Gallery can be an easier space in which to pray than the busy church across the road, perhaps because it is so open and demands nothing in terms of our personal commitment or beliefs. It does, however, inform, inspire, support and challenge us about what we believe and how we live.’ The following is a meditation on one painting in the Gallery: The Interior of the Buurkerk at Utrecht by Pieter Saenredam (1644). Look at this painting. What do you see?
Any ornate stained-glass windows have been replaced with plain glass. If the glass had still been coloured we would only see the colours of the glass, but here we have pure sunlight passing through, reminding us of the pure light of God: ‘God is light; in him there is no darkness at all’ (1 John 1:5). Then again, what is the purpose of the windows? Is it to enable us to see from the inside to the outside or from the outside to the inside? How easily can people see through the windows of our corps buildings? The size of the church and the windows also remind us of Jesus’ words: ‘You are the light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14). Just as this church is visible from the outside and the sun shines through the windows, so we too must be visible to others, noting that we do not shine in our own right but only with the light of Jesus in our lives.
HEIGHT Perhaps the first thing to notice is the height of the church with tall columns and lofty arches. ‘Saenredam takes great care with architectural detail,’ writes Holtam, ‘but has exaggerated the impression of the building soaring upwards’ compared to the size of the people, emphasising space. In those days the church would have been the most important building in a locality. Built for the glory of God, it would have been the largest building in the vicinity, maybe on raised ground to emphasise its importance even further. The expense of building the church would have been enormous, although the whole community would have contributed because of their willingness to have the best for God. In a similar vein, in Old Testament times the people of Israel gave of their best to God in their sacrifices. On the other hand, the grandeur of this church is unlike the humble upper rooms where the first Christians met. We also recognise that we cannot contain God within a building like this, however high, because his Holy Spirit is everywhere.
EMPTINESS We notice that the church is almost empty – there are hardly any people, and those that are there were added afterwards, which is why some look transparent. Would you find an empty church disappointing? There are no pews. The painting was completed before the introduction of pews, and everyone had to stand or sit on the floor. Everyone was equal – no one paid for a seat, which became commonplace later. We are all equal in God’s sight. He has no favourites, so the church should be a place of welcome to all. Could that be the reason for the dogs in the painting? We are reminded of Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman, who asked him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. She said, ‘Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table’ (Matthew 15:27) and he responded with, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted’ (v28). So, if the dogs in the painting are a representative of those on the fringes of society, then all are welcome. Then again, maybe like Lowry many years later, Saenredam just liked to paint dogs!
LIGHT The painting dates from 200 years after parts of the church had been built. The church is full of light and space but stripped of its original decoration of ‘Catholic devotion and whitewashed for Protestant worship,’ as Holtam puts it.
INSTRUCTION The board on the right holds the Ten Commandments, placed there for the instruction of the congregation. Yet, beneath them, two boys are seemingly up to no good. One teaches a dog to
stand on its hind legs, another but different ‘symbol of obedience and the capacity to learn,’ observes Holtam, while the other is writing graffiti. Perhaps one of the boys represents the painter himself in his younger days. Was this the place where he found God? We do not know. We might view the graffiti as being irreverent, but what is more important: a church that is a building or a church that is the people? In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul says that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ as individuals but also that, collectively, we are part of God’s family. We all form the body of his Church, with Christ as the head. A THIN PLACE Perhaps our painting is just a picture of simplicity and tranquillity, an oasis from the world outside. We might call it a thin place. God is everywhere but there are places where we can feel his presence close to us – a place where it seems God touches us, where his presence seems more accessible than elsewhere and is experienced in a profound way. This is not a painting depicting Isaiah or Ezekiel experiencing God (see Isaiah 6:1–4 and Ezekiel 10:4 and 5) nor of the ‘den of robbers’ (Mark 11:17) where people were buying and selling and changing money. The church in this painting is more of a thin place. A PRAYER ‘God, our heavenly Father, make, we pray, the door of our church wide enough to welcome all who need human love and fellowship and a Father’s care; but narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and lack of love. Here may the tempted find help, the sorrowing receive comfort and the penitent be assured of your mercy; and here may all your children renew their strength and go on their way in hope and joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’ (Thomas Ken) Do you have any more thoughts? Continue to reflect on the painting this week and maybe discuss it with others.
MAJOR CLAMPTON IS ASSISTANT OVERSEAS SERVICES SECRETARY, THQ Salvationist 6 March 2021
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TESTIMONY
The Lord is my shepherd Peter Boneham shares how the Lord has been with him through life’s challenges
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Y early childhood was unstable due to family problems. My father walked out, leaving my mother to look after me and my five brothers. We were all born, including twins, during the Second World War, and my mother was left unsupported. Unable to cope, she had a breakdown and we were all taken into the care of the local authority in Warwickshire. After several unsuccessful foster placements my care officer found me a suitable home in Nuneaton. My foster mother was a member of The Salvation Army, although her husband did not go to church. The first Sunday after I went to live with them she took me along to the afternoon meeting. I loved it and was totally hooked. I was only six years old but my new home proved to be a life-changer, and I slowly began to feel safe, secure and loved. I belonged. I loved Sunday school and hearing the wonderful stories about Jesus. It was a whole new world for me because I could
not remember ever attending Sunday school before. After a few months I gave my heart to Jesus. I became a junior soldier and joined the singing company and YP band. When I was 15 I was enrolled as a senior soldier. The Salvation Army played a big part in my formative years. I was fully involved with the corps and enjoyed the fellowship and friendship. My foster mother was a caring and inspirational person who had a profound influence on my development. She was filled with God’s love, and I consider myself blessed to have been part of her life. In 1961 two things happened that had a significant impact on me. Two days before my 18th birthday I was introduced to an older brother I had never met. John was two years older than me and was already away in a wartime nursery when I was born. That meeting was a special and memorable time for us both. Soon after this I started to feel quite unsettled and found parts of Army worship challenging. I was confused and disillusioned. After a lot of soul-searching, prayer and meditation, I decided to leave. I never shared my feelings and struggles with anyone in the fellowship, which, looking back, is something I regret. Three years after first meeting John, I received some shattering news from the police that he had tragically died. He was only 23. I was devastated and felt his loss deeply. I was overwhelmed with grief and sadness, and had many unanswered questions.
Through the many challenges and difficulties in my life I have always felt a spiritual presence, which I know is the Holy Spirit. Jesus is my Saviour and I know he loves me because I feel it in my heart and the Bible tells me so. I have many failings but God has endless patience and I know he will never give up on me. My faith remains strong and I believe that whatever problems we face God will not leave us to struggle alone. Two of my favourite Bible verses are Galatians 5:22 and 23. These beautiful, powerful words are the core of my faith: ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ (New Revised Standard Version). My early life was a little bumpy. I was a lost sheep, but Jesus found me and brought me back into his flock. When I left the Army l never wanted it to be final. l have moved several times due to work and, with my family, have always linked up with the Army. I have many fond memories of worshipping at Hemel Hempstead, Leicester Central and Dudley. There is no Army corps where I live, so l worship at the parish church and occasionally attend Birmingham Citadel. My experiences and faith have shaped the person I am today. I feel fortunate because the Lord has opened many personal and professional doors for me. The Lord is my Shepherd! I am truly blessed. My prayer is that my faith and spiritual experience will continue to grow. I thank God for his continuing love and goodness. This chorus gives me reassurance that I am never alone: He’s the Christ of the human road And he offers to carry your load, He is walking your way, Every night, every day, This Christ of the human road. He is human and yet so divine, And he knows your heart’s sorrow and mine; In all times of need He’s a true friend indeed, This Christ of the human road.
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Salvationist 6 March 2021
PREVIEW
RESOURCES
The Salvation Army Year Book 2021 Salvationists can get an overview of the Army’s worldwide ministry with the new edition of the Year Book, a 370-page compendium capturing the Movement’s news and events
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ROM distributing live chickens in Angola to producing face masks in France or arranging teddy bear hunts in Norway, the detailed reports and expanded photo selection in The Salvation Army Year Book 2021 capture the various and innovative ways the Army around the world is serving communities during the coronavirus pandemic. ‘It is a testament to the time in which it is written,’ say international leaders General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle in the foreword. ‘You will catch glimpses of the Army in the midst of Covid-19... Our hope is that history will record this time as both a challenge and an opportunity. It should also record a narrative that captures courage, creativity and conviction, enabling a fortitude that results in sacrificial service.’ The book presents up-to-date facts and figures on the Army’s international mission, as well as reports from every territory, command and region. It also contains five articles commissioned by the General, which focus on a range of pressing topics: The Salvation Army’s virtual agenda, by Chief of the Staff Commissioner Lyndon Buckingham; advancing anti-racism, by Major Katherine Clausell (USA Central); digital ministry during Covid-19, by Joseph Halliday (IHQ); worldwide Covid-19 missional support, by Commissioner Birgitte Brekke-Clifton (IHQ); and the cry for justice, by Colonels Janet and Richard Munn (International Social Justice Commission). ‘I commend to you the pages of this Year Book,’ writes the General. ‘Let the pictures that attempt to capture our story of service inspire you. As you read the lead articles, know that these were chosen so we could consider and reflect on important matters. ‘As you browse these pages, I pray that the recorded statistics and the programmatic profiles of our territories, commands and regions will be an encouragement, providing evidence of God’s hand of blessing. He continues to enable the Army’s mission, impact and growth. Even during the pandemic, doors have opened and opportunities have come. God does the impossible and continues to surprise us.’ Major Angela Strickland, the Year Book editor, says: ‘I hope the book will provide a glimpse of hope that God provides for a better tomorrow.’
Salvation Army Year Book 2021 is available from sps-shop.com priced £7.99 (plus postage and packing) and as an ebook for Kindle and Kobo
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David Giles (communications manager, IHQ) introduces a new resource for Easter
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S we look forward to Easter, we are mindful that opportunities to share the gospel message will in many cases be different from what we may be accustomed to. We at IHQ Communications want to encourage you to see this as an opportunity to do something new. We have imagined a variety of ways in which to communicate the life-changing Easter message through creative arts and crafts. We invite you to consider whether you could make use of these to create Easter trails in your communities. Great Easter Trail 2021 has ideas to get people thinking and imagining. Please don’t see our suggestions as the only or best options. If you have ideas that will work where you are, we would love to know what you are going to do. It is vital for us to remain safe during the ongoing pandemic. We do not want to encourage crowds to gather inappropriately against the letter or spirit of the prevailing regulations. Participation is not mandatory. But if your corps or centre does take part, we would like to see the results so we can let the world know. Share photos of your Easter trail on social media using the hashtag #GreatEasterTrail. Easter Trail 2021 is available as a free download from sar.my/easter2021
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Salvationist 6 March 2021
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARMY PEOPLE LOCAL OFFICERS APPOINTED O BM Ashley Durrant, Guisborough WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES Platinum (70th) O Beryl and Roy Sapsford, Snettisham (24 March) Diamond O Doreen and Peter Hill, Maidenhead (18 March) Golden O Major David and Captain Evelyn Wade (20 March) O Jenny and Ken Finch, Woodbridge (20 March) RETIRED OFFICERS Birthday congratulations O Major Jean Lacey (80 on 14 March) O Major Peter Exon (80 on 15 March) O Major John Jeeves (80 on 17 March) O Major Eunice Hooper (80 on 17 March) O Major Kenneth Hawken (90 on 19 March) PROMOTED TO GLORY O John Marshall, Guisborough O Lieut-Colonel Eva Hoyle from Fairways nursing home, Bournemouth, on 18 February BEREAVED O Susan Marshall, Guisborough, of her husband John O Peter Hoyle, Boscombe, and David Hoyle of their mother Lieut-Colonel Eva Hoyle
TRIBUTES MAJOR RODNEY BIRCH RODNEY was the third of four sons born to Vera and Harry Birch. He first linked up with the Army at Greenford. He joined the Royal Artillery and served in Hong Kong, where he came back into contact with the Army. He was saved and on his return to England answered the call to officership. He entered the Shepherds session at the International Training College in 1953. 22
Salvationist 6 March 2021
He had a number of corps appointments in South Wales. He met Lilian Davies at Mountain Ash Corps and they married in 1959. Together they served in Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and Wales before being appointed to the Men’s Social Services. Rodney was a gentle man with sound, practical wisdom and a keen and subtle sense of humour. He was promoted to Glory from his home in Hebburn, with Lilian and members of his family with him. Rodney is survived by his wife, four children, three grandchildren and a great-grandson. – PB ROBERT JOHNSON, DERBY CENTRAL BOB was born in Darlington in 1947 and was introduced to the Army by YP Bandleader Ernest Ryder, who conducted his school band. Bob moved to Derby with his parents and sister in 1963 and was a songster and bandsman until his sudden promotion to Glory. He also assisted with the YP band for the past 25 years and held several corps positions. Bob worked for British Rail and was in the team that developed the InterCity 125 project, helping to set the speed record and also representing the project at government meetings. Bob was absolutely committed in his faith. He was a constant, supportive, reassuring Christian presence at Derby Central for 56 years and is sorely missed. He leaves his wife, Jennifer, their children, Christopher and Claire, a sister, Leslie, and his dear granddaughter, Eva. – PF BOB SMARDON, BRISTOL CITADEL BORN in 1928 to a Salvationist family, Bob was dedicated at Bristol Citadel, where he soldiered until his promotion to Glory just 10 days short of his 92nd birthday. He took charge of the Cubs and Scouts at the corps in his younger days before later being commissioned as Sabac leader. Bob joined the YP band in 1938 and, until recently, played on the cornet bench of the senior band – a total of 82 years’ service.
A quiet, dependable, loyal man, he showed his Christian love in the small, everyday things of life. Never one for the public eye he was always willing to help people in need quietly and without fuss. Bob was married to Pat for 61 years before she passed away just nine months before him. He is deeply missed by his two children, Linda and Paul, their families, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. – LS LILLIAN STONIER, STOKE-ONTRENT LILLIAN was a much-loved mother, nana and great-nana. Along with her late husband, Jim, she was a lifelong Salvationist who not only claimed her faith but lived it every day. Before forced early retirement from the general shop started by Jim’s father, they were renowned for providing the best quality produce at the fairest price, even extending credit where needed. In retirement Lillian indulged her love of reading. Still guided by the values of her Army faith, she was well-known for redacting the swear words she encountered. I often wonder what later readers thought after her books had been recycled through the charity shop. Every Army flag day saw her in the market square regardless of the weather. She was humbled by the amount people donated as they shared how they always supported the Army. She consistently earned the title of champion fundraiser. Her home corps, Hanley, closed but she will be greatly missed by her adopted corps. – CS CYRIL BROWNING, DUDLEY BORN in 1937, Cyril attended Faversham, where he achieved the corps cadet badge of merit. He met Margaret at Sunbury Court house parties. They became pen pals and love blossomed. Cyril moved to the West Midlands for RAF national service. Marrying Margaret in 1961, they settled in the area and had two daughters. Cyril was proud of his family and always provided for his two grandsons, on whom he doted. Cyril became corps secretary at West Bromwich and took his duties
seriously, ensuring that cadets and newly appointed officers were made to feel welcome. On retirement Cyril and Margaret ran the luncheon club at Dudley. When Margaret was diagnosed with dementia they had to give up the club and Cyril became her carer. He was a faithful Christian gentleman. The family have a peace in their hearts knowing that he is now with his heavenly Father whom he loved. Well done, thou good and faithful servant! – DR MAJOR JOHN POCOCK THOMAS, known as John, was first introduced to The Salvation Army in his prison cell. His first meeting with God was in the hostel space he was offered on his release. Having worked his way up to the position of sergeant in Men’s Social Services he then received the call to officership. Lacking formal education, his stay at college was short before he returned to Social Services. A series of strange circumstances led to an unexpected return to college in 1963, where he fulfilled his calling despite many difficulties, before being appointed to Greenock. Marriage to Irene followed and they served together in a number of centres. John’s early life experiences fitted him with the ability to properly understand the people God placed in his path in those hostel settings. Lives were truly changed on a regular basis. John received an honorary degree for his work from Manchester University, perhaps the best recognition of these achievements. Retirement eventually arrived and John found a new calling in selling Army papers to the people of Morley for more than 20 years. He quickly became the local face of the Army and received a citizen of the year award in the process. His service to God continued right up to the day that he was admitted to hospital with the condition that eventually took him Home. His life was one of faith, honesty and commitment. John regularly made light of seemingly impossible situations that were totally fulfilled with his God. Glory to God. – IP
Secretary for Business Administration Lieut-Colonel Alan Read is sad to announce the death of Territorial Property Director Philip Scott, who had been in his post for just over two years. He was 48 years old and leaves a wife and three children.
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FAIRHAVEN CHRISTIAN HOTEL (LLANDUDNO) Andrew and Paula offer you a warm Christian welcome, a relaxed atmosphere, good home-cooked food and a high standard of cleanliness overlooking Llandudno bay. All bedrooms are en suite. For colour brochure and information, phone 01492 878447 or email fairhavenchristianhotel@ gmail.com
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Aged 55 or over? Have your Zill written free of charge with help from The Salvation Army.
If you would like more information, please go to
salvationarmy.org.uk/gifts-wills/free-wills-month Or you can call the Legacy team who will be happy to answer any questions you might have on
020 7367 4800
DIRT DI RT BAL ALAN ANCE AN CE E is de desi sign igned d to be be use sed d al alon longs gsid ide de yo your ur exe xerc rciise ise or fit itne ness ss, howeve however howe verr an and d wh whenever when enev ever er y you ou d do o it – d daily, aily ai ly, we weekly week ekly ly o orr sp sporadically spor orad adic ical ally ly – p prompting romp ro mpti ting ng you to set time aside to purposefully focus and reflect. H_m^g nl^] bg ^]n\Zmbhg% ma^ Z\khgrf =BKM \Zg [^ ^Zlber Ziieb^] mh hnk sport and exercise to help us form habitual rhythms. >Z\a ]Zr p^ Zk^ ]bk^\m^] mh Zg ^e^f^gm h_ ma^ phk] ;:E:G<> % encouraging us to be intentional in the use of quotes, dwelling on Scripture from 1 Peter 5:6–11 (The Message) with a daily fitness application, before reflecting on questions that consider applying this to our everyday lives.
SALVATIONARMY.ORG.UK/RESOURCES Salvationist 6 March 2021
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In need of grace, in need of love In need of mercy raining down from high above
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… CSM HAZEL HORTON Peterhead How did you first come into contact with the Army? I’ve been coming to the Army since I was four years old. The first family member I know of who was a Salvationist was my great-grandad. What made you want to become a soldier? I grew up in the Army and went through the junior sections; I especially enjoyed the corps cadets. I wanted the Army to be my church and to serve God in it. What is your day job? At present I work in a tea room. What is the most interesting thing about your role – and the most frustrating? The most interesting part is meeting and serving lots of different people. The most frustrating part is when the coffee machine stops working! What one thing would you change about the Army? For the Army to be happy with tradition but open to new ideas. What are your favourite kinds of holidays? Visiting family in America, and train journeys.
If you could be in a film, which would it be and what character would you play? I would be Nanny McPhee in the film of that name starring Emma Thompson. If you could bring back any fashion trend, what would it be? 1970s fashion trends – I enjoyed them as a teenager. If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose? Corrie ten Boom. She and her family helped many Jews escape from the Nazis during the Second World War. When she was arrested and imprisoned, she found and shared her hope in God.
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Apart from English, what languages do you speak? Doric – the language of northeast Scotland. If you had a ‘theme song’ that played whenever you walked into a room, what would it be? ‘This is Me’ from The Greatest Showman. What is your favourite hymn or worship song? ‘In Need.’ Is there something about the world you have never understood? Why some people have so much and others have little or nothing.
If you could create a slogan for your life, what would it be? Life is what you make it.
If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be? Hate.
If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be? Chocolate.
Did you have a nickname growing up? Hazelnut.
What is your favourite food? Locally caught fish (and chips). What do you do in your spare time? I do not normally have a lot of spare time but over the past few months I have been knitting and crocheting. What was the first record, tape or CD that you ever owned? Rock Me Babyy by David Cassidy, released in 1972. What is your favourite Bible verse? Psalm 91:2: ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ It gives me reassurance that God is always with me. Which Bible figure would you like to meet and what would you ask them? Jochebed, Moses’ mother. I would ask how she felt putting baby Moses in the basket on the River Nile.
If you had to be handcuffed to one person for a day, who would it be? My husband. If you could invent a gadget, what would it be? A gadget to do the ironing for me. Apart from the Bible, which book would you want on a desert island? The Shackk by William P Young. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Whatever you do, give it 100 per cent. What is the most valuable thing you possess? I don’t possess them, but my family are most precious to me. Something interesting that people might want to know about you is… I have twin sons and four beautiful grandchildren.