Salvationist 8 January 2022

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LOVING THE ASTON COMMUNITY PAGES 12 AND 13

SALVATIONIST

QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA

NUMBER OF CHRISTIANS IN ENGLAND AND WALES FALLS TO HALF THE POPULATION Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed a marked decline in the number of people identifying as Christian in England and Wales.

Figures from 2019 show that only 51 per cent are Christian, while those with no religion account for over a third.

It marks a considerable drop from the 2011 census, when Christians made up 59 per cent of the population.

The fall in Christian affiliation coincides with an increase in those recording no religion, which has grown from 32.3 per cent in 2011 to 38.4 per cent now…

The results of the 2021 census are due to be published [this] year and are expected to show a further decline in Christian identification…

The [Church of England’s] figures for 2020 also show a 7 per cent drop in the worshipping community on the previous year.

A spokesperson for the Church said the figures were ‘very much in line with expectations and really underline the scale of the challenge churches faced in the first year of the pandemic’.

Christian Today

PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO HIT CHARITY FUNDRAISING, REPORT SUGGESTS Charities have been hit – and some forced to close – by a fall in donations during the pandemic, research for a City of London wealth-management firm suggests.

More than a third (36 per cent) of donors and almost half (44 per cent) of fundraisers had cut back on giving and other promotional activity, James Hambro and Partners said.

This follows a report [in November], also for James Hambro, that the drop in revenue for some British charities had brought them to the brink of closure. More than half of 100 charities with investable assets of at least £1 million reported that their income had fallen by more than 30 per cent. All but three said that cutbacks in their work were being considered or had already been made, and eight were facing permanent closure.

The latest research by Consumer Intelligence, which interviewed 989 adults, found that the drop in regular monthly payments and activity by donors and fundraisers was caused by cuts in their own income.

The only Roman-era crucifixion victim found outside the Holy Land has been discovered in Britain.

Radiocarbon-dating tests suggest that the victim, found in Cambridgeshire, was executed in the third or early fourth century AD, probably in about 250. This would coincide with the empire-wide persecution under Decius, during which thousands of Christians are thought to have been executed…

Albion Archaeology found the crucifixion victim in what had been a Roman roadside settlement at Fenstanton, 13 miles northwest of Cambridge. Aged between 25 and 35, he was probably a slave… His right foot contains the nail, hammered in horizontally through the back of his ankle and his heel…

At present, there is no evidence to prove that … [the] victim was a Christian martyr. But the classical historian Professor Roger Rees, of the University of St Andrews, says that radiocarbon-dating ‘clearly raises the possibility’.

Church Times

Church Times

UNIVERSAL CREDIT CHANGES ‘SEVERELY IMPACTING’ THE POOREST, SAYS CHRISTIAN CHARITY The charity Christians Against Poverty (Cap) says many of its clients are falling further into debt because of the scrapping of the £20 a week universal credit uplift...

Its survey of 291 people found that over a third had already fallen behind with bills, with a quarter falling into even more debt.

Cap’s social policy manager, Rachel Gregory, [told] Premier the rising cost of living is making the situation even worse: ‘It’s severely impacting people’s standards of living in the most basic ways…’

The universal credit uplift ended on 6 October 2021. A month later, Cap’s survey found 49 per cent had already fallen behind with bills or expect to in the next six months.

Premier

SALVATIONIST salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist Issue No 1840

CONTACT US 020 7367 4890 (main) / 020 7367 4901 (editor) salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk

EDITOR Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

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MANAGING EDITOR Ivan Radford EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Simon Hope, Melita Day-Lewis, Major Margaret Bovey ART DIRECTOR Hannah Holden GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mark Knight, Louise Phillips PROOFREADER Chris Horne Published weekly by The Salvation Army and printed on paper from sustainable sources by CKN Print, Northampton. © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory.

ISSN 2516-5909.

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Salvationist 8 January 2022

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The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399.

FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL Brian Peddle TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Commissioner Anthony Cotterill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PUBLISHING SECRETARY Major Mal Davies TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN 0845 634 0101

LOVE ACTUALLY EARLY in December 2021 Heathrow Airport recreated the famous opening scene from the film Love Actually. A video showed passengers emerging into the arrivals area in Terminal 3 and being hugged by family and friends after Covid-19 travel restrictions had forced many to spend months apart. Martine McCutcheon, who played Natalie in the original film, provided a voiceover, saying: ‘When the world went into lockdown, all I heard were stories of people desperate to stay connected in any way they knew how, people surviving through the worst by supporting one another. If you look for it, whatever life throws at us, you’ll find that love really is all around.’

The types of love that are all around were explored years ago by CS Lewis in his book The Four Loves. He looked at the meaning of four Greek words: storge, the affection between family members, philia, the love of friends, eros, romantic love, and agape, selfless love that can be shown in any relationship.

Covenant Sunday this year focuses on that fourth type of love, expressed in the statement ‘Love God, Love Others’. It describes what should motivate all we do as an Army and as individuals.

In this week’s issue Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts introduces the theme and highlights some of the resources available to help us relate that covenant love to our day-to-day lives.

In another of our ‘We are The Salvation Army’ features, Lieutenant Corinne Seabridge reveals how love is shown to children, young people and families through the Aston 614 centre in Birmingham. Some of the young people explain how the centre’s activities have helped them during the coronavirus pandemic and Lieutenant Corinne asks us to join in a prayer to love God, love each other and love the community.

While we often think of ‘others’ as the people we serve outside the Army, LieutColonel Dean Pallant’s Bible study also emphasises the need to love those we serve alongside. He considers Jesus’ greatest commandment – the words on which ‘Love God, Love Others’ is based.

In doing so he quotes from Commissioner Samuel Brengle’s 1929 book, Ancient Prophets and Modern Problems, in which Brengle echoes Jesus by saying, ‘We must love one another.’ It was a timely word back then, when the Army was in turmoil over the deposition of General Bramwell Booth, and it is a timely word today, when other issues have the potential to divide us.

While ‘Love God, Love Others’ is essential in our covenant relationship with God, it is only one side of it. The biblical idea of a covenant was similar to treaties between nations in which the stronger one promised help and support to the weaker and expected loyalty and obedience in return. In the same way our covenant with God is founded on his love for us – the love that brought Jesus into our world and took him to the cross. That is the greatest example of agape, revealing what love actually is. His example and the power of his Spirit then helps us fulfil our side of the covenant by showing that same love in all our relationships.

I must love thee, love must rule me, Springing up and flowing forth From a childlike heart within me, Or my work is nothing worth.

Love with passion and with patience, Love with principle and fire, Love with heart and mind and utterance, Serving Christ my one desire.

(SASB 672)

From the editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

CONTENTS Quotes from the media

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Feature Being together: Living in God’s covenant

4

by Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts

News

5 to 9

Prayer matters

9

Preview Riverbank women’s conference

10

by Liz Hall

Viewpoint Retaining cultural capital

11

by Bandmaster Adrian Lyons

We are The Salvation Army 12 and 13 We are rebuilding

by Lieutenant Corinne Seabridge

From the archive 14 and 15 A ministry of poetry and prayer Commissioner Harry Read talks to Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

Bible study 16 and 17 The greatest commandment

by Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant

Through the week with 16 and 17 Salvationist

by Major Howard Webber

Reflection Taking the test

18

by Brian Colley

Reflection Not unto us, O Lord!

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by Major John Waters

New commitments

19

Letters

20

Adverts

21

Announcements

22 and 23

The Salvation Army and me

24

featuring Catherine Lacey

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

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FEATURE I Covenant Sunday 2022

Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts introduces resources for Covenant Sunday ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37–39) Loving Father, Your love for me is unconditional and unceasing.

The depth of your love is beyond my comprehension, but today I respond to that love.

As your love lives in me, may my thoughts, my words and my actions reflect you at all times and in every place.

May my soul be a place where we meet – where all that I am becomes all that you want me to be in heart, mind and spirit.

That in being one with you, I might see you, know you and show you in every part of my life.

That in me and through me your Kingdom may come now.

May this covenant of love draw me deeper and bring others closer to you.

P

REPARATION for Covenant Sunday (9 January) began many months ago with conversation, planning and prayer that God would inspire the work of commissioning people to create a variety of resources for the territory. Immediately there was a sense of alignment with the ‘Love God, Love 4

Salvationist 8 January 2022

Others’ statement that identifies who we are and what we do. Major Andrew Bale (Southend Citadel and Southend Southchurch) has contributed teaching notes to inform sermon preparation or a small group study based on Matthew 22:33–40, the passage in which Jesus says the first and greatest commandment is: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’ (v37). This theme is also the focus of worship ideas, small group activities, creative prayer and resources for toddler church and children.

The covenant card displayed on this page reflects a partnership between those who craft images and those who paint with words. Assistant Secretary for Personnel Major Julian Watchorn wrote the text shown on the left and I hope this beautiful prayer will help us respond to our Father God, who invites us to live in covenant relationship with him.

Printed cards have been sent out to all corps in the territory for distribution.

Covid-19 restrictions may mean that you do not receive your covenant card on the day, but it is worth waiting for – and worth keeping and reflecting on.

The prayer card designed for children says: ‘Dear God, your love for me never ends, no matter what I do. The amount of love you have for me is almost too much for me to understand! I hope to get to know you better and show your love to others in everything I think, say and do.

‘I am going to write my name on this card to show that I want to be close to

you and always have you in my heart.

Help me bring your love to this world and everyone in it. Amen.’

In his new year video message Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill encourages us to participate, whether Covenant Sunday is marked on 9 January, on a different day or at home. He says: ‘It’s for you.

It’s the opportunity to stop and to breathe and to take stock of where we are on this journey, which we take together as followers of Jesus, as his disciples, as his apprentices.’ It is his prayer ‘that this will be a sacred life-giving, life-renewing moment for you’, which ‘will shape our commitment, will shape our words, will shape our actions for 2022 as together we move forward for the glory and praise of God’.

We continue to live through challenging times but I hope that these resources will play a part in enabling each of us to flourish as we live out the gospel of Jesus and ‘Love God, Love Others’ in every aspect of our lives.

O The TC’s new year message can be viewed at youtube.com/ salvationarmyvideo

LIEUT-COLONEL ROBERTS IS SECRETARY FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE DEVELOPMENT

NEWS

Editor's note: Some events reported took place before the current Covid-19 restrictions.

C CHRISTMAS

Enabled at Christmas celebrates online UKI

Nicky Fayers with her crafted Christmas tree

ENABLED held its Christmas celebrations online, with 12 sessions running across a busy weekend.

Zaina Alam Piya from Bangladesh was named the winner of the Enabled art competition, which was themed Through the Seasons. In second and third place were Alexandra Philips (Croydon Citadel) and Sue Hopcroft from Hull. Twelve of the submitted pictures were selected to make an Enabled calendar for 2022.

Members took part in a Christmas quiz on the Friday night and the Family Ministries team led Saturday morning worship themed around the sights, sounds and smells of the Nativity.

Joy Pocock (Wakefield) shared her life story in an inspiring session, explaining the challenges that she had overcome and how she uses her art and craft talents to support people, before the George Steven Community Hub

presented a modern take on the Nativity, along with singing and signing to carols. Stowmarket Band brought a selection of pre-recorded carols and Saturday concluded with the Enabled Christmas extravaganza, which involved members and supporters sharing their talents, such as poetry, monologues and playing instruments.

Sunday morning started with Captain Georgina Symons (Histon) leading Godly Play. A craft session followed, led by Laura Evans, which showed members how to make a Christmas tree by folding pages in a book.

On Sunday afternoon Ira Thomas (Sutton) hosted a Christmas singalong, supported by Amanda-Jayne and Tristan Lanceley (Bromley Temple). Julie Taylor (Hamilton) later led a mindfulness session, giving members the opportunity to slow down and relax during the busyness of Christmas.

Members were blessed by the varied programme, which was made possible by the technical support provided by Stuart Miskin and Andrea Darlington. The weekend concluded with a carol service led by Secretary for Mission Lieut-Colonel Drew McCombe (THQ), who reminded members that, at Christmas, it is important who you know: Jesus. – CS

FUNDRAISING

C CHRISTMAS BOGNOR REGIS Community Care Ministries Secretary Lesley Dyer organised ‘thank you’ posters and bags of sweets to give to shopkeepers and retail workers in the town. While the band played carols, a team went from shop to shop distributing the gifts. Many were deeply moved by the gesture. – AH

COMMUNITY WELLING The corps was blessed by generous donations from the public during the Advent period. One woman said it was her way of thanking The Salvation Army for rescuing her when she was abandoned by her foster family after being evacuated during the war. A man donated gravy and stuffing as thanks for the support he received when he was struggling with addiction three years ago. A nursery also provided food and gifts, because a staff member knew someone who had used the corps food bank during the Covid-19 lockdowns. – KS

BRISTON Director of Sanders Coaches Ltd, Charles Sanders, presented a cheque for £500 to Corps Secretary Marilyn Reynolds. Upon hearing about what the unofficered corps had done since February 2021, he invited Marilyn to talk about the work of the corps. – MR

C CHRISTMAS WELLING The corps carol service was so well attended that some people decided not to go to let others be there for the first time.

Festive drinks were served and each person was given a gingerbread man, a reindeer soft toy and a Christmas puzzle to take home. The meeting included songs and a Nativity reading using fruit and vegetables. The corps folk were delighted to see so many people worshipping together and hope that some of the new faces will return. – KS Salvationist 8 January 2022

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NEWS

ARMY NEWS

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Army warns of rough sleeper deaths THQ THE Salvation Army is warning that people risk dying on the streets this winter as the cold weather continues to bite.

The warning comes despite new government figures for England and Wales showing a slight decrease in deaths of people experiencing homelessness, including rough sleepers.

Office for National Statistics figures show 11.6 per cent fewer deaths, from 778 in 2019 to 688 in 2020, among people experiencing homelessness. The ONS believes this is not statistically significant and emphasises that figures for 2020 were affected by the Everyone In scheme, under which more than 37,000 people were housed in emergency accommodation from March 2020. The ONS also states that the Everyone In scheme made it more difficult to identify people experiencing homelessness and so the true figure may be higher.

The Salvation Army is finding new ways of ensuring people are not forced to sleep on freezing streets as temperatures drop.

Many communal-style shelters are still not Covid safe, but the Army has adapted its services to meet local need and provide a network of support across the country, including giving out hot meals and warm clothing, providing access to showers and a place to sleep, plus advice and other outreach services. The Army is also creating modular housing units for rough sleepers across the country with wrap-around support to help people tackle the causes of their homelessness.

Director of Homelessness Services Lorrita Johnson said: ‘Even one death on the street is significant and should be avoided.’ – AR

BOURNE The annual community carol service was held outside after the trustees of Wellhead Park offered the use of the park. The service was a success with large numbers of people enjoying carols accompanied by the corps community band. Corps officer Lieutenant Sarah O’Grady’s signing choir accompanied one of the carols. Light refreshments were served. – CG

PRESENTATION

GATESHEAD Corps Treasurer Sylvia Mackereth retired from her role after 28 years of diligent service. She held many leadership roles from a young age and received a certificate of recognition and a ‘thank you’ book that detailed some of the impact of her service. – AH

PRESENTATION Divisional leaders Majors Ray and Pat Brown and corps officer Captain Andrina Downie present certificates of thanks to volunteers for their service to Lockerbie Corps and community, before they enjoyed a buffet lunch together 6

Salvationist 8 January 2022

Gateshead toddler group leader Barbara Turnbull receives a retirement certificate and gift from corps officer Lieutenant Tony Kakande and CSM Ann Humes; Barbara will remain part of the group’s team

Major Jean Howarth presents Steve Winn with a retirement certificate after 26 years’ service as corps treasurer at Rhosllanerchrugog; he will continue to serve as a bandsman and lead meetings

MUSIC

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GRAVESEND The South London Fellowship Band presented A Musical Extravaganza, the band’s first post-lockdown engagement and the first under Bandmaster Derick Kane. Established favourites were joined by solo items ‘Tyrolean Variations’ from Adrian Horwood (euphonium) and ‘Through the Fair’ from Jeremy David (flugelhorn) and the world premiere of ‘This Is My Song’ by Derick Kane. Vocal soloist Eva Stout sang ‘Close to You’ and ‘Someone to Watch over Me’, accompanied by Mikaela Llavadiotis, and ‘If I Loved You’, accompanied by a section of the band. The evening included a commemorative service for band and corps members whose memorial arrangements had been limited by Covid-19 restrictions. Names and photographs were displayed as the sombre tones of ‘Promoted to Glory’ gave way to congregational singing of ‘Welcome Home’ and the band playing ‘The Dartford March’. The evening concluded with ‘To God Be the Glory’. An offering of £330 was received for the Big Collection. – DB

PRESENTATION

RHOSLLANERCHRUGOG Major Jean Howarth relinquished her leadership of the corps after more than 11 years. Following her retirement in 2007, and after a short spell at her home corps of Coedpoeth, she was asked to oversee Rhosllanerchrugog. Divisional leaders Majors Roger and Noreen Batt conducted the farewell meeting and Bandswoman Maureen Baldwin presented Major Jean with flowers and a financial gift on behalf of the corps.

Omo Idegun made a cake for the occasion.

The combined Rhosllanerchrugog and Coedpoeth Bands supported the meeting and presented Leslie Condon’s arrangement of Joy Webb’s ‘I Can Think of Him’. ‘I have ministered to the folk here and borne them in my heart before the One who called me to be a Salvation Army officer more than 50 years ago. However, I decided that now was the time to finally “retire” from the responsibility as a corps officer,’ said Major Jean. She is pictured cutting the cake with retiring corps treasurer Steve Winn and Majors Roger and Noreen Batt. – JH

SLEAFORD Publicity for the Be A Hero appeal brought a generous response during the days the hall was open for gifts, as well as during the family-themed gift service. In co-operation with the district council, 101 parcels were sent to Afghan refugee families accommodated in the area. A further 100 parcels of toys, food and other items were provided to vulnerable families identified by social workers. – NM

OUTREACH

BOSCOMBE Lots of children attended the five-day holiday club, with the number taking part increasing every day. Each day included a Bible story, worship, games, crafts and a quiet time with a prayer activity. They learnt about: Moses parting the Red Sea and how others can help their faith to grow; Jonah and how faith grows when someone shares their story; the feeding of the 5,000 and how each child is unique and has a gift to offer; Zacchaeus and being a friend of Jesus; and the salvation story and how Jesus loves, forgives and wants a relationship with them. – JS

FUNDRAISING

WILLIAMSTOWN Corps Secretary Edward Beach and Chaplain to the Welsh Assembly Major David Emery met at Castellau Chapel, Beddau, to deliver a talk to the Hobby Lobby craft group about the work of The Salvation Army. At the end of the meeting, Shirley Ashman presented Edward with a cheque for £200 towards the Big Collection. The money was raised through craft sales. Shirley and her husband, Alwyn, started the group to provide an opportunity for people to share their interests. – EB Salvationist 8 January 2022

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NEWS

OUTREACH

COMMUNITY SOUTHWICK The Employment Plus service at the Southwick Community Project centre has been praised by Sunderland Central MP Julie Elliott as a ‘fantastic scheme’. The service, which offers tailored support to help people become job-ready and stay in work, is funded through a partnership with soft drinks manufacturer Clearly Drinks and receives referrals from Citizens Advice, Jobcentre Plus and Swan Lodge Lifehouse. Community Project Manager Graham Wharton gave Ms Elliott a guided tour of the centre, which also runs a food bank and hosts a number of programmes for the community. – AR

LIVERPOOL WALTON The band, led by Bandmaster Neil Lacey, played Christmas carols to welcome delegates to the final G7 summit of 2021. The event, which took place at the Museum of Liverpool on the city’s waterfront, saw foreign and development ministers discuss several topics including world peace. – AH

COMMUNITY

Hucknall corps officer Captain Gayner Ward receives a cheque for £500 from Councillor Lee Waters to help purchase a defibrillator for the corps

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The Music Man Group at Boston lead a carol service among family and friends

Chatteris Songster Leader Gerald Day presents new toys, clothes and toiletries to James Horner from Barnardo's, following generous donations from local residents 8

Salvationist 8 January 2022

Salvationist wants to hear your news.

Corps press representatives can email salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Good quality pictures will be included.

Aylesbury Band spread the Christmas message in the town centre

C CHRISTMAS BEING TOGETHER, LIVING IN GOD’S COVENANT

by Secretary for Spiritual Life Development Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts SATURDAY 8 JANUARY God is just, righteous, holy and completely beyond our understanding. Yet he has given us his son, Jesus, to be our Saviour. Thank you, Lord, for your amazing love and grace.

Father God, may we continue to live in this new covenant as your redeemed people.

BOGNOR REGIS Corps officer and Royal Air Forces Association Chaplain Major Matt Butler welcomed the local branch to a carol service at the hall. The RAFA choir took part and the chairman of the branch, Cliff Mewett, presented the RAFA standard. – AH

COMMUNITY Risca Bandmaster Adrian Browning receives donations from the RAF Air Cadets for the food bank

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SUNDAY 9 JANUARY – COVENANT SUNDAY Being Together, Living in God’s Covenant is celebrated today in the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. Our covenant with God begins in a personal decision to follow Jesus. As we learn and grow spiritually, we become part of a worldwide family of believers. Lord God, please remove any barriers that are in the way of your people truly being together.

MONDAY 10 JANUARY Being together in God’s covenant is being part of a spiritual community. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: ‘It is a gift of God that we cannot claim. It is not an ideal which we must realise; it is rather a reality created by God in which we may participate.’ Thank you, God, for this gift.

TUESDAY 11 JANUARY ‘A Christian community is made of people who gather around the transforming presence of Christ so they can do the will of God’ (Ruth Haley Barton). Pray for the Christian community that you are part of, that each person may know the presence of Jesus and discern God’s will.

WEDNESDAY 12 JANUARY ‘Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him’ (Mark 3:13). To gather around the transforming presence of Jesus involves his call and our choice. Pray to hear and respond.

THURSDAY 13 JANUARY Having called his disciples, Jesus appointed 12 ‘that they might be with him’ (Mark 3:14). The priority was to be with him before they engaged in the work he sent them out to do.

Pray about how that might change your perspective.

FRIDAY 14 JANUARY Being together in God’s covenant will include being with people from whom we might think very differently on all kinds of issues. Let us pray for unity in our diversity and the wisdom to learn to disagree well!

Captains Annemarie and Philip Cole (Ballymena and Larne) receive donated toys and gifts from Moy Park food processing company in Ballymena, represented by production manager Aaron Whiteman

O A PDF of the Prayer Matters booklet is also available to download from salvationarmy.org.uk/resources

PREVIEW

Deputy Director of Family Ministries Liz Hall looks ahead to the Riverbank women’s conference (formerly Women and God Weekend) on 10–12 June

‘O

N the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there’ (Acts 16:13 New Living Translation).

When Paul and Timothy arrived in the city of Philippi, having been guided there by the Holy Spirit, they set off to find the synagogue. After discovering that no such building existed, they went on to the riverbank, the place of prayer, to find the men with whom they could share the good news of Jesus. Instead they encountered the first women’s fellowship recorded in the New Testament.

Why was that group of women, a mixture of Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism, at the riverbank that day?

They were doing the best they could to serve God in the only way they knew at the time.

The Jewish women in the group who knew their Scriptures would have taught the Gentile converts to Judaism. However, none of the women knew anything about Christ’s life, death, burial and resurrection. Each woman was an example of a worshipper and a seeker, someone who was right with God as far as their revelation of him had taken them. They were doing the best they could, but they needed to hear the good news of Christ if they were going to become all that God wanted them to be.

Lydia, a businesswoman dealing in luxurious purple cloth, was among the group. As Paul and Timothy sat 10

Salvationist 8 January 2022

down to teach them, God opened her heart. She was baptised and invited Paul and Timothy into her home so her family and household could hear the good news as well.

Riverbank 2022 will take place in June at an amazing new venue: The Slate conference centre at Warwick University.

It’s a beautiful space overlooking a lake, which will give a real sense of being on the riverbank. It will be an event where God can break into our lives, as he did in Lydia’s life, and give us a glimpse of his plans for us, our families and our communities.

The theme of the conference is Just imagine!, which will lead us to imagine – and in some cases reimagine – what God wants to accomplish through Christian women in the 21st century.

We already have some amazing guests lined up, who will help us unpack Ephesians 3:20 and 21: ‘Now to him

TICKET PRICES £170 weekend ticket (new year discount – book before 16 January) £180 weekend ticket (early bird discount – book before 4 March) £190 weekend ticket (full price) £80 day ticket for 11 June (including meals)

GUESTS Lou Fellingham Worship leader Bekah Legg CEO of the charity Restored Christian Domestic Abuse Rachel Turner Parenting for Faith pioneer at BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship) Major David Betteridge Director of Family Ministries for the UKI Territory

who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory.’

We will explore what it means to be: rooted and rested in God; loved and lavished on by God; and empowered and energised by God. We invite you as worshippers and seekers to come to the Riverbank conference to meet with other women and discover a place where we can encounter God in worship, engage in Christian teaching and explore our God-given potential.

O Further

information and online booking are available at salvationarmy. org.uk/riverbank-womens-conference and via facebook.com/sarmyfm

VIEW POINT

Retaining cultural capital Bandmaster Adrian Lyons (Colchester Citadel) suggests we can make good use of the Army’s musical heritage

P

ERHAPS you are familiar with the term ‘cultural capital’. It means different things to people, but for those working in education Ofsted’s definition is what counts: ‘The essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.’

I think this definition is problematic.

Who defines what is the best? Who decides what knowledge is essential to be educated citizens? Anyone who watched the Christmas special editions of University Challenge will know that some people have done very well in their careers with little knowledge of ‘the best that has been thought and said’ and little ‘appreciation of human creativity and achievement’. Often a basic knowledge of the Bible scuppers contestants in quiz shows. Yet, whether they were committed Christians or not, until recent decades people would have seen the Bible as a basic building block of British society.

I would suggest that in The Salvation Army we have our own cultural heritage that we are in danger of losing. As we continue to adapt to a changing world, Salvationists are presented with a dilemma. Our mission is to connect with the unchurched and we rightly want to dispense with barriers. Yet, from a

cultural point of view, there is much worth retaining. The second General of The Salvation Army, Bramwell Booth, proudly proclaimed that the Army was ‘a nation within the nations, with its own art, culture and music’.

Over recent years the staff sections have made significant contributions to celebrating the Army’s musical cultural heritage. The International Staff Songsters have released volumes 1 and 2 of Heart Songs, featuring great songster songs of the past. The International Staff Band, in a project masterminded by Bandmaster Dr Stephen Cobb, have released the ISB Heritage Series of CDs featuring music representative of each decade from the 1930s to the 1990s. An initiative by Bandmaster Howard Evans saw Boscombe Band capture some of the tradition of Army devotional music.

Of course, the Army is not alone in producing devotional music, but there is a uniqueness in the Army band tradition of a piece of brass music that has a direct message through the selected tunes and their associated words. It is that carefully arranged ‘sermon in music’ that has gone out of fashion with the demise of the Sunday evening salvation meeting.

When it comes to religious music there is a much wider loss of cultural capital taking place than just the potential disappearance of Salvationist art forms. I am referring to what are sometimes called the ‘great hymns of the Church’. I don’t mean the displacement of established hymns with more modern ones – that has always happened and there are many great modern worship songs. Rather, my concern is that most people do not know any hymns.

This becomes a problem when arranging a wedding or funeral involving people who are not churchgoers. In a country where non-church attendance has been the norm for several generations, there is no cultural memory from when people used to attend.

Similarly, while there are some schools where pupils may sing a few religious songs in assembly, these songs are unlikely to be hymns. In many primary schools that are not church schools, the singing of religious songs is rare. As an inspector I loved visiting assemblies in church schools where children did sing Christian songs. In secondary schools, the singing of hymns or religious songs has been almost non-existent for decades.

While this loss of cultural capital is sad, it perhaps offers an opportunity. We could get off the hook of thinking that contemporary music is somehow more relevant. As Kevin Larsson said on my Fortress Radio show in October, what we call contemporary worship music is 1990s pop. It is not the style listened to by the public.

Therefore, freed from attempts to make the styles of 30 years ago relevant, let us take the best that has been created, whenever it was created, and use it to worship, praise and celebrate. Perhaps we could even revive the old sermon in music.

ADRIAN PRESENTS MELODY IN MY HEART ON FORTRESS RADIO Salvationist 8 January 2022

11

There are hundreds of corps and centres in our territory, but what makes them The Salvation Army?

In this series we discover just that

We are rebuilding says Aston 614 leader Lieutenant Corinne Seabridge

S

ERVING the community since 2006, Aston 614 is a Salvation Army youth centre based in Birmingham that provides weekly activities for up to 40 children, young people and families.

Before Covid-19 lockdowns came into effect, activities included after-school drop-ins, Arts Awards groups, football and Nerf tournaments, school holiday trips, mentoring and cell groups. Once a fortnight we also held intergenerational gatherings in which we ate, worshipped and explored the Christian life.

When these activities were restricted we introduced online sessions, such as gaming and cell groups. We also increased the amount of detached youth work we engaged in, meeting people out in the community setting.

The nationally accredited Arts Awards qualifications that we offer are a big part of our work with young people. In light of the pandemic, we moved these services 12

Salvationist 8 January 2022

online too. Group virtual cell sessions included discussions about mental health, racism, gang violence and social justice.

We now have young people who are completing Arts Awards in comic book creation, music production, animation, graffiti and content creation for YouTube and we partnered other community organisations to start a weekly Positive Minds group. To support our young people interested in catering we started a cooking session too. We aimed to provide nutritious food for the young people who attended our centre during drop-in sessions During the third lockdown,12-year-old Kudzy told us: ‘I’ve been able to do what I love – which is drawing and animation – and got a certificate for it!

‘I’ve found lockdown hard because you can’t see friends or relatives and have to stay at home. Coming to the centre and doing the online stuff has been helpful because I can get out of

the house and talk to the youth workers about Dragon Ball and show them my drawings.’

Tierre, aged 16, added: ‘Even though I can’t go outside I can still play video games with these guys and talk to people. It’s helped me a lot as I’d do nothing all day. It’s helping me get past these days. I enjoyed the online Arts Award – it kept me on my toes and gave me more stuff to do inside.’

In after-school drop-in sessions, young people from ages 5 to 18 took part in activities in a safe and friendly environment. These included Messy Church, console gaming, arts and crafts, indoor sports and mentoring.

Through these activities we impacted our community by enabling young people to connect with The Salvation Army and our ministry, which focuses on restoration, rebuilding and renewal through Jesus.

Our vision derives from Isaiah 61:4:

All photos show activities taking place before the current restrictions.

‘They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.’ This passage speaks of personal and societal renewal.

Our primary focus is serving the community by connecting with children, young people and families from different cultures, faiths and backgrounds. We take a grassroots approach, listening to the young people and their communities about what they want the centre to be.

This means we can react to needs within the community, evaluating our activities regularly and adapting as required.

We aim to build a relational, loving, safe and caring atmosphere at Aston 614 – a peaceful place where young people can come and leave their worries at the door.

Those doing the work are ones God has met with in his healing, freeing,

enlivening work – and those from the broken places are then the ones bringing healing, freedom and full life to their communities.

We want to be a part of this work – we feel called to it – and we desire to bring about change and transformation in the community and the lives of individuals and families in Aston who, for whatever reason, have lost hope.

Our mission is to continue joining with others in reaching people with the message of God’s love, whether that be serving with other Christian believers in the churches of Aston, partnering community groups or working alongside nearby corps, such as Birmingham Citadel.

It is exciting to think of different expressions of The Salvation Army across the city serving the communities in which they are placed in relevant ways – supporting one another and working together in mission.

We would really appreciate prayers for volunteers and for Aston as a whole community to know and experience the love of God. We ask for prayers for continued funding and that new initiatives – such as our community café – will be effective in generating income.

We ask for prayers for young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties, families who are facing financial struggles and young people who are drawn into gang culture, youth violence and county lines drug trafficking.

We ask for prayers for the team – that we would continue to listen to God and be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Finally, we ask people to join in a prayer that we have used since 2019: ‘Lord, help us to love you, to love each other and to love Aston with all our hearts.’

Salvationist 8 January 2022

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FROM THE

ARCHIVE

A ministry of poetry and prayer In tribute to Commissioner Harry Read OF, who was promoted to Glory on 14 December, Salvationist reprints his June 2019 conversation with Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

S

OON after midnight on 6 June 1944, 20-year-old wireless operator Harry Read parachuted into Normandy as part of the D-Day landings. On 5 June 2019, 95-year-old Harry Read again jumped into Normandy, this time skydiving with the Red Devils as part of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Harry’s skydive sparked enormous media interest and he lost no opportunity to witness to his faith and highlight the work for which he was raising funds: the Army’s support for victims of human trafficking.

This commitment to others has been the hallmark of Harry’s life as a Salvation Army officer. He was commissioned in 1948 and served with his wife, Win, in corps, training, divisional and public relations appointments before becoming Chief Secretary in Canada in 1981.

Leadership of the Australia Eastern Territory followed in 1984, during which time he became a candidate for General at the 1986 High Council. He became the British Commissioner (BC) in 1987.

In his first officers councils as BC, Harry made the famous statement: ‘You have permission to fail.’ He explains the background: ‘When I was a divisional commander someone came to present 14

Salvationist 8 January 2022

our officers with ideas about stewardship.

They seemed reluctant, so I asked, “What is the problem with this? Are you afraid of failure?” They said, “Yes. We can’t afford to fail.” So when I became BC I said, “I am not giving you a mandate to close this, that and the other, but I am giving you the mandate to fail, having tried.” It was the message God had given me for our territory. People were enthusiastic about it.’

Harry was to be the last leader of the British Territory. He worked with General Eva Burrows to separate it from the administrative structure of International Headquarters and create the new United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland, which was inaugurated upon his retirement in 1990.

With retirement came fresh opportunities for ministry. ‘I was asked to write Words of Life,’ he recalls. ‘I did that for 10 years, 29 editions in all. I loved doing it. It still allowed us time to do a lot of specialling and lead a Bible study at Bromley. We did the same at Winton, when we moved down to live in Bournemouth, with 50 to 60 people attending.’

Harry is well known for his poetic writing, which has gained a widespread following in recent years, not least through his regular Facebook posts. His gift for poetry began to develop when, as a cadet, he was encouraged by a member of the training college staff to show his work to Colonel Catherine Baird in the IHQ Literary Department. ‘I was greeted warmly but she told me, “You’re trying to do too much. You need one thought that you develop.” She gave me one of her books on the construction of poetry, and of course I fell in love with Catherine Baird. She mentored me for years, almost to her retirement. I felt so privileged.’

Later, when Harry was on the college staff, his poetic gifts helped bring the musical talents of a young college officer, Lieutenant John Larsson, to the attention of the Army world. The training principal had asked Harry to write the 1960 commissioning pageant. Harry reluctantly agreed but decided to change the traditional format. ‘The more I thought about it the more I thought it should be a musical,’ he says. ‘John Larsson had written a very lovely tune, so I said to him, “How would you feel about doing the music?” He said, “I’d love to do it.” So John and I became partners in this thing.’

Today, most of Harry’s poems are poetic prayers, written in sonnet form – 14 lines of 10 syllables. ‘My prayer life has always been very active,’ he observes, ‘and when our son, John, said he’d started keeping a prayer journal, I said, “What a good idea. I’m going to do that.” When I had my prayers I would write, and 14 lines was just about the right amount. So that, as much as anything, is why I write in sonnet form.’

When Win was promoted to Glory in 2007, Harry expressed many of his feelings in poetry that was later published. ‘I’d become a compulsive writer of verse,’ he explains, ‘and when Win died I shared my stuff with three other men in the corps who had been bereaved. They said how helpful it was, so I wrote the book, No Heart More Tender.’

Soon after this Harry’s poems found their way on to Facebook. His daughter, Margaret, had opened a Facebook account for him but after a while he lost interest. ‘Then,’ he says, ‘it was as though the good Lord said to me, “Hang on Harry; you might find a ministry here.”

So I contacted a couple of good friends and said, “If I put one of my poems up on a Sunday and something else on a

‘

I treat prayer as the dominant feature of my life

‘Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete’ (John 16:24) My heart, dear Lord, will not be satisfied With less than you have planned to give to me, My deepest longings will not be denied, I need from natural frailties to be free.

I need to feel upon my chosen way That I have power to be – and power to act More like a Jesus-person day by day, Not just within my mind but, as a fact.

But more, O Father God, I want so much That Christlikeness be planted in my soul, I want him to abide in me, and touch My mind and will, then take complete control.

I come, Lord, to my heart’s own mercy seat And kneel – and yield myself – before your feet.

’

O This article was first published in the

In July 2019 Commissioner Read was admitted to the Order of the Founder by General Brian Peddle ‘in recognition of a life of outstanding Christian witness in word, verse and deed’

Picture: PAUL HARMER

Wednesday, how would you feel about that?” And I found a ministry that’s been going for at least eight years.

‘As I have my prayers, as I meditate on the Scripture and get out of it what I think I’m supposed to get, I’m able to write the Facebook poems. That’s why I can always put a scriptural reference to them.’

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with people saying how much they have been helped and encouraged. Such was the interest that the Australia Southern Territory published many of the Facebook posts in 2013, along with some of his other poems, in Heart Talk: The Give and Take of Communion with God. Harry has always regarded prayer as essential and values the time he is now able to spend with God. ‘I treat prayer as the dominant feature of my life,’ he says. ‘It almost sounds sanctimonious, but as soon as I wake up I am making a prayer. When I go to bed I am making a prayer, winding up the day. I have my set times for prayer and my prayer lists are very lengthy.

‘I usually have a poem that I’ve been sorting out for Facebook, and I say, “Can I rest in you, Lord, in the light of what this poem is saying?”

And that’s where I start. But I don’t hurry on from there. He knows my weaknesses, he knows my desires, and I want to be able to rest in him.

‘Then I have to say to myself, “Harry, when you pray you are linking yourself with the active work of the Holy Spirit, who also is at work in that person’s heart.” I try to bear that in mind all the time. It is the two of us together.’

22 June 2019 Salvationist

POWER TO BE

Salvationist 8 January 2022

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BIBLE STUDY

The greatest commandment Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant reminds us that loving God and others is the driving force of The Salvation Army

MATTHEW 22:34–40

W

HAT are the four most important words? I typed that question into an internet search engine. One answer suggested: ‘What do you think?’ A leadership guru recommended: ‘I messed that up’.

A marriage adviser said: ‘I’ll do the dishes!’

Jesus said none of these things when he was asked what the greatest commandment was. What he said can be summarised in four words: love God, love others.

Both Matthew (22:34–40) and Mark (12:28–34) place this exchange just after Palm Sunday, days before Jesus’ death.

The Pharisees were testing Jesus with a

Through the week with Salvationist – a devotional thought for each day

legal question. Jesus’ answer was brilliant. He connected two separate commandments that the Pharisees knew well: ‘Love the Lord your God’ (Deuteronomy 6:5) and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Leviticus 19:18).

Jesus said: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’ (Matthew 22:37–40).

It is not clear whether Jesus was the first teacher to connect these two commandments, but no one could fault him for doing so. Jesus ripped into the heart of the Pharisees’ problem – they were experts in the law but did not understand that relationships and love are priorities for God. In Matthew’s account, Jesus said that all the Law and the Prophets hung on these two

Love has always been the energising passion for Salvationists. Commissioner Samuel Brengle wrote this about the importance of Salvationists loving one another: ‘We must still prove our discipleship by our love one for the other. It is not enough to wear the uniform, to profess loyalty to Army leaders and principles… We must love one another. We must make this the badge of our discipleship. We must wrestle and pray and hold fast that we do not lose this… Love is the life of the

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

(Deuteronomy 6:5)

Lord, how I love you,/ You have done so much for me./ Lord, how I love you,/ You have done so much,/ So very, very much,/ So very, very much for me.

(SASB 377)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.

(Ephesians 4:32 to 5:2)

Prayer Deepen my love for you, Lord, and make my love for others a reflection of that incomparable, undeserved love you have for me.

Salvationist 8 January 2022

QUESTION O Have we made following The Salvation Army’s Orders and Regulations more important than loving our neighbours as ourselves?

SUNDAY

by Major Howard Webber

16

commandments. By bringing them together, Jesus revealed the purpose of the Law: to help build healthy, loving relationships.

Army… If love leaks out we shall lose our crown, we shall have a name to live and yet be dead.’

QUESTIONS you experienced love leaking out? How do you stop it?

O Have

For Salvationists, the first or second Sunday in January used to be known as ‘Commitment Sunday’. It is now called ‘Covenant Sunday’. That’s a significant change. Commitment is still an essential aspect of being a disciple. We should be committed and reliable, and adhere to the rules so that we can all live holy lives. As Jesus said: ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them’ (Matthew 5:17).

However, our relationships – our covenants – with God and each other come first. Commitment flows out of covenant.

QUESTION happens if we demand commitment and forget our covenants?

O What

God invites everyone into covenant.

The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine states: ‘To realise Jesus’ radical ethic of love is to treat all our relationships as holy covenants (see Matthew 5:43–48; Luke 10:25–37; 1 John 4:7–21). God is able to love through us.’

‘Love God, Love Others’ is the statement that underpins all we do as The Salvation Army. They are four words to inspire us throughout 2022.

They must energise our personal lives and every part of Salvation Army life, whether we are helping people who are experiencing homelessness, caring for survivors of human trafficking, making music and creative arts, working with youth and older people, helping people escape debt or find employment,

tracking down missing relatives, operating charity shops and recycling schemes, providing an insurance company or any other act of service. In all aspects of life we can find unity and passion when we love God and love others.

‘For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better’ (Ephesians 1:15–17).

LIEUT-COLONEL PALLANT IS SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice/ To worship you, O my soul rejoice./ Take joy, my King, in what you hear,/ May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

(SASB 369)

‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ ( John 13:34 and 35)

Let there be love shared among us,/ Let there be love in our eyes;/ May now your love sweep this nation,/ Cause us, O Lord, to arise./ Give us a fresh understanding/ Of brotherly love that is real;/ Let there be love shared among us,/ Let there be love.

(SASB 1007)

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

(1 Corinthians 13:4 and 5)

Salvationist 8 January 2022

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REFLECTION CTI O REFL RE FLEC FL ECTI EC TION ON

REFL RE FLEC FLEC ECT TIION ON REFLECTION

Taking the test

Major John Waters continues a series of reflections on classic prayers

Brian Colley (Clowne) continues a series of reflections on verses from Psalms

Not unto us, O Lord!

Test me, Lord, and try me (Psalm 26:2)

K

ING David is the author of this psalm in which he asks God to take a close look at his life. He offers himself for examination and judgement, at the same time stating the reasons that he considers will guarantee a ‘well done’ from God. David has recognised the goodness of God and obeyed his word. He has not been led astray and does not like those around him who have gone against all that he himself believes in. He will cleanse himself thoroughly in order to worship and evangelise.

How many of us can say ‘test me, Lord, and try me’ in the knowledge that God will be truly pleased by what he discovers? How many of us have revised our standards to suit modern thinking instead of adhering to the word of God? It seems to be easier to shrug our shoulders and say ‘Well, in this day and age…’ or ‘The world is changing and we have to understand that.’ How many of us now tolerate instead of condemn anything that goes against the principles we hold on to tightly?

Too many people today are seeking to change God’s word to match the times, when the times need changing to match God’s word. We need to emulate the holy living of the psalmist because the day will come when God will examine all our lives. Let us not wait until that day but live in such a way that we can ask God to test and try us right now.

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Salvationist 8 January 2022

I

STILL remember the assemblies that started the day’s activities at my grammar school way back in the 1940s.

Singing, of course, was commonplace but – truth be told – I do not remember much of what we sang, with the exception of the prayer Non Nobis Domine, which I have only recently discovered to be a poem by Rudyard Kipling.

Rather curiously, the prayer links both my home city of Plymouth and my present neighbouring village of Rudyard, after which the author was named.

I have not been able to find the music that we used when singing the poem.

The only setting for it that I can find is by Patrick Doyle, which is used in the 1989 film Henry V when the prayer is sung before the Battle of Agincourt. Clearly that was much too late for our use in the 1940s, but the words are what concern us here: Non nobis Domine! – Not unto us, O Lord!

The praise or glory be Of any deed or word; For in thy judgement lies To crown or bring to naught All knowledge or device That man has reached or wrought.

It would not be sensible to decry the vast progress for many of the world’s inhabitants brought about by our skill, ingenuity, knowledge and persistence, but the prayer reminds us that whether these efforts are crowned or come to

naught ultimately remains the sole prerogative of the Creator and Governor of this world. Anyone who is hesitant about any suggestion of humankind’s limitations need only to reflect on the state of the world today.

And we confess our blame – How all too high we hold That noise which men call fame, That dross which men call gold.

For these we undergo Our hot and godless days, But in our hearts we know Not unto us the praise.

O Power by whom we live – Creator, judge, and friend, Upholdingly forgive Nor fail us at the end: But grant us well to see In all our piteous ways – Non nobis Domine! – Not unto us the praise!

Our manifold achievements can lead to pride and a beguiling sense of self-sufficiency but the coronavirus pandemic of these past two years, together with numerous other global and uncontrollable disasters, remind us of the truth of this prayer. As creatures, humankind remain subject to the Creator, whom we acknowledge and to whom we gladly offer worship and praise.

MAJOR WATERS LIVES IN RETIREMENT IN BIDDULPH MOOR

NEW COMMITMENTS Editor’s note In-person meetings were held before the current Covid-19 restrictions and in accordance with Army safety guidance at the time.

SOUTHSEA Bob Crutchley was welcomed as an adherent by corps officers Majors Alan and Carol Young on Remembrance Sunday. Bob has been part of the corps fellowship for some time. He said that taking this step expressed his commitment to surrender all to Jesus. – CY

NELSON Dagmar Williams was welcomed as an adherent by corps officers Captains Ian and Wendy Hall. Dagmar gave a powerful testimony about her relationship with a God who is real and her calling to serve Jesus and make him known to others. Dagmar was joined by family and friends who enthusiastically gathered around her in prayer. – IH

BIRMINGHAM CITADEL Cheryl Clayton was enrolled as a soldier by corps officer Captain Clare Allman. She was supported by Major Bryan Snell, who was Cheryl’s corps officer when she was a child at Birmingham Aston. Cheryl’s daughter and four grandsons all attend the corps and her eldest grandson, Colour Sergeant Krystian Clayton, invited her to come to a meeting. Eventually Cheryl felt it was the right time to become a soldier. She has been sharing her faith with people she meets. – RO

STOTFOLD Noah and Olivia were enrolled as junior soldiers by corps officer Captain Nicola Brooksbank. They were encouraged to live out the promise they made in such a way as to bring out the ‘God colours’ in the world. Noah and Olivia are pictured with Children’s Ministry Co-ordinator Sandra May. – HT

BELFAST CITADEL Ann Russell was enrolled as a soldier by corps officer Major Mark Waghorn. She went to Ballynafeigh Corps as a child and started attending Belfast Citadel when her local corps closed in 1986. She always sits in the front row, smiling at the meeting leader. She recently decided that it was time to become a soldier.

Following her enrolment she shared a favourite verse: ‘Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men’ (Colossians 3:23 King James Version). She is pictured with Major Mark and her sister, Major May Hart. – NM Salvationist 8 January 2022

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LETTERS

CARRY ON CAROLLING!

WHO ARE WE?

HAVING played in the Army Band for 50 years I was thinking back to my first experience I had while carolling. We would go out from Monday to Friday in the early evening around the streets where we had to stop at lampposts so that we could see the music, while the collectors knocked on the doors. On Saturday we were allowed to play and collect by shops. On Sunday, after the morning meeting and before the evening meeting, we would be out again playing carols.

Today we are allowed to play and collect in supermarkets, which is much better and a lot warmer. Penarth Band were out on 4 December in the town centre where it was blowing a gale.

Trying to keep the music on the stands proved to be a problem, but we carried on. Not being able to carol the previous year because of Covid-19, we appreciated being out spreading the Christmas message with the music we played. So Army bands, big and small, keep on carolling! We never know what impact we have on the people listening.

Chris Parr Penarth

IN the 20 November 2021 issue of Salvationist the title of the editor’s comment asked: ‘Who are we?’ This took my mind back to when one of us got a bit stroppy as youngsters. We would be asked: ‘Who do you think you are, Joe Louis?’ The connotation was that, if you thought you were better than the rest of them (in terms of a scrap), you might have thought to yourself, ‘Yes, I am Joe Louis!’

Who are we? My response would be that The Salvation Army is what I am as an individual soldier and the follow-on to that reflected throughout the organisation is logically ‘who we are’. We can judge who we are as The Salvation Army by taking a general view of our origin, doctrine, standards and dedication as well as honouring individual commitment. If we are found to have fallen far short of these disciplines then those on the outside could rightly ask: ‘Exactly what does The Salvation Army stand for?’

Gordon Archer Lurgan

HERALDING A PRIVILEGE HOW lovely it was to read about Gerald Newton and his ministry as a herald in Tunstall (Salvationist 20 November 2021). My husband and I have been heralds in our town since 2003 and, over the past three and a half years, my husband has had long spells in hospital.

I wondered at first whether I would be able to continue the ministry on my own, but I am so glad that I have. My regulars have been an amazing support with words of encouragement, prayers, visits to my husband, cards, gifts, etc. I have always seen the folk as ‘our flock’ but more so now, as we are able to be mutually supportive, understanding each other’s needs and building each other up.

It is a privilege to be on the street each week. I will show one of my regulars the picture of Gerald when I see her next.

Ann Armstrong Milton Keynes 20

Salvationist 8 January 2022

LET THERE BE LIGHT (AND TREES) IN many people’s eyes, the sooner coal can completely vanish, the better. The main snag is there is rather a lot to be replaced by renewable energy. Fortunately, the Bible and a lot of 21st-century technology might have an answer. A song in The Sound of Music advises us to ‘start at the very beginning’, so go to Genesis 1:3 and God said ‘let there be light’ – and there was light, and God saw that it was good.

Photovoltaic panels turn light into electricity and their supporters have made much of the claim that the cost of making them has dropped dramatically in recent times, and their output has improved. Let us assume 200 watts per square metre. Many countries have deserts, some of them huge, with lots of sunlight, so could we cover these with solar panels?

Here is the arithmetic: 5 sq km of solar panels would produce 1 GW (gigawatt).

Drax power station in Yorkshire has a capacity of 4 GW – 20 sq km of solar panels could theoretically replace a big power station, so could sunlight replace much of the world’s coal as an energy source?

Then there are trees. These absorb the CO2 we cannot help but produce when we exhale. There is about 1 million sq km of land in Africa south of the Sahara that is vulnerable to desertification. Millions of trees need to be planted there to keep the desert at bay, providing work for people – planting, tending, harvesting and guarding the trees against firewood scavengers.

Wesley Paxton Lockerbie

ADVERTS TO LET ALTEA, SPAIN Modern two-bedroom, two-bathroom heated apartment, pool, tennis, garden, garage. Shops, restaurants, beach close, hillwalking. Warm winter area. Airport transfers available.

Tel 02920 759314 or email dee.jones@virgin.net.

TOPSHAM, DEVON Two-bedroom cottage overlooking Exe Estuary and hills. Local shops, inns, teashops, walks. Coast, moors, Exeter nearby.

Tel 02920 759314 or email dee.jones@virgin.net.

ADVERTS

RECRUITING NOW CHILDREN AND YOUTH WORKER NORTH SCOTLAND

The Salvation Army in north Scotland is seeking to rebuild and extend its children and youth programme. This position enables us to focus on the delivery of frontline mission among children and youth in the most effective and efficient way by the development of teams and programmes.

In co-operation and with the support of the divisional team and corps (church) leaders, and in accordance with procedures and policies established at divisional level, the ideal candidate will assist corps leaders in the development and implementation of corps programmes targeted at children and youth.

Save The Date Friday 15 – Sunday 17 July 2022 International Convention Centre Birmingham

The successful candidate will have: O Knowledge of and experience in children’s and youth work, a relevant professional qualification or be willing to work towards such O Strong organisational skills O The ability to work within budgets O Experience in co-ordinating activities, schedules and logistics O A working knowledge of relevant digital and social media They will need to be self-reliant and have the ability and willingness to travel extensively, with overnight stays being common. There will be access to a fleet car for this role.

Commissioning, Congress and Symphony Sounds

The role has an occupational requirement that the successful candidate must be a committed and practising Christian and will be in sympathy with the doctrines of, and supportive of the purposes, aims and objectives of, The Salvation Army.

SALARY £25,570 per annum WORKING HOURS 35 hours per week, which may include evenings and weekends CONTRACT Permanent position DETAILS 25 days’ annual leave + bank holidays; a contributory pension scheme; season ticket loan; an employee assistance programme; access to a fleet car CLOSING DATE Midnight, 30 January INTERVIEW DATE 10 February

As a disability confident scheme employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

For further details and to apply please visit: salvationarmy.org.uk/jobs Appointment subject to satisfactory references and proof of right to work in the UK. CVs will not be accepted. Promoting equality in the workplace.

Be part of the salvationist.org.uk feedback group Interested in digital ministry? Apply to be part of the feedback group for a new territorial website.

This new website, launching in spring, will be the go-to digital space for Salvationists and friends of our church and will work alongside the printed Salvationist magazine.

It will be the online home of Army news, devotional materials, resources, events and learning opportunities.

To help us make the website as engaging, inclusive and accessible as possible, we need a feedback group. The group will meet quarterly to advise editors about user experience and content.

Visit our territorial website to complete the application form by 9 January and find more information: salvationarmy.org.uk/ salvationistwebsite

ART RESOURCE: DRAWING CLOSER This new resource from the Music and Creative Arts Unit and Family Ministries Unit encourages participants to explore the psalms through their own creativity. Drawing Closer works well as a stand-alone programme, with existing groups of all ages or as a tool for personal reflection.

Some people may be inspired to begin straight away, for others there are colouring, Bible verse and doodling sheets of the psalm, meaning anyone can use art to connect with God. Each of the six sessions includes a thought and a prayer.

To download the resource go to salvationarmy.org.uk/ resources/worship-resources/drawing-closer

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARMY PEOPLE LOCAL OFFICER APPOINTMENTS O CS Jane Haystead, Margate O YPSM Beth Hilditch, Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES Emerald (55th) O Lieut-Colonels Alan and Eveline Bateman (21 January) DEDICATED TO GOD Hudson George, son of Songster Alicia and Bandsman Simon Little, at Felixstowe by Major Katerina Lennox

O

RETIRED OFFICERS Birthday congratulations O Major Hazel Kilminster-Cooke (90 on 18 January) O Captain Ruth Lewington (80 on 18 January) O Major Glenis Bircumshaw (80 on 20 January) PROMOTED TO GLORY Joan Wright, Rugby O Sandra Watson, Sleaford O Bram Holland, Gloucester O Joan Cooper, Shirebrook, on 12 December O Coral Newport, Trowbridge, on 15 December O Derek Cummings, Kirkcaldy, on 15 December O Valerie Ringham, Burton-on-Trent, on 17 December O Major Alan Dadd from Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, on 19 December O

BEREAVED O Diane Cooper and Cheryl Cooper, both Shirebrook, of their sister Joan Cooper

Major Brenda Parry of her sister Joan Wright, Kathryn Watson, Rugby, and Marion Cromey of their mother O Major Julia Adcock, Guildford, David Ringham, Wendy Edge and Jonathan Ringham of their mother Valerie Ringham O Major Gillian Billard, Staines, of her mother Margaret Blagg O Major May Dadd of her husband Major Alan Dadd O SL Amanda Streather, Southsea, of her mother Joy Dunesby O

TRIBUTES ROY ALDIS, FELIXSTOWE ROY Aldis was born in 1927 to Salvationist parents at Ipswich Citadel. In 1944 he met Barbara Harrold at youth councils and, after his national service in the RAF, they married in 1950. Roy transferred to Felixstowe, her home corps, and Adrian and Deirdre’s arrival completed the family.

Salvation Army service included serving as corps cadet guardian – his brigade won the National Efficiency Banner in 1976 – and corps secretary.

A transfer from Felixstowe to Ipswich Citadel for several years saw Roy leading a thriving over-60 club.

Returning to Felixstowe coincided with Barbara’s increasing disability and Roy’s loving care of her. After her promotion to Glory, Roy moved to live with his daughter and son-in-law. Aware that his long life was drawing to a close, he remained steadfast in his belief that he was going to the Father God he had committed his life to as a young man. – AA

ENGAGEMENTS THE CHIEF OF THE STAFF (COMMISSIONER LYNDON BUCKINGHAM) AND COMMISSIONER BRONWYN BUCKINGHAM O Sunbury Court (welcome to ICO session), Thu 13 Jan O USA Leadership Summit, Fri 14 – Thu 20 THE TERRITORIAL COMMANDER (COMMISSIONER ANTHONY COTTERILL) AND COMMISSIONER GILLIAN COTTERILL O WBC (spiritual day), Wed 12 Jan O Sunbury Court (welcome to ICO session), Thu 13 THE CHIEF SECRETARY (COLONEL PAUL MAIN) AND COLONEL JENINE MAIN O Harpenden, Sun 16 Jan

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BETTY BOYCE, OXFORD BETTY was born in Oxford in 1942. A keen swimmer, she came with a friend to Sunday school, became a junior soldier and joined in turn the singing company, sunbeams, guards, corps cadets and songsters. She helped teach in the Sunday school, became assistant brownie guider, taught the timbrel, organised the flower list and led the women’s fellowship. She was a lovely, spiritual woman who co-ordinated the corps prayer ministry in later years.

Betty married Keith in 1964 and was fiercely devoted to her two children, three grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. She enjoyed holiday time and days out with family and friends, especially when there was the possibility of a swim. Caravan holidays were a special delight.

Betty liked music and enjoyed many concerts and events, both at and away from the Army.

She is much missed as a loving and supportive wife, mother and friend.

– TJ DONALD BEARCROFT, ABERTILLERY DON came late into The Salvation Army and was a soldier for the latter seven years of his life.

Even then ill health prevented him from taking an active part in the corps. He was keenly interested in the history of the town and was for many years the curator of Abertillery and District Museum and worked tirelessly to establish a permanent home for it.

On the occasion of the 120th corps anniversary in 2003, Don made room in the museum for a display of uniforms and other objects from the history of the corps. From this stemmed an association with the corps officers, culminating in his soldiership. Although confined to his home for nearly all of his soldiership, Don expressed a continuing hope that he might be able to worship in the hall. This was not to be, and he was promoted to Glory at the age of 78. – AB

COMMISSIONER HARRY READ OF RECIPIENT of the Order of the Founder Commissioner Harry Read was promoted to Glory on 14 December.

Harry was born in Teesville, North Yorkshire, and attended Grangetown Corps. While a paratrooper in the Second World War he became active at Edinburgh Gorgie Corps and from there entered the International Training College (ITC) in 1947 as a cadet in the King’s Messengers session.

After his training he was appointed a cadet-sergeant, and in May 1949 was appointed to Dorking Corps.

In May 1950 he married Lieutenant Winifred Humphries and together they served in corps ministry at Chichester, Eastbourne Old Town and Portslade before returning to the training college as section officers in 1954. An appointment to Hanwell Corps followed in 1962, and in 1964 Harry was appointed as divisional youth secretary in the South West Scotland Division of the Scotland Territory. Two years later he returned to the ITC, where he served for the next five years, first as field training officer

and then as second side officer. During this time he provided the script for, and produced, the dramatic presentations for the Commissioning celebrations. Several songs written for these occasions are included in the Army songbook.

In 1972 he was appointed press officer and director of information services at IHQ, frequently taking part in radio and TV broadcasts. From 1975 until 1978 he served as divisional commander, Nottingham Division, then returned to the ITC as training principal.

The Reads’ first overseas appointments came in 1981 when Harry became chief secretary, Canada and Bermuda Territory.

This was followed by his appointment in 1984 as territorial commander, Australia Eastern Territory, before serving as British Commissioner from May 1987 until retirement in October 1990. He remained active during retirement, including a brief appointment in 1993 as acting territorial commander of the now United Kingdom and Ireland Territory.

Commissioner Read will be remembered by all who were privileged to meet him as a true servant leader, and proved to be a role model for many.

His writings, both poetry and prose, have proved to be of enormous help and support.

Mrs Commissioner Winifred Read was promoted to Glory in June 2007 and is remembered not only for the great support that she always gave to her husband, but also for her own individual giftings and service.

On 5 June 2019, at the age of 95, Commissioner Read took part in a parachute jump, reflecting one he had made as a 20-year-old in 1944 as part of the D-Day landings in Normandy. All who were with him on this second occasion, and all who watched the national TV coverage, could not help but be impacted by his gentle courage and heroism.

On 6 July 2019 General Brian Peddle admitted Commissioner Harry Read to the Order of the Founder. The citation read: ‘In recognition of a life of outstanding Christian witness in word, verse and deed spanning 75 years, with a recent and relevant witness through social media, captivating a global audience with the authentic message of reconciliation, hope and peace.’

Chief of the Staff Commissioner Lyndon Buckingham said, ‘We offer our sincere condolences and assurance of our prayers to Commissioner Read’s son, Major Dr John Read, and his daughter, Major Margaret Ord, together with their families.’ – AR

HAZEL CHAPMAN, WOOD GREEN HAZEL was born in Highbury on 21 August 1933 and was a lifelong Arsenal fan. Having first attended The Salvation Army in Edmonton as a young child, her faith in God was seen when she joined Wood Green Corps in later years.

Hazel was faithful in her service at the homelessness drop-in and the Second Chance Sale. Her work as a foster carer was well known in the area and she is remembered by family and friends as a lady who had a lot of love to give.

She is missed greatly by all those who knew and loved her. – PK

DAVID WALSH, SOUTHPORT BORN in Kirkcaldy, David was the younger of two brothers. Throughout his working life he worked for the NHS, specialising in pathology.

He married Carol in 1981 before they moved to Bellshill, where they remained until 1982. A further career move brought David and Carol, together with Craig and Lesley, to Southport.

A committed member of the cornet section, David served as band secretary for a number of years while Carol joined the songsters.

During this time David’s career in the NHS continued to develop until he was appointed overall head of the Merseyside hospitals’ pathology department, a position he held until his retirement in early 2021.

A much-loved husband, father and grandfather, David was a fine example of a Christian who served his Lord faithfully. – GN

MAUREEN FULLMAN, SKEWEN MAUREEN was raised in a Salvation Army family at Seven Sisters Corps, south Wales. She was a junior soldier and, in her early teens, an enthusiastic corps cadet. She would go to the hall every cold Sunday morning with her dad to light the boiler and regularly helped her mother scrub the wooden hall floor. She learnt to play the cornet and became a pub boomer, distributing Army papers two evenings weekly.

The family moved to Neath and linked up with Port Talbot when Maureen was in her late teens. She joined the band and songsters, became a pub boomer and a company guard and, for a while, primary sergeant. In 1961 she married YPSM Alf Fullman and they served together for almost 50 years until the corps closed and they transferred to Skewen.

Throughout her life Maureen was a lady of grace and prayer, with a joyous disposition. – AF

Please note that soldiers’ and adherents’ tributes submitted for publication should be no longer than 150 words. Good quality pictures will be included. Copy should be sent to salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk.

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‘‘ 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…

CATHERINE LACEY Stotfold How did you first come into contact with the Army?

A college friend was a committed Salvationist. She got involved with Canterbury Corps and I went along with her.

What made you want to worship at the Army?

The handshake and warm welcome.

I am convinced that neither death nor life … nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God

’’

(Romans 8:38 and 39)

If you could be in a film, which would it be and what character would you play?

The Sound of Music c – lavish scenery, adorable children, plenty of singing, a bit of religion thrown in and Christopher Plummer. I’d be Maria, of course.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose?

Jane Austen. She was such a witty and astute observer of humankind. I’d love to people-watch with her and listen to her comments.

What did you do before retirement?

I was a primary school teacher.

What was the most interesting thing about your work – and the most frustrating?

The most interesting thing was analysing children’s learning and studying challenging behaviour to try and help them. The most frustrating was knowing that my influence was limited by their circumstances.

What one thing would you change about the Army?

Narrow attitudes that limit people’s perception of God. God continues to reveal himself and his written word needs to be creatively interpreted by each generation.

What is your favourite kind of holiday?

Exploring an area of the UK by car, including nature, art, architecture, music and history, and meeting up with friends and family en route.

What was the first record, tape or CD that you ever owned?

An early Beatles single, either Love Me Do or She Loves You.

What is your favourite Bible passage?

Romans 8:38 and 39. It’s so reassuring.

Whatever happens to us, whatever horrors afflict our world, we are held in God’s love.

Which Bible figure would you like to meet and what would you ask them?

The writer of John’s Gospel. I would ask him to read it to me. It’s so beautiful, deep and poetic.

What is your favourite hymn or worship song?

‘Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending’ (SASB 260). It speaks of the glorious day of Christ’s coming again. The language Charles Wesley uses is rich, potent and exhilarating.

Is there something about life or the world you’ve never understood?

How some people have no interest in the spiritual aspect of life.

If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be?

Hatred.

What is your favourite food?

Potatoes – roasted, sautéed, boiled and, best of all, triple-cooked chips.

What do you do in your spare time?

I sing, do gardening, read, visit historic houses, gardens and churches, play Scrabble, walk, volunteer as a befriender and help to lead school assemblies.

Apart from English, what languages do you know?

A little French, a tiny bit of Russian, anything Latin related to the Mass (the ‘Agnus Dei’, etc) and Italian words linked to food or musical directions.

If you had to be handcuffed to one person for a day, who would it be?

Chris Packham. He could give me a guided countryside walk.

Apart from the Bible, which book would you want on a desert island?

Peter Abelard d by Helen Waddell.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Don’t lie. (‘If you do wrong you’ll get one smack, if you lie about it, you’ll get two.’

My mother’s way of enforcing the advice!)

What is the most valuable thing you possess?

Old family photos. They are priceless and irreplaceable.