Killer instinct
Police are determined to catch the guilty party in The Bay
‘We roast coffee to create community’
What is The Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
What is the War Cry?
The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major
Deputy
Staff
Staff
Staff
Editorial
Graphic
Philip Halcrow
Emily Bright
Claire Brine
Ewan Hall
Linda McTurk
Mark Knight
Graphic Designer: Natalie Adkins
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 1 Champion Park London SE5 8FJ
Tel: 0845 634 0101
Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org
Founders: William and Catherine Booth
International leaders: General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham
Territorial leaders: Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main
Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn
If your new year’s resolution to give something up has long since been discarded, there’s a chance to start again next week. As we note in this week’s War Cry, the culinary joy of pancakes on Tuesday (4 March) is followed by the season of Lent, a reflective time when Christians prepare themselves to mark Easter.
The 40 days of Lent are traditionally a time when things are given up – whether a food, a hobby or even social media – as Christians take inspiration from the period of fasting and praying which Jesus undertook before starting his ministry.
That ministry culminated in Jesus’ death and resurrection, which are remembered at Easter. Jesus died and rose to life again so that we can have a relationship with God, who loves each one of us and wants to be involved in every area of our lives – even the times that are challenging and painful.
In this issue, we speak with Kevin Borg, who has known highs and lows in his life. In the interview he talks about his experiences in the Gulf War and his work as a police officer. With great honesty, he also describes the time when his wife, Emma, died of breast cancer.
He tells us: ‘I watched Emma take her final breaths, then kissed her hand and said: “Thank you for being my wife.”’ He adds: ‘Grief gave me some very dark feelings.’
Kevin also explains how he was helped through his grief by his Christian faith, which centres on the belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
‘When it felt as though I was walking through a dark tunnel, God was still there,’ he says. Nearly seven years on from his loss, he reflects: ‘Even though Emma’s illness and passing were so very painful, I was able to find joy and peace.’
Even when Christians find the going tough, they know that they can rely on God to help them through, confident that he will never give up on them.
Your local Salvation Army centre
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Griev o us harm
Intense grief, hidden secrets and complex relationships unravel in returning crime drama
TV preview: The Bay from Sunday ITV1 and ITVX
By Ewan Hall
Settingoff on a bike ride, a young boy comes across a dead body. His chilling discovery sets off a chain of events that will shock the community in the picturesque seaside town of Morecambe.
As the fifth series of crime drama The Bay begins, DI Jenn Townsend (Marsha Thomason) is returning to work after her father’s death to find that her team is facing severe cutbacks and that the office is in a state of serious disrepair. However, before Jenn can focus on those issues, a call comes in, and the team face a new case.
The body found by the young cyclist is revealed to be that of Hannah Dawson, a 22-year-old university student with a troubled family background. When Jenn and her team dig into Hannah’s life, they uncover secrets and tensions that complicate the investigation.
As TV viewers try to solve the mystery from the comfort of their own
homes, they will see the detectives’ complex relationships and personal struggles become interwoven with their investigations – especially in the case of Jenn.
Speaking at the press launch of the new series, Marsha Thomason reflected on what the character she plays is going through.
‘Jenn is grieving,’ she said. ‘But in true Jenn fashion she doesn’t want to deal with all the emotions, so she comes back to work early so she can deal with other people’s emotions, suppressing her own.
‘However, I think she is incredibly strong. I could not do the work that Jenn does, living in other people’s grief and being the rock for them, going through something so traumatic. This is what Jenn does day in and day out.’
All the while Jenn is looking to support others, she is also grappling with the profound loss of her father, which casts a shadow over her personal and professional life. And as viewers witness her attempts to cope by immersing
herself in her work, many of them may be able to sympathise with her struggle to contain her emotions. Perhaps they will be reminded of times when they have struggled to cope with their own.
At times when we feel upset and are struggling to cope, it can be hard to know where we can turn and who can be relied on for help. But the good news is that during tough periods in our lives –no matter what the hardship – God can support us.
God has always been ready to help those who are going through a difficult time. One early-day Christian advised people who were facing significant problems: ‘Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7 New International Version).
It doesn’t matter what we may be worried, frightened or upset about, or what problems we are experiencing, God cares for us and is willing and able to help us, if we decide to follow him.
Relying on God’s care is a step definitely worth investigating.
Jenn (left) and the team take on a new case in Morecambe
Is lower case a capital idea?
Sarah Olowofoyeku gives her take on a story that has caught the attention of War Cry reporters
I remember learning how to write – full stop, two finger spaces, capital letter to start a new sentence. Most of my generation grew up writing pen to paper, like the many generations before us. But by the time I was 11, I was also learning how to type.
These days autocorrect and auto-capitalisation on phones and computers mean you don’t have to remember all the rules.
But, as reported by The Guardian, some young people are consciously choosing not to follow certain grammatical commandments. To the likely dismay of my fellow writers, members of Gen Z are turning their back on capital letters.
Rejection of old rules happens
Some of those who lean towards lower case see their choice as a matter of style and a preference for simplicity. For others, said the article, it’s a ‘cultural marker, reflecting their values and attitudes to tradition’.
As The Guardian pointed out, there was ‘a similar, if smaller-scale rejection of capital letters in the 20th century’. The decision by writer and activist bell hooks to write her own name in lower case was a political statement to challenge hierarchies and reject formality.
In the heyday of X (formerly Twitter), only the deepest and most poetic users would start their posts with a lower-case rather than capital letter. I must confess that in my early 20s, I attempted to align myself with them.
It’s not uncommon for young people to have a rebellious attitude towards norms. Such an attitude can often lead to the ending of longstanding harmful traditions. The rejection of old rules happens in all areas of life, and it has happened throughout the ages. The ancient writings of the Bible say that there’s nothing new under the sun.
But I think that tradition sometimes gets a bad rap. For example, the words of the Bible have been passed on from generation to generation. The practice of reading the Scriptures has come down through my family, and it’s one I’m grateful for. The words teach us how to live, offering hope, encouragement and truth.
While I haven’t yet figured out exactly what I think about capital letters, I’d say that, before ditching norms full stop, let’s consider what we can learn from them.
WAR talk talk Team talk Team talk ‘ ’ j TEA M TALK
To combat loneliness and isolation, The Salvation Army’s Imagine More café at Strawberry Field in Liverpool has introduced a ‘talking table’.
The designated table – marked by a sign – has been set aside so that anyone who wants a conversation can sit down and know they will be joined by other members of the public or Salvation Army staff and volunteers.
The new initiative at Strawberry Field – the Salvation Army site which incorporates a Beatlesthemed visitor experience, a café and a training programme for young people – aims to establish community connections.
Major Kathleen Versfeld, mission director at Strawberry Field, said: ‘The initiative is a gentle way of encouraging strangers to become friends, a means by which our supporters can get to know each other better, and above all to help others fight the daily battle against loneliness.’
Describing Strawberry Field as ‘a safe, warm, comfortable space for people who long for human connection’, she added that, because the site is open every day, ‘there is always someone willing to listen’.
WAR CRYWnRLD
Festival appointment for TV news presenter
Dan Walker will be making a guest appearance at the Christian festival Spring Harvest at Skegness in April.
Formerly a host of the BBC’s Match of the Day, Dan now presents Channel 5 news programmes. He has been vocal about his Christian beliefs in the past, once telling the War Cry: ‘I try to honour God in everything I do – from the smallest thing to the greatest thing.’
Announcing his forthcoming appearance at Spring Harvest – a festival which includes times of worship and talks on how to live out the Christian faith – he said he was looking forward to ‘a fantastic event that brings people together from all walks of life to worship, learn and be encouraged in their faith’.
Singer tunes into faith
A singer-songwriter and former drug addict told inmates at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in California about how his life had been changed by faith, reported Christian news website FaithPot.
During his visit to the facility –formerly known as San Quentin State Prison – Ben Fuller reflected on his life and how he had struggled with feelings of inadequacy, turning to drugs and alcohol.
Despite the loss of his best friend to fentanyl, the American singer continued on his destructive path, until a family invited him to church. It was there that he decided to become a Christian.
‘As a man that lived as a secret drug addict for 14 and a half years, I stood in that aisleway, and I felt the Spirit of God,’ Ben said. ‘I gave my full heart over to the Lord and said, “Fix it! You do it because I can’t!”’
Now five years sober, Ben travels to prisons to share his story and music.
‘Inspirational’ work recognised
The Salvation Army’s Housing First team in Cardiff has been praised as inspirational by Member of the Senedd Siân Gwenllian.
The Housing First project helps people with trauma, addictions and mental health issues to secure stable housing and support.
Siân, who sits on the local government and housing committee in the Welsh parliament, met tenants Chris and Wayne, who told her how the project changed their lives.
Chris, who was once living in a van, now thrives in his new flat, while Wayne, who was homeless for 20 years, has reconnected with his family.
Siân said: ‘Projects like this prove that with the right approach, we can break the cycle of homelessness and give people the chance to rebuild their lives. Their work is inspirational.’
Roastery has bean busy strengthening ties
LINDA CASTLE of CLO Coffee explains how she and her husband Nick brewed up a business idea that helps churches offer a warm welcome
Interview by Emily Bright
Linda with Tom (left) –one of CLO’s roasters – and Nick
If money was no object, what would you do? That was the hypothetical question that married couple Linda and Nick Castle asked themselves as a starting point for discovering what they were really passionate about, before sitting down to figure out their finances.
Linda was a youth worker and cared about her community, while Nick was considering swapping his life in a band for that of an entrepreneur. They decided to set up a café, Cielo, in Leeds in 2008.
‘We wanted it to be a vehicle for community,’ explains Linda. ‘We wondered what places could be church without actually looking like church. We’d just got our first house and decided to remortgage straight away. We felt like it was a God thing, and we were as measured as you can be when you’re taking a risk.’
Their business took off, steadily growing to six coffee shops – five in the Leeds area and one in West Bromwich. The couple later changed their company’s name to CLO and poured everything they had into the business. But expansion was difficult.
‘The learning curve about overheads and costs was a big one,’ says Linda. ‘We were praying: “How can we help ourselves in this financial situation?” Then Nick said: “I think you should go and learn how to roast coffee.” So off I went.’
From the start, Linda – now the company’s head roaster – and Nick were determined to source ethical coffee. CLO’s beans are traceable, the company pays suppliers above Fairtrade prices and the roastery’s coffee bags are recyclable. CLO also has its Produced and Roasted by Women range of coffees, designed to encourage and empower female growers in what is
a typically male-led industry.
Just before Covid, the roastery became a greater focus when the couple decided to downsize to their original café.
‘We made it through lockdown and furloughed people and came back again,’ says Linda. ‘We used a Covid loan to refurb the place, but the costs from that meant that we were at a decision point for what was next.’
Linda and Nick had begun to roast coffee simply to supply their own cafés, but, with only one remaining, demand was not sufficient to make their roasting of beans sustainable. So they made the tough decision to close their last café last year and move into selling directly to individuals, businesses and one specific group – part of their website is now dedicated to supplying churches with items such as ground coffee, filter papers, espresso machines, syrups, tea and hot chocolate.
Coffee creates a good space to talk
‘We
couldn’t escape how much churches and church cafés were on our hearts,’ says Linda. ‘It aligned with what we felt coffee does, in terms of creating connection, creating a warm welcome and a good space to talk.
‘If you’ve got a cup of coffee or a hot drink, it’s often like a comfort blanket, and you’ll allow yourself to pause. That allows the chance for conversations, maybe ones that you didn’t expect to have. God can use that pause as a vehicle for either him to speak to us or us to speak to each other.’
It seems that he has. Linda has heard
of lives changed through people visiting a coffee van or coffee shop supplied with CLO’s products. She gives an example.
‘We visited a church in North Yorkshire which has a café and which is opposite a school for children with additional needs. A mum came in and said: “I need to sit down. I’ve just been told not to hope anything for my daughter’s future because of her disability.” People gathered round her and prayed with her, which gave her hope and encouraged her to start a support group that meets at the café every Tuesday.’
Over the years, Linda has herself found support and solace in a relationship with God. She has been a Christian since she was eight years old.
‘When I was younger we moved up to Leeds and joined a new church,’ she recalls. ‘I found it exciting. I remember listening to a talk about opening the door of your heart to Jesus. I lay in bed one night, trying to open up the doors of my heart to him. I said: “You can live with me for the rest of my life.”’
She has taken encouragement from her faith ever since.
‘When I was really young,’ she continues, ‘I remember asking God for a Scripture. He gave me John 10:10: “I’ve come to give you life, and life to the full.” Looking back, I’ve seen him at work time and again.
‘God is faithful with what we need, even when we’re not seeing what we want. We’ve got a house, the kids are fed and dressed. The fact that our needs are met is encouraging, and something I will try to remember the next time a difficult time comes along.
‘Things aren’t always given to us on a plate, but the life Nick and I have is definitely lived to the full. We’ll always choose adventure.’
A changed man
KEVIN BORG reveals how his Christian faith helped him through the Gulf War, a career in the police force and the grief of losing his wife to cancer
Interview by Claire Brine
As a soldier serving in the Gulf War, Kevin Borg learnt to be strong in the face of danger. As a police inspector tackling serious and organised crime, he worked to keep the public safe. But when his wife, Emma, received a devastating breast cancer diagnosis in 2011, Kevin felt utterly powerless to help.
‘I was a fixer, used to keeping people out of danger,’ he tells me, chatting over a video call from his home in Elford, Staffordshire. ‘But I couldn’t do anything to make Emma better. In the hardest times, I remember saying to God: “Give me the worst cancer ever – make mine a painful death, but please leave my wife alone.” We just didn’t know how long she was going to live. The stress was immense.’
In his book Behind the Man, Kevin tells the story of Emma’s illness, how he cared for her throughout her treatment and how his faith in God helped him to cope with the pain of her death. He also looks back further over his life, recalling the challenges he faced in his career as a police inspector for West Midlands police,
and the sense of adventure he enjoyed while serving in the Royal Engineers in the British Army.
‘As a child, I was always outdoors, exploring the countryside, and so I joined the army because it presented me with the ability to travel the world,’ Kevin tells me. ‘Being a soldier was an active job, out in the fresh air. And I had grown up in a military family, so that lifestyle was all I knew.’
Early on in his military career, Kevin was posted to Germany, where he had what he describes as a life-changing experience.
‘I’ll never forget it,’ he says. ‘I was getting ready to go out for an evening with the lads. Normally on a Friday night we’d go to a club, meet some girls, maybe get in a fight – the typical life of a soldier. But that night, while I was in the shower, I heard a voice, clear as day, which said: “Kevin, don’t forget about me.”
‘A man’s voice – in the shower? Immediately I raised my fists and jumped back. I thought someone must have been in the cubicle with me – but I looked around to see that I was the only person
in the entire block. I was absolutely, evidentially alone.’
Kevin returned to his room, telling his friends to go out without him. He spent the evening trying to make sense of what had just happened. He found himself drawn to read a Bible that he had been given by the army chaplain.
‘The padre had given all the soldiers a Bible, which I’d hastily packed away, not expecting to need it. But I got out this little red book and started reading one of the Gospels. I read some of the words spoken by Jesus and immediately I knew: the voice I’d heard in the shower was this man in the Bible. I bowed my head and said: “If that’s you, God, I’m all in.”’
Having grown up in a family who attended church, Kevin was no stranger to faith and the stories of Jesus. Christianity had long held a curiosity for him, even if
changed
‘I grew up respecting Jesus and knew that he was real – but he didn’t have an impact on my life,’ Kevin explains. ‘Then, when I joined the army, the padre talked about Jesus as though he were alive. That interested me. I can remember on one occasion standing at
the back of a church, looking at this pasty white guy on a cross, thinking: “Either he is the Son of God or he’s a liar who deceived many.”
Being a soldier is a difficult job
‘Later, when I heard the voice of God in the shower, the direction of my life changed completely.’
As Kevin grew in faith, he considered his position in the military and whether or not life in the army was compatible with his Christian values. He came to several conclusions.
‘Firstly, no matter what work a person does, I believe that the light of God needs to be everywhere,’ he says. ‘Everybody’s soul needs to be saved – so, as long as I
am walking in that light as a soldier, then it’s the Lord’s business where he places us.
‘Secondly, there’s a story in the Bible where Jesus is amazed by the faith of a centurion. That soldier would have drawn his sword in conflict – but Jesus doesn’t discriminate against him for that. He goes on to heal the centurion’s servant.
‘While I feel that being a soldier is a difficult job, I don’t believe that it compromised my faith. I just thank God that I never had to pull the trigger on anybody.’
In August 1990, Kevin awoke to the news that Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait. The Gulf War would soon begin. And it marked the start of a tense time for
Turn to page 10 f
Kevin served in the Gulf War
From page 9
Kevin and Emma, who had married only the year before.
‘I was deployed to Saudi Arabia – but by then I had already felt that God was calling me out of the army and into the police force,’ Kevin says. ‘For that reason, I had a strong sense that I’d survive whatever happened in the Gulf. I knew that God had a plan for my life.
‘The day before we went to the front,
I remember the padre holding a church service. Across the desert, all you could see were soldiers in their tanks, drifting in droves to listen to this one man, standing in his robes by a makeshift altar. He said: “By tomorrow, some of you will have met your Maker – and you need to know him personally.”
‘His message hit home. I can remember watching my tears hit the sand as I prayed
Kevin with Emma and his daughter Connie when he received a police long-service medal
for all these soldiers to know Christ.’
Despite facing an onslaught of Scud missiles, Kevin survived the conflict in the Gulf and returned to the UK in March 1991, once a ceasefire had been declared. Shortly afterwards, he followed through on his plans to leave the army and joined West Midlands police, where he went on to serve in a variety of departments, including emergency response and serious crime investigation.
I felt I had to be strong for everybody
‘I loved my job – but I saw so many bad things that they started to kill my faith in the good,’ he reflects. ‘So I created for myself a spiritual routine. Whenever I got home from work, I would sit and reflect on the things I’d seen that day – murder scenes, terrible car accidents and so on –and I would ask Jesus, by the power of his Holy Spirit, to help me let those things go. He lifted them off me.’
Though working for the police could be emotionally draining and physically dangerous, Kevin felt fulfilled in life. He was happily married. He had three healthy daughters. He was part of a supportive church. Then came the diagnosis that changed everything: Emma had stage four breast cancer – and it was aggressive.
‘I remember straight away thinking: “How will I survive if she dies? How am I going to look after three girls?”’ he says. ‘I felt I had to be strong for everybody. But I found it immensely difficult.
‘I’d often go to the snug at the top of the house and cry. Then I’d wipe my eyes and go downstairs again. I didn’t know how much to tell my daughters about their mum. How real do you want to make it for them? I didn’t know how long Emma would live.’
After a double mastectomy, Emma underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It was a painful time. There was no telling what the future held. So the couple did the only thing they could – hold on tightly to their faith in God.
Sometimes, Kevin felt God’s peace in a tangible way, filling him with a spiritual strength. At other times, he lamented the pain he was facing, asking God to help him process it.
‘Throughout everything, God was the constant,’ he explains. ‘God never fluctuated. My humanity fluctuated. There were days when it felt as though I was in a daze and I couldn’t feel anything. There were also times when I wept and wept because the fear and loss went so deep. But I think it’s OK for Christians to fluctuate in their emotions. I dropped a lot of stuff at God’s feet.’
Despite receiving treatment, Emma’s cancer eventually spread to her brain, causing multiple seizures. By the summer of 2018, Kevin knew that his wife was about to enter ‘the last season of her life’. On 7 September, Emma died at home, with Kevin by her side.
‘I was sitting with my dog Bertie next to me and I was holding Emma’s hand,’ Kevin remembers. ‘It was nearly 9pm and I felt the stillness of God in the room. I watched Emma take her final breaths, then kissed her hand and said: “Thank you for being my wife.” After that, I lay down on my bed – which was next to the hospital bed that Emma was using – and the room felt as though it was full of angels. It was so peaceful that I fell asleep. It was all over. Emma was with Christ.’
Though Kevin was relieved that his wife was no longer suffering, the grief he felt at her loss was crushing.
‘I didn’t want to remember, because remembering was so very painful – but I didn’t want to forget Emma either,’ he
Kevin with his daughters and grandson
explains. ‘Grief gave me some very dark feelings and my thoughts could sometimes spiral into the what-ifs and if-onlys.
‘But when it felt as though I was walking through a dark tunnel, God was still there. There was just enough light to keep following him. I kept on reading the promises of the Scriptures – and they were good for me.’
Nearly seven years later, Kevin feels that the loss of Emma has softened his character, making him less judgemental. He also believes that his relationship with God is stronger than ever.
‘Even though Emma’s illness and passing were so very painful, I was able to find joy and peace,’ he says. ‘Peace was the feeling that “whatever happens, it
will be OK”. And the joy, which came from God, gave me the resilience to recover.
‘There was a big outpouring of God’s love in my life. These days I’m closer to him than I have ever been. I know that he has never left me. His presence has been threaded through every experience of my life – as the source of my strength, wisdom and joy.’
The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@ salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.
Browsing the Bible
Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book of the Scriptures
Ruth
The first seven books of the Old Testament give a linear, chronological account of the history of Israel and the country’s relationship with God. The book of Ruth is different. It is a parallel story set at the time when Israel was ruled by a series of military leaders known as judges (1:1).
Becoming a Christian
There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God
Lord Jesus Christ,
I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.
Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.
Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.
Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen
To escape a famine in Israel, Elimelek and Naomi move from Bethlehem with their two sons to Moab (in present-day Jordan), where their sons marry local women, Orpah and Ruth. Within 10 years, Naomi’s husband and sons are dead (1:2–5).
Hearing that there is now food in Israel, Naomi heads for home. On the way, she tells her two daughters-in-law to stay in Moab and find new husbands. Orpah leaves for her mother’s house, but Ruth insists on journeying to Bethlehem with Naomi (1:6–19).
At harvest time, Ruth meets Boaz, a landowner and relative of her fatherin-law. He allows her to gather the leftovers so that she and Naomi have food (chapter 2).
Struck by Boaz’s kindness, and mindful that her foreign daughter-in-law has no rights to land or livelihood, one evening Naomi tells Ruth to meet Boaz (3:1 and 2). According to the Law – the closest male relative (known as a ‘guardian-redeemer’) – is required to help a member of his family who is in trouble. Such obligations include marrying his brother’s childless widow (see Deuteronomy 25:5).
Ruth offers herself to Boaz, asking him to be her guardian-redeemer. He tells her that he has no legal right to marry her (chapter 3).
Boaz meets with the guardian-redeemer who has the first right to marry Ruth and to buy her father-in-law’s land. The guardian-redeemer is prepared to buy the land outright but, perhaps fearing that it would not belong to him but to any subsequent son, refuses to marry Ruth.
Boaz buys Elimelek’s land and marries Ruth. A son, Obed, is born (4:1–13).
Set in a time when Israelites were punished for marrying foreigners and worshipping their gods, the Book of Ruth provides something of a counterbalance. Obed, the son of a Moabite woman, would become the grandfather of Israel’s greatest king – David (4:17).
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email your name and postal address to
Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used
kind permission of Alpha International
QUICK QUIZ
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What was the name of Jane Austen’s sister, played by Keeley Hawes in the BBC1 drama Miss Austen?
Who is the author of the fantasy novel Onyx Storm?
Who won BBC Sports Personality of the Year last year?
What was Oxford Word of the Year for 2024?
Who recently had a No 1 hit with the soundtrack album Better Man?
Who plays the title role in the Bridget Jones films?
That’s batter
Pancake Day can have a deeper meaning
Feature by Ewan Hall
Get your frying pans ready – Pancake Day is being served next Tuesday (4 March). Whether enjoyed with the traditional lemon juice and caster sugar, covered in golden syrup or with a savoury filling, pancakes make the day a tasty prospect.
There are written recipes for pancakes going back centuries. But Tuesday – also known as Shrove Tuesday – is the day of the year when these flat favourites are celebrated the most. And those celebrations go beyond just eating them.
Races are a regular part of the day. Contestants will run – often in fancy dress – flipping their pancake as they sprint to the finishing line.
The tradition is said to date back to 1445 when a woman from Olney, Buckinghamshire, heard the church bell summoning people to church. She raced out of her house while still in her apron and clutching her frying pan.
Olney has continued the race to this day. Women wearing an apron and a hat or scarf, with frying pan in hand, race round a course to the church.
But there is also a deeper meaning behind Shrove Tuesday, which is a day of fun that precedes the more reflective period of Lent.
During the 40 days of Lent, Christians prepare for Easter, the time when they mark the death and resurrection of Jesus. For them, Lent is a period to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made so that everybody has the opportunity to experience a loving relationship with God – even though no one deserves it, because of the wrong things they do.
When talking about the death of Jesus, one early Church teacher said: ‘Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many’ (Hebrews 9:28 New International Version
Regardless of who we are or what we have done, if we decide to follow Jesus, then we can know God’s love in our own lives – which is a recipe for a life offering new meaning, fulfilment and purpose.
Quick CROSSWORD PUZZLES
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Hunch.
Rapid.
Yacht.
Male.
INGREDIENTS
115g wholemeal flour
1 egg
210ml semi-
skimmed milk
90ml water
Sunflower oil
METHOD
Add the flour to a mixing bowl, then push to the side to create a well in the middle for the egg. Crack the egg into the well, then gradually whisk into the flour.
Mix the milk and water in a jug, then whisk with the flour mixture to create a smooth batter. Stir in 1tbsp oil, then chill the batter in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan and pour in a ladleful of batter. Swirl the mixture round and cook for a minute, until you start to see bubbles forming on top.
Flip the pancake over and cook for another minute. Set the pancake aside on a plate, then repeat the steps to cook the rest of the batter.
Serve warm with healthy toppings such as lemon wedges, avocado slices and blueberries.
Proverbs 3:5 (New International Version)