From the editor’s desk
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.
OVER the summer, the names and faces of the celebrities taking part in the next series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing were revealed. Fans of the show are looking forward to seeing them all when it begins later this month. However, as we report in this week’s War Cry, the names and faces of the celebrities taking part in ITV’s The Masked Dancer will still be under wraps when it takes to our screens tonight (Saturday 3 September). Whether viewers like their dancers masked or unmasked, there will be hours of dance moves to watch on Saturday night TV in the coming weeks. Of course, for many people dance is not just a spectator sport. Eager dancers, young and old, turn up every week to dance halls and studios. Jasmine Coleman started attending dance classes when she was just four years old. As her parents, John and Maureen, tell us in this week’s issue, Jasmine loved going to the classes and also enjoyed singing, as did her sister Melissa. But any dreams there may have been of Jasmine having a career on the stage were cut short when both girls were diagnosed with a genetic disorder that affects the nervous system and causes seizures, visual impairment, mobility loss and early death. The girls’ parents describe how they coped with the devastating diagnosis and how their Christian faith helped them. ‘We wouldn’t have survived without the support and prayers of our church,’ Maureen tells us. ‘God also supplied us with wonderful carers and support workers for Melissa and Jasmine.’ Being a Christian does not mean that life is always easy and nothing bad ever happens. But it does ad the War C mean that, even at the worst of times, you can e re ry v ’ rely on God to see you through. u
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.
WAR CRY Issue No 7592
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Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight
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The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies
FEATURES
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A step in the right direction Which mystery movers will be revealed
Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper
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No persuasion needed for fans Jane Austen Festival opens in Bath On course for change Open Learning programme makes a difference
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‘They are in Heaven’ Parents’ faith helps them deal
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2 • WAR CRY • 3 September 2022
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INFO Your local Salvation Army centre
in The Masked Dancer?
with tragedy REGULARS 4
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12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought! 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: ITV