Volunteers Week thanks those who give up their time
WAR CRY
4 June 2022 50p
Reign check for partygoers Street parties are the royal icing on the cake
‘I’ve travelled the world with the Queen’
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.
IT’S a bank holiday weekend that will go down in history. As we report in this week’s War Cry, parties that have been planned by communities around the UK as well as official events are marking the longest reign of a British monarch. After all the Covid-19 restrictions we have lived through, perhaps many people have been especially looking forward to a party. One person who knows what goes into making royal events a success is Austin Burn. He was involved with the Golden Jubilee when he worked for the royal family. ‘During a jubilee year the royal household is buzzing,’ Austin tells us in an interview. ‘There would be times when I would start work at six in the morning and finish at two the following morning.’ Austin’s hard work meant that he came into direct contact with members of the royal family, including the Queen, who is described by him as ‘absolutely delightful’. He also talks about his former employer’s faith. ‘The Queen has always been open about her own Christianity,’ he says. ‘She has never been one to avoid talking about it, especially in her Christmas Day broadcasts. What is said in those broadcasts is from the heart.’ In the Christmas broadcast that she made in 2002, the Queen described how she had relied on her Christian faith to guide her through the good and bad times that she had faced. It is an experience that she shares with many people, from all walks of life, who draw strength and vitality from God – in challenging times and when things are going well. Deciding to put our faith in the God who is sometimes described as the King of kings will ad the War C always be a positive change and one well e re ry v ’ u worth celebrating.
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 7579
When yo
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN
CONTENTS
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
3
6
5
Voluntary contributions Acknowledging the work of volunteers
6
‘I had expected them to be aloof, but they weren’t’ Life working with the royal family
INFO
9
O
Jubilations Special song marks the
9 15
2 • WAR CRY • 4 June 2022
It’s a celebration Communities get together
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
Your local Salvation Army centre
PASS IT ON f
not hy ,w
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
Platinum Jubilee REGULARS 4
War Cry World
12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought! 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen
THE BIG LUNCH
Celebrate good times! I
F you like to party, then the Big Jubilee Lunch will be right up your street. Running until tomorrow (Sunday 5 June), it provides an opportunity for friends, neighbours and communities to get together, share food, have fun and celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Across the UK, there are events taking place to suit all manner of tastes. At Woodbridge Town Football Club in Suffolk, fans are invited to head down to the ground, take a picnic and join in some karaoke. In Westhill, near Aberdeen, visitors can gather for lunch at Ashdale Hall, enjoy a funfair and ceilidh, and perhaps even win a prize in the fancydress competition. There are also plenty of celebrations for which neighbours need not step much farther than their front door. Just a couple of trestle tables, plenty of deckchairs and a few plates of cheese-and-tomato sandwiches are all that’s required for a right royal knees-up. According to the Eden Project – the organisation behind the Big Jubilee Lunch – the street party is a pastime that British people have been enjoying for decades. ‘It was “peace teas” for children to mark the end of the First World War in 1919 that kickstarted our national love affair with street party celebrations,’ writes Sarah Boniface of Eden Project Communities on the Big Jubilee Lunch website. She points out that such gatherings were replicated in
Communities get together to hold street parties in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Feature by Claire Brine
1935 for the Silver Jubilee of King George V, and again in 1937 to celebrate the Coronation of George VI. Other national events that have been marked by street parties include the end of the Second World War, the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 and her previous jubilee celebrations. Sarah explains why the atmosphere at such events is so special. ‘With an explosion of bunting, people gather around tables laden with food to chat, laugh and have fun,’ she says. ‘The revelry often includes games, music, pageants and entertainment, bringing an air of a carnival.’ Whether people choose to mark the Big Jubilee Lunch this weekend or not, the important thing about street parties is that everyone is invited. There’s an opportunity to celebrate – and no one need be excluded. If only the rest of life worked like that and we never had to worry about being left out or forgotten. Being overlooked can be hurtful, causing us to feel as if no one
understands or cares about us. They do. And here’s how we know. The Bible is full of stories of how Jesus reached out to people who were excluded from society because they didn’t fit in. Rather than leaving them to face life alone, he shared meals with them, talked with them and healed them. He told them that God knew them and loved them, even if the rest of the world didn’t. He added that the invitation to follow him was open to everyone, saying: ‘I will never turn away anyone who comes to me’ (John 6:37 Good News Bible). That invitation still stands. Whoever we are and whatever we have done, Jesus promises us a warm welcome if we take a step of faith towards him. When we build a relationship with him, we open ourselves up to experiencing his unconditional love. When we say sorry for our wrongdoing, we can be changed by his all-powerful forgiveness. Surely that’s something to celebrate.
No one need be excluded
4 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 3
WtwxcxzWt n
‘SHE was as big as Beyoncé is today,’ said civil rights campaigner Al Sharpton of Mahalia Jackson (pictured) in a profile of the gospel singer in The Guardian. Music journalist Stevie Chick’s article told how Jackson emerged from humble beginnings in the southern US. It described how her record label put pressure on her to record blues songs after her early gospel recordings sold poorly, but Jackson resisted, believing that she had been given a mission by ‘the Lord … to open my mouth in his name’. By 1950, Chick noted, she had become ‘the first gospel artist to play New York’s Carnegie Hall. Two years later, she undertook her first tour of Europe, receiving 21 curtain calls in Paris.’ As well as entertaining, she played a part in the US civil rights movement in the 1960s, and it was at her prompting that Dr Martin Luther King Jr departed from his script and delivered the ‘I have a dream’ section of his speech at the 1963 March on Washington. British singer Sarah Brown, who has just released an album of songs previously recorded by Jackson, spoke of how the gospel singer’s music had helped her when she was growing up amid domestic violence and again recently after she went through a divorce. ‘I needed to sing about how I’d been abused, how I’d seen my father abuse my mother,’ she said. ‘Returning to Mahalia was a cradle to my sorrow.’
WAR CRY ‘Sustained’ action needed to solve homelessness
BNA PHOTGRAPHIC/ALAMY
Drought warning issued for London LONDON and other cities around the world could run out of water because of climate change, according to a Christian Aid report. Scorched Earth: The Impact of Drought on 10 World Cities – which includes case studies of Sydney, Phoenix, Bejing, Cairo and Cape Town – cites remarks from Environment Agency CEO James Bevan. He warned that London and southeast England could run out of water and that by 2050 some rivers will contain 50-80 per cent less water in the summer months. The study also features estimates by Thames Water that severe drought could cost London’s economy £330 million a day. Scorched Earth highlights the fact that half a billion people globally already face severe water scarcity all year round, with world water usage growing at twice the rate of population increases during the 20th century. Christian Aid wants governments of richer countries to slash their emissions, to provide greater support in helping people adapt to drought and create more sustainable forms of city planning, and to develop an international fund to compensate for loss and damage caused by climate change.
THE government’s initiative during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic to provide safe accommodation for all people sleeping rough in England showed that ‘the aim to eventually eliminate rough sleeping in its entirety is a realistic and feasible proposal’, according to The Salvation Army. But, it says, the initiative must be followed up by more action. In a submission to the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for ending homelessness, the church and charity described 2020’s Everyone In initiative as ‘a seismic moment in the battle against rough sleeping’. It said that taking 37,000 people off the streets or away from accommodation where it was difficult to self-isolate ‘protected a significantly high proportion of some of society’s most vulnerable people’. However, it argued, the financial investment that the government outlined in last autumn’s spending review needed to be made and the money directed to services, such as those providing mental health support, that help rough sleepers ‘conquer the wider issues in their lives’. The APPG is conducting an inquiry into the government’s manifesto pledge to end rough sleeping by the end of the next parliament. Answering its questions, The Salvation Army said: ‘Despite the positives of Everyone In, emerging statistics are showing more people are approaching their local authority because they are at risk of homelessness. ‘From October to December 2021, 31,090 households were assessed as being threatened with homelessness, which was a 7.3 per cent increase from the same quarter the previous year. This provides a stark reminder of the need to take a long-term view of reducing homelessness and that progress is not meaningful unless it is sustained.’
Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK
B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry 4 • WAR CRY • 4 June 2022
t
PA IMAGES/ALAMY
tWwxcx
AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS Volunteers Week is a chance to thank people who help others Feature by Linda McTurk
C
Tiny Bible’s origins are big mystery A TINY Bible has been discovered in Leeds Central library’s archives, reports the Church Times. The Bible, which was declared to be the smallest in the world when it was printed in 1911, measures 50mm by 35mm, has 876 pages and can be read only with a magnifying glass, because the type is so small. It is attached by a chain to a miniature wooden pulpit and was possibly created as a novelty replica of the Bibles installed in churches by Thomas Cromwell. Staff at Leeds Central library found the Bible when they conducted a stock survey during lockdown. Rhian Isaac (pictured), the city’s special collections senior librarian, said it was a mystery where the Bible had come from, adding that a lot of the items were bought over time or donated. All the rare books and special collections found are now available for the general public to look at.
OULD you spare a moment? Volunteers Week, which started on Wednesday (1 June), is a time to say thank you to millions of people across the UK who freely give their time to serve their communities. An estimated 16.3 million people volunteered through a group, club or organisation in the most recent year for which there were figures available, according to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Volunteers undertook a range of activities, including helping with administrative work, providing transportation and visiting people in need. The Salvation Army is one of a number of organisations in the UK and Ireland that benefits from people volunteering. Every year, some 12,000 volunteer with the church and charity, taking on more than 80 different roles to carry out services that include befriending people, helping to run parent-and-toddler groups and providing debt advice. Dennis Ajufo and Jason Reid, both Christians, volunteer at their local Salvation Army church in Kilburn. They, along with other volunteers and staff members, are on site to serve people who visit the weekly drop-in session, which offers free hot meals. Many of the people who go to the sessions are experiencing social isolation and homelessness. Jason’s favourite part of volunteering is spending time talking with people and helping them to chat through their problems. ‘I always try to put a positive note on what they’re feeling,’ he says. Dennis also emphasises the importance of the conversations that take place at the drop-in sessions. ‘It’s not just about the food, but also the company,’ he says. ‘People come Dennis talks at a drop-in session here just to have a chat, and to feel loved and welcomed.’ Dennis describes volunteering for The Salvation Army as rewarding, and hopes that, through his actions, he will imitate Jesus, who came into the world to show how much God loves everyone. Christians everywhere are inspired to give their free time to serve others. They believe that they are following Jesus’ teaching to love and help people. In the process, they change the lives of individuals and their communities, making a difference Jason does the washing-up for good.
People come here just to have a chat
4 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 5
Happy and glorious As Brits enjoy a four-day weekend to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, AUSTIN BURN recalls his time of working for the royal family Interview by Andrew Stone
T
HERE has never been a bank holiday weekend quite like it in the United Kingdom – but then there has never been a monarch like Queen Elizabeth II. Since Thursday (2 June), millions of people have been caught up in the celebrations of the longest reign in the history of the country. The Queen’s 70 years on the throne have been marked by events that are military and civilian, secular and sacred, local and nationwide. Tonight (Saturday 4 June) there is a Party at the Palace. BBC One viewers will be able to join with thousands of people on The Mall in enjoying a live concert featuring some of the best-known names
6 • WAR CRY • 4 June 2022
in the entertainment business. The weekend’s celebrations reach their climax tomorrow with a Platinum Jubilee Pageant, which will look back over the past 70 years in four acts. The event will include a ‘finale like no other’ that will form around the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. Celebrities such as Jeremy Irons, Bill Bailey and Gok Wan will join with singer Ed Sheeran, a gospel choir and the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines to pay a special tribute to the Queen. It promises to be a fitting conclusion to four remarkable days that have been years in the planning and will have the royal household working flat out to make
Austin Burn sure that every event is a success. ‘During a jubilee year the royal household is buzzing, a lot of planning goes into each event,’ says Austin Burn, who spent 18 years working for the royal family and was involved in the running of past jubilee celebrations. ‘During the Golden Jubilee there would be times when I would start work at six in the morning and finish at two the following morning. We had about 20 sovereign heads of state come and take part in a Garter Day ceremony, and I had to make sure that they had everything they needed. But,
on the whole, the Golden Jubilee weekend was fantastic. ‘The motto during any event is “Don’t let the wheels come off” and they never did. But there were times when we had to adapt. For example, at one point I was on the royal yacht and it broke down.’ Today, Austin works for the Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle, but previously he worked for the royal family, first as an under-butler in 1994 before being promoted the next year to footman and then, three years on, to a role called Page of the Presence. ‘The name is centuries old,’ Austin explains. ‘Originally these pages took people into the presence of the sovereign, which they still do now.’ The other duties that Austin carried out during his time with the royal family were many and varied. He waited tables, delivered government boxes directly to the Queen, worked behind the scenes organising the distribution of honours and looked after important visitors to the UK. ‘I’ve looked after the president of Germany, the sultan of Brunei, the kings of Norway and Sweden, the emperor of Japan and two presidents of the United States – Bill Clinton and George W Bush.’ Austin has worked in the royal residences of Balmoral, Sandringham, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace as well as smaller royal houses. He has ridden on the royal train and the royal yacht. ‘I have travelled around the world with the Queen,’ he says. ‘When I was on
the yacht, my job was to look after the royal children, such as Prince William and Prince Harry when they were much younger, along with others. They were no older than teenagers at the time and were just like normal kids. ‘I treated them with respect, because they are members of the royal family, but I was on first-name terms with them, it was that sort of relationship – it would be different now! ‘There is a mutual respect between the
The Queen was absolutely delightful
royal family and those who work for them. All the members of the family knew me by name.’ Austin’s close working relationship with the Queen and her family meant that he witnessed their personalities and their work ethic at close quarters, and he was impressed from the outset. ‘When I first started working with the royals, I was shocked by the attention to detail. In previous jobs, I had been used to a “that will do” attitude, but working in the royal households meant we always had to be at the top of our game. ‘But the biggest surprise was just how well looked-after we were by every member of the royal family. I had expected them to be aloof, but they weren’t. The Queen in particular was absolutely delightful.’ One occasion when Austin encountered that lack of aloofness in the Queen took place in 2001. He took time off from his royal duties to volunteer at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks in New York. After spending his holiday time giving support to the emergency
Turn to page 8 f
4 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 7
From page 7 workers, he returned to the UK and went back to work, which included a concert that was being attended by members of the royal family. ‘I was talking to some friends, when all of a sudden someone tapped me on my shoulder,’ he remembers. ‘I turned round and came face to face with the Queen, who asked me about what I got up to at Ground Zero. She had a real interest in what I had done there.’ Austin volunteered at Ground Zero as a member of The Salvation Army. The church and charity was present at the site as part of its response to the terrorist attacks. Austin is a lifelong member and he recalls that his faith was well known among the royal household during his
time working there. He says: ‘There was one time that I was in my room when someone knocked on the door and came in saying: “Austin, where is it?” I didn’t know what they were talking about and so I asked them. ‘They said to me: “The bishop has come without his Bible and the Queen said that if anyone had a Bible the bishop could use, it would be Austin!” ‘Because the Queen knew I was a Salvationist, she assumed that I would have a Bible. Fortunately I did, and so I gave it to the bishop.’ However, Austin is convinced that his Christian faith – and the influence it has on his everyday working life – goes far beyond just being able to lend a bishop the Bible. ‘The whole way I approach my work is impacted by my faith,’ he says. ‘I believe it helps me to
be more compassionate and it makes my life easier when I’m dealing with difficult situations, because I know that God will help me and I’m not dealing with the problems alone. ‘There were also times when the Queen made it clear that she knew I was a Christian and that she knew I would approach some tasks in a different way because of that faith. ‘The Queen has always been open about her own Christianity, which she has had from a very young age. She has never been one to avoid talking about it, especially in her Christmas Day broadcasts. ‘What is said in those broadcasts is from the heart. She has a strong faith and goes to church every week. I know some people can go to church without a great faith, but the Queen walks the walk as well as she talks the talk.’
The Queen has a strong faith
PAUL MARRIOTT/ALAMY
Austin before a state banquet in 1995
Windsor Castle 8 • WAR CRY • 4 June 2022
The Queen attending St Peter and St Paul Church in West Newton, Norfolk, in 2019
A right royal rhythm A joyful anthem written and recorded for the Platinum Jubilee celebrates the Queen’s years of service and her faith Feature by Emily Bright
A
GAINST the majestic backdrop of the Tower of London, the scene was set for a jubilant celebration through song of the Queen’s 70 years on the throne. Singers and musicians gathered on a brisk and breezy morning to record the music video for the Platinum Jubilee anthem ‘Rise Up and Serve’. Among them were songwriters Graham Kendrick and Mal Pope, the Aldgate School Children’s Choir and gospel singer Muyiwa Olarewaju, who added words of tribute in the African languages of Hausa, Swahili, Igbo and Yoruba. Others, such as The Salvation Army’s Regent Hall Band, sent in their own recordings for inclusion in the music video. Contributions came from musicians representing not just the UK, but also Australia, Canada, Fiji and India. Graham, who co-wrote and sang the anthem in collaboration with Mal and the band Rend Collective, recalls the recording of the music video. ‘It was very cold,’ he laughs. ‘There was a chill wind blowing up the Thames. But our hearts were warm, and I think that comes across in the video. There was a lovely spirit about it. Everybody was so friendly. ‘It was also a great picture of the diverse range of people that enjoy the heritage that the Queen represents, with different ages and backgrounds.’ Graham explains how the anthem came about. ‘Often people ask the question: what comes first, the words or the music? Sometimes it’s the phone call. A friend of mine, Les Moir, was commissioning a Platinum Jubilee anthem and asked if I’d like to co-write it. ‘As a songwriter, I like to be given
Turn to page 10 f
Graham Kendrick, co-writer of the Platinum Jubilee anthem
4 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 9
Recording the anthem’s video at the Tower of London
From page 9 challenges. It saves me from the horror of the blank sheet of paper, when I don’t know where to start. ‘Writing something like this has quite a specific recipe. The big challenge is finding an overall concept. The organisation that commissioned it, Hope Together, made it a bit easier for us by saying that they wanted it to be called “Rise Up and Serve”. A good title opens a door into a whole lot of concepts. It tells you where to start and where the song should go.’ As part of his research, Graham read a book about the Queen published to celebrate her 90th birthday. He highlights what particularly struck him. ‘It was interesting to read about the coronation ceremony that she went through,’ he says. ‘It was televised back in 1953, and up to that date, it had the biggest TV audience. ‘But there was a part of the ceremony that was deemed to be too sacred to be filmed by the cameras. That was where she was anointed with oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The accoutrements of majesty were removed and she was just sitting there in a plain white dress, a bit like a wedding dress. All of her majesty and power were set aside. She took the ceremony very seriously – she felt that she had been called to this task. ‘And she committed herself to serve her nation. In one early broadcast she made to the nation, she asked the people to pray for her, that she would receive all the help she needed for this difficult task.’ As the world watches the Queen
10 • WAR CRY • 4 June 2022
celebrate a record seven decades on the throne, it’s a good opportunity to pause and consider her legacy. ‘The Queen is the longest-serving monarch the UK has ever had, and she has been so consistent in her character,’ says Graham. ‘She has made no secret of the fact that she’s a committed Christian, and she always refers back to that as her inspiration, especially in her Christmas broadcasts. ‘For instance, in her broadcast in 2014
she spoke of how the life of Jesus was “an inspiration and an anchor” in her life. She said: “A role model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.”’ Graham hopes that the Queen’s Christian faith will be acknowledged in the jubilee celebrations. ‘I think her faith in Christ, and the belief that her mission is to serve her nation
The Salvation Army’s Regent Hall Band record their video clip
unselfishly, is what makes her tick. You can’t really celebrate the life of the Queen without celebrating that which has sustained her.’ He adds that, whatever a person’s views on the monarchy, there’s something anyone can take away from the Queen’s life. ‘She rose up and served when she was a young woman and she has done it consistently. And we need to stand up and serve in our various ways, the little hidden ways of our lives and to take that same attitude.’ Graham and his co-writers were keen to strike a balance between celebration and reverence. ‘The spirit of the song is joyful and celebratory,’ he says. ‘At the same time, it is respectful and it has got a majesty about it. A lot of that is to do with the arrangement and the choirs and, of course, the Salvation Army band.’ The Salvation Army is no stranger to performing for the Queen, as Paul Sharman, its assistant director of music and creative arts, explains. ‘Over the years, the band has played in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace many times, and we played carols for the Queen and the senior royals at Windsor Castle only 18 months ago. ‘It was a privilege for a Salvation Army band to be involved in the jubilee anthem project. We hope that, as people come
together to celebrate, this song will remind them that her life has been one of service to others and that her faith has played an important part in that life and service.’ Graham reflects that the song, with its myriad of musicians, also represents ‘co-operation, collaboration and people bringing their different gifts into play’. He adds: ‘I’m sure the Queen would applaud that spirit.’ These themes of collaboration, co-operation and community lie at the heart of Christian organisation Hope Together, which commissioned the anthem. It seeks to bring churches together to transform communities. Catherine Butcher, communications consultant to Hope Together, says that the song was commissioned because ‘music helps us to celebrate, and a catchy tune helps us remember important truths’. We wanted a song that would thank God for the Queen – a song that could be sung at street parties, in churches and at school assemblies. ‘The anthem “Rise Up and Serve” resonates with the theme of praise to God
Music helps us to celebrate
Catherine Butcher
for our faithful Queen, and it challenges us to serve others in honour of her 70 years of service to the country and Commonwealth. ‘We hope that people will sing the song at street parties and thanksgiving services, bringing communities together as they party and talk about the Queen’s Christian faith and life of service.’
l For more information visit theplatinumjubilee.com/sing
4 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 11
Prayerlink 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, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.
j
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.
talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK There’s power in servanthood
Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters
FANS of the royal family or not, we can’t escape the fact that this weekend celebrations are taking place to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Britain’s longest-serving monarch has clocked up 70 years on the throne. During that time, the Queen has carried out more than 21,000 engagements, given royal assent to about 4,000 acts of parliament and sent more than 300,000 cards to people celebrating their 100th birthday. When I stop to think about it, I can’t quite get my head around such figures – and how tirelessly she must have worked to reach them. Congratulations, Ma’am, on all that you have achieved. Back in 1953, on the day of her Coronation, the Queen made a broadcast in which she looked forward to her future reign and committed herself to the British people and the Commonwealth. ‘I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service,’ she promised. ‘Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.’ At the time of her speech, the Queen was just 26 years old. I wonder if, back then, she thought about how long her reign might last or understood the depth of commitment required of her. Did she feel daunted and underqualified? Was she unsure about what lay ahead? Perhaps she was. But she was willing to take on the responsibility – and I admire her for it. I also appreciate the fact that, after 70 years, she stands by the promises that she made at the beginning. Earlier this year, when she issued a statement marking her Platinum Jubilee, the Queen referred to herself as a ‘servant’ to the people. She outlined her intention to continue serving for as long as she could. A leader who dedicates their life to serving others, rather than chasing glory, is – in my mind – a leader worth following. And I’m sure it’s no secret to the Queen, as a woman of faith, that an example of such leadership is found in Jesus. ‘The Son of Man did not come to be served,’ he said of himself, ‘but to serve’ (Mark 10:45 New International Version). It’s a powerful concept and one that we can strive for – whatever our status.
The Queen referred to herself as a servant
Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen
" Tick one or more of the options below, complete the coupon and send it to
a
War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN
Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army
Looking for help?
Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Name Address Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International
Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 4 June 2022
NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT!
Q
QUICK QUIZ 1
2
What is the title of Sam Ryder’s song that came second in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest? In which year was Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation?
A 3
4
5
6
What is the name of the actor selected to play the Doctor after Jodie Whittaker in the TV show Doctor Who? Who played speech therapist Lionel Logue in the 2010 film The King’s Speech? Which football club won the FA Cup final this year?
What property now known as the Scottish home of the royal family did Prince Albert purchase for Queen Victoria in 1852? ANSWERS
by Barbara Lang
Fired up for something good I
LOVE sitting around a flickering campfire, chatting to friends, old and new. As we talk, I enjoy watching the flames seeming to dance. I especially love, though, sitting round a campfire and cooking in cast iron pots, waiting for the food to finish. Sausages, potatoes, garlic bread and even marshmallows all taste better when cooked on a fire and eaten with friends. Tomorrow (Sunday 5 June), Christians celebrate Pentecost, commemorating an event that included fire. The account in the Book of Acts in the Bible depicts a group of friends who were gathered together after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven. They had followed him for three years and, now that he was no longer with them, they no longer knew what to do. In the hours that followed, the friends witnessed a miracle that fulfilled words written centuries before. Through the prophet Joel, God had said that one day he would pour out his Holy Spirit on all people. A loud sound like a rushing wind filled the place where the friends of Jesus had gathered, and tongues of fire appeared over them. When they started speaking about what was happening, they found that they were talking in different languages. This was God giving the group of people his Holy Spirit. The event is important for us today. The friends of Jesus discovered that their lives were never the same again after this experience. They had new purpose and new strength. They told other people about God’s love for them and encouraged them to put their trust in him. When God sent his Spirit to be with all people, he promised that his Spirit would remain with them and that they need never be alone. Christians have found that, whenever they feel lonely, they can ask God to be with them and to give them his strength. But God knows and loves everyone and so wants to share in everyone’s life. Accepting his offer can be the spark that starts a brand new and better life with him.
They had new purpose and new strength
4 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 13
1. ‘Space Man’. 2. 1953. 3. Ncuti Gatwa. 4. Geoffrey Rush. 5. Liverpool. 6. Balmoral Castle.
PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
ACROSS 1. Bantered (5) 5. Fraudster (5) 8. Interior (5) 9. Provide food (5) 10. Upper air (5) 11. Ornamental headwear (5) 12. Cistern (4) 15. Hunting call (6) 17. Lesser (5) 18. Uproar (6) 20. Pay (4) 25. Whinny (5) 26. Abrupt (5) 27. Normal (5) 28. Vapour (5) 29. Flowers (5) 30. Concise (5) DOWN 1. Coat (6) 2. Baby cat (6) 3. Filthy (5) 4. Relative by marriage (2-3) 5. Inventor (7) 6. Racial (6) 7. Pulsates (6)
Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9
8
6 4
6 5
4
3 9
2
1
5 9
5 9 9 2 5 9 13. 14. 15. 16.
Consumed (3) Energy (3) Over there (3) Small barrel (3) 17. Frenzy (7)
18. 19. 21. 22. 23. 24.
Acrimonious (6) Rubbish (6) Kidnap (6) Use (6) Broader (5) Fool (5)
7
1 8 9 2
4
3 1
4 6
WORDSEARCH
2
8 1 9 6 7 2 4 5 3 7 6 backwards 2 4 3and5diagonally 8 1 9 Look up, down, forwards, on the grid to find these words associated with change 4 5 3 1 8 9 7 2 6 A Z A N S B G6T 3 F S8N Y5 V 9R G4D M 2 P7 1 CHSOQHY I NS Y T L E VON V 1 9 5 7 2 6 3 8 4 Y I N I CR I J OE CNA V DA ZW P Q O T S A H2F 4I Z7V H3 T 1I B8D 6 Y T9 5 S Z I AQOA E T HD L F SNB T H 3 2 6 9 5 7 1 4 8 WW T V T Q H N C E J I L I T Z M Z S S I O J K N5P U F N6 7 8 Q1C N2 O 4O D3 F 9 VHSNA L T ERA T I ONER T C 9 7 4 8 6 1 5 3 2 CKNNCR L Z T OQHQ S V N XW
M O HONEYC B
Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. Chinese dish of dumplings (3, 3) 2. Window that projects from a sloping roof 3. Make shiny by rubbing 4. Relating to the nose 5. Relish of vegetables or fruit preserved in vinegar 6. Set a ship afloat
CO T U MT X P L S ZQ T N Y A TQ
ANSWERS 8 7 4 6 1 2 3 5 9 5 9
1 6 5 3 9 4 2 8 7
9 2 3 8 5 7 6 1 4
6 4 1 5 7 3 9 2 8
4 2
7 3 8 9 2 1 5 4 6
2 5 9 4 6 8 7 3 1 3 1
4 8 7 2 3 6 1 9 5
5 1 2 7 8 9 4 6 3
3 9 6 1 4 5 8 7 2 2
6
HONEYCOMB 1. Dim sum. 2. Dormer. 3. Polish. 4. Rhinal. 5. Pickle. 6. Launch. QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Joked. 5. Cheat. 8. Inner. 9. Cater. 10. Ether. 11. Tiara. 12. Tank. 15. Yoicks. 17. Minor. 18. Bedlam. 20. Wage. 25. Neigh. 26. Terse. 27. Usual. 28. Steam. 29. Roses. 30. Pithy. DOWN: 1. Jacket. 2. Kitten. 3. Dirty. 4. In-law. 5. Creator. 6. Ethnic. 7. Throbs. 13. Ate. 14. Vim. 15. Yon. 16. Keg. 17. Madness. 18. Bitter. 19. Debris. 21. Abduct. 22. Employ. 23. Wider. 24. Chump.
14 • WAR CRY • 4 June 2022
8
A R T H J G E X S
I N R O Z H R K L
I A A E Q Z E Y I
P R N B C J F B N
Q O S E Z T F F F
I U F R N F I A E
ADJUSTMENT ADVANCE ALTERATION CORRECTION DEVELOPMENT DIFFERENT INNOVATION METAMORPHOSIS MODIFICATION
S WM R V F E B J R N D L A QM L XWX ORMA T I ON F D C ZWS S E P J J S E Y U E V RMP Z S R J QQ V T E QME D SWNM J N V H V ONY ZDS T F E L CN L Y Y AK J I R NOVELTY RECONSTRUCTION REVERSAL REVISION SHIFT SWITCH TRANSFORMATION TRANSITION TURNAROUND
Raspberry fondant fancy cakes Ingredients 175g butter, softened 3 eggs, beaten 175g self-raising flour, plus 2tsp 1tsp lemon zest, finely grated 150g raspberries 150g marzipan 400g readymade vanilla buttercream 1kg white fondant icing Red and blue food colouring 50g milk chocolate, melted
Method Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm square cake tin with parchment. To make the sponge, use a mixer to beat the butter, eggs, 175g flour and lemon zest until well combined. Toss the raspberries in the extra 2tsp flour in a separate bowl, then fold into the sponge mixture. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 30 minutes, until golden. Place on a wire rack to cool, then remove the cake paper and freeze for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly roll out the marzipan and set aside. Once ready, remove the cake from the freezer and spread a thin layer of buttercream over it. Cover the cake with the marzipan, trimming away any overhang. Cut the cake into 25 even cubes. Spread the four sides of each cube with buttercream and pipe a small blob on top. Return to the freezer for 10 minutes. Chop the fondant icing into pieces. Use a mixer to beat it gently until it breaks down, adding 150ml water in small amounts, until you get an almost pouring consistency. Divide into 3 bowls. Leave the first white, then add red colouring to the second and blue to the third, mixing to the desired shades. Spear the base of a cake cube with a fork and dip it into the bowl of the white or red or blue icing to cover the whole cube. Twist as you lift the cube out, to cover completely. Transfer to a wire rack to set. Repeat to create a mix of red, white and blue cakes. Once softly set, use a piping bag to drizzle them all with the melted milk chocolate, then leave to set for a few minutes before serving. The cakes can also be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
MAKES
25
Summer berry swirled lollies Ingredients 75g blackberries 4tsp runny honey 150g raspberries 300g vanilla Greek yoghurt
Method Using a fork, mash the blackberries on a plate with 2tsp honey. Do the same with the raspberries, using the rest of the honey on another plate. Layer alternate spoonfuls of mashed fruits with the yoghurt in small cups. Poke a lolly stick in each of the cups and freeze overnight. To serve, dip the cups briefly in warm water, then lift the lollies out of the cups. Eat immediately.
Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the British Summer Fruits website lovefreshberries.co.uk
MAKES
10 4 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 15
Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new 2 Corinthians 5:17 (Contemporary English Version)
WAR CRY