War Cry 6 June 2020 by The Salvation Army UK and Ireland

6 June 2020 20p/25c

Castaways make waves Lauren Laverne invites listeners to radioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MUSICAL desert island

From the editor’s desk

What is The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church

TWENTY years ago, in the film Cast Away, Tom Hanks played a man who was washed up on an uninhabited island. Chuck Noland was alone and had no idea what the future held for him. Almost 12 weeks ago, millions of people in the United Kingdom also embarked on a life of isolation. They took to their homes, no longer allowed to travel to work, see their families or go out for anything other than essential reasons. The sandy beaches of the film were replaced by lounge carpets, and houseplants took the place of the coconut trees, but perhaps there were some similarities to the experience of Chuck. So, it seems quite natural that the BBC’s Desert Island Discs has a whole day of programmes on Radio 4 Extra today (Saturday 6 June), repeating some of the episodes from the show’s 78-year history. As we report in this week’s War Cry, listeners will be able to tune in and hear guests pick out their favourite book and music that they would want with them if they were stranded on a desert island. Sadly, though, for some people in the real world, spending lockdown at home has been lacking in comforts, not because they are alone, but because they are stranded with someone who is subjecting them to abuse. In this week’s issue we speak with Bekah Legg, the director of Restored. The Christian-run domestic abuse charity has been supporting victims during the lockdown period. In the article, Bekah explains the way abusers act to undermine their victims’ confidence and sense of self-worth. But she has a message for those subjected to abuse: ‘God loves you and has bestowed you with honour, worth and value.’ However, Bekah is not only interested in the victims. She also acknowledges the need to help abusers break their patterns of behaviour, which have sometimes been learnt through traumas in their own lives. Whoever we are, God loves and values us – there’s no need to feel that we’re cast off by him.

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 7477

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 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Contents

Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 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

Published weekly by The Salvation Army ©The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland 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 Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper

Your local Salvation Army centre

FEATURES 3

Isle listen to that

The music choices on Desert Island Discs

Tackling domestic abuse

The charity that supports those in danger

in their own homes

‘Oceans are the world’s thermostat’

Scientist on how the seas are

saving the planet

Prized programmes

Awards value broadcast belief

REGULARS 12

Browsing the Bible

Out of the Mouth of Babes

14 Puzzles 15

War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC Radio 4

2 • War Cry • 6 June 2020

RADIO

o t c i s u M s r a e f y m

BBC Radio 4

Lauren Laverne has hosted a special ‘Desert Island Discs’

Songs can offer comfort, writes Sarah Olowofoyeku

UT off from friends and family, deprived of luxuries such as hairdressers, restaurants and cinemas, and isolated in our own homes, many of us may have felt like castaways under the coronavirus restrictions. As is often the case at difficult times, people have turned to books, films and TV programmes, and music for company and comfort during the lockdown. Last month, the Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs invited listeners to share their stories about a piece of music that has been significant to them over the past few weeks. Yesterday (Friday 5 June), presenter Lauren Laverne hosted a special episode, which featured some of the music chosen by the public and the stories behind those choices. The broadcast was a departure from the programme’s usual format, in which notable people are invited to imagine life as a castaway. For almost 80 years, Desert Island Discs has asked those guests to select pieces of music that they would take with them if they were cast away alone on a desert island.

Today (6 June), Radio 4 Extra is broadcasting a selection of episodes from the archive, including its 75th anniversary special, and classic episodes with Sir David Attenborough, Ant and Dec and Tom Hanks among others. No matter the person or the field in which they have made their name,

Music often has sentimental value music has meant something to them throughout their lives and often has sentimental value. In 2012, Mary Berry chose ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’, sung by Salvation Army musicians, because the music was composed in her family’s summerhouse – it is a piece of music they now play at special occasions. And in 1988, poet and author Maya Angelou said that she would take gospel singer Mahalia Jackson’s version of ‘How Great Thou Art’ with her. Both are Christian songs, and for

centuries, music has helped Christians through life’s highs and lows. It can be an expression of joy and a way to connect to God in times of sorrow. The book that Christians turn to – the Bible – contains many instances of people using music to communicate with God. One of its best-known songs is found in the Book of Psalms. Over the years it has been set to various pieces of music, and while we may never know how it originally sounded, the message of the lyrics remains the same. It begins, ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ and goes on to say, ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me’ (Psalm 23:1 and 4 New International Version). While music can provide comfort in a significant way, Christians – like the writer of this biblical song – have found that ultimate comfort comes from God. If we turn to God, we can experience his presence with us through the hard days. While we may be cut off from those we love or experiencing the darkness of isolation, we can be assured that we do not have to despair, because God is with us.

6 June 2020 • War Cry • 3

Nightmare that’s A

S many people sought refuge from coronavirus in their homes, others found themselves trapped in the nightmare of domestic abuse. Since the lockdown began, calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline have increased by 25 per cent, while visits to its website have soared by 150 per cent. ‘Coronavirus has made things doubly difficult,’ Bekah Legg, director of Christian-run domestic abuse charity Restored, explains. ‘Domestic abuse remains hidden at the best of times. When everyone’s behind locked doors, it’s even more so.’ The charity seeks to support female survivors of abuse and equip churches to recognise and respond to the issue. Staff from Restored have spoken at events all over the world, including at the United Nations, and its campaign First Man Standing is designed to educate men about the issues of domestic abuse. ‘Restored’s long-term vision is to restore God’s original intentions for men

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BEKAH LEGG, the director of a Christian-domestic abuse charity, tells Emily Bright how Restored has been supporting victims during lockdown and women and how they live together,’ Bekah explains. ‘But actually the restoration of a relationship is a secondary factor, because we need to see indivduals restored.’ Bekah adds that, although many people have preconceptions about what domestic abuse looks like and who it affects, the reality can be completely different. ‘It doesn’t matter what profession, class or religion you’re from, domestic abuse happens across the board, which is

Bekah Legg

horrible but true,’ she says. ‘It is often associated with violence, but it can be financial too. I worked with somebody who wasn’t allowed to spend any money without her husband’s permission. She had to budget for her food and work extra hours if she needed more money. ‘At the other extreme, I support someone else whose husband wouldn’t allow her to work. It’s about control. ‘Abusers systematically undermine a person’s confidence and self-worth. They try to take away their ability to believe that they can manage on their own. People become terrified because their partner has such a hold over them, and they are scared that nobody will believe them.’ To help victims, communities and churches, Restored has produced a coronavirus lockdown toolkit. It contains

close to home advice for domestic abuse victims on how to stay safe or get away if they need to. There is also a section to aid anyone who realises that the pressure of lockdown has led them to behave in unacceptable ways towards members of their household. Bekah summarises some of the key advice. ‘If you’re experiencing domestic abuse, tell someone safely. Create a code to let them know if you’re in trouble and you can’t get out, like sending them a blank text. Have a safety plan in place. Put your passport, purse, phone and keys in your bag and leave them by the front door in case you need to make a quick exit. ‘Seek out local specialist support services, or you can always ring the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. The line is open 24/7, and they can give you all the advice you need. ‘If you’re in a situation where emergency support is needed from the police but you can’t speak, you can dial 999, and then 55 and from that point you can press numbers to answer their questions.’ Bekah also outlines the telltale signs of domestic abuse for people who might be concerned about someone else. ‘All kinds of things can tip off our suspicions, such as if somebody becomes withdrawn, louder, evasive or has suddenly disappeared. ‘It’s worth asking questions which enable people to speak up, like: “Are you okay? How are things at home?” Make

INTERVIEW

yourself available and make it clear that you’re worried about them.’ The third part of the toolkit is designed to help church leaders recognise and respond to abuse within their congregation. As a church leader herself, Bekah says that her faith plays a pivotal role in the way she views her work. ‘I follow a God of justice and love. When that isn’t replicated in human relationships, I’m saddened because I know that it’s not God’s intention. ‘God wants to see a restored world, and my faith leads me to ask how we can restore not only domestic abuse victims, but also their abusers. That doesn’t mean that we don’t challenge the behaviour of the abuser, but it’s about recognising that they’re a product of brokenness themselves, and we need to look at how to bring about a restoration in them too.’ Bekah also has a message for victims of domestic abuse: ‘God loves you and has bestowed you with honour, worth and value. No matter what you have heard or have come to believe about yourself, he has a better plan for you than to be a victim of oppression and abuse. ‘Believe that, find strength in that and let somebody know how they can help you.’

Domestic abuse happens across the board

l For more information visit restoredrelationships.org

6 June 2020 • War Cry • 5

AMED ‘the blue marble’ by Apollo 17 astronauts aboard their moon-bound spacecraft in 1972, Earth is unmistakably more ocean than land. We all depend upon our five oceans – Atlantic, Arctic, Indian, Pacific and Southern – to produce most of the oxygen we breathe. Millions of people around the world also rely on the sea for their livelihoods. In 2008, to encourage everyone to take the plunge in honouring and protecting our blue planet, the United Nations declared 8 June as World Oceans Day. Jorge Vazquez, an ocean researcher who has worked at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California for more than 20 years, is glad that the UN has dedicated an annual day to the celebration of the world’s oceans. Jorge says that his father, who was a biologist and a Christian, instilled in him and his brother an ‘appreciation for every bit of God’s creation’. He remembers: ‘I would take long walks with my father and my brother on the beach. My father would point out all these interesting organisms and we would go

Ahead of World Oceans Day, oceanographer JORGE VAZQUEZ tell s Linda McTurk why w e should be grateful for our oceans and work together to protect them swimming in the ocean. He knew all the algae and the animals.’ Jorge shows his appreciation for God’s creation through his job. As a project scientist for Nasa, he analyses data to understand the physical impact that climate change is having on the world’s oceans. Using satellite observations, he measures the amount of heat that comes off the ocean, the amount of salt in the sea and rising sea levels. ‘One of the most amazing things about the oceans is that they are taking up heat,’ he says. ‘The atmosphere is heating up because of the carbon

The oceans are the world’s thermostat dioxide issue and the heat has to go somewhere. This is great news because the oceans are moderating our climate. They are the world’s thermostat. If it was the other way around and we were 75 per cent land and 25 per cent ocean, we probably wouldn’t be here today.’ By studying the way that the ocean moves heat round the planet, Jorge seeks to understand the effects of climate change in coastal areas. He explains that when cold water from the depths of the ocean rises to the top, it

6 • War Cry • 6 June 2020

INTERVIEW

z que Jorge Vaz

brings a lot of oxygen and nutrients, which allow for more fish. But if climate change disrupts this natural process, it could have devastating consequences for fisheries all over the world. ‘With my own research, I’m focused on applications to the coast of California,’ he says. ‘But the same thing is happening in the Canary Islands, the same thing is happening in Peru. And we’re seeing that ocean acidification is changing how oysters form their shells. These things are not theoretical, we’re seeing them happen. We just hit 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. That’s unprecedented in millions of years. The path that we’re on is not sustainable.’ Jorge collaborates with scientists from all over the world to share research that he hopes will create a multidisciplinary approach to climate change. He has also taken his research to the UN at its international headquarters in New York. Even in the current climate, as bad news from the coronavirus pandemic dominates the media, Jorge

has hope that positive change for the planet’s oceans is still possible if humanity acts soon. He says that some stories about the way the restrictions on human activity have benefited the natural environment send a positive message that some aspects of climate change may still be reversible. He is also trying to work more with students because he believes that ‘they are the ones who are going to find the solutions’. Jorge cites his Christian faith as a reason for his desire for people to work together to care for the world, including its oceans. ‘Jesus is a globalist. He died for all of us,’ he says. ‘We’re interconnected. The realities of the problems we are facing now with the climate are global. We all bear some responsibility. No one person can solve it. The sense that we are preserving this planet not only for us, but also for future generations is something that impacts me deeply. ‘For me, it goes back to loving God’s creation and treating it as a gift – no less than a spouse, a friend or a colleague. This is the only planet that can sustain life as we know it. We have to be better stewards of it.’

Climate change could have devestating consequences

6 June 2020 • War Cry • 7

A show o Every year, the Sandford St Martin awards celebrate the best in religious TV, radio and online broadcasting. Ahead of this year’s ceremony, which has been rearranged online, ANNA McNAMEE, executive director of the organisation behind the awards, talks to Philip Halcrow about why programme-makers should take notice of religion

NE year, Stoke City FC’s legendary kit man Neil Baldwin was there alongside BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet. A year later, writer Heidi Thomas and actor Stephen McGann from drama series Call the Midwife mingled with arts broadcaster Joan Bakewell and the makers of a children’s TV documentary about a Syrian boy living in a refugee camp. Tom Hollander and Olivia Colman have been there to pick up an award for the sitcom Rev. And, though no one will be at a physical ceremony this year, anyone who goes online on Thursday (11 June) will be able to see rap artist Stormzy presented with a prize. The Sandford St Martin awards honour a wide variety of TV, radio and online broadcasts. But all the shortlisted programmes have one thing in common: they reflect on religious, spiritual or ethical themes. range. We get more drama, we get The awards – given by the Sandford St comedy and, believe it or not, we get Martin Trust and including one each year sports. We see a lot of different kinds chosen by readers of Radio Times – pull of content as well as the more traditional the rug from under the feet of anyone who religious broadcasting, news stories and thinks that religious documentaries.’ broadcasting is just Shortlisted programmes a niche interest. over the past few years ‘When the awards have included Marvellous, were first presented the TV biopic about in 1978,’ says enthusiastic churchgoer Anna McNamee, a Neil Baldwin – played on broadcast journalist screen by Toby Jones and the executive director of the Sandford – who was diagnosed with a learning St Martin Trust, ‘the winners were often disability, was made an honorary graduate quite worthy programmes about the rituals of Keele University and went on to and inner workings of religion. They were become a much-loved member of staff good programmes, but what we see now at Stoke City. They have included reality with the programmes entered for the TV programmes The Monastery and awards is that there is much more of a The Convent, in which participants with

We see a lot of different kinds of content

8 • War Cry • 6 June 2020

Broadcaster Joan Bakewell and Heidi Thomas and Stephen McGann of ‘Call the Midwife’ pick up awards in 2016 varying degrees of faith explored life in an enclosed community. Sombre TV and radio documentaries about the Holocaust, death and jihadists have been honoured, as well as ITV’s clergyman-centred

of faith INTERVIEW

whodunit drama series Grantchester. Winners of the trustees’ award, which is given to individuals or broadcasts that have made outstanding contributions to the public understanding of religion, spirituality and ethics, have also been diverse. This year, Stormzy, who has performed a much-reported televised set at Glastonbury, won music awards and campaigned for residents of the Grenfell Tower community, will be joining a list that includes royal wedding preacher Bishop Michael Curry, long-running radio programme Moral Maze and news reporter Lyse Doucet. In his acceptance speech, which will

be shown during the online ceremony, the singer says: ‘Every award I’ve ever collected, whatever achievement I’ve ever had, I’ve always been vocal about the fact that it’s not possible without God. He’s the reason why I’m here today. He’s the reason that I’m able to have a career. A lot of the time I get nonbelievers saying, “Don’t thank God, this wasn’t God. This was all you.” And I know this wasn’t all me. This was God.’ Anna believes that it is good news if the awards are able to celebrate religion in all kinds of broadcasts, because religion plays a role in all areas of life off-screen. ‘Our work at the Sandford St Martin Trust is about promoting religious

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The awards reflect religious broadcasting back at itself

Stormzy has been vocal about God

6 June 2020 • War Cry • 9

literacy via broadcasting,’ she says. ‘It’s about the place of religious content in the wider media ecosystem. In the current situation, with the huge growth in media platforms, there is a lot more “narrowcasting” – that is, programme content that speaks to specific, smaller groups of people. But because broadcasting potentially has such a massive reach – particularly in this country with public service broadcasting – it’s important to get programme-makers engaged in a wider discussion rather than just having all these little silos that are operating independently of each other and, to be blunt, misunderstanding each other.’ Anna says that she had her ‘eyes opened to a lot of misunderstanding of religion’ years before she joined the Sandford St Martin Trust. ‘I’ve been a broadcast journalist more or less since I finished university. I started off with television news documentaries and then went to work for Radio 4, and I still make documentaries mostly for Radio 4 and the World Service. ‘But back in 2001, it just happened that I was covering for somebody in the World Service’s religion department on 9/11. I remember clearly watching the screens and seeing the news of the attacks come in. Then all of a sudden the phone started ringing, and it was all these people from the news who needed more information than they had about what was going on. That need for information about religion became more apparent after 7/7. ‘At one point a news reporter was seconded in the religion department. We realised that the conversation about religion, which had been ghettoised into a small department, really was relevant to a broader understanding of the world we were living in. Courtesy of

the Sandfo

rd St Martin

PA/JAY MALLIN via Zuma Wire

From page 9

Black Lives Matter protesters on a march in Washington DC in 2016 ‘Even now, it’s not uncommon for me to go into a meeting with somebody who is making a programme on a religious theme, and they’ll say to me, “Oh, but, you know, I’m not religious.” I never asked them whether they were. I don’t really care if they are. I’m more concerned with the content they’re making. ‘There is obviously a reticence when it comes to religion. It’s not political correctness – I’m all for political correctness. Instead, it seems that nobody wants to offend. But it’s a kind of cowardice to ignore things because you don’t want to offend somebody, because you are worried that it’s not going to be cool or because you think that by paying attention to this different factor, it will make your perspective less relevant.’

Churches in America are at the heart of Black Lives Matter

awards

David Ten na Michael S nt and he ‘Good Om en in ens’ 10 • War Cry • 6 June 2020

Highlighting a subject that has been in the news in recent years, Anna says: ‘We hear about Black Lives Matter. Churches in America are at the heart of that movement. It’s very relevant to why people are willing to put their lives on the line and the way they express themselves. It informs their sense of justice and of mission. Yet we never hear that perspective. ‘But, as much as anything, religious broadcasters have felt that they were not taken seriously. They have had this sense of inferiority about the work that they were doing.’ The Sandford St Martin Trust – which was started by an Anglican layman back in the 1970s and named after the village where he lived – uses various channels of communication to promote its message that broadcasters should not be scared of focusing on faith. In the past, it has held events at

ma ‘Riot Radio dra lores the p Days’ ex f Pussy Riot o activism

INTERVIEW

ucet receives News reporter Lyse Do 15 20 in ard aw ’ the trustees

can’t understand James Joyce or DH Lawrence unless you know a little bit about Christianity, you’ll get more out of Good Omens if you are aware of a little bit of the religious background. ‘I’m happy that we’re getting good dramas, because we sometimes receive fewer entries in that genre. More often than not, the judges choose something factual for the TV award, but the year before last, Broken won the TV and the Radio Times readers’ award.’ Broken, Jimmy McGovern’s drama series about a priest in the north of England, was a memorable winner in Anna’s eyes, because it ‘was impactful in so many ways’. She says: ‘Jimmy McGovern is a

master at the top of his game, and it was superbly acted by Anna Friel and by Sean Bean, who had just done Game of Thrones, this mammothly successful series. ‘It also showed how religion is experienced at a personal level and at a community level and showed how that fits into the wider scheme of who we are in the world today. And that’s what good religious broadcasting does – actually it is what all good broadcasting does: it informs us about the world we live in.’ l This year’s ceremony will be shown at sandfordawards.org.uk/awards-2020 on Thursday 11 June at 6.30pm

LA Productions

the Edinburgh International Television Festival and at Sheffield Doc/Fest. ‘We lobby within the BBC as a public service broadcaster,’ says Anna, ‘and we have just put in a submission of evidence to the all-party parliamentary group on religion in the media. ‘Earlier this year, we launched Sandford St Martin Salons, with the idea of bringing together people who are interested in broadcasting to discuss the issues of the day. ‘The awards, though, are at the heart of what we do, because they are an opportunity to reflect religious broadcasting back at itself.’ Anna is pleased by what she sees in this year’s lists. ‘The BBC has traditionally dominated religious broadcasting, which is not a surprise, because it dominates British broadcast media. However, this year there has been a strong showing from a much wider range of platforms. It has been good to see some of the smaller organisations step up. So in the radio category we have, for the first time in many years, an entry from UCB.’ United Christian Broadcasters’ interview with former rugby player Allen Langham sits on a radio shortlist otherwise consisting of BBC programmes – though Anna is also glad that among those programmes is a drama. ‘It’s called Riot Days and it’s about Pussy Riot in Russia. Again, it highlights the aspect of religion in a news story. Everybody who follows the news has read about Pussy Riot, but nobody has questioned why they chose a Russian Orthodox church in which to hold their demonstration. This drama articulates the answer to that. ‘And this year on the shortlist for the Radio Times readers’ award, we have Good Omens, which is not just a drama, but a fantasy drama.’ Anna says that votes have been flooding in for the series, an adaptation of the novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman and starring Michael Sheen as an angel and David Tennant as a demon. ‘A lot of people will watch that series and won’t be thinking “this is religious broadcasting” – but it is broadcasting about religion. In the same way that you

Sean Bean in ‘Broken’, a previous winner of the TV award 6 June 2020 • War Cry • 11

EXPLORE

Prayerlink THE War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book in the Scriptures

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 Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

or many people, the Bible is like an iceberg. From a distance, it is an object of majestic beauty. The poetry and prose of the 17th-century’s King James Bible mark it out as a timeless literary masterpiece – a heritage treasure of the English language. Many of the Bible’s phrases, such as ‘go the extra mile’ and ‘turn the other cheek’, have become everyday expressions. The craftsmanship of a Bible printed on India paper, edged in gold leaf, adorned with silk place-markers and bound in Moroccan leather testifies to a reverence shown to few other books. Up close, though, the Bible can seem cold and uninviting. Consequently, like the iceberg, at least 95 per cent of it goes unexplored. Many people know the odd Bible story, such as David killing Goliath, or an occasional phrase, such as ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want’, but they have never been able to explore the whole of the wonderful landscape. When they have tried, they have got bogged down – or lost – and given up. One reason for such struggles is that the Bible is not designed to be read as one continuous narrative. It is not a novel, where the reader starts at page one and follows a connected story until the last sentence. The Bible is a collection of 66 books, and that collection is arranged in a particular way. Unless they know where to start and how the Bible is organised, many first-time

readers – particularly those who want to learn about Jesus – give up after the first few chapters of Genesis. This is one reason why I have written the Browsing the Bible series that has been running in the War Cry for the past 18 months. I wanted to give readers a brief overview – a satellite image, if you will – of each of the

The Bible is not one continuous narrative, but a collection of books 66 books which focused on the essential message of that book and its place in the overall scheme of the collection. Thanks to the interest of War Cry readers, the whole series is now being published as a book. Browsing the Bible not only contains all the War Cry articles, but each chapter also includes signposts for further discovery, a subject for reflection and a prayer that is related to the main topic of the biblical book. My hope is that Browsing the Bible will unlock some unknowns, decode some mysteries, help the reader see how biblical books fit together and paint in their mind a picture of God’s redeeming love. My prayer is that, as the reader opens their Bible afresh, the life-giving Spirit of God will write new chapters in their life.

BROWSING THE BIBLE by NIGEL BOVEY

• £8 print • £6.99 ebook • Order print copies now at sps-shop.com Due to Covid-19, shipment of books will be delayed until SP&S is fully operational. Please see the website for details and updates

The ebook will be available on Amazon Kindle from 6 June

12 • War Cry • 6 June 2020

EXPRESSIONS

Rosemary Dawson on the life lessons she has learnt from her grandchildren

Hannah and her school uniform

quick quiz 1

Who wrote the novel published posthumously as The Silmarillion?

a 2

Which letter represents 500 in the Roman numerical system? What does the Hebrew greeting ‘Shalom aleichem’ mean? Which duo had a No 1 hit with the song ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’?

What is the capital of Poland? Which film won the Academy Award for best picture this year? ANSWERS

ITH some school pupils in England returning to the classroom this week, I was reminded of how, as a young girl, my granddaughter Hannah could not wait for her school to open after the holidays. She simply loved everything about school – even the uniform. When Hannah was five years old, we had been staying with the family during the holidays. In readiness for Monday morning, her mum laid out her school uniform the night before. As she took herself off to bed, Hannah’s mum went in to check on her daughter. ‘That’s funny,’ she thought. ‘Where’s her uniform gone? I know I got it out.’ She looked everywhere, but couldn’t find it. The problem was solved when she adjusted the bed covers. Hannah was so keen to get back to school that she had gone to sleep fully clothed in her uniform. The next morning, Hannah went in early to where her grandad was sleeping, all bright and beautiful and ready for school. They talked together – or rather she talked while he tried to wake up! Hannah’s enthusiasm for school reminded me of the saying ‘You learn something new every day’. Whatever our age may be, there are always new things for us to learn. That is particularly true when it comes to God. It doesn’t matter how much we may think we know about him and his goodness to us, we can never know everything. Those are subjects definitely worth studying all through our lives.

BOOK REVIEW Love, Interrupted Simon Thomas Trigger FORMER TV presenter Simon Thomas recounts how he lost his wife, Gemma, only three days after she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. In the first chapter of Love, Interrupted, he recalls with searing honesty the heartbreaking details of how the woman he loved died. He describes what it was like to break the news of her death to their eight-year-old son. The bulk of the book, however, is not about the trauma of death, but about the importance of love. Simon speaks fondly of the way Gemma supported him when he dealt with debilitating anxiety. He talks about how his son takes after Gemma in his concern for others, and he relates how touched he is by the amount of care and support that people, including strangers, showed to him and his son in their initial time of grief. The book is a testament to the power of love and the impact that one life lived well can have on many others.

Linda McTurk

6 June 2020 • War Cry • 13

1. JRR Tolkien. 2. D. 3. Peace be upon you. 4. Simon and Garfunkel. 5. Warsaw. 6. Parasite.

PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Fury (5) 5. First appearance (5) 8. Astound (5) 9. Group of singers (5) 10. Incredulous person (5) 11. Reside (5) 12. Regard (4) 15. Half-conscious state (6) 17. Scratch (5) 18. Show off (6) 20. Fable (4)

by Chris Horne

25. Energy (5) 26. Tiny gap (5) 27. Extemporise (2-3) 28. Surpass (5) 29. Wild cat (5) 30. Shelf (5) DOWN 1. Evil (6) 2. Stir (6) 3. Robust (5) 4. Tag (5) 5. Proclaim (7) 6. Kindly (6)

7. Equipment (6) 13. Slippery fish (3) 14. Perform (3) 15. Attempt (3) 16. Sever (3) 17. Table game (7) 18. American tap (6) 19. Inquiring (6) 21. Bawled (6) 22. Meek (6) 23. Slap (5) 24. Will (5)

SUDOKU

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9

HONEYCOMB

HONEYCOMB HONEYCOMB 2

1 9

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

5 6 8

1 6 3 5

Answers

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Wrath. 5. Debut. 8. Amaze. 9. Choir. 10. Cynic. 11. Dwell. 12. Deem. 15. Trance. 17. Score. 18. Flaunt. 20. Myth. 25. Oomph. 26. Chink. 27. Ad-lib. 28. Excel. 29. Tiger. 30. Ledge. DOWN: 1. Wicked. 2. Arouse. 3. Hardy. 4. Label. 5. Declare. 6. Benign. 7. Tackle. 13. Eel. 14. Act. 15. Try. 16. Cut. 17. Snooker. 18. Faucet. 19. Asking. 21. Yelled. 22. Humble. 23. Smack. 24. Shall. HONEYCOMB 1. Locust. 2. Scampi. 3. Bonsai. 4. Island. 5. Unbend. 6. Sister.

3 1 9 2 8 4 6 7 5

2 4 6 5 7 3 8 1 9

8 7 5 1 9 6 4 2 3

5 6 3 7 4 2 1 9 8

9 8 1 3 6 5 2 4 7

4 2 7 8 1 9 3 5 6

7 3 2 4 5 8 9 6 1

1 9 8 6 2 7 5 3 4

6 5 4 9 3 1 7 8 2

SUDOKU SOLUTION

7 2 5 9

4 5 6

14 • War Cry • 6 June 2020

6 9

4 3

7 2 5 9

4 5 6

7 8

Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch

1. Large grasshopper 2. Large prawns, typically fried 3. Art of cultivating miniature trees 4. Land surrounded by water 5. Straighten 6. Female sibling

Wordsearch ALLEVIATE ASSIST CALM CHEER COMFORT CONSOLE ENCOURAGE HEARTEN INSPIRE MITIGATE NOURISH REFRESH RELIEVE REMEDY SOLACE SOOTHE STRENGTHEN SUSTAIN

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these 3 words 2 associated 8 5 9 with 4 reassurance 7 1 6

1 4 7 6 8 2 3 9 5 L N A X W E S S P D Q A V D V Z T Y X X A B T C V U O G S T H N L E K S 9 6 5 3 1 7 2 8 4 S Z S C P A V E M S J N P Z I V U Z 2 5 I 1 I 7E R 3 I 8P S N 4 6I G T 9 Z V F O L L X W O M N F O B 8 7 S 9 T 4L R E M E D Y 6 1 5 2 X K 3 N P C S U S T A I N E M T K T K Y C 4 3I S H T G R B 6 2 5 9 F 8 L 7Y P 1Z X O N O U R T U M L S V C U A L A A 6 8 4 1 2 3I Z G L X S 9 5 7 Y O U E E H T G N E R T S M A N W Z 7 1I A H E U O Q S B L N P 2 9 4 5 6 3 8 R T P L S B F R L J C T R O F M O C S U T S A E 5 9 3 8 7 6 1 4 2 P A U E I H F R L T C O Q G D N H U Z Y O M L C E A H H N E B S T S A M D S G W K S C E I A E B C Z H S W P V L W R H W W G R H U N N Q H G P H V S C B Q M K S O O Y X H U M E G K W C G Z L C T Z B C H Q K C K O G C A S U Q G S N N M B U U L Q Y T W K

1 4 3

9 9

7 8

Cajun rice with beef jerky Ingredients

Method

200g long-grain rice, rinsed and drained

Cook the rice with the vegetable stock instead of water, according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

400ml vegetable stock 1tbsp oil 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 small green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1tbsp Cajun seasoning 2tbsp fresh thyme leaves

SERVES

100g prepared beef jerky, chopped 2tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and cook the garlic, onion, pepper and chilli for 3 minutes until soft. Add the seasoning, thyme, cooked rice and beef jerky. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the beef jerky is heated through. Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

Sizzle beef stir-fry Ingredients

Method

4tbsp Worcester sauce

To make the sizzle sauce, mix the Worcester sauce, five-spice powder, tomato purée, honey and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.

1tsp Chinese five-spice powder 2tbsp tomato purée 1tbsp honey 1tbsp light soy sauce 2tsp oil 300g thin-cut beef steaks, cut into rough cubes 450g cooked and chilled vegetable rice Green salad, to serve

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan or wok, add the beef and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sizzle sauce and vegetable rice. Continue to cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring from time to time until the rice is piping hot. Serve immediately with a green salad.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board website simplybeefandlamb.co.uk

SERVES

6 June 2020 • War Cry • 15

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