War Cry 7 December 2019 by The Salvation Army UK and Ireland

SINCE

1879

Christmas 2019 20p/25c

S YEAARRCRY 140 W THE OF

Joy to the world!

SOUNDS LIKE NEWS WORTH HEARING

What is The Salvation Army?

From the editor’s desk

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

THE decision about who lands the starring role in the school Nativity play must drive teachers to distraction at this time of year – particularly when they know they will have to disappoint pupils who are desperate to play a particular part. In this issue of the War Cry, Rosemary Dawson writes about the time when her granddaughter missed out on playing the part of Mary. There is also the question of which is the starring part in the Nativity story. Given that most schools would struggle to find a pupil who could play the baby Jesus, is the star of the show Mary, Joseph, the angel Gabriel or one of the other characters? Rosemary’s granddaughter was given the part of the ‘Main Star’ and was told by her teacher that it was the most important role of all. Certainly the star that is mentioned in Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus played an important part in guiding the wise men to the new family. Through the ages, many people have wondered what that star actually was. It is something that has interested Professor David Wilkinson. In an interview in this issue, David discusses the various astronomical phenomena that could explain how the star mentioned in the Bible appeared. However, David does not rule out the star being a ‘miraculous sign in the sky’, saying that the account of the star and the wise men shows that ‘God reaches out to people beyond our normal expectations’. At Christmas, Christians celebrate how God reached out to people when his own Son came into the world as a vulnerable, tiny baby. Through the gift of Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection, everybody is able to know God for themselves and discover the part they can play in God’s plan for humankind. It is an offer of a role that will not disappoint anyone.

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.

SINCE 1879

140 YEARS

OF THE WAR CRY Issue No 7452

Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Claire Brine Staff Writer: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight War Cry office: 020 7367 4900 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN 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 Secretary for Communications: Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant

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 and Wales 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

Contents FEATURES 3

Special delivery Royal Mail stamps tell Nativity story

A smashing story A seasonal message from Salvation Army’s UK leader

Astronomical sign What was the star the wise men followed?

Dinner is served Hundreds enjoy all the trimmings on Christmas Day

Joyful and triumphant Choirmaster on carols at King’s

REGULARS 12

Browsing the Bible

Out of the Mouth of Babes

14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: Andrew King Photography

2 • WAR CRY • Christmas 2019

FEATURE

Signed, sealed, delivered ARK! The herald angels sing, and this H year’s Christmas stamps glorify the newborn king. The six Royal Mail stamps,

created by paper artists Hari and Deepti, chart the story of Jesus’ birth. They depict scenes such as Mary with her child, the journey of the Magi, and the shepherds watching their flock by night. English art patron and inventor Sir Henry Cole sent the first commercially produced Christmas cards in 1843. Since then Christmas greetings cards and their accompanying stamps have become a seasonal staple. The tradition of festive stamps started back in 1966. The postal service has since printed more than 17 billion of them. Inspirations for past illustrations include the songs ‘Good King Wenceslas’ and ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’, as well as Christmas trees, ice skating, Santa and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. But throughout that time, the Nativity in particular has become a firm fixture, with the biblical story featuring the most frequently. Seasonal stamps enable people to send some of the millions of Christmas cards bought each year in the UK. Each of those cards is a token of thoughtfulness. Christmas cards allow people to reconnect with loved ones and old friends, emphasising the importance of their relationships.

Nativity stamps make their mark this year, writes Emily Bright

Whether living continents apart or close to home, recipients of the cards recognise that they matter enough for someone to think of them, write to them and pay the price of postage. For some people, though, Christmas can be an intensely difficult time. Estrangement from family or friends or bereavement can make them feel unloved, lost or lonely. However, the Nativity offers the message of God’s love and regard for us all. It tells us of how God reached out to all humankind by sending Christmas cards allow his dearly loved Son, Jesus, to live on Earth among us. people to reconnect Jesus went on to sacrifice with loved ones and his life so that old friends we needn’t be separated from God, but instead could enter a relationship with him. The Bible explains that Jesus gave people who believed in him ‘the right to become children of God’ (John 1:12 New International Version). Jesus offers us all the opportunity to know ourselves to be treasured members of God’s family. If we seek Jesus out, he will envelop us in his love and stand by us through all the highs and lows of life. The promise of his love is one that sticks.

Christmas 2019 • WAR CRY • 3

A seasonal message from Commissioner Anthony Cotterill, leader of The Salvation Army in the UK and Republic of Ireland

VICAR was annoyed and saddened when she discovered that someone had thrown a stone through one of the precious stainedglass windows of her church. To make matters worse it was one of the Christmas story windows, the one that illustrated the angels appearing to the shepherds on the hills around Bethlehem. At the top of the window were some of the words of their proclamation about the arrival of Jesus into the world. GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, the stained-glass writing had declared. However, the stone had been thrown through the last letter E, and now the words read: GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGH ST. The vicar’s sorrow was overtaken by a smile as the essence of the Christmas story suddenly became obvious in a new light – glory to God who is not just in the highest but in the high street! I love the explanation in John’s Gospel of the coming of Jesus. Unlike other gospel writers, John does not feel the need to write about angels and shepherds or wise men and gifts. Instead he begins his gospel with these words: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (John 1:1 New International Version). John uses the term ‘Word’ to describe Jesus, saying that he was with God right from the beginning of time before he became a man on Earth. One of the modern paraphrases of John chapter 1 says: ‘The Word became

The coming of Jesus was never meant to be a quaint story of shepherds, angels, wise men and gifts flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish’ (John 1:14 The Message). This Word becoming flesh was and is the miracle of Christmas and demonstrates to us that God is with us. Jesus became one of us, loving us, teaching us, making us whole and showing us the way to be at peace and at one with God. It cost him his physical life at the age of 33. But because of who he is, he was able to deal with all the things that separate us from God – the ungodly stuff, the unloving stuff, our sins – and he dealt with them as he

4 • WAR CRY • Christmas 2019

died on a cross at a place called Calvary. The remarkable thing is that when we recognise that truth and call out for help and forgiveness, all the benefits of his life and death are passed on to us, and we have life in all its fullness. We get to experience something of the glory of God, within us, wherever we are – even in the high street. To put it another way, right in the very hubbub of our all-too-busy, often pressured lives, Jesus comes and lives with us. There is a children’s carol that says: Christmas isn’t Christmas Till it happens in your heart. Somewhere deep inside you Is where Christmas really starts. So give your heart to Jesus, You’ll discover when you do That it’s Christmas, Really Christmas for you. In Luke 2 we can read about the sayings of the angels who, having explained to the shepherds that a saviour, Christ the Lord, was born in Bethlehem, declared, ‘Glory to God in the highest Heaven.’ They continued, ‘and on Earth peace to those on whom his favour rests’ (Luke 2:14 New International Version). Some high street shops are especially busy at this time of year; others are in serious trouble. The high street may be an echo of our own lives – pressured or perhaps challenging. But I remind you that the coming of Jesus was never meant to be a quaint story of shepherds, angels, wise men and gifts 2,000 years ago. Jesus is a gift for all time and eternity, and it is possible today for his glory and his peace to be experienced in our own hearts and lives, in our neighbourhood, in our ‘high street’ and the very place we live our life, wherever that may be. I love the last verse of the carol ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ because it sums up this great truth of Christmas: O holy Child of Bethlehem Descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, Be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel. May you know God’s peace and something of the glory and radiance of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate and enjoy at this time of year. Have a wonderful Christmas!

GOOD NEWS

Christmas 2019 • WAR CRY • 5

Star’s in their Matthew’s Gospel describes how a star led some magi – or ‘wise men’ – to embark on a quest to find and worship the infant Jesus. Ever since, people have been trying to identify it, Professor DAVID WILKINSON tells Philip Halcrow

WO thousand years after the gospel writer Matthew described how it appeared in the east, it is still appearing on cards and in Nativity paintings and plays. The star that provided a clue to the birth of Jesus has fascinated scientists and scholars for centuries. Wise men are still trying to solve the mystery of what it was. With PhDs in theoretical astrophysics be possible from our understanding of and systematic theology, the Rev astronomy.’ Professor David Wilkinson of Durham David’s observation is that there are University can look at the star from two three main astronomical phenomena perspectives. that could provide an explanation for ‘Biblical commentators from the the star. 3rd century onwards have raised ‘The first is a comet, which chimes questions about it,’ he says. ‘You don’t with Matthew’s statement that it moves have to be a scientist to be intrigued across the sky. by what it was and what it signified. ‘The second possibility is a close We can see from the tradition that grew planetary conjunction where, for into astrology that people were always fascinated with what happened in the sky. Astronomy really started with You don’t have to be a Galileo and others in the 16th century, and virtually all of them were Christians, scientist to be intrigued so they would have had some interest in by what the star was the star.’ David says that those trying to follow example, Saturn and Jupiter can come the clues to the Bethlehem star turn to together so close in the sky that they evidence in two main spheres of study. appear to be one bright star. ‘The first type of evidence is the text. ‘The third possibility is a supernova Matthew gives one or two insights, but explosion. When stars get to the they’re not easy to identify fully. The end of their lives, they lose control of second task is to identify what might

6 • WAR CRY • Christmas 2019

David Wilkinson

themselves and explode in very bright events. ‘They are the possibilities from science. Then we’ve got to ask the question: Did any of those events happen about the time Jesus was born?’ David says that anyone wanting to answer the question can go to two kinds of sources. ‘One is astronomical records. For instance, the Babylonians and the Chinese were very good observers of the sky.

INTERVIEW

eyes

God used the stars to reach out to people who weren’t Jews and who didn’t know the Scriptures ‘The other type of source is calculations of planetary conjunctions. The laws of physics are fairly stable at the level of the orbits of planets, so we can do computer modelling to say what the sky looked like at the time of Jesus’ birth.’ But even when Bethlehem star searchers are equipped with the biblical text, ancient records and modern calculations, it does not follow that they can easily find what they are looking for. ‘One of the problems is knowing exactly when Jesus was born,’ says David, ‘and none of the three astronomical possibilities quite fit with the dating.’ David believes that there is space for a fourth possibility – ‘that it was a miraculous sign in the sky. It cannot be ruled out by science, because it would be God doing something beyond his regular sustaining of the laws of physics.’

He is not, however, convinced by a further theory. Some scholars think that the narrative about the wise men is not history but a different type of literature. ‘Some have argued that the story was created by Matthew to say how important Jesus was. I have to say that if someone was making the story up, I think they would have done a better job. To me, it has a ring of truth because not every detail is specified, not every question is answered. ‘I can almost imagine Matthew receiving this story and thinking that he needed to include this information, though he wished he had more details about it.’ Some people today may wish they had more information on the star. But David says that one significant detail that does appear in the narrative is often overlooked. ‘Often we’ve become obsessed with

the star and missed the point that, in a sense, the star didn’t lead the wise men to Christ. They saw a star and travelled to Palestine and then went to see King Herod. Herod consulted the religious scholars, and it was from the Scriptures that they found out that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.’ As it stands – even with astronomical questions hanging over it – the story of the wise men sheds light on the significance of the way Jesus came into the world. ‘It says that God reaches out to people beyond our normal expectations,’ says David. ‘He used the stars to reach out to people who weren’t Jews and who didn’t know the Scriptures. ‘But the story also shows that seeing God at work in creation can only take you a certain distance. You have to search the Scriptures to find out about Jesus.’

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T I A F M L E A F A L M E A F O R A K I N GN F I

OR A K

Sarah Olowofoyeku reports on the meals bringing people together at the most wonderful time of the year

’T

IS the season to be eating. Food is usually in abundance during the Christmas period. Festive dinners with friends and colleagues take place throughout the month. Then comes the day itself, complete with turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets and roast potatoes – or whatever a family’s tradition might be.

In many people’s eyes, The Salvation Army is also an integral part of the festive season, with some saying that ‘it’s not Christmas until you’ve heard the Salvation Army band playing’. The bands can be found in shopping centres, town squares, hospitals and at the front of carol services, accompanying congregations singing in celebration of ‘Christ, the newborn King’. It is just one of the ways that the organisation seeks to reach out to people at this time of year. Among the people they try to reach are those who may have a more difficult experience of Christmas. People facing problems such as isolation, poverty or homelessness do not always feel the season is the most wonderful

8 • WAR CRY • Christmas 2019

time of the year and may not be able to afford an all-the-trimmings Christmas dinner. But food and the Army go hand in hand all year round. And hundreds of Salvation Army churches across the country host a Christmas Day meal, especially for those who are marginalised, vulnerable or lonely. One such church is Lowestoft Citadel. Lisa King co-ordinates the day, when up to 100 people are provided with a Christmas dinner

People come who might otherwise not be eating anything with all the trimmings. Lisa, who works fulltime as a paediatric nurse, begins preparations in October. ‘Once upon a time, I used to start in August!’ she says. ‘But now I’ve got my head round things a bit more, I can start later.’ In the lead-up to the day, Lisa will invite some regular guests by phone, and also link up with organisations such as Age UK to see who else may like to attend. ‘We get people who are lonely, who haven’t got family or whose family live away,’ she says. ‘The homeless come, as well as those who have chaotic lives and might otherwise not be eating anything.

We have volunteers who go and pick them up.’ It’s a whole-day affair, which features an entertainer who sings with the guests. Everyone also goes home with a gift bag containing some goodies. In addition to the logistics of inviting people and arranging pick-ups, Lisa has to oversee the food, which comes from The Salvation a range of sources. Army hosts With so many mouths Christmas to feed, there’s a lot dinners with all of food to buy, and Lisa has an extensive the trimmings shopping list. But she is able to tick the items off her list through the generosity of others. Supermarkets, shops and businesses donate some of the food, and the rest is purchased with monetary donations that The Salvation Army receives. Organising a meal for such a large number of people takes a lot of work, but Lisa doesn’t do it alone. She says: ‘I have a group of about 40 volunteers. We start on Christmas Eve by decorating the tables, preparing the vegetables and getting the gift bags ready. Then on Christmas Day, we are there from 11.30 am to 6 pm. Some of our volunteers are new and just want to help out one Christmas, but some come year after year.’ Lisa herself has been serving the

T I F

FEATURE Library pictures posed by models

G N

Lisa’s shopping list for Christmas Day dinner: 24kg turkey crown

community year after year. ‘It feels as if I’ve always done it, so I couldn’t imagine doing anything different,’ she says. ‘Christmas can be sad for so many people, perhaps because it’s a reminder of what we haven’t got. So for that one day, the dinner makes life a bit different and helps people to take their mind off whatever they have going on.’ The day certainly affects those who attend. Lisa recalls the story of a man who had been disowned by his family and who was glad to pull a cracker with somebody and have a paper crown on his head for the first time. ‘For that one person, it’s worth it,’ she says. A nurse by vocation and a volunteer in

the community, taking care of others is a priority for Lisa. And she is motivated by her Christian faith. ‘I think God would want us to think about these people. He challenges us to do what we should for others, and he wants us to love them and make Christmas what it should be for them. Providing a meal, some entertainment and coming together can bring people a bit of peace and joy for that day.’

35kg potatoes 28kg Brussels sprouts 28kg carrots 28kg parsnips

SERVES

100

200 sausages 2kg bacon 3 jars of honey 8 pints of cream 120 Yorkshire puddings

50 mince pies

50 slices of Christmas puddin g A Christmas cake

A trifle

Fruit salad

Christmas 2019 • WAR CRY • 9

‘You could say that rehearsing for

LEON HARGREAVES/King’s College, Cambridge

Heard every year in TV and radio broadcasts, the music of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, has become one of the sounds of Christmas. Director of music DANIEL HYDE talks to Philip Halcrow about leading the choir in a ‘pretty relentless’ period Daniel Hyde

N the bleak midwinter every year, millions of people tune into TV and radio programmes to hear one choir sing of a silent night, of shepherds watching their flocks, of three kings from Persian lands and of what happened in royal David’s city long ago. TV’s Carols from King’s and radio’s A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, featuring the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, have become an ever-present part of the BBC’s broadcasting schedules and of many people’s Christmas.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a transmission of a Christmas Eve service that attracts long queues to the college chapel. It travels afar, not only being aired live on Radio 4 but also broadcast by the World Service and stations in the US. The service was first held in 1918 and first broadcast in 1928, and with the advent of TV, has been joined in the Christmas Eve listings by the recorded programme Carols from King’s. 10 • WAR CRY • Christmas 2019

Both services feature Bible readings, congregational hymns and music sung by the choir – music which this year will have been chosen by Daniel Hyde. Earlier this year, Daniel became director of music at King’s College, taking over from the long-serving Sir Stephen Cleobury, who died last month. Although it is Daniel’s first year in the role, when it comes to Christmas with the Cambridge choir, he knows the score. ‘I was here as a student,’ he says. ‘I have two organ scholars at the moment, and nearly 20 years ago I was one of those.’ From that time, he remembers Christmas as being ‘a lot of work, a lot of practice, but also fun – there’s a team element to it all’. The choir’s preparations for Christmas have been under way for some weeks. In one sense, though, they never stop. ‘We’re rehearsing all the time,’ says Daniel, ‘because there’s a standard below which we do not go. So you could say that every day we’re rehearsing for Christmas.’

The choir is busy all year round. It tours, this year visiting Australia. It takes its place alongside other groups, such as the Philharmonia Chorus and the BBC Concert

Certain pieces will suddenly ping in that environment Orchestra, during Easter at King’s, a festival of concerts accompanying Holy Week liturgies. Most days it sings in services in the college’s historic chapel. Daniel says that the choir always works hard – ‘and one of the reasons is so that we can all enjoy the big broadcasts and feel that we deliver our best’. Even though Christmas is ‘pretty relentless’, the choir has no intention of simply going through the motions. ‘We have to remember that most people go

INTERVIEW King’s College, Cambridge/BENJAMIN SHEEN

every day we’re Christmas’

LEON HARGREAVES

to only one or two Christmas events, be they carol concerts or services. So while we’re doing it for days and weeks on end, when some people hear us, it will be their only musical experience at Christmas.’ The choir takes care over the way it sings, and Daniel takes care over what it sings. He chooses the music that will be heard by those in the chapel and people around the world in the Christmas broadcasts. ‘You try to have something new, something old, something well known and perhaps also something that will stretch people’s knowledge by introducing a piece of music that might be a little off the beaten track but still accessible. There are also elements of diversity to consider, both the nationality of composers and whether they’re male or female. ‘But,’ he explains, ‘overall it has to fit into some sort of shape, musically and structurally – and the carols reflect what is being told of the Christmas story in the readings.’ In the Christmas services, Bible readings

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge and songs chime off each other, to portray humankind’s need of redemption, God’s promise of a saviour and the birth of Jesus. So a Scripture reading about Adam and Eve disobeying God may lead into the 15th-century ‘Adam Lay Ybounden’. The story of the shepherds visiting the newborn Jesus may be echoed in Christina Rossetti’s ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’, which asks: ‘What can I give him,/ Poor as I am?/ If I were a shepherd/ I would bring a lamb.’ The interplay of spoken and sung words can generate special moments, says Daniel.

‘There’s always a sense of occasion, and certainly when the chapel is lit by candles and everyone is huddled in, that creates its own atmosphere. But then certain pieces will suddenly ping in that environment at certain points, and part of the skill of programming what takes place is to make sure that the music acts as a guide through the service. ‘It might be a big, celebratory carol or a very soft arrangement of “Silent Night” that, when it finishes, just sort of dissolves into the stonework, but it’s those atmospheric moments that people remember.’ Christmas 2019 • WAR CRY • 11

EXPLORE Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Carianne, who is having a difficult time, and for her mother, who is concerned about her; and for Deb and her son-in-law, who are in need of hope, faith and strength. The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances. Send your requests to Prayerlink, War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your envelope ‘Confidential’.

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

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

Who is Jesus? ACH of the four gospels emphasises E particular aspects of what Jesus did and who Jesus was. How each writer pic-

tures Jesus is reflected in the way they treat his nativity. Mark’s Gospel – the first to be written – doesn’t mention the birth of Jesus at all. To Mark, Jesus is a man of action. As if holding up frames on a strip of film, Mark presents snapshots of Jesus at work. Jesus calls disciples, casts out demons, heals the sick, preaches the good news and cleanses a leper – and that’s just chapter 1. With many mentions of miracles, Mark portrays Jesus as focusing not on his own past but on other people’s futures. Matthew writes to a male-dominated Jewish readership, aiming to convince them that Jesus is the long-promised kingly Messiah. He starts with a genealogy, tracing Jesus’ Jewish credentials through King David to the founding father of Judaism, Abraham (1:1–16). Matthew tells the story of Jesus’ conception through the eyes of Joseph. Matthew alone records that the young Jesus is honoured by ‘wise men’ or ‘magi’, who, having followed a star, arrive in Jerusalem, looking for a new king (chapter 2). Four times within his narrative of Jesus’ birth and early years, Matthew cites Old Testament prophecy with the comment that it has been fulfilled. Throughout the gospel, Matthew quotes the Jewish Scriptures at least another ten times.

In Luke’s eyes, Jesus is for everyone. He traces the genealogy of Jesus beyond Abraham to the founding father of all humanity – Adam (3:23–38). Luke tells the conception story through the eyes of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth (1:26–56). Luke goes on to record many

How each writer pictures Jesus is reflected in the way they treat his nativity instances of Jesus’ ministry to women. Luke notes that the first people to see Jesus were working shepherds (2:8–20). Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus encounters ‘ordinary’ people. John emphasises the divinity of Jesus. He does not include details of what happened at Jesus’ birth, but commences with a philosophical consideration of what the Incarnation means. He sees Jesus as ‘the Word’, the eternal, divine, life-giving Creator, who became human flesh and blood (1:1–14). Echoing the divine name that God revealed to Moses – ‘I am who I am’ (see Exodus 3:14) – John records seven occasions when Jesus, pointing to his divinity, refers to himself as ‘I am’.

Looking for help? Just complete this coupon and send it to War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army Contact details of a Salvation Army minister

12 • WAR CRY • Christmas 2019

Name Address

EXPRESSIONS

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

Christmas CHOOL Nativity plays can bring out a competitive spirit in children, no matter S how young they are. It was certainly so for my granddaughter Hannah – then aged four – who desperately wanted the part of Mary. She was extremely disap-

QUICK QUIZ 1. What type of dove features in the song ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’? 2. Who plays Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 film A Christmas Carol? 3. What gifts did the wise men present to the infant Christ? 4. The houseplant with red leaves Euphorbia Pulcherrima is better known by what name? 5. What is the next word in the carol: ‘Silent night! Holy night! All is ____’? 6. What does the German phrase ‘Fröhliches Weihnachten’ mean? ANSWERS 1. Turtle. 2. Alastair Sim. 3. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. 4. Poinsettia. 5. Calm. 6. Happy Christmas.

CBAD a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk Twitter: @TheWarCryUK Facebook.com/TheWarCryUK

B www.salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

pointed when someone else was chosen, and nothing we said could console her. But then her teacher told her that she actually had the most important role of all as the ‘Main Star’; all the other ‘Little Stars’ were only really there to look pretty. Even better, she also had to sing the solo ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. Hannah was overjoyed. The family were all there to see her debut stage performance – her dad, younger sister Abigail, grandparents and auntie. The only person missing was her mum. She had a cast-iron excuse, though: Hannah’s baby brother had been born that morning, making an unexpected but welcome early appearance! That was the icing on the family Christmas cake. We were all proud of Hannah singing her solo, and her mum was able to share in the experience by watching a video of it later. One of the hardest lessons a child has to learn is that you don’t always get what you want. We all like to play the starring role and get the glory. Two millennia on, there’s still only one star in the Christmas story – and that’s Jesus, God’s Son. The child born to be the saviour of humankind is still changing the lives of people all over the world, whatever their nationality, race or circumstance. Could he change our lives this Christmas?

BOOK REVIEW Joseph and the Three Gifts Brian Sibley Darton, Longman & Todd WRITER and broadcaster Brian Sibley offers a fresh perspective on the age-old story of the Nativity through his fictional book Joseph and the Three Gifts. Told by the angel Gabriel, Brian’s story focuses on Joseph, Jesus’ father ‘by adoption’, who is often left out of the spotlight. Offering a rare insight into Joseph’s life, Brian does a good job of making Joseph relatable. His witty and heartfelt prose has turned the ordinary, behind-the-scenes carpenter into a well-rounded character with hopes and fears for his family. Joseph and the Three Gifts also interweaves tales about the three gifts that the Magi present to Jesus with reports about the Saviour’s life, death and resurrection. It is a beautifully crafted story about how God can use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things, even when they least expect it.

Linda McTurk

Christmas 2019 • WAR CRY •13

PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Gourmet (7) 5. Greek poet (5) 7. French, Spanish and Italian languages, for example (7) 8. ______ Park, explorer of west Africa (5) 10. Horse measurement (4) 11. Fake (8) 13. Reparation (6) 14. Musical note (6) 17. Summons (8) 19. Flightless bird (4) 21. Defeated person (5)

22. Unlawful (7) 23. Factories (5) 24. Two wrestlers (3, 4) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Vast (7) Arm bone (4) Not subject to (6) Amusing (8) Scottish summit over 3,000ft (5)

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

2 6

9 9

4 1 1

2 1

WORDSEARCH

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Epicure. 5. Homer. 7. Romance. 8. Mungo. 10. Hand. 11. Spurious. 13. Amends. 14. Quaver. 17. Subpoena. 19. Rhea. 21. Loser. 22. Illicit. 23. Mills. 24. Tag team. DOWN: 2. Immense. 3. Ulna. 4. Exempt. 5. Humorous. 6. Munro. 7. Rehearsal. 9. Observant. 12. Adjourns. 15. Vehicle. 16. Anoint. 18. Basil. 20. Flag. HONEYCOMB 1. Briggs. 2. Ladies. 3. Bauble. 4. Smiled. 5. Sleigh. 6. Angels. 4

3 9 7 1 2 4 5 6 8

5 4 6 2 1 3 8 9 7

7 1 3 8 4 9 6 2 5

9 8 2 6 7 5 3 4 1

8 2 9 3 6 7 1 5 4

1 3 5 4 8 2 9 7 6

6 7 4 5 9 1 2 8 3

SUDOKU SOLUTION 4

14 • WAR CRY • Christmas 2019

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

ANGEL BETHLEHEM CHIMNEY FRANKINCENSE GOLD HOLLY JESUS CHRIST JINGLE BELLS MAGI MANGER MYRRH NATIVITY NOEL NUTCRACKER ORNAMENTS PRESENTS SLEIGH BELLS STOCKING TINSEL

Practice (9) Watchful (9) Postpones (8) Means of transport (7) Rub with oil (6) John Cleese’s Fawlty (5) Ensign (4)

SUDOKU

1. Surname of The Snowman author 2. According to ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ who were dancing? 3. Tree decoration 4. Line from ‘The Little Drummer Boy’: ‘Then he ______ at me’ 5. Santa rides on one 6. They told the shepherds about the baby Jesus

7. 9. 12. 15. 16. 18. 20.

DOWN

HONEYCOMB

ANSWERS

by Chris Horne

7 9

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find 9 these 2 8words 7 related 5 1 to4Christmas 6 3

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

2 1

RECIPE

DON’T MISS OUT! SERVES

Christmas pudding 75g mixed dried fruit

1 small banana

10g mixed peel

1 unpeeled apple, grated

1tbsp mixed spice

1 small carrot, grated

1tbsp ground cinnamon

50g fine oatmeal

½ tsp ground cloves

30g wholemeal flour

1tsp ground ginger

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp oil

1 orange, zest

20g glacé cherries, chopped (and 5 left whole)

1 lemon, zest

10g whole almonds

20g sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

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Place the dried fruit and spices in a bowl, mix thoroughly and add 50ml boiling water. Cover and leave for 15 minutes. Use the oil to grease a 570ml pudding basin. Arrange the whole glacé cherries and almonds on the bottom. In a separate bowl, mash the banana and mix in the grated apple, carrot, oatmeal, flour, baking powder, zest and seeds. Pour in the spice mixture and stir together well. Spoon into the pudding basin.

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Cover the basin with pleated greaseproof paper and foil and wrap it tightly over the basin. Pour 5cm of water into a deep oven tray and stand the basin in it. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the oven tray and continue to bake for a further 10 minutes. Take out of the oven, leave covered and allow to cool. Remove the cover and invert the pudding on a plate to serve. Recipe reprinted, with permission, from the Diabetes UK website diabetes.org.uk

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Christmas 2019 • WAR CRY •15

A saviour has been born to you

Luke 2:11 (New International Version)