What is The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
WAR CRY Issue No 7609
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
From the editor’s desk IT must be every parent’s worst nightmare to lose a child. It must be even more devastating for that parent to know that their child would have been scared and suffered horrifically in their final moments. Yet that was the experience of Mamie Till-Mobley. In 1955 Mamie’s 14-year-old son, Emmett, was attacked and lynched in Mississippi because of the colour of his skin. Despite the fact that it potentially endangered her own life, Mamie attended the trial and took steps to ensure that the world was aware of the evil racist actions that had taken her son’s life. Now those actions are being portrayed in a newly released film, Till. In this week’s War Cry, the film’s producer, Keith Beauchamp – who got to know Mamie before her death in 2003 – tells us why he wanted to bring this story to the big screen. ‘I believe Mamie Till-Mobley was the unsung hero of the civil rights movement,’ he says. ‘I wanted people to meet the person that I had met, in the hope that it would transfer to them the energy that I felt from her. I believe that when someone is so inspirational and you’re able to tell their story, it can become contagious.’ Keith also believes it was important that the film depicted Mamie’s Christian faith. ‘It’s only through faith that this woman – who was only 33 years old at the time – would have been able to deal with the tragedy in her life,’ he says. Turning to God is something all Christians can do when they face the toughest circumstances. Their faith does not mean that they are immune to sad and difficult times, but it does mean that, when those times come along, they can turn to a loving God who will help them through. As we enter into the new year of 2023, it is good to know that, whatever the future may bring, God offers his love and support to us all.
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Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill
Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper
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2 • WAR CRY • 7 January 2023
FEATURES
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Father figures it out Crime-solving cleric returns to BBC1
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8 INFO 15 Your local Salvation Army centre
CONTENTS 4
Best foot forward A message for the new year
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Grappling with faith The church that stages wrestling matches
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‘She was the mother of the civil rights movement’ Film producer on the life of Mamie Till-Mobley
12 Yours faithfully Famous faces on what God means to them REGULARS 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC STUDIOS/GARY MOYES