What is The Salvation Army?
From the editor’s desk
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.
LIFE can be difficult for anyone who finds themselves, metaphorically speaking, all at sea, as they struggle with confusion and uncertainty. However, when Brendon Prince found himself literally all at sea, it was a result of a definite decision he had made. Brendon had set himself the challenge of travelling round mainland Britain on a stand-up paddleboard. He did it to raise awareness of water safety after he had been unable to save three people who drowned off the Cornish coast. ‘Every day, those images are in my mind, motivating me to educate people about water safety so that other families don’t have to suffer,’ he says in an interview in this week’s War Cry. Paddleboarding round Britain was an enormous challenge. Brendon explains how he needed the support of a back-up van, and he talks about the time when the unpredictable weather of Scotland almost caught him out. He also describes how he used the hours he spent without any human company praying to God – and how he tried to keep those prayers positive. ‘Every day on my board, I spent the first hour thanking God,’ he tells us, adding that he thanked him even for small things such as having a good night’s sleep. ‘Remembering to acknowledge those blessings – the things we might take for granted – has totally changed the way that I pray,’ he says. Following Brendon’s example of gratefulness is a good way to approach life. However, in times of uncertainty, when we don’t know exactly how problems and challenges are going to work out, it is not always easy to find something to be grateful for. Christians, though, have found that, even in the toughest of times, they can thank God for his ad the War C ever-present love and guidance that bring them e re ry certainty. When we are feeling all at sea, God u’v offers to help us through.
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 7558
When yo
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
CONTENTS
The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies 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
4
INFO Your local Salvation Army centre
2 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022
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
8
O 15
FEATURES
3
Identity check
Who is the man with amnesia
in BBC drama?
4
Round trip
The paddleboarder who
circumnavigated Britain
6
It’s in the game
Players create a virtual
church community
8
‘He believed God had a purpose for him’
Married to a man on death row
REGULARS
12 Now, There’s a Thought! 13 Keys of the Kingdom 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC/STAN/HBO MAX & ZDF/IAN ROUTLEDGE