War Cry 8 July

WAR CRY

As the NHS turns 75, A&E nurse talks patients, pressures and paediatrics

Providing a place of healing

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

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 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 Julian Watchorn

THERE are not many weeks when the National Health Service –which celebrates its 75th anniversary this month – is out of the news headlines. As well as reports of the challenges it faces, there are the stories of how dedicated staff have saved lives and helped millions of people.

In the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, standing on doorsteps on a Thursday evening to clap NHS and other frontline workers was a tangible way for many of us to express our thanks to the people who look after our communities – people such as Vicky Gate, who in this week’s War Cry talks about her work as a nurse in a paediatric A&E department in Blackpool.

‘The NHS provides a place of healing – that’s how I see it,’ she says.

In the interview, as well as talking through some of her work challenges, Vicky recalls how she felt drawn by God to nursing. She also explains how her faith now plays a role in her working life.

‘God gives me the courage and peace that I need. And I think my faith also helps me to be more understanding of patients and their families,’ she says. ‘I am grounded by my faith so that I can give the parents the reassurance they’re looking for.’

We don’t have to be working in the stressful world of the NHS to need something that gives us courage, peace and a sense of being grounded. The good news is that God offers all this and more to anyone who believes in him and is willing to follow his direction for their life.

It’s unlikely we’ll make the headlines if we accept his offer, but it will make all the difference to the life that we live.

INFO INFO

T r ut h be told

Father’s life unravels as family secrets are revealed

‘SOMETIMES, I wonder if this is really it,’ muses family man Naveen Sanghera (Ace Bhatti) in The Effects of Lying, now streaming on ITVX. ‘This is it – the gift of life, the game of life. It’s temporary, but surely it must mean something.’

He shares this existential crisis with one of the chickens in the coop at the end of his garden, as he seeks momentary respite from his dysfunctional family life. His troubled teenage daughter Simran (Lauren Patel) is undergoing therapy for an eating disorder and clashes with her mother, Sangeeta (Laila Rouass), who in turn has little regard for Naveen.

Naveen sets off for work but realises that he has forgotten something and returns home unexpectedly. The decision will change the course of his life. His return home uncovers lies and troubling secrets that will tear his family life apart and set in motion a chain of events which spiral out of control.

‘Naveen is a man who tries to do right by his family,’ says actor Ace of the character he plays. ‘He’s trying to keep a fractious family together but unfortunately within 24 hours he learns three very deep secrets that break his life apart. Within a day his whole life becomes shattered, but that propels him to make certain decisions.’

Although the film is billed as a ‘comedy

The discovery of deception leads to a dramatic showdown

drama’, if we uncover lies in our real life –particularly if they have been told to us by those we love – it is no laughing matter. We can feel betrayed and broken and are left wondering who can be trusted.

It is an age-old problem that has been faced by many people – such as David, whose life story is told in the Bible. He had a tumultuous personal life as a father and husband while also getting on with the job of leading his country.

David was betrayed by his son, deceived by allies and scorned by his wife. Yet during his toughest times, he knew that he could turn to God, who would equip him with all that he needed to get through each day.

The Bible records him as writing the prayer: ‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go’ (Psalm 143:8 New International Version).

When David put his trust in God, God never let him down. Regardless of any mistakes that David himself made, God always loved him and showed him that there was more to life than his present circumstances.

We can experience that same love and have the same confidence that we can always rely on God. He is willing to guide us in how to navigate all the scenarios of our life – even the most challenging.

If we are willing to put our trust in God and follow his direction, the effect will be the gift of a life with meaning.

Film feature by Emily Bright

Naveen’s life becomes shattered

‘ ’ j TEA M TALK

For TV viewers, it’s a testing time

Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters

‘TELEVISION has the power to move us, entertain us, inform us and make us feel better.’ That’s according to Radio Times, the TV listings magazine, which is asking its readers to take part in a massparticipation survey in order to ‘shape the future of TV’.

As part of the Screen Test – run in partnership with the Universities of Sussex and Brighton – viewers are being asked several key questions, including ‘What is the last programme you watched?’ and ‘How did it make you feel?’ Lead academic on the survey Professor Robin Banerjee hopes that the answers received will shed light on ‘why people are making the choices they make’.

‘A lot of this is about uncovering people’s needs,’ he explains in Radio Times. ‘What are they looking for from TV? To what extent are they getting it? I hope the Screen Test will give the industry a lot to guide them in the future when it comes to meeting viewers’ needs.’

Come the end of September, when the survey’s preliminary findings are announced, I will be interested to learn about the role that TV plays in people’s lives, and the content that causes them to switch on – or off.

When I think about my own viewing habits, I know that certain programmes can have different effects on me. While home improvement shows leave me feeling creative and inspired, too many real-life crime dramas make me anxious and stressed. That’s why it’s important for me to remember that I always have a choice in what I watch. If something doesn’t sit right with me, I can turn it off. I can make space in my mind for more positive thoughts. Focusing on the good rather than the bad is a habit which the Bible writer Paul encouraged.

‘Keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper,’ he said. ‘And God, who gives peace, will be with you’ (Philippians 4:8 and 9 Contemporary English Version).

Paul’s words remind me that, whatever TV programmes we stumble across and however they make us feel, the peace of God is always at our fingertips. Life can be full of goodness, as long as we are switched on to it.

Team talk Team talk

Ice time for all in church

A CHURCH is offering ice creams, cold drinks and a place to cool down during the summer, Christian news website Premier reports.

Christ Church Tunstall in Stoke-on-Trent previously offered its building as a winter warm space – where people could go for hot meals and fellowship – in response to the cost of living crisis. But it has decided to open its doors for the summer too.

Canon John Stather, the vicar of the church, told Premier: ‘One of the criticisms of churches is often that they’re cold. But that’s a great thing in the summer. What we’re doing is actually very basic, we’re offering tea or coffee, maybe some sandwiches and ice creams.

‘You don’t need hundreds of volunteers and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It becomes self-sustaining and any church can run these sorts of fellowship things. Whether you’re a megachurch or a much smaller one without the resources, it’s about bringing people in and what we can do to serve our communities.’

WAR talk talk

I have a choice in what I watch

WnRLD

WAR CRY

Soaring numbers of patients experiencing homelessness

THE number of hospital patients in England experiencing homelessness has soared by 37 per cent over the past four years, according to Salvation Army research.

A freedom of information request from the church and charity to NHS Trusts in England found that in 2021–22 more than 78,000 hospital visits by patients of no fixed abode were recorded in England, the equivalent of one patient being admitted every seven minutes.

More than 57,000 of those patients attended A&E, while 21,000 were admitted to hospital. However, as a quarter of all NHS Trusts in England failed to provided data, The Salvation Army fears that the true number of patients experiencing homelessness is much higher.

The Salvation Army wants NHS England to ensure that all trusts keep a record of patients experiencing homelessness who attend A&E or are admitted to hospital. It also believes that government funding for homelessness and rough sleeping support should rise in line with inflation, and that support for mental health and addictions should be prioritised within national and local government homelessness spending plans and strategies.

Salvation Army captain Dr Will Pearson, who is also a practising GP, said: ‘These new figures are further evidence of how England’s homelessness crisis is also fuelling a growing health crisis.

‘We know from our work how people who are homeless often struggle to get a medical diagnosis and treatment before their health problems become dire and they end up in hospital.’

Congregation experiment with AI generated service

HUNDREDS of people attended an ‘AI-generated’ service in Germany, reported The Independent.

The 40-minute service at St Paul’s Church in Fürth, which took place during a Lutheran convention in Bavaria, began with the AI saying: ‘Dear friends, it is an honour for me to stand here and preach to you as the first artificial intelligence at this year’s convention of Protestants in Germany.’ It then spoke about leaving the past behind, never losing trust in Jesus and overcoming the fear of death.

According to the paper, some of the congregation could not engage with the AI, while others were impressed.

The service was organised by 29-year-old theologian Jonas Simmerlein from the University of Vienna, who instructed ChatGPT, a natural language processing AI tool, to include psalms, prayers and a blessing said the experiment was designed to show how religious leaders could use AI to help them with their work.

‘Artifical intelligence will increasingly take over our lives,’ he said. ‘That’s why it’s useful to learn to deal with it.’ But he added that AI would not be able to replace the role pastors serve in interacting with the community.

‘The pastor is in the congregation, she lives with them, she buries the people, she knows them from the beginning. Artificial intelligence cannot do that. It does not know the congregation.’

Musical memories include Salvation Army bands

MEMBERS of the 1960s pop bands the Troggs and Ten Feet Five chose the Salvation Army church in Andover as the location for the launch of their new book, which explores the history of music in the area.

About 250 people attended the event in Hampshire, in which musicians Pete Staples and John Walker signed copies.

In chapter one of Andover – A Musical History, Pete recalls the occasion when he marched behind the Salvation Army brass band as a young boy.

He writes: ‘John and I thought it was great fun as we marched behind them swinging our arms and when we got to the hall, they invited us in for drinks and sandwiches, which we eagerly accepted but had not realised we had to sit through a small service first.’

In the late 1960s, the Troggs were also inspired by the Salvation Army pop group the Joystrings, whose song ‘Love That’s All Around’ prompted vocalist Reg Presley to pen the hit single, ‘Love Is All Around’.

nTHE Church of England is divesting from fossil fuels, The Guardian has reported.

According to the paper, the church’s pensions board will no longer invest in Shell, BP and other oil and gas companies, because they were failing to show sufficient ambition to decarbonise in line with the aims of the Paris agreement. The church will also divest from fossil fuels in its £10.3 billion endowment fund.

‘The climate crisis threatens the planet we live on, and people around the world who Jesus Christ calls us to love as our neighbours,’ said the Most Rev Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the chair of the church commissioners for England. ‘It is our duty to protect God’s creation, and energy companies have a special responsibility to help us achieve the just transition to the low carbon economy we need.’

John Walker (left) and Pete Staples at the signing

‘I thought I’d

Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

DEEP in the Peruvian jungle, Tony Maisey found himself taking a potion that promised healing. The ceremony, conducted by a shaman from the Shipibo people, was his final effort to find peace after three decades of an unhappy life marked by addiction, fear and violence.

Tony’s troubles began during his childhood in London. He had been a happy boy until the age of 10, but when his parents broke up, his life went dramatically downhill.

‘My dad left and my mum started drinking and was suicidal,’ he says. ‘She was seeing another man who was a violent gangster, and he was knocking her about. So all of a sudden, my dad was gone and this burden had been put on me to look after my mum, which was impossible. My life went from being bright and loving to something that was strange, dark and really evil.

‘I lived with fear, anger, hatred and a sense of betrayal. I felt abandoned by the men in my life. I’d lost interest in school and confidence in myself. I started drinking at 14, taking drugs and stealing, and that was it.’

Life continued in this way for Tony well into adulthood.

‘Every day felt like a prison sentence,’ he says. ‘I suffered with paranoia, depression, anxiety and psychosis because of the drugs. I went to prison when I was 19, and when I came out I got into full-time, heavier crime. I was like a bull in a china shop, smashing everything out the way, but I was heartbroken – a scared little boy in a man’s body, and I used fear as a weapon to keep the world away from me.

‘The more trouble I got in, the more I became disassociated with anything good. It was getting darker and darker. By the age of 41, I was living in a caravan, had four children with three different women, was divorced, depressed, taking

Tony Maisey

Af ter reaching breaking point in his life of violence and depression, TONY MAISEY made a trip to the Amazon to take a potion that promised healing. He reveals why he was in such a desperate state, describes how the experience in the jungle turned into a nightmare and tells how he eventually found peace

died and gone to Hell’

drugs and drinking myself into oblivion each day.’

At breaking point, Tony thought he had found help after a friend told him about a potion that supposedly could bring healing for people with depression and addictions. He was interested – although he’d have to go to the other side of the world, to the jungle of Peru, to take it.

‘I managed to get myself sobered up enough to fly out,’ he says. ‘I ended up in a place called Iquitos in Peru. I took a boat out four hours down the Amazon river to stay with the Shipibo tribe for two weeks, where I took this potion.’

After taking the potion in the first ceremony, he realised he was dealing with something more serious and far more frightening than anything he had experienced during his life of crime. So he chose to sit out the remaining ceremonies.

‘I’d been in a lot of bad situations,’ he says, ‘I didn’t care for my life. I should’ve overdosed many times. I could have been shot or stabbed to death. But I was out of my depth in that jungle. It was supernatural. I was frightened because you can’t fight that in the flesh.

‘When I decided I wasn’t going to do any more of the ceremonies, I stayed in a hut on my own. Once the next ceremony started, I felt a thickness in the jungle. Even the animals stopped making a noise. It was such a powerful thing that was going on.’

In that moment, Tony called out for help to a name he had heard as a child.

He recalls: ‘I got on my knees and said, “Jesus, please help me, I’m so frightened.” I had my head in my hands all through that night, and I didn’t move. I just sat there, praying, tears running down my eyes. I hated the man I’d become. I felt like I’d died and gone to Hell, but I did also

time

feel a sense of protection. I had images going back to those early Sunday school days and just cried out to the God who – I guess I knew in my heart – loved people and wanted to save me.’

Although he felt protected that night, Tony’s life hadn’t yet completely changed. He survived the remaining 10 days in the jungle, but he was still addicted to alcohol, and he developed an unhelpful relationship with a woman. Life was still tumultuous and he says that his troubles continued because, in the jungle, he had opened himself up to evil.

‘My soul was already infested with darkness from all the bad I’d done in my life, but when I aligned myself with the will of the witchdoctors, I believe an evil spirit had entered me. I think the next three years was a supernatural fight over my soul.

‘At times I wondered if I even existed any more, or if I had overdosed and

Tony turned to alcohol, drugs and crime in his teenage years, but his early childhood was a happy

I hated the man I’d become

From page 7

died in that trailer years before and was existing in some limbo. Every time I’d close my eyes, I’d be attacked by these demonic faces coming at me.

‘I was frightened of going to the doctor, because I thought if I got sectioned, they’d fill with me drugs and it would get worse. I knew it was a spiritual problem. Doctors do a great job, but this was far greater than any problem a doctor could deal with. I was desperate and, one night, I lay on my sofa and closed my eyes. As

usual these evil faces came, and I was exhausted of trying to fight and keep these things off me. I’d had enough, and I gave up.

‘At that point I was given a vision of a man with short black curly hair, wearing a crown of thorns, and whose mouth was moving. This lasted four or five seconds. All of a sudden all the faces left. Then the man left. I kept opening and closing my eyes, but everything was black like normal, there was nothing there. A healing

had taken place. Tears were running down my face and I just said, “Thank you, Jesus.”’

Tony was convinced that the face he had seen was that of Jesus, but, not knowing any Christians, he wasn’t sure what to do next. So he flew out to the River Jordan to be baptised. Soon after, he visited Ellel Ministries in the UK, which he describes as ‘a spiritual hospital’. There he learnt how to repent – to turn away from the life he had been living, and how to be truly free. Tony received prayer and felt he had been rid of what had happened to him in the jungle.

‘I didn’t know if God was powerful enough to free me of the evil that had been toying with me for those three years. But as soon as I repented, Jesus said to it, “You’ve got to go”, because he is powerful. At that point I knew that he was the God of all power and authority over evil, and I knew then that my life was going to be all for Jesus.’

Tony continued to learn more about God by reading the Bible, meeting with other Christians and receiving teaching about the faith. He has written Inside War, a book about his experiences, and he speaks in prisons and on the radio. Wherever he goes he tells his story of how God rescued him from a deep, dark place.

l Inside War is published by Bridge Logos

I didn’t know if God could free me

Tony tells people about the difference Jesus has made to his life

CARING IN A CRISIS

As the UK celebrates 75 years of the NHS this month, nurse VICKY GATE reflects on the joys and challenges of life in a paediatric A&E and explains how her Christian faith inspires her work

Interview by Claire Brine

‘WHEN kids come to A&E feeling scared,’ says paediatric sister Vicky Gate, ‘I tell them: “Don’t worry. This isn’t a scary place. It’s a place to make you better.” The NHS provides a place of healing and is there to help people – that’s how I see it.’

Vicky works at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, treating young patients – from day-old babies right up to 18-year-olds – who arrive in A&E with injuries or illnesses. As a senior member of the nursing team, it’s her job to manage the staff as they undertake their 12-hour shifts.

‘When I’m on duty, I’m making sure that procedures are followed correctly and that patients are getting the right care,’ she says. ‘Paediatric nurses have to advocate for their patients a lot, because children don’t always have their own voice. We have to be their voice for them.’

Before Vicky gets into describing a typical day’s work, she tells me how she became a nurse in the first place. It wasn’t the path she expected to take in life.

‘As a child, the thought of being a nurse never occurred to me,’ she says. ‘I wanted to be an actress and singer. So, after completing my A-levels, I went to uni to do a music production degree. Once I’d graduated,

Turn to page 10 f

Vicky Gate

From page 9

I realised that I needed a proper job, so I ended up working in the appeals department of a parking management company for three years.

‘I remember sitting there, day after day, dealing with angry people who were complaining about their parking charges, and thinking to myself: “Why am I doing this? I don’t want to be this person. I want to be someone who makes life better, who helps people.” But I didn’t know what to do about it.’

Then, one day, completely out of the blue, something clicked.

‘I was in the toilets at work and the thought just popped into my head: “What if I went into healthcare?” It felt like God’s calling – because where else would that voice have come from? So I started looking into nursing, and then my older sister, who worked in the communications department at a children’s hospital, arranged for me to have a tour of some of the wards. When I saw all these poorly kids and such intense-looking medical equipment, I felt daunted. I didn’t have a

clue if I’d make it as a nurse. But I knew that I had to go for it. So I did. And I’ve never looked back.’

In 2019, Vicky completed her training to become a qualified nurse and joined the friendly paediatric team based at Blackpool Victoria. Last year, she was thrilled to be promoted to paediatric sister. She outlines what constitutes a ‘good day’ at work.

‘There are lots of things. When you see a patient who is scared but you eventually get them smiling – that’s a good day. I remember a little boy came into A&E once, and he was crying and frightened because he’d cut his head. Gradually I managed to calm him down and win him over. Then, when I told him I needed to glue his head, he said “Yessss!” and did a little dance. He ended up going

home happy. It’s moments like that which make the job great. And when you see that the parents are appreciative of what you are doing, that’s lovely too.’

But there are also stressful and sad days. A significant part of Vicky’s job is caring for seriously ill patients who, when they arrive on site, are fighting for their lives.

‘Quite a few times I’ve had to deal with cardiac arrests,’ she says. ‘So, in those cases, I might be injecting the patient with emergency fluids and drugs, getting medical equipment ready for the doctors and trying to support the family. I don’t know how I stay so calm – but the adrenaline kicks in and I put my feelings to one side. I just have to focus on the job.

‘If things don’t go how I want them to and, sadly, a patient dies, it can affect me in different ways. Sometimes I’ll talk through what happened with a colleague straightaway, let my emotions out, then go back to work and deal with my other

I want to be someone who makes life better

patients. Other times, I’ll cry in my car on the way home.

‘The emotion comes to the surface for all sorts of reasons. You’re crying for the family who are grieving. You’re crying because of the shift you’ve just had. Sometimes you cry as a stress release.’

Despite the difficult days, Vicky feels it is a privilege to do her job. In all circumstances, she strives to give her patients the best care possible – and explains that it is her Christian faith, combined with her supportive church family at Preston Salvation Army, that gives her the strength to keep going.

‘God gives me the courage and peace that I need,’ she says. ‘And I think my faith also helps me to be more understanding of patients and their families. Sometimes, for example, overworried parents come into A&E with their kids when they don’t really need to. Rather than getting annoyed at the situation, I am kept grounded by my faith so that I can give the parents the reassurance they’re looking for.

‘Although, on the whole, my faith

sustains me, there are heartbreaking times at work which make me question God, asking him: “Why is this happening?” The conclusion I’ve come to is that God doesn’t make the bad things happen, but he cries with us as we go through them. He tries to hold us through it all.’

Whether she is supporting patients who need a little or a lot of care, Vicky’s ambition is to be a nurse who makes a difference. And she has even used her musical skills to do so. In 2020 – the year Covid hit the UK – she brought a smile to many people’s faces by posting social media videos of her singing. At the end of that year, as part of the NHS Voices of Care Choir, she sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ alongside Michael Ball at the Royal Variety Performance, a moment seen by millions when it was broadcast on ITV.

‘It was a fantastic experience,’ she says. ‘Michael sang first, then we all walked on stage to sing with him. He said he was in awe of us and the work we’d been doing through the pandemic. It had been an intense time for us all.

‘When I look back on the Covid outbreak, I can just remember how scared we all were. There were a lot of unknowns and no one knew what to expect. But, as

nurses, we just got on with it.

‘Now, three years later, I can see how much I’ve changed. I’ve grown in confidence. I’m able to deal with difficult situations and talk with doctors and do things that I never thought I’d be able to do. But through it all, I’ve always felt that God is walking alongside me.’

Vicky (centre) was part of the NHS Voices of Care Choir which sang with Michael Ball at the Royal Variety Performance in 2020

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’.

KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

Living for the Kingdom

TOWARDS the end of his time on Earth, Jesus warns his disciples that he will suffer, be killed and rise again. On the first occasion that he does this, the conversation turns to the lifestyle of a disciple – and it reveals three qualities.

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

The disciple Peter will have no talk of Jesus dying. The death of Jesus will happen over his dead body. ‘Never, Lord!’ he says (Matthew 16:22 New International Version). Recognising an enemy strike to the very core of his mission, Jesus ripostes: ‘Get behind me, Satan!… You do not have in mind the concerns of God’ (16:23).

Here is the first mark of discipleship: to ‘have in mind’, or as some other translations put it, to ‘think’ of, the things of God. Being a disciple, therefore, is a response of the head. It is a conclusion of rational thought and a realisation of logic. Jesus continues to the second mark. Discipleship is about being as willing to deny yourself and die as he is (16:24). Being a disciple, therefore, is an act of will. The third mark of discipleship is to consider your options – a binary choice between material or spiritual priorities (the whole world or your soul) – and make an informed decision (16:25 and 26).

Although discipleship is costly, there is also a prize. Jesus will reward ‘each person according to what they have done’ (16:27).

Furthermore, some of his immediate company ‘will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom’ (16:28). Mark and Luke render this truth slightly differently. Luke reads, ‘before they see the Kingdom of God’ (Luke 9:27). Mark records Jesus’ phrase as, ‘before they see that the Kingdom of God has come with power’ (Mark 9:1).

All three of these evangelists follow this declaration with a demonstration of that power when Jesus’ face ‘shone like the sun’, his clothes became ‘as white as light’ and heavenly figures appeared alongside him (Matthew 17:2 and 3).

With brilliant radiance assaulting his eyes and the fear of God coursing through his body, Peter glimpses the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is no longer just a miracleworking teacher, he truly is – as Peter had recently declared – ‘the Son of the living God’ (16:16): someone to live and to die for.

Address

Discipleship is an informed decision

In this occasional series, Nigel Bovey unlocks the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, which Jesus speaks to his disciples about in Matthew’s Gospel

QUICK QUIZ

1 2 3 4 5 6

In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, what is Juliet’s surname?

Who played Tommy Lee Royce in the BBC1 drama series Happy Valley?

In which US state is the Grand Canyon?

In what year was decimal currency introduced in Britain?

Who had a No 1 hit in the UK singles chart last year with ‘As It Was’?

Gruyère is a cheese from which country?

Charities campaign for an end to alcohol harm

Feature by Sarah Olowofoyeku

Last order

HERE’S to change! This week Alcohol Change UK is raising awareness about the substance. The alcohol charity works towards a society that is free from the harms caused by alcohol, which include mental health issues, liver disease, cancer, financial problems and death, with one person every hour dying as a result of alcohol in the UK.

This year for its annual Alcohol Awareness Week, which began on Monday (3 July), the charity is highlighting the cost of alcohol to society. Pressures placed on the NHS, the emergency services and workplaces contribute to an estimated social cost of £21 billion each year.

The personal cost, however, is also significant. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic alcohol death rates have increased to the highest level since records began.

In previous years, Alcohol Change UK has focused on the stigma associated with alcohol problems, because it can be a barrier to people’s seeking help and cause difficulties for family members.

Blame and shame only compound the hurt

Recently another campaign aimed at reducing the stigma around deaths due to alcohol and drugs was given support by MSPs in the Scottish parliament. See Beyond – See the Lives – Scotland was launched by the University of Stirling, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems and The Salvation Army.

Using stories and images of people who have been affected, the organisations hope to encourage the public to show compassion for those experiencing problems with substance abuse and the people left behind when a loved one dies.

Lee Ball, director of addictions at The Salvation Army, said: ‘Blame and shame only compound the hurt and harm of substance use. We support thousands of people through our addiction and harm reduction work, and we understand that people often use drugs and alcohol as a coping strategy to escape unbearable pain and trauma.’

The Salvation Army is motivated in all the work it does to help people by its Christian ethos. It believes that Jesus came into the world to give fullness of life to everyone.

And that he can bring a positive change to even the most desperate.

James Norton.

Arizona.

5. Harry Styles.

Switzerland.

Quick CROSSWORD

11. Baffle (5)

12. Group of eight (5)

13. _____ Phillips, actress (5)

14. Not good (3)

16. Consume (3)

21. Perform well (5)

HONEYC O M B

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

1. Room for storing food

2. Noon

3. Elasticated corset

4. Game piece marked with dots

5. Member of the clergy in charge of a parish

6. Part of a tree

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these ice cream flavours

French apple tart

INGREDIENTS

150g butter, cubed

300g plain flour

4 large egg yolks

75g caster sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

2tsp cornflour

450ml whole milk

3 red apples, cored and sliced

150g apricot jam

METHOD

Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add just enough cold water to bind the dry ingredients into a pliable dough, but don't knead it too much. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface, then line a 9-inch round tart case with it, trimming the edges. Prick with a fork, line with clingfilm and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the clingfilm and baking beans or rice and cook for a further 8 minutes to crisp up.

Meanwhile, to make the custard filling for the tart, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, cornflour and milk in a saucepan until smooth. Stir over a medium heat until the mixture thickens, then pour the custard into the tart case and level the top. Arrange the apple slices on top.

Reduce the oven temperature to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the apples are tender to the point of a knife.

Heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan or the microwave, then pass it through a sieve. Brush the apples with the warm jam, then leave to cool. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power