From the editor’s desk
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.
BON JOVI’S song ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ continues to receive plenty of radio play three decades on from its release. The lyrics depict a young, hard-up couple desperately struggling to cope with nothing more than each other, hope and prayers to keep them going. Part of the song’s appeal is its relatability – particularly the concept of turning to prayer when it seems that there is nothing else to be done. In the pages of the War Cry, we often include stories of people who have turned earnestly to God in prayer and seen him work in wonderful ways to help them through their tough times. But what happens when God doesn’t answer those prayers in the way that was hoped? That was the experience of Esther Maria Magnis. When she was just 15 years old, she was told that her dad had terminal cancer. Being part of a Christian, churchgoing family, Esther naturally prayed that her dad would get better. It didn’t happen, and he died two years later. ‘When my father died, it felt like such a shock. I couldn’t believe it was true,’ she tells us in an interview in this issue. ‘It destroyed my faith in God.’ Esther’s experiences initially led her to walk away from the faith with which she had grown up. Even when she found herself wanting to return to it, the path back to God did not seem straightforward. ‘I worried that, after telling him I hated him, I couldn’t turn back to him,’ Esther says. But those fears proved to be unfounded and she renewed her relationship with God. The good news is that Esther’s experiences with God are not unique. Even if we have had times in our lives when we have walked away from him, ad the War C e re ry God will always accept us back if we return u’v to him. All we have to do is ask – he’s only a prayer away.
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 7597
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Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN
CONTENTS
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
FEATURES
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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INFO Your local Salvation Army centre
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Ooh la, la! Film follows Mrs Harris on a trip to France
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Devised to conquer A look at the rules of the conker championships
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Why God has not forgotten the poor Author on poverty and faith
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‘I don’t know why my father wasn’t healed’ What happens when prayers aren’t answered
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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
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War Cry World
12 Team Talk 13 Wisdom in the Words 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: © 2021 ADA FILMS LTD/HARRIS SQUARED KFT