War Cry 9 December

Wonka film hoping for sweet success

WAR CRY

9 December 2023 50p/60c

TV cook’s recipe for a tasty Christmas

Mary and bright

Gemma Hunt finds new dimension to old stories

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 7657

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 1 Champion Park London SE5 8FJ Tel: 0845 634 0101 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Lyndon Buckingham Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn 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

From the editor’s desk THE weeks leading up to Christmas can seem to run at two separate and very different speeds.

For children waiting for the visit of Father Christmas and all the excitement of the big day itself, time can drag by. For the adults living in the same house, those same weeks can speed past like an express train as they try to get everything done in time – whether that’s buying presents, making sure the decorations go up or carrying out any of the countless other tasks that seem necessary at this time of year.

December can be so busy that it leaves us feeling exhausted well before the last of the turkey has been eaten.

Katharine Hill’s life can be busy, and she knows she is not alone in that.

So, as she explains in an interview in this week’s War Cry, she has written a book giving advice on how to find freedom from all our hectic activity.

In it she outlines how life today encourages us to be busy people.

‘We feel good when we achieve things,’ she tells us. ‘And the more we achieve, the busier we are.’

Katharine makes suggestions on how to live in a way that allows us to experience some stillness and how to flourish when life seems frantic.

‘If, at lunchtime, you usually go out for a walk, perhaps you could use that time to notice the creation around you,’ she says. She adds that she draws her inspiration from the accounts of Jesus’ life in the Bible.

‘Jesus was active, but he wasn’t hurried,’ she says.

As many of us spend the next few weeks being busy and perhaps, at times, harassed, it’s good to be reminded that it is possible to slow down the pace of our lives and find some peace.

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FEATURES

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The frying Scotsman Andy Murray gets cooking tips from Mary Berry

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Still flourishing How taking time out can be beneficial

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Relatively speaking A new take on old stories

10 ‘He turned towards light, hope and goodness’

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INFO 15 Your local Salvation Army centre

CONTENTS

The life of a slave turned abolitionist 13 Choc-buster film Cinema release imagines Willy Wonka’s backstory REGULARS

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Team Talk and War Cry World

12 Now, There’s a Thought!

14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC/RUMPUS MEDIA/MARK MAINZ

BBC/RUMPUS MEDIA/MARK MAINZ

Berry Christmas!

Mary Berry offers some tips on making festive food TV preview by Claire Brine

‘W

HAT an amazing view!’ says to the Cromlix hotel near Dunblane, which Mary Berry as the steam train is owned by tennis champion Andy Murray puffs its way through the Scottish and his wife, Kim. Trading his Wimbledon countryside. Travelling far from home, whites for a festive jumper, Andy explains Mary is heading north for a winter that he’s not the greatest cook and asks break – but that doesn’t stop her from Mary to give him some coaching. preparing a mouthwatering selection of ‘Eggy bagels is my speciality at home,’ festive treats in Mary Berry’s Highland he says, before revealing his Christmas, scheduled to be broadcast nerves at attempting the dish on BBC1 next Wednesday (13 December). that Mary has recommended Mary reflects on her love of Scotland, for him – a smoked haddock which stems from the fact that her mother kedgeree. was a Scot who took the family on Following Mary’s stepmany holidays in the country. In by-step instructions, later years, when Mary became Andy gets to work. As he a mother herself, she enjoyed cooks, he chats about embarrassing his visiting the country with her children, the humour of dad jokes and own children. what he likes to eat on Christmas Day. ‘I’ve always been All the while, Mary offers exceedingly proud of my guidance and assurance Scottish heritage,’ Mary when he needs it. tells viewers. ‘And ‘You’re getting the hang where better to have of it beautifully,’ she a family Christmas enthuses as he tears break than the the haddock Highlands.’ flakes away from Joining Mary the bone. on her winter The final retreat are special flourish is for guests, all of Andy to scatter whom admit segments of to needing a soft-boiled egg little extra help over the top of when it comes the kedgeree so to Christmas that it’s ready to cooking. She serve. But as he pays a visit clumsily gathers Andy Murray receives a cooking lesson from Mary

handfuls of runny egg, Mary can’t help but smile at his lack of finesse.

‘It looks a bit higgledy-piggledy,’ she says. ‘But it will taste good.’

After tucking into the dish – which gets a thumbs-up from Andy’s granny – Mary tells the tennis star that she hopes he will remember what he has learnt and try to cook the kedgeree again at home.

Practice makes perfect, after all.

In the kitchen, the workplace or elsewhere, all of us – like Andy – have attempted tasks that have tested us.

Sometimes our efforts may have produced successful results. Other times, things may have gone to pot, leaving us feeling clueless or deflated, with a life that looks a bit higgledy-piggledy.

When the situations in front of us seem tough, it’s important to remember that we need not face them alone. God, who can offer us guidance and wisdom whenever we need it, is only a prayer away.

One thinker, whose wise words are included in the Bible, urged people: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way’ (Proverbs 3:5 and 6 Good News Bible).

In life’s rich mixture of experiences, God is able to support us, help us and offer us direction. When we follow his guidance, we can rise to any challenge.

Andy explains he’s not the greatest cook

9 December 2023 • WAR CRY • 3

Team talk TEAM WA

talk ‘ TALK’ j Presenter is really wild about justice

Emily Bright gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters ARSON, defamation and death threats – wildlife presenter Chris Packham has experienced all these while campaigning for conservation.

In an interview with the Times website, he explains: ‘What I’m doing is asking people to change their minds more quickly than they want or are capable of doing. A minority of those people, once cornered and told what they’ve got to change, just lash out. And that’s where the bullying and the hate crime comes from.’

Despite all the opposition he encounters, Chris is resolute in his determination to do what is right. ‘As an autistic person,’ he says, ‘I live in a very black-and-white world. Things are right or they’re wrong, and that promotes an aggravated sense of injustice… I’m angered by injustice. I’m frustrated but I long ago learnt to turn that anger into something positive.’

As a lover of TV’s Springwatch and all things wildlife, I respect Chris’s desire to defend the natural world, his in-built sense of right and wrong and his willingness to channel his anger in a positive way. There are times when I also feel aggravated by injustice, such as the mistreatment of – or lack of care for – the most vulnerable people in our society.

I feel as if I need to be taking responsible and peaceful action to be part of the solution. At the same time, the scale of the problems facing our world – hate speech, poverty and environmental crises – can often seem overwhelming. When it does, I turn to my faith for encouragement.

Throughout the Bible, God urges people to care for the most vulnerable – such as orphans and widows – and Jesus spends his time on Earth seeking out those on the margins of society.

I’m reminded of one particular verse which offers helpful advice on what faith requires of us: ‘To do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God’ (Micah 6:8 New Living Translation).

If we remember those wise words in our daily decisions and ask God for his grace when we don’t get it right, I feel that we can’t go far wrong.

I need to be part of the solution

Team talk 4 • WAR CRY • 9 December 2023

Churches grow despite persecution CHRISTIANITY is spreading across the world, despite believers facing extreme oppression, according to anti-persecution charity International Christian Concern (ICC).

In a new report, Persecutors of the Year, the US-based organisation offers an analysis of life for Christians in 10 countries where religious persecution is experienced most – Nigeria, North Korea, India, Iran, China, Pakistan, Eritrea, Algeria, Indonesia and Azerbaijan. It references attacks that have been carried out this year by extremist groups, as well as oppression by governments and regimes.

The report also reveals that, despite opposition, the Church in Iran and China is growing rapidly, while in other regions the numbers of believers have remained steady.

In the report, Jeff King, ICC president, writes that ‘there are an estimated 200 to 300 million Christians who suffer persecution worldwide’. But he says that ‘these believers hold on to and even thrive in their faith while enduring unimaginable pain.’

Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

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App helps users to ‘regain sense of wonder’ ACTOR Liam Neeson has narrated a series of Advent meditations for prayer app Hallow.

In a trailer for Hallow’s Advent Pray25 series, he explained that the content, based on the writings of CS Lewis, covered ‘everything from growing in faith, to what it means to love, to how we’re called to learn to let go’. He said that the aim was to help people ‘grow deeper’ in their faith and find ‘a little more hope and peace’.

He added that the passages would explore the ‘importance of regaining a sense of wonder, and how we’re all called to be a bit more childlike, I think. Christmas is just such a beautiful time of year to strive to regain that sense of wonder in our lives.’

Judi Love (left) with Kirk Bradley (second from left) and the SATCoL team

Music festival brings spiritual and sacred dimensions THE story of a Catholic priest in Italy who set up a festival dedicated to ‘ethereal and spiritual expressions of electronic, ambient and experimental music’ was featured on the Guardian website.

The article told how Father Antonio Pileggi organises concerts at the San Fedele Cultural Centre in Milan, featuring musicians who, he said, ‘are open to the spiritual and sacred dimension’.

Describing the importance of the music festival, called Inner Spaces, the Jesuit priest and former composer said: ‘For us, the listening dimension is fundamental. Our most important sense is hearing. In the Bible one of the most important verbs is “listen”. The word of God must be listened to.’

He went on to explain that when musicians attend the cultural centre, many of them ask him questions about his faith.

‘Sometimes people write to me about spirituality, asking for advice,’ he said. ‘Soon the human relationship grows, and sometimes it turns into a friendship.’

Disruptor award for Salvation Army THE Salvation Army has won a fashion retail award for its reuse and recycling work.

The Salvation Army’s trading company SATCoL was recognised at the Drapers awards hosted by TV presenter Judi Love in London, winning the disruptor award for driving nationwide change in textile reuse and recycling.

The judges said that the company is doing something that retailers struggle to tackle themselves, and is disrupting the market with a clear plan and strong purpose.

SATCoL is the largest charity-owned textiles collector in the UK, and each year puts over 62,000 tonnes of textiles to good uses.

‘We are delighted to be recognised for all the great work we are doing in the fashion industry to reduce textile waste,’ said Kirk Bradley, head of corporate partnerships at SATCoL.

9 December 2023 • WAR CRY • 5

Still busy?

At this hectic time of year, author KATHARINE HILL explains how watching a lioness helped her to find a sense of stillness Interview by Claire Brine

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HAT animal are you? That was the question put by a friend to Katharine Hill, the UK director of the Christian charity Care for the Family.

‘I replied that I was an ant,’ says Katharine, ‘because, although I’m quite small, I have a big capacity for getting things done. Then came the follow-up question: “What animal would you like to be?” It got me thinking.

‘I remembered being on safari in South Africa and spotting a lioness lying under a tree. She was scanning the horizon, waiting for the right moment to pounce. I noticed that there was a quality of attentive stillness to her. And I wondered what it would mean for us, as humans, to live in such a state. Suddenly, I knew that the animal I wanted to be was a lioness.’

Inspired, Katharine put pen to paper to write Born Free: A Call to Be Still, Know God and Flourish in a Hectic World. As well as exploring how to live in a state of

attentive stillness amid the busyness of life, it highlights some of the obstacles that may hinder our progress.

‘For me, there are four main factors which make life hectic,’ Katharine tells me.

‘Firstly, many of us are striving all the time because we feel that we have something to prove. Our work is often about a constant effort, making every second count and striving for perfection.

‘The second cause of a hectic life is being busy and hurried. I thrive on a full diary, but being constantly hurried means we can’t pay full attention to the people in front of us – or to God. ‘Thirdly, we live in a digital age and our phones can be a distraction.

How we relate to technology has an impact on us and our spirituality.

‘Lastly, sometimes life just throws us a curve ball. And when we are knocked sideways, we might be prevented from living in a still, attentive way.’

Katharine explains that when things get

Four main factors make life hectic

Katharine Hill

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busy and overwhelming, it can be difficult to connect with God. Sometimes we become so distracted that we fail even to notice him.

‘I love the Bible story of Moses, who is looking after his sheep when a bush nearby suddenly catches fire,’ she says. ‘As he turns to look at it, God speaks to him. I often wonder what would have happened if Moses hadn’t looked at the bush at that moment. If he had been scrolling on his phone and not looked up, would God still have spoken?’

While the idea of slowing down on a busy day sounds appealing, Katharine understands that carving out space in a chock-a-block diary isn’t always easy.

That’s why she advises using the ‘everyday prompts’ of daily life to ‘wind our hearts back to God’. It’s what Jesus did.

‘Jesus was active, but he wasn’t

hurried,’ says Katharine. ‘He wasn’t lounging around doing nothing. I love that most of the miracles he performed were interruptions. He was on the way to see Jairus’s daughter when he was stopped by a woman who was in need of healing.

‘Our culture puts out a different message: that we feel good when we achieve things. And the more we achieve, the busier we are. But I don’t want to be known as a busy person. I want to be known as someone who’s available.’

One of the chapters in Katharine’s book reflects on the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and how – for several months – many people found themselves staring at a blank calendar. Katharine tells me that it was a life-changing moment for her, in which she realised that the diary didn’t have to be in charge.

‘Since then, I’ve been working to create margin in my days,’ she says. ‘I always used to attempt “one last job” before leaving the house, such as putting out the recycling. Then I’d feel like I was up against it.

‘Now, I’m trying to create space so that I’m early for things. When we are hurried, we have no options. We can’t stop so easily. But if we have margin, we can afford to respond to interruptions.’

Acknowledging that an opportunity to

take things slowly rarely drops in our lap, Katharine encourages people who want to connect with God to invite him into their busyness. She explains how to start.

‘I try to pray on my commute to work.

As I’m travelling for those 40 minutes, I’ll talk to God and listen to worship music.

Finding that space is quite easy, because it fits in with what I’m already doing. And that’s the key. Start small. Do something that’s achievable.

‘If, at lunchtime, you usually go out for a walk, perhaps you could use that time to notice the creation around you. Or as you log on to your laptop, perhaps you could look at your diary and pray about the day ahead.

‘When we use our everyday events to orientate our heart to God, I believe we will become more aware of his presence in our lives and what he is saying to us.’

When we are hurried, we have no options

l Born Free is published by Muddy Pearl

9 December 2023 • WAR CRY • 7

Family matters CBeebies presenter GEMMA HUNT has taken the stories that Jesus told and reimagined them for modern-day readers – with her relatives at the centre of the action Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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HOUGH written thousands of years ago, Bible stories remain relevant for CBeebies presenter Gemma Hunt. It’s why she has written a new book, taking some of the stories that Jesus told his friends and followers and reimagining them for modern-day families.

In Gemma Hunt’s See! Let’s Be Me!, the main characters are Gemma’s own family, who experience the teachings of Jesus in a 21st-century context.

‘The pandemic really highlighted to me how children struggle so much with emotions and feelings,’ says Gemma. ‘I wanted to write something that would help children and parents to look at some of those feelings, and to link it in with Jesus being a good role model, because he experienced big feelings and emotions too. So the book considers how we can take his example and try to embody it ourselves.’

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Gemma Hunt

Gemma’s stories teach lessons from Jesus

She explains that Christians are not immune to struggles with their feelings.

‘Sometimes it feels like you go to church and everyone is smiling, which is lovely. But we are also real people. I want my family to be a real example to other families who are reading this book, to show that we don’t always get it right and we have our difficult times, but this is how we try to resolve them.’

The book includes stories about experiencing jealousy, feeling cross and about finding peace. They are told from the perspective of two characters – a fictional adopted son and Gemma’s daughter.

Gemma says: ‘A lot of the book comes from my personal experience of my own daughter – who is soon to turn seven – and trying to talk about emotions in a way that she understands.

The book is a way for her to see how she can be a good role model to her friends, based on the teachings of Jesus, and how we as a Christian family try our best to represent him.

‘I tell her that she’s an example to children who are also feeling certain ways and can show them how to act better and behave, because she’s trying to be like Jesus.’

Gemma, who is of mixed heritage, also hopes that the book is validating for her daughter and other children who may look like her or have similarly diverse families. Gemma’s mother,

Nanna in the book, is black; her father, Granddad, is white, and her husband, Daddy, is white.

‘I never saw brown-skinned girls in books when I was younger,’ Gemma says.

‘But it’s something that I’ve been made more aware of in the last few years as I’ve wanted my daughter to see representation and diversity, and to feel included.

‘I want children to feel that they belong in society, and to know that they might look different to other families around them, but there are so many mixed diverse families and we’re all important.’

Relatable stories are a good way to communicate such big ideas, says Gemma.

‘If you feel like you can be seen and validated in a situation, because it’s happening through a story that you’re reading, it’s a great way to learn a lesson.’

And she chose stories that Jesus told, because she believes that he was the best storyteller.

‘He has already told some great stories, so why try to reinvent the wheel?’ she explains. ‘Let’s just reimagine them in a slightly different way and give them a modern-day setting.’

One particular story that Gemma feels is important is called ‘Keep Trying’.

‘It’s all about perseverance,’ she says.

‘My daughter is trying to learn to tie her shoelaces and then begins playing with my jewellery box, and she loses my very

A story is a great way to learn a lesson

special ring.

‘That story came from a time I actually lost the diamond from my engagement ring. When I found it, it reminded me of the story of the lost coin – a woman lost this coin that was so precious to her, and she searched high and low in the house for it and when she found it, she celebrated.

‘I thought: that is just the gospel in a nutshell. So retelling that story in this book has got so many meanings for me.

It’s about perseverance, trying hard and looking for things, but also persevering at the things we’ve lost in our lives. It’s also a reminder that God sees us as precious too.

‘It’s so important that we remember these Bible stories and the morals behind them. We can adapt them and adopt them into our everyday lives – they’re timeless and they’re there for a reason. Jesus knew what he was talking about, and he knew that we’d need this in the modern day.’

l Gemma Hunt’s See! Let’s Be Me! is published by SPCK

9 December 2023 • WAR CRY • 9

‘He spent his whole life renouncing evil’ The Rev LUCY WINKETT explains why her church is honouring slave turned abolitionist Quobna Ottobah Cugoano, who fought for an end to the wicked trade in people, driven on by his belief that everyone is made in the image of God Interview by Emily Bright The Rev Lucy Winkett

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N 1770, 12-year-old Quobna Ottobah Cugoano was innocently playing with his friends in what is present-day Ghana when he was kidnapped by fellow Africans and sold to Europeans for the price of a gun, a piece of cloth and some lead. He was forced aboard a slave ship, the conditions on which were so terrible that the slaves conspired to burn the boat and end their own lives.

The plot was foiled, and he was trafficked to Grenada. He worked on plantations there and on other islands for almost two years, during which time he witnessed other slaves being beaten for the most minor of offences.

He was brought to the UK by his owner and eventually freed. He lived and worked in Pall Mall, London, as a servant for artists Richard and Maria Cosway and learnt to read and write.

One of the first things he did after securing his freedom was to be baptised at St James’s Church, Piccadilly, in 1773 as his faith became a cornerstone of his life. He joined the abolitionist cause and in 1787 wrote a book, Thought and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery, which set out his arguments.

‘The book is a radical call for the abolition of slavery everywhere,’ says the Rev Lucy Winkett, who is the rector at St James’s. ‘It was the first time that a former enslaved person had called for this, because in the 1770s and ’80s, the abolitionist movement was all about doing it gradually, and compensating the owners.’

Quobna, Lucy explains, was more progressive than many of his counterparts

when it came to theology and race.

‘He says that God created everyone equal. He is clear that in the Genesis story, people were created in God’s own image, and that meant everyone. A few times through his book, he says that when you die it doesn’t matter what your skin colour is; it matters how you lived.’

Lucy believes that Quobna’s personal faith was important to him.

‘It gave him a lot of strength and courage to speak out in the way that he does,’ she says. ‘Even after all his terrible experiences, he is absolutely focused on the fact that God is good and that all this evil has happened to him because people are wicked. But God is good.’

Within his church congregation, 168 people who were sympathetic to Quobna and the abolitionist cause helped him to

Paintings by Che Lovelace at St James’s Church, Piccadilly, commemorate the life of Quobna Ottobah Cugoano 10 • WAR CRY • 9 December 2023

BRENDAN DELZIN

fund the publication of his book. Others who shared pews with him, however, were profiting from slavery. Yet Quobna was open to their reconciliation with God. ‘In his book, he criticises the inhabitants of Great Britain fiercely,’ Lucy says, ‘but he says there is always a way back through faith in Jesus Christ, even if you’re a slave trader. He says that vengeance belongs to God, not to people. If people change their ways and behaviour, then there is a way back to God for them, but not until they’ve done that.’

Earlier this year, to mark the 250th anniversary of Quobna’s baptism, St James’s held a service at which people renewed their baptism vows in solidarity with him.

Lucy explains: ‘In the baptism promises, we’re asked whether we turn to Christ, whether we repent of our sins and whether we renounce evil. What Quobna did for his whole life was renounce evil, the evil of the slave trade. He kept that baptism promise in an extraordinary way.

‘He was baptised at 15 years old, a young man setting his direction in life. That is what baptism means: you’re turning away from what is wrong and setting your feet in the direction of the light of God and what is right.’

The church commissioned artworks from Caribbean-based artist Che Lovelace to commemorate Quobna’s life.

Lucy says: ‘When we asked Che why he did the paintings, he said: “It’s very important to face the racism and inequality of today and see what has happened in the past and repent of it. But we have to be hopeful for the future, to find a way to build communities of hope.” And the paintings are strong and honest, but also hopeful.’

St James’s has also put a plaque by the font where Quobna was baptised.

‘Our purpose is that Quobna’s name, story and words are amplified,’ says Lucy.

‘He deserves to be heard. We don’t know when he died or where he was buried.

We wanted to make sure that his name was chiselled into the stone somewhere in London, where he lived, so that people could come and see it.’

Two and a half centuries after Quobna’s baptism, Lucy believes that his example lives on.

‘There are terrible situations in the world today, and it is easy to be dispirited.

But Quobna says that he turns his feet towards the light, hope and goodness, and he keeps going. That’s what we’ve got to do.’

Quobna turns his feet towards the light

‘The River’ by Che Lovelace

l Gemma Hunt’s See! Let’s Be Me! is published by SPCK

‘The Vision of the Birds’ by Che Lovelace 9 December 2023 • WAR CRY • 11

Now, ther

Prayerlink 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, 1 Champion Park, Lon­don SE5 8FJ. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

j

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.

a thou NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT!

by Liz Muir

Unexpected joy THERE is a magical quality about Christmas, and it comes from more than the decorations, the markets, the wreaths or the food. I’m not a person who gets into the spirit of the season until the day is close – mostly because of my disappointment at how the time of year has become more about what we get and do rather than who came.

But one thing that I can get on board with is the feeling of togetherness that pervades the atmosphere, turning us outwards towards each other in a way that doesn’t always happen during other seasons.

The times when I have turned towards other people, especially strangers, have brought me the most comfort and joy at Christmas. A couple of such times have occurred when I have been volunteering on Christmas Day to make sure that those without a permanent home have a good meal and feel cared for.

There is something so special about moments spent in the presence of a stranger who lives every day with adversity, yet whose kindness and laughter can transform your understanding of joy.

Jesus’ birth was an event that brought joy. The baby in a manger grew up to be an adult who often spent time with strangers. He comforted those who were on the margins of society, reminding them that they were special, were loved by God and had a place in God’s Kingdom.

Followers of Jesus have the opportunity to be that same bringer of comfort and joy to others all year round – but especially at Christmas-time, when the true meaning of the festive season generates a sense of togetherness. It’s a time of year when we remember that good news can come from the most unexpected places.

It was, after all, from an unexpected place that the Saviour of the world came.

From a manger. From a young woman shrouded in shame. A gift to us, a priceless gift. Eternal comfort. Boundless joy.

The season generates a sense of togetherness

Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen

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War Cry 1 Champion Park London SE5 8FJ

Looking for help?

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Address

Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Or email your name and postal address to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 9 December 2023

Sweet story

JAAP BUITTENDIJK/© 2023 WARNER BROS ENTERTAINMENT

A young Willy Wonka is keen to make his mark

Eccentric chocolate entrepreneur makes his mark in the origin story of Willy Wonka Film feature by Emily Bright

QUICK QUIZ 1 2

The Royal Mile runs through which Scottish city?

What social media site was recently rebranded as X?

3

Who won TV’s Strictly Come Dancing last year?

4

Who duetted with Bing Crosby on his posthumous hit ‘Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy’?

5

What is a triangle with two equal sides called?

6

Who wrote the poem that was turned into the film The Nightmare Before Christmas?

ANSWERS

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ONG before Charlie Bucket won the golden ticket, Augustus Gloop was consumed by a chocolate river and Mike Teavee was absorbed into the airwaves, a young Willy Wonka was learning his tasty trade of chocolate-making. His backstory is the subject of Wonka, which is out in cinemas this weekend.

An idealistic and youthful Willy (Timothée Chalamet) has spent seven years developing his talents as an inventor and chocolate-maker.

But the reality of becoming a businessman hits home when he discovers that people who have tried to sell sweet treats have been crushed by a chocolate cartel. As Willy attempts to establish himself as a chocolatier, the cartel trio slam his creations and use intimidation to discourage him from rivalling their dominance.

Unperturbed, Willy decides to stand up to them and, with the help of young accomplice Noodle (Calah Lane) and an Oompa Loompa (Hugh Grant) he sets out to challenge what is possible.

Hugh Grant as the Timothée Chalamet explains: ‘This is a joyous Oompa Loompa movie. This is about bringing light into a world that is in desperate need of it. It’s to encourage dreaming.’

Some would say that the world has always needed more joy and light.

There was once a real-life far-sighted figure who was known as the ‘light of the world’. He was frequently underestimated, and faced danger round every corner for challenging the status quo.

Jesus brought to the world something far more precious than chocolate: by sacrificing his life on a cross, he enabled us to have a relationship with God, regardless of what we may have said or done wrong.

He once explained that whoever follows him ‘will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12 English Standard Version). We all have the opportunity to experience this light of love, hope and peace that Jesus has brought into our world.

Best of all, we don’t need a golden ticket – anyone can accept this invitation by asking him into their lives. If we do that, we’ll discover a relationship beyond our imagination.

This is a joyous movie

9 December 2023 • WAR CRY • 13

1. Edinburgh. 2. Twitter. 3. Hamza Yassin.

4. David Bowie. 5. An isosceles triangle. 6. Tim Burton.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 3. Strike (3) 7. Cake (6) 8. Sell (6) 9. Self-assurance (6) 10. Perfect society (6) 11. Tree trunk (3) 12. Erase (6) 14. Scottish dish (6) 17. Motor (6) 21. Lethargy (6) 24. Craze (3) 25. Faith (6) 26. Ravenous (6) 27. Bank cashier (6) 28. Truly (6) 29. Extremity (3) DOWN 1. Specimen (6) 2. Previously (6) 3. Meek (6) 4. Water container (6) 5. Physically powerful (6) 6. Two-piece bathing suit (6)

SUDOKU

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

3 4 2 9 6 5 4 5 9 7 19. Hanging frozen water (6) 20. Exertion (6) 21. Stick (6) 22. Yearly (6) 23. Fence (6)

12. Stain (3) 13. Yellowish brown (3) 15. Electrical unit (3) 16. Wily (3) 18. Required (6)

M O B HONEYC Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. Coconut chocolate bar 2. Scandinavian country 3. Day after Saturday 4. Used with a needle 5. Dairy product 6. Attached to a hand

ANSWERS 8 5 2 3 7 4 1 6 9

7 4 6 2 9 1 3 5 8

9

1 9 3 8 6 5 4 2 7

9 8 5 1 3 6 2 7 4

7 5

3 2 4 9 5 7 6 8 1

6 7 1 4 2 8 5 9 3

2 6 8 7 4 3 9 1 5

4 1 9 5 8 2 7 3 6

1 7

5 3 7 6 1 9 8 4 2

HONEYCOMB 1. Bounty. 2. Norway. 3. Sunday.

4. Thread. 5. Cheese. 6. Finger.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 3. Hit. 7. Gateau. 8. Retail. 9. Aplomb.

10. Utopia. 11. Log. 12. Delete. 14. Haggis.

17. Engine. 21. Apathy. 24. Fad. 25. Belief.

26. Hungry. 27. Teller. 28. Really. 29. Toe. DOWN: 1. Sample. 2. Before. 3. Humble.

4. Trough. 5. Strong. 6. Bikini. 12. Dye. 13. Tan. 15. Amp. 16. Sly. 18. Needed. 19. Icicle.

20. Effort. 21. Adhere. 22. Annual. 23. Hurdle.

14 • WAR CRY • 9 December 2023

2

5

8 7 1 5 8 1 9 7 4 8 7 8 5 8 7 9 3 1

W RDSEARCH 8 7 1 9 3 6 2 4 5 5 4 9 8 2 7 6 1 3 2 6 3backwards 5 4 and 1 diagonally 8 9 7 Look up, down, forwards, on the grid to3find2these Christmas markets 8 1 9 4 7 5 6 7 9 6 3 5 2 4 8 1 F J N B Y Y B HMS F N F Z DG K X 1 C5L K6 R 7G F8H J3 H2M 9 O Z Q F N A4X T SWP T A OWY S M F S D S H Z G X 1 3 4 2 6 5 9 7 8 F S V T Y D T LMANCH E S T E R 5 A 2H F7 N 8H D9V B 1 A 3W 4 Y W H J I Y6S T Y T N L R T MW I G N L R R L M X B 9 8 7 4 1 3 5 6 2 O T Q O H G R U B N I D E E J MQW NMV Y D Z V Q I I GC N B F Z F B UAO L QNO T PMAH T UOSQH H U AWR P OQ L R E E A J Y C Z N R O K P L G G L D I T S L MQ A OW A C HW F Q E I MB V T Y Z R Z S I RCG V E V F PMSQEOCDQK Y BMZ P K F AQR T Z R R Y L D X E H QMZ U L V U A Q J S K P Y L YM X Y N L A Z E Q EWQ D Z B O J U I Q MW C R G R M G K X A I K A O X H BME S C R P Z P H L J KWF S L N BATH BELFAST BIRMINGHAM BLENHEIM PALACE CARDIFF CHESTER EDINBURGH

GALWAY LIVERPOOL LONDON MANCHESTER NOTTINGHAM SOUTHAMPTON YORK

9

3

SERVES 6

Pork and turkey pies INGREDIENTS

METHOD

For the filling

Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas Mark 3.

250g diced pork, finely chopped

Place all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

100g sausage meat

To make the pastry, place the lard and water in a pan and heat until the lard has melted.

Tip in the flour and salt. Mix until combined, then form a soft dough.

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 125g turkey breast, finely chopped 25g dried cranberries © NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES, WILLIAM SHAW

25g smoked bacon, finely chopped 5g dried sage For the pastry 125g lard 175ml water

Divide the rest of the dough into 30g pastry balls, flatten into discs, then place as lids on top of each pie, pressing the edges down.

Smooth the edges, then use a knife to make a small hole in the top.

Salt, to taste

Glaze the pies with the beaten egg, then place in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling is cooked.

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Allow the pies to cool slightly before removing from the tin.

300g strong white flour

MAKES 12

Leaving enough to make lids, divide the dough into 50g pastry balls to line the holes of a muffin tin, with a little lip above the top of each hole. Load each pastry with enough filling to form a slight mound at the top.

Mince pie brownies INGREDIENTS

METHOD

250g baking margarine

Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas Mark 3 and line a 30cm x 23cm baking tray.

400g caster sugar

Heat the margarine in a pan on low heat until melted, then take the pan off the heat and add the sugar and cocoa powder. Mix well.

75g cocoa powder 4 eggs 150g gluten-free self-raising flour 100g dark chocolate chips 250g leftover mince pies, broken into bite-sized pieces 150g mincemeat

Beat the eggs together in a separate bowl, then add to the cocoa mixture. Combine. Add in the flour and mix again. Gently stir in the chocolate chips, mince pie pieces and mincemeat.

Pour the mixture into the baking tray and smooth down the top. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until slightly risen and just set.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool completely in the tin.

Refrigerate the brownies until cold before cutting to serve.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the National Trust website nationaltrust.org.uk 9 December 2023 • WAR CRY • 15

THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT Isaiah 9:2 (Good News Bible)

WAR CRY