War Cry 9 July 2022

Golfers have a fairway to go at the Open

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Hall about the music Royal Albert Hall hosts a new Proms season

‘I’m privileged to sing gospel’

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.

HUMAN beings have been making music for thousands of years.

Archaeologists have uncovered ancient rock paintings depicting people dancing and holding musical instruments. Recent archaeoacoustic research recreated some of those early instruments.

Meanwhile, in the 21st century, people’s love of music is as strong as ever. Proof of that, if needed, could be seen in the vast crowds that attended the Glastonbury Festival a couple of weeks ago. From Friday (15 July), as we report in this issue of the War Cry, thousands of people will be enjoying concerts of predominantly classical music in this year’s Proms season.

However, it is another genre of music that we speak to CeCe Winans about in another article this week. The winner of 15 Grammys – equalling Alicia Keys and Adele – is a gospel star. In her interview, she tells us about her latest album Believe For It, which she recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic. She also explains why gospel music is so important to her.

‘It carries the answers to all the problems and questions we have,’ she tells us. ‘It talks about the love of God, the peace of God, and it reminds you that he is there.’

CeCe experiences that presence and love in her own life, and she is certain of the positive difference the Christian faith makes to her.

‘I would be crazy without Jesus,’ she says. ‘He’s my life, my foundation.

Because of Jesus, I have joy.’

CeCe is not alone in her experiences. Millions of Christians have found that Jesus is able to provide them with all that they need, not only to get through life, but to live it with true purpose and fulfilment.

It doesn’t matter who we are or what we have done, Jesus invites each of us to know him and to follow his teachings.

When we do that, we will have a better and ad the War C e re ry more rewarding life that will last for ever. u’v Doesn’t that sound like music to your ears?

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.

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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 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

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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 3

The Proms return

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.

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In it to swing it Players compete in the 150th Open Championship Gospel truth Interview with 15-time Grammy winner CeCe Winans

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INFO Your local Salvation Army centre

Musical arrangements

‘Hanging on the cross is exhausting’ Playing the part of Jesus REGULARS

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12 Team Talk 13 Keys of the Kingdom 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Clive Myrie is presenting BBC’s TV coverage of the First Night of the Proms

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All to play for Proms drum up a full summer schedule of musical excellence Preview by Emily Bright

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T’S time to tune into the Proms, which start on Friday (15 July). News presenter Clive Myrie will host BBC coverage of the First Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, where Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo will strike up the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Verdi’s ‘Requiem’. It will begin the summer-long festival of music, which runs until Saturday 10 September. This is the first full eightweek season of the Proms since 2019.

As usual, Radio 3 is broadcasting every concert live, while 22 standout concerts will be shown across BBC TV channels and BBC iPlayer. Among the featured concerts is a performance from Grammy-winner and actress Cynthia Erivo, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra, which will be aired on BBC Two on Sunday 17 July. Cynthia will sing a selection of songs in tribute to her artistic inspirations: Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, Billie Holiday and Gladys Knight.

This year, the festival welcomes international musical ensembles such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Australian World Orchestra and the newly formed Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra.

The musical programme hopes to hit

the right notes with audiences, featuring works from revered classical composers such as Bach, Tchaikovsky and Elgar. The Proms are also celebrating other influential but lesser-known composers such as Ethel Smyth – the first woman to be given a damehood for music and whose theme ‘The March of the Women’ became the soundtrack to the suffragette movement – and George Walker who was the first African-American to win the Pulitzer prize for music.

Seventeen commissioned works will premiere at the Proms.

Each year, the Proms season marks a high point in classical music achievement. Musicians are primed to perform and are under pressure to deliver.

While playing at the Royal Albert Hall in front of thousands is something most of us will never experience, the pressure to achieve may strike a chord with our own lives. We may feel the need to meet family expectations or scale the career ladder.

Alternatively, we may feel worn down by

Musicians are primed to perform

our own insistence that we attain a certain quality of life.

The world tends to define people by their achievements. But, while it’s important to celebrate our triumphs, they alone shouldn’t define our identities. We’re only human – we make mistakes, we fall short and can’t always perform in the way we want to.

A leader of the early Church knew the score. Paul certainly made mistakes. But he reminded his fellow Christians that what mattered was God’s grace, which offers people forgiveness for the times they have gone wrong and enables them to live a full life that will last for eternity.

God does not love people any more or any less based on their achievements.

Paul said: ‘It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God’ (Ephesians 2:8 and 9 New International Version).

God offers that gift of a new life to everyone because he loves each one of us unconditionally. All he wants is for us to accept him into our lives. That’s the key news we need to hear.

9 July 2022 • WAR CRY • 3

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STORMZY described himself as ‘richly blessed’ by God when he received an honorary degree from the University of Exeter for outstanding achievement in the field of higher education, philanthropy and widening participation.

According to Premier Christian Radio, the British grime artist delivered a speech to other graduates, saying that ‘God has a funny way bringing you to exactly where you were meant to end up’.

Making reference to a story in the Bible in which Jesus talks about the bearing of fruit, Stormzy explained: ‘I’ve been so richly blessed by God, and I don’t just mean financially. I mean with love and life and family and joy and peace and with purpose. So, to put it simply, I’ve beared fruit and shared fruit; and without sounding too fantastical, that’s just what we’re meant to do.’

After making the point that ‘we should always share … and help in whatever capacity we are able to’, Stormzy added: ‘I pray these words of encouragement will help you become who you are meant to be, and to share some fruit once you bear some.’

Debt raises mental health concerns DEBT charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has reported that more than a third of its clients (36 per cent) had considered suicide as a way out of their debt in 2021.

While the charity did not want to oversimplify the reasons behind suicide, its annual client survey acknowledged that ‘the high proportion of people reporting destitution and feelings of isolation this year suggests a concerning connection’ between debt and mental health struggles.

Of the 750 clients surveyed between October and December 2021, 60 per cent said that they felt lonely often or always, while 64 per cent said they often or always felt they had no one to turn to.

CAP also cited figures showing the extent of financial pressures facing its clients. A quarter (26 per cent) had to cut back on meals on a weekly or daily basis, while almost half (45 per cent) had to go without heating and 23 per cent without home lighting on a monthly, weekly or daily basis.

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

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VICARS and imams in Lancashire continued their run of cricket matches last month in a fixture designed to foster friendship between Christianity and Islam.

Players representing the Church of England’s Blackburn diocese and the Lancashire Council of Mosques took part in the fourth such match at Stonyhurst College, in which the diocese team won by five runs with six wickets to spare.

The Bishop of Burnley, the Right Rev Philip North, said that the fixture, which is now to be held twice a year, ‘embodies love and friendship between our communities; giving us [a] chance to spend time together so we can learn more about each other and build mutual respect’.

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Rory McIlroy has said that the 150th Open Championship will feel ‘extra special’

Salvation Army supports Ukraine refugees UKRAINIANS fleeing the conflict in their country are being given vital support thanks to schemes run by The Salvation Army.

Across Scotland, the church and charity is working with local authorities to offer refugees £30 to spend on clothes and other essentials at its network of shops.

The scheme is the idea of Major James Elliot, who leads The Salvation Army’s emergency response team in the east of Scotland.

He said: ‘We’re delighted to be able to work with a number of agencies and groups to provide extra support to refugees coming into the country.’

Nicola Crawford, regional manager for the Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCoL), said: ‘Through the generosity of our donors and customers in Scotland we’re able to offer good-quality clothes, furniture and other provisions, and our priority is to provide for those in the local community who are in need.’

In Swindon, residents of a hostel for people who are experiencing homelessness have repaired and refurbished old bicycles in response to requests from Swindon Welcomes Ukraine, a group created to help refugees settle in the area.

After the adult and children’s bikes had been refurbished at Recycles, a social enterprise scheme run

by The Salvation Army at the Booth House hostel, they were handed over to Ukrainian refugees.

Simon Styles, workshop supervisor at Recycles, said: ‘Our team got really involved in supporting the refugees by choosing all of the bikes to be given to them, and also helping to repair and rebuild the bikes.’

ON COURSE

FOR GLORY 18

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HE Old Course at St Andrews is teeing up a treat for fans. The 150th Open Championship begins tomorrow (Sunday 10 July) at the spectacular Scottish venue.

A record-breaking 290,000 people will gather to see which golfer will lift the Claret Jug. Among those competing are American Scottie Scheffler, who is ranked No 1 in the world; last year’s US Open winner, Spaniard Jon Rahm; and Northern Ireland’s four-time major winner Rory McIlroy. American Collin Morikawa will also surely feel driven to defend his Open Championship crown.

Others aiming to win include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. It will require an iron will to prevail on the putting green.

When eight Scottish professional golfers took part in the first Open Championship at St Andrews on 17 October 1860, they could never have foreseen the global impact of the tournament, which has stopped only for the two world wars and the worldwide pandemic.

Part of the Open’s appeal lies in its unpredictability, with surprise winners and some who lose a major tournament with a single stroke. ‘This is the beauty of golf,’ remarked BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter on Radio 5 Live’s All About the Open podcast. ‘There are no guarantees, and you might think you’ve got the tournament in the bag, that the trophy is ready to be handed to you, and it slips away.’

Of course, just as in golf, life itself can be unpredictable, whether because of an unexpected diagnosis, redundancy or bereavement.

It can be tempting to sink into despair when our efforts to plan and prepare aren’t enough. But there is hope.

In the Bible, one writer says: ‘In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps’ (Proverbs 16:9 New International Version).

The words acknowledge that, while people’s best-laid plans can fall apart, God can always lead them out of the rough times they face.

We all can receive God’s guidance and support. We just need to take a shot at exploring a relationship with him.

Life itself can be unpredictable

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Singer CECE WINANS, who recently became the female gospel artist with the most Grammy wins, talks about her 40-year career in the music industry and why she thinks the genre is so powerful

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DELE, Alicia Keys and CeCe Winans all have one thing in common – the number of Grammys they have been awarded.

With 15 of the golden gramophones each, they are tied in fourth place for the award show’s most decorated women. Gospel artist CeCe also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and album sales of more than 17 million.

Her most recent album, Believe For It, won her three Grammy awards, making her the most decorated gospel female artist. It was written at a time when CeCe thought people needed encouragement.

‘I recorded it during the pandemic,’ she says.

‘We were dealing with a lot of hopelessness, a lot of discouragement, a lot of pain. People had lost loves ones. My prayer behind the album was that God would touch people.’

CeCe has been making gospel music for 40 years. It’s a livelihood that has taken her around the world, and next Saturday (16 July), she will be performing in London as part of the God Loves You tour, with the son of preacher Billy Graham, Franklin Graham.

She started her career aged 17 in Charlotte, North Carolina, performing with her family, many of whom are or have been recording artists in their own right. The family joined a Christian television show, and during their time on it, she became a duo with her brother BeBe. ‘I was born into a family that sang gospel music,’ CeCe tells me. ‘We were raised in church and my mum and dad sang, so that’s how we started out. But I went from being someone who just sang gospel music, to falling in love with Jesus.

‘I’ve always sung gospel music and believe it’s something I always will do. I think my main calling is to sing gospel music and to bring healing to those who are hurting.’

Throughout the past four decades, CeCe has consistently brought uplifting music to people. I ask her the secret to her longevity.

‘I don’t think music ever gets old,’ she says.

‘Good music can last for a lifetime – that’s one of the reasons that I’m still out here. I am humbled by people still allowing me to be a soundtrack to their lives. Staying relevant happens when you address whatever you’re going through in song. I’ve learnt

Good music can last for a lifetime

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the answers’

over the years that whatever mends your heart or uplifts your spirit can do the same for others.

‘It’s beautiful when I look out at my concerts and see grandmothers, kids and teenagers. It’s amazing to see how God is able to minister to every generation and give them what they need.

I give credit to God that I’m still here.’

CeCe explains how, after years as a recording artist, she realised that she had become part of ‘the older generation’, and wanted to help others.

‘I’m here today and I became a strong woman of God because of the mothers and the generations before me, who took time out to pray with me, to straighten me out, to love me,’ she says. ‘I realised it was my turn to pour myself out to others. I’d been pouring into my kids, but God had given me spiritual kids all around the world, so I felt the urgency

to create a platform.’

On her YouTube channel, CeCe fronts the discussion show Generations in which she talks with various women from different generations, including her mother and her daughter, about womanhood. The programme is watched by thousands of people.

‘It’s not just for women, it’s for younger people,’ she explains.

‘I’m praying we can equip the next generation to stand strong, and be all that God has called them to be, so they can continue on in this faith – faith in Jesus Christ that the world so badly needs.’

It’s a faith that has carried CeCe throughout her own life.

‘I would be crazy without Jesus,’ she tells me, laughing. ‘He’s my life, my foundation. Because of Jesus, I have joy, peace, wisdom, stamina. Life with Jesus doesn’t mean that everything goes perfectly – it’s actually probably the

Gospel music talks about the love of God

opposite. But having him, you never have to go through life alone.’

She conveys that belief through her songs.

‘I’m privileged to sing gospel music, because it carries the answers to all the problems and questions we have,’ she says. ‘It talks about the love of God, the peace of God, and it reminds you that he is there.

‘I remember that right after I lost my second eldest brother, I had to go and sing. One of the songs I was singing was ‘He’s Concerned About You’. So, even though I was ministering to people, I was ministering to myself. God knows, he cares, he sees, he’s right there. While the tears are coming down your face, in a time of mourning, he’s there to lift your heavy load.

‘Gospel music is entertaining, but it’s more than entertainment. It passes the ear and touches the heart. It encourages, it uplifts, it is healing and it reminds you of who God is.’

9 July 2022 • WAR CRY • 7

passion play After being postponed because of Covid-19, the centuries-old Oberammergau Passion play in Germany is being staged once more. FREDERIK MAYET, who takes the role of Jesus in the production, talks about the joy of being able to put on the play again and explains why he believes Jesus’ teachings are more relevant today than ever

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N the beginning was the vow. And behind the vow lies a story. The year was 1633, and the bubonic plague was spreading through the mountain village of Oberammergau in Germany. People were dying. The surviving villagers feared they would be next. So they came up with a plan that would change their community for ever.

Out of a desperate hope that God would show them mercy, they pledged that every 10 years they would stage a play depicting the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The next year, in 1634, they performed their first Passionsspiele. No one else in the community died as a result of the plague – and the village has been keeping its promise ever since.

‘You can’t separate Oberammergau from the Passion play,’ says Frederik Mayet, a threetimes Passion play performer, who is taking on the role of Jesus in this year’s production. ‘When you’re young, you grow up with it. It becomes something you look forward to. People come from all over the world to watch the play, which means that every 10 years we get to come together for something very special. The Passion play enriches all our lives.’

After being postponed in 2020, Oberammergau’s 42nd Passion play opened in May this year and is scheduled to run until October. The production – performed in German – takes place in the village’s 4,500-seater Passion play theatre and remains an entirely self-run operation. In order to take part in the show, actors, singers, musicians, stage crew, costume

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Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper makers and set designers must be Oberammergau villagers by birth or have lived in the village for more than 20 years. No professional stage experience is required for taking part. Nor does age present a barrier for those wanting to tread the boards.

‘The youngest person we have in the

The play is staged at the village’s Passion play theatre

play this year is the daughter of the actor who plays Peter, and she went on stage at two weeks old,’ says Frederik. ‘The oldest performer is a woman who’s 96 years old.

‘What’s nice for me this year is that my children are taking part.

My oldest son has a small role as a servant at the Last Supper, so we get to be on stage together. Seeing him in the dressing room with the other actors and making friends across the generations, is special. I’ve watched my kids – and other children – growing up and getting into the play, asking questions about Jesus. The tradition of the play is very important to us.’

It’s also a huge commitment for those

opting to take part. Every 10 years after the cast list is announced – chalked up on blackboards outside the theatre – the male participants agree to stop shaving and cutting their hair, in an attempt to appear as authentic biblical characters. Then, an intensive rehearsal period begins.

‘Being in the Passion play is exhausting because you’re rehearsing for half a year, then performing for half a year,’ explains Frederik. ‘You can’t go away on holiday during that time. And people in the cast have to fit their work around their roles.

I work at a theatre in Munich, and my boss is actually the director of the Passion play, so I can reduce my hours and it’s no problem. But others in the production might have to quit their jobs or, if they are students, interrupt their studies.

‘Some people are on stage for only the

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From page 9 second half of the show, so they work as usual during the day, then come down to the theatre just for the evening. Everyone makes an effort to put the play on.’

Running from 2.30pm until 10.30pm, with a three-hour dinner break in between, the Passion play is an intense experience for the thousands of people who travel to Oberammergau to watch it. The story begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, moves to his crucifixion and concludes with his resurrection. In the show’s largest scene, up to 500 villagers take to the stage, plus several animals. The production is staged five times a week. How does Frederik find the energy to do it?

‘The main roles are double-cast, which means I play Jesus just two or three times a week,’ he says. ‘Physically, though, it’s still tough. Hanging on the cross is exhausting. Last month, I lost my voice.

But it’s also a rewarding experience – especially after Covid.

‘For two years of the pandemic, not a lot happened in Oberammergau. Usually the village has a rich cultural life, but for a long time we had no theatre, choir, concerts or festivities. The restaurants

were closed. So it feels really good to be meeting up with people again. There’s such a great atmosphere among us.’

Since his youth, Frederik has enjoyed taking part in the Passion play and has been grateful to land principal roles in every production. In 2000, he played the role of John, one of Jesus’ disciples. Ten years later, he was offered the part of Jesus.

Being given the opportunity to play the Son of God for a second time, in 2022, was a challenge too good to miss.

‘The director, Christian Stückl, felt that the world had changed a lot over the past 12 years, so it was important to play Jesus differently too,’ Frederik explains.

‘In 2010, I didn’t portray Jesus as very loud – but in this production, he is more confrontational. He has to shout to get his message across. So with the high priests, Judas and his disciples, he argues more about what is the right way to live.

‘There are sentences in the script that, two years ago, we didn’t think about in same way that we do today. At the beginning of the play, Jesus talks about fear in Jerusalem, about war and about how people are suffering from hunger and disease. He talks about rich and poor people. These words have become so

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Hanging on the cross is exhausting

People look on as Jesus is crucifed

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meaningful for us over the past two years, because they are about topics that affect us right now.

‘I think that everything Jesus talked about 2,000 years ago feels more relevant than ever. Yes, the world has evolved and we live in a more modern way, but we still have hunger, disease and war. A lot of people don’t have justice.’

With each new season of the Passion play comes the opportunity to refresh the script and staging. In 2010, the play introduced some new roles for women, including the wife of Pontius Pilate – the Roman governor of Judea during the time of Jesus – and a woman presented to Jesus for stoning. This year, the director decided to lose one of the more longstanding roles.

‘There used to be a role, called the Prologue, who would offer an interpretation of the scenes,’ says Frederik. ‘I guess he was a bit like a “religious explainer”. But Christian said we no longer needed somebody to tell the audience what they were seeing. People can think about the story for themselves.’

It’s an approach Frederik takes for himself. Ever since he was cast as Jesus, he has been pondering once again the story of the Son of God. On a cast visit to the Holy Land, he found himself reflecting

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Jesus is brought before Pilate on the value of Jesus’ teachings.

‘I went to Israel with Rochus Rückel – the other actor who is playing Jesus – and he was asking lots of questions,’ says Frederik. ‘Having played the role in 2010, I felt that most of my questions about Jesus were already answered, but the more we talked about this man, the more I realised that I admired the new ideas he brought into the world. He changed everything with the words “love your enemies”.

‘I also used the trip to think about Jesus as a child. Because I have my own children now, I found myself wondering if Jesus was a nice boy or very demanding. Did he cry as a baby when he was teething? Did he get stomach aches? We don’t know anything about Jesus’ character as a child, but the Church teaches that he was fully human and fully God. And if he was fully human, then he must have had all the feelings and problems that we have.’

As well as considering the possible stories of a young Jesus, Frederik was also intrigued to explore his adult ministry and what it revealed about his character.

‘I’ve always thought Jesus was a very sociable person,’ he says. ‘His first miracle was turning water into

A soldier places a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head wine at a wedding, so he liked being with people. This wasn’t someone who refused joy. Some people think Jesus must have been holy all the time – but I don’t think he was just holy. He got angry too, throwing the merchants out of the Temple. He was human. And I wanted to show that side of him, as well as the godliness.’

While Frederik believes there is much to admire in the character of Jesus and feels inspired by his teachings on how to live, he admits that – had he been living 2,000 years ago – he would have found it difficult to give up everything in order to follow him.

‘Jesus was demanding,’ he says. ‘Some disciples left their families at home in order to travel with him, so to follow Jesus was tough. Love your enemies – that was a tough message too.

‘But I do try to follow Jesus in that I always want to be good to others and charitable. The Passion play has definitely brought me closer to God. I don’t go to

church very regularly, but I will go on holy days and when I’m visiting other cities. I also pray, asking for help for other people or when I’m facing problems. Prayer is a very personal thing.’

Whether people who watch the Passion play in Oberammergau share Frederik’s faith or not, he feels proud to be part of a village that has spent nearly 400 years putting the story of Jesus centre stage. He believes that this extraordinary man has a timeless message for everyone.

‘Jesus taught humanity about changing the world to make it a better place,’ he says. ‘It’s a story about how to get along with others. If everyone did as Jesus said and treated everyone as they wanted to be treated themselves, then our world would be like living in paradise.’

Jesus was a very sociable person

l For more information visit passionplay2022.de

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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, 101 Newington Causeway, Lon­don SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

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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.

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK Good grief?

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

ALEXA, just because you can do something, does it mean you should? That’s the question I’ve been asking since I read that tech whizzes had developed the technology that would allow Amazon’s virtual personal assistant to mimic the voices of dead people. Basically, bereaved users can feel as though they are speaking with relatives who are no longer alive.

According to The Telegraph, the new feature is able to ‘impersonate people’ by using ‘a recording of somebody’s voice less than a minute long’.

The technology was unveiled at Amazon’s machine learning, automation, robotics and space conference, where a video showed a child using an Alexa device to listen to a story read in the voice of his Loss will and deceased grandmother.

‘While AI can’t eliminate that pain of loss, it can should hurt definitely make the memories last,’ said Alexa’s chief scientist, Rohit Prasad, explaining the development.

Since reading this news, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. If I’m honest, it makes me uncomfortable. I’m unsure about all the implications of tinkering with the voice of a dead person and, potentially, making it say things the person would never have said while alive. Nor am I sure how helpful I would find it to hear the voice of a loved one talking to me in the present tense, when the reality is that they are no longer here. What I am sure of, though, is that loss is painful.

While it’s important to find comfort when grieving, I believe loss will, and should, hurt. Bereavement is a process that we move through by feeling its pain, which helps us accept the reality that life is not the same any more.

Though no one wants to experience gut-wrenching loss, we can’t escape it. The death of a loved one is always devastating, whether we have the Christian hope of eternal life or not. But I believe that when we acknowledge that pain head on, we can uncover strength, courage and hope that we never knew we had. We can appreciate the value of love in a new way.

When we aren’t afraid to face up to death, we stand to learn a lot about living.

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

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Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen

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

Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 9 July 2022

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

Who plays dinosaur behaviour expert Owen Grady in the film Jurassic World Dominion?

2

How many chambers does a

3

Which 1990s sitcom starring

A human heart have?

Rowan Atkinson was set in a police station?

4

Which Church of England priest recently published his debut

novel Murder before Evensong?

5

In the board game Monopoly,

how many train stations are for sale?

Fusilli, farfalle and conchiglie are types of what?

ANSWERS

1. Chris Pratt. 2. Four. 3. The Thin Blue Line.

4. The Rev Richard Coles. 5. Four. 6. Pasta.

6

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

The secret is key J

ESUS once said to his followers, ‘the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven has been given to you’ (Matthew 13:11 New International Version). By ‘secrets’, he did not mean obscure riddles but spiritual insights that God uncovers. Now, in conversation with those followers, Jesus reveals the biggest of these mysteries.

The discussion begins when Jesus asks them what the public are saying about him. According to the disciples, the consensus is that he is a prophet.

Jesus then asks his followers who they think he is. Simon replies: ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’ (Matthew 16:16).

Jesus identifies this acknowledgment as a God-given revelation – a spiritual mystery that has been exposed. He tells Simon: ‘This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in Heaven’ (16:17).

He then renames Simon, saying, ‘You are Peter’ and declares that ‘on this rock I will build my church’ (16:18). And he adds: ‘I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven’ (16:19).

One traditional interpretation is that Jesus built the Church on Peter, who holds the keys to Heaven. A look at the original Greek language of the text, though, reveals other possibilities.

First the Greek words for ‘church’ (ekklesia) and ‘Kingdom’ (basileia) are unrelated. This is a vital truth. The Church is not the Kingdom of Heaven. By extension, belonging to a church does not automatically make anyone a citizen of the Kingdom.

Secondly, the word for ‘Peter’ is petros. It means a small rock or stone, something that can be picked up and thrown. Reputable builders do not use shingle as a foundation. By contrast, ‘the rock’ on which Jesus says he will build the Church is denoted by the word petra. It is immoveable bedrock, solid rock.

So, it is Peter’s acknowledgment that Jesus is ‘the Son of the living God’ – rather than Peter himself – that is the bedrock on which the Kingdom is built.

When, through repentance and faith, a person makes the same acknowledgment, God grants them entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. Accepting that Jesus lived, died and rose again, and then making a commitment to following him, are the indispensable keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Builders do not use shingle as a foundation

9 July 2022 • WAR CRY • 13

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

ACROSS 1. Dull (4) 3. Gratuity (3) 5. Moderately hot (4) 7. Possession (9) 9. Tug (4) 10. Seize (4) 11. Restrain (5) 14. Irritable (5) 15. Representative (5) 17. Urge (5) 18. Spine (5) 19. Thrust (5) 20. Dizzy (5) 23. Believe (4) 25. Genuine (4) 27. Essential (9) 28. Bucket (4) 29. Also (3) 30. Cash register (4)

DOWN 1. Hurry (4) 2. Basin (4) 3. Subject (5) 4. Adhesive (5) 5. Summons (4) 6. Colliery (4) 7. Frank (9) 8. Splendid display (9) 11. Expiring (5) 12. Recorded (5)

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

9

2 6 3 8 1

5 2 2 3

2 8 1 9 4 6 8 3 5 1 7 5 2 4 8 7 2 3 1 5 9 13.

14.

16.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

Mass meeting (5) Small child (3) Foot digit (3) Torpid (5) Club for dancing (5) Trickle (4) Repast (4) Gait of a horse (4) Wicked (4)

WORDSEARCH

3 4 9 8 1 5 2 6 7 5 2 6 4 7 9 3 8 1 Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally 7 1words 2 from 3 the 6 21st 4 century 5 9 on the grid to find these8popular 7 3 2 9 4 8 6 1 5 T C C V R Z H1 T 9 U R4 T 5T S6 O 7P W8 F 3K 2 H C A Q X P E Y G X C N Q N D B J W U X R R S R Z6Q 5 R W8 H 1V G2 J 3Y F7 Q 9Z 4 O K B E B Z O9W 6 R H3 Q 7 W Z5 Q 2T X1 L 4N 8 I D O L L O M Y Q D O D T D H Z MW Z Q N D W U N4 Z 8T V7 S 6S Q9 Z 1D Q5 G 2O 3 U Y F D U W I2N 1 P E5 V 3H X8 B 4S P9 R 7D 6

M O HONEYC B

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

I U J J N K Y T G E E

1. Game which tests ingenuity or knowledge 2. Truthful and sincere 3. Bowl-shaped drinking glass 4. Score 5. Secure cupboard 6. Band of fibrous tissue in the body

ANSWERS 3 5 8 7 1 6 9 4 2

4 2 7 3 9 5 6 8 1

9 6 1 2 4 8 3 7 5

8 4 2 9 5 1 7 6 3

1 7 3 4 6 2 5 9 8

5 9 6 8 7 3 2 1 4

4 8 7 1 5

2 3 4 6 8 7 1 5 9

6 8 5 1 3 9 4 2 7

7 1 9 5 2 4 8 3 6

9 2 3 5 2

HONEYCOMB 1. Puzzle. 2. Honest. 3. Goblet. 4. Twenty. 5. Locker. 6. Muscle.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Drab. 3. Tip. 5. Warm. 7. Ownership.

9. Haul. 10. Take. 11. Deter. 14. Testy. 15. Agent.

17. Impel. 18. Thorn. 19. Lunge. 20. Giddy. 23. Deem.

25. True. 27. Necessary. 28. Pail. 29. Too. 30. Till.

DOWN: 1. Dash. 2. Bowl. 3. Theme. 4. Paste. 5. Writ.

6. Mine. 7. Outspoken. 8. Pageantry. 11. Dying. 12. Taped.

13. Rally. 14. Tot. 16. Toe. 21. Inert. 22. Disco. 23. Drip.

24. Meal. 25. Trot. 26. Evil.

14 • WAR CRY • 9 July 2022

V Q Z T S A C D O P O

O O T P R I N T Z P K

I X S S L MYMH C D E K A U E Y BMA ZMZ B B E G I L V E G R EM U Q L S Z Q X H J R S K P F N Q H Z Z K

E N Q Z Q F E D P C Y

E U H K S Z E L H S R

BIG SOCIETY CARBON FOOTPRINT CARBON-NEUTRAL CLIMATE EMERGENCY CREDIT CRUNCH LOCKDOWN OMNISHAMBLES

I R T Z Y V T N D V L

Q X C T U O RW Q A S E AM I C X R E I C K

J I Y S C L I N Z S H

Z D P D G F L V E U W

T E Z P Q I C O R X O

G K R C F O Z L HW E N B L NW Z R P Q Y G

PODCAST POST-TRUTH SELFIE SQUEEZED MIDDLE SUDOKU VAX YOUTHQUAKE

Speedy salmon pasta Ingredients

Method

2tbsp fresh coriander, chopped plus extra to garnish

To make the marinade, mix together the coriander and lime rind and juice in a non-metallic bowl. Place the salmon fillets in the bowl and set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.

1 lime, grated rind and juice

Meanwhile, cook the farfalle according to the packet instructions, adding the sugar snap peas 2 minutes before the end of cooking. Drain.

2 pieces skinless salmon fillet 150g farfalle 100g sugar snap peas 2 tomatoes, chopped

Heat a heavy pan or griddle pan until hot and cook the salmon for 3 minutes on each side. Add the tomatoes to the pan, along with any remaining marinade and toss together. Gently flake the salmon and fold into the pasta. Garnish with the extra coriander, to serve.

SERVES

2

Crisp salmon salad Ingredients 250g new potatoes

Method

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Rinse in cold water, cool a little and slice. Toss together the potato slices and tomatoes and divide between 2 serving dishes. Pile the salad leaves on top and set aside.

90g mixed salad leaves

Coat one side of each salmon fillet with the pepper.

2 pieces skinless salmon fillet

Heat a non-stick frying pan or a griddle pan until hot. Place the salmon fillets pepper-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, then turn and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.

1tbsp coarse ground black pepper 1 orange, grated rind and juice 1tbsp wholegrain mustard

Lay the salmon fillets on top of the salad leaves in each dish. Mix together the orange rind and juice with the mustard in a bowl and drizzle over the salad, to serve.

SERVES

2

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Diabetes UK website diabetes.org.uk

9 July 2022 • WAR CRY • 15

A forgiven person forgives Henri Nouwen

WAR CRY