What is The Salvation Army?
From the editor’s desk
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
CHRISTMAS, one school of thought says, is for kids. School Nativity plays, trips to see Father Christmas and the look of wonder on little ones’ faces when they see the decorations are all cited as evidence to support this point of view. However, work Christmas parties, the thought of a full roast turkey dinner, and people dropping hints on what the perfect present would be may suggest that the season is just as much for adults as it is for children. Perhaps the idea that Christmas is for kids is an acknowledgement that, as we get older, it becomes easy to lose the magic of this time of the year. Childlike innocence is replaced by the stress that so many adults feel during the festive period. Worry replaces the wonder. Author Bob Hartman was keen to make sure that he kept his sense of wonder – or ‘wow’ as he puts it – when he wrote a children’s book about the birth of Jesus. ‘Before I write anything, I go back to the original story in the Bible and look for the part of it that amazes me,’ he tells us in an interview in this week’s War Cry, adding: ‘If I can’t find the “wow” moment for myself, then I know I’m going to struggle to communicate the story to someone else.’ The Bible’s story of the birth of Jesus has, like so many other parts of Scripture, many ‘wow’ factors. Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that Jesus, who is God, allowed himself to become an innocent baby on Earth because he wanted people to experience a better life that would last for ever. That, rather than parties, presents or plates full of dinner, is the true wonder of Christmas. And the wonderful truth is that we can experience the ad the War C e re ry v better life that Jesus offers us, whatever ’ u our age.
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 7555
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Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
CONTENTS
The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper
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INFO Your local Salvation Army centre
2 • WAR CRY • 11 December 2021
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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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FEATURES
3
Mercy me!
Film poses tough questions
on redemption
4
All together now
Choir releases Motown Gospel album
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The bear necessities of Christmas
New children’s book retells the story
of Jesus’ birth
8
Saturday dance fever
Interview with Strictly star
Rhys Stephenson
REGULARS
12 Team Talk 13 Past Times 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC/RAY BURMISTON and SHUTTERSTOCK.COM