The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church
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 7542
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org
MANY people can remember where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the terror attacks on the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001. The War Cry’s Linda McTurk is one of them. As she recalls in this week’s issue, she was at school in the Queens area of the city. In her account, Linda describes the confusion, worry and fear she felt as a 13-year-old girl trying to make sense of an incomprehensible act of violence. Like Linda, George W Bush was also in a school when he first heard the news. The president, who had been visiting a Florida classroom, was then whisked away to a designated place of safety. As he went, he spent time praying for those who were suffering. President Bush was not alone in turning to God at that time. But people of faith did more than just fall to their knees. Many of them also rolled up their sleeves and set about helping those affected. Among those helpers were members of The Salvation Army in the Canadian town of Gander. Some 7,000 airline passengers were diverted to the small town of only 9,000 inhabitants as US airspace was closed. Confused and scared, the passengers had nowhere to stay and no provisions, but the members of the church and charity were among the many townsfolk who found ways to care for them – even taking them into their own homes. As we report in this week’s issue, their actions inspired the musical Come from Away, which is now being streamed on Apple TV+. ‘The Salvation Army was a huge force during that time,’ the show’s co-creator David Hein told the War Cry when the musical opened in the West End in 2019. And the organisation’s motivation to act was its desire to show the love of God to people who desperately needed to see it. It was a timely reminder that, whatever evil we may encounter in this world, God’s love is ad the War C e re always stronger. ry v ’ u
CONTENTS
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 Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper
INFO Your local Salvation Army centre
2 • WAR CRY • 11 September 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
From the editor’s desk
When yo
What is The Salvation Army?
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FEATURES
3
All in the same boat
5
Helpful arrangements
Musical describes the care given by a community
6 ‘I couldn’t understand what was happening’ Remembering 9/11 as a schoolgirl 8
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A troubled crew sets sail in drama
Respect for singer’s faith
Aretha film takes it to church
10 Aid is the wheel deal Charity provides wheelchairs
around the world
REGULARS 4
War Cry World
12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought!
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14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: QUANTRELL D COLBERT