War Cry 14 May 2022

Faith is brownies’ key ingredient

WAR CRY

14 May 2022 50p

Rings true Mark Wahlberg film tells real-life story of boxer who became a priest ‘Our community enriches our marriage’

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.

SINGER Justin Bieber made headlines last week when he said that he had suffered an ‘emotional breakdown’ after realising his marriage didn’t ‘fix’ the problems he had in his life.

The Independent reported the star as saying: ‘I thought marriage was going to fix all my problems and it didn’t.’ However, that prompted Justin to do some personal reflection and to revise the expectations he had of his wife, Hailey. The report went on to say how his Christian faith helped him through that time.

Justin is right. Getting married is not the cure all for life’s problems. Nor does it have to be the goal everyone must strive for. But for those who do say ‘I do’, it is the start of a lifetime of commitment to a relationship that needs to be worked at.

Last Tuesday (10 May) was the start of Marriage Week and in this week’s War Cry we speak to two married couples. Roy and Pam Ransley have been married for 66 years. They tell us about when they met and how their Christian faith has helped them deal with the highs and lows of life.

The Christian faith has also been important to Danielle and Shimon Landa, who were married last year. But as well as their faith, Danielle explains that something else has enriched their relationship.

‘We need other people,’ she tells us, ‘friendships with different families, couples, people who are single, because I feel like that way your marriage will be enriched and you’ll be able to enrich other people.’

The truth is, whether we are married, in a relationship or single, our lives are better when we have a community to belong to and to which we can make a meaningful contribution. And our lives are at their very best when they centre around a relationship with God, who will love us for better or worse, for richer or poorer and ad the War C in sickness or in health. e re ry u’v

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

In a Stu Film depicts boxer’s life-changing

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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And finally 150 years of the FA Cup final Mixing it up The baking company that combines

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INFO Your local Salvation Army centre

encounter

Love and marriage Newly-weds talk about their experiences

10 To have and to hold

Looking back on 66 years of marriage REGULARS 4

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12 Team Talk 13 Wisdom in the Words 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen

SIMPLY THE BLESSED Boxer has a rocky road to the priesthood in film based on a true story Film preview by Philip Halcrow

Mark Wahlberg plays Stu, a boxer who changes direction after meeting Carmen (Teresa Ruiz, below)

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WAYWARD amateur boxer is possibly about to be saved by the belle. In Father Stu – Mark Wahlberg’s new film based on a true story – troublemaker Stuart Long (Wahlberg) is reluctantly leaving boxing behind and dreaming of Hollywood stardom when he finds out that a beautiful woman who comes into the shop where he works is a churchgoer. Although he has an antipathy towards religion, he turns up for a church get-together in the hope of getting together with her.

Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), however, is wary of the lairy fighter. And when he turns up for church too late on one occasion – after a run-in with the LAPD – she tells him that there is no future for them as a couple.

Not one to throw in the towel, Stu replies: ‘Your boss would beg to differ.’

She is unsure what he is talking about, but he clarifies: ‘I mean Jesus.’

Stu signs up for classes to become a member of the church, even though he is still furious with God over the death of his little brother in childhood. His estranged parents are bemused by his interest in church. He goes simply because of Carmen.

However, his world view is dealt a blow. After a stranger in a bar advises him enigmatically: ‘You ain’t owed nothing, but you’re getting a chance,’ Stu suffers

a near-fatal motorbike accident – and he senses divine help pulling him through.

He begins seeing his life in terms of getting a chance. ‘God saved me and forgave me to show me that there’s a reason I’m here,’ he tells Carmen.

His conviction compels him to become not only a believer but also a priest. In the face of opposition and huge health challenges, he persists with spreading the gospel, telling people that they are loved by God. ‘He ain’t never giving up on you, never,’ he tells a group of prison inmates. ‘Don’t you dare go giving up on yourself.’

Rosalind Ross, the writer of the film – which was released in cinemas yesterday (Friday 13 May) – gathered material about the real-life Stu from interviews with people who knew him and from a pamphlet handed out at the memorial service after his death in 2014. She says she wanted to make a film about the ‘profound change’ in him.

She depicts Stu as talking about God’s forgiveness, his grace and the love for humankind that God showed in his Son, Jesus. Stu spoke in ways that echo the early Church leader Paul’s words about how, through Jesus, God ‘changed us from enemies into his friends… Christ was without sin,’ Paul wrote, ‘but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:18 and 21 Good News Bible).

It’s a message that insists anyone can put their trust in Jesus and discover a life-changing love. It’s also a message that, as Father Stu shows, has gone the distance.

Stu’s world view is dealt a blow

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Kim McGuinness and Graham Wharton with Keir Starmer

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COMMUNITY-focused PR agency Kova has produced a guide for people wanting to discuss questions of faith in connection with Mark Wahlberg’s new film Father Stu. The free resource includes quotes from the film – which is about an agnostic amateur boxer who becomes an inspirational priest – as well as questions exploring themes such as forgiveness and masculinity. It is downloadable from kovapr.com/s/Father-Stu-Faith-Guide

Labour leader at community project LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer met with beneficiaries of a community project run in partnership with The Salvation Army in Southwick as part of a visit to Sunderland last month.

The leader of the opposition spoke to community manager Graham Wharton, who runs The Salvation Army’s Austin House Family Centre.

The centre hosts the Southwick Altogether Raising Aspirations project, a multi-agency initative aimed at supporting the Southwick community to tackle issues such as crime, mental health and unemployment.

It also runs the Daily Bread Café to offer nutritious food to the community, as well as a food bank, fitness classes, community days, trips out on school holidays, kids’ activities, and advice for job seekers through its Employment Plus service.

Sir Keir was taken on a tour of the area and introduced to young people helped by the project. Northumbria police and crime commissioner Kim McGuinness, who arranged the visit, accompanied him.

‘It was brilliant to join The Salvation Army … in Sunderland,’ the MP said. ‘Their amazing work bringing together the police, council services and neighbourhood groups is a great example of working together in the heart of the community.’

Author writes of Narnia influence NEIL GAIMAN revealed in The Guardian that The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis were among his favourite books as a child.

As the bestselling author reflected on books that have been significant in his life, he described the Narnia titles – which explore Christian themes – as ‘infinitely re-readable’, and at the age of seven and eight, he ‘wanted to live in them’.

Neil went on to explain why the author of the collection, CS Lewis, influenced his own decision to become a writer.

‘I don’t recall there being a time that I ever didn’t want to be a writer,’ he said, ‘but CS Lewis and his Narnia books definitely made me realise that these stories I loved were written by a person. Lewis wasn’t pretending to be invisible, he was very happily there in the text, making these lovely friendly asides to the reader. I loved that so much, and I loved the idea of doing it too.’

Football teams’ goal to support Ukraine appeal WEST Midlands police officers took on Salvation Army Lifehouse residents, who are currently experiencing homelessness, in a friendly football fundraiser.

The game, sponsored by West Midlands police, raised £300 for the Salvation Army’s Ukraine crisis response appeal. Officers won 6-3 against the Salvation Army team, made up of residents from Lifehouses in Birmingham and Coventry. In attendance was former Wales international and West Bromwich Albion player, Andy Johnson.

Will Neville, organiser and programme co-ordinator at the William Booth Centre Lifehouse in Birmingham, said: ‘We often work with the police to rehabilitate people, trying to address the root causes of their homelessness.

Working with partner agencies, we can find ways to help people navigate really difficult journeys away from addiction, debt, childhood trauma and relationship breakdown.’

At the event, Will spoke about his own experience of homelessness, caused by addiction issues, and the help he received from The Salvation Army.

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The Salvation Army team, made up of Lifehouse residents, after the match (above)

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Chelsea face Liverpool in today’s FA Cup Final

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THE SALVATION Army has partnered with Asda to produce a new T-shirt that will raise funds for the church and charity’s Ukraine crisis response appeal.

Bearing the slogan ‘Where There is Love, There is Hope’, the T-shirt will be available in both black and white at more than 600 of Asda’s stores across the UK, selling for £8 under clothing label George.

Esther Theodore, head of philanthropy at The Salvation Army, said ‘the church and charity is active in Ukraine and across Europe, delivering essential provisions including food, water, medical supplies and blankets, and is committed to assist for as long as it takes.

The profits from the sale of the T-shirts will undoubtedly help many extremely vulnerable people in desperate need of support’.

PLAY ON Football fans celebrate 150 years of the FA Cup final Feature by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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HEN the final whistle blows at Wembley Stadium this evening, there will be only one winner as Chelsea and Liverpool go head to head for the glory of lifting the FA Cup. This year’s match also marks a special occasion – 150 years since the first FA Cup final. In 1872, the Wanderers went up against the Royal Engineers at Kennington Oval and won 1-0.

It was the captain of the winning team, Charles Alcock, who had come up with the idea of the cup competition. His proposal for a knockout tournament with all FA member clubs kicked off arguably the football world’s best-known club competition.

Since then, the cup itself has taken on many physical forms. The original trophy, known as the ‘little tin idol’, lasted more than 20 years before it was stolen from a shop window. Four trophies later, the current model is a perfect replica of the longest-serving trophy, created in 1911, and is made of 6.3kg of 925 sterling silver.

Of course, the competition is about more than winning the cup itself, as valuable as it is. The cup represents the blood, sweat and tears of teams who have been in it to win it. But, no matter how well they play, every year, only one team can ultimately prevail.

Chelsea made it to the final last year, only to be beaten by Leicester City.

Speaking ahead of today’s game, manager Thomas Tuchel said, ‘We experienced last season and this season that sometimes you give your everything and it’s not enough.’

This can be true in all areas of life. Sometimes, no matter how on the ball we are, it just isn’t enough. We don’t get the prizes we had our eyes on – the new job, the relationship, the freedom from addiction.

But here’s some game-changing news: there’s one prize that we don’t ever have to play for – the love of God. It’s a free gift on offer to everybody, and it means that, regardless of what we’re up against in life, we have the assurance of the most valuable things: God’s presence with us, forgiveness for all our howlers, hope for every season and unconditional love.

All we have to do is ask and we can find ourselves on the winning team.

Only one team can ultimately prevail

14 May 2022 • WAR CRY • 5

Brownie points To mark World Baking Day on Tuesday (17 May), entrepreneur David Stretton-Downes explains why his faith is the key ingredient to running his business Interview by Emily Bright

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N all its chewy, chocolaty goodness, a brownie is a go-to sweet treat for many. But one duo’s love for brownies has blossomed into a business. Twin brothers David and Jonathan StrettonDownes launched their own company called Bobbie’s Brownies in February 2021, when the third Covid-19 lockdown was under way.

But the idea itself was first crafted back in 2016, with the brownies baked in line with a family recipe. Ahead of World Baking Day on Tuesday (17 May), David explains more about his business.

‘We trialled out my grandmother’s brownie recipe,’ he remembers. ‘We sold brownies in markets in the northeast of England and they did well.

‘Then five years later, in response to the fact that people couldn’t leave their homes, we decided to deliver a sweet treat for people across the UK to enjoy during

the pandemic.’

After a few months of tweaking the recipe and packaging design, they launched Bobbie’s Brownies online, selling decadent slabs of double chocolate brownie. David says that the company aims to serve the biggest-sized brownie portions in the UK, with the intention of encouraging people to enjoy the baked goods with friends.

‘The brownies in the three and six-pack boxes are individually wrapped so people can feel like they can share Bobbie’s, rather than keeping it all to themselves,’ he explains.

However, David and Jonathan wanted to add another important ingredient to the mix: partnering with a charitable organisation.

They decided to support Mary’s Meals, which provides nutritious school meals to children in the world’s poorest countries, by donating a meal for each brownie sold.

‘We wanted to highlight the fact that people could have a sweet treat, delivered

We wanted to impact someone else for good

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David Stretton-Downes

to their door wherever they were in the UK, but also impact someone else for the better,’ he says. ‘Today, we are playing a small part in two million meals being delivered every single day across the globe by Mary’s Meals, for children in education.

‘We know that there are a lot of organisations on the ground that give children an education in schools, but without that practical help or physical food, they would probably never get to school.’ To date, Bobbie’s Brownies has

BR OW NI ES

PHOTOS C OURT ESY OF BO BB IE’ S

contributed more than 5,000 meals to the charity.

This act of altruism is inspired by David and Jonathan’s faith.

‘We are practising Christians and believe that we should do things with integrity.

That runs through everything – our supply chain, our marketing, our business relationships and so on,’ continues David.

As a result, Bobbie’s Brownies uses sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients.

‘That desire for integrity and for maintaining that people get a fair price for produce flows through the business,’ he says.

‘If we’re going to try to help children at one end of the scale with a meal, and then cut corners at the other end, it doesn’t really work. So we decided to use Fairtrade suppliers and partners.’

With a background in marketing and communications for charities as well as running several other businesses, David believes that faith can play a powerful role

anywhere in the marketplace, with many Christians working hard and with integrity in their chosen field.

‘Everyone has different gifts that God has given them,’ he explains. ‘It’s up to them whether they use them or not. But whatever we do as Christians, it’s about following God and having our faith at the foundation of what we do. Bobbie’s Brownies is a good example of that. I feel called to use what God’s given me and do it in a way that honours him.’

The business has now expanded beyond online ordering and delivery into supplying corporate events and festivals, working with the likes of financial firm PwC, tour operator Charity Challenge UK, Christian faith course Alpha and Christian festivals. Last year, Bobbie’s Brownies had a pop-up store in central London for a month, and it now plans to launch a store in London by 2023.

The company is also mixing up its menu, with new flavours and initiatives in

We should do things with integrity

the pipeline.

‘In the coming months, we’re creating a gluten-free and vegan option, a white chocolate blondie, and a chocolate, caramel and raspberry flavour brownie,’ David reveals.

Throughout the sugar-fuelled highs and lows of running a brownie business, David takes sustenance from his Christian faith.

‘My decisions are based around the wisdom of Scripture and advice is taken from there as well.

‘I gave my life to Jesus when I was seven years old, while growing up in Ethiopia where my parents were serving as missionaries. Since then, it’s been a winding road in life. But my faith is strong and my relationship with God has remained. God is my Heavenly Father and my best friend.’

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Marriage MARRIAGE

‘ Loving each other For National Marriage Week, which ends on Monday (16 May), DANIELLE and SHIMON LANDA, who have been married for just over six months, share how they began dating and why faith has been the best foundation for their marriage Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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Danielle and Shimon Landa

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N four separate occasions, Shimon Landa saw a woman who caught his eye. Each time he said to himself, ‘Who’s that?’ Eventually he discovered it was the same person he had been seeing and some months later, he sent her a message on Instagram. Then, 18 months after that message, they were husband and wife.

Londoners Danielle and Shimon have now been married for a little over six months. For Shimon, the attraction was instant.

‘I just thought she was cute,’ he laughs. ‘Initially it was the physical that attracted me to her, but when we started talking, I was thinking about whether she was someone I could get to know more. And in our discussions I would think: “Wow, she’s so interesting.” I was genuinely excited to talk to her. And within two to three weeks of talking on Whatsapp, I knew that I was going to marry her.’

While Danielle didn’t make her mind up quite as quickly, her feelings were strong early on. They exchanged numbers in March 2020, just as the UK was going into its first Covid-19 lockdown, but, they say, that helped.

‘We didn’t see each other, so we focused on conversation,’ Danielle says. ‘And we weren’t going out in the evenings so we just had so much time to get to know each other.’

After nearly three months of talking, some restrictions were lifted and they were able to meet.

Though it took a little time to get used to being in each other’s physical presence, both felt sure they wanted to pursue a relationship.

‘I knew I was physically attracted to him, but I was worried about his height,’ Danielle admits.

‘That was the one thing holding me back before we met. But I knew that if everything went to plan and the physical attraction was there in person, I was serious about being with him and I’d want to marry him.’

Fortunately, Shimon was tall enough for Danielle. They made their relationship official in May, and by December they had

week WEEK

isn’t just a feeling’ decided that they would get married in October of the following year. They both love being married, with Shimon saying that living with your best friend is fun.

But, Danielle adds, marriage isn’t all about the two of them. ‘People don’t talk about the importance of community,’ she says.

‘It’s so important that it’s not just me and Shimon.

We need other people, friendships with different families, couples, people who are single, because I feel like that way your marriage will be enriched and you’ll be able to enrich other people.’

But the most important factor in their relationship is their shared faith.

‘Right from the start, it was important that Christ was at the centre of our

relationship,’ says Shimon. ‘That means that in everything we do, every decision we make, we ask God to lead us. If we weren’t both Christians, we wouldn’t be together.’

Danielle adds: ‘I don’t know if I could do marriage without faith. We have differences, but just knowing that we have the same vision and goal in life – to live for God – makes everything else so much easier. Through the dating process and engagement especially, having faith enabled me to be free.

‘In previous relationships, I might have tried to do things to earn a partner’s approval or to be validated in my identity, but this time I said I wasn’t living like that any more and it has been so freeing. It means that I can be who I am in God, and if I mess up, do something wrong, or hurt Shimon, I don’t have to feel like I’ve failed in life because I know I’m accepted by God and he loves me.

My identity comes from God so I’m not in this relationship for approval or validation.’

Because of her faith, one of the things Danielle believes is that she is forgiven for all the wrong things she has done. And that is something she says helps her in her marriage.

‘It’s having that understanding of what God did for me, that he forgave

I’m not in this relationship for validation

me and he’s still committed to me even though I wronged him,’ she says. ‘The big wrong I did to God, he didn’t hold against me, so the small thing Shimon might do to me, I can’t hold against him. The ability to genuinely forgive and say “you might be wrong, but I’m still committed to you, I still choose you, I’m not going anywhere” comes from my faith.’

Shimon agrees: ‘I might have done something to Danielle, but she’s still choosing to cook dinner for me. Or she might have done something wrong to me but I’m still going to choose to love her despite that, because, in general, that’s the right thing to do, but especially because we’re married. Loving each other isn’t a feeling, you can obviously have all the butterflies and nice feelings, but love is about acts of continual kindness to and forgiveness of each other.’

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Marriage MARRIAGE

In sickness and

In our second article to mark Marriage Week, Roy and Pam Ransley share the ups and downs of their 66-year marriage Interview by Claire Brine

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T a New Year’s Eve party in 1955, Roy Ransley asked Pamela Solway to dance. She said yes.

Less than four months later, they were married.

‘I’d gone to the dance with my friend, Miriam,’ remembers Pam, who, along with Roy, lives in a care home in Northamptonshire. ‘We’d cycled up to the party together, which took place at the army barracks in Aldershot. During the evening, Roy came up and asked me to dance.’

‘I asked Miriam first,’ jokes Roy, ‘but she said she couldn’t dance, so I turned to Pam instead. We got chatting, then at the end of the evening I offered to give her a lift home. Pam declined because she had her bike with her, so we said goodbye and off I went.’

Days later, Roy – who was a corporal living in barracks – was summoned to the office to take a phone call. He was surprised to hear Pam’s voice on the line, asking if he wanted to meet up again. He did – and in the weeks that followed, the pair spent a lot of time together.

‘I had a cushy job in the army as a classroom lecturer, which gave me a lot of time off,’ explains Roy. ‘I was supposed to use my free time to prepare for my next lectures, but I kept going to see Pam instead.’

‘I liked Roy because he was kind and

generous,’ Pam reflects.

‘He was caring. Different from everyone else.’

Just a few months after their first meeting, Roy and Pam got married on 21 April 1956. It was a special yet quiet day for the happy couple.

Roy and Pam today ‘We didn’t have a big wedding because we had no money,’ says Pam. ‘So we got married at the registry office, away from home a lot. Pam and I kept in with my mum as a witness and a friend touch by writing letters.’ of Roy’s. Then we went to the pub for Other overseas adventures followed a drink.’ for the family. In 1965, after Roy and ‘My parents didn’t come to our Pam welcomed their son Brandon to the wedding because we world, they moved to Singapore, where weren’t on very good terms at the time,’ explains Roy. ‘Pam had a three-month-old son, Jonathan, from a previous relationship, and as a result my mum didn’t want us to get married. But I wanted to be with Pam and always treated Jonathan as my own. I adopted him when he was six years old.’

After the wedding, Pam and Roy settled into married life, embracing the opportunities that the military lifestyle offered. In 1957, when their daughter Denise was just seven months old, Roy was posted to Penang.

‘We lived there as a family for three years,’ says Roy. ‘I was building roads through the jungle, which meant I was

We didn’t have a big wedding because we had no money

10 • WAR CRY • 14 May 2022

week WEEK

in health Roy – by then a Captain – was employed as paymaster for the 95 Commando Light Regiment, Royal Artillery. It was, the couple agrees, ‘like living a three-year holiday’.

‘It was brilliant,’ says Roy. ‘We went swimming a lot. Pam played tennis. I was freefall parachuting most weekends. We were dining out and going to cocktail parties.

Being paymaster meant that I could be home with the family every night. We had a very full and happy married life.’

Then things became difficult. When the family returned home to the UK, Roy suffered a severe bout of flu, and hadn’t recovered fully by the time he started an intensive accountancy course. Struggling to cope, he ended up in hospital with depression and anxiety.

‘I was on my knees,’ Roy says. ‘I just couldn’t cope with anything any more.’

‘It was a difficult time

People didn’t understand mental health problems

and I was worried he wouldn’t get better,’ adds Pam. ‘Roy became quite impatient, which upset me. But back then, people didn’t understand mental health problems. We didn’t talk about it a lot.’

‘It was taboo,’ agrees Roy. ‘In the end, after spending several periods in hospital, I was discharged from Roy married Pam in 1956 the army. We moved to Studley in Warwickshire and I took a job as a centre ‘When Roy was ill, I prayed for him a lathe turner, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It took me a long time to feel better, but Pam lot,’ she says. ‘I still pray for him every day.

I’ve prayed throughout our marriage. Our always coped with my illness very well.’ shared faith is important.’

A Christian faith, says Pam, is what Having attended church together for helped her to keep going through the most many years – including Redditch Salvation difficult days.

Army – Roy and Pam believe that Christian values provide the strongest foundations for a successful marriage.

‘Faith is about being kind and loving – and we believe in those things,’ says Pam. ‘I feel that God keeps Roy and me in tune with one another.

Whatever we are doing, we support one another. We laugh a lot together.

‘When we got married, we made our vows to God and kept them. And that’s the thing about marriage – you need to go into it for life.’

The Ransley family in 1965

Together in 2012 14 May 2022 • WAR CRY • 11

Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Jack, who is experiencing anxiety and depression.

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.

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK Virtual messaging matters

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

NO fairy godmother could magic away the disappointment felt by the cast of Cinderella after they learnt that the musical’s West End run was to be cancelled. While many of cast and crew were told about the show’s early closure after a matinee performance, the BBC reported that others were left to ‘read the news on social media’.

According to the online article, Carrie Hope Fletcher – who plays the show’s leading role – learnt from her fellow cast members that the musical is going to close in June and had ‘no official call from the company’ before the news was posted online.

Actress Summer Strallen, who was due to begin rehearsals for the show next month, was also shocked to learn from a friend that her contract was over before it had begun. She wrote in The Guardian: ‘I received a text from a friend offering her sympathy that the production was closing … I had no idea what she was talking about, so she sent me a link to an online article. I felt my stomach drop.’

Having worked as an actor, my heart goes out to the cast and crew of Cinderella, who, having thought they had a job lined up, are now having to rethink their plans. No doubt it’s an unsettling time for them.

Their situation has also prompted me to consider – yet again – the virtual world of social media and how it’s used by society. As individuals, I feel we need to take care how we engage with it because, whatever we post online, someone reads. And that someone has thoughts, feelings and stuff going on in their life that perhaps we don’t know about.

Of course, we can’t ensure that everything we say on social media is going to be met by others with joy or even understanding. Sadly, sometimes we may have to break bad news. But with every post we make, we can always ensure that our words are compassionate, kind and thoughtful – because we owe that to our audience.

It’s an unsettling time for them

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit.

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 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army

Looking for help?

Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Name Address 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 • 14 May 2022

Keith Burr explores song lyrics that have a note of truth about them

Wisdom in the

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QUICK QUIZ 1

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What is the longest length video that can be posted on the social media platform Tik Tok? Who wrote the Christian hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, first published in 1779?

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In test cricket, who is England’s leading wicket-taker?

Scottish sitcom Still Game features two friends, Jack and Victor, living together in a fictional area of which major city?

Which author, known for her dystopian book The Handmaid’s Tale, wrote the essay collection Burning Questions?

What is the capital of Mexico?

ANSWERS

words Is sympathy enough?

W

HEN they released their new album a couple of months ago, neo-prog rock band Marillion offered free rides across London in any black cab emblazoned with the artwork from the album. All passengers had to say was the special password, which was also the name of the new album An Hour Before It’s Dark.

It was certainly a novel way to drum up some publicity for their new release. Personally, I have followed the varied manifestations of Marillion for many years. They were actually the first band I ever saw live. In those early days, known as the ‘Fish years’ after the name of their first lead vocalist, the band saw chart success with, among other songs, ‘Kayleigh’ and ‘Lavender’.

Their first album fronted by their current lead singer Steve Hogarth, Seasons End, was another top 10 hit, and the band have continued to produce influential albums to the delight of their dedicated followers.

Their compilation album, launched to celebrate the band’s 10th anniversary with EMI, included a cover of ‘Sympathy’

by Rare Birds.

While first written in 1969, the words appear scarily contemporary in the current world climate when our screens are dominated by images of those displaced by conflict, saying: ‘Now when you climb into your bed tonight/ And when you lock and bolt the door/ Just think about those out in the cold and dark/ Cause there’s not enough love to go round’. The lyrics continue: ‘Half the world hates the other half.’

The song then goes on to suggest the antidote to this famine of love: ‘sympathy is what we need my friend/ Cause there’s not enough love to go round’.

Sympathy does indeed go a long way to build understanding and healing, but it does not necessarily result in a change of behaviour. The Bible tells us that Jesus demonstrated love through compassion. Compassion not only requires someone to understand but also compels them to do something about it.

The truth is, there is plenty of love to go round. It just needs people to be willing to share it.

Jesus demonstrated love through compassion

14 May 2022 • WAR CRY • 13

1. 10 minutes. 2. John Newton. 3. James Anderson.

4. Glasgow. 5. Margaret Atwood. 6. Mexico City.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Obscure (4) 3. Twitch (3) 5. Ancient European region (4) 7. Horrendous (9) 9. Footwear (4) 10. Thaw (4) 11. Tempest (5) 14. Worn out (5) 15. Alternative (5) 17. Redbreast (5) 18. Whimper (5) 19. Weary (5) 20. Timepiece (5) 23. Pain (4) 25. Travel permit (4) 27. Deeply shocking (9) 28. Resound (4) 29. Before (3) 30. Simple (4) DOWN 1. Employer (4) 2. Uncommon (4) 3. Taut (5) 4. Provide for (5) 5. Sullen (4) 6. Desire (4) 7. Anticipation (9)

8.

11.

12.

13.

14.

16.

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

8 9 3 1 3 9 5 4 6 1 2 4 6 5 2 7 3 8 1 4 3 9 2 9 8 5 6 6 4 8 21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

Torpid (9) Scatter (5) Sphere (5) Lunar cycle (5) Observed (3) Metal bar (3)

Revile (5) Pursue (5) Competent (4) Therefore (4) Hateful (4) Crooked (4)

WORDSEARCH

4 8 9 2 7 3 6 5 1 1 2 backwards 3 9 5 and 6 diagonally 8 7 4 Look up, down, forwards, on the grid to find these Eighties pop songs 7 5 6 8 1 4 3 2 9 O I Q H X E M8 V 1 D L4R O 7 W6D A5 M 2D S9Z 3 RW I Y QWKMQ K O S B Z CMR J J 1 B4Y R9 E 7V E6V 8 E K A T U O Y5 H 3T A2E R H Y E V Z D N9 V 6 Y Z7X T 3 E 8C P2 G 1Y Z4G 5 ACKQUAQE I P Y J ARKAD TW 5 L 3K W7 S 9B E1P 2 R B A K R H S6M 4 P O8Q O O S Q I T S R2 A 7I N1 I N 4 G9M E8 N 5K U3O 6 F NEDR TGN I L L A FM I OZQP 9 I 5N G 6 M2A N1 Q 4N R8G 7 T H I S C H A3 R M

M O HONEYC B Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

UGG I XGZ ONZNC I D GBP AQL P N B GM L N H I QZ ECOE DWQ R L O F L Y V I AMO OMD C Q U H HA X A S AC Y OWO L F O

1. Person who carries a golfer’s clubs 2. Breathe out 3. Suitable for male or female 4. Triangular fried pastry 5. A reclusive person 6. Make small nervous movements

ANSWERS 4 1 7 8 5 9 6 2 3 2

8 2 5 1 3 6 4 7 9

9 3 6 4 2 7 8 1 5

7 5 1 6 4 8 3 9 2

2 9 8 7 1 3 5 4 6

3 6 4 5 9 2 7 8 1

6 8 3 2 7 1 9 5 4

5 7 2 9 6 4 1 3 8

1 4 9 3 8 5 2 6 7

9 8 5 6 4 8

6

HONEYCOMB 1. Caddie. 2. Exhale. 3. Unisex.

4. Samosa. 5. Hermit. 6. Fidget.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Blur. 3. Tic. 5. Gaul. 7. Frightful. 9. Shoe.

10. Melt. 11. Storm. 14. Spent. 15. Other. 17. Robin.

18. Whine. 19. Tired. 20. Watch. 23. Ache. 25. Visa.

27. Traumatic. 28. Echo. 29. Ere. 30. Easy.

DOWN: 1. Boss. 2. Rare. 3. Tight. 4. Cater. 5. Glum.

6. Lust. 7. Foresight. 8. Lethargic. 11. Strew. 12. Orbit.

13. Month. 14. Saw. 16. Rod. 21. Abuse. 22. Chase.

23. Able. 24. Ergo. 25. Vile. 26. Awry.

14 • WAR CRY • 14 May 2022

US ON Y Z GS NR I K L R L F A E CO

Q C L NWR F NMO T Y O UWA N T ME K T SQSQT I F S OQZQY Y R Z XM X R H R K R F WO Y QDXDOHQK I L X Y PRX Y I Y AO I OMD Y N Z D X V QAONRKNK J E N I ROBGO J HO

CALLING YOUR NAME DON’T YOU WANT ME EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO HOLIDAY I’M FALLING IT’S RAINING MEN KIDS IN AMERICA

MAD WORLD MIRROR MAN MOONLIGHT SHADOW NOTORIOUS ORINOCO FLOW POP GOES MY LOVE TAKE ON ME THIS CHARMING MAN

Blackberry and goat’s cheese tarts Ingredients 400g store-bought puff pastry 285g goat’s cheese log 1 egg Milk 2 x 500g cartons blackberries 1 lime, juice 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped 1tbsp granulated sugar 1 lemon, juice 2tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper Chives, finely chopped, to serve Green leaves, to serve

Method Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

Roll out the puff pastry to a 40cm x 250cm rectangle and place it on a pre-greased baking sheet. Set aside in the refrigerator. Use a knife to cut the goat’s cheese in half lengthways and then into 15 slices.

Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and use a fork to puncture holes into it. Beat the egg with a little milk and use to brush all the edges of the pastry. Cover the pastry with the goat’s cheese and sprinkle over all the berries. Put in the refrigerator.

To make a syrup, add the chilli to a pan with the sugar, lemon juice, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Gently heat the mixture to just dissolve the sugar.

Remove the pastry and goat’s cheese from the refrigerator, and brush the syrup over the berries and goat’s cheese.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool. Sprinkle over the chives, and add green leaves and raspberries to the plate, to serve.

SERVES

2

Raspberries, to serve

Chocolate fondue Ingredients 2 strips orange rind Ground cinnamon 3tbsp caster sugar 8tbsp water 150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 3tbsp double cream 350g mixed strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

Method Gently heat the orange rind, a large pinch of cinnamon, the sugar and the water in a small pan, until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, until syrupy, and leave to cool for 10 minutes or more, if needed, to develop the flavours.

Remove the orange rind from the syrup and reheat. Take the pan off the heat and add the chocolate. Once the chocolate is melted, stir until smooth and mix in 2tbsp cream, until glossy. Reheat gently, if needed.

Arrange the berries on a plate with skewers or small forks and pour the chocolate fondue sauce into a cup or fondue pot set over a burner.

Drizzle the remaining 1tbsp cream on top and swirl with a skewer to decorate, before serving.

SERVES

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the British Summer Fruits website lovefreshberries.co.uk

2

14 May 2022 • WAR CRY • 15

Look for Christ and you will find him, and with him everything else thrown in CS Lewis

WAR CRY