War Cry 18 December 2021

Toy appeal brings children gift of joy

WAR CRY

18 December 2021 50p

Ma-vellous!

Joanna Scanlan on playing a happy woman in TV’s The Larkins

Radzi hopes to stay on song at Christmas

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.

NOT only is this the final War Cry before Christmas, it is also the last issue of 2021 – a year that has seen more than its fair share of uncertainty and tragedy.

Therefore, it seems almost as if it were inevitable that, as we go to press at the end of this turbulent year, the whole world should be holding its breath, waiting to see how the Omicron variant is going to affect the festive season and the months to come.

The world has been living with Covid-19 for more than two years now, and it is still not clear how the pandemic will impact our lives in 2022.

Since 2020, in the UK and Ireland, we have had times of relative freedom from restrictions and other times when it has felt as though most of society has shut down. It has not been easy for anyone.

Through it all, the War Cry has continued to bring stories of hope and acts of outstanding kindness that have been underpinned by people’s Christian faith. In this week’s issue, we report on a Salvation Army centre in northwest London where hundreds of toys are being distributed to children who otherwise may not receive a Christmas present this year.

‘Some people in communities feel very alone, like there is nobody with them,’ Lieutenant Jenni Barker tells us in the article, before adding that providing these toys is ‘one of the ways in which we can make Jesus visible and help people to encounter him, but also show people that they’re not alone, that there is kindness and love in the world.’

The War Cry regularly tells the stories of times when that kindness and love is demonstrated. It also tells how, for those who believe, the Christian faith brings hope in even the most uncertain times. The best way to celebrate this Christmas would be to decide to follow Jesus and receive ad the War C e re ry v the strength that his presence can bring. ’ u

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 7556

When yo

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

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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

FEATURES

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Delivering drama

Call the Midwife Christmas special

4

Tuned in

Radzi Chinyanganya takes on a

musical number on ITV

6

Toy story

How donated gifts are making kids happy

8

Mother knows best

Joanna Scanlan on playing Ma Larkin

12 God in question

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Documentary examines role

of religion today

13 Hope is in season

A Christmas message from the

international leader of The Salvation Army

REGULARS

14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: HUGO GLENDINNING

Nonnatus House prepares for a busy Christmas

BBC/NEAL STREET

A delivery of redemption Characters in crisis seek a way out in the Call the Midwife Christmas special TV preview by Emily Bright

S

ILENT night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Well that might be what the carol says, but Poplar’s scout nativity is a far cry from that. As the Call the Midwife Christmas Special airs on BBC One on Christmas Day, scout volunteers Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett) and Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen) are doing all they can to control the unruly mob of boys.

The problems come from a handful of troublesome kings who have gone rogue and are bleating from off stage, while other children are not delivering their lines on cue, much to the amusement of the onlooking parents.

But there are far bigger problems facing the team at Nonnatus House. For midwife Lucille (Leonie Elliott), the festive season holds extra significance. She’s getting married to Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) in a white winter wedding on Boxing Day and preparations are ramping up. But it’s far from plain sailing and, when something threatens to derail

her special day, the race is on to save it.

Meanwhile, the midwives are set to deliver a bumper crop of babies, with the maternity home looking like it will be overwhelmed with expectant mothers.

One of them is an underweight and pale patient called Anita Page (Rosie Day), who visits the clinic for her prenatal check-ups. Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) suspects she may have anaemia, but Anita’s aversion to blood tests might indicate a darker problem at play in her pregnancy, which she’s too frightened to disclose. As she strives harder to hide her predicament from the midwives, her situation spirals out of control – with potentially serious consequences.

It is not just characters in TV dramas who feel out of control. Sometimes, either as a result of our own actions or because of the external circumstances we face, we can feel as if we are spiralling, or that life has become hopeless. We can feel trapped and unable to see a way through, and it can be easy to give up and let

We do not have to labour on our own

despair take over.

In such times, many people turn to tried and tested wisdom to find a way out. For some, that wisdom comes from the Bible, which tells stories of flawed men and women overcoming impossible odds with the help of their faith.

In the Book of Psalms, a king called David recalls a seemingly hopeless situation in which he cried out to God in distress. He describes how God turned to him and heard his cry for help. ‘He lifted me out of the pit of despair,’ he says, ‘out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along’ (Psalm 40:2 and 3 New Living Translation).

David faced many challenges. Yet, through them all, he knew that God would provide the strength he needed to get through each day and help him back on his feet.

We can rely on God’s support too.

While life is never easy, we do not have to labour on our own. If we ask God to enter our lives, he can deliver us from our despair and help us to find a way forward.

18 December 2021 • WAR CRY • 3

Singing sounds like a challenge for TV presenter TV presenter RADZI CHINYANGANYA reveals why he signed up to take part in ITV’s All Star Musicals at Christmas and the reason he is grateful for the festive season Interview by Claire Brine

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ON’T mess up the rap and don’t fall over – then we can call it a success.’ Those were Radzi’s thoughts as he stepped onstage to perform a song in ITV’s All Star Musicals at Christmas, which is scheduled to air on Boxing Day. ‘Taking part in the show was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down,’ says Radzi, a TV presenter and broadcaster whose work has included presenting Blue Peter, Songs of Praise and the 2018 Winter Olympics. ‘I wanted to do it because I like feeling present, and when you are about to go onstage to do something you never normally do, you can’t be distracted by anything else. Also, it was a privilege to be coached by some of the finest talent in musical theatre. The whole experience was great fun.’

Before taking part in the Christmas

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special of All Star Musicals, Radzi had little experience of singing and dancing.

The thought of doing both in front of an audience and a panel of celebrity judges terrified him.

‘I’ll dance in a nightclub with my mates – but that’s it,’ he says. ‘And I never sing.

But when the show’s producers suggested a particular song they thought would suit me, I knew I had to go for it.

There was a connection to the original performer for me, because he was an actor I admired when I was growing up.

‘Though I can’t tell you the name of the song I performed, I can tell you that it features in an animated film, set in the South Pacific, and that I had to wear a grass skirt as part of my costume.’

Before performing his number in front of the three judges, musical theatre stars Elaine Paige, Samantha Barks and

Trevor Dion Nicholas, Radzi was given six sessions of vocal coaching to help with his singing. He also enjoyed taking tips from judge Trevor, who played the Genie in Aladdin when it opened in the West End. ‘We really hit it off,’ says Radzi. ‘Trevor taught me about making my performance my own and not just an imitation of a preexisting character. Trevor also has asthma, like me, so he helped me to change the way I was breathing. I learnt so much from him.’

The moment Radzi stepped into the spotlight to perform his song, he was aware that he had one chance to get it right.

‘You’ve got professional dancers around you – and you know that they’re not going to mess up,’ he says. ‘You’ve got a professional orchestra – and they’re

ITV

Judges Trevor Dion Nicholas, Elaine Paige and Samantha Barks assess Radzi’s performance

not going to mess up. You’ve got wonderful lighting, props, staging and all the things that make a musical. But the focus was on an incompetent man – me! Was my performance perfect? Absolutely not. But I loved it and gave it my all.’

Though Radzi already knows what the judges made of his performance, he is remaining tight-lipped about their comments as he plans to join his mum in watching the show when it’s broadcast over Christmas. Another moment Radzi is looking forward to during the festive season is going to church.

‘The Christmas story underpins my beliefs as a Christian,’ he says. ‘I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and so when he was born, the ultimate miracle

took place. Christmas, for me, is about togetherness, reflection and peace.

Sometimes, in life, we look forward to tomorrow, but I think Christmas is all about the now. It’s about experiencing the moment with gratitude and praise.’

Radzi explains how God’s love, expressed through the gift of Jesus at Christmastime, affects his outlook on the world.

‘Someone asked me once if I believed in God because God gives me meaning. And I said I didn’t look at it like that. I replied that I feel privileged to know that God is there, and therefore I believe in him. God is my light, my direction and my hope.

Without God, I wouldn’t be me.’

In a previous interview with the War Cry,

God is my light, my direction and my hope

Radzi revealed that, when it came to prayer, he would ask God regularly to bless him with wisdom and strength.

Several years later, prayer remains an important part of his faith.

‘Today I continue to pray for strength and wisdom – but the context of that has probably changed,’ he explains. ‘Four years ago, I prayed for strength because my dad had just passed away. Now, when I pray for strength, I’m asking for the strength to walk into the unknown and to do so with faith. And when I pray for wisdom, it’s the wisdom to know what’s right and important.

‘Life has never been about red carpets and glamour for me. It’s about being real, helping people and having the courage to fulfil God’s ambition in me.’

18 December 2021 • WAR CRY • 5

The gift appeal that keeps on giving Every year, financial pressures mean that many people are not able to afford Christmas presents for their loved ones. However, donations to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Present Appeal are making a difference in communities across the UK Feature by Linda McTurk Since 2018, toyshop chain The Entertainer has also supported The Salvation Army.

During November, customers could buy an extra toy from The Entertainer to donate.

The company then matched the gifts, doubling the total number of toys given to The Salvation Army for distribution.

This year, the gift hub – a room in the Kilburn church building, designated for all the presents – is already buzzing with activity.

Children and adults are able to go in and see a huge assortment of gifts, organised by age suitability, and select something they would like. To get the hub ready, staff and volunteers had spent the previous weeks sorting through the collection of presents. Earlier this month, I was one of those volunteers.

The first thing that struck me when I entered the gift hub was the sheer volume of items in the room. There were hundreds of presents. I navigated my way through handmade stuffed animals, toy cars, puzzles, crafts materials and stationery, just to name a few! There was even another 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle up for grabs. I worked

GRACE BARKER

S

OME presents matter more than others. For one boy in Kilburn, London, the gift that made his Christmas special last year was a gigantic 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, which he received from his local Salvation Army church when he visited with his mum.

‘He was so pleased,’ recalls Lieutenant Jenni Barker, who leads Kilburn and Notting Hill Salvation Army churches alongside her husband, Lieutenant Ian Barker. ‘It was really funny to watch him walk away holding this jigsaw that was bigger than him.’

Like that boy, thousands of children and adults have been able to have a happier Christmas with help from The Salvation Army. Last year, even as the coronavirus pandemic continued to disrupt normal services, the church and charity gave out gifts to nearly 120,000 adults and children in need throughout the UK as part of its annual Christmas Present Appeal.

Donations have come from far and wide, including from businesses, private schools, other churches and members of the public.

The Salvation Army gave gifts to nearly 120,000 people in need

6 • WAR CRY • 18 December 2021

Jenni Barker alongside Jenni and other helpers to organise the gifts into the correct age groups and put them in place, ready to be selected. I felt moved to be helping out such a worthy cause, and grateful to see such a display of generosity from others.

While there are many presents on offer, Jenni explains that there is also a

STUART McTURK

Linda and another helper assist in setting up the gift hub

lot of demand for them at this time of the year. She says that support from The Salvation Army is crucial, especially given the pressures people are facing due to increases in fuel and food bills.

The Christmas season can easily become a source of pressure for anyone who is struggling financially.

‘It doesn’t take a lot for a percentage of the community who were just doing okay to suddenly dip below,’ Jenni says. ‘If we can help with providing some gifts, it might save people some money to put towards some other essentials.’

The gifts distributed from the Kilburn church are offered to a range of people including refugees and families in need of food assistance. The list of recipients comes from referrals from the local council and various representatives from neighbouring organisations that liaise with The Salvation Army.

While most of the gifts are given out during the Christmas season, Jenni and Ian keep a small collection of presents for people in need to give to their loved ones throughout the year for birthdays. It’s a reminder that while the Christmas Present

Appeal might only run during the winter season, The Salvation Army offers its support all the year round.

For Jenni, a committed Christian, a key part of why she helps others is her faith.

She wants to show others the kindness of God. ‘At Christmas, God gave us the greatest gift, his Son Jesus, to show us the way

and to teach us how we should be,’ she says. ‘Some people in communities feel very alone, like there is nobody with them.

The Christmas Present Appeal is one of the ways in which we can make Jesus visible and help people to encounter him, but also show people that they’re not alone, that there is kindness and love in the world.’

18 December 2021 • WAR CRY • 7

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Ma’s not larkin with faith

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JOANNA SCANLAN talks about the challenge of playing Ma Larkin, the importance of forgiveness and the role of faith in her life Interview by Claire Brine

Joanna Scanlan

T

HE big day is approaching, but a village power cut means that life is far from perfick in ITV’s The Larkins at Christmas, broadcast on Christmas Day (Saturday 25 December).

Though Ma (Joanna Scanlan) and Pop (Bradley Walsh) are overjoyed to have the whole family together for Christmas, even they can’t deny that living on a farm without heating and lighting is not much fun. Neither is it the ideal setting for Mariette Larkin (Sabrina Bartlett) and her boyfriend, Charley (Tok Stephen), to introduce his parents to her family. Add a spate of village burglaries to the mix, and Christmas cheer in the Kent countryside is spread a little thin.

The good news is that any feeling of gloom never lasts long when the Larkins are about. That’s how Joanna Scanlan feels anyway, as she shares with me the delight she experienced when she landed the role of Ma – a woman who ‘makes the world a better place’.

‘Ma goes a long way back in my own life story,’ Joanna tells me in a conversation over Zoom. ‘When I was 14 and at boarding school, I had a mini mental health crisis which left me quite unwell. The whole thing came about because I’d been very naughty and the punishment I received caused me to think seriously about my behaviour. It hit me like a ton of bricks. My mum took me to the doctor, who told me to take two weeks off school, just to chill out a bit. So that’s what I did.

‘To help me stay cool, my mum gave me a box set of six books to read called The Larkin Saga by HE Bates.

And I just devoured them. These books really put me back together again. They were so funny, warm and restorative.

And through Ma’s character, I felt mothered. She is the beating heart of all the stories.’

One of the most appealing qualities Joanna found in the character of Ma was her genuine sense of deep

At 14, I devoured the Larkin books

8 • WAR CRY • 18 December 2021

happiness. It was a trait she was keen to portray though her performance.

‘Ma loves herself,’ says Joanna. ‘She is full of selfrespect and self-love, which can be hard to find in individuals today, because we live in such a critical culture.

She is feminine and sensual. Not judgemental at all. First and foremost, Ma is a happy woman.

‘But when it came to inhabiting her character, I realised that never before had I been asked to play a “happy” woman. So many stories are about perpetrators and

OBJECTIVE FICTION/GENIAL PRODUCTIONS

about

Joanna spreads festive cheer as Ma Larkin

about’. Without going into spoiler territory, I ask Joanna if she can tell me any more.

‘Christmas is about the opportunity for a new beginning,’ she explains. ‘Not the new beginning itself – because in terms of the Christian year, that comes at Easter – but Christmas is the time when you can think about what you need to do to prepare the ground so that you can start again. In my mind, a way of starting again could mean reaching out to others. Not judging them. Not seeing them as lesser than you. It means helping and sharing love, food and shelter. It means bringing about connection and forgiveness.

‘The more we can live in such a way – not just in our families, but in our communities – the more we have an opportunity to set ourselves on the right course.’

The notion of forgiveness is something Joanna brings up several times during our conversation, as she admits that the subject fascinates her. She also believes that Ma’s warmth, love and forgiveness could be ‘the solution to most of life’s problems’.

‘It’s jolly hard to forgive someone,’ she says. ‘Sometimes you want to hold on to grudges and resentments because you

Ma is a happy woman The Larkin family are ready for Christmas

victims, because that’s what makes comedy and drama.

That’s not a bad thing, necessarily – it’s just the way it is. But with Ma, I had to ask myself: “How does a happy woman stand? How does she think? What does her resting face look like?” It’s been a physical and mental challenge to inhabit a happy woman on screen.’

Earlier this year, when Joanna attended a press event to answer questions about the Christmas special of The Larkins, she promised viewers an episode full of ‘twists and turns’ that would remind them ‘what Christmas is really

Turn to page 10 f

18 December 2021 • WAR CRY • 9

From page 9 feel they give you power and identity. Feeling that life has done you an injustice can be a comfortable place to sit.

‘But forgiveness is important because one of our greatest challenges as human beings is to stretch beyond our own experiences, so that we can enter other people’s motivations and try to understand their point of view.

Life is a challenge at all stages – but it’s also a joy. And as I find my way through it, I try to see the opportunities I have to break down the barriers between myself and other people.’

As our conversation takes a sidestep into exploring matters of faith, I bring up Joanna’s most recent film After Love, in which she played an English Muslim widow. After the film’s release in the summer, Joanna gave a number of interviews in which she discussed the value of faith in the world and her upbringing in a Roman Catholic family.

‘As a child I was very devout,’ she tells me. ‘I believed very much in God and I loved the stories of all the saints. I remember collecting little figures of all the women saints, in particular, because I loved them like dolls. I also remember, when I was about six years old, stretching out my hand as I walked along and feeling as though Jesus’ hand was in mine. My faith was very sensory and palpable.

God felt real to me.

‘But when I was about 11, I remember looking up at the crucifix at my school and thinking: “This isn’t true.

I don’t believe it any more.” When it came to confession, I didn’t know what to say. It was hard for me to grasp this idea of sin and how to be forgiven by God for it.

Consequently, my faith took a dive. And for many years I felt left to my own resources.’

As a child I was very devout

T

Pop and Ma make a happy couple 10 • WAR CRY • 18 December 2021

hough Joanna felt she had outgrown her childhood belief in God, she grew up with a strong conviction that there remained ‘good to be done’ in the world – and she couldn’t ignore that, within the Church, she saw many Christians fighting for social justice. The faith of others made a lasting impression on her.

‘Then, when I reached my 30s, I began to feel spiritual again,’ she says. ‘I had this sense that the world was an incredibly beautiful and extraordinary place, and that there were moments of deep human connection that we could have with one another. Both of those things seemed to me to be informed by grace – a grace

which couldn’t be explained in human terms.’

As Joanna’s faith continued to evolve, she began to find in God a vastness of character, which surpassed any rigid beliefs she held about him as a child. She tries to describe to me how she sees God today.

‘I assign the idea of pure, loving goodness to God,’ she says. ‘I believe in goodness. And I believe in love.

I think the God-good linguistic parallel is as close as I can get to understanding what God means.’

As well as pondering the character and goodness of God, Joanna tells me that she is also fascinated by Jesus and how he is portrayed in the Bible.

‘The stories about Jesus are great,’ she says.

‘Particularly the parables he told. You can look at them, take them apart, look at them again and they will always give you something interesting to think about in terms of how you should live your daily life. I think the stories in the Bible are extraordinary, wonderful, multi-faceted experiences which are also mysterious, allowing us to ponder complex truths.’

One Bible story that Joanna highlights as being particularly challenging is the story of Martha and Mary. In it, a worried Martha busies herself with housework in order to make her home acceptable to Jesus, while her sister Mary sits calmly at Jesus’ feet, listening to him teach.

‘That’s a good story because you can look at it again and again, asking: “Am I Martha? Am I Mary? Should I be Martha? Should I be Mary? Who is serving, and who should serve? What is serving?” It’s a matrix of fascinating thoughts. And I think our greatest responsibility is to be

asking questions.’

Though the way Joanna expresses her faith has changed significantly since childhood, she tells me that prayer continues to play an important role in her life.

‘I do pray – because I think it’s a habit that I got into at a very young age,’ she says. ‘These days, I don’t really pray for intentions, but I recite prayers that I learnt in my childhood. And recently I bought a book of blessings that were written by a priest, so I read those and consider them as I say them.’

Listening to music is another way in which Joanna finds herself contemplating issues of faith. For many years, she has been a fan of choral singing in church.

‘I have a good friend who sings at St Bride’s in Fleet Street and quite often I go to hear her,’ she says. ‘The choir sings beautiful music – and it’s so difficult that it makes me think: Wow! When I talk about people connecting and having communion with one another, music in church is the glue that makes that happen.’

Our conversation is coming to an end, but just before Joanna dashes off for another meeting, I ask about her plans for Christmas. She mentions that she may be working away from home, but also has plans to see family and possibly attend church.

‘I like to go to church at Christmastime but also at other times in the year,’ she says. ‘I do enjoy the simplicity and quietude of a church. The music is always very elevating and transporting, and I find it special to sit where devotional people have sat in the past. I feel that their influence echoes through the centuries.’

The stories about Jesus are great

OBJECTIVE FICTION/GENIAL PRODUCTIONS

Joanna describes Ma as the ‘beating heart’ of the Larkins stories

18 December 2021 • WAR CRY • 11

YOUR prayers are requested for Helen, who has chronic pain problems and is due to have an operation.

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’.

j

Becoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

ALPHA UK

Prayerlink

A question of faith TV review by Sarah Olowofoyeku

Guvna B and Josh visit a church that keeps bees on its roof

MOBO award-winning rapper Guvna B has been travelling the UK to find out if God is alive in a documentary on Christian TV network TBN UK, produced by Alpha UK. Next Thursday (23 December), the series Is God Dead? will end with a Christmas special.

Throughout the programme, which addresses themes such as mental health, homelessness and forgiveness, Guvna B and co-presenter Josh Walton have asked whether the Church and Christianity are still relevant in 21st-century Britain.

While it has been clear that many people in the Church do good, Guvna B recognised that it isn’t all rosy. ‘Sometimes people in church can let you down,’ he said in one episode. ‘Church is flawed, broken and has made many mistakes. That’s because it’s made up of flawed and broken people.’

But he also pointed out how the Church can and should be able to connect with others, saying that ‘ultimately people want to be loved and cared for and accepted’.

Talking about the programme, Guvna B acknowledged that many people are starting to think about questions of faith, especially after the pandemic, but that they ‘don’t want perfection, they want something that’s real’.

And that’s what he wanted to offer through the documentary. So he and Josh met with people who are making a real impact in their communities while being real about life’s challenges.

In one episode, they spent time at a project in a church building in Brighton, where every Saturday evening, some 100 guests – many experiencing homelessness – receive a hot meal. They met a woman whose life was changed by the project.

Perhaps more unexpectedly, the pair also visited a church in east London caring for its community by keeping bees on the church roof and making organic honey.

For people who believe the Church is losing its relevance, this series highlights the innovative ways that Christians are seeking to meet the needs of the world around them – not simply to stay relevant, but because they are motivated by their faith to make a difference.

As for the question posted in the documentary’s title, Is God Dead?, the programme suggests that God is very much alive. The evidence is in the work of Christians who, though flawed, are living out their faith through their actions.

Christians are motivated by their faith to make a difference

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 • 18 December 2021

Time to turn to

hope

A seasonal message from General Brian Peddle, international leader of The Salvation Army

W

HAT a year 2021 has been! In these past 12 months our world has continued to face up to the challenge and reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, dealing with illness and death, as well as recovery strategies and vaccination programmes. In contrast there was the welcome relief of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which provided positive engagement, something to enjoy and an opportunity to celebrate our countries’ achievements.

Of course, we have also witnessed both natural and manmade disasters and tragedies – wildfires in different countries, the assassination of a president, hurricanes and storms – each presenting significant challenges. There has also been the Taliban retaking control of Afghanistan, with people fleeing the country, concerns about the education of women, the potential return to the ways of former regimes and the loss of any semblance of democracy.

In such tumultuous times where, or to who, do we turn?

In the Bible, Hebrews 13:8 tells us that we turn to Jesus, who is the same ‘yesterday and today and for ever’ (New International Version); whilst Colossians 1:17 describes him as the one in whom ‘all things hold together’; and Revelation 22:13 as ‘the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End’.

We need to turn to the one who is wiser than we are, more compassionate than we are, more powerful than we are, who is both transcendent yet with us, and who is present in the

midst of the tumult and chaos with its resultant personal cost because, as we read in Psalm 23 and in Matthew 11:28, he invites us to rest. If ever there is a time to turn to Jesus it is at Christmas, when we pause to remember and celebrate his birth, his incarnation and his becoming Immanuel (God with us).

What does all this mean? It means there is hope! It means we are not on our own! It means we have someone who can restore our souls when we are weary; someone who can give us rest when we are tired; someone who can provide an eternal perspective when the immediate is all-consuming; someone who holds us and our world together when we and it are falling apart. That truly is something worth celebrating this Christmastime. Why would we not want to get to know someone like Jesus?

If your relationship with Jesus has been neglected for a while, Christmas represents an opportune time for it to be reconnected, reignited. And if you don’t know him already, Christmastime is also an opportunity to meet Jesus for the first time – to invite him into your heart and life as Saviour and friend.

If ever there is a time to turn to Jesus it is at Christmas

18 December 2021 • WAR CRY • 13

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Walk heavily (5) 5. Pal (5) 8. Also-ran (5) 9. Frighten (5) 10. Pending (5) 11. Spanish farewell (5) 12. Gentlewoman (4) 15. Rotten (6) 17. Sword (5) 18. Tantalised (6) 20. Jest (4) 25. Interior (5) 26. Circus jester (5) 27. Live (5) 28. Similar (5) 29. Not drunk (5) 30. Bestower (5) DOWN 1. Cushion decoration (6) 2. Astounded (6) 3. Fold (5) 4. Savoury jelly (5) 5. Abrupt (7) 6. Deviation (6) 7. Bawled (6) 13. Consumed (3) 14. Possessed (3) 15. Snoop (3) 16. Irritate (3)

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

1 5 9

7 2 9 3 17. Study group (7) 18. Pathways (6) 19. Poise (6) 21. Choice (6) 22. Newspaper manager (6) 23. Forge block (5) 24. Dogma

6 5 6 5 8 8 5 4

2 3

4 2 8 1 3 3

3 2

5 4

5 4 6

WORDSEARCH

1 5 7 3 6 4 9 8 8 9 2 1 5 7 4 6 Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally 6 4 3 children’s 2 8 books 9 5 7 on the grid to find these 4 3 9 6 7 2 8 1 O J D D O C U R 7 I 6O U S G E O R G E C 5 8 9 1 3 2 L M N Z L J W R W P X L E C C Q E T B 8 S 5Z H W R 4 3 R 6R L9 M O U F A A X 2 B B 1N R V Y O E F C Q N F Z B E A X F E A X A 5 7 6 4 1 8 2 3 Z R F K F P V E V Z Y R H N A E Z H C 9 F W L 2 4 L R S Z D N M K 7 3 6 1 5 H N D A U U Y S S E N V R P B Q B O Y O U W Z S N W B 3 8 1 9 2 5 7 4

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

Y H A I G Q K R T Z B R Y Y L Y T M E Q D T H E L I T T L E P R I N C E Y A I I S E H Y E L L I U N Z R O Q S M U Y R O T T S G A S L R H V P E M T E T N R L G W E E L Q Z L K Z Q T Z N M Y G O T E K R A M O T S E O G Y B A B U X H B G A N O O M T H G I N D O O G F E G S E D Q T Y R H A L W Y H Q Z Y J I P W I N N I E T H E P O O H P V K V K T A Q N Z Y S D E N D Y L W H M I F K P E L T T I L T R A U T S I F C Z D

1. Shake rapidly 2. Part of a song 3. New recruit 4. Call over 5. Head nurse 6. Football pass

ANSWERS 1 8 6 4 7 2 5 9 3

5 9 4 3 6 1 7 2 8

7 2 3 9 5 8 6 4 1

3 1 2 6 8 5 4 7 9

6 5 8 7 9 4 1 3 2

4 7 9 2 1 3 8 6 5

9 4 5 8 3 6 2 1 7

8 6 7 1 2 9 3 5 4

2 3 1 5 4 7 9 8 6

HONEYCOMB 1. Judder. 2. Chorus. 3. Rookie.

4. Beckon. 5. Matron. 6. Header.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Tramp. 5. Buddy. 8. Loser. 9. Scare.

10. Until. 11. Adios. 12. Lady. 15. Putrid. 17. Sabre.

18. Teased. 20. Joke. 25. Inner. 26. Clown. 27. Exist.

28. Alike. 29. Sober. 30. Donor.

DOWN: 1. Tassel. 2. Amazed. 3. Pleat. 4. Aspic.

5. Brusque. 6. Detour. 7. Yelled. 13. Ate. 14. Had. 15. Pry. 16. Irk. 17. Seminar. 18. Tracks. 19. Aplomb.

21. Option. 22. Editor. 23. Anvil. 24. Creed.

14 • WAR CRY • 18 December 2021

BABY GOES TO MARKET BLACK BEAUTY CHARLOTTE’S WEB CURIOUS GEORGE GOODNIGHT MOON HORRID HENRY LOOK UP!

LOST AND FOUND STUART LITTLE THE GRUFFALO THE LITTLE PRINCE TREASURE ISLAND WE ARE ALL BORN FREE WINNIE-THE-POOH

2 3 1 5 4 7 9 8 6

9 3

4

3 2

5 4 6

Why not try these recipes in the next few weeks to use up any festive leftovers?

Pulled pork with potato wedges and beans Ingredients

Method

3 medium baking potatoes, cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6.

2tbsp oil

Place the wedges on a non-stick baking sheet, toss in the oil and paprika.

Season and bake for 15-20 minutes, until crispy, turning once during cooking.

1tsp ground paprika Freshly ground black pepper

Spring onions, chopped, to garnish

Remove the wedges from the oven, then top with the pulled pork and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Return to the oven and cook for a further 7-8 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the pork is heated through.

390g can baked beans in barbecue sauce, to serve

Garnish with the spring onions and serve with the beans.

200g pulled pork 50g grated cheese

Q A

QUICK QUIZ 1

2

3

What is the scientific name for the North Star?

What Christmas carol composed

by Isaac Watts has the lyrics ‘let Earth receive her King’?

Prior to the decimalisation of the British Pound in the UK, what did £sd represent?

4

In which country did the modern Christmas tree originate?

5

Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail are sisters of which fictional character created by Beatrix Potter?

6

What is St Stephen’s Day also known as?

ANSWERS

SERVES

4

Festive cheese toastie Ingredients 2tsp butter 2 granary bread slices 2tbsp cranberry sauce 2-3 cooked gammon slices 45g cheddar, sliced Olives, to serve

Method Heat the butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. When it starts to foam, add the bread slices and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side.

Transfer to a chopping board, buttery side upright.

Spread the cranberry sauce on one of the bread slices, then add the gammon and cheese. Place the remaining bread slice, buttered side down, on top of the cheese.

SERVES

1

Return the toastie to the hot pan and toast for a few minutes, until the cheese melts.

Serve immediately with the olives.

1. Polaris. 2. ‘Joy to the World!’ 3. Pounds, shillings and pence. 4. Germany. 5. Peter Rabbit. 6. Boxing Day.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board website lovepork.co.uk

18 December 2021 • WAR CRY • 15

Glad tidings of great joy From ‘While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks’ by Nahum Tate

WAR CRY