War Cry 19 February 2022

Professor eases people out of comfort eating

WAR CRY

19 February 2022 50p

In harmony with the gospel truth Mica Paris tunes in to the best of the genre

Charity founder wants every child to feel safe

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.

TWO weeks ago, on Sunday 6 February, the UK and Commonwealth marked the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne. It was the start of a year of events planned to celebrate a reign that has outlasted any other in British history.

One of those events, included in the plans for a four-day bank holiday weekend at the beginning of June, is a Platinum Party at the Palace – a concert where some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars are expected to perform. A similar concert, held 10 years ago to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee, saw a host of stars from a range of musical styles perform in front of a crowd of thousands in the Mall, with millions more watching on television.

In this week’s War Cry, we report on another musical celebration that is happening to mark the royal jubilee. The London Community Gospel Choir is one of a number of vocal artists who have recorded a platinum jubilee anthem, EIIR: The Platinum Record.

As specialists in gospel music, the choir members will be well versed in bringing their listeners a sense of celebration.

In this week’s issue, we also feature Radio 2’s Mica’s Gospel Gold which is designed to ‘lift the spirit and raise the roof’ according to its presenter Mica Paris. In looking back at the roots of gospel, the series has featured an interview with one of the queens of the musical genre, Mahalia Jackson, who once said: ‘When you go out singing a gospel song … you have a feeling that you’re praising God,’ adding: ‘Gospel is music of joy and hope.’

Whatever their tastes in music may be, millions of Christians have found joy and hope in praising and following God in a way that is meaningful to them. Being a Christian offers the opportunity to have a life full of purpose and value – and ad the War C e re ry it is a life that goes on for ever. Now, that is u’v something worth singing about.

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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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

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Baking initiative

The aim of Real Bread Week 6

On the menu

Programme provides help with healthy eating

INFO 2 • WAR CRY • 19 February 2022

Music for the soul

Radio 2 celebrates gospel

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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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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‘Every child should have hope for the future’

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Interview with founder of global charity REGULARS 4

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12 Team Talk 13 Past Times 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: RICH GOLD/ALAMY

Aretha Franklin, Mica Paris and Whitney Houston

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believe When you believe Radio 2 showcases some gospel giants Radio feature by Emily Bright

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OUL singer Mica Paris vows to bring ‘the best gospel music to lift the spirit and raise the roof’ in a new four-part Radio 2 series Mica’s Gospel Gold, which started earlier this month and continues tonight (Saturday 19 February).

In her first show, she crowned Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke among her queens and kings of gospel. She played some of their most loved tracks and highlighted how the gospel genre has shaped modern-day music.

Mica said: ‘At its core, gospel music has the power to evoke wonder and emotion and has been hugely important in the evolution of popular music we love today, influencing the genres of soul, R&B, country, rock and hip-hop, just to name a few.’

The influential genre of gospel music has, itself, been shaped by the artists’ experiences of church worship. So, as part of her profile of the gospel legends, Mica played interview clips of Aretha Franklin and Mahalia Jackson talking about their faith.

In a BBC archive interview from 1969, Mahalia Jackson explained how her music helped her to connect with God and lifted her spirits.

‘When you go out singing a gospel song, a real gospel song,’ she said, ‘you have a feeling that you’re praising God, like sowing a righteous seed. And you hope it will drop on rich soil,

Gospel is music of joy and hope

if it has made an impression upon you, it will lift your spirit up.

‘If you feel discouraged, or you feel that the day is dark, you get this something in you that there’s a brighter day ahead.

Gospel is music of joy and hope.’

In one of Mahalia’s 1954 songs, ‘I Found the Answer’, she summarised the difference her faith made to her life, and the joy that it had brought her: I found the answer I learned to pray With faith to guide me, I’ve found the way The sun is shining for me each day.

In our darkest times, it can be difficult to see any ray of sunshine breaking through. We may feel as if we don’t have the answers for the most challenging circumstances, whether they be financial stresses, relationship issues or daunting medical diagnoses.

While the support of friends and family goes a long way, they can’t always be there the second we need them. But there is something that can be. It is totally trustworthy, a rock we can build our lives on: God’s love.

His love can light up our lives with a transformative power far greater than we could imagine. We just need to ask God for help, and he will provide peace, strength and hope. No fancy words or formula are required. While the answers may not be what we expect, he will show us the way ahead and help us see that the sun will shine again.

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Concern over power price surge DEBT relief charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) told Premier Radio that soaring energy prices will leave many families struggling, despite the UK government’s measures to help.

Energy prices are set to rise by 54 per cent from April, affecting more than 22 million homes. Those on a standard rate tariff are expected to pay an extra £693 annually.

The government has announced a £150 council tax rebate for England in April for those in the lower bands, which covers 80 per cent of homes.

It has also allocated nearly £150 million for local authorities in England to support families with less income who live in more expensive council tax bands.

However, CAP believes that the payouts do not go far enough and revealed that they have already seen an increase in calls in the past few months from people who will require financial help.

Paul Walmsley, CAP’s energy relationships manager, told Premier: ‘I think families will struggle, there is no doubt about that. The proposals that the chancellor has made only cover half of the amount increase in the price cap… We are still pretty worried about how households will cope.’ He urged people to ‘seek help’ if they’re facing financial concerns.

Christian faith is Queen’s ‘rock’

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THE Archbishop of Canterbury told the BBC that the Christian faith of the Queen is ‘the rock on which she stands’.

In an interview that took place shortly before the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne, the Most Rev Justin Welby reflected on the importance of faith in the monarch’s life, comparing her role as Queen with a lifelong religious vocation and the coronation ceremony with the vows for religious ministry.

‘The coronation service is a form of ordination, in a liturgical sense, and she lives that out without a grumble,’ he said. ‘It is priestly – the language, the structure, it’s very similar to an ordination of a priest or a bishop.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury also told the BBC that he admired the Queen’s commitment to ‘doing the right thing’ when, last year, she adhered to Covid-19 restrictions and sat alone at the funeral of her husband, Prince Philip.

He said: ‘That was leadership, it was doing the right thing, it was duty, it set an example.’

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AFTER answering questions about her career on US talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, British singer Dua Lipa took her own turn as interviewer and asked the presenter to describe how his comedy and Christian faith overlap. ‘Does one ever win out?’ she asked.

‘I think ultimately, us all being mortal, the faith will win out at the end,’ replied Stephen. ‘I certainly hope that when I get to Heaven, Jesus has a sense of humour.’

Describing himself as ‘a Christian and a Catholic’, Stephen explained to Dua that his faith is ‘connected to the idea of love and sacrifice … and giving yourself to other people. And [the idea that] death is not defeat.’

He continued making his point by referring to Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical film Belfast.

‘It’s funny and it’s sad – and it’s funny about being sad,’ Stephen said. ‘In the same way, that sadness is like a little bit of an emotional death – but not a defeat if you can find a way to laugh about it. Because that laughter keeps you from having fear of it… So if there’s some relationship between my faith and my comedy, it’s that no matter what happens, you are never defeated. You must understand and see things in a light of eternity and find some way to love and laugh with each other.’

tWwxcxz Commonwealth influence on jubilee anthem A PLATINUM jubilee anthem has been composed and recorded to commemorate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, the i reports.

EIIR: The Platinum Record is a two-part composition

by Anton van der Mere and features London Community Gospel Choir. Soprano Lesley Garrett and West End actor Rodney Earl Clarke also feature on the recording.

One segment ‘The Four British Nations’, by composer Olga Thomas, is inspired

by Elgar and includes state trumpets, as well as chants and shouts of ‘vivat Regina Elizabetha’. During Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953, the same Latin words, meaning ‘long live Queen Elizabeth’, were sung during a choral performance of Hubert Parry’s ‘I Was Glad’.

A second segment, ‘We Thank You From Our Hearts’, celebrates the Queen as the ‘mother of this nation’ and includes vocals from the London Community Gospel Choir, the Australian didgeridoo, Caribbean steel drums and Hindi, Maori and Swahili chants – sounds from across the globe, highlighting the Queen’s influence on the Commonwealth.

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Get a loaf of this Campaign says we knead a week to celebrate real bread Feature by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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T’S time to rise to a challenge.

Real Bread Week, which begins today (Saturday 19 February), encourages people to buy real bread – dough without additives – from local, independent bakeries or to make their own real bread.

The week is run by the Real Bread Campaign – a bid to get people baking and eating additive-free loaves.

Bakeries and community sites are encouraged to run classes or other activities.

The campaign is passionate about providing people with the means to bake or buy their own Real Bread loaves, which are nutritious and made without chemical raising agents. And it has benefits beyond the physical.

Real Bread Week aims to ‘share ways of making bread better for people, communities and the planet’ says Chris Young, the campaign’s coordinator.

‘Making Real Bread is so therapeutic and doing so with other people can be a catalyst for all sorts of conversations,’ he adds. ‘People chat through things while they’re kneading together or waiting for the dough to prove that they otherwise might not talk about.’

He adds that the appeal of bread is that it is a staple food.

‘It can be, and is, made and enjoyed by people of all nations, cultures, colours, gender identities, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, belief systems and income levels.’

Bread has been a staple for people across different times too. More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus used bread to provide for people when he turned five loaves and two fish into a meal for a crowd of 5,000. Bread was also part of the last meal that he shared with his friends before he died, a food he told them to remember him by.

But Jesus also told his followers about a different kind of bread. He said, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry’ (John 6:35 New International Version).

When he said this, Jesus recognised that eating good bread was important for physical satisfaction, but to be spiritually satisfied, people needed him.

Regardless of our personal circumstances, following Jesus can give us hope, peace and deep satisfaction. Millions of people have found that it’s proved to be true – will we try it too?

Bread is a staple food

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Food for thought Dietetics professor DEBORAH LYCETT explains how she’s created a programme that combines science and faith to help people eat more healthily Interview by Emily Bright

Deborah Lycett

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OMFORT eating almost became a dietary staple across the nation during the Covid-19 pandemic as anxiety and grief took hold. It served as a coping mechanism.

That’s a trend that Dr Deborah Lycett, professor of religious health intervention and dietetic practice, has identified through her work.

‘There’s been a rise in more disordered eating, and more behavioural aspects around eating for comfort,’ she explains.

‘People have been struggling with mental health, which we know has become worse over the pandemic. The way some people cope with that is food. Moreover, during lockdowns, people have done less physical activity, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic restrictions.’

Before becoming executive director of the Centre for Intelligent Healthcare at Coventry University last year,

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Deborah had sought to be part of the solution to unhealthy eating patterns for a number of years. In 2015, she launched a churchbased healthy eating programme called Taste and See, recruiting a PhD student to help her as part of a research project for the university.

Taste and See runs for 10 weeks with each video-based session lasting around an hour. It can be followed either online or as part of an in-person group. The material is designed to cover the topic from both scientific and spiritual angles. The primary aim of the programme is to address the root causes of unhealthy eating patterns rather than focusing on weight loss.

‘It tackles a lot of things from not only a nutritional point of view, but a psychological point of view as well,’ explains Deborah. ‘The programme covers topics such as why you eat, whether you’re eating for comfort, and what strategies you put in place to help you more intuitively respond to your natural feelings of hunger and fullness.

‘We also cover what the Bible says, and it’s up to people to decide what they want to do with that.’

Taste and See’s materials are now available for churches to purchase online and use independently of the research.

The idea emerged out of Deborah’s first-hand experience on the front line of healthcare.

‘I was working as an NHS dietician for several years, supporting people who were overweight or struggling with eating problems,’ she recalls.

‘And I realised that there was a limited amount of support that we could give. It was more focused on the physical side of things,

LIBRARY PICTURE POSED BY MODEL

and less around the emotional and psychological.

‘I felt it was important that we consider not only body and mind, but spirit as well, with a compassionate approach. People struggle with emotional eating because there are underlying things to deal with.’

While unhealthy eating patterns can be partially dealt with from a scientific perspective, Deborah says that ‘people are helped a lot by looking through a spiritual lens as well. There’s scientific evidence that people are more able to cope with situations when they practise their faith, a phenomenon known as religious coping.’

The programme’s effects looked promising from early on.

‘We had good results from the pilot in 2015, which showed that people reduced their emotional eating, and they felt better – mentally and spiritually,’ says Deborah.

So, in 2016, the research team decided to launch a bigger trial nationwide and began recruiting 16 churches, with a two-year follow-up to see how the participants had got on. The last of the data is being collated.

‘As we’ve gone on,’ Deborah continues, ‘we’ve had consistently good feedback from all the churches that have taken part. But in our research, we’re looking at much more than just the anecdotal evidence, where people say they like it.

‘We’re measuring people’s mental wellbeing, levels of emotional eating and their dietary intake, and looking at the real differences that the programme makes.’

Her research goal is to generate concrete scientific evidence of Taste and See’s effectiveness, in partnership with Coventry University, to convince the NHS to refer people to the programme.

As a Christian, Deborah explains how her faith influences her attitude towards healthy eating.

‘I believe that we have a duty to care and be good stewards of what we have, be that ourselves, other people or the planet.

Dieting and bingeing can rule people’s lives

I think that a healthy relationship with food is particularly important in caring for ourselves and others.’

She adds that Christianity is also about bringing freedom to others.

‘Often there’s a vicious cycle people end up in, dieting and bingeing and feeling awful. And it can rule their lives.

‘Jesus came to bring people freedom, and as Christians, we can reach out and help with that. It’s not about food rules, but rather about people finding wholeness of mind, body and spirit.’

Deborah can testify to the power of a relationship with God in her own life.

‘Jesus is my constant companion,’ she explains. ‘Whatever I’m doing throughout every moment, he is always there to talk to or to ask advice. He provides help and comfort through the good and bad times.

‘When I’m struggling, I can unload my burdens to Jesus through prayer, and let him deal with them. He’s also there to celebrate the good times with me.’

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One-by-one approach BECKY MURRAY tells the story of how she founded a charity in order to help every child feel safe Interview by Claire Brine

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ECKY MURRAY’S life changed the moment she bought some flip-flops for a little girl in Sierra Leone. ‘Her name was Felicity and she had no shoes,’ explains Becky. ‘So I bought her a pair of pink flip-flops that cost me around 50p, and I invited her to a big gospel event that I was attending later that evening, along with some other Christians.

‘As we waited outside our hotel, getting ready to leave, Felicity ran towards me with a huge smile on her face, happy to

be wearing her new shoes. Then she said to me: “Becky, should I wait in the hotel room for you?” I replied that we were about to leave for the meeting and that it was OK for her to travel with us. She said again: “But shouldn’t I wait in your hotel room?”

‘I remember thinking: “She’s nine years old – she can’t possibly be asking what I think she’s asking.” But when I questioned her about it, I was right. She thought I’d spent 50p on her earlier so that I could have her body. And she was willing to give it. That moment, something broke within me. I made a promise to God to commit my life full-time to helping people like Felicity.’

In 2011, Becky founded One by One, a charity dedicated to tackling global injustice, one person at a time.

Her first mission was to open a children’s home in Kenya.

‘For years – even before I met Felicity in 2006 – God had been speaking to me about building a children’s home,’ says Becky.

‘At first, it wasn’t on my agenda at all, but I grew up doing a lot of short-term mission trips overseas, organised by my church in Rotherham. When I was 18, I felt God stirring my heart to help these kids.

‘After my encounter with Felicity, I felt angry to see a child so exploited. Every child should be able to feel safe. Every child g meetin after One by Becky founded One Felicity in Sierra Leone

Becky Murray should be able to have hope for the future.

So I had this dream about a children’s home, but I didn’t know how to fulfil it.’

In 2009, Becky signed up for a church mission trip to Kenya. She had a feeling that it was going to be a significant visit.

‘In the weeks leading up to our departure, I had felt God saying to me: “Now is the time – look for land.” So on our very first day in Kenya, I shared my thoughts with a local pastor called Gerald, who worked with a lot of churches in the area. I knew that he was a good, trustworthy man. After I’d finished speaking, Gerald told me that he’d recently been given a plot of land in a village called Bumala ’B. He took me to see it, then said: “It’s yours.”

So that’s where One by One built its first children’s home. We opened in 2012 with 42 children.’

One of the first children to move in to the King’s Children’s Home was Jess, an orphan whose parents had died after contracting HIV. ‘Jess was extremely sick because she, too, had HIV,’ explains Becky.

‘When she came to live in the home, the mentality of the local people was that she wouldn’t make it through primary school. But we took her in, got her on the right medication, gave her a healthy diet to boost her immunity and got her

I felt angry to see a child so exploited

8 • WAR CRY • 19 February 2022

reaches thousands One by One

Becky plays with a boy from the King’s Children’s Home

into education. Not only did Jess finish primary school, but she went on to excel at secondary school, and now she’s at university, training to be an accountant.

Stories like that show the difference that love can make to a person. All our children are deeply loved by the staff.’

Today the King’s Children’s Home provides permanent accommodation for 90 children, while an additional 110 vulnerable children attend the site each day to receive food, education and

medical treatment. In the eyes of the villagers, the home is an important place – and Becky remembers a particular conversation she shared with a very anxious mother by the gates.

‘One day, a woman from the village approached me and asked me to pray because her daughter had gone missing.

So I asked a few questions and then prayed with her. Two days later, a second woman approached me, asking for prayer because her daughter had been missing

The children enjoy games at the King’s Children’s Home in Kenya

for five months. Again, I prayed – but these women and their daughters stayed in my heart and mind.

‘When I began to do some research, I discovered that girls were going missing because human traffickers were operating right there in Bumala ’B.’ Becky looked into the reasons why young girls from the village were being targeted by traffickers and took steps to try to protect them.

‘I found out that a lot of girls were missing a week of school every month simply because they were on their periods and didn’t have access to sanitary products,’ she says.

‘Sometimes girls end up finishing school having missed a quarter of their education.

As a result, they don’t always have the grades to find a good job – and it’s at this point that traffickers target them.

They come along, offering the girls jobs in the city as cooks, cleaners, nannies or models, and the girls accept willingly. These young girls think that by finding a job, they can help their families back home. But then they are never heard from again.

‘To try to tackle this problem, One by One launched the Dignity Project. We began visiting primary schools in the area, teaching girls about hygiene and their bodies. We spoke openly about traffickers and the tactics they might use to entice

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Children receive reusable sanitary products as part of One by One’s Dignity Project

From page 9 girls away from home. We also gave out reusable sanitary products to make it possible for girls to stay in school every week of the month. The point behind our work is to try to prevent trafficking from happening in the first place.’

After the success of the Dignity Project in Kenya, Becky set her sights on launching the initiative in a number of other countries, including Brazil, Uganda and India. In 2018, One by One took the Dignity Project to Pakistan.

‘It was meant to be one-off trip,’ remembers Becky. ‘And over four days, we reached 1,100 girls with our message.

But then on the last day, I was taken to visit a brick factory, where hundreds of children and families were working as slaves. At this point I knew nothing about bonded labour. I was appalled to see it happening so blatantly in front of me. Even toddlers were moulding bricks with their feet.

‘As we looked around, I began talking to a man who told me how he ended up in such a situation. He said that 13 years ago, when his wife was pregnant with their first baby, she had complications in labour and needed a c-section. He didn’t have $150 to pay for the surgery, so he took a

Even toddlers were moulding brick with their feet

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One by One provides Sunday school for children forced to work in brick factories in Pakistan

One by One

Women in Sri Lanka make clothes to sell at the market

loan from a brick master. Thirteen years later, he was still paying it back.

‘This man and his wife had gone on to have another five children – and they were all working in the factory, trying to pay off the debt, which had risen to $2,500 because of the interest rate. It felt like a hopeless situation for them.

None of the man’s children could get an education because they all had to make a certain quota of bricks per day.’

Determined to help the children trapped in the brick factories, One by One set up a safe house in 2019, which provides accommodation and education for 85 children.

‘Our hope is that these kids will gain an education and then be able to find employment that will enable them to pay off their family’s debt,’ says Becky. ‘Initially

I enquired as to whether I could pay off some of the debts myself, but I was told that the brick master would charge me triple or quadruple the original amount.

Only blood relatives can pay off the debt at the correct rate.

‘Another way in which we try to help children in the factories is through Sunday school. We may not be able to get young people out of these factories yet, but we can commit ourselves to going in. So every week we provide an hour of Sunday school in 50 brick factories across Pakistan. Our aim is to bring hope to these children, to help them see their value and purpose.

The first things they learn to read and write are words from the Bible.’

As well as working with hundreds of children across the world, the latest details of which can be found at onebyone.net, the charity also seeks to help adults who are in need. This includes women in Sri Lanka who, as a result of being widowed, have fallen into poverty.

‘We run seven sewing centres across the country, supporting around 90 women,’ Becky explains. ‘We teach the women how to use foot-pedal sewing machines, and then provide them with materials so that they can make clothes or bags to sell at the market. The profits made from sales help the women to buy more material so

that they can keep their business going.’

Though the ethos of One by One is to tackle exploitation by helping one person at a time, Becky confesses that that there have been moments over recent years when she has felt overwhelmed by ‘the sheer amount of need’ confronting her.

‘Sometimes I feel as though I’m using a teaspoon to try to empty the ocean,’ she says. ‘But whenever I feel overwhelmed, I try to bring it back to the one.

I can’t change the world, but I can have an impact on the ‘Felicitys’. Focusing on the individual child helps.’

Becky also cites her faith in God as a source of strength which keeps her going. Without it, she says, she would have quit her job years ago.

‘It would have been too hard for me to keep on going,’ she explains. ‘But my faith gives me the grit and determination to press on. In the darkest times, God brings me hope and peace. He is faithful and unchanging. He’s the glue holding me together.

‘Although my work deals with the problems that occur as a result of a broken humankind, it also shows me the transformational love of Jesus. The children I work with come alive when they realise that they are loved by God and that they have a value and a purpose. I’ve seen the power of love in action – and it makes such a difference.’

We run sewing centres across Sri Lanka

19 February 2022 • WAR CRY • 11

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’.

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.

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

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK No joking matter

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

HAVE you heard the one about Newcastle Cathedral? Apparently it’s going to host monthly comedy nights, complete with a full bar and merchandise outlet.

The Guardian reported that a former chaplain to the Queen, Dr Gavin Ashenden, wasn’t a fan of the idea, fearing it would reduce the ‘awesome’ cathedral to ‘an O2 arena or nightclub’.

It’s hardly surprising that this story has attracted debate. Of course, there are those who see no problem with comedy gigs taking place in a cathedral. But I was interested to read comedian David Mitchell’s take on it.

‘I’ve never liked those bars or clubs that exist in deconsecrated Victorian churches or chapels,’ he wrote in The Guardian. ‘It feels a bit sad … those dignified places dashed nightly.’

David went on to say that that although he’s ‘not very religious’, he sees cathedrals as ‘beautiful’ and ‘amazing buildings’.

‘I like churches,’ he revealed. ‘I find them calming and moving.’

I’ve got to admit that I was a little surprised by David’s comments. Perhaps I wasn’t expecting a comedian with a selfconfessed ‘don’t know’ attitude towards faith to be such a cathedral fan.

But then I realised that maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, and that the reason David finds churches calming and moving is because that is exactly what they are meant to be. They are places where many people seek – and find – connection to God. These are buildings that tell a story of God’s love.

Whenever I have visited cathedrals in the past, I have felt that I’m walking in a sacred space. I welcome the peaceful atmosphere and the quiet which help to focus my thoughts and settle my heart. I think it’s right that such places are respected.

But while I value the sanctity of a cathedral, I also believe that meaningful encounters with God aren’t limited to church buildings. Many of the times I have felt closest to God have been when I was praying silently in hospitals, coffee shops, friend’s houses or high streets. The God I believe in is everywhere – from cathedrals to comedy clubs – and all the spaces in between. And for that, I’m thankful.

Churches and cathedrals tell a story

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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

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Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

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album for which 1989 superhero film?

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A actress making a film in the late 1960s?

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the sci-fi novella The Time Machine?

6

What is the world’s largest island country, consisting of more than 17,000 islands in southeast Asia?

ANSWERS

Hannah Carr looks back to a notable event that happened during this month in history

Instant developments ON 21 February 1947, the first public demonstration of an instant camera was given by Edwin Land, an American inventor and photography enthusiast. During a meeting of the Optical Society of America in New York City, Land demonstrated his Polaroid camera as a way to take a photograph and see it straightaway, without having to wait for it to be developed. This invention revolutionised not only cameras, but technology as a whole, as the concept of instant technology became more possible.

Although instant cameras are still available, most people now use their phone as their camera, and the pictures taken on smartphones are immediately available not only to the person snapping away, but also to people on the other side of the world through the internet.

So many of us have become used to everything being instant.

Thanks to mobile phones, we have endless possibilities to send messages or get information within seconds on one small device. But because we have become accustomed to it, we now expect everything to be almost instant.

It can be easy to get frustrated when it isn’t – a poor wifi signal will have infuriated many of us.

However, not everything in life conforms to our desire for speed.

We may want something to happen, and become frustrated when we have to wait weeks, months or even years before it does. When that desired outcome is important or necessary for us to move on in our lives, the waiting period can be hard to bear.

Christians believe, though, that they can hand such situations over to God and trust him to help them through that period of waiting. They know that he can even show them how to put the time to good use.

A life following God’s direction does not mean that everything will happen exactly when we want it to. But it does mean that we can use every moment well.

Not everything in life conforms to our desire for speed

19 February 2022 • WAR CRY • 13

1. Batman. 2. William Boyd. 3. South Korea.

4. San Salvador. 5. HG Wells. 6. Indonesia.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Pastime (5) 4. Kit out (5) 8. Peculiar (3) 9. Goodbye (5) 10. Perfect (5) 11. Seize (3) 12. Small branch (5) 13. Most lengthy (7) 16. Safe (6) 19. Degrade (6) 23. Odd piece (7) 26. Bury (5) 28. Manipulate (3) 29. Flinch (5) 30. Awaken (5) 31. Ocean (3) 32. Accumulate (5) 33. Automobile (5) DOWN 2. Prickly shrub (5) 3. Not as old (7) 4. Eatable (6) 15.

5. Coalition (5) 6. Part (5) 17.

7. Apportion (5) 18.

9. Donkeys (5) 20.

14. Adhesive (3) 21.

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

6

7 1 4 9

7

6 2 1 9 2 9 7 3 6

6

Health resort (3) Before (3) Vase (3) Pithy saying (7) Tend (5)

22.

23.

24.

25.

27.

Tension (6) Sculled (5) Obsession (5) Stadium (5) Have faith in (5)

4 8 2

WORDSEARCH

2 9 6 4 8 3 7 1 8 7 backwards 5 6 2and1diagonally 4 3 Look up, down, forwards, on the grid to find these baking ingredients 1 4 3 9 5 7 8 6 R G T V R E M5 E 2 S N9W C 7 V 4K P6W 1H J8 E E PGZNQPNBHOA SQR I J 3 6 7 2 1 8 5 9 DWY R J C V G E I I R N Y U A I F W Q X A H B R4 Z 1 D K8T X 3 I 9O J5 G 2Z F7 OKOGNZRED L E A L S ZU L B 9 5 1 8 3 4 6 2 P GMUQH B U A Q F F L Q S S Z B G Z L S Y I O6 S 3 O M4L N 1 A 7E N2 G 9Y M5 NZ ZRS J NNHAO J E F GN L B 7 8 2 5 6 9 3 4 I R Y E Q XMR E A U F X QH I J V

M O HONEYC B

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. Violin 2. Diagonally moving chess piece 3. Make available to someone 4. Tree seed used as a spice 5. Measurement from base to top 6. Used to steer a boat

K A B O K S G G E

ANSWERS 9 7 4 2 6 1 5 3 8

2 8 1 5 3 4 9 6 7

6 5 3 9 7 8 1 4 2

4 8 2

6

4 6 9 7 2 3 8 1 5

8 2 5 4 1 9 3 7 6

3 1 7 6 8 5 4 2 9

7 4 8 1 5 2 6 9 3

1 3 6 8 9 7 2 5 4

3 7 2

5 9 2 3 4 6 7 8 1

HONEYCOMB 1. Fiddle. 2. Bishop. 3. Supply.

4. Nutmeg. 5. Height. 6. Rudder.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Hobby. 4. Equip. 8. Odd. 9. Adieu.

10. Ideal. 11. Nab. 12. Sprig. 13. Longest. 16. Secure.

19. Demean. 23. Remnant. 26. Inter. 28. Rig. 29. Wince.

30. Rouse. 31. Sea. 32. Amass. 33. Motor.

DOWN: 2. Briar. 3. Younger. 4. Edible. 5. Union. 6. Piece.

7. Allot. 9. Asses. 14. Gum. 15. Spa. 17. Ere. 18. Urn. 20. Epigram. 21. Nurse. 22. Stress. 23. Rowed.

24. Mania. 25. Arena. 27. Trust.

14 • WAR CRY • 19 February 2022

9 4 5 2 7 4 7 7 2 5 3

Z K T WM J M H DOS FOE T A ZMA P L E S Y U X C O N OMA KOHROL L E UWZ K Q Z K B GH T NHR J I RPDPRE T T G F WQ N C X U

Y N R N D R E U J

BAKING POWDER BICARBONATE OF SODA BROWN SUGAR BUTTER CASTER SUGAR CINNAMON CREAM OF TARTAR EGGS GELATINE

RA T OBR UP A N I C OA T OWN F HG B Z J HRD

Y A C P S S K O F

U C R L K U A J H

C I D T T G U E V

Y Z B T NK X V A Y AR S Y R V YW

HONEY ICING SUGAR MAPLE SYRUP ROLLED OATS SALT VANILLA EXTRACT WHITE FLOUR WHOLEMEAL FLOUR YEAST

5 9 2 3 4 6 7 8 1

5

Super swede-topped fish pie Method

Ingredients For the topping 500g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 500g swede, peeled and roughly chopped 1 large egg, beaten 4tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt Salt and ground black pepper For the filling 300g low-fat natural yoghurt 150g mascarpone cheese Small handful fresh dill, chopped Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 200g cooked skinless cod fillets, cut into large bitesized pieces 200g cooked skinless smoked haddock fillets, flaked

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

To make the topping, place the carrots and swede in a large pan of boiling water and cook for 25-30 minutes, until tender.

Drain, return to the pan and mash.

Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the beaten egg and yoghurt. Season and set aside.

To make the filling, place the yoghurt, mascarpone, dill and parsley in a pan and warm gently. Add the cod and haddock and cook for 5 minutes.

Place in a large mixing bowl with the hard-boiled eggs, prawns and lemon juice. Season and mix well. Transfer to a deep ovenproof dish.

Spoon the topping over the surface, then use a fork to style it. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned.

SERVES

3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

4

200g cooked prawns, peeled ½ lemon, juice

Scampi, beans and wedges Ingredients 400g scampi 600g potato wedges 1 large can baked beans

Method Place the scampi and wedges on an oven tray and cook until golden brown according to the instructions on the packets.

Pour the baked beans into a pot and heat through on the hob or into a microwavesafe bowl and heat for about 2 minutes, until bubbling.

Divide the scampi and wedges between 4 plates and add a portion of beans to each, to serve.

SERVES

4

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Love Seafood website loveseafood.co.uk

19 February 2022 • WAR CRY • 15

GOD’S YOUR GUARDIAN, RIGHT AT YOUR SIDE TO PROTECT YOU Psalm 121:5 (The Message)

WAR CRY