War Cry 19 June 2021

Experiences of a Windrush generation child

WAR CRY

19 June 2021 50p

That’s my (history) boy James Corden’s dad on family life in their humorous household

Film shows fatherhood is not for the faint-Harted

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church

What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.

WAR CRY Issue No 7530

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 UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org 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 Territory with the Republic of Ireland ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399.

Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper

Your local Salvation Army centre

INFO 2 • WAR CRY • 19 June 2021

EDITOR From the editor’s desk

RATHER like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day can cause us to reflect on our experiences of parenthood, whether through the eyes of our childhood or as parents ourselves.

Those reflections will not be positive for everyone. Sadly, many people continue to live with the effects of difficult childhoods well into their adult lives. In the past few months, the War Cry has carried stories of people whose Christian faith has helped them overcome and move on from the hurt inflicted on them by their parents.

In this week’s issue, though, we run two stories reflecting the positive impact parents can have on their children.

Dolores Edwards’ parents were part of the Windrush generation, arriving in the UK from Jamaica. In an interview this week, she explains how her parents overcame racism to support their family and encouraged her to attend school, Brownies and Guides. The family were also members of a church, which Dolores describes as one of the positive experiences of her childhood.

Church also played a prominent role in the life of the Corden family. In this week’s issue, Malcolm Corden – father of the Bafta award-winning James Corden – looks back to the time of James’s childhood.

‘For years, we attended the High Wycombe Salvation Army church every Sunday,’ he tells us. But Malcolm’s faith was not limited to attending a place of worship. As his son faced the challenges of life in the public eye, Malcolm turned to his faith for help.

Recalling a time when he and his wife Margaret called in on James, he says: ‘I said a prayer, asking God to surround and comfort him, to grant him grace’, adding: ‘Bless him, he was open to that. He seemed grateful. And there was a much lighter mood in the flat when we left.’

Whoever we are and whatever our life experiences have been, we are all able to turn to God for comfort and help. Putting our faith in him will bring new experiences that change our lives completely.

FEATURES

CONTENTS

What is The Salvation Army?

3

Facing up to fatherhood Film projects the problems of parenting

5

No more rules to hamper picnics People can enjoy eating outdoors again

6 ‘My parents talked about experiencing racism’

Challenges faced by the Windrush generation 8

A humorous household James Corden’s dad looks back at his son’s rise to fame

REGULARS

4

War Cry World

12

Team Talk

13

Keys of the Kingdom

14

Puzzles

15

War Cry Kitchen

6

8

Front-page picture: COURTESY OF MALCOLM CORDEN

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PHILIPPE BOSSE/NETFLIX © 2021

FILM

Paternal problems

Emily Bright watches a widower grapple with lone parenthood

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FORLORN figure dressed in funeral clothes stands at the church pulpit.

Sorrow is etched on his face as he struggles for words to express his grief. His name is Matt Logelin (Kevin Hart), and one of the best days of his life had turned into his worst nightmare. So begins Netflix film Fatherhood, based on a true story, which was released yesterday (Friday 18 June).

Matt was celebrating the birth of his first child, Maddy, when his wife Liz (Deborah Ayorinde) suddenly died. He is now left to grapple with his new reality as a widower and single parent.

People around him doubt whether he’s capable of successfully bringing up Maddy on his own. He sets out desperate to prove those doubters wrong and become the best possible father to his daughter.

At times, parenthood pushes him to the very limits of his endurance. When he is almost at breaking point, he learns about the selflessness required in parenting and realises that he values Maddy’s welfare above everything else. He is willing to sacrifice all he has so that she can thrive.

Alfre Woodard, who plays Matt’s mother-inlaw Marion, explains: ‘Fathers nurture on a different level. They can do all the things you need, but when a man has heart, it is a deep heart and there is nothing that they would not do for you.’

Father’s Day tomorrow will cause many people to reflect on their own experience of fathers, whether positive or negative. While many fathers aspire to do the best job they possibly can, they can fall short and make mistakes. After all, they’re only human.

However, throughout the ages, people have turned to a Father-figure who can be relied on completely, who will never make a mistake or fall short: God. Christians take heart from the Bible, which says that God is walking alongside each person through whatever they may encounter in life. One Bible writer describes him as ‘the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort’, saying that ‘he consoles us as we endure the pain and hardship of life so that we may draw from his comfort’ (2 Corinthians 1:3 and 4 The Voice).

God loves us far more than any earthly father ever could.

He will never let us down, but will be with us in our toughest trials and darkest days, providing us with all the peace, strength and love we need.

God offers the knowledge of his fatherhood to each one of us. All we need to do is take our first steps towards him by accepting that we’ve not got everything right ourselves in the past and then deciding to trust him for the rest of our lives. If we do that, we will discover a love that is beyond anything we can imagine, and a relationship that will teach us how to live to the full.

Fathers nurture on a different level

Matt Logelin (Kevin Hart) has a baptism of fire into fatherhood as he brings up his baby girl Maddy

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WAR CRY

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SLAVE trader turned abolitionist John Newton will be the subject of a new educational display in a Buckinghamshire church where he once worked, BBC News reports.

Best known for writing the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, Newton was curate of St Peter and Paul’s Church in Olney between 1764 and 1780.

The hymn was published in 1779.

The display will show artefacts related to Newton, including a picture, coffin plaque and descriptive brass plate. The project is expected to be completed by the end of July.

Church warden David Phillipson emphasised that the church was ‘not trying to glorify the slave trade’ but instead ‘to educate and explain what happened and what John Newton eventually did in terms of his work to abolish the slave trade’.

Newton struck up a friendship with William Wilberforce, supporting his campaign to abolish slavery and to create a new home for freed slaves in Sierra Leone.

Church considers benefits of science

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CYCLISTS are taking part in a relay ride to launch a new route that links all 42 Church of England cathedrals.

The Cathedrals Cycle Route is a 2,000-mile loop that spans from Newcastle upon Tyne to Truro.

According to creator Shaun Cutler, it was designed to ‘support people’s mental and physical health and promote the mission of England’s cathedrals through pilgrimage, wellbeing and heritage’.

Shaun is one of a small group of riders who have been taking part in a relay along the route. The ride will raise money for the charity Cycle UK’s Break the Cycle appeal, which aims to improve people’s wellbeing by creating a healthier, happier, cleaner world, as a result of more people cycling.

The Dean of Blackburn, the Very Rev Peter Howell, an executive member of the Association of English Cathedrals and a participant in the relay, said: ‘Every cathedral has an opportunity to be at the heart of initiatives to support its communities in recovery, and as Christian people we have a huge responsibility for the stewardship of our creation.

‘The Cathedrals Cycle Route is a wonderful way of bringing together these two important strands of our mission and ministry, and together with the pilgrim routes, allows visitors not just to appreciate the beauty and sanctity of our buildings, but also to enjoy the journey between them as well.’

logians from around SCIENTISTS, bishops and theo join a new science to ed invit the world have been n Church. commission formed by the Anglica rch of Southern Africa, Chu n lica The Primate of the Ang Archbishop of Cape Town, will the Most Rev Thabo Makgoba, Church of England’s Bishop of the co-chair the commission with BEAR GRYLLS, the Archbishop of Canterbury, ft.

Oxford, the Right Rev Stephen Cro Katherine Grainger and Michael Sheen are among be formally will sion mis Com nce Scie The Anglican Communion those backing a Thank You Day to express is ch whi , ops bish n lica Ang ference of gratitude for all the people who have helped launched at the Lambeth Con ury in 2022. terb Can in t Ken of ty ersi Univ others through the pandemic. scheduled to take place at the ce Pala beth Lam the on d publishe In a series of introductory videos The NHS, Royal Voluntary Service, Church of Welby, said: tin Jus Rev t Mos the ury, terb website, the Archbishop of Can England and Football Association have also given It . erty pov of out ple peo y lifted so man ‘It is scientific advance that has their support to the day. lf.’ itse feed to ld wor the bled ena is scientific advance that has Taking place on Sunday 4 July, the day will Church to this ‘gift to human But, he said, the reaction of the invite communities to thank people such as . fear or tion cau of one n bee beings’ has for many years shopkeepers, teachers, care workers, medical staff, an beings playing at being He argued: ‘We talk about hum volunteers, friends, family members and neighbours. . We DNA to s nge cha of trol; con of God, we talk about loss The coalition of groups and organisations behind the lead to people being talk about all kinds of things that day, Together, suggests that people could mark it by d nee ns istia Chr why on reas a is frightened … That interfaith services of thanks, community events, coffee able to ask to be both knowledgeable and mornings or barbecues or by baking for neighbours. .’ nce scie ut abo k thin questions and Together acknowledged the important role that faith groups had played during the pandemic.

It said: ‘We know that faith groups throughout the UK have particularly stepped up and gone above and beyond, reaching out to their communities and across divides to run food banks, hold online prayer and worship, connect with those who are lonely, and so much more. We want to make sure that faith groups are a central part of Thank You Day – in giving, receiving and facilitating acts of thanks.’

Day to say ‘thank you’

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Feast your eyes on this

ztWwxc Audience to walk through new play A GROUP of amateur actors are heading outdoors at the Wintershall estate in Surrey to stage stories that Jesus told in the Bible.

Set amid lakes and woodland, Walking the Parables of Jesus by the Wintershall Players brings to life the teachings of Jesus and encourages audiences to reflect on their meaning as they walk from scene to scene.

The production runs from Monday 28 June to Saturday 3 July. For more information visit wintershall.org.uk

FEATURE

nic ku c i r p foye o f o e tor Olow s n is i arah s ew ites S n d r Goo ers, w lov

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OR the first time in many people’s lives, last year the possibility of having a picnic in the UK wasn’t just dependent on the weather.

Because of the global pandemic, there was a period during which having a picnic in the park was illegal.

Throughout that summer, however, picnics became the perfect way to reconnect with friends and family after having been apart for so long. And this year, the forecast for picnics is looking good as restrictions have been lifted, the vaccine rollout is going well – and the weather has perked up.

Today (Saturday 19 June) marks the start of National Picnic Week, which encourages people to pack their hampers and get outside.

According to the campaign's website, the French started the modern practice of picnics when royal parks were opened to the public after the 1789 revolution.

Since then, picnics have become a great way for people to enjoy good weather, tasty food, beautiful surroundings and the company of their loved ones – even on a budget.

People have long shared food with others they love, whether sandwiches and crisps at a picnic or a restaurant’s three-course meal. Sharing a meal can also be a way of getting to know someone.

The Bible is full of stories about Jesus eating with other people. Some of those people were not the sort that religious leaders of the day expected him to be interacting with. Angered, they asked his disciples, ‘What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cosy with crooks and misfits?’ Jesus overheard, and replied, ‘Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? … I’m here to invite outsiders’ (Matthew 9:11-13 The Message).

Whether we feel as though we are on the margins, have been rejected by family or have felt judged by people who are religious, everyone is invited to get to know Jesus.

All we have to do is say yes, and we can experience his love and friendship for ever.

It’s food for thought.

Picnics are great – even on a budget

Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry 19 June 2021 • WAR CRY • 5

Next Tuesday is Windrush Day, which encourages people to celebrate the contribution to the UK of the first wave of arrivals from the Caribbean and their descendants. Ahead of the day, DOLORES EDWARDS, a child of the Windrush generation, describes her experiences to Sarah Olowofoyeku

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N 22 June 1948, a ship carrying 492 passengers from the Caribbean docked in Tilbury in Essex. HMT Empire Windrush would go on to be a name that represented so much. After the arrival of that first ship, thousands more people came to the UK on ships and planes in a first wave of migration that ended in 1971. Those people are now known as the Windrush generation.

While they were not expected to stay long, and often faced discrimination, many of them settled down, found work and started families.

Dolores Edwards, born in Bradford in

6 • WAR CRY • 19 June 2021

1963, is the daughter of Iris and Stephen Terrelonge who came from Jamaica to the UK in 1961.

‘My parents talked about the weather,’ she says. ‘They didn’t expect it to be as bad as it was. In those days, when it

snowed, it really snowed. It was horrible, and there were a lot of foggy days, so that was weird for them.

‘They also talked about experiencing racism when they wanted to find somewhere to live. They ended up sharing a house with somebody that they knew from back home. There were a lot of them in one house.’

Eventually they got their own property, and the family grew as Dolores gained two younger brothers. Her mum became an auxiliary nurse at Bradford Royal Infirmary and her dad worked in a steel company.

‘My parents worked hard,’ she says.

INTERVIEW

Dolores attended secondary school in Jamaica

Dolores’ parents, Iris and Stephen, came to the UK to work but returned to Jamaica where they felt more at home

‘They would just work, come home, work, come home. It wasn’t like it is now for my generation, where we feel we have to enjoy our work. My philosophy is that you go on holiday and you do lots of things with your family. But our holidays growing up were just a day to Scarborough, and that was a church outing.’

The young Dolores attended a church with her mother and siblings. She says that church was a place where her mother, whose life was mainly centred on work, could relax and experience community.

It was a positive experience for Dolores too, as was most of her childhood.

‘I was in Brownies and Girl Guides,’ she says. ‘And I have happy memories of school.

I think what helped is that I had lots of cousins who went to the same school, and we were known in the community because my mum was a nurse and she knew quite a few people. Everybody was part of a community then. It wasn’t like now. You could leave your doors open and go to friends’ houses. Our parents weren’t scared about us playing outdoors.

I remember having that good community

spirit, gathering for celebrations for somebody’s birthday or something similar.’

While the children were happy, Dolores’s mother was homesick.

‘We went back to Jamaica when I was 11,’ she recalls. Dolores enjoyed the weather, the food and being around her family there. ‘My youngest brother was born in Jamaica, and we’re a very close and big family so we had lots of gettogethers.’

Dolores’ parents stayed in Jamaica until they passed away.

‘Mum returned here once for a holiday and then went back again.

Later, my dad came only because it was his 60th birthday. My mum wasn’t alive at the time, and we said, “Come on, Dad, we want to do something for you.” So he came, but he wanted to go back as soon as he got here,’ she laughs. ‘They just felt more at home in Jamaica.’

Dolores went to school in Jamaica before starting nursing training, but then decided it wasn’t for her.

‘I couldn’t get work that I really wanted in Jamaica, so I came back to the UK in my mid-twenties,’ she says. ‘I started off

I remember having that good community spirit

working in a children’s home and then became a teacher. I still teach now.’

Dolores was recently featured in a book called Our Roots 2020: The Inspiring Stories of our Grandparents and Great-grandparents, edited by Yazmin McKenzie.

Dolores’s granddaughters Tiarni and Kiarni interviewed her for the book, which arose out of a project to counter the negativity of the Windrush scandal, in which hundreds of members of the generation were wrongly targeted by immigration enforcement. She is one of 25 grandparents or great-grandparents sharing their stories of how they built a life and legacy in the UK. In the book, she talks about her parents and mentions her faith.

While she had grown up going to church, Dolores stopped attending for quite some time as an adult. But, recently, she went back.

‘I was diagnosed with cancer about five years ago,’ she says. ‘That brought me back to church. And faith helped me through that time. Having faith is knowing that there’s somebody there that knows what you’re going through, and somebody you can talk to. And you can have the belief that things will change.’

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‘James is open to my prayers’ F

OR facts and figures about James Corden’s acting, writing and presenting career, IMDb is a good place to start. The website mentions that his first ‘notable role’ came in the year 2000 for the ITV drama Fat Friends. It explains how, after meeting the actress Ruth Jones on set, the pair created award-winning BBC comedy series Gavin and Stacey.

It also describes how James has achieved ‘transatlantic success’, not only for films, including Into the Woods, but for presenting The Late Late Show with James Corden – a programme known for encouraging global superstars to engage in a spot of carpool karaoke.

While facts about James’s career are interesting for any fan, I want stories from behind the scenes. I want to find out what James was like before Hollywood beckoned and who were the important influences shaping his life. So I call up his dad, Malcolm Corden, who starts off by telling me about some of the antics James got up to before he was famous.

‘As a child, James was mischievous, boisterous and a show-off,’ laughs Malcolm, who still lives in same house in High

Ahead of Father’s Day, Claire Brine catches up with MALCOLM CORDEN to hear how he supports his Bafta-award winning son, James Corden, through the highs and lows of stardom shaking talcum powder all over the stairs at home and singing the song from the advert as he did it. It took Margaret ages to clean it up.

‘Another time, when James was about 10, we went to see the show 42nd Street. One night I came home and found James in the kitchen, wearing one of my old coats and a trilby hat. The kitchen was dark, so James opened the fridge door to make a spotlight and started singing “I’m leaning on a lamp post”. From a young age, he knew

exactly what he wanted to do in life.’

While the Corden household was never quiet, Malcolm loved the close bond that his children shared and the joy that they brought him. Every day, there was laughter. The family loved the comedy of Victoria Wood.

‘It was a humorous household,’ Malcolm says. ‘For years, we attended the High Wycombe Salvation Army church every Sunday, and our neighbours used to love it when we arrived home for lunch because they

It was a humorous household Wycombe where he and his wife, Margaret, raised James and their two other children. ‘He was loud. He loved being the centre of attention. When James was younger, there was a TV advert for Shake N’ Vac, and a woman would shake some powder on the carpet then vacuum it up to make it clean. I remember James

8 • WAR CRY • 19 June 2021

Malcolm and Margaret (left) enjoy a film premiere with their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren

INTERVIEW

knew they’d hear raucous laughter coming from the dinner table. They were wonderful days, and we all got on incredibly well.’

As Malcolm watched his children growing up, it became apparent that James had a natural ability for entertaining people and making them laugh. While he was still at primary school, he told his dad that he planned to become an actor.

‘We took him to auditions from when he was about nine, but he didn’t get any roles until his teens,’ says Malcolm. ‘I remember taking him to London for an audition for the National Youth Theatre. He got through the first and second rounds but then wasn’t selected to go any further.

Seeing your child rejected is a very hard thing to take.

‘On the way home, we stopped for lunch, and I said to him: “Mate, why don’t you pack it in?” The joy of acting was great, but the pursuing of it was a different story. James replied: “Dad, this is what I’ve got to do.” That’s when I realised that

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From page 9

COLLECTION CHRISTOPHEL/ALAMY

there was no point trying to inject any reality into him. Acting was what he wanted and, by hook or by crook, he was going to have a jolly good go at it.’

In 1999, James landed a role in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks. For Malcolm, watching his son on screen for the first time was a strange experience.

‘Seeing James portray someone else was very odd,’ he says. ‘I watched him, thinking: That’s him – but it’s not him. That’s not who James is.’

A handful of other television and theatre roles followed, then James landed the gig that changed everything. In 2004, he appeared in The History Boys, a play by Alan Bennett staged at the National Theatre in London.

‘I phoned him after that audition to see how it had gone,’ Malcolm remembers.

‘James told me that he’d overheard Alan Bennett saying he wanted to write a part specifically for him. We’d always tried to be a bit measured for James and remind him not to count all his chickens and so on. But when he did The History Boys, which turned into a worldwide tour

and film, we started to think: Hang on a minute, this is getting big now.’

After the success of The History Boys, James starred in the BBC comedy drama Gavin and Stacey, the series he co-wrote with actress Ruth Jones. Malcolm and

Margaret were huge fans.

‘Of course, a lot of things happen in the show that happened in our own house,’ says Malcolm. ‘There’s a scene where Pam is on a diet and thinks her husband Mick isn’t being very understanding, so she says she won’t eat her steak any more and pokes her tongue out at him. That really happened at our kitchen table.’

EVERETT COLLECTION INC/ALAMY

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James landed a role in the play ‘The History Boys’, which became a film

hile Malcolm was thrilled to see James’s acting career taking off, he couldn’t help but feel concerned by reports he read in the papers about his son’s partying lifestyle.

‘There came a time when things weren’t good for James,’ says Malcolm. ‘His behaviour was often reported in

INTERVIEW

I don’t know how parents cope without the strength of a faith

James taking a selfie with his parents at the Tony awards (above) and (left) as Smithy in ‘Gavin and Stacey’

the papers, but a lot of what was printed wasn’t true. I think he was beginning to realise that the pot of gold isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Margaret and I were a bit worried about him, so one day, when we were in London, I called him up and asked if we could pop round.

‘When we got to the flat and saw James, I just wanted to hug him. I remember saying to him: “You’ve gone through a bad patch, but it’s a learning experience. We are here because we love you.” Then I said a prayer, asking God to surround and comfort him, to grant him grace and to show him that this wasn’t how life had to be. Bless him, he was open to that. He seemed grateful. And there was a much lighter mood in the flat when we left.’

Months later, on a morning when Malcolm was on his way to work, he had another ‘overwhelming sense’ that he needed to pray for James.

‘I didn’t expect James to be awake that early, so I just texted him that I was praying for him,’ Malcolm says. ‘He rang me straight back, saying: “Dad, you have no idea how much I needed to hear that.”

These days, whenever Margaret and I say to James that we are praying for him, he never dismisses it. We pray for

all of our children, their spouses and our grandchildren every day.’

As James’s level of fame increased, so the close relationship of the Corden family endured and became stronger. On occasion, James has asked his parents and sisters if they would be willing to share his spotlight. In 2016, he invited his parents to take a trip to San Francisco to cover Superbowl 50 for a segment on The Late Late Show. They agreed – and were a hit with viewers.

‘The joke was that we knew nothing about American football,’ says Malcolm. ‘But we gave it a go and we’ve been covering the Superbowl for James every year since. He has also sent us to the Grammy and Tony awards, where we interviewed stars on the red carpet. We never know who half these people are, which is the joy of it. For a couple of retireds, it’s been great fun.’

Last summer, James asked Malcolm if he would be willing to film a segment for The Late Late Show about the Bible.

The request came after President Trump had been photographed holding a Bible outside a church near the White House.

‘I used to sell Bibles for a living,’ explains Malcolm. ‘So James asked me to

I texted James that I was praying for him

film a little tutorial video showing people how to hold it properly. I said yes, then asked him if I could perhaps read from the Bible as well. Straightaway, James agreed. He didn’t even hesitate. So I read an excerpt from Psalm 37 live on television. That was a real highlight for me.’

While many Christians may shy away from putting their faith in the spotlight, Malcolm is quick to point out that he’d be lost without it. He tells me that his relationship with God helps him to be a better parent.

‘I don’t know how parents cope without the strength of a faith,’ he says. ‘Faith is our foundation. Family life is so diverse at times, so having a faith which draws Margaret and me together is helpful. It brings me a knowledge of a light in the darkness, and a peace when things are tough. God gives me reassurance daily that he loves me unconditionally.

‘As parents, we tried our best to bring up our children by exposing them to the truth of the gospel and the awareness of a risen Saviour. But they have to choose to believe that for themselves. Our prayer remains that they will know the love of God in their lives and that they will have the grace to understand that love and the wherewithal to acknowledge and share it.’

19 June 2021 • WAR CRY • 11

EXPLORE

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.

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK Drama series reveals an age-old concept

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

KATE WINSLET told Radio 4’s Today programme that she was ‘adamant’ about not ‘digitally altering’ her body when she played the Pennsylvanian detective Mare Sheehan in the US crime drama Mare of Easttown.

As presenter Nick Robinson chatted with the Oscar-winning actress, he made reference to an interview that Kate had given previously about the series, in which she described her stomach as a ‘bulging belly’ in one particular scene. When Nick asked why it was important for her to show her body on screen without digital enhancement or flattering make-up, Kate replied that ‘it was appropriate for the role’.

She said that the makers of the drama were ruthless about keeping the character ‘as real as possible’. She went on to point out that the character of Mare – in her un-airbrushed state – ‘resonated with audiences’, which was an ‘empowering moment’.

‘Hopefully other women will feel they can go more easily on themselves as a result because, frankly, it’s just real,’ she said.

While I admire Kate’s confidence in presenting her body on screen without digital enhancement, I must admit that I find it strange, and perhaps a little sad, that such a story was deemed newsworthy. Kate is an actress in her mid-forties. She played a character who was in her mid-forties. Isn’t it only natural that her body looked its age, complete with wrinkles and rounded edges? Why does it have to be considered radical and brave – and a hot topic for interview – for an actress to show the world what she truly looks like?

Though magazines may try to tell us otherwise, there is nothing wrong with being our age and looking it. Life moves forward and people change – including their appearance. It’s OK not to look 20 years old if we are 40. It can be a relief finally to arrive at a place of self-acceptance.

What can also help us is to know that it is not only our own acceptance that we can experience. Christians believe that God accepts us as we are and loves us unconditionally – whoever we are, whatever we’ve done and regardless of what we look like. Now, that really is an empowering realisation.

Life moves forward and people change

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

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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 • 19 June 2021

EXPRESSIONS

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QUICK QUIZ 1

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Which group had a hit in 1979 with the song ‘September’?

Aoraki/Mount Cook is the highest mountain of which country in the southern hemisphere?

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Who won best actress at the 2019 Academy awards for her role in film The Favourite?

Italian Alessandro di Spina is credited with the introduction of spectacles to Europe in which century?

Who wrote the play Peter Pan? ‘Approaching Menace’ is the name of the theme tune for which TV quiz?

ANSWERS

Weeded out T

HE parable of the weeds is the first of ten which Jesus introduces with the phrase ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like…’ (Matthew 13:24 New International Version). Although there are recurring themes, such as division and things being hidden, each simile offers a key to understanding the Kingdom.

In this tale, Jesus likens the Kingdom to a sower of good wheat seed. During the night, a rival sows weeds in the same field. Over the weeks, the wheat and the weeds grow. The man’s labourers, who possibly had prepared the ground for sowing, ask the farmer where the weeds have come from. The man knows it is not their fault and identifies this sabotage as the work of an enemy.

The labourers offer to weed the field, but the sower knows that the weeds grow so close to the host plants that he could lose the crop. So he tells them that weeding, at this stage, would do more harm than good. He will let the wheat and weeds grow until harvest time. Then he will direct the harvesters to clear and burn the weeds, after which the wheat will be The wheat gathered into his barn.

How is that like the Kingdom of Heaven? and the Jesus explains. He – ‘the Son of Man’ weeds grow (13:37) – is the sower. The field is the world. The seed represents the ‘people of the Kingdom’ and the weeds are ‘the people of the evil one’ (13:38). The weed-sower is ‘the Devil’ (13:39).

The harvest comes at ‘the end of the age’, when angels, at Jesus’ command, will weed out of his Kingdom everything that ‘causes sin and all who do evil’ and ‘throw them into the blazing furnace’ (13:40-42). The ‘righteous’, however, will ‘shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father’ (13:43).

The Kingdom of Heaven, therefore, is a realm where there is no place for sin. Under the future Kingdom of Heaven, God’s justice and mercy will reign supreme. Those who are intent on evil might, like weeds, seemingly prosper at present. One day, though, God will bring them to account, while those who are faithful to him will reap their reward.

1. Earth, Wind and Fire. 2. New Zealand.

3. Olivia Colman. 4. The 13th century.

5. JM Barrie. 6. Mastermind.

3

In this occasional series, Nigel Bovey unlocks the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, which Jesus speaks to his disciples about in Matthew’s Gospel

19 June 2021 • WAR CRY • 13

PUZZLES

CROSSWORD QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Dread (4) 3. Drink (3) 5. Talk (4) 7. Gathered (9) 9. Good fortune (4) 10. Cry (4) 11. Appended (5) 14. Medieval contest (5) 15. Adroit (5) 17. Entrails (5) 18. Inexperienced (5) 19. Kindle (5) 20. Before time (5) 23. Crystal (4) 25. Soon (4) 27. Competent (9) 28. Wound mark (4)

29. Drinking vessel (3) 11. Make amends (5) 30. Lazy (4) 12. Delay (5) DOWN 13. Dawdle (5) 1. Tumbled (4) 14. Dance (3) 2. Hazard (4) 16. Small child (3) 3. Avarice (5) 21. Truism (5) 4. Illustrious (5) 22. Mendacious (5) 5. Masticate (4) 23. Fail to hit (4) 6. Excursion (4) 24. Distant (4) 7. Assent (9) 25. Against (4) 8. Cleaning agent (9) 26. Naked (4)

SUDOKU

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

HONEYCOMB HONEYCOMB

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

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. Small wig

2. Basket for picnic food

3. Garden tool for cutting 4. Journey in an aircraft

6. Fold of skin covering the eye

ANSWERS HONEYCOMB 1. Toupee. 2. Hamper. 3. Shears.

4. Flight. 5. Bikini. 6. Eyelid.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Fear. 3. Gin. 5. Chat.

7. Assembled. 9. Luck. 10. Weep.

11. Added. 14. Joust. 15. Adept.

17. Offal. 18. Green. 19. Light. 20. Early.

23. Mica. 25. Anon. 27. Efficient.

28. Scar. 29. Mug. 30. Idle.

DOWN: 1. Fell. 2. Risk. 3. Greed.

4. Noble. 5. Chew. 6. Trip. 7. Acquiesce.

8. Detergent. 11. Atone. 12. Defer.

13. Dally. 14. Jig. 16. Tot. 21. Axiom.

22. Lying. 23. Miss. 24. Afar.

25. Anti. 26. Nude.

4 9 1 3 6 8 7 2 5

7 5 3 1 4 2 6 9 8

8 2 6 5 9 7 4 3 1

9 3 2 4 1 6 8 5 7

6 4 7 9 8 5 2 1 3

5 1 8 2 7 3 9 4 6

1 8 9 7 3 4 5 6 2

3 6 5 8 2 9 1 7 4

2 7 4 6 5 1 3 8 9

SUDOKU SOLUTION

5 3 1 5 5 1 6 8 3 6 2 4

14 • WAR CRY • 19 June 2021

ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH

5. Two-piece swimsuit

WORDSEARCH

4 Look 7 up, 8 down, 9 6forwards, 5 1 backwards 3 2 and diagonally on the grid to find board 9 these 5 2 3 games 4 1 8 6 7 1 3 6 2 7 8 9 5 4 P Z H Y L P I H S E L T T A B S P C 3 1 5 4 9 2 7 8 6 I Q A Q P S W Q O D B F N Z N L W G 6 4 9 1 8 I 7N A R C S V 3 2 5 H Z R G V E Z V H M U S Q G D E 8S W H S Z I Q K D A G T 2 7 6 5 3 4 9 1 V E R L Y Q S Z Y G K Y E V T O Z H S 6 4 8T S 2 L 9A Q D W G 5 1 3 L L Z K N V 7O H W R S N O G A R D D N A S N O E G N U D 2 9 3 5 1 4 6 7 8 T Q O B E C H R N Q N M V P S D A K 5 8 1 7 3 6 2 4 9 A O F M Z D N D Q O Z O C F O Z R U

BACKGAMMON BATTLESHIP BOGGLE CATAN CHAUPAR CHESS CRANIUM DRAUGHTS DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS

LUDO

MONOPOLY

NOUGHTS AND CROSSES

OWARE

PICTIONARY

REVERSI

SCRABBLE

SNAKES AND LADDERS TRIVIAL PURSUIT

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

6 8

Tofu noodle stir-fry Ingredients

Method

225g firm tofu

Drain the tofu and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut into bitesized pieces and season with black pepper.

Freshly ground black pepper Oil spray 2 banana shallots, peeled and sliced 2 orange peppers, sliced 2.5cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped 225g packet baby corn, carrots and mangetout 225g bean sprouts 225g straight-to-wok noodles

SERVES

4

1tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce

Heat a non-stick wok or frying pan. Lightly spray with oil and add the tofu. Stir-fry quickly over a high heat, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.

Add the shallots and peppers to the pan and stir-fry over a high heat for 4-5 minutes, until the peppers soften. Add the ginger, baby corn, carrots and mangetout and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Finally add the bean sprouts and stirfry for a further 2 minutes.

Fold in the noodles and soy sauce until heated through.

Return the tofu to the pan and stir well. Serve immediately.

Blackcurrant and raspberry ice cream Ingredients

Method

600ml unsweetened soya milk

Pour the milk and a few drops of vanilla extract into a medium-sized pan and bring to the boil.

Vanilla extract 1tbsp cornflour 4 egg yolks 2tbsp icing sugar 300g can blackcurrants in fruit juice, drained 200g frozen raspberries

In a bowl, whisk together the cornflour, egg yolks and icing sugar. Pour the heated milk into the cornflour mixture, stir, then return to the pan. Simmer on a low heat until the mixture thickens.

Cool the mixture and then stir through the blackcurrants and raspberries.

Transfer to a freezer-proof container. Freeze for 2 hours, then beat with a fork to remove the ice crystals. Return to the freezer and freeze until solid. Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Diabetes UK website diabetes.org.uk

SERVES

4

19 June 2021 • WAR CRY • 15

Thankfully, God doesn’t give up on us Joyce Meyer

WAR CRY