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.
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 7637
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major
Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow
Production Editor: Ivan Radford
Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku
Staff Writer: Emily Bright
Staff Writer: Claire Brine
Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk
Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston
Graphic Designer: Mark Knight
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London
SE1 6BN
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 Julian Watchorn
FROM this weekend, pupils of all ages can join Alice Cooper in declaring, ‘School’s out for summer’.
Now that schools in England and Wales have joined their counterparts in the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland in finishing lessons, there are more parents facing the challenges of childcare, the absence of free school meals and the perpetual responsibility of making sure their offspring are entertained.
In this week’s War Cry, we find out more about an activity centre, run by Christian Youth Enterprises, which hosts adventure holidays for members of churches, schools and youth groups.
‘At the beginning of a camp, there may be a lot of apprehensive teenagers all looking round, unsure of how to interact,’ Mark Sheldrake, the centre director tells us. ‘By the end of the week, these young people have found a community who accept and love them.’
While the adventure holidays are specifically for children and young people aged up to 30, the opportunity to find Christian communities offering acceptance and love is available to all ages. In this week’s issue, we also speak with Dayle Hill who found a place to belong at a church she started to attend after God answered her desperate prayer to heal her sick cat. Before her cat was ill, Dayle had stopped believing in God.
And yet God responded to her when she called out to him. That acceptance and love inspired her to run events for adults in her community.
‘We have a whatever club on a Tuesday, crafty coffee on Friday and Zumba,’ she says. ‘We’ve got people coming out of their homes who are lonely and who suffer from anxiety, so we’ve made our groups a safe place, where they know they can come and have a coffee or just come in, say hello and go back out again.’
Every person has worth and value, whoever they may be. They are also loved and accepted by God – and that’s a lesson well worth learning.