War Cry 23 May 2020 by The Salvation Army UK and Ireland

23 May 2020 20p/25c

Battle fatigues WHICH CELEBRITIES WILL ENDURE ON TVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SAS CHALLENGE?

From the editor’s desk

What is The Salvation Army? 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

EIGHT o’clock on a Thursday evening has taken on a new significance in the United Kingdom. It is when people leave the sanctuary of their home to gather by the front door, at the bottom of the garden path or on a high-rise flat’s balcony to clap for our carers. It has become so important that it is even broadcast live on television. There is a consensus that we should be showing our appreciation for frontline workers. They are, in some cases, putting their lives on the line so that the basic activities needed to sustain life in a world of lockdown and social distancing can continue. It is not only on a Thursday evening that such appreciation is shown. Over the past few weeks, refuse disposal workers have found thank-you notes on the bags of rubbish left out for them to collect and postal workers have been praised by Prince Charles for still delivering the country’s mail. And throughout this time, children have been drawing rainbows and placing them in their windows for NHS staff to see. However, long before people had heard of the coronavirus or social distancing, some were already aware of the phenomenal job frontline workers do and wanted to show their support. Take, for example, Tim Parsons. Tim is a volunteer chaplain for the South East Coast Ambulance Service. In this week’s War Cry, he speaks about working with paramedics and the impact that the virus has had on them. ‘There is a lot of anxiety,’ he says. ‘These people are working hard and they need to be valued.’ Tim is right. We do need to value those people who work for our welfare – and not just during this crisis. We must continue that gratitude in the future. It will be a good thing if, once the coronavirus battle has been won, we are a more grateful and appreciative nation.

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 7475

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

While it’s much better to have your weekly copy of the War Cry in your hands, we recognise that at the moment it is hard for some people to obtain a copy. So, as an alternative while the coronavirus restrictions are in place, you can access the War Cry at salvationarmy.org.uk

Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888

Contents

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

FEATURES 3

Who’ll dare win? Celebrities reach the final stages of their SAS training

Beyond comparison Why it’s important for women to value themselves

Caring for the crews The role of the paramedics’ chaplain

Thoughtful broadcasts Rhidian Brook on 20 years of presenting Radio 4’s Thought for the Day

REGULARS 12

Browsing the Bible

Now, There’s a Thought!

14 Puzzles 15

War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: Pete Dadds

2 • War Cry • 23 May 2020

Minnow Films

TELEVISION Locksmith and Lauren are put through their paces

Battle stations

HEY dared, but they did not win. Former model Katie Price, Strictly star Brendan Cole and TV presenter Anthea Turner started a gruelling SAS recruitment course, but viewers of Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins have watched them and other celebrities drop out of the programme. When the final episode is screened on Monday (25 May), only half of the original dozen famous names will be left. Musician Locksmith, former boxer Tony Bellew, Paralympian Lauren Steadman and TV stars Nikki Sanderson, Joey Essex and Helen Skelton are the remaining six still coping with the challenges on a remote Scottish island. Over the past five weeks, viewers have seen them jump out of helicopters, off cliffs and into freezing rapid rivers. The celebrities have also had to fight each other, hang from a rope several hundred feet in the air and lug heavy items across tough terrain – in the case of petite Hollyoaks actress Nikki, that included 17-stone heavyweight Tony. All these activities have been carried out under the scrutiny of chief instructor Ant Middleton. The former British special forces operative is a harsh taskmaster. His recruits have been shouted and screamed at as they have struggled to complete the gruelling tasks assigned to them, with no special help or guidance given. There have been no ‘arm-around-the-

Andrew Stone sees if a group of celebrities have a fighting chance of completing military exercises shoulder’ moments when one of the celebrities has come up short in a task. Instead Ant, or one of his team, has made it clear that the recruit has failed to achieve what was expected of them. Perhaps one of the most striking elements of the treatment that the celebrities have endured is that they are never referred to by their name. Throughout the whole experience, these stars, whose names in many other circumstances would open doors and create opportunities, are known only by their number. It’s as if, at a time when they may be feeling alone while facing severe challenges, the recruits are deprived not just of their celebrity status, but also their identity. When people experience testing times – whether on an army exercise or in wider life with relationships, money or health – they long to feel supported. Sadly, those hardships can come during the times when people feel most alone. Millions of people, though, have found comfort, guidance and support in their Christian faith. Followers of Jesus sometimes refer to him as their shepherd, turning to imagery that he used. Jesus described himself as ‘the good shepherd’, and said that a shepherd

‘calls his own sheep by name and leads them out’ (John 10:11 and 3 New International Version). We do not have to face life’s challenges and difficulties alone, feeling that we do not matter. Jesus knows us by name and, if we are willing to follow him, he can guide us through the toughest times. Will we dare to put our trust in him?

The recruits are deprived of their identity

Ant Middleton 23 May 2020 • War Cry • 3

It’s a trap! Helen Roberts tells Claire Brine why she wants to help women find freedom from comparison

‘W

Helen Roberts

E compare women all the time,’ says Helen Roberts. ‘There’s a narrative in western culture that sets women up to compete with one another, and most women buy into it. But I want to encourage women to be on each other’s team instead of fighting against each other. We can choose to be jealous and competitive or we can choose to champion one another and celebrate our differences.’ As we discuss the ideas in her book The Comparison Trap, Helen, who is the leader of a church in Watford, suggests several reasons why women fall into the trap of comparing themselves with other women. age-old problem, dating back to biblical ‘When we tell fairytales to our children, there’s usually a good princess and a wicked times. She tells me the Old Testament story of Leah and Rachel, ‘who fought with one princess,’ she explains. ‘Think of Cinderella another about who had the most babies’. and her wicked stepsisters, or Snow White But Helen also explores the pressures and her evil stepmother. Young girls grow up believing this cultural narrative that near every that women are facing in a modern context. Today, social media can pose a huge problem great woman there’s always going to be a – particularly among young people. wicked one. ‘On Instagram, people are presenting ‘That same narrative is played out in real life. The media, for example, will often depict photos that are airbrushed and filtered,’ she says. ‘Everybody does it. But we tend to Kate Middleton as the “good” princess forget that. So young people are looking at whom everyone loves – and Meghan Markle these photos and not seeing the effort that is accused of coming in and “stealing the has gone into making prince”. them. When they ‘But despite this can’t replicate these animosity towards perfect pictures, they women in general – feel inadequate and and the oppression frustrated.’ against women The compulsion to globally – I believe compare and the consequent feelings of that women don’t need to compete inadequacy are all too familiar to Helen. For with one another, because we are a long time, she felt jealous of other women made uniquely and wonderfully with children. by God.’ ‘Walking around shopping centres, I was In her book, Helen explains convinced that everyone I saw was pregnant. that the comparison trap is an I already had one child, but I wanted another one, and it consumed me. ‘Being trapped by jealousy and comparison made me self-absorbed. It also caused me to forget the good things in my life. I was so incessantly focused on the fact that God wasn’t answering my prayer for another baby that I even forgot that I’d been healed of cancer. There was so much I could have been grateful for, but I was pulled into comparison negativity. ‘Contentment with what we have is one of the missing ingredients for many women. It’s why the Bible encourages us all to count our blessings and be thankful.’ While Helen believes that finding contentment is key for women who want to escape the comparison trap, she understands that feelings of inadequacy still need to be expressed. ‘The Bible tells us that we should come to God with our yearnings and hand them over to him,’ she says. ‘We need to stop holding on so tightly to our longings and

On Instagram, people present photos that are airbrushed

4 • War Cry • 23 May 2020

INTERVIEW PA

The media compares real-life princesses Meghan and Kate

comparisons. When we let them go, we are opening our hands to receive something else – God’s peace that passes understanding.’ Helen also wants to highlight to women that no matter how inferior they may feel, God loves them just as they are. ‘Psalm 139 says that God’s thoughts towards us are “precious” and too numerous to count,’ she says. ‘That tells me that God delights in us. He loves us.’ Although Helen believes that ‘putting God front and centre’ is the best way for women to steer clear of the pitfalls of comparison, she points out that taking some practical steps can also be helpful. ‘First, we can start a daily habit of pausing for gratitude,’ she says. ‘Secondly, we can

choose our influences carefully. When we follow someone on social media, we need to ask ourselves: “Does this person make me feel good about myself? Or do I feel inadequate?” Sometimes I have unfollowed people on Twitter because of the negative feelings they evoke in me. I’ve also set a time limit on my social media accounts, so I’m not online for too long. We can make those choices. ‘Thirdly, we can learn to embrace our strengths and not just acknowledge our weaknesses. The spectrum of womanhood is vast. No one needs to be threatened by anyone else. When women recognise their own strengths – and also recognise the strengths of other women – it’s liberating for everyone.’

l The Comparison Trap is published by SPCK 23 May 2020 • War Cry • 5

Crews Tim Parsons

Paramedic chaplain TIM PARSONS talks to Emily Bright about being the one the ambulance service personnel call when they are in urgent need of emotional support

ARAMEDICS raced to save the life of a three-day-old boy who had stopped breathing while at home. He would spend the first two weeks of his life in a critical condition at Evelina London Children’s Hospital. His father, Tim Parsons, recalls: ‘We very nearly lost our middle son. Had it not been for the paramedics, I don’t think he would be with us now.’ Tim was keen to show his gratitude to the NHS. So when a vacancy for a volunteer chaplain for the South East Coast Ambulance Service opened up, Tim, who was already serving in a similar volunteer role at a dementia care home, applied for the position. He joined the crew two years ago and, before the coronavirus outbreak, his duties had taken on a routine. ‘I’d go into the station in Medway once a week, ministering to people and just being there,’ he says. ‘Sometimes it’s about listening to someone who’s going through personal issues, and other times it’s having conversations. ‘I also went out with the crews during their shifts and sat at the back of the ambulance. Then the adrenaline kicks in. You feel the crew’s frustration and experience what the paramedics are experiencing. ‘I went to one job involving a lorry and a car on a motorway. I could feel my heart beating fast. When you go to such incidents, it’s actually quite scary.’ Other call-outs have proved to be far less dramatic, and often Tim is simply there as an extra helping hand, both practically and

6 • War Cry • 23 May 2020

INTERVIEW

need care too

emotionally, as instructed by the crew. ‘They ask you to pass equipment and help in practical ways,’ he says. ‘I’ve learnt various things from observing the paramedics, such as checking blood pressure and pulses, and some basic first aid.’ Sometimes Tim can use his own specialist skills to help on a call-out. ‘On one of the jobs, we went to a patient who had a problem with their lifeline, which is an emergency button that they can press if they need assistance,’ he explains. ‘I’m also a computer engineer, and so while the paramedics were making their medical assessment, I fixed the lifeline’s wiring to the phone. I wasn’t expecting that on a 999 call!’ His Christian faith comes to the fore when supporting not only paramedics, but also patients. As a chaplain, he is on hand to console concerned and bereaved families. ‘I attended a Christian family where a brother had died,’ he says. ‘I ended up babysitting the kids with another relative while the parents were mourning. ‘I sat with the family for a long time that day, and I found myself reading a lot of prayers and words of comfort from a praise book I had brought with me. Most of my role involves being there and listening.’ Tim has translated his experiences of call-outs into a series of children’s books

based on a character called Paramedic Chris, named after a paramedic that he met while on one of his first shifts as chaplain. He remembers: ‘I thought: “Wait a minute, we’ve got Fireman Sam – how about something for ambulances?” ‘The ideas grew from there. All three books are based on real calls I’ve been to. I’ve written ideas down in the back of ambulances when I’ve been out thirdmanning, so they stay fresh in my mind. I run it past the real paramedic Chris, who is a clinician, and he goes over the story with me before I get it published.’ Recently, the way that Tim interacts with the paramedics as chaplain has changed. He is restricted by social distancing guidelines in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. However, the need to provide pastoral support to the ambulance team has perhaps never been so pressing. ‘With this epidemic going on, I can’t even go into the stations,’ Tim explains. ‘At the moment I’m providing support over the phone, and messaging people. We’ve got many staff who are very concerned, and there is a lot of anxiety. So it’s nice to have someone who can listen on the other end of the line. These people are working hard and they need to be valued.’ Tim has experienced some tough times in his own life and within his role as

I’m asked to pass equipment and help in practical ways

chaplain, but he still holds fast to his faith. ‘I’ve seen patients and other people within the ambulance service die. It can leave a lot of questions in your head,’ he says. ‘However, I keep coming back to the conclusion that God is with us, and whatever happens in this life, we can trust in him.’ l The Paramedic Chris series is published by New Generation Tim signs one of his books

23 May 2020 • War Cry • 7

Novelist and screenwriter RHIDIAN BROOK has been contributing to Radio 4’s Thought for the Day slot for 20 years. Now he has collected some of those Thoughts in a book. He tells Philip Halcrow about his aim to ‘help the weary and the wary’ get through their day

OR a radio slot that is ‘deeply boring’, it seems to generate a lot of excitement. Three years ago, Thought for the Day made headlines when one of the presenters of Radio 4’s Today – the programme in which the slot appears – criticised it in an interview with Radio Times. John Humphrys complained that it was ‘inappropriate’ and generally ‘deeply, deeply boring’. The letters pages of newspapers subsequently filled up with correspondence arguing for and against the two minutes forty-five seconds of daily religious reflection. A year later, comedian Ed Byrne, TV presenter Sandi Toksvig and scientist and broadcaster Alice Roberts were among the patrons of Humanists UK who signed a letter saying that the BBC should open up Thought for the Day to humanists. The slot has been the subject of such complaints and debates for years. Rhidian Brook – TV scriptwriter and author of novels such as the recently filmed The Aftermath – knows first-hand the way the broadcasts can provoke a variety of reactions. Since 2000, he has contributed more than 200 Thoughts, some of which have been collected together in his new book Godbothering.

8 • War Cry • 23 May 2020

‘By and large,’ he tells me, ‘the responses I’ve had have been positive. Back in the day, people would write letters to you. Now they can tweet or email you, so the reaction is much quicker. I can be leaving the studio at eight o’clock and I’m already getting tweets. ‘I did a Thought quite recently about dementia and that generated a positive conversation. So I would say that interaction with the public has been improved by social media. ‘I’ve had a few hostile responses and a couple of unpleasant experiences, but essentially I’ve felt very encouraged.’ Referencing the title of his book, Rhidian describes himself as ‘a Christian, though not really a Godbotherer in the traditional sense of the term – though I know there are some people who think I am’. And he is aware that not everyone is keen on either the contents or the concept of Thought for the Day. ‘I break the audience down into three constituencies,’ he says. ‘There are the

atheists or humanists who will always be unhappy with it – and I have some sympathy for that. Then there are the religious people who think that I’m never religious enough. Lastly there’s a bigger group – which is most of us to some degree – of the weary and the wary and the people who are just trying to get through their day. And the longer that I’ve done Thought for the Day, the more I’ve tried to keep these people in mind.’ In wanting to offer something useful, Rhidian often draws on personal experiences. ‘There is a place for abstract argument, but I think I’ve done less of that as time has gone on,’ he says. ‘I do a lot of Thoughts in the first person.’ So Godbothering contains Thoughts based on a conversation with a friend who asked him why he believed in ‘all that religious nonsense’; his worries about where to send his son to school; the funeral of his 100-year-old stepgran; the approach of his 44th birthday; and his daughter’s challenging him over why he spent so

I was never short of a topic, because I was living it

INTERVIEW

Rhidian Brook much time checking his emails. It also includes reflections from 2006, when Rhidian and his family spent nine months witnessing Salvation Army HIV/Aids projects in countries including India, Kenya and China. He went on to document his experiences of the trip in a book, More than Eyes Can See. ‘I am the only person to have broadcast a sequence of Thoughts from abroad,’ he says. ‘On that Salvation Army trip, I did six or seven from various places, which was quite hairy because it’s a live programme – but we managed it. And I was never short of a topic, because I was living it.’ His Thoughts from the time spent in communities with a high prevalence of HIV/Aids signalled the ways in which his perspectives on life were being altered. In a broadcast a day after a visit to a Nairobi slum, he reflects: ‘I confess that after a few hours of walking through the Kibera, with the rain beginning to fall, I wanted to get away. I was worried about the dirt on my daughter’s feet and the drunk man

hassling my son for money. ‘Amazingly there are people in the world who subvert this disconnection. We were being shown around by just such a group from The Salvation Army – people who believe that one of the best ways to help people is to be with them.’ The Thought ends with his wondering whether such an attitude is easier ‘when you believe in a God who chose to be born in a pig’s sty and die on a hill of decaying garbage in order to remain connected’. Rhidian tells me: ‘One thing I’ve noticed about bringing all these Thoughts together as a book is that, although my faith has not changed, the way I express it and

practise it has. My trip with The Salvation Army changed my idea of what Christianity could look like. There’s something in the saying “You can’t serve what you ain’t cooking”. It comes down to authenticity. The word “author” also has the meaning of “authority” – it’s about having the authority to speak. And that authority perhaps comes more naturally when you have experienced the thing that you’re talking about.’ Slotting into a news programme, Rhidian’s Thought for the Day contributions have covered not only personal experiences but also headline-hitting stories of varying kinds. Godbothering includes his responses to the breaking news of David Beckham’s broken metatarsal ahead of the World Cup in 2002,

Turn to page 10

➥

On Thought for Day, Rhidian has covered subjects such as David Beckham’s broken metatarsal…

23 May 2020 • War Cry • 9

From page 9 see it as an alternative history of the first 20 years of the 21st century.’ The BBC flags Thought for the Day as ‘reflections from a faith perspective on issues and people in the news’. When Rhidian looks over this different kind of survey of the early years of the 21st century, how does he see God at work in the world? ‘I guess one thing I’ve noticed – and it was underlined for me by that trip with The Salvation Army that I wrote about in More than Eyes Can See – is that the world is in pretty bad shape, but it’s being held together by small acts of kindness. ‘We’re seeing that again now in this

pandemic. There’s obviously a lot of bad stuff going on, but kindness is also rising to the surface – and my theology is flexible enough to see that as God at work. I believe that anything that is kind or loving is of God. Whether each person acting out of kindness is a person of faith is a different matter. ‘The other thing I learnt on that trip with The Salvation Army was that faith is incarnational. I heard the word “incarnational” a lot. It’s about God being with people. It means we’ve got to be there for people. ‘At the moment we’re having to be there for people virtually. I’m trying to call people who are on their own. But sometimes you simply have to be there physically with someone – just to sit with them.’ Rhidian says his Thoughts also reflect his ‘absolute conviction that Scripture speaks to our condition and has something to say for everybody’. As

the political panic over hoodies, ‘nice guy’ Tom Pellereau winning The Apprentice, as well as the murder of Damilola Taylor, the subprime mortgage crisis and the attack on an aid convoy frustrating efforts to end fighting in Syria. ‘When you do a Thought, you are subject to the contingency of whatever is happening in the world at the time,’ explains Rhidian. ‘You can’t always choose your subject. Sometimes there is an event that demands that the Thought for the Day contributor speak about it. So there have been big events that I didn’t speak about, not because I didn’t want to but because I wasn’t on the radio. So, for instance, in the book there’s no 9/11, but there is a Thought on Grenfell. ‘Reading these Thoughts together for the book, I began to

…and the Grenfell Tower fire

The world is in pretty bad shape, but it’s being held together by small acts of kindness 10 • War Cry • 23 May 2020

INTERVIEW well as Jesus, he particularly likes quoting the prophets ‘because they took risks to speak truth to power, which is another role that Thought for the Day has – the programme doesn’t like you to be too political, but it’s a chance to speak on how you think God sees things, even if it isn’t going to be a popular thing to say’. He wonders what books atheists and humanists would quote were they allowed to broadcast Thoughts. ‘I’m not alone among the contributors to Thought for the Day that would like the slot to be opened up, partly just to see what they would say. At the same time, there’s very little space in our day for that kind of reflection, and it’s only a three-minute slot in a three-hour news programme. It’s not like other people don’t have a voice. And there are a lot of people of all faiths in this country, so why shouldn’t they have someone speaking into the day for them? ‘I hold the argument about who should be able to contribute to Thought for the Day quite lightly. I certainly don’t think it is a travesty that we don’t have atheists and humanists on, but then I don’t think it would be the end of the world if we did.’ Rhidian feels that there is an affection for the slot among all kinds of people. He detected it when he became, as far as he knows, the only person to present Thought for the Day ‘on the other side of eight o’clock’. He remembers: ‘The car that picked me up was late and the earliest I could get on was after Garry Richardson doing the sports news at 8.30. The next day The Guardian ran the third bit of its leader “In Praise of… Thought for the Day”.’ The Guardian, while citing the slot as the prompt that got some people out of bed, highlighted it as a ‘respite from the

Rhidian broadcasting during his journey to see Salvation Army HIV/Aids projects around the world

ping-pong debates elsewhere on Today’. So Thought for the Day seems able to provide something that is far from deeply, deeply boring. ‘Some people mark their day by it,’ says Rhidian, ‘and they like to hear something that’s hopefully a bit different.’

l Godbothering is published by SPCK

23 May 2020 • 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. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

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 Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book in the Scriptures

Jude

OR its size, this short letter poses a disproportionate number of conundrums. Being ascribed to ‘Jude … a brother of James’ could mean that the author is also ‘Judas’, a brother of Jesus (see Mark 6:3), but scholars are not agreed. The mysteries further deepen when the writer cites ‘Old Testament’ events that are not recorded elsewhere in the Bible. Neither the archangel Michael and the devil’s argument over the body of Moses (9) nor Enoch’s prophecy about the punishment of the wicked (14) appear in the set of books traditionally included in the Old Testament. Beyond dispute, though, are the subjects Jude raises: apostasy (the falling away from

Jude emphasises that the true faith is based on God’s love faith) and heresy (teaching that contradicts the faith). Jude says that his readers must contend for the true faith that was given ‘once for all’ time (3). He emphasises that the true faith is based on God’s love and ‘the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life’ (21). The challenge is twofold. First, false teachers are misinterpreting God’s

Do you have a story to share?

gracious willingness to forgive sin as a licence for reckless immorality (4). Among other things, Jude writes, they ‘pollute their own bodies’ (8), ‘slander’ (10), ‘follow their own evil desires’ and ‘boast about themselves’ (16). Secondly, they deny that Jesus is the Christ (4) – the definition of ‘antichrist’ according to John (see 1 John 2:22). Ultimately, as he did with the subversive angels, the sexually immoral citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, the murderous Cain, the wayward prophet Balaam and rebellious leader Korah, God will punish those who oppose him (11–13). Although Jude warns that opposition should be expected, falling away from the faith is not inevitable. Believers are to build themselves up by praying, keeping themselves in God’s love, being merciful to doubters and rescuing those whose souls are in mortal danger (17–23). In contrast to the dreaded judgment that awaits the wicked, God is able to keep the faithful from falling and ‘to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy’ (24).

Key verse

‘Wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life’ (Jude 21 New International Version)

Stay connected

CBAD a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry 12 • War Cry • 23 May 2020

salvationarmy.org.uk Visit the Salvation Army website for the latest on the organisation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and find links to your nearest centre.

EXPRESSIONS

Now, there’s a thought!

quick quiz 1

In which galaxy is planet Earth?

Who had No 1 hits in 1981 with the songs ‘This Ole House’ and ‘Green Door’?

a 3

Which recently revived children’s TV show from the 1960s and 1970s features pink creatures that live on a small planet and speak in whistles? In computing, approximately how many bytes of memory are in a megabyte? In which European capital is the Arc de Triomphe? Who directed the 1997 film Titanic?

ANSWERS

by Claire Brine

Let’s be alert to all that’s around us S

O, the advice from the UK prime minister is to stay alert in order to control the virus and save lives. For some, staying alert means staying home. For others, it means returning to work with heightened care regarding social distancing and hygiene. But many still say they have no idea what it means. While the coronavirus pandemic continues, some people have been turning to social media to list their frustrations, confusions and fears surrounding the guidelines we are given. Yes, they say, it makes good sense to be aware, vigilant, attentive, observant (and any other words that define ‘alert’ in the dictionary), but haven’t we been doing all those things for the past two months anyway? Many argue that the advice to ‘stay alert’ is well meaning, but nothing new. Honestly, I thought the same. Until I realised that staying alert is brilliant advice. Because, as the news threatens to consume my thinking, I need to make sure it doesn’t. Life is happening around me all the time – and I don’t want to miss it. Of course, there are the good things that I find easy to spot: my little girl taking her first tentative steps and friends reaching milestone birthdays. But I’m talking more about how important it is to stay alert to the things we can’t necessarily see. When we phone our friends, how alert are we to the tone of their voice when it indicates that everything, actually, isn’t OK? How alert are we to the feelings of our partner who has job insecurity after being furloughed? How alert are we to the anxiety of our teenage child who never got to sit their external exams and is worried about their future? While news reporters will tell us all they can about the coronavirus, they can’t tell us what’s happening in our own circles. Only we can stay alert to that for the sake of those we love – and, if necessary, take action.

Life is happening all around me all the time

1. The Milky Way. 2. Shakin’ Stevens. 3. Clangers. 4. One million. 5. Paris. 6. James Cameron.

23 May 2020 • War Cry • 13

PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Breadth (5) 4. More secure (5) 8. Exclamation of disgust (3) 9. Consecrate (5) 10. Lid (5) 11. Insect (3) 12. Punctuation mark (5) 13. Pamphlet (7) 16. No one (6) 19. Fertiliser (6) 23. Leg bone (7) 26. Rogue (5) 28. Uncooked (3) 29. Facial hair (5) 30. Separately (5) 31. Automobile (3)

HONEYCOMB

32. At that place (5) 33. Same again (5)

DOWN 2. Fantasy (5) 3. Male spouse (7) 4. Guard (6) 5. Control panel (5) 6. Competitor (5) 7. Explode (5) 9. Cured pig meat (5) 14. Merriment (3) 15. Hearing organ (3)

17. Possess (3) 18. Be in debt (3) 20. Clumsy (7) 21. Choose (5) 22. Coniferous tree (6) 23. Skewered meat dish (5) 24. Precise (5) 25. Seek by begging (5) 27. Separated (5)

SUDOKU

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

4 5

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

HONEYCOMB HONEYCOMB Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

Answers

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Width. 4. Safer. 8. Ugh. 9. Bless. 10. Cover. 11. Bee. 12. Comma. 13. Leaflet. 16. Nobody. 19. Manure. 23. Kneecap. 26. Knave. 28. Raw. 29. Beard. 30. Apart. 31. Car. 32. There. 33. Ditto. DOWN: 2. Dream. 3. Husband. 4. Shield. 5. Facia. 6. Rival. 7. Burst. 9. Bacon. 14. Fun. 15. Ear. 17. Own. 18. Owe. 20. Awkward. 21. Elect. 22. Spruce. 23. Kebab. 24. Exact. 25. Cadge. 27. Apart. HONEYCOMB 1. Cruise. 2. Bungee. 3. Poodle. 4. Ground. 5. Juliet. 6. Steals.

6 3 9 7 2 4 1 8 5

7 5 1 8 9 6 2 4 3

4 2 8 3 5 1 6 7 9

5 8 6 9 4 2 3 1 7

2 1 4 5 7 3 9 6 8

9 7 3 1 6 8 4 5 2

3 9 7 6 1 5 8 2 4

1 4 5 2 8 9 7 3 6

8 6 2 4 3 7 5 9 1

SUDOKU SOLUTION

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

14 • War Cry • 23 May 2020

Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch

1. Holiday on a ship 2. Long rubber band 3. Breed of dog 4. Soil 5. Shakespearean female character 6. Takes without permission

Wordsearch AFRICAN LILY BLUEBELL

COMMON POPPY DAFFODIL

FIELD DAISY

FORGET-ME-NOT

FRENCH MARIGOLD HOLLYHOCK

JAPANESE IRIS

MADEIRA ORCHID

MEADOW SAFFRON PETUNIA

STARFLOWER SUNFLOWER TULIP

Look 6 up, 7 down, 4 forwards, 5 2 9backwards 3 1 and diagonally on the grid to find these 3 flowers 5 2 8 1 7 9 4

8 6 9 1 8 6 4 I 3G O L 7 5D Q G 2 N Q F R E N C H M A R M B I Q Z O T T Q K D F H E T O Q Q 7 8 3 9 5 1 6 2 4 E B E Q R R Z O R Z U R Z S D Q K X 2 9 5M 4Q X C T 7 6 I 1 A J C E 8 3 G C L E S F D N E Q D W X 4 F W E 6 1 X X A Q H R Z Q P 2 3 8 5 9 7V K Z D L U A X M U W F C B I M A B N 1 2 6 3 9 4 8 7 5 X Q A Z Q S Z T C Z R F H E Q L D E L A I Q B W Z E U O 8 4 7 1 I 6 A Q S U V E U 5 2 3 9 I S S Z R O C G A W C U I E R Y J O 5 3 9 7 8 2 4 6 1 X T Y A Z D Y R H C A E B N D L Q G

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

Tomatoes and mini meatballs Ingredients

Method

2tbsp olive oil

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the carrot, celery, garlic and half the chopped onions for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the vine tomatoes and 2tsp herbs and fry for another 3 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock. Heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

1 carrot, finely chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 onions, finely chopped 600g British vine tomatoes, roughly chopped 3tsp dried Italian mixed herbs 300ml vegetable stock 250g lean minced beef Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2tsp balsamic vinegar 1tsp caster sugar SERVES

300g tagliatelle

20 British cherry tomatoes, halved Basil leaves, to garnish

Aromatic baked tomatoes Ingredients

Method

4 British beef tomatoes

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

25g butter 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 40g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs 1tbsp fresh herbs, chopped

Meanwhile, mix together the minced beef, the remaining onion and 1tsp herbs. Season well with salt and pepper. Form into 20 small meatballs. Heat a large frying pan, add the meatballs and fry gently for 12 minutes, turning occasionally. Once the sauce is ready, purée it in a blender. Adjust the seasoning and add the vinegar and sugar. Pour into the pan with the meatballs and keep warm over a low heat. Cook the tagliatelle according to the packet instructions. Drain and add to the pan with the sauce and meatballs. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for another minute. Garnish with basil leaves, to serve.

Stand the tomatoes on their stem ends and slice off the top quarter. Scoop out the tomato pulp and set aside in a bowl. Turn the tomatoes upside down to drain. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion, garlic and celery until soft but not browned. Stir in the breadcrumbs, herbs and tomato pulp. Season well. Fill the tomato cases with the mixture and replace the tops. Place the tomatoes in an ovenproof dish and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve hot. SERVES

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the British Tomato Growers’ Association website britishtomatoes.co.uk

23 May 2020 • War Cry • 15

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength Corrie ten Boom