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 7646
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: Lyndon Buckingham
Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill
Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn
WITH the summer officially over, TV channels are lining up some of their biggest programmes to tempt us to stay in on these cooler autumnal evenings.
As we report in this week’s War Cry, the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing is being aired tonight (Saturday 23 September) as 15 celebrities take to the dancefloor. Meanwhile on Tuesday (26 September) the big tent is back on Channel 4 for The Great British Bake Off, with the contestants hoping to show off their culinary talents.
It was a lack of baking talent that caused a problem for Thomas Herbert 100 years ago. With his wife, Mabel, Thomas planned to start his own bakery but there was one significant hindrance – the bread he baked was dreadful. That’s according to Thomas’s grandson Trevor Herbert, who this week tells us his grandfather’s story.
‘He and my grandmother got on their knees and prayed that a man would be sent to help them. Before they could get off their knees, they heard a bicycle in the village. It was a baker,’ he says as he explains how this response to their prayers led his grandparents to establish the bakery as a faith-based business.
Today Trevor is continuing the family trade – and the Christian ethos – with Hobbs House Bakery which, as well as providing employment to more than 160 people, supports local charities by donating 200 loaves every week. The bakery also provides cookery lessons in schools.
‘I believe that, as Christians, we have a duty to make sure that everything we touch is to the benefit of both the planet and people,’ Trevor says, before adding how faith benefits him: ‘Jesus has loved us and provided us with more than we could ever hope for.’
Trevor is not alone in believing that he has been blessed so much that he wants to reach out and help people who are finding life tough. It’s one of the ways in which many Christians are making a positive difference in the world –whatever the season may be.