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 7535
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
THERE has been a lot of talk of milestones over the past few months, as politicians, health experts and the rest of the population plot and try to follow roadmaps out of Covid-19 restrictions. As more events are given the green light, some people are heading out on the road. The Music Venue Trust and artists such as Tom Jones hope that their Revive Live Tour will be another significant step along the way of bringing the communal joy of live music back to those making it, those staging it and those hearing it. As well as reporting on the re-emergence of gigs, this week’s War Cry hears how one woman is helping people mark another type of milestone. Baby milestone cards have become a popular way for parents to mark stages in their child’s development. But when she was looking for such cards after the birth of her first child, Deborah Ajaja could not find any that represented her son’s skin colour. So she set up Colour Celebrations, which produces milestone cards for black and mixed-race babies. Deborah tells us that in running the company, she draws on what God wants her to do: ‘helping people feel their very best’. She wants her business ‘to bring light and change, to affirm children’ in a world where ‘it’s important to identify, acknowledge and embrace differences’. The importance of honouring people of all colours and backgrounds has been underlined again by events mentioned elsewhere in this issue. The abuse directed at footballers Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford on social media in the days that followed the Euro 2020 Championship has highlighted the continuing human failing of racism. In a social media post of its own, The Salvation Army reiterated its belief that ‘racism is contrary to God’s intention for humankind and that we must stand up and speak out against racism wherever it exists’. Let us hope – more than that, let us do our best to ensure – that in the fight against racism, ad the War C e re ry v 2021 becomes a milestone. ’ u
CONTENTS
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
INFO Your local Salvation Army centre
2 • WAR CRY • 24 July 2021
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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
From the editor’s desk
When yo
What is The Salvation Army?
6
FEATURES
3
Back on the road
Stars play grassroots venues
5
Park life
Green spaces celebrated
6 ‘We aim to include and inform’
8
Making milestone cards for black and
mixed-race babies
8
Not just for laughs
TV sitcom writer pens gospel book
REGULARS
4
War Cry World
12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought!
15
14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen