War Cry 29 February

29 February 2020 20p/25c

WHY THE WELSH CELEBRATE ST DAVID

Spinning o u t the year

ON THE WRITE TRACK FOR WORLD BOOK DAY

WHAT ON EAR TH WIL L YOU DO WIT H THE EXTRA DAY?

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

THERE is something about turning over a new leaf that appeals to many people. Just ask high street book retailer Waterstones, which posted a 39 per cent increase in profits in its annual accounts for the last year.

Even if the leaves are not new, people still want to turn them, as evidenced by the fact that there are more than 200 million visits made to public libraries every year in the UK. Next Thursday (5 March) is World Book Day. To mark the date, in this week’s War Cry we speak with author Claire Fayers. Claire talks about her love of books covering Greek and British legends and particularly Welsh folklore – which is appropriate given that tomorrow (1 March) is St David’s Day. In this issue the dean of St Davids Cathedral, Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, tells us of the life and legacy of the patron saint of Wales.

Much of what is known about David was discovered in written accounts from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Books can be a source of information and entertainment but, engaging with the written word can also have a profound effect. The publisher of this magazine, The Salvation Army, produces books too. These include historical books, introductions to Christianity and personal reflections on key life issues. Full details of the titles can be found at facebook.com/shieldbooksuk In this week’s War Cry, we speak with another author, Mim Skinner. In writing a book about her experiences working in a women’s prison, she wanted to show that the prisoners she met were ‘resourceful and creative’ and had ‘so much potential’.

Some people may give up on those women. But Mim tells us that, because of her Christian faith, ‘there’s nobody for whom I believe there’s no hope’.

The hope offered by Christianity does not apply only to prisoners but to every person. By turning to Jesus, each one of us has the chance to start a new chapter in our lives.

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 7463

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 War Cry office: 020 7367 4900 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Contents

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

FEATURES 3

Time to catch up An extra day can make all the difference

5

‘David is one of us’ The life of the patron saint of Wales

8

World Book Day Children’s writer speaks volumes

10

Unlocking potential Author says attitudes to prisoners should change

REGULARS

Your local Salvation Army centre

4

News and media

12

Browsing the Bible

13

Now, There’s a Thought!

14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page pictures: Shutterstock.com

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FEATURE

WHAT A DAY! What’s so special about a leap year? asks Claire Brine APPY leap year! To many of us, this H Saturday may feel like any other day.

But the reality is, it’s not. It’s a day that

dawns only once every four years: 29 February. It’s an important date in the calendar because it keeps track of time or, rather, keeps time on track.

A leap year happens because it takes the Earth a little longer than 365 days to make a complete orbit of the Sun (365.242 days to be exact). So, when Julius Caesar implemented a 365-day year, an extra day was added to the calendar every four years to scoop up the extra hours that accumulate over time.

While some people may not be fussed at the thought of having a whole ‘extra’ day at their fingertips, others may have reasons to celebrate. For those born on 29 February, such as Sarah Pither from Essex, a leap year is a special time when they can mark the actual date of their birth, rather than having to settle for 28 February or 1 March.

‘Whereas most people don’t think about when the next leap year will be,’ says Sarah, ‘I always know when it’s coming up because I get to celebrate my real birthday.’

It’s also a significant date for many happy couples, such as Cathy and Dave Love from London. Back in 1988, Cathy asked Dave to marry her on 29 February.

‘I’m woefully ignorant as to why 29 February is traditionally the day for women to propose,’ Cathy says. ‘But I was fairly certain that, left to his own devices, Dave would bumble along happily and never make anything

official, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.’

Cathy proposed after they had attended a concert in London.

‘We were walking to Oxford Circus to catch the last Tube home,’ she recalls. ‘We cut through St James’s Park, and it was all lit up with fairy lights. Big Ben struck midnight and it was the 29th – so I decided to propose. Dave laughed and said: “Yes.” ‘Come this August, we will have been married for 29 years.’

Whatever way we are planning to spend the extra day that comes as part of a leap year, it’s worth remembering that all days are precious – even the most ordinary ones. Life

It’s an important date because it keeps time on track is short, so how we live it matters.

That’s what Jesus said. He put forward a radical suggestion as to how people could spend their days. They could follow him. That meant showing forgiveness to other people, not judging them for their mistakes and being kind to those they would rather avoid.

He urged people to start becoming the best versions of themselves, not one day in the future, but right now. Following him, he said, was the most enriching lifestyle on offer: ‘I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10 Good News Bible).

To live as Jesus lived is never going to be easy. Loving our neighbour and forgiving our enemies may require us to make some big changes to our behaviour. But surely it’s a leap worth making every day of the year.

29 February 2020 • WAR CRY • 3

NEWS AND MEDIA

n

MEMBERS of a Salvation Army church in n Pentre, south Wales, helped people affected by flooding in recent storms.

About 80 houses in four streets within half a mile of the church building were cut off, leaving some people trapped in their homes.

The church members distributed more than 100 litres of drinking water and 320 sandwiches as well as other food, clothing and household items that were donated via an appeal on social media.

‘People were amazed that we were out in the storm and handing out sandwiches,’ said church member Paul Sass. ‘The response from the community – whether people coming to the hall with donations or messages on Facebook – has been absolutely phenomenal. It has restored my faith in the power of community.’

THE mother of a schooln girl being held hostage

by Boko Haram took part

in a prayer vigil outside the Nigerian embassy in London to mark the second anniversary of her daughter’s kidnap.

Leah Sharibu was one of 109 girls from a school in Dapachi, northeast Nigeria, taken captive by the terrorist organisation in 2018. Five girls died in captivity but all the others were released, except Leah, who refused to convert from Christianity to Islam.

Leah’s mother, Rebecca, said she has chosen to forgive her daughter’s abductors but described her decision as ‘very hard’. At the vigil she urged people to apply pressure for her daughter’s release, adding: ‘I don’t know what is happening to Leah.’

CB AD

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

Orchestra in tune with the environment ST PAUL’S Cathedral is hosting the performance of an orchestral work commissioned by Christian Aid to highlight the dangers of climate change.

The Chineke! Orchestra – which brings together black and minority ethnic musicians from across Europe – has created a 12-minute piece focused on the devastation that climate change causes among the world’s poorest people. It will perform the piece on 20 May. Song of the Prophets: A Requiem for the Climate will comprise four movements – ‘Creation’, ‘Ruin’, ‘Recovery’ and ‘Redemption’.

Christian Aid CEO Amanda Khozi Mukwashi said: ‘Climate change is having a devastating impact on every area of life in some of the countries in which Christian Aid works – from basic needs such as food and shelter to issues such as education and women’s rights.

‘Music and the arts are powerful ways to tell uncomfortable stories, and we are hoping Song of the Prophets: A Requiem for the Climate will inspire us all to take much-needed action.’

NTANDO BROWN

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Shtterstock.com

Paul Sass (left) works with another volunteer to distribute supplies to flood victims

JUSTIN BIEBER praised Jesus in an Instagram post just hours before his first album release in five years.

Christian news website CBN reported that ahead of the launch of Changes, he wrote in a caption: ‘Thank you Jesus for your forgiveness. Thank you Jesus that when I was lost you found me, thank you that you brought me from death to life.’

The website added that the album contains references to his faith, including title track ‘Changes’, which contains the lyrics: ‘People change, circumstances change, but God always stays the same.’

INTERVIEW

‘He became a rallying cry for the nation’ To mark St David’s Day on Sunday (1 March), the dean of St Davids Cathedral, Dr SARAH ROWLAND JONES, tells Emily Bright why the Welsh patron saint remains relevant

L

YING in a lush valley with the River Alun rolling through it, St Davids is the smallest city in Britain. It was in this valley near the coast, sheltered from the howling winds, that the Welsh patron saint of the same name decided to set up a monastic community.

‘David lived in the 6th century,’ says Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, the dean of St Davids Cathedral. ‘His name probably derives from the biblical king who wrote the Psalms. This implies that he had a Christian background, a legacy of Roman Britain.

‘Most of what we know about St David was written about 500 years later, when Rhigyfarch and then Gerald of Wales wrote stories about his life. But even then, they would have been basing a lot of what they wrote on oral tradition.

‘We believe that he spent part of his childhood in Cardiganshire, but at some point came and founded a Christian community, which we would now think of as a monastery, in the place where St Davids Cathedral stands today.’

Sarah explains that these kinds of monastic communities provided a peaceful refuge for many people.

‘For some Christians, the chaos of city life was too much.

So they found quiet places, like in Wales, where they could focus on the rhythm of life in prayer and worship without interruption.

‘Typically in religious communities of the time, which were mostly made up of men, people would have been

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29 February 2020 • WAR CRY • 5

From page 5 engaged in the daily rhythm of prayer, worship and Bible reading. They’d also work in the fields, and it was reputed that in David’s community, they had to pull the ploughs by hand.’

The dean adds that the saint led an austere existence. ‘David was known as “the water man”, because he drank only water and followed a vegan diet. But his reputation was that he was a great teacher and an example of the holy life.’

Like other saints, David became known for his miracles. Sarah recounts one of the most famous miracles associated with him.

‘There was a meeting of the Christian leaders in an area called Llanddewi-Brefi, which was in Cardiganshire, but they could not decide on the matters they were debating, and so David was sent for.

‘It is said that when he arrived, the crowd was so large that not everyone could see him. The ground on which he was standing rose so that he was high enough for everybody to see and hear.

‘Then a dove, which is often seen as the symbol of the Holy Spirit in

Scripture and in Christian tradition, came and settled on his shoulder. This was seen as attestation from God that David’s words were right, good and true and should be listened to.

‘So when you see depictions of David in iconography and popular tradition, you can often recognise him because he has a dove on his shoulder.’

The story is one of the many legends about David that have developed over the years.

The historical accuracy of such stories cannot be verified so, when talking to visitors at the cathedral, Sarah prefers to concentrate on other aspects of the saint’s life.

‘We’re trying to talk about David in a way that has historical integrity, because if people think we’re just peddling stories, subconsciously they might think we’re also just peddling stories about Christianity.’

Rather than his miraculous acts, Sarah sees David’s most important legacy as the life lessons that he left behind.

‘St David is most often remembered for his teaching at the end of his life. It is said that the last instruction he gave to his followers was to “be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things that you have seen and heard me do”.

‘That’s a motto we can all live by, whether we’re Christians, of any faith or of none. We can take it as a touchstone for good living: be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things like showing kindness.

David’s words encourage us to live with integrity

The shrine at St Davids Cathedral

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INTERVIEW

David’s words encourage us to live with integrity.’

Every spring since the 12th century, the people of Wales have celebrated his legacy, whether by wearing traditional costumes and leeks or daffodils, participating in Welsh dancing, or singing folk songs.

‘There’s a cultural gathering in communities,’ Sarah tells me. ‘Our city has a celebration over the weekend of St David’s Day, where people compete in reciting and composing poetry, with music, instruments and singing. Sometimes there is also cake making, flower arranging, and art and craft projects.’

The cathedral also marks the heritage of its founding saint.

‘We undertake a pilgrimage, because one of the stories told is about his birth, on

Visitors to the cathedral say that they’ve been overwhelmed by their experience of the place a cliff, in a storm. We walk from the well close to where the reputed birth was, round to the square, with the bishop blessing the city in the name of St David.

Then we have a celebration in the cathedral.’

David’s legacy wasn’t always treated with such respect. The monastery he established was ransacked many times during the times of the Vikings and William the Conqueror. However, when David’s reputation was cemented through written accounts and he rose to sainthood, the site was elevated in status and attracted pilgrims from across the globe.

Sarah explains: ‘In 1123 the Pope said: “Two pilgrimages to St Davids are of equal value to one to Rome.” The place became such a popular pilgrimage destination that they had to pull down the old cathedral and build a much bigger one.’

The Norman bishop Peter de Leia built the new cathedral to St David in 1181 and, although it has undergone extensive renovation, the original 12th-century structure still stands. Visitors continue to flock to the site, which Sarah explains has a ‘profound spiritual depth’.

‘So often I speak with visitors to the cathedral who say that they’ve been overwhelmed by their experience of the place, that sense of meeting God, and that somehow this is holy ground.

‘Sometimes people talk about a thin place, as though you can almost feel yourself passing through the membrane between Heaven and Earth.

‘The cathedral’s shrine was restored eight years ago with beautiful painted icons of St David, St Patrick and St Andrew, and it has become a focus for prayer to God.’ As Wales prepares to celebrate, the dean reflects on David’s significance.

She says: ‘He became a rallying cry for the nation. David really is one of us, and lived in the place where we are now.

If you’re a Welsh person, these are your roots. He belongs. We belong.

‘Nations generally like to have symbols about their own identity and being. And that can be formed in all sorts of ways.

But I think having a patron saint matters because Christian heritage is so much a part of how we came to be the people we are today.’

St Davids Cathedral

29 February 2020 • WAR CRY • 7

Fully booked On World Book Day, children across Britain and Ireland will be dressing up as characters from stories, receiving tokens that they can exchange for books and meeting authors. Ahead of the day, children’s writer CLAIRE FAYERS tells Philip Halcrow how books have made a world of difference to her HIS is the story of T how a girl named Claire would sit in a

library, reading stories – and then grew up to write her own.

Claire Fayers is the author of fantasy books for children, and on World Book Day (5 March) she will be aiming to inspire children at a primary school to discover the joys of reading and storytelling.

Once upon a time, Claire was making such discoveries herself. While growing up in Newport, south Wales, she ‘practically lived’ in her local library.

‘I loved the adventure of stories,’ she says. ‘They showed you things that you couldn’t experience in real life and gave you the sense that there was something bigger out there.

‘When I was only about seven or eight years old, I found a children’s book of Greek legends in the library and just devoured the whole thing. Then I moved on to Welsh folklore and British legends.

‘I think I was attracted to

8 • WAR CRY • 29 February 2020

rs ye a F Claire

the idea of leaving your home and things that were familiar and then going off and discovering the world, learning more about yourself as you battled monsters, overcame obstacles and looked for the reward at the end of it all.’

When Claire left home, she voyaged to Canterbury, to study English and comparative literature at the University of Kent.

By the time she graduated in 1989, she was unsure of what line of work she wanted to pursue. She started an accountancy course.

‘But I realised that the only thing I wanted to do was to tell stories,’ she says. ‘So I started writing short stories for women’s magazines and built that as a freelance career on the side while doing a part-time job.’

The short stories lengthened to serials.

Becoming more ambitious, she attempted an epic

fantasy ‘that today would probably be seen as a Game of Thrones clone’.

She says: ‘It’s never going to see the light of day, because it was very bad.

‘I then found that I was writing a lot of comedy, and I began to combine that with the adventure and quest stories that I liked when I was growing up. I didn’t even realise I was writing for children. I just wrote a story about pirates going on a big quest and used a lot of silly jokes. I entered it into a competition and then I was contacted by a literary agent, who said: “What age group is it for? I think it’s for 10-year-olds.” I said: “Oh, yes, of course it is.”’

Claire seemed to be heading in the right direction. Upon its launch, her debut, The Accidental Pirates: Voyage to Magical North, was selected as

ok Waterstones children’s bo bes cri des e Sh . of the month in her latest, Storm Hound – ng nti hu the of which one hounds of the Norse god Odin gets trapped inside the body of a puppy in Abergavenny – as a ‘mash y, log tho my rse No of up Welsh folklore and a realworld setting’.

Claire often visits schools to talk about how she became an author and to of try to fire the enthusiasm s – children for reading storie and for telling them.

‘Society is getting more and more divided,’ she says. ‘People on one side k of a divide often don’t tal to people on the other.

Or if they do, it’s just an nt argument. So it’s importair to get people to share the personal stories and have n that moment of connectio

INTERVIEW Claire talks at a book event for schoolchildren

with others, who can then say, “Ah, yes. Now I understand what’s in your head.”’

In telling her stories, Claire continues to draw from the Greek, Norse and British tales she has always enjoyed. She detects in those old myths and legends truths about human life – as she does in one particular ancient book.

‘CS Lewis, who had a great love of fantasy in literature, said that if everything about all these other stories was completely wrong, he would be a bit suspicious of the Bible,’ explains Claire, who attends a church near her home in Cardiff. ‘People are grasping for the truth, and occasionally everyone gets a glimpse of it.

‘As well as being the word of God, the Bible is

the ultimate story of God and us. The story of God coming down to us, and us being able to see something of what’s beyond our world, can speak to everyone.

When our lives fit into that story, they start to make sense in a way they didn’t before.’

Claire links that ‘ultimate story’ with her early experiences, when reading opened a new chapter in her life.

‘As a child, I had the

sense that there is something beyond us that we can discover if we open our eyes to it. It’s at that point our world meets something much wider than any of our imaginations.’

l Storm Hound is published by Pan Macmillan

THE END

WORLD BOOK DAY

As a child, I had the sense that there is something beyond us

29 February 2020 • WAR CRY • 9

‘The line between good through the middle Former prison worker MIM SKINNER tells Emily Bright why society should rethink its attitude towards people in jail were trialled by women FownAIRYTALES in jail when they performed their pantomime, Snow White

Mim Skinner

I wanted to be part of changing the narrative

10 • WAR CRY • 29 February 2020

and the Seven Co-accused. The theatrical endeavour was part of a creative programme of activities run at the women’s prison, and in-house art teacher Mim Skinner decided to help out.

‘We wrote a plot about Snow White as a reformed cocaine addict,’ she explains. ‘There was a great deal of creativity and a sense of friendship and family among the residents.’

It can be all too easy to cast the typical female prison inmate as a wicked witch. But, after working as an arts and crafts teacher and serving with the chaplaincy team in a women’s prison between 2014 and 2017, Mim feels that this is an oversimplification.

She has now written a book, Jailbirds, about her experiences, and the rights to it have been sold to make a TV programme. Through the book, Mim sought to correct some of the stereotypical ideas people on the outside of prisons have about those on the inside, so it includes stories from the prison residents themselves.

‘I felt like the stories being told about women in prison painted them as either defeated, miserable or villainous characters,’ she reflects. ‘But the people that I met in prison were all sorts of other things as well, so I wanted to be part of changing the narrative.’

When she began working at the prison, she was shocked at how many inmates had come from the care system or had a troubled past. ‘I met very few people who hadn’t been the victim of abuse at some point,’ she says. ‘There were also a great number of women who had been taken advantage of or coerced.’

But Mim asserts that, despite their traumatic past, the women she worked with were remarkably resilient. ‘It’s easy to think of prison residents as charity cases who need rescuing, but actually I met people who were resourceful and creative. They had so much potential.’

She held arts and crafts sessions in a bid to harness that potential. Activities included developing a temporary Apprentice-style business for Christmas cards, making aspirational collages, sewing, and painting a seaside mural

INTERVIEW

and bad goes of every human heart’

on one of the prison’s walls.

‘Art is a way of exploring your identity and expressing yourself,’ she explains. ‘It doesn’t pressurise people, or require them to have a succinct answer. It allows them to explore a little bit about themselves in a safe space.

‘I heard people’s stories and saw them change. The prison residents would be so brave in sharing their experience, especially since lots of them have had negative encounters with authority figures.’

While working in the prison, Mim also decided to become a chaplaincy assistant, using her Christian faith to help run prayer groups and Bible studies.

Prison residents could light a candle in memory of a loved one, attend a church service or simply request to talk to the chaplaincy team.

Mim’s faith helped her as she encountered situations that might otherwise have appeared hopeless. ‘The transformation that can come from people gaining faith means that there’s nobody for whom I believe there’s no hope,’ she says.

‘One of the big tenets of Christianity is that we are all broken and flawed. The line between good and bad goes through the middle of every human heart, and we’re all in need of grace.’

She says that she has seen the restorative power of the Christian faith firsthand, within the prison walls and also in the housing project she now works for.

‘I still get to see women whose lives have been massively transformed. I currently job share with a woman who had done about 30 sentences in prison. I’ve spoken to prison

officers about her transformation and they say that they can’t believe it, as she was the most difficult prisoner on the wing.

She sold the most drugs and she was the most violent. If she can turn her life around, anyone can.’

Mim believes that rehabilitative justice is beneficial not only for offenders, but for wider society too.

‘All the research that’s done on prison shows that helping people reform leads to fewer crimes and fewer victims of crimes,’ she says.

Mim’s own relationship with God and knowledge of the Bible also shape the way that she perceives prisoners.

‘In the Bible, there is a long history of people being in prison,’ she reflects. ‘Biblical characters such as Paul and John the Baptist all spent time in prison. Jesus himself spent time in custody before receiving the death penalty.

‘The Christian faith doesn’t allow you the luxury of thinking that we should leave prison out of what we do. I think we do the Church a massive disservice if we do not see the potential and value of people who are in prison.’

There’s nobody for whom I believe there’s no hope

l Jailbirds is published

by Seven Dials 29 February 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 or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, Lon­don SE1 6BN. 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

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

2 Thessalonians HE missionary Paul had visited T Thessalonica as part of his ambitious plans to spread the Christian faith across

the Roman Empire. In this second letter to the church he helped to establish, he tries to clarify his thinking on the return of Jesus.

In his first letter, Paul said that Jesus would gather those believers who had died and those who were alive to be with him for ever (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).

Paul refused to speculate on the date and time of Christ’s return. Instead, he warned that the church should not be taken unawares (1 Thessalonians 5:1–9).

In this later letter, Paul addresses reports – allegedly from him – saying that the day of Christ’s return had already happened. Some believers have become ‘unsettled or alarmed’ by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from Paul and his friends’ (2 Thessalonians 2:2).

Paul now sets the record straight. Christ’s return has not happened. Although he is not party to the complete timetable – not even Jesus knew (see Matthew 24:36) – he does know that certain events will happen as a prelude to the Second Coming.

There will be a rebellion against God. There will be the emergence of ‘the man of lawlessness’ (2:3).

The mention of such an apocalyptic figure is reminiscent of Jesus’ reference to the ‘abomination that

causes desolation’ in Matthew 24:15. Other letters in the New Testament describe the ‘antichrist’ and ‘beast’.

Paul says this man will oppose everything that is holy and proclaim himself to be God

Paul refused to speculate on the date and time of Christ’s return (2:4). Whoever this man is, he is not Satan.

Through the power of Satan, however, he will work counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders and deceive many people (2:9–11).

On the day of his return, Christ will destroy him (2:8). Also on that day, God will judge righteously those who oppose his people and those who disobey the gospel (1:5–10).

Until that day, believers are to stand firm against opposition and hold fast to the teaching they have received (2:15).

Key verse

d he will ‘The Lord is faithful, an ect you ot pr d strengthen you an salonians es from the evil one’ (2 Th Version) 3:3 New International

"

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

Looking for help?

Just complete this coupon and send it to War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army Contact details of a Salvation Army minister

12 • WAR CRY • 29 February 2020

Name Address

EXPRESSIONS

NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT!

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

Who wrote the novel A Passage to India?

2

What is the uppermost layer of the Earth’s atmosphere called?

3

In the TV series Doctor Who, what is the name of the Doctor’s home planet?

4

Who played the pioneering meteorologist James Glaisher in last year’s film The Aeronauts?

5

In what year was the first transatlantic radio transmission made?

6

What is the capital of Peru?

A ANSWERS

by Cliff Kent

Help needed for age-old problem HE telltale signs are plain for all to see. I am in my eighties, and T other people are picking up on my vulnerability. A counter assistant will offer to carry my tray of coffees, and passengers give up their

seats for me on trains and buses.

On one occasion I was on the Underground, standing next to a woman who said: ‘Can I ask someone to let you have a seat?’ I politely declined.

But, more often than not, I do accept assistance, because I think that refusing it deprives a person of the opportunity to help, and if I am unwilling to receive help, I am also impoverished.

I’ve noticed that, when friends go out for a meal together, there’s often a disagreement as to who should pay the bill. People feel uncomfortable about being treated to something. We don’t want to feel indebted to anyone.

We don’t In Bible times, it was customary to wash a want to feel guest’s feet when they entered a room. It was an of love and also a mark of the host’s humility. indebted to act When Jesus began to wash his disciples’ feet, anyone Peter did not want his feet to be washed – instead, he believed that he should be washing Jesus’ feet.

But he had to learn that humility can be seen not only when we give a service, but also when we receive one.

Today we can take this one step further by asking someone for help.

Doing so has therapeutic benefits. It is also a way to build bridges and develop relationships. Most people respond if you ask for help, because it makes them feel valued and needed.

Jesus once said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35 New International Version). That is true. But there will be occasions when it may be a blessing to accept some kind of goodwill.

As I grow older, I hope I will have the wisdom to know when to give and when to get.

29 February 2020 • WAR CRY •13

1. EM Forster. 2. Exosphere. 3. Gallifrey.

4. Eddie Redmayne. 5. 1901. 6. Lima.

PUZZLES

CROSSWORD QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Expression of greeting (5) 4. Ventured (5) 8. In favour of (3) 9. Personnel (5) 10. Youthful (5) 11. Chop (3) 12. Extremely (5) 13. Doubter (7) 16. Equable (6) 19. Members of the aristocracy (6) 23. Pattern (7) 26. Dullard (5) 28. Male sheep (3) 29. Similar (5) 30. Very select (5) 31. Electrically charged particle (3)

DOWN 2. Jumped (5) 3. Casual (7) 4. Lethargic (6) 5. Poetry (5) 6. Uncertainty (5) 7. Reasoning (5) 9. Avoids (5)

SUDOKU

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

1

HONEYCOMB

9

2

HONEYCOMB 5

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. Create a new device 2. Child’s glove 3. Cockney slang for hair 4. Main meal of the day 5. Painful swelling on big toe 6. Pay back money

6

4

8

1

6 4 3

3 1

7

2 8

1

9 5

3 3

2

9

5

WORDSEARCH CANDOUR CONFIDENCE FAITHFULNESS FIDELITY FRANKNESS GENUINE HONOUR INTEGRITY LOYALTY PRINCIPLE RECTITUDE RIGHTEOUSNESS SINCERITY STRAIGHTFORWARD TRUSTWORTHY TRUTHFUL VERACITY VIRTUOUS

2

5

9

7

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these words associated with honesty

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

WORDSEARCH

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Hello. 4. Dared. 8. For. 9. Staff.

10. Young. 11. Hew. 12. Ultra. 13. Sceptic.

16. Steady. 19. Nobles. 23. Example.

26. Dunce. 28. Ram. 29. Alike. 30. Elite.

31. Ion. 32. Upset. 33. Tryst.

DOWN: 2. Leapt. 3. Offhand. 4. Drowsy.

5. Rhyme. 6. Doubt. 7. Logic. 9. Shuns.

14. Pub. 15. Ice. 17. Tax. 18. Aim. 20. Oddment. 21. Suede. 22. Permit.

23. Exalt. 24. Adieu. 25. Press. 27. Noisy.

HONEYCOMB 1. Invent. 2. Mitten. 3. Barnet.

4. Dinner. 5. Bunion. 6. Refund.

1

3

6

4

7

5

9

7

8

6

5

2

4

8

2

9

3

1

2 8 9 4 1 3 6 7 5

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 8 9

5 3 8 6 7 9 2 1 4

9 2 4 1 5 8 3 6 7

4 1 3 8 2 7 9 5 6

8 9 6 5 4 1 7 3 2

7 5 2 3 9 6 1 4 8

SUDOKU SOLUTION

2

5

9

7

14 • WAR CRY • 29 February 2020

9 6

4

WORDSEARCH

ANSWERS

14. Inn (3) 15. Frozen water (3) 17. Tariff (3) 18. Purpose (3) 20. Remnant (7) 21. Velvety leather (5) 22. Grant (6) 23. Extol (5) 24. Farewell (5) 25. Iron (5) 27. Loud (5)

32. Overturn (5) 33. Rendezvous (5)

4

3

1

2

9

3 8

5

5

RECIPES

To celebrate St David’s Day, why not try these recipes

Three-tiered Welsh omelette Beat the eggs with the milk and a little seasoning in a bowl. Preheat the grill.

6 large British Lion eggs 4tbsp milk Salt and ground black pepper 3tbsp olive oil 225g potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled 1 leek, washed and sliced 1 small onion, chopped 100g Caerphilly cheese, grated SERVES

4

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 2 tomatoes, diced 4tbsp fresh herbs, chopped

Caerphilly, leek and bacon cakes

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Stir into the flour mixture to make a soft dough. Lightly knead, then cut in half. Roll each half out to make a 13cm circle, then cut into quarters.

Place a griddle over a medium-low heat and cook 4 Welsh cakes at a time for 5 minutes, or until the base is golden. Turn them over and cook for a further 3 minutes. Place on a baking sheet. Cook the remaining cakes in the same way, then bake them in the oven for 5 minutes.

Heat the remaining 6tsp oil in a non-stick frying pan. Crack in the remaining 4 eggs and fry for 3 minutes. Split the Welsh cakes in half and spread with a little butter. Serve them with the fried eggs and cooked tomato halves.

To make the pepper and tomato tier, heat 1tbsp oil in the pan and sauté the red pepper for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for a further 1 minute, then repeat the method used for making the leek omelette.

Lastly, to make the herb tier, mix the herbs with the remaining egg in a bowl and repeat the method used for the other omelettes.

7tsp oil 75g streaky bacon, chopped 1 leek, washed and chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Heat 1tsp oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon for 3 minutes or until a pale golden colour. Add the leek and cook for a further 2 minutes. Allow to cool. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and rub in the butter. Stir in the cheese and the cooled leeks and bacon.

To make the leek tier, heat 1tbsp oil in a medium non-stick frying pan and sauté the potatoes, leek and onion for 3 minutes. Pour a third of the egg mixture into the pan and cook for 3 minutes until the base has set.

Sprinkle over 25g cheese. Grill for 2 minutes, or until the top has set.

Transfer the omelette to a baking tray and keep warm.

225g plain flour 1tsp baking powder Salt

Place the pepper and tomato omelette on a plate. Lay the leek omelette over it and finally top with the herb omelette. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and, before serving, put back under the grill for 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

50g butter, plus extra, to serve 50g Caerphilly cheese, crumbled 6 large British Lion eggs

SERVES

4

2 cooked tomatoes, halved

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the British Egg Information Service website eggrecipes.co.uk

29 February 2020 • WAR CRY •15

Corrections needed by Thursday ? February

Martin Luther King Jr