RHS week promotes growth of gardening
WAR CRY
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A good day out – relatively BBC comedy chronicles family chaos
Funeral vehicles celebrate bikers’ lives
What is The Salvation Army?
From the editor’s desk
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.
THE Communards keyboardist who became a priest was preparing to say goodbye to his parish when he wrote an article in The Sunday Times Magazine. Ahead of retirement, the Rev Richard Coles reflected on his ministry and of having encountered the good and the bad in the world. He said that he had experienced ‘life in its fullness’. In words that caught the attention of War Cry writer Claire Brine – and which she quotes in her Team Talk this week – Richard distinguished between ‘fullness’ and ‘serenity or fulfilment or happiness’. A life of fullness rather than happiness, he noted, was ‘what Jesus actually promised’. Claire’s Team Talk is one of two articles in this issue that contain echoes of one particular saying of Jesus: ‘I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10 Good News Bible). Some other translations of Jesus’ line end with him saying that he had come so that people could have life ‘abundantly’. And ‘abundant life’ is how Danielle Gault describes her experiences over years during which she has faced a number of health conditions. In an interview in this issue, Danielle talks about having ‘walked through the valley of the shadow of death’, but also about discovering patience, kindness and gentleness and feeling ‘empowered by God’s grace’. ‘Jesus didn’t promise us that everything was going to be okay,’ she says. ‘But he did promise that he would be with us as a comfort and helper.’ Marian Sinclair speaks similarly in this issue of finding comfort in her faith. ‘My husband dying is absolutely horrible,’ says Marian, who took over the running of his Motorcycle Funerals company after her loss. ‘But knowing that God has me in his hand helps me.’ Aiming to show compassion to those who are grieving, she feels ‘blessed’ to be ‘helping so many families through such a difficult situation’. As the War Cry shows every week, those who ad the War C e re ry take up Jesus’ offer of ‘life in all its fullness’ u’v not only receive his help but also give it.
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 7574
When yo
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN
CONTENTS
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 Mal Davies
FEATURES
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Jessops’ mishaps 5
Green days
RHS cultivates enthusiasm for gardening 6
Final journey
Funeral vehicles for bikers
INFO
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‘I was in pain. I couldn’t do anything’
How faith has helped Danielle in
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Hapless family BBC One comedy follows the
Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 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 CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper
Your local Salvation Army centre
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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
difficult times REGULARS 4
War Cry World
12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought! 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC
Sue, Paul and Rachel were hoping for a day of rest and recreation
BBC
No walk in the adventure park Family’s fun-filled plans for a day out fall apart in new BBC comedy TV feature by Emily Bright
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WELL-INTENTIONED breakfast in bed went wrong in BBC One mockumentary Here We Go, which, after a pilot episode in 2020, started its first full series yesterday (Friday 29 April). Paul (Jim Howick) was trying to mark the birthday of his wife, Rachel (Katherine Parkinson). But when Rachel opened the bedroom door, Paul spilt the tray of salmon, eggs and orange juice all over her. It was an apt symbol of how the family’s life doesn’t always run smoothly in the comedy series, which follows the Jessops through the eyes of teenage son Sam (Jude Morgan-Collie), who is filming them for his media studies coursework. Things went from bad to worse in yesterday’s episode when Rachel was presented with an array of underwhelming gifts. There was, however, one that stood out for its originality: a gift voucher for Jungle World.
Fast-forward six months and the Jessops were rushing off to the adventure park in search of rest and recreation. The only problem was that it was the last day left to validate their voucher before it expired. They were hoping to get their money’s worth and try out archery, abseiling, rafting, mini golf and the zip wires. But with Paul’s mother, Sue (Alison Steadman), in tow, their best-laid plans fell apart. Determined to make the most of it, the family envisaged squeezing out every second of fun before the park closed. However, there was some doubt they could even make it through the entrance in time. Sometimes, just trying to keep on track in life can feel exhausting, whether we’re facing something relatively trivial, such as a day out gone wrong, or more serious, such as bereavement, illness or the breakdown of a relationship. But the good news is that we don’t have to get
Life can feel exhausting
through life alone. Jesus, God’s Son, once said: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28 New International Version). Christians have found that Jesus’ promise holds as true today as it did when he first said it. When they run out of strength to keep going, or things seem to be falling apart, there is one thing on which they can rely: the relationship that, thanks to Jesus, they can have with God. God can provide comfort, rest and renewed energy to those who are exhausted by the struggles of daily life. All we have to do is ask for his help. While God never promised life would be easy, he did promise to walk alongside us as we go through challenges. Life is no walk in the park, but if we turn to God, he can help us overcome the obstacles we face. If we put our trust in him, we’ll embark on the greatest adventure of our lives.
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Audiences vote on broadcasting award RADIO Times is inviting its readers to vote on their favourite programme about faith, belief and ethics for an annual award. Every year, the listings magazine teams up with the organisers of the Sandford St Martin religious broadcasting awards to find out what viewers and listeners consider to be the best TV or radio programme from the previous year. This year’s shortlist for the Sandford St Martin Radio Times readers’ award includes Time, Jimmy McGovern’s BBC One prison drama, which revolved round the themes of guilt and forgiveness, BBC Two’s Pilgrimage, in which celebrities made a journey associated with early Christian missionary Columba, and Jon Ronson’s Radio 4 documentary about ideological conflicts Things Fell Apart. Audiences can vote for their favourite show on the Radio Times website until 5 June.
‘Pilgrimage’ is one of the programmes shortlisted for the ‘Radio Times’ readers’ award
Project will record faith groups’ help in pandemic
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BARBARA HEPWORTH’S sculpture Construction (Crucifixion) is lifted from its usual position at Salisbury Cathedral, before being transported to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The sculpture, which weighs more than two tonnes, is to be displayed in an exhibition of the artist’s works.
FINNBARR WEBSTER
THE contributions that faith groups made to their communities during the Covid-19 pandemic will be recorded in a project run by Spurgeon’s College, Premier Christian News reported. The Christian theological school is planning to compile stories of faithbased action in a book, which will be submitted to the British Library as an official record to ensure that they are remembered. The Rev Helen Stokley, chief operating officer at Spurgeon’s College, told Premier: ‘Churches and faith communities have stepped up and did some amazing things. We know of students and churches who were running food banks, they were delivering food parcels, they were providing care, they were phoning people. Even my own church was turned into a vaccination centre. ‘I think it’s just really important for us to record these things as part of documenting the faith community’s history.’
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tWwxcx Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK
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Toy sales support Salvation Army’s Ukraine work PROCEEDS from the sales of Barbie and other toys will be donated to charities working in Ukraine, including The Salvation Army. Toyshop chain The Entertainer and toy brand Mattel have teamed up to launch a sales programme to support people affected by the war. The funds are being raised from four of The Entertainer’s bestselling products: the Barbie You Can Be Anything Travel playset, the Hot Wheels Infinity playset, Scrabble and the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn 123 Schoolbook Activity Toy. All proceeds are going to the British Red Cross and The Salvation Army’s Ukraine crisis appeals. Gary Grant, founder and executive chairman of The Entertainer, commented: ‘These charities are providing a diverse range of services across multiple locations, ensuring that help is provided to the people who need it most, as quickly as possible. Our prayer is that this conflict will end quickly and that we can again respect the value of life.’ Ben Gilbert, team leader of The Salvation Army’s international projects office, said: ‘We are on the ground in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, offering urgently needed practical and emotional support for people fleeing danger. We’re so grateful for this generous donation, which will help us provide emergency accommodation and provisions such as food, water and blankets. We are also committed to helping the people of Ukraine through the process of rebuilding their lives.’
Bloom for improvement RHS week highlights benefits of gardening Feature by Sarah Olowofoyeku
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ELLIES at the ready – it’s National Gardening Week. From Monday (2 May), the green-fingered and the not-so-green-fingered are being encouraged to share or discover the joy of gardening as part of the annual event promoted by the RHS. To launch the week, four new community gardens created by the RHS in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be unveiled. Over the following days, people can take part by sowing seeds, sharpening shearing skills or simply appreciating the beauty of a favourite green space. The RHS believes that gardening is good for us and good for the planet. It has environmental benefits, it can be fun, and it can cultivate a sense of achievement. Additionally, suggests RHS community gardening expert Jill Hogan, tending to plant life can teach us about our own lives. Writing about how she lost a 40-year-old Magnolia denudata to honey fungus and so decided to create something new in the space, she reflected: ‘Gardening gives you the valuable understanding that life goes on, and that even if it’s not how you’d planned, you can still make it work.’ In life, things do not always go the way we expect. Disappointments and failures can suck the joy from us. However we appear on the surface, we may feel that nothing good is going to come from our lives. But people who have decided to put their trust in God have unearthed another truth. The early Christian Paul, who was sowing the seeds of the gospel all over the known world in the first century, encouraged those he met to be rooted in God, but he knew they may still experience hardship. He faced tough times himself – including unjust imprisonment and poverty – but he was able to say that ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love him’ (Romans 8:28 New International Version). If we make room for God in our lives, when things don’t go as planned, we can find joy in knowing that he is ultimately able to make something beautiful out of us.
Things do not always go the way we expect
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No easy ride – but hearse service aims to care for bikers Ahead of Dying Matters Awareness Week, which begins on Monday (2 May), MARIAN SINCLAIR, managing director of Motorcycle Funerals, explains how its motorbike hearse service offers families a way to honour the loved ones they have lost Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku
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TS first client was a 101-year-old woman who had been a dispatch rider in the Second World War. Twenty years later, Motorcycle Funerals has provided motorbike hearses for the funerals of hundreds more people who had an affinity for biking. ‘Our first client was one of the few dispatch riders left,’ says Marian Sinclair, the managing director of Motorcycle Funerals and the widow of the Rev Paul Sinclair, who founded the company. ‘We were so excited when the call came through. I’ve since found out that female dispatch riders played such a prominent role during the war. Because they were female, people didn’t take much note of them. But they were delivering more than just letters.’ Marian and Paul were able to make the funeral special for the woman and her family through their service of providing motorbike hearses. Paul first had the idea for Motorcycle Funerals in 2002, the year after he and Marian had married. He was leading a church in Willesden Green, north London, and found himself conducting funerals for a number of bikers. A biker himself, he felt that if someone had loved motorcycles all their life, they shouldn’t have to take their final journey on four wheels. He couldn’t find any companies in the UK with the option for a motorbike hearse, so he started his own. Since Paul died three years ago, Marian has taken up the company’s mantle at its base in
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the Midlands. ‘It’s a huge responsibility,’ she says, ‘and not an easy thing. But it’s a privilege to serve in the way that we do.’ Marion is speaking with me ahead of Dying Matters Awareness Week, a campaign encouraging conversations about death, dying and grief. The work of Motorcycle Funerals shows that dying does matter and that there is a need to show care for people in death. ‘It’s important to celebrate people’s lives even when they’re no longer with us,’ Marian
Riders transport coffins by motorbike hearse
Marian Sinclair runs Motorcycle Funerals, after the death of her husband, Paul (below)
tells me, ‘and to send them on their final journey in the way that they lived. My husband loved life and was always smiling. As sad as it was when he died, there were almost 500 people at his funeral. Everyone had a story to tell and most people had a smile on their face, because that’s the kind of guy that he was.’ Marian says that grieving for Paul, as well as the other close family members she has lost in the past three years, while running the business, has been challenging. But she leans on her faith. ‘Without my faith, I don’t think I’d be living,’ she says. ‘What strengthens me is knowing that God has got me and that, no matter what happens, he’s got it. My husband dying is absolutely horrible, and I can’t say I like it or agree with it. But knowing that God has me in his hand helps me.’ Working in the funeral industry is challenging too, she says, but also humbling. ‘Being surrounded by death all the time helps me to know that every day is a gift. God doesn’t owe me anything, so every day that I wake up
in good health, the privilege of running this company and having a roof over my head – it’s all a gift. And being in this position, I have to focus on my faith. Two years ago, we worked funerals for eight suicides. I have to lean on God for my sanity.’ Marian’s own experiences of grief also help in her work. She can empathise with clients. And, because of her Christian faith, one of her greatest passions is to serve others well. Motorcycle Funerals works with funeral directors who will contact it if a family has requested a motorbike hearse. There are 12 riders who travel across the country to provide funerals on a selection of bikes: a Triumph Bonneville, a Triumph Thunderbird, a Suzuki Hayabusa and a Harley-Davidson. ‘Families where an older person has died tend to prefer a classic bike, such as the Bonneville,’ Marian explains, ‘and
We don’t just provide families with the vehicle
youngsters like the Hayabusa, which is fast. ‘The process is that they pick the bike, then we find out what time they need us to arrive. Depending on where the funeral is, our rider might go up the day before. Paul used to ride the hearses everywhere, but we now have a beavertail low-loader to transport them. Sometimes we can have up to 25 funerals in a single week. My office manager does an amazing job with all the logistics. ‘We don’t just provide families with the vehicle, but with everything that we have,’ she says, ‘including compassion and a willingness simply to listen. I feel blessed to be serving the way that we are, and helping so many families through such a difficult situation.’
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Finding abundant life despite the pain
Danielle Gault
DANIELLE GAULT reveals how her faith has sustained her through mobility-restricting health conditions and epileptic seizures Interview by Emily Bright
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Danielle with her baby sister and with her dad
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TUDYING turtles on the Greek island of Zakynthos, Danielle Gault had landed her dream first job back in 2009. ‘I looked after turtles, tagged them and cared for their baby hatchlings. It was epic,’ she recalls. But three years after taking the job, everything changed. Two discs in her back slipped, leaving her with serious mobility problems. She flew home to Northern Ireland. While there she attended an illegal warehouse party in Belfast as a form of escapism. ‘I drank an entire bottle of vodka and was a raging mess,’ she says. ‘I ended up trashing my friend’s house and blacked out. And the next day, my friend was just like: “Danielle, you absolutely terrify me. I don’t know who you are any more.”’ When she was six years old, Danielle’s world had been torn apart by the sudden death of her father. He left behind Danielle, her mum and two-year-old sister. In the midst of the family bereavement, a Christian woman took Danielle’s mum under her wing, cooking and looking after the
Danielle has had a number of bone and joint conditions
children as needed. Danielle affectionately describes this woman as ‘loving my mum into the arms of Jesus’, and Danielle and her mum later became Christians. But when Danielle reached her teenage years, she became disillusioned with Christianity. She began to rebel by smoking and drinking too much and taking illegal drugs. Danielle went off to university, where she studied environmental science, and then she took up the conservation post in Greece. However, her back problems and other health conditions that followed meant she had to give up her work studying turtles and live with her mum. As her plans for the future fell apart, she suffered panic attacks and insomnia. One morning, while Danielle was having a cigarette outside, her mum began talking about her Christian faith. Danielle told her to stop, but her mum refused. ‘I snapped,’ she remembers. ‘I saw red
and launched towards my mum with my hands raised like I was going to throttle her. It was one of the most utterly terrifying moments of my life.’ She felt out of control. ‘I just fell on my knees in the middle of the kitchen floor, screaming. And I was like: “Mummy, please help me. I’m so scared.” Then she prayed for me. ‘I’d had insomnia for about seven months. And as I went to take my sleeping tablets that night, I felt God say: “You won’t be needing those any more.” My head hit the pillow and I woke up the next day at 11am. When I woke up, I was singing the Sunday school song: “Jesus loves me! This I know,/ For the Bible tells me so.” And I kept singing. I thought I’d lost the plot. ‘I ran over to my laptop and typed “Jesus” into YouTube and it brought up a song called “Rooftops” by Jesus Culture. I’d never heard it before yet I knew every
It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life
word. In that moment, I was aware that, in comparison to Jesus, I wasn’t all that good. And if Jesus was the Son of God, then I had got my whole life wrong.’ Danielle says she began to cry, but that at that moment she felt God comforting her. Then she saw what she was sure was a sign from God. ‘I looked up through the skylight in my bedroom and I saw two turtle doves circling each other, right above me. I’ve never been the same since. That was on 11 April 2012.’ Danielle voraciously read the Bible and sought out every church gathering that she could attend. She was baptised soon after. Yet she continued to face mounting health problems. ‘I had rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune condition that meant I had no fluid or flexibility in my joints,’ she says. ‘I’d had the slipped discs in my back, fibromyalgia and another condition that
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From page 9 meant my joints were very weak. I was in insurmountable pain at 24 years old. I couldn’t work or do anything.’ Despite these debilitating conditions, Danielle was determined to hold on to her faith. She would pray, not just for herself but for other people, and she began to send them letters of encouragement that included verses from the Bible. Eventually, she set up her own company, Manna Cards, which produces Christian cards. Just as she had given up on being healed from her painful conditions, an unexpected encounter at a worship event transformed her life. ‘I was sitting in my camp chair, worshipping God, and a lady came past. She was spinning and dancing, totally carefree. ‘She came over and said: “Hey, sweetie. Can I pray for you?” I was like: “Okay…” She began to pray and she spoke to me about how God loved me. In that moment, it was like lights flashed in my eyes, and I felt God telling me to run. ‘I ran out of the tent, circling the huge
field three times, giving glory to God. And I ripped my supports off and threw aside my crutch and my walking stick.’ Following the advice of her rheumatologist, she gradually came off all her medication. While many of the people who have heard her story focus on the sudden healing, Danielle believes that the presence of God in the midst of her pain before she was healed was far more significant. ‘God is with you in suffering, regardless of the outcome,’ she says. ‘Getting to that place of healing involved two years of me lying on the floor, unable to move, crying all day, every day, and begging God to heal me.’ When Danielle recorded her story with radio station United Christian Broadcasters (UCB), it went viral. She began to travel extensively to preach and tell her story. Then in 2019, her health took a downward turn. ‘My mum and I were about to fly home to Northern Ireland,’ Danielle says, ‘when I started to convulse while walking
I was moments from death
through airport security and became unconscious. ‘I woke up after I’d been having a seizure for over 10 minutes. I had started going blue and was moments from death. As I woke up, I started vomiting all over the security trays. And the first thing I said was: “Jesus, I’m not ready to die. I’ve got too much work to do!” ‘In the back of the ambulance, I wasn’t able to speak because I’d chewed all the way through my mouth. My brain wasn’t functioning – I had a very bad memory and I couldn’t make words. I remember thinking: “God, you called me to be a preacher, but I can’t speak. What am I going to do with my life?” I also tore every muscle in my body from the convulsions. I’d been hyperextending backwards, which resulted in two slipped discs. ‘That was probably one of the rawest moments of my faith – being blue-lighted on the way to the hospital after losing everything. But I just started thanking God and, one by one, it was like he was popping little things into my mind.’
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anielle began reflecting on the coincidences that led up to her fit. At the last minute, she had decided to get an earlier train. If she had not, she would have had a seizure on a train in the middle of nowhere. With no access to the medical help she required, she could have died. In the process of sharing her faith story, she had flown 48 times over
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Danielle set up her own business called Manna Cards
the previous year, but this was the first time that she had travelled with her mum, who was a specialist nurse who knew how to respond. In addition, a person at the airport, who was also a Christian, prayed with her mum. ‘God showed me all these ways he
had spared my life,’ Danielle says. ‘In that moment, I knew there was purpose in it, even if I didn’t understand what it was.’ During her time in hospital, the nurses heard her story, and she found herself praying with other patients and telling the nurses about God. ‘It was unbelievable – church in a hospital after a near-death experience,’ she says. Once she was discharged from hospital, she began to rebuild her life. But a few months later, in December 2019, she received a heartbreaking diagnosis. Danielle recalls: ‘Mum called me in tears and said: “I’m so sorry but you got a letter today saying that you have epilepsy.” Imagine getting that earth-shattering news in a letter. I didn’t know what epilepsy was or anyone who had it. ‘I had to start taking medication and couldn’t drive. I was having up to 14 seizures a day. I was in and out of hospital during lockdown.’ Looking back over her periods of wellness and illness, Danielle reflects: ‘It’s pretty easy to worship God when you’ve been set free
of diseases, but the real test is to worship God when you’re facing death. ‘However, I have learnt so much about the goodness of God through my past two years of suffering. When I’m lying on the floor, having seizure after seizure, I feel God’s presence. That to me is church – Jesus meeting his people where they are.’ One passage of Scripture has particularly resonated with Danielle throughout her health problems. She says: ‘I’m reminded of Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” I’ve walked that valley and found abundant life there. I am deliberate about cherishing the fruit I’ve found in the valley: I’ve discovered patience, kindness and gentleness and have felt empowered by God’s grace. ‘God has been present throughout the whole process, not just before or after I endured suffering. I’ve now got a full-time job working for UCB, which is a remarkable blessing that came just after my epilepsy diagnosis. I even met my fiancé in the worst health week of my life. ‘Jesus didn’t promise us that everything was going to be okay. But he did promise that he would be with us as a comfort and a helper when everything’s not going as we’d want it to.’
God has been present throughout
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Prayerlink THE War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.
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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.
talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK Promise becomes clearer in the fullness of time Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters
POP star turned priest and broadcaster the Rev Richard Coles described his retirement from his duties as vicar of Finedon, Northamptonshire, as ‘not just leaving a job but a community’. Writing in The Sunday Times Magazine, the former Communard – who was ordained in 2005 – looked back on his years of ministry with fondness and considered what the future might hold. Richard admitted to feeling anxious about moving away from his parish. He also pointed out that, according to the Office for National Statistics, the occupation of a parson is No 1 for job satisfaction. ‘This is not because we work only one day a week,’ he wrote, ‘but because we get life in its fullness.’ Pre-empting the question of his readers, ‘What does that mean?’, Richard provided some answers. ‘You see the best of people and the worst of people,’ he said. ‘I’ve seen the great and good lie and cheat and the lowly give everything they have for one another.’ The priest’s vocation brings ‘not serenity or fulfilment or happiness, but life in its fullness’. That, he said, is ‘what Jesus actually promised’. It is what Jesus promised all his followers. Reading Richard’s words, I thought about the difference between living a life of fullness and living a fulfilled life. I realised that, in my mind, I have often allowed the two concepts to get mixed up. At times, I have expected Jesus to fulfil me in exchange for my following him. By that, I mean I have wanted him to make my life endlessly satisfying, with challenges that I can easily overcome with no great hardship. And on the days when I haven’t felt fulfilled, I have concluded that Jesus must not have been doing his job very well. Now I see that fulfilment and fullness are not the same thing. To be fulfilled is to experience just one kind of emotion. To live the full life that Jesus promised is to experience all kinds of things but always with the knowledge that he will be present with us through both the good and bad days, guaranteeing us the richest of human experiences – now and into our future.
I have wanted challenges that I can easily overcome
Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen
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NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT! ELIZABETH GOOENOUGH/EVERETT COLLECTION/ALAMY
Orion Jean, ‘Time’ magazine’s Kid of the Year
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QUICK QUIZ 1
What is singer Peter Gene
Hernandez’s stage name?
2
In which country was the Fifa Women’s World Cup held in 2019?
A 3
Who plays Sister Julienne in the TV series Call the Midwife?
4
What is the surname of the
family who adopt Paddington Bear in the books by Michael Bond?
5
Which artist painted the
anti-war work Guernica?
6
Phnom Penh is the capital of which country?
ANSWERS
by Jim Burns
Speech winner shows that kindness can be kids’ stuff H
OW old do you have to be to start being kind? Or should that be, how young? How does 11 years old sound? That was the age of Orion Jean, of Texas, when he was recently named Time magazine’s Kid of the Year for his kindness. Orion’s motto is ‘If you see a problem, fix it.’ He sees himself as an ambassador for kindness. In 2020, he organised the donation and delivery of 100,000 meals for families across America, and last summer organised the distribution of 500,000 books to children. In an interview with Academy award-winning actress and humanitarian activist Angelina Jolie, Orion explained that watching the news with his parents during the pandemic moved him to action. ‘I saw a lot of things were happening,’ he said, ‘people were losing their jobs and losing access to food and homes and all of these essential things. And I knew right then that I wanted to do something to help.’ The opportunity came when a teacher suggested that he enter a speech contest, for which there was prize money. He won, and used the funds to start an initiative – the Race to Kindness. He had a lot of help with logistics from adults. He was also supported by people financially and through participation. But it all started with his view that kindness is a choice. His advice is to find something that breaks our hearts and then, instead of wringing our hands, doing something to make a difference. It needn’t be a national project, for even small acts of kindness can make a huge improvement in someone’s life. Jesus had similar advice for his followers, urging them to show kindness even to people they’d consider enemies. He said: ‘Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from Heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful’ (Luke 6:35 New Living Translation). Showing kindness is something we can all do, no matter how old or young we are.
Even small acts can make an improvement
30 April 2022 • WAR CRY • 13
1. Bruno Mars. 2. France. 3. Jenny Agutter. 4. Brown. 5. Pablo Picasso. 6. Cambodia.
PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Entice (5) 5. Chin hair (5) 8. Flowing water (5) 9. Extravagant outing (5) 10. Passageway (5) 11. Kitchen garment (5) 12. Challenge (4) 15. Oral (6) 17. Dismissed (5) 18. Filched (6) 20. Pitch a tent (4) 25. Swamp (5) 26. Refrain from enforcing (5) 27. Outstanding (5) 28. At no time (5) 29. Correct (5) 30. Darkness (5) DOWN 1. Proved (6) 2. Reflector (6) 3. Step (5) 4. Avoid (5) 5. Marked (7) 6. Engulf (6)
7. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
SUDOKU Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9
2
5
1 7
1 5 9
8
7 9 3 6 5 5 3 8 4 2 9 8 7 3 7 3 8 4 5 3 4 8 Heavy oil (6) Astern (3) Be victorious (3) Annoy (3) Limb (3) Inflame (7)
18. 19. 21. 22. 23. 24.
Not as fast (6) Pleasure trip (6) Performing (6) Predicament (6) Yearn (5) Clipped (5)
WORDSEARCH
2 8 5 6 9 1 3 4 7 6 9 4 5 7 3 2 8 1 Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally 7 journalism 8 2 4terms 6 5 9 on the grid to3find1these 8 7 9 4 3 6 5 1 2 MS B P S I S Z PUKY J DGQDP Y R W F B M 5U O6N 3 J C2S H1 Q 7 M J8 E 9 K 4 O Y Y E R T1 O Q4U Q Z N H W Z I A G 2 9 8 5 7 3 6 DQ S QN RM J B R S Y QB A QD K 6 C1N C4 C 8H R9 L G 2 5 C Y U I U G 7Y Q3K Z E W R P A E 4N I2L D A E H E O W I R 3 8 7 5 9 1 6 I P BOQVO I CX F QYCZ V NQ 1 R3W E6 I 2H G4 E G 7 8 P C M Z T I 9N Z5K M
M O HONEYC B Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number
B V KQT S ACDAO RRCQZUPDA T E QDK EU L ZOQH T R Y MN I CWQ T Z C MQ X P Q X P F U A Q V BQNCE F ZOQA K S K P C O CWAWE Y I GV ZQP L T A Z OZKDV Z F YDE L
1. A cause of delay (4-2) 2. North Atlantic flatfish 3. Pill 4. Lacking physical strength 5. Round shape 6. Set a boat afloat
ANSWERS 2 6 3 8 5 1 7 4 9
8 9 1 7 6 4 3 2 5
5 4 7 9 3 2 6 8 1
6 5 8 4 2 9 1 7 3
9 7 2 3 1 8 4 5 6
3 4
1 3 4 6 7 5 8 9 2
3 2 6 5 8 7 9 1 4 4
5
4 8 5 1 9 3 2 6 7
7 1 9 2 4 6 5 3 8 8
HONEYCOMB 1. Hold-up. 2. Plaice. 3. Tablet. 4. Feeble. 5. Circle. 6. Launch. QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Tempt. 5. Beard. 8. River. 9. Spree. 10. Aisle. 11. Apron. 12. Dare. 15. Verbal. 17. Fired. 18. Stolen. 20. Camp. 25. Marsh. 26. Waive. 27. Owing. 28. Never. 29. Right. 30. Night. DOWN: 1. Tested. 2. Mirror. 3. Tread. 4. Avert. 5. Branded. 6. Absorb. 7. Diesel. 13. Aft. 14. Win. 15. Vex. 16. Arm. 17. Ferment. 18. Slower. 19. Outing. 21. Acting. 22. Plight. 23. Crave. 24. Shorn.
14 • WAR CRY • 30 April 2022
ALLEGED ANONYMOUS BREAKING NEWS BROADCAST COPY COVER DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE HEADLINE
RB OQ RR HB ZQ L L I V E J Z P
F BQ F EC OA J S ZQ SWZ EGE RE T PQQ CB T
G C P Y J D N T Y
INTERVIEW LEAD NEWSROOM OFF THE RECORD PRESS OFFICE PRINT SOURCE TOP STORY UPDATE
R L J T R J I I D
Warm chicken and grain bowl with strawberries Ingredients
Method
For the dressing
Add all the dressing ingredients to a glass jar with a fitted lid and shake well.
4tbsp light olive oil
Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Add the chicken breasts, cover, then turn off the heat. Leave to sit for 15 minutes.
1tbsp caster sugar 2tbsp lemon juice 1tbsp rice vinegar
Microwave the grain mix and pour into 2 large bowls. Arrange the strawberries, sweetcorn, kale, feta and pumpkin seeds over the grains.
1tsp poppy seeds Pinch salt and pepper For the grain bowl
Drain and slice the chicken breasts. Top each salad with the chicken and pour the dressing over, to serve.
2 chicken breasts 2tsp olive oil 200g cooked barley, quinoa and grain mix 100g strawberries, sliced 75g can sweetcorn
SERVES
100g kale, finely chopped 50g feta cheese, crumbled 2tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
2
Strawberry chia jam and almond muffins Ingredients 300g ground almonds ½ tsp baking soda Sea salt 300ml can coconut milk 2 organic freerange eggs 2 vanilla pods
Method Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Mix the almonds, baking soda and a pinch of salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the coconut milk, eggs, the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod and 2tbsp honey. Combine the contents of both bowls, then pour the mixture into muffin paper holders, but so that they are only two-thirds full, as the muffins will rise. Bake for 20 minutes, until just cooked through and golden on top.
While the muffins are baking, place the strawberries, 4tbsp honey and the remaining 200g strawberries vanilla pod in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir in the 3tbsp chia chia seeds. seeds Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until it thickens into a jam-like consistency. Top the muffins with the strawberry jam, to serve. 6tbsp honey
MAKES
12
Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the British Summer Fruits website lovefreshberries.co.uk
30 April 2022 • WAR CRY • 15
Cast all your anxiety on God, because he cares for you
1 Peter 5:7
WAR CRY