War Cry 30 January 2021

Why English Heritage is still decking the halls

WAR CRY

30 January 2021 20p/25c

Pirate has found her treasure TV’s Gemma Hunt values her faith

Starting a new chapter as a storyteller

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 7510

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 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

Your local Salvation Army centre

INFO 2 • WAR CRY • 30 January 2021

EDITOR From From the editor’s desk

FOR anyone bringing up children of a certain age, Gemma Hunt is a familiar face, as she can often be seen presenting programmes on the CBeebies channel.

In this week’s War Cry Gemma tells us about her experiences of working in television and also of living with adult acne. ‘There have been many times when I’ve struggled with my self-worth,’ she says before adding: ‘But Jesus has been my backbone. He is with me through everything.’

Gemma explains that her Christian faith is an important part of who she is and that it played a key part in her decision to follow a career in broadcasting. ‘I see presenting as an act of worship,’ she candidly and, perhaps surprisingly, tells us.

Christians’ beliefs can lead them to work in areas that others may not immediately identify as being connected to faith. After being ordained in the Church of England, Alistair Littlewood decided to become a professional storyteller.

In this week’s issue he describes storytelling as ‘a gift from God, to affirm people’s lives and spirituality’.

Christians believe that God gives them their abilities as a gift to do certain work. It could be in entertainment – as with Gemma and Alistair – or it could be in the more serious areas of life – as it is with Sheri Bateren, who works as a therapist to help people with their emotional wellbeing.

Sheri finds her help comes from her faith. ‘When I’m having a tough time I know I can talk to God and he can provide me with emotional support,’ she tells us this week.

God offers to guide and support everyone. If we’ll turn to him, he can give us a new direction and the strength to follow it. It’s not too late to be presented with a brand new story for our lives.

FEATURES

CONTENTS

What is The Salvation Army?

3

O holly night!

Why English Heritage has kept its decorations in place

5

Counting on our feathered friends Public encouraged to help RSPB survey

6

It’s good to talk A day to help people’s emotional wellbeing

8

‘I wanted to be a role model’ Interview with TV presenter Gemma Hunt

10

A new chapter Life as a professional storyteller

REGULARS

12

Team Talk

13

Now, There’s a Thought!

14 Puzzles 15

War Cry Kitchen

6

8

Front-page picture: BBC

15

FEATURE Christmas decorations at English Heritage property Osborne on the Isle of Wight

Oh! Christmas trees!

English Heritage hopes decorations have kept spirits up, reports Philip Halcrow

I

S it still the season to be jolly? English Heritage began the year by suggesting that people should leave their halls decked with holly. The custodians of hundreds of historic buildings encouraged the public ‘to bring some cheer’ into the winter months by keeping Christmas decorations up in their own homes until 2 February – a tradition that stretches back into history.

An online poll gauging whether people would keep their homes seasonally spruced up was close-run, with a marginal majority in favour. English Heritage left decorations up in some of its properties, although tighter restrictions introduced to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic have meant that members of the public have holly and ivy ‘wherewith ye dress’d not been able to see them – which the Christmas hall’. highlights one of the reasons behind Michael points out that the time English Heritage’s idea. to take down the decorations was ‘January is a bad month in the best Candlemas – a festival, still marked of years,’ Dr Michael Carter, English by some churches today, that Heritage’s senior properties historian, commemorates the occasion when tells the War Cry, ‘and with Covid and Mary went to the Temple in Jerusalem lockdowns, it seemed sensible to try for rituals that needed to be carried to retain some of the out shortly after the cheer of Christmas and birth of Jesus. especially the brightness ‘For Candlemas, people of the decorations.’ would bring candles to Some people be blessed in the church,’ responded by posting he explains. ‘The church pictures online of their would be illuminated with ongoing greenery and lingering lights. candles and in some churches there Some expressed surprise at English would be candlelit processions.’

Heritage’s suggestion, saying they Michael believes that, in their thought it was ‘bad luck’ not to take celebrations of Christmas, ‘our medieval down decorations by Twelfth Night. and early modern ancestors had a good But Michael says that the practice of understanding of human nature and leaving Christmas decorations up until the rhythms of the year. Candlemas is 2 February ‘wasn’t something we were in many ways a festival of light. It takes making up. There were strong historical place at a time of year when light is precedents and solid evidence of them returning.’ being left up until Candlemas Eve.’ And he highlights a further Some lines of 17th-century verse, connection in the story of Mary taking ‘Ceremony upon Candlemas Eve’, by Jesus to the Temple. The Gospel of Anglican clergyman and poet Robert Luke tells how Simeon, a holy man, Herrick, urge people finally to take realises who Jesus is and describes him down the rosemary, bays, mistletoe, not only as God’s ‘salvation’ but as ‘a

Our ancestors understood human nature

Dr Michael Carter

light for revelation’ (Luke 2:30 and 32 New International Version).

Michael says: ‘The period up to Candlemas was still Christmas. It was still thinking about the Nativity – a time of great joy.

‘Christmas traditions have always been a reflection of our human need for cheer at this time of year, and Christian authors have acknowledged why they decided to celebrate the Nativity when they did. But the reason Christmas established itself as the principal festival in northern Europe was because of its association with the nativity of Christ as being a time of joy and hope.

‘That is something that cannot historically be ignored.’

30 January 2021 • WAR CRY • 3

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WAR CRY

GOVERNMENTS and groups opposed to Christianity have exploited the Covid-19 pandemic to increase their oppression of the Church, according to Open Doors, an organisation that supports persecuted Christians globally.

Speaking at the online launch of this year’s World Watch List Report – an annual index of countries where Christians face hostility – Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said: ‘Covid-19 has put new weapons into the hands of people who wish to eradicate and suppress Christianity. In Asia and Africa, we’ve seen Christians discriminated against in the distribution of food aid. In Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa we’ve seen Islamic extremists take advantage of lockdown restrictions to dramatically intensify their attacks on Christians. Totalitarian regimes such as China and North Korea used Covid-19 to legitimise increasing surveillance and control over Christians.’

North Korea heads the list for the 20th year running as the most difficult country in which to be a Christian. This year’s report notes that ‘anyone identified as a Christian risks being deported to a labour camp as a political criminal or even killed on the spot’.

It says that in China, where churches who resist the authorities’ instruction to install surveillance and facial recognition technology are closed, digital monitoring

Open Doors International

Attacks on Christians ‘intensify during lockdowns’

A Christian in India receives aid from a partner of Open Doors

has increased during the pandemic.

At the launch, Ms Blyth also described how ‘in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa, lockdown has made Christians sitting ducks for Islamic extremists such as Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen. Security forces including the police have been busy enforcing lockdowns and so they’ve been unable to protect the vulnerable, even if they’d wanted to.’

She pointed out that ‘last year,

3,530 Christians in Nigeria were slaughtered for their faith’.

About 100 MPs attended the launch, which is usually held in the Houses of Parliament but this year took place online because of the pandemic.

The 2021 report urges members of the government negotiating trade deals ‘to stay true to the foreign secretary’s stated intent to ensure that concerns about human rights and freedom of religion or belief are discussed as part of these’.

Vaccination points to love for neighbour, says Archbishop

Archbishop Justin Welby/Twitter

THE Archbishop of Canterbury has encouraged people to get a Covid-19 vaccination as a way to ‘love our neighbour as ourselves’.

The Most Rev Justin Welby tweeted a picture of himself receiving the vaccination for his volunteer chaplaincy role at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, where he has served since the first coronavirus lockdown began in March last year.

In his accompanying tweet, he said: ‘The rapid development of the vaccine is an answer to prayer – and it is central to the recovery from this terrible pandemic.

‘Jesus Christ calls us to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Getting the vaccine is part of that commandment: we can show our love for each other by keeping each other safe.’

4 • WAR CRY • 30 January 2021

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FEATURE

Watch the

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birdies

a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk

RSPB/BEN HALL

@TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

PA

Linda McTurk finds out why people will be looking out for feathered friends this weekend

H

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People take part because it cheers them up

RSPB/JOHN BRIDGES

SINGER Russell Watson has spoken about how he drew on his Christian faith after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Appearing on Radio 2’s Good Morning Sunday to promote his new album, 20, Russell told the Rev Kate Bottley that after being born and raised in the Church of England, he sees God as ‘an old friend that I can go back to any time’.

In 2006, it was discovered that Russell had a tumour on his pituitary gland, which suddenly regrew a year later and triggered bleeding on the brain. He was rushed into emergency surgery.

Russell explained that his illness ‘changed his perception’ of the Christian faith, adding: ‘During my illness, I found myself praying a lot more … There’s one of two ways in which you can go, and that is you can either move away from the faith and go “why me?” and “I don’t believe any more”. Or you can draw from it, and say, “well, actually I need this.”’

ERE’S something to tweet about: this weekend (29–31 January) thousands of people will take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, organised by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Last year, nearly half a million birdwatchers spent an hour watching and recording the birds in their garden or on their balcony. In total, they counted almost eight million.

As all four nations of the UK remain in lockdown, president of the RSPB Miranda Krestovnikoff believes that this year ‘very large numbers of people’ will want to look outdoors to count birds of various species, such as the robin (above) and goldfinch (left). ‘More than ever, people are talking about the importance and value of the natural world,’ she tells the War Cry. The Big Garden Birdwatch began 42 years ago and since then has become one of the world’s largest wildlife surveys, making a significant contribution to the scientific community. Miranda also thinks that people take part because it cheers them up and helps them to escape from, as she puts it, ‘the doom and gloom that’s out there’.

She says: ‘I’ve got birds in my garden and they are completely oblivious to all of this, just going about their daily lives. I need that every day. I think we all do. Just sitting watching nature touches something quite deep in our soul.’

People have looked to nature to soothe their anxieties for countless years. During the first century, Jesus used an illustration from nature to show his followers that God cares about everyone.

He said: ‘Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?’ (Matthew 6:26 New International Version).

Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed with worries about the future. We may want to know what will happen next with our jobs, families and health.

Whatever our concerns are, we can know that God values each one of us. It is one truth we can count on.

30 January 2021 • WAR CRY • 5

Ta l k o f Ahead of Time to Talk Day, SHERI BATEREN speaks with Sarah Olowofoyeku about how we can take care of our mental health n

re te a iB Sher

6 • WAR CRY • 30 January 2021

‘I

T’S good to talk,’ said the BT advertising campaign launched in the 1990s. While the telephone company was simply encouraging people to use its product, the claim rings true – it is good to talk. And that is the idea behind Time to Talk Day (Thursday 4 February).

Started by the social movement Time to Change, the day is a way to end the stigma that surrounds mental health problems by encouraging people to have conversations about their state of mind.

I spoke to Sheri Bateren, a cognitive behavioural therapist from south London, who tells me why the stigma exists and why talking is a good idea.

‘There’s a cultural belief, particularly in the UK, that a negative feeling is somehow a weakness or a failure. So it’s important for us, even before we start talking about our emotions, to acknowledge how we are feeling. A lot of the time we are so busy cracking on that we don’t even pay attention to the fact that we are annoyed or sad.’

According to Time to Change, one in four people experiences mental health problems.

All of us have mental health, or as Sheri describes it, ‘emotional wellbeing’. And living through a global pandemic and, in the UK, experiencing lockdowns and restrictions, has inevitably had an impact on many people’s emotional wellbeing.

‘We must process our emotions through labelling them and talking about them,’ says Sheri. ‘If we don’t, they don’t just disappear, but they manifest themselves in the way we relate with other people, they can stop us from sleeping or affect our eating.

‘It can also have a physiological impact. When we’re not feeling great mentally, a stress hormone called cortisol pumps around the body, and that can result in problems, such as high cholesterol or IBS flare-ups. It is important to talk about our feelings and mental wellbeing, because if we don’t, we’ll find them somewhere else in our body.’

Like physical health, our mental health is something we should regularly take care of, says Sheri. ‘You don’t usually wait until you’re in a life-threatening situation before you speak to your GP about a physical problem. And with mental health, you don’t have to be on the severe end of the spectrum before going to see a therapist. Accessing therapy is something anyone can do.’

As a practitioner of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), Sheri helps her clients to work through depression and anxiety disorders, including OCD and social anxiety.

‘CBT is the idea that our thinking and behavioural patterns can feed into our emotional health and how we feel day to

INTERVIEW

the down Processing emotions can be done through talking, painting, writing or singing

day. For example, in this pandemic, if you are constantly thinking that we’ll never get out of this and are spending all day indoors not doing anything, the likelihood is that you will feel down all the time.

‘People with more chronic problems may want to look at therapies that explore childhood and early experiences, because such problems have often been birthed from traumatic events.’

Outside of therapy, there are practical things people can do. Sheri offers some suggestions.

‘Staying active and exercising – walking, running, cycling – produces endorphins and is good for physical and mental health.

Connecting with people is important – it is tough in a pandemic, but we can phone or text someone or chat on Zoom.

We also need to eat well, get enough rest and pay attention to how we feel. I used to do an exercise where I’d stop for five minutes before bed, close my eyes and pay attention to my emotions. Processing emotions is important and can be done through talking, as well as through painting, writing or singing.’

Sheri says she also processes her emotions through prayer – a practice that is part of her Christian faith.

‘My faith is based on a relationship with God,’ she explains. ‘So when I’m having a tough time, I know I can talk to God and he can provide me with emotional support. What’s amazing is God knows exactly what I need to hear in that moment and what effect it will have.’

She emphasises that being a Christian doesn’t mean a person won’t struggle

with mental health and that having mental health problems doesn’t make someone a bad Christian.

‘Jesus himself, before he was going to be crucified, felt extremely stressed and down about what he would face – even though he knew there would be a happy ending in his resurrection. We have no idea what will happen tomorrow, so we will feel down about things too.’

There is a hope, however. She adds: ‘Many mental health problems stem from trauma or a relationship difficulty. They come down to feeling unloveable or that you’re not good enough or don’t belong.

But with God, what helps is that we have the promise of the best relationship we can ever have, unconditional acceptance and unconditional love.’

30 January 2021 • WAR CRY • 7

CBeebies star prese GEMMA HUNT tells Claire Brine why her Christian beliefs take centre stage

P

ARENTS of preschoolers will know that Gemma Hunt is a very big deal in the world of children’s television. On the CBeebies channel, she presents Swashbuckle, a Baftawinning pirate game show. She describes it to me as a cross between The Crystal Maze and Fun House.

‘The premise is that I’m a good pirate, but there are some naughty pirates who keep stealing my jewels and hiding them.

So I have to enlist a group of young swashbucklers to help me win them back.

After a series of games, the children get to take part in a big shipwreck rummage – and if they win back all the jewels, one of the naughty pirates has to walk the plank.

‘It’s fun, educational and all about teamwork. The kids love it.’

As well as steering the Swashbuckle ship, Gemma can be seen in many other CBeebies programmes. At Christmas, she played the empress in the panto-styled production Christmas in Storyland.

She occasionally helps to cause

8 • WAR CRY • 30 January 2021

faith

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sents her

INTERVIEW

Gemma dressed up for pirate game show ‘Swashbuckle’

chaos in Justin’s House.

And her voice can be heard in My First, a series which explores new experiences for children, such as their first trip to the dentist.

‘But one of my favourite jobs ever was back in 2009, when I got to present for the CBBC channel at the Proms,’ she recalls.

‘I interviewed Sir David Attenborough.

Doing a script read-through with him before getting onstage at the Royal Albert Hall has got to be one of the best moments of my entire life.’

Another presenting job that has a particularly special place in Gemma’s heart is the CBeebies programme, Treasure Champs.

‘It’s a faith-based programme, and I’m one of the storytellers on it,’ she explains. ‘So I get to talk openly about Bible stories, which is great. My Christian faith is such a big part of me.’

After attending church regularly as a young child, Gemma became a Christian at a church camp when she was 11 years old. At 16, she decided that she wanted to become a children’s TV presenter in order ‘to be a good role model’ for young people.

‘My faith meant that I felt a responsibility to be a light in the darkness,’ she says.

‘So when I left uni and got my first job as a presenter for CBBC, I knew it was my purpose.

‘Today, my colleagues at CBeebies know that I’m not ashamed of who I am.

What you see is what you get! Being a Christian gives us the option to stand out and be different. And I am different. At work, I try not to react to certain conversations if they don’t feel right to me, and I think people notice that.’

Last year, Gemma’s faith proved a lifeline after most of her presenting jobs were cancelled as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Turning to God for comfort, she found hope and peace.

‘I lost about 98 per cent of my work,’ she says. ‘The studio where we film Swashbuckle was shut down and there were lots of disappointed people. It has not been easy, but my faith hasn’t wobbled. Instead, it has become stronger.

I said: “OK, God, now is the time for you to show off!” He hasn’t let me down in the past, so he’s not about to start now.

‘My faith also brings me assurance that

Presenting is an act of worship

I am enough. Throughout my career, I have suffered with adult acne, and so there have been many times when I’ve struggled with my selfworth. But Jesus has been my backbone.

He is with me through everything, and I need to depend on him.’

In 2015, Gemma was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to combine her love of Jesus with her day job. Travelling round the world, she filmed a series of videos for Alpha, a Christian course exploring questions of life, faith and God. Seeing the places where Jesus walked changed her life.

‘It coloured in the pictures I had created in my mind from reading the Bible stories,’ she says. ‘Being in the Garden of Gethsemane and by Lake Galilee was incredible. Now, when I read my Bible, I can visualise these places, and the stories feel much more real to me.’

Whatever work Gemma undertakes – whether she is battling naughty pirates on CBeebies or praying onstage for 30,000 festivalgoers at a national Christian event – her faith remains of the utmost importance.

‘I see presenting as an act of worship,’ she says. ‘In some jobs I’m openly talking about my faith, and in others I’m letting it shine through me.’

30 January 2021 • WAR CRY • 9

ARE YOU SITTING For National Storytelling Week, which starts today (Saturday 30 January), ALISTAIR LITTLEWOOD relates to Emily Bright the tale of how he became a professional storyteller

T

HERE was once a priest and primary school teacher in Nottinghamshire who was enchanted by the power of parables. ‘When I started preaching, I realised that telling stories was a good way to get messages across,’ he says. ‘Whenever I did, it worked well.’

After he became a priest in 1997, Alistair Littlewood began working with a team of Church of England ministers to oversee churches in Nottinghamshire.

Fifteen years later, he also trained to be a primary school teacher.

When a professional storyteller came to his school one day, it kindled Alistair’s interest, and so he went on a course that trains people in the art of sharing tales.

He now juggles teaching, his priesthood and professional storytelling. As a result of Covid-19 restrictions preventing in-person events, he now works as a teacher four days a week, freeing up one day for telling stories.

Before the pandemic, Alistair’s calendar was filled with events at National Trust sites and schools, and with church and scout groups. He even created a one-man show based on A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens.

But he exudes a particular enthusiasm for the storytelling workshops he ran in schools, which overlapped with his vocation as a primary school teacher.

He recalls: ‘I’d tell one or two stories. I could tell when children were really listening – there’s a moment when you can hear a pin drop. Then I’d say to them, “Now you write a story”, and then I’d encourage them to tell that story to the class.’

Beyond the entertainment, Alistair

Storytelling touches people’s imagination

10 • WAR CRY • 30 January 2021

Alistair Littlewood

INTERVIEW

COMFORTABLY? asserts, there’s also educational value in storytelling. ‘Speaking and listening is a key part of the curriculum,’ he says.

‘Stories are also a great way of sharing and celebrating different cultures.’

One of Alistair’s favourite stories to share with schoolchildren is that of the ‘stone soup’. The European folk story tells of how a hungry stranger convinces stingy townspeople who refuse to feed him that he can make a magic ‘stone soup’ from water and a stone. Intrigued, they gather round. He cunningly asks them for extra ingredients to improve the soup’s flavour, and they bring whatever they have. In the end, they all share in the delicious meal.

‘It’s brilliant,’ says Alistair, ‘because it involves adding lots of different foodstuffs to the pot, and you get children suggesting things. There’s always somebody who says they should put chocolate or cake in the soup!

‘I’ve used that story quite a few times for harvest festivals, both as a visiting storyteller and as a preacher. It’s a great story to get people thinking about harvest and about sharing food.’

Since the

start of the pandemic, Alistair has taken his operation online. He explains: ‘I’ve got one school that I work with particularly, who asked me if I would carry on working with them by producing some videos.

‘Each week I did two or three videos of stories that fitted with the school’s curriculum needs, and gradually built up a bit of a library of it on my website and Youtube page.’

Alistair cares about his craft.

‘When I’m telling a story that works and people are really listening, it feels like there’s something between us that is bigger than either the storyteller or the listener,’ he remarks. ‘I see storytelling as a gift from God, to affirm people’s lives and spirituality.

‘Storytelling touches a part of people’s psyche, their spirituality, their imagination, that is rarely woken.’

Alistair cites the example of a great storyteller who did exactly that: Jesus.

‘He knew how to hold a crowd, and he did it with stories,’ he explains. ‘Jesus told traditional stories that he took and shaped for the ends that he wanted to make, which is what all good storytellers do.

‘Stories like those of the good Samaritan and the prodigal son still work today for new audiences who might not have heard them. They are all about human interaction. And they have tension, excitement, twists and turns. They’re brilliant.’

The Bible’s account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the message that has most powerfully shaped Alistair’s own life story. He summarises the core message of the Christian faith that lies within the Bible’s covers.

‘When God sent Jesus to become fully human and fully God, he made a bridge between us and himself,’ he says.

‘We can know that Jesus has forgiven us and nothing can get in our way now.

We can leave our sadness and anger at the foot of the cross and have a direct communication with God.’

30 January 2021 • 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, 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’.

j

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

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK A chance to shine

Sarah Olowofoyeku gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters

IN last week’s War Cry, the BBC’s New York correspondent Nick Bryant told us how, in his line of work, ‘stories that previously seemed to come around once a century now seemed to come around every year’.

It has certainly seemed surreal to me to be living through so many major world events, especially within the past five years. Sadly, a lot of them have been negative. We have seen an increase in xenophobia, racism, poverty, the devastating impacts of climate change… I could go on.

While, of course, positive events have also taken place, there appears to be a lot of darkness in the world today. Perhaps one of the most difficult experiences at the moment is living through a global pandemic, and not quite knowing when it will come to an end. For me, and many others, hope is waning.

But last week, I was encouraged by some words that were spoken at the inauguration of President Joe Biden. There were a few speeches and songs, but I was particularly struck by the poem read by Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet. The 22-year-old penned the piece specifically for the occasion.

While many of her words were directed towards the American people, I believe that all of us can take something from two sentences in particular.

Towards the end, Amanda said: ‘There is always light,/ if only we’re brave enough to see it./ If only we’re brave enough to be it.’

She’s right. In a world that’s full of darkness it certainly takes a lot of courage to see light. But it is always there.

I was reminded of a verse in the Bible that says, ‘the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (John 1:5 New International Version). Jesus is that light, and regardless of what is taking place around us, he will shine. And he can empower us to shine too.

In the face of a lot of darkness, let’s be bold enough to light up the world.

It takes a lot of courage to see light

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a

War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army

Looking for help?

Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Name Address Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 30 January 2021

EXPRESSIONS

NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT!

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

2

What newsreader won the first series of Strictly Come Dancing with professional dancer Brendan Cole in 2004?

Which internet search engine, widely used today, was once called Backrub?

A 4

5

6

The Bee Gees had a No 1 hit with what song named after a US state?

What is the name for the weather phenomenon in which snow falls during a storm with thunder and lightning?

Who wrote the children’s book The Secret Garden?

‘Anno Domini’ is used to indicate a year after the traditional date of whose birth?

ANSWERS

1. Natasha Kaplinsky. 2. Google.

3. Massachusetts. 4. Thundersnow.

5. Frances Hodgson Burnett. 6. Christ.

3

by Jim Burns

That’s not what friends are for I

N the mid-18th century, English speakers began using the phrase ‘Job’s comforter’. It described people who discouraged others while seemingly comforting them, and had its origins in the Bible.

The story begins with a man named Job, who seems to have it all – a large family, thousands of head of livestock and lots of servants.

But in a very short space of time, many disasters strike, so that he loses everything, including his seven sons and three daughters.

Not surprisingly Job is grief-stricken, but rather than blame God, he reflects that when God sends us something good, we welcome it, so how can we complain when he sends us trouble.

After facing such tragedy, Job’s friends visit him to comfort him.

They tell him, though, that he must have done something to offend God. In those days, people believed that God rewarded good deeds and punished bad ones. But Job doesn’t accept this argument and is not comforted by it. Their intervention has made things worse, rather than better.

There is another part of the story, however. The Bible says that when the friends arrived at Job’s house, ‘they sat there on the ground with him for seven days and nights without saying a word, because they saw how much he was suffering’ (Job 2:13 Good News Bible).

How many of us have tried to comfort a friend in their grief or pain and just haven’t known what to say? This story teaches us that at such times, instead of trying to explain someone’s situation or figure out why it happened, it’s more important to be there for them.

Many people are experiencing grief and pain at this time. While we are unable to visit friends to be there physically for them, we can think of ways to support them without trying to find answers for their suffering.

Simply being there with a listening ear over the telephone or a video call may well be enough to bring true comfort.

Many people are experiencing grief and pain

30 January 2021 • WAR CRY • 13

CROSSWORD CROSSWORD

PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Cry out (4) 3. Word of assent (3) 5. Resound (4) 7. Discerned (9) 9. Connection (4) 10. At hand (4) 11. Scatter (5) 14. Lorry (5) 15. Detested (5) 17. Likeness (5) 18. Group of singers (5) 19. Ventilated (5) 20. Rendezvous (5) 23. Servant (4) 25. Outfit (4) 27. Heated exchanges (9)

28. Dutch cheese (4) 11. Female garment (5) 29. Speck (3) 12. Prepared (5) 30. Corrosion (4) 13. Cereal (5) 14. Nervous twitch (3) DOWN 16. Performed (3) 21. Circular (5) 1. Ringlet (4) 2. Welsh emblem (4) 22. Slumbered (5) 3. Pleasure craft (5) 23. Species of swan (4) 4. Nimble (5) 24. Percussion 5. Level (4) instrument (4) 6. Above (4) 7. Lung disease (9) 25. Mix (4) 26. Slant (4) 8. Adroit (9)

SUDOKU

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

HONEYCOMB HONEYCOMB

3 9 1

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

ANSWERS

7 9

6

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

WORDSEARCH ASTEROIDS CENTIPEDE

DONKEY KONG FROGGER

GALAXIAN

MANIC MINER PAC-MAN

PAPERBOY PONG

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG SPACE INVADERS STREET FIGHTER

SUPER MARIO BROS TETRIS

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Call. 3. Yea. 5. Echo.

7. Perceived. 9. Link. 10. Near.

11. Strew. 14. Truck. 15. Hated. 17. Image.

18. Choir. 19. Aired. 20. Tryst. 23. Maid.

25. Suit. 27. Arguments. 28. Edam.

29. Dot. 30. Rust.

DOWN: 1. Curl. 2. Leek. 3. Yacht.

4. Agile. 5. Even. 6. Over. 7. Pneumonia.

8. Dexterous. 11. Skirt. 12. Ready.

13. Wheat. 14. Tic. 16. Did. 21. Round.

22. Slept. 23. Mute. 24. Drum.

25. Stir. 26. Tilt.

HONEYCOMB 1. Line-up. 2. Warden. 3. Adjoin.

4. Invent. 5. Shiver. 6. Plough.

3 4 6 5 8 2 1 7 9

9 1 5 4 7 6 2 8 3

8 2 7 9 3 1 5 6 4

4 7 1 2 6 3 8 9 5

5 8 3 1 9 4 7 2 6

2 6 9 7 5 8 3 4 1

6 3 4 8 2 5 9 1 7

7 5 2 6 1 9 4 3 8

1 9 8 3 4 7 6 5 2

SUDOKU SOLUTION

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA

3

3 8 2

14 • WAR CRY • 30 January 2021

7

8 3 4

ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH ORDSEARCH

1. Identity parade (4-2) 2. Prison governor 3. Be next to and linked with 4. Create something new 5. Shake slightly 6. Farming implement

7

2

Look up, down, forwards, backwards

3 and 9 diagonally 8 4 5on the 2 grid 6 to7find1 these retro video games 4 1 2 7 8 6 3 5 9 6 5 7I D S Z A X O 1 3 9 4 2I Z H 8 Q A A S T E R O L H Y O M Z 5 E 4 Q N W Z 9 2 1R D Q 7 8S 6I Q 3Z W Z I S Q J T M R Q K Q L R Q Z X P 8 7 3 6 9 5 2J N V Y 1 4 X O F Y O E H A O E Y E E V Z D Q D Z U G N N T G D Z U Z N G R 2 6 1 3 4 8 5 9 7 F W O Y W T I I F Q A G F T V I S H 1 2 5 8 7 3 9 4 6 T Z C O Z B F C Y V L Z O C Q I P T H D P B X Y T M N L A Q D R R Q A R 7 8 6 9 2 4 1 3 5 N V N R D Z E I J K X V N T F C C F 9 3 4 5 6 1 7 8 2 D M B E R O E N E U I O E J W U M E

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

9

2 1

1 3 5

4

5 9

D Veggie frittata Ingredients

Method

2tsp vegetable oil

Preheat the grill.

1 courgette, coarsely grated

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the courgette and tomatoes. Season with a pinch of pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring until soft. Spread the vegetable mixture over the base of the pan.

2 tomatoes, chopped Ground black pepper 6 eggs 2tbsp milk 4 wholemeal bread slices, toasted

Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl and pour into the pan.

Cook over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes to set the base, then transfer to the grill for 3 minutes to set the surface.

Remove and allow the frittata to cool for 3 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve with the toasted bread slices.

SERVES

4

Carrot and courgette muffins Ingredients

Method

125g lower-fat spread, melted and slightly cooled

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

2tbsp skimmed milk 2 large eggs, beaten 100g carrot, grated 100g courgette, grated 100g wholemeal selfraising flour 1tsp baking powder 1tsp mixed dried herbs 75g porridge oats

Line a muffin tin with 8 cases or squares of baking paper.

Mix together the spread, milk and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the carrot and courgette.

Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, dried herbs and porridge oats. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir, taking care not to overmix.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. Bake for 25-30 minutes until firm and golden. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

MAKES

8

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Public Health England website nhs.uk/change4life 30 January 2021 • WAR CRY • 15

God’s mercy is greater

than yesterday’s mistakes Joyce Meyer

WAR CRY