Salvationist February 2013

Rex Murphy’s Candid Take On the Army

Building Bridges with First Nations

A Tribute to General John Gowans

Salvationist

February 2013

Hemorrhaging Faith Why are young people leaving the church?

The Warm Heart of Africa Partners in Mission donations change lives in Malawi

Salvationist I April 2012 I 1

“This is the first program in our corps in many years.

We are loving it!”

- Ronza “We would definitely recommend it to others because the material is well thought out and valuable.”

- Teresa

“Our children enjoy the material. Many questions have been asked and I honestly believe our children are getting to know who God really is.”

- Connie

“As a leader I am glad to see the kids get excited about the program.”

- Wendi

“Our kids are engaged and applying what they are learning. It is great to see!”

- Tracy ”Love the new tech approach to children’s ministry.”

- Lee-Ann

“Planning is easy, not expensive, almost a ‘just add water and stir’.”

- Charlotte

What do YOU think?

Go to www.ReadyToServeTeam.ca

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February 2013 No. 82 www.salvationist.ca E-mail: salvationist@can.salvationarmy.org

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Departments 3 4 Editorial Do Something!

by Major Jim Champ

5 Around the Territory 14 Chief Priorities

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24 Cross Culture 4 26 Celebrate Community Enrolments and recognition, tributes, gazette, calendar

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As one of Canada’s premier broadcasters and columnists, Rex Murphy’s admiration of The Salvation Army runs deep

An interview with Rex Murphy

Check Your Motives

by Major Kathie Chiu

10 The Warm Heart of Africa

Hemorrhaging Faith

by Colonel Floyd TiddPRODUCT LABELING GUIDE

Features 8 A Matter of Opinion

FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL Commissioner Brian Peddle shares

10

reflections and photos from his visit to Malawi in 2012

15 Making the Right Choice

Decisions that seem like common sense to us don’t even occur to some people. But why? by Dion

Oxford

16 One Child at a Time

With your financial support, The Salvation Army is changing the lives of trafficked young people in Africa by Pamela Richardson

18 “Thank You, John”

A personal reflection on the life and legacy of General John Gowans

by Colonel Robert Redhead

19 A Perfect Union: Lent and Self-Denial

Salvationists emphasize sacrifice and prayer as they raise funds to support the Army overseas by Major Fred Ash

20 Stronger Together

The Salvation Army partners with First Nations communities in British Columbia, Ontario and Manitoba by Kristin Fryer

22 An Indigenous Perspective

Captain Shari Russell draws on her own experience when ministering in First Nations communities by Kristin Fryer

Inside Faith & Friends Making a Mochrie of It All

Canadian comedic couple Colin Mochrie and wife Debra McGrath discuss faith and laughter, and why the two go together (really!)

Wonderful Wizard?

In the prequel to The Wizard of Oz, a humble circus magician takes on the role of a lifetime

A Welcome Respite

The Salvation Army’s London

Village is there for parents of children with severe intellectual disabilities

Visit Salvationist.ca

Share Your Faith When you finish reading Faith & Friends in the centre of this issue, pull it FAITH & out and give it to someone who needs to CANADA’S hear about COMEDY Christ’s lifeCOUPLE changing + power

Sharing the Vision

General Linda Bond’s letters to Salvationists around the world can be read at salvationist.ca/ tag/sharing-the-vision

frıends

February 2013

faithandfriends.ca

Inspiration for Living

Parking-Lot Confrontation

Colin Mochrie and Debra McGrath on faith and laughter, and why the two go together (really!)

LAMOTT’S  ANNE THREE PRAYERS

LONDON VILLAGE

Offers Parents Respite

Twitter. Just click one of the appropriate icons found at the bottom of every article posted on salvationist.ca

Pass It On

Share your faith electronically by forwarding articles from Salvationist and Faith & Friends by e-mail, Facebook or

World Watch

Keep up to date on what the Army is doing internationally.

Visit salvationist.ca/ worldwatch Salvationist Salvationist I September I February 2013 2012 I 3

EDITORIAL

welve-year-old Moses has experienced more tragedy and hardship in his young life than any child should have to bear. The death of his parents left him alone, likely eking out a living by panhandling, stealing and rummaging through garbage dumps.

Moses lived in Malawi until he was taken by traffickers and forced into punishing labour as a cattle herder. His time was no longer his own. School became a distant memory. He was fed scarcely one meal a day. With no income, limited nutrition and little shelter from the weather, Moses’ future was bleak.

Sadly, Moses is not an isolated case.

Thousands of women and children are cast into this black hole of human trafficking every year. They are captured, sold and forced into the sex and labour markets.

This month, Salvationist focuses on our Partners in Mission campaign and The Salvation Army’s work in Malawi.

News editor, Pamela Richardson, recounts the stories of children who have been rescued from the threat of human trafficking and benefited from the love and support of the staff at the Army’s Mchinji Anti-Child Trafficking Centre (pages 16-17). Commissioner Brian Peddle reflects on the opportunity he had to visit and witness first-hand

Salvationist

is a monthly publication of The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory Linda Bond General Commissioner Brian Peddle Territorial Commander Major Jim Champ Editor-in-Chief Geoff Moulton Assistant Editor-in-Chief John McAlister Features Editor (416-467-3185) Pamela Richardson News Editor, Production Co-ordinator, Copy Editor (416-422-6112)

Photo: Art Nickel

T

Do Something!

Timothy Cheng Art Director Moses outside the Mchinji Anti-Child Trafficking Centre in Malawi

the Army’s work in this impoverished African nation. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the photo essay on pages 10-13 will speak volumes about the need for us to do something.

The story of 12-year-old Moses took a turn for the better when he was spotted by a policeman who quickly determined that this unkempt lad with rags for clothes was not where he was supposed to be. A place was found for him in the Mchinji Centre and his dream of returning to school came true. A warm bed, nutritious food and protection from those who would exploit him for personal gain were all made available, along with a host of new friends.

Today, Moses lives with his uncle and continues to attend a school where he is in Grade 6. The photo above of a smiling Moses, taken at the centre’s compound, reminds us of the importance of supporting the Army’s work in rescuing the trafficked children of this world. God’s love compels us to give something. Let’s do our best for his sake and for the sake of the children.

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me” (Mark 9:37).

MAJOR JIM CHAMP

Editor-in-Chief 4 I February 2013 I Salvationist

Ada Leung Circulation Co-ordinator Kristin Fryer, Ken Ramstead Contributors Agreement No. 40064794, ISSN 1718-5769.

Member, The Canadian Church Press. All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, Today’s New International Version (TNIV) © 2001, 2005 International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

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Mission

The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world. Salvationist informs readers about the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. salvationist.ca salvationist@can.salvationarmy.org facebook.com/salvationistmagazine twitter.com/salvationist

AROUND THE TERRITORY

HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS IN London, Ont., volunteered at The Salvation Army Centre of Hope in November as part of the Come and Serve program of King’s University College. The program partners high schoolers with current King’s students to participate in various community service projects. The Salvation Army was one of nine organizations supported by the program.

Paulina and Jordan, Grade 11 students from Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School, were among 50 local high-school students taking part.

“It was a good way to spend the day,” Jordan says. “If we start small, even in London, we can help other communities.

You can make someone’s week, month, just by this small gesture.”

“Even just having the opportunity to get a bag of food helps people have that sense of security, something to eat and not have to worry about it,” Paulina adds.

“Just coming here for a few hours to pack food is really important to someone.”

Kevin O’Neil, assistant manager community services at the Centre of Hope, notes that Come and Serve has many benefits.

“I hope it opens students’ eyes to

Photo and story: London Community News

Students “Come and Serve” at The Salvation Army

From left, Paulina and Jordan, students from Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School, and King’s University College students Kaylin Pridding and Lisa Little sort food donations at London’s Centre of Hope

issues facing the vulnerable population in London. This shows them another side, teaches them about community,” O’Neil says. “They can learn quite a bit in six hours about what we do at

community services, at the food bank at least.

Plus, they are hard workers and they do it with a smile. They are on their feet the whole time, but they enjoy it.”

Photo and story: The Compass

Newfoundland Corps Builds Online Community

Richard Knapman is project leader and developer of TheSpiritualCafe.ca

MEMBERS OF THE Lower Island Cove Corps, N.L., got together and asked themselves what the church of the future would look like. Their answer, the Spiritual Café, looks like a

website but sounds like a great place to hang out.

TheSpiritualCafe.ca aims to share the Christian faith with people in an easily accessible way. In keeping with the café theme, it offers various kinds of “spiritual food,” including “Appetizers” (short devotions) and “House Specials” (information about the corps).

The site launched October 21, and in the first nine days, 4,000 different people visited the site.

The site gets at least 200 visits each day.

These numbers are significant, given that the town of Lower Island Cove has only a few hundred residents, and services at the corps usually attract approximately 50 people.

The success of the site has been encouraging, and the church is finding a new community of the faithful online.

“The community now is whoever you are connected to through social media,” said project leader and website creator Richard Knapman, adding that faith transcends physical structures. “The church is not a building. The church is people.

“Faith is still as relevant as it ever was, but it manifests itself in a different form.”

Salvationist I February 2013 I 5

AROUND THE TERRITORY

Chatham Corps, Celebrates 130 Years

GENERAL RICK HILLIER (Rtd), formerly Canada’s top soldier, spoke at The Salvation Army’s inaugural Hope in the City fundraising breakfast in Saint John, N.B., in November.

The event, which drew a crowd of nearly 600, was in support of The Salvation Army’s Community Response Unit (CRU).

General Hillier delivered a speech on inspiration and hope, complete with stories from his decades of military service. He also shared his connection to The Salvation Army, attending a corps while growing up in Campbellton, N.L. “The Salvation Army has always been one of the greatest supporters of Canadian soldiers no matter where they deploy around the world,” Hillier said. “You go back to the First World War and Second World War and wherever the soldiers were, The Salvation Army was, to provide the kinds of things that you miss from your home and that you want to have with you.

“So I’ve always appreciated what The Salvation Army has done for people, for me personally and for the people who live in Saint John.”

The CRU is a mobile canteen that allows the Army to quickly respond to crises all over New Brunswick. During its first six months of operation, the CRU responded to three fires and the Perth-Andover flood, assisting affected residents and supporting first responders. The CRU also provides weekly service from November to March in five neighbourhoods in Saint John.

THE SALVATION ARMY Chatham Corps, Ont., recently marked its 130th anniversary with a weekend of celebration. Guests for the occasion were Lt-Colonels Lee and Deborah Graves, Ontario Great Lakes divisional leaders, and Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle, territorial leaders, who served as corps officers in Chatham from 1988-1992.

Celebrations commenced on Friday evening with an anniversary dinner attended by soldiers, adherents and friends of the corps, past and present, along with dignitaries from the community, including Mayor Randy Hope, MP Dave Van Kesteren and a representative for MPP Rick Nicholls. The mayor presented a plaque congratulating The Salvation Army on 130 years of dedicated service to the community. Commissioner Rosalie Peddle shared a message during the evening.

Saturday’s events began with a men’s breakfast, where Commissioner Brian Peddle shared a report on the Army’s work around the world. That evening, the second annual Christmas With The Salvation Army concert was held with more than 600 in attendance. The Chatham Corps brass band started off the evening with a rousing rendition of Chatham 130, a special march written for the occasion by Major Ken Smith, assistant territorial music secretary. Following the band, the Chatham Timbrel Brigade delighted the audience with a routine entitled Christmas Joy. Also included in the program were several numbers by the Chatham Christian School Junior Choir under the direction of Lynn Tilley, a member of the corps who teaches at the school.

Vocal soloist Claudia Davison, a former member of Chatham Corps thrilled her listeners with a rendition of Silent Night, followed by My Grown-Up Christmas List. Commissioner Brian Peddle also addressed the audience, encouraging them to welcome the Babe of Bethlehem into their hearts and allow God to become part of the next chapter of their lives.

The corps was filled on Sunday morning for a service of praise and worship under the leadership of the territorial leaders. Commissioner Brian Peddle enrolled three new senior soldiers and urged those present to be real in their faith.

Photo: Daniel Bonner

Top Soldier Speaks at Hope in the City Breakfast

General Rick Hillier (Rtd) speaks at the inaugural Hope in the City breakfast in Saint John, N.B.

Care Packages Help the Homeless CLIENTS AT THE Salvation Army Gateway men’s shelter in Toronto will receive the gift of dignity, respect and recovery in the form of a care package as they transition from the shelter system to their own apartments.

The packages, which were prepared by employees and volunteers from Gateway and The Salvation Army Oakville Recycling Centre, include essentials such as pots, pans, utensils, toiletries and linens.

This project is made possible by Hockey Helps the Homeless, which donated $10,000 to help purchase the contents for the packages. With that donation, The Salvation Army was able to prepare 96 packages.

“Without this funding we would not be able to offer this amazing gift of hope to our clients,” said Dion Oxford, director of Gateway.

6 I February 2013 I Salvationist

From left, Cpt Andrew Watkinson, CO; Commissioners Rosalie and Brian Peddle; corps representative Ian Tilley; Cpt Stephanie Watkinson, CO; and Lt-Cols Lee Graves and Deborah Graves cut the anniversary cake

AROUND THE TERRITORY

Professional Development Conference Inspires Leaders T H E ON TA R IO GR E AT L a ke s Professional Development Conference was held at London Citadel in October.

Morning worship was led by Major Bradley Donais, executive director, Hamilton Community Resource Centre, and devotions were conducted

by Lt-Colonels Lee and Deborah Graves, divisional leaders, and Majors Stephen and Leslie Wiseman, corps officers, Khi Community Church, Milton, Ont. On the first day, more than 160 officers and lay leaders attended presentations on integrated mission and integrated ministry by Major Fred Waters, corps ministries secretary, and Mary Ellen Eberlin, social services secretary. Both provided an overview of their departmental structures and the ministry resources that are available at territorial headquarters. Following a lunch break, they led an open forum, responding to questions and comments from the audience.

The theme for the second morning was multicultural ministry with Major Donna Millar, divisional director of women’s ministries, Alberta and Northern Territories Division, who has spent many years working in this field and currently serves as the territorial multicultural

Officers and lay leaders gather for the Ontario Great Lakes Professional Development Conference

ministries secretary. Participants had an opportunity to ask specific questions relating to their ministry settings.

Major Gillian Brown, director of world missions, and Lt-Colonel Lee Graves discussed their recent trip to Indonesia. Photos of their visit, along with stories relating to ministry challenges in Indonesia, provided a glimpse into the work of The Salvation Army in

Donation Keeps Nova Scotia Families Warm

From left, Mjr Morris Vincent, AC, Maritime Div, receives a cheque for $400,000 for the Good Neighbour Energy Fund from John MacDonell

LOW-INCOME SENIORS AND families in Nova Scotia will find it easier to heat their homes this winter thanks to a $400,000 donation from the province to The Salvation Army’s Good Neighbour Energy Fund.

“No family should have to make

the choice between keeping the heat on or putting food on the table,” said John MacDonell, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Minister. “By working together with The Salvation Army and Nova Scotia Power, more low-income seniors and families can feel better knowing that if things get difficult, they have the help needed to keep the heat on and stay warm in their own home this winter.”

The Good Neighbour Energy Fund helps with all forms of home heating, including firewood, coal, oil, propane and electricity. The benefit is paid as a credit to an energy supplier’s account on behalf of the person receiving fuel.

Last winter, more than 2,000 low-income Nova Scotians across the province received home-heating help from the Good Neighbour Energy Fund.

that part of the world.

Throughout the various sessions, Lt-Colonel Lee Graves presented longservice order certificates to officers who have served 25, 30 and 35 years.

The conference concluded with a presentation by Scott Barrett, divisional secretary for business administration, about fiscal strategies and budget preparation for the coming year.

Did you know …

… a new thrift store opened in Aldergrove, B.C., in November, attracting huge crowds? … The Salvation Army in Dartmouth, N.S., received a donation of $1,200 from the Dartmouth Community Health Board to assist the Precious Moments program for mothers and children? The donation enabled Precious Moments to purchase many new items that encourage exercise and physical activity … a Hope in the City breakfast in Edmonton raised more than $100,000 for the city’s kettle campaign? … the Santa Shuffle in Ottawa attracted more than 1,350 participants, the largest Santa Shuffle event in Canada? … a Salvation Army band has been chosen to represent Switzerland at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest with its ballad You and Me? Salvationist I February 2013 I 7

A Matter of Opinion Social commentator and editorial journalist Rex Murphy has been one of Canada’s most influential and respected opinion leaders for decades.

Born in Carbonear, N.L., Murphy graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1968 and then went to the United Kingdom to pursue his studies as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford. Returning to Newfoundland and Labrador, he soon established a reputation as an accomplished teacher, writer and broadcaster.

Murphy gained political experience as executive assistant to the leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland, and twice ran for provincial office. “It’s not a felony,” he has stated, “but it operates on the same plane of social esteem as throwing rocks at a convent.”

Most importantly, he has gained national prominence as a newspaper columnist, most recently in the National Post, on CBC TV’s The National and on his weekly CBC radio show, Cross Country Checkup, the only open-line radio program that broadcasts live across the nation 8 I February 2013 I Salvationist

The Salvation Army sets no hurdles to those who need help and puts up no barriers, political or otherwise. If there is need, if there is distress, if you can help, then help you will every Sunday afternoon. It has been said that “he has a unique ability to examine a topic of national interest or importance and articulate it in the most profound yet digestible way, so that his audiences become so engaged, they don’t even realize it’s happening.”

Photo: Courtesy CBC

As one of Canada’s premier broadcasters and columnists, Rex Murphy’s admiration of The Salvation Army runs deep

Salvationist recently interviewed Murphy in Toronto.

Q. What was your experience of The Salvation Army growing up in Newfoundland and Labrador?

The Salvation Army has always been a strong and constant presence there.

I grew up in a rough place in Newfoundland and Labrador, and we did some things that I don’t think I could even tell a priest—I’d be too embarrassed, you know! But if someone had ever said, “Let’s steal from a Salvation Army kettle,” it would have been considered vulgar, cheap, mean and utterly without honour. A crime against The Salvation Army carries with it a brocade of deep shame, a lack of integrity, manliness, maturity. And that’s because of the reputation of the institution.

I remember back in Newfoundland and Labrador 50 years ago, if denominations were being discussed other than your own, The Salvation Army was out of bounds. When the members of

Q. Newfoundland and Labrador has always been a hotbed of Salvation Army activity. What do you think accounts for that?

It’s hard to generalize, but in a sense it’s not surprising. It mirrors the Army’s own kind of self-identification. There’s a tradition of hospitality in Newfoundland and Labrador. Living in isolated areas, remote from everybody else, the instinct to assist and help is fairly strong. People who are pretty hard off—it’s been noted before—are usually the most generous.

You saw it on 9/11, in Gander, Gambo and in other towns.

So down home, the ethos of The Salvation Army would fit very well with that kind of background.

Q. What do you feel are the strengths of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda?

I think it’s keeping to the basics: doing the basic things and avoiding secondary messages. The Salvation Army isn’t into some political thing, leaving the core of what they do and branching out into some sort of semi-political organization.

A lot of churches forget what’s at the centre of their message and become, instead, imitations of social organizations. All of which is fine, if you want to do it, but I think the Army has been more consistent. If you’re going to help the poor, if you’re going to be there in distress, if you’re around in emergency

and disaster, keep it at that and don’t be too self-congratulatory about it. That’s what gives The Salvation Army the reputation that it has.

Q. Should The Salvation Army’s faith factor enter into any political discussion of an organization with such a social ministry component?

“You Do”

Excerpts from a speech given by Rex Murphy at the annual Salvation Army Hope in the City breakfast in Toronto: Before I get into what pretends to be serious, I’m going to address, not the elephants in the room, but the small domestic animals that have recently put a shadow on your organization.

If The Salvation Army were any other random assembly who dabble in philanthropy or public service, and if it were found that there was some mischief or, worse, criminality in such an organization, it would be a fairly serious wound. I don’t know if they would be able to bear it.

But allow me to say there is not the slightest impairment to the strength and integrity of an organization that has earned its standing and reputation through decades. I know you’re embarrassed by it, but the good work of The Salvation Army is in such vast contrast to the mean and trivial actions of a couple of misguided types. Wash your heads of any thought of shame.

Do not think that the slight shadow in any way obscures the light of the larger message. You’re so much bigger, you’re so much deeper, you’re so much more rooted, in practice and in reputation, than any invasion of the daily news.

✃ Subscribe to Salvationist

People who pick on it because they don’t agree with the core beliefs of the Army, I just think are nuisances, if you want to be really blunt about it. The Army does its own good work and doesn’t have any discrimination. People who try to loop The Salvation Army into current trendy political discussions are either mischievous or ill-informed.

You’re not just a name in a television ad. You are a real charity that operates on faces and hearts and souls.

The Salvation Army sets no hurdles to those who need help and puts up no barriers, political or otherwise. If there is need, if there is distress, if you can help, then help you will.

You are not fly-by-nights, you have a history, you’ve got a lot on the resumé.

When things happen, you do. You don’t talk, you don’t advertise. You actually go out and do.

Photo: Steve Nelson

a touring Salvation Army band needed to be quartered, there’d be a rush among the townsfolk. When asked why, the response would simply be, “They’re good people.”

You won’t find on bronze or plaque a better testimony to the worth of an organization than the spontaneous utterance: “They’re good people.”

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Contact (416) 422-6119; circulation@can.salvationarmy.org or visit salvationist.ca/subscribe to order Salvationist I February 2013 I 9

Photos: Art Nickel and Major Gillian Brown

Commissioner Brian Peddle engages with school children

The Warm Heart of

W

Africa

Commissioner Brian Peddle shares reflections and photos from his visit to Malawi in 2012

elcome to Malawi—the warm heart of Africa.

The country shares its borders with Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique, and lays claim to beautiful Lake Malawi.

With a population of 15 million, this diverse country is troubled by low life expectancy and high infant mortality as it battles the prevalence of HIV-AIDS. The country relies heavily on an economy based on agriculture, including sugar cane, cotton, tea and 10 I February 2013 I Salvationist

corn production, along with cattle and goats.

It’s difficult for me to tell in words the two sides of the story of Malawi. On one hand, I recall a unique handshake and the warm greeting, “Welcome to the warm heart of Africa.” While this happened I was greeted with joyous singing and warm smiles. The people laughed openly and were respectful of visitors from Canada.

On the other hand, I observed great need that presented itself in ways that

were shocking and personally moving. I quickly become acquainted with the letters OVC, which stand for orphans and vulnerable children. Worse than that, I came up with my own assessment of what I saw: more children than I could count with no shoes, no toys and many with no parents. My heart cried out, “Enough!” Let’s do something.

Let me tell you the rest of the story and invite you to look closely at the images and reflections that follow from my visit to Malawi last February.

13 and endured sexual relations with a stepfather with no way out. This centre offers them counselling, schooling and training with an aim to reconcile families and offer hope to young lives.

I ate my rice and chicken that night but greater joy was taken from their enjoyment of a special meal because Canadian visitors had come.

I also carry the scourge of being beaten at checkers by a 10-year-old.

Twice! As I tucked into my bed under my mosquito net that night, sleep did not come easily.

The Mchinji Anti-Trafficking Centre offers hope and stability for children who have been trafficked

Human Trafficking HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS seen through a different lens when you are invited to have supper with 40 children who have been trafficked for farming, domestic

and sexual slavery. There is a safe place at the Army’s Mchinji Anti-Trafficking Centre located near the Mozambique border. Before being rescued, Moses was 12, with no parents, and never got paid for his work, only receiving one meal a day. Precious was 11 and was a cattle herder. He was promised schooling but his uncle sold him. Margaret was

Salvation Army cadets engage in worship

Cadets receive Bibles at the training college

Officer Training THE ARMY IN Malawi is strong and growing. I conducted worship at the officers’ training college in Blantyre. We had earlier asked the training principal what we might bring as an encouragement gift

for the cadets. The answer was Bibles.

After the presentation, the captain on staff made a comment in Chewa and everyone laughed. I inquired and found out they were instructed to return the Bibles they had borrowed from the staff.

I didn’t know they did not own their own Bibles. Can you imagine?

Moses (right) with a member of the Mchinji Anti-Trafficking Centre staff

I later viewed some of the appointments where they would be sent and realized how much that Bible would be a treasured possession.

Our own cadets in Winnipeg are raising funds to buy bicycles for the cadets in Malawi. A bike means everything in this country.

Salvationist I February 2013 I 11

HIV-AIDS THE ONE-HOUR DRIVE to Bangwe was fascinating, yet as I write a few words, I am forced to reflect on what was, for me, the most difficult day. At the Army building, I viewed the records of a project for an HIV-AIDS testing centre. As I looked through this huge book with 38 names on a page, I was taken aback by the more than 50 percent who tested

positive. I tried to count the pages and do the math, but they produced more books. Unfortunately, the funding had run out and I turned away with a heavy heart and too many questions.

I wasn’t really ready for what came next. A part of the program was the provision of home-based care. The workers had continued despite the lack of funds, so we went to visit those they cared for.

We were walking, yet I had no idea where we were going. It was a path leading to a simple mudbrick house and we piled into this darkened room to meet Gloria, 34, mother of four. She is frail

and dying. Her sister, Victoria, will pick up the pieces. I feel we have invaded a private space and I sense it’s time to go and I hear the words, “Commissioner, they want you to pray for Gloria.” How would you pray?

Walking back up that path, I led the way, not because of a needed quick exit, but to hide how visibly shaken I was.

We didn’t get back in the vehicle.

Another visit was on the list. Susan, 22, with two children. Her husband had left and her mother had died of AIDS. She was receiving anti-viral drugs and would live to see Thomas and Phyllis grow up.

This time the prayer came a little easier.

It was a quiet drive home that evening.

Left: Salvation Army home-based care workers provide support to families affected

by HIV-AIDS. Right: Commissioner Peddle provides a pastoral visit to the home of a woman with HIV-AIDS

Partnering Through Self-Denial IF YOU’VE EVER second-guessed the importance of giving to the Partners in Mission Appeal, a trip to the Shire Valley would change that. Lalange and Madziabango Schools host hundreds of children, all in uniform, providing education and support. Key to the experience

is a food program, providing porridge called Loconi Pala made from soya beans, maize flour and salt. Volunteers start cooking at 6 a.m. Classrooms are mostly outside with limited resources (one book per 10 children) and large classes. As I remember this day, I wish I could pass you my iPod so you could listen and see their small choir singing, “By the grace of God we are saved.”

In the drought-stricken Shire Valley, the river still floods. It flooded just before we arrived. Two died in the flash floods and houses were swept away. We were taken by the corps officer to meet

The Salvation Army provides food programs for school children 12 I February 2013 I Salvationist

the displaced families. With little or nothing to call their own, they greeted us with singing. The money raised through Partners in Mission helps maintain and strengthen the Army’s work in Malawi.

There is one more point that must be made. The Malawi people are smart, able to create solutions and, most of all, willing to be accountable for what they receive. The international Army’s financial support ensures that countries such as Malawi have the infrastructure in place so that the projects I have shared with you can be implemented. Please give generously to Partners in Mission!

Every child deserves the right to an education

A family benefits from pigs donated through the Gifts of Hope campaign

Salvation Army programs help orphans and vulnerable children receive food and education

Love to Orphans ON THIS VALENTINE’S Day I experienced a true expression of love. We travelled two-and-a-half hours to Phalombe.

We sat in the hot sun as the OVC Kids Club sang, did drama and recited poems.

The adults who run the program are called great mothers and fathers. They welcomed us with singing, “Let’s take care of the children for they are the future of our tomorrow generation.

Let’s take care of the orphans.” It’s not unusual to have hundreds in attendance and, like all children, they have

dreams. Doreen, 13, tells me she wants to be a nurse.

My brother and I have stopped exchanging Christmas gifts. A couple of years ago, Rosalie and I started buying Gifts of Hope and sending cards.

So last year I bought a pig and sent a card. I visited a family with two pigs and shared her hope for 16-18 piglets.

When I asked what difference her gifts of hope would make, she could not suppress the smile. A better life, school and uniforms, education, more food. I sent my brother a picture and told him his Christmas gift is doing fine. For a family of five, can it be that simple?

Serving God in Malawi CAPTAIN LUKE MSIKITA is the public relations secretary in the Malawi Territory.

In an interview with Salvationist, Captain Msikita offers a Malawian perspective on the Army’s work in his country. This is an excerpt of the full interview, which can be read online at Salvationist.ca/luke-msikita.

What types of ministries does the Army carry out in Malawi?

Despite having a number of churches, the Malawi Territory currently has no Salvation Army schools, health clinics or hospitals and this poses a very big challenge with regards to the impact that can be made in our communities. Through Partners in Mission (PIM), we look forward to having the financial support to open a health facility and schools.

What are some of the challenges in the territory?

Due to the devastating impact of HIV-AIDS, many African households are comprised of orphans and vulnerable children

Partners in Mission Resource Kits are now available in corps. In addition to videos and pictures, this year’s kit includes recipes from Malawi, sermon ideas and links to Bible studies. Visit Salvationist.ca/partnersinmission for more information.

The economic situation in Malawi is difficult, which has resulted in a high cost of living, aggravated poverty, and scarcity of foreign currency and fuel. People are struggling to make ends meet. There is a growing hunger in the country due to erratic rains during the last agricultural season. Security is also a challenge, with increased reports of robbery, murder, rape and theft.

What are the Army’s strengths in Malawi?

We are striving toward self-sufficiency. Our leaders are friendly to people. We have a vibrant women’s ministry and dynamic youth ministry. There is a strong evangelistic zeal with a goal for growth. We have new expatriates to share their expertise with us and young people with a desire to serve. We have capable officers and soldiers with a passion for the underprivileged.

How does the money raised through PIM help?

The international funds help us more effectively fulfil our mission to reach communities for Christ in the areas of spirituality, health and sanitation, agriculture infrastructure, HIVAIDS, access to portable water, school feeding and economic empowerment.

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CHIEF PRIORITIES

Hemorrhaging Faith

Our children are leaving the church. How do we help them stay connected to their faith?

BY COLONEL FLOYD TIDD

14 I February 2013 I Salvationist

answered prayer, a powerful worship experience or even in solitude. Those who do not share such experiences can feel disengaged. That is why we must walk alongside youth, discussing together frustrations that arise when God seems absent. Gently pointing out the presence of God in their lives can be the gift of a lifetime to a young believer.

3. The example of other Christians.

Many young adults haven’t given up on Jesus—just the church. Where the church is a dynamic, encouraging and caring community of authentic believers in Jesus, it is a strong motivator for

Many young adults haven’t given up on Jesus—just the church young people. They are watching to see if Christians live out their faith in practical ways, both inside and outside of the church. We can create opportunities for intergenerational interaction and missional experiences that will strengthen the value of community and give young people a chance to express their faith.

How can we be more welcoming and embracing of our youth? Perhaps we should start by asking them.

4. The church’s approach to teaching. Youth are looking for opportunities to openly ask questions and integrate their faith with their everyday lives.

To stay engaged, they must see the church as a partner in their faith journey. We must explore new ways

to create open dialogue and intentionally mentor young believers as they discover and apply the teachings of Jesus.

Hearing the thoughts of Christianraised young adults is a gift provided by this research project. What will you and I do with what we have heard?

Colonel Floyd Tidd is the chief secretary of the Canada and Bermuda Territory. Hemorrhaging Faith: Why and When Canadian Young Adults are Leaving, Staying and Returning to Church can be accessed at hemorrhagingfaith.com.

Photo: iStockphoto.com/jane

D

id you know that only one in three Canadian young adults who attended church weekly as children still do today? Or that three out of five young adults who stop attending church will also drop their affiliation with any Christian tradition? The facts are clear: our children are leaving the church.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has released a report entitled Hemorrhaging Faith: Why and When Canadian Young Adults are Leaving, Staying and Returning to Church.

Researchers listened to the stories of 72 young adults aged 18-34, and received feedback from another 2,000, all of whom were raised in a Christian tradition. By showing why and when many left the church, the report can help us more effectively engage the emerging generation in their faith journey beyond the adolescent years.

Not surprisingly, young people often leave at points of transition: for example, between junior high and high school (yes, that early!) or when a youth leader moves on. Navigating life’s transitions can be tricky for anyone, but it’s most challenging during childhood and adolescence. How can we reach out to our young people? What bridge-building opportunities can be created to help keep them connected to their faith? The young adults in the report identified four common factors that can be both motivators and barriers to faith.

1. How parents express their faith.

This can be either a motivator or barrier to church attendance. Although the influence of peers and church programs is significant, the message that parents send is stronger. Perhaps we need an approach to youth ministry that includes a greater emphasis on the role of parents and the spiritual leadership of the family.

2. Young people’s own experiences of God. When young people have a personal sense of God’s presence, they stay more engaged with church and faith.

This awareness may come through

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/eyetoeyePIX

Making the Right Choice Decisions that seem common sense to us don’t even occur to some people. But why?

BY DION OXFORD

I

wonder why my mother wasn’t a crack addict or why I wasn’t born in poverty. Why wasn’t I born HIV positive or abused as a child? I could have faced these horrors in my life, and I know some of you have, but the reasons why I was spared were out of my control.

There are many things that shape our lives that we have no control over. We don’t choose our parents and siblings, skin colour, economic status as children and, almost always, when we die.

The people we work with at The Gateway, a Salvation Army shelter for men and drop-in centre in downtown Toronto, have had situations in their lives that they wouldn’t have chosen.

Stories of horrible abuse

and destruction permeate our community. Given the histories of some of the men who have stayed here, it’s a wonder they’re still alive.

Sometimes we scratch our heads when we witness the choices some make. We ask ourselves why people don’t get a job or why they squander their rent or disability money on drugs. Decisions that seem common sense to us don’t even occur to some people.

Our abilit y to make choices depends on the way we have been taught to make them. Somewhere along the way, most of us learned that holding down a job, paying bills and taking responsibility for our own lives are important in the process of life. Many have never learned

this and do not have the ability to make healthy choices.

They appear lazy, abusive, argumentative and unappreciative.

The south-central/southeast area of Toronto has the largest concentration of poverty in all of Canada.

Up until the Second World War, it was the place where poor people found affordable housing and low-skilled jobs.

Every decade since then has brought more people and fewer jobs, which has led to a community full of dependent people being taught to expect a high level of care.

Throughout history it has been shown that the first generation of the dependent poor wants work. However, ensuing generations want care.

Because of downsizing and technological advances, the need for low-skilled labour has diminished, resulting in little work for first-generation poor. Therefore, subsequent generations are being taught that it is someone else’s responsibility to care for their needs. This is the scene here in Toronto, as it is in most western cities.

Do some people choose to smoke crack or stay in shelters? Do others choose a life of prostitution or to live on welfare? I suppose the answer is yes. But all people make choices based on their ability to choose. And until we start digging deeper into how people came to be where they are, we can’t begin to understand why a person makes bad choices.

As Christians, our view of poverty needs to be informed

by Scripture. Given that there are over 2,000 references to poverty in Scripture, it shouldn’t be difficult to see God’s heart revealed on this issue. The problem is our view of poverty can be influenced by political biases, social class or the media.

However, Scripture portrays poverty as a circumstance

beyond a person’s control and balances it with a reminder of personal responsibility.

With this scriptural foundation of poverty, we must design programs that follow this understanding and strive to understand who our community is. We have to work at not labelling people as hopeless causes. We have to be creative in our approach to help people unlearn unhealthy decision-making habits.

We can do this by being consistent models of health.

Some Gateway staff members have unbelievable stories. We have those who were brought up in poverty and have lived lives similar to many of our residents. Some were raised in loving families and then wandered towards drug abuse and other such vices, but they’ve returned to their upbringing like the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-32).

And others can model lives of a “normal” upbringing and bring stability into the picture. With the eclectic mix of life stories we share as a staff, we can identify with everyone we serve in some way or another.

This consistency, coupled with our faith and some honesty that we do not have it all together, helps us experience the joy of watching people who, having lived their lives by making one bad decision after another, begin to learn how to make healthy and life-giving decisions that will lead them to a life of health and wholeness.

And in the midst of that we are reminded that our own choices are often not good ones. Perhaps in the context of these relationships, we might recognize our own brokenness and remember that this is not about “us and them” but simply about “us.”

Dion Oxford is the director of The Gateway in Toronto.

Salvationist I February 2013 I 15

Photos: Mjr Gillian Brown and Art Nickel

One Child at a Time

With your financial support, The Salvation Army is changing the lives of trafficked young people in Africa

BY PAMELA RICHARDSON, NEWS EDITOR

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t 13, Margaret is the eldest daughter in a family of seven children. Living and working under the rule of their stepfather, the family cultivated tobacco in the African nation of Mozambique.

Upon the advice of a witch doctor, the stepfather told Margaret’s mother that he needed to have sex with the young girl in order to produce more tobacco.

He eventually brought in other men to have sex with her as well.

Sadly, Margaret’s suffering is not unique in the world of child trafficking, but thanks to The Salvation Army’s Mchinji Anti-Child Trafficking Centre in Malawi, her story does not end there.

“The centre’s main purpose is to contribute to the improvement of the physical, economic and psycho-social well-being of victims of child trafficking and their families and caretakers,” explains Major Gillian Brown, director of world missions. Major Brown travelled to Malawi with Commissioner Brian Peddle, territorial commander, 16 I February 2013 I Salvationist

Margaret continues to receive the love and support she needs from the staff at the Mchinji Centre

and Major Loriann Metcalf, director of sponsorships, for a first-hand look at the Army’s work there.

For Margaret and the more than 600

other children who have come to the centre since its doors opened four years ago, Mchinji is the place that changed their lives.

Mjr Gillian Brown (left) and Commissioner Brian Peddle (right) spend time with 11-year-old Precious during their visit to the Mchinji Centre. The young boy has been reunited with his mother and is attending school

Commissioner Brian Peddle inspects the borehole that provides clean water for the children

Children and staff share meals together in the dining room

Ninety minutes outside Malawi’s capital city of Lilongwe, Mchinji is located in one of the major receiving districts of trafficked children on the borders of Malawi, especially for those en route to Zambia and Mozambique. Girls forced into prostitution or servanthood and boys trafficked into hard labour on farms or as cattle herders are identified through the joint efforts of Salvation Army personnel, local police and community leaders, and brought to the safety of Mchinji.

Supported in part through special projects of the Canada and Bermuda Territory, the centre is a well-established facility with a sports pitch, a water borehole and a fully fenced property. It also grows its own crops and does smallscale chicken rearing. “In order for this important work to continue,” explains

Major Brown, “further funding is being sought to keep the centre open.”

During their three- to nine-month stay at Mchinji, the children live in dormitory-style housing, share meals together, participate in activities at a nearby Army corps, attend a local school and receive vocational training in tailoring, bicycle repair and carpentry.

In addition, each child receives careful counselling to help them deal with the trauma they have experienced.

“I met Margaret while visiting Malawi with Commissioner Peddle and Major Metcalf,” says Major Brown. “Margaret remains at the centre to receive further counselling to heal the trauma she faced, and is doing well.” Currently in Grade 5, Margaret wants to be a nun when she grows up.

Raising chickens helps the Mchinji Centre to be self-supporting

At the end of their stay at the centre, the ultimate goal is for the children to be reunited with loved ones. To this end, Army personnel work together with social workers to find family members and explore opportunities to have the children return home.

“Precious is 11 years old,” shares Major Brown. “He was trafficked by an uncle who suggested he would take him in to attend school. Instead, he was forced to herd cattle.” Following his stay at Mchinji, the young boy was reunited with his mother. “And he’s attending school,” Major Brown adds with a smile.

For the sake of children such as Margaret and Precious, the staff of the Mchinji Centre will continue to rescue and rebuild lives, one child at a time.

Children and staff play board games together Salvationist I February 2013 I 17

“Thank You, John” A personal reflection on the life and legacy of the late General John Gowans

BY COLONEL ROBERT REDHEAD

I

first met Captain John Gowans when I was about 20 years old at youth councils in Liverpool, England. He was a young corps officer and completely different from anyone I had ever met. I remember him seeming so “normal.” I felt that many officers appeared to be aloof from the soldiers, but he treated me like a longtime friend, and a warm friendship and understanding grew between us.

During my very early officership, I attended the premiere presentation of the first Gowans and Larsson musical, Take-Over Bid. The sound was new and the cast was dancing—unheard of in 18 I February 2013 I Salvationist

General John Gowans, 1934-2012

that era. After the opening song, We Want a Take-Over Bid, some people, including officers, defiantly walked out. But at the end of the show there was tumultuous applause. As the audience piled out of the theatre, one could sense this was a new form of preaching the gospel that could reach people’s hearts and create a whole new era in Army life and corps relationships.

As I got to know John Gowans and the now retired General John Larsson and worked on the printing of their music, I realized it took courage and faith for them to dare to present the gospel through this genre.

They knew it was the right direction for the Army.

As the casts of their musicals were often drawn from several corps, the productions brought people together like nothing before.

And in individual corps, no longer were the band and songster brigade the “all in all.” Everyone from the bandmaster to the janitor became part of making their version of a musical a message to the unsaved and a reminder of God’s voice to the saved.

Thus my reflections on the life of General Gowans began with this impression of his passion, strong faith, engaging voice and desire to make and keep the Army, which he loved so much, relevant.

General Gowans was a wordsmith. We were blessed by his expression of great thoughts in a simple way that we will carry with us forever. He was interviewed by the media following his election as General and asked what the role of The Salvation Army would be.

“Save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity,” he responded. What a remarkable statement. Easy to remember and translate, and even now, Salvationists around the world use it as their raison-d’etre.

He had the ability to say so much in so little. Such a line is: “They shall come from the east, they shall come from the west, and sit down in the kingdom of God.” I have again and again experienced this seemingly unbelievable truth, which still brings warmth to my spirit and strength to my faith. I have been privileged to visit more than 50 countries and have encountered great riches and unbelievable poverty, sometimes existing only a stone’s throw from each other. How on earth can two such different classes of people sit down

together? Virtually impossible, but absolutely possible in the kingdom of God. The last time I met with General Gowans I was the chief secretary in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory, attending a conference with other leaders from the South Pacific and East Asia Zone. In the breaks between sessions, we had some great laughs together.

His humour, mostly about the Army, was always evident and down to earth. As two “Brits,” we could relax with our “down-home” humour.

As official conference events concluded, a request came from the floor asking the General to speak to us from his heart about what troubled him most. John Gowans, the man, rather than John Gowans, the General, stood to his feet and opened his heart to share three things with us that day: the difficulty leaders faced in the complexity of the modern age, the lack of pastoral support within such a structured system and the frustration and disillusionment of so many young Salvationists.

We, as leaders, had been sharing many pre-prepared issues, mostly relating to the “running” of the Army, and yet here he was “hitting the nail on the head.”

That was the real John.

Like him, may we face the real issues with a great love for God and a belief that the Army can still be relevant.

Thank you, John.

General John Gowans was the 16th international leader of The Salvation Army, serving from 1999 to 2002. He was promoted to glory on December 8, 2012, at the age of 78. To read more about his life and ministry, visit salvationist.ca/generalgowans-tribute.

Colonel Robert Redhead is a retired Salvation Army officer living in Orillia, Ont.

A Perfect Union: Lent and Self-Denial Salvationists emphasize sacrifice and prayer as they raise funds to support the Army overseas

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he boy could not have been more than 10. It was late March 1959 and still cold, so he wore a winter jacket and mitts. In his hand he carried a card that looked somewhat like a Christmas card except that, instead of a verse inside, it had a graph with lines for people to write their names on and columns for them to enter a money amount. From his coat pocket came a muffled jingle of coins.

The child knocked on the door of one of the houses on his street, as he had done on a dozen other houses earlier.

The man who answered the door was dressed in blue jeans and a T-shirt.

“What do you want?” he inquired, looking down at the boy.

“Please, sir,” said the boy in an Oliver Twist-like voice. “I’m collecting for SelfDenial. Would you like to give?”

“What’s Self-Denial?” asked the man.

“It’s money for poor children in other countries.”

“Humph,” said the man and dug into his pocket for a dime. “Is this OK?” “Yes, sir. Thank you. Would you write down your name and the amount on the card?”

After the man had duly filled in the information, the boy moved on, hoping to collect more money than any other person in his Sunday school class.

That is how I remember Self-Denial as a boy growing up in a little Salvation Army corps in a small Canadian town. I don’t remember actually denying myself anything, except the few hours I spent collecting money from strangers, most of whom didn’t belong to the Army, and some who didn’t belong to any church.

As time passed I came to realize that the Army’s annual Self-Denial Appeal was more than just fundraising. It actually involved denying oneself something and using the money saved to help others. It began back in 1886 with

an officer named Major John Carleton.

Major Carleton was present at a meeting led by General William Booth in which the General asked the congregation, many of whom were well-todo people from the middle and upper classes, to write on pieces of paper (which he called yellow canaries) an amount they were willing to give to support the Army’s missionary work. Major Carleton did not have much money but he took a piece of paper and wrote on it a promise that he would go without his dessert pudding for a whole year and thus save 50 shillings for the work.

When Booth later read the major’s promise he was deeply moved, but insisted that the major not make such a great sacrifice. Instead, the General said, he would encourage all Salvationists to make a personal sacrifice and deny themselves something for one week.

In this way everyone could make a contribution. Booth called this the International Self-Denial Fund.

In Canada, Self-Denial is today referred to as the Partners in Mission Appeal. It coincides roughly with the Lenten season. This coincidence is not without significance, because it is during Lent that Christians in many churches practise self-denial, including fasting and going without dessert.

Lent is not part of our Salvation Army lexicon. Its history goes back way beyond Major Carleton and the Self-Denial Appeal. The earliest references to days of fasting in the church date to the writings of Irenaus in the second century. But there was no set number of days. At the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., the Church Fathers agreed on a period of 40 days before Easter as days of fasting and prayer. This did not include Sundays, because Sunday was considered a feast day. In this way Lent became six weeks of six days (Monday

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/PhotoInc

BY MAJOR FRED ASH

through Saturday) and four extra days at the beginning (Ash Wednesday to Saturday) making 40 days in total.

Generally speaking, our friends in the liturgical churches know how to celebrate Lent better than us in the evangelical fold. Father William P. Saunders of the Roman Catholic Church defines Lent as “a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter.”

Ted Olsen, writing for Christianity Today, a thoroughly evangelical publication, laments that many mainline Protestant denominations hardly mention Lent at all. “However, there seems to be potential for evangelicals to embrace the season again,” he says. “For many evangelicals who see the early church as a model for how the church should be today, a revival of Lent may be the next logical step.”

If we marry the spiritual-powerful Lenten emphasis on sacrifice and prayer with our practical Partners in Mission Appeal for funds to support our work in countries that are struggling financially, we will have a union made in heaven.

The result will be a growing family of God. Major Fred Ash is a retired Salvation Army officer living in Barrie, Ont. Salvationist I February 2013 I 19

Stronger Together

The Salvation Army is partnering with First Nations communities in British Columbia, Ontario and Manitoba

BY KRISTIN FRYER, STAFF WRITER

Raising Up Leaders in Northern B.C. IT’S A BRIGHT Saturday afternoon in September at Gitwinksihlkw Corps, B.C., where a carnival is in full swing.

There’s a bean-bag toss, a hockey shoot-out, balloon animals, face painting and more. Children scurry from booth to booth, playing games and earning points, eager to collect their prize at the end.

Behind the booths are four young Salvationists from the Youth Action Corps (YAC), a group of leaders-in-training from northern British Columbia. The YAC program, now in its third year, takes a maximum of five youths aged 14-17 each year and gives them opportunities to engage in hands-on ministry and learn practical leadership skills.

“Our goal is that these youths will graduate from the program feeling more confident in their leadership abilities, and will then get more involved in their corps or join the staff at summer camp,” explains Erica Azak, assistant regional youth co-ordinator for northern British Columbia, who organizes the YAC. The program consists of four weekends spread out over the year. The first, held in January, is a training weekend, which teaches the basics of youth ministry, from public speaking to planning games and working with different age groups.

The remaining three weekends involve practical ministry, supervised by Azak and local corps officers.

In 2012, the YAC spent their second weekend leading junior youth councils at Camp Mountainview in Houston, B.C. Before the councils, the youths helped Azak plan the weekend and then assisted with activities throughout, leading songs, games and craft times, as well as praying with children during prayer times.

The third weekend brought the YAC to Gitwinksihlkw, a small First Nations village on Nisga’a territory, approximately 100 kilometres northwest of Terrace, B.C. Word got around that a team was coming before the YAC even arrived.

“When we got there on Friday night, about 40 people were waiting for us at the church,” says Azak, noting that people came from several surrounding First Nations villages. The team put on some games for the local youths, but they spent most of the evening just hanging out and getting to know the people there.

The next day, after the team put on a carnival, they were invited to a stone-moving feast in the Gingolx First Nations village, about 90 minutes west of Gitwinksihlkw. In Nisga’a tradition, a stone-moving feast is held by a family one year after a loved one has passed away to thank the community for supporting them through their time of mourning.

20 I February 2013 I Salvationist

The 2012 Youth Action Corps: from left, Sam Lui, Kessa Wilkinson, Emily Auckland and Hannah McMillan

“I had never been to anything like that before,” says Kessa Wilkinson, a member of the YAC from Prince George, B.C. “To see the dancing, hear the chanting and eat the traditional food was really special.”

“The YAC was introduced by the local corps officers, Captains Oliver and Deborah McNeil, and people spoke to them afterward and thanked them for doing youth work in their communities,” says Azak. “And one of the chiefs presented a gift to one of our team members.”

The team spent their final weekend in November in the Upper Skeena Circuit, which includes corps in Hazelton, Sike-dakh and Gitsequkla, B.C. The team ran a winter-themed children’s event in Sik-e-dakh on Saturday afternoon, which included crafts, games and music. Major Karen Hoeft, area program and youth ministries co-ordinator, taught the children to sing Love the Lord Your God with sign language, which the children performed that evening at a worship service.

All of these experiences of working with children in First Nations villages made a deep impression on Emily Auckland, who is part First Nations herself.

“The villages were homey and I felt really comfortable there,” she says. “I especially enjoyed doing the kids’ carnival in Gitwinksihlkw—seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces and knowing that they were having fun.”

Now that they have finished the program, both Auckland and Wilkinson plan to become more involved in ministry— Auckland with her corps’ Sunday school in Terrace, and Wilkinson as a camp counsellor.

The four, who have become close friends, stay in touch through a Facebook group. Azak says that the YAC’s emphasis on team-building resonates with the First Nations people they encounter in northern British Columbia.

“They see that we are community-minded, and so they’re happy to have us come in because they know that we encourage the same values that they teach their children,” she says.

Building Trust in Cape Croker, Ont. THIS PAST CHRISTMAS, The Salvation Army hosted a special event on the Cape Croker First Nations reserve near Wiarton, Ont. Upbeat carols and the smell of hot apple cider welcomed families from the reserve as they came to pick up hampers and gifts from The Salvation Army.

“We wanted the room to have an air of abundance,” says Captain Mary Millar, corps officer, Wiarton Community Church. Families received a food hamper with dried goods, vegetables and fruit, a “blessing bag” with personal items, toys and clothing or blankets. There were hats and mittens for everyone.

The event was part of The Salvation Army’s increased presence in Cape Croker, which included the participation of the corps’ brass band in the elementary school’s Christmas concert.

The invitation to play at the concert came during a visit from Captain Shari Russell, territorial Aboriginal ministries consultant. While visiting in October, Captain Russell and Captain Millar met with various community leaders, including the school’s principal and the Cape Croker band council, to discuss ways that the Army could partner with the community.

“It is very significant that the band council would allow us to come in and meet with them,” says Captain Russell, who brought journals for each member of the council. “We do not get many invitations from the First Nations because of the history of churches on reserves.”

“This kind of a meeting is critically important,” adds Captain Millar, “because we have to dispel any fears they

Special Delivery to God’s Lake Narrows, Man.

God’s Lake Narrows, a First Nations community located 550 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, is rich in culture and natural beauty. But its isolation—the community is accessible only by plane or boat—creates challenges. Limited accessibility and the high cost of shipping mean high prices for food, clothing and practical needs.

Facing a desperate situation, a member of the community contacted The Salvation Army in Flin Flon, Man., asking for help with clothing.

On November 8, after several months of planning and partnering with the chief and people of God’s Lake Narrows, The Salvation Army’s National Recycling Operations in Winnipeg covered the $5,000 cost of freight and delivered 950 kilograms of gently used and new clothing to the community.

“We buzzed with anticipation as our small aircraft landed on the runway,” says Major Deborah Bungay, area commander, Prairie Division. “But amidst the snow and wind, we were warmly greeted by the community’s chief and band council.”

In keeping with culture and tradition, Major Bungay offered a personal gift to the chief. “I gave him sweet grass, which represents healing and renewed perspective,” says Major Bungay.

“The Salvation Army wanted to assure this community that we are here to walk alongside and journey with them during these troubling times.”

As Major Bungay toured the community, more needs were evident. And so, on December 14, The Salvation Army sent a

may have about what our motives are, and clarify our reasons for being there. Having Captain Russell there, a First Nations person herself, was very powerful because of the trust that her presence brings.”

Captain Millar says their central purpose at the meeting was to ask questions.

“Our main question was: What can The Salvation Army offer?” she says. “My line is: Where do you hurt? What do you need? How can we help?”

They also asked the council how they felt about the work The Salvation Army is currently doing on the reserve, where the Army operates a food bank and a soup kitchen.

“They communicated that they were happy with how things were going,” says Captain Millar. “There was an embracing of what was being given and a tentative acceptance of some more being given.”

The Salvation Army has been involved with the reserve’s food bank since 1996, when it started supplying food, and has been operating the food bank in tandem with the First Nations since February 2011. It assists 90 families per month.

The soup kitchen, which has been active since last spring, is open three Mondays per month and serves 40-50 people.

“Some people on the reserve are very isolated,” Captain Millar says. “They don’t have telephones or vehicles, and they are living in abject poverty. So for them to come and have fellowship and a meal is really important.”

She notes that the response to the soup kitchen has been positive.

“Recently, a young gentleman came to our soup kitchen and said to me, ‘I woke up this morning feeling really depressed.

And then I remembered it was Monday and I could come here for soup.’ ” second shipment to God’s Lake Narrows, including coats, toys, books, sports equipment and shoes for more than 100 children.

Grateful for the support, the people of God’s Lake Narrows invited the Army to come back in better weather for a cultural welcome and celebration.

—Linda Leigh

The Salvation Army delivers clothing to the people of God's Lake Narrows

Salvationist I February 2013 I 21

An Indigenous Perspective Captain Shari Russell draws on her own experience when ministering in First Nations communities

B

BY KRISTIN FRYER, STAFF WRITER

orn into the Saulteaux First Nation in Saskatchewan, Captain Shari Russell was not yet two years old when she and two of her siblings were forced to leave their family and their home on the reserve.

Captain Russell, territorial Aboriginal ministries consultant, is one of approximately 20,000 Aboriginal children who were fostered by child welfare between the 1960s and late 1980s, in what is known as the Sixties Scoop.

“In those days, being Native was very negative,” she says.

“And so, as a Native person, you didn’t think that you deserved any better. Decisions were made for you and you just had to deal with it. That was the way Native people were treated.”

Captain Russell spent four difficult years in foster care before she was adopted by a Salvation Army family.

“It took a while to adjust to being adopted—a lot of observing how to behave and act. I didn’t want to be sent away again,” she remembers. “But I felt connected. Our family had very open arms.”

Captain Russell’s adopted family was a mix of biological children, adopted children and children in foster care.

“Whether you were their own biological kids or not, it didn’t seem to matter to my parents,” she says. “We were all accepted and treated with respect, and there was a real concern for us as individuals.”

Finding Faith Adjusting to life in a new family also meant adjusting to life in the church, something Captain Russell had very little experience with.

“The whole prayer thing was weird to me at first because it seemed like they just closed their eyes and started talking to someone who wasn’t there,” she laughs. “I wondered, What have I got myself into? But because it was safe and stable, I thought there must be something OK about it. Safety was the most immediate concern for me.”

This longing for stability kept Captain Russell committed to the corps, but for many years she felt there was a disconnect between her head and her heart.

“I did all the things I thought were expected of me to stay in the family,” she says. “I became a junior soldier, then a 22 I February 2013 I Salvationist

Cpt Shari Russell (left) attends an open-air Easter service in the First Nation Village of Sik-e-dakh, B.C.

senior soldier. I played in the band. I could tell someone the plan of salvation, but I had the sense that it was for everyone except me.”

But when, at 17, a close friend of hers died suddenly, Captain Russell found herself in crisis and began to question the faith she had grown up with.

“I went on a retreat, looking for answers, and I had a supernatural experience with God, where he spoke words of assurance,” she remembers. “And I said, ‘God, I do acknowledge your existence. And I don’t know what this means, but whatever you want, I’ll do.’ ” Following his lead took her to Winnipeg’s Catherine Booth Bible College (now Booth University College), where she completed a BA in Christian education and met her husband, Captain Robert Russell. She had only intended to go for one year, but the class instruction drew her in.

“It challenged me to think through my faith, and it was freeing to discover that other people had the same questions I did,” she says. “I learned that you don’t have to just follow blindly.”

Captain Russell followed her BA with an MA in Christian education from Providence Seminary. Feeling called to fulltime ministry with The Salvation Army, the Russells entered training college in 1997 and were commissioned in 1999.

Aboriginal Liaison The Russells’ first two appointments took them to Toronto Harbour Light and the former College for Officer Training in St. John’s, N.L. Captain Russell says she never considered doing Aboriginal ministry until 2002, when she was reunited with her biological family.

“Meeting them helped me overcome the stereotypes I’d accepted about myself and my culture,” she says. “It was a very positive experience for me.”

While stationed in St. John’s, the Russells’ desire to do Aboriginal ministry grew, and was fulfilled at their next appointment to Weetamah Corps in Winnipeg, which has a large Aboriginal population.

During that appointment, Captain Shari Russell became a member of the board of the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS), which is dedicated to developing Indigenous theologians.

“The contribution of theology from an Indigenous perspective is something that’s missing from the Christian church,” she says. “When Canada and the United States were colonized, the Indigenous expression of spirituality was seen as pagan and so, in order to be a follower of Jesus, everything that you did as an Indigenous person had to be put away—dress, culture, language. The Indigenous perspective was removed from the greater expression of the Christian faith.”

NAIITS aims to encourage the Indigenous voice, and one way it does this is by holding a symposium every year that addresses topics of concern in Aboriginal ministry.

“We have discussions and forums on how we as Indigenous followers of Jesus can express who we are, fully and completely,” she explains.

Shortly after Captain Russell joined the board of NAIITS, she became the territorial Aboriginal ministries consultant.

In this additional responsibility, she works with ministry

Healthy Communities

Dr. Bent Hougesen cares for the First Nations in Hazelton, B.C.

FOR 20 YEARS, Dr. Bent Hougesen has made his home in Hazelton, B.C., a remote community east of Prince Rupert with 6,000 residents.

Approximately 90 percent of Hougesen’s patients are First Nations, reflecting the general population of the area, which includes four reserves: Gitanmaax, Sik-e-dakh (Glen Vowell),

units to develop best practices in Aboriginal ministry, shares information and resources (e.g. Bible study curriculum), and networks with other Aboriginal groups. Recently, she travelled to Wiarton, Ont., to help build connections between the corps and the Cape Croker band council (see page 21).

Captain Russell also shares her perspective at the College for Officer Training in Winnipeg through courses such as human diversity, which focuses on communities, including the First Nations, who have experienced injustice.

Teaching cadets about Aboriginal ministry often means challenging the status quo.

“We need to rethink the way that we do missions in Aboriginal communities,” she says, “because it’s always been through a service mentality, rather than a strength-based model.

“I think the way forward is to look backward and see the things that we’ve not done well. We need to recognize those things and admit our mistakes and then ask the Indigenous people, ‘What are the steps forward? How can we walk alongside and empower you?’ ” Pointing to the traditional Indigenous symbol of the fourquadrant medicine wheel, Captain Russell says Aboriginal ministry must embrace four essential components—physical, mental, social and spiritual—in a holistic manner.

“Our mandate is not to colonize Aboriginal communities,” she says, “but to bring wholeness and healing.”

Kispiox and Hagwilget.

It’s a tight-knit community, but it is not without its problems. One of the most troubling is Hazelton’s high suicide rate—in the past, the community has seen more than 100 attempts per year.

When patients who have attempted suicide come to his clinic, Hougesen takes a holistic approach.

“I meet with the individual and try to find out as much as I can about that person—their background, what makes them tick—and then suggest options for them,” he says. He also tries to get their families involved to help prevent future suicide attempts.

“I see my patients as people created by the Lord in his image, and they have so much potential, physically and spiritually, because of that,” he says.

“Every human being has worth, and is important and vital, no matter who they are.”

To encourage healthy living among families in the community, Hougesen helped develop the Starting Smart program, which has been running for 15 years.

“The focus of the program is nutritional essentials for women during pregnancy and post-partum, and for infants,” he explains, “but it ends up addressing nutrition for the entire

family.”

The program incorporates prenatal classes and birth preparation, as well as a weekly meeting where participants make and enjoy a nutritious lunch, which is followed by a talk, an activity or a discussion of topics relevant to parenting. Starting Smart also provides follow-up at the medical clinic and the hospital where women are given birthing and breast-feeding support.

“The program has become so popular that, if someone is pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, it is expected that they will attend,” Hougesen says.

A lifelong Salvationist, Hougesen balances his work as a doctor with active involvement at the Hazelton Corps, where he plays piano and organizes two concerts each year, and spearheads missions work with Salvation Army hospitals overseas.

Now 71 years old, Hougesen has reduced his working hours somewhat, but his desire to care for others keeps him going.

“Being a doctor involves long hours and lots of hard work, but it’s very gratifying,” he says. “It allows me to use my knowledge and ability to put into practice Christian caring, doing my utmost for someone else and making a difference in other people’s lives.”

Salvationist I February 2013 I 23

CROSS CULTURE

IN THE NEWS

A Star is Converted Two and a Half Men actor calls show “filth” after becoming a Christian Angus T. Jones, star of Two and a Half Men, shocked the entertainment industry recently when he appeared in a YouTube video urging viewers to stop watching his show.

In the video, posted by Forerunner Christian Church, Jones shares his conversion to Christianity and calls Two and a Half Men “filth.”

“You cannot be a true, Godfearing person and be on a television show like that,” he says on the video. “I know I can’t. The stars of Two and a Half Men, I’m not OK with what I’m learn- from left, Angus T. Jones, Ashton ing, what the Bible says and Kutcher and John Cryer being on that television show.”

The video went viral, getting more than 2.3 million views, and in the midst of widespread backlash, Jones issued an apology, saying, “Without qualification, I am grateful to and have the highest regard and respect for all of the wonderful people on Two and Half Men … who have become an extension of my family.”

In an interview with Christianity Today, Jones noted that he has been taking an evangelism class and he hopes to use his position as a celebrity to spread the gospel.

Watch the video at http://bit.ly/SkskfI

Johan’s Ark

Photo: Anoek de Groot, Getty Images

Dutch man builds exact replica of Noah’s boat It took him 20 years, but Johan Huibers has finally done it.

The Dutch man has built a full-scale, fully functioning model of Noah’s Ark, using God’s instructions from Genesis 6-9. The resulting boat, which is moored in the city of Dordrecht in the Netherlands, is an incredible 130 metres long, 29 metres across and 23 metres high.

Huibers says the project was inspired by a dream he had about the Netherlands flooding, but he hopes the ark will encourage people to contemplate their purpose in life.

“I want to make people question that so that they go looking for answers,” and ultimately find salvation through God and eternal life, he told the Associated Press.

24 I February 2013 I Salvationist

IN REVIEW Iscariot: A Novel of Judas

by Tosca Lee

AS THE BETRAYER of Jesus, Judas Iscariot is easily one of the most reviled figures in history. Humanizing Christianity’s great villain would seem an impossible task, but it’s one that bestselling Christian author Tosca Lee takes on in her new book, Iscariot: A Novel of Judas.

Based on extensive research into the life and times of Judas, Iscariot is a fictional account of his life from his childhood to his end after handing Jesus over to the Pharisees. In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the promised Messiah and future king of the Jews who will overthrow the Romans. But when Jesus defies all his expectations, his hopes are dashed. At last, Judas must confront the fact that his master is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Judas may seem like a surprising choice for a character study, but Lee has tackled similar figures in the past in books such as Havah, which looks at the Fall from Eve’s point of view, and Demon: A Memoir, which tells the story of one angel’s descent after choosing to follow Lucifer. For Lee, there are no two-dimensional characters or simple decisions—everyone faces dilemmas. And so, in Iscariot, Lee depicts a man who has real emotions and, in the end, real regrets.

For some Christians, the story of Judas’ betrayal may be so familiar that it no longer resonates. Iscariot’s first-person account enables readers to identify with Judas’ struggles and even ask the question: If I were Judas, would I have done the same?

In the end, Lee emphasizes that Iscariot is not just the story of Judas, but of Jesus as well, “of divine and human love—the story of you and me.”

Stumbling on Open Ground: Love, God, Cancer and Rock ’n’ Roll

by Ken Mansfield When Ken Mansfield walked into his doctor’s office in December 1996, he was not at all prepared for the news he would be given. The shock of hearing that he had a rare form of cancer hit him with full force, and would again several years later when he was diagnosed with another cancer.

Stumbling on Open Ground: Love, God, Cancer and Rock ’n’ Roll is an engaging story of trial and faith, told in tandem with Mansfield’s wife, Connie, who contributes short journallike entries to the book. The narrative is also punctuated with stories from Mansfield’s years in the record industry. (A legendary producer, he is best known for working with The Beatles and Waylon Jennings.)

But at its heart, Stumbling on Open Ground is a private dialogue between Mansfield, his wife and God, who transformed them both through their struggle with a heartbreaking disease.

CROSS CULTURE

Friendship 101

TV show Community is a comedy with both style and substance REVIEW BY KRISTIN FRYER, STAFF WRITER

I

t sounds like a standard premise for a TV show—a group of seven students form a study group at a community college. But when judged in terms of both style and substance, Community is far from ordinary. Here’s why.

While Community is a comedy, it has created a cast of characters who feel like real people, rather than stereotypes.

No one in the study group is perfect: there’s Jeff, a lawyer who was suspended after falsely claiming to have a bachelor’s degree; Shirley, a single mother and a devout Christian; Abed, a socially awkward pop-culture junkie; Troy, a high-school football star who lost his scholarship; Annie, an overachiever and former Adderall addict; Britta, a world-travelling activist; and Pierce, a wealthy senior citizen who attends Greendale

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Collector’s Edition

by Sally Lloyd-Jones “THERE ARE LOTS of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story.” That big story, of course, is the story of Jesus, which is beautifully collected in Sally Lloyd-Jones’ awardwinning book, The Jesus Storybook Bible. This new collector’s edition combines the book’s 44 Bible stories and signature illustrations by Jago, with more than three hours of animated stories on DVD and three audio CDs narrated by British actor David Suchet. Enjoyed on its own or with the CDs and DVD, The Jesus Storybook Bible will engage young readers as it brings the stories of the Bible—from the Garden of Eden to the heavenly vision of John—to life.

Community College out of boredom. And while their quirks are often played up for comedic effect, Community never lets its viewers forget that they are all human beings with needs and complex motivations.

This is what gives Community its depth, as it explores the very idea of what it means to be a part of a community. As the show demonstrates, sometimes that involves personal sacrifice, as when the group agrees to be celebrity impersonators for the day to help Abed pay off a debt. And it involves extending forgiveness to others, even when they might not deserve it.

Numerous conflicts arise because of Pierce, who is frequently racist, sexist and unpleasant to be around. But the group continues to accept him, regardless, because he is part of the group. And they eventually learn that the reason Pierce constantly provokes others is that he fears all of his relationships will end. The study group is the first group of friends he’s kept for longer than a semester since he started attending Greendale years ago.

The dynamics of the study group are not unlike what you would find in a church. The participants are there for a common purpose, but come from a variety of backgrounds and have differing opinions, interests and goals. What keeps the group, and the church, together is love, manifested in acts of kindness that are grounded in a desire to truly understand and help each other. As Jeff puts it, in one of his many speeches (one of the show’s tropes), “The truth is—the pathetically, stupidly, inconveniently obvious truth is—helping only ourselves is bad and helping each other is good.”

The other aspect of the show that makes it unique is its style, as Community frequently looks outside the sitcom box for inspiration. Past episodes have parodied other TV shows, such as Law & Order, and genres, such as documentaries and musicals. Community is also known for its self-aware humour, poking fun at common TV conventions and using asides from Abed to comment on the show as it’s happening.

Funny, inventive and often touching, Community is a comedy that has no trouble making the grade.

Community returns for its fourth and final season on February 7.

Trade of Innocents

directed by Christopher Bessette Set in Cambodia, Trade of Innocents (available on DVD) follows Alex Becker (Dermot Mulroney), an investigator who is trying to help local police put an end to child prostitution.

He is joined by his wife, Claire (Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino), who volunteers at a shelter for girls who have been rescued from the sex trade.

Driven in part by personal tragedy—Alex and Claire’s young daughter was kidnapped and murdered years earlier—Alex pursues various pimps and clients, including a sleazy American businessman (John Billingsley). But the traffickers fight back, putting him and Claire in serious danger.

Trade of Innocents is both a tense drama and a call to action. Though a fictional story, it sheds light on modern-day slavery, a problem that is very real.

Salvationist I February 2013 I 25

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

ENROLMENTS AND RECOGNITION LONDON, ONT.— Bob Boyd is reinstated as a soldier at London C i t a d e l . Fr o m left, Mjrs Wil and Catherine BrownR atcli f f e, CO s; Bob Boyd; Len Blackmore; CSM Dan Jaremko.

BAYVIEW, N.L.—Michelle Cooper provides leadership to the young people at the corps in Bayview as the newly commissioned YPSM. From left, Lt Larry Campbell, CO; Diane Hynes, then CSM; Michelle Cooper; Lt Rose Campbell, CO; Shirley Greenham, then CT.

EDMONTON—Members of the leadership team of Edmonton’s Grace Manor gather with Mjr Paul Winsor, executive director, as he receives a Certificate of Accreditation from The Salvation Army on behalf of the facility from Mjr Sandra Stokes, AC, Alta. and Northern Ttys Div.

BOWMANVILLE, ONT.—Bowmanville CC recognizes members of its corps ministry board for their years of faithful service. From left, Mjr Linda Zimmerman; Marion Sneed; Diane Collis; Tom Collis; Mjr Donette Percy, CO.

COBOURG, ONT.—The corps family at Cobourg CC is thrilled to recognize three new senior soldiers. From left, Cpt Ashley Bungay, CO; CSM Anuel Pond; Michelle Legacy; Eric Hobe, holding the flag; Elizabeth Hobe; Tiffany Storms; Mjr Everett Barrow, AC, Ont. CE Div; Cpt Sheldon Bungay, CO.

LOWER ISLAND COVE, N.L.—David Dale and Lorenda Dale are enrolled as senior soldiers. From left, Mildred Wheadon, class instructor; David Dale; Lorenda Dale; Mjr Donna Hayward, CO; Boyd Wheadon, colour sergeant.

BOWMANVILLE, ONT.—Jeff Noel, director of emergency disaster services, Ont. CE Div, was on hand to conduct a safe food-handling course at the Bowmanville Salvation Army CC. Proudly displaying their certificates are those who attended the training event.

26 I February 2013 I Salvationist

WINDSOR, ONT.—Avaree Rose Smith is dedicated back to God by her parents, Kristie and Dan Smith, at South Windsor. Standing with them is Mjr Dale Steward, CO.

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

BOWMANVILLE, ONT.—Eva Whitehead (left) and Marg Collis (right) are recognized by Mjr Donette Percy, CO, for their many years of service as local officers.

TORONTO—Seven adherents are welcomed to the fellowship of East Toronto Citadel. From left, CSM Pearl Groat; Yong Kwon Jin; Donna McLelland; Meva Gadishaw; Ted Running; Johnny Munro; Caroll Bishop; Beverly Tomlinson; Mjr Ray Braddock, CO.

The Salvation Army St. John’s Citadel SWIFT CURRENT, SASK.—Rebecca Ramsay and Sarah-Grace Ramsay are enrolled as junior soldiers by Mjr Joanne Binner, AC, Prairie Div. Standing with them are their proud parents, Cpts Michael and Susan Ramsay, COs, and Richard Parr, holding the flag.

Celebrate Your Faith in the LANDS of the BIBLE hosted by Majors Woody and Sharon Hale Israel and Petra, Jordan May 5-16, 2013 Enjoy your 12-day visit and join members of North Toronto Community Church as they celebrate their 100th Anniversary Brochures now available E-mail: wshale@sympatico.ca; phone: 905-440-4378 “This pilgrimage was like no other trip I have taken. Feelings ran very deep—to think I walked where Jesus walked, knelt where he was born, died and rose again. It was a glorious experience.” —M. Howcroft, Oshawa, Ont.

GAZETTE

INTERNATIONAL Appointments Mar 1: Mjrs Washington Daniel/Azra Washington, CS/TSWM, Pakistan Tty, with the rank of lt-col Apr 1: Cols Lalzamlova and Nemkhanching, international secretary for South Asia/zonal secretary for women’s ministries—South Asia, with the rank of comr; Cols Wayne/Robyn Maxwell, TC/TPWM, The Philippines Tty; Cols Richard/ Janet Munn, CS/TSWM, Australia Eastern Tty; Comr Lynette Pearce, principal, International College for Officers and Centre for Spiritual Life Development, pro tem TERRITORIAL Appointments Cpts Glynden/Diane Cross, assistant director/ assistant to the administrative assistant and accounting assistant, community and family

125th Anniversary March 22-24, 2013

Special Guests: Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle Friday, March 22—Corps Celebration Dinner Tickets: Purchase or reserve by March 8 Contact: sasjc@nfld.net or 709-579-5235 Sunday, March 24—Worship Services 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Greetings from former officers and friends can be sent to: sasjc@nfld.net or St. John’s Citadel, 25 Adams Avenue, St. John’s NL A1C 4Z1

services, Vancouver, B.C. Div; Cpts David/Lisa Macpherson, DYS/ADYS, B.C. Div; Cdt Sharon Tidd, corps leader, New Westminster Citadel, B.C. Div; Mjr Patricia Tuppenney, resource officer and volunteer co-ordinator, THQ social services Births Cpts Mark/Naomi Dalley, son, Andrew Ray, Nov 26; Lts Peter/Amanda Robinson, son, Caleb Andrew, Nov 27 Accepted as cadet Cdt Sharon Tidd, field-based tailored training, effective Nov 15, 2012 Retirements Mjr Juanita Dueck, out of Englee, N.L. Last appointment: without appointment, Prairie Div; Mjr Max Sturge, out of St. John’s Citadel, N.L. Last appointment: associate editor of Salvationist, THQ editorial; Mjr Doreen Sturge, out of Corner Brook Citadel, N.L. Last appointment: assistant

officer personnel secretary, THQ personnel; Mjr Trudy Mouland, out of Musgrave Harbour, N.L. Last appointment: without appointment, THQ personnel Promoted to glory Brg Theodore Dyck, from Toronto, Nov 12; Mjr Bertha Milley, from Cambridge, Ont., Nov 23; Col Ernest Fitch, from North Vancouver, Nov 30

CALENDAR

Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle Feb 11-12 personnel consultations planning, Toronto*; Feb 18-22 divisional retreat, Ont. CE Div; Feb 23-25 Kentville CC, N.S. *Commissioner Rosalie Peddle only Canadian Staff Band Feb 2-3 Erin Mills, Mississauga, Ont

Salvationist I February 2013 I 27

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

Accepted for Training

Entered Training in the Disciples of the Cross Session

Stephen Toynton Erin Mills, Mississauga, Ontario Central-East Division The first experience I had with The Salvation Army was in Northern Ireland, when as a six-year-old I witnessed the Army opening fire in our community.

I remember attending Sunday school with my brother and the genuine love the officer had for us. We moved to Nottingham, England, for a number of years and then to Canada, where we settled in Mississauga, Ont. In 1979, a new corps opened in our neighbourhood with the meetings being held in the local public school. We started attending and immediately felt welcome. I was amazed at the joy exuded by the Salvationists and I wanted to experience life like that. I accepted Jesus into my heart and was an active member of our corps for many years. God has called me to full-time service as an officer and I will obey.

Cadet Sharon Tidd Kelowna Community Church, British Columbia Division I began my journey with the Lord at age 8. My commitment to trust and follow him has grown deeper as I have learned first-hand that real, abundant life is found in knowing him and making him known.

I am grateful that he daily reaches out to me as his daughter, extending love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. My heart’s deepest desire is to glorify him and help others come to know life through him.

Micah 6:8 has been my life verse, as it spells out my calling: “Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” I pray that I will do that, in his grace and power, each and every day.

Rosalyn Toynton Erin Mills, Mississauga, Ontario Central-East Division Born and raised in Birchy Bay, N.L., The Salvation Army was a big part of my life as my grandmother took me to Sunday school and church. I gave my heart to the Lord as a young child and became a senior soldier as a teenager. That’s when I decided to get serious about my faith and serving my Lord. After completing high school, I left my island home in search of employment, but I now see that God’s hand was on my decision to move to Mississauga, Ont. I met my husband of nearly 25 years at Erin Mills and have enjoyed being active in ministry opportunities. However, God has been asking more of me and calling me to full-time service as an officer. I will go in the strength of the Lord, knowing that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 KJV).

Cadet Sharon Tidd is one of six cadets currently engaged in the field-based flex training program in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. Her training as a Salvation Army officer will be carried out as she gives leadership to New Westminster Citadel in the British Columbia Division.

Salvation Army Officer Receives Jubilee Medal SWIFT CURRENT, SASK.—Cpt Michael Ramsay, corps officer in Swift Current, Sask., has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal.

The medal commemorates the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne and recognizes Canadians who show leadership, hard work and commitment to improving their communities. Cpt Ramsay received the medal in recognition of his work to establish the first hospital chaplaincy programs in southwest Saskatchewan. The medal was presented by David Anderson, MP for Cypress Hills–Grasslands, Sask.

Senior Soldiers Enrolled on Sea of Galilee SEA OF GALILEE, ISRAEL—It was a beautiful Sunday morning in Tiberias, Israel, when Doug and Alice Regular and their tour group set out for a cruise on the Sea of Galilee. Faithful attenders of the corps in Mount Pearl, N.L., the Regulars had completed senior soldier preparation classes and wanted to be enrolled during their Holy Land tour. With the endorsement of their corps officer, Mjr Gerald Lacey, Doug and Alice were enrolled by Mjrs Woody and Sharon Hale, tour leaders, during the group’s cruise on the Sea of Galilee. From left, Alice and Doug Regular; Mjr Vilo Exantus, DC in Haiti and group member, holding the flag; Mjrs Woody and Sharon Hale.

The Lindsay Salvation Army Community Church

130th Anniversary September 14-15, 2013 Special Guest:

Commissioner M. Christine MacMillan Greetings from former officers and friends can be sent to 51 Eglington Street, Lindsay ON K9V 3Z5 officeadmin@lindsaysalvationarmy.ca

28 I February 2013 I Salvationist

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

TRIBUTES VICTORIA—Fred V. Russell was born in 1922 in Waterloo, Ont. Enrolled as a junior soldier in Kitchener, Ont., he joined the senior band when he was 11, beginning 76 years of service as a musician. During the Second World War, Fred was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force Concert Band, worked with the Canadian Forces Radio Service and played in the Boscombe Citadel Band while based in England. After the war, he worked in broadcasting in Canada and the United States, where he moved in 1957. Fred was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer and served for 18 years in the U.S.A. Western and Canadian territories. Residing in a Victoria hospice for the last four years of his life, he felt blessed to play the cornet in the Victoria Citadel Band as health permitted. Fred is remembered for his sense of humour and caring attitude toward the staff who ministered to him. Missing Fred are wife, Margaret; daughter, Barbara-Sue; sons Brian and Bram.

SARNIA, ONT.—Elinor May Dowswell was born in Dedham, Sask., and became a soldier of the corps in Sarnia in 1990, under the leadership of Majors Eric and Gillian Walker. She was liked by all that she came in contact with and was known for her love and compassion.

Elinor’s memory is cherished by sons Thomas, David and Jerry (Jean); daughter, Elsie (Wayne); four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.

DOVER, N.L.—Born in 1921, Florence Ann Keats (nee Holloway) married Gordon in 1943. Busy with her careers as homemaker, school teacher for 23 years and post mistress for 21 years, she found time to be a loyal and active member of the Dover Corps. Florence served as a songster, young people’s sergeant-major and Girl Guide captain, and enjoyed reading, knitting and gardening until her promotion to glory. Florence is missed by her daughter, Lenora; son-in-law, Bob; grandsons Neil and Brent Collins; a large circle of family and friends.

VALLEY POND, N.L.—Dawe William Fudge was born in 1925 and spent most of his life in Valley Pond, only leaving home to go to work. He married the love of his life, Gertrude Hiscock, in 1954, and gave his life to the Lord in 1962. Dawe was enrolled as a senior soldier in 1963 at the then Moreton’s Harbour Corps, N.L., which is now known as the Clarence Wiseman Central Corps.

He was faithful to the Lord and his church, and was commissioned as flag sergeant in 1983, a position he held until his health no longer allowed him to do so. He was a very quiet and loving man who is greatly missed by his wife, Gertrude; children Major Judy Vincent (Vaden), Gary (Brenda) and Christine Dearing (Weldon); grandchildren Brada Hale (Christopher), Brock, Mason and Tyson; great-grandchildren Braden and Avery; sister, May Brown (Eric); other family members.

TORONTO—Major Frederick A. Watkin was born in 1924, the son and grandson of Salvation Army officers.

He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and then entered the College for Officer Training in the Challenger Session. Commissioned in 1946, he was appointed to Brockville and Perth, Ont., before attending Western University where he received a bachelor of arts. In later years, he also completed a bachelor of divinity. Fred served with his wife, Ruth, as corps officers in Collingwood, Long Branch and Hamilton, Ont., Halifax and London, Ont., and for 10 years at the training college in Toronto. Fred was the divisional secretary in Edmonton before serving with Ruth as the corps officers in Brampton, Ont., and in the education department at territorial headquarters. Fred had a deep love for preaching and is greatly missed by his wife, Ruth; children Joan (David), Lyn (Ken), Jay, Fred (Pam) and Sharon (Max); 12 grandchildren; 10 greatgrandchildren; sister, Catherine (Ray); brother, Fenwick.

SPRINGHILL, N.S.—Edith Irene Holloway was born in Springhill. She worked at MacLean’s and Oxford Frozen Foods for many years and was a valued member of The Salvation Army for more than 50 years. Edith served as a Sunday school teacher and home league treasurer, and invested her time in hospital visitation as a community care ministries worker. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. Missing Edith are her son, Brian (Sheryl) Holloway; daughter, Bonnie (Frank) de Jong; brother, George (Hazel) Stirling; several nieces, nephews, greatnieces and great-nephews.

OTTAWA—Major Max Young was born in Harlowe, Ont. He entered the College for Officer Training as a cadet in the Heralds Session and was commissioned in 1953. Following commissioning, Max held corps appointments in Toronto and Newton, B.C., and married Dorothy in 1955. Together they served as corps officers in Newton and Haliburton, Ont., and then in the men’s social services centre in Quebec.

Following two additional corps appointments in Ingersoll and Windsor Partington Ave., Ont., they served in correctional services in Kingston, Ottawa, Barrie, Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., and in suicide prevention in Toronto. Retiring to Ottawa in 1997, Max ministered at the Booth Centre, as chaplain for the Anchorage and as pastor of the Harlowe Wesleyan Standard Church. He is missed by his wife, Dorothy; sons Brian (Lynne) and Kevin (Carla); grandchildren Eric and Colin; sisters Maxine and Barbara; brother, Larry (Susan); other family members.

TORONTO—Robert James Merritt was a cradle-to-grave Salvationist who loved his Lord, extended family and music.

Bob was born in Winnipeg in 1928 and moved to Toronto with his parents in the late 1930s, where they attended Dovercourt Citadel. Too young to enlist, Bob played in his uncle William’s wartime Irish Regiment of Canada (Reserve) Band. His spiritual gift was the testimony that flowed from his trombone and brought blessing to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Australia. A founding member of the Canadian Staff Band, Bob served as bandmaster in Burlington, Ont., and at Toronto’s North York Temple and Etobicoke Temple, the latter from which he retired as a bandsman and where a music camp scholarship has been established in his honour. Bob’s memory is cherished by his wife, Carolyn (nee Sinclair), whom he married in 1954; son, Douglas (Terry); daughters Linda (Milan Kacer) and Gail (Brian Shields); grandchildren Cameron, Samuel, Daniel, Benjamin and Joseph; and Etobicoke Temple’s congregation.

DOVER, N.L.—Born in 1945, Clifford Bramwell Collins married the love of his life, Violet Harnett, in 1964, and together they raised seven children. Clifford was a hardworking man who was dedicated to supporting his family. Serving as the drummer at the corps until his sudden promotion to glory, Clifford’s spirited musical talent encouraged many people to accept Christ as their personal Saviour. He loved spending time in the woods, playing his guitar and tending his garden. Clifford is missed by his wife, Violet; sons Kevin (Stacey) and Clifford (Shauna); daughter, Brenda (Howard); a large circle of friends throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

NORTH VANCOUVER—Colonel Ernest Fitch was born in Vancouver in 1905 and committed his life to Christ at the Army in 1914. Ernie was commissioned as a member of the Victor’s Session in 1928. Later that year, he married Gladys Venn and they served as corps officers for 24 years. Appointments in the finance department at territorial headquarters and in men’s social services in Calgary and Montreal were followed by Ernie becoming the assistant men’s social services secretary. In 1961, he became the leader of the department until retiring in 1970 and returning to North Vancouver.

Following Gladys’ promotion to glory in 1996, Ernie lived independently until the age of 103 when he entered Evergreen Care Centre. A faithful soldier, Ernie was a founding member of the Reservist Band and is remembered as a loving gentleman. In July 2012, Ernie reached a milestone as he marked 42 years as a retired officer, as long a time as he was on active service.

Salvationist I February 2013 I 29

FAITH WORKS

Check Your Motives

Christian leaders need to know the difference between godly and human wisdom

BY MAJOR KATHIE CHIU

I

felt unsettled. At first I couldn’t put my finger on why, but after sitting, thinking and praying, I finally figured it out. I didn’t feel firing this employee would be right, although there was clearly enough to warrant dismissal.

Sometimes leaders have to make tough decisions in circumstances like this.

However, would doing that honour God? Would it help accomplish his purpose for our ministry? Did being fired advance God’s purposes for this person’s life? The answer to these questions helped me move forward with what I felt was the right thing to do for everyone involved.

I wish it worked like that every time!

Christian leaders need godly wisdom.

Human wisdom is easy to find these days. All you have to do is Google a subject and you’ll find plenty of blogs and articles to read. Many of them will give you advice on how to be a better parent, pastor or business leader. Some of that advice may even be helpful. However, if it doesn’t align with God’s Word, character or purposes for your life, work or ministry, it won’t help you and may even damage what you’re trying to accomplish and the people you lead.

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” That is good news. However, James goes on to tell us that there are two kinds of wisdom and how to discern between the two. Later in Chapter 3, James gives us the test for knowing the difference between godly and human wisdom. It’s about motive, pure and simple. Think about what is behind it—if it’s selfish ambition or desire, then it’s not from God. However, if it’s peace loving, full of mercy and considerate, then it’s from God and will reap a “harvest of righteousness.” Ask yourself: Is it about me or is it about others?

I love the way that Eugene Peterson paraphrases James 3:13-18 in The Message: Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what 30 I February 2013 I Salvationist

you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honour.

It’s hard to exist as godly leaders in a world full of human wisdom. The business world is competitive and leaders are pitted against each other. There is much pressure to perform and excel. It also happens in the church as organizations evaluate their leaders by the “fruit” they produce, such as numbers in the pews and dollars raised for ministry. But wise leaders know they have an audience of One. It is human wisdom that elevates leaders to being the source of the fruit rather than just the agents that God uses.

Researcher George Barna spoke at the Arrow Leadership Gala in 2011. His research found that people lack trust in leaders because of the poor character demonstrated by so many of them. Out of 6,000 interviews he conducted, one of the greatest struggles Christian leaders said they have is demonstrating godly wisdom. The issue is how worldly wisdom aligns with godly wisdom and how to discern the difference. How do leaders balance worldly ideals and biblical wisdom? He says the only way is that a “leader has to be consistently listening to God.” Barna says we also have to

embrace leadership as servanthood— always leading in love and compassion.

As we seek godly wisdom in our leadership, we need to ask ourselves some questions: Does what we’re doing align with God’s purposes? Does it align with his character? Does it align with his Word? When we consistently seek to hear his voice and turn down the volume of the worldly voices, then we’ll be able to be wise leaders who make a difference.

Major Kathie Chiu is the corps officer of Victoria’s High Point Community Church.

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