Salvationist - July 2014

Kung Fu for Christ Teaches Discipline

Homeless Shelters or Permanent Housing?

Doctrine Series: The Bible With Boots On

Salvationist The Voice of the Army

July 2014

MISSION MATTERS MOST A farewell interview with territorial leaders Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle

join the mission:

• Disciple young followers of Jesus Christ • Help young people grow in knowledge, love and service to God • Give young people a place of belonging in The Salvation Army Register your corps’ squad today

www.ReadyToServeTeam.ca

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than is required.

Inside This Issue Cert no. XXX-XXX-XXXX

July 2014 Volume 9, Number 7 www.salvationist.ca E-mail: salvationist@can.salvationarmy.org

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Features 8 Mission Matters Most Cert no. XXX-XXX-XXXX

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As they prepare for new IHQ appointments, Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle reflect on their time as territorial leaders Interview by Giselle Randall Cert no. XXX-XXX-XXXX

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11 Youth Unlimited

For 20 teens from Richmond Hill Community Church, a mission trip to Costa Rica was life-changing by Valerie Pavey PRODUCT LABELING GUIDE

Departments 4 Editorial A Passage to India

by Geoff Moulton

5 Around the Territory 14 Talking It Over A Place to Call Home

by James Read and Aimee Patterson

FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL

12 Aid for Syrian Refugees

24 Cross Culture 26 Celebrate Community

Enrolments and recognition, tributes, gazette, calendar

29 Convictions Matter The Bible With Boots On

by Major Ray Harris

30 Ties That Bind

Rooted in Christ

by Major Kathie Chiu

18

As civil war rages on, Major Ray Brown shares how five Salvation Army projects provide hope amid crisis Interview by Kristin Ostensen

16 One Army: United in Understanding

Commissioner Robert Street gives a behind-the-scenes look at a new resource created to bring Salvationists worldwide together

18 Their Lights Will Shine

Digging beneath the surface of The Salvation Army’s historical ministry to coal miners and their families by Rob Jeffery

20 Run for Your Life!

A Salvation Army program builds bodies and community in Calgary

by Kristin Ostensen

21 Kicking It

Kung Fu for Christ encourages discipline and discipleship

by Kristin Ostensen

22 Steak, Sports and Spirituality

Men’s Camp offers the chance to reconnect and recharge

by Giselle Randall

23 Hydration and Hospitality

The Salvation Army will offer cold water and a listening ear at the Pan Am Games by Ken Ramstead

The Great Racer

George Del Canto proves you don’t need a fast car to be a winner

More Than a Cooking Lesson A healthy eating program in Vancouver helps vulnerable newcomers

A Place of Wonder

A Salvation Army summer camp changed Major Mike Hoeft’s life

A Star Turn

A new VeggieTales movie is a lesson to young and old alike on the power of sharing

Share Your Faith When you finish reading Faith & Friends, FAITH & frıends pull it out and give it to someone who needs to hear about The Christ’s lifeGREAT + + RACER changing  power Summer 2014

faithandfriends.ca

Inspiration for Living

George Del Canto proves you don’t need to have a fast car to be a winner

FINDING GOD AT SALVATION ARMY SUMMER CAMP

A VEGGIETALES SPACE ODYSSEY

Phil Callaway’s Top 10 Joy List

Edge for Kids

Edge for Kids is an exciting weekly activity page published

by The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda for children five to 12. In this month’s issues, 27 readers will: • Celebrate the start of Hi kids! summer vacation • Learn about the Apostle Paul • Have an opportunity to win VeggieTales’ Veggies in Space: The Fennel Frontier

• Read the story of Abram and his faith in God • Enjoy puzzles, games, jokes, colouring and more!

issue

School’s out for summer! exciting!

Tha I riding bike love summer—wa t is so rm s, hiking, cam eating ice crea weather, m, swimming ping, picn ics…. , It’s nice to be out friends.

Summer vac side playing with ful time of ation is a be smart year, but we also wonderand pro need to tect things tha t can hurt ourselves from us.

God is gre summer, whi at at protect ing us. This sun with le you’re having family and fun in the be with friends, you. ask God to Your pal, Pacey

Join Pacey’s Birthday Club

Edge for Kids wants to wish YOU a Happy Birthday! Join our birthday club and get a message from Pacey on your special day. Fill in the coupon below and mail it to Pacey Puppy, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, ON, Canada M4H 1P4. Or you can e-mail Pacey at Pacey@can.salvationarmy.org.

Name: ���������������������������������������������������������� Corps/church attending: ��������������������� Birth date: �������������� month/day/ year Mailing address: ���������������������������������������������������������

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Top 10 things to do this summer to keep you from being bored 1. Go for a bike ride with your family or friends 2. Go to a zoo and see all the animals and learn about them

3. Go to the beach. Build sand castles, play in the waves or collect seashells and rocks 4. Go on a picnic

Summer

Safety Tips

Fill in the blanks using the answers below.

30 20 sun helmet hands

5. Go to the pool.

Pools are great for playing water games

6. Go camping

1. Apply sunscreen at least _______ minutes before going outside, even on cloudy days.

2. If you are doing a physical activity for a long time, drink a glass of water every _______ minutes.

3. Scooter and bike riders and skateboarders should always wear a ____________.

4. Too much _____________ can result in severe burns if you are not very careful.

5. Don’t put bug spray on your _________. It may end up in your mouth or eyes.

Answers: 1. 30; 2. 20; 3. helmet; 4. sun; 5. hands

Inside Faith & Friends

7. Fly a kite

8. Have a sleepover .

Get some of your , best friends and barb ecue 9. Have a watch a movie s, eat play game and delic ious food c play musi

Find

Which

wins the T

two are

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alike?

to 10. Remem ber relax! After all ies these fun activit you will be tired before you go back to school

Salvationist • July 2014 • 3

EDITORIAL

D

A Passage to India

addy is travelling to the other side of the world,” I explained to my seven-year-old son, pointing at the globe that he keeps in his room.

James looked puzzled. “But Dad, the world is round. What if the plane spins off into space?”

“Don’t worry, buddy,” I reassured him. “Gravity will hold me down.”

In May, I was invited to speak at a Salvation Army writers’ conference in India that brought together Salvationists from across the six Indian territories. I thought of my son’s words when I saw the theme of the conference: the “gravity” of God’s Word. Both meanings of the word apply: the seriousness of God’s commands and the powerful attraction of his love for us.

When my plane touched down in Thiruvananthapuram (I still can’t pronounce it!), I was greeted by the national editor-in-chief, Major Babu Samraj. From there, we travelled to Nagercoil, a city at the southern tip of India. The entire trip took 22 hours, but I felt bad complaining about it when I discovered that some of the delegates had spent 54 hours travelling by train from the north of India.

India was a feast for the senses. My ears were assaulted by car horns, used liberally on the chaotic roadways. My eyes soaked in the lush beauty of the countryside, including forested mountains, sprawling rice patties and gorgeous sunsets. My tastebuds gloried in the spicy curry dishes, though my stomach wasn’t so convinced. And I did my best to stay cool in the heat, which reached 50 C with the humidity.

But what struck me most about India was the warmth of the people. Their strong spirit of Salvationism was an inspiration. In the course of the week, we travelled to The Salvation Army’s Catherine Booth Hospital, which began in 1895 in a missionary’s lavatory and has since grown into a 300bed general hospital that includes a school of nursing.

We worshipped at a rural corps in Retnapuram, where local 4 • July 2014 • Salvationist

Salvationists spilled into the streets on Sunday morning. At the training college in Nagercoil, I was invited to plant a tree to commemorate my visit. And as you can see below, I dressed the part on cultural night.

This month, you can read about a number of Salvationists who are getting an international perspective of their own. Read our farewell interview with territorial leaders Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle, who will be taking up responsibilities as international secretary and zonal secretary for women’s ministries for the Americas and Caribbean in the fall. You’ll also be inspired by Ontario’s Richmond Hill Community Church, which sent 20 young people to Costa Rica to share God’s word. And you’ll discover One Army, a new IHQ resource that gives Salvationists insight into our mission and ministry.

As we continue to proclaim the good news through Salvationist, I cling to the promise in Isaiah 55:11: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth,” says the Lord. “It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” God’s word will not return empty.

Just like gravity, his love has an irresistible pull.

It is a love that unites us as Salvationists around the world.

GEOFF MOULTON Editor-in-Chief

Salvationist

is a monthly publication of The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory André Cox General Commissioner Brian Peddle Territorial Commander Lt-Colonel Jim Champ Secretary for Communications Geoff Moulton Editor-in-Chief Giselle Randall Features Editor (416-467-3185) Pamela Richardson News Editor, Production Co-ordinator, Copy Editor (416-422-6112) Kristin Ostensen Associate Editor and Staff Writer Timothy Cheng Art Director Ada Leung Circulation Co-ordinator Ken Ramstead Contributor 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.

All rights reserved worldwide. All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory and can be reprinted only with written permission.

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Phone: 416-422-6119; fax: 416-422-6120; e-mail: circulation@can.salvationarmy.org.

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News, Events and Submissions

Editorial lead time is seven weeks prior to an issue’s publication date. No responsibility is assumed to publish, preserve or return unsolicited material. Write to salvationist@ can.salvationarmy.org or Salvationist, 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto ON M4H 1P4.

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

Booth University College Honours Record-Breaking Graduating Class

Front, from left, Dr. Donald Burke; Col Glen Shepherd, chair of the board of trustees; Commissioner Brian Peddle; Colonel Mark Tillsley, chief secretary and vice-chair; Dr. Marjory Kerr, vice-president academic, with members of the 2014 graduating class

THE APRIL CONVOCATION for Winnipeg’s Booth University College celebrated the largest graduating class to date. Eighty graduates received their degree or certificate before family, friends, faculty and staff at Knox United Church in Winnipeg.

While the day marked the end of their time at the college, Dr. Donald Burke, president, reminded graduates that this was a new beginning of a life where they can be much-needed agents of change in the world.

“Today marks an important transition—a passage. We have done what we could to instruct, inform and inspire you.

Now it’s over to you,” said Dr. Burke.

“There is a better world out there for the taking and for the making. We entrust this vision of a better world to you, with confidence and anticipation.”

Commissioner Brian Peddle, territorial commander and chancellor, addressed those gathered earlier in the day for the baccalaureate service at the college’s Hetherington Chapel. “The world needs people like these graduates—people who understand their convictions and are prepared to act accordingly,” he said.

“Seize every moment to serve, in a world so desperate and in need. Do the extraordinary day by day.”

This year’s convocation was marked with several poignant moments, endings and beginnings. Emily Marie MacFarlane

crossed the stage as the first graduate of Booth’s bachelor of business administration program. Commissioner Brian Peddle presented the Chancellor’s Medal to Lani Marie Thiessen Zastre and the General’s Medal to Darlene Jayne Morgan.

Special recognition was given to the final graduating class of the certificate of management program who celebrated their achievements at an earlier ceremony in British Columbia. To better meet the Army’s needs, the college, in partnership with Simon Fraser University, launched a new certificate in not-for-profit management in May. “This final cohort consisted entirely of students from the British Columbia Division, a testament to the forward thinking, planning and commitment of the leaders in this part of our Canada and Bermuda Territory,” said Major Philip Davisson, associate dean at Booth’s School for Continuing Studies. “Your ongoing work together will continue to keep British Columbia on the cutting edge of faithful service to others in our communities.”

This year’s valedictorian, bachelor of social work graduate Faven Mergia, was born and raised in a refugee camp in Kenya, arriving in Canada with her family at age 14. For the past three years, she has been working with Peaceful Village, an after-school program funded by the Manitoba School Improvement

Commissioner Brian Peddle presents the Chancellor’s Medal to Lani Marie Thiessen Zastre

Program that assists refugee youth by providing academic and recreational support. Most recently, Mergia was hired into The Salvation Army’s L.E.E.P. program (Life Enhancement and Employability Program) at the Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre in Winnipeg.

During her valedictory address, Mergia reminded graduates, “Today we take the first step toward becoming the agents of change that Booth has moulded us to be. We are going out into a world where hurt, despair and various other heartbreaking events take place and it is our duty to do our part in bringing the much-needed healing and restoration to it in whatever field we are going into,” she said. “As we take the next step, let us not forget the lessons we’ve learned throughout this part of our journey. Let us passionately believe in a better world and strive to do our part in bringing that vision a step closer to reality.”

Salvationist • July 2014 • 5

AROUND THE TERRITORY

New Thrift Store Opens in Kelowna MORE THAN 300 people gathered in May as The Salvation Army in Kelowna, B.C., celebrated the grand opening of the West Kelowna Thrift Store. Located within the lands of Westbank First Nation and the syilx/Okanagan people, the thrift store is the result of the hard work of Army staff and a partnership with the community of Westbank.

“The Salvation Army believes in giving a helping hand to transform lives,” says Geri Grainger, the Army’s community ministries manager in Kelowna. “We have been actively involved in the lives of tens of thousands throughout the Central Okanagan since 1919.”

On hand for the opening ceremony were Lt-Colonels Lee and Deborah Graves, secretary for business administration and integrated missions secretary, Dan Albas, member of Parliament for Okanagan-Coquihalla, Councillor Brian Eli of Westbank First Nation, Lois Serwa of the Army’s community advisory council, and Majors Ron and Toni Cartmell, then corps officers at Kelowna Community Church.

“We’ve had a thrift store for more than 50 years,” explains Grainger, “but this new store offers extended hours, great park-

From left, Lt-Col Deborah Graves, Mjr Ron Cartmell and Lt-Col Lee Graves at the grand opening of the West Kelowna Thrift Store

ing options and a healthy environment for staff and customers.”

Thrift store operations in Kelowna help fund local services, including after-school and sports programs.

Literacy Program Helps London’s Children IN FEBRUARY, WESTMINSTER Park Community Church in London, Ont., launched iRead, a literacy program for children. “We received a generous donation that enabled us to buy equipment and supplies to help run this program,” says Captain Jon Savage, corps officer, “and we now have 15 children that attend the program every Thursday after school.”

The program was created for children in need of assistance with their reading skills, as identified by their teachers and parents. “It was also designed to assist parents who cannot afford a literacy program for their child,” Captain

6 • July 2014 • Salvationist

Savage says. Every week the children are evaluated and parents are updated with progress reports to be shared with their child’s teacher.

A particularly popular part of the program involves iPads and computers to access reading programs.

“It doesn’t feel like you are doing a test when you are using an iPad,” says one participant.

“The children are excited to come each week, and we have seen the confidence building,” concludes Captain Savage. “When you have trouble reading, it can affect more areas of your life than you realize.”

Children in the iRead literacy program improve their reading skills through technology

AROUND THE TERRITORY

Mother’s Day Spa a Success in Halifax

Volunteers from local businesses helped make the spa day a positive experience

MOTHER’S DAY IS about celebrating and pampering the mothers in our lives. For a group of mothers in Halifax, this idea was extended to the community as The Salvation Army’s Open Arms Centre, which offers a variety of programs for children and women including Bible studies and after-school programs, hosted its fifth annual Mother’s Day spa. Women enjoyed complimentary services of hair dressing, massages, manicures, facials and brow waxing.

“We started this to pamper some of the members of this community who would not be able to afford these types of services,” says Bonnie Hill, Open Arms director. “Every year we try to get bigger and better, with more service providers and more donations. The women can have all five services if they so desire, just like spending the day at the spa.”

Women from the centre’s women’s group and mothers of the children who

use the centre’s after-school programming took part in the spa day. “For all of us who take part in the programs here, today is the day that we all look forward to,” says Sharon Johnson, a member of the women’s group who regularly participates in sewing classes, crafting sessions and community fellowship.

“Living on a fixed income, these are the luxuries that I can’t afford. I really enjoy the fact that I get to come here once a year to have a massage and to have my hair done. It just makes you feel good about yourself. It makes you feel worthy.”

The event was made possible through volunteer service providers from the Head Shoppe, the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy, and Mary Kay Cosmetics. In addition to a gift bag of personal care items, each participant received a door prize donated from community businesses.

THE SALVATION ARMY has been meeting the spiritual, personal and material needs of Estevan, Sask., area residents for a century, and centennial activities that were offered from May 2 to 4 were fitting for such a milestone. Lieutenant Brian Bobolo, corps officer at Estevan Community Church, says the celebration was a wonderful opportunity to renew acquaintances, as former officers and church members who had moved away came back, creating a homecoming atmosphere. “It was a great time to pause for a weekend, celebrate relationships and celebrate the work of The Salvation Army,” he says.

The centennial weekend kicked off with a family fun night.

The Army hosts a family fun night on the first Friday of each month, and they decided to incorporate it into the centennial festivities. Children and adults played games, and many people viewed history books. “Our church members had a great time putting up our church history, and putting together the displays,” says Lieutenant Bobolo. “It moved them in a meaningful way. Some of them are the senior members of our congregation, and their lives are intertwined with the local Salvation Army, and have been for so many years.”

The next day, a service was held featuring music from Regina’s Haven of Hope brass band and a message from Captain Kirk Green, former corps officer, on the faithfulness of God. That evening, a special supper took place, with speeches and letters from local, provincial, national and international leaders, including General André Cox. Major Mike Hoeft, area commander, Prairie Division, was in Estevan to salute the 100-year milestone, and highlighted the partnerships the Army has established in the community. He

Story and photo: David Willberg, Estevan Lifestyles

Estevan’s Century of Service

From left, Cpt Linda Green; Lt June Bobolo, CO, Estevan CC; Shirley Dutchik; Linda Robins; Lt Brian Bobolo and Cpt Kirk Green cut the 100th anniversary cake

used the flood of 2011 as an example of how the Army meets the needs of the community during trying times. Also on hand were Lori Carr, city councillor, and Reverend Brenna Nickel of St. Paul’s United Church, who discussed how St. Paul’s and the Army have partnered on the Warm Welcome shelter the two previous winters.

The centennial weekend wrapped up with a Sunday morning church service with the participation of Captain Linda Green, former corps officer.

Salvationist • July 2014 • 7

Mission Matters Most As they prepare for new IHQ appointments, Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle reflect on their time as territorial leaders INTERVIEW BY GISELLE RANDALL Can you share a few highlights of your time as territorial leaders of the Canada and Bermuda Territory?

Brian: Leading our home territory has been the highlight of our officership. It has been a great privilege to be part of the ordination and commissioning of new officers, and to go back to our home province and lead the Newfoundland and Labrador Congress. The opportunity to be out in the territory—at town halls, officer retreats, leading corps meetings— lets us sense the heartbeat of the Army.

We always come away from a weekend inspired and encouraged by Salvationists, who carry the mission. We love to hear stories of transformation—how the Army on the ground embraces somebody, provides support, introduces them to faith—and to see our spiritual impact in communities across the country. I’m very proud of what the Army does.

“Leading our home territory has been the highlight of our officership,” says Commissioner Brian Peddle

Rosalie: It is difficult to share highlights when every event that we have been part of has left us motivated and proud to be the leaders of such a wonderful territory. You walk away from these kinds of events amazed at how God is at work and blessing his people.

What are the strengths of the Canada and Bermuda Territory?

B: That’s easy—the people. Committed, mobilized, mission-minded people. It’s in the Army’s DNA to assist people in crisis, and over the years we’ve developed some of the best programs. You only have to listen to an elderly woman in one of our bereavement groups, who remarks, “I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t come here and tell my story,” or a man in one of our transitional housing units who says, “You saved my life.”

Another strength is that we still hold the trust of Canadians. Across the country, they support us in their financial giving and through their volunteering spirit in a way that positions us to lead strong.

R: The respect for the Army is incredible 8 • July 2014 • Salvationist

and we encounter it everywhere as we travel across the territory. People are constantly saying to us, “Thank you for what you do.” It is both humbling and inspiring. There are volunteers, people who don’t necessarily wear the uniform, but they stand with us. They are the army behind the Army.

B: We also want to acknowledge the 11,000 employees who are the face of the Army, offering dignity and hope every day in more than 400 communities in Canada and Bermuda.

Where does the Army need to change/grow?

B: We need to tackle the challenge of sustainable leadership. In 10 years, we won’t have a contingent of 800 officers, it will be 600. How are we going to lead this territory with so few ordained officers? When you look at what we are committed to doing in the next decade, how will we find the resources of people to lead mission? I would suggest one of the biggest next steps for this territory

is to align our human resources with our program profile and needs. It’s not whether we have enough people, it’s whether we have enough people to lead the mission. The challenge is to make sure that everything we’re doing is about mission. We need to determine the right profile for the Army in each community, to make sure we’re doing the right things to create the right outcomes—not just in a practical sense but keeping in view our spiritual priority to unashamedly preach the gospel, win souls and extend the kingdom. That’s a conversation that needs to continue.

We need to develop our leaders— both the ordained and the lay people who work for us, who carry mission in their hearts. Growing and developing them is absolutely critical.

R: We need a new strategy for our children and youth. It’s not just about ensuring the Army’s future—it’s about accepting our current responsibility for the children who are growing up in our communities and who come into our

sphere of influence. We need to capitalize on our youth programs and camps, making sure every initiative welcomes children and youth.

What territorial accomplishments are you most excited about?

B: I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to refocus the Army around a phrase that I kick around a lot, which is Mission Matters Most. We can have all of the finances in place, the best programs to meet people’s needs and the best buildings in the world, but if we don’t get to the kingdom issues of spiritually transformed lives, then we’ve missed the point. We weren’t raised up to be a social organization—although we are the largest non-profit next to government.

We were raised up to save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity. The gospel is at the heart of everything we do.

R: I think there is a new attitude toward candidate recruitment and a stronger interest in being a part of the Army as ordained officers. We are expecting the largest session we’ve seen in recent years this September at our College for Officer Training in Winnipeg. There’s also a revived relationship between the leadership of The Salvation Army and Booth University College, with the common purpose of equipping the Army to lead better and address the desperate need for sustainable leadership.

B: We were able to strengthen the territory’s understanding of International Headquarters and how we relate to them,

Commissioner Brian Peddle challenges and encourages new officers at an ordination and commissioning service

and build stronger relationships because of our connectedness there. This has helped us then reconnect to the international Army, in Haiti and through our Partners in Mission. We’ve travelled to Zimbabwe, to Malawi, to Latin America North—we’ve put our shoulders behind the need to help our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world.

R: Under my portfolio, there were two significant accomplishments. One was the women’s leadership development webcast, when 900 women from across the country tuned in for four hours of training. Second, we launched a spiritual life development website, www.saspirituallife.ca.

What did you find challenging about your time in leadership?

B: We both agree—the diversity of regions, culture and landscape in Canada is wonderful, but it is challenging to get everyone on the same page.

We have travelled much but seemingly never enough when it comes to interacting with people.

I wish I had opportunity for more grassroots input into our leadership, to engage with lay leaders, local officers, at the corps level. There is always the challenge of time. This territory is huge and change doesn’t always come quickly.

I have had to learn patience, to listen and work with God’s timing.

What has God been doing in your life personally during your time as territorial leaders?

R: It has been a growing, stretching and equipping time for me personally. God has been at work in my life and I can see strong evidence of his moulding of my heart and mind. With the challenges of this appointment, you need to spend quality time refuelling your own spiritual life so that you’re strong, both physically and spiritually.

Visiting with children at a Salvation Army project in Malawi

B: I’m reminded daily that I can’t do it by myself. As leaders, we benefit from the prayers of our people. We know that thousands of people pray for us every day. It’s been challenging to preach and teach almost every week and yet we haven’t struggled with inspiration.

Prayers were answered. We’ve learned to accept that we don’t do this in our own Salvationist • July 2014 • 9

strength. Although we were somewhat intimidated by the sheer burden of the role, we eventually realized how perfectly God shoulders that burden. We don’t feel weighed down—we’re aware of the challenges but we don’t carry an intolerable load.

What will you miss most about Canada?

R: Small pleasures such as Tim Hortons and Swiss Chalet [laughs]. What I’m going to miss the most are the personal connections with family and friends.

We’ve lived in other territories and while we’ve enjoyed it immensely, at the end of the day, it wasn’t home.

B: I like the familiarity of being in my homeland. When we travel outside of Canada, you never know what’s around the corner, who you’re going to meet.

When we travel in Canada, we can rest in the familiarity of cities and congregations and programs. And yet, despite the familiarity, it’s a place where we discover all kinds of wonderful surprises.

R: We will definitely miss our children and grandchildren. Being in our home territory for these past three years has been a true gift from God. Spending time with them and watching them grow has been a pure joy for us both.

What are you looking forward to in your next appointment as international secretary and zonal secre-

Commissioner Rosalie Peddle visiting the corps in Harare, Zimbabwe

tary for women’s ministries for the Americas and Caribbean?

B: That’s a harder question. Our new roles at International Headquarters will take us into a new area of influence within the international Salvation Army and leadership. It will give us a very practical outreach into the Americas and Caribbean, where there is both affluence and marginalization. We’re looking forward to helping the Americas and Caribean be strong, from personnel to program to finance to mission. It puts us at a table we could never have dreamed of when it comes to leading the inter-

“Being in our home territory and watching our grandchildren grow has been a true gift from God,” says Commissioner Rosalie Peddle 10 • July 2014 • Salvationist

national Army, because we’re one of five positions that advise the General, giving us a place in a significant circle of critical thinking about how we move forward.

R: We’re amazed at what God is doing now—we’re looking forward to exploring his plans as we embark on this new journey. I’m pleased we’ll be travelling, speaking and sharing ministry together as a team, as we’ve modelled here.

As you say farewell, would you like to share a parting message?

B: Rosalie and I believe this territory needs to remain strong and true to the purpose for which it exists. In the context of that, we have to do two things: embrace the challenges that are coming toward us and mobilize ourselves with such faith and conviction that those challenges pale in comparison to the resources available to us. Those resources have a divine dimension to them that says we are “more than conquerors” (see Romans 8:37).

In my first days of leadership, I had four statements that still form a framework of hope for the Canada and Bermuda Territory: 1) create a culture of growth; 2) challenge our capacity; 3) mobilize Salvationists; 4) build an Army fit for purpose.

R: Take courage! The Lord has “new things” in store for this territory as you continue to move forward with obedient faith and Holy Spirit courage (Colossians 1:9-12).

Youth Unlimited For 20 teens from Richmond Hill Community Church, a mission trip to Costa Rica was life-changing

BY VALERIE PAVEY

I

A highlight for Misha Pavey was accompanying Lt Yessiret Matos on home visits

n March, 20 teens from Richmond Hill Community Church, Ont., embarked on a transformative journey, travelling to Costa Rica to share in the ministry of Nicoya Corps. As one of six leaders, I was privileged to be part of this 10-day mission trip.

Our time in Costa Rica began at a creative arts institute, where our youth learned to bring the Scriptures alive through tableau, dance, drama and music, learning alongside Spanishspeaking young people from Latin America North Territory. We experienced their desire to share God’s love in the world and encouraged our new friends during morning worship through music, Scripture readings in Spanish, sharing testimonies of how God is working in our lives and a Bible lesson.

From there, our team travelled to Nicoya, where The Salvation Army is a vibrant ministry to children, young people and families. Along with an afterschool and tutoring program, the corps serves an evening meal to nearly 100 children every day. It also runs adven-

ture clubs, junior soldiers, corps cadets, Bible studies and “hot Zumba” exercise for moms, among other programs.

This ministry is led by Lieutenant Yessiret Matos, or “Yessi,” as she is known to her community. Yessi left her home in Dominican Republic and went to training college at the age of 16.

She was commissioned as an officer at the age of 18 and has been serving in Nicoya for the last four years. Many of her local leaders are between the ages of 16 and 20, and it was amazing to see so many young people with a desire to serve the Lord and share his love with their community.

Our team and the young people of Nicoya quickly became friends, working together from the early rise of the neighbour’s roosters until evening darkness, when we spent time learning each other’s language, laughing, singing and sharing stories.

As well as leading a Vacation Bible School program that focused on God’s love—how God is kind, patient and forgiving—our team painted walls and

fences, repaired damaged walls, assisted with plumbing, dug a trench, cleaned up the yard and helped with minor electrical work. We participated in the evening feeding program, took children to a local park to play, and made crafts with them.

A highlight of the trip was accompanying Yessi on home visits. We met and prayed with families, and shared photos of our own families. Although we saw some difficult situations, we also saw God’s love in action.

“As we walked the streets with Yessi, you could feel God’s love shining through as she embraced and greeted everyone,” says Misha Pavey. “God showed me how great his love is through her. Now that I am home I have made it a challenge to love like Yessi does.”

Although there were unexpected challenges—such as the language barrier and technological issues—they strengthened our faith.

“By overcoming the obstacles, we were able to build on our relationships with each other, the people of Costa Rica and Jesus,” says Michael Herbert.

“What I took away from this trip is that God is the one in control.”

We went to Costa Rica with the intention of blessing others, but we came away being encouraged by the Christlike example of the officer and soldiers of the Nicoya Corps. We were challenged to be witnesses of God’s love in our own community, and learned that age places no restrictions on serving the Lord.

Michael Herbert digs a trench Salvationist • July 2014 • 11

Aid for Syrian Refugees

As civil war rages on, five Salvation Army projects provide hope amid crisis

F

or more than three years, civil war has torn the country of Syria apart, resulting in an estimated 150,000 deaths and forcing millions of people to flee their country for safety. More than one million have journeyed south to Jordan, where many live in desperate poverty. In the past year, The Salvation Army’s international emergency disaster services has stepped in to provide much-needed assistance.

Major Ray Brown, international emergency services co-ordinator, explains the Army’s projects to Kristin Ostensen, associate editor.

How did The Salvation Army get involved with helping Syrian refugees in Jordan?

In March 2013, Major Cedric Hills, Envoy Gordon Lewis and I conducted an assessment visit to determine whether Salvation Army work would be feasible in Jordan because there was no Salvation Army presence there. We wanted to have a look and see if we could do anything because the Syrian crisis was ongoing and still is to this day. We discovered that the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), a faith-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that has a long-term office in Jordan, would be happy to work with us, so we started to work out the projects from there.

What kind of projects did The Salvation Army undertake?

We deployed two teams of two for a couple of months each last fall. They were there to work alongside the Lutherans on five projects. Three of the projects involved distributing winterization kits to vulnerable families. Through the three projects combined, 1,000 families were given kits that included a heater, gas bottle, vouchers for six gas refills to get through the winter, blankets and carpets, 12 • July 2014 • Salvationist

Mjr Ray Brown visits with a student at a Jordanian school

as many families live on concrete floors.

Families with children also received a warm tracksuit for each child. It gets very cold there—that surprised me. There was deep snow when one of the teams was there, which you don’t expect when you think of Jordan—you think of desert.

The other two projects will help with the huge demand for education among the Syrian refugees because the schools close to the border have been overrun by the demands of the people. We built permanent, proper classrooms at two schools. Six classrooms were constructed at one school, and three classrooms at the other. These projects are relatively small compared to the size of the emergency, but they mean that 290 more children will be educated. We visited these schools and they are very well ordered, but overcrowded and desperately short of the facilities that a lot of the western world would take for granted.

The schools typically have a waiting

list, which is why we decided to work there. Both of our classroom projects finished at the end of May. We met some of the teachers at the schools and they are so pleased that they’ve got this extra capacity.

For The Salvation Army, what is the advantage of working with an NGO like the Lutheran World Federation?

With the LWF, we were easily able to connect directly with the people they work with. So in terms of sustainability, we weren’t choosing people out of the blue; we had a targeted population, which was really helpful. The registration process for the winterization kits was excellent.

All those goods went into the hands of needy people.

When many people think of refugees, they think of camps. Why did The Salvation Army decide not to work in the camps?

We decided to work in the host community because 75 percent of the refugees don’t live in the camps. They live among the Jordanian people. In fact, a lot of them live among the poorest Jordanians.

Jordan is not a rich country. It hasn’t got natural resources that some of the other Middle Eastern countries have.

The main refugee camp, Zaatari, is now the fourth-largest city in Jordan, and many people come through the camps, but choose not to live there.

That choice, however, has its own problems. The rents have gone up.

There’s very little capacity left. And the employment situation is becoming difficult because Syrian refugees are willing to undercut the cost of labour.

At the low end of the market in Jordan, Egyptians would come in to do a lot of the manual work—things like that. But they’re being undercut by the refugees so there are some tensions.

What are the conditions in the area where The Salvation Army is working?

We’re working in the Amman area [capital of Jordan] and up to the border. It’s obvious that there is a huge refugee problem. As you go toward Syria from Amman, it becomes clearer that people are living in more poverty. There’s more pressure on facilities and infrastructure, schools are overcrowded and there’s more people hanging about because they’ve got no work to do.

As you go further north, you spot “informal communities,” which is where refugees have come over the border and set up their own small camps. We visited one—bearing in mind that these people have been there for up to two years now—they’re living in homes

made of canvas and cardboard walls.

They have very little in terms of wash facilities such as latrines and washingup bowls.

The poverty line in Jordan is 68 Jordanian dinars a month; these people live on about 24 dinars. So they are very, very poor. But at the same time, to visitors like ourselves they are extremely generous. When I was there in March, we went into an informal community and to a home where about nine people lived. There were about 50 people jammed in the house and, all of a sudden, this tray of tea arrived just for us. They’re so generous and yet so needy.

What did you take away from your visit to Jordan?

The downside is that the problem of Syria hasn’t gone away. My conclusion at the end was, it’s such a massive problem that you can’t see an end to it. You come away a bit despondent because it’s not finished. The world’s attention on troubled spots and disaster areas— whether it’s Syria, the Philippines or Ukraine—only lasts a little while. But the problem is long-term in Syria. That’s one of the reasons why two of our projects focused on education—it’s a longterm project.

About 1.2 million refugees have gone into Jordan from Syria, and about 700,000 of them are still living there, as some have come and gone. The needs are massive. Some of them are little things that you wouldn’t necessarily think of.

For example, they were desperately short of underwear and shoes. Another area that has been neglected is aids for people with disabilities—wheelchairs, walking sticks and so on.

Salvation Army emergency disaster services workers meet with Syrian refugees living in informal communities in Jordan

Mjr Alison Thompson distributes winterization kits in Jordan

At The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services, we look for ways to add value to a situation and identify gaps of provision. We don’t try to cover everything; we try to be selective and strategic in what we do.

How can Salvationists help support the Army’s international relief efforts?

As emergency disaster services based out of International Headquarters, we go out into the field and do our monitoring and assessments and we work out what we can do. We do that on behalf of The Salvation Army as a whole so we feel that everybody is part of our team. So the best thing that Salvationists can do is support their territorial world missions department—financially, but also prayerfully. Salvationists can be confident that we work hard to maximize the impact of their donation. One of the strengths of The Salvation Army is that we’re in 126 countries—that’s a very powerful thing.

Students welcome Mjr Ray Brown to a school where The Salvation Army has constructed classrooms Salvationist • July 2014 • 13

TALKING IT OVER

A Place to Call Home

Photo: © iStock.com/MarsBars

Can the Housing First philosophy offer a just approach to homelessness?

In their Talking It Over series, Dr. James Read, director of The Salvation Army Ethics Centre in Winnipeg, and Dr. Aimee Patterson, Christian ethics consultant at the centre, dialogue about moral and ethical issues.

DEAR JIM,

A

number of years ago, I saw a fundraising ad for a homeless shelter. I may not get all the details right, but the strong impression it made on me helped me retain the general idea. The ad featured a middle-class couple sleeping in bed … with a homeless man in between. The tagline went something like this: “We’re not asking you to invite him to your house. We just want you to help us invite him to ours.”

My immediate reaction was from the gut: I was glad this was not a Salvation Army ad. In my mind, it only shored up the social exclusion that reinforces homelessness. My second reaction was a reflection on reality: I would not welcome a homeless person to sleep on my couch.

I’m probably guilty of living an arms-length sort of justice.

But doing justice in today’s world is complicated. Maybe it always was. Offering someone shelter is about more than providing a place to sleep for the night. There must be a difference between a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) attitude and a NIMB (Not In My Bed) policy. Don’t you think?

Grace and peace, AIMEE 14 • July 2014 • Salvationist

DEAR AIMEE,

I

know you. You’re not an unfeeling person. To say that you wouldn’t welcome a stranger—even a homeless stranger— onto your couch shows you are discerning. Caution isn’t unchristian.

At the same time, I think I know what you are saying about “the homeless.” They suffer so many injustices. However, justice isn’t the theme of that ad, is it? I need to be careful about imputing motives, but it seems to me that the makers of that ad were playing on my middle-class fears: “Beware.

If you don’t pay up, homeless people are going to move in on you and take away what you count most precious.”

That happens a lot with homelessness. I find groups try to fund solutions by playing on my fears or appealing to my compassion. But seldom do they call on my sense of justice.

Yet it’s justice that comes to mind every year when I hear the story of Jesus’ birth. That is not a narrative of misfortune; it’s about oppression and exclusion. No specific Bethlehem innkeeper had an obligation to Joseph and Mary and unborn Jesus to find a place for them, but something was deeply wrong when no one made space.

People have a fundamental need for a “roof over their heads” and a place to belong. Both are essential to human thriving. The homeless can count on neither. The Gospel of John encompasses both injustices in its pithy sentence, “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept

TALKING IT OVER him” (John 1:11 NRSV).

Saying that injustice constitutes a big part of the problem of homelessness doesn’t solve anything, though, does it? I’m hearing a lot about “housing first” as a strategy. Do you know what it’s about?

Grace and peace, JIM DEAR JIM,

T

he Canadian media have been awash in Housing First stories as a number of cities (including my own) adopt and adapt it for their communities. It’s a movement funded by the federal government and a number of groups that support “hard to house” people.

The Housing First approach has potential. It makes justice a concern from the get-go. Perhaps the most significant aspect of Housing First in its purest form is that a home is not a reward you get for kicking your habit. The premise is that people—all people, not just “the homeless” —are more likely to achieve stable lives, lives they can live to the full, if they have a safe place of their own to live in.

The first step is to provide a permanent residence to the family or individual concerned. They have some input in the selection process (for example, it need not be in the slummy part of town; it must be appropriate to the needs of the occupants). They’re supported so that they pay no more than 30 percent of their income toward housing. Additional supports and services that are tailored to their needs (perhaps addictions counselling or even basic life skills) are offered, never imposed.

And integration into their larger community is encouraged vocationally and recreationally. How is all this achieved?

Admittedly, it requires a strategy that includes co-operation and co-ordination across levels and departments of government and various sectors of society—landlords, health-care providers, mental-health services, social workers, public and private employers, educators, and so on. I imagine it would also require people like you and me to invite them over for supper on occasion. Perhaps even to church.

I like that the Housing First philosophy begins with justice. And the results, according to many, are in: Housing First saves communities and governments money while achieving success amongst the “hard to house.” But I have my doubts that all people who find themselves in that category would fit well into this new system. There will always be people who experience acute or chronic crises and simply need a place for the night.

I wonder if Housing First is the kind of strategy The Salvation Army can get on board with. And, if so, how does it see its function? Should it be engaged in various housing and sheltering services or should it limit its role to providing shelter support within an integrated network of supports?

Grace and peace, AIMEE C

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DEAR AIMEE,

T

hanks for the synopsis. So, if I get it right, Housing First is not focused on the entirety of the homeless population but only a subset. People who are on the street largely because of a drug addiction or chronic mental illness or both will figure prominently among those for whom

it is designed. Correct?

Since these are the same people The Salvation Army has historically prioritized for its sheltering services, there’s a real poignancy to your questions. If Housing First becomes the only strategy that government will fund, The Salvation Army could be in a financial bind. A major bind, given that we are the single largest provider of shelter beds in the country.

Could we “get on board” with Housing First if we wanted to? That’s the sort of question I would want answered by our experts already in the field. I’m sure you can’t change staffing with the snap of a finger. And a building that’s been built to provide an emergency bed for a night can’t become a longterm apartment complex just by changing the name on the door. This sort of transition requires practical wisdom and managerial savvy that I don’t have.

Is there any principle of ministry philosophy or ethics that would stand in the way of The Salvation Army’s embracing Housing First?

You hint at one—what becomes of those who still won’t fit? The Salvation Army’s calling to the worst-off shouldn’t be thrown overboard. Housing First is an improvement; it isn’t a panacea. The Salvation Army needs to be able to call public attention to the complexity of the lived-reality of people at risk.

The other question concerns harm-reduction strategies.

Could The Salvation Army with integrity be “landlord” for people who are addicted to alcohol or other drugs while they still are using? This is not an easy one. However, what you said earlier is really resonating with me as an orienting principle—a home should not be a reward for kicking your habit.

GraceSSC and peace, Salvationist Quarter.pdf 2 1/17/2014 3:28:10 PM JIM

Responsible for

MINISTRY Committed to MISSION Social Services Conference 2014 October 18-21 • Delta Meadowvale MinistryAndMission2014.com Salvationist • July 2014 • 15

One Army:

United in Understanding

New resource brings Salvationists worldwide together in mission and message So how will the teaching help?

One Army looks not only at what we were called to be but also at what we are meant to do and the way in which we should do it. It’s designed for all cultures and ages. It gets to the heart of who we are in simple, clear, uncomplicated ways and invites participation.

Article and graphics: All the World/IHQ Communications

How does it do this?

First, there’s the main script, accompanied by discussion points, Bible references and prayer subjects. The level of discussion can be adjusted according to the group. To help with this, additional material is being supplied on our One Army website, salvationarmy.org/ onearmy, including worship ideas, extracts from Army books and publications, as well as recommending other books and resources on specific topics.

The resources will expand as more people interact. There is also a leader’s manual, giving ideas for people to study together. Some ideas will suit one culture while others will suit another.

T

his year marks the launch of a major teaching resource for The Salvation Army. Under the title One Army, it is designed to unite Salvationists worldwide and help others understand its mission and message in clear, global terms. The potential for positive impact is huge and lasting.

Commissioner Robert Street, chairman of the International Doctrine Council, has been given the task of devising and producing the material. He shares his thoughts on this global initiative.

Why One Army?

Commissioner Robert Street: In recent years, The Salvation Army has moved into more and more countries—usually by request or because Salvationists have moved country and taken “the Army” with them. It is now in more than 125 countries—and growing. As it expands, 16 • July 2014 • Salvationist

it is crucial that it stays united, grows authentically and continues to be what it was always meant to be.

Which is?

An expression of the one church universal, showing the heart and love of God! Its motto throughout the years, “Heart to God and hand to man,” puts what Jesus called the two great commandments, into action— “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and your neighbour as yourself.” If the Army keeps doing that, it won’t go far wrong.

Visit the One Army website at salvationarmy.org/onearmy

Catering to all cultures must have its challenges.

It does. There are two things that help in this respect. Each booklet—and there will be 13 of them when the resource is completed—has an “In Culture” feature, in which people describe what it is like to serve Jesus in their own culture, giv-

ing insights into their world. Questions at the conclusion of this section offer opportunities for comparison between your own culture and the one described.

In this way, we learn about others while also being helped to understand ourselves better. The other plus is that I have been blessed to see the Army at work in 50 of its 126 countries. I know many of the cultures for which we are writing, and what can hinder or help in understanding. If those who use One Army really want to broaden their horizons and understanding, they will find the cultural aspect illuminating—and challenging.

You mentioned 13 booklets ...

Yes. They are written to follow the book title. The introductory booklet is called One Life, then the others follow: One Army—In Calling, ... In Covenant, ... In Christ, ... In Truth, ... In Purpose, ... In Prayer, ... In Fellowship, ... In Service, ...

In Faith, ... In Holiness, ... In Hope and ... In Love.

Are they all being released at the same time?

No. We are launching the first four now.

Each booklet is designed to be studied in five or six sessions. The next three to be published—One Army—In Truth, ... In Purpose and ... In Prayer—will be available by July, well before they should be needed. The following two groups of booklets will be released near the end of 2014 and in the first part of 2015. And throughout this time, the website will be interactive and growing in resources.

four and then eight language subtitles.

We are currently working toward 20 subtitle languages on the web. It is a large undertaking that is already producing positive contact around the world. It’s not difficult to get a growing picture of the vastness of the Army when you’re engaged in producing something to unite everyone. Our film producer has been given quite a headache!

Translations are important to One Army then?

Absolutely! It’s vital that this is an international resource. It comes from International Headquarters. The General calls it “IHQ’s gift to the world.” We have film footage from countries in all continents. Some territories are also printing booklets in their local languages.

Linking with them all to achieve the best results is necessarily time-consuming and demanding, but working together in this way makes One Army all the more real.

cell groups, Bible studies, Sunday and weeknight meetings, and by individuals, of course. Our leaflets—also available in Spanish, French and Portuguese— are aimed at corps, but I hope and fully expect that other centres will also want to use One Army, too.

How will you measure success?

I won’t—God will do that. But I’ll be happy if people come to understand their faith better and know Jesus more fully.

If these things happen God will ensure he makes and keeps us One Army.

Information kits have been sent to corps across the Canada and Bermuda Territory. Contact your corps officer for details. To learn more about this global initiative, go to salvationarmy.org/ onearmy.

So what is your target audience?

Every corps. Corps are where people are. Each one is the spiritual home of Salvationists. It is where faith can be learned, shared and put into practice. The material can be used in

Can you tell us more about the website?

Every booklet will appear on the website as it is published. The first four are there now. Each booklet also has a youth version. In the printed copies, the youth version opens at the back of the booklet as if it is a book in its own right. It is based on the main script, but has its own ideas that will unite young Salvationists and friends around the world. It provides a way for young people to share faith and questions with each other. Young people will play a great part in helping the Army develop. We have also made films.

Films?

Each of the 13 booklets has its own corresponding film. We produce them as DVDs, and the films are also on the website. The DVDs are being launched with Salvationist • July 2014 • 17

Their Lights Will Shine Digging beneath the surface of The Salvation Army’s historical ministry to coal miners and their families

Photo: © Depositphotos.com/lurii

BY ROB JEFFERY

A

rriving at the coal mine in the early morning darkness, Fred Courtney changed into his work clothes in the washout, picked up a lamp from the lamp house and then descended 300 metres underground in a small metal cage. In the darkness of the mine, he travelled along the coal seam in an electric boxcar called a riding rake. Mining was hard and dangerous work. Cave-ins, methane gas explosions and injuries from heavy machinery were far too common, and for those who survived, black lung (pneumoconiosis) was often the only reward for a life spent toiling underground.

From the beginning of the Industrial Revolution until the postwar era, coal was king. It fuelled electricity and heated 18 • July 2014 • Salvationist

many Canadian homes. Towns sprang up wherever coal was found. Nowhere was this truer than in Nova Scotia, where the first mine opened in 1720. Since then, more than 300 mines have provided employment to generations of miners.

During coal’s heyday, towns such as Glace Bay, New Waterford, Westville, Stellarton and Springhill, N.S., boomed and bustled, driving the economy of the region and the province.

Courtney worked for the Dominion Coal Company in Glace Bay from 1954 to 1969. Despite the hardships, there was a real sense of camaraderie among miners. “We did our work with a merry heart,” he says. Outside of work time, the miners’ social lives revolved around the mine with workers forming sports clubs, choirs and other musical groups.

The tradition of Salvation Army banding is indebted to mining culture, which came from the colliery brass bands of England and Wales.

In the late 1880s, The Salvation Army began a ministry to coal miners and their families. When times were tough and miners were unable to provide their family with a Christmas turkey or presents for their children, the Army was there. When accidents resulted in a miner’s absence, the Army gave comfort to the family members left behind.

Coal miners found a spiritual home in the Army and many gave their lives to Christ, becoming soldiers, local officers and officers.

After he enrolled as a soldier in The Salvation Army, Courtney would put on his uniform on payday and collect money

for his corps from his colleagues. Though he was sometimes teased by his friends for doing so, the Army’s work was held in such high regard by the miners and their families that Courtney seldom returned from his endeavours empty-handed.

But in the 1960s, things began to change. Rising labour costs made utility companies look to developing countries for cheaper coal. Coal mines across Canada began to close, and mining towns were devastated as their workforce moved away in search of greener fields. In many communities in Nova Scotia, the Army began to struggle as well, as once-thriving corps were reduced in size. Corps that survived did so because they learned how to do more with less.

Speaking about the transition that the town of Glace Bay went through when the collieries stopped operating, Courtney remembers many challenges the corps faced: “With out-migration, families weren’t as big as they once were.

We had families in the corps with eight or nine kids and they all came to church and Sunday school. We don’t have that today. And over the years, not only have the numbers diminished but finances as well.”

Courtney notes, however, the generosity of the soldiers left behind who worked hard to keep their church alive and thriving in the midst of so many challenges. When a new citadel was constructed back in the 1980s, it was paid off in three years.

The closing of the mines did not diminish the ministry of Glace Bay Corps, but extended it. “It just meant we had to do the same things, with fewer people. It was as simple as that. You adapted; you did what you had to do.

There were always people willing to pick up the slack.”

Before the mines closed, Courtney was fortunate enough to be offered a scholarship to attend university. After his education, he began a second career as a teacher and left the mines behind, though he still considers himself “a miner at heart.”

When the mines closed in Westville, the town suffered a severe economic setback. The corps was very close to being shut down as well, but the people dug in and pressed forward, continuing to offer loving service in Jesus’ name. The corps focused on meeting the needs of the changing community, developing a financially stable community and family

services that operated alongside of corps work, and running various thrift stores throughout nearby towns that could help fund mission.

Fred Jeffery, a local officer who has attended Westville Corps since the early 1960s, credits the corps’ willingness to adapt and be more intentional about mission as the main reason for its survival. “Coal was an important resource,” recalls Jeffery, “but the people God gives us to serve are our greatest resource. It’s important to keep that in perspective.”

Nova Scotia’s last experiment with

Fred Courtney served as the corps sergeantmajor of Glace Bay Corps for 33 years

underground mining ended in 1992, when an underground explosion caused by methane gas killed 26 miners. The Westray Mine disaster made headlines around the world as people wondered incredulously how, in this modern age of machinery, safety standards and regulated labour, so many people died tragically.

The soldiers of the nearby Westville Corps, including Fred Jeffery, rallied to the mine site and ran emergency disaster services, ministering to the needs of rescue workers and the miners’ families.

The song made popular by The Men of Deeps choir, Their Lights Will Shine, captured the heartbreak of the families whose loved ones would not be coming home. The lyrics are: Their lights will shine/Twenty-six all of a kind/Their lights will shine/Facing those who would be blind/Their lights will shine/For the loved ones left behind/From the darkness of the mine/Their lights will shine.

Although a way of life is gone, The Salvation Army continues to be a transforming influence in former mining communities, shining the light of God’s love.

Rob Jeffery is a Salvationist at Halifax Citadel Community Church and an employee of the Halifax Centre of Hope, Maritime Division.

A stained glass window at Glace Bay Corps, inspired by the Army’s ministry in mining communities Salvationist • July 2014 • 19

Run for Your Life!

A Salvation Army program builds bodies and community in Calgary

BY KRISTIN OSTENSEN, STAFF WRITER

Bob McLeod and Beth Kellett are part of a running group at Glenmore Temple

W

hen Beth Kellett describes her Saturday morning run with the running group at Glenmore Temple in Calgary, the scene is almost idyllic.

“We run alongside the reservoir, and on beautiful mornings, you can see the mountains—snowcapped during the winter,” she shares. “It’s a remarkable sight and a reminder of what a wonderful God we serve.”

The group, which has been running for the past 10 years, attracts up to 14 participants each week and gathers year round—even when it’s -25 C. “Those hardy ones of us, we run no matter what the weather is on Saturday mornings,” smiles Bob McLeod. The group is comprised of runners and walkers, who usually break into small groups according to their ability and regroup at a coffee shop for fellowship.

The group is co-ordinated by McLeod, a police officer who completed his first half marathon 20 years ago.

“While I was running that race, I was listening to the Canadian Staff Band on my cassette player,” he says. “And as I was coming down the finish line, the band was playing All My Work Is for the Master. I’ll never forget that. Since then, I’ve really sensed that God has given me this running ability to use for him.”

Both McLeod and Kellett were founding members of the group.

“I had always wanted to run but felt that I was like an 20 • July 2014 • Salvationist

elephant when I was running,” Kellett laughs. “So this was an ideal way to get into it.” Since joining, Kellett has blossomed and completed a number of half marathons.

Initially, the group’s goal was to run the Santa Shuffle, a Salvation Army fun run and fundraiser held in December.

This is now an annual tradition for them, with 13 members participating last year.

The physical benefits are obvious to participants such as McLeod, Kellett and Major John Goulding, corps officer at Glenmore Temple, who says the group encourages discipline.

“You set out to do things, but quite often throughout the week, you’re apt not to get out and run or walk as much as you should,” he says, “so this group provides accountability.”

Major Goulding believes that it’s important for the church to promote physical health.

“The running group is listed in our bulletin as one of the main events of corps life, just the same as band and songsters,” he says. “We feel that it’s important to keep our bodies healthy because Scripture tells us that we are responsible for our bodies.”

The group also helps participants develop community and grow spiritually.

“We don’t just meet for the sake of running,” says Major Goulding. “When you’re out running, you can talk and find out what the others might be dealing with. Then it’s an opportunity for us to commit to pray in the week ahead.”

The running group also provides a non-threatening environment where newcomers can connect to the corps.

“My husband hasn’t come to the Army for a number of years, but he’s become a walker,” Kellett shares. “He will walk with us and stay for coffee, so he’s feeling at ease with the people he knows through the running group. And on occasion, when he’s been invited to a men’s breakfast, he has gone because now he knows Bob and Major John and he feels comfortable.”

For McLeod, the running group is a great source of encouragement and has become a permanent fixture in his calendar.

“Even if I work late on a Friday night and get four hours of sleep, I still get up and go,” he says. “The group and the people mean that much to me.”

Allan Kellett walks a path near the reservoir in Calgary

Kicking It

Kung Fu for Christ encourages discipline and discipleship

BY KRISTIN OSTENSEN, STAFF WRITER

T

Christian and Rachel van Schaik practise hard at Kung Fu for Christ

he family that kicks together sticks together. That’s Christine Ristau’s new motto since she and her children joined The Salvation Army’s Kung Fu for Christ program last fall. Not only has the program helped the family improve their physical health but it has also brought them closer to each other and to God. “I’ve never worked out as hard, and part of this is because we’re constantly reminded that we’re doing it for Jesus,” she says.

Based out of Kitchener Community Church, Ont., Kung Fu for Christ is an outreach ministry that uses martial arts to connect with members of the community who may be unfamiliar with the church or the Christian faith. Each hour-long class has a devotion time that looks at a Scripture passage or biblical value and how this teaching relates to martial arts and the students’ daily lives.

“If you combine values of kung fu— such as respect, discipline, self-control and perseverance—with Christian values, it gives you a solid foundation on which to introduce students to the Christian faith,” says Morgan Braganza, who co-ordinates the program with her husband, Alan, a black belt in kung fu.

The program is divided into two classes: one for children aged seven to 15 and the other for adults 16 and up.

More than 70 children and 30 adults are currently involved with the program.

The program has been so popular that the children’s group has had a waiting list on and off throughout the past year.

Part of the attraction of the program is its cost: students can make a donation, but the classes are offered free of charge.

“My son went to a karate camp last summer, but when we were deciding whether to sign him up for a formal program, the cost was a huge factor— it’s about a thousand dollars a year per child,” says Ristau. Having the option to make a donation has made it possible for Ristau, a single mother, to put her nine-

year-old twins, Rachel and Christian van Schaik, in kung fu.

“It’s really nice that our whole family has joined,” says Rachel. “It’s fun because now we can practise together and it becomes a whole family thing.”

Ristau and her children have also started reading the Bible every day, thanks to the program.

“We award chevron badges to students for reading the Bible,” explains Braganza, noting that 27 children and eight adults have received a “dove and fist” chevron for reading one Gospel, and five children have received wooden broadswords for reading the entire Bible.

“If our goal is to get students excited about reading the Bible, then I think those numbers show that our goal is becoming reality.”

Kung Fu for Christ also gives students chevrons for other achievements, such as academics. For Ristau’s family, the program has provided awards for activities such as piano practising, giving the children added incentive to develop their talents beyond the gym.

Putting on a program of this size requires a strong base of support, one the corps is happy to provide. In addition to the Braganzas, the classes are led by a team of 15 “laoshis” (Japanese for “teacher”), one of whom is Major Deborah Coles, corps officer.

“The whole corps is involved one way or another,” says Major Coles. Corps members hand out Bibles and help with registration, refreshments and childcare during the adults’ class. “They’re also trying to connect with whoever comes in from the community, so there’s been good conversations and opportunities for prayer.”

This welcoming environment has been an important part of helping participants engage with the program and stick with it.

“It’s hard work practising and training, but it’s really worth it,” says Rachel.

“I want to be a black belt someday.”

The Kung Fu for Christ students and teachers Salvationist • July 2014 • 21

Steak, Sports and Spirituality Men’s Camp offers the chance to reconnect and recharge

BY GISELLE RANDALL, STAFF WRITER

W

hen a friend invited Ken Debney to a men’s camp weekend, he was reluctant. “I was worried it would feel like three days of church,” he says. Although his wife was a Christian and he was respectful of her faith, he thought science held the answers to life’s questions. But as his children grew older, he began to wonder if those answers were enough. He started reading the New Testament and attending church occasionally. “I was on a path I wasn’t even aware of at the time,” he says.

That weekend, he enjoyed the food, the setting and the guest speaker. But what he didn’t expect was the way men opened up and were willing to be vulnerable with each other. “I hadn’t experienced this before,” he says.

“There is an atmosphere that is unique when men gather in fellowship that can’t be duplicated when their significant others are there.”

Still he resisted making a spiritual commitment. “I didn’t want to cross that last bridge,” he says. But on Saturday night, as men shared their testimonies, he felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.

and looks forward to the opportunity to build relationships and spiritually recharge. But he recommends the camp even for those who aren’t interested in faith. “We still joke that I went for the steaks and came back a Christian,” he says. “Not everyone has the same experience I had. Most are Christians already, others may be wavering and still others may be like me, looking for answers,” he says. “Go for the fellowship, the steak even. Keep an open heart and an open mind. You will have a great time, and if God has a plan for you, he will find you.”

“I went for the steaks and came back a Christian,” says Ken Debney

He went forward and took the last step on his own journey to faith. “My life changed in an instant,” he says. “It was the end of one journey and the start of a new, much more fulfilling, journey.”

Today, Debney is the corps treasurer and serves on the mission board at Cambridge Citadel in Ontario. He has attended many camps over the years,

This year, the All-Ontario Men’s Camp will be held at Jackson’s Point Camp from September 5 to 7, and will feature sports activities, an antique car show, and a dinner and auction hosted by former NHL hockey player Mark Osborne.

Osborne will be on hand to play road hockey with those who attend. Fathers and sons who attend together will receive a 50-percent discount on the son’s registration fee. The final deadline to register is August 25. See your corps officer or ministry unit leader for more details.

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Hydration and Hospitality

The Salvation Army will offer cold water and a listening ear at the Pan Am Games

M

BY KEN RAMSTEAD, EDITOR, FAITH & FRIENDS AND FOI & VIE

ore than 10,000 athletes and officials, as well as 17,000 volunteers, will descend on the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) for the 2015 Pan American Games, from July 10-26. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the country and around the world will throng to sports venues to wait in line for hours—tired, thirsty and impatient.

Sound familiar? It certainly does to Major Gordon Armstrong. Now the corps officer in Brampton, Ont., he was serving in Vancouver in 2010, where he oversaw The Salvation Army’s operational outreach efforts in partnership with More Than Gold. This network of Christian organizations, including The Salvation Army, provided outreach at the Winter Olympics.

A lot of that outreach had to do with hot chocolate. Salvation Army volunteers handed it out to people standing in line waiting for their daily transportation or to take shuttle buses to events. “This was wintertime, keep in mind, and that took some of the edge—and the cold—off the wait,” says Major Armstrong. “People couldn’t believe that we were giving this out for free, and when we told them why, it made them understand what The Salvation Army was there for: helping people. Connections were made and people came to God at the Olympics precisely because we were there.”

Volunteers Wanted Major Armstrong has been tasked to reprise his role for the Pan Am Games. But instead of hot chocolate, Army volunteers will hand out cups of water to people in line—thousands of cups of it.

“Summertime in Toronto is hot and muggy, and pedestrians, drivers and commuters alike already feel everything is maxed out when it comes to traffic, subways, buses and trains,” says Major Armstrong. “Add another few hundred thousand people to the mix and you have a real recipe for frustration.”

As in Vancouver, The Salvation Army hopes it can hand out cups of water to the thirsty, and perhaps offer a compassionate word or two to those who request it.

“Besides the water we’ll be giving out for free, we will set up refreshment stands, offer face-painting for the kids and provide big-screen TV viewings for people who can’t make it to the events. And, as in Vancouver, volunteers will hand out a special issue of Faith & Friends, this one themed to the Games.

“We want to specialize in the two Hs: hydration and hospitality!” Major Armstrong smiles.

To do all that, however, volunteers are needed.

Stepping Up Major Armstrong is hoping for 800-1,200 volunteers from around the territory and notes that this is not restricted to Salvationists.

“Volunteering is open to anybody regardless of denomina-

Volunteers in Penticton, B.C., during the 2010 Olympic torch relay

tion—or lack thereof.”

While volunteers are undoubtedly important, Major Armstrong believes that Salvation Army corps can also do their share.

“We’re hoping that Salvation Army churches can provide accommodations for Army volunteers, whether they be from Bermuda or Halifax or Edmonton. If each corps can provide some sleeping and shower accommodations for even a few volunteers, as well as perhaps breakfast and a bag lunch before they head off to the game sites, that would be huge. That way, we can keep our people on site a little longer.”

The sooner the volunteers come forward, the better, as the volunteers have to be trained for the tasks they will undertake.

Likewise, Salvation Army churches also need to indicate their availability soon, so accommodations can be assigned.

All for God “It cost four cents to give out a cup of hot chocolate in Vancouver,” says Major Armstrong. “It’ll cost us less than that to give out a cup of water, but there is a cost to all this nevertheless.”

Why is the Army doing this for free? “It is an opportunity for us to witness,” he replies. “Scripture tells us that if we do a kind deed or if we give a cup of cold water in Christ’s name, then we’re doing a service for him. I can’t think of anything I would rather do!”

Interested volunteers can contact Major Gordon Armstrong at gordon_ armstrong@can.salvationarmy.org.

Salvationist • July 2014 • 23

CROSS CULTURE

Engaging the Gay Debate New book asks, Can someone be both gay and Christian?

REVIEW BY CAPTAIN MARK BRAYE

C

an someone be gay and a committed follower of Jesus Christ? This question sparks some of the hottest and most divisive dialogue in the church.

Justin Lee, a gay Christian who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, answers this question with a resounding “yes” in his book Torn: Rescuing the Gospel From the Gays-Vs.-Christians Debate. Lee is the founder and executive director of the Gay Christian Network (GCN). The GCN is a non-profit, interdenominational organization that works to build bridges between gays and Christians. The GCN supports people on both sides of the debate—those who endorse same-sex marriage and relationships, and those who promote celibacy for Christians with same-sex attractions.

Torn is Lee’s first book. The title is significant as Lee believes this debate has torn the church apart. The book suggests that it’s time for the church to come back together.

“This book is about a controversial subject that touches many people’s lives,” Lee writes. He recognizes that this conversation is a difficult one to engage in, but he sees that it’s also very important. Torn goes a long way to give the reader a safe entry point into the debate.

Torn is partly autobiography. As a teenager committed

to his faith, Lee was nicknamed “God boy.” He was active in his church and was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. But he was also gay.

In Torn, Lee tells personal stories and shares his experiences of growing up both gay and Christian—including his coming out to his parents and his experiences with the “exgay” movement—and how he struggled to come to terms with his orientation.

Lee also looks at the theology surrounding the debate and its implications for Christian living. He thoughtfully engages the relevant biblical texts with grace and clarity. There are other books that explore this topic, but Torn is exceptional because Lee knows both sides of the debate so well, and he cares about Christians on both sides.

I was personally stirred by Torn. Lee’s stories and personal experience make this topic real; it’s not a simple issue. My own feelings on the topic have been affirmed: someone can be both gay and Christian. To be gay articulates someone’s sexual orientation and attraction; it doesn’t say anything about their actions.

The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory affirms the dignity of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. However, homosexual activity is not in line with our corporate interpretation of Scripture. While Lee would disagree, Torn is worth reading because it goes a long way in clarifying the debate, and Lee does not demonize either side of the conversation.

Torn is a well-written book and a must-read for Christians who want to graciously and thoughtfully have this conversation in the church and the culture in which we find ourselves.

IN REVIEW Yawning at Tigers

You can’t tame God, so stop trying

by Drew Dyck In our shallow, self-centred age, things such as timeless truth and reverence for an awe-inspiring God can seem outdated. And yet, we are restless—a symptom of our longing for “something more.” In Yawning at Tigers, Drew Dyck makes a compelling case that what we seek is available by knowing and worshipping the dangerous God of Scripture—a God who is paradoxically untameable and accessible, mysterious and knowable, above and beyond our physical world yet powerfully present within it. Dyck’s book charts a course away from the “safe” harbour of sanitized, predictable Christianity, and into deeper waters where God’s majesty, love and power become more real and transformative than we could have imagined.

24 • July 2014 • Salvationist

Christ-Shaped Character

Choosing love, faith and hope

by Helen Cepero “Three things will last forever—faith, hope and love—and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT). In Christ-Shaped Character, Helen Cepero, an experienced spiritual director, explores nine pathways that can lead us to God. These pathways—which include forh eL e n C epero giveness, vulnerability, integrity and trusting in Christ—are divided into the categories of faith, hope and love.

Drawing on the Bible and personal C h r i s t- s h a p e d stories, the book is both spiritual and practical, grounding each of the pathways in real-life experience and everyday practices that readers can CharaCter adopt. Christ-Shaped Character offers readers an opportunity to honestly reflect on their own lives and develop a closer relationship with God. C h o o s i n g L ov e , Fa i t h a n d h o p e

CROSS CULTURE

Photo: © Bigstock.com/Oko Laa

New atheist channel to be first of its kind in world Faith-based television will soon have some competition.

American Atheists, a national advocacy group for non-theists, will launch the first television channel dedicated to atheism in July.

The channel will be available via Roku, an Internet streaming player that attaches to televisions like a cable box. David Silverman, president of American Atheists, estimates that it will reach seven million households and will be available for free, at least initially.

“We are envisioning a lot of different content from many different atheist content creators,” Dave Muscato, American Atheists’ director of communications, told Religion News Service. “We are hoping to sign on many other atheists who create videos currently on YouTube and other places.”

Family Under Construction New reality show profiles pastor’s family Christian author and blogger Jen Hatmaker is coming to television in a reality show that follows her family of seven as they renovate their 105-year-old home.

Hatmaker, who lives in Austin, Texas, has written nine books, including 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, which follows her family’s seven month-long fasts to combat excessive consumption. She is also the wife of Brandon, founder and pastor of Austin New Church.

A prolific blogger, Hatmaker caught the attention of HGTV last year when her blog post, “The Worst End-of-School-Year Mom Ever,” landed her a spot on the Today show.

Hatmaker notes on her blog that she and her family hope to use the opportunity to witness. “We told the people [at HGTV], ‘Um, we are overtly Christian. This isn’t even a grey area.’ And they said, ‘Yes. We want it all: your family, your prayers, your church, your poor people, your non-profits, your chaos, your humour. We want you to be exactly who you are.’ ” The eight-episode series, titled Fa mily Un d e r Construction, will appear on HGTV this July.

Christian author and blogger Jen Hatmaker will star in a new reality TV show

Amazing Grace Study shows homeless people who attend church are less prone to substance abuse A new study from two professors at the University of British Columbia suggests that church attendance is strongly linked to lower substance abuse rates among homeless people. The more committed street people were, the less likely they were to use.

Researchers interviewed 380 homeless people who said they held religious beliefs of some kind. Of the 60 “frequent attendees”—that is, people who attended religious services at least weekly—a third to half of them had “significantly lower rates of alcohol, cocaine and opioid use” than those who attended less frequently. They also had lower rates of alcohol and drug dependence, lifetime suicide attempts and psychological distress.

Authors Michael Krausz and Ir is Torchalla note that “regular attendance of religious services may be an indicator of self-discipline, which is also protective against substance use.” When asked why their faith was important to them, many respondents said it helps them get through life.

Photo: © iStock.com/Kuzma

Godless Television

ON THE WEB #NotABugSplat

www.notabugsplat.com #NotABugSplat is an artistic project aimed at raising awareness of the impact of drone strikes in Pakistan. Since 2004, at least 3,500 people have been killed by drone strikes in Pakistan, including more than 200 children.

With a large poster of a young girl laid out in a field in the heavily bombed Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa region, the project humanizes the victims of drone strikes. “Now, when viewed by a drone camera, what an operator sees on his screen is not an anonymous dot on the landscape, but an innocent child victim’s face.” The anonymous child featured on the poster lost both of her parents and two young siblings in a drone attack.

The act iv i st s hope the project “will create empathy and introspection amongst drone operators, and will c re ate d i a log ue a mon g st p ol ic y makers, eventually leading to decisions that will save inno- An art installation raises awareness of the impact of drone strikes in Pakistan cent lives.”

Salvationist • July 2014 • 25

Photo: Courtesy of notabugsplat.com

IN THE NEWS

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

ENROLMENTS AND RECOGNITION

YARMOUTH, N.S.—Brent Jamieson and Ronna Jamieson are the newest senior soldiers at Yarmouth CC. From left, CSM Hayward Baggs, Prudence Musie, preparation class instructors; Brent Jamieson; Ronna Jamieson; Hugh Nickerson, holding the flag; Mjrs Janice and Peter Rowe, then COs. YARMOUTH, N.S.— Three people from Yarmouth CC are acknowledged as members of the candidates’ fellowship, a network of Salvationists around the Canada and Bermuda Tty who are committed to pursuing the possibility of officership. From left, Gerald Pye; Amanda Levy-Pye; Jesse Byers; Mjrs Janice and Peter Rowe, then COs.

YARMOUTH, N.S.— Mjrs Janice and Peter Rowe, then COs, welcome Joan and Arnold Adnum as adherents at Yarmouth CC.

BRANTFORD, ONT.—Gord and Co n n i e A s h b y are enrolled as senior soldiers at Wyndfield CC. Supporting them are Mjrs Guy and Donna Simms, COs.

ENGLEE, N.L.—Front, from left, Ava Randell and Destiny Fillier proudly display their certificates as they are enrolled as junior soldiers at Englee Corps. Back, from left, Norman Randell, colour sergeant; Mjr Calvin Fudge, AC, N.L. Div; Mjr Loretta Fudge, community ministries director, Corner Brook social services, N.L.; Mjrs Beatrice and Henry Bingle, then COs; Bessie Compton, acting YPSM; Shirley Randell, acting JSS; CSM Mae Randell.

FAIRBANKS, N.L.—Four senior soldiers are reinstated at Eastside Citadel. From left, Cpt Elsie Brown, then CO; Christine Burt; Dorothy Gillard; Audrey Gillard, holding the flag; Cathy Weir; Garland Weir; Cpt Kenneth Brown, then CO.

WINNIPEG—Weston CC honours Jessica and Nat Hoeft, with their sons William and Luke, as they become members of the candidates’ fellowship, a network of Salvationists around the Canada and Bermuda Tty who are committed to pursuing the possibility of officership.

26 • July 2014 • Salvationist

PRINCE ALBERT, SASK.—Six people publicly declare their commitment to Jesus Christ by being enrolled as senior soldiers at Prince Albert CC. From left, CSM Dave Hobden, holding the flag; Monique Pelletier-Johnson; Mjr Harvey Compton, acting recruiting sergeant; Scott Johnson; Barbara Robins; Valerie Parenteau; Conrad Parenteau; Mjrs Bonnie and Glenn Patey, then COs.

ENGLEE, N.L.—Tracy Breen is enrolled as a senior soldier at Englee Corps.

From left, CSM Mae Randell; Norman Randell, colour sergeant; Mjr Calvin Fudge, AC, N.L. Div; Mjr Loretta Fudge, community ministries director, Corner Brook social services, N.L.; Tracy Breen; Mjrs Beatrice and Henry Bingle, then COs.

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

WINDSOR, ONT.—South Windsor Citadel enrols Michelle Haggert and Jocelyn Dalrymple as junior soldiers. Supporting them are Mjrs Scott and Michelle Rideout, COs; Donna Burak, youth pastor; Jody Roy, junior soldier teacher.

WINNIPEG—Encouraging things are happening at Living Hope CC as they welcome 21 new members, the first since the corps launched in September 2013. The new members include: Rajesh Parmar, Silpah Parmar, Hasmukh Parmar, Smitaben Parmar, Stuti Parmar, Johnson Boateng, Deborah Boateng, Robert Cameron, Adam Woodland, Ellen Whatman, senior soldiers; Hurmat Habib, Denise Lee, Mary Geisbrecht, Elaine Browning, Adenike Omatayo, Gina Schade, Olabisi Senuga-Oduwabe, Helen Hawley, Dorothy Anderson-Howard, adherents; Maguire Steingart, Prayer Parmar, friends of the Army. Supporting them are Mjr Wayne Bungay, then DC, Prairie Div; Mjr Deborah Bungay, then DDWM and AC, Prairie Div; Cpt Steven Cameron, CO; Maurice Godin, colour sergeant; then Cdts Daniel and Bhreagh Rowe.

ENGLEE, N.L.—Norman Randell Sr. receives a certificate of appreciation for his 25 years of service as the welcome sergeant at Englee Corps. With him are Mjrs Beatrice and Henry Bingle, then COs.

ORILLIA, ONT.—These are exciting days at Orillia Corps as they welcome five senior soldiers, five adherents and two friends of the Army. Seated, from left, Noel Sterne, children and youth coordinator; Mary Ellen Shell, pastoral care leader; Mjr Grace Hustler, membership class teacher; Sharon Baker. Standing, from left, Cpt James Mercer, CO; Cpt Michelle Mercer, CO; Kaitlin vanDeursen; Cindy Dixon; Michelle Sonier; Murray Beemer; Jan Cuthbert; Anna Whitfield; Brent Keeting; Tamara Keeting; Ron Van Ness, holding the flag; Karen Krusto; Gail Lander; Tom Baker.

WINNIPEG—Sueli Alves de Brito is enrolled as a senior soldier at Weston Corps. With her are Nat Hoeft, holding the flag; Mjr Margaret McLeod, then CO.

CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C.—One new senior soldier, three reinstated senior soldiers and five adherents are recognized at Ocean Crest CC. From left, Willie Hart, adherent; Philip Taylor, Doug Vader, Marguerite Gilbert, Ed Volkart, senior soldiers; Cpt Gordon Taylor, CO; Cpt Russell Sutherland, holding the flag; Cpt Karen Taylor, CO; Hilford Burton, Ruth Burton, Betty Tiede, Art Tiede, adherents.

TORONTO—Matt Moore proudly displays his Soldier’s Covenant following his enrolment as a senior soldier at Scarborough Citadel. With him are Mjr Denis Skipper, then CO (left); Alison Moore, assistant ministries director, and Graham Moore, Matt’s parents; CSM James Dolan, holding the flag.

Salvationist • July 2014 • 27

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

TORONTO—Scarborough Citadel celebrates the addition of 10 new members as seven senior soldiers and three adherents publicly declare their profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Front, from left, Rosalina Vallada, senior soldier; Wendy Waldbauer, Dan LeBlanc, adherents; Fatima Dilidili, senior soldier; Lian Lin, adherent; Sarah Lalonde, Simon Hopkins, Elise Croft, senior soldiers. Back, from left, Mjr Denis Skipper, then CO; Graham Moore, holding the flag; CSM James Dolan; Doug Shaver, Linda Jacome, senior soldiers; Alison Moore, assistant ministries director.

GAZETTE

TERRITORIAL Births Cpts Chad/Kathleen Ingram, son, Joshua Gordon, May 2; Lts Joshua/ Joyce Downer, son, Joel Joshua, May 13 Promoted to major Cpt Beverley Dart-Stokes Promoted to glory Mjr William Clarke, from Toronto, May 18

CALENDAR

Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle Jul 17-28 International Conference of Leaders and General’s Consultative Council, Singapore Colonels Mark and Sharon Tillsley Jul 7-13 Western Bible Conference, Pine Summit Christian Camp, California

For ages 16 to 30

Jackson’s Point Conference Centre

BISHOP’S FALLS, N.L.—Clara Reid, senior soldier, cuts a cake marking the 99th anniversary of Bishop’s Falls Corps. From left, guest leaders Cpts David and Melanie Rideout, COs, Gambo, N.L., with their daughter, Hannah; Clara Reid; Mjrs Shirley and Wycliffe Reid, then COs.

Officer Retirements Majors Gordon and Doris Jarvis retire July 1 following 85 years of combined service. Trained in the Lightbringers Session and Blood and Fire Session, respectively, they found fulfilment in all of their appointments, as corps officers, in social services and in divisional and international appointments.

“We have experienced the guidance of our heavenly Father and have seen his hand direct the path he has chosen for us,” they say. Gordon and Doris enter retirement with the awareness that the serendipidous experiences, the exciting truths discovered, the moments of growth and grace experienced, are benefits of living for Christ.

Majors Henry and Beatrice Bingle began their ministry as auxiliary-captains in 1991 and retire July 1. Appointed as the assistant corps officers in Deer Lake, N.L., they were given complete responsibility for the Army’s work in Trout River and Rocky Harbour, N.L. While ministering in Griquet and Quirpon, N.L., Henry and Beatrice were commissioned as captains in Deer Lake in 1996. After a short stay in Robert’s Arm, N.L., they were appointed to Liverpool, N.S., where they ministered for 11 years. Returning to their home province of Newfoundland and Labrador, they served as corps officers in King’s Point and the Army’s outpost in Harry’s Harbour before taking up their final appointment as corps officers in Englee, N.L. “Following more than 23 years of ministry, we are retiring in our hometown of Deer Lake,” say Henry and Beatrice.

“God has been so good.”

SAVE THE DATE For more information contact the Music and Gospel Arts Department at 416-422-6154 or kevin_metcalf@can.salvationarmy.org Applications available online at salvationist.ca/nationalmusiccamp 28 • July 2014 • Salvationist

Come Back to Your Future Celebrate the opening of the new Montreal Citadel

October 11-12

Watch for details in the next issue of Salvationist

CONVICTIONS MATTER

The Bible With Boots On

We hear the Bible as both an ancient text and as God’s Word to us now.

3. The Bible is shaped as a narrative, a story. Leviticus, Amos, Mark and Hebrews are not thrown together like some kind of tossed salad. The Bible has been crafted into a story that moves from the words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) to John of Patmos’ vision, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth’ ” (Revelation 21:1). This is what is meant by saying the Bible is a “Divine rule,” or canon.

This doctrine expresses the conviction that the Bible is The Salvation Army’s defining story. It has been argued that if we want to know who we are, we need to know the stories that shape us. Do you recall Roch Carrier’s story, The Hockey Sweater? Carrier grew up in Quebec and expressed interest in receiving a hockey sweater for Christmas. He understood there was only one hockey sweater worth owning, that of the Montreal Canadiens. But when the package arrived from Eaton’s, he was shocked to see a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater.

Canadians understand the story; we laugh because it’s us.

Stories create identity. But one of the major concerns of our age is that there seems to be no story to create identity for the whole of humanity. In his 1999 CBC Massey Lectures, Robert Fulford put his finger on the issue: “The need to shape the past as a coherent narrative will not leave us, no matter how many disappointments we endure.” Salvationists embrace many stories that help to create a sense of identity, from family to vocational and national stories. But the biblical story creates a wider canvas by which to understand who we are.

For this reason, we view the biblical story as authoritative.

Through it we come to learn what it means to leave our homes in response to God’s calling, as did Abraham and Sarah. We are shaped by the praying of Moses who interceded with God on behalf of a disloyal Israel. We find in the Psalms words to help us pray when faced with tragedy or unimaginable joy.

We are encouraged in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus to realize that “outsiders” such as Rahab and Ruth form an important part of his ancestry. We let the parables of Jesus tease our own imaginations so that we begin to view our 21st-century world through them. We walk with Jesus “toward Jerusalem” knowing that our own path of suffering has a companion.

We listen as Paul instructs the Philippians in how the mind of Christ shapes the community. And we trust with John of Patmos that God’s future will be characterized by the “healing of the nations.” The Bible as authoritative Scripture forms us.

For this reason Salvationists read, pray, preach and live out the Bible in our times. It is an ancient text, and it is God’s contemporary Word to us.

How our first doctrine helps us walk the talk

Photo: © Depositphotos.com/paulmhill

BY MAJOR RAY HARRIS

C

The Salvation Army has been shaped by its core convictions,

called doctrines. But what difference do they make to the life of

Salvationists in the 21st century? This book explores the relevance and contribution of these historic doctrines for the present age. It argues that each doctrine has something vital to contribute to the Army’s

understanding and practice of holiness. These convictions matter!

“In articulating and reflecting on the core convictions that guide the work of The Salvation Army and hold its communal life together,

Ray Harris has achieved that elusive but essential balance between accessibility and depth. He has put the doctrines of the Army in

conversation with the Salvationist understanding of holiness for the purpose of engaging the future.”

—The Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, General Secretary, The Canadian Council of Churches

“Doctrines are not monuments to the past, but living testimonies to

Major Ray Harris is a retired Salvation Army officer in the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

He and his wife, Cathie, have served across Canada in various congregational, college and administrative appointments. He lives in Winnipeg, where he enjoys cheering for the Jets.

CONVICTIONS MATTER

onvictions matter! At least the important ones do. The Salvation Army has core convictions called doctrines.

In this new Salvationist series, I want to explore the meaning of these doctrines for today and ask how they shape the life of The Salvation Army now.

Take, for instance, the Army’s first core conviction about the Bible. In a culture that views the word “bible” as a kind of instruction manual—The Golfer’s Bible, the Home Renovation Bible—Salvationists have a different take on it. The Salvation Army’s first doctrine affirms: We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.

This doctrine has been hammered out over the centuries and holds together a number of important elements.

1. Salvationists take as sacred Scripture both the Old and New Testaments. There have been attempts over time to delete the Old Testament from the Bible. Marcion in the second century and the Nazis in the 20th century viewed anything Jewish with suspicion. From a Salvationist perspective, both Testaments, Old and New, are essential for Christian faith.

2. The Christian Bible is a fully human creation. For instance, Luke wrote his Gospel because “it seemed good to me also … to write an orderly account” of the life of Jesus for Theophilus (see Luke 1:3). And yet the conviction of this doctrine is that the Gospel of Luke is also “given by inspiration of God.” As such it is God’s contemporary Word to us. the present and hopeful signs of the future. Ray Harris adeptly looks

at the formation of our doctrines [and] speaks about those doctrines with clarity and purpose [using] a wide range of sources, which

will enrich the doctrinal conversation of the Army with the broader theological world.”

—Dr. Roger J. Green, Professor and Chair of Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries, Terrelle B. Crum Chair of Humanities, Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts

ISBN: 978-0-88857-508-1

family, baking muffins, singing Charles Wesley hymns and running in a prairie winter.

Canada and Bermuda Territory

9 780888 575081

RELIGION / The Salvation Army / Church & Doctrine

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The Function of Salvation Army Doctrines RAY HARRIS

Ray Harris is a Salvation Army officer in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. He and his wife, Cathie, have served across Canada in various congregational, college and administrative appointments. In the course of his officership, Ray received the Doctor of Ministry degree from Regis College, Toronto School of Theology, with an emphasis on curriculum design in theological education. He lives in Winnipeg where he enjoys

RAY HARRIS FOREWORD JOHN LARSSON

2014-04-08 8:54 AM

Convictions Matter, Major Ray Harris’ new book, is available through the Salvation Army Store: store. salvationarmy.ca, orderdesk@can. salvationarmy.ca, 416-422-6100.

Salvationist • July 2014 • 29

TIES THAT BIND

Rooted in Christ Seven ways to grow your child’s faith

BY MAJOR KATHIE CHIU

So far, all five of our children confess a belief in God with each one expressing that belief in their own way. I’m not sure how that happened but I’m glad it did. I know parents that did some of the things we did, and their children have turned away from God. There are no guarantees—children have their own minds. But we need to give them the freedom to think and the example of a lived faith.

Photo: © iStock.com/yaruta

L

ast month, I wrote about how to teach our children to think for themselves and not blindly follow others. “OK, this is all very interesting, Kathie,” said one comment on Facebook. “But when we’re teaching children about not following the crowd, are we asking them to be independent or God-dependent?” What a great point.

As Christian parents, we also want to cultivate a belief in God. How do we do both?

These two things are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to raise a child to think for herself and also pass on our Christian faith. After all, you and I didn’t come to faith without thinking through what we believed. We need to model what it looks like to be an independent thinker—to listen to others and think critically. (As another Facebook commenter said, “Independent thinking cannot be considered a merit on its own.

You can independently think some very wise—and very useless—things!”)

I want my children to know how 30 • July 2014 • Salvationist

to interesting conversations and lively challenges.

• We give financially, not just to our church, but to others in need, and encourage our children to give as well.

• We practise hospitality, opening our home to others, hosting people from other places for weekends and inviting people over for dinner and fun evenings. We let our children know hospitality is part of our faith.

• We demonstrate integrity, acting the same at home as we do at church.

Apparently, this was a big one to our children.

• We are honest about our struggles, and when we haven’t lived up to our commitments, we’ve confessed to our children and asked forgiveness for letting them down.

• We spend time together as a family and make sure our children know they are a priority.

We need to give children the freedom to think and the example of a lived faith much God loves them, but they need to come to faith by themselves. As they think through what they believe, they’ll need evidence. The best evidence is the example that parents set for them. Here are some of the ways we’ve tried to live out our faith for our children.

• We are involved in the life of our church, attending a Bible study, volunteering with church activities and spending time with other church members.

• We read the Bible and pray with our children, perhaps not as regularly as we should, but often. It always leads

Major Kathie Chiu is the executive director of Victoria’s Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre.

Walking in Faith Together

You should love him, your true God, with all your heart and soul, with every ounce of your strength. Make the things I’m commanding you today part of who you are. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re sitting together in your home and when you’re walking together down the road. Make them the last thing you talk about before you go to bed and the first thing you talk about the next morning.

Do whatever it takes to remember them: tie a reminder on your hand and bind a reminder on your forehead where you’ll see it all the time, such as on the doorpost where you cross the threshold or on the city gate (Deuteronomy 6:5-9 The Voice).

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For address changes or subscription information contact (416) 422-6119 or circulation@can.salvationarmy.org. Allow 4-6 weeks for changes. PM 40064794