Salvationist + Faith & Friends May/June 2022 by The Salvation Army

Territory Welcomes New Officers and Auxiliary-Captains

Kate’s Place Gives Regina Women a Home

What Comes After Orange Shirt Day?

THE VOICE OF THE ARMY

May/June 2022

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Love BEYOND BORDERS Salvation Army provides support following crisis in Ukraine

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May/June 2022 • Volume 17, Number 5

DEPARTMENTS

CONNECT ONLINE

6 Frontlines

Visit Salvationist.ca to add your comments and read web-exclusive articles

27 Journey of Reconciliation Beyond the Orange Shirt by Captain Crystal Porter

@salvationistmagazine Follow us on Instagram for the latest and best Army photos. Tag your photos #salvationists

28 Spiritual Life At the Cross by Major Lorne Pritchett

29 People & Places 30 What’s Your Story? Perfect Fit by Ken Ramstead

FEATURES 9 For the Glory of God

COLUMNS

New officers mobilized to share hope in a hurting world.

4 Editorial Reading Between the Lines by Geoff Moulton

13 Remembering a General Life and ministry of the late General John Larsson.

14 Hope in Desperate Times

5 Onward You Belong by Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd

8 Chief Priorities

The Salvation Army supports those impacted by crisis in Ukraine.

16 Policy 101 Why updating the terms we use in The Salvation Army matters. by Captain Mark Stanley

My Father’s Business by Colonel Evie Diaz

25 In the Trenches Winning Souls by Captain Sheldon Bungay

26 Grace Notes A Pandemic of Loneliness by Captain Laura Van Schaick

27 11

18 Meeting the Need Kate’s Place is a home to women who need it most. by Abbigail Oliver

20 Wrestling With God How can we help people reconstruct their faith? by Aimee Patterson

22 Rethinking the Shelter How The Salvation Army Gateway navigated the pandemic—and what we learned along the way. by Jake Aikenhead

/salvationistmagazine Like us on Facebook for photos and updates. Interact with our community of 39,000+ followers @Salvationist Follow us on Twitter for the Army’s breaking news. Use hashtag #SalvationArmy for your own updates and photos issuu.com/salvationist Catch up on all the Salvation Army news and features on your tablet, desktop or smartphone Cover photo: The Salvation Army Romania

READ AND SHARE IT! Turning the Tables

Tribute to a Father

The Story of Esther

BEING HUMBLE P.22 MATTHEW’S MOMENT P.5 HEBREW HEROINE P.10

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

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MAY/JUNE 2022

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24 One Family at a Time Captain Bhreagh Rowe believes in doing everything with purpose—but her social media ministry happened by accident. by Abbigail Oliver

THROUGH 50 YEARS, DOUGLAS BURDEN’S FAITH HAS RUNG TRUE. P.16

Salvationist May/June 2022 3

EDITORIAL

Reading Between the Lines

re you paying attention in class? That’s what a University of Tennessee professor wanted to know. At the beginning of the school year, Kenyon Wilson hid an “Easter egg” message in the syllabus for his music seminar. It read: “Thus (free to the first who claims; locker one hundred fortyseven; combination fifteen, twenty-five, thirty-five), students may be ineligible to make up classes and….” For the first student who matched the locker and combination, there was a crisp $50 bill waiting inside, free for the taking. An accompanying note asked the lucky student to leave their name and the date they claimed the prize. Just to give everyone a fair chance, the professor reminded the 71 students on the first day of class to read the syllabus carefully for any changes. Perhaps not surprisingly, by the end of the course, the $50 remained unclaimed. When Wilson posted his experiment to Facebook, it went viral. “I know my students read, and I don’t expect them to religiously go through word-by-word, but if they did, I wanted to reward them,” he told CNN.com. When the class discovered the trick, they acknowledged it was all in good fun. However, I’m guessing that next semester they are all going to read their course instructions a little more carefully. It made me think of the Messengers of

Salvationist

is a bimonthly publication of The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory

Reconciliation Session of cadets who have been immersed in studies and hands-on learning for the past two years through the course of the pandemic. They have endured many challenges, and they are excited to be ordained and commissioned in June. Read their testimonies on page 9. My guess is that these keen students have not missed a thing! These are cadets who are carefully “reading between the lines.” They know that being commissioned is more than just being booksmart—it’s about being released into the world to accomplish God’s purposes. The reward is not monetary, it’s paid in kingdom of God dividends—souls saved, lives healed, communities restored. As we come out of COVID, there are many opportunities to once again meet in person. Many of you are holding a print copy of this magazine in your hands for the first time in two years. As outlined in my March editorial, the decision to return to print was not made lightly. We have reduced to six issues a year, but we are complementing that with increased digital offerings at Salvationist.ca. As we balance digital and print, we want to be both engaging and sustainable. And so, I appeal to you: Do not cancel your subscription—instead, embrace this magazine and share it with other Salvationists. It is a

Abbigail Oliver Staff Writer Lisa Suroso Graphic Design Specialist

Brian Peddle General

Rivonny Luchas Digital Media Specialist

Commissioner Floyd Tidd Territorial Commander

Ada Leung Circulation Co-ordinator

Lt-Colonel John P. Murray Secretary for Communications

Ken Ramstead Contributor Agreement No. 40064794, ISSN 1718-5769. Member, The Canadian Christian Communicators Association. All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV) © 2011. All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory and can be reprinted only with written permission.

Geoff Moulton Director of Internal Communications, Editor-in-Chief and Literary Secretary Pamela Richardson Assistant Editor-in-Chief Kristin Ostensen Managing Editor of Salvationist and Salvationist.ca Giselle Randall Features Editor 4 May/June 2022 Salvationist

unique window into all of the amazing news and ministries the Canada and Bermuda Territory has to offer. Use Faith & Friends in your outreach through community care ministries and social services. Access Just for Kids as a tool to educate young people in Sunday school or as a mid-week take-home paper. Join with us to spread hope and inspiration to those around you. Help others to “read between the lines” about the amazing ministry of The Salvation Army and the powerful love of Jesus. GEOFF MOULTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Mission

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

ONWARD

You Belong Where everybody knows your name. BY COMMISSIONERS FLOYD AND TRACEY TIDD Commissioners Tracey and Floyd Tidd

ave you ever stumbled across a rerun of the sitcom Cheers when flipping through TV channels? I’ve often thought that the theme song—“Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came”—should describe the church. The words speak to the human need to belong, to be accepted, whether by a peer group at school, co-workers, a sports team, a social group or a faith community. A sense of real belonging is more than being acquainted with other people. It involves being accepted, valued and supported, and reciprocating that same attention to others in the group. The need to belong

can drive changes in attitudes, behaviours and beliefs to fit within the group. American children’s author Dr. Seuss asked the question, “Why are you trying to fit in when you were made to stand out?” Scripture tells us that we are created in the image of God, created to be in community, while at the same time being unique individuals. Finding our fit, fulfilling our need to belong, must bring together the uniqueness of who we are and the community with whom we share life. All of this happens best in the context of belonging to God, made possible because he has reconciled the world to himself through Christ (see Colossians 1:19-20). Paul, in his letter to the Romans, calls

us to respond to the love of God by offering our individual lives to God as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him (see Romans 12:1). He further reminds us that because we find our fit, our belonging, in Christ, we are not to copy the behaviours and customs of this world but instead allow God to transform us by renewing our minds. The communities of our world need us to stand out and be beacons of light and hope as followers of Jesus, as holy people. We can be the place where people find belonging, in discovering they belong to God. We can be the place where people want to go, where everybody knows their name.

Empower a child today. With the gift of food, clean water, health care and education, you are giving hope not only for today, but for future generations.

Salvationist.ca/brighterfutures

Salvationist May/June 2022 5

FRONTLINES

Boundless Vancouver Launches Multicultural Cooking Class

Community and Family Services in London, Ont., Expands

he Army’s community and family services ( CFS ) in London, Ont., expanded into three new locations in April. Previously located in the London Centre of Hope, the basic needs program—a food bank that provides food and other instant supplies—will now become its own ministry unit operating out of the Centre of Hope, as well as three local corps in highneeds areas: Hillcrest Community Church, London Citadel and Westminster Park. “This is an integrated approach to better advance mission and use the resources that we have, and to make our programs and services more accessible,” says Major Pamela Goodyear, area commander, Ontario Division. “We want to make sure what we’re doing is transforming and not just transactional. It’s not just food out the door. We want to offer services that transform lives,” says Major Goodyear. CFS is committed to determining the needs of the immediate community, delivering services to help people break the cycle of poverty and building better connections in London.

With an upcoming renovation in the works, Boundless Vancouver wants to give the community a “taste” of programs to come

s part of their plan to expand their kitchen and programming, the Army’s Boundless Vancouver corps has launched a new initiative to embrace their diverse community. The multicultural cooking class, introduced by Pamela Burt, food co-ordinator and special events co-ordinator, engages members of the community in two-hour classes for cooking and culture sharing. “We find volunteers, neighbours or people who walk through our doors, people from all different cultures, and we ask them if they are interested in leading a cooking class,” explains Burt. Each class is offered as a two-part series, the first part teaching appetizer recipes and the second part teaching a main dish. “I want to give people a chance to shine and teach about food and their culture.” In addition to cooking, the classes allow time for leaders to share stories of

their families and cultures. Burt, who has a background in culinary nutrition, adds health and nutrition lessons to the class. “I think it’s a great way to bring in neighbours, share what we do at Boundless and build relationships,” she says. The first class, which took place in February, was led by a Syrian refugee and former caterer who taught a traditional baba ganoush recipe. “We played Syrian music, we danced a little bit, it was so much fun. Everyone got to take the meal home with them, and they had a blast,” says Burt. Next, Burt is planning a class on potato pakoras with a volunteer from Pakistan, as well as an exciting three-part series dedicated to sticky rice dumplings and the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival in June. According to Peter Cheung, community ministries director, the multicultural cooking classes emerged as part of a larger project supported by an innovation grant from territorial headquarters. This is the first part of a long-term plan for the facility’s renovation and the subsequent programs they wish to offer. “We want to recognize the innovation grant that has made this possible for us. I hope this can serve as an example of what people can do with these grants,” says Cheung. “Our main goal is to promote the diverse backgrounds and cultures of our neighbours,” says Bernice Chiu, community relations co-ordinator. “We welcome everyone. We want to make this a place to bring people together, to enjoy food and to have fun.”

Ottawa Booth Centre Partners With Homeless Cars

he Salvation Army’s Ottawa Booth Centre received a donation of $11,415 from Homeless Cars after being designated the charity of choice by the organization, which is dedicated to helping eliminate homelessness and food insecurity in Canada. Through their collection and recycling of scrap cars, Homeless Cars provides monetary support directly to Canadian charities. “We expect this to be a long and fruitful relationship,” says Michael White, director of programs at the Booth Centre. This donation will assist individuals and families at the centre’s community and family services (CFS) by providing them with food, clothing and emergency assistance. “The financial turmoil the pandemic caused has increased food insecurity and food bank needs in Ottawa, especially for 6 May/June 2022 Salvationist

the vulnerable and at-risk demographic,” says Diana Javier, manager of CFS at the Booth Centre. “We have been able to increase capacity and food quantity and quality for all families experiencing food insecurity.” In addition to delivering practical support, the Booth Centre provides safety and connection to people in need. Every visit allows The Salvation Army an opportunity to start conversations and connect with people, meeting them where they are in life. “At the Booth Centre, food not only means fuel to sustain life, but it provides an opportunity for community and connection,” says Javier. “People who are in crisis need to connect with real people, not by phone or Zoom. We will continue to deliver these supports.”

FRONTLINES

General Brian Peddle Receives Warm Welcome in Liberia n February, General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries, arrived in Liberia to a warm and colourful welcome from a congregation of more than 300 Salvationists, students and teachers. During their visit to the Liberia and Sierra Leone Command, they went to command headquarters and the training college where they were joyfully received by the Reflectors of Holiness Session of 19 cadets and were honoured to meet the first three cadets in training from the West African nation. The General and Commissioner Peddle

General Brian Peddle greets Salvationists during his tour of Liberia

subsequently visited the capital building and office of the vice-president of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor, for a meeting with the government where they discussed the work of The Salvation Army in Liberia, notably the contributions toward the education of young people. “Education is important,” says General Peddle. “If we want to help break cycles of poverty, education is essential. If we want to treat boys and girls equally and bridge a gender gap, education is essential. If we want to equip successive generations with all that is necessary to develop as whole people and stand a fighting chance in this world, education is essential.” During officers councils, the General delivered a message based on Isaiah 41:10, encouraging the officers to be ready, engaged and to take responsibility for their call to ministry. Thirty officers rededicated their lives at the altar in response to God’s call to ministry in The Salvation Army. Saturday was reserved for men’s, women’s and youth rallies at the Ministerial Complex of Liberia, followed by a traditional festival of praise in the evening,

Commissioner Rosalie Peddle accepts a warm welcome from a Salvationist in Liberia

attended by almost 2,000 Salvationists. Celebrations concluded on Sunday with a march of witness and a united holiness meeting with more than 2,500 people in attendance. The General thanked and blessed the command for a wonderful weekend of celebrating the goodness of God and encouraged Salvationists to always seek the face of God, humble themselves, pray and wait upon the Lord for his answer. “As we journey through life, we add to our knowledge the experiences being shaped by God, and like our young people here in Liberia, by God’s grace, we can change the world,” says General Peddle.

Salvation Army Receives Funding to Support Human Trafficking Survivors

o mark International Women’s Day, the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Canadian minister of public safety, met with The Salvation Army’s British Columbia Division to announce a grant of $850,000, which will support the Army’s Propel Development Program for Survivors of Human Trafficking, a project that empowers survivors of human trafficking to reclaim their independence. “The work that organizations like The Salvation Army are doing has never been more critical,” says Mendicino. “Through projects like this one, we are working together to build a safer and more inclusive Canada, free from exploitation and violence.” The Propel Program offers support to survivors of human trafficking through two specialized streams. The first stream provides subsidized housing for surviv-

ors of labour and/or sexual trafficking who are in need of interim housing to support their transition to independent living. The second stream supports a development centre for survivors of human trafficking aged 16 and older, to access specialized training and education. Survivors are further supported in their transition through access to job prospects, volunteering, cultural connections, Indigenous mentorship and the chance to establish long-term community ties. “Human trafficking sounds like a faraway problem that couldn’t happen in Canada. The reality is, it’s happening in our own backyard at alarming rates, affecting thousands of Canadians each year,” says Marian De Martino, director of anti-human trafficking programs at The Salvation Army’s Belkin House.

From left, Marian De Martino; Andrew Hannan, regional director, Pacific region, Public Safety Canada; Marco Mendicino; Lt-Col Jamie Braund, DC, B.C. Div

“This funding and the Propel Program stand for Canada’s commitment to support those affected by human trafficking for long-lasting change. This is an investment of hope, a resolute belief in resilience, and a declaration to raise the dignity of vulnerable people. Together in support, we boldly stand alongside survivors to end human trafficking in Canada.” Salvationist May/June 2022 7

Article and photos: IHQ Communications

CHIEF PRIORITIES

My Father’s Business Supporting the front line of mission. BY COLONEL EVIE DIAZ

Photo: BillionPhotos.com/stock.Adobe.com

’ve been thinking a lot lately about the role of the chief secretary, especially in reference to the title of this column—what are my priorities? My mind goes to a scene from the Gospel of Luke. Every year, Jesus and his family travelled to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was 12, they began the journey home after the festival without realizing that Jesus had stayed behind. They rushed back to Jerusalem to search for him. “So it was that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. So when they saw him, they were amazed; and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously.’ “And he said to them, ‘Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?’ ” (Luke 2:46-49 NKJV). I consider that question in light of the powerful and challenging words of our territorial vision statement: “We are an innovative partner, mobilized to share hope wherever there is hardship, building communities that are just and know the love of Jesus.” As a Christian, a leader and a Salvationist, this is the business I want to be about. The chief secretary in any territory, including Canada and Bermuda, is responsible for the operational leadership of the territory. My role is to support the territory as we work together to reach the aspirational goals of our vision and strategy. As we talk about Mobilize 2.0 and especially mission 8 May/June 2022 Salvationist

support, this is our aim. We are working toward mission-fit processes that will enable effective support and resources as we engage in missional work around the territory. We want to do our best to help the front line—every officer, soldier, employee and volunteer—to be about the Father’s business. Changing things just for the sake of doing things in a different way will not accomplish this purpose. Intentional planning and careful implementation to relieve administrative pressures and to provide much-needed resources can and will lead to our intended vision of transformation of individuals and communities. That’s being about our Father’s business. To do this, we need wisdom that comes from the Father, given by the Holy Spirit. Yes, it helps to understand business principles and systems. More than that, to be about our Father’s business, to make our vision statement a reality, we need something, or Someone, beyond human intellect or experience. In the Apostle Peter’s second letter to the church, he writes: “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our

God and Saviour Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:1-2). In these verses, I find what I need to be able to do what the Lord is asking of me. I cling to this precious faith, knowing Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, and trusting him to lead me every step of my life, including in my role as chief secretary. I’m overwhelmed as I consider God’s abundant gift of grace, acknowledging my imperfect, fumbling attempts to be all he wants me to be and all that this work demands of me. I’m deeply grateful for his peace that comes even when the challenges are big and the answers are uncertain. I am comforted by the assurance from Psalm 139 that God knows my anxious thoughts and provides peace to replace them. I need all of this and suspect you do, too. While I am grateful personally for faith, grace and peace, I also believe it is needed and available for us as the Canada and Bermuda Territory. God intends to do great things among and through us as we are on this journey of transformation. We can claim the promise that follows in 2 Peter 1:3: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” Everything we need, individually and as a territory, is available as we learn to live and love like Jesus. His business becomes our business. Let’s be about the Father’s business. Colonel Evie Diaz is the chief secretary in the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

For the Glory of God

Photo: Symon Ptashnick

New officers mobilized to share hope in a hurting world.

n June 18, the Canada and Bermuda Territory will commission nine officers in the Messengers of Reconciliation Session and six auxiliary-captains. As these Salvationists prepare to carry out the mission of The Salvation Army as officers, they reflect on their calling, their experience of training during the pandemic and what it means to be a minister of reconciliation in a broken world. Principal’s Commendation On behalf of the staff of the College for Officer Training (CFOT), it is my privilege to present these cadets and auxiliary-captains to be commissioned and ordained as officers in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. I commend these individuals to you with the firm conviction that they have experienced the wonderful reconciling work of God in their lives. God has recon-

ciled them to himself through Jesus Christ and has further given them the ministry of reconciliation (see 2 Corinthians 5:18). During their training, these cadets and auxiliary-captains have developed in character and competency through spiritual formation, theological formation and practical mission and ministry training. They are equipped to be mobilized to share hope wherever there is hardship, building communities that are just and know the love of Jesus. These cadets and auxiliary-captains are convinced of their calling. And, because of the reconciliation with God they have personally experienced, they now commit, by God’s power, to prove themselves as worthy officers, loving Jesus and serving him supremely all their days. I am confident, as these newly commissioned officers continue to learn, gain experience and grow

into the fullness of their calling, that the power of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be upon them. It has been a joy to journey with these individuals during their time of training. The CFOT staff now release these new officers to the ministry of reconciliation—working to bring people into right relationship with God and each other through the saving work and power of Jesus Christ. Major Andrew Morgan CFOT Principal

Mjr Andrew Morgan with his wife, Mjr Darlene Morgan, spiritual formation co-ordinator, CFOT

Salvationist May/June 2022 9

Cadet Janelle Colbourne

Cadet Tamara Randlesome

A sessional name is a personal and unique gift. At different points of my journey in my training, being a Messenger of Reconciliation has meant different things. The one thing that has remained the same is that I believe our sessional name was meant for “such a time as this.” There are so many issues and events currently happening in our world. So much hate, despair, brokenness and indifference. But God has called all of us to the ministry of reconciliation. And as Messengers of Reconciliation, I believe we are uniquely placed to be able to stand in the gap and spread the love and hope that is only found in Jesus Christ.

The last two years of training have not been what any of us expected, with COVID causing us to miss out on a lot of experiences that normally would have taken place. However, through the broken expectations and loss of opportunities, God has shown up and provided a greater training than we ever could have imagined. I have learned that, through disappointment, God always shows up and refocuses our attention back on him. We don’t have to know all the reasons, but we need to trust that God is always on the move and in control. At CFOT, I found that even in seasons where it feels like you are in the furnace, God is good and he is moulding us to become more like him.

Cadet Jessica Hoeft

Cadet Nathanael Hoeft

For many years I was opposed to the possibility of a calling to officership as it would require moving and leaving my family and home in Winnipeg. It was through corps officers initiating the conversation and asking directly about my thoughts on officership that the seed was planted. I didn’t want to even ponder the idea but the Lord started working to tear down the walls I had erected. Then, during the cadet welcome weekend in 2012, God clearly spoke to me. During a message from then Commissioner Brian Peddle, this passage of Scripture was shared: “The fields are ripe for the harvest, but the workers are few. Who will go?” (see Matthew 9:37-38). It was then that I surrendered my fears, my illusion of control and my temporal treasure for God’s pathway and will.

Growing up as a child of officers showed me the world that is The Salvation Army, and I felt the calling to officership from a young age. Over time I came to understand the totality of the commitment of being an officer—that it was not only something I could do and succeed at as a career, but a complete covenantal way of life. My prayer going forward into ministry as an officer is that God’s presence would guide my life in ways I cannot currently anticipate or imagine. The future is vast, and I pray for the guidance to shine God’s light into the dark corners of our world—the light that is only found in the Creator.

Cadet Matthew Rideout Coming from an accounting background, our sessional name has a special meaning for me. In accounting, “reconciling” is a process of adjustments so that both sides match and are true. God has made the necessary adjustments for all to be saved, to come and know him. What are the adjustments needed in my life to align with the truth of who God is? How can I invite others to enter into this journey of truth, embracing and receiving the God that has redeemed, accepted and embraced them? Reconciliation is to be aligned with the truth. Jesus is the truth.

10 May/June 2022 Salvationist

Cadet Janice Brinson

Cadet Jason Brinson

Cadet Julia Marshall

Cadet Zachary Marshall

Serving God as a fieldbased tailored training cadet in Yellowknife has provided many unique opportunities. I have seen God’s provision as he has carried us through COVID shutdowns and floods. I was serving on the front lines and sharing tears of frustration and joy with program participants and staff amid disaster and watching God’s plan unfold for our ministry in Yellowknife. I have enjoyed every opportunity that has been presented to connect with my session-mates, as well as the Messengers of the Kingdom, Messengers of Grace and the Reflectors of Holiness from a distance. I am blessed to have this group of people as friends and partners in ministry wherever God takes us.

Completing my training as a field-based tailored training cadet over three years has provided a rich experience that combined academic growth and on-thejob experience. Many staff and officers covered me in prayer and mentored me as my training continued. I have learned so much and I am amazed at the support I have had along the way. My prayer is that God will continue to teach me how best to be his servant in a world that desperately needs the Saviour. I hope to share the love of Christ, show the comfort and compassion of the Father and express the calming presence of the Holy Spirit to those I meet.

I spent several years of my life helping with corps programs, working for camp and volunteering to lead, but I knew God was calling me to give more of myself—I was not called to be an employee or volunteer in the Army alone. After I finished my social work degree, I had plans to work for a while, get married and enter training college a few years down the road. Through the encouragement of those I trust, I was asked, “Why are you waiting?” and I submitted my application as an act of obedience. As I enter this next stage in ministry, I pray that Christ’s love and grace will be evident in my approach to ministry and my relationships with others, and that it will bring God all the glory.

Our session will have been the first session to begin and end our training in the COVID-19 pandemic. Our training has been unique, to say the least. After receiving an appointment as corps officers in Thunder Bay, Ont., during our second year at CFOT, the greatest highlight of my training has been attempting to be innovative and creative in how we reach out to our people. We are called to community and this calling can be fulfilled even during lockdown measures! My prayer is that God will continue to work in me so that I can effectively minister to others. My hope is that our session of reconcilers will inspire The Salvation Army to actively engage in reconciliation— to both God and humanity.

Aux-Captain Parker Shieh In 2012, I had the unexpected opportunity to meet an officer with the Southmount Corps in Vancouver and was subsequently invited to start an evangelical ministry for Mandarin-speaking residents in the area. Thus began my journey into the wonderful ministries of The Salvation Army, and what an inspiring adventure it has been since then. After becoming a soldier and serving in several ministries within the Army, I heeded the call of God to take the next step into the role of auxiliary-captain, to further serve the community. As I begin my next chapter in The Salvation Army, I look forward with great hope to continuing the mission of the Army and marching forward under the guidance of our Lord.

Salvationist May/June 2022 11

Aux-Captain Linda Kean I grew up in The Salvation Army and was heavily involved in corps activities. But when I hit my teenage years, I began to step away from the church and, eventually, I was gone. I always heard God speaking to me, telling me that I was his and he had a plan, but I ignored him. After hitting my own personal rock bottom, I came back to God and the Army, and eventually married an officer. I promised to follow him wherever God sent him but would not become an officer myself. Finally, I listened to God’s voice and told my husband, “I want to be an auxiliary-captain.” I had never felt such a peace. I’m afraid that I am not enough, but I trust in God; if he has called me, he will provide me with the tools to carry out this mission.

Aux-Captain Eva Galvez In the last few years of training in the auxiliarycaptain program, I have served with my husband at three different corps, meeting people of all ages and backgrounds. We’ve had the opportunity to be with people in the lowest points in their lives. In our present appointment, I thank God for the blessing of serving with our family, sharing God’s Word, love and compassion and celebrating victories with people. There is nothing better in life than to live for Jesus and be used by him to be the transformation in this world for the glory of God. No matter the challenges that come my way, I will never stop sharing with others the marvelous miracles God has done in my life.

12 May/June 2020 2022 Salvationist

Aux-Captain Carlos Galvez

Aux-Captain Robbie Donaldson

Through CFOT, I have had the privilege of meeting officers who have helped us in our journey. Having had wonderful experiences of serving the Lord, they have encouraged me not to give up, no matter what is going on, and to continue firmly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus; to work and build his people up wherever he has me serving him. Every one of them has been such an inspiration to me and will continue to be a blessing. I pray that I will always be submissive to God’s voice and be obedient to the One who saved me and called me from darkness into his marvelous light.

I was called to be a soldier in The Salvation Army in 2016, and later that year began to study for a certificate in chaplaincy and spiritual care at Booth University College. Studying alongside my cohort, most of whom were officers, heightened my desire to become an officer—I felt that God was calling me loud and clear. Though it seemed I might be too old for officership, I was not dissuaded and continued to pray, “Here I am, Lord, send me.” And God did. I first became an employee and later an auxiliarycaptain. My calling is to serve those who need Jesus the most in order to change their lives.

Aux-Captain Jamie Anstey Some years ago, I attended a candidates’ seminar in St. John's, N.L., and came to realize that God had placed a calling for ministry on my life. Beginning in 2005, I worked with the Army’s community and family services in Grand Falls-Windsor, N.L., and I loved the ministry of working with others and “Giving Hope Today” to those who needed it most. Yet after 14 years, I knew that this chapter in my life was ending and I needed to continue ministry through another avenue. In May 2019, my wife, Lana, was reaccepted into the ministry and appointed to the Labrador West Corps, N.L. Before long I realized that the calling God placed on my life many years ago had never left me. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve God in this way and look forward to many years of service for his kingdom.

Remembering a General Life and ministry of the late General John Larsson.

General John Larsson was the 17th international leader of The Salvation Army

Report and photo: IHQ Communications

eneral John Larsson, who served as The Salvation Army’s 17th international leader from 2002 to 2006, was promoted to glory from his home in Bromley, London, England, on March 18, 2022. Born in Sweden on April 2, 1938, the son of officer-parents, John spent his early years in Sweden, Denmark, Chile and Argentina, and by the age of 12 he was fluent in the use of the Swedish, Danish, English and Spanish languages. Following the family’s return to the United Kingdom from service in South America, he entered the International Training College in London from his home corps of Upper Norwood as a cadet in the Faithful Session and was commissioned a Salvation Army officer in 1957. His first appointment as a corps officer was at Sunderland Southwick with Washington in England, where he served for one year before his appointment to the staff at the International Training College. He received the rank of captain in 1960. The future General returned to corps leadership in 1966, serving at Hillingdon and then at Ealing, and married Captain Freda Turner in 1969. They were appointed to Bromley Temple Corps in 1970 and promoted to the rank of major in 1971. In 1974, the couple were appointed to the former Scotland Territory, where

Major John served as territorial youth secretary. They returned to the British Territory in 1976, where he ministered first as assistant national youth secretary and then national youth secretary. A Worldwide Legacy and Influence A term of overseas service commenced in 1980 with Lt-Colonel John’s appointment as chief secretary in the South America West Territory. In 1984, Colonel John was appointed principal of the International Training College, which was followed by a move to International Headquarters in London in 1988, where he served as assistant to the Chief of the Staff for United Kingdom administrative planning. This role involved the complex task of researching and planning for the separation of The Salvation Army’s international and national administrations in the United Kingdom, which led to the establishment of the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland (now the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory) in 1990. Commissioner John was appointed as the first territorial commander of this new territory, a position he subsequently held in the then New Zealand and Fiji Territory (1993-1996) and the Sweden and Latvia Territory (1996-1999). He was appointed as a member of the Advisory Council to the General in 1997, becoming its chairman the following year.

In 1999, General John Gowans appointed Commissioner John Larsson as his Chief of the Staff. In 2002, he was elected by the High Council to serve as The Salvation Army’s 17th General, an appointment he carried out with distinction until his retirement in 2006. Faithful and Humble Servant of God General John Larsson shared his Godgiven gifts of writing and music throughout the Army world. He was the author of Doctrine Without Tears, The Man Perfectly Filled With the Spirit, Spiritual Breakthrough, 1929 and Those Incredible Booths, among other literary works. Known extensively throughout the Salvation Army world and beyond for his collaboration with General John Gowans in the writing and production of 10 full-length musicals, the impact of General Larsson’s contribution to Salvation Army heritage cannot be underestimated. His music, both in the context of the musicals and his composition of words and music for many other songs, has had a significant spiritual impact on people of all ages. The influence of his character, gentle and unassuming nature, and depth of spirituality remains an integral part of his legacy to The Salvation Army. The General is lovingly remembered by his wife, Commissioner Freda Larsson, sons Karl and Kevin, and their families. Salvationist May/June 2022 13

Hope in Desperate Times The Salvation Army supports those impacted by crisis in Ukraine.

In Romania, a Salvation Army worker hands out an aid package to a refugee at the Siret border with Ukraine

ince the conflict in Ukraine began in February, The Salvation Army has been providing humanitarian aid across eastern Europe. Emergency response teams took immediate action, providing critical relief and emotional and spiritual care through conditions of extreme challenge and distress. “As an international movement, The Salvation Army has a long-standing presence in Ukraine and neighbouring countries,” says Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray, director of international development. “Because we are already part of the communities in which we serve, we are ready to respond and serve immediately in times of crisis.” In the aftermath of the UkraineRussia conflict, the Army in Ukraine has supported internally displaced people (IDP) in various locations, including Lviv, Vinnytsia, Dnipro and Kropyvnytskyi, providing food and non-food items. When 22 babies were born in the subway in Kyiv, some prematurely due to 14 May/June 2022 Salvationist

the immense stress the mothers were experiencing, The Salvation Army provided diapers, formula and hygiene products—giving small rays of hope in unsafe conditions. As refugees have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries such as Moldova, Romania and Poland, emergency teams have offered essential support in many locations. In Moldova, The Salvation Army has opened its church doors to offer individuals and families a place to sleep, eat and receive counselling. The Army has also been serving people living in a tent-city on the border near Costești and sending assistance to the children’s intensive care unit in Odessa, Ukraine. In Romania, the Army has sent teams to border crossings to provide assistance to asylum-seekers, as well as education about the dangers of human trafficking through counselling and the distribution of flyers in Ukrainian. Meanwhile in Poland, The Salvation Army has provided practical support for

Ukrainian refugees in various ways. In Warsaw, the Army has collaborated with Reception Points for Refugees and provided storage space for goods. Meanwhile in Rzeszów, the Army has assisted the local refugee centres with food, cleaning supplies, sweets and many other items, while also giving advice on the legal aspects of staying in Poland, education opportunities for children and work for adults. “Our actions are very effective and we meet expressions of gratitude, not only from Ukrainians but from the institutions with which we co-operate for the refugees,” notes The Salvation Army Poland’s Facebook page. The Army is also supporting IDP in Russia, responding to their needs with food, hygiene products and other relief items. “Our hearts are with all those who are suffering,” says Commissioner Floyd Tidd, territorial commander. “Even in these dark moments, we trust in God for comfort and strength.”

As trainloads of refugees from Ukraine arrive at the railway station in Przemyśl, Poland, Salvation Army personnel provide essential items, as well as assistance with translation and finding accommodation.

At the Salvation Army corps in Dnipro, Ukraine, people in need receive help in the form of food kits and blankets.

Hot meals are cooked and distributed to people at the railway station in Dnipro in central Ukraine️. With around one million inhabitants, Dnipro is Ukraine’s fourth-largest city.

Warsaw

BELARUS

POLAND

RUSSIA

Rzeszów Kyiv Przemyśl Lviv

UKRAINE

Vinnytsia

Dnipro Kropyvnytskyi Siret

Costești Mikhailany

LEGEND

ROMANIA

THE SALVATION ARMY RELIEF CENTRES*

Chișinău Odessa

CONFLICT AREAS**

* Mentioned in this article. Not an exhaustive list of centres.

MOLDOVA

** At the time of printing.

Many young children are among the Ukrainians fleeing violence in their home country. At the Romanian border, Salvation Army personnel offer supplies and food, including sweets.

The Salvation Army works in co-ordination with the Centre for Refugees Reception in the village of Mikhailany in the Ryshkansky district of Moldova, providing essential items as well as emotional and spiritual care.

Young Salvationists in Chișinău, Moldova, put together care packages for refugees.

Salvationist May/June 2022 15

Policy 101 Why updating the terms we use in The Salvation Army matters. BY CAPTAIN MARK STANLEY

ccording to Christianity Today, Leviticus is the least-favourite book of the Bible among its readers. It’s no wonder it didn’t make it into the top 10—it can be daunting to wade through verse after verse of rules and requirements. So as I began writing this article about Salvation Army operating policies and procedures (OPPs), I couldn’t help thinking, This is going to be tough! How do I talk about policy in a way that would be interesting and informative and not cause folks to nod off? I’ve found it helpful to think about OPPs as statements that protect you, me and The Salvation Army, and ensure that Salvation Army values are embedded in the ways we operate and make decisions. Think about the policies for driving: signaling when changing lanes, stopping at a red light and not going over the speed limit. There may be times when we don’t appreciate those policies, especially if we’re late for work, but we get it—they keep us safe and ensure we get to where we want to go without getting hurt or hurting someone else. Why Have Policies? Policies provide clear guidance and direction, reduce confusion and give us a greater understanding of the Army’s goals, vision and mission. Policies provide us 16 May/June 2022 Salvationist

with a course of action to ensure that The Salvation Army meets or exceeds the requirements of law, employment standards and human rights codes. Our policies reduce the possibility of The Salvation Army being seen as arbitrary or biased and show that the organization wants to be fair and consistent in how it operates, delivers service and provides ministry. A policy framework allows us to think ahead and anticipate how we should handle specific situations and issues so we’re prepared when those situations come along, and so we don’t have to discuss and debate what we should do every time the same issue surfaces. Policies and procedures reassure people that they will be treated fairly, consistently and with transparency, and clearly communicate that, on a particular issue, The Salvation Army will respond in a particular way. Policies and procedures tell staff, donors, clients, governments and the public that The Salvation Army can be trusted. Most times, when things go wrong, the problems can be traced back to a lack of adherence to the required policy and procedure. Healthy Boundaries You’ve probably heard the expression “good fences make good neighbours.” That’s a good analogy to describe how

policies work. Like a fence, policies serve as a helpful boundary so we know where one individual’s or department’s scope ends and where another’s begins; they ensure we are all aware of what we can and cannot do. Our policies explain what our position and decision is for a particular issue, who the decision applies to and why we have taken that position and made that decision. Associated with most policies are related procedures, forms and supporting documents, which are where we explain when and how a policy is operationalized. Access and Availability When I moved into the policy office, one of my first tasks was to find an uncomplicated, quick way for people to find the information they needed. The first step began with the move of policies and manuals from Lotus Notes to a new database called SharePoint. Salvation Army staff can now search by word and by topic to find the policy and procedure needed in the new database. All of our policies have a table that tells a reader what department gives oversight to the policy, when the policy was created and a brief explanation about each revision. Additionally, all forms and related policies are embedded as live links so a user can go directly to the document they need with a click of their mouse.

We know that every time a new policy launches, it can mean more work for our staff and our ministry units. An important function of the policy office is to bring co-ordination to the policy process to avoid placing onerous obligations on our people. That’s an area where we can always improve and it is part of the discussion whenever policies are being created or revised. The policy office also provides a single point of contact that staff can access for questions, concerns and explanations. Often the policy office can provide that information immediately and directly and, if not, can refer the person to the right department to get the answers and guidance needed. Listening to Feedback One of the best things about being in the policy office is the opportunity it has given me to connect with people across the organization—from the front line to the chief secretary’s office. Each connection is an opportunity to help people get the information they need, provide clarification and explanation and to be a resource for information. It also means I can get feedback about a particular policy and hear concerns. That’s a really important piece of the policy process—ensuring we are always listening to those who work and rely on our policies every day. Listening means hearing a concern or question, ensuring the concern is understood, determining if and what

appropriate action should be taken, such as revisiting a policy, and following up with the person who raised the concern. Terminology When Walt Disney was building his entertainment company, he wanted all of the staff, regardless of whether they served in a food concession, marched in a parade or worked in an office, to understand that they were part of creating the experience for every park visitor. So if you’re an employee at Disney World or Disneyland, you’re part of the story. To reinforce that every day, park staff are called “cast members” rather than employees. When we examined our Army policies and communications, we saw that we had a growing number of terms in use, such as staff, personnel, workers, users, officers, employees, etc. There’s nothing wrong with these terms, but they weren’t adequately or effectively describing who we are, which is a group of people united in mission to save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity. We engaged with people throughout the Army to help us find terminology that would unify and simplify our messaging and would then be used in policies and all communications within our territory. We landed on the term “mission partner” to describe those who provide Army services internally (employees, officers, volunteers, etc.) and “service partner” to describe those who provide service to

Mission First Before I became an officer, I spent 10 years in the retail business. One of the things we taught store staff was that if a customer wasn’t happy with a store decision, you should never say, “Because it’s our policy.” It never made things better and almost always made things worse. We may not always agree with a policy, but it has to make sense, and we should understand why it is needed. Elizabeth Dole, who served in the U.S. Senate and as president of the American Red Cross, said, “The best policy is made when you are listening to the people who are going to be impacted.” The Salvation Army will always need good policies to guide us, and that requires us to put our mission at the forefront and listen to the people the policy will impact, our mission partners and those we serve each day. Captain Mark Stanley is assistant to the territorial secretary for business in the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

What Are Policies and Procedures?

Who We Are

Illustration: bakhtiarzein/stock.Adobe.com

the Army externally (vendors, suppliers, contractors, etc.). These terms have been approved for use by the territorial management board. The standardization of these terms does not restrict the use of specific terminology when appropriate. For example, communication only for divisional commanders would continue to be appropriately addressed to “all divisional commanders.”

Term

Definition

Mission Partner

Describes all individuals who serve within (internal) The Salvation Army: officers, auxiliary-lieutenants, auxiliary-captains, cadets, employees (full-time, part-time, casual or on contract) and volunteers. This term is unifying and positively describes these individuals’ relationship to The Salvation Army.

Service Partner

Describes all individuals and entities (external) who support and assist The Salvation Army to carry out its mission by providing services and goods to the organization, including contractors, businesses, third-party operators, suppliers, vendors and consultants.

Officers (Commissioned and Non-Commissioned)

Describes all individuals who serve with official ranks in The Salvation Army and includes officers, auxiliary-lieutenants, auxiliary-captains, cadets in appointments and retired officers.

Policies: • Change infrequently • State who, what, why • State principles and express values

Procedures: • Change and improve • State how and when • Describe process

Salvationist May/June 2022 17

Meeting the Need Kate’s Place is a home to women who need it most. BY ABBIGAIL OLIVER

Photo: Colleen Smith

“If you don’t have a home, you don’t have your basic needs met. How do you succeed? This program is made for women to succeed.”—Candace

Candace and her daughter, Tia

n Regina, The Salvation Army Kate’s Place offers a beacon of hope to women struggling to overcome addiction and transform their lives. This month, it celebrates its 10th anniversary. There’s a lot to celebrate—in 10 years, Kate’s Place has housed 286 women and 107 children, and 57 percent of those women have successfully graduated from Regina’s Drug Treatment Court (DTC) program and found independent housing, saving them from homelessness and addiction. 18 May/June 2022 Salvationist

Kate’s Place operates in partnership with the DTC to offer stable housing and support to women as they complete their addictions programming. Residents are provided 24-hour supervision, counselling, spiritual guidance and practical support to meet their physical and emotional needs. Seeing Success Kate’s Place initially began as a pilot project with the goal of offering a supportive, stable apartment complex for

participants of the DTC. The purpose of the project was to study the effect of providing housing to homeless women and how this would impact their ability to graduate from addictions programs and reduce recidivism. By attaching this housing component to the program, within two years, graduation rates went up 48 percent. In addition to their partnership with the DTC, Kate’s Place also partners with the Ministry of Justice to assist women coming out of Pine Grove Provincial Correctional Centre. “We help to stabilize them when they get out,” says Amanda Carlson, managing director of Kate’s Place. “Housing people addicted to drugs in jail has zero effect on their ability to cope with life when they get out.” For seven years, Kate’s Place has studied the impact of stable housing on women who face homelessness and drug addiction, as well as patterns of criminal thinking and behaviour. “With this particular group of women, we’re seeing recovery success rates of 52 percent,” says Carlson. Becoming a Support System In October 2021, Kate’s Place moved to a new home in a safer neighbourhood with a larger facility, where they now offer 10 two-bedroom apartments rather than

The new Kate’s Place facility offers 10 twobedroom apartments for women and their children

bachelor suites. “The goal is to focus more on family. There’s more space here for the children,” says Carlson. Residents can stay at Kate’s Place for 12 to 18 months, depending on their needs. Kate’s Place outsources professional addictions programming to resources within Regina, and it supplements these programs within the facility in ways that support women every day, both personally and practically. “We drive the women to their addictions programs and other appointments every day,” says Carlson. “We also do a lot of supplementary programs, such as emotional and domestic violence counselling, grief and loss counselling, and trauma-informed support counselling.” Kate’s Place also offers spiritual guidance as per the individual’s needs, no matter who they are or how they practise faith. “We have a high rate of Indigenous clients we may refer to elders for spiritual guidance,” notes Carlson. “We also have consistent chaplains that we rely on for spiritual programming.” The end goal of Kate’s Place is to prepare these women for success out-

side of transitional housing by teaching them skills and providing them with the resources they will need when they leave. And even after they leave, Carlson notes that they are always welcome to stay connected to the support system they’ve built at Kate’s Place. “A small group of women get very connected to the staff here,” she says. “We have Narcotics Anonymous meetings that we run for the alumni, and we have support groups and social activities to stay connected. We want to help them and stay in touch, but the goal is independence when they leave.” Candace and Tia Candace first arrived at Kate’s Place in 2016. She was 28 and struggling with addiction, but only lasted six months before moving out on her own. Then she fell back into issues with the justice system. After finding herself in jail, Candace knew she needed to return to Kate’s Place. “I was sitting there in jail and I’d had enough,” says Candace. In August 2020, Candace arrived at Kate’s Place for the second time, this time with new motivation— her daughter, Tia. When Tia was one, she was removed by Child Protective Services (CPS) due to a domestic issue with the person

Residents at Kate's Place can stay for up to 18 months while they complete their drug treatment programs

Candace was dating. Tia was placed in the care of family for two-and-a-half years until Candace found a safe environment at Kate’s Place. “My head was pretty much in the game. I’d had enough. I wanted to get my daughter back and be a good mom,” says Candace. “I’ve been clean for two years now. I never used once I got to Kate’s Place.” Candace regained custody of her daughter on April 25, 2021, a date she recalls proudly. “Kate’s Place gave me the tools to stay clean,” says Candace. “They were even able to report back to my CPS worker to help me get my daughter back. Tia’s the light of my life. She’s my best friend.” As with Candace, 60 percent of the women housed at Kate’s Place in the last 10 years have regained custody of or visitation with their children. Candace was able to stay at Kate's Place for 17 months until she completed her drug court program, finished her conditions and was ready to move out. “I’ve learned a lot of things from Kate’s Place. I’ve learned how to take care of myself. I’ve learned rules and responsibility, and how to be a good mom again,” she says. “I’ve had a job since May of last year and I got a promotion. I’m going to continue being a mom and doing what I’ve been doing for the last 17 months.” Candace, as with many women who struggle with addiction and homelessness, needed the support of housing services to get back on her feet. “If you don’t have a home, you don’t have your basic needs met. How do you succeed?” Candace says. “This program is made for women to succeed.” Salvationist May/June 2022 19

Wrestling With God How can we help people reconstruct their faith? BY AIMEE PATTERSON

Photo: Serhii Ivashchuk/iStock via Getty Images Plus

ver the past few years, there has been a growing movement of people who are leaving the evangelical church as a result of deconstructing their faith—a process that involves reflecting on which of their beliefs have been shaped by cultural, political or socio-economic values rather than the values of the kingdom of God. Through this process, many find their beliefs no longer align with those of their evangelical churches. In a previous Salvationist article, I examined this “ex-vangelical” movement through the lens of the Psalms, which captures the complexity of the Christian journey in prayers of orientation, disorientation and new orientation. Many ex-vangelicals are not leaving the church because they don’t believe in the good news. Rather, they are reacting to a general drift of evangelicalism toward Christian fundamentalism. They often find community and solidarity among similarly minded people online as they grieve the inadequacy of their churches in supporting them through their process of deconstructing and reconstructing their faith. Without support, many of them do not get to the “reconstructing” phase and simply “deconvert.” Why are these ex-vangelicals not finding adequate support in their evangelical 20 May/June 2022 Salvationist

churches? Most evangelical church leaders see deconstruction and reconstruction as hazardous to both personal faith and church authority. But instead of being defensive, can we recover the biblical tradition of wrestling with God? Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism People looking in from the outside have synonymized evangelicals and fundamentalists. They hear Christians making polarizing claims about politics, science, racialized people and people who are gender or sexually diverse. There may be differences in levels of militancy between evangelicals and fundamentalists. Such differences, however, don’t get covered in the news and on social media platforms. As to the view from the inside, it can be hard to find an evangelical Christian who can describe evangelical Christianity and what makes it distinct as part of the body of Christ. A basic definition of evangelicalism, as described by British historian David Bebbington, includes four features: 1. The Bible is inspired by God. 2. The atoning work of Jesus Christ is central for faith. 3. Salvation involves having a personal relationship with God that leads one away from sin and toward discipleship and holiness. And finally, 4. Christians are called to participate in God’s work by

living in ways that pursue the kingdom of God in creation. This can include partnering with others pursuing social justice who identify as Christian, religious and secular. As they do so, evangelicals share God’s good news. None of this precludes the processes of deconstruction and reconstruction. But fundamentalism does. Fundamentalists understand the Bible as not only inspired by God but also inerrant and infallible. This means biblical criticism (analyzing Scripture in terms of authorship, audience and other contextual factors) is viewed as unnecessary and even threatening to its truth and the Christian faith. So, Christians who want to dig deeper into Scripture’s meaning are also threats. This is only one example of the narrowness of fundamentalist culture. When it comes to participating in God’s work in creation, fundamentalists turn inward, condemning most of what comes from outside their communities. This narrow-mindedness inherent to fundamentalism is creeping into evangelical communities. Perhaps because evangelical Christians don’t have a strong sense of evangelical identity, and perhaps because we live in a time that accepts extremes and rejects nuance, people who identify as evangelical

are difficult to distinguish from people who identify as fundamentalist. I can understand why ex-vangelicals leave. The Salvation Army and Evangelicalism The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, is in decline in this territory. Part of the decline, I believe, is due to evangelicalism’s drift toward fundamentalism. We are drifting away from the openness of good news and hunkering down to wait out the storm. I encourage you to reflect on this matter and decide whether you agree. If you do, how can we become people of good news again? If we believe that God remains willing to work through The Salvation Army, and if we can commit to actively responding to God’s Spirit, let us be more receptive to the claims made by people who leave us behind. Consider the following suggestions. They are given in the interest of welcoming and keeping people who undergo orientation, disorientation and new orientation. They also put us back in alignment with the good news expressed in the identity, mission and doctrines of The Salvation Army. Salvation Across a Lifetime According to Doctrine 7, salvation requires a person to repent, claim faith in Jesus and accept the Holy Spirit’s regeneration. We often consider personal salvation as the first step along a straight and narrow path of faith. But our doctrines don’t limit salvation to a first step. Doctrine 9 maintains salvation happens throughout our journey. As Christians, we repent, explore what it means to be faithful and pray for the Spirit’s regeneration not just once but over and over. This opens us to the idea that the journey of faith is not narrow and not for the narrow-minded. We traverse a thorny path that takes us to places of disorientation and reorientation. Our journey is fraught with unexpected challenges but blessed with undeserved grace. We are always being saved by God. Paul says as much to the Corinthian church (see 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 15:1-2). And he tells Philippian Christians to work out their salvation in fear and trembling as God is at work in them (see Philippians 2:12-13). Admitting he hasn’t achieved the goal of being Christlike, Paul continues to press on and pursue Christlikeness (see

Philippians 3:12-14). Salvation takes place across our lives. How might we flex our understanding of salvation to incorporate a lifetime of orientation, disorientation and reorientation? A life that includes deconstruction and reconstruction? Let’s return to the stories of biblical figures with complex journeys. People such as Jacob who wrestled with God. People such as David who struggled with multiple faults. These people are counted in the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us (see Hebrews 11 and 12). Inspired Scripture We are an educated people. It’s no longer enough to limit sermons and studies to the comforting verses and instructional passages we have relied on in the past. Educated evangelicals find little satisfaction in a read of Scripture that overlooks its more problematic or contradictory passages. They don’t see a critical examination of the Bible as a threat to their faith but as a way to strengthen it. Further, a Salvationist perspective does not view Scripture as inerrant or infallible. We worship God, not the Bible. The Handbook of Doctrine indicates that our primary source of faith and practice is a “word in time” written by humans and inspired by God. In the Wesleyan way, we discern its truth with the help of God’s Spirit and the community of believers. We evaluate every portion of Scripture in light of its overarching truths. And we accept that it doesn’t speak to every matter we face. As we preach, teach and study together, let’s look at Scripture in fresh ways. We have resources for this. Consider using one of Dr. Donald Burke’s articles in Salvationist as a guide for a Bible study. Salvation Army Culture I’ve used Salvation Army doctrine to explain salvation and Scripture interpretation. But sometimes doctrines can seem tired and irrelevant to our lives. Or they can be used to separate ourselves from the influence of outsiders. Both perspectives create an isolated Salvation Army culture. When Jesus fulfilled the law, he didn’t nullify it. Nor did he use it to separate his followers from outsiders. He lived out its spirit. He gave good news to the poor, freed oppressed people and proclaimed the year of the Lord’s favour. He showed the relevance of ancient law to his own age.

Surely, we can determine the relevance of Salvation Army doctrine to ours. A plain-sense read of doctrine can be just as limiting as a plain-sense read of Scripture. So, let’s review the doctrines, along with the covenants we make as soldiers and officers. I recommend Major Ray Harris’ book, Convictions Matter, as a guide for small group conversations on doctrine. Social Holiness The earliest Christians used their own resources to ensure unmet needs didn’t deter people from a life of enjoying God in community (see Acts 2:44-47 and 4:3237). Likewise, The Salvation Army claims that personal faith goes hand in hand with a responsibility to serve others. We call it “social holiness.” Salvationists are poised to serve the unserved and the underserved, seeing them not merely as needy but as whole people requiring holistic care. Our territory makes the claim that we serve without discrimination, something fundamentalist Christianity does not claim. Yet, there remain people we find it hard to serve, particularly in our corps. As well, we see fewer soldiers employed or volunteering in social services ministries. Younger people—religious, spiritual or otherwise—are increasingly interested in working toward social justice. Ex-vangelicals see other church bodies engaged in creative, faith-filled service. Perhaps we have something to learn from churches outside our organization. God’s Good News The very heart of evangelicalism is in the name. Good news doesn’t remove discipline from discipleship. But it does mean God’s desire to be gracious to us far outweighs our capacity to walk perfectly along the journey of faith. Do we yearn to be as gracious? Does judgment sometimes prevent us from valuing people whose lives look different from our own? Faith-based facilitation, a Salvation Army method for sensitive conversations, can be used to explore where our judgments might be getting in the way of sharing good news. The Ethics Centre can put you in touch with someone who can facilitate a conversation. As we seek to support people in our churches who are undergoing the deconstructing process, let’s make changes that witness to a God who so loves the world. Dr. Aimee Patterson is a Christian ethics consultant at The Salvation Army Ethics Centre in Winnipeg. Salvationist May/June 2022 21

Rethinking the Shelter How The Salvation Army Gateway navigated the pandemic—and what we learned along the way. BY JAKE AIKENHEAD

Jake Aikenhead (right) and a resident at the Gateway shelter in Toronto

remember starting to feel nervous in January 2020. At that time, the “novel coronavirus” that later became known as COVID-19 was only circulating in a few parts of the world. As the news coverage intensified, it became increasingly clear that COVID-19 had the potential to become a global pandemic and, more importantly, that we would need to be prepared. At The Salvation Army Gateway, a shelter in downtown Toronto, we already had a pandemic plan in place, but we quickly realized it needed to be specifically tailored to COVID-19. We spent January and February updating the plan based on what we could gather from the news—although in hindsight, we still really had no idea what we were dealing with or how to prepare. That now feels like decades ago. Our understanding of COVID-19 and its transmissibility has evolved dramatically since then and, similarly, our response as an emergency shelter and our thoughts on how best to support people experiencing homelessness have evolved along with it. 22 May/June 2022 Salvationist

Biggest Victory When the pandemic hit in March 2020, we were able to move quickly. We put up barriers at key locations in our building and were able to procure thermometers, which allowed us to complete daily health screenings with all residents and staff. But there were still a number of gaps in our pandemic response, most notably our lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). We didn’t have access to any PPE , such as masks, during those first few months; our staff were purchasing masks wherever they could find them and bringing them to work. I really believe that God protected us in those first few months. Somehow, with a crowded building, no PPE and no vaccines, we didn’t have any cases of COVID-19. The biggest victory for us in the first wave was reducing the occupancy of our shelter. Before the pandemic, we had 120 people living at Gateway and, on any given day, 10 to 15 staff coming through the building. That’s a lot of people in a small space! Thankfully, in

mid-May we were able to partner with the City of Toronto to begin moving some of our residents into hotels. We continued to do this over the course of May and June, eventually reducing our capacity to 54, which allowed us to practise proper physical distancing everywhere in the building. Close Call During the first year of the pandemic we had a few isolated cases of COVID-19, but no significant problems until a case was confirmed in February 2021. This confirmed case resulted in 10 residents being identified as high-risk close contacts, and our challenge became finding a way to isolate the close contacts who may have been exposed. The City of Toronto was operating an isolation hotel for this purpose, but at the time it was full on account of a high number of outbreaks across the shelter system. We had instructions from Toronto Public Health to isolate our 10 close contacts, but we simply had no place for them to go. On the first night, we had

these residents sleep in staff offices in order to keep them separate from our other residents. That was really tough. Our assistant director and I spent hours that night and the following day calling hotels across the city, trying to find rooms for our residents to isolate, but we kept hitting roadblock after roadblock. By the grace of God, we eventually found enough rooms at a hotel within walking distance from our shelter, and our close contacts stayed there. Our staff went above and beyond over the next 10 days to make sure that all meals were delivered and that everyone was monitored for COVID symptoms. Thanks to these efforts, we avoided an outbreak. The cost of the hotel bill was a significant financial hit for us, but we would do it again in a heartbeat. Everyone who comes into our shelter deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, and that includes the ability to isolate comfortably and safely during a pandemic. It’s not possible to do that without having your own space. On Board Not long after that challenging time, we experienced one of our best days at the shelter during the pandemic. On March 24, 2021, a team from Unity Health came to our shelter and provided on-site vaccinations. It felt like a celebration—obviously, we knew we had a long way to go, but it was such a victory to finally get our residents vaccinated. We’ve always focused on building trust and rapport with our residents, and those existing relationships were extremely helpful for getting people on board when the vaccines became available. We took time to provide information about the vaccines, talked about the pros and cons, and we had really good uptake. Today, all of our staff and 85 percent of our residents are fully vaccinated. Our residents deserve a lot of credit for how they have responded throughout the whole pandemic. For the most part, they’ve been very quick to adopt and follow all of the protocols we’ve put in place, and they’ve been patient with us as we’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. We’ve also seen countless examples of our residents caring for each other and looking out for the Gateway staff, so it’s very much felt like we’re in it together. That’s been a silver lining in this experience.

Rethinking Shelters The pandemic has given us an opportunity to rethink how shelters are operated and what could be done better. When Gateway first opened in February 2000, we offered 100 beds. At the request of the City of Toronto, that number gradually increased, and by 2018 our capacity had risen to 120. We allowed it to get that high because people experiencing homelessness in Toronto were dying from exposure in the winter months, and we wanted to do everything we possibly could to stop that from happening. What was missing from our calculus was the threat posed by a public health crisis of this magnitude, and how detrimental that could be to individuals relying on us for shelter.

To truly address homelessness and begin building just communities where people feel safe and secure, we need to find ways to create permanent, supportive housing.

Homelessness is stressful—not only because of the events that happened in a person’s life that resulted in them having no place to go, but also the experience of living in a shelter itself. There’s so much that you suddenly don’t have control over: who your neighbours are, what meals are being served, what time you need to get up, how situations are handled. It really isn’t an easy thing to go through. So it’s been striking to witness the difference that lowering our capacity has made. A reduction of 50 percent (we now have 54 residents) has led to a decrease in incidents and complaints by more than 75 percent. In retrospect, it seems obvious,

but our residents feel less stressed and anxious because they have more physical space; they’re not constantly bumping into each other, and it’s easier to take a shower, do your laundry or find a quiet place. Our residents still only have two metres separating their bed from their neighbour’s, but we’ve learned that even just a little bit more space translates into a significant decrease in stress, and a significant increase in dignity. Just Communities Now that we’ve seen what a difference space makes, it’s hard to imagine ever going back. It also forces the question: How much better off would our residents be if they not only had more space, but their own space, with their own washroom and kitchen, and their own door they could lock? Emergency shelters are an important part of responding to homelessness, but as the housing crisis in Canada has continued to worsen, they’ve become less effective at solving the problem. To truly address homelessness and begin building just communities where people feel safe and secure, we also need to find ways to create permanent, supportive housing. Working Together I’m very proud of the work we do at Gateway, and I’m especially proud of our staff, who’ve displayed an immense amount of courage and have risen to the many challenges of the past two years. But it hasn’t been perfect. Despite our best efforts, our shelter has experienced three COVID outbreaks since September 2021, and that’s in large part because we’re a congregate setting that isn’t set up well to navigate a pandemic. When I think back to our close contacts who had nowhere to isolate when they may have been exposed to COVID-19, it’s clear that only permanent housing can fully solve that problem. And permanent housing—somewhere that’s safe, where you don’t have to worry about the actions of other people—is also a clear pathway to dignity for so many of the people we serve. I know it’s a tall task, but I’m confident we can achieve it. After all, we’re The Salvation Army. Let’s work together and find ways of making it happen. Jake Aikenhead is the director of The Salvation Army Gateway in Toronto. Salvationist May/June 2022 23

One Family at a Time Captain Bhreagh Rowe believes in doing everything with purpose— but her social media ministry happened by accident. BY ABBIGAIL OLIVER

Photo: Jeremiah Toon

t first glance, Captain Bhreagh Rowe’s Instagram account is a collection of bright, happy memories with smiling photos and laughing children, artful images, charming graphics and powerful quotes. And with more than 6,500 followers, @the.rowehouse has a substantial audience. Captain Rowe, community ministries officer, St. Albert Church and Community Centre, Alta., is not trying to be an “influencer,” but rather an image-bearer of Christ. As you scroll through the posts, watch videos and read what Captain Rowe writes, you see a family with a deep connection to God. A Place for Connection On Captain Rowe’s Instagram account, you can find inspirational posts and Bible quotes, fun Instagram reels, book reviews and recommendations, marriage and parenting tips, and real-life applications of Scripture on family, womanhood, parenthood and personal development. Though Cpts Bhreagh and Daniel Rowe with their three sons, her social media caters to a wide Maverick, Asher and Ezra Christian community, she never shies away from sharing about The Salvation Once she realized this, social media Army. She wears her epaulettes proudly. became a new avenue for Captain Rowe, Captain Rowe’s social media minisher husband, Captain Daniel Rowe, and try began in 2015 after she had her first their three sons, to point their lives back child. Captain Rowe struggled to adjust to to Jesus Christ. her role as a mom and the new lifestyle that came with it. So, she began journalA Family Mission ing to help organize her mind and quiet “Our family does everything with a team her thoughts. “I was encouraged by some mindset,” says Captain Rowe. So, when friends to start writing a blog,” says Captain she found that sharing marriage, family Rowe. “It grew into social media naturally.” and parenting discussions on Instagram As her writing turned into semi-regseemed to hit home with her followers, ular Instagram posts, which turned into it became a place to share experiences a growing following, Captain Rowe distogether as a family. covered a community of people just like A few years into running her Instagram her—people of faith with normal lives and account, Captain Rowe and her family normal problems. “No matter if you have developed a vision statement for thema platform or not, as soon as you share selves. It reads: “Our family exists to be with others, you automatically realize image-bearers of God and to fulfil Jesus’ you’re not alone. You’re not at all weird words by living out ‘your kingdom come, and the stuff you’re going through is super your will be done, on earth as it is in common. You can connect with people heaven’ in our family, our community, on that normal level,” she says. our relationships and our ministry. We

24 May/June 2022 Salvationist

will fearlessly and courageously live out our calling as a family, and create generations of passionate Jesus followers.” This vision statement not only resonates with their Christian followers, but it allows the Rowe family to ground themselves and their decisions in God. “We’re a family on a mission together,” says Captain Rowe. “We try to live every moment on purpose. We know we exist to be image-bearers of God in everything we do. “It’s helped us realize that we’re just a family working as a team and we’re only as strong as our weakest member. And sometimes our weakest member just needs a nap.” Practising Joy As part of their social media ministry, Captains Rowe host a weekly podcast called “Sacred Cows.” It emerged out of the necessity of finding new, creative ways to reach people online and at home during COVID-19. The purpose of the podcast is to demystify the divine by talking about the Bible in a way that helps listeners understand just how applicable it is to their everyday lives, even when it seems so far away. A “sacred cow” is a figure of speech that refers to something that is immune to question or criticism. “I have a deep desire for people to really know God and to understand the promises and the things he says in the Bible. The Bible is not a sacred cow. We want to talk about it,” says Captain Rowe. “That’s why we share on social media—to show how we make Bible-based decisions. We are all called to be image-bearers of Christ. God calls us to be honest, to share with each other, love each other and push each other to grow.” Whatever form it takes, the purpose of Captain Rowe’s social media ministry is clear: “We’re all on this journey together. We’re all learning together. We want to laugh and have fun and practise joy. We are called to live these joyful lives and to try our best to point everything back to God.”

IN THE TRENCHES

Winning Souls Is our ministry transaction without transformation? BY CAPTAIN SHELDON BUNGAY

Photo: Grizzard

very morning at 6:02 a.m., my alarm pierces through the quiet of my bedroom and rouses me from another night of much-needed rest. While it always takes me a moment to transition out of slumber, I quickly find myself making a mental inventory of all that awaits me that day. As a corps officer, the possibilities of what might be on my agenda are seemingly endless: sermon writing, visitation, meetings, funerals, finances and youth ministry are just a few of the items that show up regularly. This variety in responsibility is part of what makes ministry in The Salvation Army so exciting, as no two days are ever the same. These ministry opportunities also allow me to have contact with many different people representing many different demographics. One day I could be dining with a business owner whose three-piece suit is worth more than my entire wardrobe, and the next day I am rubbing elbows with a shelter resident while we eat chicken noodle soup out of disposable containers. It can be argued that interactions with both the financially wealthy and the financially poor are vital to the mission of The Salvation Army. We have often been praised for our outward-focused ministry, which pays special attention to those who are hungry, thirsty, cold or in need of another type of assistance. But we could not function as we do without the generosity of those who financially support this work. We are truly thankful for every donation received, from the $1 coin dropped in a Christmas kettle to the multi-thousand-dollar donation that gets written on a gigantic foam-board cheque during a photo op for the local newspaper. Every donation helps. But have our efforts become too defined by this equation? Money in + services offered = effective mission and ministry. Are we successful in the regeneration of humanity (both physically and spiritually), or are we just good at raising funds and providing essential services? Are we actively pursuing transformed lives that demonstrate evidence of renewed hope

through Jesus Christ, or are we just a dispenser of charity? Admittedly, there are stricter guidelines and expectations surrounding the provision of services while proclaiming the gospel. Many of us have experienced the warning, “NO PROSELYTIZING!” attached to financial giving, and to be co-operative and not interrupt the flow of support, many of these warnings have been heeded. We also recognize that a well-rehearsed sermon or an attempt at evangelism is no match for a hungry belly or a freezing body, so we focus our attention on the most obvious needs of those who come to us for assistance and may sometimes push the spiritual needs aside. We never want our community and family services ministries to be merely a conveyor belt of food or clothing, a never-ending cycle of transaction without transformation, leaving us simply hoping that our services have somehow made the recipient’s existence better. But an Army that just makes things physically better was not what General William Booth had in mind when he founded The Salvation Army. In addition to caring for the people we encounter,

we should also be concerned with their spiritual health. If salvation is truly our aim, we must not only fill the belly and warm the body, but also share the love of Jesus for the whole human being. Recently, I had an encounter with someone seeking food. It could have resulted in no more than the exchange of a box of groceries and a word of appreciation. Instead, an invitation for conversation on the front steps of a Salvation Army building led to an hour of dialogue between two of God’s children, in which both lives were impacted mightily. The one seeking assistance was reminded of God’s love; I was reminded that winning souls is the first priority of my life as an officer. Tomorrow morning at 6:02 a.m., the alarm will sound once again. No doubt I will find myself considering all that awaits me in the hours ahead. I pray that as I encounter and engage in a multitude of transactions, I will never shy away from seeking true transformation through the gift of God’s salvation. After all, we are The Salvation Army! Captain Sheldon Bungay is the corps officer at St. John’s Temple, N.L. Salvationist May/June 2022 25

GRACE NOTES

Illustration: rodnikovay/stock.Adobe.com

A Pandemic of Loneliness

he past two years have good chance that people in our perhaps been the most church communities—people Feeling isolated? isolating in a century, so we interact with on a regular Chances are, you’re not alone. it’s probably no surprise that basis—are feeling isolated. We people are talking about loneliare meant to be known and BY CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK ness a lot these days. But even loved, not merely noticed or before the COVID-19 pandemic acknowledged; when it comes limited non-essential travel, to fighting loneliness, quality social gatherings and workis much more important than place water cooler chats, Vivek quantity, and all too often our Murthy, past surgeon general social interactions—including of the United States, suggested those within the church—only the world was in the midst of stay at surface level. a different pandemic—a panJennie Allen, bestselling demic of loneliness. author of Find Your People: “During my years caring Building Deep Community in for patients, the most common a Lonely World, suggests five condition I saw was not heart key factors for life-giving reladisease or diabetes,” Murthy tionships that combat lonewrites in his book Together: liness—factors that, if three The Healing Power of Human or four are put together, will Connection in a Sometimes result in meaningful connecLonely World. “It was lonelition and community: ness.” 1. Proximity—the Humans are inherently geographic closeness social. In fact, God created us between two individuals. to be connected to each other. 2. Vulnerability—the ability At the end of the sixth day to be open and honest of creation in Genesis 1, God with one another. declares that everything he 3. A ccountability—the willingness to made is indeed “very good.” The original ways we once did, this does not mean we lovingly call each other out. Hebrew word for “good” here is tov. Lisa need each other any less. Sharon Harper, author of The Very Good Beyond the physical ways we needed 4. M ission—a shared calling or Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be each other in the past, humanity is philosophy for living. Made Right, argues that the original readdesigned to require community for the 5. Consistency—the commitment to ers would have understood this word to sake of our emotional, mental and spiristay when life becomes difficult. refer to the goodness, not of the created tual well-being. We need each other in things themselves, but of the ties and ways that go beyond the practical benefits If what Murthy says is true, and that relationships between things in creation. of communal life. “healthy relationships are as essential as In Genesis 2, God says: “It is not good Despite this overwhelming evidence vaccines and ventilators for our global for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). that we need each other, many are hidrecovery” from the COVID pandemic, When we look at the scope of human ing the truth that they are lonely. In fact, then I believe the church can—and history, we see the truth of these statea 2018 study found that nearly half of should—play an active role in building ments. Humans have always needed each all Americans sometimes or always feel authentic community. Connections that other. Our social interactions have hislonely, and I assume it is the same for are tov—good. But it will take effort. It torically secured our survival; families, Canadians. And since loneliness is so is not easy to be vulnerable with each tribes, settlements and cities have long widespread, chances are that if you are other, to hold each other accountable, provided a critical workforce necessary feeling lonely, you aren’t alone. to stay committed to one another even for producing food, erecting shelters and Interestingly, feeling lonely and being when life becomes difficult. But this is protecting important assets. alone don’t always go hand in hand. exactly the kind of love Jesus calls us to, Our modern world, in contrast, has Murthy explains that “loneliness is the and it is the kind of love we all need. made us more self-reliant, and we have subjective feeling that you’re lacking the begun to forget our deep need for consocial connections you need.” Because Captain Laura Van Schaick is the divisional nection. However, while we no longer of this, we can’t assume that everyone secretary for women’s ministries in the Ontario rely on community for stocking our panin our church is immune from this Division. tries or protecting our land in the tangible pandemic of loneliness. There is a very 26 May/June 2022 Salvationist

JOURNEY OF RECONCILIATION

Beyond the Orange Shirt Where do we go from here? BY CAPTAIN CRYSTAL PORTER

Orange tags tied on a chain-link fence at an elementary school in Winnipeg remind everyone who passes by of the Indigenous children who did not return home from Indian residential schools

“The road we travel is equal in importance to the destination we seek. There are no shortcuts. When it comes to truth and reconciliation, we are forced to go the distance.”—The Honourable Murray Sinclair, former senator and chairman of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Photo: Cpt Crystal Porter

n May 27, 2021, thousands of people listened as Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced the preliminary findings of a ground-penetrating radar survey, which uncovered the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia. While this knowledge had been shared by survivors and elders throughout the Truth and Reconciliation Commission gatherings, hearing it this way stilled the nation. People across Canada responded immediately. Orange shirts were hung in windows, vigils were held, and teddy bears and shoes were placed on doorsteps. A collective grief seemed to drive conversations about reconciliation and right relations to deeper levels. As the year continued and the number of unmarked graves increased, Canadians were moved to do more. Orange Shirt Day (September 30) became federally recognized as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Activities were co-ordinated, social media campaigns were created and no matter where you found yourself on September 30, there was a sea of orange. But as night fell and Orange Shirt Day ended, there was a feeling that our nation had completed its requirements for reconciliation. As a follower of Jesus

and a pastor, and as a settler and Mi’kmaw woman reclaiming her culture, I felt disgruntled and angry at how easily we awakened on October 1 with a sense of accomplishment. How could we forget the children who died, the families who were torn apart or the sacred ceremonies, languages and land that were still disconnected from communities? How can a nation forget so easily when Indigenous children continue to be overrepresented in the foster care system, when Indigenous communities have no access to clean drinking water or when Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited individuals continue to go missing and be murdered at disproportionately high rates? As followers of Jesus, words such as truth and reconciliation, hope and healing should ring louder and more poignantly as we seek to restore broken treaties and unmet promises. Reconciliation requires a relationship based in truth, which is often difficult to hear. So please, I ask for you to listen, to allow your heart to hear these words. The church actively participated in the removal of children from their families. The church deemed that Indigenous ways of knowing and being were heretical and dangerous. The church demanded assimilation into

a European culture and mindset. Think about these words. Sit with these truths. But please don’t try to make excuses or justifications. I have hope in a Creator who loves all of creation. Much hate and injustice have been done in the name of Jesus in this land we now call Canada. The ongoing “discovery” of children’s graves brings to light what has always been here—an intolerance for diversity and difference. There is an elementary school in my neighbourhood with 215 orange tags tied to the chain-link fence. Over this past year, I’ve seen the force of a bright and powerful Winnipeg sun cause the tags to fade from a vibrant bright orange to a dull shade of salmon. They endured the strong and mighty keewatin (the Ojibway word for northwest winds). A year later, even after a cold and snowy winter, they continue to remind everyone who passes by that 215 children did not return home. I am inspired by these little resilient tags, probably because they remind me of the Indigenous people who continue to show up and seek right relations while they are still grieving. Who are gifting their strong voices to call out injustice and demand equity for their communities and for the rights of their kin. They remind me of Indigenous followers of Jesus who work to decolonize theology and unequivocally worship Jesus with the heartbeat of a drum, through the burning of sweetgrass or by praying in a sweat. I am inspired by their brilliance, commitment to the truth and unwavering hope for this generation and the generations to come. Because even though a year has passed since the findings in Kamloops, the time for truth and reconciliation is now. Over the next few months, join Captain Porter and others as we continue to learn and discuss walking in right relations in this new series, Journey of Reconciliation. Captain Crystal Porter is the associate territorial Indigenous ministries consultant and divisional Indigenous ministries consultant in the Prairie Division. Salvationist May/June 2022 27

SPIRITUAL LIFE

At the Cross The blood of Jesus seals our pardon.

Illustration: Creative Wearhouse/Lightstock.com

BY MAJOR LORNE PRITCHETT

In Scripture, the God we worship reveals himself through the CHRIST-centred story. And we find our place in that story as well. Major Lorne Pritchett continues our spiritual life series, exploring R for redemption: the reality and consequence of sin, alongside the audacious hope we’re able to find and experience at the cross. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” —1 John 1:7-10

ne of the greatest hurdles to evangelism is the simplicity of the gospel. To a “you get what you pay for” mindset, the redemptive process appears to be right up there with the promise of health, wealth and success for just three easy payments of $29.99. The concept of such mighty, transformative grace is an assault on our stubborn belief that we must earn our way. When I began to write this article, at first, I was horrified that it needed to 28 May/June 2022 Salvationist

be so brief. After all, I am a preacher! Preachers and theologians, by nature, do more explaining than proclaiming—helping us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to do a deep dive into the heart and mind of God as revealed in Scripture. I am tempted to try to explain the idea that God set the price for sin, and that the central theme of the cross is as much justice as it is mercy or love. In the economy of God, every person must die in and for their sins unless we can find a sinless one to justly take our penalty. A just God cannot simply ignore the stench of sin. There—I am trying to explain the unexplainable. Jesus Christ can forgive sins. He is the only one who can go into our past and cleanse it. He is the only one who can hear our confession and say, “Forgiven,” because he legally paid for the right to declare it so. Are the objections coming? They aren’t new. Paul encountered them nearly every day of his ministry: “God wisely planned that the world would not know

him through its own wisdom. It pleased God to use the foolish things we preach to save those who believe. Jews require signs. Greeks look for wisdom. But we preach about Christ and his death on the cross. That is very hard for Jews to accept. And everyone else thinks it’s foolish” (1 Corinthians 1:21-23 NIRV). Yes, we should probe the depths of this right to the limit of our shallow understanding. But in the end, we will be gobsmacked in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. What he is willing to do for us in our moment of admission and confession is nothing less than a miracle. If we confess our sins, he is able and willing to forgive us our sins and—get ready for your mind to be blown—invade our lives with the presence and power of his transforming Holy Spirit. Right here. Right now. That is the good news of redemption. I am a sinner, and he is the world’s only Saviour. When someone asks me what a Christian is, my most frequent answer is “Someone who stands before the cross with a repenting heart.” His redemption includes our moment-by-moment salvation. I spent two years contemplating the story of the dying thief (see Luke 23:3943). At first, it made me uncomfortable. Then hopeful. And then joyful. William Cowper, the English poet and hymnwriter, nailed it with his poem Praise for the Fountain Opened, which is included in The Song Book of The Salvation Army. The words are my testimony: There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel’s veins; And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day; And there have I, as vile as he, Washed all my sins away. (SASB 202) Major Lorne Pritchett is a retired Salvation Army officer.

PEOPLE & PLACES

ORILLIA, ONT.—The Army food bank in Orillia receives a donation of more than 1,100 kilograms of potatoes from the Rotary Club of Orillia. On hand to make the delivery that will help meet the needs of their local community are members of the Rotary Club, from left, Gordon Hill; Joe Blackmore; Allan Lafontaine, president; Paula Hill-Coulson; Darlene Elder; and Sarah-Jane VandenBerg. BELLEVILLE, ONT.—Gord Williams (centre) and Paul Tustin (right) receive certificates of recognition and appreciation at Belleville Citadel as they retire from the corps band following decades of sterling service to Salvation Army banding ministry in many parts of Eastern Canada. Both men started playing before they were enrolled as junior soldiers, with Williams going on to serve for 82 years and Tustin for 80 years. Sharing a moment with them following the presentation of the certificates is Ron Lessels, bandmaster at Belleville Citadel.

OTTAWA—Salvation Army night at a recent Ottawa 67’s hockey game was the perfect opportunity for families and staff from the Bethany Hope Centre to relax and have some fun. Working in partnership with the centre, the Ont. Div provided tickets to the Ontario Hockey League game as the Ottawa 67’s faced the Peterborough Petes at TD Place in Ottawa. Fans were invited to cheer on their local team with pompoms made at a special booth set up for the occasion by staff from the Bethany Hope Centre. Sue MacGregor (left), child and youth development director at the centre, helps a young fan prepare for the game.

GAZETTE INTERNATIONAL Appointments: Jun 1—Cols Ian/Wendy Swan, directors, International Social Justice Commission; Cols Alfred/Pamela Banda, TC/TPWM, Zambia Tty; Lt-Cols Samuel/Theresa Baah, TC/TPWM, Malawi Tty, with rank of col TERRITORIAL Appointments: Mjr Ben Lippers, divisional director of emergency disaster services, Alta. & N.T. Div; Mjr Bruce Mac Kenzie, assistant executive director, Winnipeg Centre of Hope, Prairie Div; Mjr Bruce Shirran, assistant executive director, Barrie Bayside Mission, Ont. Div; Cpt Crystal Porter, associate territorial Indigenous ministries consultant, divisional Indigenous ministries consultant, Prairie Div (designation change) Promoted to major: Cpt Kristian Simms Retirement: Jun 1—Mjr David MacPherson Promoted to glory: Lt-Col Junior Hynes, Mar 22

CALENDAR Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd: May 20 National Advisory Board, Toronto; May 24-27 Mission Delivery Leaders Forum, Toronto; May 30 church leaders retreat—spring session, Canadian Council of Churches (virtual) (Commissioner Floyd Tidd only); Jun 6 Mobilize 2.0: Living the Vision seminar, CFOT; Jun 16 Covenant Day, CFOT; Jun 17 portfolio and divisional leaders meeting (virtual); Jun 18-19 commissioning weekend, Winnipeg Colonel Evie Diaz: May 11-16 N.L. Div; May 20 National Advisory Board, Toronto; May 24-27 Mission Delivery Leaders Forum, Toronto; Jun 4-7 divisional review, Prairie Div; Jun 16 Covenant Day, CFOT; Jun 17 portfolio and divisional leaders meeting (virtual); Jun 18-19 commissioning weekend, Winnipeg; Jun 25-26 Heartland Division celebration, U.S.A. Central Tty Canadian Staff Band: Jun 11 concert, Yorkminster Citadel, Toronto Salvationist May/June 2022 29

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

Perfect Fit Since she was a child, Captain Kendacy Barnes had wanted to minister. She found her opportunity at The Salvation Army. BY KEN RAMSTEAD

“I wanted to ensure that the Army was where God would have me minister,” says Cpt Kendacy Barnes

ver since she was young, Captain Kendacy Barnes’ favourite Bible passage has been Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “When I look at this Scripture,” explains Captain Kendacy, corps officer at North Street Citadel in Hamilton, Bermuda, “I really see how it’s woven into my story and into my life, and how God fulfilled that story through me being a Salvation Army officer. It’s just a tremendous blessing for me now, as I look back.” Two Churches, One Love Captain Kendacy’s Christian walk didn’t start in The Salvation Army. Born in Guyana, she was active in her church and became a Christian at the age of nine. “I was involved in all sorts of ministry and really passionate about God,” she says. “I didn’t feel like I was missing out on the world. I felt at home in that space of worship and I loved what I did.” It was while Captain Kendacy was attending college that she was introduced to Dwayne Barnes, a Guyanese Salvationist living in the United States, by his brother. “It’s funny that Dwayne and his family lived just across the street from my family in Guyana, but we had never met,” says Captain Kendacy. The two started communicating and realized that they had much in common. A relationship began to form, and when Dwayne returned to Guyana for a time 30 May/June 2022 Salvationist

for a Salvation Army event, their courtship continued. Journey to Officership Of course, the fact that the couple belonged to separate churches could not be overlooked by either of them. “We had a solid discussion about it,” says Captain Kendacy. “I’d wanted to pursue ministry and pastorship, but I’d never thought of The Salvation Army. I loved Dwayne, but I wanted to ensure that the Army was where God would have me minister. “Because I recognized that this was a sacred responsibility, I didn’t just want to do it right,” she continues. “I wanted to affirm this was God’s call on my life.” In 2013, she landed a job at The Salvation Army’s New Rochelle Corps in New York City as a corps ministry assistant and started to explore Dwayne’s Salvation Army. What she discovered heartened her. “I was so blown away,” Captain Kendacy recalls. “Although I had been exposed to faith-based ministry, it wasn’t until I came to The Salvation Army that I really became involved in hands-on ministry—love in action—going beyond speaking about what it means to truly care and love in a Christlike manner and actually demonstrating that in a tangible, tactile and life-impacting way. “It was during that time that affirmation of God’s calling came to me: ‘This is where I would have you serve,’ I felt him saying. And I became fully a member of The Salvation Army and pursued

my calling, head-on with no looking back, with no questions. This is where I need to be.” The couple were married in 2014, the same year Captain Kendacy entered the College for Officer Training in Suffern, New York. Commissioned in 2016, she joined her husband in the ranks of Salvation Army officership, him having been commissioned in 2008. No Regrets Captain Kendacy enjoys the ministry she now shares with her husband, Captain Dwayne, and their daughter, Celine, at North Street Citadel. “We were stationed at territorial headquarters in the U.S.A. Eastern Territory, and we found out that there was an opening in the Canada and Bermuda Territory in Bermuda,” says Captain Dwayne. “In speaking with the personnel secretary, we thought this would be a wonderful adventure for us and for our little daughter. Though we’ve never had any international appointments, we’ve always had a desire to serve outside of our territory.” “We had a passion for missionary work, to go beyond the walls and the barriers of our country,” Captain Kendacy agrees. “The opportunity came along and we quickly grabbed it, and here we are.” Captain Kendacy has no regrets about becoming a Salvationist. “I knew about ministry,” she says. “I know about sharing the Word of God, but I’ve never experienced living it out in the way I have in The Salvation Army. When I look at the story of my life and how God brought me here, it was a perfect fit.”

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Turning the Tables

Tribute to a Father

The Story of Esther

BEING HUMBLE P.22 MATTHEW’S MOMENT P.5 HEBREW HEROINE P.10

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

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MAY/JUNE 2022

Music

Man

THROUGH 50 YEARS, DOUGLAS BURDEN’S FAITH HAS RUNG TRUE. P.16

Photo: Drazen/stock.Adobe.com

TROUBLED TIMES

It can be hard to read the news some days. Even when tragedy is far away, it still feels close. Our hearts break for those who are suffering. We have a natural, human impulse to mourn with those who mourn. Though it may not always feel like it, God understands our sadness. The Bible describes Jesus as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (Isaiah 53:3 New Living Translation). Even in our darkest hours, God is with us and He loves us. When we comfort those who mourn, we embody His love and bring healing to our world.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” —Matthew 5:4

As 2 Corinthians 1:4 says, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (New Living Translation).

To learn more about the comfort only Jesus can give, visit our website at faithandfriends.ca or contact us at The Salvation Army Editorial Department, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto ON M4H 1P4 2 • MAY/JUNE 2022 I faithandfriends.ca

May/June 2022

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 5

SOMEONE CARES 5

Tribute to a Father Son’s initiative helps hundreds of people in need at The Salvation Army.

BETWEEN THE LINES 8

A Lifer’s Journey New book is a testimony to God’s persistent life-saving presence.

REAL HEROES 10 Miracles Never Cease

God uses a Hebrew orphan to save His chosen people.

FEATURES

13 Turning the Tables

Tribute to a Father

The Story of Esther

BEING HUMBLE P.22 MATTHEW’S MOMENT P.5 HEBREW HEROINE P.10

Faith&Friends

For Such a Time

The camping retreat Diane Stark had looked forward to seemed to be a bust. Why was she there?

I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

faithandfriends.ca

MAY/JUNE 2022

Music

Man

THROUGH 50 YEARS, DOUGLAS BURDEN’S FAITH HAS RUNG TRUE. P.16

COVER STORY

Music Man

Faith in God and love for The Salvation Army run deep for the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s Douglas Burden.

Turning the Tables

A chance discovery humbled Patrick Humble but made him better in the process. FAITH BUILDERS 25 A Purpose in the Pain?

In Father Stu, we see how God can use our struggles and mistakes for good.

Cover photo: Fred Cattroll

LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin

Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search. NIFTY THRIFTY 31 Wax Eloquent!

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FROM THE EDITOR

Turning Loss Into Beauty

hen Matthew Gordon lost his father, Ken, in 2017 due to a tragic automobile accident, it could have sent him on a sad, destructive spiral of grief. Instead, he and his mother, Lorna, set out to commemorate all that was good about Ken and his life. In her turn, freelance writer Melissa Yue Wallace set out to commemorate their remarkable story, and in the process discovered all that was good in the mother and son themselves. “Lorna and Matthew are very kind people,” says Melissa. “I remember how open Lorna was with me. She shared details of what it was like during the worst moments when Ken was struggling with his addiction. Her emotions were real and honest. It sounded awful, but at the same time, it spoke of the love that Lorna had for Ken— forgiving, persistent and unwavering.” That love helped transform Ken into the compassionate family man he was at the time of his passing. “I’m so glad he was able to overcome his demons,” says Melissa. Today, Lorna and Matthew help others in their community, honouring Ken’s life and memory in the process. “It’s amazing how both Lorna and Matthew were able to turn such a sad loss into something beautiful,” concludes Melissa. Lorna, Ken and Matthew’s story is on page 5.

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Mission Statement To show Christ at work in the lives of real people, and to provide spiritual resources for those who are new to the Christian faith.

Faith & Friends is published bimonthly by: The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4 International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England Brian Peddle, GENERAL Commissioner Floyd Tidd TERRITORIAL COMMANDER

Lt-Colonel John P. Murray SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Geoff Moulton, DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND LITERARY SECRETARY

Pamela Richardson ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Ramstead, EDITOR

Kristin Ostensen MANAGING EDITOR OF SALVATIONIST AND SALVATIONIST.CA

Lisa Suroso GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST

Rivonny Luchas DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Ada Leung CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR

Giselle Randall, Abbigail Oliver STAFF WRITERS Scripture Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from New International Version Contact Us P. (416) 467-3188, F. (416) 422-6217 Websites faithandfriends.ca, salvationist.ca, salvationarmy.ca Email faithandfriends@salvationarmy.ca Subscription for one year: Canada $17 (includes GST/HST); U.S. $22; foreign $24 P. (416) 422-6119 circulation@salvationarmy.ca All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda and cannot be reproduced without permission. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064794 ISSN 1702-0131

Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

Tribute to a Father Nova Scotia boy’s initiative helps hundreds of people in need at The Salvation Army. by Melissa Yue Wallace

Then ... Ken Gordon (second from right) was a true family man

en-year-old Matthew Gordon’s life changed forever when his father, Ken, was killed in a highway traffic accident in 2017. Ken was checking the cargo in his truck by the side of the road when he was struck by another vehicle. Weeks after his death, Matthew and his mother, Lorna, who live in Tantallon, N.S., continued to grieve and sort through his things.

“Always Help” “My father’s clothes were sitting in bags and not going anywhere, so I asked my mom where we could donate them, and she suggested The Salvation Army,” says Matthew. The family, including Lorna’s three children from her first marriage, put up posters to ask the community for donations to their clothing drive in honour of Ken. The response from the community

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SOMEONE CARES

was overwhelming, with strangers dropping off clothes at the family’s doorstep and packing the family’s trailer. “It’s a great feeling to have community support and we plan to keep doing this to let his memory live forever,” says Matthew, now 15. Over the past five years, Matthew’s annual campaign has helped hundreds of people at The Salvation Army Halifax Centre of Hope through clothing and donated gift cards. He and his mother also volunteered to help during a Christmas meal and were able to meet some of the recipients. “They’re just like other people who deserve a chance, and because of the campaign, they’ve gotten new clothes, they’ve gotten to go to job interviews, and they’ve gotten jobs,”

he says. “Some own their own house now and they’re doing great. “It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, you should always help people.” A Different Life Lorna chose The Salvation Army for a reason. Her husband was an alcoholic and was only able to overcome his addiction through their support and interventions such as Alcoholics Anonymous. “He would go to The Salvation Army to talk with the men that were in the shelter,” she says. “He needed to be near other men who were like him and know that he felt safe going there.” Lorna loved her husband’s willingness to help anyone, his kind-hearted nature, humble spirit, and the fact that—even though he was six feet two inches tall and 320 pounds—he was “a gentle giant.” “His struggle with alcohol was the worst demon I’ve ever seen in a person,” says Lorna. “I didn’t even realize he had an alcohol problem when I first met him.” ... And Now Lorna Gordon and her son, Matthew. To celebrate his father’s 59th birthday this year, Matthew filed a name to start his own non-profit. The Ken Gordon Society will help individuals who are homeless in the community to move forward in a positive way

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“It’s a great feeling to have community support and we plan to keep doing this to let his memory live forever.” MATTHEW GORDON Lorna describes the tough times watching Ken drink, get sick, seek help and then repeat the cycle. She felt powerless as she worked three jobs and cared for her children. It wasn’t until 2013 when a major health issue and the threat of losing his family for good forced him to sober up. Ken was sober for three years and nine months and a true family man before he died. “It was a different life for us,” says Lorna. “We did all the family adventures and were living a good life … then it was gone.” Lifeline to God After Ken’s death, a friend invited Lorna to a church in Halifax. At first, she adamantly refused. “When Ken died, there was no God. I was so angry,” she says. “I yelled and cursed for six months because I wanted to know why He would take Ken when we were finally in our happy place.” She eventually relented and scoffed, at first, when the young pastor spoke about death and dying when he had not experienced it himself. “Then, my heart warmed up, and I felt I was being loved by God right

there in that moment,” she says. “I felt accepted, not judged, and the church became more than my family … it became my lifeline to God.” Today, Lorna helps others by organizing free grief counselling sessions at a local community hall. Going National In 2017, Keith Reardon, a senior vice-president at Canadian National Railway (CN) in Ontario learned about Matthew’s campaign and garnered support from staff. Last year, he presented him with a cheque for $14,450 for the Army. CN’s future plans include taking Matthew’s campaign national, collecting clothing donations from coast to coast. “It warms our hearts that this young man, who is struggling with the loss of his father, has done something so utterly incredible to remember him by,” says Rebekah Brounstein, residential manager at the Centre of Hope for the past six years. “Folks that come to the shelter, because they’re homeless, don’t often come with anything. With Matthew’s help, we’re able to give them what they need.”

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Faith&Friends

BETWEEN THE LINES

A Lifer’s Journey Hank Dixon’s story is a testimony to God’s persistent life-saving presence. by James Read

y his own account, as a 19-year-old drug addict, Hank Dixon and an accomplice broke into a house and ransacked it, tied up the man who was there and beat him. Within an hour, the man was dead. As a result, Hank was convicted of seconddegree murder and sentenced to life with no hope of parole for 10 years. When he was released in 1985, the prison officer discharging him said, “You’ll be back!” And Hank did return—but as a chaplain, not a re-offender. Page Turner Details of Hank’s prison conversion and of his two decades as a prison chaplain are recounted in vivid detail in A Lifer’s Journey. In the pages of the book, there are stories of his dramatic first encounter

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with Jesus while a convict in prison, of his subsequent relapse into drugs and unbelief, and his recovery. There are engaging stories of his years as a prison chaplain, rubbing shoulders with inmates and prison guards. We learn that the angels are not all on one side. We read of inmates who are honest, kind and self-aware as well as those who are deceitful and cruel. We read of chaplains who courageously speak the truth and speak it in love, and of chaplains who belittle inmates, alienate staff and exaggerate their own success. We read of prison riots and suicides, and of lives (like Hank’s own) that are turned from darkness toward light. Birth of a Bond Among the most heartwarming stories of God’s surprising grace

is the story of Hank and Brian. As Hank said in his sermon at Brian’s funeral: “The first time I met Brian, it was in a small basement apartment in Edmonton. He was on the other end of a .38 revolver jammed into the back of my neck. His first words of greeting were not the warmest for the beginnings of a friendship. In a clear, powerful, no-nonsense voice, he declared, ‘Edmonton City Police. Don’t move. You’re under arrest.’ ” Unlike many cops, Brian “stepped in to offer a measure of compassion and act with an integrity I did not expect.” Not just once and not just for a short span of time. Ex-con and retired cop developed a close 38-year-long bond. God Is Present Compelling as these stories are, Hank’s book is not just made up of stories. Hank also intends the book as counsel for those who want to be—those who, like him, are called to be—prison chaplains. It’s not easy work, he says. “In the midst of

all this, watching the destructive claws of a prison culture and environment strip men of dignity, self-respect and any sense of security, a chaplain stands for the most part powerless, unable to do very much.” What sustains him or her? Well, for one thing, says Hank, “theology matters.” The prison chaplain needs a theology that is robust enough to understand failure as well as victory, according to Hank, and a theology that can cast a light on self-deception and self-justification. As A Lifer’s Journey shows, the Bible can disclose truth to those living behind bars, and life behind bars can shed light on the Bible. What Hank Dixon does with the gospel story of Jesus’ journey to Emmaus with two of his disciples after His Resurrection is worth the price of the book (see Luke 24:13-35). And at the heart of that story in which Jesus was present long before He was recognized, Hank finds the central good news message that, invoked or not, God is present.

(left) Dr. James Read is the recently retired executive director of The Salvation Army Ethics Centre in Winnipeg and a recipient of the Order of the Founder, the Army’s highest award.

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REAL HEROES

Illustration: Rivonny Luchas

Miracles Never Cease When a wicked schemer plots to kill every Jew in the Persian Empire, God uses a Hebrew orphan to turn the tables and save His chosen people. by Jeanette Levellie

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hen our daughter was born, my husband, Kevin, and I decided to name her “Esther,” after two women who influenced Kevin as a young man. And we loved the biblical account of the Hebrew heroine, Esther. From 486-465 BC, King Xerxes, monarch of the Persian Empire, ruled over 7.5 million square kilometres and 50 million people. Many Jews resided within the king’s 127 provinces. Among them, in the capital city of Susa, lived a Hebrew orphan, Esther, and her guardian, Mordecai. After King Xerxes deposed his queen for insubordination, he sent commissioners into every province. “Bring every beautiful young maiden to my palace, so I can choose a new queen,” he ordered. Esther was among those chosen to meet the king as a prospective new bride. Because Mordecai had warned Esther not to reveal her background, she kept quiet about her Jewish roots. The king picked Esther as his queen. Brave Decision Although Mordecai was overjoyed that his adopted daughter now sat on the queen’s throne, he wanted to continue to watch over her. Every day, Mordecai walked up and down

in the king’s outer courtyard, hoping to gain news of Esther. One afternoon Mordecai heard of a plot hatched by the king’s second-in-command, Haman, to kill every Hebrew in the empire. “You must go to the king and beg him to reverse this edict,” he told Esther. “But it’s against the law to simply walk into the king’s inner court without an invitation,” Esther said. “If he doesn’t want to see me, I could be sentenced to death.” After telling her that she and all her family would also perish, Mordecai continued, “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Esther listened to Mordecai’s warning and told him she would visit the king. “If I perish, I perish” were her final words as she said goodbye. Courage and Faith After fasting for three days and nights, Esther put on her royal robes and approached the king, who welcomed her into his throne room. Esther smiled calmly, inwardly rejoicing that God had spared her life. “What can I do for you, my queen?” Xerxes asked. “I’ll give you anything, even up to half my kingdom,” King Xerxes promised Esther. What a temptation. Yet Esther chose

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“If I perish, I perish.” ESTHER to follow the plan God had given her during those three days of fasting and seeking Him. She invited Xerxes and Haman to a banquet. During the meal, the king repeated his promise to give Esther whatever she wanted. “Just come dine with me again tomorrow,” he said. After Xerxes’ belly was full of food and wine the next day, he again asked Esther what he could do for her. She broke into sobs, telling Xerxes of Haman’s plot to kill her people, the Jews, throughout the empire, and confessing that she herself was a Jew. Realizing that Haman had tricked him into signing the edict to annihilate every Jew in his kingdom, Xerxes left the room in a rage. He then ordered Haman’s execution, gave Haman’s estate to Esther and promoted Mordecai to his second-in-command. Grateful and relieved, Esther’s people established the holiday of Purim, a three-day celebration to honour her courage and faith. Miracles Then and Now Esther is the only book in the Bible that doesn’t mention God directly.

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Yet we see His hand at work in every detail. He arranged for Esther and Mordecai to live in Persia. He turned Xerxes’ heart to choose Esther as his new queen. He placed Mordecai in the right place at the right time to hear about the plot to kill the Jews, so he could tell Esther. God showed Esther exactly what to do when she fasted and prayed for three days. And He used Esther to save His chosen people throughout the vast Persian Empire. As I read Diane Stark’s story of how God placed her in a troubled girl’s life “for such a time” (see following story on page 13), I recalled when He used our own Esther to change a life. During a low time in Esther’s life, her friend, Connie, texted, “Happy news! I committed my life to Jesus. I wanted to thank you especially,” she said, “because you were instrumental in my salvation.” Neither Diane nor Esther might feel like they did as much as Queen Esther to bring about a miracle, but that’s not how God sees it. Whenever we say “yes” to Him, God positions us to change lives through the love of Jesus. The best miracle of all.

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

For Such a Time

THE CAMPING RETREAT I HAD LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEMED TO BE A BUST. WHY WAS I HERE?

Illustration: Rivonny Luchas

by Diane Stark

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FEATURE

Illustration: Rivonny Luchas

felt almost giddy as I packed. The following morning, I was leaving for a weekend camping retreat with the elementary-aged children from my church, where I’d be chaperoning six little girls. That may not be everyone’s idea of a fun weekend, but I’m a former teacher who left the profession to be a stay-at-home mom, so I miss hanging out with little kids. Plus, the retreat’s theme was courage and our children’s pastor, Sue, would be speaking on many of my favourite Bible stories: David beating Goliath. Noah building the Ark. And Esther, who became queen to save the Jewish people. After, each chaperone would do an activity that illustrated the lesson. Challenging Assignment As I was packing, I saw an email from Sue telling me that another little girl had signed up for the retreat. The more the merrier, I thought—until I read the message from the little girl’s mom. “We adopted Sarah two years ago,” it said. “She was in a terrible situation before coming to us, and she still 14 • MAY/JUNE 2022

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bears many scars from her past.” The email gave a long list of Sarah’s fears. “This is her first time being away from home, and she may have a lot of anxiety,” her mom warned. My heart broke for little Sarah. “God, I’m going on a camping trip in the woods with a little girl who is afraid of bugs and the dark,” I prayed. “Please help both of us.” Disappointing Trip As I pulled into the church the next morning, I saw a woman with a little girl who had tears streaming down her face. Clearly, Sarah didn’t want to go on the trip. “Definitely going to need Your help, God,” I murmured. Thirty minutes later, I was sitting next to Sarah in the church van, ready to go. She had stopped crying, but whenever I tried talking to Sarah during the two-hour drive, she didn’t respond. That afternoon, Sue told the story about David and Goliath. The activity that followed was a fun one and I was excited to gather my seven girls together to talk about courage. But the moment we sat down,

Sarah spotted a spider and took off running. “Watch the girls,” I called to one of the other chaperones as I took off after Sarah. When I caught up to her, she collapsed in my arms, sobbing about the spider. I hugged her tightly and murmured comforting words. When she calmed down enough to return, small-group time was over. The same thing happened that night when Sue talked about Noah. Sarah got scared, ran off and, by the time we got back, the lesson was over. It was clear that Sarah needed one-on-one attention and I couldn’t chaperone the other girls while caring for her. Sue split my small group among the other chaperones, and Sarah became my sole responsibility. Although it was clearly the best choice, I was disappointed. This weekend just wasn’t at all what I’d hoped it would be. The Right Path The next day, when Sue shared the story of Esther, I was sitting in the grass outside the shelter, Sarah in my lap. “Esther’s people were in danger and God made her queen for such a

time as this,” Sue told the kids. “God put her in that position so she could save her people.” For such a time as this. I’d always loved the phrase. It reminds me that God puts us in certain situations at specific times for His purposes, even when it’s not clear what that purpose is. I hugged Sarah and prayed that God had a purpose in us missing every lesson on the retreat. That night, Maggie, one of the teen chaperones, asked to talk with me. “I’m graduating soon, and I’ve been torn between several career paths,” she said. “But after watching you and Sarah all weekend, I know now.” She smiled. “I’m going to become a social worker so I can help kids like Sarah. “I was supposed to work this weekend, but God wanted me here,” she continued. “Just like Esther, God has a specific purpose for me. He needed me here this weekend so He could show me what path He wants me to follow.” “Maggie, I’m so glad you came this weekend,” I said, “and I’m proud of your decision.” She smiled. “I was here for such a time as this.” I hugged her and realized that we both were.

(left) Diane Stark is a wife, mother of five and freelance writer from rural Indiana. She loves to write about the important things in life: her family and her faith. faithandfriends.ca I MAY/JUNE 2022

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COVER STORY

Photo: Fred Cattroll

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Music Man

FAITH IN GOD AND LOVE FOR THE SALVATION ARMY RUN DEEP FOR THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE ORCHESTRA’S DOUGLAS BURDEN. by Ken Ramstead

“MUSIC RUNS THROUGH my life,” says Douglas Burden, bass trombonist of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and faculty member at the University of Ottawa. “I’ve heard music since I was in the womb and, later, the musically driven services of Salvation Army churches: Singing, of course, the clapping of hands, worship teams. Music, music, music. “And with that is the textural and lyrical aspect of the communication of the gospel. Using music as that communicating instrument.”

The Right Stuff Douglas’ parents, Henry and Enid, were Salvation Army pastors, and the family travelled to various postings in southern Ontario as he grew up. “But the one thread that went through all of their ministry is that they were very musical,” recalls Douglas. “My father was an instrumentalist and a singer, my mother a lovely singer and pianist. They were active in worship teams and songsters [choirs], either as members or in a leading capacity.” faithandfriends.ca I MAY/JUNE 2022

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Photo: Steve Nelson

In Demand Douglas Burden has conducted Masterclasses throughout Canada and the world, including at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, McGill University in Montreal, Beijing Conservatory of Music and The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen

As a youngster, then, Douglas was naturally drawn to music, but he was an extremely shy young boy. “Liking music and performing music are two different things,” he explains. “It’s like writing a speech versus standing up in front of 2,000 people and actually delivering that speech. It goes from a cerebral to a performance element, and that took a while to evolve.” However, one of the beauties of The Salvation Army, and certainly in Douglas’ years growing up, was the opportunity and the platform to learn how to perform—morning and evening church services, outdoor worship services, Salvation Army band performances, concerts. “Some people saw my eight-yearold potential,” says Douglas. “I was put up as a soloist. “I was absolutely scared stiff,” he smiles. “But I happened to be in the right place at the right time, with the right instrument.” 18 • MAY/JUNE 2022

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An Important Call Douglas started out playing the cornet. Why the cornet? “I was a very small young boy at that time and holding the cornet was something I was able to do well.” Fast forward seven years, and Douglas was a teenager living in London, Ont. “A very famous Salvation Army bandmaster by the name of Bram Gregson became aware of me and, as I reached the age of 15, the senior band was filled with great cornet players, but they only had two trombone players.” Bram told the boy, “You’re going to play trombone now. Here’s the trombone.” “And that was it!” laughs Douglas now. With the help of his high school music teacher, he made the transition and became proficient, so much

so that he attracted the attention of famed Salvation Army bandmaster Norman Bearcroft, who was reestablishing the Army’s Canadian Staff Band. “I was a young bandsman at Hamilton Temple in Ontario at the time, and Norman heard me playing in a rehearsal. “The phone call asking permission for me to join the band went to my

father, not to me,” Douglas laughs. “Which, in hindsight, was the right way to do it where a 15-year-old was concerned!” On to Ottawa That opened the door to other opportunities, including a scholarship at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.

Photo: Colin Traquair

School Days Douglas has taught at the University of Ottawa since 1975. “I hope to continue teaching for a few more years after I retire from the National Arts Centre Orchestra”

“I happened to be at the right place at the right time, with the right instrument.” DOUGLAS BURDEN

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COVER STORY

Easy Rider Douglas’ interests are not limited to music. During the summer months, he enjoys touring on his Honda Goldwing and playing golf. He’s also a keen military history buff and his reading interests span from Alice Munro and Margaret Atwood to Patrick O’Brien and C.S. Forester right through to Barbara W. Tuchman and Margaret MacMillan

Even with the scholarship, there was no way Douglas’ parents could have afforded the room and board and transportation. The Salvation Army in Rochester generously allowed Douglas to stay with them. In lieu of rent, Douglas worked 10 hours a week at the community centre. As a first-year university student, he was asked to play a concert with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Soon, every time they needed a bass trombone, they requested Douglas, and he parlayed that into a full-time position. From the Ear to the Heart “When you’re on stage playing with a wonderful orchestra and 2,000 people give you a standing ovation, it’s easy to let that go to your head,” 20 • MAY/JUNE 2022

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says Douglas. His Christian faith and Salvation Army roots help keep him humble. “And not grow too big of a head! “Even in my earliest years as a performing professional, that helped me stay grounded,” Douglas continues. “I wasn’t looking at the audience, I wasn’t looking at the lights, I was doing my job. I was committed as a Christian to a talent that had been given to me, and it was mine to develop and to bless others through.” Douglas likes to recall an old saying: “You can leave The Salvation Army, but The Salvation Army never leaves you.” “The Salvation Army has a rich heritage of developing musicians, composers and music, and facilitating the printing, production and

Photo: Keith Braye

Faith&Friends

“I was committed as a Christian to a talent that had been given to me, and it was mine to develop and to bless others through.” DOUGLAS BURDEN

distribution of that music.” At the church he attends, the music pastor asked Douglas to select some appropriate Army tunes for their services. “What I chose spoke to many people,” he recalls. “Parishioners came up to me afterward to tell me how moved they were. The Salvation Army music-making element of linking the lyrics and the words to the melody wasn’t just tickling the ear; it was going through the ear to the mind to the heart.” Paying It Forward This summer, Douglas plans to retire from the National Arts Council Orchestra. “I’m in my final season,” he smiles. Douglas would have retired earlier had it not been for the pandemic. While the National Arts Centre Orchestra has continued to perform during COVID-19 on a digital basis, through livestreaming and Masterclasses, something was missing for

Douglas. “I want to play in front of a live audience again rather than just kind of slink away, head down, tail tucked between my legs.” Douglas has taken advice from colleagues who have retired ahead of him and he’s worked hard to stay physically and mentally fit, as well as watch his diet. And he has a lot to look forward to. “I have a wonderful wife, but the number of hours that a professional musician has to practise is incredible, and Wendy’s been a ‘practise widow’ for too long. It’ll be great to spend more time with her.” Douglas is also looking forward to spending time with his five grandchildren. “I want to invest in their future— bringing them to museums and hockey games, sharing experiences and such—the way my Salvation Army family, friends and mentors invested in my own future back when I myself was young.” faithandfriends.ca I MAY/JUNE 2022

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FEATURE

(right) Patrick Humble is the community services director of The Salvation Army Connection Point and Resource Centre in Langford, B.C., in Greater Victoria

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Turning the Tables

A CHANCE DISCOVERY HUMBLED PATRICK HUMBLE BUT MADE HIM BETTER IN THE PROCESS. by Ken Ramstead

s the newly minted director at The Salvation Army’s Victoria community and family services in British Columbia, Patrick Humble had just settled into his office and was going through his predecessor’s case files when he came across a folder that stopped him in his tracks. “You don’t often see my last name,” says Patrick, “and when you do, it’s because we’re related. But this was my family. I was in that folder! How could that be?” Welcome Help Growing up, Patrick was a thirdgeneration member of The Salvation Army. Though his family was not well off, summers were spent at Salvation Army camps, “and we still had a tree bursting with gifts every Christmas,” Patrick recalls. The youngster never questioned how his parents were able to afford it.

“My brother and I just thought they said no all the time so that they could save up and help us where it mattered,” says Patrick. As Patrick discovered while going through the old Salvation Army case files, “unbeknownst to me, The Salvation Army was helping my family out because we were barely making ends meet.” Later, when he was in his teens, Patrick found himself on his own after his brother moved out of the apartment they were sharing and the landlord was forced to evict him as he was under age. The Salvation Army stepped into Patrick’s life yet again. A friend who worked for the Army helped him find an affordable place to live, and more. “He got me a better job than the one I had,” says Patrick. “And got me some clothes, provided food for my cupboard, furniture—everything I needed to start on my own. That was huge to me.” faithandfriends.ca I MAY/JUNE 2022

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FEATURE

A Different Point of View In 1997, Patrick started working for the Army at a local shelter. He moved on from there to legal aid, then progressed to client services and pastoral care, which led to other roles around the building. Returning from a hiatus, he applied for a management position and was accepted. After a few years, he was hired on as director. It was on his first day that Patrick saw the folder. As he pored over the old files and records, he saw his life in an entirely new and disorienting light. Confidentiality Rules “I was embarrassed, I was confused, I was a little angry,” confesses Patrick. “What is going on? How could I not know this?” As it happened, the office supervisor was the same person who had helped the younger Patrick to get on his feet with a new apartment and job. The two had known one another for more than 30 years. “I went to him and slammed this folder down on his desk,” Patrick says now, a little sheepishly. “What’s this all about? Why didn’t you ever tell me this?” Patrick’s friend calmly looked at him and answered simply: “The rules of confidentiality. It was none of your business.” “Why did he have to be so good at his job?” laughs Patrick now. 24 • MAY/JUNE 2022

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Wounded Healers That chance discovery was careeraltering for Patrick. “Sometimes you have a client who you’re trying to help and they’re lost, defeated and feeling like there is no help, no one to help them and no one to understand what they are going through,” he says. “You don’t understand,” they often tell him. “I kind of do,” Patrick replies. “My name’s in the file drawer, too. Let’s work together and help you.” Patrick occasionally lets a client sit in his office chair while he sits on the other side of the table. “At any moment, the tables can be turned,” he explains. “That was a humbling thing to realize. “It’s important to be able to share as much as possible with clients— not the full details, but just enough to let them know that we’re not this big, pompous group who are here to save you because you’re in trouble. We’re all wounded healers, and we all have a responsibility to each other. We’re a community. We weren’t meant to do it alone. “And so having that background is interesting,” he continues. “Being able to empathize with people in the place they are in has only helped in my job. It’s helped me be a better leader, a better listener, a better person and a better Christian. “It’s been an interesting journey!” concludes Patrick.

Faith&Friends

FAITH BUILDERS

Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

A Purpose in the Pain? In Father Stu, we see how God can use our struggles and mistakes for good. by Diane Stark

ather Stu, in theatres now, tells the true story of Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg), an agnostic, hard-living amateur boxer who changes his life in a radical way. After an injury ends his boxing career, Stu moves to Los Angeles to become an actor. When fame and fortune are harder to come by than he’d anticipated, he gets a job in a grocery store. When he gets arrested for driving under the influence, his

equally agnostic and hard-living father, Bill (Mel Gibson), bails him out and wonders if his son will ever grow up. While working at the grocery store, Stu meets Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), a Sunday school teacher who won’t date him because he doesn’t attend church. Hoping to impress her, he starts attending services and even gets baptized. One night, Stu is seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. When he

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FAITH BUILDERS

Photos: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Faith&Friends

Two-Wheeled Trouble Stu is lucky to be alive after a motorcycle accident almost kills him

Sign From Above? Against all odds, Stu becomes a priest

wakes up in the hospital, Carmen is there, praying over him. Stu knows he’s lucky to be alive, and he begins to re-evaluate his life. A priest from Carmen’s church (Cody Fern) tells him, “I think God saw something in you worth saving, but it’s up to you to decide what you’ve got to offer.” Amazingly, Stu decides to become a priest. Not long after he is ordained, he begins to notice a strange weakness in his legs. He is diagnosed with a rare, progressive muscle disorder with symptoms similar to ALS. The diagnosis rocks his entire life. The other priests

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express concern that Stu’s infirmity will prevent him from fulfilling his duties. Stu wants to give up, but his father won’t let him. “A man doesn’t lose when he gets knocked down, but when he won’t get back up,” Bill says. Watching his son change his life has softened Bill’s heart toward God. As Stu’s disease progresses, he needs crutches to help him walk and then he is confined to a wheelchair. But he continues with his prison ministry, telling the inmates that God cares about them and will never give up on them. Eventually his

“A man doesn’t lose when he gets knocked down, but when he won’t get back up.” BILL

condition deteriorates further, and Stu must move into an assisted-living facility. Will he be able to continue his ministry despite his health issues? Will he learn that while God never causes our suffering, He will help us find purpose in it? Fully Equipped When Stu’s health began to fail, people—including himself—doubted if God could still use him. Thankfully for Stu—and for all of us—that’s not how God works. The truth is that everyone has something that could seemingly disqualify them from serving in God’s kingdom. It might be a physical or mental illness, a past mistake or a personal struggle such as addiction. In fact, those things about ourselves that we think are the most disqualifying are often the very parts of us that God can use most easily. The Bible gives many examples of God using imperfect people. David was a murderer and an adulterer. Rahab was a prostitute. Jesus called James and John “the sons of thunder” because they had anger issues. Peter denied even knowing Jesus but later became the rock on which the early

church was built. God used them, and He can use us, too—not in spite of our deficiencies, but often, because of them. Our life experiences can make us more empathetic to another person’s pain and help us relate to them. Father Stu once said that he was actually thankful for his illness because it led him to shed the pride he’d struggled with for most of his life. His disease caused his body to fail him, but that same disease made him uniquely qualified to lead others to the Lord. He found purpose in his pain. When others see that God has redeemed our past mistakes, they understand that He can do it for them, too. God can use our pain and our struggles for good. Suffering is never fun, but if we let Him, God will help us find purpose in our pain. Viewer Advisory Father Stu contains some salty language and adult situations, but the redemptive message of the film is valuable and uplifting.

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin FISH TACOS TIME 15 min

MAKES 4 servings

SERVE WITH roasted spiced corn

15 ml (1 tbsp) coconut oil 4 snapper fillets Salt to taste Pepper to taste ½ head of cabbage 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil 5 ml (1 tsp) apple cider vinegar 1 small lime 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh parsley 250 ml (1 cup) cherry tomatoes 1 avocado 30 ml (2 tbsp) mayonnaise 5 ml (1 tsp) hot sauce of choice 8-10 soft corn tacos

1. Melt coconut oil in a skillet that has been pre-heated on medium-high for two minutes. 2. Salt and pepper fish to taste. 3. Fry fish for 2½ minutes on each side, and then break into pieces. 4. Dice cabbage and add olive oil, vinegar, lime and parsley. Lightly salt to taste. 5. Dice tomatoes and slice avocado. 6. Mix mayonnaise with hot sauce. 7. Warm tortillas on a pan. 8. Add toppings.

ROASTED SPICED CORN TIME 35 min

MAKES 4 servings

SERVE WITH fish tacos

Recipe photos: Erin Stanley

4 corn cobs 15 ml (1 tbsp) avocado or olive oil Salt to taste 5 ml (1 tsp) paprika 2 ml (½ tsp) chili powder Black pepper 5 ml (1 tsp) fresh lime juice

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1. Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Carefully cut the cobs of corn in half lengthwise. 3. Brush corn with oil and salt lightly to taste. 4. Bake in oven for 25 minutes, then broil for 2-5 minutes until slightly browned. 5. Mix paprika and chili powder together and spread on the cobs of corn. 6. Sprinkle lime juice on top.

Turning the Tables

Tribute to a Father

The Story of Esther

BEING HUMBLE P.22 MATTHEW’S MOMENT P.5 HEBREW HEROINE P.10

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

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MAY/JUNE 2022

Music

Man

THROUGH 50 YEARS, DOUGLAS BURDEN’S FAITH HAS RUNG TRUE. P.16

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Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 × 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

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QUICK QUIZ 1. What does the texting abbreviation “ICYMI” mean? 2. What is tofu made from? 3. What Egyptian pharaoh’s tomb was discovered by archeologist Howard Carter in 1922?

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HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

Answers on next page.

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LITE STUFF

Word Search The (Not So) Secret Garden T

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AERATOR ANNUAL AUGER BOOTS COMPOST EARTH FERTILIZER FLOWERS GLOVES GRAFTING HERBS HORTICULTURE

IRRIGATION LEAF BLOWER MOWER MULCH ORGANIC PERENNIALS PLANTING POLLINATION PRUNING SEEDS SHEARS SHED

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Quick Quiz Answers: 1. in case you missed it; 2. coagulated soy milk; 3. King Tutankhamun. 2

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NIFTY THRIFTY

Wax Eloquent! How to turn regular candles into different shapes.

our home is your sanctuary and needs to be treated as such. Changing just a few little things could add a unique touch to how that space looks. Candles, which you can purchase at your local Salvation Army thrift store, have been a craze over the past number of years, and uniquely shaped ones will add that special something to your place of comfort. Supplies Needed: taper candles, warm water, cutting board, container to soak the candles in, and a rolling pin or glass jar with a smooth surface. Step 1 Heat some water until it is warm. Soak candle in water for 15-20 minutes or until candle is easy to manipulate. Step 2 Flatten mid part of the candle with rolling pin or glass jar, or bend the candle if you are looking for that effect. Step 3 Start twisting or bending until you get the desired shape (twist or bend gently so that the candle doesn’t snap). Step 4 Let the candle sit for a few minutes until it hardens.

(left) Osareme David Dom-okoebu is a content creator and a creative expert for The Salvation Army. He creates content on Instagram (@_reme_) centred mainly on thrifted menswear. He also shares how to be stylish without breaking the bank. Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.

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Articles inside

HEBREW HEROINE

MATTHEW’S MOMENT