DEVELOPING LOCAL MISSION PLANS » PAGE 4
GENERAL’S MESSAGE » PAGES 8
HANGERS OF HOPE » PAGE 10
SALVOS ON THE AIR IN DARWIN » PAGES 14
CONNECTING WITH YOUTH IN PERTH » PAGE 15
DECEMBER 2021 CONNECTING SALVOS IN MISSION
Opening the gift of Jesus this Christmas
Commissioner Janine Donaldson takes a fresh look at the nativity story.
others.org.au
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First irst f s g n i th
FROM OUR LEADERS
Opening the gift that is Jesus This year held some ‘firsts’ for me. Robert and I became first-time grandparents, a joy and a delight. I received my first (and second) COVID-19 vaccine. I met people for the first time in our neighbourhood, and I experienced my first earthquake in Melbourne. When the first Christmas took place over 2000 years ago, the world experienced other firsts as well. That incredibly bright star that hung over a troubled world must have been spectacular, outshining every other star. A choir of angels led a new song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14 NET). Also, the first and best news for all humankind – a Saviour had been born. I considered this story again as if it was the first time I’d heard it. I realised that I love this story, even though the narrative is familiar, and some parts aren’t easy to read. The Old Testament speaks to promises about God’s plan to save the Jewish people, if only they would obey him. When we get to the Roman-occupied Palestine of 1BC, many Jews understood this promise to mean a mighty warrior who would overthrow foreign occupation and restore Israel. They didn’t expect salvation to arrive in a dirty stable, the Son of God laying in a manger usually reserved for feeding animals. The giving of a gift tells someone how we feel about them, how we value them. When Jesus came into the world, he didn’t bring treasure. He arrived like our precious new granddaughter – helpless, needing to be fed and looked after. Jesus came as a gift. Oh, what a gift he was! Jesus gave us the gift of his presence forever. Have you ever opened a gift that was exactly what you wanted? Such excitement. Yet how much more is this gift of God’s only son to us. Maybe it’s the first time you have been asked to open the gift that is Jesus this Christmas. “This is how much God loved the world. He gave his son, his one and only son. And this is why: so that no one needs to be destroyed, by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life” (John 3:16 MSG). God bless you, and Happy Christmas! Commissioner Janine Donaldson
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December 2021
FROM THE CHIEF SECRETARY
Celebrating
hope
It has been another year full of challenges but also of opportunities. Throughout 2021, The Salvation Army in Australia once again assisted many thousands of people, bringing hope, bringing connection, and bringing many to faith. Our staff, officers, and volunteers have worked creatively and adaptively to deliver the Army’s mission to share the love of Jesus by creating faith pathways, caring for people, building healthy communities and working for justice, even amid COVID-19 restrictions, lockdowns and border closures. Christmas is a time to celebrate hope, which finds tangible expression every day throughout the year, as Salvos demonstrate practical expressions of the love of Jesus when they work alongside those who find themselves in difficult and challenging circumstances.
I recently heard a beautiful story of how a Salvation Army officer compassionately offered to assist a man from Afghanistan in completing the appropriate visa forms for his wife, who was in Kabul when the transition of power took place. Together, with the assistance of an immigration lawyer, this man’s wife is now in Australia. This is just one story of hope realised because someone took the initiative and practically expressed the love of Jesus. The message of Christmas is lived out through Salvos every day when their actions engender hope and point to the possibility of a different and better future. Our vision speaks about transforming Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus. Every time we see that happen, we participate in the outworking of the Christmas story.
This hope finds its focus in the angels’ proclamation of the birth of Jesus – “I bring good news of great joy for all people.” The good news is the birth of a Saviour, the hopebringer and joy-giver.
I welcome feedback and reflection. You can write to me at askthechief@salvationarmy.org.au
The Salvation Army is founded on the belief that, in Jesus, there is good news of great joy for all people. It’s a message of hope, of the possibility of personal transformation, a message of a loving divine presence in the messiness and challenges of life.
Colonel Winsome Merrett Chief Secretary
others.org.au
God bless you each,
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MISSION IN ACTION
n o i miss
Living our
Darren McGhee was sceptical when asked to complete a Local Mission Plan* for Salvation Army mission expressions. It was late-2018, and the Army’s Youth Outreach Services manager in Brisbane was concerned the Local Mission Plan would be just another time-consuming reporting tool that had little practical impact on frontline mission.
Three years on and Darren has become a convert. He describes the plan as a fantastic resource that helps prevent ‘mission drift’. All Salvation Army mission expressions now develop Local Mission Plans with their teams. Below are just some examples of the positive impact they are having:
Claire Clifton Manager – William Booth House (Alcohol and Other Drugs) Sydney, NSW Local Mission Plans are great, as they set an intention for the year ahead and keep our team accountable. However, the process of creating the plan was most exciting for me. The feeling and desire amongst the team to collectively plan to see the mission come alive within our service was energising and inspiring.
Leanne Foster Manager – Gateways Homelessness Melbourne, Victoria Most clients who come through our Gateways program build a connection with staff and other residents, helping to build relationships and trust. I am also eager for our clients to build a healthy relationship with our local corps. My vision is to ensure that all clients, when they exit our program, connect with a community and a place they feel welcome. From our Local Mission Plan, we are currently working on a shared mission agreement with Boronia Corps to use two properties on this site to house a family and three single adults. These clients will have the opportunity to engage in corps-based activities and develop relationships with the congregation, offering community connection and a place of belonging. Darren McGhee Manager – Youth Outreach Services Brisbane, Queensland We have many Salvation Army workplace-prescribed plans and frameworks: Continuous Improvement Plans, State Strategic Plans, Risk Management Plans, Models of Care Frameworks Plans and Accountability Frameworks. As a leader of employees working out a faith calling and other staff who desire to use their gifts to accomplish meaningful work, the Local Mission Plan makes a difference in the world. The Local Mission Plan can reflect what we are being guided to do according to our mission. Also, it ensures spiritual accountability. The Local Mission Plan is a tool that can prevent ‘mission drift’.
Paula Powell Team Leader – Doorways Playford, South Australia The Local Mission Plan is priceless. It’s the road map for all we are working towards for our clients, community, corps, staff, and volunteers. When I worked on the plan, I had a constant vision of building on what we were already doing. It was a great exercise to write down all that we had envisioned and how it aligned with our mission and values. I wanted to ensure that our service wasn’t just supporting and empowering clients, but we were giving the same energy to our staff and volunteers and joining the [Playford] corps in its vision to make the centre a great environment for everyone who walked through the door.
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December 2021
MISSION IN ACTION
‘Barbecuing with Batman’ includes Roderick Brown standing next to the Caped Crusader at the first-birthday celebration for a community group (Town Team) that Launceston Salvos is involved in, part of its Local Mission Plan for building healthy communities.
Aux-Lieutenant Roderick Brown Corps Officer Launceston, Tasmania The Local Mission Plan keeps us attentive and focused upon the God-directed mission goals that our faith community has committed to pursuing, as well as the collaboration we are seeking to build across Salvo mission expressions in our community. It’s important to review and update the plan regularly. We do this at our bi-monthly leadership meetings to see how things are progressing and what may need adjusting. That can be challenging among all the corps officers’ tasks but necessary for the plan to have traction and impact.
Youth Outreach Service Brisbane staff at its school graduation celebration, with Darren McGhee in the front row. Part of the service’s Local Mission Plan focuses on building celebration culture and the importance of doing it together.
others.org.au
'The Local Mission Plan keeps us attentive and focused upon our God-directed mission goals.' The benefits of developing a Local Mission Plan as a roadmap for Local Mission Delivery are beginning to flow for Salvos around the country. Over the past four years, Local Mission Plans have become an integral part of the process for living out the mission across Australia. They are now a valuable tool to help leaders and their teams work out how they strategically engage in the mission and vision of the Army in their area. The plan asks local teams to set a goal for each element of the mission statement: caring for people, creating faith pathways, building healthy communities and working for justice – and three actions to help achieve each goal. At the Area Leadership Team, they then look for ways to collaborate to attain those goals. It articulates how they will work together to fulfil the Army’s mission statement and become the way we help realise our vision ‘to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus’. For more information, go to: my.salvos.org.au/ toolkit/resource/local-mission-delivery/2263/
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, h c t i w e h t , a t San n e m e s i w e h t d an
PHOTO: STOCK / GETTY IMAGES
VIEWPOINT
Reviving the celebration of Epiphany By Phil Inglis I don’t know about you, but for me, Christmas can be very upsetting. I am appalled that the birth of Jesus is being corrupted into a crass, commercialised, cultural celebration. A celebration most often represented by a jolly old fellow in a Coca-Cola-invented red and white suit. Don’t misunderstand me; I like Santa as much as anyone. It’s just that nothing about Santa acknowledges the worldshaking significance of the birth of Jesus Christ. Santa letters, Santa coming down the chimney, the reindeer, the elves ... it’s just so far removed from the celebration of the birth of a baby in a first-century Middle Eastern barn. So, while I’m not going to argue that we should fire Santa, I do think it might be time to broaden our celebrations to include a ‘witch’ and the biblical Magi, also referred to as the ‘wise men’. Just after Christmas 2019, I met up with my sister in London, and we travelled around Italy and France for a couple of weeks. I was due at the International College for Officers in mid-January 2020, so I took two weeks’ leave beforehand. As we travelled through London, Paris, Rome, Venice, and Florence, there were still Christmas decorations and Christmas stalls everywhere. Most of them were selling ornaments, decorations, clothes, food, coffee, and mulled wine (Venice particularly loves mulled wine). The street scenes were amazing. Alongside figures of Santa in these Italian stalls were figures of a kindly old lady, dressed as a stereotypical witch (think Wizard of Oz style witch) and riding a broomstick. Not an evil witch, but a witch, nonetheless. I can’t read Italian, so I had no idea what this was all about. I thought it was maybe some recent Christmas-themed movie in Italy that had featured this character, and she had become super famous in that year, but no. What I discovered was far older, more interesting, and spiritually significant. The witch’s name was ‘La Befana’, and she is the Italian Christmas witch. In Australia, we generally celebrate Christmas on a single day, but Christmas is actually a season that lasts 12 days.
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That’s why there’s a song called ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’. I think we need to give Christmas its full value again. In particular, I think we need to rediscover the 12th day of Christmas, the Feast of Epiphany (6 January). This is where I believe La Befana may be able to help us. La Befana gets her name from the Greek word for epiphany – epifania. According to legend, the wise men got lost on their way to see Jesus and stopped to ask the witch for directions. (If they came from the east and asked for directions in Italy, they really were very lost!). La Befana told them how to get to Bethlehem, but when the wise men asked her to come with them to see Jesus, she declined, saying she had chores to do and that she would catch up with them later. Then, by the time she finished her work and got on her broom with her presents for Jesus, she couldn’t find the wise men; they were too far away. So, that is how she became an honorary wise man. Epiphany is this celebration of the time the wise men (and a witch in Italy) recognised the incredible power and glory of the baby Jesus. This is significant because it is the first time Jesus is revealed to the non-Jewish world. At least two Christmas carols were written specifically for Epiphany – ‘We Three Kings’ and ‘As with Gladness Men of Old’. My sister and I were in Florence for Epiphany 2020. In that city, Epiphany is a public holiday. The city was crowded because hundreds of people from all over the region came to the city centre to reenact a medieval celebration: the wise men entering Bethlehem and finding Jesus. Tens of thousands of visitors lined the streets to watch this medieval procession headed by three wise men. They cheered and laughed and cheered some more. The procession wove its way through the old town until, at the end, the three wise men came face to face with the baby Jesus and one by one, they knelt and offered their gifts. At the end of a busy Christmas season, after all the crass commercialism and hype of a Santa Claus Christmas has passed, I love the thought of Christians gathering in the new year to celebrate the wise men bringing gifts and homage to Jesus. The citizens of Florence are really onto something. Epiphany can be a profound and personal dedication of ourselves and our gifts to Jesus of Bethlehem. December 2021
ARMY ARCHIVES
Early Army heralded the
y r C s a m t s i r h C By Garth R. Hentzschel
A review of the Christmas issue of The War Cry stating it was “a very large and creditable illustrated paper” appeared in Melbourne’s Herald in 1889. The War Cry was 16 pages of articles, stories, and illustrations for a penny. Other equivalent newspapers cost three times the amount, without illustrations or colour! In the early part of the 20th century, Christmas issues of The Salvation Army War Cry, sometimes referred to as the Christmas Cry, were known for their quality of illustrations, interest of stories, and advanced use of colour in print. Such was the influence of the Christmas Cry that when Frederick Tucker, an Indian civil servant, read a copy of the 1880 London issue, he was determined that the Army should enter India. He later led the movement in India and the USA and married one of Catherine and William Booth’s daughters, Emma. The Christmas Cry was a popular and important evangelical and social justice outlet for The Salvation Army. Due to its colour and illustrations, the Christmas issue had a much larger readership than the weekly issues. Many people would await their copy with excitement. In 1883, the Christmas Cry saw a run of 68,000 copies, more than three times larger than the Melbourne edition’s weekly circulation (each colony had its own edition at this time). To gauge the quality of the Christmas Cry, we can look to people in the print industry for comment. In 1894, the professional layout and advanced printing techniques caught the attention of Bowral Free Press (NSW). The paper wrote that the Christmas Cry was “specially written and illustrated and contains a superb lithograph from an original picture”. Other newspapers praised the “extremely interesting” articles, songs, poems and that it was “finely illustrated”. others.org.au
While the 1902 Christmas Cry received a specific note as “a capital production, with artistic and well-executed covers”, the years from 1911 to 1942 saw highly positive reviews. Newspapers around Australia each year would review the Christmas issue of The War Cry; Perth’s Daily News called it “a well-got-up issue”, the Sydney Sun wrote it “is always good at Christmas time, and always, among Christmas publications, unique.” Newspaper headlines reviewing the Christmas Cry included “An Attractive Christmas Number” (Collie Mail, WA), a “Splendid Production” (Dubbo Dispatch, NSW), and an “Attractive Production” (Port Lincoln Times, SA). Due to government restrictions on paper during World War Two, the 1943 Christmas Cry was cancelled. The Christmas Cry reappeared in 1944; however, it had lost its edge, so much so that Captain Cox of Crookwell (NSW) was still trying to sell copies in February at a reduced price. The quality had declined, and although there were some improvements noted in the 1949 to 1951 issues, the public had moved on to new forms of print media. From the mid-1950s, reviews of the Christmas Cry had disappeared from newspapers. Photographs replaced original artwork, and it became smaller in size. The year 1999 saw the final specially published Christmas Cry as Warcry format moved to a magazine-style. With the introduction of Salvos magazine in 2020, The Salvation Army aims to continue the tradition of publishing the season’s message of hope through an Australian Christmas magazine: this message will go into the community with the distribution of around 20,000 copies of the annual Christmas issue of Salvos magazine. Garth R. Hentzschel is a Salvationist living in Brisbane and is Executive Editor of The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History and is President of The Salvation Army Historical Society of Brisbane.
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y l u r t g n i h t e m So g n i t a r b e l e c h t wor GENERAL'S MESSAGE
In a world of chaos, there is always hope By General Brian Peddle What a year 2021 has been! In these past 12 months, our world has continued to face up to the challenge and reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, dealing with illness and death, as well as recovery strategies and vaccination programs. In contrast, there was the welcome relief of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which provided positive engagement, something to enjoy and an opportunity to celebrate our countries’ achievements. Of course, we have also witnessed natural and man-made disasters and tragedies – wildfires in different countries, the assassination of a president, hurricanes, and storms – each presenting a significant challenge. In recent months, the Taliban has retaken control of Afghanistan, with people fleeing the country, concerns about women's education, the potential return to the ways of former regimes and the loss of any semblance of democracy. In such tumultuous times, where, or to who, do we turn? In the Bible, the book of Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8, tells us that we turn to Jesus, who is the same “yesterday and today and forever”; whilst Colossians chapter 1, verse 17, describes him as the one in whom “all things hold together”; and Revelation chapter 22, verse 13 as “the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”. We need to turn to the one who is wiser
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General Brian Peddle, World Leader of The Salvation Army
than we are, more compassionate than we are, more powerful than we are, who is both transcendent yet with us, and who is present amid the tumult and chaos with its resultant personal cost because, as we read in Psalm 23 and Matthew chapter 11 verse 28, he invites us to rest. If ever there is a time to turn to Jesus, it is at Christmas, when we pause to remember and celebrate his birth, incarnation, and becoming Immanuel (God with us). What does all this mean? It means there is hope! It means we are not on our own! It means we have someone who can restore our souls when we are weary; someone who can give us rest when we are tired; someone who can provide an eternal perspective when the immediate is all-consuming; someone who holds us and our world together when we and it are falling apart. That truly is something worth celebrating this Christmastime. Why would we not want to get to know someone like Jesus? If your relationship with Jesus has been neglected for a while, Christmas represents an opportune time for it to be reconnected, reignited. And if you don’t know him already, Christmastime is also an opportunity to meet Jesus for the first time – to invite him into your heart and life as Saviour and friend. Commissioner Rosalie joins me in wishing you a Happy Christmas and God’s blessings during this holy season.
December 2021
FEATURE
Sorrowngth Stre s a m t s i r Ch and
at
By Jessica Morris
As you set up your nativity scene, remember that two years after that extraordinary night in Bethlehem, the Christ Child and his parents fled to Egypt. It’s easy to forget about this traumatic part of Jesus’ life, but as the Saberi family knows, Christ is equally at home in hope as in sorrow. This is a tension 17-year-old Atena Kashani experiences daily as a child of God and an asylum seeker. “My family [the Saberi family] and I came to Australia from Iran seven years ago. We spent one and a half months in detention and settled in Melbourne. We work and pay tax. But I know that people categorise us as refugees [and treat us differently]. We are like a barcode – and if that’s what you are to people, then it’s like you don’t have a name,” says Atena. In many ways, Atena has flourished in Australia. She is a hardworking A+ student who dreams of studying law, and she is grateful to live in Melbourne on a Bridging Visa. But that’s where the sorrow seeps in because, despite her best efforts, she lives in limbo. Her dreams of higher education are impossible without a scholarship or miraculous funding (Atena already works and studies five days a week). Her family can’t return home because their lives are at risk, and she has hit the ceiling as an elite taekwondo athlete and can’t represent Australia internationally. Atena and her family know sorrow intimately, much as Christ did during his time on earth. And they felt this deeply when Atena’s grandfather passed away in Iran last July. Yet, like Christ shows us, where there is pain, there is also miraculous hope. “I think that we all found hope in Jesus when the priest was able to help us in our darkest time. Like when my grandfather passed away, he came and visited us twice a others.org.au
week, despite him being 40 minutes away from us,” Atena reflects. The Saberi family became Christians at their local Baptist church in 2019. Knowing Jesus added extra meaning to their yearly Christmas Eve celebrations, and it was around this time the family encountered The Salvation Army through their local Bunnings store. Atena’s mother Fatemeh works there as a Production Team Member, and after striking up a conversation with a Salvo who was carolling with the brass band, she invited them over to her place for lunch. Hearing that she could help women in the region become employment-ready, Fatemeh began assisting The Salvation Army on Fridays. This connected the family with Salvationist Kevin Amiri and the Combined Refugee Church Taskforce. And, in July, Atena’s story was shared with the office of Alex Hawke, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs. It was like the hope of God shone through – not just giving Atena’s story purpose but paving the way for her entire community. “When people hear stories from refugees and immigrants, it opens up doors. People know that this is a real-life situation, that it’s not just something you can overhear in the news,” she explains. The future is still uncertain for Atena and her family. Like Mary and Joseph, who made a home in Egypt until safe passage and certainty opened up to Nazareth, she longs for the day when she will celebrate Christmas as an Australian citizen. Yet, her faith is bound in an infallible hope – one that comes from the birth, death and resurrection of Christ. A God who was both a refugee and Saviour of the world.
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s e l a W h t New Soandu n a i l a r t s Au al Capit Hanging out for hope y r o Territ in Inverell DIVISIONAL NEWS
Lieutenant Cindy Roehrig stocks the Hangers of Hope rack with new merchandise.
Brooke’s marathon effort for bushfire relief By Jessica Morris
Aussie Brooke Jefferies was working for The Salvation Army in London when the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 raged across her homeland. She had a sense of helplessness, being so far away, but was still determined to assist in any way she could. “I moved to London in May 2019 on a two-year visa and was hired by The Salvation Army’s London headquarters as part of the community and events fundraising team,” shares Brooke. “It was really intense being in London when the bushfires were happening. I missed home, and it was on the news every day. People were apologising to me on the street.” Brooke and her team coordinated a mammoth fundraising campaign, which collected more than £48,700 (approx. $AU90,000) for the Australian bushfire relief. But that wasn’t enough for Brooke. A keen runner, she found a spot on the Sally Army Striders team that was entering the 2021 London Marathon. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brooke returned to Australia before she had the chance to run the marathon, which had been postponed from April to October. Now based in Canberra, she decided to run a virtual marathon and completed it over a 24-hour period in October, raising £1,500 ($AU2800) for her efforts. “I didn’t get to run through the streets of London past Tower Bridge, the London Eye or Big Ben with 50,000 other runners whilst being cheered on by my charity and co-workers at The Salvation Army, but I still did it and kept my promise!” she says. Brooke ran 26.2 miles (42.16 km) for her virtual London Marathon, raising $2800 for Australian bushfire relief.
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By Faye Michelson
The small rack of clothes standing in the welfare space next to Inverell Corps Family Store has a simple sign that says it all – ‘Hangers of Hope’. The rack displays a free selection of new adult and children’s clothes, shoes, caps, beanies, and scarves. When people facing hard times take something from here, it often means more than just a new piece of clothing; it’s a piece of hope. Lieutenant Cindy Roehrig says the corps set up Hangers of Hope to give people accessing their welfare services the opportunity to choose something they need. “Through the help and support of Good 360, we receive items from our local Big W,” Cindy explains. “We wanted a new way to hand these out to our community in need. We run welfare two days a week, and this is when Hangers of Hope is available. It’s a place for people to choose what they need and not feel as though they’re being judged. We want to give people dignity when using our service.” In the four months it has been operating, Hangers of Hope has lived up to its name. “We have seen many people’s faces light up at the chance to take something from the rack,” Cindy says. “It may seem like something small to give someone a new beanie or scarf or T-shirt, but to some people, that one gesture means more than we can ever imagine.” Cindy says the team often sees big smiles on people’s faces as they leave with a new item. “We had one lady share with us that she had to choose between paying a bill or buying her granddaughter a birthday present,” Cindy says. “After looking through the Hangers of Hope, she found the perfect pair of lovely new gumboots – this meant she could do both, pay her bill and still give her granddaughter a present. In that small moment, I saw Hangers of Hope doing just that, providing hope in our community.” December 2021
d n a l s n ee Qu
DIVISIONAL NEWS
Emma the engine behind Centenary’s food drive By Darryl Whitecross The dining room at young Emma MacDonald’s house in Brisbane looks more like a giant pantry leading up to Christmas. For the past three years, the Grade 5 student at Brookfield State School has asked her neighbourhood and school community for donations of non-perishable food items, which she then sorts with the help of her mother, Nicola. The items are then handed over to Aux-Lieutenant Catherine Philpot at the nearby Centenary Corps for distribution to vulnerable families as part of its Christmas food hamper program. Emma, 11, said she came up with the food donation idea after a discussion with her mum about how fortunate she was to always have a meal on the table, go to a good school, and always have the things she needed. “I collect the food for people who couldn’t afford to give their children the Christmas they had dreamed of,” Emma said. “I have a passion for helping people.” Last year, Emma gave 1000 food items to The Salvation Army. “This year, my goal is to collect 2000 items,” she said. Emma’s first year of collecting the donations coincided with the introduction of the Christmas food hamper program at Centenary Corps. “If it hadn’t been for Emma, we probably wouldn’t have had enough donations,” Catherine said. “She does an amazing job. Christmas would look very different without Emma.” Each year, Emma produces flyers on her home printer and does a letterbox drop with her mum around their neighbourhood. Emma also addresses her fellow students at school about her project. The donations then roll in. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed by the wider community, having attracted media attention and the eye of Liberal MP Julian Simmonds, Member for Ryan. Julian was so impressed with what Emma was doing that he presented her with a community leader’s award and opened his electorate office to accept donations on her behalf. Woolworths at Kenmore is helping, too. Last year, it donated 100 green shopping bags to help Emma sort the food items. This year, the store has given her 200 bags. others.org.au
Emma’s can-do attitude helps families in need over the Christmas period.
But Emma’s role doesn’t stop at sorting. Emma and her mum help on the day Catherine and other volunteers from Centenary Corps hand out the food donations. “I don’t do this for the recognition. I do it for others. It helps me to know how lucky I am,” Emma said. “I really value the opportunity to work with Emma and Nicola because it’s our chance to share Jesus with them [the community] every year, talk about the joy of loving others and how much better life is when we live for God and others,” Catherine said.
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DIVISIONAL NEWS
V ictoria
Young parents experience Christmas Cheer in Geelong By Jessica Morris The halls of Geelong Corps buzz with excitement in the lead-up to 25 December. The Christmas Cheer campaign is in full swing, and Doorways and Salvation Army Homelessness Barwon clients are eager to hand-select gifts for their kids. In the middle of it all is Zenta Schubert, a worker with the Supporting Young Parents Program. Her role is to assist parents aged 25 and under who are at risk of homelessness. She says it has become increasingly difficult over the past two years for her clients to find a permanent home, let alone a safe place to celebrate Christmas. “Christmas Cheer is so amazing [for our clients]. Before Christmas, they’ll be so worried about being able to afford something for their children. It’s a huge cost to lay-by, and there are a lot of pay-later schemes that are really unscrupulous. So, I’ll try to get in there early and say, ‘Don’t do that, we’re going to help you access some Christmas presents’,” explains Zenta. “It really makes their day. And it even feels like Santa’s come for the parents as well!” This generosity is a welcome relief for her clients – many being single mothers. While the festive season can be a time of joy and hope, estranged relationships that have been amplified due to COVID-19 make it a bittersweet experience for many of them. “Christmas is often a very difficult time of year because they often do have difficult relationships with family, or they’ve lost relationships. And, in some cases, they have left behind an abusive partner or family violence. So, the picture-perfect Christmas idea really brings up the fact that they don’t have that perfect family,” Zenta says.
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An army of volunteers from the Bellarine Peninsula Salvos served young parents during last year’s Christmas Cheer at the Geelong Corps. (L-R) Ted, Faye, Al, Bella and Ella.
The pandemic has amplified this stress, with many clients couch-surfing or living in transitional housing while they work towards a permanent home. A severe lack of affordable housing in Geelong means clients often need over two years of support through the youth programs to find stable housing. And, tragically, the team knows that some women experiencing domestic violence will choose to stay with the abuser due to lack of housing. This makes the Supporting Young Parents Program a lifeline in the region. And amid lockdowns, resulting in the closure of playgroups and parenting resources, Zenta and the team have continually adapted to empower their clients. Some days, they even conduct three-way phone calls between clients and Centrelink. “Since COVID 19, most of our support has been over the phone, [giving us] a chance to check-in and debrief,” reflects Zenta. “We have also been able to advocate for our vulnerable families to be able to continue to access childcare during lockdown. [This is] so important for the children to continue to access a safe space, maintain routines and educational experiences while living in difficult circumstances – and [is] welcome respite for parents.” Many young parents in Geelong are doing it tough, but their daily resilience is inspiring to say the least. In 2021, clients in the Supporting Young Parents Program have managed mental health issues, reconnected with family, found employment and a home of their own. Ultimately, these parents are survivors. And with the help of Christmas Cheer, they get to see their kids’ faces light up on Christmas morning. December 2021
a i n a m s a T
DIVISIONAL NEWS
A church without walls By Jessica Morris When people can’t come to church, you bring the church to them – just ask Majors Linda and Steve Miller. Since January, the Millers have led Tasmania’s East Coast Mobile Mission Initiative. Their region spans 177km from Orford to St Helens, also taking in the communities of Triabunna, Swansea, and Bicheno. The mobile mission, first suggested four years ago by the previous Divisional Commander, Major John Friend, has become an integral part of the Tasmania Division’s Mission Plan under the current Divisional Leadership Team. “Our ministry involves meeting people where they are at,” says Linda. “Some of the people we meet are referred to us by a doctor in one of the towns we visit. “Mental health challenges, isolation, loneliness, affordable housing, domestic violence, alcohol and other drug issues, and suicide are just some of the issues we are met with daily. We are thankful for a network of other Salvation Army services and other agencies who we can also refer people to for further support and assistance.” While travelling the windy roads of Tasmania’s East Coast are an essential part of their work, the Millers are also deeply rooted in their hometown of Swansea, 130km north of Hobart. Their ministry includes a weekly house church, prayer group, and volunteering at the local primary school, RSL, CWA, and Rotary Club. Their ministry at the primary school has gone remarkably well, and teachers and the principal have invited them to support students experiencing behavioural issues or
learning difficulties. Through this, The Salvation Army has become the go-to resource for support as families experience domestic violence and trauma. “The school was also great in supporting the Red Shield Appeal and hosting a Red Shield Appeal disco,” says Linda. “The trust the school has placed in us because of who we represent is truly humbling.” The East Coast Mobile Mission Ministry team has also supported seasonal workers from Vanuatu. Often staying temporarily at a backpacker’s hostel, they told the Millers they wanted fellowship. And Linda and Steve were happy to oblige! “We were able to source some Bibles and a guitar so that we could join together for weekly worship and prayer at their backpacker accommodation. The singing is amazing, and their prayers are humble and God-honouring,” says Linda. Almost one year on, the stories and needs that the East Coast Mobile Mission Initiative has witnessed are as diverse and long as the roads that connect each township they serve. It’s challenging, gruelling work, but they see God’s Kingdom come to Tasmania every day. “It’s our prayerful desire that in the future we would see many Organic Faith Expressions (o.f.e groups) popping up right along the East Coast – people meeting together to discover who Jesus is and in discovering Jesus, find life in all its fulness,” says Linda. “Our Divisional Commander, Captain Kim Haworth, says it best: ‘We don’t just want to do good works for God, we want to do God works for good.’ May it be so!” Major Steven Miller enjoys fellowship with the seasonal workers from Vanuatu, supported by the East Coast Mobile Mission initiative.
Majors Steven and Helen Miller serve coffee from the East Coast Mobile Mission’s new emergency services trailer at the St Helens Wellbeing Festival in October.
others.org.au
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a i l a r t s u A hern Territory South and Nort
DIVISIONAL NEWS
Top End fundraising easy as ABC By Darryl Whitecross The missional and ministry work of The Salvation Army in Australia’s Top End has been featured as part of ABC Radio Darwin’s annual Christmas campaign. Captain Peter Jones, South Australia/Northern Territory Division Public Relations Secretary (NT), said several stories on what the Salvos were doing and who it had helped over the past 12 months were aired by the national broadcaster between 22 November and 3 December as part of its ‘Territory Gives’ campaign.
Stephen McClelland, ABC Radio Darwin Manager, said the campaign was about telling “local stories using local voices to local people”. He said station reporters recorded many interviews with officers, staff, and volunteers across Army mission initiatives in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs and aired them on each of its weekday programs “We worked with them to help them tell their stories of what they do in The Salvation Army, how they volunteer in The Salvation Army and how they were helped by The Salvation Army,” Stephen said.
Having heard where the Army spends its funds, listeners were then encouraged to give to the station’s Christmas appeal, with the money to be used in the NT.
“The audience gets to hear the stories of the people that they’re assisting, and the programs they are assisting [with their donations]. It helps encourage the listeners to give.”
“The [station’s] campaign supports a local charity and the work they do over Christmas,” Peter said.
Peter and Stephen said while the Territory Gives campaign ended on 3 December, the station would continue to focus on the Army’s work into January, with Peter doing regular live instudio updates on the appeal and other Christmas initiatives.
Community groups were invited to submit applications to the station to be part of its campaign. I submitted an application with the help of the [Army’s] national media team to ABC Radio Darwin, and we were successful for this year.”
“It's good for our team; it's good for the community; it's good for the audience,” Stephen said.
Captain Peter Jones prepares to go on air on ABC Radio Darwin.
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December 2021
Westesrtnralia Au
DIVISIONAL NEWS
Morley the merrier for energetic youth ministry By Jessica Morris The Morley Corps youth ministry team in Perth engages with more than 300 kids every month, so it’s no surprise that they admit to running on a combination of caffeine, laughs, and the Holy Spirit. The team is led by Youth Pastor Davis Bode, with assistance from Community Case Managers Jodie Egan, who recently relocated from Karratha, and Michael Dawson. Together, the dynamic trio approaches holistic ministry with energy – and it’s palpable, even when you’re watching their youth group antics online. “The young people we engage with just want somewhere to belong,” says Davis. “We provide a place where all our leaders believe in our young people and encourage them to be the best version of themselves.” Youth ministry at Morley seems to operate 24/7. It includes a Friday night youth program (Morley YTH), case management, school engagement, and school holiday and breakfast programs. It’s a lot of work, and the trio estimate they reach up to 400 young people. And the best part is they are seeing lives changed. “One of the biggest struggles we had this past year was facing the isolation caused by COVID-19. Thankfully, we have had such great support from the Territorial Youth and Young Adult Department,” says Michael. By connecting with young people online or over the phone, the Morley youth team experienced growth, even in lockdown. “Young people are already on their phones, so we as a team thought, ‘Why not put good content, that gives life, into the palm of their hands?’,” says Davis. “We decided to take our Friday night YTH online, and during this period, we were able to have our ‘Summer YTH Experience’, where we engaged with over 400 young people throughout the week, and over 500 people of other ages, too.” Case management plays a pivotal role. Michael and Jodie focus on an early-intervention model to advocate for young people experiencing homelessness, mental health and identity issues, and family estrangement. Clients are referred to them through local high schools, and they always invite them into the Morley YTH community. others.org.au
Community Case Managers Michael Dawson and Jodie Egan prepare breakfast as part of the Morley Youth team's Schools Program.
“We try to look at it from a holistic viewpoint by engaging with the family and providing support where possible (e.g. financial counselling or the COACH family mentoring program). We help the young person build positive connections outside of school, to set goals, and achieve them, and we instil hope,” says Michael. This year, the team engaged with three schools. Aiming to meet the unique needs of each community, Davis, Michael and Jodie offer a breadth of options to students – breakfast programs at Kiara and Hampton Senior High Schools, a recess table tennis program at John Forrest High School, and lunchtime soccer games. They also support Year 7 students through orientation and assist with major mental health events like R U Ok Day. “We may never see the end product, but we truly feel honoured to be a part of [these young people’s] journey – to plant a seed of love and hope in their lives that can potentially grow into something amazing later in their life, where they can then be a positive impact on those around them,” says Michael. “We are seeing them become strong and confident young people.”
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SALVATION STORY
Masks come off for Tamara By Darryl Whitecross As a child, Tamara Forde’s experience of churchgoers was that they were inconsistent. “People wore masks,” she says. “How they behaved at church was not how they behaved at home.” This was also reflected in her own home. “We [my family] presented well at church. Behind closed doors at home, it was a very different story,” she recalls. “I stopped regularly attending church around the age of 12, following my parents’ divorce.” In 2015, Tamara started thinking about giving church another go, if only to give her two boys (Jonah and Levi) a Christian upbringing. She had some friends who were connected to Townsville Riverway Recovery Mission, so she started talking to them.
Tamara Forde, her husband Mark and sons Jonah, 16, and Levi, 15.
“My friends mentioned about coming along to the Christmas Eve dinner at the corps. I had a few weeks to think about it and, on the day, I asked if I could come along and serve. My husband (Mark), children and mother-in-law came along, too,” she says.
“My boys would often stay for the dinner, and I would chat with the corps officers and other Salvos,” says Tamara. “They would invite me to ‘meetings’, but I didn’t realise that was church. I grew up in the Anglican Church and had a very different idea of church.
Early in 2016, Jonah and Levi began attending the corps Kidz Club, which was usually followed by a barbecue dinner and ‘Night Church’.
“After months of invitations, I decided to stop letting fear have control and attended church one Sunday. I remember listening to Major Beth Twivey preaching, and during her sermon, she referred to herself as a sinner. I was astonished. A minister calling themselves a sinner! It was true honesty. There were no masks.”
December 2021 others.org.au General Brian Peddle Territorial Commander Commissioner Robert Donaldson National Secretary for Communications / Editor-in-Chief Lieut-Colonel Neil Venables Publications Manager Cheryl Tinker Assistant Editor Faye Michelson
Staff writers Darryl Whitecross Jessica Morris Contributors Phil Inglis Garth R Hentzschel Claire Clifton Paula Powell Darren McGhee Roderick Brown Tamara Forde Graphic designer Eris Alar
Others is a quarterly publication of The Salvation Army in Australia. Others is printed by Focus Print Group, 25 Arctic Court, Keysborough, Vic 3173, Australia. Print post approved PP236902/00023 Member, Australasian Religious Press Association. All Bible references are quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise stated. General enquiries: others@salvationarmy.org.au
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Although she had grown up in the Church, Tamara admits she had never accepted Christ as her Lord and Saviour: “I always had God, but I never let him have me.” Wanting to “try a different way of living”, Tamara took the step to hand control of her life over to God, which led to her being enrolled as a senior soldier in September this year. “For me, it’s another step of faith and trusting in God’s plan for my life,” Tamara says. “I was so tired of carrying the weight of my past and the fear that was overshadowing all the good in my life. “The biggest obstacle in my life – and God’s biggest miracle – has been learning to trust. Handing everything over to God was literally terrifying at times, but he was with me every step of the way, and He continues to be to this day.”
Scan QR code for more transformation stories on Others.org.au. December 2021