Snow business

Coalface News | Features | Holy Habits | Letters | Mission Priorities | Opinion | Promoted to Glory | Reviews | Social Justice Read me at: pipelineonline.org

The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory September 2011 Volume 15 Issue 9

Also inside MAKING A DIFFERENCE Child sponsorship program OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN! Reflections on Father’s Day THE FORGOTTEN FLOODED Rural chaplains to the rescue

Salvos set for take-off in ski fields ARTICLES BY Commissioner James Condon | Major Leanne Ruthven | Major Kelvin Alley | Adrian Kistan | Commissioner Wesley Harris

Sunday 27th November 2011 10.00am Ordination and Commissioning - Friends of Christ 2.30pm Sent out to Serve

6.00pm The Movement - God through us (Celebrating Young People involved in Mission)

Venue

Sydney Convention Centre

get your shoes ready

Plus Come along and join us for the 2011 Walkathon on September 16.

Our goal is to raise $30,000 to help build a school in Sierra Leone. We also hope to fly flood affected children from Queensland for a fun holiday at the Children’s Camp in Collaroy.

Visit everydayhero.com.au/aged_care_plus_walkathon2011.

Colonel Wayne Maxwell Patron of the Walkathon

Editorial COVER

STORY 8-11 IT’S SNOW TIME

The Salvation Army prepares for winter mission in Australia’s ski resorts. By Esther Pinn

6-7 INTEGRITY 12 HOLY HABITS

Bringing hope

F E AT U R E S 14-17 MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE CHILD AT A TIME

Bill Simpson profiles the growing work of The Salvation Army’s Child Sponsorship Program 18-19 ‘ANGELS’ RESCUE THE FORGOTTEN FLOODED

How Salvation Army rural chaplains are helping to rebuild lives. By Naomi Singlehurst

20-21 OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN

Major Kelvin Alley, reflecting on Father’s Day this month, encourages us to look to the unchanging, constant love of our Heavenly Father 24-25 COUTTS MEMORIAL LECTURE

Danish Salvationist Lars Lydholm turns the spotlight on holiness

REGULARS 3 EDITORIAL 5 TC@PIPELINE

Pain transformed

22 HOW TO DO JUSTICE

Fitting in...

From brokenness to beauty

23 UNLOCKING THE ARMY’S ARCHIVES 28-29 WHAT WOULD JESUS VIEW? 32-41 COALFACE NEWS

S E P T E M B E R

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42 PROMOTED TO GLORY

IN THIS MONTH’S WOMEN IN TOUCH Connecting to God in the chaos of life The Salvation Army WILLIAM BOOTH, Founder International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria street London EC4P 4EP Linda Bond, General Australia Eastern Territory 140 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000 James Condon, Commissioner Territorial Commander Glenn Whittaker, Major Communications and Public Relations Secretary Managing Editor Scott Simpson Graphic design James Gardner, Kem Pobjie

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n my editorial role with The Salvation Army, I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit a number of developing countries over the past few years.

The purpose of these trips has been to research the work of the Army in these countries.

Invariably, my travels have taken me to many of the more desperate situations in what are already impoverished nations, exposing me to people for whom life is a daily battle for survival.

Whenever I’ve reflected on these experiences it’s always the same images that repeat in my memory – the faces of desperate young children, exposed and vulnerable, contending with phenomenal hardships which in some instances are beyond our comprehension.

With three children myself, I’ve found it difficult to control my emotions when confronted by the harsh reality of life for these young ones. It’s a reality which has at times been overwhelming, and can lead to a sense of helplessness.

According to UNICEF, there are 1.2 billion children in the world. Nine out of 10 of these live in developing countries. Millions are denied their basic rights to quality education, health care and protection, and are exposed to abuse and exploitation. A 2004 report (Children on the Brink 2004. A Joint Report of New Orphan Estimates and a Framework for Action) estimated that there were 143 million children in the world classified as orphans.

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Making a world of difference to a child’s life

Cover photo: Shairon Paterson Pipeline is a publication of the Communications Team Editorial and correspondence: Address: PO Box A435 Sydney South NSW 1235 Phone: (02) 9266 9690 www.salvos.org.au Email: eastern.editorial @aue.salvationarmy.org Published for: The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory

by Commissioner James Condon.

Printed by: SOS Print + Media Group 65 Burrows Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015, Australia Print Post Approved PP236902/00023

But as desperate as these figures are, there is hope.

The Salvation Army is just one of many organisations working to make a difference – one child at a time.

In this issue of Pipeline, we bring you a special feature on the work of The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory Child Sponsorship Program, which is part of its Sydney-based International Development Office.

From humble beginnings more than 30 years ago, the program has grown to more than 2000 children in Africa, Asia, South America and the Pacific who are now assisted by Salvationists and supporters.

This amazing program is simply love in action and a direct response to Christ’s command that as followers of him, we are to care for orphans (James 1:27).

The Army is about to launch a new drive to raise the profile of the Child Sponsorship Program and, ultimately, increase the number of children who are supported.

For just $25 a month you can be involved.

That’s all it’s going to cost you to make a world of difference in a child’s life.

Scott Simpson Managing Editor pipeline 09/2011 3

Flawed approach to services

Imitating Jesus

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’m writing in response to the article “Missing The Mark On Core Issue” (July Pipeline).

I have to say, I enjoyed the provocative style of this article which caused the reader to think about the issue more deeply. The issue being, of course, how does a 32-year-old “Aussie bloke” feel entering into a church where they’re singing love songs to Jesus? A good question. But there’s an underlying assumption here that I would like to challenge.

The assumption is this – that our Sunday worship should be designed with visitors in mind at all.

You may think this a strange thing for a Salvation Army officer to challenge, since it is something that is held as sacrosanct in most Salvationist minds I suspect. Evangelism is our thing. We grew out of 19th-century revivalism where this was the way rallies and revivals took place. I suspect when people think about the Sunday meeting with the visitor in mind they are combining “Worship” and “Evangelism”.

Of course, The Salvation Army MISSING THE is not the only MARK ON church that has CORE ISSUE attempted to do this and it’s certainly not a new concept.

But I think it’s a flawed approach to the Sunday gathering.What has happened over the past 20 years or so is an attempt The Salvation Army’s within The Army to National Editor-inChief Captain MAL DAVIES dons a new make our Sunday identity and wanders into the hypothetical worship more world of “a local Salvo corps” to see what’s happening “seeker sensitive” at church in the 21st century in many places. It’s nice, of course, to make visitors feel welcome, and to include them into the fellowship of a corps as soon as possible but that’s not the primary purpose of the gathering. Worship is. There is also a significant danger here if it’s not. Sunday becomes less about worship and more about evangelism, and evangelism becomes less of the task for the entire church and more of a task for the officer.

The problem then is that instead of “worship evangelism” we end up with neither “worship” nor “evangelism” and this article highlights that problem more than it does the way visitors are or are not made to feel welcome.

I suggest that the Army would be better to focus the one hour on Sunday on worship (that is, focusing the gathered faith community around the Word upon the Triune God) and use the other 167 hours of the week to focus on evangelism.

I think we’d be much more successful in developing relationships with 32-year-old Aussie blokes if we encouraged the Aussie blokes who are already in the corps to engage with them outside the corps walls. That way, we’d be “worshipping” and “evangelising” and doing it well, and those we evangelised would want to come to worship because they would already have relationships with those who are there (and the God that we’re worshipping).

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Captain Adam Couchman, Director of The Salvation Army School for Christian Studies.

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s usual, I found July Pipeline packed with excellent articles.

Captain Mal Davies’ hypothetical article about an unchurched guy who went to a Salvation Army meeting was very accurate and therefore very sad. It reflects what happens in many corps and churches across Australia. Mostly they are the smaller congregations as the things highlighted in the article have kept them small or returned them to small.

I have much in my past and present that brings me joy but for me one of the saddest thing that happens is the irrelevance, insensitivity and discourtesy of what happens from the “pulpit” on Sundays in many congregations.

Decades ago, Bill Hybels was starting at his church in Chicago. He stressed a phrase he called “seeker sensitive” (I think “people sensitive” or “courteous” are better terms for it). Radically, he only included one congregational song in his Sunday services and that had to be short and with simple lyrics and sung to a simple tune which, if possible, was known to the unchurched. He was aware of the problems highlighted by Captain Davies ... an awareness that has helped him impact Chicago and the world for Christ.

At that time some corps/churches started “seeker sensitive services”; others took the approach: “OK, if you must, but only about four a year!” In truth, what is needed for Christians is “people sensitive living” 24/7 and, therefore, no public gatherings which do not expect and cater for the “not yet saved”. To do otherwise is simply rude and, therefore, an impediment to evangelism.

In the August Pipeline, there were a couple of responses to Captain Davies’ article. Both made some good points. One reminded us that we must firstly love God with all we’ve got and then love our fellow man with all we’ve got. However, it’s not hard to make a case from the Bible which says loving God is less about singing songs (traditional or contemporary) or about preaching sermons and more about obeying and imitating Jesus. In imitating Jesus, we can’t escape the fact from the early sentences of John’s account of Jesus that he is the One who “became a human being and pitched his tent in our camping ground”.

Sadly, in a rapidly changing world, the writer of that response chose to underline his points by quoting from a version of the Bible whose English was current 400 years ago!

In contrast, the Founder of he Salvation Army (approaching 150 years ago) chose songs with secular tunes and welcomed the publication of the Revised Version of the Bible.

Major Ray Herron, Bulcock Beach, Qld.

Send your letters to eastern.editorial@ aue.salvationarmy.org. Letters should be no more than 250 words in length.

The world for God – I give my heart, I will do my part Commissioner JAMES CONDON challenges Salvationists across the Australia Eastern Territory to dig deep and help resource a world in desperate need

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write this column in a week when the news of the world is confronting to say the least. The famine in Somalia, the riots in the United Kingdom and the loss of 38 lives in the Afghanistan war. More than ever the world needs the message of Jesus and his salvation – a message of hope, love, forgiveness and reconciliation.

In recent months I have been encouraged by the positive things that the Australia Eastern Territory is doing to help address some of the global challenges facing us today.

I want to thank everyone across the territory for giving to this year’s Self Denial Appeal. We raised $2,250,000 – an increase of 4.5 per cent on last year. I thank God for this.

But as I look at the world scene and the world’s needs I want to see us as a territory giving more.

Our Mission Priority 4 states, “Our people equipped and empowered to serve the world.”

I thank God for officers, soldiers and Christian friends from this territory serving in other lands through their obedience to God’s call.

It’s always good to hear news of them and to know that they are fulfilled, challenged and blessed through their service.

Some of them have unique challenges placed upon them and we continue to uphold them in prayer. But I want to see more people equipped and empowered to serve the world.

In this month’s edition of Pipeline you will read about our Child Sponsorship Program through our International Development office.

The work of the SAID office continues to grow and expand under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Pam Hodge and a great work is happening through child sponsorship, gifts that keep on giving, funding for projects and mission teams being sent throughout the world.

The Salvation Army is now in 124 countries and, having served recently at International Headquarters, I know there is a waiting list of countries wanting The Salvation Army to come and commence the work.

The one thing that holds us back on further expansion is limited resources – I refer particularly to finance and personnel.

Again let’s do what we can as a territory to resource the world.

I am privileged to be invited to attend the official opening of The Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands on the weekend of 5-6 November.

The enquiry regarding the opening of the work first came through Territorial Headquarters here in Sydney and now this new work is commencing under the oversight of the Papua New Guinea Territory.

The two Australian territories have committed to financing the work in the Solomon Islands for the first five years. This is yet another way of seeing “the world for God”.

I challenge you to continue to pray, to give and to offer yourselves to see the world for God. I give my heart, I will do my part.

Commissioner James Condon is Territorial Commander of the Australia Eastern Territory

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Inclusive language Major LEANNE RUTHVEN calls for The Salvation Army to come into line with 21st-century wording on gender so that gospel presentations in word, song and text are allencompassing

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t was Christmas morning at The Salvation Army corps. The congregation was singing “And man will live forever more because of Christmas Day,” when a woman noticed her four-year-old daughter crying.

“What’s wrong?” she asked the child, reminding her that Christmas is a happy time because we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

“It isn’t fair,” her daughter replied.

“Why do men get to live forever more and we won’t?”

It’s a true story. Childish innocence?

Maybe. Important question? I think so.

Most of us who grew up in The Salvation Army will have readily sung words from our song book such as “Angels and men before him fall” (song 60, Salvation Army Song Book) or the Sunday school chorus, “I will make you fishers of men”. Then there’s the well known “We wonder why he tolerated men”! (song 274). However, while such wording may have been appropriate for its time, I suggest the 21st-century Salvation Army now needs to leave it behind and use language that literally includes everyone.

I know that in some of our songs and Bible translations the words “men” and “mankind” mean people in general, and

that “brothers” often means sisters as well.

Early Salvationists knew this too, but their literature, understandably, reflected the idioms of the day.

For example, the September 1905 edition of The Field Officer includes a suggested sermon for use when swearing-in soldiers which says, “There is no mistaking a Salvationist who flies his colours: that is, he who wears his uniform”. Even Catherine Booth, who championed the rights of women to preach, said in a March 1883 lecture, “We teach that a man cannot be right with God while he is doing wrong to men ...” But while that kind of language was used then, culturally it’s not used now.

Wider audience

Earlier this year, the print edition of the latest New International Version (NIV) Bible was launched, having already been released in digital format.

Commemorating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, the translators of this new edition obviously believe in the importance of gender-inclusive language.

“For this revision to the NIV,” say the notes from the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), “particular attention has been paid to external feedback in the area of gender language”. In this new

Integrity

Growing Saints

good news for all edition, then, some of the gender-language changes that appeared in the last major revision (the Today’s New English Version) are retained, some revert to those used in the 1984 edition and some have been reworded altogether*.

The CBT’s charter is “to render God’s Word in English as it is spoken and understood by the broadest possible audience”. So, if gender-inclusive

JoAnn Shade, an American Salvation Army officer and author, on the Rubicon website (therubicon.org). “Again and again I find myself convinced that it does matter. Language is important, both to me and to 12-year-old girls in our pews.

“While gender is a complicated issue in our culture, and perhaps even more so in the culture of our churches,” the Major continues, “the use of ‘people’ instead

“Surely the good news is for everyone who comes through our doors, regardless of Army background, age, race, socioeconomic status – or gender.” language is the language understood by this audience, isn’t that what the Army should be using? I know some of our song lyrics won’t rhyme if we change the words, but there are times we can substitute inclusive words such as “all” for “men” and “child” for “son”. And when Scripture is read from the platform, I believe an inclusive language translation should be used.

“Does the language we use in our church settings really matter?” asks Major

of ‘men’ seems like a no-brainer way of including all the people of God in the body.”

There will be those who don’t think about gender-inclusive language at all, and those who see it merely as stifling political correctness. But I wonder what the person new to the Army thinks, the one unfamiliar with church hymns or God’s Word. For that matter, I also wonder what those who are not so new think. Surely the good news is for everyone who comes

through our doors, regardless of Army background, age, race, socio-economic status – or gender.

And it wouldn’t take a lot; a word changed here and there, a Bible reading from an inclusive translation. A new set of Bibles for a corps or centre will be expensive, but if current ones need replacing then surely we should be looking at a translation that will reach the “broadest possible audience”.

Does the good news apply to that child who cried during The Salvation Army carol service, thinking the Christmas message wasn’t for her? Yes, we say, it applies to her.

We know that. Does she? * For further information, including how some of the significant texts on gender roles now read, visit www.nivbible2011.com.

Major Leanne Ruthven is Editor-in-Chief and Publishing Secretary, The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland

What are your thoughts on this article? Email us at eastern.editorial@aue.salvationarmy.org

pipeline 09/2011 7

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Salvos in the snow (from left) Sue-Ellen and Ben Boss-Walker and Captain Louise Nicholson. Photo: Shairon Paterson

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! snow time The first snowflakes to fall on the Snowy Mountains each winter also herald an inevitable rise in social ills as tens of thousands of people flock to the region to either work or play. Pipeline reporter ESTHER PINN spent a weekend in Jindabyne recently where she spoke to Salvationists who have a passion for mission in the snowfields

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he view is breathtaking. Only a five-hour drive south of Sydney and you find yourself in a winter wonderland – the beautiful, picturesque Snowy Mountains.

The air is crisp and it is peaceful, and the distant sound of laughter coming from children having a snowball fight only adds to the atmosphere.

Dig just a little beneath the surface, however, and there is a dark layer of suffering which raises it ugly head each year during the winter months, particularly in Jindabyne, the small town which services the premier ski resorts of Thredbo and Perisher Valley.

Nestled at the foot of the Snowy Mountains range, Jindabyne is home to 3500 people but, during the snow season, more than 100,000 converge on the region for winter entertainment.

While it might seem like the perfect holiday destination – and for many that is the case – Salvation Army Captain Louise Nicholson tells a different story.

Captain Nicholson is the Corps Officer at nearby Cooma and is identifying the social problems in the area, but she is not alone in her quest to effectively reach out to those in need, particularly young people.

Also onboard are ACT and South NSW Divisional Public Relations Secretary Captain Dale Murray and Salvationist couple Sue-Ellen and Ben Boss-Walker, who have all been completing their own research into the region’s social issues.

“Our research shows that people need help – especially young people,” Captain Nicholson says.

“A lifestyle of partying is promoted here during the winter influx and further

social problems often stem from this.”

Captain Murray echoes this view.

“There’s a real need for the Salvos to connect with the people here, particularly the workers,” he says. “When they [the workers] are not in the snowfields they come to Jindabyne and, because there’s not much to do here, some can cross the line of acceptable social behaviour.”

Ben works as a teacher at Jindabyne Central School and says he sees many local teenagers getting caught up in the partying atmosphere, mainly due to a lack of community activities.

“A lifestyle of partying is promoted here during the winter influx … social problems often stem from this.”

“There’s a group of young people from 18 to 28 years of age who travel from all around the world to work at the snowfields,” says Ben. “They work long hours with minimal breaks and spend most of their pay on accommodation. They have little left for food and other things and spend most of their time just partying.

“Many parents will also come down for the winter season and run businesses in the snowfields, some which promote a partying lifestyle. We see a big increase of kids come into the area for a few months and they often get caught up in trouble.

“Besides the local cinema, there’s not a lot to do here. Over the past five years

there has been an increase in young people in the area and they are bored. There’s little employment here and not much to do so they start causing trouble – they’re stuck in a place with no choices.”

Mission teams

While the nation was holding its collective breath watching the dramatic rescue of Stuart Diver unfold during the Thredbo landslide in 1997, behind the scenes The Salvation Army was there providing emergency support and services to the community.

While the Army has a rich history of helping people in the Snowy Mountains region, Captain Nicholson says its work in the area these days has significantly diminished.

“There hasn’t been a big presence of the Salvos in Jindabyne for quite some time,” she says.

“We want to start making a presence and connecting with the community, then people will start to trust us slowly. It’s about small steps. We don’t want to upset the community, but that’s why we haven’t jumped in. We need to gain their trust again.”

Captain Nicholson and Captain Murray are now working towards starting a mission project during the winter ski season.

“We are currently identifying the people who need help; discovering the holes and finding out what we can do,” says Captain Nicholson.

“We are looking to find our niche and where it will work in the region.”

She is also eager to link with local community services and has already spoken with the council, police, fire >>>

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Ben and Sue-Ellen Boss-Walker are keen to be involved in ministry in the ski fields. Photos: Shairon Paterson

Salvos come to the party

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hile in Jindabyne last month, Pipeline spoke to locals and tourists about plans for a Salvos snow mission – and the general response was positive.

“The people who can cause trouble are the seasonal workers who come from all over the world,” said a resident.

“It’s a real party city … and that’s the reason they come.”

Another person Pipeline spoke to, a regular visitor to the area, agreed with this view of the winter atmosphere in Jindabyne and was enthusiastic about the Salvos’ plans.

“I’ve been coming here since I was 14 and a lot has changed since then,” she said.

“There is a real partying atmosphere here and we definitely need help from the Salvos.”

If you are interested in being involved in a mission in the ski fields, then Captain Louise Nicholson (pictured greeting a woman at the snow) would like to hear from you.

Contact her at Cooma Corps on 02 6452 1798 or email louise.nicholson@auesalvationarmy.org

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Sue-Ellen warms to life in Jindabyne

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services and schools about how they can help. “We want to let these services know we are in the area and let them know we would like to help. We want to work with the existing services already in place.”

Captain Nicholson is also linking with the region’s Ministry Association to find out how other churches are already providing assistance to the community.

“Maybe another church isn’t what they need. They need a safe place to go.

Whether we get a vehicle that offers hot chocolate or whether we have a drop-in centre for people who are hungry or just need a safe place.”

Ultimately, Captain Nicholson would like to bring in mission teams during the winter season.

“It would be really wonderful to pinpoint mission beyond the Cooma Corps and host mission in the Snowy Mountains region. That would be my dream to organise people from other corps to come in for mission work,” she says.

Captain Murray says he has a group

hen Ben Boss-Walker was offered a teaching position in Jindabyne, his wife SueEllen was not keen on the idea.

“I didn’t want to come to the snow,” she admits.

“I didn’t enjoy it here first but God started revealing his mission to me. He gave me a vision and told me I needed to be in the snow, especially to help the young people.”

For the past two years, Sue-Ellen and Ben have been ministering to the local communities of Cooma and Jindabyne.

Sue-Ellen is a Salvation Army soldier who leads the worship team at Cooma Corps, runs Mini Musos, playgroup, Bible study and completes administration work while raising her three children – O’Connell, Indiana and Zoe-Grayce.

While Sue-Ellen already lives a busy life in Jindabyne, she is keen to start the Salvo snow mission.

“I just want to get out there and let people know who I am. I want to start making a presence in the community by wearing the [Army] uniform and letting them know that we are here to stay.”

Ben also jumped straight into mission work when he arrived in

Jindabyne. Having spent many years working with the Christian Surfers ministry in Sydney, he had a passion for both young people and snowboarding.

“Every few weeks I go up with the kids [from school] to the snow on a Friday,” he says.

“I talk to people when we are going up into the snow in the chairlifts. I let them know there are people who can help. It has taken a while but I feel people are starting to trust me.”

Along with the winter snow mission, Sue-Ellen and Ben would like to provide long-term services to young people who live in the region year-round.

“We need more communitybased welfare approaches happening throughout the entire year,” says Sue-Ellen.

Ben takes up this point and adds: “We would like to have a service that young people can use, possibly a youth community centre so we can bridge the gap and let them know there are people out there to help them.

“I would also like to set up a presence in the skate park in Jindabyne where all the young people meet in the evenings.”

of young people who are already keen to come to the ski fields during the winter holiday season and be involved in mission.

“We have a number of young people who love snow sports from different corps in Canberra and are keen to come and connect with people in the snowfields.

I believe there’s a real opportunity to minister to the people there,” he says.

“I always worshipped my job and then God called me to the ministry. I was called late in life,’’ she says.

“I graduated from the [Salvation Army] training college at age 50 and this is my 10th year of ministry. I’ve been a corps officer in three corps – Cessnock, Cowra and Cooma.”

With her Scottish upbringing, Captain Nicholson says she is used to the cold conditions and is happy to complete her ministry wherever God sends her.

“They [the Army] keep sending me south,” she jokes.

“I really wasn’t expecting to come to a cold place … but I’ve said to them I will go wherever.” □

Changing Lives

Captain Nicholson, who was born and raised in Scotland, is passionate about changing lives. Before she became a Salvation Army officer, she worked in cancer research, specialising in paediatrics for 27 years.

“My dream since age nine was to be a scientist. I came over here [from Scotland] with my family when I was 20 and worked in cancer research for five years and then I swapped over to children’s medical science.”

But it wasn’t until she was 43 that she became a Christian and started changing lives for God.

Esther Pinn is a writer for Pipeline and supplements.

pipeline 09/2011 11

with Major Barbara Sampson

The discipline of submission Colossians 3:18-4:1 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (v.

23, NIV).

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ubmission is the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get our own way.

Even a moment’s reflection will alert us to the fact that this discipline is strongly counter-cultural. “I’ll do it my way” seems to be the theme song of so many people today.

The discipline of submission frees us sufficiently from ourselves to be able to distinguish between what are genuine issues and what is nothing more than stubborn self-will.

Jesus was the perfect example of a

man of submission. He spoke often about coming into the world, not for his own purposes, but to do the will of his father.

This is what nourished him. He said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started” (John 4:34, The Message).

He lived his whole life with the cross in view. Paul describes how Jesus humbled himself on the cross, the ultimate symbol of submission, and became obedient unto death (Phil 2:8). Living with the cross in view is the kind of life Jesus calls his followers to.

When he said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34), he was calling people to self-denial, not self-hatred. Such following does not mean

losing our identity but rather finding our true identity by way of self-denial living.

This is one of the paradoxes of the gospel. It is in giving that we receive. In losing our life for Christ’s sake we save it.

Submission has at times been used as a weapon, a means of control, against others; but true cross-centred submission brings freedom. When Paul called wives to submit, husbands to love, children to obey, fathers not to provoke, masters to be fair and slaves to obey, he was calling every person at every level of society to live in mutual submission to each other, to put others’ needs before their own.

To reflect on ...

This teaching was as radical in Paul’s day as it is in our own.

Bursting out of the Army ‘bubble’

By Commissioner WESLEY HARRIS

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ometimes it may be right for Salvationists to get into bad company – for goodness’ sake!

It is important for us to get out of our “Army bubble” and confront the world outside.

Some do this through their secular employment, while others make deliberate efforts to extend themselves into situations where evil is rampant.

Jesus said that we should be like salt that flavours society or light that illuminates dark places. Salt is not meant to remain in the salt cellar, nor is light meant to be hidden.

It was also the passion of Jesus who came into the world to save the lost.

William Booth said, “I don’t care how near to the bottomless pit I go in order to save mankind.” His was a passion which made the Army.

We have to stand firm in a world where germs of evil are everywhere to be

found, but ensure that we are immunised by grace.

I recall an experiment where young Christian people sought to infiltrate groups engaged in harmful practices in order to win them for Christ. While there was a real danger of the would-beevangelists being infected by the evil they set out to oppose, there were also some successes.

Jesus possessed what could be called, “holy worldliness”. He got into “bad company” and was known as the friend of sinners, but he remained sinless.

He identified with wrong-doers but maintained his personal identity.

That remains a challenge for us all.

Commissioner Wesley Harris is a retired officer of The Salvation Army

General calls Army to prayer

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eneral Linda Bond (right) has called The Salvation Army to pray for peace and for victims of sex trade trafficking.

A Sunday in September has been set aside for each prayer focus – the fifth year that this has happened.

On Sunday 18 September, the international Salvation Army is encouraged to respond to a call to prayer for peace, focusing on the Bible verse: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9 New International Version).

A week later, on 25 September, Salvationists and friends are called to prayer for victims of sex trade trafficking, with the theme verse: “I have come that they may have life” (John 10:10).

As in previous years, both calls to prayer are publicised with distinctive, thought-provoking images (see ads above) created by Berni Georges of the International Headquarters Communications section.

This year, for the first time, the posters have been produced in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

pipeline 09/2011 13

14

Making

a

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- one child at a time They’re the most vulnerable people in our world; children, many of them orphans or abandoned by their parents, struggling to survive amid desperate circumstances. The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory, through its Child Sponsorship Program, has been helping to improve the lives of these children for years, but wants to do more. In a special feature, Pipeline writer BILL SIMPSON profiles the program, plans to increase the profile of this vital work, and also talks to a number of people who have experienced the joy of meeting their sponsor child

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lmost 2040 children living in Africa, Asia, South America and the Pacific are being financially assisted by Salvationists and supporters in the Army’s Australia Eastern Territory.

Through an annual sponsorship, the financial aid also assists Army schools, children’s homes and day-care centres.

More than 1770 people contribute finances to the Child Sponsorship Program (a ratio of one in five Salvationists and Adherents in the territory), operated by the International Development Office.

An individual child or centre can be sponsored for $25 per month ($300 per year).

The International Development Office is about to launch a new drive to increase sponsorships, which can be for a single child, multiple children or a Salvation Army centre. Countries currently covered include Kenya, Mozambique, Paraguay,

Argentina, Pakistan, Brazil, Malaysia, Myanmar, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

As part of that drive, a team from the territory’s Communications Department recently travelled to Kenya to produce a DVD highlighting the work of the Child Sponsorship Program.

The DVD will be made available to all corps in the territory next year.

Child sponsorship in the Australia Eastern Territory has been happening since 1978 when Sydney Salvationists John and the late Mary Burn were approached by a missionary with a request to find financial help for four boys in Pakistan.

John and Mary advertised the request in their corps newsletter and had sponsorships covered within a few hours.

They received more requests and, so, a child sponsorship program was born.

Now living in South Australia and despite the passing of Mary, John remains a personal child sponsor. >>>

pipeline 09/2011 15

Kenya visit helps Karan see bigger picture

Major Karan Ross meets some children at a Salvation Army home during a recent trip to Kenya.

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schools, abandoned children would just die on the side of the road,” Major Ross says.

She has identified a new program awaiting immediate sponsorship.

“We have a school which has just opened a live-in unit for children with disabilities. These are children who have been abandoned.

“At the moment, the unit is sleeping four children per bed. I saw the children.

Despite their ordeal, they were beaming.

They were beaming because they had somewhere safe to sleep and had food to eat.

“To have sponsorship for them and the school would be wonderful. Imagine how much better life could be for these little ones. And sponsorships are only $25 per month.”

Major Ross is hopeful Salvationists in the Australia Eastern Territory will be inspired to help.

During her Kenya visit, she spoke with relevant child sponsorship representatives in the country’s two Salvation Army territories and saw how money sent from Australia was being spent.

“Photographs we get to see back in Australia do portray something of the situation for us, but until you walk around and see things for yourself you really don’t get the bigger picture,” she says.

“I’ve been to other places [Fiji and Papua New Guinea], but in Kenya, it’s the magnitude of the poverty that is overwhelming.

“If only these children could get a good education, it would make a huge difference in their life.

“The children need to be housed, fed and educated. We can assist. We are not the long-term answer. They have the answer within themselves. They just need some immediate assistance to start the process.” □

magine: little children abandoned by their parents on the side of a road.

It is not an unusual occurrence in Kenya.

Mostly, the children discarded by families have disabilities. Many Kenyans still have centuries-old superstitions about disabilities. It means bad luck.

To rid the family of any ongoing bad luck, the disabled child is discarded.

In many cases, The Salvation Army in Kenya takes in the abandoned child.

Australia Eastern Territory Child

Sponsorship Program Coordinator, Major Karan Ross, has recently returned from Kenya where she saw some of the rescued children for herself.

The Salvation Army operates children’s homes, schools and preschools in Kenya. Many of them are sponsored

by Salvationists and supporters from the Australia Eastern Territory.

Sponsorships cost only $25 per month.

They can be used to help an individual child or an entire school or centre.

“Without the children’s homes and

>>> Most of the sponsors, however, are people within the Australia Eastern Territory. Many sponsor one child. Some people sponsor up to 10 children.

Sponsors include corps, centres and departments at territorial and divisional headquarters’. Salvos Stores is currently one of the biggest sponsors, providing more than 100 sponsorships through its individual stores.

Money contributed through child sponsorship helps the child to receive a basic education. Some sponsorships continue beyond high school to assist the young person at college or university.

Financial support covers school fees, clothing, meals and basic health care.

Salvation Army representatives handle all donations, from receiving the initial gift to its distribution.

Sponsors initially receive a profile,

Bob and Yvonne Todd with their sponsor child, Vinoth, after their unexpected meeting in Malaysia.

16

Steve confronted by reality of Noah’s life

Steve Burfield spends time with his sponsor child, Noah, in Kenya.

S

teve Burfield watched nervously as his five-year-old sponsored child hobbled awkwardly toward him.

It was an incredibly emotional moment for Steve, maybe more moving than he had expected. This was their first meeting since Steve and his wife, Rhonda, started sponsoring Noah more than two and a half years ago.

Steve had seen photographs. But this was different; it was very personal. He was seeing what photographs don’t show.

As Noah struggled on the pathway toward Steve at a Kenyan primary school a

few weeks ago, tears filled Steve’s eyes. He could see his own five-year-old son back home in Sydney.

His son had everything he needed. His son was healthy. Noah, clearly, was not as fortunate.

“Yes, tears did flow as I saw this poor little guy hobbling towards me,” Steve told Pipeline. “There was a time when I was talking with Noah and his teacher that I had to walk away.

“The emotion was incredible. Noah is a shy, timid boy. He is not in good health.

He is malnourished and has infections on

including a photo, of their sponsored child, children or centre. They receive at least one letter from their child every year.

They are also encouraged to send letters, birthday cards and Christmas cards.

children’s homes in the area, we sent a photo of us and advised him of the songsters’ visit.

“We did not know if we would be anywhere near where he lived and, therefore, had no expectation of meeting him.

“We entered the hall at the Ipoh Boys’ Home and stood on the platform to present our program. I noticed a boy of about 14 years looking at me and I immediately thought of the photo I had.

“During our singing, every time I looked at him, he was looking at me. As soon as we finished, I went down to him and asked his name. He replied: ‘Vinoth’.

I said: ‘Oh, Vinoth, I’m Mrs Todd, your sponsor’.

“I called Bob. He was completely taken by surprise. We were able to put our arms around Vinoth. What a wonderful

Surprise meeting

Sponsors are able to visit their sponsored child, arranged through the International Development Office.

Hurstville Salvationists Bob and Yvonne Todd unexpectedly met one of their sponsored children, Vinoth, during a songsters tour of Singapore and Malaysia at Easter this year. Vinoth was in the audience at one of the songsters’ concerts.

“We had received a Christmas card from one of our sponsored children, with a recent photo of him,” Yvonne says.

“Knowing that we were going to visit

his hands and feet. I was overwhelmed.

While it was great to meet Noah, it was a tough, emotional day seeing this poor little boy.”

Steve was in Kenya in his role as The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory Internal Appeals Operations Manager. He was providing assistance to Salvation Army planned-giving directors across the Kenya West Territory.

While in Kenya, he took advantage of the trip to meet Noah. He also met Noah’s parents and older brother Brian, who attends the same school.

“When we talk about school, we are talking about three small mud huts, each about 10 metres by three metres. The kids sit on wooden benches. They have no desks, no electricity, no running water, no blackboards – just the wooden benches, really. And they don’t have a playground.

“You just can’t help but feel for these kids.”

The emotion is still evident in Steve’s face and voice even a few weeks after his visit.

“I just encourage everybody who can to sponsor a child or a school or centre to make life better for these people. It’s just $25 a month. What is that, really, for us who live in such a great country, yet it can make a huge difference in somebody else’s life.

“We have so much here. They have nothing, in comparison.”

Steve left a month’s supply of food with Noah’s family. They used two donkeys to transport the food from the school village to their mud-hut home high in the rugged hills.

He gave Noah a football, pencils, paper and scissors, and handed over three more footballs to the school.

“They couldn’t believe it. For me, it wasn’t all that much of a sacrifice. But for them, it meant the world.” □

experience knowing that we were doing something worthwhile in this young man’s life.

“This experience put a face to our sponsorship and made a significant impact on us.”

For further details of the Child Sponsorship Program, contact the International Development Office at 02 9266 9775, child.sponsorship@aue. salvationarmy.org, or through www. salvos.org.au/said. □

Bill Simpson is a writer for Pipeline and supplements.

pipeline 09/2011 17

‘Angels’ help forgotten flooded

By NAOMI SINGLEHURST

J

odie and Richard with their three young children own 2000 acres of mixed farming properties which span the NSW-Queensland border. After years of drought, the couple, like so many other farming families, hoped that this was the year they would earn a decent income and finally make some inroads into what was becoming a frightening debt.

Then, in January, floods of unheardof proportions roared through their properties “Sovereignton” and “Old Mingoola”, wiping out sheep, seed, bikes, spray units, around $250,000 worth of hay, plus their vegetable crop which was potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Emergency flood assistance funding didn’t stretch to their farmhouse, based on the NSW side of the border.

“All our land, our sheds and our machinery were also affected, and about $300,000 was not covered by insurance,” says Jodie.

Stunned and trying to deal with the very real possibility of losing it all, they were feeling shell-shocked and very alone when Salvation Army Southern Queensland Rural Chaplain, Envoy Neville Radecker, turned up, unannounced, to lend a hand.

With some help from Neville, who they had never met before, the family worked day and night to replant a smaller crop, hoping it would bring in enough money to survive.

“Out of the blue, Neville arrived at our farm, parked his car and stayed! He got on the tractors and did the work we couldn’t pay anyone else to do,” says Jodie.

“He was amazing ... he’s turned up three times, just at the right time, and I actually said to my husband, ‘Are you sure he’s a real person and not an angel?’

Neville’s help was very humbling.

“It was very tough even before the floods and I hadn’t dared open the mail for months, so at first [after the floods] I was a mess but when Neville thought I was ready, he sat down with me and we opened the bills together. He helped with a few we couldn’t pay – and without that we probably couldn’t have continued at all.

“We had no idea that there were rural Salvation Army chaplains, and that they were so devoted to helping rural Australians.”

A week after the floods, Salvation Army Rural Chaplains for Northern NSW,

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Majors Peter and Jean Ridley, were on their way home following the funeral of Jean’s aunt (who had been killed in Queensland flooding) and decided to detour through the same Mingoola/

“He [Neville] was amazing ... I actually said to my husband, ‘Are you sure he’s a real person and not an angel?’”

Bonshaw area. Shocked by the horrendous devastation, and the mood of the locals as funds and emergency services were already completely overstretched dealing with the flooding over the border in

Queensland, Peter and Jean raced home, hooked up their caravan and headed back to the area. They stayed for the next few months.

“We got there exactly a week after the flood hit so the people were still fairly raw,” says Peter.

“The immediate need was just listening to their stories, crying with them ... they were so devastated, we had people who couldn’t even talk.”

Quickly realising that the task was simply too big for them to handle on their own, the Ridleys called on a number of friends from Salvation Army corps – all retirees.

“They helped clear fence lines, pick up rubbish, clean houses ... anything to help,” says Peter. “We went to all the properties.

I don’t think there were any we missed.”

“One family was packed for their first ever family holiday,” says Jean, “but ended up sheltered in their shearing shed.

“When they came back down to the

rebuild their lives Richard inspects flood-damaged irrigation pipes on his property.

(Inset) Salvation Army Rural Chaplains, Majors Peter and Jean Ridley, who provided support to flood victims in northern NSW.

house, the three kids were living in a little room off the lounge room and all the bedrooms were filled with torn-up carpet.

“We organised our teams and spent three days there and painted their rooms for them and fence lines were cleared.

They just couldn’t believe it.”

When the Rotary Club in Tenterfield raised $15,000 for fencing material for the area, The Salvation Army matched it and later raised funds for more.

Peter and Jean say the general mood in the area is now “reasonably good”, but a great deal of trauma remains.

Asked why they have such a passion for caring, Peter explains: “There’s a Bible verse that says ‘the love of Christ compels us ...’

“Our hearts go out to these people who have lost everything.”

And it’s far from a one-way blessing, they say.

“We’ve got friends at Mingoola now for life,” says Peter. □

Major Margaret Dobbie helped feed thousands of people at evacuation centres.

Standing together – Queensland flood report

By LAUREN MARTIN

S

ix months after flood and cyclone disasters devastated large areas of Queensland, The Salvation Army has released a report documenting its immediate and ongoing relief efforts.

Standing Together provides details of how the $25 million generously donated to The Salvation Army, after the disasters, is being spent.

During the crisis more than 200,000 meals and refreshments were served by officers, staff and volunteers at 25 different disaster zones across the state.

When the wind and water subsided, The Salvation Army moved out of evacuation centres and into people’s streets, standing alongside flood and cyclone survivors struggling to rebuild their homes and lives.

More than 1000 volunteers were involved in the crisis response, with Salvation Army teams flown in from NSW and the ACT to assist.

Many volunteers spent weeks on the road, moving from one disaster zone to the next.

Trauma counsellors have been employed, financial counselling services increased and a 24-hour disaster hotline is still operational.

In April, The Salvation Army hosted a holiday camp at its Collaroy centre in Sydney for a number of families affected by the disaster – many of them still grieving the loss of loved ones.

“The Salvation Army has been overwhelmed by the needs we have encountered in Queensland communities impacted by flooding and Cyclone Yasi earlier this year,” says Major Paul Moulds, who is heading up The Salvation Army’s flood response effort.

“We are so grateful to Australians who have trusted us with the resources to respond to these needs.

We will not let you down,” he says.

Standing Together can be viewed at salvos.org.au/disaster Salvation Army flood and cyclone assistance line – 1300 662 217 pipeline 09/2011 19

father’s day

R U O

Father in heaven !

Major KELVIN ALLEY, reflecting on a roller-coaster ride of emotions that defined a turbulent relationship with his father, encourages us to look to the unchanging, constant love of our Heavenly Father

I

t was dark by the time I arrived.

Dinner had already been served and the nursing staff had settled my dad into bed. He was resting but not quite asleep.

The lighting in the room was slightly dimmed and I approached the bed in silence. As I gazed down upon the weakened frame of my 85-year-old father, a lifetime of experiences were flashing through my mind like an old movie. The emotions within me were welling up as I reflected on the journey to this point in time.

Knowing this was my last opportunity, and aware it was also the climactic moment I had worked towards, I reached out to my dad. An artist could not have done justice to capture the fullness of this moment and what it really meant in the ultimate redemption of a loving relationship of a son with his father.

After some 20 years of moving toward this pinnacle in time, I cradled my dad in my arms, my cheek just warming against his own. This precious moment was a suspension in time. I kissed Dad on his cheek, and uttered words that expressed the fullness of my heart at that precious moment. “I love you, Dad.” It was the first time in my life of 50 years, and as events were to transpire it was also the last. With a final, reluctant look I turned and entered the darkness of the car park. Alone in the darkness of the night, with only the stars as witnesses, words will never be able to capture the overwhelming flood of genuine emotion that were privately and intimately expressed in the silence. Dad died a short time later. I would like to think he died knowing the genuine love of a son.

Sensitive time

When asked if I would write an article for Father’s Day, I wasn’t sure where to start. Things were never great between myself and my dad for most of my life. I

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questioned my own legitimacy for being qualified to “put pen to paper” on such an important matter.

Father’s Day can be a very sensitive time for people, depending on their experiences with their father and as a father. Let’s face it – everyone has a dad.

Some may never have ever met their biological dad; others may have wished they never had. There are many who have grown up knowing only love, grace and gentle guidance from their dads, while others have had mixed experiences – perhaps dads who were loving yet overly

“Father’s Day can be a very sensitive time for people, depending on their experiences with their father and as a father.” severe in discipline and punishment.

Father’s Day can, therefore, be a day to be celebrated with love, or it can be a day when all kinds of negative feelings and emotions are brought to the surface.

In the Christian faith, and in particular in The Salvation Army, we wrap up around Father’s Day the ultimate truth that God is our Heavenly Father, knowing, however, that if our earthly experiences of our dads have been negative and painful, then it is likely that we translate these experiences into our perception of what God is really like as our Heavenly Father. In other words, if our dads were always angry at our failings as children, it is more likely that we will have that same

expectation of our Heavenly Father to our many failures in our earthly journey.

In my own case, I have every reason to think that God is an angry, distant God – a God of discipline, punishment and conditions to my performance. However, I don’t.

Because my own dad died knowing the genuine love of a son, out of respect for him I can only say that I was the one who lived disrespectfully towards my dad well beyond my teenage years. I even came to blows with Dad at age 16, and from that moment grew further apart from him.

I was 33 when I was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer. During one of my early sermons in my first appointment, the Lord spoke to my heart to say that I cannot love God and preach the Gospel and hold enmity toward my dad in the very same heart. I recall not long after this, I packed the family in the car and we drove to Canberra where Dad lived, with the genuine intention of building a love relationship with him.

I made that journey again and again, each time doing and saying the kind of things that at first were unnatural and uncomfortable, but as the years passed became easier. Actually, I never saw much change in Dad, but I knew the Lord was changing me.

After 20 years, and with Dad in his final weeks of life, I managed the courage to finally reach out and tell him that he had a son who genuinely loved him.

Mixed emotions

Father’s Day for me is still filled with a mixture of blessings.

Firstly, I still occasionally wish things had been different for not only me, but for my mother and five brothers and sisters.

However, while my own life experiences will never change, the way I now view them has changed significantly. Dad was a product of a generation of men who generally didn’t show affection towards

Sunday 4 SEPTEMBER

other men. Men didn’t hug men back then.

My dad didn’t hug his boys. He was also a product of a generation which knew much more severe discipline than my own generation. I tried hard in the end years of Dad’s life to understand the influences on his own life in his formative years. I got the impression that his life was influenced by difficult circumstances with his own dad who was not home much of the time.

When I set out to love my dad in my adult years, and to discover insights into his formation as a father, I found grace and forgiveness nourishing the spots where otherwise there might have been lingering pain. In becoming a better son, I found that grace and forgiveness were having a more dominant influence in my memories of my dad.

Secondly, Father’s Day is a time for me to reflect on my own life as a dad.

I have four adult children and three grandchildren. From the outset, I had ambitions of being a great father. Now that I’ve had many years to reflect, I would be the first to say my role as a dad has been far from perfect. However, I can see that as I made the journey to becoming a more loving and understanding son to my own dad, my life as a father to my own children also transformed.

In loving my dad I never saw much change in him, but in loving my dad as an adult I can see I have matured and become

more gracious to my own children.

I have often found myself saying to men’s groups that to be a good father is to learn to be a good son.

I think this has been true for me. As I responded to the prompting of God’s voice in my life to build a bridge of love to my dad before he died, the grace deposit of that has been in my own maturing as a dad to my own children.

Gracious Father

Finally, this journey has opened up the most wonderful maturing in my understanding of God as my Heavenly Father. As I extended grace and forgiveness towards my dad, and as I matured in my development as a loving father to my kids, I learned to understand a whole lot more about the love and graciousness of my Heavenly Father.

In learning how to respond to the situations presented by my kids in their adolescent years in particular, I repeatedly withdrew to my closet and examined again the pictures of God as Father that are presented in the Bible, the greatest possibly being the word picture created by Jesus in the story of the prodigal son.

Here is the story of a father who was hurt deeply by his own son, the son taking his leave from the family and effectively telling his dad he was dead to him, and leaving for a good time. The good time

eventually turned bad, and the son’s last resort was to go home, expecting everything that he deserved. However, the picture painted by Jesus is the picture of his own Heavenly Father’s nature of love and grace toward us all. The undeserving son is spotted a long way off, and the grace of the Father is such that he runs to greet him, asks for no apology, and restores him again with every privilege of the family.

On Father’s Day, this is the truth which we can all experience beyond measure – an ever-present Father God whose nature is grace and who loves us unconditionally despite our flaws and failings.

He receives us unconditionally and restores us to his eternal family just as if we have never been unfaithful to him.

Although your experiences of your earthly father may not have been all they could have been, perhaps this Father’s Day you could begin to experience the grace, truth and love of our wonderful Heavenly Father. □

Major Kelvin Alley is The Salvation Army’s National Secretary in Australia.

pipeline 09/2011 21

How to Justice Closing the gap on literacy

By ADRIAN KISTAN

Ways

Justice

to

C

an you imagine not being able to read a road sign or the instructions on a medicine bottle? That is what many Indigenous people face in Australia.

Illiteracy can usually be traced back to the early years of education, and the gap between literacy levels of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children is quite significant.

This is highlighted by benchmark numeracy and literacy tests, with Indigenous students in some communities scoring 74 percentage points below the benchmark.

In our community of Moree, our local primary school, with a high Indigenous population (97 per cent), was rated the lowest performing school in the state on the latest “myschool” website report.

One way in which we have been able to tackle this problem is by engaging with the school system by volunteering at our local primary school. We ask to join a

Volume 1

hour help try to improve the literacy levels of those children.

The teacher typically has a set program to follow and it is all very straightforward.

The activities include helping children to read a book out loud, read word cards and play word-related games such as word bingo.

In talking to the teachers we have found that the children who are struggling the most usually receive the least amount of help in literacy groups.

This is a great opportunity for university students, retirees, stay-at-home mums and others who have time during school hours to engage with a simple yet profound justice activity.

1

literacy group with one of the classes and each week drop into that class for one hour to assist the teacher with literacy groups for that day. We ask for the group of kids that are struggling the most and for that

Adrian Kistan is The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory Indigenous Ministry Coordinator, based in Moree

This article is taken from the book 50 Ways To Do Justice which is published by Carpenter Media and available from Salvationist Supplies in Sydney (www.salvosuppliessyd.com) or The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory’s Justice Unit (www.justiceunit.com.au) for $7.50.

Salvos Stores offer great finds like one-off vintage pieces and incredible fabrics - and it’s satisfying to know that every purchase helps your community by providing;

Meals for the hungry

Assistance in finding employment

Beds for the homeless

Visit www.salvos.org.au/stores for more information or call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)

22

Refuge to victims of abuse

Unlocking the Army’s archives with Major Frank Duracher

Desperate plea opens gates to prison ministry

T

he sun had not yet set on the first day of Taylor’s release from prison. With his only possessions being the clothes he was wearing, Taylor sought out James Barker and John Horsley, officers in charge of The Salvation Army’s work in Melbourne.

There he stood before Barker and Horsley, a man bereft of pride and means, not knowing where he could sleep that night, to say nothing of his next meal or change of clothing.

“Give me a chance!” Taylor begged.

“I am 60 years old and I have only four or five more years to live. I have no recommendations, only bad ones. I’ve never had a home. But give me a chance. I don’t want to die in prison!”

Prior to this day in 1883, prospects for any newly released convict were nil, particularly if the man had no family to go back to; or a family that wanted no part of him. Most likely the only recourse would be to break another law – at least in a jail cell he would get a cot and a hot meal.

But that’s not what Taylor pleaded for.

What he wanted was a chance.

He had absolutely nothing to offer. His life was a series of crimes, failures and one despair after another. Of his 60 years of life, 40 were wasted in a prison. He had no life-skill, no prospect of employment, no home, no loved ones, no friends to offer support. He was a total reject of the secure Victorian world.

Barker and Horsley looked at one another, convinced they could not bear to turn this man away. Although Taylor was one among thousands just like him, this one they had to help somehow.

So this is what they decided to do.

First, they got Taylor some suitable clothes. Then one of them took Taylor home to dig up the garden. Children were at home, and the two men wondered about the wisdom of having an ex-con near them – but they soon saw that the six-year-old was exercising a wonderful influence on the old man. In fact, all of the children seemed to soften his gruff demeanour.

Each evening, Taylor would accompany his new Salvationist friends to the corps for the nightly evangelistic meetings. At one such meeting, Taylor got soundly saved.

Within a few weeks, Taylor was sent to the Army’s facility in Bendigo, where he went to work wherever The Salvation Army needed him. The distance from his old past did wonders on his continual rehabilitation – that and his new life in Jesus Christ.

James Barker (above) was one of three Salvationists in the 1880s who pioneered a prison gate ministry outside Melbourne Gaol to help prisoners adjust back into society on release.

Taylor did not survive the four or five years he thought he had remaining. A severe stroke landed him in hospital and he died shortly thereafter.

But his prayer had been answered. He did not die in prison. Instead, he entered Heaven a born-again, ransomed offender – a child of the King.

Birth of a ministry

Up until now, we’ve only seen what The Salvation Army did for Taylor. What is equally impressive is what Taylor did for the Army.

It got Barker, Horsley (and later another Salvationist, John Hendy) to thinking. The three men were regular visitors to Melbourne Gaol, with the words of Taylor’s heart-rending pleas still ringing in their ears, “Give me a chance!”.

Barker, Hendy and Horsley made it a habit to meet men upon release at the prison gate. They threw open their homes to these men, but it quickly became apparent that greater arrangements needed to be made.

A house was rented and an officer appointed to oversee this new ministry of meeting ex-prisoners at the main gate in the first minutes of freedom.

The house they chose was 37 Argyle Place South in Carlton, opened on

8 December 1883. And the officer they selected was Captain W Shepherd, a bornagain man with a prison record of his own.

This was a tremendous step of faith.

The Army had no money, but something had to be done.

The need was so very great. A Women’s Prison Gate Brigade was soon formed as well. A second Men’s Prison Gate Home opened in Ballarat in 1885 and a third opened in Sydney on Christmas Day 1886. More followed in other colonies across Australia.

This act of faith, blooming from the pathetic beseeching of a haunted old man near the end of his life – was the opening of a vast network of such Salvation Army institutions around the world.

Who knows how many thousands of men and women received rehabilitation and redemption because one old man asked for another chance? We’re so glad he got that second chance.

Major Frank Duracher is the editor of Warcry in Australia.

pipeline 09/2011 23

holiness Lars focuses on

in Coutts Lecture

By SIMONE WORTHING

L

ars Lydholm was guest speaker for the annual Coutts Memorial Lecture, given at The Salvation Army’s Booth College in Sydney on 28 July, and at its Carindale Corps in Brisbane on 31 July.

More than 150 people either attended or listened to a live stream of the lecture, which centred on the subject of holiness, over the two venues.

Lars, who holds a Candidate’s (Ph.D) degree in Theology from the University of Copenhagen, is also a member of The Salvation Army International Doctrine Council and is the head of Business, Administration and Communication for the Army’s Denmark Territory.

He also led a retreat day at Booth College on 29 July, and gave the message at the Sunday morning service at Carindale before delivering the Coutts Lecture later in the day.

Lars was accompanied by his wife Charlotte, who gave her testimony in both Sydney and Brisbane.

Lars chose the topic “Human, Holy and Divine – the same thing? Reflections on Modern Christology”, for the lecture.

“As it was the Coutts Lecture, I wanted the theme to be connected to holiness,” he explained.“Holiness is being Christ-like, so I combined the two things. Christology raises the point, which Christ do we have to be like?”

During the lecture, Lars said that he often hears people say that holiness theology and teaching is in decline in The Salvation Army, and that it is not talked about as much as it should be.

“To be perfectly honest with you, I feel the need for a new language and perspective surrounding how we depict holiness, and not necessarily more teaching on the subject. For example, are we talking about holiness from above, or holiness from below?”

Lars commented that two recent book releases, Salvation Story and the current Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine, have done a great job in making the doctrine of holiness more understandable and accessible.

In Brisbane, the lecture challenged many people and raised several controversial questions, some of which Lars addressed after he had spoken.

These included questions about his comments that “only a God could be so human” and his admission that, in order to relate to holiness, he needed a language other than that used by North Americans.

“For me, the importance of holiness is about living, incarnating the message,” Lars explained. “It’s Christ-likeness.

“To be honest, often when I hear The Salvation Army talking about holiness, it’s like we’re the only ones doing it and grasping it.

“Other churches may not talk much about it in that way, but it’s there.”

Challenge thinking

Lars believes that his job in giving the lecture was to challenge people’s thinking and to offer a different perspective.

“Of course, I don’t ask or expect that everyone will agree with me,” he said.

Lars Lydholm gives the Coutts Memorial Lecture at Carindale Corps in Brisbane. Photos: Troy Grice

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Invitation an opportunity to grasp

“I just want them to start thinking, and to start thinking outside the box.”

Lars discussed the temptation to think that there was only one answer to every question when it came to theology.

“This [the one answer idea], though, is a fundamentalist approach,” he said.

“There can be many answers, which some people think is dangerous and others consider fruitful. It means, though, that there can be unity in diversity and diversity in unity.

“It’s like a tree – Christ is the trunk and all the different denominations are the branches. We are alike, but we are not the same.

“Similarly, the same question can often be answered both yes, and no. And there are mysteries.

“After eight years studying theology, I know I have less answers and more questions.” □

Listen to the Coutts Memorial Lecture online at: http://salvos.org.au/boothcollege/news/ events/archives-coutts-memorial-lecture/

Lars and Charlotte Lydholm

By SIMONE WORTHING

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hen Danish Salvationist Lars Lydholm was asked whether he’d be willing to come to Australia and give the annual Coutts Memorial Lecture, he had no hesitation in accepting the invitation.

His wife Charlotte’s enthusiastic response only confirmed his decision to accept the offer, which came from thenCommissioner Linda Bond.

“When I asked Charlotte her immediate answer was, ‘Just do it!’” he said. “We are both delighted to have this wonderful opportunity.”

Lars holds a Candidate’s degree (equivalent of Ph.D) in Theology from the University of Copenhagen, specialising in Dogmatics and Systematic Theology.

“I have been a Salvationist all my life, but my keen interest in theology came from meeting people of other faiths – a teacher at school who was interested in new religions; a classmate who suddenly stopped his A-levels and joined the Bhagwan Rajneesh Cult, and others,” Lars explains.

“All these experiences sparked an interest in theology and the question of truth, Christian identity and the dialectic tension between relevance and identity.”

Lars lectured in Dogmatics and Systematic Theology at Copenhagen University from 1995-2000 and has also extensively taught church history and the New Testament.

“Funnily enough, I was the only non-Lutheran professor teaching in the faculty, and yet I was teaching Lutheran confession!” Lars says.

Lars has been a member of The Salvation Army’s International Doctrine Council since 2004, and is one of the few lay personnel to serve on this body. It was through the council that

Lars met now General Bond, as well as Australian Salvation Army officers.

In his current role – or roles! – Lars is head of Business, Administration and Communication (including Fundraising, Marketing and Public Relations) for The Salvation Army in Denmark.

“Many of the skills I learned studying theology in university – to read large amounts of material, to analyse and come to conclusions – are extremely valuable to me in these roles,” he explains.

“This, combined with an understanding of why we are here in terms of Salvation Army mission and theology, help me to analyse, prioritise and make sound decisions, whether in communication, business or even finances.

“I couldn’t do the job as well if I only had a business degree.”

Army heritage

Lars was born and raised in The Salvation Army. His parents are Commissioners Carl and Gudrun Lydholm, who have served throughout Denmark and also as leaders in other European commands and territories.

While Charlotte’s family are not Salvationists, the Army has been a part of her life since she started attending Sunday school there as a child.

The Lydholms have one daughter who is about to leave on a mission trip to Ukraine to serve in Salvation Army youth summer camps.

During their time in Australia the Lydholms visited Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Uluru and North Queensland.

“Australia is a very big and very beautiful country,” Charlotte says.

“The landscapes and the wildlife and nature is so different and so beautiful.”

pipeline 09/2011 25

Territorial Men’s Ministry assistant MALCOLM BEESON reports on the recent Just Men conference at Collaroy

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ore than 270 men in one room worshipping, praying, laughing, listening and making commitments.

Pinball machines, arcade games, racing car, sports car, motorbike, coffee machine ... it could only be Just Men at The Collaroy Centre!

Author, preacher and internationally renowned business speaker Dr Reggie McNeal was the special guest for the weekend. His topics included “The Bottom Line”, “Why Are You Here?”, “What is Really Important to You?” and “What Are You Good At?”.

All Dr McNeal’s sessions were based on Scripture and encouraged men to be the people God wanted them to be. He quoted from the film Chariots of Fire, when Eric Liddell was delaying his departure for China to serve as a missionary so he could run in the Olympics. In the film, Liddell says, “God made me for a purpose: China.

But he also made me fast! And when I run, I feel his pleasure”. Dr McNeal explained that each of us can bring a smile to the face of God. The overall impact of the weekend was not to ask God to join in what we were doing, but for us to join God in his mission. The focus of the weekend was in the final session – worship and ministry – when delegates were challenged about their lives and invited to fill out a scorecard before offering themselves for mission – God’s mission.

Many men made commitments to God, both first time and renewal. There were lines of men requesting prayer with leaders who included Commissioner James Condon, and other Salvation Army officers.

Worship was led by Nate Brown and featured a blending of new and old songs.

The “are you man enough?” challenges showed how easy it is – for some, at least

– to hammer screws into wood, assemble furniture flat packs and pack up beach sunscreens.

The Saturday night featured “The Gruen Transfer” where the men were given an insight into the advertising industry by a panel led by the chairman of ad agency Ogilvy & Mather Australia, Tom Moult. This was followed by a challenge to prepare a light-hearted advertising campaign designed to encourage more people into The Salvation Army – in this case, redheads.

The weekend also allowed plenty of time for men to take part in workshops and leisure activities.

Here’s some of the encouraging feedback from men who attended the conference: • “It was an awesome time. Not only did I meet some great people, but I also got to know the men from my own church a lot better.”

• “The weekend gave me peace and answers to the questions I have on my heart right now.”

• “An important time to refocus and really get a grip on who Christian men can and should be in today’s world.”

• “It was fantastic to see men from all walks of life and Christian experience coming together to deepen their relationship with God.”

• “Great speaker, great praise, great to share life with men who love the Lord.”

• “It was a great weekend which brought me closer to my Lord.”

• “The weekend was great. It asked questions that needed to be asked about men and the church.”

• “Totally surprised, totally blessed and totally challenged. Oh, and it was a stack of fun as well!”

Planning is already well advanced for next year’s conference which will be held at The Collaroy Centre on 27-29 July.

Guest speaker Dr Reggie McNeal delivers a talk to the conference.

ig Cra n ain t w p s do Ca lay d u d o To ey “ar gh” an o n u e n ma ge. llen a h c

The Gruen Transfer – season four CHANNEL: ABC1 TIME-SLOT: Wednesdays, 9pm RATING: PG

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or those who may have missed the first three seasons, The Gruen Transfer is a show that explains the thinking (or lack of) behind the advertising campaigns Australians are exposed to each day. As host Wil Anderson puts it, it’s “A series about why we buy, and how we’re sold”.

Anderson is joined by a panel of CEOs and creative directors from the country’s leading ad agencies who weekly lift the lid on the methods producers use to ensure commitment to their product or message.

In the first episode panellists referred to the millions supermarket chains like Coles and Woolworths spend every week attempting to understand and influence their customers.

The retailers’ basic message may remain the same, but understanding the way their audiences are thinking dictates the form it will take. This is the sort of thought that can transform light entertainment into an educational experience for Christians.

Take that battle between Coles and Woolies, for example. The Gruen Transfer panel considered how Coles is still managing to build market share even though it’s currently broadcasting an irritating ad featuring large red hands pointing to price reductions.

“In advertising we sometimes overestimate the likeability of brands,” creative director Dee Madigan explains.

“People might click a Facebook group to say that they hate Coles but it’s not going to stop them going there if they think it’s cheaper.” The principle? What an outlet offers can be compelling even when the outlet isn’t.

When Mark McCrindle, from McCrindle Research, carried out research for the Jesus All About Life campaign, he made a similar content-over-brand finding: “Of the elements we tested [with Australian audiences], ‘Jesus’ was strongly positive. ‘Christianity’ was slipping,

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The Gruen Transfer host Wil Anderson with panelists Todd Sampson (left) and Russel Howcroft.

though still in the positive. With ‘religion’ we were more on the negative side. ‘Bible’ was very authoritarian, and by the time we were talking about ‘The Church’ people were very negative.”

Panelist Todd Sampson translated the same research into commercial language for The Gruen Transfer: “When it comes to the church, [Australians] like the product, they just don’t like the retail outlet.”

Lessons like these can help churches trying to work out what their focus should be in proclaiming the Gospel. Catholic, Anglican and even The Salvation Army are just brands to most Australians. Jesus is the product that actually earns their respect.

Churches that reduce his presence in favour of other differentiators like “community-focused”, “youth-oriented” or even “Bible-based” are likely to decrease their appeal over time. Without Jesus, what’s on offer becomes little different to what they could get at a charity, nightclub or debating society.

Wil Anderson hosts a cutting look at the advertising industry.

What would Jesus view?

The Help RATING: M RELEASE DATE: 1 September

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he Help is an eerily familiar film.

Not because civil rights and America’s southern states are recognisable territory for moviegoers, but because racism is a far more human condition than we’d like to admit.

Watching three women overcome it one day at a time in their own small town context reminds us that evil only has as much power as we give it.

The Help frames a picture of the privileged lives of white women living in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, and the Negro maids who make their relaxed existence possible. Emma Stone plays Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, a southern belle returning from Mississippi University who desperately wants to become a journalist.

While investigating cleaning tips for a weekly column, she comes into close contact with Aibileen Clark, a “coloured” domestic who’s been raising white children for most of her life.

Skeeter’s town is dominated by racial prejudice and presided over by her meanspirited school friend Hilly Holbrook.

Skeeter wonders what Aibileen and her fellow maids really think of the world they daily maintain. She persuades the maid and her feisty friend Minny Jackson to help her write a book on their reflections.

Everywhere I looked in The Help I saw the small town I grew up in reflected back at me. The same could be said for the best and worst that came from the characters’ mouths. My mother was full of the same home-spun wisdom the Negro nanny Constantine offered a growing Skeeter: “Every day you have to make a decision: am I going to believe the bad things that people say about me?”

Respected members of the community reflected Hilly’s prejudices in their own opinions about ethnic groups or minorities. In The Help Hilly is determined to promote a “Home Sanitation Bill” with the Mississippi governor that will require private homes to install separate toilets for coloured people. She tells Skeeter: “It’s

just plain dangerous. They carry different diseases to us. You ought not to joke about the colour situation – I will do anything to protect my children.”

It sounds ludicrous because the audience is well aware Hilly is far more concerned about the status quo than her children. But Hilly’s conviction made me wonder what pseudo-wisdom still managed to cloak prejudices today?

Though it’s a story about the past, The Help has an eye on the present as well, offering viewers cleaning tips for the soul.

Take the frequently expressed idea that religion causes conflict. In The Help the motivation for the maids telling their stories rises not from their “right” to speak but their recognition that justice is something God requires us to work towards. Aibilene tells Skeeter it was God who convinced her to take part.

She’s reflecting on the words of her black minister: “Moses said he couldn’t speak [but] courage [is] about overcoming fear and daring to do what is right for your

fellow man. God commands, compels us to love. Love, as exemplified by our Lord Jesus Christ, is to put yourself in harm’s way for the sake of your fellow man.”

For her, practically showing “God’s love” meant being prepared to share what she knew about life: “God says we need to love our enemies. It’s hard to do. But it can begin by telling the truth.”

And so the maids try to help their white world understand truths that might enrage them, but they desperately need to hear.

In the end Aibilene’s words amount to a disturbing conviction for Hilly that God will one day have something to say about her behaviour.

The Help is a beautifully crafted tale, but it’s got more to offer than feminine wisdom and a feel-good story. It stands as a testimony to a post-religious world that God is not the problem. To quote GK Chesterton: “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”

Emma Stone (left), Octavia Spencer (centre) and Viola Davis build an unlikely friendship in The Help, a movie set in America’s south.

pipeline 09/2011 29

Family support essential for healthy, growing corps

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hile shopping at Bunnings, I noticed 36-year-olds the way they live, then in our homes we need to model our faith and 63-year-olds. through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I saw five-year-olds and 50-year-olds. There When you sin, admit it and seek forgiveness. Let your children were families together, mums and dads, teenagers watch you grow in your faith, even as you struggle with issues. Let and singles, and grandparents with grandchildren. them see your faith by your actions as well as your words.

All of them were people who Jesus would welcome.

Parents, take a few minutes to think about your family and What does a 50-year-old need in their shopping experience to these statements: become and continue as a customer of Bunnings? Respect, being • My children see living God’s Word as a lifestyle. listened to, needs met, to name a few.

• We regularly have faith conversations at home.

What does a five-year-old need in their shopping experience • My children see me praying. to become and continue as a customer of Bunnings? My guess • I’ve told my children how and when I became a Christian is that a five-year-old and a 50-year-old have basic needs that are and how God has been faithful. on-going and common to all ages.

However, scripture also says parents What does a 50-year-old or a five-yeararen’t alone and as a church we can equip and old need in their experience to become and motivate parents to spiritually lead their kids “ Let your children continue as a disciple of Jesus? Respect, because the average church has only 40 hours watch you grow being listened to, a praying and caring in a given year to influence a life. The average community, an opportunity to respond to parent has 3000 hours per year to influence a in your faith, even the gospel of Jesus. life.

At Bunnings, children were playing in The church needs to come alongside parents as you struggle with the playground and sitting at the kids’ craft to give them a boost of confidence by helping space making toy trains. Toddlers were them see God’s perspective of their role. issues. Let them pushing kid-size trolleys. Teenage boys were To help this happen, we have been see your faith by enjoying a fundraising sausage sizzle. intentional about including ‘parent’s pages’ There are times when adults go to the Junior Soldier lessons and Decision Week your actions as well with store to do their own thing, like grand-dad material. checking the DIY video to see how to sand During Easter week, Pentecost and Mother’s as your words. ” his timber floor, dad hiring a trailer and Day, family devotions were put on the children’s mum buying plants for the garden. Families ministry website to help families focus on Jesus. are welcome there.

On our children’s ministry website As a church, we need to put out a welcome mat that says: All (www.salvos.org.au/children/families) we’ve included: families are welcome here.

• Activity pages to help children write or draw what they’re The sign of a healthy corps is one that helps all Christians – seeing and hearing during church. regardless of age – discover their gifts and express them through • Faith based conversation starters for parents to chat with serving in ministry. Family ministry looks different in every corps. their kids as they travel along in the car.

Yes, you want to reach all ages in your church and community • Newsletter quotes you can add to your corps newsletters with the love of Jesus. Yes, you want to see them grow spiritually. to keep thinking families.

Yes, you want to see children loving Jesus for a lifetime and • Ideas for family friendly worship. families growing in Christ.

“Tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, Everything you’re doing for children can have even greater his power and the wonders he has done… so the next generation impact when you’re intentional about getting parents involved, would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in as well. turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in Nobody has more potential to influence a child’s relationship God.” Psalm 78: 4-7 with God than parents.

As a family, we need to be intentional about how we influence I believe the Bible clearly points to parents as the primary our children. As a church, we need to support, encourage and faith influencers in children’s lives: equip parents in this lifestyle.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength.

Together, we need to be a consistent, Write these words on your hearts. Impress them on your children spiritual voice seeking to make a difference over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether for the next generation. you’re at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them.”

Deuteronomy 6:5-8.

In other words, make them become part of your normal every Major Heather Unicomb is Territorial Director of Family Ministries. day living. If we want our children to have a faith that influences

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

7 MISSION PRIORITIES 1. A territory marked by prayer and holiness 2. Our whole territory – in every place – involved in evangelism 3. Corps – healthy and multiplying 4. Our people equipped and empowered to serve the world

Kids breakfast unites all in fun

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ne Saturday morning each month, more than 120 children, women and men meet for breakfast as part of a combined corps-social family activity in Cairns.

It started as a Kids Breakfast for children of women accommodated at Centennial Lodge crisis centre.

But it has broadened in appeal to attract adults from Centennial Lodge men’s hostel, Cairns and Atherton Corps and other Salvation Army centres as participants and helpers.

“It’s a great program,” says Cairns Corps Officer Envoy Meredith Moore. “Major Melba Crisostomo, who is Women’s Program Development Officer in Cairns, runs Centennial Lodge and the breakfast program. She does an excellent job.

“The breakfast has been so successful in providing a sharing time for children and families that others just want to help out.

“Cairns Corps, for example, has 16 nationalities represented, so these events are a great opportunity for our people to get together socially and also mix with people from other Salvation Army services.”

Each breakfast has a theme. A recent breakfast was based on Moses leading the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt. Children and adults got to play a part in the story (see photos).

“So, the children not only have breakfast but they also hear and get to act in great stories of the Bible,” Envoy Moore says.

“We see families from the breakfast at our Sunday services every few weeks.”

Territorial Director of Family Ministries Major Heather Unicomb says: “What I love about this program is that families are totally involved in all of the activities – craft, storytelling, dressing up, etc.”

5. The territory passionate about bringing children to Jesus 6. Youth trained and sent out to frontline mission 7. Significant increase of new soldiers and officers

Families share lives at Rouse Hill Corps

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ouse Hill Corps in Sydney’s north-west has an intentional “family” segment as part of its Sunday morning meetings.

The “family” component complements the regular “kids’ time”.

Although “kids’ time” is held every Sunday, “family time” is scheduled about every three weeks. “We want it to be special, so we give families time to prepare their contribution,” Corps Officer Captain Nigel MacDonald told Pipeline.

“We encourage every member of a family unit to share a little of what is happening in their lives so that other corps members are better informed of how to support each other.”

Family members may talk about how they pray together, read the Bible, celebrate special milestones such as birthdays or starting school or a new job, or how they are learning to live corps values.

A family recently shared about what they each as individuals got from a Bible story told by Captain MacDonald as part of a Sunday morning sermon.

“There are a whole range of subjects that families can speak on,” he says. “We see these family sharing times in our meetings as a way of showing families that they are important to our corps; that we want them to be part of us.

“Our experience is that families certainly appreciate being included. It’s a great encouragement to us all.”

Captain MacDonald says families make up the vast majority of his corps. “For example, if everybody turns up on the one day, we would have about 85-90 people. When the children go out of the meeting for Kids’ Church, our congregation drops by at least 50 per cent.

“It’s a bit of a surprise, especially for the preacher. But we are excited as a corps to see evidence of so many young families. We have some older saints who have been at the corps for some time and it’s encouraging to see them supporting the younger families.

“Intentionally inviting families to share where they are in life is about showing them that they are valued and that they belong to the corps not only as an individual but as a complete family unit.

“It shows them that it’s okay to talk openly about struggles – if they want to – and that others understand and will stand by them.

“That experience helps to build unity in a church. We are seeing that. It also helps to build ownership; that it’s not all about the officers.

“We (wife Sandy and he) don’t want to leave here for at least 100 years. It’s a real family corps. Our family is very happy to serve here.” pipeline 09/2011 31

From the coalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

Cate on the menu at Oasis auction A

cademy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett put herself up for a lunch date at The Salvation Army Oasis Ball auction on 30 July.

A live auction was held on the night and one guest bid $5000 for a private three-course lunch with Blanchett and Oasis Youth Support Network Director Major Robbin Moulds at the acclaimed Aria restaurant in Sydney.

More than $63,000 was raised at the annual ball held at Doltone House Darling Island Wharf, through both live and silent auctions that took place throughout the evening.

The money will be used to improve the services provided by the Oasis Youth Support Network.

“If there is something you need to know about Oasis tonight, it is that it takes a network of services, a team that never gives up,” said Major Moulds. “A place, an Oasis, where homeless young people can feel safe, valued and have the opportunity to heal and grow. At Oasis, little by little, broken hearts are restored.”

More than 200 guests attended the ball representing the business, government and media sectors including Federal Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness Mark Arbib.

Justice Crew, last year’s winners of Channel Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent, opened the evening with three spectacular dance numbers and were followed by television presenter James Matheson, who hosted the evening.

“He was the auctioneer and he encouraged people to bid high on the live auctions,” explained Vanessa Birch, Communications and Fundraising Coordinator at Oasis Youth Support Network.

“He has this huge heart for Oasis and the kids.”

There were also performances by two young people from Oasis. Sepora delighted the audience with her vocal talents, particularly when singing Coldplay’s hit The Scientist.

Lily Hatten followed with a contortion routine, wowing the audience with her dramatic displays of bending her body.

Aside from the lunch with Blanchett, other items from the live auction included flights to Auckland, and the ultimate concert experience – two tickets to six of the best upcoming concerts in Sydney.

Additionally, a three-week media auction was also held.

About $540,000 worth of products was up for grabs through 10 different media packages.

James Matheson (above) was the celebrity MC for the Oasis Ball. (Right) Major Paul Moulds, former long-term director of the Oasis Youth Support Network, with federal minister Mark Arbib. Photos: Shane Schipper

Facebook church: a seat in the digital pew S

hoalhaven Corps participated in its first interactive “Facebook Church” on Sunday, 3 July.

Sixteen participants made 124 comments as they prayed, read the Bible and discussed the message together.

“We’d been experiencing numbers dropping on a Sunday night due to the [colder] weather and school holidays,” explained Lieutenant Alice Folan-Foley, Assistant Corps Officer.

“That Sunday night the weather was awful and people were worried about driving, so instead of doing nothing we took to the internet to share in worship and discussion.”

Lieut Folan-Foley advertised the meeting on Facebook for an hour before it started and gave basic instructions to participants on how to use the program and guidelines to maintain confidentiality.

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“I ‘spoke’ about ‘A Cause to Die For’ based on John 15:13 and gradually gave the message using the ‘status’ box,” Lieut Folan-Foley said.

“We were so pleased with the response that we are trying to widen our network and look into having Facebook Church and all small groups more often.

“We hear so many negative things about Facebook but this is something positive, a different and user-friendly medium that we can use to allow people to worship and pray from the comfort of their own homes. I am looking forward to seeing just what we can do with this in the future and taking a seat on the digital pew.”

For anyone interested in participating, you can find the “service” on Facebook under “Shoalhaven Corps”.

FrFrom o m t the h e ccoalface oalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

Salvos raise bar on legal services I

n a world first for The Salvation Army, the Australia Eastern Territory has opened a high-end commercial law firm to raise money for a humanitarian service that provides advice and representation to people in need.

The NSW Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Greg Smith, officially launched Salvos Legal at a ceremony at Parliament House, Sydney, in late July.

The service offers first-class commercial legal services, with the profits from property and transactional services funding the employment of specialist lawyers who offer free representation to society’s most disadvantaged. Humanitarian services offered include criminal law, family and children’s law, welfare, debt, housing and refugee and immigration law.

Salvos Legal founder and Managing Partner, Luke Geary, says it’s a unique business model that allows it to operate independently of donations.

“Salvos Legal is the only law firm of its type in Australia,” he said. “Companies and individuals who choose Salvos Legal are provided with a first-class legal service at a market competitive rate, but with the knowledge that the fees paid are used to help those less fortunate in times of crisis.”

Salvos Legal is based on the plan of Salvation Army founder William Booth, whose 1890 work In Darkest England and the Way Out included the establishment of a “poor man’s lawyer”.

While the firm already has offices running in the Sydney suburbs of Surry Hills, Parramatta, Auburn, Campsie and Miranda, Territorial Commander Commissioner James Condon announced at the launch a new partnership with Canterbury City Council and the appointment of a new partner, Anne-Marie Paterson, to a new Salvos Legal Humanitarian arm in Lakemba.

Commissioner Condon also announced the establishment of a new Salvos Legal Humanitarian full-time office in Goodna, Queensland.

Mr Geary said he hoped the work the firm is doing – and the model by which it is doing it – would spark a new generation of law firms.

“I hope this will mark the commencement of a brand new ‘sector’ in the provision of legal services,” he said. “Not strictly private, government or community, but rather a cooperative sector involving clients from all of those areas.”

Salvos Legal founder Luke Geary (centre) with Salvation Army Commissioners James and Jan Condon at the launch of Salvos Legal which was held at Parliament House in Sydney.

Cara awarded scholarship to assist with officer training C ara Brackstone, a second-year cadet at The Salvation Army School for Officer Training in Sydney, has been selected to receive Dimension Data’s Steve Ross Scholarship.

The scholarship, which is in its third year, allocates $7500 annually to support a cadet at Booth College. It is in memory of Steve Ross who was a Dimension Data stalwart for more than 13 years, helping the company to become a market leader for IT training. Steve was also a passionate advocate and supporter of The Salvation Army.

“He [Steve] was a fantastic role model and his values and character are continued in the good work of The Salvation Army cadets and Dimension Data people that receive this scholarship in his name,” said Steve Nola, Australian CEO of Dimension Data.

Major Gavin Watts, Booth College Principal, explained why Cara, a member of the Friends of Christ session, was selected to receive the scholarship.

“Cara has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in the community,” he said.

“She has been involved with The Salvation Army for many years and has constantly shown that she has a clear desire to drive positive action. She also has a clear commitment to her education and we believe that this scholarship will be a vital asset in helping her to concentrate on her studies and complete the course.”

Cara, who became a Senior Soldier when she was a teenager, is grateful for the significant financial support the scholarship will provide.

“I am extremely fortunate to have received this generous support from Dimension Data,” she said.

“Completing this course as full-time study without any funding would have been incredibly difficult. This scholarship enables me to follow the career path that I’ve dreamed of since I was a teenager.”

pipeline 09/2011 33

From the coalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

Walkathon takes giant stride for African education

By VICTORIA HOLLICK

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ollowing on the heels of last year’s walkathon success, The Salvation Army Aged Care Plus and Auburn Corps have joined forces to raise $30,000 for a much-needed primary school in war-torn Sierra Leone.

Their efforts will be boosted by employees of The Army’s Australia Eastern Territorial Headquarters, who will take part in a 6km walkathon in Sydney on Friday, 16 September.

“We believe every child has the right to a good education,” said Sharon Callister, Chief Executive Officer of Aged Care Plus.

“We saw this as a perfect opportunity to bring to life the One Army, One Mission creed. With your assistance the children of Jui village will have their school.”

Sierra Leone has been racked by civil unrest for decades.

In the past, Sierra Leoneans were noted for their educational achievements, trading activity, entrepreneurial skills, and arts and crafts work. However, the level of education and infrastructure has declined dramatically over the past 30 years.

A four-room primary school will be built for the children of Jui village. The school will hold four sessions daily – a morning, midday and afternoon session, as well as evening classes, says Captain Nesan Kistan from Sydney’s Auburn Corps.

“The children are already excited about their new school and eager to learn,” he said. “We are also opening up our afternoon classes to the mothers. If we can teach the mums they are likely to help with their children’s schooling.

“Our evening school is for a special group of kids. Sadly, these youngsters were ‘child soldiers’ during the civil war.

They are now considered ‘persona non grata’ and have been completely abandoned by the villages they come from.

“Our dream is to put a book in every child’s hand rather than a gun.”

Some of the children who will benefit from the new primary school in the west African country of Sierra Leone.

Walkathon funds raised will also assist in bringing children whose families were affected by this year’s devastating Queensland floods to Sydney for a short stay at The Salvation Army’s beachside Collaroy Centre.

To donate, go to: www.everydayhero.com.au/aged_care_ plus_walkathon

Parramatta band helps Cessnock bring up 100

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he Cessnock Corps of The Salvation Army celebrated its 100th anniversary in July with a weekend of entertainment for the community.

Celebrations opened on the Saturday with the Parramatta Salvation Army Band leading a march down the main street of Cessnock, followed by a mini-concert outside the local performing arts centre.

More than 220 people gathered at the centre that evening to enjoy a special concert. Among the audience were the Army’s territorial leaders, Commissioners James and Jan Condon, Newcastle and Central Coast divisional leaders, Majors Kerry and Colin Haggar and Cessnock Mayor Alison Davies.

The performances featured a set by the Parramatta band including numbers such as South Field Festival March and You Raise Me Up. Each piece was accompanied by a photo display.

Soprano soloist Mandy Williams delighted the audience with her spectacular voice, performing Amazing Grace.

The Cessnock School Choir sang a couple of numbers including Electricity and Accentuate the Positive.

Captain Will Bragg, Cessnock Corps Officer, commented on how the celebrations deeply impacted both the corps and community.

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Parramatta Salvation Army band marches down the main street of Cessnock during the centenary celebrations.

“It was a wonderful time of getting the community together,” he said. “The main aim was to create reunions and I think we achieved that through bringing people together and sharing memories.”

The centenary weekend finished with a combined church service at Mount View High School on Sunday morning which attracted more than 270 people.

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Tuggeranong gets taste of SAGALA fun T

he congregation at The Salvation Army’s Tuggeranong Corps in Canberra was treated to a Sunday morning service with a difference as SAGALA sections took control on 3 July.

Audience participation was a feature of the morning and, as much as possible, the children of SAGALA led each segment, supported by their leaders.

The SAGALA leaders set out three main objectives: for members of the congregation to go home knowing a bit more about SAGALA activities and badge work; for everyone to have fun worshipping together with SAGALA; and to challenge people to step outside their comfort zone, to confront their sinful nature and to commit to Jesus.

The Adventurers and Rangers encouraged the congregation to become honorary SAGALA members, taking them through a crash course of the various skills needed in order to earn a badge.

The Moonbeams and Explorers challenged two men from the congregation to create a useful and useable item from recycled materials in the time it took for the children to show and tell about their own recycling project.

The Sunbeams conducted a quiz relating to their badge work on Australia, and the Guards wrote and produced their own skit, “Super Hero Skill Off”, based on the Bible Heroes badge. Their message was that talents like super-speed and strength mean nothing – it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

The Tuggeranong Songsters were involved, too, leading the singing of the old favourite action song, I’m Too Young to March in the Infantry.

The Adventurer leader, Mark Rogers, had set the scene for the message of the morning by disturbing the regular seating arrangements to illustrate feeling uncomfortable. He challenged the audience using Romans 3:23, 24 as his biblical base, stating that sin is uncomfortable and we are all sinners. He asked an uncomfortable question, “Are you a sinner?”

Mark went on to say that admitting sin is uncomfortable, but God provided a solution: sending his Son to die on a cross to pay for our sins. By admitting our sins before God we find comfort and the promised forgiveness.

Young people guide adults through SAGALA activities during the special morning service at Tuggeranong.

Boys Legion kicks off in Maryborough S

outh Queensland Divisional Youth Secretaries Captains Ben and Emma Johnson conducted Kids Church at Maryborough Corps on Sunday 24 July.

During the meeting, Captain Emma Johnson inaugurated Boys Legion at the corps, enrolling an Adventurer, an Explorer and a Sunbeam, and also handed out new badges to other SAGALA members. During the appeal at the end of the meeting, one of the new Boys Legion members knelt at the Mercy Seat and gave his life to Jesus.

SAGALA sections taking part in Kids Church at Maryborough.

Women’s accommodation secures council funding

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he Salvation Army’s Pindari women’s accommodation service has secured $10,000 through the Brisbane City Council Housing Support Program.

The program provides money to community organisations for projects or services that respond to the housing and social needs of homeless people, or those living in social housing.

“With this funding we will now have the means to provide ‘Welcome Home’ packs to homeless women exiting Pindari into sustainable housing,” said Valerie Fleming, manager of the service.

“The basic items included in these support packs, such as linen, appliances and food vouchers, will help transform basic accommodation into a home for the women. These items, which most of us take for granted, can make a big difference in assisting women to break the cycle of homelessness and sustain tenancies.”

The funding will also enable some whitegoods to be purchased.

“We are very grateful to Brisbane City Council for approving our application,” Valerie said. “The staff are very excited to be able to give that little bit more to Brisbane’s homeless women.” pipeline 09/2011 35

From the coalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

New-look crisis centre reopens in Griffith G

riffith Mayor, Michael Neville, officially reopened The Salvation Army Men’s Crisis Accommodation Centre in the NSW country town on 1 August.

The shelter, which caters for adult males experiencing hardship resulting in homelessness, had been closed for nine months for extensive refurbishment.

It now features new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and cupboards in each of its four self-contained rooms.

Each room also has its own fridge and television.

The shelter was originally built in 1970 as a joint project by the Griffith Lions Club and The Salvation Army.

The two rooms were designed to cater for six homeless males. Two additional rooms were added in 1980.

“The shelter needed a major refurbishment,” said Peter Woodward, Griffith Community Welfare Centre and Men’s Crisis Accommodation Centre Manager.

“The funding came from a bequest and enabled us to complete all the renovations.”

As well as the four rooms attached to The Salvation Army Griffith Community Welfare Centre, the shelter also includes four flats located nearby – two singles and two doubles.

The shelter offers clients 12 weeks of crisis accommodation.

“During their stay residents have to actively look for an alternative permanent residence and employment, and I help them with that,” Mr Woodward explained.

“The service we offer is not 24 hours, so the clients have to be

OASIS hosts trafficking and slavery seminar

By SIMONE WORTHING

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he Salvation Army OASIS Youth Network in Newcastle hosted a Human Trafficking and Slavery in Australia workshop on 27 July.

Jenny Stanger, supervisor for The Salvation Army safehouse for trafficked women in Sydney, and senior case worker Laura Vidal, ran the workshop. Participants learned the basic concepts of human trafficking and slavery, what is known about these practices in Australia, and how to identify and respond to people who may be victims in the local community.

“Slavery in Australia is more common than most people could imagine and is something that can happen to anyone who is vulnerable,” Jenny said. “Agriculture, construction, hospitality, mining, maritime services, manufacturing, health care, restaurants, domestic services, sex services, forced and slave-like marriages are just some of the contexts where serious exploitation has been uncovered.

“The current challenge in Australia is to spread awareness outside of our large cities into smaller regional areas.”

About 25 people attended the seminar including delegates from local Salvation Army corps. Elise Briggs, manager of OASIS Youth Network Hunter, said the workshop was vital in raising awareness of human trafficking and slavery in the region.

Further workshops will take place in Brisbane on 9 September, Canberra on 12 October and Sydney on 22 November. For more information contact Krystle Walters at krystle.walters@aue.salvationarmy.org

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The men’s crisis centre in Griffth includes four self-contained rooms which offer clients 12 weeks of emergency accommodation.

able to cook, clean and look after themselves.”

Mayor Neville praised the Salvation Army.

“It is an important aspect of the community to have compassion. The Salvation Army never asks for anything, they are truly the most altruistic organisation I know,” he said.

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New Stanthorpe worship centre dedicated

By ROBERT MARSHALL

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ajors Mark and Julie Campbell, The Salvation Army’s South Queensland divisional leaders, officiated as Stanthorpe Outpost dedicated its new complex on 22 May. The complex, which will act as the worship centre, is attached to the new location of the Family Store. Access to each building is separate.

The celebrations commenced with the band playing the march, Merrily Onward, before Captain Mark Williamson, Warwick Corps Officer, welcomed all present and introduced Majors Campbell.

Major Julie Campbell introduced a segment of “Celebrating the Past” which established some of the history of the outpost

and the buildings which had been used by the Army in Stanthorpe over the years.

The Army’s first meetings in the town, in 1895, took place in borrowed buildings until 1918 when a hall was built. This hall was used until 1953 when the corps closed. The Red Shield Services Unit and Home League have operated in Stanthorpe since then, and the Family Store was opened a decade ago.

The timbrels played Mighty to Save before Major Mark Campbell unfurled the new Stanthorpe Army flag, explained the significance of the colours and then dedicated the hall and flag.

He gave a message based on the account of Nehemiah and Ezra, reminding all that the church was more than just walls in which a congregation gathered – it was about people. At the conclusion of the meeting the band played Nicely Saved.

Cowra hosts soldiership training, boots and all

Booth College raises Aboriginal flag

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he Salvation Army Booth College hosted a “Welcome to Country” ceremony on 29 July.

As part of the ceremony, the Aboriginal flag was officially raised at the college to fly alongside the Australian and Salvation Army flags. It will remain flying in recognition of The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory’s ongoing intention to minister to Indigenous Australians.

The ceremony was conducted by Michael West, an Aboriginal representative from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council. He officially welcomed The Salvation Army to their land.

Territorial Commander Commissioner James Condon also attended the event and spoke of his passion for moving forward in ministry to Indigenous Australians.

he ACT and South NSW Division of The Salvation Army held its fifth Soldiership Bootcamp, this time at Cowra Corps, on 24-26 June. The weekend drew 17 delegates from six corps across the division.

“Delegates were of all ages and from all walks of life and spiritual experience and approached the training weekend with great excitement and enthusiasm,” said Joanne Paull, Divisional Mission and Resource Assistant.

The weekend commenced on Friday night and featured the DVD Our People. Delegates spent all of Saturday in training.

On Sunday morning, many people came to the corps for the meeting, themed “Battle Ready Soldiers”. Several delegates shared their testimony, the children dressed up as soldiers ready for battle and the whole congregation got involved in the interactive re-telling of the David and Goliath story.

Following the message, many came to the Mercy Seat to make a commitment to God and to service in The Salvation Army.

“We look forward to seeing the fruit of this bootcamp as people commit to soldiership in their local corps at the completion of their training,” said Major Julie Alley, Divisional Mission and Resource Director – Corps.

Delegates to the Soldiership Bootcamp held at Cowra Corps.

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Commissioner James Condon (left), Aboriginal official Michael West and Cadet Aaron Reid raise the Aboriginal flag at Booth College during a special ceremony.

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From the coalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

Chinese charity flies flag for flood victims

Sydney East and Illawarra Divisional Commander Major John Rees presents Chinese community member Hudson Chen OAM and Patrick Wong with a framed Salvation Army flag during an appreciation morning tea at Territorial Headquarters last month. The event was held to recognise the generosity of the Australian Chinese Charity Foundation (ACCF) which raised more than $300,000 for The Salvation Army Disaster Relief Fund to assist victims of the January Queensland floods. In presenting the flag, Major Rees explained the significance of its wording and colours. “We have never made this kind of presentation before,” explained Major Rees. “But The Salvation Army wants to say thank you.” In accepting the gift, Mr Chen, president of the ACCF, said: “It really is an honour to receive such a gift. Normally we raise the money and give it to the people involved. But this time the job is so big. We rely on The Salvation Army.” Photo: Shairon Paterson

Falling tree crushes Salvos bus during storm

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14-seater bus owned by The Salvation Army’s Blue Mountains Recovery Services Centre (Hadleigh Lodge) at Leura, was crushed by a falling tree during violent storms in July.

The Toyota bus had been parked in the driveway of Hadleigh Lodge during the storm which recorded wind gusts in excess of 100km/h.

“We were fortunate that nobody was in the van at the time,” said centre manager, Captain Paul Morrice. “On a normal day, people would have been in that area of the yard but because of the wind, everyone was inside.”

A visitor’s car parked next to the van was also crushed, and Captain Morrice’s vehicle, parked on the other side of the bus, was also damaged. The storm also cut electricity supplies in the area with Hadleigh Lodge losing power for three days.

“We had chapel that night, including a graduation, by candlelight which was very special in some ways,” said Captain Morrice.

Fortunately, the bus was insured and Captain Morrice is confident it will be replaced.

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Salvation Army Recovery Services Centre manager, Captain Paul Morrice, surveys the damage to the centre’s bus. Photo courtesy of The Blue Mountains Gazette

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ENROLMENTS

Mackay Corps

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etired Commissioners Les and Coral Strong enrolled Sarah and Alison Greham as Junior Soldiers at Mackay Salvation Army last month. Commissioners Strong and Junior Soldiers also led the meeting. Sarah and Alison both help out with J.A.M. for kids on Tuesday nights at the corps. Both have already expressed a desire to become Senior Soldiers when they are old enough.

Commissioner Coral Strong is pictured pinning a Junior Soldier badge on Alison as big sister Sarah looks on.

Tweed Heads Two new Senior Soldiers were enrolled and three Adherents accepted at Tweed Heads Corps on 14 August. Pictured (left to right) are the new Adherents, Yvonne Delbridge, Bev Simpson and Carol Read, and soldiers Pearl Latemore and Hayley Hardaker, with Corps Officer Captain Alwyn Robinson and flagbearer Allan Griffin. Each gave testimony to God’s working in their life and are excited about their new step of faith and promise.

Chatswood Corps

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here was much excitement and anticipation as friends and family of Borbala Csutkai and Edward Polack gathered to see the duo enrolled as Senior Soldiers at Chatswood by Corps Officer, Captain Sharon Sandercock-Brown. Both new soldiers have displayed an enthusiasm for ministry and are keen to grasp the opportunities available to them within The Salvation Army.

Pictured (from left) are Recruiting Sergeant Major Graeme Ross, Borbala Csutkai, and Edward Polack.

Maroubra Corps

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aroubra Corps celebrated the enrolment of Daphne Hearn as a Senior Soldier on Sunday, 7 August. Corps family and friends listened as Daphne, pictured sharing a lighter moment with Corps Officer Lenore Johnson during the enrolment ceremony, shared her life journey, speaking of officers such as Major Bert George who had influenced her over the years. The meeting was followed by the first of a number of discipleship/ membership classes that will continue through to the end of the year.

We want to hear about your enrolment news. Send a story of no more than 100 words and a photo at least 1mb in size, to eastern.editorial@aue.salvationarmy.org

Tamworth Corps

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orps Officer Lieutenant Stuart Glover enrolled John Austin as a Senior Soldier at Tamworth Corps recently. In his testimony, John (pictured) said that his life had been a hard one but he has found peace and purpose since coming to know God and ministering with The Salvation Army in Tamworth. Three new Junior Soldiers - Lachlan Perry, and Gabrielle and Christopher Ives were also enrolled on the same day, each saying that becoming a Junior Soldier would not only help them live for God but also show his love to the world.

Dee Why Corps

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ajor John Rees, Sydney East and Illawarra Divisional Commander, accepted Helen Canon as an Adherent at a special service at Dee Why Corps on 7 August. Helen (pictured with Major Rees) has been a Christian since she was 17 and has been attending The Salvation Army for the past year. “I’m a people person and it’s the people here that attract me,” she said.

“They know and love Jesus and want to tell others about him, and that’s exactly how I feel.”

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From the coalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

General installs new leaders in ‘home’ territory

By JOHN McALISTER

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he installation by General Linda Bond of Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle as leaders of The Salvation Army’s Canada and Bermuda Territory was something of a homecoming for Canadian officers serving internationally.

The event, held in Jackson’s Point Conference Centre, a Salvation Army facility in Ontario, Canada, was General Bond’s first official visit to her home territory since taking office as the international leader of The Salvation Army earlier this year.

Fellow-Canadians Commissioners Peddle were returning as territorial leaders after serving in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory and in the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland.

Also returning from overseas and in attendance were Colonels Robert and Marguerite Ward, territorial leaders in Pakistan, Captains Paul and Pedrinah Thistle, serving at Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe, and Majors Ronald and Donna Millar, who recently concluded their service in the Caribbean.

During the installation ceremony, General Bond emphasised the importance of godly leaders.

“When God stops providing the Army with leaders, it means we are finished,” she said. “But the very fact that he keeps calling and providing people means that he has a plan and a purpose for The Salvation Army.”

In her challenge to Commissioners Peddle, the General urged them to model spirit-filled leadership.

“Serve with compassion and integrity,” she said. “Teach the Word and live it out with humility and grace. You are called to be shepherds of the flock, fervent evangelists and visionary leaders. Under your leadership, we pray that the Kingdom of God will advance as you lead the Army in Canada and Bermuda to be faithful to the mission the Lord has given it.”

In her response, Commissioner Rosalie Peddle said that it was a great gift to return home to family and friends. With her 89-year-old mother-in-law in attendance, she also thanked their parents for raising them in godly homes.

“We are humbled and overwhelmed,” she said. “But yet, we are experiencing a deep peace about our new responsibilities.

We have come into these new roles literally on our knees,

seeking God’s wisdom, guidance, leading and direction. Our prayer is that God will give us incredible courage and will daily empower us to be people who will lead with integrity, vision, competence and passion.”

In his message, Commissioner Brian Peddle challenged Salvationists to focus on purpose and passion.

“We are redeemed for a reason. And I want you to be committed with me to our cause,” he said. “The sum total of our mission is leading those who do not know Jesus to him.”

Following a time of reflection and response, General Bond challenged the congregation never to be ashamed to be known as The Salvation Army.

“The world needs the ‘salvation’ in our name,” she said.

“The Lord is going to bring revival to The Salvation Army. And the mark of this revival will be the restoration of our passion for the lost. We will have a soul-saving passion even greater than the days when we were raised up.”

General Linda Bond installs Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle as leaders of the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

Army provides water in drought-stricken Kenya A

s the drought crisis in East Africa causes worldwide concern, The Salvation Army is responding to the situation using its local knowledge and personnel to provide immediate relief.

There is currently no Salvation Army work in Somalia or Ethiopia so the focus for now is on northern Kenya.

Assessments carried out by the Army’s Kenya West Territory and government sources have shown that the nomadic people of the Turkana region of northern Kenya face widespread starvation. Three rainfall seasons have failed, livestock has died, milk production has dropped and food stocks are depleted.

Water is scarce, with people in the region having to travel on average more than 3km to access water. Schools are closing because they lack funds to pay food and water bills.

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The Salvation Army is initially addressing the water situation, using water tanks (known as bowsers) pulled by tractors. Water is being collected from bore holes and large water tanks on Salvation Army properties and taken to communities and schools in Turkana.

The scheme will provide around 5000 villagers and 2000 schoolchildren with clean, safe water. This will have further benefits of decreasing the distance travelled to fetch water and reducing the risk of women being abused as they seek water in isolated locations.

The Salvation Army’s two Kenya territories are continuing to monitor the situation in the north of the country.

Donations to the Africa Disaster Fund at International Headquarters can be made online at www.salvationarmy.org

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Salvationists in Norway show support for attack victims S

alvationists in Norway have been a comforting presence in the public displays of remembrance for all affected by the bomb and gun attacks that killed at least 76 people in late July.

Members of The Salvation Army joined the “Rose March” in Oslo and other cities. The gathering in Oslo, attended by more than 150,000 people, was a time of shared remembrance and grief, with appeals being given for people to show love and to stand together in the face of hurt. Salvation Army officers and soldiers also joined the crowd in front of Oslo University where Norway’s royal family, prime minister and many others held a minute’s silence on Monday 25 July.

“Salvationists in their uniforms and others with a Salvation Army logo on have had a great response from people talking to them on the street,” said Colonel Jan Peder Fosen, Chief Secretary of the Army’s Norway, Iceland and The Faroes Territory.

“We have received phone calls at territorial headquarters from people who simply want to talk over some of the things that have happened.”

Colonel Fosen said no Salvationists are known to have been killed, however some victims have links to Salvation Army corps. Army officers are counselling people who have lost friends or family members.

Colonel Jan Peder Fosen (Chief Secretary, Norway, Iceland and The Faroes Territory) at the Rose March in Oslo.

Chief leads Sweden and Latvia congress T he Salvation Army Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Barry Swanson, comes from Chicago in the United States, but he clearly felt at home when he and Commissioner Sue Swanson

Commissioner Barry Swanson (centre) and translator Major Robert Tuftström in conversation with the leader of Salvation Riders, a Salvation Army motorcycle club, at the outdoor meeting in Stockholm. Photo: Captain Andre van der Leij

(World President, Women’s Ministries) led congress meetings in Sweden recently.

This was the Swansons’ third visit to the Sweden and Latvia Territory, but the Chief demonstrated deeper links when, during the opening meeting, he revealed that his grandparents had been born in Sweden. He even told the congregation the names of the Swedish towns and villages where his ancestors had been born. The foundation of double unity, in Spirit and in ancestry, was laid.

Later in the meeting – following the Chief’s Bible message – many people responded to the opportunity to pray at the Mercy Seat as Riga Staff Songsters sang. Commissioner Sue Swanson gave an encouraging Bible message at the evening praise and worship meeting.

On the Saturday afternoon, the public received the Gospel and uplifting music at an outdoor meeting in Stockholm’s Vasa Park. The Chief and Commissioner Swanson then led the march to Immanuel Church where the congress was held.

The focus of the afternoon meeting was the commissioning and ordination of two Salvation Army officers. Territorial Commander Commissioner Marie Willermark led the commissioning, with the Chief bringing a Bible message to which people again willingly responded.

The visiting leaders had the opportunity to enjoy Godhonouring music during the Saturday evening festival. This time of sharing included vocal, brass and piano solos.

The two Sunday meetings featured encouraging and challenging testimonies. Commissioner Sue Swanson gave the final Bible message and the challenge and encouragement were clear – go and share God’s hope and comfort with people who are lost.

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From the coalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

Promoted to Glory

Passion for life

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ouglas Stewart was promoted to glory on 16 July, aged 88.

A thanksgiving service for Doug’s life was held at Gold Coast Temple on 20 July, conducted by the Corps Officer, Major Andrew McKeown.

Lieutenant-Colonel Don Woodland spoke about how Doug had influenced his life and became a father figure to him.

Doug’s children – Barbara Knowles, John Stewart and Major Julie Alley – all spoke about their dad’s remarkable life.

Grand-daughters Megan Hodge and Sarah-Jane Alley (via letter from London) gave tributes to their Grandad’s life and the influence he had on the lives of all the grandchildren.

A private service at Allambee Gardens Crematorium was held later in the day.

On Sunday, 24 July Doug’s ashes were laid in the Memorial Wall at Gold Coast Temple Corps.

A remarkable life began on 4 January, 1923, when Douglas was born to Lillian and Sydney Stewart in Brighton, Victoria.

Doug was only nine when his little brother, Stanley, died from scarlet fever. During the dark days of the Great Depression the hand of God intervened, and Sydney, Lillian and Doug became part of the Bentleigh Corps, later transferring to Brighton Corps.

Doug was a keen student at Gardenvale State School and loved cricket and Australian Rules football.

His first job was as a telegram boy with the Postmaster General, but he never lost his thirst for education, later studying political science at the Australian National University in Canberra.

Doug served in 3rd Div Signals and 4th Brigade Signals 2nd AIF in World War II, which took him to New Guinea. The bond formed with other serving men during this time remains strong to this day, and Doug attended yearly reunions with his close mates in Melbourne.

Doug married Margaret Haines at The Salvation Army in Brighton on 17 May, 1952, and so began a wonderful partnership spanning almost 60 years.

Barbara, John and Julie were all born in Melbourne.

Doug’s employment with the Commonwealth Department of Trade meant moving to Canberra in 1957. Their home in the suburb of O’Connor was their pride and joy for almost 50 years, and Doug’s handiwork throughout the home and in the garden is still evident. It was a place always filled with music and visitors.

Doug first sang at the age of five at a

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wedding, and from then on his singing continued to thrill and bless for the best part of 80 years. He was a renowned euphonium player, songster leader at Brighton Corps and the first bandmaster at Canberra City Corps.

A government posting with the Trade Commission to Hong Kong in 1967 gave the family the opportunity to experience a different culture. Doug’s strong and honest work ethic was well known and his workmates have remained close throughout the years.

After many years in Canberra, a move to Queensland enabled Doug and Margaret to enjoy the fellowship of Gold Coast Temple, and to spend many happy family times together.

Doug had a great passion for his family, his home, his mates, beautiful music, his beloved St Kilda Football Club, World War II Spitfires, his pets … the list is endless.

But his greatest passion was for his Lord whom he served faithfully to the end.

His love and wisdom are already sorely missed.

Gift of encouragement

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evin Norman Slack was promoted to glory at Stanthorpe Hospital on 1 May, aged 84.

A celebration service for Kevin’s life was held in the Stanthorpe Baptist Church on 7 May. His daughters, Christine Braithwaite and Margaret Wallis, read from the Bible and a tribute on behalf of the Warwick Corps was given by Robert Marshall.

The tribute outlined Kevin’s Christian aim, summed up in the words of his favourite chorus, To Be Like Jesus.

Kevin’s son, Greg, performed the eulogy before Baptist minister, Pastor Darryl Peters, gave the congregation words of encouragement and hope and a challenge to look at their own lives and be prepared for eternity. The final commitment was made at the Baptist church before a private cremation service.

Kevin was born in St Marys, Sydney, in 1927. He met Gladys Marie Bush during a “big adventure” around Australia and they soon married. He spent many years driving buses around Sydney during his working life and attended the St Marys Salvation Army during those years.

On retirement, he and Gladys moved north and settled at The Summit, about 12km north of Stanthorpe.

Kevin found a great joy in street ministry in Stanthorpe, at the local plaza, often with with Gladys at his side. He was there to give a word of encouragement along with a friendly smile and a “God bless” to those who stopped to donate or

chat. He did his ministry on Thursday and Saturday mornings and if he missed one day the shop owners would inquire as to the absence of the “old Salvo bloke”.

Both he and Gladys attended the Warwick Salvation Army Corps until Kevin could no longer drive.

They started going to the morning services at the Stanthorpe Baptist Church and in the afternoons that the Army held services in Stanthorpe they would attend.

A life of love

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dna May Braddock was promoted to glory on 24 July 2011, aged 97.

Captain Roy Wenham officiated at the funeral service and celebration of a remarkable life. The service was held at The Salvation Army hall at Elliott Heads, Queensland, which was overflowing with people Edna’s life had so positively touched.

Barbara Braddock, Edna’s daughter, gave a wonderful family tribute telling of her mother’s early years in Warwick, Gooburrum, Mirani, and eventually Bundaberg in the tough early days of establishing and working cane farms.

Edna met the love of her life, Colin, when as children they would sit on the kerb in front of the Grand Hotel on Saturday nights and listen to The Salvation Army band. Friendship grew to love and they were married on 30 December 1939; a marriage of 57 years.

In 1974, the farm was sold and Edna moved to Elliott Heads.

Barbara told of her mother’s great love for Elliott Heads, great love for The Salvation Army, and great love for children – a love demonstrated by teaching children in Sunday schools for an amazing 75 years.

Glennis Devlin gave a moving corps tribute, reaffirming the great connection Edna had for children. At 94 years of age she was still picking up children and bringing them to Sunday school where she was still teaching. When Edna finally retired from this lifetime ministry the local children, like homing pigeons, would visit her after school where “grandma” would ply them with cool drinks, biscuits, and stories of Jesus.

The Salvation Army and Home League flags flew as the rose-covered coffin passed by the Elliott Heads congregation giving a “homeward bound” salute.

Edna is survived by sons Wayne and Gary, daughter Barbara, and their families of much-loved grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

Edna will be remembered for her great love of life, family, children and God.

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Obituary – John Stott

‘Renaissance man with a reformation theology’

J

ohn Stott, the British preacher, author and evangelist, died in Lingfield, England, on 27 July 2011. He was 90.

Stott (pictured) shaped much of the course of evangelicalism in the 20th century through his writing and preaching, and in 2005, TIME magazine placed him among the world’s “100 most influential people”. He was chief architect of The Lausanne Covenant (1974) and remained Honorary Chairman of The Lausanne Movement until he died. The work of Langham Partnership International is perhaps his major legacy to the world church.

Stott’s father, Sir Arnold Stott, hoped his son would enter the diplomatic service.

But while at Rugby School aged 17, his future plans changed. A friend invited him to the Christian Union where he listened intently to the visiting speaker, EJH Nash.

Seeing his potential, Nash drew him into leadership of boys’ public school camps.

Nash’s discipleship training, alongside the vibrant life of the Cambridge InterCollegiate Christian Union, established John Stott in his faith.

Stott has been described as “a renaissance man with a reformation theology”. He had remarkable intellectual reach, and always worked to bring his mind under the scrutiny of the Bible. Stott loved Scripture and for over 50 years he read the whole Bible through annually. It became a pattern to rise at 5am daily to read and pray.

Stott summed up his priorities as “students and pastors”. He saw the critical nature of the university, and was an energetic Vice-President of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). While Billy Graham, a long-time friend, was drawing tens of thousands to football stadia, Stott’s mission field was the university campus.

Numbers were smaller, but the strategic influence for the gospel could not have been greater. He conducted week-long evangelistic missions for IFES national movements in many of the world’s universities, drawing even the most cynical students into the pages of the New Testament to read for themselves of the historic Christ. His warm yet serious style and sheer conviction of Scripture’s authority brought students back night after night.

In 1950, while only 29, he was appointed rector of All Souls Church, Langham Place in London’s West End. He had grown up through its Sunday

school and served at the church as a curate. His gifts in expository preaching were to become widely celebrated, but he sensed the unchurched in his inner-city parish needed more.

A new initiative was called for. In 1958, he took the bold step of founding the All Souls Clubhouse, a venture in youth and community work 20 years ahead of its time.

Stott was also an admirer and friend of The Salvation Army.

The biography of his life, Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott, relates a story from 1946 when Stott went to a Salvation Army hostel in Whitechapel disguised as a homeless man. He’d slept out under a bridge the previous night in an effort to have solidarity with homeless people and understand their plight.

Such was the esteem in which Stott held the Army, he would often quote the founder, William Booth, in his sermons.

Prolific writer

As invitations to travel increased, he was in 1975 given the title Rector Emeritus, and released by the church to serve globally, and to write.

Included among his substantial writing – over 50 books translated into 65 languages – is the millionselling Basic Christianity (1958), Christ the Controversialist (1970), Issues Facing Christians Today (1984) and the one he always considered his best, The Cross of Christ (1986).

Later books included The Birds Our Teachers (1999) for which he took almost all the photographs himself. He had been encouraged by his father from childhood to “open his eyes and ears and shut his mouth” as he observed the natural world.

Stott pioneered several influential movements. Among them was the National Evangelical Anglican Congress

which first met in Keele University in 1967 to bring a unified evangelical voice from the church. He also founded the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (1982). His initiatives in drawing together groups of thinkers led to several other ventures; The Frontier Youth Trust and Tearfund are two examples.

Stott served as Chaplain to the Queen from 1959 and then as Extra Chaplain. He was awarded four honorary doctorates in Britain and the United States, and his life and work became the subject of several doctoral theses in his lifetime. He was made a Commander of the British Empire in the Queen’s 2006 New Year Honours list.

Hundreds of people packed into All Souls, Langham Place, for Stott’s funeral on Monday, 8 August.

It was a service of joy and thanksgiving which shone with the light of the gospel, acknowledging the impact made in and through the life of a remarkable man.

A public thanksgiving service will be held in London later this year when Stott’s global ministry will be celebrated.

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FrFrom o m t the h e ccoalface oalface L O C A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

about people

Appointments

Effective 15 August: Lieutenant Craig Harlum, Support Officer – Recovery Services, South Queensland Division; Major Graeme Ross, Territorial Legal Secretary, Business Administration; Major Lyall Reese, Territorial Multicultural Driving School Coordinator, Program Administration.

Bereaved

Major Julie Alley of her father Douglas Stewart on 16 July and her uncle Bill Haines on 27 July; Major Kathleen Walton of her brother Geoffrey on 29 July; Major Genne Bryant of her father and Lieut-Colonel Iris Hill of her brother George Armstrong on 7 Aug. Major Shirley Bruce of her mother Edith Bruce on 15 Aug.

Births

Captains Paula and Andrew Hambleton, a girl Rebekah Grace on 25 July.

Resignations

Major Peter Hindle on 11 July.

SAGALA

Commissioner’s Challenge Award: Hayley Paull, Tuggeranong Corps; Wynonah Gordon, Krystallynne Prince, Ashleah Drennan-Sams, Heather Dickinson, all Bundamba Corps; Lakota Thompson, Ipswich Corps; Madeline Powell, Dubbo Corps; Daniel Powell, Dubbo Corps.

General’s Award: Carmen Douglas, Blacktown City Corps. time to pray

28 August – 3 September

Personnel Administration, THQ; Petersham Corps, Port Macquarie Corps, both NSW; Pindari Men’s Hostel, Pindari Women’s Accommodation, Pine Rivers Corps, all Qld; Seniors Assembly (29 Aug-2 Sept); Father’s Day (4).

4-10 September

India Central Territory; Port Stephens Corps, Queanbeyan Corps, all NSW; Indigenous Ministry, Program Administration, MySalvos Coordinator, Social Justice, Property Department, all THQ; South Queensland Division Women’s Camp (5-8); 2020 Leadership Summit (9-10).

11-17 September

Raymond Terrace Corps, Rockdale Corps, both NSW; Red Shield Defence Services, THQ; Redcliffe City Corps, Riverview Gardens Aged Care Centre Service, both Qld; Wider Cabinet – Collaroy (12-14); Vocational Training Conference (15); SAGALA Adventurer and Sunbeam Camp (18-20).

18-24 September

Lieut-Colonel Geanette Seymour; Roma Corps and Rural Chaplains, SAILSS (Salvation Army Individual Lifestyle Support Service), Salvo Care Line Brisbane, all Qld; Rouse Hill Corps, Ryde Corps, both NSW; Salvation Army International Development Office (SAID), THQ; Ministry Workers Residential (19-25); South Queensland Division Kids in Ministry (20-22); SFOT Tri-Territorial Conference (21-23); Gospel Arts Camp (25 Sept-2 Oct).

25 September – 1 October

Salvo Care Line Sydney, Samaritan Services, Foster House Complex and Waterloo Community Ministries, Samaritan Services/Orana Women and Children’s Services, all NSW; Salvos Legal, Salvos Stores, both THQ; Samaritan House Mackay, Qld; Social Justice Working Party (1-2 Sept) in Auckland; Evangelist Network Conference (1-2 Oct).

2-8 October

Bangladesh Command; School for Christian Studies, School for Leadership Training, School for Officer Training, School for Youth Leadership, all THQ; Serenity House, Qld. engagement calendar

Commissioners James Condon (Territorial Commander) and Jan Condon Stanmore: Thur 8 Sept – Principal’s Dinner, INSPIRE Summit *Moree: Sat 10-Sun 11 Sep – Moree Corps 120th anniversary celebration #Burwood: Sun 11 Sep – Sydney Wide Youth Councils Collaroy: Mon 12-Wed 14 Sep – Wider Cabinet Conference *THQ: Thur 15 Sep – Aged Care Plus Fellows Program Presentation Sydney: Fri 16 Sep – Aged Care Plus Walkathon #Commissioner Jan Condon only *Commissioner James Condon only

Colonels Wayne (Chief Secretary) and Robyn Maxwell #Sydney: Mon 5 Sep – Corps Visit to Sydney Congress Hall Stanmore: Thu 8 Sep – Principal’s Dinner INSPIRE Summit Collaroy: Mon 12-Wed 14 Sep – Wider Cabinet Conference Sydney: Fri 16 Sep – Aged Care Plus Walkathon Rockdale: Sun 18 Sep – Corps Visit Sydney: Thu 22-Fri 23 Sep – Aged Care Plus Review Dee Why: Sun 25 Sep – Corps Visit

# Colonel Robyn Maxwell only * Colonel Wayne Maxwell only