War Cry 9 September

Page 1

WAR CRY

9

September 2023

Bake Off contestant gives his verdict on ‘easygoing’ Paul and ‘smart’ Prue

Educator sounds out the meaning of Bible stories
Elite players tackle Rugby World Cup 50p
Sweet and sharp

What is The Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.

What is the War Cry?

The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.

WAR CRY

Issue No 7644

Editor: Andrew Stone, Major

Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow

Production Editor: Ivan Radford

Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku

Staff Writer: Emily Bright

Staff Writer: Claire Brine

Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk

Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston

Graphic Designer: Mark Knight

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk

The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London

SE1 6BN

Tel: 0845 634 0101

Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org

Founder: William Booth

General: Lyndon Buckingham

Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill

Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn

VIEWERS will be hoping to see some show-stopping bakes and a complete absence of soggy bottoms when the new series of The Great British Bake Off returns to our screens.

This year Alison Hammond will be sharing presenting duties with Noel Fielding, while Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith return as judges. Each week the show’s fans will be waiting to see who the judges will eliminate and who they’ll crown star baker, as well as whether any of the contestants will be awarded the coveted Hollywood handshake.

But what are the judges like when the cameras are off? That’s one of the questions we asked Kevin Flynn, who took part in last year’s series. In an interview in this week’s War Cry, Kevin reveals some of what happens in the tent but which isn’t seen on air.

He also tells us what it was like to take part in the contest.

‘Bake Off was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life,’ he says, ‘preparing so many recipes and learning so many skills I didn’t have before.’

As well as his baking, Kevin had the challenging decision to make about whether to talk on camera about his Christian faith. He explains that the production team encouraged him to do so and that he found ways to share his faith with the other bakers.

It’s a faith that has helped him for many years.

‘The further on you get through life,’ he says, ‘the more you can look back and see all this evidence of God’s grace, to the point where it’s like, “When can I ever doubt him?” because there’s way too much evidence in my life of God being with me, showing love and mercy to me.’

Kevin’s experience of God is shared by millions of Christians across the world. They have found him to be the essential ingredient to a better life.

INFO INFO

Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper Your local Salvation Army centre 2 • WAR CRY • 9 September 2023 From the editor’s desk When you’ve read the War Cry, why not pass it on ➔ ➔ ➔
15 Front-page picture: COURTESY OF CHANNEL 4 FEATURES 3 Try for a win Rugby World Cup kicks off 5 Sounds profound A new way to teach children Bible stories 8 ‘Bake Off was an emotional rollercoaster’ Contestant on taking part in the TV show 13 Treating breaks, burns and bleeding World First Aid Day aims to make a difference REGULARS 4 War Cry World 12 Keys of the Kingdom 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen CONTENTS 5 8 13

CUP OF CHEERS?

TRY to contain your excitement, rugby fans. The World Cup is finally under way. The tournament kicked off yesterday (Friday 8 September) with the opening fixture pitching hosts France against 2015 winners New Zealand. Today Ireland, the top-ranked team in the world after winning the Six Nations earlier this year, play Romania. Elsewhere, England, whose title hopes were dashed in 2019’s final, play Argentina. Wales, fresh from a bruising warm-up defeat against South Africa, have their first match against Fiji tomorrow. It’s not until next weekend that the Scotland squad –described by former player Jim Hamilton in The Sunday Times as ‘the best Scotland team I’ve ever seen’ – make their tournament debut.

Fans and the media alike have a lot to say about the Rugby World Cup

out captain Michael Hooper and veteran fly half and playmaker Quade Cooper.

Our words carry power

At the end of a press conference at Sydney airport before his team left for France, he tackled the negative coverage he had received, telling journalists: ‘You blokes are the problem. You’re so negative about everything. OK, so we’re going off to a World Cup that you think we can’t win. You think the selection process is bad.

something we may later regret.

Wisdom found in the Bible says ‘death and life are in the power of the tongue’ (Proverbs 18:21 English Standard Version). It highlights how our words can either be weaponised to hurt or carefully crafted to bring comfort.

The pressure is on for all 20 teams taking part, including defending champions South Africa. None of them want to pass up the chance to win the Webb Ellis Cup.

The world’s media have scrutinised all team preparations, including player selections. Australia’s head coach Eddie Jones, who was reappointed in January, has faced criticism for selecting an inexperienced team while leaving

‘If you haven’t got anything positive to say, don’t ask please. Thanks for the worst press conference I’ve ever had in world rugby.’

Regardless of whether Eddie Jones deserves criticism or support for his choices, his comments raise the important point that our words carry power. We can choose to encourage or hurt people with our words, and our choices can have a lasting impact. Sometimes, it helps to seek wise counsel from others before saying

One man, Jesus – who is described in the Bible as God’s Son – knew full well about the power of words. He chose to speak words of kindness, comfort and hope that still encourage millions of people across the world.

If we read and accept his teachings, they will change us for the better. During his life, he modelled a countercultural attitude of loving and praying for people who persecuted him and forgiving them.

By believing in Jesus, we can know God’s love for ourselves. He will also equip us to show similar kindness to others, while enabling us to live life to the full. Now, that’s a result.

9 September 2023 • WAR CRY • 3
Teams are hoping to take home the Webb Ellis Cup

WnRLD WAR CRY

TV star ‘goes to God’

STAR of Sabrina the Teenage Witch Melissa Joan Hart has explained how her prayer life has been transformed.

In an interview with US online news outlet The Christian Post, the actress spoke of a time when someone in her mother’s church group fell into a coma because of an aneurysm. Members of the group decided to pray for her around the clock.

‘They wanted to surround her with 24 hours of prayer,’ Melissa said. ‘Everyone had to take an hour. I just had my second son so I was breastfeeding at night.

‘I get my son out of the crib and I’m feeding him and I start to pray … I had a big moment there where my prayer life changed and where I started to understand more about how to pray.’

She added that a friend gave her the spiritual guidance, ‘Always go to God before you go to a friend with stuff.’

The actress grew up in a Catholic household and now attends a Presbyterian church.

Do you have a story to share?

warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk

@TheWarCryUK

salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

Calls for more investment in addiction support

THE Salvation Army has highlighted the need for further investment in drug treatment in Scotland, after the release of the latest data on drugrelated deaths.

National Records of Scotland revealed that 1,051 people died of drug use in 2022. While this was down from 1,330 in 2021, The Salvation Army believes that more can be done to prevent such deaths.

Lee Ball, The Salvation Army’s director of addictions, said: ‘We are encouraged that deaths from drug use are in decline in Scotland, but we should not celebrate these numbers. Behind these figures are people and families who needed specialist support and compassion. Many of these deaths could have been avoided.

‘Substance use as a way of coping is not a lifestyle choice; it’s a last resort for many people trying to escape the reality of unbearable pain and trauma. The Salvation Army is calling for more investment in the full spectrum of treatment approaches to provide equity within healthcare and break the stigma of drug use for the individual, the family and the community.’

FOLK singer and conservationist Sam Lee performing a ‘secret gig’ at this year’s Greenbelt Christian arts festival at Boughton House in Northamptonshire.

The Mercury prize-nominated artist’s unpublicised appearance was part of the four-day festival that also included a performance by singer Laura Mvula, a talk on poverty in the UK by former prime minister Gordon Brown, a set by comedian Milton Jones and a Sunday-morning worship service. More than 11,000 people attended the event, which sold tickets on a pay-whatyou-can basis.

He added that The Salvation Army’s harm reduction approach – which supports people without judgement as they address the causes of their substance abuse –‘has seen a 32 per cent reduction in drug-related deaths’ across its services over the past four years.

Caption for this one and more here etc like this one
4 • WAR CRY • 9 September 2023
ASSOCIATED PRESS/ALAMY
a
B TheWarCryUK
MARK KENSETT

Educator puts faith in reading

More than 20 years ago, JACKIE DAY began training fellow teachers to use a different way of teaching children how to read. She taught pupils in her classes according to the method and created resources for them. Now she has written Faith in Phonics to enable young children anywhere to read Bible stories for themselves as they develop their reading skills

LEARNING to read isn’t as easy as ABC for some children. But, thanks to the development of systematic synthetic phonics (SSP), it has been made easier for them. As the new school year has begun, many four, five and sixyear-olds across the country will be sitting down to learn to recognise letters and the sounds represented by those letters, which will lead to their being able to read. This year, with the release of a new set of books, some children will even be able to start reading stories from the Bible for themselves.

Jackie Day, a retired special educational needs specialist, has written Faith in Phonics, a set of 24 books designed for children of reception age and older, which tells Bible stories.

Drawing on her experiences of working in a primary school, she wrote the books with the help of phonics consultant Dr Marlynne Grant, an educational psychologist who, in 1997, after working with pupils who struggled

to learn to read, conducted an extensive eight-year research study to investigate how they were being taught. The study helped to inform government policy on teaching children to read and the implementation of systematic synthetic phonics. Marlynne later wrote her own phonics programme.

Jackie explains how she and other teachers were previously trained to teach reading.

‘It was a whole-language approach,’ she says. ‘We were told that if you gave children plenty of books, they would learn to read. If you keep reading stories, some children will begin to follow along, recognise the words and make connections. It was recommended that children look at context cues and picture cues to guess words, rather than knowing the sounds of the letters and working the words out.

‘A child who had a good visual memory

Turn to page 6 f

Jackie Day
9 September 2023 • WAR CRY • 5

From page 5

and recognised words was fine, but one who hadn’t, wasn’t fine. Some would just memorise the whole story, so if you picked out an individual word, they wouldn’t be able to tell you what it was. I remember a little boy who at the age of seven couldn’t read. His mother was in tears.’

The self-esteem of the children who struggled to learn to read this way was affected, says Jackie.

with her students and see if it worked.

‘All the reading and spelling ages went up with Marlynne’s method,’ she says. ‘So we carried on using it. I ended up having lots of teaching assistants and other teachers coming to watch what we were doing, because the government hadn’t yet said schools must do it.’

Jackie explains that the SSP method teaches children to say the sounds (or phonemes) represented by the letters (or graphemes) in a word and then to blend the sounds together all through the word in order to read it.

The reading ages went up

‘It wasn’t that they weren’t intelligent. But they hadn’t received enough of the right sort of teaching early on. And the older they got, the more difficult it was to teach them.’

She recalls that other strategies and a different type of phonics called ‘analytic phonics’ were recommended to help children, but in 2000 she met Marlynne and learnt about her research into systematic synthetic phonics.

Jackie spoke to her head teacher, who gave her permission to try Marlynne’s method

‘You start with the alphabet sounds. For example c-a-t is cat. Then you go on to the two-letter sounds, such as “sh” or “ee”. Then, because the English language has so many ways of spelling the same sound, you have to teach the alternative ways of writing some of the 42-plus sounds.

‘Then there are a few words, which we call tricky words that you cannot sound out easily, such as the word “you”, which a child would need to use before they had learnt the alternative spelling pattern for the sound “oo”, which is why some children would

6 • WAR CRY • 9 September 2023

spell it “yoo” when they write. So you teach that separately as a tricky word.’

The SSP method is now the statutory method of teaching reading in England.

After Jackie had successfully implemented the method with the children she taught, she found that there weren’t any appropriate books with which they could practise their gradual progression. Motivated to keep helping the children, she wrote her own books for them.

Her experience of writing texts that were suitable for children learning systematic synthetic phonics led to her being commissioned by Christian-based Redemptorist Publications to write Faith in Phonics with Marlynne.

Facing more than just a task of making the stories child-friendly, Jackie and Marlynne had to keep in mind the words and sounds that a child would or would not know with each of the books in the Bible.

‘It was a challenge. Think of some words in the Bible, like “Nebuchadnezzar”!’ she laughs. ‘I feel I had a certain amount of divine inspiration, because something would suddenly come to me about how I could write one of the stories. Also I have a pretty good Bible knowledge from having been a Christian for a long time.

‘We were trying to make it a progression, so we had to think: “Have we used this tricky word before? How are we going to explain this Bible name?” It was hugely time-consuming, but both Marlynne and I wanted to make the books as high-quality as we possibly could.

The Bible underpins a lot of cultural heritage

‘I’ve put a little introduction before each story – there’s a page with the phonics on it so that a child can practise the sounds and words, then a page with pictures of the characters and the places, then there’s a background to the story. At the end, there is a reflection and some questions to help the child apply the Bible story to their own life.’

Jackie believes it is important for children to read and become familiar with Bible stories.

‘I feel a lot of the problems in the world are due to the fact that children are growing up

with no real moral framework and no sense of identity as children of God,’ she says. ‘The world is quite a scary place if you feel it’s just randomly here for no reason. But if you teach children that behind everything –even when life looks tough – there is a God of love, that’s incredibly reassuring.

‘When I was a child, in school assemblies we sang hymns and were read passages from the Bible, so we had far more knowledge of Bible stories, which children don’t have today. The Bible also underpins an awful lot of the cultural heritage of this country. Education and hospitals come from Christianity through the monasteries, and a lot of phraseology comes from the Bible, like “the blind leading the blind”.

‘They are also good and beautiful stories, with meanings that resonate for the whole of your life.’

9 September 2023 • WAR CRY • 7

‘Ever yone in the tent suppor ts each other’

To mark the forthcoming return of The Great British Bake Off, one of last year’s bakers, KEVIN FLYNN, reveals what the judges are like off-screen, how contestant camaraderie helped him navigate a custard disaster and why faith is an essential ingredient in his life

IT will be a case of ready, set, bake for 12 new contestants entering the gingham-decked Great British Bake Off tent for more cooking-related creativity, crises and conquests as the new series begins on Channel 4 later this month. All are hoping to take home the trophy, perhaps with a title of star baker along the way, or even a Paul Hollywood handshake.

Kevin Flynn, a contestant in last year’s competition, recalls what it’s like to take part in the show.

‘If you’re a fan of the show and you’re used to watching it on TV, stepping into the tent for the first time is like seeing the Matrix and all the ones and zeros,’ he says. ‘I applied because I know how much joy it has brought to me and my family watching it, and I wanted to bring that same joy to other people as well.

‘Bake Off was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life, preparing so many recipes and learning so many skills I didn’t have before. It was an emotional rollercoaster and tough, but you’ve got 11 friends there that are going through the exact same thing.’

Getting on the show wasn’t easy, but Kevin made it on his second attempt.

‘I wasn’t expecting to get through and was still applying for jobs,’ he remembers. ‘I was offered a job, I accepted it, and then I got a place on

Bake Off. So I had to phone back and say: “I’m ever so sorry, but I can’t take this job and I can’t tell you why.” But, once it all came out, they got in touch with me and said: “OK, that’s a pretty exciting reason.”’ Having made it on to the show, Kevin

had to begin trying to impress the judges. Professional baker Paul Hollywood is known for being a little more grumpy than his fellow judge, restaurateur and cook Prue Leith. Is he as tough to please as he pretends to be?

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith

8 • WAR CRY • 9 September 2023
COURTESY OF CHANNEL 4

‘Paul’s really sweet,’ Kevin reveals. ‘He has got his character that he plays up to, and I think he secretly enjoys playing bad cop. But Paul does balance it with praise where praise is due and is an easygoing guy really.’

Kevin has similarly warm things to say about Prue.

‘She is wicked smart and sharp as a tack, and she really knows her stuff. People forget that she was awarded a Michelin star in one of her restaurants. And she’s got her own cookery school, Leith’s School of Food and Wine. You know that if she’s giving you praise, that praise is due. Equally she knows when you’ve fallen short and she will say. But she’ll say it in the loveliest way that makes you believe in yourself.’

The show also adds in a dash of comedy through presenter Noel Fielding, with his punchlines and puns.

‘Noel is exactly as you see him on screen,’ says Kevin. ‘He just operates on a different level from anyone, and bumbles along. He’s the loveliest guy.’

Each baker has certain weeks that define their experience. The week that

Kevin remembers as being his favourite is perhaps surprising.

‘Believe it or not, my favourite week was actually custard week, the week I went home,’ he says. ‘It was my secret goal to make it that far. I got such good comments on my way out on what I had made. Prue said my custard would stay with her for the rest of her life.’

One of the endearing elements of the show is the friendship and mutual support between the contestants. When Kevin’s custard show-stopper was on the verge of collapse, his fellow bakers teamed up to try to redeem it.

‘If a camera crew spot that something’s going wrong, they get footage of it, but they’re not supposed to intervene,’ he says. ‘However, the other bakers cottoned on to just how badly it was going, and they all jumped in. It was really sweet of them. I think it was past the point of saving, but the sentiment was lovely.

‘That’s the great thing about the bakers every year. Everyone’s there with the same

intention of having this great experience, supporting each other and being each other’s cheerleaders.’

As every series goes on, viewers learn more about their favourite bakers through the show-stopper challenge, in which the contestants dish up a culinary delight inspired by their favourite flavours. There’s often a great story behind each creation, with the bakers drawing on their cultural traditions, passions and life experiences.

In Halloween Week, Kevin decided to make a spider-themed showstopper called ‘Arachna-FOMO’. It was inspired by the fact that, growing up in a Christian family, he never wore sinister-themed Halloween costumes.

He confessed that one year, in a rather bizarre moment of inspiration, his parents instead dressed him up as a grandfather clock with a mouse running down it. While the show-stopper was a light-hearted jibe at his childhood, it also gave Kevin an opportunity to talk about his faith on the show.

Kevin said that the production team

Turn to page 10 f

9 September 2023 • WAR CRY • 9
Paul is an easygoing guy really
Kevin appearing on panel show ‘The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice’

From page 9

‘The Bake Off team really look after you,’ he says. ‘When a Christian is going into the public eye, you wonder if there might be a negative response to it. But they encouraged me by saying there have been bakers in the past that have spoken about their faith and they haven’t had any trouble or hassle over it.

‘They asked me whether I wanted to be public about my faith, and I said yes, and they said that they were fully supportive of that. I think Bake Off leads the way in celebrating diversity, and that includes people from a Christian background.

‘My beliefs came into my interactions with the other bakers and the crew. God made so many opportunities for me to share my faith with the people I was spending all that time with. If God is at the

Off’ leads the way in celebrating diversity

centre of your whole being, then it’ll come through.’

Kevin became a Christian when he was seven years old.

‘My parents were first-generation Christians, and they were intentional and faithful in sharing the gospel with me and my siblings,’ he recalls. ‘At that young age, I understood that I had done wrong, that Jesus had paid the price for those sins and that God showed mercy to us by offering us salvation. I made a commitment to Christ, to turn away from my sin.

‘When you become a Christian at a young age, as you grow up there are points where you reassess your walk with God. At various points, God has brought me closer to him through different events, different preachers and different encounters with his word.’

Kevin feels that his faith has been strengthened over the years. He believes that God has carried him through situations.

‘The further on you get through life,’ he says, ‘the more you can look back and see all this evidence of God’s grace, to the point where it’s like, “When can I ever doubt him?” because there’s way too much evidence in my life of God being with me, showing love and mercy to me.’

Kevin’s understanding of God is shaped by his relationship with Jesus as the Son of God.

He explains: ‘Jesus is so many things. He is a friend, he is a comfort, but he is also our Lord and King. And he’s also a Creator. I think that’s one of the things

10 • WAR CRY • 9 September 2023
Kevin during bread week on the show
‘Bake

that’s so amazing about Jesus. He’s in our lives in so many capacities. Everything you could ever need is in Jesus. So when I need a comforter, it’s Jesus. When I need mercy and forgiveness for my sins, it’s Jesus. When I need a kick up the backside, it’s Jesus.’

Kevin adds that his faith gave him a healthy sense of perspective in the tent.

‘People ask if I was praying that God could help me with my bakes. But I think when you remember that God is holding the whole creation and universe together, it’s like if your cake falls apart, it’s all right.

‘It was liberating not having to worry about the outcome of the tent, because I completely trusted that whatever God had planned for me was better than anything I could ever muster for myself. The way I went out was such a good experience. It was impossible for me not to see God’s hand in that.’

Since taking part in the show, Kevin has appeared on stages at various food festivals. He is now working with Scripture Union Scotland, a charity which aims to ensure that every child and young person

has the opportunity to explore the Bible and respond to the significance of Jesus in their own lives. He has partnered with it on the Wee Celebration – a series of events which supporters hold to celebrate the way that God has been at work through the organisation – by supplying six exclusive baking recipes.

Looking back on his time in the tent, Kevin says that it was about much more than simply showcasing his talent.

He says: ‘Bake Off is a platform and I wanted to use it to God’s glory, be public about my faith and show that I’m not living for myself, I’m living for him.’

COURTESY OF CHANNEL 4 9 September 2023 • WAR CRY • 11
Chatting to presenter Noel Fielding
It was liberating not having to worry

Prayerlink

YOUR prayers are requested for David and Gillian, who have just got married, that their relationship will stay strong when they encounter hardships.

The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

jBecoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit.

Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen

KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

The Kingdom of humility

AS Jesus spent his time on Earth teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, his followers and disciples spent time thinking about what that Kingdom would be like. If it in any way resembled an earthly kingdom, there would be those who were closer to the throne, and so more important, than others. Who, they wonder, would get the best seats? They ask Jesus: ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ (Matthew 18:1 New International Version).

They are not the only ones to try to impose earthly hierarchies on to the Kingdom of Heaven. In an attempted power grab, the mother of disciples James and John asks Jesus to give her sons places of importance, but Jesus says that is a decision for God to make (Matthew 20:20–23).

Access is granted through divine grace

The Kingdom does not operate on the worldly principles of promotion, self-advancement and ambition, nor on the unseemly practice of favouritism. The Kingdom is not for the pushy but for the humble. Calling a child to him, Jesus says: ‘Whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 18:4).

The Kingdom is characterised by humility. Jesus taught that nobody deserves a place and nobody can earn a place in the Kingdom. Access is granted not through human endeavour but through divine grace.

While in the everyday world ‘humility’ and ‘greatest’ are contradictory, their interaction is the essential mechanism of the Kingdom. Jesus explains: ‘The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted’ (Matthew 23:11 and 12).

Jesus turns the values of the world upside down. The Gospel of Mark records how, after catching his disciples arguing about who among them was the greatest, Jesus put them straight by saying: ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all’ (Mark 9:35).

Being a servant – showing humility – means following the master’s will and not one’s own, but it results in a place in the Kingdom and the everlasting life that place brings.

Address

12 • WAR CRY • 9 September 2023 "
Looking for help? War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
a To receive basic reading about Christianity and information about The Salvation Army, complete this coupon and send it to
Name
Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International
In this occasional series, Nigel Bovey unlocks the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, which Jesus speaks to his disciples about in Matthew’s Gospel

QUICK QUIZ

1 2 3 4 5 6

LIFESAVER

In the Disney film Frozen, what is the name of the snowman who likes warm hugs?

According to the nursery rhyme ‘Sing a Song of Sixpence’, how many blackbirds are baked in a pie?

In which country were last month’s World Athletics Championships held?

What gas makes up approximately 20 per cent of the Earth’s atmosphere?

How many millimetres make up one metre?

Who wrote the Charlie and Lola series of children’s books?

World First Aid Day prescribes expert online advice

FORGET scrolling through Facebook, this year’s World First Aid Day – an annual day that aims to raise awareness about lifesaving skills – has an online focus. Today (Saturday 9 September) charities and organisations are letting people know that they can take part in basic or refresher courses online to brush up on their medical knowledge.

As part of the day, the British Red Cross is encouraging people to swap an ‘empty minute’ scrolling through social media with one spent looking up videos, quizzes and PowerPoints on its website to learn about bleeding, broken bones, burns and choking. It is also flagging up its first aid app, which contains medical advice.

Meanwhile, St John Ambulance has also been highlighting its online e-learning modules, which span a range of topics about first aid and mental health.

It can help to cry out to someone

Relevant knowledge or a well-timed intervention can play a key role in emergency care, both in the assessment of a situation and the prescription of medication.

When we’re in the depths of a physical or mental health struggle, it’s good when there is someone or something to intervene at the right time to restore us back to life. While medicine plays a central role in physical recovery, it’s also important to have the right emotional support when we feel that we’ve reached the end of our own resources. In such times, it can often help to cry out to someone who cares about our suffering.

The Bible flags up how God loves us all and looks to ‘bind up the broken-hearted’ (Isaiah 61:1 New International Version). It says he offers us comfort, peace and the strength to face each new day.

God can bring healing to our emotional brokenness if we’ll let him. The cure may not be instant, but God will stick with us and nurse us back to spiritual and emotional health.

ANSWERS 1. Olaf. 2. 24. 3. Hungary. 4. Oxygen. 5. 1,000. 6.
9 September 2023 • WAR CRY • 13
Lauren Child.
LIBRARY PICTURE

PUZZLES

Quick CROSSWORD

HONEYC O M B

Look

ACROSS 1. Assert (5) 4. Of indigenous South American people (5) 8. Tree (3) 9. Allure (5) 10. Canal boat (5) 11. Flightless bird (3) 12. Female (5) 13. Allay (7) 16. Haphazard (6) 19. Enquiring (6) 23. Expand (7) 26. Lessen (5) 28. Elect (3) 29. Additional (5) 30. Fashion (5) 31. Observe (3) 32. Mature (5) 33. Proportion (5) DOWN 2. Scare (5) 3. Keepsake (7) 4. Tarnished (6) 5. Secret political clique (5) 6. Of Scandinavia (5) 7. Strainer (5) 9. Crouch in fear (5)
ANSWERS 14 • WAR CRY • 9 September 2023 QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Claim. 4. Incan. 8. Elm. 9. Charm. 10. Barge. 11. Emu. 12. Woman. 13. Relieve. 16. Random. 19. Asking. 23. Stretch. 26. Abate. 28. Opt. 29. Extra. 30. Trend. 31. Eye. 32. Ripen. 33. Ratio. DOWN: 2. Alarm. 3. Memento. 4. Impure. 5. Cabal. 6. Norse. 7. Sieve. 9. Cower. 14. Irk. 15. Van. 17. Art. 18. Due. 20. Scatter. 21. Greed. 22. Chosen. 23. Sheen. 24. Rotor. 25. Tramp. 27. Adept. HONEYCOMB 1. Paella. 2. Ladder. 3. Depart. 4. Accept. 5. Script. 6. Delete.
8 6 5 1 9 7 2 4 3 1 3 9 8 2 4 6 5 7 7 4 2 5 6 3 1 9 8 9 2 6 3 8 1 5 7 4 4 7 8 2 5 6 9 3 1 3 5 1 7 4 9 8 6 2 6 9 7 4 1 2 3 8 5 2 8 3 9 7 5 4 1 6 5 1 4 6 3 8 7 2 9 8 5 1 9 4 6 7 7 4 9 3 1 4 4 2 6 1 3 7 9 2 8 5 2 3 9 4 8 7 9 Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 SUDOKU D P H D K F P M A I R T Z F Q E L H N S F M N E S Q X U Z O P A O N W D A C I R F A H T U O S G T K P G S E L Q J A V L L B D C J T B O K L Z R A P I Z J H K E O F D Q R T W A X K E N C L A G U T R O P H V A I N Z A Z V I B P Y L A T I X L I E L D P G W S Y T A A Y D R Q T N K U G I J O E A M J N Z P K J I A Q R M Q L A W N R L D Q E M W H M V U L J Z N B H Z K A E L Z G E O R G I A X S G I B R Q Y P S Q H R K U Z G R S P N S C P L B M H Y R T A J N W T K V A R Q Q Z C F R M D Y Q O G X J H M E W C L N A K S O U Q T Q N S G O C B E H W V A I B I M A N J H O A Y N M K I E O X J G H R N P R Q M R X D V O L N V T F R A N C E Y X J Z B G S Y E W RDSEARCH
World Cup
ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA CHILE ENGLAND FIJI FRANCE GEORGIA
8 6 5 1 9 7 2 4 3 1 3 9 8 2 4 6 5 7 7 4 2 5 6 3 1 9 8 9 2 6 3 8 1 5 7 4 4 7 8 2 5 6 9 3 1 3 5 1 7 4 9 8 6 2 6 9 7 4 1 2 3 8 5 2 8 3 9 7 5 4 1 6 5 1 4 6 3 8 7 2 9 2 3 9 4 8 7 9
Spanish rice dish
Used for climbing up or down
Leave on a journey
Not decline
Written text of a play or film 6. Erase
solution starts
the coloured cell and reads clockwise
the number
Irritate
Vehicle (3) 17. Craft (3) 18. Owing (3) 20. Strew (7) 21. Avarice (5)
Gloss (5) 24. Hub of radiating blades (5) 25. Vagrant (5) 27. Capable (5) IRELAND ITALY JAPAN NAMIBIA NEW ZEALAND PORTUGAL ROMANIA SAMOA SCOTLAND SOUTH AFRICA TONGA URUGUAY WALES
up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these Rugby
teams
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Each
on
round
14.
(3) 15.
22. Selected (6) 23.

Lentil stew with roasted vegetables

INGREDIENTS

600g floury potatoes, peeled and diced

4 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 onion

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

175g red lentils, rinsed

850ml low-sodium vegetable stock

400g can chopped

tomatoes

2tbsp basil, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Toss together the potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic and olive oil. Arrange in a roasting tin and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, until starting to colour. Spoon everything from the dish into a large saucepan set over a medium heat.

Stir in the lentils and stock and cook until simmering. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cover the saucepan with a lid. Cook over a low heat for 25-30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

Season the stew with salt and pepper. Garnish with the basil and serve.

Chicken, feta and mushroom pasta

INGREDIENTS

450g fusilli

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2tbsp olive oil

2 large skinless chicken breasts, diced

Knob of butter

250g button mushrooms, halved

2 spring onions, thinly sliced 4tbsp crème fraiche

75g feta cheese, crumbled

½ lemon, juice

METHOD

Cook the fusilli according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside to cool, covered with a tea towel.

Heat the oil in a frying pan set over a medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and some salt and pepper, sautéing for about 6-8 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

Melt the butter in the pan, then add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until tender and golden. Stir in half the spring onions and remove from the heat.

Tip the pasta, chicken and mushroom mixture into a large serving bowl. Add the crème fraiche, feta, lemon juice and some salt and pepper, to taste, tossing to combine.

Top with the remaining spring onions before serving.

9 September 2023 • WAR CRY • 15
4
4
SERVES
SERVES
To donate to the Big Collection visit salvationarmy.org.uk/big-collection or call 020 7367 4800 The Salvation Army is a Church and registered Charity in England (214779), Wales (214779), Scotland (SC009359), Republic of Ireland (CHY6399) and IOM (267). Advertisement Your gift and our love can change people’s lives

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.