15 October 2016 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION  15 OCTOBER 2016 | Issue 6653 | $1.50

Keeping Children Safe On the Spot with Jack Tame

Salvation Army Speaks Out on Euthanasia How to Break Up

My Parents Are SO Annoying!

The Salvation Army is NOT Apolitical

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12 WAR CRY The Salvation Army

Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Robert & Janine Donaldson | GENERAL André Cox | FOUNDERS William

& Catherine Booth

The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

EDITOR Major Christina Tyson | GRAPHIC DESIGN Tanesha Dahya, Lauren Millington, Amber Wilkinson | STAFF WRITERS Ingrid Barratt, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box

6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Fax (04) 382 0716, Email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry

SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone (04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.co.nz | PAPER Novatech

is an environmentally responsible paper manufactured under environmental management system ISO14001 using FSC® Certified, Mixed Source, ECF pulp from responsible sources and legally harvested forests.

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

THE SALVATION ARMY IS NOT

APOLITICAL

Th pa Po Ar

14

20 Exploring the non-partisan nature of The Salvation Army’s engagement in the public sphere.

What place does politics have in a life of faith?

What will be left for our children?

think: what place does politics have in a life of faith?

Some people consider religion is a private matter, confined to the spiritual world and inappropriate in the public arena. If that is so then, for the Christian, political debate should be avoided and political action shunned.

That is, after all, the true meaning of what is it to be apolitical—it means having no interest or involvement in politics.

I recently watched the Japanese film Wood Job, the story of a lazy school-leaver

BY SUSAN HOWAN who flunks his exams and can’t get into university, so on a whim heads off on a Local body elections have just been year-long forestry internship. held across New Zealand. We’ve seen billboards at every intersection, and I didn’t expect to be moved by this film, buthave I was.

The young Hirano our letterboxes overflowed withfirst time But The Salvation Army is not an pamphlets proclaiming the policies and apoliticaltended movement, even though it is travels to the wood sales, he feels a sense pride atItthe cedar meritof of the candidates. makesbeautifully you sometimes described in those terms— they are selling. On the way home, with the log having sold for a record price, 15 OCTOBER 2016 Hirano asks why they are travelling in 20 WarCry a dilapidated old truck when surely his boss could afford a Mercedes. His boss realises Hirano is pushing for a short-term, get-rich scheme that would sell as much of the forest’s stock as possible, rather than carefully tending trees throughout their long lifespan. He snaps back, ‘Don’t be stupid! What will be left for our children?’ And then adds, ‘When the time comes to judge our work, we’ll all be gone.’

This same philosophy needs to guide our own environmental footprint: when the time comes to judge our work, we’ll all be gone. We must put the needs of our children and those directly impacted by climate change and the pillaging of our planet’s resources ahead of our own self-interest.

‘I often think of the heavens your hands have made, and of the moon and stars you put in place,’ says Psalm 8. But does this awareness translate to wise stewardship? As one simple prayer says, ‘Give us the will to cherish this planet and to use its riches for the good and welfare of all.’ Amen!

Christina Tyson Editor

Publishing for 133 years | ISSN 0043-0242, Issue 6653 Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

www.salvationarmy.org.nz salvationarmynzftwarcry @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

2 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

Thanks for the very positive feedback on our new-look War Cry. We will permanently change to the new paper from January 2017.

Sa by Th he We

Po

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

Please pass on or recycle this magazine

ev ou ke he Th wo If co Fo po wa ne jus

Jeremiah 2:7 The Message I brought you to a garden land where you could eat lush fruit. But you barged in and polluted my land, trashed and defiled my dear land.

Heremaia 2:7 Ā, nāku koutou i kawe mai ki te whenua maha ōna hua, ki te kai i ōna hua, i ōna mea papai.

Al infl it ca wi Sa va eq of

Th en pr Te pa tim of th th of of se

Th ha eco Bu th as ne of th Sa of ma sle

I

sat on top of the drilling rig, hail driving into my face, watching the last of my neighbours marched off the mining site by the police. I hugged my knees to my chest and awaited arrest. I felt vulnerable—so far outside the law. But I also felt determined—so sure standing by this mountain was the right thing to do.

One year ago, our family moved to the foot of Mount Karangahake, one peak in a range of mountains that runs from the Mamaku Forest to the very tip of the Coromandel, home to some of New Zealand’s endangered wildlife and most precious ancient trees.

Imagine our despair a few months ago when we spotted a drilling rig up there, just 100 metres from the native bush. We’ve always been aware of plans to mine the mountain, despite it being Department of Conservation land, but this rig was technically on private land and a surprise even to DOC. And it was smack bang on a ridge connecting Mount Karangahake to the rest of the range.

All the neighbours gathered and we decided to climb the mountain and bear witness to this tragedy. This is a five-to six-hour return trip, but we climbed up every week that the rig was there.

It is a powerful thing walking two-and-a-half hours through the forest to protest at a drilling rig.

You get the space to consider: how much does this rig matter?

Knowing about the ecological corridor, I felt this mattered a lot. We live in a country where some species are hanging on by a thread of human consideration, and mining a place like this could be devastating.

Protect Karangahake protestors | Photography: Tomek Friedrick

I became convinced that politically, too, it mattered. The big picture is that the rights to mine Mount Karangahake, a mountain under protection, have been sold. This is about our government saying one thing and doing another. So on a political level, it matters a lot.

On what we knew would be our last visit to the rig, 20 of us walked around the site singing and reflecting on what the earth will look like when nature and humankind aren’t pitted so brutally against each other.

I had a huge urge to stay—not to leave the mountain of my own volition. So I climbed the rig and sat down. I was thankful for the silent movie playing in my head of all the peaceful people throughout history that have challenged injustice and had to face the consequences.

I had my day in court and was granted diversion. However, my neighbours and my family know that in the coming months drilling rigs will appear on the mountain itself, on DOC land.

And I know there are others, too, to whom this matters. Who will also want to stand by this land that God has entrusted into our care and that we have committed to protect—whatever the cost.

BY LUCY AITKENREAD

GET INVOLVED | Search ‘Protect-Karangahake’ on Facebook 15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 3

GOODSTUFF Foodie references make up around half of the new words added to The Oxford English Dictionary this year. They include the Malaysian or Indonesian dish ‘rendang’, the Greek ‘spanakopita’, and the Italian ‘bocconcini’ (mozzarella balls or small food items). There are some new cheeserelated words—including ‘cheeseball’ (either ‘someone or something lacking taste, style, or originality; or the breaded and deep fried cheese appetizer’). Exotic new inclusions are char kway teow—a stir-fried rice noodle dish, and kare-kare—Filipino oxtail stew. Don’t be a cheeseball, get yourself some kare-kare!

All you need is love.

But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

Charles M. Schulz

ONTHESPOT Jack Tame Presenter of TV One’s news show Breakfast, who has just spent five years as a correspondent in New York and is the kind of guy you want your daughter to marry.

QUIKQUIZ

Secret indulgence: Ice cream. It’s hardly even a secret. I can put away more mint-chocolate-chip in a sitting than most people could in a year.

2 What record do

Celebrity crush Emma Watson. So smart and sophisticated.

What I’m watching Q&A … spot the politics geek!

One thing I love: Dancing. I’m not any good, but nothing matches the feeling of being totally liberated with good hip hop!

One thing I hate: People who belittle service staff.

Best thing about New York: The diversity. New York is the best city on Earth—the ultimate concentration of people and culture.

Something that would surprise us about your job: For the last five years in New York I’ve mostly been a one-man band—cameraman, journalist and soundie in one!

4 WarCry 01 OCTOBER 2016

1 What well-known

band used to be called ‘The Hype’?

Animated comedy/Kids & Family The Secret Life of Pets (G) Director Chris Renaud & Yarrow Cheney From the producers of Zootopia and Despicable Me comes a story that looks at the lives of faithful pets in Manhattan when their owners are away.

The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.

Cue jealousy and chaos that ends with both of them caught by dog control. They are rescued by a psychotic rabbit named Snowball, the leader of ‘The Flushed Pets’, a gang of sewer-dwelling animals who hate humans because their owners abandoned and mistreated them.

Meanwhile, the rest of the animals in Max’s apartment block realise he’s missing and so head out to rescue him.

If the story line sounds familiar, it’s essentially Toy Story with domesticated pets. This is no bad thing, but it definitely lacks the magic and storytelling of a Pixar production.

That said, The Secret Life of Pets is a testament to teamwork and friendship and fixing the rifts that divide us. It’s bright and breezy, and has slapstick comedy and colourful visuals in abundance. All this makes for an entertaining and fun movie that will appeal to all ages.

(Reviewed by Martin Barratt)

Serena Williams and Steffi Graff hold after Wimbledon 2016?

3 What is the origin of the word ‘goodbye’?

4 How many years does it take for a pineapple to mature?

5 Who had a dream about an angel and goats?

Answers on page 22

GIVEAWAY

Send to: Women’s Wellness Wisdom, War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Sq, Wgtn 6141 or warcry@nzf.salvationarmy. org by 31.10.16

More people died in 2015 by taking selfies than by shark attacks.

Health/Self Care Women’s Wellness Wisdom Dr Libby Weaver Dr Libby inspires with her newest offering, Women’s Wellness Wisdom: What Every Woman Needs to Know.

Broken into sections—eat, body, mind and world—the book offers practical wisdom and science information in a way that makes you think you really understand the technical stuff.

Scattered throughout are inspirational quotes, helpful diagrams and beautiful pictures. For real book lovers, you’ll love the way the book feels in your hands. Women’s Wellness Wisdom can be read from cover to cover or browsed in moments of quiet. Dr Libby lives what she writes and leaves you saying, ‘I’ll have what she’s having!’

(Little Frog Publishing)

Pre-Workout Green Smoothie

TOP10

Most Annoying Noises A recent British survey found that the most annoying noises are snoring, loud chewing and a dog barking. Here’s what we reckon Kiwis might find the top 10 most annoying noises in the world:

1 Your neighbour’s lawnmower at 7 on Saturday morning

6 A big group of Harley Davidsons hooning past

2 Your partner’s snoring at 12 o’clock at night

7 The guy from the Shark Lift-Away infomercials

3 The after-match party you can hear into the early hours 4 Slurping tea or coffee 5 Other people’s phone alerts when you’re on the bus

8 Your alarm clock, every single morning 9 Loud hoiking in public—just gross 10 The ‘unexpected item in the bagging area’ message at selfserve checkouts.

This recipe from simplegreensmoothies.com says the best kinds of pre-workout foods are filled with protein, good carbs, healthy fats.

These ingredients help us stock up on energy, and keep us full for a long time. The apple, banana, rolled oats, coconut oil and leafy greens make the perfect combination for a fresh and refreshing smoothie | Serves 2 2 cups fresh spinach

Blend spinach and almond milk until smooth.

2 cups almond milk, unsweetened

Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

1 large apple, cored, any variety

• To avoid clumping when adding coconut oil to a smoothie, melt it slightly first and then pour in.

1 banana ⅓ cup rolled oats 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Tips

• Use frozen fruit to make smoothie cold, or drop in a couple of ice cubes if your food processor is up to the task.

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon This is our editor’s go-to morning breakfast most days. True, she doesn’t often follow it with a gym workout, but it does give lasting energy and brain power for a busy day running around the office! She adds wheat germ for an extra boost of vitamins and minerals.

01 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 5

Professor Jonathan Boston believes he has a responsibility to speak truth to power, but he also has some hard words for his fellow Christians. Many Christians, he says, are displaying ‘an appalling witness to the gospel’ when it comes to caring for God’s creation, and we need a complete transformation to step up and save what God has made.

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

F

rom his position as a Professor of Public Policy at Victoria University, this seemly mild-mannered academic has become one of New Zealand’s leading advocates for the poor and addressing poverty in New Zealand. However, since 2005 he has also been speaking out strongly on climate change.

Jonathan’s interest in caring for the environment began as a teenager at school in Christchurch in the early 1970s. A friend a year behind him at school was a boy called Rod Donald (later co-leader of the Green Party) and together through school and after they were involved in a range of environmental groups contributing on everything from minimising waste and recycling newspaper to planning cycle-ways in Christchurch. All that paused when Jonathan went off to Oxford University to do his PhD, and it wasn’t until 2005 that he took the issue up again—driven by two major events.

During that year, Jonathan began to read more again on environmental issues. Looking at the scientific data, he says it was clear that any fair, reasonable reading of the evidence showed ‘indisputable evidence’ the planet was warming and the climate was changing. And that the most reasonable explanation for that warming was an increase in greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere due to human activity.

‘There is no other reasonable, plausible, convincing explanation for that increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, and there is no other reasonable, plausible, convincing explanation for the kind of warming of the planet that we’re witnessing other than that it is largely due to the burning of fossil fuels and the cutting down of forests.’

What struck him most, though, was the realisation that if humans didn’t act to mitigate climate change the effects would be ‘serious and irreversible’, and that not many people seemed to realise this or be doing anything about it.

Passionate about climate change When Jonathan was asked to make a presentation on key issues for the general election that year, he says he found himself getting passionate. ‘I took the opportunity to make a very strong plea that people should give more attention to climate change. It hit me that maybe I needed to do more about this issue.’

15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 7

Jonathan had also made plans to reconnect with his high school friend Rod Donald. However, a few days before they were due to have lunch, Donald suddenly and unexpectedly died. With the loss of a Kiwi champion of the cause to protect the planet, Jonathan says he felt convicted to try and fill some of the gap left by his friend on climate change.

He was asked by the British High Commission to organise a climate conference in early 2006 that ended up attracting the British Prime Minister and some of the world’s leading climate scientists. In the 10 years since, Jonathan has been writing and speaking about what governments needed to do to anyone who would listen—and those who wouldn’t—from politicians to members of the public and church groups.

Over that decade, globally, there has been some progress.

Perhaps most important is the Paris Agreement. Agreed last year between almost all countries in the world, this is a significant breakthrough, despite some flaws, Jonathan says.

However, there are still huge challenges, requiring countries to do more. And New Zealand—despite the clean green image we’d like to portray—is lagging behind.

Kiwis ignoring the problem In the past seven years, the government has done as little as possible and has rolled back most actions that would reduce emissions, Jonathan says, adding that some farmers ‘have got away with blue murder’.

However, ordinary Kiwis are also part of that problem —we’ve ‘failed to be more assertive in demanding a higher standard of environmental care’, we’ve done a lot of damage to our rivers, native plants and animals, and many aren’t bothered in their personal lives, he says.

‘Large numbers of New Zealanders just couldn’t care a damn about where they drop their rubbish. Here in Wellington, my wife regularly goes into a local park to pick up rubbish after Saturday sports and comes back with bags full.’

Jonathan talks about a recent holiday in Central Otago where he witnessed a large amount of rubbish—everything from plastic bags to car tires—lining the roadside, and cows grazing unfenced next to one of the country’s most pristine rivers.

‘We’re simply stuck with a situation where too few people regard creation care as a serious issue.’

New Zealanders need what Pope Francis in his treatise on climate change last year called an ‘ecological reformation’, Jonathan says.

8 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

‘We need a radical and fundamental, comprehensive environmental awakening. One that is transformative of our minds and our hearts, and which means that we wouldn’t drop rubbish and we wouldn’t tolerate a situation in which we generate millions of plastic bags every month and where we’re polluting waterways, lakes and estuaries willy-nilly.’

Being a good global neighbour The reference to Pope Francis is telling. For Jonathan, his Christian faith compels him to speak out and act in combating the destruction of the environment. It is irresponsible to destroy our only home and the one that God made for us, he says, and it doesn’t fit with his faith.

Instead, we need to reconsider what it means to be a good neighbour, and to grasp a concept of being neighbours to people who we don’t know but that our actions affect both globally and for future generations, he says.

‘As a Christian, I do believe we have significant responsibilities for our neighbours and all the wonderful, amazing creatures we’re blessed with on this planet, and if we don’t take those responsibilities seriously the consequences will be dire. Once you destroy whole ecosystems it’s very, very, very hard to recreate them! And once we begin the process of melting the major ice sheets on the planet—as we are—it’s going to be very, very, very hard to reverse. And the consequence of that in terms of sea level rise will be felt across the planet and will affect hundreds of millions, potentially billions, of people.’

Through the Bible, God shows a clear concern for the world and how we treat it—and calls us to care for it, Jonathan says.

‘God has given rise to an amazing cosmos, and this cosmos is not ours; it’s God’s. Our responsibility is to be good stewards of what we have been gifted on a temporary basis. It is not our right to destroy what God has made. We should be caring for it and nurturing it and doing our very best to conserve, preserve and restore—not to damage, degrade, despoil and destroy.’

God cares about the planet Jesus coming into the world as a human suggests that God takes this world very seriously, Jonathan says. As does the Lord’s Prayer, where Jesus told Christians to pray that God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, suggesting God cares about this planet, which God chose as the location to begin building his kingdom.

‘The Lord’s Prayer, in my view, is quite fundamental in terms of suggesting what we do in this world matters, and our contribution—our calling as co-creators with Christ—is to seek to build God’s kingdom in all its wonder and vitality and beauty here.

‘Our calling is to take this world, our lives, our children’s and grandchildren’s lives, and that of many, many generations to come very seriously.’

Church apathy and failure

WE NEED A RADICAL AND FUNDAMENTAL, COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AWAKENING.

However, Jonathan says he’s ‘greatly discouraged’ and ‘disheartened’ by the failure of all churches across denominations, and their leaders, to take environmental issues more seriously.

‘In my view, the church has been asleep in the light on environmental issues and I think that’s a tragedy. I think it’s an appalling witness to the gospel, and we need a radical shift in mindsets and actions.’

Every inch the professor, as well as the activist, Jonathan is a considered man who chooses his words carefully and precisely, but when it come to the church a deep frustration and sadness comes through. Especially when he sees the full potential of what the church could still achieve in this area.

‘I’m not very optimistic about that radical shift occurring.

I think far too many Christians are just far too comfortable, far too apathetic and blasé, and I think that’s tragic. If the Christian community across the various denominations were to wake up to their stewardship responsibilities and to mobilise, individually and collectively, to protect God’s good creation, I believe that would be transformative.

‘There are enough Christians still in New Zealand to make a significant difference. But I’m sorry to say I have no great optimism that this will happen. My sense is that the Holy Spirit has been knocking on many doors and found only a few that are prepared to open.’

Ultimately, Jonathan says, it comes down to taking some personal responsibility—for himself to keep trying to improve the way he lives, and to keep challenging others.

‘My view here is that each of us needs to act responsibly as stewards for the resources God has entrusted us with.’

So … what can I do?

Jonathan points out what each person can do will be different depending on our circumstances. But there’s always something we can do and many areas where we can start.

Transport: This is the biggest area for New Zealanders—a quarter of an average Kiwi household’s emissions are in transport. Drive less, fly less, get a more fuel efficient car (a hybrid or electric), and offset your carbon emissions when you fly.

Power: Eighty per cent of New Zealand’s electricity is from renewable energy, but cutting your power bill will still help. Get Eco bulbs, energy efficient appliances and heaters, and—most importantly—insulate your home.

Reduce, reuse, recycle: The basics really do make a difference. The hard one for many of us is eat less meat!

Half of New Zealand’s emissions come from agriculture, much of this from meat farming, processing and transport. The quickest start to reducing your impact is with a meat-free meal or two each week.

Investments: Move from fossil fuel companies to renewable energy companies.

Speak up: Encourage your friends, harass your MP and nag your boss. This issue needs bold, visionary leadership and effort from all of us!

15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 9

How to Break Up There is no one way to get over a relationship breakup, but you can navigate it so that breakup doesn’t break you.

In that canon of wisdom Dawson’s Creek, the grandmother says, ‘When we love someone, we give them the power to destroy us.’ We are made for love. So when that love is taken away, it may feel as if it will destroy us—but only if we give it that power.

We think of a breakup as that moment when we end a relationship. But in reality, there is the moment of breaking up … and then there is the much longer, painful process of letting go.

You adapt to the loss of a partner in two ways.

There is the ‘restoration function’—where you do all the practical things necessary to rebuild your life. You change your hair, eat foods they didn’t like, make new plans.

THERE’S NO ONE RIGHT WAY TO BREAK UP, SO DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANY TIMEFRAME OR TO OTHERS …

Then there is the more difficult ‘loss function’— dealing with the necessary emotional adjustments. In this, the cliché ‘you complete me’ is true, according to psychologist Dr Susan Krauss Whitbourne. ‘This person was once a part of your own identity. Your ex’s view of you was vitally important to your own self-definition. You saw yourself as he or she did,’ she explains. ‘Your ex also most likely affected your life in thousands of less profound ways.’ Such as what you bought in your groceries, how you wore your hair, and so on.

A healthy person will usually go back and forth between the ‘restoration’ and ‘loss’ functions—which is why you’ll feel free and fantastic one minute, and in a pit of despair the next.

You know it was the right decision to break up … No, it was the biggest mistake of your life.

DID YOU KNOW? | Kintsugi These are all normal adjustments. There’s no one right way to do this, so don’t compare yourself to any timeframe or to others— especially your ex!

Yes, you will feel incomplete for a while … which is why it is so helpful to make new plans, new friends, and start to rebuild your emotional identity.

10 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

is the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with a lacquer mixed with gold, silver or platinum. This recognises the piece’s history and show the repair instead of disguising it.

It’s even said the true life of the bowl ‘began the moment it was dropped’. In the same way, breakups can leave people stronger, wiser and more beautiful.

DO

Talk about it: Find a couple of trusted friends who will give you the freedom to talk about it as much as you need to.

Make a plan: Make plans, like an overseas trip. It will will give you something positive to concentrate on.

Grieve in your own way: It may take you a month or a year, but don’t feel pressured to get over it. Processing your grief properly will allow you to learn, and truly move on.

DON’T Push your feelings down: Trying to ignore your grief will lead to mistakes, such as a rebound relationship —which only ends up hurting you more.

Stalk them: Okay, you will probably do a bit of Facebook stalking, but try to let go of knowing everything that is going on in their life.

Compare: It’s painful if your ex finds a new partner before you … but this doesn’t mean they’re over it. Try not to compare.

TESTIFY! Karl Foreman features in a new Salvation Army campaign encouraging more people to explore the option of becoming Salvation Army officers (ministers).

I’m based at Upper Hutt Salvation Army with my wife Christine. This is our third year in that appointment.

I spent most of my life trying to find who I am. It wasn’t until the age of 32 that I encountered the love of God in a way that just changed my life. From that moment on, I found a real sense of identity and my confidence just changed—so it was like day and night.

We’ve got six children, so life’s very busy in our home. I go down to the Hutt River at the start of the day, after the chaos of getting everyone off to school—I like to spend some time in the Word of God and prayer.

As an officer, there’s no day the same.

Every day is so varied. Some days I’ll be at the local primary school, doing Bible in Schools for an hour. I go from there to a men’s group. From there, to a Probation meeting with a young man who may have just come out of Rimutaka Prison—trying to support him in his journey. From there, to mentoring a marriage.

To see a life come out of darkness or come out of bondage into a place of freedom and a knowledge of God’s love, to me that’s what officership is all about. I’m able to show grace. I’m able to bring hope to others.

Every day, you’re facing different challenges working with people.

For me, the journey of becoming an officer—the motivation behind it and why I said yes—is because I wanted to be in a place where I can actually influence other lives to live out their God-given destinies.

So officership, for me, is about influence. It’s about being an

I LOVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS AND RELEASE THEM INTO THEIR PURPOSE IN LIFE. empowering leader. I love that opportunity to encourage others and release them into their purpose in life.

Officership is full of those wonderful opportunities.

To be honest, it’s not been easy—but I like that, because it brings complete dependence on God. It’s seeing God’s love touch people’s lives that makes it all worthwhile —that’s what officership is all about.

We’re The Salvation Army! We’re about seeing lives transformed by the power of God. And for me, that’s the win.

I’m Saying Yes! It’s an exciting thing to get a nudge from God! That strong and passionate prompt in our heart or mind to do something that makes a difference for God and for others.

Perhaps God is giving you just such a nudge toward Salvation Army officership. If that’s the case, visit www.salvationarmy.org.nz/SayYes. Watch the videos of Karl, Sammy, Peter, Joe, and Kylie and Stu, and read the information that’s there to help you.

Then talk to your corps officer or candidates secretary. Talk to your friends, your family, your husband or wife if you’re married. Most of all, talk to God. Trust God to lead you. Trust God to use you.

Say yes to exploring Salvation Army officership!

WATCH ONLINE | See Karl, Sammy, Peter, Kylie, Stu, and Joe share their stories | Go to www.salvationarmy. org.nz/SayYes 15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 11

My Parents Are

So Ann oyi ng

Parents. They’re always trying to friend you on ‘the Facebook’. They sing loudly to ’80s music at the supermarket. They tell EVERYONE about your embarrassing monobrow situation.

BY INGRID BARRATT

But what happens when parents are more than just annoying? In the Big 10, the fifth commandment says to ‘honour your father and your mother’ (Exodus 20:12).

You’ve probably heard that, ’cos adults love to point it out. But what if they aren’t honourable?

Malachi’s dad was a pastor. Everyone loved his dad.

Except Malachi—well, he loved his dad, but sometimes it was hard to like him. While his dad talked about love and grace from the pulpit, at home he was a bully.

Malachi really loved God, but it was hard to respect his dad. He didn’t know how he was supposed to live out God’s command to honour his parents, when his dad was such a hypocrite.

THE MOST MISUSED VERSE ‘Honour your father and your mother’ has been called the most misused verse in the Bible. This commandment doesn’t mean you should blindly obey your parents. It doesn’t mean your parents are always right. It doesn’t mean they can get away with abuse or bad behaviour.

12 firezone.co.nz 15 OCTOBER 2016

Let’s get biblical on it: the commandments were originally written in Hebrew, and the word we’ve translated as ‘honour’ is ‘kābēd’. Its meanings include to ‘be heavy’ or ‘give weight to’. This means treating your parents with ‘appropriate seriousness’.

Add to that, the Jewish interpretation of this verse means you honour your parents as you would honour God—always understanding that the authority of God is greater than any human authority. Taking your parents seriously means weighing up what they say, against what God says. If it’s in line with God, pay attention. But if it’s not, follow God’s way.

JESUS DIDN’T ALWAYS DO WHAT HIS PARENTS WANTED Remember the story about how 12-year-old Jesus went missing for three days, and his parents eventually found him at the temple? Imagine the scene if you went missing for three days!

Here’s what Jesus’ ma said when they found him:

‘Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.’ And instead of ‘sorry’, Jesus turns around and sasses them: ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ (see Luke 2:41-52).

The Bible clearly says Jesus was without sin. So, does that mean it’s okay to run away and then sass your ma and pa? Jesus was not being a brat; he was amazing the teachers at the temple with his insight and questions about God. Although he took his parents seriously, he recognised God was the ultimate authority in his life. And when Jesus’ parents found him, he obediently went with them—he didn’t disobey them just to get his own way.

God was already preparing Jesus for his destiny, which ultimately meant leaving behind all the comforts of family and following a path that only he, out of the whole universe, could take. And God is preparing you right now to become the person he wants you to be, too.

RAISING YOUR PARENTS But at the same time, the truth is that no parent always gets it right. Just like you, your parents are sinners and there are areas in their lives where they need God’s healing.

As a disciple of Jesus, you may have more wisdom than your parents in some areas. Maybe your parents are heavy drinkers and this causes problems in your family. Well, you know that God has called you to have control over your body—so you don’t need to follow in their footsteps.

There may even be areas where you can teach your parents. Do you have a parent with a bad temper?

The Bible teaches us to be patient, kind and slow to anger. By being the person God asks you to be, you will become an example to your folks. In time, this might even change them.

So, Malachi’s duty is to follow God’s way. That means recognising that his dad’s behaviour is not okay. It also means being a gentle person, even though his dad is mean. And it means Malachi will have to forgive his dad.

Forgiveness means choosing to let go of their sins against you.

This sets you free to grow in your relationship with God—who forgives all of us sinners.

So, are there any areas where you need to forgive your parents? Where you need to ask for their forgiveness?

Finally, pray for your parents. It’s not so important that you ask God to change them—because that’s up to your parents.

But pray that God will show you how to act, and show you what it means to ‘honour’ your parents.

NO PARENT ALWAYS GETS IT RIGHT. WHEN PARENTS GET IT WRONG

It’s important to know that no matter what you do, it is never okay for your parents to abuse you. Discipline is reasonable when you’ve done something wrong. You might not think it’s reasonable, but deep down you probably know you crossed the line, and your parents have the right to bring you back into line.

If you broke your curfew last weekend and your folks don’t let you go out this weekend, that can be frustrating. But they have the right to set down boundaries and rules for the family; and when you break them, it’s reasonable to be Awkwa r d Th i n gs disciplined.

But abuse is not reasoned or reasonable.

P a r ents D o Abuse is when your parents are not in control of their own behaviour. If you are getting beatings or they’re verbally abusing you, that is not okay! gang signs in photos ask who you’re ‘crushing on’ If a parent is sexually inappropriate with you, that is not okay! If they are not keeping you safe casually drop words like tell everybody that you ‘OMG’ and ‘amazeballs’ have a really bad rash and well, that is not okay!

All these things do happen in families—and if fling open the changing think you’re ‘getting an that is your situation, it is not your fault. There is room curtains when you're attitude’ when you’re just nothing you have done to deserve this. You can’t trying on clothes giving your opinion deal with this on your own, and you should tell an adult you trust, like your Salvation Army corps officer or youth leader, so they can help you.

FOR ALL THINGS 'YOUTH' | Go to www.firezone.co.nz 15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 13

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IS OUR BUSINESS A new initiative, Keeping Children Safe, aims to help Salvation Army workers recognise the warning signs of child abuse.

BY INGRID BARRATT

‘Helping the most vulnerable in society is at the heart of The Salvation Army’s mission and work,’ says child protection coordinator Susan Henshaw. ‘We work with a lot of families, and it’s our business to care for people. Keeping children safe is everybody’s responsibility.’

Training in recognising the signs that a child or young person may be suffering from abuse or neglect, and how to respond, has been rolled out around the country since September for Salvation Army leaders, officers and staff working with children or youth.

Typically, it will take 15 years before an abused child will actually tell anyone. They will more often indicate abuse by a range of behaviours and signs.

‘That’s why it’s so important to learn to recognise the signs. We need to know what to do about it so that we don’t unwittingly further victimise a child who is already suffering,’ adds Sue. If a child or young person does say something, they are most likely to confide in someone they trust. In The Salvation Army, this could be their youth group leader or children’s worker. Often, these workers and volunteers are young people 14 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

WHEN CHILDREN TRY TO DISCLOSE ABUSE WE MUST LISTEN AND RESPOND. themselves. ‘It’s really, really important that those young leaders are able to talk to someone immediately and don’t hold on to the information by themselves,’ says Sue. As part of Keeping Children Safe, each division now has a new child protection champion—someone qualified to help people walk through the next steps if they suspect a child is suffering abuse.

‘We had a situation where a child was hitting other children, and when someone told them to stop, the child said, “This is what my dad does to my mum and sister all the time,” ’ recalls Sue. In this instance, the worker did the right thing: they called the child protection champion immediately.

Together, they were able to ensure that the child was not returning to an unsafe environment. Child, Youth and Family were contacted and support was given to the family.

Raising awareness of child protection issues across The Salvation Army has also been a helpful process for professionals already familiar with the signs of abuse and how to respond. Contacting a child protection champion gives them the opportunity to talk through what they’re seeing and establish the best response, rather than feeling they need to solve the situation alone or with limited input.

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IS NOW THE OVERARCHING POLICY FOR THE SALVATION ARMY NEW ZEALAND ON CHILD PROTECTION. ‘The feedback we’re already receiving is that this brings helpful clarity,’ says Sue. ‘It also allows us to provide greater support for our frontline staff.’

There are still many myths about abuse, she adds. A particularly dangerous one is that church members cannot be abusers. ‘There have been instances of a child trying to disclose, but the reaction was, “No, he’s a good man he wouldn’t do that.”

‘We must listen and respond to the signs of abuse. It has happened and does happen,’ warns Sue. ‘And so long as we don’t want to see it, children are going to be hurt.’

There will be 24 training days around the country over the next two months, with the final session on 28 November in Wellington. Feedback from those who have already attended training has been extremely positive.

‘It makes me proud to be a part of a church that is taking this issue so seriously and with great, professional care,’ said one attendee. ‘It’s awesome to see the importance being put on the children,’ said another.

Keeping Children Safe is The New Zealand Army’s response to the Vulnerable Children’s Act, passed in 2014, which requires all organisations working with children and young people to develop a child protection policy, and ensure strict safety measures for employing staff.

The legislation makes it clear that information sharing is never a breach of confidentiality when there are concerns for a child or young person’s safety.

‘We got a call from a caseworker working with a sex offender who disclosed about something happening with a child currently,’ says Sue. ‘There is no confidentiality issue here. This caseworker did the right thing by calling the child protection champion.’

Keeping Children Safe is now the overarching policy for The Salvation Army New Zealand on child protection.

It includes tighter safety checks for workers, and some procedures previously known as Safe to Serve, along with additional information.

This means all those previously trained in Safe to Serve

Recognise.

Know the key signs and symptoms, or changes in behaviour of a child or young person.

If something doesn’t • look right (eg. bruising, • sound right (what the signs of neglect) child or young person is saying, with or without • feel right (trust your words) instincts)

Respond.

Do something: • talk to your line manager • call child, youth and family • call a child protection champion • call 111

Report.

• update SAMIS • if needed, enter a Report of Concern in SAMIS

Resolve.

• if you’re worried about the child talk to your line manager and ensure you keep informed and up-to-date • ask for help to resolve your feelings about the situation For more detailed info, refer to:

Keeping Children Safe The Salvation Army Child and Young Person Protection Policy

keepingchildrensafe.sarmy.net.nz are also required to do the new training. If you completed Safe to Serve training after 1 June 2015, you may wait until your police checks are due, and then book into training for Keeping Children Safe.

Next year, a condensed two-hour training will be available for everyone—including volunteers, administrators and those not working directly with children.

‘The great thing about Keeping Children Safe is that it’s for everybody, to help keep everybody safe. Everyone is involved, and it really is creating a streamlined, connected Army for the wellbeing of our children and young people.’

MORE INFO | www.salvationarmy.org.nz/KeepingChildrenSafe 15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 15

Wellington South Celebrates 125 Years Over 26 to 28 August, Wellington South Salvationists celebrated 125 years of mission and service to the Newtown community.

Wellington South Corps opened on 28 January 1891, after 19 men and women from Wellington City Corps decided to expand the Army’s work into Newtown.

The first indoor meeting was held in a one-room building on Riddiford Street, with the corps’ first permanent home built in 1896, in Newtown Ave. In 1908, the growing corps opened a new hall on Constable Street, with the Newtown Ave hall becoming the centre of its young people’s ministry. This hall continued to be used for youth work until the property was sold in 1973.

Territorial leaders Commissioners Janine and Robert Donaldson were guests for the weekend, which opened with a ‘mix and mingle’ event on Friday night. This gave people the chance to catch up with old friends and view old photos, videos and other memorabilia. Plans for a new building on Riddiford Street that will integrate the corps, Community Ministries, the corps’ early childhood education centre, and Bridge and Oasis on one site were also on display.

On Saturday morning, a group went to the Newtown market with Salvation Army mascot ‘Shieldy’. The band played several tunes as corps folk and Community Ministry leaders mingled with the crowd. Alongside the visit to the market was an opportunity to share in morning tea at the hall and continue looking at some of the collected memorabilia.

A delicious celebration dinner was held on Saturday night, followed by a concert and then a replay of the All Blacks vs Australia rugby match.

During the concert, video testimonies were shown, representing a wide range of corps people—from seniors who had been at the corps for many years, to a new attender who had come to the corps through its pre-school ministry. Musical performances included the Wellington South Corps Band, a

Commissioners Robert and Janine Donaldson enjoy time with Ellen Griffiths and Shieldy at Newtown market.

singing group drawn together for the evening, Recovery Church members, and past bandmaster Matt Stein.

Sunday morning’s worship was encouraging and challenging.

A new soldier, a person who had been at the corps for a long while and a young person were interviewed about their time at the corps and what God was doing in their lives. The corps’ number-one soldier, Mrs Lilian Shepherd, cut the anniversary cake.

The weekend provided an opportunity to remember what God has done in the past at Wellington South, sharing stories of those days, but also to celebrate what God is doing now through the Army’s various ministries in Newtown.

After 125 years, Wellington South Corps will return to its Riddiford Street roots, embracing the opportunity of working together with other Salvation Army services when the new integrated centre opens towards the end of 2017.

Salvation Army Speaks on Euthanasia The Salvation Army has told the Health Select Committee investigating New Zealand views on euthanasia and assisted suicide that it opposes any change to current laws.

In an oral submission on 21 September, Captain Ross Wardle said The Salvation Army was asking for a consistent and universal approach to vulnerability, pain and suffering in New Zealand. ‘Our conversation must take account of all vulnerable people in New Zealand, including elderly people, disabled people and those at risk of suicide,’ he said.

‘It seems ironic that New Zealand is putting extra resources into setting up a new Ministry for the Care of Vulnerable Children (Oranga Tamariki) and strengthening suicide prevention measures, at the same time as it considers loosening the controls around euthanasia and assisted suicide. The Government’s vision is for children to have the benefit of stable families and caring communities—why would we not extend this same care consistently to all vulnerable people in our society?’

16 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

The Salvation Army supported increased resources for hospices and palliative care research that would allow New Zealand society to respond well to the suffering of terminally ill people. ‘In opposing euthanasia, we are not taking a path that ignores people’s sufferings, but one that seeks the best human responses to such suffering,’ Ross said.

In its submission, The Salvation Army noted 2015 data showing that 48% of those dying by assisted suicide in Oregon, USA, cited becoming a burden on family, friends and caregivers as influencing their request for assisted suicide.

‘We are concerned at the potential for vulnerable people to request euthanasia or assisted suicide because they think they are becoming a burden to family, friends or the State,’ Wardle said. ‘If we create an environment where there is a “supply” of euthanasia, it’s not unreasonable that we will create a consequent “demand”—one that will see some people’s “right to die” become a “duty to die”.’

Unsung Hero

Anihera Carroll and Polly Ripohau.

Flaxmere Soldier Force Expands On Sunday 31 July, Flaxmere Corps (Captains Tim and Zelma Malton) celebrated with the families of Rangi, John and Frank Fotu, Jazmyn and Reign Whiu, and Tamati Hanara as they made the commitment to follow Jesus when they became junior soldiers (toa rangatahi).

This brings the Flaxmere Corps junior soldier roll to 12, which is exciting and encouraging for the growing corps. Children are bringing an exciting momentum to corps life, with a number of others now also asking to become junior soldiers.

On the same day, Anihera Carroll was enrolled as a senior soldier, and Polly Ripohau as an adherent.

Another significant development in the corps’ mission and ministry to children over the same weekend was the completion of a playground within the corps grounds as a whānau space for the wider community. The corps is thankful for the support of the Boys to Men Trust, which provided the builders and labourers to complete the playground project.

Majors Julie and Rob Cope were guests for the weekend. They shared in activities on Friday and Saturday evenings, took part in a community outreach on Saturday, and led Sunday worship.

Major Campbell Roberts received a New Zealand Christian Network Unsung Heroes Award at Parliament on 20 September.

The award was in the ‘Value of Life’ category, in recognition of longstanding social justice efforts in New Zealand and demonstration of the central biblical belief that people are ‘made in the image of God’.

Campbell recalled a moment in his officer training days when he was asked to help carry a very ill alcoholic from a boarding house to a waiting ambulance. The man, who died before they reached the street, had suffered at the hands of an unscrupulous landlord. This was when Campbell’s calling to social justice was born, he said. ‘I’d gone to training college committed to being a great evangelist, but God said to me in that moment, “This was my child, and he was sinned against.”

And there is still work for all of us—the challenge of “the sinned against” is still here in New Zealand.’

The awards were inaugurated in 2012 to recognise service by individuals or groups that had gone largely unrecognised, thereby bringing glory to God who had inspired and empowered them.

This year’s event was hosted by MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, who said, ‘There are many Christian heroes out there who are the face of Jesus in their respective communities.’

In addition to Campbell’s award, other recipients were Bible teacher Dr Tim Bulkeley, who received an award in the ‘marriage and family’ category and Di Willis (QSM), co-founder of the Elevate Christian Disability Trust for ‘missional living’. Phil Guyan of the Christian Broadcasting Association was honoured for his work presenting the Christian faith to secular audiences.

Special awards were given to Julie Belding, co-director of Daystar Books, for services to Christian publishing, and Max Palmer, Executive Director of Life Resources, for fostering collaboration in Christian mission.

War Cry Awarded War Cry won two awards at this year’s Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) conference in Sydney in early September. The awards were for the 2015 year.

Staff writer Robin Raymond won a silver award for his article ‘Facing Up to Debt’. Judges described Robin’s story of a woman whose alcohol addiction, depression and debt had taken her down a dark path to prison. Intervention from The Salvation Army had turned her life around so that today she is a budget advisor helping others transform their lives.

The magazine also won a bronze award in the highly competitive Best Designed Magazine category. Judges commended War Cry for its use of ‘colour, images and fabulous front covers that used humour and whimsy and invited the reader to take up the magazine and find out more’. They also noted the magazine’s ‘arresting and creative treatment of stories in each issue’.

15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 17

The General Launches Australia One Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd were officially installed as national leaders of The Salvation Army in Australia

by General André Cox at City Salvos (Adelaide Congress Hall) last month.

The installation coincided with the official launch of ‘Australia One’, under which The Salvation Army’s Australia Southern and Eastern Territories will be united as one national territory for the first time since 1921. Commissioner Floyd Tidd was installed as National Commander and Commissioner Tracey Tidd as National President of Women’s Ministries. The Australia Territory will be launched on 1 January 2019.

Aboriginal elder Uncle Frank Wanganeen provided a ‘Welcome to Country’, recognising that Adelaide—like the rest of Australia—was originally indigenous land. Federal Senator David Fawcett read a message of greeting from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The General told the Adelaide audience, which was boosted by those watching online, there were many reasons for moving towards a unified

territory. ‘I am pleased that the decision was based on the right reasons,’ he said.

‘This is not a reflection of decline or lack of financial resources. The decision ... enables us to speak with one voice to government and other national partners.

It enhances mission opportunities while reducing the cost of administration. It is anticipated that savings that will accrue will enable us to establish a mission support endowment to benefit the work of the Army on the field.’

The General described the formation of the unified territory as a once-in-alifetime opportunity for Australia to experience the renewal of God’s Spirit and refocus on his mission. ‘Don’t miss it,’ he said. ‘God is not calling us to gather in halls and places of worship. God is calling the Army to total mobilisation. We are not an Army serving in peacetime. We are an Army that is called to war against sin and evil, against injustice and against suffering and depravation ... God is calling us to be more than a worshipping community and much more (to be) a serving community. We need to see more

of our uniforms out on the streets of our cities. We need Salvationists to be mobilised in serving soup on the streets, meeting the homeless, visiting the elderly and bringing light and hope into the lives of people without hope.’

Responding to the General’s comments, Commissioner Tracey Tidd said, ‘It’s not about how many people come to our worship services. It’s about how many people we serve.’ She appealed to Australian Salvationists to ‘take necessary risks’—to look at the formation of one territory from God’s perspective.

Commissioner Floyd Tidd supported his wife’s comments, suggesting that while the merger of two territories would be a moment of history, it was also ‘[God’s] story ... that he has been unpacking for years.’ The commissioner appealed to Salvationists not to live in the past but to have vision. ‘If your vision isn’t enough to scare you, it’s probably insulting to God.’ LEARN MORE | http://australiaone.info

Tribute: Lieut-Colonel Allan Tong

Lieut-Colonel Allan Tong was promoted to Glory from Hamilton on 24 September.

Allan entered The Salvation Army Training College from Christchurch City Corps in the Courageous Session and was commissioned on 17 January 1959. His first appointment was to Raetihi Corps, as Assistant Corps Officer and then Corps Officer. This was followed by an

18 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

appointment as Corps Officer, Hawera.

In January 1961, Allan married Lieutenant Moira Kerr and they were appointed to Naenae Corps, Wellington.

In 1963, Captains Allan and Moira Tong were appointed on overseas service to Northern Rhodesia, where they gave a decade of service serving firstly at the Chikankata Hospital and School, followed by appointments as Divisional Officers, Mazabuka; Command Auditor (Allan), Zambia; Corps Officers, Lusaka Corps; and Manager (Allan), Chikankata Hospital.

Returning to New Zealand in January 1974, Captains Allan and Moira Tong were appointed as Corps Officers to Feilding Corps. In 1975, Allan was appointed to the Public Relations Department, serving first at Territorial Headquarters and then as Public Relations Officer for the Wellington region, during which time he was also Director of Information Services. In 1979, a change of ministry came when Majors Allan and Moira Tong were appointed as Manager and Matron of the Army’s Railton Hotels, first in Wellington, and then in Auckland.

In December 1985, the Tongs commenced another period of overseas service, as Regional Officers in Suva, Fiji.

Returning to New Zealand in January 1988, Major Allan Tong was appointed as Legacy Promotion Officer in Hamilton, then Superintendent of Red Shield (Family) Stores in Auckland. In 1991, Allan returned to Territorial Headquarters as Trade Secretary. He was appointed Territorial Property Secretary in 1995, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, followed by an appointment as Territorial Secretary for Personnel in 1998.

Lieut-Colonels Allan and Moira Tong entered retirement on 17 January 2000, having given 41 years active officer service in New Zealand, Rhodesia and Fiji.

A service to celebrate Allan’s life was held on 28 September at Hamilton City Corps, conducted by Major Anthony Stone.

Please uphold Lieut-Colonel Moira Tong, Captains Bruce and Valerie Tong, Captains Stu and Kylie Tong, Peter, Raewyn, and other family members in your prayers at this time of grief and loss. Well done, good and faithful servant!

WE ARE CALLED TO BE ACTIVISTS FOR CHRIST, NOT PASSIVE SPECTATORS. The way the story is told, Colonel William Barrett Travis knew the situation was hopeless. Surrounded by thousands of Mexican troops under the command of General Santa Anna, Travis commanded a group of a rag-tag rebels who were fighting for independence from Mexico. The small band of dissenters was holed up in what had been an old Spanish mission in San Antonio, Texas, called the Alamo.

Tribute: Ivel & Jessie Smith Corps Sergeant Major Ivel Smith of Aranui Corps was promoted to Glory on 15 August. The following day his wife Jessie (Peg) was also promoted to Glory.

A joint funeral service for Ivel and Peg was conducted by Commissioner David Bringans and Lieut-Colonel Lillian Grieg at Sydenham Corps.

Tributes were paid by Allan Kendrew of Sydenham Corps and members of the family.

Major Silone Collins, a former Aranui Corps Officer, sent a tribute referring to Ivel as ‘the humble, trustworthy right-hand-man for the corps officer’.

The Smiths’ links with Sydenham, St Albans and Aranui Corps covered a lifetime of service and ministry.

SEND US YOUR TRIBUTES | warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

GAZETTE Bereaved: Mjr Pamela Le Leu of her father, Neil Duffell, who was promoted to Glory on Monday 19 September. A service of remembrance was held at the Wellington City Corps on 2 October at 1.30 pm. Please remember and support Mjrs Pamela and Seth Le Leu and other family members in prayer at this time of grief and loss.

Understanding what was likely to come, Travis offered a final opportunity to the men gathered with him inside the walls. Using his sword, he drew a line in the sand and invited all those who were willing to stand and die for what they believed to cross the line.

The choice Travis put to his men couldn’t have been clearer: choice A or B. No third option—no ‘middle ground’. While the measured distance from where they stood to the other side of the line may not have been far, the step was huge and the stakes were high. Staying on one side represented the continuation of life at the price of denying their convictions. Clinging even tighter to their deeply-held belief and stepping across the line would bring sacrifice, pain, and death.

While the ‘line in the sand’ story may or may not be true, we do know that a lifeor-death choice was made by each soldier in the Alamo. In the early hours of 6 March 1836, Santa Anna’s forces breached the walls, killing every Alamo defender.

I believe that as Christians—and especially as soldiers of The Salvation Army —there are clearly drawn lines all around us. Clear cut choices of right and wrong, good or bad, heroism or faint-heartedness, participant or bystander are put in front of us daily, inviting us to choose and act accordingly.

Today’s culture continues to back away from many long-established well-defined lines. We’re pressured to bow before the preferred d’attitude du jour that there are few, if any, moral absolutes, and that truth should be defined by the individual and their circumstances. Consequently, some of God’s soldiers have become uncomfortable with openly declaring a firm position or conviction within their circle of influence. Rather than crossing the line, taking a stand and making a difference, they find it easier to sit back and blend in with the crowd.

Friends, compromise and fence-straddling are not Salvation Army values! If you are a Salvation Army soldier, the day you signed your Soldier’s Covenant, you stepped over a line declaring where you stood, what you believed, and what you would do as a result of those beliefs (reread the 11 ‘I will …’ statements in the ‘Therefore’ section of your Covenant). Do you still feel that way?

As Salvationists, we are called to be activists for Christ, not passive spectators.

The line is clear. Where do you stand?

Colonel Willis Howell Chief Secretary 15 OCTOBER 2016 WarCry 19

THE SALVATION ARMY IS NOT

APOLITICAL

even by Salvationists. On the contrary, our co-founder William Booth was keenly interested in politics because he was keenly interested in people.

The word ‘politics’ has its origins in the word polis meaning the ‘life of the city’.

If politics is about living together in community then all of life is political.

For William Booth, engaging with political issues made sense because it was a key means to address people’s needs and seek to bring about social justice and wellbeing.

Said Booth: Our work is to deliver people by turning them away from the iniquities.

That is a fundamental principle. But we want help in that matter from the government.

We want our lawmakers to make just laws …

Politically non-partisan The Salvation Army is a politically nonpartisan movement. Our International Positional Statement on The Salvation Army and the State declares: Although (The Salvation Army) seeks to influence governmental and public affairs, it will not promote or endorse specific candidates or political parties. In working with any State or its agencies, The Salvation Army seeks to promote biblical values, including justice, truth, mercy, equity, human rights and peace, as part of its religious convictions and practice.

Exploring the non-partisan nature of The Salvation Army’s engagement in the public sphere.

What place does politics have in a life of faith?

BY SUSAN HOWAN

Local body elections have just been held across New Zealand. We’ve seen billboards at every intersection, and our letterboxes have overflowed with pamphlets proclaiming the policies and merit of the candidates. It makes you 20 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

think: what place does politics have in a life of faith?

Some people consider religion is a private matter, confined to the spiritual world and inappropriate in the public arena. If that is so then, for the Christian, political debate should be avoided and political action shunned.

That is, after all, the true meaning of what is it to be apolitical—it means having no interest or involvement in politics.

But The Salvation Army is not an apolitical movement, even though it is sometimes described in those terms—

This non-partisan stance on political engagement has its origins in the prophetic traditions of the Old Testament. The biblical prophets were participants in the politics of their time—they experienced the reality of people’s suffering, they befriended those failed by their governments and their policies, they denounced abuses of power, and they spoke out of a vision of how things might be, rather than settling for the status quo.

The Salvation Army believes the church has a mission to meet people’s social, economic, spiritual and emotional needs.

But helping people find answers to their challenges may require more than a service that meets their immediate need; it may require a different kind of involvement to address the reasons those challenges exist. Accordingly, The Salvation Army speaks into the world of politics on behalf of the invisible and marginalised, as well as rolling up our sleeves to work alongside the invisible

and marginalised to help them form new ways of doing life.

In this way a lot of good has been accomplished, but there have been mistakes along the way, such as our lack of wisdom in the way we approached the Homosexual Law Reform debate in 1986. Since that time we have reflected deeply as a movement on our actions and the hurtful way some members publicly expressed their views. In jointly-issued statements with Rainbow Wellington in 2012, The Salvation Army acknowledged our official opposition to the Reform Bill was deeply hurtful to many, and pledged to rebuild bridges of understanding and dialogue between our movement and the Rainbow community.

Rather than withdraw from political engagement, it is incumbent on Salvationists to apply the learning from such experiences, engaging in the political issues of our time in ways that not only promote the ideas embodied in our biblical values of justice, truth, mercy and peace, but also to exemplify them in our conduct.

IF POLITICS IS ABOUT LIVING TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY, ALL OF LIFE IS POLITICAL. Where to start?

Individual Salvationists are not bound by the non-partisan stance of the movement itself—we have people of all kinds of political persuasions in our ranks, as well as many who have never become involved in any form of political engagement.

The following suggestions are particularly for those who see the importance of engaging more effectively as Christians and Salvationists in the political life of our nation, but are unsure where to start …

• Be well informed about the issues in your community, and access a range of perspectives on the issues.

Talk Sheets published by our Moral and Social Issues Council (www.salvationarmy.org.nz/masic)

are an excellent source of information about a Christian perspective on key issues in our society.

• Enrol on the Electoral Roll and exercise your vote prayerfully in elections. Romans 13:1 enjoins us to ‘submit … to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established’. We live in a nation governed through a parliamentary democracy, and we should not treat lightly our opportunity for participation and therefore godly influence.

• Pray for your civic leaders and Members of Parliament. 1 Timothy 2:1–2 says, ‘I urge then … that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for … all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.’

• Be prepared to write to the editor of your local newspaper or your local MP, or make a submission to a Select Committee on a critical issue, out of your prayerfully considered perspective. Proverbs 31:8–9 says, ‘Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’

Jesus said his disciples are to be the salt of the earth and light of the world (Matthew 5:13–16), exerting influence in our communities in the way we go about doing life. This tradition of political engagement as a vital expression of our Christian faith is evidenced with our Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit.

Established in 2004, this unit paved the way for the opening of the Army’s International Social Justice Commission in 2008. The latter’s vision captures well the aim of all Salvationists in the political sphere today: ‘To amplify the voices of poor, marginalised and oppressed people and translate their real-life insights into policies, practices and life-giving opportunities.’

Susan Howan is a member of the Moral and Social Issues Council (MASIC) and a soldier of Wellington South Corps. She has worked in the public service for over 30 years.

Engagement Cadet Emma Howan suggests a simple framework for political engagement: Seeing, meeting needs, and speaking into political issues.

To SEE the need that is around us is a necessary precursor to engaging authentically with government or local government action and policy. Before any act of political engagement, we need to have our eyes truly open to see, and identify with, those who are ‘the outcasts, the forgotten, the oppressed and the overlooked’.

This means sharing in the lives of those in need, taking part in their situations and their aspirations.

MEETING THE NEEDS of marginalised and forgotten people is well recognised in the DNA of The Salvation Army. This is such an important part of who we are as a movement, because it is our seeing the real people behind the ‘needs’ in our communities that then allows us the privilege of journeying with them to address the challenges they face. The answer to a specific need may be budgeting advice or addictions support, a food parcel, or advocacy during a visit for income support or to access housing.

But to really meet these needs, it may be necessary to SPEAK OUT to address the reason the need exists. The Salvation Army has a God-given calling to speak on behalf of the marginalised and forgotten, to challenge the status quo where it does not serve them well, and to help them have their own voice on these issues.

When necessary, we will speak against ‘what is’ and we will speak for ‘the better way that might be’. In keeping with our nonpartisan stance, this will always be expressed through an independent voice outside of party politics.

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Across 7 Split 8 Charming 9 Nationals 10 Character 11 Advance 12 Give the cold shoulder 13 Difficult 18 Sign of affection 20 In these times 22 Enter the picture 23 One of a kind 24 Mobile living quarters 25 Kind of cuisine

To advertise your event, Down email: warcry@nzf.

1 Guest 2 Clergy salvationarmy.org 3 Put down 4 Authorities 5 Made thin by hammering 6 Study 8 Assorted 14 Against the current 15 Middle of the night 16 Exhibit A year of 24-7 17 One of the seven wonders Prayer across 19 Vacillate New Zealand, 21 Delayed acting

Want to Know More?

I would like:

prayer for the following needs:

Name Email Address Phone Send to: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141

22 WarCry 15 OCTOBER 2016

If you’d like to attend the opening of the new Invercargill Corps building on Victoria Avenue later this year, please contact Corps Sergeant Major Russell Healey.

Contact: (03) 214 0223, russell_ healey@nzf.salvationarmy.org

A musical expression of worship by the youth of The Salvation Army

FOR MORE GO TO

salvationarmy. org.nz/prayer

Quiz Answers: 1 U2, 2 Two major tennis single titles, 3 A late 16th century contraction of ‘God be with you’, 4 Approx. three years, 5 Jacob (Genesis 31:11–12). Crossword Answers: Across: 7 Divide, 8 Magnetic, 9 Citizens, 10 Nature, 11 Continue, 12 Ignore, 13 Troublesome, 18 Kisses, 20 Nowadays, 22 Appear, 23 Original, 24 Caravans, 25 Ethnic. Down: 1 Visitor, 2 Minister, 3 Demean, 4 Agencies, 5 Beaten, 6 Library, 8 Miscellaneous, 14 Upstream, 15 Midnight, 16 Display, 17 Pyramid, 19 Seesaw, 21 Waited.

information about The Salvation Army

Masterton, Miramar, Mosgiel, Mount Maunganui, Mount Albert and Nadi Corps, Family Tracing Service, and The Salvation Army in Russia.

Upcoming Opening of New Building in Invercargill

Fiji and Tonga

to learn about who Jesus is The Salvation Army to contact me

Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 14–16 Oct: Thought Matters Conference, Melbourne 17–20 Oct: South Pacific Leaders Conference, Sydney 24–28 Oct: Territorial Review with Int’l Secretary for South Pacific and East Asia (SPEA) Zone Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 14–16 Oct: Thought Matters Conference, Melbourne 17–20 Oct: South Pacific Leaders Conference, Sydney 21–23 Oct: Fiji visit with Int’l Secretary for South Pacific and East Asia (SPEA) Zone 24–28 Oct: Territorial Review with Int’l Secretary for SPEA Zone 29–31 Oct: Hamilton Corps

400–600 words with one or two captioned photos.

Promotion to Glory tributes are approx 300 words.

Email reports and large, high-quality jpeg images to: warcry@nzf. salvationarmy.org

Mark Your Diaries for Christchurch City Corps Opening The new post-earthquake Christchurch City Corps complex, located cnr Salisbury and Colombo Street, opens over the weekend of 25–26 February 2017.

Shop online at

salvationarmy.or.nz/shop

can you break our code?

Y O U P R OV I D E PL A N T S

‘The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it …’

FOR THE C R OPS W E G R OW­— T H E PL A N T S THATG IVE US FOOD F R O M T H E E A R T H. KEY

A =A B =B C =C D =D E =E F =F G =G H =H I =I J =J K =K L =L M =M N =N O =O P =P Q =Q R =R S =S T =T U =U V =V W =W X =X Y =Y Z =Z

help the bees find the flowers

Caring for the earth that God has given us is one way we show our love for God. It makes God sad that some parts of the earth are sick from pollution, rubbish and from people being greedy in taking what the earth produces. Here are a few simple ideas for how we can care for our world: • use less petrol: ask your family to walk more and use the car less • use less water: take shorter showers and turn off the water when brushing your teeth • use less power: turn off the lights when you leave a room • use less plastic: remind your parents to take reusable bags to the supermarket.

Instead of watching TV or playing indoors, spend more time outside. It’s healthy for us to spend time in the fresh air and running around, but this also helps us see how beautiful nature is and reminds us to keep our earth healthy too.

find two matching fish

Dear God, thank you for giving us such a beautiful world to live in. Help us to take good care of it.

Amen.

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