16 December 2017 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION  CHRISTMAS 2017 | Issue 6682 | $1.50

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | 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 Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Ingrid Barratt, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford | COVER PHOTOGRAPHY AJ Johnston 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.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset

is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

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Introducing Jesus This is my last edition of War Cry as I take on responsibilites elsewhere in 2018.

To mark the occasion, I’ve mined the archives for some favourite stories. Lucy’s tips for a frugal Christmas, Hana’s testimony of Jesus transforming her world, Gordon’s funeral with a difference, Ben’s quirky Christmas gripes, Ingrid’s interview with modern-day wise man Peter Lineham, and J.B. Phillips’s classic tale of angels touring the universe … In different ways each of these unpacks something of the amazing story of God’s message of love and forgiveness offered to the world through Jesus.

I hope readers enjoy the Communication Department team’s fun Christmas nativity photo on the front cover. We especially loved welcoming our children (and the department dog) in on the act. If you’re not sure why there’s a lobster, read Ingrid’s reflection on the much-watched Christmas movie Love Actually. As for the presence of the Easter Bunny, I guess that’s a reminder that people today bring a hodgepodge of impressions to their understanding of Christianity. It’s up to us to use these as connection points across which we can build bridges to help people meet and follow Jesus.

Over the past 16 years I’ve worked with amazing people who have put their considerable talents as writers and designers at God’s disposal. Those people have become family—which makes that front cover photo a true family shot.

I know you’ll be in good hands with Ingrid Barratt (aka ‘Mary’ in our nativity) taking over the reins of War Cry. Thanks for the great memories! And on behalf of the team, happy Christmas to all our readers.

Christina Tyson Editor

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

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

Publishing for 134 years | Issue 6682 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

www.salvationarmy.org.nz salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

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Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!

Hamilton Wright Mabie

John 3:17 (Contemporary English Version) God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!

Hoani 3:17 Kīhai hoki te Atua i tono mai i tāna Tama ki te ao ki te whakahē i te ao; engari kia ora ai te ao i a ia.

very year I watch Love Actually. I don’t recommend it. It’s really quite daft, and it gets worse with every viewing. But it’s just one of those Christmas rituals for me.

If you have somehow avoided it, the film interweaves a series of love stories, all happening at Christmas. There are the obvious awkward scenes (that you will definitely want to fast forward if you’re watching it with Nana on Christmas Day). Then there’s the really creepy guy who is obsessed with his best mate’s wife—and she likes it! Colin Firth falls in love with someone who doesn’t speak the same language as him. No probs though, ’cos she’s a looker.

As I said, it’s really a very bad movie, yet I am embarrassingly fond of it. It first came out when I was living in London, and I went to see it at the movies. It was so terribly, endearingly British.

And—I’m sorry, but it’s true—Christmas makes more sense in the dead of winter, when fairy lights warm up the frosty air and a plate of stodgy steamed pudding seems like a perfectly sensible idea. So each year I get a thrill out of taking a walk back down those familiar streets, while carboloading on unseasonable pud in a New Zealand summer Christmas.

But one haunting storyline rises above the rest.

If you know the film, I’ll bet you can guess the one.

Emma Thompson plays Karen, a mother and wife, who discovers her husband is having one of those stupid, ill-conceived mid-life affairs.

Thompson provides a bittersweet strength to her character as she navigates her own private grief

against the merriment of Christmas. Her daughter is, quite naturally, playing ‘First Lobster’ in the nativity play. ‘There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?’ asks Karen. The sweetness of these moments has the effect of making her grief even more poignant.

And this is where Love Actually begins to feel like a Christmas story. Because Christmas was messy, actually. There was as much grief as there was joy. It’s like God went out of his way to align himself with the rejected and forgotten. He was conceived by an unwed mother. He revealed himself to shepherds, who were lowly and dirty and lived on the edges of society. Instead of using his chosen people, God used pagan astrologers to recognise and worship the Messiah. At the climax of the nativity, Jesus was born in a garage.

We have re-imagined Christmas as cosy and family-friendly, around a welcoming fire. But when God told Joseph that their baby would be called Immanuel, ‘God with Us’, it was God with us in the mess. God with us in the dirt and the stench. God with us in our grief and shame. God with us in the rejected places.

And God still wants to be with us in the unfiltered reality of life. Of course lobsters weirdly belong at the nativity, because this is the place where everyone is wanted. The garage doors are open wide.

Do you feel like an outsider at Christmas? Put yourself in the nativity scene. You are welcome here!

BY INGRID BARRATT CHRISTMAS 2017 WarCry

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Some awesome ideas from our favourite eco-blogger, Lucy AitkenRead.* 1. Christmas Trees Every year for the past few years we’ve picked up a discarded tree from a school. It does mean waiting a bit longer (until at least mid-December), and sometimes you don’t find one until the 20th.

But these trees are ENORMOUS and WONDERFUL! One year, we had to push our scavenged tree through our giant front window since it wouldn’t squeeze down our hall. The schools are normally thrilled to have it taken off their hands, and we gloat as we sail past other massive trees going for mega-bucks.

2. Presents … and Jars For a while we’ve only done Secret Santa with our extended family. We agree a price and then it’s all proper hush! This way, everyone gets something really thoughtful and there aren’t piles of pressies sitting around that provoke only pseudo-thanks.

Even Tim and I have never done huge presents for each other. We stick to about a $20 budget and do about the same for our two girls. I feel pretty passionate about helping them understand that Things Don’t Equal Happiness, and that love can be shown in millions of ways throughout a traditional period of gift giving.

For other people, like dear friends, I don’t tend to do much. And if I do, it nearly always involves a jar. If you are like us and eat a lot of lemon curd and peanut butter, you always have a spare jar (or several hundred) in your home.

You see, you can NEVER have enough jars! They provide endless opportunities for giving thrifty but appealing gifts, for beautiful, craftilicious decoration and, of course, for simple and lovely storage.

And for Christmas, jars really come into their own. Un-fact, Christmas was MADE for jars! (Love and family and hope, they get a little look in too.) And despite there being already one million ways to up-cycle a jar, I am still not sure the human race has reached the full realms of what is possible.

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3. Decorations I haven’t bought any Christmas decorations in my life (I am the opposite of my sister, who is obsessed with them). But I have crafted some up over the past couple of years using pegs, old fabric and scrabble letters (sound gorgeous, don’t they?), and have been rather pleased with myself. A quick search on Pinterest will hook you up with millions of possibilities.

4. Food If you’re hosting a family Christmas, share the food contributions out. This is becoming increasingly common as people struggle to find the bulk of money to lay on an exceptional festive spread at their place.

I have a friend who does Christmas every year with her old school chums, and each year each one brings a different traditional contribution for a special and wonderful celebration. So don’t be shy about asking people to help.

5. Wrapping I am officially the world’s worst wrapper!

(Wrapper, that is, not rapper—in terms of rapping, I am actually rather excellent.) Often my gifts look like I have pulled them out of the bin.

That’s because wrapping requires a finesse I really don’t have. I always use recycled paper and my pressies always look ugly. But I have a dear friend who wraps everything with newspaper and her gifts look AMAZING! So do check out the possibilities of using recycled wrapping and just know that it is possible to wow people without spending much at all.

HOWWELLDOYOU KNOWCHRISTMAS? 1 What is the strange addition to the nativity play in the movie Love Actually?

2 Which New Zealand native tree is known as the New Zealand Christmas tree?

3 W ho is credited with conducting the first Christmas Day service in New Zealand?

6. Christmas Frocks Christmas is a time to look nice, right? To feel happy with your outfit, to feel fresh. For me, a new frock is synonymous with the festivities and has been since I was a tot. If it’s the same for you, I have to say: Get Ye to a Swap Shop Now! You can organise a Swap Shop with people at your work, in your street or even just with your friends. It is THE thriftiest way to clear out your wardrobe and get some new things in—and have a whale of a time while doing it.

I could not be more of a fan!

But wait, there’s more … and strawberries!

So once Christmas has been and gone, it’ll eventually be time to get rid of your tree.

STOP! NOT SO FAST! Cut off those dry branches and place them around the bottom of your plants. Especially fit them in amongst those summer strawberries.

The pine needles will prevent water evaporating—keeping much needed moisture in the soil. This will provide the perfect bed for strawberries to grow in. It’s a perfectly free gardening aid and uncannily seasonally timed around Christmas. My fabulous mother-inlaw told me about this and says within two days her strawberries had gone OFF THE HOOK! (She didn’t use that term, though. She isn’t quite as streetwise as me.) * Lucy, her Kiwi hubby Tim and their two daughters relocated from the UK to live in a yurt in New Zealand. To read more from Lucy, visit lulastic.co.uk or Facebook/ LulasticAndTheHippyShake.

4 When did Santa Claus make his commercial NZ debut? 1865 / 1894 / 1902 / 1903 5 How many reindeer does Santa have?

6 What gifts did the wise men give Jesus?

7 What company changed Santa’s suit to the now traditional red and white?

8 What town was Jesus born in?

Pavlova Everybody’s grandmother probably had her own secret pavlova recipe, but here’s our favourite—it’s a simplified version where everything goes into the mixer at once, but still works very well.

For 1 large pavlova: 1 cup caster sugar 2 tsp cornflour ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp wine vinegar ½ tsp vanilla ½ cup (3–4) egg whites

Using standard, level cups and spoons for everything, measure the caster sugar, cornflour and salt into a clean, dry bowl. Stir together.

Add the vinegar and vanilla, then measure and add the egg whites, taking care to get absolutely no yolk in the mixture. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed for about 15 minutes, until a thick, non-gritty meringue forms. When you lift out the mixer blades, the peaks should stand up stiffly, or just bend over at their tips.

Cover a baking sheet with baking paper, then pile the mixture onto this into a round shape about 25cm across.

Bake in a preheated oven at 100°C for 60 minutes, then turn off oven and leave for 30 minutes longer. Take out of oven after this time.

Leave unwrapped, in a cool place, up to two days. To serve, top with whipped cream. Decorate traditionally with strawberries, kiwifruit or passionfruit, or use other fruit. Drizzle chocolate topping over strawberries if desired.

Variations: Use double quantities for a large pav. Pile on baking paper or bake in a paper-lined round 20 or 23cm tin. Bake for 1¼ hours and leave in oven for 15 minutes longer.

Note: Because ovens vary, cooking times may need slight changes.

Pavlovas with space below the crust and compacted middles have been cooked too long. If centres are not completely set, cook a little longer next time. Fan bake for the first 10 minutes if you have this option.

If fan baking for the whole time, lower temperature by about 10°C. From Kiwi Favourites (David Bateman Ltd), by Simon & Alison Holst, www.holst.co.nz

9 What carol was sung simultaneously by German, French and English troops in 1914?

10 Who was the angel that told Mary about her pregnancy?

Answers on page 23 CHRISTMAS 2017 WarCry

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Photography: Bruce Millar

Hana Seddon felt like an outsider, a loser. Drinks, drugs and casual relationships seemed great, but turned ugly. It wasn’t until she took steps towards God that her life was transformed into a thing of beauty.

BY BARBARA SAMPSON

he has the singing voice of an angel, with large engaging eyes.

She’s articulate and passionate—in a word, beautiful.

Hana would laugh at the description. Until recent years, her life was far from beautiful. First, there was her Māori father who disappeared early in Hana’s life. Then there was the stepfather who promised to adopt her. Hana was so excited about that, she went to school and changed the name on all her book labels. But he too left, leaving behind nothing but hurt.

Then there was her Irish mother—a praying, churchgoing woman, left to bring up three children on her own.

Jesus won’t leave me!

At the age of 11, Hana attended a Christian camp. Away from her family, she felt she could be honest with herself.

I believe in Jesus, I believe he is the son of God … When those words were sung, Hana realised she did believe in Jesus and made her decision to follow him.

She felt excited to be making her own personal statement for her own personal reasons. This decision was a turning point in Hana’s life. What she loved about Jesus was that he would be patient and not yell at her or leave—like some of the people in her life.

Hana was going to a Catholic school at the time, but was spending a lot of time banished to the corridor. ‘As well as being angry, I was also bored and rude and disrespectful. I needed clear boundaries,’ she recalls. Her mother put her into a different Christian school at Silverstream in the Hutt Valley.

Academically, this school was far ahead of where Hana had been and she struggled to keep up with the rest of the class.

‘It was hard,’ she says. ‘I felt like an outsider; the only one with a single parent, the only student of Māori descent. I felt I was the only one who could not afford the latest gear.’ But Hana soon found herself responding to the school’s discipline. She started to knuckle down, excelling in maths. ‘I was determined to catch up. And I discovered I was not dumb after all.’

Hana left that school at the age of 12 and had six months of home schooling.

She felt isolated, needing to be around other people, so eventually her mother decided to send her to Taita College.

This huge public school was scary. Hana was an outsider again; someone who did not know what was cool and acceptable. She felt like a loser. Her ways of doing things did not help her belong, so she changed to become acceptable.

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Part of the ‘in’ crowd Hana grew her hair long, shortened her skirts and discovered makeup, working her way into the group she wanted to be part of. Suddenly, church was not important. Others in her group laughed at it. Hana knew Jesus was real, but he was just not cool.

Being part of the ‘in’ group proved costly. It meant she had to be at all the parties, wearing the latest clothes, the coolest labels. There was constant pressure to be doing what everyone else was doing.

Having a boyfriend was also essential. ‘I felt if I was not going out with someone, then obviously I was not desirable; I was of no value.’ Hana had tried for so long to have worth, to get the attention of her dad and stepdad, and this move to needing the attention of a boyfriend followed the same pattern, touching the same deep needs.

Hana left home at 15 and went to live at the house of a drug dealer. She gradually stopped going to school and started drinking a lot more, smoking pot and sniffing solvents. Drink, drugs and casual relationships provided an escape from long and boring days. ‘But these relationships were only ever shortterm,’ she says. ‘At the time, I thought the freedom was great, but really it was ugly.’

In spite of the mess of Hana’s life, people were still praying for her. When a teacher at Taita College told her she had talent, Hana did not believe it. Others saw value in her that she did not see in herself.

When Hana finished high school, she ‘mucked around’ for a year. At 18, she became pregnant. At 21, pregnant again.

All through those years, her worth still came from superficial relationships. ‘It was like being two people. I could not commit to the world because I was not from the world, but I also could not yet commit to God.’

How can I ever change?

Often, when she was drunk, Hana would tell her friends, ‘One day I’m going to be a full-on Christian.’ She felt guilty about the discrepancies in her life, but also felt powerless to make a real change. A job with Telecom gave her steady employment, but did not take away her inner emptiness.

Then things came to a head. One day, Hana tripped over a step and broke her ankle. Unable to work for six weeks, she had a lot of time to think and realised she was not where she was supposed to be. She read a book called Discover Your Gifts, completed its questionnaire and found she had a high rating 8

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for social work. Her heart leapt at the idea of helping people work towards change in their lives.

With the urging of a friend, Hana enrolled in a social work course with a strong bicultural emphasis. She had closed off the Māori part of her life when her father left, but now came to embrace it. ‘At the Wānanga, I learned so much. I learned to help other people, but the greatest learning was about myself.

In that first year I was in tears a lot of the time, whereas before then I felt I had to be tough.’

During that year, Hana felt weary of not being committed to God. She knew the only thing stopping her was feeling like she needed the security of being in a relationship. But she also knew she had to stop looking for her worth in the eyes of men. Again, a book was instrumental in helping Hana to change. She read I Kissed Dating Goodbye and found the courage to do just that, and to trust God to provide for her. This brought a freedom to discover she did not have to work it all out for herself. ‘Suddenly I was ready to develop my relationship with God.’

HANA’S HEART LEAPT AT THE IDEA OF HELPING PEOPLE WORK TOWARDS CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES. Heading the right way Hana’s step towards God had a positive flow-on effect. She became so committed to this new way of living that she decided to give up drinking and clubbing. ‘After all, that was where every previous relationship had started,’ she explains.

This was another huge step in the right direction, and other significant things started to change, too. Hana felt different about herself. She no longer needed to lead a double life. ‘And I became a better mother,’ she adds. Her party friends found it hard to cope with this new Hana, and gradually dropped away.

After a year of study, Hana decided to look for a job where she could use her developing social work skills and gain practical experience. She sent a message to Child, Youth and Family, Women’s Refuge and The Salvation Army. At the same time, she prayed, ‘Lord, please help me find a place where I can belong.’

Enter Major Darrell LePine, who was leading The Salvation Army corps (church) in Upper Hutt. Darrell invited Hana to meet with him to discuss his vision for building up Community Ministries (welfare services) at the corps. Hana remembers, ‘We clicked. We both shared the same vision.’

When Darrell suggested Hana start coming to the Army’s church service on Sundays, she was hesitant at first. Would a young, part-Māori single mother from Naenae really belong? ‘But I started coming and I’ve been coming ever since!’

Captured by purpose Hana’s work with The Salvation Army captured her passion and energy. ‘It was a wonderful job. People mentored me. There was lots of teaching. I kept on with my studies at the same time. Suddenly, there was purpose in it all.’

Hana worked in this role with great satisfaction, but at the end of two years she needed to find a two-month placement for her studies. The week before her placement was to start, she still had nowhere to go—yet she knew God had it all worked out.

On the previous Friday, at Orongomai Marae in Upper Hutt, Hana had heard a presentation about reintegrating prisoners from Rimutaka Prison back into the community upon release. This was focused on employment, but finding suitable accommodation for ex-prisoners was highlighted as a real challenge. Hana found herself standing and offering The Salvation Army’s help.

‘Suddenly, people were looking at me!’ she recalls.

A number gave her their business cards. Hana went home excited, something stirring deep within her. At the time, she was reading about Salvation Army founder William Booth’s reaction when he heard homeless people were sleeping under bridges. Booth knew that employment could not be secured until accommodation was found.

So began a new journey. For the next two months, Hana undertook informal research on prisoner reintegration. Doors opened, funding became available and, because of a great deal of work by a large team of people, The Salvation Army won the Department of Corrections contract to deliver this service.

And then, when Hana attended a Salvation Army ‘New Zeal’ conference in October 2006, God gave her a clear promise from the Bible:

e Spirit of the Lord is on me, Th because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. (Luke 4: 18,19) ‘I cried my eyes out,’ she says. ‘That verse was all the confirmation I needed!’ Hana was soon working from an office at Booth College of Mission, heading up The Salvation Army Reintegration Service.

Hana’s amazing story is one of transformation. She is a living example of Paul’s statement that when someone becomes a Christian, everything—absolutely everything!—is made new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When asked, ‘So, what has all this to do with Christmas?’, Hana’s answer is immediate. ‘I used to be so consumed by what I could get out of Christmas. In fact, my whole life was about what I wanted. But now that I know Jesus, I realise that life is really all about giving out to others.’

Fast forward 10 years, Hana is now a Salvation Army officer (minister), describing her call to officership as ‘a really strong fire that was burning in me’. In The Salvation Army, Hana says she has found a life-saving community, whānau and purpose. Today, Hana is based in Auckland, where she serves as the Northern Division’s Secretary for Māori Ministry and Emergency Services Coordinator, as well as the national Māori Ministry Secretary for Addictions, Supportive Accommodation and Reintegration Services.

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When someone asks you about the meaning of Christmas, what do you say?

A number of years ago I was asked to conduct the funeral of someone who’d had little or no previous contact with The Salvation Army, yet still considered it her church. That’s not uncommon, and it’s always a great privilege.

I made arrangements to visit the bereaved family in an unfamiliar part of the city and eventually I found the home of the deceased. Surprisingly, every door and window was open despite it being a cool day. All was revealed when family members told me their departed loved one had owned 28 cats!

A massive clean-up had taken place, but it hadn’t done much to remove the cat aroma.

Despite the smell, we had a nice chat and began to put together an appropriate funeral service. Things were going well until we came to the choice of a hymn. Everyone agreed it would be nice to have a hymn, but no one could think of a favourite. Finally, one of them had a brainwave: ‘What about “Hark the Herald Angels Sing?”’

This is partly to do with political correctness, as well as having tolerance for people of other faiths and none. It’s also to do with the fact that few children attend Sunday school, so the teaching they get on Christmas is more likely to be about a jolly, fat, white-whiskered man in a red suit. Gone are the days when children asked for their favourite carol of ‘Away in a Manger’.

Now, it’s more likely to be the song about that comical Rudolph and his shiny red nose.

But what an opportunity! Advertisers and retailers are bombarding the nation with the message that it’s Christmas time, so churches and individual Christians can ride on the back of the hype and present the wonderful, life-changing message of a loving God. Not a remote, uncaring, impersonal God, but a God called Immanuel, which means God with us!

It took some careful explaining that a well-known Christmas carol wasn’t a suitable ditty for a funeral service. Coupled with mild amusement at their choice was my amazement that this everyday Kiwi family just didn’t have any idea what I was on about.

When I suggested ‘Amazing Grace’ instead, they quickly agreed.

(Although, on the day of the funeral, I pretty much sang a solo.)

As we again approach the celebration of Christmas, we’re kidding ourselves if we imagine the majority of Kiwis have more than a vague idea of what it is really all about. Most people will happily tell you what they think it’s all about. They’ll say: ‘Well, it’s all about giving’, ‘It’s all about family getting together’, ‘It’s all about peace and goodwill’ … and so on. But that’s about as far as it goes. All the Christian stuff goes right over their heads.

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Nobody would suggest communicating this is easy; there’s a lot of ground to catch up. But this is our task, our sacred responsibility.

As 1 Peter 3:15 says, ‘But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have …’

In this strange season of secularised Christmas frivolity, accompanied as it is by over-taxed credit cards, overflowing trolleys, over-anxious shoppers and (some!) overly greedy children, a lot of Kiwis are asking (or at least wondering quietly to themselves): ‘What’s Christmas really all about?’

So, what will you say in reply?

The 2017 Communications Department team and family.

Christmas nativity plays are fraught with danger. The tea towels on the shepherds’ heads can unravel or Baby Jesus can be tipped from his manger (a crime of biblical proportions when using a real baby). And there’s the constant risk of someone fudging their lines so appallingly that the audience is overcome with hysterics.

Parents perch on the edge of their seats, hoping against hope their progeny will reveal themselves as a star in the making—after all, Orson Wells got one of his early breaks when he trod the boards as Mary in a school nativity play!

My first ‘serious’ nativity play was when I was about 13. The venue was the Wellington Town Hall and I was cast as Mary. The occasion was made even more splendid because I had a huge crush on ‘Joseph’. It could have been the start of something beautiful. Me, seated on a hay bale for most of the evening. Him, standing companionably at my side.

Both of us gazing at the light bulb that doubled for Baby Jesus.

Our future might have been assured, had it not been for an interventionist wise

man (well, wise woman, actually—also love struck for Joseph). Moments before leaving the dressing room, she bailed me up: ‘Don’t think you can try anything out there just because you’re alone!’ she hissed. Alone? That’s right, just me and Joseph … and an audience of 2000!

Nativity plays often bear so little similarity to the real deal. One scriptwriter complained that whenever a modern city audience hears the word ‘stable’, they think of a comfortable warm church with clean straw, a quiet baby and an odourless cow. To counter this, he set one of his Christmas plays in a garage so people would think of dust, draughts, petrol smells and a car that only just fits. This, he said, was a more realistic representation for today’s audiences.

One of my favourite nativity plays has no shepherds, no angels, no Mary or Joseph and no wise men. Instead, on an otherwise bare stage, is an unsightly pile of damp dirt on a plastic tarpaulin.

A smartly dressed man walks quietly and unexpectedly down the aisle. The congregation murmur: It’s the mayor!

What’s he doing here?

To their amazement, the mayor proceeds to remove his shoes and socks. He rolls up his trousers, exposing his legs below the knee. Hark! The herald angels sing: Glory to the new-born king … the congregation’s voices falter as their attention is captured by the strange sight on stage. They watch as this prominent man, who has never shown his face in their church before, begins to walk around in the mud. How unpleasant! they protest. What’s this got to do with Christmas?

The music stops and, as the mayor continues his trudging, words are heard: Jesus had always been God by nature, but when the time came, he stripped himself of every advantage and became human.

He lived a life of utter obedience, to the point of death …’ (Philippians chapter 2, paraphrased).

God with us, trudging around in the dirt and disrepair of our troubled world because he chose to come near. God with us, even though he knew it would hurt, but because he loves us. You can’t get any more risky than that!

BY CHRISTINA TYSON CHRISTMAS 2017 WarCry

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BY BEN KENDREW

There are some things you’d never have the heart to say to your friends and family at Christmas, but every year these same irritating issues crop up. This year, let Firezone help you work through your Christmas gripes.

Hey Firezone, It may be a surprise to the culprits (my brother in particular), but I know that some of my family and friends are gift-recyclers. When they get something for Christmas or a birthday that they don’t like, they re-wrap it and give it to someone else, adopting a false sense of thought and care as they do so. It’s appalling! What can I do to stop them doing this?

Thoughtful Giver

Dear Firezone, every year my I hate to say it, but tmas me ridiculous Chris grandmother gets nest, ho dma and, to be presents. I love Gran e—her love m ter what she gives it doesn’t really mat . But how many far more important and company are And what am I ts socks do I need? pairs of white spor ars old! a towels?! I’m 16 ye meant to do with te trated Friendly but Frus Hi Friendly, lies around the n your frustration I get the impressio go into the ght that seems to ou th of ck la ct in st di ough. There tea towels. Fair en d an s ck so of g in giv one can’t gif ts: evidence that t ou pco ly ite fin are de mething. And g for that certain so be bothered lookin ts that have en there are the gif that’s just slack. Th tely the giver ugh, but unfortuna been thought thro needs and h with your actual uc to of t ou tle lit a is stronger a may be. Solution: desires—as Grandm at wh t ght direction abou hints. That is, outri in ce an id people do need gu you’re af ter. Some these matters.

Firezone

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WarCry CHRISTMAS 2017

Dear Thoughtful, To be completely frank, I think there is justification for re-using gifts (including that it’s always better to recycle than throw away). You may be shocked to hear it, but yours truly has committed this most heinous of crimes. The thing is, some gifts are, well, useless to you (see letter from Friendly).

And some people are, well, lower on your priority list for spending actual money. But, you are right in being appalled by the obvious lack of thought going into your brother’s gift-giving. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: you are saying something with your gift! So, just as you’d consider which words you’d say to someone, be sure to consider what gift you’re giving. And let your brother know that too.

Firezone

Dear Firezone, Why does Christmas food have to be spoiled by the overuse of fruit? The way I see it, my favourite time of the year should be accompanied by my favourite foods. But Christmas cake is just NOT appealing! Go the chocolate cake, go the chocolate steam pudding … but keep those dirty raisins and sultanas out of it. They are for little kids during church. Not for puddings and DEFINITELY NOT for salads!

Christmas Connoisseur Dear Foodie, I am most definitely with you on this one!

I get especially annoyed when I’m duped into thinking something has chocolate chips and then I bite into the horrible softness that is sultanas. Yuck! The best response I’ve come up with is to make your displeasure known in advance to whoever is going to be the chief cook for Christmas dinner. It can be hard because they may have set recipes they’ve used for years or, as in my case, Dad may prefer fruit cake over chocolate (crazy, but it happens). Be strong.

Pick out all the raisins and leave them on your plate—that’s the best protest. At least they can’t put raisins in the meat!

Firezone

Hi Firezone, I need some help!

Christmas is undoub tedly a time for fam ilies and coming together to socialise. That’s fin e. I’m in to that.

But a few issues al ways arise this tim e of year with our long-distance rela tions. They always have plenty of awkward, out-of-t ouch questions, lik e asking how my girlfriend is when we haven’t been togeth er all year (and that’s still, lik e, really hard for m e!). Or wondering how cricket is goin g when I haven’t pl ayed since Year 9!

I guess they’re well meaning, but they come on so strong for people wh o I feel I hardly know . (And don’t tell me just to frien d them on Facebook —like I say, they’re not really m y friends!)

Nervous Nephew Hey man, I feel ya!

There’s kind of an unwritten rule arou nd family we don’t see that of te n. It’s almost expe cted that we’re all smiles and let in discretions slide to make for a pleasant day or tw o. But putting on pl as tic smiles always seems a lit tle false to me. It ca n be helpful to graciously accept a little faux pas he re an d there, but I’d suggest you respond with what I like to call ‘courteous correct ion’. ‘Sorry Uncle He rb, but I haven’t played crick et since I was 14. No wadays I spend Saturday m aking short films wi th m y friends.’

If you can find a wa y to update them ea rly in their visit, that will save embarrassment la ter. Obviously it would be preferab le if they just aske d you what you’re up to these days … or actually read th ose annual update letters your mum sends out.

Firezone

To Firezon e, Argh!!! If I hear ‘Joy to the Wo I’m so sic rld’ one m k of Chris Mr Grinch ore time … tm as carols , the Grinc ! . I’m sorry h, but hon Y ou really if I sound lik estly, the do have a most of th same son e predicam em centu there rea gs every y ent, beca ries old w ll y Mainstrea is e a n r— o use as yo it e h s c words we aping caro m radio re used to h u say, h ls come D a li rd a e v s every sho ly e o s u n im s ‘S e il . n e a oopy’s Ch c r e fe p you go in m e b v li e e n r. nomous). gs (althou I ristmas’, to has som collection Here’s ho gh, I must while e terrible w I overca playing. T say, less tendency C h ri h m . Some of stmas ere’s just e this Grin I feel torn no escape the most ch-like , because God-glori popular c . But then at church fy these ‘new in g a h ro y m they keep ls n a s re full-on . ’ carols a When els night Divin introducin , nd I find m e will the e! Oh nigh these fail g w yself com o ed attemp t rd when Chri s ‘Oh on mainstr plaining a ts to reinv s t e w I going to a as born’ b m radio? t ent the w do?

Appreciati e aired songs are heel. Wha ng that m pointing to Grinchy M t a m ost of the wards Go uso no matter se d’s aweso how old a me love fo nd repeate I’m happy r u s, d they may to tolerate be, mean them for Happy hu s o ne month mming! of the yea r.

CHRISTMAS 2017 WarCry

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Once upon a time a very young angel was being shown round the splendours and glories of the universes by a senior and experienced angel.

To tell the truth, the little angel was beginning to be tired and a little bored. He had been shown whirling galaxies and blazing suns, infinite distances in the deathly cold of interstellar space, and to his mind there seemed to be an awful lot of it all.

Finally, he was shown the galaxy of which our planetary system is but a small part. As the two of them drew near to the star which we call our sun and to its circling planets, the senior angel pointed to a small and rather insignificant sphere turning very slowly on its axis. It looked as dull as a dirty tennis ball to the little angel, whose mind was filled with the size and glory of what he had seen.

‘I want you to watch that one particularly,’ said the senior angel, pointing with his finger.

‘Well, it looks very small and rather dirty to me,’ said the little angel. ‘What’s special about that one?’

‘That,’ replied his senior solemnly, ‘is the Visited Planet.’

‘Visited?’ said the little one. ‘You don’t mean visited by …’

‘Indeed I do. That ball, which I have no doubt looks to you small and insignificant and not perhaps over clean, has been visited by our Prince of Glory.’ At these words he bowed his head reverently.

‘But how?’ queried the younger one. ‘Do you mean that our great and glorious Prince, with all the wonders and splendours of his creation, and millions more that I’m sure I haven’t seen 14

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yet, went down in person to this fifth-rate little planet? Why should he do a thing like that?’

‘It isn’t for us,’ said his senior a little stiffly, ‘to question his “whys”, except that he is not impressed by size and numbers, as you seem to be. As to why he became one of them—how else do you suppose he could visit them?’

The little angel’s face wrinkled in disgust.

‘Do you mean to tell me,’ he said, ‘that he stooped so low as to become one of those creeping, crawling creatures of that floating ball?’

‘I do, and I don’t think he would like you to call them “creeping, crawling creatures” in that tone of voice. For, strange as it may seem to us, he loves them. He went down to visit them to lift them up to become like him.’

The little angel looked blank. Such a thought was almost beyond his comprehension.

‘Close your eyes for a moment,’ said the senior angel, ‘and we will go back in what they call Time.’

While the little angel’s eyes were closed and the two of them moved nearer to the spinning ball, it stopped its spinning, spun backward quite fast for a while, and then slowly resumed its usual rotation.

‘Now look!’ And as the little angel did as he was told, there appeared here and there on the dull surface of the globe little

flashes of light, some merely momentary and some persisting for quite a time.

‘What am I seeing now?’ queried the little angel.

‘You are watching this little world as it was some thousands of years ago,’ returned his companion. ‘Every flash and glow of light that you see is something of the Father’s knowledge and wisdom breaking into the minds and hearts of people who live upon the earth. Not many people, you see, can hear his voice or understand what he says, even though he is speaking gently and quietly to them all the time.’

JESUS SAID, ‘I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.’ (JOHN 8:12) ‘Why are they so blind and deaf and stupid?’ asked the junior angel rather crossly.

‘It is not for us to judge them. We who live in the splendour have no idea what it is like to live in the dark. We hear the music and the voice like the sound of many waters every day of our lives, but to them—well, there is much darkness and much noise and much distraction upon the Earth. Only a few who are quiet

and humble and wise hear his voice. But watch, for in a moment you will see something truly wonderful.’

The Earth went on turning and circling round the sun, and then, quite suddenly, in the upper half of the globe there appeared a light, tiny, but so bright in its intensity that both angels hid their eyes.

‘I think I can guess,’ said the little angel in a low voice. ‘That was the visit, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes, that was the Visit. The Light himself went down there and lived among them. But in a moment that light will go out.’

‘But why? Could he not bear their darkness and stupidity?

Did he have to return here?’

‘No, it wasn’t that,’ returned the senior angel. His voice was stern and sad. ‘They failed to recognise him for who he was—or at least only a handful knew him. For the most part they preferred their darkness to his light, and in the end they killed him.’

‘The fools, the crazy fools! They don’t deserve …’

Neither you nor I, nor any other angel, knows why they were so foolish and so wicked. Nor can we say what they deserve or don’t deserve. But the fact remains, they killed our Prince of Glory while he was a man.’

‘And that, I supposed, was the end? I see the whole Earth had gone black and dark.’

‘Wait, we are still far from the end of the story. Watch now, but be ready to cover your eyes again.’

In utter blackness, the Earth turned round three times, and then there blazed with unbearable radiance a point of light.’

‘What now?’ asked the little angel, shielding his eyes.

‘They killed him all right, but he conquered death. The thing most of them dread and fear all their lives he broke and conquered. He rose again, and a few of them saw him and from then on became his utterly devoted servants.’

‘Thank God for that,’ said the little angel.

‘Amen. Open your eyes now; the dazzling light has gone.

The Prince has returned to his home of light. But watch the Earth now.’

As they looked, in place of the dazzling light there was a bright glow which throbbed and pulsated. And then as the Earth turned many times, little points of light spread out. A few flickered and died, but for the most part the lights burned steadily, and as they continued to watch, in many parts of the globe there was a glow over many areas.

‘You see what is happening?’ asked the senior angel. ‘The bright glow is the company of loyal men and women he left behind, and with his help they spread the glow, and now lights begin to shine all over the Earth.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said the little angel impatiently, ‘but how does it end? Will the little lights join up with one another? Will it all be light, as it is in Heaven?’

His senior shook his head. ‘We simply do not know,’ he replied. ‘It is in the Father’s hands. Sometimes it is agony to watch, and sometimes it is joy unspeakable. The end is not yet. But now I am sure you can see why this little ball is so important. He has visited it; he is working out his plan upon it.’

‘Yes, I see—though I don’t understand. I shall never forget that this is the Visited Planet.’

BY J.B. PHILLIPS Source: New Testament Christianity (Hodder & Soughton, 1956)

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Professor Peter Lineham is a modernday wise man, often asked to comment on faith issues in the media.

So should we still celebrate Christmas in our modern, multicultural society?

Absolutely! says Peter.

BY INGRID BARRATT

There’s a corny, over-used Christmas saying, but I can’t help loving it: ‘wise men still seek him’. It speaks of journey and discovery, and it echoes that wonderful moment in history when God was revealed to us.

Peter Lineham is Professor of History at Massey University, Albany. He’s written and lectured extensively on New Zealand’s religious history, although these days he’s more focused on trends in contemporary religion. But Peter has 16

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never lost the wonder of Christmas: ‘It’s such a surprising story, that the God of the universe would put everything at risk in a tiny baby,’ he says. ‘I remain awed that this little child carries the whole of God’s purpose and will for humankind. It’s marvellous!’

Outlawing Christmas I stumbled across Peter on a seven o’clock news programme, as he gave a considered argument for celebrating Easter in a secular world. So I’m interested: is Christmas still worth celebrating in our consumerist culture?

‘Christmas is part of the Western and British cultural heritage, and the moment that we start abandoning cultural heritage, we lose our culture,’ says Peter. ‘I absolutely reject the notion of a secular society that excludes religious thought, because religion is fundamental to community and individual make up. There is no culture

in the world that doesn’t have religion.’

Peter is a self-confessed evangelical Christian, working in an academic environment that he admits is often hostile to Christianity. Yet he speaks with no hint of defence or offence in his tone.

Christians often despair that commercialism has taken centre-stage away from Jesus, but Peter points out that most of our traditions still echo a deeply Christian heritage. ‘A lot of Christmas customs are strongly reflective of Christian values—the giving of gifts, expressing the joy of the angels, the carols,’ he says. ‘Society shows no signs of giving up Christmas, and the community will defend it, but what we need to do is find interesting ways to retain our Christian gloss.’

There have been several attempts through history to ban Christmas, Peter explains. During the 1600s, the Puritan government in England attempted to

SOCIETY SHOWS NO SIGNS OF GIVING UP ON CHRISTMAS … outlaw Christmas. The Scots abandoned Christmas, and as a result when Southland and Otago was settled, they did not celebrate the season. However, in both cases the masses rose up against the ban because they didn’t want to miss the celebrations. And so Christmas again ruled the day.

A multicultural celebration Peter makes a surprising and perhaps controversial claim: ‘In our modern, contemporary, multicultural society, the solution is not to go “no religion”, but to support the practice of all religions. I believe that as Christians we can do that very appropriately and with integrity.’

All religions? How can we do that and still believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and life? (see John 14:6). Well, Christianity has always been strengthened by joining in with the rest of society in discussions about faith, says Peter. So, rather than trying to force society into the Christian mould, a question for Christians is: how do we introduce Christ into our modern, multicultural society?

When Peter was a guest speaker at Diwali celebrations, he spoke about Hindu gods as an introduction to talking about his Christian faith. When asked to speak at a Buddhist celebration, he talked about their Buddhist leader, the current Catholic Pope and the Bishop of Wellington. ‘So for two-thirds of my talk, I was sharing my Christian faith,’ he says.

‘In an odd kind of way, the celebration of Christmas is a classic example of Christianity modifying in order to make our faith more available to the wider community. Christmas Day was an invented festival that coincided with pagan winter festivals. It was deliberately an invitation to the existing cultural festivals to introduce the Christian cross.’

Still seeking Peter came to faith in Christ at a young age, but has found himself still seeking, and still being sought by Jesus. He grew up in a conservative Christian church in the small West Coast town of Karamea, where his faith was developed and

nurtured. As a scholar, his faith grew through questioning and discovery.

He became a sought-after speaker and church leader, well-known nationally.

But it was not until recent years that he confronted a part of himself he had tried all his life to bury. Peter volunteers perhaps the most difficult terrain in his journey so far, ‘I had supressed the issue of my sexuality. It’s an example of making yourself so busy that you avoid dealing with hurtful stuff, but in the end you can’t escape that. It will always catch up on you.’ And he sums it up simply: ‘I tried to deny it all my life, but facing it became a necessity for my health.’

Peter eventually spoke to the church leaders and let them know that he was gay. He was asked to step down from leadership and leave the church. It was a bruising and hurtful time, but today Peter speaks without a trace of bitterness. ‘I have retained some ties because the loss would be too great, but I sadly moved on.’ Today, Peter has found spiritual places where he is embraced, although he says he still struggles with inclusive churches that tend towards the edges of orthodoxy, when his own theology is ‘not at all liberal’.

feel frightened or intimidated in a world where they can’t control what people do or say. If Christians act in an inappropriate way, we have to admit that. So my stance is: how can I contribute to the conversations and perspectives on Christianity?’

Peter is a huge fan of Christmas. When War Cry spoke to him, he had organised a small choir at his church and was planning to be at midnight mass, as well as a Christmas Eve service, where the community come together to sing carols and hear the story of Jesus.

He says his faith continues to grow as he seeks new ways to express Jesus in his life. He currently leads a prison Bible study with sex offenders, which he describes as ‘challenging and inspirational’. Peter is a wise man who’s still in awe and he’s still seeking Jesus in the world.

Read Peter’s latest book, Sunday Best: How the Church Shaped New Zealand and New Zealand Shaped the Church (Massey University Press).

But as Christians, we really can’t live in the world if we avoid the difficult questions about ourselves or the church, says Peter. He gives the example of a colleague who did some research on the occult and got ‘very nasty’ hate mail from Christians. ‘Christians often

Words from the Wise ‘Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.’

G.K. Chesterton ‘At this Christmas when Christ comes, will he find a warm heart?

Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God’s own love and concern.’

Mother Teresa

‘Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that he gave his only Son. The only requirement is to believe in him.

The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.

Corrie Ten Boom ‘Look for Christ and you will find him. And with him, everything else.’

C.S. Lewis

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Meanwhile, Down on the Farm . . .

Nearby, out in the neighbouring paddocks, there was a crowd of farmhands on night-time sheep-minding duties.

While they were half nodding off, an angel turned up.

This made quite an impact: it got incredibly bright—this was clearly something God was involved in—and it scared the pants off them.

The angel reassured them: ‘No worries you fellas! I’ve got some absolutely stunning news for you. Today, down the road in the town, this little nipper has been born.

And he’s no ordinary kid, he’s going to make life totally rock! Cos, you see, he’s God’s special bloke. How do you know this is for real? Well, check out these details—he’ll be dressed in typical baby stuff, but he’ll be parked in a feeding box rather than your standard bassinet.’

Suddenly this humungous bunch of angels turned up alongside the original lone angel. Every one of them was enthusiastic. ‘Wow, God’s just fantastic!’ they said.

‘And around this place we trust you all have a happy Christmas, as it were.’

When the angels had taken off again, the farmworkers had a yarn: ‘How about we head off down to Bethlehem, then we can see for ourselves this special kid God’s rep just told us about?’ Everyone agreed, so they took to their heels. Sure as, they found Mary and Joe, and the wee bloke in the feeding box. They spread the news among their mates—and everyone was pretty well blown away by all accounts.

As for Mary, the kid’s mum, she was stoked by all of this, and she kept chewing it over for a good while afterwards.

And the farmhands? Well, they went back to work, enthusiastically telling God how great they reckoned he was because of all the stuff they’d seen. What’s more, it was word for word, frame by frame, exactly what they’d been told to expect.

Luke 2:8–20 retold by Chris Grantham in Bits from the Kiwi Bible (Penguin Books)

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I Remember …

Christmas greetings from Territorial Commander Commissioner Andy Westrupp.

The letterbox that stood at the bottom of the drive to my childhood home was built to last. And it has! The last time I drove past the old address it was still there, unchanged by everything that many seasons have thrown at it.

My father had fastened the over-engineered copper-clad letterbox between two concrete fence posts that were themselves concreted into the ground. Any poorly-navigated milk truck, delivering the milk in bottles in those days in the gloomy pre-dawn hours, would have come off second best to that letterbox if there had been a collision. It wasn’t going to budge an inch.

I describe the sturdiness of the letterbox purposefully because one of my childhood Christmas memories is of standing on that letterbox on warm December evenings so I could see the Christmas lights that our city council had strung onto a giant redwood tree that stood beside to the church steps in our town. To me the multicoloured lights were a herald of the enchantment of Christmas.

Another enduring Christmas memory I have of those distant December evenings was of The Salvation Army Nelson Corps Band, all bravely perched on two wooden forms that were tied onto a flatbed truck, touring the streets in our valley playing Christmas carols. We lived on a very steep street, so when the driver of the carolling truck needed to change down a gear half way up to park near our place, all the members of the band had to quickly pitch forward in unison to avoid being accidentally jolted off the back of the truck onto the road.

Our family weren’t Salvationists—or particularly religious for that matter—so for me the band playing carols, tunes I had heard on the radio or learnt at school, uniquely connected me to the real Christmas story: the one of the heavenly prince, born in a manger on a starry night with cattle lowing and angels singing, ‘Noel, Noel!’ There was something very special about those moments as the timeless beautiful carols floated in the air and echoed down our valley.

These days, it is not always possible to sit on the back of a carolling

truck, the absence of seatbelts alone is enough to launch the health and safety people into elliptical orbit, so different methods of celebrating the Christmas story have had to be found.

Many of our Salvation Army centres have developed and offer Christmas Eve services where the story of Christmas is retold with drama, carols, multimedia, lighting or tableaux. These have proved popular, judging by the number of people who turn up to the services. Whenever I attend one I am always delighted by the presence of children, because I can see their wonder and curiosity as the story of a special baby—born so long ago in a far distant land, in very humble circumstances—changed the world and is still changing how people live out their lives today. And so, I get to relive my own enchanted Christmas memories of long ago.

THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT THOSE MOMENTS AS THE TIMELESS BEAUTIFUL CAROLS FLOATED IN THE AIR AND ECHOED DOWN OUR VALLEY. This ethereal aspect of Christmas is not something new. Right at the start, a group of shepherds who had been tending their flocks on a hillside recounted their experience of hearing the news of the birth of Jesus in terms that were transcendent. They said that angels appeared to them near the time of the birth of Jesus and spoke of ‘glory in heavens and peace on earth’ (Luke 2:14). These words, to me at least, seem very un-shepherd-like. Instead, they seem to speak of the deep spiritual impact of their experience of the first Christmas.

My prayer for you and your loved ones this Christmas season is that you would also have an opportunity to pause and experience the eternal aspect of the birth of the Christ child. God be with you—and have a blessed Christmas.

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Save Space for

We pause once again in the busyness of our hectic and frenetic lives to give thanks to God for his wondrous gift. It was the greatest gift ever given to humankind; a gift of healing, wholeness, restoration, love, reconciliation and relationship with the God who created the universe and our world.

… ALLOW OURSELVES THE SPACE TO BE AWARE OF AND EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF JESUS—WHICH CAN BE AS REAL AS THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS.

The apostle Paul reminds us of how awesome that gift is, writing: ‘Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!’ (2 Corinthians 9:15)

God working in and through him. His life reveals the truth of God’s promise and message for the world.

It is sad how many people fail to recognise and experience the truth of the gospel message—a message of good news reminding us of God’s love and provision for whoever chooses to believe and take him at his word.

Living in the confusion of this 21st century, it can be hard to distinguish truth, yet Christmas is about God breaking into our world in the gift of his Son, Jesus. The angels broke into the world of the shepherds to announce the birth of our Saviour and those shepherds then went to the manger to experience the truth of what they had been told.

A Christmas message from The Salvation Army’s international leader, General André Cox.

At the trial of Jesus, Pilate asked, ‘What is truth?’ (John 18:38).

Today, increasingly, we ask ourselves that same question. In recent months, we have had to expand our vocabulary to accommodate concepts such as alternative facts, false news, fake news. Little wonder that we live in a generation that is more and more sceptical and suspicious of any claims of absolute truth.

For many, truth has become relative and subjective; it is what feels right for them or what they choose it to be on any given day or in any given situation.

In fact, subjective approaches to truth are nothing new. People of all generations have chosen to read and interpret truth as they see fit.

How desperately we need to hear and live truth in a world that has lost its moral compass. Some would question the relevance and importance of Jesus and yet we see through the life he lived that God was truly with him. When we look at Jesus, we see evidence of 20

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Jesus came and walked among us, died on the cross that we might be saved, then rose again and ascended to Heaven where he reigns at the right hand of God. We know that one day he will return again to establish God’s reign on earth—and what a glorious day that will be! By returning to the Father, however, Jesus did not abandon or forget us.

He said, ‘I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!’ (John 14:16–17, The Message) The challenge for us is to allow ourselves the space to be aware of

Author Unknown

I believe … in Jesus Christ and in the beauty of the gospel begun in Bethlehem.

and experience the presence of Jesus—which can be as real as that first Christmas.

We need to be his followers and his disciples in this generation, and he has promised us that ‘If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.’ (John 8:31–32, The Message) Christmas is God’s greatest gift because we can know truth— truth that is more than abstract concept, a truth that is real and alive, embodied in Jesus and imparted by the Holy Spirit.

‘And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognise and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. Dear children, be on guard against all clever facsimiles.’

(1 John 5:20-21, The Message)

I believe … in the one whose spirit glorified a little town, and whose spirit still brings music to persons all over the world, in towns both large and small.

I believe … in the one for whom the crowded inn could find no room, and I confess that my heart still sometimes wants to exclude Christ from my life today.

I believe … in the one whom the rulers of the earth ignored and the proud could never understand, whose life was among common people, whose welcome came from persons of hungry hearts.

I believe … in the one who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible.

I believe … in the one whose cradle was a mother’s arms, whose modest home in Nazareth had love for its only wealth, who looked at people and made them see what God’s love saw in them, who by love brought sinners back to purity, and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God. I confess … my everlasting need of God, the need of forgiveness for our selfishness and greed, the need of new life for empty souls, the need of love for hearts grown cold.

I believe … in God who gives us the best of himself.

I believe in Jesus, the son of the living God, born in Bethlehem this night, for me and for the world.

I pray that you will experience the Truth this Christmas season.

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The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

2

John 1:9 NIRV

1 What carol is heard in the desert?

O Camel Ye Faithful

When it is night time and we walk into a room with no windows and the lights turned off, it’s really hard to see anything. It can even be scary!

3

4

in Who hides at n e h c it the k Christmas? y A mince sp

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But when we flick the switch on, there’s suddenly light all over the room and the darkness is totally gone. Now we can see where to walk without bumping into any furniture. Maybe we can even see some cool games to play.

This is like the awesome difference Jesus made when he came into the world! Jesus brought the light we needed to chase the darkness away. Jesus says, ‘I am the light of the world.

Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness. They will have that light. They will have life.’

(John 8:12, NIRV)

6

5

8

What do you call Santa Claus when he doesn’t move?

Santa Pause

What’s a child’s favourite king at Christmas?

A stocking

What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?

Tinsel-itus

When we follow Jesus we’re able to stay away from the darkness of bad things that hurt other people or us. We want to stay close to Jesus, because we want to live in the light.

Dear Jesus, thank you for coming into our world and giving us the light we need to live well. Help me to shine your light so my friends can come to know and love you too. Amen.

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6 3 10 2

4 8

9

7

1

5

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Kids Answers: Matching Pairs: 8 and 9. Christmas Crossword: 1 Ball, 2 Lizard, 3 Doll, 4 Lollipop, 5 Plane, 6 Ship, 7 Pencils, 8 Skate, 9 Sheep, 10 Pirate, 11 Elephant.

At Christmas, the lights we hang on our Christmas trees remind us of the light of Jesus that chases the darkness away.

CHRISTMAS 2017 WarCry

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Quiz Answers: 1 A lobster, 2 Pōhutukawa, 3 The Rev. Samuel Marsden, 4 1894, 5 Eight (excluding Rudolf who was created in 1939 for department store Montgomery Ward), 6 Gold, frankincense and myrrh, 7 Coca Cola, 8 Bethlehem, 9 ‘Silent Night’, 10 Gabriel.

WHAT CAN I IF I WERE A SHEPHERD, IF I WERE A WISE MAN, YET WHAT CAN I

POOR AS I AM? A LAMB; MY PART;

GIVE HIM