22 January 2022 NZFTS War Cry by The Salvation Army SALT Magazine (NZ, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa)

WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS Catherine

& William 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 Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Nicole Gesmundo, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Holly Morton, Bethany Slaughter, David Youngmeyer | PROOF READING Major Colleen Marshall | COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Pearce OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset

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Be Reconciled to One Another I hope you have had the opportunity over this Christmas and New Year period to slow down, rest and prayerfully contemplate the year before you. As you pray for your families and your plans for this year, I ask you to also pray for this movement and for the Church throughout the world. In all our nations—New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa—we face the common enemy of a pandemic, but we face other threats, and one devastating threat is division. I know this because in the Bible Jesus says in Luke 11:17b, ‘Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall’. This applies to our families, our churches and our nations. The pandemic is a threat to us from the outside, division is a threat to us from the inside. If we allow the fissures and cracks of division to spread unchecked and unattended in our midst, then any external pressure or ruction will eventually work its way through our foundations and destabilise us, and worse. We are called to be a people of reconciliation, and in this edition we celebrate the ordination and commissioning of the Messengers of Reconciliation—Ngā Karere o te Maungārongo. Their session mandate is to bring reconciliation between God and humankind. There is no greater calling. But there is also the reconciliation of one to another, where we are asked to bear ‘with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’ (Ephesians 4:2). We strive to do this because it says in Psalm 133:1, 3b that when ‘God’s people live together in unity ... for there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore’. Vivienne Hill Editor

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association. 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 138 years | Issue 6783 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

salvationarmy.org.nz SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts

2 WarCry 22 JANUARY 2022

The Gospel is universally applicable because the one great need of all human beings is the same: they all need to be reconciled with the Creator. George Martin

Romans 5:10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Rōma 5:10 Mehemea hoki, i te wā he hoa whawhai tātou, ka houhia tā tātou rongo ki te Atua i runga i te matenga o tāna Tama, tērā noa ake, i te mea ka mau nei te rongo, he whakaoranga mō tātou, i a ia kua ora nei.

Children’s Artwork

e are all born with a curiosity to create in some way, shape or form. For the majority of us this begins in childhood—scribbling on pieces of paper, drawing on the pavement with chalk, stamping messy handprints on the walls, and, in one instance, inflicting a long, painful scratch against the paintwork of your parents’ car (sorry, Mum and Dad!). Here in our office, a couple of the parents in our team keep drawings or homemade cards from their kids pinned on their walls. Whenever I visit their desks, this gives me a little smile or giggle too. It’s easy to find joy in these early crafts and creations, because we were all once the child brandishing a bristly paintbrush or dried-out marker, eager to explore the opportunities of a blank piece of paper. We gleefully shared our finished creations with family members and teachers. We felt the warm fuzzies when they agreed it was special enough to pin up on the fridge or noticeboard, and the disappointment when they were not quite as charmed with our efforts as we were. On a recent Sunday at church, I had this picture come to mind, of God as a parent collecting every one of our crazy drawings—the stick figures with thin resemblances to humans and animals sketched in blunt crayons; the explosions of wayward, colourful scribbles and squiggles; the paintings with smatterings of glitter to distract from the

lack of fine artistic skills, or tiny crumbs caught in the blobs of acrylic; the fumbled, early attempts at spelling with jumbled up letters—and God is proud of all of them. Proud of the creative expressions behind them. Proud of the artists behind them. God cares about all of the different things we bring to him, including the prayers that make sense, and the ones that don’t, the rambling sentences and the wordless requests. At times he gently tells us no, if it is not in our best interests—even if we want something desperately. He celebrates with us when we bring ideas to life that are good. He treasures every mark of our creativity and achievement, because they’re all stamps of our journeys, of putting ourselves out there, of being the people he created us to be. Probably because he is a creator himself, and he likes to see that quality in us too. Who knows—maybe he keeps a couple of them pinned on the wall of his metaphorical work desk too? ‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!’ (1 John 3:1a). ‘Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand’ (Isaiah 64:8). BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

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Hornby Community Ministries Receive Generous Christmas Gift Farewelling 2021 with a hearty dose of generosity, local family business Laing Properties presented Hornby Community Ministries with a bumper Christmas donation. They received several boxes of new toys—filled with Play-Doh, Barbies, LEGO, books, games, beach gear and puzzles—and a variety of vouchers. Director of Community Ministries Major Gill Waugh says the presents were a great joy for families, particularly the parents. ‘They appreciate knowing that there’s going to be something for their kids.’ ‘It takes off the load of “will we have enough?”’

WARCRYINHISTORY

A New Year’s message from the General, printed in the 1 January 1910 War Cry, could easily be speaking into the present new year: ‘Comrades, There is not a soul amongst you that would not like 1910’—er, we mean 2022— ‘to be a better year than any that have gone before it, and “Glory to God in the highest” this can be so!’ Happy New Year to all! Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Plowman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission.

Musical tick, tick …BOOM! (PG-13, available on Netflix) Directed by Lin Manuel Miranda A biographical musical centred around composer Jonathan Larson, the mind behind rock opera Rent. tick, tick …BOOM! is a captivating story about the hunger artists have to create art that changes things, and the fear of running out of time. Jonathan, played by the impressive Andrew Garfield (who had extensive vocal training for the role), is on the brink of turning 30 and desperate for his musical Superbia to be picked up. The film follows the plot of Larson’s own autobiographical monologue of the same name and features a mix of comedic and moving songs throughout. With cameos to spot for the musical theatre fan, and contributions from big names in the industry, tick, tick …BOOM! feels like a love letter to a missed friend: melancholic, full of heart and generous to the memory of Larson who passed away before the first performance of Rent, now considered a pioneer of the modern musical genre. (Reviewed by Holly Morton) 4 WarCry 22 JANUARY 2022

This generosity even meant that more donations from the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal could be shared to nearby Salvation Army centres for other communities to receive at Christmas. Parents were invited to come in and choose gifts for their children, with wrapping paper and tape provided as well as Christmas nibbles to take home. Every food parcel contained an invitation to their Christmas Eve Service, to join in with activities, carols and hearing the Christmas story. Gill shared one example of a family in transitional housing whose Christmas was brightened through this gift. ‘They lost everything in a fire, and it will make a huge difference to them.’ She was thrilled by Laing Properties’ decision to bless The Salvation Army. ‘That company is just amazing,’ Gill says. ‘All those pockets of community groups, the families who might bring in a bag of groceries, everything—every donation—matters and makes a difference.’

Weird of the Week: France has more time zones than any country on earth—it has twelve standard time zones.

Photography: John Cosgrove/Star Media

OURPEOPLE

420g can of chickpeas, drained 1 Tbsp tahini 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Place the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, wilted spinach and feta into a food processor. Blitz. Add lemon juice and olive oil, and blend until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

David Youngmeyer (Territorial Media 100g spinach, wilted Officer/Communications Writer) Place in a small serving bowl and garnish with your favourite herbs, David has recently joined the 150g crumbled feta e.g. thyme or basil. Communications Department 2 Tbsp lemon juice at Territorial Headquarters as media officer and he brings a 2 Tbsp olive oil raft of experience to his role. salt and pepper, He holds an M.A. degree in to season Communications (University of Maryland) and a Certificate in Journalism (Auckland Source: countdown.co.nz University of Technology). David started out in newspaper journalism you still have some time on your before moving into 1 Which planet is known as Do hands to read this summer? Maybe it’s communications and ‘Swift Planet’ for the speed time to pick up a classic that you’ve not read public information. He has at which it circles the sun? yet. Here are five fan-favourites—only, they’re worked overseas with the United summed up in just one sentence. Nations for a number of years, before returning to New Zealand and The Salvation Army, where 1. ‘An escaped convict kidnaps a child and 2 What is photophobia? he previously worked in the mid-2000s. David keeps her locked up for several years’— is the go-to person for providing media support Les Misérables (1862), Victor Hugo. 3 Which famous American to Salvation Army projects and is our external 2. ‘A man wastes his life because he can’t accept pop band was originally media liaison. He enjoys reading, that he is bad at fishing’—Moby Dick (1851), travelling and catching up called ‘Kara’s Flowers’? Herman Melville. with family and friends. 3. ‘ Travelling men go on a long quest to return 4 What does the G stand a piece of jewellery’—The Lord of the Rings for in GIF? (1954–1955), J.R.R. Tolkien.

QUIKQUIZ

TOPFIVE

5 In the Bible, what man— seeing his workplace collapse—called for a light to check on Paul and Silas?

4. ‘ Transported to a magical land, a young girl murders the first person she meets then teams up with three complete strangers before killing again’—The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), L. Frank Baum.

Answers on page 22

5. ‘A love triangle between an 18-year-old girl, 100-year-old guy … and a dog’—The Twilight Saga (2005–2008), Stephenie Meyer. 22 JANUARY 2022 WarCry 5

Ring art by Peter J. Yost

Spinach and Feta Hummus

Booth College of Mission: Ministry, Purpose and Learning

The cadets, officers and staff who call Booth College of Mission home share why it is much more than a tertiary institution. BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

estled in the suburb of Trentham in the Hutt Valley, Booth College of Mission (BCM) is most commonly known as the training ground of future Salvation Army officers. However, if you think that is all there is to BCM, think again. The campus is home to a library, archives, early childhood education centre and many more avenues for people to learn and grow (such as the Centre for Leadership Development, or CLD). It’s also a literal home to the cadets and staff who live on-site. The School For Officer Training (SFOT) received resounding marks of ‘excellent’ in the latest NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) report for the period of 2016–2020, both for performance and self-assessment, in areas such as student achievement, value of outcomes, programme design and delivery and student support and involvement in their learning. These results recognise the quality of the academic programme, but they don’t encompass the full breadth of experience of living, working or studying at BCM. As the college staff—currently led by Training Principal Major Garth Stevenson and Assistant Principal Major Suzanne Stevenson—guide students through formal subjects, their ultimate goal is to commission cadets with the Certificate in Salvation Army Officer Training and, crucially, the abilities and disposition to excel in their roles. ‘The character of the person is more important than the academic qualification, so the development of a spiritual life, the development of a temperament of personality that is honouring to God at all times, hopefully that’s the key, critical ingredient for success as an officer of The Salvation Army,’ says Garth, ‘and then goes with that the competencies and the skills.’

Inquiry-based learning Education Officer David Wardle is responsible for the day-to-day running of teaching and learning associated with the SFOT—whether it’s creating curriculum and teaching plans, managing the tutors or assessment reporting. Within their short training period of two years, he hopes to prepare cadets for the various tasks of their first five years of officership, such as pastoring a Sunday congregation, looking after a Community Ministries programme and chaplaincy within a Family Store—as well as how they can care for themselves. A lot of this learning is achieved by the inquiry-based learning programme in the cadets’ second year, which teaches them to tackle problems which they, or even The Salvation Army, may not have encountered before. ‘For example, what do you do in a pandemic? Now, we don’t have pandemic training classes, but we have the inquiry method which says, “Okay, here’s the 22 JANUARY 2022 WarCry 7

‘THE COLLEGE IS ON AN ONGOING JOURNEY TO ENSURE EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME FEELS WELCOME AND CONFIDENT TO DO SO…’ issue, here’s a problem”. We teach them how to interrogate that problem, then we teach them how to use the resources.’ He is pleased that the feedback from cadets upon their graduation matches up with what he hopes they would say about the learning content. ‘What they have been saying to us is that the inquiry method does give them a basis for tackling problems that they may not have had training for,’ he says. The college is on an ongoing journey to ensure everybody who wants to come feels welcome and confident to do so; for example, the ability for cadets to submit their assignment in te reo Māori (or their most comfortable language) and integrating the language into life at the college. They never want anybody to count themselves out, and encourage people to speak to Territorial Candidates Secretary Captain Kylie Tong if they fear they don’t meet the entry criteria. ‘We individualise the training so that people can still be prepared for that vocation of service as an officer,’ Garth says.

Fostering a love of learning Major Doctor Kathy Crombie EdD has a dual role at BCM: in the SFOT she is a senior tutor involved with teaching and mentoring cadets; she is also the director of the CLD, which provides in-service training and hosts conferences for officers and employees (like Family Store managers or Community Ministries team members). ‘It’s quite nice to sit in both places, because you get a really good overview of the whole function of BCM,’ she says. ‘I can bring input to the SFOT in terms of the teaching for cadets and also the teaching and learning, developing learning and structural design for the CLD.’ Kathy finds joy in the camaraderie of the BCM team, and in using her own love of education to help students find confidence through study. 8 WarCry 22 JANUARY 2022

‘I believe in lifelong learning. No one’s ever too old to start. No one’s ever had not enough background,’ Kathy says. ‘To see them come to a place where they start to believe in themselves, because they can come to a workshop and take part and get a certificate at the end, it’s like, wow!’ The breadth of people who come through CLD includes many commissioned officers who return to continue upskilling. ‘It’s a joy to see them, and a privilege to see the developments and see how they’re going.’ Diploma courses are also available at the School of Bible and Mission, which sits alongside the SFOT. Another learning resource accessible to everyone in The Salvation Army network is the Plowman Resource Centre, comprising the Heritage Centre and Archives and BCM Library. Every year, the Heritage Centre’s inquiries for historical facts are increasing, both from within the Army and outside of it. For example, when cadets learn what their first appointment will be, they can visit the archives to learn about the history of that corps. Meanwhile, within BCM, the library is considered one of the best kept secrets of the territory, one they are trying to encourage more people to utilise. ‘I would love the territory and every Salvationist to be a member of that library. It’s a jewel,’ David says.

Connecting with community For the youngest of learners, Educare is open to both children of cadets and the public. The centre also recently received high marks from an Education Review Office report—but it’s the liveliness of the place that matters most. You’ll find children playing in the sandpit, following each other down the slide or painting with colour-spattered smocks (and hands to match). Throughout various seasons spent at BCM, Garth and Suzanne have seen children who were in Educare as kids, grow up and then come through the college as cadets. ‘Educare has got a very good reputation in the community, of a good, safe place where the children are loved and cared for with Christian values,’ Suzanne says. Off campus, BCM is well supported by several other partners. Each cadet is assigned to a local corps which they go to most Sundays and can practise preaching. Occasionally, everybody will remain at BCM for an ‘In Sunday’, and every six weeks is a ‘Spiritual Day’, with a community meal. The college also has a memorandum of understanding with Petone Corps Plant, which operates with a different service

Booth College of Mission main campus (left) and William Booth Educare (right).

‘I BELIEVE IN LIFELONG LEARNING. NO ONE’S EVER TOO OLD TO START. NO ONE’S EVER HAD NOT ENOUGH BACKGROUND,’ structure. As a result, cadets experience a variety of Sunday morning setups that they may encounter as a corps officer. They also partake in fortnightly prison ministry and religious awareness in schools, for practical experience in engaging with the wider community. And, of course, there are strong collaborative ties with the SFOT across the pacific in Suva, Fiji, of which Suzanne is responsible for oversight—for the time being, from afar. Unfortunately, under the recent Covid-19 restrictions, the Fijian cadets have only been taught by the college staff and a few officers based out of Fiji Divisional Headquarters, due to the inability of other Fijian officers to travel. ‘It’s really hard for them but they’ve done tremendously well,’ Suzanne says. ‘We’re just waiting for the day when we can go back there.’ There are also several committees and boards critical to the running of BCM, including two from Fiji which feed into the New Zealand campus, who meet throughout the week.

On reflection Ahead of their commissioning, second-year cadets Alanah and Chris Moody and Ben and Jesse Willis each reflected on the value of different aspects of life at BCM from over the past two years. ‘When I came here, I was expecting to grow academically— but actually, there’s a strong focus on growing me as a whole person, mentally and spiritually as well,’ Ben says. ‘I see so much of what God has done across two years.’ Alanah loves elements of the campus environment, from the quiet of the prayer garden looking over the hills, to the sounds of children playing at Educare. ‘Our house is right beside Educare, and so every lunchtime when we go home, our front door will be open and all you can hear is these kids,’ she says. Jesse says that she is particularly invested in the group of people she has shared her time with at the college. ‘I think one of my favourite parts is that I get to do it with Ben, so we’re on the same schedule, both coming from jobs that had crazy schedules. ‘For the four of us, because we do a lot of group work, it’s very interruptible. If something’s going on in your life that you need to share about … we have a lot of freedom to be able to do

that,’ she says. ‘I see God at work in just having conversations.’ While Chris jokes that he likes being able to ‘walk to work’, he appreciates how BCM enables them to immerse themselves in study and community without having to juggle logistics. ‘You don’t have to try and work part-time,’ he says. ‘I feel that sometimes in the church culture, we’re all doing so many different things, we never have time to talk about it. But because we’re all doing the same stuff, it’s a really good place to talk about life and the Bible and people and ministry.’ For students and staff alike, BCM is a multi-faceted place of witnessing growth in themselves and in each other.

...BCM DOES NOT JUST CARRY MEANING FOR THE CURRENT CADETS AND STAFF, BUT FOR ALL OFFICERS WHO ONCE CAME THROUGH THE COLLEGE. ‘My highlights would be seeing the transformation in people who come, knowing that they’re called by God to serve through The Salvation Army, but not feeling at all capable,’ Garth remarks. ‘A few years later, you see the whole transformation that’s happened. It makes it all thoroughly worthwhile.’ ‘There’s a sense that this is more than a tertiary institution,’ David says. ‘It’s more than just information dissemination and building, as something really deep happens here. I’ve been here 12 years and it’s transformed me. I’m a totally different person from when I came in, and I’m only the staff!’ Because of this, BCM does not just carry meaning for the current cadets and staff, but for all officers who once came through the college. ‘When people come back for a course, they say, “I’ve come home”,’ Suzanne says.

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Energy UP! Some days you wake up and already feel completely drained. The desire to fill up another mug of coffee or tea, to choose the couch over the drive to work or even not getting out of bed at all is strong. There are so many things on your plate—work, life admin, dropping kids here and there—but no energy left in the tank, and it’s only the beginning of the day! When you need a lift in energy, here are a couple of things you can try. 1. Put a smile on your dial. It’s scientifically proven to lift your mood, even when you don’t feel like it (and even when you have a mask on). Plus, it will make the people around you feel better. 2. Have a quick, refreshing shower. You can also run a bath, at a comfortable temperature. 3. Choose an outfit which makes you feel good. Don’t pick out your comfiest pair of trackies that remind you of sleep and rest; opt for clothing which makes you feel good (and lively). 4. Look for lovely and beautiful things. Find inspiration in everyday nature and art.

IF YOU WANT THE GOOD DAYS WHERE YOU NEED TO SPEND A BIT MORE ENERGY … THEN BALANCE IS NECESSARY.

5. To start off, tackle tasks in bite-sized chunks. Take micro breaks—as long as you are disciplined about how long you take off and get right back into working. 6. Only handle the necessary tasks. Can it wait until tomorrow? If so, then don’t pressure yourself to get it done today. 7. Ask to work from home for the day (or afternoon). If you fear that working around other people might be too much, and you can achieve everything remotely, call to check with your boss.

want the good days where you need to spend a bit more energy—like hosting celebrations, preparing for big work presentations or going to concerts—then balance is necessary. But that doesn’t mean days like these are wasted; you can still get tasks and work completed while agreeing with your body that it’s a day for conserving energy rather than burning through it.

GREAT SNACK FOODS TO BOOST ENERGY

8. Be positive, even if you don’t feel it. If you can act like a positive person, in time you might be able to expel some negative energy and trick your brain into perking up a little.

• Mixed nuts

9. Ask a friend for help. Call in a favour and see if they can help you out with a task or responsibility (as long as you’re prepared to do the same for them, of course).

• Greek yoghurt and berries

10. Look forward to tomorrow. We all have bad days, and they’re usually a sign that your body is taking stock to prepare you for better days to come. Think about all of the things you’ll be grateful for tomorrow. Your body is designed to keep you healthy in the long term and manage your energy throughout the ebbs and flows of life. If you

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• Vegetables and guacamole or hummus

• Fresh fruit (with peanut butter or cottage cheese) • Hard-boiled eggs • Smoothies Source: Barton Goldsmith, PhD / psychologytoday.com

TESTIFY! From Tonga to Westgate Corps and now training at Booth College of Mission in 2022, Moses and Amelia Kava each received different calls to officership. Amelia: I was born and raised in Tonga, and gave my life to God at an Easter camp when I was very young. Whenever I was in trouble or felt down, there was no place I’d rather be than with God. I moved to New Zealand in 1998. I got a diploma in travel and tourism, then worked in retail for six years (until I became a full-time mother) because fashion was one of my passions. I always returned to Tonga in my holidays—I feel like my heart is still there—that’s how I met Moses. He wanted us to stay there with his parents after we married, but his father wanted us to raise our family in New Zealand. Each Christmas we’ve filled up a container to send things (like furniture bought from Trade Me and food parcels) to Tonga, because we know family and friends who are struggling there. We love to see the smiles on their faces. If it wasn’t for lockdown, we’d probably have done the same last year. Moses: Amelia and I moved to New Zealand together in 2007. We stayed with Amelia’s parents, then we got the chance to move our family to Massey (Auckland). We’ve got four beautiful kids—three girls, one boy. We had been going to a Tongan Methodist church in New Lynn, but travel-wise it was a little too far. We decided to look for a new church one Sunday and drove down Don Buck Road. The first church we saw was The Salvation Army. All I knew about The Salvation Army was the logo and how they helped people. The kids were yelling in the back of the van, ‘Dad, there’s The Salvation Army. We should go there’. Captains Daniel and Juanita Buckingham were the officers at the time. After the sermon, Daniel told me he was supposed to preach another

…I FELT LIKE THERE WAS A VOICE TELLING ME THIS IS WHAT WE HAD TO DO. verse, but he had changed it that morning. It was like a verse straight to us. Amelia: One of the things Daniel said when he was preaching that day was, ‘If this is the first time that you’ve walked in, I’m just letting you guys know that once you’re in this church, you belong with it. You’re part of this family.’ It was really beautiful. I heard my calling a long time ago and started talking to Moses about it, but every time, he tried to change the subject. I didn’t give up, because I felt like there was a voice telling me this is what we had to do. One of the verses that has always come to me is Proverbs 3:5, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding’. Ever since we applied and were accepted for

officership, we feel like there’s somebody helping us in a way we can’t explain. We are so amazed that we are worthy enough to God to do his work. Moses: At first, I wasn’t really into applying for officership, but Amelia was. One day, we had a meeting with Captain Kylie Tong (territorial candidates secretary) and the only reason I went was because I felt sorry about her coming all the way from Wellington. We ran late, and I didn’t really mind. But during the meeting, I got a very weird feeling, like God was there in the room, coming very close to the back of my ears. I was a bit afraid, then all of a sudden, God told me that this is my call to be an officer. I’m very proud. I can’t wait to go, spread the gospel and do his work. 22 JANUARY 2022 WarCry 11

Class of 2021: Graduation On the evening of Friday 10 December, Hutt City Corps hosted the Booth College of Mission (BCM) graduation ceremony. With many award recipients and loved ones watching online, the festivities were livestreamed throughout the territory (and across the Tasman), with people near and far celebrating the class of 2021 and reflecting on a variety of academic achievements.

Left to right: Lieutenant Chris Moody, Territorial Commander Commissioner Mark Campbell and Chair of Academic Board Captain Bryant Richards.

‘We have hearts full of thanksgiving to be part of this time of celebration,’ said Chair of the Academic Board Captain Bryant Richards, who began the evening by paying tribute to the BCM staff. ‘The ministry formation of hand, head, heart is one that they hold absolutely true.’ Education Officer David Wardle congratulated the cadets for their hard work across two unpredictable years. He joked about his role outside of the college as corps sergeant major at Upper Hutt Corps: ‘I would just like to point out that fifty percent of the cadets graduating this year have come from Upper Hutt Corps,’ he said proudly, ‘and I recall the Upper Hutt Corps Sergeant Major was a little annoyed at losing two valued young people, but the BCM Education Officer was delighted!’ Sessional speaker, Cadet Jesse Willis, thanked her session mates through a heartfelt, Captain Karl Foreman and amusing speech Lieutenant Jesse Willis about their time performing haka to each other. of learning and 12 WarCry 22 JANUARY 2022

spiritual growth whilst at college together. ‘To my classmates—Alanah, Chris and Ben, the class of 2021—we did it, good job! I’m proud of us, and I’m so glad that we are moving a mere 40 minutes away from each other,’ Jesse said. ‘You are all a huge Aux Captains Neil and Tiana blessing to me.’ Henderson with Lieutenant David then presented Rae Evans (left). the four Messengers of Reconciliation—Alanah Moody, Chris Moody, Ben Willis and Jesse Willis—to Mark, who then presented them with their Diplomas in Christian Studies (Level 5), Diplomas in Christian Studies [Leadership] (Level 6) and Certificates of Salvation Army Officer Training. In a special moment, Captain Karl Foreman (New Plymouth corps officer) performed Te Haka A Te Pōti (I’ll Fight) with Jesse, his daughter, as she received her certificate. Auxiliary Captains Neil and Tiana Henderson and reinstated officer Lieutenant Rae Evans each received their Diploma in Christian Studies (Level 5), having completed one year of individualised study to prepare them for their respective appointments.

Graduate Lisa Gatward (in cap) with supporters.

There were three recipients of the Certificate of Salvation Army Youth Work Training: Jeremiah Tafea, Raymond Tuala and Youth Graduate speaker, Lisa Gatward, who spoke about her formative experiences in youth development. Lieutenant Michal Baken was awarded a Laidlaw Postgraduate Diploma in Theology, Major David Moody received a Child Matters Diploma in Child Protections and Major Glenys Fairhurst completed a Bachelor of Theology through the University of Otago. In Tonga, Lieutenant Betty Akotea received a Diploma in Social Practice (Level 6) from Tupou Tertiary Institute.

Back row: Cadet Ben Cola, Cadet Barry Kirby, Aux Captain Neil Henderson, Cadet Nick Moffatt. Middle row: Lieutenant Rae Evans, Cadet Alana LePine, Lieutenants Jesse and Ben Willis, Lieutenants Chris and Alanah Moody, Cadet Natalie Kirby, Cadet Tammy Mohi. Front row: Cadet Rebecca Howan, Aux Captain Tiana Henderson.

Guest speaker, Major Doctor Kathy Crombie encouraged the cadets to reflect on the skills they had learned at BCM, the importance of living in their God-given identity and their call to lead the church and ‘re-present’ Jesus to the world.

Silver Star Brunch

Lieutenant Alanah Moody and parents presented with their Silver Stars by Commissioner Julie Campbell.

The Silver Star Brunch, held on the morning of Commissioning, is an opportunity for cadets to share a meal with their parents, and designated spiritual parents, to thank them for their role in the cadets’ journeys to officership. Proceedings were led by Silver Star Secretary Captain Denise Daly, while Territorial President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Julie Campbell shared the history of the Silver Star and presented the Silver Star alongside the soon-to-becommissioned cadets. Each cadet had the opportunity to personally honour their parents before calling them up to receive their Silver Stars. Cadet speaker, Chris Moody, took the opportunity to address not only his own parents, but also the other parents of cadets in his speech. In a touching moment, he also thanked Aux Captains

Neil and Tiana Henderson (originally from South Africa) by speaking to them in Afrikaans and acknowledging them as the ‘campus parents’ of their session. Three sets of parents were able to attend in person, with Cadet Ben Willis’s parents joining in via livestream from Queensland, Australia—eating breakfast while the New Zealanders enjoyed brunch. ‘There were people who were brand new to The Salvation Army, to the faith environment, as well as Salvation Army generational heritage represented in that room,’ says Territorial Secretary for Communications Lt-Colonel Michelle Collins. ‘What makes each [Silver Star Brunch] unique is the dynamic of who’s present.’ Julie spoke to all of the parents about the meaning of releasing their children to the life of Salvation Army officership, and acknowledged her ‘affinity in reverse’ for Ben’s parents, as she knew what it felt like to miss out on family events, with her own children living in Australia. Neil and Tiana accepted the Silver Star on behalf of Ben’s parents, which spoke to the closeness they shared with the Messengers of Reconciliation at the BCM campus in 2021.

Lieutenant Ben Willis, with his parents on-screen, Aux Captains Neil and Tiana Henderson, and Commissioner Julie Campbell.

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Long Service Order Recognition Dinner

On Saturday 11 December, officers from around the territory— whether in person or joining via livestream—were recognised for reaching a significant milestone of years of service as Salvation Army officers. Major Glenda Bezzant and Major Glenys Fairhurst were honoured for their 40 years of service as officers in The Salvation Army, along with Majors Heather and Thomas Kopu and Colonel Wynne Reddish who were recognised for 40 years of continuous service. Glenys then shared that when she was called to serve The Salvation Army, she felt God hint that before she committed to the journey, she needed to be prepared to serve as a single officer. This prepared her for the last ten years of a new season of officership, following the death of her husband Dean.

Major Glenys Fairhurst (left) with Commissioner Julie Campbell.

‘I was still God’s soldier, but there was a new way to walk with Jesus,’ she said. Celebrating her milestone of 25 years of service, Major Linda Bateman testified to how her first calling in life could be found in the Bible, in the words of Matthew 22 ‘...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your 14 WarCry 22 JANUARY 2022

Commissioner Julie Campbell (left) with Major Glenda Bezzant.

mind’ and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. ‘This is the ultimate calling on my life—love God, and love others. It just so happens that I get to work out this calling in my role as a Salvation Army officer,’ she said. In total, twenty-two officers were recognised for various milestones of service, from 25 to 40 years, with 680 years of combined service between them.

From left: Majors Keith and Christina Tyson, Majors Steph and Paul Herring, Major Silone Collins.

Commissioning Saturday Saturday 11 December will be a much-remembered day for the 2021 Messengers of Reconciliation—Ngā Karere o te Maungārongo, who were commissioned and ordained at Hutt City Corps. Cadet Ben Willis shared his testimony as a representative of the cadets being ordained and commissioned. He spoke about God’s call on his life and the effect that overseas ministry had on him from an early age, through Teen Lieutenant Ben Willis Missions. sharing his testimony. After acknowledging family members and friends from across the country, who were unable to be with them but who were watching over the livestream, he talked warmly about his friendship with his session mates, including his and Cadet Chris Moody’s antics during their study together.

Colonel Heather Rodwell (lower left) leading prayer for the Messengers of Reconciliation.

Ben also considered how his time at BCM has equipped him for officership. ‘One of the great things about college is the opportunity to develop good practices that will hopefully continue down the line. Some would say that college gets you to self-reflect a bit too much … But, it’s been a very helpful practice to develop. I’ve seen the benefits of reflection in our marriage, in our sessional friendships and in my own practice as well.’ Aux Captains Neil and Tiana Henderson being warranted by Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell.

Lieutenant Jesse Willis being ordained by Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell.

From a pre-recorded video, General Brian and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle expressed their joy and blessings to the cadets on their special day and urged them to recognise the importance of their role as Messengers of Reconciliation. The General noted that as they are commissioned and appointed, the territory ‘releases you into a broken, hurting and fragmented world that desperately needs your ministry of reconciliation’. BCM Principal Major Garth Stevenson expressed admiration for this year’s cadets, in the ways they have taken on ‘every opportunity for personal growth in knowledge, skills and spirit’ and met the unique challenges of the last two years with ‘grace and good humour’. Garth then presented to the audience the Messengers of Reconciliation. They then said their affirmation of faith, and BCM symbolically returned the cadets to the territorial leaders, Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell, for the service of The Salvation Army. Mark and Julie then commissioned and ordained the cadets, and offered them verses of encouragement. This year, Neil and Tiana Henderson were also promoted to the rank of auxiliary captains. Commissioner Mark Campbell encouraged the newly

commissioned Lieutenants and Auxiliary Captains with Paul’s words, from 2 Corinthians 5:11–21, on the ministry of reconciliation. Mark reminded those attending, as well as those watching the livestream, of the importance of Missio Dei and how we model this ministry of reconciliation through the proclamation and imitation of Jesus Christ. He reflected on the two models of vertical and horizontal reconciliation: the vertical helping others understand and accept that God is reconciling the world to himself, and the horizontal being the way we encourage others towards reconciliation by being the first to offer it. This year’s recipients of the Long Service Awards were acknowledged by Territorial Secretary for Personnel Captain Pauleen Richards. She also acknowledged the soon-to-retire Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development Colonel Heather Rodwell. She thanked her for her service, particularly her contribution to the executive leadership team.

Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell, the Messengers of Reconciliation—Ngā Karere o te Maungarongo, Colonel Heather Rodwell and Colonel Gerry Walker.

Performance of Te Haka A Te Poti (I'll Fight) at Graduation.

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Tongan Kindergartens Celebrate The Kolovai Kindergarten in Tonga recently had 13 children graduate and another 13 receive attendance certificates. The children presented some of their work, performed songs and memory verses in Tongan and English, and performed creative dance. The investment by the teaching team means that the children who graduated are well prepared to embark on their school careers in 2022. Kolovai Kindy is unique as they have a young male teacher, the only one in Early Childhood Education in Tonga. This is a blessing as three-quarters of the kindergarten children are boys. At the Sopu Kindergarten event, 12 children graduated

and another six received attendance certificates. Likewise, the children performed items. The class presented the nativity story, and showed their parents their morning class routine. With the support of sponsorship from the territory, the teachers have been able to focus on unit topics of personal health and hygiene, including healthy eating, clean water and exercise. They have had visits to helping services in Tonga, and visits from a doctor, nurses and a dental nurse. Tonga Region are also currently upgrading the outdoor areas and bathroom facilities, and are so thankful for all of the support this year. Malo ‘aupito mo e tapuaki.

Dannevirke’s Youngest Corps Member Receives Crest Award

Commissioner Julie Campbell with Aryn Bishop. 16 WarCry 22 JANUARY 2022

Territorial Leaders Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell, Central Divisional Commander Major Brenda Luscombe and Mission Project Officer Major Nigel Luscombe visited the Dannevirke Corps on 21 November last year as Sunday guest speakers and distinguished guests. There was also a very special presentation. Aryn Bishop, who is the

corps’ youngest member and a Junior Soldier, was presented with the Crest Award by Commissioner Julie. It was a privilege and a blessing to have these leaders at Dannevirke Corps, and spending time with them was very special. BY MAJOR AFOLAU TOLUONO

Booklovers Donate for Housing Families Staff of The Salvation Army’s Wellington Community Ministries in Newtown were impressed by a generous donation of hundreds of books from Island Bay School. The gift was the idea of 11-year-old students Lorna Clarke and Florence Galvin. Both are passionate readers who decided to collect books for families in Salvation Army transitional housing. ‘We love books and wanted to share them with others,’ said Florence.

donated books were eventually contributed from Island Bay School families over just two days. The encouragement the girls gave was for school families to donate their own favourite books, ‘the ones you enjoy reading at home’. Team Leader, Professional Practice at Wellington Community Ministries Shreshtha Saluja thanked Lorna and Florence for their thoughtfulness. ‘Education is the greatest gift you can give anyone,’ she said. Shreshtha also praised their parents ‘for giving you these values’, and Island Bay School for supporting the girls’ initiative. Lorna and Florence delivered their book collection to The Salvation Army on Tuesday 30 November. Their visit gave them and their parents the chance to learn more about The Salvation Army’s work and to enjoy morning tea as a thank you for their enterprise on behalf of others. Wellington Community Ministries runs 19 transitional houses for families who stay from three to 18 months depending on the availability of suitable permanent housing. Children range in age from babies up to 18 years. Current and future transitional housing families will receive books tailored to their reading needs that they can then keep when they move on. BY MAJOR CHRISTINA TYSON

The girls reasoned that by providing books to low-income parents in Salvation Army transitional housing, families would enjoy reading together and children would come to love books as much as Lorna and Florence. The pair reached out to The Salvation Army in August and then got to work collecting as many books as they could. They promoted the idea to their school, which allocated some of its own library books. However, the bulk of the

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Engaging Major Donors to Support Our Work

The Salvation Army’s Major Gifts team had only just been formed when the pandemic forced them to rethink their plans and work from home. As it turned out, the lockdown was a blessing in disguise. They jumped right into calling, thanking and checking in with every major donor, with no hidden agenda. GAZETTE

Marriage: We congratulate Captain ‘Asena Sifa on her marriage to Otenili Folau on Saturday 13 November 2021 at Fua’amotu Corps, Tonga. ‘Asena will continue her service as an officer under the territorial policy for Single Spouse Officership. International service appointment: Effective 1 February 2022, Captains Douglas and Janet Newman have been appointed Regional Leaders and Corps Officers for Kuwait Corps, in the Middle East Region. Appointments: Effective immediately, Envoy Rogena MyrieIrwin has been appointed as Course Coordinator at the Centre for Leadership Development, Upper Hutt. Major Sue Hay has received an additional appointment as Director for Addictions, Supportive Housing and Reintegration Services at West Coast Bridge. Lieutenant Andrew O’Brien’s additional appointment as Director, Manukau Community Ministries has been concluded and he will continue his appointment as Corps Officer, Manukau Central Corps. Effective 13 January, Captain Kylie Tong has received an additional appointment as Secretary for Officer Resources in the Personnel Section at Territorial Headquarters. Majors Glenda and Ivan Bezzant have received an additional appointment as Divisional Candidates Secretaries for Central Division. Captain Denise Daly has received an additional appointment as Divisional Candidates Secretary for Northern Division. Colonel Heather Rodwell has received an appointment in retirement as Divisional Secretary for Personnel for Northern Division. Major Joanne Wardle has received an additional appointment as Divisional Candidates Secretary for Southern Division. Major Gill Waugh has received an additional appointment as Divisional Secretary of Women’s Ministries for Southern Division. Effective 14 March, Lt Colonel David Bateman has been appointed as International Auditor for the Southern Hemisphere at International Headquarters. Lt-Colonel Margaret Bateman has been appointed as Missional Support Facilitator, and Divisional Secretary for Retired Officers for Central Division. Lt-Colonel Margaret Bateman has also been appointed as Territorial Silver Star Secretary in the Personnel Section at Territorial Headquarters. International College for Officers 2022: The Chief of Staff has approved the appointment of Captain Kylie Tong to the International College for Officers and Centre for Spiritual Life Development for session 251 from 13 October to 21 November 2022.

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‘We did over 2000 phone calls in eight weeks, which is just stunning, and they were 2000 really genuine conversations,’ Territorial Gifting and Philanthropy Manager Wendy Lobb says. Those calls led to in-person catch ups to tell them the story of The Salvation Army and hear why they were moved to donate; for example, did they have a family member who previously received food assistance or went through the Bridge programme? From there, they were invited to visit a foodbank or Bridge centre. ‘Meeting in person is absolutely paramount because it humanises and personalises the whole relationship,’ Wendy affirms. ‘We can learn about what their heart beats for and what motivates their giving.’ ‘They’re not ATM machines. We want them to feel like they’re with us on this journey, and that we recognise they

Promotion: We congratulate the following officers on their promotion to Major: Effective 3 December 2021: Captain Kathy Crombie and Captain Lai Li. Effective 9 December 2021: Captain Mathew Badger, Captains Jennifer and Marcus Collings and Captain Karen Baker. Effective 20 January 2022: Captains Litiana and Tevita Lewetuitovo, Captain 'Asena Sifa, Captains Sevanaia and Vakatoto Wawa. We congratulate the following officers on their promotion to Captain: Effective 10 December 2021: Lieutenants Emma and Jacob Howan, Lieutenants Erica and Fraser Kearse, Lieutenant Tae Hwan (Ted) Kim and Lieutenant Aram Kwon. We thank these officers for their faithful service and pray God's blessing on each of them. Admission to the Long Service Order: We congratulate the following officers on attaining their long service awards. 25 years’ service: Effective 2 November 2021, Majors Kesoni and Merewalesi Qoriniasi. Effective 7 December 2021, Majors Allan and Linda Bateman and Majors Murray and Wendy Sanson. 30 years’ service: Effective 11 January 2022, Major Silone Collins, Major Stephanie Herring, Majors Bruce and Marilyn Tremain and Majors Christina and Keith Tyson. Effective 26 January 2022, Major Uraia Dravikula. 35 years’ service: Effective 17 January 2022, Commissioners Janine and Robert Donaldson. 40 years’ service: Effective 16 January 2022, Major Glenda Bezzant and Major Glenys Fairhurst. We thank these officers for their faithful service and pray God's richest blessing upon each of them. Resignation: Effective Tuesday 1 February 2022, Majors Jennifer and Marcus Collings will be resigning from officership. Jenny and Marcus entered training as cadets of the Heralds of the Good News session in February 2005. Following their commissioning on 9 December 2006, they were appointed as corps officers, Nelson Corps and Team Leaders, Nelson/Tasman Bays Team, Southern Division. They also held additional appointments as Director (Marcus) and Associate Director (Jenny), Community Ministries, Nelson/Tasman Bays. This was followed by an appointment as corps officers, Albany Bays Corps in 2011. In 2016 Jenny and Marcus were appointed as corps officers, Hamilton City Corps, with an additional appointment as Directors, Community Ministries Hamilton (The Nest). We thank Majors Jenny and Marcus Collings for 15 years, 1 month and 23 days of active service and pray God’s blessing on them in the days ahead.

have a passion and a motivation for changing lives—and we have the ways and means to be able to do that with their assistance.’ Since building these relationships, Wendy says the team’s Regional Relationship Managers (Donna Hedley, Kate Hambly, Aaron Peat, Jade Zeina and John Gardner) often receive calls from these donors and would even consider them friends. Just seven months into their first year, the Major Gifts team had already reached their 12-month fundraising goal. In a full-circle moment, Wendy was invited to share this success story at the 2021 Big 4 Conference, run by F&P (Fundraising and Philanthropy). This yearly conference was something which inspired her in the early stages of launching the Army’s Major Gifts programme. ‘It was a privilege to be asked,’ Wendy says. ‘The main takeaway that I was wanting to get across to them was that when you’re really intentional, and when you focus on the motivations of the donors’ giving, you can be really successful in the fundraising space. ‘These [donors] are our people too and they may have challenges in their personal spaces, such as a health diagnosis that concerns them, or family relationships that are troubling them or a living situation that is concerning them,’ she says. ‘It’s about caring for our donors as much as caring for those who are recipients of our work.’ Wendy is grateful that their team can add this personalised touch to their work in order to continue to resource the frontline of The Salvation Army. ‘The phrase that often comes to mind is that we’re the business end of changing lives. There actually has to be a process and a formula behind it, so that those who really are handing out soup and blankets and things like that can do their job.’ Opposite page (from left): Territorial Gifting and Philanthropy Manager Wendy Lobb and Relationship Managers Jade Zenia, Donna Hedley and Aaron Peat.

…WE SET SAIL INTO UNKNOWN WATERS WITH CONFIDENCE, CALM AND PEACE. And so, we are into January! I suspect that some of us will have been grateful to close the door on 2021, much like we were at the end of 2020. Many of us are hopeful that 2022 will bring more certainty to our lives, and consistency and clarity around how we live, with a little freedom to move about doing the things we love. For so many of us, the world has changed and many communities, including The Salvation Army, are seeking to find ways of doing that fit into frameworks we would never have anticipated would become part of our reality. It’s important for us to recognise that while the ways of doing are important, how we continue to respond creatively and innovatively to our changing world, our ways of being, really are of greater importance. I pray that the Christmas and New Year season has provided you time for some form of rest, relaxation and reflection. I’m reminded that Jesus himself chose to rest when those around him were busy doing and trying to respond to circumstances beyond their control. What springs to mind is the story of Jesus and a few of his closest friends, as recorded in the Gospel of Mark chapter 4, as they set sail across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was at peace in the wildest of circumstances, and Scripture records him taking control of the situation and speaking to nature itself. I’m reminded that nothing is outside his ability to calm and restore; nothing is beyond the word of Jesus to bring calm and confident assurance that all will be well. When the storms are raging, Jesus says ‘Peace, be still’, and ‘even the waves and the winds obey him’. While many of us feel tossed and thrown about by the waters and winds of 2021, I’m choosing to place my confidence in a Jesus who speaks calm and peace over my life for 2022. None of us knows what this year will hold, but Jesus does, and being with him brings a confidence that nothing else can match. This speaks to being rather than doing, for me. One of the values we hold within The Salvation Army is to ‘put Jesus first’, another speaks of ‘thinking holistically’. Every thought and action, all of life under the influence of Jesus is a great place to be and this focuses our attention on not just doing but on being. Being with and in Jesus means we set sail into unknown waters with confidence, calm and peace. May it be so in 2022, in your personal spaces and for our Army—all of us together. No matter how this year has begun for you—or for us as a community—may we face it with the confidence, calm and peace that being with and in Jesus brings. Lt-Colonel Michelle Collins Territorial Secretary for Communications 22 JANUARY 2022 WarCry 19

God’s Repair Shop of Reconciliation In recent months a new ritual has formed in my life. After a busy week, it has become my practice to sit on the couch on a Friday evening and watch the latest episode of The Repair Shop on TV1. If you have more going on in your life than I, and aren’t aware of The Repair Shop, the whole point behind the show is to ‘bring loved pieces of family history and the memories they hold back to life’. BY CAPTAIN CHRIS COLLINGS

Members of the public will bring items—that nearly always have significant sentimental value—in varying states of disrepair into The 20 WarCry 22 JANUARY 2022

Repair Shop and the team of skilled craftspeople will set to restoring these items to their former glory. As the newly restored items are unveiled to their owners, there is often a flood of emotion as they remember how things were; how it was when their relative used the piece in its original state.

so that his work of restoration can then take place within us. To explain this further, we could consider reconciliation as a change in relationship between two parties (say, between us and God), whereas restoration is change that happens to a person, object or entity that enhances the relationship.

Messengers of Reconciliation

Like the craftspeople on The Repair Shop, God desires to see the restoration of humanity; to see people brought back into the relationship for which they were created. And this restoration between us and God has been made possible due to the reconciliation we have through Jesus and his work on the cross.

In this edition of War Cry we celebrate the commissioning of Messengers of Reconciliation—Ngā Karere o te Maungārongo. This session’s mandate, as their name suggests, is to share the message of God’s reconciliation in our world. Theologically, however, as significant and exciting as that message is, reconciliation isn’t the end of the faith journey; Jesus has by his suffering and death enabled reconciliation to happen

I recently visited a corps on a Sunday morning to speak on the topic of restoration. They had been engaged in a campaign looking at the big story of the

I GET EXCITED THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS, I AM ASSURED THAT GOD CARES FOR ME AND WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR ME. Bible, and restoration was the concluding topic. This was totally appropriate, as the last two chapters in the final book of the Bible (Revelation 21, 22) are all about restoration. Scripture concludes with the restoration of humanity—the triumphant entry of the King of kings, the new heaven and the new earth, the new Jerusalem coming down and God dwelling among his people. But what I found as I studied these last two chapters was that more than them being an isolated occurrence of restoration, they conclude a theme that has been established, and repeated throughout the pages of the Bible: God is not so much about creating a new thing—he did that in the first two chapters of Genesis—he’s about restoring things as he originally intended to them to be. To reinforce this further, the Greek word translated ‘new’ in Revelation 21:1 (…a new heaven and new earth) is καινός (kēnos), which speaks more of being new in nature, of being restored as opposed to being new in origin. John would have used νέος (neos) if he intended to talk of newness of origin.

Cycles of restoration It appears in the Bible that each time humanity sinned, a cyclic process of restoration kicked in: sin happened, the consequence of that sin would be worked out, then God in his grace would restore—sin, consequence, restoration.

JESUS HAS BY HIS SUFFERING AND DEATH ENABLED RECONCILIATION TO HAPPEN SO THAT HIS WORK OF RESTORATION CAN THEN TAKE PLACE WITHIN US.

And it can be applied to almost any scene in the Bible. Genesis 6–9 (Noah): • sin increases on earth (sin) • God sends a flood to destroy humanity (consequence) • God preserves Noah, his family and the animal kingdom (restoration). 2 Samuel 11–12 (David and Bathsheba): • David succumbs to sin with Bathsheba (sin) • Bathsheba’s child dies (consequence) • David is restored as king and is promised a kingly line for his descendants (restoration). John 18:15–18, 25–27, 21 (Peter): • Peter fulfils Jesus’ prophecy that he would deny Jesus three times (sin) • Peter lives with the pain of knowing he had denied his Saviour (consequence) • Jesus calls Peter three times (connecting with his three denials) to feed and take care of his lambs and sheep (restoration). Our God is a God of restoration. He wants things to be restored as he created them.

God’s plan of restoration So, when we pull back once again to look at the overarching narrative of Scripture, we see that it’s all about God desiring restored relationships—God wants us back. When sin entered the world through the disobedience of our first parents, we faced the consequences of that. We’re still living in the consequences of that today: our world is broken because of the original sin, ‘Cursed is the ground because of you…’ (Gen 3:17). But God had a plan, because God is a God of restoration. He raised a family who became a nation and through that nation (Israel) he entered his own Creation as an innocent child for the purpose of reconciling us so that restoration could happen. God went through all this to restore the relationship with him that he created us for. He loves us that much!

Surely this gives us hope for the year ahead. Surely the knowledge that our God who ‘humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross’ (Philippians 2:8) so that we could be restored into the relationship he created us for, gives us assurance that he cares about what happens for us this year.

OUR GOD IS A GOD OF RESTORATION. HE WANTS THINGS TO BE RESTORED AS HE CREATED THEM. When I consider this, I get excited. I get excited that whatever happens, I am assured that God cares for me and wants what is best for me. He doesn’t promise a trouble-free existence. He doesn’t assure us of an easy road. He doesn’t promise us health or wealth or wellbeing. But he does promise us relationship. A relationship that we were created for. A relationship that we can enjoy in this life, and, come the final restoration, a relationship that will last for eternity. I pray that you will live in the hope of restoration in 2022!

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OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 23 Jan: Sunday meeting, Wellington South Corps (Newtown), Central Division 29 Jan: Territorial Welcome to Cadets, Johnsonville Corps, Central Division Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary) 05 Feb: National Youth Band rehearsal and dinner, Silverstream Retreat, Wellington Major Liz Gainsford (Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development) 05 Feb: National Youth Band rehearsal and dinner, Silverstream Retreat, Wellington

Counsellor(s) Wanted FreedomLife Te Nikau is an established Christian-focused residential centre for people with life-controlling problems. We need a couple, at least one being an experienced counsellor with general or addictions qualifications, for counselling and support roles. Accommodation and salary provided. For details, phone Peter Carrington 027 284 7755 or email info@freedomlife.org.nz freedomlife.org.nz

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It’s your turn to be a hairdresser for the day!

Create your own hairstyle on the model on the right.

‘Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.’ Ephesians 4:31

Imagine this: you are at the hairdresser and trying a new style for the first time. The problem is you don’t like it. Maybe they’ve cut away more hair than you were expecting, or it’s too short on the sides; maybe you can’t put your finger on why. It’s just not for you. At this moment, you feel an urge to freak out. What is everyone else going to think?

Make sure to come up with a cool, creative name for your new style!

Because of your panic, your first instinct may be to get angry at your hairdresser, cry or complain.

Can you find 5 differences between the two princesses?

What if, instead, you take a deep breath? After all, your hair will grow back again. You have an expert standing right next to you, who can give you tips on how to style it. You might be able to try some new hair accessories, tie it up in a new way or at least wear a cool hat. Freaking out can’t and won’t change the situation. Rather than seeing this new hairdo as a disaster, you can think creatively and flip your perspective. Lots of stressful situations put us in tricky spots like this—it’s how we respond in these moments that matters most.

How do monsters keep their hair in place? Scarespray.

THINK ABOUT...

a time when you were really proud of how you—or somebody else— responded to a super stressful situation. 22 JANUARY 2022 WarCry 23

TERRITORIAL WELCOME TO CADETS 4PM SATURDAY 29 JANUARY 2022 THE SALVATION ARMY JOHNSONVILLE

125–137 JOHNSONVILLE ROAD, JOHNSONVILLE, WELLINGTON PLEASE BE PREPARED TO SCAN BOTH YOUR MY VACCINE PASS AND YOUR COVID QR CODE UPON ENTRY

EVENT WILL BE LIVESTREAMED AT

SALVATIONARMY.ORG.NZ/CADETSWELCOME