Salvationist 12 December 2020

SALVATIONIST

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For everyone linked to The Salvation Army www.salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist 12 December 2020

Get OWT! With the outdoor parent-and-toddler programme PLUS

SATCoL DONATION CENTRES: CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES

PAGES 10 AND 11

QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA

CHURCHES IN LUTON TEAM UP FOR A WINDOW ADVENT CALENDAR DISPLAY

WORSHIP AND CAROLS LEAD BBC CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE, DESPITE RESTRICTIONS

A group of churches and local families in High Town, Luton, have come up with a creative and Covid-safe idea for people to enjoy Advent in the lead up to Christmas.

Twenty-four households across the neighbourhood will display in their windows a variety of stories related to Advent…

One of the organisers, Lucie Shuker, explained how the idea came from a desire to create something different that would still resonate and bring the ‘Christmas spirit’ alive.

‘This year, when we don’t know if we’re going to be able to gather, it’s going to be much harder to really experience Christmas together.

We wanted to do something that would bring the community together and help people participate in the storylines a bit more, taking them on a journey.’

Every day from 1 December until 24 December, a different window will ‘go live’ around midday. Each window has an accompanying scripture to remind [people] of an aspect of Advent such as hope, Mary and Joseph´s journey to Bethlehem or the experience of the shepherds…

Organisers hope that people take on a ‘mini-pilgrimage’ around the neighbourhood to see all the windows as they gradually appear and are able to hear the Advent story ‘in a new way’.

Live and prerecorded worship, carol services and seasonal reflections remain at the heart of Christmas programming on the BBC this year, despite the pandemic restrictions...

The BBC’s chief content officer, Charlotte Moore, said: ‘This year has been a particularly difficult one for many of us, and it’s crucial that the BBC helps to bring people together and connect audiences across the UK to mark this special time of year.

I hope our religious content this Christmas will give audiences an opportunity to reflect on the year that has gone, as well as inspiring and uplifting them.’

Policy makers need to make better use of the UK’s 45,000 churches and their resources, especially in the aftermath of Covid-19, a report from the think tank Theos argues…

The report Churches and Social Cohesion: Connecting Communities and Serving People … states that the government must not see churches ‘as a lever to be pulled in an emergency, or, at worst, as a problem to be solved’. Instead it recommends that the government sees churches as partners in creating social cohesion, especially in the wake of funding cuts to groups that were designed to serve local communities.

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EDITOR Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts – 020 7367 4901 MANAGING EDITOR Ivan Radford – 020 7367 4891

JUSTIN WELBY BACKS CAMPAIGN TO COMBAT CHRISTMAS LONELINESS The Archbishop of Canterbury has lent his support to a new campaign aiming to combat loneliness over Christmas.

Justin Welby is backing efforts by a coalition of organisations to connect communities via a Great Winter Get Together.

The initiative of The Jo Cox Foundation, which is now in its fourth year, will run from 14 December to 18 January.

As part of this month of activities, the Together Coalition is launching #ChristmasTogether, which calls on the public to reach out to someone and to sign up to bring Christmas cheer to someone as an NHS volunteer responder.

It comes as new research from the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) suggested more than one in five people are concerned that they will not see anyone over Christmas...

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: ‘This Christmas might feel very different than normal for many of us. What has not changed is what we are celebrating: the birth of Jesus Christ, who came to be with us, and who promised never to leave us.

‘And so this Christmas, let’s take hold of this, and reach out to any who might be lonely or isolated.’

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Published weekly by The Salvation Army and printed on paper from sustainable sources by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell. © The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland. The Salvation Army is a Christian church and a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399.

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Salvationist 12 December 2020

CHURCHES COMMENDED FOR COHESION

THE SALVATION ARMY FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL Brian Peddle TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Commissioner Anthony Cotterill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PUBLISHING SECRETARY Major Mal Davies

CONTACT SALVATIONIST 020 7367 4890 salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk Find Salvationist on Facebook SalvationistOnline Find Salvationist on Twitter @SalvationistUK

CONTENTS

GOT ANY ‘O’s?

AT this time of year, when churches normally display an Advent wreath with four candles, it’s not unusual for someone to mention the Two Ronnies sketch in which a hardware shopkeeper (Ronnie Corbett) hands his customer (Ronnie Barker) four candles when he has asked for ‘fork handles’. That’s followed by a few other misunderstandings. For example, in response to another request, he gives the customer a hoe, then a hose, when what the customer actually asked was, ‘Got any “O”s?’ He wanted two letter ‘O’s for the name on his garden gate.

That part of the sketch came to my mind when I read Major Matt Spencer’s Advent reflection on page 9. He considers the carol ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’, linking it with some of this year’s events and our responses to them. The ‘O’ that begins each verse of the carol expresses our deep desire for God to come and save his people and establish his Kingdom. As the late Bishop Geoffrey Rowell said, ‘The Advent longing “O” sums up our emptiness, which longs to be filled and transformed by the love of God.’ Have we got that ‘O’ of Advent longing?

Commissioner Gill Cotterill also uses the word in her message on page 4. ‘O that the love of God would be seen in our lives daily,’ she says. The ‘O’ expresses her heartfelt desire that God’s love would be the hallmark of our lives. Even the smallest offerings of love ‘have power to transform our neighbourhoods, our communities and our families’, she adds. Have we got a desire for that love to work in and through us?

As well as longing, the tiny word ‘O’ can express a host of other thoughts and feelings, such as surprise, joy, wonder, astonishment and realisation.

On pages 12 and 13 Captains Nick and Shelley Ward introduce Get OWT!, a new outdoor programme for parent-and-toddler groups. Reading the article I could almost hear the ‘O’s of delight and wonder as the children discovered the great outdoors – and I was reminded that a sense of wonder is surely part of what it means for us to ‘receive the Kingdom of God like a little child’ (Mark 10:15).

You might find yourself saying ‘O’ in surprise when you read the article on pages 10 and 11 about SATCoL donation centres. The Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd has run charity shops for many years, but these centres are relatively new. Their success is surprising, as are the opportunities they offer for integrated mission.

Colonel Suzanne Fincham’s Bible study on pages 16 and 17 looks at the way the ordinary lives of Mary, Joseph and the shepherds were transformed by the extraordinary events of the first Christmas. It is possible that Mary gasped an ‘O’ of astonishment as the angel Gabriel came and told her that she was to give birth to the Messiah, and that the shepherds did the same when an angel appeared to them and announced that the Messiah had been born. Colonel Suzanne suggests that we, too, can experience the astonishing work of God in our everyday lives.

Whatever ‘O’s we’ve got – longing, wonder, surprise or astonishment – may we respond with all our hearts to the ‘O’ that calls us to worship Christ the Lord this Advent and Christmas.

O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

(SASB 116)

From the Editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

Quotes from the media

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Message from the Territorial Leader for Leader Development 4 News

5 and 6

News feature 7 Stars come out for concert of comfort and joy News feature Army partners school to promote health education

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Advent reflection Emmanuel shall come to thee

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by Major Matt Spencer

Feature Giving something back

10 and 11

by Shanelle Manderson

Feature Get OWT!

12 and 13

by Melita Day-Lewis

Interview Golden opportunity

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Ben Gilbert talks to Anne Gregora

Lockdown diary Week 4

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by Major Karen Sandford

Bible study Life-changing news

16 and 17

by Colonel Suzanne Fincham

Through the week with Salvationist 16 and 17

by Lieut-Colonel Brenda Oakley

Letters

18 and 19

Reflection Staying connected

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by Major Peter Mylechreest

Adverts

21 and 23

Announcements

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Prayer matters

23

Christmas carol quiz

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SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS Scripture quotations in Salvationist are from the New International Version (2011), unless otherwise stated

Salvationist 12 December 2020

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A MESSAGE FROM THE TERRITORIAL LEADER FOR LEADER DEVELOPMENT

The power of love

M

Y attention was captured recently by a quote from the Queen that I saw on the back page of the War Cry: ‘Christmas reminds us that love begins small but always grows.’

The Christmas story begins with something small – a tiny baby. What an amazing idea that God decided to send his Son in the form of a baby. I’m reminded of a song written by Graham Kendrick that says: ‘From Heaven you came, helpless babe,/ Entered our world, your glory veiled’ (SASB 165).

What a story of love, which is known and portrayed in so many settings right across the world by believers and non-believers alike, capturing the imagination of the story of a baby. But our responsibility as Christians is to show people that it’s not just a story – that Jesus is a person, and in him we find life in all its fullness today. What a message of love and hope.

Perhaps one of the most famous Scripture verses is John 3:16. It’s often seen on banners in all kinds of settings, even in football grounds on special occasions. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ Now that is the good news, in a nutshell.

My daily readings recently referred to the ministry and message of the apostle Paul’s letters. It said, ‘Paul is not simply delivering words about God’s love in Christ, however important they are. He’s 4

Salvationist 12 December 2020

so passionately committed to his fellow Christians that he is sharing his very self with them. There is an important truth here: the Christian message is much bigger than this or that personality, however powerful. Yet the good news of Jesus Christ only becomes real when we see it expressed through the lives of those who have become immersed in it.’

That’s a reminder to us all as Christians, including those of us who may be Salvationists, that we might know all the songs, we might know verses of Scripture off by heart and we might even have attended worship week after week, but if the love of Jesus Christ is not seen in us it means very little.

There are other much-loved Scripture verses in 1 Corinthians 13: ‘If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails’ (vv1–8 New International Version 2001).

There is also a reference to the Queen in the 5 December Salvationist. General John Larsson (Retired) refers to the Queen’s visit to Aberfan after the mining disaster in 1966 where many were killed, a great number of them children, when a school was buried by a slag heap. Some days later the Queen visited to offer her condolences and to thank all those who had helped. She was being briefed about who would be there and what had happened. Each organisation that had helped was mentioned, and when it came to The Salvation Army the Queen was heard to say just two words: ‘Of course.’

The reputation of The Salvation Army is of a Christian church that expresses Christ’s love in action. We’re known for

that – but what about our individual lives? O that the love of God would be seen in our lives daily, even in the small acts of kindness representing this wonderful God of love: kindness shown to a neighbour; a phone call; the toy given in the toy appeal; the food parcel or meal delivered; the word of encouragement to somebody that desperately needs it. Caring for each other is a mark of our faith and our love for the Lord.

‘Christmas reminds us that love begins small but always grows.’ The lives of love that we live, the small offerings that we’re able to give, have power to transform our neighbourhoods, our communities and our families.

Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, love divine, Love was born at Christmas, Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead, Love incarnate, love divine, Worship we our Jesus, But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token, Love be yours and love be mine, Love to God and all men, Love for plea and gift and sign.

(Christina Rossetti)

GILL COTTERILL COMMISSIONER TERRITORIAL LEADER FOR LEADER DEVELOPMENT O This

message is based on a video that can be viewed at facebook.com/ SalvationistOnline or youtube.com/ salvationarmyvideo

NEWS

INTERNATIONAL

ARMY NEWS

Prayer requested following deadly attack

Leaders conference moves online INTERNATIONAL

INDONESIA AN attack upon the Lewono Lembantongoa Outpost has claimed the lives of four Salvationists.

Lewono Lembantongoa, a rural area of Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi, situated on the edge of the Indonesian rainforest, was subjected to the savage attack, during which the outpost building was burnt down along with the homes of six members.

Divisional Commander Major Erik Kape (East Palu) and colleague officers acted immediately to support the local leaders, co-ordinating with police and government officials, who are investigating the incident.

Messages of support and unity have been received from Indonesian church leaders.

General Brian Peddle said, ‘Throughout all aspects of Salvation Army ministry and influence we work for peace … I call upon all Salvationists to pray for each person who has been affected, for the continuing witness of our people and for healing in the communities.’

In response to the General’s statement, Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill said: ‘Salvationists and friends from all parts of the UKI Territory stand in prayer and solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Indonesia.

I call for fervent prayer from across the territory for all affected by this outrage, especially the families, community and the leaders of The Salvation Army in Indonesia, including our own Lieut-Colonels Cedric and Lyn Hills.’ – AR

Send your news reports to salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Good quality pictures will be included.

FUNDRAISING

Team Sally Army raises more than £20k UKI FIFTY-TWO virtual London Marathon runners pulled out all the stops in support of The Salvation Army at the beginning of October.

For the first time in its 40-year history, the London Marathon took place virtually with about 45,000 people taking on a route of their choice. Team Sally Army took up the 26.2-mile challenge on one of the wettest days since records began, but driving rain and gale force winds didn’t stop the intrepid fundraisers from running, walking and jogging around their home towns to raise more than £20,000 for the Army.

Captain Caroline Heward (Leeds Bramley) said: ‘This was my first ever marathon and it was strange doing it around the streets of Leeds rather than with others in a big race. The last five miles were brutal and I did wonder whether it would ever end! But it did and I was thrilled with the amount I raised, and how generous people were.’

Sarah-Jane Woodgate ran on behalf of Feltham Corps to raise awareness and money for the food bank where she volunteers.

‘I still can’t believe I did it!’ she said. ‘By mile 17 I was soaked through, frozen to the bone and my legs were seizing up … My corps officer, Captain Ellie Shakespeare, joined me in the final leg, walking the last 9.2 miles beside me, and I was dressed as a giant peeled banana ... It was a privilege to raise funds for our food bank.’ – AR

THE International Conference of Leaders has moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Originally scheduled to take place in March in Lisbon, Portugal, the conference was postponed until September. However, when it was necessary to cancel that gathering as well, a virtual platform was created using Microsoft Office 365, which enabled the discussions to go ahead under the new format of International Leaders Conversations (ILC).

The first conversation was held in mid-October. Meeting in three forums according to time zones, leaders engaged in dialogue around the theology of leadership. General Brian Peddle introduced the discussions, saying that openness to discussing theology impacts how we think, behave and act, and influences the Army’s corporate and Kingdom life.

The leaders later engaged in small groups to consider a presentation on gender equality. The General, Commissioner Rosalie Peddle and Commissioners Lyndon and Bronwyn Buckingham led prayers for the Army’s mission and the world.

The virtual ILCs will continue over the next six months. Salvationists and friends are asked to pray for the leaders as they engage in significant conversations. – AR

ANNIVERSARY ROMFORD To celebrate the 140th corps anniversary, corps members Denis Fox, Rhys Heins, Paul Marshall, Jaime Brown and Luke Stone participated in a bike ride, visiting as many corps folk as possible. They rode a total of 88 miles and visited 82 homes. A support car ensured each house visited was left with a cake, card and a small gift for children. Banners were made to welcome the riders and wave them off again. – RG Salvationist 12 December 2020

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NEWS

CORPS

EMERGENCY AID

Army responds to Hurricane Eta CORPS SUNDERLAND MONKWEARMOUTH

As the half-term Messy Church holiday club could not take place, families received a pack with Scripture Union workbooks, colouring books, a copy of Kids Alive!, craft materials and an invitation to a scavenger hunt on Zoom. The Scripture Union resource Wonder Zone provided links between faith and science, and videos were posted on Facebook explaining each day’s activity. Every household also received an extra pack to pass on to a friend. – RH HEDNESFORD YPSM Teresa Stokes and the youth team held a Zoom Light Party as an alternative to Halloween. An activity pack, including a pumpkin, was delivered to each child, with activities including a scavenger hunt, pumpkin-carving using Christian symbols and milk bottle lantern-making. The team has used Facebook, activity packs and other innovative methods to keep in touch with Thursday Kidzclub members during this year. – RC

FUNDRAISING BURTON-ON-TRENT Corps member Ray Cooper, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, had long wished to take part in the YMCA ‘sleep-in’ to aid people experiencing homelessness. However, this proved to be impossible as he was a carer for his disabled wife. After her passing last year Ray was determined to engage in this activity. He spent the night with his son in a tent in the garden, raising around £500. – KA 6

Salvationist 12 December 2020

LATIN AMERICA NORTH SALISBURY Corps member Ruby Whettleton was delighted to receive a special delivery of flowers from corps officer Captain Martin Davison on her 99th birthday. During the coronavirus pandemic volunteers from the corps have been faithfully delivering flowers and plants gifted by Marks & Spencer to people in isolation along with the War Cry and the latest corps newsletter and reflection sheet. The initiative aims to keep the fellowship connected while also reaching out to others in the neighbourhood who have been identified as needing a boost. – AR

COMMUNITY

BEDFORD CONGRESS HALL Lord-lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis presented the corps with a certificate of appreciation for its work within the community. During the pandemic the corps has served more than 1,300 hot drinks and takeaway meals to people in need through its Open House and Samm (Salvation Army Meal and Meeting) initiatives. Clothing, food parcels and travel and utility bill top-up assistance have been provided and the debt advice service has continued working remotely. – GB

ARMY NEWS UK The Army has once again teamed up with The Entertainer, the UK’s largest high street toy retailer, to deliver presents to children who need them the most in a year when many family budgets have been hit hard. The Big Toy Appeal asks customers to buy a toy online or in-store where applicable and donate it to a family in need at Christmas. For every toy donated, The Entertainer will also donate a toy. This is the appeal’s third year and nearly 60,000 toys and books have been donated through the scheme so far. – AR

FLOODING, landslides and severe damage to property have been caused by Hurricane Eta – the most powerful storm in Central America this year, with sustained 150 mile-per-hour winds.

In Nicaragua, Army personnel described a ‘panorama of destruction’ in the north of the country.

The Army worked in Puerto Cabezas – one of the worst hit areas – to provide emergency food, water and hygiene packages for individuals and families who had been forced to leave their homes. About 600 people were supported initially and foam mats and bedding were provided where necessary.

In neighbouring Honduras, similar emergency supplies were distributed. Five hundred people had to be rescued from their roofs by emergency services due to rising water levels. Volunteers received items of protective clothing such as waterproof jackets and rubber boots.

Communities in El Salvador and Costa Rica were also affected by damaging winds, and plans were put in place to provide nutrition for 900 of the most vulnerable people for an initial two-month period.

Clean-up kits were also provided to assist with rehabilitation.

Social distancing and disease control measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus complicated the emergency response. Chief Secretary for Latin America North Lieut-Colonel Agripina Góchez said: ‘We really appreciate the continuous support of the global Salvation Army.’ – AR

NEWS FEATURE

Stars come out for concert of comfort and joy

Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant

Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill

Colin Salmon

Princess Eugenie

UKI FROM outside the Royal Albert Hall, Secretary for Communications Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant welcomed viewers to the Christmas at Home with The Salvation Army carol concert, before the International Staff Band got the programme under way with the big-band style ‘Comfort and Joy’, reports Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts.

Joy was a hallmark of the event, whether in clips from previous years’ concerts or in items recorded especially for this year, and words of comfort were offered for all those who had faced challenges in recent months.

After Lieut-Colonel Dean prayed that the Prince of Peace would ‘give us hope and give us strength’, trumpeters from the Queen’s Bands of the Household Division played for the first carol of the evening, ‘Hark! the Herald Angels Sing’.

Messages of support highlighting aspects of the Army’s work were given by a host of celebrities, including Aled Jones, who encouraged musicians to keep playing but ‘keep safe’, Jason Donovan, Dame Judi Dench, Craig Revel Horwood, Rudolph

Walker and Juliet Stevenson. Princess Eugenie spoke about her recent visits to an Army food hub and a safe house for victims of modern slavery. The Army’s work also featured in video clips during the evening: food banks and food deliveries for vulnerable people; Lifehouses for people experiencing homelessness; and support for refugees.

The International Staff Songsters brought a variety of contrasting pieces, including ‘The Holly and the Ivy’, ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘My Lord Has Come’ and ‘Shepherd’s Joy’, with violinist John Hooper.

The Christmas story from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew was read by celebrities Colin Salmon, Susie Blake and Lee Mead, who also sang the moving ‘Bring Him Home’. Dame Patricia Routledge read ‘Letter from Egypt’, an imaginary letter from Mary to the innkeeper’s wife after the birth of Jesus.

Guest performers included the duo Classical Reflection with ‘Pie Jesu’, accompanied by harpist Alison Blackhall, the operatic trio Tenors Unlimited singing the popular ‘You Raise Me Up’, the

delightful Farringtons School Junior Singers performing ‘Away in a Manger’ and Charlie Green singing ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’.

The ISB played the meditative ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’, after which Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill began his message by referring to a line from that carol: ‘Snow had fallen, snow on snow,/ Snow on snow.’ Many people’s year had been like that, he said, with challenges piling up on top of each other.

Jesus ‘steps into our confusion, into our frustration, into our darkness’ as light and hope, as Saviour from sin.

In conclusion, he challenged viewers to respond in the words of the carol’s last verse: ‘What can I give him,/ Poor as I am?/ … Give my heart.’

Staff Bandsman Richard Woodrow then played ‘Sweet Little Jesus Boy’ before the congregational carol ‘Joy to the World!’ brought an evening of celebration and reflection to a rousing conclusion.

O The

carol concert can be viewed at youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo Salvationist 12 December 2020

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NEWS FEATURE

Army partners school to promote health education school premises and in the neighbouring community.

The school has been equipped with contactless thermometers, so that students’ temperatures can be taken with minimal waiting times when they arrive for classes.

Hand sanitiser gel has also been provided, which is available across the site, to improve hygiene before and after meals and after visiting the toilet.

CHINA THE Salvation Army is partnering the junior high school and local government in the township of Luoshui, in China’s Yunnan Province, to reach nearly 7,000 individuals in the community with Covid-19 health education and hygiene measures.

Luoshui is approximately three hours’ drive from the nearest major city, Kunming.

The junior high school educates nearly 1,400 pupils from a catchment area of 10 villages. Around 310 of these students are classified as ‘under-privileged’. Another 540 are left behind in their village homes by parents who have to work in cities to sustain their income.

The Army was officially registered as an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces in 2017 and has been building a relationship with the school since December 2019.

When the principal asked for help to deal with the challenges of the coronavirus, the Army’s Yunnan office was eager to assist.

Following discussions with the township’s government secretary and mayor, and building on measures already implemented by the Chinese authorities, The Salvation Army identified a number of ways to partner in disease-control procedures and health education.

In conjunction with the Yunnan

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Salvationist 12 December 2020

Association of Social Organisation, government officials and the school, the Army’s Small Hands Holding Big Hands project is now under way. Salvation Army-branded hygiene packs – including soap, face masks and information about how to prevent the spread of the disease – are being distributed to every student. Clear instructions on how to wash hands and wear masks correctly are being presented by teachers.

Disease prevention techniques have also been promoted through a Covid-19 poster competition. Students were invited to design their own culturally sensitive artwork to share the message in a vibrant, colourful, context-appropriate and persuasive manner.

The best posters are displayed around the

Older people in the community are also being cared for. The Army has distributed around 100 epidemic-control bags to older people and people with disabilities who would otherwise find it difficult to access such provision. – AR

ADVENT REFLECTION

Four people have chosen a carol to reflect on during Advent. Major Matt Spenccer continues the series with h ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’

A

DVENT is a time of expectant waiting. Sometimes it can feel like waiting to open a present you’ve wrapped yourself. This year there’s a sense in which the heartfelt longing and desire for a better day is more tangible than in previous years.

EMMANUEL SHALL COME TO THEE

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear.

‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ (Hymns Ancient and Modern version) has long been one of my favourite carols. Its words and music are a beautiful marriage of mournful lament and hope-filled expectation.

One of the highlights of my family’s Christmas for several years has been attending Westminster Abbey’s carol service where we’ve gathered with friends and strangers to sing songs and hear readings that place the birth of Christ in its biblical and historical context. Each year, ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ features, its centuries-old melody and lyrics befitting the solemnity of the occasion.

This year, we won’t be able to gather at the abbey. Our traditions will be forced down different paths as we seek new ways of acknowledging the season’s significance, but the carol’s truths can nevertheless resonate in our hearts.

O come, thou Dayspring, from on high, And cheer us by thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

The first Christmas saw the literal drawing nigh of God-made-man, as Christ stepped into the neighbourhood of humanity and began his earthly life. Two millennia later, the plea for cheerful companionship sounds a new relevance as many find themselves isolated within the hostile confines of regulatory observance. Of course, we pray that God

would enter the ‘bubble’ of those who feel this isolation most keenly but, as people indwelt by Christ, we must also seek creative ways of shining his light and bringing cheer as we draw nigh to others, in so far as we’re able. We may also play our part in dispersing the ‘gloomy clouds of night’ that so many are experiencing just now.

O come, thou Wisdom from on high, And order all things, far and nigh; To us the path of knowledge show, And cause us in her ways to go.* Perhaps this year more than ever, our prayer must be that those who lead our world would be guided by wisdom from on high. With so many conflicting agendas and opinions, we need to be led along the path of knowledge, rather than down dead-end roads of bombastic grandstanding, indecisive wavering or political manoeuvring.

O come, desire of nations, bind All peoples in one heart and mind; Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease; Fill the whole world with Heaven’s peace.* This year a light has shone on the scourge of racial injustice in our world.

Even those who consciously oppose racist philosophies have had to face up to uncomfortable truths concerning their place within a world of structural and systemic racism. The prayer that God

would ‘bind all peoples in one heart and mind’ and ‘fill the whole world with Heaven’s peace’ is particularly apt.

The all-surpassing peace of Christ is more than a soft-hued fairy-lit glow to enhance the comfort of the comfortable.

It is a robust peace that, when sought and yielded to, is strong enough to unify those of us with experience of racism’s sharp end with those who know nothing of its sting, and who may even have wielded its blows.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee…

‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ evokes much more than mere sentimentality within us. It is a powerful prayer of appeal to the living God to be manifest in life’s many and varied challenges. It names our pain and weaknesses and cries out for the presence of Christ to be evident amid them. Above all, it expresses the hope that undergirds our faith, that in our suffering, fragility, failure and captivity we can rejoice because Christ has come, Christ is here and Christ shall come again. *Additional verse in the American Episcopal Church’s Hymnal 1982 MAJOR SPENCER IS CORPS OFFICER, NEW ADDINGTON, AND PRACTITIONER TUTOR, WBC Salvationist 12 December 2020

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FEATURE I SATCoL donation centre

Giving something back Shanelle Manderson finds out what makes the newest SATCoL donation centre different

A

T this time of year most of us are giving time and gifts to people in need as well as to colleagues, friends and family.

Thankfully, staff and volunteers at The Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd’s network of charity shops and donation centres across the territory are on the receiving end of giving throughout the year, meaning sales from donations of clothes, accessories, houseware and furniture can continue to go towards changing people’s lives.

The main difference between a local charity shop and a donation centre is the volume of donations.

‘People walk into a charity shop carrying a bag of donations, but you 10

Salvationist 12 December 2020

can drive up to donation centres and there’s parking space at the front, so you can donate more things and bulkier items,’ explains Head of Retail Chris Jestico.

Hull is home to the latest donation centre and, at about 10,000 square feet, it is SATCoL’s largest yet. It’s the 14th donation centre and builds on the success of other locations by including new features that offer more to the community.

The first donation centre was opened in West Bromwich roughly three years ago. The original concept was for it to be purely a place where people could drop off their donations. However, when it opened, it was decided that a small retail area would be created so things could also be sold. That proved popular and, as more donation centres have opened, the retail area in each has grown bigger.

A week before its official opening date, the Hull centre published a donation appeal on its Facebook page,

through which it received several furniture donations and scheduled collections. As well as selling clothing and furniture, the centre is the first of its kind to include Recycles, a project that offers second-hand bicycles that have been safety-checked by a mechanic. It was inspired by the Army’s social enterprise initiative in Swindon, which creates opportunities for people who have experienced homelessness. The Swindon shop donated 24 bicycles to the centre in Hull, many of which have been sold already.

‘It is important for us to be able to bring our fantastic range of quality second-hand items to more customers,’ says manager Shirley Kay. ‘We’ve already received a small number of furniture donations. The centre is a great opportunity for us to take preloved items, give them a new lease of life and offer them to others in the community.’

The centre also contains a community engagement area for

The Salvation Army to meet and speak with members of the public. Shirley and the team of volunteers have been working closely with the Yorkshire South with Humber Division.

Liaison Manager Nick Morton, who promotes closer working relationships throughout the organisation, set up meetings and preview visits with divisional leaders Majors Raelton and Lynn Gibbs.

‘They have been supportive of the project throughout and wanted the opportunity to see how this concept could provide new and exciting opportunities for engagement with corps at other locations in the division,’ says Nick.

‘It’s not just about us taking donations and selling things,’ adds Chris, ‘it’s also about working with the local corps, Hull Citadel and Hull Icehouse, to support their Employment Plus and any other programmes that they are involved in. The William Booth Lifehouse in Hull is also fully engaged

with the donation centre. The chaplain, Major Danièle Norton, enjoys taking walks with many of the residents to visit the store.’

The team at the centre already has 16 volunteers. They have chosen the

It’s not just taking donations … it’s also working with corps departments that they want to work in and are passionate about their day-today activities.

‘The store itself is helping to create a great team atmosphere as we can all see and communicate with each other no matter where we are,’ enthuses Shirley. ‘We are all passionate about making the store a success as we go from strength to strength each week.’

Shortly after opening its doors in September, the centre had one of its

best weeks, with sales reaching £3,000. Shirley says that this may be because of the enthusiastic volunteers who want to help increase business sales. Accessibility may also be a factor, as this is kept in mind when choosing locations: the building faces Freetown Way, which is a busy dual carriageway with a daily traffic count of more than 18,500 vehicles.

‘The size of the building and parking facilities are key factors, but the most important thing is that each donation centre has to be in a prominent place on a very busy route,’ says Chris. ‘The passing traffic has to be quite significant in volume.’

SATCoL’s 15th donation centre, in Chesterfield, is well under way and due to open prior to Christmas. It will be in a partnership with the nearby corps, which does not have a building in the area. The new premises will therefore provide an enormous opportunity for the corps and donation centre team to work closely together.

Salvationist 12 December 2020

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FEATURE I Get Out with Toddlers

Get OWT! Captains Nick and Shelley Ward talk to Melita Day-Lewis about pioneering an outdoors parent-and-toddler programme during lockdown

‘T

HERE’S no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!’ This well-known quote by fell-walker Alfred Wainwright is the new motto of Middlesbrough Acklam corps officers Captains Nick and Shelley Ward.

Come rain or shine, the Wards are outdoors every week with dozens of families, enjoying their new parent-andtoddler programme, Get OWT! – Get Out with Toddlers.

Pioneered by Nick and Shelley this year, Get OWT! is tailor-made for

The Salvation Army, Nick and Shelley developed their own programme and applied it to their setting. ‘We haven’t reinvented the wheel – there are a lot of resources online and our bookshelf at the moment is full of outdoor books!’ laughs Nick.

The Wards believe Get OWT! is also a way of tackling what is known as nature deficit disorder, where a lack of engagement with the natural world has impacted children’s mental and physical health.

which was quite cute,’ chuckles Nick.

There is also a multi-sensory messy activity at an event shelter.

‘That’s perhaps the most challenging to set up because we have to ensure it’s Covid-secure,’ Nick adds.

Get OWT! was created when strict coronavirus restrictions were in place and is intentionally designed around the outdoor rule of six and household bubbles.

Families come to the event shelter one at a time to sign in, leave track and trace details and pick up an activity bag, which

parent-and-toddler groups in regions with lockdowns or tier restrictions. The corps officers have two small children themselves and, during the first lockdown, felt the need to be active in the fresh air every day.

‘We, like many families, struggled a great deal and at times felt incredibly stressed! We just needed to get out of the house, so on a daily basis we put on our boots and coats and, whatever the weather, went out.’

While exploring the woodlands and streams around Middlesbrough, they were struck by the idea of reimagining the corps parent-and-toddler programme and moving it outdoors. After receiving positive feedback from families, they started developing nature-based activities for young children.

Unaware of any parent-and-toddler groups primarily based outdoors within

‘Not only is being outside good for our mental and physical well-being, it also enhances our spiritual well-being,’ Nick enthuses. ‘As we engage in creation, we understand our role within it and we get to know the Creator a little better. Psalm 8:3 and 4 says: “When I consider … the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them?”

Why wouldn’t we want people to engage in God’s creation or understand what it means to be caretakers of the Earth?’

Get OWT! has a weekly theme, with conversation starters related to it. Every session includes three or four wholefamily activities, including crafts.

‘There’s usually a woodland trail based on a story or a search, which families love. For Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the children made bear ears and went round the woods wearing them,

contains instructions, craft material and a wrapped snack, before doing activities in their own space and time. The bags are prepared in advance and then quarantined. Hand sanitiser is available and up-to-date Covid-19 guidelines are displayed. There is also a booking system through Eventbrite for families who want to ensure they have a guaranteed spot at the session.

The parent-and-toddler club has previously been Acklam’s most attended event. Before moving outdoors, they had two sessions a week in the hall, with around 50 children – a total of approximately 90 people including adults.

‘That’s about 180 people coming into our building each week,’ states Nick. ‘So we were very keen, as you can imagine, to try and find ways to continue those relationships and support families during lockdown.’

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Salvationist 12 December 2020

Captains Nick and Shelley Ward and their children

The outdoor programme is equally well attended, with up to 53 children at any one time, plus adults.

‘Because we have the woodland area, that doesn’t feel crowded. Some people are doing the trail, others are busy with crafts or the messy activity, and some people don’t stay for the full three hours,’ he explains.

challenges corps officers face and all the things we have to do that take up our time. To come up with resources can sometimes be too challenging.’

Nick and Shelley were recently invited to speak on Parents and Toddlers Outdoors at a seminar for a London network of parent-and-toddler groups.

There were a number of different

Get OWT! resources are freely available to corps and the wider Church and can be downloaded online. An increasing number of churches in various denominations are running Get OWT! in addition to other corps in this territory and beyond.

‘We’re encouraged by that! We have enjoyed producing and pioneering the resources,’ enthuses Nick. ‘It does take some time. That’s one reason we’re happy to share Get OWT! We know from our own experience the

denominations represented, all looking at creative ways of supporting families and doing ministry in this new normal.

Not everyone’s fortunate enough to have a meadow, woodland or stream close to their church hall, but the Wards don’t believe an urban venue need be a hindrance.

‘At the seminar we looked at ways in which you could use parks or privately owned green spaces, as well as churchyards or car parks,’ says Nick.

‘You can find nature everywhere!’

To affirm this, Nick quotes from Sally Welch’s book, Outdoor Church: ‘Better to begin with what is available, however small or urban it may seem, than never to begin at all.’

Nick and Shelley also feel that Get OWT! doesn’t need a big team.

They’ve found four helpers sufficient, even when more than 50 children – with their parents – attend a session.

What’s really valued, though, is having people walk around to interact with those attending.

For Nick, one of the highlights each week is seeing adults who arrive at a session ‘glum or grumpy’ leaving re-energised and refreshed. ‘They’re certainly muddier!’ he quips.

The final word belongs to Laura Waterfield, a mum who attends Get OWT! with her daughter.

‘We love it! It’s so different from other toddler groups and it is the perfect environment for learning and social development. My little girl is always so excited and inspired by the

various activities. It’s such a relief to be able to get outside and connect with people – safely from a distance – and with nature during this time. I feel so grateful for the priceless memories we are making.’

O Download Get OWT! resources from salvationarmy.org.uk/resources/ get-owt O Contact the Family Ministries Unit for more information at familyministries@ salvationarmy.org.uk or 020 7367 4952 Salvationist 12 December 2020

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INTERVIEW

International Projects Office Team Leader Ben Gilbert continues a series exploring the UKI Territory’s international development work by discussing anti-trafficking with International Programme Co-ordinator Anne Gregora

An

ne Gregora

A great injustice

Tanzania

WHY DOES THE ARMY INVEST RESOURCES IN ANTI-TRAFFICKING? Human trafficking is a great injustice. It removes the value of a person and treats them as a product. No one should be removed from their families against their will. No one should be denied their freedoms. No one should be forced to work most of the day, to be starved, to be beaten, to be raped and, in some cases, to be killed for profit. The Army has been involved in the campaign for social justice since it began. It’s not something that we can accept is OK in our world.

WHAT DOES ANTI-TRAFFICKING WORK INVOLVE? Our anti-trafficking response really involves three things. First, it supports projects around the world that have identified trafficking as an issue in their communities and the ways in which they want to respond. Second, it’s about being on top of and contributing to evidence-based practice by being part of key networks with organisations from the UK and around the world. We believe that part of our responsibility as a support territory is to gather this information and then to share it widely.

Third, a key role is supporting the international modern slavery and human trafficking response strategy, particularly through the development of communities of practice in Africa, South America, South Asia, the South Pacific and East Asia. These communities are essentially about bringing together nominated national representatives for each territory, command and region, who are the main points of contact for the Army’s response.

WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES OF TRAFFICKING? The reality is that trafficking thrives because of other injustices, such as poverty, lack of employment, gender inequality or lack of education. Through prevention projects that address the root causes of trafficking, we can make a difference. We can restore dignity and life in all its fullness to people that we work with.

WHERE IS THE ARMY WORKING AGAINST TRAFFICKING? In terms of project work, we’re currently working in Europe – in Russia, Poland and Ukraine – predominantly around the prevention of trafficking. In Africa we’re working with the Army in Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria, and this is a mix of protection and prevention work. In South Asia and the South Pacific we work with India,

E

VERY year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad.

Anne Gregora explains what the UKI Territory’s international anti-trafficking work looks like across the world.

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Salvationist 12 December 2020

Russia

eastern Nepal and the Philippines.

Again, that’s a mixture of prevention within communities and protection of survivors.

WHAT CAN INDIVIDUALS DO TO HELP? This is a global fight for all of us and everyone has a role to play. Depending on the clothes we buy, the food we consume, or if we watch pornography, it influences whether people around the world are exploited or not. We can play a role in preventing trafficking through changing our lifestyles.

Next week…

Ben speaks to Tribeni Gurung about gender injustice O Episodes of the Develop podcast are

available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud and Google Podcasts O Find more information and resources at salvationarmy.org.uk/internationaldevelopment

LOCKDOWN DIARY I The Sequel

Week 4 Major Karen Sandford (Harlow) concludes her day-by-day account of life in lockdown

DAY 22 Thursday 26 November What have you done today to make you feel proud? Well, today I ate a jam doughnut without getting it down my jumper. Small victories are important at the moment.

I’ve been getting stuff ready for our visits over the next few weeks. It’s quite time consuming, but I’m enjoying it, and it doesn’t take too much brain power, which is always a bonus. We’re hoping to visit everyone on their doorsteps and deliver some Advent gifts.

We’re getting our Christmas things out gradually this year, so it’s lovely to have our two main Nativity scenes out.

I’m enjoying our Advent theme – How Far Is It to Bethlehem? – and looking forward to journeying together. Today I reflected on the ‘excess baggage’ we carry. I get easily distracted by things that don’t concern me, then the spiral begins of resentment and anger, if I let it. When this familiar pattern starts, I’m trying to stop it in its tracks by throwing it back to Jesus. I can’t carry it. I don’t have to.

Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus!

DAY 23 Friday 27 November

DAY 26 Monday 30 November

I didn’t feel great today. Nothing to worry about, but I decided to stay home and rest.

We popped over to see my mum today.

We’re so fortunate to have her close enough to form a support bubble.

Today should be our day off, but I decided it would be worth doing some work that was weighing on my mind. I’ve faced facts and enlisted the help of my friend tomorrow.

She’s furloughed until Thursday so is glad to help. I haven’t told her yet that I’m appointing her project manager. I’m hoping she’ll keep me focused.

Last night I was thrilled to receive some messages from people who had watched our Facebook Live broadcast. They thanked us for ‘bringing church to them’. Never underestimate the power of an encouraging word, especially at the moment.

‘I will bless you ... and you will be a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2).

DAY 24 Saturday 28 November I had a text from the NHS this morning.

I was asked to take a Covid test, which came back negative thankfully. I didn’t seriously think I had it, but isolated just in case. The results came in less than 24 hours. I was impressed.

DAY 25 Sunday 29 November On this first Sunday in Advent it was a joy to share worship from home on Facebook Live.

We’ve decided to make it a feature once a week through Advent, and maybe beyond. We’re so aware of those sharing with us who can’t attend church – so we can’t just stop once we are back worshipping in the hall on a Sunday.

Hopefully we’ll live-stream from there and from home during the week. It’s quite exciting.

DAY 27 Tuesday 1 December Eleven years ago yesterday I graduated with a BA (Hons) in Pastoral Care with Psychology. I remember beaming as I placed the mortar board on my head.

I graduated in uniform, but wanted something special to wear, so I bought new

shoes. They were black court shoes with five-inch heels. I loved them. Walking in them, however, was another matter. I spent most of the day asking people if I could link arms with them as I walked – although I did manage to go up for my scroll all by myself without a mishap.

Today has been a day of asking for and accepting help. It doesn’t always come naturally to us. We don’t like to put on people. Everyone is busy with their own stuff. But, in my experience, people don’t offer to help unless they want to. I’ve had to learn to accept things at face value. If someone can’t help, they’ll tell you.

At the end of today, we had all the Bags of Blessings ready for delivery to our congregation. I’m so relieved. We’re looking forward to all the doorstep visits over the next few days.

DAY 28 Wednesday 2 December Ministry is varied. No surprises there.

But occasionally you have a day when it all comes together and forms a whole – a sense of completeness among the individual tasks. This is why I’m here.

This is what I was called to.

Life is messy and imperfect, but every so often you get a sense of being part of something much bigger than yourself – that your brokenness is the very thing that connects you with those who cross your path, that God loves you just as you are and that people see him when they look at you. God uses your stuff to help people know him better. You can live loved, because you are.

‘Take your everyday, ordinary life ... and place it before God as an offering’ (Romans 12:1 The Message).

O To

read Karen’s daily posts in full, go to karensandford.blogspot.com Salvationist 12 December 2020

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BIBLE STUDY

Life-changing news Colonel Suzanne Fincham considers how the ordinary becomes extraordinary when God intervenes LUKE 1:26–38 AND 2:1–20

W

HEN we look at the angels appearing to Mary and the shepherds, we recognise the undeniable obedience of Mary, who ‘treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart’ (Luke 2:19).

And we join the shepherds in their inquisitive search for the unbelievable promise given by the angel and the great company of the heavenly host.

God still sends his angels to seek us out, to speak to our hearts and lead us to the Christ child. I encourage you to also hear and obey.

QUESTIONS O What distractions, entertainments, hobbies, pastimes, amusements and recreations distract you from hearing God’s message?

O How might he be seeking to connect with you in the ordinariness of your everyday life?

Through the week with Salvationist – a devotional thought for each day

by Lieut-Colonel Brenda Oakley

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The purpose of Luke’s Gospel is to give a connected and orderly narrative of the life of Christ as seen by eyewitnesses (see Luke 1:1– 4).

The eyewitnesses to the events are not fictional. So, let’s read the study passage as if each person were alive today to tell us the facts as they encountered them.

Mary was living in the family home with her parents, learning from her mother how to keep the home, raise children and be a good wife. Mary was betrothed to Joseph, a righteous man. In the ordinariness of her life, Mary encountered the angel Gabriel.

This astonishing event happened in the sixth month of her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy (see v26).

How terrifying for a young woman to experience that encounter. We are not told when and how she shared the news with her parents, or how her parents, family and friends responded. Yet Mary’s encounter

was a life-changing event.

The angel told Mary that she would encounter the triune God: ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God’ (v35). Mary’s simple, yet profound response was: ‘I am the Lord’s servant … May it happen to me as you have said’ (v38 Good News Bible).

QUESTION O How ready are you to respond to an encounter with God? Think of an example.

Before moving to the next part of our study, take some time to contemplate that the Holy Spirit is upon you, the power of the Most High is overshadowing you and the holy one, the Son of God, is being born anew in your spirit.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured!

The Lord is with you.’

(Luke 1:26–28)

The angel Gabriel from Heaven came,/ His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame:/ ‘All hail,’ said he, ‘thou lowly maiden Mary,/ Most highly favoured lady!/ Gloria!’

(SASB 125)

‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God … For no word from God will ever fail.’ ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’

(Luke 1:34–38)

Salvationist 12 December 2020

Imagine being in the fields with the shepherds, caring for their sheep.

The night is just like any other night.

I’m no shepherd of sheep – although I have shepherded some human flocks over the years – but it is my understanding that sheep generally sleep around three or four hours a night. That’s not nearly enough sleep for any shepherd! In Luke 2:8 we read that shepherds were living in the fields and it is helpful to place ourselves as one of them in the field on that ordinary night.

By the time the shepherds encountered an angel of the Lord, followed by the heavenly host appearing with them, Joseph and Mary had progressed through what could only be described as a humanly turbulent time. They had shared Mary’s news with their families. Then, in response to the Roman decree that a census required people to register

in their own towns, Joseph decided he would take Mary with him as he made the journey to Bethlehem.

There, Mary gave birth to her firstborn son. ‘She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn’ (v7 New International Version 2001).

It was time for an angel of the Lord to appear to the humble shepherds.

Suddenly, their ordinary, sleepless, cold, damp night was sent into chaos by something that they had never encountered before. The confusion and pandemonium of the shepherds, let alone the baaing sheep, must have been a sight to behold.

Scrambling to make sense of the angels’ announcement, these lowly shepherds were the first to visit the Son of God – to kneel before the Christ child and worship him.

These events brought great joy to Mary and Joseph and the shepherds.

Their ordinary human lives were turned upside down by the presence of the angels and the power of the Holy Spirit.

QUESTIONS O When has an ordinary day become extraordinary because you heard God’s message?

O How did you react and respond?

In our ordinary lives, let us always encourage each other to be Spirit-led and to look for the extraordinary, supernatural way God works in and through our different experiences.

COLONEL FINCHAM IS INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE AND LIAISON OFFICER, IHQ

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

They all were looking for a king/ To slay their foes and lift them high;/ Thou cam’st a little baby thing/ That made a woman cry.

(SASB 128)

The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

(Luke 2:10–12)

The shepherds joyful sped/ To Bethlehem straightway,/ And while with joy they hasten on/ They chant this sacred lay:/ Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,/ Nowell, sing all we may,/ Because the King of all kings/ Was born this blessèd day.

(SASB 99)

They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

(Luke 2:16–18)

Prayer Lord, as we consider the Christmas story once again, may we have the obedience of Mary and the urgency of the shepherds as we seek to spread the good news of your coming.

We are in total awe that you should seek to dwell among us.

Salvationist 12 December 2020

17

LETTERS

WE ARE IN A DEMOCRACY I WAS absolutely horrified to read the excerpt of ‘Bibles and newspapers would be banned under new hate crime law’ from The Times in the 21 November Salvationist.

We are in a democratic country where we treasure religious freedom. What has banishing Bibles got to do with hate crime?

As Christians we base our faith on love and respect for others, and the Bible exhorts us to love one another. I could quote many references to this.

Are Christians in Scotland aware of this proposal made by the SNP? This is the first I have heard about it. Were I in Scotland I would be pestering my MSP to fight this.

Dorothy Allen Sheringham

STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN MAJOR Rodney Dawson’s letter headed ‘The root cause’ (Salvationist 24 October) rightly says that God is ‘ultimately in control of world affairs’. Whether he caused the Covid-19 pandemic or allowed it to happen, it is according to his will, as the Old and New Testaments remind us.

It is a wake-up call that cannot be ignored. It caught us all sleeping and totally unprepared, bringing total disruption. As believers we are all called to be ready and waiting for the second coming of Christ. As awful as this pandemic is, it is also a time to stop, look and listen. Those words will be familiar to those who have come to an unmanned railway crossing without barriers – a final warning before you proceed.

The pandemic has certainly turned my life upside down. However, at some point I had to sit down and reflect. I looked at it as a forced sabbatical to sort out my spiritual life and review it seriously. Over six months I read scores of books and even wrote a book. I realised what a sad spiritual state I was in. Most books I read came to the conclusion that one ought to really get to know the Lord we serve, the one we sadly know mostly in theory rather than experience – like the disciples who could not stay awake as Jesus poured out his soul in the Garden of Gethsemane, spiritually asleep.

The book I wrote at the request of my sons and grandchildren was a memoir of my childhood and my British Army and Salvation Army experiences. I was grateful to stop, look and listen. During our 53 years of marriage my wife suffered 30 years of mental illness. She eventually came back to herself, giving us great joy. In recent years, she has had many procedures and dialysis three times a week. Two years ago she was rushed to A&E. She was critical, not expected to live. Due to the skill of the staff members at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, she pulled through.

In all these experiences we have never felt abandoned by God. Because he is ultimately in control, there is certain hope. We may be separated from family, friends, Christian fellowship and worship for a season. How long that will last only God knows, but it’s not the end of the world yet. In this forced sabbatical, spend as much time as you can getting to know him better. And to those working, pace yourself. The Lord bless you for all you are doing. Do it for his glory, using the grace he gives.

Ray Hobbins Major Aberystwyth 18

Salvationist 12 December 2020

A DIFFICULT TIME FOR PEOPLE IN RECOVERY THE article ‘Spirituality at the core’ (Salvationist 24 October) was heartwarming and timely. Christmas is a difficult time for those in recovery.

A person’s recovery journey is preceded by a behaviour change journey. The apostle Paul was not impacted by substance misuse, but he was a man predisposed to violent behaviour before his conversion.

Paul’s behaviour change astounded the citizens of Damascus (see Acts 9:20–22).

Behaviour change is a journey comprising multiple stages. The second stage is referred to as contemplation.

Before his journey to Damascus Paul had observed a godly man being killed by a mob. Moreover, he gave his approval to the rough justice served by the citizens of Jerusalem. It is speculation, but Paul might have set out for Damascus as a man with troubled thoughts and a troubled conscience.

When behaviour change does take place in a spiritual setting, possibly the Holy Spirit is able to facilitate and enhance the contemplation process. The Holy Spirit would surely not want to leave his work incomplete.

The recovery church model will surely prove to be invaluable. A leader of a recovery church can present Jesus as honourable and one who can forgive sins.

Kevin Chubb Barry

Waterways Chaplain Andrea Hopkins

A HOLIDAY WITH A PURPOSE I WAS interested to read about the work of waterways chaplains in Salvationist (28 November). It is good to know that this valuable ministry continues today, following in the footsteps of Majors Fred and Ivy Fielding. I had the privilege of seeing their ministry at work on the Salvo for two years in the early 1960s, as part of the Army’s ‘holiday with a purpose’ scheme.

After leading Sunday worship at Rugby, about 10 of us set off on what seemed a great adventure, travelling the Rugby to Coventry canals for a week. We travelled all day, stopping in the late afternoon to moor near a village to hold joy hours and open-air meetings, before setting off again the next morning. Major Fred was in charge of the boat, and served as its mechanic when it broke down. Major Ivy was the chef, and produced our lovely meals. We were accompanied by Major Hilda Elsworth from National Headquarters, who organised evangelism activities and had the thankless task of trying to keep us all in order.

Everywhere we stopped, it was plain to see the affection and respect in which the Fieldings were held by adults and children.

Who can ever estimate the value of the ministry they carried out on the canals for 14 years?

It really was a ‘holiday with a purpose’, and I for one have never forgotten its influence on me as a young Salvationist.

Rosemary Dawson Major Norwich

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR

IN response to Major Cliff Kent’s letter (Salvationist 21 November) on the rubrics of the invitation to prayer in meetings, I suggest that for Harvest services, the introduction ‘Lettuce pray’ would be appropriate.

Denis Metrustery Bangor

I WONDER how many people watching wreaths being placed at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior on Armistice Day were aware of a connection with The Salvation Army, albeit an indirect one.

The Rev David Railton conceived the idea of the tomb in 1916, while serving as an army chaplain on the Western Front. He had seen a grave marked by a rough cross with the inscription ‘an unknown British soldier’ and put forward a proposal that an unidentified British soldier from the battlefields in France be buried with due ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

Railton’s father was George Scott Railton, who was one of William Booth’s right-hand men and compiled the doctrines that were part of The Salvation Army’s founding deed poll.

Jim Burns Dunstable

LETTERS Readers’ letters are a popular and well-read section of Salvationist. Many years ago General Frederick Coutts said letters for publication in the Army’s press should be ‘carefully thought out, logically presented and charitably expressed’. Letters may be edited and should ideally be no more than 300 words.

Salvationist 12 December 2020

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EFLECTION FLECTI FL EC C N REFLEC REFL REFLECTION R RE FLEC E CTIO TIO TI TION ON

Major Peter Mylechreest con co onsid iders what it meanss to be connected to Christ

T seem ms a lifetiime e ag go o sin ince ce man anyy off uss wer u ere e co commut utin in ng to workk by train, bu us or bic i yccle. I re reca callll tha h t on o my return r jou o rn ney hom ome e from THQ HQ I had to chan nge g for o a con onne necct ctin ctin ing train at Her erne ne Hill sta ati t on. If eithe er trra aiin was delayed d itt me mean ea t a spelll in the waiiti ting n room. The ng conn co nn nec e tion n was as all abo bo out u the e right timing. ti Mo people wo Most ork rking from om m ho om me have bee en dep pen e de dent on the in nte tern rnet et. Like e me, no dou me ubt at some point theyy ha avve e ha ad a p po oor con onnection af affe fect an on onliine mee me etin ng or an email. This co onneccti t o n is alll ab abo out commun unic ication.

A few we eekks ago I discovere ed why the e liligh g t under our ou ur kitchen wall units wasn’tt wo orking. The e pllug u wa wasn n’t fully in, so th he currrent couldn’t ’t flo lo ow an and d ililum minate te the h work surface. That wo Th conne nection n was all abou ut energy y.

Prob bably y the bes e t sort of connecction is rel elat a ional. Som met ethi h ng that ma many n of us have missed during ng the he pan ndemic. c.

Connection is all aboutt p pe eople. op Be ear arin ing g th t ese as a pectts of conne ect c io on in mind in d – righ ghtt titimi ming n , comm municatio on, energy an en nd peop ple – listen to Paull the apostle, writing to o the Colosssia ans n . He is comm menting on those e claim min ing g to be fol olllowe w rs of Jessus bu ut laying unnecessarry beha aviou oural burdenss on n people usiing a dec eceptive ve phi hilo losoph phy, with harsh tre reat atment of th he body and nd d regulations th hat depended d on human tradition rather than Ch Chri rist s . ‘Th hey are not con nnected to Christ,, the hea ad of the body. For he holds the he whole bod dy togeth her with its jo join intts and lig gamen nts, tss and it gro rows ass God no ourris ish hes it’ (Colossi sianss 2: 2:19 New w Living g Translatition n).

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Salvationist 12 December 2020

Wh W hilile e Pa P ul wass wriittiing ng abo out a gro oup u off peo o eopl ple th pl then,, ther then th he e are re peo peop pe ople e todayy who o ha have sto have opp ped e allllow owing g Go od to o ho old d them th em or wh w o fail a to ke keep ep the hemssel e ve es unde derr the the control co l of of the Holyy Sp Spir irit itt.

Con Co nsequ uently nttly ly, th they ey are no o lo l ngerr parr t of Christ. t..

Most of uss kno n w th he ex e pressiion n ‘run unning aroun nd liike a hea eadl dle ess ess ch k n’, butt is chicke s it tru ue that bi b rds can s rv su viv ive e withou ut a he h ad? A touring side esh s ow w in Amer erric ica a in n 1947 sh s owed a de eca api p ta t te ted d butt lilivi vin ng ro ng oo ost ost ster err, wh er, whic ich ic h sounds ds rat a he h r su suspe ect. Butt sci cie entists tell us th hat at, al alth thou ough gh beh e eadin din g d sconnects th di t e brain from m the e rest est of th he body, for a short period od the spina nall co ord r cir i cuits stilll ha have residual oxxygen n.

W th Wi hou out input from m the he brain these se circ ci rcui u ts start spon nta aneously. The ne euron uronss become acct ctiv ive e and, for a very y sh ho ort r tim ime, the leg egs start moving.

Wh hat an iin ndi d ctment itt wo would be if we e Christtia ianss los ost connectiion wit ith Christt and starr ted spont sp p taneou usly ru unning around like e prrov o erbi b al hea adlesss cch hic i kens, no ot know knowin i g wh wher erre we were or wh w at we were e doing g or why we we ere r doing ng itt – ex xttrrem mel e y busy syy, bu ut diso org rgan anissed and d uncon o trolle led, bec ec cause we had d lostt to touc u h wi with t the true th e hea ad.

The Passion n Tran nsl s atio ation records Paul’s wo ordss about the hese se disconn nnec e te ted d pe p eop ople le in Co C lo oss ssia ians 2:19 like k this: ‘T They refuse e to ta take e hol old d of the h true so our u ce. But we e receivve direc ectlyy fr from m him, and his life supp pliles vit ital alit ityy in nto every part of his bo body thrrough th he jo oin inin ing g liga ga ame ment n s conn neccting g us all as s on ne. He is the divine head a who gui u dess his bo ody and nd causes it to o gr grow w by th the

supern su rnatural t al pow ower e of God. er God.’’ People occ cassio ona nallllyy re rema mark rk k tha hatt others hav ave e conn nnec ecti tion o s in on in hig igh placces, m aning they are kno me nown w by so wn some m on me ne wh ha who h s influe encce, e, pos osit itiion an and d po powe w r.

Well, there ne eed be no o dou o btt tha at we believers ha ave con nnecctio ons in the highest of pla ace es. s.

Chrisst is th he he h ad, ad ou ourr so sou urce e off life,, and an we are the e body ody. He puts ts us toge geth her. We W are e the bod ody wi witth itss nervves e and nd lig gamen am nts conn nected ed,, and with wi th the breat ath off the Spiri rit of Jessus u flow ow wing g th thrrough h us. We can gro r w up heal he alth thyy in n God od only as we al allo lo ow hi him m to o hold d uss and nd nou uri rish us.

We do o th hat byy re read ding g the Bible devo de v tiion onally, prayin ng ho hon nestly and with h sin incere e faiith h, be bein ing g gratef efful u for his bllessings, s, quiettly ly lis istening g to th t e Spirit, having g appro rop priate pria t fello low wship wi with th belie evers where po poss sssib ssib ible le e, trut uthf hful ully witn wi tnes esssing sing g to the e lo l ve of Jesu Jesus in Je our llive ves, bei ein ng acttivelly in i volved in add dres esssi s ng g injusticce howev e er large ge orr sm mal a l and d serving g otther people e wit itho hout disc scrimina nation.

There ar a e off cou ourrse man ny var aria i tions and pe and permutat attio ons of th t ese e spiritu ual dis ipline disc es, and d I’m sure e the good d Lord un nderstan nds our attemp ptss to follow Jesu Je suss ever morre closel elly, despite what othe ers mayy thi hink abou ut our efforts. We ut e willll be doing well if we let e the Lord hold d us so that we stay conne ected to him.

MAJOR MYLECHREEST IS THQ CHAPLAIN

and raise funds for your corps this Christmas

It’s not too early to be thinking about Christmas!!!

The Community and Events Weam have created a suite of ideas to help corps fundraise this Christmas under the theme of ‘Be a STAR’, which came out of one of RXU corps focus groups. :H have designed posters and banners that you can personalise and use for your Facebook and RWKHU social media pages to help you promote what you are doing this year and raise EXTRA funds. Here are some examples of the concepts: Please get in touch with us at FKDOOHQJH#VDOYDWLRQDUP\ RUJ XN for more information, to let us know how we can support you or to share your ideas for corps fundraising at Christmas.

Here’s ho-ho-hoping for a great festive fundraising season, albeit a slightly different one this year!

Christmas Appeal 2020

The Salvation Army is a Christian Fhurch DQG registered Fharity No.214779 and in Scotland SC009359; Social Trust Registered Charity No. 215174 and in Scotland SC037691; The Salvation Army Trustee Company, registered number 00259322 (England and Wales).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARMY PEOPLE

OFFICIAL GAZETTE UKI Territory

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES Emerald (55th) O Christine and David Woodcock, Maidenhead (18 December) O SL Ian and CS Kay Johnston, Carlisle (18 December)

LONG SERVICE 25 years O Major Sandra Fisher, Blackpool Citadel O Major Gilly Hoitinga, Invercairn

RETIRED OFFICERS Birthday congratulations O Colonel Robert Cooper (80 on 19 December) O Major Joan Richley (80 on 22 December) O Captain Noelyn North (85 on 25 December)

RETIREMENTS FROM ACTIVE SERVICE Effective 1 December O Major Shelagh Clift out of Littleport in 1978 and last appointment Southern DHQ O Major Gethin Thomas out of Cwm in 1981 and last appointment Pentre

PROMOTED TO GLORY O Bandsman John Miles, Margate O Malcolm Wiltshire, Staple Hill O Major Phyllis Spicer from Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, on 24 November O Eunice Taylor, Sutton-in-Ashfield, on 26 November O Doreen Bateman, Parkhead, on 26 November O Captain Edmund Archibald from Coleraine Hospital on 29 November O Major Frances Wellman from Herald Lodge care home, Coventry, on 30 November O Major Cairns McDevitte from Palbert View Care Home, Bournemouth, on 2 December O William Graham, Wallsend BEREAVED O Major Sarah Price, East Midlands DHQ, and Rachel Taylor of their mother Eunice Taylor O Pat Miles, Margate, of her husband Bandsman John Miles, BM Matthew Miles, Bromley Temple, Natalie Frost and Lisa Norton of their father, CSM Elizabeth Harden, Margate, and Rtd BM David Miles, Ramsgate, of their brother O Major Joan Archibald of her husband Captain Edmund Archibald O Major Jean McDevitte of her husband Major Cairns McDevitte O Songster Geraldine Wiltshire, Staple Hill, of her husband Malcolm Wiltshire, Lydia Mainstone and Ruth Always of their father O Songster Irene Graham, Wallsend, of her husband William Graham, Andrew Graham and Karen Charlton of their father 22

Salvationist 12 December 2020

ANTHONY COTTERILL Commissioner Territorial Commander

WHAT’S ON NO ZOOM AT THE INN This Music and Creative Arts Unit production, featuring 68 children from across the territory, will premiere at 3pm on Saturday 19 December.

O Available to view on the Music and Creative Arts YouTube channel

TRIBUTES FLORENCE ATKINS, DUDLEY FLORENCE Richardson was born into a Salvationist family in 1934. Her formative years were spent in Nelson and Blackburn. In 1953 she married Raymond Atkins and they became active members of Burnley Citadel.

Moving to Cornwall in 1969 with her family, Florence was an active member of the alto section of the songster brigade at St Ives and later at Camborne. When Camborne closed, Raymond and Florence soldiered at Hayle until they moved to Tipton in 2017 to be closer to family.

Transferring to Dudley, Florence raised income for the corps, encouraging people to fill Smarties boxes with 20p pieces and making and selling ‘hugs’.

Florence was diagnosed with terminal cancer in July and on 9 October her final prayer was answered as she ‘went to sleep and woke up in Heaven’.

She is missed by her family and friends and remembered for her kind, gracious nature and smile. – LC

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Update for England provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government COMMUNAL WORSHIP From 2 December communal worship in England has been permitted in all local tiers, subject to certain restrictions. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has updated the guidance on places of worship, which sets out the new regulatory framework in detail. Go to gov.uk/ search/all and search for ‘places of worship’.

THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD The prime minister announced temporary adjustments to gathering rules so that people can see more of their family and friends over the Christmas period. Go to gov.uk/search/all and search for ‘Christmas period’. This includes provision that where larger groups are being allowed together in households those groups should also be able to attend their place of worship as a single group.

SINGING INDOORS During a performance or service, the audience or congregation should not participate in any activity that can create aerosols, including singing, shouting and chanting.

SINGING OUTDOORS During a performance or service, the audience or congregation may join in with singing and should follow relevant guidance. This includes audience or congregation members following social distancing of two metres, preferably sitting down. Event organisers should ensure this distance is maintained at all times.

The maximum number of people present should take into account the area of the outdoor space and the requirement to maintain social distancing of 2 metres. Particular attention should be paid to how participants can arrive and leave the site safely while maintaining social distancing.

Prayer

ADVERTS PERSONAL BANDSMAN GORDON I QUINN of Sunderland Monkwearmouth Corps would like to wish a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year to all his comrades and friends. Sadly, due to the promotion to Glory of his beloved and treasured wife Joan, and his ongoing illness, he will not be sending out Christmas cards this year. God bless you all.

TO LET ALTEA, SPAIN. Modern two-bedroom, two-bathroom heated apartment, pool, tennis, garden, garage. Shops, restaurants, beach close, hillwalking. Warm winter area. Airport transfers available.

Tel 02920 759314 or email dee.jones@virgin.net TOPSHAM, DEVON. Two-bedroom cottage overlooking Exe Estuary and hills.

Local shops, inns, teashops, walks. Coast, moors, Exeter nearby.

Tel 02920 759314 or email dee.jones@virgin.net

ADVERTS

RECRUITING NOW COMMUNITY MANAGER PERTH CORPS

In this role you will assist the corps in the effective running of spiritual programmes and community outreach with the local community.

£14.73 per hour

WORKING HOURS

Key responsibilities As Community Manager you will work in partnership with the corps officer and will be responsible for facilitating the day-to-day management of the corps programmes. These are likely to include faith-based activities, prayer and potentially the requirement to offer spiritual guidance to attendees. You will also have responsibility for the additional corps services, which include charity shops and rented accommodation.

The successful candidate(s) will be able to demonstrate: A commitment to Christianity and being a practising Christian with a willingness and ability to bring ministry to the community O An empathy and understanding of people’s needs O Knowledge of health and safety and safeguarding O A high level of English – both spoken and written – and an acceptable standard of competency in numeracy O

SALARY

24 hours per week, which may include evenings and weekends

CONTRACT Permanent position

DETAILS 25 days’ annual leave + bank holidays (pro rata); a contributory pension scheme; season ticket loan; an employee assistance programme

CLOSING DATE Midnight 20 December 2020

INTERVIEW DATE TBC

This role has an occupational requirement that the successful candidate must be a committed and practising Christian and will be in sympathy with the doctrines of, and supportive of the purposes and the aims and objectives of, The Salvation Army.

For further details and to apply please visit salvationarmy.org.uk/jobs Appointment subject to satisfactory references, proof of right to work in the UK and PVG Scheme membership. CVs will not be accepted. Promoting equality in the workplace.

ANSWERS TO THE CHRISTMAS CAROL QUIZ (PAGE 24)

ADVENT ALPHABET FOCUS

by Major Gethin Thomas

SATURDAY 12 DECEMBER – LOWLY ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (Matthew 1:23). In Hebrew, ‘Immanuel’ means ‘God with us’. Not God up there, but God down here, coming to us in the midst of our lives. As he was with Mary and Joseph, he is with us in our Bethlehem. ‘He came right down to me,/ To condescend to be my friend,/ He came right down to me’ (SASB 157).

SUNDAY 13 DECEMBER – MOVEABLE Joseph the carpenter was prepared to move from delivering furniture to helping deliver the Messiah. Joseph was known as a righteous man, ‘faithful to the law’ (Matthew 1:19). He was respected in his community so his association with Mary would bring him into disrepute. In marrying her he moved from merely observing the Law to doing the law of God. Jesus, of course, was moving from his privileged place in Heaven to become a servant, a man and Saviour on Earth (see Philippians 2:7). What a movement! Is God asking you to move? To move your focus, ambition, values, home or your very life? In this holy season, be ready to get moving!

MONDAY 14 DECEMBER – NOURISHED ‘She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger’ (Luke 2:7). In our familiarity we have sanitised and even glorified the manger, forgetting that Mary actually laid Jesus in an animal’s feeding trough. Bethlehem too, meaning ‘house of bread’, was a place where people were fed, and much of Jesus’ ministry was spent eating with others. At the outset of his life Jesus nourishes people as they find him in the manger. Lord Jesus, you are the Bread of Life and call us to be nourished.

Thank you because there is room not only at the table, but also at the manger.

Amen.

TUESDAY 15 DECEMBER – ORDINARY Joseph and Mary were outstanding in God’s plan and purposes and yet still so ordinary. They went with everyone else to Bethlehem to be counted and added to the Roman record books. As this couple went through the long line, nobody thought they were important. But surprise, surprise – important they were! Thank God for those who do seemingly ordinary, daily things, but in an extraordinary way.

WEDNESDAY 16 DECEMBER – PONDERING ‘But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart’ (Luke 2:19). Mary remembered this wonderful story, which could easily have been forgotten. She thought deeply about it and constantly considered it. So must we.

The carol ‘Christians Awake’ (SASB 103) contains a prayer that we would be like Mary: ‘O may we keep and ponder in our mind/ God’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind!’ This Advent, think about these things God did and keep thinking about them.

THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER – QUICKENED Seeing one of the greates appearances of the heavenly host, the shepherds’ instant, hurried and immediate response was amazing, coming from what was considered a heathen, unclean and outcast part of society. Many people would have enjoyed the concert and then gone home. Not the shepherds. This Advent, as we hear the message of the birth of Jesus again, allow the Holy Spirit to quicken you. Go, see, then tell – and do it quickly!

FRIDAY 18 DECEMBER – RECEIVING I’ve always thought of the travellers from the east as givers. They brought precious and costly gifts to the one they thought would be born king of the Jews. Yet they also received the experience of a family filled with love, of infant flesh, of a story they would tell for ever. Lord, help us to give what we can this season, but also to receive the gifts that you have for us. May our hearts be filled with your presence. Amen.

O A PDF of the Prayer Matters booklet is also available to download from salvationarmy.org.uk/resources

Salvationist215 November December 2020 2020 Salvationist

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1. c. Mary’s Boy Child 2. b. Cattle 3. b. Good King Wenceslas 4. c. Once in Royal David’s City 5. b. No 34 6. a. Cornwall 7. a. Charles Wesley 8. a. On Christmas Night All Christians Sing 9. c. Joy to the World!

10. a. Five – ‘A Child This Day Is Born’, ‘Child of Mary’, ‘Mary’s Boy

Child’, ‘Mary’s Child’ and ‘What Child Is This?’

11. c. Arch Wiggins 12. b. O Holy Night!

13. c. Silent Night!

14. a. Once in Royal David’s City 15. a. O Come, O Come, Immanuel 16. b. Ukrainian 17. b. Northwest 18. c. Christians Awake 19. c. Myrrh 20. b. 3,235 miles

CHRISTMAS CAROL QUIZ Test your knowledge of familiar or not so familiar carols Which carol became a UK No 1 single for Harry Belafonte in 1957 and Boney M in 1978? a. I Saw Three Ships b. The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy c. Mary's Boy Child

1

What animals are mentioned in ‘Away in a Manger’? a. Sheep b. Cattle c. Camels

2

Which famous carol features a 10thcentury Duke of Bohemia? a. God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen b. Good King Wenceslas c. Good Christian Men, Rejoice

3

Which carol is always sung to begin the service of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge? a. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing b. O Come, O Come, Immanuel c. Once in Royal David’s City

4

In December 1964, what position did the Joystrings reach in the UK singles chart with ‘A Starry Night’? a. No 1 b. No 34 c. No 43

5

From where did ‘The First Nowell’ originate? a. Cornwall b. Yorkshire c. Wales

6

Who wrote the words for ‘Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus’? a. Charles Wesley b. John Newton c. Martin Luther

7

Which carol includes the line: ‘News of great joy, news of great mirth’? a. On Christmas Night All Christians Sing b. See, amid the Winter’s Snow c. Little Donkey

8

‘Freue dich, Welt’ is the German name of which carol? a. Deck the Halls b. O Holy Night! c. Joy to the World!

9

In the Army’s Christmas Collection carol book, how many carols have the word ‘child’ in the title? a. Five b. Seven c. Nine

10

11

Who wrote ‘Child of Mary, Son of God’? a. Joy Webb b. Albert Orsborn c. Arch Wiggins

16

12

Which carol has been covered by three R&B singers: Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Jennifer Hudson? a. In the Bleak Mid-winter b. O Holy Night! c. A Starry Night

17

Which carol was first accompanied by a guitar because the church organ had broken down? a. While Shepherds Watched b. Away in a Manger c. Silent Night!

18

13

Which carol was one of a group of hymns written by Cecil Frances Alexander to explain the Christian faith to children? a. Once in Royal David’s City b. Come, Children, Come Quickly c. As with Gladness Men of Old

14

Which of these is known as an Advent carol because it is sung in preparation for the coming of Jesus? a. O Come, O Come, Immanuel b. Joy to the World! c. Hark the Glad Sound!

15

In which language was ‘Carol of the Bells’ originally written? a. Italian b. Ukrainian c. Finnish

In ‘The First Nowell’, from which direction did the star draw near to Bethlehem? a. Southeast b. Northwest c. North by northwest Which carol includes the line: ‘Rise to adore the mystery of love’? a. Go, Tell It on the Mountain! b. Rise Up, Shepherd! c. Christians Awake In ‘We Three Kings’, which gift does Balthazar offer Jesus? a. Gold b. Frankincense c. Myrrh

19

How far is it to Bethlehem? What is the shortest road trip from Bethlehem in Carmarthenshire to Bethlehem in Israel? a. 2,785 miles b. 3,235 miles c. 3,501 miles

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O Answers on page 23