Salvationist 15 August 2020

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www.salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist 15 August 2020

Praise fills the air Army music on Faith FM

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CHANGING APPOINTMENTS IN A PANDEMIC

SEE PAGE 14

QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA

BIBLE SOCIETIES AROUND THE WORLD AT THREAT OF CLOSURE OVER CORONAVIRUS The financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has left dozens of Bible societies around the world at risk of closure.

The impact of lockdown across many countries has halted the sale of Bibles through the societies, while also impeding vital fundraising work in local churches.

In some countries... the societies are one of the few places where people can buy a Bible.

They are also one of the principal drivers of Bible translation and engagement work...

There are 150 Bible societies in operation around the world today.

But some 88 of them – serving 245 million people – are threatened with closure.

A £5 million scheme has now been launched by the Bible Society in England to save the most at-risk societies, with the first set of funds already earmarked for Gambia, Sri Lanka and Costa Rica.

Oldi Morava, Director of International Mission for the Bible Society in England, said, ‘In all of these countries, the Bible has an impact on people’s lives... If these Bible societies close... there will be a great risk of Christian communities not having access to the Bible.’

He added, ‘Bible societies have... gone through two world wars and the 1918 flu pandemic. We’ve always been able to continue.’

MENTAL HEALTH CALL AFTER LOCKDOWN IMPACT REVEALED

PRAYER LINE AND NUMBER TO HEAR HYMNS OPENS FOR PRISONERS

The Children’s Society is urging more investment in open-access community mental health services, after nearly one in five children aged 10 to 17 in the UK have reported being unhappy with their lives as a whole during the coronavirus lockdown.

According to a survey by the charity, completed between April and June, 18 per cent of children were dissatisfied with their lives overall.

That is a marked increase in a figure that has ranged from 10 per cent to 13 per cent over the past five years.

The Society said that open-access community mental health services where children can get support... should be part of an early intervention strategy backed by dedicated local grants...

The Society is urging a review of schooling by the Department for Education to ensure pupils’ wellbeing is considered not just in the short-term as schools re-open, but becomes a permanent priority.

Prisoners and prison staff will now be able to leave prayer requests to a Christian charity via a free phone line.

They will also get access to the Church of England’s Daily Hope line, which provides hymns, devotionals and church services.

The Prison Fellowship have set up the prayer line and CEO Peter Holloway told Premier how it works: ‘Anybody who’s in prison, whether they’re a prisoner or a staff member, can... call an 0800 number completely free and... leave a recorded message with a prayer request.

‘From that, we send them out to intercessors across the whole of the country to pray with and alongside... them...’

The Daily Hope line... was originally launched in April 2020 for those unable to join online church services during the lockdown...

The expectation is that both of these will strengthen the work of prison chaplains.

Church of England Newspaper

Premier

TEEN LOTTERY PLAYERS RISK GAMBLING ADDICTION Playing the lottery as a teenager leads to a bigger risk of problem gambling later in life, according to a groundbreaking new study.

Researchers from the University of East London (UEL), Warwick University and CQUniversity in Australia found that people who bought National Lottery tickets and scratchcards at 16 and 17 were much more likely to be ‘associated with adult disordered gambling’.

The peer-reviewed study of 1,057 gamblers aged 18 to 40 also found that the more the participants bought lottery scratchcards as children, the higher their score was on the ‘problem gambling severity index’, a register of how severe gambling addiction is.

Christian Today

The Sunday Times

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Salvationist 15 August 2020

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CONTENTS

POP GOES THE CULTURE WHEN it comes to being mentioned in Salvationist, 1960s pop groups are a bit like buses: you wait ages for one, then three come along together.

On page 18 Trevor Caffull looks at the song ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ – a hit for Gerry and the Pacemakers that became the anthem for Liverpool FC – and suggests that it echoes some words of Jesus. Major Alistair Dawson begins his meditation on page 20 by referring to the Beatles song ‘Let It Be’, before making the point that letting it be is the attitude we need if we’re to ‘allow the beauty of God’s life to be released into ours’. Finally, in another of our back-page quizzes – this time on the theme of Army music – there’s a question about the Joystrings.

A number of years ago a TV documentary called How The Beatles Rocked The Kremlin examined the influence of the Fab Four on the younger generation back in the USSR. Fearing that Lennon would replace Lenin, the government banned their records, and any young person sporting a Beatles haircut was marched off to the barber’s. Despite this, the group became increasingly popular through bootleg recordings. Some teenagers formed their own pop groups with homemade guitars using telephone receivers as pickups and public address speakers stolen from telegraph posts as amps. The programme showed how the sense of freedom and the aspiration for Western values introduced by the Beatles played a part – if only in a small way – in the eventual demise of the Soviet Union.

In a sense, Christians are called to have a subversive influence in our society. We are to live differently, and so undermine any culture that is opposed to the Kingdom of God: ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2). At the same time we are called to bring people into the Kingdom, which often means engaging with contemporary culture and practices – as done by the early Army in the 1880s, the Joystrings in the 1960s and many today through online ministry. There’s a balance here between being separate from the world and being involved in it, and it’s not always an easy one to strike.

On pages 10 and 11 Adrian Lyons takes a look at the Army subculture and wonders if the balance needs to shift so that the worship in our halls, when it recommences, becomes as accessible and inclusive as some of the online worship taking place during lockdown.

It’s not just in our worship that we need to get the balance right. Even in normal times most of our waking hours are not spent at the Army: we’re at home, at work or involved in other groups and activities. It’s in these places that we are to live differently while engaging positively with people. Rhoda Atkinson, in her article on page 15, gives insights into her work and her ‘gentle influence’ on people – something that she continues to have even while working from home.

The world needs Christian subversives who will challenge and mould culture while being messengers of the gospel. How do we get that balance right? All you need is love – and a lot of wisdom.

Quotes from the media

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Message from the Territorial Commander

4

News feature Volunteers make a difference worldwide News

5

6 and 7

Prayer matters

7

Campaigns 8 and 9 Stopping history repeating itself

by Holly Tippett-Simpson

Viewpoint Crossing the threshold

10 and 11

by Adrian Lyons

Feature The right frequency

12 and 13

by Major Jim Hann

Reflection Holding on to joy

14

by Captains Martin and Vicky Crawford

Faith at work A gentle influence

15

by Rhoda Atkinson

Bible study Peter learns to live right

16 and 17

by Major Brian Slinn

Through the week with Salvationist

16 and 17

by Major Howard Webber

Reflection You’ll never walk alone

18

by Trevor Caffull

Letters Raising funds with pedal power

19

by Angela Carlucci

Meditation 20 Let the beauty of Jesus be seen

by Major Alistair Dawson

Poet’s corner An absolutely God

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by Major Libbet Booth

Reflection Believing with your heart

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by Brian Colley

From the Editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

Announcements

22

Adverts

23

Quiz

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

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A MESSAGE FROM THE TERRITORIAL COMMANDER

Becoming one in Christ

I

T is summer school season, so I’ve been thinking about young people and children’s and youth workers. I’m grateful to children’s workers in our corps and nurseries across the territory.

Thank you for all you have done to continue this work safely in difficult circumstances. We’re so grateful to you.

Most of our 22 divisions would normally be having residential camps at this time. Some of them have gone online and others are working in other ways to continue that ministry with the young people.

In a previous message (Salvationist 16 May) I mentioned the summer school in Birmingham when I was a divisional youth secretary. I had a go at archery, and you might recall that it was one of the biggest regrets in my life. I shot an arrow and hit the bullseye – but my mistake was to take a second arrow and a third arrow, neither of which went anywhere near where they should have been.

In Romans 3:23 Paul talks about missing the mark: ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ We’ve all missed the mark, but the next verse says that ‘all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came

by Christ Jesus’. Jesus makes it possible for us to be put right with God. 4

Salvationist 15 August 2020

In verse 22, Paul writes: ‘There is no difference between Jew and Gentile.’ It really doesn’t matter who we are – we are all the same.

I thank God for that.

Regardless of ethnicity or background, despite us missing the mark, he takes hold of us and he makes us one in him. The wall between us and him disappears and the walls of separation between each other are dismantled.

One of the serious revelations resulting from Covid-19 is a need to ask ourselves – in our communities, in our society, in our nation – how we are doing with respect to this oneness. How close are we to hitting the mark about being one? It seems that black, Asian and minority ethnic groups have suffered disproportionately as a result of the pandemic. We need to be asking why.

In the midst of the pandemic we also had that horrendous situation in Minneapolis. The death of George Floyd, a former employee of The Salvation Army, was a dreadful, but important, wake-up call for us all, and led to this territory making a statement about racism (Salvationist 13 June). Let me remind you of some of the words.

‘The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland affirms that it stands in solidarity with people around the world (including our own members and employees) who experience racism, both in its blatantly ugly and its more insidious forms.

‘Our hearts are heavy and hurting because it is increasingly obvious that black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in the UK continue to suffer institutional racism in all areas of life. Our hearts are heavy and hurting because racism infects the Church – and we acknowledge and confess that this is true even in parts of Salvation Army life…

‘We recognise this is a critical time and today we want to recommit to our journey of togetherness with people

from BAME communities and respond with positive action…

‘The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland will intentionally seek ways to confront and fight racism wherever it is found. We will take positive action to ensure that our culture is increasingly one in which our members, employees, service users and officers, of majority and minority ethnic origin, feel included – that is, respected, valued, trusted, safe and have a sense of belonging.’

At the start of this year I asked the Territorial Advisory Council (TAC), which comprises of representatives from each of the 22 divisions, to research the ethnicity of our congregations, local leadership and officer leadership. The work was postponed due to the coronavirus, but TAC members have now begun this study. In the next few weeks they will be making contact with as many people from as many ethnic backgrounds as possible – primarily to listen to their stories and understand, then to make recommendations to the territory’s senior leadership.

Please share this information with anyone you know who may be able to contribute to this research. I am especially asking corps officers to consider who to pass this message on to in order that they might help.

If you email tac@salvationarmy.org.uk the Advisory Council will put you in contact with your divisional TAC member so the process of listening can begin. This is a great opportunity for us to listen, to learn and then to act. It’s another step forward from the statement made in June.

May God in Christ come alongside us, encouraging us, helping us, forgiving us, enabling us and empowering us to become the people he wants us to be: his true children, brothers and sisters together in the family of Christ.

ANTHONY COTTERILL COMMISSIONER TERRITORIAL COMMANDER O This

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

NEWS FEATURE

Volunteers make a difference worldwide IHQ GLOBALLY, Covid-19 has claimed more than 655,000 lives according to World Health Organisation statistics, with about 16.5 million confirmed cases. While some countries are starting to relax diseaseprevention regulations designed to curb the spread of the virus, there are concerns about a ‘second wave’ in others.

General Brian Peddle has released a short video message outlining the Movement’s response on an international level. He speaks of the partnerships and generosity of donors that have facilitated the Army’s emergency response. IHQ-supported initiatives have helped more than 2.1 million beneficiaries, but the General notes that ‘our work is not complete’.

‘We continue to respond and to serve,’ he says. ‘Please continue to partner with us financially, and through acts of service and in prayer.’

Grassroots responses have included the provision of more than one million meals in Connecticut, USA. Always coupling practical assistance with a no-stringsattached opportunity for recipients to share concerns and challenges, Salvation Army team members there have provided emotional and spiritual care to nearly 4,000 individuals.

‘Every week since the beginning of the pandemic, I have sent out volunteering opportunities available at our various locations and every week I am amazed by the faithful volunteers who are stepping up to meet that need,’ said Kathryn Perrett, Volunteer Co-ordinator (Southern New England Division). ‘Whether it was packing emergency food boxes, unloading food deliveries or donations, or helping at the distribution sites… these volunteers have made it happen. They come in with a joyful spirit ready to serve those in need. We are just so appreciative of those who are willing to give of their time!’

At Salvation Army centres in Melbourne, Australia, a new campaign has been launched entitled ‘A small action can make a big difference’. Due to an increase in people testing positive for Covid-19 in the city it

Volunteering in Connecticut

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IHQ-supported initiatives have helped more than 2.1 million beneficiaries

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became mandatory for people to wear face coverings. But, as National Public Relations Secretary Major Bruce Harmer explained, sourcing masks may be difficult for many of the people with whom The Salvation Army works.

‘We’re really concerned for the clients who come to see us on a regular basis,’ he said.

‘Many of them are in a position where they can’t afford disposable masks, which can be quite expensive if you are moving through them regularly.’

Salvationists and supporters in Greater Melbourne are therefore being encouraged to help by donating individually wrapped, handmade adult-sized masks.

Again, recognising that the initiative is designed to meet not just practical needs but provide emotional care too, donors are urged to ‘include an uplifting message or note to encourage the people we will be assisting’.

The early response has been positive.

In the Netherlands The Salvation Army has been lifting spirits by giving out generously donated doughnuts to volunteers, supporters and service users to mark the reopening of Army community centres. The partnership with local company Donut Worry Be Happy saw more than 36,000 treats given out as a symbol of The Salvation Army’s enduring care in times of difficulty.

The Salvation Army has also distributed 1,150 tablet computers to Dutch children and young people unable to access their education since schooling moved online earlier in the year. The provision of this technology also helps to improve connectedness, especially with families in complex situations. – AR The General’s video message can be watched and downloaded at sar.my/gencovidupdate

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NEWS

EMERGENCY AID

MEETING

Army assists after hurricane Hanna strikes TEXAS HURRICANE Hanna swept through south Texas leaving tens of thousands of residents without power and causing widespread flooding. Salvation Army staff and volunteers were mobilised to provide help and support in affected communities.

‘We have deployed seven mobile kitchens and have commenced feeding operations in Corpus Christi, serving San Patricio, Nueces and Kleberg counties, and in McAllen, serving Willacy, Cameron, Starr and Hidalgo counties,’ said Alvin Migues, Emergency Disaster Services Director (Texas Division). ‘We anticipate ramping up mobile feeding in affected communities once we are able to fully assess the damage and flooding caused by the storm.’

Additional units from across Texas moved into the area and will remain as long as needed. Further supplies, such as clean-up kits, bleach, tarpaulins, rubbish bags and fans, will arrive from the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services warehouse in Arlington for distribution.

In Corpus Christi, the Army served free hot meals, drinks and snacks from the Rock City Church car park in Flour Bluff.

‘We know that a lot of people are without power in the area so we are here providing a meal and some encouragement to keep them going,’ said Captain Patrick Gesner (Corpus Christi). ‘We’ll continue serving for as long as we are needed and expect to be out here for several days.’

One area of particular concern is the Rio Grande Valley, along the border with Mexico, where many communities are flooded due to sustained heavy rainfall. Volunteers and staff at the Army in McAllen prepared and delivered meals to those without power, including residents of a local shelter. – AR 6

Salvationist 15 August 2020

CORPS Like our page at SalvationistOnline to keep up to date

POKESDOWN As lockdown restrictions have eased corps folk have begun Sunday morning garden worship in small groups, meeting for the first time in corps officer Lieut-Colonel Anwyn Mingay’s garden. Members have also been meeting in nearby parks. During the lockdown people kept in touch with each other by letters, emails and phone calls, as well as weekly prayer sheets and Sunday worship sheets. The corps marked special occasions such as Easter and Pentecost by distributing gifts (pictured), sometimes including friends of the corps and neighbours in Norwood Place. Army papers have also been delivered to those unable to view them online. – CB

CORPS LURGAN Divisional Commander Major Paul Kingscott conducted the installation of corps officers Majors Ann and Russell Tucker. Only senior local officers were able to be present at the ceremony because of Covid-19 gathering restrictions; however, proceedings were recorded and shared on Facebook as part of the weekly online meeting. Major Anne gave her testimony and Major Russell gave a thought-provoking message. Their children, Josh and Beth, were welcomed by the YP leaders. This was a historic occasion as it was the first time that an installation was conducted at the corps under such unusual circumstances. – GW

Follow Salvationist on Twitter @SalvationistUK

Prayer SUMMER HOLIDAY FOCUS

Richard Prescott (Regional Children’s Specialist, Newport Service Centre)

CORPS LURGAN With drive-in services now permitted in Northern Ireland, a Songs of Praise meeting was held in the corps car park. A good number attended and passers-by stopped to listen as an ensemble from the senior band played. It was a good opportunity to speak with many corps folk who have not met since the lockdown. – GW

HAROLD HILL Soldier John Evans has been recording his daily devotional readings and sending Bible texts to the corps WhatsApp group for everyone to receive during lockdown. These messages have been a real blessing and encouragement to corps folk. – PG

MEETING

SUNDAY 16 AUGUST – PSALM 113:3 I give you praise, Lord Jesus, that you promise to be with me every day, from the beginning to the end. It’s the same every day and will be the same for ever. Find a sunflower, or a photograph or painting of a sunflower, and spend some time looking really closely at it as you pray. Thank God for his love and care towards all things.

MONDAY 17 AUGUST – MATTHEW 13:43 Unfortunately this year, due to Covid–19, all the youth and children’s summer camps have been cancelled. Pray for the young people, that they will be provided with other kinds of activities. But pray especially for those who will not have the opportunity to engage in any form of summer ministry.

ARMY NEWS

Open for all STRAWBERRY FIELD THE centre has reopened with new safety measures in place, and is open to all, in part because of its WCs. Large accessible toilets for people with severe disabilities will be compulsory for new buildings in England from 2021. Known as Changing Places, they provide more space and equipment than conventional wheelchair-accessible WCs to meet the needs of people who need help to deal with their intimate hygiene.

A Changing Places facility was included in the plans for the site’s £8 million transformation before it opened last year. Installed by Closomat, it provides a peninsular WC with a full room cover ceiling track hoist, a privacy screen and a height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench and washbasin.

Learning Disability Inclusion Development Manager Chris Stringer (THQ) said: ‘I have been following the campaign to have more Changing Places toilets available for a couple of years… The provision of a Changing Places toilet was never in doubt.’ – LT

SATURDAY 15 AUGUST – JAMES 1:17 Thank you, Father God, for summertime and the opportunities for families and children to spend time together in rest and relaxation with each other and in you. Pray for families today who, despite the Covid-19 crisis, may still be going on holiday. Every time you hear news of people in your locality or on social media who are ‘going away on holiday’, pray for God’s blessing on their precious time together.

TUESDAY 18 AUGUST – ISAIAH 18:4 Thank you, Father God, because we know you are looking out for your children. Thank you that we can place our children and young people in your hands as they grow and develop. Take time to think of all the children and young people that you have in your life. Speak out their names.

LARNE Major Gary Hart from the Australia Territory was the guest presenter for the weekly corps video meeting. Major Hart, who is a family friend of the corps officers, based his message on Proverbs 4:18–27, reminding viewers of the importance of meeting regularly with Jesus through prayer and devotion. – PC Is your corps adapting to the coronavirus crisis through innovative ministry opportunities? Salvationist wants to hear from you.

Send your news to salvationist@salvationarmy. org.uk. Good quality pictures will be included.

WEDNESDAY 19 AUGUST – SONG OF SONGS 2:12 When did you last spend time in nature, just experiencing God through all your senses? Go outdoors – see God close up and thank him for his creation.

THURSDAY 20 AUGUST – JOHN 4:14 Pray for corps as they begin to prepare for the potential recommencement of activities. Pray that adults, children and young people will meet Jesus through everything that will happen.

FRIDAY 21 AUGUST – PSALM 107:9 Around the territory, corps are providing meals for children who won’t be receiving their regular school meals during the holidays. Pray for corps in their response to their communities. What is happening in your community? Can you find out? Can you support them in prayer or by providing practical support or financial help?

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

Salvationist Salvationist Date 18 Month July 2020 Year

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CAMPAIGNS Homelessness report

Stopping history repeating itself Holly Tippett-Simpson highlights recent homelessness research and the Army’s recommendations for the government

H

ISTORICALLY, investment in rough sleeping and homelessness services has been too little or too sporadic to result in sustainable change. The Army’s services know all too well the importance of reliable funds, and now more than ever people could benefit from a little more certainty and stability. The Public Affairs Unit has just launched a report, Future Proof The Roof, which offers new research and recommendations for the UK government to future-proof investment in rough sleeping and homelessness in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The impact of Covid-19 on life across the UK has been devastating – and it has hit the most vulnerable in society hardest – yet it has been inspiring to see the efforts made to help each other.

This is especially true of the collective efforts to tackle rough sleeping in recent months. In March the government wrote to all local authorities in England outlining its Everyone In initiative. Since then there has been unprecedented action from government departments, local authorities and support services, as well as the Army’s own community groups and volunteers, to make that ambition a reality. Now, according to government estimates, close to 15,000 people have been supported through emergency accommodation in a matter of weeks. Some initial funding has been announced to provide longer-term accommodation but, as the government begins to remove some temporary safeguards, such as the ban on evictions from rented housing, a very real risk remains that the number of people who find themselves homeless or rough sleeping will once again increase.

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The impact of Covid-19 has hit the most vulnerable in society hardest

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In the aftermath of the 2008/2009 financial crisis, the austerity policies that were implemented resulted in declining investment in public services, including homelessness and rough sleeping services. Snapshot rough sleeping figures increased from 1,768 people in 2010 to a peak of 4,751 people in 2017.

However, as our society enters a comparable time of economic uncertainty, there exists a great determination not to let history repeat itself. The recent success of the Everyone In initiative needs to be maintained in the long term, no matter what might happen in the coming months.

Homelessness and rough sleeping carries a cost. It costs services, including those of the Army, to support people in need; it costs communities where people who are experiencing homelessness cannot find work and contribute; and, most importantly, there is a dire human cost for those experiencing homelessness, as they have significantly poorer mental and physical health.

To reduce these costs, the new research looks to provide a framework for investment by answering three questions: Where in England is investment necessary? How much investment is necessary? What type of investment is necessary?

In line with the key findings and analysis carried out by WPI Economics, the report puts forward a number of recommendations for the government.

The Salvation Army suggests that the welcome new investment the government has made during 2020/2021, totalling £686 million, should be the minimum amount invested across every year of the current parliament. After ten years of underfunding, this stabilising of investment will be crucial in maintaining the progress that has been made in recent months. Beyond this, the report suggests that the government should put a long-term lock on funding to address rough sleeping, by adopting the practical fiscal rule that if rough sleeping numbers are increasing then central government funding for rough sleeping cannot decrease.

The research also highlights the difficulties that local authorities have faced in preventing and resolving homelessness due to a lack of suitable housing options. Therefore, new measures and programmes should be introduced to ensure that a steady supply of new homes can be acquired over the next five to ten years for people with experience of rough sleeping. For instance, every local authority in England owns at least two long-term vacant properties for every one of its snapshot rough sleeping population. This demonstrates that there is great potential for more housing options to be created from existing stock with proper investment.

The research demonstrates that rough sleeping and homelessness disproportionately affects urban councils. Even when London is taken

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A very real risk remains that the number of people rough sleeping will again increase

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out of the equation, urban councils host 78 per cent of the country’s total population but 88 per cent of all the households living in temporary accommodation. This shows that better data on homelessness is critical to being able to allocate investment resources effectively. The research suggests that the government should introduce Chain (Combined Homelessness and Information Network) type recording systems in city regions outside London to achieve this.

The information recorded on Chain is more comprehensive than street-count data, as it constitutes an ongoing record of all work done year-round by outreach teams in London, rather than a snapshot of people seen rough sleeping on a single night.

At least a quarter of the recorded rough sleepers in the country are non-UK nationals, who require different interventions to help resolve their homelessness. Many have no recourse to public funds; although they may be able to live and work in the UK, they do not have access to the support system of benefits that other UK nationals do.

To end rough sleeping for everyone the new report recommends that the government temporarily removes restrictions on recourse to universal credit and housing benefit for all rough sleepers to ensure that people can afford safe accommodation.

Furthermore, to prevent as many people as possible from being forced to sleep rough in the long term, the government should also help to support people to regularise their immigration status through the relevant legal

means. The Salvation Army knows that it is only when everyone is secure and supported that there can be a real end to rough sleeping.

With the research findings and its recommendations, The Salvation Army can begin a conversation with the Treasury about the need for a new long-term approach to investment in the homelessness and rough sleeping system. The Public Affairs and Social Policy Unit has been busy launching the report and sharing the findings with government officials and other charities and organisations in the sector to begin this conversation for further action. You are also encouraged to share the report with anyone you think may be interested in its findings.

Watch this space as the team uses this research to spark the next six to twelve months of campaigning efforts to influence the government and ensure that long-term sustainable funding for homelessness and rough sleeping is available.

The full report is available at salvationarmy.org.uk/campaigningand-policy O For further information email public.affairs@salvationarmy.org.uk O

HOLLY IS PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND POLICY OFFICER (HOMELESSNESS), THQ

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VIEW POINT

Crossing the threshold Adrian Lyons considers whether we need to change to bring people to church and to faith

A

THRESHOLD is a strip of wood or stone forming the bottom of a doorway, which is crossed when entering a house or room. Or it can be the level at which one starts to feel or react to something.

Recently, I was able to attend a few sessions of a virtual symposium hosted by the New Statesman magazine. One session featured an interview with former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who is now master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. He remarked that over the past few months 25 per cent of the UK adult population had accessed some sort of religious service. He commented that, while he looked forward to the return of worship in a church building, there is something really inclusive about online worship that 10

Salvationist 15 August 2020

enables not only housebound people to attend but also those who would find crossing the threshold of a church a step too far.

I know what he means. For a long time I favoured holding our community carol concert in a secular setting. I have had 650 people attend a carol concert in a civic space, but struggle to get much more than a hundred to attend a similar concert in a church or Army hall. It is increasingly difficult to get people to cross the threshold in both physical and spiritual terms. Just as the worst aspect of social media allows people to be anonymous when hurling abuse, the positive aspect of anonymity online is the ease with which people can access Christian worship and dip a toe in the water without any embarrassment.

This is great, but how can we help them maintain and build on this interest when public worship returns? Is there a danger that we will return to analogue worship in a digital world, cutting off this inclusive opportunity?

It may be difficult for people brought up in a church environment to empathise with those for whom church is alien. We talk quite superficially about serving ‘the present age’ and ‘being relevant’, but while the pace of change in society has been so vast and rapid over the past 50 years, with the possible exception of the introduction of a few new songs, not much has changed in the way we do church. That may be exactly what we want, but then let us be honest and admit that we prioritise our own comfort and see growth in terms of

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There is something inclusive about online worship for those who find entering church a step too far

’

‘outsiders’ fitting in with us and the way we do things. That is fine if we are content with the occasional additional individual joining us, but may do little to boost the 2015 figure of 5 per cent of Great Britain’s population regularly attending church.

I do not know what the barriers to stepping over the threshold to church or the Army are, because they do not exist for me. It would make sense to do some research on this, but we may not like the answers.

Perhaps we could think about what goes on in church but nowhere else in life. I am not arguing that any of these elements should necessarily be jettisoned, but we could use this time, while we are forced out of our weekly routine, to ask questions. This might give us some clues as to what makes church so strange for people.

Within The Salvation Army, there are some obvious peculiarities. Depending on the context of the corps, uniforms and bands provide the usual suspects and have been targets for radicals for decades. However, when I think about my week and what until recently I did on a Sunday, a few other things emerge.

Where else do I join in with other people to sing? Indeed, where else do I hear the sort of music we sing as a congregation?

Is what we describe as ‘contemporary’ really contemporary or familiar to those who do not attend church?

The early Army was fortunate in being able to set new words to familiar secular songs. Its genius, for which it was heavily criticised, was to make worship attractive to non-churched people by adopting elements of the culture with which they were familiar. That task is much more difficult today. Then, when we do sing, we use some strange language. Our songbook was issued 15 years into the 21st century, but a deliberate decision was made to retain the language of the 18th century.

Little things, such as putting cash on a collection plate, could be an irritation.

Like many people, I very rarely use cash. I pay my financial contribution to the church by a standing order, but have been criticised for putting nothing in the collection plate. We must ask where else in life we sit and get spoken at for 15, 25, 35 or 45 minutes.

Another consideration might be the timing of meetings. These have evolved from the traditional ‘Army Sunday’,

beginning at 9.30 am and ending at around 7.45 pm. Now, Sunday morning is likely to be the one opportunity in the week for corporate worship – and the rationale for the timing is often unclear.

The 10.15 am start at my corps came about because the holiness meeting used to be at 11 am, following the morning open-air meeting. Complaints about being woken on a Sunday by the band at 10 am led to the decision about 35 years ago to swap the timings of the open-air and indoor meetings. The open-air meeting was abandoned some years ago, but subsequent suggestions of moving the indoor meeting to a later start have been countered with arguments that it would make Sunday lunch difficult.

In his book The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren describes how, before planting what became a highly popular church, he surveyed residents to discover what would be the best time for them to attend church. That’s not a bad idea.

In economics there is something called the insider-outsider theory of labour market activity. It focuses on how ‘insiders’ (employees whose jobs are protected by various labour turnover costs, such as advertising, appointing and training new staff) get market power, and how their activities affect the ‘outsiders’ (who are either unemployed or work in the informal sector). In Salvation Army terms, I am an insider. I adore Salvation Army music and love many of the songs in our songbook.

I recognise that it would be pointless to discomfort the insiders while having no impact on the outsiders. However, we exist as The Salvation Army to lead people to the point where they cross the threshold, reaching the level at which they start to react to the gospel. If that is our purpose, perhaps it’s time to think again about what we do and when we do it.

ADRIAN IS BANDMASTER, COLCHESTER CITADEL Salvationist 15 August 2020

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FEATURE I Let There Be Praise

The right freque I

T’S Wednesday night in Kitchener, Ontario. As 7.30 pm approaches, Tom Quick dons his headphones, straightens his stack of CDs and cues up his theme music. Tom notes the time in the corner of his screen and starts a disc. The band begins to play: ‘Let there be praise, let there be joy in our hearts... Forevermore, let his love fill the air, and let there be praise.’

And so begins Let There Be Praise, a two-hour show of Salvation Army music on Faith FM. For almost 20 years, Tom and his wife, Betty Ann, along with a few friends and volunteers, have spent their Wednesdays in the studio, letting the world hear the music that God has gifted to The Salvation Army. Bands, songster brigades, international soloists and other groups from near and far have filled the hours.

Tom with regular guest Major Miriam Stevens (Georgetown)

Salvationists and other music lovers from around the world listen in, both live and after the broadcast.

The origin of the show was humble.

As Christmas 2000 approached, Tom, who ran a weekly Monday evening classical music radio show on community radio station CKWR, realised that he would be broadcasting on Christmas Eve. A devoted 12

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Salvationist, Tom went to his corps officer with an idea. Rather than simply playing a list of Christmas favourites, why not allow the Army to use the time to thank the community for their support of the Christmas kettle appeal? The officer in charge of public relations for the Ontario South Division loved the idea, and made arrangements for greetings to be sent from various Salvation Army units in the area. Tom interspersed them with Christmas music by Salvation Army bands, for a programme entitled CHRISTmas With The Salvation Army.

It was a great success. Betty Ann answered a deluge of phone calls that came in during the show. When the radio station approached him about filling a 30-minute space on Sunday nights, Tom asked the Public Relations Department to sponsor the show, and Let There Be Praise was born. It was so popular that Tom arranged with the radio station to add a two-hour show of Salvation Army music on a weeknight, contacting ministry units in Ontario South to support the show. Though it eventually became a monthly feature, the music continued to play.

In the early days the show was enjoyed only by those in the immediate area, but with the rise of the internet, Tom found himself blessed with a much larger audience. He was able to promote his show not only across Canada, but around the world. Steef Klepke created a website (salvos.com/ tomquick), which was eventually picked up by Pieter van Horssen in Amsterdam.

Pieter has recorded every broadcast for the past 15 years, and they are now available on John Bannister’s website in Australia (salvoaudio.com) and Stuart Hall’s site in the United Kingdom (citadelpromotions.co.uk).

Tom has a longstanding association with the local Christian radio station, Faith FM, stretching back 17 years. A decade ago, the president of Faith FM told him that if there were ever an opportunity for the Christian channel to

take on the show, then he would be interested. About six years ago, Tom took him up on his offer, and Let There Be Praise became a monthly show on Wednesdays. Since then, he has spent many hours in the studio, usually broadcasting live with the help of Betty Ann, a volunteer timekeeper and the guest host, who provides a couple of short devotional thoughts and introduces music or talks about music groups and composers who are featured on the show.

Tom has been astounded by the show’s growing popularity. Five years ago, it had only enough sponsors to air once a month, with the occasional extra broadcast. In 2018 Tom had to be intentional about leaving a break in the autumn to allow time for a short

ency

Major Jim Hann tunes in to the Army radio show that’s been delighting listeners for 20 years

vacation. Every other week of the year was booked by sponsors from all around the globe. The most popular broadcasts of the year remain true to their origin: CHRISTmas With The Salvation Army broadcasts, on Wednesdays in December, always book up as soon as they are made available.

Let There Be Praise is far more than just two hours a week in front of the microphone. Tom draws on his massive collection of Salvation Army music to prepare the show, which may focus on a theme or feature a particular composer or musical group. Canadian broadcast standards require a certain percentage of Canadian content in each show; this allows Tom to feature local groups that usually would not be heard outside their immediate area.

He also takes great pleasure in introducing Salvationists from every territory to his audience. He has received music from around the Army world – recently, additions to his collection have come from Japan, Australia, South America, Iceland, Hong Kong and many other countries. He feels that this variety adds interest for his listeners, who hear both the Army’s premier groups, as well as musicians from smaller settings. This is an encouragement to those who provide music to their local congregations week in and week out.

The little studio on Belmont Avenue in Kitchener has seen many faces over the past 19 years: Commissioner Susan McMillan, former Territorial Commander for Canada and Bermuda; Lieut-Colonel

John Murray, Territorial Secretary for Communications; guests from the International Staff Band, the Canadian Staff Band and the Canadian Staff Songsters; composers and musicians from across Canada and the United States; and the weekly sponsors who pay the $200 cost for the show. Some groups sponsor shows to promote their latest recordings or upcoming concerts, others in memory of loved ones and still others simply for the love of the Lord, the Army and the music.

Tom, a proud Cornishman who was born and raised in St Ives, has been involved with music in The Salvation Army all his life. A world traveller, he has played with various musical groups in Britain, Australia, the United States and Canada. He and Betty Ann support their local corps – Hespeler Community Church in Cambridge, Ontario – with Tom on his beloved trombone and Betty Ann at the piano.

He recently celebrated his 79th birthday, but that doesn’t mean he’s giving up his ministry. A highlight of Tom’s life is receiving emails from around the world, telling him how much of a blessing Army music is. The Lord has used the hours in the studio to touch the lives of thousands of people, many of whom Tom will never meet this side of Heaven.

This year, Tom and Betty Ann celebrate 20 years of musical offerings. Thank God for this special ministry he has given them.

O Tune in to Let There Be Praise on kitchener.faithfm.org at 7.30 pm Wednesdays EST (12.30 am Thursdays UK time) O Contact Tom Quick for requests and suggestions at quickmusic1@gmail.com

MAJOR HANN IS CORPS OFFICER, ESSEX COMMUNITY CHURCH, ONTARIO GREAT LAKES DIVISION, CANADA O This article was first published in the Canada and Bermuda Territory Salvationist

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REFL RE FLEC FL ECTI EC TION TI ON REFLECTION

Holding on to joy Captains Martin and Vicky Crawford (Southampton Shirley) reflect on their change of appointments during the coronavirus pandemic

M

ANY people during the course of this pandemic have experienced a range of emotions – everything from fear and loneliness to contentment and peace. Knowing that we were due to move from Salisbury this year added an extra element to the list. In the first weeks of lockdown we were very much in a denial stage: ‘It will be fine, it will all get sorted before we get to July.’

Then, as the weeks crept by, we began to question: ‘Are we actually going to move? What will we have to do?’

There are always challenges when you move house, especially when you have children. Finding school places can be difficult at the best of times, but how do you go about discovering the best schools for your children when you cannot visit? What do you do when you cannot even talk to someone because the school is running on skeleton staff?

At that stage there were more questions than answers and our anxiety levels were beginning to rise.

Our natural response was to pray.

One of our favourite Bible passages is Philippians 4:4–7. It is a reminder to us that in all things we can hold on to joy because with God and through prayer we have the assurance that he is with us.

We tried our hardest not to be anxious and to present our requests to God, but sometimes we let our emotions get the better of us. The children, Amber, Toby and Noah, were also dealing with their own emotions as they tried to cope with the loss of their usual routines and with 14

Salvationist 15 August 2020

being separated from friends they might not get a chance to say goodbye to before the move. There were tears, there were tantrums, there were big feelings without the words to express them.

Throughout all this we had a responsibility to our corps – to keep connected and be there as a spiritual and practical support. On days when home schooling was tricky and when requests for prescription pick-ups and practical assistance food parcels needed our response, we did wonder if there was a way we could split ourselves in two! On those days, for our own wellbeing, we had to put thoughts of moving or not moving out of our minds and get on with the day’s activities.

Then came the news that the officer moves would go ahead as planned, and there was a part of us that was relieved that we had a firm decision.

However, it also brought the realisation that we would be leaving a group of people with whom we had journeyed for five years, without being able to have any recent face-to-face contact. How could we effectively say goodbye and end well when we were not allowed to meet together? We came back to our Bible reading and made the conscious decision to find joy in the conversations we were sharing and seek opportunities to let our corps folk know that we appreciated their support and love over the years. We continued to pray that God would help us through this transition. The peace of God, which

really did transcend all understanding, was with us and we had the sense that it would all come together.

The practicalities of moving house in a pandemic are interesting to say the least! Packing as much as possible to allow the boxes to be left untouched sounds easy, but it had to be balanced with the children needing resources to complete their home schooling tasks and a toddler who didn’t fully understand why some of his toys were being put in boxes. Then there was the hilarious concept of trying to clean a house to an acceptable standard when there are three children in it 24/7!

We held on to that reading from Philippians, so when our local officers asked if there was a Bible reading that was special to us for the farewell Zoom meeting, we had no hesitation. The peace that we felt about our farewell was realised as they put together a beautiful farewell video message and meeting.

So many people faced the challenges of learning new technology in order to join us and, because of the pandemic, we now have a DVD memento of that farewell that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.

We continue to realise the joy we see in our everyday and rejoice in the peace that we have experienced throughout this period of time. Now, as we settle into our new appointment and learn to connect with our new congregation, we continue to rely upon God and look for the joy in every situation.

FAITH AT WORK

Rhoda (front row, fourth from left) and her choir at a carol service with Lord Burnett, Commissioners Anthony and Gill Cotterill and THQ musicians

A gentle influence Rhoda Atkinson (Croydon Citadel) writes about her Christian witness in the office and while working from home

I

AM part of the Judicial Office at the Royal Courts of Justice, where the main part of my job is to draft advice for the lord chief justice and the lord chancellor. Each morning before the lockdown I would get up at around 4 am to be at my desk by 6.30 am. Like many folk, I am currently working from home – at the time of writing, I am logged on at 5 am. There aren’t many benefits to being up so early but I do see some wonderful sunrises.

It is no secret that I attend The Salvation Army, and I have been known to wear my uniform around the Royal Courts of Justice. One such occasion was when I attended the funeral of General John Gowans. Returning to work I was called into an urgent meeting with the senior presiding judge. With no time to change I hurried through the corridors and was greeted with a rather surprised look when he opened his door to find me in full uniform.

As a Christian and Salvationist, those I work with expect something different in my behaviour. Colleagues speak to me about problems they are facing or when they just need someone to listen to them. A few years ago, when we were all called into a room to be told that a

colleague had died suddenly during the night, I was asked if I could pray with everyone.

On another occasion I had an indepth conversation with a man who was struggling with several aspects of his life.

The next week he came to tell me that, for the first time since being a child, he had prayed. ‘The problems haven’t gone away,’ he told me, ‘but I feel the burden has been lifted and I have hope.’

Others have told me that they swear a lot less in my presence! And some, knowing I’m a teetotaller, have felt inspired to give up alcohol for events such as Dry January.

Every December I put my ‘Jesus is the reason’ decoration on my desk – a reminder to those I work with of the real meaning of Christmas. A few years ago, when I was involved in the Army recording several songs for the BBC’s Songs Of Praise, a number of my colleagues started to watch the programme in the hope of spotting me.

Some enjoyed the programme so much they are still watching.

In late 2017 I was asked to commence a choir at the Royal Courts of Justice.

We sing a wide range of songs but I have to admit we do sing a lot of Army and other religious music. One member of the choir, who joined last summer, was a Salvationist when she was younger but hadn’t attended a place of worship for more than 20 years. We soon reminisced about the Army and her memories, and discussed why she stopped attending. Imagine my joy several months ago when she told me that, following our conversations, she

had felt led to attend a meeting. And again, when she told me that she was walking past an Army hall in December, saw that there was a carol service inside and walked into the hall to join in.

As soon as the choir was formed I decided that I would plan a carol service in the main hall at which the group could sing. Nothing like this had been done before but, with prayer and perseverance, it all came together. This is now a firm fixture at the Royal Courts of Justice, with lord chief justice Lord Burnett attending and providing a reading, along with other senior judiciary, and with a small group of musicians from the Music and Creative Arts Unit at THQ providing the accompaniment for the carols and the choir. I was privileged last December to have territorial leaders Commissioners Anthony and Gill Cotterill attend and provide the Bible readings.

While I am not allowed a sermon or prayer in the service, I am glad of the opportunity to hold it and share something of the true meaning of Christmas with those who attend.

Like all other choirs, we are not functioning at present but we are in regular contact. Since lockdown, I have also been sharing verses from the Army songbook with colleagues each day. This has proved a real ministry, as recipients often come back to me saying they were just the words they needed that day. My work can be extremely stressful, dealing with some difficult situations, but I would like to think that I have a gentle influence on those around me, and that they can see the difference that Jesus makes in my life.

Salvationist 15 August 2020

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BIBLE STUDY

Peter learns to live right Major Brian Slinn reminds us that dealing with conflict requires love at all costs MATTHEW 18:15–35

W

HEN I first came to The Salvation Army in the 1970s, chorus-singing was a strong feature of worship. Typically, a meeting leader would direct the congregation to a chorus at the back of the songbook or invite them to sing a chorus from the local repertoire. The latter was a particular challenge, requiring visitors to learn them quickly enough to join in the second or third time around. The best of our chorus singing happened at some lull in the meeting when somebody spontaneously launched into song. This, in turn, gave permission to someone else, until a whole string of related choruses followed. It was quite an art.

A good primer to these was ‘I Want To Live Right’. Those of a certain age will recall the words immediately and

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

by Major Howard Webber

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know the reason behind the song’s declaration: ‘that God may use me’.

It was through such singing that we learnt how the quality of our behaviour had an impact on our usefulness to God. In our study passage, Peter, not always known for his consistency, has some lessons to learn about this.

Matthew, who brings a Jewish perspective to the story and teaching of Jesus, was familiar with the idea of justice and righteousness. Jewish Scripture is steeped in the concept of righteousness and its application of personal holiness. Even God himself faces the impudent challenge of Abraham in the question: ‘Will not the Judge of all the Earth do right?’

(Genesis 18:25).

This is a consequence of being sanctified – set apart for God as his chosen people. Like God, his people needed to be righteous – to live right.

QUESTION O Ralph Waldo Emerson said: ‘Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you are saying.’ How true do you think this is?

There are few issues that test our righteousness as much as how we deal with conflict (see vv15–17). We tend to mirror behaviour. Shout at me and the chances are I’ll shout back at you. If I am hurt, I am likely to withdraw from the relationship. A chilling wind begins to blow and the causes and effects of our falling-out develop a narrative of victim and villain. It becomes a story to be told and is rehearsed often in our minds and with anyone willing to listen. What we should do – which is to seek the cause and find the remedy – we do not do, because we need to win. Paul writes about this (see Romans 7:19).

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’

(Matthew 18:21 and 22)

Make me a channel of your peace./ It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,/ In giving of ourselves that we receive,/ And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

(SASB 608)

‘If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.’

(Matthew 6:14 and 15)

QUESTIONS O Can you bring to mind conflicts in which you’ve been involved, or conflicts you have observed, and test them against the ideas suggested on page 16?

O What do you observe in the text as a proper response to conflict?

To live right is costly to our pride and human nature. It is not peace at any price but love at all costs. Jesus is clear on that. Notice there are no given outcomes. All we can do is ‘right’. So, do the right thing. While reconciliation might not always be a guaranteed outcome, it can never be the result of our unwillingness.

Magnanimity is the norm.

In Jewish thinking the number seven represents divine perfection.

When asked by Peter how many times he should forgive others, Jesus

turns up the volume (see vv21 and 22). Seventy-seven times is unimaginable. Forgiveness is infinite.

While our study passage has some obvious things to say about the generosity of God, it also records Jesus reflecting on human nature (see vv21–35).

The Bible describes our nature as evil. Evil includes knowing that something hurts and inflicting it on others – it is malevolent. Being forgiven should make us forgiving, but often it doesn’t. Where the divine nature should have been released, our human nature persists. As a consequence, we are forgiven of our trespasses in the measure with which we forgive those who trespass against us.

Verses 18 and 19 speak of the authority of a holy life. Living according to the teaching of Jesus

gives spiritual authority. Like Peter, we need to learn that who we are impacts the effectiveness of what we do.

Only when we are ‘in Christ’ do we demonstrate the capacity for costly reconciliation, infinite forgiveness and generosity of spirit. His nature then becomes evident through us (see 1 Corinthians 3:16).

Dealing with conflict needs honesty and acceptance of rebuke and, sometimes, correction. This keeps relationships healthy (see 2 Timothy 4:2). Conflict should never be destructive. When we speak our truth in love, it need not be (see Ephesians 4:15).

MAJOR SLINN IS DIVISIONAL COMMANDER, EAST MIDLANDS

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Forgive our sins as we forgive,/ You taught us, Lord, to pray;/ But you alone can grant us grace/ To live the words we say./ How can your pardon reach and bless/ The unforgiving heart/ That broods on wrongs, and will not let/ Old bitterness depart?

(SASB 1986 edition 572)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

(Ephesians 4:32)

I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven./ I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid./ I know my name is clear before my Father;/ I am his child and I am not afraid./ So, greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive my brother;/ The law of love I gladly will obey.

(SASB 850)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

(Colossians 3:12 and 13)

Prayer In blazing light your cross reveals The truth we dimly knew; How small the debts men owe to us, How great our debt to you!

Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls And bid resentment cease; Then reconciled to God and man, Our lives will spread your peace.

Salvationist 15 August 2020

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You’ll never walk alone Trevor Caffull reflects on some popular words of hope and encouragement

I

HAVE to be honest with you – the final weeks of the football season were tough. I am a Manchester United fan, in spite of the fact that I have never lived anywhere near Manchester. Like many of the 1960s generation, I follow United because I was encouraged to do so by my dad, as part of the emotional response to the 1958 Munich air disaster, which claimed the lives of eight players and three staff members. As a United fan I would cite George Best as my ultimate football hero – I still have pictures of him on my study wall.

If you know anything about football, and the habits of football fans, you will know that Manchester United and Liverpool are arch rivals. This is largely because an era of United success, which came to an end in about 1970, was succeeded by Liverpool dominance that lasted until about 1990. This was then replaced by another purple patch for United until Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. The dominance of each team seemed to coincide with a period in the wilderness for the other, which heightened the antipathy between the two sets of supporters.

Then, in the last week of June, it happened. For the first time in 30 years, Liverpool won the league title – very convincingly. It was totally deserved, it must be said. Although Manchester United finished third and qualified for the UEFA Champions League next season, it’s a tough victory to take. To make matters worse, as a die-hard United fan I’m not supposed to like anything to do with Liverpool, but I do like their extremely likeable manager Jürgen Klopp. For a United fan it’s not a good place to be.

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Salvationist 15 August 2020

The song ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ has been synonymous with Liverpool FC since the 1960s when Gerry and the Pacemakers had a hit with the song, originally from the musical Carousel. For obvious reasons it’s a song I’ve never been terribly fond of, but I’ve listened to it more intently recently. As well as continuing to be the Liverpool anthem it’s also been a theme song to salute the work of NHS and frontline workers during the Covid-19 crisis. It’s not surprising that the song has been so widely used in these past months. The words have a strong message of hope and encouragement, with the reassurance that there is a golden sky at the end of a storm.

When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high And don’t be afraid of the dark.

At the end of a storm There’s a golden sky And the sweet silver song of a lark.

Add to that the reassurance that whatever life throws at us we don’t need to deal with it alone, and it becomes the perfect message for the concerns of today.

Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain Though your dreams be tossed and blown; Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk alone.

I had never realised this before, but the message of the song is almost scriptural.

Matthew 28:20 gives us the ultimate reassurance from Jesus: ‘And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ So we never need to walk alone.

You can take this song – this Liverpool FC theme, anthem of the NHS, Gerry and the Pacemakers hit, show tune by Rodgers and Hammerstein or song with scriptural inspiration – on whatever level you wish, but it will always be a song of hope and encouragement.

At the Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd (SATCoL) I’m pleased to see sales from our reopened shops, from the work of our Clothing Collection Division and from Salvationist Publishing and Supplies exceed expectations. But we at SATCoL still need to remember that our business has faced the biggest threat in its near 30-year existence, and that there are those among our colleagues whose jobs are under threat through shop closures.

We need hope and encouragement today.

Whether you work for SATCoL or not, you may be struggling to cope with the demands of your job, still on furlough or facing a future with uncertain employment prospects. You might not be working – perhaps you are studying, unemployed or retired – and facing different challenges.

Some might be unwell, anxious or bereaved. Whatever your circumstances or prospects, it’s good to remember that with Christ you’ll never walk alone.

TREVOR IS MANAGING DIRECTOR, SATCOL, AND A SOLDIER AT KETTERING CITADEL

LETTERS

IN SAFE HANDS JULY has been a strange month. It’s supposedly mid-summer, but where I live in the Lake District it’s felt quite autumnal. This reminded me of the unexpected changing seasons of our lives. For many of us, 2020 began with exciting plans and great expectations.

Quite suddenly the season changed in February and March, with the arrival of Covid-19 and lockdown. Our well-laid plans came to an abrupt halt, and the season became one of weeping and mourning for so many of us.

While reading the Book of Job, I was reminded of Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends, who points out: ‘If I were you I would appeal to God… He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted... He sends water on the countryside. The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety’ (5:8–11).

Given where I live, I am well aware of God’s favour at sending ‘water on the countryside’ keeping it lush and green and keeping the Lakes topped up with water. I am also grateful that ‘those who mourn are lifted to safety’. What a promise!

As children of God, we can take heart during these dark times of grief. God is our safe place, ‘providing a circle of quiet’ (Psalm 94:12 The Message). May you be encouraged to build yourself up daily in God’s word, and be reminded of his goodness and love towards you.

We are in safe hands. There will come a season when we shall laugh and dance again.

Nicola Walmsley Barrow-in-Furness

Open-air meeting in Lurgan car park

OPEN-AIR OPPORTUNITY? I HAVE been surprised that the Army, a church that started with outdoor meetings, has not taken the opportunity of lockdown to once again take meetings outside. With social distancing in place we should be able to come together for a service; it will be easier for those corps which still have bands and don’t rely on modern technology, but surely now is a good time to get back to our roots, even if a Salvation Army umbrella may be needed.

Jane Chapman Sacriston Editor’s note: The territory is following guidance from Public Health England issued on 3 July, which states that brass and woodwind instruments should not be played in groups outdoors in England.

FAMILY CAN FUEL SURVIVAL

AN OFFICER FOR ALL SEASONS WE at Basingstoke Corps have been blessed to have Lieutenant Rob Westwood-Payne in charge. He is a technical whizz kid!

Immediately upon lockdown he began to arrange online worship on Facebook. That started as quite simple meetings, but thanks to his technical abilities and patience they have really developed and now the meetings are on sermon.net too.

Rob has kept our corps family connected and in touch with Zoom coffee chats after meetings, plus a Zoom coffee morning every Wednesday followed by a prayer meeting in the evening. It has been wonderful to be together online and this has helped us all, spiritually and mentally, to get through these unusual, and sometimes difficult, months.

It’s also been incredible how many other people from different corps and abroad have joined with us on Sunday, giving us a golden opportunity to spread the gospel. Praise the Lord!

Gina Oxer Basingstoke

IN our hectic lives our family foundations can feel shaken.

We may feel we’re not getting the time needed to invest in our family relationships. Perhaps we feel that sibling rivalry is pulling our unit apart rather than together. Having a strong family bond ensures that everyone feels secure and has a rock on which the rest of life rests. If families can create traditions that weave in and out of the year, these bonds will be enhanced. Family meetings can be a good time for everyone to check in with each other, air grievances or discuss future plans. Everyone in the family should feel empowered to share their good news as well as their bad news. When family members feel supported, getting through hard times becomes much easier.

Before you can change the family dynamic of your household, however, you must first change yourself. It is important to note that mood impacts tremendously on those around you. If you feel positive and upbeat, it will boost the morale in your home. When you observe conflict, always be on the side of reconciliation and appoint an arbitrator. Bring the parties together and create a covenant. Family relationships should not be eroded by time or changes in circumstances.

Handsen Chikowore London Salvationist 15 August 2020

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MEDITATION

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen

by Major Alistair Dawson

P

AUL McCartney’s mother, Mary, died when he was 14. He had a dream about her one night when the Beatles were beginning to fall apart, which gave him strength. ‘In my darkest hour,’ he said, ‘mother Mary had come to me.’ Focusing on this, he wrote his famous song ‘Let It Be’, which includes the line: ‘Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.’

The phrase ‘let it be’ relates well to our prayer chorus, ‘Let The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Me’, which expresses the idea of release or the freedom to let things happen and accept them for what they are.

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, All his wonderful passion and purity, O thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

(SASB 717) Every one of us has a God-given freedom to allow the beauty of God’s life to be released into ours, and to simply allow his presence to transform our life on a daily basis. A beauty that is transferrable and transforming can be graciously received, accepted and enjoyed.

It seems to me that the beauty of Jesus is rarely talked about these days, and yet the best place for it to be seen or revealed is in our lives. It really is ours to receive, accept and enjoy. The chorus ‘Every Day With Jesus’ expresses words of devotion that simply say: ‘I love him more and more.’

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Salvationist 15 August 2020

Every day with Jesus Is sweeter than the day before, Every day with Jesus I love him more and more; Jesus saves and keeps me, And he’s the one that I adore; Every day with Jesus Is sweeter than the day before.

It is amazing how poets can capture such beautiful expressions as they discover the love and beauty of Jesus for themselves. Lela Long, who secretly preferred to be anonymous, will always be remembered for her lovely chorus: Jesus is the sweetest name I know, And he’s just the same, as his lovely name, And that’s the reason why I love him so; Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Bernard of Clairvaux also offered a beautiful moment of reflection: Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts, Thou fount of life, thou light of men, From the best bliss that Earth imparts We turn unfilled to thee again.

(SASB 340) The poet has the gift of contrasting different expressions of life within a short mood span. In the following chorus, May Bladin used phrases like ‘sweet Spirit’, ‘my poor heart’ and ‘thy beauty adorning’ in fewer than 20 words: Sweet Spirit of Christ, Make my poor heart thy dwelling, Thy beauty adorning, Other souls draw nigh to thee.

(SASB 788) In the chorus ‘Let The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Me’, the second line talks about the wonderful passion and purity of Jesus. Passion and purity are important expressions of the Christian faith, yet can so often be the very ingredients that are missing in our evangelism. Thomas Bracken wrote in his poem ‘Not Understood’: Not understood, we move along asunder; Our paths grow wider as the seasons creep

Along the years; we marvel and we wonder Why life is life, and then we fall asleep Not understood.

We need to come alive and relate to what God is doing in our life, to become aware of who he is, and to express his love with a passion and purpose that make it real.

Thomas Binney penned this lovely thought in his search for God’s Eternal Light: Eternal Light! Eternal Light!

How pure the soul must be, When, placed within thy searching sight, It shrinks not, but with calm delight, Can live and look on thee.

(SASB 1986 edition 414) It is not easy to associate passion and purity with the beauty and loveliness that God wants us to share.

Love with passion and with patience, Love with principle and fire, Love with heart and mind and utterance, Serving Christ my one desire.

(SASB 672) Within that verse, love is associated with passion, and love is so beautifully expressed through purity. The chorus that follows says: All my work is for the Master, He is all my heart’s desire; O that he might count me faithful In the day that tries by fire!

‘My work’ it may be, but in reality it is no longer my work, but the work of the God who dwells within me.

O thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

MAJOR DAWSON LIVES IN RETIREMENT IN NORWICH

Poet’s corner

An absolutely God

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AJOR Libbet Booth provides three songs in response to the Territorial Commander’s message on the theme ‘Absolutely’ (Salvationist 23 May). These songs can be used with long metre tunes such as Fewster, Amazing Grace or Crimond.

ABSOLUTELY GOD I serve an absolutely God, Perfect in every way; I’ve trusted him through all the years, Why should I doubt today?

I love my absolutely God, A God of power and might, Who helps me grow in grace with him, So I can live aright!

ABSOLUTELY HOLY SPIRIT I serve an absolutely God, Who left a gift for me: The promise of the Holy Ghost, Empowering gift indeed.

I serve an absolutely God, The architect of time, Who spun our wondrous world in space And made our sun to shine.

ABSOLUTELY CHRIST I serve an absolutely God, Complete in every way; A caring, loving, giving Lord, Who seeks me when I stray.

I serve a God of power and might, A triune God is mine, The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, A priceless gift divine.

I serve a God of structured thought, A God of deep design, Who by his great redemption plan I now can claim as mine.

Christ faced the cross on my behalf, God’s Son, he took my place; I’m absolutely one with him, A sinner saved by grace.

I need the absolutely God To save and keep me whole.

To Father, Son and Holy Ghost I now commit my soul!

I serve an absolutely God, Complete in all his ways, Who marks the way that I should go, Secure through all my days.

Christ shows me how mankind should live, He’s with me all the way, Setting me free from doubt and fear, Now and through every day!

MAJOR BOOTH LIVES IN RETIREMENT IN WORTHING

REFLECTION RE R EFL FLEC ECT ECTI TIION ON

Believing with your heart Brian Colley (Clowne) begins a second series of reflections on verses from Psalms The Lord hears when I call to him.

(Psalm 4:3)

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HIS is one of the many psalms attributed to David. It is a prayer that commences with an immediate statement of confidence that God will answer this plea because he has answered previous prayers: ‘Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God’ (v1). Then there is recognition that the prayer will be

answered. David knows that God hears every word of those who speak to him.

The words of John 3:16 are familiar to most of us: ‘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.’ But they can seem too simple and make salvation sound easy.

This was recognised by Catherine Booth, the Army Mother, when she preached her sermon ‘Saving Faith’ in 1881. She talked about ‘preaching indiscriminately to unawakened, unconverted, unrepentant sinners’ to ‘believe on the Lord Jesus Christ’. She went on to ask how such people could believe. She said: ‘As soon might Satan believe. It is an utter impossibility.’ There followed an illustration about her son on the top of a bus speaking to a drunken man who said: ‘I believe in Jesus Christ,

and of course I shall be saved.’

Today, many people would answer positively if asked whether they believe in Jesus. They might have a head belief but to be truly saved there has also to be a heart belief. Eternal life is promised not to those who say ‘I know that my redeemer lives’ but to those who can also add: ‘He lives within my heart.’

‘Search your hearts’ David goes on to say (v4). We do not pray to a God who is hidden somewhere in a far away Heaven, but to a God who is as near as our hearts.

The final two verses speak of the true joy and peace that are gifts of God, therefore enabling David to have an untroubled sleep and live in safety. What more can we ask for than to sleep peacefully in our beds? That will be guaranteed to those who exercise true head and heart belief in God. Salvationist 15 August 2020

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARMY PEOPLE

TRIBUTES

The following appointments and promotions, decided upon by the General, have been announced by the Chief of the Staff Effective 1 December O Lieut-Colonels David and Elsa Oalang, officers of The Philippines Territory, are appointed as Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries, The Philippines Territory, with the rank of colonel O Lieut-Colonels Rodolfo and Josalie Salcedo, officers of The Philippines Territory, are appointed as Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries, The Philippines Territory

ROY DONCASTER, BOSCOMBE BORN in Newark into a Salvationist family, Roy committed to God and The Salvation Army as a young man.

Following national service he moved to Bournemouth, where he met Eileen Moores. Together they enjoyed nearly 70 years of devoted marriage. The family they shared became a source of joy and pride to them.

In 1947 Roy took a temporary job at Beales department store and worked there for 42 years until his retirement. During his 65 years at Boscombe Corps he held various local officer positions, carrying out each one with faithfulness and enthusiasm.

Roy was promoted to Glory aged 94 in hospital at a time when, sadly, his wife and children were unable to visit him. Many of the cards and messages received spoke of his friendliness and encouragement to people over the years.

In his Bible was this prayer, which was the hallmark of his life: ‘My prayers are simple. I do not ask for great things, only

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES Emerald (55th) O Majors Margaret and Mervin Baker (30 August) Golden O Majors Brian and Gillian Miller (29 August) DEDICATED TO GOD Emily Grace, daughter of Darren and Emma Claydon, at Isle of Wight by Captains Lillian and Rodney Bean

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RETIRED OFFICERS Birthday congratulations O Colonel David Guy (90 on 31 August) O Major Libbet Booth (80 on 31 August) PROMOTED TO GLORY O Major Gill Stacey (Vale Street Lifehouse) O Ruby James, Staple Hill O Rtd SL Ken Edwards, Rushden O John Foster, Lincoln BEREAVED O Major Joan Stacey of her daughter Major Gill Stacey, Amanda Ward, Derby Central, of her sister O Asst YPBL/Bandsman/Songster Kelvin James, Staple Hill, of his mother Ruby James O Janet Banfield, Staple Hill, of her husband David, Katie Banfield of her father O Songster Jenefer Edwards, Rushden, of her husband Rtd SL Ken Edwards, Vivien Sugars and Deryn Edwards of their father O Margaret Warburton, Swanage, of her sister Irene Rawles 22

Salvationist 15 August 2020

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE OPENING FOR WORSHIP The guidance for places of worship in England and Scotland was updated on 8 August. Face coverings are now required by law to be worn by people attending worship and other public activities at corps.

In England, employees and corps officers working at the corps are not required to wear a face covering, nor are people who are leading worship (preaching, praying, reading the Bible). In Scotland, a worship leader will be exempt from wearing a face covering when they are leading worship, provided additional safeguards are in place (for example, 2 metre physical distancing is in place and/or a protective screen or barrier).

Although some people may complain about having to wear a mask, let’s all remember we are doing this to save lives and fight the virus. The public health advice is strongly encouraging everyone to wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where you come into contact with people

for him to help me do my work as well as possible. I then ask him to watch over my children, my wife and all the members of my family. For children are the greatest gift that life can give a man.’ – MD TERRY NIELSEN, BRISTOL EASTON RETIRED Songster Leader William Terence Nielsen, known as Terry, was born in 1930 into a Salvationist home in Newcastle upon Tyne.

In 1952 he left the city to join the Royal Air Force Central Band as a musician. He married Moira Alexander in October 1953, and they linked up with Bedford Congress Hall where Terry became bandmaster.

Music leadership positions followed at Peterborough Citadel, York and Plymouth Exeter Hall, with Terry eventually retiring and making his home at Bristol Easton.

Terry’s name became synonymous with music sections of repute. He was a man of high standards, serving the Lord he loved by using his talents in the most practical way. He leaves a huge legacy, not just for his family, of whom he was fiercely proud, but also for those who got to know him over his 90 years. – CN Issued by Secretary for Communications Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant and correct as of 3 pm on 10 August

you do not normally meet.

Face coverings in places of worship are not required in any other countries in the territory. For details of regulations for other countries in the UK, go to gov.uk and search for ‘face coverings’. There are valid exemptions for some individuals and groups so please be understanding of hidden disabilities and health conditions that prevent people from wearing a face covering.

CHARITY SHOP GUIDANCE Government guidance on the quarantine of donations has changed from 72 hours to 48 hours. Local guidelines should still apply where different, such as the Republic of Ireland, where it remains 72 hours. The Covid-19 Staff and Volunteers Risk Assessment must be completed for any returning workers and volunteers (including people over 70 and those shielding). There is a separate form for staff and volunteers returning to homelessness and older people’s services settings.

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7. b. 26 years

14. a. A New Song

6. c. Fairfield Halls 5. c. Andrew Mackereth 4. b. Universal 3. c. Carl Saunders 2. c. 1998 1. a. New York Staff Band

ANSWERS TO ARMY MUSIC QUIZ (PAGE 24) 20. c. Two cornets and three trombones

13. b. The Blood Of The Lamb

19. a. Regent Hall Band

12. c. Expressions

18. b. Martin Cordner

11. a. Booth

17. c. ‘Banners And Bonnets’

10. b. It’s An Open Secret

16. b. Penge

9. b. 1992

15. a. 1994

8. a. Richard Slater

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ARMY MUSIC QUIZ Test your knowledge of Salvation Army music in this quiz compiled by Paul Sharman, Assistant Director of Music and Creative Arts (Brass/Choral) Which is the oldest staff band in the world? a. New York Staff Band b. International Staff Band c. Melbourne Staff Band

1

In which year was the first Territorial Youth Band course held? a. 1996 b. 1997 c. 1998

2

Who is the current bandmaster of the Household Troops Band? a. Major John Mott b. Howard Evans c. Carl Saunders

3

Which record label released the ISB album, Together? a. SP&S b. Universal c. Decca

4

Who conducts the Salvation Army Symphonic Wind Ensemble in the UK? a. Gavin Lamplough b. Andrew Blyth c. Andrew Mackereth

5

Where did the first public performance of the International Staff Songsters take place in March 1980? a. Royal Albert Hall b. Regent Hall c. Fairfield Halls

6

For how long has Stephen Cobb been bandmaster of the ISB? a. 22 years b. 26 years c. 30 years

7

What was the name of Richard Mingay and Graham Lamplough’s musical, first performed at the Ashcroft Theatre in 2000? a. Booth b. Hallelujah! c. Covenant

17

The group FourHymn were originally formed to take part in which Salvation Army event? a. Hendon Highlights b. Symphony Sounds c. Expressions

18

Which Gowans and Larsson musical includes the song, ‘They Shall Come From The East’? a. Take-over Bid b. The Blood Of The Lamb c. Glory!

19

What is the name of the contemporary worship resource produced by MACA? a. A New Song b. Happiness And Harmony c. Contemporary Worship Now!

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Who is known as ‘the father of Salvation Army music’? a. Richard Slater b. George Marshall c. Eric Ball

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In what year was Salvation Army music made available to non-Army groups? a. 1990 b. 1992 c. 1994

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Reaching number 32 in the UK singles chart, what was the first single released by the Joystrings? a. Million Songs b. It’s An Open Secret c. A Starry Night

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When did Sing To The Lord replace The Musical Salvationist? a. 1994 b. 1995 c. 1996 Which corps songster brigade is recognised as the Army’s first official vocal section? a. Staines b. Penge c. Brighton Congress Hall

Meredith Wilson, who wrote ‘It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas’, also wrote which Salvation Army ‘theme’ song? a. ‘O Boundless Salvation’ b. ‘Joy In The Salvation Army’ c. ‘Banners And Bonnets’ Which composer wrote all the original music for the opening ceremony of the Boundless Congress in 2015? a. William Himes b. Martin Cordner c. Peter Graham Which Salvation Army band was the first to play in the forecourt at Buckingham Palace? a. Regent Hall Band b. International Staff Band c. Chalk Farm Band Leslie Condon’s piece, ‘Festivity’, was originally written for what combination of instruments? a. Two cornets, horn, euphonium and tuba b. Three cornets, horn, three trombones and tuba c. Two cornets and three trombones

O Answers on page 23