Salvationist 22 May 2021

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QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA

CHURCH OF ENGLAND ISSUES GUIDANCE ON MEMORIALS WITH SLAVERY LINKS New guidance has been issued by the Church of England to help churches and cathedrals address concerns over memorials with links to slavery.

Contested Heritage in Cathedrals and Churches focuses on memorials for people or events connected with racism and slavery.

It recognises the ‘anger’ over monuments to people with such links, expressed in the toppling of statues during protests last year…

The guidance says… ‘The effects of enslavement continue to impact the lives of many UK ethnic minority communities to whom, at best, these objects may be reminders of an “overcome” past, a horror from which we celebrate our extrication; at worst, for these objects to remain in place with no discussion or interpretation could be taken to imply that the oppression and disenfranchisement they evoke for many in affected communities is socially and theologically acceptable to the Church’…

‘The passions around this – on all sides – mean that there needs to be open dialogue,’ it reads…

The guidance recognises that consultations may conclude ... not to remove a particular monument, but says that churches should nonetheless engage in research, consultation and reflection where concerns are raised, to assess how much objects may impact on missional, pastoral and liturgical activities.

BRITISH CUPPA AT RISK FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS CHRISTIAN AID Climate change is putting the muchloved British cuppa at risk as extreme weather and rising temperatures hit tea-growing countries, according to Christian Aid. The UK and Ireland drink more tea per person than any other countries in the world, with Kenya alone producing half the black tea drunk in the UK. But ... the charity is warning that climate change is going to slash optimal conditions for tea production in Kenya by a quarter in the next 30 years.

Dr Kat Kramer … says ... ‘Within the next few years, we have a window of opportunity to act... One of the big questions for the G7 is ... how much ... wealthy countries are willing to open their pockets to actually deliver a global recovery.’

A new prayer post feature is being tested on Facebook that will allow members of Facebook groups to ask for and respond to prayer requests.

The move by the social media giant was confirmed to the Religion News Service. ‘Our mission to give people the power to build community extends to the world’s largest community; the faith community,’ Nona Jones, head of Global Faith Partnerships at Facebook, said in a written statement…

The idea for prayer posts grew out of the many ways users have connected over Facebook while distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic...

The testing is taking place in a subset of groups in the United States...

A pray button can be clicked to let the poster know their request will be committed to prayer.

Premier

Premier

CALL TO PROTECT FREE SPEECH AS MPS ACCUSE MEDIA OF ANTI-RELIGIOUS BIAS Calls by MPs for the media to improve their ‘religious literacy’ must not lead to the ‘stifling’ of free speech, humanists have said.

A report by the all-party parliamentary group on religion in the media said that many religious people believed that journalists were ‘indifferent towards religion and belief at best and actively biased against people of faith at worst’.

It proposed that groups should be able to make joint complaints to media regulators on grounds of discrimination, that religious literacy training should be made part of journalism qualifications and that journalists should focus more on the ‘lived experience’ of people of faith, rather than just the doctrines and rituals.

Humanists UK expressed concern about the consequences of the report’s recommendations. ‘It is essential that the media remain free to criticise religious beliefs and ideas, which can be the source of much harm around the world today,’ Richy Thompson, the group’s director of public affairs and policy, said. ‘Any stifling of such criticism could be a significant impingement on essential freedom of speech.’

Christian Today

The Times

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Salvationist 22 May 2021

FACEBOOK TESTS NEW ‘PRAYER POST’ FEATURE

ISSN 2516-5909

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

FIRED UP BLAISE Pascal, a 17th-century French mathematician, physicist and philosopher, was in the habit of writing his flashes of insight on scraps of paper. After his death at the age of 39 these were gathered together and published in a book called Pensées (Thoughts).

One scrap of paper that wasn’t included was found sewn into his coat. It read: ‘The year of grace 1654, Monday 23 November… From about half past ten at night until about half past midnight, FIRE. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers and of the learned. Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace. God of Jesus Christ…’ Such was the intensity of this spiritual experience that he described it as fire. I wonder if he was tempted to call himself ‘Blaze Pascal’ after that.

On the Day of Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Spirit, they ‘saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them’ (Acts 2:3), and the image of fire has often been used to symbolise the Spirit and describe his presence and work in people’s lives. For example, the Army’s motto, ‘blood and fire’, refers to the saving work of Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and William Booth used the image in his song ‘Thou Christ of Burning, Cleansing Flame’ (SASB 326), which will no doubt be sung around the world on Pentecost Sunday this weekend.

To mark Pentecost Salvationist includes part of an address by the Founder called ‘The baptism of fire’, in which he says we often forget to acknowledge the work of the Spirit in our lives. He urges us to be completely open to the Spirit so that God can use us effectively in his service.

One of the ways the Spirit makes us effective is by helping us share the gospel with others. This is highlighted in the article ‘The Spirit of witness’, which looks at the experience of the early Church and considers how the Spirit can inspire, empower and guide our witness today.

God can create all kinds of opportunities for witness. In her testimony Sue MacDonald reveals how a therapy dog called Evie opened the door to conversations about faith with the owner, Major Alexandra Hughes. This eventually led to Sue making a commitment and becoming a Salvationist.

Fire is not the only symbol of the Holy Spirit – another is water. In his Bible study Major Mal Davies focuses on words from Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, ‘I will pour out my Spirit’ (Acts 2:17), and explores what it means to be ‘immersed’ in the Spirit.

In her reflection, Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts shows that our experience of the Holy Spirit is not always as dramatic as a raging fire or a mighty flood. He can work just as powerfully in the ‘quiet moment’, bringing freedom and transformation.

It is wonderful to know the presence and power of the Spirit, and it is an experience that every Christian can enjoy. But it has to be more than a personal experience. The fire that burns inwardly needs to spread outwards through our words and actions. If we allow him to, the Spirit who has the power to transform our lives can also transform the world around us.

Quotes from the media

2

Message from the territorial leader for leader development

4

5 and 6

News Prayer matters

6

Feature Willing to listen, learn and be led

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by Territorial Envoy Kim Whyard

Reflection In this quiet moment

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by Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts

Feature The baptism of fire

9

by William Booth

Reflection The Spirit of witness

10 and 11

by Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

Feature Shining in our shops

12 and 13

by Kelly Castelete

Viewpoint Dying to be reborn

14

by Captain Pete Brookshaw

Testimony Every dog has its day

15

by Sue MacDonald

Bible study Soaked in the Spirit

16 and 17

by Major Mal Davies

Through the week with Salvationist 16 and 17

by Major Lynda Levis

Reflection The fruit of the Spirit

18

by Brian Colley

Poets’ corner

18

Letters

19

Previews Rekindling courage and love

20

Viewpoint Forgotten soldiers

21

by Joe Schultz

Adverts

21 and 23

Announcements

22 and 23

The Salvation Army and me

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featuring Doug Taylor

From the Editor Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

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

Salvationist 22 May 2021

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A MESSAGE FROM THE TERRITORIAL LEADER FOR LEADER DEVELOPMENT

God-given appointments

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SOMETIMES wonder what experiences I would have missed had I not said yes to God and answered his call upon my life to become a Salvation Army officer. I’m sure that I would have had a fulfilled life, that my vocation as a nurse, and my husband Anthony’s as a teacher, would have been fulfilling. I’m sure God would have blessed our service in our daily lives, and I have no doubt that we would have made a great difference to the lives of many people. But would I have lived with a sense of ‘dis-appointment’ deep within me because I’d missed the appointments that God had in mind for my life?

In his message last week, Anthony encouraged us all to take hold of this pivotal moment – this opportunity and change point – to listen to God. And, with boldness, to think and pray about how we could become increasingly effective in our mission and ministry – as individuals, people of God and The Salvation Army – as we move on from the crisis of the coronavirus pandemic.

We dare not miss the moment, the God-given appointments in our lives, that can bear fruit for the Kingdom at such a time.

John 15 is a beautiful chapter in which Jesus teaches his disciples about the importance of staying connected with 4

Salvationist 22 May 2021

him. In verse 5 he says: ‘Apart from me, you can do nothing.’ But I want to draw your attention to the words of Jesus in verse 16: ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.’

Jesus says, ‘I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit’ – whether that’s in your chosen career, in your daily workplace, in your school or your university – wherever you live, and certainly within your corps and in your community, in loving service and a life fully given to God. This could be the change point in your life. The moment when you hear God speaking and calling you out from your present context for the God-given appointment to spiritual leadership – perhaps as an officer, a territorial envoy or a pioneer leader. Can you hear the cry of God’s love for a needy world calling you? One of our songs says, ‘I’ll go in the strength of the Lord/ To work he appoints me to do’ (SASB 959).

Would any of us want to miss such an appointment?

In the opening chapter of The Life You’ve Always Wanted, John Ortberg writes about being ‘dis-appointed’ with himself for not being all that he wanted to be: ‘I am in a state of dis-appointment.

I am missing the life that I was appointed

by God to live – missing my calling. And I have dis-appointed God. I have removed him from the central role he longs to play in my life and I have appointed myself in his place.’

He goes on to mention the familiar story of the calling of Moses: ‘One day when the human race had not heard a word of hope for a long time, a man named Moses walked past a shrub.’

Moses had, perhaps, seen that shrub many times, but at this moment he stopped because the shrub was on fire with the presence of God. He was willing to turn aside and give his full attention to God. He could have looked the other way but he didn’t. He stopped, he turned aside and he listened – and God spoke to Moses about the misery of his people.

Moses gave every excuse under the sun for why he shouldn’t be the one to lead them, but eventually said yes, and we know that God promised to be with him every step of the way.

The theme for this year’s Candidates Sunday was Be Willing. I hope that every one of us will continue to listen to God and hear his will for us, and to pray that he will raise up men and women, young and old, boys and girls, locally, territorially and internationally, who will hear God’s voice, be willing to turn aside, listen and respond to the call of God upon their lives. And if, prompted by the Spirit, you feel that this message might be helpful to someone you know, I encourage you to pass it on to them.

We have been through a great ordeal during this past year. Thank you all for your faithful work and service. Now is the time to be willing to turn aside, listen and be challenged. Now is the time to be bold and grasp the moment. Don’t miss the life that God has appointed you to live. And remember, the Lord your God will be with you.

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

ARMY NEWS

Roots of Freedom report highlights antitrafficking progress IHQ THE Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission (ISJC) has unveiled a landmark report on the Movement’s response to modern slavery and human trafficking. Roots of Freedom outlines some of the progress around the four objectives from the 2020 international Fight for Freedom strategy.

The 52-page report begins with a letter from Priscilla Santos, the international co-ordinator for The Salvation Army’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response. Citing ‘terrifying statistics’ that indicate there are more than 40 million men, women and children impacted by slavery and trafficking internationally, Priscilla notes that the Army ‘has a unique role in responding to this growing phenomenon’. Acknowledging the ‘agility, grit and resilience’ of those working to support survivors throughout a challenging year, Priscilla also observes that ‘no one is more resilient than the survivors of trafficking’.

The report highlights the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has ‘exacerbated the vulnerabilities’ of those susceptible to exploitation. It identifies ways in which The Salvation Army has shifted and adapted its work to help counter traffickers taking advantage of people who have reduced income or have lost their livelihoods.

A key element of this has been cultivating a partnership with the International Anti-Human Trafficking Network and Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities. The Salvation Army, along with other organisations, has conducted detailed research leading to an informed and survivor-centred approach in responses around the world.

Priscilla concludes: ‘We can no longer speak about working towards freedom for others without people with lived experience leading alongside. We look forward to welcoming survivor leaders to more spaces of influence within The Salvation Army.’

Read the full report by visiting sar.my/ rootsoffreedom. – AR

FUNDRAISING Louise Brookes of Ipswich Citadel skydives, raising about £1,000 for Lyndon House Lifehouse, where she is programme co-ordinator

MUSIC

PRESENTATION BICESTER Soldier Helen Mackay received flowers and a certificate after retiring from herald ministry having just turned 80 years old. From 1988 until the coronavirus pandemic she served every Thursday in the high street, come rain or shine. Although now retired, Helen continues to be God’s servant every day at every opportunity.

The corps recognises and gives thanks for her faithfulness and commitment. – JS

EMERGENCY AID

MANCHESTER The Army supported 80 firefighters as they tackled a huge blaze at Pilsworth South landfill. The response was led

by Emergency Service Co-ordinator Major Nigel Tansley (Central North) and six volunteers.

Hot drinks, food and pastoral support were offered to emergency workers who had been called to the scene. Major Nigel said: ‘We are here to provide practical and spiritual help to the dedicated emergency services who go above and beyond to keep the rest of us safe. We’re glad to be able to help, whether that’s handing out a cup of tea or offering a friendly ear.’ – AR

STRAWBERRY FIELD The centre is partnering Liverpool City Council, the Cavern Club and Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in a new contest to find the next international Song for Kindness. The competition has been launched in memory of John Lennon who, as a child, would listen to a Salvation Army band playing at Strawberry Field’s annual summer fete when it was an Army children’s home. The Song for Kindness contest aims to raise spirits and offer musicians an opportunity to gain international exposure through a song of hope and optimism. Major Kathy Versfeld, mission director at Strawberry Field, encouraged songwriters to enter, and said: ‘Write a song birthed out of the heartache and hope you have experienced during this time of Covid-19, with words and music that will inspire and cause others to renew their faith in human kindness and the promise of better things to come.’

Songs from any genre will be considered, but each entry must be an original piece of work submitted by the songwriter and performed by the songwriter or a nominated artist. The closing date for submissions is 31 July. Sign up by visiting sar.my/ liverpoolsongcontest. – AR

EMERGENCY AID ASHFORD Volunteers lent a helping hand after an explosion destroyed two houses.

Corps officers Major Bramwell and Captain Rhonda Hayes delivered refreshments to the local authority rest centre for residents evacuated from their homes. The South East Division Emergency Response Team also supported first responders at the site, offering drinks and snacks to those working to make the area safe. – AR Salvationist 22 May 2021

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NEWS

THY KINGDOM COME FOCUS

by Captains Christianne and Tim Swansbury (Carshalton) SATURDAY 22 MAY – IN ALL THINGS (COLOSSIANS 1:17) Almighty God, you are ‘before all things’, and in you ‘all things hold together’. Help me to recognise and live in a way that recognises you are the King of all kings, the King of all things and that you are in control. Thy Kingdom come; thy Kingdom come in all things, and my kingdom go.

SUNDAY 23 MAY – ALL (JOHN 3:30) Eternal God, we join to say that you ‘must become greater, I must become less’. Thy Kingdom come; thy Kingdom come in us, and our kingdoms go.

CHAPLAINCY FOCUS

by Territorial Chaplaincy Officer Major Graham Daniels

FUNDRAISING WATFORD Every pupil and teacher at Laurance Haines School put on their running shoes to raise money for the corps. To mark ‘England Does the Daily Mile’, each year group took turns running one mile around the school playground. They were joined by headteacher Seb Gray and deputy headteacher Jo Ball, who are in training to run the London Marathon in support of the corps. ‘Put simply, Watford Salvation Army has vastly improved the lives of the community during some of the most difficult circumstances,’ said Jo. ‘Every mile we run will be a tribute to the extra mile they always go.’ The school used its social media accounts to raise awareness and appeal for donations.

Celebrations ended with the whole school taking part in the Captain Tom 100 challenge via a Zoom assembly. – MS

LIFEHOUSE

MONDAY 24 MAY – SEEING POSSIBILITIES Across our service, chaplains are seeking and seeing possibilities for ministry and mission. Jesus said: ‘With God all things are possible’ (Matthew 19:26). Please prayerfully support your local expression of chaplaincy asking that this truth will inspire both patience and courage as the chaplains serve the community.

TUESDAY 25 MAY – ENCOURAGING POTENTIAL The Homelessness Services Unit is all about the whole person. It is about supporting people to realise the fullness of life which Jesus draws them into – for which he came. Please pray that we will all experience, enjoy and share this abundant life, and that in sharing this joy, potential will be realised in Christ.

WEDNESDAY 26 MAY – REMAINING POSITIVE It is sometimes hard to remain positive when faced with challenging circumstances. A chaplain will, now and then, be confronted with negative feelings, emotions or actions. Please join with us in praying that we would resolve to regard people and situations positively – neither hardened to the pain of others nor overcome by our own response.

THURSDAY 27 MAY – VALUING PERSPECTIVE We work with many experts, including clients themselves. In valuing the perspective of others, we acknowledge that we are working in partnership towards the good. Mother Teresa wrote: ‘None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.’ Please pray for unity of purpose, appreciation of the perspective of others and an understanding of how God sees things – in us and our work.

CHARTER ROW Residents from the Lifehouse have been growing their own vegetables in a local allotment. The allotment project is one of many activities organised to promote health and wellbeing among residents, giving them the opportunity to learn new skills. Dave Hilton, support worker at the Lifehouse, says: ‘Before the lockdowns we saw a really positive change in our residents who were spending time learning to grow vegetables and getting involved in all aspects of allotment life.’ – AR 6

Salvationist 22 May 2021

FRIDAY 28 MAY – ALTERING PLANS Our chaplains must be flexible. Among other set tasks, a chaplain is also the pastoral first responder in cases of serious incident or sudden death. This will often mean plans are changed as support is offered to staff and residents, and perhaps family and friends too. Please pray for everyone involved when faced with this type of situation. May God bring his peace to hearts and minds.

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

Salvationist Salvationist1310March April 2021

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FEATURE I Candidates Sunday

Territorial Envoy Kim Whyard Willing to listen, learn and be led The final article in a series in which different Salvationists explain what the Candidates Sunday theme Be Willing means to them

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N my experience there is often tension between doing the right thing and what I think is best. Sometimes they are the same, but when they are not, how do I choose? I suppose that discernment comes when we pledge to be willing to obey God rather than to do what everyone asks or expects.

I have always been someone who, rather than having a clear skillset or gift to be used in the Church, looks for gaps that need to be filled and offers to fill them. I don’t like gaps. I don’t like things not getting done. And while I draw the line at anything to do with catering – be grateful that you have never tasted my cooking! – I will throw myself into almost anything that needs doing.

However, there has been a niggle over many years, a feeling that God had a Kim-shaped hole that no one else could fill. Rather than be willing to do anything my fellow Christians asked of me, I really needed to be willing to do what God was asking of me. I didn’t have a clear picture of what that was, so I demonstrated my willingness by seeking advice from people I trust, opening myself up through prayer and looking for signs that would point me in

the direction God wanted me to go.

God honoured that willingness and now, in my fifties, I am in full-time ministry. I see evidence that the skills and experience I have gained during my life can be used by God in this new role, and I feel better equipped to face the challenges that inevitably come my way.

I have discovered that when I am willing and open to God’s leading, he often surprises me. Like many, I have not found the past 13 months easy. I had only been a full-time leader for five months, was just starting to find my feet, and was plunged into a scary and confusing world of Zoom meetings, video creation and publishing worship meetings on YouTube. The corps building was closed – no sounds of toddlers playing or people singing – and I wondered how God was going to use this time in any positive way.

But he has! Over the past year I have been working with another church in the town to develop a partnership that combines our resources so that we can be stronger together. We have each been willing to make compromises, knowing that God is at the centre and that, when we fully trust him, he can do much more than we ever imagined.

Despite having acquired useful skills and experience in previous roles, I know I have to guard against believing that I have all the answers. I certainly don’t, so I have to be willing to learn.

Gone are the days when teaching came from elders and was passed on to younger people. Now, we have to acknowledge and accept that younger generations have much to teach us – not only about technology and social media but also about social conscience and global issues that have been ignored for far too long.

One of the biggest challenges for me is to be willing to listen – especially to people who have very different life experiences from my own. I need to listen to people of colour, to understand how overt and subconscious racism has affected and is affecting them. I need to listen to people from the LGBTQ+ community, to understand their feelings, including, for some, their disappointment with the Church. I need to listen to people with different belief systems, to understand the values they build their lives on and perhaps why they have rejected Christianity. I need to listen to young people growing up in a very different world – understand their concerns, worries and fears, but also their hopes, drive and determination to build a better world.

Mostly, I must be willing to listen to God because he is the reason that I am who I am, and his love and grace have shown me a Kim-shaped hole in his plan. I never expected it to be easy.

Being willing can come at a cost. But even after this difficult past year, I can testify to the joy and peace it brings, knowing that no one else can fill that hole and that God is with me all the way.

TERRITORIAL ENVOY WHYARD IS CORPS LEADER, CIRENCESTER Salvationist 22 May 2021

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REFLECTION REFL RE FLEC FL EC CTI TION O ON

IN THIS QUIET MOMENT Lieut-Colonel Jayne Roberts continues the series in which people reflect on a favourite prayer

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N Howard’s End Is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home, Susan Hill records her discovery that she owned dozens of books she had never read or had forgotten about. She resolved to spend a year without adding to her personal library but taking time to explore the many volumes stored throughout her Gloucestershire farmhouse. It is a fascinating glimpse of the writer’s life as she reflects on how it has been shaped through the books in her collection. I was interested to see that her essential reading, ‘The Final Forty’, includes the Bible and The Book of Common Prayer at the top of her list.

When I was invited to contribute to this occasional series about a favourite prayer, I realised that the Bible and an anthology of childhood prayers are the oldest items in my library. Books on the theme of prayer also chart my life story.

As a teenager, This Praying Thing by Joy Webb was a useful resource when it was my turn to choose a reading for a music section practice. During student days at Sheffield my corps officer, Major Ian Cooper, recommended A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie. This little book laid the foundations of a daily rhythm of prayer and a lifelong spiritual journey. My treasured copy cost 95p in 1976!

My week currently includes a virtual prayer walk each Saturday morning with the Rev Richard Carter, author of The City Is My Monastery, in the company of 200 others online. Richard livestreams a walk in the London area, pausing to reflect and share prayers and readings. I am also revisiting the writings of Ruth Haley Barton and enjoying a recent acquisition, A Rhythm of Prayer – A Collection of Meditations for Renewal edited by Sarah Bessey.

Our own Salvation Army Prayer Network has hosted ‘Into the Wild’, a monthly evening of teaching, worship and prayer during the past year. Each of these events has brought inspiration 8

Salvationist 22 May 2021

and blessing as we have lived through strange days, buoyed by our connection as we have listened and prayed together.

Celtic Daily Prayer Is in the Dining Room would be a possible title were I to emulate Susan Hill and tell my story through books. It has been so difficult to choose just one prayer from a whole treasury of spiritual writings that continue to enrich my life. Last year I bought a rare copy of Hebridean Altars

by Alistair Maclean and heard the voices of island people intimately connected to God in the beauty and hardship of their lives. I have returned to Sacred Spaces by Margaret Silf and read Evelyn Underhill’s Prayer Book, published in 2020. Poems by George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Ann Lewin also include many wonderful verses that help me to pray.

Finally, I settle on a stanza from John Gowans, who wrote these words while serving in the USA Western Territory: In this quiet moment, still, before your throne, Conscious of your presence, knowing I am known.

In this quiet moment, set my spirit free; In this quiet moment, make a better me!

(SASB 595) Familiar to many Salvationists and sung to the tune by Ivor Bosanko, these simple words have ave brought blessing to thousands of people.

They express the heart’s desire to pray and experience the presence of God in a moment of stillness, all other concerns set aside. Here is the recognition of being fully known in human frailty and weakness, yet loved, accepted and invited to

approach the King of kings. The repetition of the phrase ‘in this quiet moment’ evokes an atmosphere of personal devotion in obedience to the teaching of Jesus, who encouraged his followers to pray in seclusion (see Matthew 6:6).

This is also a powerful prayer, not to be spoken lightly; ‘set my spirit free’ is a passionate invitation for the power of the Holy Spirit to come and bring release, freedom from fear, temptation and acedia. In his book of poems, O Lord!, John Gowans often uses an exclamation mark to denote a sense of joy and surprise. Here it is also in ‘make a better me!’, which surely comes from the heart of a disciple of Jesus, constantly amazed that the Lord continues to call and transform his people.

As John Gowans also wrote, in a song from the musical Glory!, ‘It’s the work of a moment, it’s the work of a lifetime,/ It begins in an instant, it may take eternity.’ Make a better me?

Amen to that!

LIEUT-COLONEL ROBERTS IS SECRETARY FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE DEVELOPMENT, THQ

FEATURE I Another Pentecost

The baptism of fire An excerpt from an address by William Booth, published in Salvation Soldiery, y 1889

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OD only knows what he would do with a few men who cared only for him. He would save thousands and astonish the universe.

O God, make us all alike – all for thee.

I was hurrying to catch an express train to London the other day, and was reckoning upon the train upon which I was travelling meeting it, but it was too late – not very late, but just late enough to let the other go and leave me behind, with a wounded leg, hurt through scrambling to catch it. I shall never reckon on that train again. God wants men and women that he can reckon upon, who will be there at the very time he wants them, and do the very work he wants doing, whatever may stand in the way.

My brethren, God is in full sympathy with you. He is a great deal more human than we have taken him to be. We too often think and talk of him as though he were a great being sitting on the circle of the universe a long way off, in some sort of dense fog; too far away to see or hear anything very distinctly; and only communicated with by a sort of imperfect telegraphy – a hard-hearted, unsympathetic, stolid, immovable being.

All this is opposed to the most direct teachings of the Bible. There, God is represented, by every conceivable form of statement and illustration, as a being of most impressible sensibilities – loving, hating, repenting, rejoicing, sorrowing, troubled on defeat and triumphant on victory. When I go to bed at night after a hard fight, in which to all appearance I have been badly beaten, I think of him as feeling much as I do; and he comes to me and says, ‘Never mind; we’ll have another turn at them tomorrow, and we shall be too many for them in the long run.’

There is no mistake about it, and there is no advantage in denying the fact, that the Devil has got the world in his power at present. But it shall not always be so, and God is only waiting for a people by whom he can conquer.

For still, as of old, ‘The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him’ (2 Chronicles 16:9 King

James Version). And we can only be made such by the Holy Ghost.

Always acknowledge what God does by and for you. I think we do ourselves harm, and greatly grieve the Holy Spirit, by not acknowledging what he does for us. We forget, if we don’t actually deny, his co-operation, and then we get downcast and grumble. I don’t say, because I don’t for a moment think, that there is any danger of our not acknowledging what we do. The Devil is always ready to prompt us to say, ‘I did this and I did that, and I did it well,’ and others are always ready to speak of what we do. But we do err, I am sure, by not sufficiently acknowledging and glorifying the co-operating work of the Holy Ghost.

Why not say, ‘The Holy Ghost was at work this afternoon. We have had a hard night, but the Holy Spirit has done his work. Blessed Spirit, I thank thee’?

Before we go to our knees to receive the baptism of fire, let me beg of you to see to it that your souls are in harmony with the will and purpose of the Holy Spirit whom you seek. See to it that the channel of communication by which the baptism must be received is open.

I heard of some people the other day who could not get any water. They turned the tap repeatedly, but no water came. They sent to the office of the company, who sent a man to examine the connections and fittings, but all was right: plenty of water in the reservoir; pipes, taps, connections, all right, but no water. At last they pulled up the pipe and found a mouse in it.

It is no use turning the tap, praying, singing, or even believing, if there is something you are holding back or refusing to do – some idol, something about which you feel condemned, but which you refuse to give up, something in the pipe. Out with it, give it no rest, drown it, give it up. Destroy your idols and hindrances and stoppages with an everlasting destruction. Let there be free communication between your souls and God. Let all go, and you shall be flooded before you rise from your knees. The world shall feel the power of it, and God shall have all the glory.

Salvationist 22 May 2021

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RE R EF FL LEC ECTI TIO ON N REFLECTION

The Spirit of witness Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts looks at how the early Church’s reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit is an example for our witness today

I

N 1964 the British Army was involved in a conflict in Borneo. The British troops included some Gurkha soldiers from Nepal, who were asked to jump from transport planes into the jungle. They had not been trained as paratroopers, but they agreed to do it as long as the plane flew as slowly as possible and no more than 100 feet above ground level.

The British officer told them that planes always flew slowly when dropping troops, but never as low as 100 feet because, if they did that, the parachutes would not open in time.

‘Oh, that’s all right then,’ said the Gurkha sergeant, ‘you didn’t mention parachutes before!’

10

Salvationist 22 May 2021

For many of us, witnessing for Jesus is almost as daunting as jumping without a parachute. We can feel unprepared, poorly equipped and fearful. Perhaps we get nervous about sharing our faith with other people – worried that we’ll say the wrong thing or, even if we manage to witness well, doubt that what we say will have any impact on them. We might even be afraid of the response we’ll get.

It is a challenging task, but Jesus does not expect us to do it without help. Just before ascending to Heaven he told his disciples: ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth’ (Acts 1:8).

That promise of enabling power was fulfilled at Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Spirit. So, how did the Spirit empower the witness of the early Church and how can he do the same for us?

The overflow of the Spirit On the Day of Pentecost the Spirit-filled disciples were propelled into mission and 3,000 people were saved. John Stott writes in The Contemporary Christian: ‘We watch enthralled as the missionary Spirit creates a missionary people and thrusts them out on their missionary task.’ From then on they continued to preach the gospel, and the Church continued to grow.

In the Great Commission Jesus had commanded his disciples to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19), but the missionary activity of the early Church was more than just obedience to a command – it was an overflow of the Spirit. When Peter and John were called before the Jewish leaders and told to stop speaking about Jesus, they said, ‘We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20). They just couldn’t stop themselves from witnessing!

If we allow the Spirit to fill us to overflowing, the same can be true of us.

Instead of sharing the gospel reluctantly

Perhaps we get nervous about sharing our faith with other people

or just because it’s expected of us, it can be a natural expression of the Spirit’s presence within us.

The power of the Spirit The Holy Spirit not only inspired the early Church’s evangelism, but also empowered it. The Spirit-energised witness of the first Christians brought people to faith and made the Church grow. When Paul wrote to one of the early churches about his work there, he remembered that ‘our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction’ (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

Perhaps in less dramatic ways the same is true today. The Spirit can make powerful use of our witness, no matter how inadequate we feel it is, by taking our words, planting them like seeds in a person’s heart and using them to influence their thoughts and feelings about God. In his book, Meeting Jesus, Major Howard Webber recalls his time as a corps officer and mentions a man who knelt at the mercy seat one Sunday.

This man was the husband of one of the soldiers but didn’t profess faith in

Christ. A tragedy in the family meant that Howard spent a lot of time with the couple and was able to talk to the man about faith, but there was no indication that he was getting through. That was until the Sunday when he attended a meeting and knelt at the mercy seat.

Howard writes: ‘I realised that there is more going on in people than one can ever detect.’

The Spirit is at work even though we may not recognise it – and even if we never see a response. That’s why Agape, a global mission organisation, describes witnessing as ‘taking the initiative to share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God’.

led to the acceptance of Gentiles into the Church (See Acts 11:12–18). The Spirit directed the church at Antioch to commission Paul and Barnabas, who were then ‘sent on their way by the Holy Spirit’ on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4).

Modern-day disciples also need to be open and responsive to the guidance of the Spirit. Our experience of this may not be as spectacular as in the early Church, but it is just as important.

It happens as we spend time in prayer, seeking God’s will and committing ourselves to doing it, asking for help to see opportunities for sharing our faith and for sensitivity to know when it is right to speak or better to let our actions do the talking.

We live in a different culture from that of the early Church, but the call to witness remains the same. And while it can be a daunting prospect, it’s good to know that we don’t have to jump without a parachute. As in the early Church, and ever since, the Spirit can inspire, empower and guide us.

The Spirit is at work even though we may not recognise it

The guidance of the Spirit Acts relates some remarkable instances of guidance in the early Church. The Spirit sent Philip to talk to an Ethiopian eunuch, which resulted in the man’s conversion (see Acts 8:29–38), and sent Peter to the home of Cornelius, which

Salvationist 22 May 2021

11

FEATURE I SATCoL shops reopen

Shining in our shops

Sales Assistant Sarah Kilden and volunteer Eileen Lane, Tonbridge

I

F you were to join a conversation about the retail sales performance of Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd (SATCoL), the weather is a topic that will likely pop up. It is sometimes cited as a reason for good sales performance, and sometimes for not-so-good sales performance. In these challenging days for the high street, predicting sales is as reliable as predicting British weather.

Monday 12 April was the day when SATCoL shops in England reopened, followed two weeks later by our shops in Scotland. ‘Reunited’ was the celebratory message from Nicola Crawford, regional manager for the north.

‘As the retail team in Scotland watched from the sidelines, they missed being part of the exciting sales activity,’ she said. ‘Fast forward two weeks and they were so happy to be open again and working alongside their teammates!’

The joy of reuniting with colleagues was a theme across all SATCoL shops.

Many consider their team as family, and their local community as an integral part of that extended family unit.

‘Wow, it was incredible,’ shared Louise Elcox, manager at Filton donation centre, on BBC Radio Bristol. ‘We had such a 12

Salvationist 22 May 2021

buzz and didn’t expect the volume of people coming in. And not just people donating … it was also people coming in to have a chat. Some people have been isolating and not met anybody. It was such an amazing feeling.’

Kevin Jennings, the Maldon shop manager, commented after the first day: ‘My feet ache, my mind is a little tired, several bones are telling me that enough is enough, but my soul is on fire.

It’s wonderful to be back open.’

‘It’s been absolutely brilliant,’ said Joan Lloyd, a volunteer at Hinckley donation centre. ‘Everyone has happy faces and it’s busy. We all get on well together and it’s a lovely atmosphere.

My late husband, David, and I have connections with Hinckley Corps dating back to 1961 when we met. When David died in 2017, it was faith that helped me through and, when the opportunity to work for SATCoL came up, I saw it as another way to give service.’

In a year of unpredictability, forced shop closures, reopenings and more shop closures, one thing we know remains steadfast: our retail team’s unerring commitment and enthusiasm to reopen their doors to their communities.

As the big day approached there was an underlying nervousness. Would people come out to shop or would they remain at home?

By midday on the first day, it became clear that something remarkable was happening. A message from the head of retail, Chris Jestico, announced that we had already made record sales. Even with shops in Scotland still closed, our shops in England had achieved the most successful trading day in SATCoL’s history. Scotland followed suit with their shops’ remarkable opening-day sales two weeks later.

As a company whose values align with The Salvation Army, what do record sales mean for SATCoL? Should we shout from the rooftops about our success when our role is to serve?

Celebrating success, externally at least, is not something that SATCoL does often. Are we relieved? Yes. Are we grateful? Extremely.

The sales, of course, show us that we are serving our customers well, and that’s important. So too is making a recovery, which is the focus of SATCoL’s board and every colleague. A full recovery in our retail business and all

Kelly Castelete describes what happened when SATCOL charity shops reopened in April

Largs

Joan Lloyd, Hinckley donation centre

My feet ache, my mind is a little tired, several bones are telling me that enough is enough, but my soul is on fire. It’s wonderful to be back open Swinton our divisions means that we can continue to serve our communities and raise funds for The Salvation Army.

However, we must recognise and give thanks for the special ingredients of a successful local charity shop. It is these that led thousands of customers to choose a Salvation Army charity shop as their first retail visit post-lockdown and happily queue outside.

Reflecting on the first full week of trading, SATCoL Managing Director Trevor Caffull shared this message with colleagues: ‘There are no hidden secrets involved in these kinds of results ... pent-up demand being met by the commitment, the excellence and the responsibility of our staff and volunteers.

And all this came, of course, after a week of hard work getting shops ready, transforming them from winter goods to

spring and summer, and once again making sure that we were Covid-secure in all areas. Thank you all, and thank you to every single person working in a supportive background role who, in any number of ways, helped make these results possible.’

When I first joined SATCoL I visited some shops and donation centres and was privileged to meet many of our wonderful colleagues. I remember writing about SATCoL in those early days. I would think about everyone I met.

At our Tonbridge shop the volunteers and staff love playing their favourite music and will have a little dance, and customers join in. A visit to our Piershill donation centre will reveal the passion they have for games, which goes even as far as finding missing pieces to create a complete puzzle to sell. When

I joined the Barnsley team on their opening day there was much laughter served with a good amount of Salvation Army hospitality. I left with a big smile on my face.

Not only do volunteers and staff in our charity shops help each other, their communities and customers, they also continue to inspire me in my work. Their impact and help go beyond the four walls of their shops in more ways than they will ever know. When you receive that kind of inspiration from colleagues, you don’t need good weather to make good sales because in our hearts and in our shops the sun is always shining.

KELLY IS SATCoL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Salvationist 22 May 2021

13

VIEW POINT

Dying to be reborn Captain Pete Brookshaw considers what the future could hold for the Army

I

T is more than a decade since I signed the Officer’s Covenant. What a privilege I felt in my heart to be able to lay down my life to serve others and lead people to Jesus Christ.

That passion is still there. In fact, it is there more than ever. You see, I have such a holy discontent that we are not doing more to support people in need and see lives transformed for Jesus.

I long to increase our impact upon society.

I long for more people to join the cause. I long for more people to commit themselves to the ideals of the Soldier’s and Officer’s Covenants. But then this nagging feeling comes upon me: what would happen if The Salvation Army died?

Let me qualify what I mean by that.

One day I began to wonder what would happen if The Salvation Army lost its focus, so much so that it became significantly different from the original Movement that I signed up to. Maybe you have wondered that once or twice.

It’s not because you or I lack faith or fail to have a view that God raised up 14

Salvationist 22 May 2021

The Salvation Army, but because we don’t want it to be less than what God raised it up to be.

While walking around a large lake at a park near my house, I was praying and thinking about that question: what if The Salvation Army died? I felt some words in my spirit that said: The Salvation Army does need to die. It needs to die in terms of its own image, its own strategic plans and its own narcissism.

The Salvation Army needs to spend less time celebrating the mission it has achieved, and more time celebrating the source of the mission.

The Salvation Army needs to spend less time focused on how good it thinks it is, how good it thinks its forebears were, and rather point to how good it believes God is. We need to reignite the coals of the Jesus-focused, gutsy, Spirit-filled fervour that is embedded within this Movement’s very DNA. We need to re-embrace the apostles, evangelists and prophets across the globe, to join again with the teachers and shepherds to work together to establish God’s Kingdom here and now.

Major Matt Reeve, head of mission support in the Australia Territory, has been quoted as saying: ‘Movements start because their founder loves Jesus.

They die when the movement loves its founder.’

There’s a tension there, one that I feel and acknowledge. We are thankful to William, Catherine and Bramwell Booth and the team. We love their focus, passion and tenacity to raise up such a Movement. We are thankful to Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit that we should be a part of such exciting times.

However, The Salvation Army didn’t succeed because William Booth always spoke about how good John Wesley was; The Salvation Army didn’t succeed because Catherine Booth chose to put Phoebe Palmer on a pedestal. Part of why The Salvation Army succeeded was because Salvationists not only learnt about and were inspired by the past, but because they were driven ultimately by a passion for Jesus Christ.

In John 15 we read that Jesus is the true vine and that the Father cuts off every branch in us that bears no fruit.

Jesus says we cannot bear fruit unless we remain in him, because apart from him we can do nothing.

I look forward then, to the day when The Salvation Army dies. A day when we lay our talents, skills and abilities at the mercy seat; a day when we lay down our own ambition for that which is even better; a day when we commit ourselves wholeheartedly to the cause of Jesus Christ in the world. This is the day I long for; this is the day when we will be at our best. And praise God that, in some places, that day has already arrived.

CAPTAIN BROOKSHAW IS CORPS OFFICER, MORLEY, AUSTRALIA TERRITORY

O This article first appeared in Others magazine

TESTIMONY

Every dog has its day Sue MacDonald shares how a visit from a therapy dog introduced her to the Army and changed her life

M

Y father and I were visiting my mother in hospital, and the nurse asked us if we liked dogs.

We said yes, and in walked Evie, a therapy dog, with her owner, Major Alexandra Hughes. Being in hospital was making my mother unhappy but Evie brought smiles to Mum’s face as she stroked her.

Alexandra mentioned that she was a retired Salvation Army officer who worshipped at Bognor Regis Corps and that, as part of her Christian ministry in Chichester, she did therapy visits with Evie. My mother lived with dementia but amazingly was able to relate her experiences during the Second World War to Alexandra.

A bomb was dropped on her family’s road in Egham, Surrey, and everyone had to get out of their houses.

The Salvation Army took in all nine family members and gave them clothes, food, drink and anything else they needed.

They did this for the whole street, and everyone was so grateful. They never Evie at Bognor Regis Corps with National Therapy Dog forgot the Army’s of the Year runner-up rosette kindness.

I’m the type of person who likes to We saw Alexandra and Evie twice help people, so I thought this was the more at the hospital and we talked place I needed to be. Alexandra also again about The Salvation Army and invited me to the pop-up choir led by the Christian faith. Evie greatly corps officer Major Sarah Butler. cheered my mother up and enjoyed I started attending most of the worship a lot of fuss too. meetings and a To Serve course. On Sadly, Mum passed away in April 23 February 2020 I was enrolled as a 2018, but I kept in touch with Alexandra soldier. It was an honour to wear my through social media and she invited Army uniform. Evie and Alexandra were me to attend her corps. I have always present at my enrolment and I am believed in God but, while I have been grateful for the day God guided them to to several churches over the years, my mum’s hospital ward.

I never felt I belonged. I decided to go I have found my spiritual home and a with Alexandra to The Salvation Army deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus, and the first thing I noticed was how and my family have seen a difference friendly and welcoming everyone was. in me.

I enjoyed the worship as well.

Labrador Evie was one of the longestserving therapy dogs in the UK and touched many people’s lives, visiting hospitals, nursing homes and schools for children with special needs, and helping adults with learning difficulties and those living with dementia. She died in January this year, aged 13.

Evie was recognised at Crufts with a special award for her work over the years and was runner-up in the National Therapy Dog of the Year awards in 2018. In 2020 she was awarded a pet hero award for alerting Alexandra to a family in distress in

the sea, which was remarkable because Evie was blind.

The pair have featured on local television and radio and in the press.

Their profile has created several opportunities for Alexandra to talk about the Army and her faith.

‘I always prayed that God would … make an opportunity [for me] to share my faith,’ she says, ‘and with every client I met our conversation would end with “God bless you”. A dog is non-judgemental and can be a bridge to talking about God. Just a dog some might say, but one that God used for his Kingdom.’

Sue’s enrolment Salvationist 22 May 2021

15

BIBLE STUDY

Soaked in the Spirit Major Mal Davies explores how the Spirit is poured out on us

ACTS 2:1–21

T

HERE are those who might say that a hallmark of my teaching and preaching style is me asking dumb questions, and they’re possibly right.

I think asking obvious questions can help us to rethink things that, otherwise, we can easily over-complicate.

So, here’s the first one: what’s the difference between occasionally drinking water and diving into a river? Bear in mind, both involve you and water.

It’s not too hard to realise that one of them involves putting water into you and the other involves putting you into water. It’s a simple question to respond to. Hold that thought!

QUESTIONS O What does it feel like to dive into a body of water on a hot day? Do you like that feeling or not? Do you ease your way in slowly or dive in headfirst?

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

by Major Lynda Levis

In Acts 2 we read about the events of Pentecost and the disciples in Jerusalem and the coming in power of the Holy Spirit. It’s a packed chapter, but I’d like to hone in on one phrase: ‘I will pour out my Spirit’ (vv17 and 18).

As Peter speaks to the crowd, he begins by quoting the prophet Joel, speaking about the last days and how God will pour his Spirit out. Some 800 years or so before the time of Christ, Joel had prophesied after a huge locust plague had devastated the lands of Judah. He spoke of it as judgement on unbelievers but he also spoke of recovery and blessings that would come if Judah revered God. He then moved on to speak of later times: ‘And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people’ (Joel 2:28).

Before Pentecost, the Spirit tended to fill special people on special

occasions for special tasks. Someone would be filled with the Spirit only while they accomplished something great for God, and then he would depart from them. For example, Moses and 70 elders (see Numbers 11:25), Gideon (see Judges 6:34), Samson (see Judges 15:12–14) and Samuel (see 1 Samuel 10:10). The Spirit’s presence in someone was selective and temporary.

However, at Pentecost, Peter announces – thanks to Joel’s words – that God’s Spirit has been poured out on all people who believe in God. The Spirit’s presence is no longer a temporary experience for the believer but a lasting, ever-present reality.

American pastor and author AW Tozer said: ‘The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity; it is part and parcel of the total plan of God for his people.’

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

‘For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.’

(Isaiah 44:3)

Holy Spirit! Promised My message and my presence fall on me./ Holy preaching were not with Spirit! Make me all I long to wise and persuasive words, be./ Holy Spirit! Holy but with a demonstration of Spirit!/ Give your power the Spirit’s power. to me O Holy Spirit.

(1 Corinthians 2:4) (SASB 316) Prayer Lord, as you promised to send your Spirit, so you have acted on that promise.

May we claim your gift and live a life emboldened, encouraged and filled with your presence, displaying the fruit of the promise in every part of our lives.

16

Salvationist 22 May 2021

QUESTIONS O Do you agree? As Christians, are we sometimes Spirit-filled or always Spirit-filled?

O Are all Christians Spirit-filled or just the ones over a certain age or who have been saved for longer?

Jesus had said that God ‘will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth’ (John 14:16 and 17) and that the Holy Spirit will be sent to ‘teach you all things’ (John 14:26). At Pentecost that ‘will’ became a ‘has’, and God’s Spirit arrived in power.

It is interesting that, in the chapter preceding our study passage, Jesus said to the disciples: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days

you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 1:4 and 5).

The word ‘baptised’ comes from an old Greek word meaning ‘to be immersed, soaked or washed fully in water’. So we are ‘baptised with the Holy Spirit’ when he is ‘poured out’ on us.

In the Old Testament, someone would be filled with the Spirit temporarily (like drinking a glass of water). In the New Testament, we are baptised/immersed in the Holy Spirit (like diving into a river).

In Brindley Boon’s classic song ‘Spirit Divine, Come as of Old’ (SASB 311), the water symbolism can be found again: ‘Spirit divine, cleanse thou our souls/ With pentecostal flood’. The ‘pentecostal flood’ is a direct reference to the generous outpouring of God’s Spirit as described by Peter and prophesied

by Joel centuries earlier.

QUESTIONS O What does it look like to be filled with the Holy Spirit? How should a life lived with the Spirit appear?

O How can we be more attuned to the Spirit’s presence, leading and guidance in our lives?

The chorus of Boon’s lovely song is a fitting benediction for us: Come, great Spirit, come, Make each heart thy home; Enter every longing soul; Come, great Spirit, come

MAJOR DAVIES IS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PUBLISHING SECRETARY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

For the mighty moving of thy Spirit/ In our hearts and minds from day to day,/ For the gentle soothing of thy Spirit/ When our fears had filled us with dismay:/ We adore thee, heavenly Father,/ And we thank thee, heavenly Father,/ And we praise thee, heavenly Father,/ As we pray, as we pray.

(SASB 319)

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.

(1 Thessalonians 1:4 and 5)

Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,/ Send the fire!/ Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,/ Send the fire!/ Look down and see this waiting host,/ Give us the promised Holy Ghost,/ We want another Pentecost,/ Send the fire!

(SASB 326)

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.

Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’

(Acts 11:15 and 16)

Salvationist 22 May 2021

17

Poets’ corner

REFL RE FLEC FL ECTI EC TION TI ON REFLECTION

The f the S

A Pentecostal Prayer

Brian Colley y (Clowne) considers ho ow the Holy Spirit helps us to be like Jesus

T

HE writer of Ecclesiastes says that there is ‘a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens’ (3:1). That was more obvious for fruit and vegetables when they were only available in certain months, but now we can seemingly buy produce throughout the year.

A lot of it comes from abroad, where of course it will still be seasonal in the places where it is grown. It gets to us quickly and, being transported in ideal conditions, is kept fresh.

Right at the start of Creation, God ensured a plentiful supply: ‘Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds”’ (Genesis 1:11).

That refers to physical provision, but in the New Testament we read about the fruit of the Spirit.

In Galatians 5 we are told what this is in detail. ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love’ (v22), and because ‘fruit’ is singular some theologians suggest love is the basis of all the others listed: joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Certainly, when Paul describes what love is and is not in 1 Corinthians 13, we can see that love does indeed encompass all those other qualities.

Without love it is surely impossible to have every one of them.

This fruit can’t be bought or mass-produced, it is a gift from heart by the God to born-again believers and is planted in the hea Holy Spirit. It has to be planted and cultivated, so that we are ‘like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its it fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither’ (Psalm 1:3).

There is a need to move on from initial salvation and accept praying the gift of the Holy Spirit to widen our experience, pra words like those penned by Albert Orsborn: ‘Come, Holy H in Spirit, and abide with me,/ My heart is longing to confide conf thee;/ Such wondrous grace thou hast provided me,/ Holy Spirit, abide with me’ (SASB 297).

The opposite of the fruit of the Spirit Spir is shown when we are unloving, self-promoting, self-pr unforgiving, anxious and impatient. The Th fruit of the Devil?

Someone once said: ‘The fruit of the Spirit S grows only in the garden of obedience.’ When W we have this fruit within us we start to become Christlike.

To be like Jesus!

This hope possesses me, His Spirit helping me, Like him I’ll be.

328) (SASB 3 18

Salvationist 22 May 2021

Spirit of purity, Spirit of love, Spirit of gentleness, heavenly dove, Spirit of faithfulness come with your power, Baptise your people in this holy hour.

Come like a mighty wind, purge with your fire, Come in your power your people inspire, Come in your patience and help us to grow More like the Saviour whose presence we know.

May your Church witness that Jesus is King, Telling the people of his suffering, How bearing the sin of the world when he died, God’s love was poured out in Christ crucified.

Spirit of truth, who proclaims Jesus King, Help us to worship and his praises sing.

Jesus, the living Lord, show us the way, Come by your Spirit and fill us today.

BEVAN A SPENCER

Glimpses of Glory Let me tell you my story Of glimpses of glory.

Distanced hugging, kisses and smiles, Stretching over miles and miles; Windows painted rainbow coloured, New musical joys discovered; Kind volunteers without number, Human angels, what a wonder.

Hands from pavements I’ve been lifted, With loving strangers I’ve been gifted; Health workers serving selflessly, Just like Jesus did for me Through his stark, dark and dreadful death, As he drowned in his final breath.

When I was broken with despair And ‘Jesus help me’ was my prayer, He saturated me with love, And grace provided from above.

And that is my story Of glimpses of glory.

WINIFRED RICKARD

LETTERS

MEMORIES OF ABERFAN

SING A NEW SONG ON these lovely spring mornings I’ve heard a song thrush singing at the top of a sycamore tree near the end of my garden. I have noticed this melodious singing continues for a number of hours, and the little bird never seems to grow weary.

I love to hear the thrush’s beautiful song filling the morning air, out-singing the other songbirds by far.

I am reminded of someone else who climbed a sycamore tree: a chief tax collector named Zacchaeus. His aim was to get as high as he could above the crowds in order to see Jesus, who was coming his way. I wonder if this song thrush feels the need to get to the topmost branches of the sycamore to be seen and heard.

Thankfully, we do not need to climb trees to be seen or heard by Jesus, but maybe we could learn from the determinedness of Zacchaeus, and the diligence of the song thrush to sing a new song to the Lord each day, beginning every morning, overflowing with songs of praise and thanksgiving to our almighty God, for he has done marvellous things.

READING ‘Remembering Aberfan’ (Salvationist 1 May) brought back to me memories of that disaster. My parents, Majors William and May Warren, were the commanding officers of Maesteg Corps and divisional headquarters requested that they, like many others, should go immediately to Aberfan to help in whatever way they could.

A message was left for my brother and me telling us where they had gone. I was 18 at the time and I felt that I should also go to help in whatever way I could. My employer allowed me to have time off work as necessary.

On arriving I saw the seriousness of the disaster and on finding my father in an empty house that the Army had taken over to store refreshments, I took bread and soup to those digging. When an alarm sounded the digging had to stop because a child had been found.

My mother had been asked to help in the church hall, which had become the mortuary, and she washed the bodies and talked to the distraught parents when they came to identify their children. I returned the next day and continued to help.

Some years later I returned to Aberfan, visited the cemetery and observed the stillness.

I TOTALLY agree with Mr Armstrong’s letter (Salvationist 24 April). This isn’t solely an issue for older people; it also affects, for example, people who are living with disabilities. Although they may have the internet, they may not have access to Zoom in many cases because they would not have reason to use such a programme.

My local Salvation Army branch has been very good at providing an alternative to Zoom, although I should add that we are a larger corps and we do attract people from other places in the Cotswolds, and I realise that this might be more of a challenge for a smaller corps, particularly as not all places have internet connections that are fast enough for technologies such as Zoom to be of use in the first place.

Bram Warren Brighton

Annabelle Short Cheltenham

Nicola Walmsley Barrow-in-Furness

THINKING OFFLINE

LITTLE TEACHER THE ‘More rear-mirror views’ article (Salvationist 10 April) brought back lovely memories of an evening at Regent Hall in August 1977, when we were introduced to the story of Adjutant Catherine Hine and her work among the East End Chinese community in the early 1900s.

The occasion was the first presentation of a wonderful mini-musical, Little Teacher, written especially for the students at that year’s Sunbury Music School by Major Joy Webb OF. Joy wanted to unpack to these young Salvationists something of the rich heritage which was theirs and Catherine Hine was the chosen servant of God who had such a story to be told.

In spoken word, music and song, the drama unfolded, from ‘Banner of the Star’ – a depiction of the altercation between rebel Chinese fighters, when the producing of the pocket flag avoided further bloodshed in the civil war – to Catherine’s teaching about the feeding of the 5,000 in ‘Jesus Makes It More Than Enough’.

The conclusion became even more meaningful when the Salvation Army Chinese flag of Limehouse, made especially for this community – and graciously loaned by

the Heritage Centre for this occasion – was raised in Catherine’s honour, in true remembrance of a wonderful pioneer Salvationist.

As the musical’s closing words stated, Catherine felt called to be a missionary to China. She never got there – but her flag did.

Kathy Kerslake Staines

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 22 May 2021

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PREVIEWS

Rekindling courage and love

Salvationist introduces three books that explore discipleship and Christian leadership in today’s world

The Contemplative Struggle

by Ian Cowley

H

OW do we embrace and work out our call to be disciples in a broken world? In The Contemplative Struggle Ian Cowley sets the central themes of John’s Gospel alongside each other – abiding in Christ, conflict, light and darkness, obedience, loving one another – and explores how these can be reconciled in daily life.

Drawing on his experience of living in his native South Africa during the apartheid era, and challenging understandings of spirituality and contemplative prayer as essentially inwardlooking, he highlights the urgent need for Christians to be active in bringing transformation to a suffering world and paints a compelling picture of radical discipleship for today.

On the back cover is a quote by Archbishop Desmond Tutu: ‘Just as we are all meant to be contemplatives and to hear the voice of God in our lives, we are all meant to answer God’s call to be his partners in transfiguring the world. This calling, this encounter with God, is always to send us into the midst of human suffering.’

Ian Cowley is an Anglican priest who has served in parish ministry in South Africa, Sheffield, Cambridge and Peterborough. From 2008 to 2016 he was co-ordinator of spirituality and vocations in the diocese of Salisbury, where he set up and developed the Contemplative Minister programme. He is the author of five books on spirituality, discipleship and the local church.

O The Contemplative Struggle is available from brfonline.org.uk and as a Kindle edition from amazon.co.uk, each priced £8.99

The Contemplative Response

by Ian Cowley

T

HE true self finds peace resting in the love of God, in the peace that Jesus promises.

Jesus says to each of us in ministry, ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.

Now remain in my love’ (John 15:9). This book, published in 2019, seeks to show what that might mean for those in Christian ministry in the 21st century.

Following on from the success of his previous book, The Contemplative Minister, Cowley offers new insight and greater depth for church leaders in a distracted world. He encourages ministers to minister to themselves as well as to others, and to ensure that their spiritual lives don’t run dry amid the pressures of the job.

Contemplative Response is available from brfonline.org.uk and as a Kindle edition from amazon.co.uk, each priced £8.99

O The

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Salvationist 22 May 2021

Comfortable Words

by Steven Croft

‘C

OMFORT, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem’ (Isaiah 40:1 and 2). Through nine reflections, Steven Croft examines what these ‘comfortable words’ have to say to us. Each reflection begins with a passage of Scripture taken from Isaiah 40 to 55: the song of the prophet who sings at the end of the exile to call God’s people home.

The prophet sings of love and forgiveness, of new hope and strength in God, to rekindle courage in the hearts of God’s people. The prophet sings of a new kind of leadership, based on humility and gentleness. The prophet sings of not being afraid even in the face of death.

These are words the whole world needs to hear afresh in this season.

The Right Rev Dr Steven Croft is the bishop of Oxford. He has a passion for mission and evangelism and for finding creative ways of sharing the gospel.

He is the co-author of the Emmaus and Pilgrim courses, both of which seek to help people engage with the Christian faith.

Words is available from brfonline.org.uk and as a Kindle edition from amazon.co.uk, each priced £7.99

O Comfortable

VIEW POINT

Forgotten soldiers Joe Schultz (Boscombe) draws a parallel between a forgotten soldier from the Second World War and those we tend to forget today

I

N 1945 two events changed the course of history. The first was VE Day (8 May), which brought an end to hostilities in Europe. The second was VJ Day (15 August), which marked the end of the war. On 2 September, after two weeks of deliberations, the peace treaty was signed on board the USS Missouri at anchor in Tokyo Bay. Some soldiers, however, were unaware of the signing of the peace treaty – men who had been posted to Pacific islands to keep the invading American forces out, with clear instructions that there would be no surrender. For some reason or other they never got the message that a peace treaty was agreed. They were a forgotten army of faithful, loyal men.

In 1974 a Japanese second lieutenant, who had not realised the war was over, surrendered his sword after 29 years.

Hiroo Onoda had been posted to Lubang

Island in the Philippines. Soon after the war he found leaflets dropped from the air announcing that the war had ended, but he believed that they were an enemy trick. Throughout those long years, he went out at night to forage for nuts and roots and to fish in the sea.

Each morning he went back to his cave in the forest.

Two fishermen discovered him fishing in the sea, but he was still not convinced that there had been a surrender. The Japanese authorities decided to send his ageing former commanding officer to release him of his responsibilities. Only then did he surrender and return home.

This reminded me of another army of forgotten soldiers – people who once proudly marched behind the yellow, red and blue flag. Up and down this green and pleasant land of ours – in every town and city – there are forgotten people,

who were once part of our Army and, for whatever reason, have become lost to our corps. They may still be Salvationists at heart and remain loyal to their faith, believing that the spiritual battle goes on.

One Sunday night, in the early days of The Christian Mission, William Booth and his 12-year-old son, Bramwell, were returning home from a meeting. William opened the door of a drinking saloon so that his son could see inside, where there were dishevelled and drunken men and women, and said, ‘These are our people.’ There is no doubt that the lost and the outcast need our love and acceptance. That remains the Army’s mission. But let’s not forget the people out there who still live by what the yellow, red and blue stands for. They also need our love and acceptance. In the words of the Founder, ‘These are our people.’

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Salvationist 22 May 2021

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARMY PEOPLE

TRIBUTES

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES Platinum (70th) O Colonels Edward and Eva Cotterill (2 June) Diamond O Lieut-Colonels Brenda and Ray Oakley (3 June) Emerald (55th) O Andy and Hilary Sims, Bromley Temple (4 June) O Majors Jorgen and Libbet Booth (4 June) O Majors Ann and Victor Kidd (4 June) O Majors Christine and John Travers (4 June) Golden O Majors Evangeline and Lawrence Brown (5 June) O Majors Barbara and Robert Davies (5 June) O Majors Olive and Peter Dickson (5 June) O Majors Muriel and Robert McClenahan (5 June)

MAJOR DAWN DAVIES BEFORE starting her service with The Salvation Army Major Dawn Davies had said she would never wear a uniform or put on a bonnet. These, however, became the tools of a ministry that focused on both telling the gospel and living it, demonstrating the love of God in practical ways wherever there was need.

Dawn commenced her ministry as an envoy in the South Wales Division with her husband, Norman, in 1972, going on to join the Soldiers of the Cross session in 1973 from their home corps of Cardiff Cathays.

Dawn had trained as a nurse, worked as a youth hostel warden and was a full-time mother to Llynette and Clive.

Appointments with Norman centred on London, where they served in areas with great need.

While appointed to King’s Cross Goodwill Centre, she persuaded supermarkets to donate food on its sell-by date and used that to feed many hungry families. Dawn also had a gift for raising funds to ensure her appointments were self-sufficient.

In 1988 Captains Dawn and Norman Davies were appointed to Falmouth Road Goodwill Centre, where Norman was promoted to Glory. Dawn carried on in that appointment on her own until moving to Ottery St Mary, then to Nottingham Goodwill Centre where she had been with Norman for their summer out-training in 1974. Her final corps appointment was Irthlingborough, retiring from there in 1998 to Caterham, the year that she would have retired with Norman.

Dawn returned to south Wales where Llantwit Fardre became her home.

She worshipped at Williamstown and joined the outpost that opened close to her bungalow. The outpost was not successfully established and the fellowship became part of the Elim church. Dawn worshipped with them when her mobility became severely restricted.

Dawn’s strong faith and determination to demonstrate God’s love remained important to her right until the end. – CD

RETIRED OFFICERS Birthday congratulations O Major Beryl Watts (80 on 4 June) O Major Olive Stevens (85 on 4 June) O Major Ann Ashworth (80 on 4 June) PROMOTED TO GLORY Maisie Hewis, Birmingham Citadel, on 1 May O Songster Barbara Payne, Sheringham, on 4 May O TE Edward Dean, Dartford, on 9 May O Major Paul Holifield from his home in Christchurch on 11 May O

BEREAVED O Dep BM Stephen Selfe, Staple Hill, and Andrew Selfe of their father Bram Selfe O Bandsman John Payne, Sheringham, of his wife Songster Barbara Payne, Penny Hippey, Susan Cox and Melody Linberg of their mother, Beverley Linden, Coventry City, and Alastair Taylor-Payne of their stepmother O Captain Sue Dean, Dartford, of her husband TE Edward Dean O Major Glenda Holifield, The Booth Centre Lifehouse chaplain, of her husband Major Paul Holifield O Angela Horne of her husband Kenneth, Cheryl Horne, Leighton Buzzard, and Gary Horne of their father 22

Salvationist 22 May 2021

BOBBY QUINN, SUNDERLAND MILLFIELD ROBERT Francis Quinn was born in 1925 at Seaham Harbour.

Bobby, as he became affectionately known, moved to Sunderland Millfield with his family when he was a child. There he played an active role in the juniors and the Scouts, later becoming a member of the senior sections.

In 1943 he enlisted in the RAF, serving in India and Burma. In 1949 Bobby married his lifelong sweetheart, Renie Ferry, and transferred to Sunderland Monkwearmouth. In due course children, Malcolm and Joy, completed the family.

Bobby served as band secretary for 35 years and had responsibility for numerous band weekends in the UK and several overseas campaigns.

Returning to Sunderland Millfield in 2007, he continued to be an encourager to all. His regular attendance at band rehearsals and his personal testimony in worship meetings will be missed.

Bobby was a true Christian gentleman who was loved and respected by his friends, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. – RB EDWIN SIMONS, CONSETT BORN in 1927 in Consett to Salvationist parents, Edwin attended The Salvation Army all his life. He was married to Vera for 67 years and had one daughter, Christine.

Edwin actively engaged in all aspects of corps life and held several local officer commissions, including bandsman, songster, singing company leader and young people’s sergeant-major. In retirement he felt led to form a weekly prayer fellowship, which remains an active aspect of corps life today. Many people who have attended the corps have been enriched by his words of encouragement; his smile and friendly handshake ensured that everyone was made welcome and felt valued.

Edwin was described by those who knew him as a true Christian gentleman.

He is greatly missed by his family and friends. – JP

DAVID HOPKINS, NOTTINGHAM WILLIAM BOOTH MEMORIAL HALLS DAVID was a fine Christian man. Words such as ‘loyal’, ‘consistent’, ‘kind’, ‘dependable’ and ‘solid’ easily flowed in any reference to him. Lifelong service in The Salvation Army typified David’s dedicated Christian living.

He was a local officer for more than 30 years and a bandsman for 58 years, displaying good humour and integrity in all his dealings. Never professing musical excellence, he played his part in the bass section incomparably.

Having served the NHS as a chief finance officer for many years, David used retirement to spend quality time with his

wife of 53 years, Marian, his son, Paul, his daughter, Tracey, and their families.

He also found time to be band librarian and, along with Marian, was part of the corps welcome team. Together they gave excellent service within the Army’s antitrafficking and modern slavery work.

David is sorely missed, but he leaves a tremendous legacy. – KP DOROTHY TURRELL, BIRMINGHAM CITADEL DOT, as she was affectionately known, was a uniformed soldier at Birmingham Citadel for 52 years. She was one of those people willing to go the extra mile in her service for the Lord. She

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Email advertising@salvationarmy. org.uk for more information.

assisted at the Cameo group and would volunteer to help with the Christmas Day meals preparation. She also supported the day centres at Birmingham Aston Corps and Nechells Goodwill Centre.

Dorothy picked people up in the corps minibus for various activities and attended Sunday morning worship when her health would permit.

Her husband, Bob, was sadly promoted to Glory after 16 years of marriage, and her brother, Derek, died in 2019. This left Dorothy without any living relatives, but she saw The Salvation Army at Birmingham Citadel as her family. Dorothy was a true servant of God. – RO

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MGS works with relationships and other life experiences

MGS is confidential, experienced and free Contact Major Jorgen Booth and the MGS team Tel 07711 148538 or email mgscounselling@yahoo.com (Based in Worthing – MGS works throughout the UK)

RECRUITING NOW CHAPLAIN HOLYWOOD, BELFAST

Job summary The Salvation Army believes that all people have unique and absolute value regardless of their age, cognitive or physical ability. Spiritual care is an important part of the care provided at Sir Samuel Kelly Memorial residential care home where we improve the quality of the lives of older people by providing excellent person-centred services. The chaplain is a key member of the team – supporting residents, relatives and staff and embodying the ethos and values of The Salvation Army.

Key responsibilities With training and support, you will be responsible for the delivery of the spiritual programme. This includes, but is not limited to, arranging and leading meaningful, relevant and dementia-friendly weekday and Sunday worship and ensuring Christian festivals are celebrated. You will work alongside the home manager to ensure that the Christian ethos is maintained throughout the general management of the home.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate: O An understanding and empathy for older people and their needs O Be an active Salvationist O A good communicator and experienced at leading public worship O Willing to engage in training

SALARY £24,024 per annum WORKING HOURS 40 hours per week – will consider part-time for the right candidate; may include unsocial hours CONTRACT Permanent DETAILS 25 days’ annual leave + bank holidays (pro rata for part-time); a contributory pension scheme; season ticket loan; an employee assistance programme CLOSING DATE 28 May INTERVIEW DATE 8 June

This role has an occupational requirement that the successful candidate must be a committed and practising uniformed Salvationist

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 Disclosure. CVs will not be accepted. Promoting equality in the workplace.

Salvationist 22 May 2021

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‘‘‘ All kinds of people attend, join, volunteer with or work for The Salvation Army.

We’ve asked some to tell us about themselves.

This week…

DOUG TAYLOR

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but thou art mighty; Hold me with thy powerful hand (SASB 27)

’’’

What sport would you compete in if you were in the Olympics?

I can’t jump, run or hurdle, so I think I would be a hammer thrower.

Which Bible figure would you like to meet and what would you ask them?

Judas. I would ask him why he betrayed Jesus.

If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be?

Happiness.

What is your favourite hymn or worship song?

‘Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah’ (SASB 27).

Clitheroe How did you first come into contact with the Army?

After my wife, Lesley, died I was grieving and angry. I am close to my mother-inlaw, Alma, who goes to The Salvation Army. She suggested I visit the corps.

One Sunday I decided to go and I was made very welcome.

What made you want to worship at the Army?

To gain comfort and solace.

What did you do before retirement?

I was a plumber. My job now is to smile and try to make people happy!

What is your favourite meal?

Steak and two veg.

What do you do in your spare time?

I read crime novels and I listen to music – classical, opera and hymns.

If you could bring back any fashion trend, what would it be?

Sixties long jackets, crepe sole shoes and tight trousers – the Teddy Boy style style.

What one thing would you change about the Army?

I cannot think of anything I would change e – it’s the best! I feel loved and I am told I am loved.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose?

Winston Churchill. He gave other people comfort and hope during the Second World War. If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be?

Be happy and live life to the full.

If you had to be handcuffed to one person for a day, who would it be?

My wife, Lesley.

D you have any hidden talents?

Do I’d say no – what you see is what yyou get. But I am told I am a great quizmaster at the Cameo group, and q I do a good job at reading the Bible in church.

A Apart from the Bible, which book would you want on a desert island? w The complete set of Oxford T encyclopedias. e

What is your favourite kind of holiday?

Holidaying with my family.

If you could be in a film, which would it be and what character would you play?

I would play Oliver in Oliver Twist. I can empathise with his sadness.

Is there something about life or the world you’ve never understood?

The loss of my dad when he was 49.

I was only 10 years old.

If you had a ‘theme song’ that played whenever you walked into a room, w what would it be? w ‘In Dreams’ by Roy Orbison.

What was the first record, record tape or CD that you ever owned?

The Doggie in the Window w by Patti Page, with the song, ‘(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?’, released in 1953.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Keep smiling and look to the future.

Did you have a nickname growing up?

My uncle called me Spud.

What is the most valuable thing you possess?

Memories of my mum and dad – and, most of all, of Lesley.

What is your favourite Bible passage?

Matthew 6:9–13, the Lord’s prayer, because it tells us how we should live together.

Something interesting that people might want to know about you is…

Meet me and find out!