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Proms composer gives voice to faith

18 July 2026 50p/60c

Racing times As Commonwealth Games begin, athlete looks back to Birmingham 2022 and beyond

Robotic laughter in sitcom

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WAR CRY Issue No 7790

Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Managing Editor: Philip Halcrow Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Staff Writer: Ewan Hall Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Mark Knight Graphic Designer: Matt Penberthy

From the editor’s desk The summer of 2026 is already shaping up to be memorable, with recordbreaking heatwaves. It will also, no doubt, be remembered for its sporting events, including the Commonwealth Games, which open in Glasgow on Thursday (23 July). In this week’s War Cry, we speak with para-athlete Kare Adenegan, who, as well as winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, has won 7 Paralympic medals, 12 World Championship medals and 2 European medals. ‘I keep my medals in random places all over the house,’ she says. Kare tells us about her approach to sport. ‘A lot of pressure comes with training and competing, because there can be so much expectation,’ she says. ‘So, when I’m getting ready to race, I try to remind myself of my past successes and encourage myself with those results.’ Kare also explains how her Christian faith helps her with the pressures she faces. ‘So often I have been on the start line of a race and prayed to God: “May your will be done.” A lot of my prayers are about thanking God for his love,’ she says. ‘I recognise today that I have so much to be thankful for.’ Someone else who feels thankful is US composer Dan Forrest, who explains the ‘huge honour’ he feels that his work is being featured in this year’s BBC Proms. Dan also tells us about how his Christian faith influences all his music. ‘Some of my music shouts about God,’ he says, ‘and some of my music quietly whispers in the background about God. But it’s all his.’ We may not be successful athletes or talented musicians, but each of us can experience God’s presence in our lives – enabling us to know his unconditional love, receive forgiveness for the things we do wrong and find direction that brings a sense of purpose to everything we do. The day we decide to accept God’s offer of a relationship with him will be the most memorable moment in our lives.

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CONTENTS FEATURES

Robo cops it Sue isn’t keen on her android help

‘The greatest concert series in the UK’ US composer on being featured at the Proms

‘A lot of pressure comes when competing’ Athlete reflects on the Commonwealth Games

13 Pitching up Teams take part in cricket’s the Hundred

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REGULARS

FO 4

Team Talk and War Cry World

12 Tell-tale Signs 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: ALAMY/PA IMAGES

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BBC/BOFFOLA PICTURES/GARY MOYES

Care package Humanoid robot offers assistance in TV comedy TV feature: Ann Droid BBC1 and iPlayer By Claire Brine

oor Sue is going through a tough time. Her husband died two years ago. She’s in hospital after fainting and spraining her wrist. And, in the BBC1 comedy Ann Droid, her son thinks she will need a humanoid care worker to help her live independently. When Sue (Sue Johnston) arrives home from hospital with her arm in a sling, her son Michael (Paul Ready) delivers some bad news. He’s moving out. As a result, he won’t be around to help look after his mum – not that she thinks she needs it. To help soften the blow of his departure, Michael orders his mum an Ann Droid humanoid care robot (Diane Morgan), to ensure that she can cope with living independently and doesn’t get too lonely. The robot is ‘easy to operate’, says the delivery woman who drops the package off. Sue is unconvinced, but Michael begs her to give it a try. When Sue switches on her new companion, she names her Linda (after a sister she hates). Within seconds, Linda is shooting laser beams into Sue’s eyes in order to upload her medical

profile to memory. Sue is creeped out. At the shops, Linda convinces a reluctant Sue to buy a heated monoslipper because it will be good for her circulation. Back home, Sue trips over while wearing her new purchase and ends up in hospital again – this time with ligament damage in her neck. She makes plans to send the robot that she never wanted back to the factory. That night, however, just as Sue is struggling to get ready for bed, Linda asks her in a robotic monotone if she would like to talk about her sadness because talking ‘improves mental health’. Sue replies that her unhappiness is down to the fact that no one understands how she feels or even cares – especially a humanoid robot. ‘It just seems like everything in my life has been taken away,’ she sighs, reflecting on her husband’s death. ‘I don’t know how I’m going to do this ... alone.’ Anyone who has lost a loved one will likely relate to how Sue feels. Facing a future that we didn’t choose – one that we can’t even imagine – is scary. Perhaps we doubt our ability to cope.

Sue takes delivery of a humanoid care robot

Maybe we feel that no one understands our circumstances or cares. Inputting fresh data: someone does. God is a Father who loves us unconditionally and sticks with us through thick and thin. He is the bringer of everlasting hope when the future looks bleak. Whatever our backstory, we can turn to God at any time and invite him into our lives. When we do, we can access a joy that eclipses our sorrows, peace to soothe our despair, and strength to combat our fears. God is even willing to forgive us for the errors of our past and show us how we can become a better human in future. Highlighting God’s willingness to build a relationship with us, one Bible writer urged his readers: ‘Come near to God, and he will come near to you’ (James 4:8 Good News Bible). It’s as simple as that. When we turn to God, and don’t hide the truth from him about the things we struggle with, he welcomes us with open arms. We need never face a single day alone. But warning! His love has the power to reboot lives beyond recognition. 18 July 2026 • WAR CRY • 3

Team talk TEAM WA

talk ‘ TALK’ j A life less ordinary

Claire Brine gives her take on a story that has caught the attention of War Cry reporters A headline in The Sunday Times caught my eye. ‘The key to happiness,’ it said, was to ‘be more ordinary’. The article described the book The Courage to Be Ordinary, by philosopher Ichiro Kishimi, as ‘a treatise for anyone who is feeling trapped in the relentless pursuit of standing out’. Rather than ‘striving for greatness’ at every turn, it explained, people should consider a radical alternative: ‘Stop trying to be special.’ Kishimi writes in the book: ‘Children grow up surrounded by messages that they have to become somebody’ – but when people stop putting pressure on themselves to be exceptional and cease comparing themselves to others, they find freedom. Addressing people who like to share their successes with the world on social media, Kishimi says: ‘You don’t need to flaunt charisma or put on a show of flamboyance. All you need to do is face your own tasks sincerely. That alone is enough to influence others, create meaningful contributions and, in time, enrich your life.’ I think he’s right. I’ve always thought it important to do my best in life – in school, at work and in my relationships – but the drive behind my efforts should never be about gaining public recognition, nor should I be seeking a platform from which to boast. That’s because, as Kishimi helpfully puts it, ‘the only life that you get to live is your own’. By that notion, competition is irrelevant. Pondering Kishimi’s views in the context of my Christian faith, I’m reminded that nowhere in the Bible does it say that God loves highly accomplished people more than those who simply muddle through life. Jesus didn’t praise people for their impressive CV or their ability to get rich quick. He didn’t surround himself with a popular gang. He chose as his disciples a group of down-to-earth blokes who would have been viewed by society at the time as decidedly average. What Jesus asks of his followers – both 2,000 years ago and today – is to love our heavenly Father, God, and to love our neighbour. Those are the most important things, which, when we achieve them, enable us to lead the most extraordinary life.

Jesus didn’t praise people for their CV

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Footballers are keeping faith

Up to 75 per cent of professional men’s football clubs in the English leagues had Christians in their firstteam squads last season, research carried out for Christians in Sport has found. The study, commissioned by the outreach organisation and published in a report Christians in Men’s Professional Football, also discovered that 40 per cent of clubs in the top six tiers of professional football regularly host events such as Bible studies and prayer meetings – a figure which rose to 50 per cent among just Premier League clubs. More than a third (37 per cent) of these faith-based events are player-led. The report was based on a survey, carried out by Eidos Research, of 164 clubs across the top six tiers of professional football. Responses came from players, club staff and chaplains. ‘Christianity is not disappearing from professional football; it is far more present than most people realise,’ explained Christians in Sport general director Graham Daniels, who is also a former Cambridge United footballer. ‘Perhaps the most striking finding is that, in an environment where identity is constantly tested by success, failure and public scrutiny, many players are looking beyond football itself for meaning, purpose and security.’

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Junade as Idris in ‘Coronation Street’

Belief plays a part in Corrie move Junade Khan, who plays Idris Nazir in ITV’s Coronation Street, told the Daily Mirror that he had been praying about the future of his acting career before landing the role. According to the article, Junade was working as a bus driver in London before getting the job on the soap, and he was beginning to doubt that another acting job would turn up. He said: ‘I’ve got faith, I go to church and I pray and I always believe. But, if I’m honest, even my faith was getting a bit weak. I started to think that maybe this was it.’ Junade’s agent persuaded him not to quit acting, so he continued to attend auditions, being given the role of Idris back in March. He added: ‘I’m glad I never gave up. It’s like a dream come true.’

ALAMY/PA IMAGES

Author backs forgiveness Asked on Radio 4’s This Cultural Life how his Christian faith influenced the morality of his books for children, Frank Cottrell-Boyce said: ‘I think the key thing is forgiveness.’ The author – whose term as children’s laureate ended this month – told interviewer John Wilson: ‘That’s the centre of it all. If you read the Acts of the Apostles, it never says “we’re here for Jesus, who did all miracles and stuff”; it’s always “who came for the forgiveness of sins”. And I think that’s a really remarkable thing, especially now.’ He described forgiveness as ‘hugely empowering’.

Ryder’s Jesus to tour Sam Ryder, who is starring in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium, will reprise the role when the production embarks on a tour of the UK in 2027. The show’s producer, Michael Harrison, has described his delight at ‘the phenomenal response’ to the current production in the West End, saying: ‘The tremendous buzz ... underlines just how special this iconic musical remains.’ Jesus Christ Superstar follows events in the life of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of his disciple Judas.

Sticker service Churches in Latin America have been organising stickerswapping events for children who are filling in their Panini World Cup albums, reported the US-based Roman Catholic media outlet Crux Now. The online article noted that a completed album would contain 980 stickers, reflecting the tournament’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams. In Latin America, a seven-sticker pack costs about $1.40, which means that it would cost someone at least $196 to fill an album – often more because packs are likely to include stickers they already have. So churches in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina have been holding events where children can swap stickers, helping the young people to afford the craze and, at the same time, enabling them to feel at home in church. 18 July 2026 • WAR CRY • 5

Dan Forrest

Composing: his thoughts The BBC Proms are beginning – and the classical music festival is staging events around the country. DAN FORREST, one of the composers whose work is being featured in a ‘mini choral convention’ in Gateshead, reveals what motivates him to write Interview by Philip Halcrow

‘S

o much of the music that made me want to write choral pieces was from the British tradition – past and present,’ says US composer Dan Forrest. ‘That music came across the Pond in my direction to inspire me. So, to be able to send some of my own back in return is always a great joy. ‘And then for it to be performed in the greatest concert series in the UK is a huge honour.’ The ‘greatest concert series in the UK’ is getting under way. And while it is centred on its traditional home of the Royal Albert Hall in London, the BBC Proms will also be staging events at locations around the country, including Gateshead where, next Saturday (25 July), a Choirs on the Concourse programme at the Glasshouse will include Dan’s ‘Good Night, Dear Heart’. The piece – whose words are taken from a poem by Robert Richardson placed on the headstone of Mark Twain’s

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daughter Susy – was written in response to the family news that a four-monthold Ethiopian girl, who was due to be adopted by Dan’s brother and his wife, had become ill and died. Dan describes the music as ‘an elegy for Etsegenet and a reminder of the orphans of Ethiopia’.

My earliest creations were me improvising

hen ‘Good Night, Dear Heart’ is sung – alongside works by Sir James MacMillan, John Tavener and Hildegard von Bingen – at what is being billed as ‘the mini choral convention’, it will not be the first time that Dan’s music has featured in a Proms-related event. His arrangement of Charles Wesley’s hymn ‘And Can It Be’ was sung at Belfast’s Proms in the Park in 2019. He was also commissioned to write a piece for last year’s traditional End of Proms

Service at Holy Sepulchre Church in London. The result was an arrangement of Christina Rossetti’s poem ‘None Other Lamb’. Drawing on biblical imagery of Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God’, Rossetti’s words are an exploration of faith as a resolution to struggles with guilt, shame and sorrow. Faith is a subject close to Dan’s own heart. He was raised in ‘a devout Christian home’, and church played a part in his development as a composer. Dan says that his early memories of music include his ‘brain buzzing with recordings that I heard – theme songs to TV shows, or old records or cassette tapes that we got out of the library’. In addition, he remembers the family’s old upright piano. ‘I did my share of trying to make music on that old upright,’ he says. ‘So eventually my parents decided that they’d better sign me up for music

TYNESIGHT PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES

The Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia – who will feature in Choirs on the Concourse – singing at Proms venue the Glasshouse

lessons. I began in fourth grade, and it came really quickly for me. ‘My earliest creations were simply me improvising at the piano when I was supposed to be practising my assigned pieces. My mom didn’t always love this, but I was hearing things in my head and wanting to explore. I eventually did more and more improvising – on hymns in church especially. ‘Improvising morphed into arranging, and arranging eventually morphed into composing. ‘My first few pieces were hymn arrangements for piano that I would either perform or record. Eventually I moved into choral music, where I loved the musical capabilities of the voice. It could do all the things I wanted to do at the piano but couldn’t – for starters, crescendoing on a held note. ‘From there, I moved into publishing church music and gaining a wider audience. Then I started publishing

choral music as well. I broadened beyond church music, but never abandoned it.’ As Dan’s music progressed, so did his faith. ‘In the church tradition in which I was raised,’ he says, ‘a “crisis conversion” was usually viewed as a turning point – and I had not just one but several of those moments.’

Musical beauty reveals God’s hand at work

ver time, he realised that God’s Spirit had always been at work in his life, guiding him. ‘God’s grip on me,’ he notes, ‘is always so much stronger than my grip on him.’ Dan has come to see music as a gift from God – and even as ‘a fingerprint of God in this world’. He explains: ‘What I mean is that,

when we “dust for prints” in our search for something more than this visible world, beauty – and particularly musical beauty – is one of the clearest fingerprints that reveals God’s hand at work. ‘A God who could give us so rich and beautiful a gift – and who could entrust us to work with those materials and unearth their potential – is a good and wonderful being.’ And Dan’s faith in this ‘good and wonderful’ God accompanies all his music-making. ‘I end up writing all sorts of music, from overtly Christian to secular,’ he says. ‘I’m just as comfortable arranging a hymn for use in gathered worship as I am writing for people who may not share my faith. ‘Some of my music shouts about God, and some of my music quietly whispers in the background about God. But it’s all his.’

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‘I keep my medals in random places all over the house’ JO B NG KI

To mark the start of the Commonwealth Games, which begin on Thursday (23 July), medallist KARE ADENEGAN reflects on the enjoyment she gains from wheelchair athletics but why her relationship with God is more important than race results Interview by Claire Brine

JOB KING

Kare Adenegan

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interview, she adds yet another to her collection – a silver medal for the 400m at the UK Athletics Championships. ‘I keep my medals in random places all over the house,’ she tells me. ‘The ones I’m proudest of are the three that I won in 2016 at the Paralympics in Rio. That was my first Paralympic Games, and I was just 15 years old. I was still quite new to athletics, and so those medals will always have a special place in my heart.’

I thought sport wasn’t for people like me

t’s easy to understand why. After being born prematurely, Kare received a diagnosis of cerebral palsy diplegia – a neurological condition causing stiffness in the lower body – at the age of two. She grew up using a walker and then a wheelchair, which resulted in her being excluded from PE lessons at primary

Kare winning a silver medal for the T34 800m at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris

school. It never entered her head that sport was something she could participate in – let alone be good at. ‘When my class were doing PE, I’d have to stay in the classroom with a book or do my homework,’ she explains. ‘By the time I got to year six, I was asked to help the younger kids with their reading. I just thought that sport wasn’t for people with disabilities, like me. I thought that for a long time.’ Then, one day during a physio session alongside other children with physical disabilities, she saw an advert for wheelchair basketball. She was keen to give it a try. ‘That was my first introduction to para-sport,’ Kare explains. ‘It felt amazing to be in a room full of people with disabilities, playing basketball and sometimes racing one another in our

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ALAMY

s athletes get set and ready to go at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Kare Adenegan is thinking back to a race that took place four years ago. A week after graduating from Warwick University with a degree in history, she competed for Team England in the T34 100m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – and took home a silver medal. ‘It was an amazing event,’ reflects Kare, a wheelchair athlete who competes in the 100m, 400m and 800m events in the T34 classification. ‘Because I come from Coventry, it felt really special to compete at a Games so close to my home. It meant that my friends and family could come and watch me race. ‘What I also love about the Commonwealth Games is that it’s always an integrated event, so able-bodied athletes and para-athletes are in the same team, competing as part of the same schedule. It’s so unique.’ Though Kare won’t be racing at this year’s Commonwealth Games as a result of its reduced programme – ‘there are no events scheduled for my classification,’ she says – she is looking forward to cheering on her fellow athletes as a spectator and celebrating their successes. Landing a spot on podiums is something she is well used to, having so far bagged 7 Paralympic medals, 12 World Championship medals and 2 European medals. Days before our

Kare speeds down the track at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 18 July 2026 • WAR CRY • 9

From page 9

JOB KING

chairs. It was like a whole new world. For the first time, I thought: “Oh, I can actually do sport!” ‘Then came the 2012 Paralympics in London – and that was when I realised para-sport existed at an elite level and it was possible to represent your country.’ For two weeks, an 11-year-old Kare ‘was glued to the Paralympics’ on TV, marvelling at the athletes’ speed, strength and agility. She started to wonder: could she join them one day? ‘I remember watching the British wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft win gold in the 200m and thinking: “Wow, she’s incredible,”’ says Kare. ‘I had this sense of: I think I could do that too. Seeing other para-athletes like Jonnie Peacock and Richard Whitehead was also amazing. I wanted to be a part of it all and was desperate to give it a go.’ After the Games – which carried the slogan ‘Inspire a generation’ – Kare’s parents searched online for local sporting opportunities for their eager and inspired daughter. They came across a website for Coventry Godiva Harriers, an athletics club which ran a wheelchair

Kare at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022

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racing group. Kare was assigned a coach, who spotted her potential in the 100m, 400m and 800m events. ‘Because I was such a young athlete, it was a shock for me to find out that I was actually quite good and fast,’ she says. ‘And in 2013, my coach guided me through my first competitive season, which was very exciting.’

God is the one who got me here

t the age of 13, Kare represented Great Britain at the World Junior Championships, winning two medals. A year later, as the youngest athlete on the team, she won bronze medals in the 400m and 800m at the senior World Championships in Doha. ‘The 100m, 400m and 800m races are quite different events in terms of how you approach them,’ she explains. ‘The 400m and 800m races are about endurance, but I’d say that in the 100m, things like arm speed and power are more

important. The 100m is my favourite race because I’ve had the most success in it.’ In 2016, just four years after watching Hannah Cockroft claim gold at the Paralympics in London, a 15-year-old Kare was racing alongside her at the Rio Games. Once again, Cockroft took home the gold in the 100m – but Kare was thrilled to come a close second, winning the first of her five silver Paralympic medals to date. She also won bronze medals in the 400m and 800m. ‘Going to the Paralympics meant such a lot to me,’ Kare reflects. ‘Ever since I’d watched the Games in London, it had been my dream to compete. Just to be around the athletes was amazing. I felt as though I had walked into my TV. I took selfies with everyone, including Ellie Simmonds and Sarah Storey. I was very star-struck.’ After Rio, Kare’s career accelerated further when, in 2018, she won her first international gold medal in the 100m at the European Championships. She also set the T34 100m world record of 16.80 seconds at the Anniversary Games in London. (Hannah Cockroft has since set a new record.) The following year, Kare continued her athletics training while starting her degree in history. She picked up two silver medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (held in 2021), then graduated from university with a first-class degree a year later. In 2024, at the Paralympics in Paris, she added two more silver medals to her collection. Each competition is preceded by a lot of preparation. ‘A lot of pressure comes with training and competing, because there can be so much expectation,’ she says. ‘So, when I’m getting ready to race, I try to remind myself of my past successes and encourage myself with those results. ‘I also look back over all the training I’ve done. Knowing that I’ve put in the hard work before a race helps me to believe that I am prepared enough and ready for it. So I try to focus on the things I can control.’ The run-up to a competition is also a time when Kare likes to pray. She asks God to help her race at her best, and for the results to reflect it. She also thanks him for the opportunities she has been given. ‘So often I have been on the start line of a race and prayed to God: “May your will be done,”’ she says. ‘A lot of my prayers are about thanking God for his love for me and trying to remember that

ROGER BOOL/ALAMY LIVE NEWS

Kare and Hannah Cockroft celebrate winning silver and gold at the 2024 Paralympics

I’m rooted in that love. With sport, it can be so easy to start defining yourself by your results, but I know that my value comes from my identity in Jesus Christ.’ Throughout the highs and lows of racing, Kare relies on her faith to keep her grounded and focused and her mind on a positive track. But she admits that it hasn’t always been easy. ‘For a long time, I wouldn’t pray about sport if I was finding it difficult,’ she says, ‘because I thought that racing and faith were two separate parts of my life and they shouldn’t mix. But in recent years, I’ve learnt to be more honest with God about how I’m feeling. ‘ When racing is hard – or when it has lost some of its fun because it’s my job – then I’ll pray for the strength to enjoy it again. Enjoyment is the best motivator. ‘It’s also where gratitude comes in. I recognise today that I have so much to be thankful for. I’m living my dreams. When I was 11 years old, I was excluded from sport – but now I’m living an

answered prayer.’ Raised in a churchgoing family, Kare grew up learning about a God who loved her and had a purpose for her life. But there was a time during her younger years when she struggled to reconcile her faith with her disability. ‘There were challenges and questions, for sure,’ she says. ‘I asked God why I had my disability and what my purpose was. My faith went through some ups and downs. But as I got older, God showed me who I was – through him. My disability wasn’t a barrier. I know that God uses all things for his glory. ‘Today I see God as a Father, and I’m loved by him. And that’s not because of anything special I’ve done or how much I’ve strived to achieve. It’s because of what Jesus did for me by dying on the cross. I can have an intimate relationship with God because of Jesus.’ When she looks back over her

career, Kare sees evidence of God’s presence in her life and his unfailing support. She hopes to make it to LA for the Paralympics in 2028, but is open to the idea that God may present her with other opportunities in the meantime. (A week after our interview, she announces on Instagram that she is thrilled to have become an ambassador for the National Junior Para Athletics Championships because it’s a ‘great celebration of inclusive sport’.) ‘In times of success, I try to give all the glory to God, because he is the one who got me here,’ she says. ‘And in the more challenging times, I focus on the fact that my worth doesn’t change. God is still God. His love for me does not alter whatever my results are. ‘There’s a Bible verse in Psalm 23 which has become quite special to me, and it says: “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing.” It helps me to remember that, as I go into races in future, I have all that I need in Christ.’

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Becoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ, I know that I have done things in my life that are wrong and I’m sorry. Thank you that I can ask you for forgiveness because of the sacrifice you made when you died on the cross. Please forgive me and help me to live a better life in the future as I learn how to love you and follow your way of living. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

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Tell-tale signs Lynne Shaw explores how Jesus’ stories pointed to a bigger picture The parable of the good Samaritan – Luke 10:25–37 In conversation, a lawyer talked with Jesus about one of God’s core values: that we should love our neighbour. The lawyer then asked a great question: ‘Who is my neighbour?’ In reply, Jesus told the story of a Jewish man journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho, a difficult descent in desert conditions. The isolated terrain made the traveller an easy target for bandits. Sure enough, he was attacked and left badly beaten and helpless. The person who rescued him was a man from Samaria, and is now known as ‘the good Samaritan’. I come from a city that has a strong footballing rivalry with its biggest neighbour. Both sets of fans love football and their teams, but not each other! When we re-enacted this Bible story as teens, we turned the Samaritan character into a fan from the opposing team. It was our way of illustrating the conflict between the beliefs of the Samaritans and Jews. In telling the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus helps us to recognise what it means to be a good neighbour. Our neighbour can be someone we know really well, someone we live close to or someone we happen to be near, either physically or through technology. What makes someone a good neighbour? In his story, Jesus – a Jew himself, like the lawyer who asked the question – contrasts two people with the good Samaritan: a Jewish priest, and a Jewish man from the tribe of Levi (which may have been the same tribe as the lawyer’s), both of whom did nothing to help the victim. At the end of the story, Jesus asked the lawyer which of the characters was the good neighbour. The lawyer recognised that it was the Samaritan who stopped and helped – seeing another’s need and being moved to do something about it. Jesus responded: go and do the same. What makes us a good neighbour is seeing beyond differences and doing the right thing, in the moment, for someone else.

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QUICK QUIZ 1

Who stars as Odysseus in the new film The Odyssey?

Which boy band had No 1 hits with their albums Coast to Coast and World of Our Own?

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Who is the host of the TV game show The Wheel? Which British four-time Olympic gold medallist was born Hussein Abdi Kahin? A horticulturalist is an expert in the cultivation of what? Which car, nicknamed the ‘Tin Snail’, was unveiled by Citroën in 1948 and produced until 1990?

ANSWERS

ALAMY/NIGEL PARKER

Nat Sciver-Brunt batting for Trent Rockets in the Hundred in 2023

SPECIAL DELIVERY Short-form cricket tournament showcases top talent Feature by Emily Bright

very ball counts in cricketing competition the Hundred, which starts on Tuesday (21 July). Some of the biggest hitters and fastest bowlers in the sport will aim to secure the highest number of runs and wickets they can in 100 balls. For the next five weeks, seven teams – created specifically for the tournament and featuring men’s and women’s squads – will be playing in a league phase and possibly eliminators, with the finals taking place at Lord’s on Sunday 16 August. There will be plenty of talent among the players, who are signed up by teams in auctions. The big names on show include England internationals Joe Root, the country’s all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket, and women’s captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored the fastest 100 in the side’s one-day international history. The tournament begins with MI London Women’s playing host to defending champions SunRisers Leeds Women’s at the Oval. Later that day, MI London Men’s – who have won the tournament three times in a row – play SunRisers Leeds Men’s at the same venue. The stakes are high in this cricketing format – fewer balls means the batters have to take more risks to achieve a higher run rate and change the course of the game. Players are under pressure to make a big impact in a short time. Whatever our field, though, we too can perhaps feel under pressure because of responsibilities – whether at work or in family relationships or in friendships. Sometimes, life can feel overwhelming. So it’s reassuring to know that there’s someone who will always support us when the going gets tough. In the Bible, King David – who faced huge pressures during his lifetime – once gave some advice that he knew to be true: ‘Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you’ (Psalm 55:22 New Living Translation). We can know God’s care today. If we take our worries to him and trust him to take care of us, he will help us live life to the full. Turning to God in times of pressure is always worth a shot. 18 July 2026 • WAR CRY • 13

1. Matt Damon. 2. Westlife. 3. Michael McIntyre. 4. Mo Farah. 5. Garden plants. 6. The 2CV.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Style (7) 5. Of the internet (5) 7. Handcuff (7) 8. Stiff (5) 10. Act of religion (4) 11. Private (8) 13. Prisoner (6) 14. Observing (6) 17. Clearly stated (8) 19. Present (4) 21. Pathway (5) 22. Tarried for (7) 23. Intellect (5) 24. Allured (7) DOWN 2. Holy place (7) 3. Imperial unit of measurement (4) 4. Required (6) 5. Baptise (8) 6. Start (5) 7. Fun (9) 9. Overjoyed (9) 12. Afflicted (8) 15. Stupid (7)

SUDOKU

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9

4 6 2 6 2 3 7 9 1 2 7 5 1 4 9 8 2 3 5 3 7 4 2 5 9 3 7 9 7 4 16. Conclusion (6) 18. Marketplace (5) 20. Puff (4)

M O B HONEYC Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

1. Create a new device 2. Child’s glove 3. Cockney slang for hair 4. Main meal of the day 5. Painful swelling on big toe 6. Pay back money

ANSWERS 8 9 7 2 1 3 5 4 6 4 2 6 5 8 9 3 1 7 1 5 3 6 7 4 8 9 2 2 7 8 4 6 1 9 3 5 3 6 4 9 5 8 2 7 1 5 1 9 7 3 2 4 6 8 9 3 5 1 2 6 7 8 4 6 8 2 3 4 7 1 5 9 7 4 1 8 9 5 6 2 3

HONEYCOMB 1. Invent. 2. Mitten. 3. Barnet. 4. Dinner. 5. Bunion. 6. Refund. QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Fashion. 5. Cyber. 7. Manacle. 8. Rigid. 10. Rite. 11. Personal. 13. Inmate. 14. Seeing. 17. Explicit. 19. Gift. 21. Track. 22. Awaited. 23. Brain. 24. Enticed. DOWN: 2. Sanctum. 3. Inch. 4. Needed. 5. Christen. 6. Begin. 7. Merriment. 9. Delighted. 12. Stricken. 15. Idiotic. 16. Finale. 18. Plaza. 20. Pant.

14 • WAR CRY • 18 July 2026

W RDSEARCH

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these words associated with the Proms

GZHXK V X Z P ZHX L XK J Z I Z C J S CQR Z F Z TWZ Y EQHC MC B C H L MG T X V Q L Q A U T L KXQROY A L A L B ER T HA L L E T HG I N T S A L NAQDVNZR OX V ZRQDZ S Y L RA ZDZ BQ J RND T Z Y UN I QE R V ZWL N QOT R ECNOCGCNRA A ZOZ WC D O R C H E S T R A Y Y Q N B E TQDZ F PR Z BQOQ L I F QUG G Q R T M R Z P R O G R A MM E Z S QH T YWL X UQK X Z V J U B T D N Z SWX EWZ RQ Z T I Q X S S G F T Y GMN GWN E H Q T K Z Z I X Y I A B Y C Z X SWR E S O PMO C F J O V I O A B V I Q P E ZMC L T V P U V QR F ZWFWX F DQ Z OK ZQGK F E LQRBRHP T C L SK ARENA CHOIR CLASSICAL MUSIC COMPOSER CONCERTO CONDUCTOR ENCORE FESTIVAL

GALLERY LAST NIGHT ORCHESTRA PROGRAMME QUEUE ROYAL ALBERT HALL SOLOIST SYMPHONY

SERVES 4

Cinnamon and orange pork with couscous INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1 small orange, zest and juice

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.

1tsp ground cinnamon

Make a marinade by stirring together the orange zest and juice, cinnamon, oil and chilli flakes in a shallow bowl. Add the pork and turn to coat, then cover and leave for 10 minutes.

2tsp garlic-flavoured olive oil ½ tsp dried chilli flakes 4 lean pork loin medallions or steaks, fat removed 300g wholewheat or plain couscous 1 small red onion, finely chopped

Cook the couscous according to the packet instructions. Fluff up with a fork and leave to cool slightly. Stir in the onion, raisins, spinach, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Discard the marinade, then cook the pork in an ovenproof pan over a high heat for 10 minutes, turning once. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for another 6-8 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and any juices run clear.

35g raisins 50g baby spinach 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 lemon, zest and juice 1½ tbsp fresh mint, chopped 1½ tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Divide the couscous between plates. Slice the pork and place on top, then serve.

Salt and ground black pepper

SERVES 4

Air fryer crispy pork burger INGREDIENTS

METHOD

25g plain flour

Stir the flour and smoked paprika together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

1tsp smoked paprika Salt and freshly ground black pepper 100g plain cornflakes 1 egg 4 lean pork loin medallions Oil spray 4 burger buns Lettuce leaves Tomatoes, sliced

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board website lovepork.co.uk

Tip the cornflakes into a large food bag and crush to fine crumbs with a rolling pin or the base of a small pan. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and beat well. Roll each pork medallion in the flour, then the egg, then cover completely with the crushed cornflakes. Heat the air fryer to 200C. Spray the air fryer basket with oil, then add the pork in a single layer and cook for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway. Repeat with any remaining pork if necessary. Place the pork in the burger buns with the lettuce leaves and tomatoes, then serve with chips and tomato ketchup on the side.

18 July 2026 • WAR CRY • 15

I invite you to stop here and rest a while.