The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church
What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
WAR CRY Issue No 7511
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies Published weekly by The Salvation Army ©The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper
Your local Salvation Army centre
INFO 2 • WAR CRY • 6 February 2021
EDITOR From From the editor’s desk
SHEILA HANCOCK has enjoyed a distinguished career as an actress, director and author. In last month’s new year’s honours list, she was made a dame for services to drama and charity. In an exclusive interview in this week’s War Cry, Sheila tells us about the important role that faith has played at various times in her life. She describes the way her father took her to a different church every week throughout her childhood. As a young actress, Sheila continued to attend church services until she lost her faith after a series of family tragedies. However, as time moved on, she felt a pull back to it. ‘I began to feel a lack of spiritual dimension to my life,’ she says. Sheila eventually found her spiritual home in Quakerism, an expression of Christianity in which members meet together, often in silence. ‘Sitting in silence suits me,’ Sheila says. ‘It can be powerful.’ Silence, though, can be a problem for two other people featured in this week’s issue. To mark Tinnitus Awareness Week, Jayne Bridge and Heather Frohbieter talk to us about their experiences of living with a constant ringing noise in their ears. One of the challenges they face is when they have to contend with long periods of silence. ‘If it’s really quiet, I’ll turn on the radio or TV to drown out the noise,’ Heather says. But even though deliberately attending silent meetings is not something either Heather or Jayne may choose to do, they also have found their Christian faith to be important to them. God knows that each one of us is different and that, consequently, we find different ways to connect with him. It is reassuring to know that God doesn’t expect us to experience him through one set process but allows us to engage with him in a way that is meaningful for us.
FEATURES
CONTENTS
What is The Salvation Army?
3
Disaster on a cosmic scale
Film depicts family’s struggle to survive
5
Signed, sealed, delivered
Why people enjoy receiving greeting cards
6
‘I thought I could hear an ambulance’
The reality of living with tinnitus
8
Grief, God and the good old Sally Army
Interview with Sheila Hancock
REGULARS 12
Team Talk
13
Out of the Mouth of Babes
14 Puzzles 15
War Cry Kitchen
5
8
15