War Cry 7 March 2020

7 March 2020 20p/25c

Let’s hear it for the girls International Women’s Day special issue

CHOIR FILM SHOWS THE POWER OF BEING IN HARMONY

From the editor’s desk

What is The Salvation Army?

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

CELEBRATIONS will be going on around the world tomorrow on International Women’s Day (Sunday 8 March), which recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

The day stretches back more than 100 years to 1911 when in excess of one million women and men attended rallies across Europe, campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained and hold public offices. Since then, the event has spread across the globe, being officially recognised by the United Nations in the 1970s.

To mark the date, and to recognise the positive contribution women make in so many spheres of life, this issue of the War Cry focuses on the lives of four separate women and their experiences.

We meet Nona Jones, who works as the head of faith-based partnerships for social media giant Facebook. We also carry an interview with Paula Stringer, who left her job as the head of production at BBC Sport to work for a charity that helps people going through financial difficulties. Paula herself had previously faced a debt problem in a business she ran with her husband.

In another article, Tola Doll Fisher talks honestly about how she got through the challenges she faced – the death of her baby and the collapse of her marriage – and is now living a full and satisfying life.

Finally, we speak with Annmarie Gifford, a Salvation Army pastor who works in the red-light areas of London, caring for women who are in the sex trade.

As well as their gender, these four women have something else in common – they are all practising Christians and have experienced God making a dramatic, positive impact in their lives.

‘I want women to know,’ explains Tola in her interview, ‘that God can give them joy right where they are.’

Tola is right. And God’s offer of joy and power is not limited to just one group of people. We can all experience the positive effect of his presence, whatever our gender may be.

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 7464

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 War Cry office: 020 7367 4900 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Contents

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

FEATURES 3

Company of singers Film depicts how military wives support each other in song

4 Faith to follow

Interview with Facebook’s head of faith-based partnerships 6

There’s life after loss Author discovers a fulfilling life after bereavement and divorce

8

‘I’ve seen the destruction debt can bring’ Charity boss on helping those with financial problems

10

Gender can have a role in ministry The work of a female pastor

4

6

REGULARS 12

Browsing the Bible

13

Out of the Mouth of Babes

14 Puzzles 15

War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: Courtesy of Lionsgate UK

2 • WAR CRY • 7 March 2020

8

FILM

Women must get in tune with each other for a big performance writes Sarah Olowofoyeku T’S a difficult life, and one that the majority of the population don’t Iyesterday know much about. Comedy-drama Military Wives, released in cinemas (Friday 6 March), shines a light on the experiences of the

Courtesy of Lionsgate UK

women left behind when their spouses go on active service and the way they come together to cope.

Feelings are running high on the Flitcroft military base on the day that the troops are deployed to Afghanistan. Sadness, stress and anger – the varying emotions run rampant as soldiers For a special performance, the leave their partners once again. They women write a song using words set off as night falls, and their families from letters exchanged between begin six months without them. them and their other halves.

The next day, Lisa (Sharon Horgan) Sharon Horgan tells the War begins her new duties. Because Cry that the song was ‘incredibly her husband has been promoted moving’. to sergeant-major, she is now ‘When we were filming, I had responsible for the welfare of the to stop thinking about what I was military wives. As a laidback type, singing, because they’re real she’s content to stick with coffee words from real humans who are mornings and drunken karaoke nights desperately missing someone.’ to help the women get through.

Lyrics can be powerful, and they But the colonel’s wife, Kate (Kristin resonate with people no matter what Scott Thomas), has another idea. their situation. The original Military She is uptight, prim and proper, and Wives Choir, who inspired the film, believes in appropriateness. Having hit the right note and won people’s lost her son to the war, she also hearts in 2011 when they reached thinks that the best way to cope is to No 1 in the singles chart with ‘keep busy’. So she pushes Lisa to ‘Wherever You Are’ – a song with put more effort into planning the activities.

One of the women suggests a choir (which Lisa would rather call a singing club) and they decide to give it a go. Lisa and Kate clash when it comes to leading the women, but must put their differences aside when the choir are given a big opportunity.

lyrics compiled on the same premise.

After the success of their debut single, the real choir have gone on to record three more albums. As well as original compositions and covers of pop songs, the choir sing a number of hymns.

Their most recent album, released to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, features the 19th-century hymn ‘Abide with Me’.

It’s a hymn that over the years has offered comfort to countless people going through dark times.

The lyrics ask Jesus to be with us, referring to him as ‘help of the

Lyrics can be powerful and resonate with people helpless’; they recognise that in times when ‘change and decay’ are all around, he is the one ‘who changest not’.

Whether we are experiencing loss or isolation, or are troubled by what is going on in the world around us, the truth is that Jesus responds when people ask him to abide with them.

Whether we ask with a song or with a whisper in our heart, he will hear and come alongside us.

Despite their differences, Lisa and Kate lead the choir together

7 March 2020 • WAR CRY • 3

m

Success

NONA JONES, the head of faith-based partnerships at Facebook, chats to Claire Brine about how God led her to work for the company EFORE reaching the age of 35, B Nona Jones, of Florida, had brokered million-dollar business deals,

addressed the United Nations and championed policy reforms on juvenile justice and education in the halls of Congress. In 2017, she was four years into a job she loved at a charity that supported girls who had been victims of trauma. Passionate about the cause, she thought she’d always work there.

But then, out of the blue, God told her to quit.

‘I was praying one day, asking God for some direction in my life,’ remembers Nona, who squeezes in our phone interview while boarding a plane for Houston. ‘I heard him say: “This assignment is over.” I was so confused, because I loved my job – so I prayed again for clarity. But I just heard the same thing: “This assignment is over.” I asked God what I was meant to do next.’

Despite having no new job lined up, Nona wrote her letter of resignation.

She met with her boss to explain her decision. Then at 1.40 pm, she went home. Twenty-five minutes later, she received an unexpected phone call. It was from a woman who worked at Facebook.

‘I didn’t believe it at first, because Facebook doesn’t call people,’ Nona laughs. ‘But she explained to me that the mission of the company was changing to focus on building communities, and that the largest community, which was the most meaningful to people, was the community of faith. She then said: “I was given your name as someone to call, to see if you could help us with this work.

4 • WAR CRY • 7 March 2020

Would you be interested?”

‘I presumed she wanted me to volunteer on an advisory board or something. So I asked her to send me some further information, which I promised to read over the weekend. Later, when I opened my emails, I noticed she had sent me a job description. I couldn’t believe it.’

Nona joined Facebook as the head of faith-based partnerships, despite having never worked in the technology or social media industries before.

‘I work with pastors and organisations around the world, helping them to use Facebook as a tool to connect and build

Success begins with having a sense of purpose and value community,’ she says. ‘I also work with Facebook product teams, helping them to think about what the company needs to build in order to better serve communities of faith. My heart is for ministry, so I see my role as a blessing.’

Facebook reaches billions of users across the globe. Nona believes that it is good news for Christians wanting to share the gospel.

‘I believe that if Jesus was walking the Earth today, he would have a Facebook account,’ she says. ‘I say that because, right now, Facebook is the only mechanism in the world connecting three billion people. You have three billion people in one place – so if Christians are

strategic and intentional, they can create opportunities to bring some of these people to faith.’

Speaking about faith comes naturally to Nona. She has had conversations about her faith with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and the chief operating officer of the company, Sheryl Sandberg.

‘Mark has been moving along the continuum of faith,’ Nona says. ‘At one point he was an atheist, but I think he has moved towards agnostic now. He has said that he believes in a divine other. As for Sheryl, after a meeting one day she said to me: “I’ve never been to church before. Will you take me?” I’m thrilled about that.’

While today, Nona is used to rubbing shoulders with the world’s biggest names in business, she admits that her life hasn’t always been one of wealth or privilege. In her memoir, Success from the Inside Out, she reflects on a childhood of physical and sexual abuse.

‘I wanted to write a book that is rooted in the idea that you can have tremendous accomplishments and be considered “successful”, but if you don’t have wholeness in your heart, then it really doesn’t matter,’ she tells me. ‘Success begins with having a sense of purpose and value, and for me that begins with understanding my identity in God.’ Nona thanks God for keeping her grounded when the world magnifies her achievements. And she says that it’s God who has taught her another way of looking at success and what it means.

‘A lot of people think that success is good. They want to be successful in the world because they believe it’s a good

story

INTERVIEW

thing to be. But I don’t believe that all success is created equally.

Some success leads to frustration, stress and discontent.

‘The way I try to avoid all that is to turn to God. I pray daily. I ask God to search my heart for any areas of ego or pride, and I surrender them to him. I remember that everything I have is a gift from God – and at any moment, it could all be gone.

I want to live a life that’s full of gratitude.’

l Success from the Inside Out is published

by Zondervan

7 March 2020 • WAR CRY • 5

Lifted TOLA DOLL FISHER tells Sarah Olowofoyeku about how a ski trip was a pivotal moment in her recovery from the death of her baby and the breakdown of her marriage

HEY should have had a fairytale ending.

T Journalist Tola Doll Fisher was 24 years old when she began a relationship with

a man she had met at work. Within four months, the couple were engaged and after 18 months, married.

‘We got together in the October,’ Tola says. ‘He bought the ring in December, but didn’t tell me.

On Valentine’s weekend, he took me to Paris and proposed there. It was very romantic. It felt like everything was meant to be.

‘I absolutely loved being married. It was one of the most important relationships I’d ever had.

I loved my husband; we were best friends.’

But their marital bliss was soon in jeopardy.

‘It was a combination of things,’ Tola explains. ‘I was still going to church but he had stopped. Then we had a daughter in 2012. She was born early and her lungs collapsed, so she didn’t live long.

‘My immediate reaction was that I wanted to try again straightaway. I wasn’t interested in grieving. My husband said we should wait and see how things went. I think he had realised he didn’t want to be married, and that was his out.

‘We did go to counselling, but ultimately things ended. I hid our marriage certificate for a while so that he couldn’t file for divorce, and we fought a lot. I kept asking why we couldn’t go through it together. We went back and forth, still together, not together. But in 2013 he filed for divorce and in 2014 it came through.’

Having had a whirlwind start to their relationship, Tola struggled when it all came to a head.

‘I was confused,’ she says. ‘I didn’t understand how it could feel so right but so wrong. I didn’t understand where God was in all of it.

‘I sensed that he was there the whole s Alp h nc time, but he was silent – I was annoyed,’ Fre the in ing Tola went ski she admits. ‘I went a bit crazy for a

6 • WAR CRY • 7 March 2020

to a full life

INTERVIEW

couple of years. I was out partying and drinking pretty much constantly. I didn’t pay attention to my spiritual or physical self. And then I got to the end of the road. I didn’t want to drink or party any more, because I was tired.

‘I hadn’t stopped believing in God. I just decided to try something else and see where that took me. But in doing that something else, I felt God still speaking to me.

‘I had been sleeping with a guy on and off.

He worked on a yacht so we were always travelling around the world together. It was

I did the ski season with a Christian company I’d skied with before an intense and fun relationship. I was getting bored in London, so he told me to come and work with him on the yacht.

‘Then he suggested I do a ski season. I wasn’t particularly thinking about God at that point, but I did the ski season with a Christian company I’d skied with before.’

While on the trip in the French Alps, Tola believed that God spoke to her through some of the guests. She says it was a time of healing.

‘I felt that God said to me that I hadn’t grieved over Annie, my daughter. I had gone straight into trying to save the marriage. So he took me into a place of grieving – I was crying all the time.

‘When I came back from the ski trip, I ended things with the guy, and I felt God tell me to leave church for a while, which I thought didn’t make sense at all. But I didn’t trust God or believe he loved me so I think he wanted to show me his love, directly, not through a pastor or vicar. I spent almost two years out of church,

and when I would normally go to church I spent time trying to listen to him.

‘Through that time I learnt that God isn’t the same as church. Growing up in church, I assumed that people in charge knew more than me or were more godly or heard God more than me, but he can and does speak to all of us individually.’

Tola has put the lessons she learnt during that period in a book called Still Standing.

‘When I was going through “the messy middle”, people would say things like, “Don’t worry, you’ll get married again” and, “It’ll be fine, you’ll have another baby,” which was all well and good, but I didn’t want to be fine only when I had those things.

‘I want women to know that, even if they don’t have a relationship right now, God can give them joy right where they are.’

Today, Tola is the editor of a monthly Christian magazine, Woman Alive, and loves life.

‘My motto is John 10:10, in which Jesus says that the thief came to steal and destroy but he came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

‘I’ve always had this sense that God wants us to live a full life. I’m not living a substandard life because I don’t have a husband or children. I love to celebrate life and the fact that I’m still standing. I do want to get married and have children again, but my life can be as full now as it will be then.’

l Still Standing is published

by SPCK

7 March 2020 • WAR CRY • 7

TV SPORT BOSS REACHED DEBT POINT Christians Against Poverty CEO and former head of production at BBC Sport PAULA STRINGER tells Emily Bright how her faith has defined her career

HUSHED reverence fell over Wimbledon’s A Centre Court as Andy Murray stilled himself to serve at match point against

Paula Stringer 8 • WAR CRY • 7 March 2020

Novak Djokovic in 2013. After a short rally, the ball thudded against the net. Andy raised his hands skyward, dropping his racket in disbelief and pumping his fists at the roaring crowd. He had just become the first British Wimbledon men’s singles champion in 77 years.

Paula Stringer, former head of production for BBC Sport, recalls that landmark day: ‘I loved overseeing our coverage of Andy Murray winning his first Wimbledon title. That was a big moment for the country.’

She looks back fondly on her seven years at the helm of BBC Sport. ‘I was able to live the dream of covering sport. Being the production lead over radio, television and all of the digital content for BBC Sport was just amazing.

‘We delivered the Olympics and the football World Cup – anything sporty that went out on BBC channels came out from my production team. We could go to anything. I really enjoyed the Euros out in Paris. I also loved Formula One, that was quite an experience.’

One of the key changes she witnessed in the sector during her time was how the coverage of women’s sport grew. ‘It took a significant turn for good about three years ago, as soon as women’s football started to get more television coverage, and then the England women’s hockey team won bronze at the Commonwealth Games.

AELTC/EDDIE KEOGH

INTERVIEW

Paula was at BBC Sport for Andy Murray’s Wimbeldon wins

‘It is better now, and we should celebrate that. The only way that it will continue to change is if it’s given an equal footing with men’s sport, and we’re nowhere near that point at the moment.’

Paula was thriving in her role, and felt accepted, listened to and an important part of the BBC team. However, as in the most thrilling sporting contests, there was an unexpected turn of events in her career.

As a Christian, she believed that God was directing her into a different sector. ‘I knew what a privilege the job was that I had been given, that it was a miracle from God. But I decided to leave one of the best jobs in the world to move to Christians Against Poverty for significantly less money.’

A career switch from TV broadcasting to working for a debt charity may seem unconventional. But Paula’s own experiences meant that it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

‘While I worked at the BBC, my husband and I owned and ran a muchloved deli in our local town of Marple. We were outgrowing the premises we were in and so we prayed about it and took out a business loan,’ she remembers.

‘We knew it would be tight, but we had a good business plan. What we didn’t

know was that the recession was lurking around the corner, and we had to close down the deli.

‘My husband almost had a breakdown because of it, and he couldn’t work.

Our supplier friends became enemies overnight, because we owed them money we couldn’t pay back. It was the most testing time of our life and marriage. We had the support of amazing people around us, and our local church, but it still felt impossibly hard.

‘We believed the word of God that says: “All things work together for good for those who love God.” Living that out and holding on to your faith is basically all you can do in that type of situation.

‘God used many people to come alongside us, to show us he cared.

Money would just miraculously appear, he mended all of our broken relationships, and we paid back every penny to our suppliers.’

Two weeks after they paid back all their debts, Paula’s father mailed her a job advert for the role of executive director at Christians Against Poverty (CAP). She was appointed 18 months ago. In November 2019, she took over as CEO. The charity helps people to tackle their financial difficulties through qualified debt advisers, who set up budgets and

I decided to leave one of the best jobs in the world

negotiate with creditors. Clients receive home visits from trained debt coaches, selected from churches, who are on hand to provide emotional and practical support.

CAP also runs a 10-week course called Fresh Start, which helps people to overcome addictions by tackling the root causes. The charity provides job clubs, which equip those who are unemployed with the skills to secure work.

‘I’m so passionate about what CAP does, because I’ve seen the destruction that can come from being in debt or being bankrupt.

‘It is shocking that, in the UK, there are more than 1.5 million people who live in destitution, so cannot afford to feed their families or pay their bills. They can’t clothe themselves properly. These people are on our doorstep, and it’s our job to love them.

‘Everything we do is motivated out of God’s heart for the poor, because we believe that is what God tells us to do.

You love the Lord your God first and your neighbour second, and serve the poor.’

To those who may be struggling, she says: ‘There is always hope, so contact us.

We can put you in touch with our staff in your area, and provide you with the help that’s needed, whether that’s life skills, job courses or whatever’s required.’ l For more information about Christians Against Poverty visit capuk.org 7 March 2020 • WAR CRY • 9

From its early days, women have played a prominent role in The Salvation Army. Linda McTurk discovers more about the role of one Salvation Army minister today

PAUL HARMER

Captain Annmarie Gifford when she was commissioned at Westminster Central Hall (below)

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‘I’m seen as a pastor not a priest’

FEATURE

T

URN the clock back 150 years and the world was a very different place for most women. At every level of society, people believed that the place for women was in the home and not in high-flying careers. That approach was mirrored in the Church. Few churches thought it appropriate to have women in positions of authority.

Many denominations have changed their thinking on the subject in recent decades.

But from the time that it began in 1865, The Salvation Army has recognised and valued women. In its early years, Catherine Booth (pictured right), the wife of its founder William Booth, began preaching herself. Today, female ministers play their part in the church and charity’s mission to lead people to God, serve the community and fight for social justice.

One of those ministers, Captain Annmarie Gifford, reaches out to women within the sex industry and those affected by modern slavery.

Her journey towards ministry began many years before she felt absolutely certain about what she describes as her calling. Annmarie started attending a Salvation Army church when she was six years old. Then, at age 16, she asked God if he wanted her to be an ‘officer’ – a minister.

She says that she felt an ‘overwhelming sense of yes’. Years later, as an adult, she was accepted for a two-year training programme to become a Salvation Army officer.

In 2013, she was commissioned and ordained. Even during her training, Annmarie felt affirmed in her ability to lead and support other people. She spent time working at Faith House, the hub of The Salvation Army’s ministry to individuals in the sex industry in London – a project that began more than 60 years ago. Soon her supervisor and other officers earmarked her as the next person to lead the ministry.

Annmarie says that The Salvation Army’s approach reflects a growing encouragement towards women in ministry and ‘almost a forgetting’ of gender. The important point is to appoint someone to a position because of the abilities they have, ‘not that you fit a role because you’re a man or a woman’.

Annmarie is enthusiastic about what she describes as a definite cultural shift.

In recent years, married female officers have taken on leadership positions that are higher than those of their husbands. It is a trend that she hopes will grow more.

But, while every person has gifts to offer, Annmarie also recognises that sometimes gender can have an important role in ministry.

She and her team provide practical

Sometimes gender has an important role in ministry and pastoral care for women who are in the sex trade. They work at Faith House and go out to meet women wherever they are. If ever there is a risk to life, the team will report the locations of places they visit to the authorities. Back at Faith House, they run creative arts and English classes and provide lunches for the women.

Annmarie explains that all her team members at Faith House are women because of safety.

When reaching out to women in the sex trade, it helps to be a woman, as there is an equality when they meet another woman face to face.

‘When we’re doing outreach, for instance, we need the least amount of barriers to conversation,’ she says.

‘The women don’t necessarily see men as safe.’

Many of the people helped by the Faith House team are worried about the

way others view them.

Annmarie says that women grieving the loss of a pregnancy from an abortion often face a ‘double silence’ of shame because they would not have told their families about their work in prostitution.

Even in those situations, however, Annmarie is convinced that God is present.

‘We are all seen by God as his children,’ she says. ‘He looks on us with unconditional love – that’s what these women deserve.’

Annmarie believes that helping women to know their true worth is crucial to her work.

‘When people ask, “What is the formula for getting someone to exit prostitution?” I say, “They need to know their true worth.” Once they know their worth, they cannot stay, unless there is something else stopping them.’

While the worth of any woman is indisputable, the rightful place for women in the Church is an ongoing debate. Annmarie has a different opinion on the subject from many of the women who are helped by her and her team.

‘I’m never going to be seen as “priest”, because they have been brought up in the Orthodox faith, where the priest is male,’ she says.

‘For me, being understood and respected as “pastor” is beautiful. It probably took a couple of years for them to warm to the concept that a minister of religion would be hanging out with them.’

7 March 2020 • WAR CRY • 11

EXPLORE Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Simon, that he will be steadfast in his Christian faith despite the challenges he faces.

The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their ­circumstances.

Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, Lon­don SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

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 am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit.

Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book in the Scriptures

1 Timothy HE Early Church teacher Paul wrote T two letters to Timothy, his representative in Ephesus. Timothy, like his mentor,

was born in modern-day Turkey. They first met in Timothy’s hometown of Lystra.

He subsequently became a junior partner in Paul’s evangelistic tour of Macedonia (see Acts 16:1 to 17:14).

Now the ageing Paul writes advice and instruction to his ‘true son in the faith’ (1 Timothy 1:2).

Paul is concerned about false teachings.

Some teachers are spreading controversial myths; others are saying that being a Christian means having to keep the Law, which God had given to the Jewish people centuries earlier. Some teachers are causing converts to abandon their faith (4:1). Paul tells Timothy to stop them (1:3–11).

From his own experience, Paul outlines the fundamentals of his relationship with God. He says that ‘mercy’ (1:13), ‘grace’, ‘faith and love’ (1:14) are what count, not law-keeping.

Paul then gives instruction for the conducting of worship. People should pray for those

in authority. Men should be free from anger or controversy in prayer. According to the traditions of his day, Paul says that women should dress modestly, be submissive, not assume a teaching role over a man and be silent in church (2:9–15).

Paul outlines the qualifications for the church leadership roles of overseers and deacons. In the King James Bible the word

Money can be an obstacle to faith and a temptation

for ‘overseer’ is translated as ‘bishop’. Paul does not include respective job descriptions, but the personal requirements are similar: monogamous, a good household manager, a person of sincere spiritual conviction, respected by his family and the wider community, temperate, not a lover of wine or money (3:1–13).

Paul then puts money into perspective.

Money, he says, should be used to provide for one’s dependants, and the church should care for widows who are in genuine poverty (5:3–16). Money can be an obstacle to faith. It can be a temptation.

Love of money is at the root of all d one mediator kinds of evil (6:6–10), providing ‘For there is one God an s’ su Je t the man Chris , ind nk false hope for those who put their ma d an d Go n betwee trust in it (6:17–19). ational Version) ern Int w Ne 2:5 y oth (1 Tim

Key verse

"

Looking for help?

Just complete this coupon and send it to War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army Contact details of a Salvation Army minister

12 • WAR CRY • 7 March 2020

Name Address

EXPRESSIONS

Rosemary Dawson on the life lessons she has learnt from her grandchildren

Who’s made that mess in my room?

T is a fact of life: children and mess go together. Someone has to clear it up – I But and yes, it’s usually the parents. when my two granddaughters were aged five and three, they got a rude awaken-

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

Before the decimalisation of the UK currency, how many shillings were in a pound?

A 2

Who had a No 1 hit in 1979 with the song ‘Cars’?

3

How many seconds are there in a day?

4

Who directed the awardwinning film Gladiator?

5

How many people are in the crew of the International Space Station at one time?

6

In Michael Bond’s stories, where does Paddington Bear originate?

ANSWERS

ing. The family were moving house, and the girls’ father decided to start clearing their bedroom. He filled a large cardboard box with toys, and taped it all up, leaving a pile of what he considered to be rubbish beside it.

The girls didn’t find the box and the pile of rubbish till they were going to bed. To say they were not happy is an understatement. There was a stunned silence, followed by an argument and purposeful steps coming down the stairs. Hell hath no fury like a threeyear-old scorned. Abigail burst in, and shouted: ‘Who’s made that mess in my room?’

When we were children, who did we blame for things that went wrong, or for the mess in our room? Often it was not the person who caused the mess in the first place (which was normally us). Oh no. It was easier to find someone else to blame.

And, as grown-ups, we can be no better. It is not always easy to admit we are wrong or have made a mistake. We want to find someone else to take responsibility.

Playing the blame game may make us feel better, but, in reality, it doesn’t solve any problems. We have to own up to our mistakes – whatever our age may be.

BOOK REVIEW In Search of Equilibrium Theresa Lola Nine Arches Press POET Theresa Lola has crafted a sensitive and heartfelt collection exploring grief, family and faith. With searing honesty, she tells of the last years of her grandfather’s life. Her potent metaphors describe the devastating impact that Alzheimer’s disease had on her grandfather’s well-being and how his death affected her family.

There is a refreshing authenticity to the way that Theresa addresses her Christian faith in her writing. She laments for her family without making excuses for her feelings. Like the Old Testament writers in the Book of Psalms, Theresa makes no effort to pretend that she feels happy while she is grieving.

While Theresa’s poems may raise more questions than they answer about her faith, she maintains the simple truth that God can give hope to anyone facing grief and that he understands and weeps with us when we lose someone we love.

Linda McTurk

7 March 2020 • WAR CRY •13

1. Twenty. 2. Gary Numan. 3. 86,400.

4. Ridley Scott. 5. Six. 6. Darkest Peru.

PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Not heavy (5) 4. Fragment (5) 8. Sewn edge (3) 9. Group of lions (5) 10. Elector (5) 11. Noah’s boat (3) 12. Slumbered (5) 13. Facial feature (7) 16. Be unlike (6) 19. Drink (6) 23. Routinely dull (7) 26. Worship (5) 28. Male (3) 29. Premier (5) 30. Tusk substance (5) 31. Barrel (3) 32. Large group (5) 33. Hail (5)

DOWN 2. Flow (5) 3. Drama house (7) 4. Device for subduing bees (6) 5. Theatrical

exhibition (5) 6. Discourage (5) 7. Scatter (5) 9. Postured (5) 14. Bounce buoyantly (3)

15. Globe (3) 17. Note of debt (3) 18. Whim (3) 20. Significance (7) 21. Foe (5) 22. Reduce in rank (6) 23. Civvies (5) 24. Compass point direction (5) 25. Later than (5) 27. Colourless gas (5)

SUDOKU

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

HONEYCOMB

2

4

7

8

HONEYCOMB

3

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

3

8

1. Game which tests ingenuity or knowledge 2. Truthful and sincere 3. Bowl-shaped drinking glass 4. Score 5. Secure cupboard 6. Band of fibrous tissue in the body

8

HONEYCOMB 1. Puzzle. 2. Honest. 3. Goblet.

4. Twenty. 5. Locker. 6. Muscle.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Light. 4. Shred. 8. Hem. 9. Pride. 10. Voter. 11. Ark. 12. Slept.

13. Eyebrow. 16. Differ. 19. Imbibe.

23. Mundane. 26. Adore. 28. Man. 29. First. 30. Ivory. 31. Tun. 32. Horde. 33. Greet.

DOWN: 2. Glide. 3. Theatre. 4. Smoker.

5. Revue. 6. Deter. 7. Strew.

9. Posed. 14. Bob. 15. Orb. 17. IOU. 18. Fad. 20. Meaning. 21. Enemy.

22. Demote. 23. Mufti. 24. North.

25. After. 27. Ozone.

4

1

2

5

8

3

7

9

1

8

3

6

5

4

9

7

6

2

7 6 9 2 4 5 3 8 1

6 4 2 1 3 8 7 5 9

8 3 5 6 9 7 2 1 4

9 7 1 4 5 2 6 3 8

5 9 7 8 2 4 1 6 3

2 1 6 3 7 9 8 4 5

3 8 4 5 6 1 9 2 7

SUDOKU SOLUTION 4

8

3

14 • WAR CRY • 7 March 2020

7

6

4

8

8

9

3

5

6

4 2

1

5

WORDSEARCH AFRICAN ELEPHANT ARCTIC FOX BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN BROWN BEAR GIANT PANDA GIRAFFE HIPPOPOTAMUS KANGAROO KOALA MACAW NARWHAL ORANGUTAN PENGUIN POLAR BEAR RHINOCEROS SEA TURTLE SIBERIAN TIGER SNOW LEOPARD

2

7

WORDSEARCH WORDSEARCH WORDSEARCH WORDSEARCH

ANSWERS

5

3 7 9

8

8 3

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these wild animals

2 6 1 9 4 8 3 5 7 E D Z T N R R E T K U Y W S C T Q E 7 9 8 5 1 3 6 4 2 W J R N S H Q V H M G P F U B K W T 5 3 7F G 2 J M O Z Q F 6 1 8 9 K Q S A Q I 4W Z M E A Z O H P N B E L T R U T A E S J U 6 3 5 8 7 2 4 9 1 N I H P L O D E S O N E L T T O B H 8 1 4 3 9 5 2 7 6 G N Q E Q C E G R Q A A V O U P C V 9 7L G 2 I 1J Z U P Q H A B 6 4 8 3 5 A N W L N E F R G T E I R H J W R A B Q O G R J P 3 8 9 2 5 1 7 6 4 O F J N M O Z A O O D N Y P P M M W 5 2 6 4 3 7 9 1 8 O S X A V S R A N M N N T P N C P Q K K W C E R U A R P S Z 1 4 7 6A 8 9 I 5M Y M V 2 3 N T G I B F R W E C P G U H G P U V E Q R R W W F G N B T G L T R E Z K C N G F H T Q A Y W N I Z Y W C R T P O L A R B E A R E A W C L X C M T Q Z L Q G H W X P I I C O F Q C M R X E W H G K N A T U G N A R O Q B V O P T M R P X O R J J Z O M B X X F

5

9

8 7

2

1 4

8

7 3

RECIPES

Chicken drummers and mash

SERVES

4

300g easy cook long-grain brown rice

2tsp tomato purée 2tsp reduced-salt soy sauce 2tbsp lemon juice Ground black pepper 8 skinless chicken drumsticks 880g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 4tbsp 1 per cent fat milk 320g frozen peas, steamed 4 carrots, sliced, boiled and drained Fresh coriander, chopped

Chicken and banana korma recipe

2tsp vegetable oil 500g skinless and boneless chicken breasts, chopped

Cook the brown rice according to the packet instructions.

1 large onion, chopped

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the chicken, onion, apple and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the curry paste and continue cooking for 10 seconds. Add the stock, raisins and apricots. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 35 minutes.

Add a little more stock if needed.

1 apple, cored and chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2tbsp korma curry paste 400ml reduced-salt vegetable stock 25g raisins 25g ready-to-eat apricots, chopped 1tbsp cornflour 1 banana, sliced 4tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt Ground black pepper 1tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Blend the cornflour with 2tbsp cold water in a small bowl and add to the curry. Stir until thickened.

Add in the banana and continue cooking for 30 seconds. Season with a pinch of black pepper to taste. Serve each plate of curry with a portion of brown rice, yoghurt and garnish with the coriander.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6. Add the purée, soy sauce and lemon juice to a large non-metallic mixing bowl.

Stir well and season with black pepper. Add the chicken and thoroughly coat in the mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then arrange the drumsticks in a foil-lined roasting tin and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Brush with the remaining glaze. Continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in a pan of water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash.

Mix in the milk and season with a pinch of black pepper.

Serve the chicken drumsticks with the peas, carrots and potato mash, garnished with the coriander.

SERVES

4

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Public Health England website nhs.uk/change4life

7 March 2020 • WAR CRY •15

Corrections needed by Thursday 5 March

Generosity is the key to

Joyc

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