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
LAST week, the Archbishop of Canterbury launched a phone line that uses music to help combat the loneliness some people are feeling at this time. People who dial 0800 804 8044 are able to hear, and sing along to, well-known hymns. Music from The Salvation Army can also be heard all day, every day, on Fortress Radio, an internet radio station at fortressradio.online. The hope of both initiatives is that they will give comfort to people who are missing some of the elements of church life while lockdown is preventing congregations from meeting. There can also be something uplifting about listening and singing along to familiar songs. But what of people who experience music in a different way? Deaf Awareness Week ends tomorrow (Sunday 10 May), and in this week’s issue of the War Cry we speak with Holly Ferrie, a British Sign Language interpreter. She explains that signing the songs at her church has deepened her understanding of their lyrics. ‘When you interpret words into another language, you have to understand their meaning,’ Holly says. ‘My worship to God has deepened because I understand better what I’m singing.’ The words of another song have taken on new meaning in recent weeks. After the Queen appeared to reference it in her address to the UK last month, ‘We’ll Meet Again’, rerecorded by Dame Vera Lynn and Katherine Jenkins, became such a popular download that it reached No 1 in the iTunes charts. The song, so synonymous with the Second World War, reminds us today that, once it is safe for the social distancing restrictions to be lifted, we will be able to join together in song and enjoy the company of other people.
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 7473
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
While it’s much better to have your weekly copy of the War Cry in your hands, we recognise that at the moment it is hard for some people to obtain a copy. So, as an alternative while the coronavirus restrictions are in place, you can access the War Cry at salvationarmy.org.uk
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
Contents
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
The day the peace came
75th anniversary of VE Day
4
Signing up for communication
The value of British Sign Language
7
The priests who defied the Nazis
A history of clergy in the war
10
International Nurses Day
Continuing to care despite the challenges
10
REGULARS 12
Browsing the Bible
13
Now, There’s a Thought!
14 Puzzles 15
War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: PA
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