2 COMMENT AND CONTENTS • WAR CRY • 13 April 2019
What is The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army is a church and 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 over 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
From the editor’s desk IN this final week before Easter Sunday (21 April) many people will be looking forward to scrolling through social media, gorging on copious bars of chocolate or returning to whatever else they gave up for Lent. Others have observed the season by signing up to 40 Acts, a programme in which they receive daily emails that encourage them to carry out acts of generosity. Whether by giving up or giving out, thousands of people have marked the weeks leading up to Easter – a time of year when a variety of traditions are observed. A new two-part BBC One documentary series, presented by Gareth Malone and Karen Gibson, will explore some of these traditions. In an interview in this week’s War Cry, Rob Unsworth, the executive producer of Britain’s Easter Story, talks about the series. ‘You get a real sense in these programmes of the … joy of Easter traditions,’ he says. ‘Easter is the big celebration in the Christian Church.’ Rob is right about the importance of Easter. But not everyone is familiar with the events that are remembered at this time. That is why, on the streets of towns and cities across the country, the last days of Jesus’ life on Earth will be dramatically recreated in Passion plays. In another article this week, Marcel White – who is playing Jesus in the Passion play in Birmingham’s city centre – explains why he is taking part. ‘The story we are telling is that Jesus is not this mystical guy floating in the sky,’ he says. ‘He hung on a cross 2,000 years ago to die for people’s sins past, present and future.’ That truth is the reason Easter is the most important date in the Christian calendar and it is why the Easter traditions that commemorate Jesus’ sacrifice are still so important today.
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 7418
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Stephen Pearson Assistant Editor: Claire Brine Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright 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 Tel: 0845 634 0101
Contents
Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@sp-s.co.uk Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Secretary for Communications: Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant
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 and Wales is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by Walstead Grange Ltd, Southwick, on sustainably sourced paper
Your local Salvation Army centre
FEATURES 3 Escape to the country Former convict aims for Nashville in Wild Rose 5
Well thought out TED Talk speakers share their ideas
6
6 Good traditions TV programme uncovers British Easter customs 8
Showing some Passion Theatre company re-enacts the last days of Jesus
REGULARS 4
News and media
12
Browsing the Bible
13
Now, there’s a thought!
14 Puzzles 15
What’s cooking? Front-page picture: Entertainment One
8
15