War Cry 20 November 2021

‘I played Amazing Grace on the streets to bring hope’

WAR CRY

20 November 2021 50p

Cut to the Chaser Anne Hegerty on working out the truth Docuseries gets back to the Beatles

What is The Salvation Army?

From the editor’s desk

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.

QUESTIONS come thick and fast when Anne Hegerty appears on ITV’s quiz show The Chase. Yet Anne – one of the show’s Chasers – usually wins the race with contestants to give enough correct responses to questions on history, science, art, sport or whatever else comes up. Not for nothing is she known as ‘the Governess’.

In this week’s issue of the War Cry, Anne talks about how, when she was in her teens, she read up on one particular subject. She tells us: ‘I started reading CS Lewis books, including The Screwtape Letters, Miracles and Mere Christianity.’

These works of popular theology had a lasting effect. She says: ‘I thought: “This is all true!”’

Over time, Anne explored the subject further and became a Christian.

‘My faith isn’t about a strong emotional pull,’ she says. ‘I don’t think I could trust a faith that I found too congenial. If everything about it really suited me, I’d start to think I had made it up. I think faith has to be slightly abrasive. It has to ask me to do things I don’t want to do.’

It is likely that every Christian finds some aspects of their faith easier than others – however, one thing they know is that it is not some abstract piece of knowledge untethered from reality, but is instead something that motivates them to ‘do things’.

The Rev Pat Allerton did something during the first Covid-19 lockdown last year. He went round London’s streets with a speaker system, praying the Lord’s Prayer and playing a recording of Judy Collins singing ‘Amazing Grace’.

He tells us: ‘I wanted to do something beautiful and momentary that would bring us together when we were in lockdown and couldn’t leave our homes – a visual and audio statement of hope… It seemed to connect with a lot of people, showing the power of the gospel when they needed it most.’

Life can be challenging. But the gospel ad the War C e re ry continually inspires people to ‘do things’ v ’ u to try to ensure that others’ needs are answered.

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 7552

When yo

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

CONTENTS

Tel: 0845 634 0101 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 and Ireland Territory 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 CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper

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INFO Your local Salvation Army centre

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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

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FEATURES

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Don’t look back in anger

Tension and joy in Beatles series

5

The young ones

World Children’s Day

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Street life

The priest who played ‘Amazing Grace’

during lockdown

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Right here, right now

Chaser is answering questions

REGULARS

4 War Cry World 12 Team Talk 13 Keys of the Kingdom 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: IMAGE FIRST

The Beatles perform on the roof of their office building in 1969

PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLE CORPS LTD

Back story Docuseries takes a new look at a Beatles project TV preview by Philip Halcrow

T

HE Beatles were going through some times of trouble in 1969.

When the film Let it Be was released the following year, after they had split up, it would show John, Paul, George and Ringo’s attempt to gather songs for an album and concert. It captured tense moments, and the music was temporarily shelved, though the group took their songs to new heights by playing a concert on the roof of their Savile Row HQ. Now, Lord of the Rings film director Peter Jackson has put together a new look at what was happening, using hours of unseen footage and unheard audio.

The Beatles: Get Back is scheduled to begin on Disney+ on Thursday (25 November).

Disney+ says that the docuseries records the moments when relationships between the four were put under strain, but that it also shows their friendship and joy in working together.

Music journalist Steve Turner, whose books include a guide to the background of every Beatles song, A Hard Day’s Write, tells the War Cry that songs from the era reflected their lives.

‘John’s songs like “Dig It” show his more pared-down lyrical style, affected

by Yoko’s minimalist writings and art. “I

Me Mine” by George was reflective of his Eastern beliefs that ego was the main problem. Paul was now with Linda and “Two of Us” was about their practice of deliberately getting lost during car drives into the country. ‘“Let it Be” came from a dream where Paul felt his mother, Mary, advising him to let things be rather than getting upset over all the business squabbles.’

The song also felt the influence of Billy Preston, who had been brought into the sessions and would receive a co-credit on the group’s ‘Get Back’ single.

Steve says: ‘The Beatles had met Billy when they played in Hamburg in their early days.

‘He was in a gospel group called the Cogics – the Church of God in Christ Singers – with Andraé Crouch. He was steeped in gospel music and so introduced gospel chords to “Let it Be”.

‘Paul was aware that “Let it Be” sounded hymnic.’

Though the song was about his late mother, Steve suggests that Paul would have known that it had religious resonances, evoking associations with Mary, the mother of Jesus.

He says that the song contains ‘echoes of Mary’s words in Luke 1:38’, where, after being confused by the message that she is to give birth to the Saviour, she says to the angel Gabriel: ‘Be it unto me according to thy word.’

‘There is a gospel feel to the idea of laying one’s burden down, which Paul may have picked up during his time as a choirboy at St Barnabas Church in Penny Lane,’ says Steve.

‘And there is a similar feel in the biblical injunction not to worry about tomorrow.’

Jesus’ words ‘Do not be anxious about tomorrow’ (Matthew 6:34 Revised Standard Version) accompanied his teaching that God cares for humankind. It was the kind of assurance that Billy Preston picked up in his song from 1969, ‘That’s the Way God Planned It’, where he sang: ‘Let not your heart be troubled.’

Jesus acknowledged that many things in life could worry us – but his answer was that ultimately we could put our trust in God, who loves us with a love that lasts for ever and who would always be with us when we find ourselves in times of trouble.

Billy Preston introduced gospel chords

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A BIBLE app has passed the milestone of being installed half a billion times.

YouVersion was launched in 2008 and was one of the first free apps available on Apple’s App Store.

The app, which is also available for Android, is still free to download. It allows users to read the Bible in 2,600 versions and nearly 2,000 languages.

Users are also able to highlight parts of the text, share verses with friends, and receive verse of the day notifications.

YouVersion founder, Bobby Gruenewald, said: ‘While some people claim the Bible is irrelevant and Scripture engagement is declining, these 500 million installs indicate otherwise.

‘The Bible continues to be relevant and has the power to transform lives. That’s why we’re excited to celebrate this milestone.

Not just because it’s a big number, but because each install represents a chance for someone to go deeper in their faith and grow closer to God.’

SCHOLARS believe that a miniature gold Bible, found by a metal detectorist on Yorkshire farmland, may have belonged to a relative of King Richard III, reported The Times.

Buffy Bailey – a nurse from Lancaster – discovered the tiny book near Sheriff Hutton Castle, after her detector ‘picked up a strong signal close to a footpath’. She dug down five inches to find the precious object, which is 1.5cm long, either 22ct or 24ct gold and dates to the 15th century.

The news item explained that experts saw similarities between the miniature Bible and the Middleham Jewel, ‘a gold pendant discovered by a metal detectorist 40 miles away near Middleham Castle, Richard’s childhood home’. Experts also suggested that the Bible ‘may have been engraved by the same blacksmith and given to the same person, one of Richard’s relatives who was about to give birth’.

JOHN YOUNG

Detectorist unearths miniature gold Bible

General Brian Peddle reminds the congregation in Glasgow of God’s gifts

WAG ENTERTAINMENT

Medieval cathedral repairs are built to last,

landmark TV series shows

A stonemason at work on Canterbury Cathedral 4 • WAR CRY • 20 November 2021

A NEW TV documentary series Great British Landmark Fixers begins on the Yesterday channel on Monday (22 November) with an episode on a five-year project to restore Canterbury Cathedral.

Canterbury Cathedral traces its origins back to AD597, although the present building dates to 1077. But as the series starts, chunks of stone are falling from the weather-worn windows of its towers, and the great timbers holding up its entrance, Christ Church Gate, have significantly deteriorated.

The episode details the elaborate works being undertaken by a team of craftspeople who carry out repairs using modern applications of ancient techniques to secure the cathedral’s future for generations to come.

Heather Newton, head of conservation at the cathedral, says during the programme: ‘This is a huge project. There hasn’t really been anything quite this size probably since they rebuilt the northwest tower [in the 1830s] or when they built Bell Harry [Tower], which was completed in 1504.’

Other landmarks in the series include Edinburgh’s North Bridge, which crosses over Waverley station, and the Royal Albert Hall.

tWwxcxz General takes part in climate service AS world leaders and negotiators met nearby at Cop26, the international leader of The Salvation Army, General Brian Peddle, joined representatives of other churches and Christian organisations from around the world at a service in Glasgow Cathedral.

Some of the people who took part in the service – which was a show of interchurch solidarity for climate justice – were from countries that are already bearing the brunt of climate change.

In a sermon, the Rev Dr Susan Henry-Crowe of the Methodist Church said: ‘Our stories of faith acknowledge the stories of God’s goodness in creating our world. We know the stories of how it began and how exquisite it was. And we have a special responsibility to listen to those living closest to the earth and seas.’

Representatives of the All Africa Conference of Churches and the Pacific Conference of Churches attended, and five Scottish Salvationists were among the young climate activists who had been invited to the service as guests.

During a period of reflection, the General read a list that reminded the congregation of ‘gifts of God’, including food and drink, while children took forward the gifts, which were placed on the altar.

After the service, the General commented: ‘There was a sense of joint concern as we worshipped, prayed and articulated mutual concern for our world.’

Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

Changing the world is child’s play

Day centres on the globe’s young citizens Report by Sarah Olowofoyeku

‘I

BELIEVE the children are our future,’ sang Whitney Houston in her hit song ‘Greatest Love of All’. And today, Unicef wants a better future for every child. On this year’s World Children’s Day (Saturday 20 November), the global organisation is urging people to take action to build a better world for children.

Today, kids all over the world will take over high-visibility roles in media, politics, business and sport to draw attention to subjects that are important to them.

Last year, 13-year-old Areej Essam from Yemen took over the position of Unicef’s representative in the country and spent the day visiting a hospital for mothers and children. She also spoke to One Direction star Liam Payne about her campaigning on issues such as education and child marriage. She said: ‘This generation is going to be the reason for the happiness of the next generation.’

Unicef’s executive director, Henrietta Fore, recently issued a call for ‘politicians on the global stage, faith leaders, government policymakers, star athletes, media owners, advocates and each and every one of us’ to ensure children are taken into consideration as the world recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic. The organisation also believes that listening to children is one way to ensure that future generations live in a better world.

Children have not always been valued by everyone. At the time when Jesus was travelling around, spreading his message of a better way to live, his friends turned some children away from meeting him. But Jesus welcomed them, even saying: ‘People who are like these children belong to God’s Kingdom’ (Matthew 19:14 Contemporary English Version).

Jesus wanted people to approach God with the same qualities that children have – a simplicity, an ability to trust and a willingness to ask for what they need.

Jesus wants us all to know that we can put our faith in God and ask him to meet our needs.

In turn, we will be empowered to live well and treat others well. It’s a simple way to give the world a better future.

Today, kids will take over roles in media and politics

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Pat delivers a hymn and prayer in west London

GEARED Up to ‘Portable Priest’ the Rev PAT ALLERTON recalls how he got on his tricycle to take church services to the streets during the first Covid lockdown Interview by Emily Bright

S

TANDING on Portobello Road beside a portable speaker system at the back of his car, the Rev Pat Allerton invited people to sing along to a recording of ‘Amazing Grace’ by Judy Collins, after which he led them in the Lord’s Prayer. As soon as he finished, a ripple of applause broke out. He recalls: ‘People recognised the power of hope, and of bringing everyone together in this shared challenge we all have faced.’

Pat, the vicar of St Peter’s Church in Notting Hill, west London, decided to take to the streets to share a song and a prayer with members of the public after the Covid-19 restrictions came into force on 23 March last year. He explains: ‘I wanted to do something beautiful and momentary that would bring us together when we were in lockdown and couldn’t leave our homes – a visual and audio statement of hope.’

Given that people could no longer go to church, Pat decided to take church to the people.

He says: ‘I told those on the street, “I’m going to be here for five minutes. I’ll lead the Lord’s Prayer before offering a time of silence to lift up in our hearts those who are

6 • WAR CRY • 20 November 2021

sick and the NHS. There’s no pressure to pray. Just come together as a community.”

It seemed to connect with a lot of people, showing the power of the gospel when they needed it the most.’

Encouraged by the positive reception, Pat continued the initiative in surrounding areas throughout lockdown. After initially operating out of his car, he wondered whether his street ministry would be categorised as an essential journey. So he decided to convert to tricycling, with the speaker system on board, as part of his daily exercise.

Over the course of two and a half months, he held about 60 short services, which took place on the streets, by hospitals and outside a prison.

His efforts earned him the nickname the ‘Portable Priest’.

The services

I wanted to do something beautiful

Pat Allerton

bring hope would follow a similar format. He would play a hymn, recite the Lord’s Prayer and elaborate on the message of the gospel.

‘I’d always share how we have a loving heavenly Father, who sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, to bring us home,’ Pat says.

‘Then I would say: “We’re travelling through “the valley of the shadow of death”, as Psalm 23 says. But there is a good shepherd, who came, gave his life for us and rose again, and he can lead us through that valley. He can lead us to life and hope in him.”

‘Each time I did a service, I felt the same sense of God’s presence in it. And in that moment of weakness and fragility, when the world was realising its mortality, its

need, God gently came alongside people through the services. I like to think God was saying to them: “I’m here. Reach out to me.”’

Pat’s bid to bring ‘a bit of hope and joy’ during the pandemic received global attention. A video clip of one of his services outside Charing Cross Hospital has been viewed 5.7 million times on Facebook. Pat received a lot of positive feedback via social media.

‘A nurse told me: “I was doing a shift yesterday in Charing Cross Hospital and heard this, and it made me cry. At the time, I was in a side room with a patient who was coming towards the end of her life due to Covid-19. I cannot thank you enough for the peace that this song brought me, and the patient, at that difficult time.”

‘Someone else said: “I’ve just discovered it was you who brought the beautiful ‘Amazing Grace’ song to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. I’d just given birth to our little girl, and her middle name is Grace. It was the most incredible time,

God gently came alongside people

and it felt so special. I burst into tears, as I couldn’t quite believe the beauty of the timing.”’

After the social media interest, journalists jumped on the story.

‘There were enquiries coming in from ITV News, Sky News, BBC News, the Daily Mail and The Economist,’ Pat remembers. ‘I was also hearing from people in South Africa, Jamaica, Australia – all over the world.

‘It’s humbling to see how God opened doors for me. In those interviews, I would always try to point back to him, the one who gives us hope.’

Pat’s faith has been a cornerstone of his life since he became a Christian at the age of 18.

‘I’ve built my house on Jesus being real and him being worth giving everything for,’ he explains. ‘Jesus is everything. Without him, there is no hope.’

While the initiative came to a natural end, Pat is keen to see what God has in store for him next.

‘I am ready to be deployed wherever he wants me,’ he says. ‘My life is about running after Jesus and continuing this adventure of faith.’

20 November 2021 • WAR CRY • 7

It’s time to face Three years ago, Anne Hegerty swapped the challenge of The Chase for the trials of I’m a Celebrity and won over the general public as she spoke plainly about living with Asperger’s syndrome. Now, as the TV quizzer looks forward to finishing the year in panto, she raises the curtain on the faith that has supported her through life’s challenges Interview by Claire Brine

F

ANS of quiz show The Chase will know for sure that Anne Hegerty – better known as the Governess – is rarely beaten. Day after day, she sends hopeful contestants home from the programme empty-handed, after outsmarting them with her astonishing knowledge of obscure facts and figures.

No question about it – this woman has answers. But when we talk over the phone on the subject of her Christian faith, Anne is the first to admit that, sometimes, she gets things wrong.

‘I like to describe myself as a practising Catholic – practising because I’m not very good at it,’ she says. ‘My faith is intellectual rather than emotional, and that’s because I’m not a terribly emotional person. I became a Christian because, in my teens, I read a lot of the Christian writings of CS Lewis and thought: “This all makes sense to me.” I couldn’t come up with any arguments against it.’

Before we dive into a round of questions on matters of faith, Anne tells me about another part of her life that’s important to her – her work on ITV’s The Chase, where she is one of the roster of experts who take on contestants in a head-tohead quiz. Referring to it as ‘the best job I ever had’, she explains how joining the show in 2010 helped her through a stressful time.

‘Before The Chase I was severely broke,’ she says. ‘I worked as a proofreader, reading academic textbooks, and I was very good at it. But, because I’m autistic, I have major difficulties with executive function, which means that I’m not great at keeping on top of things. Tasks that anyone else can take in their stride, I have to think through step by step. So when it came to my work, deadlines would slip, and I’d end up with

I had to go through about four auditions

loads to do but no idea where to start. I was running out of money, losing clients and ended up on benefits.

‘Around the same time, I found out that there existed in the UK a high-level quizzing circuit. Big quizzes took place once a month, and I decided I would go along. When I did the quiz, I thought it was really difficult, but it turned out that I performed OK. I became a regular in the quizzing community, which meant that when The Chase came up, my name was put forward.’

The woman who ran the quizzing circuit asked Anne how she’d feel about being a Chaser.

Anne replied that it would be excellent, so a meeting was arranged with the producer of the show.

‘I had to go through about four separate auditions,’ she remembers. ‘And out of the four people who applied, I got the job in January 2010. It has been amazing ever since.’

After several years of appearing on The Chase, Anne began to receive other television opportunities.

In 2018, she entered the Australian jungle to take part in the reality TV series I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! While Anne’s readiness to down a glass of liquidised fish eyes made headlines, many viewers felt that she made the biggest impact when opening up to her campmates about the realities of living with Asperger’s syndrome.

‘The way that it affects me the most is in my executive dysfunction,’ she tells Anne Hegerty is known as the Governess on ITV’s ‘The Chase’

8 • WAR CRY • 20 November 2021

the Chaser ITV

me. ‘I have to think my way through things carefully, and I do things slowly.

I’m the slowest of all the Chasers to answer a question.’ She illustrates her point by adding that when she appears on Beat the Chasers – a spin-off in which contestants go head to head with all the Chasers – ‘you don’t hear a lot from me, because I’m constantly beaten to the buzzer’.

As well as speaking with honesty about autism and how it affects her life, Anne is open when it comes to answering questions about her Christian faith. She grew up attending a Church of England school, though her family showed no interest in religion.

‘As a child, I absorbed my family’s anti-religious beliefs,’ she says. ‘But in my teens I started reading CS Lewis books, including The Screwtape Letters, Miracles and Mere Christianity. I thought: “This is all true!” But I didn’t know how to admit it. There was no one I could talk to about faith. So I kept on reading to satisfy my curiosity and held my faith at arm’s length.

‘Years later, when I was in my thirties, my mother died quite suddenly. Her death caused me to feel very off-balance about everything, which made it a good time to explore faith a bit more. It wasn’t that suddenly I required the comfort of religion or wanted to find out about life after death. It was more a case of: I can look into this now and people will understand – they will know

Turn to page 10 f

20 November 2021 • WAR CRY • 9

From page 9 that I’m not quite sure what I’m doing.’

As the funeral of her mother approached, Anne knew that attending the service would be difficult. For a long time, she had experienced a strained relationship with her step-family.

‘They didn’t like me much,’ she says.

‘Shortly before my mother died, I can remember sitting with my aunt by Ely Cathedral. Looking up at the building, my aunt said: “Organised religion has done so much damage.” I looked over at her, thinking I didn’t want to be like her. In that moment, I felt as though I wanted to rebel against my family.

‘When the funeral came round, I was so angry with them all – but a little voice at the back of my mind said: “Because you hate them so much right now, you need to do something nice for them. You feel that you have nothing left to give, but you need to give them something.”’

Anne had in her possession two photographs of her mother which she deemed very precious. She decided to give one of the pictures to her stepfather at the funeral. Later, when she learnt how touched he had been by the gesture, she decided to go further.

‘The photo of my mother that I had kept for myself was the one I liked the most,’ she says. ‘I thought I’d try to find a photographic studio which could replicate it precisely, so that I could give the copy to my stepfather. As I was on the bus to

ITV

Going to church felt like the right thing to do

Anne with the other Chasers

10 • WAR CRY • 20 November 2021

A IM

the photo studio, I spotted a Catholic church with a sign outside saying “Mission here next Sunday”. I didn’t know what “mission” was, but I decided to go to it.

‘When I went to the meeting, it didn’t really solve anything, so I found the phone number of the nearest Catholic church and left a message on the answering machine, saying that my name was Anne and I wanted to become a Christian. The priest rang me back and invited me to church for a chat.’

Anne started attending Mass at her local Catholic church in Manchester every Sunday.

She learnt more about the Christian faith by having one-toone talks with the priest. In 1994, she was received at the Easter Vigil, marking her conversion to Catholicism.

‘Going to church felt like the right thing to do,’ she says. ‘My faith isn’t about a strong emotional pull. I don’t think I could trust a faith that I found too congenial. If everything about it really suited me, I’d start to think I had made it up. I think faith

GE

ST FIR

has to be slightly abrasive. It has to ask me to do things I don’t want to do.

‘For me, the most important bit about Christianity is when Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” I keep focusing on the word “truth”. Some people believe things because they find them comforting, but I don’t see the sense of that. I have to know that this stuff about Jesus actually happened. And I do believe it happened – because you couldn’t make it up. It seems so plausible to me.’

One Bible story that Anne finds particularly striking is that of the Transfiguration, when Jesus is revealed to three of his disciples as the Son of God. ‘The story is told in the Gospels not

by Jesus, but by the disciples watching him,’ she explains.

‘And there’s nothing in that story that makes them look good. They’re frightened, they don’t understand what they are seeing and one of them starts burbling

GEOFFREY SWAINE

uncontrollably. Reading that story, I don’t think the disciples are making it up. If they’d wanted to invent a religion, that wouldn’t have been the way to do it.’

Though Anne meets many people who don’t share her religious convictions, their questions or attempts to challenge her beliefs rarely faze her.

‘When I’m asked to defend my faith, that’s when I become pretty sure that I believe it,’ she explains. ‘I know that I can defend it. I’ve done my homework. In my mind, Jesus is the incarnate God – that’s central and essential to me.’

So essential that, when she appeared on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Anne was given special permission to observe Mass every Sunday, alone in the medical tent. I ask whether her faith comforted or strengthened her during an experience that, at the time, she described as awful.

‘I’m not very good at praying for help,’ she confesses. ‘Trusting God is an area I struggle with. It’s difficult for me to lean on him in the way I should. I do pray, but my praying is pretty chaotic. During Advent it’s slightly better because I buy a little booklet called Walk with Me, which contains prayers for each day. That ties me down to doing something specific.’

As our conversation turns to the buildup to Christmas, Anne tells me a little about her next venture: panto. From Friday 10 December she is all set to play Mrs Blunderbore – the giant’s wife – in

Anne is set to play the giant’s wife in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’

Jack and the Beanstalk at the Beck Theatre in Hayes, Middlesex.

‘I’ve done a few pantos before, and I’m usually cast as the villain because I bring a lot of the Governess character to the role,’ she says. ‘Though I’m not a very good actress, I do like learning about acting and working with other people.

It’s nice to feel that I’m doing something different. Rehearsals can be difficult because the script changes a lot. But once the run starts, it’s a lot of fun.’

And by the time she reaches the middle

In my mind, Jesus is the incarnate God

of the scheduled performances, Anne plans to take a bit of time out to remember the reason the world celebrates Christmas.

‘I’ll go to Mass, either after my panto performance on Christmas Eve, or I’ll go on Christmas morning,’ she says.

‘I always enjoy reading the lyrics of “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, because they describe an open sky and people who have no idea what’s going on in this little town. Yet down in the stable, there is something happening that is bigger than the whole world. That’s how CS Lewis describes it in The Last Battle, and I do like that.’

20 November 2021 • WAR CRY • 11

Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Thomas, that he can overcome his addiction.

The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their ­circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, Lon­don SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

j

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.

Team talk TEAM TALK

‘ talk’ Home makeover show is clutterly true

Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters

ACCORDING to Stacey Solomon, presenter of BBC One’s Sort Your Life Out, ‘the average family home contains thousands of items we don’t really need, and living in all this clutter is making us miserable’.

Since reading a number of glowing reviews of the programme, I have enjoyed watching Stacey and her gang of organisers as they help families work out what items they want to keep and what they can afford to lose.

At first, the thought of sorting out the entire contents of a house seems overwhelming, so organiser Dilly steps in. In one episode, she summed up her task of working with the family by saying: ‘We need to reduce the stuff that no longer serves them … and release them of the past that they seem to have been holding on to, so they can start this new beginning.’

As someone who loves a good sort-out, I like watching the participants throw away their clutter. I also enjoy the moment when they walk back into their transformed home, amazed at how different it looks.

But what I love most about the show is that it’s not about improving a home by adding more of this or more of that. It’s about getting rid of the items the family no longer wants or needs. The transformation is achieved by uncovering the best of what they already have and putting those items to good use.

It makes me wonder what I might gain if I did a bit of decluttering – not in my home necessarily, but in my life. If I could let go of the guilt from my past, might I find more space for peace in my present? Are there good qualities within me that are currently buried under worry or selfishness? What am I hoarding that is holding me back from being my best me?

No doubt about it, I want to be a better person. But for transformation to happen, I need to be willing to make room for it.

It’s about getting rid of items the family don’t need

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

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Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Name Address Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 20 November 2021

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

2

Liam Neeson played a truck driver on a mission to rescue trapped miners in which film released this year?

Who had a No 1 hit with Elton John last month with the song ‘Cold Heart’?

A 3

Which is the second-largest of the seven continents?

4

What TV show stars actor Keir Gilchrist as Sam Gardner, a teenager on the autism spectrum?

5

Vatican City is an enclave within which Italian city?

6

Larry Adler was known for playing which musical instrument?

ANSWERS

1. Ice Road. 2. Dua Lipa. 3. Africa.

4. Atypical. 5. Rome. 6. Harmonica.

keys of the kingdom UNLOCK THE WHOLE MYSTERY Delve deeper into Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven in the latest release from Shield Books, as featured in the occasional War Cry series.

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In this occasional series, Nigel Bovey unlocks the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, which Jesus speaks to his disciples about in Matthew’s Gospel

Yeast rises to the baking challenge W

HEN Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, one of the illustrations he used was that of a tiny mustard seed which grows into a tree (Matthew 13:31 and 32). In doing so, he was emphasising the scale to which the Kingdom can grow.

He followed this teaching with another story that picks out an everyday commodity with influence beyond its size – yeast.

The Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus says, is like yeast that a baker works into flour to make the dough rise (Matthew 13:33).

Like the story of the mustard seed, this is a tale about scale. It takes relatively little yeast to make dough rise – about one part yeast to fifty parts flour.

When warmed, yeast – a single-cell fungus – works by converting flour starch into sugar. As it does so, it creates carbon dioxide, which expands the existing air bubbles in the kneaded mixture and causes the dough to rise.

The effect of the yeast spreads through all the dough.

This is a different type of growth from the mustard seed’s.

The work of the seed is external and obvious. Yeast, by contrast, works internally. Its work is hidden. Secretly, it embeds itself in the heart of the dough. It pervades the lump. It flavours, aerates and lifts every part. Slowly, the living organism of yeast transforms an indigestible lump of wet flour into life-sustaining bread.

Such, says Jesus, is the transformative power of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the right conditions, the good news of the Kingdom begins to transform a person, touching every aspect of their life. In turn, the person discovers a new and fulfilling life for themselves.

However, followers of Jesus are not to isolate themselves from the wider world. Instead, they are to embed themselves into every aspect of society. They are to be the ‘salt of the earth’ (Matthew 5:13 New International Version) and the ‘light of the world’ (5:14). Through them, God can transform the world.

Following Jesus does not mean escapism; it demands engagement with the world.

The good news transforms a person

20 November 2021 • WAR CRY • 13

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Stoneworker (5) 5. Small piece of ground (5) 8. Lounger (5) 9. Surpass (5) 10. The same (5) 11. Punitive (5) 12. Footwear (4) 15. Be present at (6) 17. Raw (5) 18. Preserve dead body (6) 20. Breeze (4) 25. Cereal (5) 26. Pulsate (5) 27. Cancel (5) 28. Praise (5) 29. Restaurant (5) 30. Underworld (5)

DOWN 1. Morning prayer (6) 2. Artist’s workplace (6) 3. Chilly (5) 4. Lean (5) 5. Church dignitary (7) 6. Wig (6) 7. Bisected (6) 13. Garment border (3) 14. Limb (3) 15. Fuss (3)

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

4

3

7 8 7

3 1

7 9 3 8 5 2 6 1 7 8 7 5 9 6 4 16. Religious sister (3) 17. Mountaineer (7) 18. Delighted (6) 19. Without vegetation (6) 21. Pressed (6) 22. Bores (6) 23. Essential (5) 24. Demise (5)

2 4 6 4 2 7 5

WORDSEARCH

4 2 9 3 6 7 5 1 1 6 3 4 5 8 7 9 Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally 8 steam 2 1railways 9 3 4 on the grid to7find5these 5 7 6 1 9 2 8 3 S Z V E N I L D L E 9 3 1 I F E L T T A B 8 4 5 6 2 C H U R N E T V A L L E Y I H E J E 2 8 4 7 3 6 1 5 W I N I D X V Y E R Z T S G P X P L U E O H B Q P E Q L 6 1 2E H 9 I 7P Q P Z S 3 4 8 C S V S T S Z N C S Q W K P I A H N 8 4 7 5 2 1 9 6 Q T E A E R Q R R D F Z E N L W N Y W R D C C G Z E S O Z R G Z 3 9 5 6 8 V O U E 4 2 7

M O HONEYC B

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

C A H N M W M D E K R O R D T E Q L W T T A B O B L Z Y N Q V S L B E L A H U L S I S A G G W U E R L I G A N S O T Z I Z R A R D C T E V S O V B P S S T N O R T H N O R F O L K N Z E W A W V Q I Q U V W Z Q M E Q R W Y R E E Q I R A Z L V N R W O A E Z W Z B W I W L C X F O W E H F X V W R Q A Q R Z B B D F B Q C Q M J E S D N A L S I S S E N Q H Z M A K S Z M T E D G O I N I T S E F F N P S

1. Donkey friend of Winnie-the-Pooh 2. Solicitor 3. Scandinavian country 4. In abundance 5. New Testament book 6. Red fruit used in salads

ANSWERS 4 1 7 5 9 2 6 8 3

2 6 5 7 3 8 1 4 9

9 3 8 6 1 4 2 7 5

3 4 2 1 8 7 9 5 6

6 5 1 9 4 3 7 2 8

7 8 9 2 5 6 3 1 4

5 7 3 8 6 1 4 9 2

1 9 4 3 2 5 8 6 7

8 2 6 4 7 9 5 3 1

HONEYCOMB 1. Eeyore. 2. Lawyer. 3. Norway.

4. Galore. 5. Romans. 6. Tomato.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Mason. 5. Patch. 8. Idler. 9. Trump.

10. Equal. 11. Penal. 12. Shoe. 15. Attend. 17. Crude.

18. Embalm. 20. Wind. 25. Maize. 26. Throb. 27. Annul.

28. Exalt. 29. Diner. 30. Hades.

DOWN: 1. Matins. 2. Studio. 3. Nippy. 4. Slant.

5. Prelate. 6. Toupee. 7. Halved. 13. Hem. 14. Arm. 15. Ado. 16. Nun. 17. Climber. 18. Elated. 19. Barren.

21. Ironed. 22. Drills. 23. Vital. 24. Death.

14 • WAR CRY • 20 November 2021

ALDERNEY BATTLEFIELD LINE CHURNET VALLEY EAST LANCASHIRE EPPING ONGAR FFESTINIOG ISLE OF MAN ISLE OF WIGHT

LAUNCESTON NESS ISLANDS NORTH NORFOLK PERRYGROVE SEVERN VALLEY SOUTH DEVON STRATHSPEY WEST SOMERSET

1

8 2 6 4 7 9 5 3 1

8

7 5 6

4

1 9

Spiced beef, pumpkin and carrot soup Ingredients 2tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 1tbsp Madras curry paste 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 400g pumpkin, peeled and cubed 2 celery sticks, chopped 1l hot vegetable stock 225g cooked roast beef, shredded or cubed Salt and ground black pepper, if required

Method Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the carrots, pumpkin, celery sticks and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Purée the soup in batches in a blender and return to the pan, adding the beef.

Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until piping hot.

Season to taste and serve with a spoonful of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of parsley in bowls or in small presentation pumpkins with the tops cut off, the seeds and fibres removed but with about 2cm flesh round the inside.

SERVES

4

Crème fraiche, to serve 1tbsp flat-leaf parsley, freshly chopped, to garnish

Beef and tomato tortilla stack Ingredients 450g lean beef mince 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped 2tbsp ground paprika 400g can chopped tomatoes 1tbsp tomato purée 1tbsp brown sauce Salt and ground black pepper 3tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped 4 flour tortillas 100g mature cheddar cheese, grated Salad leaves, to serve

Method Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan until hot and cook the mince, onion and garlic for 5-7 minutes, until brown. Add the paprika, tomatoes, tomato purée and brown sauce.

Season.

Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Stir through the coriander.

Place a tortilla on a large non-stick baking tray, spoon over a portion of the mince mixture evenly and add a handful of cheese. Lay another tortilla on top, spoon over the mince and add a handful of cheese. Repeat with the remaining tortillas to create the stack.

Bake for 10 minutes in the oven, or until the cheese melts. Cut the stack into quarters and serve with salad leaves.

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

SERVES

6

20 November 2021 • WAR CRY • 15

Major Amy Reardon

WAR CRY