What is The Salvation Army?
2 COMMENT AND CONTENTS • WAR CRY • 21 September 2019
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
From the editor’s desk ‘IF at first you don’t succeed try, try and try again’ is a phrase said to have been coined by Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, just before his army defeated the English at Bannockburn in 1314. According to legend, Robert was inspired by watching a spider take several attempts to spin its web. Although the authenticity of the legend is questioned by some, the phrase itself has certainly crept into the public consciousness. It is a maxim that could easily be applied to the efforts of Samara Levy to help the children in war-torn Syria. In this week’s War Cry, Samara explains how pictures of young Syrian children wearing flipflops in the snow stirred her to take action to help them and others in a similar situation. Her conviction led her to ask other people to join her in donating clothes. The appeal was successful but Samara found she could not get the donations into Syria. Although frustrated, Samara tells how she didn’t give up but continued her efforts for children whose lives had been ravaged by war. Those efforts have now borne fruit and Samara herself has made repeated trips to Syria in order to bring the much-needed relief. Samara says that her Christian faith supported her through all the challenges that she faced and she talks about the way, at various moments in time, she called out to God in prayer. That is something Emma Weaver could relate to. Emma is the development co-ordinator of a Try Praying campaign, which is promoting prayer through adverts placed on buses, in trains and across station ticket barriers. Emma is keen for everyone, regardless of their faith, to learn that they can pray, and do so knowing that God will hear their prayers. As Emma says in this week’s issue, it is an initiative that is changing people’s lives. The message is simple: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try praying.
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.
SINCE 1879
140 YEARS
OF THE WAR CRY Issue No 7441
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford 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@satcol.org 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 Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper
Your local Salvation Army centre
FEATURES 3
Tackling the opposition Who will win the rugby World Cup?
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Forever friends Comedy series stands the test of time
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Kept in tune How singing helps people living with dementia
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Childcare under fire Supporting the children of Syria
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Say a little prayer Campaign encourages people to try praying
REGULARS 4
News and media
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Browsing the Bible
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Faces of Faith
14 Puzzles 15
What’s cooking? Front-page picture: PA
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