What is The Salvation Army?
2 COMMENT AND CONTENTS • WAR cry • 28 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 THE place that led John Lennon to declare ‘Strawberry Fields forever’ has been opened to the public. As this issue of the War Cry reports, The Salvation Army has redeveloped the site and, in place of its children’s home – which was closed in 2005 as ideas about caring for young people changed – has set up not only a training centre for young adults, but also an exhibition about the Beatles connection. John Lennon always fondly remembered playing as a boy in the grounds of Strawberry Field when he was growing up in Liverpool. Among the items in the exhibition is an early draft of the lyrics of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. It includes a version of the line that appeared in the finished song as, ‘No one I think is in my tree’. Lennon later commented that the phrase was about his feeling that he was ‘different’. He said he was unsure whether he was ‘crazy or a genius’. He was ‘too shy and self-doubting’. As the 1967 hit often appears on lists of great songs, many listeners must have appreciated the way it explores human experiences such as joy, uncertainty and the struggle for identity. This week’s War Cry also includes the musical reflections of choirmaster Ken Burton, who led the congregational singing for a Songs of Praise episode that will reveal the UK’s favourite hymns. Ken, who worked on the soundtrack of the film Black Panther, says that sacred music can be ‘a soundtrack of life’. Church music, he believes, ‘has the power to move and stir the soul’. Whatever wins the Songs of Praise vote, many great hymns win a special place in people’s hearts – and for good reason. ‘Amazing Grace’ articulates the human experience of feeling ‘lost’, but also the possibility of being ‘found’. ‘Love Divine’ holds out the prospect that everyone can know a limitless love. And ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’ assures us that even when we walk in ‘death’s dark vale’, if we put our trust in God, he gives us a place of ultimate joy – ‘for evermore’.
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 7442
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
Strictly speaking Dancing competition gets under way
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Songs appraised Choirmaster talks of the power of hymns
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Lines of questioning Poet explores grief, family and faith
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‘The hospital came to me’ How mobile clinics helped after earthquake
REGULARS
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4 News 12
Browsing the Bible
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Now, There’s a Thought!
14 Puzzles 15
Money-wise meal Front-page picture: BBC/GUY LEVY
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