2 COMMENT AND CONTENTS • WAR CRY • 2 March 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 LEMON juice with a sprinkle of sugar. That’s the traditional accompaniment for pancakes eaten on Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday as it is more formally known, which falls next week (5 March). A quick search of the internet, though, will provide suggestions of serving chocolate spread, fresh fruit or even ham and cheese with the cooked mixture of milk, flour and eggs. However people enjoy their pancakes, many will be joining in the fun challenges the day brings – whether that is flipping the pancake and landing it safely back in the pan or taking part in one of the many pancake races around the country. In this week’s War Cry we report from Olney, which claims to stage the oldest pancake race in the world. Thousands of people will line the streets to watch the race that is thought to date back centuries. The tradition of cooking pancakes on Shrove Tuesday started because Christians needed to use up the eggs, sugar and fats they would be going without during the season of Lent, which begins the next day. And giving up something for Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – is another tradition many people still follow today. Some people will do without chocolates, bread or social media for the next few weeks. However, others, rather than give anything up for Lent, have decided to give out instead. As we report this week, people are signing up to 40 Acts, in which they commit to undertake one generous act every day during Lent. Last year 100,000 people signed up to the scheme run by Stewardship, and the Christian charity hopes that a similar number will do so again this year. That would mean some four million acts of generosity going on around the country. What an exciting new tradition 40 Acts has the potential to be!
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 7412
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 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
Contents
Tel: 0845 634 0101 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 David Kelly
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
A real Paige turner Wrestling brings a change of character in new film
5
Acting up Encouraging people to rise to the challenge of being generous
6
A woman’s place Author advocates the importance of women’s roles in history
8 Pantastic! The traditions of Pancake Day are served up REGULARS 4
News and media
12
Browsing the Bible
6 6
8
13 Expressions 14 Puzzles 15
What’s cooking? Front-page picture: Fox Searchlight Pictures
15