Salvationist + Faith & Friends April 2021

Farewell to Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill

Creation Care: Down to Earth Salvation

Last at the Cross: The Women of Easter

THE VOICE OF THE ARMY

April 2021

Salvationist.ca

e f i L n o i t c e r Resur n to a new life is made Transformatio risen Christ e th h g u ro th le ib ss o p

2021

THE SALVATION ARMY BOOTH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

CONVOCATION Virtual Convocation and Conferring of Degrees

Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 3:00 pm (Central) Honorary Degree Recipient and Speaker: Commissioner M. Christine MacMillan Details are available at: BoothUC.ca/events/

BOOTHUC.CA

EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLD

April 2021 • Volume 16, Number 4

DEPARTMENTS 5 Inbox 6 Frontlines 15 Not Called?

One-Word Answer

by Ken Ramstead A New Approach: From Lay Leadership to Gen Z

20 Global Focus

Four Cousins Train Together at CFOT

Stand Up, Step Up, Speak Up Against Human Trafficking

Living Lent: More Than Just Self Denial

THE VOICE OF THE ARMY

January 2021

Salvationist.ca

How to Care for Singles in Your Church

Mother and Midwife Reunited—23 Years Later

Candidates Connect: Officer Recruitment Reimagined

Salvationist.ca

Helping Shelter Workers Cope With Trauma

Getting Beyond “Not in My Backyard!”

THE VOICE OF THE ARMY

THE VOICE OF THE ARMY

February 2021

March 2021

Salvationist.ca

Spirit of Zambia

City of Lights Interview with Lt-Colonel Grant Effer

Burnout in COVID

Inside the hidden mental-health crisis.

How the Army is helping people cope

25 Millennial Voices

Partners in Mission campaign highlights vibrant corps life, education and community development

William Booth Special Care Home in Regina is keeping residents safe and happy during COVID-19

Supporting Seniors in a Pandemic

CATCH UP ONLINE

Whosoever

by Ben Riche

28 People & Places 30 Salvation Stories A New Creation

by Courtney Hustins

12

COLUMNS

FEATURES

4 Editorial Follow the Great Easter Trail

by Geoff Moulton

9 Onward Hope Again....

by Commissioner Floyd Tidd

10 Resurrection Life Transformation to a new life is made possible through the risen Christ.

by General Brian Peddle

12 Last at the Cross

Change Agents

by Major Rick Zelinsky

Women played a vital role in Jesus’ life and ministry.

Here are five stories of lives shaped by Easter.

by Lieutenant Olivia Campbell-Sweet, Lieutenant Kassie Cain, Lieutenant Renée McFadden, Lieutenant Kam Robinson and Captain Sharon Tidd

26 Family Matters

16 Shining Bright

24 Positive Reinforcements

Parenting in Faith

by Captain Bhreagh Rowe

15

As they take up international appointments, Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill share parting words of encouragement and hope.

Interview by Geoff Moulton

Did you know that you can find free back issues of Salvationist and Faith & Friends magazines at the issuu.com/salvationist website? Catch up on all the Salvation Army news and features on your tablet or desktop.

Also available on the Territorial Archives section of Salvationist.ca is a searchable record of every War Cry dating back to 1884.

Visit salvationist.ca/archives.

Cover illustration: KevinCarden/ Lightstock.com

READ AND SHARE IT! Taking the Stand

EASTER TRIAL P.12

My Son’s Refuge

A SPECIAL PLACE P.22

Teen Helps Army

I, KARLY P.26

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

faithandfriends.ca

APRIL 2021

18 Reading Backwards Did the New Testament writers shape their interpretation of Jesus to fit with the Old Testament?

by Donald E. Burke

22 Down to Earth Salvation On Earth Day we can share the message of salvation.

by Matt Seaman

Anchoring Her Faith

TV HOST MAGGIE JOHN IS PASSIONATE ABOUT FINDING GOD’S STORY IN THE HEADLINES. P.16

Salvationist April 2021 3

EDITORIAL

T

Follow the Great Easter Trail

his year, International Headquarters (IHQ) is inviting us to follow the “Great Easter Trail.”

IHQ is encouraging Salvationists, employees, volunteers and friends around the world to share the Easter message in creative ways that can be displayed in communities and online. The goal is to depict one or more Stations of the Cross, or the Resurrection story, through different media: painting, sculpture, fabrics, video … even Lego, origami or graffiti are on the list.

Of course, everything is to be done in a way that respects safety protocols—but it’s an amazing opportunity to share our faith when gathering in person is difficult in the pandemic. I’m excited to see how members of our international Army will showcase their creative energy. Check out the IHQ social media sites or the hashtag #GreatEasterTrail. Add your own creative displays!

In this issue of Salvationist, we mark the Easter season in a variety of ways. As General Brian Peddle shares, “Easter is not simply a remembrance of something that happened in the past—but as we celebrate it, we remind ourselves that the resurrection life is to be an everyday experience” (page 10). Commissioner Floyd Tidd encourages us to “hope again,” even as we battle through the pandemic (page 9). And Courtney Hustins celebrates how Jesus made her a new cre-

Salvationist

is a monthly publication of The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory Brian Peddle General Commissioner Floyd Tidd Territorial Commander Lt-Colonel John P. Murray Secretary for Communications Geoff Moulton Editor-in-Chief and Literary Secretary Giselle Randall Features Editor (416-467-3185) Pamela Richardson News Editor, Copy Editor and Production Co-ordinator (416-422-6112) Leigha Vegh Associate Editor and Staff Writer 4 April 2021 Salvationist

ation, transforming her from the inside out (page 30). I would also invite you to watch territorial headquarters’ Holy Week services at salvationist.ca/chapel.

Elsewhere, we say farewell to Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill, chief secretary and territorial secretary for women’s ministries respectively, and wish them well in their new international appointments (page 16). We continue our “Positive Reinforcements” column as Major Rick Zelinsky looks at what it will take to reach and retain millennials in the church (page 24). And Salvationist Matt Seaman considers the importance of creation care in anticipation of Earth Day (page 22).

I also want to remind readers to check out our latest Salvationist podcasts at salvationist.ca/podcast, sign up for our e-newsletter at salvationist.ca/newsletter and find all our publications at issuu. com/salvationist. More than ever, we are enhancing our digital media presence to bring you more of the stories you love.

Lastly, we welcome back associate editor Kristin Ostensen from maternity leave this month, which means we have to say farewell and thank you to Leigha Vegh, who has provided us with great stories, social media co-ordination and leadership of our Just for Kids publication. Thankfully, she’s not

Brandon Laird Senior Graphic Designer Hannah Saley Digital Media Specialist Ada Leung Circulation Co-ordinator Ken Ramstead Contributor Agreement No. 40064794, ISSN 1718-5769.

Member, The Canadian Christian Communicators Association. All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV) © 2011.

All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory and can be reprinted only with written permission.

going far and will be taking on a new role in the marketing and communications department.

As we approach Holy Week, we remember that the original Easter trail was a path filled with pain and sorrow.

Anyone who has walked the Via Dolorosa (the “way of suffering”) in the Old City of Jerusalem is acquainted with the agonies that Jesus underwent in his journey to the cross. As Christians, we are called to take up our cross and follow him, with the promise that his resurrection power is also ours.

GEOFF MOULTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Mission

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INBOX

Well Done Thank you for sharing Cadet Patrick Penton’s story (“Complete Surrender,” January 2021). Patrick, we are so proud of you. We sensed, from your Booth University College days, that you would be off to training college shortly. We give thanks to God that you allowed him to direct your plans for your life. We are hearing wonderful reports of your ministry in your appointment and pray God’s continuous blessing upon you.

NOT CALLED?

Complete Surrender Cadet Patrick Penton had to give up everything to pursue his passion for officership.

BY KEN RAMSTEAD

“God has blessed me, so much more than I ever deserved,” says Cdt Patrick Penton

P

atrick Penton was at the airport on the way home to Canada when it hit him.

“Everything that was home for the last 14 years—all was gone. I had to surrender my old life and depend on God.” First Encounter Penton was born in Bishop’s Falls, N.L. His mother and grandfather were Salvationists, but she’d married a Roman Catholic and left the church.

One evening, the Salvation Army corps in Bishop’s Falls held a concert, and his grandfather asked the 10-year-old if he wanted to attend.

“That was the first time I’d really heard the gospel preached,” Penton remembers.

“And that was also my first introduction to The Salvation Army.”

Cat Out of the Bag Unbeknownst to his parents, Penton started to attend Army church services.

“I sensed I might get in trouble with my parents, so I didn’t go inside,” he recalls. “Instead, I would stand under the window and experience worship that way.

If you talk to any of the older soldiers today, they’d tell you they remember my little head bobbing up and down at the window.”

Eventually, Penton did enter, and

a couple of years later he stood up one Sunday and shared his testimony.

Of course, in a small town, news leaked out.

“We were shopping the next day and someone told my parents, ‘You must be very proud of your son.’ That’s when the secret got out.”

Change of Direction Penton’s father forbade him to attend Army services, but he continued. Matters came to a head one Sunday when Penton was caught sneaking into the house after a late-evening service.

“I was in big trouble,” he recalls.

The situation at home became difficult but, eventually, Penton’s father relented, and his mother even started to attend Army services with her son.

“From that time on,” he says, “there was a change of direction in our family life.”

“You Should Be There” Now a soldier, Penton realized officership was in his future.

“I had many preaching engagements during high school,” he says, “and it just felt right behind the pulpit. Seeing people coming to know the Lord, seeing the Spirit moving among his people, confirmed to me that this was the decision I needed

to make.”

Penton attended William and Catherine Booth College in Winnipeg— now Booth University College—and planned to attend the College for Officer Training (CFOT) immediately upon graduation.

But a year of travel turned into 14 when he secured a job with the Korean department of education.

Throughout that time, he was involved in ministry, leading English congregations and even leading worship at The Salvation Army’s Korea International Corps.

One morning at 3 a.m., Penton’s phone buzzed him out of sleep. It was a call from Canadian friends who were attending the Army’s international Boundless Congress, which took place in London, England, in 2015.

“It was as if I heard something in my mind saying, ‘You should be there.’ ” “I Need to Go Home” Penton made the decision to return to Canada.

“I had my work. I was travelling on speaking engagements three to four times a year. Everything seemed to be perfect.”

But when Penton prayed that year, peace did not come to him as it had every year before. “That’s when I knew I had a decision to make.”

In 2018, Penton called Major Terence Hale, territorial children and youth secretary and assistant secretary for candidates, and told him, ‘This is where God is leading me. I need to enter the 2019 Messengers of Grace Session. I need to go home.’ ” The interview process went smoothly, and Penton started at the CFOT in the fall of 2019.

God’s call to officership brings four cousins to the College for Officer Training.

adet Matthew Rideout, Cadet Joshua Rideout, Cadet Janelle Colbourne and Cadet Kelsie Burford have a few things in common.

First, they’re all cadets at the College for Officer Training (CFOT) in Winnipeg— the first three in the Messengers of Reconciliation Session (2020-2022) and Cadet Kelsie in the Messengers of Grace Session (2019-2021). Second, Cadet Matthew and Cadet Joshua are brothers.

And third, Cadet Janelle and Cadet Kelsie are their cousins. Leigha Vegh, associate editor of Salvationist, interviewed the four family members to ask them about their journey to officership together.

A Passion for People Penton had a wonderful first semester, though it took him a while to reacquaint himself with Canadian culture. “For instance, I had to get used to not bowing to everyone I’d meet!”

At the end of the year, Cadet Penton was asked to take on a field-based appointment, and he is now the corps officer in Glovertown and Charlottetown, N.L. Cadet Penton still has his CFOT responsibilities on top of his corps duties, but he would not have it any other way.

“God has blessed me, so much more than I ever deserved,” he says. “But that can’t compare to the joy I receive when I see someone changed by the power of God.”

What does it mean to you to do ministry with family at CFOT? Cadet Joshua Rideout: The opportunity

to share my training and ministry opportunities with my family at

CFOT is a special privilege that few

God in the Dark Thank you for this honest reflection (“The Winter of Our Discontent,” January 2021). So much of what you wrote resonated with me, but one The Winter of Our Discontent thing that really stands out is your comment on the “mementoes of I remembrance.” I have never stopped to think of those things as reminders of God’s goodness. It seems so obvious now and I am embarrassed to think I felt semi-ashamed of what I considered “clutter.” You have warmed my heart and given me new eyes to see in these dark wintry days. God bless you and keep you close.

Photo: mikdam/iStock via Getty Images Plus

GRACE NOTES

We need a spirituality that sustains us through these dark days.

BY CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK

help, the truth is that some days are darker than I’d like, and Blue Mondays abound.

In these dark days, I sometimes feel like the Psalmist, whose soul groans: “Has [God’s] unfailing love vanished forever?

Has his promise failed for all time?” (Psalm 77:8). For me, the hardest part of this disorder is that there are times when I feel as if God is distant, far off, out of reach.

Historian and theologian Martin E. Marty notes that we all need what he calls “a wintry spirituality” for times when the warmth and joy of life is taken away from us and a sunny disposition or positive thinking are not enough to bring them back. Like the season itself, a winter of the soul is bleak, cold and dark. He shares that “in the discussion of the absence of God is where [his] presence is most felt, that in the wintry spirituality, one sees more clearly. You see the structure of the tree when the leaves are gone. You see the full horizon when all the bushes are down.”

This has also been my experience.

On those days when I lack the energy to engage in activities that just recently filled me with joy, I feel called to take a posture of respite as I lean into God even more.

And so, I imitate much of creation in the winter months: I do less, I rest more, I hold on, I wait for spring. If the trees and animals can hibernate, perhaps I can, too.

And it is there that I am reminded of God, and I remember that it is God who sustains me throughout this season.

This also proves to be true for the Psalmist, who lays his soul bare before God, and then turns toward trust: “Then I thought … ‘I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago’ ” (Psalm 77:10-11).

In a wintry season of the soul, when we can’t sense God’s presence or feel spiritual growth within us, it can be helpful to remember the ways God has been there for us in the past, and to trust that God is with us still.

My home is full of mementoes of remembrance—travel photos and old journals, memorabilia from my grandparents, and canvases with acrylic prints of my children’s feet. On dark days, these remind me of God’s faithfulness and goodness.

And I read Scripture. When my soul feels empty, I read and remember the stories of days past. I often recite the prayers recorded in the Psalms when I don’t know what to pray myself.

Somewhat paradoxically, in those days when God seems distant, it is then that I draw even closer to him. Because when I need to rely on God just to get out of bed in the morning, when I need to look to God for grace and assurance every time depression takes away my ability to contribute to my family or community, God uses those moments to strengthen my faith.

Our God, if we let him, uses the difficult, bittersweet moments in our lives, including depression, to remind us that he is with us always. His light shines brightest in the darkest moments, and we can see how goodness and blessing are present in the most difficult of times.

I once heard a rewriting of the famous Footprints poem. This time, rather than footprints in the sand, it was footprints in the snow. The image made me weep, because I know it to be true: in those wintry moments when I am too weak to walk, it is Jesus who carries me.

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS

Reversing the Trend From lay leadership to Gen Z, we need a new approach.

BY MAJORS RICK AND DEANA ZELINSKY

E

arlier this year, the Canada and Bermuda Territory announced the creation of two new appointments to invest in lay leaders and young adults.

In the first of a six-part series, Majors Rick and Deana Zelinsky share how The Salvation Army is developing a strategy to reimagine leadership and reach the emerging generation.

The smell of a brand-new car; the anticipation that comes from seeing spring flowers break the soil; the return to school in September. Fresh starts and new beginnings orient us to the goodness of God. The start of a new year is no different as we anticipate and hope for God to do a new thing in our lives, in his church and in our world.

Although finding our way through a pandemic seems to require most of our attention, our territorial leaders have not lost sight of the challenges and concerns that negatively impact our congregations and mission effectiveness overall, referring specifically to the vacant leadership positions in our local ministries and the number of young adults leaving our corps.

In response, The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda is taking a “glass half full” approach, with creative and innovative new initiatives to address these concerns.

For some time, officer retirement in

Captain Laura Van Schaick is the divisional secretary for women’s ministries in the Ontario Division.

What a beautiful letter to God. He does indeed restore the “winter of our soul.” Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Verna McDonald

To Suffer With The Language Thanks to Captains Stanley for their of Lament article on lament (“The Language of Lament,” January 2021). My own experiences with brain cancer have shown me the importance of personal W and corporate lament as ways of moving out of the silence and isolation that can come with deep suffering.

Many faith communities find suffering people disconcerting, especially when their suffering seems meaningless. This is only natural. We want to make things better and we are used to turning to our faith to find meaning. To ease our discomfort, we may attempt to explain, even justify, suffering.

What people in deep suffering need, though, are communities that don’t insist on answers but remain present, lamenting along with them. Recently, I heard a podcaster offer these words: “Don’t just do something. Stand there.”

We can’t escape grief, pain or suffering— but Scripture gives us a way to respond.

BY CAPTAINS BARBARA AND MARK STANLEY

Dr. Aimee Patterson

We can almost feel the sadness of Jeremiah’s lamenting: “This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears.

No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed” (Lamentations 1:16).

We are brought face to face with our suffering Saviour as he shared with his closest friends in the garden: “My soul is

overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38).

As you read these verses, perhaps you feel a connection with experiences in your life. If so, then you have shared in the language of lament.

How can our theology help us in our grief?

Our theology, as well as our Christian faith, practice and experience, provides us with a road map as we journey through grief, a journey that leads us straight to God. When grief hits us hard, such as with the loss of a loved one, and we are angry, hurt and in great pain, there is little comfort in saying, “God has a plan” or “Keep the faith.” Pretending that “all is well” doesn’t work, either. But in our grief, we can lament—bringing our cries and groans before God. In doing so, we acknowledge he is the Creator, Preserver and Governor of all things.

We cry out to God—we lament— when we sense that he has crossed the line, that he’s taken away something we love or added a burden that is more than we can possibly bear. The deep pain and suffering we feel needs more than trite answers. “As serious practitioners of

Photo: mgruenberg/stock.Adobe.com

What does the suffering voice of lament sound like?

Lament is not a word or place we visit much these days. But it was familiar, often-travelled terrain for our heroes of faith as they journeyed through the world. In the Psalms, we hear David’s anguish as he cried out: • “Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?”

(Psalm 44:24).

• “We are given no signs from God; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be” (Psalm 74:9).

• “All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan” (Psalm 90:9).

Photo: Grizzard

our territory has outpaced the number of new officers being commissioned.

Praise God there are signs of this trend abating, however, our need for spiritual leadership in corps and ministries across our territory remains significant. At the same time, our territory has seen a recent resurgence of interest in lay ministry opportunities.

As we lament our shrinking officer force and recognize The Salvation Army’s need for spiritual leadership, we are being called to consider something new and to re-vision the way lay Salvationists can provide leadership within the organization.

Doing something new is part of our movement’s DNA. It is demonstrated in our ability to adapt to the changing world around us, something we have been doing in our territory specifically since 1882!

For example, one does not need to look far to find evidence of new ways corps leaders are preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, discipling God’s people and caring for the needs of their neighbours during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is with this same dynamic spirit that the territory has embraced the new rank of auxiliary-lieutenant: a full-time, short-term, non-officer contract position for those considering spiritual leadership.

It is designed especially for Salvationists desiring practical mission or ministry experience and those who want to con-

sider and confirm a calling to officership.

Another area requiring our thought and attention is in relation to the emerging generation (ages 18-38). In the past 10 years, the Western church has experienced a 60-percent loss of adults from this demographic. This is compounded by a projected 30-percent loss in the church population post-pandemic. The Salvation Army has witnessed this decline in our churches, giving rise to a sense of urgency, and providing the impetus for creating a strategy to reach and retain young adults.

In collaboration with a Generation Z and Millennial working group from across Canada and Bermuda, we have just completed a survey with representative input from the 18-38-year-old age group.

We asked them to cast a vision for their church that is relevant, missional and engaging. It is exciting to hear the voices of people who love the mission of The Salvation Army express hope for how we, as the body of Christ, can grow the church and influence our communities with Jesus’ love.

In February, our working group will embark on a virtual listening tour across the territory. We are taking an approach that is by us and for us as we host focus groups to seek input and from which to inform a strategy.

In subsequent articles, we will explore the opportunity before us to find new ways of developing leaders and engaging a lost generation in the mission and life of the church. Ours is the hope of prophets, apostles and Jesus for all of God’s children to have “ears to hear and eyes to see,” which are “gifts from the Lord” (Proverbs 20:12 NLT) and the encouragement of the writers of Scripture. John, in the Book of Revelation, gives us a glimpse into the future of the church and concludes with an encouragement to us as we begin 2021: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:29).

Cadet Matthew Rideout: Doing ministry with my family at CFOT has been

neat. All four of us are officers’ kids who were born into that life. Knowing that we are following in the footsteps of our parents to become officers in The Salvation Army is unique.

Out of my dad’s family, his younger brother and youngest sister were the three youngest out of six who became officers.

Back on Father’s Day, around 43 years ago, my grandfather accepted Jesus as his Saviour one Sunday night, after my dad and his younger brother went forward as young children to accept Jesus that same morning. I

Major Deana Zelinsky is the area commander, Ontario Division, and the territorial training and development officer. Major Rick Zelinsky is the Millennial project officer.

Salvationist

New Vision I love the enthusiasm in these words

by Majors Rick and Deana Zelinsky (“Reversing the Trend,” January 2021).

In a world filled with darkness, light is needed more than ever. I pray that young men and women will challenge themselves to stand up and be that light for a darkening world that needs them.

January 2021 25

Mary Milne

It’s exciting to see what God has in store for the future days of The Salvation Army. I’m praying people will catch the vision that the Lord has given you and your team.

Major Colleen Winter

Boundless Salvation An excellent and timely article by Dr. Donald Burke (“Defining Salvation,” January 2021). At a time in our history when it could be argued that Defining Salvation many of our social ministries have become merely transactional servi- W ces, it is important that we reframe them within the context of salvation.

If we are to heed the commandments to love God and love others, I believe we must be mindful of the necessity to transform society, counter anything that demeans or dehumanizes, and strive for peace as Dr. Burke has so eloquently communicated. We rejoice at the redemption of souls, but may we also strive for the salvation of all creation.

It’s in our name, but what exactly does it mean?

BY DONALD E. BURKE

Illustration: Kevin Carden/stock.Adobe.com

Juliane Martin

10 January 2021 Salvationist

in all, having a personal family within the greater CFOT family has been a blessing and I am excited to see what God has in store for the continuation of our training.

Major Maxine Boyde

24 January 2021 Salvationist

hen life is good and things are going well, it’s easy to trust God. When our job is satisfying, our kids are doing well in school, our family is healthy, our finances are solid, our friends are near and dear, and we’re happy about how God is working in our world, our prayers are filled with thank you to God for being good, for blessing us and for loving us. And when things go bad, our songs of praise and thanks become questions and protests about what’s happening, why it’s happening and requests—maybe even demands— for all things to be well again. The good news is that this cycle of thanksgiving to protest to trust and back to thanksgiving is reflected in Scripture.

If we’ve learned anything from the COVID-19 nightmare of 2020, it’s that we can’t escape pain or suffering. This has been a year of suffering on a global scale, a year when we learned the true meaning of lament, described by theologian N.T. Wright as “asking the question ‘why’ in the midst of our suffering and not getting an answer.”

experience. Many people have asked me if I planned on going to CFOT with my brother, Matthew, and cousins, Kelsie and Janelle, and the answer is no. I never consciously made the decision to go with them. I ultimately felt God was calling me to go into training this year regardless of who was going to be there. That being said, I also believe that God has a specific purpose and plan for each of our lives and that it is not a mere coincidence that the four of us are here in training together. We all grew up together, not just as cousins, but closer to siblings. It’s something that we have never taken for granted. In this season more than ever before, with the stress of training, ministry, COVID-19 and everything else, it has been easy to see the intentionality of God’s hand at work. I mean, what are the odds of us all being here at the same time? All

16 January 2021 Salvationist

8 January 2021 Salvationist

Major Phyllis Fudge

n 2004, psychologist Cliff Arnall christened the third Monday in January “Blue Monday.” According to him, a mix of winter blues, debt from the holidays and broken new year’s resolutions culminate in what has been dubbed “the most depressing day of the year.”

Many psychologists now say the formula Arnall used has been successfully discredited and claim there is no such thing as the most depressing day of the year.

Except for me, it hasn’t been debunked.

I live with a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Each year, as the weather turns colder, I am plunged into a winter of the soul, coloured by depression.

Anxiety clouds my decision-making, my productivity suffers and some days it’s all I can do just to get out of bed. All of this affects the health of my relationships and my sense of self-worth. And while exercise, a healthy diet, regular check-ins with friends, vitamin D and light therapy all

Ripple Effect The testimony of these four young cadets is very inspiring (“Family Business,” January 2021). I am confident that God has a wonderful work for them to do through the ranks of Family Business The Salvation Army. I am reminded C as I read their stories of the Sunday in Seal Cove, Fortune Bay, N.L., when their grandfather, Sidney Rideout (to whom they referred), gave his heart to Jesus. My husband and I were the corps officers there at the time. What a testimony to God’s saving grace. The ripple effect of this grace has now resulted in four of Sidney’s grandchildren in training to be Salvation Army officers. To God be the glory, great things he has done.

e are The Salvation Army.

But if we were to ask a random sample of Salvationists what the word “salvation” means, either in our name or on its own, I think we would have a wide range of responses, many of them quite muddled. To me, this confusion about the meaning of the most foundational word in our theological vocabulary—to say nothing of our name—is not just unfortunate; it is catastrophic for our identity and mission.

Yet, this lack of clarity is understandable and longstanding.

On the one hand, the focus of “salvation” in our 11 doctrines is the preparation of individual persons for an afterlife with God in heaven. Consistent with our revivalist and Wesleyan heritage, a strong emphasis on conversion as well as holiness of heart and life is foundational.

Total depravity, justification, regeneration, entire sanctification, judgment and eternal happiness as presented in the doctrines are all focused on the “salvation” of individuals.

But on the other hand, especially

since William Booth’s articulation of the mission of the Army as “salvation for both worlds” in 1890, our mission has expanded to include not only the deliverance of individual persons to heaven, but also the transformation of the conditions in which they live in this world. The co-founder, reflecting upon more than 40 years of ministry, said it this way: “As I came to look more closely into things, and gathered more experience of the ways of God to man, I discovered that the miseries from which I sought to save man in the next world were substantially the same as those from which I everywhere found him suffering in this, and that they proceeded from the same cause—that is, from his alienation from and his rebellion against God, and then from his own disordered dispositions and appetites.... But with this discovery there also came another, which has been growing and growing in clearness and intensity from that hour to this; which was that I had two gospels of deliverance to preach—one for each world, or rather, one gospel which applied alike to

both. I saw that when the Bible said, ‘He that believeth shall be saved,’ it meant not only saved from the miseries of the future world, but from the miseries of this [world] also. That it came from the promise of salvation here and now; from hell and sin and vice and crime and idleness and extravagance, and consequently very largely from poverty and disease, and the majority of kindred woes.” This statement is astonishing for both its clarity and expansive vision.

Expanding the Scope of the Doctrines While our doctrines focus on the deliverance of individual persons to a heavenly reward, our mission as articulated

by William Booth in 1890 evidences an expanded understanding of “salvation” that moves beyond individuals and our future in the world to come to include the conditions in which people live in this world. Increasingly, Booth recognized that salvation embraces both heaven and earth, both this world and the next.

Nevertheless, the underlying ten-

22 January 2021 Salvationist

Captain Sheldon Bungay

To be considered for publication, letters to the editor must include your name and address, and a phone number or email address where you can be contacted. Letters may be edited for space and clarity, and may be published in any medium.

Salvationist April 2021 5

FRONTLINES

Booth University College Introduces New Degree Program

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ooth University College announced a new program in community and urban transformation studies in February.

Acknowledging that many Canadian cities, including Winnipeg where Booth is situated, are marked by culturally diverse communities, an ever-widening gap between the rich and poor, and many other urban planning and environmental dilemmas alike, the program was created to help students understand these types of concerns as they become more relevant to residents.

“We are emphasizing a transformational approach,” says Dr. Aaron Klassen, assistant professor of sociology. “Not only will we be encouraging students to study and experience cities, and to understand issues like poverty and health, we want them to be able to contribute to some kind of change.”

The new program will be offered as a four-year, interdisciplinary bachelor of arts degree. Courses include the social life of cities, the Indigenous experience in Winnipeg’s inner city, and perspectives on the theology of social justice, to name a few. There will also be applied options where students can do field work in various communities around Winnipeg.

One such example of a community partnership that Booth University

College has for students is with the Mosaic Newcomer Family Resource Centre. “The opportunity to meet and help people from all over the world was priceless,” says Christiane Voss, an alumna of the college. “These experiences, as well as our discussions in class, added meaning to my understanding of hope and justice.”

For Dr. Michael Boyce, vice-president academic and dean, the college’s location works to the advantage of the new program offering. “If your starting point is a complex inner-city neighbourhood as diverse as ours, you can’t help but learn

from such a dynamic environment,” he explains.

With the increased urbanization of cities in the last 20 years, the program is more important now than ever, according to Klassen. “While development is good for the city, a lot of times it’s being done in the guise of making things better, but we need to ask who that ‘better’ is for.”

For more information on Booth University College’s community and urban transformation studies program, visit BoothUC.ca.

Salvation Army Assists Residents After Massive Fire

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hen a blazing fire displaced 47 residents from a seniors’ home in the middle of a cold night in January on Prince Edward Island, The Salvation Army sprung into action to get them the resources they needed to stay warm.

The residents were safely transported to a hotel, where they found themselves with nothing but the pyjamas they had been wearing when the fire broke out. Anna Macdonald, manager of the Army’s thrift store in Summerside, P.E.I., and her team worked quickly to gather clothes for 36 women and 11 men, including an assortment of sweaters, pants, blouses, shirts and socks. “We often assist community and family services clients with clothing,” Macdonald says, “but rarely to this extent. We are always prepared to help.”

“This is why our program exists,” says Jan Keats, emergency disaster co-ordinator, Maritime Division. “We can leap into action at a moment’s notice to help those in need.”

Bins of clothes were assembled to help residents displaced from a seniors’ home on Prince Edward Island following a fire

6 April 2021 Salvationist

FRONTLINES

Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd are inviting you to join an online Zoom conversation around the new territorial vision.

The Salvation Army mobile shower unit helped restore dignity to people experiencing homelessness in Victoria

Starting March 24 at 7 p.m. EDT the territorial leaders will be rebooting Together in Mission as Together in Vision.

Register Today at Salvationist.ca/Together

Showers of Blessing in Victoria

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hen the City of Victoria put out a call to service providers in February for a community mobile shower unit, the Salvation Army emergency disaster services team responded.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many service providers had to change their operating plans, which put extra strain on people experiencing homelessness in Victoria in accessing basic hygienic facilities. “When you’re experiencing homelessness, it’s hard enough to find food and shelter, but it can be even harder to find somewhere to get clean,” explains Major Sheldon Feener, executive director, Victoria Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre. “This shower unit helped restore the dignity of those we served by providing a basic need we tend to take for granted.”

With two Salvation Army staff overseeing the operation, the mobile trailer travelled to local parks where people experiencing homelessness were camping. A Salvation Army thrift store provided clean clothing to those in need. Hygiene supplies were donated by the Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre in partnership with Soap for Hope. The mobile unit operated from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with additional times as needed, and ran for three months.

The mobile unit also had COVID protocols in effect to ensure the safety of its users. Social distancing was enforced, personal protective equipment was provided, and the unit was sanitized by the staff between each use and deep cleaned at the end of the day.

“The opportunity to reach into someone’s life and share hope where there is hardship is something that allows us to start the process of building those transformative relationships,” says Major Feener.

Salvationist April 2021 7

FRONTLINES

Feeding People From Coast to Coast

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he Salvation Army’s mobile feeding unit in Williams Lake, B.C., continued its operations in February, one of the coldest winter months experienced in the region. Since 2018, it has been a welcome sight for those experiencing homelessness.

“They watch for us and are so grateful for our help,” says Dina Kennedy, program co-ordinator.

The feeding unit can provide 1,500 meals in one hour, is equipped with a freezer and carries necessities to distribute to the vulnerable, such as sleeping bags, gloves, hats and hygiene kits.

Each Saturday, Kennedy and a team of volunteers prepare food, such as soup, sandwiches, hot drinks and snacks, for distribution. They start at a local park, then drive around looking for people to help.

“Some who come to us are parents whose work hours have been cut back, and they can’t put food on the table,” Kennedy explains, adding that others have mental health or substance abuse struggles, which prevent them from sustaining employment.

Last year, the mobile feeding unit served approximately 5,000 meals and distributed more than 450 practical items.

This program is more than just providing necessities to vulnerable people, according to Kennedy. “We listen and connect people to various community resources, such as housing supports and counselling,” she says.

On the east coast of Canada, the Army began operating a mobile service unit in Saint John, N.B., for the first time.

“For people living on the streets in our city, this will be life-changing and make it easier to help them get back on their feet,” says Major Tracy Goyak, corps officer, Saint John Hope Community Church.

Since the start of the pandemic, The Salvation Army in Saint John has been helping people in need with feeding programs, community meals and clothing. The mobile unit helped expand services and increase partnerships with local agencies.

Funding for the mobile unit came through a donation by the Rogers Foundation in June 2020.

The new mobile unit in Saint John was made possible by a generous donation by the Rogers Foundation

People line up for a hot meal at the mobile feeding unit in Williams Lake on a cold winter’s night

Community Engagement Holds Virtual Town Hall

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ore than 50 Salvation Army officers, staff, volunteers and community members gathered in February for a virtual town hall held by the community engagement department to discuss social issues that are currently affecting communities.

Entitled, “My Community, My Responsibility: How to Empower Citizens to Take Action to Bring About Social Change,” this was the first in a series of upcoming town halls.

The event was led by a panel of speakers, including Sultana Jahangir, executive director of the South Asian Women’s Rights Organization, who shared that an emphasis on equity, non-discrimin8 April 2021 Salvationist

ation and fundamental human rights is critical for communities to be empowered. In order to ensure inclusion, people with lived experiences of discrimination should participate in policy development.

Lieutenant Renée McFadden, corps officer at The Willows in Langley, B.C., also spoke at the virtual town hall. She identified volunteering, partnership, mentorship, the Pathway of Hope program and having a common language as some tools that faith communities can use to elicit positive change.

Also on the panel was Laurie Fisher, a member of the anti-Black racism task force at the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. She identified empathy, com-

passion and self-determination as core principles for empowering citizens and challenged participants to be the change that they seek.

“The town hall helped me understand that by helping people, I help my community,” says Lydia Ingles, a volunteer with the Pathway of Hope team at Northridge Community Church, Aurora, Ont., who attended the town hall. “It makes me feel good about the work that I do.”

To register for an upcoming town hall, visit salvationist.ca/communityengagement.

ONWARD

Hope Again….

For a band of confused and despairing followers, the Resurrection of Jesus signalled a new dawn.

BY COMMISSIONER FLOYD TIDD

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welve months ago, we celebrated Easter in the shadow of the pandemic. Again, this year, across the globe we are preparing for this sacred time under varying degrees of COVID-19 restrictions. In addition to the pandemic, the world has been rocked by natural disasters, political turmoil and racial injustice. Grief, illness, unemployment and family breakdown have impacted so many people. How do we celebrate in such a time?

Despite our difficult circumstances, when we hear once more the message of Easter we can hope again. We celebrate that hope lives! On that first Easter morning, for a band of confused and despairing followers, hope rose again with the Resurrection of Jesus. Easter left the followers of Christ a changed people. The Apostle Peter later wrote of being born anew “into a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). It was this hope that changed the picture of failure, fear and flight into a new image of a dynamic band of followers of the risen Christ, marching forward, confident and determined, carrying a message of hope for a desperate world.

On the morning of the third day after the Crucifixion and burial of Jesus, the disciples stood before an empty grave.

Just when they thought everything had fallen away, hope was reborn. William Burrows in All Things New writes that Easter was “not only the assurance that

Photo: Romolo Tavani/stock.Adobe.com

To live in the light of the Resurrection—that is what Easter means.

the cause was not lost—but that it was eternal.” The Resurrection confirmed for the disciples every teaching and promise of Jesus, not just for them but for generations to come. This hope springs eternal for all who would believe the message of Jesus. This living hope rises above the circumstances in which we may find ourselves.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian, knew, taught and lived the truth of this hope in a challenging time in the history of Germany and the church.

Bonhoeffer was imprisoned following the disclosure of his underground seminary and involvement in anti-Nazi activity and opposition to Hitler. Nevertheless, this living hope never failed him. In the lead up to his execution at Flossenbürg concentration camp, he wrote: “It is from the Resurrection of Christ that a new and purifying wind can blow through our present world. Here is the answer to ‘Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth.’ If a few people really believed that and acted on it in their daily lives, a great deal would be changed. To live in the light of the Resurrection—that is what Easter means.”

This Easter we choose celebration amid all that our world is experiencing, with an awareness that a new and purifying wind is blowing through our present situation. The Resurrection of Jesus changes everything. It did for the disciples standing before the empty tomb.

It did for Bonhoeffer. The Resurrection of

Jesus continues to change things today.

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the same great power God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead is available to all who believe. This resurrection power is greater than anything that would seek to rob you of the hope that God makes available in Christ. It changes everything.

In the face of all of today’s trials, we can choose to hope again. In years past, we gathered together in person to celebrate God’s great love, Christ’s triumph over death and the grave, and the Spirit’s presence and power for believers today. In that coming together, hope was shared. Even in these COVID-restricting days where our worship may look different, there are those “near” you who are looking for hope. We have the hope that “does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). I pray we will open our eyes and hearts to allow that living hope to overflow from our lives so that others might hope again.

Commissioner Floyd Tidd is the territorial commander of the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

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10 April 2021 Salvationist

Resurrection Life Transformation to a new life is made possible through the risen Christ.

BY GENERAL BRIAN PEDDLE

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Illustration: KevinCarden/Lightstock.com

he Easter story resonates with life and hope, and how we desperately need these in our world today. Through the years of the Old Testament, we clung to the hope in the prophecies of a Messiah. Through the silence of the years between the Old and New Testaments, we clung to the hope that God had not forgotten his people or his promises. Then that hope took on flesh and blood in the person of Jesus and we witnessed for ourselves that God had remembered the cries of his people, confirming that our hope was not in vain.

We witness a Jesus who taught and modelled forgiveness and love, who partied with tax collectors, dined with sinners, spoke with women of dubious morals, condemning no one. We see for ourselves a glorious mixture of grace and truth. We are caught in awe and wonder as Jesus turned water into wine, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk, cast out demons, healed the leper, controlled the wind and waves, and we see for ourselves the inexhaustible power of God. Glorious Light On Good Friday it appeared as though hope had gone as the life flowed out of Jesus’ body. This irresistible man of captivating parables, insightful teaching and miracles, with the ability to impact the very fabric of society and people to the utmost depths of their being, was killed on a cross and placed in a tomb. It looked and felt like someone had turned out the light and put a lid on our hope. Then something truly remarkable, life-transforming and world-changing happened: the stone was rolled away, the graveclothes left in a pile—because Jesus was alive! The light was more glorious than ever, and our hope found new heights.

Easter is not simply a remembrance of something that happened in the past— but as we celebrate it, we remind ourselves that the resurrection life is to be an everyday experience. The pandemic we are experiencing makes it feel, at times, similar to Good Friday—as though the light has been turned off and a lid put on our hope. There are many circumstances in life that may cause us to feel like that—natural disasters, illness,

“

“The life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ remind us that God specializes in the miraculous and the impossible.”

–General Brian Peddle

”

unemployment, divorce, drug addiction, bankruptcy, domestic violence, racism.

The life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ remind us that God is with us in every circumstance, that he is bigger and more powerful than any circumstance, and that God specializes in the miraculous and the impossible.

Abundant and Free When we have given up on ourselves, God still believes in us. When we feel like we are unloved, God shows us Jesus.

When we feel like we have made the biggest mistake of our lives, Jesus provides forgiveness. When we are suffocating in the darkness, God shines the light of his presence. When we are despairing, Jesus

provides hope.

You see, this resurrection life is a full, abundant, complete and whole life. This resurrection life is a new life, because it is life in Christ and, as such, is free from condemnation. This resurrection life starts the minute we accept Christ as Saviour and continues for all eternity. This resurrection life is dynamic, because the power of God is unleashed in us. The change starts on the inside and transforms how we view everything.

An Eternal View On that first Easter morning the disciples were still experiencing Roman occupation and all that came with it, but the realization that Jesus was alive and that every promise had been fulfilled changed everything. They now had an eternal view, they understood that sin and death had been conquered, that the kingdom was indeed a spiritual kingdom and that God reigned supreme over everything. Such understanding would change how they viewed and responded to life in this world because the glorious light of Christ shone in their lives and the hope of eternity was secured. They would never be the same again—just as we will never be the same again if we claim that same resurrection power.

May God bless you as you celebrate the risen Christ. Amen.

General Brian Peddle is the international leader of The Salvation Army.

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Photos: LUMO-The Gospels for the visual age/Lightstock.com

LAST AT THE CROSS Many women played a vital role in Jesus’ life and ministry. They travelled with him, provided for him out of their own resources and stood by him to the end. Here are five women whose lives were shaped by Easter.

Mary of Bethany

BY LIEUTENANT OLIVIA CAMPBELL-SWEET

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ushing open the door, Mary was aware that she was unwelcome in this space. Aware that her actions would stir the chatter and emotions in the room. Aware of the necessity of this moment.

Approaching Jesus at the table, she bowed down, fiddling with the jar of perfume in her pocket. She sat at his feet and broke open the alabaster jar. The fragrant, thick oil flowed out and over Jesus’ feet, spilling onto the ground in abundance.

While some would later say that she wept or even used her hair to wipe his feet as she anointed him, there is no doubt 12 April 2021 Salvationist

of the disciples’ disdain.

Their anger was causing the room to vibrate. Voices that began as whispers—What is she doing? Why is she wasting that oil?—grew louder. Bodies once seated in chairs now loomed above her, and the hostility erupted with aggressive accusations and disapproval at Mary herself—What are YOU doing? Why are YOU wasting that oil?

Then came another voice. Thank you.

The peace and gratefulness in Jesus’ voice obliterated the shame lingering in the room. This shame, directed at Mary, shattered as Jesus declared the goodness of her simple but extravagant act. A

teacher to the end, Jesus allowed Mary to be an example of devotion and discipleship to all in the room. This was good, Mary. They will remember you. In a room full of his closest friends, she was the one who saw him.

Today, we remember Mary as the one who anointed Jesus before his death and burial, who poured out honour in the midst of scorn. How does our remembrance of her move us into action? We must ask ourselves, How am I honouring Jesus in this season?

Lieutenant Olivia Campbell-Sweet is the corps officer at Trail Corps, B.C.

Joanna

BY LIEUTENANT KASSIE CAIN

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e know little about Joanna, other than that she was the wife of Chuza, the manager of King Herod’s household (see Luke 8:3).

There are no accounts of her visiting with Jesus, no vignettes of her learning at his feet, no anecdotes of her miraculous rescue. She is simply a name in a list of women present at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (see Luke 8:1-3,) and at the discovery of his Resurrection (see Luke 24:10). And yet one thing I can say with confidence is that Joanna’s story was shaped by good news.

Luke 8 tells us that Joanna—and “many others”—were with Jesus as he travelled from village to village, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. They

not only heard good news, they saw it, as the sick were healed, the poor were fed, the captives were freed. And they were welcomed as disciples and partners, fully engaged in the work of the kingdom.

Perhaps this is why Joanna and the others followed Jesus and provided for him, out of their own means—despite the consequences of doing something so culturally scandalous. Although it most certainly came at a cost, the good news would have made the journey worth it.

But then the journey ended in Jerusalem. Joanna and the other women suddenly found themselves at Jesus’ tomb (see Luke 23:55). The teaching and the miracles were gone, with only silence and death left in their place. The good news

had disappeared. Yet in their faithfulness, Joanna and the others went to the tomb, ready to prepare Jesus’ body for burial.

There, in the place of silence, they heard the news: “He is not here, he has risen!”

And instead of a body, they saw an empty tomb. Good news!

As a follower of Jesus, Joanna witnessed and experienced good news, even when it seemed like “good” was impossible. Easter reminds us that this is our reality. My prayer is that we, like the women, will have ears to hear and eyes to see all that Jesus is doing around us, as he brings good news to our weary world.

Lieutenant Kassie Cain is the corps officer at High Point Community Church in Victoria.

Pilate’s Wife

BY LIEUTENANT RENÉE McFADDEN

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here was one woman in Scripture who knew Jesus was innocent and dared to give that message to the man in charge. Before Jesus’ trial, before his beating, before his Crucifixion, the wife of Pontius Pilate sent a message to her husband to have nothing to do with this man. His innocence had been revealed to her in a dream.

The Apostle’s Creed states that Jesus “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.” Pilate, the governor of Judea, is portrayed as the

bad guy. Although a woman’s testimony was not valid evidence in a court of law, it seems Pilate, under stress and in the judgment seat, may have trusted his wife’s insight. Ultimately, he refused to rule in favour of releasing Jesus even though he could find no fault with him. Pilate bent to the will of the clamouring crowd, trying to cast the responsibility of Jesus’ fate on them, then proceeding to wash his hands of the entire situation—but tradition still considers him guilty.

His wife knew better. Although

her identity is not revealed alongside her story in Matthew 27:19, tradition hints her name was Claudia Procula, a God-fearer or convert to Judaism, who may have become a believer after the Resurrection, ensuring that the early church would have learned about her dream in retrospect. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Saint Procula and her responsive declaration is celebrated annually.

How fascinating to find a woman so spiritually receptive in the most unexpected place! Many people in the first century believed that the God of Israel could speak to them through dreams and Pilate’s wife knew she had to speak up. In the face of the jeering crowds and zealous religious leaders, a bold message from a Roman woman spoke truth to power.

Pilate’s wife takes her place in a long line of women, named and unnamed, who, full of grace, truth and courage, glimpsed Christ’s full identity. Like Pilate, the church has often struggled—and in many areas still struggles—to accept God speaking through women. But God has done so, and God continues to do so.

Lieutenant Renée McFadden is the corps officer at The Willows—A Community Church of The Salvation Army in Langley, B.C. Salvationist April 2021 13

Mary of Nazareth

BY LIEUTENANT KAM ROBINSON

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he agony of helplessly standing to the side while someone you love deeply is going through something extremely painful defies description. The reserve with which the Gospel of John articulates the presence of women at the Crucifixion is remarkable (see John 19:2527). All we are given is a simple, factual account: they stood near the cross.

Matthew tells us that “Many women were there, watching from a distance.

They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs” (Matthew 27:55). They were caregivers, a category of the most loving, overworked, under-appreciated, selfless and grace-filled people in any culture or historical period.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, had been caring for her precious son since before he was born. She loved him with a mother’s

heart, a love that had tenderly wrapped him as an infant, soothed him and rocked him in her arms. Those that knew and believed Jesus also had many hope-filled expectations, but Mary probably had the most. He was her miracle and her firstborn son. What must she have been feeling as she watched him die in this awful way? I wonder if the words of Simeon from so long ago were ringing in her ears: “And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35).

Perhaps this gets the closest at articulating what it is like to watch helplessly as someone you love suffers—it is soulpiercing. There is nothing left to be done but grieve. It feels like an empty place where words fail.

It’s a place known too well, by too many, in recent times. Nurses standing

at a bedside. A spouse cradling a phone instead of a hand after receiving terrible news. Family struggling to accept that the one they saw not too long ago is now gone. No goodbyes. For many, this pandemic has been soul-piercing and has left us in an empty place.

But it is not final. The Easter story does not end at soul-piercing—it ends with soul-soaring. Mary will see her son once more, more alive than ever. He will defy and exceed all expectations, including her own. Mary’s Saviour is ours, too.

Mary’s history is our story, too. It’s already been beautifully described by God, our caregiver, with all the fullness of hope.

Lieutenant Kam Robinson is the community ministries officer, South Muskoka Ministries—Bracebridge and Gravenhurst, Ont.

Mary Magdalene

BY CAPTAIN SHARON TIDD

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even demons possessed Mary Magdalene’s body, controlled her thoughts and dictated her words.

She was powerless against them, until

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Jesus came into her life and restored her.

With that restoration came a desire to be his faithful disciple. Her deliverance was his invitation. Drawn to Jesus’ goodness and the hope that his kingdom message proclaimed, she chose to follow.

Mary Magdalene showed herself to be a woman of deep faith and dedication. She journeyed with Jesus and committed her resources to minister to his needs. She was with Jesus as he fed the thousands, healed the sick and taught the truths of the kingdom of God. But hers was not just a passing interest. She remained near when the masses turned and his disciples fled, as he was arrested and tried, and as he was crucified. She heard his final words, witnessed his final breath. And she stayed, even as his lifeless body was placed in a nearby tomb.

With a heart set on anointing him, Mary returned to that tomb after the Sabbath,

but to her utter despair, his body was not there. After running to tell the disciples, she returned and stayed near the tomb, overwhelmed by sorrow. Then Jesus came to her, in that burial place.

At first, she didn’t recognize him, but he lovingly whispered her name, “Mary,” and her eyes were opened.

Mary was the first to see the risen Lord, and she (the one whose voice had been stolen for years) was the first commissioned by him to go and tell! Was this coincidence? Certainly not! By God’s grace, Mary had been transformed into a magdala (Aramaic for “tower”) of faith as she walked with Jesus. Whom else would he choose to be his vessel of proclamation? On Resurrection Sunday, Mary’s voice found its truest message: “I have seen the Lord! He is risen!”

All who call Jesus “Lord” have found release and restoration through him. You and I are his vessels of proclamation in our day. Are we faithful magdalas, using our voices to boldly share gospel truth?

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Captain Sharon Tidd is the area commander— corps, British Columbia Division.

NOT CALLED?

One-Word Answer Whatever God calls us to do, says Major Michelle Mercer, all he needs is our “yes.”

BY KEN RAMSTEAD “I’m very grateful for the many leaders who invested in my life as a young person,” says Mjr Michelle Mercer, who serves with her husband, Mjr Jim Mercer, as the corps officers at Barrhaven Church in Ottawa

that decision.”

A couple of years later, an older, wiser Michelle sought out her corps officer and was enrolled as a senior soldier at the corps in Springdale, N.L. Journey’s Start By 1999, Michelle had become a youth pastor at Bonavista Corps, N.L., where Jim Mercer was serving as a youth leader and making plans to become an officer.

When she called him to find out how his candidate’s interview had fared, their conversation lasted four hours.

Within a year, they were engaged, and Jim had postponed his officership plans for a year to wait until the newly married couple could attend the College for Officer Training in St. John’s, N.L., together.

“That began the journey,” says Michelle’s husband, Major Jim Mercer.

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“As much as I felt happy and fulfilled with what I was doing, I knew it wasn’t fully what God had intended for me.”

—Major Michelle Mercer

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s an officer, I often say we are blessed with sacred privileges,” says Major Michelle Mercer, “when we’re invited in to the corners of someone’s life. Sometimes in their final hours.

“I have had many sacred experiences through the years, where someone has opened a door to step into their life, a circumstance or a decision they’re making, and allowed me to journey with them.

“Sometimes we journey with people for a longer time and sometimes God allows us just a few moments to represent him. These are sacred privileges that officership affords us, and they are, each and every one, a blessing.

“And I would never have gotten these opportunities had I not been an officer.”

Deferred Decision “I’m a second-generation Salvationist,” says Michelle.

Her mother’s family attended another church but her mother was drawn to the Army as a teenager. When Michelle’s mother was 16 and decided to change her denomination, her parents needed to give their consent, which they gladly did.

“In fact, my grandmother made my mother’s first soldier’s uniform,” Michelle smiles.

Michelle, in her turn, went through all of the discipleship programs that The Salvation Army had to offer.

“I sensed a calling to ministry at the age of 13,” she says, “and I’m grateful for the many leaders who invested in my life.”

When she was 14, Michelle was encouraged to take soldiership classes.

While she had no concerns about the commitment involved, she didn’t feel she was at that point yet.

“I understood the vow, as much as any 14-year-old could,” she says, “but knowing that, I wasn’t quite ready to make

”

Obedience Michelle would have been quite content to remain a youth pastor. But where Jim resigned from his teaching position with a sense of relief and release, she resigned with a very heavy heart.

“As much as I felt happy and fulfilled with what I was doing, I knew it wasn’t fully what God had intended for me,” says Michelle. “It was gradual, but it was a matter of eventually aligning myself with what I knew was God’s calling on my life.”

Michelle believes that there’s a link between the depth of our relationship with God and our willingness to follow him where he calls us to go.

“Whatever it is that God calls us to—officership or another avenue of ministry—I think God just needs our ‘yes,’ ” she concludes. “It’s about obedience, responding in relationship to grow closer to him.”

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Shining Bright As they take up international appointments, Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill share parting words of encouragement and hope.

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s of May 1, Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill, who have been serving respectively as chief secretary and territorial secretary for women’s ministries, Canada and Bermuda Territory, will be taking up appointments as international secretary and zonal secretary for women’s ministries, Americas and Caribbean Zone, at International Headquarters (IHQ).

They will assume their new responsibilities with the rank of commissioner, succeeding Commissioners Mark and Sharon Tillsley who will be returning to the U.S.A. Eastern Territory.

Geoff Moulton, editor-in-chief, spoke with Colonels Hill about their experiences in Canada and Bermuda, what they are looking forward to and what lessons will sustain them on the next stage of their officership journey.

What thoughts went through your minds when you first received your new appointments?

Colonel Edward Hill: The initial response

was surprise. As officers, we know that eventually we’ll get a call about the next appointment, but it often happens when you’re least prepared for it. There’s some sadness that comes with it, because our old appointments are ending. We’ve only been here a relatively short period of time. But as we think about what comes next, there is a growing excitement.

16 April 2021 Salvationist

Colonel Shelley Hill: I would echo those

words. We didn’t expect the call, especially during COVID-19. By the time we leave Canada we will have only been here 30 months, with 15 of those spent grounded due to the pandemic. But we’re excited about the opportunity to live and work in the United Kingdom, the birthplace of The Salvation Army.

What are you most looking forward to in your new roles?

EH: I’m excited about being exposed to

the international Army, even more so than in our previous appointments.

The Americas and Caribbean Zone is massive, from the top of Canada to the bottom of South America, from Guam and Saipan in the Pacific all the way to the edge of Brazil. There are many different cultures, languages and countries, but with one Army, driven by the same mission. We look forward to working alongside colleagues at IHQ who share that same excitement of serving the international Army.

SH: I’m looking forward to seeing

the Army’s work in other territories and new expressions of faith and services. We love London, and there are two wonderful corps in our neighborhood—Bromley Temple and Croydon Citadel—so we can’t wait to settle in and visit.

What will you miss most about Canada and Bermuda?

EH: We’ve appreciated all the rich

programs and services in this territory, but more than anything we’ll miss the people. From the moment that we arrived, we were impressed by the quality, commitment and capacity of officers, soldiers, employees and volunteers of this territory. I’ll miss being at territorial headquarters and working alongside the leadership team and the territorial commander.

We’ll also miss our fellowship at North Toronto Community Church.

We enjoyed the camaraderie of that fellowship of believers; that has been a good anchor for us.

SH: This territory has some of the finest

personnel in the Army world and to get to know them has been a privilege and an honour. In terms of what we’ll miss about Canada, Tim Hortons has become a favourite for sure.

EH: I got to take in a hockey game and

followed the Raptors in the year they won the title. As a sports fan, that was special. We’ve received lots of maple syrup and I’m taking those bottles with us! We have felt very much at home as Americans here in Canada and Bermuda.

What have been the highlights of your tenure?

EH: I did a couple of cross-country

tours in the lead up to Christmas in 2018 and 2019. It was thrilling to see the Army’s work from Victoria to St. John’s, N.L., and many places in between. Our trips to Newfoundland were very meaningful to us, because we had heard so much about it through the decades. The Indigenous Pow Wow and Celebration of Culture in Pine Lake, Alta., and the Bermuda Congress were also highlights.

SH: I’ve appreciated the unique social

service programs, such as Pathway of Hope, which has really taken off.

I love the creativity of some of the younger officers throughout the territory and the warmth that we have received from the officers and soldiers. Our visits to the training college in Winnipeg to meet and worship with the cadets and staff will be remembered.

What territorial initiatives would you like to see flourish?

EH: I am a big believer in Mobilize

was a great initiative, and I’d like to see more of that kind of conversation and engagement. We will continue to pray for the future of the Army here in Canada and Bermuda.

What have you learned in your current roles that you will carry forward?

EH: I am reminded of the importance

of working with a team, learning from each other and tapping into each other’s skills, talents and abilities.

Here in Canada and Bermuda, people are focused on the mission. We must ensure that everything we do is viewed through that lens.

SH: It’s crucial to listen to the voices of

the people. At times we can be a topdown organization, but we must be attentive to the needs in the field. As I relate specifically to women’s ministry, I want to encourage new and creative ways of reaching women in our communities and freeing up people to try new ways of ministry.

Do you have any parting words of encouragement for Salvationists?

EH: Stay positive and hopeful for the

future. We’ve got fantastic officers, beautiful programs, abundant resources, a fantastic heritage, brand recognition and a powerful mission. Most importantly, we have the anointing of the Lord. If we trust in his power, his capacity to move us forward, there’s nothing that we can’t accomplish. I think we’re in good shape to be a thriving, growing Salvation Army.

SH: Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your

light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” The world is filled with discouraging moments that dim our light. I just pray that the officers and soldiers of the Canada and Bermuda Territory will allow their lights to shine brightly for Jesus. The world needs us, and it needs us to be shining bright.

2.0, the territorial transformation project. It’s very important that people get behind it. A big part of that is making sure our corps life is front and centre—we need thriving corps. I also appreciate the efforts to provide many pathways to officership. I’d like to see more progress in our outreach to new Canadians and in ethnic ministries; these are growth areas that are not being fully realized yet.

SH: I also pray that Mobilize 2.0 will

unite us as one Army with one plan and move the mission forward. The Together in Mission 12-week online series based on Commissioner Phil Needham’s book, Christ at the Door,

Colonel Edward Hill with Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd, territorial leaders, during the Officership Information Weekend in 2019

Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill at the Bermuda Congress in 2019 with Mjr Sandra Stokes (left), then divisional commander; Ed Christopher, town crier, Hamilton, Bermuda; and Comr Susan McMillan, then territorial commander

Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill with Dr. Casey Church (Pokagon Band Potawatomi member from southwest Michigan) at the Pow Wow and Celebration of Culture in Pine Lake, Alta., in 2019

Salvationist April 2021 17

Reading Backwards Did the New Testament writers shape their interpretation of Jesus to fit with the Old Testament?

Photo: Pearl/Lightstock.com

BY DONALD E. BURKE

T

he journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus probably seemed longer on that Sunday after the Crucifixion of Jesus. The two followers of Jesus walking toward Emmaus were astonished that the stranger who joined them appeared to be oblivious to the tragic events that had occurred over the previous days. It was bad enough that Jesus, who they had thought was the Messiah, had been executed, and now some of the women among Jesus’ followers claimed that they had encountered a living Jesus. The roller-coaster ride of the past week—from the ecstatic entry into Jerusalem to the agony of Golgotha— seemed incomprehensible. The two disciples of Jesus were trying to make sense of what they had seen and heard.

The stranger who met them on the road began to expound the meaning of 18 April 2021 Salvationist

the Old Testament texts that were so important to them. From Moses to all the prophets, the stranger reinterpreted the Old Testament in light of the events that had unfolded. The travellers listened intently but didn’t quite grasp all that the man was saying. It wasn’t until they had sat down for their evening meal that their eyes were opened. Only when they saw the crucified and resurrected Jesus for who he truly is could they see more clearly the meaning of the Old Testament texts he had expounded (see Luke 24:13-35).

This story illustrates how the first Christians and, later, the New Testament writers approached the Old Testament.

They read the Old Testament as their story and the events of Jesus’ life as a continuation of that same biblical story.

Recent events, however, with Jesus crucified and now resurrected, simply did not

fit with their understanding of the Old Testament story. It was this gap between the events of the past week and the way they had always interpreted the Old Testament and the hopes it expressed that created their confusion. How could they make sense of Jesus’ death and reported Resurrection as part of this larger biblical story?

This Changes Everything As Luke tells us, the sudden revelation of Jesus at the dinner table changed everything. Now these followers of Jesus could see new connections between the Old Testament and his life, death and Resurrection that no one had seen before.

The result was not a new story; it was a reinterpretation of the Old Testament story through a new lens. Now they interpreted the Old Testament through what

they had seen, heard and experienced in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus.

This new lens brought into focus everything they read in the Old Testament.

From this point on, they approached the Old Testament in new ways, looking for connections with the life of Jesus. The earliest Christians—as we do today—read the Old Testament backwards, interpreting it in the light of their experience of Jesus. For them, his was not a new story; it was the next chapter of the continuing story of God’s efforts to save the world.

They read back into the Old Testament meanings that had previously remained hidden, finding connections between Old Testament texts and Jesus that no one had imagined just months earlier.

But most of these connections were not evident to everyone. They required a measure of faith, a sharing in the experience of Jesus’ Resurrection presence and power. They required guidance from those who had known and lived with Jesus. They required the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to see things not evident to everyone else. Only then could their eyes be opened.

Reinterpreting Messiahship This story from Luke provides a perspective from which to answer a question that I am asked sometimes: Did the New Testament writers shape their accounts of the life of Jesus to fit with the Old Testament? Because of stories such as that told by Luke, my response goes something like this: It seems clear to me that the early Christian community came to understand Jesus through the filter they inherited from their Jewish background and from the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament). As a result, they interpreted Jesus as the Messiah, the one who would bring the kingdom of God. That was the category into which he could fit.

Jesus’s life continued the story they imbibed from their Jewish heritage. But this required significant reinterpretation of the Old Testament because, as it was read commonly at the time, the Old Testament did not envision a crucified Messiah. The usual interpretation was that the Messiah would rid Israel of its foreign rulers and re-establish a vibrant, powerful Davidic kingdom as a product

of God’s rule. Thus, while the first followers of Jesus came to recognize Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Crucifixion of Jesus forced them to reinterpret what his messiahship meant and how it was to be implemented.

A Messianic Mission This need to reread the Old Testament in light of Jesus’ suffering, death and Resurrection is clear in the Gospel of Mark. The second half of Mark reinterprets what it means to confess Jesus as “Messiah” in the light of his execution by the Roman authorities. Rather than being established with power and force, Jesus’ messianic mission was to be manifest in weakness, suffering and service. But according to Mark, the shape of Jesus’ messiahship is not simply a matter of historical record; it is also a matter of

These followers of Jesus could see new connections between the Old Testament and his life, death and Resurrection that no one had seen before. discipleship. That is, while the disciples thought that following Jesus would give them places of authority in the kingdom of God (see Mark 9:33-34; 10:35-37), Jesus had to teach them that it rather would lead them to serve others, to suffer—and even to die—in service to others. Contrary to their expectations, the message that Jesus is the Messiah is not about power, but about service; it’s not about glory, but about suffering. The disciples had trouble with this. That’s why Peter objected when Jesus first spoke of his approaching suffering and death; it didn’t fit within Peter’s understanding of his great confession that Jesus is the Christ (see Mark 8:32).

Mark makes it clear that unless one interprets Jesus’ messiahship through

his Crucifixion, one will completely misunderstand the mission of Jesus as the Christ. We see this misunderstanding at work in Jesus’ disciples throughout Mark.

But we also see the confirmation of Jesus’ suffering messiahship in the fact that in Mark’s Gospel, the only human character who correctly can proclaim Jesus as the Son of God is the Roman centurion who sees him crucified (see Mark 15:39).

This critical observation forced the earliest Christians to reread their Old Testament in a new way. They saw in the songs about the suffering servant in the Book of Isaiah not the figure of Israel as a suffering servant, but rather Jesus as a suffering Messiah. This was new; it was a dramatic reinterpretation of an old prophetic text. It was possible only because of the cross; without the Crucifixion of Jesus, such an interpretation would have been inconceivable.

Just as the eyes of the travellers on the Emmaus road were opened only when they saw the crucified and resurrected Jesus, so too, the New Testament writers came to an understanding of Jesus as Messiah only by seeing him crucified and resurrected.

Finding Our Place So, my bottom line is that I do think the New Testament writers shaped their interpretation of Jesus in light of the Old Testament—and perhaps even to “fit” the Old Testament. Matthew was a master of this with his frequent references to the Old Testament prophets when interpreting the significance of events in the life of Jesus. But they also interpreted the Old Testament itself bearing in mind what they had come to know to be true about Jesus. I don’t find this at all troubling, because that is exactly how we all interpret the Bible. We read the Bible through the lens of our own experiences and our own context. That’s the nature of Scripture. Yes, it speaks the Word of God to us; but we also receive that Word as the Holy Spirit reveals and inspires us in our time, and as we find our place in this one, grand story of God’s redemptive love for the world.

Dr. Donald E. Burke is the interim president of Booth University College in Winnipeg.

Salvationist April 2021 19

GLOBAL FOCUS

Lt-Cols Lauren and Grant Effer serve in the France and Belgium Tty

in Singapore.

For Lauren, I’m sure a list of mentors that God placed in her life would begin with her parents.

They were her biggest fans and her inspiration in caring for others.

How would you describe the spiritual landscape of France and Belgium? How does that affect the work of The Salvation Army?

City of Lights Hope is at the heart of The Salvation Army’s mission in the France and Belgium Territory.

L

ast March, Canadian officers Lt-Colonels Grant and Lauren Effer took up new positions in the France and Belgium Territory as chief secretary and territorial secretary for women’s ministries and territorial secretary for spiritual life development, respectively. Features editor Giselle Randall spoke with Lt-Colonel Grant Effer about the spiritual landscape of France and Belgium, the needs of the migrant population and the impact of COVID-19.

Tell us about your journey to international service. How have your past appointments prepared you for your current roles?

Our journey to international service goes back to childhood for Lauren and to our training college days for me. At the beginning, I didn’t feel a specific missionary call, knowing that the world was here in Canada. Toward the end of our second year of training, God impressed upon me to not put him in a box. So, we formally made ourselves available for God to use in 20 April 2021 Salvationist

ministry through The Salvation Army, wherever or whatever. We both felt a deep passion and heartfelt focus on taking God’s Word to the world. It became part of our heartbeat.

Looking back, we see God’s hand at work in every appointment we’ve had, even preparing us before officership for what was next in our lives as we served him. He prepared each of us differently, providing unique opportunities, personal development, ministry roles and mentors along the way.

For me, Lt-Colonel David Luginbuhl, the territorial secretary for health services when we were lieutenants, was a key person in our move from corps ministry to social services. He taught me a lot about what it means to care for people.

Major Ken Bonnar, the command secretary in Singapore at the time, was another mentor who was instrumental in our first international appointment.

We spent three years, from 1999-2001,

Much like the Western world everywhere, the spiritual landscape of France and Belgium is incredibly diverse, with a mixture of cultures, languages and religions. Many people are spiritual seekers, desiring something or someone to satisfy their heart’s longing, even if they don’t know what it is. The opportunities for ministry are incroyables and the work of The Salvation Army is desperately needed.

Speaking into this need, across the territory, we have more than 60 social service ministries and 31 corps, representing more than 200 programs.

In France, there is a law concerning the separation of church and state, and so The Salvation Army is divided into two entities: L’Armée du Salut Fondation, which is responsible for social services, and L’Armée du Salut Congregation, our corps ministry.

There’s a great deal of co-operation between them. Many corps run social programs, and many of our officers provide intentional spiritual accompaniment in our social centres, offering hope.

In French, there are two words for hope: l’espoir, the more common word, meaning the desire for things to go well, and l’espérance, which is the hope of the soul. In Canada and Bermuda, The Salvation Army’s motto is “Giving Hope Today.” In France, it is “L’Espoir, au coeur de nos missions”— hope is at the heart of our missions. In the secular sense, that is how people understand hope. But from a faith perspective, we know that hope goes beyond the finite. Many people are seeking hope but aren’t necessarily aware that they are seeking l’espérance.

GLOBAL FOCUS

What are the most pressing social issues of the day in France and Belgium? How is the Army responding?

The combination of immigration and homelessness is certainly some of the most pressing needs, particularly in Paris. Lauren and I have seen hundreds of people living outside because there is nowhere for them.

People are coming from countries surrounding France because they are desperate.

Our corps and social services centres cross paths with migrants every day. Many live with continual uncertainty, fearing they will be deported because their passports have expired, with no way to get them renewed. L’Armée du Salut is actively responding to the needs presented by unique immigration and refugee situations, poverty and food sustainability.

One initiative is a Bonjour truck, a mobile restaurant that goes out to the streets every morning to provide a free breakfast, food assistance and the ministry of presence. It has been staffed by a man who has a passion to serve and give hope (espérance) and he has been faithful throughout the pandemic, sometimes assisted by a cadet.

How has the Army responded to the COVID-19 pandemic?

The pandemic is intensifying social issues. The Army’s social services have been both proactive and reactive in the fight against COVID-19, especially in our centres with seniors and persons with disabilities. Our corps have been creatively responding to meet needs in their communities.

We strive to partner when possible with other organizations.

When the COVID situation became unmanageable in one institution run by another organization, The Salvation Army willingly responded with help, offering resources and expertise. In another instance, we were asked to manage a very large welcome centre for migrants—thousands of people in an arena—at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. Partnerships and co-operation are essential in these times.

Our corps officers, who normally offer spiritual accompaniment in our social services centres, have responded

by intensifying their work in places where isolation and infection could easily overwhelm staff and residents.

I feel a holy pride when I think about the commitment of our officers, staff and volunteers in the midst of the pandemic.

That was one of the most difficult parts for us—being in quarantine when we arrived last year, not able to help, knowing that everybody else continued without stopping. It’s been tough. We have lost people.

What has God been teaching you recently?

I think the fragility of life has been underscored for me in the midst of COVID. God has been reinforcing that life is temporal and we must be fervently engaged in ministry to demonstrate and honour our faith in a living God. What’s the best part about living in Paris, the City of Lights?

That’s easy, but not what you might expect. The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Seine river, the Notre Dame Basilica (under renovation), are all highlights, as you would expect.

And the cafés and boulangeries are

amazing—we often pick up an almond croissant or a baguette from one of the boulangeries near our apartment.

Being at the heart of such incredible religious and cultural history is awe inspiring.

The very best part, however, is the incredible peace from God that we are in his will and design right here, right now, for his purpose and glory.

The staff and our officer colleagues at territorial headquarters have invited us into ministry with them and so, we have peace in the middle of the pandemic storm.

Any final thoughts?

Every appointment we’ve had, everywhere we’ve lived, throughout all of our experiences, we’ve been surrounded by teams of dedicated people. There’s nothing we’ve done that we could have done without those people. The ministry that we had in New Liskeard, Ont., Vancouver, Ottawa, Windsor, Ont., Singapore, Montreal, Edmonton and now here, would have been impossible without the incredibly dedicated people who worked for the same mission. That is really the thing that needs to be said, that none of what we’ve been part of could have happened without those people also moving in God’s rhythm, offering hope and espérance, a vibrant light. God’s design is amazing.

“The opportunities for ministry are incroyables,” says Lt-Col Grant Effer

Salvationist April 2021 21

Down to Earth Salvation On Earth Day we can share the message of salvation.

BY MATT SEAMAN

Illustration: cienpies/iStock via Getty Images Plus

I

wonder whether we as Salvationists are missing out on a wonderful opportunity to share the message of hope— the message of salvation. You may have noticed, as I have, that there appears to be an increased awareness and concern about environmental issues in society.

This is an area that may be a positive point of resonance with The Salvation Army. To share a common concern for earth with those who are not Christians, and to reveal the message of love and hope that Jesus has for all of earth, has great potential for growing the kingdom of God (literally and spiritually).

As April 22 marks Earth Day, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on this theme. The first Earth Day was held on this date in 1970, which some credit as the beginning of the modern environmental movement. This idea of Earth Day can include a spiritual element.

Religion and nature scholar Bron Taylor coined the term “dark green religion” to help describe “the belief that everything in the biosphere is interdependent, intrinsically valuable and sacred.”

Taylor has also argued that present in dark green religion is “a feeling of belonging to nature and kinship with its diverse life forms, and a corresponding sense of responsibility for their well-being.”

What this means is that for many in today’s world, people who may not have any experiences, or who have had negative experiences with Christianity, 22 April 2021 Salvationist

nature can form a substantial part of their spiritual reality. Subsequently, as humanity lives in and is part of nature, it is our ethical responsibility to love and care for the earth.

In this climate of increasing concern about the health of the planet, how do we, as Salvationists, relate to those who may identify or empathize with “dark green” ideologies? Do any Christians and Salvationists resonate with these ideas? What affinities, connections and understandings might there be?

and respect.”

Paul Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, more specifically noted that “Christians have denounced this idea as worshipping the creation and not the Creator. Yet in the name of the Creator, they have advocated the destruction of the creation.”

Many Christians also agree that there has been significant destruction of God’s creation. This is partly due to a reading of Scripture that prioritizes select verses like Genesis 1:26-28, in which

The more we live out “the image of God,” the more likely we are to give a voice to the poor and marginalized, as well as the entirety of God’s creation.

Creation Versus the Creator Unfortunately, for many “dark green” or environmentally concerned people, Christianity may have negative connotations. Aldo Leopold, a leading ecologist and environmental ethicist of the 20th century, asserted that “conservation is getting nowhere because it is incompatible with our Abrahamic concept of land.

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love

humanity may be understood to “dominate” creation. In contrast, we see within Scripture, such as in Genesis 2, a broader narrative where humanity is seen more as being part of the earth. Here, we are called to care for it.

In An Inconvenient Text, Lutheran theologian Norman Habel questions whether Christians should reread the Bible with all of God’s creation in mind.

He points to the story of Job as one where “God calls Job to listen, respect and be humble before nature—not to be arrogant.”

Illustration: Julia Lazebnaya/iStock via Getty Images Plus

The theologian points us toward the way of Jesus, where “serving, rather than dominating, clearly stands in tension with the mandate to dominate in Genesis 1.” Habel argues that “the way of Jesus supersedes the mandate to dominate.”

The gospel as a whole, this “way of Jesus,” as Habel calls it, and the way of the cross indicate that having an attitude of service and humility, rather than power and exploitation, are the appropriate responses to the grace and love of God. The more we live out “the image of God,” the more likely we are to give a voice to the poor and marginalized, as well as the entirety of God’s creation.

ment have emerged because of a lack of care for God’s earth within the church?

Considering the views of this “dark green” movement may help motivate us as the church to live out the full, holistic nature of the Christian faith. May we strive to convey holiness, healing, freedom and love to those who might

A Vital Message I wonder if the growth in environmental concern is a stirring within the hearts, to use John Wesley’s sentiment, of all sinners and Christians alike to join together in becoming more responsible, fill ourselves with grace and love, and to care more deeply for all of God’s creation.

Could this “dark green” religious move-

What stance does The Salvation Army take on protecting the environment?

The Salvation Army International Positional Statement holds to the conviction that people are made in the image of God and have been entrusted with the care of the earth and everything in it. Environmental degradation is not only a pressing issue, but its effects are felt mostly by vulnerable communities. Their health, livelihood, ability to find suitable shelter and opportunity to have choice are negatively impacted. The Salvation Army is concerned about the effects of environmental damage on present and future generations. Sustainable environmental practices are required to meet today’s global needs without compromising the lives of future generations.

How did we get here?

In the past century, the earth has suffered unprecedented levels of degradation resulting in unnatural changes to biodiversity, air and water pollution, ozone depletion and land destruction. Scientific opinion predicts that increased temperatures from human activity will lead to more extreme and less predictable weather patterns.

Coal, natural gas and oil accounted for 87 percent of global primary energy consumption in 2012. In 2040, liquid fuels, natural gas and coal are predicted to account for more than 75 percent of total world energy consumption.

The consumption of finite resources coupled with an increasing global population and industrial activities is unsustainable.

Why do we believe this?

The Salvation Army’s response to environmental issues is based on three principles:

otherwise be antagonistic toward the grace of the Creator.

Following in the way of Jesus is the main difference between “dark green” religion and the Christian faith. At the same time, there is reason to bridge the gap—to share the love of Christ to all.

Colossians 1:16-20 states, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth ... and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

What an exciting hope and incredible message we have, centred on the love of God and brought to earth by Christ.

We have a hope that we can place in none other than the Creator of the vast cosmos.

Dr. Matt Seaman attends Nambour Corps and is a Salvation Army representative for the Qld Churches Environmental Network in Australia.

Reprinted with permission from others magazine.

• God is the creator, governor and preserver of all things.

We, as the people of God, share responsibility to care for creation and work to heal the world (see Genesis 2:15).

• The relationship of God to creation is one of loving care and concern. Humanity’s stewardship of the earth is a reflection of God’s glory and we are to take care of it to that end (see Psalm 19:1-6).

• The degradation of earth is, in part, the result of human activity and it is therefore our responsibility to work for its healing (see Isaiah 24:5-6) and to see that the most vulnerable are treated justly (see Micah 6:8).

How are we responding?

Here are six practical ways The Salvation Army is responding to environmental degradation: • Having an attitude as an organization that leads to a more responsible use of the environment and its resources.

• Encouraging Salvationists to reflect on current and best practice toward the use of the environment and its resources.

• Enacting environmental policies and practices such as recycling, environmentally sensitive purchasing and waste management practices, and developing innovative ways to reduce the destructive use of natural resources.

• Making training and education available to Salvationists to improve their environmental practices.

• Providing practical care and advocacy for those who are impacted by damaging environmental situations.

• Seeking opportunities to partner with governments, people and organizations who are working toward a common goal of sustainability and environmental care.

Salvationist April 2021 23

Illustration: muchomor/iStock via Getty Images Plus

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS

Change Agents The millennial generation on mission, leadership and relationship.

BY MAJOR RICK ZELINSKY

T

his January, we launched a survey to ask young adults about life and The Salvation Army. More than 400 from across the territory responded, sharing insights on their needs, desire to lead and preferred future for our movement. In a companion article in this issue, Ben Riche expands what it means for us to be a welcoming and inclusive church, drawing from the survey and his own experiences as a Salvationist.

In a conversation with Lt-Colonel David Kelly of the U.S.A. Eastern Territory, he shared, “With millennials poised to take over leadership of The Salvation Army in the next decade, the loss of this generation is our greatest risk—more than finance or property.” Although risk is inherent in change, the status quo poses a bigger threat.

Most of us share similar dreams for the Army as the millennial generation, but it is our response to change that divides us. Our aging Army has a high tolerance for the status quo, while younger generations refuse to be passive observers hoping for change someday. They are as eager for change as they are to lead the change today.

Most of the survey respondents identified as members of The Salvation Army.

Two-thirds volunteer on a consistent 24 April 2021 Salvationist

basis, and 45 percent of that group serve in our community ministries directly or through fundraising. The survey offered insight into what resonates with these adults and how we might engage them in the life and work of The Salvation Army.

Three themes emerged: mission, leadership and relationship.

“

We don’t want to only run errands or stand on kettles. We want to lead in a movement that transforms lives.

”

“We want to be involved and live out our faith in practical ways,” said one response. “Sometimes the Army feels too Army-centred,” said another. These emerging leaders shared that they want to belong to a church that preaches—in both word and deed—the transforming power of God’s love, works for justice and recognizes the global nature of our discipleship.

Those who responded to the survey are loud in challenging our Army to embrace change and abandon what isn’t effective or relevant in 2021. Many shared their affinity with the vision of our founders, William and Catherine Booth, to reach the least, the last and the lost, and feel we are a shadow of that vision. Composer and bandmaster Bill Himes phrases it like this: “The Salvation Army does not exist for [itself]. It exists for others.”

When we asked what one thing the respondents would like people to know about adults under 38, we heard: “We have good ideas and we know what we’re doing,” and “We don’t want to only run errands or stand on kettles. We want to lead in a movement that transforms lives; mine and those we serve.” If we want to engage this generation, we need to ready them for leadership, release control and be open to the reality that we have capable adults in our church with strong voices and servant hearts. Think of Jesus and his disciples. These were relatively unqualified people, but with the investment of teaching and experience, they started a global movement. The rewards of engaging this generation will far outweigh any risk we can presume may exist.

Relationship, defined as the desire to experience authenticity in church and community, eclipsed all other responses in the survey. “Lots of people go to church just because their family and friends attend, but they lack a deeper connection.

We can’t make that connection for them— all we can do is love them like Christ and give them purpose and reason to attend.”

When asked about a preferred future, they offered: “I want to belong to a church that is inclusive, cares and loves everyone, values me, inspires me to love God and others more, is accepting of me and is real.” How can we bring that vision to life?

What does being real look like for you?

Ben Riche will invite us to consider what it means to be that church in his article but let me leave you with this: “Church is about supporting each other to follow Jesus, and that can and should be done everywhere and in whatever clothing we have on.”

There is risk involved in change, but the greater risk is holding a defensive posture.

We asked to hear from this generation and it is our responsibility to listen. May God give us the courage to act.

Major Rick Zelinsky is the millennial project officer.

Illustration: sv_sunny/iStock via Getty Images Plus

MILLENNIAL VOICES

Whosoever What can we learn from the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch?

BY BEN RICHE

I

n Acts 8, the Apostle Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch who was studying the prophet Isaiah but didn’t know how the prophecies were fulfilled.

After Philip shared the good news about Jesus, the pair came to an oasis, and the eunuch asked the all-important question: “What prevents me from being baptized?”

Philip, obliging him (the default male pronoun assigned in Scripture), answered by implication: nothing.

Would this person get the same answer if he encountered the gospel in one of our churches? Sure, he might be welcomed at the door, to a pew, even to the mercy seat.

He might still accept Jesus as his personal Saviour.

But where could the eunuch go from there? Although we don’t practise water baptism, the question remains: Would he be able to immerse himself in the life of our corps? Would he be invited to play a meaningful role in the future of the church?

In outreach? In worship? In leadership?

In some places, the answer to some of those questions might be no, which makes me wonder, What prevents full immersion in our church?

Time and Talents Growing up, I couldn’t figure out why some of our most talented, creative youth lost interest in our corps’ programming,

while I had the time of my life. The answer I got from a leader frustrated me so much that I knew it was true: “There’s nothing here for them.”

One of the easiest ways to increase our program engagement is to diversify the programming itself. In the recent territorial survey for young adults, many expressed gratitude for youth music ministries as foundational to their spiritual lives—mine included.

One respondent envisioned a church where “EVERYONE can participate,” including “less-skilled musicians.” Where are the programs for them? How much kingdom-potential slipped through the gaps we left open because we were focused on programs instead of people? When kids showcased their difference, did we lament or accept that difference and immerse them in new ways?

Just as I Am A couple of years ago, our senior band did a community engagement with other groups around the city. A tuba player asked if I was with the St. John’s Temple Band. I said yes. He told me that in high school, all he wanted was the chance to play in our band. I asked why he hadn’t.

“A leader told me the young people’s band was the end of the road if I didn’t become a senior soldier, so I figured I

should just quit while I was ahead,” he replied. The programs he enjoyed were not meant to nourish him and his soul, but to nourish other programs.

I know what you’re thinking: that’s not what they’re intended to do! But on the individual level, it’s what they have done, and it’s what they are doing.

My home corps just made the decision to welcome band members and songsters regardless of soldiership, so I asked new musicians what it meant to have that barrier removed: “Being welcomed with such encouragement and open arms made me feel closer to God, and a very strong connection to my church family.”

“It makes me feel as though my church is meeting me where I am, and that I don’t have to be any specific thing to be worthy of their acceptance.”

“As someone with a lifelong church involvement outside the Army, especially in the music of worship, and as someone not quite at the point of joining as a soldier, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to join the songsters and lend my voice to the public worship of God.” Another set of responses in our survey suggested we consider the “othering” impact of the Salvation Army uniform, and its function as a prerequisite for a certain level of involvement.

Whosoever Will May Come Overwhelmingly, the young adults of this territory want to belong to a church that is inclusive and accepting of whosoever comes seeking God’s grace. We want a church where everybody belongs, has a voice and plays an authentic role in the body of Christ.

This includes people of different ethnicities, people who are not soldiers and those of different genders and sexual orientation. Everybody. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch sets the scriptural standard for the radical acceptance of all people into full immersion in the church, the body of Christ. Let’s keep listening and learning on this journey, with humility and love.

Are we ready to become a church that meets this standard, that hears the all-important question and is ready to honestly respond: Nothing is keeping you from full immersion in our church.

Ben Riche attends St. John’s Temple in the Newfoundland and Labrador Division.

Salvationist April 2021 25

FAMILY MATTERS

Parenting in Faith Don’t outsource your kids’ spiritual education.

BY CAPTAIN BHREAGH ROWE

Illustration: Prixel Creative/Lightstock.com

homes are not receiving anything remotely close to the spiritual training they need for lasting faith.

We need to raise our kids with a faith that prepares them for the challenges they will face. Think with me for a second— if you were setting out to climb Mount Everest, you wouldn’t show up at the base of the mountain having done a few jumping jacks and hope for the best. This is what most of us are doing as Christian parents—the spiritual equivalent of a few jumping jacks. We have little idea of what our kids will face and are not doing what is specifically needed to prepare them.

Simply taking them to church on Sunday is not enough. We have to stop winging our parenting and start getting into shape to prepare our kids for what’s ahead.

“

I

remember the day I realized I had no idea what I was doing as a parent—May 11, 2015, when my first son was born.

I thought I was prepared. As a nurse working in labour and delivery and the neonatal intensive care unit, I had been around hundreds of babies. I knew how to feed, swaddle and soothe them. I knew all the cues and developmental phases. I knew the signs for a variety of ailments. I knew all about postpartum care.

And yet I knew nothing. When they placed that slippery babe in my arms for the first time, I had no idea what I was doing or what I was truly in for.

At that moment, all my knowledge and training meant nothing when it came to raising my child. A wave of fear and stress and “What did we just do?” washed over me: Now what? My perfectly decorated nursery and app to track his feeds and sleep schedule were only going to take me so far. Now came the hard part. Now I had to raise a little human—a little human that I hoped would be a passionate Jesus follower. They didn’t teach me that in nursing school.

Many of us have no idea how to raise 26 April 2021 Salvationist

kids who will grow up to be committed and sold-out Jesus followers, because—if we are honest with ourselves—many of us are not committed and sold-out Jesus followers. Barna Group research found that 61 percent of kids who were involved in church as recently as their teenage years become spiritually disengaged by their 20s—not actively praying, reading the Bible or attending church. Many people have tried to develop strategies to “get them back” to church, but can I offer my humble and completely unfounded opinion? A lack of true spiritual training in the home has resulted in a featherweight faith—a faith that is being easily blown away by attacks from the secular culture.

Although many of our parents and guardians made sincere attempts at spiritual education, we were not prepared for what the world was going to throw at us.

Another Barna study indicated that fewer than one in 10 Christian households are reading the Bible together during a typical week, and out of 11,000 teenagers, only 12 percent have regular conversations with their parents about faith. Which means that most kids growing up in Christian

Fewer than one in 10 Christian households are reading the Bible together.

”

We need to have conversations about God, about truth and worldviews, about Jesus and the Bible. We need to not be afraid to have the tough conversations because we, ourselves, have dug deep into his Word and are able to defend our faith with truth and gospel. We need to spiritually equip ourselves so that we can spiritually equip our kids. It’s our job—no one else’s. Don’t outsource it but embrace this momentous task as the most important thing you will do in your whole life.

Don’t let this Easter pass by without your children knowing exactly what we are celebrating. That dusty Bible sitting on your shelf contains all the wisdom you need to raise up a passionate and committed Jesus follower.

Captain Bhreagh Rowe is the community ministries officer at St. Albert Church and Community Centre in Edmonton.

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PEOPLE & PLACES

SUMMERFORD, N.L.—New World Island West Corps celebrates as three senior soldiers are enrolled. Front, from left, Gerard Boyd, holding the flag; Eileen Anstey, Evelyn Jones and Irene Barnes, senior soldiers. Back, from left, CSM Viola Boyd and Lt Nancy Studiman, CO.

GAZETTE

TRIBUTES TORONTO—Commissioner Frances Joyce Kerr was born in Toronto in 1935, as the youngest of four children born to Colonel and Mrs. Cornelius (Millie) Knaap. She entered the training college in Toronto in 1954 from the Mount Dennis Corps as a cadet in the Soul Winners Session, where she met and trained with her future husband, Don Kerr.

Commissioned in 1955, Joyce served as assistant corps officer at London Oak Street and Kingsville Corps, Ont., and corps officer in Cranbrook and Hazelton, B.C. Joyce and Don were married in 1957 and appointed to corps in Sik-E-Dakh (Glen Vowell) and Gitwinksihlkw (Canyon City), B.C., Leamington and Woodstock, Ont., Winnipeg and Vancouver. Divisional leadership appointments followed in the then B.C. South and B.C. North and Yukon divisions. In 1983, the Kerrs were appointed to the Toronto College for Officer Training where Joyce served two years as the assistant director of special services and four years as director of special services. In 1989, they were appointed to territorial headquarters where she was the territorial secretary for retired officers and seniors. The Kerrs were appointed to the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland in 1993, where Joyce served as the territorial community services secretary. They returned to the Canada and Bermuda Territory in 1994, with Joyce serving as the territorial president of women’s organizations. In all their appointments, Joyce loved and appreciated those she served, and served with, in ministry. Following 43 years of officership, the Kerrs retired in 1998 to Jackson’s Point, Ont., where Joyce led a thriving women’s ministry for 12 years at Georgina Community Church. In 2014, Joyce and Don relocated to Toronto and attended North Toronto Community Church. Predeceased by Don in 2019, Joyce was promoted to glory following a lifetime of faithful service to her Lord. She is lovingly remembered by their four children and three grandsons: Beverly (Ken) Myrtle with grandson Spencer; William; Marjory; and Donna (Rodney) Hiscock with grandsons Aidan and James.

BRIDGEPORT, N.L.—Ethel Mae Canning was born in Bridgeport in 1925 to Uriah and Jane Burge. Ethel accepted Christ into her life in December 1967 during a service that was being conducted by her son, then Cadet Harvey Canning. She became faithfully involved in the corps as a home league member and Sunday school teacher. Ethel lived a consistent Christian life and impacted many for the kingdom. A sterling Salvationist, her influence lives on in the many lives that she touched. Together with her husband, Bruce, Ethel raised nine children, four of whom became pastors. She was a wonderful mother, a terrific friend and a true Newfoundlander. Ethel was predeceased by her husband, Bruce; son, Andrew; son-in-law, Cedric Mills; daughter-in-law, Major Rose Canning; and five siblings. Missing Ethel, but grateful for her life and influence, are sons Pastor Gilbert (Lyda), Clifford (Shirley), Major Harvey (Doreen), Tony (Glennys) and Major Edward; daughters Major Maxine (Woodrow Boyde), Leona and Rosena (Grant Philpott); 21 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

28 April 2021 Salvationist

TERRITORIAL Promoted to glory: Mrs. Mjr Kathleen Bell, Jan 30; Comr Joyce Kerr, Jan 30; Mrs. Mjr Miriam Merritt, Feb 4 INTERNATIONAL Appointments: Apr 1—Col Peter Kwenda, CS, Zimbabwe and Botswana Tty; Lt-Cols Dieudonné/Philippine Tsilulu, CS/TSWM, Democratic Republic of Congo Tty; Lt-Cols Blaise/Evelyne Kombo, CS/TSWM, Congo (Brazzaville) Tty; Jun 1—Lt-Cols Yaqoob/Sumitra Masih, TC/ TPWM, India Central Tty, with rank of col; Lt-Cols Yesuvadiyan/ Vethamony Manoharan, CS/TSWM, India Central Tty

CALENDAR Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd: Apr 8 Territorial Executive Conference (virtual); Apr 14 National Advisory Board executive committee (virtual); Apr 19 Territorial Executive Conference (virtual); Apr 24 board of trustees meeting, Booth University College (virtual)*; Apr 25 convocation, Booth University College (virtual); Apr 26 board of trustees meeting, Booth University College (virtual)* (*Commissioner Floyd Tidd only) Colonels Edward and Shelley Hill: Apr 8 Territorial Executive Conference (virtual)

SALVATION STORIES

“Jesus took my heart and flipped it inside out,” says Courtney Hustins

person I knew before arriving, but I felt so welcome and comfortable. That weekend, I confessed to those around me that I wasn’t proud of the life I was living. I finally admitted to myself that a life without Jesus was not enough and repented for straying so far away from him. In those moments of vulnerability, I experienced indescribable peace. I could feel the presence of Jesus resting on me, welcoming me home. I was a new creation in Christ, through his grace.

A New Creation When I finally admitted I needed help, Jesus welcomed me home.

BY COURTNEY HUSTINS

M

y name is Courtney Hustins,

and I have been saved by God’s grace. I was born in Oshawa, Ont., and I am 20 years old. I grew up going to The Salvation Army with my parents and younger sister. I was always active in my church, helping with whatever I could, and was part of many groups.

However, when I started high school, my mindset about church changed. I began to listen to the wrong voices, and they started to control my thoughts and beliefs about Christianity. I started to look for meaning in life outside of Jesus.

I was going to parties, drinking, seeking validation from boys, gossiping, swearing, dressing for attention. I was constantly comparing myself to others and craving approval. I had lost my own identity.

I tried to live a life with one foot in the door and one foot out the door of Christianity. If anyone were to ask me if I was a Christian, I would have said yes. I went to church on Sunday mornings, but 30 April 2021 Salvationist

nothing I did outside of a church building demonstrated an intimate relationship with Jesus. When I lived this way, I didn’t understand anything about my purpose or how I fit into this world. Any form of “happiness” I experienced during this time was a trick sent from the enemy.

The life I lived seemed fun and exciting, but it only brought temporary fulfilment.

I would always walk away feeling empty.

For about four years, I chose to live a lifestyle ignorant of the mercy and forgiveness Jesus offers. During this time, Satan worked to turn me against Christian community, and he was successful. Emotionally, I reached a place where Christians constantly bothered or frustrated me. There were Sundays when the thought of going to church and seeing other Christians made me feel physically sick.

In February 2020, I went on a Christian

retreat with a friend. She was the only

When I left that weekend, I no longer felt hopeless. Instead, I felt like I could finally see the path to a fulfilling life and eternity with Jesus.

Although I was not ready to give Jesus every aspect of my life immediately, God slowly and gently convicted me of the way I was living. In September, I reached a place where I was prepared to surrender it all. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” When I finally took delight in all that Jesus had done for me, I felt indescribable joy. Jesus took my heart and flipped it inside out.

I am now committed to living a life

wholeheartedly devoted to my Saviour.

I desire to know and understand God’s heart, to be part of a Christian community

and to live a life that follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I am now able to wake up each morning confident, free from the chains of insecurity, healed through the power of Christ and aware that I am a precious daughter of the King.

God has spoken to me about living a life of authenticity and has inspired me to share his transforming love with others.

Through much prayer and discernment, I’ve chosen to follow this calling on my life by participating in a discipleship training program. In January 2022, I will leave for Mexico, where I will spend the next six months learning more about Jesus and sharing the gospel with others through outreach. If you are able to support me through prayer, words of encouragement or financially, that would be so appreciated.

Nothing but God could have changed my life. He has given me joy that I never knew possible. He has healed me.

What Do All of These Officers Have In Common?

Class of Booth UC, page 1 of many...

They All Graduated with a Degree from Booth University College

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Taking the Stand

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A SPECIAL PLACE P.22

Teen Helps Army

I, KARLY P.26

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

faithandfriends.ca

APRIL 2021

Anchoring Her Faith

TV HOST MAGGIE JOHN IS PASSIONATE ABOUT FINDING GOD’S STORY IN THE HEADLINES. P.16

A Clean Slate g? Do e livin e? ’r u o y at lif he life crack d of t d e n r i o t c ? u se t over r Are yo had a a t u s o o y ish ed t m you w r want e v e sin fro he u o e y h t e Hav on t erase crifice ie d to a nce, d s s s i u s H t.

Je n d cha r o a c e e s h Him. kin d’s s us a human Easter give follow d n a at ieve cross r old to bel e s o o in you le of h c k c e u t w if pab ere s re inca ht you you w e n w e h u o g y “ W d brou hink of d life, o a G e . d d sin st! T o Go ding t h Chri w ipe d respon ht along w it te rig the sla t cancelle d alive— s forgiven, an r sin st war e r r a it! All ld .” that o hrist’s cross sage) clean, C es o t M ile d (The an d na ns 2:13-14 sia —Colos

Do you want to learn more about the Easter story? Visit our website faithandfriends.ca or contact your nearest Salvation Army church.

APRIL 2021 VOLUME 24 NUMBER 4

GOD IN MY LIFE 5

A Heaven-Sent Idea My new friend showed me that there is such a thing as a free lunch.

LAUGHING MATTERS 8

SOMEONE CARES

11 Taking the Stand

EASTER TRIAL P.12

My Son’s Refuge

A SPECIAL PLACE P.22

ABBA, You and Me Would God show up at a Swedish band’s concert?

11 When Addiction Takes Over

The Salvation Army helped Greg take back his life.

Teen Helps Army

I, KARLY P.26

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

faithandfriends.ca

APRIL 2021

Anchoring Her Faith

TV HOST MAGGIE JOHN IS PASSIONATE ABOUT FINDING GOD’S STORY IN THE HEADLINES. P.16

COVER STORY

FEATURES

12 Taking the Stand Getting to the truth about Jesus’ Resurrection.

16 Anchoring Her Faith TV host Maggie John is passionate about finding God’s story in the headlines.

22 My Son’s Refuge In a serene forest east of the hustle and bustle of Toronto, God’s presence shines through.

Cover photo: Moussa Faddoul

26

COMMON GROUND 26 I, Karly

Why did this volunteer collect 166 kilograms of food for her local Salvation Army?

LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin

Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search.

NIFTY THRIFTY 31 A Fine Feathered Feeder

DIY project for your garden or balcony. faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 3

Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

Headline Maker “

I

first met Maggie John two decades ago at Listen Up TV—now Context: Beyond the Headlines—right after her graduation, when she was hired as a producer for then host Lorna Dueck,” says writer Helena Smrcek.

At the time, Helena was Lorna’s co-ordinator— “the best job title ever,” Helena smiles. “I was Lorna’s assistant, fundraiser, event organizer, office manager—pretty much doing anything that needed to be done.

“From the beginning,” she continues, “I loved Maggie’s honesty and her deep love of God.” Helena and Maggie have kept in touch over the years.

“I’ve enjoyed watching her reports and interviews,” Helena says. “Her passion for justice and truth permiates everything she does. She is an amazing role model to many women, regardless of age or race.

“As I thought back to that time in the ‘trenches’ and the intervening years watching Maggie since that time,” Helena concludes, “I wrote this article with a smile on my face.”

Maggie’s story is on page 16.

Would God ever show up at an ABBA concert?

Funnyman Phil Callaway assures us that He would. Furthermore, while great preaching and Christian music figured in Phil’s faith walk, valuable life lessons were—and can be—absorbed from secular sources, too.

Phil’s blast from the past is on page 8.

Elsewhere in this issue of Faith & Friends, find out how one man took back his life from drugs and violence with the help of The Salvation Army, read about a very special refuge just north of Toronto and see how there can be such a thing as a free lunch.

Ken Ramstead 4 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

Mission Statement To show Christ at work in the lives of real people, and to provide spiritual resources for those who are new to the Christian faith.

Faith & Friends is published monthly by: The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4 International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England William and Catherine Booth FOUNDERS

Brian Peddle, GENERAL Commissioner Floyd Tidd TERRITORIAL COMMANDER

Lt-Colonel John P. Murray SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Geoff Moulton, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Ramstead, EDITOR

Brandon Laird SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Hannah Saley DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Pamela Richardson, COPY EDITOR, PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR

Ada Leung CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR

Leigha Vegh STAFF WRITER, PROOFREADER

Giselle Randall STAFF WRITER Scripture Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from New International Version Contact Us P. (416) 467-3188, F. (416) 422-6217 Websites faithandfriends.ca, salvationist.ca, salvationarmy.ca Email faithandfriends@salvationarmy.ca Subscription for one year: Canada $17 (includes GST/HST); U.S. $22; foreign $24 P. (416) 422-6119 circulation@salvationarmy.ca All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda and cannot be reproduced without permission.

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GOD IN MY LIFE

Photos: Brimstone Creative/Lightstock.com

Faith&Friends

A Heaven-Sent Idea My new friend, Sue, showed me that there is such a thing as a free lunch.

by Diane Stark

I

looked at my errands list and sighed. Nothing was going smoothly, and everything was taking longer than it should have. I still had three more stops to make before I could head home. I just wanted to finish my to-do list, but my stomach was rumbling. I decided to stop at a sandwich shop for a bite to eat before I tackled the rest of my errands.

Two-for-One I went inside and joined the socially distanced line to order. The older lady in front of me turned to me with a smile. “I have a ‘buy one sandwich, get one free’ coupon,” she said. “I can’t eat them both. Do you want the other one?”

“Oh, that’s so kind of you, but that’s OK,” I replied. “Why don’t you

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 5

Faith&Friends

GOD IN MY LIFE

take the second sandwich home for later?”

“I’d really like to treat you to lunch,” she said.

I smiled and accepted her offer.

She used her coupon to get my sandwich for free, and I bought a drink for each of us, which still saved me

and the chance to worship together.

After we were done, I asked Sue which church she attended.

She told me the name and then said, “My husband died last year, and things have been hard. My church family has been a lifeline to me. But I miss having someone to

“Whenever I feel lonely, I grab a coupon and come here. I’ve had lunch with some great people.” SUE several dollars. I thanked her again and then said, “Would it be all right if I ate with you?”

Her smile lit up the room. “I’d love that. My name is Sue, by the way.”

I introduced myself and we found a table and sat down.

Meet and Munch As I was unwrapping my sandwich, Sue said, “Excuse me for a moment while I pray over my food.”

That was my first clue that this lunch was a divine appointment. “I was about to do the same thing,” I said. “If you’re comfortable with it, we can pray out loud.”

Sue agreed. We each said a brief prayer, thanking God for the meal

6 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

talk to every day.”

“I’m so sorry, Sue, both for your loss and for your loneliness.”

“Thank you,” she said. “Last month, I prayed and asked God to show me a way to meet new people so I’d have company in between church services. As soon as I opened my eyes, I spotted the sandwich coupon in the newspaper. I knew the idea was heaven-sent. I came here the next day and had lunch with a wonderful young woman.

Since then, my friends and family who live far away have been sending me their free sandwich coupons.

Whenever I feel lonely, I grab a coupon and come here. I’ve had lunch with some great people.”

I smiled. “Well, I’m honoured that you chose me today.”

The Gift of Company We had a lovely conversation about her husband and her children, who all live out of town, and especially her grandkids. We talked about our faith and what God has taught us in the hard times of life.

When it was time to go, I asked Sue if she would like to exchange phone numbers. “I think I have a sandwich coupon at my house,” I said. “I’d love to be your lunch

buddy again sometime.”

To my surprise, she said yes to exchanging numbers but no to another lunch date. “Use your coupon to treat someone else, someone who looks lonely,” she said. “There are a lot of people out there like me, and you could offer one of them the gift of your company. I know they would appreciate it, as I have.”

I promised to do as she suggested.

I thanked Sue for the lovely meal and for the wonderful, heaven-sent idea to use a sandwich coupon to make a new friend.

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 7

Faith&Friends

LAUGHING MATTERS

ABBA, You and Me Some say God wouldn’t show up at a Swedish band’s concert. But I assure you, He did.

by Phil Callaway

M

y wife, Ramona, was young and sweet, only 17, when we first heard the music of ABBA on a tinny radio at Pine Lake, Alta. Known for hummable tunes, platform shoes and flared polyester pants that could house a family of eight, the Swedish couples topped the charts for 18 years after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with their catchy song, Waterloo. Our conservative church forbade us from listening to such tripe, but we did.

I celebrate a rich heritage. Great preaching, and music from Phil Keaggy and Chuck Girard were all part of the eclectic entourage that nudged me to faith in Jesus. Valuable life lessons were absorbed from secular sources, too.

From “I Quit” to “I Do” Swedes joked that ABBA was the nation’s largest provider of revenue outside of Volvo, but they weren’t far off. When Anni, Björn, Benny

8 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

and Agnetha sang, “Money, money, money. Must be funny in the rich man’s world,” the stuff rolled in.

Some estimates put record sales as high as 380 million. Reportedly, their success was so enormous in parts of Eastern Europe that the band accepted payments in oil rather than money.

But no one is made to be worshipped. There is only one Abba (Father). Popularity brought legendary tours, meteoric highs, then crushing heartache and divorce. The year ABBA called it quits, Ramona and I said, “I do.”

Blasts From the Past In August 2019, our lifelong friends, Kevin and Ivy, called. “You guys are celebrating your anniversary, right?” they said. “There’s an ABBA tribute band in concert. Let’s go.”

And so, for our 37th anniversary, guess what we did? Donned white suits, platform shoes and polyester

Illustration: Dennis Jones

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 9

Faith&Friends

LAUGHING MATTERS

I planted a kiss on Ramona’s lips. When she finally came up for air, she laughed and said, “Mama Mia.” PHIL CALLAWAY pants.

Not really, but we did join our friends and a thousand other smartly dressed concertgoers.

Now, if you’re unfamiliar with ABBA, this paragraph may make little to no sense to you, but here’s the text I sent our kids: “SOS! Tonight I’m taking Mama to watch the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and a 12-member tribute troupe play songs we tortured you with in your adolescence. Does your mother know? Yes, she does. She asked where we were going. I said, ‘To see ABBA. Knowing me, knowing you, it’s the best I can do.’ Thirty-seven years ago today, she took a chance on me. She said, ‘I do, I do, I do, I do.’

And now I have a dream and enough money, money, money to take my honey honey. So here we go again.

My my, how can she resist me?”

Well, it was just like it used to be and even better, reliving some of the music and memories of our dating days. The last lyrics of the concert were, “Thank you for the music, the

10 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

songs I’m singing. Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing. Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty ...

Thank you for the music, for giving it to me.”

Mama Mia Some say God wouldn’t show up at an ABBA concert. But I assure you, He did. I couldn’t stop thanking Him for His faithfulness through the years, and for His grace alone, which has kept us together.

On the way home, we four reminisced, giving thanks for parents who loved Jesus and took an active interest in our music. Then I cranked up an old ABBA tune: “It’s as good as new, my love for you. Just like it used to be and even better. As good as new, thank God it’s true. Darling, we were always meant to stay together.”

We said goodnight to our friends, and I planted a kiss on Ramona’s lips. In the history of kisses, it was surely in the top 10. When she finally came up for air, she laughed and said, “Mama Mia.”

Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

When Addiction Takes Over The Salvation Army helped Greg take back his life from drug use and violence.

A

by Linda Leigh

t an early age, Greg’s rage was explosive. A child unable to cope with his emotions, he turned to drugs. But after 20 years of drug abuse and criminal activity, he successfully beat his addiction with the help of The Salvation Army.

A Life Behind Bars “There was a lot of anger at home and that hurt,” says Greg, 37. “I had emotions I didn’t know how to deal with, and I was fiery and impulsive.”

Greg’s drug use began at 13.

“My addiction started based on peer pressure,” he says. “Then it helped me deal with the negativity at home. I thought, If marijuana couldn’t make me feel better, what else could?”

As Greg’s drug use escalated, so did his criminal activity.

“Robbery, violent crimes … I hurt a lot of people,” he says. “I spent half of my life in prison.”

A Second Chance When Greg was tired of his lifestyle and burnt out, he turned to The Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope in Calgary for help. There, a live-in recovery program for adult men offers treatment that includes individual and group counselling, life-skills training and after-care support so that individuals not only live substance-free but thrive.

“The Salvation Army helped me get healthy and changed the direction of my life,” says Greg.

“I completed the drug-treatment program, I’m clean, and I’m working and rebuilding broken relationships.

I look at The Salvation Army as a blessing and a gift. They gave me a second chance at life. Without them, I wouldn’t be alive today.”

Band of Brothers “The Army changed my life,” says Greg (right), here with Mike Forsey, then the community services’ assistant executive director

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 11

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Taking the Stand

GETTING TO THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS’ RESURRECTION.

by David Jeffrey

W

ho is the most successful trial attorney in the world?

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the answer is Sir 12 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

Lionel Luckhoo, who succeeded in getting his 245th consecutive murder acquittal by January 1, 1985. He was called the real-life Perry Mason.

What skills accounted for such

Ecce Homo (Here is the Man) by Antonio Ciseri (1821-91). The title of the painting refers to the Latin words used by Pontius Pilate when he presented Jesus to the hostile crowd shortly before His Crucifixion (see John 19:5)

leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

Sir Lionel then decided to do the most logical thing in the world. He became a Christian.

courtroom success?

With his tremendous analytical skills, he could consider an airtight prosecution case and spot the flaws. He was an expert as to what constitutes reliable, admissible and persuasive evidence.

So how would Sir Lionel have viewed the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Well, he took his expertise in law and actually questioned whether it stood up to the tests of legal evidence.

“I say unequivocally that the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus is so overwhelming,” he concluded, “it compels acceptance by proof that

Death by Flogging The Apostle Paul writes, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

What he is saying is if this is make-believe, if this is legend, faith is worthless. The Resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christianity.

Some people take the position that Jesus never really died on the cross. The “swoon theory” says that Jesus either fainted on the cross or took some sort of a drug to make it appear as if He had died. When He was taken to the tomb, cool air revived Him and He emerged alive.

The Bible states that after Jesus was put on trial by Pontius Pilate, who was the Roman official in charge of the province of Judea, “Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged” (John 19:1).

Medical expert C. Truman Davis studied what was involved with flogging. He concluded that it was a very brutal beating that left Jesus at the very edge of death. Many who were sentenced to death by crucifixion faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 13

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

never made it to the cross alive due to this beating.

Death by Crucifixion Crucifixion caused a slow death by suffocation. If the Romans wanted to hasten death, they would shatter the victim’s shins with a mallet.

They did this to the criminals who were crucified with Jesus, but they didn’t do that to Jesus because it was

probably perforated not only the right lung but also the pericardium and heart and thereby ensured His death. Accordingly, interpretations based upon the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge.”

Now, let’s consider the affirmative evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus.

Nobody left the Roman cross alive. That included Jesus.

COMMISSIONER DAVID JEFFREY

clear that He was already dead.

“Instead,” as John, one of Jesus’ closest disciples and an eyewitness to the crucifixion, reported, “one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” (John 19:34).

Nobody left the Roman cross alive. That included Jesus.

An authoritative article in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Society concluded, “Clearly the weight of the historical and medical evidence is that Jesus was dead before the wound to His side was inflicted and supports the traditional view that the spear 14 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

Truth or Mythology?

The accounts of Jesus being the Son of God began very early, before any mythology could have contaminated the accounts.

Studies of the rate at which legends accrued in the ancient world tell us it takes a minimum of two generations for mythology to corrupt a solid core of historical fact. The creed recited by the early church said, “Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

He was buried and He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

This creed dates back to as early

as 23 to 36 months after Jesus was crucified. This contradicts the assertion that the Resurrection was a product of mythology about the life of Jesus.

The Logical Thing His tomb was empty, and no one to this day has uncovered the body of Jesus. History tells us that His body was laid to rest in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Jewish council.

An extremely heavy boulder was rolled in front of it with the seal of Rome placed on it, then guarded by elite Roman soldiers. Yet it was discovered empty on Easter morning.

So here is the single most important fact about the tomb of Jesus: No one ever claimed that it was anything but empty. Even His opponents admitted His tomb was empty. They bribed the guards to say, “The disciples stole the body while they were asleep.”

During the 40 days after His Resurrection, Jesus appeared a dozen times to more than 500 different individuals. He appeared to men and women. He appeared

to believers and skeptics. He appeared to both tough-minded and tender-hearted people. He appeared sometimes to individuals, sometimes to small groups and sometimes to large groups. He talked with people. He ate with people.

Jesus told the truth when He said, “I am the Resurrection and the life.

The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).

Why did He endure the cross, the beating, the humiliation? It was out of His love for us.

When we accept what Jesus did on the cross, when we accept Jesus as the forgiver of sin, we can have confidence that we, too, like Jesus, will someday overcome the grave and spend eternity with Jesus in heaven.

So, this Easter, let’s do what Sir Lionel did. Check out the evidence for ourselves. Investigate it. Make up our minds to explore the claims about this most wonderful truth.

Then, perhaps, like Sir Lionel did, we will also decide to do the most logical thing in the world.

Reprinted from The War Cry (United States), Easter 2014

(left) Commissioner David Jeffrey was the national commander of The Salvation Army in the United States. faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 15

Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Hot Topics With the help of her Context team, Maggie John tackles issues, such as the opioid crisis, medical assistance in dying and race

16 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

TV HOST MAGGIE JOHN IS PASSIONATE ABOUT FINDING GOD’S STORY IN THE HEADLINES.

by Helena Smrcek

Photos: Moussa Faddoul

Anchoring Her Faith

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 17

Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

No. 1 Responsibility Maggie, here with her husband, Elton, and their children, from left, Joshua and Ethan

MAGGIE JOHN BROKE INTO Christian media as an intern reporting for Listen Up TV from New York City on 9/11. She remembers the response of The Salvation Army at Ground Zero.

“Handing out water and Bibles, they were the embodiment of the church in action,” she recalls.

Now, the first Black female host of 100 Huntley Street steps into her new role anchoring Context: Behind the Headlines, the same program she interned for 19 years ago.

“Never did I think I’d be sitting where I am today.”

Fighting Stereotypes If there is one hallmark of Maggie’s career, it’s action. “She’s a powerhouse media professional, passionate about finding the God story in the headlines,” says Cheryl Weber, 100 Huntley Street host and international producer for Crossroads Cares. “She curates important conversations with intelligence and compassion.”

Born in Toronto’s St. Joseph’s Hospital to first-generation immigrants from Trinidad and Jamaica, Maggie grew up in one of the city’s 18 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

housing projects. Rising from field reporter to producer to on-air talent, Maggie recently achieved another major milestone.

“I’m honoured that I was chosen to be the anchor of Context, and Lorna Dueck (retired CEO of Crossroads, founder of Context) has given me her blessing. It is very important to me.”

Throughout her trail-blazing career, Maggie overcame many hurdles. No stranger to racist comments, such as being addressed as “the coloured girl” or “that lovely Black girl,” she fights against the stereotypes of our culture and persists with strong faith and excellence.

Give-and-Take “Maggie broke ground in Canadian Christian media with her comprehensive special broadcast on The Year of The Gun, when 52 people were killed in Toronto in 2005. But the demands on her journey never compromised her No. 1 responsibility of placing her family first,” says her former boss, retired executive producer George McEachern.

A mother of Ethan and Joshua,

Photo: Pete Stec

wife to Elton, Maggie takes her family life very seriously.

“I couldn’t do this without Elton’s support,” she says, “but he’s also my critic, and I look for his feedback after the show.”

Their marriage is a balance of give-and-take. “God has brought us to a great place where we encourage, but also allow each other to be who God wants us to be.”

Maggie’s schedule requires her to travel extensively, and the pandemic of 2020 brought many additional challenges, including shutdowns, school closures and mass protests.

Hard Conversations With the help of her passionate and diverse team at Context, Maggie tackles various hot issues, such as the opioid crisis, medical assistance in dying and race. “Every day as I swipe my ID card and enter the building I work in, I carry more than just myself through those doors.

I carry perceptions of my culture, past experiences of people’s interactions with my people and the responsibility of undoing negative stereotypes propelled by pop culture.”

Maggie sees Context as having a unique opportunity to challenge the faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 19

Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

“ Every day as I swipe my ID card and enter the building I work in, I carry more than just myself through those doors.” MAGGIE JOHN

church.

“God wants us to stand up for the oppressed,” she believes. “We’re so bogged down by politics. There’s so much division. People forget Jesus is at the centre of all this. I’m speaking specifically to Christians because there’s a higher expectation put on us as followers of Christ.

Being a part of a church community means not to be afraid to enter into hard conversations, to have an open mind, to listen to your brothers and sisters.”

“Our Own Right” Maggie takes an active role in her 20 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

efforts to bring about change. She serves as chair of the board at The Meeting House church, is a founder of the Baby Depot ministry, which helps fight child poverty in Hamilton, Ont., and is an active board member of GEMS Girls’ Club, a non-denominational, non-profit, Christian organization.

“Growing up in the 2020s is challenging,” she says. “Girls have always been told who they should be and how to act, but they need to centre their identity on Jesus.”

Maggie often challenges women to talk about those same issues.

“We’re God’s daughters, but so

often get mired by taking care of everybody else and forget that God has created us with unique talents.

He called us in our own right.”

A Better Place What drives her today is the continuation of her grandparents’ legacy, who lived in a small village in Jamaica. At her grandmother’s funeral, Maggie found out about a scholarship her grandparents awarded to young people in their village so they could go to university.

“They saw past their own 13 children,” says Maggie. “I started to cry, not only over my grandmother but also over this lesson the Holy Spirit was teaching me, about the privilege that we’re given, not to hoard, but to give it away.”

Maggie envisions leaving a better place, not only for her children and grandchildren but also for others, for those who are watching, especially for those who feel they have no future.

“I started my first season of Context outside the Toronto housing project where I grew up. It took somebody to open the door for me so that I can open the door for somebody else, somebody who may

be in the Toronto housing, thinking, There is no way that I can be on TV, sit on a board or be a leader in my community.”

Maggie is showing others that they, too, can have a voice.

Christian Media 101 Crossroads Christian Communications Inc. is Canada’s leader in providing faith and values media content for people of all ages, supplying a relevant message of faith for millions of Canadians for more than 50 years. 100 Huntley Street, the flagship television program of Crossroads, was founded by Rev. David Mainse and is the longest-running daily television program in Canada.

Context: Beyond the Headlines (originally aired as Listen Up TV) is a weekly national television program and digital content producer, whose mission is to create boundary-breaking media that reveals Jesus. The show explores news and current affairs with Christian analysis by looking into stories and issues that affect Canadian lives.

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 21

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

My Son’s Refuge

Photos: Jennifer Venner

God’s Presence Max Venner entering the Refuge

IN A SERENE FOREST EAST OF THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF TORONTO, GOD’S PRESENCE SHINES THROUGH.

by Jennifer Venner

22 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

I

n the swampy, rocky environs of eastern Ontario near Belleville, there is a place that calls itself “the Refuge,” a Christian community that hosts summer camps and retreats. It covers several square kilometres, but most of the area remains a wilderness, with only rudimentary trails piercing the silent forest.

My children, Sophie and Max, attended camp at the Refuge

Happy Memories I had only been to the Refuge once, years ago, so when Max, now 15, invited me to a family retreat after the camps were finished, I eagerly accepted the offer. At home, my son was a bit of a loner who spent a lot of time listening to music on his iPhone, playing guitar in his room and brooding in that way so common to teenage boys. He was thoughtful and worked hard in

“ We are the stewards of God’s great creation.” MARY MARROCCO starting in the mid 2000s, meeting new kids and doing the usual camp activities: canoeing, hiking, arts and crafts. The main building is the only one with electricity, where the cook prepares meals and the counsellors live. There’s no Wi-Fi, no TV, no reliable cellphone service. The kids sleep in dormstyle cabins near the chicken coop and the garden, where most of their vegetables come from. And there is a goat named Conseula.

school but seemed disconnected and lonely, even in a room full of loved ones.

Max was excited about me coming to the Refuge with him. The summer before, he had loved it so much that he begged to stay an additional two weeks, and the Refuge staff kindly obliged. He told me about how he and his friends would sneak out late at night and gaze at the stars, astonished by their multitudes. The Toronto kids had never seen the Milky Way. For the camp faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 23

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Oasis of Tranquility Only rudimentary trails pierce the silent forest surrounding the Refuge

sing-alongs around the fire, Max played guitar, something he was too shy to do in front of his family at home. He wanted me to see all the places where he’d formed memories.

Proud Mother We arrived and I remembered just what a special place the Refuge truly was. Nestled in the forest, it had mystery and an alert, benevolent 24 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

presence, watching over us all. The Refuge has a small altar with a simple bench, on which to contemplate in silence, surrounded by nature.

We found the Refuge staff sharing a meal outdoors and a cake for someone’s birthday. Gathered in this commune from different parts of the world, they spoke Italian, English and Spanish at the table.

They played music and danced and sang as the sun went down. Max watched, a big smile on his face. He felt at home there.

The next day, we helped set up for the retreat with the staff. The founder of the Refuge, Mary Marrocco, asked Max to give a speech at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new refectory, a large, barn-like building that would replace a former tent. I was certain Max would decline, but he gladly accepted. He didn’t write anything down. “I’ll just wing it,” he told me with a shrug and a smile. I could tell he was pleased to be asked.

Around 40 people arrived that day to witness the ceremony. Max’s speech was heartfelt and sincere. He talked about how he loved the Refuge and how much it meant to him.

Grinning and warming up to his audience, he joked about the former refectory tent and how it leaked on the kids’ heads when it rained. He

Thumbs Up Max (second from left) with his friends on his last day at camp

went from being the guarded teen to a sincere, grateful young man who loved being part of something bigger than himself. Mary thanked him for braving an audience to share his experience. I was very proud of him.

God’s Presence We had to leave early the next morning, and I took Mary aside to thank her for the hospitality.

“This is such a beautiful place, so serene,” I said to her. “You can really feel God’s presence everywhere.”

Mary smiled and nodded. “It is a special place,” she concurred. “The

world is changing, and we think it’s important that this generation understands that nature is our home. We are the stewards of God’s great creation.”

I agreed. “I have never seen Max so happy as when he is here. Back in Toronto, he can be a bit distant.”

We both watched Max helping to wash the dishes in an outdoor tub.

He was laughing with his friends.

“This is the way he always is, with us,” said Mary. “We love Max, and hope he keeps coming back.”

I hope he does, too. faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 25

Faith&Friends

COMMON GROUND

I, Karly Why did this volunteer collect 166 kilograms of food for her local Salvation Army?

Photo: Jennifer Irmen

by Melissa Yue Wallace

I

n her short time volunteering with The Salvation Army Salmon Arm Ministries in British Columbia, Grade 12 student Karly Irmen has already helped to clothe and feed hundreds of people in need.

This past December, the same month she began volunteering with the Army, she raised $175, collected 32 kilograms of food and some clothes at the local mall. The following month for her capstone graduation project, she held a food and clothing drive for the Army at her school. Through morning announcements, hallway TV ads and other promotions, this time,

26 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

the community responded in a big way. Karly collected 134 kilograms of food and 17 large garbage bags of clothing.

“It was a lot of work, and I didn’t get much homework done,” she laughs. “But I’m still shocked.”

Deceptive Appearances Karly began serving at Salmon Arm Ministries because she required volunteer hours for scholarship applications. She thought of the Army because her family had previously donated to the Army’s food bank every week.

“I didn’t know a whole lot, but

Capstone Achievement Karly Irmen saw a need and did something about it

I knew enough of what happened there,” she says.

Her perspective soon changed once she became immersed in the work. “It’s been an eye-opener at times because I’ve seen some of the people around town and would have never suspected they would come in.

“They just look like regular people who had everything together.”

phone with someone about her kids, and I could see that was hard,” she says. “She didn’t have to say much for me to pick up on that, but she was really thankful at the end of the tour.

“I hope that when people come, they can get what they need, feel safe to do so, and see some friendly, welcoming faces at the door.”

“There for Them” David Byers, community services director for the past 19 years, says that Salmon Arm Ministries lost

“We couldn’t do any of this without volunteers such as Karly.” DAVID BYERS Welcoming Faces Salmon Arm Ministries offers a food bank, shelter and church, providing for more than 2,000 people a month through their grocery and hamper program.

Karly volunteers every second Wednesday for four-hour shifts.

Her regular tasks include filling shelves and tables, and taking people through the food bank so they can select the items they need. She enjoys helping people in this way, as well as the opportunity to show kindness.

“The one individual I remember most was obviously having a hard day and had to stop and talk on the

volunteers when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but now has a solid and reliable group that is like a “big, happy family.”

“We couldn’t do any of this without volunteers such as Karly,” he says. “Some come every day, some come only for a couple of hours, but they just seem to all get along and it draws people in.

“There’s a diversity of need among the people who turn to The Salvation Army for help—and some don’t even know what they’re looking for.

All we know is that they keep coming back, and if they need to talk and have someone listen, we are there for them.”

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 27

Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED PEPPERS

Recipe photo: Erin Stanley

TIME 1 hr 10 min MAKES 6 servings

SERVE WITH Greek salad

250 ml (1 cup) white rice 250 ml (1 cup) passata or light tomato sauce 310 ml (1¼ cup) water 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil 15 ml (1 tbsp) dried dill 5 ml (1 tsp) oregano 5 ml (1 tsp) basil 5 ml (1 tsp) salt 2 ml (½ tsp) pepper 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil 125 ml (½ cup) onion, diced 250 g (½ lb) lean ground beef 5 ml (1 tsp) oregano 6 large bell peppers 60 ml (¼ cup) crumbled feta fresh parsley to taste

28 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

1. Place rice in medium pot with tomato sauce and 250 ml (1 cup) of water. Add oil, dill, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover and reduce to simmer until liquid is evaporated.

2. In large pan, add oil and onion and cook on mediumhigh until onion is browned.

Add ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Add rice mixture and stir together for a few minutes.

3. Remove tops and seeds from peppers. Lightly pan fry each side of peppers until blistered.

4. Spoon mixture into peppers.

5. Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F).

Add 60 ml (¼ cup) of water to bottom of baking pan.

Arrange peppers, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until peppers are soft.

6. Top with feta and parsley to taste.

Runaway Bunny

Army’s Safe Refuge

The Band Played On

PETER RABBIT 2 P.5 “DON’T WORRY” P.10 COVID-19 CONCERT P.26

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Sudoku Puzzle

6

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 × 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

OH MY WORD! by John Sanko

Answers on next page.

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“Well, Harper ... I see here that you were quite the ‘essential worker’ on earth.

You were cited as being a ‘good girl’ 777 times, and listened, comforted and, most importantly, loved all those who really needed a friend. Welcome home!”

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 29

© J.Sanko/C. Layton, 2021

1. Which two Canadian pop stars released the duet, Monster, in 2020?

2. Who has the most home runs in Toronto Blue Jays history?

3. What is the capital of Michigan?

9

5 1

QUICK QUIZ

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Word Search 19th-Century Inventions E

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AIR BRAKES ASPIRIN AUTOMOBILE BARBED WIRE BATTERY BICYCLE BLUEPRINT BRAILLE CAMERA CHEWING GUM COCA-COLA COFFEE POT

N

ELEVATOR ESCALATOR GRAMOPHONE JELLO LIGHTBULB LOCOMOTIVE MORSE CODE PAPER CLIP PHOTOGRAPHY PROPELLER RADAR REVOLVER

30 • APRIL 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

SAFETY PIN SEWING MACHINE STAMP STEAM ENGINE STETHOSCOPE TELEGRAPH TELEPHONE TIN CAN TORPEDO TYPEWRITER WRENCH ZIPPER

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber; 2. Carlos Delgado; 3. Lansing.

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Faith&Friends

NIFTY THRIFTY

A Fine Feathered Feeder DIY project for your garden or balcony.

N

ow that winter’s in the rear-view mirror, celebrate spring with this bird feeder.

Supplies Needed muffin tin, birdseed, flour, corn syrup, powdered gelatin, wooden skewers and ribbon.

Step 1 Source a muffin tin for your mould. I found a non-stick heart-shaped tray that was perfect for the DIY. Keep the mould basic, since you want to make it easy to remove the bird feeders.

Step 2 Next, make the birdseed mixture.

There are a few different recipes out there, so you may need to experiment to find the right one. The one I used included the following ingredients: • 1 L (4 cups) birdseed • 175 ml (¾ cup) flour • 45 ml (3 tbsp) corn syrup • 60 ml (¼ cup) hot water mixed with a sachet of powdered gelatin

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Step 3 Add mixture to the muffin tin.

Once you’ve filled the moulds, insert a skewer in each one to create the hole for your ribbon.

Step 4 Once the bird feeders have set, remove the skewers and gently remove the bird feeders from the muffin tin.

With a darning needle, thread ribbon through the hole. Tie the ends of the ribbon and you’re done!

You can modify this project by using other second-hand items, such as cookie cutters, small tins or even an ice cube tray—all of which can be found at your local Salvation Army thrift store.

(left) Denise Corcoran (aka Thrifty By Design) is an author, upcycler, community builder and workshop facilitator based in North Vancouver. She shares her enthusiasm for crafting and upcycling by facilitating “Crafternoons” throughout Vancouver. She is also a creative expert for The Salvation Army’s thrift stores.

Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.

faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2021 • 31

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