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volume 7 number 38 17 October 2026

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Life in a different key

Finding harmony in the changing rhythms of life

7-9 Breaking social barriers

10 On autopilot

12 The great remover

Gardens, partnerships and caring for others

Are we heading in the right direction?

Michael’s story of recovery and renewal

"YOU ARE VALUABLE JUST BECAUSE YOU EXIST. NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DO OR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU ARE." – MAX LUCADO

17 October 2026

Editorial What is The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Vision Statement Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight alongside others to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus. Mission Statement The Salvation Army is a Christian movement dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus by: • Caring for people • Creating faith pathways • Building healthy communities • Working for justice The Salvation Army Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet and work and pay our respect to Elders, past, present, and future. We value and include people of all cultures, languages, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and intersex status. We are committed to providing programs that are fully inclusive. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of people of all ages, particularly children.

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Founders: William and Catherine Booth Salvation Army World Leaders: General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham Territorial Leader: Commissioner Miriam Gluyas Secretary for Communications and Editor-In-Chief: Lieut-Colonel Paul Hateley Publications Manager: Cheryl Tinker Editor: Simone Worthing Graphic Designer: Ryan Harrison Enquiry email: publications@salvationarmy.org.au All other Salvation Army enquiries 13 72 58 Press date: 24 September 2026 Printed and published for The Salvation Army by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas at Focus Print Group, Chester Hill, NSW, Darug Nation lands.

New perspectives Most of us can relate to the nerves, apprehension and uncertainty around starting a new job, moving to a new location, learning a challenging skill or even meeting new people. And there are so many situations and life events that could be added to these few examples! In this edition, Jo Brown writes about learning the piano – something she has wanted to do since childhood. It took courage for her to overcome her fears and actually start the process, and now she is surprised at the music – and life lessons – she is learning from her piano teacher! Another writer, Michael, shares his personal journey of addiction, and the courage and perseverance it took for him to face the depth of his struggle, make some difficult decisions and build a new life. Learning new things and changing life for the better doesn’t always have to involve momentous change. Sometimes, it’s just working out how we want our lives to look, doing what we can to change them, and getting help along the way. For these stories and more go to salvosonline.org.au Simone Worthing Editor 3

Feature

Salvos Magazine

Life in a different key Finding harmony in the changing rhythms of life by Jo-anne Brown

There’s so much I’m learning from my piano teacher:

My playing improves most when I’m committed to my daily practice Some days it’s easy to sit for an hour in front of the piano, other days I’m too tired or too busy. I’ve learned, however, that on these days, even if I commit to just playing one piece through once, I am drawn into the music and the challenge.

Keep going and don’t give up when it looks too hard Sometimes I’ll turn to the next piece and be slightly horrified at how hard it looks. I’m sure I’ll never be able to play it. But I remember other times where I thought the same thing, and yet with perseverance and practice I was able to learn to play even these ’tricky pieces’.

Take the piece bit by bit I’m often surprised that when I look at the piece in smaller parts, even just the first few bars, I find it’s not as complicated as I first thought. So, I learn it bit by bit, bar by bar, gradually growing in confidence and competence. I discover the joy of being able to play something that I thought was beyond me!

My piano teacher has just left, and I feel inspired and encouraged. I’m pleased with my progress and also stretched in my thinking as I learn a whole new language: the language of music.

Feature

17 October 2026

PHOTO COURTESY KAREN MASTERS

Pay attention to the signs Musicians call these the dynamics. My teacher constantly reminds me this is what makes the difference to a piece of music. When I struggle to get the notes right, I often don’t even see when the composer wants me to slow it down, or speed it up, to play louder or softer. Paying attention to how the composer wrote the music enhances its beauty and harmony. Notice key changes Sometimes in the middle of a piece of music the key changes (such as from G Major to G Minor) and it’s easy for me to miss this. Yet when I get it, the whole feel of the piece changes and I’m often overwhelmed by the beauty of the music.

Listen to my teacher After all, he’s the one with the experience and ability! – and don’t be afraid to ask and make the connections between what I do know and what I don’t know. This is where a good teacher really helps! Trust myself Sometimes I’m better than I think I am, and sometimes I’m not. Sometimes I’m delighted with how I play a piece, and other times I know I need to practise a lot more. Both are okay – I’m learning! I have a sneaking suspicion that how I approach piano playing is pretty much how I approach life in general.

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Salvos Magazine

Sometimes life is going along beautifully then suddenly changes, like shifting from a major to a minor key. Life lessons: Don’t give up just because something seems hard at first. Perseverance and practice help us master even difficult things. Be committed to daily practices that help me live my life well – movement, how I eat, spiritual practices, practices that nurture my mind. Even when I don’t feel like it, spending a few minutes each day on practices that nourish me, lends beauty and joy to my life. Take things little by little: I don’t have to deal with complicated situations all at once. Most things can be looked at piece by piece and dealt with one bite at a time. I don’t need to rush into fixing or resolving everything at once. In fact, the resolutions are often better when I don’t!

then suddenly changes, like shifting from a major to a minor key. There may be unexpected seasons of grief, loss or sickness that we need to acknowledge and accept, recognising that these heavier seasons will eventually end and life will resume its normal harmonious rhythm. To make the most of a beautiful piece of music, I need to pay attention both to the one who composed the music, and to the one who is teaching me how to play. I want my life to be a life of beauty and harmony, so I pay attention to the one who created me and planned my life. This Creator is also the one who remains with me to guide me on a day-to-day basis. I can choose to pay attention … or not. And the music of my life reflects this.

Read the signs! Pay attention to signposts along the way. There’s a time to go slow, a time to move faster, a time to be quiet, and a time to strongly speak up. Sometimes we know this innately, other times we may need wise people or wise words (from Scripture or sacred writings) to guide us.

Finally, there is relief in knowing I can trust myself. Sometimes I feel confident and competent with how I manage my day-to-day life experiences and other times I know I really need help or support. I’m always learning, and there’s always something new to discover and integrate. This makes my life joyous and harmonious - to myself, and hopefully to others.

Key changes Sometimes life is going along beautifully

(With grateful thanks to my favourite piano teacher!)

News

17 October 2026

New life growing on empty Salvos land

 Stepping Stone Urban Farm manager Fiona Buining (centre) with her Urban Farm assistants.  The empty land is now growing fruits and vegetables and being put to good use.

An empty piece of Salvation Army land in Canberra is now bursting with green shoots of fruit and vegetables, thanks to a community partnership with an urban farm project. The Salvation Army has partnered with Café Stepping Stone and the Stepping Stone Urban Farm in Dickson, Canberra, to allow the social enterprise to use its vacant land adjacent to the café. The initiative offers employment opportunities and tailored training to migrant and refugee women who face significant barriers to employment. Major Vannessa Garven, Canberra Area Officer (pastor), said that partnering with Stepping Stone was a “no-brainer” given the synergy between Stepping Stone and The Salvation Army’s mission to transform lives. The Stepping Stone social enterprise cafe is the brainchild of Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello, who were named 2025 Australian of the Year Local Heroes. It began in 2020 and now has two

sites, supporting migrant and refugee women who face the greatest barriers to entering the Australian workforce. In February 2025, Vanessa and Hannah began discussions with Fiona Buining, who completed her Churchill Fellowship in 2022, investigating urban farm ventures that provide vocational pathways for aspiring food growers. Her research took her to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, where she was inspired to set up what she calls a “heart project” – an Urban Farm training program for people with barriers to employment. Working with Stepping Stone in Canberra was an ideal fit. The project began in January 2026. The Salvos have recently increased the amount of land available to Stepping Stone’s Urban Farm. This will double the amount of produce (for the adjacent café) and increase the number of paid Urban Farm assistants. – Lauren Martin 7

News

Salvos Magazine

Breaking down cultural barriers

 Major Leanne Bennett (Newcastle Salvos) with the President of the Afghan Cultural Association of Newcastle, Sami Zakhil.

Every Saturday during school terms, 50 Afghan-Australian children attend Newcastle Salvos in the NSW Hunter Valley. They’re on site for the AfghanPashtun Language School, one of the many ways The Salvation Army and the local Afghan community are partnering. Newcastle Corps Officers (church pastors), Majors Leanne and Peter Bennett, first began to meet members of the Afghan community last year when they expanded their Wednesday free food market. “Some Afghan ladies began to come,” said Leanne. “And soon more came, and we needed some assistance with translating, so we reached out locally and this resulted in a new partnership with the Afghan Cultural Association of Newcastle.” Leanne said it’s been wonderful to learn more about the Afghan culture. “Over the last year we have watched the women who come to our Wednesday food market move from being timid to 8

enjoying being a part of the community who attend.” Mutual understanding President of the Association, Sami Zakhil, says working with Leanne and Peter and the team at Newcastle Corps has been a beautiful journey of mutual understanding. “We live in this community – we are all one. So, we have to learn mutual engagements and respect,” he said. “It’s from both directions. There are times, for example, they have joined our celebrations, and we have come to attend their celebrations.” “Afghans [already] knew The Salvation Army and the facility here,” said Sami. “We want to acknowledge their contribution and the support that they have provided to the communities and to the children, especially for the food market, because it makes a big difference to the lives of our families.” – Lauren Martin

17 October 2026

News

Salvos join Pacific partnership

 Colonel Chris Goa (third from left) with other senior faith leaders from Papua New Guinea, met with Senator Penny Wong, Australian Foreign Minister, in Canberra last month.

Colonel Chris Goa, who oversees The Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands, recently spent time in Canberra and met with Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, along with other senior church leaders from PNG. “Faith groups play a key role in communities across the Pacific,” said Senator Wong. “[Recently], I welcomed senior church leaders from Papua New Guinea to Parliament, and thanked them for their important contributions in connecting our communities, building resilience and advancing shared priorities.” Daryl Crowden, The Salvation Army Australia’s General Manager for Emergency and Aid and Development,

explained that the group met and “talked about the hugely impactful Church Partnership Program. “It was great to meet and talk to Colonel Chris about The Salvation Army International Development (SAID) Australia’s support role,” Daryl said. “SAID is proud to partner with The Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Territory to deliver life-transforming programs on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.” Scan here for more information about The Salvation Army International Development. 9

Faith Talk

Salvos Magazine

ON AUTOPILOT Are we heading in the right direction? by Belinda Davis

Have you ever gone about your day and suddenly wondered how you got to where you are? You’re in a familiar space, but not really sure if it’s where you’re supposed to be? Over the past few weeks, I’ve been on ‘autopilot’ a few times, which hasn’t been particularly helpful …

The following week, I was driving on the familiar route home but was heading somewhere else. I soon found myself in the right-hand turning lane, ready to get to my residential address, rather than continuing straight ahead to my actual destination.

My son is in Year 12 and currently has fewer classes at school that he has to be there for. He loves the idea of a couple of days where he starts late or finishes early. Me? Not so much, as I am the one who has to remember which days these are and facilitate transport.

I have also found myself standing in the middle of the supermarket where I do my weekly food shop, only to realise that I came into the shopping centre for a different shop entirely.

A few weeks ago, I diligently left the prison (where I am a chaplain) by 11am to take my son to school. I started driving along the road towards the school only to realise, five minutes into the journey, that I hadn’t gone home first to collect my cherub so I could actually get him there. We made it to school in time, but it was close. 10

Once the realisation hits that I am not where I am supposed to be, I am frustrated at my own lack of concentration, fearful I am losing my mind or that menopausal hormones are striking again, and critical of my thinking processes. Muscle memory What is actually happening here? It’s something called muscle memory – when

Faith Talk

your brain and body get so used to doing something that it becomes almost automatic, requiring less thought and leaving you free to focus on other things. We walk, breathe and swallow on autopilot, and the complexities of driving a car become easier with practice so our brain can give more attention to other things like road hazards, other drivers, and whether or not we have the passenger we need in the car!

17 October 2026

that it loses all inspiration and joy. I find it’s then that God breaks through, almost waking me up from my stupor, and says, “Look around you. This is not where you are meant to be right now!” These verses from Psalm 25 come to mind: “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long” (verses 4-5).

Where else might this show up and not be entirely helpful? What about when I respond to “How are you?” with “Fine” when I am actually struggling, or when I ask about others and assume they will say “Fine” and I don’t really listen for their answer?

I pray that my muscle memory to form good habits and practices continues, but not at the expense of heading in the wrong direction at the wrong time, no matter how familiar that direction may be.

Having a regular practice of prayer and focus on God each day is a fabulous habit to have, until it becomes so ritualistic

Major Belinda Davis is a Salvation Army officer (pastor) and prison chaplain. She blogs at a-blessed-life.com

Which way are you meant to be going right now?

My Story

The great remover Michael’s story of recovery and renewal by Michael

It just became part of my weekly routine: Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, drinking excessive amounts. I didn’t really think of it as a problem. I just thought I was pretty wild. Alcohol is a progressive disease, and over the years it just got worse and worse. I’ve always called it the ‘great remover’ because that’s what it does. It just removes everything in your life because you don’t care about it anymore. When I was around 21, lots of rapid things happened: loss of license, DUIs, crashing the car, losing the job, losing the girlfriend, losing friends – all those consequences just hit me pretty rapidly. When I drank, I was a different sort of person. Not really welcome at home anymore because of my behaviour, so I was out on the street sometimes. It’s a pretty humbling and sad place to be as the night creeps in and you’re alone with a bag of wine. You’ve got no money. I was just sitting there, absolutely broken. 12

Salvos Magazine

Finding help I asked Mum for the millionth time, “Can I come home?” And she said, “The only way you can come home is if you go to rehab.” There was a whole list of rehabs, and one of them was The Salvation Army rehab called Miracle Haven in Morisset, Lake Macquarie (NSW). I heard it was a farm. I remember thinking that would be an alright adventure, just go to a farm and help out for 10 months. In reality, though, it was a program with drug and alcohol workers and work therapy and counselling. In my first admission, I was there about a month until I drank. I went back to the start of the program. I stayed about two months and I drank. And I left the program. Dark place Emotionally, mentally, I was in a dark place out there on the streets of Newcastle. I called the manager at The Salvation Army and told him what’s going on. “I can’t stop, I need help, I think I need to go back to rehab.” And he said, “Where are you?” I said, “I’m in Newcastle.” He said, “I’ll be there tomorrow morning to pick you up.” The third time going back felt different because it was more my decision. The main thing for me was just planting the seed of where to go for help – talking to people, setting out a plan, being aware of your triggers and just seeing that you actually can live a good life. You don’t have to be just merely existing in a painful, painful way. That admission, the third one, got me completing the program, which was 10 months at the time, and I stayed for another eight months in aftercare.

My Story

17 October 2026

 Michael in his younger days..  Michael is enjoying life in remission and giving back through his work to others in the addiction cycle.

Life outside rehab when I was that age was good. Working again, enjoying life. I didn’t have that daily obsession anymore. My mental state was good and that kicked on for quite a number of years.

There’s just so many more enjoyments in life being sober. I’ve always enjoyed giving back and helping because I understand what it’s like to feel broken and need that help.

Addiction’s something that you’re just never cured from. You know you can keep it in remission by doing all the right things, but it’s there with you forever.

I always think life’s too short not to ask for help sometimes. And everyone does need help, and yeah, it’ll be okay.

I didn’t really have the full grasp on that. I was close to 30 when I picked up again and it just returned all that loss. Enjoying life I knew I had to go to rehab. I’ve had so many dealings with the Salvos, how genuinely invested they are and helpful and supportive. I thought okay, it worked then, it’ll work again.

Michael is now an AOD (alcohol and other drugs) caseworker for Life Without Barriers in Newcastle.

Scan here to watch the full version of Michael’s story. 13

Taste of Life

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Chicken pasta

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Salvos Magazine

Quiz

Ingredients

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On which page of this week’s Salvos Magazine is Tum-Tum hiding?

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“When you make loving others the story of your life, there’s never a final chapter, because the legacy continues. You lend your light to one person and he or she shines it on another and another and another.” – Oprah Winfrey

☺

Believe in Good: Tips

Serve when the cheese has melted.

Drain water from pasta and add to frypan, mix well and add cheese. Turn off heat.

5. What type of diet does a wombat live on?

Add sauce, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. What is different about a wombat’s pouch?

Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, cook until chicken is browned.

3. What is a baby wombat called?

In a frypan, heat oil and cook onion and capsicum for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

2. How many teeth do wombats have?

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to boil, add pasta and pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes.

Method

1. Where do wombats make their home? 7

1.5 cups pasta; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tbsp oil; 1 small onion, chopped; ½ capsicum, chopped; 3 cloves minced garlic; 2 chicken breasts, cut in strips; 1 cup tomatobased sauce; ½ cup shredded cheese.

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

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What kind of food will sloths never eat? 1

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Why don’t sloths make good detectives?

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2026 Puzzle #4

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Answers

20 October, 1973 Sydney Opera House opens its doors. Construction of the performing arts centre began in March 1959 and cost over $100 million. Designed by Jorn Oberg Utzon, it was declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

18 October, 1851 Moby Dick is published. The epic novel by Herman Melville is about a sailor’s obsession with tracking down the whale that took his leg. First published as The Whale in London, then a month later as Moby Dick in the United States, it is thought to be one of the best works of fiction written in modern times.

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Sudoku 2026 Puzzle #2

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On this day

17 October 2026

Take Five

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