SALVATIONIST
See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9
Righteousness revealed
OVER these past weeks of Lent the territory has been following the theme of Hidden to Whole and tomorrow, on Palm Sunday, our focus is Hidden Righteousness.
Following Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem, we now reach the final chapters of his mission. The Son of God, the unequivocal epitome of righteousness – being right with and living out the purposes of God – is gloriously proclaimed to Jerusalem: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’ (John 12:13). What an image of celebration and affirmation, the fulfilment of Scripture!
The conceptual Lenten thread of that which is hidden not being lost, but simply waiting to emerge in season, is particularly pertinent in these troubled times. Peace and hope are not lost but would seem hidden. Today we celebrate the Prince of Peace. We join with those waving palm branches and usher his Kingdom in. That Kingdom lies within us and that righteousness starts with us as we seek to be more like him. Are we ready to allow God to reveal more of his Kingdom in and through us? May his righteousness be revealed in each of us today.
Visit salvationist.org.uk/ recommended-content
Journey through Holy Week with us.
EDITOR Major Julian Watchorn
MANAGING
EDITOR Ivan Radford
ASSISTANT EDITOR Stevie Hope
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Major Margaret Bovey, Major Lynne Shaw, George Tanton, Lyn Woods
SENIOR DESIGNER Hannah Holden
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Joseph Halliday, Louise Phillips
PROOFREADER Chris Horne
CONTACT US 020 7367 4890
salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk
ADVERTISING advertising@salvationarmy.org.uk
DISTRIBUTION AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
FOUNDERS Catherine and William Booth
INTERNATIONAL LEADERS
General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham
TERRITORIAL LEADERS
Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Julian Watchorn
TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS
1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ 0845 634 0101
Salvationist Publishing and Supplies (Periodicals), 66–78 Denington Road, Wellingborough NN8 2QH 01933 445445 / subscriptions@satcol.org © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. ISSN 2516-5909.
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland is SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland is CHY6399.
unless otherwise stated
POETRY CORNER
ARTISTS’ CORNER
Seeking good for others
Ahead of the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru elections, Chris Hartley encourages people to engage with the democratic process
Ethe Scottish Parliament and for the Senedd in Wales will be taking place on Thursday 7 May. For The Salvation Army, elections are an important opportunity to help ensure that the realities faced by the people we support – who are too often overlooked – are heard by those seeking to represent them.
Many responsibilities, such as housing, education, transport and healthcare, are devolved to national governments, so these elections can have a direct impact on the vital support many people depend on. These are the decisions that are often the cause of the struggles we regularly hear about in our corps, services and wider communities – from access to safe accommodation and escaping poverty to the support people
Reflect and respond
Register to vote in the Scottish Parliament or Senedd Cymru elections at gov.uk/register-tovote by 20 April.
To request a Scottish or Welsh election pack or to find out more about training sessions, email public.affairs@salvationarmy.org.uk.
Read through the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13. How does praying ‘on Earth as it is in Heaven’ impact the way you think about politics?
need on a daily basis to thrive in their families and communities.
Since its earliest days, The Salvation Army has encouraged people to take part in the democratic process. From supporting the struggle for women’s suffrage to advocating for fairer representation, Salvationists have helped open doors for more voices to be heard. This work continues today. For example, during all elections we work with local corps and services to ensure that those entitled to vote are able to do so through our voter registration campaigns.
Christians, just like everyone else, will each make a personal choice about who to support at the ballot box, but at the heart of our faith is the conviction that every person has God-given value. When we vote, we stand with our neighbours and actively accept the responsibilities of being a citizen by seeking good for them and for our communities, but we all share a commitment to justice, compassion and truth – and fairly consider all candidates based on these values.
The Salvation Army does not endorse any political parties or candidates. Our work during an election focuses on enabling everyone to participate and encouraging respectful, informed discussion. This could mean helping someone register to vote, creating a welcome space for local candidates, or even offering practical support to our neighbours by driving them to their polling station. These small actions are all expressions of our love for God and for others, and of our mission priority to
seek justice and reconciliation.
To help corps, services and supporters who wish to take part in the elections, the Public Affairs Unit has produced resource packs for Scotland and Wales, tailored to each nation’s different electoral processes. The resources include explanations of key terms and guidance on registering to vote and organising a hustings, as well as Scottish and Welsh information on elections. The resources are optional and are intended to sit alongside your existing mission and local expressions of faith. Our team can also answer questions and will be running training sessions for anyone interested in welcoming candidates and politicians to their corps or service centre.
These elections matter because they will shape the political leadership of the Scottish and Welsh governments and their parliaments, which then influence decisions that affect everyday life in communities across these nations. However you wish to engage with the elections, taking part in the democratic process is an expression of our Christian faith.
• To request a Scottish or Welsh election pack or to find out more about training sessions, email public.affairs@ salvationarmy.org.uk
CHRIS HARTLEY Public Affairs Officer
LECTIONS for
seconds with...
Mick Bamford
Caterham
How did you first get involved in the Army?
I went to Sunday school from about the age of four. I still sit next to my Sunday school teacher during our Sunday meetings to this day!
What’s your favourite hymn or worship song?
‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling’ to the tune ‘Blaenwern’. My favourite worship song is ‘To God Be the Glory’.
What’s your favourite Bible verse or passage?
Psalm 46. God is our hope and strength.
What’s your most-played song at the moment?
‘And Can It Be That I Should Gain’.
What do you do in your spare time? Play snooker ... not very well!
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Have fun, be kind and just enjoy it.
If you were president of the world, what’s the first thing you would do? World peace.
• For the past 15 years every Friday, Mick can be found outside Morrisons with copies of War Cry and Kids Alive!, chatting with passers-by. He is the face of The Salvation Army to many locally.
‘I
am so blessed to have found where I belong’
Vicki Manley (Hereford) thanks God for an inclusive corps community that encouraged her to follow a calling
IHAVE been attending Hereford Salvation Army for just over two years. I became an adherent last July and now sing in the songsters every Sunday. I am totally blind, but this doesn’t stop me from doing anything. I have the words of each songster song emailed to me so I can Braille them out and, therefore, proudly join in. I also have a Braille Salvation Army songbook, which means I am just the same as everyone else!
A few months ago, our congregation was asked if anyone would like to cover meetings while corps leader Major Pamela-Jayne Johnson was away. I thought about it for a bit and I feel it was a call from God that prompted me to text my friend, Ruth, to ask if people needed training to lead a meeting. I learnt that The Salvation Army believes in the priesthood of all believers, so anyone could lead a meeting.
I was extremely keen to follow this up. It was something I’d never done, and I knew it would take me out of my comfort zone.
Songs of Praise helped me come up with what I wanted to talk about. I was listening to a programme on the Sermon on the Mount, which has so much important guidance on what Jesus taught about how we should live our lives. I picked Matthew 5:3, 6 and 9.
After numerous meetings with Ruth, lots of learning, research and compiling our meeting plan and notes – plus a little help from my personal assistant – we were almost ready for the big day!
At last, the day of the meeting arrived. I was a little nervous, but very excited. I felt God’s assurance with me through the whole meeting, as well as having support from Ruth and our corps. I was totally out of my comfort zone, but I wasn’t fazed, even when our timings didn’t quite go to plan.
This has made me realise that I can deal with anything. It showed me that the tiniest seed of an idea can grow into a big reality. I never imagined
I would do anything like this, but it was an absolute joy and a privilege. I really loved doing it!
Sometimes, when you have a disability, it can be hard to find places where you feel you fit in and belong, but it’s really important for us all to have these. You need confidence to go and try and eventually find people who are ‘your people’ and want to learn alongside you and journey with you. I am so blessed to have found my church, where I belong, and I want to say a huge thank you to Ruth and everyone who helped me. With the right support, encouragement, belief and inclusiveness, you really can do anything!
Have you got a testimony to share? We’d love to hear your faith story! Get in touch at salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk
LORD OF ALL HOPEFULNESS
by Major Mike Stannett
What does Lord of All Hopefulness depict?
It is four pictures, which together depict the hymn ‘Lord of All Hopefulness, Lord of All Joy’ (SASB 772). Each picture depicts one of the verses and relates to a stage of our lives – either our physical or our spiritual lives.
The first picture, At Our Birth, is of a baby reaching out in awe and joy at a butterfly. The butterfly has the body of Jesus incorporated in it, representing our newborn faith.
The second picture, At Our Labours, is of a man building or dismantling the Angel of the North, which here has a crown of thorns on its head. This represents our labours; either we are building God’s Kingdom, or we are destroying it.
The third picture, At Our Retirement, is of a retired couple at the end of their working lives. Are they content with how they have lived, or not? Reaching down from Heaven is a hand with two ‘free admission’ tickets. The couple have to decide whether to accept or not.
The fourth picture, At Our Sleep, is of a sleeping lady. Her head is in the clouds, surrounded by heavenly music, and a dove is flying up towards an ethereal light.
How were they made?
The pictures were painted roughly on old wooden pallets with a mixture of acrylic and spray paint, using Banksyish stencils and free hand.
The set was made for an Easter art exhibition held in a local shopping centre during Holy Week. The purpose was to engage the public during the Easter period as a witness and to talk about the hope we have in the Lord’s desire to share our lives with him and our desire to be with him.
What inspired them?
Like many people, I learnt this hymn as a child. It has stayed with me all my life. I was about six years old the first time I sang it. It was a spring morning, standing behind my desk for morning prayers at school. It was a little chilly, but I was captivated by the melody and the words of the verses. I was rather pleased with myself that I had grasped the meaning of the song, which was unusual for me as a slow learner!
Have you made a piece of art, a drawing, a collage or something else inspired by your faith?
We’d love to share it in our Artists’ Corner! No matter how big or how small, get in touch with our team at salvationist@ salvationarmy.org.uk.
‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’
Major Richard Gaudion considers a centurion’s proclamation
THIS week, we are looking at the death of Jesus as recorded in Mark’s Gospel. We consider how those who were present responded to his death and we focus on the exclamation made by the centurion: ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’ (v39). Other people are also mentioned in these verses. I will refer briefly to their responses as the study unfolds.
Have you ever had the privilege, or trauma, of being with someone when they died? As an officer, I have been present at bedsides when corps members have died. More personally, I was present with my older brother and sister when both our parents died, our mother in 2013 and our father in 2017. Their deaths were peaceful and expected. They died in our family home.
Contrast these peaceful deaths with the gruesome and callous death of Jesus, which hadn’t been expected by those around him, and took place in the full glare of publicity just outside the city wall of Jerusalem.
Jesus died in the darkness of one Friday afternoon in history. Mark records his cry from the cross: ‘“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)’ (v34). This is a direct quote from Psalm 22:1, a psalm of David. The utter desolation Jesus experienced was being expressed in this anguished and searingly painful cry.
PAUSE AND REFLECT
When have you felt desolate, perhaps to the point of questioning the existence of God?
What was the scenario? How did you get through it?
Who, if anyone, accompanied you?
Dominican friar Timothy Radcliffe, in his 2004 book Seven Last Words, writes: ‘When we utter words of utter anguish, then we remember that on the cross Jesus made them his own. And when we can find no words at all, not even to scream, then we may take his.’
Following this outburst from Jesus, we read of the responses of those standing near the cross. Some thought Jesus was calling Elijah, while another nameless ‘someone’ (v36) offered Jesus wine vinegar to drink. Then it happens – the death of Jesus! ‘With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last’ (v37).
Death by crucifixion was meant to take hours. The two people crucified alongside Jesus were still enduring their agony. What occurs in response to his unexpectedly quick death?
First, the writers of the Synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke – tell us: ‘The curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom’ (v38). The significance of this is that it means the way to God is now wide
open for all humankind. Previously, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. William Barclay, in The Gospel of Mark, says: ‘Within the Holy of Holies dwelt the very essence of God. Now with the death of Jesus the curtain which hid God was torn and he could be seen face to face… Anyone who looked at Jesus could say, “This is what God is like. God loves me like that.”’ Second, and staggeringly, we read of the centurion responding to the death of Jesus by saying: ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’ (v39). Why would he say such a thing? This man of rank was part of the occupying Roman forces, a Gentile who had probably witnessed countless other deaths by crucifixion. What made the death of Jesus so unique to him? Was this the same centurion mentioned in Matthew 8:5–13 and Luke 7:1–10, whose servant was healed by Jesus? The powerful acknowledgement by the centurion is proclaimed even before the resurrection of Jesus. It has echoed through all time ever since.
PAUSE AND REFLECT
What does the death of Jesus mean to you?
What conclusion do you arrive at when considering the death of Jesus?
The worst has happened – Jesus has died! And who else is recorded in the narrative when Joseph of Arimathea seeks out Pilate and asks for permission
MARK 15:33–47
to prepare the corpse of Jesus for burial? The centurion!
It is the centurion whom Pilate asks for the verification of Jesus’ death (see vv44 and 45) – Pilate wouldn’t have expected Jesus to die so soon. Note that it is only Mark’s Gospel that records this interaction between Pilate and the centurion. A minor detail, perhaps, yet important to Mark.
If you are a Christian believer, you may now be feeling a little anxious, wanting to read on into chapter 16, where the resurrection of Jesus is recorded. Waiting can be uncomfortable and frustrating. Yes, we are Resurrection people, but we can’t escape that we are also crucifixion and death people (see Romans 6:1–14; Galatians 2:20).
What word or words do you use when someone has died? Do you use euphemisms, like ‘they have passed’ or ‘we have lost them’? Why do we use such euphemisms? Is it to dull the pain of the reality of death? Is it not possible to simply say that ‘someone has died’? Thankfully, we are not left in any doubt about the death of Jesus, the Son of God. His wonderful example of perfect love in action is displayed for us on the cross.
MAJOR RICHARD GAUDION Deputy to the Head of Counselling Wellbeing Department
To read the full, unedited Prayer Matters booklet, visit salvationist.org.uk/discipleship.
SATURDAY 28 MARCH: CARE FOR CREATION – SPRING POEMS
‘I watched a blackbird on a budding sycamore/ One Easter Day, when sap was stirring twigs to the core;/ I saw his tongue, and crocus-coloured bill/ Parting and closing as he turned his trill;/ Then he flew down, seized on a stem of hay,/ And upped to where his building scheme was under way,/ As if so sure a nest was never shaped on spray.’
‘I Watched a Blackbird’ by Thomas Hardy
SUNDAY 29 MARCH: SABBATH PRAYER – HIDDEN RIGHTEOUSNESS
Where righteousness has become misplaced in my heart, and pride, certainty or self-assurance has shaped how I follow you, forgive me for depending on myself instead of you. Holy Spirit, renew my heart. Soften what has grown guarded and keep me open to your leading. Restore righteousness and lead me into a deeper life with Christ.
taken from salvationist.org.uk/lent
MONDAY 30 MARCH: SHARING THE GOOD NEWS – TELLING THE STORY
As we journey through Holy Week, how might we connect to the story at the centre of our faith: the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the story of our own salvation, and the redemption of all things? Lord Jesus, help us to tell your story this week, in our words, our deeds and our lives. by Lyndall Bywater (UKI Boiler Room team)
TUESDAY 31 MARCH: SERVING AND CARING – LIVING THE STORY
The full spectrum of human emotion is in the Holy Week story; we’re comforted to know we don’t need to put a brave face on our pain or hide emotions that feel less acceptable, less holy. If Jesus expressed anger and sorrow, so can we. Watch the Holy Week reflection Through the Eyes of ... Peter at tsa.link/ through-the-eyes-of by Lyndall Bywater (UKI Boiler Room team)
WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL: JUDAS – TOO LATE
Judas understood the terrible thing he had done when it was too late to undo it. Lord, have mercy on us when we act without considering consequences; on all who regret their actions, and long for repair and restoration; on all who feel the only way out is to end their own lives. Watch Through the Eyes of ... Judas at tsa.link/through-the-eyes-of by Lyndall Bywater (UKI Boiler Room team)
THURSDAY 2 APRIL: PONTIUS PILATE – WHAT ON EARTH DO I DO?
God, we long for wisdom, for your voice to cut through the confusion and tell us what to do; we crave your presence to break blockages and help us find a way through. We pray for all those who have difficult leadership decisions to make. Help them find the place of greatest integrity. Watch Through the Eyes of ... Pilate at tsa.link/through-the-eyes-of by Lyndall Bywater (UKI Boiler Room team)
FRIDAY 3 APRIL: MARY MAGDALENE – IT’S NOT ABOUT ME
Jesus, we give thanks for the work of salvation in our lives: your wounds bringing us healing; your punishment bringing us peace; your death cancelling the debt we owe. Giver of life, we pray for all who fear the traumas of the past, the terrors of the present, what might be or what will be. You who faced death on our behalf lift the tyranny of fear and fill us with confident hope. Watch Through the Eyes of ... Mary at tsa.link/through-the-eyes-of by Lyndall Bywater (UKI Boiler Room team)
PRAYER REQUESTS
Do you have something or someone you’d like us to pray for? Email salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk with ‘prayer request’ in the subject line.
Righteousness revealed
Lieutenant Hannah Carr reflects of humility and faith in practice
HAVE you ever experienced something that was different to what you expected? Like taking a sip of tea only to discover it’s coffee? Or riding a roller coaster you thought would be tame, only to discover it was full of stomach-churning drops and turns? It can feel disjointing and confusing, and you might struggle to know what to do.
“ We see Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as an exhibition of his character, not his power. ”
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem found in Matthew 21:1–11 can seem confusing when we compare it to our own expectations. When we read the title ‘Jesus comes to Jerusalem as king’, we expect an elaborate parade, largely because our culture has shaped our understanding of royal processions to be that way. So when Jesus arrives on a lowly donkey, we might be confused and affronted by something different from our expectations. Surely the King of all creation should be more impressive than this?
But what if an elaborate entry was never Jesus’ intention? Matthew’s quotation of Zechariah 9:9 heavily suggests that this was the entry God
Righteousness
reflects on Palm Sunday’s example practice not performance
had always planned for his Son. After all, as Dane Ortlund in his book Gentle and Lowly observes, ‘Jesus provides new sharpness to who God is, but not fundamentally new content’. This is because the attributes of Jesus are not unique to him, but qualities of God’s Kingdom that he visibly and tangibly embodies. While the humility and lowliness of a donkey might seem to contradict the victorious King prophesied in Zechariah, in the context of God’s upside-down Kingdom it makes perfect sense.
Our confusion can be caused by our expectation and definition of the word ‘righteousness’. By our human standards, righteousness has become about being the best we possibly can be. We focus on doing the best to become righteous. Perhaps we have interpreted the idea that God can declare us righteous in the same way a judge declares a winner – we think we must earn righteousness through perfect actions and performance, so that God can bestow the prize of righteousness upon us. In reality, righteousness is not a status for us to achieve, but an attribute of God. It is not a tick-box exercise for us to complete, but an active choice for us to make the right decisions each day. It is a characteristic and behaviour that God reveals to us as the One who is most righteous, and it is our responsibility as disciples to reflect that righteousness into the world.
Jesus didn’t enter Jerusalem on a donkey because he wanted to prove himself humble and therefore
become righteous, but because he was righteous in his very essence. When we put too much focus on righteousness as a status to achieve, our faith can quickly become a performance rather than a practice. But this is not what God wants for our faith. He does not want us to spend time trying to win his favour and be declared the most righteous in comparison to all our friends. He wants us to spend time with him, to see his glory, and to experience the fullness of life he offers so freely. In his book Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer says that ‘salvation is less about getting you into Heaven and more about getting Heaven into you … less of a transaction and more of a transformation’. The purpose of our faith is not making ourselves worthy of getting into Heaven or earning salvation. It is about following Jesus because we believe in his cause and want to reveal the glory of his Kingdom here on Earth.
Romans 1:17 tells us: ‘For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed –a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”’ The best way that we can reveal God’s righteousness is by spending time with God and learning more about him. When we reveal his character to ourselves, seeing that righteousness first-hand, we cannot help but imitate him. We see his nature as perfect and praiseworthy, which changes our outlook on life and our priorities. We see a new way of life, the right way of life, set out before us, becoming clearer and
clearer as we discern God’s direction. Suddenly, our perception of what is right becomes what God tells us is right, rather than our own opinions. Eventually, through the work and conviction of the Holy Spirit, the righteousness that was once hidden by duty and performance becomes visible to us in our thoughts, attitudes and, in turn, behaviour.
We act righteously not because we strive to earn God’s approval, but because we know that is what God is calling us to do as his disciples. As flawed and sinful beings, we make mistakes along the way but, as my cornet teacher used to tell me, practice makes permanent, not perfect!
Holy Week presents us with the ideal opportunity to see God’s righteousness revealed. We see Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as an exhibition of his character, not his power. We see his death not as an act of performative selflessness, but as the ultimate sacrifice that makes salvation and righteousness accessible to all.
It is an opportunity to examine ourselves. How are you practising righteousness in your everyday life, not to create a Kingdom culture to our standards, but to reveal Kingdom values where they already are?
LIEUTENANT HANNAH CARR Corps Leader Longton
Keeping our attention on Jesus
Abigail Miller encourages us to slow down and experience God’s peace
‘I’M too busy.’ It’s a phrase many of us know far too well. We say it without thinking, almost like a reflex. But if I were to ask you whether you’ve ever used it as a reason for not spending time with Jesus, would you admit that sometimes it’s true?
The irony is that, as I write this, the phrase feels painfully real in my own life. I often catch myself saying ‘I’m busy at the moment’, and on paper it makes sense. I’m in my final year of university. I’m working and caring for a fouryear-old. And then there’s the general, relentless busyness of life that never seems to slow down.
But recently I’ve been asking myself a harder question, and it is one I would urge you to also ask yourself: are you too busy, or have your priorities quietly shifted away from Jesus and towards everything else?
Becoming distracted is easily done. We live in a society that glorifies productivity and self-optimisation. If you slow down, you’re labelled ‘lazy’. If you rest, you feel guilty for not doing more. There’s a constant pressure to be achieving, improving, producing – and, if we’re not, something in us whispers that we’re falling behind.
What we might not often consider is the spiritual impact of this culture. Distraction isn’t just an inconvenience; it should be viewed as a quiet spiritual threat. It doesn’t usually pull us away from God in dramatic ways. Instead, it works subtly. It splits our attention across hundreds of small urgencies, until we’re no longer aware of the One who is steady, present and unchanging in our lives.
So how can we change the narrative? We still need to go to work, right? We still need to pick the kids up. We still need to put the dinner on.
Isaiah 26:3 promises: ‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.’
It’s about aligning our priorities and seeing time with God as part of our ‘must’s for the day – the same way you would if you had arranged to meet a friend.
It’s about making time for God in the same way he does for us. I don’t know about you, but I have never felt God say ‘I’m too busy’ when I’ve spoken to him. So why shouldn’t we give the same in return?
One of my all-time favourite worship songs is ‘The Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman. When I was going through a challenging period in my life, I remember a friend told me how the song came to be.
The story goes that Matt was attending Soul Survivor Church in Watford. Despite the country’s overall contribution to the worship music revival at the time, Redman’s congregation was struggling to find meaning in its musical outpouring. Their pastor decided to strip everything back. He removed the sound system and the band for a season, drawing people to realign their priorities and consider what they were bringing when they walked through the doors.
I wonder what this might look like in a Salvation Army context. If you didn’t have sectional duties, or a tokenistic reason to be at church, would you still come? Or would you feel there was no point?
Well, the heart of it is this: the point is Jesus. I know life gets full and people feel busy, but sometimes it’s worth looking at our priorities and asking where Jesus fits within them.
I’d encourage you to reflect on whether Jesus is getting space in your day – and, if not, what small, realistic steps might help you make room for him again.
Lord, I pray that we will come back to the heart of worship, because it’s all you – it’s all about you, Lord Jesus. I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it, when it should have been all about you. Lord, I’ll bring you more than a song, because a song in itself is not what you require. You search so much deeper within, through the way things appear; you’re looking into our hearts. We’re coming back to the heart of worship, and we will make it all about you, Lord Jesus. Amen.
ABIGAIL MILLER Paisley Citadel
Remembering who we are
Territorial
Whole-Life Discipleship Officer Captain Michael Hutchings talks about not letting insecurity or conformity conceal our God-given boldness
How would you describe boldness?
Boldness is a posture, born out of security in our identity in Christ. As a Christian, you have to trust in who Jesus says he is, who he says you are and live in that truth. It’s saying, ‘I’m a disciple of Jesus and what I think, say and do is a result of that, rather than how I feel on any given morning.’
It can be hard to remember we’re children of God, can’t it? The world is very good at telling us we’re not good enough. Yes, it can – but God walks with us into life. Joshua 1:9 says, ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’
How can people stay rooted in that?
The daily spiritual disciplines of prayer and reading God’s word. For many Christians, including myself, that can be a challenge. Colossians 2:7 talks about being rooted and built up in Jesus. Ephesians 3:17–19 talk about being rooted and grounded in love. That all sounds great, but it’s not easy on our own. So, as well as remembering who we are and whose we are, another key element is being in community.
How does community help strengthen our security?
Who we are when we’re together shapes us when we’re apart – if we don’t gather, we don’t scatter well. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about the Church as a body, with no part more significant than another. We can sometimes create our own hierarchies, but we have the same God, which puts us all on level ground. When we gather as a genuine community, we’re encouraged, equipped, empowered and enthused. That means we can all walk out with the same posture of boldness.
How do we stay secure as a collective?
By being united in purpose and spirit. We’ve got to navigate through life together in harmony and unity so that, when storms hit us, we’ve got half a chance. We become a more authentic community by being vulnerable with each other and allowing the Holy Spirit to move and shine in our lives.
Romans 12:2 talks about being transformed as the opposite of conforming to the world. How hard is it not to conform?
It’s not our default to live in the way of Jesus. Paul isn’t saying be transformed as a one-off, but as an ongoing process: stop allowing yourself to conform and continue to let yourself be transformed. That can be one step forward, two steps back some days. I heard a quote on the Arable Podcast: we are only ever learning, practising and becoming. That’s such a powerful definition of discipleship: we’re always becoming. The reality is that sometimes we learn by our mistakes.
It’s easy to let failure throw us off-guard, isn’t it?
That’s when it comes back to who Jesus is. He’s not surprised when we mess up, because he knows our favourite sins and default patterns. But like a loving parent, he says: ‘I’m not going to give up on you.’ And that love can give us the security and confidence to walk out into the world. Discipleship isn’t about retreating from the world. It’s saying, ‘I’m not afraid to work out my discipleship in my context, where the values are different, but I’m not going to default to them.’
Is there an example of that kind of boldness in the Bible?
Daniel, because he made a conscious choice to live distinctively. Daniel 1:8
says that ‘Daniel resolved’. He didn’t remove himself from the situation but stood boldly in it. I think there are clear parallels for Christians today, whose calling is to live for Christ, with their feet firmly in the world, refusing to be conformed and continuing to allow themselves to be transformed by God.
And as boldness is revealed in us, it becomes visible to others too. People can see the impact that God has on your life and the changing way you perceive yourself. The London Institute of Contemporary Christianity has devised the 6M framework, six ways in which Christians can live fruitfully on their front lines, without feeling unnecessarily anxious, burdened or inadequate: modelling Godly character, making good work, ministering grace and love, moulding culture, being a mouthpiece for truth and justice, and being a messenger
Poetry corner
The Holy Man
Did the Holy Man wince when the ache set in?
The ache in his knees when he cleansed the foot of fellow men?
Did the Holy Man drop his hands and proclaim ‘Remain soiled!’?
‘I shall not repure you at my expense!’
The Holy Man did not.
Did the Holy Man turn his head to cries?
When victims cried his name unheard, did his stance remain neutral?
Did the Holy Man look back shameless?
To grovelling at his feet, did he simply close his eyes?
The Holy Man did not.
Did the Holy Man scorn those he disapproved?
Were his words sharp at the sinners, his hand sheathed?
Did the Holy Man offer no wisdom, merely laugh as the wicked burn?
Would the Holy Man grant a poor man riches with no thought of how to spend his dime?
The Holy Man did not.
When the Holy Man was on the cross, did he speak to you?
‘To day shalt thou be with me in paradise’?
The Holy Man did.
Would you speak the same to him?
Why do you wince when the dollar you lose is spent on man?
Why do you turn away when the people cry for you?
Why do you scorn the man with whom you disagree?
Why do your words extend not to the man from which you thieve?
EVIE MIRFIELD
In the Garden of Gethsemane
Before the dawn of Easter
There came Gethsemane...
Before the Resurrection
There were hours of agony...
For there can be no crown of stars
Without a cross to bear, And there is no salvation
Without FAITH and LOVE and PRAYER,
And when we take our needs to God
Let us pray as did his Son
That dark night in Gethsemane –‘THY WILL, NOT MINE, BE DONE.’
NORMAN GALE BASINGSTOKE
Two Gardens and a Hill
It was within the garden of Gethsemane
That Jesus prayed ‘Please take this cup from me.’
But not his own, he knew his heavenly Father’s will Would be fulfilled, that night, it had to be.
In that same place, the garden of Gethsemane, He was betrayed by Judas with a kiss.
A man he’d taught and thought to be a trusted friend, How could he stoop to be as low as this?
Taken from there, the garden of Gethsemane,
Our Lord’s abused, scorned, beaten and then tried.
First by the Jews, then Pilate in a Roman court, There ‘crucify’ the crowd all loudly cried.
Then on a hill, the one we know as Calvary
Our Saviour took his final earthly breath.
For those around his crucifixion seemed the end,
And what they’d witnessed was a cruel death.
Another garden, where there was an empty tomb
Here some who sought him thought that he would be.
But resurrected he appeared and spoke to them, He’d paid the price, salvation now was free.
God loved so much he sent his one and only Son
Who lived and died, arose for all to see.
If everyone believed and truly worshipped him
This world from sin and hatred could be free.
BRIAN COLLEY CLOWNE
The Cup of Suffering
The cup of suffering is a bitter cup,
Not a pleasant drink, titillating the palate, slipping down easily, bringing pleasure and refreshment.
But an unpleasant, unpalatable draught, catching in the throat, causing you to gag.
The cup of suffering is one to be avoided,
Not a cup to be eagerly received and welcomed as the drink of choice,
But one that’s left ’til last, accepted reluctantly, despairingly, when there is no other way.
Yet Jesus drank that cup for us,
Taking it with both hands, grasping it thirstily, drinking deep and long, Seeing in its contents agony, desolation and despair, But drinking to the bitter end to find salvation in its dregs.
MAJOR YVONNE DARE
People of Jerusalem
To the tune ‘Children of Jerusalem’
People of Jerusalem, welcomed Jesus when he came,
Threw palm branches in his way, it was such a glorious day.
Hark, hark, hark, while people’s voices ring, What they say, what joyous sounds they bring.
Welcome, Jesus, we receive you, we accept you gladly as our king.
They had seen your works well done, and the demons that had gone, You had made the blind to see, we observed it all so joyfully.
Then they saw you raised the dead, what on earth can more be said, Let us now rejoice with you, and we’ll wait to see what more you’ll do.
WESLEY PAXTON LOCKERBIE
Resting Place
It was a narrow track I followed Winding through the shrubland and heath And then swiftly descending to a valley Deep woodlands the sun failed to heat.
The track then began to grow fainter And finally came to a copse
A tree blocked the way and a fence seemed to say No place for a traveller to stop.
I thought of a track the Lord followed Dusty and racked with great pain For he had to climb up a barren hillside No shelter from sun or from rain.
The tree on the brow was a gaunt one, A trunk and two branches bare He climbed it and spreading his arms open wide
Said traveller, stop here, for I care.
CHARLES K DRY
BRIGHTON CONGRESS HALL
The Man on the Mound
Make your way to the cross if you will and in your imagination stand still
Observe the crowd that’s milling round
Their eyes all fixed on the distant mound
They’ve done this many times before
It’s an entertainment that’s for sure
But this one feels so very odd
There’s talk that the man in the centre’s God.
The priests are shouting, there’s folk throwing stones
All this mingled with crucified groans
A couple are eating their sandwich lunch
While others have figs and fruit to munch
There ought to be offered some dignity
For those who are dying in agony
But there’s little concern for lawbreakers here
And no real concern for the dying I fear.
The hours are passing twill soon be eve
And two of the victims have taken their leave
There’s a lull in the noise and a voice breaks through
‘Forgive them Father for what they do’
A soldier kneels and lays down his sword
And the man on the cross has one last word
‘It is finished’ he cries and bows his head
As his life ebbs away and he joins the dead.
It seems to me in the world of today
When little is valued and passes away
We need to assess what is worthwhile and true
And find once again what once we all knew
That Jesus has died and for evermore lives
And the man on the cross is the one who forgives
Our lives become new and a freshness is found
That stems from the man who died on the mound.
MAJOR DAVE GROVES
If It Happened Here, Today
On a hill outside the city walls, beneath a sky so dark and bleak, they lifted Christ upon rough beams and called it justice, called him weak. Dust clung to his dishevelled face. Crowds swayed like branches in a breeze. Some wept in hurting disbelief, some mocked with shouts and angry pleas. The Earth grew still. As all looked on the temples cracked by thunderous rage and people trembling backed away as God himself took centre stage.
And if it happened here, today not on a hill of ancient stone, but somewhere lined with concrete paths where modern glass and steel have grown, Would we scroll past the trial’s stream, debate the charges in a thread, turn suffering into headlines bold, And telling us ‘an insider said’ with hashtags springing up to say #Innocent, #SaveHim, #StandWithHim while algorithms softly choose which truths grow bright and which grow dim?
Would leaders wash their careful hands before the watching, worldwide eye? Would friends fall silent out of fear and say they never knew him, why?
Easter whispers through the noise: that death is not the final word, that stone and silence both give way when resurrected Christ is heard.
For even now, in crowded streets, where sirens blare and screens glow blue, the cross must stand for selfless grace, And always give us hope made new.
So whether then or now, the call is not to look on from afar but bear the light we say we seek, Be living proof of who we are.
MARK AYLING EASTBOURNE
Crucify him!
Major Kingsley Layton (Risca) imagines a conversation about the sentencing of Jesus
WHAT would you have shouted? ‘Release him’?
‘Take me, not him’? ‘Do unto others’? I know all too well what I shouted, although I whimpered it. However, before you’re tempted to judge me, at least let me tell you how I arrived at it.
I never approach these things casually, so it was a shock when, on presenting my sacrifice of pigeons to the priests at the Temple, they turned me down. I hadn’t brought money to the courtyard – I wasn’t expecting to need any. I had to go back to our lodgings for the Passover festival to pick some up.
As I walked through the door, my wife tilted her head to one side sympathetically.
‘I need Temple coin but I didn’t bring provision for buying a new sacrifice,’ I explained. ‘I’ve never needed to before. Until today, I’ve been able to cover our sins quite adequately.’
She raised both eyebrows.
‘You have no idea, husband dearest, of the extent of your sins,’ she said, ‘let alone “cover them adequately”. How much sin will your pair of pigeons cover?’
I took a chair. I’d heard this lesson before. It had become all she and her friends talked about after they’d heard this rabbi, Jesus.
‘I really wish you would come and
hear Jesus, husband,’ she continued. ‘You’d like him more than you think.’
‘Well, it’s too late for that, isn’t it!’ I quipped. ‘He was arrested last night. There was some kind of trial or another, and he’s now with Pilate. I don’t think much of his chances.’
‘Don’t say things like that. He’s done nothing to you to wish such bad things for him.’
‘Wish? It’s the truth. I’ve heard people say that when Pilate does his customary release gifting, Jesus will be one of the options alongside that Barabbas guy.’ She fell silent. She and her friends had heard Jesus often. There was even talk of him being the Messiah, but I wasn’t convinced she knew what to expect from the Messiah.
‘The Lamb of God,’ she breathed. ‘That’s what Jesus has been called by John, the baptiser on the Jordan – the Lamb of God. It’s Passover shortly. You know full well what happens to lambs.
‘John has been preaching that our sins against the Lord are more than we could repay in a thousand lifetimes.’
I was glad I’d sat down. My pigeons were beginning to look insulting to offer God.
She went on: ‘When John calls Jesus the Lamb of God – and just before Passover no less – it seems to me that the only way our sins can be passed over is if a sacrifice
great enough, pure enough, were to atone for them. Do you think that’s why Jesus let himself be arrested?’
I jumped up and grabbed her hand. If there was even an ounce of truth in what she had just said, we had to ask Jesus himself.
We sprinted like our lives depended on it. We’d never been more desperate for our sins to be reckoned with. Tears welled in my eyes thinking of all the things that no one but God knew about me. If Jesus was the Lamb of God, what would I say to him?
What would it take to put my record straight with God, to be reconciled?
The crowd called: ‘Crucify him!’
We were too late. We’d never felt so lost. We crumpled to the floor in tears.
‘Husband, if this was the Lamb of God, we need him,’ she said. ‘We need him to die. We need his sacrifice.’
So came the words I thought would never leave my lips as I joined in with a whimper: ‘Crucify him.’
How would you make good a debt you can’t fathom? What might you have shouted in the crowd that day?
Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.
(SASB 208)
COMMUNITY
STOCKTON The most recent Messy Church saw the corps through our first full year. We are seeing lots of children returning each time, and we are blessed to be part of their faith journeys. The theme for the session was Rainbows. We had various crafts and science experiments and told them about the rainbow God sent after the flood to show his love. – TB
MEETING
ABERYSTWYTH Marking Ghana’s Independence Day on 6 March, Ghanaian students, Austin, Frank and Michael shared something of life in Ghana and sang their national anthem as part of morning worship. This concluded a week of international ministry focus for the corps, who hosted an ecumenical lunch to support Christian Aid, and hosted a World Day of Prayer service for churches across the town. Pictured alongside Austin, Frank and Michael are Corps Sergeant-Major Mark Mainwaring and corps leader Lieutenant Paul Sass. – PS
MEETING
Bath Citadel celebrate Mother’s Day in style with timbrelists performing to ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing’
COMMUNITY
MIDDLESBROUGH A community space at the Outreach Hub in Acklam has been transformed thanks to the hard work of eight young people taking part in the King’s Trust Team Programme. As part of the scheme that helps build employability skills, the group of eight 16 to 25-year-olds overhauled the underused space, creating a safe place that will be used for family activities and toddler groups. – AR
INTERNATIONAL
Historic visit sparks spiritual renewal
INDIA
THE India South Eastern Territory marked a defining moment as Chief of the Staff Commissioner Edward Hill and World Secretary for Women’s Ministries
Commissioner Shelley Hill made their first ever visit.
From the moment they arrived, there was a palpable sense of expectancy and joy. In gathering, one clear message resounded: God is calling the territory to ‘something better’.
At Catherine Booth Hospital, the commissioners prayed with staff and patients and honoured their faithful service. Nursing students engaged in heartfelt conversations about leadership, calling and spiritual growth.
At Tucker Boys’ and Girls’ Home, the message was just as clear. Using the word ‘star’, the Chief of the Staff left a simple but powerful call: strength, truth, always, reward.
A warm welcome awaited the commissioners at corps in Valliyoor and Alady, where worship and prayer united generations. Commissioner Edward urged the Army to treasure its heritage while boldly stepping into God’s future. True victory, he affirmed, comes only through Jesus Christ. Commissioner Shelley echoed the call to unity, Christlike love and grace that sustains in every season.
Addressing the Officers Council, Commissioner Edward spoke of the Army’s enduring symbols: the cross, the pulpit, the mercy seat and the flag. He urged that these must never drift into mere tradition, implying that they are living declarations of faith, while maintaining that the altar is a place of covenant, renewal and strength.
A major highlight of the visit was the dedication of a new territorial headquarters building. In thanksgiving and prayer, it was committed to God’s glory.
The visit concluded with a vibrant celebration of Tamil culture and shared mission. But the true impact ran deeper than ceremony. Across the territory, the testimony is clear: vision renewed, faith strengthened and hearts recommitted. – AR
MUSIC
LEIGH-ON-SEA Thundersley Brass Band presented a short concert where they played predominantly Salvation Army music. They finished with their preview performance of ‘Variations on “Was Lebet”’, which is the test piece for the regional band contest. Our thanks to Musical Director Melvin White for a lovely afternoon. – GC
ELIZABETH Taruvinga, Megan Kagodora, Prudence Mandizha and Anesa Audry Chatambarara were enrolled as soldiers and Sam McQuire was welcomed as an adherent by corps leader Major Nicola Barker. Megan gave her testimony and Elizabeth, Prudence and Anesa sang ‘Goodness of God’ as their testimony. Sam chose songs for morning worship, which meant a lot to him. – LC
PETERBOROUGH CITADEL
DANIEL Whitla was enrolled as a soldier by his mum, Major Sue Whitla (Ireland DHQ). Daniel testified that God is at work in his life and that he has been forgiven and is growing in his relationship with him. Daniel chose the song ‘Hymn of the Ages’ as his testimony. – LH
STAINES
GILL Meredith was welcomed as an adherent by corps leader Major Val Mylechreest. In her testimony, Gill admitted it had taken a very long time to get to this point. She was dedicated at the corps, and her family have been connected to Staines for the past 100 years! Despite an Army upbringing, attending was not on Gill’s to-do list. She attended the Good Friday afternoon meeting during the visit of General Lyndon Buckingham and World President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham for Easter last year. The General spoke about stepping out of the shadows, which resonated with Gill. She then attended a Belonging course run by Major Peter Mylechreest and decided to take the next step. Also pictured is Adherents Secretary Judith Jeffery. – CT
OPENSHAW
TOM, Jack and Chelsea were welcomed as adherents by corps leader Territorial Envoy Julia Anyon. Tom’s story is one of homelessness and addiction, and he testified to the saving grace of Jesus! He came to the Army through the previous corps leaders. He chose ‘My Lighthouse’ because Jesus carries him through all the storms, and he wrote a poem called ‘Today’, which he read as part of his testimony. Chelsea chose ‘You Never Let Go’ and testified that she has found her home and family at the corps. She was invited to church by adherent Liz. Jack came to church with Chelsea. He shared his struggle with poor mental health and how he knows that God is fighting for him. He chose ‘The Battle Belongs to You’, as he knows that God sees potential in him that he cannot always see in himself. Each received a verse of Scripture from a member of the corps before being prayed over by another. – JA
GLENROTHES
THE corps celebrated as they welcomed Susan Galloway and Sandra Purvis as adherents, and enrolled Nina Neatham and Alice Fisher as soldiers. Susan has been connected to the corps since her children came to toddlers and the playgroup. She started attending regularly two years ago and discovered a deep faith in Jesus that she shares with everybody. Sandra has attended our Warm Space. A Christian for most of her life, she previously attended another church but found a place to serve the Lord at the Army. Nina was a soldier many years ago and found a new home at the corps after her husband passed away in 2024. She attends weekly Bible fellowship and volunteers at our Warm Space. Alice is a working mum who came to the corps youth club as a teenager. She grew up in a Christian family and reconnected with the corps when looking for a new place to worship with her children. They are pictured with corps leader Lieutenant Miriam Smith and Lieutenant Diane Johnson (Dunfermline), who assisted with recruits’ classes and helped lead Covenant Sunday worship. – MS
LEEDS CENTRAL
JULIET McClure was welcomed as an adherent by corps leader Major Mark Cozens. Juliet and her family started attending our Messy Church and, more recently, Sunday worship. Juliet chose ‘Shine, Jesus, Shine’ for us to sing as part of her enrolment. – MC
RUTH Miller and Jean Lovesley were welcomed as adherents by corps leader Major Katrina Greetham and Major Yvonne Jones, who was instrumental in their journeys towards this step of faith. Ruth has been worshipping at the corps for some time and felt it was the right time to be recognised as an adherent. Jean came to the Art Club a few months ago, stayed for lunch club and afternoon fellowship, attended worship that Sunday and has become an integral part of the corps family. – KG
THE corps were pleased to welcome Ivan Hadlow as an adherent. Ivan was unwell when five adherents were welcomed on Covenant Sunday but, like them, he spoke of the warmth of welcome and friendship he felt within the corps. Ivan has been part of the fellowship for a few years, attended an Alpha course and has been encouraged in his Christian faith by corps members. This led him to make the commitment to be an adherent. He is pictured with corps leaders Majors Chris and Sandra Hall. – JD
THERE was great joy as Carol Mahon was enrolled as a soldier and Russell Boyd was welcomed as an adherent. Both testified to the difference that God is making in their lives and shared hymns that had real meaning for them. The commitment ceremonies were part of a wonderful Spirit-filled meeting led by Major Fiona Partland (Central and Southern Scotland DHQ). God is good! – RR
CHRISTINE Foster and Peter Howes were welcomed as adherents by support officer Major Margaret House. Walking her dog along the promenade, Christine stopped to talk to a stranger. During the conversation, Christine explained how she had recently moved into the area, having bought a property from a lady who was moving to the south coast. The stranger, Joan, who is a Salvationist, realised Christine’s new home had belonged to a fellow Salvationist. The two ladies soon became friends. Joan invited Christine to a meeting, where she felt so warmly welcomed that she became a regular attender and now sings with the songsters. Peter and Christine met while walking their dogs. Their friendship grew and Peter soon came to the meeting with her. In deciding to become adherents, they testified to finding the place where they felt spiritually at home. – MG
WHAT DOES BEING A SOLDIER OR ADHERENT MEAN?
Find out more about formalising your membership of The Salvation Army and ways in which you can make a spiritual commitment at salvationist.org.uk/membership
HADLEIGH TEMPLE
FAULDHOUSE POOLE
CHIPPENHAM
SHERINGHAM
Appointed
Effective 12 March
MAJOR CONNIE McCALLUM , Associate Officer, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh Gorgie and Edinburgh Granton
Effective 26 March
MAJOR RIA HEERLIEN, Leeds West Hunslet
Effective 2 April
MAJOR ELIZABETH DI-PALMA , additional appointment, Divisional Candidates Officer, South West Division
MAJOR DAVID WING , additional appointment, Chaplain, Skinnergate Lifehouse (1 day per week)
Effective 16 April
MAJOR YVONNE GRAHAM, Chaplain, Westminster Homelessness Services
Effective 1 June
MAJOR STEPHEN OLIVER , Divisional Commander, East of England Division
MAJOR LYNLEY OLIVER , Divisional Leader and Assistant Divisional Commander, East of England Division
Effective 23 July
MAJOR WENDY STANBURY, Assistant Principal, William Booth College
Wedding anniversaries
Diamond (60 years)
BANDSMAN DAVID AND DOREEN
SLATOR , Staple Hill, on 2 April
Golden (50 years)
MAJORS LIZ AND PAUL CHURCH on 3 April
Dedicated to God
UNASHE NATHANIEL , son of Rachel Denhere and Takudzwa Kelvin Mawoneyi, at Bristol Citadel by Major Christa Beeldman
RILEY AKUDZWEISHE MEDA , son of Harliet and Jonathan Meda, at Wellingborough by Captain Alison Chapman
SIYAMTHANDA AMOGELANG NYATHI, daughter of Arthur and Paida Nyathi, at Wellingborough by Captain Alison Chapman
Promoted to Glory
CORPS TREASURER GORDON TYRRELL , Great Yarmouth
MAJOR SUSAN WADDINGTON from Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, on 13 March
Bereaved
MAJOR DEREK TYRRELL of his brother Corps Treasurer Gordon Tyrrell
MAJOR NORMAN WADDINGTON of his wife Major Susan Waddington
ENGAGEMENTS
General Lyndon Buckingham and World President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham Thu 19 Mar – Mon 30 Mar Kenya East Territory
Chief of the Staff Commissioner Edward Hill and World Secretary for Women’s Ministries Commissioner Shelley Hill Wed 18 Mar – Sun 29 Mar Kenya East Territory (International Conference of Leaders)
Territorial Leaders Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main Fri 20 Mar – Sat 28 Mar Kenya East Territory (International Conference of Leaders) Fri 3 Apr – Sun 5 Apr Boscombe
NOTICES
Keep your diary up to date
The territorial events calendar has been updated, with the territorial carol concert at the Royal Albert Hall now confirmed as taking place on Tuesday 1 December at 8pm. Visit tsa.link/calendar to keep up to date with the latest information on upcoming events in the UK and Ireland Territory.
Journey through Holy Week
Sign up to receive daily prayers, Bible studies and reflections during Holy Week that draw you into the story of Easter – God’s Kingdom breaking into our world. Find out more at tsa.link/holy-week-email
Praying for peace
Conflict surrounds us – on our screens, in our communities. This resource helps create space for hearts to acknowledge the pain of conflict and respond through prayer, crying out to the Prince of Peace for our troubled world. Download the prayers at tsa.link/prayingforpeace
Easter Top 10
Salvationist Radio’s chart show will be back this Easter with the top 10 Easter songs, as voted for by you! Voting closes on Monday 30 March. Have your say at salvationist.org.uk/radio
SOUNDS
Sunday Worship
Join Salvationists across the territory in worship, with music, prayer and a Bible message from a guest speaker. This week Digital Faith Engagement Manager Lauren Westwood (Publishing Department) speaks on Palm Sunday. Can’t join us at 11am on Sundays? Catch up with the weekly podcast of highlights. Each week’s broadcast is repeated in full on Sundays at 6pm, Mondays at 12am and Thursdays at 9am.
• Listen online at salvationist.org.uk/radio
Silver Linings
Listen to the latest uplifting devotion from Andy and Ali (Older People’s Ministries), as featured in their Salvationist Radio show No Age Limit
• Listen online at salvationist.org.uk/podcasts
Morning Praise with Kids Alive!
Get your day started with half an hour of music, prayer, a thought and lots of giggles! Listen on Saturdays from 7.30am to 8am. Can’t tune in on Saturday morning? The broadcast is repeated in full on Sundays at 9am and Mondays at 7.30am. Can’t tune in then? A podcast is also available each week.
• Listen online at salvationist.org.uk/kidsalive
Sunday Wake-Up with Lyndall Bywater
Ease yourself into the day with a relaxed mix of music, chat and a few inspirational moments to stir your soul. Listen from 7am to 9am on Sundays.
• Listen online at salvationist.org.uk/radio
EDWARD KING BURTON-ONTRENT
TED was born in Darlington in 1942, before moving to Kent with his family. On leaving school, he joined the Coldstream Guards. Following this, he did a variety of jobs, driving buses, ambulances and lorries. He married Margaret in 1968 and, in 1974, they moved to Swadlincote with their two sons, Adrian and Graham. Here, Ted became the colour sergeant at the local corps and then corps treasurer. In 1991, they transferred to Burton-on-Trent, where Ted became the corps secretary. In both corps, Ted sold the Army papers, until his health declined. He always had time for a chat with passers-by, who grew to love him and enjoyed his sense of humour.
Although Ted hadn’t attended meetings for some time, he kept in touch with people by conversations, newsletters and visits to him.
Ted kept his faith, until his Lord called him into his peace. Well done, faithful servant! – CM
BILL MILSOM STAPLE HILL
WILLIAM Milsom was born in Bristol in 1935 and attended Staple Hill Corps when he was eight years old.
It was here that he first met Freda Hobbs, who would later become his wife. Bill was taught to play the trombone by Bandsman Fred Hobbs, who was to become his future father-in-law. Bill joined both the junior and senior bands, becoming band secretary and playing bass trombone until his retirement.
At the age of 18, Bill was called for national service, where he served in the Royal Engineers. Bill married Freda Hobbs in 1958, and they had two children, Elaine and Mark. Bill loved music and was an active sportsman, enjoying cricket, table tennis and many other activities.
Bill was a much-loved member of the corps and will be missed by the church, his family and his many friends. – VW
MARY INGRAM CLACTON-ONSEA
ONE Sunday, Mary, aged four, followed the band as they marched to the hall at Gateshead. She asked the corps sergeant-major standing at the door if these people live here. He then took Mary across the road to her home and asked her grandma if she would like to come to Sunday school.
This started her life as a member of The Salvation Army and her subsequent answer to the call to be an officer. Mary was commissioned in 1958 as part of the Courageous session.
Ill health and other circumstances meant she changed from being an officer to being a warden at a home. She never left her ministry, often praying and sharing Scripture with residents, which they loved.
With her eyesight failing, Mary didn’t like the fact that she couldn’t see well. She loved to knit dolls’ clothes for the toddlers and continued to have a ministry in prayer for many. – VR
OLIVE MATTHEWS STAPLE HILL
OLIVE was born in Bristol in 1932 and lived in Staple Hill. Through family circumstances, Olive lived with the family of Freda Hobbs, a close friend, and they both attended Staple Hill Corps. Olive became a junior soldier, a Sunbeam and a member of the singing company. She was enrolled as a senior soldier and became a member of the songster brigade.
Olive met her husband, Dennis Matthews, through her employment, and they married in 1957 and had two sons, Michael and Gary. Sadly, Gary passed away in 2022. Olive was very fond of her two granddaughters, Sally and Jennifer, and her three lovely great-grandchildren.
Dennis passed away in 2012, but Olive remained a faithful soldier at Staple Hill all her life. At the time of her passing, she was number one on the roll. Olive always put others first and will be remembered for her kindness and generosity. – VW
THOMAS CLAMPTON BARROW-INFURNESS
TOM was born into a Salvation Army family in 1934. He gave his heart to Jesus at an early age and became a singing company and young people’s band member. Tom later became a Torchbearer youth club leader, bandsman, songster and corps sergeant-major.
He was a loving and devoted husband to Violet, whom he married in 1958, and was caring and proud of his three children and two grandchildren. He served in the merchant navy and worked in shipbuilding. In retirement, Tom was a lollipop man. He was creative, a passionate craft maker and a lover of music. Tom was fun, encouraging, a giver of joy, patient and kind.
Tom loved God throughout his days. God was first in his life, and he loved others before himself. He was promoted to Glory on 2 February 2026. A faithful soldier of Jesus, Tom is missed by his family and all who knew him. – SC
LILIAN WORTH MACCLESFIELD
LILIAN was born to Salvationist parents, attending Macclesfield Corps with her brothers, Alan and John Ottaway. A lifelong Salvationist, she was always present and prepared to help out wherever she could. She married Jim in 1960 and had three children, Kelvin, Andrew and Stephanie. Lilian’s love of children made her an ideal young people’s sergeant-major and she is well remembered for teaching the ‘top class’, where the older children were taught about the Bible. Lilian loved singing and enjoyed being in the songster brigade, leading the devotions each practice. The songster leaders appreciated her loyalty and contributions, which could always be relied upon.
Lilian had a love for everyone – family, children and all she met – and showed her welcoming smile. All this love came from her love of her Lord. It naturally spilled over into her life, and she witnessed the true love of Christ in the best possible way. – AS
