All The World (July 2011)

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JULY–SEPTEMBER 2011

Victims ofSex Trade

Trafficking

for

SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2011

JaPan – serving after the tsunami

Changing communities – USa

Photo competition prizes revealed

Corps life and more in Ghana

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www.salvationarmy.org/alltheworld


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03 UPFRONTFrom the Editor

04 COMPETITIONSend your photos!

05 OUTREACHa changing community in the USa

07 PRAYERGlobal 24-7 prayer update

08 HOME AND�AWAYReflections from the USa and Rwanda

10 FACTFILEJapan facts and figures

11 EMERGENCYJapan earthquake and tsunami

15 MINISTRY�Reflections from Ghana

17 INSIGHTLiving in a multi-faith community

21 RESOURCESMinistry Toolkit website

22 SNAPSHOTSnews from around the world

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JULY–SEPTEMBER 2011 | ALL THE WORLD | 3

UP

FR

ON

T

Kevin Sims, editor

F r o M T h e e d i T o r

ediTor Kevin Sims

deSiGn And ArTWorK Berni Georges

ediToriAL oFFiCe

The Salvation Army international headquarters

101 Queen Victoria Street

London eC4V 4eh, United Kingdom

Tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101; fax: [44] (0)20 7332 8079

email: [email protected]

FoUnder William Booth

GenerAL Linda Bond

ediTor-in-ChieF Lieut-Colonel Laurie robertson

Published by Linda Bond,

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ThE writer Samuel Johnson had away with words. ‘When a man istired of London, he is tired of life,’he wrote to a friend in September

1777. ‘For there is in London all that lifecan afford.’

More than 230 years on, Johnson’swords still ring true, although it could beargued that now, if not then, the variety oflife he saw in London can be found inmost of the world’s major cities.

This issue of All the World includesarticles that reflect 21st-century urban

reality in London and just outside anotherbig city – Chicago in the USa. In Stepney,east London, Captains nick and KerryCoke are working out how to live asChristians in the midst of a majorityMuslim population. across the atlantic,just outside Chicago, a changingcommunity is bringing new challenges toSalvationists of norridge Citadel. Thesechallenges are being met head-on, usingthe twin-pronged approach of prayer andhospitality.

Big cities are fascinating, almost takingon a life of their own as people flow fromone place to another.

In London, for instance, an everydayjourney can turn into an adventure. Mywalk from the train station to work atInternational headquarters takes only 20minutes through the city’s business district

but in that short time I see anincredible variety of life.

This morning I was overtaken bya police motorcyclist leading out alarge number of cyclists, all wearingmatching Lycra outfits. a couple ofdays ago a shortcut through a narrowalley saved less time than usualbecause I was held up behind twohuge horses! and a few days beforethat I was nearly run over by a manriding one of the bikes you can hire incentral London. nothing particularlyunusual about that – except for the factthat this particular rider was resplendentin a dinner suit – tuxedo, bow tie, the works!

I enjoy taking in the various sights butmany people seem to be unaware of whatis going on around them. The majority areplugged into their music players,oblivious to what is around them.

I once kept my headphonesplugged in after I got off the train towalk to work but I hated it! I feltremoved from what was going onaround me, almost as if I wasviewing a film – with my choiceof music as a soundtrack –rather than participating inlife.

One thing I have noticedrecently is the largenumber of churches I

pass. Very few people actually live in thebusiness district of London so it amazes methat they remain open, often hiddenbehind tower blocks and large corporate

buildings, ready to pop up unexpectedlyas I turn a corner.

There’s something about thesechurches that gladdens my heart as I

trudge past on a rainy day. ‘We’rehere to stay!’ they seem to say.

and, just like Salvation armycentres across the world thatfind themselves surrounded by

the secular, the non-Christianand the anti-Christian, they serve

as a reminder of faithfulnessand perseverance in the faceof apathy and even opposition.

I wonder how many of myfellow pedestrians notice thechurches – or are they too busyin their self-contained bubbles tosee and hear what is aroundthem?

Of course, this leads to achallenge – how does the Churchburst the bubble of indifference

and opposition? The Salvationarmy in Stepney and norridgehas come up with answers that

work for them. I praythat you and I will be

inspired to do thesame.

© The General of

The Salvation Army 2011

Bursting bubbles

‘The majority are pluggedinto their music players,oblivious to what isaround them’

4 | ALL THE WORLD | JULY–SEPTEMBER 2011

P HOTO � COM P E T I T I ON

selected Writings

voluMe 1 and voluMe 2

by Shaw Clifton

B o o k s B y t h r e e r e t i r e d s a lva t i o n a r M y g e n e r a l s

Mid-year

sale

Please send a cheque made out to ‘The Salvation Army’ to: Communications Section, The Salvation Army international headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria Street,London eC4V 4eh, United Kingdom. Be sure to include your name and address and to be clear which items you wish to purchase. All Salvation Books publicationsare also available from territorial trade departments and on amazon.co.uk, although prices will vary.

there’s a Boy here…

by John Gowans

£3.00 including postage

general KNoWledGe

saying yes to life and

1929 – A Crisis that Shaped The Salvation Army’s Future

by John Larsson

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Picture tHiS!

Send your photoS that Show

As you will have read in the April–June issue,

we want people around the world to show us

what The Salvation Army is and does where they live.

What you take a photograph of is up to you. it may be an open-air meeting

in Africa, a soup-run in Europe, a Salvation Army school in Asia, emergency

response in Australasia or worship in the Americas. Feel free to be as

creative as you want.

A selection of entries will feature in a photo spread in the october–

December issue of All the World and will also be shown in a special

exhibition, titled ‘This is The Salvation Army’, held at international

Headquarters in London.

As well as having the pleasure of seeing his or her photograph in print and

featured in an exhibition, the winning photographer will receive a £100

Amazon voucher and a copy of Voices from haiti Vault, the spectacular

full-colour coffee table book produced after the Haiti earthquake of 2010.

Second- and third-prize-winners will receive a selection of books and

audiobooks produced by international Headquarters.

Please send digital photographs to

[email protected] and printed

copies to: All the World Photographic Competition,

The Salvation Army, 101 Queen Victoria Street,

London eC4V 4eh, United Kingdom. entries should

include the name of the photographer and his or her

location. For files larger than 10MB please send a

smaller version and we will contact you if we need the

full-size image. Unfortunately we will not be able to

return printed photos.

Picture tHiS!

The closing date to receive entries is 15 August 2011.

THERE iS STiLL TiME To EnTER THE All the World

photographic competition

– but don’t leave it too late!


U S A

ThE village of norridge, justoutside the city of Chicago,Illinois, is next to O’hareInternational, one of the world’s

busiest airports. In the mid-20th centurynorridge became home to the ‘suburbanamerican dream’ as families (mostlyItalian-Catholic and Polish-Catholicimmigrants) relocated from urbanapartment complexes and traditionalthree-storey flats to leafy streets with rowafter row of tidy, brick-built single-familybungalows.

In the late 1970s The Salvation armypurchased a corner plot of land in thevillage and began to build a new home forthe then Montclair Corps (church). Whenthe doors of the new norridge CitadelCorps opened in 1983 and uniformedSalvationists – complete with brass band– marched up the street, neighbours musthave wondered what impact this oddbunch of folk would have on their quietcorner of the globe.

Members of the corps developed andembraced a simple and effective missionstatement: ‘To bring Christ to the peopleand the people to Christ’. This statementstill defines the mission and purpose ofnorridge Citadel.

Early on it was decided that everyactivity and ministry happening in orthrough the corps would point to andculminate in the Sunday morningCelebration Service. The corps built on itstradition of musical excellence by seekingto ensure it was a place of vibrant,relevant, God-honouring worship.

Traditional Salvation army programmesand ministries have been utilised to reachout to the community. The developmentof an after-school programme (aSP) andsummer day camp came in directresponse to the needs of local working-class families for quality child care.

FEaST (Families Eating and StudyingTogether) began as the passion of then-

New traditionsCorps Sergeant-Major harry McBride.harry envisioned a gathering wherepeople came to feast on God’s Word,enjoying good fellowship and anaffordable meal.

Food pantry open-day – where peoplein need are provided with householdnecessities – is now scheduled on thesame day as FEaST because people whoseek practical assistance can form linkswith corps members over a meal, gettinga glimpse of the activities andopportunities on offer. Conversationsaround the table have led to childrenjoining a youth activity, adults staying forBible study and a personal invitation tojoin in Sunday worship.

norridge continues to be impacted bythe expansion of greater Chicago. Today,many families are moving out of the oldsuburbs like norridge into newlydeveloped, further-flung areas.

Easy access to major roads means thatsmall, traditional bungalows on now-expensive lots are being torn down to bereplaced with larger homes for theeconomically advantaged. The olderhomes that are left often house more thanone low- to middle-income family.

‘O’Hare Airport brings

immigrants looking

for a better life’

norridge Citadel is known throughout The

Salvation Army for its musical excellence

and traditional Salvation Army ministry.

Major Morag Yoder tells All the World how

the corps is building on these strengths

and using prayer and a spirit of Christian

hospitality to become increasingly relevant

to a changing community.by Major Morag Yoder

Above: ray hosch, Aeri Thomas and Galyna hoschare enrolled as soldiers of The Salvation Army atnorridge Citadel. ray, an African-American fromthe southside of Chicago, met Galyna – a Ukrainiantourist – when he worked at o’hare Airport. Aeri isthe daughter of Korean immigrants; below: thecorps building

of individuals and families’

U S A

O’hare airport brings immigrantslooking for a better life. norridgecontinues to serve as the first stop out ofthe city for some and the first stop intoamerica for others.

For the past three years the corps hasresponded to an increased demand forsocial service outreach ministries. Thecurrent economic climate greatly affectslocal working-class families, resulting in long-time donors now becomingrecipients of material assistance. Thenumber of families and individualsvisiting the food pantry or seeking othertypes of assistance is increasing.

On the surface the race and ethnicity ofthe community remains predominantly‘white-american’ and ‘white-European’but different languages, races andethnicities (such as Bulgarian, Ukrainian,hungarian, Romanian, Indian, Iraqi,Egyptian, hispanic and Mongolian) arenow represented. These newcomersprovide incredible opportunities as thecorps family seeks to bring ‘Christ to thepeople and the people to Christ’.

Demonstrating hospitality is a naturalentry point – offering drinks and snacks incomfortable surroundings is a simple actof kindness and respect.

It is also vital to get to know the specificneeds of individuals and families. Forinstance, it was recently realised thatdonating pet food to local families canmake a difference. Keeping a family petout of the animal shelter has become asimple way to show compassion andpractical care.

a vibrant prayer ministry is provingeffective. at norridge Citadel you soondiscover the ready offer of prayer support!

Pamela Church-Pryor, communityministries director, regularly uses prayer asa way to interact with the people shesupports. She also solicits prayer requests

which are shared in a prayer meeting led by Corps Sergeant-Major DavidBrooksbank every Sunday. These samerequests are then prayed for by membersof the high school-age Sunday schoolclass. During seasonal distribution(Thanksgiving and Christmas) prayerrooms are manned by members of thecorps.

at these times, people hungry for Godand desperate for hope line the corridors,waiting for the opportunity to pray beforecollecting their food basket or shoppingfor toys for their children. Polish andSpanish Bibles and tracts as well asEnglish-language Bibles and resources arealso distributed.

Whenever the doors of the corps areopen someone is on hand to comealongside, offering a hand of friendship, aready prayer and a sincere testimony ofGod’s love. On Sunday a meaningfulprayer journal keeps the corps familyabreast of praise reports and currentneeds.

Opportunities to meet the practicalneeds of the community are alsoexpressed in Sunday bulletins. There maybe a disabled senior who needs someoneto mow their lawn, an Iraqi refugee whoneeds help preparing a résumé, a newmother who needs a crib, an out-of-worksingle parent who wants to learn a

marketable computer skill or victims of ahouse fire who need to replace furniture.Whatever the need, corps members aremade aware and quickly answer the callto be Christ in the community.

an exciting outcome of living in activemission is that Sunday worshipattendance is now reflective of thecommunity served. The face and dynamicof norridge Citadel is evolving asnewcomers discover a welcoming placeof service and worship. Recruits classesare always on offer and Salvationistworkshops, designed to explain thebreadth and scope of the internationalSalvation army, link newcomers to awider, global mission.

The recent enrolment of eight newsoldiers and one adherent member –representing a variety of cultures – reflectsGod’s pleasure in diversity and his call ofsalvation for ‘the whosoever’.

God is at work in our rapidly-changingcorner of suburban america. TheSalvationists of norridge Citadel aregrateful that he is allowing us to share inhis vision and mission.

‘It is also vital to get to know the specific needs


Major Morag Yoder and her husband,Major Stephen Yoder, are the corps

officers at norridge Citadel. Major Moragis a contributor to Called to Preach, a new

book of sermons by Salvation Armywomen (see page 22 for more details)

Left: Julia Apostal is enrolled as a soldier. Julia, a single parent from South America, came into contact withnorridge Citadel when she collected donated bread from the food pantry to give out to hungry neighbours.days before her enrolment Julia was injured in a house fire that left her homeless. Another family fromnorridge Citadel – a romanian man, his Columbian wife and their seven children – took in Julia and her dog.Julia was determined to be enrolled as planned, even though she had lost her clothing in the fire. her friendsscrambled to get together uniform items so she could be enrolled in style; below: practising basketball at anafter-school club run by the corps; below right: corps officer Major Stephen Yoder dedicates to God Aman,the son of indian immigrants deepak and Sushma


C A L L �TO � 2 4 - 7 � P R AY E R

PICTURE God’s people united inprayer,’ writes Lieut-Colonel JanetMunn, ‘where one hour isn’tenough in the prayer room and

there is a desire for more, where childrenand youth are crying out for justice.Picture people committing themselves fora day, month, year or more of non-stopprayer and intentionally giving voice tothe issues that are on their hearts. Picturefaith increasing and prayers beinganswered. The good news is this beautifulimagery is happening in The Salvationarmy. It is a reality.’

Since 1 January 2011, 41 Salvationarmy territories, commands and regionshave been praying as part of the GlobalCall to 24-7 Prayer – A Day and Night Cryfor Justice. Lieut-Colonel Munn isSecretary for Spiritual Life Developmentat The Salvation army’s InternationalCollege for Officers and Centre forSpiritual Life Development (CSLD) inLondon, UK. The CSLD is overseeing thecoordination of the Global Call, whichseeks to bring together The Salvation armyworldwide through a united prayer focus.

The call comes from the parable of thepersistent widow in Luke 18:7–8, whereJesus said: ‘and will not God bring aboutjustice for his chosen, ones who cry out tohim day and night? I tell you, he will seethat they get justice, and quickly.’

The purpose of the Global Call is tomotivate and focus attention on prayerthroughout The Salvation army’sinternational family, witha united purpose inintercession – the needfo r j u s t i ce fo r t heoppressed.

Further information andexamples are available at:www.saglobal247.org

People from aroundthe wor ld can getinvolved by reading theCall to Prayer in full,downloading the 24-7Prayer brochure andsetting aside their owntime to pray. The site alsofeatures monthly prayerfocuses written on ajustice-related theme byCommissioner ChristineMacMillan, Director ofthe International SocialJustice Commission.

‘Cast the vision tothose around you,’ adds

Lieut-Colonel Munn, ‘and register yourparticipation on the website.’

news items on the website show theimpact of the Global Call in places asvaried as Canada, the UK, Brazil and theDemocratic Republic of Congo. Theworldwide nature of the call is also shownthrough the calendar, which shows day-by-day when territories, commands orregions have signed up to pray.

another aspect of the Global Call is theintegration of prayer, justice and the arts.Crying out for deliverance fromoppression through songs is part ofScripture and the history of the Church.This is why the Salvation army websitewww.saytunes.com (set up by the USaWestern Territory), in partnership with theSocial Justice and Creative artsDepartments of The Salvation army’saustralia Southern Territory, is supporting

the Global Call to 24-7 Prayer through aSongs of Justice section on its website, towhich Salvationist composers arecontributing monthly.

an artistic project, Just arts, isunderway and will be linked to the 24-7Prayer website. Through Just arts,Salvationists worldwide will be able tocontribute and have access to musiccompositions, paintings, photographs,poems and other forms of creative writingrelated to prayer and justice.

Latest prayer resources and news arealso updated daily on the Global Call to24-7 Prayer Facebook (facebook.com/saglobal247) and twitter (@saglobal247)pages.

‘a renewal of prayer is happening inour day,’ concludes the colonel. ‘We arecalled to be part of it.’

PASSES Six MonTHS

‘Another aspect is the

integration of prayer,

justice and the arts’

THE SALvATion ARMY’S global 24-7 PRAYER FoCUS

Prayer reflections‘

8 | ALL THE WORLD | JULY-SEPTEMBER 2011

HOM E �AND �AWAY

USA WESTERn TERRiToRY

MaJOR KELLY POnTSLER

A SERiES LookinG AT THE THoUGHTS AnD ExPERiEnCES oF

PEoPLE WoRkinG FoR THE SALvATion ARMY in THEiR CoUnTRY

oF BiRTH AnD oTHERS GivinG SERviCE ABRoAD

What is your role in the Salvation army?

i am General Secretary for the Golden State Division of The

Salvation Army’s USA Western Territory as well as the San

Francisco Metro Coordinator.

how did you meet the Salvation army?

i was born into a Salvationist family. My parents were cadets in

training to be officers when they had me.

do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

i have several but the person who comes to mind first is my

grandfather, Brigadier Charles Bennett. My grandfather was

truly a man of God, serving God faithfully throughout his

lifetime. His officer service was always in corps (Salvation Army

churches) that were small in size but big in heart. i believe he

set the tone by his own commitment to holy living.

What is your favourite bible verse?

Psalm 143:8 ‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing

love, for i have put my trust in you. Show me the way i should

go, for to you i entrust my life’ (New International Version).

What is your favourite Salvation army song?

‘in the Army of Jesus we’ve taken our stand ... i’ll stand for

Christ alone’. i love music and there are loads of songs that

speak to me, so this is a tough question. My recent

appointment to the international College for officers was a

tremendous experience of personal growth and renewal, as

well as a chance to reaffirm my commitment to stand for Christ

– and to do so with boldness and courage, no matter what!

how do you think the Salvation army in the uSa differs

from the rest of the world?

Having spent 14 years serving outside of the USA i have come

to appreciate how many different types of programmes and

activities we are able to support. no two communities are

identical in terms of what the Army has to offer, no two

programmes are the same, no two corps have the same

schedule. While that can make it hard for us to find common

ground for evaluating our own work, i do think it is a sign of

our adaptability.

What particular challenges does the Salvation army

face in the uSa?

The Salvation Army remains highly respected by the

community at large. its support for our work and trust in us is

significant and foundational to our continued mission success.

The danger, though, is that we can focus so hard on finding

and maintaining financial support for significant programmes

and facilities that we lose sight of the real goal, which is to lead

people into relationship with Jesus Christ.

What do you like most about the uSa?

i think Americans have a very strong ‘can do’ attitude – we’re

not easily persuaded to change course once we make up our

minds. Plan A may not work, but we’ll get you with Plan B!

What aspect of another country’s culture/attitudes do you

think would be useful in the uSa?

When i served in Africa some years ago i was taught that white hair

on a person’s head is a sign of wisdom. Americans have such a

strong attachment to all that is young and youthful that we can

discount the wisdom of our elders.

if you were appointed general, what would be the first thing

you would change?

now there’s a dangerous question! To be honest, i’m not sure

there is anything i would change at the moment. i like the direction

we are headed and i believe it reflects God’s inspiration to and

through our leaders today. This is a great time to be a Salvationist.

if you could choose to work for the Salvation army

anywhere else, where would you choose?

i’ve been privileged to serve in three of the Army’s five geographic

zones, and there are a few places i would return to in an instant.

But if i were to head off to do something new, i think i’d like to

serve in Australia. Australians strike me as abundantly creative,

open, friendly people, with great heart and boldness when it comes

to mission!

What skills do you use most in your work?

i have a natural inclination towards organisation and structure, and

that shows up in pretty much everything i do. Also, i am forever

grateful that my mom signed me up for a typing class – i spend a

good deal of my time following up correspondence.

What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity

to use more?

i thoroughly enjoy teaching. i suppose it creeps in indirectly in my

current role, but i love the education environment and having time

to grapple with new subjects in a classroom setting.

how would you like to be remembered?

As someone who served the Lord with passion, integrity and courage.

What’s so special about the Salvation army?

i love the description of the Army as the church with its sleeves

rolled up. We’re not just pew sitters (though we love congregations)

and we’re not just do-gooders (though we have huge opportunities

to do good every day). We are people who love God and have a

passion for people – and we get to be part of God’s grace delivery

system to the world.

&AWAYJULY–SEPTEMBER 2011 | ALL THE WORLD | 9JULY-SEPTEMBER 2011 | ALL THE WORLD | 9

MaJOR BEnTE GUnDERSEn

RWAnDA AnD BURUnDi CoMMAnD(oRiGinALLY FRoM noRWAY)

&AW

AY

&AW

AYÒ

& awayWhat is your role in the Salvation army?

i am an officer (minister), appointed as the training principal and

acting project officer in the Rwanda and Burundi Command.

What would be your typical day?

i have a five-minute walk from my house to the officer training

college. That walk typically starts my working day. The rest of the

day will be a combination of teaching, administrative tasks and

planning and sharing with colleagues. i walk home in the evening to

supper and sometimes a chat – usually an electronic one – with

friends or family.

how did you meet the Salvation army?

i started teacher training as an atheist and ended it as a Salvation

Army soldier and accepted candidate for officership! During the first

six months of my studies God gradually revealed himself to me as a

loving, living and holy God. His work in me and the influence and

prayers of Christian friends forced me to see that the God i had

dismissed as a crutch for weak people was real – he demanded my

attention and a decision on what i wanted to do with this newfound

knowledge of his reality. i accepted Jesus as my saviour. My friends

and family were surprised but i experienced the joy and blessing of

God’s presence in my life. Looking around for a church, the Lord

made it easy for me and showed me that The Salvation Army was

my spiritual home.

What is your favourite bible verse?

My favourite verse has a tendency to change from time to time.

Currently it is Colossians 1:19–20: ‘For God was pleased to have all

his fullness dwell in him, 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’ (New International

Version).

What is your favourite Salvation army song?

‘in the Secret of Thy Presence’ – in norwegian preferably. (if not,

in English!)

how do you think the Salvation army in rwanda differs from

the rest of the world?

it is amazing, because there are differences from country to country

in styles of worship, prayer or methods and much more – but

somehow The Salvation Army is still The Salvation Army. i think The

Salvation Army in Rwanda is recognisable as The Salvation Army!

The Rwandan version is still young, and may be lacking some

traditional groups and activities, but it is energetic and enthusiastic

about evangelising and growing in numbers, knowledge and

strength.

What particular challenges does the Salvation army face in

rwanda?

Because it is still young in Rwanda (17 years old), and came to the

country with the emergency services after the genocide and war,

there are still some challenges in making the transition in peoples’

minds from being seen as an aid organisation to being a church.

But one of the biggest challenges at the moment is that Rwanda

and Burundi do not have enough officers to cover the needs in the

command. Corps and outposts need officers to continue the

expansion and growth into new towns and villages, but just as

much to ensure the continued spiritual growth of existing corps

and to provide a reinforced support and outreach to different

communities.

What do you miss most about your home country?

Being with my friends and family.

What do you like most about rwanda?

Rwanda is close to perfection in beauty and climate, and in addition

to that it is a safe, clean, tidy and well organised country.

if you were appointed general, what would be the first thing

you would change?

if not the first thing then quite high on a list of priorities would be to

insist on and formalise accountability, consultation and transparency

in decision-making at all levels.

if you could choose to work for the Salvation army anywhere

else, where would you choose and why?

i’m very happy where i am today. i don’t think i want to move

anywhere else for a while!

What skills do you use most in your work?

Probably equal parts of teaching and organisational/administrative

skills. But i’m blessed with the opportunity to use my skills also in

counselling and preaching in my service at the officer training

college.

how would you like to be remembered?

As someone who made it possible for people to live in and with

God’s presence, so they could grow and become what God

wanted, discovering his gifts and blessings in their lives.

What’s so special about the Salvation army?

it is special to me because it is my church, my place and my

spiritual home.

Major Bente Gundersen marches with fellowSalvationists after an open-air meeting

Major Bente Gundersen and Major Kelly Pontsler are bothcontributors to Called to Preach, a new book of sermons bySalvation Army women (see page 22 for more details)


FA

CT

FIL

E

N

JAPAN

The Japanese flag shows a redcircle on a white background.The white represents honestyand purity and the red disc is asun symbol, meaning brightness,sincerity and warmth.

According to the international

Monetary Fund, in 2010 Japan

was the third-richest nation in the

world, with a gross domestic

product of US$5.46 billion. This

placed the country just behind

China but significantly behind the

United States of America.

= More than 127 million people live in Japan.

= The country is made up of four major

islands and more than 6,800 smaller

islands!

= only 0.7 per cent of the population are

Christians.

= The 9.0-magnitude earthquake that hit

Japan in March 2011 is reported to be the

fifth-strongest on record.

= The Salvation Army began work in Japan

in 1895.

= There are 47 Salvation Army corps

(churches) and 12 outposts in Japan, with

2,851 senior soldiers (full members) and

101 junior soldiers.

= The Japan Territory oversees two hospitals

and 20 social services institutions

including children’s homes, homes for the

elderly and rehabilitation centres.

= The Salvation Army in Japan is known as

kyuu-Sei-Gun which means, literally,

‘Save-World-Army’. During the Second

World War it had to change its name to

kyuu-Sei-Dan (‘Save-World-Brigade/

Team’) because Gun (Army) was only

allowed to be used to refer to the

Japanese imperial Army.

(Go-Shichi no Kiri)Government seal

= The Japan Staff Band of The Salvation

Army was formed in 1907 but only

made its first trip to Europe in 2011,

when it toured the Uk before taking

part in the international Staff Band’s

120th anniversary celebrations in

London.

in 1899, Japanese pioneer Salvation

Army officer Commissioner Gunpei

Yamamuro wrote, in Japanese,

The Common People’s Gospel.

The book, which presents the gospel

using illustrations that resonated with

a Japanese readership, has sold

more than three million copies in

Japan alone and has been reprinted

more than 500 times.

From top: the Golden hall and five-storeypagoda of hōryū-ji, among the oldestwooden buildings in the world; nozomiShinkansen or 'Bullet Train' at TokyoStation; 12th-century illustrated handscrollof The Tale of Genji, a national Treasure

no

rth

pa

cif

ico

cea

n

sendai

fukushima

tokyo

honshu

kyushu

south korea

north korea

hokkaido

sea of Japan


J A PAN

ThE words of the neilDiamond song ‘Prettyamazing Grace’ struckhome for me as I worked

in Japan after the earthquake andtsunami that occurred on 11March 2011. It was april and I wasmaking my second visit, having spent twoweeks there in the immediate aftermath ofthe disaster.

If you have seen video material on thenews or photos of the damage caused bythe tsunami you would agree that chaos is

by Major Drew Ruthven

an appropriate description of what Japanwas facing. The image the song brings of‘calm in the heat of war’ is one that wasreflected by the Japanese Governmentwhen it declared that, just as the countryrecovered after the Second World War, soit will recover after this disaster.

The destruction caused by the tsunamireminded me of photographs I have seenof hiroshima and nagasaki after the

atomic bombing during the Second WorldWar. The tsunami left behind so muchdebris that the government and theJapanese army had to use heavyequipment to clear paths so they couldcontinue their search for missing people.

Food distributions have been ongoingfrom day one of the disaster, which iswhen The Salvation army began itsresponse. Tokyo Central Corps (Salvationarmy church), which is on the site ofterritorial headquarters, opened its doorsto people who were caught up intransportation problems on the first night.In the days since, more than 10,000 hotmeals and household items have beenhanded out to people in need.

I saw the skill and determination of thelocal Salvationists. Many people were sograteful for their help. Members of thepublic seemed content to line up for hoursfor water when, for some I met, the onlyalternative was to scoop water from aswimming pool.

Love in the midst of chaos

‘Love in the midst of chaos,

Calm in the heat of war,

Showed with amazing grace,

What love was for.’(from ‘Pretty Amazing Grace’)

Top: food distribution at Sendai Corps


J A PAN

The earthquake was followed by phasetwo – a tsunami that hit the shore only 10minutes after the quake in some places.This is what caused a large number of thedeaths and so much destruction. There arestill many people missing.

Tsunami damage i s complete

destruction – we do not have structuresthat stand up to this sort of force. Very fewbuildings remained upright after the wavecame in.

The third aspect to the disaster was thedamage to the nuclear facility atFukushima. The reactors at the plant willtake many years to repair – if they can berepaired at all. The feeling of insecuritywill probably last for a generation or two.To some extent I felt it was a shame thatthe media focused so much on thenuclear crisis to the detriment of thecoverage it gave to the incredibledestruction wrought by the tsunami.

There is devastation on a massive scalealong a large stretch of the north-easterncoast of Japan. I saw four-storey buildingsthat had simply been pushed over on theirside and 40-ton train carriages that hadbeen moved 100 metres from their tracks.

‘Tsunami damage is complete destruction – we do not have structures that stand up to this sort of force’

Two months after the earthquake

The Japanese people showed resilience,something I have seen from others afterdisasters, but there was a calm, orderedway of life to these people and societythat I had not seen elsewhere. as I movedaround the impacted areas I gained astrong impression of a nation in recovery,not struggling with the question of ‘Willwe recover?’ but, rather, asking: ‘Whenwill we recover?’

Remarkable processes were put inplace right from the start. Transport wasquickly taken care of, roads repairedwithin days of being completelyimpassable, train lines that had beendamaged were soon running again.

What I saw in Japan was a recoveryprocess that came closer to matching theneed – and quickly – more than anythingI have witnessed before. (It was not perfectbut I do not expect I will ever see that!) Somany people were helped quickly by thegovernment systems.

The people I saw were very civil toeach other. This was in spite of theunspoken feeling of panic when there wasan aftershock or when the reactorsexploded at the Fukushima nuclear powerplant. I could see the looks of worry onthe faces of people watching TV screensin shop windows, catching the latestupdates as they waited to cross the road.

The disaster in Japan was threefold. The9.0-magnitude earthquake was near thevery top of the scale – in fact, it was thefifth-strongest earthquake on record.Many buildings were damaged.

Top: Salvation Army workers hold a minute’ssilence to pray for the people who were killed in

the tsunami and for their families; right: Majordrew ruthven looks out on a scene of destruction

while discussing The Salvation Army’s responsewith a government official; below: playing music

for people who are waiting for food

with pictures of missing loved ones


J A PAN

as I moved around Sendai and thesurrounding area I was aware that what Isaw was only a small part of the damage.

Two months after the earthquake therewere still posters on poles with pictures ofmissing loved ones. I saw people lookingthrough what remained of their homes,picking up the occasional photo or trinket.

I had no way of understanding whatthey felt. I wanted to talk with thesepeople and listen to their stories but Ididn’t want to cause more pain. Thedifficulty of having to have conversationstranslated and the chance of upsettingpeople as they tried to get their livestogether stopped me from approachingmany of them. I know they will keeplooking for lost ones and possessions fora long time yet. any sort of resolution willtake many months if not years.

I had a meal in a cafe whose owner told

me she had wanted to reopen as soon asshe possibly could. The cafe was busy;people were waiting outside to come inand have a meal. It was one of the fewplaces that could reopen in the area.

It struck me that the cafe was fulfillinga dual role in being a place where peoplecould eat but also a place they could meetwith each other and reassure themselvesthat things will return to normal.

apologising for the water mark on thewall – a sign of how high the floods hadreached – the owner said she had tried toget everything back to normal but thewalls had not been painted yet. For me, itwas a good place to be, to feel the senseof community as people shared with eachother was very comforting. There wasgood food as well.

The response of The Salvation armyaround the world has been great but theefficiency of the government responsemeant that many offers of goods and

money were not immediately taken up inthe early days following the disaster.

Offers of help are still coming in andwe will find ways to help people with theresources that are being donated. I givethanks to everyone who came to the aidof Japan.

The area around Sendai was badlyaffected by the earthquake and tsunami.Much of the initial feeding programme setin place by The Salvation army was basedaround Sendai Corps, under its officersMajors Mitsuo and asako Igarashi.

The Salvation army in Japan is findingthe gaps that exist in the overall responsearound Sendai. We have distributed hotfood to people in places where eitherheating food was a problem or where thesmaller numbers of people meant thegovernment had not yet responded.

We discovered that fishing equipmentand boats were lost in the tsunami, so weare putting into place projects to help getthe local fishing industry underway again.We are also supplying basic bedding forpeople moving into temporary housing –30,000 people will be moving intoaccommodation that is designed to last forthree years.

Sendai Corps also looks after the workat namie Corps, which is only eightkilometres (five miles) from the Fukushimapower station – well inside the 20-kilometre safety exclusion zone. It is notonly inadvisable to enter this zone – it’sillegal.

Majors Igarashi are worried about theirpeople and also about the security of the‘Tsunami damage is complete destruction – we do not have structures that stand up to this sort of force’

Two months after the earthquake

Top: children in Sendai receivetreats and entertainment; above:ready-to-serve single packs offood. The writing offers therecipient God’s blessing

there were still posters on poles

with pictures of missing loved ones


J A PAN

property. We know all the people from thecorps are safe and have moved in withfamily in different parts of the country,although they face the prospect of neverbeing able to return to their homes. Weare not sure when, or if, the corps will function again as a worshippingcommunity.

It is not known when The Salvationarmy will have access to the corpsbuildings. Even when this happenseverything will have to bechecked for radiation.

I was told that the corpssecretary from namiefaithfully looked after thebuildings for many yearsbut he and his family livedclose to the Fukushimapower plant. he cannot goback to his home – maybe not ever.

Ms Keiko Saito, a soldier who works inthe Literature Department at territorialheadquarters in Tokyo, spoke to me aboutthe situation in namie.

Keiko’s family have lived in the namiearea for a long time. She lives in Tokyo buthas regularly travelled back twice a monthto the family home. now she is unsurewhen she will be able to go back. She toldme that because of the disaster her plansfor retirement may need to be revised. atbest it will be many months and could beyears before the people of namie are

have been planned for some time takeplace. Sunday is still the day of worship.

I was able to go out one Friday nightinto a city street in Tokyo and watch thenormal working out of the ministry of TheSalvation army’s social services, whichhas a regular feeding programme forpeople who live on the street.

Many people lined up on the street – somany that the team arranged pedestrian‘traffic controls’. The people filed past oneat a time to receive the food and otherhelp offered. Some packed it in their bagsand headed to what they call home.Others found a place nearby and satdown to enjoy a warm meal. a number ofpeople passing by thanked The Salvationarmy for what it does for the homeless.

I’m reminded that on the day theearthquake struck, the meals that hadbeen prepared as usual for the homelessended up being used to feed people stuckin Tokyo because the transport system wasdown.

I can’t help but reflect that this is whatI see time and time again in my work withInternational Emergency Services. Somany times we are thanked and we feelgood about what we are doing but, really,this is not the point. In the name of Godwe do what we do to help, when andwhere we can, to lift the dignity of thelives of people in urgent need.

neil Diamond finishes his song withthe words ‘showed me that love, truth,hope and grace were all I needed’. Iwitnessed The Salvation army offeringlove, truth, hope and grace to the peopleof Japan, and doing it all in God’s name.

allowed to move backinto the area. It isthought that a lot ofpeople will not moveback, but will insteadgo and live elsewhere.

I was amazed to see how normal life

throughout Japan continues. The Salvationarmy hospitals carry on with their work,food distributions for the homeless go onin the streets of Tokyo, youth councils that

‘The people filedpast one at a timeto receive thefood and other

help offered’

Major Drew Ruthven is Emergency Personnelofficer of the international Emergency Servicesteam, based at The Salvation Army’sinternational Headquarters in London

right: Major drew ruthven is shown aroundtemporary housing built by the JapaneseGovernment; below right: a child enjoys somehot soup; bottom: members of the SalvationArmy team in Sendai after they prepared andserved 1,000 meals


GHANA

IT is four years since I first witnessedthe work of The Salvation army inGhana. Back in 2007 I led part of aworship service at the corps (church)

in nungua, 15 miles from the capital cityof accra.

Visiting africa for the first time from theUK, the presence of the Christian Churchseemed very alive as I walked throughnungua to attend the service, which wasled by a small band and singing group.

as in many african countries,allegiance to God is publicised in all sortsof places. Public and private transport,shops and businesses proclaim theirreligious affiliations and display religiousslogans.

at the time of my first visit, the work ofThe Salvation army in nungua was in itsinfancy. a concrete building had beenpartially built, with exposed ironsupporting rods still in evidence.

I saw a number of church buildingsaround Ghana that would not look out ofplace in a rural town or village in the UK.The most noticeable differences were thatthe outsides of the buildings were paintedin pastel shades and there was no glass inthe windows (good in the heat of summerbut not in the rainy season!). Elsewhere Icame across buildings that were moreutilitarian in style which, on drawingclose, I also found to be places of worship.

Before flying home I returned to accra,where The Salvation army’s Ghana

Territory has its headquarters, and saw thechanges that God is making in people’slives through the work of the army.

Osu Corps, led by Captain MichaelEku, is next to the territorial headquarters.The corps combines food and teaching asan outreach ministry to young people whogather on the local streets. The location isvery busy, being just off the area’s mainshopping street.

Some who receive help later attendworship on Sundays. among these isEdwin Foday-Lamin.

an orphan, originally from SierraLeone, Edwin is an example of how a lifecan be transformed. Originally on thestreets, Edwin has now committed himselfto a life of encouraging others and is anactive, uniformed member of the corps.

In agona Duakwa The Salvation armyhas a corps, school and maternity andmalnutrition centre. The work is led byMajors Stephen and Gladys Borbor,supported by retired Salvation armyofficer aux-Captain Dadedzie.

In 2008 and 2010 I travelled to agonaDuakwa to see the building work that isbeing undertaken through fundraisingactivities I had started in the UK.

The journey time from accra isapproximately three hours by a mixture oflocal taxi, long distance bus and localminibus. Public transport in Ghana rangesfrom western-style buses to smallerminibuses where the ‘mate’ or conductorleans out of the sliding side door,gesturing or shouting the destination.

To me it appeared chaotic, but to thoseliving there the system works. Peopleknow how to get from a to B and usuallymanage it OK even if they have to share

Works of

‘Edwin is a visible

example of how a life

can be transformed’

by Divisional Envoy Stuart M. Gay

Above: worship at duakwa Corps

transformation


GHANA

the transport with live goats and severallarge bags of shopping!

Money for the building work in agonaDuakwa is raised locally and throughappeals in the UK. The funds are used topurchase wood and bags of cement whichwill eventually be transformed into anextension on the side of the corps whichwill include classrooms and new officers’quarters.

across the town a plantation wasbought and cleared of vegetation, and atemporary wooden structure of fiveclassrooms has been built. all labour islocal, voluntary and unpaid.

Life in rural Ghana is far from easy but,despite obvious difficulties, the membersof The Salvation army maintain a positiveoutlook. People in the corps areencouraged when they see that fellowSalvationists and people from otherchurches are interested in them and aretrying to assist in meeting theirdevelopment needs.

In 2010, people in the UKresponded positively to an appealI made for Christmas cards andpresents to be collected and sent tothe 90-plus children who comeunder the care of The Salvationarmy in agona Duakwa. Thisresulted in each child being able toexperience God’s love in apractical, tangible way.

Giving Christmas presents isonly a small undertaking, but it is

The�Salvation�Army,�an�international�movement,

is�an�evangelical�part�of�the�universal�Christian

Church.�Its�message�is�based�on�the�Bible.�Its

ministry�is�motivated�by�love�for

God.�Its�mission�is�to�preach

the�gospel�of�Jesus�Christ�and

meet�human�needs�in�his

name�without�discrimination.�

Now�working�in�124�countries,

The�Salvation�Army�has�been

offering�help,�hope�and�God’s�love

to�people�in�need�since�1865.

Above: part of the corps building in Agona duakwa;right: duakwa Corps hall; below: the Salvation Armyschool in Agona duakwa

through such actions that the communityand The Salvation army in agona Duakwareceive hope and encouragement.

Major Stephen Borbor advises that, fora while, people in the community weresending their children away to beeducated because the facilities availablelocally were so poor. That has changed.People are seeing a positive change andthe school is again filled to capacity. TheSalvation army’s commitment to ‘belief inaction’ – a slogan used by the army in theUK – is a reality for the people of agonaDuakwa.

Divisional Envoy Stuart M. Gay MBE works out ofBlackpool Citadel Corps in The Salvation Army’sUk Territory with the Republic of ireland


UN I T E D � K I NGDOM

SaLVaTIOn army Founder WilliamBooth famously found his destinyalmost 150 years ago on theWhitechapel Road in London’s East

End. Eight years ago we journeyed downthe same road to arrive at the newlypurchased Salvation army quarters inStepney – just eight minutes’ walk fromthe site of Booth’s revelation. We had theoverwhelming feeling of coming home!

We felt then – as now – that the workof The Salvation army in this area is notfinished! The movement William Boothfounded may have expanded across theworld but God still has work for TheSalvation army in the place of its birth.

Because of the docks this area has forcenturies been home to ethnic andcultural diversity, but the East End ofBooth’s time has changed beyond

recognition. Today the predominantethnic group where we live hasBangladeshi origins. Two hundred metresdown the road stands the largest mosquecomplex in Europe. Ten thousand peoplegather there every week for Friday prayersand the call to prayer can be heardechoing down Whitechapel Road.

The army’s Founder declared that weshould take the ‘world for God’. In the late19th century this meant travelling fromEngland to a far-off country. Today, theworld has come to the East End!

Just as in Booth’s day, povertyovershadows the lives of ordinary peoplein the East End of London. On the whole,most people no longer live in the abjectpoverty that existed in the Victorian era orin some parts of our world today.however, even where physical poverty

Christlike

Stepney, in the East End of

London, is a short walk from

where The Salvation Army began

in the 19th century. Today

Stepney has a predominantly

Muslim population – but this did

not stop The Salvation Army from

planting a new corps (church)

there in 2003.

Corps officers captains nick

and Kerry coke explain how

they live and work as minority

Christians in a multi-faith

community.Distinctively

INS

IGH

T

has been relieved it has been replaced bysomething as insidious – relationalpoverty. Communities do not function asthey once did – neighbours do not knowor love their neighbours. There is littletrust between people, and cultural, ethnicand religious boundaries are very real.

The presence of Islam is strong – thestrongest in the UK. The London Boroughof Tower hamlets, in which we arelocated, has the largest Muslimpopulation of any UK borough.

The older generation follows a Sufi-inspired Islam transported from thevillages of Bangladesh but the youngergeneration, mostly born in Britain, lookselsewhere for guidance on religiousmatters and on the whole are moreinclined to a stricter form of Islam.however, that is not to say that this

‘Cultural, ethnic and

religious boundaries

are very real’



younger generation can be labelled as ‘radicals’.

The East End is also home to politiciansand liberal secularists who work hard toremove religion of any sort from publiclife. Sadly, it seems to be Christians whobear the brunt of this movement. Islamhas some protection as it is stillconsidered a minority religion within theUK but Christianity is often regarded ashaving an over-represented and privilegedposition within society.

Planting a new Salvation army corps inthis context is challenging. attempting toreach out beyond our boundaries mightappear a task that is so full of thorny issuesthat it would be best avoided. however,we have constantly felt the Spirit of Godleading us into the public sphere to reachacross the boundaries that would separateus from our neighbours.

We understand that if a corps like oursis to have any kind of fruitful ministry in amulti-faith community it must have itsown distinctive Christian voice. We haveto ask ourselves: what is it about theministry of The Salvation army in Stepneythat marks it out as faithful to Jesus Christand the gospel? What differentiates usfrom other groups in our community inthe way we think and act?

We have learned through ourexperience, and occasionally ourmistakes, that being distinctively Christian

requires us to remain faithful to our ownbeliefs while reaching out in love topeople of other faiths.

We recognise that what we say comesfrom a western context. We are notpresuming that our reflections necessarilyhold elsewhere.

So what makes us distinctivelyChristian in a multi-faith community?

We have learned that Christian ministryin a multi-faith community is only aseffective as our ability to think and acttheologically. By this we do not mean astale theology formed in seminaries but a‘Salvationist theology’ – one that is formedin the cut and thrust of ministry andmission in a real place and context. Ourapproach always starts with the question:

‘What does God say about this?’When we act we do so with prayerful

and scriptural consideration.The Salvation army’s leadership at

territorial headquarters doesn’t see ourministry in terms of numerical growth.Prayerful and scriptural consideration ledto the understanding that The Salvationarmy still has a mission in a communitythat will not easily yield converts and leadto church growth. The truth that ourleaders grasped was that there are no ‘no-go areas’ for the gospel.

This approach is bearing fruit. TheSalvation army is now one of the mostinfluential Christian voices in ourborough. We are constantly lobbied bypoliticians and councillors for ouropinions as Christians. We havecampaigned successfully on issues ofjustice. We have spoken by invitation tolarge gatherings of Muslims in mosques,giving the Christian perspective on variousissues. We have even spoken on the IslamTV channel to thousands of Muslims. andfinally – God has given us converts.

Today we have people fromCommunist, Jewish, hindu, Muslim andfiercely secular backgrounds who standproudly as Christians – some as soldiersor adherent members of Stepney Corps!

another aspect of our distinctiveness isto love as Jesus does.

In any multi-faith community, the needfor peacemakers who cross boundaries isgoing to be a priority.

Photos on this page and the page opposite show young people’sactivities organised through The Salvation Army in Stepney



no one knows better than Jesus what itis to cross divides. We see evidence of thisthrough his teaching, in his ministry –dining with tax collectors, sharing a drinkwith a Samaritan woman, dying withcriminals – and through his veryincarnation.

Jesus is what makes Christiansdistinctively different in a multi-faithcommunity.

Captain nick writes:I was introduced to Ishaque through Abdul,

one of the Bangladeshi young men I had

met playing cricket in the park. It was

Ramadan and Ishaque invited me to an

iftar (breaking the fast) party he was

organising that Sunday at the local

mosque.

‘Please come,’ he told me. ‘It’s going to

be a community event, lots of different

cultures – bring your family.’

‘Ok,’ I said ‘See you there.’ It seemed

too good an opportunity to miss.

On Sunday, leaving Kerry and the

children at home, I headed for the mosque.

As I approached I could see through the

window that Ishaque’s claim about lots of

cultures being there was more hope than

expectation. I hesitated for a moment –

everything in me was telling me to go

home, that I’d be the odd one, that I

wouldn’t know how to behave and I’d be

on the back foot!

Then I remembered I was a Salvation

Army officer and should be bold! I stepped

into the room, removed my shoes and

glanced around uneasily as all eyes turned

on me. Everyone else was clearly a Muslim,

Bangladeshi and a male adult.

Thank goodness, I thought, I hadn’t

brought the family!

Soon I was seated on the floor with a

plate of very spicy food and having to use

my right hand as cutlery. I felt the odd one

out, particularly as most people were

conversing in Sylheti. For an hour I chatted

and engaged as best I could before saying

my goodbyes.

I saw Ishaque soon after. He told me

how impressed he was that I’d come, even

though no other non-Muslim had.

Ishaque has become a great friend – we

have jointly hosted community meals, run

a weekly badminton club and started the

Stepney Father’s Group that brings local

men together to discuss issues of concern

in Stepney.

A couple of months ago on a visit to our

home Ishaque said, ‘Nick, you are a better

Muslim than most Muslims I know.’

I wasn’t sure how to respond. I told him

that if being a Muslim is submitting yourself

to God then Jesus Christ is our ultimate

example because he submitted himself

even to death. He liked that.

We believe building relationally acrossour community is a Kingdom imperative.It is a Christian distinctive because no onehas done it better than Jesus Christ! We doit unconditionally and sometimes with

vulnerability. We do it because it is theonly answer to relational poverty –without relationship we remain poor,divided and ultimately lost. Goddemonstrated the importance ofrelationship when he reached out to theworld through his Son, and we follow hisexample.

On occasion Christians are required tospeak robustly. We can’t forever dwellonly on what we share in a relationship –sometimes we must acknowledge ourdifferences and seek change, even if itrocks the boat.

In the Christian-Muslim relationship inStepney we need to work out how to dealwith areas of conflict. There are questionsthat need careful consideration. how, forinstance, do we deal with people whochoose to convert to another religion?What do we do about the radical Muslimelements that spout hate towardsChristians and non-Muslims? are thereelements of certain attitudes towardswomen in the local Bangladeshipopulation that should be confronted?

We also have confronted those who areworking hard to remove the Christianvoice from public life. These are alldifficult issues to grapple with whilemaintaining good relationships.

We held our parent-and-toddler groupin a centre owned by our local council –with whom we had a good relationship.Unfortunately, when we tried to provide asort of midweek Sunday school for olderchildren we were told that this was againstthe rules because religious meetings werenot allowed – even though we knewMuslim gatherings were held there.

after trying various options we metwith our local councillor – himself aMuslim – to ask him to consider standingwith us on this issue.

When we explained the situation hewas very helpful and quite shocked. It wasas if he had had his eyes opened to the

‘We have spoken by invitation to large

gatherings of Muslims in mosques’



some values with liberal secularists suchas a belief in freedom and liberty for allpeople – yet we don’t believe faith shouldbe removed from public life.

We have learned that we must not beafraid to speak the truth – even when it isuncomfortable – but we must speak outwith grace, relationship, confidence,vulnerability and hope. This is what makesus different – it is the way of Jesus and heis our guide.

So here is what we have learned of Christian ministry in a multi-faithcommunity – in a western context, at least:

We need to be distinctively Christian –to work out our path and agenda, refusingto be co-opted by others outside theChristian community or those from withinthe Christian community who veer fromthe way of Christ.

We need to think and act theologically– this comes from constant prayer, Biblestudy and reflection on Christian ministry.

With Jesus as our ultimate example weare called to love others as he lovesothers, building relationships acrossdivides.

In the context of relationship we mustspeak prophetically with both grace andtruth, leading to public truth-telling that

deals with differences as well assimilarities.

The challenge for us all then, whereverwe are, is to be distinctively Christlike –constantly taking the initiative to reach outbeyond our boundaries.

In our experience The Salvation armyaround the world is well placed to get onwith this vital 21st-century task. Ourprayer is that through this work we maycatch a glimpse of ‘God’s Kingdom comeon earth as it is in heaven’.

reality that there were people other thanMuslims living in Stepney!

‘That’s not fair is it?’ he told us. ‘Mychildren get to go to the madrassa atStepney Green School on a Saturday. Yourchildren should be allowed their teachingtoo. Even the Jews need somewhere tomeet!’

With his help we stood together againstthe council and obtained permission toextend our work.

Christian ministry in Stepney calls us tobuild relationships with grace but also tospeak the truth with confidence. We sharemany values with Muslim people, likebelief in God, commitment to religiouspractices and love of our neighbour butwe do not believe in political Islam or theauthority of the Qur’an. We also share

Above: children take part in a dance-based activity;below: Captain Kerry Coke enrols a junior soldier


R E S OU RC E �W E B S I T E

users who wanted to upload materials

would need to register for the site. Then,

once they uploaded their resources, a

short approval process would commence

during which Ministry Toolkit administrators

would check for copyright and theological

implications.

A temporary employee was hired to upload

a decade’s worth of valuable resources

from the different territorial headquarters

departments – including youth, music and

creative arts, women’s ministries,

evangelism and adult ministries. Within

three months, 1,500 resources were

uploaded to the Ministry Toolkit in time for

its launch on 5 May 2010.

Since it went live the Ministry Toolkit has

welcomed over 6,600 unique visitors from

more than 80 countries. it continues

to grow.

The site has also partnered with the Australia

Southern Territory’s Corps Resources

(www.salvationarmy.org.au/corpsresources),

in hopes of combining efforts to offer even

more material. The home page has gone

through its second redesign with the

intention of presenting the Ministry Toolkit’s

vast resources in the most accessible

form possible. it’s simple for even a

technophobe to gain access to useful and

usable graphics, audio feeds, devotional

material and much more.

in all their efforts, Ministry Toolkit

administrators seek to get quality, relevant

resources into the hands of corps leaders

and others on a regular basis.

MAnY years ago, in the Youth

Department of The Salvation Army’s USA

Southern Territorial Headquarters, an

employee had a dream. He dreamed of a

website that would house all the

programme resources for The Salvation

Army. Benefits like no more emailing of

large attachments, and no more mass

mailings of resources danced in his head.

‘How care-free life would be,’ thought the

employee – well, probably!

The employee shared his thoughts with

his boss, the territorial youth secretary,

who gave the go-ahead for the project.

A committee was created to discuss the

ins and outs and important logistics of

such a ‘supersite’. The idea was broken

down, rearranged and reorganised until it

finally re-emerged as the Ministry Toolkit.

Within the planning of the so-called

Ministry Toolkit, inevitable questions

arose: What would it cost to develop;

who would maintain the site; and what

resources would the site provide? The

committee decided that the site would

house women’s ministries programmes,

adult devotional booklets, visuals for use

in PowerPoint and Media Shout, junior

soldier curriculum, corps cadet lessons,

sunbeam and adventure corps badge

work, leadership materials and the like.

it would be offered to anyone and

everyone. no special email address

would be required.

Best of all, it was decided that the site

would be fluid: a growing database that

could one day reach epic proportions.

Corps officers and youth leaders could

upload the resources they’d created over

the years – programmes they’d written,

games they’d created, sermons they’d

researched and mapped out. An approval

process was discussed and finally it was

decided that anyone with access to the

internet could download materials, but

Resource dream becomes reality

Check out the Ministry Toolkit at

www.tsamtk.org and follow on twitter:

@Lindsey_4_MTK

by Lindsey Fleeman

Lindsey Fleeman (pictured left) is Multimediaeditor with responsibility for the Ministry Toolkitin The Salvation Army’s USA Southern Territory


COUNT RY � O R �T H EM E

FROM AROUND THE WORLDSNAPSHOTS

UNITED�KINGDOM

SALvATion Army officer Major Howard Webber is now an award-

winning writer. His book Meeting Jesus: Inspiring Stories of

Modern-day evangelism was named Christianity magazine’s Book

of the Year, receiving an astonishing 82 per cent of online votes.

Major Webber, from the United kingdom Territory with the

Republic of ireland, was presented with his award by Ruth

Dickinson, Editor of Christianity magazine, at the Christian

Resources Together Retreat at High Leigh in the United kingdom

(see photo). He told All the World he was ‘surprised, shocked,

humbled but thrilled – and even more thrilled at the way God is

using Meeting Jesus to bless, encourage and inspire people who

didn’t realise how God can use fallible people.’

Launched in 2010, Christianity magazine’s Book of the Year

celebrates quality, original, Christian-themed writing that offers

something special to readers. The shortlist is made up of books

that have received five-star reviews during the qualifying period.

Steve Morris, who reviewed Meeting Jesus for the magazine,

says: ‘This book is perhaps the most extraordinary one i’ve

reviewed since writing for Christianity. it is a series of stories of

evangelism on the hard side of life. it is painfully honest and lists as

many failures as successes, as many deaths as new lives. it

documents Howard Webber’s spiritual battles too. it is perhaps

the most moving set of accounts i’ve ever read and the

most hopeful.

‘it is all too easy to see the role of being God’s ambassadors as

reduced to preaching, or set among those who we love and are

safe. But this book challenges us to be where Jesus would be,

with the down-and-outs, with the hopeless and the broken. it

looks the cost of such ministry square in the eye and carries on

just the same.’

Ruth Dickinson adds: ‘i want to commend Howard Webber for

this great achievement. What i loved about Meeting Jesus was the

way it documented his “failures” as an evangelist as well as his

success stories. it’s very rare to read something so honest and so

inspiring at the same time.’

other books in the shortlist were: the Best Idea in the World by

Mark Greene (Zondervan), Mere theology by Alister McGrath

(SPCk), Forgotten God, by Francis Chan (David C. Cook), and

Present Perfect by Greg Boyd (Zondervan).

Meeting Jesus: Inspiring Stories of Modern-day evangelism is

published by the Uk Territory’s Shield Books.

UNITED�KINGDOM

THoUSAnDS of tourists and sightseers joined a large number ofSalvationists in The Mall – the wide boulevard that leads to BuckinghamPalace, London – to see a march of witness by The Salvation Army’s eightstaff bands.

The march was one of a number of events to celebrate the 120thanniversary of the international Staff Band, which is based in London. Theeight bands taking part were the international, Amsterdam, Canadian,Chicago, German, Japan, Melbourne and new York Staff Bands.

The weekend of celebrations included a day-long concert in the RoyalAlbert Hall on Saturday before the public event on Sunday. Huge crowdswatched and sang along with the bands as they marched down The Mallbefore playing a short concert in the forecourt of the palace. As theymarched away, each band passed a saluting party comprised of GeneralLinda Bond, the Chief of the Staff (Commissioner Barry C. Swanson) andCommissioner Sue Swanson (World President of Women's Ministries), Ukterritorial leaders Commissioners John and Betty Matear, and ColonelsBrian (Chief Secretary, Uk) and Rosalie Peddle.

it was a memorable weekend for all who took part but it was particularlyspecial for the Japan Staff Band (pictured right), for whom this was a firstvisit to Europe.

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Called to Preach – Sermons by Salvationist Women is a collection

of sermons penned by women Salvation Army officers from around

the world. The writers represent Salvation Army work on six

continents and subjects include faith, holiness, prayer and

salvation.

The project to gather together the thoughts and words of

Salvationist women was originally proposed by former World

President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Helen Clifton, who

was promoted to Glory in June 2011. This collection is dedicated to

Commissioner Clifton.

Called to Preach will be published in September 2011.

Further details, including price, will be released shortly.

called to preach – Sermons by Salvationist Women

Foreword by General Linda Bond

INTERNATIONAL�HEADqUARTERS

The themes for The Salvation Army’s

2011 Calls to Prayer for Peace and

Victims of Sex Trade Trafficking have

been announced.

on Sunday 18 September the

international Salvation Army will be

encouraged to respond to a Call to

Prayer for Peace, focusing on the Bible

verse: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God’

(Matthew 5:9 New International

Version).

A week later, on 25 September,

Salvationists and friends are called to

prayer for victims of sex trade

trafficking, with the theme verse:

‘i have come that they may have life’

(John 10:10).

As in previous years, both calls to

prayer are publicised with distinctive,

thought-provoking images created by

Berni Georges of international

headquarters. This is the fifth year that

two Sundays in September have been

set aside in this way.

Also on the subject of prayer, General

Linda Bond used her first pastoral letter

to announce that Salvation Army

territories and commands have been

asked to set aside a half-hour period

every Thursday between 5am and 8am

when they will commit to pray. it is

hoped that this will result every week in

continuous, focused prayer across the

world over a 24-hour period.

This is the fifth year

that two Sundays in

September have been

set aside in this way

coMingsoon!

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Peacefor

SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2011

JaPan – serving after the tsunami

Changing communities – USa

Photo competition prizes revealed

Corps life and more in Ghana

All The World (July 2011)

Documents

Transcript of All The World (July 2011)