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Colonel Rodney Walters addresses the media alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the launch of the 38th Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal in Canberra. BY LAUREN MARTIN   Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has launched the 2025 Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, supporting The Salvation Army’s ministry to Australians in need at Christmas time.   “The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal reflects the best of the Australian spirit – generosity, compassion and community,” Mr Albanese said.   “With the support of Kmart and The Salvation Army, it’s always special to see Australians coming together to make Christmas a little brighter for families doing it tough.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (centre) launched the appeal at Parliament House in Canberra. It is the 38th year of the Kmart Wishing Tree, a nationwide campaign in which Australians are invited to purchase and donate gifts in-store, which are then donated to Salvation Army centres to distribute to families who are struggling to make ends meet at Christmas.   The Salvation Army’s Colonel Rodney Walters and Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley placed the first gifts under the Wishing Tree at Parliament House to kick off the appeal, which runs from now until Christmas Eve.   Rodney, Secretary for Communications, later posted on his social media, “So many gifts and so much collaboration in bringing gifts with big smiles! Thanking God for opportunities to support those who need it most!” A Salvation Army brass ensemble was on hand to launch the 38th annual Kmart Wishing Tree appeal. Earlier in the day, Rodney had attended the annual Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast, which drew more than 500 people, one of the largest recorded attendances in recent years.   The theme was ‘Rejoicing in Hope’, with Dr John Dickson as the keynote speaker, who spoke on Romans 12:11-18 and issued a powerful challenge on ‘conflict versus compassion’.   “Leaders of the respective political parties shared in the importance of prayer in the everyday aspects of their lives,” Rodney said. “It was a wonderful opportunity to unite in prayer.” Colonel Rodney Walters (left) and ‘The Salvation Army table’ at the annual parliamentary prayer breakfast in Canberra.

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it?   My current appointment is Corps Officer/Team Member at Kingborough-Huon Corps in Tasmania. I minister alongside my team leader across two sites in the beautiful coastal town of Blackman’s Bay and Huonville, a regional centre in the south of Tasmania, surrounded by fruit orchards, farmland and the Huon River. It is early days for me. I am only into the eighth month of my appointment, after three years as a chaplain in aged care, so I am still finding my feet.   What I find most satisfying about my appointment is being out in community. I am mostly attending the Huonville site, which is a lovely community hub from where we run various weekly ministry programs. It is a warm place of connection, community, fellowship and caring with love of Jesus. In addition to that, I am enjoying the journey of growth and development, which is inevitable and never-ending in ministry. I have had to unlearn much, relearn some, and am learning new things about myself, my walk with God and others and the complexity of ministry at corps level. It is tough at times, but I like that we never stop learning and that opportunities to learn something new sometimes present themselves in unexpected ways.   2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?   One of my favourite activities most Saturday mornings is solitary visits to a coffee shop with a book. There are excellent coffee shops in Hobart and surrounds, so I rotate between them. I love walking on the beach or along the Derwent River when the weather is good and catching up with friends over a meal.   Most importantly, I enjoy checking in and chatting with my children and grandchildren, who are all living abroad except for my youngest, who is on the mainland. I also enjoy scouring record shops and markets for second-hand vinyl records. Listening to the artists my parents enjoyed and a few of my own favourites while pottering around the house brings back lovely family memories.   3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it?   My favourite Christian song for this season of my life is the classic hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness . There are others, including contemporary worship songs. I find that my preference changes depending on where I am in my walk of faith. This hymn speaks of God’s unchanging character, his mercy, compassion, presence, provision and love. It anchors my faith and trust in God and gives me strength and hope for the day and for the journey ahead, especially at times when I feel ill-equipped and just a little overwhelmed by it all.   4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about?   I think it would be Apostle Paul, he is by far, apart from Jesus, my most favourite Biblical character. I am so encouraged by the impact that his encounter with the risen Christ had on his life, his purpose and ministry. No amount of opposition, rejection, hardship, or persecution could stop him from living out his call and purpose in Christ.   What would we talk about? I guess I would want to peel back the layers a bit and get to his level of vulnerability as a human being. At a deeply human level, as a suffering man, in the thick of it, what was his experience in processing the painful rejection, hardship, persecution and anxiety experienced in his ministry?   The pause to process and reflect on challenges and painful experiences requires work and a response reflective of surrender, faith and trust in God, as modelled by Paul. It would be interesting to have a meaningful discussion with Paul and hear his experience of processing emotional, physical and spiritual pain.   5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say?   Absolutely! If they believe that God is calling them to officership, I would encourage them to explore every avenue at their disposal; by being active in their local corps, seek direction and affirmation from corps leadership; talk to local cadets and other corps officers, but mostly seek God’s direction in prayer, don’t rush, but don’t dismiss the call either.   Officership has been the most rewarding and the most challenging journey I have ever embarked on, but I know that God has called me, He is equipping me and has promised to be with me for the duration of this journey and beyond.

Wild weather launched the Temora Corps building in country NSW into the skies earlier this year. BY LAUREN MARTIN   In its 101-year history, Temora Corps has never had a more eventful year. The brick citadel has been taken up by a tornado, covered in snow and had its roof blown off!   Well, not really.   The images of the corps in these crazy predicaments, photoshopped by Corps Officer Auxiliary-Lieutenant Caleb Smith, have become a talking point in the small south-western farming town. Temora Corps Officer Auxiliary-Lieutenant Caleb Smith in front 101-year-old Temora Citadel. “To amuse myself, I photoshopped a dinosaur into a picture of the main street and posted that, and put the caption, ‘This guy looks lost, does anyone know the owners?’ There were hundreds of likes and shares and comments.”   Caleb took note of the huge response, and it got him thinking. His regular monthly posts to advertise the corps community dinner, and his weekly posts inviting people to church on Sundays barely received any responses. He wondered if trying a more novel approach could change that.   So, in the lead-up to Christmas last year, he posted a photoshopped image of the Temora Citadel covered in snow, to invite people to one of the corps’ Christmas functions. Caleb’s impression of the Temora Corps covered in snow. The next week, it was wrapped in wrapping paper, and the following week it was made of gingerbread. Instead of one or two ‘likes’ on Facebook, there was a huge response, with some people even sharing the post to their personal Facebook pages. “People were sharing ads for our community event!” Caleb said. Early this year, Caleb tried a similar approach to invite local townsfolk to church on Sunday. He photoshopped a photo of the hall so that it looked like it had no roof. This photoshopped image of Temora Corps without a roof generated plenty of conversation on the town’s local Facebook page and in the main street! The caption read: “People always say to me, ‘I’d go to church but I’m pretty sure the roof would fall in if I entered the building, haha.’ That’s why, here at the Temora Salvation Army, we’ve undertaken some minor alterations to our building to ensure that everyone feels welcome. And our new heavy-duty lightning rods keep blasphemy-related smitings to an all-time low!”   That one went as ‘viral’ as you can get, for a town of about 5000 residents, with about 300 likes, plenty of comments and shares. And, to Caleb’s surprise, it generated conversations as people stopped him on the street to talk about it. “People would say, ‘I saw your building carried away by the tornado!’ People initiated conversations with me about what the church was doing, which never happened before.”   Like the verse in 1 Peter, Caleb was now making sure he was ready to ‘give an answer’ to those who had questions about the church and its ministries.   “It means that people are happy to talk about what we do and … it means I have to be prepared for random people to ask questions about our ministries down the street, I have to keep a good story ready to go to tell people.” Since then, the corps building has been photoshopped being taken up by a tornado and, on top of huge tractor tracks, as a ‘ Mobile All-Terrain Salvation Deployment Vehicle’ in Facebook posts that promote the work of the local Salvos and invite people to join them.   But have the posts led to any increase in attendance at the corps’ monthly community lunch or Sunday meeting?   “We have some extra folks coming to the dinner and occasionally to Sunday as well,” said Caleb. “But it’s hard to tell if they are coming [as a result of the social media posts.]”   Regardless, the initiative has been a fun one, and Caleb has no shortage of ideas up his sleeve for future adventures of the mysterious 101-year-old Temora Salvation Army Citadel. Stay tuned!   One of the latest promotional images is of Temora Citadel renovated to become a “Mobile All-Terrain Salvation Deployment Vehicle”. The Facebook post goes on to say, “ the extension cords required to keep the thing running proved unsafe, so we chose to return our building to its original configuration,” before inviting residents to its monthly community dinner.

Linda, Emotional and Spiritual Care Specialist, helps out with the emergency distribution of toys and household materials after devastating floods in Texas last (northern) summer. LINDA DOWELL is an Emotional and Spiritual Care Specialist with The Salvation Army in the USA. In July, she was deployed to Kerr County, Texas, following the devastating flooding that killed 135 people. In today’s Global Focus column, she shares her recollections of her deployment.   On Friday 4 July 2025, as our nation celebrated its birthday, an unthinkable, disastrous event was looming in my home state of Texas. Heavy rains produced dangerous floodwaters which rose rapidly. Tragic stories began to unfold as the media and the nation watched in disbelief. In just 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River rose by more than eight metres, and spilled over its banks. The people along the riverbanks had little or no warning of the deadly flow of water raging downstream.   Quick deployment As a disaster volunteer with The Salvation Army, I stay close to the phone when tragic events unfold. And on Monday morning around 6am, I received a call that an emotional spiritual care team was being deployed to Kerrville. By Tuesday afternoon our team was on the ground.   My assignment the first few days was to join a Salvation Army team already serving at Walmart. While water, cleaning supplies and snacks were distributed by canteen crews, I had the opportunity to speak with survivors. A ministry of presence is essential as an emotional spiritual care worker. Providing a safe place for people to share their stories and release their fears and grief as we listen is an integral part of our ministry. During those first few days, I spent time with survivors, some of whom had been rescued out of the flood waters, with people who had lost a friend or a loved one, and with numerous people just grieving for their community.   Roaming team As the recovery efforts continued, I was reassigned to a roaming team in one of our rapid response vehicles to look for people in neighbourhoods that might need to be served. As we followed the road along the river’s edge, teams of first responders, clean-up crews and heavy machine operators were hard at work cleaning up debris and uprooted trees. Some teams were still looking for unaccounted people. We found property owners trying to muck out what little was left of their structures. We spent time offering hydration, listening to stories and praying with everyone who was willing.   Towards the end of the day, our team had made our way downriver near Camp Mystic. I got out of the vehicle and started walking towards the river. I didn’t see anyone at first, but then I noticed a lady sitting in her pickup truck with her head resting on the steering wheel. As I approached her pickup truck, we started a conversation. I could see she had been crying. Exhaustion and weariness were written on her face.   As I looked around the area, I could tell this had been a special place before the flood. Looking towards the opposite side of the river from where we were, I noticed the bank was very steep rising from the river, and on top of the hill I noticed a cross. I asked the lady about the cross and she explained this area once had been a summer camp. The cabins had been purchased by individual families years ago and they had started a little homeowners association. The families spent the summers together there as the kids grew up.   The cabins had been built in what looked like a semi-circle pattern. There were only a few severely damaged structures left. Most were simply gone with only cement foundations left where houses once stood.   Stark reality As the tears flowed along with stories and sweet memories, the stark reality of the present seemed surreal. Several people from that community perished during the flood. In fact, the first funeral was taking place that afternoon in San Angelo.   She told me about her brother who is disabled and in a wheelchair. She pointed to another house and shared that that family also had a child in a wheelchair as they were growing up. When the kids were young, the parents built a wheelchair ramp in the river so her brother and the other little boy could get into the water and play with the other children.   After a time, I asked if I could give her a hug. More tears flowed. In that tender moment, I offered a prayer for her and her community. It’s difficult at times to have words, but God always seems to send a prayer of comfort just at the right time.

As National Director of The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus agency, Dr Graeme White leads one of the Salvos’ largest and most impactful services. Dr Graeme White is a man on a mission. A big mission. His role is National Director of The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus agency. Since launching in 1998 to help people find work that supports their wellbeing and benefits the community, the recruitment agency has placed more than 740,000 people into work. In the first of her series on Employment Plus, Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH spoke with Graeme about the agency’s powerful mission to transform lives, communities and celebrate ‘life turnarounds’ – all through the power of employment. It took something special to lure Graeme White out of retirement. So, when the chance came in 2019 to lead The Salvation Army Employment Plus service on a six-month posting, he didn’t hesitate. The role immediately reignited Graeme’s passion for helping others and giving back to the community – and when the opportunity arose to lead the agency permanently, he didn’t hesitate to say yes again, driven by a deep respect for the organisation. “It is one of the great causes for good in the world,” he reflected from his Melbourne office. “You look around the world at the moment, and it is full of violence, inhumanity and a lot of terrible things that are going on, and it is on our doorstep here in Australia, which is even more distressing. It’s not remote, it’s not other people, it’s here. The Salvation Army stands out as one of the great causes for good against that; it is a wonderful thing to be a part of.” Employment Plus is Australia’s most experienced recruitment agency, working with job seekers, employers, industry groups, governments and community organisations to champion employment for all Australians. The agency’s work is guided by its vision of ‘Work for All. Hope for All’ and by its values of integrity, compassion, respect, diversity and collaboration. It has a wide network of partners to support job seekers and employers all over Australia, including counselling services. With 40,000 job seekers on its caseload, the agency’s reach is substantial. It also hits impressive milestones with 10,000 people securing work in the past year. And by the end of this year, Graeme will oversee close to 700 agency staff. The Salvation Army founder, General William Booth – an inspiration to Graeme White. Founder’s inspiration A great inspiration for the National Director in leading the agency is The Salvation Army’s founder, William Booth. “In his book, In Darkest England and the Way Out,  my understanding from William Booth is that he saw that people being fed, people being housed, and people being able to work were the foundations of independence,” he said. “These were key to rescuing people from poverty and having them stand on their own feet. So, we see ourselves as an integral part of the Army, fulfilling an important objective William Booth had, which is basically supporting people to find work, to be financially independent, and to reintegrate into society.” Federal Governments have invested considerable funding in helping unemployed people find work. They fund welfare payments, plus invest a lot with subcontractors such as Employment Plus to support people to find work once they are on welfare. There are also a number of contracts, the largest being with Workforce Australia. This mainstream program caters to around three-quarters of a million unemployed Australians. Employment Plus ranks as the fourth largest provider of this program nationwide. The second-largest contract, which they recently re-won, is called ‘Inclusive Employment Australia’ and focuses on helping people with disability. Beginning 1 November, no fewer than 175 new locations will open, with their caseload set to quadruple. The growth means Salvos will become the eighth largest generalist provider of services to people with a disability. “We are just in the throes of a frantic period of recruiting people and finding sites, made more difficult by getting just over a month’s notice on site sizes from the Department,” Graeme remarked. Some of the agency job seekers are First Nations people or refugees. Staff not only place people in jobs, but also work with them to ensure they have the skills, confidence and encouragement they need to succeed in the workplace. ( Image courtesy of UK Black Tech  unsplash.com ) The third-largest program is Parent Pathways, designed to help prepare parents re-entering the workforce when their youngest child turns six. Employment is not necessarily a target of that program, but it helps people get trained, build skills, and rebuild confidence. The Salvos have become the market leader of the program since it was launched last November. The fourth-largest program is a youth-focused initiative that goes to tender next year. It supports under-25s transitioning from school and studies into the real world of employment. The mission of Employment Plus may be straightforward, but its approach is what truly sets it apart. Great pride is taken in caring for their job seekers and providing a more caring, compassionate service than other providers in the sector. Supporting that claim, an anonymous staff survey found significantly higher levels of care and compassion in service delivery than in staff’s experiences with previous providers. The results spoke volumes. Employment Plus scored 7 out of 10 compared to 4.6 for the competitors. And more good news was to come. When job seekers were asked if they felt more supported at Employment Plus than with other providers they had liaised with, an overwhelming 82 per cent said yes. “We are seen to be a more caring organisation, a more supportive organisation than others,” Graeme remarked. “That’s what we bring to the party that is different to the other providers out there. There are around 200 other organisations that provide employment service support to job seekers.” With 40,000 job seekers on its caseload, Employment Plus’ reach is substantial. The mission of Employment Plus may be straightforward, but its approach is what truly sets it apart. Great pride is taken in caring more about their job seekers and providing a more caring and compassionate service than other providers in the sector. ( Images designed by Freepik excluding keyboard ) A staggering 60 per cent of the 40,000 people on Employment Plus’ caseload have been unemployed for two years or longer. “It is terrible,” he explained. “It is a massive increase over the last five years.” The Government launched an online platform to support job seekers closest to the job market, aiming to avoid referral to providers such as Employment Plus. However, it’s falling short. Many job seekers remain inactive on welfare for one to two years before reaching the Salvos or other providers, often with diminished confidence and motivation. “We support some of the most vulnerable people in Australia,” Graeme emphasised. “Many of our job seekers are experiencing multiple barriers, including mental health issues, poor literacy, addiction, domestic violence and homelessness, and many of them are single parents, CALD, ex-offenders, First Nations people or refugees. This means our staff are not just placing people in jobs, they are working with them to address these challenges, and to ensure they have the skills, confidence and encouragement they need to succeed in the workplace. This often involves seeking support from other mission expressions of the Army.”  Workplace dangers There is also a harsh reality to the agency’s work – assaults on staff. A recent incident resulted in two staff members being punched and kicked, requiring police attendance and urgent medical support after a frustrated job seeker violently attacked them. “That’s the worst I’ve heard in the time I’ve been here,” Graeme said. “I’ve heard many examples of laptops being thrown at our staff, people being punched, chairs being thrown through doors and windows, people being spat on, abused and threatened ... we get those almost weekly. So, what our people have to endure is really quite extreme, and it’s from people who are frustrated, upset, drugged up or just angry. We have job seekers who get frustrated when the Government cuts or suspends their payments. They blame us, the messengers, and get frustrated because they are unemployed, just down and out … we understand the pressures on job seekers, but being the punching bag for their frustration is a tough gig for our people.” Everything Employment Plus undertakes is guided by its vision of ‘Work for All. Hope for All’ and propelled by the above values. Compassion, care and empathy At the heart of Employment Plus is one defining quality: culture. “We have to look after our own team, our own staff,” he said. “I have been focusing on that very heavily since I started ... Our frontline staff are mistreated by job seekers, so a lot of them don’t last. Last year, the industry turnover increased to 47 per cent. Ours is down to 25 per cent. So, we’ve made a real effort to move staff on who bring an aggressive and hostile attitude to the workplace – and it seems to be working. Our retention rates are up, and the workplace is more relaxed and productive.” The second quality is the approach to job seekers. A brief to everybody who works in Employment Plus is clear: compassion, care and empathy for its client base. And the greatest challenge? “The biggest challenge is that the Government has made it more difficult to claim fees for the work we do,” he said. “There’s not a real lot of money left in employment services, certainly not in the mainstream program. We are advocating through the peak body with the Government, the Minister, and the department to rectify this…I’m hopeful they will understand and make the appropriate changes.” Advocacy is a top priority. The National Director remarked that the agency was one of the main voices among employment service providers and highlighted the game-changing advocacy role Employment Plus had taken on following the introduction of Workforce Australia. When a new IT system was implemented, it removed crucial functionality, dramatically increasing manual workarounds for frontline staff, increasing the time spent on administrative tasks from 25 to 55 per cent of their time, cutting into their ability to support job seekers effectively. Advocacy campaign The Employment Plus team responded with a powerful advocacy campaign. The agency convinced the committee undertaking a sector-wide review of employment services that fixing the broken IT system should be the most urgent recommendation in the report. Subsequently, the Government allocated $10.9 million to fix the system in the 2024 budget. This was the direct result of Employment Plus’s advocacy.  When it comes to the greatest reward for Graeme and his team, the answer lies in a simple and powerful truth. “Seeing life transformation,” he said. “An example is an Indigenous man with one child and a second on the way, who had not worked for over seven years. We worked with him, built his skills and confidence, helped with training, and eventually he got a job and is now financially independent.” Another story that has encouraged the team is of a staff member turning to the Christian faith. The young woman had experienced domestic violence in two separate relationships, which led her to become estranged from her family. As a result of the trauma, she developed a speech impediment and severe mental stress, eventually returning to her parents’ home in a different town.  But then came a turning point. The agency’s chaplain started working with her. “She actually found Jesus in the process," Graeme recalled. "She joined a church, left Employment Plus, joined the Salvos in the local town and is a part of a Bible group with the chaplain ... that’s a wonderful story about coming to Christ. When I hear these stories, especially the life turnarounds, that is the thing that gives me the biggest buzz – and that is why I am here.”  For more information, click here   Services for Employment Plus job seekers/Programs for job seekers.

To read Peter’s Promoted to Glory notice and appointment history, click here

Hurstville Corps’ Just Brass band played at the ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ event. Photo: Beth Shao BY BEN WANG*   Hurstville Corps recently hosted its second ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ event at Hurstville Plaza in southern Sydney, uniting diverse communities in a celebration of music, dance and prayer.   Building on the inaugural event held in 2023, this year’s gathering on Sunday, 12 October, drew participants from Chinese, Nepalese, Ukrainian, African, Filipino, Australian, and other backgrounds, reaffirming the theme of strength through diversity in the name of Jesus.   The event commenced with a lively performance by the Hurstville Corps’ Just Brass band, setting the tone for a day full of cultural showcases as hundreds of people passed through the plaza, many stopping to watch and listen.   Highlights included Chinese dragon dancing, Salvation Army brass band and timbrel routines, and traditional dances from various global communities. Attendees, many dressed in ethnic attire, joined in spontaneous group dances, creating a lively, festive climax. More than six different cultures were represented at Hurstville Corps’ recent ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ public event in southern Sydney. Photos: Beth Shao Information stalls highlighted Salvation Army services, including Moneycare financial counselling, Doorways social support, preschool children’s music programs, after-school activities, Just Brass, and a dedicated prayer tent.   The 2023 event marked a milestone as the first collaboration between a local Salvation Army Corps and the national CaLD (Cultural and Linguistically Diverse) team, with lessons shared nationwide to inspire similar gatherings.   The ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ concept has expanded nationally under Nuria Gonsalves, The Salvation Army’s CaLD Community Engagement National Lead.   “Today, as we revel in stunning performances from the Just Brass band to the Chinese dragon dancing, and more, we offer a heartfelt thank you to our volunteers, performers, Georges River Council, and the multicultural organising team, whose tireless work echoes the Salvos' commitment to building belonging across Australia,” said Nuria on the day.   The ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ vision has flourished in Hurstville through Lieutenant Beth Shao’s dedicated implementation, fusing her enthusiasm with deep ties to the Chinese community – evident in vibrant festival celebrations. Under Major Judith Soeters’ steadfast leadership, the 2025 event delivered another memorable day of heart, harmony and hope, with the powerful gospel of Jesus once again proclaimed.   Nuria Gonsalves said that beyond the festivities, ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ served as an open invitation to the community: “If you’re looking for support, someone to talk to, or practical help, the Salvos are here for you. If you’re looking for a place to serve, to belong, and to make a difference, we welcome you to join us. Together, we can keep building bridges, extending helping hands, and fostering hope for everyone in our community.”   Councillor Ben Wang. *Councillor Ben Wang, an independent member of Georges River Council and Salvation Army Multicultural Ambassador since 2021, has played a key role in fostering the ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ vision. Working with Georges River Association (GRA) – a grassroots organisation supporting culturally and linguistically diverse communities – Ben has led efforts including the Red Shield Appeal, Easter fundraising, digital door-knock campaigns, and family days. The Georges River Council has been a steadfast supporter of multiculturalism in the area, providing funding, resources, and promotion for initiatives that celebrate diverse communities, from cultural events to community grants that empower events like the ‘Many Cultures, One Hope’ days.

What does it mean to live and serve in community with Jesus at the centre? In this video, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army Australia, shares a heartfelt reflection on what it truly means to live in unity. Romans 12:5 reminds us that we are one body in Christ — every person matters, every voice counts. When we lean into that truth, amazing things happen, because together we are at our strongest.

Arise Men’s Camp organiser Lieutenant Keven Williams and speaker Dr Sean Nolan at the Collaroy event. All photos: Bryan Bartlett BY LAUREN MARTIN   The Arise Men’s Camp at The Salvation Army’s Collaroy Centre on Sydney’s northern beaches was abuzz with the holy spirit earlier this month, as 130 men from their 20s to their 80s gathered to hear from God and support each other.   With busloads of men coming from several corps in the Victoria Division, the annual Arise Men’s Camp has grown over the past few years, with organiser Lieutenant Keven Williams saying he has never seen more hunger for God in the room than he witnessed at this event.   “There was a huge hunger for the spirit this year … really from the word ‘go’, from Friday night’s session right through until Sunday, we had people captivated, we had people engaging. You could sense the spirit in the room,” Keven said.   Dr Sean Nolan from Shire Salvos taught on being ‘chosen’ at the 2025 Arise Men’s Camp. This year, a large contingent of young adults attended from various corps across the division over the weekend of 24-26 October.   “We had about 30 people under 30 in the room,” said Keven. “It was like the younger generation brought an energy into the room and the older generation were catching onto the spirit of being young again – the vibe was just phenomenal.”   Dr Sean Nolan, of Shire Salvos in southern Sydney, taught on 1 Peter 2:9, that those in attendance were God’s chosen people, the royal priesthood, God’s special possession and that they have been called out of darkness and into the wonderful kingdom of light.   “There was a real sense that everyone there was specifically chosen by God to be there,” said Keven. “Sean’s teaching opened up for the men to consider what God is calling them to arise into.”   Feedback shared with the organising team included comments such as people learning “a better awareness of where I am with the Lord”, that they are “closer to Jesus” and the “the importance of mentoring/praying for one another.”   For Keven, he sensed that the men there really caught the vision of being spiritual fathers and sons.   “I would want to see coming out of this event that men would catch the vision of mentoring and praying with each other. Walking alongside each other and doing life together.”   Keven, who is the NSW/ACT Divisional Men’s Ministry Champion as an additional role to his Eastern Beaches Corps Officer appointment, says he would gladly come alongside any corps or Salvo who wants to invest in raising up healthy, godly men in their corps and communities.   “ If they are keen to either speak about having a young adult men’s or inter-generational men’s ministry at their corps, if they want to learn more about mentoring or father-and-sonship, just reach out because I’m willing to come and spend a few hours or a day to do some training and support.”   Keven is currently working with his counterpart in the Men’s Ministry space in Victoria to explore how an event like Arise could work within that division. Click through the slideshow below for more photos from the weekend:

Each week throughout 2025, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for a particular territory or region of The Salvation Army.   The focus territory/region shares prayer requests to help us pray with precision and power for one another.   This week ( 3-9 November ), we pray for the Latin America North Territory.   The countries that make up the Latin America North Territory are Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela.   The Latin America North Territory has 173 officers (146 active and 27 retired); 4 cadets; 69 corps; 1 outpost; 5090 senior soldiers; 1754 adherents; 2362 junior soldiers; 150 employees.   Colonels Evangelina and Leonardo Fernández lead the Latin America North Territory. They have shared the following points to guide us as we pray: Prayer Requests ·   For soldiers, with gratitude to God for their faithfulness and commitment to the mission. Pray that they will be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and obedient to God's call to full-time service in all areas of life. ·   For officers, who are facing weakened family economies, yet remain steadfast in their unwavering commitment and dedication to ministry. ·   For new candidates, men and women who are called to serve the Lord as officers in The Salvation Army. We pray for a renewed movement of calling and response, and for the strengthening of the officer force across the territory where the need is great. ·   For the Territorial Prayer Gathering, asking for a special time of visitation from the Holy Spirit. ·   For the Ordination and Commissioning Meeting, ‘Champions of the Mission’, to be held in December. Pray for safe travels and a victorious time as we celebrate this important event. ·   For the Cadets, Officers, and their families at College For Officer Training in Cuba, who are enduring difficult circumstances due to power outages and food shortages, yet continue with a spirit of service and deep worship. ·   For the officers and people in Venezuela who are navigating significant political, social and financial instability. May God sustain them and provide peace, strength and provision. ·   For the situation in Nicaragua and our current status with the government, amid the risk of being banned like thousands of other NGOs. We pray especially for a highly impactful social project currently underway, which is transforming the lives of hundreds of people. ·    For more souls, and for new ways and opportunities to share the gospel across the 10 countries of the territory. ·    For the new Strategic Plan 2026–2030; for vision, discernment, and progress for the Army. ·    For new income-generating initiatives and funding opportunities that will expand ministry impact and improve living conditions for those we serve. ·    May the Lord grant wisdom, discernment, strength, physical health, and peace to territorial leaders so they may lead his people according to his will. ·    For the country of Cuba, which throughout the year 2025, has faced serious problems with the electrical service affecting all aspects of life. ·    For the physical health of our officers and their families at the territorial level. ·    For the department of Women’s Ministries who, in October, celebrated various activities which had a transformative impact on the lives of women and their families for Christ. ·    Let us celebrate a special time of prayer under the theme INCLUSION at the Territorial Prayer Gathering on Friday 7 November 2025. ·   For the economy in each country to know how to administer the blessings of the Lord.   To find out more about the Latin America North Territory, click here . To find out more about The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, click here .   To download the 2025 International Prayer Focus schedule, click here .

The front cover of the War Cry in November 1935, depicting a family that has been impacted by a father’s gambling habit. (Background photo: Philippe Oursel) BY BARRY GITTINS Some 164 years ago, on 7 November 1861, a field of 17 horses made their way around Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse for the inaugural Melbourne Cup.   It was a day out for the 4000 people who attended, but perhaps none of them would realise how large the event would become. By 1895, 34 years after it kicked off, visiting American humorist and raconteur Mark Twain said the Melbourne Cup astonished him, and that “nowhere in the world have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation”. Mark Twain was in awe of the cup's popularity. The event has become known as the ‘Race that stops a nation’. It boasts $8.6 million in prize money and has long been marked by a Victorian public holiday, and tens of thousands cram themselves into the locale every first Tuesday in November to try their luck. But beyond the pageantry and colour of the Melbourne Cup, past the lure of easy money and hopes of striking it rich, is the long history of social harm from gambling and substance abuse. That harm was decried long and loud by mobs such as The Salvation Army, who were decidedly and vociferously against gambling. The Salvos would often stage alternative events – sporting contests and concerts on the same day – to distract from the gee gees. From their pulpits and in their periodicals, they denounced gambling as a source of pain to families, and the Melbourne Cup as a ‘gambling saturnalia’ that Society, the Press and the State – not to forget the churches – were all naughty to tolerate. Often present to pick up the pieces when the man of the house had spent the household’s budget on horses that didn’t place, the Salvos knew many kids that looked to go hungry, how many wives were bashed by drunken husbands, how many lives were impacted, how many families face eviction and homelessness – all through hazardous punts that did not pay off.   Gambling, they thundered, “embraces all races, all classes, and all ages in its octopus grip. Both sexes are equally guilty”. And w hen it came to gambling, the Salvos reckoned, “our politicians are, as a class, mere blind leaders of the blind”. The excerpt from a War Cry edition in 1935 giving its views on the Melbourne Cup. Consider the rhetoric of a 1935 jeremiad through which the Salvos waged war against gambling and the Cup: “A speculator in the [NSW] State Lottery has one chance of winning first prize and sixteen chances of being dead before the drawing takes place. Drink is not responsible for half the crime that betting and gambling are. The gambler enriches himself by another’s loss, extending even to the necessities of life of little children. His pleasure is achieved at the cost of another’s pain.” In the world of sport, the Salvos contended, “The event of the year [is] the Melbourne Cup, one of the greatest racing carnivals in the world, and one by which our fair country is best known by many of the world’s leading citizens.” NEED HELP?   Click here for Salvation Army Gambling Support Service The War Cry lamented that across the land, parliaments would be suspending their sitting sessions, booze would flow, libertines would frolic and that Australians “may be freely prostituted at the great pagan festival as 90,000 people, representing the majority of the nation, lay their offerings with spiritual frenzy on the high altar of this modern Moloch”. (Moloch, for those not up on Canaanite deities from the Bronze Age, was said to have been worshipped through child sacrifice.) Dramatising the event’s fervour further – a difficult task indeed – the Salvos said that “when the thrilling climax of a tidal emotion has been reached, and the noble animal which passed the winning post first has been acclaimed by the winners and bemoaned by the losers, the darker forces of licentiousness and debauchery will descend as the cavalry of hell, upon winners and losers alike, and complete the great holocaust”. Video footage and interviews from the Flemington grounds and carpark suggest that things haven’t really changed much in the past 90 years.   As for The Salvation Army, that body of men and women remains opposed to gambling and concerned at the social harm that betting has on families and those addicted to gambling. READ MORE: Gambling Support Service – new name, same committed service

BY ANTHONY CASTLE The highly anticipated Salvos Hope Cup returns to Gawler on Saturday 16 November, pairing the annual charity cricket match and family fun day in a powerful stand against homelessness.   Now in its fourth year, the charity cricket match between the Riverside All-Stars and Gawler Police isn’t just a game, but an important event for rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness across the region.   Raising funds to support vital services such as sleeping pods, emergency accommodation, food relief, and long-term housing solutions, the Hope Cup has become a crucial response to the housing crisis.  The Riverside Salvos , led by Major Darren Dwyer, Gawler’s Citizen of the Year, continue to open their doors daily, providing showers, meals, and critical support to the vulnerable.   The Salvation Army’s Social Justice Stocktake found that South Australia, like the rest of the nation, is experiencing a housing crisis, with around 7410 people experiencing homelessness in the state alone.   Not having a safe and secure home makes every part of life more difficult, and almost seven out of 10 South Australians participating in the report identified housing affordability and homelessness as an issue in their community.   This year’s goal is to raise $75,000, with a strong start of $28,000 already secured at the recent Gala Launch featuring cricket legend Ian Chappell.   The Hope Cup will be held on 16 November from 9.45am-4.30pm at Trinity College Oval, with a short church service at 9am.   Attractions include food, mini-golf, axe throwing, pedal go-carts, pedal ponies, historical vehicles, a petting zoo, face painting, stalls, and more. Gold coin donation at gate with all profits raised to support those sleeping rough. Riverside Gawler Salvos Corps Officer Major Darren Dwyer and Senior Sgt. Rob Mowday from Gawler Police ready to do battle on the cricket field. Image: supplied