You certainly can’t beat a beautiful, illustrated book with an amazing story, says Suzanne West, STeP123 Literacy Program Coordinator. It’s a sobering reality. Australia has a reading problem. One-third of our children can’t read proficiently. But there’s good news. The Salvation Army’s STeP123 Literacy is transforming children’s lives one step at a time through an exciting program initiative that fosters a love of reading, enhanced literacy skills and positive relationships. As Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH discovered, it’s working a treat.   It was an exceptionally poignant moment that left a lasting impression.   When a young second grader excitedly picked up an enchanting book with his STeP123 volunteer to immerse himself in yet another captivating story, he went to turn the pages ... but couldn’t. His small fingers simply could not handle the task due to underdeveloped fine motor skills.   The experience became a significant and touching chapter in the volunteer’s mission to support young children in developing their literacy skills. It also highlighted that not all children have access to books or are used to reading and that many today are glued to screens rather than books.   However, there is great hope.   Thanks to The Salvation Army’s STeP123 Literacy’s Reading Together program, initiated in Tasmania, many primary school children are turning the pages of much-beloved books and opening their world up to the enchantment of stories.   “You certainly can’t beat a beautiful, illustrated book with an amazing story,” said Suzanne West, STeP123 Literacy Program Coordinator.   “A story that can captivate a child to be caught up in and create a passion for reading.” Since its inception a few years ago, the program has gone from strength to strength. About 120 primary school students aged six and upwards are involved with the initiative, plus 30 volunteers across nine primary schools in the Derwent Valley, Huon Valley and Northern Suburb communities of Southern Tasmania.    It was launched with the concept that STeP123 would collaborate with teachers to identify and assist children in developing their literacy skills. Currently, the children are engaged in the weekly program across these communities, allowing them to read alongside and converse with an adult volunteer mentor.    With National Literacy and Numeracy Week upon us, Reading Together plays an important role in children’s lives by encouraging them to read, develop their literacy skills and build positive relationships.   “The idea is to get the children to enjoy reading and develop their enthusiasm for reading and conversation,” Suzanne said.   “Many children these days don’t have adults who read with them at home due to many factors, and the subsequent conversation is crucial to increasing the ability to read. Reading Together is valuable for children and volunteers to nurture positive relationships together.   “Volunteers are paired with a child, and the feedback received is that self-esteem and confidence in individual reading skills has risen dramatically.”   Community volunteers sit and read with a child one-on-one each week, providing consistency and continuity for the students involved to develop their literacy skills and value in themselves. Positive adult mentor relationships are established between the volunteer and the student, promoting trust and self-worth built on and reinforced over the school year.   The volunteers from the local community sit and read with a child one-on-one each week for about 20 minutes, providing consistency and continuity for the students involved to develop their literacy skills and value in themselves. They usually read to at least three children in a session.   “They feel that they are making a positive and important difference in the life and future of the child they are sharing with in the Reading Together sessions,” Suzanne said.   “They will say they can notice great differences in the levels of the reading and their literacy development and their comprehension. Over the years, since the program’s inception, teachers have reported they are seeing positive results with individual children's literacy development in their classes.”    One of the volunteers, Jacq, has been volunteering in the program for eight months.   “It’s the highlight of my week,” she said. “From kids hiding under tables, or reluctant to read, to having them jump up, book in hand as soon as they hear the knock at the door, is a massive win for literacy.”   And the massive win for literacy is indeed needed.   One-third of Australian children can’t read proficiently, and in a typical Australian school classroom of 24 students, eight can’t read well, according to The Grattan Institute’s Reading Guarantee report released this year.   Furthermore, the report stated that every child we failed to teach to read missed out on a core life skill, and Australia missed out on their potential. For those students in school today who are hardest hit by poor reading performance, the cost to Australia is about $40 billion over their lifetimes. The Reading Together program has reported great results from the initiative. Photo courtesy of Lina Kivaka (pexels.com) With Reading Together making great inroads into helping to tackle the literacy issues facing Australian primary school students, schools involved with the program have also reported great results from the initiative.   Grade 2/3 schoolteacher Kayla said staff had seen a noticeable progression in the children’s comprehension and reading skills, who were consistently reading with their volunteers.   “The children love the volunteers and are also excited when they come in,” she said. “They jump at the opportunity to read with them.”   Additionally, a vice principal remarked that she was “very appreciative of the program, and it had become very valuable to the school.”   With teachers having a lot on their plates and many students in their classes, some children slip under the radar and do not receive the required support.   So, helping provide the volunteers with extra support for the teachers is important for Suzanne in her coordinator’s role. She also said it should not be taken for granted that there is a lot of respect for Reading Together from the participating schools.   “The children love the volunteers and are also excited when they come in. They jump at the opportunity to read with them.” Also not taken for granted is the power of creativity.   Encouraging volunteers to be creative is a key priority. They are encouraged to connect with each child to discover and ignite their passions and interests and to bring in resources from picture books, non-fiction children’s books, atlases and National Geographic magazines to car magazines, books of photographs, and the popular Where’s Wally? book.   The primary aim is to stimulate the children’s imagination and engage them, and it’s proving to be highly effective.   One volunteer discovered a Grade 6 child had an interest in dirt bikes. So, she went to a local op shop, bought dirt bike magazines for 20 cents, and encouraged the student to read a little bit of them at the end of their reading session.   “It filled him with so much joy and interest that this helped him increase his literacy levels,” Suzanne reflected.   “He went from level 5/prep level reading skills at the start of the year, and then over the first couple of terms, to about level 12. He then set himself a goal: to be at level 25 by the end of the year with independent reading.   “And he achieved that goal through the combination of the teacher, the teacher’s aide and the volunteer supporting him and encouraging him to keep moving forward. So, there are many positive stories from the children, a light bulb moment, or just a connection and conversation they have had with the volunteer.”   Another example was a soon-to-be 80-year-old volunteer who struggled to bond with a young boy due to his lack of engagement in conversations until a book featuring a pizza sparked a significant breakthrough.   Discussing their favourite pizzas opened up a dialogue and helped build a connection. Gradually, this interaction broke down barriers and fostered trust. He even revealed that he had read Harry Potter to his grandmother. And the outcome? The volunteer walked home from the session with a beaming smile, her heart uplifted by the joy of the breakthrough.   “I think more and more people are realising that low literacy is a problem, it is an issue, and they want to be involved.” Suzanne does not underestimate the importance of the voluntary service provided by local community members and how it positively impacts the children’s lives.   “They feel connected to the community and feel like they’re making a positive and important difference in a child’s life, and often this gives renewed purpose in life,” she said.   “We know children come from so many different walks of life and family situations, which then, in turn, leads to their low literacy levels. So, by having this person come in consistently every week to show care and encouragement, we believe that helps the children develop value in themselves.”   With those involved in the voluntary service coming from all different walks of life, some have re-entered the workforce from their experience with the Reading Together program , including gaining Teacher’s Assistant roles – an achievement that makes Suzanne proud. Additionally, they can gain purpose, connections, new skills and self-confidence in their lives.   Donations of educational resources have been of benefit to the Communities for Children program, providing books to the program volunteers.   The Tasmanian Government also has a strong focus on literacy this year.   “They are really throwing a lot into the schools with a lot of emphasis on literacy development,” Suzanne said. “So, I feel that our program is hugely supportive of this renewed focus that they're having in our state.”   When asked about the primary beauty and appeal of reading a book, her response focused on the magic that lay behind the pages.   “I think it’s being able to hold a tactile book in your hand, and just opening the book and not knowing what the story is going to end with,” she said.   “And just getting caught up in the beautiful illustrations and where that journey of reading will take them, and the unknown of where it will transport them to in the story.”   Moving forward, Reading Together has a promising future.   The aim by the end of the year is to have more schools on board and further expansion next year, especially in low socio-economic areas, with an ultimate desire of having the ability to have the program in every Tasmanian school – if they had the capacity.   “It’s wonderful to see people out in the community looking to be involved in something like this,” Suzanne said.   “I think more and more people are realising that low literacy is a problem, it is an issue, and they want to be involved. They want to support children, and they want to give the children the opportunity to be the best that they can in their own literacy development. So, it’s great to see people putting their hand up to volunteer their time.   “It really makes so much difference in a child’s life.”   For more information, click here

A drone shot of the number 45,850 that students formed on the school oval at Mooroolbark. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE More than 300 Victorian school students recently came together to visually represent the number of children and young people experiencing homelessness across Australia. The students from Billanook College in Mooroolbark, Victoria, stood together on their school oval on 30 July to form the number 45,850, which represented the number of children and young people aged up to 24 years who were reported as experiencing homelessness on the night of the 2021 Census. A student at the event expressed annoyance and frustration with living in a society that allowed this kind of suffering to happen. “I didn’t know that that many people were homeless, let alone [that] youth numbers were that high, so that was really shocking and eye-opening,” another student at the event said. Salvation Army National Schools Engagement Manager Grace Davidson said many people were unaware of the scale of youth homelessness. “Connecting with students allows us to educate young minds on the big issues their peers are facing, what they can do to help those experiencing homelessness … and how they can seek help if they find themselves in need,” she said. Major Brendan Nottle said as a nation, Australia needed to recognise the housing situation was "not good enough". Project 614’s Major Brendan Nottle, who presented at the event, said the shocking numbers of young people experiencing homelessness was an “absolute blight” on Australia and an “indictment on our nation”. “As a nation, we need to say ‘not good enough’, and we need to do everything we can to not only get young people housed but to actually get the support around them,” Brendan said. TSA General Manager for Youth Services Natalee O’Brien said children and young people should have the freedom and opportunity to grow up in safe environments. “Most importantly, they deserve to feel safe at home,” Natalee said. “The sad reality is that there are many children without a safe place to live.” The event was intended to tie in with Homelessness Week 2024 as part of The Salvation Army’s End Homelessness for Good campaign. In 2023, the Salvation Army assisted nearly 38,000 people and provided nearly 320,000 sessions of care to those at risk of or experiencing homelessness. More than one in six assisted by TSA homelessness services were accompanying children and young people aged up to 14. This story was written using quotes and images from an article by Mikayla van Loon from the Lilydale Star.

Interviewing and reporting on the world leaders’ movements around the territory was a privilege. Salvos Online journalist Lauren Martin shares about her week travelling around the Australia Territory with the world leaders of The Salvation Army, General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, and the Australia Territory leadership team What a pleasure it was to spend a week with these fabulous people – General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, and Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, who never missed a chance to promote her new book, ‘Our Rallying Cry’. What a trip! Six states of Australia in seven days.   Our time in each capital city was so short that every time we arrived at an airport, the automated system wanted to check our bags through to our final destination because it looked like we were simply ‘in transit’!   A few days into the trip, General Lyndon started to joke that each of us travelling with him would soon be able to recite his messages by heart – and it’s true that he did share the same themed messages at each Officers Councils and evening rally. However, the General doesn’t speak from a script, and each time he spoke, it seemed that the Holy Spirit guided him to shift focus or dwell on a particular section. And I felt God revealing different things to me as the days went on.   The General’s final rally message in Melbourne was a powerful personal experience. He delved more intimately into the moment God brought him to his knees when he first grappled with whether Jesus was ‘present’, ‘prominent’ or ‘pre-eminent’ in his life. This candid sharing of his real-life encounter with the Spirit, a General so vulnerably revealing his humanness, spoke to the humanness in me. How often is Jesus an afterthought in my missional plans? Is the King of Kings really on the throne of my life? Upwards of 60 people knelt at, or near, the mercy seat that evening in a powerful outpouring of desire for Jesus to be at the forefront of who we are as people and what we do as a movement.   The move of the Holy Spirit was evident throughout the whole tour. I witnessed and experienced a Salvation Army territory hungry for Jesus to lead us into what the General described as the ‘new wave’ of the Spirit.   There was a palpable excitement as Salvationists gathered in each location. Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas kept referring to this time as a ‘line in the sand’ moment. I got the sense that as a movement, we are cresting the hill, moving away from the dark, hard days of the Australia One amalgamation and COVID-19 setbacks, and looking ahead to new pastures that Jesus is calling us to.    I pray that this is so.   Other highlights for me included:   Chief Secretary Colonel Winsome Merrett’s beautiful benedictions in each location. They instilled a sense of peace and purpose for those gathered as they left to re-enter life, work and mission. Eleven-year-old Bella Stobie’s prayer with the world leaders in Perth. Speaking to her afterwards was a highlight as I was struck by her deep relationship with God and spiritual maturity. This further resonated with Commissioner Bronwyn’s passionate words throughout the tour about taking the Holy Spirit’s move seriously amongst children and young people and allowing them a place amongst our worship, mission and ministry.  Meeting in person so many officers and Salvos who I’ve ‘known’ for years through social media. There is something beautiful that happens when we gather! Listening to incidental conversations between our territorial leaders and hearing their passion and heart for our movement to be The Salvation Army we were raised up to be. Jesus-centred, Spirit-led, hope revealed! (Above left): Moses from Redcliffe Just Brass let me ‘join’ the band before the Brisbane Rally. (Above right from top): Catching up with Aux-Lieut’s Sandra Mortimer and Anthony Barford in Adelaide;  Enjoying a moment with Executive Assistant to the Territorial Leader, Captain Robyn Lorimer, and Private Secretary to the General, Major Chris Mulryne; Hanging out with organisers of the Brisbane Rally, ‘testing’ the afternoon-tea laid out for General Lyndon and Commissioner Buckingham.

Elijah (front right) from the Hohola literacy program, is currently learning all of the letter sounds in the alphabet. He says he is most proud of learning how to write his name after attending literacy class this year, and wants to one day be an engineer. BY ALYCIA VAN-KANNEL* The Salvation Army has been hard at work in Papua New Guinea providing basic literacy skills in communities across the country. In PNG, the adult literacy rate is only 63 per cent, and 67 per cent of students drop out of school before completing Grade 8 ( *Devette-Chee & Magury, 2022, p. 1 ). This is a great gift in villages where there is no other school, or where the available school begins at Grade 3. Students rely on The Salvation Army for preparation to enter and succeed in Grade 3 and beyond. The Salvation Army also runs some adult literacy programs to support individuals who never attended or stopped attending school for various reasons, such as access or cost barriers. Students in the Lea Lea literacy program are looking forward to a hopeful and positive future. The 35 literacy programs (70 classes) are administered by corps officers and run by corps volunteers who are trained in basic phonics and teaching. External funding helps support the programs, and the communities also assist the schools in various ways. Sometimes community members donate stationaries, materials and labour to build classrooms, hold fundraisers to provide additional funds, and more.   Wherever they operate, primary schools are eager to accept Salvos Literacy kids. They often perform higher than their peers and are more likely to complete primary school. Some students have gone on to post-secondary programs, some become literacy teachers themselves, and adult literacy students can often obtain paid employment for the first time. Alycia Van-Kannel (right) with one of the teachers and several literacy students. In several communities, the literacy programs inspire community members to seek formal registered educational opportunities for their children. At Tent City Literacy [in photo attached, students with blue shirts, teacher in black, grey, orange dress; Alyshia in TSA grey shirt], the teachers who taught at the corps literacy school were part of leading the way to transition the school into a registered elementary and now are themselves registered teachers who continue to teach at Tent City Salvation Army Elementary School.   At Hohola Literacy, Elijah [see main photo above] is currently learning all of the letter sounds. He says he is most proud of learning how to write his name after attending literacy class this year and wants to one day be an engineer. Students studying with the Hohola literacy program. Other students share that they are working towards being able to read an English Bible, gain employment, or catch up in order to return to formal schooling and complete high school. The teachers are eager to report that from last year’s class of graduates, many are now employed, while some others have been able to return to school.   Future plans for The Salvation Army corps literacy programs include providing teachers with a standardised curriculum and resource guide, building in additional literacy skills (such as financia l , workplace, social) for adults, improving monitoring and operations, and providing more texts for students to enjoy, including with more PNG languages and representation. Devette-Chee, Kilala, and Peter Magury. “A Snapshot of Three Key  2015 and 2019 Indicators for  Universal Basic Education in  Papua New Guinea: What Have  We Learnt?” Spotlight, vol. 15, no. 14, Oct. 2022, pp. 1–4, https://pngnri.org/images/Publications/Spotlight_Vol_15_Issue_14_CHECK.pdf . Alycia Van-Kannel is the Director of Schools (Literacy and Early Education), The Salvation Army, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Territory.

Marion Corps Officers Majors Chris and Cherie Clarke with the four new senior soldiers in front of The Salvation Army flag bearer (from left): Alison Fallaize, Maria Anderson, Lisa Maria Hoggard and Paul Tanner. BY ANTHONY CASTLE Major Chris Clarke said the four people enrolled as senior soldiers at Marion Corps recently brought “passion and energy” to The Salvation Army.   The dynamic corps in Adelaide’s south is known for actively expressing God’s love in the community, providing holistic support to people with various needs.   Corps Officers Majors Cherie and Chris Clarke enrolled the four new soldiers – Alison Fallaize, Lisa Maria Hoggard, Paul Tanner and Maria Anderson – during a special Sunday morning service on 25 August.   “All four, through their life experience and varying skills and abilities, bring so much passion and energy to The Salvation Army,” Chris said.  One of the new senior soldiers signs their Articles of War. “It is exciting to witness their love for Jesus and their willingness to engage in building a community that is Jesus-centred, Spirit-led and reveals hope.   “It’s a privilege to stand beside them in ministry and now join members of the church who are active in delivering our Local Mission Plan.”   Alison and Lisa are active in many of the corps teams that respond to community needs, particularly the children’s ministries and youth-focused programs. Lisa is also a valued member of the Sunday Worship Team.   Alison, the Corps Business Administration Assistant, supports the corps’ practical day-to-day operations and is a valued member of the Marion Corps Leadership Team.   Maria is employed as the Divisional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinator for the South Australian/Northern Territory Division and, together with Paul (Ministry Assistant Alice Springs), is currently serving the community in Alice Springs.   “It was beautiful that, as their home church, we could witness this significant event in their discipleship journey,” Chris said. “They are much loved at Marion and feel very much a part of our church family.”

National Youth and Young Adults Specialist John Marion leads a session as part of The Listening Project 2024. BY ANTHONY CASTLE   The National Youth and Young Adults Ministry Team has released a new research report on the lived experience of emerging adults in The Salvation Army.   National Youth and Young Adults Specialist John Marion recently spoke with dozens of young adults across the country about faith, life, and the decisions they are facing.   Research shows that emerging adulthood is a time of change for many and a challenge for church communities seeking to stay connected.   “There are developmental and cultural challenges for engaging emerging adults,” John says.   “It’s a period of time where they engage in exploration. Coming out of high school, young people move out of a heavily structured and regulated space. You go from school with clear rules, no money or license, to having all this freedom. It’s a time when emerging adults are figuring who they are, what they’re going to do, who they’ll fall in love with ...” National Youth and Young Adults Specialist John Marion. Research has shown an ‘exodus’ of emerging adults from churches, a mass movement from attendance and identifying with the Christian faith. Whether these young people were never involved or have since left, most faith communities struggle to engage with emerging adults. This ‘exodus’ raises questions for The Salvation Army.   “This is challenging for churches for two reasons,” John explains. “The first reason is youth ministry functions in a structured way. Every young person is free at the same time; you can’t do that with emerging adults. The second challenge is that emerging adults are experimenting and asking questions. When they begin that journey, the church can also be static; this is what you’re meant to believe. They are open to all the possibilities of faith and belief when the church provides definitive answers.”   Missing demographic Facing the ‘exodus’ of emerging adults from faith communities has challenged churches across the country. In Scripture, the Exodus wasn’t simply about leaving but the beginning of an important journey towards independence. The difficulty was the wilderness period in between, with the complexity of adulthood presenting a risk to young people, not just freedom.   • Why is what we're doing not working? • How do we connect with emerging adults who have not grown up in churches? • How can our churches help emerging adults’ faith grow and develop? • If emerging adults are leaving the Church, where is their faith going?   “Emerging adults are the largest missing demographic in churches ... and in The Salvation Army,” John says. “Life can get busy; they make other choices. They don’t attend, drift away. We shouldn’t just think of this as a problem for churches as much as it can be a difficult time for emerging adults. They have tremendous challenges. With all of that freedom comes all of that risk. They can still be quite vulnerable.”   Practice principles The Youth and Young Adults Ministry Team explored these challenges by engaging in lived experience research with emerging adults about their lives and spirituality. As a result, they have identified practice principles to support emerging adults to thrive in life and faith.   “There are practice principles we can all use to support emerging adults,” John says. “We meet them where they are, walk alongside them as they navigate challenges, empower them to take ownership of their life and faith, and help them discover purpose in their lives. Almost all of the emerging adults we spoke with expressed their faith in terms of how they engaged the world.”  Facing the ‘exodus’ of emerging adults from faith communities can feel daunting, but in Scripture, the Exodus was the start of an important journey. We can understand the emerging adults’ ‘exodus’ not as a move away from faith but as a journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Supporting emerging adults on their journey can be what they need to get to the other side.   “Emerging adults are meant to leave and explore; they are coming of age,” John says. “The challenge is making it through the wilderness, but the wilderness is where the journey is, with God leading the way. We don’t have to think about this as a problem. Let’s not ask why they’re leaving, but ask where they’re going ... and offer to come alongside.” For more information including resource videos on how to support emerging adults , click here . To read the ‘Through the wilderness to the Promised Land’ report, click here .

United in Lismore ... (Far right) Captains Philip and Donna Sutcliffe with (from left) Lismore Pastor Tony (Generation Go) Pastor Steve (Crossroad) and Pastor Al (Arise Church).  In the wake of some of the worst floods in its history, God moved amongst his people in the northern NSW city of Lismore to unite for his glory. Lismore Corps Officer Captain Phil Sutcliffe shared this story with the world leaders of The Salvation Army, General Lyndon and Commissioner Buckingham, at an Officers Council gathering in Sydney last week.   BY CAPTAIN PHIL SUTCLIFFE On 28 February 2022, the city of Lismore was hit with devastating flooding. The event has now become the most expensive disaster in Australia’s history.    But this story starts in November 2021 when I was asked to preach at our combined churches service. From the time that I was asked, I felt that God was telling me to preach on unity amongst our churches – putting aside our denominational differences and working together to spread the name of Jesus in our community.    After that service, a local pastor from a Pentecostal church said they were going to cancel their service in a fortnight and come and join our service. We had a beautiful time together. So, that started a regular period of combined church meetings every few months. It was the start of a beautiful collaboration.   In the days after the major flood, the churches were present in our community – in unity – providing food, water and helping people to clean up.   Four weeks after the first major flood, a second major flood hit our town. Members of other churches, particularly ‘Generation Go’ church, became our extra hands, volunteering [with our Salvation Army Emergency Services team] at our evacuation centre. As the weeks and months progressed after the floods, our collaboration with other churches continued to strengthen.    Towards the end of the year, when we were looking towards how we were going to assist our community at Christmas, we quickly realised that our church space was not going to be big enough to hold all the supplies that we would need. Speaking with Pastor Tony from ‘Generation Go’, we found out that they were up to a stage in their rebuild where we would be able to use their hall to deliver our Christmas Cheer. That year, we were able to help around 450 families, which was over 600 children with toys and hampers. A huge increase on the 150 hampers we had done the year before.   Volunteers from different churches in Lismore united to assist The Salvation Army at the evacuation centre during the floods in 2022. In early 2023, Crossroads Church and Generation Go, both ACC churches that had been meeting together since the floods, decided to formally merge and become The Collective. Over this time, our partnership with these churches continued to grow, so much so that we were regularly doing combined Sunday meetings together. And during those times we were able to fundraise for overseas development work and other things in our community. The connection when our churches came together was incredible.    In July 2023, I was woken up by God one night saying, “You need to talk to these pastors about coexisting and sharing The Salvation Army building in ministry.” I wrestled with this idea. I spoke to my wife, Donna, and then we invited the pastors from The Collective over one night for supper. We suggested the idea and it was warmly received. We then began the process of working out how all this would work.    Once we decided, we started to see God’s blessings poured out in our community. We ended up with a full-time Doorways Recovery worker, a perfect addition to our team post the disaster of the floods. He then brought his family to church – a Sudanese family with four kids and one on the way. And he then invited the rest of his family and the rest of the Sudanese community.   In September, we went on a holiday, and at that stage we just had our two kids in our church. When we returned from furlough, we had 16 kids under the age of 15 in our church!   Not only that, we have had the incredible blessing of God calling back people who had walked away from the church and were now starting to come back.    Worshipping together ... Pastor Steve and Sharon (Crossroad), Captains Philip and Donna Sutcliffe, Aux-Lieut Soseh, and Pastor Tony (Generation Go). So, from Christmas Eve 2023, The Salvation Army Lismore Corps has been co-existing together with The Collective. We do all our midweek ministry together, everything we do from Monday to Saturday we combine in serving and sharing the love of Jesus with our community. And then, on Sunday morning, they do their service, we cross over with combined morning tea, and then we do our service. We still do combined services every two months. Easter was a fantastic time, with over 190 people gathered together – two churches, praising the name of Jesus. It’s been amazing.    We are working together throughout the week, we are sharing our resources, sharing our people. We are able to reach further into the community. We are seeing people transformed by the love of Jesus every single day because we focus on keeping Jesus front and centre of all that we do.   What a great example of living out the Australia Territory’s rally cry: Jesus-centred, Spirit-led and hope revealed!  Transcribed by Lauren Martin

Sit down and enjoy a two-hour presentation of the General’s Sydney Rally, hosted by the NSW/ACT Division, held at the University of NSW Clancy Auditorium on Monday 26 August. The Salvation Army’s world leaders, General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, toured the Australia Territory for one week from 26 August-2 September 2024, holding rallies in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart and Melbourne. (Note: Two items had to be cut from the Sydney video due to licensing issues or by request).

Each week throughout this year, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for a particular territory or region of The Salvation Army. Child protection and children's homes play a large role in the work of The Salvation Army in Mexico. In addition to the spiritual work of the corps, there is also an emergency response outreach and ministry to migrants.  Prayer requests are shared by the focus territory/region to help us pray with precision and power for one another.    This week we are praying for the Mexico Territory. Praise points As a territory, we are thanking God for the cadets who have entered the training school – eight cadets in the Champions of the Mission  Session, and seven cadets in the Covenant Keepers  Session. Their achievements are a testament to their faith and to the glory of our God. We thank God, and ask for more workers for the Lord’s vineyard. Please pray for: ·       Mexico to increase its membership following the ‘Hope’ Strategic Plan. While 280 soldiers, 205 adherents, 41 junior soldiers and 283 home league members enlisted during 2023, we have yet to reach our growth indicators. Our challenge is to keep growing the Army in this beautiful country. ·       A holiness revival to keep growing after Mexico’s Territorial Holiness Seminar which was held in May 2024. ·       More evangelistic expressions, with the challenge in mind to celebrate one open- air meeting per corps, per month. ·       Expansion of the mission – opening four new works before the end of the Strategic Plan in 2026. To find out more about Mexico Territory , click here . For more information on the International Prayer Focus 2024, and to download the calendar, click here .

Frankston Youth Advisory Group members with Peninsula Youth Services’ Katie O’Connor. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Young people accessing The Salvation Army in Frankston, Victoria, will now be assured of safe spaces shaped by the knowledge and creativity of those their own age. Youth and young adults from the Frankston Youth Advisory Group – a Council-driven program that offers those between the ages of 12 and 24 in the area the chance to provide feedback and input – recently designed new posters for the spaces at Peninsula Youth Services, a Salvation Army service provider led by Peninsula Youth Services’ Youth Participation worker Katie O’Connor. The new posters designed by Frankston Youth Advisory Group. Three participants from the group reflected on their experiences being part of the initiative. Alannah What does being part of this advisory group mean to you? It means I can make a difference to the youth in my community and hopefully help them feel more heard and catered for. I have loved doing YAG; it’s been so amazing to hear all the different views from all the other YAG members. Everyone has such great ideas on how to make our community better for youth. I’ve always felt so welcomed by everyone at YAG, and they have inspired me to do things I never thought I would do, such as going back to school to study youth work. I am forever grateful for everyone who has been a part of the group. I hope that other youth in my area are safe and always know that they have a voice and there are people who are listening and advocating for their needs. There is always help, and I hope that through YAG we are making that help more accessible and inclusive for everyone. Alannah from the Frankston Youth Advisory Group. What does ensuring safety for all look like? When do you feel safe and heard? Through YAG I was given the opportunity to research a group of young people and present to Safeguarding how youth view risk and safety. From this, I took away that many youths view a safe space as somewhere that is inclusive and where they feel like they aren’t at risk of being physically harmed. It’s about creating a space that is filled with friendly people who actively listen and care about their wellbeing. James What does being part of this advisory group mean to you? It means I have a sense of responsibility, I’m connected to members of the community and aware of and actively participating in community events. James with Mornington Peninsula mural artist Father Marker. What does ensuring safety for all look like? When do you feel safe and heard? Taking care of everybody regardless of identity. Taking measures to take care of children and giving everyone the opportunity to thrive and have a voice. What would you like the posters to communicate? I want the posters to feel eye-catching and vibrant, especially towards people my age who normally don’t read these things. They have important information and really communicate the Salvos’ intent to keep everybody safe and feeling listened to. Lily What does being a part of this advisory group mean to you? It means feeling a part of something, my voice being heard, and getting to make a change. I joined the YAG group for many reasons – one being that I was seeking to be a part of a group for young people that can make a change in Frankston and the wider community. I wanted to meet new people and boost my communication and people skills. Lily with Katie O'Connor. What have you learned being part of this group? Being a part of the YAG has been nothing but rewarding, amazing and unforgettable. I have gained some amazing friendships with the people in it. I’ve met some wonderful and caring youth workers who also have supported me in my personal journeys outside of YAG. I’ve been a part of two mural projects run through Katie. I love being in an environment where I can be creative. Young people appreciate being recognised for their work, and YAG definitely does that.

For Mark Curtis, his own past is never far from his mind when spending time with those experiencing addiction, homelessness or mental ill health. Image: Supplied BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Auxiliary-Lieutenant Mark Curtis doesn’t like gardening. But funnily enough, that’s exactly why he began a garden ministry 10 years ago. “God spoke to me in a dream to start a garden on The Salvation Army Gosnells property,” he says. “And I don’t even like gardening or know anything about it, so I knew [the idea] wasn’t from me.” Mark and Nikki receiving their Cutmore Award at the Perth General's Rally. Image: Peter Mazanec Early in our conversation, I learn that Mark is a man prone to understatement. He describes the Garden of Hope as “quite a big area”. What he means is that it contains over 1000 square metres of raised vegetable garden beds, 30 fruit trees, and two shade houses. Alongside this are chicken and bird aviaries, an amphitheatre seating 200,   a yarning circle and a table seating about 70 people. When he started in late 2013, the garden consisted of just six raised garden beds, each five metres by two metres. Since then, he and many dedicated groups of volunteers have transformed the garden into a space for what he and his wife, Major Nikki Curtis, describe as a faith community outside of the traditional church building. Nikki said while The Salvation Army was always there to support the community with food, clothing and housing support, she and Mark saw deep-seated needs in the Gosnells area, which involved individualised wraparound care and partnership. This approach requires a more long-term slog, but they aren’t a couple who shies away from hard work. In fact, they were recently recognised with the Ian and Nancy Cutmore Award by General Lyndon Buckingham, Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham and Commissioner Miriam Gluyas for their pioneering spirit during the General’s Rally at Perth Fortress. In reflecting on the couple’s work, Miriam said God was doing a “great thing” at the Garden of Hope. An outdoor service at the Garden. Image: Supplied ‘Church’ at the Garden includes weekly outdoor services, regular meals outside with local community members, partnering with support services for disengaged school students and corporate groups, engaging those getting treatment at the neighbouring Harry Hunter Rehabilitation Centre, and ensuring those coming to the garden feel seen. “What we really want is to be doing life with people,” Nikki says. “Not [looking at] getting the hundreds [coming on Sundays] but looking at how we grow together in our relationship with God, and how do we grow together as a community of believers.” Mark says he’s discovered that he seems to have a calming presence. “Just sitting at a table and eating with people shows you value them and actually builds relationship,” he says. He tells of a man who began coming along to meals at the garden and was experiencing mental health challenges. Despite how often Mark tried to engage him, he just wanted to eat and ignored those around him. But, eventually, the man decided to volunteer at the garden. Outdoor meals are a regular connection point for the Garden of Hope community. Image: Supplied “Just sitting next to him eating made him feel comfortable, and [like] he wanted to come back,” Mark says. “He felt connected just sitting in front of me eating without even saying anything.” Nikki says she has found a transforming power in continuing to show love to those who express frustration at their life circumstances while at the Garden of Hope. “[God’s] given me a huge capacity to love and embrace people,” she says. “That’s powerful.” Mark and Nikki’s passion for their work comes from more than just empathy. Mark’s journey at the property began in 2012 when he himself was a participant in the Bridge program at the Harry Hunter Centre. While Nikki has been a Salvation Army officer for 27 years, Mark’s journey has been a little more complicated. After struggling with addiction and depression for much of his life, a head-on car accident while working in the Pilbara in 2007 left him badly injured. Worker’s compensation payouts did little to alleviate his further deteriorating mental health, and his addictions worsened. Finally, in 2012, he found himself homeless on the streets of Perth. He had no money and no close relationships. Eventually, he was jailed and then released to the Bridge program. The outdoor seating area at the Garden. Image: Supplied He found physical and mental healing here, but most of all, he found Jesus. Being part of The Salvation Army brought him a sense of belonging he had never felt before. Mark says the garden is now somewhere the ‘lost sheep’ of the community can gather. This is something he feels especially passionate about, given his own experience. “I just love seeing people connect and feel like they belong somewhere,” he says. “I spent 28 years in addiction and never felt like I belonged anywhere. “It makes me emotional even just talking about it.” But he hasn’t changed his mind about growing plants. “I still don't really like gardening, but I do it,” Mark says.

Left to right: Robyn Kelly, Keeva Bartsch and Joy Smith enjoy each other’s company at the drop-in craft group that Joy started in the new Morley Salvos café.   BY LAUREN MARTIN   Joy Smith loves people. The soldier from Morley Corps in Perth, Western Australia, worked in The Salvation Army’s Doorways program assisting people in need. Then, when she retired and had more time on her hands, she asked God to show her the next opportunity he wanted her to step into.   Soon after, it arrived. Morley Corps got a renovation, adding a café at the entrance to the Doorways offices. Joy took her love of knitting to the café, starting a drop-in craft group once a week. “I just love connecting with people,” she says. “It all starts with people and relationships.”   When people arrive for Doorways assistance, volunteers give them a voucher for a coffee. Joy says some of them then wander past the knitting table and have a chat or enquire about the things they are creating.   Robyn Kelly is a regular at the group. Currently, she’s knitting a beautiful, bright blanket to give to her grandson. She says she enjoys the fellowship and attends other groups at the corps as well. Keeva Bartsch says she loves dropping in – not to knit, but to natter! There is always great conversation around the table and a welcoming environment with a few extra chairs for interested onlookers.   What a great way to connect with our community – take a hobby you enjoy, move it into a public space and invite others to join you! Please keep the Morley craft group in your prayers.