The Salvation Army Australia Territory publications team has launched a series of Christmas resources, including magazines, calendars and children’s activities. They are available to order here at Christmas in July prices until 28 July. This year’s 28-page calendar is themed ‘Horizons of Hope’, and each month’s entry is beautifully paired with inspirational verses and photos taken by photographer Gareth McGuigan. It’s a great way to boost your faith journey year-round. You can choose from two options for the single-page calendar, one with a blank space for adding your own corps’ content, and the second is a great option for giving to clients as it includes contact details for Salvation Army services. The Christmas edition of Salvos Magazine offers festive, hopeful and reflective stories from across our community, as well as crafts, recipes and puzzles. The Christmas Kidzone magazine focuses on Jesus as the light of the world and features themed crafts, games and a scavenger hunt. The Kidzone pop-out nativity set is a colourful and quirky way to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Children can construct it themselves using pop-out figures from an A3 card. There is also a new range of Kidzone stickers available for purchase.

The Salvation Army's International Creative Arts Festival has highlighted the breadth of creative talent around the global Army world. The Salvation Army International has released a video showcasing “incredible talents” from around the world who participated in the Army’s International Creative Arts Festival. “From dancers to musicians, painters to animators, we’ve received an overwhelming number of submissions that will leave you inspired and in awe,” organisers shared. “We are thrilled to share the creativity and passion of our Salvation Army family from Chile to Slovakia, Ghana to India, and beyond. These videos represent the immense talent within our community, and each one tells a captivating story of young individuals leaving their mark through their chosen art form.” International jury members included professional dancer Kellyn Mylechreest from the USA East Territory, James Hohoy (Territorial Youth Secretary and exceptional singer) from Indonesia and Nallely Rivera (Territorial Youth Secretary, artist and Instagram influencer) from Mexico. The jury evaluated the submissions based on creativity, originality, connection to the theme ‘Footprints’, and the involvement of children and young people. The view the video click here , or see below.

General Brian Peddle awards the Order of the Founder to Dutch envoys Koos and Henny Tinga. As part of the world leaders’ recent visit to the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Slovakia Territory, General Brian Peddle awarded The Salvation Army’s highest honour, the Order of the Founder, to Envoys Koos and Henny Tinga. Henny received the award for more than 60 years of work in Amsterdam, focused on the Red Light District and the Army’s Goodwill Centre there. She worked with prostituted women, substance abusers and addicts, the homeless, struggling youth, the LGBTQIA+ community, the mentally ill and anyone else who came across her path. Henny was also active in the corps, speaking and leading worship and introducing people to Christ. Envoy Henny (right) is a well-known and much-loved figure as she continues to serve the vulnerable and marginalised. From the age of 17, Henny, who refuses to retire, served closely with the late ‘Major’ (Lieut-Colonel) Alida Bosshardt, who also received an Order of the Founder for her decades of work in Amsterdam’s Red Light District and beyond. Henny describes Major Bosshardt as her “spiritual mother”. Over the decades, especially since Major Bosshardt’s death in 2007, Henny increasingly became the face of the Salvation Army in Amsterdam’s inner city. Her Christian example, love of God and humanity and dedication to service were clear to everyone. For many years, Henny and Koos, with their three children, lived in the centre of the Red Light District. They sheltered homeless women and were on call for those in great distress or need of help. As the number of paid Salvation Army employees grew in the district, others were available to answer calls for assistance. Henny, though, was always known as “the engine and driver” of the ministry. Henny is still active in retirement, visiting people, organising meals for the hungry, assisting in the soup van, organising corps meetings and events, and campaigning for equality for all. Leaders of her territory thanked her for her “commitment, example and dedication to the cause of God, who wants to provide ‘healing’ to the weakest in our society.” True revolutionary Envoy Koos has also served for many years in the Goodwill Centre, in finances and leading service administration. Since 1990 until recently, Koos had also been closely involved with the re-opening and expansion of the work in then Czechoslovakia and now the Czech Republic. (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1992.) Envoys Koos and Henny with the bronze memorial statue of Major Alida Bosshardt. “All honour is due to God,” the couple said, when receiving their award. As the events in Russia unfolded during the time of the General’s visit to the territory this past weekend, Koos said his thoughts went back to the end of 1989, when also very unexpectedly, the Iron Curtain fell, and many countries in the Eastern Bloc were liberated from the Soviet Union. “I remember my first trip to the Czech Republic when The Salvation Army in the Netherlands was asked to resume work here, because work was banned there by the Communist government after World War II,” he shared. “There was actually no place for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and now it could be freely proclaimed again. “I am proud that The Salvation Army has regained a place in this society and can tell people in word and deed about the revolution that can take place in your life if you make Jesus first. He is the one who can overthrow the regime that is standing in the way of your happiness and freedom. He has a plan for your life and, because of that revolution in your life, it can happen in the lives of people around you. “I see proof of that in all those people who have joined the Salvation Army here in the Czech Republic and also in Slovakia and in over 135 countries around the world. That is much more beautiful than any reward or distinction you get for something you were allowed to do with so much joy and conviction. “That change that God can make in a man, that revolution, I fully support that!” Strong spiritual force “Our visit to the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Slovakia Territory was inspiring, encouraging as well as challenging,” shared General Brian Peddle on his personal Facebook page. The world leaders received a warm traditional welcome at the start of their territorial visit. “In the midst of excellent social services, attention to the needs of families and children, the Army is finding its place as a strong spiritual force and is being welcomed by city, regional and national government leaders. “Due to the professional actions of our committed teams, there is endless opportunity to impact the needs of these two nations. Of note is our desire to work with several Roma communities as they exist, seemingly outside of the society and are often very disadvantaged.” General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries, were also pleased to visit a new shelter for the homeless and to see the Army’s engagement with Ukrainian families and its work to meet the refugees’ ongoing needs. The ordination and commissioning was a highlight of the leaders' visit. A focal point of the territory’s celebrations was the Ordination and Commissioning of eight cadets from the Reflectors of Holiness session – four from the Czech Republic and four from the Netherlands. “It was great to recognise sacrificial service, given over many years,” wrote General Peddle. “I thank God for his blessing and affirmation over these past days. Join me in praying for our ministry in this part of Europe.”

A young client of the Karratha Youth Accommodation Service feeds a horse during a visit to the local stables. By CLIFF WORTHING Unique challenges and opportunities supporting young people are all part of a day’s work for The Salvation Army in the remote mining community of Karratha, Western Australia. “Every day is different in our job – sometimes it doesn’t always go to plan, but we learn to work and adapt to all different situations,” said Kerry Hall, Service Manager at Karratha Youth Accommodation Service. Positive outcomes, however, have seen the service nominated for a Pilbara Community Services Excellence Award this year. RJ From Yaandina, Angela Day (previous AOD worker,) Kevin Michel (Member for Pilbara) and Kerry Hall (Salvos Service Manager). The youth service operates in the city of Karratha, a mining community about 1500 kilometres north of Perth in the Pilbara region. It has six beds and two independent living units for young people at risk of homelessness. It also offers a drug and alcohol outreach program. “We have a job to do, but we have to be human because we really care about young people in our community,” Kerry said. “We created a home-like setting that is nurturing and caring, which is something some of the young people may never have experienced before.” The Salvos provide more than just a bed for young people but try to respond to all their challenges. Facilitating health checks, Centrelink payments, getting identity documents (sometimes for the first time), reconnecting with school, filling out housing applications, living skills, local excursions, and “a shoulder to cry on” are some of the multi-faceted supports offered. Challenges of providing a service in a remote mining community include retaining staff. Staff need partners with well-paying employment because of the high cost of rent and utilities. For example, air-conditioning units run most of the year because of the hot climate. Also, mining towns have transient populations, so sometimes staff need to leave when their partner is relocated. Kerry Hall cooking in the kitchen with a former client at the youth centre. Healthcare is also an issue with any person needing major treatment needing to fly to Perth. However, the mining community also offer opportunities for young people through traineeships and apprenticeships. The Salvos have partnerships with Fortescue Metals Group and Woodside Energy, which provide training and employment opportunities supported by on-site mentors, healthy living skills, cooking and fitness programs. “Some of our clients have gone all the way through the 12-week traineeships into apprenticeships and can now live independently,” Kerry said. “The companies in our partnerships look after them so well, but they still pop in to see us from time to time asking for help or giving us an update on their lives.” Kerry said they also have four clients working in local shops, one studying hairdressing at TAFE, another in a leadership program, and another working for a local Aboriginal corporation. “Some come to us with literally nothing, so we try to rebuild their lives from the ground up,” Kerry said. “If we can’t help them immediately due to the accommodation being at capacity, we point them in the right direction and offer them as much assistance as we can.”

The pamphlet (left) published in 1895, telling the story of Poll Cott (right), who found salvation in 1885. By VICKI OSBORN and CHRIS BARRETT, of the Maitland & Beyond Family History Inc Earlier this year, Maitland & Beyond Family History Inc. hosted its first ‘Female Convict Seminar: The Female Convicts of Maitland and the Hunter Valley’. The venue was Maitland Gaol in the NSW Hunter region, a fitting site as many of the female convicts whose stories were being told were inmates of the gaol at some time. At the seminar, three members gave presentations about three local female convicts. One of those stories was of Mary Fitzgerald, aka Poll Cott, which was researched and presented by Chris Barrett. Mary Fitzgerald was baptised in Cork City, Ireland, in 1819. At 17, Mary, a country servant who could read and write, was convicted of stealing cheese. She was sentenced to seven years’ transportation to Australia for her crime and arrived on board the ‘Sir Charles Forbes’ in August 1837. Mary Fitzgerald married James Cott, also a convict, in 1839 at Newcastle. Mary’s life was complete; she was happily married and a few years later had a child whom she adored. This happiness lasted until 1847 when, despite the best efforts of a doctor who was called, baby James died. Little James Cott was buried at Hiland Crescent Cemetery, East Maitland. Mary, “… worn out with debauch, faint with hunger and unsteady under the influence of incessant potations, would lay for hours, sometimes whole nights, across the grave of her baby boy, seeking somehow to contact him by tapping a long thin steel rod down on the coffin ...” [Local Newspaper Article] After her son died, Mary’s behaviour spiralled out of control, and she became intimately acquainted with a gaol cell. When Mary’s husband left her, she was truly alone. She became known as Poll (Polly meaning ‘great sorrow’). Driven by grief, anger, desolation and probably despair, Poll had hundreds of incarcerations in Maitland, Newcastle and Parramatta gaols for drunkenness, obscene language, vagrancy, assault, stealing and property damage, but the most heart-wrenching was admission to Maitland Gaol for the offence of lunacy. She was transferred to Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum in 1874. The lemonade bottle that Poll Cott wielded as a weapon. It is now on display at The Salvation Army Museum. For the next 38 years, her incarcerations continued to the point where she had her own quarters at Maitland Gaol. Numerous newspaper articles of the day mention the hesitancy of the constabulary to approach her and publicans complying with Poll’s requests for liquor to avoid retribution. Her weapon of choice was a lemonade bottle inside a stocking, which she would wield with menace. This humble bottle is on display at The Salvation Army Museum in Sydney. In 1885, a chance meeting with a Salvation Army officer, Captain Rundle, changed Poll’s life when he said to her: “God bless you, Mother”. Captain Rundle offered Poll a bed and food for the night, which Poll accepted. Poll woke in the early hours to find Captain Rundle and his wife praying for her soul. This simple act of kindness and the power of prayer changed Mary’s life. She became a Salvationist on 18 May 1885 and devoted the remainder of her life to The Salvation Army. In 1895, a pamphlet published by The Salvation Army entitled “Poll Cott-A-Tale of a Termagant” was circulated, and her story was told at meetings and gatherings for many years. The pamphlet states it was “published by The Salvation Army to illustrate the successful work amongst the utterly godless”. Mary died on 13 July 1905 at The Salvation Army Rescue Home, Albert St, Islington (Newcastle). She was buried on 15 July 1905 in the Sandgate Cemetery. This female convict bonnet was made in memory of Mary Fitzgerald (aka Poll Cott) by Vicki Osborn of the Maitland and Beyond Family History Inc. Researcher Chris Barrett says Poll’s story is one of survival, resilience and courage and shows us that strong women aren’t born; they are forged in the fires they have had to walk through. “She is a beacon of hope to all women, especially those who have been marginalised, reviled or abused. She is an inspirational woman and heroine of Maitland and the Hunter!” One of the highlights was a display of 1000 Maitland Female Convict Bonnet Collection. The Maitland Female Convict Bonnet Project is part of the ‘Roses from the Heart’ Bonnet Project, an initiative of Dr Christina Henri in Tasmania. For the past five years, the Maitland history group has been researching the female convicts connected to Maitland and making bonnet tributes for each.

Australian officer and Eastern Europe Territory Commander, Lieut-Colonel Kelvin Pethybridge (centre) and Major Ionuts Sandu, Romania Divisional Commander, join The Salvation Army team distributing vouchers for children at RomExpo. The Romania Division of the Eastern Europe Territory has officially assisted more than 25,000 Ukrainian children through its unique voucher program. Salvation Army teams at RomExpo Exhibition Centre, the largest centre in Romania, have distributed more than 100,000 vouchers for children to parents and carers fleeing the war in Ukraine. These vouchers are used for food, clothing, school supplies and other essential items for children. This project has been recognised as best practice and implemented in other countries of the EET – Bulgaria, Georgia and Moldova. Australian officer, Major Darren Elsley (right) was part of the team at RomExpo for eight weeks last year. A Salvation Army international conference focusing on the rapid response to the war in Ukraine earlier this year also recognised the effectiveness of the program. Bucharest City awarded The Salvation Army a special diploma from its Social Assistance Office for responding to the refugee crisis as an effective long-term social work project. Salvation Army teams have been assisting Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine since the early hours of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Nicole is grateful that the Salvos did not judge her but walked alongside her when she needed them. BY NICOLE COLLINS I volunteer at Brisbane City Temple (BCT) every Wednesday and Friday morning, helping to distribute emergency relief cards through Doorways, the Salvos emergency relief and case management team. I also help with Open House and the community meal at BCT. I came through Moonyah (Salvos Brisbane Recovery Services), and at the end of one of my programs, I was asked if I’d like to volunteer at Open House. The programs at Moonyah were wonderful. The first time I didn’t want to be there, but my parents decided that was where I was going. The second time I knew I had to be there. The third time I knew it was a sanctuary and a safe place. By then I was coming out of a lot of domestic violence and knew Moonyah was a safe place to go. I had an alcohol addiction, and by the time I entered Moonyah for the third time, I was also addicted to marijuana and crack (ICE). Rock bottom By the time I went back the third time, I had broken ribs and a broken jaw. At the end of the day, I thanked God for my broken jaw because after the surgery I still went back to the perpetrator. I flushed his drugs down the toilet, and when he found out about that he was white with rage, but because of my surgery he didn’t kill me. Nicole now helps others coming into the Salvos for emergency relief. One of the plates in my jaw got an infection, and I had to have extra surgery to get it removed. I broke down when I got out of hospital. I went to one of the counsellors at Moonyah and let everything out. I didn’t understand why I was in so much pain and that the person who hurt me was out living his life. I came back to Brisbane and knew I had to go somewhere safe to heal myself. I phoned Moonyah, and they took me straight away. The counsellor prayed for me and prayed for me to sleep. I went back to my room, saw nothing but black, and it worked. I always knew there was God, but never paid much attention to him. When I was at Moonyah I went to church and chapel, then I did the Alpha program that explores the Christian faith, and that moved me quite a bit. A newfound peace My relationship with God eventually brought such a feeling of peace which I had never felt before. I wondered what was going on and could hardly believe what was happening. “Non-judging is incredibly important – we don’t all come from a perfect life.” I have found that the Salvos I have come into contact with over the years have not judged or forced anything on me but have always been willing to be there if I needed them. Non-judging is incredibly important – we don’t all come from a perfect life. Now, I would tell a person in a situation similar to mine to seek help, get in touch with the Salvos and come in for emergency relief cards. So many say they are ashamed. I tell them to get rid of the shame, leave it at the door – you’re not judged when you come through these doors. I don’t think I have ever met anyone who doesn’t feel better walking out than they did walking in. It even overflows to my workplace – I’m a checkout chick at a supermarket. Sometimes people who are bowed with shame come in for a chat, ask for help, and I tell them about the Salvos. It’s amazing, it’s my ministry. My life is wonderful – and there is more to come.

The Salvation Army in Nigeria and around the world is in mourning following the fatal bus crash that killed up to 12 officers. File photo of Nigerian Salvationists marching courtesy of Nigeria Territory Facebook site. It is with considerable distress and dismay that the international leadership of The Salvation Army has reported that a fatal accident in Nigeria has killed up to 12 officers. A statement issued by Nigerian Public Relations Secretary Major Daniel Ekong stated, “The Salvation Army has lost 12 of its officers, a baby and a driver in a fatal accident that occurred at the Ovia River close to Benin City, the Edo State capital on Thursday June 29, 2023. Others sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to the hospital. The accident was said to have been caused by a speeding Dangote truck which allegedly rammed into the 18-seater bus conveying the clerics from behind.” The wreckage of the bus that was carrying The Salvation Army group in Nigeria. The statement also quoted Commissioner Daniel Kasuso, Nigerian Territorial Commander, extending heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and praying for God’s protection over those who remain: “The leadership of The Salvation Army Nigeria Territory hereby extends heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased officers and fervently prays for God’s protection over those who remained.” General-elect Commissioner Lyndon Buckingham said, “This is heartbreaking news. The officers and their driver were returning from Officers’ Councils held in Lagos at the time of the accident. We ask that the global Salvation Army comes together to offer prayers of love and support, remembering all those who have been promoted to glory, the bereaved and those injured receiving medical care. We hold them in our hearts and in our prayers.” Some information sourced from Nigeria’s Independent newspaper

As we begin NAIDOC Week 2023, Tahana Turner from The Salvation Army’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander team delivers an Acknowledgement of Country, praising our creator God and reminding us that wherever we are standing today, we are standing on sacred ground. For NAIDOC Week resources go to: https://bit.ly/3XpMbx4

NAIDOC is a significant time in our nation when we celebrate indigenous cultures - the positive things and the changes that still need to happen. Our theme for NAIDOC 2023 is 'For our Elders'. This is an important theme, as it recognises the Elders who have gone before, what they have done, their sacrifices, wisdom and the stories they have passed on. It is also a time to give thanks to God for the earth and everything in it.

The Salvation Army’s commitment to reconciliation comes from its long engagement with Indigenous Australians. The Salvation Army recently announced its support for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament being enshrined in the constitution. However, this decision to move towards greater reconciliation is not new. It comes as part of The Salvation Army’s extensive history of engagement with the work of reconciliation. By KIRRALEE NICOLLE The Salvation Army’s acknowledgment of the significance of Indigenous Australians began at its commencement in Australia in the 19th century. In 1885, then-national commander Colonel Ballington Booth remarked that First Nations peoples were owed a large debt as the land’s original occupants. In 1886, Captain John Dean of the Parramatta Corps declared, “God hath made of one blood all nations that dwell on the face of the earth.” First Nations leaders and culture have also been important to The Salvation Army’s history. Salvation Army Ngarrinjeri Sergeant-Major Pantoni led a petition to establish a local corps, which later grew to 100 members. He also performed at the 1904 International Congress in London. Scottish explorer Tom Petrie once compared yarning circles to Salvation Army meetings. Throughout the 20th century, The Salvation Army continued to partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters through church meetings, Sunday schools and community services. However, The Salvation Army recognises that although often done with good intentions, not all of their actions towards First Nations peoples were constructive or honouring. Some of this included participating in the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families by setting up Salvation Army missions across the country. Towards the end of the 1900s, in 1997, The Salvation Army recognised its harmful actions towards Indigenous Australians in a national Statement of Reconciliation. In 2004, what was then The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory, which was made up of the states and territories of Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, launched The Salvation Army Multicultural and Indigenous Australia Council (SAMIAC). Then five years later, in 2009, Mutti Mutti elder Uncle Vince Ross led a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group to better inform The Salvation Army on its reconciliation journey. That same year, The Salvation Army also established a team of volunteers in what was then the Australian Eastern Territory (NSW, ACT and Queensland) to better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Shirli Congoo – The Salvation Army’s first Aboriginal Territorial Indigenous Ministry Coordinator. The first national Salvation Army Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry Conference was then held in 2012, where the Reconciliation Action Plan was first proposed to the Executive Mission Council. Two years later, in 2014, Shirli Congoo was also appointed as the first Aboriginal Territorial Indigenous Ministry Coordinator. From 2015 until 2020, the Eastern Territory launched an Innovate RAP, and the Victoria Division and Tasmania Division each launched Reflect RAPs. For more information on RAP types, visit https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation-action-plans/the-rap-framework/ . In 2020, a National RAP Coordinator was then appointed to facilitate the development of a nationwide RAP. With the advent of the new Australia Territory in 2018, The Salvation Army committed to “actively journey and partner in mutual respectful relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples for our mutual flourishing”. From 2018 to 2019, three First Nations leaders were assigned to Salvation Army leadership positions. Gooreng Gooreng man Mr Adrian Appo OAM was appointed to the first Board of The Salvation Army Australia Territory, Shirli Congoo was appointed National General Manager for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry, and Uncle Vince Ross remained at the helm of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council, this time at a national level. Adrian Appo – appointed to the first Board of The Salvation Army Australia Territory. As a prelude to its support for the Voice, in 2017, The Salvation Army publicly announced its support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which called for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution. This support continues today, as The Salvation Army seeks to keep central the welfare of Indigenous Australians and the wellbeing of all other individuals and groups experiencing marginalisation. For more information about The Salvation Army’s commitment to reconciliation, visit https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/about-us/governance-policy/our-commitment-to-reconciliation/ .

This NAIDOC Week, Sue Hodges, Divisional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Engagement Coordinator for NSW/ACT encourages us to honour our parents and elders and walk with Jesus.