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To read Ian’s tribute, click here

BY LAUREN MARTIN A practical ministry backed by powerful prayer is enabling Sydney’s Inner-West Corps to connect with some of its most marginalised neighbours. The corps is surrounded by an eclectic mix of people in the Dulwich Hill community – different nationalities, levels of income and household make-ups. Ten years ago, retired Salvation Army officer Major Hilton Harmer began a ministry to people living in the many boarding houses in the inner-west area, delivering food and other essential items. The last stop was the Inner-West Corps carpark, where people in need living nearby would walk down and access the food service. Whilst he is no longer running it himself, Hilton’s boarding house ministry has continued, in largely the same format, for all those years. Inner-West Salvos Corps Officer Captain Ben Knight said when he and the corps were praying about mission and ministry opportunities, it seemed that God prompted them to simply open the door to their own carpark and join with the existing food service ministry, but in a way that strengthens relationships with those accessing the service. “We started a barbeque and had a few volunteers from the church come along. It was a slow burn; it took a while for community members to open up, but we just kept turning up every Tuesday, remembering their names and remembering parts of what they had told us the week before, and they began to open up and build relationships.” Now, many community members help set up the tables and chairs for the meal, and many are making new friends and mingling more. “It’s been a real blessing to see,” said Ben. While some corps members couldn’t commit to the hands-on aspect of the ministry, Ben said their commitment to prayer has been just as powerful. “It’s something that they can seek the heart of God in and pray about. You can really sense the engine room – from our prayer warriors – the Holy Spirit has been at work in that space ... and we update them and talk to them about what God is doing and tell good news stories from the barbeque, and that’s been a real blessing to them as well.” As Christmas approached, the barbeque team decided to put on something special and organised a Christmas dinner. It was one of hundreds of Christmas meals The Salvation Army offered to vulnerable community members throughout December as part of its 100,000 Meals Campaign. “The community appreciated it a lot,” said Ben. The 100,000 Meals Campaign was supported by Coca-Cola, which also donated drinks and merchandise for the Inner-West Salvos Christmas dinner. At the time, Kate Miller, Marketing Director at Coca‑Cola South Pacific, said, “We’re proud to play our part in spreading joy this Christmas and encouraging kindness and connection by supporting the Salvos in their mission and contributing up to 5000 delicious meals to community members who need it.”

BY LAUREN MARTIN A partnership with Orange Sky Laundry in Rockhampton, Central Queensland, is giving people in need access to free laundry facilities when they attend the Salvos for assistance. Capricorn Region Corps Officer Major Peter Sutcliffe said Orange Sky approached The Salvation Army at the end of last year about the partnership, and he “jumped at the chance” to provide people in need with access to more services at The Salvation Army’s Rockhampton site. “We had been seeing a number of people coming into our site wondering where they can get free laundry done,” he said. Orange Sky Laundry opened this week and will operate on Wednesdays and Fridays while the corps is open as a PAL Connect Site, where community members can come and collect emergency assistance cards and free bread and grocery items donated by the local Woolworths store. “One woman asked about it,” said Peter on the first day of operation. “She said, ‘I’ve had three things go wrong this week. My shower head broke, then my lawn mower decided it didn’t want to work, and the final straw was that my washing machine packed it in.’ I said, ‘You can come and have your laundry done here for nothing.’ She was thrilled and planned to return. Another gentleman had moved to Rockhampton with nothing and planned to use the service. Orange Sky provides volunteers to run the laundry pod, which is in a container located in the Capricorn Region Corps carpark. The corps used Red Shield Initiative funding to run water and electricity to the pod so that it can operate safely. “It’s a partnership, and we need to do more of these sorts of partnerships with other organisations rather than doing everything ourselves,” said Peter.

There is a local bookstore that I like to spend time in regularly, and I have purchased more than a few good books there. My wife enjoys a range of other shops nearby, so often, we will park the car, and she will utter some of my favourite words: “Just go to the bookshop. I’ll meet you there later.” As a very obedient husband, that’s what I do. I noticed recently that the book section titled ‘Religion and Spirituality’ is right next to the section of books headed ‘Self-help’. I wondered what the books in the middle looked like – the books on how to help yourself be a better Christian. And then, of course, I pondered on some potential self-help books for Salvationists. ‘How To Find the Lost Books in the Bible’. This book will teach you how – without using the contents page – to find books like Esther and Zephaniah and Philemon and Jude. Philemon is only one page long in a book that’s normally about 700 pages. There have been times I’ve finished reading it in a meeting just as some people are finding it! ‘How to Sing the Founders’ Song from Memory’. At seven verses in the songbook, learning to sing ‘O Boundless Salvation’ from memory can be challenging for many. I find it helps to remember the first words of each verse – O, My sins, My tempers, Now tossed, O ocean, The tide, And now – by using the helpful mnemonic: OMSMTNTOOTTAN. And I remember the mnemonic by recalling the phrase: ‘O my soul, my toe nearest to our ottoman tickles the ankle nearby.’ See, easy. ‘Epaulette Application for Novices’. When new soldiers don Salvation Army uniform for the first time, the most challenging part (especially for those of us with fat fingers) is slipping the epaulette over the shoulder flap before buttoning the flap. The book suggests giving new soldiers a Bible and a pair of ceremonial tweezers. ‘Appropriately Firing a Volley’. While going out of fashion in most corps, occasionally – often after a particularly rousing closing song – an old-timer will yell out, ‘Fire a volley!’ and the congregation will respond, ‘Hallelujah!’. This is a good use of the firing of a volley. It’s normally not as well received after the officer says it will be a shorter sermon today or after announcing the death of old Mrs Higginbottom. There is a time and a place for firing volleys; one does not just fire randomly. ‘What Not to Say in Testimonies’. At one good corps I was fortunate to attend, we had a lady of great faith who would testify to God healing any manner of illnesses, injuries, ailments and maladies she suffered in the previous week. Her testimonies were powerful, faith-fuelled, and far, far, far too detailed. God may well have cured her bladder infection, but we didn’t need to know that. ‘How to Stop Praying’. This seems an inappropriate book for any good Salvationist; surely, we should want to pray regularly and faithfully. This is true, but the book offers guidance to those who don’t know when to shut up. In a Sunday meeting you want people to pray but not for 20 minutes each and covering everything from the war overseas to their sick cat Miffy to their need for a new TV to stopping homelessness in the world to the problems with the prime minister. Some people seem to have taken Paul’s words to the Thessalonians personally, and they ‘pray without ceasing’. Look out for these books soon at your local bookshop. If you don’t see them, well, maybe that’s your cue from God to write one of them yourself. – Major Mal Davies and his wife Major Tracey are the Corps Officers at Adelaide City Salvos

The theme for Self Denial Appeal 2024 is ‘Love in Action’. Each week we will hear inspirational stories from Salvation Army programs close to home – in Tonga, Indonesia and the Philippines. These stories demonstrate how Self Denial funds have previously been used to help families create thriving small businesses in the Philippines, rebuild their churches after a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, and provide holistic education to preschool children in Tonga. During this year’s Self Denial Appeal, you are encouraged to take the time to reflect on how you can make a sacrificial commitment to display your love for God and others in action. To donate or find out more visit my.salvos.org.au/self-denial-appeal

BY LAUREN MARTIN A summer holiday kids camp at Tenterfield in northern NSW has seen the Holy Spirit moving amongst participants and volunteer leaders, many of whom had travelled from nearby Moree to be part of the mission. Moree Mission Leader Jason Poutawa said the Moree Corps youth leaders, the ‘Deadly Diamonds’, had been assisting in leading the Tenterfield summer holiday kids camp for the past three years after the local corps officers at the time, Captains Philip and Rachael Farthing, put out a request for assistance. “It allows us to get out of town, which a lot of the kids in Moree appreciate, and it allows us to mobilise as a Deadly Diamonds team at the beginning of the year,” Jason said. The Deadly Diamonds Youth Leadership Program is designed to bring young people who attend The Salvation Army’s Kids Club into a leadership role. “It’s a peer-to-peer type model of leadership,” Jason said. “And it gives the children hope that there’s a better future ahead of them than what they may see in their community at home.” The annual trip to Tenterfield, where the group runs the Salvos’ school holiday program, is a highlight. “A number of the same kids have been going each year,” Jason said. “Some twice, some three or four times. Now, it’s become a regular part of the expectation for the Diamonds that they know it’s coming up in January. “Some of them have just finished school now and put leave into their part-time or full-time jobs to come. It’s like a bonding camp for us – and at the same time, we can contribute something to Tenterfield as well.” The group spends each day playing games, doing crafts, and doing other activities with the holiday program participants. At the same time, they integrate moments of teaching about Jesus and open sharing where the Deadly Diamonds share about who they are, their journey with the Salvos, and their faith. “The kids were really receptive and engaged in that time and really enjoyed that time,” Jason said. “We had a time of prayer at the end of the last day, and some kids gave their lives to God – probably about 15 for the first time- and other kids committed their lives back to God.” At the end of each day, after saying goodbye to the kids and packing up, the Moree Diamonds got to work on another aspect of its week of blessing – assisting Tenterfield Salvos with practical projects, such as maintaining the grounds of the sports hall and corps and cleaning out sheds and other areas that needed attending to. “We are just building on the work of The Salvation Army in Tenterfield, and hopefully, whatever we can contribute in terms of the short-term impact can have a longer-term engagement,” Jason said. ABOVE: Tenterfield Salvation Army’s sports hall in northern NSW was a perfect place for a recent school holiday kids camp.

To read Margaret’s tribute, click here

BY ANTHONY CASTLE The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy team – created to give The Salvation Army a united voice on issues of social justice – has just marked its fifth anniversary. The Salvation Army’s two former Australian territories (Australia Eastern and Australia Southern) merged in 2017 to create one national territory. The merger process, known as Australia One, provided a structure for The Salvation Army to best deliver its spiritual and social mission to all Australians. The Policy and Advocacy team was established in 2019 to influence key decision-makers and those who have the power to implement social policy change. “When I arrived, The Salvation Army was still settling in following the changes of the Australia One process,” explains Jennifer Kirkaldy, General Manager of Policy and Advocacy. “We had a good brand, good people doing good work, but weren’t making the most of that. There was no central coordination around advocacy. “We needed a consistent, dedicated policy and advocacy team that can tell people about the work we do, translating it into actions that government can take. Our team is really about change and working with people who can make that change.” The Policy and Advocacy team has three broad functions: social justice education and empowerment, social policy development, and advocacy. The team looks at the research, the data from SAMIS, and The Salvation Army’s services to identify the drivers of disadvantage and the practical action in response. “One of the objectives of the Australia One process was to have a united voice,” explains Dr Elli McGavin, The Salvation Army’s Head of Policy, Research and Social Justice. “Prior to having a Policy and Advocacy team, we were warmly greeted and welcomed by government, but we weren’t one of the top players in the policy space. Now, The Salvation Army is recognised as a policy expert in the community welfare sector.” The Policy and Advocacy team works with all parties, ministers, MPs and senators to make a difference for the Australian community. The Salvation Army acts as an honest friend to the government and has established channels of communication with diverse members of Parliament. “We’ve been fortunate to have Jennifer Kirkaldy’s experience and ability to meet with advisers and ministers,” Elli says. “It’s a very specific and specialised role, and her years of experience in the public service is very helpful for us. She understands our faith and believes in our cause as well. We’re very fortunate to have the right person at the right moment.” The Policy and Advocacy team has made submissions on homelessness, family and domestic violence, and poverty, among other things. The Salvation Army ran a nationwide Social Justice Stocktake (a research project that canvasses the needs of every electorate) in late 2021 to learn more about the challenges people were seeing in their local communities. The result created a map of national social justice priorities and important data that can be taken directly to decision-makers. “The methodology is really simple: what do we need, who can give it to us, and how do we convince them,” explains Jennifer. “You start with the evidence, what is causing the disadvantage, and then we take all of that information, lived experience, academic research, to find the interventions that are effective.” Over the past two years, The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy Team has met with over 80 Parliament ministers and senators, speaking with more than a third of the current Parliament. The Salvation Army has a physical presence in 150 of the 151 electorates and is now able to speak to the needs of each one through the Social Justice Stocktake. “The Salvation Army has always had an understanding of the holistic nature of poverty,” Jennifer says. “In the inquiry we’ve just seen, they’re now talking about poverty in a holistic sense, in terms of an inability to meet basic needs, to find safety, shelter, to participate in society, all of which was in our submission. That’s a new and different way to look at poverty for parliament, but for The Salvation Army, it goes all the way back to William Booth.” Following the Australia One process, The Salvation Army’s vision stated that ‘wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight, alongside others, to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus’. As The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy team marks its five-year anniversary, it prepares to serve that vision for many more years to come. “The Salvation Army has been here for 140 years,” Jennifer says. “We don’t do six-month horizons or three-year terms. The Salvation Army will be here when the government changes, and then changes again. Our job is to be ready to respond at any time – when an opportunity to transform Australia presents itself, we are here and ready to seize it.” For more information, go to https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/get-involved/advocacy/

Australian officers Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell, territorial leaders of New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory, joined other officers, soldiers, employees and friends from many corps and centres in New Zealand to commemorate the 184th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) on 6 February. “On this day every year [in Waitangi], we meet to commemorate and honour the covenant in which Māori and Pakeha together made a nation, Aotearoa New Zealand.  As Te Ope Whakaora,” the commissioners shared. “As The Salvation Army, we are committed as God’s people to work together in unity, love, peace and respect to live out the good news of Jesus.” As quoted in the event’s order of service: “The Te Tiriti o Waitangi commemorates and honours the covenant which brought Māori and English together as a nation – Aotearoa New Zealand. We recall the faith which enabled the foundation of this agreement and to invite all peoples of this nation to find direction, belonging and hope – together.  God bless our nation with peace and unity.” Breaking the cycle The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission (ISJC) this week highlighted the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on 6 February. This day serves as a reminder of the urgent need to bring attention to this devastating practice that violates the rights of millions of girls and women. “Female genital mutilation is a severe form of gender-based violence. Unfortunately, we do not speak enough about this human rights violation that affects millions of girls and women. As survivors are willing to speak out on this issue, it is important to listen and learn from their experience and support them,” the ISJC stated. “The United Nations has set a goal to end this practice by 2030, but it will take all of us to make it a reality. Education is critical in understanding the harmful effects of FGM and breaking the cycle. We must educate ourselves and our communities on protecting girls and women. Together, we can create a future where all girls and women can live free from this violation of their rights.” WASH project RWANDA Rwanda and Burundi Territorial leaders and local officials opened the Rwimiyaga WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) project in the Nyagatare District of Rwanda (the largest district in Rwanda). The aim of this project is to improve the water supply in the Rwimiyaga community, along with improvement in hygiene and healthy and nutritional practices among its members. Four boreholes were handed over to the district for a clean and safe water supply. This included 10 water tanks, each with a 5000-litre capacity, and 10 street rubbish bins to help raise awareness of the importance of a clean environment. During the inauguration ceremony, Territorial Commander Lieut-Colonel Jean Laurore Clenat emphasised The Salvation Army’s commitment to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs without discrimination. “These boreholes are for you, and you should always take good care of them so that your children and future generations will be able to enjoy clean and safe water,” he said. Juliet Murekatete, vice mayor in charge of social affairs for the district, commended the role of The Salvation Army in transforming the lives of the community into positive and sustainable development. “We are lucky to have the Salvation Army in our district as a good partner. We do appreciate their activities ... we call upon the Rwimiyaga community to protect all activities that are being implemented for the common interest of everyone.” This event also launched a campaign on hygiene and sanitation, with the theme “I am responsible for a clean environment.” Ending generational poverty The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope program was launched in 2011 in the United States to provide targeted services to families wanting to break the generational cycle of poverty and enable a path out of constant crisis. It is based in a case management approach, focusing on the client’s individual needs and mastery of different life skills. This program is designed to have an impact on how poverty affects multiple generations. By positively changing the lives of parents, The Salvation Army can create better living conditions for children. Educational and support programs for children in their development years are crucial. The Pathway of Hope initiative will be showcased at the Gallery 101 exhibition in IHQ London from 5-16 February 2024. For more information, and to view the display, click here. Winter warmers As Canada deals with a blast of frigid temperatures, Salvation Army warming centres work hard to ensure high priority populations can remain safe and warm. The Salvation Army in Calgary offers a unique program called the Mobile Warming Stations that can help more people across the city escape the bitter cold. To view the video, click here, or on the video below.

BY TONY DEVLIN The Salvation Army’s mission and services once again aligned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders at the annual Yabun Festival. Yabun is the nation’s largest one-day gathering and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, held annually on Australia Day on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people in Sydney. Established in 2003, Yabun (meaning ‘music to a beat’ in the Gadigal language) is a free event that features live music, corroboree, a bustling stalls market, panel discussions and community forums on Aboriginal issues, children’s activities, and traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural performances. It was the fourth occasion that The Salvation Army had participated in Yabun. Sue Hodges, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Coordinator for NSW/ACT, summed up the experience at Yabun this year: “Just deadly! Can’t wait to do it all again. I could feel God’s presence with us, and I want to give him all the glory for opening doors and giving us the right words to say.” The Salvation Army stall operated from 8am to 4pm, with representatives from various departments and services including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry team, Financial Inclusion, Moneycare, Homelessness, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Sydney City Salvos and Family and Domestic Violence. The teams connected with about 450 community members of all ages from various backgrounds. Information about The Salvation Army’s services, referral details, and resource materials was available. The team also provided a range of Salvos merchandise, including Moneycare moneyboxes and Streetlevel keep-cups and hats. A QR code to download the ‘You’re the Boss’ money wisdom book was also provided. The Federal Minister for the Environment and Water and Member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek, visited The Salvation Army stall and was heard to say, “I love the Salvos”. The Salvation Army has a commitment under its Reconciliation Action Plan and Financial Inclusion Action Plan to increase understanding, value and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge and rights. It also aims to increase awareness and accessibility of our services for First Nations peoples. Yabun was the perfect opportunity to act on this commitment.

General Lyndon Buckingham shares his monthly devotion, reminding Salvationists of the presence, the provision and the pardon of God through the Mercy Seat. He speaks about those who, all around the world, make their way to these places of prayer to find that God is faithful and that in this place they sense his presence, become aware of his provision and receive his pardon and grace in their lives. To view the General's message, click here or on the video below.

Fans of the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast will be excited to learn that the American pastor is touring Australia later this month. “I know many officers and staff within The Salvation Army are keen listeners to Carey Nieuwhof’s podcasts and would love to know he’s coming here,” said Margaret Spicer, Director of Partner Services for the Irresistible Church Network in Australia and New Zealand. The Irresistible Church Network is bringing Carey ‘Down Under’, where he will speak at functions in Auckland (19 Feb), Brisbane (21 Feb), Sydney (22 Feb), Melbourne (26 Feb), Adelaide (27 Feb) and Perth (29 Feb). “I speak to leaders around the world about leadership, change and personal growth and am passionate about helping people thrive both in their personal life and within their organisations,” Carey stated on his website. On his tour, Margaret said Carey would be focusing on leadership, changes and challenges being faced in 2024. “It will be helpful and hopeful content that will inspire leaders to keep listening to and leading with Jesus,” Margaret said. More information and tickets to Carey’s sessions can be found at https://irresistiblechurches.network