Congratulations to the following officers who are delegates from the Australia Territory at the upcoming International College for Officers (ICO) sessions in London. Captain Ashley Barkmeyer (session 253) – 22 March to 1 May 2023 Major Belinda Davis (session 253) – 22 March to 1 May 2023 Major Kylie Palstra (session 253) – 22 March to 1 May 2023 Major Nicole Snead (session 254) – 12 July to 21 August 2023 Captain Darrell Wilson (session 254) – 12 July to 21 August 2023

Corps Officer Lieutenant Steph Glover stands behind the new Merri-bek Corps flag with corps members, dignitaries and visitors who attended the historic ceremony on 26 February. By CLIFF WORTHING The past, present and future came together as a key theme at the 26 February ceremony in Melbourne’s north, renaming Moreland City Corps to Merri-bek Corps. “We acknowledge the faithful service of so many Salvos over the last 105 years under the Moreland Corps flag,” said Colonel Kelvin Merrett, Victoria Divisional Commander. “Our new flag is a symbol acknowledging the journey with our First Nations People, council, and local community.” The process of changing the name of the corps to Merri-bek, in many ways, mirrored that of the local council. Elders of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, traditional owners of the lands and waterways in the area, and other community representatives asked the city council to consider renaming the area. Merri-bek City Council CEO Cathy Henderson, Corps Officer Lieut Steph Glover, Mayor Cr Angelica Panopolous and Victoria Divisional Commander Colonel Kelvin Merrett with the new flag. Most participants in the community consultation process chose Merri-bek as the preferred name from a list of three proposed names. After being approved by the city council and Victorian Government, the change from Moreland City to Merri-bek City came into effect on 22 September 2022. The main reason for the change was because Moreland was named after a 19th-century Jamaican slave plantation. Merri-bek means rocky country in the local Indigenous language. “The Salvos fight for justice, so why would we align with something that causes harm,” said Lieutenant Steph Glover, Merri-bek Corps officer. “As we discover the truth, we should change.” Previous Corps Officer Major Phil Inglis played a leading role in liaising with the city council about the name change and discussing with the corps leadership team the process of renaming the corps. “I’m just glad it has happened,” Phil said. “We finally reflect the values of our faith in the name of our meeting place.” During the renaming ceremony, participants sang the 1990s worship song, ‘The Great Southland’, re-written by Geoff Bullock to, more appropriately, acknowledge First Nations peoples. They also sang ‘Rocky Country Home’, written by Merri-bek Corps member Jason Simmonds, specifically for the newly named corps. Merri-bek Mayor Cr Angelica Panopolous, and CEO Cathy Henderson, attended the renaming ceremony. The mayor publicly thanked The Salvation Army for its “clear commitment to truth-telling.” Major Rebecca Inglis reads from the Bible during the ceremony. Sue Hodges, Divisional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Engagement Coordinator for NSW/ACT, acknowledged the importance of changing place names once Australians realise the racist past of the name or abuse, such as massacres of Indigenous populations. “I think there needs to be a conviction of how not to keep causing hurt,” Sue said. “It may have sounded good at the time, but then needs to change once someone explains what is behind the name.” “We thank God for our past but keenly anticipate our future as The Salvation Army Merri-bek,” said Steph. “We have our eyes fully focused on Jesus and where He is leading us.” The song written by Jason Simmonds for the name-change ceremony: Rocky Country Home Verse 1 In this rocky country A land of rivers hills and plains So many people long for Hope We hear their cries of pain In Merri-bek a faithful people Arise to take their stand Bringing hope to those Across this land Chorus Merri-bek Rocky country home We won’t reject The people all alone Wherever they need help We'll raise the rally cry Merri-bek there's Hope in Jesus Christ There is hope in Jesus Christ Verse 2 In this rocky country There are bumps on the road We offer help to those in need We help to bare the load In Merri-bek a Hope-filled people Lift up a brand new song A Spirit revolution fuelled by Prayer to make us strong

Heart of God is a book suitable for devotional reading and reflection during Lent. What a good time to reflect on the cross and the victory of Christ in his resurrection. After serving as an active officer for 44 years and retiring in 2013, Commissioner Robert Street remains as active as ever! Last year saw the release of his book Day by Day , an accompanying text to IHQ’s Called to be a Soldier , and now we have a book of poems based on the crucifixion and resurrection. The writer and his literary canon are well-known to Salvationists, as is the quality of his writing. In a foreword to the book, Pam Rhodes, of the BBC’s Songs of Praise , says that his words “inform our senses and lift our souls” in poems that “speak of Christ’s humanity and his triumph through the Cross.” The book contains 32 poems of varying length as well as some beautiful photographs that complement the reflective nature of the text. Add in related Bible passages listed at the end of each poem and you have a beautiful resource for private devotions, or for initiating small group discussion, or for public reading in meetings. With respect to Commissioner Street, the book is worth getting just for the photos – so our thanks goes also to designer Jooles Tostevin-Hobbs and project editor Laura Booth. It’s hard to play favourites, but for this reviewer it was ‘What is truth?’ and ‘Blame’. But you can buy it and pick your own favourites. Available from sps-shop.com. Available on Amazon and Kobo.

During a previous shopping trip, the children were ready as soon as the shops opened. They loved the experience of making their own choices and learning to budget. The Salvation Army USA Central Territory recently raised funds at a young adults’ conference for children living in Army’s child development centres in Sri Lanka. The amount raised was nearly US$6000 (approximately AUD$8960). Children in child development centres in Sri Lanka reside there because their parents are unable to care for them or because a court has ordered it for their protection. A small grant for each child will allow the staff to take them on a shopping trip for clothing and personal items – an opportunity for them to make their own choices and learn about shopping and budgeting. Previous such shopping trips have been highlights for the children. They were ready to start their shopping as soon as the shopping centres opened! Some wanted to save the money while others bought toys, clothes, or other necessities. No matter what the children chose, they were excited about the opportunity to shop for themselves, and they thanked all the donors who contributed funds.

Salvationists around the world are invited to attend the High Council Welcome from wherever they are. Senior leaders from across the Army world will be gathering in the United Kingdom this May for the 2023 High Council . The welcome event is an opportunity for Salvationists and supporters to worship with High Council members and uphold them in prayer as the important task of electing the next General begins. The ministry of the current international leaders, General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries, will also be honoured, as they prepare to enter retirement. Held at Central Hall Westminster and streamed live online, the event will feature contributions from many different Salvation Army musicians. The full event will be live-streamed on the IHQ website . Join Salvationists in prayer and worship from wherever you are in the world. You can also join the event on Facebook to let friends know that you plan to attend. For those able to attend the event in London, you can book free tickets to join the congregation at Central Hall Westminster here . For regular updates, please visit IHQ social media and the IHQ website Guide to a High Council, click here

After feeling left out on the junior soccer field, I found myself in a position where I could participate, all because of a “clever teammate”. Photo: David Clarke By PHIL INGLIS I wasn’t a sporty kid. I was pretty big, and I couldn’t run very fast, so I never really tried to join sports teams or even play during the lunch break at school. So, for me, sports classes were terrible. The worst time was when we were forced to join teams. On a number of occasions, the teacher would appoint two students as team captains. These two captains would then take turns choosing other students to join their teams until eventually all the students in the class were chosen. I assume this was a widespread practice in Australian schools and probably around the world. I think teachers felt it was a fair way to divide all the students into two evenly matched teams. I was never the first, second or third pick for either team (or fourth, fifth or sixth for that matter) so it was quite a humiliating experience. Just on the team What this did, however, was force all students to be a part of a team – or at least on the surface it did. In reality, I was on the team, but I wasn’t part of the team. In many subtle and informal ways, I wasn’t allowed to participate. I was assigned to a position that never saw much action. Sometimes I was the water boy or the carrier of the half-time oranges. When I was on the soccer field, the ball was never passed to me. When I accidentally found myself in possession of the ball, members of my own team would tackle me for it. I wore the jersey, I signed the sign-in sheet at the beginning of the game, I sang the team songs, and I put my hand in the ring at the beginning of the match, but fundamentally, I couldn’t participate. This was quite traumatic for me, but it doesn’t end tragically. One day a clever teammate realised that I was a few inches taller than any other player we had – or faced – and that I had fast reflexes. They suggested to the teacher that I should be the goalkeeper. Part of the team Next game I was made the keeper, and I absolutely loved it. I was given the opportunity to participate, to contribute. My ideas were listened to, my directions to the defenders were followed, and I suddenly felt like I was a part of the team, not just on the team. All hands on deck ... giving everyone the opportunity to participate is the goal of Harmony Week. Teams are sometimes great little examples of community. I wonder if we think about the various circles, teams, groups, churches and organisations we are a part of and ask ourselves if we really include everyone. Are there people who are on our teams but not actually a part of our team? Sports teams differ from reality in that they are small and have very limited ways in which people can participate. In most communities though, there are as many ways to participate as there are people. Are there people we are unintentionally preventing from participating? Are there people we aren’t listening to? Are there assumptions we are making about people? Our challenge this Harmony Week is to find those people who are on our ‘teams’ and to invite them to be part of our ‘teams’. Major Phil Inglis is the Faith Communities Development Co-ordinator (Online), based in Melbourne.

For tribute report, click here

Joseph Pinkard is focused on advocating alongside people with disabilities. Joseph Pinkard leads The Salvation Army’s National Disability Inclusion team. Salvos Online writer Simone Worthing spoke to Joseph about his role. Can you give us an overview of your role? I provide national leadership, support and resources to Salvation Army faith communities and mission centres seeking to be more inclusive of people with disabilities. What can a typical week involve for you? A typical week involves meeting with Salvos and listening to them about how their community is engaging with people with disabilities. I also spend time developing resources and training to support Salvos on the frontline in engaging and including people with disabilities. What’s the most challenging part of your work? Responding to complex systemic or institutional barriers to disability inclusion. I often learn about these barriers from a person with a disability who is devastated because they are experiencing exclusion from a place where they expect to feel welcome and belonging. This can be challenging because there are no easy answers. What’s the most rewarding? One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is facilitating a working group of Salvos with lived experience of disability who help guide ideas and actions to improve the inclusion of people with disabilities. There is a catchcry in the disability rights movement, “Nothing about us, without us”, so working with this group and co-designing resources and solutions is very rewarding. Celebrating Harmony Week is a great way for communities to demonstrate inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians ... What progress do you see in diversity and inclusion in the broader Australian context? There is a growing awareness that people from marginalised groups need to be at the centre of creating a more diverse and inclusive community. The voices of lived experience can help us understand what it is really like to live with a disability and should also be central in designing, developing and implementing solutions to address issues of exclusion and persecution. What are some of the major barriers to harmony and belonging in our society? A perception that it is too hard and complex. I advocate alongside people with disability, an extremely diverse and unique cohort of people. Those with disability can often also intersect with other marginalised groups, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds, who have rates of disability similar to the rest of the population (approximately 18 per cent of Australians identify as living with a disability). What role can Harmony Week play in our communities? Celebrating Harmony Week is a great way for communities to demonstrate inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background. In celebrating Harmony Week, we should consider how accessible celebrations are for people with disabilities. Why does The Salvation Army, as a church, focus on diversity and inclusion? Our call as a church is grounded in what we read in the Bible and discern through prayer of God’s heart for diversity and inclusion. The diversity of humanity is held together in the belief that all people are created in God’s image (Genesis chapter 1, verse 27). When it comes to inclusion of people with disabilities in the Church, we are particularly guided by Jesus’ teaching about the inclusion of people with disabilities (Luke chapter 14) and the Apostle Paul’s teaching about the interdependence of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians chapter 12). How does your personal faith impact your role? I have spent the last nine years of my life serving in various disability-related organisations and ministries, so in this season of my life, I feel a sense of God’s call to advocate alongside people with disability. I also draw energy and wisdom from my faith and engagement with God through reading Scripture, fellowship, prayer and reflection. Harmony Week recognises and celebrates inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background. In preparation for the week, resources are available on mySalvos including a TSA team meeting outline. Download the resources here

On the Sunday afternoon of the Harvest Festival at Maitland Corps, there was a combined band concert, featuring Parramatta Band. By LAUREN MARTIN Whilst some may consider traditions such as a ‘Harvest Festival’ old-fashioned, Maitland Corps in the NSW Hunter region has proven that just because something has been done for a long time, it can still be relevant. “So much food!” is one of the comments by Maitland Corps Officer Captain Lloyd Stanimirovic when speaking of the recent Harvest Festival, which was attended by more than 800 people. Apart from the COVID-19 lockdowns, Maitland Corps has always held a Harvest Festival. “Just because something was done in years past, doesn’t make it ‘old fashioned’,” said Lloyd. “An event that relays a ‘Christ’ message in a way that is relevant to the local community, creates opportunity to connect with non-Christians, utilises the gifts of believers, and is conducted in a safe, fun space so that all people can hear and enjoy, will always be relevant.” And that’s exactly how the weekend went. Guests, Parramatta Citadel Band, led by bandmaster Major David Collinson, presented a Saturday evening concert with more than 200 guests. “Many people in attendance were community members who were not otherwise connected to the local corps,” said Lloyd. More than 800 people attended various events at Maitland Corps in the NSW Hunter region for the annual harvest festival weekend. The band led the worship service the next morning, and then after an “amazing and abundant fellowship lunch” at which some of the men from Maitland and Parramatta sang grace, there was an afternoon combined celebration concert featuring Parramatta Citadel Band, Maitland City Band and a combined youth band. Parramatta Citadel Band Sergeant Ian Roberts said it was a special time to celebrate God’s goodness: “As people from a large city, the idea of celebrating the goodness of God at the end of a good harvest is a concept increasingly lost to history or for some of us, lost to earlier generations. “It was Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Hamilton who reminded us on the weekend that while many of us no longer work the land, we all have so much for which to thank God, and we would do well not to forget our blessings. His challenge was to be aware of what we are sowing – and what will be reaped as a result.” Retired Lieut.-Colonel Ian Hamilton speaking at the Maitland Corps Harvest Festival. On the Saturday afternoon, the corps held a market to celebrate local produce with stalls of crafts, fresh produce and freshly baked treats. A stall selling handmade jewellery, bags and clothing from the Mbuyu Foundation in Uganda, which the corps supports, was also popular. “We also had a sausage sizzle, mushy peas with a dash of vinegar (a Maitland tradition), Devonshire tea, ice cream and many other delicious treats,” said Lloyd. He said Maitland Corps is already looking forward to next year’s Harvest Festival. “Amazing music, food, and fellowship, with the Lord praised and worshipped throughout, and the Spirit moving powerfully. Hallelujah!”

Federal Member for Canberra, Ms Alicia Payne MP, cuts the ribbon alongside Major Peter and Captain Tara McGuigan and Kristie Clifton (Manager of homelessness services in NSW/ACT). The Salvation Army in the Australian Capital Territory has repurposed two of its properties for families experiencing homelessness. The houses had been part of the Salvos’ addiction recovery program in Canberra but closed after being severely damaged during hailstorms in 2020. Restoration work valued at over $100,000 was completed last month and the houses fully furnished with the help of private donations. The houses were officially opened on 14 March 2023 by Ms Alicia Payne MP, Federal Member for Canberra. In her address, Ms Payne said that the ACT had the highest rate of long-term homelessness in the country and that it was an honour for her to open the houses for homelessness. “Housing is a human right,” she said. “Without a safe and stable home, how can you live with any kind of dignity or hope or order in your life? I want to congratulate everyone involved in preparing the homes for occupancy. I really want to acknowledge the work that The Salvation Army does every day here in Canberra, around the country and internationally. You are such a trusted space for people in need.” Also addressing the launch was Major Peter McGuigan, The Salvation Army’s Head of Government Relations for Australia, who spoke of the origins of the Salvos’ work with people experiencing homelessness. “Some of you will know of Salvation Army Founder William Booth’s famous words to his son Bramwell about homelessness in London in the late 19th century. Bramwell had observed people sleeping rough under London’s bridges. ‘Go and do something,’ he said. ‘We must do something.’ And Bramwell, with help from many others, set up what would become the first of many Salvation Army hostels for homeless people in an old London tram shed. Federal Member for Canberra, Ms Alicia Payne MP (Centre), with Salvation Army representatives at the opening of new housing for people experiencing homelessness. In a sense, ‘do something’ has been The Salvation Army’s philosophy ever since,” Peter said. “And it’s the reason we are here today – doing something about families experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness right here in the ACT. “In a recent survey conducted by The Salvation Army across Australia, affordable housing was the highest concern expressed by Canberrans. Australia-wide, it is significant right now and is linked with rapid increases in the cost of living and people experiencing poverty. It is estimated that there are as many as 1600 people in the ACT experiencing homelessness and over 100,000 Australia-wide.” Captain Tara McGuigan, Assistant Public Relations Secretary for NSW/ACT, brought an Acknowledgement of Country and welcomed people to the opening. In her opening remarks, she linked the new initiative to the Salvos’ vision statement: “The Salvation Army’s vision in Australia really creates the context for what we are doing here today: ‘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.’” She later prayed a blessing over the houses. Before the opening event, Kristie Clifton, Manager for the Salvos’ homelessness services in NSW/ACT, spoke of the collaboration in preparing the houses and making them fit for purpose. “We have had lots of support from community members and organisations, the participants and staff from our own Canberra Recovery Services, our Doorways program staff, and other Salvation Army entities in the ACT,” she said. Federal Member for Canberra, Ms Alicia Payne MP, cuts a cake at the opening of new Salvation Army housing for people experiencing homelessness in the ACT. “The objective of the housing is to support families with their accommodation needs while they access the services and support required to transition into long-term sustainable housing. The Salvation Army will provide case management and other assistance during the transition period.” Alicia Payne MP also cut a cake prepared especially for the event. Attendees included representatives from Salvation Army mission expressions in Canberra, other organisations and the media.

In July 2021, The Salvation Army Australia released its National Inclusion Statement, a commitment to welcome all people in every engagement they have with us and to ensure they feel respected and safe. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas and Colonel Winsome Merrett reaffirm this commitment in this video.

The McGuigans are serving in Sri Lanka for the second time in their officership. The Australia Territory has more than 30 Aussie officers serving overseas. In an ongoing series, Global Focus is featuring many of these officers – who they are, where they’re serving, the joys and challenges they face and what life looks like for them in their unique corners of The Salvation Army world.  Major Peter and Captain Tara McGuigan, who previously served in Canberra in Government Relations and Public Relations respectively, have been stationed in the Sri Lanka Territory since November 2023. Tara, originally from Sri Lanka, speaks Sinhala and lived in the country until moving to Australia in 1988. The couple last served in the country from 2016 to 2018. It was recently announced that they will be relocating to International Headquarters in London in February 2025 for Peter to serve as Secretary for Communications and Tara as IHQ Chaplain and Liaison Officer for the City of London. Salvos Online  journalist KIRRALEE NICOLLE caught up with them to find out how this most recent appointment in Sri Lanka has been and what their reflections are from their whirlwind year. Since you’ve experienced living in Sri Lanka before, what has been different this time around? Have you noticed any significant changes? Tara: For sure. The whole of Sri Lanka has embraced westernisation in many ways – the young people dress much more freely, listen to all kinds of music and in the digital space, the country has evolved greatly. When it comes to The Salvation Army, that kind of forward-thinking is also strong. Salvation Army officers here want progress, and they love to think outside the box. Peter: In my role as Property Secretary this time around, I see the footprint of The Salvation Army everywhere. The Salvation Army was established here in 1883, and since then, it has spread right across the island. Some of the buildings are in the most remote places, where you need to travel through jungles and rice paddy fields to reach them. This appointment, I’ve seen how vital The Salvation Army is to the Sri Lankan community. Hundreds of thousands of people have been influenced by the community-based spiritual and physical nurture TSA has provided. Recently, we’ve seen the impact of clean water through new wells being dug and the installation of industrial filtration units in areas where previously, water quality was very low. Tara: As a result of the well projects, we are seeing rates of chronic kidney disease dropping in those areas. Additionally, there have been other sustainable livelihood projects happening with government backing in areas that are normally anti-Christian and opposed to other NGOs. Peter: Tara is also finding that in the digital space, people are very receptive to our good news stories. We are seeing tens of thousands, and up to 90,000 views on some boosted Facebook posts, featuring some excellent video content we managed to capture with a local team. That’s great to hear how well things are tracking. What have been some of your more personal reflections from the time in Sri Lanka? Peter: It’s been a reminder again that we feel called to international service. There’s something about our Anglo and Sri Lankan mix that seems to disarm and build relationships in a way that may not be so easy for others. We’ve worked very hard here, and our living conditions have been nothing like in Australia, but we feel a reward for ourselves in doing the work here. We feel it’s a huge privilege to serve, and we are people who believe in walking in the Spirit and relying on the strength God gives us, as Paul talks about in Galatians 5. Tara: It’s easy to love the people here because they are so grateful for what we bring. They appreciate us and what we do, and often say we have made the sacrifice to come here because they recognise that we’ve given up many of the creature comforts Australian officers would normally have. That doesn’t mean things are always easy, and there are conflicts at times, but they know we care and want the best outcome for them. We recently heard that you will be moving very soon to take up new roles at International Headquarters. What are some things you’ve learned in Sri Lanka that you will take with you into this new appointment? Peter: I’ve learned to be very, very aware of cultures and backgrounds and not expect people to adapt quickly when they enter a new environment or cultural setting. We can’t apply our rules of communication in a rigid way to others. Rather, we must come with open hearts and hands to our relationships and with a posture of learning, respect, and adaptability ourselves. Tara: Especially now that Peter and I are going into international roles with colleagues from across the globe, we have to be so cognizant of that and listen with culturally aware hearing. Peter: The other thing we are learning is that to build good relationships with non-Salvationists, you have to be careful to use language that is inclusive and not TSA subculture speak. If we talk in language that only Salvationists understand, we alienate many who could be contributing to the cause. If we want to reach people, especially in a digital age, we need to go back to our roots of going into all the world and being accessible to all. I’ve practised that by using Sinhala words here when I communicate to demonstrate that I want to connect with the people here more deeply. The other thing I’m learning is to be more patient. As we all know, these are urgent days for sharing the Gospel. But amidst that urgency, I’m realising how important it is to be patient and sit with people. Tara: Our deadlines can wait a few minutes! Particularly in a country like Sri Lanka, time and deadlines operate differently, so we’ve had to learn to be flexible with that too. Working here has really set us up well for the new roles we will take up, as Sri Lanka and Australia are so different from each other. It’s given us an ability to balance the complexity and beauty of both the Eastern and Western cultures, and I hope we can take that awareness with us to IHQ. We don’t take it for granted that our lives are now a very large tapestry that God is weaving in so many different colours.