The scene of the Asbury Revival at Asbury University in the US, where students have entered their third week of ongoing services. The Asbury Revival is an ongoing Christian worship service being staged at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, USA. The event started after students spontaneously stayed in Hughes Auditorium following a regular chapel service on 8 February. News of the revival was quickly spread on social media and in Christian online publications. MAJOR PETER FARTHING explores the concept of a revival and the impact the Asbury Revival could have on the Christian church worldwide. Just like lightning in the sky, revivals appear in this world from time to time. They might burn for only a few months; they might go on for years. They might capture a single church or a whole swathe of churches; they might launch a movement. They come in different forms, but the bottom line, they bring life . “When you read the history of the past,” said Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his lectures on revival, “you find that there have been periods in the history of the Church when she was full of life, and vigour, and power.” Numbers of people were converted regularly, day by day, week by week. Christian people delighted in prayer. You did not have to whip them into prayer meetings, you could not keep them away ... they would stay all night praying ... and men and women were able to tell of rich experiences of the grace of God that thrilled them and moved them, and made them feel that it was more precious than the whole world. What has been happening at Asbury University, Kentucky, since the morning chapel service of 8 February seems very much like the revivals Lloyd-Jones described. Presence of God As I said, revivals do not all look the same. They do, however, have one thing in common. As Timothy Keller put it, revivals are “always seasons in which the ordinary operations of the Holy Spirit are greatly intensified.” And there is another common experience – the presence of God is tangibly real. People will say, “But God is always present. The Holy Spirit is continually with the Church; there is no need to expect any more.” But the Scriptures reveal that God can come powerfully present; God’s people may experience his presence. They can encounter his holy power. They can feel him moving, see him convicting, sense his nearness and power. That happens powerfully during revivals. And it fires the people of God like nothing else can. “Suddenly,” wrote Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “those present in the meeting become aware that someone has come amongst them, they are aware of a glory, they are aware of a presence ... They really feel that they are in heaven – they have forgotten time ... God has come down amongst them and has filled the place and the people with a sense of his glorious presence.” The Salvation Army’s Bramwell Booth was only in his early 20s when he led all nights of prayer and holiness meetings in which the Holy Spirit moved just like that. He said there were moments in those meetings when people were overcome “by a sense of overwhelming spiritual reality”. That is a powerful experience for anybody – a sense of overwhelming spiritual reality. In the second week of the Asbury continual meeting, New York-based Salvationists Steve and Sharon Bussey drove to Wilmore, Kentucky, to experience God’s actions. Steve reported: “Last night and today, we are hearing testimony after testimony of discovering that Jesus is real ! That God really loves us.” That is another way of describing the real and felt presence of God. It is, as Methodist historian Howard Snyder said, “the essential dynamic in movements of spiritual renewal”. God’s purpose What, then, is God up to in such times? Well, revivals bring two marvellous phenomena. First, God’s people come alive . Brian Edwards said that during a revival, Christians are “saturated with God”. Michael McClymond reports: “Participants in revivals speak of their vivid sense of spiritual things, great joy and faith, deep sorrow over sin, passionate desire to evangelise others, and heightened feelings of love for God and their fellow humanity.” As a result of this and the Spirit of God’s direct work, you get the second phenomenon. God’s kingdom rapidly expands . “God’s work accelerates,” wrote J.I. Packer. “Truth spreads, and people are born again and grow in Christ, with amazing rapidity.” Why needed Why are revivals needed? For the same reason, we need to wake up each morning because we have been asleep. The Church tends to fall asleep, sedated by what Paul called the flesh, lulled by the world. The story of the Church is not one of continual progress and life – things decline, and life fades. But from time to time, churches need God’s reviving touch. Another way to look at it is to say God renews his Church. Over time, churches become old-fashioned, grow tired, drift into deadening theology, lose spiritual life, and accommodate the world. In that state, the Church needs to be renewed. There is another reason God needs to revive and renew. God wants his Church to reach the world for Christ, but the world keeps changing. As Helmut Thielicke put it, “The gospel must constantly be forwarded to a new address because the recipient is repeatedly changing his place of address.” New measures are required. And so, God renews – enlivens and modernises his Church. Ways to go deep Now just as lightning looks for places to touch the earth, the Spirit will seek opportunities to touch lives. To go deep. To inject life and bring repentance and holiness. For example, in the early Salvation Army, he used lengthy prayer and holiness meetings with the mercy seat open. We might think of the 24/7 Prayer Movement as another way God used to work deeply in many. At Asbury, singing, biblical teaching, silence, and times of confession seem to be the menu. Steve Bussey reported: “Words being used to describe this revival include the following: gentle, patient, clean, innocent, kind, simple, real, and expectant ... No superstars. No sizzle. Meeting the Father is the focus.” Church historian Richard Lovelace said God looks for something else so he can touch lives. He said revivals only happen when there is “the proclamation of the Gospel in depth.’ That is, when the cross of Christ is proclaimed, and with it a call for radical repentance and a promise of regeneration by the Spirit and of sanctification. That seems to be happening at Asbury as well. Across communities So far, I have focused especially on the meetings where the Spirit moves in power. That is certainly one thing people are reporting out of Asbury. But there are other ways of looking at revival. There are revivals, for example, that last for years and extend across many communities. I have mentioned Bramwell Booth because Dr Roger Green and I are writing Bramwell’s biography. At the age of 22, an overworked and exhausted Bramwell got away to the town of Värnamo, Sweden, for a rest. The trouble was God was sending revivals all over Sweden, and he sent one to Värnamo, and Bramwell led it. Once more, the presence of God was palpably real, and many unlikely people got saved. Something similar seems to have been happening in Iran in recent years. In that most unlikely of nations, people have quietly become Christians. “Right now, you can see the results of the Holy Spirit,” Raizal, a believer in Iran, said. “From 1994, there were about 100,000 believers. Right now, there are over three million. You can see what the Holy Spirit is doing with the people.” That is a second way God works. Renewal movements But there is a third, crucial way to understand how God works to revive his Church. Not only does he come in meetings, but he also creates movements . What will happen to those students at Asbury who have met the living Christ? Chances are, they will go and tell others about it. You can already find testimonies online as well, really powerful words. Chances are, the young people will connect with others who have been switched on. They will meet together for prayer. Maybe groups will go and clean the home of some elderly person. Maybe they will visit the homeless. Maybe they will start new congregations to reach non-Christians of their generation. Maybe they will connect with other alive young Christians across the country, and across the world. Rapidly, one person will ‘infect’ another, a network will grow, and you will get a movement . Revivals, it has been said, are Holy Spirit-infused people movements . I remember some years ago when the UK’s Phil Wall and others were raising up young people around the Salvation Army world, General Paul Rader called that a renewal movement. That’s a technical term for what God creates – a renewal movement. Renewal movements often make high demands on their members for holiness and mission. But, as Charles Mellis showed, those demands actually add to the network’s appeal, especially among young people. John Wesley’s Methodism began as a renewal movement. The Salvation Army began its rapid expansion in 1878 as a renewal movement. The Alpha Course and the 100 church plants out of London’s Holy Trinity Brompton is another. I met an Indian man who trains church planters to go into rural villages, and he sends out a new planter just about every week. There are many renewal movements. Hopefully, this 2023 revival at Asbury University will become another. Major Peter Farthing is a retired officer of the Australia Territory.

Much like its name, reviewer Jacqui Clack says that the latest CD release, Blessings, by the International Staff Songsters of the Salvation Army will bless listeners. REVIEWED BY JACQUI CLACK This latest recording by the International Staff Songsters offers a good variety of music with a mix of modern worship songs, original compositions, anthems and some familiar lyrics to new settings. The opening song, ‘Amazing God!’ by Lee Fisher, has a contemporary feel that perfectly blends the lyrics with a syncopated, driving rhythm. The song declares, “You are everything to me”, and the climactic ending reiterates these words, concluding with the proclamation, “Amazing God!” on an exuberant dissonant chord that eventually resolves – fabulous and a firm favourite. I am delighted to find Paul Sharman’s vocal arrangement of ‘Still’, the beautiful worship song from Hillsong, included in the CD and brings you into an attitude of quiet praise. The Grammy Award-winning song ‘Blessings’ is expertly and reverently presented. The words will resonate profoundly with anyone that has struggled with worship during challenging times. Two much-loved songs, ‘Just Where He Needs Me’ and ‘In the Secret of Thy Presence’, have been given updated musical settings. These fresh compositions by current Salvationists (Andrew Mair and Olaf Ritman respectively) breathe new life into the familiar words and deliver a renewed message. Three a cappella arrangements demonstrate skilful choral ability. The standout song for me was ‘Do Not Be Afraid’. I found this beautifully crafted Catholic folk hymn to be deeply moving, providing a spiritual highlight and evoking a sense of calm assurance. There are two contrasting arrangements by the group’s pianist, Richard Phillips. ‘Contemplation’ powerfully conjures images of Christ’s agony and anguish. By contrast, ‘Light-walk’ is a fun, energetic vocal arrangement of Barrie Gott’s popular big-band style number, with superb syncopation and vocal range displayed by the singers and an excellent accompaniment guaranteed to get your foot tapping. The words of ‘When God Comes Near’ were written by a corps officer following an encounter with God, in which a love for his word was instilled in his heart. The rallentando and subsequent pause leading into the chorus brings a sense of anticipation for the words, “When God comes near, it is a special moment”. Whilst some of the tracks included will be beyond the reach of most songster brigades, for example, ‘Light-walk’, it is pleasing as a songster leader to hear many songs readily accessible for ensembles of varying abilities. Overall, this recording brings uplifting, musical ‘blessings’ to the listener; it reminds us of God’s love and the promises contained in Scripture that no matter what challenges and trials we face, we do not need to be afraid because God is always near. Blessings is available from Salvationist Supplies by emailing trade.sydney@salvationarmy.org.au or trade.melbourne@salvationarmy.org.au or calling Sydney Salvationist Supplies (1800 634 209) and Melbourne Salvation Army Supplies (1800 100 018). This review originally appeared in The Officer magazine.

A Salvation Army worker prays for people who have come for emergency supplies following severe flooding in Thailand. Salvation Army teams are actively responding to recent severe floods in northen Thailand and Myanmar.   Thailand Nearly 250,000 people have been affected by the floods, including and estimated 100,000 children. The Chiang Rai, Mae Sai and Chiang Mai districts are among the hardest-hit.   The Salvation Army in Thailand is helping 500 families in Chiang Rai by providing essential clean water, food and bedding until the end of the year. More than 100 injuries have been reported, as well as two deaths. The floods and landslides have caused widespread damage to almost 5900 households, livelihoods and to critical infrastructure, including health facilities, schools, water sources, highways and bridges.   In some parts of the Chiang Rai region, water levels have started to recede. However, significant challenges remain as many residents are unable to return home. Flooded roads and downed power lines are hindering communication and recovery efforts.   The Salvation Army’s research and development officers, in collaboration with corps officers from the Chiang Mai Corps and the social services coordinator, have found a dire situation, with severe shortages of drinking water, staple foods and shelter.   The Salvation Army is committed to working with local leaders and community members to address the most urgent needs and aid the recovery of the affected populations.   Myanmar In early September, the people of Myanmar were subjected to floods caused by heavy monsoon rains and the remnants of Typhoon Yagi.   Salvation Army teams are providing essential items to those hardest hit by flooding in Myanmar. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 300 deaths and nearly 100 injuries have been reported. The Salvation Army in Myanmar is assisting 600 families affected by the floods by providing food parcels, bedding, drinking water and nutritional support. In addition to food assistance, The Salvation Army is also extending its support to 100 families by providing vital household items, such as blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights and mattresses.    The ongoing flooding in nine states and regions affected nearly 890,000 people, including an estimated 270,000 children. In response, The Salvation Army is actively supporting some of the most heavily impacted areas and communities. The ongoing flooding poses a significant threat by exacerbating the crisis of waterborne diseases. Numerous schools have been forcibly closed or repurposed as shelters, severely limiting access to education for thousands of children. Furthermore, this disaster is inflicting considerable emotional and psychological stress on both children and their caregivers, fundamentally undermining their well-being.   The Salvation Army will adhere to the principles of the Humanitarian Charter, particularly the people’s right to life with dignity, their right to receive humanitarian assistance, and their right to protection and security. IHQ Communications based reports by Captain Jevry Ambitan, Project and Finance Administrator of International Emergency Services

Commissioner James Condon leads prayer at this year’s Awakening Australia event in Brisbane. When the renowned 20th-century civil rights leader, Mahatma Gandhi, called prayer the ‘key of the morning and the bolt of the evening’, his words resonated with Christians across the globe. Equally passionate about the power of prayer is retired former Australia Eastern Territorial Commander, Commissioner James Condon, who spoke with Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH about leading the Australia Prays movement and his recent role with the Awakening Australia event.  “God’s not going to work, I don’t believe, unless we begin on our knees. So, I have a passion, a heart for prayer.” – James Condon   James, could you tell us how you became involved with the recent Awakening Australia event and your role? I wear a number of hats, including being the chairman of the Caloundra Pastors Network. So, that’s where I first met Pastor Daniel Hagen from the local Fire Church and received an invitation to be part of Awakening Australia. I had attended special church services a few times, and they asked me to be part of Awakening’s prayer team. Tens of thousands of people attended the event at Brisbane Showgrounds. I had never met Ben Fitzgerald (co-founder of Awakening with Daniel), and wow, what a man of God! Our prayer team met about four times a day to pray during Awakening. We also invited everybody who was already in the showground to come out and join us at the front of the stage to pray before each session started. Sometimes, there were as many as 100 people out the front praying before the actual session started. Someone also mentioned the revivalist, Smith Wigglesworth, going back many, many years, always had someone under his stage praying. So, a group of our prayer team went behind the stage and prayed while the event was happening. A couple of times, we marched around the arena, too. James joins with other Christian leaders to pray for the nation of Australia. There were more than 1000 salvations at Awakening. People came to be baptised on the first night of the worship. I remember thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’ [because] there were so many young people! People from all nations and from overseas attended the event. I’m still living in the shadow of it. It was just such an amazing God time.   The other highlight for me was participating in the national church service on Sunday and having the privilege to pray as part of that service with some of the greats of Christian leadership in Australia, such as Pastor Wayne Alcorn. The number of people who made it happen just blew me away. It’s a huge operation to make it happen. We had a praise party after the event as we did not want to forget to say thanks to God when we saw answers to prayer. What led you to head up the Australia Prays movement? I had to appear at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and answer on behalf of The Salvation Army. I was deeply, deeply moved by the stories I heard and the way people’s lives had been affected by abuse. In 2015, I contacted Warwick Marsh, who was the National Coordinator of the National Day of Prayer and Fasting at the time and suggested to him that there be a time of repentance by the church because of the sins of child sexual abuse while children were in care with the Church – not just The Salvation Army. He thought it was an excellent idea. So, I led an hour of repentance. I was joined by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canberra, the Anglican Archbishop of Canberra, and Donna Crouch from Hillsong Church. I also involved a man who had been involved with The Salvation Army’s boys’ home and was one of the people who testified at the Royal Commission. His life had been wonderfully changed and healed by God. Nicola Olyslagers (centre), a Christian high jumper who won silver for Australia at the recent Paris Olympics, joins in with the crowd at Awakening Australia. Just before we went into the Great Hall of Parliament House to have the repentance service, I felt led to have a foot-washing as part of the act of repentance and wash the feet of a former victim who was in attendance, and he gave his testimony. I then got involved with the National Day of Prayer and Fasting and, after Warwick retired, became its chairman. A few years into the role, I thought, well, we do more than just one national day of prayer, so we ought to rebrand and relaunch. So, after prayer, we called ourselves ‘Australia Prays’. We have the National Day of Prayer on Pentecost Saturday. We also call people together to pray when we feel the time is right for whatever it might be, such as a national disaster or something significant in our nation politically. I have certainly gotten known in the prayer circles across the nation, and last year, I was asked to be the chairman of the World Prayer Assembly in Perth, Western Australia, too. Australia Prays is about encouraging the Church to come together to pray. It’s amazing. It grows every year, and we have Christians and churches from every denomination now involved with the National Day of Prayer. Our mission is that together, we mobilise the Body of Christ in Australia to pray, fast and intercede for the will and glory of God the Father. We have representatives in every state on our national committee.   You mentioned there are many different denominations and churches involved across Australia. Can you speak more about their involvement with Australia Prays? The National Day of Prayer usually involves communion, worship and prayer, with many hundreds of churches involved with the annual event. There are approximately 90 locations across Australia right now representing up to 10 different churches that gather together at one physical church who support and are involved with Australia Prays. A different domination leads the one-hour slot on the National Day of Prayer. We all discovered Zoom since COVID too, so, we will have a Zoom prayer meeting that is still part of the national event. People can go to physical locations or join us online. We can have around 500 people on Zoom at any one time. We don’t become political because then we immediately ostracise people if we try to become political.   What drives you to lead prayer for the Australian community? I’ve had an impactful journey as far as prayer is concerned in my life. I was greatly impacted back in the 1980s. The Salvation Army gave me the incredible privilege of attending and studying at Fuller Theological Seminary in Los Angeles, USA. I met Peter Wagner, who was the church-growth guru of the day and studied under him. He took a paradigm shift in his emphasis on teaching and started to teach on prayer and spiritual warfare, and what he called spiritual mapping. So, having been someone who was really impacted by him as a person, as a teacher, my own life took a real change at that time in relation to prayer. Worship at Awakening Australia was a vibrant, Spirit-led experience. The Bible’s Second Chronicles 7:14 is very much a verse that I’ve taken to heart. God’s not going to work, I don’t believe, unless we begin on our knees. So, I have a passion, a heart for prayer, and that’s for me personally as well. I committed myself to my own personal prayer retreats, and when I was The Salvation Army Commissioner for five and a half years, I used to retreat to the Blue Mountains to pray often and still do to this day. It’s very much part of who I am, taking my own personal time with God on a daily basis but then retreating for a day or two to pray. So that’s something of my journey, my heart, my passion for prayer, and for taking on the chairmanship of Australia Prays.    Do you believe the Australian Christian community believes in the power of prayer? I don’t think they understand fully the incredible potential for prayer and for the God who promises to do the impossible. I don’t think they fully understand or tap the potential of that in their lives. I know Ben Fitzgerald and Daniel Hagen were just blown away by what God has done with Awakening Australia.   For people who struggle to pray, what would you say to them? I encourage people to converse with God as they would with anyone else. Many hesitate to pray because they feel unworthy or doubt God ever listens to them. People often struggle with unanswered prayers, especially waiting and in difficult situations like healing. I lead a men’s group called Just Men, and often say to the men that God answers in three ways – yes, no or wait. Prayer remains a mystery, but the Bible urges us to keep on praying. The other thing I would say is to seek someone out and talk it through with them. Ask them to help you in your praying.   And what do you say if prayers are unanswered? I just encourage people to keep on praying in faith and waiting to see what God is going to do. Unanswered prayers can be an incredibly tricky space to navigate. But the first thing that comes to my mind is the verse that says God’s ways are higher than our ways. Sometimes, we will never fully understand why a prayer is not answered. Commissioners James and Jan Condon at their retirement service in Sydney in 2016. But now, here is a great story: Years ago, my wife, Jan, and I were stationed at Mackay, Queensland, and had the most wonderful church secretary named Mary Deas. Her husband was not a Christian and a difficult man. He was the focus of her prayers for 30 years to find Jesus. One Sunday at breakfast, he surprised Mary by saying, “I’ve seen Christ in you, and I have to become a Christian.” They went off to The Salvation Army church in Maroochydore, and he never waited for the alter call. He went forward in the opening song, walked down, and knelt down at the front and surrendered his life to God.   Looking to the future, what are the plans for the Australia Prays team? We always want to be in that stage in saying, well, what does God want of us now? As Australia Prays, what should we be praying about, what should be our emphasis? I was recently asked to bring together prayer intercessors from all churches across the Sunshine Coast on October 17th to pray for the Sunshine Coast. Moving forward, I believe people need to be united. We need to support each other, we need to encourage each other, we need to urge other on as far as prayer is concerned. So, in relation to the prayer movement in Australia, and as the Chairman of Australia Prays, I have taken on the mantle of bringing everyone together and raising up an army of intercessors across Australia – the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit.    Click through the slideshow below for more photos of the Awakening Australia event in Brisbane:

Heather Moore works to ensure there is no slavery involved in Salvation Army supply chains. Heather Moore has been The Salvation Army’s contact point for modern slavery for many years and was instrumental in research and advocacy support for the Modern Slavery Act. She now has a new appointment – Responsible Sourcing Manager – trying to ensure there is no slavery involved in supply chains for goods and services the Army uses. Salvos Online writer SIMONE WORTHING recently caught up with Heather and chatted about her new role. What does the role of Responsible Sourcing Manager entail? Heather: My role is to build and embed systems of supply chain due diligence. This enables us to understand where modern slavery and other human rights risks lie, and to enable people in the organisation dealing with suppliers to address those risks effectively. The procurement world has been under a lot of pressure to research social, environmental and governance risks in sourcing goods and services – not just making sure they have certainty of supply but also balancing that with risks to workers in the supply chain. With the passage of Modern Slavery Act, which The Salvation Army was heavily involved in, our procurement team became involved in modern slavery reporting which is led out of the risk and compliance area because procurement is really where the rubber hits the road. Is the work you are doing potentially something other organisations could use? Heather: Because of our unparalleled understanding of the victim survivor experience and our capacity as a service organisation, we do have some moral authority in advising businesses about how to tailor their standard business processes to be more victim- and survivor-centric. The procedures I’m setting up involve eliciting responses from potential suppliers about how they’re managing their modern slavery risks. I’ve written draft guidance for staff on what to do once a supplier or procurement is deemed to be high risk and how to engage that supplier, because there’ll be some goods and procurements for which there may not necessarily be an alternative supply. So we need to work with positively with our suppliers. What does a typical day at work look like for you? Heather: I wear a couple of hats – my typical day varies between my PhD work and my responsible sourcing hat. I’m studying for a PhD in law at RMIT university which involves interdisciplinary research looking at how to structure decision-making for organisations to foster more victim-led, victim-centered remediation when slavery is detected. The Salvation Army is supporting that research in two ways, allowing me to allocate time for that research and also participating as an industry partner. This year I'll be looking to start some laboratory and field experiments with industry partners where I put a remediation tool into the field and test how it goes and what is needed to enable organisations to make more optimal decisions when it comes to responding to cases of modern slavery in their supply chains. Why should The Salvation Army, primarily as a church, be involved in the anti-trafficking movement? Heather: There’s a theological mandate – we are called by God to set the oppressed free: “Learn to do good; seek justice; correct oppression” (Isaiah chapter 1 verse 17). “Defend the weak and the fatherless. Uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed” (Isaiah chapter 82 verse 3). It’s not only about setting people free or rescuing people, it’s also about addressing the systemic drivers of oppression. What drives you to get up each day? Heather: First and foremost, I’m motivated by my experiences of working with and walking alongside survivors. It has been the privilege of my life to be part of their journeys – they are some of the strongest, most inspirational people I’ve ever met. I really hate to see them portrayed as victims and as broken because, while their experiences are indescribably horrible, the real story is that they go on. I feel called to carry that message forward and be a champion for representing survivorship and triumph over adversity, and that’s why I’ve stayed in the policy and advocacy space for such a long time – and now research. I feel so gratified that I get to dive deep and really apply myself.

Hi friends, ​ In December 2020, The Salvation Army Australia Territory launched its first Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which focused on implementing strategies and initiatives that promote action towards reconciliation as a movement and across our sphere of influence. As we mark two years on from the launch of the Innovate RAP, it’s with great pride that I celebrate with you the fantastic progress we have made and reflect on the journey we have walked together. Captain Stuart Glover, Secretary for Mission.  The Innovate RAP has allowed us to dive deeper into our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their culture, lived experiences and traditions. It has also allowed us as a movement to strengthen our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by piloting new initiatives that promote engagement and empowerment. I am very proud to write this message of celebration and gratitude for your contribution to the two successful years of meeting the 89 deliverables we set out to achieve in 2020. I encourage you to take some time to read more about some of the initiatives on Salvos Central here >> “Our journey towards reconciliation as a movement has brought new learnings, as well as a deeper level of respect and understanding for our First Nations brothers and sisters. The Innovate RAP has played a crucial role in this journey and I’m encouraged by the ongoing individual commitment our personnel have made to walk this path together.” - Commissioner Miriam Gluyas However, there is some unfinished business from our Innovate RAP, which we aim to prioritise in the coming years through a Stretch RAP. Through the Innovate RAP, we have developed a framework to help us create long-term strategies and define measurable targets for advancing reconciliation internally and in our communities. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to walking the journey of reconciliation with us. Grace and peace, Captain Stuart Glover Secretary for Mission

Commissioner Miriam Gluyas gives her first sermon after being installed as Territorial Commander of the Australia Territory during a ceremony at Project 614 Corps in Melbourne on Sunday 12 February 2023. Photo: Ben Whimpey – Indimax Productions Shortly after her starting as head of The Salvation Army in Australia on 1 February 2023, MAJOR PETER McGUIGAN spoke with Commissioner Miriam Gluyas about her life and her vision for the mission of the Salvos. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, recently appointed Territorial Commander for The Salvation Army Australia and Chair of its Board of Governance, believes that accessibility of leaders is vital to the success of any organisation in any sector of society – including the religious and charity sectors. “It would kill me if I wasn’t able to be accessible,” she says with a firmness that tells you she is serious. “Times have changed. It’s no longer about position and title. We have to be highly relational in these days. We’re in a postmodern, post-Christian, post-COVID world.” Commissioner Miriam Gluyas enjoys a lighter moment during her Installation service in Melbourne on Sunday. Photo: Ben Whimpey – Indimax Productions Taking that a step further, the new Salvos leader seeks to hear and welcome all points of view. “The important thing is to come into a room and value the diversity and the contribution of everyone in that room. “Together, we recognise the way ahead may not be clear, but ‘our eyes are on you Lord because you can show us the way’. Together we will pray and we will wrestle with the issues, and everyone’s opinion will count. I can’t tell you how important that is for me – that the voice of all is heard.” That might come as a breath of fresh air to Australians, for whom many executive leaders almost seem unknowable or remote at best. And certainly, it’s a good sign for the more than 17,000 signed-up Salvos and 8000 employees working under her leadership. It says a lot about exactly who Miriam Gluyas is and the kind of leader she has become. Born in 1959 into a Salvation Army family and raised in the Victorian city of Ballarat, at her admission, her childhood and teenage years were “fortunate”. They delivered both an outlook on life that sees anything being possible and a foundation steeped in the faith, hope and love practice of her family and The Salvation Army. “What makes me who I am today is really my family of origin,” she says with a glint in her eye and an open smile. “Very strong values, we loved well, we wrestled well, you knew that you could be anything, do anything. “Our roots go way back into The Salvation Army. My great-great-grandmother was a church planter in Scotland. It was a really solid foundation of love and acceptance. I loved life, loved a challenge, never thought anything was too hard.” Early role models Miriam says Ballarat was a great place to grow up. She learnt to barrack for the Geelong Cats even though her dad was a strong Collingwood Magpies supporter. It was a good wrestle she remembers well. She went to Mount Clear Primary School and then Ballarat and Clarendon College, a Presbyterian school. At Clarendon, while you were expected to succeed, she affirms it was a great environment to grow and develop. “I had some great role-modelling whether at church, at school or at home. My grandmother always lived with us. She was strong, independent, opinionated. My father was very much a debater. He and I would disagree on most things and debate them. My mother was a beautiful, amiable lady. Miriam had a dream of pursuing a professional golf career before becoming a Salvation Army officer. Photo: Shairon Paterson “So I think I got the best of every world between the three of them. Close to all of them. I’ve lost my Nanna and Mum now, but Dad is still with us, and we’re still debating. This independence, this free spirit, this debater. I’ve become highly relational. I love people.” There is a confidence about Commissioner Gluyas and an evenness in her temperament that tells you she has carried the best fruit of her formative years into adulthood and her leadership roles in The Salvation Army. In the late 1970s, she relocated with her family to Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast. Despite wanting to teach sport and pursue professional golf, she trained as a Salvation Army officer and was commissioned in January 1983 in Sydney. Since then, her posts have included being at the frontline as a corps officer (pastor) for Salvation Army faith communities (corps); a training officer at the Officer Training College; a divisional youth secretary; divisional commander of The Salvation Army NSW/ACT Division; and, internationally, as a chief secretary of The Salvation Army Papua New Guinea. Turning points Notwithstanding her positive, nothing’s impossible outlook, Commissioner Gluyas talks about turning points in her life that have prepared her along the way for the next steps. One of these was when she was appointed to lead a church plant in the Newcastle suburb of Eastlakes. “God said very clearly to me, ‘Are you going to do it your way or my way this time?’ I thought, ‘That’s a bit rude, God!’ “But I knew exactly what he meant. I’m a person who loves life; I can do things, I can see where we’re going to go and how to get there. But God was showing me there’s a better way, and that is to say, ‘Holy Spirit, I actually need you; I need you to come through.’ “So we fasted, we prayed, we did the journey together, we relied on the Spirit and asked for his presence constantly. As we did, we saw a plant that went from basically nothing to a couple of hundred with so many salvations and people’s lives transformed. What God showed me was a defining moment because that would then be how I did ministry through the years.” Enrolling senior soldiers at Bankstown Corps in Sydney during her time as divisional commander of the NSW/ACT Division.    Another turning point was when she arrived back in Australia from Papua New Guinea, where she had been Chief Secretary for three years. It was January 2016, and she was appointed to lead the NSW/ACT Division. “God gave me a picture of him standing with his arms folded and saying, ‘When you’re ready in the West, when you’re finished with all your cleverness and your money and your consultants and everything else, I’m here.’ “I have a really strong calling on my life that aligns with this vision. It’s that what God can do in a Developing Nation, he can do in the West. And it’s probably why I am here now. In the West, we have to really seek out how to rely on God. Every day, I’m committed to praying, ‘Holy Spirit, please come; I need you; you make the decisions; you walk with me.’ It’s a deliberate, daily choice.” ‘Oaks of righteousness’ Commissioner Gluyas describes herself as a visionary strategist but quickly adds that she values the lessons she has learnt along the way, including the importance of seeking individual and collective wisdom. She understands the challenges facing the church and charity sector in the 2020s and sees that the difference between the Salvos flourishing and stagnating will be personal and corporate renewal of the group’s spiritual heart. Scripturally, she says Salvos should take the calling of Jesus as their own, personally and collectively. “We are to be an Isaiah 61, Luke 4 people,” she stresses. “‘The Spirit of the sovereign Lord’ is on us. We have to make sure, first and foremost, that this is true. We are to be ‘oaks of righteousness’ (Isaiah 61:3). The people of God have to put their roots down deep. They’ve got to be the place where people want to come and shelter, the place where people find refuge, where we can sit and talk and explore together. If we’re not oaks of righteousness, we can’t do what God’s asking us to do. “[As Isaiah 61:3 also says] we’re to bring ‘beauty for ashes’. We live in a world where kids are trying out all sorts of things. We live in a world without hope. So we’re to bring beauty instead of ashes. It’s the Salvation Army deal ... “Again, if we’re not oaks of righteousness, we can’t bring the beauty for ashes. As the people of God called Salvation Army, we need to rise up and let’s go! We need to create a new story. Sometimes the world likes us better than we like ourselves. Our story is transformation.” Commissioner Gluyas describes these days for The Salvation Army as “scary-exciting”. Getting it right is a big, big deal, she says. “We’re a mission movement born to be propelled by the Spirit of God into our communities, living out the transforming love of Jesus. That’s who and what we must be. We must be close to God.” Major Peter McGuigan serves as Corps Officer of Sydney Congress Hall Corps and Faith Integration Leader for the Salvos in the City of Sydney. From 1 March 2023, he will be The Salvation Army’s Head of Government Relations for Australia, based in Canberra. Additionally, he is a writer for Others Online and Salvos Magazine. To read a report on the official welcome and installation of Commissioner Miriam Gluyas as Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army Australia, go to https://others.org.au/news/2023/02/13/commissioner-miriam-gluyas-installed-as-territorial-commander/

Chief Secretary Colonel Winsome Merrett has asked Salvos to play their part in helping the people of Turkey and Syria. Dear friends, As the devastating impact of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria continues to unfold, we all must ask ourselves what part we play in helping the people of Syria and Turkey recover and rebuild from this tragic event. As a movement, we do not have any direct operations in the impacted countries; however, in consultation with the Secretary for Communications, Colonel Rodney Walters, and his team, one way we can support people on the ground is through directing financial aid to World Vision, an organisation with shared Christian values who are providing food, medical aid, and shelter during this time. You can give via this link . Lastly, I urge you to continue to pray for the people of Syria and Turkey and all those responding to this tragedy. I have included a prayer below, and you can find additional resources for corps here >> Prayer for Turkey and Syria Father God, Our hearts are with those impacted by the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey. When the world feels chaotic, and the hurt and fear are unbearable, you are Immanuel – God with us. Sweep across these lands with your presence and your protection. Be a place of shelter for those who face devastation and an uncertain future today. Give wisdom and strength to those who are in leadership. Protect these lands from political unrest. Focus energies on responding to the needs, managing the crisis, and eventually rebuilding communities. Stir those who have resources to contribute. Prompt us to be generous and active, seeking ways in which we can share what you have given to us. As people come to help, let love flow in places that have known trauma and conflict and may there be healing amid the hurt. Amen Thank you for your heart full of compassion and love towards those in need at this time. God bless you each,  Colonel Winsome Merrett Chief Secretary

More than 1500 volunteers, including Salvos, arm themselves with red frogs confectionary every year to support young people during Schoolies Week events around Australia. By ANTHONY CASTLE Red Frogs Australia is a youth charity that provides support at events attended by school leavers and university students. The volunteers, known as the Red Frog Crew, participate in Schoolies Week and university parties and support safe environments for young people. “The Salvation Army supports Schoolies, with five of us going to the Gold Coast and similar numbers in WA,” explains Marj Rava from the Salvos’ National Youth and Young Adults Team. “We’re assigned to a team, and that is assigned to a hotel to check in with young people and offer support to anyone feeling unsafe or looking unwell.” The Red Frog Crew was named after the confectionary that volunteers often hand out to young people as conversation starters. Andy Gourley founded the initiative in 1997, a skater who saw the unsafe behaviour young people engaged in during Schoolies Week (Allen’s has donated over 24 tonnes of the lolly every year since). “There is a way you book for Schoolies now, where you book in for hotels, get wristbands,” explains Marj. “There is a range of checks in place now, but people still know that there are young people and take advantage of that. If you’re a young female who’s lost your mates, lost your phone, and have to walk home for 40 minutes, that’s still unsafe.” Red Frog Crew founder Andy Gourley (front) and volunteer Chloe Spence (blue pants) with fellow crew members and some ‘schoolies’.     Red Frog Crew members are known for handing out lollies to young people, but the volunteers also offer to walk school leavers home from events, cook pancakes for their breakfast and clean up after those who are sick. “It was the outreach opportunity,” says Red Frog Crew volunteer Chloe Spence. “You’re not going there for yourself or to collect money; you’re there to help these kids out. I felt such a need to go do that.” Chloe has volunteered with the Red Frog Crew since 2019 after hearing about the opportunity at Salvation Army youth events and the Red Frogs’ vision to “safeguard a generation”. “We had a hotel that was ours, and we’d knock on the doors, check up on kids, make relationships,” Chloe says. “We also handed out lots of red frogs, walked people home. We offer to make them pancakes. Some know about Red Frogs and are excited to see you. It baffles them that people would come to help them for free, that we get nothing out of it except that they’re safe.” Serving the next generation Schoolies Week, a week-long holiday for students graduating high school, has become a rite of passage in Australian culture but is also often host to binge drinking and sexual assault. “Young people go to this place and suddenly have all this freedom with no parents,” explains Chloe. “They are filled with so many different emotions that when you come to support them, it’s such a relief that there is someone to talk to.” While the risks of Schoolies Week have been addressed by different states with a variety of measures, events have still seen arrests, hospitalisations, and even several deaths. “There was one guy [struggling mentally and physically] who opened up to us,” Chloe explains. “We made him pancakes, sat with him, talked with him. He was so appreciative. A lot of them have never seen that kind of love before, that kind of care.” Red Frog Crews have around 1500 volunteers serving in 17 locations across Australia annually. “It can be an eye-opener for young adults,” Marj explains. “You have to show acceptance and come alongside people to serve them. You work with strangers, work at night. It tests you. But the culture around the team is really about showing love to people, the love of Jesus to others. You see the change and the impact you can have. It’s a growth space.” Chloe has since reached out to Red Frogs NSW and hopes to organise more volunteers for future events. “It’s an amazing experience for anyone wanting to do outreach,” Chloe says. “Though it’s hard not to eat all the red frogs. When you’re at Schoolies, you have to pace yourself. It’s a good sugar high!” Red Frog Crews are also at universities, offering food, water, and study support during orientation weeks and exams. The volunteers can be seen at music festivals throughout the year, and their continuing presence proves that the Red Frog Crew, like its namesake, can be addictive. “That’s the thing about Red Frogs,” Chloe laughs. “Once you start, it’s hard to stop.” Anyone interested in becoming a Red Frogs crew member can reach out online for more information.

Aux-Lieutenants Steve and Marenda Freind chat with a police officer during a recent youth event where they served with the Red Frogs Crew. INTERVIEW BY ANTHONY CASTLE Aux-Lieutenants Steven and Marenda Friend are the Mission Leaders at Ellenbrook Salvos in Perth. They also volunteer with Red Frogs, a support program for young people aged 13-30. Steven talks about the ways that Salvos serve vulnerable young people alongside the Red Frogs Crew* in Western Australia. Salvos have volunteered with the Red Frogs Crew in Western Australia for years; how did your involvement come about? How many participate? I’ve done Red Frogs for four or five years now. For us, it was the outworking of our Urban Mission Movement; it was an activation opportunity. We did it at the end of the year. We did 12 months of discipleship, and then Red Frogs was at the end of the year. We’ve had over 20 Salvos come and do Red Frogs over the past four years. Generally, we have young adults, from 18 onwards, but we’ve had people of all ages, up to their 50s as well. People volunteer from corps all over WA. Aux-Lieutenants Steven and Marenda Freind, Mission Leaders at Ellenbrook Salvos in Perth’s north-east.  Red Frogs Crew can look different from place to place; what does it look like in a Western Australian context? I’ll work with the Red Frogs Crew throughout the year at universities and festivals. The main event is called Leavers in WA [Schoolies in the eastern states]. A lot of what happens comes under WAPOL (Western Australia Police Force) as a harm minimisation strategy, and Red Frogs joins with 8-10 other agencies. Red Frogs runs what’s called ‘The Zone’, which is essentially an alcohol-free, carnival-like space. It gets up to 10,000 young people every night, with music and carnival rides. There’s a support tent that can hold up to 300 young people a night, more than a hospital, and it has medical support and a range of things that can safeguard young people. What kind of tasks and activities do your teams do at Red Frogs? We will work with the outreach teams who are allocated accommodation places. In WA, we don’t have a walk-home service because the Leavers events are far more spaced out than on the Gold Coast. We drive between places, cooking pancakes for young people and making sure people are getting bussed into the zone and back again. We ensure people are getting home safely. The outreach teams is the main things that the Salvos teams do; it’s how you meet people, build relationships and make sure they’re doing well. It opens doors. What difference does the Salvos’ work with the Red Frogs Crew make to the young people it serves? I’ve seen a young person collapse in front of Red Frogs Crew, and I feel like being there saved their life. You can be right there when you’ve got someone who’s heavily intoxicated and needs help. What we know is that when young people make mistakes and feel guilty, it can have a negative impact on them. To have volunteers rock up and check in on them without judgement shows that you care and love them. Why is this work important? What’s the big picture? I do it because I’m a youth worker and love seeing young people thrive. The Leavers environment is a rite of passage that isn’t always healthy, but it’s something that society and culture say is important. If that’s what young people are going to do, we have the ability to go down and make sure it can be done in a safer way. If they make a mistake, there are people to support them and love them no matter what. There is nothing like showing love to someone than when you have someone vomit over you and your kicks. I know people who have become school chaplains because of these experiences; others work for the Salvos now. These experiences grow people into leadership roles and activate them into their giftings. * Red Frogs Australia is a Christian Youth charity run by volunteers known as the ‘Red Frogs Crew’. The volunteers participate in many events that are attended by school leavers and university students, such as schoolies week, university parties, high school seminars, music festivals and sporting events.

The gathering of the Portuguese-speaking community on the Sunshine Coast is family-friendly and relaxed. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20, also known as The Great Commission). By CLIFF WORTHING Living out The Great Commission is the motivating factor behind a weekly Portuguese-speaking gathering on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. “I know I have been called by God to do this,” said Leiser da Silva, a member of the Noosa-Coolum Corps. “I was challenged to listen to the language of my heart and use my mother tongue to reach out to others.” Leiser came to the Sunshine Coast from Brazil via New Zealand and Melbourne. He is married to Laura, an Australian, and has three children. They settled on the Sunshine Coast four years ago and sought a faith community to establish roots. They had contact with the Salvos in New Zealand, so they connected with the corps in their search for a spiritual home. After settling into the community and corps, they discussed with their corps officers, Lieutenants Matt and Jacqueline Gluyas, how they could connect with the substantial number of Brazilian expatriates living on the Sunshine Coast. The weekly Salvos gathering for Portuguese-speaking expatriates on the Sunshine Coast features a meal, prayer, worship and a message.    Towards the end of last year, they opened their house for a weekly family-style gathering or a ‘Grupao’ in Portuguese. Time together involves a meal, prayer, music and a short message by Leiser. Since most Brazilians are football-mad, playing soccer features strongly in their activities. “It’s sort of like an open table, with lots of eating, talking and questions,” Leiser said. “You can see the hunger to learn because there’s a lot of questions every time, but I like to finish on time, so they leave wanting more.” Matt explained that the gathering fits into the corps philosophy of people being released to use their gifts, follow their hearts and create multiple niche connection points beyond a regular Sunday worship service. “We desire to build a web of hope across the Sunshine Coast,” Matt said. “The gathering emerged from the heart of the da Silva family and has certainly opened our eyes to how many Portuguese-speaking people are a part of our community.” Laura is a qualified English language teacher, so when the time is right, she wants to start English lessons. “I remember how tough it is to settle into a different country and culture,” Leiser said. “We are just trying to create a place where people are embraced, can flourish, and find a place where they belong.”

Residents at a Melbourne public housing complex are enjoying the fresh space to relax and connect. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE The grounds of a Melbourne public housing complex have undergone a makeover thanks to a collaboration between the City of Melbourne and The Salvation Army. Four years ago, the North Melbourne Older Persons High Rise Program received a City of Melbourne Inclusion Grant as part of the Victorian Government’s Ageing Well Action Plan . The Salvation Army’s Team Leader for the Support in Public Housing Program, Bronwyne Bellars, said the residents had been excited by this project over the past four years and due to COVID and other setbacks, the project was not completed as hoped. With an approaching deadline at the end of 2024, with the residents’ input and guidance, an external contractor was sourced to assist and complete the outstanding work. “Really, it’s about having a space to call their own,” Bronwyne said. “They’ve had input in a space where they have had the opportunity to build friendships, reduce isolation and connect with others. “A space has been created that no longer looks neglected and aged. The vibrant colours, new garden beds and ground cover provide a fresh space to enjoy. “Without the generosity of the City of Melbourne, this venture would not have been possible.” The Ageing Well Action Plan outlines priorities for ageing residents, including improving community and communication, reducing isolation, and increasing social connection points and opportunities to promote a sense of ownership. “This is ‘home’ to the residents, and irrespective of whether it is public housing or a private home, an outdoor area to enjoy together or in solitude is often taken for granted,” Bronwyne said. “After four years of challenges, our residents have remained committed and shown their resilience. They are excited to enjoy this new space, and the Support in Public Housing Team is grateful they could be a part of this journey.” The garden renovation includes new garden beds, seating areas, paths and edging.