On Thursday mornings in southern Brisbane, shoppers at the Beenleigh Salvos Stores outlet experience an enhanced retail experience – a cuppa and a chat with the local corps officer and volunteers. And they’re loving it! Beenleigh Corps Officer Major Heather McKeon says her ‘office’ on a Thursday morning is her local Salvos Store, near the centre of the central business district. She started the coffee and chat morning at the store six years ago, and volunteers and store regulars love the chance to sit down and connect. “Our aim is to provide a welcoming space for people to come for a cuppa and a chat,” says Heather. “We provide a listening ear for people.” Heather and her team also support the store's volunteers and staff, and she says many have come to different corps events over the years. “We have a really good relationship with the Salvos Store manager; she is very supportive. At one stage, one of the volunteers would bring his guitar along, and we would have a sing-along, which was great!” In June last year, the corps extended its Salvos Store ministry and started a monthly free sausage sizzle at the store on Saturday morning. “It’s aimed at people who need assistance or food or just those in the community who are lonely and who want to chat.” Tables and chairs are set up, and tea and coffee are available. Heather says a nice little community is forming around the meal. The Beenleigh Salvos Store is busy, and the area has a high level of social needs. The partnership between the corps and the store enables the outworking of the Army’s four mission pillars – Caring for People, Working for Justice, Building Healthy Communities and Creating Faith Pathways – within a Salvation Army enterprise. – Lauren Martin

BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE When mothers are struggling, really struggling – whether with handling their children’s needs or managing their own isolation in parenthood – who cares for them? Mothers and their babies have recently become a topic of heated debate in Australia. When comedian Arj Barker told a breastfeeding mother to leave his Melbourne International Comedy Festival show with her seven-month-old earlier this month, the story dominated national news for several days. In addition, the comment sections attached to each post blew up with opinions on breastfeeding in public, taking babies to live shows and handling the noises children make. The mother, Trish Faranda, told media outlets she had never had much luck pumping milk and her baby, Clara, was exclusively breastfed. For her to be able to attend, she needed her baby in tow. “I’ve been to lots of his shows before children, and you kind of lose yourself a bit when you have kids,” she said. “I was just trying to get back to something I enjoyed before I had kids.” Besides calling the mother ‘entitled’, commenters on social media posts about the incident accused the woman of being a bad mother, keeping the baby up past its bedtime and seeking attention. Whatever you think of what happened that night, the story has got Australians talking about mothers, parenting choices and where babies do and do not belong. Family Connections Alison Ford is a Family and Children’s Facilitator at The Salvation Army Family Connections parenting centre in Ballarat, Victoria. Family Connections was developed in 2018 in collaboration with the Delacombe Corps and offers up to eight free groups and programs for parents and children. The centre, based out of Karinya Support Services, which also includes Parker Place transitional housing residence and LARF (Life skills, Activities, Relationships and Fun) mentoring program, seeks to equip mothers of children and teenagers of all ages and provide a social connection for mothers. Alison said Family Connections had grown into an extremely busy, energetic, and responsive initiative that reached members of the community who might otherwise remain isolated. Sing Play Move is a play-based musical immersion program for babies and toddlers offered as a partnership between Family Connections and CocoSounds. The program is attended by the chaplain from Karinya Support Services, who is able to link families with the Delacombe Corps. Alison said the families have created their own community and support networks within the Sing Play Move group, with regular clothing swaps and produce swaps. “It is beautiful to watch these families come together from the newborn stage to the preschool years,” Alison said. A mother who attends the program, Michelle*, said she had been recommending Sing Play Move to other parents. “My toddler and I look forward to [it] each week,” Michelle said. “It’s a fun place where we always feel welcome. My toddler can go between listening and participating to free play without judgement. Alison and all the other volunteers are so helpful and friendly, and through them, we’ve been linked into other programs.” Alison became passionate about Family Connections by working in childcare and chatting with parents who had no one else to speak with about their struggles. She said there was often a cultural expectation that parents be perfect, especially as their children reached their teenage years. “I think it’s so hard as parents that we don’t always want to ask for that help,” Alison said. “But how do we parent? We’ve got this little baby that is just given to us, we walk out of the hospital, and then what?” “There’s so many families out there doing it alone when they don’t need to.” She said raising children could be especially tough when parents lacked education on what children needed to thrive or when there were disabilities in the family. Alison said Family Connections had also hosted free sessions on health alongside a Play Therapist, which featured experts from the National Disability Insurance Scheme and speech and occupational therapists to provide direct advice to parents with children on a waiting list to access services. “We really build on self-care, making sure they’re okay. Making sure they’ve got a place where they can come where they’re safe. Making sure there’s a place they can talk freely without any judgment.” She said other challenges many parents faced were the increased cost of living, family violence and the struggles of adolescents who may be dabbling in illegal, violent or destructive behaviour. Alison said there was often a lot of shame and judgment for these parents. “We want to alleviate a lot of that, so they’ve got that support from other parents, and they’ve got that acceptance,” she said. “We really build on self-care, making sure they’re okay. Making sure they’ve got a place where they can come where they’re safe. Making sure there’s a place they can talk freely without any judgment.” Even more basic needs are addressed at Family Connections. Alison said they also offered training in simple household plumbing skills, such as how to change tap washers. “We do a lot of cooking,” Alison said. “Sometimes mums don’t know how to cook a meal for their family.” “It’s one more thing they can be responsible for themselves. It’s strength-based, trauma-informed care to make sure they’re safe, secure, and they’re learning as they go.” *Not her real name.

The War Cry of 9 January 1965 reported that the first Red Shield Appeal would be held on 4 July of that year. The appeal was conducted by the former Eastern Territory and then went national for the first time in 1968 when the Southern Territory adopted the fundraising campaign. In today’s Army Archives article, Salvos Online looks at the history of fundraising in The Salvation Army, eventually leading to the introduction of what has become Australia’s most generously supported charitable appeal. BY MAJOR JOHN SMITH* In September 1880, underneath the proverbial gum tree in Adelaide’s Botanic Park, the seeds were sown for a partnership between the people of Australia and The Salvation Army. At the conclusion of that alfresco evangelistic meeting, immigrant London milkman John Gore offered: “If there’s any man here who hasn’t had a meal today, let him come home with me.” From that moment, an incremental dynamic relationship between the Army and the Australian public ensued. Not all who were exposed to the Army’s evangelistic methods or message responded as the Army desired, but what did develop was a respect, trust and confidence in what the people of the Army did in continuing to offer support and responding with concern, care and compassion to their fellow Australians in need or distress. At no time was it ever thought that the Army could be, or would be, financially independent of public support in the light of the service offered and given. Army history records that from the very earliest days, it was evident that money was required to support the burgeoning work and ministry of the evangelical movement in East London. Founder William Booth wrote: “God wants men and money to win the world for Jesus. Will you help Him?” At every opportunity, the Army ‘took up a collection’. Carolling at Christmas, or weekly open-air meetings and street and shop collections, harvest festival appeals were the norm. It was one of the never-failing indicators of that respect and growing relationship with the Army and the community that in Army collection boxes in the street, at the gate of a railway station, football ground or in the bars of hotels across the country (in exchange for a copy of the War Cry), a coin always rattled. Seeking funds The Self Denial Appeal, ingeniously introduced in England in 1888 and copied in Australia, became the face of the call to Salvationists to deny themselves of some little luxury annually for a week and devote the savings to the Army funds. It was also the name of the annual Army fundraising appeal across the nations. The appeal proceeds were distributed to the Army’s missionary program, its social work and general funds. The gathering of those funds was, to quote Australian poet Henry Lawson, “hot and dusty work”, when, for weeks, and sometimes months on end, officers would visit the homes and businesses in their area seeking funds to maintain and advance the work of the Army. Many are the stories of those money-collecting adventures by officers and soldiers so that the Army’s evangelical, missionary and welfare ministries would be sustained. Added to those efforts were the legendary expeditions of officers known as “special collectors” whose task was to represent the Army primarily in areas where no Army corps existed. These officers became more than fundraisers. In most instances, they exercised a pastoral or chaplain’s role in remote communities. These appeals for financial support were appreciated as necessary but became increasingly inadequate to support the existing and potential networks of social service response and endeavour. As demand grew, so did the pressure to explore ways and means to address the problem. The late Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lucas, who was the Army’s Public Relations Secretary in Sydney in the 1970s, records in a paper entitled ‘Financing the Salvation War’ a sequence of happenings that seems to be the key to how that ‘pressure to explore’ new direction for Army fundraising was broken. “In 1956, Commissioner (later General) Frederick Coutts, who had succeeded Commissioner Edgar Grinsted, looked seriously at the question of how the territory’s finances could be improved,” Lieut-Col Lucas wrote. “There were two proposals. One was put forward by Major Gordon Petersen. It included an offer by Mr Sid Herron of the Wells fundraising organisation to train selected Army officers in planned giving and fundraising without charge, and that we accept the offer with a view to introducing the systems, so taught, into the territory. “Mr Herron was an ex-Salvationist and son of an officer. With him in the Wells organisation was Mr Ron Butt, also an ex Salvationist. “Proposal number two was put forward by the Commissioner. It was that the territory should consider the ‘stewardship’ concept as it operated in Canada.” Both proposals were accepted and implemented. Canadian model Commissioner Coutts appointed Major Charles Cross to visit Canada on a fact-finding mission to study all aspects of public relations and fundraising activity in that territory. He was partnered in that 1963 survey by Major Don Campbell from the Australia Southern Territory. As Lieut-Colonel Lucas observed: “Like Caleb and Joshua, they returned with favourable reports”. Majors Cross and Campbell reported to their respective headquarters on Salvation Army advisory boards, effective stewardship organisation among Salvationists, the need for effective public information programs, capital appeals and the manner in which Canada had, since 1942, conducted an annual national-wide blitz and called it the Red Shield Appeal. Major Cross’ energies were immediately applied to the introduction of stewardship promotion, while in the south, Major Campbell worked with characteristic zeal in setting up a Red Shield Appeal structure. While operating separately, there was concord in both territories on the need to recruit and establish citizens advisory boards in cities and towns where more than one expression of the Army existed. These boards would be comprised of influential local people whose advice, though advisory in nature, would extend to fundraising. Major Campbell (later Commissioner) noted that “during 1963-64, significant consultative conferences took place between both Australian territories involving officers of most ranks. These conferences produced understanding and enlightenment about the new pattern of fundraising under consideration.” The professional fundraising training in Sydney markedly impacted the development of the Red Shield Appeal structure, with the planned-giving concept replacing the stewardship approach, first in the Eastern Territory and then in the Southern Territory. There was reason to believe that with effective planned-giving programs in every corps, the separation of the Self Denial Appeal as an internal appeal to Salvationists for missionary work, the proceeds of a national Red Shield Appeal would be devoted to the Army’s community welfare, emergency relief and the network of social services. Along with the announcement that the Red Shield Appeal would be the flagship of Army fundraising, influential community leadership was recruited to match the detailed structure developed and modified on the Canadian model. Emphasis was given to the setting up and the distinction between the approaches to business, corporate, and key gifts, as well as the residential or doorknock aspects of the appeal. ‘Friend-raising’ appeal Doorknocks were trialled in several Eastern Territory corps in 1964, including Dulwich Hill, North Sydney (now Chatswood), Hurstville and Parramatta Corps. In July 1965, the Australia Eastern Territory conducted its first official Red Shield Appeal doorknock, while in the Southern Territory, several Red Shield-type pilot appeals were undertaken until it conducted its first official Red Shield Appeal in 1968. From 1965 to 1967, efforts were promoted as The Annual Appeal, with the 1968 appeal effectively being the first nationwide campaign for the Army with the official name of the ‘Red Shield Appeal’. From modest and incremental increases in the early years, the Red Shield Appeal continues to be one of the most generously supported charitable appeals in the country. A former senior brigadier who had worked long years in Army social services and, in the last years of his active service, was appointed to be one of the Army’s special collectors used to say that “fundraising was friend-raising”. Long after his legislated retirement date, he exemplified that maxim by working on making friends and enhancing that relationship and engagement of the Army with its community that John Gore so long ago commenced. This is an edited version of Major John Smith’s article published in The Salvation Army’s Hallelujah magazine. *Major John Smith worked as an information officer in the Southern Territory Public Relations Department from 1965-75.

As we continue the God-Defining Moments series for 2024, Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Reid encourages us to listen to the Spirit, hold loosely to what we have, and be obedient, remembering that God is enough in all circumstances.

Salvation Army teams in both Kenya East and West territories are on the ground in many areas affected by the past weeks of heavy rain. The deluges have caused severe flooding and landslides across Kenya, killing at least 188 people with others still missing. Around 200,000 people have been displaced, with some of them evacuated due to the risk of dams spilling. Many people have lost their homes, livelihoods and livestock. Salvation Army teams are preparing for the provision of food, blankets and hygiene kits. Captain Benjamin Omugah, Emergency Officer in Kenya West, reaffirmed The Salvation Army’s enduring commitment to serving humanity with compassion and integrity, saying, “By prioritising the provision of relief items, The Salvation Army aims to enhance the resilience and dignity of the affected families. Through these efforts, we are not only meeting immediate needs but are also laying the foundations for long-term recovery and community empowerment.” To read the full story, click here.

BY SIMONE WORTHING In a room of more than 500 people, you could hear the proverbial pin drop as a remarkable young woman, Bridget Shirley, shared her journey through anorexia, addiction, mental ill-health and homelessness at the Brisbane launch of the Red Shield Appeal on Friday 3 May. Bridget, supported by her mum, Melinda Edwards, and Bill Hunter, leader of the Salvos God’s Sports Arena church, shared some of the darkest moments of her life and how the love of family and friends, connection, and God, her “higher power”, have brought her to a place of hope and a future. “People talk about hitting rock bottom, but I’m one of those people that have to go to rock bottom and then find a basement and then find a closed-down railway and then the remains of an ancient civilisation before I might take one of the hands that’s at least been reaching out to me,” she shared. “I don’t do anything in half measures, that’s for sure.” After a series of rehabilitation centres, psychiatric facilities and attempts to break the cycle, Bridget experienced yet another relapse in March 2022, ended up in hospital, and her family was called in to say their farewells. After pulling through that terrifying experience, Bridget made the personal and life-changing decision to ask for help. She went through detox and graduated from the 12-week rehabilitation program at Moonyah – The Salvation Army’s Brisbane Recovery Services, and found acceptance, encouragement and an extended family at God’s Sports Arena. She is now 15 months sober, has completed qualifications in community services, and is looking forward to a hopeful and faith-filled future. “A miracle happened, and this beautiful young woman is now back in my life, and she has a future, and she loves life,” said Melinda, Bridget’s mum, who now volunteers for the Salvos and continues her unconditional support for her daughter. “I started this as a conscientious type, a perfectionist, control freak lawyer – it was a wild journey,” Melinda continued. “Anorexia and addiction are wild and fierce animals, and they disrupt the lives of everyday families and everyday people – every day. They don’t discriminate. You cannot run. I tried that. You cannot hide. I tried that, and no matter how hard you try to fight you eventually are beaten into submission. But I sit before you today, incredibly grateful and the happiest I have ever been. “A huge shout-out to every single person in this room who is associated with The Salvation Army … I have my miracle, and that’s why I’ll turn up at God’s Sports Arena every Sunday and at the Streetlevel Mission on Thursday nights, and I’ll make sandwiches and I’ll make coffees and I’ll give hugs because every single person in that room is somebody else’s son or daughter.” Supportive partnerships Rebecca Livingston, ABC journalist, producer and presenter, was MC for the Brisbane event. Her Excellency Dr Jeannette Young, Governor of Queensland, officially launched the Queensland Red Shield Appeal at the breakfast. Dr Young and her husband, Professor Graeme Nimmo, are patrons of The Salvation Army Queensland. “A society can quite fairly be judged based on how it chooses to treat its least fortunate,” Dr Young said. “We do not have the option of walking on by. Graeme and I deem it a great privilege to be among a group of Queenslanders who, like yourselves, choose not to walk on by. “Your generous support provides street survival packs for those sleeping rough; meals, groceries and essentials for those in need, including escape kits for mothers and children escaping violence; financial assistance, counselling and accommodation for those families impacted by domestic violence; alcohol and drug services, and so much more. “Unfortunately, again, we can be sure there will be more floods, more cyclones, more fires, but we can also be sure that The Salvation Army will be there too, and they’re able to be there because you are there supporting the Salvos in the most practical way … It is indeed a great honour to officially launch the 2024 Red Shield Appeal, and I wish all those involved every success.” Divisional Commander’s welcome Major Mark Everitt, Queensland Divisional Commander, welcomed everyone to the launch and spoke of The Salvation Army’s Christian drive to help those in the greatest need in our community. “These are our people,” he said. Mark spoke about the steady increase in homelessness and those struggling to make ends meet, the social isolation and mental health challenges people are facing, and the inundation of people seeking refuge from family violence and support to overcome addiction. He briefly shared the 140-year history of the work of the Salvos in Queensland and the ongoing reliance on the generosity of donors and supporters to propel the Army in its God-given work. “We invite you to join with us to form a partnership with us to ensure those facing crisis can get the support they need when they need it … The truth is we can only fulfil our God-given mission because of you. I thank you, and may God bless you as you give.” Others award Mark also presented The Salvation Army’s ‘Others’ award – a tribute that recognises an organisation, trust or foundation that offers an extraordinary spirit of service to others – to Technology One. This enterprise software company “has supported The Salvation Army for 20 years through a partnership, especially focusing on improving educational outcomes for young people aligned to its core values,” explained Mark. “Their financial support has had a significant impact over these years. Assisting the mission of The Salvation Army and our shared focus make a difference to underprivileged, at-risk youth in our communities, empowering them to transform their lives and create their own pathways to success.” Breakfast was then served, allowing people to network and chat with the Salvos representatives at each table. After a video highlighting the work of the Salvos and the panel of guest speakers, Ross Israel, Brisbane Corporate and Philanthropic Advisory Group Chair, invited everyone to donate through various methods. He quoted a “proverb” to those gathered: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” “Today, I’m going to give you a few minutes to do your work,” he said. Bringing hope Colonel Winsome Merrett concluded the Brisbane launch with her closing comments, heartfelt thanks and prayer. “Today reminds us of the possibilities,” she said. “We do believe in good. We do believe in hope. Our staff, we believe, bring hope every day to people who access our services. We’re very thankful for them. Just as we are very thankful for each of you. “Your support of the Red Shield Appeal helps the Salvos stay on the front line, serving those who need it most. Together, we can help those who are enduring hardship. Our vision statement, which you’ve heard already today, ‘Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight alongside others, (you included) to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus’ (the one life matters). “In this nation of Australia, our dedication lies in meeting people at their point of need, walking alongside them to navigate through Christ, guiding them through a transformational journey. And with your support, we can give a new beginning to those who need it.” Simon Gregory, Public Relations Secretary for Queensland, said that “Our Red Shield Appeal Events give the business community an opportunity to support our work and hear how their generous gifts make a tangible difference for the people The Salvation Army assists. “This year’s Brisbane event was a huge success with nearly $870,000 raised, including a donation from a locally owned, family business, HYTEK Framing, who generously matched $315,000 of donations made at the breakfast. These funds will be so vital in supporting the growing number of people coming to The Salvation Army for support.”

It is a story that has not been told until now – a story of great ruin and great resilience, great pain and great hope. When huge floods tore through Victoria’s Rochester community in October 2022, the consequences were catastrophic for the township of 3000, as Salvos Online writer LERISSE SMITH discovered when she spoke with Corps Officer Captain Cameron Lovering about the life-changing event. It is simply known as the big flood. When Rochester was inundated by riverine floods from water sources in the Campaspe area of northern Victoria in October 2022, it was the largest flood event ever recorded in the town’s history. “It was nothing short of catastrophic,” said Cameron, who, along with his wife, Maryanne, and their young family, lived through the traumatic event. “The story of the township’s recovery is still ongoing. It is far from over. We are still seeing the catastrophic consequences of the flood, and I have not told the full story of the past 18 months until now.” The retelling of the full story of the past 18 months is filled with strong emotions for Cameron, who witnessed the devastation and the subsequent impact on countless locals physically, emotionally, financially and psychologically. He has seen the pain of people losing so much, plus the heartache that many still don’t have a home. Some lives have been simply broken through losing everything. The toll was enormous for the local community and the Campaspe Shire: 2800 properties were impacted; 1000 homes in Rochester flooded over the floor; 58,000 hectares, equating to about 45 per cent of farms, were affected; 1897 kilometres of fencing were destroyed; 32,224 tons of crops were lost; 728 animals were killed; 27,807 tons of hay was lost. About 98 per cent of the community was flooded over floorboards. Tragically, a cherished community member was found deceased. It is estimated that around 300 to 400 local homes are still waiting to be rebuilt, with around 100 already demolished and more said to be condemned. With local residents battling insurance companies, some are unable to settle, exceeding five or more assessments and scopes of work. There is now a formal government enquiry into the delays. Some have no accommodation, and others are camping out in caravans. This flooding event impacted all but one active Salvation Army member who lived locally. Yet, the local corps proved to be the lynchpin in helping people start the recovery and healing process when they assembled and coordinated the mammoth recovery effort. From October 2022 to May 2024, 1380 individual community members residing in the 3561 postcode, including Rochester, were issued over $660,400 from the Red Shield Appeal and Disaster Recovery funds. “Nothing could have prepared us for the flood, the scale of what happened and the significance of what happened. It took everyone by surprise,” Cameron said. “We knew it was coming, but the scale and catastrophic impact we did not anticipate. We were led to believe it would be comparable to the 2011 flood. “The Salvation Army Rochester has never experienced a time in its 135 years of when its mission was more critical than that of the last 18 months. On top of this, we were also hit with another major flood in January this year. As a community, we’re exhausted, but we carry on. I cannot overstate just how depleting this event has been, and for many, their recoveries arguably have not even begun. We are still in desperate need of financial support and help. There are situations we could immediately resolve if we had the money.” 135th anniversary celebrations The critical mission of Rochester Salvation Army and its service to the community during its darkest chapter was recognised as part of the recent reopening of the church premises in Ramsay St and the two-day 135th-anniversary event. Over 200 people were in attendance at the multiple events. The Ringwood Corps band performed at the ceremony, which also included a special video presentation of news stories and clips of the flood emergency and the community’s journey since October 2022. “I wanted to mark the significance of the event,” Cameron said. “There are two stories – the actual flood event and what we went through, and that we have reopened. But if people don't understand the severity of the experience that we had, then they couldn't possibly understand the significance of the reopening and the fact that we’ve gotten through so much adversity and coming out the other end. It’s hard to tell one story without the other. The ceremony was really a wonderful time and a wonderful opportunity to mark everything we’ve been through.” Cameron also prioritised reminding locals of the importance of the Rochester community spirit and The Salvation Army’s presence in the township when organising the special celebration. “I wanted everyone to remember Rochester, a small but mighty community, to share our story, to heal from past hurts, to find comfort for the future, to listen, to come for the food, come for the friends … and just to get a little bit closer to Jesus in all of this and be encouraged and emboldened in our faith,” he said. “To also show people of who we are, what we do, and what our mission is, what our purpose is, and that we are The Salvation Army, the local church.” What people could do was clearly displayed at the ceremony when Divisional Commander Colonel Kelvin Merrett presented special certificates to individuals and organisations for their community service in helping the Rochester Corps and the community during the flood crisis. Heading the outstanding community service award list were CFA Lieutenant and community volunteer Chris Nisbet, David Harris from Ambulance Victoria, and local Salvo staff and volunteer member Julianne Robinson. Recalling the immediate aftermath of the floods, Cameron said in an instant, the corps capability was incapacitated, and the clean-up was unbelievably difficult due to the area being awash with water, isolated and with no phone/internet connection available. There were no volunteers, either, until a call-out via Facebook resulted in 75 volunteers turning up the following day. The corps lost all its buildings, including the church hall where everyone met. But by some miracle, Cameron’s family home survived the flood and immediately became a first-aid station in the absence of a hospital. People were treated on the loungeroom floor for a range of medical ailments. The local corps and volunteers gathered to feed the Australian Defence Force, local firefighters, police officers, ambulance crews and community members, plus help clothe people who lost the entire contents of their homes. “Our spontaneous volunteers struggled to keep a dry eye,” Cameron said. “They cared, loved, shared and clothed hundreds of families with brand new clothes. We had a saying, ‘Fixing a chair means you care.’” Ringwood Corps proved to be a lifesaver for the community, providing financial, physical, emotional and spiritual help throughout the disaster. The Military Christian Fellowship also assisted in the major clean-up. And every cent from a $24,410 donation from Sorrento RSL has been maximised for full effect. “The work that we have done with that donation has been out of this world,” Cameron said. “It’s like the Biblical miracle of the fish and loaves.” And as the local corps looks to the future, The Rochester Salvation Army will continue to journey with their beloved community – and with positivity. “I do have a prayer that The Salvation Army will always be there for the people of Rochester and that they will live and prosper. That’s the motto of our town – to live and prosper,” Cameron said. “We have been able to sit with people in the miry clay and slowly help them get out of it, to be a comfort and a helping hand, and to ultimately say, ‘Hey, we are here – and we are not going anywhere.’” Click here to view a video of the Rochester memorial combined church service in October 2022.

Salvation Army corps across Eastern Europe held services and special activities for Orthodox Easter – based on the Julian calendar many religious holidays still adhere to. The celebrations took place on different days – but the same spirit was present across Good Friday and Easter Sunday services as people praised God for forgiveness and eternal life that the death and resurrection of Jesus brings. Below are some photos from celebrations in Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.

BY LAUREN MARTIN A disused yard area behind a Salvation Army building in southern Sydney has been transformed into a community garden. Shire Salvos Miranda is The Salvation Army’s area hub for food relief and assistance in southern Sydney. A former corps building, the site still hosts worshipping communities on Sundays and during the week, but its main purpose is to meet people’s needs through food assistance, a caring community and specialised services. There are two buildings on the one site – one in the shape of a 1960s citadel that’s been added onto and retrofitted for different purposes, and the other an old red-brick house that has been converted to office space. A ‘backyard’ joins the two – a grassy space that, until now, served as a thoroughfare for staff and volunteers between the two buildings. A plan is in place for a complete redevelopment of the site, but that’s a few years away, and the wasted area was weighing on the mind of long-term volunteer Alex Simpson, who decided to share his vision for the space. “How about we create a community garden?” he suggested. The idea took root, and Shire Salvos Miranda Mission Leader Lieutenant-Colonel David Godkin and Community Coordinator Moira Guthrie began discussing the possibility with some of the regular community members who accessed the centre for assistance. Excitement began to build. Nothing is done in isolation at Shire Salvos, and soon, Bunnings Kirrawee jumped on board to help and supplied a planter box and plants. The local Caringbah Rotary Club welcomed the opportunity to partner and provided some planter boxes and volunteers, and a local landscaping company provided the soil. On a sunny day in early April, the raised garden beds were erected and planted with vegetables and herbs. “The goal is to provide a place for our community members to come and feel a sense of belonging, meaning and responsibility by tending to and maintaining the garden beds,” says Shire Salvos Miranda Community Coordinator Moira Guthrie. “The community garden will also provide fresh produce for the people in need that we serve here at our centre. “Our community members are really excited; many have put their hands up to volunteer and are eager to be part of this wonderful community initiative. We are thrilled that Alex shared his dream with us and that it has now come to fruition!”

Each week throughout this year, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for a particular territory or region of The Salvation Army. Prayer requests are shared by the focus territory/region to help us pray with precision and power for one another. This week (6-12 May) we are praying for the India Central Territory. Pray for India Central Territory We thank God: ·       For successful territorial-level Home League rallies and helping hand money raised. ·       That two divisions became fully self-supporting. Please pray for: ·       The newly commissioned Defenders of Justice session officers and their new appointments in the 2024 field change. ·       A peaceful election process in the upcoming parliamentary elections which will be held in various states. ·       Our officers who are suffering from different kinds of sickness after COVID-19. We need your fervent prayer support for good health for all officers (active and retired) and soldiers of the territory. To find out more about the India Central Territory, click here. For more information on the International Prayer Focus 2024, and to download the calendar, click here.

I grew up attending a very musical corps. We had a large band and songsters as well as junior musical sections, and we were also blessed with many very capable vocal soloists. Add in three or four keyboard players, and we had plenty of options for making a joyful noise unto the Lord. The easiest musical instruments we had and which we learnt to use from a very young age were our hands. We would clap and clap and clap along to songs and choruses and sometimes even just to accompany a bright band piece. As children, we would try to clap louder or faster than anyone; as teens, we would try to come up with different clapping rhythms or intricate clapping patterns. Yes, young folk, it was the days before computers and times were simpler back then. You found fun where you could. My greatest joy came when I was sitting with close mates, and, as teenage troublemakers, we would attempt to clap to a song in the wrong time. It’s hard to sing a 4/4 song while clapping in 3/4 time. If you don’t believe me, just try stamping your foot four times while simultaneously clapping your hands three times in the same amount of time. We don’t seem to clap as much these days as we used to. I think the worship wars and the Hillsong influence of the 1990s changed us to more of a hands-in-the-air worship style rather than a clap-your-hands-loudly sort of church. I think this has also dented our confidence when it comes to clapping in worship. Often, we’ll start clapping (largely because the worship leader implores us to do so!), but some will stop shortly after, leading others to stop. So, by the time you get to the second chorus, only three people are still clapping, and they feel awkward. Psalm 47:1 says, “Clap your hands, all you people, and shout to God with loud songs of joy.” But then it gets a bit confusing when in Isaiah 55:12 it says, “… all the trees of the field shall clap their hands”, and in Psalm 98:8 it says, “Let the rivers clap their hands.” Trees and rivers clapping, um, hands? In Job 38:7, God refers to how the “morning stars sang together”, and Jesus said the rocks could potentially cry out in praise of him, so I guess even the trees and rivers could clap along if God wants them to. I recall one tricky bit was when a song changed tempo. One popular song (847 in the current Salvation Army Songbook) begins with the chorus, “He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today’. During the second last line of the chorus, the tempo would suddenly drop (‘You ask me how I know he lives?’), and tradition said you raised a hand on the last line (‘He lives within my heart’). It was tricky to know exactly when to slow your clapping tempo and when to stop clapping totally. As a teen, I had immense fun trying to clap all the way through the chorus, slowing down like a train pulling into the station towards that last … lonely … desperate … clap. Like I said, you had to make your own fun back then. Maybe we need to revive the lost art of skilful, rhythmic clapping in the Salvos. We could have happy clappers at every corps who champion the art and run weekly training sessions for young people called ‘Just Clap’. Or maybe not. That might not look good on the church noticeboard. – Major Mal Davies and his wife Major Tracey are the Corps Officers at Adelaide City Salvos

REVIEWED BY ANTHONY CASTLE Different, Not Less is a lived-experience guide to celebrating and supporting neurodivergence from 24-year-old actor and disability advocate Chloé Hayden. Growing up, Chloé Hayden felt like she'd crash-landed on an alien planet where nothing made sense. Eye contact? Small talk? And why are you people so touch-oriented? She moved between 10 schools in eight years, struggling to become a person she believed society would accept, and was eventually diagnosed with autism and ADHD. When a life-changing group of allies showed her that different did not mean less, she learned to celebrate her true voice and find her happily ever after ... A child takes a light in their hands, holding a candle that symbolises Christ. The child is a six-year-old Chloe Hayden, now an autistic actor and advocate, starting school at a Catholic primary school in the country. The candle is lit and passed from one student to the next, each one invited to spend the moment in prayer. As Chloe takes the candle in her hands, she sneezes, extinguishing the light, and is promptly kicked out of the classroom. Known for playing an autistic character in the 2022 Netflix reboot of Australian teen drama Heartbreak High, Chloe’s story is a moving memoir of an autistic person’s experiences growing up in a neurotypical world. Her misadventure with a candle becomes one small indication of how the world would often react to her. She was a ‘quirky’ child, reluctant to wear clothes with tags or eat a wide range of foods, finding it difficult to participate in the ways she was expected. Chloe’s experiences in school and in society at large are filled with heartbreaking stories of bullying and exclusion, even assault. After attending 10 different schools by the age of 13, Chloe is diagnosed as autistic and begins homeschooling. The book details the processes of diagnosis, and the journey of identifying supports and those who will affirm you. Chloe’s story becomes a parable for self-acceptance, for expressing your unique qualities, but it also functions as a guide for those who are autistic or supporting those on the spectrum. Different, Not Less takes the narrative of an autobiography and turns it into a self-help book with practical hints and tips grounded in lived experience. It’s a teen-friendly guide to living as an autistic person, written by an autistic person, with Disney films and imaginative storytelling as reference points. Chloe offers instructions for finding friends and ‘adulting’, with accessible explanations of autistic experiences like stimming, triggers, meltdowns, burnouts, and shutdowns. In Chapter 8, Chloe writes about the idea of ‘eye sparkles’, those interests and expressions through which autistic people can live and thrive. For Chloe, eye sparkles can be her passion for horses or creativity, but they also represent experiences where autistic people can shine and come alive. Those sparkle moments are when autistic people realise who they are and the power they hold within themselves. Like Chloe’s experience with the candle, autistic people often find themselves unable to participate in the same ways as others, excluded from schools, places of worship, workplaces, and the decision-making that affects their lives. Six-year-old Chloe made her way over time, finding a more inclusive community and faith as an adult and a more empowered way of living. Different, Not Less teaches us not to place neurotypical expectations into the hands of autistic people but to look for those sparkle moments, the power they hold within. Society doesn’t need to give autistic people a light. They can shine all on their own.