BY DEAN SIMPSON The newly formed Salvo Slammers basketball team hit the court for the first time in their shiny new uniforms at the weekend in a curtain-raiser to the Sydney Kings National Basketball League home match at Qudos Bank Arena. The game was the final of the Corporate Cup, a three-on-three tournament involving teams representing sponsors and organisations involved with the Sydney Kings NBL franchise. Major Darren Kingston led the Slammers onto Qudos Arena to the stadium announcer’s booming voice. Their opponents were a team representing the Guzman y Gomez fast-food restaurant chain. “We entered a Salvos team in this season’s Corporate Cup, but we really didn’t have an official name or official singlets. We thought we’d better look the part for the final, so my brother Nathan organised the kit (singlet and shorts) and came up with the name ‘Salvo Slammers’. So, yeah, it was technically the debut of the Salvo Slammers on Sunday,” Darren laughed. The Slammers were beaten by a point, but that wasn’t the point, Darren said, admitting they still felt like winners as they came off the court. “It was a great experience. We had a lot of fun.” The Salvo Slammers comprised players from four Sydney corps and centres – Macquarie Fields Mission, Parramatta Corps, Inner-West Corps and Shire Salvos. The team for the Qudos Bank Arena match included Darren Kingston and his sons Josh and Ben, Kem Pobjie and his daughter Nika, and Josiah Collinson. Josiah’s brother Noah and their father, Major David Collinson, are also part of the team and played in the tournament’s early rounds. “We did really well in the early rounds of the Corporate Cup (played at the Kings’ training headquarters at Moore Park in December), and we made it through to the final,” Darren said. “We haven’t really got a sponsor, but we do have the words ‘Bible Notes’ on the back of our singlets. Bible Notes is an app my brother created ... it helps you take sermon notes and devotional notes and gives advice on that sort of thing, and it also has the Bible on it in different translations. It’s growing in popularity, so we’re hoping people will see our singlets and go and try the app.” Darren, who is a team member at Macquarie Fields Mission in Sydney’s south-west, said he would love to turn the Salvo Slammers team into an ongoing sports ministry. “Basketball is pretty popular among young people in the Sydney region, and it would be great to get the young people we work with involved in the Salvo Slammers team and perhaps join a local comp. There’s also The Salvation Army interstate basketball carnival that’s held every year, so that’s something else we could aim at. “Sport is a great way to connect with people, so my prayer is that God will use this team to reach people for the Kingdom.” More photos from the game (all photos by Lena Pobjie):

Are you planning to participate in Lent this year? Lent, which commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert enduring tempting by Satan, begins on 14 February this year, and finishes the Thursday before Good Friday – 28 March. This season usually involves giving up something you love for that time – with chocolate, coffee, social media, favourite treats and unhealthy habits being among the popular targets. This year, The Salvation Army International Headquarters is encouraging Salvos communities around the world to reflect on God’s outrageous love and his generosity to us – and make it known to others – by participating in 40 acts of kindness across 40 days. These are acts of giving out to others, inspired by scripture – and all those who participate will engage in the same 40 acts of kindness, regardless of where they are in the world. To learn about the daily acts and follow the content, click here. To view and download the resources, including a journal containing all 40 acts and in multiple languages, click here. To receive prompts on your newsfeed for each day of Lent, follow @SalvArmySpiritualLife on Facebook and Instagram Let's make a kind difference in our world this Lent, one small significant act at a time. #LentOfKindness “God has shown us his love by sending his only Son into the world so that we could have life through him.” 1 John 4:9 GWT

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 we are praying for the Pray for USA Southern Territory. ·       We ask God’s blessings upon our territorial priorities that are divided between three categories: Love, Serve and Disciple. The emphasis is “All for Jesus” as we move through 2024 in all levels of Salvation Army service and ministry. ·       We are boldly asking God for 50 candidates for the Keepers of the Covenant session entering the training college this August. Pray that men and women will heed God’s call to be officers. ·       Although we have resumed all our activities, the attendances in our corps are still below what they were before the pandemic. Pray that there would be renewal in our ranks. ·       Pray for our ministry among those suffering most acutely. Opioid and meth addiction is at epidemic levels in areas of our territory. Human trafficking is increasing despite efforts to intercede. The Army is doing meaningful work with wonderful results but so much more needs to be done. ·       We praise God for our evangelistic outreach through our frontline ministries in the corps and adult rehabilitation centres, our online ministries (soundcast in English and Spanish), and through social media. We ask for wisdom as we seek the Spirit’s guidance to reach more souls for God’s kingdom. For more information about the USA Southern Territory, click here. For more information on the International Prayer Focus 2024, and to download the calendar, click here.

To read Ian’s tribute, click here

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

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

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

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

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

To read Margaret’s tribute, click here

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

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