I love January. For me, as for many others, it’s always been the most relaxed month. It’s the month for playing with new Christmas presents, going swimming, having iced drinks, watching cricket and spontaneously deciding to drive to the beach after dinner just to get an ice cream and go for a walk. Because it’s the holiday season, many Salvo corps are impacted by low numbers and having key people away, so they will sometimes try a different format for Sunday meetings. At my corps, we’re doing café church through January, a more relaxed form of worship with a cuppa and some munchies, and then ‘resuming normal programming’ in February. This makes me wonder about some other variations we could try. They may not work at every corps – in fact, on reflection, they may not work at any corps – but some brave-hearted corps officers might like to give them a try. ‘Swimming Suit Sunday’ is when everyone has to wear their bathers/togs/swimmers/cossies to church. Whether you’re 5 or 50 or 95, whack on your Speedos and head to church. Uncomfortable? Well, on two counts. First: they’re speedos, and sitting in them for an hour or so might start to pinch after a while. Second: old Tom, the trombone player, is still wearing the same Speedos he bought in 1968, and he’s put on 40 kilos since then. Uncomfortable for everyone. The meeting could perhaps focus on the Israelites walking through the middle of the Red Sea, or the work of John the Baptist, or Jonah being thrown overboard during a storm. Even better: Peter trying to walk on water. How about ‘Solo Sunday’? Anyone who wants to is welcome to perform a solo. It might be a vocal solo or an instrumental or a spoken recitation or a tap dance. If someone is brave enough to get up and perform all on their lonesome, then they deserve our encouragement and appreciation. Except my mum. In a flash, she’ll whip out her vintage Hohner 10-button diatonic piano accordion with genuine pearl inlay, and she’ll become a whirling dervish of flaying arms as she cranks out a quick-step rendition of ‘Count Your Blessings’. No one needs that. I know some people who would greatly appreciate ‘Star Wars Sunday’. Dress as your favourite character (I like Chewbacca) and come to church to hear a message on how you should avoid the ‘dark side’ and use the force (of the Holy Spirit) to help good conquer evil in the universe and in your local community. The message could be about fulfilling your destiny or putting on the full armour of God (including the lightsabre of God’s Word) or identifying who your true heavenly father is (hint: it’s not Darth Vader). So have some fun as you worship this January. Try something different. You’re allowed to. I don’t think God’s too fussed by how we worship him as long as we do it with a sincere heart and a desire to know him better. Except for the piano accordion solo. He’d hate that. – Major Mal Davies and his wife Major Tracey are the Corps Officers at Adelaide City Salvos

By Simone Worthing As the South East Queensland community cleans up from the Christmas night and New Year severe storms and rainfall event, The Salvation Army’s Gold Coast Temple teams have been busy doing what they can to assist those most impacted. After the intense rain had eased, corps members Michelle and John led the Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) response at the Nerang Evacuation Centre, providing meals to those impacted by the flash flooding in that area. Volunteers came from Tweed Heads (Northern NSW), and Warwick (178km west of the Gold Coast). Their service included one very late-night operation, preparing to serve a busload of teenagers who had been evacuated from a camp. Volunteers from the corps’ SAES team also supported Adam Cole (SAES Response Coordinator – Southern Qld), providing meals at the Upper Coomera Recovery Hub. “In consultation with the Department of Communities, it was determined that this expression of care might boost the spirits of those waiting for assessments,” said Major Earle Ivers, Gold Coast Temple Corps Officer. Response to Council “Our teams have also responded to a request from the Gold Coast City Council in the preparation and distribution of food hampers to residents experiencing significant hardship in the days following the storms,” said Earle. “Council representatives had been doorknocking in impacted areas and had identified the elevated need. The first hampers were prepared and distributed to residents in Coombabah earlier this week. “Yesterday, teams packed 100 hampers in response to a request from the council for distribution in the Lower Beechmont area, 25km west of the Gold Coast. Council representatives will take responsibility for that task given the accessibility issues that are currently involved.” For hamper supplies, the corps engaged with a Coles supermarket that had supported volunteers collecting for The Salvation Army Christmas Appeal during the festive season. “The supermarket had also initiated a collection of non-perishable goods just before Christmas, and much of this was used in preparing the first round of hampers,” Earle explained. “Then two of our volunteers, Sue and Karen, literally stripped many of the supermarket’s shelves to gather [the remaining] necessary supplies. “There have been considerable challenges to overcome in an exercise of this scope, and the collaboration has been a true blessing. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who have made this expression of community service possible.” To read more about The Salvation Army's response in South East Queensland, including a visit by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Territorial Commander, click here.

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? I’m a corps officer at Tweed Heads/South Gold Coast and one of the things I love most is having the opportunity to love people within our church and in the community. 2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind? If it’s not possible it’s a sin – just saying! To unwind, I love walking by the beach, paddle-boarding, reading, playing with our dog, binge-watching a good series, going to the gym and so many other things! 3. What’s a favourite Christian song, and why do you like it? Fresh Wind (Hillsong) is one of many favourite Christian songs I have. I am desperate for an ongoing overflowing infilling of the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life and family, church and community and in our world. The prophecy in it is also a prophetic word God gave me for a personal situation. This song helps me cry out for the Spirit’s presence and helps build my faith to believe in this fulfilment of God’s word. 4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about? I think I’d talk with Jesus’ mum, Mary. I’d ask her to tell me about what it was like being a mum to Jesus. I’d love to hear it through her eyes and learn from her pain and her ‘Let it be as you have said it’ spirit. Interview by Major Mal Davies

To read the tribute for Joyce, click here

BY JAMES BURNS* I hope it’s not too late to ask if your Christmas went as planned ... or did real life crash in, in a good or bad way? Perhaps you said to yourself, “I wasn’t expecting that!” If so, you are in good company with many characters from the first Christmas. As a young woman engaged to be married, I doubt that it was in Mary’s five-year plan to get pregnant. Imagine her explaining to her fiancée Joseph that she had been visited by an angel (Oh, really? Yes, really!) who told her that she was going to have God’s son. How difficult it must have been for her to tell her parents and then Joseph to tell his, especially the angel bit. And that’s before all the gossip would start about whom people thought was really the father. Remember, times were very different then for unmarried mothers. Both could reasonably say, “I wasn't expecting that!” Nor was it in either of their plans to travel over 140km from Nazareth to Bethlehem because of orders from the occupying Roman Emperor Augustus. That couldn’t have been easy for Mary when she was due to have the baby. “If that wasn’t enough of a shock, there was then this Sister Act-type choir of even more angels belting out the first Christmas carol.” And then shortly after she had delivered Jesus, this group of shepherds arrived with an equally unbelievable story. It had been a normal night at work for them out in the fields looking after their sheep when another angel (Oh really? Yes, really!) told them the good news about a baby being born, their Saviour. If that wasn’t enough of a shock, there was then this Sister Act-type choir of even more angels belting out the first Christmas carol. Now we can be sure that they weren’t expecting anything like that when they clocked on for work that night, no more than Mary was expecting a crowd to appear so soon after she had given birth. So, as you go to work or about your usual life this year, you may not be visited by an angel, but then again ... But that’s not to say that God won’t break in with special instructions or good news for you, too. Then you’ll be able to say, “I wasn’t expecting that!” * James Burns is a Salvationist freelance writer from Dunstable Corps in the UK

BY SIMONE WORTHING Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) teams have been on the ground responding to the officially named ‘South East Queensland severe storms and rainfall event’, which has been impacting the area since Christmas night 2023. An unprecedented blackout was caused by a tornado on the night of 25 December, which ripped through the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan City with winds of 150 km/h. Huge trees were uprooted, power poles and lines ripped out, and houses and businesses impacted with minor to severe damage. Many council areas in South East Queensland are affected by the ongoing impacts of these events. Tragically, lives have also been lost. Intense and prolonged local rainfall and further storms continued to pound the region over the New Year period, causing flash and major flooding. A mini heatwave also hit the area in the days after Christmas, while many areas were without power. “The SAES response teams (catering) were activated to two evacuation centres in Upper Coomera and Nerang, and one first-responder activation in Chandler,” said Adam Cole, SAES Response Coordinator for Southern Queensland. The SAES recovery teams supported the four government recovery hubs. “The teams were supporting local communities as they faced the early recovery phase across Queensland,” Adam said. “This initially included the logistics of volunteers and food, short-term support and assisting the community and local council as needed and appropriate. “So much has happened since Christmas. Everything is wet and flowing. We are dealing with the combined effects of a massive windstorm, loss of power and then flooding rain on top of an already impacted community.” Recovery phase – volunteers needed As this story goes live, SAES teams are working at six recovery hubs – Coombabah, Jimboomba, Mount Tamborine, Mudgeeraba, Tamborine Village and Upper Coomera. Three pop-up hubs will open for a few days in the coming days at Cedar Grove, Guanaba and Labrador. A couple of hubs will remain open for up to four weeks, depending on how the situation and response unfolds. “On 2 January we had 10 of our people onsite at Upper Coomera,” said Major Sue Hopper, SAES National Program Manager, who was working at the hub for four days. “This is almost unheard of, but apart from Jimboomba, all other sites were closed due to flooding. “We did 140 assessments. There were so many families to see – mostly families who’d had no power since Christmas, large families who have lost everything and whose homes are damaged from the storms and rains. It’s devastating to people, and when they are already in tough situations and something like this happens, it becomes catastrophic for them.” The SAES volunteers, who are trained in psychological first aid, also listen to people, hear their stories and refer them to further help as needed. Lifeline is also represented in the hub, as well as Community Recovery with state government grants. “We are desperate for volunteers,” said Sue. “People are lining up before we open, and we’ve had to turn some people away and ask them to come back the next day. “Our volunteers are distributing financial assistance, doing intake, welcoming people and helping them fill out forms in the waiting area – where people are most anxious. “Although my national role is in management, I like being hands-on, talking to and helping people. It’s rewarding. Although Major Leanne Stevens (Recovery Team Leader, SAES – National) reports to me, I volunteer to help her in situations like this.” Two of the hubs – Mt Tamborine and Upper Coomera – received a visit today from Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, who encouraged SAES crews and other Salvos volunteers. “Well, I’ve been up to Mt Tamborine and Coomera this morning,” she said. “There are a lot of places where there is no power, they are restoring the lines, and there are huge trees down everywhere. I think it always comes back to the human face. It was lovely this morning up the mountain to come out of the centre, and a lady comes straight up to me, because of the uniform, and says, ‘Your team are remarkable, they just show incredible kindness, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without them.’ “And to see the care, and the way that people treat people is second to none. This is kind of the new face of the Army; it used to be in the war where we’d turn up in places, and people would wonder how on earth we got there. Now we’re turning up in the kind of warzones of emergency services where people come with an incredible need and want to be treated with incredible love, kindness and grace; that’s what we’re here for. It’s about looking after people, it’s about caring for their presenting need. I think we show incredible generosity and incredible grace – I’m proud of the team , they’re amazing, and what a good thing we’re part of.” Cairns response continues Leanne has been in Cairns since 20 December, coordinating the SAES recovery response. The cyclone crossed Port Douglas on 13 December and took five days to move west, leaving behind a metre of rain and devastated communities. To read about the immediate Salvation Army response, click here. https://www.salvosonline.org.au/post/christmas-is-still-coming-in-cairns-despite-flood-disaster As of Thursday 4 January, 14 recovery hubs will be operating in Far North Queensland. Angela Aitken, SAES Program Development Specialist, will oversee the response as Leanne, who had recently finished the bushfire response in South East Queensland and Western Australia, flies to the Gold Coast to coordinate the recovery there. Major Bev Kingston, NSW Recovery Coordinator, and Piper Ashburn, Queensland Flood Outreach Team Leader, are currently assisting with coordination. “It’s relentless,” Leanne said, “and I don’t think it will ease anytime soon. We are into the disaster season quite early all over Australia. We have an amazing team behind us, though. In the background, they are making magic happen in booking flights and accommodation, recruiting volunteers and administration. They often give of their time to make things happen. They are a unique group of people who produce amazing results to make it all happen to get volunteers on the ground and a comfy bed to sleep on. “The saddest thing is that, for so many community members, they hadn’t recovered from severe weather events two years ago, so this impacts them even more. “People are suffering with mental health issues, including trauma, in Cairns, and in some outlying areas particularly. The impact of all that has happened is huge. We will continue working with the government’s Community Recovery to do what we need to do.” Gold Coast hubs All hubs are offering financial assistance. “Much of this now is to help pay for running generators for people who have been without power since Christmas night – with the possibility of days and even weeks or months, until it is restored. At $60 per day, this is a lot of money, especially on top of everyday living costs,” Leanne explains. “Many residents, including in hard-hit Mt Tamborine, are simply finding it hard to know where to start in the clean-up, which is just heart-wrenching. The wind and flood damage would be confronting for anyone. “Our trained volunteers are doing the best they can with psychological first aid as well as financial assessments and are doing an amazing job under some very trying circumstances and extreme pressures. Our vollies [volunteers] continue their work and show such compassion and love. They’re an inspiration, especially those doing this for the first time. “And it doesn’t matter how many times you do this – every experience is different; every story is different. As the Salvos, we are very trusted, and people feel relieved and safe when they see us. That’s who we are. “We’re the ones on the ground, and when the excitement and adrenalin is over, we are still there getting the job done. It’s so humbling to be a part of and more humbling that people trust us to walk the journey with them, wipe their tears and hold their hands.” Volunteer support Psychological support is also available to volunteers. Critical Incident Peer Support (CIPS) chaplains regularly check in on the teams, ensuring they are okay, providing pastoral care and giving practical assistance where needed – such as transport, covering lunch breaks and doing coffee runs. “They are external from our group, so if volunteers want to talk through any struggles they’re having with the stories they’re hearing, the work they’re doing, the chaplains are available and fully invested in how the teams are in such a chaotic environment.” Ongoing After Care is also available for volunteers. Cooktown Far North Queensland The SAES team are in Cooktown, 326km north of Cairns, to provide meals to the Wujal Wujal community that has been evacuated to the town in the wake of Cyclone Jasper – the devastating cyclone that crossed into Port Douglas on 13 December, causing widespread devastation, loss and uncertainty. “These legends have given up Christmas with family to provide the message of Christmas – the gift of ‘hope’ where it is needed most,” wrote Daryl Crowden, General Manager – Salvation Army Emergency Services When the SAES teams were activated, 360 community members needed food, shelter and support. Trucks couldn’t get through to the town with essential supplies. Major Lincoln Stevens, SAES Response Coordinator – North Queensland, already had a truck loaded with supplies in Cairns. He worked with police and the Queensland State Disaster Coordination Centre in Brisbane to have the heavy-lift Chinook helicopters deliver the goods to Cooktown. “To their great credit, our partner, Woolworths, had guys working overnight in Townsville to pack up chilled and dry foods – 14 pallets,” said Lincoln. “Their truck took it to Cairns airport. The Chinooks flew to Cairns, picked up the rest of the catering equipment and then delivered a total of 19 pallets to Cooktown.” The SAES teams are catering in the evacuation centre. “It’s a lot different to what I’ve usually done,” shared Lincoln. “It’s led by police, although the Red Cross is starting to take over. Some of the evacuees are in local motels and a school and come in for meals. We don’t get the same numbers very often – recently, it was 42 for dinner, 35 another night and 76 another. It’s a real juggling act, but only twice have we had to put something else on to feed extras. Mostly, we’ve nailed it! “We have had to deal with COVID cases in the evac centre on two occasions due to the local hospital having no room to keep them, as well as gastro being announced, but we put the SAES COVID precautionary measures in place and the Red Cross has also assisted.” “We are also working with the Department of Housing and other agencies to discuss the future and timing for the evacuees who want to go back to their communities as soon as possible. The discussions are around when houses can be repaired and accommodation for people in the meantime.” Three rotations of volunteers, including some from Townsville, Brisbane and Sydney, will continue to staff the catering until mid-January, and then further assessments will be made. “We are still in the evacuation centre phase, but the local council is wanting to transition to recovery,” said Lincoln. “The council, police and Red Cross are looking at transitioning the evac centre into a recovery/drop-in hub and gently move people to the next stage. “The evacuees have been great. We’ve heard some harrowing stories and seen some photos, but everyone is in good spirits despite the tough times they’re going through. There were lots of smiling faces on Christmas Day when we served 250 for lunch. We did honey-glazed baked hams, local prawns, cold meats and salad and the Lions Club donated a bunch of Christmas cakes, so dessert was plum pudding, custard and ice cream. It was fantastic. “The volunteers have been absolutely brilliant. It’s a privilege to serve with them and to serve those in need.” For more photos from the Cooktown recovery hub, click through the slideshow below:

When a series of large bushfires hit parts of Western Australia throughout November, The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) Coordinator for WA, Ben Day, put the call out across the country for experienced support. Two people who put their hands up straight away were SAES volunteers Gavin and Linda from NSW. They jumped on a plane at short notice to assist Salvation Army Emergency Services crews in WA. “Gavin and Linda assisted for a number of days supporting the Wanneroo bushfire incident before leading up the team to feed the families who had been evacuated to the Bullsbrook Recovery Centre,” Ben said. “Fortunately, things started to settle down, and we were able to give Gavin and Linda a tour of our operations and share knowledge of our working relationship with DFES (Department of Fire and Emergency Services) and tour our depots. “[It was] an early start to the season, but we take comfort in knowing that we can call on Gavin and Linda again if needed to support our operations.” State and federal support At the height of the bushfire situation, state and federal ministers and leaders toured the Wanneroo bushfire control point to speak with Salvation Army staff and volunteers, and local firefighters. They listened to stories and offered their support for the emergency relief and recovery efforts. Among the dignitaries were Darren Klemm AFSM (Fire & Emergency Services Commissioner), Hon. Matt Keogh MP (Minister for Veterans Affairs’, Minister for Defence Personnel), Hon. Stephen Dawson (Minister for Emergency Services), Hon. Roger Cook (Premier of Western Australia) and Hon. Sabine Winton (Member for Wanneroo). There was also a representative from Bunnings. Click on slideshow below for more photos from the Wanneroo depot:

Major Brad Watson is the Australia Territory’s Head of Community Engagement – Mission. He is also part of The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services (IES) team and is often deployed to disaster zones around the world. He shares with Salvos Online his experience of a recent secondment to war-torn Ukraine BY SIMONE WORTHING “It’s been a big few months,” wrote Australian officer Major Brad Watson just before Christmas last year. “For those who aren’t aware, I’ve recently had the privilege of being seconded to support The Salvation Army’s work in Ukraine for a couple of months. It’s an amazing place, full of amazing people who, through no fault of their own, are living with conflict. “I’ve deliberately picked some pictures (see images throughout this story) that mix the beauty with the pain with the beautiful people … Be brave like Ukraine.” Brad is the Head of Community Engagement – Mission for the Australia Territory. He is part of The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services (IES) team and is often deployed to disaster zones around the world. Other Australian IES members include Major Darren Elsley (who has served in Vanuatu and Romania), Major Drew Ruthven (long-term IES member and former director), Daryl Crowden ( General Manager - Salvation Army Emergency Services [SAES]) and Nigel Chong (Assistant Director for the SAES in Tasmania). In early November 2023, Brad arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine, with fellow IES members Major Mike McKee from the USA Central Territory, who has served at natural and man-made disasters around the world, and Alina Popsui, who is based at International Headquarters (IHQ) in London and manages the more than 20 active projects in Ukraine. Alina has 18 years of experience working with a range of non-government organisations, and was also the Ukrainian/English interpreter for the group and their Ukrainian hosts.   The team’s role involved helping with the coordination of humanitarian and development aid and providing on-the-ground support in Ukraine. “It’s about supplementing and supporting the locals,” said Brad. “It’s enhancing, equipping and building the capacity of Ukrainians helping Ukrainians so they can do even better work when we leave. And it’s giving spiritual support and leadership, which is so beneficial in emergency situations. “We went in with the mantra, ‘we don’t know what we don’t know’ and worked with both IHQ and the Eastern Europe Territory leadership on how to achieve international goals as well as support the locals, be their extra hands and offer technical advice. We worked on finding out what is already happening and how to best coordinate that. This included the practical issues of convoys of supplies coming in, distribution and reporting to supporting territories. We also connected the locals with key personnel in London and Chisinau (the capital of Moldova where the EET headquarters are located).   “On behalf of The Salvation Army, we attended coordination meetings and liaised with other agencies and organisations such as the UNHCR, (UN High Commission for Refugees) and OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.  This has two benefits – it enables us to coordinate the work that is occurring, as well as to find out what's happening that may impact The Salvation Army such as safety and security issues, whether more funding is coming available or changes in local legislation.” Brad explained that there is always an ‘exit strategy’ in place when IES teams leave. “We’re always looking at the overlap between emergency response and development – where our exit strategy actually leads to more development work,” he said. “That’s probably one of my bigger contributions because I’ve got both the development training and the emergency experience.   “Being in Ukraine with an active war was a confronting scene, and to witness children and families having to live in this constant danger was even more alarming,” Brad shared. “These families found themselves without work, away from home, in dire circumstances and often in freezing weather.” (The temperature fell to -11°C while Brad was there but can reach -20°C or lower.) Australian experience Brad has been part of the Army’s International Emergency Response team since 2005.   “There had been some funding available through IHQ for training, and Australia was asked to put together a group,” he explained. “A few of us trained in that group who went on to become IES members, including Majors Drew Ruthven and Daryl Crowden.   “I was trained and deployed initially as part of the response to the South Asian tsunami in 2005. I went to India for three months for my first deployment. I couldn’t have done too badly, as they’ve kept me!   “I was deployed again, and, although I knew emergency work, I wanted to upskill. I had observed many colleagues in other organisations who had significant qualifications before they were deployed. So, I completed a master’s degree in international development through Deakin University as I worked on the job. Since then, it’s all fallen into place.” There are many aspects of emergency work that Brad loves.   “The first is that it’s a very tangible piece of work,” he shared. “Particularly when you go in during the first early days after a disaster, you find that you make a difference straight away to people who need it desperately. That’s one of the things that I’ve always enjoyed, feeling that sense of achievement and knowing I’ve made a difference today.   “Another piece of it is that it fits my personality in that I like change and adventure and I like different environments. I seem to be able to cope and adapt in most environments. So, if I’m sleeping on the floor in the back streets of India somewhere, I’m kind of okay with that. And then on top of all of that, because I’ve got skills and training in the area, now it’s good to use it. I also really enjoy intercultural work. So that combination all fits together. Heightened emotions Challenges in emergency work, though, are real.   “Quite often, you’re in environments that carry inherent stress,” Brad said. “People have been through a lot, and it doesn't matter if it’s a war zone, a cyclone or whatever; inherent stress means emotions are heightened and resources are low. There’s always a bit of tension. And I find that quite often, the best thing we can do is be the calming presence in the room. That can make a huge difference. It’s a spiritual thing in many respects, almost a chaplaincy as well as a practical expression because we are often able to keep our heads in that.   “Another challenge with inherent stress is sometimes there’s inherent risk. For example, if it’s a natural disaster, there may still be fire, flood or aftershocks from an earthquake. There may be ongoing security concerns. All those things are continuing that you need to be consistently mindful of. “And then there’s the personal challenges – you’ve got to look after your health, and you’re away from family. Quite often, you are in cultures and situations that no one else understands, and you can’t explain to them. And you can’t always rely on WiFi and those sorts of things that aren't always existing, so communicating out can be a challenge.   “Language can also be a challenge. Many of us in the team have a couple of languages, but they’re not necessarily the ones spoken where we are. For example, going into Ukraine, only Alina speaks Ukrainian. Mike speaks Spanish, so it’s common that in most teams, we’ll have a couple of languages between us, so we look for the one that overlaps.”   Brad speaks French. He began learning through three deployments to French-speaking countries – Haiti, Mali and Vanuatu.   “I try now to maintain the language through apps and using the language wherever I can,” he says.   Salvation Army Ukrainian response The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports that more than 1.4 million homes* have been damaged since the Russian invasion in February 2022, more than five million people are internally displaced, and more than 18 million people* (almost half the entire population) need some kind of aid. The Salvation Army in Ukraine has been providing assistance since the day the war commenced – 24 February 2022 – distributing hygiene items, bedding, clothing, food and water, opening corps for internally displaced people, and providing pastoral care and support. For almost two years, corps have also been organising activities for children, youth and adults and continuing their regular ministry, outreach and programs.   Bases have been set up in several locations across the country, including frontline areas such as Kharkiv and Pisochyn, and in places to where many displaced families have fled, such as Kyiv and Lviv. “The support that we are providing is far-reaching, and we can see it is making a difference to the people of Ukraine,” said Brad. “It is a privilege and an honour to see our Salvation Army colleagues in action and to work with them.   “Every day, we see some sort of impact from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and even though we may be hundreds of kilometres from the frontline, we stand and support the people affected. Please continue to keep your thoughts and prayers with the people of Ukraine and those affected in Russia.”   *Figures correct 11 December 2023

BY GENERAL LYNDON BUCKINGHAM At the time of writing this short reflection, I am enjoying the days between Christmas and New Year. It’s vacation time, and the pace is much slower than normal. I am looking out over beautiful, rolling green hills, and it is so quiet and peaceful. I can feel my mind and body going, ‘Aaaahhhh’. Thank you, Lord, for days of rest and restoration. It is a perfect time for reflection. I thank God for his grace, mercy and love in my life and the lives of my family. I acknowledge his faithfulness to all his promises. I can see his hand throughout the events of 2023. I acknowledge, without hesitation, the impact of his sustaining grace during a year full of challenges and possibilities. God is good. I reflect on the power of prayer, the vitality of God’s Word and the joy of fellowshipping with his people. I recognise the privilege of being engaged in God’s mission, as expressed through my service in The Salvation Army. I also give thanks for the impact of Salvation Army ministry around the world. I am thankful for Salvationists globally who have served faithfully throughout 2023, many in extremely difficult circumstances. Your faithfulness and dedication is an inspiration to me. It also makes a difference in our world. God’s promises for a New Year The time ‘in-between’ prompts some thought about the New Year. I know there are many people who face the year with a degree of anxiety, fear and uncertainty. The world is very troubled at present. Our news is full of reports that increase our concern and cause us to wonder what the year might bring for us all. “I am ready to embrace the challenges and the opportunities a new year offers. How about you?” I have been reflecting on some Scriptures I find both reassuring and motivating as I prepare to embrace 2024. Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV): “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.” Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” With promises that include his presence, salvation, love, strength and faithfulness, I am ready to embrace the challenges and the opportunities a new year offers. How about you? Whilst the world may be full of uncertainty, our mission in the world as The Salvation Army remains very certain. Let’s continue to be a people who love God supremely, always looking for opportunities to give him praise and credit for who he is and what he has done for us in Jesus. “Please do not underestimate the power and influence a holy life can have on those around you.” Let’s always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us. We need a global Army bursting with people ready and willing to communicate the difference Jesus has made in our lives, that salvation is possible for the whosoever through faith in him. I want us to continue to demonstrate our love for God by loving others, especially the unloved, the vulnerable and those forced to the margins of society. Finding ways to care for others becomes a practical demonstration of the values of the Kingdom of God. The power of a holy life I encourage all of us to be very intentional in our discipleship journey in 2024, pursuing holiness in every area of our lives. Please do not underestimate the power and influence a holy life can have on those around you. A life lived to the glory of God and with a genuine desire to be the aroma of Christ in the world will have an impact. Our individual contribution may be small, but the collective impact can, and will be, significant. The world needs the contribution we can make. We may be small in number, but we can and will be a mighty force for good when clear about our mission, empowered by the Holy Spirit and willing to get involved. Count me in! Grace and peace. God bless you, Lyndon Buckingham General To view the video of this message, click on this link: https://vimeo.com/899174648/d3cc497b15

Maree came to volunteer at Liverpool Salvos (NSW) after being let go from work. She was nervous at first, but she quickly became part of the family. Maree went through some great personal hardship and found that the Salvos were there for her even when she was angry and frustrated. She says without the Salvos, she wouldn’t be here.

By BARRY GITTINS On New Year’s Eve 1891, Captain & Mrs Smallbone opened York Corps in Western Australia. It is fitting that the couple were photographed with a cornet and a songsheet before embarking on their fledgling ministry in WA’s oldest inland town. The Salvation Army has always embraced music as a way to push its message of hope and joy. And, for parts of our history, New Year’s Eve has proved to be an occasion celebrated by Salvationists through music-making. It’s hard to say exactly when the ‘soldiers of the Army’ ceased the practice of observing the New Year, through holding celebration meetings and watchnight services. I would suggest that, by the mid-1980s, Salvos had decided to holiday with their families instead, choosing to take a well-earned breather before their duties and responsibilities for the next year pressed down upon their shoulders. (I further speculate it was about the same time the bulk of the soldiery decided to take the month of January ‘off’, refraining from attending meetings.) It was not always so. In 1961, as reported by the Musician, Manly Corps (NSW) conducted its annual New Year’s Eve open-air meeting. The ‘marathon, three-hour gathering’ was held on “the Corso, a wide thoroughfare through the centre of this popular Sydney holiday resort” during which “the musical sections gave sterling service”. Those ‘three hours’ sound like hard yakka. But all through the early and mid-20th century, open-air meetings and concerts on New Year’s Eve were not wildly unusual. For example, seven years later, in 1968, the Warrnambool Corps band (Vic.) “gave a good witness in a New Year's Eve procession at Port Fairy”. It wasn’t all hard work; New Year’s Eve gave Salvos a chance to socialise and celebrate their faith and fellowship with friends old and new. In 1971, it was reported (again in the Musician) that “New Year’s Eve 1970 saw the arrival at Perth (WA) airport of Bandsman and Sister Mrs. M. Bowden, with their daughter Lorraine, from the UK. A large party of bandsmen and their families travelled 120 miles from Bunbury to Perth to welcome the new arrivals at midnight. Bandsman Rowden has just completed a period of service with an RAF band and will be welcome on the cornet bench of Bunbury band.” In 1976, the Salvo pop group ‘Vision’, from the Southern Territory officer training college, sang in a Melbourne city shopping plaza on New Year’s Eve. On the same night, Box Hill Songster Brigade was spending “one of the longest days the songsters have experienced” while touring internationally. The choral tourists’ plane was delayed in Penang “for five hours, so we just waited and wilted in the heat. Finally, we arrived at Kuala Lumpur to hear that the program in Wesley church had been cancelled due to our late arrival. We went straight to a hotel and then to Kuala Lumpur corps where the songsters joined with the comrades for supper”. Do you have memories of spending New Year’s Eve in Salvation Army meetings, events or concerts?

Welcome to 2024! I hope you like it so far. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been sick or had an accident or stubbed my toe or had a papercut all year! ’Tis the season of making New Year’s resolutions, and I wonder if that’s something you like to do each year. I’m not particularly keen on the custom, most likely because in the past, I’d make them on 1 January and break them on 2 January! I was thinking, however, of what some biblical figures might do with New Year’s resolutions. Noah: This year I promise to buy and use a tape measure that’s marked with cubits. It took me so long to keep converting metres to cubits in my head that by the time I’d actually built the ark, I didn’t have two rabbits, I had 64! Thomas: This year I will accept everything confidently without questioning anything. No more ‘doubting Thomas’; this year it’s ‘affirming Thomas’. I think. Does that sound right? Should it be ‘affirmative Thomas’? Hmm, affirming is the present participle of affirm; affirmative is the adjectival form. Well, now I’m just not sure. Solomon: This year I will bulk buy Panadol. My headaches! They’re constant and debilitating. When I asked God for wisdom, I didn’t realise I’d constantly overthink everything. I can’t turn it off! At night I just lay there and think. What a very unwise choice. John the Baptist: This year I promise not to get so excitable all the time. Maybe it’s because I’m constantly walking in a river and stepping on rocks, or maybe it’s because I eat locusts, but I just can’t seem to stand still. This year, I promise, I won’t lose my head over anything. Moses: This year I’ll buy a GPS. Forty years of wandering and I still didn’t arrive at my destination! There has to be a better way. Mind you, do I really want to listen to a GPS all the time? ‘In 200 kilometres you’ll take the first left at Elim. In 190 kilometres you’ll take the first left at Elim. In 180 kilometres you’ll take the first left at Elim. In 170 kilometres you’ll …’ Peter: This year I promise to stay out of jail. And not get chased out of town. Or get flogged, beaten up, stoned, robbed, shipwrecked or just generally yelled at and abused. Then again, for the sake of spreading the gospel, it’s worth it. Bring it on! Really, what are they going to do, hang me upside down? Samson: This year I’m going to get a haircut. And stop looking at pretty girls. And stop fighting. And stop killing lions. And stop slaying armies. And if I mess up on any of these promises, may God strike me blind. Stephen: This year is the year I kick my drug habit. No more for me. I’m done, I promise. Enough of the high life. I’ve stared at the sky and seen enough visions, I need to get my head clear. This year, no more getting stoned. God: This year. Whoa! Gone already. Okay, this year … nope, missed it. This year I promise … no, there goes another one. How about … now: thisyearIpromiseto… nope, missed it. These year thingies seem to fly by so fast. Sometimes it’s no fun being eternal. – Major Mal Davies and his wife Major Tracey are the Corps Officers at Adelaide City Salvos