The Territorial Commander announced the following appointments on 19 December 2023: Effective 4 December 2023 Captain Emma Xiang, Chaplain, Gateways - Homelessness VIC East, Victoria Division. Effective 10 January 2023 Aux-Lieutenant Soseh Cowham*, Team Member, Northern Rivers - Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay, Casino, NSW/ACT Division‌. (*Congratulations to Soseh Cowham who has recently been accepted as an Auxiliary-Lieutenant). Major Erica Jones, First Five Years of Officership & Aux-Lt Development Coordinator‌, Office of the Secretary for Personnel. Captain Donna Sutcliffe, Team Leader, Northern Rivers - Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay, Casino, NSW/ACT Division (Title Change). Captain Philip Sutcliffe, Team Leader, Northern Rivers - Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay, Casino, NSW/ACT Division (Title Change). Effective 5 February 2024 Captain Gavin Jones, Corps Officer, Karratha, ‌Western Australia Division. Captain Jodie Jones, Corps Officer, Karratha, ‌Western Australia Division. The Territorial Commander announced the following appointments on 21 November 2023: Effective 21 November 2023 Major Brendan Nottle, Corps Officer - Team Leader, Melbourne Project 614, Victoria Division (title change). Major Sandra Nottle, Corps Officer - Team Leader, Melbourne Project 614, Victoria Division (title change). Lieut.-Colonel Stuart Reid, Spiritual Life Projects Team Leader, Office of the Territorial Commander (Title Change), Assistant Head of Mission Support, Office of the Secretary for Mission (‌Concurrent Appointment unchanged)‌. Effective 1 December 2023 Major Nigel MacDonald, Chaplaincy Team Leader, Salvos Stores, Mission Enterprises. Major Tracey Wicks, Chaplaincy Team Leader, Salvos Stores, Mission Enterprises. Effective 10 January 2024 Major Gaye Day, Corps Officer, Whyalla, South Australia / Northern Territory Division, ‌(Concurrent Appointment). Captain Richard Day, Corps Officer, Whyalla, South Australia / Northern Territory Division, ‌(Concurrent Appointment). Lieutenant Alice Edge, Corps Officer - Team Leader, Unley, South Australia / Northern Territory Division, ‌(Title Change). Captain Neil Gray*, Corps Officer, Palmerston, South Australia / Northern Territory Division, Response Coordinator, SAES - Northern Territory, Office of the Secretary for Mission‌, (Concurrent Appointments). Captain Sherrelee Gray*, Corps Officer, Palmerston, (Primary Appointment), Chaplain, Catherine Booth House, South Australia / Northern Territory Division‌, (Secondary Appointment). Major Esther Ong*, International Services Support Officer - Team Member, Office of the Secretary for Personnel. Major Paul Ong*, Team Member, Sydney City Salvos, Chaplain, Inner City, New South Wales / ACT Division, (Concurrent Appointments). Major Judy Shaw, Chaplain, Salvos Stores - South Australia, Mission Enterprises. Major Kaye Viney, Chaplain, Catherine Booth House, South Australia / Northern Territory Division, ‌(Rescinded Appointment). Major Charles Watson, Missional Engagement Officer, Subiaco Third Place, Western Australia Division, (Additional Appointment). Major Sharon Watson, Missional Engagement Officer, Subiaco Third Place, Western Australia Division, (Additional Appointment). *Majors Esther & Paul Ong and Captains Neil & Sherrelee Gray have been re-accepted as commissioned officers. The Territorial Commander announced the following appointments on 1 November 2023: INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENTS Announcement made in conjunction with Hong Kong and Macau Territory: Effective 1 January 2024 Major Glenn Price, Secretary for Business Administration, Hong Kong and Macau Territory. Major Julia Price, Territorial Protection Coordinator - Children & Vulnerable Adults (primary), Territorial Spiritual Life Development Secretary (additional), Hong Kong and Macau Territory. Announcement made in conjunction with Papua New Guinea/Solomon Islands Territory: Effective 4 January 2024 Major Melba Crisostomo, Territorial Director for Schools, Papua New Guinea/Solomon Islands Territory. The Territorial Commander announced the following appointments on 10 October 2023: Effective 10 October 2023 Captain Scott Ellery, Assistant to Public Relations Secretary, Western Australia, Office of the Secretary for Communications, ‌(pro-tem). Major Reno Elms, Response Coordinator - South Australia, Office of the Secretary for Mission ‌(Title Change). Major Lincoln Stevens, Response Coordinator - North Queensland. Office of the Secretary for Mission ‌(Title Change). Captain Greg Turnbull, Corps Officer, Greater Grampians Salvos*, ‌Victoria Division ‌(Title Change). Captain Lynne Turnbull, Corps Officer, Greater Grampians Salvos*, ‌Victoria Division (Title Change). *Greater Grampians Salvos will be a multi-site expression with individual expressions called: •‌ Greater Grampians Salvos - Ararat Corps • Greater Grampians Salvos - Stawell Corps Effective 10 January 2024 Major Donna Todd, Faith Communities Development Secretary, Queensland, ‌Office of the Secretary for Mission. Major Colin Hopper, Faith Communities Development - Special Projects, ‌Office of the Secretary for Mission. The Territorial Commander announced the following appointments on 29 September 2023: INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENTS Effective 1 January 2024 Colonels Kelvin and Cheralynne Pethybridge, officers of the Australia Territory currently serving respectively as Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women's Ministries, Eastern Europe Territory, are appointed as Chief Secretary, International Headquarters and Secretary for Leader Development, International Headquarters. Effective 1 February 2024 Colonels Geoff and Kalie Webb, officers of the Australia Territory currently serving respectively as Executive Secretary to the General and Under Secretary (South Asia), International Headquarters, are appointed as territorial leaders for the Kenya West Territory: Colonel Geoff Webb as Territorial Commander and Colonel Kalie Webb as Territorial President of Women’s Ministries. They will be succeeding Commissioners Joash and Florence Malabi (R) who have been giving pro tem leadership to the territory. The Territorial Commander approved the following appointments on 20 September 2023: Effective 20 September 2023 Territorial Envoy Margaret Coombridge, Recovery Coordinator, Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) - Victoria/Tasmania, Office of the Secretary for Mission, ‌(Title Change). Major Sue Hopper, Program Manager, Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) -‌ National, Office of the Secretary for Mission, (Title Change). Major Bev Kingston, Recovery Coordinator, Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) - NSW, Office of the Secretary for Mission, ‌(Title Change). Major Leanne Stevens, Recovery Team Leader, Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) - National, and Recovery Coordinator, ‌Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) - Queensland, Office of the Secretary for Mission, ‌(Concurrent Appointments)‌. Effective 10 January 2024 Lieutenant Peter Hardy, Corps Officer, Fassifern, (Queensland Division). Major Jeff Waller, Territorial Chaplaincy Specialist, Office of the Secretary for Mission, and ‌Divisional Chaplaincy Manager, South Australia/Northern Territory Division, ‌(Concurrent Appointments), and C‌haplain, Salvos Stores - NT Mission Enterprises, ‌(Additional Appointment)‌‌. The Territorial Commander announced the following appointments on 15 September 2023: INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENT Announcement made in conjunction with Sri Lanka Territory Effective 1 November 2023 Major Peter McGuigan, Property Secretary (primary appointment), ‌Assistant Secretary for Business Administration (additional appointment), Sri Lanka Territory. Captain Tara McGuigan, Public Relations Secretary, Sri Lanka Territory. The Territorial Commander approved the following appointments on 23 August 2023: Effective 24 July 2023 Major Kylie Kop, Honoured Friends Coordinator, Office of the Secretary for Communications. Effective 1 September 2023 Major Darren Aitken, Corps Officer - Team Member, Merri-bek City Salvos*, Victoria Division (pro-tem). Captain Melanie Cop, Corps Officer - Team Member, Merri-bek City Salvos*, Victoria Division. Captain Meg Dale, Corps Officer - Team Member, Merri-bek City Salvos*, Victoria Division. Lieutenant Steph Glover, Corps Officer - Team Leader, Merri-bek City Salvos*, Victoria Division. Lieutenant Alison Templar, Corps Officer - Team Member, Merri-bek City Salvos*, Victoria Division. *The Merri-Bek City Salvos is a new multi-site expression encompassing the Merri-bek Corps and Brunswick Corps. Major Andrew Jarvey, Area Officer, Southern WA, Western Australia Division (moving to full-time). Major Priya Morgan, Ministry and Support Manager - Family Violence, National, Office of the Secretary for Mission. Major Christine Pickens, National Coordinator/Trainer, Positive Lifestyle Program, Office of the Secretary for Mission. Major Karina Wood, Corps Officer - Team Leader, Mandurah, Western Australia Division (moving to full-time). Effective 15 October 2023 Major Nancy Chuang Lu, Corps Officer - Team Member, Project 614, Victoria Division. Captain Paul Chen, Corps Officer - Team Member, Waverley Temple, Victoria Division. RESCINDED APPOINTMENT Effective 14 August 2023 Major Niall Gibson, Corps Officer - Team Member, Katherine Corps, SA/NT Division, (Rescinded Additional Appointment, pro-tem). The Territorial Commander approved the following appointments on 17 August 2023: Effective 1 October 2023 Major David Collinson, Executive Officer, Mission - Salvos Stores, Mission Enterprises. The Territorial Commander approved the following appointments on 25 July 2023: Effective 1 July 2023 Major Gary Masters, Assistant to Secretary for Communications, Office of the Secretary for Communications. Major Claire Watson, Chaplain, Bramwell House, South Australia/Northern Territory Division (Additional & pro-tem Appointment). Captain Tara McGuigan, Public Relations Secretary, ACT/Southern NSW and Multicultural NSW, Office of the Secretary for Communications. Effective 20 July 2023 Major Russell Anderson, Chaplain, Langi Kal Kal Prison, Victoria Division (Additional Appointment). Effective 7 August 2023 Captain Katrina Hindle, Red Shield Defence Services Representative, Enoggera (Qld), Office of the Secretary for Mission. Effective 14 August 2023 Major Evonne Packer, Assistant to the office of the Head of Social Mission, Office of the Secretary for Mission (pro-tem). Effective 1 September 2023 Major Dean Clarke, Area Officer, ACT/NSW South Coast, New South Wales/ACT Division. Major Craig Farrell, Corps Officer - Team Leader, Richmond, Victoria Division. Captain Ellen Farrell, Corps Officer - Team Member, Richmond, Victoria Division. The Territorial Commander approved the following appointments on 27 June 2023: Effective 12 June 2023 Captain Dale Allan, Special Projects Officer, South Australia/Northern Territory Division (pro-tem Appointment). Effective 13 June 2023 Captain Annita Allman, Children's Ministry Leadership Development Specialist, Office of the Secretary for Mission, (Concurrent Appointment). Effective 10 July 2023 Major Phil Staines, Team Leader - Inala Street Level Mission, Queensland Division (title change). Effective 17 July 2023 Major Michelle Oliver, Enterprise Change Advisor, Governance - Office of the Chief Secretary, (Additional Appointment). RESCINDED APPOINTMENT Effective 1 July 2023 Captain Greg Turnbull, Chaplain - Langi Kal Kal Prison, Victoria Division, (Rescinded Additional Appointment). The Territorial Commander approved the following appointments on 22 May 2023: Effective 15 May 2023 Major Melanie-Anne Holland, Modern Slavery and Anti-Human Trafficking Territorial Contact, Governance - Office of the Chief Secretary, (Additional Appointment). Major Phil Inglis, Enterprise Change Advisor, Governance - Office of the Chief Secretary, (Additional Appointment). Effective 22 May 2023 Major Julia Metcher, Corps Officer, Tarrawanna, New South Wales / ACT Division, (Concurrent Appointment, pro-tem). Effective 1 June 2023 Major Lynn Boughton, Officer Personnel Secretary - Team Leader, SA/NT, Office of the Secretary for Personnel, (Concurrent Appointment). Major Andrew Jarvey, Area Officer Southern WA* & Divisional Mission Project Officer (pro-tem), Western Australia Division. *Reallocation of Southern WA Area pro-tem Major Lance Jeffrey, Chaplain - Homelessness, Melbourne & Western Metro regions, Victoria Division. Captain Aaron Stobie, Officer Personnel Secretary - Team Member, SA/NT, Office of the Secretary for Personnel, & Corps Officer - Team Member, North East Salvos Campbelltown/Oakden, South Australia / Northern Territory Division, (Concurrent Appointments & Title Change). Captain Lauren Stobie, Corps Officer - Team Leader, North East Salvos Campbelltown/Oakden, South Australia / Northern Territory Division, (Title Change). Effective 3 July 2023 Major Jenny Begent, Assistant Secretary for Mission, Office of the Secretary for Mission. Captain Brad McIver, Head of Social Mission, Office of the Secretary for Mission. The General approved, and the Territorial Commander announced the following on 19 May 2023: Effective 30 June 2023 Lieutenant-Colonel Neil Venables will take Extended Leave, Long Service Leave and Sabbatical Leave. Effective 1 July 2023 Major Gregory Morgan, Secretary for Mission, Office of the Secretary for Mission, (with promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel). Captain Stuart Glover, Secretary for Business Support, Office of the Secretary for Business Support. Appointment of Governance Lead to be announced. International Appointments Announcement made in conjunction with The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Slovakia Territory on 11 May 2023: Effective 1 August 2023 Captain Kris Halliday, Corps Officer, Amsterdam West, The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Slovakia Territory. Captain Ashir and Hummera Morris, Corps Officers - Team Members: Central Vic Salvos with responsibility for Bendigo Corps, Victoria Division. Territorial Appointment The Territorial Commander approved the following appointment on 11 May 2023: Effective 8 May 2023 Major Brad Watson, Vanuatu Ministry Oversight, Office of the Secretary for Mission. (Additional Appointment). The Territorial Commander approved the following territorial appointments on 19 April 2023: Effective 12 April 2023 Auxiliary-Lieutenant Matthew Pethybridge, Corps Officer - Team Member, Norwest Salvos - Rouse Hill, Dural, New South Wales / ACT Division, (pro-tem, Concurrent Appointment). Effective 20 April 2023 Major Karen Masters, Communications Care and Support Officer, Office of the Secretary for Communications. Effective 22 May 2023 Major Belinda Spicer, Chaplain, Weeroona Aged Care - NSW/ACT, Aged Care, Mission Enterprises. The Territorial Commander approved the following territorial appointments on 20 March 2023: Effective 27 February 2023 Lieutenant Steph Glover, Corps Officer, Merri-bek*, Victoria Division, (Title Change). Effective 5 March 2023 Major Karen Saunders, Corps Officer - Team Leader, Geelong, Victoria Division, (Title Change). Effective 23 March 2023 Captain Amanda Hart, Corps Officer, South Coast Gippsland Salvos**, Victoria Division, (Title Change). Effective 1 April 2023 Major Beth Brooks, International Service Support Officer - Team Leader, Office of the Secretary for Personnel, (Title Change). Major Romona Kinder, International Service Support Officer - Team Member, Office of the Secretary for Personnel, (Title Change). Major Julia Price, Associate International Service Support Officer, Office of the Secretary for Personnel, (Title Change). Effective 11 April 2023 Major Grant Sandercock-Brown, Corps Officer, Nambucca River, NSW/ACT Division, (Primary Appointment). Major Sharon Sandercock-Brown, Corps Officer, Nambucca River, NSW/ACT Division, (Additional Appointment). *Moreland City Corps name change to Merri-bek Corps **South Coast Gippsland Salvos encompasses Leongatha and Wonthaggi Corps The Territorial Commander approved the following territorial appointments on 28 February 2023: Effective 24 February 2023 Lieut.-Colonel Stuart Reid, Assistant Head of Mission Support, Office of the Secretary for Mission, Spiritual Life Support Officer, Office of the Secretary for Spiritual Life, (Concurrent Appointments). Effective 6 March 2023 Captain Monty Bhardwaj, Community Services Specialist Victoria/Tasmania, Office of the Secretary for Mission. Effective 23 March 2023 Captain Amy Jones, Corps Officer - Team Member, Central Vic Salvos, with responsibility for Castlemaine Corps, Victoria Division. Effective 1 June 2023 Auxiliary-Lieutenant Catherine Philpot, Pastoral Services Manager Assistant, Office of the Secretary for Personnel. The Territorial Commander approved the following territorial appointments on 13 February 2023: Effective 13 February 2023 Major David Collinson, Public Relations Secretary, NSW/ACT, Office of the Secretary for Communications (Title Change, Concurrent Appointment). Auxiliary-Lieutenant Matt Pethybridge, Team Member, Norwest Salvos - Rouse Hill, Dural, New South Wales/ACT Division (pro-tem, Additional Appointment). Effective 13 February 2023 Captain Harriet Farquhar, Team Leader - Admin Support Officer, New South Wales/ACT Division (Additional Appointment). Effective 1 March 2023 Major Clover Fabre, Chaplain, Gold Coast Recovery Services, Office of the Secretary for Mission. Effective 5 March 2023 Auxiliary-Lieutenant Nathan Rowe*, Corps Officer - Team Member, Geelong, Victoria Division. Effective 18 March 2023 Auxiliary-Lieutenant Mark Curtis*, Mission Leader, Garden of Hope, Western Australia Division. *Congratulations to Nathan and Mark who were recently accepted as Auxiliary-Lieutenants International Appointments (Announcement made in conjunction with the Japan Territory). Effective 1 April 2023 Major Daniel Templeman Twells, Training Principal (Primary Appointment) & Spiritual Life Development Secretary (Additional Appointment), Japan Territory. Major Melissa Templeman Twells, Corps Officer, Koto, Japan Territory. The Territorial Commander approved the following territorial appointments on 27 January 2023: Effective 27 January 2023 Lieutenants Cindy and Henry Roehrig, Corps Officers, Inverell, New South Wales / ACT Division. (Appointments as Corps Officers, Glenn Innes rescinded). Effective 1 February 2023 Major Jeanette Stoltenberg, Executive Officer to Territorial Commander, Office of the Territorial Commander. (Additional Appointment). Effective 20 February 2023 Captain Annita Allman, Admin Support Officer, Victoria Division. (Concurrent Appointment with Children’s Ministry Leadership Development Specialist pro-tem). Captain David Allman, Corps Officer, Cranbourne, Victoria Division. Effective 1 March 2023 Major Bev Kingston, Strategic Emergency & Disaster Management Specialist – NSW Office of the Secretary for Mission. Captain Tara McGuigan, Assistant Public Relations Secretary – NSW/ACT Office of the Secretary for Communications. (Additional Appointment). Captain Matthew Moore, Officer Personnel Secretary - Team Member Victoria, Office of the Secretary for Personnel. (Primary Appointment) and Project Management Officer, Governance – Office of the Chief Secretary (Additional Appointment, pro-tem). The Territorial Commander approved the following territorial appointments on 17 January 2023: Effective 12 January 2023 Auxiliary-Lieutenant Liam Holland*, Corps Officer – Pine Rivers, Queensland Division. Auxiliary-Lieutenant Alli Holland*, Corps Officer – Pine Rivers Queensland Division. *Congratulations to Alli and Liam who were recently accepted as Auxiliary-Lieutenants. Effective 27 February 2023 Major Paul Hateley, Divisional Commander – South Australia / Northern Territory Division. Major Wendy Hateley, Faith Communities Development Secretary - SA/NT Mission Support Department, Office of the Secretary for Mission. Effective 1 March 2023 Major David Collinson, Head of Public Relations, Australia, Office of the Secretary for Communications, (Concurrent Appointment). Major Peter McGuigan, Head of Government Relations, Office of the Secretary for Communications. Major Vannessa Garven, Corps Officer - Sydney Congress Hall – NSW & Faith Integration Leader – Sydney City Salvos, New South Wales/ACT Division(Additional Appointment, pro tem).

To read the tribute for George, click here

BY LERISSE SMITH A fusion of colour, creativity and innovation featured at the opening of The Salvation Army’s new Sunshine Hub in Melbourne. Playing a vital role in the Sunshine community and surrounding precincts, the renovated two-storey premises in Devonshire Rd, officially opened by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, unites a range of Salvation Army services plus some other organisations, such as Centrelink that co-locates once a week, to service the local community and surrounding precincts. And it has been an exciting time for the Youth Services West Metro team who have seen the downstairs floor transformed from an old storage room of rubbish and cobwebs to a bright, warm and welcoming Youth Hub space for all. “It’s a beautiful space now,” said Chichi Kafula, Youth Client Services Coordinator. “There are paintings on the walls, colourful fingerprints of younger children on the windows and doors. Downstairs is now very youth friendly.” The Youth Hub occupies the ground level of the Sunshine Hub, while offices are located on the top floor. The services contained in the premises include homelessness (for adults); youth (which acts on behalf of an Access Point – a homelessness entry point that young people at risk of/experiencing homelessness can go to for support); an AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs) program; Salvation Army Housing that manages its community and transitional housing properties. Additionally, there are Housing and Prison Pathways, plus child and parenting programs. Chichi said one of the key features of the Sunshine Hub was the great culture amongst staff fostered through working collaboratively and respectfully with one another and a willingness to help each other out between programs, services and staff skills whenever required to achieve the best possible outcomes. One such example is the youth services team, which bands together to assist local youths requiring help either physically, emotionally/mentally, financially, or a combination of the three. And the new creative Youth Hub downstairs is cause for much excitement for both staff and local youths. “For us, the hub is our new space,” said Kass Garofalo, Youth Hub Coordinator. “It’s about what the young people want from the space. It’s about getting input and feedback from the young people that we have coming through the hub and collecting the hard data so we can really advocate for more funding or more staffing within certain areas.” Local youths can pop into the hub anytime during the week to have some respite, hang out, use its shower facilities if needed, cook a meal, obtain some information and support from the youth services team, and anything else they may require. “Young people don’t need to be either engaged in our service or wanting to engage in our service. The hub is a place where young people can come just to use the facilities,” Kass said. “We’ve got washing machines, showers, a kitchenette, as well as a big dining table and areas to relax. The hub is basically about meeting whatever need the young person who comes through the door is looking for.” Chichi added that she found the young people who first came into the hub, especially if they were new to the youth service, often had feelings of hopelessness. “But given the welcoming hub space that Kass has taken a lot of time to create, just seeing a smile on their faces when they walk out is just something that makes me feel proud of the work that we do,” she said. Assistance offered to youths also includes housing support right through to filling out a form or applying for a piece of identification when having trouble digitising documents. One source of pride for Kass and the team is being a service that will work with young people that other organisations may turn away from assisting, for a variety of reasons, due to the many connections throughout its network. The team will undertake an assessment when the young person comes in and discusses their goals, followed by advocation in the background to get the appropriate service/organisation to meet their needs and ensure they do their job. Both Chichi and Kass said the team’s overall goal was to benefit the community in whatever way they could to assist others and focus on what they could do, not what they could not do. And success stories help keep the momentum going. “We had a young man come in who we supported last year. At the time when he came in, he just felt like there were no more options for him. He felt really hopeless,” Kass said. “But then he walked in our doors a few months ago to just say thank you and that he was still in the property we helped him obtain. It’s those little things that they do remember, and when walking past (our hub), feel they can come in and just say thank you ... so, we do see that change from when they first come in and when they leave.” One of the key issues the youth services team face regularly is housing affordability. Chichi said if they had a 16-year-old experiencing homelessness and on Centrelink, on a good day they would probably earn around $500 a fortnight that could barely see them into not even a share house, with social housing now becoming unaffordable too and in short supply. Another huge problem is early intervention, as many young people or families seek support when they are in crisis mode. The lack of mental health resources is contributing to the issue. “The main reason for entering into our youth service is if you’re at risk of homelessness or already currently homeless, so it starts from there, and then we branch out,” Chichi said. “If they’re at risk, we can do some work to help them stay in the home so they don’t have to end up being homeless. If they’re already homeless, we can do some work to help them obtain long-term housing, but usually the main entry reason would be at risk of or experiencing homelessness.” Holistic case management is a key to their work, assessing all areas of the person’s life to see what can be done and addressed, with this approach resulting in lives positively transformed. Another example is a young asylum seeker who walked through their doors and was basically the main support for his whole family as they had no work rights, no access to anything, and in rental arrears. The team was able to help the family move into another property, which they had identified already, set up house, and apply for funding for the family, plus anything else they could do to assist them. “From the day they walked in, they were very low, very meek, very quiet, not a smile on their face,” Kass said. “Now, I run into this person (the asylum seeker) on the street, and he's made the time to stop, shake my hand, and thank me (our team).”

If you and I are going to navigate the times we are living in, I believe we are going to need to take the peace-bringing character of Jesus into our hearts and minds. For Scripture tells us that God’s peace is unlike anything the world can offer, it surpasses all understanding – it does not depend on the state of a nation, nor does it hinge on personal wellbeing. By God’s grace, this circumstance-defying peace dwells within us. At Christmas, we are invited to contemplate again the gift of Jesus, Prince of Peace, who came and made his home with us: “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory ... true from start to finish,” (John 1:14, The Message). Through his earthly ministry, people watched as Jesus endured and embraced the mess of humanity, proving to be steadfast, true, and lasting, proving that peace is something worthwhile, proving that peace is not a distant dream, but an attainable reality. When we place Jesus at the centre of our lives, this same peace finds complete freedom in our hearts. And, as people committed to Jesus, we find ourselves right in the centre of his will, restoring us to a wholeness that lasts far beyond any personal trial or triumph. So, this Christmas, let’s pray that peace would not be a substitute for wishful thinking, but for purposeful action rooted in love; something we cultivate through Jesus-centred living. I pray that we, as a Salvation Army, would hold firm to the knowledge that not only can we plead, “Let there be peace on earth,” but that we would possess the will for it to begin with us. I pray your Christmas season is a blessed one. Allow your heart to become a sanctuary of peace as you experience afresh the gift of God’s love in His Son, Jesus Christ. Blessings, Bronwyn Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham (World President of Women's Ministries) To view the video of this message, click here, or watch below.

The Salvation Army was out in force once again at this year’s Woolworths Carols in the Domain in Sydney on Saturday night. Whether it was on stage as part of the choir, packing and selling candle bags to raise money for homelessness, or volunteering as ushers and ticket scanners, Salvos were a visible presence during the annual Christmas showcase. “It was a cracker of a night ... best one I have been to,” said Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas. “Super proud of our folk – choir, volunteers, collectors, ushers, all-round champions!” Carols in the Domain will be televised on Channel 7 on Saturday night, 23 December (7.30pm AEDT). More than 3500 candle bags were sold on the night, with another 2500 to be distributed to various Salvos Stores this week for sale. Organisers hope to raise $100,000 for the Army’s frontline services. The candle bags were packed by more than 300 volunteers in the days leading up to Carols in the Domain. Director of Choirs Peter Hayward said it was a “huge honour” to play a key role in the event. “Thanks to everyone who came along and joined The Salvation Army and Carols in the Domain choir this year, especially to Greg Donovan for being the man who made everything about the choir happen.” Click on slideshow below for more photos:

The international leaders of The Salvation Army, General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham – who are currently in their home territory of New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa – were the special guests at the commissioning and ordination of the Ngā Kaiwawao I Te Tika / Defenders of Justice session of cadets in Wellington, New Zealand, last weekend. The Buckinghams also led Officers’ Councils and participated in the 50th anniversary celebrations of The Salvation Army Fiji. During the leaders' time in Fiji, they visited the President of Fiji, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere at the State House. The Buckinghams were accompanied by Commissioners Julie and Mark Campbell, Australian officers who lead the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory, and other senior Salvation Army personnel. “We are grateful for the opportunity to meet the president of Fiji, His Excellency Ratu Wiliame Katonivere,” said General Buckingham. “We are thankful for the privilege of meeting His Excellency the President of Fiji,” said Commissioner Julie Campbell. “The Salvation Army Fiji appreciates your support.”

There are more than 31,000 verses in the Bible and, apparently, quite a few that aren’t. I wonder if someone has ever ‘quoted’ a Bible verse to you and you’ve thought, “Hang on, that’s not in the Bible.” “As it says in the Bible,” they tell you with a high degree of authority, “God helps those who help themselves”. Well, no, the Bible doesn’t say that. At all. Anywhere. “God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.” He may well do that, but it doesn’t say that in the Bible. In fact, the quote is the opening line of a song by English hymnwriter William Cowper, written in 1773. When discussing matters of conscience and morality, you might advise someone, “This above all else, to thine own self be true,” but you’d be quoting Shakespeare (Hamlet, act 1, scene 3), not the Bible. Mischievous spirit that I am, I’m occasionally tempted to deliberately misattribute a quote to the Bible, but I’ve never quite succumbed to the temptation. It could, however, be good fun ... “Mal, I just don’t know what my future holds or how I can hope for better days.” “Well, Russell, in the Bible, it says that we just need to trust in God, he can ‘make us believe what tomorrow can bring when today doesn’t really know’.” “Yes, I guess you’re right, Mal. Thanks.” Bible? Not quite. A lyric from ‘All Out of Love’ by Air Supply. A great song from 1980. “Mal, I’ve had the best day! I had some big wins today, and I feel great!” “Nice, Deb. Sometimes we get those wonderful days like David wrote about in the Psalms when he said, ‘My feet don’t even touch the ground, I go in leaps and bounds’.” David? Psalms? Actually, Paul Kelly in his 1986 hit ‘Leaps and Bounds’. “Mal, you know I broke up with Mandy, and now I’m going out with Lyn, but I’m starting to think I should have stayed with Mandy. What should I do?” “I think, Rob, that you should have waited a bit longer before getting a new girlfriend. In Scripture, it says we have ‘restless hearts that never mend’, and I don’t think you’d really settled emotionally before commencing a new relationship.” Did I say Scripture? Sorry, I meant ‘New Kid in Town’ by the Eagles. See? This quoting from not-the-Bible can be quite creative and even helpful while at the same time being incredibly wrong. So don’t do it. After all, as the Good Book says, if you misquote Scripture, you’re clearly ‘on the highway to hell’. – Major Mal Davies and his wife Major Tracey are the Corps Officers at Adelaide City Salvos

Light of the world! Hope for the world! Jesus came to show us how to live like him and for him. With all the shifting values of the world, Jesus still steps down into darkness, and he asks his followers to do the same. In this Christmas message, Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas invites us to be light, hope, and love to those around us and to share Jesus beautifully.

1. What is your current appointment and what do you find most satisfying about it? I’m currently a corps officer at South Barwon Corps (in Geelong) with my husband Clint. After previously spending a decade in support roles at a divisional office, it is great to be back at the frontline. I am grateful to be leading an intergenerational church and particularly enjoy leading gathered worship, sharing with smaller groups in prayer and Bible study and journeying with individuals to support their growth in faith and ministry. 2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind? My favourite pastime away from ministry is travel, whether that’s down the road for a latte overlooking our stunning beaches or flying across the world to explore new destinations. For me, planning our next holiday is as much fun as the actual holiday. This year I’ve taken up an interest in family history, so I’m planning to go to northern Europe where my ancestors are from. Hopefully, I’ll also tick off a bucket list item and see the Northern Lights! 3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it? There are so many songs that have held meaning for me over the years; familiar old hymns as well as modern songs that express my love for God and his redeeming love for me. There are songs that will always be special to me because they relate to times in my life when I made a deeper commitment to the Lord. Yet the Psalmist reminds me to ‘sing to the Lord a new song’ (Psalm 96:1) expressing what God is doing today as we seek his Kingdom and are transformed by his love. If you tied me down to name a favourite song, I’d say anything written by Keith and Kristyn Getty. I love the richness of their lyrics, which always point to the cross of Christ. One of their recent songs, Rejoice, says ‘Throughout every season I am sure we have every reason to praise the Lord.’ I want that to always be my experience. 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? As a mum myself, I’ve often wondered what it was like for Mary to be responsible for raising the Saviour of the world. What did she see in her son as he was growing up that marked him as the Messiah? What was it like to have a celebrity in the family? How did she deal with the inner tension of pride, anxiety and wonder at all her son said and did? What happened to make her turn up that day and beg Jesus to forsake his ministry and return home? How was she able to stand watching as Jesus was unjustly accused and murdered? And I’d love to hear Mary describe how she felt when she learned that her son had risen from the grave. 5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say? Officership is harder than it looks but also more fulfilling than you can imagine. I love being an officer. I have a clear call from God to this role and I know it’s the right path for me. A call to officership is not always easy to discern, but one thing is for sure: if you feel called to take on more responsibility for mission, any experience of church will frustrate and disappoint you until you step up to lead in some capacity. If you feel called to leadership, but you’re not sure if it’s to officership or something else, just start leading somewhere that’s connected to your passion. Take the first step and trust God to guide you towards the next. If your call is to officership, it won’t go away.

They don’t call it the ‘silly season’ for nothing. Christmas is a busy time of year. So, when God placed a request upon the hearts of a group of Salvo and Baptist Christians to bless their community with a massive act of love, they leaned into faith that he would provide time and energy needed to pull it off. BY LAUREN MARTIN The ‘Cuppy Supper Club’ is a small-group church that meets on Wednesday nights in Helensburgh, a small town surrounded by a national park south of Sydney. A partnership between The Salvation Army and the local Baptist Church, the group has met in The Cupbearer Café in the heart of the town after hours for the past two years. Participants read the Bible with one another, chat about faith and life, and do mission together. A few weeks ago, God placed a request on the heart of one of the Cuppy Supper Clubbers, Margaret Mary Bennett, to bless businesses on the town’s main street for their ongoing service to the local community. “I just got a nudge from God,” she said. So, she shared it with the group that Wednesday and the idea gained traction ... a week later, the Cuppy Supper Club met early, some inviting friends along to help, to “love-bomb” more than 50 businesses with Christmas-themed cupcakes and hand-written cards. “What do I like about the Cuppy Supper Club?” said Margaret. “I like the fellowship and the friendship. It’s a little bit of everything – faith, fun and frolics!” Fellow Cuppy Supper Clubber, Rachel, has a gift of cake decorating and brought along her piping bags to create Christmas works of art on top of the pre-baked cupcakes. “I love that our little group is able to do little things to bless the community and make people smile,” she said. “Retail is hard at this time of the year, so we are going to bless them.” One of the unique things about the Cuppy Supper Club small-group church is that it acts like a family on mission together. Every few weeks, Bibles are closed, and the group does an activity that makes a difference in the lives of others. Some weeks, Cuppy Supper Clubbers have written Amnesty International letters; other weeks, the group has gone prayer-walking, other times, a meal is cooked and packaged for delivery to people in the town who are going through a hard time. “I love this group,” said Rachel. “I love the variety of people we have here. It’s all-encompassing – anyone can come and feel loved and comfortable. It’s a safe place.”

Senior teddies gathered last week to decide who the new owners would be for all the teddies donated from the 2023 Perth Bikers’ Charity Ride. It was unanimously decided that the soft toys would be distributed to the children of clients at The Salvation Army Western Australia Transitional Support Services (TSS). The teddies will be given to the children at the clients’ Christmas party that TSS will host on 21 December in conjunction with youth support organisations Home Stretch and Morley. “This is on top of the generous donations of presents that our services have already received for our clients’ children,” said Yuri D’Amico, team leader at TSS. “These gifts will bring so much joy to the lives of young people who would otherwise be facing a difficult Christmas.” Transitional Support Services is a state-wide leaving care service that supports young people (ages 15-25) with an out-of-home care experience and walks alongside them as they continue their journey to independence. “TSS is not just about support; it is about choice,” Yuri explained. “Participation in our program is completely voluntary.” “Our passionate and dedicated youth workers provide case management, and the program also offers regular recreation activities such as camps, workshops and social activities. These activities are tailored to help young people to build a range of life skills in a way that is fun, creative and flexible. “In addition to providing a supportive environment and practical skills, TSS also focuses on empowering young people to advocate for themselves. By fostering self-advocacy, we aim to ensure that when young people step out into the world, they do so with the self-assurance to navigate it on their terms. “At TSS, young people are encouraged to be their true selves. We offer a safe space where we can form meaningful connections with both our team and peers. Together, we will strive for young people’s goals in an environment that is as focused on the future as it is on fun and friendship.”

BY ANTHONY CASTLE Membership at the thriving Perth Chinese Corps, located in the heart of Chinatown in the city, was boosted when seven senior soldiers were enrolled during an inspiring service on 10 December. The corps’ first enrolments in two years, the event saw first-generation migrants committing to faith and service in their community. Esther Ong Ng has been the Congregational Leader at Perth Chinese Corps for over eight years. “We serve the Chinese community here in Perth, with programs running throughout the week,” explains Esther. “I conducted eight classes of soldiership preparation, or what we also call discipleship classes for those who’d become part of our community. We covered the basic doctrines of The Salvation Army and the basics of what you need to know as a believer.” Multiple community groups meet in the corps building and utilise the space. The corps helps people meet the challenges of migration and negotiating the language barrier. “We reach out to a lot of the unchurched, perhaps 80 people per week,” Esther says. “Some of them come through the social programs, connecting people with lawyers, migration agents, helping people to fill out forms, giving them advice. We have different community groups here, choirs, people making use of the building.” Migrant students connect with Perth Chinese Corps regularly. There are Sunday meals after each service and small groups where first-generation migrants can come and connect, as well as a table tennis program. “We started the table tennis here three years ago,” Esther explains. “One of the people who just became a soldier had come through table tennis. He was the first to join us for it, which led to faith conversations, being at the corps for three years, and now soldiership.” Most newly enrolled soldiers have been actively volunteering with the corps for some time. Soldiership is an affirmation of faith and a commitment to the community, but it’s also a reflection of the home that people have found with The Salvation Army. “Two of the soldiers shared their testimonies on the day, with one of them saying they found a home here,” Esther says. “Soldiership can bring that pride of belonging, wearing the uniform, being part of the community. There are all these Chinese migrants, far from their homeland. They’re coming to a foreign land, so a feeling of home is something important.”