Ralph Jones (centre) with SA/NT Divisional Commander Captain Scott Frame and Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas. Image: Supplied BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Adelaide Salvationist Ralph Jones was recently awarded a Certificate of Exceptional Service by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas in recognition for several decades of work spent assisting Salvation Army brass bands and musicians across the world. Ralph was a founding member of Noarlunga Corps in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, and still attends the corps, offering multiple hours a week as an unofficial caretaker. He and his wife Marilyn were previously a part of the Seacombe Gardens Corps and helped to plant the corps in Noarlunga in 1981. “Ralph is such a hardworking, kind and dedicated member of Noarlunga and we are incredibly blessed to have him,” said Auxiliary-Lieutenant Deb Strapp, Noarlunga Corps Officer. “He just sees the need, comes in and does what needs to be done and then leaves – although in saying that, if there is a sweet treat around, he’ll be sure to sniff it out! His wife Marilyn is so beautiful too. She is a strength that stands beside him.” Ralph, an accomplished musician, has undertaken 38 mission trips over 34 years, assisting remote and under-resourced corps to establish bands and musical groups in nine countries including Taiwan, Singapore, Zambia, South Korea, Uganda and Myanmar. For the past five years, Ralph has been going to Uganda, where he has started three new bands, with plans to add another band later this year. To do this, he has been able to bring 23 instruments into the country. A lifelong Salvationist, Ralph has managed to build networks through music across the world, including helping launch a band at Puli Corps in Taiwan. This happened after assisting in teaching at a summer camp for children in the town of Puli in 2018. “In six weeks, with two 45-minute sessions in the morning, 12 children managed to play by the end of the [camp],” he said. “Of those 12, seven are the nucleus of the corps band today.” Ralph plans to continue travelling to assist with music teams as long as his health allows. The gardening contractor and brass musician also conducts hotel ministry in several suburbs across southern Adelaide; this includes visiting the Willunga RSL every Friday night to chat with veterans about their experiences and connections with The Salvation Army. He reflects on his service as a Salvationist as a reminder that “what you sow, you reap”. “Often that has negative connotations,” Ralph said. “However, mine’s going to be those 12 kids that started playing their first tune in Taiwan in 2018. My corps band [in Zambia] started with five people. Now, 20-odd years later, they have grown in number with three of them now playing in the Zambia Territorial Band. “So, I started from a seed. That’s my legacy.” (Top left) Ralph at wife Marilyn at award ceremony with Majors Paul and Robyn Lorimer, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas and Captains Scott and Natalie Frame at the award ceremony at Adelaide Congress Hall, and a selection of photos from Ralph’s service across the world. Images: Supplied

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Neal Smith, Major Suzanne Smith and Kathy and Doug (Michael) Doudle at the Cummins Agricultural Show last year with 'William', the Emergency Mobile Catering Unit vehicle. Image: Facebook The Salvation Army in Port Lincoln, South Australia, has recently announced it will be providing hot meals, practical support and a welcoming presence to the community from the Old Port Lincoln Railway Station. The service will be provided once a month, on the second Friday of each month commencing 10 July. Meals will be served from the Emergency Mobile Catering Unit which is also deployed as a Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) vehicle. The news comes after 18 months of work spent planning, in consultation and obtaining approvals. “This initiative reflects The Salvation Army’s ongoing commitment to caring for people in need and providing support, hope, and connection within our local community,” said Port Lincoln Corps Ministry Assistant Neal Smith. “We look forward to serving those who may benefit from this service, and working alongside community partners to make a positive difference in the lives of others.” For further information, please contact Neal at The Salvation Army Port Lincoln: neal.smith@salvationarmy.org.au

Each week through 2026, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for the same territory or region of The Salvation Army. Prayer requests are shared by the territory/region to help us pray with precision and power for one another. This week (22-28 June) we pray for The Salvation Army in the Angola Territory. The Angola Territory has 78 officers (60 active, 18 retired); 10 cadets; 2 Envoys; 37 corps; 25 outposts; 5217 senior soldiers; 356 adherents; 1143 junior soldiers; 61 employees Lieut-Colonels Sergio and Ana Nsumbu lead the territory. The work of the territory includes: · Education · Poverty alleviation · Agricultural training Prayer Requests: · Spiritual growth and revival of the Church: Pray for spiritual renewal across the territory, that God may strengthen the prayer life, holiness, discipleship and evangelistic passion among officers, local leaders and soldiers. · Leadership development and training: Pray for the raising and development of faithful, wise and visionary leaders including officers, cadets, local officers, youth leaders and future servants called to ministry. · Financial sustainability and territorial self-support: Pray for God's provision, wisdom and sustainable financial growth for the territory, enabling stronger mission impact, effective administration and long-term development. · Youth and Children's Ministry: Pray for a new generation committed to Christ, protected from drugs, violence, immorality, alcoholism and destructive influences, inspired to serve God wholeheartedly. · Mission expansion and corps growth: Pray for the opening of new mission fields, strengthening of local corps and the continued spread of the Gospel throughout urban and rural communities in Angola. · Peace, stability, and social development in Angola: Pray for the nation of Angola, for government leaders, economic stability, reduction of poverty and unemployment, and for God's intervention in the social challenges affecting families and communities. · Health, protection, and unity of officers and families: Pray for God's protection, good health, encouragement and unity among officers, employees, volunteers and their families, as they continue serving faithfully in ministry. To find out more about the Angola Territory, click here. To find out more about The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, and to download the 2026 prayer schedule, click here.

(From left) Alex Rees (Chair of the Reach Board), Jenny Barrie (Newcastle City Councillor), Major Leanne Bennett (Newcastle Corps Officer), at the new home of Reach Homeless Services. BY LAUREN MARTIN Majors Leanne and Peter Bennett, and Captain Lydia Spencer from Newcastle Salvos in the NSW Hunter Region, love partnering with other services and organisations to benefit their local community. Now, their collaborative spirit has been celebrated by the City of Newcastle Council, which has announced the co-location of Reach Homeless Services within the Newcastle Salvos site. Reach Homeless Services had been operating from public locations such as the city mall and local parks for 12 years, providing food to people experiencing homelessness and/or in need of food support. “Open-air food distribution is highly visible and can deter people from accessing aid due to social stigma,” said Councillor Jenny Barrie from Newcastle City Council. “Sadly, food insecurity affects one in three households across NSW. This is a positive collaboration that will deliver real benefits for people in need in Newcastle.” Reach Homeless Services Executive Director Gary Parsisson said that having a permanent home at Newcastle Salvos now provides the service with dedicated access to a kitchen, storage, tables and chairs, creating a space for those in need and a location for volunteers to pack emergency food and hygiene kits and breakfast packs. “Having a permanent, secure location ensures we can operate in any type of weather, allowing people who might be suffering from a sense of isolation to make some much-needed connections. “Our friends now have the chance to sit down and enjoy a hot coffee on a cold morning, share a Friday night meal under a roof and access support in a space that feels safe, consistent and dignified.” READ MORE: Newcastle Salvos partner with Street Side Medics For Leanne, the partnership makes a lot of sense. “Our community involvement includes a range of activities that care for people, such as our Emergency Relief service, community meals, homeless packs, shower facilities and much more. “Collaborating with Reach complements the other services we host in Cleary St, including StreetSide Medics and Orange Sky.” Newcastle Salvos also houses Salvation Army services Employment Plus, Moneycare and Doorways and partners with Oz Harvest, Foodbank, Coles SecondBite and the RSPCA Hunter Supporters Group. The Salvation Army’s vision statement emphasises that to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus, we will live, love and fight alongside others. Newcastle Salvos is embracing collaboration, and their community is benefiting as a result.

Colonels Deslea and Philip Maxwell have been promoted to the rank of commissioner. General Lyndon Buckingham has approved the following promotion and appointment for Australian officers Colonels Deslea and Philip Maxwell. Effective October 2026 ‌ COLONELS DESLEA AND PHILIP MAXWELL, officers of the Australia Territory currently serving respectively as Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries, Hong Kong and Macau Territory, are appointed as International Secretary for Business Administration and International Secretary for Spiritual Life Development, respectively, at International Headquarters. They will take up their new appointment responsibilities with the rank of commissioner; Colonel Deslea Maxwell on 1 October 2026, Colonel Philip Maxwell on 2 October 2026. ‌ “We pray God’s richest blessing upon our comrades and acknowledge their many years of service,” the General said.

Salvation Army representatives Albert Olley (Group Executive, Mission Enterprises) and Major Robyn Black (NSW/ACT Divisional Commander) at the Sydney Prayer Breakfast. BY LAUREN MARTIN Two large-scale events in Sydney’s centre drew thousands of Christians from all denominations to pray and worship together. On 10 June, the 2026 Sydney Prayer Breakfast attracted 1800 people to the Sydney Convention Centre to pray over the city together. The Salvation Army has attended the event for more than a decade and now hosts four tables – one with representatives from the NSW/ACT Division and three others for representatives from Salvation Army enterprises: Salvos Stores, Employment Plus and Aged Care. Major Robyn Black, NSW/ACT Divisional Commander, said the Bible teaches that unity brings a blessing, so events like the prayer breakfast are important. “It’s a time of praying for our city – a city that Jesus loves. To all pray together for politicians and our community, our kids and our teachers, it’s so important to be able to do that as one body.” (Left) Major David Collinson (pictured right) organises the Salvos Stores table at the Sydney Prayer Breakfast. (Right) Mission Enterprises books three tables each year for the Sydney Prayer Breakfast. Major David Collinson, Salvos Stores Executive Officer for Mission, said he loves the event because it’s a great chance to collaborate. “The fact that we all pray to the one God, and we all believe in prayer, it’s a real unifying sign that we believe prayer is important.” He said it’s important to see Mission Enterprises represented at the prayer breakfast, showing that all Salvation Army mission expressions are places where people can find hope and pathways to faith. “We are trying to bring prayer and spirituality more and more into Salvos Stores, and that’s part of my role.” Three hours of worship Just four days later, a matinee and evening event at the iconic Sydney Opera House, called ‘OneSydney Together in Christ’, drew thousands for prayer and worship. Featuring Christian artists and performers such as Matt Maher, Stan Walker and Bella Taylor Smith, as well as the St Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, praise and worship lifted up the name of Jesus for nearly three hours. Major Robyn Black was invited to pray at the evening event, which was attended by church leaders from more than a dozen denominations. She described it as a “taste of heaven”. NSW/ACT Divisional Commander, Major Robyn Black (centre) stands with church leaders from across Sydney at the OneSydney unity event at the Sydney Opera House. “It was such a beautiful night and so exciting to stand there and be able to pray and thank God, not just for the night but for the future that there would be unity for us as the body of Christ,” she said. She said the lack of unity amongst churches on earth “is a scandal”, but that there is a growing movement for unity amongst the churches in Sydney and across NSW at this time. “That is the way people will know that we are his disciples by the way we love one another,” she said.

People think immigration is a journey. A line on a map. A plane ticket. A stamp. They don’t understand that the real journey starts after you arrive, writes Sandra Pawar. BY MAJOR SANDRA PAWAR* This week just past has marked Refugee Week, with this year’s theme being ‘A Million Stories’. Major Sandra Pawar, an officer original from the Australia Territory now serving in the Potomac Division of the USA Southern Territory, wrote the following poem for the Potomac Women’s Retreat. In the poem, Sandra explores challenging aspects of the immigrant and immigration experience. I wake up every morning before the sun, and for a moment, just a moment, I forget. I forget the papers, the deadlines, the questions I don’t know how to answer. I forget the way my name sounds when someone says it slowly, like they’re trying to decide if it belongs here. But then the world wakes up, and the remembering begins. People think immigration is a journey. A line on a map. A plane ticket. A stamp. They don’t understand that the real journey starts after you arrive. When you’re standing in a place that is supposed to be your new beginning, but it feels like you’re still waiting to be allowed in. I carry a folder everywhere I go. Birth certificates. Letters. Proof of this. Proof of that. Proof that I exist. Proof that I deserve to stay. It’s strange, isn’t it? How a life can be reduced to paper. How a woman can be reduced to a checklist. Sometimes I sit at my kitchen table late at night, surrounded by forms I don’t fully understand, written in a language that still feels like borrowed clothing. I read the same sentence over and over, hoping it will make sense the tenth time, the 20th time. I worry that one wrong answer, one wrong date could unravel everything. And the fear … The fear is quiet, but it never leaves. It sits beside me when I’m working. It follows me to the grocery store. It curls up at the foot of my bed. People ask where I’m from, and I smile. People ask where I live now, and I smile again. But inside, I wonder: Where is home when every place feels temporary? Back where I came from, I am missed. Here, I am questioned. In between, I am stretched thin too much for one place, not enough for another. I walk through this new city trying to look confident, but inside I am always bracing myself. For the next form. The next appointment. The next reminder that my future depends on someone else’s decision. I worry that one wrong answer, one wrong date could unravel everything. And yet … I keep going. Because there is hope, even in the waiting. Hope in the friend who helps me translate a letter. Hope in the neighbor who says, “You’re doing great.” Hope in the small victories – a document approved, a step forward, a breath I didn’t realise I was holding. I am tired. But I am not defeated. I am a woman who crossed borders, yes— but I am also a woman who builds, who dreams, who refuses to disappear. One day, the papers will be settled. One day, the fear will loosen its grip. One day, I will stand in a place and feel, without hesitation, “This is mine. This is home.” Until then, I keep walking. I keep hoping. I keep becoming. Because I am more than my documents. More than my status. More than the spaces between countries. I am here. And I am still rising. *Major Sandra Pawar is the author of More Than Just a Refugee.

Today is World Refugee Day, marking the end of the annual observance of World Refugee Week (14-20 June). Under airstrikes, explosions and drones, Natalia fled Mariupol in south-eastern Ukraine, Donetsk Oblast, with her family, including children and grandchildren. The family lost everything, but they made it to Vinnytsia in central-western Ukraine as internally displaced refugees. They found a rental property, but struggled to afford rent, food and medications. The Salvation Army is helping Natalia's family, and others like them, meet their basic needs with dignity through voucher support, allowing them to prioritise what is most urgent for their households. In this video, Natalia shares her story. This video was produced by The Salvation Army World Service Office. Life in Ukraine, Years into War | Salvation Army World Service Office

Today is World Refugee Day, marking the end of the annual observance of World Refugee Week (14-20 June). In this video, we hear the story of five-year-old Vlad, an internally displaced refugee in Ukraine. After severe shelling and bombing of his home city, Sievierdonetsk, in Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, Vlad and his family fled to Vinnytsia in the central-west of the country. Vlad was severely traumatised by his experience and was constantly afraid. His grandmother became a part of The Salvation Army in Vinnytsia and Vlad joined the after-school program. This program provides children a safe, consistent space to learn, play, sessions with a psychologist and helps them regain a sense of normalcy amid prolonged displacement and instability. The program helped Vlad process his trauma and he is now in a much happier space. He has hope and joy in life. This video was produced by The Salvation Army World Service Office. Life in Ukraine, Years into War | Salvation Army World Service Office

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? I am currently appointed as the Corps Officer at Bankstown Corps, where I have the privilege of serving and walking alongside people from diverse backgrounds. What I find most satisfying about this appointment is the many opportunities to share my faith – speaking about God, pointing people to Jesus, and sharing what He has done and continues to do. This extends not only within the corps, but also when I visit family and friends in China, where I am able to share Jesus in personal and meaningful ways. I deeply value journeying with people through difficult and challenging times, and it is a sacred responsibility to minister to individuals during some of the most painful moments of their lives. Witnessing hope restored and lives transformed as people choose to follow Jesus is one of the greatest joys of this calling. 2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind? Away from my appointment – if that’s ever possible – I enjoy taking time to relax through music, especially by playing a bit of guitar, which helps me slow down and reflect. I also love photography, particularly capturing the beauty of nature, as it gives me a fresh perspective and a sense of peace. Travelling to different places is another way I unwind, as it allows me to explore new environments, appreciate God’s creation, and be refreshed both physically and spiritually. 3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it? A favourite Christian song for me is ‘The God We Love’ by CityAlight. I appreciate this song because it captures so clearly who God is – His character, His faithfulness, and all that He has done for us through Jesus. The lyrics remind me of the depth of His love and the assurance we have in Him, especially in every season of life. It gives me a deep sense of hope and encouragement, pointing me to the promise that one day I will be with Him forever, which is both comforting and inspiring in my daily walk of faith. 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 would choose the Apostle Paul. I would love to ask him about his perseverance through hardship and what sustained his faith as he faced so many challenges, suffering, and uncertainties. I would be especially interested in hearing how he remained so focused on the mission of sharing the gospel, no matter the cost. It would also be encouraging to learn from his personal relationship with Christ – how he prayed, trusted God’s guidance, and found strength in weakness. I believe that conversation would inspire and challenge me to live more faithfully and courageously in my own calling. 5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say? If I were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked whether I would recommend officership, I would say yes – wholeheartedly. If God has placed that calling on your life, then it is one of the best things you can pursue. The key is to be obedient and to follow where God leads. While the journey may not always be easy, responding to His call is the most meaningful and fulfilling decision you can make, and there is deep joy in serving Him wholeheartedly. WATCH MORE: Salvo Story – Bankstown Salvos More information on Salvation Army officership can be found here.

Bob Hawke and Salvationist John Cleary at the launch of Salvo! in 1993. BY BARRY GITTINS In 1993, Salvationist and journalist John Cleary published a 160-page coffee-table book titled Salvo!, launched by then-Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke. I suggest that the prolific and social change in those decades, occurring at such a frantic, continuous rate, makes the tome even more relevant for Salvationists in our present age, as a signpost and reminder of where we have recently come from. John Cleary’s book launched in 1993 and received an Australian Christian Book of the Year award. The first book to address the Army’s history since Barbara Bolton’s Booth’s Drum in 1980, Salvo! also included accounts of compelling profiles of Salvationists such as Ron Prussing, John Dalziel, Commissioners Leslie Rusher and James Condon, Lieut-Colonel Lucille Turfrey, Majors David Eldridge, Brian Watters and Errol Woodbury, and Wendy Gale. The list of people featured and their stories is a means of grace. A Salvationist himself, John Cleary was a soldier at Sydney Congress Hall when he wrote the book. The book’s subtitle, The Salvation Army in the 1990s, set a tone for its use as an examination of the movement at that time, as the book gave an eloquent explanation of our roots to readers ‘internal’ and ‘external’ – indeed, as well as a resource for Salvationists, the tome was and is a helpful public relations tool with a national focus. This was a significant achievement, as it was written at a time when there were two very distinct, separate Salvation Army territories in the country. Citing Founder William Booth’s description of the need for a society to care for all of its citizens, having through injustice and inequity “greased the slope down which these poor souls slide to perdition”, Cleary included the many and varied paths through which the Army worked with practical compassion at that time, including homelessness services and counselling, corps, employment services, rehabilitation, reaching out to sex workers, emergency services, international aid, heath care, aged care, etc. The War Cry report on the book launch. While church attendance and influence within Australia continue to decline, and evangelical Christianity has, in some circumstances and to some extent, been associated with politics and the ‘prosperity gospel’, this book reminds us of Booth’s selfless, sacrificial gospel. William Booth, we are reminded, encouraged his troops to embody and share the message and person of Christ in our daily lives, actions and conversations, with integrity, humility, joy and hope. An inspiring, inspired book that continues to have much to offer, Salvo! is well worth a read if you pick it up. It reflects William Booth’s belief that God wants to save the whole person, and that the Army is at its best when it sees all people as beloved by God, who, as the book cites Booth as saying, made us all with “a spark of God” within us. READ MORE: To read Bob Hawke’s speech at the book launch, click here John Cleary recalls writing Salvo! The prompt to write the book came from Phil Wilson, who was a soldier with me at Sydney Congress Hall and was employed by The Salvation Army’s Public Relations department. Phil was a recent immigrant from the United Kingdom and a former bandsman at Enfield, one of London’s best bands. He brought a sensible and independent view of the Army in Australia; he had no stake in any of the petty politics that can bedevil such projects, and he was very keen for it to be a reflection of both territories. The dust jacket flap of the book profiling John Cleary. It was fortunate that there was a publisher in Sydney, Focus Books, who had done some work with the Army; they were prepared to leave most of the editorial judgement to Phil and I, just making a few editorial observations as each chapter was prepared. I really felt little or no pressure from Focus or the Army in writing the manuscript. All the way through, Phil was my closest collaborator. The timeframe was less than a year, but I cannot recall exactly. I did it whilst maintaining my full-time job at the ABC. As I had just ended a period as the staff-elected Director on the ABC Board of Directors (1988-92), the book was something of a fresh project, but with the advantage of having spent a few years looking at an organisation from the top down, rather than the bottom up. The other advantage, from an ABC journalistic perspective, was that I approached the book with a non-Salvo audience in mind, giving them some sort of access through both history and personal experience of being ‘a Salvo’. The plan of the book was that each chapter would be roughly structured with two strands: 1. History, 2. Personal experience. As you read each chapter as a personal story, you are also taken to the history and structure of a related element of Salvationist mission. Hopefully, that way you would end up understanding the Salvation Army, both historically and missionally. The underlying hope, for me, was that Salvationists and others would gain some appreciation of the continued relevance of Booth’s insights regarding the Army’s dual mission, linking social and evangelical concerns, into organised, incarnational, world-redeeming action. In due course, the Salvation Army Australia Museum sites at Auburn, NSW, and Melbourne, will have a limited number of free copies of Salvo! available to museum visitors at their request.