Paradox Coffee Roasters have teamed up with The Salvation Army to release a special Easter blend to raise money for ‘Aussies in need’.   The Salvation Army is partnering with Paradox Coffee Roasters this Easter to support those in our community facing hardship.   “A portion of sales from every 200g bag sold will be donated to The Salvation Army to support Aussies in need ,” a Paradox Coffee representative said.   Purchasing the Strawberry-Brownie Easter Blend will help fund emergency housing, crisis support for women and families, and financial counselling services – providing essential care and relief to individuals and families facing hardship and homelessness.   “The donations will be directed to The Salvation Army Doorways Emergency Relief program, helping provide food, support and care for people in our community experiencing hardship.”   Amanda Travers, Relationships Manager (Corporate Partnerships) for the Communications Fundraising team, said The Salvation Army was incredibly grateful to partner with Paradox Coffee Roasters this Easter.   “Initiatives like the Strawberry-Brownie Easter Blend show how simple choices can make a real difference, helping The Salvation Army provide vital support for Australians experiencing hardship,” she said.   The Salvation Army and Paradox Coffee Roasters also partnered in the lead-up to Christmas last year with a special blend for the festive season.   For more information and to purchase the limited-release Easter Blend, click here   For information on The Salvation Army’s partnership, click here   To go to the Paradox Coffee Roasters website, click here

The Salvation Army is maintaining a strong presence at the United Nations conferences currently taking place in New York through its International Social Justice Commission (ISJC).   The focus of the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women is the elimination of violence against women, economic empowerment and the protection of the ‘girl child’. The Salvation Army is committed to the rights of all women and girls. In addition, the movement has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting all children from sale, sexual exploitation and abuse.  This is a reaffirmation of The Salvation Army’s stance on protecting children from sexual exploitation at the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last year. During the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children, The Salvation Army strengthened and clarified its stance as we live in a time when the number of vulnerable children is extremely high due to an increase in displaced populations arising from conflict across the world.  Ongoing work supporting children and families Working in more than 130 countries, The Salvation Army supports children and families affected by poverty, displacement, trafficking and online exploitation. In 2025 alone, the organisation assisted over 25,000 survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking, including many children who had been subjected to sexual exploitation. Highlighting the importance of coordinated international protection, the movement shared the case of a girl trafficked across borders under false promises of education. Following her escape, she received emergency care and psychosocial support, and was safely reunified through cross-border cooperation. She has since returned to school and continues to receive follow-up care.  Despite progress, significant protection gaps remain. Many children lack safe reporting mechanisms, while migrant and displaced children face heightened risks. The Salvation Army emphasised the need for stronger trauma-informed training and resources for front-line workers.  Three key priorities The Salvation Army urged three key priorities: increased investment in community-based prevention; strengthened cross-border collaboration focused on protection rather than bureaucracy; and ensuring child- and survivor-led approaches inform policy and accountability.  The Salvation Army reiterated its commitment to partnering with other nation states to ensure every child is safe, valued and free to flourish.   To read this story, and others from The Salvation Army International Headquarters, click here. The full  I nternational Positional Statement on Religious Freedom  is available through The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters. Go to the IHQ website on International Positional Statements here

Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas introduces the Keepers of the Covenant (from left) José Porcia, Matthew Pethybridge, Amand Pethybridge, Soonsun Kwon and Jonathan Abdulai. All photos: Greg Donovan BY LERISSE SMITH   It was a Commissioning service to remember – rich with touchpoints, both profound and inspiring.   From a special video appearance by Colonels John and Lani Chamness, to moments of humour, a collective think-tank on making a covenant, and stirring speeches that lifted the soul, the Ordination, Commissioning and Sending Out service for the Keepers of the Covenant at Parramatta Corps on Sunday was a celebration of purpose, passion, and the power of faith.   Being commissioned into full-time service as Salvation Army officers were Cadets Jonathan Abdulai, Soonsun Kwon and José Porcia, and Auxiliary-Lieutenants Amanda and Matthew Pethybridge. The cadets now have the rank of Lieutenant, with the auxiliary-lieutenants assigned the rank of Captain. READ MORE: Dobbies say a resounding 'yes' to officership Sunday’s poignant occasion filled the room with vibrant worship, deeply personal reflections and testimonies blending humour and emotion, alongside an inspiring think-tank sermon from the newly commissioned officers, led by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas.   Inspirational leadership messages and multimedia presentations also took centre stage, while family and friends filled the auditorium to celebrate their loved ones.   Infusing the event with extra energy, Auburn Corps members invited attendees to a spontaneous dance celebration as part of the vibrant worship.   The cadets and auxiliary-lieutenants with Commissioner Miriam Gluyas on receiving their Commissions and Certificates of Salvation Army Officer Training. (Bottom right) Captain Kylie Herring, Leader of Officer Formation. A highlight of the celebratory occasion was Colonels John and Lani Chamness, who sent video messages of encouragement and support from the United States. (John and Lani are still awaiting their visas to enter Australia before taking up appointments as our new Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Leader Development). John spoke words of encouragement to those being commissioned, while Lani led a special prayer.    “Cadets, welcome to the sacred moment in your journey,” John said.   “A moment that marks your calling to live and proclaim the covenant of our Lord. And so, as you prepare to be ordained as officers, this covenant not made of stone, but of flesh and blood, remember the words of Jeremiah 31:33 … It is to this covenant you are called, one that is not external or temporary, but eternal and transformative.   “The New Covenant is God’s promise to forgive sin and restore fellowship with all who turn their hearts towards him. It is a covenant sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ, our mediator, whose death and resurrection form the foundation of this divine promise.   “In this promise, God reveals a transformation that reshapes the very heart and soul of his people, no longer written on cold stone, his law is now inscribed within us, alive in our hearts, guiding our steps and moulding our character.”   John closed by urging the cadets to live out their renewed calling, trusting they would carry the transforming grace of the New Covenant where God led them.   Jonathan Abdulai and José Porcia were entertaining as they shared their cadetship journeys. Then came another big moment as Jonathan and José stepped onto the platform.   The duo inspired, delighted and entertained the congregation with passionate, stirring speeches reflecting their journeys – the highs, the lows, and the gratitude for all those who walked alongside them.   Tears were shed, too, when contemplating the amazing grace and favour of God and his faithfulness.   “Our journey involved crossing many thresholds, and in those pivotal moments, God sent people to meet us or to lead us,” reflected José.   “When I was lost in addiction, do you know what my mother was doing? She was praying, and this – right here – is what answered prayer looks like.” José and Jonathan share impactful stories of finding faith and belonging in Jesus and the Salvos. José further shared his greatest challenge: something deeply personal.   “There were many mountains that needed to be moved, challenges to conquer,” he remarked.   “But my most difficult challenge, the hardest mountain that needed moving, was the mountain called ‘self’… I was always trying to qualify for the call until I realised that God qualifies the call, and God helped me move that mountain. But I had to bring the shovel. Ministry isn’t strutting around like we’ve earned it. It’s walking humbly, serving faithfully and directing every eye, every heart back to him.”   Laughter echoed through the room as José and Jonathan recounted funny and memorable moments in their journey, including their battles with grammar and vocabulary, since English was not their first language.   For Jonathan, one of his greatest challenges was writing essays, which felt like trying to solve a puzzle that has missing pieces, until a “quick call to the Holy Spirit” guided him through – and grammar!   “This journey that forced me to get to know myself, and part of knowing myself was facing my greatest fear – grammar. Grammar nearly finished me. I nearly lost the battle!”   His individual training officers became a lifeline.   “These blokes were determined to help me improve, and I’m grateful for them. At first, every page of my essays were covered in red ink, like a traffic accident! But over time, the red started to fade. I’m not perfect yet, but at least my essay no longer looks like a crime scene!”   Despite these challenges, cadetship gave Jonathan a story of genuine transformation.   “It has changed the way I see God, others and myself,” he reflected.   “Real leadership is servanthood. It is not about power, but about people. It is not about the size of the chair. It is about how far I am willing to kneel. So, here am I today … someone who is convinced that God has been forming me every single day of my journey. When I hear ‘keepers of the covenant’, I am not the hero here. I am not the one holding it together. I am the witness pointing to the One who never broke his covenant.” Infusing the event with extra energy, Auburn Corps singers invited attendees to a spontaneous dance celebration as part of their vibrant worship. Captain Kylie Herring, Leader of Officer Formation and Senior Training Officer at Eva Burrows College in Melbourne, spoke of her excitement for the momentous occasion.   “Jonathan, José and Soonsun, this is such an exciting day for you and for the cadet formation team as we’ve had the privilege of journeying with you across your period of formation,” she said.   “We stand proudly with you today as you are commissioned and ordained as Salvation Army officers and become our colleagues.”   Over the past two years, the cadets have been located in the New South Wales, ACT and Victoria divisions. Kylie expressed thanks to the divisions, the local corps, social and community expressions, who welcomed the cadets during their placements.   It was back in January 2024 when Kylie shared a reflection on the sessional name at Orientation Week –  Keepers of the Covenant.     She said it was a challenge – not just for the cadets, but for all those who choose to live each day in a deliberate posture of dependence, faithfulness and hopefulness.   “It is no easy task keeping covenant with God, with self and others,” she shared at the service.   “As you commence as officers in The Salvation Army, my prayer is that as  Keepers of the Covenant , you would live each day aware of the Covenant engraved on your heart, that the markers of dependence, hopefulness, faithfulness would ground your identity and be evident in your practice as a minister of the gospel, partnering with God in the beautiful unfolding of Kingdom realities within and without for the sake of others, and even more expansively, for the sake of the world. May God bless and keep you each.”   Major Tracey Davies, Lead Co-ordinator – First Five Years & Auxiliary Lieutenants Programs, spoke of how Matthew and Amanda had served faithfully as Auxiliary-Lieutenants, highlighting the number of different ways officership could take place in The Salvation Army. Major Tracey Davies spoke on behalf of Matthew and Amanda Pethybridge and how they took the path of commissioned officership through being auxiliary-lieutenants. For Matthew and Amanda, their journey to commissioned officership followed the Auxiliary-Lieutenancy pathway, having completed two full three-year terms in a number of appointments in New South Wales, and are now in their third term.   It has been a season of ministry that has allowed them to lead and serve while engaging in learning, development, and formation on the side , Tracey remarked, along with the growth and expansion of a young and vibrant family.   “Matt and Amanda, as each one of us stands here, we are proud to share and to say that we join with you today and enjoy having you in our ranks,” she said.   “My prayer is that you will continue to live out your calling, this covenant that God has made with you each and placed deep within your hearts.”   After the official formalities ended, Miriam assembled the newly commissioned officers on the platform to reflect on what making a covenant meant for them.   For Soonsun, the corps officers at Belmore had played a significant role in her life, setting “a really good example” as a Salvation Army officer.  Most of all, they were praying people: “People like them are setting fire in people’s hearts and their passion for the Lord really inspires me a lot.”   For Amanda, the covenant was about making sure that she surrendered to the Holy Spirit – being obedient to him and listening to him.    “I’m so grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit,” she emphasised. “The transformational work it’s done for my life, and so I’m not going to stop advocating for what the Holy Spirit can do.”   Matthew also shared the significance of the covenant for him. Families and friends of the cadets and auxiliary-lieutenants share the platform wit their loved ones. “The covenant comes from him,” he said. “It doesn’t require anything of me. And I think that’s a beautiful picture that I’m just invited to come and sit at his table. It’s a covenant of relationship, not a covenant of doing.”   Miriam said she had every confidence the newly commissioned officers would keep their covenants.   And she concluded the discussion with an impassioned plea.   “We are all keepers of the covenant. I would want everyone to make a covenant with our beautiful God today. Is God still calling people? Absolutely!” she remarked.   “I think Jesus wants to soften the heart of The Salvation Army right now – to see again who he called us to be.” Click through the slideshow below for more photos of the Commissioning, Ordination and Sending Out ceremony at Parramatta Corps on Sunday 23 November:

Lieutenants Alli and Liam Holland surrounded by territorial leaders and Eva Burrows College staff (from left) Colonel John Chamness, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Major Tracey Davies, Colonel Lani Chamness and (front right) Lieut-Colonel Brenda Young. BY MAJOR MAL DAVIES   Sunday saw a morning of celebration at Pine Rivers Corps in the Queensland Division with the ordination and commissioning of Alli and Liam Holland.   The Hollands were part of the Keepers of the Covenant session, with their other seven session-mates commissioned late last year.   On the previous day, they had attended a small but holy gathering to sign their officer covenants. The gathering included the participation of Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Colonels John and Lani Chamness, Lieut-Colonel Brenda Young and Majors Mark Everitt, Tracey Davies and Neil and Sharon Clanfield, as they each led brief sections of the service.   Sunday, however, had a different feel, as the Pine Rivers Corps band provided some rousing prelude music, and there was laughter and chatter in the room as folks arrived.   Queensland Divisional Commander Major Mark Everitt welcomed everyone and provided both the Acknowledgement of Country and call to worship, and we moved into some singing, including the very apt, ‘Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus’. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas commissions Alli and Liam as officers of The Salvation Army.   Alli and Liam then had the opportunity to share their testimonies. Alli spoke of her journey to leadership and said that for the past year she has “intentionally stepped out in faith and experienced God’s faithfulness”. She added that “God has sustained me in the past and I trust him for my future.”   Liam commented on how God had worked in and challenged him: “I’m not a perfect person, I’m very imperfect, but still God’s grace is on my life and he can use me in ministry”, and he spoke of how he pursued officership, “not out of ambition but out of obedience to God”.   Major Tracey Davies, from the Officer Formation team, spoke of the training and development plans Alli and Liam had worked on as they progressed from being auxiliary-lieutenants to ordained officers with the rank of lieutenant.   “They’ve worked really hard,” Tracey said, “and their commitment has been wonderful to see.” Addressing them directly, she said, “I pray that as you make this next step, you will enjoy living out the privilege of serving God.”   After the declaration of the doctrines, the Territorial Commander led Alli and Liam through their ordination and commissioning as officers and then provided the ‘surprise’ of the day that was no surprise at all and yet prompted a cheer from the congregation: “You have been serving in leadership as auxiliary-lieutenants here at Pine Rivers Corps and you are now appointed to … Pine Rivers Corps!” Silver Stars ... (from left) Major San Holland, Lieutenant Alli Holland and her mother Lyn Hannah, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Lieutenant Liam Holland and Major Topher Holland.   Colonel Lani Chamness offered a prayer of dedication, then led the Silver Star presentation to their parents, before the Chief Secretary delivered the message. Colonel John Chamness spoke on Jeremiah 31:31-34 and how God’s covenant is ‘written on our hearts’.   “This is the covenant of mission and transformation that The Salvation Army lives by,” he stated. Chief Secretary Colonel John Chamness brings the message at the Commissioning service.  The Colonel then focused on the territorial rally cry – ‘Jesus-centred, Spirit-led, hope revealed’ – and how Alli and Liam could live out each part of that call. He said, “Your calling is not to be impressive but to be faithful. The Spirit of God gives us a holy boldness that can only come from God.”   During the response time, Alli and Liam were invited to stand at the front of the hall as people came, prayed over them, and greeted them.   As morning tea was shared, Alli and Liam had placed a Bible in the foyer and asked people to highlight verses for them. A lovely way to conclude a morning of celebration and praise. Click through the slideshow below for more photos: (All photos by Dale Wallace)

Salvos Online   continues a new series of unexpected and decidedly prescriptive teachings that General William Booth gave to his soldiers 124 years ago, excerpting the 1902 publication  Letters to Salvationists on Religion for Every Day   (volume 1). Over the next few months, we will publish General Booth’s thoughts on everyday topics, including sickness and bereavement, sleep, hygiene, life challenges, clothing, poverty, the Bible and the Sabbath, industrial relations and more.   “One reason for the long and vigorous life of Mr. Gladstone is said to have been the care with which he masticated his Food. It is reported, whether correctly or not, I do not know, that he gave 32 chews to every separate piece of Food he put into his mouth!”   What, why and how to eat and drink BY GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH Salvation Army co-founder   (The article below is General Booth’s original 1902 transcript)   My dear comrades, eating and drinking have so much to do with the comfort, health, and usefulness of most people, whether in youth, manhood, or old age, that I cannot pass the subject by without offering some suggestions with respect to it, however imperfect they may be.    If it is suggested that Religion cannot be brought down to the doings of the table without affecting its dignity, I shall reply in the words of the Apostle Paul, “Whether, therefore, ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Every meal of which we partake should be a Sacrament, and every action we perform a part of our Religion, be it their breakfasts, dinners, teas, and the like.   Eating and drinking are closely associated with the ability to think. Every intelligent man knows that food, unsuitable in quantity or quality, or taken at unsuitable times, has a bad effect upon his brain. It clips the wings of imagination, dulls the perception, darkens memory, depresses the spirits, and clothes the future with gloom. Many a bad speech, and bad bargain too, has come of what is often called a good dinner.   Food has much to do with the exercise of gifts. It affects [your] ability to sing, to pray, to reason, to talk, or to lead. A hearty meal of the plainest fare, or a very small quantity of richer food, will often clothe my soul with torpor, make my brain feel like a log of wood, and render speaking or writing a positive torture. I have no doubt that it is so, more or less, with numbers of other speakers, some of these being either ignorant of the fact, or too fond of the knife-and-fork business to curb their appetites for the sake of the profitable discharge of their duty.   Eating and drinking have much to do with the shortening of many people’s lives. Drunkenness is charged with the destruction of an enormous number of victims, but I very much question whether more people do not die from over-eating than from over-drinking. I have made that remark again and again in the presence of physicians of eminence, but not one of them has ever called its accuracy in question. On the contrary, the majority have openly assented to it.   Eating and drinking have great influence on our spiritual experiences – oftentimes, a closer connection with them than some of our Bible Readings, Prayer Meetings, our Holiness Studies, and the like. I say this without any wish to depreciate the value of those useful exercises. Many a good soul goes into the darkness of unbelief and low spirits simply through eating more food than is necessary. Self-indulgence in this respect is the enemy of both faith and prayer, and no doubt this is the reason that the Bible, and especially Jesus Christ, so often couple prayer and fasting together.   Every man who really desires to walk and talk with God must be moderate and abstemious in his diet. What then, can I advise you on the question of your Food?   Make a conscience of the matter. What a number of individuals I have known, during my lifetime, who, though they would not on any account sin against their neighbour by injuring his person, will regularly sin against their own bodies by eating and drinking what they know will injure them!   But it is asked, “What must we eat and drink?” This question might be preceded by another, of equal or still greater importance, and that is, “What shall we avoid?” I answer: Do not take any intoxicants. I need not say this to Salvationists, for I am sure they could not drink the liquor in any shape or form that brings so much sin and misery to the world, even if there were no prohibitory rule on the question. Nor need I give any reasons for offering the same advice to anybody else; and yet I will call your attention to two or three ...    (a) You will not be any healthier or stronger for using intoxicating drinks. (b) You may be a great deal worse for taking them, seeing that, even though you take them in moderation, they may lead you on to excessive drinking. (c) If you take your intoxicants in moderation yourselves, your children, or those about you may, through your example, or through partaking of them at your table, contract that appetite for the drunkard’s drink which will carry them to the drunkard’s grave, and the drunkard’s Hell.   I remember hearing of a young man, who died a drunkard’s death in great agony, who said that he acquired the taste for brandy by draining the glasses that came from his grandfather’s table.   There must be no Tobacco in any form, whether smoked, snuffed, or chewed.   There must be no Opiates, whether in drops, drafts, pills, or pipe.   There must be no Sweetmeats; that is, as a habit for adults. [These were confections made with sugar, honey, sweet wines or spices.] The little children and the boys and girls may have a few chocolates, and the like, now and then, but men and women should put such childish things away.   There must be no Pickles or other fancy Condiments; or, at any rate, as few as possible.   There should be nothing that will disagree with you , however palatable, or strongly recommended, or however common its use may be by those around you, which you have reason to believe will not agree with you afterwards.    Now, let me look for a moment at what may be taken.   Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, or other hot drinks, may be used in strict moderation. Tea is, in my opinion, the safest of the catalogue, and will be found adapted to the largest number of constitutions. But that, I say, only in moderation. Many well-meaning people have ruined their health by foolish and excessive tea drinking. They are tea-drunkards.    Animal food should not be taken, at most, more than once a day. There are multitudes of men and women who would be wiser, healthier, happier, and holier without meat altogether. I recommend everybody who has not made the experiment of total abstinence from flesh meat in every form to do so at once. Give it a month’s trial. The quantity of food has almost as much to do with health as the quality.   Instead of everlastingly finding fault with the food, it would be a good plan if the people who suffer from indigestion, headaches, and the like would only see how they got along with one half, or even a fourth, of the quantity usually taken.     There are few subjects on which greater delusions prevail than the amount of Food that is necessary to maintain life in health and vigour. “You must eat more,” is the common counsel to the invalid. “The brain must be fed; the nervous energy must be fed; the whole system must be fed. You cannot get on without a liberal supply of good, nourishing food.” And so, people eat and eat, and still eat more and more; till poor overtaxed nature breaks down, and health is lost forever.   One of William Booth’s famous quotes pertaining to food and spirituality. The question turns, then, on what is good, nourishing Food, and what constitutes a sufficient supply of it. There is an illustration I often give which, I think, settles the matter. Anyway, it does to my satisfaction …   When a house is building, an adequate supply of the various kinds of materials of which it is being constructed must be furnished. Quantities of bricks and timber, and stones and slates, and lime and lead, and I know not what else, must be brought along day by day. They will all be wanted for the foundations, the walls, the floors, the roofs, and the other parts of the building.   But when the house is finished, painted, papered, and completed in every respect, all that will be needed will be the material necessary to meet the wear and tear of it from time to time. Even so with the earthly tabernacle in which for its season we are called to dwell.   From infancy up to maturity – while the house is building – considerably larger supplies of Food are required than are needed later on. Although the feeding of children can be overdone, and gourmandising habits created … that will curse the man or the woman of the future.   If the Food is simple and substantial, the children should have as much of it as their healthy appetites crave. Bone and sinew, and muscle and nerve, and brain, and all the other wonderful substances, which together constitute the human edifice, have to be made.   But when the man has reached his full growth, all that is required in this house, as in the other, will be sufficient material to meet the wear and tear, that is the waste, which is constantly taking place. It is said, however, that, unlike the habitations built of wood and stone, this house of flesh ought to entirely renew itself every seven years. Be that as it may, I hardly see that the argument affords a good excuse for extravagant eating, seeing that half an ounce of suitable Food extra over the amount required to feed the working force of the day, will furnish sufficient material to entirely remake a man of 20 stone weight during the seven years the process is in progress.   In eating remember, then, that Nature requires only a certain quantity of support, andthat having extracted that amount from the Food supplied her, she rejects the remainder. It follows, therefore, that only that particular quantity of nourishment which is turned to good account is of any real benefit to the system.   All over and beyond this, only necessitates so much extra work and fatigue for the organs that have to get rid of the surplus. That extra labour produces indigestion, which invariably leads to lassitude, and then to almost every other disease to which the human system is subject. But what about a good appetite? Is not that an indication of the quantity of Food nature needs?   Yes; perhaps it is in a perfectly healthy individual, but in an unhealthy individual it is frequently the opposite. The amount of Food a man takes is usually a mere question of habit. Because he takes more than he requires one day, he fancies he requires the same amount the next. The day after he not only takes the little that was beyond the need of the day before, but a little extra still. And so he goes on, taking a little more than is required, and a little more, the appetite increasing all the time until it becomes a positive disease. The endless variety in Food, the different ways in which it is served up, together with the numberless appetising things taken with it, such as pickles, relishes, seasonings, sauces, and the like, all lead people to eat more than is good for them.   I recommend you throw the modern fanciful methods of cooking overboard. Spread your table with Food prepared after a simple fashion, and your appetite will soon prove itself a safe and agreeable guide. In other words, bring your palate to your Food instead of your Food to your palate; but even then, appetite will want watching, and the advice of the Apostle be found essential to health and wellbeing: “Let your moderation be known unto all men.”   If the question is asked as to the best time for meals, I should say you must eat at regular intervals, and those times not too near together. The system of taking four substantial meals per day-breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper – with bits and bites between – commonly prevails with the Britisher; it must be woefully injurious.   The three square meals of the American, consisting of breakfast taken at eight o’clock, dinner at one, tea at six, and nothing after, is preferable to that.   The French plan, of a piece of bread and butter and a cup of coffee on rising (which is usually early) a luncheon at twelve, and a dinner at six, is, I think, the most preferable of the three.   Indeed, it is an open question whether we should not all of us be better for giving the stomach a complete rest during the early hours of the day. “Woe,” said the wise man, “to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!” If a man discovers how much Food he really requires, and rigidly confines himself to that quantity, I do not, however, think the hour of the day when it is taken is of the first importance. Nature will deal with it satisfactorily.   To assist the process of digestion, Food should be taken slowly. One reason for the long and vigorous life of Mr. Gladstone is said to have been the care with which he masticated his Food. It is reported, whether correctly or not, I do not know, that he gave 32 chews to every separate piece of Food he put into his mouth!   But, however that may be, there can be no question that a great many people do eat too rapidly. The food disappears off their plates like magic. Nervous people, full of energy and plans and work, or when occupied with an interesting conversation, are very apt to fall into this snare. Carried away by their thoughts and feelings, they forget for the moment, all their good notions about mastication, and so by their very energy in taking it, they effectually defeat the object for which their Food is taken.   Anatomists tell us that, to be of the greatest benefit to the system, Food must be pulled to pieces, and completely ground up by the teeth. It must be thoroughly chewed, and that for the following reasons:   1. It lessens the labour of the digestive organs that have to reduce the Food to a pulp, during the first stage of the process of making it into blood and bone and muscle. When the duty of mastication is neglected, or only discharged imperfectly, the amount of work imposed on the stomach is doubled or trebled, and, consequently, the task is not so well done.   2. In chewing the Food, a certain fluid, essential to the work of digestion, is poured forth from what are called the salivary glands. Thorough mastication not only secures a sufficient amount of this fluid, it properly mixes it with the Food, thus assisting the process of digestion still further.   To eat slowly and carefully is, therefore, necessary. It is better to take liquids after eating the solid food. They should not be mixed together in the mouth. If the liquid unites with the dry Food there is much less chance of the important fluid to which I have just referred being added in sufficient quantity. NEXT WEEK: General William Booth’s thoughts on hygiene. *This series has been compiled by Barry Gittins, The Salvation Army Australia Museum Specialist (Melbourne)

As someone who grew up in the post-9/11 political climate, it’s been devastating to see the same tired and dehumanising rhetoric recycled following the abominable events at Bondi, writes Kirralee Nicolle. Today, 15 March, marks the International Day to Combat Islamophobia . With tensions across the world running high, interfaith and cross-cultural trust is thinning. As followers of Jesus, The Salvation Army stands against judging religious and cultural groups and seeks to embrace everyone with love and acceptance. At all our services, people of all faiths are welcome. You can read our Inclusion statement or our most recent statement on religious freedom to find out more. In this piece, Salvos Online journalist KIRRALEE NICOLLE reflects on growing up and changing perspectives amid wider cultural shifts. The day before 9/11, I had just turned seven.   I remember my brother running into my room to tell what had happened, and the TV, which usually stayed off during the day, blasting the scene over and over until late that night. This decade-defining moment was terrifying, jarring and ushered in terminology which I had previously never encountered.  Going from cake and balloons and new toys to footage of killing and destruction on a horrific scale marked a clearly defined realisation for me: no matter how enjoyable it was to be a kid, the world strode on, and people died.   From that point on, there were people who blew up buildings, and then there were the others, who didn’t. The people who blew up buildings were known as Muslims and terrorists. In my monocultural, very Caucasian beachside town life, Muslims seemed a long way away. Around me were Christians, many who were non-religious and a few New Age or more spiritual types, and none of them blew up buildings, as far as I could tell. But there was a creeping sense that the people we feared were on their way to us.  In the conservative church environment I was in, the political climate of my region and the culture within my own family, we didn’t talk about Muslims as being multifaceted people from a different religious background to us, we just talked about how they were wrong, and dangerous.   I’m not sure how we can deescalate and disarm a society that is showing ever-widening cracks in its tolerance and its love. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties and my university years that I met my first Muslims in real life. I was somewhat shocked to find that they could be kind, intelligent and perhaps most surprisingly – normal. Beneath the occasional head coverings, which I had also been taught to fear, were people who were often sassy, warm and full of stories which set my head spinning – lives they had lived elsewhere, the problems they had faced growing up in multiple cultures, and knowledge they had gained from adversity. At other times, like everyone else, they were less sociable or charismatic, perhaps more internal.  They were just people, in all their multitudinous complexities. Realising this was more distressing than reassuring in some ways, as it pointed back to me as the source of the problem. It was me who made the judgments, and me who had assumed. What else might I have wrongly assumed, I wondered (in short, a lot). My realisation should not have come so late, nor should it have come because through a series of small decisions, I found myself in a scenario where I came to meet the very people I’d been encouraged to fear. Being able to humanise those who are different to us is something which shouldn’t be tied to privilege or rare circumstances. It shouldn’t be something confined to larger educational spaces or certain faculties. We, of course, shouldn’t presume the worst of someone before we realise they don’t deserve any of our assumptions, they simply deserve to live a life of their choosing.   As in the case of Ahmed Al-Ahmed who intervened in the Bondi shooting, decidedly a hero of our time, someone shouldn’t have to demonstrate their worth to be seen as a valuable member of our society. The fact he stepped in and risked his own life was remarkable and superhuman, the fact he deserves to be viewed as an equal Australian should be a separate reality that is just as true. The work Muslim Australians are required to do to prove they deserve to live here and be accepted fully into our communities is not just inhumane, its abhorrent.   As someone who grew up in the post-9/11 political climate, it’s been devastating to see the same tired and dehumanising rhetoric recycled following the abominable events at Bondi. What was a criminal act carried out by unjustified actors has recently been used as a reason for, once again, vilifying entire groups. To watch many in the church join this brigade of hatred brings another layer of misery. I can only imagine how distressing it is to be a Muslim in Australia today. Matthew 22:37-39 describes the two commandments which Christians are to follow – firstly, to love God with all our hearts, souls and minds, and the second, to love our neighbours as ourselves.  Loving others means actively choosing to resist narratives which portray whole groups as carrying guilt which should only be attributed to individuals. Loving others means believing they hold just as much inherent value, worth and the right to a peaceful life as you do. Loving others means choosing to include them in our communities, policies and friendship groups. Loving others means noticing when they are struggling to settle in or needing more information and seeking to offer help and assistance. Most of all, loving others means seeing the image of God reflected in them, and treating them with dignity and reverence.  I’m not sure how we can deescalate and disarm a society that is showing ever-widening cracks in its tolerance and its love. But I do know that we can start with a stand we take as individuals, as households and as communities. A stand which says any rhetoric that sounds like ‘those who are different to us do not belong’ is not welcome.   But people of all kinds are, and that’s also non-negotiable.

In this video, we meet Amani in Fiji as he shares how God transformed his life and called him to reach young people on the margins. As manager of Kauwai Youth Restoration Services, Amani and The Salvation Army provide food, shelter, education, and unconditional love to vulnerable and at-risk youth – many facing poverty, domestic violence, addiction, and life on the streets. In this Self Denial Appeal story, you’ll see how a safe place, genuine care, and the hope of Jesus can break cycles of violence and poverty, helping young people become who God created them to be. The work in Fiji is made possible through generous gifts to the Self Denial Mission Support Fund. Be motivated by love. Give generously to the Self Denial Appeal and help transform lives.   To  find out more and donate, click here .

Under the baton of Derek Lance, the New York Staff Band are flying into Australia tonight in preparation for its tour of Australia. Follow the New York Staff Band on its Facebook page for daily updates here The Salvation Army New York Staff Band will kick off its King of Kings tour of Australia in Perth tomorrow (Friday 13 March).   The band will perform 10 concerts over 10 days, ending with a joint performance with the Melbourne Staff Band on Sunday, 22 March at Box Hill Corps.   Under the leadership of bandmaster Derek Lance , the New York Staff Band will stage concerts in Perth, Sydney, Wollongong, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ballarat, and Melbourne. “We are eagerly anticipating this opportunity to minister across Australia through a series of concerts and worship gatherings,” said Derek. “It is a joy to bring music that proclaims the hope and majesty of Christ, including selections from our newest recording, King of Kings. “We look forward to a powerful time of worship, fellowship, and shared faith with all who join us.” The New York Staff Band performing in the United States recently. The band will be accompanied by retired Colonel Richard Munn, who served in Australia as the former Eastern Territory’s Chief Secretary.   “What a delight and privilege [to be returning to Australia]. Please keep us in your prayers,” Richard said from JFK Airport in New York before departure. The New York Staff Band, founded in 1887, is one of the finest Christian brass bands in the world. Holding the distinction of being the first ‘staff band’ in Salvation Army history. “This is a rare opportunity to experience one of the world’s premier Salvation Army brass bands live in concert,” a spokesperson for the Melbourne Staff Band said. “Their powerful King of Kings presentation has inspired audiences across the globe – and it’s almost at capacity here in Melbourne.   “If you love great brass music, powerful worship, and world-class musicianship, this is something you simply don’t want to miss. Opportunities to hear bands like this live in Australia are extremely rare.”   To purchase tickets for any of the concerts, click here   New York Staff Band media links: NYSB Website:  https://nysb.org/media/ Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@NewYorkStaffBand/featured Spotify:  Spotify New York Staff Band Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/nysb1887/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NYSB1887 Podcast:  Spotify NYSB Podcast - Talk of the Ages

With gratitude and celebration, we recognise the following officers for reaching a remarkable milestone and receiving their Long Service Order: 40 years Major Jenny Begent Commissioner Julie Campbell Commissioner Mark Campbell Major Ian Channell Lieut-Colonel Robyn Clinch Major Reno Elms Major Christine Pickens 35 years Major Beth Brooks Major Mark Brooks Major Warren Elliott Major Bruce Harmer Major Earle Ivers Major Karen Masters Major Andrew McKeown Major Heather McKeown Major Brendan Nottle Major Sandra Nottle Major Glenda Savage Major Judith Soeters Major Belinda Spicer Major Lynden Spicer Major David Rogerson Major Peter Walker We give thanks to God for their steadfast commitment and faithful service in His name over many years.

From: Pine Rivers Corps (Qld) Session: Keepers of the Covenant Appointment: Corps Officer – Pine Rivers (Qld) Silver Star recipients : Majors Topher Holland and San Holland (parents) This Sunday, Auxiliary-Lieutenants Alli and Liam Holland will be commissioned as Salvation Army officers, with the rank of lieutenant. The Commissioning, Ordination and Sending Out ceremony for the couple will be held at Pine Rivers Corps in South East Queensland. They are being commissioned as part of the Keepers of the Covenant  session. The other seven members of this session were commissioned late last year*. This afternoon, we share the testimony of Auxiliary-Lieutenant Liam Holland.   Liam’s testimony First and foremost, I recognise that I am an imperfect man, an imperfect leader, and an imperfect follower of Jesus. Still, I recognise God’s grace and redemptive work in my life every day and knowing this, God continues to use me in ministry for Him. Over the past 18-plus years, I’ve been able to participate, partner and lead in ministry across varied roles. Through challenges, hurts, failures, and celebrations of where God has moved, I’ve experienced significant personal development and spiritual growth. During this time, I have spent more time in His Word, developing a closer, daily walking relationship with God. My ministry experiences and personal faith journey have grounded my understanding of God’s calling. I feel I am becoming more attuned to His leading, not only in my day-to-day walk, but also in the bigger picture of what He is asking of me. Over the last two to three years, I have been stretched in my trust, learning to surrender every part of my life to Him, and each day I discover there is still more to surrender. I’ve always believed that God calls me to serve and make disciples wherever I find myself, the workplace, church teams, community spaces, and my local neighbourhood.  I have sought to follow Him in this, and more recently, I have sensed a shift, a call to step out further in His leading, much like Isaiah’s call to “stretch out your tent, make room, lengthen the ropes, and strengthen the pegs”. As I’ve prayed and considered the reasons why not, I have been drawn to 1 Thessalonians 5:24: “The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” When He calls, He does the work through me as a willing participant. I have felt God say, “Give yourself fully to this. Surrender it all to Me. Step into officership, not as part of your life, but as your life, set apart for My purpose.” This was further confirmed when my wife, Alli, and I realised we had both heard God say, “Step out into this.” So, I hold to the hope we profess (Hebrews 10:23). I pursue officership not out of ambition, but out of obedience, trusting not in my strength, but in His faithfulness. Covenant Day The Hollands will have their Covenant Day tomorrow (Saturday 2pm) at Pine Rivers Corps. “Covenant Day is a sacred occasion when each cadet signs their Officers Covenant before God,” said Kylie Herring, Leader of Officer Formation at Eva Burrows College. “In this moment, cadets are making a sacred agreement with God – they are accepting God’s call on their life, they are accepting a life of sacred service as a minister of the gospel in The Salvation Army.” Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas will officiate at both Covenant Day and the Commissioning, Ordination and Sending Out ceremonies over the weekend. *READ MORE: To read last year’s Commissioning reports, click here   and here

The Salvation Army has released a new international positional statement (IPS) reaffirming its strong commitment to religious freedom. Specifically, religious freedom is positioned by The Salvation Army as being a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of healthy, inclusive societies. Approved by The General’s Council in November 2025, the statement emphasises that every person has the right to choose, practise, change and express their religious beliefs without fear of coercion, discrimination or persecution.  Rooted in biblical principles and aligned with international human rights standards, including the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the statement highlights religious freedom as essential to human dignity, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence. Serving in more than 130 countries, The Salvation Army works across diverse cultural and religious contexts. The statement underscores the movement’s commitment to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ while meeting human need without discrimination, and to engaging with people of all faiths with wisdom, humility, compassion and respect. “The Salvation Army believes all people are created in the image of God,” the statement says, “and therefore possess intrinsic and equal value ( Genesis 1:26-27 ). This provides the foundational understanding of human dignity for The Salvation Army that all people should be treated with respect and their dignity upheld without any conditions attached, such as religious beliefs.” The Salvation Army also calls on Salvationists worldwide to learn about religious freedom, pray for those facing persecution, foster interfaith cooperation and advocate for the protection of this vital freedom at local, national and international levels. The full  I nternational Positional Statement on Religious Freedom  is available through The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters. Go to the IHQ website on International Positional Statements here

The Salvation Army has released an updated International Positional Statement on the Use of Power, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that power is exercised with love, justice and mutual respect.  The statement recognises that power, whether economic, political, social, spiritual or personal, can shape individuals, communities and institutions for good when used responsibly. At the same time, the movement warns that the misuse of power can lead to manipulation, exploitation and harm, and strongly opposes any use of power that is oppressive, corrupt or that denies essential human rights.  Grounded in Christian teaching, the updated position emphasises that power itself is neither inherently good nor evil; rather, its character is defined by the purposes it serves and the way it is exercised. The statement highlights the example of Jesus, whose leadership demonstrated humility and service: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” ( Mark 10:43 ).  The statement also acknowledges The Salvation Army’s historical influence in society and the importance of exercising that influence with integrity, humility and accountability. It calls for power to be used not as a tool of control, but as a means of empowering others and advancing justice.  Through the updated position, The Salvation Army commits to modelling ethical leadership within its own structures, speaking out against abuses of power and working alongside partners to promote human dignity, accountability and social justice worldwide.  Go to the IHQ website on International Positional Statements here