We are a people motivated by the love of God. In this introduction to the Self Denial Appeal 2026, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas reminds us that "the love of Christ compels us"— to act, to give and to share hope with others. Self Denial is a season where we intentionally set something aside to help those in need. This year, we’re invited to give sacrificially, even one week’s salary, so that communities around the world can experience dignity, education and the love of Jesus. Over the coming weeks, we’ll visit Malawi, Sri Lanka, Rwanda and Fiji to see the incredible impact of past giving. Together, we can make a difference.  To find out more and donate, click here .

(From left) Turning the first sod on the William Booth House redevelopment: Divisional Commander, Major Robyn Black; Grindley Construction General Manager and Director, Asha Meller; NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Dr Michael Holland; Head of Social and Community Mission, Major Claire Emerton; and Head of External Communications, Major Bruce Harmer.   BY LAUREN MARTIN   The first sod has been turned on a major redevelopment of The Salvation Army’s Alcohol and Other Drugs service, William Booth House.   The moment was marked at a ceremony attended by Salvation Army leadership, members of parliament and leaders of the construction company, Grindley Construction.   “[William Booth House] is a place where thousands of people have found hope, a second chance at life, they’ve found peace, joy,” said New South Wales ACT Divisional Commander, Major Robyn Black. “It sounds too good to be true, but I know so many people who are living with freedom from addiction and giving back to society and their families in so many ways.   “This renovation is so crucial to the ongoing work and ministry of The Salvation Army and we’re grateful for everyone who has supported us this far.”   The Salvation Army has been delivering services from the William Booth House site in inner-Sydney for 104 years. This redevelopment will upgrade facilities and increase the number of beds onsite. It also includes a new ground-floor space for day programs, which will allow The Salvation Army to support an additional 500 people per year in their recovery journey.   “This redevelopment represents much more than the upgrading of a physical space,” said Head of External Communications, Major Bruce Harmer, at the launch. “It represents renewed opportunity, expanded capacity, and an enhanced ability to walk alongside people who are facing some of the most difficult moments in their lives.”   The New South Wales government has contributed $6 million towards the redevelopment, with NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Dr Michael Holland present at the sod-turning event.   The Salvation Army partnered with construction company Grindley Construction for the project, with Asha Meller, General Manager and Director of Grindley Construction, also speaking at the event.   Whilst the renovation is underway, Salvation Army Alcohol and Other Drugs services in the city of Sydney are being delivered at nearby Foster House, a Salvation Army homelessness accommodation service.   It’s expected the renovation will be completed in early 2027.

The young Terri Dentry as a mother-of-two and honours student pursuing medical research. Image: Supplied Medical research, information technology, professional practice, film production, motherhood, novel writing and project management. The Salvation Army’s IT PMO Manager Terri Dentry has done it all, and she isn’t stopping anytime soon. After being told as a young mother with an evolving career in research that she should “go home and look after her family” and being forced to seek legal action for unequal treatment, through her various roles and projects, Terri has continued to fight for the equality of women and those on the margins. With today being the International Day of Women and Girls in Science , KIRRALEE NICOLLE caught up with Terri to find out what drives her, what the challenges have been, and why encouraging women towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers is not just an optional extra, but a foundation for coping with life's challenges. In her role at The Salvation Army, Terri Dentry PhD works to ensure the women in her team feel as entitled as their male counterparts to advancement, pay equity and respect at work. Yet this conviction – that women deserve equal opportunities – has not always been easy for her to uphold. When Terri was 21 years old, she discovered, after several medical setbacks that doctors had suggested would lead to Terri being unable to have children of her own, that she was pregnant. This was exciting news, and the circumstances were all positive ones. Except for one thing. Terri was an undergraduate science student in 1980s Melbourne. This was a situation which Terri calls “really rare”. “Everyone was saying to me, ‘You must be joking’,” she says. “[But] I just decided I was going to do it all.” And Terri did. She not only finished her undergraduate degree a few years later, but then began her honours degree while pregnant with her second child, due in the middle of the year. She was fortunate to find a supervisor who was supportive, and let her bring a newborn into the university, where she could utilise a centre which provided affordable childcare during classes and research time. But she still says it was really tough. Terri Dentry. Image: Supplied “Honestly, it was rough,” she says. “I had to have quite a few different run-ins with people. People weren't very happy with the fact that I was a mother, and I was working hard to get a scholarship to do a PhD.” She says being a mother in this setting meant having very few people on side. She says there was a perception that she was taking the place of someone else – someone without children. “I [would walk] through the corridors at the university and I'd have senior academic staff as well as people who didn't even know me just saying, ‘Why are you even here? Why aren't you at home with your children?’ “It was really rough.” In fact, it was so rough that Terri was forced to initiate legal action, as she discovered at the end of her honours year that despite getting consistently high results, she had missed out on a Commonwealth PhD scholarship she felt she was entitled to receive. “They marked me down so that I wouldn't get a scholarship,” she says. “Only the top five people out of 20 got scholarships, and the other 15 missed out. It was very competitive back then. I believed I was one of the top five, but I was ranked seventh out of the 20 when the final rankings came out and so I had to fight my way for it. “I went to Equal Opportunities Commission, and won the case, because I showed that they actually had done it deliberately because I was a female with children.” "Women and men bring a different way of seeing things to the table. They have to really understand that from each other. You need women, because they think about things in a different way." However, even though Terri got awarded the First Class Honours she deserved, she still missed out on the Commonwealth scholarship. Not to be outdone, though, she decided to go one better: a fellowship, which she describes as an “even more competitive field: vying for funding to undertake a PhD”. “I was really lucky to get a fellowship at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research,” Terri says. “I had done incredibly well [in my honours year], it's just that they had marked me down. Ludwig had access to all the actual results, and then in my interview, I explained to them what happened, and I think that they were just really supportive too. “I ended up getting one of the two fellowships offered that year.” But then, Terri became pregnant with her third child, and with a marriage breakdown and the responsibilities of home life, research became too difficult. She says 18-hour days in the lab led her to “step away from the bench” for a while. Instead, she found a role as a Project Officer for the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Development at RMIT University. Terri says she had little experience in that type of role, but she says the Deputy Vice Chancellor heard about her background, and responded “’if you've done all that and you've managed to come here to this interview with kids at home, you can do this job’”. Terri's framed PhD, which she achieved in 2021. Image: Supplied From RMIT, Terri then progressed to project management roles across multiple industries, ending up at Victoria University leading a large, expansive program of work for interprofessional practice across the university's 10 health disciplines. This area sparked her interest, and she decided to return to working on a PhD, this time working with refugees and asylum seekers facing chronic pain and PTSD symptoms. Terri, along with her team, led a study which trialled placing physiotherapists and psychologists in the same room as a client, and the outcomes were part of revolutionising care for vulnerable populations. Throughout the project, Terri got to know her trial participants and their complex needs, and says seeing so many be so happy and free of pain at the end of the study was a “joyous” thing. “[Having] this very holistic help and having multiple people working with them really helped them to feel like the team really cared about all their needs,” she says. “It was great.” Even with a full-time job at The Salvation Army, Terri has continued her post-doctoral research, with multiple grants across different institutions. She says in her job with the Salvos, she uses her skills learned in academia “every single day”. Her background also includes a stint owning a software development company, which gave her grounding in the day-to-day challenges of technology. “What we do in my team is we ask questions and solve problems,” she says. “That's all we do, all day long. We just seek to solve problems. To me, that's very close to my research work. “The same way that we taught the practitioners to work together with the patients is exactly what I do with my teams. I teach them how to work together, how to talk the same language and understand each other, and understand each other's way of working. “It makes a huge difference to the way they work.” She says her focus is to assist team members to “lean in” and help each other fulfil their roles, ensuring that there are no gaps in IT service delivery. She is also implementing the “cultivation of insight”, where members of a team seek to see their work from another’s perspective, and in doing so, drive innovation. She says she is one of a “very small handful” of women in IT and is proud to be working in a team with a growing number of other women who she says she is “working very hard” to encourage to see themselves as equal to the men. “We're trying to help and understand each other, so that we actually know how to care for the other person,” she says. “And women and men bring a different way of seeing things to the table. They have to really understand that from each other. You need women, because they think about things in a different way.” Additionally, Terri has worked as a Producer on independent and Australian-funded films, mostly short animated productions, one of which, The Story of Percival Pilts , was nominated for an Oscar in 2015. She has also worked as a film judge on award panels, and spent many years working as a journalist in the film industry, writing features on production for magazines. Lanyards from the many film festivals Terri has attended as part of her production, media and film judging career. Image: Supplied She has continued to write and is now working on a novel, together with a Professor at the University of Toronto, that showcases how her research work is important in everyday life. She says her creative work and the enduring power of story has been just as important to her life and personal development as her career in STEM has been. She says each of us is bound to need to overhaul ourselves throughout our lives, and her creative pursuits have carried her through many of those reinvention points. “What they have done is helped me to re-evaluate,” Terri says. “Each time, it was really difficult to get through to the next stage and reinvent myself. Going through stories and understanding new perspectives – that really helps you to actually make the change, to work out where you need to be next. “And I think we all need to do that.” Now, Terri is the proud mother of four daughters and grandmother to five, and she says her daughters have “been on the journey” with her throughout her career – visiting film festivals, attending laboratories and learning how to perform dissections. “Showing them that they can do whatever they wanted to do has always been really important to me,” Terri says. “They need to see all the things that you do and be part of that, so you can show them what they can imagine [for] themselves.” Terri speaking at the wedding of one of her daughters. Image: Supplied

Amelie Ashley (centre) relaxing with her South Barwon Corps Bible study. BY LAUREN MARTIN   When Amelie Ashley attended The Salvation Army More Conference last year for Salvos who were working or volunteering in youth ministry, she was struck by something keynote speaker Danielle Strickland said about The Salvation Army being ‘set apart’ as a movement of God.   “That part really stuck with me,” Amelie remembers. “I left [the More conference] feeling really inspired and motivated to try something new.”   Amelie has been a Salvo for her whole life and has recently taken on the role of Youth and Children’s Worker at her corps, South Barwon Salvos in Geelong, Victoria.   When God placed the concept of being ‘set apart’ in her heart, she began to pray about what he wanted her to do. She had the idea of starting a night service at her corps, but nothing else. She wasn’t sure whether that was her idea or God’s . When she spoke to her mentor, Auxiliary-Lieutenant Rosy Keane (Territorial Spiritual Life Director), her advice was to “keep praying about it”.    So, she did.   God’s vision revealed A little while later, after spending a week in Perth with a friend, God opened the floodgates with answered prayer when Amelie was flying home, 10,000m above the desert heart of Australia. “On one side, I looked to the plane’s outstretched wing, flying over a pink-hued sunset. On the other side of me was a woman who, for four hours straight, was reading the Bible on her phone. Every now and then, I would look over to see where she was up to. She was reading through John,” says Amelie. Amelie’s view out the plane window at 10,000m. “It was from that seat that I wrote this manifesto of sorts – the spirit was undoubtedly present in row 27. These words just poured out from me, and ‘Set Apart’ was born. By the end of the flight, I had a vision, a prayer and a synthesised proposal for these night meetings.”   In early November last year, despite Amelie openly admitting she had “no idea what I was doing,” she and a team she had assembled launched Set Apart, a night service with a difference, at South Barwon Corps.   “I really had no idea what I was doing. What I did know was that God was leading me to these ideas of holiness; he was continuing to fuel these ideas of a night service and was weaving these ideas into conversations, sermons, and readings throughout my weeks [in the lead-up to the launch of the service]. It was undeniable. God was placing this on my heart, and I needed to act on it. So, I did.”   Rosy, who attended the first Set Apart service, says the response was incredible.   Amelie Ashley speaks at the first Set Apart evening at South Barwon Corps, Victoria. “There were 50 or 60 people there … we had a structure of chicken wire up the front, and Amelie invited people at any point to come up and weave some strips of material into the wire. It challenged the stereotype of a church meeting where the leaders are up the front and those gathered are just sitting down.   “People began doing this in the background as people were speaking, teaching or worshipping, and it became part of the whole experience. You could watch people doing this, weaving; it was really special.”   For Amelie, just as she had trusted God in the process of listening to his call and obeying, she felt the Holy Spirit’s presence during that first Set Apart service, leading and guiding her. “ It was a beautiful night,” she said. “A night of openness and vulnerability and sharing and love and joy. It was a holy meeting. It was different, maybe a little bit weird. But it was special.   “Lots of corps have a Sunday morning service, and we do it really well, but how often are we getting opportunities to explore worship or learning about Scripture and discussing it together in groups, and exploring creativity in our faith, outside of a structured sermon-and-response?” Rosy Keane (left) speaks at the first Set Apart night, which attracted about 50 worshippers. Encouragement for others Amelie says she’s encouraged that God is still using The Salvation Army as a missional movement, set apart from other churches to reach those in our communities who are hurting and broken.   And she’s urging other young Salvos to be brave and step out in obedience as well.   “Don’t be afraid to try something new, … I think, ‘Why am I running a night service? I’m just like a random 20-year-old girl, I don’t have any qualifications to be doing this!’ It is kind of cool.”   Rosy agrees. She is mentoring 10 young people across Australia and says the future of The Salvation Army is bright ... if we allow young people to follow the spirit into new ways of expressing The Salvation Army’s unique DNA.   “Young people want to lead differently; they want to be brave and give their lives up for Jesus. They don’t want to be hemmed in by tradition, but they don’t want to abandon it either,” said Rosy.   “They want to honour the spirit of The Salvation Army by expressing it via the Holy Spirit in the ways that they have now. I have seen them grow deeper in their faith. If they have someone supporting them – someone like me or you or any of us – hopefully alongside their parents or those who care for them, saying, ‘You can do this!’ who knows what God will do through our young people!”    The next Set Apart evening will be held on 22 February (5:30pm) at South Barwon Corps, Victoria.

In the rural Victorian town of Hamilton, The Salvation Army’s food program is doing far more than filling empty cupboards; it’s restoring dignity, strengthening community and saving lives. Through a collaboration with Western District Food Share, Mark Thomas (Ministry Assistant at Hamilton Salvos) and his volunteers help support around 190 people each week with meals and other Salvation Army services.

Then and now ... Officer Training Colleges have changed, and so has the way cadets are prepared for service. The world has shifted in many exciting and unexpected ways – and so, too, has Salvation Army cadet training. In the wake of COVID, Officer Formation has become more flexible, more dispersed and more deeply formative than ever before, intentionally aligned with the realities of 21st-century leadership. CAPTAIN KYLIE HERRING , Leader Officer Formation at Eva Burrows College, reflects on how this evolving approach is equipping cadets for ministry in a complex and ever-changing world.   In a range of sectors, COVID is now referred to as ‘the great disruptor’. COVID forever altered how we approach and think about many things, including how we deliver adult education. Amid global uncertainty and impending 2020 lockdowns, International Headquarters (IHQ) approved a shift to a dispersed model of cadet training for the Australia Territory. Cadets who had travelled interstate to Eva Burrows College in Melbourne for residential training returned to their home states to be closer to their support networks while we all waited to see what the future might hold as the pandemic took its course. As we adapted to new ways of conducting meetings and new ways of learning online, the dispersed model was approved to continue as a pilot in our territory. This new approach to cadet training (Officer Formation) continued into 2022 and will remain in place until the end of 2027. In Officer Formation, the ‘work’ of a cadet is to attend to growth and development across three formation areas: Personal and Spiritual – ‘Being’; Mission and Ministry – ‘Doing’; and Education and Theological – ‘Knowing’. This emphasis has not changed in our new model, but the practical implementation has. Captain Kylie Herring (left) with one of the 2025 cadets, Soonsun Kwon. In our dispersed model of training, cadets are on placement all over the territory. This year, we have cadets in the Western Australia, South Australia/Northern Territory, NSW/ACT, Queensland and Victoria Divisions. Cadets typically undertake three days of practical ministry at their corps (two days during the week, plus Sundays). Thursdays are set aside for Officer Formation learning. This typically includes participation in online small groups, a theological formation discussion, and engagement in scheduled non-accredited learning required for Salvation Army officer training. This non-accredited learning includes the suite of mandatory learning required by the organisation, as well as topics such as Salvation Army Distinctives, Grief and Loss, Managing Change, Mental Health First Aid, Trauma-Informed Care, and Introduction to Community Development. READ MORE: When officer training was fast and furious Cadets also participate in immersion experiences, including short placements each year at social and community mission expressions and centres, a week-long First Nations immersion led by the ATSI Engagement Team, a holiness immersion, and mid-year residentials focused on personal and spiritual formation. Cadets may have one or two study days in their week to attend Higher Education classes, complete their reading and assessments, and prepare for any Sunday commitments. These are important elements of cadet ‘work’, and it can be quite an adjustment for cadets as they come to appreciate that ‘being’ and ‘knowing’ are aspects of formation that require their time and attention, to the extent that they are scheduled into their week! For a number of years, cadet training has been individualised as cadets come to college with diverse educational backgrounds and practical ministry experience. Some cadets have completed undergraduate degrees in ministry and/or theology, some have already commenced study, and others have never studied at a higher level before. For those just starting their learning journey, they will be enrolled in an Advanced Diploma, with those units delivered by Eva Burrows College’s Higher Education Faculty, accredited by the University of Divinity. “The Officer Formation Team is working hard to ensure we are forming officers – ministers of the gospel – who have spiritual depth ...” Those who are further along in their education will typically pursue postgraduate studies while ensuring that all required core units for cadets are covered. This includes a range of biblical studies, doctrine and theology, mission, leadership, church history and reflective practice units. In the mission and ministry area, the ‘doing’, the local corps placement officers become training partners with the Officer Formation Team, providing cadets with a diverse range of learning opportunities, acting as our eyes and ears on the ground, and giving feedback on how they experience our cadets, observing their maturity, their God–self and others’ awareness, their ministry skills and capacities, the posture they bring to learning and growing, and how they are working to integrate their learning into their ministry practice. The Officer Formation Team sees cadets regularly online, but the placement officers see them in person. They help us ensure there is congruence between how we see and experience the cadets online and how the placement officer and the corps community experience the cadet in person. A couple of years ago, at a Training Principals’ Conference in Kenya, the Principal of the International College for Officers identified these qualities as essential for leaders in the 21st century: adaptability; self-awareness; flexibility; network thinking; strategic thinking; and the ability to tolerate uncertainty. As part of our continuous improvement practice in Officer Formation, we revisit our program each year to assess how we provide learning and development opportunities in each of these areas. These competencies are also mapped in our Officer Readiness Profile tool, which is linked to the suite of competency tools already established in our wider organisational structures, with the tool capturing growth in the three formation areas across a seven-year period – four reviews in cadet training, then at three points post-commissioning in their first five years as officers. The Officer Formation Team is working hard to ensure we are forming officers – ministers of the gospel – who have spiritual depth, who can navigate the challenges of our highly complex cultural era, who know how to join and belong to a community, and who can help others to belong. We encourage our cadets towards a disciplined focus, helping them discover their own path to living a sacramental life where they notice reminders each day that God is present – even when headlines suggest otherwise.

Scott and Natalie being installed in their new roles by Miriam Gluyas at Adelaide City Salvos. Image: Brooke Prentis BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Salvation Army leaders and friends in South Australia and the Northern Territory have recently welcomed Captains Scott and Natalie Frame into their new divisional leadership roles. The Welcome and Installation Meeting was held at Adelaide Congress Hall (Adelaide City Salvos) on 8 February, where Scott was installed as Divisional Commander for SA/NT, and Natalie as Area Officer South Australia – Northern. The couple previously served as corps officers at Bayside Salvos in Redland City, Queensland. READ MORE: BAYSIDE SALVOS PROVIDING HOUSING HELP AND HOPE As part of the welcome, Maria Anderson, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinator for the SA/NT Division, gave the Acknowledgment of Country, and Area Officer for Northern Territory Major Kaye Viney prayed for the couple, and for their three children who have moved from Queensland alongside them. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas performed the installation and spoke highly of the couple as she described their new responsibilities to the division. Worship at the installation meeting. Image: Miriam Gluyas “They live like Jesus, they live for Jesus and they're led by the spirit of God,” Miriam said. “They will have visionary and practical leadership. They'll have ideas that come from God, but they'll get in and they'll get their hands dirty, and they'll be with you in the journey.” In her response, Natalie thanked the SA/NT Division for its warmth, generosity and genuine open-heartedness, saying that in their travels across the division, the trait of open-heartedness had been clear in the ways people spoke to and about one another, and the support that was offered. READ MORE: MEET THE OFFICER - CAPTAIN NATALIE FRAME Maria Anderson, Scott Frame and Natalie Frame at the meeting. Images: Miriam Gluyas and Brooke Prentis “I've seen it in the way that mission has been described, not just as something that we do, but a calling that we all care deeply about,” Natalie said. “I've certainly watched it and seen it in the stories of mission that we've shared here today – lives being touched, communities being served, faith being lived out in practical ways. That same sense of open-heartedness has only grown stronger as we've sat here with you this morning or this afternoon. There is an openness here to God, to people, and to what God is already doing in the SA/NT.” Natalie added that in leaving Queensland, where they have served their entire ministry, the pair had found themselves saying “you’re all our favourites” to their congregation, colleagues and special places. Natalie and Scott with Aboriginal leaders Maria Anderson (left), Brooke Prentis and Vonda Last AM (right). Image: Brooke Prentis “In even just a fortnight, somehow you are all becoming our favourites too,” she said to those gathered. “In God's economy, that works, right? Because we serve an open-hearted God who says to all of us, ‘You are my beloved’. "So, it's not favouritism, it is abundance. “The kingdom of God has room for more favourites all the time. And into eternity, we just keep gaining more and more favourites along the journey.” The service featured multiple videos which showcased the work of The Salvation Army across the division, including the Tuesday Toasties ministry  at Marion Salvos, the playgroup at Norwood Salvos and the Riverside Gym  in Gawler.  In reflecting on the service on his first day serving as Divisional Commander, Scott said that he was really excited by the multifaceted and holistic nature of the work happening across the division, and how it was clear in both those attending the event and the stories that were told. He said that as those who were new to the division, getting a glimpse of that straight away was a “beautiful” thing. “I thought all these stories were beautifully representative of the fact that we could be a movement that can just really, in a very agile sense, move into spaces and say ‘what's a need?’ [then] meet a need, meet with people [and] show them the love of Jesus, and see what happens. “I think it's a beautiful reminder that the best work we do is done in that very simple, hands-on, relational and everyday capacity, but it brings people to life.” To watch a recording of the event by Adelaide City Salvos, see here . To listen to the Bryce Davies 'Stories of Hope' interview with Scott a couple of years ago, see here . Natalie, Scott and two of their children with Miriam Gluyas. Image: Miriam Gluyas

The Salvos’ bike-recycling service has grown in popularity over the past five years. BY SIMONE WORTHING Salvos Recycle Bikes in Brisbane is about to celebrate its fifth anniversary! An event to mark the occasion will be held on Saturday at the Red Hill site, attended by Queensland Divisional Commander Major Mark Everitt, volunteers past and present, members of the Queensland Police, and the local community. A free barbecue, coffee and short celebratory speeches will be part of the event, which starts at 9.30am. The logo when the bike recycling service started.. The constantly developing social enterprise is set up in the grounds of the Salvos Stores complex in the city’s inner northside. Andy Steele, a   Brisbane Salvationist and experienced cyclist, established Salvos Recycle Bikes in 2020, utilising a couple of refurbished shipping containers on concrete slabs, and remains the coordinator of the enterprise to this day. The goal was to restore bikes to sell in Salvos Stores – a supportive partner in the initiative. The vision was, and continues to be, on people – both those who work and volunteer fixing and selling bikes, and on community members who can now buy affordable bikes for transport, leisure, fitness – and everything in between.   “Every life, and every bike – even if it’s just a reflector or bell – is worth saving,” said Andy. “This is where I felt God leading me.” Assistance from the Brisbane City Council and Salvation Army grants helped Salvos Recycle Bikes become operational . A repair and maintenance service for the public was introduced, and conventional bikes could also be converted into electric bikes.   Then-head bike mechanic Wes hard at work in the Recycle Bikes workshop in Brisbane. Lives changed Wes Thompson was the chief mechanic when the service started. A former aircraft engineer, Wes had spent several years in jail, where he met Andy through prison ministry and turned his life around. He has since moved to Victoria to be closer to family, but will be returning to Brisbane for the anniversary celebration this Saturday. “I want him to see it,” said Andy. “I had the vision, and he helped bring it to reality – he was part of the God team for sure!”   Any profits from the sale of the bikes benefit the Brisbane Streetlevel Mission , as well as covering wages and continuing to develop the business.   “Over these past five years, we’ve become more advanced, have taken over more space to work on and sell our bikes and have more signage up to let people know we’re here,” said Andy.   “We also now handle electric bikes and are getting more and more high-quality bikes that are lost, stolen or unclaimed, being donated by Queensland Police and Queensland Rail.   “Australia’s largest bicycle retailer, 99 Bikes, has come on board and are good supporters. We also get some quality bikes from the cycling community, including recently, a carbon-fibre road bike. Local community members are buying their second and third bikes from us and referring others to us. We’re seeing parents who buy bikes for their kids bringing the bikes back and buying another one as their kids grow, and regular bike users do all their servicing and repairs with us. “We have some great volunteers, including five regulars, and we are very grateful for them. There are two regular staff members.” Lieutenant-Colonel David Godkin opened the original site in 2020. Andy and his team made the conscious decision not to have a social media presence as “we didn’t want to have to be constantly updating information,” Andy said.   More expensive bikes – those with a value of $1000 or more – are sold online as they don’t have a wide market. “Not all the volunteers have completed the Certificate III in Bicycle Workshop Operations, which, in the early years, the program made available to a small number of volunteers,” Andy explains.   “Mike helps with paperwork and spreadsheets; Laurie had his own bike shop and is very experienced. More and more program participants from Moonyah are also volunteering for shifts. Most of them have exited the program and come to help us during their transition. It’s amazing to see it all after five years. It’s gone so fast.” Salvos Recycle Bikes workshop is open from 9am-noon Tuesday to Saturday.

Camberwell Corps warmly welcomed the 2026 cadets of The Salvation Army’s Rescued session at a special ‘Cadet Welcome’ service. (From back row, left) Major Gavin Watts (officer recruitment), Reuben Van Gaalen and Caleb Gorringe. Front row, from left​​ - Rachelle Atkinson, Chantal Tait, Jessica Gorringe, Bramwell Nemhara, Mike Salomo, Wati Seeto and Yasmin Van Gaalen-Prentice. BY LERISSE SMITH A sneak peek into the lives of some of this year’s nine cadets from The Salvation Army’s  Rescued  session captivated the audience at the special ‘Cadet Welcome’ service at Camberwell Corps on Sunday 1 February. There was no hesitation from first-year cadets Bramwell Nemhara (Perth Fortress, WA), Chantal Tait (Kwinana Corps, WA), Jessica Gorringe (Long Jetty Corps, NSW) and Mike Salomo (Macarthur Corps, NSW), who openly shared their hearts, hopes and journeys during a special Q&A with Captain Kylie Herring, Leader of Officer Formation at Eva Burrows College. The service followed the cadets’ Orientation Week with the college team.  Asked to name a highlight from Orientation Week, Mike didn’t hesitate. “Oh, that’s easy!” he said with a smile. “It is definitely meeting all the beautiful, wonderful cadets, and the training college staff, such as yourself, Kylie. The days have been long! Every day has been an information overload, but I’ve also had so much fun just being in each other’s presence and getting to know each other. I hope that we will continue to learn from each other – and lean on each other.” Captain Kylie Herring, Leader of Officer Formation at Eva Burrows College, (left) led a special Q&A with cadets Mike, Bramwell, Jessica and Chantal. For Bramwell, the surprise of the week proved deeply formative and unexpectedly transformative. “I was surprised by how much emphasis there is on who we are becoming, not just what we are going to, but who we are becoming,” he commented. “That really surprised me. I thought, as I had a few experiences in ministry, I thought I’ve got it all before, but this week has surprised me and just broken me down to start building me up to be who I will become in ministry.” Jessica shared a personal insight into what she had learned about herself during last week. “I have learnt about myself that there is so much more to discover about faith and about The Salvation Army,” she said. “There’s so much that I thought that I knew, but there’s so much that I don’t know, and I’m excited to discover that and learn more.” With her eyes fixed firmly on the journey ahead, Chantal spoke about what she looked forward to in the future. “I’m looking forward to the learning, the developing, and also just getting deeper and learning in a different environment to my normal home corps,” she said. “So, experiencing a large corps, coming from a smaller corps ... really just looking to get into the work within that corps and what they’re doing in the area. So, that’s what I’m looking forward to.”  The other five cadets of the 2026 cadets of the Rescued session are Caleb Gorringe (Long Jetty Corps, NSW), Rachelle Atkinson (Mandurah Corps, WA), Reuben Van Gaalen (Coffs Harbour Corps, NSW), Yasmin Van Gaalen-Prentice (Waverley Corps, Vic.) and Wati Seeto (Fiji). Major Matthew Reeve, Corps Officer at Camberwell, brought a stirring message. One of the most significant moments of the service was a special personalised message from Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas for the cadets. Unable to attend in person, she had her message read by Major Kim Haworth. “May this be another line in the sand day for you as we welcome you as cadets in our territory,” Miriam had written. “And what a wonderful territory it is. What a wonderful name for a session – Rescued. You have been rescued in order to rescue. William Booth said, “We are a salvation people.” This is our specialty, getting saved and keeping saved and then getting somebody else saved, and the ministry of Jesus to proclaim the Good News to the poor.” Miriam also shared her excitement with both the cadets and congregation about this year’s  Rescued  session. “Rescue – what an amazing ministry, what a privilege, what a calling,” she emphasised. “Jesus has rescued us and set our feet on solid ground. We are a people on our knees, rising up and going forward with the Holy Spirit to see the world, one for Jesus. May you be Jesus-centred, Spirit-led and revealers of hope. The world desperately needs Jesus, and you are a part of his plan. You’re a hope-giver and a hope-bringer. You can’t do it without him. Don’t even try! It’s His mission, and we partner with him. A highlight for the Rescued cadets was receiving prayer for their life-changing journey ahead. “These will be both exciting and challenging days. Make the most of every day. Live for him and be like him ... Colonels John and Lani Chamness join me in welcoming you. Rescued to rescue. What an amazing calling! I can’t wait to hear the salvation stories that you get to be part of.” More highlights were to come for those attending the service, including special prayers for the nine cadets, worship, and a stirring message from Major Matthew Reeve, Corps Officer at Camberwell. A key inspiration for the cadets was the sessional verse for the  Rescued  session, Colossians 1:13: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” Kylie explained that each year, as a new session commences, she writes a reflection on the sessional verse and wanted to share the closing portion with those gathered. “I’d like you to hear it as a word of encouragement for all of us who have been rescued and brought into the Kingdom of the Son,” she said. “The rescued are entrusted with a hope that is grounded in Kingdom realities. Living a holy life is to live a life of resistance, to be a freedom fighter. It is a way of being in the world that resists despair, dehumanisation and indifference. Rescued is not just a testimony in the past tense. It is a vocation for the present.”

(From left): Lieut-Colonel Paul Ha​​teley (Secretary for Communications), Commissioner Miriam Gluyas (Territorial Commander), Judi Agnew (Relationship Manager, Corporate Partnerships),  Louise Osborne (Director of Sales and Marketing Lanson Place) and Colonels John and Lani Chamness gather at Melbourne’s Lanson Place for the unveiling of the Salvo Wall. BY LERISSE SMITH It all began with a poignant cuppa and a chat. In July 2023, Judi Agnew, Salvos Corporate Partnerships Manager, met with the Human Resources Manager of a new boutique hotel under development in East Melbourne for a casual coffee and a discussion about a potential connection. Excitement buzzed in the air, ideas flowed freely – and a shared vision was born. Sixteen months later, that vision sprang to life with the official opening of Lanson Place Parliament Gardens, housed within The Salvation Army’s former printing works at 502 Albert Street, originally built in 1902. Now, another milestone has been celebrated with the unveiling of the ‘Salvo Wall’ – a tribute honouring the ministry that once operated within these walls during The Salvation Army’s ownership. The installation includes historic images and the original brass plaque, inscribed with the words ‘Publishing Office’, which was presented by then Victoria Divisional Commander Colonel Kelvin Merrett at the hotel's official opening on 26 November 2024. The original brass plaque (left) and the Salvo Wall that has pride of place in the hotel. (From left) Marcus Packham (General Manager Lanson Place), Colonel John Chamness and Commissioner Miriam Gluyas admiring the Salvo Wall. “The Salvo Wall is a remarkable testament to ministry, mission, milestones and memories,” Judi said. “With a thoughtful nod to The Salvation Army at almost every turn, the owners have beautifully renovated and extended the building, carefully honouring both its rich history and our enduring connection to the site.” READ MORE:   Keeping Salvos heritage alive Adding to the excitement of the day was the presence of new territorial executive leaders, Colonels John and Lani Chamness, along with Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas. The hotel itself is a celebration of heritage. Carefully curated artworks pay homage to its origins as a printing works, engaging the senses and celebrating its heritage. A must-see feature is the glass ceiling installation in the main foyer, inspired by flowing manuscript pages that appear to move from the front to the rear of the building. Brigita Ozolinsis’ work called ‘Salvation’, which uses binary code to reflect The Salvation Army motto ‘Soup, Soap and Salvation’. Another standout is an artwork by Brigita Ozolinsis titled ‘Salvation’, which translates The Salvation Army’s motto ‘Soup, Soap, Salvation’ into binary code – blending history, mission and modernity in a striking way. The binary code of the work, which hangs in the main dining room of Lanson Place, is rendered in mirrored Perspex inlaid into a stained plywood panel. The word ‘soup’ is charcoal grey, while ‘soap’ and ‘Salvation’ are gold, but it is only the title that provides a clue about the meaning of the work, which otherwise remains a mystery. “The team at Lanson Place Parliament Gardens describe themselves as connected forever to The Salvation Army,” Judi remarked. “We are truly grateful for their ongoing support in so many meaningful ways.” At the top – (from left) Colonel John Chamness (Chief Secretary), Judi Agnew (Relationship Manager Corporate Partnerships), Commissioner Miriam Gluyas (Territorial Commander), Lieut-Col Paul Hateley (Secretary for Communications), Marcus Packham (General Manager Lanson Place), Louise Osborne (Director of Sales & Marketing Lanson Place) and Colonel Lani Chamness (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries).

Please pray for the nations of this territory – Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. Do you know the countries that make up the South America West Territory? They are: Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. 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 ( 9-15 February )   we pray for the South America West Territory. Music is a major ministry focus in the South America West Territory.   This territory has 321 officers (209 active, 112 retired), 92 corps, 6 outposts, 4507 senior soldiers, 1249 adherents, 1338 junior soldiers, and 1057 employees.   Colonels Alex and Luz Nesterenko lead the South America West Territory. The work of the territory includes: ·  Schools and education (16 schools) ·  Village savings and loan associations ·  Community health services (52,000 people treated in hospital) ·  Modern slavery and human trafficking response. Praise points: We are grateful and praise God for his faithfulness to our territory for: ·     The 10 new lieutenants recently commissioned and sent to the field in December 2025. ·     The 19 cadets who advanced to their second year and are now on summer break appointments, and the 14 accepted candidates who will enter training in March 2026. ·     We thank God for the new converts, children, youth and families who have been won through the territory's schools and kindergartens, and we pray that they will continue their spiritual growth in the linked corps.   Prayer requests : ·     Pray for the continued development of the spiritual life of the officers and soldiers of the territory through seminars, meetings, and growth workshops, and for more prayer warriors and home prayer programs. ·     Pray for the continuation of the Territorial Strategic Plan ‘Send Me’ and its integration with the General’s call to action with Compass. ·    Pray for the visit of the General and the World President of Women’s Ministries to Ecuador and Peru in July 2026, and for the movement of the Holy Spirit in these places. ·     Pray for the expansion plan, including the opening of new pioneering and outpost works and their development.   To find out more about the South America West Territory, see here .   To find out more about The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, see here . To download the 2026 prayer schedule, see here .

Each month on  Salvos Online , Rosy, the Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development, shares her thoughts and reflections on the spiritual issues that shape our lives as Christians, exploring how our faith intersects with our everyday experiences and how we can deepen our relationship with God. Today, she reflects on the third instalment of the prayer walk series called God Encounters. The group outside Werribee Mansion getting ready for the prayer walk on Saturday 31 January 2026.   I want to share about the most recent instalment of our prayer walk experiences called God Encounters.   This one was called God’s Savannah and was held at Werribee Mansion in Victoria.   This was the third in the series, with each encounter intentionally held in a different natural setting. At the end of this article, we have included a simple guide and free photos, in the hope that you might feel encouraged to lead a God Encounters prayer walk, or something similar, in your own context.   Major Steve Haworth and I host all of the prayer walks in Victoria. Together, we bring spiritual reflection and photography into a shared space of encounter. Steve’s photography and the photo gift offered to each participant provide a focal point for listening to and encountering God.  Steve visits each site in advance and photographs the location. These images are then printed and prepared for use on the day. My role sits within Spiritual Life, and I love crafting words and creating spaces where people can encounter God in a place of safety and equal footing with one another.   When people gather, the experience begins with a shared time of devotion and prayer. Each participant is randomly given a photograph, and we spend time reflecting together, listening, and discerning what God might be saying through the image.   We also use the Year of Prayer card series from Spiritual Life Development, inviting people to consider whether and how the scripture speaks to their image. As my husband Scott, who attended, put it: if the words are not in your brain yet, that is an invitation. An open seat awaits in the next part of the reflection.   This time is gentle, spacious and deeply communal.   Following this, participants are given free time to walk through the environment with a devotional booklet that helps focus attention on listening and tuning in to what God might be saying. The day concludes with another time for sharing, during which people are invited to speak about what God has stirred in them. Participants are also invited to choose one of the photographs to take home. This final sharing time is often intimate and powerful.   A different group every time One of the unique aspects of God Encounters is that each gathering brings together an entirely different mix of people. The first encounter was held in the Redwoods Forest in Warburton and was called God’s Cathedral (read that story here ). The second took place at the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens and was called God’s Garden.  The water tower at Werribee. One of my favourite moments from God’s Savannah was hearing from one of our youngest participants. She shared an insight about a water tower intended to store water but eroded by the very thing it was designed to contain. This was the photograph she had been given at the start of the day. It was incredibly moving and led me to reflect on what parts of my own life or spiritual life were meant to hold living water but may have been eroded by time or neglect.   Across the group, people shared openly and thrived in the space intentionally set aside for them. Many were in ministry or active community roles, and several reflected on how difficult it can be to find time to stop, soak in the Word of God, and simply be with other Christians in a new environment. Yet that space is so vital.   I had never visited Werribee Mansion before and was struck by how free and open it is to wander through and enjoy. As much as I would love to be outdoors more often, it is often only at these prayer walks that I actually do. God is gracious. In those moments, I am able to marvel at what God is doing through our people and through the world around us.   How to host a God Encounter in your own context Steve and I hope that anyone reading this would feel empowered to lead something similar in their own area. This does not need to be complicated or highly produced. At its heart, a God Encounter is simply about creating space to listen to God together.   Here is the basic shape of how we host these prayer walks:   ·       Choose a natural location that is accessible and safe. This could be a garden, coastal walk, bushland, or local park. Free and familiar spaces work beautifully. ·       If possible, visit the site in advance and take photographs that capture details, textures, and moments. These do not need to be professional, only reflective. (We have provided a link below to all Steve’s photos from the God’s Savannah walk for you to freely use). ·       Begin with a short time of welcome and prayer. ·       Randomly give each person a photograph and invite them to sit quietly with it. Encourage simple questions such as, “God, what are you drawing my attention to?” or “What might you be saying through this image?” You may also use the A Year of Prayer cards or a short scripture to anchor this time. Invite sharing if people are comfortable. ·       Offer space for people to walk freely in the environment with a short devotional or reflection guide. The aim is not to fill the time but to slow it down. ·       Gather everyone back together and invite sharing without pressure. Allow participants to choose a second photograph to take home as a tangible reminder, and invite them to share what stood out.   Steven has a folder with every photograph from the Werribee Mansion visit, which you are welcome to use as prompts for your own prayer walk (or email Steve directly if the link doesn’t work for you).   Here is the Canva design we used for the devotional booklet, which you are free to edit for your context any way you like.   What’s next   If you are in Victoria, our next God Encounter will be God’s Waterway, with details to be confirmed and a potential date of 28 March. Keep an eye on the Victorian divisional calendar. I will also create a Facebook page to share information, and a PowerPoint has already been sent via the divisional newsletter to support invitations.   As I move to Sydney later this year, expect some God Encounters in NSW/ACT. I would wholeheartedly recommend this space as a time of reconnection and growth.   The prayer and devotion are gentle and accessible, and people often find themselves sharing more deeply than they expected.   If you have a camera or smartphone, you can also take photos in your own environment and have a similar experience.   Steven and I are more than happy to help. Please feel free to email us at: steven.haworth@salvationarmy.org.au rosy.keane@salvationarmy.org.au