A OneSight worker assists a local resident who came into Playford Salvos for an eye check-up. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Hundreds of residents of Playford, a region in the north of Adelaide, have accessed free eye testing and complimentary pairs of glasses thanks to a partnership between The Salvation Army and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation . OneSight is a registered charitable organisation, which, according to its leadership, reflects the commitment of EssilorLuxottica to eliminate uncorrected poor vision in a generation. Playford Salvos, based out of Elizabeth East, have had an ongoing partnership with OneSight, which seeks to create sustainable access to vision care, provide free eye exams and glasses for those most in need, fund local vision care programs and raise awareness of poor vision among policy makers and at a community level, according to the OPSM website. Paula Powell, Playford Salvos Doorways Coordinator, said after having the opportunity to offer clients assistance through the OneSight’s ‘Vision Voucher’ scheme, the corps hosted its first Vision Clinic two years ago. She said it was a “huge success”. “There were people that we didn’t actually get to see because we only had [the OneSight team] for the one day,” she said. In July, the corps hosted its second clinic, this time over two days. The response was immense. Paula said 205 people attended, including many families with young children needing eye tests, and some who needed glasses. Images: Supplied “It was very rewarding to see the number of children that were being helped [with] parents who may not have known that their children had troubles with their eyes,” Paula said. Paula said one seven-year-old boy came with very impaired eyesight, whose parents had not yet realised the extent of his vision difficulties. The team was able to perform testing on him and provide him with a specialised prescription pair of glasses to enable him to engage fully in school. “There’s dignity in it,” Paula. “I can’t speak highly enough about the team from OneSight. All of them, every single one of them. They come from all over Australia, and they’re here all day. They’re just amazing people. Their heart’s in it, you can tell. They’re really patient, really caring, [and] nobody was rushed. “It was a really good experience for everybody.” According to 2021 Census figures, in Elizabeth East, the median income-earning household is at least $500 worse off per fortnight than the state median. Residents in the region also suffer from higher unemployment rates and lower rates of full-time and part-time work. Paula said many people who came to the clinic were very grateful for the comprehensive care they received, which included referrals to other specialists if needed. She said the glasses provided were of high quality, and as they left, some clients were shocked to see that their vision was now clear where it had been blurred previously. “[It’s] something that might be quite simple to other people – just to have glasses – but the impact is quite big,” she said. Joel Greenstock and his partner, Andrea, attended the clinic at Playford and know firsthand the effect a fresh pair of glasses can have on daily life. In May last year, the couple’s lease ended, and they were forced to seek alternative accommodation. Finding themselves unable to secure another lease and with their situation compounded by a job loss, they moved into a tent, then later used Joel’s superannuation to purchase a starter caravan. After saving up a bit more, Joel said they had now been able to purchase a higher-quality caravan, but with his partner as the driver, her impaired vision was making it difficult to travel to affordable spots. “We drove in with her old glasses and she was complaining on the way in [that she couldn’t see],” he said. “On the way out, I think she sped a little, because she was so grateful that she’d actually see now with her new glasses! “She [had] said she wanted to update her prescription about 12 months ago, but she had avoided it, [because] we simply could not afford it.” Joel said he and Andrea were very thankful to the team at the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and The Salvation Army for their assistance with eye tests for both of them, as well as the free glasses for Andrea. He said the generosity of the program gave people doing it tough a “leg up”. “A huge thank you to everyone, the team, all the people that got together,” he said. Danielle Brooks (back row, far right) with her team at Playford Salvos. Image: Supplied Danielle Brooks, the OneSight Program Manager (Oceania), who has organised vision clinics in partnership with over 12 Salvation Army centres across Australia in 2025 so far, says this kind of testimonial is “what it’s all about” for her, the OneSight team and the broader EssilorLuxottica network. “Sight is something that so many of us take for granted, and even vision care is something that probably so many of us take for granted,” Danielle said. “What makes it all worth it for me personally is seeing a direct impact.” She said some of the most powerful moments at a clinic happened when someone might be struggling to read the intake form at the clinic, then, as soon as they put their new glasses on, everything changed as their vision improved dramatically. “Clinic days can be very emotional,” she said. “Gratitude is something that we leave with an abundance of from the attendees and also just from being able to actually give this opportunity to those people as well. “It’s an incredible organisation to be a part of.”

General Lyndon Buckingham has issued a call to action to the international Salvation Army. General Lyndon Buckingham, international leader of The Salvation Army, has called the global church and charity to deep spiritual renewal and reinvigorated passion for its mission of transformation in the world. Addressing Salvationists, employees and supporters worldwide, the General begins: “I appeal to you, in this universal call upon The Salvation Army, that we pray for the Holy Spirit to inject us with a divine sense of urgency about our missional and spiritual life.”   The General’s Global Call to Action is a powerful declaration spoken into the heart of The Salvation Army. He acknowledges challenges but sees “the greatest challenge being the level of our own enthusiasm for the mission that God has given us” and “how much we are shaped by the prevailing cultures and ideologies of the world instead of being shaped by Jesus and the values of the Kingdom of God.”   “I believe our faith in Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit in us, can eclipse culture and ideology,” he highlights. “ ... Bronwyn and I know and sense with every fibre of our beings that we need spiritual breakthrough which will see our faith communities in every place leaving behind the experience and language of declining numbers and living into health and growth and a flourishing that will continue long into the future.”   The Global Call to Action also acknowledges the need to let go of the desire to control our movement and to make room for allowing our young people to lead us into a new day for The Salvation Army, commencing immediately.   The General’s Global Call to Action is available on this page in all of the official languages of The Salvation Army. We encourage you to be blessed and challenged as you read and deeply inspired to act upon its words.

Leanne Pateman with Rotary 9675 District Governor Renga Rajan at the Rotary 2025 Most Inspirational Women’s Awards event at Parliament House in Sydney.  BY LAUREN MARTIN   Twenty years ago, if you told Leanne Pateman she would someday be an honoured guest at places like NSW Parliament House, she probably would have laughed in your face.   Leanne, a senior soldier at Raymond Terrace Salvos (NSW), was recently named a finalist in the Rotary Most Inspirational Women’s Awards during a ceremony at at Parliament House in Sydney.   She said that being recognised among so many “unbelievable women out there doing amazing things” was an honour and a testament to the way God has transformed her life. Leanne on the steps of Parliament House (left) and inside at the awards.   Two decades ago, Leanne was in jail. She was serving a seven-year sentence and described herself as a “troublesome prisoner”. At one point, she spent nine months in isolation.   Throughout this period, she only received one visitor – Major Heather Merrick from The Salvation Army, who was the prison chaplain.   “She was [like] this ‘glowing light’,” Leanne recalls. “She said, ‘God is with you,’ and I got to know her, and everything changed … She turned something around in me in the Lord.”   After enduring decades of domestic violence that led to serious injuries, homelessness, and incarceration, discovering and experiencing the love of Jesus was overwhelming for Leanne.    She says inviting Jesus into her heart turned her life around and, over time, gave her the strength and passion to use her life experiences to support others.   “God kept me alive so that I could help others,” she says. “I truly believe that.”   Leanne started attending Raymond Terrace Salvos (just north of Newcastle) after she was released from jail because she said they were the only ones who “spoke to me like a normal person” and didn’t judge her.   “The people were so nice to me ... I just wanted to give back, and that’s how I started to volunteer,” she says.   Leanne (left) volunteering with The Salvation Army Emergency Services. Eight years later, Leanne has become a senior soldier of The Salvation Army and is a regular volunteer at SAL Connect, packing and distributing food hampers and coming alongside people in need.   “[I love] working with homeless and traumatised people and [people impacted by] DV,” she said. “The Lord just brings people to me all the time. I have a way of connecting.”   Leanne is also a member of her local Rotary Club, volunteers with the prison ministry program ‘Kairos’, and has developed wellbeing programs for women in prison. Recently, she started her own podcast, called ‘Hoodwink’, which supports female ex-prisoners in integrating back into society.   No wonder she was nominated and named as a finalist in the 2025 Rotary ‘Most Inspirational Women’s Awards’!   “The Lord has definitely set me up for this,” she said about her unique ministry to care for women who have experienced incarceration and trauma. “This is a calling from the Lord, no doubt. He wants me to do things that other people can’t do.”   “If I can bring people closer to God and even to start a relationship with him and hand their troubles over to God, I will be so happy,” she says. Leanne at the awards ceremony and receiving her finalist award from District Governor Renga Rajan.

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? My husband Russell and I are currently the Corps Officers at the Bairnsdale Corps in East Gippsland, Victoria. Bairnsdale is a beautiful part of Victoria with the Mitchell River running through it and a number of other rivers and lakes in the area. It is also only a short drive to the coast, where you can sit and watch the waves roll in.   What is most satisfying is a hard question, but I think that one of the most satisfying things is broadening our connection with our community. Our Thrift Shop has recently transitioned to a Salvos Store and moved to a new location, which has left us with a large space one street back from the main street of Bairnsdale. We have moved our Community Connect/Doorways service into this space. This makes us a lot more accessible to our community than when we were operating out of our hall, which is further from the centre of town and harder to get to. This change, which only took place on 15 September , has worked really well so far as we now have community people popping in for a chat and a cuppa as they walk past our shop front, as well as those who need assistance coming in. The extra space we have is enabling us to set up refreshment stations, comfortable places for people to sit and relax, tables to share a cuppa and a toastie, and a safe space where people are welcomed in. It is incredibly satisfying to be able to walk alongside people, help out where we can, and to have people offer us their support and ideas as to different ways we can use our new expanded space. 2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?  I love just sitting and reading a book to unwind – usually a murder mystery. I don’t know why they relax me, but they do. Also, we are so fortunate to be close to a number of rivers and the coast, so that I can just go and sit and watch the water. That always brings me a feeling of peace and calms me.   My husband and I have become LEGO addicts, and I find that concentrating on the building of different models helps me to focus on something other than the things going on in my appointment, which brings some downtime and helps with focus. When the opportunity presents itself, spending time with our adult sons and other family members who live a few hours away is also wonderful.   3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it?  There are so many songs that I love, and my favourite probably changes depending on the things I am experiencing during the different stages of my life.   In the last few years, we’ve had some pretty tough situations that we have had to deal with and during one of those times, I came across the song Do It Again by Elevation Worship and the lines:   Your promise still stands Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness I'm still in Your hands This is my confidence, You never failed me yet, speak to me all the time.   This song always brings me back to the knowledge that God is always working, always involved, always with me, and I can have confidence that He will make the way and resolve the situation in His time and in His way. All I have to do is stay close to Him. 4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about?  I have been doing a sermon series on Daniel, so he is the person my mind immediately went to – a man who held on to his faith and his convictions even in the face of death. I would like to hear his story in his own words. I would love to know what went on in that lion’s den, how did God close the mouths of the lions, how did he sleep surrounded by lions, how could he speak so calmly the next morning to the king even before he was released?   I would like to speak with him about his prayer life, about his commitment to his faith, even when he was so far away from his home, his absolute assurance that no matter what happened, God was with him. I want to be the person who knows that, no matter what, I am held in God’s hands and I can have the confidence to do what He requires of me. 5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say?   Officership is a calling, and if you feel that God is calling you to officership, then I would say jump right in. Doing what you know God is calling you to do is amazing. It’s not always easy, and there are times you might wish that you were doing something else, but knowing that you are walking the path God has called you to is so important. Officership is frustrating; it can be painful at times, but more often than not, it is so fulfilling. You get to do things you probably never thought you would be doing, and you get to walk alongside incredible people.   Every one of us is called to ministry in some form or another, and if for you that is officership, then just step out in faith knowing that God is always with you.

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The Salvation Army provides emergency relief support for Typhoon Ragasa victims in the Philippines. In response to the widespread devastation in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Ragasa (known locally as Typhoon Nando), which hit northern Luzon in September 2025, The Salvation Army is mobilising emergency relief efforts to support 1200 families in the hardest-hit areas.   The super typhoon has left communities reeling, with homes destroyed, livelihoods lost and access to food and clean water severely disrupted.   Immediate assessments conducted in coordination with local government units and community leaders revealed a critical shortage of food, water and hygiene supplies.    To address this urgent need, The Salvation Army is distributing food packs containing rice, canned goods, noodles, coffee, bottled water and hygiene kits. These relief goods aim to meet the immediate nutritional and health needs of affected residents while complementing the efforts of government and other humanitarian agencies.   Salvation Army teams are working closely with local authorities to ensure the rapid and efficient delivery of aid. Priority is being given to the most severely affected areas to maximise impact and reach those in greatest need.

An image from 1897 showing two Salvationists praying for a ‘drunkard’ and leading him to Christ. (Right) An excerpt from the 1935 War Cry. BY BARRY GITTINS There’s nothing like a claim of divine intervention to bolster the spirits of the faithful, and the Salvos believe, like the cinematic brothers in blues from the 1980s, that they are on a mission from God – and with some divine assistance and guidance, they’ll set things right with the world. Part of that mission used to be “a series of ‘drunks’ raids”, where Salvationists would seek out people who were the worse for wear, to render aid and share their faith. On more than one occasion, 90 years ago, the Salvos believed their efforts, aided by God’s intervention, meant that “suicide was averted and domestic strife ended”. In a 1935 War Cry report from Footscray (6km drive west from Melbourne’s CBD), we read that the corps officer, Major Carnell, felt led to lead his troops to a different spot for their open-air meeting; on the way back “they encountered a man ‘manifestly in great mental distress’”, who they persuaded to accompany them back to the hall. There, he told them a “pitiful tale” as he prayed. “Had it not been for the music of the band,” we read, “he probably would have taken his life by his own hand, as he sorrowfully confessed, for when the Army passed by, he was on his way to the railway line to throw himself under a passing train.” The man found peace with God and his newfound friends; he’d once “held a high position of trust, but drink had destroyed all his prospects in life… Plans are being made for his future.” READ MORE: The Salvation Army’s war on drink The same major reported that one Sunday morning, a bloke asked him to “visit a woman leaning over a gate further up the street”. He saw “a pitiful sight” – a young woman’s face “swollen and besmeared with blood. She had been shamefully beaten by her husband, who, the officer learned, was inside.” The Salvo tried to reassure the assaulted woman and then confronted the husband. The Salvo confronted him “about his wrongdoing”, before speaking and praying with both the victim and the perpetrator in the one room; the article reports a penitent husband and his wife were drawn together, and “a touching reconciliation was effected”. The major told his soldiers the story of that morning during the holiness meeting, and “two women Salvationists volunteered to visit the home regularly”; the abused wife attended the salvation meeting that very night. Adverse mental health, suicidal ideation and domestic violence are still very much a part of the social fabric, although the prospect of groups like The Salvation Army accosting impacted people on the streets has been greatly reduced by societal and cultural change. Are we likely to intervene in people’s lives these days, or be on the lookout for signs of God doing so? As General Albert Orsborn wrote, “except I am moved with compassion, how dwelleth Thy Spirit in me? In word and deed, burning love is my need; I know I can find his in Thee.”

As we continue to shine a light on hidden hunger during Anti-Poverty Week, Will’s story explores what happens when poverty hits home and how simple, unconditional support from The Salvation Army helped one family reclaim stability, dignity and hope. To find out more about Will's story, read Salvos Online journalist Lerisse Smith’s feature ‘ When the cupboard is bare ’ .

The Salvation Army Home in Pakenham served many purposes at the turn of the 20 th  century, lastly as a refuge for men. BY COREY EVERITT*   Many may know the Salvation Army today through their numerous op shops, but behind that lies a rich history that has impacted countless lives for over a century, and Pakenham (Vic.) was no exception.   A new book from the Berwick Pakenham Historical Society chronicles the many lives connected to the Salvation Army Home between 1892 and 1919.   A launch for When the Army Came to Pakenham: Salvation Army Home Pakenham 1892–1919 was held last weekend to mark its release. Attendees had the chance to hear firsthand from the author about this prominent institution in early local history.   Historical Society member Penny Harris Jennings researched extensive documentation to profile the many individuals who passed through The Salvation Army Home in Pakenham, including both those who received their service and those who provided it.   Some had well-documented histories. Others were patchy across the various iterations of the Army Home, which ranged from rehabilitating ex-convicts and addicts to housing the elderly.   “There are some really sad stories, but there are also others that are really beautiful,” Ms Jennings said.   The most well-known person to pass through those old walls was adventurer Harold Lasseter (1880-1931), famous for his claim of discovering a large gold reef in Central Australia. His quest to rediscover ‘Lasseter’s Reef’ ultimately led to his death.   Many biographies have unearthed details of his early life, including a previously hidden period of institutionalisation as a young man. This included a year at the Pakenham Salvation Army Home after he was convicted of burglary at the age of 17.   Ms Jennings also cherishes the quieter stories. Her personal favourite is that of a young woman named Jesse Cuthbert. She resided at the home around the turn of the century, and documents described her stay as “idle and disorderly.”   After leaving in 1898, she moved to Western Australia, where she married a Chinese man named Frederick Ah Wing.   They both changed their names and were later referred to as “Mr and Mrs Washing.”   Jesse defied her supposed disorderliness to become a beloved mother.   The book weaves the history of the home together with the early beginnings of the town of Pakenham. The institution was established on land that is today located along Army Road.   Founded during the 1890s depression, the Army Home served as a Prison Gate Brigade, then successively as a boys’ reformatory, girls’ reformatory, and finally an aged men’s retreat before being sold.   You can get a copy of the book by contacting Ms Jennings at: pennyharrisjennings@gmail.com   *Article reproduced courtesy of the Pakenham Officer Star News   Packing up heaps of mission at Pakenham   A photo, c.1898, of men at Pakenham who have made fruit packing boxes. BY BARRY GITTINS   Pioneering Salvation Army programs and properties had a flexibility of purpose, name and mission focus that seems rapid compared to later eras.   Take, for example, the Army’s efforts at Pakenham, Victoria. The 1 March 1902 issue of The Salvation Army’s War Cry journal reported that the Pakenham property was re-purposed as an aged men’s facility; ‘Beulah – Our Pakenham Old Men’s Home’. (A 1957 War Cry made the claim that this was ‘the first home for aged men in The Salvation Army world’.)   Back in 1892, the Army had leased and later bought a Pakenham property as a ‘Salvation Army Farm Colony’. Accommodating 80 homeless men, the initiative directly addressed the financial and social devastation caused by the 1890s depression.   The Pakenham Farm Colony, run on the lines of William Booth’s Darkest England Scheme, sat on 750 acres. It was situated 56 km east of Melbourne and was also known as the Pakenham Industrial Farm, the Pakenham Labour Colony, and the Pakenham Social Farm.   Touted as the ‘first farm colony in Australia and a free labour bureau’, 100 unemployed men could gain some relief and accommodation, and earn from 12-15 shillings each week of their stay. The men cut timber into firewood, made wooden fruit boxes for the produce they grew, and transported it all to Melbourne via a three-mile tramway especially installed to get stuff from the farm to Pakenham Railway Station.   The Depression passed, and Pakenham was subsequently used as a Boys’ Home, and then a Girls’ Home, before becoming ‘Beulah’.

Commissioner Miriam Gluyas conducts the installation ceremony for new Divisional Commander Major Mal Davies and Assistant Divisional Commander Major Kate Baudinette. Photos: Major Steven Haworth BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Major Mal Davies has been installed as the new Victoria Divisional Commander and Major Kate Baudinette as Assistant Divisional Commander during a special divisional gathering in Melbourne. Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas conducted the installation ceremony on Sunday 12 October at the Hyatt Place Event Centre in Essendon Fields. Nine Salvationists from across the division were also awarded at the event for their pioneering spirit in ministry and social work. The event, attended by hundreds of Salvationists, also featured the Salvos Big Band and the Children’s Ministry Team. Mal, who has been Assistant Divisional Commander for Victoria, replaces Colonel Kelvin Merrett, who recently retired from his role as Victorian Divisional Commander. Kate leaves her role as Area Officer for Metro East Melbourne, which is now led by Major Darren Elkington. Miriam called it a “wonderful day” for the Victoria Division, and referenced the catchphrase of the event, saying the awards and installations provided a challenge to “be bold”. “I love that Mal and Kate will continue on with the vision of ‘recasting the nets’ across the division, looking for the best ways to see the Kingdom advance,” Miriam said.  New Victoria Divisional Commander Major Mal Davies and Assistant Divisional Commander Major Kate Baudinette speak after being installed into their new leadership roles. Mal said the day had been a great success, and it was encouraging to see such enthusiasm and optimism for the future of The Salvation Army. “We chose the theme ‘Be Bold!’ because we want Salvationists to move forward with courage and conviction, and because in an increasingly secular culture, we want Christians to stand up and boldly declare their faith. Mal added, “Colonel Kelvin Merrett began working towards some new principles under the banner ‘Recasting the Net’ and Kate and I will continue with that work as we’re seeing so many positive signs of growth and innovation across the Victoria Division. “I’m delighted to have Kate as Assistant DC as she brings such a spiritual maturity and strength to divisional leadership. We have no doubt at all that we’re in a spiritual battle, and Kate and I are ready for the fight.” Pioneering Awards Major Kim Haworth (right) prays over the award recipients alongside Commissioner Miriam Gluyas – five were present on the day including (from left) Dr Wilma Gallet, Major Robbin Moulds, Helen McClimont (for her late husband Graeme) and Majors Vanessa and Robert Evans. Seven received James Barker Pioneering Awards for Social Mission. They were: Jane Barnes – for her instrumental work in pioneering a significant shift from the congregate care model of homelessness support to independent living, integrated with a multidisciplinary approach. Major Ashley Davies – for adapting and implementing the Positive Lifestyle Program, a conversation-based course, to better reflect Australia’s unique cultural context and meet the real needs of those who needed it most.   Major David Eldridge – for being a driving force in developing youth homelessness services in Australia. Dr Wilma Gallet – for leading the pioneering development of Employment Services for The Salvation Army. Major Graeme McClimont (posthumous) – for his leadership in advancing Australia’s response to youth homelessness. The award was collected by his wife, Helen. Major Robbin Moulds – for being instrumental in the establishment, growth and development of Street Level. Jenny Plant – for being instrumental in launching a TSA–Victoria Police partnership supporting high-risk families, and for leading the creation of International Overdose Awareness Day, evolving from a local initiative to a WHO-recognised Global Day of Remembrance for lives lost to addiction. Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans and their Cutmore Award. Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans were also honoured with the Commissioners Ian and Nancy Cutmore Award for their exceptional service in planting new corps across the Solomon Islands. The Evanses originally received the award at their farewell service in the Solomons. Click here to read that story. Click through the slideshow below for more photos of the service (all photos by Major Steven Haworth):

Each week throughout 2025, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for a particular territory or region of The Salvation Army.   The focus territory/region shares prayer requests to help us pray with precision and power for one another.   This week ( 13-19 October ) we pray for The Salvation Army in Western India.    The India Western Territory has 627 officers (394 active and 233 retired); 17 cadets; 221 corps; 109 outposts; 32,699 senior soldiers; 1773 adherents; 5311 junior soldiers; 341 employees.   “Commissioner Daniel Raju Dasari leads the territory, assisted by Chief Secretary Lieut-Colonel Zothanmawia Khiangte.   The work of the territory includes: ·  Education ·  Hospitals ·  Food services ·  Support for street children ·  Modern slavery and human trafficking response   General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham visited the India Western Territory in February 2025. Please pray for: Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) approval:  Pray that the FCRA approval is not cancelled. If withdrawn, many centres will face serious difficulties. We seek God’s intervention so that the territory’s ministries may continue smoothly. National Officers’ Council (3-6 November 2025, Chennai):  Pray for officers and leaders from all six territories as they gather. May the Holy Spirit move powerfully, bringing revival across India and leading many to walk in God’s way. Senior Officers’ Council (24-27 September 2025):  Pray for all officers who participated in this council which focused on sustainability, FCRA contingency, and strengthening the territory’s mission responsibilities. Candidates for officership:  The territory needs dedicated people to offer themselves for officership training. Pray that God will raise up faithful candidates to serve him. Seminars: Various seminars are being conducted in different sections of ministry. Pray that each seminar will be fruitful and bring transformation in every area of service. Vocational Bible Study for children:  Pray for the sectional Bible studies planned for Sunday school children. May the children, teachers, and participants be blessed, and may many young hearts come to the mercy seat to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour.  To find out more about The Salvation Army in India Western Territory here . To find out more about The Salvation Army across India, click here . To download the 2025 International Prayer Focus schedule, click here .   For more information on The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, click here .

Young people in Shepparton were encouraged to dress up and let loose for a night to remember as part of Cinema Cosplay at the local Village Cinema. BY LERISSE SMITH Lights, camera ... action!  These three iconic words proved the winning formula for a night packed with fun and fanfare, as superheroes, villains and everything in between burst onto the scene at Village Cinemas Shepparton for the recent Salvos North East Youth Services Cinema Cosplay event. The high-energy night officially kicked off ‘Youth Fest’ for Greater Shepparton, a month-long celebration in September championing youth creativity, achievement, and community connection through promoting interactive activities. Cinema Cosplay was the brainchild of young people connected with The Salvation Army North East Youth Services (NEYS), based in Shepparton, with the cinema coming on board as both the venue and event partner. Young people were encouraged to dress up and let loose for a night to remember. “We had a great turnout for a really niche subject matter like Cosplay,” said Jim Gow, Youth Participation Worker at NEYS. “This event was the idea of young people for other young people. The Village Cinema Shepparton provided a couple of prizes for the winner of the best dressed and encouragement award – so it was great to have that sort of support locally.” Since 2008, NEYS has been supporting young people aged 16 to 25 with housing needs, helping thousands locally across the region secure long-term accommodation, including access to crisis housing owned and operated locally. But its support goes beyond bricks and mortar. Jim said the services team continued to look at fresh ways to engage young people 12-25 years old through events such as Cosplay that tapped into youth interests – especially in pop culture and creative spaces. “We too often hear that there is nothing to do in the area for young people, so we are constantly looking to change that, especially when it comes to putting on new and dynamic events that we haven’t tried before,” he said. “This is very much a space that the youth services are looking to move into. Cosplay was about combining cosplay, or costume play, in this case a ‘Marvel’ theme, combined with a Marvel movie,  The Fantastic Four: First Step . Overall, I think it was a good event and look to possibly change a few things for next time to make it even bigger and better.”