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Barbara Bolton launches her book, Booth’s Drum, in 1980. (Right) Barbara collecting donations for The Salvation Army in a Melbourne pub. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE   As of 27 June 2026, it will be 30 years since the Promotion to Glory of Major Barbara Bolton, a Salvation Army officer and journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald and the Salvation Army editorial department.   While we often tend to venerate the dead, it takes a great deal for someone to be considered remarkable, one of a kind. In her tragically short life, which ended at just 54, Barbara authored Booth’s Drum , the only comprehensive history of The Salvation Army in Australia, and one of only a few histories of the Christian church in the nation. Barbara was also the writer behind the Ginger Brown character, who featured in a weekly segment in The Young Soldier .   Additionally, outside of the Army, Barbara pushed the boundaries as a journalist, at one point documenting a week of living on unemployment benefits on the streets of Sydney for The Sydney Morning Herald . Barbara also wrote several children’s books, most notable among them being Jandy Malone and the Nine O’Clock Tiger , which received a commendation from The Children’s Book Council of Australia.   Over several months, I spoke with many of Barbara’s friends, an accomplished group who spent their early days in The Salvation Army, and some of whom went on to serve as officers.   Lieut-Col Frank Daniels For two years as a young Salvationist in the 1960s, retired officer Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Daniels spent every Sunday with Barbara in Melbourne.   “I used to pick her up from our friend’s place on a Sunday morning,” Frank says. “She’d come to Thornbury East [Corps], and she would help with Sunday school, and then come to the morning meeting, then we’d spend the day together. She’d come home [with me], and we’d have lunch. She was very impractical as far as anything domestic was concerned, so I used to do all that for her.”   Frank says Barbara was often “in another world”. The two had met at Frank’s 21st birthday party. Frank said the party atmosphere had been loud and boisterous, and while wandering through the venue, he found Barbara sitting in a corner, finishing an article.   “She could be in that setting and yet be focused on writing an article,” Frank says.   He describes arriving at Barbara’s house one day to find a strong smell emanating from her kitchen. He asked her what it was. “[She said] ‘Oh! I put the peas on for tea, and I forgot to turn them off!’”   Frank says Barbara was not afraid to go against the grain and engage in political demonstrations, such as campaigning against Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. He says he remembers her marching in the demonstration, but without realising, she had put her officer’s hat on back to front.   “That was a political statement, but [for] Barb, I don’t think that reached her brain,” Frank says.   Frank says Barbara’s love of those on the margins or facing oppression was a trait that went back to her teenage years living in Tasmania. After Barbara’s father died of tuberculosis, Barbara spent some time living with her aunt in Hobart, where she saw the heartbreaking reality of poverty for the first time. While she was in school, the State Parliamentarian for Welfare addressed the assembly. Barbara, disagreeing with a point she made, stood up and contradicted her.   “She was always very much keen on social justice, feeding the poor and looking after the poor,” Frank says. “I’ve known her to give away her last dollar. That’s the sort of person she was.”   Frank says even while she was in the editorial department, she continued volunteering on the frontlines at The Salvation Army. He remembers how one elderly, isolated homeless man was very ill, and she washed his clothes and visited him in hospital almost daily.   But Frank says Barbara’s love of social justice and thoughtless streak sometimes put her in harm’s way. After assisting with homelessness responses at Little Bourke Street Corps in the Melbourne CBD on a Friday night, Barbara would walk home to her house in Normanby Avenue, Richmond.   “She’d just wander home through the Fitzroy Gardens, and I used to say to her, ‘Barb, you shouldn’t be doing that at night!’ She seemed to be oblivious to a lot of things. She was unique, and we loved her for it.”   As a corps officer, Barbara struggled in the role. As administrative skills didn’t come easily to her, she found the daily work of management challenging. And there was another problem.   “She wasn’t very musical at all,” Frank says. “She couldn’t sing to save her life, so leading the actual meetings and services was difficult.”   Whenever I spoke with someone about Barbara, eventually, they would begin to laugh. It was contagious laughter, the kind that starts out quietly and builds to an unstoppable giggle. Whether it was her lack of practical ability, her unusual dress style, her attempts at music and cooking or her witty sense of humour, almost 30 years after her death, I found it remarkable that her friends hadn’t stopped finding her amusing. Barbara Bolton at different stages of life – (from left) as a young senior soldier, as an officer captain, and later as a major. Major Jenny Begent Major Jenny Begent, another friend of Barbara’s, also remembers her friend’s musical ventures. Jenny says Barbara was already a seasoned officer when Jenny began in the Army, and one whom Jenny always admired for never being afraid to say what she thought. Jenny says Barbara was hilarious, and often “unwittingly so”.   “I remember she was once the editor of The Musician , which was a paper we used to have that circulated to all our musical sections, and she knew not a word about music. She couldn’t read it, she couldn’t sing. She was tone deaf,” Jenny says. “And they made her the editor of The Musician . I remember we had the International Staff Band out here. When the ISB arrived, she went to the concert to write about it, and she didn’t mention one piece of music. She didn’t have a clue!”   Jenny also recalls Barbara trying to find ways to make even the dullest of tasks amusing. Jenny says Barbara had a knack for “taking the mickey out of everybody at the same time”.   “We both ended up on the vehicle committee,” Jenny says. “It was the most boring thing. [One time], someone had hit a stationary object, and they used the word ‘stationery’ as in pens and pencils. And Barbara said, ‘Do you reckon it was a ruler?’”   But alongside Barbara’s sense of humour and knack for finding the ridiculous, Barbara’s friends remember her fondly as someone who was exceptionally bright, and who had a profound impact on those whom she encountered. They remember her sermons and how confident she was when speaking without notes. One notable example was a four-part sermon series she gave at what was the Fitzroy Corps, in which she spoke on Revelation and the idea of a new heaven and a new earth, from a basis of restoration theology.   Major David Eldridge Her friend, retired officer Major David Eldridge, remembers her being “well-read”.   “She had the gift of making complex ideas accessible for people,” he says. “Barbara took the Bible seriously, but not literally. And it fed her actions as well. They weren’t just words with Barb.”   And they weren’t. David says that at one point, one friend visited Barbara’s apartment and found that she had no electricity. As it turned out, she had paid her neighbour’s power bill and had no money left to pay her own. When their friendship group would play Monopoly, Barbara would refuse to purchase any properties and stuck to buying up utilities “because she was a good socialist”, according to David.   “She was radical, but in her own quiet way,” David says. “She was always in trouble with somebody.”   Barbara’s social conscience came through in her work. A piece by Barbara in the 7 July 1990 edition of The War Cry titled ‘The church that refused to die’ examines the reasons Christian belief persisted in Eastern Europe despite Soviet control.   Barbara’s conclusion captures the essence of her unwavering belief in a God who can overcome any political turmoil.   “In Eastern Europe, the Church has refused to die because its Lord is too vigorous, too vital, too alive for death. He was the element official Communism never understood, and in the end, He will beat it. He is also the element which official Capitalism has never understood, and He will beat that too.   “Christ and Christ alone is unconquerable.”   In a War Cry piece on the AIDS epidemic, Barbara expressed a desire for those facing the disease to be treated with compassion and tolerance.   “In spite of the efforts of Christians to provide HIV/AIDS education, there is still prejudice in religious circles,” Barbara wrote. “Some still see AIDS as God’s weapon against promiscuity. For many Christians, AIDS is still the disease that happens to ‘other’ people, a disease which is ‘deserved’.   “Yet Jesus said very clearly that human beings did not have the right to judge one another. Mercy always came at the top of His moral agenda.”   Ross Gittins The child of Salvation Army officer parents and renowned economics journalist and editor Ross Gittins credits his start in journalism to Barbara, who encouraged him to use his writing skills.   “She did a lot to encourage me to write for her and her publications,” Ross says. “She was really encouraging me to be a kind of amateur journalist, and we became friends and exchanged a lot of letters.   “I may not have ended up as a journalist had it not been for the encouragement Barbara gave me [then].”   Later, when Barbara was on a break from the Army and looking for work, Ross secured her a job as a Church Reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald . During this time, Barbara would share a meal with Ross and his wife every Sunday evening.   Soon after, Barbara was again in the editorial department and was later appointed to International Headquarters, where she was editor of All the World .   Ross remembers being on a British Government press junket during this time, in which he found himself with plenty of spare time. He spent it eating in restaurants, watching movies, visiting concerts, and spending time with other Salvationist friends with Barbara. Suffering from multiple sclerosis, Barbara needed the aid of a wheelchair in her 50s. It was then, while Barbara was living in London, that she discovered she was suffering from the disease that would eventually shorten her life: multiple sclerosis.   Barbara’s difficult diagnosis was not the first battle she faced with courage and pragmatism. Her reason for taking time out of The Salvation Army was known only to her closest friends. David Eldridge remembers the cost of the generosity and kindness that Barbara so consistently showed to those around her. He says she had her struggles with mental health, as a result of a life marked by stress and constant giving.   “Barbara could be depressed and could work herself into a state of exhaustion. And I think she got to that point. I think she just got drained and was looking for something else,” he says.   John Cleary Another of Barbara’s friends, John Cleary, a veteran ABC broadcaster and religion commentator, remembers his “extraordinary” friend as someone who was so easy to like that even when her views were at odds with those around her, she managed to maintain strong connections.   “I think even those people who disagreed with Barbara would never have had an argument with her,” he says. “She was just one of those people who treated everybody with kindness and civility, even when she knew she deeply disagreed with them.   “I think it’d be hard to find anybody who had a bad word to say about Barbara.”   He remembers her feeling crushed following the publication of Booth’s Drum , as her hopes for the book were dashed when the rigorous research she had put into the work over a very short period of time was removed, in order to make the narrative more accessible to a Salvation Army audience. This choice made the book, which could have otherwise been a groundbreaking work at an academic level, far less valuable as a documented history. The original cover of Barbara’s book, Booth’s Drum.  “It must have hurt her enormously to have that, because all the work counted for nothing outside of the Army,” John says.   When Barbara died in 1996, she left behind an enormous body of work across multiple Salvation Army publications, children’s books and media. But her friends remember her as someone who didn’t just push the boundaries in her work, but who really understood what it meant to minister to others in a rapidly changing world.   John says her death was a sudden loss of someone who deeply understood the currents within society and within The Salvation Army.   “What was lost was somebody who understood the Army to its core but was also connected to the reality of society now, and that was very unusual for an officer to be that well-connected in both,” he says. “She got it. And that was a profound loss.”

General Lyndon Buckingham gives the keynote address at the International Conference of Leaders, currently underway in Nairobi, Kenya. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Territorial Commander of the Australia Territory, has joined other territorial and senior leaders from around the world for the International Conference of Leaders (ICL) in Kenya. “ A great start to the conference with an inspiring keynote from the General,” said Miriam. “A wonderful group of people from around the world. What a family! The Salvation Army – God’s good idea!” So far, the ICL has included the General’s keynote address, a cultural evening, and local worship with 10,000 Kenyans and others in attendance. Aussies at the ICL (from left) Commissioners Geoff and Kalie Webb, Commissioners Kelvin and Cheralynne Pethybridge, Colonels Phil and Deslea Maxwell and Commissioner Miriam Gluyas. READ MORE: New, schedules, photos and more from the 2026 ICL Day 1 For the first day’s news, continue reading or follow online here . “This is holy ground! Ours is a sacred task! The Lord is with us!” declared General Lyndon Buckingham on 21 March 2026, the opening day of The Salvation Army’s International Conference of Leaders (ICL) in Nairobi, Kenya. The movement’s international leader delivered a powerful keynote address after 120 senior Salvation Army leaders had arrived in Nairobi from all points of the globe. The atmosphere in the room was one of high anticipation as the General brought a comprehensive and impassioned account of gratefulness to God for the delegates and their committed leadership, determination to face challenges and vision for the future! “I’m so pleased that we are able to gather here in Kenya, the first time an International Conference of Leaders has taken place in Africa. That is fantastic!” the General remarked, his comments being met with heartfelt applause. “Many African leaders were unable to make it to the last conference [in Vancouver, Canada], but this time you’re all here! You matter and your voices are important.” General Buckingham then turned his attention to the full complement of delegates. “As we gather today, I am very conscious of the tremendous responsibility you carry as senior shepherds and stewards of this global movement … Your appointments, entrusted to you by the General, call on you to be stewards of the global aims of the movement represented within your territory … your contribution to the mission of The Salvation Army is deeply appreciated and I say to you today, thank you.” He also encouraged the delegates to find “great assurance and confidence” in the fact that the Lord was with them at the conference. “We sense the reverence and the seriousness of our gathering. We see it as an act of worship; a holy, spiritual responsibility … Lord, we want to hear from you … Heavenly Father, we belong to you.” Challenging times The global leader painted a picture of the current world environment in which Compass, The Salvation Army’s new Global Strategic Framework, was designed to help the movement reach for higher levels of impact and effectiveness throughout the world. He said The Salvation Army was weathering global storms, including the lasting impact of a global pandemic, geopolitical uncertainty, a rise in nationalism, and wars and rumours of wars. The rising difficulty in obtaining visas, the closure of borders, registration difficulties in India and the withdrawal of international funding support was affecting The Salvation Army’s ability to appoint and move leaders and support international mission initiatives, he said. Protest movement The feeling in the room went up a notch when General Buckingham said that despite such volatility and uncertainty The Salvation Army continued to be salt, light and a beacon of hope, healing and salvation for the world. "I want to suggest to you this morning that the very existence of our movement is in and of itself a protest; we are a protest movement. We are a living, active, global demonstration. We are! That’s us! We are the placards, a visible resistance … “I mean this in the most positive of terms. We are a visible resistance that dares to declare, in both word and action and amid all of the uncertainty, that there is hope, that there is a way, that there is a Saviour, that there is salvation for the world. This is our work on the planet, to be a visible demonstration that God has not given up, that God has not abandoned us, that God has not turned his back on us. We stand as a testimony that his Kingdom is coming – has come and is coming. We are a visible testimony, a protest that says no – greed, selfishness, arrogance, power do not have to win the day. “No! There’s a better way. It’s the way of love, it’s the way of grace, it’s the way of mercy, it’s the way of welcome, it’s the way of healing, it’s the way of holiness. We are a demonstration movement. O my goodness, Lord, let our demonstration on this planet be powerful in your hands; help us to be extremely good stewards of our demonstration. May our placards bring honour and glory to your name. And we are better at this together than we are apart.” During the speech, General Buckingham confirmed that he had received a clean bill of health following a medical emergency last year while in Hong Kong, and shared that, by God the Holy Spirit’s help, he and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham would complete the term of office entrusted to them. He also called the delegates’ attention to Acts 15:28 , encouraging a conference that unfolded in such a way that “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us”. Out of many, one Earlier in the day, Chief of the Staff Commissioner Edward Hill welcomed all to the conference, encouraging delegates to ‘be engaged, be involved and make a contribution’. He acknowledged that it was the first ICL under the leadership of General Buckingham and brought devotions from Galatians 3:23-28 with the theme E Pluribus Unum (‘Out of Many, One’), reflecting the profound diversity of origins among conference delegates yet their experience of being one in Christ. “Unity and equality in Christ is the pure fragrance of the gospel,” said Commissioner Hill. For a quick overview of the first couple of days, click on the slideshow below:

Twenty-three personnel from SAES gathered at Collaroy for the workshop weekend. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE The Salvation Army Emergency Services NSW/ACT teams gathered recently to connect with one another, learn more about their roles and build stronger teams.  The event, held at The Collaroy Centre in Sydney’s Northern Beaches on 14-15 March, offered a chance for SAES volunteers and staff to discuss issues relating to response and recovery, and increase their knowledge and competency. Norm Archer, SAES Response Coordinator for NSW/ACT, said he began planning the workshop-focused event three years ago, and it went “spectacularly” well.  “We’re blessed in that the [NSW] State Government gives us a bucket of money to train volunteers,” Norm said. “So that lets me run these workshops.”  Norm Archer serving at a recent event attended by SAES NSW/ACT crews. Twenty-three people attended the worshop, including 20 volunteers. Alongside Norm were Senior Program Manager for Response and Wellbeing Major Bindy Lupis and one other staff member. Norm said he intentionally called the training events workshops, as each one was very much a two-way learning experience. Attendees participated in a number of topics, including using incident management software effectively, how to use new equipment, teamwork, volunteer activation and wellbeing.   Norm said it was also an important chance for people to network, get to know each other and share stories and problems. It was crucial for volunteers to feel supported, he said, and that the weekend was a chance for the volunteers who attended to be better equipped to engage and come alongside the 500 volunteers throughout the state.  “A big theme through the weekend was that they are supported, and help is a phone call away,” he said.   “Unless we’ve got volunteers on the ground, very, very, very little, if anything happens. It doesn’t happen without them. That’s the really important thing, that I want acknowledged and promoted and applauded.”

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.   “A clean body usually accompanies a pure mind.” – General William Booth   Freshening up BY GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH Salvation Army co-founder   (The article below is General William Booth’s original transcript.)   My dear comrades, I’ve previously written about the desirability of a clean house, clean furniture, and, as far as possible, of everything else within its walls being clean. But I only alluded very slightly to the most important item of all, the Cleanliness of the inmates! Perhaps this would be a convenient moment in our discussion of Religion for Every Day to make a remark or two on that subject. Unhappily, some people do not attach very much importance to a clean body. They will paint their faces, cover themselves with showy garments and with falderals and jewellery, while all the time their bodies are unwashed and otherwise defiled from head to foot. Some Salvationists are not, I am sorry to say, altogether free from blame in this respect. Although they may not pay quite so much attention to the outside of the platter, they are sadly wanting in care for what is far more important. This should not be. The Apostle Paul is very definite on the subject, not only commanding that the heart should be purified from evil, but in Hebrews distinctly requiring that the body should be “washed with pure water”. Now, a clean body includes and implies the frequent cleansing, from every kind of defilement, of the head and hands and feet and every part of the frame. This kind of purity has many advantages. A clean body is promotive of health. Scientists – that is, men of learning, who have studied the subject – tell us that there are millions of little openings in the human body provided for the purpose of expelling the impurities of the blood, and drinking in the health-promoting properties of the light and air. It is of the highest importance to health, that these little pores, as they are called, should be kept as clean as possible, in order that they may efficiently serve their purpose. Now, if all, or a portion, of these millions of little mouths are allowed to be closed by dirt, it can readily be seen that disease of one kind or another will probably be the consequence. A clean body will be agreeable to the people with whom you associate. Dirty faces, fingers, teeth, or the like, will be very distasteful to those around you, especially, if they have any proper notions on the subject; and, as dirt has many ways of making its presence known, it will ordinarily produce sensations of unpleasantness, if not of disgust. Clean body – pure heart A clean body usually accompanies a pure mind. There will, no doubt, be any number of individuals who have the former without the latter; they will be Cleanliness itself, from top to toe, while at the same time they never knew a pure mind, nor do they care for the pearl of greatest price – a Clean Heart. But although, as a quaint old preacher says, “God has some very dirty children,” there will not be many of His people who have purity within, who will not instinctively seek to be clean without. Cleanliness, in the sense in which I am using the term, is possible to all. I am aware that many who will read this Letter have to earn their daily bread by employments that necessarily begrime their clothes and soil their persons; among such are colliers, foundry men, stokers, some kinds of mill workers, and the like. But dirt which is thus accumulated, may be correctly styled “clean dirt”; and, with ordinary care, such workers can keep themselves as sweet and clean as their Comrades who labour under different conditions. Soap, nowadays, can be had in endless variety at a very low cost, and water is abundant, while the little labour involved in the cleansing is a healthy exercise. Everybody should have a good wash over in clean water, from top to toe, at least once a week. There need be no difficulty about this with the great majority of our Soldiers. A tub, large enough to sit down in, can be had for a trifle; a kettle full of hot water – rain water is preferable, but if not procurable, a very small piece of washing soda will go far to soften hard water – with a flat piece of soap and a good-sized towel are all that is required. It is not necessary to uncover the whole body at once. The process should be commenced by washing the upper parts of the body. The cleansing of the lower parts can follow. If anyone wants to know what can be done, in the way of Cleanliness, with a tub of warm water and the will to be clean, let them go into some of the coal districts, and learn what the colliers can do in this respect. By the same method many of you can take a cold bath every morning. In winter it should not be quite cold. A Lamp Bath* [electric light bath] … is a very simple and useful bath, and may be taken once a week, at a trifling cost. It not only serves to open and cleanse the pores, thus promoting the Cleanliness I am advocating, but refreshes and invigorates the whole system. A Turkish Bath now and then will be found useful to those who can afford it. This kind of bath has grown quite popular of late, and may be had in the evenings, in many of the principal towns, at a low price. But for the promotion of Cleanliness, a good Lamp Bath is almost as useful, is more economical, will occupy less time, and can be taken in your own room, and at the hour that may be found most, convenient. * A Lamp Bath or Electric Light Bath was a part of a fad known as light therapy, or heliotherapy, to treat conditions such as diabetes, meningitis and rheumatism, by breakfast cereal pioneer John Harvey Kellogg. Exponents suggest the use of light helps treat psoriasis, acne and some sleep disorders. NEXT WEEK: General William Booth’s thoughts on sleep. *This series has been compiled by Barry Gittins, The Salvation Army Australia Museum Specialist (Melbourne)

In the final week of the Self Denial Appeal, Tristan Bray from Shire Salvos shares an original worship song, Because of Your Love, a powerful reminder of how God’s love calms storms, heals hearts and inspires generosity. Also performed by Liberty Hill and Matt Metcher, this heartfelt piece is about being motivated by love – giving sacrificially so others can experience hope, dignity, and opportunity. Your support helps transform lives around the world, so please give generously. To find out more and donate, click here .

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? Currently, I am the Corps Leader at North Brisbane Corps (NBC). I share this appointment with my husband, Scott, and we have been here for two years. One of the things I love most about being a corps leader is getting to walk alongside people in their spiritual journeys. I really value the honest conversations, the questions, and the moments when people discover something new about their faith or about God. It’s a privilege to share life together, supporting one another, learning from each other, and all of us growing along the way. I also love helping NBC look outward, finding new ways to connect with and serve the community around us, and being part of a church that wants to make a real, positive difference in people’s lives. NBC is multigenerational, and I love to see the generations worshipping and serving together. There is energy and enthusiasm. There is a richness in relationships and a wealth of learning from all ages.   2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind? I’m intentional about taking time away from my role at NBC so I can rest and recharge. Simple things like taking the dog for a walk or walking with a friend, reading, and going for a run help me unwind and give me space to think. I have to admit that running isn’t exactly a natural gift of mine, and it doesn’t always make me feel relaxed, but it is something I have challenged myself to do over the past seven years and, strangely enough, I do find it enjoyable – most of the time. On a day off, I also enjoy relaxing with a good limited series on Netflix, especially anything related to police or crime stories. One of my favourite ways to stay connected and refreshed is Facetiming with family and having a chat with my grandchildren, which always brings a lot of joy.   3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it? One of my favourite songs at the moment is ‘Christ Be Magnified’ written by Cody Carnes. I love it because it’s a simple but powerful reminder of the desire of my heart – that in my life, my words, and the way I lead, people would see and hear Jesus more than anything else. It also reminds me to live a life that is surrendered to God and full of worship for who He is, not just in church but in everyday moments.   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 think I would love the opportunity to sit and chat with Mary, the mother of Jesus. As a mother, I imagine in our conversation that we would share that deep heart for our children, and I would love to hear what it was like for her to watch Jesus step into His ministry. It must have been incredibly moving but also painful at times, especially as she saw the rejection He experienced. I often wonder how she carried that as a mother – holding the sorrow of His suffering alongside the incredible promise God had given her that her son would be the Saviour of the world.    5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say?   If I were speaking with someone about becoming a Salvation Army officer, I would encourage them to truly listen for God’s call on their life and to follow where He leads. If that call includes officership, I would encourage them to step forward with the prayer, “not my will, but God’s will be done”. God is faithful, and His call into ministry can be trusted. All the things that might make someone hesitate or feel like saying, “I can’t do it because of …” can be brought to God. He is able to hold those concerns, guide the way forward, and give what is needed for the journey. More information on Salvation Army officership can be found here . *Meet the Officer interviews are conducted by Salvos Online journalist Lerisse Smith

Toasting marshmallows around the campfire – a different way of gathering to worship Jesus in Southern NSW.   BY LAUREN MARTIN   Most Christians associate sitting around a campfire, singing worship songs and toasting marshmallows with their annual church camp experience.   But Salvationists in Southern NSW are embracing this form of worship weekly, with ‘Campfire Sessions – Faith around the Flames’ attracting ‘new people’ eager to connect with God. The flyer for the Campfire Sessions ministry. Captain Henry and Lieutenant Cindy Roehrig were appointed to Bega Valley Corps a few years ago and began a journey of seeking God and being open to the direction he wanted to take The Salvation Army’s mission in the area.   “[Even though we had an older congregation], the faith and passion never faded, so we were listening to God and following the doors that have opened in the past couple of years,” said Henry.   God gave the corps a verse, Ezekiel 36:26:   “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you …”   In researching the corps’ history, the Roehrigs discovered that going back to the 1930s, there are records of Salvationists conducting outreaches as far south as the town of Eden on the NSW/Victorian border. There was also an idea to plant a congregation in the coastal town of Pambula, but it never eventuated.   “Our focus had been on revitalising the church at Bega,” said Henry. “But doors kept closing in that area, and more and more opportunities were opening up in Merimbula [about 25 minutes south].   In collaboration with their congregation, Bega Valley Corps felt called to replant a faith expression in Merimbula. Sunday gathered worshipping ceased in Bega on Christmas Day 2025, with the ‘Campfire Sessions’ worshipping community and mid-week Spiritual Walks beginning in February. Captain Henry Roehrig leads the first Campfire Sessions evening, which attracts people of all ages. The first ‘Campfire Session’ attracted 18 people, nine of whom were new to the corps.   People bring along their camp chairs to the open area at the back of the Merimbula Scout Hall, which looks out onto bushland. The gathering starts with tea and coffee and a chat, then worship begins with everyone sitting around the fire, singing praise to God.   “Cindy and I love nature,” said Henry. “That’s where we experience God, that’s where we experience the divine … With Campfire Sessions, we can have a gathered worship experience in a more organic sort of way where people aren’t afraid of all the structure that comes with walking into a church building and all that kind of stuff.” The basic set-up behind the Merimbula Scout Hall that serves as a place of worship ... around a campfire.   The format also suits families, with kids who are not able to stay seated for long periods still able to experience the worship and teaching.   The message is delivered as a ‘campfire’ story, with Henry or Cindy simplifying a Bible passage to make it conversational and encourage discussion.   “People tend to slow down and just talk more than they ever would in church,” said Henry. “I think God is opening ideas of what church can really look like, what it can be.”   The vision for the new Bega Valley Corps replant, named ‘Pulse Gatherings’, is to raise up disciples who raise up disciples.   The flyer for the Spiritual Walks ministry. Part of Pulse Gatherings is also a regular Tuesday bushwalk, rotating through several scenic locations around the area, called ‘Spiritual Walks.’ People are encouraged to join a 60-minute gentle walk in nature to slow down, notice what is sacred, and ‘make space to meet with Jesus.’   “I prepare some guided prompts around a passage of Scripture,” said Henry. “Then, we, by ourselves, do whatever the walk is, and then we meet and share what we experienced, how we have encountered God.”   People who have heard about the walks from friends, or from Facebook advertising, are coming along to check it out for themselves. A momentum is building around encountering God in a different, authentic way. Henry and Cindy continue to pray into where God is leading the corps and what comes next in the discipleship journey.   “I’ve been around the Salvos for quite a while now, and at different times you pick up these stories of The Salvation Army being innovative and doing new things, and then you also hear, ‘Oh, but we have to wear ‘navies’ and do the brass band thing,’” said Henry. “I think God is reminding us that we can be innovative and do new things and actually just enjoy who God is.”

Volunteers plays a vital role in the success of Parramatta Salvos’ mid-week community outreaches, including Henry (top left), Ray (bottom left) and William and Kerry (main image). Photos: Lauren Martin   BY LAUREN MARTIN   Five years ago, Parramatta Corps Officers Major Kylie Collinson and Lieutenant Sarah Walker (now Captain, and Youth & Young Adults Secretary) started a food ministry from the newly opened Parramatta Corps building.   “There was a huge need for affordable groceries as the cost-of-living crisis started to set in after COVID,” remembered Kylie. “We connected with [Coles] Second Bite and started to do pick-ups [from supermarkets]. The first few pick-ups Sarah and I did in my car!”   Fast forward to now, and the corps has a dedicated van, with volunteers picking up from partnering supermarkets and other food suppliers five days a week. Parramatta Corps Officer Major Kylie Collinson (right) says it’s been a joy watching the Holy Spirit at work at the corps during the weekly ministries, including the Community Market Day, with many community members and volunteers now also connected to the Sunday faith community. Dozens of volunteers fill the Wednesday Market Day roster, having been inducted as volunteers with specific roles and job descriptions. They all know exactly what unique part they play in Parramatta Salvation Army’s biggest day of the week, where up to 150 come through the doors for free groceries, coffee and a light meal.   With that many people being assisted, one could imagine the centre could be chaotic, but a well-thought-out membership system staggers community members’ arrival times, giving them access to the market in different time slots (which are changed every week so that everyone has a turn being ‘first’).   The Ubuntu approach Before the doors even open for Market Day, all volunteers and staff gather in the café for a team meeting. This is a big part of the ‘culture piece’ that sits at the heart of everything Parramatta Salvos does.  Parramatta Salvation Army’s Program Coordinator, Roza Gutschow speaks to volunteers and team members before the doors open for the Wednesday Market Day. On the day Salvos Online visited, Program Coordinator Roza Gutschow shared the African idea of Ubuntu – that we are all interconnected and interdependent. “We are bound to each other through our humanity … so we look after each other, ourselves and the community.” Practical information is also shared, volunteers are celebrated, and on that particular day, the upcoming Volunteer Picnic Day was advertised. At the end of the meeting, Roza led the team through what sounded like a well-worn mantra: Roza: “We’re a … Volunteers respond: “Community!” Roza: “In a … Volunteers respond: “Community!” Roza: “Serving a … Volunteers respond: “Community!”   After the clapping and cheering that followed the chant, everyone got up and attended to their individual jobs. Pauline told Salvos Online that she hands out the frozen meat every week. “Salvos were helping me, and then I started volunteering,” she said. “I like helping people, and it makes me feel very happy.” Henry loves greeting community members as they arrive at Parramatta Salvos in western Sydney for Wednesday’s Market Day. Henry’s story Nearby in the commercial kitchen, another volunteer was using donated food items to cook a carbonara pasta for that day’s free meal. Henry, who volunteers five days a week at Parramatta Salvos, opened the doors to the community and stood greeting people by name as they walked inside.   “I was on the streets a long time ago,” he said. “I feel sorry for these people when I see them on the streets. They are good people, and you try to help them as much as you can.”   Henry began volunteering many years ago at The Salvation Army’s former corps location, but then got a job. When that finished up, he returned. “I thought, ‘I’ll come back, meet some people and get involved.’ I know all these people here. They are like family, and I come on Sundays too, not every Sunday but sometimes.” Ray loves making coffee for community members at Parramatta Salvation Army’s Market Day every Wednesday. Ray’s story Upstairs in the café, Ray is at his regular spot behind the coffee machine. Ray began volunteering two and a half years ago. “When I thought I had nothing more to give, I stepped into this role it gave me more to give.”   His journey with The Salvation Army began in 2016 when he had a meaningful conversation at Harris Park train station with a Salvation Army officer who was collecting. “He said, ‘Come down to Granville Corps. So, I did Bible study there, and I loved it there, and I engaged. That was 2016, and then in 2019 I became a soldier.   “I had a faith, but it was just a matter of reconnecting. I had walked away from it, and I thought that life had nothing more to offer me, but the path was given back to me, a faith pathway.”   Ray, like so many others, volunteers numerous days of the week, and attends Parramatta Salvation Army on Sundays to worship the God that they serve during the week.   For Kylie, watching God at work through his people is an absolute joy. “People come along, and then they find community within The Salvation Army, and then they find community with each other. That’s the really cool thing, and we are seeing that more and more. There are these crossovers between our community and programs, and now people are coming in to worship on a Sunday.”   A focus on God’s way But, she said, it hasn’t always run so smoothly.   “To be honest, when market day started, it was kind of completely out of control! It used to be a bit of a ‘free for all’, and we would have people lined up outside the building at 7am, so now there is a membership system … it’s been refined over the years and that’s not been a ‘me’ thing, we have a community coordinator who looks after all the systems and we listen and take feedback from our volunteers as well.”   Now, Parramatta Corps is financially sustainable through the rental of its ground-floor shopfronts and has the capacity to employ staff, host a range of national stream workers (from Moneycare, Doorways and Homelessness support), as well as having an abundance of volunteers who assist with not only Market Day but the Corps’ Craft Group, Games Morning, Walking Group, Community Choir, English-Conversation Classes, Emergency Relief and the Community Café. But when Kylie and Sarah first started, it was just them, with a car, a vision, a whole heap of prayers and the deep knowledge that intentionality and culture was the bedrock they needed to build on.   “Culture is very important, and sometimes we have to make hard decisions about that, but it’s better to have the right people than to have more people,” Kylie said.   “Everybody’s got a job as well. That’s the other thing. When they come in to volunteer on a Wednesday, all of our volunteers, they know what their role is and what they are here to do.” William and Kerry love volunteering at Parramatta Salvos and have made the corps their spiritual home, becoming enrolled as Soldiers last year. Kerry and William’s story For Kerry and William, Market Day has changed their life. They were told about it by a friend, and came along, not really for assistance, but because they felt disconnected.   “We just travelled around on public transport to the city every day, and you get bored of it after a while, seeing the same old thing,” said William. “We came here just as community members, and we liked what we saw – volunteers helping the community. So, we asked if there was any available space for us to give back.”   Kerry and William were enrolled as senior soldiers at Parramatta Corps in 2025 and volunteer several days of the week, helping with Market Day, grocery pick-ups and helping to run the fortnightly games morning. Kerry has just joined the new Parramatta Salvos’ Community Choir.   “We like to help people, and we’ve made so many friends,” said Kerry.   In his testimony at his enrolment, William said that Parramatta Salvos is “ a good place to be. Sundays are special because we come to church to learn more about the Bible and how to pray. In the classes, Major Dave [Collinson] talked about serving – that each one of us can serve God in the Army – everyone has a ‘something’ they can do if you’re prepared to give it a go.” Mac, Parramatta Market Day’s volunteer coordinator speaks during a team meeting before the doors open. Start small and build strong Kylie Collinson just loves Parramatta Corps and seeing God at work among its people. Her advice to other Salvationists working in the food assistance space: “Start out small and do one or two things well [and with intentionality and good culture.]   “You can’t start something on every day of the week at first, even the first year. You have to do it gradually.” And if things aren’t working or culture has come out of alignment with Jesus, just refocus.   “Anybody can serve, you don’t have to have a faith. You don’t have to be a Christian to serve, so what is the difference for us? … We do it with the love of Jesus.”

Some of the dedicated volunteers who have worked tirelessly in Darwin the past week, including four from Western Australia. Image: Facebook With flood clean-up beginning in Bundaberg following last week’s inundation of homes and businesses in the region, The Salvation Army is continuing to provide care and support to those impacted. The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) was originally set to be activated in the Bundaberg Recovery Hub from 13 to 26 March, but the centre has been closed, and the SAES team has transitioned to its recovery phase. READ MORE: Salvos caring for locals trapped in floods In the Northern Territory, evacuation centres in Katherine have been closed, but in Darwin two remain open, with about 200 community members sheltering in each one. SAES personnel from three different states have been deployed to assist, with five volunteers from NSW being sent to assist this week.   Over the next couple of days, more heavy rain and a possible cyclone is expected, so SAES teams are on alert. All images Western Australia Salvation Army Emergency Services.

Captains Joycelyn and Brad McIver have followed God’s leading to serve in the Solomon Islands. Salvos Online international reporter SIMONE WORTHING recently interviewed Captains Brad and Joycelyn McIver, who shared some of their experiences and impressions from their first couple of months in the Solomon Islands. The McIvers replaced fellow Australian officers Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans, who recently returned home after serving eight years in the Solomons. “ The day has finally arrived ,” wrote Joycelyn, as she and Brad left Australia on 9 January 2026 to begin their new roles as District Officers for the Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Territory (PNGSI) – based in Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands.   “ After a long season of waiting for visas, we are on our way to begin a new season of serving God and his people in the Solomon Islands. The past two months have been a precious gift; time spent with dearly loved family and friends that we will hold close to our hearts. The memories made, hugs shared, and laughter enjoyed will be treasured in the years ahead. Saying goodbye has been incredibly hard, with many tears along the way, but we go forward trusting in God’s leading and filled with expectation for all that lies ahead .”   READ MORE: We have been living the extraordinary for eight years INTERVIEW WITH THE McIVERS   The McIvers were warmly welcomed to the Solomon Islands. Salvos Online: How long have you been in the Solomon Islands and what have you been doing so far? McIvers: We arrived on 9 January, although we had (mainly Brad) been providing support remotely from Australia since 1 October 2025. We have been acquainting ourselves with the District, meeting our leaders, and navigating life in Honiara. The journey has already been incredible and filled with so many blessings, We’ve been warmly welcomed and embraced by the most beautiful people, had the privilege of ministering alongside an amazing team, settled into an incredibly beautiful part of the world, and witnessed God at work moving in lives and opening doors through the bureaucratic and business processes involved in establishing life in a developing nation. There have been challenges too: adjusting to the intense heat and humidity of a tropical climate, navigating bureaucracy and business systems, learning a new language, finding new rhythms of work and life, and feeling the ache of missing family. Yet through it all, we hold tightly to the peace of our calling and are choosing to embrace every moment. Brad and Joycelyn are loving the beauty all around them. What are your initial impressions of The Salvation Army here, the country and community, and your new way of life? We are a young Army taking baby steps in ministry and mission whilst seeking to stabilise leadership and financial structures for future kingdom growth. The country and community are very friendly, and we feel very safe here and have freedom to roam around the city of Honiara. The infrastructure is quite underdeveloped and there are limited types of food and other goods available. This also means adapting to new routines and shopping and cooking differently. We have experienced the Solomon Islands as a culture of just dealing with one thing, a day at a time, with very little preplanning and strategic thinking and this can be quite frustrating at times.   Is there anything completely unexpected there that was a total surprise to you? A dual economy ( two separate economic sectors within one country, divided by different levels of development and technology. It usually features large disparities in income, access to technology, and living standards. ) Village life is primarily subsistence in nature, but as soon as people step out of their villages everything costs money and lots of it, which makes life and ministry very tough for them. You have also visited Papua New Guinea since your arrival – what is the relationship between the two nations and what ongoing contact will you have? The Solomon Islands is a District of the PNGSI Territory and so we really report to THQ leaders and their departments, and we visit twice a year for leadership gatherings. While we are a part of the territory, being a different country can mean that some policies and procedures need to be flexible to cater for the differing country requirements. Lieut-Colonels Garth and Suzanne Stevenson, PNGSI Chief Secretary and Assistant  Chief Secretary/Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries, came from Papua New Guinea to instal us as District Officers (with Joycelyn also being District Director of Women’s Ministries). During their visit, the Stevensons also conducted training sessions for church leaders from various Salvation Army congregations across the district. Lieut-Colonels Garth and Suzanne Stevenson installed the McIvers. What are some of the lifestyle changes you are making? While we have freedom to go anywhere anytime, traffic in Honiara means that it can take many hours just to travel a small distance, so we tend to plan a list of things or activities to do and spend the day out running errands. It ’s not easy to just pop out to the corner supermarket and back. The heat and humidity take some managing and we are slowly acclimatising, but we have decided not to use air con as power is very expensive, so a cold shower and ceiling fans tend to be the best option. It is hard being away from family and friends, and being the only expat officers in the country can at times be very isolating and lonely. What are you loving already in the Solomon Islands? The people are just amazing and we love them deeply. The scenery is spectacular and we have just barely scratched the surface of what there is to see. You have to live a slower life as nothing happens quickly in the Solomon Islands. What are you looking forward to in the weeks and months ahead? We have just had most of our Solomon Islands church leaders here in Honiara, which was a real blessing, but we will also be heading to the provinces for the Easter Campaign, so all of the village churches will receive support during that time which will be a blessing for all involved. We hope to sign contracts and move our Honiara Corps officers into their new quarters which was funded by the Australian 2024 Making It Happen campaign. We have also been supported to continue our roles with the Hope and A Future project, so will again be visiting the Gold Coast with this year’s team in the first week of July. This will also provide a quick opportunity to connect with family which is awesome.  READ MORE: PNG champions find strength and resilience in running and in life. What are some of the challenges you face, and how can The Salvation Army Australia be praying for you both? The heat and humidity are challenging, and travel anywhere is not easy. There are frequent power outages and internet is intermittent and slow. We are a young Salvation Army, so our people are on a steep learning curve. We are a grant-funded Territory and District and finances are tough. We trust God in all things and do our best to be good stewards of the funds we do get. But we have never seen more faithful Christian living and Salvationism in our lives, and we are deeply grateful to be learning and growing with God’s people in the Solomon Islands. We miss family, especially the grandchildren, and pray for wisdom and opportunities to continue to develop those relationships. We are grateful for God’s calling and press into that during the challenging times. We have a deep peace about being here and feel very blessed to minister alongside the people of the Solomon Islands.     Unique snapshot In February, Brad and Joycelyn spent six days visiting three Salvation Army churches on the Isle of Malaita. Below, Brad shares some of that journey.    “What an experience! “It was a deeply blessed and equally stretching time physically, mentally and emotionally. Travel included a ferry from Honiara to Auki and back (2.5 hours there, five back after the boat lost an engine), three long rides (one over five hours) crammed into the tray of a pickup truck with 30+ people and supplies, plus an outboard motorboat and a canoe.   We lived without electricity, fans, flushing toilets or hot showers. We bathed and washed calico (clothes) in rivers, used a squat pit toilet, and slept on thin foam mattresses on the floor. We were constantly hot, muddy and sleep-deprived, and I came home with over 50 painful bites. At times I cried, unsure I could keep going. Yet pushing through revealed the joy and beauty of simple, communal, village life.   In every village, we were warmly welcomed. Despite language barriers, we shared kai kai (food), deep tok tok (conversation), amazing worship, much prayer, and learned from one another through laughter, gestures, patience and a shared love of Jesus.   A beautiful elder matriarch pulled me up a steep muddy hill (after I slipped) to teach me how to harvest and cook taro. When some of the villagers took us on an 8km ‘short walk’ and I slipped in the mud and injured my knee, two teenage girls held my hands and helped me through.   We watched women gather at the water source to wash calico and cooking utensils and share life as they did so. We swam in the river with pikininis (children) and young adults (nothing is done alone), and saw the whole village unite to prepare celebrations and raise their pikininis. Western individualism misses so much.   We learned the rhythm of village life, early mornings and late evenings for work, rest and stillness in the heat of the day.   We are grateful to be welcomed back as soon as we can to teach Scripture, sewing, and help train for Sunday school, Home League, and Learning Spaces. We’re honoured, but we have learnt and will learn so much more from them than they from us as we journey in ministry together over the next few years.   I returned exhausted and physically worn, yet full-hearted and overflowing in spirit. We are not taking this season for granted. To view images of the Malaita trip, click through the slideshow below:

Neurodiversity recognises the natural variation in how human brains work, writes Captain Anthony Hunt. This week marks Neurodiversity Celebration Week , a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. In this piece, a Queensland-based Salvation Army officer writes from his own journey of discovering his neurodivergence. BY CAPTAIN ANTHONY HUNT* It began, as these journeys often do, not with me, but with my children.  As we tried to understand why school days left them exhausted, why emotional regulation required so much effort, or why focus seemed to come and go, I recognised something familiar. Their experiences echoed my own childhood – only now there were words for it.  In learning how to support their developing minds, I began to understand my own.  Many adults who discover they are neurodivergent later in life share similar childhood memories. School report cards that praised potential but questioned consistency. Teachers writing comments like, “If only they applied themselves,” or “Bright, but easily distracted.” A familiar contradiction often appears early: being capable of complex thinking, creativity or handling pressure, while struggling with everyday organisation, routines and follow-through.  Labels   These experiences are rarely understood as difference. Instead, they become character judgments. Lazy. Disorganised. Too sensitive. Over time, those labels settle in and quietly shape how people see themselves.  For people of faith, this internal story can carry extra weight. When self-discipline, order and consistency are closely linked to faithfulness, difficulty managing time, attention or energy can feel like a moral or spiritual failure. You pray harder, try new systems and promise yourself you will do better next time. When change does not come, shame often takes root.  The unspoken question lingers: If I were more faithful, wouldn’t this be easier?   Different minds   Neurodiversity offers another lens.  Neurodiversity recognises the natural variation in how human brains work. It includes experiences such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and sensory processing differences. These are not new realities, but newly named ones. Many adults grew up without language to describe their experience or systems designed to support it. Difference was often corrected rather than understood.  For parents raising neurodivergent children, this can be confronting. As you learn to advocate for your child, to recognise sensory overload or emotional exhaustion, you may also begin to see how little understanding you were offered yourself.  That recognition often brings both relief and grief. Relief, because there is finally an explanation not rooted in failure. Grief, because of the years spent believing you were the problem.  Neurodivergent people often carry a particular mix of challenges and strengths. While everyday tasks can feel overwhelming, many are calm in moments of crisis. While organisation may be difficult, their sense of justice is often strong. While attention drifts in some settings, it can lock deeply onto what matters. Many notice subtle shifts in mood or atmosphere, carrying deep empathy and emotional awareness.  These qualities shape how people love, serve, and respond to the world. They are often the very traits that draw people toward advocacy, care, creativity and justice.  Strengths of difference   Pastor and writer Lamar Hardwick has written about how easily the church can mistake neurological difference for spiritual immaturity. His work challenges the idea that holiness looks the same for everyone and invites a more generous understanding of faithfulness.  Scripture consistently affirms that God works through difference. The biblical story is not one of uniform personalities or abilities, but of diverse lives called into faithful service.  Within The Salvation Army in Australia, faith is often described through the vision of living, loving, and fighting alongside others. This language reflects the heart of the gospel: a faith that is active, relational, and grounded in compassion and justice.  Living alongside others means telling the truth about who we are, including how our minds work. Loving alongside others means extending grace, patience and understanding, not only outward but inward as well. Fighting alongside others means standing against shame, exclusion and systems that overlook or misunderstand difference.  The whole person   Seen this way, accepting the brain you have is not self-focused. It is formative. As we grow in understanding and accepting ourselves, we are better positioned to understand and accept others. We become less quick to judge, more willing to listen, and more able to walk with people whose experiences differ from our own.  Disability theologian Amy Kenny reminds the church that disabled bodies and minds are not problems to be solved, but places where God is already present and at work. This challenges the idea that difference must be fixed before it can belong.  For parents, discovering neurodiversity invites grace in two directions at once: toward children navigating a world not always designed for how their minds work, and toward yourself, as you unlearn old narratives and relearn your story with kindness.  Acceptance does not remove difficulty. There are still days of exhaustion, frustration and uncertainty. But there is freedom in naming what is true, adjusting expectations, seeking support, and celebrating progress that does not look like someone else’s.  Within Salvation Army communities, there has long been a commitment to seeing the whole person. Body, mind, and spirit belong together. Dignity is not earned through performance. Justice is not reserved for those who conform. Compassion begins with listening.  Room for all   For churches and communities, neurodiversity invites gentle reflection. Who feels safe to be themselves here? Whose ways of engaging are assumed to be “normal”? Who may be present, faithful and committed, yet quietly overwhelmed?  Making room for difference does not require complex programs. It begins with curiosity instead of correction, patience instead of pressure, and the belief that faithfulness wears many faces.  Perhaps one of the quiet gifts of discovering neurodiversity, particularly through parenting, is learning to see ourselves and those we love with greater grace. It invites us to release shame that was never ours to carry and to recognise difference not as failure, but as part of how God has shaped us.  To say we are fearfully and wonderfully made is not to deny struggle or complexity. It is to affirm dignity. We are fearfully, wonderfully … and differently made. Our minds are not barriers to faith, but part of how we are formed for life with others.  As we grow in understanding and accepting ourselves, we are better able to live, love, and fight alongside others. This is faith expressed in everyday ways: walking together, standing for dignity, and making room for every person to belong.  Captain Anthony Hunt is the Beenleigh Corps Officer in South East Queensland

Commissioner Miriam Gluyas invites you to join The Way: Discipleship – a 30-day reading plan created for and by The Salvation Army in Australia. Each day features short devotions and reflections from voices across the movement. It ’s a chance for us to grow together in faith and follow Jesus in our everyday lives, pausing each day to reflect on Scripture and be encouraged.