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From: Mackay Corps (Qld) Appointment: Corps Officer at Mackay Corps (Qld) Silver Star recipients : Alan and Robyn Moyer   I’m a generational Salvo, blessed to grow up with loving Christian parents who were and still are deeply involved in The Salvation Army.   So, from a young age, I was immersed in church life and gradually took on many leadership roles within the corps I grew up in. Faith, service, and community were always part of my story.   But every time Candidates Sunday came around, I would tune out. I had no interest in officership and never thought it was for me. Full-time ministry just wasn’t on my radar.   I was happy to serve God … just not like that! Little did I know that God was quietly working behind the scenes, preparing me for the day I would finally say yes to His calling.    That moment came unexpectedly. In March 2018, David attended a mission conference while I stayed home with the kids. During that weekend, I felt a deep stirring in my heart. I sensed God saying, “Get ready for a new adventure.”   When David came home, he said, “There’s a ministry opportunity in Cairns.” I cried ... a lot. I’d been to Cairns on holiday before and had said, “I never, ever want to come back here again!” Yet somehow, even through the tears, I knew God was up to something and that it was time to trust Him.   By the beginning of September 2018, we had taken leave from our jobs, packed up our house, and planned to leave Ipswich on the 10th of October. Then, on the 24th of September, we received confirmation that we had been accepted as Auxiliary-Lieutenants, and just two weeks later, on the 8th of October, we found out we were appointed to Cairns Corps.   Some people might say we jumped the gun, but deep down I knew this was exactly where God wanted us to be. Even without all the details in place, I had a peace that it would all work out, because when you are faithful to God’s call, He works everything out in His perfect timing.   David and I have now been Auxiliary-Lieutenants for seven years (currently serving as Corps Officers at Mackay, Qld). Over this time, I have grown deeper in faith and as a person. Though fear has often tried to hold me back, the Holy Spirit uses me in ways I never thought imaginable, empowering me beyond my own strength.   I hold tightly to the promise of Romans 8:28, that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him. I could never do this journey on my own, but I’m so thankful that He’s the one leading the way. I’m excited to see where He takes us next!  Bible verse: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Watch the Commissioning event at Mackay live:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW8JR_fVudw

Marcus and Alexandria (front third and fourth from left) with the Melbourne Staff Songsters. Image: Melbourne Staff Songsters Facebook page Two highly-experienced Salvation Army musicians from the Canada and Bermuda Territory recently brought their skills, compositions and training ability on a visit to Australia. Marcus Venables, a composer and principal cornet player in the Canadian Staff Band, and his wife Alexandria, a member of the Canadian Staff Songsters visited Melbourne and Brisbane in October on request of the Australia Territory. The visit was centred on the involvement of the pair in ‘Resounding Praise’, a weekend of music and worship at Ringwood Corps, Melbourne, with the Melbourne Staff Band and Melbourne Staff Songsters on the 18 and 19 October, as well as a performance as part of ‘Bands in the Round’ with the Brisbane City Temple Band on 25 October. Alexandria also performed a vocal solo, ‘Take My Life (I Am Yours)’ at a chapel service held at Territorial Headquarters (THQ) in Melbourne on 16 October, with Marcus also performing ‘I Surrender All’ to an original tune. Marcus also presented at a Meet the Composer session, and the pair ran an open workshop the following night at Ringwood Corps. Band and Vocals National Lead Julia Roper said while there was always the “wow factor” when listening to very good musicians play and being blessed by their ability, both Marcus and Alexandria brought “something extra on top of that”. She said the pair also gave their testimonies at the THQ chapel service.  All photos Melbourne Staff Band and Melbourne Staff Songsters. “They’re both very humble, lovely people, and you could tell from just their mannerisms and what they said, that everything was about focusing on worship and focusing on Jesus,” she said. “That was certainly the motivation for everything that they did, and that certainly came through in their ministry and even their music ministry as well. So that is very encouraging and inspiring for our local people, just to be able to sit in that and let that wash over them.” Marcus performed and conducted several of his original compositions across the events, including his compositions for ‘Beyond All Measure’, ‘Holy Forever’ and ‘Hear the Call’, along with several of Australian composer Sam Creamer’s arrangements. Julia said the technical aspects of the performances were mind-blowing, including some solos by Marcus. “That stuff is impressive, but it was the heartfelt stuff that I think had more impact,” she said.

The season of Advent invites us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus, not just with celebration but with reflection. In the Christmas story, fear is a recurring theme: in the Temple, in dreams, on hillsides and in quiet homes. Yet each time, God responds not with judgment but with reassurance: “Do not be afraid.”   In this series, we explore how choosing faith over fear helps us to welcome Jesus more deeply into our lives.   To follow along each day, click here .

Each month on Salvos Online , Rosy, the Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development, shares her thoughts and reflections on the spiritual issues that shape our lives as Christians, exploring how our faith intersects with our everyday experiences and how we can deepen our relationship with God. Today, she goes deep into her battle with a recent diagnosis and how she copes with it on a daily basis   Sometimes I find it hard to pray.   As a minister and Christian, I realise that not many might feel comfortable admitting this, but I also believe it’s something many of my sisters and brothers in Christ experience at times. There is so much chaos I don’t understand in the world, in our health, our lives, our churches and our relationships.   For me, I am wrestling with my diagnosis of endometriosis. Although symptoms began wrecking my life at age 12, I only received a formal diagnosis and surgery last year, at 36.   I’m continuing to educate myself about this condition. Mine is stage four and affects most of my organs. Endometriosis is a whole-of-body disorder that has no cure. Medical experts are beginning to recognise that it replicates similarly to cancer. For centuries, endometriosis has been negligently understudied, and it has often only been diagnosed or treated (if at all) in relation to childbearing rather than the impact on women’s quality of life.   I shared a little of this wrestle recently at a creative holiness exploration night called Set Apart at South Barwon Corps, started by a young friend of mine.     As we learned about holiness together and experimented with different creative elements of worship and oneness, I felt such a deep connection to the other believers in the room. It makes the contrast of spending the majority of the following days bedridden even more stark.   How do sickness, illness and feelings of uselessness ‘throw us back upon God?’, as Samuel Logan Brengle, our foremost holiness theologian, asks.   “Why you? Why not someone else?” Such questions are natural … but are they wise?’ he writes, recounting many illnesses that wracked his body over his lifetime (found in Brengle for Today)   A friend asked me what had lit up in my pocket while I was facilitating the spoken word part of the Set Apart night. It was my TENS machine – an electronic pain-disrupting device I wear nearly every day. I am on a variety of lifelong medications. I continue to believe God can heal me if it’s his will, and that God is faithful whether or not he does.   But that doesn’t make the reality any easier.   I found myself crying today while writing this, listening to a song with the words “all will be well.” When I looked up the song, I instead came across another I had never heard before: All Will Be Well by Meg Barnhouse.   Meg wrote the lyrics as a conversation between someone anxious about the state of the world and an imagined exchange with Julian of Norwich, a 15th-century mystic and the first woman whose words were ever recorded in English.   The revelation in the lyrics goes like this:   I said, “Julian, you are holy, you are holding my hand.” She said, “All will be well, and all will be well, All manner of things will be well.”   I said, “Julian, do you not know, do you not know about sorrow?” (pain, hunger, shame) She said, “All will be well, and all will be well, All manner of things will be well.”   I said, “Julian, do you not know, do you not know about loneliness?” (disease, cruelty) I said, “Julian, it’s too much; it brought me to my knees.” She said, “All will be well …”   She said, “No one does not know, does not know about sorrow …” (pain, hunger, shame) She said, “All will be well …”   She said, “No one does not know, does not know about loneliness …” (disease, cruelty) She said, “I know, it’s too much. It brought me to my knees, where I heard: ‘All will be well…’”   I said, “Julian, you are holy, you are holding my hand.” And she said, “All will be well …”   She said, “Dear one, do you not know, do you not know about tenderness? (friends, the Spirit) Dear one, do you not know, it’s only love that never ends? And so all will be well …”   This got me thinking about the word ‘well’. The well-known story of the ‘woman at the well’ comes to mind:   “Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’” (John 4:6-7 NIV).   A Samaritan woman with no name (but who had a name with scare quotes attached!), cast aside by her ex-husbands, for only men could issue the certificate of divorce – she came to the well, unwell.   Jesus saw her. He saw her need and her will. He engaged her in the longest theological conversation recorded in the Bible. He convinced her of who he was, revealing himself to her in a way he hadn’t with his disciples.   This scene is reminiscent of God’s encounter with Hagar in the desert centuries earlier. Another woman, another well, unwell and alone, pregnant and on foot in the scorching desert, convinced she would die. But God met her at the well, and it was there she gave God a name.   “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’ That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered” (Genesis 16:13-14 NIV).   Beer Lahai Roi means “well of the living One who sees me”.   “Then, leaving her [vessel], the woman went back to the town and said to the people” (John 4:28 NIV).   One day, we shall all leave our vessels behind. I spend the majority of my life unwell – but it shall be well.   Holiness isn’t just a drawing aside alone. Julian of Norwich spent her life cloistered away from the world, yet her words continue to ring out loud as gospel proclamation. As we came aside at Set Apart, we experienced holiness in the ordinary.   Holiness is perhaps the offering of our painful, fragile, and inelegant places as vessels to be filled with God’s grace and glory, even if we deem them unworthy, too small, or unwell.   Holiness is our whole selves, for the whole world redeeming, and the whole Gospel enjoining in us.   “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation song. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:2–3 NIV).   Maybe being a life-filled follower of Christ means all will be well at the well of the living One who sees me. Even though sometimes it’s hard to pray, I still do. Maybe you can pray with me?   Lord,  Your will be done in my life. Let me know your love and peace, in the midst of my circumstances. Let me know you, and that all will be well, and you see us. Let me love and see others, and bring wellness to the world because I know tenderness, peace and the Spirit through you.   “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4 KJV).   One day I’ll be well And it will be well And all will be well With me.

When abuse turns spiritual, instead of being a source of strength, faith can become a cage, writes Penny Cooper. BY CAPTAIN PENNY COOPER Not all abuse leaves bruises. Some wounds run deeper - etched into the soul, hidden behind silence and fear. Coercive control is one of those wounds. It’s a pattern of domination - emotional, psychological, financial, and spiritual – used by an abuser to ensure they remain in power over another.   The result is that it slowly strips away a person’s sense of self. Victim/survivors come to believe the messaging, and shape into someone unable to speak or act for themselves. They become completely powerless. For many women and children who come to The Salvation Army’s family violence refuges, coercive control has been the invisible force behind years of pain, confusion, and isolation.  And sometimes, heartbreakingly, that control has been reinforced by spiritual abuse – where faith, instead of offering comfort and hope, was twisted into a weapon to justify suffering.  At The Salvation Army Family Violence Services, we believe that responding to coercive control isn’t just about justice – it’s about compassion. It’s about reflecting the heart of Christ.   What is coercive control?   Sociologist Evan Stark coined the term “coercive control” to describe a pattern of behaviors used to trap someone in a state of dependence and fear. It’s not always loud or violent. It can look like:  Cutting someone off from friends and family  Controlling their money  Monitoring their every move  Forcing or forbidding religious practices and/or using sacred text to justify abuse  Using threats, guilt, or manipulation to keep them silent.  Victims often feel like they’re walking on eggshells, constantly second-guessing themselves, losing their identity. Many of the women and children we support have lived through this for years – questioning their worth, their sanity, and even their faith.  When faith is used to harm   Spiritual abuse is a particularly painful form of coercive control. It happens when religious beliefs or spiritual authority are used to manipulate, silence, or dominate. Survivors may have been told:  “Submission is godly.”  “Suffering is your cross to bear.”  “Leaving your partner is a sin.”  Instead of being a source of strength, faith becomes a cage. As The Salvation Army in New Zealand puts it, “Spiritual authority is given for the care of God’s people, and its misuse is a betrayal of the Spirit of Christ.”  When spiritual abuse is present, the trauma isn’t just emotional – it’s theological. Survivors may feel abandoned by God, ashamed of their choices, or terrified of divine punishment. Children raised in these environments may learn to associate faith with fear, silence, and control.  Christlike compassion in action   At The Salvation Army, we see our work in family violence as a living expression of the Gospel. Jesus didn’t shame the woman at the well – He listened. He didn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery – He protected. He didn’t ignore the bleeding woman – He called her “daughter”.  That same spirit lives in our refuges. We offer more than shelter, we offer safety, dignity, and healing. Our teams include specialist workers, chaplains, and trauma-informed practitioners who understand how coercive control and spiritual abuse intertwine. They help survivors recognise how faith may have been weaponised and support them in navigating triggers that re-traumatise.  Recovery is a journey. We walk alongside survivors as they rebuild their lives, reclaim their voices and, when they’re ready, reimagine their relationship with faith.  Healing faith outcomes   The impact of coercive control and spiritual abuse can linger long after the abuse ends. Some survivors reject religion entirely, associating it with pain. Others hold onto it, but with fear instead of freedom.  Our role isn’t to tell people what to believe. It’s to create space for healing.  We’ve seen women rediscover a God who weeps with them, not one who condemns. We’ve seen children learn that prayer isn’t punishment, it’s peace. We’ve seen survivors find strength in the Psalms, courage in the Gospels, and hope in the truth that they are beloved – not because of what they’ve endured, but because of who they are.  A call to the church   If the church is to be a refuge, it must be a safe one.  That means naming coercive control. Calling out gender micro-aggressions. Zero tolerance for spiritual abuse. Listening to survivors. It means preaching a Gospel that liberates rather than one that binds. And it means recognizing that responding to family violence isn’t a side mission, it’s central to who we are.  Through training, preaching, and faith-based responses, it means working to ensure that theology is never used to harm. We are committed to equipping leaders to recognise abuse and confidently respond with compassion and appropriate supports.  Because when we stand with the oppressed, we stand with Christ. When we restore dignity, we reflect His love. And when we say to a survivor, “You are not alone”, we echo the heart of the Gospel itself.  Captain Penny Cooper is a National Family Violence Specialist and Mission and Ministry Support Coordinator, Family Violence and Modern Slavery Stream

In this video, Major Jenny Begent and Major Catherine Spencer discuss the biblical story of David and Bathsheba, highlighting themes of victim-blaming and the consequences of violence. Reflecting on Bathsheba’s experience in light of modern-day issues surrounding sexual abuse, they unpack how trauma and silence so often accompany such violence and how David’s actions escalated from manipulation to murder, leaving a generational impact on his family. The video concludes by encouraging viewers to seek support and take action against violence. 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732 Lifeline 13 11 14 The Salvation Army Family Violence Support 0427 264 538

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? I am the Corps Officer – Team Leader of Kingston City Salvos. I absolutely love working in community and collaborating both within The Salvation Army and the wider community to empower community members to make changes in their own lives and to work for systemic change more broadly. It is a privilege to serve here and to build a new mission expression.   2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind? I like to read, listen to music, watch good movies, write and spend time with my nine-year-old granddaughter, who reminds me about the spontaneity and simplicity of life and also why I do what I do – I want to leave this world better than I found it.   3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it? I grew up in The Salvation Army (fifth generation), so I have fond memories of the songs and music of our movement. The first song that I remember being my favourite (aged 5 – I would always request it) was Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam . As I got older, it changed to I Want to Tell You What the Lord Has Done . As teenage years hit and my music preferences changed, I loved Andre Crouch, Evie, Vision and Keith Green – There Is a Redeemer and O Lord, You’re Beautiful and Create in Me a Clean Heart . As I experienced more of life, songs such as To Be Like Jesus , It Is Well and Through It All became favourites that I could sing with meaning as a solo when needed.   When I entered the God’s Soldier session of cadets, the song written by Harry Reid for that session – ‘God’s Soldier’ – will always have a special place in my heart and soul. (Yes – it will be used at my funeral). As I look at this list, I can see that they are all songs of longing to be like Jesus and to serve Him wholeheartedly. They are songs of trust and testimony. I still like the soundtrack of my Salvo upbringing, particularly some that have updated tunes or arrangements, but the song Goodness of God is my favourite and testimony as I enter the final chapter of active ministry.   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? There are a few including Nehemiah, Ruth, Naomi and Mary – but I think David (if I could only choose one) as he was an amazing writer, songwriter, musician, an amazing leader, yet was very human and failed on multiple levels (including breaking three of the 10 Commandments). His failure was largely due to his abuse of power. There were consequences, yet still God fulfilled His covenant with Him.   It would be fascinating to interview him and capture His feelings and reflections on that time, his shame and regret, the confrontation with Nathan re: his rape of Bathsheba and murder of Uriah, the consequences of his actions, his contrite heart, and God’s mercy and justice.   5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say? If God calls, you should respond even if you feel ill-equipped or inadequate. He doesn’t necessarily call those who are already equipped, but I can assure you that he will equip those whom He calls. It is not always smooth sailing, and there are some difficult and tedious tasks, but what job doesn’t have these things?   Officership is not something you do instead of other employment – maybe thinking that it is an easy option. On the contrary, The Salvation Army needs young Salvationist to go to university – become doctors, engineers, sound engineers, social workers, teachers, etc – and to bring those skills to your service either as a productive member of your corps, state and territorial headquarters, social teams or as an officer. I was called very young and dedicated the whole of my life for the rest of my life. I was a junior candidate at 13 years old and became a candidate at 15. I went to college at 19 and was commissioned at 21 – interactions that are obedient to God’s call bring immense pleasure and fulfilment. To quote a songster song that always spoke to me: ‘True happiness is Love expressed in service, True holiness, compassion deep and strong, In giving of my best I find contentment, And so, forget, how hard the way and long.’

Salvation Army personnel are assisting those impacted by the Salvation Army personnel in Hong Kong are responding to the tragic fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po that has so far claimed more than 80 lives, with hundreds still missing. The fire, which began on 26 November, is still burning.   The Salvation Army Tai Po Youth Integrated Service and Elderly Community Service Centre have both been opened to affected residents. The Salvation Army Recycling Plant has also sent winter clothes, shoes and slippers to adults and children at the Tai Po Youth Integrated Service and Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre.   Salvation Army officers have also arrived to provide emotional support to those impacted by the tragedy. Fundraising for victims is underway, and requests for prayer support are being sent throughout The Salvation Army world.   For updates and more information as the story unfolds, click here .

Major Bram Cassidy, Ringwood Corps Officer, getting the tree ready for the upcoming event. BY LERISSE SMITH The Christmas season can often sparkle with merriment and mistletoe for those who embrace and love the festive occasion – yet for those mourning lost loved ones, it can feel quietly cloaked in sorrow. However, a light of remembrance is offering warmth and peace. This year’s Christmas Remembrance Service at Victoria’s Ringwood Corps on Sunday (30 November) is providing a light amidst the darkness, inviting the community to remember, reflect, and celebrate the lives of family members or friends they have lost during the year. The service is centred on people placing stars (with the name of their loved one) on an unlit Christmas tree, which is then lit.  The names of those who have been lost are then read in their memory. Community members place a star on a special remembrance tree with the name of their loved one. “It is the highlight of my Christmas,” said Major Bram Cassidy, Ringwood Corps Officer. “I do a lot of things at Christmas time. This is the thing that gives me the greatest meaning.” Bram clearly remembers the day back in 2000 as the then Mooroolbark Corps Officer, attending a Remembrance Service for those who had lost loved ones hosted by a local funeral director. “I remember asking Ian if I could come (to a service) and have a look?” he recalled. “Ian graciously said yes. So, I took my pastoral care worker with me, and we looked at it, and I said to her, “This is something we should be doing.” Since then, Bram has conducted the service across multiple corps, including Mooroolbark, Waverley, Box Hill, and most recently Ringwood.  Along the way, he has shared the model of service with fellow corps officers both locally and nationally.  A motivating force behind the special service is that Bram strongly believes the Christian church can offer something deeper and more meaningful than just a secular service: “We can project hope and the presence of God.” At the heart of the 45-minute service is the Remembrance tree placed in the centre of the room, a symbol of the lives being remembered. The service is centred around people placing stars on an unlit Christmas tree that is then lit. The names of those who have been lost are then read in remembrance of them. Upon arrival, attendees select a star and write the name of their loved one or a personal message. Attendees are then invited to place their stars on the tree and pause for reflection or prayer. The unlit tree is then lit. The atmosphere is intentionally subdued. Low lighting and some quiet carols create a reflective space. Bram ensures that anyone who has lost a loved one, whether a family member or a friend, during the year receives a personal invitation. He makes a special note from both funerals he conducts himself, and hearing about the passing of others. If people in the community hear about the service and have lost a loved one, they are invited too. “Even though people may not know each other, there's this amazing bond that happens because we are all there to remember someone,” he explained. “So that itself creates a real, powerful atmosphere.” An honour roll is also a significant component of the service, during which the names are read aloud. Music also carries the emotional depth of the service. One song, in particular, Melinda Schneider’s Wish You Were Here , has become a permanent and special fixture. Written for her father before he died of lung cancer, the song captures the pain and poignancy of remembering someone absent. Bram plays it just ahead of the dressing of the tree because he wants people to feel and allow themselves to acknowledge their loss. “I want them to acknowledge I do miss my loved one … because that’s where healing can begin,” he emphasised. “So, we acknowledge the hurt, we acknowledge the pain. And then gently, we light the tree. It gives me just a moment or two to speak about hope and the fact that God is with us in our grief. The service on November 30 will provide a light amidst the darkness, inviting the community to remember, reflect, and celebrate the lives of families members or friends they have lost during the year.  (Image supplied by Ann  unsplash.com ) The service then concludes with a Christmas-themed supper offering mince pies, Christmas cake and coffee. For some, the event is emotionally intense, and they leave immediately; for others, the supper offers a chance to connect and share stories. But support is always the top priority. Timing is also deliberate. The service is held on Sunday (30 November) during the first week of Advent. For those unable to attend, the star-laden tree is placed in the church foyer, where people can add a name throughout the Christmas season. On Christmas morning, the Remembrance tree is brought back into the chapel, where people are encouraged to pause and pray for people who will be doing it tough. The service model is something Bram has intentionally developed so it can be shared freely and without restriction with others. He welcomes corps to embrace it if they choose to.

Celebrating the opening of Melbourne's Cricklewood Youth Housing project (from left): Ajay Church (Business Development Coordinator with Salvos Housing), Major Claire Emerton (Head of Social & Community Mission), Major Mal Davies (Divisional Commander), and two young people, Taliah Cameron and Hope Melo. Across Victoria, a quiet revolution is taking shape – sparking hope, shaping futures and opening doors for today’s young people. Exciting new Salvation Army youth housing projects are emerging across the state, bringing a fresh surge of optimism and encouragement to those in the youth homelessness system. The latest innovative development, Cricklewood, recently opened in Melbourne’s Peninsula region. Robert Forbes, Regional Manager of Youth Services in the South East, unveiled its many unique features to Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH .   Q: Robert, what inspired the creation of the Cricklewood Youth Housing project, and what specific need is it aiming to address?   A: The Education Pathway Housing model was developed by The Salvation Army Youth Services in direct response to two clear gaps in the youth homelessness system.   Firstly, there are very limited viable exit options for young people leaving crisis and emergency accommodation.   Secondly, young people who are ‘education/employment ready’ but have additional or more complex support needs are often not accepted into traditional ‘Education First’ models such as Youth Foyers. This leaves them stuck in the homelessness system for long periods in temporary accommodation, further disrupting their development, stability and transition into adulthood.   In the Peninsula region, these challenges are intensified.   Youth homelessness rates are critically high, with around 220 young people needing safe accommodation on any given night and 390 young people aged 15 to 25 requesting crisis housing since COVID. Many must leave their community to find somewhere to stay, which disconnects them from school, employment and support networks.   Education Pathway Housing provides a local, realistic alternative. It offers medium to long-term supported accommodation for young people who are homeless or at risk, who are committed to education, training or employment and who require more intensive, therapeutic support than many ‘education first’ programs can provide.   The model is based on an existing Education Pathway program operating since 2016 in metropolitan Melbourne, which has delivered strong outcomes in housing, education and employment and prevented young people becoming entrenched in the homelessness system.   Cricklewood extends this proven model into the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region, adding much-needed youth-specific housing to complement existing services such as T21 (a similar supported accommodation service in Frankston). Rob Forbes (Youth Services Regional Manager), James Aloni (Youth Services State Manager VIC), Paul Taylor, Belinda Taylor, David Su, Sherry Wong (all from TSA Property Dept), Major Mal Davies (Divisional Commander). Who funded the project and how long did it take to develop it? The Cricklewood Education Pathway Housing project has been made possible through State funding from the Homes Victoria Capital Grants Program, a generous financial contribution from the Property Industry Foundation, and a partnership between The Salvation Army Housing Victoria (SAHV), Youth Services and Property, who planned, coordinated and delivered the development on Army-owned land.   Within The Salvation Army, the project went through the standard property development pathway. This included due diligence to confirm its missional purpose and financial viability, approval by the relevant delegated body, and appointment of a Development Manager in the Property, Strategy and Development team.   A Project Control Group, supported by architects, engineers, project managers and quantity surveyors and Youth Services Social Mission, oversaw design and delivery throughout the build. Planning started about two years before the official opening on October 31.  Exterior and interior shots of the completed Cricklewood project.  How was the location and design of the housing chosen to best support young people? The Salvation Army-owned site in Frankston is within a residential area that is well connected to public transport, education providers and community services. Its location allows young people to remain close to their schools, training organisations, employment opportunities and support networks, rather than relocating out of area to access housing.   This local context was important.   Cricklewood is intentionally placed within the community it serves, so that young people can continue their education and maintain positive links with family, friends and the broader support system around them.   The former single-storey brick dwelling has been replaced with four two-storey townhouses arranged around a central communal hub. The design incorporates cluster-style supported accommodation that balances connection and privacy, with shared communal spaces including a half basketball court, vegetable gardens and landscaped areas.   Therapeutic, psychologically informed design elements, such as natural light, social spaces, and activity areas, are built in, while the design respects local neighbourhood character and planning requirements.   And how many residences form part of the project?                        The Cricklewood development features four new houses built around a central communal hub: two two-bedroom townhouses and two three-bedroom townhouses.   All 10 bedrooms include private ensuite bathrooms, with one designated as a respite room providing short stays of up to two weeks for young people aged 12 and over when operational. Enjoying fun at the official opening was Mike Tauai, Youth Services Client Services Coordinator, who helped out at the barbecue. This component will allow Salvos Youth Services to provide a safe, immediate circuit-breaker during periods of family conflict or stress, stabilising young people before entering the homelessness system, working in a focused way with families, including parents and caregivers, to rebuild safety and strengthen relationships, and prevent homelessness through early meaningful intervention.   The development also includes a fully compliant DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) unit and accessible facilities, ensuring young people with disabilities can safely and comfortably participate in the program.   The combination of private spaces, supportive communal areas and purpose-built therapeutic design helps create a stable environment where young people can focus on education, wellbeing and their future goals.   Did you face challenges in bringing this project to life, and how were they overcome?                                                                                          Yes. Cricklewood was delivered during a period marked by rising construction costs and sector-wide financial pressures.    The project received capital funding from Homes Victoria and philanthropic support from the Property Industry Foundation to partly cover the construction costs. In addition, no operational funding was provided, meaning the program must initially rely on existing Salvos Youth Services staff from other case management programs to begin operations. Dedicated staffing for the site, including the 24-hour respite support, is still unfunded.   Additional operational funding is actively being sought to fully activate all program elements and ensure sustainable service delivery.   Despite these challenges, the project progressed thanks to a structured governance framework, a dedicated Development Manager, a multidisciplinary Project Control Group, and close collaboration with Homes Victoria and the Property Industry Foundation.   What makes this project different from other housing initiatives for youth in the area?                                                                           Cricklewood stands apart for several reasons.    Firstly, it is an adapted Education First model for young people with higher support needs.  While similar to Youth Foyers in its focus on education and training, Cricklewood is specifically designed for young people who are study or work-ready but have additional support needs, including mental health challenges. These young people are often unable to access traditional ‘education first’ programs.   The project is also co-designed and will be co-delivered with young people.    Those with lived experience contributed to the model’s design and will continue to shape its delivery. They will play a role in co-delivering life-skills sessions and community participation activities, strengthening peer engagement and building their own skills and confidence.   Cricklewood also features therapeutic and community-oriented living.   The cluster design, central communal space, gardens and recreational areas are intentional. They build community, connection and belonging and support emotional and social wellbeing. Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) and Trauma Informed Care (TIC) principles sit at the heart of the design.   Tenants contribute a percentage of their income. This helps young people develop rental capacity while still receiving support.    The Cricklewood program also brings the proven Education Pathway model to the Peninsula region, where demand for youth housing is high and youth-specific supported accommodation options are limited. (Clockwise from top left) Kai Blamey entertained guests over lunch with his guitar performance; Hope Melo was among a group of young people who took part in the opening of the youth housing project; Alanna Wallace was one of the guest speakers at the event; Taliah Cameron also spoke at the event.   Were young people involved in the planning or design of the project?  Yes. Young people were central to the model’s design and ongoing refinement.   They were involved through focus groups and workshops, ongoing feedback and consultation, and co-delivery of elements of the program, including life and living skills activities. This ensures the service remains relevant and responsive to the real experiences of young people using the homelessness system.   At the official opening event, three former residents of T21 spoke about the impact of TSA’s youth programs.   Their comments included: “It was the first time I had a space that truly felt like home, a place free from violence, free from chaos, and full of possibility.” “At T21, we learned how to cook, budget and build positive relationships. It created a sense of safety and trust.” “Looking back, my time in the program was one of growth, healing and life lessons.”   These reflections demonstrate the importance and value of youth-informed design. James Aloni with Chris Karagiannis, CEO of Salvation Army Housing Victoria. Will support services be offered to the young people? Yes, Cricklewood will be a support-rich environment, not just accommodation. Salvos Youth Services delivers tailored support through their national Model of Care,  Journey to Independence .   Residents will be supported by a case manager, Living and Lifeskills worker, a Youth Participation worker, and Salvos corps and ministry and mission staff.    Support is offered on many fronts, including safe, stable shared accommodation; financial assistance for study-related expenses; structured case plans focused on life skills, wellbeing and personal growth, legal and advocacy services; family reunification where appropriate; and access to Salvos programs, including Salvos Tools for the Trade and Drive for Life, plus partnerships with services such as Headspace.   Support is tailored to each young person, including those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ young people, and young people living with disability, with culturally safe and inclusive practice, and specialist partnerships where needed.   Young people can stay up to two years at Cricklewood, with most expected to stay 12 to 18 months. Step-down and aftercare support continues beyond their exit to ensure sustained success as they move to private rental, share accommodation, or return to family (where applicable).  Police Youth Resource Officers chat with attendees at the official opening. Looking ahead, how do you envision this project impacting the lives of young people? Cricklewood is expected to deliver outcomes already achieved by the Education Pathway model elsewhere in Melbourne.   For young people, this includes reduced reliance on crisis and emergency accommodation, increased safety, stability and confidence, completion of secondary and tertiary education, progression into employment, improved mental health, stronger independent living capabilities and life skills, improved family and peer relationships, pathways into private rental or safe family reunification, and long-term financial stability.   As demonstrated at the opening event, which brought together Homes Victoria, the Property Industry Foundation, Salvation Army leadership, Victoria Police and young people whose experiences shape this work, Cricklewood represents more than new housing.    It reflects collaboration, opportunity and a commitment to giving young people a safe, supported environment where they can continue their education and build the foundations for independence. For more information on the project, click here

Soul Hiking is just one of the micro church options attracting new people in Sweden. Pubs, food and hiking in Sweden The Salvation Army in the Swedish city of Helsingborg is a network of various fresh expressions of church referred to as micro churches, missional communities or good news initiatives, with the aim to bless different people, places and needs. These missional communities are simple in form, built on the foundations of worship, fellowship and mission. Once a month, all the groups from around the city meet for a shared service. The Salvation Army in Helsingborg supports and trains people and the church to start micro churches that serve their context. Examples of micro churches include: Pub Group  - A bi-weekly gathering for people interested in exploring life and faith together. This group meets in a local pub in Helsingborg. The Food Company  - A micro church with a mission to serve those in the city who experience food poverty. MOSAIC  - A missional community that is open to everyone. Its aim is to be an inter-cultural community that reaches Söder, a highly diverse part of Helsingborg that has socio-economic challenges. Soul Hiking  - This micro church explores discipleship and contemplative worship in the original cathedral of creation.    Red Chair Project UKI Across the United Kingdom and Ireland, The Salvation Army is taking part in the Red Chair Project as part of its participation in the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.   The project, mobilised by domestic abuse charity Restored, involves highlighting an empty chair by draping it in red fabric. This represents the many women who’ve been killed through gender-based violence – women who would otherwise still be with us today.   “By reserving an empty chair in a public space, draped in red fabric with a message containing facts about domestic violence, the red chair becomes a poignant symbol of the lives lost to gender-based violence,” says Major Ann Montgomery, Territorial Mission Officer for the United Kingdom Territory. “The statistics are sobering: globally, every 11 minutes a woman or girl dies at the hands of an intimate partner or family member.   “We’ll be setting up red chairs at our headquarters, churches, cafes, charity shops and community centres.”   World Toilet Day Last week, 19 November, World Toilet Day was observed around the globe.   Billions of people around the world as still denied a basic human right: safe sanitation. The Salvation Army continues to turn the spotlight on this silent crisis.   From emergency response to long-term development, from classrooms to hospitals, Salvation Army teams work to ensure that every person, regardless of where they live, has access to safe, dignified and sustainable sanitation.   In crisis zones, toilets save lives by preventing disease outbreaks. In development settings, they protect water sources, empower communities and uphold dignity.   The Salvation Army encourages Salvationists and friends to help break the silence around sanitation and speed up progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All.   Annual slavery and trafficking conference The Salvation Army’s annual conference on Modern Slavery and Countering Human Trafficking took place last week in Madrid, Spain. Representatives from 24 countries met to talk about problems of modern slavery and human trafficking, to share their experiences and to motivate each other to fight this global crime. Gluten-free food share The Salvation Army’s Encounter Church in Nova Scotia, Canada, recently launched an innovative program that ensures people with dietary restrictions can access food support without worrying about health implications.   The Gluten-Free Food Share is a pilot project that helps guests facing food insecurity who also live with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Major Brent Haas, lead pastor at Encounter Church, says the idea originated from conversations with community partners.     “We were hearing some people couldn’t have certain foods because of their dietary restrictions. From the donations we received, we had little to no gluten-free items,” Major Haas says.   With support from Food Banks Canada, the initiative operates twice a month and is organised like a small grocery store. Guests can select a time slot and then pick the items they need.   For those with dietary restrictions and struggling financially, previous visits to food banks could be frustrating due to the lack of suitable items. The new food share is proving to be life-changing for some of these guests.   It is hoped that the successful pilot program can continue into the future.

The old wooden hall, built in 1912, on the site of the former Blackbutt Corps. Inset: Colonel Iris Hill, 95, who first preached in that hall in 1952. An old wooden Salvation Army hall has played an endearing role in the life of Iris Hill. In 1952, Lieutenant Iris Hill, early in her service as a Salvation Army officer, took up an appointment as the corps officer at Blackbutt in Queensland’s rural south-east. For the following 18 months, she delivered sermons in a small wooden hall that served as the Blackbutt Corps. Fast forward 72 years, and now-retired Colonel Iris Hill, aged 95, has once again preached in that same hall. The hall, however, is no longer in Blackbutt, as it was moved to The Salvation Army Riverview Farm, west of Brisbane, in 2010, where it was renovated and officially opened as the farm’s chapel in 2012. Iris delivering her sermon at Riverview Farm chapel. On 27 July 2025, Iris delivered a sermon at the Riverview Farm chapel, where she attends every week. Her topic was the Apostle Paul. When asked why she chose to preach on Paul, Iris said that he was a favourite of hers because he was “so complex, he did so much, gave us so much teaching and taught us how to become like Jesus”.  When asked if the hall looked any different from what she remembered, she replied, “Well, it wasn’t painted then.” During her appointment at Blackbutt (from May 1952 to December 1953), Iris said her favourite part about being there was “the friendly people”. She pastored six people on Sundays and ran a bustling Home League and Sunday School ministry. After her Blackbutt appointment, she married Bert, whom she met at Officer Training College, and their first appointment as a couple was at Mount Morgan Corps, six hours up the road near Rockhampton. Iris and Bert, who were part of the 1949 Peacemakers session of cadets, went on to serve in appointments from 1954 to 1991, when they entered retirement. Among their corps appointments were Mount Morgan, Mackay, Hermit Park, Armidale, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga. They also held roles in public relations, social services, chaplaincy and Iris in women’s ministries. Bert was Assistant Chief Secretary of the former Australia Eastern Territory from 1985-89. The ‘old wooden hall’ as it looks today on the site at Riverview Farm, west of Brisbane. Back to the old hall, and today, it is home to a vibrant community of people from all walks of life, says Melissa Ferdinands, Business Supervisor at Bundamba Corps, which oversees operations at Riverview Farm. The farm runs a social enterprise wholesale nursery and market garden, ‘ Watch Them Grow ’ , which provides a place of work and respite for people from all walks of life. “There’s stand-up and sit-down singing – everyone’s in the choir – the prayer times are the highlight, and each week a different person preaches,” Melissa said.   “Recently, we’ve been led by some 18 and 19-year-old members of our congregation.” But Iris would definitely be the oldest ... and wisest, says Melissa. As we reflect on Iris, preaching with a steady smile from handwritten notes, and on her story, coming back full circle to preach in the same hall after so many years, we can’t help but rejoice and thank God for people like her who remind us that God has been, and continues to be, faithful to all generations.