Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies with Commissioner Fred Harvey in the entrance to the Melbourne City Temple, during the Red Shield Appeal launch in 1971. Menzies was a big supporter of the Salvos. BY BARRY GITTINS On 2 July 1865, 160 years ago today, The Salvation Army founder, William Booth, spoke to a crowd of Londoners ‘in a tattered old tent pitched on the site of an old Quaker burial ground’. In this Army Archives article, Salvos Online takes you back to the 100th anniversary, when the War Cry in Australia celebrated the special milestone with a commemorative edition in 1965. “Here, amid the sounds, the smells, the screams, oaths and curses of London’s teeming East End”, The Salvation Army was born, stated the 26 June edition in 1965. B ooth’s meanderings around the Blind Beggar Pub and the Vine Tavern had also set the theme for his mission – reaching the unchurched, the marginalised, and the great unwashed. In that same edition, two dignitaries penned their respects to The Salvation Army – Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies and the Leader of the Opposition, the Right Honourable Arthur Caldwell. “They have been in Australia since 1880,” wrote Menzies, “and by their good works and selflessness have won a special place in the hearts of our people.” “The Salvation Army is needed as much as it ever was,” declared Caldwell, “to bring succour and dignity to those whom society may regard as failures.” Menzies was a significant supporter of The Salvation Army during his tenure in office ( 1939-1941 and 1949-1966 ), participating in various functions and building openings, and continuing to support the organisation afterwards, particularly when the Red Shield Appeal was in its early  years. Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies attends the official opening of The Salvation Army’s Inala Village in Melbourne in 1965. Sixty years after this 1965 edition, The Salvation Army is still going strong, serving in more than 130 countries worldwide. Happy 160th birthday, Salvation Army!   In recognition of this upcoming significant anniversary, The Salvation Army International Headquarters has created eight short videos chronicling the vast and varied mission of the global Salvation Army over the past 160 years. To view the first three videos, click here .   Salvos Studios has created this animation celebrating 160 years of The Salvation Army.

Ashy Salvos House Church is transforming lives through genuine friendship and heartfelt fellowship. There is no pulpit, no booming sound system – just real people, real stories, and real connection with a sharing of God's Word. Church. One word – many meanings. In living rooms and modest spaces across Australia, house churches are flipping the script on faith – raw, real and rooted in community, reaching those who need it the most, come what may. And tucked within the heart of Melbourne’s Ashwood precinct is one such thriving community, where belonging and connection matter more than buildings or pews. Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH spent an evening with the Ashy Salvos House Church to witness how genuine friendship and heartfelt fellowship can truly be transformative. READ MORE: Salvos group a lifeline for Lauren and her best friend, Honey Nearly two decades ago, on the edge of a park in Melbourne’s Ashburton precinct, something small and quietly revolutionary took place. It was a Sunday School with no walls – just open hearts, gathering families, and a vision that saw possibility where others saw need. The brainchild of corps officers from Camberwell who had a passion for the marginalised, the curbside school sparked something long-lasting.   What started as an open-air gathering eventually evolved into a home church for residents from nearby Markham Ave Housing Commission flats. Over time and across several locations, Ashy Salvos House Church took shape, and now, with a longtime commitment from Camberwell Development worker Norman Gale, it is thriving.   “Caring for people and helping them through is what we do,” said Major Cilla Bone, Program Leader and senior soldier at Camberwell Corps. “This is connecting with people who are struggling with faith and life – and I love that. This is our community, this is the neighbourhood. They know each other and they support each. It is a good place and a safe space.”   Today, the church meets not in a chapel but around a kitchen table in rented premises at Ashwood’s Power Neighbourhood House. There is no pulpit, no booming sound system – just real people, real stories, and real connection. But this isn’t just a church gathering. It’s a sanctuary. Major Kate Baudinette, Area Officer and church leader (in red), leads the Ashy House Church around the kitchen table. There is no expectation to impress, no pressure to donate. Just a warm meal, good company, and space to be your true, authentic self. “I think this is a place where people feel comfortable who are similar to each other,” reflected Cilla. “There is no expectation of expensive outings or donations. They all share the fact that they live on a pension, apart from one person who is working. We all wait for our pension next week, and we are all glad of a free meal." And the nourishment goes deep. Drop in on a Tuesday night, and the friendly ambience is immediate. Warm welcomes, hugs and big hellos set the tone. Then comes dinner and a conversation about all things God and life related, plus an inspirational worship song. The top priority is acceptance, friendship, and inclusion. No judgement or condemnation.   For nearly two decades, the church has been a place of quiet transformation. Small steps. Big impact. “We have a lady who is reasonably illiterate,” Cilla shared. “But in the couple of years that she’s been back and regularly coming, she has gained this amazing confidence in reading out loud.” Cilla recalls one night they read about the Bible character, Nebuchadnezzar. “We decided to call him Neb,” Cilla laughs. “But she was having a go. She will have a go and read. Now there is nothing spiritual – just a confidence in nobody is going to make fun of her. So, she will have a go at reading. It is those kinds of little things have happened that are big things.” Major Kate Baudinette (left) and Major Cilla Bone. Then there’s Shae. A young woman who attended years ago and grew up in the now demolished and rebuilt Markham flats. She reconnected three years ago and has since developed leadership skills. And there’s a quiet father who never speaks publicly but has become a youth group driver. He undertook volunteer training to become a youth group driver thanks to the church leadership, who helped him get his licence. At the Red Shield Appeal, he turned up for fundraising collection in a Salvos jumper – a small act that spoke volumes. “So, one is thinking there is some God stuff happening in him that he would not talk about!” Cilla reflected. “It is really just trying to say – you are made in the image of God, and you are loved by God, and by looking at Jesus and the stories of Jesus, you get an idea of what it means to follow and be like him if they pick up other things along the way.” One young lady and church member, Lauren Barns, has also been involved in the church after experiencing a catastrophic car accident that left her legally blind. She emphasised how Ashy, as it’s affectionately known, had become her family and looked forward to attending it each week with her beloved Guide Dog, Honey – a highlight in her calendar.   Kate with Lauren and her faithful dog, Honey. Major Kate Baudinette, Area Officer and church leader, says Lauren has been a great influence and lights up the room when she walks in with Honey. “Lauren is the kind of person that when we open up the Bible, she will just share from the heart,” Kate shared. “It is fabulous to have her in the group. People just love her – she’s one of the family.” Lauren has since become a soldier of The Salvation Army with Kate enrolling her: “It was a privilege for me to be able to enrol her on that day.” “Ashy House is a beautiful expression of The Salvation Army’s mission,” Kate added. “We see that happening in really simple ways around the table. In really quiet ways, we are fulfilling that justice mission in being here for each other, just hearing what people are going through and loving them. It’s the work of all of us at House Church. We love Jesus – and we love each other.” From the very beginning, this church has been for everyone – truly living out an open-door policy. But it’s especially been a place for those who never thought they would belong in a church. Most who gather here come from non-Christian backgrounds, bringing with them a rich tapestry of life experiences. Cultural and social diversity aren’t just accepted, they are embraced. People from all walks of life, ethnicities, and backgrounds are not only welcomed but woven into the very fabric of the community. About 25 people attend the house church each week – as many as they can fit around the dinner table. Growth isn’t limited by interest, but by seating capacity. And even those who may arrive “a little under the weather” are met not with frowns, but warmth, Cilla remarked – and a plate of food. Click to view a Salvos Studios video of Ashy House Church “It is meeting the socio-economic needs of the local community,” she explained. “And a place where people can come without any judgment or condemnation for friendship, fellowship, and hearing God’s word in a very relaxed, comfortable environment.” And every Tuesday night, the Bible is opened to give church members a basic understanding of how the Bible works. The church sticks mostly to the New Testament. Recently, they were exploring the book of Acts because of Pentecost, and so were looking at the Apostle Paul. However, the Old Testament has not been left out – the “stuff that happened before Jesus, and after Jesus” is covered. Members get the chance to read the story of Jesus and what his followers did, offering valuable insight. Physically handling a Bible is important, too. Norman Gale (left) and Cilla read The Bible along with their fellow church members. They are handed out around the table, and printouts are offered too. But there is always engagement with Scripture – and with one another. One church member has taken on board the Bible seriously and undertakes daily readings. “One Tuesday night when we say, ‘Will someone read these verses? She is first,” Cilla said. “That’s not just confidence. That is transformation.” Prayer is key, too. Church attendees will often request various prayer requests. At the heart of Ashy House Church are leaders Cilla, Norman, and Kate, with Meredith Daniels, a youth worker at Camberwell, running the youth group, while parents and caregivers join the main session. The Salvos can also assist with subsidised holiday camps. Cilla fondly recalls how she became connected. During her last appointment as territorial candidate secretary, she felt her heart wasn’t content to stay behind a desk. After visiting the Markham flats, she recalled meeting people whom she could invite to the house church if she went with them.   The response was a yes, including a mother of seven children. “So, I went to the territorial commander of the day and said, I want to have a day a week here thank you very much,” she recalls. “This is what I’m going to do. He knew better than to argue! When I retired, it was an easy progression.” Even though the Markham flats have been rebuilt, the mission remains unchanged: build connection, keep the kettle on, and open the Bible. All gatherings are centre on the Bible.  And the leaders don’t just focus on who turns up, but also look for signs of grace, signs of growth, and what God is doing in the special place.  “You just have to be philosophical about what God is doing here,” Cilla said. “Are they ready to even believe that God can do something? On a good day, they (the church members) do want something different. On a bad day, they just want some food. But that’s completely ok because at the end of the day, we know Jesus is so powerfully in our midst and at work in everyone’s lives. We simply want to wait and see what new thing God wants to bring about in Ashy.”

As the 2025 Wimbledon Championships begin, Ivan Radford asks what your game currently looks like. BY IVAN RADFORD Whether you’re in it for the strawberries or the smash volleys, you’ll probably be joining me and millions of others watching Wimbledon. In the 2025 tennis tournament, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will be hoping to pip each other and Novak Djokovic – not to mention breakout Brit star Jack Draper – to the men’s singles prize. In the women’s singles tournament, French Open victor Coco Gauff will be looking to hold her winning streak, despite competition from fellow French Open finalist Aryna Sabalenka. Whoever the Grand Slam champs are, Wimbledon remains one of the world’s most popular sporting events. That enduring appeal stems not only from SW19’s prestigious grass courts, but also from the unique nature of tennis as a sport. While most other major sporting contests are team games, tennis (in the singles competition, at least) is a solo endeavour: a player is solely responsible for how they perform. On a televised stage before a hushed audience, that pressure can be even more intense and isolating. Anyone who’s lost their cool after missing a first serve in their local park, while someone happens to be walking past, will know that sinking feeling of disappointment and self-blame. They might even have thrown down their racket in anger – apologies from teenage me to my older brother for that one. Anyone who’s lost their cool after missing a first serve in their local park, while someone happens to be walking past, will know that sinking feeling of disappointment and self-blame. As Christians, we have a similar responsibility in our spiritual lives. We are each called by name to follow Jesus ( see John 10:1-16 ). That individual calling means we are responsible for our response: nobody else can follow Jesus on our behalf. In Luke 9:23, Jesus says: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’ It is an intentional, personal choice to follow Jesus, and it is an intentional, personal choice to continue following him, to pray, to study the Bible – we have to keep seeking him first, before anything else. In John 15:4, Jesus reminds us: ‘Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself.’ READ MORE: Let the games begin! While it is our responsibility to be active and sincere in our discipleship, the good news is that we have the Holy Spirit to help us. Through his Spirit, Jesus works in us, with us and through us to transform us into who we are called to be. He is the ultimate coach, who – unlike the coaches with players under the Centre Court floodlights – communicates with us directly. The Holy Spirit whispers, nudges, guides and intercedes for us, searching our hearts and knowing our faults. While each of us must persevere in taking up our cross, the Holy Spirit gives us strength that will be sufficient for the point at hand. Our discipleship begins with our response to Jesus’ invitation, but it is not our strength ( see Zechariah 4:6 ) or wisdom ( see James 1:5 ) that earns us the victory – it is by his power and grace ( see 2 Timothy 2:1 ). Through his Spirit, Jesus works in us, with us and through us to transform us into who we are called to be. He is the ultimate coach, who – unlike the coaches with players under the Centre Court floodlights – communicates with us directly. The even better news? While nobody else can take up our cross for us, we are not called to do it alone. We are called into relationship with Jesus and also with each other. Our callings are unique and cannot be compared, but they are intertwined, as we grow together in the body of Christ. Jesus is with us not just through his Spirit but through our fellow believers, who are on the court with us, cheering us on and helping us to keep within the lines. But to be in the game, you have to pick up your racket and not throw it down each time you hit the net. Jesus is always there, ready to forgive and empower you. It’s advantage you – but nobody else can take that second serve. Reflect and respond What do your match stats currently look like? Are you still playing with intent? Have you dropped the ball? Read Galatians 5:22 and 23 . Is the fruit of the Spirit currently being produced in your life? Pray for strength, wisdom, grace and peace to play your next point. Ivan Radford is Managing Editor of Salvationist Magazine in the UK. This article first appeared in Salvationist here .

Ashy House Church began over 15 years ago at Camberwell Corps (Vic.) with a desire to meet people who were feeling marginalised in the community. On a typical Tuesday night, the group meets for a meal, shares Scripture and prays together. Major Kate Baudinette says that Ashy House is “a beautiful expression of The Salvation Army’s mission ... we love Jesus and we love each other.”

To read the Promoted to Glory notice for Walter, click here

Lauren Barns and her guide dog Honey are precious members of the Ashy House Church that meets each Tuesday evening. (Centre) Lauren sitting next to Area Officer Major Kate Baudinette as she leads a recent gathering. BY LERISSE SMITH   Lauren Barns never imagined that one horrible rainy night and a twist of fate would dramatically change the course of her life forever.   Almost 12 years ago, a catastrophic accident at Melbourne’s Indented Head left her fighting for her life.   For reasons still unknown, Lauren’s car crashed into the side of a house, causing the wall to collapse onto her vehicle – and her head. The force of the impact left her critically injured and barely clinging to life. She was airlifted from the scene by helicopter in a race against time.   “I nearly died a number of times,” she recalled of the fateful night. “And not just from the accident, but while I was in hospital, too. I am very, very lucky to be here.”   No one could have predicted Lauren would survive such a horrific event. But she did. However, her long recovery would involve multiple surgeries, rehabilitation and countless therapy sessions. The accident also left her legally blind. And with survival also came heartbreak. “I lost all my friends after the accident, which is really sad,” she said. “So many people came to visit me while I was unconscious at the time ... Mum said they all came to say goodbye as they thought I was going to pass away. But nobody wanted to catch up after I got out.” In that void, her occupational therapists looked for meaningful ways to help Lauren reconnect with friendship and community – and one life-changing suggestion set her on a new path. They discovered Ashy Salvos House Church.   Walking into the building on the first night marked a significant step forward for Lauren. It was a place that felt completely different from any church she had known growing up. Lauren with Major Cilla Bone, who started Ashy House Church. “Everyone at Ashy House Church was so welcoming. It was amazing. And the pop-up dinner is always a winner!” Lauren reflected. “I grew up going to church and never liked church. It was always a chore. You had to get dressed in nice clothes, and because I never really fitted in, I never made friends. But coming here (to Ashy House), everyone is friends. It’s like a big family. Ashy House Church gives me something to look forward to each week.” The warmth of the friendship and fellowship drew her in instantly.  She recounted walking through the door and being greeted with a big hello from a friendly lady who then invited her out the next weekend with her family and drove her home – an act of kindness that stuck with Lauren. It also prompted her to ensure that next time she saw a new face, she would make a beeline for them, making sure they felt welcome too. In the years since she joined Ashy House, the church has become more than a place of worship. It has become her anchor. “This is my church now,” she says. “Everyone supports and encourages each other. It truly is lovely.” The sense of belonging has also helped her blossom in ways she never expected. Lauren shared how she had always been shy and introverted. But thanks to the “chatty and lovely” church members, they have helped her come out of her shell and become more social. And her Christian faith, once obligatory, is now freely expressed and shared in the Tuesday night gatherings and in tender, personal moments with God. “When I was lying in the hospital bed after the accident, not able to really move or do anything, the thing that got me through the whole hospital experience was God,” she emphasised. “Praying silently and music got me through – music is incredible. My parents gave me my iPod and earplugs, and somehow, I was able to scroll through the music albums. Praying also got me through. It gave me much more hope. I had someone there beside me. I wasn’t lonely because I knew God was always by my side. Now I feel God is with me when I meet with others at Ashy House Church, too.” Love has also taken on a new meaning and grown deeper since the accident. Speaking of her family with gratitude, Lauren highlighted how they supported her through her life-changing ordeal and the toughest of days. They held a bedside vigil when she lay in hospital. “I would wake up in hospital and they were just there,” she said. “They were there to support me all the time. They sat by my bed for hours and hours while I was unconscious, just holding my hand and waiting for me to wake up. My love for my family has certainly grown. Love is so much more important to me now than ever.” Honey the loveable Guide Dog. Best friend But it’s not just people who have helped reclaim her independence and joy – there is also a new best friend, Honey. Honey, her Guide Dog, came into her life in November last year, and with the Golden Labrador came a new and profound sense of freedom. “Honey is my best friend and my everything!” Lauren said, her voice brimming with affection. “I can’t imagine loving her any more than I already do. She really is my whole world, and I will do anything to make sure she is happy.” Honey did not just help Lauren navigate the physical world – she opened doors, literally and metaphorically. The first outing with Honey was a memorable one. Lauren recalled being at a busy shopping centre where the crowds literally parted for them both. It was an “awesome” moment, she reflected. However, when well-meaning people often asked to pat Honey, she had to explain that Honey was a working dog and not able to be patted for the safety of both herself and the dog. A sign on Honey’s special handle also ensures the message is clear. Though life with a Guide Dog is freeing, it hasn't been without challenges. Lauren has faced illegal and disheartening discrimination, being denied entry to two cafés because of her Guide Dog. Despite these setbacks, the pair have persevered, and now with driving no longer an option, Lauren is navigating public transport with Honey by her side. “It is so freeing to be able to go anywhere,” she said. “I’m unable to drive now, so I have to rely on public transport. But Honey has made all the difference.” Before her precious Guide Dog came onto the scene, she used a white cane, cheekily known as ‘Michael Caine,’ to navigate getting around. Humour, and even dark humour at times, have been critical, especially during the tough times of life. “It can be dark because of what I have been through,” she explained. “But that is what has got me through the hard times.” Lauren’s artwork that won first prize. Outside of church and Honey, Lauren finds solace in creativity, especially the arts. An art therapy class on Wednesday mornings at Amaroo Neighbourhood House, where participants have some form of disability, has given great joy. Adding to the delight of creating artworks of all sorts was winning first prize at an art show with a beautiful painting based on a photo of her Japanese Nanna. “I’m quarter Japanese!” she adds proudly. Looking to the future, the talented artist has great optimism and ambition. Now with more clarity about what brings her joy, Lauren hopes to return to study in the future especially as she once started a double degree in art and science. Ideally, she would like to work with animals and incorporate her love of the arts, too. Before the accident, life was filled with independence – she was the first of her siblings to move out of home, to have a boyfriend, to chart her own course. Step by step, she’s now rebuilding the independence that time and circumstance once took away: “Along with my therapy team, my main goal now is moving out of my parents’ home and becoming independent yet again.” And Ashy House Church remains a steady and vital presence in her journey, not just as a place of faith, but as a living community one, where fellowship isn’t formal but lived out in hugs, shared meals, exploring God's Word, and interwoven life experiences. “I really do look forward to Tuesday nights at Ashy House – it’s a highlight and essential date in my weekly calendar,” Lauren concluded. “It has helped turn my life around, given me hope for the future – and may it continue to change lives for a long time to come.”

Deep in the ancient ruins of Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, archaeologists unearthed a papyrus scrap containing the earliest known Christian hymn, complete with both its lyrics and musical notation. It is a world first for music, faith and history – 1800 years in the making. Deep in the ancient ruins of Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, archaeologists unearthed a papyrus scrap containing the earliest-known Christian hymn, complete with both its lyrics and musical notation. Now, an Australian team of filmmakers have brought the ancient song back to life in a captivating must-see documentary, The First Hymn , released across Australia this week. Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH spoke with the director and executive producer about the extraordinary journey from an ancient melody to a contemporary worship piece for the modern age.     It started with a simple coffee – and ended with a history-making project.   When long-time friends and documentary filmmakers Mark Hadley, a former Salvation Army magazine reviewer, and John Dickson sat down for a casual cuppa several years ago to chat about a great idea John was excited to share, little did they know it would lead into a journey far greater than they could have ever imagined   – the making of The First Hymn film, with John as Executive Producer and Presenter, and Mark as Director, Co-Producer and Scriptwriter.   The spark of the idea had surfaced in a most unlikely moment – under a microscope.   John was conducting research at the Oxford University Library several years ago, studying ancient papyrus fragments for a project, when a fragment caught his eye – an ancient hymn, 30 by 5 centimetres in size, nearly two millennia old.   “I was looking down the microscope at the lettering and thinking about how amazing it is,” reflected John, who is an Australian historian.   “This is an 1800-year-old song, and in about 30 seconds, the whole idea came to me to see if it were possible to revive it and give it back to the world.”   John Dickson (centre) with world-acclaimed musicians Ben Fielding (left) and Chris Tomlin who brought the first hymn back to life. Inspired by the moment, he shared the thought of first producing a song and then a documentary to track the song with acclaimed musician Ben Fielding, who responded with great enthusiasm.   “He was so excited, a spine-tingling response, that I thought, Wow! This might work,” John said. “And if I’ve got Ben Fielding on board, there’s every chance it’s going to work. And then, of course, when he got Chris Tomlin involved, it was supercharged!”   The conversation over a cuppa between Mark and John sealed the deal and became the catalyst for a full-scale film production on a song that has the Trinity – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and that God is the only giver of good gifts, at its core.   It was written during a period when Christians were severely persecuted by the Roman authorities, and yet the song is filled with joy and thanksgiving. The last line praises the ‘only giver of all good gifts.’   Hosted by John, the feature-length documentary chronicles the hymn’s journey from its desert origins to its modern resurrection, as acclaimed composers Chris and Ben transform the ancient melody into a contemporary worship piece, culminating in a live concert performance. The official documentary poster.  The manuscript itself was discovered 100 years ago, but has been sitting in the Oxford library ever since. Led by a team of leading historians, the discovery has provided insight into ancient music and early Christianity.   And now the film is taking centre stage across Australia, offering audiences a rare glimpse into how world-renowned worship music creators breathed new life into the ancient song.   Both Mark and John reflected on what they hope audiences will take away from the fascinating historical and musical journey of seeing a song come back to life.   Of key importance is that people come away with the understanding that the message of Jesus remains as powerful and relevant today as it was 1800 years ago.   “My greatest hope for that person is that they will be able to stand hands united with their brothers and sisters, connected by 1800 years of history and one song,” Mark said.   “That they will realise they are part of something bigger. It is not the local church on the corner. It isn’t even the big conference they might go to – it is much bigger than that. To paraphrase, as someone greater than me, C.S Lewis put it, ‘the church amazing and terrible with far-flung banners stretched across the universe’ – and we are part of that. That’s what I would like that first audience member to get.”   The filmmakers also aim to attract the curious outsider, history and music lovers alike, and those who wonder what the core of Christianity is all about – something intriguing to explore.   “The second audience member that I imagine sitting in the cinema is the sort of person who has no real commitment to Christianity,” Mark reflected.   “They are there out of an interest in history, or because they have been brought along by a friend, and they like the tale of what’s happened, something dug up, and that it has come all the way into the world. What I would like them to realise is that Christianity is the same yesterday as it is today.   “There is an unbroken link between what Christians believed back then, in Jesus, the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Father. One Trinity, living in sacrificial unity, loving and teaching us to love, and that’s what Christianity is – and it’s still a song that’s being sung today. And I think that if they can walk away knowing the Christianity back then and the Christianity today are really one and the same thing, then that’s a game made.” John, Chris, Ben and the team in the studio breathing new life into the first hymn. The journey to bring the song back to life was neither simple nor smooth. The team faced academic red tape, logistical nightmares, and geopolitical challenges over three years, particularly while filming on location in Egypt, where the hymn was discovered.   “Filming in Egypt was the Everest that we had to get over,” Mark reflected.    “And that was the hardest thing, but it was absolutely inconceivable that we would tell this story without going to the ruins of Oxyrhynchus … In terms of the production, it was a mammoth task to get access to this particular archive … Egypt is an extremely controlled country. We had the first trip to Egypt and barely came away with anything. We didn’t get anywhere near the ruins. It was heart-rending for all the work, time, and travel that had gone into getting ourselves there, only to be turned away was very, very difficult. But never say die!” The ruins of Oxyrhynchus, where the earliest known Christian hymn was found. The team was not to be deterred – and returned six months later after gaining permission.   This time they made it to the ruins of Oxyrhynchus - the ancient city where the papyrus was originally found, unearthed in a rubbish dump. The song had been written on the back of a grain contract.   “You can imagine someone just going, ‘Anybody not using this? I will use this!’ I need to write the song down,” Mark exclaimed.   “Through difficult times, somebody writes a song about just how good God is. And that never ceases to grab me – that they sat down and they wrote this song. Now I wonder if they would ever have the faintest idea that this song, the better part of 2000 years ago, would be revived and sung all over the planet.” Mark Hadley at the entrance to the vault. There were more adventures to come. Mark recalls climbing into the tomb vault in the ruins of Oxyrhynchus: “We were taken into chambers that would have made fantastic sets for  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom! ” he said. “I kid you not, I had to climb down into the vault of the tomb, and what they said to me as I was going down was, ‘Be careful of the snakes!’”   One of the most moving moments for John was singing the ancient song alone deep in a crypt beneath the ruins of a vast forgotten church.   “I thought, how precious to be bringing this song back home,” he said. “This song hasn't been heard in this place for 2000 years nearly, and it was spine-tingling for me. That was, for me, a great moment.”   Back in the studio, Mark approached the film as an audio documentary first and then expanded into pictures. One of his main goals achieved was that the documentary is audibly beautiful.   And for Mark, it was also a labour of love as the production took three years, twice as long as his usual projects.   “When you start with a script, it’s really important to understand what the golden idea is,” he explained. “The golden spark. You have to actually keep this little light all the way from the beginning of the project to the end.”   And the final result? A documentary that captivated audiences.   At the worldwide launch in Los Angeles, viewers lined the block to come into the cinema.   “It was amazing and humbling,” Mark said.   “I think it’s going to be very, very hard to walk out of that film without feeling like you have seen something profound … it has deeply affected me ... to see this transposition of joy from the second century to the 21st century. I weep unashamedly when I hear the old song and the new song and realise they are the same song. God is not above teaching an old dog new tricks.”   But it was not just a film for Mark, who is a former reviewer for The Salvation Army’s Pipeline and Others magazines. It was an incredible faith odyssey for him, along with his wife, Maia, who is the film’s Co-Producer. Maia is a Web Content Coordinator for The Salvation Army.   Behind the scenes, he had two teams critical to the film’s success: the team he had gathered and the team God had gathered. Every challenge was met with prayer. Every closed door was answered with persistence and faith.   John Dickson with Armand Angour, one of the leading historians on The First Hymn project. “It was a God-breathed project,” he said.   “There is no doubt in my mind that if God had not pushed this project along, it would never have seen the light of day. There were too many points, humanly speaking, with the decades of experience I have with producing, where it could have just ground to a halt.”   For John, watching Chris and Ben perform the revived piece at the film’s launch before a crowd of 10,000 people was overwhelming. The original singers 2000 years ago could never have imagined that all these years later, 10,000 people would be experiencing their song.   And now that Australian audiences can finally see the film, Mark has one final request for the audience: stay to the end!   “We have designed credits that people will sit through,” he said. “We have built amazing extra footage into the credits. I want people to stay to the credits, because every single name that comes up on the rather lengthy list is someone I want to thank God for – there is a ‘thank you God’ behind every name that comes up because this was a God breathed project and each person was used to his glory.”   For more information, watch the trailer, listen to the song live in concert, and discover the Australian release dates, click here

Each week throughout 2025, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for a particular territory or region of The Salvation Army.   The focus territory/region shares prayer requests to help us pray with precision and power for one another.   This week (30 June-6 July) we are praying for the Indian Northern Territory.   Colonels Chawnghlut Vanlalfela and Ropari Khupchawng lead the territory.   The India Northern Territory has 501 officers (391 active, 110 retired); envoys 3; employees 250; corps 172; outposts 862; senior soldiers 73,715; adherents 1931; junior soldiers 4339.   Pray for India Northern Territory Praise: We praise God for a successful spiritual life seminar and spiritual revival meetings in the territory. We also praise God for Territorial Officers’ Councils and for successful Home League rallies throughout the territory. Prayer requests: ·       Pray for those who get new responsibilities for their settlements as well as our new, appointed sectional heads. ·       Pray for our new Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries, Lieut-Colonels Abraham and Manjula Mudda, who will take up their appointments on 1 July 2025. ·       Pray for a resolution to the financial crisis that is ongoing in the territory. ·       Pray for increase in giving among Salvationists to support our territory. ·       Pray for spiritual revival in the life of officers and soldiers. ·       Pray for extensions work in Himachal Pradesh. To find out more about the India Northern Territory, click here . To download the 2025 International Prayer Focus schedule, click here .

Captain Anthony Hunt is the Corps Officer at Centenary Corps in Queensland. An avid reader, Salvos Online asked Anthony three book-related questions:   Besides the gospels and Psalms, which is your favourite book in the Bible and why? Great question! Honestly, it depends a bit on where I’m at in life, but right now, I’d say Revelation . I know for a lot of people it’s not usually their go-to, but for me, it’s been really meaningful. A lot of folks read Revelation like it’s a terrifying roadmap of doom and gloom. But at its heart, it’s actually a book of hope and encouragement. It was written to remind Christians, then and now, that no matter how things look, Jesus is King – and Caesar (or any other worldly power) isn’t. When we worship Jesus – the Lion and the Lamb – we’re actually standing in protest against the broken systems of this world. We’re declaring that true authority belongs to God alone. And that’s incredibly freeing. As Revelation 19 says: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns supreme … The wedding feast has begun.” I’d encourage anyone to read Revelation not with fear, but with hope – not with anxiety, but with worship. It’s a powerful reminder of who’s really in charge. Besides the Bible, what is a Christian book that has strongly influenced your faith? During COVID, like many people, I became more aware of just how much systemic racism affects the daily lives of people of colour. I wanted to listen and learn, so I deliberately read more books written by non-white authors. One that really stuck with me was Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley, an Anglican priest and student of NT Wright. In this book, McCaulley unpacks how African-American Christians read and interpret the Bible through their lived experience – dealing with oppression, injustice, and hope all at once. He brings the voice of the Black Church into conversation with Scripture, and tackles topics that often get overlooked by white theologians: race, political protest, policing, and more. Reading it opened my eyes to how much our own background and experiences shape the way we understand faith. It challenged me to approach theology with more humility and to listen to voices different from my own. And even when there’s disagreement, it’s taught me the importance of respectful dialogue and learning from one another in diversity. What is a secular book that has revealed to you a Christian message or theme? The one that springs to mind is Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. His memoir about growing up in crushing poverty in Ireland during the Great Depression paints such a vivid, often heartbreaking picture of hopelessness – yet somehow, Frank manages to carry a sense of hope through it all. You see how poverty, addiction, abandonment, and exploitation shaped him. And while he doesn’t always make great choices, you can’t help but feel for him – that he still deserves a chance at something better. For me, it echoes the heart of the Gospel. Even when we mess up, cut corners, or completely derail our lives, God still chooses to step in. Through Jesus, He offers us grace – a chance at a better, God-centred life, not because we’ve earned it, but because He loves us. That’s the beauty of the Good News: redemption, even in the mess.

To read the appointment bulletin, click here .

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it?    My wife and I are currently appointed as Corps Officers of Capricorn Region Corps (Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Kabra), encompassing the oversight of the Central Highlands Corps (Emerald) in Central Queensland, commencing in January this year. The most satisfying thing for me has been the way in which the corps has embraced us and the way in which we have been continually encouraged by the congregation.    2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?    I do like to have a hit of golf when I have the opportunity … and I am one of those people who enjoys mowing and pottering around the yard.    3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it?   I have many favourites, but I guess the one that speaks to me the most is ‘Who Am I’ by Casting Crowns. It reminds me that God loves me in spite of who I am … in fact, he loves me because of who I am.    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 like to have a conversation with Thomas. He reminds me of myself. I would encourage him that we all doubt at times, so he is not alone.   5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say?     I would say, go for it. If that is what God is calling you to, just be obedient.

(From left) Rich Robinson (MLC Global Leader), Major Dianne Jarvey (The Salvation Army’s Faith Communities Development Secretary), Major Andrew Jarvey (Southern Western Australia Area Officer), Aux-Lieut Adam Purcell (Salvation Army General Manager, Generations and Faith), and Lauren Martin (Salvation Army mission leader) at the Movement Leaders Collective gathering in London in May. Salvos Online journalist LAUREN MARTIN recently spent a week in London attending the Movement Leaders’ Collective global gathering with three other Aussie Salvos. In this Viewpoint article, she shares her reflections on the experience and what it means in an Australian context.   What did I learn at the Movement Leaders Collective (MLC) global gathering in London in May?   Well, I spent much of the first day at the gathering (it’s not a ‘conference’, it’s a ‘gathering’), partly jet-lagged and partly wondering what the heck I was doing there.    Most attendees were leaders of networks or held leadership positions within churches or missional organisations. I had come with three others from The Salvation Army, all of whom held leadership roles. Yet here I was, an untrained, part-time ‘tent-making’ mission leader from a small town in Australia. An everyday Christian from The Salvation Army, just trying to be obedient to God’s calling within my own local mission and ministry.    I soaked it all up, relishing the ample time provided to meet others and learn from their experiences seeing God at work building pockets of the kingdom of God outside the confines of a ‘Sunday-service-centred’ church.   The three-day gathering was led by Rich Robinson (speaker, author and leadership coach), Alan Hirsch (mission specialist) and the MLC team, who recently visited Australia to teach and train Salvation Army officers, staff and ministry personnel. (To read that story, click here ).   The focus was on creating a tipping point for movemental Christianity in the West. What would it look like to have a Jesus-centred, disciple-making ecclesia in multiple dynamic expressions transforming neighbourhoods, cities and entire nations? And how do we get there – reach a tipping point so that movemental Christianity is not just on the fringes, but the ‘norm’, and multiplying?   Insert brain explosion right here!   After the first day, I took a long walk along the River Thames and asked God the same question I had been asking myself all day – why am I here? What’s this all for?    Whilst I did not receive an ‘epiphany’ at that time, I had a peaceful sense that God’s work of renewal and restoration is  already happening . It is both a current and a future reality. Kingdom  is  coming. God’s plans cannot be thwarted.   One day, the Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘When will the Kingdom of God come?’ Jesus replied, ‘The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’, or, ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you’” (Luke 17:20-21).   At The Salvation Army, I hold a privileged position as a part-time writer with the national editorial team, which allows me to speak directly with frontline, missional practitioners within our movement. I hear firsthand what Jesus is doing, bringing hope and life to communities across Australia. I also witness it firsthand as part of the Shire Salvos team in my other part-time role as mission leader at 2508 Salvos (my home). READ MORE: New award honours Salvationists with a pioneering spirit   Make no mistake, Kingdom  is  coming. God’s plans to reconcile all of creation to himself cannot be thwarted.   Is it happening as fast as I want to see it happen? No! (But patience is a fruit that rarely makes an appearance in my spiritual fruit-bowl!)    Do I trust God’s timing? Absolutely.   On the second day of the MLC gathering (not conference), one of the MLC team members mentioned the ‘such-a-time-as-this’ story of Esther from the Old Testament. What struck me most was not the call to rise, like Esther did, to the occasion that history is presenting, but the fact that Mordecai tells Esther that if she doesn’t act, ‘relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place …”.    Again, I got that sense that as surely as the river flows towards the ocean, Kingdom  is  coming. Renewal is  already happening . And if we don’t act in accordance with it, it will simply ‘arise in another place’.    Let’s not pray for revival, let’s thank God that renewal is already happening, and ask him to show us where the Spirit is moving in our contexts and how we can join in!    And if you don’t know where to start (other than on your knees), seek out the MLC training that is currently being offered through The Salvation Army’s Faith Communities Development team. It is both practical and theological, focusing on movemental DNA, the five-fold APEST ministry model , and how to disrupt current systems in order to see and seek what God has for our movement and individual local communities.   What did I learn from the MLC global gathering in London in May? A lot. However, the most significant thing God showed me is that he is faithful and active in his plans to renew our world. I’m excited to be part of a movement – The Salvation Army – that is so perfectly positioned on the frontline to witness and be part of God’s work in action.