www.churcharmy.org.uk general information (office hours) 020 8309 3519 donations hotline 020 8309 3519 www.churcharmy.org.uk Chuffed to be our president Desmond Tutu on hope, laughter, Bono and Church Army

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was elected last year as the first overseas based who want to be aligned with our President of Church Army and writes exclusively for Shareit! about what Lord’s work in these contexts should be praying for and supporting the Church Army means to him. work of Church Army.

n my book God has a dream – a vision when my good friend and Church Army privilege to meet staff and residents We do our best to reflect Iof hope for our time, I wanted to share Officer Terry Waite was incarcerated in a and dedicate the Desmond Tutu Chapel something of Jesus when we can something of the great God that I know. Beirut cell. Church Army exists to show there. The next time I am in the UK, laugh with people who need to see My God stands for love, grace, truth ordinary men, women and children that, and if I have enough energy, I may our joy; cry with those who need and justice and, however difficult and whatever they are feeling and however even drop-in and see one of the to see our compassion and do a desperate the situation, with Him, there is desperate their circumstances appear nightclub based projects! little bit of loving for those who These characteristics have been echoed no such thing as a totally hopeless case. to be, God hasn’t given up on them need to feel God hold them in His hands. Every Christian by right should be a in people I have found inspiring, such as and there is hope. We didn’t lose hope in the darkest days prisoner of hope. People often ask me if Mother Teresa, Trevor Huddleston, Nelson Showing the humanity and character of of apartheid and we didn’t give up hope I was very chuffed to be asked to I am optimistic and I say no, but I am Mandela and for the younger generation our Lord in all we do is vital as we inspire become Church Army’s first overseas hopeful because at the centre of our faith by U2’s Bono, a remarkable man who people with the power and relevance of President and so provide my backing and is this incredible thing. You have a cross has worked so hard to encourage a new the gospel message to transform lives. encouragement for the work that Church that should be a symbol of devastating generation to access the message of We should always remember that whilst Army Evangelists and staff do day in and defeat, complete defeat of goodness. The social justice and freedom. It has been we were yet sinners Christ died for us, day out to show the love and hope our overwhelming of light by darkness where incredible to see the success he has had as it says in Romans 5. It’s a verse that Lord Jesus Christ brings to the people hate appeared to have had the last word. in convincing world leaders about the makes me just wonder in awe at the who really need to know it. But we know one of the most incredible need to cancel third world debt and help incredible love of God. Whilst we were I have been so impressed by the range things that has ever happened through make poverty history. yet sinners. Not when we were good, not the cross of Jesus is that what seemed when we thought we were worth dying and variety of work Church Army does People today want to see that the Church to be such abject defeat on a Friday for, precisely when we were at our worst. in sharing faith through words and makes a difference and Church Army became a victory of goodness over evil, Isn’t that incredible? action. When I recently visited London has a reputation for going where others demonstrated so spectacularly by the I was taken by Mark Russell to see the would say angels fear to tread. May God bless you for your prayerful resurrection on Sunday. excellent work of the Marylebone and financial support of Church Army Evangelists and staff are in the forefront Project and it was a When we were struggling against and may He bless and encourage all of the work that our Lord would be apartheid here in South Africa, there were Church Army’s Evangelists and staff in doing: found on the edges of society, very many moments when it did seem as the fantastic and life-changing work around those who are ostracised for one if the perpetrators of apartheid, injustice that they do to help people grasp what reason or another, those who are not and oppression were invincible, that they it really means to live life to the full always thought of as being respectable were wiping the floor with all the people under the grace of our Lord. members of society and those who find seeking justice and freedom. We had to the usual fare that is provided in our Desmond Tutu is Archbishop Emeritus keep reminding people that, despite all churches is not something that touches of Cape Town, South Africa and the appearances to the contrary, there is their lives. Church Army is about making President of Church Army. He was no way in which injustice, oppression and Jesus famous to those who feel that awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in How can I help? evil can have the last word. The death our churches don’t speak their language 1984 and was Chair of South Africa’s Pray that Archbishop Tutu will and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ or aren’t in touch with them, or reach Truth and Reconciliation Commission. continue to inspire millions of declared so incredibly wonderfully is in out to them where they are hurting or people with something of the truth, fact goodness, love, compassion, laughter You can view a short film of Archbishop hope, peace and justice of Almighty feeling bewildered. and joy, which are the things that Tutu’s visit to the Marylebone project God as he travels the globe. ultimately have the last word. I strongly believe that those Christians at www.youtube.com/churcharmy

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