INSIDE THIS WEEK The General launches International Vision IHQ PAGE 4 Evening of enrichment Regent Hall PAGE 5 PLUS LOTS MORE! PAGES 12 & 13 PAPERS Q JOYSTRINGS Q ‘ARTHUR REMEMBER THEIR CHRISTMAS’ JUST RISE WANTS CHRISTMAS TO BE PERFECT FOR Q ST PAUL’S EVERY KID PROTESTER EXPLAINS Q BIBLE BADDIES FEATURING KING WHY GLOBAL HEROD FINANCE MUST NORTH POLE FUN CHANGE Q FACTFILE Q RACISM, Q PATCH’S PALS WITH FOOTBALL AND PIRATE PETE AND HIS SOCIETY JOLLY CREW THIS WEEK’S QUOTES FROM THE PAPERS TERRY WAITE SPEAKS UP On the… death of Libya’s former leader, Colonel Gaddafi, [Terry] Waite said he was shocked by the manner of his execution. Waite, who negotiated with Gaddafi in the 1980s, said: ‘Gaddafi was a very unusual man… and I would certainly say that he was engaged in supporting violent activities… that I cannot in any way possibly condone. Having said all that, I thought the manner in which he died and the portrayal of his death added nothing to our understanding of human dignity.’ The Church of England Newspaper CHURCH CONFRONTS NEWS CORP MARK’S GOSPEL IN BSL THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND HAS MADE A SERIES The first British Sign Language (BSL) translation of OF DEMANDS OF RUPERT MURDOCH’S NEWS part of Mark’s Gospel has just been released. CORPORATION, AFTER A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING The DVD presents Mark 1–3:6 in a ‘scholarly WITH DIRECTORS IN WHICH IT RAISED ‘SERIOUS and accessible version’ for the estimated 70,000 people for whom BSL is a first or preferred means of ETHICAL CONCERNS’ ABOUT THE COMPANY… communication… THE CHURCH HOLDS $6 MILLION IN SHARES IN Consultation with the deaf community of Britain NEWS CORP AND WANTS TO USE ITS INFLUENCE has now started and a period of fundraising will TO CHANGE THE COMPANY’S CORPORATE commence in order to continue working through GOVERNANCE. Mark’s Gospel. Church Times Methodist Recorder I COULD IMAGINE JESUS BEING BORN IN THE CAMP The canon chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral resigned because he could not face the prospect of ‘Dale Farm on the steps of St Paul’s’, as police prepared to take action against the anti-capitalist protesters… Giles Fraser [said]: ‘St Paul was a tentmaker. If you looked around and tried to recreate where Jesus would be born – for me, I could imagine Jesus being born in the camp… I support the right to protest and… we could have negotiated. The Church cannot answer peaceful protest with violence.’ The Guardian TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS Tel: 0845 634 0101 SALVATIONIST 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN Tel: 020 7367 4890 Fax: 020 7367 4691 Email: [email protected] Web: www.salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist A registered newspaper published weekly by The Salvation Army (United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland) on behalf of the General of The Salvation Army and printed by benhamgoodheadprint Limited, Bicester, Oxon. © Linda Bond, General of The Salvation Army, 2011. The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England and Wales is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. EDITOR Major Stephen Poxon Tel: 020 7367 4901 MANAGING EDITOR Stephen Pearson Tel: 020 7367 4891 ASSISTANT EDITOR Major Jane Kimberley Tel: 020 7367 4892 ASSISTANT EDITOR Claire Anderson Tel: 020 7367 4894 DTP DESIGNER Colin Potter Tel: 020 7367 4895 DTP OPERATOR Denise D’Souza Tel: 020 7367 4896 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jonathan Carmichael Tel: 020 7367 4883 ADMINISTRATOR Stella Merino Tel: 020 7367 4881 ADVERTISING Tel: 020 7367 4883 Email: [email protected] DISTRIBUTION Salvationist Publishing and Supplies (Periodicals), 66-78 Denington Road, Denington Industrial Estate, Wellingborough NN8 2QH Tel: 01933 445451 Fax: 01933 445415 Email: [email protected] THE SALVATION ARMY FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL Linda Bond TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Commissioner John Matear EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PUBLISHING SECRETARY Major Leanne Ruthven 2 5 November 2011 SALVATIONIST www.salvationarmy.org.uk/salvationist COMMENT funeral has a long face, I’ll never speak to him again’ – and, almost single- handedly, revolutionised film comedy. The late, legendary comedian Bob Compelled Monkhouse idolised him and Paul Merton, television funny man and avid student of ‘talkies’ and ‘silents’ (movies with and without sound), attributes much of what we now take for granted in comedic skill to Laurel’s genius. Laurel by love was, in many respects, way ahead of his time. Visionaries tend to be thin on the ground, but that only means we should pay them greater attention when they do speak up. The prophet Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 12) was told to tell a vision to Israel, and The Salvation Army has long been gifted with its share of people standing in that prophetic tradition – we need look no further than Major Christine Faragher’s excellent book Other Voices to realise that. All of which brings me to page four of this week’s Salvationist, where you can read about the International Vision outlined by the General. I read it carefully, line by line, on the train and realised immediately that this document represents the most straightforward route for the Army to move ahead at ERE you to approach me in speed. It ties in nicely with William the street and ask me for a Booth’s visionary speech made in the list of my heroes, I would Royal Albert Hall almost a century ago, start with Commissioner which we will commemorate with the ‘I’ll WilliamW McKenzie OF if you were a Fight’ Congress in May next year (see Salvationist, and Stan Laurel if you pages 14 and 15). weren’t. It was, of course, all very well for Stan Your next move might be to point out to Laurel to churn out script after script, but me that Stan Laurel doesn’t count if no one had turned up to interpret his because he never actually did anything lines and put his written wit into practice, ‘The Salvation Army has a very deep heroic in the traditional sense of the word. then they might have remained just so spiritual life… We have to nurture That might be true, but there is more to many pieces of paper. There is that risk our experience of God, carefully tend being a hero than deeds alone. For my with the International Vision – unless we to it, be nourished in it… Sometimes money, heroes and heroines are people ‘go and do something about it’ it all a church can get detached from who have it within them to catch visions remains just so many words. its spiritual roots and I think that and run with them, undaunted. It takes My instinct is that most Salvationists happened to us for a while. We some doing and the skinny half of Laurel will want to make the vision a reality became “Army” almost detached and Hardy grabbed hold of a vision for because, as General Linda Bond points from the Church at large.’ slapstick comedy, clever scriptwriting and out, ‘the love of Christ compels us’. (General Linda Bond) original one-liners – ‘If anyone at my MAJOR STEPHEN POXON, EDITOR NEWS LETTERS CONGRESS FEATURE NEW COMMITMENTS Pages 4 – 9 Page 10 I’ll fight Page 17 IHQTogoRegentHallLondonChester-le-Street Pages 14 & 15 RomfordShottonCollieryKeighleyBristolEaston NelsonStoke-on-TrentBargoedUpperNorwood HOW GREAT ANNOUNCEMENTS NorwichCitadelKenyaEastSalisburyErskine BromleyNottinghamAspleyScarboroughAnglia THOU ART BIBLE STUDY Army people, engagements, CoventryCityTunstallHorshamHeckmondwike Gritty, earthy vessels Signs, symbols and ColchesterCitadelPeterboroughOrtons tributes and caption of truth sacraments competition results Page 11 Page 16 Pages 18 & 19 ROOTS FEATURE ADVERTS Roots goes regional – Pages 20 – 23 starting in Scotland! Pages 12 & 13 [email protected] SALVATIONIST 5 November 2011 3 NEWS The General launches of Christ compels us’, adding that she would love to see that phrase on the wall of every International Vision Salvation Army social centre. Taking a strong IHQ stand on its motivation may mean that the GENERAL Linda Bond made a passionate Army sometimes loses money, admitted the call for The Salvation Army around the world General, before adding: ‘But I would rather to be united in mission and message and to have the blessing of the Lord.’ grasp new opportunities as she launched the Picking up on another of the Mission Priori- International Vision: One Army, One Mission, ties, the General called for a reaffirmation of One Message. the belief in transformation, explaining that – The vision is given substance through through the power of the Holy Spirit – a person 12 Mission Priorities – full details of which can change his or her life not by making reso- can be seen online in the Vision Plan (http:// lutions but by undergoing a revolution. sar.my/one). These priorities call on Salva- Communication was highlighted as a prior- tionists to say ‘we will’ to principles such as ity. The General said that she loved Salvation deepening spiritual life; reaching and involv- Army open-air meetings but warned against ing youth and children; and communicating holding them ‘next to a brick wall’ where no Christ unashamedly. The General said she one was listening. She called on Salvationists was aware that, if not approached practically, to grab the opportunities presented by modern a vision could be ‘only a pipe dream’ but that technology. ‘We need to use the world wide the Mission Priorities make it clear that ‘you web,’ she said. ‘We could have a million have to do something’. people at our open-air meetings!’ She emphasised that One Army, One cal and financial need but that it could just as Drawing her thoughts to a close, the General Mission, One Message should not be seen easily describe ‘the unsaved and people who admitted that there was nothing inherently new as ‘the General’s vision’ but that she wants are outside the fellowship’.