Monday is an important day in the Programme Resources Department at IHQ. This deparment includes the Editorial, Literary, Emergency Services, Health and Development teams from The Salvation Army's head office.
Each Monday morning they gather to pray together. This is in additional to the General's prayer meeting on a Thursday. The Monday meeting is obviously more intimate and this morning was no exception.
We were blessed to be led by a Ghanan officer. In the room were Salvationists from the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, Ghana and India. There was a good spirit as we prayed for the people we serve in various projects, for our team that is heading out to Mali and for those that provide the support back here in London.
From there it was down to business for our team. There are four of us initially, however Damaris (from Germany) is only with us for a week as we get started. Otherwise I am joined by Carolynn from Canada and Kati from Finland. The three of us will be living and working together in Bamako and have a great opportunity to support the ongoing work of The Salvation Army there. Today we were individually briefed on our roles and then brought together for the first time to look at both the aims and budget of the project.
Tomorrow is our travel day and on Wednesday we will be starting to meet the people we will be working with on the ground. This time of preparation has been very quick, but it will be enough to get us started (we believe).
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Monday, 29 April 2013
Mali 2
Or London 1, as the case may be.
Today I was blessed to be standing before one of the great Cathedrals of the world, Westminster Abbey. There was much to see, even though it was closed to sightseeing (being Sunday) and even though I showed up between services.
From the outside it is an imposing ediface. As you walk around there are many statues, images, windows, architectural features, notices and a good view of Parliament Square all to keep you interested.
Two things stood out to me.
The first is that this is a church of tradition that has been around through the ages. Yet on the front of the Abbey (at the northern end) are new statues representing recent martyrs. I was quite struck that the building would have such recent additions. I was also struck by the diversity of those depicted, and especially those that were coupled in the middle over the doors: Martin Luther King, Oscar Romero & Dietrich Bonhoffer. I have loved the stories of these three men for years; if you don't know their stories - check them out. Very much worth the time and effort to learn who they were.
The other thing that struck me was that there was a prayer carved into the stone of the church, just below the modern martyrs.
It reads:
May God grant to the living grace
To the departed, peace
To the church and the world, peace and concord
And to us sinners, eternal life
Amen
Today I was blessed to be standing before one of the great Cathedrals of the world, Westminster Abbey. There was much to see, even though it was closed to sightseeing (being Sunday) and even though I showed up between services.
From the outside it is an imposing ediface. As you walk around there are many statues, images, windows, architectural features, notices and a good view of Parliament Square all to keep you interested.
Two things stood out to me.
The first is that this is a church of tradition that has been around through the ages. Yet on the front of the Abbey (at the northern end) are new statues representing recent martyrs. I was quite struck that the building would have such recent additions. I was also struck by the diversity of those depicted, and especially those that were coupled in the middle over the doors: Martin Luther King, Oscar Romero & Dietrich Bonhoffer. I have loved the stories of these three men for years; if you don't know their stories - check them out. Very much worth the time and effort to learn who they were.
The other thing that struck me was that there was a prayer carved into the stone of the church, just below the modern martyrs.
It reads:
May God grant to the living grace
To the departed, peace
To the church and the world, peace and concord
And to us sinners, eternal life
Amen
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Mali 1
Well folks, I can safely say that this is the first blog I've written from 38,000 feet. Thanks to new technology on Emirates A380s I am writing to you from over Ankara, Turkey as I head to the UK this morning.
The point of being in London is to be briefed before heading to Mali, West Africa on Tuesday afternoon.
Mali has been a troubled nation over the last year or two. For a long time Taureg ethnic tribes in the north wanted a separate state. Islamists got hold of this sentiment and joined with the Taureg to launch an incursion through Mali early last year. Once they got a foothold in the north they dumped the Taureg and went their own way, trying to establish Sharia in what is usually a moderate, secular (although predominantly Muslim) country. The French arrived last January to help their former colony and have settled things down again. Just this week the United Nations have agreed that from July 1 they will send peacekeepers to help also. This will hopefully enable the July national elections to proceed.
In the meantime over 500,000 people have been displaced by the conflict. They are mostly from the north, but living in the south. Unlike other disasters, they aren't in camps - they are mostly staying with other people. But nonetheless there is not enough work or income to sustain this.
Even without a conflict, Mali needs help to develop. One in 10 children die in infancy, the second highest death rate in the world. Only one fifth of adults are literate. The average age in the country is only 16, with 48% of the population under 14 and life expectancy around 50 years. A once proud and rich empire built on gold, sand and river trade (along the Niger river) has been decimated by colonisation, military dictatorships and recently civil war.
Please pray for Mali. Please pray for The Salvation Army which has only been active there since 2007. Please pray for our regional commander Major Ntoya. Please also pray for our international team as we settle in this week and try and work out how we can best help.
The point of being in London is to be briefed before heading to Mali, West Africa on Tuesday afternoon.
Mali has been a troubled nation over the last year or two. For a long time Taureg ethnic tribes in the north wanted a separate state. Islamists got hold of this sentiment and joined with the Taureg to launch an incursion through Mali early last year. Once they got a foothold in the north they dumped the Taureg and went their own way, trying to establish Sharia in what is usually a moderate, secular (although predominantly Muslim) country. The French arrived last January to help their former colony and have settled things down again. Just this week the United Nations have agreed that from July 1 they will send peacekeepers to help also. This will hopefully enable the July national elections to proceed.
In the meantime over 500,000 people have been displaced by the conflict. They are mostly from the north, but living in the south. Unlike other disasters, they aren't in camps - they are mostly staying with other people. But nonetheless there is not enough work or income to sustain this.
Even without a conflict, Mali needs help to develop. One in 10 children die in infancy, the second highest death rate in the world. Only one fifth of adults are literate. The average age in the country is only 16, with 48% of the population under 14 and life expectancy around 50 years. A once proud and rich empire built on gold, sand and river trade (along the Niger river) has been decimated by colonisation, military dictatorships and recently civil war.
Please pray for Mali. Please pray for The Salvation Army which has only been active there since 2007. Please pray for our regional commander Major Ntoya. Please also pray for our international team as we settle in this week and try and work out how we can best help.
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Ascot Park
With sadness, but also gratitude, we said farewell today to the staff at Ascot Park as we prepare to leave the centre on Tuesday (30/4).
Trading in the shop ceased last Friday in preparation for the closure. It is a sad financial reality that we couldn't continue to sustain the losses being incurred at the Centre.
We are grateful for the work of Wendy, Ray and Tryntje in the early days, working hard to set up the shop. We are grateful for the work of Helen who has managed the shop over the last 17 months. We are thankful for the team of volunteers that have worked hard to create a sense of community and care through the centre. Countless people have been served, not only clothes and bric-a-brac, but also love.
We are thankful to God for the fruit that has been borne in Ascot Park and look forward to where he leads our church next.
Trading in the shop ceased last Friday in preparation for the closure. It is a sad financial reality that we couldn't continue to sustain the losses being incurred at the Centre.
We are grateful for the work of Wendy, Ray and Tryntje in the early days, working hard to set up the shop. We are grateful for the work of Helen who has managed the shop over the last 17 months. We are thankful for the team of volunteers that have worked hard to create a sense of community and care through the centre. Countless people have been served, not only clothes and bric-a-brac, but also love.
We are thankful to God for the fruit that has been borne in Ascot Park and look forward to where he leads our church next.
Friday, 19 April 2013
ANZAC Day
Next week, on Thursday, is ANZAC Day.
The day itself is the anniversary of the Gallipoli landings in 1915 - 98 years ago now. While the Gallipoli campain was a military debarcle, it brought together the Australian people for the first time since federation into one body. The spirit of those troops, embodied in courage, determination and 'mateship' came to become part of the psyche of the new nation.
On ANZAC Day we stop to remember and reflect on all those that have served our country in war and peace. We think of the veterans, the service personnel and those that have loved and lost them.
Our Corps continues to support ANZAC Day by serving breakfast to the thousands at the Glenelg dawn service and by providing the musical support for the Brighton dawn service. Look out for our musicians and our service teams.
The dawn services of ANZAC Day have their origins in a soldier's routine still observed in the Army today. The half-light of dawn can play tricks on a soldier's eyes and so it became a favourite time for enemy attacks. Soldeirs in defensive positions were therefore woken up in the dark, before dawn, so that by the time the first grey light crept across a battlefield they were awake, alert and ready at their weapons. This stance, known as 'stand to' was repeated at sunset.
After WW1, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn. With symbolic links to the dawn landings at Gallipoli, a dawn stand-to, or ceremony, became the common form of ANZAC Day remembrance during the 1920s.
Maybe, if you haven't been before, this year you could attend your local dawn service. They do not celebrate war - far from it - they commemorate the fallen and affirm the pursuit of peace. They celebrate courage and comradeship while thanking those that have served our people. There are also public prayers for peace and for our nation.
Check out the RSL website for times and locations around the state:
http://www.rslsa.org.au/customdata/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_main&ItemID=2488&OrgID=1113&count=1
Brighton Dawn Service: Arch of Remembrance, Brighton Jetty, April 25 at 6 am
Glenelg Dawn Service: Moseley Square, Glenelg, April 25 at 6 am
The day itself is the anniversary of the Gallipoli landings in 1915 - 98 years ago now. While the Gallipoli campain was a military debarcle, it brought together the Australian people for the first time since federation into one body. The spirit of those troops, embodied in courage, determination and 'mateship' came to become part of the psyche of the new nation.
On ANZAC Day we stop to remember and reflect on all those that have served our country in war and peace. We think of the veterans, the service personnel and those that have loved and lost them.
Our Corps continues to support ANZAC Day by serving breakfast to the thousands at the Glenelg dawn service and by providing the musical support for the Brighton dawn service. Look out for our musicians and our service teams.
The dawn services of ANZAC Day have their origins in a soldier's routine still observed in the Army today. The half-light of dawn can play tricks on a soldier's eyes and so it became a favourite time for enemy attacks. Soldeirs in defensive positions were therefore woken up in the dark, before dawn, so that by the time the first grey light crept across a battlefield they were awake, alert and ready at their weapons. This stance, known as 'stand to' was repeated at sunset.
After WW1, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn. With symbolic links to the dawn landings at Gallipoli, a dawn stand-to, or ceremony, became the common form of ANZAC Day remembrance during the 1920s.
Maybe, if you haven't been before, this year you could attend your local dawn service. They do not celebrate war - far from it - they commemorate the fallen and affirm the pursuit of peace. They celebrate courage and comradeship while thanking those that have served our people. There are also public prayers for peace and for our nation.
Check out the RSL website for times and locations around the state:
http://www.rslsa.org.au/customdata/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_main&ItemID=2488&OrgID=1113&count=1
Brighton Dawn Service: Arch of Remembrance, Brighton Jetty, April 25 at 6 am
Glenelg Dawn Service: Moseley Square, Glenelg, April 25 at 6 am
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
Boston
There is nothing that makes sense about destroying an event so positive as a marathon with violence.
There is nothing that makes sense about upsetting the final mile of an event dedicated to healing and supporting the lives of those from Sandy Hoak.
There is nothing that makes sense about bringing darkness to something that by its very nature brings out the best in people - endurance, victory, personal achievement, faith, goals, community, fitness, love.
There is nothing that makes sense when people, including at least one child, are killed randomly
But, as always, there is God:
God is there in the first responders that run to the disaster and help.
God is there in the marathon runners, depleted by an endurance event, that line up to give blood to others.
God is there in the gatherings that are already organised and occuring as people support each other and pray.
God is there in the people that are expressing solidarity with the runners and spectators - even committing to run the race next year in defiant support.
God is there in the police that have left their spring holiday break to come on duty and assist, and the Massachssets National Guard who have stood up for duty.
God is there in the training and expertise of medical personnel providing care and healing.
God is there in the crys of people who will not stand for this atrocity.
God is there in the suffering of families, present, available, crying with them, hurting with them.
The darkness in this world has not overcome the light yet, and it won't.
There is nothing that makes sense about upsetting the final mile of an event dedicated to healing and supporting the lives of those from Sandy Hoak.
There is nothing that makes sense about bringing darkness to something that by its very nature brings out the best in people - endurance, victory, personal achievement, faith, goals, community, fitness, love.
There is nothing that makes sense when people, including at least one child, are killed randomly
But, as always, there is God:
God is there in the first responders that run to the disaster and help.
God is there in the marathon runners, depleted by an endurance event, that line up to give blood to others.
God is there in the gatherings that are already organised and occuring as people support each other and pray.
God is there in the people that are expressing solidarity with the runners and spectators - even committing to run the race next year in defiant support.
God is there in the police that have left their spring holiday break to come on duty and assist, and the Massachssets National Guard who have stood up for duty.
God is there in the training and expertise of medical personnel providing care and healing.
God is there in the crys of people who will not stand for this atrocity.
God is there in the suffering of families, present, available, crying with them, hurting with them.
The darkness in this world has not overcome the light yet, and it won't.
Friday, 12 April 2013
Red Shield Appeal Launch
MINING billionaire Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has shown how you do philanthropy at the big end of town: put a million bucks on the table and challenge everyone in the room to match it.
And when the room is full of some of the country's richest and best-connected business people, meeting that challenge is a matter of pride.
So it was that The Salvation Army kicked off their 2013 Red Shield Appeal with a tidy $2 million from one high-powered Sydney lunch on Thursday.
(Report from today's Sydney Morning Herald)
That's a great way to kick off the Red Shield Appeal as we prepare for the main day next month.
For us, it's a chance to volunteer, to give, to support those struggling in the community though relatively small contributions of time and money. We may not be able to throw a million dollars on the table (so to speak) but we can give two hours of time, put on some good walkers or take up a post at a shopping centre. If you are interested in helping, make sure you register with our church or your local Salvo's centre.
And when the room is full of some of the country's richest and best-connected business people, meeting that challenge is a matter of pride.
So it was that The Salvation Army kicked off their 2013 Red Shield Appeal with a tidy $2 million from one high-powered Sydney lunch on Thursday.
(Report from today's Sydney Morning Herald)
That's a great way to kick off the Red Shield Appeal as we prepare for the main day next month.
For us, it's a chance to volunteer, to give, to support those struggling in the community though relatively small contributions of time and money. We may not be able to throw a million dollars on the table (so to speak) but we can give two hours of time, put on some good walkers or take up a post at a shopping centre. If you are interested in helping, make sure you register with our church or your local Salvo's centre.
Monday, 8 April 2013
Living life
I have had the privilege of conducting many life ceremonies for people. Dedications, weddings and funerals are the most common. In the time that Angela and I have been at Marion there have been 23 dedications, 22 weddings and 47 funerals.
The latest funeral was for Jorgen, a Danish national who emigrated to Australia a number of years ago. He'd lived a life and a half it seemed. He played ice hockey into his 70s. He drove everything from motocross to B doubles, including tanks. He'd been in the navy and the armoured corps of the army. He'd lived in Denmark, Gaza and Australia. He'd loved, he'd lost, he'd celebrated, he'd missed out, he'd won. He was part of many community groups.
What stood out to me was his incredible way of living. Even with cancer, he'd lived. Even after his divorce, he lived. Whatever happened, he lived.
When we are a people that are forgiven, loved and blessed as we are, how is it that we miss out on living? Today take an opportunity to consider how you live life, and maybe think about how it's time to get on with living!
The latest funeral was for Jorgen, a Danish national who emigrated to Australia a number of years ago. He'd lived a life and a half it seemed. He played ice hockey into his 70s. He drove everything from motocross to B doubles, including tanks. He'd been in the navy and the armoured corps of the army. He'd lived in Denmark, Gaza and Australia. He'd loved, he'd lost, he'd celebrated, he'd missed out, he'd won. He was part of many community groups.
What stood out to me was his incredible way of living. Even with cancer, he'd lived. Even after his divorce, he lived. Whatever happened, he lived.
When we are a people that are forgiven, loved and blessed as we are, how is it that we miss out on living? Today take an opportunity to consider how you live life, and maybe think about how it's time to get on with living!
Teamwork
Yesterday, in both services, Angela spoke to us about Teamwork.
This morning, as with everyday, I'm seeing it in action. It's worth noting what makes the ministry around here tick!
Vicki has brought in the delivery from the bakeries, while Iris is getting the money ready for the bank. David is cleaning while Simon is opening the shop. Greg is sorting out vouchers for the Community Services team while Judith is setting up her office. Angela is preparing for playgroup, while I attend to some administration. Jenny is cutting up some fruit and veg and Kim is catching up on some research. And that's just the people that I've seen so far.
The Salvation Army in Marion exists to shine God's light in Adelaide's south so that others join us as disciples of Jesus Christ. We do this in a number of ways that transform lives, care for people, make disciples and reform society. The only way it is possible is when everyone plays their part - the teamwork!
This morning, as with everyday, I'm seeing it in action. It's worth noting what makes the ministry around here tick!
Vicki has brought in the delivery from the bakeries, while Iris is getting the money ready for the bank. David is cleaning while Simon is opening the shop. Greg is sorting out vouchers for the Community Services team while Judith is setting up her office. Angela is preparing for playgroup, while I attend to some administration. Jenny is cutting up some fruit and veg and Kim is catching up on some research. And that's just the people that I've seen so far.
The Salvation Army in Marion exists to shine God's light in Adelaide's south so that others join us as disciples of Jesus Christ. We do this in a number of ways that transform lives, care for people, make disciples and reform society. The only way it is possible is when everyone plays their part - the teamwork!
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