One Nation under ? Part One

Some of you will know that Sven and I have spent the last couple of weeks in the States and at present are in Texas with Kaari, Sven’s youngest daughter and her family. This morning I was privileged to go to school with four of her children and witness Ella who is five receive an award for student of the week. Having been into a number of schools in the UK to lead assemblies over recent years I was very interest to go into a USA school and see how things are done here.

I stood there and witnessed 5-11 year olds stand and face the American flag pledging their allegiance to America. With their hand on their hearts they recited:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands
one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Then they paused for a moment, turned to face the Texas flag and with their hands remaining over their hearts continued to recite:

"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible."

They then remained standing for a minutes silence.

It was strange, because in those moments, part of me was impressed and yet at the very same time part of me was deeply saddened. Yes, there was mention of God, but as an outsider looking in it seemed to me that it was much more about an allegiance to America than God. And then I recalled how in recent years there seems to have been a battle within the USA to remove the phrase: ‘One nation under God’ out. I was also deeply saddened that there was no prayer to begin their day with, no turning to God, no asking of God’s blessing upon this new day.

As I observed this ritual I was reminded of the words of Ann Graham Lotz,

daughter of the evangelist Billy Graham, following September 11 she was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding the attack of 09:11)

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman that He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" In light of recent events, terrorists attacks, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said ok.

Major Glad
Divisional Candidates Officer
Liverpool

ONE ARMY … ONE MISSION … ONE MESSAGE

Earlier today (Sunday) Sven and I attended the holiness meeting at the Clearwater Corps in Florida. It never ceases to amaze me how going into a Salvation Army Corps is the same anywhere I have travelled either in the UK, in Europe, Barbados or in the States, so far, this is the extent of my SA travels. The welcome is warm, friendly and genuine. This morning we were greeted at the door by smiling soldiers and Officers and once in the hall we were welcomed by many from within the congregation both in and out of uniform.

Once we entered the hall Sven was greeted by friends from down through the years and as I looked around this vast sea of people coming to worship I was delighted to catch sight of friends from the UK. Gordon and Judith Hill, soldiers from Hendon. Judith had been the DC’s secretary when I was stationed at North London DHQ and so we too were able to recall many happy memories.

As the meeting commenced it very soon became evident that the theme was that of encouragement. The Home League had conducted their sale the day before and raised $14,000 It seemed as if anyone who was anyone and had any part to play in their success was thanked and encouraged. The band was responded to with encouraging applause after their playing of pre meeting music. Visitors were welcomed and encouraged to introduce themselves. In the UK today it is Remembrance Sunday and in some ways it wasn’t that much different in the States as they acknowledged their veterans. Anyone who had served their country was asked to stand and was automatically greeted with rapturous applause of thanks.

However, for me, the biggest encouragement came from the testimonies and prayers of men from the Suncoast ARC Centre. The nearby Salvation Army ‘Adult Rehabilitation Centre’. Miracle, after miracle, after miracle was spoken of and the officers, Captains Gary and Liz Wilson shared of how they witness miracles on a daily basis. Is it any wonder we were ‘encouraged’ to sing: ‘How great is our God’ with the accompaniment of a contemporary worship group of men from the ARC.

Two solders were sworn in under the colours of the SA flag and the USA flag. One of the men is a young man who had witnessed life changing miracles in his life through the ministry of the ARC and together we sang:

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

And moving on to sing: ‘The Lord has promised good to me …’ as we saw miracles standing before our very eyes.

My thoughts wandered back home for a moment as I was reminded of the slogan of the North Western Division UKT ‘Transforming Stories … Transforming Lives’ and of how I wanted some of my colleagues to be encouraged and see and hear what I was privileged to witness this morning.

Tony testified, and how he testified. An educated man. Highly sought after job in education. Extremely successful in his chosen career … but … a failure in his personal and family life. In order to try and numb his pain he hit the bottle, began to drink heavily and even started to take drugs. Things snowballed and got totally out of control, eventually he lost everything, the job he loved and was so proud of, his family, his home, he hit rock bottom and even found himself in prison. Tony shared how the worst thing was giving up on God … but through the ministry of The Salvation Army and the ARC he came to realize that God hadn’t given up on him. His story continued with one miracle after miracle and we were blessed and encouraged to acknowledge that miracles are not a thing of the past but the work of a very present God who has not grown tired or weary, but still performs His miracles to the ends of the earth.

I believe in transformation,
God can change the hearts of me,
And refine the evil nature
Till it glows with grace again.
Others may reject the weakling,
I believe he can be strong,
To the family of Jesus
All God’s children may belong.

This morning we witnessed twenty or so before our very eyes and we were blessed and encouraged. But do you know what encouraged me the most? At the end of the sermon and during the time of reflection and prayer as a congregation we were invited to stand or raise our hands if we wanted prayer and these very same ARC men beautifully, gracefully and miraculously moved amongst us and prayed with and for us, blessing us in the Precious Name of their and our healer, Jesus.

‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up’ 1 Thessalonians 5: 11a

This certainly happened at Clearwater Corps this morning as together we recognized we are: ‘One Army … with One Mission … and One Message.

‘Bless our Army!
With Thy power baptize us all.’

Major Glad (Florida)

A ‘protest’ is how Mother Tyra Antonio defines her home

The following is adapted from a feature article in the Swedish War Cry, September, 2011

A ‘protest’ is how Mother Tyra Antonio defines her home, the convent Mariavall. It’s a protest against the life forcing us forward with its demands, stress and constant seeking for the fortune that is ‘inner joy and peace’. But it’s a fortune, she maintains, that can’t be found, not even in a cloister. Mother Tyra is responsible for the operation of the cloister but makes no major decisions without consulting with all of the sisters. “On first visiting her it’s a bit like climbing into a middle-ages film.

Mother Tyra shares that. “ sometimes people see us as rather strange and unrealistic, almost as if we were not human. But that’s completely wrong. In fact all who enter the cloister become in actuality more human than they were before.”

Mother Tyra Antonio knows precisely what she is talking about. She has lived her life inside the cloisters walls for 60 years and the decision to do so was for her rather simple. The first time she visited the cloister as a 25 year old she was certain this was to be her ‘calling’ and place and she has never missed neither matrimony or anything else. She deems that entering in to a cloister(ed) life as in fact, going out. Out into something much larger. Out into a consciousness that the entire human race belong to each other. That we are all created by God and carry within us a living spark of God. That we all weep, enjoy times of joy and die. To increase the consciousness about all, everything’s enormity, diminishes our concerns daily, to their correct size.

We humans are very small in reality like a snowflake in space…

What in fact is ones fortune; joy? It’s not adequate to talk about what makes me happy because happiness does not exist. Say for instance that joy is for you to ride in a speeding motor boat, but after a while you tire of it. Then you want to have terra firma under your feet. And that’s the case with everything you think is that type joy; it is extremely shallow. And joy without suffering is for the most part nothing, just as insignificant as love without suffering is. That type of happiness (joy) is not long lasting and instead we live in happy recollections instead of living in the present.

Mother Tyra Antonia maintains that seeking happiness has become a drug in society just as strong as alcohol or narcotics; that people actually believe, ‘if I had that or another thing, I would be happy’, while Jesus says: ‘joyful (blessed) are the poor’.

If one is poor everything becomes a gift, even waking up in the morning. Blessedness has nothing to do with comfort. If one lives to simply achieve self-realization (actualization) where then has the gift gone? Why do people seek out fleeting experiences of happiness? Because they are not satisfied.

I believe it is because people are seeking God even if they are not aware of it. Why do people become dependent upon drugs and alcohol? Because they seek something more, and I believe that something more is the Divine spark that makes us seek even among those things that are unhealthy.

The only thing we can depend on is the reality that, we can’t depend on anything. Instead I strive after blessings that encompass us all, to live and in that life one can’t dismiss or be separated from joy and blessedness.


Translation/adaption: Sven Ljungholm

How is The Salvation Army distinctive?

How is The Salvation Army distinctive from other Christian denominations, missions and movements?

I have often felt that our name not only identifies us but also tells us what our mission is. I love the fact that our very name is Salvation, and for the Salvationist that salvation means everything. It means salvation from sin, it means a full salvation that invites us to holy living. It is salvation for the whole person. This salvation moves us to address human need and to do so in his name. We are known for serving suffering humanity.

We are also an ‘Army’, which reflects mobility, flexibility, discipline, active service. That’s distinctive.

Our symbols are distinctive and our worship is often very spontaneous – as it should be. I love the Salvation Army testimony period and where it has been lost it needs to be revived, because we are in a day and age that loves to share and hear stories.

I think our Mercy Seat is brilliant – and I don’t mean to be sacrilegious in saying that! There is something about being in worship and knowing that the Word of Christ, when proclaimed, can be responded to then and there. To me there’s always something special about kneeling before God in front of the community of faith. It’s not just coming to the Lord, believing he meets us there. You know you are surrounded by people who have seen your commitment, and that they also covenant to pray for you.

I truly believe in our stand on the sacraments. The Lord needs some part of the Church to prove that you don’t need ceremonies to be truly saved, committed and Christlike. That in no way is a negative comment about how other people view the sacraments, not at all. The Lord has brought us all up with different views of things, and I feel the Army’s teaching is sound. It’s a wonderful prophetic witness.

Linda Bond, General

COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

What a Waste! Part Three

• What a Memory
Finally, we see in verse 9 something incredible being said. Jesus says of Mary, ‘what she has done will be told in memory of her.’

What she did for Jesus was never to be forgotten, and it hasn’t. Over 2000 years later we are still talking about what Mary did that day; still reflecting on it and applying it to our own lives.

What a waste? NO. What an investment and what a memory!

Little did Mary know that her actions would go down forever in history.

Lives most treasured memories are created when something special has been done for us, or by us.
Mary poured a year’s worth of wages over Jesus and she created a memory that will always witness to and confirm how much Jesus mattered to her. She created a memory that will forever show the depth of her devotion to him, her love for him. And Jesus would take that memory with him to the cross.

The aroma of that perfume would have remained with Him as he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane; as He was shamed in front of the high priests. It would linger with Him as he stood before Pilate and as He was whipped, His blood shed lovingly mingling with Mary’s gift of love. The memory of that precious moment would be with Him as the nails were driven into His broken body and He would feel her love through his pain. Her love. Her commitment. Her devotion. I believe it all helped Jesus to endure that cruel cross.

Conclusion
Just one woman who understood love and grace and sacrifice and the call to give everything for the cause of Christ…

What is your jar of perfume that needs to be broken for Jesus? What is mine?

He doesn’t want a portion of our life – a few small drops. He doesn’t call us to give part of ourselves because that WOULD be a waste!

He wants us to invest in eternity and create a memory that will go down in history. He wants, deserves it all – heart, mind, soul and strength. Families, friendships, careers, marriages, money, time, gifting, hopes and dreams.

If needs be – let’s do something beautiful today! Lets create memory that will last a life-time.

Break open your jar and pour the content in its entirety, over Jesus.

Major Sheila Loman
Birkenhead Corps UKT

What a Waste! Part Two

• What an Investment

As Judas and others criticise what Mary has done, see what Jesus says in verse 6: ‘leave her alone – why are you bothering her, she has done a beautiful thing.’ A beautiful thing!

When we live our lives as an offering poured out to Christ it is never a waste – it is a beautiful thing.

When you’re cooking for the luncheon club, or washing the dishes or cleaning the Salvation Army hall, or when you’re selling the War Cry (church paper) or sharing with the young people, or feeding the homeless. When you are taking time to pray, to sing and play your instruments - listening to someone in need. When you are calling on someone who is unwell, phoning or writing to the one who has not been worshipping for a while...

Whatever it is you have to do and have to give, when you do it with all you have within you, out of love (heart, mind, soul and strength) it is a beautiful thing!

Mary’s actions in these moments are not a waste. They are an investment. What she did may have seemed reckless to the one who cannot see deep within the soul. But this wasn’t really about one solitary moment in life. This is about her future. Mary is making an eternal investment.

How we live our lives effects our future. Take marriage as an example. Growing marriages need to be invested in, and if as a couple you still want to be together when you are 65, 85, 105, still with that same sparkle and excitement in being together – you have to invest heavily in the relationship.

And somehow Mary seems to have worked out important things that even Christ’s closest companions hadn’t managed to get their heads round.

It would seem that somehow she understands something of what Jesus is about to do. She absolutely understands what Jesus has already done for her, and she breaks the jar and gives over to him everything she has to give. In these precious moments Mary is saying, ‘Jesus everything I am, and everything I ever hope to be – its yours now and always. Jesus, everything I have and anything I will ever have, take it and use, bless it and be blessed by it.’

Everything we are and anything we have is only worth something when broken and poured out on Jesus.

Mary was investing in eternity when she broke that jar.

Major Sheila Loman
Birkenhead Corps UKT