Major Alec Still has written his first Christmas blog for our website.

Majors Andrea & Alec Still

Alec says:

As I sit to write, the sounds of ‘So this is Christmas’ come drifting from my radio. How apt I think, as my question today is ‘What is Christmas for you?’ Is it the dashing around, with so much to do in so little time? Is it the endless requests on the television to spend your money at certain stores? Is it the hustle of walking up the town centre streets? Is it a time of constant pressure, to meet all the demands placed upon us? Is it all about presents and food?

Christmas has always been a chaotic time, even that first Christmas. There were Angels dashing about, giving out their messages to so many.  There were   the people of the nation travelling for a census. There were innkeepers tending to these weary travellers. There was a young couple seeking shelter in an overcrowded scene. There were shepherds and wise men responding to the Angels call. And amongst it all, the Saviour of the world was born.

And the images we have are of scenes of tranquillity; of young mother looking over the tiny infant in a gently lit stable, surrounded by the animals all quietly looking on; of the visitors all arriving and gathering around the scene with great respect and a sense of privilege at being present. ‘Silent night, Holy night, all is calm, all is bright’ is how the carol describes it. I’ll let you decide the accuracy of the image.

So what is Christmas? It’s what we make it. It can be a time of pressure and stress, but it can also be a time of reflection and meditation upon the greatest gift the world has ever known. My hope and prayer for all this Christmas, is that we find the space in our schedules for the latter. John, in his gospel, reminds us that the gift of Jesus is given ‘so that all who believe may become the children of God’ (John1:12). May we take this opportunity seriously, and accept the invitation to simply be the children of God. Yes, this has involved us being busy in the build up to Christmas, but it also involves us resting in His presence now, and acknowledging the impact He has made in our own lives.

And as we rest in His awesome presence, may His peace, His grace and His love, surround us all.

Have a happy and blessed Christmas time, and may the New Year bring an even greater resolve to serve the Saviour in our community.

Major Alec Still brings us his first blog since taking over the leadership of Chatham corps in late July.

He writes:

My old Mum always told me that first impressions are vital. Be it the first day of school with a new teacher, a job interview, or just simply meeting new people, she said ‘always impress.’

Having been at Chatham for three weeks now, it’s not my place to second guess the kind of impression Andrea and I have given to the Corps. I can, however, comment on our first impressions of Chatham Salvation Army. We have been embraced by a loving, encouraging, and focussed group of God’s children. We have received nothing other than encouragement and love as we have encountered people at the hall or in their homes. And we must say thank you. Thank you for receiving the ‘family Still’ in the way that you have.

But should we be surprised by this? No of course not. Jesus gave the simple command to love each other. But no-one can force you to love everybody can they? You haven’t embraced us the way that you have because of an instruction, even if it did come from Jesus. Your welcome has come because you love Jesus, and allowed His love to flow through you.

We are excited about the future. We believe God has brought us to this place, and is going to work through His plans for our Corps, and that together we are going to share a wonderful journey. We must endeavour to keep His love at the centre of all we do, seeking to keep that love flowing. Of course that is not just between ourselves as the children of God, but increasingly into the wider community of our town. The whole vision of God’s love flowing from the temple and bringing new life where ever it touches remains the same, and together we must be active in His mission.

We look forward to discovering what God is going to do. A precious verse of scripture to us is Jeremiah 29:11. ‘For I know the plans I have you’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future’. This is such a familiar verse to many, and yet at times we allow familiarity to bring complacency, and we lose sight of just what God is doing. We are in His hands, and as such, may we be blessed in all we seek to do together for the Kingdom.

Click here to read a profile of Majors Alec and Andrea Still

Majors Drew and Beverley McCombe send their final blog:

Thank You but Not Goodbye

The big story at the weekend was the enforced closure and end of the ‘News of the World’ paper. Its final headline was ‘thank you and goodbye’. It made its mark on UK culture and opinion by sleaze stories and kind of acting as a warped moral compass.  We now know it did so by some very sharp practices and at other people’s expense. Bringing people down and seemingly revelling in doing so. But 7.5million people continued to read the paper week by week.

We want our final word to the Salvation Army corps at Chatham to be thank you but …………. Not Goodbye. You are not the ‘News of the world’ but you are the ‘Hope of the world’ and we believe that because the stories of Chatham are about redemption, resurrection and eternal life. We have been privileged to witness some remarkable miracles of transformation both in more people coming to faith and people growing in the faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The final chapter of Chatham corps history is yet to be written and you are the history makers for the next generation. For us it has been 7 years of growing to love you all and being loved in return, and that sincere love is encouraged in many places in the Bible.  One that comes to mind readily and for me that describes Chatham is Romans 12:9-21

‘Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’

Although it is the ‘hope of the world’ we know Chatham corps is not perfect and we can say that because we have been part of it, and we are not perfect. Nevertheless I do want to say thank you for allowing us to join you.  All we would encourage you to do is more of the same but different alongside Majors Alec and Andrea Still in the future. So thank you……. But not goodbye.

Can we leave with you a Scriptural prayer from Ephesians 1 but changing the words slightly?

‘Ever since we heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, we have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in our prayers. We keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. We pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for Chatham Corps, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Amen

Beverley and Drew McCombe

July 2011

Major Drew McCombe’s thoughts on the resurrection.

Major Drew McCombe

Resurrection…is it too good to be true?

How do you react when faced with something that seems too incredible to believe?  We’re all different, and so there will probably be a myriad of different reactions to the resurrection of Jesus, which we celebrate on Easter Sunday.  Maybe you feel fear and joy, maybe just passive unbelief, maybe you want to search out the facts, maybe you would just want to cover it up, maybe you feel marvel and wonder,.

That first Easter saw all of those reactions in various different people.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary departed with fear and joy after they heard from the angel that Jesus had risen from the dead. ‘The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. ’ Matthew 28:8 (NLT)

Some of the eleven disciples sat in passive unbelief after a few of the women shared their experience with the empty tomb. ‘But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it.’ Luke 24:11 (NLT)

While dealing with the claim of resurrection, Peter could not sit in passivity, he stood and ran to search out the facts for himself. ‘However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings;’ Luke 24:12 (NLT)

The chief priests and elders devised a cover-up story after they heard the report of Jesus rising from the dead. ‘A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe.  They told the soldiers, “You must say, Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.” Matthew 28:12-13  (NLT)

Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples as they were discussing the events of the day.  He tells them to touch him and observe the marks of his once crucified hands and feet. In response they wonder. ‘Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder.’ Luke 24:41 (NLT)

Or maybe you feel blessed beyond words, because you know that the resurrection of Jesus means that you too can have eternal life, because he rose from the dead we too can live forever with him, if we believe.  Jesus foresaw that reaction too!

Thomas had the opportunity to physically touch the wounds of Jesus because of his doubt.  Afterward, Jesus acknowledges those who will never see, touch or feel his wounds by calling their faith a blessed belief.  ‘Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” ‘ John 20:29 (NLT)

Major Drew McCombe brings some thoughts on a very topical issue.

Majors Drew & Beverley McCombe

DISRUPTION

First of all Happy Christmas and wherever and however you celebrate this special day may you make room for Jesus.

As I write this blog (Tuesday) the country seems to be in the grip of disrupted travel plans due to the snow and freezing temperatures, with people sleeping in airport terminals or shunted from hotel to hotel, and our news is full of disgruntled people not being where they want to be in time. Does it ring any bells?

I seem to remember the ‘no room at the Inn’ syndrome, the stress of finding a place to stay and people not very happy at being away for home and wanting to be somewhere else. In fact disruption was the original setting for the birth of Jesus. That birth was away from home, not in the most conducive circumstances- a smelly animal trough for a cot. Two young people working through and trying to come to grips with all that had been said to them before about this child, visits of shepherds and magi and Herod’s soldiers hot on their heels with mass genocide…disruption to say the least…..the person at the centre of our faith was both born into and caused disruption.

My prayer for us all is a prayer to be disturbed… disturbed into seeking Jesus in the midst of all the stuff that’s going on for us even today. Disturbed away from pre-conceived ideas about who and how Jesus comes to us all and may we discover angels, stars and messengers. Disturbed into hoping again that he is the saviour of my circumstances and indeed the world. Disturbed into making room in my life even in the ‘smelly’ places. Disturbed into finding real peace…..this was how he was born then…..may He be born in us again today.

Joy in Chile

As I sit writing this blog we are beginning to see the first few miners who have been trapped for 69 days being released. They are greeted with ecstatic joy having survived their ordeal. Some tremendous effort and planning has gone into their release and we rejoice with their loved ones to see them free and reunited. It is hoped that they recover well and lessons are learned about safe working conditions above commercial profit.

But it got me thinking about people who are trapped.  They may be not in a collapsed mine, but many are trapped in bad relationships, trapped in financial debt, trapped in self destructive patterns of addiction and bad choices, trapped by others against their will and they too need a release. William Booth once said

“ While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end!”

God wants no one be trapped and, like the plans to release the miners, has equally gone to some extraordinary lengths to execute a plan of release for us all. It cost him his Son’s life. If we call ourselves Christian,  we have been released for a purpose and must join in with him in bringing people news about the possible release, but also any practical help we can give so that they can be free. So the challenge is who needs to hear some good news about freedom and experience the love of God through you today? Take time to reflect on the joy of those Chilean families reunited over the next few days and remember trapped and lost people matter to God.  There was  a Cosmic party in heaven when you were set free and  you know how much Jesus loves parties, so set some more joy off in heaven today.

Major Drew McCombe

Major Drew McCombe writes:

Come on England, the flags are out in numbers, excitement and hope are rising.

Prayers are going up for no penalty shoot outs, no broken metatarsals, avoiding Spain, Portugal and Brazil at least until the semi final or final, no own goals and Wayne Rooney to win the golden boot of the tournament for the most goals scored

I was interested to read that the Church of England has come up with some prayers. Here’s a few:-

Lord of all the nations, who played the cosmos into being, guide, guard and protect all who work or play in the World Cup. May all find in this competition a source of celebration, an experience of common humanity and a growing attitude of generous sportsmanship to others. Amen.

God of the nations, who has always called his people to be a blessing for the world, bless all who take part in the World Cup. Smile on South Africa in her hosting, on the nations represented in competition and on those who travel to join in the party. Amen.

So far, not so bad. But, the third prayer was partly intended to be funny – giving words to those who dread three weeks of football, with all the mountaintop-valley emotions of their nearest and dearest football lovers:

A prayer for those simply not interested

Lord, as all around are gripped with World Cup fever, bless us with understanding, strengthen us with patience and grant us the gift of sympathy if needed. Amen.

However, I am increasingly interested to read how the commercial world is using ‘faith’ language. The billboard and TV adverts exhorting us to obtain a Sky HD box in time for the World Cup proclaims: “50 million believers”. Imagine…. I don’t mean England winning the world cup. That may take more than a miracle. No, I mean imagine Britain with 50 million believers. What would it be like to live in a country where 85% of the population are believers?

50 million believers. Would there be less crime? Fewer burglaries? Less vandalism? Lower stress levels? Less domestic violence? Fewer divorces?  Less drug addiction? Lower suicide rates? Fewer abortions? Less child abuse? Lower terror threats? Fewer police? Less social workers? More security? Stronger marriages? Greater harmony? Happier people? A more desirable place to live? Heaven on earth? Possible? Achievable? Could the change of government achieve it? I wouldn’t hold your breath. But could the Spirit of God do it working through 5 million believers and around 40,000 churches in the UK?

How many people do you know well? In your circle of family, your friends, your work colleagues, your neighbours? I bet you know at least ten people well enough to have an honest in-depth open conversation about what matters most in your life. At least ten people that should be on your prayer list, your watch list, your ‘please come with me to this special event’ list.

You see when Christ ascended to heaven, having died to save the world, he entrusted that message to eleven ordinary men, the number in a football team.

The fate of the world, humanly speaking, rested in the hands of those eleven 1^st Century men. What did he tell them to do?    “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Let me ask you. Has the assignment changed in 2000 years? Do we have the same Holy Spirit that they received on the Day of Pentecost? So what has changed? When you think of ‘church’ what comes to mind? 50 million believers? Why not?

The church is the hope of the world. The only hope of the world. It was true on the Day of Pentecost. It is true today!

Major Drew McCombe

As we await the conclusion of polling on election day Major Drew McCombe shares some thoughts about what we might want from life.

Major Drew McCombe

‘CHANGE FOR THE BETTER OR MORE OF THE SAME’

As I write this blog on the morning of Election Day, 6^th May, the question posed in the title is one which many may be asking. The answer to the question is more difficult to say for certain but one thing is for sure we will get what we deserve. If we are looking for the change to only come from the political candidates then we are in for some disappointment. We are increasingly becoming more and more compartmentalised and as a society we are abdicating our corporate responsibilities. We see it in all sorts of areas. If we leave education solely to teachers, social care to the NHS or Social Services, economy to bankers, politics to politicians, church to clergy we are somehow missing the point and in the end we will get what we deserve. We need to regain a much more holistic (shalom) approach to life and understand that we cannot sit back and leave it to the one or two and expect things to be better. We are the ones who can bring about the change. We need to regain the confidence that our voices, our contribution, can bring about this change we believe in.

Many are saying that we might have a hung parliament and that will be lead to weak government. That may happen if those elected continue to stick to party politics. But, however, if it forces parties to listen and work with one another then there may be hope for a better way forward in the long run. It may cause an atmosphere where we feel we can input something to the mix and contribute to a better society – the common good.

For those who claim the mantle of faith, the ultimate command must be for us to know God better, to know God more, and to love and serve our neighbour better. In doing this we fulfil our obligations not only to God but also to the society which we share. Such duties and obligations form the bedrock of a religious approach to politics that extends far beyond the comparatively modern term of “social justice”. Rather the prophets and the law lay the foundation for our primacy of care for the other and in so doing lay down the foundation for the role of religion in politics. As Jim Wallis, of the Sojourners, noted in his foreword to a recent report on the role of Christianity in Britain today: ‘Christians need a commitment to the kingdom mandates that we seek the “common good” of the societies in which we live’. The common good suggests that the good of each individual is necessarily and vitally connected to the good of all.  It is a test for all the key questions that we face: from family values to foreign policy, from the housing we dwell in to the social values that dwell within us, from health care to healing of our national fears and divisions, from the distribution of our resources to determining the things we value most, from the things that make for peace on a global level to the community level, from our definitions of justice to our practice of it, from what we’d like to change to what gives us hope for ever changing it.

So, back to the original question ‘ Change for the better or more of the same?’. Its down to you and me, along with the politicians, along with the teachers, social care workers, bankers and the churches under the kingdom values of the common good for all, by all.

Major Drew McCombe has given us an update of the ‘Give to Grow’ project which commenced in January.

Major Drew McCombe

This makes very encouraging reading.   Just click here to find out what he says.

Major Drew McCombe brings us some thoughts for Christmas Day.

Major Drew McCombe

Give or take?

‘Unto us a child is given……and the increase of his rule will establish and up hold justice and righteousness (paraphrase mine)’ Isaiah 9

As we lead into Christmas Day Father Tim Jones, a parish priest in York, has made the headlines about encouraging shoplifting read http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8425420.stm

Of course the media have jumped on this and taken it a little out of context. He is raising the important issue about how some people are so desperate when they have exhausted every legal means to get the support and benefits they need. So, rather than selling themselves into prostitution,  committing suicide or mugging individuals,  then as a lesser of evils he says it is better to take a tin of ravioli from a large supermarket to at least keep themselves fed. Now he is not advocating stealing really but raising the issue of injustice in our society that leaves once again the poor and marginalised out in the cold.

Now I commend him for raising the issue but I cannot agree that shoplifting is the way. I think the answer is much closer to home for our society and in particular those of us who call ourselves Christian. And it reminded me of a sermon I gave earlier this year. I leave you with an extract of that sermon and some challenges to the problem – the answer is not in taking …but in giving

‘What if we were to encourage and empower each other to be church exactly where we live?  What if every Salvationist home could be something of a hub of community ministry?  What if we could resource every Salvationist household to become something of a food-bank?  What if we were to rediscover the practice of hospitality, the practice of sharing our dinner tables with others, the practice of sharing what we traditionally label our own and private? What difference could that make to the communities with which we live and mix? – the possibilities were transformational in the early church and still are transformational today. Of course its so much easier to give money to agencies , donate food to food banks and never get involved personally ..that may satisfy the immediate but it will leave no one transformed.’

and

‘We have to help the communities we connect with feel and see that they can contribute to something good, that there is some expectation on them to add something of real value. We have to shift from “hand-outs” to “hand-ups” to “sharing the workload together.” This creates a “… community that (can) embrace not just the poor and their advocates, but the better-off as well.  For the poor will not only be less poor if they work (contribute); they will become less alien to (and less distant from) other people.’

What could this look like?  It could mean that clients of our Monday lunch programme get invited to help Salvationists and other interested groups establish and sustain community gardens areas. It could mean that some clients of our Monday lunch and Endeavour House get invited to help with the preparation and serving of community meals.  It could mean that clients of our Food Parcels get invited to volunteer time in providing a community allotment to grow fresh veg and distribute it.  The opportunities are endless but if handled carefully, this can increase the felt dignity of individuals and strengthen the communal feel.  There will be a renewed sense of what is possible together and of how “we’re (truly) in this together.”’

You see there is enough to go around. We just need to follow the example of God who gave his Son and as we give from what we have we can be part of establishing His kingdom rule, His justice and righteousness.

May Christ be born in you this Christmas

God bless and thank you for who you are and what you do.

NB My thanks go to The Salvation Army in New Zealand and the Social and Parliamentary Unit for their article ‘Economic Elephants’ that inspired the above application.

Major Beverley McCombe shares her thoughts on having enough.

Major Beverley McCombe

Beverley writes:

The current global economic crisis has hijacked our imaginations and is filling our lounges and places of study and work with imagery of bankruptcy, bailouts, credit-card debt, national debt, evaporating retirement savings, and redun­dancy. We are continually told that we don’t have enough, and that we have to control, grasp, protect and save if we hope to make it through the recession.

But we have just celebrated Harvest Festival, where the message is that God has provided, and there is enough! Do we believe it, and if so, how does that belief affect the way we live? Friends of ours visited Malawi earlier this year, where they were struck by the obvious joy that the Christians there have in giving and shar­ing with each other, and with visitors. These people who have so very little seem to really understand and appreciate that God has provided for them, and if they all share that provision, then there is enough and more to go around.

I am constantly challenged in these days to live in the knowledge that God has provided enough, and therefore I need to find ways to celebrate that provision, and to ensure that others experience ‘enough’. Of course there is a massive challenge to a simple life­style, but equally there is a challenge to find ways to share with others, to break out of my self-sufficiency, and live the truly interdependent life that the Bible shows us of the Kingdom of God. I’ve got a long way to go – how about you?

Major Drew McCombe writes:

Simples! – For or with?

One of my favourite adverts of late is the one contrasting ‘compare the meerkat.com’ and ‘compare the market.com’ ….and the now famous line to end ‘Simples!’

It may have taken me a long time but I have a growing conviction about a rather simple, but nonetheless profound way of engaging with people in the mission of God. Here it is, wait for it…..It is better to do things ‘with’ people rather than ‘for’ people. As The Salvation Army we have for long time done community work for people, soup kitchens, hostel accommodation, community support etc., etc. That is not wrong per se, but a far better way of engagement is to do things ‘with’ people. This year we have stumbled on this as a way of mission.

First we have growing links with Endeavour House in Shipwrights Avenue which is a supported housing foyer for young people aged 16-23. This relationship has led to us working with some of those young people, providing them with accredited learning and skills in the area of healthy cooking and healthy eating. This has been done by Val Smith and Linda Tout for the last 3 months. It is going well and is leading to further links and the building of relationships.

Val Linda

Building on this we hope early next year to run a children’s holiday club in the foyer with some of those young people helping to do something with their community in Shipwrights Avenue. Secondly, we are in the middle of our community gospel choir rehearsals which has brought in 80+ people to the rehearsals. The idea is for them to take part in our Central Theatre event which again is not something we do ‘for’ the community but this year we want to do it ‘with’ the community and we pray that together we will see God at work.

You see  – simples!

Major Drew McCombe

Thoughts for Whitsun from Major Drew McCombe

Major Drew McCombe

EMPOWERED

When the Spirit came at the first Pentecost he did two things. First, he empowered the very ordinary, scared and hesitant followers of Jesus with the fullness of God’s Spirit.

It was intensely personal, life transforming and enabling. The Spirit turned them around, gave them gifts for service, and a personal experience of intimacy with God which showed them that what they believed was true.

We need some more of that, for sure! This year I hope that people will discover this fresh touch of God.

Secondly, he drove them out into the city square. He put them at the heart of a multi-faith and multi-cultural market-place, and gave them the power to speak in the language of the people.

He gifted them to communicate in ways they could understand, and in a manner that made them want a slice of the action themselves! Little wonder that 3,000 new believers were added to the church that day!

For too long, we’ve built our little empires and developed our Christian sub-cultures.  I believe God is calling us to receive the Spirit afresh and to do something different. It’s a call to find a God-empowerment for all the people called Christian, and not just the ‘big name’ talent. It’s a call to move out of our buildings, a call to take the action back into the multi-cultural market place, a call to celebrate what God has done in ways that shine with love, hospitality and service.

This is not ‘evangelism’, with preachers shouting condemnation down loudspeaker horns. No, this is celebration! Let the party begin… and whoever wants to come is invited. Let’s re-discover Pentecost for our day and community.

Major Drew McCombe gives his thoughts for Easter.

Major Drew McCombe

Resurrection Shuffle – God came back!

God did with the crucified Jesus, the dead Jesus, what God wants to do with us all everyday – resurrection! God came back

Good Friday took no one by surprise – if you know how the religious, political and economic establishment works, then you know you’re doomed to fail. The way Jesus disregarded the status-quo, eating and drinking with the tax collectors, the whores and untouchables, the way he reached out in compassion to the marginalised, the names he called the religious leaders, Good Friday’s bloody business at the place of the skull took no one by surprise. It was a good campaign while it lasted, the disciples told the women to go pay their last respects, take some flowers, the women peered into the tomb and God came back

When will we be accustomed to death’s defeat, when will we let its get into our minds and our living…God came back that’s the truth of the gospel and so it goes on.

Bev’s (Beverley McCombe) brother lost his first wife in car crash in which he was the driver, married for only a matter of 6 months or so…we were newly commissioned officers -  first at the hospital, devastated, not knowing what or how to say anything to the wider family….. but at her funeral, as the coffin was brought in the band struck up ‘ever is the war cry victory’… God came back- death faded away ,and a great victory party started because the supporting congregation and centuries of handed down faith refused to defer to death.

They told him ‘Once a drunk, always a drunk’ – it’s like a disease, something genetic, in your family, something in your blood, no way out’ Then the ‘Salvation Army’ took him by the hand, loved him, said to him there is a way out. Noel Toner is an officer today and he attributes that to the fact that God is in the business of conquering death….God came back

Cancer, terminal, untreatable, nothing they could do, it was going to be curtains, she said I’ll live with it but I’ll be blowed if I’m going to die of it – I call it grit, she said it was because, even in her illness, God came back – her grit was more than emotional resilience, it arose from her Christian conviction and belief that God is in the death dominion business – in the resurrection of Jesus she said there is another way to live – not a resignation to the inevitable but an eternal way of life.

Who or what are we going to believe?

The world says adjust, adapt, get used to it, things happen.

Jesus arose and God came back – ours is not a faith based on a perpetuation of a dead man’s ideas – Jesus is alive

God did with the crucified Jesus what he wants to do with us each and every day.

Resurrection Shuffle – God came back!

The Officer’s Blog for Christmas Eve 2008 is brought to us by Major Drew McCombe.

This is what he says:

Let me take you back to a time when there were gas lamps that lit our streets. A lamplighter’s job was to turn on the lights each night.   On one cold winter’s night a little boy was watching the lamplighter doing his job and asked his mother what he was doing and she replied ‘ He’s poking holes in the darkness’.

On Christmas Eve 2008 I leave you with the reading and prayer that opened our Corps Carol Service and may this prayer pierce any darkness in your life……  May He do something different for you this Christmas.

When the world was dark
and the city was quiet,
you came.

You crept in beside us.

And no one knew.
Only the few
who dared to believe
that God might do something different.

Will you do the same this Christmas, Lord?

Will you come into the darkness of tonight’s world;
not the friendly darkness
as when sleep rescues us from tiredness,
but the fearful darkness,
in which people have stopped believing
that war will end
or that food will come
or that a government will change
or that the Church cares?

Will you come into that darkness
and do something different
to save your people from death and despair?

Will you come into the quietness of this town,
not the friendly quietness
as when lovers hold hands,
but the fearful silence when
the phone has not rung
the letter has not come,
the friendly voice no longer speaks,
the doctor’s face says it all?

Will you come into that darkness,
and do something different,
not to distract, but to embrace your people?

And will you come into the dark corners
and the quiet places of our lives?

We ask this not because we are guilt-ridden
or want to be,
but because the fullness our lives long for
depends upon us being as open and vulnerable to you
as you were to us,
when you came,
wearing no more than diapers,
and trusting human hands
to hold their maker.

Will you come into our lives,
if we open them to you
and do something different?

When the world was dark
and the city was quiet
you came.

You crept in beside us.

Do the same this Christmas, Lord.
Do the same this Christmas.
Amen.