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Political Party Conferences and Salvation Army Officer Councils

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Political Party Conferences and Salvation Army Officer Councils What’s the difference between political party conferences and Salvation Army officer councils? Perhaps this could be the start of a joke! We’ve arrived in the season of political party conferences in the United Kingdom. Reform UK met in Birmingham, the Liberal Democrats met in Bournemouth, Labour are currently meeting in Liverpool, with the Green and Conservative parties meeting later in the year in Bournemouth and Manchester respectively. It’s a time of year where my already keen listening to LBC and Sky News dramatically increases; I love travelling the political rollercoaster of policy decisions, complex relationships, the spin of PR and comms, and the trying to figure out which party genuinely has the best offer for our country. I enjoy the experience, it’s fascinating, and I’m always wanting to absorb the information and sense the atmosphere. Just like the main political parties gather for their annual conferences, la...
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Founding Vision for a Future Army – Chapter 1: Identity Crisis

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Founding Vision for a Future Army – Chapter 1: Identity Crisis Before entering William Booth College in 2014, I read Founding Vision for a Future Army by Lieutenant-Colonel Alan Burns. Over a decade later, I have decided to return to the book. This time I approached it not as a candidate preparing for officership, but as someone who has spent almost ten years serving as a Salvation Army officer across five appointments in different contexts within the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. With the benefit of personal growth, spiritual deepening, and ministry experience, I wanted to see how Alan’s writing would now resonate with me. In the opening chapter, Alan writes: “ In my experience they are inextricably linked. Without spiritual renewal, mission will atrophy and die over time. Without mission, spiritual renewal is a self-centred indulgence that will not impact our world or society. ” This captures something that is woven into our DNA. As Salvationists, we are not called to holy hu...
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Being Well

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Being Well When I first began my career in nursing at the age of 17, the word wellbeing wasn’t something I heard very often—if at all. What we had was Occupational Health. It was the place nurses went for vaccinations, latex allergy tests, and not much else—it was all about fixing people and keeping nurses working. Wellbeing wasn’t part of the conversation. Fast forward to today, and it seems that wellbeing is everywhere. Since the COVID-19 pandemic especially, the term is used widely across workplaces, communities, and churches. But what does it actually mean? What is wellbeing? Perhaps an even deeper question is: What does being well look like? Within The Salvation Army, many are familiar with the work of Lieutenant-Colonel (Dr) Karen Shakespeare, who speaks of a three-fold experience necessary for officer training and ministry: being, knowing, and doing . In wider Christian thought, The Rev’d Dr Samuel Wells speaks of being with as a central aspect of discipleship and mission—em...
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Beauty for Ashes: Lessons from the North Yorkshire Moors and a New School Year

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Beauty for Ashes: Lessons from the North Yorkshire Moors and a New School Year During the summer holidays, I had opportunity to return home to Yorkshire with my three children. During our time in Yorkshire, we travelled to Whitby through the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. I took this photograph of the moors in the early days of the wild fire starting on Langdale Moor. Even in the early days of the fire and with a few miles of distance between us, the smell of the smoke stuck in the back of our throats and the fire was clearly visible. The fire is now under control thanks to an incredible army of farmers, firefighters, and other locals who have selflessly worked around the clock to fight this fire. An area of around 10 square miles has been destroyed by the fire. This will impact wildlife, farmers, local businesses, and local people for many years to come. The below photograph was taken by the Whitby Photographer and shows a rainbow over the burnt moorland after the fire had been...
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From Social Service to Missional Community

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From Social Service to Missional Community One thing I am deeply passionate about is the Christian faith expressing itself in action. Unsurprisingly, having been connected with The Salvation Army my whole life, this brand of Christianity with its sleeves rolled up—saving souls, growing saints, serving suffering humanity, while loving God and loving others—really appeals to me. It’s in my DNA, in my blood, part of who I am. As The Salvation Army now explores its Global Strategic Framework , I find myself asking: how can I best impact People, Mission, and Legacy ? Where is my compass pointing? Recently, I reflected on three practical steps that The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom could take to enhance its missional impact in homelessness services: Every homelessness service should be linked to a local Salvation Army worshipping community. Every homelessness service should have a full-time chaplain, and service managers should be Christians. Where possible, co-locate services an...
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Is Jesus Still in Our Homelessness Services?

Is Jesus Still in Our Homelessness Services? I read an article from The Salvation Army in Australia titled “Jesus is Still in Our Rehabs”. While the context and practicalities are different to the UK, the heart of the message is relatable. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard phrases like: “The Salvation Army isn’t what it used to be.” “Jesus is no longer in our Lifehouses.” “We are no longer a church – we’re just a social service provider.” If I’m being brutally honest, in some places, these statements are uncomfortably true. When our driving priority becomes winning new contracts and expanding service portfolio without first fully assessing the missional impact, we shouldn’t be surprised when the presence of Jesus feels absent. But that’s not the whole story. In the UK right now, something is stirring, especially among younger people. There is a quiet revival happening. People are turning to faith, to Christianity, to Jesus. And why shouldn’t they? We are holistic beings. Our...
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Know It in Your ‘Knower’

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“Know It in Your ‘Knower’”  There’s a quote by Richard Rohr: “ People who’ve had any genuine spiritual experience always know that they don’t know. They are utterly humbled before mystery. They are in awe before the abyss of it all, in wonder at eternity and depth, and a Love, which is incomprehensible to the mind. ” I find those words both comforting and confronting. Comforting because they affirm that not knowing is part of the authentic Christian journey. And confronting because I’ve spent a good portion of my life trying to know as much as I can. I’ve studied theology. I’ve trained as a Salvation Army officer. I explore doctrine. I can trace the shape of the salvation story across the pages of the Bible. In many ways, I’ve built a strong orthodoxy—a “ right belief ”—about God. But in the mountain-top highs and the valley-bottom lows of life, I’m learning that orthodoxy, while vital, is not the full picture. There’s a phrase a colleague officer recently shared with me that I can...
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