MAR- APR 2011 - Salvation Army

Communiqué The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory Fellowship Corps www.salvationarmy.org.au/fellowship

March/April 2011

Nail cross © Billy Alexander http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1118591

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Fellowship Corps Secretary Territorial Corps Programme Department The Salvation Army PO Box 479 Blackburn VIC 3130 Phone: (03) 8878 4745 [email protected]

Dear Friends, Christian greetings from the Fellowship Corps. As Easter rapidly approaches, my thoughts turn again to the sacrificial love of God that is shown in the person of His Son, Jesus the Christ, and I exclaim: ‘O what a Saviour, and Jesus his name!’ This exclamation comes from the last line of song 319 in The Salvation Army song book. It was written by Sidney Edward Cox (1887–1975) and the first verse sums up my own amazement of God’s love for me. I am amazed when I think of God’s love, So wonderful, matchless and free; The love that could see, from eternity, Something worth saving in sinners like me. When Sidney Cox was just a boy, the French artist James Tissot was labouring on a huge project of drawings and paintings to illustrate both the life of Christ and the Old Testament. I have sprinkled a few of Tissot’s paintings throughout the reflections presented in this issue of the Communiqué. Not everyone likes nineteenth century art, but these capture and portray the realism and majesty of Jesus, my Saviour, and the love He showed for all mankind in His last hours before death. God be with you each, Donna Bryan (Captain), Fellowship Corps Secretary

Many Thanks to those members who have generously sent in donations to cover printing and postage costs for the Fellowship Corps. 2

Fellowship Corps Communiqué

Pastoral Letter From General Shaw Clifton FAREWELL March 2011 Dear Fellow Salvationists, Greetings in the strong and sacred name of Jesus Christ! You will understand me when I say that I write this final and farewell Pastoral Letter with something of a heavy heart. It has been a very great privilege to be free to reach out to you all through these letters in recent years. Many of you have written to me from time to time to express encouragement and appreciation for these simple but heartfelt communications. I have valued deeply your responses. I want to record my profound sense of holy pride arising from the manner in which my fellow Salvationists remain loyal to the Lord Jesus Christ and faithful to the sacred calling he has placed upon us to grow the Kingdom, to witness, and to serve in his name. By the grace of God we are doing this now in 123 countries. I salute and thank you each one. So too does Commissioner Helen Clifton, who continues to be in need of your prayers. How gracious God has been in these five demanding years in which he has called me to serve as the General. He has helped and guided unfailingly and in keeping with the holy promises we find in the Scriptures. I know that he will also bless and guard the GeneralElect, Commissioner Linda Bond, as she succeeds me. Thank you for your prayers for her at this time. Let me turn now to the Scriptures. In the Acts of the Apostles in Chapter 20 we read of the Apostle Paul bidding farewell to the Christian believers in the city of Ephesus. In verse 20 he tells them, ‘You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you.’ I want to adopt this verse for my own use in this farewell letter. I thank God for the wonderful privilege of being called to preach as an officer of The Salvation Army. In verse 22 Paul says to them, ‘Now I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.’ Let me also take this verse for myself. My ‘Jerusalem’ is in fact my retirement, for I do not know what will happen to me there! In many ways the future appears very uncertain. However, like Paul, we step into the unknown without fear because we know God is there too. He never fails. Finally, in verse 32 Paul says to his hearers, ‘Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified.’ I take these words and offer them to you all on this occasion. I commit you to God. I commit you to God’s word of grace and to the One who is the Word, the full Fellowship Corps Communiqué 3

incarnate expression of the Godhead, the Lord Jesus Christ. I commit you to the One who alone can sanctify you. You and I are called to be pure for God, to be sacred vessels for him, sanctified and made holy by his blood poured out so freely at Calvary. The One who calls you can do it. He is able. Thank you again for being my fellow Salvationists and my comrades. Thank you for your trust in Almighty God. Thank you for your holy obedience to Christ. Thank you for the sacred service that you give unstintingly for his cause. Commissioner Helen and I will not cease to lift you up in prayer. We are bound together with you each one in our shared and sacred callings to witness and to serve in God’s great Army of Salvation. Hallelujah! God bless you all! Yours in Christ, Shaw Clifton, General

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We Are Here To Serve –

IHQ Welcome To General Linda Bond

THERE was an authentic sense of joy and warm comradeship at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters (IHQ ) in London, UK, when the Army’s new world leader, General Linda Bond, was welcomed on Monday 4 April. In her first message as world leader the General positively emphasised the blessing of God, living totally for Jesus, thankfulness, the importance of serving others, Christian accountability regarding behaviour, wise use of authority and the value of teamwork … The General said she counts it a blessing to serve God at IHQ. ‘In fact, everyone who serves at IHQ is blessed because we have the mission of serving the world. Everyone here makes a difference to the worldwide Salvation Army.’ ‘It is vital that we serve the world with gratitude and attitude. We need to be grateful and thankful to God for his blessings. We also need to serve with a caring attitude because it is the love of God that compels us.’ Regarding her new position General Bond said she holds it with respect and dignity but she holds it lightly because ‘the power the Lord has given me as General is delegated authority. It is a power for people – not power over people.’ ‘I live for Jesus and all the praise, power and glory belong to him.’ … Excerpt from report by Lieut-Colonel Laurie Robertson 4


Child Sponsorship Update

Thank you to our members who are supporting the feeding programme for needy children at The Salvation Army’s Bonilla Outpost in Chile. Earlier this year I received a brief newsletter from the officers at Bonilla. They report that during 2010:

‘we work with love for the children it was nice to see the happiness in their faces when they ate their food, that they have during the week and also they (we) had some activities for them. ‘We share with the children the word of God, and also we had games and contests they participated in an activity, and in the day of the children we shared and they were very happy for everything they have. ‘At the National Day we shared with the children, we also danced Cueca (the national dance) and the children also participated. ‘At the end of November we saw how the children are more concern for their tasks at school, because very soon they will be on holidays and then Christmas. ‘We got to present a project to create a music shop, soon we will be buying more instruments for the children and in that way have they occupied in the afternoon, because we will have the workshop of music to stimulate the talents that each child has. ‘Receive from the distance the gratitude of the children and from us, thank you very much for sending your resources to this feeding program here in Bonilla, because it is a very vulnerable place. ‘Be sure that we will be praying that God provide you resources so in your house never missing your daily bread and that He will prosper your life’s. ‘Sincerely, Lieutnent Teofilo & Idalia Zapata, Corps Officers A vanzada Bonilla’

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all to Worship

Song 134

Was it for me, the nails, the spear, The cruel thorns, the mocking jeer, That rugged cross, ‘twixt earth and sky-Was it for me he came to die? Chorus He loved me so! He loved me so! Dark Calvary he chose to know To vanquish sin and death and woe; ‘Twas all because he loved me so. Was it for me, that opened tomb, Dispelling fear and death and gloom? So vast a truth proclaims to me That I through him can victor be. Yes, all for me--the cross, the grave, A risen Lord with power to save! My joyful heart is filled with praise As songs of happiness I raise. Rose Nicol (d 1957) © The Salvation Army

Photo ©Marek Bernat http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1192051

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Photo by Jesper Noer http://www.sxc.hu/photo/159064


M Psalm 22

y God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.

Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced. But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!” Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast. I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born. Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in! Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat.

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They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. O Lord, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen. I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations. Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done. (New Living Translation)


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esus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

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Luke 23:34a (New Living Translation)

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ince God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:12–14 (NLT)

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ol low ing the bombing of Coventry Cathedral in 1940, Provost Howard had the words ‘Father Forgive’ inscribed on the wall behind the Altar of the ruined building. Two of the charred beams which had fallen in the shape of a cross were set on the altar. Excerpt from the Coventry Cathedral website http://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk ___________________

This memorial reminds us of Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness and of His own example of forgiveness as He died upon the cruel cross. ___________________

“and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” Luke 11:4 (NLT)

Photos by D Bryan



Song 114

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esus came down my ransom to be; O it was wonderful love! For out of the Father’s heart he came, To die for me on a cross of shame, And from sin’s bondage to reclaim; O it was wonderful love! Chorus Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful love, Coming to me from Heaven above, Filling me, thrilling me through and through; O it was wonderful love! Clear to faith’s vision the cross reveals Beautiful actions of love; And all that by grace e’en I may be When saved, to serve him eternally. He came, he died, for you and me; O it was wonderful love! His death’s a claim, his love has a plea; O it is wonderful love! Ungrateful was I to slight thy call, But, Lord, now I come, before thee fall, I give myself, I give up all, All for thy wonderful love. Author: Emmanuel Rolfe (1853-1914) © The Salvation Army Photo © Ryan Forkel http://www.sxc.hu/photo/788582


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uke 23 (New Living Translation)

32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” 40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” 43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Photo by “Kim Hattaway”



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fter a brief eighteen months in ministry a pastor went to his filing cabinet to pull out the file marked ‘Love’, but he discovered he didn’t have one. Impossible! It must be misfiled, and so he began to search.

He searched among the files marked Faith and Fasting, and then between Healing and Heaven, but no Love. Perhaps it was sandwiched between Christology and Christian Education. After all, these are concerned with Love aren’t they? But it wasn’t there. Nor was it found after Money or ahead of Missions. When he stopped to reflect, the Holy Spirit solved the mystery for him. The Love file was not misfiled; it was actually scattered throughout his files. Parts of it were found under Patience, Kindness, Humility, Trust, Hope, Loyalty, and Perseverance. But the pastor found the greatest part of the Love file squarelycentred and deeply-seated in Forgiveness. * Forgiveness demonstrates true love as an offender is pardoned and set free from guilt or blame, and this is what Jesus demonstrated as He lay dying upon the cruel cross on Easter Friday. Firstly, He asked God, the Father, to forgive His executioners: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Then Jesus forgave one of the two criminals that were crucified with him. These guilty men hung on their own cross, one on either side of Jesus. Physically, they were equally separated from Jesus and spiritually, they were equally separated from God.


However, one criminal chose eternal life and freedom from the guilt of his sins by asking Jesus to bridge the gap between him and death. The exchange of words between Jesus and the forgiven criminal clearly spells out the steps to salvation through the forgiveness that is freely available in Jesus. This criminal acknowledged that Jesus was innocent, whereas he was a sinful man who deserved to die for what he had done. When the other criminal hanging beside Jesus scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” The first criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” His words show a clear recognition of the authority of God. Then with a repentant heart he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” He trusted in the saving power of Jesus. This penitent man realised that because of Jesus, death would not be the end of everything for him. Jesus accepted his confession of sin by replying, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Our sins separate us from God, and Jesus is the only way to restore our broken relationship with God. Jesus was an innocent man who died to pay the penalty of death for our sins. He died on our behalf so that we might be reconciled to God and be forgiven for our failure to obey God and live in His ways. It is my prayer that this Easter many people will hear the Gospel story and recognise the authority of God and their own sinfulness, and they will be led into a life-saving experience through the unconditional love of Jesus for all mankind. * Adapted from James S Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, Illinois, p. 224


Heart by Billy Alexander http://www.sxc.hu/photo/975584


Song 134 Chorus He came to give us life in all its fullness, He came to make the blind to see, He came to banish death and doubt and darkness, He came to set his people free. He liberating love imparted, He taught men once again to smile; He came to bind the broken hearted, And God and man to reconcile. He came to give us life in all its fullness, He came to make the blind to see, He came to banish death and doubt and darkness, He came to set his people free. He came to set us free! We wonder why Christ came into the world A helpless, homeless child; We wonder why he tolerated men, The tainted and defiled. We wonder why! We wonder why! The Son of God as man came down; What does this signify? We wonder why Christ came into the world And let men hurt him so, We wonder why the Christ should have to die, Does anybody know? We wonder why! We wonder why! The Son of God as man came down, What does this signify? Author: John Gowans © The Salvation Army


Yes, it was love that brought Christ into the world “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17 (NLT) Every effort has been made to acknowledge original sources and copyright owners. If there has been any infringement, the publisher of this Communiqué will endeavour to rectify and acknowledge ownership in future issues. 20 Fellowship Corps Communiqué