20p/25c

War CryTHE

salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry Est 1879 No 7135

FIGHTING FOR HEARTS AND SOULS

28 September 2013

CAN THERE BE ANY JOY IN TV’S ‘DOWNTON’?

Page 3

TRUE BLUECate Blanchett’s Jasmine finds it hard to face reality Page 16

Page 4Parklife – a choir with a difference

ITV

2 The War Cry 28 September 2013 News

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God.

Lord Jesus Christ,I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit.Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen

Becoming aecom

Christian

Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Parents’ choice of faith schools is academicPARENTS send their children to faith schools because they believe they offer high academic stand-ards and not because of religion. According to a YouGov survey car-ried out for the Westminster Faith Debates, 77 per cent of respondents put academic achievement as their reason for choice, while 23 per cent named ethical values and only 5 per cent the grounding of pupils in a faith tradition.

Professor Linda Woodhead of Lancaster University, which runs the Westminster Faith Debates, says: ‘In abstract debates about faith schools, people talk about religion. Secular activists oppose faith schools on grounds of religious indoctrination and discrimination, while religious people support them because of the faith element. But our poll shows that when choosing a school, most par-ents aren’t concerned with religion. They are concerned with academic standards.

‘So long as parents want their chil-dren want their children to get the best qualifications, so long as politi-cians of left and right support parental choice and high academic standards and so long as faith schools maintain these standards, the debate can rage but faith schools are not going away.’

The survey also found that less than a third (32 per cent) of the population believe the Government should provide funding for faith schools, while 45 per cent were opposed and 23 per cent were unsure.

However, young peo-ple are more in favour of State funding for faith schools than older people.

The survey found that, 43 per cent of people aged 18–25 supported State funding compared with 36 per cent who were opposed. For the 60-plus group, the figures were 50 per cent against and 32 per cent in favour.

Of all the types of faith school identified in the survey, only Church of England schools had a margin of support for State funding.

COMMENT – p6 LIFESTYLE – p7 PUZZLES – p12 INNER LIFE – p13 FOOD FOR THOUGHT – p14 RECIPES – p15

MP VISITS SALVATION ARMY EMPLOYMENT SCHEME

’e learns about e-learningLABOUR MP John Spellar visited a Salvation Army project which helps unemployed people find work. At the Oldbury Salvation Army’s Employment Plus scheme, the MP for Warley, Oldbury and Smethwick (right) spoke with the team which assists people with job searches and e-learning opportunities. He also met Stacey Bryce (seated centre), who found a job with the help of the team and stays in touch to gain more tips and training.

COMMISSIONER Marianne Adams (centre) and Helen Cameron of The Salvation Army discussed the social work of the organisation with Minister of State for Care and Support Norman Lamb, when they met the MP during the Liberal Democrat Conference in Glasgow.

Minister discusses social care with Salvation Army leader

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BIBLE Society has gained planning permis-sion to create a visitor centre in Bala to tell the story of the impact that the Bible has had on Wales and the rest of the world.

The centre will be located in a deconse-crated church at Llanycil in Bala which has strong links with Bible Society.

In 1800, a 15-year-old girl named Mary Jones walked 25 miles from Llanfihangel-y-Pennant to Bala to buy a Bible from the Rev Thomas Charles. The story goes that she had saved for six years to afford it. Thomas Charles was touched by her determination and began wondering what he could do to make the Bible more easily available. In 1804 he helped to establish Bible Society.

The visitor centre is due to be officially opened next year, the bicentenary of Thomas Charles’s death.

Visitor centre to honour Bible impact in Wales

28 September 2013 The War Cry

You have a straightforward choice

3

ITV

By ANDREW STONE

WHEN Downton Abbey opened its doors for a new series last Sunday (22 September), the whole house-hold – above and below stairs – was in turmoil over the sudden departure of lady’s maid Sarah O’Brien.

She left without notice after receiving an offer to travel to India with another family. But O’Brien was not the most significant absence from the stately home. In last year’s Christmas special of the ITV drama, Matthew Crawley was killed in a car crash after visiting his wife Mary and their newborn son, George.

The new series of Downton Abbey is set six months after the acci-dent and Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) is still struggling to come to terms with the untimely death of her husband. Left to bring up George alone, she is finding it difficult to bond with him. She is happy for him to be raised by a nanny – however unsuitable she may be.

Mary’s family and the servants are concerned for her welfare. Her father, the Earl of Grantham, wants to protect his ‘battered and

bruised’ daughter. But the butler, Mr Carson, along with other fam-ily members, attempts to distract her with estate business. They are rebuffed by the grieving widow: ‘Matthew is dead 50 years before his time. Isn’t that enough to deal with?’ she asks them.

It is the Dowager Countess, Violet (Maggie Smith), who steps in to help her granddaugh-ter emerge from her grief and move on with her life.

‘You have a straightforward choice before you,’ she tells Mary. ‘You must choose either death or life.’

Such a choice exists beyond the fictional world of 1920s England. It is given to each one of us, regardless of our personal circumstances. God gives us all the opportunity to have a life guided by him so that it will be the best it can be.

If we choose to take this option of a better life, God also promises to give us a life with him after we have died.

He gave us this offer of eternal life through his Son, Jesus. One early Christian wrote: ‘Everyone who has faith in the Son has eternal life. But no one who rejects him will ever share in that life’ (John 3:36 Contemporary English Version).

To receive that better and eter-nal life, we have to put our faith in Jesus. We have to admit that we have done things wrong, ask for those things to be forgiven and choose to change the way we live.

It’s a straightforward choice of either life or death. If we choose to follow Jesus, it will open the door to a whole new life.

There are some notable absences as the new series of ‘Downton Abbey’ begins

4 Interview

IN the 1970s, musician Roger Bara recorded with Bonnie Tyler and toured with Dolly Parton, playing keyboards in

their backing bands. He then became a musical director and worked in cabaret. Twenty years ago, he moved into radio, presenting the daily breakfast programme on BBC Jersey. But, despite a long and successful career in showbiz, he considers his best moment of all was co-founding Parklife, Jersey’s ‘original choir of hard knocks’.

‘The idea behind the choir was to give people who were homeless or who had alcohol or drug problems something to do. I never thought it would work,’

confesses Roger.‘Gerry Padden from

Grace Trust, a Christian organisation, thought that being part of a choir might help people who had lost their confidence, so he asked for my assistance. I thought I’d give it a go.’

In March 2009, Parklife was born. The choir welcomed people with mental health problems and addictions, whether they could sing or not. Under Roger’s leadership, the choir grew to 35 members. But it started with just 11.

‘On that first day, I asked the group if they could sing, and everyone said no,’ remembers Roger. ‘I had taken my colleague, Emma, along, and it happened to be her birthday. So I got the group to sing “Happy Birthday” to her. Then I said: “See? You can sing! And that’s one song out of the way.”

‘I tried to teach the group to sing from

Choir of hard knocks hits the right note

ROGER BARA tells Claire Brine about his best moments in music

Jersey Evening Post

He didn’t even have the confidence to join in. But after a bit of time, he was singing on the front row, giving it everything.

‘Members often say that Parklife has saved them or made them feel like a proper human being again. For some people, it’s their reason to get up in the morning. And they value each other’s friendship.’

Although the choir was set up by a Christian organisation, co-founders Roger and Gerry wanted

people of all faiths and none to feel welcome when they walked through the doors.

‘Some members have faith, and some don’t,’ says Roger. ‘But I could see

how much the Christian faith meant to some of the members when they relied on it to help them face their problems. On past occasions when a member’s relative or friend passed away, Gerry would get the choir to hold hands and then he’d say a prayer. Seeing people live out their faith like that showed me the value of it.’

When it was time to retire from the choir, Roger found it

‘much harder than retiring from the radio’.He says: ‘It was a huge wrench.

But I’ve still got a part to play, because I made it my aim to tell the story

of Parklife to as many people as possible.‘These days, the choir has a bigger backing

band and is going in a new direction, which is important. My hope is that the members will continue to enjoy rehearsing together and feel able to forget their problems for a while – because that’s why we started the choir in the first place.’

28 September 2013 The War Cry 5

the heart. We practised songs that they knew, such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, which they loved because they could relate to the words. It wasn’t long before we started performing at churches, a wedding and a Rotary Club dinner.

‘Our biggest gig was last year at the Jersey Opera House. Tickets sold out in three days. Our opening number was “Let Me Entertain You” by Robbie Williams. The audiences loved it, even giving us a standing ovation. Sadly, it was my last gig with the choir before stepping down as leader, but undoubtedly it was the most successful thing I have ever done.’

In 2012, the choir also recorded their first single, ‘The Park Life’. The song talks about sleeping rough and how singing can help people feel better.

‘It took hours to record but the group were brilliant,’ says Roger. ‘The story made the local TV news.

‘Being in the choir has always been hard work, but the members often refer to Parklife as their new family. It’s wonderful to see them enjoy singing and to know that they can forget their problems for a few hours.’

Roger recalls the choir members who arrived with difficulties but have since improved in health and even gone on to employment. He remembers one man in particular who valued the choir after his marriage broke down.

‘On his first rehearsal, he cried in my arms.

For more information visit facebook.com/ParklifeJersey

Members often refer to Parklife as their family

The War Cry 28 September 20136

THERE is no longer any doubt. A report by UN weapons inspectors, published last week, confirms that it was chemical weapons that killed some 1,400 civilians in Damascus on 21 August. Cutting across the heated allegations and denials of warring parties and sabre-rattling onlookers, the report presents the cold facts.

The inspectors found sarin to be present in the majority of the 30 environmental samples they took. They found sarin on rocket fragments. Sarin is a man-made organophosphate first developed as a pesticide in the 1930s. The inspectors found symptoms of organophosphate intoxication in the survivors they examined. ‘The blood and urine specimens provide definitive evidence of exposure to sarin by almost all of the survivors assessed by the Mission,’ the report states.

The bottom line reads: ‘The environmental, chemical and medical samples we have collected provide clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used in … Damascus’.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon heads the report by describing the attack as ‘a war crime’. So what happens next?

While President Assad, under international pressure, has said he will dismantle his country’s chemical arsenal, death by conventional weapons keeps rising.

In July, the UN put the number of people killed in the conflict at 100,000. In August, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced it had documented some 110,000 deaths.

To be killed by sarin or a sniper, the result, the tragedy and the sheer needless waste is just the same. Is it less of a crime to gun someone down rather than to gas them?

The UK might well have breathed a collective sigh of relief when Parliament voted against direct military involvement in Syria, but few people will have batted an eyelid at London hosting an annual arms sale earlier this month.

When it comes to casting moral judgment, can even those without sarin cast the first stone?

Crime and punishment

CommentMediaFind The War Cry on Facebook and Twitter at /TheWarCryUK

PEOPLE following The Salvation Army’s New Testament Bible Challenge

are reading the whole New Testament, five chapters a week, over the course of a year. For each day’s reading plan and discussion notes visit salvationarmy.org.uk/biblechallenge

Seller Nellie celebrates century

WHEN War Cry seller Nellie Jey went into Littlehampton shopping precinct with the paper on the day before her 100th birthday, the Mayor, Joyce Bowyer, and staff from Sainsbury’s surprised her with a cake and flowers.

Nellie, a member of the Salvation Army church in Bognor Regis, has been selling The War Cry in the precinct for nine years – and the week after she became a centenarian was back out selling the latest issue.

‘CHRISTIANS suffered a campaign of terror in a town controlled by hardline supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi for more than two months,’ reported The Guardian.

Journalist Patrick Kingsley said that armed crowds in the remote town of Delga ‘scared away its meagre police force’ and attacked churches.

He noted how ‘some Muslims stood by their Christian neighbours’ and he was told that when the dead body of one Christian was being dragged round the town attached to a tractor ‘Muslim friends got hold of his body and buried it right away’.

A local human rights lawyer said that Islamist groups carried the moral blame for creating an environment in which attacks could take place.

Reporter hears of Egypt terror

Gospels picked out for art pull-outTHE Lindisfarne Gospels were among the ‘20 paintings you should know’ chosen by art expert Rachel Campbell-Johnston in a pull-out in The Times. The writer described the illuminated book – dated to about AD 700 – as a marvel and pointed out how it used a variety artistic influences to lead its readers ‘through the labyrinths of medieval faith’.

Also included in the list were Michelangelo’s paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

A LIBERAL Democrat MP has said that Christians felt under pres-

sure to hide their beliefs, reported The Daily Telegraph.

According to the broadsheet, Sir Alan Beith said that some officials were mak-ing ‘completely false’ interpretations of equality rules and assuming that any expression of Christianity could be offen-sive to people of other faiths or none.

Speaking at the launch of a book of essays about faith and the party, he said: ‘You get silly things happening, which were not the intention of any legislative change.’

728 September 2013 The War CryLifestyle

Not too old forthe road

HAS ‘middle-aged spread’ spread a little too far? A Saga Health Insurance survey found that 50 per cent of over-50s are overweight, which is bad news for efforts to combat heart disease.

A recently published European study of almost 200,000 people has shown that a one unit increase in body mass index raises the risk of heart failure by 17 per cent. Being overweight (having a BMI of 25–30) and especially being obese (a BMI over 30) increases the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes – all of which can be factors in the development of heart disease.

Managing your weight can be difficult, but making small changes to your lifestyle can have a big impact on your health.

Good changes in your diet will naturally reduce your daily calorie intake.

• Make simple swaps, such as opting for low-calorie versions of fizzy drinks and choosing low-fat dairy products to cut your intake of calories without losing out on calcium.

• When you are hungry, snack on fruit and vegetables rather than crisps and confectionery, which can be high in sugar and fats and low in nutritional value.

• Use fat-free cooking methods such as steaming, grilling, boiling and baking where possible. If you need to fry foods, use a good non-stick frying pan or griddle pan. Choose olive oil or rapeseed oil and limit the amount you use.

• When eating out, opt for tomato-based sauces rather than creamy ones. Choose boiled or steamed rice instead of pilau or egg-fried rice. Avoid deep-fried foods such as samosas, bhajis and food in batter.

• Get active to burn excess calories, tone your muscles, keep your heart healthy and shed excess weight. Exercise with a friend for extra motivation.

MOTORISTS think that their time behind the wheel should not end simply because they are getting older, research reveals. According to Age UK’s survey of more than 2,000 people aged 60 and over, only 1 per cent would give up driving because of their age.

Of those who took part in the charity’s research, 43 per cent said they would stop driving because of health concerns and 37 per cent because of problems with their eyesight. Respondents said they were more likely to go to their GP than their family and friends for advice about when to stop driving.

Two thirds of drivers aged 60 and over are driving more than five times a week. Many rely on their car for shopping, visiting friends and family and getting to the hospital or doctor’s surgery.

When asked why they wanted to continue to drive for as long as possible, 58 per cent stated that they liked being in control of where and when they travel, and 49 per cent said that they simply enjoyed driving.

Lucy Harmer of Age UK says: ‘Someone’s driving skills can’t be judged by the date on their birth certificate, and everyone needs to take responsibility for their ability to drive safely, including older people. Driving brings freedom and independence, and it is important that people can go on enjoying driving for as long as possible.

‘However, things can change quickly in the motoring world, whether it’s new roads and traffic systems or developments in car design. People can change too, with some medical conditions affecting driving ability, and it can be possible to lose confidence on the road.’

Age UK published the research to mark the launch of its In the Driving Seat guide, which offers tips on driving safely for longer and advice on making the decision to stop driving.

Health tip provided by Heart Research UK. For more information email lifestyle@heartresearch.org.uk

Tips for being nifty at fifty

Choose healthier options to help control weight

UK. After four years of planning and hard work, she received the keys to the first Mercy Ministries home in Yorkshire.

With support from her church and plenty of renovations, the home opened in 2006. Today, Mercy Ministries UK raises its own finances and is a registered charity.

‘I am so passionate about Mercy because when my sister was going through a rough time we looked everywhere for a place in this country that could help her deal with the root of her issues,’ Adrianna says.

‘Although on the surface it looked like drug addiction, self-harming and anger, there was a lot more going on underneath. The issues were like the branches of a tree but the root was never dealt with. Lots of well-meaning organisations deal with the surface issues but don’t seem to cut them

off at the root. ‘At Mercy, we deal with the very thing that is feeding

those branches – abandonment, rejection, low self-esteem, shame, guilt, fear and anger. We teach young women how to deal with the past. We teach them about forgiveness and breaking free from old thought patterns. We want them to know that they are worth something, because Jesus died for them on the cross.’

8 Interview

Turn to page 10

CREATED in the United States 30 years ago by Nancy Alcorn, Mercy Ministries international is a Christian

organisation that is in the business of changing people’s lives. In the UK it runs a free residential programme for young women who are suffering from life-controlling issues, such as eating disorders, self-harm, depression and abuse.

‘After hearing Nancy speak about Mercy Ministries at my church years ago, I prayed and asked God if there was any way that I could help reach broken young girls,’ says Arianna Walker, who is now the organisation’s executive director in the UK. ‘I never thought for a second that the first girl I would help would be my own sister, Beth*.

‘Beth is ten years younger than me, and I was married and living 100 miles away. I had no idea that she’d been going through a tough time between the ages of 12 and 15. My parents just thought that she was being rebellious. She was about to get excluded from school and had been self-harming and drinking. She’d even tried to take her own life.

‘One day, my parents called me and asked if Beth could come and live with me to get a fresh start, make some new friends and maybe start going to church again.

‘I discovered that when she was 12, she met a guy who was much older than her. He’d meet her at the school gates. He had money and a flashy car. He made friends with her and a group of friends. Within weeks, he was sleeping with them and introducing them to drugs.

‘He told Beth that her parents didn’t love her and that he was the one who did. She felt angry and abandoned by God. She needed a place where she could go and deal with the effects of this’

When Beth turned 18, Arianna looked for somewhere in the UK where she could get help. She couldn’t find anywhere, so she turned to Mercy Ministries in America. Beth became the first girl from the UK to be accepted onto the programme.

After seeing her sister’s transformation, Arianna decided to set up something of the same structure in the

We want the women to know they are worth something

Arianna Walker

ARIANNA WALKER talks to Renée Davis about how Mercy Ministries UK is bringing hope, healing and restoration

28 September 2013 The War Cry 9

The Mercy Ministries home in Yorkshire

a radical ercy offers women

makeoverMercy M

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Mercy M

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10 Interview

From page 8

My life began to spiral out of control. I realised something had to change

Although Mercy Ministries bases its programmes on biblical principles, its doors are open to anyone who accepts its Christian ethos.

‘We once had a girl who rang us and said: “I am not a Christian but my friend has just been through the programme and I’ll do whatever it takes.”’

During the course, each woman is allocated an accountability partner from a nearby church, who becomes part of her journey to recovery.

There are three parts to the six-month programme. In the first part – Choices – the women look at their commitment to Jesus and focus on building their relationship with God, as preparation for the rest of the course. The Life Hurts section helps the young women to be able to receive emotional healing. The final component – Principles of Life Long Success – takes place in the last four-to-six weeks of the programme and focuses on practical steps towards getting back into the community, through CV writing or applying for an internship. The girl’s church is involved in providing aftercare when they return home.

Since opening its doors, Mercy has seen more than 100 girls graduate from the programme. Arianna explains why she believes women choose Mercy Ministries: ‘One of the big reasons is that we are free of charge. But also it’s because we speak the young women’s language. We understand their brokenness, especially if they are coming from a Christian background where they have always felt the need to be perfect,’ explains Arianna.

‘The first girl to have graduated from Mercy Ministries UK went on to be a missionary and an author. We also have girls who went on to university and are now working a job they never thought possible,’ she says.

‘After years of trying to take her own life, one girl came to us and is now a midwife – she is a part of bringing new life into the world. It’s wonderful how God can change a person from wishing death on themselves every day to seeing new life every day.’

Susan from Northern Ireland graduated from the Mercy Ministries home in 2011. She tells her

story.‘When I was very young, my dad died suddenly.

Losing him started a cycle of fear in my life. Then, when I was 12 years old, my mum passed away. I became very untrusting of people and God. All my anger was directed towards God, because in my mind he was the only one who could save my parents, and he didn’t.

‘I had a lot of different coping mechanisms, including

heavy drinking and excessive shopping. I was depressed. I was also violated by someone I knew, and that added to the fear and anxiety that was already there.

‘I had always been sent to church as a child, but because of the anger I had, I never believed anything that was said about God. I wanted to prove people wrong and show them that God wasn’t real and that following him didn’t work.

‘My life began to spiral more out of control, and it got to the point where all my problems were dictating me instead of me dictating them. It was then that I realised that something had to change.

Susan (left) has overcome her past with the help of Mercy Ministries

28 September 2013 The War Cry 11

‘I decided to give God another try and went back to church. It was difficult, because I had the perception that, as I was a Christian, then all the stuff I’d been going through would automatically change. I looked around me and saw that all the other Christians appeared to “have it together”. I didn’t think I could be like them. I was still really anxious and depressed. The the family I knew asked me to try another church with them.

‘The pastor there mentioned Mercy Ministries to me. I looked on their website and dismissed it. I thought: “No way. I’m not like those girls. I don’t need that level of help.”

‘A year passed and nothing in my life had changed. I knew I needed to do something or I would just give in to a life of addiction.

‘At the end of 2010, I enrolled on the Mercy Ministries programme. It was hard leaving home and going to Bradford. I had no phone or internet. I knew in theory that being at Mercy could work, but would it work for me?

‘When I arrived, I had a lot of walls up which I thought were protecting me, but in reality they weren’t. I was fighting the process. I remember the biggest change happening in me after Arianna sat me down and said: “Susan, something has to change here otherwise you are just going to go backwards.”

‘I knew then that I had to start taking steps towards my freedom and trust God. I went on a journey of developing my relationship with him and letting go of all the grief and anxiety from my past.

‘One of my best moments at Mercy was getting baptised. It was a defining moment for me. Graduating from the programme was another amazing moment. My church leaders, family and friends were there with me to celebrate what God had done in my life.

‘Since being at Mercy, anxiety has not been a problem at all. I am no longer worried about my future and I’m not worried about what is going to happen, because I know I have a God who is taking care of me.

‘I now work at the Mercy home as the operations assistant. When working with our residents, I let them know that I have been where they are. I don’t hide my story, but I use it to encourage them. There is nothing better than being able to watch young women go from death to life.’

* Not her real name.

I am no longer worried about my future

Susan at her baptism (left) and graduating from the Mercy home

12 The War Cry 28 September 2013 Puzzlebreak

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9

Solution on page 15

SSUDDOKKU

HOONEYCCOMB

QUUICK CCROSSWWORD

ANSWERS

ACROSS1. Only (4)3. Burst (3)5. Creep forward (4)7. Colleague (9)9. Slant (4)10. Cut down (4)11. Produce (5)14. Snapshot (5)15. Corpulent (5)17. Apparent (5)18. Characteristic (5)19. Similar (5)20. Boarding

house (5)23. Mild (4)25. Net (4)27. Killed (9)28. Quick (4)29. Extremity (3)30. Portent (4)

QUICK CROSSWORDACROSS: 1 Mere. 3 Pop. 5 Inch. 7 Associate. 9 Tilt.

10 Axed. 11 Beget. 14 Photo. 15 Obese. 17 Overt. 18 Trait. 19 Alike. 20 Hotel. 23 Meek. 25 Mesh. 27 Destroyed. 28 Fast. 29 Toe. 30 Omen.

DOWN: 1 Mist. 2 East. 3 Probe. 4 Pride. 5 Iota. 6 Held. 7 Allocated. 8 Expedited. 11 Booth. 12 Great. 13 Total. 14 Pot. 16 Eye. 21 Octet. 22 Evoke. 23 Muff. 24 Kept. 25 Memo. 26 Hymn.

QUICK QUIZ1 Sheffield. 2 Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles. 3 A caterpillar.

4 Hayley Mills. 5 In a book (they are left and right pages). 6 Vinegar and brown paper.

HONEYCOMB1 Bunker. 2 Mickey. 3 Collie. 4 Glossy. 5 Larynx. 6 Gander.

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these characters from ‘Downton Abbey’ALFREDANNACOUNTESS OF GRANTHAMDAISYDOWAGER COUNTESS DR CLARKSONEARL OF GRANTHAMISOBEL CRAWLEYIVYJIMMYLADY EDITHLADY MARYLADY ROSAMUND PAINSWICK

LADY ROSE MACCLAREMARTHA LEVINSONMICHAEL GREGSONMOLESLEYMR BATESMR CARSONMRS HUGHESMRS PATMOREO’BRIENTHOMASTOM BRANSON

3. Investigate (5)4. Arrogance (5)5. Jot (4)6. Grasped (4)7. Allotted (9)8. Hastened (9)11. Kiosk (5)12. Eminent (5)13. Sum (5)14. Container (3)16. Watch (3)21. Group of eight (5)22. Arouse (5)23. Hand warmer (4)24. Retained (4)25. Note (4)26. Song of praise (4)

1. Underground shelter

2. Cartoon mouse

3. Breed of dog

4. Shiny and smooth

5. Air passage

6. Male goose

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

WORDSEARCH

QUICK QUIZ

1. In which city is the film The Full Monty set?

2. Which sweet uses the advertising slogan ‘You can’t help but chew’?

3. What is the larva of a moth or butterfly called?

4. Which child actress stars in the film The Parent Trap?

5. Where would a verso and a recto be found?

6. According to the nursery rhyme, what did Jack put on his head after falling down the hill?

DOWN1. Haze (4)2. Compass point (4)

I N O S G E R G L E A H C I M D S Y R B A P N O S K A R J M O G O M R S P A T M O R E U O S D T T M A S O M N H R O L H A M R A A Y T N I G N Y L L R O H S G T M H R I H D N E Y I T O B E L C H A X L E W T S E J P O F L L V I D O W A G E R C O U N T E S S S P A W S E I A E R C R A S E T A B R M R K E D S A A L A L S D Y U L O E R R A S F R A Y O A R N A A O Y E G D C O G E L S M A E M D O M C T H N R A A A R O F F C S F L L A O T O M L I T E N E I R B O L C G R C R R U H L O R E A R S L S A L S A A A R R E Y O E E E L G B L A D Y R O S A M U N D P A I N S W I C K O O M A A N E S E N A E R Y Y N L M Y L O G S O O A R T E S E H B D A S E E T M R N Y O I H T H N O O T T F G R E F Y D N H R H N I J R D U E R G A T D A U Y F S A I Y A A R S E A O E Y S E A M H C M H H A L H T O M A F K C M D R T L M H N O N A S O E S R H G O A N G A N C F R A Y N E M O I R L A U A E N A D L E A A L L O N O S N A R B M O T R N E D P T E U J H M A W P G S A S O F H W A B P M O

Inner life 13

Jesus.I.Am28 September 2013 The War Cry

In this series ROSEMARY DAWSON looks at the ways Jesus described himself

‘I am the resurrection and the life’ (John 11:25)

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THE death of a good friend is deeply upsetting. Life, we conclude, will never be the same again. It was no different for Jesus after the death of his friend Lazarus. He had the same feelings of sorrow and loss that we experience.

Jesus often stayed in Bethany with Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. It was a place where he could rest. It was somewhere away from the large crowds that followed him, wanting to hear his teachings and see his healing miracles.

When Lazarus became seriously ill, his sisters sent word to Jesus, hoping that he would come and restore their brother to health. But Jesus did not arrive until four days after Lazarus’s death and burial (see John 11:1–44).

Understandably, Martha was hurt and perplexed that Jesus – their good friend – had let them down. She told him so, in no uncertain terms: ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died’ (11:21 New International Version).

But her words revealed her belief that Jesus was God’s chosen Messiah. And it was to homely, plain-speaking Martha that Jesus gave this powerful assurance: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die’ (11:25).

Jesus had made his previous ‘I am’ statements to a group. This time, it was to an individual.

He asked Martha: ‘Do you believe this?’When she replied that she did, Jesus rewarded

Martha’s faith.There was a reason why Jesus hadn’t

immediately healed Lazarus: he had a greater

purpose – to glorify God’s power by raising him from the dead.

In our darkest times of sorrow and bereavement, no one understands better than Jesus what it is to lose a friend or loved one. By putting our faith in him, we can all live and die in the knowledge that our soul will live on eternally with him in Heaven.

But first, we need to answer the same question as Martha: ‘Do you believe this?’

No one understands us better than Jesus

A matter of life and death

14 The War Cry 28 September 2013

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Food for thought

Into my darkness comes light

by HELEN BRETT

ABOUT 80 years ago, I was sitting on a park bench, when two women came by and sat alongside me. As they chatted, I gathered that they were office cleaners in need of a rest. There was a slight breeze, causing the leaves on the tree behind us to rustle. A sudden gust of wind then shook some leaves from the tree and one landed on the lap of one of the women.

‘Oh look!’ she cried. ‘A leaf has fallen on me. That’s supposed to bring good luck.’

Seeing her reaction made me think of the phrase ‘surprised by joy’. I thought about what it meant. Today, I continue to contemplate the words.

As the years go by, it is inevitable that we experience frustration, disappointment, bereavement and pain. At times, we may despair of our situation.

But it is often when I am in difficulty that I find that God intervenes. It may be that an old friend contacts me through a phone call, an unexpected letter or a visit. I believe that God prompts people to act in such caring ways. Suddenly, into my dark thoughts and feelings comes a little light. I am surprised by joy.

But why should I be surprised? I follow a

God of love, who wants the best for me. When we are struggling, he wants to help.

The Bible says that ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28 New International Version).

Problems come along which threaten to floor us, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t be surprised by joy. God’s love can be experienced in the unexpected phone call. His peace can be felt in a moment of stillness.

His care for us can be seen in the beautiful world he has given us – even in a falling leaf.

Method:Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

Grease a round 29cm x 3cm ovenproof dish.To make the base, place the flour, margarine,

butter and salt in a bowl and mix until crumbly. Add warm water a little at a time, enough to form the mixture into a firm dough.

Cover the dough with clingfilm, and leave in the fridge for 15–20 minutes.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out to fit the dish. Fill it with some dried peas or baking beans, and bake blind for 5 minutes. Take the base out of the oven, remove the peas and put it to one side.

To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, tomato purée, oregano and paprika and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then spoon onto the base. Cover with the slices of beef, pepperoni and ham then top with the grated mozzarella.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Serves 6

I’M Michael Darracott. I have been an executive chef in several large establishments in charge of cooking for 200-plus people. I have also written a number of books. It gives me great pleasure to offer my recipes in The War Cry.

I invite readers to send in recipe ideas, to be considered for publication here. I would also like to offer help with any cooking-related problems you have. So send in your question and, if it is selected, an answer will be published on this page.

Email your recipes and questions to chefmike56@chefmikedarracott.com

Ingredients:

For the base

320g plain flour, sifted

55g margarine

55g butter

Pinch of salt

Warm water

For the filling

1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

400g can of plum tomatoes, drained

Salt and black pepper, to taste

2tbsp of tomato purée

3tsp oregano

1tsp paprika

100g cooked beef, sliced

100g pepperoni, sliced

100g smoked ham

170g mozzarella, grated

1528 September 2013 The War CryWhat’s cooking?

SUDOKU SOLUTION

Ingredients:410g can of sweetcorn½ tsp sugar125 ml milk1tbsp coriander leaves, finely

chopped1tsp cornflourSalt and ground black pepper,

to taste

Sweetcorn soup

Method:Place the sweetcorn and sugar in a pan

with just enough water to cover the corn. Boil until cooked.

Blend the mixture in a food processor, then strain into a clean saucepan to remove the skins of the kernels.

Add the milk, bring to the boil and mix well. Add the coriander leaves, cornflour, salt and pepper and boil for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4

chefmikedarracott.com

Cook with chef MICHAEL DARRACOTT

Chef Mike answers readers’ questionsSam, Brighton: Do you have a tip for browning meat?Chef Mike: Too much moisture on the meat creates steam when it is placed in hot oil. The steam prevents the outside of the meat from browning. So wipe off any moisture on the meat before placing it in the pan.

Zack, Bodmin Moor: What is the best way to get zest from fruit such as lemons?Chef Mike: To avoid losing the citrus oils, grate the fruit straight into the mixing bowl.

Carol, Barnstaple: When I slice hard-boiled eggs, I end up squashing them. What can I do to prevent this?Chef Mike: An easy solution is to use an egg slicer. Alternatively, rubbing a drop of oil on the knife or dampening it with water before cutting will make the task easier.

Roger, Sussex: How can I make crispy chips?Chef Mike: When making French fries, I leave the raw potato chips standing in salted water for up to an hour. Drain and leave to dry a little before frying.

Pepperoni, spicy beef and ham pizza

The Salvation Army (United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland) on behalf of the General of The Salvation Army. Printed by Wyndeham Grange, Southwick. © André Cox, General of The Salvation Army, 2013

SHE says she flies first class, but she has no money. Her husband was a surgeon or perhaps he was a crooked businessman. She was named Jasmine after her mother’s favourite flower, but her name was really Jeanette. In Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine – released at cinemas yesterday (Friday 27 September) – the truth is sometimes hard to see.

No longer with husband Hal (Alec Baldwin), Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) has left New York to stay with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins) in San Francisco until she ‘gets back on her feet’.

A lot has changed since Ginger and her husband Augie visited Jasmine in the Big Apple. Back then, Jasmine and Hal were rich and were embarrassed by the unrefined couple.

But it turned out that Hal could not be trusted for love nor money. His wealth gone, Jasmine is distraught.

Augie is dismayed that Ginger is helping out her snobby sister. Augie and Ginger’s marriage fell apart after he invested savings in one of Hal’s business ventures. His verdict is that while Jasmine was enjoying all her wealth, ‘she just looked the other way’

LADY SINGS THE BLUESWoody Allen film examines a human flawwrites PHILIP HALCROW

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and ignored her husband’s crimes.It seems she often looks the other way when she does not like

what she sees.Reflecting on the character of Jasmine, Cate Blanchett says:

‘It’s very difficult for a human being truly to look at themselves in the mirror, to see who we are warts and all.’

Woody Allen agrees. ‘To look the other way is a human flaw,’ he says.

It is hard to look at the unattractive sides of our character. However, as one Scripture-writer points out, ‘if we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves’. But, he continues, ‘if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away’ (1 John 1:8, 9 Contemporary English Version).

The truth is that our character flaws – our greed, pride, coldness – need not leave us with nowhere to go. When we look to God for forgiveness, he does not look the other way.

It’s very difficult for a human being truly to look at themselves in the mirror

Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) has a tendency to ‘look the other way’

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