ANZAC Day
ANZAC Day (25 April) is the most important national day of commemoration for Australians.
A mother and two children under nine years old, were found to be working 16 hours a day, with out lunch or tea breaks, making matches in appalling conditions for only two shillings.
The matches, which sold at 1d for 12 boxes, were made from yellow phosphorus, a poisonous substance which often brought about necrosis or 'phossy jaw' in the match-makers. Phossy jaw was a disease which ate into the bone of the jaw causing severe pain and eventually death.
In 1891, The Salvation Army opened a clean, airy, well-lit factory where harmless red phosphorus was used in the match making process. Booth called the matches 'Lights in Darkest England'. Tea making facilities were made available and the 100 workers received decent wages - more than one third above the rate in other factories.
At the same time the army launched a nationwide 'British Match Consumers League' whose members were urged to 'worry their grocer, oilmen or other shopkeeper, who does not at present stock or sell these matches, at least twice a week, until such time as he does do so'
When grocers and other shopkeepers began to stock only safety matches, commercial match factories were forced to not only improve working conditions, but also to use only the safe red phosphorous in their factories.
Ten years after the opening of his match factory, Booth closed it having achieved his original purpose 'to raise the wages of the matchmakers, to fight against sweating, and to help the poor to help themselves by labour'. He turned instead to finding other ways to help the underprivileged.
Download free book, "In Darkest England and the Way Out" by William Booth
The group of women were dressed in their most colourful saris. Their hair was neat. Bangles and earrings completed the picture. Prior to this they were sex workers in the horrid brothels or on the narrow and crowded streets of Old Dhaka.Damaris Frick, seconded from The Salvation Army in Germany, was part of the International Emergency Services assessment team which looked at how The Salvation Army might best respond to the humanitarian crisis in Kenya. She reports here on her experiences in this, her first emergency services deployment:
DRIVING through Kenya, you cannot ignore the drought. For three years there has not been sufficient rainfall – the last five consecutive rains have failed – and the situation now is very severe. In areas where agriculture is the main way of life the maize should be ready for harvest – more than two metres high, green and luscious. But what I saw were fields of knee-high, yellow-brownish dry maize. There will be no harvest again this year. You see dried-up river beds and the dead bodies of cows, donkeys, zebras and other animals alongside the road. And you see people transporting water – often for many kilometres. 
It was my task to visit several schools and talk to pupils and teachers about their experience of the current situation. One pupil I met was Duncan, a 14-year-old Masai boy. According to his teacher he comes from one of the very poor families in the community. His family's possessions numbered just two cows, both of which died recently. A small cow would cost 12,000 Kenyan schillings (about US$175), a fortune for a family such as Duncan's. In other families the father or other male family members have to go away with the herd in search of pasture. Some even go as far as Tanzania.
Continue reading "Sub-Saharan Africa Famine Relief - A View from the Field" »
A great overview of The Salvation Army at the BBC’s Religion & Ethics web site.
"Christianity with its sleeves rolled up, representing God's love in action."
Introduction
Some facts and figures about the Salvation Army.
Early days
The Salvation Army has its origins in 1860s England.
Tools of Mission
The Salvation Army did not start out as an instrument of social change.
Beliefs
Salvation Army beliefs are based entirely on the Bible.
Organisation
Officers, corps and commissioners.
Symbols
The reason for the Salvation Army emblems and its motto, "Blood and Fire".
Life-stage ceremonies
Important stages of life: birth, dedication, marriage and funerals.
Worship
Salvationists regard their whole lives as an act of worship, but they hold services, too.
Social work
The Salvation Army is famous for its works to help the poor and needy.
Ethics
The Salvation Army devotes much of its energy to working in difficult social and ethical areas.
Link from Headphonaught’s Nanolog
Tags: The Salvation Army
Salvation Army ringtones for your cell phone or Salvation Army desktop themes, screensavers, cursors and icons. Even a short biography of my great-grandfather, William McKenzie. It’s all at S.A. Collectables, your one stop site for Salvation Army collectables, history, philately, free downloads, books and more.
Free downloads available at S.A. Collectables:
Chris Hinton has created a web-ring to link Salvation Army bloggers. If you are a Sally blogger and want to participate, click here to sign up and get the code.
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Technorati Tags: The Salvation Army, blogging, blog ring, community
A couple or so weeks ago, I posted a news release revealing that The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory had been the victim of fraud. This morning, the front page of The Globe and Mail carried a story with more details.
The Salvation Army says it has been defrauded of more than $2.3-million and that it has traced the missing money to a 25-year-old accountant who used to work at its Canadian headquarters in Toronto.
In court files obtained by The Globe and Mail, the charity states it was the victim of a phony-invoice scheme, paying millions to two non-existent companies. After launching an internal investigation late last month, the charity says it has linked the scheme to Ming Wa, an accountant who abruptly resigned a week before the fraud was uncovered.
Later this afternoon, it was announced that the police had arrested Ming Wa and charged him with fraud over $5,000 and falsification of books and documents. The following press release was issued by the Army’s Territorial Headquarters.
A former employee of The Salvation Army, Ming Wa, who worked in the national headquarters finance department in Toronto from January 20, 2003 to December 16, 2005 as a property accountant, has been arrested and charged with Fraud over $5,000 and Falsification of Books and Documents by Toronto Police Services.
We are shocked that any employee of The Salvation Army would act with such disdain and disrespect for the important work we do in more than 400 communities across Canada.
While we are doing everything possible to recover what has been taken, The Salvation Army does carry insurance and is protected against these types of situations. Therefore, we are confident that the projects or programs operated by The Salvation Army will not be impacted as a result of this incident.
We would like to assure our donors and supporters that we see this fraud as an unusual and isolated circumstance, not one that can be repeated. However, under the direction of external auditors, we are reviewing all of our accounting and auditing practices.
We have strong programs that help hundreds of thousands of Canadians each year. The faithful support of our donors in the past has made a significant difference in the lives of real people in desperate need, and this valuable work needs to continue.
The Salvation Army has been serving the needs of vulnerable members of our communities across Canada for more than 120 years. We are very proud of our heritage, our work, and our dedicated officers, members, volunteers and employees.
Related links:
Commissioner Shaw Clifton, currently the Territorial Commander for the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland, has been elected as the 18th General of The Salvation Army, succeeding General John Larsson, who will retire April 1, 2006.
Update January 14, 2006: CBC is carrying a news story, but it contains little more information than what is contained in the press release.
This was circulated via internal communications late this afternoon, posted on one of The Salvation Army Canadian web-sites and circulated as a press release via CNW Group. I’m not sure what it’s all about, but it seems they are taking some care to reassure folks that the situation is under control.
I’ve been watching, reading and listening to a variety of news sources to see if anything breaks, but thus far, nothing.
TORONTO, Jan. 13 /CNW/ - A recent internal audit has revealed that The Salvation Army in Canada has been the victim of a significant fraud.
We are shocked and dismayed by this discovery, and want to communicate to all our commitment to cooperate fully with the authorities. The investigation centers around a former employee of the organization. Although we maintain insurance coverage in order to guard against this sort of loss, we are taking all appropriate measures in order to recover what has been taken.
Today, in the Canadian Salvation Army there are 1,000 active officers
(clergy), 100,000 members, 10,000 employees and over 50,000 volunteers meeting human need through 500 ministry units located in 400 communities.As a worldwide Christian movement with an acute social conscience, The Salvation Army is privileged to serve the needs of vulnerable members of the community. Annually, hundreds of thousands of our neighbours and friends seek help under the familiar Red Shield of The Salvation Army. With more than 120 years experience, The Salvation Army continues to provide professional and
relevant service.
Thank you for your ongoing support of The Salvation Army.For further information: Salvation Army Contact: Graham Moore,
Territorial Public Relations and Development Secretary, The Salvation Army, (416) 809-6144 or graham_moore@can.salvationarmy.org
Another linked from March Forth!:
by General John Gowans
Before The Salvation Army was born, its calling, its destiny, was already identified. Its founders, William and Catherine Booth, were already clear as to which part of the population they were principally sent. Passing a crowded East-end of London public house with a wide open door revealing its crowded tap-room crammed with poor and soon-to-be-penniless people, William whispered to his son Bramwell (then only a lad) ... 'These are our people. These are the people I want you to live for and win for Christ'
Who were these people he claimed so passionately as his own? They were The Impoverished. They were 'Les Miserables' of his time. William felt called to The Excluded. He named them 'The Submerged Tenth'. Their poverty was the agent of their exclusion, the source of much of their misery, the nourishment of a great deal of their godlessness.
The Times has chosen to support The Salvation Army for this year's Christmas appeal. As part of the coverage of the support, the Times have asked Captain Gordon Cotterill to blog about the Christmas activities in his ministry. Gordon’s blog, URBANarmy, has been a regular read from the day I discovered it. I’m looking forward to his posts over Christmas.
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and charity and the largest provider of social welfare after the UK Government. More than a quarter of a million people access its services each week which include support for homeless people, the elderly, families in need and people with addictions.
Here's a copy of The Salvation Army Song book (hymn book) in Microsoft Word format. Click to download (344 KB Zip file)
Technorati Tags: Hymns, Songbook+of+The+Salvation+Army, Lyrics
TORONTO, Nov. 29 /CNW/ - Canadians are shining up their jingle bells and getting ready for the annual Salvation Army Santa Shuffle, a 5 km family fun run and 1 km walk. And whatever the weather, they will be decked out in their toques and long johns in support of the Salvation Army.
Once again, the Santa Shuffle is privileged to partner with The Running Room Canada with a record 33 participating cities across Canada. "The Christmas season brings family and friends together for fun and fellowship. Walk or run and together we will help support the important work of the Salvation Army across Canada," says Running Room Walking Room Canada Founder, John Stanton.
This popular event started nationally in 2001 and has raised over 1 million dollars through entry fees and the pledge support of participants to help less fortunate children and families across Canada. "You'll get goose bumps knowing the proceeds will help women and children in crisis, feed and provide shelter for the homeless, and help make Christmas a possibility for those in our communities who are the lonely and forgotten," says Graham D. Moore, Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Public Relations and Development Secretary.
The Salvation Army began its work here in Canada in 1882, helping thousands of people get their lives to a better place. For more information and to register for a run, visit www.santashuffle.com.
2005 FACT SHEET
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What: Family-oriented event with a 5km run and 1 km walk
Where: 33 cities nation-wide:
Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Barrie, Mississauga, Toronto, Whitby, Kingston, Peterborough, Brampton, Newmarket, Guelph, Waterloo, Burlington/Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Montreal,
Quebec City, St John's, Halifax, Moncton, Sudbury, Sarnia, Thunder Bay, Fredericton, Saint John.
When: Saturday, December 3, 2005
Registration at 9:00 a.m. - Run begins at 10:00 a.m.
Why: The event raises money for Salvation Army programs. All funds are raised through entry fees and the pledge support of participants.
In addition to raising much needed funds for Salvation Army initiatives, runners who collect pledges are awarded prizes that increase in value with the amount of donations collected.
Receive a commemorative Santa Shuffle T-Shirt when you raise $50 or more in pledges.
How: Entry and pledge forms are available:
- At all Running Room locations
- On-line at www.santsashuffle.com
Registration fees:
$ 20 per person
$ 50 per family (up to 6 people)
$125 Corporate (10 people)
Notes:
The Santa Shuffle began 15 years ago in Alberta. In 2001 the event became national, adding 20 cities. In 2004 close to 7,000 people across Canada raised more than $300,000.
Since becoming national in 2001, the event has raised over 1 million dollars.
The event raises funds through entry fees and the pledge support of participants to help less fortunate children and families across Canada.
For further information: Andrew Burditt, Territorial Public Relations Director, (416) 422-6208
Technorati Tags: Santa+Shuffle, Fund+Raising, ChristmasThis week, Glenda & I and others participated in the first two official Salvation Army functions of Christmas 2005. The next four weeks will see us participating in a number of extra, seasonal events. A hectic schedule to be sure, but one that is generally rewarding, a traditional park of our Christmas.
Toys for Tots Kick-off
Here’s a group of us aboard the Santa Maria replica at West Edmonton Mall. The 2005 goal is to have 25,000 new toys donated, by December 23rd, to “sink” the boat.
Christmas Kettle Kick-off
Today at noon, a group of us played Christmas music for about 45 minutes at the CBC Centre Stage. Edmonton’s deputy mayor and Edmonton Eskimos alumni (active players are in Vancouver preparing for the Grey Cup) were on hand to kick off this year’s Christmas Kettle campaign.
Technorati Tags: Edmonton+Alberta, Christmas+Kettle+Campaign, Toys+for+Tots, Salvation+Army+BandsA couple of weeks ago I linked to World Vision Canada’s gift catalogue and to Mike Todd’s suggestions for making a difference this Christmas. Yesterday I received the 05/06 Salvationist Publishing and Supplies Ltd. catalogue from England. In it are a range of gifts you can send that will benefit individuals and communities in countries where the need is great. Gifts range from something as simple as a fruit tree for as little as £1.50 (about $3.00 CAD) through to a water well for a whole community at £800.00 (about $1,616 CAD).
Unfortunately, you can’t yet order these gifts on-line and it is likely too late for folk outside of the U.K. to get a catalogue in time to place an order before Christmas. (I know these gifts would be welcomed any time of the year!) I have attached the catalogue pages as a pdf download —The Salvation Army International Development Catalogue (873 KB) and you can make contact with TSA International Development via email at mail_order@sp-s.co.uk.
While The Salvation Army in Canada does not have a similar program, there is child sponsorship opportunities available, costing about $25.00 per month. Click here for information and application.
From The Salvation Army International Development web-site:
Technorati Tags: Child+Sponsorship, Christmas+GiftsGIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING
Have you ever given or received a present you know is not really wanted or needed? The embroidered handkerchief with your initials, the book they’ll never read, the kitchen appliance that’s too big for the cupboard. Why not ask for, or give a gift that keeps on giving and makes a real difference to people’s lives.
In a colourful catalogue, we have outlined for you a whole range of great gift ideas, that you can buy for friends and family, that are guaranteed to show you care. These presents will create livelihoods, better living conditions, education and work opportunities, and in some situations, freedom, for our neighbours in some of the neediest parts of our world.
You can choose from a range of 40 diverse gifts that cover innovative ways of giving in themed areas including Agriculture, Livestock, Water, Kids and People Needs.
The catalogue is ideal for Christmas, weddings, birthdays or any special occasions. For your free copy, CONTACT US . Alternatively you can download an e-advert or excerpt from our catalogue from the downloads section at the bottom of this page.
We regret we can’t offer online purchasing just yet but will be offering this service in the near future. We do accept all major credit cards and cheques which can be made out to “The Salvation Army”.
A bit about us:
We are committed to being good stewards in the sharing of resources for the work of the international Salvation Army in the developing world, within countries that look to us for support. We do this by raising awareness through advocacy, channelling resources to enable development, building bridges and redressing inequality in practical and financial ways.
Where the money goes:
The cost of your gift will almost always include some "extras" which means that it has an even more positive effect on the lives of the people it is given to. The cost of a water well for example, will usually include allowance for use of local labour, transport of supplies, training for maintenance of the well in addition to the supplies and installation costs of building the well. A small amount of the cost is sometimes used to help make people in developed countries aware of the needs of our neighbours in poorer countries.
How your money works to make a difference:
Every community is different and so occasionally, gifts may be substituted for other appropriate gifts that are needed in a particular context. For example, chickens may be substituted for pigs in some communities where that is a more viable means of livelihood. In these situations, we will endeavour to allocate your money to the same themed area as the gift you have chosen.
In the drive to make a better life, we find that people don't want a 'hand-out' but a 'hand-up'. Because we are a community-based organisation, we work alongside communities which means that communities can identify their needs to us and decide for themselves what the solutions are. In this way we work together to break the cycle of poverty by building local capacity and empowering people to make a difference to their own lives.
Unsite.org is a free resource for quality church program materials, ideas and more. Although most content is designed specifically for use in Salvation Army programs, it can be tailored for use in any Christian environment.“Strawberry Fields not forever” has been grabbed by the media as the headline of choice.
You might not know that Strawberry Fields is a Salvation Army orphanage in Liverpool and was favourite playground of John Lennon. The rest, as they say, is history. Due to the methods used by the local authority to care for children, there is no longer any need for a facility of this type.
Today is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand. We have a family connection to the events commemorated and I always pause for a moment of remembrance at this time of year.
My paternal grandparents were both born in Australia and my great-grandfather, William McKenzie served as a military chaplain and went ashore at Gallipoli with the 1st Infantry Brigade . Following service in Gallipoli he was appointed Chaplain to the 4th Battalion of The First Australian Infantry Brigade in Egypt. In 1917 Mac went with the AIF to France. He was with the Fighting Fourth at Pozieres, Bullecourt, Mouquet Farm, Passchendaele Ridge and on the Somme.
I recently read Col Stringer’s book ‘FIGHTING’ MCKENZIE ANZAC CHAPLAIN. The writing style is overrun with hyperbole (Stringer compares McKenzie to Indiana Jones and Superman), but I did learn a great deal about my great-grandfather and the ANZAC contributions to the 1st War.
You can learn more about William McKenzie on-line here:
Belfast Citadel, Belfast, Northern Ireland gets a fairly decent report from the Mystery Worshipper.
Booz Allen Hamilton identifies ten institutions that have “adapted, endured and prevailed” and The Salvation Army makes the list in the non-profit category. Over at the Armybarmy blog, Captain Stephen Court gives some comments on the criteria applied in determining who would make the list.
