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Elsewhere in the world
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ESTONIA—Captains Daniel and Anya Henderson—Western Territory officers—recently transferred from Narva, Estonia, to Tannill, the capitol city. Two weeks after their arrival, they held a Mom and Tots camp in Loksa, about an hour east of Army headquarters. The camp was an annual event in Narva and the Hendersons continued it in Tannill.
Four women accepted Christ at the final evening service this year.
As an outreach to single women with HIV and their children, the five-day camp teaches them how to live with their condition while also planning a future for their family. Daily classes focus on parenting skills, anger management, and communication.
Campers and staff stay in a house sleeping 34 people and with tents set up in the yard to accommodate any overflow.
The Salvation Army leases the two-and-a-half-acre property situated 660 feet from the beach.
SWITZERLAND—Lt. Colonel Richard Munn, secretary for international ecumenical relations, represented The Salvation Army at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. He joined approximately 225 other denominational representatives for the bi-annual meeting.
The Central Committee issued statements of several religious, political and social matters, including misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy law, sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and caste-based discrimination.
The WCC, founded in 1948, unites 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches comprising more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries worldwide.
From a Salvation Army international news release
UNITED KINGDOM—The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom and Ireland participated in Back to Church Sunday on Sept. 27, which this year had the theme, “Come as you are.” Other churches involved included Churches Together in Scotland, the Church in Wales, Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed, Elim Pentecostal and Anglican churches. The initiative also ran in Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Canada. Last year, more than 37,000 people took part by attending a church service.
In 2008, the Army piloted Back to Church Sunday in the north and east of Scotland. Out of 35 participating centers, more than 200 extra people came to church. Some of the people returned on subsequent Sundays, while some also joined in midweek activities.
Research by the Christian relief and development charity Tearfund shows that there are 3 million people who would respond positively to an invitation. Back to Church Sunday provides the opportunity.
In his book Good News to the Poor: Sharing the Gospel Through Social Involvement, Tim Chester says many social problems could be met by simple human contact—and what better way than over a cup of tea or coffee at church?
From The Salvation Army’s UK website, www.salvationarmy.org.uk