News @ Gloucester Salvation Army

As we begin our season of Advent, I was stunned to read the story of a modern day nativity that happened in New York this week. Many of you will have read the same story of the new born baby found in a church nativity scene.  A member of the church heard the baby crying and found it wrapped in towels in the manger with its umbilical cord still attached. CCTV footage showed the mother arriving at the church with the baby and leaving without him. The mother has since been traced, though no charges will be brought against her. The District Attorney said, “It appears that the mother felt her newborn child would be found safely in the church and chose to place the baby in the manger because it was the warmest place in the church.” I cannot imagine how the church folk must have felt to find a real baby in their manger scene. Churches all around the world will this week be putting up nativity scenes, many of them true to scale, but inevitably featuring statues or models instead of the ‘real thing’. To find real life in the manger as you walk past must be quite overwhelming. Read more...

Every year, Salvation Army Centres throughout the UK distribute parcels to needy families at Christmas time. Last year, we distributed 390 Food Parcels and 425 Toy Parcels through many different agencies across Gloucester and we are hoping to be able to do a similar number again this year. All the recipients are referred to us by Social Services and Family Centres to ensure our parcels go to the neediest families in our City. Read more...

Join us throughout December as we celebrate Christmas! Read more...

Come and join us for Messy Christmas on 22nd December at 4pm! Read more...

This weekend is a weekend to celebrate giving and children!

On Friday we saw the annual Children In Need appeal come to a climax.  This is a great occasion when people all over the UK help children within our own country who are in need by giving money to support various groups who help children to thrive.  The vision of the charity is that every child in the UK has a childhood which is: safe, happy and Secure, and allows them the chance to reach their potential. Read more...

As the country stopped for two minutes at 11am on Wednesday to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom, four members of Gloucester Salvation Army Band played The Last Post at locations in and around Gloucester. Read more...

Today is Remembrance Sunday. It is a day when we remember those who gave their life in war for our freedom today. This year, in particular, is the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and we commemorate and salute those who served in this battle from munitions workers to aircraft engineers, from fighter controllers to radar operators, the aircrew of the coastal and Bombers Commands, and of course, ‘The Few’, who sought to go ‘higher, faster and stronger’! This ‘band of brothers’ retains a unique place in our history because its members did not just inspire – they saved a generation. As ACM Sir Foxley-Norris put it in his poem ‘Fighter Pilot’:
‘he was a common unconsidered man, who for a moment of eternity, held the whole future of mankind in his two sweating hands – and did not let go.’ Read more...

Today is All Saints Day.  This is a day when we give thanks to God for the ‘Saints’ who have shaped our spiritual journey.  None of us ended up here by chance. Our parents, grandparents, friends, pastors, spouses, and others have helped to shape our understanding of who God is and what our callings are in response to the love God has shown us in Christ. Read more...

Last Monday, I was privileged to go along to ‘Family Mayhem’. This was an open evening for Monday Mayhem to which we were all invited. With nearly 50 people attending it was a great evening where adults and children played, worked, and worshipped together. It’s so encouraging to see the growth in Monday Mayhem; from its small beginnings of 7 or 8 children to it now topping 20 children in attendance. That’s credit to the Monday Mayhem team’s perseverance and commitment to the children and to this mission activity; and of course great credit to God! Read more...

On preparing for the Over Sixties Club meeting this past week I found that every day, every month and every year has at least one specific theme to commemorate or celebrate.  So for example, yesterday was Bridge day, International Sloth Day, Sweetest Day, Wear Something Gaudy Day, Spreadsheet Day, Mulligan Day and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty!  Today is Chocolate Cupcake Day; forget about the diet, today is a great excuse to have a nice gooey, fudgy and intensely chocolate cupcake.  Excellent! Read more...

It’s a simple recipe: take 12 people who like cooking, a host of kitchen hardware, plenty of eggs, flour, butter and other fancy ingredients, place them in a tent with a sweet lady and a rather fierce man, add a dash of innuendo and there you have it – the Great British Bake Off. It is addictive viewing for many and this last Wednesday evening a record audience tuned into BBC1 to see Nadiya Hussain crowned as this year’s champion. Read more...

We have all heard the phrase ‘money well spent’. It’s a phrase that speaks for itself and one that we would all like to think applies to our investments or expenditure. However, more and more we hear of occasions where money has been ‘not so well spent’. This is especially the case when it comes to grants that are given to various bodies or organisations. We are left wondering whether some folk are in the ‘real world’. Read more...

As the cricket season draws to a close, there is much to reflect on and be happy about: the Ashes have been won, Yorkshire are league champions again, and Gloucestershire are the one day tournament champions – smiles all round! And yet we hear news that would make the staunchest member of the MCC jump on his trilby – the French claim they invented the game of cricket not the English! French historians claim that a letter to King Louis XI dating from 1478 may contain the first known reference to cricket – or ‘criquet’ – almost a century before experts believe it arrived in England on a village green in Guildford. The letter, written by a young man called Estiavannet, speaks of a ball game involving a wooden post played in Liettres, Northern France. The French taking the credit for inventing cricket? Surely not! Read more...

So I’ve been forty for 2 weeks and already I’ve received a letter from my Doctor’s Surgery asking me to book in for a NHS Vascular Screening Health Check which is being offered to people between the ages of 40 and 74 and will be undertaken every five years.  I’m. Barely. Even. Forty!!!! Read more...

When was the last time you went to the circus?  If you asked me at the beginning of the week I would have said about 30 years ago.  However, this past week I went to the circus!  It was in the playing field at Rosie’s School.  For one night only The Happy Circus came to town!  It was a great evening and I proper belly-laughed throughout it and was amazed at the skill of the various acts: the juggler juggling 5 spinning tennis rackets, the lady balancing a sword on her chin, the Spiderman acrobat, the amazing balancing man and the lady who did all sorts of acrobats through a hoop hanging from the top. Read more...

After our August break it’s good to be in touch with you once again through the corps bulletin. For those of you who were able to get away during the summer months, I hope you were able to enjoy the time away from your normal routine. Read more...

Summer is not only a time for numerous sporting tournaments, it is also a time for many other outdoor events. County and village agricultural shows are a plenty; picnics, teas and barbecues seem to happen everywhere; pop and folk festivals take place up and down the land in farmers fields and stately grounds; funfairs come to town, as will happen in Gloucester this weekend. Read more...

Come and join us in Gloucester Park for a free afternoon of fun and games!

There are a number of sporting events being closely followed in our house at the moment – not particularly by me, but I pick up things that are going on.  One of these things happened at Wimbledon on Court One this past week.  Read more...

Following my recent surgery it’s good to be out and about once again. I’ve appreciated all your ‘get well messages’ and especially thank you all for the support you have given to Clare in this last week. I was hoping that the recovery period would have been faster than it was and was extremely disappointed to not be at the hall these last few days. Read more...

The Army’s 150th Anniversary Congress is almost here. It was on 2 July 1865 that William Booth held his first open-air campaign at the old Quaker burial ground on the Mile End waste in Whitechapel. 150 years on and the movement that was formed on that day has spread to over 129 countries throughout the world. Even if we cannot be in London for the celebrations this week we can still be part of the excitement and joy that this significant anniversary represents. Read more...

It’s good to feel that summer is here. Blue skies, warm sunshine, hot days and even a cricket team that is exciting to watch! I’m not the best at taking care of myself when the hot weather comes along. I have a tendency to forget to put sunscreen on my thinning hairline so end up with a sore head, but worse still is that I do not drink enough and end up with a sore head in other ways. Read more...

Since 1999, every week without fail I’ve received a phone call from a lady called Norah. She’s a soldier at Barnet Corps in north London and I first met her in 1999 when she appeared at our London Headquarters asking to speak to the Territorial Commander. Read more...

Gardening seems to have been a familiar topic of mine in recent months. If you’re wondering how the front garden is going – don’t ask! The back garden is doing much better! Bedding plants are in, tomato plants are in the greenhouse growing nicely and strawberry plants are producing flowers and young fruit a plenty. These were Rosie’s plants but as usual interest is sporadic and dad is left to care for them. I’m happy with my efforts. My only disappointment has been the marigold plants. I have something in the garden that clearly sees them as a delicacy and has devoured them. So, in my carefully planted flower bed I have plants growing nicely in patterns (Hey, I do have OCDs!) and then in places I have a bald area with a stalk sticking out of the ground where once a marigold plant flourished. Read more...

This past week I took Rosie to see a new animated film at the cinema called Two By Two.  The story is based around Noah’s Ark.  It’s the end of the world, and a terrible flood is coming, set to wipe out all life as it is known. The good news is, a huge Ark has been constructed to save all the animals, which is great news to Dave and his son, Finny – two quirky creatures known as Nestrians. Read more...

It’s that time of year when the regular football season comes to an end. For some supporters it’s a time for partying to celebrate championships that have been won and promotions that have been secured to a higher league. For others, it’s a time for grumpiness or even tears denoting relegation to a lower league after a poor season. Read more...

There was a news article that caught my attention this past week on the BBC website.  It tells the story of a man who has suffered headaches and blocked noses for over 40 years of his life (he is 51).  Until recently he thought this was just hay fever, but after a massive sneezing fit he sneezed out a rubber sucker from a toy dart and his nose was no longer blocked! Read more...

This past week we have been celebrating and commemorating VE Day: Victory in Europe Day.  It marked the formal conclusion of Hitler's war. With it came the end of six years of misery, suffering, courage and endurance across the world. Read more...

In a few days time millions of Britons will converge on their local school, church or village hall to cast their vote in the General Election. This year, more than ever before, I hear of people becoming exasperated with politics and politicians. Whatever the political party, the personal attacks and ‘mud-slinging’ are not appreciated; the promises that are made are open to scrutiny and are deemed untrustworthy. For some there is an apparent disconnect with real people in the real world and so some people are sceptical about whether or not their vote has any bearing on the outcome at all. Read more...

We look forward to welcoming The Chicago Staff Band of The Salvation Army to Gloucester on Monday 29th June for a concert starting at 7:30pm. This event is part of their UK tour in the run-up to Boundless, The Salvation Army International Congress, and we're pleased to have been chosen as one of four UK Salvation Army corps to host them. Read more...

Well it’s the London Marathon today.  Those participating will have spent months preparing for this day.   I remember when my brother ran this a number of years ago the preparation programme was really intense.  I remember cycling alongside him running and thinking ‘this is madness, is this really worth it!?’  Yet I also remember the glorious sense of achievement he had when he finally reached that finish line at 26.2miles.  Read more...

One of the iconic film series of my generation is to make another comeback later this year. The “Star Wars” series originally starring Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Darth Vader returns to our screens and this time includes a number of the original cast. Read more...

The one thing that I cannot stand more than most things is being stuck in traffic…Especially, if I have already left extra time to avoid the traffic, or if I want to get home or be somewhere. I sometimes wish there was a “I’m in a rush” lane or in other words the “fast” lane. Read more...

The general election is off and running. For those ‘would be’ parliamentary candidates the business of convincing the electorate that they are the right person to vote for will take up every minute they have for the next few weeks. This year’s election will be close, with many of the smaller parties seeing a surge in support. Marginal seats will certainly be the focus and here in our city there will be plenty of people anxiously waiting for the result. But what about that those in safe seats? What about those general election candidates with no hope of winning? Many candidates in so-called safe seats can already be confident they will lose. According to the Electoral Reform Society over half of the 650 seats up for grabs are unlikely to change hands. So why on earth do these ‘would be’ candidates with no hope of winning spend months knocking on doors only to get totally thrashed on polling day? Read more...

I was disappointed to read this week that Downton Abbey will come to an end this year. The series due to be screened in the Autumn will be the last.  Downton Abbey was created by Julian Fellowes and follows the fortunes of an aristocratic family from 1912 to the mid-1920s. It’s one of those great divisive questions: “Do you like Downton Abbey?” Some will respond with great disappointment to the news whereas I am quite sure there will be those whose simple reaction will be, “Good riddance!” Read more...

When we introduced both our girls to paddling in the sea for the first time their expressions were very similar.  Both of them freaked out!  There were great screams and then a few moments of crying.  But I’m sure that many of us can relate to that feeling.  When we’ve taken those first steps towards the sea, as the tide brings the water in and we know it’s going to be cold and we’re bracing ourselves.  Sometimes we run away before it’s even touched our toes because the fear of it being cold is greater than our strength to face it.  Sometimes we wait and let it touch our toes and then run! Read more...

The internet is a very useful thing, especially when it comes to sending gifts and cards for loved ones at different times of the year. For those who don’t like the idea of wandering around the shops looking for gifts, it’s all there at the click of a button. For those, who leave the gift shopping till last minute, the internet offers the chance for gifts and cards to still make it to the recipient’s address in time for the big day. Read more...

Did you see the picture of the weasel who had a ride on the back of a woodpecker this week?  It was one of those amazing-once-in-a-lifetime shots that Martin Le-May managed to capture in Hornchurch Country Park, Essex.
An amazing fact that I found out about a Woodpecker is that it can carry 850 times its body weight!  WOW!  What a weight to carry. Read more...

I’m quite used to seeing some strange sights in Gloucester city centre in the evening. Through my experience of doing Street Pastors and now the weekly soup run I have come across a number of unusual situations and unique characters. I thought I had seen it all, that was until Wednesday evening. Read more...

As my parents live very near Braintree in Essex I was drawn to a news article this past week from this little town.  A fire broke out in a flat in the town centre.   The occupant was at home at the time but the only way he could escape was out the window.  However, the flat was on the second floor.  When alerted to the situation a quick thinking bus driver reversed his vehicle to just below the window so the man could jump out of the window, although he still had to make a 10 foot jump onto the roof of the bus.  What’s more the poor man was in the shower at the time and so had no clothes on when he made his escape.  Thankfully, the bus driver gave him his jacket to cover up until he could be properly kitted out. Read more...

It seems a long time ago that I was studying for my English Literature ‘O’ level. Like many other pupils in the 80’s, the set novel was the classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. The novel was published in 1960 and won the Pulitzer Prize. It is based upon Harper Lee’s experiences growing up in Monroeville, Alabama. The novel deals with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality whilst at the same time containing warmth and humour as it portrays those events through the eyes of three children. The book still sells around one million copies per year. Read more...

This weekend the annual Rugby Union Six Nations competition begins. I enjoy watching it and have to say that I admire anyone with the courage to play rugby, whether it be union or league. I enjoyed playing football, I found rugby brutal and hated it! It’s not a game for those who are easily riled. Read more...

I was interested to read the other week about Tutankhamun’s death mask.  It would seem that one of the most treasured artefacts in the world, which is 3,300 years old, was accidentally broken by the cleaners!  Apparently, one night they were fixing the light in the showcase, and when they did that they held the mask in the wrong way and broke the beard off!  In a panic the worker was quickly told to fix it and so used cheap superglue.  Unfortunately the glue was an irreversible kind which should have only been used on metal or stone – not on Tutankhamun’s death mask! Read more...

Well with it being Burn’s Night today I thought I’d have a scottish theme to the thought for the week.  Burn’s Night celebrates the birthday of Scotland’s national bard – Robert Burns who was born on 25 January 1759.  Read more...

I’ve been fascinated to read the story of the two American climbers who have succeeded this week in climbing to the top of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California. El Capitan’s Dawn Wall is a 3,000 foot sheer granite rock face and for 19 days, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell attempted what many considered impossible on one of the world's most difficult climbs and succeeded in being the first to "free climb" the sheer face of El Capitan's Dawn Wall. Read more...

Following on from Commitment Sunday, our Prayer Room is open from 10am until 10pm from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th January. We hope the room will give you space and opportunity to spend quality time with God reflecting on: Read more...

Are you an Elvis fan?  You may have picked up in the news this week that had he still been alive it would have been Elvis’ 80th birthday.  Elvis Aaron Presley was born on 8 January 1935 and tragically died on 16 August 1977.  Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as "the King of Rock and Roll", or simply, "the King". Read more...

Happy New Year to you all! After the busyness of December I hope you were able to enjoy some quality time for yourselves over the Christmas and New Year period. Read more...

The month of December gives many children the opportunity to become stage stars as they take part in nativity plays at school or at church. Storylines are open to interpretation! In one of his books, Gervase Phinn, a retired schools inspector from Yorkshire, tells the story of a school nativity that doesn’t quite stick to the script. Little Mary and Joseph have just arrived at the inn, Joseph knocks on the door and the dialogue goes like this: Read more...

They say that loneliness is the biggest social ill of our time and it would seem that this has been highlighted again by a survey carried out by BBC Radio 5 Live this past week which found that some 28% of British adults feel lonely at some time. Read more...

I wonder what the first week of Advent brought for you? Has it put you in the Christmas mood or was it no different from any other week? Read more...

Major Adrian Allman, Corps officer at Gloucester Salvation Army, was heard on BBC Radio Gloucestershire on Sunday 30th November after 8am, assisting presenter Richard Atkins with a review of the papers. Read more...

So did you manage to pick up any bargains on Black Friday? Black Friday, if you don’t know, is something we have inherited from the USA. It’s the day following Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday of November), and is often regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. They say that the origin of Black Friday come from the fact that retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss ("in the red") from January through to November, and "Black Friday" indicates the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit, or "in the black". In recent years, most major retailers open very early and offer promotional sales to kick off the holiday shopping season. It’s apparently the biggest shopping day of the year. Read more...

Every year, Salvation Army Centres throughout the UK distribute parcels to needy families at Christmas time. Last year, we distributed 324 Food Parcels and 292 Toy Parcels through 21 different agencies across Gloucester and we are hoping to be able to do a similar number again this year. All the recipients are referred to us by Social Services and Family Centres to ensure our parcels go to the neediest families in our City. Read more...

I have to confess I don’t give a great deal of thought to Christmas shopping – I normally support the wise decisions that Clare makes in this regard and am grateful she has it all under control. I do give much more thought to Christmas food! The adverts by all the major supermarket chains already have me thinking of all the delicacies that, with the right hints in the right places, might appear on our dining room table. Read more...

Our annual Christmas Charity Concert in aid of the chosen charity of the Rotary Club of Gloucester will this year feature narrators telling the story of Dickens' 'Christmas Carol' with music interspersed. Read more...

Dr. Stephen Cobb, Bandmaster of The International Staff Band and Territorial Music Secretary of The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom, will conduct an Open Rehearsal at the SA Hall in Eastgate Street, Gloucester. Any Brass players are most welcome to attend the 2 hour rehearsal which will commence at 7:45pm. Read more...