Early Sunday morning - July 31 - 06:04

The second and last vacation week is about to end. Tomorrow it is August and time to work again.

This past week we have spent together with our two youngest sons and their families. We rented a house on the Swedish West Coast. In the middle of the week we had a visit by our oldest son and his familiy. This was the (only) day this year we were able to gather the whole family. This is how it looked like that day:

The coming week will be a very busy week with a lot of exciting things happening. We will be in Riga only on Monday. The other days of the week we will be travelling in Latvia for different activities.

Have a blessed week
Peter Baronowsky

World Famous Evangelical Leader, John Stott Dies Aged 90

From fsaof.blogspot.com:
Evangelical Christian leaders from around the world are mourning the death of evangelical figure John Stott, who died Wednesday at the age of 90.

Stott, known for shaping 20th century evangelicalism through his writing and preaching, died 3:15 p.m. in his retirement home at St. Barnabas College, located 30 miles away from London. He was surrounded by his longtime secretary Frances Whitehead and close friends who read Scriptures and listened to Handel's "Messiah" when he passed.

An Anglican theologian from the U.K., Stott was the chief architect of the 1974 Lausanne Covenant and the author of over 50 Christian books in which he took complex theology and explained it in a way lay people could understand. One of his most popular books was Basic Christianity (1958), which has been translated into more than 60 languages, according to Christian book publisher InterVarsity Press. He has also influenced millions of Christians through other well-known titles including Christ the Controversialist (1970), Issues Facing Christians Today (1984) and the one he always considered his best: The Cross of Christ (1986).

In 2005, Stott was featured in TIME magazine as one of the world's "100 Most Influential People."

Despite his wide influence on the evangelical faith, many fondly knew him as "Uncle John."

When news broke of his death, evangelical leaders immediately posted statements to mourn and honor Stott as a beloved mentor and one of the greatest evangelical thinkers of his time.

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"The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen," famed U.S. evangelist Billy Graham said in a statement.

"I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven."

Graham helped organize the international meeting that unveiled the Lausanne Covenant, a historic document that served as a manifesto for Christian evangelism worldwide. When he heard of Stott's death from his assistant, Graham shed tears and was speechless, his grandson Tullian Tchividjian said via Twitter.

California megachurch pastor Rick Warren called Stott one of his "closest mentors."

"I flew to the UK recently just to pray for him &sit by his bed. What a giant!" the Saddleback Church pastor tweeted.

Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, the largest global body of evangelicals, said he was personally impacted by Stott's teachings.

“Uncle John, was a great influence in my own theological development. His commitment to biblical orthodoxy, global mission and unity in the body of Christ were foundational in my own spiritual journey,” said Tunnicliffe in a statement.

Stott was the primary author of the Preamble to the 1951 constitution of the WEA, which today represents 600 million evangelicals in 128 countries. In the document, Stott provided a biblical framework and the three primary purposes for the existence of the WEA.

A major legacy that Stott left to the world church is the Langham Partnership International and its U.S. chapter John Stott Ministries. The organization trains preachers, funds doctoral education for evangelical thinkers and provides evangelical books to pastors around the world.

Chris Wright, international director of Langham Partnership International, issued a statement on the John Stott Memorial website celebrating the preacher's Christ-like character.

"Like Moses, he was one of the greatest leaders God has given to his people, and yet at the same time, one of the humblest men on the face of the earth. He was, for all of us who knew him, a walking embodiment of the simple beauty of Jesus, whom he loved above all else," wrote Wright.

Lausanne Movement executive chair S. Douglas Birdsall and international director Lindsay Brown said in a joint statement:

"We are saddened by his departure, but strengthened with the knowledge that his great confidence and his lifelong hope in Christ has now been made real to him, and his life’s work has been vindicated."

They noted that Stott's "greatest contribution was to articulate clearly and to defend robustly the evangelical faith which he always understood to be biblical faith, grounded in the Ne

Brengle in Hamar and in Trondheim - part 4

From Brengles´ letters to his wife Lily during his campaign in Norway 1907, recorded in the book "Dearest Lily".

Hamar, February 27 1907
"....All Norway is ripe for a mighty revival...."

Hamar, March 9 1907
"...Several thieves and bad folks have been confessing their sins. Oh for a world wide revival of rightousness!"

Brengle also speaks about disturbances during the meetings. In the same letter he writes:

"A miserable rat nearly upset my closing meeting last night. The hall was jamned and people were standing in masses wherever they could find the space, when this rat rushed in. The women jumped up and the people in the gallery stood up and peered over to see what the commation meant and I had to stop talking and have a chorus sung. I think it hurt the meeting, but we managed to get a penitent form full of people before we closed..."

As a man always in need of good translators when preaching I can understand Brengle´s  frustration when the translator was not doing a good job:

Trondheim, March 25 1907
".. There is only slow, heavy, innaccurate translation. Staff-Captain Weie, who has been in India for eight years, and has been back to Norway only two years, is translating for me here. She has used her English Bible so long that she has forgotten her Norse Bible, an cannot quote Scripture accurately, and as I am constantly quoting Scripture, this is infortunate; then she is slow to find the right word. I have asked for a new translator, but I am not sure I shall get him."

Brengle in Oslo - Part 3

From Brengles´ letters to his wife Lily during his campaign in Norway 1907, recorded in the book "Dearest Lily".

Christiania (Oslo), 11 February 1907"The big hall was packed last night and we could hardly close the meeting. I got to bed after 12 o´clock. I am at No. 3 corps which seems to be in a very healthy spiritual condition. There are a number of soldiers belonging to the corps, who were blessed in my meetings at No. 1 corps last year and they work and sing and fish like real soldiers. How I bless God for them..."

Brengle also writes about people trying to get him speak in tongues to make his ministry even more fruitful:
"...Well they came again yestersday and brought brother Rhun, and by and by they all agreed that I ought to talk with tongues and carry this around the world. It was just about time for my afternoon meeting, and I had no time to alk, so I told them if they thought so they must pray to the Lord to give me the gift, as I was perfectly willing so far as I knew to receive the gift, and wanted all that God wanted me to have, so we prayed and then they all came to my meeting. I talked about the Holy Spirit and his work and tried to show plainly the distinction between the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit."

Brengle´time in Norway seems to be extraordinary blessed. Brengle writes on February 25 1907:
"The Lord has helped me to preach I think as I never preached before. My liberty has been just about perfect and he has helped me believe as I preached."

Headlines week 30

O'Reilly Blasts Media for Branding Norwegian Terror Suspect a 'Christian Extremist'
FoxNews - "Now, on Sunday, the "New York Times" headlined "As Horrors Emerged, Norway Charges Christian extremist". A number of other news organizations like the "LA Times" and Reuters also played up the Christian angle. But Breivik is not a Christian. That's impossible. No one believing in Jesus commits mass murder. The man might have called himself a Christian on the net, but he is certainly not of that faith.
Also Breivik is not attached to any church, and in fact has criticized the Protestant belief system in general. The Christian angle came from a Norwegian policeman not from any fact finding. Once again, we can find no evidence, none, that this killer practiced Christianity in any way."

Salvationists in Norway Join Public Demonstrations of Love and Unity
TSA international web page - "Salvationists in Norway have been a comforting presence in the public displays of remembrance for all affected by the bomb and gun attacks that killed at least 76 people on Friday 22 July"

Brengle and the renewal in Norway 1907 - Part 2

I am re-reading "Dearest Lily" by Samul Logan Brengle. The book is a collection of letters between Brengle and his wife while Brengle was preaching all over the world. It covers the years 1907-1923. He tells about all day matters, their children, his daily experiences, how he feels and about the meetings he is doing.

For me it is especielly interesting to read about his visits to the Scandinavian countries. In the introduction to the section about his visit in Norway, William Clark is writing:

"William Booth had asked him to go to Norway again because he was concerned that a pentecostal-type movement, which put great emphasis on speaking in tongues, was sweeping the country and confusing many salvationists. He was convinced that Brengle´s scriptural holiness teaching would help to get the matter in perspective. Neither man was opposed to the movement: it might well be that the Holy Spirit was in it, but they were worried about some of its emphasis; it needed direction and its excesses had to be discouraged. William Booth belived that Brengle, more than than any other, could help; and he was right. Under God he had notable success.

He was also able to help counteract harmful teaching in Bergen, where salvationists and other Christians were being affected by radical "new-theology", teaching that denied the divinity of Christ, the authority of the Scriptures and much else. Brengle´s address on the Atonement, prepared to challenge the errors, made a remarkable impression. The city was stirred by Brengle´s ministry and as far as the Army was concerned, the situation was retrived.


All this, and much else, is highlighted in the letters that follow."

When reading of the new movement in Norway questioning the authority of the Scriptures and deniyng  the divinity of Christ I recognize many of the things happening today among Christians. Not very much have changed.

I will soon come back with quotes from the letters.

/PB

Books by Brengle

While reading "Dearest Lily", Samuel Logan Brengles´ letters to his wife, I found this link, where you can read Brengles books chapter by chapter.
Here is the link.

Israel Palestinian Conflict: The Truth About the West Bank

The Divine Obsession

Francis Fragipane writes in Charima:
There are three basic categories of Christians. The largest group consists of people who, though they try to avoid the darkness in the world, have no hope that the world can be redeemed. Assuming Christ's return is imminent, they retreat into what seems a shelter of apathy concerning the non-Christian world around them. Yet most are not truly apathetic. Their souls, like Lot's, are vexed by the conduct of unprincipled men (2 Pet. 2:7-8). Their compassion, though, is kindled even if it's limited. Rarely do they extend themselves beyond the needs of their immediate family and closest friends.

They love the Lord, but they don't know how or what to do to change society or even to positively impact their neighborhoods.
Read more>

Early Sunday morning July 24

Another week. It has been a special week. A week of vacation!

Well things happen even during vacation time and this week I have had to daily take care of things connected to work. And Ruth spent one day of the week going to Praha for a planning meeting for an up-coming conference.She left at five in the morning and returned at midnight.

But apart from that we have had vacation this week. A great week together with our oldest son and his family, spending many hours on the Riga Beaches.

 Jurmala beach close to Riga

The first vacation week has passed. Now another one is coming. And we will spend that week in Sweden together with our two youngest sons and their families. We really appreciate these gatherings. We do not see each other too often these days, living so far away from each other.

After the two weeks of vacation we will enter an intensive work period starting the first week of August. But I will come back on that later. Now it is vacation time!

I pray that you will have a blessed week
Peter Baronowsky

What do you have?

I do not have a job. I have a life!

Marie Willermark TC in Sweden, from her presentation on FaceBook

Headlines week 29

'Instant churches' convert public schools to worship spaces
USA Today - "Every Sunday morning, the elementary school in Queens, like dozens more schools in New York City and thousands more nationwide, is transformed into a house of worship for a few hours."

Russian President Medvedev Signs Pro-Life Bill on Abortion Risks
Lifenews. com - "President Dmitry Medvedev signed into law Thursday a measure that informed women of the risks associated with an abortion prior to her having one. Russia has some of the highest abortion rates in the world, with some women having as many as six or more abortions, and the risks associated with abortions such as increasing the risk of breast cancer or premature birth in subsequent pregnancies, needs to be made known."

Harry Potter Theology, the Bible and Witchcraft
Christian  Post Blogs - "Danielle Tumminio, a Yale University lecturer who teaches “Harry meets the Bible” and Episcopal priest recently spoke with CNN's Kyra Phillips about the connections between the "Harry Potter" series and faith. She describes witchcraft as a gift that can be used for good or evil. The Potter series according to Danielle,  is said to teach "good" witchcraft and guides us to ask questions of ultimate meaning."

My comment

My comment to the article (from yesterday) on homosexual life-style:

My first reaction, subsequent to reading the article, is that we really live in different worlds. In Sweden the only voice that is allowed to be heard is the voice of pro-same-sex marriages supporters. In a Swedish television program the equal voice policy ought to be totally different. The prevailing attitude is that the Christian representative should not be given much time for rebuttal. The power to be heard is almost non-existent; the voice of warning against same-sex-marriages is as a consequence marginalised.

In Sweden we have ha lot of state-paid representatives guarding against anything negative being said against same-sex-marriages or gay life styles. For many years now we have had "Homoombudsmannen" (Homosexual Ombudman) with his own office and staff and which recently merged together with other "ombudsmän", to become "Diskriminieringsombudsmannen" (DiscriminationOmbudsman)

We have state-financed RFSU/RFSL (Riksförbundet för sexuellt likaberättigande) with the task of helping Swedish people's attitude adapt to the "correct" way to think about sexual lifestyles. They are producing school programmes to teach the children in school to think the 'correct' way.

Homosexuals in Sweden is not a group without power or a voice. In Stockholm they have the annual "Pride-festival" supported by many major businesses and by every political party is in some way taking part in the event. At one of these festival one was allowed to throw arrows at pictures of Christian leaders and politicians, and in the march one could hear people shouting out their desire to kill the Leader for the Christian Democratic party.

We really live in very different worlds!

The only thing worth saying, from my point of view, in the article, is that you should not interupt each other in a discussion in a TV debate program or in any other similar setting. One should really treat everybody with respect.

Finally. I totally disagreee with the final remark in the article about us eventually ending up saying, "see how the love each other". If mutual love should be the deciding factor in determining if something is right or wrong we will find ourselves accepting a multitude of sins which people love doing and doing while loving each other.

Right or wrong can never be dependent on the amount of love we put into a person, object or activity. If a homosexual life style is wrong, then it is wrong whether the persons love or hate each other.

Peter Baronowsky

THE FREEDOM TO SELECT MY LIFE PARTNER

Sven Ljungholm (fsaof.blogspot.com) sent me this article by Adam Couchman, an Australian Salvation Army Officer. I do not share the opinion presented in the article and I will soon post a comment on the article.
/Peter Baronowsky

"I’m a married to a loving wife. I’m a white male living in middle class Australia, with two kids, two fish and a cat. I live in an inner city suburb of the largest city in Australia, Sydney. I was born in Australia (Adelaide, no less, but that still counts) and have lived here all of my life. All of those factors combined put me in a position of power. Power I didn’t choose, or fight for, but power I’ve been given nonetheless. Add to that the fact that I am an Officer in The Salvation Army, which as an institution has earned a powerful voice in this country and my position of power is enhanced dramatically.

I don’t have to fight for my voice to be heard. I don’t live on the margins of society, and by and large I’m not prejudiced against, except perhaps that I’m not allowed to become a member at a one of those "women-only" gyms… not that I really want to.

So that means that I need to be careful in the way that I speak. By virtue of who I am and where I’ve been born I need to be careful that my voice does not drown out the voices of those who are not in the same position of power as me. Because I’m male, I need to listen to the voice of women. Because I’m a parent, I need to listen to the voice of my children, but also those who do not have children (for whatever reason). Because I live in the city, I need to listen to the voice of those who live in regional areas. Because I live in a first world country I need to listen to the voice of those who do not. I need to be active in listening first before speaking, simply because my voice is louder than others. I may not necessarily like that, but this is the reality of the distorted world we live in. Some are in positions of power. Most are not. I just happen to be one who in many of life’s arenas has a powerful voice.

I have to be honest and confess that I’m not always good at using my voice wisely. It’s very easy to write a paragraph like the last one, but very difficult to live that way every day. It’s much easier to exploit a position of power than to use it for the benefit of all.

Which brings me to a very contemporary topic at the moment; that being marriage. In particular, whether or not marriage should be reserved exclusively for female and male couples or should legislation be changed to be opened to same-sex relationships.

On Sunday night the Compass program on the ABC aired a discussion on this topic between 6 people of various opinions, chaired by host Geraldine Doogue. For those who don’t know, Compass is a TV program that discusses religious issues. I didn’t see the full episode on Sunday night, but did manage to view it all online here. (The transcript is also available in case it cannot be viewed in other countries).

I found the discussion mostly helpful, with the relevant issues raised and many of the participants being very honest and open about their own experiences. Since Compass is a religious program it is natural that there be clergy present in the discussion. This was fair. It was also good that there were two homosexual people represented, and one father (and self-confessed, former homophobic) of a gay man present at the table. That was necessary and welcomed. I also appreciated the chosen forum – a meal table. This is something I think is worthwhile exploring in any debate. As a side issue, this is a consideration that rarely enters into sacramental theology. If Jesus did institute a participatory and memorial meal as a primary means of Christians retelling his death and resurrection and anticipating his return, then why did he choose a meal? It’s an interesting question, but one for another day. For this program, the meal worked because it acted as a leveller between all the parties involved.

What did concern me, though, was the abuse of power from the one who held the most of it. I don’t think there was an intention to be abusive, but nevertheless it was there. That’s the insipid way that power subtly takes over. I suspect the white, middle-class, heterosexual, married, male minister approached this discussion with every intention of being respectful, but I don’t know that he properly acknowledged that he was the one with the most power at that table and so he needed to be the one that listened better than anyone else. I’m speaking in this specific instance about Rt. Rev. Robert Forsyth, not to “name and shame” him but simply because he was representative of a view that has been most dominant in the church for a long time. I acknowledge that there are personality issues, and many other factors at play here (including how the discussion was edited by the ABC), but his voice was the most dominant one at that table.

And he made it known.

The number of times in this program where Julie McCrossin had to say to Rev Forsyth “let me finish” or “let him finish” on behalf of someone else was really quite disturbing. Furthermore, Prof Dennis Altman remarked (after having been prompted by the host) “I’m finding this very difficult actually to say anything.” Admittedly, there was some humour in his comment, and his exclusion from the discussion wasn’t all Rev Forsyth’s fault, but still I suggest that his comment was representative of how the LBGT community has been made to feel by the church on this and other related issues.

I’m not going to provide my own opinion on same-sex marriage. To be honest, I don’t have one. I’m waiting for the day when I can have an open conversation with homosexual Christians to help form and inform an opinion. Perhaps around a meal table or over a coffee, where I can listen respectfully to their views first. The problem is I don’t really know any homosexual Christians. I know they exist, but I just don’t know where. Shame on me. Shame on the Church for being so opinionated on the “issue of homosexuality” (way to impersonalise the discussion) that we’ve excluded the people themselves from the place where they should be the most included.

Forgive me Lord. Forgive us Lord. God help us to be more loving. God help me to be more loving.

What I do want to suggest, though, is a way potential forward for the church in these sorts of discussion when they arise. Here it is.

Shut up and listen.

Stop speaking over other voices. Stop interrupting. Stop having duelling monologues and actually enter into dialogue with the other voice. Please, just shut up and listen.

I’m not saying “don’t ever talk again about this matter”. That would be completely unproductive. What I am suggesting, though, is that the church has held the power when it comes to marriage for 2000 years and we’ve not been good in the way we’ve used (and abused) that power. We need to realise that we hold the balance of power in this discussion and we should be using it in the same way that Jesus did. Not to exploit it over and against the powerless, but rather to give them a voice. To give them that dignity. To listen to them. To even sit down and have a meal with them. Jesus didn’t “name and shame” people as “tax collectors and sinners”. The Pharisees did a pretty good job at that. Rather, he sat down to eat with them as an equal. Something tells me that the church could learn something from Jesus’ approach. Maybe, just maybe, we might learn what it means to be an inclusive community first, rather than a dogmatic one. Perhaps we might just be able to be a place that everyone, including the LBGT community, looks at and says “look how they love one another – they must be Christians.” (John 13:34-35)

Maybe.

Just maybe. "

Adam Couchman
Bexley North, NSW, Australia
I am a Salvation Army Officer, living in Sydney, Australia.

Early Sunday morning in Riga, July 17

Weekly review from my point of view.

Last Monday evening we returned from the Commissioning celebrations in London. A weekend with many meetings. And also a weekend were we met a couple of our former students from the Salvation Army School in Norway, where we taught for nine years. We realised that it was thirty years ago they were students at the school. They must be much older today.

After that we had four busy days trying to get all necessesary things done, because it looks like we are going to have vacation next week.

Yesterday (Saturday) it was a wedding at Riga 1 corps and I had the privilege of doing the marriage service. It was captain Ieva who married her Filip from Belgium. Many people from Belgium, friends an relatives and of course many people from The Salvation Army were gathered for the great celebration.

After the wedding service the wedding dinner took place at Skangale Manor 10 km from Riga.

Now it is Sunday morning and it is soon time to go down to the morning service at the corps. This afternoon our oldest son and his family will arrive in Riga for one week of vacation in Latvia.

May you have a blessed week
Peter Baronowsky

The two most important moments in life

The two most important momemts in life are the day you were born and the day you understood why you were born

Said from the platform on the commissioning service in London July 9, 2011. Refering to the day you received your calling into ministry from God.

Pictures from the trip to the Congress

 The first days of July thirty Officers and Cadets from Latvia went to Stockholm for the Congress...

 ...here you can see 360 pictures...

...and here are some more pictures,
and finally here are 147 more pictures.

A sacramental Army

When I worked as a Bible teacher at Jelöy Folk High School in the 1980th we had many interesting talks about the sacraments. Most years we had in the Bible Class students from the Lutheran church who were spokesmen for childrens´ baptism. We had also students from the Pentecostal church who could not accept childrens´ baptism and made their case for adult baptism. Then we had Scandinavian salvationists, most of them baptized, and finally we had Salvationist from other parts of the world who had never ever been close to water.

I have through the years more and more understood how un-understandable it must be for Salvationist from other parts of the world that most Nordic Salvationists are baptized, either as children or as adults. And also how un-understandable it must be that Nordic Salvationist also are members in another church, the Lutheran church. A church with a very different theology concerning salvation, sacraments and many other things.

To explain the Nordic context the Salvation Army in Finland has released a book with the title: “A sacramental Army. The Salvation Army view on sacramental living in a Nordic context.” The book is written by Vibeke Krommenhoek (Denmark), Johnny Kleman (Sweden) and Antero Puotiniemi (Finland).

The book is available in Swedish, Finnish and English and it gives a good insight in the historical development on the Salvation Army view on sacraments, both in the Nordic countries and internationally.

Headlines week 28

Prophetic Insight: Why I Have to Speak Out on Gay Marriage
Charisma - "It is interesting to me that one of the greatest states in our Union, New York, has recently made legal the marriage of two people of the same sex. There is a lot of sin in the world, and along with God I am against all of it, to include any that may operate within me. However, when something as profound as this happens in our nation and I barely hear a peep from people who call on the name of the Lord Jesus, that scares me."

Ministers to Help 250,000 Youths Find Identity in Christ
Christian Post - "Josh McDowell has agreed to team up with Timothy Eldred for Pray With Youth, a global campaign that seeks to help the world's youth to find their identity in Christ and their role in local churches."

Is Jesus Christ the Hero in your Megachurch?
Christian Post - "A.W. Tozer’s  impact for the Kingdom of God is immeasurable. Like the prophets of old, he proclaimed the Word of God as he understood it – without compromise. His call was clear – repent from all sin, wholeheartedly embrace the cross, and follow Jesus in complete obedience"

Two songs with Riga Staff Songsters

Two songs with Riga Staff Songsters from the Congress in Stockholm:

Latvia has received a new lieutenant

After a full day of ordination and celebration in the huge "Cental Hall" in central London, it was time for the farewell meeting for the new lieutenants at the Training School in Denmark Hill. Here you can see the new Latvian lieutenant, Sarah Ilsters, surrounded by two old lieutenants:

During the farewell meeting a band played and when I saw the signs "Chalk Farm Band" I started to remember...

In the 1930th my father was a bandsman in Tranås Band. He planned to go to training to become a Salvation Army Officer, but several people advice him not to go with the motivation that the Salvation Army was a dying organisation internationally. So my father decided to go to England and study the dying organisation and that summer he played with Chalk Farm Band. After that summer he was convinced and returned to Sweden and applied for the School for Officers Trining. This was a story I heard several time at home. A story accompanied with photos of my father playing in the band. With that background it was interesting for me to see that the Chalk Farm Band was still alive, eighty years later, and also knowing that the Salvation Army internationally never had been bigger than today.

/peba

Early Sunday morning in London July 10

Early Sunday morning in London in the end of a busy week. (Picture from freefoto.com)

Tuesday morning we returned to Riga from the Congress in Stockholm together with all our Officers and Cadets. The Congress was a great experience for us all. You can read more from the Congress below.

After coming home we had a few days were most minutes were booked for meetings and talks with different people.

Thursday evening we had a farewell meeting at the corps in Iecava for Ieva Tavare. You can read more about that also below.

Friday evening Ruth and myself arrived in London to attend the Commissioning of Sarah Ilsters, corps leader at Riga first corps. She has been a distant student at the School for Officers Training in London for three years.

Yesterday, Saturday, was the great day. It started with a lunch for representatives from the different countries having cadets at the School. After that it was the Commissioning-meeting. And after a second lunch it was the Celebration meeting. Everything taking place at the Central Hall in Westminister in London.

 The cadets before the ordination

 The International Staff Band playing. 

On the balcony you can see Sarah´s fan-club behind the Latvian flag.

 In the end of the last meeting people who had applied, or planned to apply, to the School for Officers´ training were asked to come up on the platform.

Today, Sunday, it is the farewell meeting at the School for Officers´s training in Denmark Hill.

After that a "normal" working week will probably show up. I pray that it will be a blessed week for you.

Peter Baronowsky

Farewell meeting in Iecava

Thursday evening it was a farewell meeting in Iecava for Captain Ieva Tavare. She will marry Filip from Belgium and she will enter a new appointment at the Regional Headquarters in Belgium.

Ieva preached...

...and she received a lof of flowers and gifts.

Riga Staff Songsters in Stockholm

From an open air meeting in Vasa Park in Stockholm...



...and the following march to Immanuel Church.

Headlines week 27

Religion, Faith Still Important to Most People
Christian Post - "A global survey looked at the views of over 18,000 people across 24 countries, including the U.K. and U.S. Seven in 10 of those surveyed said they had a religion but there was a marked difference between Christians and Muslims when it came to the importance they placed on their faith.
In Muslim-majority countries, 94 percent of those with a religion agreed that their faith was important in their lives, compared to 66 percent in Christian-majority countries."

Selling God
Sunday Star (New Zealand) - "Bringing in the sheaves: Young believers packed Auckland's Vector Arena to hear US pastor Greg Laurie, above, invite them to repent. Chartered buses delivered the congregation from 200 churches to the Harvest Church event"

Do Leaders Need to Be Holy?
Kingdom people - "And yet of all the resources available on leadership today (there are currently almost 350,000 available at amazon.com) I do find the issue of personal holiness missing from most discussions on leadership, even among those who serve in ministry. There are plenty of books and articles about rules or laws of leadership, keys to leading an effective team, how to be not simply good but great, and how to use your gifts to their maximum potential. But there appears to be few people discussing the vital issue of personal holiness in the life of a leader."

Refurbished Palais de la Femme Reopened in Paris, France
TSA - "One of The Salvation Army's best-known buildings has reopened after significant refurbishment. The centre, which provides accommodation to women in need and their children, was reopened by Colonel Massimo Paone and Jean-Paul Huchon, President of l'Île-de-France."

Congress in Stockholm

The Salvation Army in Sweden/Latvia has just celebrated a congress in Stockholm. Unfortunatly I have not been able to translate the reports into English due to lack of time. But look at our main page www.rupeba.se and use Google translation to get a picture about the Congress.

Peter Baronowsky