A charming old stone church with surrounding graveyard and greenery
Yesterday it was announced from The Salvation Army’s headquarters in London to all SA Churches in the UK that not only weekly activities should be cancelled but also usual Sunday worship for the foreseeable future to help avoiding the spread of COVID-19
I later learned that The Salvation Army wasn’t the only church to be closing their doors for this reason, The Church of England I heard on the TV news and The Church of Scotland are also cancelling services
Being a member of The Salvation Army it is unimaginable ‘The Salvation Army – closed doors’. Especially when they were on the frontline of two world wars with their soup kitchens and serving cups of Tea to the troops, which is of course where the phrase ” There’s nothing like an Army cup of Tea comes from”
People entering the Salvation Army worship and community center on a fall day
In The Salvation Army, “undercurrents” refer to hidden negative influences—attitudes, conversations, or behaviours—that quietly work against unity, leadership, and mission. They are not open conflict but subtle forces that erode trust and spiritual health within a corps.
🌊 What “undercurrents” mean in Salvation Army life
The term isn’t formally defined in Salvation Army doctrine, but it’s widely used in pastoral and leadership circles to describe unspoken resistance or negativity beneath the surface of corps life. These undercurrents often take the form of:
Gossip and whispering that spread discontent.
Cliques or factions that divide fellowship.
Passive resistance to officers or local leaders.
Private criticism that undermines public unity.
Unresolved hurt or bitterness that festers quietly.
Influential individuals steering others away from mission focus.
Such patterns mirror the biblical warnings against murmuring and division (Philippians 2:14; Romans 16:17). They are spiritual rather than merely social problems—signs of hearts drifting from holiness and shared purpose.
⚠️ Why undercurrents are dangerous
Undercurrents can:
Disrupt fellowship and discourage participation.
Undermine spiritual authority of officers and leaders.
Distract from mission and outreach.
Create tension sensed by newcomers, damaging witness.
Lead to division or even corps decline if left unchecked.
Leadership studies within the Army, such as Michael Hutchings’ work at Moorlands College, note that effective officership requires awareness of these hidden tensions and the courage to address them openly.
🕊️ How Salvation Army leaders address undercurrents
Typical pastoral responses include:
Bringing issues into the open through honest, prayerful conversation.
Encouraging reconciliation using Matthew 18 principles.
Promoting transparency in decision‑making and communication.
Teaching holiness and unity as core Army values.
Rebuilding trust through consistent, humble leadership.
These steps align with the Army’s doctrinal emphasis on holiness and community life found in The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine, which calls believers to purity of motive and mutual love.
✝️ A reflective takeaway for your blog post
“An undercurrent may be unseen, but its pull is felt by all. Only when truth and grace surface together can the fellowship sail steady again.”
Lord Jesus,You are the One who calms the storm and stills the hidden currents of the heart.Search us today.Where there is hurt, bring healing.Where there is bitterness, bring release.Where there is whispering, bring truth spoken in love.Where there is division, bring Your peace.
Make our corps a place where grace flows freely,where leaders are supported,where fellowship is warm,and where Your mission is unhindered.
Unite us by Your Spirit,purify our motives,and let Your love be the strongest current among us.Amen.
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,[a] as you did that day at Massah[b] in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
Joy Webb a member of The Joystrings of The Salvation Army wrote many songs. One of the was entitled “I want to Sing it”
Maundy Thursday is one of the most moving and meaningful days in the Christian calendar. It marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum—the three holy days leading to the resurrection—and it invites us into the heart of Jesus’ love, humility, and sacrifice.
🌿 1. The Word “Maundy”
The word Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning commandment. It refers to Jesus’ words at the Last Supper:
“A new commandment I give you: that you love one another as I have loved you.”
This commandment is the heartbeat of Maundy Thursday.
🍞 2. The Last Supper
On this night, Jesus shared the Passover meal with His disciples. Here He:
Broke bread and shared wine
Spoke of His body and blood
Instituted what we now call Holy Communion or the Eucharist
It is a moment of deep intimacy—Jesus giving Himself completely for the world.
🧼 3. Jesus Washing the Disciples’ Feet
In an act of radical humility, Jesus washed their feet—something normally done by servants.
This teaches us:
Leadership is service
Love is practical
No one is beneath our care
It’s the gospel lived out in action.
🌙 4. The Garden of Gethsemane
After the meal, Jesus prayed in agony, preparing for what lay ahead.
Here we see:
His humanity
His obedience
His willingness to carry the weight of the world
It is a night of surrender.
🔥 5. A Night of Betrayal and Love
Maundy Thursday holds both tenderness and tragedy:
Jesus’ love poured out
Judas’ betrayal
The disciples’ confusion
The beginning of the Passion
It reminds us that God’s love remains steadfast even when human hearts falter.
Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, the most sacred week in the Christian year. It remembers Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey — a symbol of peace rather than power. Crowds welcomed Him with palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!” meaning “Save us!”
It’s a day full of contrasts:
Joyful celebration as Jesus is welcomed as King
Quiet sorrow as we know the cross is only days away
Deep reflection on the kind of King Jesus chooses to be — humble, compassionate, self‑giving
🌿 Key Themes You Can Use in a Devotion
✨ 1. The Unexpected King
Jesus arrives not with armies or grandeur, but in humility. A reminder that God’s ways often surprise us — and challenge our assumptions about power and success.
✨ 2. Hosanna: A Cry for Help and Hope
“Hosanna” isn’t just praise; it’s a plea. Palm Sunday invites us to bring our own cries for help to God — personal, communal, and global.
✨ 3. From Crowds to Commitment
The same crowd that cheered would later fall silent. Palm Sunday asks: What does faithful discipleship look like when the cheering stops?
✨ 4. The Journey Toward the Cross
This day sets our feet on the path toward Good Friday and Easter. It’s a moment to pause, breathe, and prepare our hearts.
🙏 A Short Prayer You Can Use
Lord Jesus,As we remember Your entry into Jerusalem,give us hearts that welcome You with honesty,courage to follow You in humility,and hope that trusts in Your saving love.Prepare us for the journey of Holy Weekand lead us toward the joy of resurrection.Amen.
The Fourth Sunday in Lent is traditionally known as Laetare Sunday, from the Latin laetare meaning rejoice. It’s a gentle lifting of the Lenten mood—a reminder that even in seasons of discipline, God’s grace breaks through with hope.
Many churches use:
Rose-coloured vestments instead of purple
Flowers on the altar
A lighter, more joyful tone
It’s a moment to breathe, to remember that the journey to the cross is also a journey toward resurrection.
📖 Key Themes
✨ 1. Joy in the Desert
Lent can feel like a wilderness season—self-examination, repentance, restraint. Laetare Sunday reminds us that God meets us in the wilderness with refreshment and encouragement.
✨ 2. God’s Provision
Traditional readings often include images of God feeding, healing, or restoring His people. It’s a reminder that God sustains us even when the path feels long.
✨ 3. A Glimpse of Easter
This Sunday is like a window opening toward the coming victory of Christ. It whispers: “Hold on—light is coming.”
Different traditions emphasise slightly different themes, but common threads include:
Self‑examination — looking honestly at the heart
Turning back to God — the ongoing call to repentance
Strength for the journey — recognising our dependence on God’s grace
Living water / spiritual thirst — especially in lectionaries that use the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)
📖 Typical Scripture Themes
Many churches read passages that highlight:
God’s patience and mercy
The danger of spiritual complacency
Christ offering renewal and transformation
The call to bear good fruit
🕯️ A simple reflection you could use
Here’s a short devotional thought you might appreciate for your blog or meetings:
“Lent invites us not simply to give something up, but to wake up.On the Third Sunday in Lent, we remember that God meets us in our thirst,offering living water that restores, refreshes, and redirects our steps.”
The Second Sunday in Lent is traditionally understood as a week of deepening discipleship, where the focus shifts from simply entering the Lenten journey to actively wrestling with what it means to follow Christ.
The heart of the Second Sunday in Lent is the cost and call of discipleship. Many churches read passages where Jesus challenges His followers to trust, surrender, and walk faithfully even when the path is uncertain.
Common lectionary themes include:
God’s covenant faithfulness (often through Abraham’s story)
Trusting God when the future is unclear
Jesus’ call to take up the cross
Growing in spiritual maturity
📖 Typical Scripture Readings
While readings vary by tradition, these are commonly used:
Old Testament: God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12 or 17) — highlighting trust and promise
Psalm: A psalm of confidence, such as Psalm 27 — “The Lord is my light and my salvation”
Epistle: Encouragement to stand firm in faith (Romans 4 or Philippians 3)
Gospel: Jesus teaching about discipleship (Mark 8, Matthew 16, or Luke 9)
These passages together emphasise faith, obedience, and the journey of transformation.
✝️ Spiritual Focus for the Week
Many Christians use this week to reflect on:
Where God is calling them to deeper trust
Habits or attitudes that need surrender
How to walk more closely with Christ in daily life
What “carrying the cross” looks like in practical terms
It’s a week that often feels more introspective than the first Sunday, inviting a quieter, more reflective posture.
🕯️ In Worship
Churches may highlight:
More reflective hymns (e.g., Take Up Thy Cross, Be Thou My Vision)
Themes of covenant, promise, and faith
A continued absence of “Alleluia”
Purple vestments and a focus on repentance and renewal
🌱 A Thought for Reflection
A simple prayer often associated with this Sunday is:
“Lord, teach me to trust You more deeply and follow You more faithfully on this Lenten journey.”
Let us pray to the Lord our God for help. He is readily listening for our words. He wants to know us, and He wants us to trust in Him. Through Him, we are safe. Through Him, we will not perish. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name […]
“Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
Mark 6: 34
When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
When I was looking for readings for today’s blog I felt I had to put both of the above readings up.
Generals John Gowans & John Larsson of The Salvation Army were two very talented officers in the Salvation Army who wrote 10 musicals. This song is from the second musical, titled “Hosea” – the story of the Old Testament prophet’s faithfulness and forgiveness towards his unfaithful wife, relating this to God’s forgiveness of His people who had broken their promises to Him.
1. If human hearts are often tender, And human minds can pity know, If human love is touched with splendor, And human hands compassion show, Chorus Then how much more shall God our Father In love forgive, in love forgive! Then how much more shall God our Father Our wants supply, and none deny!
2. If sometimes men can live for others, And sometimes give where gifts are spurned, If sometimes treat their foes as brothers, And love where love is not returned,
3. If men will often share their gladness, If men respond when children cry, If men can feel each other’s sadness, Each other’s tears attempt to dry,
