Out carolling

[David Brider]

This Saturday just gone, I went with my girlfriend and the band from her corps to the local Sainsbury's. For a couple of hours the band played carols, Christmas hymns, and the occasional secular Christmas songs, whilst Sarah and I, and another friend from the corps, held the collecting tins and wished "Happy Christmas" to the passersby.

We had a great time, and it really made me feel all properly Christmas-sy!

So three cheers for the Salvation Army!



David.

 

[Mudfrog]

I'm glad you had a great time! I enjoy carolling with our band and songsters - always have done, and it's a great way of meeting the people, spreading the Gospel and raising funds for our work with the community. It will be a very sad day if Army bands ever ceased to exist (as is the expressed intent of some).

If there were no Army bands, there would be no Salvation Army.
Controversial, but true.

 

[David Brider]

It will be a very sad day if Army bands ever ceased to exist (as is the expressed intent of some).

It is??!

Sarah's corps have their carol service on Sunday. We're looking forward to that too.

David.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

This Saturday just gone, I went with my girlfriend and the band from her corps to the local Sainsbury's. For a couple of hours the band played carols, Christmas hymns, and the occasional secular Christmas songs, whilst Sarah and I, and another friend from the corps, held the collecting tins and wished "Happy Christmas" to the passersby.

We had a great time, and it really made me feel all properly Christmas-sy!

So three cheers for the Salvation Army!



David.

And while you were there, I was doing exactlynthe same thing at Morrisons in Knottingly.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

I'm glad you had a great time! I enjoy carolling with our band and songsters - always have done, and it's a great way of meeting the people, spreading the Gospel and raising funds for our work with the community. It will be a very sad day if Army bands ever ceased to exist (as is the expressed intent of some).

If there were no Army bands, there would be no Salvation Army.
Controversial, but true.

I wouldn't say there would be no salvation Army, but there certainly would be no Army as we know it, and I agree with you, that wuold be a sad day indeed.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

It is??!

Sarah's corps have their carol service on Sunday. We're looking forward to that too.

David.

There are those who would do away with such things, more, although that trend is not that strong in this country.

The problem we have is that there are far too few young people coming through to maintain the band as older members retire.

We have but 7 people in our band. When I rejoin the band at some point next year I will become (at 40) the second youngest in the band. The problem speaks for itself.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

Our Carol service is on Christmas Eve at 4pm. I was due to start a night shift at 6pm so thought I would miss it. However, my supervisior has agreed that i can start at 8pm instead

Hallelujah!!!!

 

[sreno7]

now that would be Awesome and would put me in the Christmas spirit.

 

[sawitch]

This Saturday just gone, I went with my girlfriend and the band from her corps to the local Sainsbury's. For a couple of hours the band played carols, Christmas hymns, and the occasional secular Christmas songs, whilst Sarah and I, and another friend from the corps, held the collecting tins and wished "Happy Christmas" to the passersby.

We had a great time, and it really made me feel all properly Christmas-sy!

So three cheers for the Salvation Army!



David.

As a veteran caroller, both playing and collecting, it bothers me that the people who donate probably think that all the money goes to fund charity work.

I don't know about other countries but in the UK the money is divided between the corps, the band and local projects. This means that after DHQ have had their cut only 30% of money donated actually gets put towards 'charity' projects.

I feel uncomfortable about this. How about other people?

 

[Abiel]

There are those who would do away with such things, more, although that trend is not that strong in this country.

The problem we have is that there are far too few young people coming through to maintain the band as older members retire.

We have but 7 people in our band. When I rejoin the band at some point next year I will become (at 40) the second youngest in the band. The problem speaks for itself.

Our problem isn't lack of willing children- it's lack of a willing (or able) teacher

 

[COMMANDO]

Our problem isn't lack of willing children- it's lack of a willing (or able) teacher

we have that problem at my corps, basically, there are absolutely no musicians at all, let alone a brass band .... but there are people like myself who are willing to step up and learn, but well...... no teachers....
an idea just struck me now.... can we all get around this by, asking corps nearby or within the division if they have someone that is qualified/or able to teach, and then would they be willing to commit 1 day or night a week to teach some people??? after all i think thats what its about, helping each other out, building each other up in faith, and skills...

 

[sreno7]

Our junior band program ended a few years ago due to lack of teachers, not sure if we still have a senior band. we have the musicians, just not someone to organize them

 

[sreno7]

I would like to respond to the post about the money. I have had this dilemma when doing kettles at Christmas. People donate money thinking that it goes to "help the poor people at Christmas" when it oftend doesn't even stay in the community. I remember doing kettles one season knowing the money was going to build a new Harbour Light centre in Vancouver. Meanwhile parents were giving their children money to donate, telling them the money goes to give poor children a nice Christmas. I felt like a fake. I know the Red Shield money stays in the community.

 

[sawitch]

I would like to respond to the post about the money. I have had this dilemma when doing kettles at Christmas. People donate money thinking that it goes to "help the poor people at Christmas" when it oftend doesn't even stay in the community. I remember doing kettles one season knowing the money was going to build a new Harbour Light centre in Vancouver. Meanwhile parents were giving their children money to donate, telling them the money goes to give poor children a nice Christmas. I felt like a fake. I know the Red Shield money stays in the community.

Well at least it is going to a charitable cause. In the UK the corps get a third to supplement the soldiers lack of giving, the band gets a third for new music and shiny new instruments and the final third goes to support local projects such as christmas parcels. Of course this is after DHQ have received their tithe. Therefore out of every £1 donated, 30p goes to help people in the community.

 

[COMMANDO]

hmmmm wen we get talkin bout $$$ kinda makes ya wonder alot bout where it does go.... i mean i know officers need $$$ to survive i'm cool with that however considering the work they do and that its pretty much a 24/7 job they dont get enough $$$ in my opinion (not an officer by the way)
wen it comes to stuff like shiny new instruments tho and wiz bang computers multi media gear ect.... do we really need that to be an effective church?
alot of costs could be cut to actually put more into the community.... eg: a $3000 projector sure alows us to do more cool presentations for song lyrics ect, but wen you look at that then say with that $3000 we could put maybe 10 decent dinners on through the year for those in the community that are strugling, kinda makes ya think $$$ could be better spent.

 

[SDA14]

ok

 

[SDA14]

so

 

[Jonteel]

Money has been a point of contention since Bible times. Judas complained that the oil could have been sold for a goodly sum.

Don't muzzle the Oxen that grind he meal.

I found and interesting book by Davey Wilkerson. He is the country minister that went to New York in the 1950's. God impressed the verse about muzzling the Oxen. In his book, "Im not mad at God."

I just started reading it. It is good. We should expect God to multiply our funds (after tithe) and we should expect that if we are obedient and feed the Oxen, God will multiply the loaves and do what he needs to do with what remains. Certainly, we cannot expect God to bless disobedience!