To mark the TENTH anniversary of the very first GttA podcast in July 2013 this is the first of a very special 4-part series of podcasts featuring music from each decade of the Army's existence right up to the present day.

The Salvation Army began - as The Christian MIssion - in 1865 when William Booth preached outside The Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel, East London. Spreading throughout the whole of England, Wales and Scotland in its first decade it became The Salvation Army in 1878, Booth taking on the mantle of the General of his army.

Within 25 years, as we hear in this episode, 60,000 Salvationists could gather together at the Crystal Palace for a Silver Jubilee and today, 158 years after those humble beginnings the Army is at work in over 130 countries, right round the world.

This episode uses music with its origins in the earliest 40 years of the movement's history 1865-1905, a surprising amount of which is still known and occasionally used in the present day. We hear music from writers such as Richard Slater, George Scott Railton, Kate and Herbert Booth (two of the Founder's children) and William Pearson as well as, of course, popular tunes of the day 'adopted and adapted' for the Army's mission a-plenty.

Some of the music has been adapted by well-known composers like Ray Steadman-Allen, Norman Bearcroft and Leslie Condon and sections featured include the ISB and ISS, Hendon, Portsmouth, Stockholm and Boscombe Bands, songster brigades from Birmingham and Moonee Ponds, Sydney Australia and a stellar collection of soloists including Susan Turner, Fred Crowhurst, Kaytie Harding and Ian Johnston - not to mention Commissioner John Lawley himself!

Enjoy this opportunity to transport yourself back in time to hear music and words with a relevance to the present age.

God bless you all.
Marc

'The Salvation Meeting' makes its return this Sunday after my summer break.

It returns with something, by necessity, a little different from a 'normal' meeting.

The 90 minute 'special' has been specially written and recorded to be broadcast the evening before the funeral of our late Queen Elizabeth II and takes the form of a 'Heavenward-looking Vigil'

Specially selected Salvation Army music and songs are interspersed with thoughts reflecting Her Majesty's life and service, particularly her strong and vibrant Christian faith - and many of her own quotes have been recorded by Jeannine Ridha for the broadcast.

The meeting will be broadcast, as usual, on Fortress Radio at 6pm on Sunday 18th September and then available on the "Going to the Army!" site as well as the Fortress Radio Podcast service.

Please join me for this special meeting.

Marc

For the last meeting prepared before I take my summer break (I'll be back in September!) I found my inspiration after seeing a question asked in a Salvation Army forum online: What is a Salvation Meeting?

In these days when most corps only have one service on a Sunday it seems strange to some to imagine we once had at least 3 indoor meetings, Sunday Schools, Open-Air meetings and more EVERY Sunday!

Each meeting had its own focus - Praise, personal Holiness - and Salvation - the meeting to which we were encouraged to bring friends, neighbours etc. in the hope and belief that they would find salvation for themselves.

So...I try to answer the question - and make an impassioned plea for a response in this meeting.

As always there is some wonderful music - Dean Goffin's timeless classic 'The Light of the World', Ivor Bosanko's beautiful setting of Herbert Booth's 'I Bring them to Jesus' - some great songs and choruses and a singing company item with a guest General participating for good measure!

Join me for an hour's worship and challenge - and God bless you all.
Marc