Live updates from Saturday at Together 26

Updates from Birmingham on the second day of Together 26!

8.15pm

What a finale to Saturday!

Major Nasreen Dawson (Blackburn) shared tonight’s Bible reading from 2 Peter 1:3–11 (New Living Translation) before praying in Urdu for Territorial Leader Commissioner Paul Main before he brought a Bible message.

Commissioner Paul explained the Bible passage from 2 Peter is about ‘what kind of person Jesus is forming you and me to be’, adding: ‘Peter is telling us we need to put the effort into holy living.’ He went on to say: ‘So many people are right in their doctrine but wrong in their spirit. They know it in their head, but it hasn’t translated to their heart.’

He asked: ‘Who are we called to be?’ He answered by unpacking three words: Kind. Hopeful. Thankful. This is us!

‘If this is us, let kindness be visible in our living.’

‘If this is us, let's speak hope.’

‘If this is us, let's practise gratitude.’

‘Where is God asking you to be kind?’

‘Where is God asking you to carry hope?’

‘Where is God asking you to become more thankful?’

As the ISS sang 'I’ll Stand for Christ’, the congregation was invited to stand.

The contributions from all music groups have been so powerful tonight and, after a final congregational song accompanied by the worship band, the hosts brought a benediction:

‘God has given us everything we need for life and goodness. This is us: loved by God, called by Jesus, and welcomed into his wonderful story.

‘So may we grow in faith, and add goodness; grow in goodness, and add understanding; grow in understanding, and add self-control; grow in self-control, and add perseverance.

'May we grow in Godliness, kindness and love, so that our lives tell the truth about Jesus. This is us: young and old, noisy and quiet, learning and growing together.

'And when we forget who we are, may God remind us: we belong to him. In him we live and move and have our being. In him we find grace for today and hope for tomorrow.’

‘So send us out, Lord Jesus, to be your people in the world: faithful, fruitful, brave and kind. This is us, because of you. Amen.’

Tonight's hosts were fantastic! Not only did they lead the session through confidently, but they also helped plan the evening.

That's it for today. Be sure to come back tomorrow!

If you can, tune in to the livestream at youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo:

10.30am–12.30pm This Is Our Journey: Ordination and Commissioning of the Keepers of the Covenant – pre-meeting music starts at 10.10am.
3pm–4.30pm This Is Us! Part of the Story – pre-meeting music starts at 2.40pm.

Good night and God bless!

7.45pm

Next up on tonight’s live God Date Podcast: Becky and Dan from Music Man Project Lancashire. Becky and Dan joined the hosts after the group performed one of their signature songs, ‘Join Together’, supported by the ISB.

The Music Man Project is a pioneering initiative that provides a confidence-boosting music education service for people with learning disabilities and their carers. First started by David Stanley in 2000, it became a key partner for The Salvation Army in 2017, aligning with the Movement’s value of respect and welcoming everyone with equal dignity and valuing their diversity.

Becky asked for prayer for unity: ‘Regardless of shape or size, we're all one!’

Then it was the turn of Caleb (Hadleigh Temple) and Tilly (Stepney) representing the Territorial Justice and Reconciliation Youth Forum, a group of young people from across the territory who meet regularly to have a voice in justice issues.

Tilly said: ‘God calls us to love our neighbour and stand up for the vulnerable.’

God Date questions then moved into the auditorium, with the hosts interviewing Territorial Leader Commissioner Jenine Main, Chief Secretary Colonel Peter and Territorial Secretary for Leader Development Colonel Julie Forrest, before members of the congregation were invited to ask one another:

What are you most grateful for?
What song is helping you connect with God at the moment?
What’s your favourite Bible verse and why?
Who has been an influence on your spiritual journey?
What can I pray for, for you?

Ellie and Sam, two of the God Date hosts, recently answered their own God Date questions.

Together with… Ellie and Sam.

7.15pm

The main session started at 6.30pm and as people took their seats, the ISB, ISS and Together 26 worship band set the tone and got worship started with some pre-meeting music.

Watch a livestream of the session – BSL also available.

Tonight’s session is led by Amelia, Ellie, Hermione and Sam, hosts of God Date Podcast from the North West and Isle of Man Division’s youth. Throughout the session, the team are interviewing Together 26 participants. First up, it’s Dan and Karac from Aston 614, a Salvation Army youth centre in Birmingham. Earlier in the day, Aston 614 invited members of the public and people attending Together 26 to create a graffiti prayer wall in Brindleyplace.

This week’s Salvationist magazine features an interview with Karac, who said: ‘I always see art as a way of expressing personal and community ideas and values. It’s a way to express how you feel about your faith and your community.’

For more content from tonight’s session, follow @salvationistuki on Facebook and Instagram, or stay tuned for our next update!

5.45pm

There’s so much happening here at the ICC, it’s hard to keep up! There really is something for everyone.

The whole weekend is being covered in prayer, thanks to an intercession team of eight people who are based in the foyer of the ICC. Join them by using the prayer prompts at salvationist.org.uk/together-home or you can share a prayer request by using the web form below.

The form will not show if you have not accepted functional cookies: review cookie preferences. If you'd like to share a prayer another way, you can email salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Captain Ellie Shakespeare (Sutton) led a challenging Bible study session on Acts 17:16–34, a passage that includes our key verse for the weekend, Acts 17:28. The group was invited to think about what we are living for. Captain Ellie said: ‘God is sovereign and yet he wants to know you.’ She added: ‘God can be found because God is very near.’

Read a Bible study on Acts 17:28 from Major Gordon Cotterill (THQ) in this week’s Salvationist magazine, or online at salvationist.org.uk/devotions.

The Candidates Unit invited people to explore God’s calling on their life in the Called to Be... seminar. As Captain Berri McKenna (William Booth College) assured those gathered that no questions were off-limits, discussion included topics such as age restrictions, accommodation, single-spouse officership and neurodiversity.

First-year cadet Bethany Henderson said: 'My calling came at Together 23. My husband and I had come wanting to hear from God and when the TC was speaking on the Saturday evening I received a vision of new doors to open in my life. After Together, there were so many times when God continued to affirm our calling.'

Jacob Smith, also a first-year cadet, said: 'I was warming up to play my trumpet one morning when I suddenly couldn't move. I closed my eyes and received a vision of being with God and I was a Salvation Army officer. I thought God had got it wrong, so I went to do teaching, but I hated it. I carried on making bad decisions when I came to a point that I knew something had to change and an opportunity came to work at a local corps. Everything fitted into place and it felt like God was saying to me that I had tried my own thing and now it was time for me to do what he wanted.'

If you feel like you’re at a crossroads or want the space to consider who you are called to be, then find out more about Design for Life – a weekend retreat to help you discover God's design for your life. The next weekend is 18–20 September at William Booth College in London, with weekends planned in Scotland and the north east in 2027.

The Moral and Social Issues Council hosted a thought-provoking discussion about artificial intelligence, led by Secretary for Spiritual Life Development Major Gordon Cotterill and featuring Captain Mark Scoulding (Stornoway), Garry Smith (SATCoL), Della (Chelmsford), Anti-Trafficking and Modern Slavery chaplain Major Estelle Blake and Victor, who is studying artificial intelligence at Brunel University.

Read an interview with Captain Mark Scoulding about The Salvation Army’s AI Guardrails, and a reflection on AI through a biblical lens by Lieut-Colonel Nick Coke (THQ).

We’re nearly ready for tonight’s main session to start. Everyone is welcome as we gather in worship and that includes you at home!

Led by a group of young Salvationists, expect inspiring conversation and uplifting music. Territorial Leader Commissioner Paul Main will share a Bible message. The session starts at 6.30pm, with pre-meeting music starting at 6pm. A BSL livestream is also available.

Watch the livestream.

3pm

It’s been a busy afternoon here in Birmingham with plenty of activities and sessions under way.

Hall 3 is a great place to be over the weekend. Alongside the stalls from teams sharing mission resources, there’s the SP&S shop and an art gallery filled with faith-inspired pieces created by people from across the territory, including items from Core Recovery groups and interactive artwork being made throughout the weekend. You can find out more about one of the pieces in the gallery in this week’s edition of Salvationist magazine.

People have also enjoyed live music from the Music Man Project Lancashire in Hall 3. The initiative provides a confidence-boosting music education service for people with learning disabilities and their carers – find out more about the Music Man Project.

The International Staff Band also presented a series of pieces. International Staff Band Executive Officer Lieut-Colonel Paul Kingscott encouraged those listening to remember we’re here to worship, before the band shared an arrangement of ‘Goodness of God’.

Elsewhere at the ICC, the International Staff Songsters ran a Come and Sing workshop for about 70 singers, with items including Paul Sharman’s arrangement of ‘Still’.

If you're a fan of the ISS, don’t miss Sing to the Lord with the ISS tomorrow on Salvationist Radio at 5pm!

1.15pm

Hello, Birmingham! The doors to the ICC, our home for the weekend, are open.

The engagement space is full of teams from Territorial Headquarters, William Booth College and beyond ready to connect with people, promoting the mission resources and support on offer for corps and individuals across the territory.

Browse the Resource Centre and Territorial Directory to find out more about what's on offer.

Meanwhile, there's been a workshop led by MACA Dance team and The Salvation Army is out and about at Brindleyplace busy building relationships and community in the city centre. We’ve had pop-up sports, live music and a graffiti prayer wall thanks to Aston 614, a nearby Salvation Army youth centre.

11am

It's a lovely day in Birmingham, and The Salvation Army is already actively engaging with the local community! A group of Salvationists participated in the local Parkrun, with some running and others ready to chat.

The Salvation Army runners included Tania Smith (Chelmsford) who has completed 465ish(!) Parkruns in more than 160 locations. She said: 'I love it, because it's so inclusive of people of all abilities. And that's really what the Christian Kingdom is all about.'

Captain Michael Hutchings (Southport) believes Parkrun is a great opportunity for outreach: 'I think it's about turning up. It's about consistency. I don't think Parkrunners tired after a 5K run want someone to hit them with a Bible. You turn up week after week, and slowly get to know their stories.'

A shout-out to members of Birmingham Citadel, the nearest corps to this weekend’s event, who were out in force at Parkun this morning. Corps leader Major Ian Standley, an advocate for sports ministry, said: 'It's that whole idea of mind, body and spirit. And if we are fit spiritually, that's great, but if we are fit physically as well, then it enables us to do more of what God has called us to do.'

At the end of the race, Salvation Army water bottles were given away with a QR code to a podcast reflection and upbeat playlist of Christian music. If you're off on a run, jog or walk today, check out the podcast and playlist at salvationist.org.uk/sport-faith.

For a preview of what’s coming up today, view the event guide at salvationist.org.uk/together-home, and don't forget you can tune into tonight’s livestream at youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo.