Saturday at Together 26: This is us!

• Watch the Saturday evening session with BSL.

Stevie Hope offers an overview of Saturday at Together 26.

In moving, making, listening and being, Saturday at Together 26 celebrated the many things that show the world who we are.

Parkrunners set off bright and early, before interactive workshops included a MACA Dance session that reminded young people they are loved by God ‘for a thousand years’, and a lively Come and Sing with the International Staff Songsters, in which participants were encouraged to explore the complexities of who God is. The International Staff Band (ISB) invited us to be part of the story during a presentation in the weekend’s engagement space. Audience participation was also a must when members of Music Man Project Lancashire sang ‘Join Together’, highlighting how friendship, faith and knowledge see us through times of uncertainty.

Participation continued as people embraced individual creativity in an art workshop, saw things from other people’s perspectives in the art gallery, and wrote their names on a large puzzle board to celebrate being part of something bigger!

As Salvationists from across the territory visited stands showcasing teams from Territorial Headquarters, William Booth College and beyond and a pop-up SP&S shop, the space became a fantastic place to be with people; the continual hubbub of fellowship was a vibrant glimpse of God’s Kingdom.

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God’s Kingdom was also being made visible outside the ICC in Brindleyplace. Relationships were built with the local community through sports, and Family Ministries got to know people through the Get OWT! toddler resource. Youth Worker Karac Boldick and a team from Aston 614 taught people to express themselves through graffiti, and the wall of names and prayer requests provided a visual reflection of who we are. All this was against a backdrop of worship from Salvationists, including the West Midlands Divisional Youth Band and worship group, proclaiming to the city centre who and whose we are.

Good time was given to consider how who we are informs everything we do. The Moral and Social Issues Council hosted a discussion that analysed our relationships with artificial intelligence, before Captain Ellie Shakespeare (Sutton and Carshalton) helped attendees unpack Acts 17:16–34 in a Bible study that asked what, or who, we are we living for.

In the Called to Be… seminar, Captain Berri McKenna (William Booth College) and first-year cadets explored calling and spiritual leadership.

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The weekend was purposefully welcoming. A family area gave children under five space to play, the children’s venue invited young people into God’s Big Story, a quiet space allowed anyone with neurodivergence or other needs time to be, and the Here to Help and welcome teams offered help with any accessibility needs. Throughout, a dedicated open prayer team bathed everything in intercession.

The day was topped off by the weekend’s first main worship session, hosted by Amelia (Preston), Ellie (Preston), Hermione (Southport) and Sam (Hedge End), the young people from the North West and Isle of Man Division’s God Date Podcast. The evening started with a call to worship led by Salvationists from all walks of life, based on Acts 17:28.

The ISB kicked off sung corporate praise with ‘Build Your Kingdom Here’ – accompanied by textbook Army syncopated clapping. The worship band took us into ‘Let Us Sing of His Love Once Again’ (SASB 965) before dancing ensued in response to the freedom to walk, talk and live right in the power of the Holy Spirit. A moment of mass spoken prayer brought forth a holy harmony as one body of people prayed many different prayers out loud.

Karac and Community Mission Manager Dan Squires (Birmingham Aston) were the first guests to answer some God Date Podcast questions and share prayer requests. The Music Man Project Lancashire members brought ‘Join Together’ to rapturous applause before roup leader Dan Elson (Creative Arts) and member Becky gave their own God Date Podcast answers. Becky’s prayer request was for unity: ‘Whoever you are, God wants us together!’

The final interviewees were Caleb (Hadleigh Temple) and Tilly (Stepney), representing the Territorial Justice and Reconciliation Youth Forum. The room then broke into friendly chatter as everyone asked each other the God Date Podcast questions.

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Major Nasreen Dawson (Blackburn) prayed over Territorial Leader Commissioner Paul Main in Urdu, before he brought a Bible message. He asked us to hold on to three words: kind, hopeful and thankful. Through these, he went on to explain how the elements that make up our territorial identity – our shared vision, mission priorities and values – flow out of our faith and our holy living.

Kindness, he explained, is a clear sign that Jesus is shaping our lives.

‘So many people are right in their doctrine,’ he observed, ‘but wrong in their spirit. They have it in their head, but it’s not translated into their heart.’

We stand in hopefulness because we have gospel certainty that Jesus is alive.

‘Lots of things get our attention – war, poverty, injustice,’ he continued, ‘but we are called to be hopeful as we carry the light of Christ into painful places.’

Thanksgiving does not only come after problems are gone, but gratitude changes the atmosphere, he concluded: ‘Somebody who is thankful notices what God is providing.’

As the ISS sang ‘I’ll Stand for Christ’, Commissioner Paul charged everyone to stand in kindness, hopefulness and thankfulness in Christ. The congregation rose to their feet, before spirits were lifted further by the final congregational song, ‘What a Beautiful Name’, that reminded us that who we are begins with who God is. A benediction sent everyone out loved by God and called to be his people in the world, with a final proclamation of worship: ‘This is us, because of you!’