Vic Pokes blogg

I am thanking God that I am feeling fine this morning after Saturday's run in the Stockholm marathon - I retired from the run at the half marathon mark, feeling the effects of too little training after my earlier injury. Obviously I am disappointed, but I am so grateful for the chance to identify The Salvation Army with such a large and significant event.

This week is a big one. No, not because of a 42 kilometre run on Saturday even though it has occupied a good deal of my time and energy over recent weeks.

No, this week we hold our Territorial Leaders Conference at Lännersta - an opportunity for those who carry leadership responsibilities to meet together to explore matters of importance. We are using a generic theme - 'Creating a climate of care', and will also be looking at 'Servant leadership' in our morning and evening prayers. This is the only opportunity that we have for all of our leaders to be together at the same time, and it becomes a time of reflection and discussion that has a special dynamic to it.

I am greatly relieved to find that my 'injuries' seem to be healed and that I am running freely again - well, as freely as one my age might expect. The only problems are a couple of blisters as I get used to the new running shoes. After tomorrow's run I will have a better understanding of whether I need to cover these or whether they will harden enough. One never knows.

I am back in the office after some holidays and then a weekend in England visiting Boscombe corps with singers from Västerås - and they were very good! The Lord truly blessed our shared ministry there. And yesterday was spent at International Headquarters on various business matters.

I have just been reminded of the details for donating to the Kenya water project - as follows:

Donors that want to donate money to the Marathon Water Project can do that at either
Plusgiro 90 04 80-5 or Bankgiro 900-4805

Two Saturdays in May are very much on my mind just now. The first is the Jesus Manifestation in Stockholm on May 3 - a wonderful opportunity for Christians of every background to get together and celebrate our shared faith in Jesus. I do hope we give strong support of this event.

This last week has brought numerous phone calls from our family in Australia. On top of the list has been the birth of two lovely babies, Madison & Logan, to our son and his wife. It is impossible to describe the sense of joy and wonder at their safe arrival and we give thanks to God.

I found myself singing as I came down the stairs this morning. It was a nothing song, just a tune that was in my head at the time and I sang a few lines. Was I singing because I was happy? Maybe, but I often sing anyway, regardless of the mood.

I have a broken stone in my pocket and I am taking it to Spain next week. Ros and I are going to walk the Camino de Santiago way, and on one particular day pilgrms are invited to throw a stone onto a heap to signify the letting go of one's sins. It is a simple symbolic act of letting go, but centred in the salvation that Christ brings.

I am thinking about Congress - about why, mainly. Why all this extra work for a gathering of a few days? Why?

I think that we need times of celebration, centred around Christ Jesus. We need opportunities to say 'thank you' - to God and to his people. We need times of loud singing and quiet shared reflection. We need to remember that we are part of something much bigger than we know. We need time and place for fellowship with people who share our faith and our hopes, and, yes, our disappointments. We need to hear the word of the Lord to us, all together, so that we can emerge from these few days with joint resolve about to how live out what we have heard and responded to.

I am back in the office after a few days of holiday with our daughter Michelle from Australia, and also after having the honour of conducting the Commissioning of six new officers in Latvia this last weekend. I have become accustomed to the Latvian response when you ask someone how they are - 'I am normal' is a typical answer! But there was nothing normal about this weekend's events, for suddenly the officer force in Latvia goes from 8 to 14 - thank God.

I am grateful - to God and to his people. For example, Ros and I have recently spent some days in Latvia, and have been so impressed by the range of ministries that have been developed there. The Swedish territory has made such an impact in that land over recent years - thanks be to God.

I have needed to revise my thinking about bass players. (Not tuba players, you understand, but bass players of the electric guitar variety). You see for years I have observed these people, mostly male, at work at a large variety of Army functions, and it is in Sweden that I have noticed a difference.

I am back in the office again after a few busy and helpful weeks away. This time has included time to remember, with thanks, the costly purchase of my salvation by Jesus on the cross, and even as I write my heart fills with gratitude to God. I hope that I never take this gift for granted!

This will be my last blog for two weeks, as I head off to other activities, and then a few days holiday. The first of the activities will be the Rikskårledaresdagar (corps leaders days) at Örebro, and I seek your prayers for this vital event. May it be the means of much encouragement and inspiration to our leaders. I am so pleased that this gathering is arranged for this group, for they play such a vital part in what we do and are. I cannot think of a better appointment - to be a corps leader, but it can also be very demanding. May the Lord come with refreshment to all. The theme is from 2 Mos. 4:1-2 'Vad har du in handen?' - 'What is that in your hand'.