16 July 2023

Live updates from Sunday at Together 2023

Bethany Gibson

Together 2023 Livestream
The Together 2023 logo featuring a Salvation Army red shield

Live updates from Croydon, South London, on the final day of Together 2023.

4.30pm

Celebrate Together and Together 2023 have just finished. What a fitting end to an amazing weekend!

The new lieutenants were warmly welcomed to the afternoon session with cheers, banners and air horns.

The Reflectors of Holiness, along with their families, played a central part in the afternoon, which included lots of audience participation, joyful dancing, laughter and music from the staff sections.

A photo of the new lieutenants wearing their sessional sashes
The Reflectors of Holiness – our new lieutenants
A photo of dancers in red t-shirts and cadets waving orange and yellow fabric
'Build Your Kingdom Here'

Major Wendy Stanbury (William Booth College) led an intergenerational Bible thought featuring diverse voices from William Booth College. The conversation was based on 1 Peter 1:13–16, the key text for the weekend, this time read from The Message paraphrase:

  • ‘As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”’

Major Althea Bowden, assistant principal at William Booth College, closed worship by reminding us that God is able to do ‘immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine’ because his power, his holiness, is at work within us (see Ephesians 3:20).

A photo of four diverse people having a conversation on stage – a child, teenager, and three adults
The intergenerational Bible thought with Major Wendy Stanbury (left) and Major Althea Bowden (right)

Discover more Together 2023 content:

  • You can rewatch today’s sessions at youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo
  • Don’t miss this week’s Salvationist magazine, a Together 2023 special edition
  • Listen to Sunday Worship on Salvationist Radio, which features a Bible message from new Lieutenant Karen Barber and a testimony from new Lieutenant Stuart Turnbull – the programme is broadcast in full tonight at 6pm, Monday at midnight and Thursday at 9am, or you can enjoy highlights with the Sunday Worship podcast
  • Key an eye on salvationist.org.uk in the coming weeks for official Together 2023 photos and reports

As this is the last update, I’d like to thank my wonderful colleagues who have been supplying me with photos and videos for the website and Facebook Stories throughout the weekend. Thank you Sam, Julian, Simon and Ivan!

Good bye and God bless!

A photo of the Salvationist team
The 'Salvationist' team at Together 2023: Beth, Sam, Major Julian, Simon and Ivan

2.20pm

Following Commissioning, Bromley Temple Songsters and Staines Band provided musical accompaniment to people having lunch in and around Fairfield Halls.

Seats are now being taken for Celebrate Together, which will be an opportunity for The Salvation Army family to participate in intergenerational worship and explore the day’s theme, Blazing with Holiness, in creative and engaging ways.

Tune into the livestream via youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo:

A photo of a choir, Bromley Temple Songsters, singing in the foyer of Fairfield Halls
Bromley Temple Songsters
A photo of Staines Band brass band playing in the foyer of Fairfield Halls
Staines Band

1pm

The Reflectors of Holiness have been commissioned and ordained as Salvation Army officers. In a moving service of prayer, sung worship, testimony and dedication, Territorial Leader for Leader Development Commissioner Gill Cotterill gave a Bible message in which she considered what it means to be reflectors of holiness: ‘We all know the moon has no light of its own; it simply reflects the sun. For us who are reflectors, we can and we also must be possessors of the glory of God.’

Read testimonies from some of the Reflectors of Holiness in this week’s Salvationist magazine or subscribe to This is My Story, a new podcast from Salvationist Radio.

A full concert hall waiting for Commissioning to begin
A full hall waiting to welcome the Reflectors of Holiness
A photo collage from Commissioning, showing Hannah Turnbull giving her testimony and Mat Griffiths being commissioned by Commissioner Anthony Cotterill
Cadet Hannah Turnbull gives her testimony and Cadet Mat Griffiths is commissioned by Territorial Commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill

Meanwhile, more than 30 children have explored being Wholly Holy for themselves using the Five Ways to Wellbeing: giving, learning, connecting, taking notice and being active.

Chief Secretary Colonel Paul Main visited the session and put on a temporary tattoo as a reminder of the Five Ways.

There has also been a family room throughout the weekend, which has been well used by families needing space, with crafts and toys for young children and toddlers.

A photo collage. The first photo is of a group of children talking and the second is of an adult and a child putting their hands in the air
The children's venue
A photo collage. The first photo is of Colonel Paul Main's arm showing his Five Ways to Wellbeing temporary tattoo and the second is of a group of children completing an activity on the floor.
Colonel Paul Main shows off his temporary tattoo and joins the children in their session
A photo collage of the family room at Together 2023. The main photo is of a a mother and toddler doing craft and the other photos show play mats for toddlers and other toys.
The family room at Together 2023

9.45am

Good morning and welcome to Sunday at Together 2023.

We're looking forward to the commissioning and ordination of the Reflectors of Holiness at 10.30am. Don't forget, you can tune in at home via youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo – British Sign Language (BSL) translation is available:

A collage of the 16 cadets of the Reflectors of Holiness session, wearing Salvation Army uniform
The Reflectors of Holiness

Our day here in Croydon began with morning prayers led by Captain Gary Lacey, Territorial Prayer Network Co-ordinator. He encouraged people to pray for the Reflectors of Holiness, and a massive move of the Spirit across the territory.

A photo of Gary Lacey leading prayers on a stage
Captain Gary Lacey leads morning prayers

Updates by

Bethany Gibson

Bethany Gibson

Online Content Editor

Discover more

Sunday at Together 2024.

Bethany Gibson shares updates from Croydon, South London, on the second day of Together 2023.

Ahead of his commissioning, second-year cadet Stuart Turnbull shares his experience of saying 'yes' to God.

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