While the drum has always been an important part of the Salvation Army musical tradition, for Salvationists, it has always been more than an instrument. From the beginning, the drum’s supreme function was as a “mercy seat” in open-air meetings. 

Corps across the territory are incorporating Alpha into their ministry strategies, from group gatherings over shared meals to outreach efforts for youth.

“Is there a diet for people like us?” asked a client in a nutrition class at Harbour Light, a Salvation Army addictions treatment program in Vancouver, where I was a dietitian for more than a decade. This facility is in the roughest and least-understood neighbourhood in the city. The session was with clients in the first and hardest weeks of the