Friday, 13 April 2012

Team Work

So, being part of the Salvation Army and being in the band requires me to do "devotions" or bible reading and thought, every so often after band rehearsal and this week its my turn. This is what I put together:

Teamwork is the collective effort of a group of persons who work efficiently to accomplish a set goal.
Teamwork is more than simply working together. Teamwork involves a unified group focusing mainly on the task at hand and getting that task done efficiently.
One of the challeges that should be overcome when different personalities work together, is not allowing different skillsets, attitudes and viewpoints to get in the way of the desired goal. Each person on the team must make compromises in order to attain the desired goal.


There are many Bible verses that apply directly and indirectly to teamwork such as:

"For just as we have in one body many members, but the members do not all have the same function, so we, although many, are one body in union with Christ, but members belonging individually to one another." - Romans 12:4,5

- 1 Corinthians 1:10 says:

"Now I exhort YOU, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that YOU should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among YOU, but that YOU may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought."

A successful family and any other team, is a result of mutual respect, cooperation, diligence and a sincere desire to reach the goals set by the family/team.

Now Geese are an exceptional example to teamwork for example:

As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

What can we learn from this?

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

Our goal or task as a band is to spread the gospel to others through music.

My only hope and prayer is that we don’t lose sight of that goal, that goal we are all here to do together, united as a band and as individual musicians striving to play our best for God.


I hope this post has been benificial to you in some way or another :)


peas.

Monday, 12 September 2011

Salvation Army Trivia

I recently helped out my dad do our monthly Cafe Church at Clydebank Salvation Army and we decided to go down the road of having a quiz night. We had a general knowledge round, a Kids round, a Salvation Army Marches round and a Salvation Army Trivia round.
Here are the questions we used for the Salvation Army Trivia round, how many can you answer? (without google!)


Question 1:

Just about everyone in the US has seen the Salvation Army's red kettles during Christmas season. What pro football team has, for the past ten years, been instrumental in getting "the kettle season" off to a good start?

A: Dallas Cowboys

B: Cincinatti Bengals

C: Miami Dolphins

D:Washington Redskins


Question 2:

The Salvation Army founder talked about three S’s which he believed best expressed the way the Army helped the less fortunate. What did these three S’s stand for?

A: Sobriety, Sandwiches and Souls

B: Soup, Singing and Sandwiches

C: Sobriety, Singing and Salvation

D: Soup, Soap and Salvation


Question 3:

In which year was the order of the founder instituted?

A: 1917

B: 1915

C: 1920

D: 1913



Question 4:

In which year was the War Cry first published in the UK?

A: 1877

B: 1878

C: 1879

D: 1880



Question 5:

Who was the first appointed songster leader in the Salvation Army?

A:John Lawley

B:Commisioner John Carleton

C:Theodore Kitching

D:Hugh Whatmore



Question 6:

Which of our Generals has had a locomotive named after them?

A: General Eva Burrows

B: General Albert Orsborn

C: General William Booth

D: General Edward J. Higgins



Question 7:

How many countries to date does The Salvation Army work in? (as of April 1st 2011)

A: 122

B: 124

C: 126

D: 128

Bonus point:

How many different languages does the Army provide services in?



Question 8:

Put these Generals in order of when they were commissioned.

Evangeline Booth

Wilfred Kitching

Albert Orsborn

George Carpenter



Question 9:

The Salvation Army International Corps offers free ___ and ___ classes.

English and Tae Kwan Do

Knitting and Pottery

English and Cooking

Accordion and Boating



Question 10:

What is the Salvation Army’s Mission Statement?

A: Called to be followers of Jesus Christ,

The Salvation Army exists to save men,

grow in number and serve the homeless.

B: As disciples of Jesus Christ we will be a Spirit-filled, radical, growing movement with a burning desire to lead people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, actively serve the community and fight for social justice.

C: Called to be disciples of Jesus Christ,

The Salvation Army exists to save souls,

grow saints and serve suffering humanity.

D: As disciples of Jesus Christ we will be a Spirit-filled, amazing, trendy movement with a burning desire to lead people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, actively serve the homeless and fight for better pay.



Please post your answers :D