On 20th March 2004, a new chapter in The Salvation Army’s history was written.

ALOVE – The Salvation Army for a new generation was launched.

ALOVE is a new sub-brand of The Salvation Army for young people and young adults. The launch happened at ‘…Story?’ a major Salvation Army worship event for young people, at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

Guests at the event included DJ Dan Hargreaves, graffiti artist AKS, worship band One Hundred Hours and Russ Rook, Director of ALOVE.

Throughout the day attendees journeyed through key events in The Salvation Army story: Brixton 1851 when William and Catherine Booth met; 1865 when The Salvation Army was founded right up to the present day, which sees The Salvation Army as an international church and charity.

The journey was literal as well as thematic. In the afternoon, the event guests were invited to leave the venue and board one of 20 blue double decker buses. The buses then did a tour of London, stopping at numerous locations including: White City, The BBC, Buckingham Palace and The Royal Albert Hall. At each location, guests learnt more about The Salvation Army story and the four essentials of ALOVE: worship, discipleship, mission and social action.

The underpinning message of the day was that the entire story of The Salvation Army was inspired by a much greater story – that of the gospel which is all about ‘a love’. A love that sent Jesus to earth, a love that drove Jesus to his crucifixion, a love that was screamed from the cross and a love that broke out of a tomb.

It’s this love that has inspired the name of the new sub-brand ‘ALOVE.’ In a world where the word ‘love’ so often gets milked of significance and watered down into a plastic, Hollywood-type love, ALOVE is a new word to describe this godly, gritty, unconditional, sacrificial, and vibrant type of love.

Russ Rook, Director at ALOVE UK, shared some of his hopes for the future of ALOVE: ‘ALOVE is for young people and young adults. It belongs to them, whether they are part of The Salvation Army or whether they have never heard anything about the Christian faith at all. Our vision is that ALOVE might express something of the gospel and something of The Salvation Army to new generations of young people for years to come and that they will be ALOVE for others.’

ALOVE – a new chapter has started – will you write your part?

For all photos from the event click here