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Mission
The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world. Salvationist informs readers about the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda.
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MAGICAL MINISTRY TOUR
Forgive the Beatles reference in the title, but it seemed appropriate given my summer experience “across the pond.” It was my privilege to join the Canadian Staff Songsters (CSS), led by Cathie Koehnen, as reporter and “roadie” on an unforgettable 11-day musical tour of the United Kingdom. Forget the Fab Four—this was the Fab Forty!
From the moment we touched down at Heathrow Airport in London, England, anticipation was high. Local corps from Chelmsford to Newport to Bedlington hosted us with open arms and capacity crowds. Many of us were billeted with congregation members, offering a rich experience of hospitality, reminding us that we are one big Salvation Army family.
It was truly a whirlwind tour. After early morning bus rides (to a different destination each day), we began with set-up and rehearsal—hauling risers, checking mics and warming up voices. The bus became our nap station, snack shack and concert hall (with impromptu sing-alongs and devotionals along the way). Our drivers, Tony and Paul, became part of the CSS family, navigating winding roads and narrow village lanes with nerves of steel.
Beyond the fun and fatigue was the deeper rhythm of our journey: ministry through music. At every concert, whether at the historic Newport Cathedral, on High Street outside Bromley Temple, or in the Birmingham Conservatoire, hearts were moved, not just by melodies but by the message. Songs such as Great God, Great Praise, Rejoice and I Have Seen the Glory of the Lord drew people into worship. As one congregation member remarked to me, “It wasn’t just a concert—it was an encounter with Christ.”
The tour theme—and the title of the songsters’ new album—His Light in Us, speaks to this truth. As the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts.” The CSS made that a reality with every note, conversation and handshake after a concert. As songster Annie Robertson testified at Bromley Temple, “The Lord keeps things simple. His message isn’t complicated. He is love, and his love has encountered me.”
The tour culminated at Together 2025 in Birmingham—a celebration marking 160 years of The Salvation Army’s worldwide mission. Under the leadership of General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, World President of Women’s Ministries, the congress gathered Salvationists in joyful worship and reflection. General Buckingham urged those gathered: “I want us to catch hold of this vision: that we are the people of God who gather and who flow out into the world, empowered by the very presence of God, bringing hope and healing and love right where we are.”
May the glow of Christ’s light in us shine brightly in our own corps, communities and daily lives. Let’s keep singing—not only with our voices, but with our lives. To paraphrase the Beatles, “All you need is God’s love.”
GEOFF MOULTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Canadian Staff Band Visits Alberta
The Canadian Staff Band (CSB) toured Alberta in July, including stops in Edmonton, Banff and Calgary.
The band’s first stop was Edmonton Temple, where they were warmly welcomed by corps members and many old friends. There, the CSB participated in a clinic with local band members, led by then Bandmaster John Lam, and played in concert alongside the corps’ songsters.
The CSB lodged at Alberta’s Pine Lake Camp and woke the next day to a full itinerary, starting with a performance in Banff. They performed gospel favourites, such as Jesus Loves Me and Holy, Holy, Holy, as well as several marches and arrangements.
The following day, the CSB, dressed in Salvation Army cowboy hats, joined the Calgary Stampede Parade after a hearty breakfast at the Centre of Hope. The band played march arrangements of Kevin Larsson’s This Is Our Story and Daniel Prince’s What a Friend, reminding the public of the gospel and the Army’s presence in the city.
As an exciting start to weekend festivities, the CSB teamed up with the Glenmore Temple Band for three mini-concerts in downtown Calgary. At each location, people stopped to listen to the music, which included lively marches and arrangements, as well as familiar melodies such as Amazing Grace. After a barbecue dinner and fellowship time at Glenmore Temple, the CSB performed in concert, followed by a western sing-along led by musicians from the corps.
The tour concluded on Sunday with a service at Glenmore Temple and meaningful worship time. The service included heartfelt farewells and acknowledgments. Retiring CSB members Kevin Wilson, Scott Gross, Steve Pavey and John Lam were each recognized for their dedicated service and presented with signed song books. The band also acknowledged the service of Lt-Colonel Les Marshall, territorial secretary for mission, who has concluded three years as the executive officer of the CSB.
Following the service, a special moment was reserved to acknowledge Lam’s 17 years of leadership as bandmaster and more than 30 years of membership in the CSB. Lt-Colonel Marshall offered meaningful words for Lam and encouraged incoming bandmaster, Andrew Burditt.
TERRITORIAL NEWS
Territorial Leaders Tour Maritimes
Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves, territorial commander and territorial president of women’s ministries, embarked on a maritime tour in June, accompanied by Lt-Colonels John and Brenda Murray, territorial secretary for communications and director of international development. The tour was also supported by Lt-Colonel Scott Rideout, divisional commander, Atlantic Division, and Lt-Colonel Michelle Rideout, divisional officer personnel secretary and secretary for spiritual life development, Atlantic Division.
The tour began on a Wednesday in Prince Edward Island with a visit to the corps in Summerside, followed by a meet and greet at Charlottetown Community Church.
The following day, Commissioners Graves took a ferry to Nova Scotia where they enjoyed lunch with camp staff at Scotian Glen Camp. Later that day, they had the opportunity to visit both Kentville Community Church and Bridgetown Community Church for a barbecue dinner.
On Friday, Commissioners Graves and Lt-Colonels Murray spent the morning at Yarmouth Community Church followed by a tour of more ministry units in Nova Scotia, including Liverpool Community Church and Bridgewater Community Church. The weekend continued with meetings and fellowship time with local officers.
As the tour came to a close, Westville Corps, N.S., welcomed the territorial leaders for their Sunday worship service, commemorating 140 years of ministry in the community followed by a traditional Army potluck.
“Seeing the impact up close and meeting the people who make it happen—Salvationists, employees, clients, volunteers and elected officials—was a truly enriching experience,” says Lt-Colonel John Murray. “It proved to be a beautiful and informative trip, allowing us to gain a deeper appreciation for the ministry in this picturesque part of the country. We thank these ministry units for their warm welcome and the epitome of maritime hospitality.”
The CSB at Central Park in Banff, Alta.
Photo: William Chinnery
Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves at Kentville CC, N.S.
A moment of prayer outside the Bridgetown thrift store
A New Chapter of Hope for Women in Calgary
In May, a new transitional housing program for women opened in Calgary, offering a safe and supportive place for women on their journey toward stability and independence.
Located at The Salvation Army’s Calgary Community Services west campus in two renovated houses, Jackson Place and Willan Place, this program builds upon a long legacy of compassion and service. Originally built in 1988 to support children’s programs, these houses have evolved alongside the community’s changing needs, first as homes for seniors, and now as transitional housing for women experiencing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking.
The facility provides private rooms at a low monthly cost; daily supper with additional meals available; access to a gym, free Wi-Fi, laundry and comfortable common areas; support with personal goals, job readiness and housing searches; spiritual care from in-house chaplains; and on-site counselling.
In addition to housing, the Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre, located on-site, provides residents with access to programs, meals and a welcoming space to connect and thrive.
“Every moment spent planning and renovating has been worth it. Seeing women move into their rooms, hearing them say they’ve had the best sleep in years, or simply finding out that someone felt special because they could sit on a bench in a private shower and wash their feet—those are the moments that matter,” says Cliff Wiebe, executive director. “This journey has always been about creating a space that offers dignity, comfort and safety because these women deserve it.”
Creating a safe and respectful environment is at the heart of this program. Clear house guidelines support peaceful, substance-free living, and foster a strong, supportive community among residents.
TERRITORIAL NEWS
Territorial Communications Wins 14 Awards
The Salvation Army’s territorial magazines and digital media won 14 awards from the Canadian Christian Communicators Association (CCCA) in an online ceremony, with eight awards being first-place wins.
The CCCA (formerly the Canadian Church Press) has 60 members, including individual writers, musicians and representatives from publications of mainline, Catholic and evangelical churches. The awards are judged by accomplished secular journalists, writers and academics.
Overall, Salvationist took home eight awards, Faith & Friends received four and digital media garnered two. Award categories ranged from Feature Series to Front Cover to Video Production.
Salvationist’s coverage of the Choral Convocation event in April 2024 was awarded in two categories, with a first-place win for Front Cover and a third-place award for News Story. Longtime Salvationist columnist Captain Bhreagh Rowe took top honours in the Column category, while an article about esteemed Salvation Army musician Major Len Ballantine received a firstplace win for Biographical Profile. The awards were given for work published in the 2024 calendar year.
Geoff Moulton, director of communications and editorin-chief, notes, “Highlighting the work of the Army is a blessing and a privilege. Everyone on the editorial team is to be commended for their excellent work year-round to make the publications, website and social media standouts among their denominational peers.”
To view a full list of awards, visit salvationist.ca/ cccaawards2025.
A common area with kitchen and dining at the transitional housing facility
Photo: Lara Peters
Connection Point Restores Dignity With New Shower Project
For individuals experiencing homelessness, access to basic services, such as hot showers and laundry facilities, can be life changing. Since April 2025, The Salvation Army’s Connection Point Church and Resource Centre in Langford, B.C., is offering private showers and laundry service through a new initiative called the Dignity Project. The program gives unhoused individuals the chance to meet essential needs with comfort and privacy.
The idea was born from conversations with clients who already accessed services at Connection Point.
“I think what we are seeing through the Dignity Project is a real transforming influence,” says Captain Laura Hickman, corps officer. “It’s beautiful to be able to have a service that meets a very basic, practical need.”
So far, the operation has run smoothly.
“It has worked well to have an open-door, first-come, first-served system without appointments,” Captain Hickman says. “Up to this point, the demand has been met.”
While the laundry facilities are very useful, it’s the private showers that seem to impact the clients the most.
“One of our clients mentioned she got emotional standing in the shower. She said the water was hot and felt so refreshing. She appreciated the privacy,” Captain Hickman shares. “It makes a world of difference for our friends to come in and to have a private shower.”
Guests are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee at the on-site café while waiting for laundry or after showering.
“This project came as a direct result of the community coming together and transforming this space,” Captain Hickman says.
The staff noticed unused space in
Connection Point’s basement. The landlord generously allowed the area to be transformed, and local developers partnered with community stakeholders to renovate it as a gift to The Salvation Army.
“We’re just grateful. It was a tremendous gift,” Captain Hickman adds.
Danielle Gaudet, volunteer services co-ordinator, does laundry at Connection Point
A PLACE AT THE TABLE
Generation Z wants to be heard. Are we listening?
BY COMMISSIONER LEE GRAVES
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”—Matthew 5:14-15
GenerationZ, affectionately known as gen Z, refers to individuals born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s. They are the first generation to have grown up with the internet and digital technologies as integral parts of their lives. They are often referred to as “digital natives,” having never known a world without the internet, smartphones and social media. This has shaped their communication styles, with a strong preference for video calls, instant messaging and social networks.
Gen Z is characterized by their strong awareness of social and environmental issues. They are more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations and known for inclusive and accepting attitudes toward different backgrounds and identities. They value authenticity and individuality, challenge traditional norms and embrace a wide range of perspectives.
They demonstrate a strong concern for climate change, social justice and other global challenges, and are more likely to be involved in activism, advocacy and efforts to create positive change. Engaging in open dialogue, listening to their perspectives and demonstrating genuine care are crucial for connecting with this generation. Gen Z is principled. When asked how a Christian could appeal to them, their first choice is to see how the person behaves. When it comes to faith and the church, outreach must embody the life of Jesus—it can’t be all talk. They are trying to make a difference in the world.
There is hope because gen Z is strongly missionally driven. Raised in a post-Christian culture, gen Z is more equipped to reach the next generation. They see principled action in loving the poor as key to faith, with a strong desire for the church to be focused in ways that wouldn’t have drawn earlier generations. Recent research from Barna Group reveals that 82 percent of gen-Z Christians believe it is important for them to share their faith. They have a zeal for the Lord. They want to be engaged in church life. They are yearning for something real and eternal. This longing for truth and stability is driving a revival. Young adults are opening their Bibles again, attending church and seeking God in ways that defy the expectations of mainstream culture.
In our movement, we are blessed by the wisdom and influence these young adults bring as they attend our corps, lead and minister in our camps, and volunteer and work in our community and social mission settings. They bring affirmation and challenging questions as they find their voice and their place. We must let them speak and lead.
Recently, we received an incredible gift as 30 gen Zs visited us at territorial headquarters to share the chief concerns on their minds and hearts. These young adults, who attend our corps and other places of worship, were willing to share their views, perspectives, hopes, dreams and aspirations for their own lives and for this movement. They were encouraged to speak freely and openly, honestly
and transparently, from the heart. They were assured that whatever was on their mind, whatever was shared, whatever was raised, whatever was stated could not possibly be offensive to us. What a gift to listen, to learn and to be blessed by these articulate, thoughtful, inspiring young adults, whose voice of reason illuminated and challenged us. Their voices gave rise to significant matters of practical ministry, theology, the work of the Holy Spirit among us, holiness, relationships, faith in action, community engagement, discipleship, salvation and so much more. Their spirit of joy and determined engagement came with a sense of excitement and anticipation.
Clearly, these young people are representative voices of others who journey with us across the territory in the fulfilment of our kingdom mission as a movement. Our strong encouragement is that these vibrant young adults be allowed to speak, be heard and be given opportunities to lead.
In this quiet revival the Holy Spirit is stirring, let us all give gen Zs their place. They will give light to everyone in the house.
COMMISSIONER
LEE GRAVES is the territorial commander of the Canada and Bermuda Territory.
Photo: Jay Turchansky
In June, nine Champions of the Mission cadets—fondly described as trailblazers—were ordained and commissioned as Salvation Army officers. This session was the first to complete the revised training program at the College for Officer Training, which was relocated from Winnipeg to Toronto in July 2023. The relocation created new opportunities to be embraced, celebrated and deemed successful in the equipping and training of cadets.
BENEFITS OF NEW LOCATION
First, relocating to Toronto meant that each cadet or cadet couple could be placed within a Salvation Army corps throughout their 24-month training. Cadets ministered beside seasoned corps officers, developing as leaders, learning the rhythm of the seasons in a corps, and receiving pastoral care.
Captains Cathy and Scott Allen, then corps officers at Toronto’s Agincourt Temple Community Church, mentored the cadets placed in their congregation. “Cadets gain significant confidence as they train and minister within the same location,” says Captain Cathy Allen. “Congregations have the joy of seeing cadets grow spiritually and in leadership abilities.”
“Relationships take time to form. In the new training model, there is great opportunity for relationship building,” adds Captain Scott Allen.
Field training has increased significantly, averaging 20 to 24 hours per week. This increased focus means cadets have greater opportunity for hands-on learning, becoming better equipped and more confident stepping into their first appointments.
Second, cadets are broadening and deepening their appreciation of the Army’s social ministry through participating in a social mission ministry unit.
TRAILBLAZERS
First session of cadets completes revised officer training program.
BY MAJOR MARGARET McLEOD
Upon completion of the social mission field training, cadets have remarked, “I didn’t know that The Salvation Army ministered in this way,” or “There are so many great opportunities for ministry within our social mission.”
“My wife, Lieutenant Chesney Edwards, and I were privileged to be part of ministry in a residential corrections program and a seniors’ shelter,” says Lieutenant Josh Edwards, who was commissioned in June. “In both settings, we were able to experience the unique and transformational ways in which the Salvation Army mission is lived out.”
Third, embracing technology allowed cadets in Quebec to train in French, while attending chapels, classes, occasional community events and even sessional group chats. These tools have assisted the Champions of the Mission to create strong bonds of friendship.
“Training in the province of Quebec allowed us to learn, put things into practice and serve the Quebec people. Training in French allowed us to stay connected to Quebec culture and language,” says Lieutenant Josette Joseph.
As trailblazers, the Champions of the Mission used the following words to describe their training experience: adventure, deepening, transforming experience, community.
COMMISSIONING AND CONFIRMATION
The officer training program spans eight years in total: Year 1—candidate; Years 2 and 3—cadet; Years 4 to 8 (often called the first five years)—lieutenant. Each period of the program has a set of expectations and requirements. At the conclusion of Year 8, and having completed all the requirements for confirmation, a lieutenant will
be confirmed as a captain in The Salvation Army. But what does that mean?
While most Salvationists are familiar with the commissioning of Salvation Army officers, few are aware of the confirmation of officers. Confirmation comes at the end of the five years spent as a lieutenant and is the final, formal period of development and discernment. It is a period characterized by continued education and spiritual formation. Lieutenants are required, for example, to take academic courses, participate in seminars, attend two lieutenants’ institutes, and write a reflection paper on their ministry and calling. The intention is to give additional oversight to those new in their ministry and provide added training and support for new officers.
Our officer training and development program has great direction and structure for these first five years. The courses and webinars follow a prescribed order, with each session continuing to take courses and online seminars together. An annual spiritual life development day, offered by the division, has been added as an expectation for lieutenants to ensure that they are continuing to deepen and grow in their spiritual life.
The College for Officer Training continues to be flexible in the provision of training to meet the needs of The Salvation Army and the individuals being trained. If God is calling you to officership, please contact your divisional candidates secretary.
MAJOR MARGARET McLEOD
is the assistant training principal and mission and ministry formation co-ordinator at the College for Officer Training. She will take up a new appointment as chief secretary of the Canada and Bermuda Territory on October 1, 2025, with the rank of colonel.
Colonel John Chamness supports the Champions of the Mission as they make their declaration of faith during their commissioning service in June
Photo: Steve Nelson
CHAMPIONS OF THE MISSION
ORDAINED AND COMMISSIONED
Canada and Bermuda Territory welcomes nine new lieutenants.
BY ABBIGAIL OLIVER
(Above) Cdt Peter Chaulk and Cdt Josette Joseph recite the Officer’s Covenant in English and French
(Above) The Champions of the Mission
(Inset) Cdt John Arndt carries the Champions of the Mission sessional flag into the sanctuary at Scarborough Citadel
(Left) Lt Alicia McLeod, representative speaker, shares remarks on behalf of the Champions of the Mission Session
(Above) CoMissioningING helps children and youth follow along with the ordination and commissioning service
(Right) Lts Joshua and Chesney Edwards march into the sanctuary after being commissioned and ordained, accompanied by the Montreal Citadel timbrels
Toronto’s Scarborough Citadel was filled with the iconic sounds of The Salvation Army—brass music, singing, clapping and a timbrel brigade—as the territory celebrated the ordination and commissioning of the Champions of the Mission on June 21. Officers, Salvationists, College for Officer Training (CFOT) faculty, friends and family witnessed the meaningful transformation of nine cadets ordained as ministers of the Lord and commissioned as officers of The Salvation Army.
The Canadian Staff Band (CSB), led by then Bandmaster John Lam, the Canadian Staff Songsters (CSS), under the direction of Cathie Koehnen, and NEON, led by Simon Gough, offered an exciting musical prelude as seats filled in the sanctuary, overflowing into the foyer with hundreds more joining by live stream.
Territorial leadership, including Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves, territorial commander and territorial president of women’s ministries, and Colonels John and Lani Chamness, chief secretary and territorial secretary for spiritual life development, entered the sanctuary behind the territorial flag.
“We have come together for a deeply sacred moment. Today is not merely a ceremony or milestone; it is a holy occasion,” said Colonel John Chamness in welcome. “In this place before God and his people, men and women will be ordained as Salvation Army officers of this territory. They do not do so lightly, but with hearts wholly surrendered to the call of God.”
The CSB then led the congregation in worship, singing Lord of Creation, To You Be All Praise.
The Champions of the Mission entered the sanctuary behind their sessional flag, carried by flagbearer Cadet John Arndt, to the tune of Send Us, Lord, their sessional song, performed by the CSS, with music and lyrics by Marcus Venables, assistant territorial music and arts secretary. Each cadet approached the platform, saluting Commissioners Graves and taking their seat.
With a deep sense of pride for their dedication over their two years of study,
Major Deana Zelinsky, training principal, presented the Champions of the Mission. “These individuals represent the diversity of our Canada and Bermuda Territory. Each brings a unique story of calling and surrender, but they are united by a shared conviction that Jesus is Lord and that his mission is worth their whole lives.
“The Champions of the Mission have proclaimed Christ with their words and actions, and they carry a fire within them to reach a broken world for Jesus,” she said.
Cadet Peter Chaulk and Cadet Josette Joseph then recited the Officer’s Covenant in English and French, representing both official languages of the territory and those spoken by members of the session.
NEON led the congregation in Cornerstone, joined by the CSB, before the cadets stood together to recite the Declaration of Faith in unison.
The CSS sang a soulful rendition of In the Secret of Thy Presence as the Champions of the Mission took a moment to pray, reflect and prepare their hearts. Then, one by one, the cadets stood humbly before Commissioners Graves to receive their ordination and commissioning, each given a Scripture verse chosen for them by CFOT staff.
“We rejoice that God has called you, equipped you and gifted you for sacred service, and therefore affirm that you are ordained as a minister of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,” said Commissioner Lee Graves to each cadet. “I now commission you as an officer of The Salvation Army, with the rank of lieutenant.”
The CSS, CSB and NEON came together to perform Send Us, Lord, and the Champions of the Mission exited the sanctuary, prepared to go out into the world and serve the whosoever, called and equipped by God, as officers of The Salvation Army.
WELCOME, LIEUTENANTS
In celebration, the Montreal Citadel timbrels took to the stage for a dynamic performance as the CSB played Montreal Citadel. The congregation stood and
clapped to the music as territorial leaders and the Keepers of the Covenant Session re-entered the sanctuary. Then, the timbrels moved to line the aisles as the Champions of the Mission marched back in, now dressed in the red trim of newly commissioned lieutenants and accompanied by their respective families.
The lieutenants and their families came to the platform where Commissioners Graves recognized the ministry appointments of the new officers.
“We are humbled to be given the responsibility of serving as officers of the Canada and Bermuda Territory,” said Lieutenant Alicia McLeod, representative speaker of the Champions of the Mission, who spoke on behalf of her session-mates. “I am confident that by God’s grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit working within us, that we will be disciples who will grow Christ’s church, shepherding the people God has placed in our care.
“To our family, friends and fellow Salvationists, we can’t do this ourselves,” Lieutenant McLeod continued. “Be a champion of the mission wherever your feet are planted, and pray that God will continue to call us, strengthen us and use us in his kingdom work.”
Commissioner Lee Graves then delivered a passionate and reflective message centred on humility, sacrifice and what it means to be a true champion of the Lord’s mission on earth.
“THE
FIRE ALREADY EXISTS. THE SPARK IS ALREADY THERE. BUT IT MUST BE STIRRED. IT MUST BE FANNED INTO FLAME.”
—LIEUTENANT JOSH EDWARDS
Major Decker. “Today we thank you for these newly commissioned lieutenants and accepted candidates, and others who are responding to this call, offering themselves as workers of the Lord. May they embrace the call of God with open hearts, trusting your guidance and surrendering to the divine adventure you have prepared for them.”
The service ended on an uplifting and joyful note as Lt-Colonel Roxanne Jennings, secretary for personnel, invited everyone to sing the favourite tune, I’ll Go in the Strength of the Lord, accompanied once again by the energetic Montreal Citadel timbrels. The newly commissioned lieutenants of the Champions of the Mission Session exited the sanctuary behind their sessional flag as their friends and families cheered them on.
CELEBRATING THE CALL
The next day, the Champions of the Mission returned to Scarborough Citadel for their first official worship service as lieutenants. The service reflected on their call to ministry, honouring the many people who walked with them on their journey of faith and encouraging others to receive God’s call in their own lives.
“We as a movement honour you for your courageous leadership and the exemplary role model you have been for all Salvationists and officers, but especially women leaders of The Salvation Army in the Canada and Bermuda Territory and around our Army world,” said Commissioner Debbie Graves to Commissioner Peddle. “You have taken your place in every appointment you have held, preaching, teaching and leading; you’ve inspired many of us who have observed you over the years. Women leaders have found their strength in ministry because you found yours.”
The morning’s message came from three of the newly commissioned officers, Lieutenant Hannah Chaulk, Lieutenant Josh Edwards and Lieutenant Wilder Jean-Charles, who preached about the movement of God’s Spirit within each person who believes in him. They shared their experiences hearing the call and encouraged others to fan the flame of God’s Spirit in their own lives.
“Champions of the mission never give up. Champions of the mission never turn back. Jesus himself was that champion of champions who threw the world this lifeline—his mercy, his grace, his love, his salvation—and you and I are the conveyers of that truth to a world that needs to know his mercy, grace, love and salvation.
“That’s The Salvation Army, that’s what we’ve been called to do,” he declared. “As champions of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is our responsibility to share the gospel. So, what do we do? We march with Jesus to victory.”
Commissioner Graves then invited the lieutenants and their families to kneel at the mercy seat. As the congregation sang I’ll Not Turn Back, officers, Salvationists and friends came forward to join them in a powerful moment of prayer and surrender.
In closing, Major Zelinsky and Major Carson Decker, territorial candidates secretary, both prayed.
“Lord, we thank you today for the provision of harvest hands, people who are responding to your call to bring your message of hope and restoration to a world that so desperately needs it,” said
Following a welcome by Colonel John Chamness and Army of Salvation led by the Scarborough Citadel Band, the Champions of the Mission and Keepers of the Covenant sessions recited prayers of praise in French and English.
In keeping with tradition, a moment was set aside during the service to honour those entering the Fellowship of the Silver Star. Inaugurated in 1930 by General Evangeline Booth, the Silver Star recognizes the mentors or parents of newly commissioned officers for their role in the spiritual formation of the lieutenants. Introduced by Commissioner Debbie Graves and Major Teresa Decker, territorial women’s ministries secretary, each lieutenant presented their Silver Star recipients with a gift.
Another special moment followed as Commissioner Lee Graves invited Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, retired World President of Women's Ministries, to the platform, accompanied by her daughter, Major Krista Andrews, where she was presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal. The medal is awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canada or an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.
“I remember when I first sensed God’s calling on me—it wasn’t loud or dramatic, but it was unmistakably real and clear. It felt like a holy invitation in my life,” said Lieutenant Hannah Chaulk. “The call of God is not about being ready, but about being willing to accept his invitation to serve him and advance his kingdom’s mission.”
“This message is not just for the Champions of the Mission. It is for every person who seeks to live out the gospel with faithfulness and courage,” added Lieutenant Josh Edwards. “The fire already exists. The spark is already there. But it must be stirred. It must be fanned into flame.”
Then, the Champions of the Mission warmly invited anyone who felt the Spirit of Jesus moving within them to join them at the mercy seat for prayer as the congregation sang Fan the Flame Within Me and I Surrender.
As the service ended, General Brian Peddle (Rtd) stood from his seat in the audience to pray over those at the mercy seat. “Lord, we come in the spirit of surrender this morning and ask that you will take our lives and use them for your glory,” said General Peddle. “In the midst of all that is happening in our world, Lord, help us to focus on you. Bring others into a relationship with you through our testimonies. Continue to move in our hearts so that your will can be accomplished.”
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle is awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for exceptional service to Canada
Photo: Steve Nelson
HIS IN US
Canadian Staff Songsters’ United Kingdom tour inspires hearts and proclaims the name of Jesus.
BY GEOFF MOULTON AND MICAELA RAYMENT
From July 3-13, the Canadian Staff Songsters (CSS) embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom. The 11-day tour featured stops at Chelmsford, Bromley, Peterborough, Leek, Bedlington and Newport Corps—culminating at the Together 2025 conference in Birmingham. The tour coincided with the debut of the songsters’ latest recording, His Light in Us.
Songster Leader Cathie Koehnen sums up the purpose of the tour and album: “His Light in Us celebrates the presence and transforming power of Christ’s light in us. We sing to share that light and pray all who hear would allow his light to shine in and through them.”
Kicking off at Chelmsford on July 4, the songsters met with the mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Jannetta Sosin, and her staff before singing O Canada and God Save the King on the steps of the civic centre. In the evening, they delighted a capacity crowd for a concert at Chelmsford Corps. Highlights included Great God, Great Praise, arranged by Bradley Knight, Stick With Love, featuring songsters Micaela Rayment and Steven Cooper, and I Speak Jesus, a duet with songsters Aidan Turley and Janine van der Horden.
LONDON AND CANADA HOUSE
Next stop was Bromley Temple in London for a weekend of ministry and fellowship. After enjoying a traditional fish and chips lunch, the songsters participated in music outreach on
High Street with the temple band. A Saturday evening concert at the Langley Centre for the Performing Arts featured He Will Hold Me Fast, arranged by Andrew Wicker; Better, with Michael Gower and Rebecca Minaker; Be Still My Soul, with Alexandria Venables; and Rejoice, arranged by Cliff Duren, an upbeat number that inspired the audience to clap along. Halfway through, the CSS were joined on stage by the Bromley Songsters who descended from the crowd for a stirring rendition of I Know a Fount by Canadian arranger Noel Brooks, conducted by Songster Leader Karl Westwood.
On Sunday, the CSS supported worship at Bromley and participated in open-air ministry at a park and shopping centre. Sunday afternoon was spent touring the city of London, and some members of the CSS sang the Canadian national anthem outside the gates of Buckingham Palace to great applause.
On July 7, the CSS travelled to Canada House, the chancery of the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom in Trafalgar Square. There, they performed for the Honourable Ralph Goodale, High Commissioner of Canada. A reception with the Canada House staff featured Tim Hortons coffee as well as homemade Nanaimo bars by the resident chef.
The CSS then travelled to Peterborough where the group spent time touring the majestic Peterborough Cathedral and performed in the evening at Peterborough Citadel. The concert included a moving testimony and solo, Been So Good, by Karen Gross, with
Concert with CSS, ISS and ISB at Together 25
GREAT GOD, GREAT PRAISE
Canadian Staff Songsters share their highlights:
NANCY TURLEY
“There were so many God-moments. As we sang Goodness of God with the congregation, I was overwhelmed by the passion, sincerity and earnest heart-cries of thanksgiving. It was soul stirring!”
LISA BAKER
“A Salvationist woman in Peterborough held my hand and, with tears streaming down her face, said she had never experienced such a Spirit-filled service in her life. She was so moved and grateful.”
NEESHA DUNKLEY
“Two audience members remarked on the beautiful music, but what they loved the most was that they could see that the words we were singing came straight from our hearts.”
DERYCK ROBERTSON
“I watched a little girl’s face in the front row in Leek. She was so thrilled to hear the music, and I saw her say, ‘Oh, I love this one!’ when we started Rejoice.”
IAN COOPER
“It was a blessing to see the younger members of the CSS interacting with the older, longer-serving members, including the deep, spiritual conversations that were had during the coach rides.”
HEATHER ROBERTSON
“At the cathedral, I spoke to a man who bluntly said he hadn’t wanted to come—his wife dragged him out. In the end, he was so blessed he didn’t want the evening to end. He told me the song The Shelter of Shalom sang peace ‘right into my stubborn, old heart.’ ”
JANETTE BROWN
“I loved the feeling of belonging wherever we visited. People we had never met welcomed us into their homes so graciously. It is wonderful to be unified through faith.”
MAJOR BEVERLY IVANY
“This tour was a taste of heaven, worshipping God daily with such exuberant joy and passion, and meeting new people who instantly became family. Thank you, Jesus!”
Julianna Gerard joining on piano for We Sing the Mighty Power of God, and the songsters’ recitation of Elements of Faith by Peter Koehnen. Excellent musical accompaniment was provided throughout the tour by Rachel Ewing on piano, Matthew Osmond on percussion and Ken Bailey on bass, as well as audio-visual support by Glenn Van Gulik.
NORTHERN ENGLAND AND WALES
A four-hour journey to the north took the choir to Bedlington, near the border of Scotland, where they visited St. Cuthbert’s church, which dates to the 11th century, and met for tea at the civic centre with the mayor and councillors. The sold-out evening concert had many attendees waving Canadian flags, and the interval featured ice cream treats for everyone—most welcome as the United Kingdom was experiencing a heat wave.
After a brief stop in Buxton, the group arrived at Leek Corps on July 9 for another day of worship and fellowship. Then they travelled to Newport, Wales, where the concert was held at Newport Cathedral, a 1,500-year-old church that featured stunning architecture and acoustics.
“These concerts are not performance; they are worship,” noted Lt-Colonel John Murray, CSS executive officer, who organized the tour in collaboration with the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. His narration guided the audience through musical references to the three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and God’s “power and presence woven through all creation.”
TOGETHER 2025
The tour culminated at the Together 25 congress in Birmingham, which celebrated The Salvation Army’s 160th anniversary with Salvationists from across the country. A sold-out Friday night concert at the Birmingham Conservatoire featured the CSS together with the International Staff Songsters (ISS), led by Dorothy Nancekievill, and the International Staff Band (ISB), under Stephen Cobb. A highlight of the evening was the premier of New Creation, a massed piece for all three groups by composer Richard Phillips. Cathie Koehnen also led a moving rendition of I Have Seen the Glory of the Lord, with the combined voices of the CSS and ISS. The concert concluded with musicians surrounding the audience for the benediction, The Lord Bless You and Keep You.
On July 12, the CSS sang a short afternoon concert and joined in the congress’ evening sessions, which featured stories, praise, dance, song and a word from Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, World President of Women’s Ministries. The CSS was blessed to have the opportunity to participate in these sessions, with musical selections that included Let Everything That Hath Breath, featuring Steven Cooper, and Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. Following the evening sessions, the CSS and ISS shared one last meal before parting ways.
“It was a real privilege to travel with the Canadian Staff Songsters during their UK tour,” says Andrew Blyth, head of music editorial for the United Kingdom and Ireland (UKI) Territory, who provided logistical oversight for the tour. “At every venue they brought energy, enthusiasm and the message of Christ’s light and hope in song. It is the prayer of the UKI territory that their legacy will be felt for many years to come. Thank you, CSS, for coming to share and proclaim his light to us!”
Videos and more photos of the tour can be found on the Salvationist magazine and Canadian Staff Songsters social media accounts. The new His Light in Us album is available on most streaming platforms and on CD through Supplies and Purchasing/Trade Canada and Bermuda. Visit Salvationist.ca/CSS for more information.
“THESE CONCERTS ARE NOT PERFORMANCE; THEY ARE WORSHIP.”
—LT-COLONEL JOHN MURRAY
(Top left) General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham are made honorary staff songsters by Lt-Col John Murray and relatives from the Robertson clan
(Bottom left) Songsters Aidan Turley and Janine van der Horden duet at Together 2025
(Above) Songsters sing at Canada House in London for the Honourable Ralph Goodale, High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom
(Left) Songsters perform for a capacity crowd at Newport Cathedral in Wales
(Circle) An enthusiastic young soldier waves the Canadian flag (Middle left) Lt-Col Murray addresses the congregation in Bedlington, UK
(Middle centre) SL Cathie Koehnen: “We sing to share Christ’s light in us”
The Home Front is an ongoing series where we highlight the mission and ministry taking place around our territory. We will visit each Canadian province and territory, as well as Bermuda, and celebrate the innovation and impact the Army is having in corps, social services and youth ministry
AT A GLANCE
LT-COLONEL SCOTT RIDEOUT
Divisional commander
LT-COLONEL MICHELLE RIDEOUT
Divisional officer personnel secretary and divisional spiritual life development secretary
AS DEEP AS THE OCEAN
Three stories of belonging in Nova Scotia.
BY KRISTIN OSTENSEN, GISELLE RANDALL AND JUAN ROMERO
In Uniacke Square, a public housing neighbourhood in Halifax, you’ll find a Salvation Army centre that doesn’t look much like a Salvation Army centre, aside from the sign out front and the bright Red Shield. Occupying three adjoining rowhouses, Open Arms Halifax offers a second home for children and families in the community—many of whom are newcomers to Canada.
“Our main mission is: how can we be the hands and feet of Christ in this community?” says Mitch Brower, the Open Arms program co-ordinator. “Because being in the centre of this neighbourhood isn’t a coincidence. I think it’s very much what God has called us to. And how can we use that strategic location to further his kingdom?”
Since two-thirds of the population of Uniacke Square are under the age of 25, it should come as no surprise that much of the Army’s ministry focuses on youth. A key program for the centre is the afterschool club, which features a range of fun and creative activities, including painting, cooking, helping with the centre’s community garden, and so much more. About 15-20 kids attend each day.
The centre also recently launched a youth leadership program, which gives
young people practical ministry opportunities, such as serving meals on the streets of Halifax.
For Kristina, Open Arms has been a godsend. Her three children have enjoyed many programs at the centre over the past five years. And she’s especially grateful for how the staff have supported her son, Ethan, who is on the autism spectrum.
“Open Arms has been very supportive and benefited my kids in ways where they learned accountability and responsibility,” she says. “And they learned a lot of leadership skills and confidence building and teamwork.”
Open Arms is a place to belong, to receive support and to experience the love of Jesus in practical ways.
“The kids have always loved this place, and it just seems to be a magnet for a lot of them,” says Brower. “Sometimes, when we’re not having program, they’re at the front, knocking on the door, wondering if we’re open again, and we’ll say, ‘We’ll be back tomorrow!’ ”
—by Kristin Ostensen
Learn more about Open Arms on the Salvationist podcast at salvationist.ca/ podcast.
Two children hold up crafts they made at last year’s summer nature program at Open Arms
Photos: Courtesy of Mitch Brower
Mitch Brower (back) leads a March break pizza-cooking program at Open Arms
Nova S cotia
THE TABLE IN BRIDGETOWN, N.S.
Two hours. Four questions. Six women. That’s the simple idea behind The Table, a discipleship ministry for women inspired by IF: Gathering, at Bridgetown Community Church, N.S.
“We gather for a meal together, which is an intimate experience of fellowship. But what’s captivating about this approach is that it’s designed to cut through surface-level small talk,” says Major Leslie Wiseman, corps and community ministries officer. “It’s intentional conversation about life with God. How often do we sit and talk about our faith, or how we’re growing in Christ, or where our challenges are?”
For a small corps without many lay leaders, The Table is a way to create a regular rhythm of connection and build authentic community, without a lot of planning required. Their aim is to meet at least quarterly, taking turns preparing a meal—which can be as simple or elaborate as desired. At the table are four conversation cards, with questions to prompt discussion. After setting a framework of confidentiality, each woman is invited to respond to each question throughout the meal.
At their first gathering in January, the prompts focused on dreaming together with God, with questions such as: What are some of your hopes for this year? Where do you really need God to show up in your life? Another gathering focused on sharing faith, asking: What are some of the things that make it difficult to do that? What holds us back?
Rather than a Bible study, which seeks to dive deeper into Scripture, The Table offers a place to reflect and discuss, recognizing that everyone is in a different place on their spiritual journey.
“It’s a beautiful, sacred space as women open up and share their experiences, doubts, fears and celebrations,” says Major Wiseman. “It deepens their relationships with one another, and there’s a sense of belonging. Inevitably, encouragement flows, we pray, and women leave feeling closer to each other and to God. When that happens, seeds of faith are planted. It is an organic way of spiritual nurturing.”
—by Giselle Randall
HOME-STYLE LUNCH IN GLACE BAY, N.S.
Every Thursday, The Salvation Army in Glace Bay, N.S., hosts a lunch program, serving home-style meals for guests in need. But the program isn’t just about food; it’s also about connection.
“The idea is for the clients to come in, sit and socialize with each other and with us,” says Beryl Clements, a longtime member of the corps and dedicated volunteer.
Clements has been serving in The Salvation Army for years, especially around Christmas, sorting toys and packaging hampers. She didn’t hesitate to volunteer when the lunch program started just over a year ago.
“I like to help in any way I can,” she says. “The last few years, I’ve been able to help because now I make my own hours, and I happily take time to volunteer. I enjoy every minute of it. It makes me feel great to be able to help my community and the clients that come to us every week.”
She says the dine-in setup encourages people to socialize. That sense of community is part of what keeps her coming back.
“The volunteers always have a great time together,” Clements says. “The clients are very appreciative. They thank and compliment us on how good the food is and look forward to returning every week.”
For Robert, a frequent guest, the lunches have made a meaningful difference.
“The lunch has surpassed my expectations of a home-cooked meal. I look forward to it every time,” he shares. “It helps meet my food needs, and the social aspect is great. The volunteers are friendly and personable. I’ve made more acquaintances there.”
The experience has also deepened his connection with The Salvation Army.
“I’ve had the chance to get to know the pastors, Captains Keith and Charlene Barrett, and some volunteers. I’m even thinking about joining the church,” he adds.
Beyond meeting people’s food needs, the lunch program offers an opportunity to learn about the Army’s work.
“Some guests don’t know what The Salvation Army is, so we take the time to explain what we do as a church,” Clements says.
Although Glace Bay’s community still faces challenges with food insecurity, the lunch program will support the mental and physical well-being of its clients in the meantime.
—by Juan Romero
Women gather for The Table, which offers a place to reflect and discuss, recognizing that everyone is in a different place on their spiritual journey
Volunteers and guests enjoy a meal together at the Glace Bay Corps: from left, Robert, Beryl Clements, Vonnie Peddle and Justin
Courtesy of Major Leslie Wiseman
A delicious meal awaits participants in The Table at Bridgetown CC
MAN WITH A MISSION
What does a vibrant men’s ministry look like?
BY CAPTAIN JOSH HOWARD
Throughoutits rich history, The Salvation Army has had a wide array of programs and ministries, with focus given to various groups and purposes: children, youth, music, arts, seniors, food, crafts, women and men.
Upon accepting and assuming the role of men’s ministry resource officer in the Ontario Division in 2024, it became evident that, like the list above, men’s ministry sometimes falls at the end. In recent conversations with other officers and Salvationists, I’ve heard that dedicated and meaningful men’s ministry is desired but is sometimes missing. This is not to say that ministry to men is more or less important than other ministry, but that it should be included and part of what we do.
The question is: where do you start? In any kind of ministry, whether starting a new initiative, resuming for the program year or reworking something that has been around for a while, we should be careful that we’re not just filling an open slot on the calendar, or maintaining a tradition. If a program is part of what we
WHEN MEN ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN FAITH IN THE LORD AND IN TRUST IN THEIR FRIENDS ... THERE’S A LASTING IMPACT.
do, it should be done with intention and purpose. So, how can we determine purpose and intentionally plan for a thriving men’s ministry? One simple yet effective way to see if a ministry measures up is by using a tool, such as the Rotary four-way test (Is it the truth? Is it fair? Will it build goodwill? Will it benefit all concerned?) or the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis.
What might a test for a vibrant men’s ministry look like? What follows can apply to most program or ministry opportunities; however, the primary focus of this article is on men’s ministry. Here are a few questions to consider:
IS IT CHRIST-CENTRED?
Jesus needs to be the centre of any ministry we do as a church. If we keep Christ as our focus, a program will be more meaningful than something that is offered in the community or at a local recreation centre. And if our ministry has Jesus at the centre, one thing will be evident: it will be relational.
There’s a tongue-in-cheek joke that says no one talks about Jesus’ miracle of having 12 close friends in his 30s. While it may sound like a stereotypical statement, many would agree that relationships are something that men struggle with and have to work hard at.
This isn’t to say that fun events, such as going to a hockey game or hosting a fishing weekend, should be excluded from your church calendar. But the proof is in the pudding: ministries that are relational are the most effective. When men are given the opportunity to grow in faith in the Lord and in trust in their friends, in settings such as prayer gatherings, small groups or Bible studies, there’s a lasting impact. And it’s not just felt within that group. The impact also makes its way into a man’s daily life at home, at work and with family and friends.
IS IT FEASIBLE?
Before we start a new program or rework an existing one, we first need to consider if it’s even possible. Ideas are great and it’s good to use our imaginations, but if something can’t be sustained, then it’s doomed from the beginning.
When we think about the feasibility of a ministry, it’s not just about finances, although that should be part of the conversation. Feasibility also includes things such as location, duration, leadership and succession plans. In the Army context, we know there is an ebb and flow to leadership, and that officer changes are not so much an “if” but a “when.” Although this is true, involving your officer in the conversation should be a starting point: talk with them so they can support your new ministry and provide helpful guidance and resources.
There can be good intentions behind any program or ministry, but we should consider if it’s sustainable. Instead of planning something that will take a lot of prep work, start with something attainable and let it grow. Starting something too big, that’s not realistic in the long run, is setting yourself up for failure. If it’s not sustainable, it’s not feasible.
Starting simple can be a good testing ground. I’ve heard of simple ministries that started organically and then grew into something bigger. This was the case for one congregation where a small group of men met for breakfast at a local restaurant. They eventually had to move the gathering to their church because the numbers had grown to more than 30 men attending each month.
There’s also no need to reinvent the wheel. Have conversations with other corps that are running a men’s ministry to see what’s working for them. See if you can visit their programs and gather ideas. That said, you shouldn’t feel the need to replicate what you see others
(Above) Last September, men from across the Ontario Div gathered for a weekend of worship, fellowship and fun at Newport Adventure Camp
(Right) Cpt Josh Howard shares a message
doing. Your context is different from theirs; be willing to change and adapt according to what is feasible in your setting.
IS THERE ROOM FOR GROWTH?
Someone asked me recently if there’s a stereotype that men’s ministry is geared toward “older guys.” A lot of men my generation or younger might think of men’s ministries as something for our dads or grandfathers. You may be reading that and thinking, “Yes, that has been my experience.” But that does not have to be the case. When we consider the question “Is there room for growth?” it’s not just about numbers, but also about personal growth and willingness to try new things.
One of the easiest ways to change this stereotype is to involve men of a younger generation. This isn’t to say that they need to host an event or run it by themselves—or, at least, not right away. Instead, involve them in the conversation and ask what they want. Maybe it’s about sports or video games, or something that’s not on your radar, but be willing to learn about it.
This loops back to ministry being relational: in doing this, you are showing someone you are interested in them and what they like and are willing to give it a try. It shows that you care about them.
As an example, the divisional men’s camp in Ontario has been intentional about involving men from younger and older generations on the planning committee. They have also offered a fatherson camp rate, which makes it more affordable for families to attend. This provides fathers and sons the opportunity to share in the camp experience, and to grow in their relationship with each other and with God.
When people are involved in a ministry, they will be interested and invested in it. Whether it’s a large camp setting, meeting for Bible study or gathering for a weekly coffee group, make sure your men’s ministry is positioned for growth, that it’s feasible and, foremost, that Jesus is at the centre.
CAPTAIN JOSH HOWARD is the corps officer at Orillia Citadel, Ont., and the men’s ministry resource officer in the Ontario Division.
THINKING ABOUT STARTING A MEN’S MINISTRY?
Here are some key points to consider:
• Do your homework. Figure out the needs in your corps and where the gaps are.
• Include others. Don’t do it all yourself (this includes officers!).
• Start simple. Meet for prayer at the church, go to a local coffee spot weekly or gather for breakfast monthly.
• Failure happens. If something does not work the first time, be willing to learn from it—and don’t give up.
• Allow room for growth. Don’t limit yourself to your original ideas and plans.
• Pray over it. This is the most important part of any ministry. And in praying, trust that God has it and will use it for his good.
Photo: Billy Canning
The men’s ministry is called Ascent, with the tagline, “For men, by men, united by Jesus”
Photo:Billy Canning
WALKING TOGETHER
Reconciliation circles offer space to explore what it means to be a good neighbour.
BY CAPTAIN CRYSTAL PORTER
Whetheryou live in a busy city or a quiet countryside, neighbours are part of our stories. I hope you have experienced a smile from a familiar face across the street, a shared conversation through a fence or the kindness of an unexpected gesture. I’m sure we could all recall a story (or two) of a good neighbour.
The importance of a neighbourly relationship is emphasized throughout Scripture. In Luke 10:25-37, we read of the Good Samaritan. In Matthew, we learn of the greatest commandment, to love your neighbour as yourself (see Matthew 22:39). Throughout the Gospels, we see friends go to great lengths for one another: we see a tax collector give away everything he owns to repay his neighbours; we see a young boy offer his meal to a crowd; and we see a widow put her last coin in the temple collection plate. Through his stories, teachings, mission and ministry, Jesus called us to be welcoming and gracious. At the heart of who we are as followers of Jesus is a call to care for one another.
Over the past year, The Salvation Army hosted a series of reconciliation circles to allow people to gather and talk about Indigenous reconciliation through the lens of what it means to be a good neighbour. We worked to create a safe space for healthy conversation, guiding participants through an Indigenous appreciative inquiry approach of storytelling and active listening, then highlighting key words or themes that helped shape our future conversations.
As I reflect on our time together, I am hopeful for more moments like these. It is sometimes easy to forget that reconciliation is a shared conversation, a hand extended, a simple decision to listen before speaking. It is found in being a good neighbour.
We hoped to help people realize that reconciliation is more than land acknowledgments or wearing an orange shirt. It is not a distant ideal but a daily act. This is where real change begins. Being a good neighbour is found in the small moments. It’s shovelling snow for an elderly neighbour or dropping off a meal to a grieving family. It’s taking ordinary moments and making them glimmers of hope, dignity, generosity, kindness and presence. And at the heart of reconciliation is a journey of learning to walk in right relations—choosing to be present and understanding that healing does not always come from grand gestures but in steady consistent ones.
I invite you to sit with us for a moment and listen to the experiences from some of our participants. Perhaps you can reflect and ask yourself: what does it mean for me to be a good neighbour?
CAPTAIN CRYSTAL PORTER is the territorial Indigenous ministries consultant.
RECONCILIATION AT CAMP
Throughout the past couple of months, I’ve spent time learning and reflecting with others from across the Atlantic Division through reconciliation circles. I enjoyed getting the chance to discuss what reconciliation means and the work The Salvation Army is doing throughout the territory to walk the path of reconciliation.
One thing that stuck with me was from our first session when we talked about what it means to be a good neighbour. It may seem like a simple question, but it really got me thinking, and we all broadened our knowledge of what being a good neighbour can look like as we listened to each other’s stories. We discussed how living in community and learning about each other’s lives and culture represents being a good neighbour and can also be a step toward reconciliation.
I enjoyed getting to learn about the initiatives The Salvation Army has taken to walk the path of reconciliation in our territory, and I learned new things about different resources available to corps and local ministry units. The reconciliation circles had an impact on my work as I planned the Timothy leaders-in-training program at Scotian Glen Camp for this past summer, inspiring me to add in a worldview component to the leadership curriculum. I was excited to implement these new sessions, including a workshop on reconciliation.
EVA REDMOND
attends Gander Corps, N.L., and was a camp support worker at Scotian Glen Camp in Nova Scotia.
MORE THAN TRAUMA
As an Indigenous woman, I come to reconciliation differently than a non-Indigenous person. The reconciliation circles were a safe place to exchange ideas. Each session was guided by readings and questions that led to an open discussion among participants. I have three main thoughts after participating.
First, the people I see in my work at the Winnipeg Centre of Hope are not just houseless people who have experienced trauma or historical trauma—they belong to a people who had a rich life prior to colonization. They have felt loss of culture, loss of standing, loss of language, loss of family, as well as loss of community. These losses have resulted in trauma either directly or indirectly from a parent or grandparent. I am reminded to not just see the trauma but the whole person. I keep in mind that reconciliation, much like an apology, is not one way, and it takes time.
Second, I always want to remember that although there is a lot of trauma in the history of Indigenous peoples, there is also a lot of resilience and a lot of beauty.
Third, I also want to remember that Indigenous people have always been a spiritual people. There is ceremony and with ceremony there is prayer.
I believe that in recognizing these three points, I can help the journey of reconciliation in my work.
CORINNE
PETERKIN is the Indigenous liaison at the Winnipeg Centre of Hope.
WE HOPED TO HELP PEOPLE REALIZE THAT RECONCILIATION IS MORE THAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS OR WEARING AN ORANGE SHIRT. —CAPTAIN CRYSTAL PORTER
INDIGENOUS BRILLIANCE
Participating in these reconciliation circles was a sacred journey of listening, learning, introspection, prayer and connection. It was time well spent. I especially liked the format of the group as a circle of mutual respect, trust and intentional learning from one another as we processed the reading material and our personal thoughts and experiences. The circle encouraged dialogue and equal participation as we listened carefully to each other while focusing on key words that stood out to us as a truth speaking to us in that moment. It was interactive in a way that brought out difficult truths but also allowed for inspiration, motivation and growth, so I am thankful for this experience and for how “all my relations” was expressed.
Captain Crystal was a wonderful facilitator who presented thought-provoking material, and her desire to help us deepen our knowledge and sensitivity was evident and appreciated. We were given a deeper understanding of the value of these conversations as part of the healing process and the actions needed on the journey of reconciliation.
A particular point of learning that stood out to me as something I will always carry is that we must speak of Indigenous brilliance as much as we speak of Indigenous trauma. There is hope that the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action will be fulfilled, accountability and transparency will build trust and deepen relationships, Indigenous culture will be preserved and healing will continue to ease the harm of intergenerational trauma.
MAJOR BEVERLY HOWELL-BRUSHETT
is the corps officer at Yellowknife Corps and director of spiritual care at The Salvation Army's Northwest Territories Resource Centre.
HERE WE GROW AGAIN
Discipleship resource for teen girls relaunched.
BY CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK
While all teens struggle with things such as purpose, confidence and identity, girls’ struggles are often magni fied by the considerable cultural pressures placed upon females. By the time a young girl is six, research shows that she has already been socialized to believe that boys have the potential to be smarter than girls. By age seven, she will likely believe she is valued more for her looks than her personality.
In the fall of 2020, women’s ministries in the Canada and Bermuda Territory launched Grow, a new discipleship resource for teen girls designed to help reverse these startling trends. Grow provides opportunities to explore themes of leadership, spiritual formation and social justice through a variety of guided Bible studies, exciting activities and life applications. A life-skills component, featuring topics such as sewing, car care and public speaking, seeks to prepare girls practically as they transition into independence. The Talk About It conversation tool, developed with support from The Salvation Army’s Ethics Centre, provides a framework for girls to discuss topics such as sexuality, media and race in a non-judgmental, faithbased setting.
While women’s ministries was ready to share Grow with the world, the world was distracted (and rightly so) by the ongoing COVID pandemic, and local uptake was slower than hoped. Internationally, however, Grow was gaining attention, being adopted as an official resource by both the U.S.A. Southern and Central territories, as well as the Caribbean Territory.
Lt-Colonel Wanda Vincent was the territorial secretary for women’s ministries in the Caribbean Territory at the time and was excited to share this resource with the teen girls there.
Photo:CourtesyofCaptain
RELAUNCHING GROW
considered a relevant and user-friendly resource that leaders could easily access and implement,” she recalls. “Each year, portions of the Grow material were inserted in the annual women’s ministry program book (a resource they create every year to provide program ideas for various women’s ministry groups). In this way, the leaders had both hard copy samples as well as all the instructions needed to access Grow online. I felt it was very well received, and the divisional directors of women’s ministries agreed it should remain in the annual resource going forward.”
Closer to home, Captain Susan Roffel found ways of running Grow at Lindsay Community Church, Ont., even during days of masking and social distancing. “As a leader it was great material to get the girls to start a conversation in a nonthreatening and non-judgmental way,” she shares. “The topics were relevant and the connection with the young women invaluable.”
One of the girls who attended spoke of her own experience attending Grow: “It was nice talking about real things and finding out about each other. I was able to ask questions without feeling judged.”
The Talk About It conversation guides, which can exist as a standalone resource, were also used by many ministry units running BRAVE , another women’s ministries initiative that seeks to reach out to the most vulnerable girls in our community with a message of empowerment.
With COVID in the rearview mirror, we are relaunching Grow with a new design and two new modules, “Grow Your Emotions” and “Grow Your Creativity,” in the hopes of reaching even more girls. Captain Emily Newbury plans to introduce Grow at The Salvation Army Rainbow Country Church in Parry Sound, Ont., this fall. “I am planning to use the Grow curriculum with the girls who are aging out of our Tuesday night kid’s club program,” she says. “Grow offers a meaningful and relevant way to stay connected with our preteen and teen girls while empowering them in their faith and identity. It feels like the right next step for continuing relationship and momentum together.”
CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK
is the corps officer at Barrhaven Church in Ottawa, and the territorial gender equity officer.
GROW REDESIGNED
Think Grow might be a good fit for your ministry unit? The newly redesigned and expanded curriculum is available online, and includes a leader’s guide, training videos, letters for parents and guardians, social posts and more— everything you need to run Grow in your context.
The Grow curriculum can be found at salvationist.ca/grow. Please contact your divisional secretary for women’s ministries for full access.
Susan Roffel
ONE CHILD AT A TIME
Opening doors to education through the Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program.
BY MAJOR HEATHER MATONDO
Aroundthe world today, nearly 25 million children are not attending school—a staggering number that reflects not just a crisis in education, but in opportunity, equity and hope. The reasons behind this are complex and varied. In some communities, families cannot afford the cost of tuition, uniforms or basic school supplies. In others, children live in remote areas where the nearest school is miles away, often requiring long and unsafe journeys.
In high-income countries such as Canada, governments spend an average of $8,500 per child each year to support education. This includes everything from teacher salaries to school infrastructure, technology and extracurricular opportunities. In stark contrast, low-income countries often spend as little as $55 per child annually—barely enough to cover the basics, let alone provide high-quality, inclusive education. This gap places highquality education out of reach for millions of children each year.
Yet in the face of these daunting statistics, something positive is happening that is changing lives, one child at a time.
Across Canada, from the rugged shores of Newfoundland and Labrador to the towering mountains of British Columbia, individuals and Salvation Army church groups are coming together to make a difference through the Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program, breaking down barriers to education for some of the world’s most vulnerable children and youth.
Today, thanks to the generosity of sponsors and supporters, more than 2,400 students in Salvation Army schools around the world are receiving the support they need to attend school and thrive. But this program is about more than just getting children into classrooms. It’s about equipping them to succeed—academically, emotionally and socially.
The Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #4: Quality Education. The program provides much more than just tuition fees. It supplies essentials, such as backpacks, school uniforms, desks, textbooks and classroom supplies—even chickens, which help schools start small-scale, income-generating farms. These creative solutions allow schools to become more sustainable by funding teacher salaries, facility maintenance and student meals.
The ripple effect of this support is both wide and deep. In communities where education was once a distant dream, it is now becoming a reality. Parents speak of hope restored. Teachers
express deep gratitude for resources that allow them to teach effectively. And students, many of whom will be the first in their family to complete high school, now dare to dream of becoming nurses, engineers, teachers and leaders.
Here’s what some of the students and teachers at Salvation Army schools say:
• “Our hope for a better future has become a reality because of our education.”—Student, John Gowans High School, Liberia
• “You have given us a blessing of education and empowered us to be the best in the world.”—Student, Cotton Research School, Zimbabwe
• “Every drop in the ocean counts.”—Teacher, Kwama Elementary School, Zambia
These are not just words of appreciation. They are testimonies of transformation, evidence of what is possible when people come together with compassion and purpose.
Even in the Bible, we find inspiration in the account of Jesus as a young boy, eager to learn and grow. In Luke 2, we read about him at just 12 years old, sitting among the teachers in the temple courts, “listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). Every child, regardless of where they are born, deserves the same opportunity—to be curious, to learn, to ask questions and to be taught by those who care.
This is the vision that drives the Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program. It is about giving every child the chance to go to school, finish school and dream beyond school. It’s about unlocking the potential of a generation. And it’s about celebrating every milestone, from a child receiving their first backpack to becoming the first graduate in their family.
We invite you to be part of this incredible journey. While we may not be able to change the world overnight, we can change the world for one child. And then another. And another. One child at a time, we are building brighter futures.
To learn more, visit salvationist.ca/brighterfutures.
MAJOR HEATHER MATONDO is the assistant director of the international development department.
Mjr Heather Matondo interacts with a student at The Salvation Army Dongi Dongi School in Indonesia
We Believe is a six-part series on the Nicene Creed, which marks its 1,700th anniversary in 2025.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION
• Where do you see the Holy Spirit at work?
• Why is it hard to love enemies?
THE LORD AND GIVER OF LIFE
How do we see the Holy Spirit at work in our lives?
BY JAMES READ
“And we believe in the Holy Ghost, Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.”—Nicene Creed
They say St. Patrick of Ireland used a threeleaf clover to explain the Trinity. Does that help you? How about an analogy with water, which is sometimes icy, sometimes steamy, sometimes drinkable, but always the same H2O?
No analogy is fully adequate, but each one tries to draw our attention to something of the mystery that is the Holy Trinity. The Nicene Creed is doing the same thing. We have looked at sections of the creed that express beliefs about God the Father and God the Son. Now the creed takes us to core beliefs about the third “person” of the Trinity.
The Father is worthy of worship. The Son is worthy of worship. And, as the creed says, the Spirit is worthy of worship. God is all three.
Sometimes we may focus on God the Father and, other times, God the Son. Sometimes the presence of God the Spirit may be foremost in our thinking. But this is largely a matter of human perception. Father, Son and Spirit are actually always present and always united.
It can appear that Christians have three Gods. That is understandable—the mystery of the Trinity defies human conception whether one is a Christian or not. But when Christians are being most careful—and that is what the Nicene Creed aims to be—they affirm the divine unity. God is one. Whichever “person” we name in prayer—Father, Son or Spirit—the one God hears. When we are saved from sin, the one God saves us. When our spirits are most aware of a divine presence, it is the one triune God making us aware of his presence.
The human experience of divine presence is most closely associated with the work of God the Holy Spirit. Not long before his Crucifixion, Jesus told his close disciples that he would not abandon them. When his earthly ministry in Palestine was done, he would send another parakletos to be with them. In English, parakletos can be translated as comforter, counsellor or advocate. “One who comes alongside” is about as literally as one can translate the Greek.
And how does God come alongside? Of all the work of the Holy Spirit, The Salvation Army has emphasized the Spirit’s power to make people holy.
We know people who are holy, not just in their behaviour and appearance, but deep in their being. It is who they are. How has that happened? The short answer is that God the Holy Spirit—“the Lord and Giver of life”—has been at work. It’s not just a matter of good human genes or human effort or positive social environment. When someone is genuinely good, we have reason to believe God has been at work in them.
Nowadays, many people think it is misguided to “turn the other cheek” or “love your enemies.” For them, pride and personal recognition rather than humility are prime values. And, judging from the fact that marriage has become less common in Canada, it seems that fewer Canadians value lifelong “for better or worse” love.
If, by contrast, you desire forgiveness over retribution, humility over self-aggrandizement and covenant love over hooking up—or any of the other marks of Christlike character—then Someone other than the spirit of this age has been working within you.
For people to have the mind of Christ and the power to live accordingly shows the Holy Spirit at work. That continues to be the Christian’s prayer: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened (see Ephesians 1:17-18).
DR. JAMES READ
was the executive director of The Salvation Army Ethics Centre for 27 years and was a member of the International Theological Council. His co-author of this series, Major Ray Harris, is a retired Salvation Army officer and author of Convictions Matter. Major Harris and Dr. Read attend Heritage Park Temple in Winnipeg.
SALVATIONISTS, AHOY!
The Salvation Navy played an important part in saving Canadian souls for Christ.
TheSalvation Navy began in 1885 after General William Booth was presented with the three-masted steam yacht Iole. From this ship, meetings were conducted, and Bibles and religious books were distributed.
The purpose of the Salvation Navy was, according to the 1886 Orders and Regulations for Officers, “to do for those who go to sea what the Army does for those attending no place of worship on land, to visit every fishing town and seaport village along the English, Irish, Scotch and Welsh coast, boarding every vessel when lying in any roadstead, giving Bibles and good books, preaching Christ, and doing all in our power to get the sailors and fishermen of our country converted.”
At the urging of General Booth, vessels were acquired in other countries to fulfil this purpose.
By the time Evangeline Booth took command of the work in Canada in 1896, three Salvationist yachts were on the Great Lakes
spreading the gospel, with other ships serving the Atlantic provinces, all appropriately named and crewed by Salvationists.
Glad Tidings and Salvationist were schooners that traversed the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador. These ships set sail with the fishing fleets and held meetings with fishermen, carrying the gospel to the outports and other coastal regions. However, the Army was unable to maintain both Glad Tidings and Salvationist, and they were both sold in 1900.
But this was not the end of the Salvation Navy. In 1925, two 12-tonne motorboats, The Founder and Bramwell Booth, were launched. They were used until 1929 to facilitate visitation, business and evangelistic outreach.
This unique type of evangelism also spread to The Salvation Army in Sweden, Norway, South Africa, Japan, Australia, the Pacific Islands, Holland and France.
Living History is an ongoing series showcasing just a small assortment of the more than 350,000 items housed at The Salvation Army Heritage Centre in Toronto. This month, we showcase some unique nautical holdings.
Herbert Booth (with beard) on a Salvation Navy vessel—likely the William Booth—in Lake Ontario next to Cpt John McGillivray and another officer.
The crew formed a band
The Bramwell Booth, used in northern Newfoundland and Labrador. Built by George Small of Tizzard’s Harbour, N.L., circa 1900
The Glad Tidings docked. Owned by The Salvation Army and used to carry Army personnel from port to port in the early 1900s, the ship was built in Exploits, N.L., in 1889
Handmade model of Bramwell Booth, made by Envoy Roland Abbott
MARYURI (YURI) MARIN
I was the children and youth co-ordinator at Toronto’s Scarborough Citadel and I loved my role there, but I longed for more. I’ve served as an educator, navigated motherhood, adapted as an immigrant, expressed creativity through dramatic arts, worked in youth ministry, and participated in the Ministry Placement Program. The College for Officer Training (CFOT) will bridge the gap between my diverse life experiences and formal ministry training. Officership is a public and powerful declaration of commitment to serving God, spreading the message of Jesus the Son, and being led by the Holy Spirit wherever I am needed.
MELISSA CRUMP
In 22 years of walking with the Lord as his disciple, I have always felt his call to serve in his mission. Service, to me, means being the hands of Jesus here on earth, helping wherever needed, following Jesus’ example, and spreading the Word of God wherever he sends me. It means meeting human needs, physically and spiritually, and teaching the Word of God to the next generation. A Salvation Army officer lives with simplicity, humility and without fear. They are committed to the needs of others, even above their own. They are a servant of all and their heart is directed toward being a disciple of Christ.
For years, I heard whispers from the Lord inviting me to consider officership. It was a slow beckoning as I learned more about the Army and grew in my leadership and spirituality, but the Lord made it clear at an Explore Your Call weekend. It was in those quiet moments with the Lord, mixed with officers, friends and peers, that affirmed the plan God had for me. I believe he has gifted me with a pastoral heart and mindset, so I am honoured and thrilled to be mentored and taught for the next two years at CFOT. Our world is desperately looking for healing and Salvation Army officers have the privilege of being able to introduce people to the kindest and wisest healer there is—God our Father.
MATTHEW PITTMAN
CAROL MICHELLE WADE
When I started working at The Salvation Army Community Services in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., I knew this was where I belonged. I had been looking for a way that I could put my faith into action in the community. I prayerfully considered officership and felt this was the path I should follow. For more than a century, The Salvation Army has been equipping Christians to live a life of service as officers, and I welcome the training developed from that wealth of experience and trust in God. To me, officership is servant leadership. It is a willingness to allow God to use you to help equip his people to do the work he has set out for them.
BUM-JIN (PAUL) KANG
I started to attend Yorkwoods Community Church in Toronto and realized that The Salvation Army was exactly what I had dreamed it would be. I prayed for guidance and God confirmed his call to me through the words of Matthew 28:18-20, his Great Commission, calling me to be a full-time officer. I hope that my time at CFOT will allow me to deeply engrave in my heart the calling to live not only as an officer but also as a priest of God, committing myself fully to his calling. I believe it will be a period of spiritual growth, enabling me to live a life of obedience to God.
ACCEPTED AS AUXILIARY-CAPTAINS
My grandmother always told me that I was going to be a preacher. She saw something in me that I couldn’t see myself. God’s calling was on my life from a young age. When most kids watched cartoons, I watched Billy Graham. As I grew older, I drifted from my faith and became a victim of addiction and depression. In April 2016, I gave my heart to the Lord and left all my addictions at the mercy seat. I had a purpose again. In October 2019, my wife, Laura, and I attended the officership information weekend in Winnipeg. This was the reassurance we needed for our calling. I see CFOT helping me fulfil God’s call.
TAHEREH (ELLI) BAGHERI
I have served the Lord with all my heart in Iran, Turkey and now here in Canada. But during my years in Iran and Turkey, due to restrictions faced by Christians, I was not able to study biblical theology. In 2019, during a Sunday morning sermon at my church, Richmond Hill Community Church, Ont., I heard the voice of Jesus calling me to serve him. Without hesitation, I said “yes.” Since then, the Lord has remained faithful to his promises and continues to lead me forward in my ministry and faith. I believe that CFOT offers me the opportunity to learn more about The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda and to become better equipped for my ministry.
I grew up in the church and I loved being part of everything—youth ministry, worship and playing in the band. As I got older, I went on to work at various camps and had opportunities to work with The Salvation Army. I always felt God calling me to do something at a young age, but it never really became a calling until I was a youth director. This is when the prayer started, and I asked God for guidance on what he was calling me to do for him. I believe that CFOT will help me navigate this calling, educate myself and learn how to help others.
CHRISTINA BULGIN
I felt called into full-time ministry as a teenager at music camp at Lac L’Achigan in Quebec. That call on my heart has been a drumbeat throughout my whole life, but there was never a time where it was entirely clear that it was officership that God was calling me to. But God is patient and uses my experiences and passions to open doors that I must step through. And so here I find myself, despite everything, or perhaps because of everything, called to this journey. I am excited and terrified to see what God has in store. No matter what it is, I can confidently say that when I look down at my feet, I know that they are firmly planted on God.
SANDRA HERRERA
LAURA PITTMAN
BAY SOUTH, N.L.—Trinity Bay South Corps enrols 11 junior soldiers as part of its 132nd corps anniversary service. Front, from left, Megan White, Kaylee White, Eva Chaulk, Bently George, Cole Jackson, Lyla George and Amelia Canning, junior soldiers. Back, from left, Mjr Wanda Loveless, then CO; Dominic Centurión, Ava Canning, Rachel Jackson and Jayden Centurión, junior soldiers; Charlene Centurión, preparation class leader; and Mjr Rene Loveless, then CO.
TRINITY
HAMILTON, ONT.—A new pastoral care council is welcomed to the Meadowlands Corps’ church leadership team. From left, Mjr Michael Simpson, CO; Micaela Rayment; CS Dan Millar, holding the flag; CSM Kyle Millar; Margaret Spink; Judy Van Boven; BM Ron Heintzman; RS Sharon Avery; and Mjr Carolyn Simpson, CO.
HALIFAX—Six senior soldiers are enrolled at Halifax West CC. Front, from left, Mjr Heather Samuel, then CO; Laura Matheson, Valerie Doucett, Kathleen Reid, Zachary Reid, Bennet Reid and Philip Samuel, senior soldiers; and then Cpt Nicholas Samuel, then CO. Back, Trevor Rollin, holding the flag.
BELLEVILLE, ONT.—Belleville Citadel celebrates the enrolment of five senior soldiers. From left, Mjrs Cindy and Curtis Butler, then COs; Sandra MacDonald, Walter Hurtick, Wally Mayhew, Sherry Mayhew and Christopher Virtue, senior soldiers; Noah Cassibo, holding the flag; and Mjr Sharleen McTaggart.
INTERNATIONAL
Appointments: Lt-Col Sandra Stokes, TC, Denmark and Greenland Tty; Mjrs Metti/Tero Saajoranta, TSWM/CS, Finland and Estonia Tty; Oct 1—Cols John/Lani Chamness, CS/ TSWM and territorial secretary for leader development (officers), Australia Tty; Mjr Margaret McLeod, CS, Canada and Bermuda Tty, with rank of col; Lt-Cols Annamani/Gnana Prakash Rao Boddu, TSWM/CS, Sri Lanka Tty; Nov 1—Lt-Col Jennifer Groves, CS, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Tty, with rank of col
TERRITORIAL
Appointments: Lt-Col Shona Pike, assistant training principal, CFOT; Mjr Marlene George, pastoral services officer, clinical, team lead, pastoral services, THQ (additional responsibility); Mjr Christine Johnston, territorial disabilities consultant, social mission department, THQ (additional responsibility designation change); Mjr Tracey Keats, CO, Botwood, N.L., Atlantic Div (from U.S.A Eastern Tty); Mjr Karen Lemke, manager, analytics and training officer, internal audit, office of the chief secretary, THQ (designation change); Mjr David Pearo, pastoral services officer, administration, team lead, pastoral services, THQ (additional responsibility); Mjr Tina Rideout, divisional secretary for mission resources, Ont. Div; Mjr Kathryn Ritson, CO, Leamington CC, Ont. Div; Mjrs Donna/Royal Senter, COs, Freeport, Bahamas, Caribbean Tty; Mjr Barbara Stanley, dean of students, Booth UC, THQ; Cpts Eric/Rachael Olson, COs and directors of men’s hostel, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Germany, Lithuania and Poland Tty (returning to home tty); Cpts Joel/Lynn Torrens, COs, West Kootenay Circuit (Trail/Nelson), B.C. Div; Cpt Laura Van Schaick, gender equity officer, office of the secretary for personnel, THQ (additional responsibility)
Post-retirement ministry: Mjrs Dean/Margaret Locke, COs, Tillsonburg, Ont. Div
Accepted as auxiliary-captain: Tahereh (Elli) Bagheri, Christina Bulgin, Laura/Matthew Pittman Retirements: Jul 1—Comr Wayne Bungay, Lt-Col Jamie Braund, Lt-Col Beverley Slous, Mjr Sandra Budden, Mjrs Cindy/Curtis Butler, Mjr Stephen Daley, Mjr Renée Dearing, Mjr Lisa Hale, Mjr James Hann, Mjr Roxzena Hayden, Mjr Wendy Johnstone, Mjr Stephen McNeilly, Mjrs Donette/Kenneth Percy, Mjrs Judi/Ron Wickens
Promoted to glory: Mjr Lorraine Burry, May 16; Mjr Ella Faulkner, May 17; Mjr Catherine Burrows, May 30; Mjr Reginald Newbury, Jun 9; Mjr Albert Bain, Jun 16; Mjr Henry Rowsell, Jul 1
CALENDAR
Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves: Sep 5 Executive Leaders Conference, THQ; Sep 7 Proclaimers of Transformation welcome meeting, Scarborough Citadel, Toronto; Sep 14-17 General’s Consultative Council, London, England (Commissioner Lee Graves only); Sep 26-28 St. Albert Church and Community Centre, Alta.; Oct 3-5 Explore Your Call, CFOT; Oct 11-12 Mountain Citadel, Hamilton, Ont.; Oct 17-24 IHQ; Oct 19 CFOT; Oct 31 National Advisory Board, Toronto
Colonels John and Lani Chamness: Sep 5 Executive Leaders Conference, THQ; Sep 7 Proclaimers of Transformation welcome meeting, Scarborough Citadel, Toronto
Colonel Margaret McLeod: Oct 3-5 Explore Your Call, CFOT; Oct 10-12 Edmonton Temple; Oct 17-24 IHQ; Oct 31 National Advisory Board, Toronto
Canadian Staff Band: Sep 7 Proclaimers of Transformation welcome meeting, Scarborough Citadel, Toronto; Oct 4-5 East Toronto Citadel
Canadian Staff Songsters: Sep 7 Proclaimers of Transformation welcome meeting, Scarborough Citadel, Toronto; Oct 4-5 North Toronto CC
NEON: Sep 7 Proclaimers of Transformation welcome meeting, Scarborough Citadel, Toronto; Oct 5 North York Temple, Toronto; Oct 10 Mountain Citadel, Hamilton, Ont.
HAMILTON, ONT.—Meadowlands Corps honours and thanks John Avery as he retires after eight years as CSM. Kyle Millar is welcomed and commissioned as the new CSM. From left, Dan Millar, holding the flag; CSM Kyle Millar; Avery; and Mjrs Carolyn and Michael Simpson, COs.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—At St. John’s Temple, three corps members are enrolled as senior soldiers. From left, ACSM Betty Cunningham; CSM Elizabeth Murphy; Alex Moyles, Faith Martin and Annie Murphy, senior soldiers; Mjr Jennifer Reid, CO; Rick Hynes, senior soldier class instructor; and Mjr Brad Reid, CO.
GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA.—One senior soldier and two adherents are enrolled at Grande Prairie CC. Front, from left, Cpt Peter Kim, CO; Cindy Reid, senior soldier; Brittany Bruce and Daisy Morgan, adherents. Back, ACSM Jonathan Lorentzen, holding the flag.
GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA.—Zoe and Grace Barnes are dedicated back to God by their grandparents at Grande Prairie CC. Front, from left, John Barnes, grandfather; Zoe and Grace Barnes; and Peggy Barnes, grandmother. Back, from left, Ky Ragan, holding the flag, and Cpt Peter Kim, CO.
TORONTO—Lt-Col Brenda Murray, director of international development, receives the King Charles III Coronation Medal at THQ, presented by Commissioner Lee Graves, TC. Mjr Rick Zelinsky, territorial public affairs director and territorial EDS director, holds the flag. The medal recognizes Lt-Col Murray’s accomplishments and dedication to the international work of The Salvation Army, bringing credit to Canada and the Canada and Bermuda Tty.
FERNIE, B.C.—Aletta Doll is dedicated back to God by her parents at Fernie Corps of the East Kootenay Circuit, B.C. “We are really excited to share this with Salvationists across Canada and Bermuda as it has been many years since a dedication has been held here,” says Mjr Jennifer Robins, CO. From left, Mjr Robins; Clayton and Mallory Doll with Aletta; and Bob Dyck, holding the flag.
RETIREMENT
PRAIRIE, ALTA.—Supported by Cpt Peter Kim, CO, two members of the corps at Grande Prairie CC celebrate their recommitment and renewal of their Soldier’s Covenant. Front, from left, Louise Drew and Eva Scott, senior soldiers; and Cpt Kim. Back, ACSM Jonathan Lorentzen, holding the flag.
NEW LISKEARD, ONT.—Lt Robbie Donaldson, CO, Temiskaming CC, receives the King Charles III Coronation Medal at the Feed Ontario Conference, presented by Kirsten Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada. The medal recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canada.
Majors Donette and Kenneth Percy have been inseparable since their marriage in 2010, reveling in life, ministry and each other’s company. Time spent with family and grandchildren is cherished. Kenneth served for more than 20 years in public relations and communications, fuelling his enthusiasm for unearthing and sharing insights through his pastoral duties. Donette’s passion for community engagement has been matched only by their shared passion for relationship-building. The synergy of their gifts has empowered their roles as corps officers and pastors, facilitating the effective dissemination of the gospel and the growth of God’s kingdom. Their distinguished nine-year tenure in Whitby, Ont., culminated in a well-deserved retirement.
—Two senior soldiers and one adherent are enrolled at Barrhaven Church. From left, Katayoun Afzalirad, adherent; Nayana Gangapatnam and Phil Woolsey, senior soldiers; Matthew Timmermans, holding the flag; and Cpt Laura Van Schaick, CO.
STEPHENVILLE, N.L.—Stephenville CC celebrates a senior soldier enrolment and the reaffirming of the Soldier’s Covenant. Front, from left, Mjr Rosena Halvorsen, CO; Denise Hynes, senior soldier; and Judy Reid, who reaffirmed her Soldier’s Covenant. Back, Mjr Mervyn Halvorsen, CO, holding the flag.
TRIBUTE
TORONTO Dorothy Vivian Cornish was born in Halifax in 1933 to George and Hazel Dunworth. At the age of nine, she accepted Christ in a decision Sunday service. She joined the College for Officer Training in Toronto as part of the Soul Winners Session in 1954, and her service as an officer included four corps appointments in Nova Scotia: Westville, Liverpool, Lunenburg and Willowdale. Dorothy also served in corrections and men’s social services. In 1969, she married the love of her life, Ernest Cornish, and together they faithfully served at Toronto’s Yorkminister Citadel until Ern’s passing in 1988. Dorothy continued as a faithful corps member and was the consummate volunteer. She taught the adult Sunday school class and faithfully visited corps members as a league of mercy (now community care ministries) member for decades. She was the divisional league of mercy secretary from 1970 to 1990, and served as a chaplain at the Dufferin Centre. Predeceased by husband, Ern, parents George and Hazel, brother, George, and sister, Shirley, Dorothy will be missed by her nephew, Robert Dunsworth, and niece, June Dicks, as well as many friends.
GRANDE
OTTAWA
NEW LISKEARD, ONT.—Janice Lancaster (left) is enrolled as a senior soldier at Temiskaming CC, with warm congratulations from CSM Karen Woods and Lt Robbie Donaldson, CO.
“I see God at work in my spiritual walk every time I open the Bible, pray and journal,” says Roger Yenkins
QA &
Roger Yenkins is the director of housing services for Saskatoon Community Services.
Tell us about your family and early years. I was born and raised in Argentina and grew up in a loving, caring Christian household with a strong commitment to prayer, church involvement and study-
During my youth, I did not know which direction to take, so I pursued a degree in economics. But during a retreat, I received conviction from the Holy Spirit that I was called to Christian ministry. God began to open doors in various ways, leading me to initiate theological studies in Argentina, and then move to Guatemala, where I completed my seminary education and met my wife, who is Canadian.
In Guatemala, I experienced God in marvelous ways, from stories of protection from being robbed in the streets to stories of provision when resources were scarce. I believe that the God who calls us to serve him will also equip us and give us the resources to complete the work he has entrusted to us.
How did you come to faith?
My mom played a pivotal role in my formative years, leading me to place my faith in Jesus. She taught me the importance of spiritual discipline and commitment and, through her work and lay ministry, she showed me the path to a life of service.
One of my earliest experiences of God was during a time of prayer. I was
THE LAND I WILL SHOW YOU
Following God’s call from Argentina to Saskatoon.
earnestly seeking him and a picture came to my mind: it was me and my heavenly Father sitting and talking under a beautiful tree on top of a lovely hill. That image has stuck with me through the years, reminding me that we have been called to have fellowship with God first and foremost.
Can you tell us about a difficult time in your life, and how God showed up?
I think of all the times I moved to different countries and cities, pursuing God’s calling for my life and family. Those transitions are tricky because you are leaving behind people and places you love, and embarking on the unknown. But God always showed up, confirming our steps, meeting our needs and giving us opportunities to serve him. The promise and blessing God gave to Abram in Genesis 12 have been a source of strength, direction and boldness for me through various transitions.
How has your relationship with Christ shaped your identity? It is the most important thing in the world to me. The Lord has always been faithful, and his promise of being with me always, day by day, until the very end, has been a source of encouragement when facing challenges and afflictions.
What inspires you about The Salvation Army?
The rich history of The Salvation Army as a movement allows us to try new social mission approaches
and quickly adapt to changes without losing focus on our mission and core values. These shape our practices, set direction and keep us aligned as an Army, avoiding the ever-present danger of mission drift. I also think of our strong teamwork and healthy workplace culture. Our staff and volunteers inspire me daily.
What brings you joy?
The number one thing that brings me joy is my wife and three kids. They are a funny bunch, and they always make me laugh. I also enjoy playing music at home, at church or anywhere. One of my weekly highlights is when I get to support our lead chaplain and play music during our Friday afternoon music sessions at the shelter. And, being faithful to my Argentine roots, I love three things: asado (Argentine grill), mate (a traditional Argentine tea) and fútbol (soccer).
How is God working in your life now?
I see God at work in my spiritual walk every time I open the Bible, pray and journal. I also see him at work in my family in many different ways and in our social mission programs. God continues to amaze us by opening doors to expand our services, by having us sit at different community tables with decision-makers, and by creating opportunities for us to be bold and innovative in developing creative solutions to Saskatoon’s complex issues.
Photo: Wilfred Sampson
Army Helps in Malawi SOWING HOPE P.22
AHL‘s Ryan Carpenter CENTRE STAGE P.10
Faith & Friends
Special
FOR THREE DECADES, SALVATIONIST
LORI BARRY HAS TAUGHT THE CHILDREN NO ONE WANTED TO TEACH—AND THEY HAVE CHANGED HER LIFE. P.16
PHRASE BE is an ongoing series highlighting the dozens of everyday sayings that originate with biblical text. In this issue, we unpack:
TIMES SIGNS OF THE
PHRASE: Signs of the times.
DEFINITION: Something that underscores the current state of society.
EXAMPLE: Movie tickets are getting more expensive. Must be a sign of the times.
SOURCE: “[Jesus] replied, ‘When evening comes, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,” and in the morning, “Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.’ ” —Matthew 16:23 Photo:
Jesus often rebuked the Sadducees and the Pharisees—the Jewish religious elites of the time—for their inability to grasp the importance of His earthly ministry. They could predict the weather but not see God’s hand at work!
But are we as nearsighted as they were? It’s easy to chuckle at their spiritual blindness but do we often miss the good work being done today, every day? God is as active in the world today as He was then. Jesus’ work is as important today as it was 2,000 years ago. We just must be attentive to the times … and see the signs.
COMMON GROUND
5 A Simple Cut?
For this young hair stylist, volunteering means more than just helping others look good.
SOMEONE CARES
More Than Just Meals
In Goderich, Ont., The Salvation Army is serving up a world of flavours at the Kids’ Cooking Club.
CHANGER 10 Centre Stage
The AHL’s Ryan Carpenter wears his faith on his hockey stick, for others to see and share.
three decades, Lori Barry has taught the children no one wanted to teach—and they have changed her
Cover photo: Angela Hayden
Teachable Moment
Interviewing teacher Lori Barry for this month ’ s cover story brought to mind a long-ago experience from my own school days.
Ms. Fernandez’s Monday morning English class was my introduction to high school, a daunting experience for me coming from a small elementary school. No longer were we in one room all day; we had to scamper from class to class. Lockers?
Combination locks? It was all very overwhelming.
So that first period, I parked myself in the very back row and resolved to keep as silent as I could. After all, what could I contribute?
One gloomy Monday, we were discussing the contents of a poem I have long since forgotten but that involved a large paper bag the wind was whipping about, which refused to be ripped apart.
“What does that mean, Mr. Ramstead?” Ms. Fernandez pointed at me.
Uh oh. We had just started the class. No way could I wait her out until the end of the period.
“Uh, the indestructability of the human spirit?” I stammered.
“Very good, Mr. Ramstead!” she smiled. “Let ’ s hope we hear more from you going forward!”
From then on, I became more confident in my opinions, and that carried over to the rest of my courses, and the rest of my life, really.
All it took was one teacher to bring me out of my shell, and Lori Barry is an educator whose faith in God and spiritual dedication also accomplishes miracles. Her story is on page 16.
Elsewhere in this issue of Faith & Friends, we continue our series on the Beatitudes of Jesus, the greatest of all teachers, spotlight the good work The Salvation Army is doing in Malawi and showcase the world of flavours that the Army is cooking up in Goderich, Ont.
Mission Statement
To show Christ at work in the lives of real people, and to provide spiritual resources for those who are new to the Christian faith.
Ken Ramstead
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The Barber of Maple Ridge Ellie Ollenberger donates her services to The Salvation Army
A Simple Cut?
For this young hair stylist, volunteering at a Salvation Army shelter means more than just helping others look good.
by Jeanette Levellie
When Ellie Ollenberger, a 22-year-old hair stylist at Bromley Hair Lounge in Maple Ridge, B.C., volunteered to cut hair for a women’s day in downtown Vancouver, an idea came alive.
I grew up with the people in this community, she thought. I need to do something to make a difference in their lives.
God at Work
Ellie drove past The Salvation Army’s Ridge Meadows Ministries every day on her way to work. Although she’s never been homeless herself, she had a friend who was a client there.
“I decided this Salvation Army shelter was a good place to start volunteering.”
Photo: Giuliano Mendonca
A Little Off the Top Ellie grew up with the people in this community and needed to do something to make a difference in their lives
A Cut Above
“Giving back to my community is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,”
Ellie says
Amelia Norrie, the fundraising co-ordinator at Ridge Meadows, shares about the different ways they serve people.
“Our outreach has two main parts,” she explains, “our shelter ministry and our community and family services ministry.”
While the two ministries operate in tandem, they help two very different groups of people.
“At our shelter, we focus on providing our guests with the
basic needs of food, clothing and assistance,” Amelia explains. When Ellie volunteered to give free haircuts, the directors were grateful they could offer their clients more than basic physical needs.
Samantha Mann, the volunteer co-ordinator at Ridge Meadows Ministries, was the first person Ellie contacted.
“When she offered to give free haircuts to our shelter clients, I was genuinely grateful,” says Samantha.
Photos:
Giuliano Mendonca
“It was such a thoughtful and practical way to serve, and it met a need we often see but don’t always have the resources to fill.”
Samantha feels that Ellie’s generosity has made a real impact.
“For many of our clients, a haircut isn’t just about appearance—it’s about feeling confident and cared for. I do believe it was one of those moments where you can really see God working through someone.”
The Gift of Hope
Ellie takes her gift of cutting and styling hair a notch higher during the one day a month that she volunteers at the Maple Ridge shelter. Free haircuts are her way to lift people’s spirits and offer them a sense of dignity, which many marginalized people have lost.
“Giving back to my community is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” she says.
One recipient of Ellie’s service was Alan, a senior whose smile filled the mirror Ellie held up for him to look
into after his haircut.
“I haven’t felt this great about myself in a long time,” he says, adding that having his hair cut offered him dignity.
A female client, Tara, related how she’d cut her own hair because she simply can’t afford a professional styling job. Her beautiful grin after the cut told the story: her confidence had been recharged.
As a person who recently completed her first year of sobriety, Ellie understands what it’s like to need help, to feel alone. The compassion she gained for others during her own recovery compels her to give back the hope she was offered. Jesus referred to people like Ellie when He said, “Whenever you did it for any of My people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for Me” (Matthew 25:40 Contemporary English Version).
To some, a haircut might seem like a simple thing, but to Ellie and those she helps, it’s a gift of hope.
Author of six books and hundreds of published articles, Jeanette Levellie and her husband make their home in Paris, Illinois. Jeanette’s hobbies include spoiling her three grandchildren, pampering her cats and inventing new ways to avoid housework. Find her splashes of hope and humour at jeanettelevellie.com.
(left)
Food and Friends
More Than Just Meals
In Goderich, Ont., The Salvation Army is serving up a world of flavours at the Kids’ Cooking Club.
by Chris McGregor
Every Wednesday, 16-year-old
Jerzy Coburn joins a small group of young chefs at The Salvation Army Suncoast Citadel in Goderich, Ont., to sharpen their culinary and leadership skills in the Kids’ Cooking Club.
Jerzy first learned about the club from a friend and decided to check it out, and now, after a couple of years, she feels much more confident in the kitchen. Open to youth aged 12 to 17, the program provides hands-on experience in meal preparation while teaching essential food-handling knowledge and kitchen safety skills.
“I used to be nervous about cooking meat because I didn’t want to undercook it,” she shares. “But after being in the club, I’ve learned how to tell when it’s done properly.”
Jerzy Coburn (fourth from left) with her fellow chefs at the Kids' Cooking Club
“Students prepare and cook a meal and, at 5:30 p.m., parents are welcome to join their children for dinner.”
LISA WALKER
Nurturing Time
Each session, led by program co-ordinator Lisa Walker, features a new theme. Currently, participants are exploring foods of the world.
“Every week, we focus on a different country. Students prepare and cook a meal and, at 5:30 p.m., parents are welcome to join their children for dinner,” Lisa explains. By mealtime, anywhere between 12 and 18 people gather to enjoy the dishes. Recent menu items include tourtière with mashed potatoes, green bean almondine and cauliflower au gratin, as well as homemade perogies served with kielbasa and sauerkraut.
Beyond improving her cooking skills, Jerzy has gained patience and leadership experience. She even volunteers at a Suncoast Citadel cooking program for younger children, passing along what she’s learned.
“Naturally, they didn’t know how to do most things, so teaching them took a lot of patience,” she recalls. “But it was fun seeing them learn.”
One of Jerzy’s most memorable experiences in the club was making homemade Pop-Tarts.
“I’d never made anything like that before. Some turned out perfect, and others, not so much,” she says. “But I enjoyed trying something new.”
While she isn’t planning to become a professional chef, the skills Jerzy’s gained will stay with her as she moves toward independence and prepares for post-secondary schooling.
With each session, the Kids’ Cooking Club is serving up more than just meals—it’s nurturing learning, growth and connection.
(left) Chris McGregor is the national communications and engagement specialist at The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations.
Photo: Lisa Walker
Focused on the Goal Ryan Carpenter takes his spiritual life as seriously as his hockey life
Centre Stage
The AHL’s Ryan Carpenter wears his faith on his hockey stick, for others to see and share.
by Jayne Thurber-Smith
Growing up near sunny Orlando, Florida, former San Jose Sharks centre Ryan Carpenter didn’t cling to any NHL aspirations, as many young Canadian boys do. But he had hockey in his blood, nonetheless. Ryan’s dad grew up in Staten Island, New York, and was a true New York Rangers fan.
“There weren’t too many kids from my school interested in hockey,” Ryan remembers. “I started out just playing in our driveway a lot. Sometimes my dad would get outside with me to play street hockey, and neighbourhood kids would join in. Then the owner of the Orlando Magic built a nice ice hockey facility in town, and I got to go play there.”
Different Routes
Ryan’s childhood dreams only went as far as college hockey.
“I knew if I got into a good junior league, that would help my chances,” he says. “A friend of mine moved to Ohio, and his dad helped me get a tryout with Victory Honda. I moved in with a host family to play Triple A hockey, and from there I got to play in the American Hockey League. I never really knew the path to keep advancing but I just kept going.”
Ryan enjoyed a good freshman season playing hockey for Bowling
Giving His All Ryan brings the same effort to the ice, whether it’s the NHL or the AHL
Green State University, earning the Rookie of the Year title.
“I couldn’t have an agent until I signed my pro contract, and I was told there was a good chance I could sign an NHL contract,” he says. “At the time, I was just focused on being the best student athlete I could be, and I also attended development camps. I knew if I kept working hard, it would pay off.”
Ryan is grateful that his time at Bowling Green allowed him to play a lot of high-level hockey.
“I kept asking coaches for feedback, and they helped me improve every year,” he comments. “Everyone develops at different times. I saw some kids get drafted at 18, but I also saw other guys who weren’t drafted get signed as free agents, and that’s the route I went.”
Photos: Courtesy of the San Diego Gulls
“My relationship with Jesus is the best thing in my life.”
RYAN CARPENTER
Dream Come True
Ryan was 23 when he signed with the Sharks in 2014, and joined their minor league club, the Worcester Sharks. He made the San Jose Sharks at the age of 26.
“My wife and I were newly married, living out here with a baby,” he recalls.
After a few years with the Sharks, Ryan went on to play with the Las Vegas Golden Knights, then the Chicago Blackhawks, the Calgary Flames and even a few months for the New York Rangers in 2022.
“My dad cheers for whatever team I’m on,” he says. “But he’s from New York and I wore a few Rangers jerseys as a kid. I remembered it was so fun to watch their games during those years with Gretzky and Messier playing. To play wearing a Rangers jersey in Madison Square Garden in front of my dad was a dream come true.”
“The Best Thing”
Ryan rejoined the San Jose Sharks in 2023 with a one-year contract. It was rewarding to see his career come full circle, landing back to San Jose where it all started. “A lot had changed: we
had two more kids, there were many new faces on the team, but thankfully we could attend the same church.”
Last summer he signed as a free agent to a two-year AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls. Throughout all his various hockey seasons, Ryan’s faith has triumphed over his uncertainty.
“There have been many times in my life that I have seen God provide,” he says. “I just take things one day at a time. I’m not in control of a lot of things, so I prepare as if it all depends on me, but I know in the end God has a plan that is best. Looking back at other free-agent periods of my life, I can see how He’s come through, and I was always in the place I needed to be.”
As a freshman at Bowling Green, a pastor friend helped Ryan see that he could go beyond religion and have a true relationship with Jesus.
“At that moment, I finally experienced real freedom, with no more shame or guilt,” he recalls. “My relationship with Jesus is the best thing in my life.”
Romans 5:8 Ryan is grateful that Hockey
Fun Family Outing
There’s nothing like bringing smiles to the faces of the fans!
Ministries International (HMI) supplies chaplains to many NHL locker rooms to help the players along in their life’s journey.
“Most teams I’ve played on have had a chaplain,” he says. “Their program is so cool! When I was with the Sharks they had Roger McCarty. He’s from a local church and served us at least once a week, sometimes via Zoom as necessary. Taking time to get into the Bible always encourages me. Applying the Bible to our lives and having proximity to other Christians is important. It puts life into perspective, helping us remember
what’s important in this life.”
Ryan welcomes the opportunity to share his testimony with others, and he writes “Romans 5:8” on every hockey stick he uses.
“When guys ask about what’s on my stick, I tell them the New Testament verse says, ‘God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,’ ” he says. “It’s a very simple way of sharing the gospel with others. I’m very thankful the love of God is always the same toward us, when we’re getting it right and even when we’re not.”
(left)
Jayne ThurberSmith is a wife, mother of four and freelance writer from Nova Scotia who presently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She enjoys tennis, horseback riding and reading.
Photo: Courtesy of the San Diego Gulls
Light of the World, in theatres now, is an animated film about the ministry of Jesus, told through the eyes of the Apostle John, who is widely believed to have been the youngest of Jesus’ 12 disciples.
In this fictional reimagining, John’s family owes a debt they can’t pay, and tax collectors are threatening to imprison John’s father because of it. John has heard about a man named Jesus, who has been performing miracles, so he takes his father to meet Him.
“I’ve brought someone who can help. This is Jesus,” John proudly proclaims.
John’s father isn’t impressed by the
Telling Tales
CAN ONE STORY CHANGE THE WORLD? NEW MOVIE, LIGHT OF THE WORLD, SAYS IT CAN.
by Diane Stark
man who claims to be the Messiah yet hangs out with fishermen and tax collectors.
“We’ve talked about this. It’s just a story,” he tells his son.
He thinks following Jesus is a waste of time. But John knows the right thing to do.
“He’s helping people,” he says. “I want to be a part of that. I want to show up.”
John follows Jesus, despite his father’s objections.
Over the next three years, John witnesses Jesus do many miraculous things: turning water into wine, healing people, walking on water. He celebrates Jesus’ triumphant entry
For Christians, the gospel isn’t just a story. It’s a life-changing event in their lives.
DIANE STARK
into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Then days later, he permits Jesus to wash his feet at the Last Supper. At His Crucifixion, Jesus tells John and the other disciples, “This is not the end. It’s the beginning.”
Jesus was right. We know that John went on to write the Gospel of John, where he describes what he witnessed as a disciple of Jesus. He also wrote Revelation, the last book of the Bible, in his later years. The stories John wrote have had an eternal impact on billions of people. Biblical scholars believe John was just a teenager when he began to follow Jesus. The disciple whom Jesus loved, despite his young age, was a powerful force in the growing first-century church.
What’s in a Story?
In the movie, John’s father tells him that Jesus isn’t really the Messiah, and that “it’s just a story.” John follows Him anyway and he watches Jesus change the lives of countless people.
For Christians, the gospel isn’t just a story. It’s a life-changing event in
their lives because Christians have met Jesus—probably not in person, but that doesn’t lessen the impact. Encountering Jesus and accepting His sacrifice on the cross changes where eternity will be spent, but meeting Jesus also changes how life is lived on earth.
Every Christian has a different story of meeting Jesus. For some, encountering Jesus means they were an addict and now they’re in recovery. For others, it means they were filled with shame, but now, they are redeemed and set free from the past. There are as many stories as there are people who’ve been changed by meeting Jesus.
Stories have power. Some people might be unwilling to hear Bible quotes, but they might listen to stories, what Jesus has done in some lives and how they can find the same healing in their own lives.
In the movie, John says following Jesus is his chance to “show up.” Maybe “showing up” is sharing stories of what Jesus has done.
Do you have a story? If so, show up and share it!
A Special
FOR THREE DECADES, LORI BARRY HAS TAUGHT THE CHILDREN NO ONE WANTED TO TEACH—AND THEY HAVE CHANGED HER LIFE.
by Ken Ramstead
DURING HER SCHOOL YEARS, Lori Barry witnessed close friends who were not well treated because of their socioeconomic status, who were not pushed to their full potential because of who they were.
“That always bothered me,” she says now. “No one should feel that way. Every student should feel valued because of who they are. That was my driving force in becoming a teacher. I wanted to make a difference.”
Two Callings, One Choice
Lori grew up in Grand Falls-Windsor, a town in Newfoundland and Labrador. Both parents were very active Salvation Army members.
“We weren’t rich, but what we didn’t have in money, we made up for in love,” she says.
Lori had thought of becoming a Salvation Army pastor but, at the
age of 16, Lori met Mike (“It’s always a boy, right?” Lori smiles.), who was not a member of The Salvation Army.
“We started going out and became involved. We’re still together with two sons some 38 years later, but at that point, the whole pastor thing seemed unattainable to us, as Mike was not a member of The Salvation Army.”
However, the other career Lori had always thought about was teaching.
So, she completed her education degree the year before she married and then went back to university for a special education degree, after teaching in a regular classroom for 2½ years.
“I’d always gravitated toward children with special needs, children who are extremely vulnerable,” she explains. “These children need so much attention, but they often fall between the cracks.”
Smiling Through
“Every student should feel valued because of who they are,” says Lori Barry
Photo : Angela Hayden
The Place to Be
Even then, when she started her first job as a special education teacher, Lori was still unsure if that was where she was meant to be. Then she encountered Justin.
The 19-year-old had limited speech, a low cognitive level and was constantly running away from class.
This is going to be a challenge, thought Lori.
However, on her first day, Justin’s mother shared with Lori, “There’s something interesting you need to know about Justin.”
While he had never been inside a church, Justin was captivated by church music.
So, whenever he became especially agitated, Lori would sing to him all the songs in her Army repertoire, and she even purchased a VHS tape of Salvation Army songs for his birthday.
One afternoon when Justin was being particularly difficult, Lori sat him down and played the tape.
“I was singing and he was watching,” Lori recalls. “Then he looked at me and started to sing.”
“It’s me, O Lord, standin’ in the need of prayer.”
“It was the first sentence I had ever heard him say, and it was from a Salvation Army hymn!” Lori says. “I started to cry.”
Justin gently wiped the tears from
Family Portrait Lori and her husband, Mike, with their sons, Thomas (left) and Aidan (right)
Photo
: Nikki Marie Photography
her face as he kept on singing.
“Lord,” Lori prayed, “I get it. This is where you want me to be.”
Milestones
Lori has been teaching now for 30 years, most of that time in special education.
“I’ve spent a career teaching the children that no one else wanted to teach, that no one wanted to commit to—and they’ve changed my life.
“Every one of them owns a piece of my heart.”
Some of these children are now in their 30s and 40s, and Lori still has relationships with them and their parents.
“They’re able to function in society in a way that they couldn’t before,” Lori says. “Those are the milestones I see in my students.”
Children of God
Lori’s faith background and religious grounding have helped her focus on her career.
“Teaching’s a job where it is easy to
Bermuda
“Having a faith has been my saving grace.”
LORI BARRY
Lori excitedly preaching and challenging the congregation at a united service of the four Salvation Army churches in Bermuda. She was on a sixday ministry tour with three other candidates who are considering pastorship
Photo: Major Louise Pond
get frustrated,” she explains. “There are times when I’m physically and mentally exhausted, and being able to look at people with compassion and see them for who they are is so important. Having a faith has been my saving grace.”
One colleague told Lori that she had more patience than anyone she knew.
“You have to meet the children where they are and understand who they are and where they come from,” Lori goes on to say. “And in my eyes, every one of these children is a child of God, and I am not going to treat them or their parents any differently than I would treat anyone else.”
From Teaching to Preaching
The call to become a Salvation Army pastor has never left Lori. She is eligible to retire as a teacher in November 2026, and her plan then is to give The Salvation Army the next few years of her life. That meets
Proud Teacher “I wanted to make a difference,” says Lori
with the wholehearted support of her husband, who is now an official member of the Army himself.
“Lori’s preached, participates in worship services, leads Bible study, teaches Sunday school, plays in the brass band, sings in the choir and participates in women’s ministries,” says Major Fred Pond, pastor at The Salvation Army’s Grand Falls Citadel, where Lori attends. “She’s a deeply committed Salvationist who understands the mission of the Army in her church as well as her community.”
“I used to think I’d be too old to be a pastor by the time I retire,” Lori says. “But there are different pathways to ministry, and growing up in the Army, having an English degree and an education background, was my own pathway.
“I believe with all my heart that this is where God called me to be. It’s just that God’s plan was for me to teach and then preach.”
Photo : Angela Hayden
Salvation Army Wins 14 Awards
The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory’s magazines, website (Salvationist.ca) and digital media won 14 awards at the annual Canadian Christian Communicators Association (CCCA) ceremony, held online this past spring. The CCCA (formerly the Canadian Church Press) has 60 members, including individual writers, musicians and representatives from publications of mainline, Catholic and evangelical churches. The awards are judged by accomplished secular journalists, writers and academics.
Faith & Friends took home four awards for articles published in 2024. “The Face Behind the Shield,” Ken Ramstead’s March/April article on thrift store manager Vernon Miike’s painting of Salvation Army co-Founder General William Booth, won second place in the Feature category. And Lisa Suroso, graphic design specialist, received a second-place award in Feature Layout and Design for May/ June’s “Faith On Air,” a profile of TV host Meisha Watson. As well, Ken’s “Taxi Driver” and “A Sweet Story” picked up third-place awards in the From the Editor, and Headline and Deck categories, respectively. Both the editorial and the cover story featured Tareq Hadhad, a Syrian refugee who has created a delectable chocolate business in Canada.
Our sister magazine Salvationist received 10 awards, with eight of them being well-deserved first-place wins. Kristin Ostensen, managing editor, won gold for “The Gift of Music” in January/February, her look at legendary Salvation Army composer and musician, Major Len Ballantine. First-place wins were also received in the Feature Series, Column, Photo, and Photo Essay—Magazine categories.
Salvationist.ca received two of the eight first-place awards for Blog and Video Production, and July/August’s “A Choral Convocation” secured a first-place nod in Front Cover— Magazine—Circulation Above 10,000.
Finally, Pamela Richardson, assistant editor-in-chief, also received a third place in News Story for “A Choral Convocation,” her coverage of an international Salvation Army musical event held in Toronto, and Rivonny Luchas, digital media specialist, won third in the Original Artwork category for September/October’s “You Always have the Poor With You.”
Check out our winning entries online at: salvationist.ca/cccaawards2025.
Sowing Hope
WITH THE HELP OF THE SALVATION ARMY, CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE BRINGS LASTING CHANGE IN MALAWI.
by Manjita Biswas
Food is a fundamental human right, yet an estimated 733 million people go hungry every day—and nearly half of all child deaths are linked to malnutrition. Hunger is especially severe in Africa, where one in five people faces food insecurity daily.
In Malawi, where a significant portion of the population experiences economic hardship, nearly 70 percent of the population live
on less than $2.15 a day, and most families depend on small-scale farming plots smaller than a hectare. Droughts, soil degradation, crop disease and lack of access to improved farming practices have long left many vulnerable to hunger and poverty.
In response, The Salvation Army, in partnership with Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB), is implementing a three-year sustainable
Leading From the Front
Manjita Biswas (top, left) and lead farmers standing in front of a Salvation Army church in Malawi
“My children are now not going to bed hungry.“
EDWARD MWALE
agriculture and food security (SAFS) project in Malawi’s Mangochi District. With a total budget of $1.2 million (supported by CFGB’s matching support), the project is helping more than 500 smallholder farmers gain practical training in conservation agriculture. These climate-smart techniques enhance soil fertility, increase yields, conserve water and help farmers adapt to climate challenges. The project also integrates livestock management, village savings and loans, and the training of 30 lead farmers to support and promote conservation agriculture within their communities.
A Reason to Smile
For farmers such as Edward Mwale, the results have been transformational.
A year ago, Edward’s family faced chronic food shortages, surviving on a meager six bags (50 kilograms per bag) of maize per season—barely enough to meet the needs of his family of six.
“We struggled to get enough food for the family,” he recalls.
After training, Edward harvested 18 bags of maize from the same land. He kept 12 for home use and sold six to support his children’s education. The increase has not only improved their nutrition and well-being but also renewed his sense of hope and dignity.
“My children are now not going to bed hungry,” Edward says. “Conservation agriculture has given me new hope and a reason for my children to smile. Thanks to The Salvation Army for this precious gift.”
Photos: Courtesy of The Salvation Army Malawi Territory
Proud Farmer
Edward Mwale (left) shares the joys of the harvest with the sustainable agriculture and food security (SAFS) project team
A Real G.O.A.T.
Sinia Matsitsa (right) with the farmer who received goats from her growing herd
Farmers Field Day
Ibrahim Thawani (standing, sixth from left), The Salvation Army’s Malawi SAFS project manager, and team with farmers who are being helped by conservation agriculture techniques
Edward’s success has inspired others, with more than 200 fellow farmers adopting conservation agriculture practices in neighbouring villages. The ripple effect of shared knowledge and local leadership is taking root.
Passing It On
This spirit of community is also embodied by Sinia Matsitsa, a mother of four and one of the project’s lead farmers. Sinia joined
the goat pass-on initiative, receiving four. Over time, her herd grew to 11. She passed four goats to another farmer, and with two more expecting, she’s planning to grow her herd again.
But her success doesn’t stop at livestock. Using conservation agriculture techniques, Sinia increased her maize harvest from five bags to 14. With income from surplus crops and the selling of two goats, she plans to improve her
home and expand her farming plot next season. She also dreams of purchasing land near a water source to begin irrigation farming—not only to grow food but to secure her independence and protect her family long-term.
Sinia’s story reflects the deeper impact of conservation agriculture when women have access to knowledge and income/financial resources. Her success is rooted in hard work, shared knowledge and her vision for a better future, both for her children and for her community.
When Farmers Thrive, Communities Thrive
As we mark World Food Day 2025 on October 16 with the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future,” we celebrate not only the right to food but the power of partnerships, sustainable farming and community-led change.
In my role as technical support in the Malawi Sustainable Agriculture project, I am blessed to walk alongside farmers and leaders, witnessing first-hand during field visits how
the gift of conservation agriculture is transforming lives and restoring hope among communities.
This project is cultivating more than just crops—it’s cultivating hope, resilience and lasting transformation. As The Salvation Army’s Colonel Samuel Baah, territorial commander for Malawi, says, “Walking through the thriving agriculture demonstration plots and meeting community members whose lives have been transformed is a reminder of The Salvation Army’s holistic mission: Heart to God, Hand to Man.”
Edward and Sinia’s journeys are just two among hundreds showing what’s possible when farmers, communities and partners walk hand in hand. Says Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray, director of international development for Canada and Bermuda, “The Salvation Army stands proudly with Malawi’s smallholder farmers, proving that with the right tools, knowledge and support, a better future isn’t just possible—it’s already growing.”
Because when farmers thrive, communities thrive.
(left)
Manjita Biswas is program director of overseas projects in the international development department of The Salvation Army’s Canada and Bermuda Territory.
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
Jesus promises the comfort of God’s embrace.
by Jeanette Levellie
How can those who mourn possibly receive a blessing, or favour, from God?
Yet this is what Jesus promised in Matthew 5:4, which says: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Shared during His very first sermon on earth, known as the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5-7), this promise is one of eight blessings—the Beatitudes— that are available to those who love God and follow the ways of Jesus.
Far From Home
In Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, the terms for “mourn” and
“comfort” have various shades of meaning. To mourn can mean a deep ache of sorrow for someone who’s no longer in our lives. And it can also mean a feeling of confusion and anxiety, such as we experience when we’re lost in an unfamiliar city or a new experience that makes us feel helpless.
There’s a third way to mourn that Jesus often emphasized, the attitude of grieving over our sin that leads us to repent. This kind of mourning goes deep. We don’t merely say, “Sorry,” like a child whose mother forces him or her to apologize after misbehaving. We feel a separation
God never runs out of hugs.
JEANETTE LEVELLIE
from God due to an ugly attitude or act of rebellion. That feeling leads us to make a change. To come back to the only One who can help us lead a blessed life: Jesus.
Of course, God is willing to love us and restore us before we repent. But we won’t receive the blessing of His comfort until we repent. And just as it’s not healthy to wallow in grief over a loved one who’s gone, it’s also unhealthy to mourn over past sins that we’ve repented of. God has promised to forgive and cleanse us. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We can lead free, happy lives when we receive that comfort from Him.
Hugs From Heaven
What other ways does God comfort us when we mourn?
The Lord sends caring people to show us His comfort in tangible ways. When my brother died suddenly, our friends invited my husband and me over for supper and a mini concert of praise songs. That food and music
lifted my soul more than trite words from dozens of friends or hundreds of sympathy cards. When we mourn for any reason, those who merely sit with us, help us with overwhelming tasks or ask helpful questions without giving unasked-for advice feel like hugs from heaven. We know God values and treasures us when we receive love from others.
God’s Word, the Bible, is also a powerful tool for comfort and strength when we experience loss. From Psalms of hope to Proverbs of guidance to the words of Jesus and His original followers, the Bible contains the life of God meant to bring light into our darkness.
Immediate forgiveness. Loving people. Words of life. God never runs out of hugs—the thousand ways He comforts those who mourn.
This is the second article in our series on the Beatitudes, key teachings from the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5-7), Jesus’ first sermon during His earthly ministry. Read the first article at salvationist.ca/blessedpoor.
Eating Healthy With Erin
EASY MILD CHILI WITH POTATOES
TIME 35 min MAKES 6 servings SERVE WITH rice, noodles or toast
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
60 ml (¼ cup) onion, diced
60 ml (¼ cup) celery, diced
60 ml (¼ cup) carrots, diced
250 ml (1 cup) bell pepper (red, yellow or orange), diced
375 ml (1½ cups) potato, diced
250 ml (1 cup) cooked ground beef
625 ml (2½ cups) peeled canned tomatoes
30 ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
5 ml (1 tsp) chili powder
2.5 ml (½ tsp) dried oregano
5 ml (1 tsp) sugar
2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
1 ml (¼ tsp) black pepper
60 ml (¼ cup) canned corn, drained
500 ml (2 cups) canned pinto beans, drained
500 ml (2 cups) canned kidney beans, drained
250 ml (1 cup) shredded cheese (optional)
fresh curly parsley, diced, to garnish (optional)
1. In large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, onion and celery, and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Dice carrots, bell peppers and potato. Place into pot and add beef, tomatoes and tomato paste. Continue to cook and, once bubbling, reduce to simmer, about 5 minutes.
3. Add chili powder, oregano, sugar, salt and black pepper. Cover with a tight lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove lid, stir in corn, pinto beans and kidney beans, and cook together another 5-7 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Serve in bowls and garnish with cheese and fresh parsley if you wish.
PARMESAN PANKO ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
TIME 55 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH turkey or chicken
2 L (8 cups) butternut squash, cubed
60 ml (4 tbsp) butter
1 garlic clove, minced
125 ml (½ cup) plain panko crumbs
125 ml (½ cup) parmesan cheese, grated
1 ml (¼ tsp) salt
1 ml (¼ tsp) black pepper
60 ml (¼ cup) fresh parsley, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F). Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Remove skin from squash using vegetable peeler. Trim the ends, halve and then scoop out seeds. Slice into 1 cm (½ in. thick) slices and then proceed to cut the squash into cubes.
3. Melt butter over medium-low heat, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute on low. Remove from heat. Place panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper in mixing bowl. Pour butter into mixing bowl and then add squash. Toss to coat.
4. Arrange on baking sheet and place in oven to cook for 35 minutes. Flip over squash and bake for another 10 minutes.
5. Serve hot and add fresh parsley.
Recipe photos: Erin Stanley
Word Search Happy 75th Birthday, Peanuts!
BASEBALL BAT
BEAGLE
BEETHOVEN
BLANKET
CHARLES M. SCHULZ
CHARLIE BROWN
COMIC STRIP
DOG HOUSE
EUDORA
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FRANKLIN
FRIEDA
GOOD GRIEF
GREAT PUMPKIN
HOCKEY
JOE COOL
JOE SHLABOTNIK
KITE-EATING TREE
LINUS
LUCY
MARCIE
PEPPERMINT PATTY
PIANO
PIGPEN
RED BARON RED-HAIRED GIRL RERUN
SALLY
SCHROEDER
SHERMY SNOOPY
SOPWITH CAMEL SPIKE
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Tomorrow’s Leaders in Liberia
Students at John Gowans Junior and Senior High School in Salala, Bong County, Liberia, supported by The Salvation Army, celebrate the new school year with hope and enthusiasm. Established in 2004 with 57 students enrolled, the school provides education
for pupils in Grade 7 through to Grade 12. With 12 schools in operation in the country, The Salvation Army is dedicated to empowering Liberia’s future leaders through education, ensuring that more young people have access to quality learning opportunities.
