THE SALVATION ARMY10 W. Algonquin RoadDes Plaines, Illinois 60016

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The Salvation Army / USA Central Territory

News and Views from the Midwest

“We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.” Eph. 4:3,4 (NLT)

services that support children andfamilies in many of Chicago’s mostunderserved and disadvantagedcommunities. The program operatessix Head Start locations, serving atotal of 438 children.Its goals are to promote early

childhood development, literacy,well-being and health. Key toachieving these goals is a highlyqualified staff with formal trainingin early childhood education thatincorporates best practices based onestablished quality standards andresearch.The Chicago Metropolitan

Association for the Education ofYoung Children singles out theArmy’s child care program as amodel.“The Salvation Army Child Care

Centers are model programs thatwork tirelessly to serve the childrenmost in need,” said Gail Conway,CEO of the association. “We knowit is the leadership and the people

mental delays. Caseworkers makereferrals for medical and dentaltreatment and other services.The Salvation Army’s Teen

Parenting program provides com-prehensive child care training andcase management to 26 teen par-ents with infants up to six months.

by Michael Braver

The Metropolitan Division’sChild Care Program hasbeen named territorial win-ner for excellence in social

services this year.Established in 1979, the program

provides a set of comprehensive

Continued on page 2

of The SalvationArmy Child DayCare Centerswho make thedifference. TheSalvation Armyserves theyoungest andmost vulnerable.Every dollarinvested trulymakes a differ-ence in reducingthe likelihood ofdelinquency,crime and othersocial ills.”The program also operates the

Family Outreach Initiative whichprovides child care services to 81homeless families. It offers familysupport and case management tohelp them achieve stability andmeet the needs of their children.More than 70 percent of the chil-dren in these families have develop-

staff doing a multitude of jobs.The Pathway of Hope program

was initiated last October withthree demonstration corps: Elkhartand Gary-Merrillville, Ind., andGreen Bay, Wis. Each corps repre-sents the breadth of Salvation Armycorps and communities served

throughout theCentral Territory.The Pathway of

Hope approach isbuilt upon consis-tent process andtraining innova-

motivated individuals seek-ing help with basic needs tomove beyond survival (cri-sis and vulnerability) to

increased stability and suffi-ciency, building hope at each step.Initial reports from casework

staff implementing the Pathwayapproach are encouraging.“The Pathway of Hope program

has given our staff the opportunityto make deep connections with peo-ple,” said Nan Pahl, social services

by Maribeth SwansonTerritorial Social ServicesSecretary

In response to a challenge to"double our impact" regardingemergency social service assis-tance, a survey identified that 90

percent of corps are "serving" prob-lems and are not in aposition to "solve"root causes. Howcan we investintentionally tochange our impactwhen a familycomes for a bag offood? Targetingfamilies with chil-dren to impactgenerational pover-ty, and using someconsistent tools forassessment, thedesire was to iden-tify how to addthis dimensionwhen two-thirds ofcorps are workingwith one or fewer

tions, case manage-ment best practices,and the use of technol-ogy systems availablewithin the territory.Objectives includedeveloping a newapproach that has thepotential to enable

Award-winning care for children

Volume 42, Number 5 May 2012

The Pathway of Hope

BONUS

Youth Development

pullout

Continued on page 2

2

by Lt. Colonel Richard Vander WeeleTerritorial Secretary for Program

In a few weeks my session,“Companions of Christ,” willcelebrate 35 years of service.While working on our session

reunion, I took the opportunity tothumb through our yearbook.Glancing at the old pages, I realized70 percent of the officers commis-sioned with me in June 1977 arestill active officers, have retired asofficers or were promoted to Gloryas officers. I also noticed the versefrom song #472 from The SalvationArmy Songbook that I selected forpublication under my photo:

To serve the present age,My calling to fulfill,

priesthood of believers meetingneeds without discrimination.”From where I sit, there is no

question that in many places,Salvation Army officers, soldiers,adherents and volunteers are serv-ing faithfully and vigorously acrossthe territory. But in other places,our vigor seems to have faltered.This situation causes a bit of a para-dox for us Salvationists and ourmotto “Saved to Serve.”I could cite statistics and share

vignettes of good things—and not sogood things—about Salvation Armyministry to illustrate this paradox.However, I think a better approach

is to put forth some questions forall of us to consider:• Am I willing to share my faithwith someone within my sphereof influence?

• Am I willing to work alongside acorps employee or volunteer asthey serve others?

• Am I studying the Bible and read-ing materials which help me growspiritually?

• Am I praying for the people ofmy community, my country andmy world?

• Am I speaking out about injusticein my world?

• Am I filled with the joy of theLord, His compassion and Hislove? Is it evident to others?I still want to serve the present

age, to make a difference for Christwith vital, vigorous service. Howabout you?

Serve Vigorously

O may it all my powers engageTo do my master’s will!As I thought about that verse and

what it meant to me in the Springof 1977, I couldn’t help but thinkabout it in context of one of theprinciples articulated in the visionfor the Central Territory cast by ourterritorial leaders, CommissionersPaul R. and Carol Seiler, “ServeVigorously.”The first point listed under this

principle states, “When we pursuemission rather than satisfy a goodfeeling, we will serve vigorously. Ahallmark of the Army’s spirit androle in the universal church is the

them move toward independentoperation and accreditation.“The Salvation Army’s child care

programs are located in communi-ties that are academically under-served and disadvantaged,” saidLeon Denton, children and youthdevelopment services director.“This has prompted our staff towork with parents to develop tech-niques and strategies whichincrease resiliency even in the mostchallenging circumstances. Ourchild care programs also benefitfrom being able to incorporate theexpertise of other Salvation Armyexperts in social services, mentalhealth, nutrition and outreach.”The programs are an entry point

for families to access and learnmore about the many programsoffered by The Salvation Army.Officers with child care programsin their facilities are asked to pro-vide pastoral care for the familieswho are enrolled. They are affordedthe opportunity to learn more aboutthe services available and theopportunity to worship and serveGod if they do not already attend achurch. Officers and staff provideneeded social services for the fami-lies in the child care programsthrough referrals.

The Salvation Army also plays arole in the support and monitoringof other child care providers. ItsEnhanced Day Care Home Networkrecruits and monitors child careproviders who are licensed to carefor children in home-based childcare centers. It also works in part-nership with three community-based child care agencies to help Get

Connected!Check out our complementary material on the web.www.usc.salvationarmy.org/getconnected

Resources/LinksFlickr photos of Detroit Bed & Bread 25thanniversary radiothon

Blake Fewell’s website and link to his broadcast

Red Shield Tool kit with resources for officers forNational Salvation Army Week

Officer Candidate web pages

ClipsCourageous trailer clip

Web exclusivesMy most interesting time on air by Blake Fewell

What the Wheelers can do for your corps

Rockford Tabernacle ministers to Burmese tribe

Salvation Army meets health, spiritual needsin Haiti

Warsaw Corps’ Rotary relationship

More EDS response from “Leap Year” tornadoesPeoria Keys to Success Advisory Board effort

CentralConnectionTHE SALVATION ARMY10 W. Algonquin Road • Des Plaines, Illinois 60016847-294-2000WILLIAM BOOTHFounder

LINDA BONDGeneral

COMMISSIONER PAUL R. SEILERTerritorial CommanderMAJOR JOHN WILKINSCommunity Relations and Development SecretaryELIZABETH KINZIEEditorial DirectorANNE URBANEditor/WriterJACQUELYN BENTSONCommunications SpecialistFERN CALDWELLCirculation ManagerKENNETH ROMINGraphic Design and Production

VISIT OUR WEBSITE—www.usc.salvationarmy.org1-800-SALARMY

Child caredirector for Green Bay,Wis.Nan reported that many

clients have indicated it’sthe first time they’ve hadthe opportunity to sitdown with someone whoreally listens to them andhelps them identify theirindividual and familyresources versus theirdeficits. According to Nan,completing the strengthsassessment propels clientsforward as they begin toidentify steps they can take to buildstability for their families, economi-cally and socially.“We’ve aligned our programs,

advisory board functions andapproach to outreach. Our missionis clearer and more focused onhelping to change lives one familyat a time,” said Captain BrendaMcCoy, Gary-Merrillville corps offi-cer. “I’ve been enriched as I’ve hadthe opportunity to engage withclients who appreciated the timewe’re taking to listen to their needsand partner with them.”In Elkhart, Ind., Julie Poetner,

social services director, indicatesthat the Pathway of Hope modelhas received great interest fromtheir many community partners,and it’s the answer she’s been seek-ing to help people reach long-termchange.“The Pathway of Hope project

has been an opportunity to sitdown one-on-one with clients, dis-cover where they are, where theywould like to go, and how to moveforward. It is working with clientsto chart a path forward to increasedstability, assisting them in discover-ing options available and becomingtheir personal cheerleader. I havefelt for a long time that clients’ lackof self-esteem due to family circum-stances, lack of education, abuse orwhatever, is often what holds themback. This program offers thechance to look the client in the eyeand say ‘You are worth the effort itwill take to move beyond whereyou are, and I believe in you.’”There are still many challenges

ahead in taking what has beenlearned during the demonstration

phase into full implementation. Thegoal is to initiate the Pathway ofHope in 30 additional corps thisyear. The demonstration corps havenot only supported good initialsteps forward for their clients butare contributing to how we canenhance our capacity to serve withcurrent resources.

Continued from page 1 The Pathway of Hope Continued from page 1

Julie Poertner, social services director atthe Elkhart, Ind., Corps, reflects withVanessa and her son, Zacariah, on whatthey have accomplished together.

A single purpose: others

Maribeth VelazquezSwanson, the new terri-torial social services sec-retary, brings more than

25 years of singularly dedicatedexperience to the position. In hernew capacity, she provides execu-tive-level oversight, direction andleadership for the Army’s multifac-eted range of social service pro-grams benefitting some of the mostvulnerable adults and children inthe Midwest.A Salvationist and child of offi-

cers, Maribeth is well steeped inthe work of the Army.She earned her master’s of social

work degree from the prestigiousUniversity of Illinois—Chicago,Jane Addams College of SocialWork, with a concentration inadministration, policy and organiza-tions. Her undergraduate degreecame from Asbury University. Sheearned the Academy of CertifiedSocial Workers designation (ACSW)and is a licensed clinical socialworker (LCSW) for the State ofIllinois. She’s currently pursuing adoctorate in leadership for theadvancement of learning and ser-vice through Cardinal StritchUniversity, Milwaukee, Wis.

“My goal in this position is toensure our programs pursue themost good for others,” saidMaribeth. “The territorial social ser-vices department will continue toaccess resources, encourage collabo-ration and provide learning thatempowers, energizes and preparesofficers, employees, volunteers and

soldiers to serve with excellence,compassion and humility as mod-eled by Jesus.”Most recently Maribeth was pro-

ject director for the Army’s Pathwayof Hope, a strategic initiative sup-porting families desiring sufficiency.From January to late October 2011,Maribeth served as rehabilitation

services secretary for the AdultRehabilitation Centers Command.Before that she served in theMetropolitan Division as associatedirector for family and communityservices. In 2006, Maribeth took thelead in developing the Army’s STOP-IT Initiative Against HumanTrafficking, a nationally recognizedprogram providing education, out-reach, case management and traumacare for domestic and foreign vic-tims of human trafficking through-out the Chicago metropolitan region.“My leadership capacity has been

strongly influenced by my familyand extended Army family throughChristian teaching, along with awe-some examples from SalvationArmy history,” Maribeth continued.“My social work education andcareer also have greatly influencedthe values I bring to this position.But, it’s the basic truths I learnedin sunbeams, particularly when Ipledged to ‘do right,’ which hasmost influenced me.”Maribeth and her husband, Bob

(creator of the Central Connection“Mustard Seeds” cartoon strip), areparents to two young-adult childrenand are members of the OakbrookTerrace, Ill., Corps. Maribeth enjoysbiking “rail trails” and cooking.

Salvation Army emergencydisaster services (EDS) teamsacross the Midwest respond-ed almost immediately to the

devastating effects of two storm sys-tems that spawned numerous torna-does in five days spanning lateFebruary and early March. Withinhours EDS mobile feeding units wereproviding food and hydration, aswell as emotional and spiritual care,to survivors and emergency respon-ders in numerous locations.EDS teams also helped survivors

with immediate needs, such asfood, clothing, medicine, shelter,bedding and baby products. Thenext phase of the Army’s responseincluded clean-up and emergencyfinancial assistance, as well as otherforms of social services.Dubbed as the “Leap Year” torna-

does, the storms killed 53 peoplenationwide (24 in the CentralTerritory) and caused damage esti-mated at hundreds of millions ofdollars.The National Weather Service

issued 413 tornado warnings acrossthe U.S. with the majority of thosewarnings occurring east of theMississippi River. The stormspushed through Illinois, Indiana,Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri inthe Central Territory, as well asAlabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North

Carolina, Ohio andTennessee. Many strongtornadoes, some ratedEF-4 with winds of 180miles per hour,destroyed towns andcommunities.One of the hardest hit areas was

Harrisburg, Ill. A violent EF-4 tor-nado killed six people and injuredmore than 100 as it destroyed morethan 200 houses and 25 businesses.Also hit hard was Henryville, Ind.,where an EF-4 tornado caused sig-nificant damage to the high school,as well as destroying or seriouslydamaging houses and businesses.EDS teams were deployed to sever-al communities throughoutSouthern Indiana, where the townof Marysville was nearly complete-ly destroyed.A second storm in the region pro-

duced damaging, baseball-sized hail;then the cold front that triggeredthe tornadoes left several inches ofsnow on top of the damage, furtherhampering recovery efforts.A less traditional method was

used in Southern Indiana to comfortthose affected by the tornadoes. TheSalvation Army forged a partnershipwith the HOPE Animal-AssistedCrisis Response organization.Canine/therapist teams broughtsmiles and joy to the survivors. “Itwas amazing to see,” reportedCaptain Cynthia Shiels. “Peoplecame up to the dogs and gave themhugs. You could see their faces lightup and their stress levels begin to godown. Pretty soon they’d open upabout their experiences and needs.”Residential and business areas of

Branson, Mo., particularly the mainstreet on which many of its hotelsand entertainment venues are locat-ed, also were severely damaged bythe storms, as was the Branson

Corps. The tornado that formed inGandy, Neb., marked the first timeone had developed in the state inthe month of February since recordkeeping began.

The generosity of the publictoward Salvation Army relief effortscame through once again. InIndianapolis, Ind., a television andradio station joined forces to pro-mote a downtown, drive-throughdonation site, and two additionaltelevision stations staged telethons.The three events raised more than$363,000. A St. Louis, Mo., televi-sion station hosted a four-hourtelethon that raised almost $5,000for relief efforts in that state.Additionally, the Lilly Foundation

donated $100,000 towards theArmy’s relief work in SouthernIndiana and an additional $30,000toward an early response emer-gency vehicle.

“Leap Year” tornado response3

Canine/therapist teams brought smiles andjoy to the survivors.

4

The popular Christian movieCourageous follows thelives of four law enforce-ment officers and fathers

who make a pact following tragedyto step up to family responsibility.Major Abe Tamayo, Hastings, Neb.,corps officer, identified with themovie so strongly he created a simi-lar pact for his congregation to signat the corps.“My main goal is to have our

corps adults be spiritual mentors toyouth and to influence the worldaround them,” said Abe. “I want theadults to bond with their spousesand children and to open up to oth-ers who might not have that bondwith another adult.”Eighteen people in the corps have

signed the covenant, and more areinterested. Couples without chil-dren are encouraged to take on amentorship role. The adults aretasked with teaching their childrenor mentees about worship, moralityand studying Scripture.

“I had just concluded a four-weekpreaching series on Nehemiah—about building a wall so the templecould be re-erected—when we start-

ed this initiative,” said Abe.“We build walls to protectwhat is holy. Likewise, weneed to shield our children,teaching them to be produc-tive workers and live asChrist-followers in a safeenvironment.”Abe already has seen

results. People are gettingserious about stepping up,and one couple in particularhas taken a little boy undertheir wing. He sits with hismentors every Sunday ser-vice and has been activelyparticipating in worship.“As a mother whose

raised her children andgrandson, this signing is theright thing to do,” said BettyBrase. “It’s safeguardingchildren.”Abe says he’d like to see

this become a community-wide initiative.

After Saturday morning’sinspiring plenary meet-ing, you’ll want anoth-er dose of Steve

DeNeff. Fortunately for you, onSaturday afternoon there’s aone-hour interactive workshopon SoulShift, DeNeff’s newbook already so popular it’s inits third printing!In this follow-up session,

you’ll delve deeper into thebook’s heart of transformation anddiscipleship. It also will feature aquestion and answer segment withSteve, his co-author David Druryand Don Cady, WesleyanPublishing.

Follow the crowd to a designatedarea in the Resource Connectionexhibit hall for this great opportuni-ty that starts at 1:30 p.m.A book signing will follow.

Experiencing God

cers or administrators what theyhope to see accomplished and havethem fill out a comprehensive sur-vey to further facilitate their plan-ning.)“It’s always been our desire to

make each meeting different,” saidJoe. Using traditional and contem-porary music (both are skilled per-formers), the Wheelers use skits,games, dramas and videos to set thetone for and reinforce their power-ful messages. As a result, theymade a tremendous impression onthe South Bend ARC men, whoquickly warmed to their personablestyle.The Friday night and Saturday

morning meetings were just for thebeneficiaries and ARC staff. TheWheelers’ free time was spentsocializing with the men, whichaccounted for some of their mostprecious interactions of the week-end. Decision-time responses dur-ing these meetings were encourag-ing, Nelson reported.“Since then, the men have been

reading their Bibles more, andmany have started attending Biblestudies,” Nelson added. “They real-ly want to do what God wants ofthem. Several have shared thechanges in their lives with familyand friends!”

Majors Nelson andDeborah De La Vergne,administrators of theSouth Bend, Ind., Adult

Rehabilitation Center (ARC) foralmost a year, have already madean impact on the lives of the 65men who live there. The De LaVergnes are committed not only tothe men’s regeneration and stabi-lization; they’re also committed tothe well being of family membersand community people who’ve cho-sen to make the center their churchhome.Understanding the particular

need for a closer walk with God inthe rehabilitation process, the DeLa Vergnes did something specialearlier this year for the men at thecenter. They invited Majors Josephand Lois Wheeler, territorial evan-gelists and spiritual formation sec-retaries, to hold a weekend event.“We’d known the Wheelers for

years and heard how effective theirevents have been,” said Nelson. Atfirst the men were hesitant at theprospect of a full weekend with aspiritual emphasis, but as they gotto know the Wheelers and respond-ed to their teaching, they couldn’tget enough of it,” Nelson continued.“Experience God” was the theme

developed for the South Bend ARCby the Wheelers. (When an event isbooked by a corps or institution,the Wheelers discuss with the offi-

Majors Joe and Lois Wheeler prayerfully pre-pare for each new engagement.

Major Nelson De La Vergne congratulatesbeneficiaries on their progress.

Soldier and Sunday school teacher BettyBrase signs her Courageous covenant Some men from the corps who’ve signed the pact

Seeking to be courageous in Nebraska

Doing unto others

Spread the word!

“The corps has been goingthrough a ‘resurrection’ process,”he continued. “A couple of yearsago, the building was renovated andthe financial situation considerablyimproved, which is now allowingus to focus on corps growth andprogramming.”The Pommiers have been work-

ing on strength-ening the corpscouncil,women’s auxil-iary, advisoryboard and coun-cil (14 peopleserve on theKosciuskoCounty Boardand seven on arecently begunadvisory councilin WhitleyCounty, a serviceextension unit).

These groups,plus soldiers andstaff, stronglysupport the cou-ple’s efforts.Over the last sixmonths, atten-dance hasincreased considerably for worship,Sunday school and character-build-

ing programs,Esteban report-ed. An averageof 40 peopleattend worship,30 come forSunday schooland 25 partici-pate in youthprograms.Women’s auxil-iary attracts 60in KosciuskoCounty and 15 inWhitley, while anolder adult min-istry draws 25.

“We are surrounded by great staffand great communities in the coun-ties we oversee,” said Esteban. KenLocke is the community ministriescoordinator for Kosciusko County,while Pat Mossburg is the commu-nity ministries specialist in Whitley.They coordinate food and hygienepantries, rental assistance, budget-ing classes, plus Angel Tree, Coatsfor Kids, shoes for work and back-to-school programs. Communityoutreach efforts also are held, suchas “Light the Way” evenings on pre-venting child abuse.Additionally, the Army is now

participating in more communityevents and is well supported byorganizations such as the RotaryClub, which has raised more than$1 million for the Army since 1965.

“We’d like to strengthen social

services by bridging more peopleinto the corps and establishing self-sufficiency programs through edu-cation,” Esteban added. “But, aboveany administrative efforts we mayengage in, Karen and I are trying tobuild a culture of prayer in ourcorps. Jim Cymbala wrote in FreshWind, Fresh Fire, ‘God is attractedto weakness. He can’t resist thosewho humbly and honestly admithow desperately they need Him.Our weakness…makes room for Hispower.’”Esteban continued, “We can

strive to be the best corps adminis-trators, but if we don’t consistentlyhumble ourselves before God, thenwe’re not accomplishing much andwon’t be able to love like Jesusloved. People are desperately seek-ing love and community. This iswhere growth starts to happen!” heconcluded.

Ever get questions like…

What does The Salvation Army do? Is The Salvation Army a church?What happens once the red kettles are put away?Who benefits from the thrift stores?

Get the word out about our Army’s life-changing ministry duringthe National Salvation Army Week, May 14-20, 2012.

The ministry of TheSalvation Army tothe ever-growingSoutheast Asia pop-

ulation in Rockford, Ill.,necessitated the building ofan extension to theRockford Tabernacle Corps.The extra space has allowedthe corps to increase its out-reach efforts (both evange-listic and social services) tothe Laotian, Thai, Burmeseand indigenous Karen tribepeople who’ve settled in theRockford area.The extension includes a

new, 250-seat chapel with anexposed wood-beam ceiling andsophisticated audio/visual capabili-ties, a large narthex to accommo-date fellowship, office and storagespaces. An existing kitchen wasenlarged, totally remodeled andmodernized.Captains Bounlouane (Bruce) and

Champathong (Betty) Keobounhom,corps officers, preach in Thai, acommon language in Laos andBurma (Myanmar), and translationis provided for the Karen languagespeakers. Sunday morning worshipattracts an average 120 people, ofwhom 60 have become senior sol-diers and 11 junior soldiers. TheTabernacle Corps has even sent twopeople to the College for OfficerTraining, Lts. Sanhty and JeanThammavongsa, who are now lead-ing a Laotian congregation at theMadison Genesis, Wis., Corps.The Rockford Temple Corps

began a Laotian ministry in the late1990s which blossomed into the2003 opening of the RockfordTabernacle Corps. Just as theTemple Corps people reached out tonewly arrived Laotians more than adecade ago, the Tabernacle Corpsreaches out to newly arrivedBurmese and Thai, many of whomare from the persecuted Karentribe.With the new extension to the

Tabernacle Corps, more refugeescan be accepted for assistance, andthe corps has been able to revitalizetheir outreach to children throughthe community center, reportedMajor Randall Hellstrom,Winnebago county coordinator.Character-building programs, whichhad been combined out of necessitywith those of the Temple Corps dueto the lack of space, have movedback to the Tabernacle Corps,

which also hasstarted its owncorps cadetbrigade. An after-school programaverages 70 youthdaily, Englishclasses continue tobe offered twice aweek, andSaturday men’sand women’s min-istries groups pro-vide strong fellow-ship and outreachopportunities.

Cadets Esteban and KarenPommier, appointed incharge of the Warsaw,Ind., Corps last summer,

arrived with one purpose in mind:to bring glory to God throughgrowth.

“First,spiritualgrowth inour soldiers,staff andsupportgroups,then growthin worshipand pro-gram atten-dance,social ser-vices andcommunityoutreach,”saidEsteban.

Glory through growth

The women’s auxiliary holds a special dinner.

Cadet Esteban Pommieraddresses the crowd atan appreciation dinner.

Corps Officers Captains Bounlouane (Bruce) andChampathong (Betty) Keobounhom.

Cadet Karen Pommier interacts withwomen’s auxiliary members.

Ken Locke, community ministries coordi-nator, registers Angel Tree requests.

5

6 A Day in the Life of a Cadet

7:30 a.m. Details done, teens offto school, four-year-old set withbreakfast (thanks to my lovelyhusband). Now it’s my time withGod. “Lord, help me…’cause iftoday’s anything like the others,it’s going to require Yourstrength.”

8:45 a.m. I never realized howmuch could be accomplished inan hour and fifteen minutes. Itonly took coming to CFOT tolearn that! Devotions, breakfast,clean-up, dressed, laptop andclass items packed, preschoolerfed, cleaned, dressed, and safelydeposited in the FCC (FamilyCare Center). What a blessingthe FCC is! Not only do my chil-dren love the staff and the newfriends they’ve made, but theyalso receive spiritual instruction,homework help, and extracurric-ular activity options. So good toknow they’re in good hands;now to focus on my school day.

6:30 a.m. Details. I’m theflex parent so I get to makemy own time (well, providedit has the approval of thesupervising officer) to com-plete the work—and this wayI can secure a vacuum beforethey’re all in use! By the endof the half-hour I’ll be awakeenough to figure out whichday it is so I know whatclasses I have and which uni-form is required (tunic orcampus).

6:00 a.m. I awaken to the soundof sirens outside my window andmy trusty alarm clock. Ah, 6:00,you came too early. Didn’t I goto bed a mere four hours ago?That scripture investigation iscomplete, though, and I haveGod to thank for it…and, as anadded bonus, I think my Greekis improving! Time to get ready,make sure the kids are awake,and head to work details(chores).

Cadet Holly Ehler shares an average day’s schedule, her humorous thoughts and spiritual insightsduring her first year at the College for Officer Training (CFOT) near Chicago’s lakeshore.

7

5:00 p.m. Supper (with theoption to tote). It’s nice to finallysit down with the family andhear about the day—when wecan actually convince our teensto sit with us instead of theirfriends. Often my husband andI discuss what needs to beaccomplished in the evening. Iremember to thank God, again,that I have Greg as my partnerin both life and ministry. (Heoften tells me he should getsome credit for my good gradessince he takes care of many fam-ily tasks which allows me moretime for homework. I wouldhave to agree).

7:00 p.m. Where has the daygone? I must have at least sixhours of homework. Do I meettonight for a group project? I’dbetter check Lotus Notes.

Bedtime (variable) Did all thatreally happen today? So muchaccomplished, yet sometimes Idon’t know if I’m coming orgoing. Is this what it’s all about,Lord? Work until, exhausted, I fallinto bed. Do I have what it takes?

You wrap Your loving armsaround me and calm my fears andinsecurities. “My child,” You say,“I am training you to do My workand never promised it would beeasy. I am teaching you how totrust Me for every task. Have Ifailed You?” No, never my Lord.“Then take heart, for I am pleasedby your obedience. You are devel-oping humility, trust, persever-ance, patience, kindness, faithful-ness, gentleness and self-control.”

I am speechless, in awe of Hiswork in me. I am persuaded, onceagain, that I’d trade everythingthis world has to offer, and evenendure the discomforts of cadet-ship, to serve Him and lead oth-ers into such a sweet fellowship.

12:30 p.m. Lunch in the cafete-ria. Time to decompress aroundthe table with others and per-haps sort through what was justtaught in afore-mentioned doc-trine class.

2:00 p.m. We’re back at it againwith more courses until dinner.On the other hand, if it’sTuesday we get study time(PTL!)…and then there’s Fridaywith long details; that’s when webreak out the mops.

8:50 a.m. Prayers. What a greatway to begin the day! Nothingquite compares to the blessing ofjoining together (both sessions ofcadets and staff officers) in atime of worship and prayer. Thistime spent in chapel (usually onMondays, Wednesdays andFridays) serves to focus ourhearts and minds on God andour dependence upon Him. Notwo services are alike, as each isled by a different cadet or offi-cer.

9:30 a.m. Classes. Here’shoping it’s not threehours of doctrine!That class makes mybrain hurt with itsdeep theological con-cepts. But I’m learn-ing something abouthow to answer ques-tions of faith that willundoubtedly comemy way, like whenmy daughter asks meif Mary is God’s wifesince Jesus is theirson. (I may just sendher to Major PaulFleeman with thatone.)

88

MetropolitanDetroit cel-ebrated its25th annual

Bed & BreadRadiothon to fighthunger and homeless-ness with celebrityguest appearances andexciting new events.More than $1.7 mil-lion was raised, addingto the nearly $25 mil-lion from past years.One unique aspect

of this year’s eventwas the Tweetathon.The entire week of theradiothon , Ford MotorCompany Fund pledged to donate$3 for each tweet up to $25,000.This was the second year of part-

nership with News/Talk 760 WJRincluding on-air personalities PaulW. Smith, Mitch Albom, FrankBeckmann and oth-ers. In honor of the25th anniversary,recently retired radiolegend Dick Purtanreturned to co-hostportions of the broad-cast. Since listenerscalled in to reach a$50,000 challengeposed by WJR’sFrank Beckmann,Dick agreed to shaveoff his iconic mus-tache.Highlights of the

16-hour event fea-tured guest appear-ances by Tim Allen,Kid Rock and BillCosby. It also includ-ed a special call-infrom Detroit-nativeNational CommanderCommissionerWilliam A. Roberts.In the 4:00 p.m. hourTim Allen donated$15,000. In recogni-tion of the milestone,Garden FreshGourmet and its own-ers, Jack and AnnetteAronson and John

Latella, donated a total of $100,000.To kick off the celebration and to

raise awareness of the Bed & Breadprogram, the Army hosted the inau-gural “Shield on the Field CelebrityClassic” softball game last fall.

by Craig YoungImmediate Past ChairPeoria Tri-County Advisory Board

As the immediate pastchairman of the PeoriaTri-County AdvisoryBoard in the Heartland

Division, I have been blessed towitness firsthand the impact a suc-cessful advisory board can have onthe Salvation Army’s ministry. Ourboard is not perfect, but we trulymake a difference. Our success inlarge part is based on our close con-nection to many others involved inThe Salvation Army’s ministry.Our first connection is with

Salvation Army officers and staff.Divisional commanders, then MajorMerle Heatwole, Major CharlesSmith, and now Major Evie Diaz,have been tremendous at reachingout to the advisory board to makesure our service is both effectiveand meaningful. In addition, theseofficers have been confidentenough in their positions to allowthe advisory board to work veryclosely with Salvation Army staff.We have an excellent developmentdepartment led by Jim Sullivanwho provides key staff support forour board. This creates a stablestructure which remains a constantin our community, even as officerscome and go. This connection willbe improved as Major Diaz isembarking on a strategic planningprocess to more effectively link theadvisory board with officers andstaff.Another important connection is

with our women’s auxiliary. Wehave one of the best auxiliaries inthe nation and work closely withthem. Most projects undertaken by

our advisory board are in somedegree connected with the tremen-dous volunteers in our auxiliary.Our advisory board members also

are connected with each other. Weare careful to do a good orientationwith all new board members. As aresult our newer members quicklybecome some of our most activemembers. Also, we have developeda program titled “Keys to Success”which outlines seven easy taskseach advisory board member canperform to impact our fundraisingefforts. Although simple, this pro-gram makes us accountable to eachother and has doubled the financialsuccess of our board’s efforts dur-ing the Christmas season.Lastly, and most importantly, our

advisory board members stay con-nected with those we serve throughnumerous volunteer opportunitiesand efforts to pray by name forthose in need. Our divisional com-manders have been good at keepingour focus on Christ and those weserve in His name. We are thankfulfor all these connections and theblessings they bring us as a boardand individually as we serve in theministry of The Salvation Army.

Radiothon celebrates 25 yearsStaying connected

New prayer team resource!

There’s a newresource forscheduling theterritorial

prayer team, whichwas formed lastyear, to come toyour corps, institu-tion or division.The possibility of

tapping into theprayer team’s ser-vices, workshops andseminars is nowat your finger-tips. Just visitthe territorialwebsite (usc.salvationarmy.org) torequest them for your corps’ specialmeetings or retreats, pilgrimage,officers’ or youth councils, or otherprograms.You can customize their participa-

tion to fit your needs from two

dozen topicsranging fromlearning biblical

models of prayerto holding prayer

walks, from prayingthrough grief and loss

to praying for financialneeds.

The prayer team is com-prised of 15 officers and

employee soldiers at CentralTerritorial Headquarters.Depending on the topics anddates of your event, the size ofteam ministering at your loca-tion will vary.According to Lt. Colonel Dorothy

Smith, territorial ambassador forprayer, the team was created toeducate and encourage Salvationistsin the Midwest to experience thelife-changing power of prayer. Don’tmiss out.

Eastern Michigan Divisional Commander Colonel DennisStrissel lends his support on the phones.

Celebrities gathered to play softball to kick off the celebration.

SHARING OUR SUCCESSES

A God of second chances9

Salvation Army grantedchurch status in Hungary

Salvationists in Hungary arecelebrating and thankingGod for answered prayerafter the country’s parlia-

ment granted The Salvation Armylegal recognition as a church. Newlegislation, which came into effectJanuary 1, 2012, had cut the num-ber of officially registered churchesfrom 300 to only 14.The Salvation Army was not

among this number,despite havingworked inHungary from1924 to 1950and againsince 1990. Anamendmentmade to the legisla-tion on February 27,2012, named The Salvation Army asone of a further 17 organizations tobe granted church status. Sixty-fivegroups were unsuccessful in theirapplications.A delighted Captain Andrew

Morgan, regional officer forHungary, explained: “For TheSalvation Army this means that ourministries continue unimpeded. Wecontinue to enjoy privileges as arecognized church in areas of taxa-tion, government funding of oursocial services, and funding of cleri-cal activities such as teaching of

Christianity to young people. Theconfirmation of our church statusalso opens the way for furtherexpansion of our ministry and ser-vices with the full backing of thestate and—in some areas—withcommensurate state funding.”The captain believes that “the

heightened media exposure andparliament’s affir-

mation of TheSalvationArmy’s legiti-mate status as a

church will furtherendear us to the peo-

ple and open greateropportunities to present

the gospel of Jesus Christ.”The officers, soldiers, adherents

and friends of The Salvation Armyin Hungary wish to thank all whobrought this issue before the Lordin prayer.Captain Morgan asks for contin-

ued prayer for The Salvation Armyin Hungary, particularly for “wis-dom and guidance in decision mak-ing and allocation of resources” sothat the current momentum willlead to the further expansion ofGod’s Kingdom.

From an International News Release

Editor’s note: Hungary is one of ourcurrent Partners in Mission.

Blessings in Haiti

Captain Dr. Felix and MajorViolet Ezeh, administratorsof the Bethel Clinic inFond-des-Negres, Haiti,

have experienced many blessingsover the past couple of years. Violethas spent the majority of her offi-cership serving in the CaribbeanTerritory. Together the Ezehs haveserved in this mountainous regionof southern Haiti since 2001.A special treat for the couple last

year was Felix’s homeland furloughafter six years to see his family inNigeria (by way of Switzerland)!Violet journeyed with him as far asSwitzerland, where they sought outand encouraged four of the clinic’sprevious administrators. A particu-larly meaningful time was spentwith Major Emmi Zimmermann,who’d served for 30 years in Fond-des-Negres and built up the clinicfrom a small dispensary behind thecorps building to a well-recognizedhealth center in southern Haiti.A blessing for the Ezeh family

came toward the end of 2010 whenViolet’s brother and sister-in-law,Majors Robert and Rae Doliber,were appointed to serve on theHaiti reconstruction and develop-ment team in Port-au-Prince after amassive earthquake destroyed

much of the city and surroundingregion in early 2010.“We’ve had several opportunities

to get together, and last Decemberthey shared their daughter’s visitwith us,” said Violet. “It was greatto see the cousins—our nieceRachel and son Matthew—get toknow each other!”Violet added Matthew is now in

the fourth grade and making goodprogress in reading and writing inthree languages: French, Englishand Creole! A junior soldier, he’s

very active in Bible studiesand singing at the Fond-des-Negres Corps.Also in 2011, after many

years of praying for help incomputerizing the clinic’sbookkeeping system, Violetwas thrilled when MajorSandy Hartley, EasternMichigan divisional financeofficer, came to Haiti toaddress this.“Sandy’s patience and

persistence were just whatwe needed in reviewing ourcurrent practices, adjustingand realigning them,” Violetconcluded.

Mackendy Charles (center) with Envoy Ketsia Diaz with son Kyle, friend John Aho,and Envoy Steve Diaz.

Captain Dr. Felix Ezeh (r) takes Majors Bob and RaeDoliber and daughter Rachel on a tour of Bethel Clinic.

Steve reached out to friends inthe U.S.—Dr. Kevin Shoults and Dr.Joseph Kiernan, an anesthesiologistand an ophthalmic surgeon, whoagreed to perform Mackendy’stransplant free of charge, even get-ting the hospital to write off anyfees. Afterward, his visionimproved dramatically, going froma six-inch field of vision to morethan six feet in the first day!“I couldn’t see before,” he said.

“It had gotten so bad that I couldn’tread on my own. I was so happy tobe able to read again.”In 2010, a catastrophic 7.0 magni-

tude earthquake struck Haiti.“I was really worried,” said

Mackendy. “I lost my home. I lostmy glasses. I lost my medicine. Icouldn’t get to my doctor. My eyeskept getting worse, and I thought Iwould lose my sight again.”As his vision worsened,

Mackendy reached out again to theDiazes who had been transferred in2009 to St. Louis, Mo., to lead theSt. Louis Temple, Mo., Corps. Thedoctors, hospital and Salvation

Army rose to the occasion, this timewith the assistance of the SouthSide Lion’s Club in St. Louis, whichpaid for travel costs and associatedfees.Michael Santangelo, president of

the South Side Lion’s Club, recalledwhen Steve first approached his fel-low members for help. “It was a nobrainer,” he said. “This is what wedo. We deliver help when we canand are especially motivated byprotecting and providing sight.”Steve reconnected Mackendy

with his doctors, who found scar-ring, blood vessel damage andcataract growth. On October 19,2011, Mackendy underwent surgeryto remove cataracts and scar tissueand to replace one cornea.Following this procedure, he stayed

with the Diazes at their home untilJanuary when he returned to Haiti.Mackendy is now back in Port-

au-Prince living in a tent with hismother in the internally displacedpersons camp next to the Army’sDelmas 2 Street compound whichincludes a school, church and clin-ic.Though he’s had a bit of irritation

in his right eye, he says his vision isbetter. He’s enjoying his universitystudies in theology and is excited tograduate in July. He still travels andstudies, with the help of his cousin.Recently he was appointed directorof Sunday schools for his church.He is very thankful for all theopportunities he’s been giventhrough the kindness of others butrecognizes God is the one who hasmade the way.

by Danielle Eickenhorst

God always comes throughfor me,” said MackendyCharles, a Haitian, whogives thanks for his sight

first and foremost to God, then todoctors and Salvation Army person-nel who have twice come to his aid.In 2006 Charles, then 21,

approached Envoys Steve andKetsia Diaz, while he attended theArmy’s Secondary School in Port-au-Prince. His eyes had been badlydamaged from a childhood bout oftuberculosis. Gray, cloudy andbadly scarred, they caused himgreat pain.“My mom had spent all of her

money helping me, and we wereout of options. So I approachedEnvoy Steve for help,” he said.Steve arranged for Mackendy to

see a specialist, who informed himthe surgery and treatment requiredwas not possible in Haiti,and,without a double corneal trans-plant, he would soon lose his sight.Mackendy would have to go to theU.S. to receive proper care.

Captain Dr. Felix and Major Violet Ezehvisit with Major Emmi Zimmerman inSwitzerland.

Cadets Corps

Rachel Aren Wichita Citadel, Kan.

Bill & Taylor Brutto Hammond-Munster, Ind.

Betsy Clark Logansport, Ind.

Jared & Tonia Collins Omaha, Neb., Kroc Center

Enrique & Chrissie Coreano Dearborn Heights Citadel, Mich.

Lennard Cossey Dane County, Madison, Wis.

Jeff & Joyce Curran Oak Creek Centennial, Wis.

Jaclyn Davisson Grand Rapids, Mich., Kroc Center

Shawn DeBaar Albert Lea, Minn.

Steve DeLacy Harbor Light Village, Kansas City, Kan.

Greg & Holly Ehler Lakewood Temple, Minn.

Mike & Kelly Hanton Peoria Citadel & City Social Services, Ill.

Corey (Nikki) Hughes Chicago Englewood, Ill.

Chris Karlin Moline Heritage Temple, Ill.

Brenna Logan Quincy, Ill., Kroc Center

Brianne Louthan Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Tim & Julie Perkins Royal Oak, Mich.

Norman & Denesia Polusca Rockford Temple, Ill.

Kenyon Sivels Rochester, Minn.

Christopher White Watertown, S.D.

Sean & Christina Wise Warren, Mich.

Alejandro & Carolina Yanez Green Bay, Wis., Kroc Center

A.J. Zachery Kansas City Bellefontaine, Mo.

The Proclaimers of the Resurrection will serve in the followinglocations this summer.

10

Shedding light on air

In step with the Bible

The 2012 Biblical EducationTour took 100 pilgrims toIsrael earlier this year.Long, busy days under the

tutelage of expert tour guidesensured the three bus loads of trav-elers, primarily officers with somesoldiers and Army employees, wentto bed each night exhausted butwith heads full of exciting newinsights and knowledge.Highlights included seeing a city

gate in Tel Dan dating back toAbraham’s time; viewing regionswhere Samson, Isaiah and Davidwalked; floating in the Dead Sea;worshiping on the Mount ofBeatitudes; praying at the WesternWall in Jerusalem; enjoying a dou-

ble rainbow over the Sea of Galileebefore the day turned sunny for theboat ride, and 25th anniversarywedding vows renewal conductedon the boat by Lt. Colonel DorothySmith, secretary of the officerresource and development (ORD)department, for Captains Joaquinand Gabriela Rangel.Some days brought inclement

weather, preventing visits to sitesthat could be perilous in wet, snowyconditions. “But as we traveledalong the roads, we saw streams ofrushing water, which is almostunheard of in Israel!” said MajorCheryl Bailey, ORD resource coordi-nator, who worked with Lt. ColonelDorothy Smith in planning the trip.

Cadet summer assignments

Blake Fewell,Moody BibleInstitutesophomore

and Rockford Temple,Ill., soldier, produceshis own online biblicaland theological radiotalk show for theMoody student bodyand beyond.His program is called

Hebrews 4:12, after theverse that says, “For theWord of God is aliveand active. Sharperthan any double-edgedsword…” It airs everyFriday during theschool year from 6:00to 8:00 p.m. and coverseverything from controversial theo-logical topics to current newsevents. He’s occasionally joined bya special guest, but typically Blakeis prepared to do most of the talk-ing as questions come in by text,Twitter or Facebook.Blake considers his radio show to

be part of his journey toward offi-cership. He felt the call on his lifeat age 12, and it’s been his end-goalever since. He considers getting abachelor’s degree to be part of thatplan. Although Moody holds somedifferent theological views than theArmy, Blake believes it’s giving himthe biblical education he needs.“Going to Moody was a theology

shock for me at first,” said Blake. “Ispent a lot of nights internally

debating what I believed, and Ilearned not to take things at facevalue. I did the research myself andfound that the teachings in TheSalvation Army line up with theconclusions of my own biblicalresearch.”This bodes him well as he facili-

tates the communication of thesedifferences on the air. “Campusradio is a good way to communi-cate theological differences, andwhy I hold to the ones I’ve cho-sen,” Blake said.There are a couple of ways to

access the radio program. Blakerecommends going to his websitewww.hebrews412.com, where anaudio feed or a live video stream isavailable.

OF THE CROSS

2012 2014Rachel MoeRockford Temple, Ill., CorpsMetropolitan Division

I was savedwhen I wasseven and start-ed coming toThe SalvationArmy with myfamily when Iwas 10. I beganpraying aboutGod’s plan formy life inJanuary 2010after someonesaid to me,“You wouldmake a great

officer.” In just a few days, Godbegan revealing to me that officer-ship was the best plan for my life.The story of Gideon played a spe-

cial role in confirming my calling.Gideon was mentioned in sermonsor devotionals at least once a weekthat January. I believe God wastelling me to trust Him throughGideon’s example of surrenderingto God’s will. Yet, Icontinued to be sur-prised by these refer-ences several times amonth leading up toMarch 12, 2010,when I surrendered toGod and accepted thecall He’s placed onmy life.

Rachel’s corps offi-cers are MajorsRandy and KathleenHellstrom.

Samantha NolanMilwaukee Citadel, Wis., CorpsWisconsin and Upper MichiganDivisionI grew up in St. Louis, Mo. My

whole world changed in August1997 when at age 10 this“momma’s girl” became motherless.I found myself blaming God atnight and refusing to acknowledgeHis existence by day. Things gotworse when the Division of FamilyServices (DFS) was called becausemy dad was working a lot, and wewere at home by ourselves.DFS worked with The Salvation

Army to pick us up from school.Three people—Connie, Debbie andCort—were committed to seeing usthrough and that led to my salva-tion and calling. Cornet lessonsfrom Chris Jaudes, Sr., and his wife,Bonnie, led me to attend worship

meetings, and in 2001 Igot saved at the MidlandDivisional YouthCouncils. My call to offi-cership came the follow-ing year at youth coun-cils. I know God hascalled me to a life of ser-vice, bringing His truth tohurting people just likemany godly people didfor me.Samantha’s corps offi-cers are Majors Garyand Donna Van Hoesen.

Newly acceptedcandidates

Chief of the Staff Commissioner Barry C. Swanson (r) prays during Captains Joaquin andGabriela Rangel’s wedding vows renewal conducted by Lt. Colonel Dorothy Smith (l).

June Prayer Calendar

Go to www.prayercentralusa.org for prayer updates.

If you follow the prayer calendar in the next year, you will haveread through the Bible!

Day

1 Friday

2 Saturday

3 Sunday

4 Monday

5 Tuesday

6Wednesday

7 Thursday

8 Friday

9 Saturday

10 Sunday

11 Monday

12 Tuesday

13Wednesday

14 Thursday

15 Friday

16 Saturday

17 Sunday

18 Monday

19 Tuesday

20Wednesday

21 Thursday

22 Friday

23 Saturday

24 Sunday

25 Monday

26 Tuesday

27Wednesday

28 Thursday

29 Friday

30 Saturday

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 47-52

Luke 7-8

Galatians 1-3

Exodus 37-40

1 Kings 5-9

Psalms 66-68

Proverbs 2-3

Lamentations

Luke 9-10

Galatians 4-6

Leviticus 1-3

1 Kings 10-13

Psalms 69-71

Proverbs 4

Ezekiel 1-6

Luke 11-12

Ephesians 1-3

Leviticus 4-6

1 Kings 14-18

Psalms 72-74

Proverbs 5-6

Ezekiel 7-12

Luke 13-14

Ephesians 4-6

Leviticus 7-9

1 Kings 19-22

Psalms 75-77

Proverbs 7

Ezekiel 13-18

Luke 15-16

Pray for The Salvation Army

Adrian, Mich., Corps

Chicago Central, Ill., ARC*

Lt. Colonels Brad & Heidi Bailey(England)

Bloomington, Ill., Corps

Anderson, Ind., Corps

Arkansas City, Kan., Corps

Aurora, Ill., Corps

Territorial Spiritual Life Summit

Alton, Ill., Corps

Commissioning of“Friends of Christ” Session

Albert Lea, Minn., Corps

Aberdeen, S.D., Corps

Alma, Mich., Corps

Beloit, Wis., Corps

Eastern Michigan DHQ**

Alpena, Mich., Corps

Burlington, Iowa, Corps

Summer camping season

Bedford, Ind., Corps

Dodge City, Kan., Corps

Belvidere, Ill., Corps

Kenya East Territory PIM

Arnold, Mo., Corps

Austin, Minn., Corps

Beatrice, Neb., Corps

Battle Creek, Mich., Corps

Chicago North Side, Ill., ARC

Summer Mission Teams

Ann Arbor, Mich., Corps

Canton, Ill., Corps

* = Adult Rehabilitation Center** = Divisional HeadquartersPIM = Partners in Mission

11

by Rich Drager

The ChicagoStaff Band(CSB) helpedyouth

throughout theHeartland Divisionplay beautiful musicone Saturday earlierthis year at a divi-sional music dayheld in Peoria, Ill.The CSB, led byBandmaster WilliamHimes, spent theday working withstudents and leaders,culminating in apublic performanceat GracePresbyterian Churchthat evening.Over 850 people, including some

150 youth from the HeartlandDivision, enjoyed the Chicago StaffBand concert, complete with a jointperformance with the Prairie WindEnsemble.Heartland Divisional Commander

Major Evie Diaz told the musicians,youth and crowd, “Thank you somuch for an incredible weekend ofmusic, and especially all the team-work to make this day a reality.”Highlights included a special

lunch concert with members of theCSB and a vocal performance fromthe Heartland Youth. Young peoplefrom Heartland’s 24 corps spent theday working on music, singing,dancing and timbrel performances.

My Prayer List

Heartland’s harmony

Envoy Mike Fuqua from Champaign, Ill., works withstudents in guitar class.

Canadian Salvationists Johnand Jane Lam are passion-ate music educators, andduring the summer

months they enjoy teaching atSalvation Army music camps acrossCanada, including the NationalMusic Camp at Jackson’s Point, andnow CMI!John has enjoyed his career

teaching instrumental music in bothelementary and secondary schoolsfor the Thames Valley DistrictSchool Board. He is presently the

music department head atWestminster Secondary School inLondon, Ont. John also is a basstrombonist and has been theCanadian Staff bandmaster since2008.Jane has an active instrumental

and vocal music program atWoodland Heights, an elementaryfeeder school program to John’sschool. She has been the songsterleader at the London Citadel Corpssince 2008 and has been a memberof this corps’ band since 2000.

August 9-19, 2012Special Guests John and Jane Lam

Central Music Institute–Still the place to be!

12

Around the Territory

Memorial Day Service

So great a cloud of witnesses

by Major Russ Sjogren

Istood on the cemetery’s lushlawn in silence as the nameswere called out. In tandem, thecelebrants read the names, slow-

ly and one-by-one, of those whohad died that year in service to Godand mankind. After each, my mindcried out, “Here.” They wereaccounted for, still with us in thestruggle. “Erickson.” Here. “Dahl.”Here. “Sederberg.” Here. And thenthe name that jolted me, that of mytwin brother who had died just twomonths before: “Sjogren.”I thought back to our childhood

and how in grade school when ourteacher got sick, a substitute wascalled in. Sometimes she was anexperienced pro, wise to everytrick. Cunning like a fox, she’d seenit all; been there, done that. Sheknew she’d be tested, and she wasready. You couldn’t rattle her. Atother times, we got a green hornfresh out of college, unsure of her-self. We’d seize the day. Being mis-chievous fifth graders, Randy and Iknew we could confuse and con-found her.We might not be able to drive her

screaming from the classroom, butwe could certainly delay classwork. And so we started as shecommenced calling the roll. Classbook in hand, she’d read the namesoutloud: “Anderson.” “Here.”“Bjornson.” “Here.” “Simpson.”“Here.” “Jacobson.” “Here.” And onit went. Twenty-six names called;26 students identified as present.But when she counted heads, therewere only 22. She’d read the listagain. Twenty-six names called; 26“here” responses. She countedheads. Only 22. Smirks surfaced.Referencing the seating chart, shefound four vacant chairs, and itdawned on her. Raucous Randy androwdy Russ had her going for awhile. Four children were absent,present neither in body nor spirit.But that day in the cemetery,

when the names of those promoted

NORRIDGE, ILL.— The Norridge Citadel, Ill., Corps Youth Band (NCYB), ages 10-18, traveledto Ohio earlier this year to minister in the Southwest Ohio/Northeast Kentucky (SWONEKY)Division. According to Marty Thomas, NCYB leader, it was the first youth band trip in near-ly 17 years and the young people were greatly encouraged by how their band connection ledto almost instant friendships. On Saturday the NCYB combined forces with the SWONEKYYouth Band for rehearsals at camp to prepare three joint items for a concert later that nightthat also featured several numbers by each band, a vocal ensemble, dance group, and pianoand instrumental soloists. Sunday morning the NCYB led worship at the Middletown, Ohio,Corps, where Norridge Corps Officer Major Steve Yoder brought the message.

GRAND HAVEN, MICH.—The corps recent-ly enrolled five senior and two junior sol-diers as part of the new divisional empha-sis “One More for Jesus.” According toCorps Officers Captains Jay and SallyDavis, the corps growth is the result of avery welcoming congregation.This community of faith has experiencednew people coming and soldiers transfer-ring from other locations.Congratulations to new senior soldiersDorothy Prior, Kaleigh Wise, Karen Rio,Jeanetta Van Slyke and Nacy Van Slyke andto junior soldiers Jacob Leszinske and TyCovert (pictured with the Davises).

ST. LOUIS (MAPLE-WOOD), MO.—Ellery Colewas enrolled recently as ajunior soldier by Lt.Colonel Richard Amick,territorial secretary forbusiness administration;seven senior soldiers areslated to be enrolled laterthis spring. Ellery startedattending the corps whensoldiers who lived down

the street from him talked to his mother, Colleen, about the youth programs. Colleen decid-ed to visit, and she and her son quickly became involved in many aspects of the corps.Corps Officers Majors Kris and Mary Ann Wood have noticed a trend. “It’s the people of thiscorps and the services offered here that bring others into Maplewood,” said Kris. “Our corpspeople are welcoming, praying and committed. It’s because of them we’re growing.”

to Glory were read, I knew theywere “Here.” They were presentand accounted for, still with us inthe struggle, in the faith, in theLord. It was the communion of thesaints.Hebrews 11:1-13 affirms the lega-

cy of the witnesses of the faith.Reading the entire chapter, you seedetailed names and their contribu-tions to the ministry, along with arecord of their trials, victories and,most importantly, their defeats. Theauthor apologizes for the lack oftime and space to relate more abouttheir exploits. Then he comes to theclinching conclusion: “Therefore,since we are surrounded by such agreat cloud of witnesses, let usthrow off everything that hindersand the sin that so easily entangles.And let us run with perserverancethe race marked out for us. Let usfix our eyes on Jesus the author andperfecter of our faith….” (Hebrews12:1-2, NIV, 1984)This great cloud of witnesses

compels us to fight. Revealed inthem were God’s goodness, mercyand grace through hard and harriedtimes. They exemplified that withGod all things are possible. So, likethem, let us be good and faithfulsoldiers. Let us fight on!

In honor of those who have gone before us, theCentral Territory will hold its traditional memorialservice in The Salvation Army section of Glen OakCemetery this month.Please join us in remembrance.

Sunday, May 203:00 p.m.Glen Oak Cemetery4301 W. Roosevelt Rd.Hillside, IL 60162(708) 344-5600

CHICAGO, IL.—In preparation for its opening next month, the Ray and Joan Kroc CorpsCommunity Center recently commissioned 17 local officers! The positions of leadership andservice range from young people’s sergeant-major to greeters.“We are so thankful that God is raising up leaders as we prepare to move into our new build-ing. It is important that our soldiers and adherents see their part in leadership and that theyare being used to build God’s Kingdom through their gifts and talents,” said Majors Dave andDarlene Harvey, senior Kroc Center officer and Kroc Center officer for congregational life. TheHarveys are pictured above at left with some of their newly commissioned local officers.The Chicago Kroc Center will hold its official grand opening and dedication on June 16-17, 2012.