“Most of the time, but sometimes, Sarah, I don’t,” I answered. “Sometimes I’m afraid.”

“Then why are you going?” she asked.

“Because God is calling me,” I said, “and when God calls, you have to be obedient and do what he asks you to do. You have to have faith and trust in God.”

And that is the crux of the matter—for me at least. Living in the centre of God’s will has to be my true aim as a disciple of Christ Jesus. I long to be living a life that is pleasing to God and use my gifts and talents fulfilling my purpose here on earth. This is a constant challenge as my personal and selfish desires battle to win over God’s will for my life on a regular basis.

I was recently challenged to write about why I am an officer. After 18 years I had to stop and think about this. I know why I became an officer, as I experienced a strong and resonant call to serve God through The Salvation Army. But I wanted to be sure I knew why, after all these years, I remain an officer. And I ask that question of myself because it has not been an easy road.

Along the way there have been many challenges. In our early years, my husband and I sometimes found it very difficult navigating our role within our ministry and felt the sting of attack from within our congregations. It’s not easy to know that people dislike you or question your motives. However, godly and loving people came alongside of us and applied salve to those wounds. At other times we felt unfairly treated by our Army leaders and wondered why we should continue if it was going to be so difficult. But again, God brought people into our lives to encourage us to carry on and to remind us that there will always be people that will be difficult to get along with.

We resolved not to let the attitude or actions of a few people steer us from the path that God had called us to. Surely we knew he would not abandon us. Then there have been times that I’ve allowed myself to fret over finances, wondering how we’ll afford things for the children and how we’ll live when we retire. And sometimes I just want material things—yes, I sometimes find myself coveting what others have. And yet, God has provided everything we have ever needed and then some.

Yes, we have experienced difficulties—and will continue to do so. However, I would have to say that there have been far more positive experiences than difficult ones. Not only that, but they have been far more rewarding than anything I have ever done in my life. Nothing can compare to the thrill you experience as you usher a new soul into the Kingdom. I still get choked with emotion when someone comes forward to the Mercy Seat. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that you helped someone move on in their life to a better place. When someone stands up in church and says, “I’ve been clean and sober for a year now. If it wasn’t for The Salvation Army, I don’t know where I’d be!” you know you’ve hit on something special. You know you’re a part of something much bigger than you ever imagined.

There will continue to be difficult times because whenever you are making a difference for the Lord, the enemy will step up his attacks. I know I won’t always agree with my leaders and sometimes I will express that disagreement to them. I know that at times I’ll want to see changes in the Army that others won’t. But I’ll get over it, because this Army is in God’s hands, not human hands. I know I’ll face fierce battles. But I also know that my God is bigger than anything the enemy can throw my way.

If God is calling you, let me encourage you to answer that call. It won’t be easy, but it will be filled with experiences you can’t find in anything else and it’ll be an adventure you’ll never regret.

Major Kathie Chiu is the Corps Officer and Executive Director of The Caring Place Ministries, Mountain View Community Church, Maple Ridge, B.C.

General Clifton spoke of his pride in becoming an honorary Newfoundlander by “kissing a cod” 25 years previously when he and his wife led a corps retreat for St. John’s Temple at Camp Starrigan. “My wife didn’t kiss the cod, but she has kissed the man who kissed the cod!” said General Clifton.

Commissioner Helen Clifton, World President of Women’s Ministries, thanked God for the stand taken by Catherine Booth, the Army mother, 150 years ago when she told William Booth in a service on Pentecost Sunday in Gateshead, England, that she felt compelled by the Holy Spirit “to say a few words,” thus freeing women in The Salvation Army to publicly proclaim the gospel. Commissioner Clifton said she hoped that women Salvationists would, like Catherine Booth, always listen to God’s Spirit and then obediently proclaim his revealed truth.

During the taking up of the offering for missionaries, Colonel Robert Ward, territorial commander of Pakistan, showed a video reflecting the culture and some of the Army’s varied ministries in this primarily Muslim country. Pakistan is only 2 percent Christian, but it is one of the largest Salvation Army territories in the World with 55,000 soldiers.

In his exposition of 2 Timothy 4, General Clifton stressed that when we run out of resources, whether financial, emotional or spiritual, “God is always faithful to meet our needs” (v. 17). He exhorted officers and cadets to be professional, that is, to perform at their best even when they don’t feel like it (v. 2). “Officers should be prepared to endure hardship (v. 5), to expect wounding on the front lines,” said General Clifton, but to nevertheless constantly “marvel at God’s living in our bodies, being his holy vesels who are salt and light in the world.”

“It is not easy being an Army officer,” concluded General Clifton, “but if I could start over, I would do it better, especially in attending to my soul.” Responding to the General’s message, many officers prayed at the Mercy Seat to be strengthened again for ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joshua suffers from autism, which was diagnosed when he was five years old, though I’d had my suspicions before that. He’d have screaming fits if his sandwich was cut differently from the day before, and he had problems dealing with social situations.

While the diagnosis of autism was a relief in many ways—we finally knew what was wrong with him—it also presented its own set of difficulties, as that day in the store demonstrated.

Back to School
My priority had always been Joshua but I’d felt God’s call to become a full-time minister since my 20s. As the child of Salvation Army members, I’d grown up in a religious family but when I’d married, I’d shelved those dreams. After my husband and I divorced, though, I couldn’t ignore God any longer. I decided to enter The Salvation Army’s College for Officer Training (CFOT) in Winnipeg to become a pastor.

But not without misgivings! Joshua doesn’t handle change well. We’d be moving to a strange new place and he’d be far away from the large family support network we had in Georgetown, Ont., where we’d been living with my father and stepmother since my divorce. How would all these changes impact my son?

I couldn’t run away from God, though. He’d been too patient and persistent. So I applied to CFOT and I was accepted in the autumn of 2008.

Support and Encouragement
Whatever apprehensions I had started to dissipate that summer. The college administration went out of their way to smooth the path for Joshua and me, allowing us to move into our quarters a month early, all the better for Joshua to become familiar with his surroundings.

Complete strangers took an immediate interest in Joshua. On the first day of class, a couple from Bermuda approached me in the hall. They didn’t know me but had heard about Joshua’s special needs.

“We just wanted you to know that we’re here to support you in any way we possibly can,” they told me. “Where Joshua is concerned, don’t be afraid to call on us.”

A Child Blossoms
While I was thrilled to be at CFOT, I still fretted about how Joshua would react. We experienced a few difficulties in getting Joshua settled in school, but even at that, Joshua’s transition occurred far quicker and far more smoothly than I had dared hope.

Joshua blossomed at CFOT. Because of his social deficiencies, he’d never made friends easily, nor had he ever been interested in birthday parties or play dates.

But Joshua’s social skills grew in the community atmosphere at the campus. He went from barely grunting at my fellow students to actually initiating conversation with them on a daily basis.

Soon after our arrival, he struck up a friendship with schoolmates whose parents were fellow students of mine. The continuity that CFOT afforded enabled him to make friends for the first time in his life.

Soon, children would knock on our door asking to play with Joshua, or he’d go over to somebody else’s house to play.

Joshua has grown spiritually as well. Under the tutelage of Debbie Clarke, his Sunday school teacher, my son finally started to enjoy class. He was even willing to dress up as a shepherd and stand in front of the chapel audience during the CFOT Christmas pageant this past year and has taken part in the youth church services.

I had enrolled at CFOT for my own development but I’ve come to realize that Joshua benefited from his time there as much as I did. Its unique environment allowed growth that might never have happened for Joshua otherwise. As I prepare to become a pastor, I’m hoping that he will be a part of my ministry in some small way.

Home at Last
A telling incident for me occurred the first time we travelled back to Ontario for the Christmas holidays after moving to CFOT in August 2008. We were returning to Winnipeg and as the plane touched down, Joshua looked at me and said, “It’s so nice to be home.”

My boy is 11 years old now and he’s looking forward to what God has in store for both of us. This month, I will be assigned to a church. Before, I would have looked upon this with trepidation, but now that Joshua has managed one transition, he seems quite content about the move to come.

“Where are we going, Mom?” he asked me. I said I didn’t know yet. While CFOT is home now, and we love it here, home is not a place so much as where we both are. And Joshua is just fine with that.

The Last Supper, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1524

The disciples were no strangers to the notion of covenant. It was in their communal DNA. God covenanted to bless the nations of the world through Abraham and Sarah (see Genesis 12:1-3). The first steps toward Israel’s freedom began when “God remembered his covenant” (Exodus 2:24). Israel’s identity as a “holy nation” was tied to its willingness to keep God’s covenant (Exodus 19:5-6). And when Israel failed to be faithful to that covenant, the prophetic hope grew for a “new covenant,” written not on tablets of stone but on the hearts of God’s people (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Israel was not God’s client, nor was God Israel’s consumer choice. Their relationship was covenantal, not contractual.

“New covenant in my blood.” The leaders who gathered around the Passover meal probably didn’t realize it, but they had already experienced covenantal dimensions in their relationship with Jesus. He initiated their calling on the shores of Galilee. He promised to make them fishers of people. When they failed to understand his identity as Messiah, he waited patiently. When they didn’t understand his teaching about suffering, death and resurrection, he didn’t give up on them. When arguments developed about which of them should be on the podium, he smiled and placed a child before them. Despite their failings, he was loyal to them. And there was learning within this relationship: as Jesus approached the hour of his death, he turned to these same inconsistent leaders and said, “You are those who have stood by me in my trials” (Luke 22:28). Now his covenant would be expressed by his sacrificial love on the cross: “In my blood.”

While valuing the role of contracts, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in The House We Build Together argues for a renewed look at the biblical notion of covenant: “Contracts are agreements entered into for mutual advantage. They are undertaken by individuals or groups on the basis of self-interest. They have specific purposes. They can be terminated by mutual consent. They end once both parties have fulfilled their obligations. By contrast, covenants are moral commitments, and they are open-ended. They are sustained not by letter of law or by self-interest but by loyalty, fidelity, faithfulness.”

This month, a company of men and women will enter a covenantal relationship with The Salvation Army. They will be commissioned and ordained as officers of this international Army. An officer’s covenant begins with the words: “Called by Almighty God to proclaim the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as an officer of The Salvation Army, I give myself to God, and here and now bind myself to him in a solemn covenant….” Officers intentionally express covenant loyalty to God through The Salvation Army.

An officer’s covenant is made with The Salvation Army but looks beyond it. These new officers will soon spread out across this vast territory of Canada and Bermuda. In time, some may even find themselves in other parts of the world. Through their loyalty to this expression of the Church, they seek to build the society in which we live. They will grieve with those who suffer loss; they will encourage young people on the basketball court; they will advocate for the poor at city hall. They will do this, and more, because of their covenants.

As officers, we understand that many others covenant with the Army. And we recognize that we often fail in our responsibilities. But we do seek to be loyal to the Army’s story, its deepest convictions, its symbols and its organizational policies. This is not an unquestioning loyalty; otherwise we would simply parrot the past and we would fail to “serve the present age.” Officers seek to be faithful to the ongoing work of God’s grace through the Army to the wider world. And that is a covenantal work.

God’s covenant with humanity is defined by the cross of Jesus: “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” It is a covenant initiated by God the Father, embodied by God the Son and empowered by God the Holy Spirit. God’s covenant expresses God’s triune life. May the God of covenantal love grant us all his grace to live covenantally, and so build our world together.

Major Ray Harris is a retired Salvation Army officer. He enjoys watching Corner Gas reruns and running in Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park.

The General’s Commissioning Message

Warmest greetings in Christ to all of you who are being commissioned and ordained today as officers of The Salvation Army.

General Shaw Clifton

God has touched each of your lives in a special way, calling you from your homes and from secular employment into paths of sacred service in his Army. You have responded to your vocations with glad and obedient hearts. You have shown a humble and teachable spirit during your days of training. We thank God for each of you.

Now, as you stand upon the threshold of future full-time service as officers of God’s Army, I commit you to the loving care of God who will watch over you through all the years to come.

This day of commissioning and ordination will live forever in your minds and hearts as a sanctified remembrance of being sent out, trained and equipped, to witness for Christ wherever you go and to serve with humility the needs of others wherever you may find them.

Commissioner Helen Clifton joins me in warmest congratulations to you all. We are proud of you. God will use you.

Continue to be faithful Prayer Warriors day by day, and you will see lasting fruit for your efforts for the Kingdom.

Yours in Christ,

General Shaw Clifton

Challenge from the Territorial Commander

It is with deep appreciation and joy that I congratulate you upon your ordination as ministers of the gospel and commissioning as Salvation Army officers. I welcome you as officers of the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

Commissioner William W. Francis

Today we celebrate God’s personal, all-embracing call on your life. While it will be a privilege to ordain and commission you, it is Jesus who has chosen you. “You did not choose me,” Jesus reminds his disciples, “but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you” (John 15:16).

Your session name will serve as a continued reminder to rely on the power of prayer.  You will want to begin and end each day on your knees. Remember Jesus’ promise: “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24). May you always live and serve God with a persistent prayer life.

My wife and I congratulate you and assure you of our support in prayer and any other practical way possible as you begin life’s great adventure in partnership with God. We pray for vision, wisdom, guidance and courage. Keep building the Kingdom and the Army wherever you serve.

God bless you! God bless the Prayer Warriors Session! God bless the work and mission of The Salvation Army that will be fulfilled through your faithful lifetime of service!

Yours in his service,

Commissioner William W. Francis
Territorial Commander

The Principal’s Commendation

I am delighted to introduce the Prayer Warriors who will be the newest lieutenants in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. Their commissioning represents the completion of a 22-month intensive training process. This is the mission of the College for Officer Training (CFOT):

Major Eric Bond

“The Salvation Army College for Officer Training exists to prepare, develop and inspire men and women in character and competency for Salvation Army officership.”

These new lieutenants have been formed in character, competency and spirit in order to sustain and advance the Kindgom of God and the mission of The Salvation Army. This training begins a growth process that will be lifelong and multidimensional.

I thank God for honouring these new lieutenants by reaching down and placing his hand on them to serve as officers in The Salvation Army. I commend them, without reservation, to the territory and have every confidence that “he who began a good work in [them] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

As the Prayer Warriors go forth, there are souls to be rescued, battles to be fought and won, and converts to be discipled in the Kingdom of God. Indeed, the demands and needs far outstretch the resources of the personnel we train. They will be involved in Kingdom work that is of eternal significance. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).

We need more workers in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. Will you join me in praying that God will send out workers into his harvest field? Are you prepared to answer that prayer? As you reflect on the calling of these new lieutenants and how God will use them, ask yourself, “Is God calling me to serve him as an officer in The Salvation Army?”

Major Eric Bond
Principal, CFOT

Lieutenants Jeff and Graciela Arkell

Lieutenant Jeff Arkell
I will fondly remember my CFOT experience as strengthening my personal faith, challenging my thinking and forging lasting friendships with other cadets. I believe engaging in a flexible training option as corps officer in Portage La Prairie, Man., has helped equip me for future ministry by providing hands-on experience as well as an opportunity to integrate classroom learning and witness first-hand the challenges and rewards of ministry. As I look forward to ordination, commissioning and full-time service, I pray in faith that I will remain loyal to God’s call on my life as an officer in the ranks of The Salvation Army.

Lieutenant Graciela Arkell
My time at CFOT was filled with blessings, spiritual growth, new learning and great experiences. During my first year I had the privilege of joining a mission team to serve in Cuba through preaching the gospel, translating, painting and sharing with fellow Cuban cadets. It was also a privilege in my second year to participate in flexible training, serving as corps officer in Portage La Prairie, Man. What an awesome journey these two years have been! Thanks be to God.

Appointed: Portage La Prairie, Man.

Lieutenant Lorri-Anne Butler

Lieutenant Lorri-Anne Butler
Over the past two years, I worked across Canada in nursing homes, corrections, corps and even chapel services for preschool children. My training was exciting and educational. I experienced stretching, challenges, sorrow, joy, tears, laughter, friendship and increased knowledge. My time at CFOT will remain in my memory as I have learned so much from witnessing the work of Christ in my fellow cadets and the amazing officers at CFOT and across Canada. I am truly blessed by what God has done and look forward to what he will continue to do.

Appointed: Castledowns Church, Edmonton

Lieutenants Phillip and Kathy Blindenbach

Lieutenant Phillip Blindenbach
In responding to God’s call to train for officership, I knew that I would be stretched. That being said, working out my formation in community was a matchless blessing and one of the most cherished aspects of my training. The crucial combination of academics, field involvement and spiritual formation served as a refining process, deepening my relationship with God and my wife. My lifelong journey to become the officer God would have me be was firmly set before me during my time at CFOT. I am looking forward to joining in the work of God within the community and ministry to which I am appointed.

Lieutenant Kathy Blindenbach
I have a passion for helping others see what God values in them, and encouraging healthy and honest relationships in community. My husband and I appreciate the investment of every officer, instructor and field placement that were a part of our formation, both before and while at CFOT. The academic study and practical assignments served to deepen my relationship with God. I look forward to sharing my experience of him with others.

Appointed: East Village Mission, Calgary

Lieutenants David and Nyree Bond

Lieutenant David Bond
It was an exceptional privilege to be used by God in so many ways over these two years. My experience with the CFOT mission team during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver was one of the significant highlights of my training. It was an incredible experience for our college community to impact the world with acts of kindness. The heart of a church is in serving its community. I like the way Eugene Peterson paraphrased Hebrews 12:9, “So why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live?” It is in submitting to God’s training that I truly experienced freedom and many unique opportunities to share the love of God. I am excited about the future ministry God has in store for me.

Lieutenant Nyree Bond
While at CFOT, I gained knowledge in homiletics, Christian education, theology, Salvation Army history and mission as well as several biblical studies. I was afforded great opportunities to integrate this learning into my field placements at Urban Café, Southlands Community Church, Weston Community Church and membership with the Army’s Social Issues Committee. Above all, I continually saw God’s greatest commandment developed throughout my own spiritual formation (see Matthew 22:36-40). It is my prayer to persistently implement this in my ministry as an officer.

Appointed: Foothills Church and Community Ministries, High River, Alta.

Lieutenants Larry and Rose Campbell

Lieutenant Larry Campbell
As a cadet, I was challenged and saw the Lord work in my life as never before. My calling continues to be confirmed in my heart as I grow closer to the Lord. At the same time, it is clear that only through his strength am I able to accomplish anything. It is my prayer that all my plans will continue to be guided and directed by God, and that it not be my will but his that is accomplished.

Lieutenant Rose Campbell
God used my two years at CFOT to shape me for his work in ministry. As I step out, I will miss the friendships and adventures I’ve experienced at college, but I know God will continue to direct my path as I look ahead to the future. I look forward to serving him in any way I can.

Appointed: Bayview, N.L.

Lieutenants Michelle and Kevin Elsasser

Lieutenant Michelle Elsasser
Through academic, community and field experiences, I am a different person. A highlight of my training was my work with the youth at Heritage Park Temple in Winnipeg. The time and energy that it takes to invest in young people has proven over and over to be worth every minute. This learning extends into all ministries, where I am constantly blessed by other people. As my husband and I take our two children, Janna and Caleb, on this officer journey, we are trusting in God to fulfil his promise to use us in mighty ways.

Lieutenant Kevin Elsasser
I learned many things at CFOT and grew significantly in my relationship with Christ. A passage of Scripture that continues to challenge me is from Joshua 1:8: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” This verse will lead me into my first appointment where it will bear much fruit.

Appointed: Peace River Community Church, Alta.

Lieutenant Kristen Gray

Lieutenant Kristen Gray
I had a multitude of life-changing experiences both within the CFOT community and during the time I spent in assignments in Parry Sound, Ont., Saskatoon and at my brigading corps at Heritage Park Temple in Winnipeg. I met people who impacted me in so many ways and made lifelong friends who I know will be with me on the remainder of my life’s journey. But most importantly, through this time of academics, field training, community living and spiritual formation, God taught me much about myself and others, and continues to shape and mould me into the person that he wants me to be. I look forward with anticipation to what lies ahead on the road of life and know that wherever God sends my son and me, for ministry or otherwise, he will continue to go ahead in preparation of our arrival.

Appointed: Essex Community Church, Ont.

Lieutenants Melissa and Brent Haas

Lieutenant Melissa Haas
While at CFOT, I was stretched, transformed and affirmed in my calling to full-time ministry. It’s been powerful to see God at work in me and through me in ways that I could never have imagined. Throughout my time at college, I realized that God does not call the qualified; rather, he qualifies those he calls. I give God the glory for what he has done in my life and I now embark into my future ministry as a Salvation Army officer, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Lieutenant Brent Haas
It’s hard to believe that my training college experience has come to an end. These past months have been filled with new friendships, impacting learning and transforming God moments that I will forever cherish. One of the greatest highlights of my training experience has been the opportunities to partner with ministry units throughout the country and to witness God mightily at work through The Salvation Army from coast to coast. I anticipate living out my calling of full-time ministry as a Salvation Army officer.

Appointed: New-Wes-Valley Corps, Wesleyville, N.L.

Lieutenants Wayne and Elizabeth Knight

Lieutenant Wayne Knight
To say that training at CFOT was an adventure would be an understatement. The journey to and through CFOT started when I entered the lieutenant’s program in the summer of 2004. If someone had told me then that the journey would entail getting married and going to training college, I would have replied, “No way!” But the Lord knew otherwise, and I can only thank him for his vision and his provision. I am excited to see where he will take us from here. We will gladly go where he sends us.

Lieutenant Elizabeth Knight
At CFOT, I was challenged to try new things and to step out of my comfort zone. I am humbled by the work God is doing in me and by the work he chooses to do through me. I’ve been blessed by the people I’ve met, the places I’ve been and the many experiences I’ve had. Now, with my husband, I am looking forward to serving God and the community to which we are appointed as officers of The Salvation Army.

Appointed: South Shore Corps, Montreal

Lieutenants Carolyn and Fred Reid

Lieutenant Carolyn Reid
Over the last two years, God prepared me for officership. I’ve had many great experiences and am grateful for the privilege to have shared in ministry with some wonderful session-mates and outstanding officer staff. God has been working on me; he instilled a quiet confidence within that empowers me to proclaim his glory. One of the greatest experiences was when my husband and I spent a week last summer at the Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts. Every night before the lights went out, we sang, “In my life, Lord, be glorified.” To witness campers of all ages and faculty come together and make this their prayer every single night was truly moving. My prayer as I enter into officership is for my life and ministry to always be glorifying to God.

Lieutenant Fred Reid
Training college was full of wonderful experiences. I know that God was walking with me, instructing me and preparing me throughout these last two years for service with The Salvation Army. As I look forward to ministering with him, I have faith that he will go with me and use me for the glory of his Kingdom! “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Appointed: Bracebridge Community Church, Ont.

Cadets Saeng-Yon Lee and Hye-Young Cho

Partners in Training
During the second year of their training, the Prayer Warriors were joined by Cadets Saeng-Yon Lee and Hye-Young Cho from the Korea Territory. “Having had the opportunity to train in two training colleges—Canada and Korea—was a great privilege,” says new Lieutenant Saeng-Yon Lee. “Before entering training college, I had doubts about my future, but now it is clear. God did not tell me where I would go, but he says that he will always be with me. It will be joyful to journey the world with God. He gives us strength and will be with us wherever we go. We know that we ‘can do all this through him who gives [us] strength’ ”
(Philippians 4:13). The lieutenants and their son, Joon, will return to the Korea Territory upon their commissioning.

Growing up adjacent to an American air force base in the 1960s, I came to love all things American—hot dogs, baseball, fighter jets and especially the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. The imagery stirred my imagination. The idea of the flag flying through the night while the battle raged around it—the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air—thrilled my young heart. Almost every day I would stop and watch the squadrons take off and head out over the North Atlantic during the perilous days of the Cold War. I knew the words of the anthem by heart.

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On a shelf in my house is a flag, neatly folded and placed there with loving care. A flag that I took down from the last place it flew. It is not the Stars and Stripes. It is the flag with the star in the centre, the yellow, the red and the blue. It is the flag of The Salvation Army. This particular flag last flew on June 26, 2006, outside the College for Officer Training in St. John’s, N.L. On that day the last cadets ever to train there loaded their cars, gathered their families around them and said goodbye. It was the end of an era.

At that time I was on the staff of the college, and among the last persons to leave the building. Since nobody else was interested in having the flag, I asked if I might keep it. I felt a little like Joseph of Arimathea taking something sacred down from the tree to place in my own secret tomb. Alas, I am still waiting for the resurrection.

In the heady days of the Army in Canada, every June was a great celebration of what our leaders called the “annual miracle” when scores of cadets (sometimes nearing 100 in total) were commissioned. In Toronto, the venerable Massey Hall in the city’s heart was rented for the event. Although it held almost 3,000 people, one had to get there early to secure a good seat. In St. John’s, the stadium or one of the large churches was often used for commissioning, and like in Toronto, crowds filled the meeting places. The annual miracle was celebrated in grand style.

Then the miracles grew smaller. Fewer cadets entered training. Many dorm rooms in the Toronto college sat empty. Classrooms echoed. The college closed in 2004 and the flag came down. St. John’s held out until 2006 and then the second flag came down. The two areas with the greatest concentration of Salvationists on the continent were now without a training college. It must be pointed out that this last fact is not the reason why so few cadets are in training today. Young people were staying away from officership before the colleges closed. The colleges closed because there were not enough cadets to justify staying open. The real cause of the drought of recruits to officership lies far deeper than the location of the training college. It’s a spiritual problem.

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Luke 10:2). The Lord’s intention to equip and send workers into the harvest field has not changed. It is God’s will to anoint and appoint people to ministry. Why, then, this dearth of cadets in The Salvation Army? Perhaps somewhere in the hallowed rooms of territorial headquarters someone is figuring out what happened to the “annual miracle” and is planning on doing something about it. Perhaps even now someone has the answer and is about to unveil a Marshall Plan to restore the Army’s future.

One can only hope.

Today a brave band of cadets and their teachers hold the fort at Winnipeg. Like the defenders at the Alamo, they keep the training college flag flying. Will it be the last? An old cowboy song comes to mind: “O bury me not on the lone prairie.” Don’t let this outpost fall.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto—“In God is our trust.”

Major Fred Ash is the corps officer at Burlington Community Church, Ont.

I grew up attending a small corps that reflected few Army traditions. Singing company and songsters were non-existent and attempts to develop a banding program were haphazard at best. Qualified leaders and financial resources were at a premium. However, corps members felt a strong sense of belonging. The Salvation Army was their church home and they were proud to be counted as Salvationists. Divisional events such as youth councils and congress were vital links in connecting the small corps to the wider Army and its mission. Sure, we had the annual Self-Denial Appeal with the large world map on the wall, pinpointing the location of Canadian officers serving as missionaries overseas. Occasionally, overseas officers on homeland furlough would visit and show slides of their work in faraway lands. But rarely did we realize that a larger, more diverse Salvation Army existed beyond our corps’ four walls.

This month, 3,000 Salvationists from the Atlantic region and beyond will come together to celebrate a common faith and heritage. Eighteen cadets from the Prayer Warriors Session will be ordained and commissioned as Salvation Army officers. Their profiles appear here. Our senior editor, John McAlister, interviewed General Shaw Clifton in anticipation of his and Commissioner Helen Clifton’s visit to the Canada and Bermuda Territory to lead the Atlantic Congress. When asked about the benefits of congresses and his hopes and expectations for this one, the General spoke of the need for encouragement, new vision and the realization that we are not alone in our service for Christ (read the full interview here). One could readily add to this list the positive impact that the congress will have on the surrounding community.

More than 50 percent of our corps are located in rural towns and villages throughout Canada. The average Sunday morning attendance is about 50. Many corps are isolated geographically and struggle to make ends meet. Congress gatherings are expensive. And yes, there continues to be a waning loyalty to all church denominations, including the Army, throughout the Western world. But I wonder if this is not all the more reason to hold such events on a regular basis. Without vision, the people perish. People value what they invest in. Congresses require a commitment of time and money on the part of Salvationists. But the opportunity to experience a wider Army fellowship and actively participate in its worldwide mission is priceless.

We welcome our international leaders to the Canada and Bermuda Territory. We salute the divisional leaders and the officers and volunteers who have worked hard to make the congress a reality. To paraphrase the words of Doris Rendell (SASB 833), may all who participate in the Atlantic Congress catch the vision splendid of a world which is to be.

Major Jim Champ is Editor-in-Chief and Literary Secretary for The Salvation Army. He is also a member of the Governing Board of the Canadian Council of Churches.

As the world leader of The Salvation Army, General Shaw Clifton gives overall direction, develops international policy and ensures the integrity of the Movement. Together with his wife, Commissioner Helen Clifton, World President of Women’s Ministries, General Clifton travels worldwide to visit countries where The Salvation Army is active, providing encouragement and inspiration to his fellow Salvationists.

From June 18-20, General Clifton and Commissioner Clifton will visit the Canada and Bermuda Territory to give leadership to the Atlantic Congress and Commissioning weekend in St. John’s, N.L. Prior to this visit, General Clifton spoke with John McAlister about the value of congress events, the importance of purity and the future of the Army.

What are the benefits of congress events for the Army? What do you hope Salvationists will take away from the Atlantic Congress and Commissioning weekend?

I think a congress exists mainly for encouragement—we all need that. And it’s about meeting one’s comrades as well and feeling reinforced because you see that the Army is strong. Many of our people who go to congresses come from smaller centres, so events like this are crucial for their encouragement and affirmation. It is about getting new vision, a new energy and being reminded that you are not alone. You are in this with good people. You are in it together.

In previous visits to the Canada and Bermuda Territory, what stood out for you? What do you anticipate experiencing in this visit?

We’ve always enjoyed our visits to Canada, and not the least Newfoundland. I’ve been blessed to be in Newfoundland three times. The first visit was with my wife, Helen, to St. John’s Temple when Majors Mary and Kevin Rideout were the corps officers. They invited us to spend Holy Week, Good Friday and the Easter weekend, and that was a great experience. We sensed the fervour and the passion of the Newfoundland Salvationists, so we look forward to experiencing that again. Our visits to other parts of Canada have also been helpful to us. I do remember vividly touring the territory, coast to coast, from east to west, with the Enfield Citadel Band in 1986, just after our third child was born.

I’ve always appreciated the Salvationism of Canadians and, of course, there was a time when Canada was the leading territory of the world. I don’t think that is the case anymore in terms of statistics, but there is still a lot to look to in Canada and Bermuda with great examples for the rest of the Army world. We have always admired your passion for intellectual pursuits. You lead the world in terms of educational attainment, not only Canada generally, but certainly that is true in the ranks of the Army as well. The William and Catherine Booth College in Winnipeg has always been a source of great inspiration to us. We are just pleased to be coming back, and with a chance now to give something back and offer fresh encouragement.

Is there a particular theme or passage of Scripture that God has placed on your heart to share with us?

Psalm 24 is a good one; it’s a sanctification psalm. We don’t always recognize our holiness teaching in the pages of the Old Testament, but Psalm 24 talks about going up into the House of the Lord if we have clean hands and a pure heart. I hope to be sharing something of our holiness teaching again with friends and comrades in Canada and Bermuda, focusing on purity of heart—the sanctified life, the holy life—having clean hands in the sense of our moral living but also a willingness to get our hands dirty as we serve the needy and roll up our sleeves. That’s a great combination for Army people, with hands and heart, and we will just be together and be able to offer them up again before the Lord at the congress.

Canada is one of the most pluralistic countries in the world. How does the Army embrace the reality of multiculturalism? What are the opportunities and challenges?

I recognize Canada’s multiculturalism, but of course many developed countries could be similarly classified. I am speaking to you from London, England, and I only have to look down from the windows of my office onto Queen Victoria Street to see ethnic diversity all around us here. This is at the same time a privilege and a challenge, and it impacts the Army very directly. On a global scale, we are at work in 120 countries and with infinitely more cultures in every country, there are many varieties of cultures to be engaged. We need to be very skilled about this. I think we are getting better at it, but there is a long way to go.

I like to walk into a Salvation Army corps building and see a variety of ethnicities very physically visible before me. That says something very powerfully to me. I like also to see a good balance between the genders, male and female, and a good balance of age ranges. I love to see children in a meeting, and grandparents. Our healthy corps look like that, they sound like that and they feel like that—they are very inclusive and they keep their gaze outward to the wider world. We are finding new ways of engaging with ethnic minorities and immigrant communities. It’s a huge challenge because most of these folk do not give an allegiance to Christ. They are frequently Muslim these days; the ranks of the Muslim community are growing hand over fist. Inter-ethnic relations are a huge challenge for us, but I think we are up to it.

The Army in the developing world is growing at a rapid rate, while the Army in the West remains relatively static. What difficulties does this pose and what can we learn from our global brothers and sisters?

Half of the soldiers of The Salvation Army worldwide are on the continent of Africa, and then another 20-22 percent in South Asia. So I have an Army that has about three quarters of its members in Africa and South Asia—and by South Asia I mean India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka—but 90 percent of the Army’s money comes from somewhere else. That is the challenge.

I can bear witness very powerfully, however, to the spirit of sharing and generosity. I see it every day. I see it week-by-week as the richer areas of the Army world give generously to those other areas that are richer in personnel, but weaker in fiscal resources. Part of my role as General, and that of International Headquarters, is to encourage a fairer allocation of fiscal and other material resources.

I don’t really see difficulties in raising up future leaders. I see around me an abundance of skilled and talented people coming through. In terms of top leadership, say at the level of territorial commander or chief secretary, I can identify people who already are in those roles, many of whom will continue to serve right up until the year 2027 before they enter retirement. I think we are well placed and I have intentionally, in my time as the General, sought to bring on younger leaders and take sanctified risks with them. That was done for me and my wife many years ago by General Paul Rader (Rtd), and I think it’s something that should be continued. So I am not overly exercised about leadership. I think the Lord provides for us in this regard, and we honour him and thank him for it.

When you became General, you said that the Army needed to recover its advocacy role. The Army is good at ministering in the trenches, but how can individual Salvationists take a broader approach to social justice?

It’s so crucial that one-by-one, we, as individual Salvationists, take up the challenge. You will know of the heart, in recent years, for more effective advocacy in the field of social justice. I created the International Social Justice Commission now based in New York under Commissioner Christine MacMillan, who is so well-known and held in high regard throughout Canada. Canada led the way in creating a public questions board many years ago. You have Dr. James Read of the Ethics Centre and people of similar calibre helping us globally. But it’s not enough for our boards and councils to meet in boardrooms and discuss social issues; it’s what we do out in the streets and it’s what we do in our local communities.

It is very possible to become locally engaged. There’s a way each corps centre can do it. Sometimes they can go it alone as the Army; sometimes they can hold hands with other Christian denominations to lobby and to make representations. For example, in the district where my wife and I live here in south-east London, two things happened. First, in our local newsagent shop where we buy our newspapers from time to time, there was a large display of pornographic magazines regularly displayed. My wife, Helen, decided one day that she would just put on her Army uniform and go in and talk to the proprietors of that shop and challenge them about their wives or their daughters coming in and seeing this literature. The result was that it was removed; they didn’t stop selling it but they put it out of sight. A small victory, but a chance to witness. Then there was the local newspaper that included advertisements for sex establishments and massage parlours. Again my wife took up a local campaign entirely on her own initiative and encouraged others to do it in their personal districts. Helen would cut out the sex ads week-by-week and mail them back to the editor, a woman editor, and write that she was demeaning her own gender by publishing these. Helen also stated that they were living partially off immoral earnings because the newspaper draws its revenues from the fees paid for the advertisements by brothels that make their money from prostitution and pornography. Over and above that, some of the women we know are trafficked women, held against their will, and so the advertisements were tantamount to inviting readers to come and participate in a rape. The ads eventually were withdrawn and the whole publishing group changed its policy on that. So it’s possible for individuals to act. You don’t have to be a huge global organization before you can achieve things for purity and for Christ. God honours every initiative.

Some people would like the Army to become more like the church down the street. Does this compromise our identity? What specific characteristics define us as Salvationists?

Yes, it does compromise our identity. We were not raised up by God to look like everybody else. He wants an Army, and he wants it to be yellow, red and blue. He wants Salvationism to flourish and to prosper. God didn’t raise us up to become a bland imitation of any other Christian denomination any more than the other denominations are to become some kind of bland imitation of the Army. There is a place for all expressions of the gospel and we need to be true to the purposes for which we were raised up by God.

I think when we recapture that sense that God invented the Army and meant it to be visible, meant it to be uniformed, meant it to have its own terminology and didn’t want it to hide, we will have done a good thing. We stand in the Wesleyan holiness tradition. We are also an Army. We are not Congregationalists; we’re not Methodists. We need to be ourselves under God. I think we need to continue to be intelligently positive and aggressive in our methodology as well.

You have outlined plans for a new Salvation Army Song Book. What factors will guide your decision-making as you choose which songs will remain and which will be added?

It’s much too early to say. We have only had one meeting of the newly constituted Song Book Council and it is not possible to indicate the factors that will determine choices. What I do know is that we have a strong tradition in the Army of publishing new successive song books, generation by generation, which show significant change from one edition to the next. So, of our almost 1,000 songs in our present Song Book, I would expect approximately a third of those to disappear and be replaced by new material that is more up-to-date—something that connects with the modern generation. Again, the challenge is that the Army is active in 120 countries, so how do you satisfy the cultural and ethnic expectations of all of those people? Well, we have to just do our best. I think the songs must be theologically sound, they must be consistent with our Wesleyan holiness tradition, they must have literary merit and they must be eminently singable.  We will also be working, of course, not only on the Song Book but on a new band tune book, piano tune book and other publications. But I think the Army can expect significant change when it comes to the next edition of the Song Book.

The Army is led by officers but the number of candidates in our territory has declined in recent years. Do you foresee a crisis in leadership and how does the Army reinforce the value of this calling?

Yes, if the number of cadets in Canada and Bermuda continues to decline, it is self-evident that there will be a crisis for you. I think that is something that needs to be very intelligently and rapidly addressed. Your present leadership is fully aware of it and I salute them for the good heart they have towards this issue. But of course, looking beyond Canada, if you look at the Army worldwide, it is not true to say that the number of candidates has declined; that’s not the case. The number of cadets in training remains steady over the last decade at approximately 1,200 total in our training colleges around the world at any given moment. I am very heartened by that, given the postmodern challenges in many of our older territories, our English-speaking territories and our Western territories. The fact that the Army’s cadet numbers have remained steady over the last decade is nothing less than a small miracle. I think God is very gracious to us and we need to honour him for it.

In your travels, where have you seen the Army at its best? Can you give two or three concrete examples that capture the spirit of the Army?

Yes, I could mention the India Eastern Territory for their passion for God, their fervour, their pride in their Salvationism, their delight in their uniform wearing, the way they take on local responsibilities and the way they tithe their incomes with every single soldier tithing in a disciplined manner. The Korea Territory is like that as well. They’ve got a terrific vision for expansion, sending out officers to spread the work of the Army. When we were in Korea for their centenary celebrations, I commissioned and assigned a young married couple to go and start the work in outer Mongolia, in the city of Ulan Bator.

We’ve just come back from the Congo (Brazzaville) Territory and witnessed tremendous fervour. I enrolled 185 senior soldiers and 190 junior soldiers all at one go, every single one of them in full uniform, delighting to be in the Army and proud to be seen in its uniform.

If you take all the tests for size and success and apply them to every part of the Army world, the U.S.A. Southern Territory comes out top of the league. But they’re matched by many other wonderful expressions of the Army around the world. Of course, in talking to you in this way, I want to salute our comrades in Haiti right now following the devastating earthquake. I think the citizens of Haiti have had bad press in recent days. We were there six weeks before the earthquake—the hotel we stayed in is now in ruins—and found the Haitian Salvationists and the Haitian people to be sensitive, passionate for Christ, open to the Holy Spirit and caring toward one another. We saw a beautiful spirit of prayerfulness. I could go on as I just love every part of the Army.

What do you think the Army will look like in 20 years? Are you optimistic about the future? What gives you reason for hope?

My prayer for the Army is that in 10 or 20 years—or however long the Lord spares us to work and to witness for him as an Army of sanctified people, an Army of people who understand the deep nature of sanctity without sacraments—God will still have a use for us and that he will help us to go on being a pure and holy people. I think we can be humbly proud under God to be in the Army. I think God loves the Army, and I think that he is proud of the Army. Here at International Headquarters, we take our expansion into eight countries in the last four years as a sign of divine approval and divine favour. Generals all through our history have regarded opportunities for expansion into new countries in that way.

If we remain humble unto God and obedient to the purposes for which the Army was brought into existence, I think he will go on honouring us and so I do not have any fears about the future. I think that God is ahead of us into the future so I am full of hope. I take hope from the young people that I meet around the Army world as I travel with my wife. They are showing us again how to be unashamed about our uniform, our traditions, our terminology and the mercy seat. They are showing us how to use the mercy seat in beautiful, tender ways. I think there are many reasons to be highly hopeful and optimistic under God, and so I am very relaxed about the future.

Click here to access an audio version of this interview.

From June 18-20, General Clifton and Commissioner Clifton will visit the Canada and Bermuda Territory to give leadership to the Atlantic Congress and Commissioning weekend in St. John’s, N.L. Prior to this visit, General Clifton spoke with John McAlister, senior editor, about the value of congress events, the importance of purity and the future of the Army.

Note: This interview will appear in printed form in the June issue of Salvationist magazine.

Press the play button to listen to the interview with General Shaw Clifton

This is the fourth in a series of Point Counterpoint debates in which a variety of Salvationists will explore two sides of an issue that is critical to Army mission.

Officership is not a career, but a covenant relationship designed for the long haul. Of course if we want people to sign up, we need to change our approach.

BY MAJOR WENDY SWAN

It may seem a no-brainer for someone in her 27th year of officer service to answer this question. Like others, I enjoyed a successful career in business prior to choosing officership. Since commissioning, have I ever been offered another career? Several times. Recently? Yes. Why then continue to commit to a lifetime of service as an officer?

Let me quickly affirm that much has been gained by the Church from using a business model in terms of management and stewardship of resources. I wonder, however, if we have inadvertently made a mistake in using business language to describe officership—specifically the use of the word “career.” Career speaks of experience and expertise that provide opportunity for power, independence, financial gain and “self.” Officership is not a career. More accurately, officership might be described as a “service path,” originating out of a covenant relationship with God and a vehicle within which to serve The Salvation Army.

The Army’s military terminology and imagery aside, ordination is not a new idea within the Church. It finds its roots in the Mendicant orders of the 13th century where groups of people offered themselves as a model of God active within a community. They took vows of obedience, poverty and chastity so that all of their time and energy could be expended on the religious work of preaching the gospel and serving the poor. Sound familiar?

Seven hundred years later, all Salvationists commit to evangelism, discipleship and service. Officers voluntarily choose additional covenant vows of obedience and simplicity of lifestyle. After more than 20 years in leadership development and training, I have yet to meet anyone who begins officership thinking, “Well, I’ll see how it goes.…” But statistics don’t lie—for an increasing number of people, the years of service as an officer are short.

Based on this reality, I’d like to ask another question: Under what conditions might the Army expect an individual to commit to a lifetime of service? Aside from the theological issue of covenant, I’d like to suggest some pragmatic components that facilitate productive “long-termers.”

Consultative Leadership: While we are making progress in consulting officers on a variety of issues, consultative leadership is more than asking officer personnel for thoughts or opinions regarding issues. These days, people not only want a voice, they want a vote. If people do not believe that their voice is truly heard and valued, they will vote with their feet. The best form of consultative leadership involves what I call “mature conversations,” discussions where deepest need and deepest passion intersect, where both parties recognize capacity and contribution as well as challenges and limitations. People choose to commit to the long term when what they experience in the short term tells them there is a future and they can envision their place in it.

Professional Development: Our Army provides a myriad of opportunities to fulfil one’s calling to serve community. While I’ve served in corps and social services, most of my officership has been in international education and training. We live in a world where accreditation and credentialing increasingly demand a high level of professionalism. While a growing number of people enter officership with extensive skills and education, it is critical that we adopt lifelong learning and equipping of officer personnel for present and future service. While limited financial resources will always be a factor, our strategic-planning lens must be one of “investment” and not “cost” at strategic points in an individual’s service.

Sabbatical Refreshment: I’m not talking about a year lounging on the beaches of Bali (as beautiful as they are!). Studies show that within the ministerial professions, frontline workers experience burnout regardless of how well they have attempted self-care. This is a particular danger for our movement as we expect 24/7 availability as well as multiple appointments from individuals. Are we guilty of abusing God’s grace when we ask people to commit to a lifetime and then fail to provide for the biblical precept of intentional re-creation? Several territories have in recent years implemented a variety of sabbatical forms. This is resulting in longer years of productive and energized service of officers. I’d love to see this become a reality here in Canada and Bermuda.

Consultative leadership, professional development, sabbatical refreshment—that sounds like an Army I’d want to sign up for—long term of course.

Major Wendy Swan is the extended learning program director at William and Catherine Booth College in Winnipeg.

Leadership in the Army is no longer one-size-fits-all. If we truly accept the “priesthood of all believers,” then we need opportunities for lay leaders to take a greater role.

BY MAJOR IAN SWAN

It is entirely reasonable to expect that officership will be a lifelong commitment. After all, it’s not a calling to a particular service path or vocation, but rather a covenanted life—or, to use the language of the Church, a joining of holy orders. The question we should ask ourselves is whether or not officership is a prerequisite for spiritual leadership.

Given our belief in the “priesthood of all believers,” the response seems obvious to me. However, our tradition of reserving certain roles and functions for officers seems to call our belief into question.

Throughout Africa, the ever increasing number of converts and soldiers necessitates the appointing of lay leaders. Constraints faced by territories in the training of officers make it impossible to produce an officer for every ministry unit. These lay leaders are selected on the basis of their spiritual maturity, competency and potential for future development. While considered a local officer, these individuals do not fill the traditional local officer positions but rather take on the role and function of the officer appointed to lead a particular ministry unit. These lay leaders serve on officer terms, but only for a specific time of service.

This practice replicates the early methodology of John Wesley. Having formed a small group of believers who studied and prayed together, he would then appoint a leader to encourage and monitor the group. The leader would be provided with organizational instructions and a small library of books to encourage their development and capacity. Wesley never intended these leaders to be ordained or take on the vestments of clergy.

For the first time, the Canada and Bermuda Territory is faced with the reality of fewer active officers than there are retired officers. This means we may soon have more ministry units than officer personnel to serve them. Unless there is an increase in cadets entering the training college, the gap between the number of available officers and the number of ministry units requiring leadership will only grow.

It would seem that for many potential candidates, a lifelong commitment is not something they are prepared to make.

One solution might be to prioritize mission opportunities and then close ministry units that are only marginally productive but are high consumers of mission resources. Alternatively, a proactive recruitment of lay leaders for a contracted service period may attract willing hands to the task of discipleship and mission expansion. This approach has worked in Australia and Hong Kong. New corps and ministries have been built and, in time, handed over to officer personnel. Similarly, Africa heavily relies on its envoys (lay leaders) to minister to its many congregations. The contracts for these envoys are reviewed annually and are subject to divisional and territorial approval. This process provides great flexibility and control while encouraging performance reviews and evaluations to be based on mission achievement.

When it comes time to release these lay leaders from service many have asked: What is the advantage of appointing a commissioned officer rather than a lay leader?

The advantage of officer leadership over lay leadership lies not in the “priestly function and role” but rather in trained leadership ability. Let me give an example from the field of project development. When building a school, a leader oversees the overall project and its component parts. However, that leader will gladly welcome assistants who complete the various components, be it the foundation or roof. Similarly, in mission, where there is not long-term consistent leadership, the broader vision and individual objectives may be lost.

Lay leaders on contracted service would need to demonstrate capacity for their particular ministry appointment or take training which would equip them for the task. They should also be under the care and supervision of qualified, informed leaders who understand the mission objectives and can ensure that short-term mission leaders contribute to the whole.

Lay service contracts have existed for overseas appointments where need is recognized and local resources are lacking. Perhaps it is time we recognized the need in our own backyard and provided a means whereby willing hands may be encouraged to serve without requiring them to commit to a lifetime.

Major Ian Swan is the associate dean for extended learning at William and Catherine Booth College.