Thirty years after their appointment as corps officers to Enfield Citadel, London, the international leaders of The Salvation Army returned to the corps to lead Sunday worship. On 10 May 2009, General Shaw Clifton and Commissioner Helen Clifton, World President of Women's Ministries, ministered to packed congregations in family worship at the corps hall and later at an afternoon musical celebration at nearby Chace Community School.

Chief Secretary of the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland, Colonel Bill Cochrane, and London North-East Divisional Leaders Majors Mike and Lynn Highton joined Enfield's corps officers Majors Bram and Irene Williams for the two meetings. Worship was enhanced throughout the day by contributions from Enfield Citadel Band and Songsters, and the young people's singing group One Direction.

During the morning holiness meeting the General and Commissioner Clifton were heartened to see familiar faces in the congregation from their time as leaders three decades previously. The commissioner introduced 'Roberts', a teddy bear wearing junior soldier's uniform, to remind the congregation how much God loves to see children participating in worship, and spoke of the young people's importance to The Salvation Army as youthful disciples. 'Children are an important witness to their friends and their neighbours and, though they don't often realise it, can be a powerful witness to their own families,' she said.

In his Bible address the General explained the symbolism used throughout the Scriptures to outline the attributes of God the Holy Spirit: a cleansing, burning fire; an energising and mighty wind; healing and soothing oil; life-giving and refreshing water; and a gentle, peaceful dove. The General reminded the congregation: 'These are gifts the Holy Spirit is only too happy to bestow to all, but they have to be asked for.'

Later, people from the local community and Salvationists from neighbouring corps attended the praise and worship meeting, held in a school to accommodate the extra visitors.

After a rousing start, with lively musical items from the band and songsters, Commissioner Clifton reminisced about their three years as corps officers at Enfield, from 1979, and gave thanks to God for the 'Godly role models' provided for them and their family throughout their officership. The commissioner recited the words of Hebrews 13:8: 'Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever', and ended with verse 21 as her prayer for the congregation, that God would 'equip you with everything good to do his will'.

At the General's request, Enfield Citadel Band played the stirring tone poem 'Song of the Eternal' (Leslie Condon), which includes the tunes 'Praise to the Lord' and 'From that Sacred Hill'. The piece linked into the General's address, based on Psalm 24 and its call for purity to stand in God's presence.

The General spoke of the expansion of Salvationism into new, often unexpected, lands as evidence of God's pleasure in The Salvation Army and its collective 'pure hearts and clean hands'. He said God the Holy Spirit opened the door for The Salvation Army to expand in eight countries in the past three years, including the most recent addition of Nepal.

'Numerically, The Salvation Army is bigger today than at any time in its history,' the General said. 'Be encouraged that you belong to a great Army, God's Army, with Jesus as our captain and guiding Spirit. I pray every day that The Salvation Army and individual Salvationists will be pure enough so that God will continue to honour us in this way in our mission to change lives and to lift and help suffering humanity in his name.'

At the the conclusion of a day full of many blessings, Colonel Cochrane urged all present to accept the General's challenge to love and serve Christ and to go out into the world to make disciples in God's name.