I can still hear the words hanging in the air: “I commission you as an officer in The Salvation Army and appoint you to Spryfield Community Church, Maritime Division.” It has been 100 days since that special moment and I am now in the thick of things, fully immersed in my new appointment. My bags are unpacked, I have a general knowledge of the layout of my community in Nova Scotia and I even know where the best coffee shop is. More importantly, I am getting to know the members of my congregation and the people of my town. So, journey with me as I tell you about my first 100 days as a Salvation Army officer.

Privilege of Service
The salvation war that I find myself in is both hard-fought and fulfilling. As an officer I am privileged to share in other people's lives in a way that most never experience. People have a high expectation that I'll be able to help them. As a minister of the gospel and a community advocate, my voice is sought out on a wide range of issues.

Maritime people, by and large, have an abiding respect for members of the clergy, so very quickly I've become well-known throughout the community. Within my church, I feel the people have truly embraced my wife, Hannah, and me as their officers and treat our son, James, like he's one of their own.

I've buried a long-attending adherent and dedicated a child, whose family is new to our fellowship. I have yet to officiate at a wedding but trust that occasion will come soon. As an officer I will have a front-row seat to the many special occasions in people's lives: from cradle to grave, I'll journey with them, sharing in their joys, triumphs and tragedies.

Inside and Outside
I have represented The Salvation Army in a number of public occasions. Hosting a meeting with our provincial minister of immigration was a wonderful opportunity as it allowed me to share with government the challenges that immigrants and refugees face in coming to Atlantic Canada. Though glad to have engaged in the dialogue, it was unnerving at the same time as it was something I could never have done in my own strength.

Marching with the Army flag through the historic streets of Halifax in support of the city's Make Poverty History campaign was a privilege as well. As a Salvationist, there's something thrilling about hoisting the colours in the open air, engaging in an intentional public witness. It spoke to my true calling as an officer “to care for the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, love the unlovable and befriend those who have no friends.” To be faithful to this calling requires me to sometimes speak on behalf of those who have no voice.

But it's not all about dedicating babies and waving flags. Much of my day-to-day activities as an officer are mundane, predictable and sometimes tedious. Administrative tasks can take up a lot of my day, if I allow them to. Fortunately, I am blessed with good employees and volunteers who help ease the burden, freeing up much of my schedule so that I can visit with my soldiers, adherents and members of the community. I do recognize, however, the importance of being a good administrator. Carrying out our mission in a time of fiscal restraint requires creativity. I believe that it is precisely when times are tough that we should be the most extravagant in the giving of our resources. “God can only fill empty cupboards” is the motto at our corps.

Another blessing is working alongside my wife. Being ordained and commissioned as a couple has been a constant source of joy in my first 100 days of officership. Though many pastors integrate their spouses into ministry, the Army is unique in encouraging both husband and wife to work together as co-pastors. This is a wonderful aspect of our tradition.

Challenges in Ministry
While working with your spouse in ministry is very special, it does present certain difficulties. Deciding who does what in ministry, who visits whom and who preaches when are things we've had to work out—conversations that to an outsider would have seemed quite comedic. Fortunately, when tensions arise we are able to take a step back and laugh about it. But working alongside of your spouse in the demanding vocation of ministry is something that, outside of officership, I would never have experienced.

Dealing with conflict is another hazard of the job. Recognizing that a church is comprised of many people with different personalities, sometimes, in our humanity, these differences can divide the body of Christ. As an officer I'm prone to take it personally when people have issues with one another, wanting them to reconcile quickly. I now realize, however, that conflict between people can take time to heal. Besides encouraging those involved, it's really up to the Holy Spirit to convict and inspire change in someone's life.

Another substantial challenge new officers face in their first appointments is where to begin. There are so many ideas and plans running through my mind of new and different ways our corps could do ministry, that it can feel overwhelming. The Orders and Regulations for Corps Officers require new officers to abstain from making drastic changes in the corps for the first sixth months. That's not to say that no change will occur in those early days, but it's a wise provision designed to guide officers in making changes that will ultimately last—changes that should only be made after the trust of the people is gained.

100 Days and Onward
At the conclusion of my first 100 days of officership, my thoughts turn to the next 100 days, months and subsequent years. Lord willing, I have nearly 40 years of officership to look forward to. I love talking to retired officers and hearing their battle stories. I wonder what stories I'll amass over the next four decades? When I see my retired colleagues—inheritors of the Movement created by Booth, Railton and Tucker—I reflect on the responsibility that has been passed on to me. What will be the role of an officer in the 21st century? What kind of leadership is required for this day and age? To create a firm foundation for the next generation of saints, I must be authentic in thought, word and deed.

Though I've spoken of officership in grand, sombre terms, did I happen to mention that officership is a blast? I had no idea that I would receive so much enjoyment from living out my calling. Being an officer in an age when religion is in decline and faith seems to be losing its place within the public sphere may seem like more trouble than its worth. Strangely, though, it is these difficult conditions that give officers more opportunity to be creative in their calling to preach the Word of God. The slate of the past has been wiped clean, allowing us to re-invent ourselves as a Salvation Army. To represent God's Army for the people of today, while maintaining the fundamentals of our past, is an exciting challenge that I live out each and every day.

Lieutenant Robert Jeffery is the corps officer of Spryfield Community Church, N.S.

Top photo: Lt Robert Jeffery advocates on behalf of the poor and marginalized at the Make Poverty History rally and march; bottom: Lts Robert and Hannah Jeffery with Spryfield's girls' choir