The Salvation Army in Deer Lake, N.L., marked its 100th anniversary with a weekend celebration themed “Re:Connect,” aiming to connect the congregation and community. The event, held in May, blended worship, fellowship and outreach to embody the corps’ new commitment statement: “Connecting with God, connecting with each other, and connecting with our community.”

The festivities kicked off on Friday evening with a Music and Memories concert, featuring musical performances and memories shared by longtime corps members. With approximately 200 people in attendance, the event connected congregants through their shared history. One of the highlights was the revival of a timbrel brigade, featuring both young and old participants.

Throughout the anniversary weekend, attendees were invited to engage with a wall of memories set up in the church hallway that displayed photos and written memories from the past 100 years. “Everybody loved gathering around in the hallways, talking, reminiscing and connecting,” says Major Shannon Howard, corps officer.

On Saturday afternoon, Deer Lake Corps hosted a family fun day at a local recreation centre, renting both a bowling alley and swimming pool. In the lobby, various booths offered free pizza, face painting and prizes. “Kids and families from our corps attended, but the goal was to be an outreach event and it was nice to have that connection with the community,” says Sandra Lush, chair of the anniversary committee. Later that evening, a supper banquet at the corps, followed by a concert and cake cutting, was attended by more than 400 people.

The celebrations ended on Sunday with both morning and evening services featuring guest speakers Majors Elaine and Stephen Hibbs, former corps officers in Deer Lake. “Majors Hibbs were present here in the mid-’90s,” explains Major Jeffrey Howard, corps officer. “Ask anybody about the glory days here in Deer Lake, and their names are sure to come up. They really connected with people.”

Sunday’s festivities also featured a traditional march of witness as the band led the way through town and into the church building before the evening service. “A lot of people were coming that don’t attend our church. It created some energy around town,” says Major Shannon. “The march of witness is an old tradition, but it was made new again through the young people who may have been seeing it for the first time.”

Over the past 100 years, The Salvation Army in Deer Lake has evolved to blend the traditions of Sunday worship with a focus on community engagement through initiatives such as Come to the Table, a once-monthly service that invites various community groups to engage with the congregation.

“The fourth Sunday of the month, we don’t have church in our sanctuary. Instead, we hold it in the evening in our gymnasium and provide a free supper,” explains Lush. “We invite different volunteer groups or people to share about their work in the community—for example, firefighters, representatives from a men’s shelter here in town, and our town council. It brings church outside of the sanctuary and bridges the gap between church and community.”

According to Lush, these initiatives are rooted in the corps’ commitment statement and are meant to provide a comfortable space for anybody to come into the church, no matter who they are. Come to the Table is well received, often with more than 100 people in attendance, including those who may not attend regular Sunday services.

“There are amazing things happening in our church,” says Major Shannon. “I think it is important to celebrate these things and to remind people that there is a reason to celebrate. Be excited about what God is doing in our corps. Be excited about what God has done in the past and what he will do in the future.”