Called. Equipped. Gifted for sacred service. On June 20, the Canada and Bermuda Territory will commission five officers in the Keepers of the Covenant Session. As these Salvationists look forward to the next stage in their ministry, they reflect on their journey to officership, God’s faithfulness and the invaluable lessons they’ve learned during training.
Aux-Captain Arthur Heathcote
I first heard my call to officership at the age of nine; however, adolescence brought real barriers I was unable to reconcile. Although I walked away from God, he never walked away from me. Over the years, God was at work, slowly and precisely dismantling every barrier that had caused me to falter. In 2015, I met Christ at the Boundless 150 Congress in London, England, and decided to renew my soldiership. That’s when God’s calling came back and, at a time of life where I was pondering what retirement might look like for me, the door to auxiliary-captaincy was opened, and I was finally able to say, without reservation, yes to the Lord of my life. When the Word ofGod is met with obedience, it cannot be contained. This is evidenced in the diversity that makes up our session. Although we come with different skills and backgrounds, we are united in nature and purpose: to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.
Appointed chaplain, Winnipeg Community Venture.
Cadet Mariciel Nuyda
The greatest lessons I have learned during training have been humility and fortitude. Ministry means meeting people where they are and sharing in their pain and hurt. My visits to prisons, in particular, have been deeply meaningful. They remind me why fortitude is essential—it gives spiritual strength to remain faithful and obedient to the call to love the least, the last and the lost. To be part of the Keepers of the Covenant Session is a loving reminder from God that he has been, is and will always be faithful to his promises. Keeping the covenant I have made with God means nurturing my relationship with him so I may continually receive his grace, mercy and forgiveness. It also means choosing the things that draw me closer to him. In all things, whatever I do, may it be for his glory.
Appointed community chaplain, Winnipeg Centre of Hope.
Cadet Alberto Theola
My calling to officership has unfolded as both a quiet conviction and a persistent invitation from God through people and spiritual leaders. Over time, I sensed that God was not calling me to serve occasionally but to offer my whole life in covenantal obedience. Officership is not a position but a vocation of availability to be sent wherever God’s love is needed. Some of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had during training have come through hands-on ministry and relationships. Walking alongside people in vulnerability, leading worship and participating in community outreach grounded my theology in lived reality. The field-based training model allowed me to see Christ in the faces of those we serve. As I become an officer, I pray for spiritual courage, wisdom and grace to lead with humility. The harvest is plentiful, and I hope to encourage others who are discerning God’s call: the Lord still calls servants today. When we surrender fully, he equips and sustains us for his mission.
Appointed corps officer, Moncton Citadel Community Church, N.B.
Aux-Captain Florence Yau
I accepted Jesus as my Saviour while I was studying at university after arriving in Canada from Hong Kong. I was living alone for the first time and had to overcome many hurdles and adapt to a new environment. It was during this challenging time that I experienced the love and reality of God in many personal ways. In response to God’s faithfulness, I have dedicated my life to serve him. I can see how God used each step of my journey to grow my faith, deepen my compassion for others and confirm his purpose for me. My work, relationships and life experiences have all played a part in preparing and equipping me for ministry. Now, with confidence in God’s leading and peace in my heart, I believe this is the time to step forward in obedience. I have no doubt that God is calling me to serve him as an officer within The Salvation Army.
Aux-Captain Steve Yau
I came to the Lord as a teenager, and shortly afterward I sensed a call into ministry. However, I knew it would be in the future and that I would need to wait for God’s timing. Eventually, the Lord led Florence and me to Richmond Community Church, B.C. There, what God had promised decades earlier began to unfold. When our corps officers, Majors Ed and Kathie Chiu, asked whether we would consider becoming officers, we immediately said yes. The promise God gave me so many years ago has now been fulfilled. Looking back, I understand that God was teaching me to trust him, to wait for his perfect timing and not to step out in my own strength. My hope for this next stage of ministry is that I will be found faithful to the calling of our Lord Jesus Christ. As I abide in him, I pray that my life and ministry will bear much fruit.
Appointed corps officers, Richmond Community Church, B.C.
PRINCIPAL’S COMMENDATION
Our territory has reason to celebrate as we prepare to ordain and commission the Keepers of the Covenant Session. Guided by their sessional Scripture, Jeremiah 31:33, that says, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people,” these men and women step forward in response to God’s call to serve as officers, committed to a faithful covenant relationship with him and devoted service to others.
This session highlights the beautiful diversity of God’s people. Cadets and auxiliary-captains have brought varied backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to their training, enriching the environment in which they train and serve, and deepening their understanding of ministry within diverse communities. Their shared journey has been marked by mutual encouragement, spiritual growth and a deep commitment to living out the gospel.
The Keepers of the Covenant have completed their training in the field, integrating academic study, spiritual life development and practical ministry experience. The cadets and auxiliary-captains have served actively in ministry contexts, applying their learning while leading and supporting congregational and community outreach.
Auxiliary-captains in this session have faithfully fulfilled their training while leading ministries in Richmond, B.C., and Fort Frances, Ont., balancing the responsibilities of leadership with their ongoing officer formation. Cadets have also trained in Montreal and Winnipeg, gaining valuable experience in ministry while attending classes virtually at the College for Officer Training (CFOT) and Booth University College, demonstrating both their and the training program’s flexibility and adaptability.
While the contexts and models of training may differ, none is greater than another. Each pathway reflects our territory’s commitment to equipping leaders where they serve, ensuring that officer training is deeply connected to real ministry experience.
Across these varied settings, the members of the Keepers of the Covenant Session have demonstrated remarkable dedication to their formation and calling. They have faithfully shared the love of Jesus Christ through preaching, teaching, pastoral care and compassionate service, meeting people where they are and pointing them toward hope in Christ.
The training college staff joins me in inviting the Salvation Army family to pray for the Keepers of the Covenant as they enter the sacred covenant of Salvation Army officership. May God continue to write his truth upon their hearts and guide them as they serve his people.
MAJOR DEANA ZELINSKY
Training Principal
Photos: Jerimi Jones
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