The Chief of the Staff, Commissioner André Cox, has summoned members of the High Council to meet on 29 July 2013 for the purpose of electing the 20th General of The Salvation Army. All leaders who are commissioners on active service or who are territorial commanders or territorial presidents of women’s ministries of whatever rank qualify for membership of the High Council.

This High Council will be the largest in the history of The Salvation Army. There will be 118 members – 64 women and 54 men – with an average age of 59. Fifty-four will be attending a High Council for the first time. Twenty-six have appointments in the Americas and Caribbean Zone and 24 in the Africa Zone. The South Pacific and East Asia Zone supplies 21 members, Europe 18 and South Asia 15. Fourteen International Headquarters commissioners complete the total of 118 members.

The High Council will not meet at its usual venue of Sunbury Court in Sunbury-on-Thames, United Kingdom, as this historic venue is presently undergoing a major refurbishment. Instead, it will meet at the Renaissance Hotel, near Heathrow to the west of London. This is not the first time the High Council has convened away from Sunbury Court – in 1934 and 1939 proceedings took place at Clapton, in the East End of London.

The Chief of the Staff will preside over the opening of the High Council until such time as a president and vice-president have been elected. The deliberations of the council will then be directed by the president, preparing the way for nominations for the office of General and the election of the next international leader of The Salvation Army.

International News Releases will be issued from time to time during the course of the High Council and will be available on the International Headquarters website. The announcement of the new General will be webcast so people all around the world will learn the identity of the new General at the same time.

For the latest information go to www.salvationarmy.org/HighCouncil2013. A Twitter feed, @HighCouncil2013, has also been set up, along with a Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HighCouncil2013

This time of year we are reminded through advertisements, greeting cards and the social media that we need to honor grads and dads!

We have already received quite a few high school graduation announcements. It seems like we say the same thing: “I can’t believe it—time has passed by so fast. It seemed like yesterday when they were just babies” (Sniff, tear).

Time does get away from us and that is the reason we need to take advantage of every moment we have with our loved ones.

Recently my mom was promoted to Glory. At these times thoughts come to our minds like, “Did I spend enough time with them? And when I did, was it quality time? Did I call them enough? What were the last words I said to them?”

We could beat ourselves up with these questions, but then we remember—God’s grace. We are called to live a gracious life as God is gracious to us. Here are a few Scripture verses that tell of God’s graciousness toward us:

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Ps. 86:15 NIV).

The Lord is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger, abounding in love (Ps. 103:8).

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion (Ps. 116:5).

God is not only gracious to us, but also compassionate toward us. How much less shall we live through the Lord’s example? Our friends, loved ones, people we serve and anyone the Lord brings into our lives need to be shown grace and compassion. How do we do this? God’s Word tells us to live a transformed life of holiness demonstrated by the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Daily we need to ask the Lord how we may express these attributes to those around us—especially when we don’t feel like it! The Lord will give you the strength and grace as you aspire to live a gracious life. Just don’t let those moments get away from you—no regrets.

Weeks have come and gone and I find myself in yet another busy season of life. Toting kids to and fro, from home to school and back again, packing the Wikle world into cardboard boxes with plans to turn an old house into a new home, ending my time in an old job for a new opportunity, testing out the entrepreneurial waters and launching a new coffee house out of our small Salvation Army corps. Time is passing, things are happening, and during certain moments, I’ve barely been holding on.

We all have stories like this. Life happens. I need a bumper sticker sprawled across my tiny Toyota.

During a momentary lull ‘mid the madness, I sent a quick text to my corps officer that read, “MUST. MEET. FOR. DISCIPLESHIP.” Later that evening, we spent an hour at a nearby park, enjoying the not-yet sweltering weather while swatting mosquitoes out of our faces, sipping iced coffees, and swapping stories.

During a quiet moment, she asked the usual question that plunges us from chit-chat to greater depths: “So, how’s your soul?” Ugh. My soul. Well, I knew exactly how my soul was. I wished I could just launch into a little, “It is well…,” but wasn’t sure how that’d fare with the onlookers of the religious South. Instead I took the question seriously, thought for a minute, then began to share.

The truth was, I knew that while I wasn’t doing horribly given all that was happening in my world, I wasn’t doing wonderfully. My glass wasn’t even half full! As my dear corps officer put it, “I was down to the dregs.”

I expressed my frustration that the recent busy-ness and a temporary change in routine had led to my settling for less and less of the Holy Spirit’s daily filling. I wasn’t trying to fool anyone. And I certainly wasn’t trying to fool the Lord. And really, I couldn’t have fooled anyone. Little time with the Lord leads to but a few things in my world: a monster of a mommy, a rapidly withering wife, a not-so-neighborly neighbor, and a sorely lacking soldier. I knew full well of my choice: 1) spend time being filled by the Everlasting One and get sucked dry by everything else or 2) Make priority of my Savior and King and stay filled, so that as I pour out, I’m never really empty.

God’s mercy is something else, isn’t it? Even when rejecting him (and friends, let’s call it what it is. If you are choosing something else over time with him each day, it’s rejection), he allows us to feel the absence of his presence. That is mercy. I am in the thick of learning (daily) of my great need for a Savior. Not just learning, but feeling/experiencing/being convinced of this need.

It’s funny though, while the Holy Spirit is busy daily convincing me that I am nothing without his help, he’s recently begun showing me how much my Savior is in need of me! His great need, his great desire, his great pleasure is time spent with me! While I’ve coveted time with my Father, recognizing that he alone empowers (equips/enables) me to be the gentle mother, the kind wife, the good soldier, and the loving neighbor, he has shown me how much he longs for the time we share as well.

While our world may shift and shake, our routines interrupted or thrown out the window, we must make every effort to remain dependent on God and God alone. We cannot be effective otherwise. We cannot parent well. We cannot be good to our spouse. We cannot be loving toward our neighbor. We cannot serve others. We cannot build and expand his kingdom. Make him your all! You are his all, and, in your time spent with him, you are meeting God’s great need to love, adore and cherish his precious child.

Toxic Charity is the title of a recently published book by Christian author Robert Lupton. In it, he decries the ways that well-meaning charities perform services, finding that these methods perpetuate cycles of poverty and do not encourage significant self-improvement.

Many of the methods that he finds objectionable are at the very heart of the social ministries of The Salvation Army. As I read and reread the book, I found myself often in full agreement with his premise, yet unsettled at the blanket indictments that he issues against the ways the Army ministers to the poorest of the poor.

We recently had similar criticism from the local United Way allocation committee. They met with our board and told us that the results of a community survey indicated their supporters were not interested in supporting charity work that encourages cycles of poverty. But their survey also indicated that The Salvation Army was far and away the favorite local charity among their responding membership.

Sobering, paradoxical, puzzling…yes, all of that and more, because truly the Army is the hand that reaches out to the poorest of the poor, who just happened to be Jesus’ favorite people.

I think this dilemma should force us to focus even more critically on what we do and how we do it. The new mantra in high-level charitable giving centers on “strategic giving and measurable results.” Super-investors Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are outspoken in their challenge to major donors: “Be strategic, support those charities which efficiently strategize and execute their vision! Work toward real solutions!”

Let’s admit right up front that the Army is always the “safety net” of all charities. That is, when the unfortunate have fallen through all the levels of help and support offered by government programs and other charities, the Army is there at the very bottom of the societal levels to embrace and assist those less fortunate folks.

Moving beyond this safety net concept, it is important that our local advisory groups work alongside our officers to meet the challenge of thinking strategically, and to foster efforts that do indeed bring hope and optimism to those who had seemed hopelessly down and out.

The first and best example of strategic rebuilding of lives surely comes through the adult rehabilitation center (ARC) programs. We take men and women with shattered, compromised, meaningless, dependent lives, and in six months a new person emerges from the completion ceremony. These ceremonies are some of the most gratifying moments one will ever experience, especially for those of us who serve on ARC councils and/or refer friends or loved ones to these restoration programs.

We have a downtown “homeless shelter” where we house more than 100 street people each night during the six months of winter. On the other side of the building, we have housing for transitional and V.A. beneficiaries. Through the efforts of our counselors we are able to find work, permanent housing and new lives for these former street people.

Recently, we hired a full-time dental professional to run our various free clinics and to provide dental assistance for the poor—one of the huge gaps in the local welfare program.

Our Red Shield Center is not merely a safe place for kids to come and play games. We promote after-hours learning programs involving computers, tutors, literacy materials and a wealth of ways to stimulate the lives of these children from our less advantaged neighborhoods.

At the main corps facility we have a team of counselors that works tirelessly with those who drop in from the street. They give aid and advice on subjects as diverse as insurance, social security benefits, income tax assistance, marriage and spiritual counsel and many more services relevant to those who have no access to paid professional help.

Yes, we give great attention to those services that only maintain a difficult lifestyle. But we constantly review our programs to see how we can give new life, hope and joy to those less fortunate than us.

Contact Dick at rghagerty@aol.com.

I recently found a book with this title in our corps’ library. Those who know me recognize my affinity for trivia and so understand that this book was written just for me. Its 560 pages are jammed with fascinating nonsense about the best, worst and most unusual people, lifestyles, food, music, laws and sports, to name just a few subjects.

For example, under “The Law,” the best law is found in Little Rock, Ark., where dogs are prohibited from barking after 6 p.m. The best forger was William E. Brockway, who, in 1865, printed a bogus $100 bill so perfect that the Treasury Department had no option but to withdraw all genuine $100 bills from circulation.

The worst act of diplomacy came during the Middle East war of 1948 when Warren Austin, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations urged Arabs and Jews to resolve their disagreements “like good Christians.” The worst prize fight took place in New Orleans in 1870 when Englishman Jim Mace and American Joe Coburn danced around each other for three hours and 48 minutes without landing a single punch.

In the “Government” chapter, Calvin Coolidge is cited for best scare tactics, because he used to hide in the White House shrubbery, then jump out and scare unsuspecting Secret Service agents. The most unusual bank is located in Vernal, Utah, where the local bank building was made from bricks sent through the mail. In 1919, the people of Vernal discovered that it cost less to mail the bricks from Salt Lake City, seven to a package, than to have them shipped commercially.

So we come to this wonderful season of officer moves. As you read this, many of my colleagues are up to their eyeballs in packing tape and boxes. It is surprising that people who should have few possessions to call their own end up with truckloads of boxes that get carted from one place to the next, and the contents often never see the light of day. We found that the 30 cartons of books we once had now fit into my iPad. The dishes we were carefully preserving for our retirement brought some much needed revenue to the thrift store. And all those shoes we never wear any more have gone into the “Saving Soles” bin at our corps to generate funds for World Services.

Of course, eventually all these officers will arrive at their new appointments, fresh and eager, ready to win the world for Jesus. For many it will be their best appointment. When anyone asks me about my best appointment, I always tell them it is the one I am in now.

Maybe a few will find themselves at their worst appointment. I hope not, but if they do they can take heart—it can only get better from here. And even in our worst appointments, God teaches us amazing truths about ourselves and himself that help us to grow in our walk of faith.

Lastly, there will be a few who find themselves in the most unusual appointment of their officership. It certainly will not be any more unusual than Ezekiel who was appointed to lie on his left side for 390 days, and then turn over to his right side for another 40 days, facing Jerusalem and surviving on bread and water!

We pray that our colleagues will find inexpressible joy in serving God wherever they have been appointed. May God use them powerfully and significantly to impact their corps and their community. May they always have a burning desire to win the world for Jesus. And may they shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever (Dan. 12:3 RSV).

It was early morning. The sun, having crept over the mountains surrounding the Galilean Sea, sent its golden path across the water to illuminate a single man standing on the shore building a fire. He looked out about 100 yards from shore at a fishing boat containing a half a dozen or so disgruntled men.

He called out to the men, who had been talking less about fish and more about the miraculous resurrection of Jesus, the one they had followed for three years. “How’s the fishing?” he asked.

“Awful,” they grumbled in reply.

When something’s not working, stop doing it and try something else. So, “Throw the net out on the right side of the boat. Then you’ll find some.”

The group’s obvious leader, whom some called Simon and others called Peter, pulled the net into the boat and cast it out as directed. The net began to sink as it filled almost immediately with so many fish they couldn’t pull most of it into the boat. They started rowing to shore, dragging that part they couldn’t get in the boat along the side.

John—one of the men who probably best knew Jesus—had been looking steadily at the man on the shore. Suddenly, he exclaimed: “That’s him—that’s the Lord.”

Peter, who had been carrying considerable guilt over his self-protective denials of Jesus, couldn‘t wait for the slow-moving boat. He jumped over the side and swam to shore. The others struggled to drag the net in. Reaching the beach, Peter helped them pull it up out of the surf.

By this time, Jesus had a little fire going and invited them to come over for breakfast. “Bring a few fish over with you,” he called.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Peter, the disciple who had denied him three times: “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”

Somewhat shocked, Peter said: “Yes Lord! You know I love you.”

Jesus said: “Feed my lambs.”

A second time Jesus said: “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?”

Peter replied with some confusion: “Yes Lord! You know that I love you.”

Jesus said: “Take care of my sheep!”

A third time, forcefully, he said to him: “Do you love me?”

Now, with some anxiety, Peter said: “Lord, you know all things; you know I love you.”

Jesus said simply: “Feed my sheep.”

Then, satisfied with these replies and with denials forgiven, Jesus said: “Follow me!”

Jesus needed to know that they could carry on his work, building a true concept of a loving, living God.

He needs to see that in you.

He’s asking you the same question. Can he trust you with his lambs? Will you nurture them, facilitate their development, help them to grow? And will you own The Salvation Army’s magnificent double role of both spiritual and social salvation? There are many different types of hunger. Some need a literal feeding, and some need a feeding of God’s Word leading to spiritual transformation. Provide both.

This was the charge given by Jesus to those who would represent him in the field, and this is the charge I give to you—feed the flock that is yours. Find the need, both financial and spiritual, in your community. When you nurture someone, you must cherish them. Feeding someone is an act of intimacy. Figure out a way to nurture that flock.

To do so, you must relate to them­—especially those very different from you—not from obligation, but from desire. Christianity is a relationship religion. Be friendly, enjoy everyone, and learn how to say “I’m sorry.” Adopt a service mentality. Love others. Work for justice. Build community. Help the flock grow. It doesn’t happen by itself. It takes planning and work. Teach the current flock how to welcome others.

Remember, your attitude reflects a pre-disposition to behave in a particular way. Attitudes are easily read. What’s your attitude concerning being in the flock-feeding business? Develop an attitude of acceptance—unrushed, steady.

To nurture genuinely, you must have the identity of care-giver, of an encourager, of a supporter, of someone who will look after the concerns and plights of others. That must be the real you. You can’t fake it.

Be kind. Kindness is contagious. Abandon all of your addictions, like promotions, worry, money, control, approval, perfection, power. None of them nurtures sheep.

Figure out what it means to have a “generous spirit.”

Consider it essential to build a strong advisory board made up of community leaders. Talk to them. Listen to them. They will tell you what the community needs. Build programs to meet those needs with funding from the community.

Be anywhere people find themselves suddenly immersed in hurt. Empathize.

Keep the flag up,

wear your uniform,

say something to some poor sinner every day,

and you will not go far astray.

(William Booth, April 1911)

Janis Dempsey was born in Paducah, Texas, Oct. 7, 1942. She married Don Mowery in 1961. Together they entered The Salvation Army Training College from Salt Lake City, Utah, with the Evangelists Session and were commissioned in 1969.

The couple served as corps officers in Sheridan and Casper, Wyo.; Billings, Mont.; Kauluwela Mission, Hawaii; and Oakland Citadel, Calif. Jan Mowery also served as Guard and Sunbeam director for the Cascade Division and corps cadet counselor for the Southern California Division. She ministered at adult rehabilitation centers in Seattle, San Diego, and Oakland and Canoga Park, Calif., as director of special services.

Jan Mowery was appointed divisional director of women’s ministries for the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division in 1997 and the Southwest Division in 2001, and served as officer development secretary in the Southwest.

The Mowerys retired in 2008 and made their home near Phoenix.

Lt. Colonel Jan Mowery is survived by her husband, Don; son, Kenneth (Danielle) Mowery; daughter, Kelly (Tim) Pacillas; daughter-in-law, Lisa Mowery; brother, Gary (Kathy) Dempsey; sisters, Kathy (Wayne) Gambrel and Vikki Blanco; and 10 grandchildren.

Lt. Colonel Mervyn Morelock conducted a celebration of life service at the Phoenix Citadel Corps May 29.

Edwin (Ed) Elmer Henderson was born Sept. 2, 1924, to Bessie and Elmer Henderson, in Warren, Ohio. At just 10 years old, he started collecting money for The Salvation Army.

Henderson entered the Navy in 1942 and spent four years on a ship fighting in the Pacific during World War II.

In 1946 he entered The Salvation Army Training College in San Francisco, where he met his future wife, Eleanor Foubister. They were commissioned in 1947 with the Warriors Session and married in 1949.

Ed Henderson was appointed assistant to the San Francisco Citadel Corps; later appointments took him to the Fillmore (Calif.) Corps and to the San Diego Temple Corps.

As a couple, the Hendersons served in several corps: San Diego Temple, Riverside and Richmond, Calif.; and Tucson, Ariz. They also served at Territorial Headquarters in the Service Extension department, and in the youth department at Northwest and Southern California divisional headquarters.  In addition, they were stationed at the Van Nuys Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC).

In 1989, the Hendersons retired from the ARC in Anaheim, Calif.

Henderson is survived by his children: Sandra Craft, Jon Henderson and Ed Henderson, and his grandchildren. Major Eleanor Henderson was promoted to Glory in 2011.

Commissioner Joe Noland officiated at a memorial service at the Tustin Ranch (Calif.) Corps on June 2.

Born Aug. 9, 1989, in Brunswick, Maine, Davitt grew up in The Dalles (Ore.), and graduated from The Dalles High School.

Two years ago, he accepted employment as donations receiver at a Salvation Army thrift store. After working for a month, he told Majors Kevin and Tammy Ray, The Dalles corps officers, about a DUI conviction he received prior to his employment that required him to serve a two-week jail sentence. Davitt was concerned that he would be let go, but his job was held for him with the condition that he never let this happen again.

Following Davitt’s jail experience, he began to attend church at the corps. At the Rays’ invitation, he attended The Gathering, the Western Territorial congress, in June 2012. There he decided that he wanted to become a soldier of The Salvation Army.

He began to accept more responsibility with the youth at The Dalles Corps. In September 2012, Davitt became director of The Loft, a teen hangout run by the corps. Instrumental in its success, he was working to develop it into an after-school center for middle and high school students.

Davitt believed that it was his duty to tell others about Jesus. In December 2012, he finally decided that he was ready to become a Salvation Army soldier—ready to wear the uniform and reveal to the world the changes he had made in his life because of his relationship with Jesus Christ. He was ready to do whatever God wanted him to do.

He is survived by his father, Joseph Davitt and his wife, Vicky; his mother, Billie Jo Scott; his four brothers, Nicholas Davitt, Cameron Davitt, Justin Scott and Jarett Scott, and his grandparents, Joseph and Viola Davitt.

His memorial service was May 16 at Calvary Baptist Church in The Dalles.

Taylor was born May 21, 1919. He entered the College for Officer Training at age 20, was commissioned in 1940 with the Hold Fast Session and appointed to a corps community center in his hometown of Seattle.

In 1943, Taylor married Captain Muriel Upton in a ceremony conducted by Orval’s father, Lt. Colonel Chester Taylor, at the Seattle Citadel Corps. The Taylors served in a number of corps and divisional appointments in the Western Territory, including divisional commander for the Southwest and Southern California divisions.  In those early years of corps and divisional work he was known as a supporter of programs for both Salvation Army and community youth and developed lifelong friendships with his fellow officers and soldiers of the Western Territory.

Taylor was promoted to the USA Eastern Territory in 1971 where he became the Commander of the Greater New York Unified Command. In 1974 he was appointed chief secretary for the USA Southern Territory and in 1978 became national chief secretary expanding his vision and support to all territories in the United States.

He then served as territorial commander in the Caribbean Territory, continuing his international service as international secretary for planning and development at International Headquarters with promotion to the rank of commissioner. In 1983 he was appointed territorial commander in the USA Eastern Territory. Taylor served on two High Councils as a territorial commander and continued his involvement and support for the global reach of the Army during those years.

In addition to his regular appointments, Taylor was constantly engaged in Salvation army social welfare work, including territorial and national committees on children and youth. Taylor was known for his vision, inclusiveness, determination, and belief in the mission of The Salvation Army. He supported and promoted local leadership and continually raised funds to expand Army social welfare and worship programs in every community he served.

The Taylors retired in June 1986 to Clearwater, Fla., where they continued as active members of the corps and their community. Taylor returned to his earlier life role as a bandsman and soldier. Commissioner Muriel Taylor was promoted to Glory Sept. 14, 2010 from Clearwater and Orval moved to Phoenix that same year to be near his family.

Taylor is survived by his son Michael and daughter Kathleen Parker.

A celebration of life service will be held at the Phoenix Citadel Corps on June 23 with Colonel George Church presiding. A private interment will be conducted in St Petersburg, Fla.