International briefs – 2 March 2023
High Council 2023 to begin in May
The 2023 Salvation Army High Council will be held at Sunbury Court Conference Centre, commencing formally on 18 May 2023. According to Mark Bennett, Senior Legal Counsel to the General and International Headquarters (IHQ), “The purpose of the High Council is to elect a new General for The Salvation Army in accordance with the Salvation Army Act.”
Recognised as a deeply spiritual occasion as well as being a legal requirement, the High Council offers the international leadership of The Salvation Army the opportunity to elect the man or woman of their choice to lead the Army for the next five years. Every active Salvation Army officer is eligible to be elected as General.
Global leaders will be issued a formal summons to attend the High Council by the Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Lyndon Buckingham. He will then preside over the opening of the High Council until a President has been elected.
The public welcome to the High Council and farewell to General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries, will be held on 20 May 2023 in Westminster Central Hall, London.
For regular updates, please visit IHQ social media and the IHQ website
World leaders visit Rwanda/Burundi and Caribbean Territories
A contingent of Salvationists greeted General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries, on arrival at Kigali international airport on 16 February as they commenced their visit to the Rwanda and Burundi Command.
The next day, the international leaders participated in officers’ councils before viewing a construction site for the officer training college.
The following morning the General and Commissioner Rosalie visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where they learnt more about Rwandan history and paid respects to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. In the afternoon, they met with members of the command Governance Board and toured the command headquarters, meeting officer and employee staff and planting fruit trees in the compound.
The command concert and celebrations during the visit included the General enrolling 95 soldiers and commissioning and ordaining 11 cadets.
The Peddles also visited the 16-nation Caribbean Territory last month to celebrate 135 years of The Salvation Army’s presence, service and ministry. Headquarters is located in Kingston, Jamaica.
The Army ministers in English, Dutch, Creole, French and Surinamese, with expressions and services including education, children’s homes, homes for the aged, shelters for the homeless, medical work and the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
“Worship in the Caribbean has its own enthusiastic style, which is often expressed using Island rhythms,” said General Peddle. “I thank God for the passion expressed in worship and for the commitment to God’s Mission in this part of the world.
“This was evident as many re-dedicated their lives and sought God through moments of renewal. As is often the case, the youths were front and centre and you could only admire their gifts and talents and the way they have surrendered them to the Lord.
“We were pleased to be hosted by the Governor General and the Prime Minister, who spoke of the Army’s value to the Jamaican people. God bless the Caribbean Territory!”
New Zealand Salvos respond after Cyclone Gabrielle
The Salvation Army in New Zealand has been an active part of the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle, which devastated large parts of the North Island from 12-16 February. Tragically, 11 people lost their lives during this time.
During the immediate aftermath of the cyclone and beyond, Salvation Army teams assisted impacted communities in the following ways:
Teams on the ground in Civil Defence Centres assisting where needed in Auckland.
A team was deployed to an Auckland apartment complex to offer welfare and psychosocial support to people evacuating their complex.
Teams in welfare centres in Whangarei assisting with assessments and food preparation.
The Salvation Army Napier community provided much-needed catering to firefighters throughout the worst of the storm and clean-up.
Volunteers helped pack parcels at Mt Wellington to support Salvation Army teams in hard-hit Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.
Salvation Army officers have been visiting people in Piha and Muriwai following Cyclone Gabrielle. They’ve been handing out information from the Council on where people can get support, as well as chatting, encouraging and letting people share their stories.
In Muriwai, officers worked at the Ranger’s Hut and golf club offering support and comfort to those they came across. They were also on hand to offer psychosocial support to the people of Dominion Road when they were evacuated. Most people grabbed what they could and left in their cars.
Please continue to pray for everyone who has been affected by the cyclone and for Salvation Army staff as they carry out important work.
New Zealand is part of The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory.
Nigerian Salvos pray for peaceful election
The Salvation Army Nigeria has been holding peace-building training in preparation for the country's election season.
Through a series of peace awareness workshops, radio and TV outreach efforts, and street marches that were funded by The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO).
The Salvation Army actively promotes nonviolence and wants to de-escalate tensions before they flare into conflicts. The Nigeria Territory organised 31 days of prayer and fasting for a peaceful election.
