Frontlines

Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd

The Canada and Bermuda Territory has embarked on 100 Days of Unceasing Prayer and Shared Scripture. The initiative, launched by territorial leaders Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd in January, runs until April 9, 2020.

“As we step into 2020, we invite Salvationists across Canada and Bermuda to join in this journey of prayer, reflection and spiritual growth,” says Commissioner Floyd Tidd, territorial commander. “During this period, you will have the opportunity to pray for representative Salvation Army social services or corps ministries from around the territory, as well as read and reflect on a passage of Scripture. We encourage you to take this time to listen carefully for what God is saying to you through his Word.” Daily updates and downloadable resources are available on Salvationist.ca. Salvationists can also sign up to receive a daily email outlining the Scripture reference and ministry to be prayed for each day. In the 30 days leading up to Easter, Salvationists will have the opportunity to share with the territorial leaders what they have learned.

“Anticipating together more than we could ever ask or imagine, according to God’s power at work in and through his Salvation Army, we look forward to praying with you in the days ahead,” says Commissioner Tracey Tidd, territorial president of women’s ministries.

Visit Salvationist.ca/100days to learn more and join the 100 Days of Unceasing Prayer and Shared Scripture initiative.

Hope in the City Events Kick Off Christmas Season

In November and December, The Salvation Army held various Hope in the City (HITC) events across the territory, to inspire guests, raise funds and increase awareness of the Army’s work at Christmas and throughout the year. In Calgary, a packed banquet hall enjoyed hearing from Paul Brandt, Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer and humanitarian. In his keynote speech, Brandt discussed the issue of human trafficking. The HITC breakfast in Winnipeg took a similar theme, as human trafficking survivor Victoria Morrison shared her personal story of how she was trafficked and eventually helped by The Salvation Army. Vancouver’s 18th annual HITC event featured Arlene Dickinson, a Canadian businesswoman best known for appearing on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. Around 1,200 guests gathered to hear from Dickinson, whose story of hope stems from her own childhood living in poverty. The Honourable Janet Austin, lieutenantgovernor of British Columbia, spoke at HITC in Victoria. The second annual event in that city featured the presentation of the Hero for Hope award to Eric Maze, the first winner on Vancouver Island.

Guests in Ottawa, Toronto and Barrie, Ont., heard from Olympian Jeremiah Brown, who trained to be a silver medalwinning rower in just four years. Events in London and Hamilton, Ont., also featured a keynote from a well-known professional athlete, Jim Kyte, the only legally deaf player to ever play in the National Hockey League. Along with presenting Kyte, the HITC breakfast in London served to raise awareness around the autism spectrum disorder.

Hundreds of people attended the fifth annual HITC event in Windsor, Ont., which featured local author Rosita Hall. During her inspiring speech, Hall shared life lessons and encouraged everyone to find a way to serve others.

Guests in Edmonton heard testimonies from two Red Seal chefs who were able to overcome their addictions, thanks to the Army. James Hansen and Jay Barnard, who is known as “Chef Recovery,” shared their life-changing experiences with Salvation Army treatment programs in Edmonton and Ottawa, respectively.

In Eastern Canada, Senator Stan Kutcher shared the importance of offering compassion, commitment and community to enhance our own mental health and that of others while speaking at HITC in Halifax. In Newfoundland and Labrador, a sold-out crowd in St. John’s enjoyed a presentation from Peter Halley and Shelley Neville of the Spirit of Newfoundland musical theatre company.

Canadian country singer Paul Brandt speaks at Hope in the City in Calgary

Taking place in 37 cities across Canada, from Victoria to St. John’s, N.L., the 29th annual Santa Shuffle saw more than 14,000 runners, walkers and four-legged friends come together in support of The Salvation Army in December. Presented in partnership with The Running Room, the five-kilometre run and one-kilometre Elf Walk raises funds for local Army ministries.

In keeping with Santa Shuffle tradition, participants dressed in festive gear, from Santa suits to reindeer costumes, often braving cold temperatures or rain for the event. Many locations offered participants hot drinks and food, as well as a commemorative Santa Shuffle medal.

This year, the Army in Maple Creek, Sask., hosted its first Santa Shuffle. Through the event, the town of just 2,000 people raised more than $10,000 to support the community and family services provided by the corps. Meanwhile in Toronto, the Santa Shuffle, which supports the Gateway Shelter, had a particularly fruitful year, exceeding previous fundraising amounts by raising more than $100,000.

“After another successful year for the Santa Shuffle, we say

A “grinchy” supporter and her dog take part in the Santa Shuffle

thank you to our dedicated race directors, volunteers, participants and donors, without whom we couldn’t do this event,” says Angela Rafuse, then national Santa Shuffle co-ordinator.

In line with October being Down Syndrome Awareness month, The Salvation Army’s Broadview Village, located in Toronto, led a campaign to promote understanding and inclusion by sponsoring informative movie nights at several ministry units in Ontario.

Broadview Village, a ministry that caters to adults with developmental disabilities, purchased the rights to host viewings of Normie, a documentary about a young woman named Annemarie who is coming to terms with her Down syndrome. Movie screenings were held at London Village, Mississippi-Rideau Lakes Corps in Smith Falls, Northridge Community Church in Aurora, Scarborough Citadel and Agincourt Temple Community Church in Toronto, and North Toronto Community Church. Chaplains from Broadview Village were on hand to facilitate most of the events. “Everyone who saw Normie was moved,” notes Major Shelley Kerr, chaplain, Broadview Village. “There was excellent discussion about the movie in all the locations where it was shown.”

Major Kerr says that more screenings of Normie will be held in 2020. Broadview Village Sponsors Awareness Events

Salvationists Attend Church Planting Congress

Salvation Army delegates joined hundreds of Christians, representing various denominations and organizations, for a national biennial church planting congress, held in Montreal in October. The congress was hosted by Church Planting Canada, a learning community of more than 25 denominations and catalyzing networks, including The Salvation Army. The Army’s territorial corps ministries department sponsored 23 people to attend the congress, representing six divisions across the territory.

Inspired by the Toronto Raptors’ slogan “We the North,” the planners of the event adopted the theme “Plant the North” for the congress. Speakers tackled such topics as the future of church planting, the nature of the sending church, effective multicultural ministry, marks of meaningful leadership diversity and pastoring our communities. The final speaker, Bill Hogg of C2C Collective, passionately called upon the church gathered from all denominations to “unite the clans,” a line attributed to William Wallace in the film Braveheart. Photo: Courtesy of Church Planting Canada Cadet Bill Mailman, who attended the congress, says the theme of unity was his principle takeaway from the week. “The Army cannot be a silo,” Cadet Mailman comments. “The Army is merely a battalion in this spiritual war. We need to fight with others under the banner of Jesus.”

Graham Singh, outgoing director of Church Planting Canada, speaks about the importance of congregational mission in Quebec at a recent churchplanting congress