As Lent comes to a close, we look forward to celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter. There are many ways that we can approach this sacred time, and to that end, the corps mission department has put together a collection of resources for Holy Week and Easter.

One of those resources is for holding a Tenebrae service, a re-enactment of the night before the Crucifixion that usually takes place on the Thursday of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday).

Captain Renée McFadden, corps officer at The Willows in Langley, B.C., created the resource, and on this episode of the podcast, she walks us through this special service.

Download Captain McFadden's Tenebrae resource: https://salvationist.ca/files/salvationarmy/corps-ministries/resources/LENT_2023/Good_Enough_-_Maundy_Thursday_Tenebrae_Service.pdf

Find all the corps mission resources for Lent, Holy Week and Easter: https://salvationist.ca/corps-mission-resource/resource-toolkit/lent-resources/

This year, the Salvationist podcast celebrates International Women’s Day with a very special guest—Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, The Salvation Army’s World President of Women’s Ministries.

Women’s ministries is, of course, nothing new for The Salvation Army. But in this episode, Commissioner Rosalie talks about how the Army has been “re-imagining” women’s ministries around the world, including the new Battle Cry initiative.*

And as Commissioner Rosalie and General Brian Peddle prepare to retire later this year, she reflects on how God has sustained her through 47 years of ministry, and what’s next for them as they return home to Canada.

*Battle Cry is a global initiative to overcome systemic social injustice against women and girls. As part of The Salvation Army’s efforts to achieve gender equity, international Women’s Ministries has identified three social justice focuses for individuals, groups and territories to adopt: access to healthcare, increased opportunities for education, and the elimination of violence against women and girls. Our battle cry is for women, but it belongs to everyone. Find out more: sar.my/battlecry

It's been one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, starting a war that has torn the country apart and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee. 

For The Salvation Army, the past year has been a time of intense ministry in action, especially in Ukraine and the surrounding countries. Debbie Clarke is one of many Salvationists serving on the front lines. She is a senior soldier at Winnipeg’s Heritage Park Temple and an emergency disaster services specialist. She was recently deployed to Romania for two months, where she supported the Army’s ministry to Ukrainian refugees in Bucharest.

In this episode of the podcast, Debbie shares a testimony about her experiences. Her testimony was recorded live during a Sunday morning meeting at Heritage Park Temple in January. 

As the corps officer in a small town in Newfoundland, Lieutenant April Ward was looking for ways The Salvation Army could better serve her community. Some brainstorming led her to a brilliant idea, and in this episode of the podcast, Lieutenant April shares how “family night theme bags” have transformed youth ministry at her corps—and sparked a new ministry to seniors, too.

When The Salvation Army began in London, England, Salvationists faced opposition from various groups—including one called the Skeleton Army. 

The dramatic true story of the conflict between the Skeletons and the Salvationists comes to life in a new musical called "Skeleton Army," which will make its Canadian debut at The Salvation Army’s INSPIRE Conference and Congress this summer. 

On this episode of the podcast, Kathryn and Kyle Higgins, the stars of Skeleton Army, give us a behind the scenes look.

Visit Salvationist.ca/Inspire to learn more about the INSPIRE Conference and Congress, taking place in Toronto from June 26-July 2.

When hurricane Fiona ripped through eastern Canada last September, causing widespread devastation, The Salvation Army stepped in, offering assistance in several provinces. 

One of the hardest-hit communities was Port Aux Basques, N.L., where Dave and Bev Harvey are corps leaders. In this episode of the podcast, Dave and Bev share how the storm impacted the town and their corps, and how the Army responded.

Fabio Russo has been clean and sober for five years, since he came to The Salvation Army’s Harbour Light facility in Vancouver. Now a friendly employee at the facility's front desk, Fabio reflects on his recovery journey and how Harbour Light's "play" program played a crucial role. 

On this episode of the podcast, we're also joined by Harbour Light employees Cindy Cheung, community engagement co-ordinator,  and John Polkki, director of spiritual care, who offer insight into the "why" behind the program—how "play" builds crucial life skills and reconnects us with our Creator, and why even go-karting can be a spiritual experience. 

Brass banding is one of The Salvation Army’s most iconic and beloved ministries. But like so many things, it faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. For two years, many of us missed out on banding as groups were forced to stop meeting in person. What kind of future does banding have, now that we can rehearse and perform again? 

We asked Matt Barby for his thoughts on these questions and more. Matt is a senior soldier at London Citadel, a high school music teacher, and bandmaster of Impact Brass, a regional youth band in southwestern Ontario. 

The world of health care has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. But for The Salvation Army’s Toronto Grace Health Centre, it has provided opportunities for innovation and creativity. Just as the pandemic was beginning, the centre launched a pilot project called the Remote Care Monitoring Program. Using a pendant and the power of technology, the program allows elderly and at-risk patients to receive the health care they need from the comfort of their own home.

In this episode of the podcast, Jake Tran, president and CEO of TGHC, explains the Remote Care Monitoring Program, and Donna White shares her own personal experience with it.

This week, leaders of The Salvation Army’s 58 territories and commands have gathered in Vancouver for the International Conference of Leaders (ICL). This is the first in-person gathering of leaders since 2017, and the first under the leadership of General Brian Peddle.

In this episode, General Peddle gives us a behind the scenes look at the ICL—what’s on the agenda, how decisions are made and how Salvationists can stay informed about the proceedings.