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Ambasadors welcomed

September 21, 2009
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by Bob Docter –

Cadets Joe Alvarez, Joni Alvarez and Angel Marquez sing with the cadet chorus.

With praise and celebration, flags and song, challenge and commitment the territory said, “Glad to see you,” in welcoming the Ambassadors of Holiness session of the USA Western Territory. Signaling a return to larger sessions, the 43-members revealed high energy, sincere dedication and strong affirmation of the Army’s century and a half commitment to humanity in the cause of Christ.

The territorial leaders, Commissioners Philip and Patricia Swyers, greeted a near capacity Tustin Ranch audience and welcomed friends of over 45 years, Commissioners Harold and Betty Hinson, former Central Territory leaders and long serving Southern Territory officers, as special guests.

Swyers expressed appreciation to the officers and soldiers who had encouraged the new session members and modeled for them committed Salvationism. “Through qualities you have revealed they have learned that in their ministry they must love people, work their calling and nurture lasting friendships.”

In her response, Commissioner Betty Hinson spoke of a billboard advertising Marine Corps recruitment. It read, “We don’t accept applicants—only commitment.” She went on to remind all that Salvation Army officership is not a job. It is a commitment to God. She selected a passage from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (5:17) that speaks of being a new creation in Christ: “The old has gone—the new has come.” God’s gift of Christ reconciled the world to him. God gave us, therefore, a “ministry of reconciliation,” not counting men’s sins against them, but lifting them in love. That message is ours. “We are, therefore, Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”

Thinking ahead to the covenant to be signed by the members of the new session at their commissioning two years hence, the Tustin Ranch Band (Ed Freeman, bandmaster) brought William Himes’ moving piece Procession to Covenant.

Majors John and Pamilla Brackenbury, candidates and recruitment secretaries, introduced the session. “Tonight we have 43 men and women from every division, from 25 corps and an average age of 31. Thirty-four are married and bring 36 children, seven are single and two are officer-spouses. Twenty-seven of them are first generation Salvationists, 10 are children of officers. Five are fifth generation Salvationists. They have strong educational backgrounds and excellent experiences in various Army appointments.”

In analyzing data provided by Brackenbury, the average session size for the past 50 years is 27. The largest had 60 and the smallest 12.

Cadet John Morrow, from Portland Moore Street Corps, testified. “Who would have thought it? God has chosen me.”

He stood for a moment in awe of the immensity of that challenge and responsibility and then expressed appreciation to all those who didn’t give up on him through some difficult years.

“I am indebted to you for your guidance and grace. I learned, as we read in Peter, to humble myself before the Holy Spirit.”

Recognizing the session’s name, he expressed full commitment to the Army’s 10th doctrine: “We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He added, “We depend on each other, and we depend on you for your prayers as we confront the task before us of furthering the Kingdom of God.”

With choric verse speaking and singing, the cadets presented a arrangement of the song Take my life and let I be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Throughout the singing, individuals and groups of cadets spoke words of commitment to Christ. The presentation ended with a chorus taken from Psalm 96:

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
Worship the Lord in the spirit of praise.
Bow down before him, love and adore him,
Come, let us worship in spirit and truth.

In his message, Commissioner Hinson looked back to his own session, the Soul Winners of 1955. He thanked the cadets for their spirit of commitment to become soul winners, and recognized that a session name often sets the tone for the entire image of the session. “As soul winners you will be ‘Ambassadors of Holiness,’” he said.

Hinson continued: “The best news this world has ever received is found in the Gospel of John—John 3:17-18:

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn
the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but
whoever does not believe sands condemned already …

“The world needs ambassadors of holiness—Christ’s ambassadors, to carry the message to a sinful world to reconcile with God. ‘As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ‘Now is the day of salvation’ (2 Corinthians 5:20-6:1, 2).

“We have an awesome responsibility to carry that message of salvation on God’s behalf. Booth expected all soldiers to be soul winners—to be wholly sanctified by the blood of Christ.

“In his book Holiness for Ordinary People Keith Drury identifies three stages. The first, initial sanctification concerns itself with conversion, being born again, conviction, confession, repentance from sin—when we cry out to God. At this point you are pure and clean—ready for heaven.

“In Isaiah 53 we read how everyone returns to their old ways—old habits return. Our awareness of this causes us to recognize the need for further sanctification—to allow God to rule in our life. This ushers in the second stage of entire sanctification, and it involves a cleansing wherein we totally immersed in the Holy Spirit. Our lives are controlled by the Holy Spirit.

“The closer we get to the Holy Spirit the more we realize how unlike him we are and seek to live closer to God. We cry out to God to completely baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit. This is not achieved by struggle but by surrender.

“The last stage, Drury calls final sanctification where we achieve complete bodily and spiritual perfection and actualize the beliefs cited in the 10th doctrine.

“General Coutts defined holiness as ‘a relationship with God that increasingly expresses itself in Christ-like living,’” he concluded.

As the altar was opened, scores took advantage of the opportunity as the cadets prayed with each other, with the corps officers who had sent them and with family and friends.

Commissioner Patricia Swyers pronounced the benediction.

1053With praise and celebration, flags and song, challenge and commitment the territory said, “Glad to see you,” in welcoming the Ambassadors of Holiness session of the USA Western Territory. Signaling a return to larger sessions, the 43-members revealed high energy, sincere dedication and strong affirmation of the Army’s century and a half commitment to humanity in the cause of Christ.

The territorial leaders, Commissioners Philip and Patricia Swyers, greeted a near capacity Tustin Ranch audience and welcomed friends of over 45 years, Commissioners Harold and Betty Hinson, former Central Territory leaders and long serving Southern Territory officers, as special guests.

Swyers expressed appreciation to the officers and soldiers who had encouraged the new session members and modeled for them committed Salvationism. “Through qualities you have revealed they have learned that in their ministry they must love people, work their calling and nurture lasting friendships.”

In her response, Commissioner Betty Hinson spoke of a billboard advertising Marine Corps recruitment. It read, “We don’t accept applicants—only commitment.” She went on to remind all that Salvation Army officership is not a job. It is a commitment to God. She selected a passage from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (5:17) that speaks of being a new creation in Christ: “The old has gone—the new has come.” God’s gift of Christ reconciled the world to him. God gave us, therefore, a “ministry of reconciliation,” not counting men’s sins against them, but lifting them in love. That message is ours. “We are, therefore, Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”

Thinking ahead to the covenant to be signed by the members of the new session at their commissioning two years hence, the Tustin Ranch Band (Ed Freeman, bandmaster) brought William Himes’ moving piece Procession to Covenant.

Majors John and Pamilla Brackenbury, candidates and recruitment secretaries, introduced the session. “Tonight we have 43 men and women from every division, from 25 corps and an average age of 31. Thirty-four are married and bring 36 children, seven are single and two are officer-spouses. Twenty-seven of them are first generation Salvationists, 10 are children of officers. Five are fifth generation Salvationists. They have strong educational backgrounds and excellent experiences in various Army appointments.”

In analyzing data provided by Brackenbury, the average session size for the past 50 years is 27. The largest had 60 and the smallest 12.

Cadet John Morrow, from Portland Moore Street Corps, testified. “Who would have thought it? God has chosen me.”

He stood for a moment in awe of the immensity of that challenge and responsibility and then expressed appreciation to all those who didn’t give up on him through some difficult years.

“I am indebted to you for your guidance and grace. I learned, as we read in Peter, to humble myself before the Holy Spirit.”

Recognizing the session’s name, he expressed full commitment to the Army’s 10th doctrine: “We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He added, “We depend on each other, and we depend on you for your prayers as we confront the task before us of furthering the Kingdom of God.”

With choric verse speaking and singing, the cadets presented a arrangement of the song Take my life and let I be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Throughout the singing, individuals and groups of cadets spoke words of commitment to Christ. The presentation ended with a chorus taken from Psalm 96:

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
Worship the Lord in the spirit of praise.
Bow down before him, love and adore him,
Come, let us worship in spirit and truth.

In his message, Commissioner Hinson looked back to his own session, the Soul Winners of 1955. He thanked the cadets for their spirit of commitment to become soul winners, and recognized that a session name often sets the tone for the entire image of the session. “As soul winners you will be ‘Ambassadors of Holiness,’” he said.

Hinson continued: “The best news this world has ever received is found in the Gospel of John—John 3:17-18:

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn
the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but
whoever does not believe sands condemned already …

“The world needs ambassadors of holiness—Christ’s ambassadors, to carry the message to a sinful world to reconcile with God. ‘As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ‘Now is the day of salvation’ (2 Corinthians 5:20-6:1, 2).

“We have an awesome responsibility to carry that message of salvation on God’s behalf. Booth expected all soldiers to be soul winners—to be wholly sanctified by the blood of Christ.

“In his book Holiness for Ordinary People Keith Drury identifies three stages. The first, initial sanctification concerns itself with conversion, being born again, conviction, confession, repentance from sin—when we cry out to God. At this point you are pure and clean—ready for heaven.

“In Isaiah 53 we read how everyone returns to their old ways—old habits return. Our awareness of this causes us to recognize the need for further sanctification—to allow God to rule in our life. This ushers in the second stage of entire sanctification, and it involves a cleansing wherein we totally immersed in the Holy Spirit. Our lives are controlled by the Holy Spirit.

“The closer we get to the Holy Spirit the more we realize how unlike him we are and seek to live closer to God. We cry out to God to completely baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit. This is not achieved by struggle but by surrender.

“The last stage, Drury calls final sanctification where we achieve complete bodily and spiritual perfection and actualize the beliefs cited in the 10th doctrine.

“General Coutts defined holiness as ‘a relationship with God that increasingly expresses itself in Christ-like living,’” he concluded.

As the altar was opened, scores took advantage of the opportunity as the cadets prayed with each other, with the corps officers who had sent them and with family and friends.

Commissioner Patricia Swyers pronounced the benediction.

1053

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