Front lines- News briefs of the West

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What matters is…faith expressed in love (Gal. 5:6 MSG).

Karen Gleason, Editor

SPOKANE, WASH.—With 12 potential candidates for officer training, the Spokane Corps, led by Captain Kyle and Major Lisa Smith, formed a monthly Candidates Book Club. Participants discuss books on Army history, theology, leadership, pastoral care, etc. The next book is One For All by Commissioner James Knaggs and Major Stephen Court.

“It’s important for leaders to keep our minds challenged and alert so that we can do our very best in the calling God has for each of us,” said Lisa Smith.

The group includes accepted candidate Brenda Crosby, youth leaders Jeremy and Andrea Reedy, and Corps Sergeant-Major Elaine Mansoor.

 

IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIF.—Undaunted by June’s 116-degree heat, El Centro Corps

Officer Captain Jerry Esqueda took a youth team to Slab City, the site of an abandoned military base where about 70 homeless residents camp or sleep in old trailers.

Knowing the people’s needs extend beyond physical requirements, the team not only offered water and food, but also prayer.

This first-time event will not be the last. Plans are underway to further establish a relationship and meet needs. On their next trip, the team will donate a freezer full of ice.

 

RENO, NEV.—The Reno Corps joined the festivities at Reno Rodeo’s annual “Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West.” Wearing cowboy attire, corps officers Majors Michael and Janene Zielinski, other Salvationists and friends manned the corps and thrift store parking lot entrances, requesting a $5 donation for rodeo parking.

The corps raised $5,288, which went toward its World Services goal.

Organized by Barbara Pengilley, young people’s sergeant-major, 31 volunteers worked 292 hours to help with the event.

 

PORTLAND, ORE.—During her summer internship at the Portland Tabernacle Corps, Friends of Christ Session Cadet Melissa Xiong led a group to Portland’s Saturday Market to witness to shoppers.

Xiong also presented “Hmong Culture” at a Home League education event July 13. Hmong are a minority ethnic group from Asia who pass down their history from generation to generation through legends and ritual ceremonies.

Lt. Raymond and Major Nancy Dihle are corps officers.

 

SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco Magazine presented top honors to The Salvation Army in two categories of its annual readers’ poll: “Best Volunteer Action” and “Best Do-Gooder Action.”

Jaime Smith, who joined Army staff two years ago with a challenge to revamp the volunteer program, said, “My biggest focus was to get the word out. The public needs to know we’re here and what we do.”

Since then, The Salvation Army has successfully built partnerships with educational institutions and alumni chapters, churches, non-profits, various companies and individuals.

 

CHUUK—In the June 12 (Vol. 29, no. 10) edition of New Frontier, we mistakenly identified Captains Hermes and Rufina Otis as being from Chuuk, Marshall Islands. Chuuk is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, not the Republic of the Marshall Islands. New Frontier apologizes for this error and thanks Major Randy Mulch for pointing it out.

 

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