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New Life
The Kalispell, Mont., corps recently dedicated its first baby in more than seven years. Over the past several months Sunday morning worship has grown from about 25 to over 50.
If you ask Lt. Monte Jones, the big change has been prayer. “We really started seeing a change when we began praying on Sunday afternoons,” Jones said. But while prayer holds it all together, there is plenty of evidence that the knee drill has been accomplished by a great deal of hard work, long hours, and initiative.
New programs like the Touch of Grace Health Clinic and the summer lunch program for children have been put into place, while traditions of service such as the Christmas effort and the daily hot breakfast and lunch programs have expanded. Along with cooperation from the food bank and United Way have been public service announcements continually proclaiming, “The Salvation Army is on the move in Kalispell!”
A new thrift store is already seeing a profit. There are now two, both channeling money into corps programs. The older store has been dressed up with paint, a new awning, clothes sorted by color, and general sprucing up.
There’s a new beat on Sunday mornings, too. Contemporary praise choruses mix with the great hymns of the faith, offering something for young and old alike.
All this helps move things forward, but if you ask Jones what the main thing is, he’ll say, “It’s prayer.”
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