General installs Australia One national leaders
General installs Australia One national leaders
19 September 2016
Commissioner Floyd Tidd waves the Australia One Territory flag at the official installation of the new national leaders (Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd), conducted by General André Cox, in Adelaide on Saturday. Photo: Shairon Paterson
The unification of the Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern and Southern Territories is one step closer to reality after the installation of Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd as national leaders by General André Cox in Adelaide at the weekend.
Their installation at City Salvos (Adelaide Congress Hall) on Saturday coincided with the official launch of Australia One, which will see the Salvation Army in Australia become one national territory for the first time since 1921. Commissioner Floyd Tidd was installed as National Commander and Commissioner Tracey Tidd as National President of Women’s Ministries. Political and church leaders alike attended the event.
Aboriginal elder Uncle Frank Wanganeen provided a Welcome to Country, recognising that Adelaide – like the rest of Australia – was originally indigenous land. Federal Senator David Fawcett read a message from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and Senator Alex Gallacher represented Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. Adelaide Lord Mayor Martin Haese, who earlier in the day hosted a civic reception, also spoke at the installation and launch. Both the Melbourne Staff Band and Sydney Staff Songsters served across the weekend.
The General told the Adelaide audience, which was boosted by people throughout Australia and other parts of the world via live-streaming, that there were many reasons for the choice to move towards a unified territory. “The decision is a good one and makes perfect sense. It enables us to speak with one voice to government and other national partners. It enhances mission opportunities while reducing the cost of administration.”
The General said the formation of one territory was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Australia to experience the renewal of God’s spirit and refocus on his mission. “Don’t miss it,” he said. “God is not calling us to gather in halls and places of worship. God is calling the Army to total mobilisation. We are not an Army serving in peace time. We are an Army that is called to war against sin and evil, against injustice and against suffering and depravation that is a damning indictment of our generation.
“God is calling us to be more than a worshipping community and much more (to be) a serving community. We need to see more of our uniforms out on the streets of our cities. We need Salvationists to be mobilised in serving soup on the streets, meeting the homeless, visiting the elderly and bringing light and hope into the lives of people without hope.”
Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd were appointed Southern Territory leaders three years ago, after serving in their homeland Canada and Bermuda Territory. They will lead a team in bringing together the current operations of the Australia Southern and Eastern territories until the new national territory officially begins on 1 January 2019.
Watch highlights from the Australia One launch.
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