Honouring the past and heralding the future
Honouring the past and heralding the future
1 July 2019
Commissioners Janine and Robert Donaldson address the Australia Territory as they take up their new appointment as Territorial leaders today.
Warmest greetings to Salvos around Australia.
It is a pleasure to greet you and join you in making the vision of The Salvation Army Australia a reality.
The Salvation Army has always been clear about its purpose of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, meeting human needs and doing this in an integrated and holistic manner.
Our early history, theology, international mission statement, and soldier’s and officer’s covenants all point to this purpose and we appreciate the expression of this in a fresh and Aussie way: Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight, alongside others, to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus.
We are committed to the vision, mission, values, pillars and mission imperatives that have been prayerfully and diligently agreed as the way forward for The Salvation Army in Australia.
In this new era, the world leader of The Salvation Army, General Brian Peddle, has issued fresh ‘job descriptions’ for territorial leaders.
Our key responsibilities are governance (Robert), spiritual leadership (Janine and Robert in shared ministry) and a focus on women (Janine).
We have been released from management responsibilities in order to bring priority and emphasis to these areas.
We pray that we will fulfil these responsibilities with passion and wisdom, led by the Holy Spirit.
During our recent orientation in Australia we were able to meet and converse with all members of the Governance Board and observe its June meeting.
The Salvation Army Australia Territory is in good and capable hands from a governance perspective, with all members passionate about their faith and relationship with God, and deeply committed to the missional success of the territory.
We also had time to meet the senior leadership team and several of the heads of departments.
These are good and competent people, ably led by the Chief Secretary, Colonel Mark Campbell.
We look forward to getting around the territory and meeting you in your place of mission and ministry; encouraging you from the Word of God, praying with and for you, listening to you and experiencing something of your joys and challenges.
We honour the hard work and dedicated ministry of Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd.
They have led the territory through an enormous transformation that is unparalleled in the history of the Army.
Commissioners Floyd and Tracey, Colonels Julie and Mark, and their team deserve a high level of recognition for their quality of leadership, discernment and courage in decision-making, tenacity and persistence under enormous pressure, and their sharp and disciplined focus on the missional outcomes that all this effort, change, cost and pain has been planned to achieve.
May we be both faithful and fruitful with the legacy they have left.
“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favour and give you his peace” (Numbers 6:24-26 NLT).
Watch Part 1 of Lieut-Colonel Laurie Robertson's interview with the Donaldsons HERE.
Comments
No comments yet - be the first.