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Western Territory’s mission team departs for London July 25.
By Karen Gleason
Salvation Army mission teams from all corners of the globe will travel to London for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games (July 27-Aug. 12), where they will minister under the umbrella of More Than Gold, which unites faith-based organizations and church denominations to express Christian purpose and example at major sporting events.
The Salvation Army will maintain a water distribution program during the Games, offering not only water to drink but also the means to quench the soul’s spiritual thirst.
Representing the Western Territory are young adults: Andrew Fries, team leader (Gresham Corps, Cascade Division), Carmen Magdaleno (Modesto Citadel, Golden State Division), Amber Ulery (Kenai Corps, Alaska Division), Maryellen Walters (Kahului Corps, Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division), Mathijs Arens (South San Francisco Corps, Golden State Division), and Marianna Kleemann (Whittier Corps, Southern California Division). The team departs for London July 25 and returns Aug. 3. Team members will be posting to a blog on sayconnect.com.
The Salvation Army in the U.K. has a major part to play in the Games, with the Army’s Hadleigh Farm in South Essex hosting the mountain bike event Aug. 11-12.
The Sutton Corps will serve as a welcome center, where hosts will meet guests (athletes and families) when they arrive in the country. International Headquarters may also be used as a hospitality center, where athletes can meet with their families in a safe and calm environment.
While the Olympic Torch Relay made its way around the U.K., some Salvation Army divisions in England organized their own relay, passing a “prayer torch” between corps and other centers. Every time the torch was passed on, the recipients were encouraged to pray for the work of the center they received it from and also for wherever it was going next.
The More than Gold team based at the U.K. and Republic of Ireland territorial headquarters (THQ) in London encouraged Salvation Army corps and centers to use the torch relay as a way to remind their communities of the Army’s presence while demonstrating Christian love and hospitality. One way of doing this was to send out The Salvation Army’s emergency vehicles (canteens) to offer refreshments. The fair trade company Traidcraft provided free tea and coffee.
Special issues of The War Cry and Kids Alive! were produced and distributed at no cost at torch relay events and will be available during the Games. The Kids Alive! special edition was so popular that a reprint was necessary.
For details on the torch relay participants, including Salvationists, and route—and to watch a live-stream of the relay—go to london2012.com/torch-relay.
Updates on The Salvation Army’s Olympic and Paralympic-related work can be found on the Sport for Good (the territorial sports ministry section) Facebook and Twitter pages: facebook.com/SASportforGood and twitter.com/SportforGood.
