Congress

CONGRATULATIONS–Karen Yee Lim designed the winning Congress logo.

Based upon projections provided by each division in the Western Territory, the territorial commander has announced as many as 2,400 new Senior and Junior soldiers will be enrolled by General Paul A. Rader during the Friday night rally at next year’s Great Western Victory Congress.

Chang said “The Congress is all about victory in Jesus Christ, and so I am pleased that delegates will be able to experience one of the most exciting dimensions of spiritual victory–the addition of new disciples.”

Captain Kenneth G. Hodder, congress coordinator, noted that fulfillment of the current projections will make this one of the largest enrollments in Salvation Army history. “The number of Junior and Senior soldiers in the Western Territory will grow by almost ten percent in one evening. To our knowledge, that is unprecedented in this territory, and perhaps in the world.”

Notwithstanding the logistical challenge presented by the sheer number of projected enrollees, the Congress office is structuring the ceremony to ensure every enrollee senses both the privilege and responsibility soldiership entails. A special room in the Convention Center will be available at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, June 6th, for prayer and the execution of Articles of War and Junior Soldier Promises, which will already have been signed by Rader. Enrollees will discuss the importance of the occasion with their corps officers and, as they leave, a digital photograph will be taken of the group.

That evening, after the ceremony, each enrollee will receive a presentation folder containing the signed documents, a copy of the photograph taken earlier that day, a photograph of the Raders, and a letter of congratulations.

“We will emphasize the new soldier’s responsibilities both to the local corps and the Army as a whole,” said Hodder. “It will be meaningful time for all.”