Listen to this article
People from all walks of life and circumstances are being drawn to the fellowship at the Canoga Park ARC Corps (New Promise Christian Fellowship). “The corps seems to fill a void in our system,” said A/Captain Barbara Sloan, corps officer. “Men who come to know Jesus during the six month program at the ARC have had difficulty finding church homes where they feel comfortable. We reach out to them as a church body and welcome them.”
At a recent Sunday evening service at the corps, five adherents were taken into the ranks of The Salvation Army. In addition, Senior soldier preparation class began with seven people, and three young people started Junior soldier preparation. During the same week, four children from the corps participated in the Southern California Music School, at Camp Mt. Crags. Peter Hernandez, soon to be a Junior soldier, won an award for “Best Drummer.”
A year ago, none of these people were involved in the Army. The adherents enrolled on Sunday have been drawn to the Army from a variety of places. Three have been at the Canoga Park ARC (two graduates and one beneficiary), another is the mother of a graduate of the program, and the fifth is a woman who came out of curiosity and liked what she saw. The children came as a result of their parents’ involvement. Only one is a child of a beneficiary in the program. Families have invited other families to the corps. There is a vitality in the newness as more people are being exposed to the Lord and The Salvation Army.
“One of the joys of recovering people is their willingness to give something back in the form of service,” said Sloan. “People have come forward to start and take leadership of a Sunbeam troop, start a Sunday school, lead the men’s Promise Keeper’s group, be greeters, ushers, cleaner uppers, and just about anything else that is needed. We get them involved. God is blessing our ministry in Canoga Park.”