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Bell installs new leaders of Southern California Division.
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Lt. Colonels Paul and Ronda Bollwhan (left) are installed as Southern California divisional leaders by Lt. Colonels Donald and Debora Bell. |
At Camp Mt. Crags’ Frick Hall, under a sun-drenched sky and the shade of spreading oaks, Chief Secretary Lt. Colonel Donald Bell installed Lt. Colonels Paul and Ronda Bollwahn as Southern California divisional commander and divisional director of women’s ministries, respectively, during the final concert of the divisional music camp.
“God, who called you into his service; God, who was with you when you signed your covenant and received your commissions as Salvation Army officers; God, who has sustained you through the years, is the God who today will empower you for the responsibilities which are now placed upon you,” Bell stated in concluding the installation.
Bollwahn, formerly the national social services secretary, stated in his opening remarks that: “We are westerners by choice, westerners by invitation, and westerners by appointment.”
“Salvationists,” Bollwahn continued, “are motivated by mission to minister the Word, meet community need, and make saints. We are people of mission,” he said.
Quoting from the sixth chapter of Micah, he identified some specific requirements: “And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” —simple requirements in a complex world.
“As Salvationists,” Bollwahn continued, “we are required to be engaged with the world, sensitive and active in compassion to others needing inclusion and exhibiting special needs. As an arm of his church, we must have integrated mission, unequivocally!
“As his Army, we must embrace our mission. We cannot be successful if we only operate within the citadel. We are called to preach and strategically reach according to Christ’s manifest in Luke 4:18, ‘…to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the recovery of sight to the blind—to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ Every Salvation Army unit should reflect the breadth of our mission and our vision.”
He concluded his remarks with the question: “What does the Lord require of me, the divisional commander?” In answer, he stated: “Synergism—to stimulate and nurture working together, side by side. This is how we please God and achieve our vision.
“We are delighted to be here and will work to be worthy of your trust.”
Both Bollwahns have master’s degrees and have served in corps, social service, and administrative appointments at divisional, territorial and national levels during their 38 years of officership.
They have two daughters who live in Colorado; Lindsey is in graduate school, and Gwyn is married with two young boys. Her husband, Jason Inglis, serves as social services committee chair of the Denver Metropolitan Advisory Board.
