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“Come celebrate Easter at The Salvation Army–one HEC of a corps! We want you to become one HEC of a follower of Jesus!” That’s the message Majors Jim and Marcia Baker wanted Helena, Mont., to hear this Easter.
HEC stands for “Hugs, Encouragement and Compliments.” First used at Watch Night service on New Year’s Eve, “It describes the friendliness of our people and puts it into a catch phrase,” Baker explains. A sign with that motto now adorns the corps entrance.
The corps plans a full day this Easter. They will begin at 9:00 with a fund-raising breakfast put on by the Men’s Fellowship. “All the breakfast quiche you can eat for $3!”
At 10:30, Major Marcia will direct the Sunday school in a special Easter musical entitled, “Hallelujah! What a Savior!” The various names that describe Jesus as Savior will be presented. “We have a surprising number of musically gifted people for such a small corps,” she comments.
The corps will also observe Ingathering in a unique way. The Majors challenge everyone to bring 30 pieces of silver (any combination of nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars). “We want everyone to give to the Lord the same number of coins which Judas was paid to betray him,” says Major Jim.
At noon the congregation goes to the gym dining room for a special Easter ham dinner. Prepared not only for those attending the corps, it also will be delivered by volunteers to about 40 shut-ins.
After dinner there will be an Easter egg hunt for children. Every plastic egg collected entitles the finder to a prize.
Finally, at 3:00, League of Mercy members will make the last of their special Easter visits to shut-ins. During Holy Week they distributed gifts and Easter War Crys to about 850 shut-ins in 12 homes.
“And that,” concludes Major Jim, “is how we demonstrate to the people of Helena that this is one HEC of a corps!”
