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BY BARBARA LITTLE –
To better meet the challenges that lie ahead for the West, the Divisional and Territorial Laymen and Officer Councils (DIVLOC/TERLOC) have been officially retired to make way for Divisional and Territorial Vision Action Teams (DVAT/TVAT).
DIVLOC and TERLOC began in 1970 when Western Territory soldiery felt the need for more productive communication with administration at all levels.
Corps officers, corps council-appointed soldier representatives and administration liaisons began meeting on a regular basis at the divisional and territorial levels to verbalize concerns, suggest solutions and initiate positive change.
Twenty-eight years later, in spring 1998, after meeting with the territorially appointed Guiding Coalition (Vision Strategy Body), TERLOC realized an imminent organizational paradigm change and recognized the corresponding future needs of the corps/division in light of this change.
This combined meeting resulted in TERLOC adopting a vision statement that addressed the imminent change, and redirected the focus toward being “a passionate, proactive advocate for Salvationists, effectively communicating relevant issues to and from the territorial commander.”
At the fall 2001 TERLOC meeting, then Chief Secretary Colonel Philip Needham inspired delegates to fully pursue this stated vision by helping to implement the visioning process throughout the territory.
Understanding the urgent importance of setting carefully thought-out corps, divisional and territorial visions into motion, Needham encouraged delegates to not only be a communication channel for soldier and officer concerns, but to now broaden responsibilities to include fanning sparks of vision into flames of action.
TERLOC representatives developed new guidelines, representative criterion and group responsibilities to reflect the advisory body’s evolution from a reactive to a more proactive organization. The new Divisional and Territorial Vision Action Teams have a renewed commitment to:
- Continuing to address concerns of soldiers and officers throughout the territory
- Creating strategy and assisting in implementing Western Territory visioning
- Facilitating local officer and leadership training
- Spiritual life enrichment
Based on the commitment above, the newly-formed action teams will more effectively address challenges concurrent with making visions a reality, territory-wide.