10 June 2010
UK leaders of The Salvation Army to visit Plymouth
The leaders of The Salvation Army for the UK with the Republic of Ireland are heading to Whitleigh in Plymouth this month.
Territorial Commander, Commissioner John Matear, and Territorial President of Women's Ministries, Commissioner Elizabeth Matear, will visit The Salvation Army's South Western Division on Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 June.
The visit coincides with the 128th anniversary of The Salvation Army's Plymouth Exeter Hall Whitleigh corps (church). To mark the occasion the Commissioners will join with local members of The Salvation Army with a Corps anniversary celebration at the worship hall in Lancaster Gardens on Saturday 19 June at 7pm.
The Matears will also lead Sunday worship meetings at 11am and 3.30pm at the Salvation Army hall.
‘Our church has been running for 128 years now and it is fantastic that we can honour this occasion with the visit of the UK and Ireland leaders of The Salvation Army,' says Captain Kelston Stanford who, with his wife Captain Cindy Stanford, leads The Salvation Army's Plymouth Exeter Hall Whitleigh corps (church).
‘We are expecting many members of The Salvation Army to attend the celebration and are very excited about the weekend. Members and friends of The Salvation Army from across Plymouth are invited to participate in the celebrations and meet our most senior Salvation Army officers.'
Captain Cindy says: ‘We are trying to meet the needs of the community by developing a varied range of activities and programmes. The most recent ventures, which are very exciting, include our parent and toddler group ‘Little Cherubs' on a Monday morning attracting 12-14 families and ‘The Friday Night Project‘ for young people aged 13-17 from 7pm to 9pm. About 25 teenagers now come along regularly and the Tuesday night J Club welcomes more than 60 children. Our other more established weekly activities continue to run including Home League (ladies meeting). Our musical groups practice weekly and you will see the Band visiting homes and providing seasonal music throughout the year. You can still pick up a copy of The War Cry magazine from one of our sellers at Crown Hill and Southway. Our monthly lunch club caters for the needs of some of our friends.'
Captain Kelston Stanford adds: 'Many people realise The Salvation Army is a social movement but not everyone is aware we are part of the Christian church. We continue to try and span the age gaps in the community by providing all-age Sunday services to meet the needs of all generations. This anniversary weekend promises to be an occasion where anyone with an interest in The Salvation Army can enjoy Christian services and activities that offer friendship and fellowship in a warm nurturing environment.
‘It is wonderful our church has been running for so long and we are very excited about celebrating the 128-year anniversary with so many members of The Salvation Army. We are very honoured that our leaders will be sharing their time with us celebrating our church's great history.'
Territorial Leaders: Information
Commissioners John and Elizabeth Matear were born in Scotland and met at The Salvation Army's International Training College in London during 1976. Married in 1978, the Matears are parents of one son, John, who is 31 years of age and lives in Nottingham.
From 1977, their Salvation Army service was spent in the United Kingdom serving as Corps Officers (ministers) in Godalming, Reading, Hove and Chester-le-Street. Appointments as Divisional Youth Secretaries from 1987 - 1990 and Territorial Church Growth Consultants from 1990 - 1994 were based in Yorkshire. The then Major John further served as Divisional Director for Field Programme and Major Elizabeth as Divisional Director for Personnel in the Yorkshire Division from 1994 - 1997. Appointments within the personnel department at Territorial Headquarters from 1997 to 1999 were followed by Divisional Leadership appointments to the East Midlands Division based in Nottingham from 1999 - 2001, Major John as Divisional Commander and Major Elizabeth as Divisional Director of Women's Ministries.
From June 2001, the then Colonels John and Elizabeth Matear served as Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women's Ministries respectively for the Caribbean Territory, comprising fifteen countries. The Matears were promoted to the rank of Commissioner and appointed as Territorial Leaders of the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland, effective 2 April 2006.
Commissioner John's experience prior to officership was in business and commerce and Commissioner Elizabeth holds a Diploma in Social Sciences and a Certificate in Employment Law.
In April 2007 Commissioner Betty Matear was inducted as the Moderator of the Free Churches Group in England and Wales, representing 22 denominations with a shared basis of Christian faith who collaborate with each other and promote Christian fellowship and united action. The Moderator is also one of four presidents of Churches Together in England. The other presidents are the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, and a fourth nominated by other churches in England including Orthodox, Black Majority, Lutheran and Quakers. Commissioner Matear is the first Salvationist to hold the post of Moderator.
--ENDS--
Notes to Editors
Interviews
Captains Kelston and Cindy Stanford can be contacted on 01752 700 217.
Press enquiries:
Adrian Prior-Sankey, Regional Press Officer The Salvation Army, tel: 07717 862 442
email adrian.prior-sankey@salvationarmy.org.uk
Ann Stewart, Senior Press Officer The Salvation Army, tel: 020 7367 4702 / 07801 198 439 email ann.c.stewart@salvationarmy.org.uk
Cathy Le Feuvre, Head of Media, tel: 020 7367 4516/07717 448 232 email: cathy.lefeuvre@salvationarmy.org.uk
- The Salvation Army is a worldwide Christian church and registered charity, working in 120 countries, and is one of the largest and most diverse providers of social welfare in the world. The Salvation Army Registered Charity Nos 214779, 215174, in Scotland SC009359, SC037691, and in Ireland CHY6399 For more information visit the website www.salvationarmy.org.uk
- The Salvation Army is one of the largest providers of support and accommodation in homelessness services where 3,500 people stay every night. This includes 83 Lifehouses in the UK and Ireland, which offer accommodation to men, women and families. A Lifehouse is a place of change, built on purpose and relationship and with a large element of fun. Service users are helped to regain their confidence, develop skills, and re-engage with mainstream society to enable them to ultimately move into a place of their own or supported housing project.
The Salvation Army Plymouth Exeter Hall Whitleigh
- Activities
- Sunday (all-age) Worship at 11am and 5pm (Café Church on first Sunday each month at 5pm)
- Junior singing group - Sundays at 2.30pm
- Sunday School at 3.15pm
- Timbrel practise - Sundays 4.15pm
- Monthly lunch club first Mondays in the month at 12.30pm
- ‘Little Cherubs' Parent & Toddlers - Mondays 9-11am
- Home League (Ladies meeting) - Mondays at 1.45pm
- Youth Cafe - Mondays and Wednesdays at 3.05-5pm
- Learners Band - Tuesdays at 6pm
- J Club (5-13 years) - Tuesdays 6.30pm
- Bible study on Wednesdays (monthly) at 7pm
- Senior Choir (Songsters) - Thursdays at 8pm
- Band Practice - Thursdays at 6.30pm
- The Friday Night Project for 13-17 years) - Fridays at 7-9pm
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