In responding to the gracious words of Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd in presenting our retirement certificates, here was our response:

Wendy

“Thank you, Commissioners Tidd, Floyd and Tracey, for your kind words. Thank you for the extraordinary effort to be with us as we mark 40 years of ministry and our retirement. We are grateful for your partnership in the Gospel and your friendship over these years since we first met in Mississauga 36 years ago. 

It was our intent that we mark this occasion in what is now our home corps. We were soldiers of Mississauga Temple long before we were officers and now, we take our place again as soldiers of Edmonton Temple. 

In doing so we acknowledge that as soldiers- we heard and responded to the call of God on our lives.  There was/is nothing extraordinary about us. We were active in our corps, music sections, and youth work, but apart from that we were just doing what we felt called to do locally. It was in desire to be obedient to God’s call and His will that we left that corps to an adventure of obedience. 

We believe that God is active in our lives. We believe, as 2 Peter 1: says “His power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 

We are grateful for the attendance of family and friends here today and for numerous Salvationists – who partnered with us through our active officership. Thankful for encouragers and workers, but most of all thankful for the faithfulness of God. “

Fred

“Thank you, Commissioners Tidd, Floyd, and Tracey, for being with us today. We do not take for granted your kind words, or your gracious and generous spirits. Thank you also to Captains Stefan and Tinisha for your willingness to allow us to take a bit of time out of our morning service. 

Like Wendy, I am grateful for the opportunity to have these presented today in the presence of our corps. We hope that it serves as a reminder that officers come out of corps – that we are soldiers first. We hope that it will serve as a reminder that officership is an honorable calling and that as parents and grandparents, we should encourage our children to consider service in this way in response to God’s great love and provision of Salvation. 

We hope also that it serves to remind us that God is active in our lives and that we are called to follow the design of God for our lives. He is the author of our lives, and our role is to be submissive to His will. 

We are thankful that we obeyed His will, and we are thankful that God was faithful to us for God has been faithful. We give testimony to the provision of a wonderful ministry experience, and I give testimony to a wonderful ministry partner in Wendy. Salvation Army officership pulled our whole family into the experience – whether it was Sunday services, feeding the poor, travelling to a new home, or tolerating long hours at the corps. Our officership was shared with our family and we are grateful for their being here today. 

As a 7-year-old in the Orillia Corps, I made my way on a decision Sunday in Sunday School to the mercy seat where with little understanding of what would be the consequence of my decision I gave my heart to the Lord and asked him to forgive all the sin that a seven year old heart might contain. I will tell you that I had an immediate understanding of forgiveness. Never doubt the power of The Holy Spirit or the discernment of a child. I knew I was forgiven and felt the difference. 

From there to days of Bible study and involvement in the corps wherever my parents were, came an ever-deeping understanding of what was possible in the human heart when surrender was practiced. In fact, I would attest today that surrender is still my great need and I suspect that you know it too. The blessing of God is real as is the weight of knowing when my own will is displeasing Him. I still need Jesus daily. 

And now we find ourselves at this new point in our lives. But the journey continues to respond to the question, what does the Lord require of me, of us? 

Finally, let me say that we have a conviction in our ongoing service to Jesus that we must first and foremost be salt and light in our neighbourhood. We are committed to serving those who are our new community and to sharing the good news of Jesus there. 

I hold dearly the words of the prophet Micah, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly.” We pray that God will help us be faithful in the years to come.”