We’d driven 300 miles northwest from the Stockholm, Sweden airport to our 1st overseas appointment, and as we pulled into the parking lot behind the corps building we saw them. A small band of mostly white and gray haired soldiers, all in full uniform with one holding the corps’ standard, standing on unsteady and tired legs were lined up to welcome us. As we exited our car unsteady hands lifted the flag as they all chimed in, in a well rehearsed greeting in their very best English; Welcome to this corpse! Corpse ?! We were presented with flowers, and that, coupled with their genuine enthusiasm and earnestness stifled any temptation to laugh.
A few days later the DC came to install us in our official welcome meeting. I had moved from Sweden as a ten year old, and returned 30 years later. It was an exciting return, one we’d looked forward to. I had shared recollections from my youth with the family; SA divisional rallies with more than 1,000 in attendance, Sunday School with no empty seats, and to have a guaranteed bed at summer camp required booking a place months in advance. And there was the excitement of joining in the final Congress day march in central Stockholm; the march past the reviewing stand seemed to go on for hours!
The corps to which we were appointed was in a large northern division, a town on a crystal clear lake, snow clad mountains in the distance and reindeer and moose grazed just minutes from the ‘hall’. The visit of the DC was a highly anticipated and well-attended event and included members of the local media. I decided to use the welcome meeting as the perfect opportunity to interview the DC in order for him to share his vision with the gathered soldiers, army friends and the media. I asked him, “ What do you see as your short and long-term objectives; what is your vision for this division?
“My first and overriding concern, my vision for the next 12 months is to not close more than three or four corps!” I don’t know to this day whether his vision statements surprised anyone other than me or not. But I do know that he achieved his lowly prophetic ambition, Unfortunately his vision was one held by many throughout the territory. Corps and outposts were closed or consolidated in great numbers.
We’d come from an appointment in mid-town Manhattan where motivated participants immediately responded and rewarded programming. Our Sunday morning attendance had increased ten fold with 20 adult well-dressed resident GED students seated next to their homeless friends. Other ‘regulars’ included SA National Advisory Board members, THQ and DHQ officers, a regular stream of visiting officers from other divisions and HQ. One Sunday 3 Commissioners and 4 DCs arrived, all unexpectedly, with all remaining to observe our feeding (communion) service and to learn about the GED program, the first of its kind in the USA. A full band and songsters and a P&W band were on duty. Just three years earlier the congregation consisted of 5 retired officers and a handful of soldiers and friends, plus the newly arrived Supply Officers Ljungholm and our four children. We were in our late 30s, and had both given up professional careers and consequently treated with respect and given a wide berth by DHQ, and encouragement at every level.
Now we listened to, and witnessed a corporate vision where policy in my view signaled defeat. If the old adage is true, that vision and motivation filters from the top and are only as good as the abilities and attitudes of those who are charged with leading us, our Division and our corps needed an immediate fix and a re-write of our policy at once.
In the weeks following I had opportunity to speak with other officers and local leaders of other denominations to seek their collective wisdom. What struck me was that the words of our DC were being echoed in many corners. Free churches and meeting halls of every denomination stood empty and their contents sold at auction. Clearly, and sadly, none foresaw an eventual return to, or any future use for these places of worship, many with histories dating many generations.
As a tribute to early day SA pioneers in the province where we were stationed we conducted SA meetings in three ‘abandoned’ SA halls. On arrival at each, on different Saturday evenings, we found well groomed grounds, freshly planted flowers, the tri-colored banner stretched high in the breeze with doors thrown open and folks struggling to enter the hall. In all three instances we were met warmly, but it was clear, they’d come primarily to reminisce and enjoy the fellowship hour that so often follows many Swedish SA meetings. What was it that drew them to our outposts by the hundreds on a Saturday evening, but by less than a dozen the following morning?
In time I realized that SA leaders, along with those leading the diminishing numbers of Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and other free churches were all on a similar ship-wreck course. The culling and poaching of Christians through secularization, pluralization and privatization was far more widespread and damaging than I believe any one imagined. I realized then that what I deemed a DC translating ‘struggling for air’ a vision, was in fact the common battle facing all Swedish churches.
In a UK territorial conference General Larsson said,
"Christianity is growing more quickly today than at any time in history and this is one of the most exciting times to be a Christian. There will never be a time when God does not want people to be saved. It’s beautiful when our halls are open, when people come and are welcomed into The Salvation Army." Here is an overview of TSA history in Sweden and what has taken place in that territory since 1960. (the homeland of two elected SA Generals), the decade when many suggested the downturn began.
1. To use a formula calculated from experience and forecast the year when TSA departs Swedish shores or is absorbed into the 'FREE CHURCH ALLIANCE'
2. A Move toward providing only social services supported financially by income from the sale of donated goods, government grants and gifts from the general public
3. Join with the ever smaller SA forces in neighboring Scandinavian countries
In the last decade TSA Sweden has:
Sold center city hotels
Closed all DHQs and consolidated forces to be led from THQ
Leased Out or Sold Training centers, camps, and college
Closed the Territorial Youth Department
Closed the Territorial Music Department
Ceased publication of a major Territorial publication
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