Soldiers enrolment in Sarkani

The first Soldiers Enrolment in Sarkani ever! Sarkani is one of the poorest villages in Latvia, and most of the adult population are alcoholists. Now there are three new Salvation Army soldiers in the village, starting a completely new life with Jesus.

We arrived at The Children´s House in Sarkani at three o´clock

The hall was full in good time before the meeting

The children are singing

The new soldiers are reading the Articles of War

Confirming their woes

In the end of the meeting many people came forward to the mercy seat

Many people wanted to take pictures after the meeting

Rut together with one of the new soldiers and her daughter

Early Sunday morning in Riga, December 9

Weekly review from my personal point of view

Another Sunday morning in Riga. I do not know exactly how many Sunday mornings I have experienced in Riga. But the last one is coming close.

This week we had our last Leader´s  gathering in Riga. A day of fellowship, prayers and sharing..

Yesterday, Saturday, was a specieal day in the village of Sarkani. The first Soldiers enrolment ever. The Children´s House was filled with people from the village and from the neighbour corps. To see those well-uniformed new soldiers giving their testimonies in this poor village was a miracle! More pictures will come tomorrow.

Today, Sunday, we will be out with our Christmas Kettle in Central Riga. Rotary International in Riga has invited The Salvation Army to the annual Santa Fun Run event. Rotary is every year collecting money for two organisations during Santa Fun Run, and we will be one of them this year.

Then - another week with our big Staff Dinner on Tuesday (70 people), another drive to Sarkani with two reporters from a Swedish newspaper on Wendesday and our farwell meeting on Sunday.

I pray that you will have a blessed week
Peter Baronowsky

Simple Musings for Simple Living

Ruth´s Devotions Simple Musings for Simple Living is now available in English. The Swedish edition was printed 2008, and Sven Ljungholm has now transladed the daily devotions into English.


You can read more and order the book in THE SHOP

Early Sunday morning, december 2

Weekly review from my point of view

Now there is only one month left of our living in Latvia. After three and a half years we are leaving the responsibility for the Salvation Army work in Latvia with mixed feelings.

Many things we do these days, we do for the last time. Tuesday we will have the Leader´s day for the last time. We have had three different themes for the Leader´s days each semester during our time in Latvia: Salvation, Discipleship and Reaching out to suffering people around us. Our first Leader´s day the theme for that semester was Salvation. And now, our last Leader´s day will have the same theme: Salvation. God wants all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:4). And if people are not getting saved in my corps, the will of God is not happening in my corps. Then we must seek the Lord and ask Why?

Next Saturday we will go to Sarkani and take part in our a soldiers enrolment in Latvia for the last time. We have seen many soldiers enrolments in Latvia during these years. Between 60 and 70 new soldiers have been enrolled. But even if this will be the last time for us, it is the first time ever that soldiers have been enrolled in the village of Sarkani. It is also the first time ever that the new leaders for Sarkani are conducting an enrolment ceremony. The first time indicates a new beginning. When you say "the first time" you expect that the first time will be followed by many other times. We hope and pray that the first time will be the start of a series of new times.

But it is probably not the last time I write "Early Sunday Morning in Riga". I plan to come back next Sunday if I am still alive and if Jesus have not come back by then.

Until then I wish you a blessed week,
Peter Baronowsky

Early Sunday morning, November 25

Weekly review from my point of view.

Last Sunday we celebrated the Independence Day in Latvia. In the Sunday Morning Service in Riga First Corps we were gathered around the Latvian map.

We were praying for Latvia. We could all draw our hand on a paper ang put our "hands" on the map in prayer. In the end of the meeting we sang the Latvian National Hymn "God Bless Latvia" and after that we had a fellowship dinner.

During the week we have had a visit from a group from "Humanitarian Aid" in Västerås, Sweden. They are running a EU-project named "Equip" with the purpose to help people into the Labour Market.

The group, with their leader Arne Nordberg, also brought a truck of clothes and things which they unloaded in our Central Storage in Riga. During the week the group visited the Headquarters, to get information about The Salvation Army in Riga, our Soup Kitchen in Iecava, the wednesday evening meeting in Riga Second Corps and the Social Center in Riga. Here you can see Arne, together with Rut and Peter, after the morning devotion at Headquarters.

During the week we have also been working with preparations for the different Christmas activities. Christmas dinner for all our staff in Latvia, preparations for the Christmas Kettle activities and much more.

By the way, this week our oldest son turned 42 years old. It is unbelievable that we, being that young, can have that old children.

But now, it is soon time for another week...

I pray that it will be a blessed week for you.
Peter Baronowsky

Some thoughts on Officership - Part Two

From FSAOF.blogspot.com
"The first weekend in April 2001 saw the commissioning in Lahore of the Ambassadors of Grace session of cadets. There were forty of them, the maximum the training college could hold. It was a happy day and ended with us attending the wedding of Lieutenant Sughra and newly commissioned Lieutenant Sharkat in the Lahore Central Hall. Because the commissioning brought all the senior officers in the territory to Lahore, the ensuing days were devoted to the Executive Officers’ Conference. We met in the Conference Room at Territorial Headquarters...
It was on the first day of the Conference, 2 April, 2001 that Helen spoke to us, with translation, about officership."
General Shaw Clifton (R)


Some thoughts on Officership - Part Two - by Commissioner Helen Clifton

"Recently the General has asked us all to complete a questionnaire about officership. One of the questions, to my deep surprise, asked us if we thought the sacred Officer’s Covenant should continue to be for live or only for a fixed and variable period of years! I am convinced that before we accept a person into the training college we should be looking for their clear and deep understanding that the commitment is life-long. I cannot find models in Scripture for a temporary calling. You must search the Bible for yourselves. I am looking at the candidates to see if they will give their lives, not just a few years when it is convenient. It is God who calls us to be officers, and only God can release us.

Are we called into a particular denomination? Experience tells us that the answer is ‘yes’. It is God who leads us into the Army. We dare not take such a step unless we are sure it is his will.

Why do we place so much emphasis on commitment? The reason is found in the need for good order within the Body of Christ. The Pastoral Epistles (Timothy and Titus) show us that credibility, personal testing of our faith, and the affirmation of a congregation are needed. We expect loyalty. The Army tests all this, gently but firmly, through the Candidate’s Application process. We ask for endorsements from the local corps and the local community.

Modern officers need many skills, good awareness of society, and ever deeper and deeper wisdom. That is why training is necessary. We do not just pluck you from the community and give you sacred roles unprepared. We need candidates who will become known, respected and trusted as godly leaders. Credibility and a pattern of reliability will open doors to wider service. I think of the need for us to be in chaplaincy roles in prisons and in hospitals. Also in school and colleges. We dare not send an untrained or unproven person into such settings.

Now what about the joint ministry of husband and wife that has been so greatly blessed by God in the Army? Should we make this a condition of serving? We cannot claim that it is the biblical model. However, the facts prove that as a model for ministry in the Army
God has greatly blessed it. He has also greatly blessed the service of unmarried officers. Our regulations about married couples in officership have resulted in the positive development of  married women. This is true of our women in Pakistan. We are proud of them. They have been developed beyond the dreams of many other churches, and far higher than normal cultural expectations.

At present the territory has 83 applications for the 40 places in the next session of cadets. I think of the villages where our future officers will serve. They will meet deep respect. They will also meet deep need among the people who must be cared for and led.

Let us give thanks today that God still calls people like you and me into humble and sacred service. He is a gracious God. We praise him!"

Commissioner Helen Clifton

One step further

The Salvation Army will participate in the Swiss election for the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. The song “You and me” found its way to the hearts of the internet voters and the jury.
 
Therefore, Katharina, Sarah, Emil, Michel, Christoph and Jonas will be among the nine bands fighting for the Swiss ticket. Keep the evening of December 15 free to watch the show!
All documentation for Media is available here