Focussing on ‘OTHERS’ we move from Maintenance … to MISSION and from Programme …to PEOPLE
This weekend, new Mission Team members were announced to help us move forward with this new and exciting initiative.
We’re so blessed to have an amazing group of leaders here, whose global experience should be a big boon to our community.
I thought I’d share some excerpts of the biogs that were used during the initial presentation:
Gordon - Resources
Gordon worships at Croydon Citadel with his wife Pauline, and is an International Emergency Relief Worker for The Salvation Army, with huge international experience. He served with The Salvation Army in Russia (Volgograd, Rostov and Moscow) for two years, as well as working for the SA in Iraq, Uganda and Pakistan. Gordon has attended assessments or other Army work in Sri Lanka, Uganda, Syria and Kenya.
Gordon served for 13 months between 2005 and 2006 in Kuwait with the Iraq Relief Project.
At Croydon, Gordon operated our “soup-run” on behalf of the Corps from 1990 to 1999.
In the UK, Gordon has worked for The Salvation Army’s London Central Division from in the London Homelessness Services, working with Street-homeless people, and from late 2002 to mid-2004 was Manager of The Salvation Army Homeless Services, responsible for the management of London Central Hostels and Homeless outreach units.
Gordon is by nature a “leader” but also has the underlying understanding to know that he is not capable without God and believes he has the flexibility to be able to follow God’s leading - irrespective of how strange the direction at times.
Janet - Discipleship
Janet’s father hailed from St Lucia, and her mother came from Jamaica where she had been a Salvationist. When the couple immigrated to London in the early ‘60s the family retained that close connection with The Salvation Army.
London born Janet, AKA Mrs Johnny Laird has had a 15 year career in teaching, and has just returned to work in a local school in Oxted, after having taken a career break to have her children Mia & Noah. As well as her Batchelor of Education degree, Janet holds a Certificate in Counseling skills. During her first stint of teaching, Janet started an Alpha course in her home with her teacher colleagues.
Janet has a sister who lives in the US. Janet & Evelyn still manage to talk almost daily! ;-)
Janet is passionate about Church in the community, and thinks it’s important that Christ followers make an impact where they are.
Pauline – Ministry
Pauline is married to Gordon, and has a son, daughter, two granddaughters and one grandson. She was a stalwart of our Corps Charity Shop where she worked from 1989 to 1999.
Together with Gordon, she served with The Salvation Army in Russia from October 1999 to September 2002. Pauline also served in Kuwait for all of 2005 with the Iraq Relief Project.
Pauline has a calm and personal manner, and is not prone to excitability and easy to talk to. She is s good listener who is generally diplomatic and normally not prone to taking “sides”.
Anita & Duncan - Fellowship
Anita & Duncan are married with Daisi (5) and Max (2), a rabbit and guinea pig!!
Duncan is the Director of International Development at The Salvation Army's Territorial Headquarters, often traveling to developing countries to support Salvation Army work internationally. Anita works 2 days a week as a PA - also on Territorial Headquarters in the Evangelism Department. During the rest of the week she is a domestic goddess/home-maker, and blogs at MrsParkeratHome.
Duncan spends many weekends of the year leading meetings and preaching at other Salvation Army Corps and churches within the UK. Anita is a staff member of Territorial Music School.
A few years ago both made very personal commitments to be more concerned about people than about programme. Anita & Duncan hope this manifests itself in having more time to be there for others, especially each other, their children, family, closest friends and neighbours.
They traveled together during 1995 and 1996 to the USA where we worked on children’s camps, before Anita found work at The Salvation Army’s US National Headquarters in Washington DC and Duncan ran a family community centre.
Duncan & Anita think their gifts lie in interaction. They love spending time with people and just chatting. An ideal evening for them is to sit with coffee and food and chat with friends and family. Duncan & Anita are great hosts - They certainly enjoy being generous with our time and with their home. Anita is exploring her musical writing skills, recently having one song published, and Duncan thinks his gift is getting things done and an ability to upset the apple cart!
Duncan talking about Anita:
'Anita was the worst cook in the world when we first married but is now awesome. Her special gifts are that she can organize everything, everyone and anything and she is a great administrator to an annoying perfectionism! Her best gifts are that she can make me laugh and relax even after the toughest day, and can juggle crazy timetables for the kids, herself and me and still make sure the home is running properly.'
Anita talking about Duncan:
Duncan's only weakness in life is being unable to say no - when he takes on a task he refuses to stop until the job is done with 110% effort. When at home, Duncan loves nothing more than to be with the kids, do stuff around the home and coffee - lots of coffee. Whether it be work, health and fitness or a spot of DIY, Duncan strives to be the best at everything (something he tries to pass on to Daisi for her sports day!)
Duncan loves being a family man.
