The Salvation Army, Rivers/Bayelsa Division has installed new leaders to pilot the affairs of the division. They are Majors Samuel and Grace Edung.
The installation service was held last Sunday at the Divisional Headquarters , Aggrey Road in Port Harcourt and conducted by the Nigerian Territorial Commander , Commissioner Friday Ayanam and the Territorial President of Women’s Ministries, Commissioner Glory Ayanam.
In their address, they affirmed their confidence in the leadership of Majors Samuel and Grace Edung and described their appointments as a significant step towards strengthening the spiritual, social and administrative development of the Rivers and Bayelsa Division of the church.
While performing the installation ceremony, Ayanam charged the new leaders and other officers to be focused on preaching the gospel which is the major purpose for their calling.
He added that being an officer carries enormous responsibility and also a covenant with God, urging them to rely on God’s guidance in all their endeavours to succeed in the ministry.
”Officership is a sacred and a response to God’s calling on ones life. Officership is unique because you must be prepared to go to where God wants you to go. You cannot choose where to go because if you choose, it is no longer of God. Family may not like it but you must go to fulfil your covenant with God. It is a covenanted journey.
”Salvation Army follows the biblical principle where God told Abraham to go to where he will show him and he obeyed,” he said.
He also charged members of the church to support the officers to excel in their ministry.
”Officership has a covenant. So as brothers and sisters, support one another to fulfil your calling. The primary purpose is to go and preach the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. All other things are secondary,” he maintained.
Ayanam assured them that God will always be with them wherever they are.
Earlier at a praise evening held as part of the installation service, Ayanam emphasized the need to offer praises to God citing David in the Bible who offered praises to God and received enormous blessings.
He seized the opportunity to condemn the killings in parts of the country, insisting that the church’s role is to pray and preach God’s word at all times.
Speaking with the press shortly after the installation service, former Editor and Literary Secretary of the Salvation Army Nigeria Territory and former Vice Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro LGA, Hon. (Dr), Amb. Angela Anthony Oju-Kienmie, FEPHM, encouraged members to be serious about the territory’s vision of growing deeper in God’s word.
She said: “I thank God for how far he has led us as a church and as a movement. Over the years we have seen growth, transformation and renewed commitments across our divisions and I believe God is preparing us for even greater impacts. I want to encourage all Salvationists to take seriously, the territory’s vision of growing deeper in God’s word and the expansion of God’s kingdom” .
Highpoints of the service of the service were praises, hymns and goodwill speeches from leaders of the church both national and local.
