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Thursday, March 8, 2012

DAILY GRAPHIC, Thursday, March 8, 2012, Pg. 19. Salvation Army launches 90th anniversary

Story: Mary Ankrah

THE Salvation Army Ghana Territory has launched activities to mark its 90th year anniversary slated for August 12.

The anniversary is under the theme: “fighting for right” and during the celebration, 30 new Salvation Army officers who are yet to complete a two-year training programme would be commissioned.

At the launch of the ceremony in Accra, a history book of the Salvation Army in Ghana titled “Riches for Christ” written by two officers of the Army, Colonel James Oduro and Colonel Samuel Baah was also launched to raise funds in preparation of the anniversary.

Salvation Army, a Christian denomination was founded in 1865 in London, England and is now present in124 countries around the world. It was commenced in Ghana in August 1922 by Lieutenant King Hudson when he was commissioned to 'open fire' in his home town at Agona Duakwa.

In addition, the church has 157 branches and 201 schools across the country, along with 11 health centres and four vocational training centres.

It had 23,148 junior and senior soldiers within the country who are commissioned officers.

Speaking at the launch, the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev Dr Fred Deegbe, said the church remains the only hope for the world and recommended that Christians do all they could to bring hope and light to the communities they live and serve.

Dr Deegbe therefore urged the members to promote tolerance and peace among political parties in the coming general election and observed that as members of the church of God, it was the responsibility of the church to inculcate tolerance and brethren to live in harmony among themselves and all and sundry.

He also entreated the member to follow up in faith and should be guided by the scriptural quotation in Romans 4: 19, “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb”.

For his part, the Territorial Commander of the Ghana Territory, Colonel Charles Swansbury said the church was proud of its establishment and records of achievement within Ghana and paid tribute to the pioneering officers and soldiers both local and expatriate for their contributions over the past 90 years.

He encouraged the members to strengthen the history made by their pioneers by steeping up to be more dedicated and hardworking in the service of God.

“But we do not rest on our laurels; we rejoice in the accomplishments of the past, we strive each day to serve God better and we trust in him for the Future” he added.

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