The Salvation Army Spryfield Community Church and Family Resource Centre

Cruisin' on a sunny afternoon? Or making light of a disaster? You decide.

Royal Caribbean Cruiseline caused a controversy recently when they resumed their port stops to the devastated island nation of Haiti.  Royal Caribbean and other cruise ships have resumed service to Labadee, a resort port-of-call that offers tourists a chance to sunbathe on Haiti’s beautiful beaches.  Labadee was largely unaffected by the earthquake which killed an estimated 150,000 people, the highest death tolls originating from Port-au-Prince – the nation’s capital.

The image of wealthy western tourists, luxuriating on the beach while the people of Haiti fight for food and water is hard to bare.  However, people are quick to point out that resuming cruise service to Labadee is instrumental in Haiti making an economic recovery – a pont that must be considered.  Consider the following two viewpoints, the first one given by a cruise ship passenger who refused to disembark in Haiti, and the second one given by the Vice-President of Royal Caribbean.

“I just can’t see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water.” [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/17/cruise-ships-haiti-earthquake]

“In the end, Labadee is critical to Haiti’s recovery; hundreds of people rely on Labadee for their livelihood,” said John Weis, vice-president. “In our conversations with the UN special envoy of the government of Haiti, Leslie Voltaire, he notes that Haiti will benefit from the revenues that are generated from each call …  “We also have tremendous opportunities to use our ships as transport vessels for relief supplies and personnel to Haiti. Simply put, we cannot abandon Haiti now that they need us most.”  [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/17/cruise-ships-haiti-earthquake]

Both seem like reasonable positions. What do you think?  If we’re to examine this based on a gospel-centered ethic, is it right for western businesses to profit from a hurting Haiti?  Or is their business and the flow of capital that accompanies it, instrumental in rebuilding the ravished nation? Hit ‘reply’ and leave a comment.

HRH Prince William has some waiting of his own to do

We all know what it’s like to wait. Waiting is a pain.  Waiting is a bore.  Waiting, quite frankly, sucks.  Or does it?

Though we all dislike standing in long lines at the grocery store, or sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, waiting has a most necessary function.  Imagine a society where no one had to wait.  What would it be like to instantly have whatever we wanted, the moment we wanted?  Well, truth be told, in our world today we rarely have to wait for things the way we used to.  Microwaves and pre-packaged meals reduce 3-4 hours of meal preparation to 3-4 minutes.  Waiting in bank lines are quickly becoming a thing of the past with the rise of debit machines and telephone/internet banking.  With the speed of life today it would be natural to assume that since we don’t have to wait very much for anything anymore that we’re on our way to becoming a more patient people; this however does not seem to be the case.

Have you ever found yourself yelling at the microwave to “Hurry Up”, or released a barrage of horn honks at the driver in front of you who made you wait a fifth of a second before they realized the light turned green? If anything, as a society, the fast pace of technology is causing us to more quickly lose our patience.

Waiting is a gift from God.  Waiting teaches us patience; waiting inspires grace; waiting can be a sacramental act if we allow it to be.  Above all, waiting makes us appreciate the thing we’re waiting for. As believers we are ultimately waiting for the return of Jesus.  Romans 8:22 speaks of creation itself, groaning as in the pains of labour, waiting for Christ’s glory to be revealed.  Jesus himself however cautioned his followers to have patience as they waited for his second coming: “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come (Mark 13:7).”

Though we are called to wait patiently we also wait with hope that Christ will return at exactly the right moment: “Behold, I am coming soon!  My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”  So wait on my brothers and sisters. Continue in the battle that God has called you to, and know that at the right moment – He will return!

“Fierce and long the battle rages But our help is near; Onward comes our great commander; Cheer, my comrades cheer!”

 ”Hold the fort, for I am coming, Jesus signals still; Wave the answer back to Heaven: By thy grace we will.”

(Philip Paul Bliss, SASB 804)

2010marks the 125th year of The Salvation Army’s ‘invasion’ of the Canadian Maritime Provinces. As early as 1881, Commissioner George Scott Railton on his way home from pioneering the Army’s work in the United States, during a stop-over in Halifax, ventured off the ship with his Hallelujah Lassies in tow and conducted a week of open-air meetings. Needless to say, Railton missed his boat.

Though corps (church) work would not begin in the Maritimes until around 1885, Railton’s inadvertent visit to Halifax was the catalyst that launched the Army’s work in Canada.

125 years later, the Maritime Salvation Army is strong and growing.  This year in honour of our anniversary we will be hosting various ministry outreach events and celebrations to express our thanks to God for his continued blessing on our ministry.

Needless to say, many thanks must also be expressed to the people of the Maritime community who have embraced our work and have encouraged us through their giving to fight on in good times and in bad.  Even in our community of Spryfield we recognize the changing face of the Army and its work.  From humble beginnings in Armdale and Cline Heights, to many blessed years spent at Circle Drive, and our current location with the newly added, “Family Resource Centre”, the Spryfield Salvation Army has undergone many wonderful changes.

Let’s continue to build on our successes.  And wherever we venture let us make sure that God journeys with us.  I am confident that if we put our trust in God than he will see us through for another 125 years and beyond.

Maritime folk singer, Terry Kelly, performed at this year's Great Stocking Stuffer Election Campaign. Click on the picture above to hear his performance.

On January 6th, our corps was pleased to host the thank-you luncheon for the 2009 Great Stocking Stuffer Election Campaign.  This fundraising campaign took the form of a friendly ‘election’ between 12 members of our corporate community who encouraged their constituents and contacts to ‘vote’ for them (i.e. pledge them) with dollars raised going towards The Salvation Army.

The winner of this year’s campaign was Wadih Fares, a prominent member of the Lebanese business community who raised over $40,000. Incredible! Totals funds raised for this campaign was $140,000.

Many thanks goes out to all our participants, and especially our own volunteers who put on an incredible luncheon for over 80 people.  Well done folks!