Meet the Officer – Aux-Lieut Jackie Williams

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? 

My current appointment is Corps Officer/Team Member at Kingborough-Huon Corps in Tasmania. I minister alongside my team leader across two sites in the beautiful coastal town of Blackman’s Bay and Huonville, a regional centre in the south of Tasmania, surrounded by fruit orchards, farmland and the Huon River. It is early days for me. I am only into the eighth month of my appointment, after three years as a chaplain in aged care, so I am still finding my feet.

What I find most satisfying about my appointment is being out in community. I am mostly attending the Huonville site, which is a lovely community hub from where we run various weekly ministry programs. It is a warm place of connection, community, fellowship and caring with love of Jesus. In addition to that, I am enjoying the journey of growth and development, which is inevitable and never-ending in ministry. I have had to unlearn much, relearn some, and am learning new things about myself, my walk with God and others and the complexity of ministry at corps level. It is tough at times, but I like that we never stop learning and that opportunities to learn something new sometimes present themselves in unexpected ways.

2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind? 

One of my favourite activities most Saturday mornings is solitary visits to a coffee shop with a book. There are excellent coffee shops in Hobart and surrounds, so I rotate between them. I love walking on the beach or along the Derwent River when the weather is good and catching up with friends over a meal.

Most importantly, I enjoy checking in and chatting with my children and grandchildren, who are all living abroad except for my youngest, who is on the mainland. I also enjoy scouring record shops and markets for second-hand vinyl records. Listening to the artists my parents enjoyed and a few of my own favourites while pottering around the house brings back lovely family memories.

3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it? 

My favourite Christian song for this season of my life is the classic hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness. There are others, including contemporary worship songs. I find that my preference changes depending on where I am in my walk of faith. This hymn speaks of God’s unchanging character, his mercy, compassion, presence, provision and love. It anchors my faith and trust in God and gives me strength and hope for the day and for the journey ahead, especially at times when I feel ill-equipped and just a little overwhelmed by it all.

4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about? 

I think it would be Apostle Paul, he is by far, apart from Jesus, my most favourite Biblical character. I am so encouraged by the impact that his encounter with the risen Christ had on his life, his purpose and ministry. No amount of opposition, rejection, hardship, or persecution could stop him from living out his call and purpose in Christ.

What would we talk about? I guess I would want to peel back the layers a bit and get to his level of vulnerability as a human being. At a deeply human level, as a suffering man, in the thick of it, what was his experience in processing the painful rejection, hardship, persecution and anxiety experienced in his ministry?

The pause to process and reflect on challenges and painful experiences requires work and a response reflective of surrender, faith and trust in God, as modelled by Paul. It would be interesting to have a meaningful discussion with Paul and hear his experience of processing emotional, physical and spiritual pain.

5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say? 

Absolutely! If they believe that God is calling them to officership, I would encourage them to explore every avenue at their disposal; by being active in their local corps, seek direction and affirmation from corps leadership; talk to local cadets and other corps officers, but mostly seek God’s direction in prayer, don’t rush, but don’t dismiss the call either.

Officership has been the most rewarding and the most challenging journey I have ever embarked on, but I know that God has called me, He is equipping me and has promised to be with me for the duration of this journey and beyond.