Meet the Officer – Captain Chris Sutton

Captains Tracy and Chris Sutton are the Corps Officers at Horsham in Victoria.

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

Alongside my wife, Tracy, I am the Corps Officer of the Horsham Corps in Western Victoria and we have been here for over six years now. We are close to many tourist destinations like the Grampians and many rivers and lakes. I enjoy the country lifestyle. It is less busy than the city and is great for our young family. I love the close-knit community here and the love and support shown to me and my family.

What I love about this appointment is the work in the community we are part of, including our community lunches, working alongside our housing team and facilitating the positive lifestyle program. Our site can be very busy throughout the week, and each day can be different. I also love being part of a couple of community groups and getting to know the people in the wider community.

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

To relax and unwind, I enjoy spending time with Tracy and the kids, reading, TV, the occasional game of golf, walking along the Wimmera river, and following footy, soccer, cricket and Formula 1 motor racing. I also love holidays and trips in our caravan.

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

That is a hard question to answer, as there are so many that I love. One that has special meaning is ‘take my life and let it be’, which speaks of my commitment to God and my response to him for his love and grace. Verse 5 sums up my calling: Take my will and make it thine, It shall no longer be mine; Take my heart, it is thine own, It shall be thy royal throne. I like the Christian band, For King and Country, and their song ‘Together’ is another favourite. It speaks about the Kingdom of God and how we are all together in God’s Kingdom with whatever we are going through. It doesn’t matter what our struggles or pain is, we can love and support one another.

If we fall, we will fall togetherTake my hand togetherCome and standWhen we rise We will rise together Together

Together we are dangerousTogether with our differencesTogether we are bolder, braver, stronger

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?

Apart from Jesus, I think I would love to sit and chat with Paul. I would ask him about his incredible transformation from someone who tried to wipe out the Church to being part of it and one of Jesus’passionate followers. I would also ask him about his courage and how he faced the opposition and persecution he experienced. I would also love to travel with him and see and hear the growing churches he visited and encouraged. I wouldn’t want to go to prison with him though!

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

I would say yes. I would recommend officership to anyone who is exploring it. It is the most rewarding job I have ever had, and it is more than just a job. You sacrifice a lot to become an officer, but my experience has been that you gain so much more in terms of contentment and blessing. Officership has given me experiences and taken me to places I wouldn’t necessarily have had beforehand. I would recommend anyone considering full-time ministry to trust in God, seek his will, and take a step of faith.