Auxiliary-Lieutenant Sandra Mortimer (second from right) with staff and volunteers on The Salvation Army stall at the Katherine Show and Rodeo. Image: Facebook BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Staff and volunteers from Katherine Corps in the Northern Territory recently assisted at the Katherine Show and Rodeo, an annual two-day event and the largest of its kind in the region. The Salvation Army has been present free of charge at the show for the past few years, offering a Child Finder Wristband ID stall. This year, the show ran from 17-18 July. “My corps members tell me that since we’ve been operating that service at the show, they haven’t had a lost child,” Katherine Corps Officer Auxiliary-Lieutenant Sandra Mortimer said. Sandra said this year, the team, which included 15 volunteers, worked full days at the show, starting at 8am both days, finishing at 10pm on the first day and 6pm on the second. She said the team had no items for sale, and as well as offering wristbands for each child with their parents’ number on them, they offered free chilled water and sunscreen and distributed almost 400 Kidzone magazines. She said many attendees already had other Kidzone magazines, and were looking to add to their collection, and some were travelling from interstate and wanted material to read on the plane. “The show in Katherine attracts everybody from the pastoralist communities, those who come from Aboriginal homelands around Katherine and people from the town,” she said. “So, it is a wonderful engagement opportunity for the Katherine Salvos to be able to be placed right there at the entry gates offering something for nothing.” Sandra said the volunteer commitment was never taken for granted, and that she deeply appreciated the efforts of all the volunteers who assisted. She said Rural and Remote Chaplains Majors Niall and Michelle Gibson had a deep connection with many attendees and offered a significant portion of time to the stall over the two days. On a lighter note, Sandra also said the amount of red Northern Territory dust whipped up by the event was astonishing, and that the following two days were spent cleaning red dirt out of all the merchandise and table covers. “Who would have thought that a red polyester Salvation Army tablecloth would actually look orange at some stage? That’s pretty striking,” she said.

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Goodna Salvos Mission Team Leader Ameet Londhe (far left) with some of the corps’ ‘Army’ of volunteers receiving 'thank you’ certificates. What does it mean to truly live out the full mission of The Salvation Army? Ameet Londhe is the Mission Team Leader at Goodna Salvos in the Queensland Division, and in this article for Salvos Online, he relates what happened when he and his team put that question into action. BY AMEET LONDHE Before God reshaped our community, Goodna Salvos was a place marked by deep brokenness. People slept in the backyard and around the centre. We arrived to scenes of injuries and blood from violent incidents the night before, including possible sexual assaults. Sheds intended for ministry were used to hide weapons and drugs, secured with locks that were not ours. Staff and volunteers sometimes found people sleeping inside those sheds when access was required. Verbal abuse and threats towards our team and community members became a daily occurrence; I personally received death threats. Into that darkness, God began a work only he could do, turning this place into one where his presence is felt and people are experiencing transformed lives. “While we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people ...” (Galatians 6:10) Every ministry is built on the faithfulness of those who have gone before us. At Goodna Salvos, we are deeply grateful to those who laid the foundations, those who continue to serve faithfully today, and those who have joined us along the way. What God is doing today is the result of many people saying ‘yes’ to his call over many years. When our current journey began almost four years ago, our team consisted of four full-time staff members. As seasons changed, our staffing evolved to three full-time staff, followed by the addition of two part-time team members. While these changes presented challenges, they also created opportunities to intentionally build a healthy team culture. From the beginning, we focused on strengthening relationships, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and creating structures that enabled each team member to flourish in their unique gifts. Rather than working in isolation, we sought to complement one another, supporting each other to grow both personally and spiritually while remaining accountable to the ministry entrusted to us. We wanted every staff member to bring the unique flavour God had placed within them to serve him and our community. Goodna Salvos volunteers out and about collecting (left) and operating a Bunning Sausage Sizzle to raise funds for the Red Shield Appeal. Army of volunteers As our team grew stronger, we began investing more intentionally in volunteers. What started with a handful of volunteers grew into a vibrant team of more than 50 community volunteers who serve alongside our staff across many different ministry areas. Together, we expanded the services we were able to provide and significantly increased the number of people we could support each week. Throughout this journey, one question continued to challenge us: Were we truly living out the full mission of The Salvation Army? William Booth described our calling as “Soup, Soap and Salvation”. We recognised that God had enabled us to serve our community well through ‘Soup’ and ‘Soap’. Every week, we were providing practical support through hot meals, free shower and laundry facilities, clothing, bedding, emergency relief, and compassionate crisis care. In the past year alone, our community café served more than 9000 free hot meals, reflecting both the growing need in our community and the commitment of our staff and volunteers to sharing God’s love in practical ways. But we also realised that we were not placing the same intentional emphasis on ‘Salvation’, the very heart of who we are as The Salvation Army. We knew something needed to change. After much prayer, we made what initially seemed like a risky decision. For many years, our chapel service had been held on Thursday afternoons after the café had closed. Attendance was very small, with only a handful of Salvation Army members attending and very few people from the community. Even our paid staff were often unable to participate because of other commitments. ‘Food for the Soul’ We sensed God leading us to do something different. We moved our worship service to Tuesday mornings at 11am, the busiest time of the week, when our café was full of community members sharing meals, building relationships and finding connection. We renamed the service ‘Food for the Soul’. The decision was not without resistance. Staff, volunteers and community members all had concerns about disrupting what had become familiar. Closing every other service for one hour each Tuesday required faith, trust and unity. Yet our team chose to embrace the vision as one. An advertisement for the Tuesday service. At first, the response seemed modest, but slowly, something began to change. Week after week, more people stayed. Conversations deepened, and people grew curious. Before long, the chapel was filled with community members worshipping together. What had once been difficult to imagine became one of the highlights of our week. The impact extended far beyond that one hour. The atmosphere throughout the centre began to shift. Conversations naturally turned towards God. People began encouraging one another, praying together and sharing what God was doing in their lives. As relationships deepened, God opened doors to further discipleship. Small discipleship groups began forming throughout the week. A men’s group, a women’s group, an Indigenous women’s group, and children’s drop-in programs were established at different times. A weekly Bible reading group began gathering regularly. A retired teacher generously volunteered to provide free tutoring for local children, creating another opportunity to invest in families within our community. The increasingly popular Tuesday morning Chapel Service in full swing. Collaboration strengthened Alongside this spiritual growth, partnerships flourished. Our collaboration with Salvation Army services, including Employment Plus, Disability Employment Services (DES), Moneycare, Doorways, Chaplaincy and now Homelessness Team, continued to strengthen. We also developed valuable partnerships with organisations such as the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH), 4 Voices, and One Bridge Nurses. Together, these partnerships created a strong wrap-around support network, enabling people to access practical, emotional, social and spiritual care in a single place. Throughout everything, one value became foundational: God’s love, expressed through genuine care for people while maintaining firm and healthy boundaries that create a safe environment for everyone. Over time, we witnessed a remarkable transformation: · Violent incidents significantly reduced · People began coming with purpose rather than simply seeking assistance · Community members started contributing rather than only receiving · Staff and volunteers increasingly stepped into leadership, intentionally developed through our Local Mission Plan. Today, Goodna Salvos is no longer simply a place where staff serve the community. It is a community where staff, volunteers and community members journey together. For example: · We hold one another accountable · We care for one another · We worship together · We support one another through life’s challenges · We celebrate together. People are encouraged not only to receive God’s love but also to become active participants in sharing his love with others. Our vision reaches beyond the walls of our centre. We long to see Goodna become known not for its struggles or negative headlines, but as a place where people genuinely love Jesus and demonstrate His love to their neighbours. We also believe stewardship belongs to the whole community. Together, we raise funds, contribute financially where possible, volunteer our time, and take shared ownership of the ministry God has entrusted to us. Goodna Salvos Mission Team Leader Ameet Londhe says his desire is to see Goodna continue to be a community development model centred on Christ. Something good There is a noticeable difference when people walk into Goodna Salvos today. There is warmth. There is hope. There is belonging. Most importantly, there is an unmistakable sense that God is present. Our desire is to continue being a place of ’Soup, Soap and Salvation’, where practical support and professional community services are inseparably connected with the transforming love of Jesus Christ. This is far more than a community service model. It is a community development model centred on Christ. As Jesus reminds us, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37). We believe this is only the beginning. We warmly invite Salvationists and members of the wider community to join us in the work God is doing in Goodna. There is still much to be done, many lives yet to be touched, and countless opportunities to see God’s Kingdom grow. Together, we can continue to shine the light of Jesus Christ brightly throughout Goodna and beyond. VIEW MORE: To see an Instagram post about Goodna Salvos by Major Bryce Davies (Team Member), click here

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? I’m the Corps Officer at Leeton Corps. I’ve been at Leeton for five and a half years. It’s my first appointment. I love working in the community and with community people, and growing faith in daily activities. The people of the community help me as well, and I’m able to listen to their stories and help them to grow in their faith and believe in themselves with the love of Jesus. I love having my family close, with three daughters and five grandchildren in town. Plus, I’ve been able to care for over 69 foster children in this area, as my husband is a full-time foster carer. We have planted so many seeds in them and their families. The town has made me one of their own as I’m always in the community, and I still spend time alone with God and my family. 2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?When not in corps, I’m spending my time with community and family. I love to watch movies, go on walks, and usher at the local theatre, where my mind slows down its thinking in cultural events through music, dance, and live shows. I love going on holidays with my husband and family, walking, soccer with my kids, and going to New Zealand to see family. 3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it? My favourite song is ‘God Will Make a Way for Me’, as it was my mum’s favourite song. I have always used it in church, as it reminds us that whatever happens in our lives, as I’ve been through a lot of domestic relationships before coming into being a minister, that He can then see the way and walk beside us. He will guide us for the good to be in a good place – and that’s only if we ask Him. 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?Mine would be Noah, as I love the story of the ark. His story reminds me that when I would be asked to do a job, I wouldn’t necessarily know what would happen with it. But with God’s love, we will be able to do that job. We don’t always know why, but God does, and we need to trust Him even if we have doubts. I would love to have a talk to see what He has planned for me in the future. I didn’t know that I could run a church, but people were saying, “We believe you can!” Miriam (Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas) said to me, “I think you could run the corps, Lesley.” And after five and a half years, I now believe that I made the right choices with the people in my life. Being a corps officer is the best job I’ve ever had, with the love of Jesus showing me the way. Kids come to me, and I just need to love them, and teach them why I love God and show them the way. 5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say? If God is calling you, you may not see it at first, but God has a plan for you – a plan that will not harm you but prosper you. It’s not easy, and sometimes it’s tough. I have had many jobs, from nursing, childcare, being a chef plus working in factories. And I can say being an officer is the hardest job, but the most rewarding at the end of the day. This is the best job I’ve ever had, as I love working with others and sharing what I do and who I am. I am loved. I am loved by God. I believe in Him. I give Him my all. God is my hiding place and my place where I feel loved. I would say to believe and do as God calls you. That might mean officership or just working in a corps to help others find the love of Jesus. More information on Salvation Army officership can be found here.

Jena Clarke works with TSA's Policy and Advocacy team. Image: Supplied The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy team recently welcomed another staff member, Support Coordinator Jena Clarke. The Policy and Advocacy team is part of The Salvation Army’s newly formed Centre for Mission Impact, and advocates to influence key decision-makers and those who have the power to implement social policy change across state and federal jurisdictions in Australia. Salvos Online journalist KIRRALEE NICOLLE recently caught up with Jena to find out about her background, her passions, and why she loves what The Salvation Army does. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and how you ended up here at the Salvos? Sure. I graduated from my undergraduate in 2024, having studied social justice and creative writing. I really loved my time at uni, and I learned a lot about the world, its need for justice and ways of achieving justice and equity through that process. In 2025, I spent time volunteering with refugees and asylum seekers around Sydney, and that was a really rewarding experience and something that I still do currently. I loved those connections, but I knew that I wanted a role where I could use my gifts in writing and language to make change. So, I joined Policy and Advocacy in November as a volunteer to learn about what the team did, and it quickly became clear that I wanted to further dedicate myself to the incredible work the Policy and Advocacy team was doing. That's a really interesting combination – social justice and creative writing. What are some ways that you've used that already, in either in this role or previously? I think the strengths of that combination came to the fore at uni. All of my creative writing assignments had a bit of a social justice twist to them, and I felt like I was using writing and stories to talk about society and about what was going on for real people. Then as I've come into this team, I use the same skills to edit work or to analyse it. I'm learning a lot from the team because it’s a different kind of writing, but I have a deep appreciation of language as something so powerful and so I'm so glad I can bring that appreciation into this role. You've already mentioned that you've done some volunteering with refugees and asylum seekers, but I’m curious about what specifically draws you about this work and about the work of the Salvos? I think it's pretty clear that the Salvos have such a big reach around Australia and have been making changes for people on an individual level, on a community level and on a wider level for a long time. As someone who wanted to use my skills to help make change, I was really keen to get on board with Policy and Advocacy and to see what their work was doing for people in Australia. Since volunteering with the team and now being on staff, I’m seeing that we take what we see in Salvos services and we share that with state and Commonwealth and say, ‘Hey, this is what people really need, and this is what this is what will be beneficial for the people that we are interacting with’. I sometimes found that when you study and think about all the difficult things that we face in society, it can feel like there's no hope, but I feel like Salvos has this real hopefulness about it as an organisation. And that comes through in this kind of advocacy work, because we're having the real conversations and we're trying to make change for people in a really structural way. Outside of work, what are your interests and hobbies? I love words. I love to write, and I love to read. I’m always reading short stories. While our personalities don’t align, I love the way Hemingway wrote! I have a great appreciation for the way he used setting to tell the whole story and get a deeper point across. What are your hopes for this role going forward, and what are some of the things that you're looking forward to? I’m excited to grow in this role. I’ve got a lot of passion and to be able to learn from the expertise of the team is unreal. I'm looking forward to supporting the team in the work that they do, and I'm also keen to use my gifts to benefit others.

Children from the Kyiv Corps, Ukraine, enjoy a day out from everyday concerns to have fun at a local theme park. The Kyiv Mayak (Lighthouse) Corps in Ukraine continues to operate the After-School Program throughout the (northern) summer. Last week, the children “experienced a real fairy tale”, said the youth leaders, thanks to the generosity of the local amusement and adventure park – Shumiland. The children were able to forget about living in a warzone for day and just play and have fun. “We are sincerely grateful to the administration and the entire Shumiland team for the warm reception, attentive attitude to every child, and for creating such a special holiday atmosphere,” the leaders said. “Your caring attitude makes the world kinder, and the hearts of our children brighter. Together we create happy memories.” Youth leaders helped make the rare day out an extra special one for the children, many of whom have been displaced by Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Salvation Army across Ukraine has a special focus on children. Each of the seven corps and one outpost runs an after-school program for primary-aged children, providing help with homework, extra educational and fun activities, a hot meal, time with a psychologist, and a caring, supportive atmosphere. The children, most of whom are internally displaced due to the war or come from poor and vulnerable families, thrive in this environment. Building resilient communities in a changing climate The Salvation Army Australia International Development (SAID) is working to help communities build real resilience in the face of a changing climate. In Malawi, farmers like Pricila rely on a single rainy season and face declining soil health, leaving one maize harvest to determine their food and income each year. Through SAID-supported projects, Pricila and other farmers receive targeted training in conservation agriculture and ongoing mentorship that equips them with practical, climate-smart skills. Farmers like Pricila (right) are being equipped with practical, climate-smart skills. With this support, farmers are forming Village Savings and Loans groups, building compost systems to replace chemical fertiliser and adopting soil restoring practices such as mulching and planting nitrogen fixing trees. As a result, maize yields are increasing, food security is improving, and families like Pricila’s can earn income from surplus crops. This project is supported by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and Sida - Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete (Swedish Government) though the Swedish Mission Council. To find out more about the work of SAID, see their website here. World leaders attend spiritual day in Hungary Officers, retired officers, cadets and social institution leaders in Hungary gathered at Józsefváros Church to welcome General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham on 1 July 2026. The day included worship, teaching, a question-and-answer session on the worldwide Salvation Army and a visit to New Hope House, the men’s shelter program first opened by The Salvation Army in 1927. The Salvation Army world leaders were surrounded by prayer support at the Spiritual Day in Hungary. Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham shared a moving testimony, speaking of the hope she has found in Christ even through difficult seasons. “This is our time to lift our eyes above what we are seeing or experiencing,” she said. “Now is the time for our lives to express confident hope in Jesus Christ.” During an afternoon question-and-answer session, Commissioner Buckingham reflected on her aspirations for The Salvation Army. “My dream is that the Army will be the place the next generation of young people choose to make their spiritual home,” she said. She also spoke about the importance of leadership across the movement, adding: “I want to continue on the journey we are on, that our women leaders are appointed as appropriately as our men leaders.” In the opening meeting, the General shared a message drawing together the imagery of shepherds, sheep and the Good Shepherd. Reflecting on Psalm 23 and Paul’s words in Romans about the whole of life being an act of worship, the General reminded those gathered of the care and restoration found in God. “You restore, you feed, you make me whole,” he said. General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham both addressed those gathered for the Spiritual Day. Drawing on the words of 1 Peter, the General challenged leaders not only to follow the Good Shepherd, but to recognise their own calling to shepherd God’s people. “Be an example to the flock of what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. The challenge led to a time of prayer and rededication, as people responded by praying for one another and for Salvation Army leadership. The Buckinghams, together with territorial and regional leaders, were surrounded by those gathered as prayers were offered for their spiritual leadership and ministry. World Service Office launches 2026 Annual Report In 2025, The Salvation Army World Service Office invested more than $50 million across 152 projects in 69 countries, helping communities develop sustainable solutions to poverty, disease and despair. Each project reflects a commitment to strengthening local capacity, building financial independence, and supporting long-term, community-led change through The Salvation Army’s global network. Our 2026 Annual Report shares the impact of this work and the lives it touches around the world. Read or download the full report at the SAWSO Facebook page here.

Maria and Paul Anderson leading the group in ‘Sweep Over My Soul’ for NAIDOC Week at Divisional Headquarters in Adelaide. Image: Kirralee Nicolle BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Personnel at Divisional Headquarters (DHQ) in Adelaide this week celebrated NAIDOC in a delayed event run by Maria Anderson-Tanner, Divisional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinator SA/NT. The event, organised by Executive Assistant Meredith Watson and Administration Assistant Sreeja Sreenilayam Gopinathan, featured a talk by Maria and a short address by South Australia/Northern Territory Divisional Commander Captain Scott Frame. As part of the service, Maria and husband Paul Tanner, Port Augusta Corps Ministry Team Leader, led the group in ‘Sweep Over My Soul’ sung in both English and Pitjantjatjara. Maria also discussed the contributions of courageous Indigenous leaders from across the nation, including William Cooper, Sir Doug Nicholls, Charlie Perkins, Vincent Lingiari, Eddie Koiki Mabo and Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue. “These leaders did not walk the same path,” Maria said. “Some were pastors. Some were activists. Some challenged the courts, but they all had one thing in common. They believed that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people deserve dignity, justice and respect. “Because they stood, we can continue to stand today.” Following the service, personnel enjoyed teriyaki kangaroo tail and kangaroo tikka masala, prepared by Maria. The table setting for lunch, featuring Maria's original artworks. Image: Kirralee Nicolle Maria thanked the staff at DHQ for their openness, hospitality and willingness to be a part of the celebration. “We celebrate the strength, resilience and wisdom that has been passed down from generation to generation,” Maria said. “Thank you for creating a space where we can share our stories through song and culture, and where we can walk together in respect, understanding and friendship. “May today be a celebration of unity, hope and reconciliation as we honour the past, celebrate the present and look forward to the future together.” READ MORE: Celebrating ‘deadly’ achievements in Swan Hill

Jo Harding (left) and a fellow volunteer serving with the Salvation Army Emergency Services in Western Australia during the bushfire season earlier this year. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Jo Harding is the new Western Australia Response Coordinator for Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES). She fills a role which has been vacant for several months now, bringing a wealth of passion for emergency response and long-term experience in the sector. Major Bindy Lupis, SAES Senior Program Manager, Response and Wellbeing has praised Jo highly, saying that even before meeting her, she had a “really good feeling”. “I was relieved when her interview confirmed it. It had been a huge few months in WA with a lot of uncertainty,” Bindy said. Major Bindy Lupis says Jo Harding has a collaborative approach to leadership. “The team over there have done an amazing job but had been waiting for a new leader and the stability that brings. Jo has definitely been worth the wait. “I have loved getting messages from some of the team thankful for her and feeling excited about this new chapter under her leadership. Jo has also already met and is building great relationships with her counterparts in the other states and some of them have also commented about what a great fit to the national team she is. “Jo brings years of emergency management experience to the team, but it is also her warm and friendly personality and her collaborative approach to leadership that stands out. I am looking forward to this new chapter for Emergency Services in WA and will be cheering Jo and the team on.” Salvos Online journalist Kirralee Nicolle spent some time with Jo, finding out about her background and what she brings to the role. So, tell me about how you came to be in this role at the Salvos. Where were you before this? Before I began in this role, I finished 15 years with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES). I’ve done quite a few different roles throughout DFES, however I’ve been in Incident Management Teams (IMTs) and Pre-Formed Teams (specialised, multi-agency IMTs) throughout that time, so in various roles responding to DFES incidents. I’ve experienced being on the other side of the Salvos truck, I’m a bit of a people person and I’m well known for having all the connections! That assists me in this role because particularly in WA, SAES’ main client is DFES. I’m very mindful that in this role there’s a rresponsibility to ensure that we provide the quality and the safety that they’re expecting, and if we can exceed that, then all the better. What got you into the emergency responses sector originally? All of my roles have been very community-centric. For me, it’s about my connection to volunteers in the community. Here at the Salvos, the volunteers are passionate about helping their community and they’re helping other volunteers (firies) who are also passionate about helping their community. And that’s the perfect sort of thing for me. Jo with her daughter’s puppy, Teddy. Image: Supplied It sounds like you guys definitely have a busy few months ahead. Tell me, outside of work, what are some things you like spending your time doing? I really enjoy a daily walk. I think it just helps reset your day or set up your day, depending on what end of the day you do it. This wintertime, I’m tending to go in the evening to reset my mind after a long day of learning new things. I also enjoy reading and spending time with my family. My daughter also recently got a new puppy, and he is a lot of work to train and manage, so that has been taking up a lot of my time! We have pets in this house already, so there’s a lot of logistics to manage around animals here at the moment. I love that you are so invested in relationships with volunteers, they truly are the backbone what we do here! What are you most looking forward to in this role? I’m looking forward to working in the family environment that we have here at the Salvos. I’m excited about getting a cohesive group together, so that we can go out and do what we’re passionate about. I'm looking forward to the season ahead. We’ve got some stuff to get through first, preparations and training to do, and all of that’s part of it. But, I’m looking forward to working with everybody to support the community. It’s gonna be fun.

As a teenager, Paul wrestled with God’s call to become a Salvation Army officer, asking God for a partner in ministry and the ability to speak publicly. Soon after, he met Wendy, who shared the same calling and 37 years later, they are still serving together in ministry. In this God-defining moment, Paul, now the Territorial Secretary for Communications, reflects on how God not only answered that prayer but also continues to lead him each day through the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

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Sydney City Salvos Program Manager Caleb Wong (right) with the latest walking tour participants. BY LAUREN MARTIN A walking tour of Inner Sydney is connecting Salvation Army mission workers from different services and helping them better assist people in need. The initiative began about four years ago as an idea during Sydney City Area Leadership Team (ALT) meetings, as a way to introduce new employees and volunteers to each of the different city Salvation Army expressions. They were first organised and run by Sydney City Salvos Team Leader Mitchell Evans, who said it began as a way to ‘build team’ within the inner-city Salvation Army services and mission expressions. Sydney City Salvos Team Leader Mitchell Evans started The Salvation Army Inner Sydney Walking Tour. “For participants, it’s not about ‘my role in isolation’ but gives them a greater perspective on how their role contributes to the whole,” he said. The walking tours are now organised and run by Caleb Wong, the Sydney City Salvos Program Manager. They are held roughly every six weeks and last about three hours. He says it’s a great way for employees and volunteers from different services and mission expressions to meet and network. “We wanted to improve relationships between the expressions and also the referral pathways for our community members,” Caleb said. “People who go on the walking tour feel it’s really helpful because they get a bigger sense of what The Salvation Army is doing in the city. They also get to see the service and how it works and get to know each other and talk about what they do.” The tour starts at Territorial Headquarters in Redfern, where participants board a bus to Sydney City Salvos Waterloo, then on to Oasis Youth Services in Surry Hills. From there, participants walk to all of The Salvation Army’s services in the city, including Sydney City Salvos Surry Hills Community Centre, William Booth House Alcohol and Other Drugs Service (currently being redeveloped), Sydney City Salvos Elizabeth Street (currently being redeveloped) and Foster House Homelessness Support Service. “We also have a presentation from Samaritan House (women’s accommodation service),” Caleb says. “We can’t attend the site due to confidentiality, but staff come and provide an outline of what they do and answer questions.” According to Mitchell (former tour guide), it’s what happens ‘on the road’ that is the most powerful part of the tour. “The pit stops at the various sites are great to learn a bit about referral pathways, where people physically go to access a service and a general overview, but the interactions and conversations walking between the spaces is where the real gold is,” he said. “That’s when people get to know one another, and the role they play in the larger Salvation Army mission in the city.” The Salvation Army introduced its Local Mission Delivery model seven years ago and set up 75 Area Leadership Teams (ALTs) across the country to integrate mission delivery between different Salvation Army expressions, streams and enterprises. The inner Sydney walking tour is a small but innovative way to see that vision come to life. *The walking tours are only open to Salvation Army employees and volunteers who work in Salvos services and mission expressions. Starting at Territorial Headquarters at Redfern (top left), the Inner Sydney Walking Tour takes in Salvation Army sites including Sydney City Salvos in Elizabeth St and Waterloo, William Booth House, Foster House and Oasis Youth Services Centre.

Each week through 2026, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for the same territory or region of The Salvation Army. Prayer requests are shared by the territory/region to help us pray with precision and power for one another. This week (20-26 July) we pray for The Salvation Army in the Japan Territory. This territory has 141 officers (53 active, 88 retired); 2 Aux-Captains; 40 corps; 10 outposts; 1775 senior soldiers; 67 adherents; 168 junior soldiers; 1157 employees Colonels Tamotsu and Kazue Nishimura lead the territory. Officers and leaders of the Japan Territory. The work of the Japn Territory includes: · Poverty alleviation · Disaster response · Care for older people · Modern slavery and human trafficking response. Poverty alleviation and disaster response are two key areas of focus in Japan. Prayer requests Please pray for the Japan Territory as we seek God’s wisdom and guidance in preparing to pass on our legacy to the next generation. We are currently reviewing and reshaping our inherited ministries, reorganising corps and services, and resizing the territory to ensure that our limited personnel and resources can be focused more effectively on mission. Pray that this process will enable us to strengthen both evangelism and social ministry, and that The Salvation Army in Japan may be equipped to fulfil its God-given mission in ways that are relevant and sustainable for Japanese society beyond 2030. May we have the courage to embrace necessary change while remaining faithful to our calling and heritage. To find out more about the Japan Territory, click here. To find out more about The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, and to download the 2026 prayer schedule, click here.