Light in the darkness

Having lived for most of my life in a country where 2 cm of snow brings the whole nation to a standstill, I found it puzzling that Estonians spent Christmas and New Year mourning the fact that no snow had fallen.  About 10 days ago the snow arrived – not loads by Estonian standards – but enough to make it feel as if winter had properly come. The daytime temperatures of -15 degrees contributed to the wintery feel! Last week I had to drive to our camp at Loksa.  It’s about 70kms east of the city and in a lovely woodland area close to the coast. The snow transformed the journey – it was so bright! The normally dark and overcast winter seemed magically transformed. The snow-covered pine trees looked like something from a postcard picture and the white, un-trodden snow just seemed to glow. I realised what we had been missing and why Estonians love the snow so much.

The new session (spot the joker in the pack!)

Last weekend new light came to The Salvation Army – to be a little more accurate – the Messengers of Light arrived! It was a historic occasion as Colonel Kleman (Territorial Commander) officially welcomed the 6 new cadets, the very first session ever to train for Salvation Army officership in Estonia. We have had other individuals train here – but this is the first time the training college has organised an official session here. The sessional welcome was a really joyful celebration - a scene experienced around the Salvation Army world - but one we had never experienced before in Estonia.



Tallinn Methodist church

This historic event has come about largely because 4 of the 6 cadets are Russian language speaking, something that the Territory’s training college in Finland is not equipped for.  So, after much discussion and exploration, we have partnered with the Methodist seminary in Tallinn and relocated our academic courses to Estonia. The modern seminary (the only one in Estonia that offers theological training in Russian) has classrooms with built in translation booths and professional translators; the library has theological study materials available in Russian and the accommodation is suitable and really reasonably priced.  Cadets will spend 3 days each month at the seminary participating in lectures organised by our own Training college staff. Later in the year our students might join with the seminary’s students for specific classes. One interesting spin-off is that the Methodists have asked if The Salvation Army in Estonia might provide practical placements for their trainee ministers so that they might experience social work and community service ministry. A great opportunity for partnership in ministry!


The new session (with CS Lieut Col Kornilow and Natalia Pentinnen)

 

Spiritually, Estonia might be considered a very dark place, with a very tiny percentage of the population attending church.  As our new session begins their training we thank God for the sign of new life for The Salvation Army in the Finland & Estonia territory – but we also pray our cadets will be true to their sessional name,  radiating the light of God in their own lives and brightening our country with the light and love of Jesus. God bless the Messengers of Light!

Musings on green socks

It was Sunday morning. As usual, I woke quite early. Lyn had not slept well so when it was time to put on my uniform I dressed in the semi darkness – rather than put the bedroom light on and disturb her.  Sometime later Lyn was also up and ready and we headed to Kopli corps for the morning meeting. Just as the meeting was about to start I looked down to my shoes and discovered to my horror that I was wearing green socks! I was so embarrassed - the Regional Commander in ‘non-regulation’ colour socks, disgraceful. I was trying to hide my feet under my chair s the meeting started. The first song and prayer seemed to pass quickly and the leader moved immediately into a testimony time. After inviting the congregation to stand up and share their experiences a lady rose to her feet and stepped to the front of the hall.  She explained how her life had been destroyed by a drug habit. As her life spiralled out of control her family had left her. She was heading for destruction when she met Jesus.  She accepted Jesus into her life and was saved – spiritually and physically. With His help she stopped using and got clean – and here she stood before us – a bright, intelligent, positive example of the power of God to save and transform. 

She sat down and immediately one of the residents of our rehab centre raised his hand and asked if he could testify. Nervously approaching the front he gave thanks to God for bringing him to The Salvation Army. Since coming to Hope House he had learned about the love and power of God. He had opened his life to Jesus and his life had changed. The meeting leader invited a number of us to step forward and surround him in prayer. We placed hands on him as she prayed that God  would hold him and help  him on his faltering walk of faith.

As he sat down another young rehab resident spoke up. ‘My life has changed dramatically since I came to the centre = outwardly I am so different now – but I don’t feel my life has changed inside yet. Why hasn’t Jesus come to me yet? What can I do to receive Him?’  A discussion started as the meeting leader and others explained the way to salvation before praying for him.

Did I feel stupid for worrying about green socks! Here we were, a small congregation in northern Tallinn, and real spiritual battle was being lived out in dramatic fashion. Victories were being celebrated, new converts were testify to the transforming power of God, pilgrims – some very new to the faith – were encouraging sincere seekers on their spiritual journey of discovery.  This was the real thing – this was what The Salvation Army was raised up by God to be – a salvation army!

This week  the Region’s officers and leaders gathered in Tallinn for our 2^nd ‘Ready for mission’ day.  It was great to share fellowship together and catch up on Christmas news. We spent the first part of the day looking at the report of the Spiritual Life commission and the ‘Call to war’. I shared with them that over 50 years ago General Albert Osborn wrote his autobiography ‘The House of my pilgrimage’. He recalled his  leadership of The Salvation Army; his time as the General. In writing about his life he admitted that he may have made some mistakes. But, there was one thing that he was confident about. He said, ‘I always tried to keep the Army true to the Army. His focus was always that the Army should be what God intended us to be – a permanent mission to the unconverted. He went on to say - Our officers must keep us to this purpose. Our training colleges must train and send out officers with this goal: nothing less will do.

How often in my officership have I had a ‘green sock moment’ – distracted from the main purpose of my calling by something that really didn’t matter at all? I thank God for that Sunday morning meeting in Kopli corps, Tallinn when He reminded me again of His love, grace and transforming power.