Prepared to serve, the 44 members
of the God's Fellow Workers session
are ordained and commissioned as
Salvation Army officers. The final act
of their training experience came in
conjunction with the congress that urged all
Salvationists to "Go Deeper with God."
The weekend of commissioning activities,
which began on the Evangeline Booth College
campus and ended with the final congress
session at the Gwinnett Arena, was both
traditional and full of hope and expectation
for the future.
In addition to becoming the Southland's newest officers, this session's commissioning proved to be historic for a number of reasons. Their appointment service, held last month, was returned to a public forum. Their ordination and commissioning service marked the return of a tradition spanning some five decades: the entry of the session flag to the classic hymn "I Cannot Leave the Dear Old
Dear Old Flag." This year also marked the return of the rank of lieutenant for the USA Southern Territory. The National Commander, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, inspired the graduating class during the Friday morning commencement service by urging them to "rise up, know your purpose, and show up" ready to serve the Kingdom's cause. "Rise up and serve a secular society that doesn't even recognize or acknowledge their need of God's grace," he said. "Your purpose has a forever implication. There are lovers of our movement all over the Southland waiting for you to show up!"
Cadet David Costellow was the commencement session speaker, proclaiming that his session, like so many others before, is more than a graduating class - "We're an Army!" "We're an Army of God's Fellow Workers, not ashamed of the gospel," he said. Costellow likened his session's
challenging future to the historic crossing of the Rubicon River by Julius Caesar's army in 49 B.C. - a deliberate act of war. "God's Fellow Workers are crossing the river, and for us there is no turning back," Costellow said. Sunday morning, the final congress session, inspired God's Fellow Workers and thousands of congress delegates to "Go Deeper...Into His Will."