Allies in the Fight
by Robert Mitchell
Captains Joel and Kama Lyle of The Salvation Army in Concord, N.H., didn’t know the unique partnership they were creating when they enrolled their three children in the nearby Trinity Christian School in the fall of 2023.
“Our children attend that school, and through that we were able to form a relationship with administrators and teachers,” Captain Joel said. “There was some curiosity on their part, and they wanted to know more about The Salvation Army, so we met with them and connected with them. It’s turned into a pretty neat partnership.”
The Lyles soon met Tori Camp, the student life administrator at the school, who had spent 11 years as a missionary in Togo and Zambia. Camp had been impressed with the community-driven culture of serving and helping others she saw in Africa. She wanted to bring that to the school.
“The Lord wants us to make disciples and be relational and I think the African culture is far more relational than we are as Westerners,” Camp said. “We’re so task driven, but our African friends really pause and take time with people. I could see that was missing in our school culture. When you don’t take time for people, you’re not using your faith.”
Getting the students involved
One of Camp’s goals was to get the school’s students involved in community service projects.
She had met the Lyles when they enrolled their three children, Jordan, 13, Dylan, 11, and Colin, 10, at the school, which is operated by Trinity Baptist Church and within walking distance of the corps. Camp invited the Salvation Army officers to lunch and asked about volunteer opportunities. The result has been the forging of a “sweet relationship” with Camp joining the advisory board for The Salvation Army in Concord.
“I knew that to reach the hearts of our students, they needed to be serving and just cleaning up a park somewhere wasn’t going to hit the mark for me,” Camp said. “I wanted them to serve people.”
Captain Joel suggested a host of volunteer opportunities, and students from grades seven to nine have helped pack toys at Christmas, organize the corps food pantry, and prepare a meal for residents of the McKenna House, a Salvation Army shelter next to the corps. The students also helped with some gardening and janitorial tasks.
“It helps the students see different avenues in ministry, but at the same time it’s serving a need that we have here,” Captain Joel said.
More to be done
Camp said the students enjoyed serving so much they volunteered to help The Salvation Army during their free time. She is planning another meal for the shelter residents and hopes to get the students involved with standing kettles for The Salvation Army this Christmas season.
“There is a definite joy and satisfaction in these students when they’re serving,” Camp said. “I saw that across the board.”
It’s not a one-sided partnership. The Lyles have spoken at the Christian school’s chapel services a few times.
Jake Jones, an associate pastor at Trinity Baptist, said the school’s mission is to train students “spiritually, socially, and academically for lifelong service to Christ.” Serving at The Salvation Army seems like a perfect fit. A few adults from the church have also volunteered at the McKenna House.
“We have a lot of people who have burdens for those who are needy in our area,” Jones said. “We also want to instill that in our students at Trinity Christian School. It’s not about us just being comfortable but spreading the gospel and helping people who don’t have as much.”
Spreading a little joy
McKenna House Director Jenny Connor-Belcourt said eighth grade students from the school prepared a lasagna meal at the corps and brought bread, cookies, and salad to the residents. The students also got a tour of the shelter, and Connor-Belcourt was glad to host them.
“I like that the kids are introduced to this problem in our culture with the homeless (population), but I think it also brings a lot of hope to the folks we serve knowing that many people, including young people, in the community care about them,” she said.
“It gives the people here a sense of worth and that they’re cared about and not forgotten. I think it’s a great collaboration.”
Nikki Holtgrewe, the social services director at the corps, said the volunteer help the students provide may seem minor, but there’s a lot to do and every effort is appreciated. Meanwhile, the “in-the-trenches ministry” gives the students a new perspective.
Holtgrewe hopes to get the students to help prepare care packages for local homeless people. Lyle said he would like to collaborate more in the future with Trinity Baptist Church, perhaps even partnering on a Fourth of July or Resurrection Day sunrise service.
“It’s a great partnership we have and we’re just hoping it will continue to blossom in the coming days,” Lyle said. “We said, ‘Instead of being competitors, why don’t we serve the same common good?’ That’s what we’re trying to do.
“We recognize there are some theological differences, but at the end of the day we both love and serve Jesus Christ. Both churches love Jesus Christ and want to serve our community in the best way we can.”
For more information on The Salvation Army in Concord, N.H., go to easternusa.salvationarmy.org/northern-new-england/concord.
