Living Stones at Kensico
by Warren L. Maye
The sun bathed this year’s gathering at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York, in warmth. It shone down on Kensico’s curved roads and rolling hills. On this day dedicated to honoring Salvation Army officers promoted to Glory, officers and cadets offered deep gratitude for their legacy of faith, courage, and love.
Surrounded by the engraved stones that marked many resting places, attendees of this annual service sat quietly. They thought about the lives of loved ones who had “run the race, kept the faith, and served in love,” said Commissioner Ralph Bukiewicz, Territorial Commander.
(Photos/Eli Morgan)
These were people who carried Christ’s light into every place, Bukiewicz reminded everyone, and their lives serve as a challenge to the living. He asked, “How will we live? Will we carry the light they bore? Will we continue the mission they embraced?”
The service
Accompanied by musical selections from the New York Staff Band Ensemble, the service was anchored in a spirit of resolve. Attendees sang “Gird on the Armor (of God),” a hymn that echoed the call to remain steadfast in the mission. Major Inger Furman, Territorial Assistant Secretary for Program, led the group in a prayer of faith, asking for the same tenacity, strength, and faithfulness that defined those they were honoring. It was a plea for the courage to continue the work, as she acknowledged that Christ remains the answer to every need. “You, Father, are faithful in all things,” she prayed.
The College for Officer Training (CFOT) Chorus sang “Oh How He Loves You and Me” before the reading of the Word.
Bukiewicz read Joshua 4:1–9 and 20–24, where the Israelites set up 12 stones to remind future generations of God’s faithfulness. Just as those stones served as a sign of the Jordan being crossed on dry ground, the lives of the departed serve as a memorial. Bukiewicz said it was “a reminder that a life given to God is never wasted.”
Roll call
The cadets saluted those who were promoted to Glory by decorating their graves with small Salvation Army flags that blew gently in the breeze. During roll call, Major William Furman, Territorial Assistant Secretary for Personnel, read aloud the names of those who had finished their journey. As the 33 names were called — from Major Charles Drummond to Commissioner Judy Hedgren — families and friends stood to receive a flower in tribute. Furman, his voice breaking at times, encouraged his audience to keep the faith and continue the mission.
Following the playing of “Taps,” only the occasional sounds of chirping birds, a distant train, and that soft breeze could be heard as Commissioner Susan Bukiewicz, Territorial President of Women’s Ministries/Territorial Leader for Officer Development, placed a ceremonial wreath on the grave of General Evangeline Booth, assisted by designated officers.
The message
The air at Kensico was heavy with the weight of memories, but once again, the NYSB Ensemble filled it with vibrant hope by playing “Our Consecration.” Lt. Colonel Kevin Stoops, Territorial Secretary for Personnel, then stood to offer a balm to the grieving. He spoke of the brokenhearted, reminding everyone that, during sorrow, they were not alone.
He drew a powerful parallel between the stones of the cemetery and the stones of remembrance from the Book of Joshua. Just as those ancient stones were meant to testify to God’s power and faithfulness, the graves surrounding them served as a testament to lives well lived and promises kept.
He then shifted his message from the past to the present. Stoops challenged those gathered to become living stones. He urged them not to be a random pile, but to be purposeful and organized, to support the spiritual foundation as a people who embody God’s love, forgiveness, and strength.
“Jesus Himself said, ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,’” reminded Stoops.
He reminded everyone that while those promoted to Glory have finished their race, the living are called to carry the baton. They are to walk by faith to be a witness to a dying world that God is still powerful and His promises are true.
Lt. Colonel Margaret Davis, Territorial Secretary for Program, led the singing of “March On, Salvation Soldiers (The Day of Victory’s Coming)” and Lt. Colonel David Davis, Assistant Chief Secretary, offered the benediction.
Living witnesses
As the service concluded, the atmosphere shifted into the warmth of human connection. The formal gathering dissolved into intimate conversations. Families, cadets, and officers greeted one another with genuine affection, grateful to be “above ground and still walking around” alive and well, as the saying goes.
There was a shared, poignant realization that life is precious. As they walked among the stones of those they had known, they reflected on how quickly time passes and how important it is to cherish every interaction.
“Things in the mirror are closer than they appear,” said Lt. Colonel James LaBossiere, CFOT Training Principal. “There’s something about that. Sometimes you hear about someone passing a little bit young, and it’s like: Life is fragile. I don’t want to waste the days I have.”
It was a day of remembering the past, but more importantly, it was a day of committing to the future, walking forward with the strength of the Lord, and living with purpose in the time that remains.
