Majors Bethany and Rick Starkey are Salvation Army pastors in Rochester, N.Y., in the Empire State Division.

Major Bethany Starkey

I want to be a source of encouragement to our staff and congregation. It’s great when you get to talk to people on a deeper level. The fact that they trust you with their problems and they believe that you are praying for them and care about them is special.

Here in Rochester, we were able to hire a gentleman who graduated from the ARC, and just to be able to see how the Lord has been able to work in his life, giving him new opportunities, has been wonderful. The Army being a positive influence on people, spiritually, physically, and emotionally, is very rewarding.

I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you.” The Message version puts it, “My grace is enough.” His grace is enough through every struggle we’re going through. The journey doesn’t end at salvation, but He keeps influencing and enabling and empowering, even when we sometimes don’t feel like it. He’s always working in our lives.

I want people to know that pastors love their people, and they desperately want their people to grow.

Major Rick Starkey

For me, being a pastor has always been about the people and the relationships. When you move, you have to leave people behind, but it’s always great building new relationships with community members, church members, and staff. I love helping them along in their Christian experience and talking to people about Jesus and His love and grace.

My favorite Scripture is John 1:14. The Message version says Jesus “became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” I’m all about relationships, and this shows how God Himself moved into our situation. He came here to form a relationship with us, to be with us, to be in our mess.

I think being a pastor is hard work, but it’s work that’s worth it. It’s not always easy, but going back to building those relationships with people, the relationships we still have with people three or four appointments ago, make the not-so-easy times worth the effort. Because you only stay somewhere for a short time, when you can look back two or three appointments ago and see people who are still walking with Christ and their walk has gotten deeper and they’re involved in ministry, that’s always meaningful.

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.”

—2 Timothy 4:2

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and we’d like to thank our Salvation Army officers — pastors — for their faith, their dedication, and the hard work they do for their communities and the Lord.