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Ordination & Commissioning 2025
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What is Ordination and Commissioning?

The Salvation Army Ordination and Commissioning weekend is part of the high holy days and is an annual event where new officers, soldiers, and others gather to worship, celebrate and pray together. During this weekend, the cadets who have completed two years of training are ordained and commissioned to serve in various communities throughout The Salvation Army. The event is a celebration of the new officers’ commitment to serving others and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. It involves worship services, prayer, and devotion by Salvation Army leaders and special guests. The Commissioning is an essential moment in the life of The Salvation Army and serves as a reminder of its mission to “meet human needs in Christ’s name without discrimination.”

Recap:

Commissioning Weekend 2024

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A bright Pennsylvania sky was no match for the exuberance felt by as many as 2,000 Salvationists inside the Hershey Lodge. Famed for its chocolate factory, Hershey is nicknamed “the sweetest place on earth.”

Videos:

Commencement

Opening Celebration featuring TAYA

Star Search Awards

Ordination, Commissioning, & Appointment Service

Special Guests:

Commissioners Edward & Shelley Hill

Commissioners Edward and Shelley Hill were commissioned as Salvation Army officers in June 1993 as part of the Heralds of Jesus Session.

Their shared service has taken them to appointments throughout the USA Western Territory, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand Territory, the Canada and Bermuda Territory, and International Headquarters (IHQ).

Effective 3 August 2023, Commissioner Edward Hill was appointed Chief of the Staff at IHQ and Commissioner Shelley Hill as World Secretary for Women’s Ministries.

Edward and Shelley were married in 1985 and have three children – Stephanie, Samantha and Samuel.

Commissioners Hill thank God for the opportunity to be of service to God, the Army and others, recognizing that they too are a work in progress.

They celebrate the assurance of the Lord that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

TAYA

Taya Gaukrodger comes from a country town on the East Coast of Australia. In 2010, she relocated to Sydney to pursue a career in music. Soon after arriving, she got involved in a local church and began volunteering in youth and young adult ministries. The world was first introduced to TAYA on UNITED’s RIAA Certified Multi-Platinum global worship anthem, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” and since then, her voice has become an unmistakable clarion call to worship across the world. Driven by hundreds of millions of streams for “Oceans” and others like “Touch the Sky” and “Whole Heart (Hold Me Now),” tracks led and stewarded by TAYA have amassed over one billion global streams. Over the past decade, between her tours with UNITED, Hillsong Worship and Young & Free, TAYA has performed live for more than 5 million people in 30 different countries, across six continents. TAYA’s newest single “Gonna Be Good” is out now, amassing more than 1.2M global streams since release. TAYA is most passionate about worship that points people to Jesus and her hope is to lead people to worship more authentically and passionately as they discover more about Him. Taya alongside her husband Ben and their son Bo, currently reside in Southern California.

Special Guests:

Commissioners Edward & Shelley Hill

Commissioners Edward and Shelley Hill were commissioned as Salvation Army officers in June 1993 as part of the Heralds of Jesus Session.

Their shared service has taken them to appointments throughout the USA Western Territory, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand Territory, the Canada and Bermuda Territory, and International Headquarters (IHQ).

Effective 3 August 2023, Commissioner Edward Hill was appointed Chief of the Staff at IHQ and Commissioner Shelley Hill as World Secretary for Women’s Ministries.

Edward and Shelley were married in 1985 and have three children – Stephanie, Samantha and Samuel.

Commissioners Hill thank God for the opportunity to be of service to God, the Army and others, recognizing that they too are a work in progress.

They celebrate the assurance of the Lord that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

TAYA

Taya Gaukrodger comes from a country town on the East Coast of Australia. In 2010, she relocated to Sydney to pursue a career in music. Soon after arriving, she got involved in a local church and began volunteering in youth and young adult ministries. The world was first introduced to TAYA on UNITED’s RIAA Certified Multi-Platinum global worship anthem, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” and since then, her voice has become an unmistakable clarion call to worship across the world. Driven by hundreds of millions of streams for “Oceans” and others like “Touch the Sky” and “Whole Heart (Hold Me Now),” tracks led and stewarded by TAYA have amassed over one billion global streams. Over the past decade, between her tours with UNITED, Hillsong Worship and Young & Free, TAYA has performed live for more than 5 million people in 30 different countries, across six continents. TAYA’s newest single “Gonna Be Good” is out now, amassing more than 1.2M global streams since release. TAYA is most passionate about worship that points people to Jesus and her hope is to lead people to worship more authentically and passionately as they discover more about Him. Taya alongside her husband Ben and their son Bo, currently reside in Southern California.

Schedule

Friday

  • 9:00am-7:00pm | Trade store open – Cocoa ballroom

    10:00am | Commencement (Onsite translation available in Spanish, ASL and hearing impaired assistance)  – Great American Hall

    2:00pm-5:00pm | EQUIP Sessions (Children’s Ministries available) – Crystal A (Onsite translation available in Spanish)

    7:30pm-9:00pm | Opening Celebration featuring TAYA (Onsite translation available in Spanish, Korean, Creole, ASL and hearing impaired assistance) – Livestream available in English and Spanish – Great American Hall

Saturday

  • 8:00am-6:00pm | Trade store open – Cocoa ballroom

    9:30am-3:00pm | Star Search – Young People’s Music/Arts Competition

    4:00pm-5:45pm | Star Search Awards – (Onsite ASL and hearing impaired assistance) – Livestream available in English and Spanish – Great American Hall

    6:00pm | BBQ Dinner

Sunday

  • 9:30am-12:00pm | Ordination, Commissioning, & Appointment Service (Children’s Ministries available) (Onsite translation available in Spanish, Korean, Creole, ASL and hearing impaired assistance) – Livestream available in English and Spanish – Great American Hall

Defenders of Justice

Holly A. Bilbay

Kenia J. Godoy

Richard Mahida

Janet Menendez Doval

Luis A. Menendez

Melvianny Matos Alba

Thomas Perez

Lisa D. Scalzitti

The Salvation Army USA East Youth Department will be providing childcare during the Friday afternoon and Sunday morning meetings! All children ages 3-10 are eligible.

Click the link below to learn more and to register your children.

On Friday afternoon (2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) we will be hosting EQUIP: Older Adult Ministry.

Throughout the USA Eastern Territory, the most rapidly emerging demographic is Older Adults (65+). We invite you to come and learn new strategies and best practices for ministry and outreach to the older adult community.

PLEASE NOTE: Kids Meetings (Childcare) is available during the sessions, but you must attend the sessions to be eligible.

Salvationist Star Search is a Young People’s Music and Arts Competition. Come out on Saturday and support our young people!

Program