Commissioning 2025: Serving Wholeheartedly

Friday’s evening session at Commissioning 2025 kicked off the weekend’s celebrations with an upbeat declaration through music and dance featuring the Territorial Arts Ministry (TAM) team, the territorial praise team transMission, and both the first- and second-year cadets of the Evangeline Booth College (EBC). The words of the song echoed on the faces of all the cadets as they sang: “Dare me to move where I can’t see, ready to do what used to scare me. Faith is a step into eternity.”

Territorial Commander Commissioner Kelly Igleheart welcomed all those present in the Atlanta Temple Corps as well as watching online saying, “From the onset of this weekend, let’s declare it all for Jesus.” Making sure the focus was properly set, he spoke on the Territorial Priorities. “We have been focusing on the word SERVE across the entire territory,” for the year. The categories under this focus are recruitment, youth, and mission integration and development. “This weekend, you’re going to see some best practices. You’re going to get the opportunity to experience some of those things this weekend. But more than anything, we are here to serve the Lord King Jesus.”

After introducing the special guests for the weekend, Commissioners Edward and Shelley Hill from International Headquarters (IHQ) and the National Capital Band (NCB) from the Potomac Division, Commissioner Igleheart prayed, “Speak to our hearts and our lives, that we may as individuals, as Salvationists, still yet serve you in a better and better way. As we offer from the very beginning this weekend to you, we pray for your blessing upon us.”

Commissioner Edward Hill, Chief of the Staff for the international Salvation Army, and his wife Commissioner Shelley Hill, world secretary for women’s ministries, then accepted the territory’s World Services ingathering for the year, totaling $10.8 million. “We know that this giving is actually sacrificial in nature,” Commissioner Edward said. “On behalf of the General, I just want to say thank you so much for your generous giving… This kind of support helps us carry on the international mission that binds The Salvation Army together in a sense of unity and shared purpose.”

In his message, Commissioner Edward explained how God can turn even a tiny spark into a blazing fire. “The Lord can do a lot with a little, but how much more can He do with a lot! For your generous giving, for your wholehearted service, I say thank you from a grateful Salvation Army.”

“I celebrate with you that around this territory, and around this Salvation Army world, there are blazing fires of Christian worship and service through the dynamic, the growing, and God-honoring ministry of The Salvation Army,” he continued. “Friends, what’s the spark in your life that God wants to ignite into a blazing fire?”

After a time of response, TAM, transMission, and an Atlanta area youth choir sang “Live Like That,” declaring that they want to serve wholeheartedly like Jesus, giving everything they have, so that everything they say and do would point to Jesus. Joined afterwards by the NCB, they led the congregation in singing “Holy, Holy, Holy,” concluding the session in a posture of worship.