Students and faculty reflect on this year’s Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts

Having performed a reconnaissance of the battlefield following this year’s Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts, I will attempt a reconstruction the week’s events in an effort to map out the revolution now begun.

A small army of about 185 students and faculty gathered at Jackson’s Point Conference Centre at the end of summer. Some of us knew the drill. Others, like Gideon’s army, were candid in facing their fears. “I didn't know what to expect,” says Karen Hefford of Cariboo Hill Temple, Burnaby, B.C. “Here I was, flying across Canada to go to a camp where I didn't really know anybody.” Her comments reveal a response shared by most first-timers.

However, the time-honoured Grand Old Duke of York has a way of breaking the ice for even the most resolute wallflowers among us. As Karen further explains, “I experienced the Holy Spirit completely overflowing in each session. The week was one of the best of my life, and even back here in B.C., not a day has gone by when I haven't thought about and been in touch with the people I met there.”

Indeed, there were delegates from nearly every province and division, with international visitors from Russia, the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Together we formed a unique mosaic, a real United Nations of culture and diversity.

At the outset we were separated by our differences, but it didn’t take long to discover the unity found in the body of Christ. Corey Henderson from Fairview Citadel, Halifax, writes, “While at camp I realized a few things. Friends can help any situation. Prayer can help any situation. And if you combine the two then you're set for all of life’s obstacles.”

The faculty, too, experience a degree of discomfort at being so artificially thrown together. Yet, despite the annual changes to this team, the words of veteran staffer Bill Way of Agincourt Community Church, Toronto, reveal the true strength of this key piece. “This year was a special one in my books as I felt a real synergy amongst the faculty.”

Each year we draw a theme from the context of our daily Bible teachings. This year it was Revolution. One visible sign of it was evident at the mid-week program at Jackson’s Point, where students and faculty paraded in khaki T-shirts emblazoned with this year’s logo. Even the chief secretary had one!

But was it a real revolution, and what, if anything, changed during the course of the week? Domenica Miller of London Citadel, Ont., writes, “I could really feel God's presence there and it certainly changed my day-to-day life. If I had one thing I could change about it, I would make it longer than a week.”

Our musical guest this year was composer James Curnow of Nicholasville, Kentucky, U.S.A. For many years Jim was the composer in residence at Asbury College, a well-known Christian liberal arts school with a remarkable Salvation Army students’ fellowship.

At home with young people, Jim gave himself completely to coaxing the best from the musicians under him. However, a deeper contribution to the week was found in his abandoned declaration of faith in Jesus Christ, whose lordship in his own life was revealed boldly throughout the week as he taught. Jim says of himself, without the slightest hint of pride, “I’ve held nearly every position on the corps council except corps officer.” And it’s true, he has.

A more profound example of dignified Christian service would be hard to find. One faculty member put it this way: “What a wonderful Christian gentleman Jim Curnow is. He brought so much to the camp.”

Enacted Prayer
Our guest drama coach from New York City, U.S.A. Eastern Territory, was Rich Swingle, returning for his third year. A wiry sort, Rich is not unlike comedian/actor Jim Carrey in manner and form, and his performances on the stage or on the playing field leave his audience breathless, so to speak. On Monday evening, he performed his one-man play Beyond the Chariots, the story of Olympian Eric Liddell and his mission work in China, following the events depicted in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire. Rich recalls, “After the play we invited youth to come forward if they were willing to say, ‘Lord, send me anywhere.’ Between 20 and 30 young people fell at the altar. My wife, Joyce, and I prayed with many of them. Most didn't have any idea where God might call them. They just wanted to express their willingness to go.”

Rich was responsible for bringing “enacted prayer” to the school last year. This powerful prayer visualization tool is conducted in silence as performers enact the situation, putting a physical presence to the issues, the people and the healing hope of God. Faculty member Connie Knighton from Bracebridge, Ont., recalls the impact of this unique prayer focus: “Enacted prayer blessed me significantly in 2005 and 2006. Answers to these amazing prayers have been resonating through my immediate family for the last 13 months.”

Creative Expression
Revolutionary worship and revolutionary prayer are powerful. Certainly they can be creative, too, and sometimes even disturbing. A symbolic exercise in one evening session consisted of hammering to smithereens some innocuous chunks of glass. This proved to be as effective as it was intriguing. Cassandra Champ of London Citadel, Ont., writes, “The Thursday night was absolutely amazing, and smashing the idols was a great way to visually smash Satan's traps and snares.”

Gavin Randell of Glenwood, Nfld. & Lab., comments, “At Territorial, you get to express your way of worship, whether it be dancing, waving a flag or just clapping your hands, and no one makes fun of you.”

Each morning before the main rehearsals the entire school met for united worship and Bible teaching led by Captains Stephen Court and Danielle Strickland of Vancouver 614. Adam Broughton’s transparent response to this is typical of many: “I really got a lot out of the teaching and the small group sessions. The teaching was definitely different from what I get on an average Sunday morning.”

Major David Ivany, territorial youth secretary, acknowledged that this year’s school was “a week of miracles, inner healing, challenge and community.”

Deep notes, high notes, passionate notes, creative notes. The range of expression given by students and faculty following this year’s territorial school was truly superlative. Faculty member Judy Touzeau from Cariboo Hill Temple, Burnaby, B.C., shares this insight: “The music was divine, the worship was real and intentional and the friendships are being continued. It will be interesting to see the impact of the week as it ripples into all areas of students’ lives in the years to come.”

Next year’s Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts will be held August 25-September 1. Guest leaders will be Drs. Ron and Bea Holz from Asbury College, Kentucky.

The revolution continues. Shouldn’t the youth of your corps be having this experience?

by Major Len Ballantine
Secretary for Music and Gospel Arts, THQ Corps Ministries