Appointments 2026: Praying through change

As spiritual leaders across the UK and Ireland move appointments, Major Donald Montgomery calls us to prayer.

The season of General Farewell changes is always a significant moment in the life of The Salvation Army. For some, it brings the excitement of a new beginning, for others, the sadness of farewell, the uncertainty of transition or the challenge of trusting God in unfamiliar territory. New and experienced officers, territorial envoys and cadets in training all prepare to move. Congregations, staff and residents prepare to receive, and faith communities across the territory adjust to the reality that ministry is both deeply personal and faithfully shared.

In such days, prayer is not simply a kind gesture; it is a vital ministry. We pray for people who are leaving appointments, giving thanks for relationships formed, lives touched and seeds sown. We pray for people who are arriving, asking that God will give them wisdom, courage and grace as they learn new names, new stories and new patterns of mission. We pray for congregations, that they may be generous in welcome, patient in adjustment and open to the fresh work of the Holy Spirit.

Henri Nouwen once wrote of the longing simply ‘to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps … and be known as someone who wants to live with them’. His words remind us that ministry is not first about programmes, meetings or impressive projects, but about presence: knowing people by name, listening to their stories and allowing love to be seen in ordinary, faithful ways. When appointments change, this simple ministry of presence begins again. That can be costly, but it can also be holy ground.

Scripture offers steady encouragement for seasons of movement and uncertainty. Proverbs reminds us: ‘In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths’ (Proverbs 3:6 English Standard Version). Jeremiah speaks of God’s purposes, of ‘plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope’ (Jeremiah 29:11 The Living Bible). Isaiah assures us that, whether we turn to the right or to the left, God’s voice still says: ‘This is the way; walk in it’ (Isaiah 30:21). These promises do not remove every difficulty, but they anchor us in the truth that God guides, provides and remains faithful.

Jesus said: ‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33). In changing appointments, people might experience mixed emotions, unanswered questions and practical pressures. Yet we also have the assurance that Christ goes before us, walks beside us and prepares the way.

May this appointment season become more than an administrative process. May it become a call to prayer, a renewal of love and a reminder that every leader, every congregation and every community belongs first to God.

So let us pray intentionally. Take time this week to pray in your corps, in your small group, around your table and in your own quiet place. And as we pray, may we be ready to welcome, support, release and trust – confident that the One who calls is faithful, and the One who leads will not forsake us, and will bless us in unexpected ways.

Reflect and respond

• Pray by name for the people who are moving, the corps who are receiving new leaders, and the people who are navigating farewell and welcome. 
• Pray for leaders and their families as they pack boxes, say goodbyes and step into new responsibilities. 
• Pray for corps and centres as they honour what has been and prepare for what is next. 
• Pray for those who find change difficult, that they will know Christ’s peace. 
• Pray for new partnerships in mission, for mutual trust, and for the courage to follow where God leads.