Founders' Day

• Research the history of your corps for interesting facts and objects to share

• Create a quiz based on the Generals of The Salvation Army – more information can be found:

  • Generals of The Salvation Army on wikipedia.org

  •  Former generals on salvationarmy.org.nz

  • Multiple choice quiz from Salvationist

• Find an old Salvation Army bonnet and cap, an image of the crest and the Red Shield plus other Salvation Army memorabilia. 

• Research the meaning behind Salvation Army signs and symbols on salvationist.org.uk

• Prepare to show the videos: 

  • William Booth – God’s soldier by The Salvation Army UK & Ireland Territory (32:14)

  • ‘Joy, joy, joy! there is joy in The Salvation Army’ by St Albans Salvation Army (3:38)

  • Animated flag by Strategic Mission (1:51)

• Provide:

  • Yellow, red and blue pencils, pens or crayons

  • Pens and paper for a quiz

Additional resource:

• Salvation Army flag sheet

How important is an apostrophe? Is it Founder’s Day or Founders’ Day?

For years 2 July was known as Founder’s Day, the day The Salvation Army started. It was on that day in 1865 that William Booth, after he had been preaching on the streets, was invited to be the guest speaker at The Christian Mission in the East End of London. That night the group asked William to lead and inspire them, to be their leader. 

But now we call it Founders’ Day, acknowledging the fact that the success of this organisation (which changed its name in 1878) lies with the passion and vision of both Catherine and William Booth – the Founders of The Salvation Army.

SHARE

Share stories and objects researched from the history of your corps. Ask members to share any of their memories.

VIDEO

Show the video William Booth – God’s soldier by The Salvation Army UK & Ireland Territory (32:14)

Watch to at least 7:08, ‘This was the first appearance of the description Salvation Army.

Discuss the video together. 

• What did you notice about William, Catherine and the beginnings of The Salvation Army?
• Did anything seem familiar?
• Did anything surprise you? 

QUIZ

Do a ‘General’ knowledge quiz – ask some questions about the Generals of The Salvation Army.

Here are some examples to get you started:

1. Who was the first general?

(William Booth)

2. Who is the current General?

(salvationarmy.org/leadership)

3. How many Generals can you name?

(salvationarmy.org)

4. Can you name the female Generals?

(Evangeline Booth, Eva Burrows, Linda Bond)

5. How many Generals have had the surname Booth? – and can you name them?

(Three – William, Bramwell and Evangeline Booth.)

SYMBOLS

Show examples of an old Salvation Army bonnet and cap, an image of the crest and the Red Shield plus other Salvation Army memorabilia. Explain, if needed, the background and usage of these items. 

FLAG 

Play SASB 963 ‘Joy, joy, joy! there is joy in The Salvation Army’.

• Brass instrumental lyric video by St Albans Salvation Army (3:38)

Ask members if they know what the colours of the flag represent and to consider why they think ‘Blood and fire’ is on the flag.

• Red – the blood shed by Jesus Christ
• Yellow – the fire of the Holy Spirit
• Blue – the purity of God the Father

You may wish to share this short video Animated flag by Strategic Mission (1:51) which explains the symbolism of the flag.

COLOURING IN

Give members the ‘Salvation Army flag’ sheet. As they colour it in ask them to reflect on what they personally think should be a symbol to represent The Salvation Army.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.’

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

What did Noah, of Noah’s ark fame, and William Booth have in common? They both trusted God enough to answer his challenge to save the world – and they both wouldn’t have been able to do this without their wives supporting them!

Do you know the name of Noah’s wife? It was Naamah. Can you name William Booth’s wife? It was Catherine. 

Noah is remembered for building his ark but his wife barely gets a mention. But we can be fairly sure she did a lot of the cleaning up and feeding!

Since 2015, Catherine Booth has been acknowledged as being a co-founder of The Salvation Army. She certainly did her share of preaching and soul saving alongside her husband William.

Noah, Naamah, William and Catherine all had to have faith and courage to take the first steps in answering God’s challenge to them, and in so doing achieved great things. God often calls people to do things they feel ill equipped for, but in God we find all the resources we need to do his will.

We may feel insignificant, but we can be sure that as we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:24,

‘The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it’.

We can say yes to whatever challenge God calls us to because he will be with us.

BENEDICTION

God be in my head,

And in my understanding;

God be in my eyes,

And in my looking;

God be in my mouth,

And in my speaking;

God be in my heart,

And in my thinking;

God be at my end,

And at my departing.

SASB 1026

• SASB 509       ‘O boundless salvation!’ 

  Brass instrumental lyric video by Pendleton Corps (5:25)

  Soloist lyric video by Salvation Army Worship (4:50)

• SASB 568       ‘All that I am, all I can be’

  Lyric video by The Salvation Army Tunbridge Wells (4:06)

• ‘A gift to you (Everything that I am)’ by Frank Hernandez

  Children’s voices lyric video by 153 Children Ministry (1:52)