Salvation Army majors Clarence and Karen Ingram were enjoying retirement after spending a decade in the Caribbean when the organization phoned and asked if they wanted to lead operations in Moose Jaw.
The Newfoundland-born, Cut Knife, Sask.-based couple — into year two of their retirement after spending nine years in the Bahamas and Jamaica — thought it over and decided they had the strength to shepherd The Friendly City’s activities.
“There was a need here … ,” said Mr. Ingram during a recent interview. “And it’s been a little while (since they worked), so it’s good to do something new.”
“We felt we had the energy enough to take on this appointment,” chuckled Mrs. Ingram. “But I must admit, it was hard to leave the grandchildren back in Cut Knife.”
The couple — they arrived on Aug. 2 — has been with the Salvation Army for 37 years and performed many roles during that time. Their first 12 years were spent specifically pastoring churches; he later worked in — and now focuses on —administration, finance and as a divisional commander, while she has focused on women’s ministries, seniors, and retired officers.
They will share duties of leading the Moose Jaw Community Church congregation at 2 Wintergreen Drive and providing oversight of other ministries, including the Thrift Store, the downtown Community and Family Services office, and the sorting centre.
Furthermore, they will help lead church services in nursing homes and visit people in hospital, “standard things clergy do.”
The Ingrams’ appointment is until June 2024; they are filling in after the departure of lieutenants Lester and Almeta Ward, who were transferred to Bermuda in the Caribbean. While that length is not long, Mr. Ingram noted that things could change if the organization asked them to stay longer.
“This is what we agreed to right now. We have a house back in Cut Knife and we’re set up there,” he said. “If it were a longer period of time, we might be thinking differently about things.”
Majors Don and Elizabeth Grad from Swift Current were originally scheduled to fill the Moose Jaw positions, but they decided not to come, Mr. Ingram added.
Since the Ingrams are interim leaders, they won’t set any long-term goals for the Moose Jaw operations. Instead, they will maintain existing ministry activities and help residents continue those ministry opportunities.
The Ingrams have enjoyed Moose Jaw so far, and while the weather is “a little different” from the Caribbean, the people have been friendly and accepting, said Mr. Ingram. There is also plenty of ministering to do and people to help and encourage.
“It’s nice to get back after a couple of years of doing other things. Sometimes it’s good to have a little break after 34 years of continuous service,” he chuckled.
The Ingrams have a daughter in Regina, so the few times they visited her, they also stopped in Moose Jaw to do tourist things like seeing the tunnels and spa, said Mrs. Ingram.
“And I’m sure there is other stuff out there to do, so I’m looking forward to just coming downtown, walking around and getting to know the place,” she added.
“We both enjoy walking, so we’re looking forward to that opportunity to not be in the car (but) to get on our feet and explore — because we’re adventurous people.”
“You have to be adventurous when you spend nine years in the Caribbean,” chuckled Mr. Ingram.
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