First African American to lead Army in the U.S. calls for a focus on 'The Mission'
General Shaw Clifton, world leader of The Salvation Army, along with Salvation Army leadership, will welcome Commissioners Israel L. Gaither and his wife Eva D. Gaither as National Commander and National President of Women's Ministries, respectively, during a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday 12 May at the Centennial Memorial Temple in New York City. Commissioner Israel Gaither is the first African American to hold the position in The Salvation Army's 126-year history. As part of the ceremony, Commissioner Gaither will deliver an address in which he will focus on 'promises to America'.
'America loves The Salvation Army,' said Commissioner Gaither. 'There is strong confidence in who we are and what we do. But there's more to be done. This position is an honour and I intend to lead with total dependence on God and in partnership with territorial leaders to effectively impact those on the margins of American society. All that we do is "for the mission".'
In his position, Commissioner Gaither heads a vast Army of 3,661 officers, 112,513 soldiers, 422,543 members, 60,642 employees and nearly 3.5 million volunteers, who serve more than 31 million people annually. He is the Salvation Army's chief spokesperson in the U.S. and coordinates matters of national concern to its mission. He will act as the chairman of the national board of trustees and be responsible for presiding over tri-annual commissioners' conferences, which bring together key executive leaders of the Salvation Army's four territories in the United States.
'Commissioner Gaither is a model of spiritual leadership,' said Shaw Clifton, General of The Salvation Army. 'His experience in South Africa and London give him a world-view of the challenges facing the Army today, while retaining the historical mission of the Army rooted in biblical truth and values.'
At the time of Commissioner Gaither's installation as National Commander, The Salvation Army USA has unique opportunities to forward its mission: site selection and building of community centres in line with the $1.5 billion gift from the estate of Joan B. Kroc; continuing the $363 million community recovery services for Hurricane Katrina survivors, while preparing emergency response plans for potential new disasters; continuing the iconic annual 'Red Kettle' Christmas Campaign to help the needy during the holidays; and strengthening the voice of The Salvation Army in the United States in accordance with its evangelical roots. At the same time, the Army continues to focus on a variety of other social services, which range from operating summer camps for kids to centres for senior citizens.
In her role, Commissioner Eva Gaither will lead the national women's ministries to empower women to deeper faith and service to others. Her primary areas of focus will be those involving the systematic abuse, victimization and abandonment that leads many women to lives without a lot of hope. She will partner with leaders from the four territories of The Salvation Army to combat common issues that affect women throughout America.
'A sacred responsibility and privilege has been given to me to serve as the National President of Women's Ministries,' said Commissioner Eva D. Gaither. 'The Army is well known around the world for its empowering of women – and I come to this responsibility with that same deep feeling for women in the USA who are and will be touched by this aspect of the Army's mission.'
The Commissioners Gaither, who were appointed in tandem according to Salvation Army practice, officially arrived at National Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, on 1 May 2006. Prior to joining National Headquarters, the Commissioners Gaither worked for four years at The Salvation Army's International Headquarters in London, England, where Israel Gaither was second-in-command of the worldwide organization and Eva Gaither served as World Secretary for Women's Ministries. The Gaithers have served individually and jointly in numerous leadership positions throughout the Army, including roles as pastors of Salvation Army corps (congregations) in Aliquippa, Erie and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as well as in Brooklyn New York's Bedford- Stuyvesant and various regional, national, and international leadership positions in business administration. The pair met at The Salvation Army's School for Officer Training in Suffern, NY. They graduated and were commissioned as officers in 1964. They married in 1967 and have two children and two grandchildren.
