IDENTITY STATEMENT
The Salvation Army is an international Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible; its ministry is motivated by love for God and the needs of humanity.
 

MISSION STATEMENT
The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.
 

Salvation
We proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all our ministries. God’s mission is a mission of love and restoration. Through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God provided the way of salvation, culminating in the gift of eternal life for all who respond in faith. We value this gift of grace, believing that it has the power to liberate, heal and transform individuals and communities. We seek to embody this same grace and mission in our thoughts, words and deeds.

Holiness
We are shaped by the Bible and the example of Jesus through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge our total dependency on God. We pray, follow God’s Word and live by faith. Our mission demands that we respond to the lordship of Jesus Christ and remain radically obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We are committed to a disciplined Christian lifestyle and service in Christ’s name.

Intimacy with God
We commune with God through worship and prayer. Intimacy with God is both our privilege and responsibility. Disciplined and persistent prayer, worship, meditation, studying God’s word, solitude and self denial are essential to our faith, spiritual growth and mission.

Compassion
We embody God's love, reaching out to others and caring for them. God reaches out to every person in love. Our mission is always in response to that love. We strive to meet the needs of vulnerable groups and those overlooked or ignored in our communities. When needed, we will stand for them and advocate on their behalf. We accept that showing compassion may threaten those who benefit from present arrangements of power. Our desire is for God to work through our ministries to renew broken families, empower the poor and transform neighborhoods.

Respect
We promote the dignity of all persons. We believe that all people are created in God’s image. Although we are sinful creatures, we believe that Jesus was sent to restore the relationship between God and humanity. We treat people with dignity, recognizing that they are loved by God. We work to break down barriers that promote an us/them perception. We do not see only the needs and weakness of people, but also the gifts and strengths that God has given them. We work alongside people helping them to recognize their worth in Christ.

Excellence
We are innovative and effective. We require our ministries to establish measurable goals and objectives and to evaluate results. We measure mission effectiveness and adjust or prune as necessary. We allocate our resources to maximize the benefits to individuals and communities. We equip and empower our men and women and deploy them according to their abilities, talents, training and expertise. We plan for future leadership. We pray that God will provide highly-motivated, committed, skilled and productive people to carry out our mission.

Integrity
We are honest and trustworthy, accountable to God and each other. Everything we do is a reflection of God and the name of The Salvation Army; therefore, our actions will be transparent and hold up to scrutiny.

Relevance
We seek to understand and meet the needs of people in our communities. We adapt our methods to meet changes in those needs. We are progressive and pursue innovation and effectiveness. Our ministries respond to the demographics of the people living in their communities. We undertake studies to determine how we can serve best.

Co-operation
We encourage and foster teamwork and partnerships. Our ministries work cooperatively and collaboratively to fulfill our mission. We recognize that volunteers, employees, adherents, soldiers, senior recruits, and officers are our greatest assets in fulfilling our mission. We value partnerships with individuals and groups beyond the Army.

Celebration
We are thankful to God for blessing The Salvation Army. We believe God raised up the international Salvation Army and gave it a unique identity. We celebrate our rich heritage; our people; our unity and diversity; our observance of a sacramental lifestyle; our communities; and our joyous expressions of faith.
 

A BRIEF HISTORY
The Salvation Army was founded by William Booth, a former Methodist preacher who felt called to reach ordinary people. Together with his wife, Catherine, they started The Christian Mission in East London in 1865 to preach the Good News to the people on the streets. They practiced what they preached, by performing self-sacrificing social work such as feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, helping the poor and offering hope to the alcoholics.

In 1878, they saw the need to reorganize and so the name of their ministry was changed to The Salvation Army. They viewed themselves as an army of God fighting against sin and evil, waging a spiritual battle to free the oppressed. The movement adopted a quasi-military structure with its own flag, uniform and ranks.

During his lifetime, General Booth established Army work in 58 countries, traveling extensively and holding 'salvation' meetings. The Salvation Army began its work in Canada in 1882. The first open air meetings were held in Toronto and in London, Ontario. In the early days, there was much opposition to the Army's work. Gradually, the good works of the Salvationists in the community were recognized and appreciated.

In 1901 the federal government adopted the Army's prisoner probation system leading to Canada’s first parole program. In 1908 salvage work (now called re-cycling) began in Toronto, which became what is now known as Thrift Stores. In 1911 the first Juvenile Detention Centre was established in Manitoba and turned over to the Army to operate. The Salvation Army’s status in Canada was entrenched in law in 1909 when parliament passed an Act giving the organization legal standing, its governance to be conducted by The Governing Council of The Salvation Army in Canada.

The Salvation Army in Richmond started as an outpost in 1956 by Eva Poproski who held a Sunday School class. In 1965, the corps was officially established with Lt. & Mrs. Godfrew Newton as the first corps officers. In 1986, the new facility was built during the tenure of Lt. Rick & Jane Sheasby.