Salvation Army welcomes new commanders
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on July 4, 2015 10:58 PM
bbarclay@newsargus.com
"We're home."
That's how the new Salvation Army commanders feel after being in Goldsboro less than two weeks and having people all over town -- including one man who was in his car at a stoplight -- stop them to welcome them.
Lts. Phillip Jr. and Sherrie Stokes replaced Capts. Kenny and Julie Igleheart, who were reassigned to the Salvation Army in Elizabeth City last month.
While the Stokeses are learning the ins and outs of the Salvation Army here, their biggest focus will be building on what the Iglehearts established here.
"The Iglehearts left us in good hands and in good standing," 37-year-old Stokes said. "Then, as we learn, we can add a little sprinkle of our flavor here and there."
Mrs. Stokes, 34, said it's been a while since officers with young children have commanded Goldsboro's Salvation Army.
"And statistically, when a pastor has children, they attract children of their children's age," she said. "I think it's going to be great for us to be able to invest in the youth here in this community through Vacation Bible School, youth night each Monday and youth Bible study."
This is the second Salvation Army command for the officers, who have been with the organization for seven years.
After a year of training in Rocky Mount and two years at the Salvation Army's Evangeline Booth College in Atlanta, their first command was in Irmo, S.C.
"That corps there was mostly just church because all of the social services were done out of Columbia, S.C.," Mrs. Stokes said.
Mrs. Stokes is originally from Danville, Va., and Stokes is from Reidsville.
At the age of 13, Mrs. Stokes moved to Reidsville to live with her father and grandmother, who were Southern Baptist.
The couple's first experience with the Salvation Army was through the Home League, a women's ministry with the organization that his mother belonged to. The Home League gave the couple a baby shower for the birth of their first child.
"They had never even met us before," Mrs. Stokes said. "That really planted the seed."
But it wasn't until their third child was born that Mrs. Stokes, a stay-at-home mother, felt like something was missing from their lives and started going to a Baptist Church.
"Something told me that wasn't the right place," Mrs. Stokes said. "I went back to the Salvation Army and haven't left since. I fell in love with its mission."
Her husband hesitated at first, though, because he felt God deserved better.
"I was trying to fix myself before I got into church," he said. "But then I realized I needed to go to church and have God fix me."
Even after the couple made the decision to serve with the Salvation Army, obstacles emerged.
"There was a point where we were telling the Lord, 'No, not right now, we're not ready,'" Mrs. Stokes said. "We have two dogs that wouldn't have a home. In two weeks, one ran up on the road and was hit and died. When we found him, he had his legs crossed with his head on them and just laid there like he was at peace."
Another obstacle for the Stokeses was the fact that they had custody of Mrs. Stokes' teenage cousin, whose mom died of lung cancer. They didn't want to upset her life by taking her from one assignment to another.
"Not too long after the dog died, my cousin left when she was 17," Mrs. Stokes said. "At that point, the Lord said, 'I have taken out every excuse that you have given me, now I need you to serve me.'"
The new commanders have four children. LeighAnne, 12, is a corps cadet, doing Bible study and outreach service projects. Rylee, 9, is an outdoors-type of girl who loves snakes, lizards, bugs and things like that. Phillip, 11, is into sports right now, but already has plans to become a Salvation Army officer.
The couple has legal custody of Mrs. Stokes' cousin's 4-year-old son, Kyrie. She said he's the daredevil of the family.
Stokes said the biggest thing the community can do to help the Salvation Army is to make themselves available and offer their gifts and talents.
"Volunteers are our driving force," he said.
"And anytime the community wants to come and see what we do, just stop in and see what we do behind the scenes. The Salvation Army is part of their community."
"We've been places in our lives when we've been down to bare minimal and places where we've been financially stable," Mrs. Stokes said. "We know what it's like to be in need and be part of that community that needs to have a voice."