Nominations for GENERAL

MEDIA RELEASE, Wellington, 5 September 2002…
Issued on the Authority of Lt.Colonel Garth McKenzie
Chief Secretary, The Salvation Army, New Zealand Fiji & Tonga Territory

Nominations for GENERAL

The Salvation Army's High Council was convened at 9am on Friday 30th August 2002 for the purpose of electing The Salvation Army's 17th General, a successor to General John Gowans.

In line with tradition, the High Council is meeting at Sunbury Court in Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex, England. The 2002 High Council is the largest in the history of The Salvation Army, with eighty-seven members. Fifty-two members are attending a High Council for the first time.

A news release was issued from Sunbury Court on 3 September 2002 concerning the three nominations for the position of General. Profiles of the candidates are attached. Two of these candidates have significant links with New Zealand.
- Commissioner John Larsson, presently the Chief of the Staff - based in London, was Territorial Commander of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga territory from 1993 to 1996.
- Commissioner Shaw Clifton is the current Territorial Commander of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga territory - based in Wellington.

Further information regarding candidates and the High Council can be found on http://www.salvationist.org/hc.nsf

Garth McKenzie
Lt.Colonel
Chief Secretary

Commissioners John and Freda Larsson 6 August 2002

Commissioner John Larsson The Chief of the Staff
Commissioner Freda Larsson World Secretary for Women's Ministries
World President of SA Scouts, Guides and Guards
International Headquarters, London.

Having become an officer from Upper Norwood Corps in 1957, Commissioner John Larsson spent 23 years in various appointments in the United Kingdom - as corps officer, in training work, as territorial youth secretary in Scotland and then as national youth secretary, British Territory. Commissioner Freda Larsson (née Turner) became an officer from Kingston-on-Thames in 1965 and served as a corps officer, area youth officer and area secretary before her marriage in 1969, and afterwards as corps officer, territorial guide organiser in Scotland, and assistant in the Youth Department at National Headquarters.

In 1980, Commissioner John Larsson became the chief secretary of the South America West Territory, and Commissioner Freda Larsson the territorial home league secretary. They returned to England in 1984, with Commissioner John Larsson taking an appointment as principal of the International Training College and Commissioner Freda Larsson serving as college librarian.

From July 1988 until November 1990, Commissioner John Larsson was Assistant to the Chief of the Staff for United Kingdom administrative planning, and Commissioner Freda Larsson was coordinator for married women officers at International Headquarters. Commissioner John Larsson was then appointed territorial commander of the United Kingdom Territory and Commissioner Freda Larsson territorial president of women's organisations. The commissioners served in similar capacities in the New Zealand and Fiji Territory from 1993 to 1996, and in the Sweden and Latvia Territory from 1996 to 1999.
They assumed their present responsibilities on 1 August 1999

Commissioner John Larsson Commissioner Freda Larsson

Commissioners Hasse and Christina Kjellgren 7 August 2002

Commissioner Hasse Kjellgren Territorial Commander
Commissioner Christina Kjellgren Territorial President of Women's Ministries
Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territory.

Commissioner Hasse Kjellgren became an officer from Östra Kåren, Göteborg, and Commissioner Christina Kjellgren (née Forssell) from Hisingkåren, Göteborg, both corps in the Sweden Territory, in 1971, and they were married that same year. They served in corps work until 1985, when they were appointed to the Örebro social services centre. In 1990 they were transferred to territorial headquarters where Commissioner Hasse Kjellgren was the personnel secretary, and, in 1996, field and programme secretary.

Commissioner Christina Kjellgren served as study department secretary, secretary to the chief secretary, and assistant public relations secretary. In 1998 they were transferred to the South America East Territory, where Commissioner Hasse Kjellgren became the territorial commander and Commissioner Christina Kjellgren territorial president of women's organisations.
They came to their present appointments in 2001.

Commissioner Hasse Kjellgren Commissioner Christina Kjellgren

Commissioners Shaw and Helen Clifton 7 August 2002

Commissioner Shaw Clifton Territorial Commander
Commissioner Helen Clifton Territorial President of Women's Ministries
New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory

Commissioners Shaw & Helen (née Ashman) Clifton were married in 1967 and became officers from the Edmonton Corps, UK, in 1973. For a short period they served in the British Territory before being appointed to the overseas department at International Headquarters.

Commissioner Shaw Clifton undertook college studies in preparation for overseas service, and also worked in the literary department at International Headquarters. They took up appointments at the Mazoe Secondary School, Rhodesia in 1975, with Commissioner Shaw Clifton becoming the vice-principal that same year. The commissioners then served as corps officers in Rhodesia for two years before returning to England and taking command of the Enfield Corps.

In 1982 they took up appointments at International Headquarters where Commissioner Shaw Clifton became the legal and parliamentary secretary. Commissioner Helen Clifton served for a time in the Youth Department of the British Territory, as secretary of the students' fellowship.

A further term of corps leadership took place in 1989, when they took command of the Bromley Temple Corps before being appointed in 1992 as the divisional commander and divisional director of women's organisations of the Durham & Tees Division. In 1995 they were appointed to similar positions in the Massachusetts Division of the United States Eastern Territory, and from there, in 1997, Commissioner Shaw Clifton was appointed territorial commander and Commissioner Helen Clifton territorial president of women's organisations of the Pakistan Territory.

They came to their present appointments on 1 March 2002.
Commissioner Shaw Clifton Commissioner Helen Clifton

ENDS

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