The Salvation Army, Parramatta

The Salvation Army, Parramatta (abbreviated to PSA) is a Salvation Army Corps located in the Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.[1] It is one of the oldest active Salvation Army Corps in Australia. It is the largest of its kind within the Greater-West Division. Situated in the western suburbs of Sydney it has survived, an arson attack, and countless other disasters, it has been led by some of the most prominent Australian Salvation Army officers of the modern era, it has held onto the traditional Salvation Army image by maintaining a Brass Band and Timbrel Brigade since its inception, and, most importantly, has actively ministered to the people of Parramatta and the surrounding regions for over 120 years.

History

The current building was erected in 1969.[2]

Brass Band

Parramatta Citadel Band (PCB), part of Parramatta Salvation Army, is a typical Salvation Army Band with a membership of approximately 30-35 people. It has existed uninterrupted for close to a century. Active within the corps and community alike, PCB has become a feature of the Parramatta area.

The bands purpose is to minister the word of God to the people of Parramatta and its surrounding area's through the use of music found in the Salvation Army Brass Band Tune Books, they also commonly use arranged music of both secular and Christian origin for open-airs and concerts. The motto of the Band is derived from psalm 150: "Praise Him with Melody."[3]

Songsters

The ‘Songsters’ have been a long-standing fixture of the Parramatta Corps. Songsters are a four-part choral group that aim to bring the message of Jesus Christ to those that don't know him and also bless the congregation each Sunday through song. The group toured Asia in June 2001 and Perth in 2006, as well as other New South Wales regional centres such as Tamworth and Dubbo. The group also sings within the community at Christmas time, sharing carols and Christmas songs in shopping centres and carol services.

As well as providing musical support for the Sunday church services at Parramatta Corps, the Songsters are active with a busy concert schedule and have just finished their first CD record, released with an album launch concert on 1 June 2008.

The songsters are supported by a small ensemble of fine musicians on instruments including piano, bass guitar, and drums, and led by Songster Leader Nicola Poore, assisted by Deputy Songster Leader Elwyn Humbley.

YP Band

The Standard of The Salvation Army, of which the YP Band marches under.

The Parramatta YP (Young Peoples) Band is a brass band and was formed in 1944, its main objective is to provide a medium in which young people can worship God (through the playing of brass instruments) and also partake in fellowship with other like-minded young men and women. The band is made up of young people ranging from ages 7 to 23 and has experienced varying levels of membership over the years. In previous years up to 35 players were regularly involved, but currently there are more like 12-14. It currently consists of:

The Parramatta YP Band has toured all around New South Wales, this usually consists of a Saturday night concert, followed by a worship service at the local Salvation Army Corps on the Sunday morning.

The current YP Bandleader is Mark Roberts. He has been in this role since October 2005.

Children's Ministry

The Children's Ministry has been given the title of YP (or "young people"). The YP is overseen by the Young People's Sergeant Major (or YPSM), which is currently Kylie Maxwell.

Parramatta Corps provides groups for both children and adolescents. These groups are often led by Soldiers of the Corps and include:

Junior Soldiers

Junior Soldiers is held during the morning meeting on a Sunday morning, the children usually attend the "worship segment" of the meeting and then depart to a separate part of the Citadel. It is an age-specific discipleship model for children aged 5–14 years and aims to increase the children's knowledge and understanding of Bible truth as well as The Salvation Army's doctrines and history.

The program consists of a weekly teaching time and an award scheme. The award work allows the Junior Soldiers to complete tasks that help them to understand how they can daily live out their Christian faith. Every Corps is compelled to have someone to oversee this program, this person is formally known as the Junior Soldier Sergeant.

The Current Junior Soldier Sergeant is James Lloyd, he has been in this position since early 2005.

Parramatta Salvation Army Football Club

A Generals player in action

Parramatta Corps is the home of the Parramatta Salvation Army Football Club, the Generals, a member club of the New South Wales Churches Football Association.[4] They are a Senior team that play in the NSWCFA's Raahauge Cup 1. Little is known about the history of the club other than that it has existed in several stints over the past 30 years. The records that are available indicate that Parramatta Salvation Army, as they were known then, tasted success in 1992, as All-Age Division 4 Runners-up and in 1994, as All-Age Division 3 Premiers. On both these occasions the teams were under the coaching of Arthur Hodge.

The football club was revived in 2006 and took on the moniker The Generals. They currently field both a first and reserve grade side.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Location of PSA
  2. ↑ History according to PSA
  3. ↑ PCB performing at Sydney Congress Hall
  4. ↑ "List of Clubs". New South Wales Churches Football Association. 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  5. ↑ Generals Executive's

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