Commissioner John Matear is set to commence his official role as the leader of the Salvation Army in the UK and Ireland on April 3rd 2006.

|TOP|Commissioner Shaw Clifton will be stepping down from the position to become the worldwide leader of the Salvation Army. Scottish-born Matear has recently been on mission for the Salvation Army in the Caribbean, leading mission across 15 countries including Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada and the Bahamas. During his time in the Caribbean the mission has grown greatly, with a huge 22% increase in adult membership.

On embarking on this new challenge on his path of faith, Commissioner John Matear will now take responsibility for more than 700 churches across the UK and Ireland, as well as more than 100 social work centres, thousands of ministers, church members, employees and volunteers.

It is predicted that although Commissioner Mataer will be based primarily at The Salvation Army’s HQ in London, he will travel with his wife Commissioner Elizabeth Mataer visiting centres across the UK and Ireland.

Already, in their first two months in their new positions, appointments have been made for them to undertake engagements across the territory in Bournemouth, Aberdeen, Liverpool and Ireland.

|AD|Commissioners John and Elizabeth Matear became Salvation Army officers in 1977/78. They have taken on appointments in youth work, church growth, evangelism and personnel, and prior to leaving for the Caribbean they were Divisional Leaders of The Salvation Army in the East Midlands.

The Salvation Army in the UK reveal that it has been at the “fore of many public affairs issues, including homelessness, gambling and human trafficking” over the past few years, as well as completing its biggest ever emergency response following the terrorist bombs in London in July 2005.

Commissioner Mataer testified, “We have been following the work of the UK Salvation Army closely whilst living in Jamaica, and have been encouraged to see what’s going on. Our priority on commencing our new leadership role is to listen and take stock of the current agendas, challenges and opportunities that are facing the UK Salvation Army at present.

“We are coming from a territory with an entirely different culture and one which is experiencing church growth. We are aware that there are different challenges facing us here in the UK, but are comforted by the knowledge that it is the same God, the same grace, the same gospel and the same mission.”