Western PA Salvation Army Welcomes New Divisional Leaders; Majors William H. and Joan I. Bode Assume Post

CARNEGIE, Pa., July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Majors William H. and Joan I. Bode have a heart and a history for ministry.  For more than forty years, the couple has served side by side throughout the northeastern United States.  Now the Bodes are sharing their love of God and others by taking up the reins of The Salvation Army's 28-county Western Pennsylvania Division.

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Immediately prior to their current Western Pennsylvania appointment, the Bodes provided Salvation Army leadership to the state of Massachusetts.  Major William H. Bode served as Divisional Commander and Major Joan I. Bode was appointed as Associate Divisional Commander and Director of Women's Organizations. "We are anxious to hit the ground running in Western Pennsylvania," said Major William H. Bode.  "Joan and I are delighted to be here and look forward to offering our ministry and expertise to this community. The generosity of this region is known far and wide throughout The Salvation Army and we are blessed by this appointment."

Major William Bode was commissioned in 1970.  Major Joan I. Bode was commissioned in 1969 with appointments in Beverly, Plymouth, Lowell and Haverhill, Massachusetts before they were married in 1971.  For the next twenty-five years the couple served as officers in Times Square, Yonkers, and Schenectady, New York; and Toledo, Ohio.  Major William H. Bode attended The Salvation Army International College for Officers in London, England in 1992 and taught on the staff of the Soldiers National Seminar for Evangelism for four years. Major Joan I. Bode taught on the staff of the Soldiers National Seminar for Evangelism.  The couple have been active in emergency disaster relief involving hurricanes in Ohio and Puerto Rico; in the mid-west flooding in St. Louis; Ground Zero in 2001; and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

As Divisional Leaders in Massachusetts the Bodes gave leadership to the opening of the 90,000 square foot Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center in Dorchester; the relocation of the state Salvation Army headquarters; the upgrading of Camp Wonderland; and work that has started on both The Salvation Army property in Cambridge and at 1500 Washington Street in Boston.  More importantly, their joy is in seeing peoples' lives changed through the power of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs without discrimination.

Majors Bode are happily married with four married children who are also serving the Lord Jesus.  They are also blessed with twelve precious grandchildren.  The verse of Scripture that guides the family's faith is Psalm 48:11 that says, "For this God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide even unto death." The Bodes' focus for The Salvation Army in Western Pennsylvania is to extend the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus in the lives of people through all Salvation Army officers, soldiers, employees, volunteers and ministries. "We are doing the most good," once said the former International Leader of The Salvation Army, Evangeline Booth. Majors Bode concur that there is no reward equal to that of doing the most good to the most people in the most need.

Both a church and a social service organization, The Salvation Army began in London, England in 1865. Today, it provides critical services in 124 countries worldwide.  The 28-county Western Pennsylvania Division serves thousands of needy families through a wide variety of support services. To learn more about The Salvation Army in Western Pennsylvania, log onto www.salvationarmy-wpa.org.  The Salvation Army … Doing the most good . . . for the most people . . . in the most need.

SOURCE The Salvation Army