The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1138510
The Press-Dispatch Local Wednesday, July 3, 2019 A- 9 New Salvation Army captain brings international experience By Janice Barniak The local Pike and Gibson County Salvation Army welcomed Capt. Chris Marques, 35, to lead the non-profit last week with a re- ception in Lafayette Park in Princ- eton. Marques has served in the Sal- vation Army his whole life, in both the U.S. and Japan "I've been going pretty much since I was a baby," Marques said. The Illinois native explained his mother attended church at and benefited from the Salvation Ar- my when he was a child, and after two years of seminary, he joined the ministry. He worked in Mich- igan for four years in a town of about 30,000 people, before mov- ing to Maine, to a rural 3,000 -per- son town. Then the door opened to serve in Japan, something he'd always dreamed of doing. He'd self-stud- ied Japanese, and said he'd be willing to learn the language. He worked in Japan for seven years. He was then posted to Chicago, where he spent 11 months before being posted to Princeton. He was cheerful about the move. "We joke they have the pink slips and they have the check, so we go where we're told. But it's a little more complicated than that," he said. Growing up, his mother drove the bus routes and the vans. His sister, who lives in India- napolis, works at the Salvation Army camp in Bedford. "She's a camper at heart," he said. He added the great thing about the Salvation Army is the way it is both internationally recognized in 130 countries, but really tailored to each community's individual needs. "Of course we never want to take that reputation for granted. No matter if we're in Princeton or Chicago or Japan, people look up to the Salvation Army to do great things and help people in need by touching people's spirit," he said. While the spiritual component is first and foremost, he said the army founder, William Booth, was a great believer in taking care of people's physical needs as a way to let them focus on their spiritu- al needs. "Soup, soap and salvation are the three words, not necessarily in that order," he said. He said the first few months he'll be just settling in and getting to know the ins and outs, and then see what needs might not be met right now. "Obviously it's not a normal nine to five when you're clergy or an officer, he said...I've met a lot of interesting folks coming through the doors." He said he especially likes to see the intergenerational stories, of people who maybe benefited from, say, a Salvation Army sum- mer camp or received help in a time of need, and later gave back through volunteering or serving on the board. Those stories are similar to his own. "We didn't have a lot of food growing up. My dad was working all the time in the tire factory," he said. "Rust belt, right? So he lost his job and I remember he worked a lot of different jobs. He delivered pizza and he hates pizza...he hat- ed it even before (the job). What- ever he had to do to keep food on the table, he did for us, but the army was always there when we needed it." he said. New Salvation Army Capt. Chris Marques meets Nick Michas during a welcome reception in Princeton at Lafayette Park. JULY 2019 1 8 7 15 14 22 21 29 28 2 9 16 23 30 31 10 17 24 4 3 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 6 13 20 27 31 in July and get the fourth week free! advertise 3 weeks Don't let sales cool off this summer! Promote your business with consistent advertising. Your ad will start on July 10. Feel free to change the ad weekly to promote different products or services. The minimum size is 3 col. x 4". Hurry! the deadline to reserve your space is friday, July 5. John Heuring Ad Manager 812-789-3671 Cindy Petty Ad Consultant 812-664-2359 Pam Lemond Ad Consultant 812-354-8500 ads@pressdispatch.net • 812-354-8500