Congress in Hoonah Brings Juneau Officer Home
Juneau Corps officer, Major Gina Halverson, reads from a book during her sermon at the 2018 Congress in Hoonah, Alaska April 5-8, 2018. (Robert DeBerry/The Salvation Army)
For Juneau Corps Officer Major Gina Halverson the 2018 Congress in Hoonah was more than a time to worship and share her love of Christ. It was a homecoming. A time where she would stand in front of her friends and family and speak the word of God.
Major Halverson grew up in Hoonah and in The Salvation Army. She said her grandparents and parents attended The Salvation but It wasn’t until working at summer camp that she got a bigger picture of The Salvation Army. “I worked there for a couple years and Service Corps and that is where I think God Just really sold my heart on The Salvation Army.”
So, to be able to stand in front of those that know her best is a privilege and honor, even if it is a little scary. “This is special to me because I am from here but it is nerve racking though, because I am preaching to the people that helped me become who I am today. That is a cool thing but, nerve racking.”
Even though Halverson was nervous she said she wanted to come to Congress when they announced it was in Hoonah. “Just to be able to come home and be with my family. It’s nice to be able to show my kids their family and where I am from.”
Although coming home is always nice, Halverson admits things are different. “A lot of things have changed. A lot of my family has gotten older so it is seeing things from a different point of view.” She also said it is not just the people that have changed but that Congress has changed as well.
Juneau Corps officer, Major Gina Halverson, right, and Soldier Tim Eide Sr. unroll a flag before the March Of Witness during the 2018 Congress in Hoonah, Alaska April 5-8. (Robert DeBerry/The Salvation Army)
“Growing up it was the Corps Sergeant Majors who ran the Congresses and my dad was a Corps Sergeant Major so when congress would come to town my dad and The Salvation Army and other leaders within the Salvation Army would make committees,” Major Halverson said. “So ANS (Alaska Native Sisterhood) was in charge of food, ANB (Alaska Native Brotherhood) was in charge of the building. My Mom was always on the housing committee.”
Halverson said Congress used to be every year and she would usually go. Now Congress is every other year and some things have changed so for Halverson to see it returning is promising. “One thing I really appreciate right now is they are really trying to bring back the old school feel of the Congresses. To see that they are trying to bring that back and give it back to the people that is an exciting thing to see.”
Halverson said this visit is under better circumstances than her last time in Hoonah. The last time was seven years ago after a shooting. She came back to do her cousin’s funeral. This time her emphasis is on Congress and her sermon.
Halverson said as soon as she found out she would be preaching and as soon as the theme, ‘Christ and Him Crucified,’ was confirmed she began narrowing her talk down. “I put a lot of prayer and attention into what I say when I speak. I like to work on my delivery. I work really hard on my delivery. I worked hard on my content I really want it to be the word of God. I did a lot of prayer.”
According to her cousin, Edna Skaflestad, Major Halverson never has any trouble delivering powerful and meaningful sermons. “I have been to her service in Juneau and I went with my son and when we left he said, ‘Aunt Gina and Uncle Shane always look so happy up there. Genuinely happy. It is nice to go to service with them,’ so yes, the bar is high but I think she is going to do a wonderful job, and I am so proud of her.”
Juneau Corps Officer, Maj. Gina Halverson hugs her cousin, Edna Skaflestad, after speaking during the 2018 Congress in Hoonah, Alaska. (Robert DeBerry/The Salvation Army)