Flags At Kensico

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. … Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

—1 CORINTHIANS 15:57–58

At last year’s annual memorial service at Kensico Cemetery, Major Dwayne Barnes carried a wreath to lay at the grave of General Evangeline Booth, accompanied by Major Eric Rodriguez and Commissioner Susan Bukiewicz, the USA East territorial president of women’s ministries and territorial leader for officer development.

Commissioner Ralph Bukiewicz, territorial commander, spoke to the assembly. “There are numerous names on stones throughout the Salvationist section of this cemetery that represent lives that transcend the dates … on their headstone. But they live on,” he said, “first of all, in eternity where our hope is based, but also in our lives, in our memories, in our hearts.”

Founded in 1889, Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, N.Y., lies just north of New York City. It is the final resting place for many prominent figures within The Salvation Army. Each year, at the section reserved for officers and soldiers, services are held to remember those who have been promoted to glory. As the New York Staff Band plays and the graves are decorated with Salvation Army flags, we offer prayers of thanksgiving for the lives and contributions of those who dedi­cated themselves to serving others through The Salvation Army.

photo by Antonio Di Caterina