Jeri Chadwell, Salvation Army
Salvation Army Captains Holly and Immanuel Beeson are used to starting fresh. In fact, all Salvation Army Officers are because their assignments typically change every few years — leaving them to pack up their lives and relocate to another Corps in another part of the country to continue the mission of The Salvation Army to meet human needs in the name of Jesus Christ without discrimination.
The Beesons relocated from Santa Fe, New Mexico, arriving at their new assignment at the Salvation Army Carson City Corps just a few weeks ago. But this move has brought a new meaning to the idea of starting fresh.
“A lot of times when you come to a Corps and get situated, everything is already set in place. You’ve got to kind of adapt to everything that’s going on and plug in the best you can,” Immanuel said. “This appointment is a little different because we’re in a season where we’re starting fresh with everything. We don’t have a board, so we’re going to be starting fresh with a new board. We’re going to be starting fresh with a lot of things like hiring after-school staff.”
Holly added, “We have the opportunity to see what’s most needed in the community so that we’re not just doing something to do it, but we’re really filling that gap.”
The Beesons’ desire to take their time and learn the needs of their new community was born out of their respective experiences with The Salvation Army — the place where they both found their own needs were met by Officers whose patience and understanding changed their lives’ trajectories forever.
Immanuel began his journey with the Salvation Army as a bellringer during the annual Red Kettle campaign before taking up a job at the Booth Family Center in Grass Valley. Holly came to the shelter with her three eldest children following a divorce.
“And, you know, the Officer there just poured into me and told me that my life wasn’t going to change unless I had Jesus and that I needed to get to church,” Holly said. “I just went and then slowly fell in love with the Corps and the Officers there.”
“They’re the prime example of what officers should be,” Immanuel said. “They’re the epitome of really recruiting and loving and helping.”
The pair also fell in love with one another at the Booth Family Center.
“For him, it was really my kids first,” Holly said. “He kind of, I think, recognized that it’s really hard for kids in that environment — being in a shelter. He’d see them in the community kitchen and on the playground and was goofy and joked around with them. They were drawn to him — the attention, of course. Then he discovered he liked me, after my kids.”
The Beesons became Salvationists while at the shelter, worked several years in Salvation Army jobs in Napa, California, and then went to Officer training school in 2013. They were raised to Captains in 2020 and spent three years serving as senior pastors at the Santa Fe Corps before learning they and their six children — ranging from 5 to 18 years old — would be headed to Nevada’s capital city for their next assignment.
Immanuel said the move was naturally harder on the couple’s older children.
“It’s hard to move away,” he said. “But we’ve always had good experiences moving, and our kids know that. So, we try to remind them, ‘Hey, remember the last three moves?’”
Finishing his thought, Holly added, “Each one was better than the last.”
So far, they said, that is proving true of the move to Carson City as well.
They participated as judges in the Downtown Revival Car Show hosted by the Order of The Eastern Star of Nevada on July 9 and met Carson City Mayor Lori Bagwell and representatives of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls—a youth service organization for girls between the ages of 11-20.
“We walked around and judged the cars, and then we handed out some trophies — and they presented us with a $2,500 check, which was nice,” Immanuel said.
Holly said the reception they’ve received has been warm.
“Everyone here is no nice,” she said. “It’s amazing how they’re just so friendly. Everywhere we’ve gone, we haven’t had a bad experience — from a drive-thru to the Walmart to our short interactions with other people in the community. They’re very embracing and welcoming.”
Now, the Beesons are looking forward to getting to know the community better.
“And getting to know our congregation members more and looking at what our role will be here because it takes time to learn that and jump into it. There’s a lot of opportunity,” Holly said.
Although they’re just learning about the needs of the community, Holly would like to build up The Salvation Army’s youth programs in Carson City.
“I love youth programs,” she said. “I think it’s super important, especially in a church where it’s an older congregation. If we’re not building up the youth and that next generation as leaders in the church, then eventually there’s not going to be anyone in the church.”
The Beesons also stressed that they want to serve the entire community, Salvationists and non-Salvationists alike.
“I would like for this place to be a place for anybody to come who needs hope, who needs just a safe place to go,” Immanuel said. “Apparently at one time, The Salvation Army here in Carson City was really big in the community. Everyone knew The Salvation Army for the services they provided. … So, I would really like to get the Army’s presence known in the community again, revamp our programs, create an environment where anyone feels welcomed — whether it’s for church stuff or not. It could be just to talk. We don’t have to start talking about God or anything like that. I just want to create a safe environment, a safe haven for people to come and be loved.”
The community is invited to learn more about The Salvation Army Carson City Corps by visiting its website at carsoncity.salvationarmy.org, calling (775) 887-9120 or by stopping in for weekly services at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
