Waukegan Corps Welcomes Familiar Faces to New Role
The Salvation Army is excited to welcome Auxiliary Captains Greg and Angie Hartley to The Waukegan Corps Community Center. On Sunday, July 4, they were joyously installed as corps officers, and will lead all community and pastoral programs at the Waukegan corps. They might look familiar to locals because they’ve been serving Lake County, Illinois families for a while now.
Over the last two years, Captains Hartley have served at The Salvation Army’s adult rehabilitation center (ARC) in Waukegan, a residential facility for men ages 21 to 65 seeking help with substance use disorder recovery. During their time there, they helped hundreds of men searching for dignity and sobriety. Together, they provided spiritual leadership and teaching, emotional and practical support, and helped oversee the Family Thrift Store that supports the program financially.
Before their time at the Waukegan ARC, Captains Hartley served in a variety of roles with the Army throughout the Midwest, including Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas.
A Rich History of Service
Captain Greg is a second-generation member of the Army. When his father followed a girl to a Salvation Army open-air meeting in Wichita, Kansas, a legacy of service began. From their first appointment as lieutenants to their retirement as majors, Captain Greg’s parents served as pastors in various corps, committed to the pastoral ministry they loved.
Along with his parents and brothers, Captain Greg grew up going to The Salvation Army church, where his passion for music and preaching began. These God-given talents help Greg to connect with community, staff, and volunteers in his mission to Do the Most Good for those most in need.
Captain Angie is a sixth-generation Salvationist who returned to The Salvation Army at the age of 19, when she moved to St. Louis for a fresh start. Her aunt took her to a Sunday worship service at The Salvation Army and she felt called to serve.
Captain Angie follows in the footsteps of her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who all served as officers or local leaders in The Salvation Army. For 25 years, she has read, studied, and taught the Bible to help others seeking answers and assistance in their daily lives.
Rolling Up Their Sleeves
Captains Hartley shared a few chance encounters that eventually led to marriage, four children, two grandchildren, and a shared commitment to live and teach a life of practical Christianity. Captain Greg describes that as “ … how you do your job, serve the community, treat your kids, spread joy.”
The Captains look forward to building a bridge between the ARC and the Waukegan corps and creating programs that encourage a life of service and salvation. Captain Angie said that greater success is achieved by ARC graduates and community members alike when they feel welcomed, included, and involved. “I would love to invite you to our Sunday worship as my personal guest, just to check it out,” she said.
Speaking of their new roles in Waukegan, Captain Greg said, “The best description I’ve heard is ‘The Salvation Army is Christianity with its sleeves rolled up.’ I don’t know who said it, but we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and continue to serve.”