Salvation Army appoints new leaders in McHenry County

The Salvation Army’s North and Central Illinois Division has announced the appointment of Paul Seonghyeon Kim and Gloria Yeyeong Park as the new overseers of the Salvation Army Crystal Lake Corps.

Kim “brings a strong pastoral background, a heart for biblical teaching, and cross-cultural ministry experience,” a news release said. A native of South Korea, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute and is completing a master’s degree of Divinity at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Park also graduated from Moody Bible Institute and holds a bachelor’s degree in Children and Family Ministry. She has ministered across cultures and age groups in South Korea, Argentina, and the US and “is especially passionate about youth and intergenerational ministry, worship, and multiethnic inclusion,” the release said.

Both are lieutenants in the Salvation Army and graduated from Salvation Army College of Officer Training this spring, and the new appointment marks their first leadership roles of a Salvation Army corps, according to the release. The couple has a son, Ian.

“The Salvation Army regularly rotates officers to new appointments across the country, allowing leaders to grow in their experience and share their gifts to serve the unique needs of new communities. This transition is part of that long-standing tradition of mission-focused leadership development,” the organization wrote.

Leaders also thanks former Crystal Lake corps officers, Captains Pablo and Nancy Rivera, “for their remarkable impact” and said that under their leadership, the Crystal Lake corps has served more than 6,000 people annually, “providing critical social services and responding with love and integrity to community needs.”

The Riveras have begun new appointments in Belvidere, the release said.

As the Riveras did, Kim and Park roles will lead local programs that provide essential support to individuals and families facing crisis, helping them to build strong and stable futures. These services include emergency rent and utility assistance, food distribution, school supplies, Christmas gifts for children and personalized case management tailored to meet the specific needs of seniors, children and families across McHenry County.

The local Salvation Army recently held its Back to School celebration in Crystal Lake, where the organization provided 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies, free haircuts and 130 tablets donated by the World Literacy Foundation to children.

Learn more about The Salvation Army Crystal Lake Corps at salarmycl.org.