General announces sessional names

General Lyndon Buckingham has announced the cadet sessional names for 2026 to 2032.

Each General is required to provide sessional names for five sessions of cadets. In recent decades, sessional names have focused on the members of the session and primarily what they do, such as Messengers of Peace and Witnesses for Christ. In earlier decades, they were often single word descriptors, sometimes about qualities, such as Faithful and Courageous.

‘Sessional names need to say something about the needs of our times, and the way in which the gospel matches those needs,’ explained the General. ‘In a time when people are concerned about “mission drift” and our identity, my heart was drawn to five words that express the core of who we are as individuals and as The Salvation Army. This may be a departure from recent practice, but the more I have engaged with the task the more my spirit is at peace with this approach.

‘With that in mind, I take this opportunity to share with you the decision I have reached after much prayerful consideration and reflection.’

The names and Scriptures to be given to future training sessions will be as follows:

• The 2026 to 2028 session will be named Rescued (see Colossians 1:13).
• The 2027 to 2029 session will be named Redeemed (see Galatians 3:13).
• The 2028 to 2030 session will be named Reconciled (see 2 Corinthians 5:18 and 19). 
• The 2029 to 2031 session will be named Restored (see 1 Peter 5:10). 
• The 2030 to 2032 session will be named Renewed (see Romans 12:2).

‘May these names and Scriptures provide a focus for the cadets during their studies and have a shaping impact on their ministry as officers,’ the General concluded.