County Coordinators: Major James and Beverly Lloyd
For both Major James and Beverly Lloyd, “How did you come to The Salvation Army?” is a simple question to answer. Both of their families have been a part of The Salvation Army for several generations.
“How did you meet?” is another simple question. The answer yields a charming story, because it was James’ father who found a wonderful young woman for his son to marry, and even facilitated the introduction.
Major Beverly grew up in the United Kingdom, the daughter of second-generation Salvation Army officers. After completing college, she was working in a Salvation Army day care center in Torrance, California, pondering her best path forward in service to the world. She knew she wanted to serve the community in her career, and she was considering several worthy agencies.
Major James grew up in the United States, the son of third-generation Salvation Army officers. Like Beverly, he knew he wanted to serve. When James and Beverly met, James was home on leave from active US Army service in Iraq, where he was fighting in the Gulf War.
Beverly had already happened to meet James’ father in Torrance, where they attended the same church. Before long, she had become friends not just with James’ father but with his entire family. Knowing his son well, James’ father had written to him in Iraq, saying he knew James and Beverly would be compatible. “He’s kind of a trouble-maker,” James joked.
“Once I met my husband,” Beverly said, “I knew I wanted to stay in The Salvation Army.” They recognized their compatibility soon after meeting and courted as pen pals as James continued to serve in the Gulf War. He was still serving in the US Army at the time they married. “When we married in 1993,” Beverly recalled, “James was wearing his dress blues.” Not long after that, they worked for The Salvation Army as Youth Pastors in Santa Monica, California, sharing their first little apartment as a married couple. “Because it was a job with The Salvation Army and not an assignment,” James said, “it was an opportunity to get grounded in what it would be like to serve together.” By 1994, the pair was committed to that future, attending school together at The Salvation Army’s College of Officer Training in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. In 1996, they were commissioned as lieutenants and ordained as ministers in The Salvation Army. Now James and Beverly had become fourth and third-generation members of The Salvation Army respectively. The pair was assigned to active duty in Wrangell, Alaska, running the Wrangell Corps Community Center and serving a local community through worship, counseling, food bank, emergency disaster services, and more. They went on to serve in Washington, Oregon, and Southern California, and are now Coordinators for all the programs in Alameda County, California.
Talking with the pair, anyone would be struck by these three things: first, they are so compatible that they cheerfully finish one another’s sentences. Second, after all this time, they retain the fresh enthusiasm for service that they had when they first started out. Third, they are proud and loving parents. “No story about us would be complete without mentioning our two children!” Beverly exclaimed.
James and Beverly have two children, both in college now. Emily is a sophomore studying Special Education and Daniel is a freshman studying English. He also plays tuba in The Salvation Army’s Western Territory Youth Band. James and Beverly’s pride in their children is unmistakable, and it’s clear their children inherit their parents’ love of serving the community. “They don’t get to do what we do every day,” James said. “But they grew up in the Salvation Army, working at summer camps, helping with Christmas events, and visiting at nursing homes,” Beverly added. It is easy to speculate that their children’s passion for service could hint at a fifth generation of Salvation Army officers.