Major James & Joy Labbe

12/24/2025

A message from the Labbe’s-

On the night the world honored power, heaven revealed humility. Christmas reminds us that true peace doesn’t come by force—it comes by presence.

Christmas Eve invites us to slow down.
The noise fades.
The lights dim.
And the world grows quiet.

Luke begins the Christmas story by naming Caesar Augustus—the most powerful man in the world at the time.
He was called Lord.
He was called Savior.
He was praised as the bringer of peace.

And while the world was watching Caesar… God was doing something else.

Not in a palace.
Not with an army.
But in a stable.

Christmas is the night heaven quietly announces that the true Lord has arrived.

Caesar ruled by command.
Jesus arrived in humility.

Caesar promised peace by control.
Jesus brought peace by coming near.

And tonight, let’s remember this:

The light of Christ did not overpower the darkness.
It entered it.

And the darkness could not overcome it.

From myself, Joy and all of us at The Salvation Army in Chambersburg— Merry Christmas.

09/22/2025

This Week’s Thought: “Turn Toward the Light”

Sunflowers are amazing.

They don’t just grow toward the sun—
they follow it all day long.

It’s called heliotropism—a built-in design that keeps their faces turned toward the light from sunrise to sunset.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”
—Psalm 27:1

What if we lived like sunflowers?
What if our hearts turned toward God’s light—not just once, but constantly?

🌻 When the world gets dark, keep turning.
🌻 When doubt creeps in, keep facing the Source.
🌻 When storms bend your stem, don’t break—realign.

The light of Christ is steady, even when life isn’t.
You were made to follow it.

☀️ This week:
Don’t chase shadows. Don’t live bent by yesterday.
Lift your head. Turn toward the Light.
And grow.

09/14/2025

My Wife and I would like to share a heartfelt thank you to those who have been taking care of our children during church. You have done this quietly, without being asked or asking for anything in return. Your kindness reflects the love of Christ and makes a big difference in the life of our church. We see you, we appreciate you, and we are grateful for you.

09/09/2025

This Week’s Thought: “Still on the Wheel”

Ever feel like your life is spinning—but not in the direction you hoped?

Jeremiah watched a potter work clay on a wheel.
It didn’t hold its shape.
It wasn’t quite right.
So what did the potter do?

“He reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.”
—Jeremiah 18:4

He didn’t throw it away.
He didn’t give up.
He kept shaping.

You’re not finished—you’re just still on the wheel.

God sees the cracks and the mess—and He keeps going.
The pressure you feel isn’t punishment… it’s purpose.
He’s working something beautiful out of your broken.

This week:
When life feels like spinning clay, remember—the Potter is near.
Let Him shape you, re-shape you, and make you new.

You’re still becoming who you were created to be.

Major James Labbe

09/04/2025

09/01/2025

This Week’s Thought: “Prepare the Way… And Put Your Hands to Work”

As we celebrate Labor Day—a moment to honor work, workers, and rest—we’re also confronted by the bold voice of John the Baptist in Matthew 3: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.”
—Matthew 3:3

John didn’t mince words. He didn’t offer spiritual fluff. He called for real repentance—and real fruit that proves it.

“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”
—Matthew 3:8

Fruit isn’t talk—it’s action.
It’s the evidence of what’s been happening deep in our hearts. And like labor itself, it takes effort, commitment, and daily faithfulness.

This Labor Day, we remember:
• God honors our work, both spiritual and practical.
• Repentance isn’t a feeling—it’s a movement.
• Our lives should be building roads that make it easier for others to see Jesus.

This week:
Whether you’re building homes, cooking meals, raising children, running errands, or leading a ministry—your labor can prepare the way for the Lord.

Don’t just rest from your labor—refocus it.
Let your life point to Jesus—straight and clear.

Major James Labbe

08/25/2025

This Week’s Thought: “Keep Building, Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense”

Imagine being told to build a massive boat…

…when you’ve never seen a drop of rain.
…when no one else believes it’s coming.
…when it takes years and years—and all you hear is laughter from the outside.

That’s Noah’s story. And maybe, in some ways, it’s yours too.

“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”
—Genesis 6:22

Faith doesn’t always look flashy. Sometimes it looks like building in silence, trusting in whispers, obeying without applause.

Maybe God has you in a season of building:
Building trust.
Building healing.
Building a family, a ministry, a recovery, a new chapter.

If it feels slow, unrecognized, or misunderstood—you’re in good company.
The rain came. The ark floated. And God was faithful.

This week’s challenge:
Keep building. Even if it doesn’t make sense yet.
You’re not crazy. You’re obedient.

God sees. And He keeps His promises.

08/21/2025

Dear friends,

Thank you for the feedback and questions about our recent note regarding YouTube. We truly value hearing from you, because it helps us make decisions that serve everyone better.

Our goal has always been simple: to make sure our worship and ministry online is both safe and accessible. After hearing from several of you, we’ve decided to bring this discussion to our Corps Council so that the whole leadership team can weigh in before any changes are made.

Nothing is going away in the meantime — our livestreams and videos will continue as they are. We’ll keep you updated once the council has prayerfully discussed the best path forward.

Thank you for being part of our family and for walking with us as we work to keep ministry both welcoming and safe.

With gratitude,
Majors James & Joy Labbe

08/18/2025

This Week’s Thought: “One Step at a Time”

Not every week will be full of breakthroughs.
Some weeks are about just taking the next right step.

And that’s okay.

God doesn’t ask us to sprint. He asks us to walk with Him.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
—Micah 6:8

Maybe this week isn’t about accomplishing something huge.
Maybe it’s about slowing down… listening… reaching out… choosing kindness instead of criticism.

This week: Don’t underestimate the power of one faithful step.

One prayer.
One act of kindness.
One word of encouragement.
One decision to do the right thing, even when it’s hard.

One step at a time—Jesus is walking with you.

08/13/2025

K.N.O.W.N. PART 2

Something new is still coming to Chambersburg…

A safe space. A steady voice. A reason to keep going.

K - Keep Showing Up. Be present. Be steady. Be real.
N - No Judgment. Leave shame at the door.
O - Open Hearts. Compassion is greater than critique.
W - Worth Restored. Remember who you are. Not what you’ve done.
N - New Story Begins. There’s more ahead than behind.

That’s it for now.

But if those words mean something to you —
or to someone you love —
stay tuned.