Norwich – After leading the Norwich Salvation Army for the past five years, Captains Jerry and Mindy Uttley have been transferred to Rochester, N.Y., where they will serve as spiritual mentors for Salvation Army officers in that region.

The Norwich Salvation Army office will be closed until Wednesday, when Lt. Cheryl McCollum will take over the office that serves Norwich, Griswold and Preston. McCollum trained with the Uttleys during a temporary assignment in Norwich in December 2014.

Transfers are common in the Salvation Army, and Jerry Uttley said the five-year Norwich post was the second longest for him and his wife. They have relocated to Rochester.

“We appreciated being in Norwich,” Jerry Uttley said by telephone Monday. “There were some struggles. With our faith, we were able to overcome the struggles, because of our faith in the Lord, our faith in God. We appreciated being in Norwich, which will have a piece of our lives. We look forward to the new endeavors God has for us.”

Uttley said the couple's two sons also grew up in Norwich. Their oldest boy, Jerry, III, was 5 when they arrived at the Norwich position, and young Jonathan was just 4 months old, and is now 5.

The biggest struggle came on Aug. 24, 2014, when a fire that started in the first-floor rear kitchen area caused serious damage to the organization's building at 262 Main St., forcing the agency to find temporary homes in the downtown. The Salvation Army first moved to the basement of the United Congregational Church and later to the Gospel Foundation of New England Church at 169 Franklin St., where it remains.

The Salvation Army first considered moving out of the Main Street building it has owned since 1965, but then embarked on renovations that are not yet completed.

The fire caused a reversal of roles for the local Salvation Army and for the Uttleys. Dedicated to serving families in times of crisis and need and to providing relief services to firefighters battling fires, Jerry Uttley was faced with asking the public to help the Salvation Army.

The aftermath also brought McCollum to Norwich as a cadet in December 2014 to assist with post-fire recovery and the Red Kettle Christmas fund drive. At the time, McCollum, originally from Hartford, was a cadet in the Salvation Army College for Officer Training in Suffern, N.Y. During the one-month assignment, she said her first impression of the Norwich community was its positive response to helping the Salvation Army overcome the setback.

During Uttley's tenure in Norwich, he raised the visibility of the local chapter in the community, hosting signature Red Kettle fundraisers at non-traditional times, including a May 10 drive this year to mark National Salvation Army Week. Last November, Uttley rang the bell at the city's annual Light Up City Hall celebration to mark the start of the Christmas season on the day after Thanksgiving. It was the first time the Salvation Army participated in the event.

In 2013, Uttley tried another innovation, seeking business title sponsorships for individual red kettles. Businesses could pay $1,000 to have their names posted above the tripod kettles in the region.

“We tried to do new and different innovative ways to raise money in the community,” Uttley said Monday.

The Norwich Salvation Army serves about 125 families per month, about 600 individuals, through its food pantry, Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, toys at Christmas, back-to-school programs in the fall and winter coat distribution for children in winter.

Norwich Mayor Deberey Hinchey said Jerry Uttley visited her last week to tell her of their departure.

“It's a really exciting opportunity for them,” Hinchey said. “It's a great loss for the city. Capt. Uttley has done remarkable work with people to help them get shelter, food and services. He's really brought a spirituality to the Norwich Salvation Army.”

“They did well,” said Debbie Kievits, director of the Greater Norwich Anti-Bullying Coalition that housed its youth clubhouse in the Salvation Army building until the fire. “The Salvation Army is a good community partner. It's very important to have them in downtown Norwich. They service a lot of needs.”

Jerry Uttley said he grew up in New England and has spent half his Salvation Army career in New England, the other half in New York, including time in Syracuse and other upstate New York posts.

“Our goal in Norwich was to improve the quality of life in the area and to bring people to the Kingdom of God,” Jerry Uttley said, “bring them to a relationship with God, and to let people know there is a God who loves them and cares for them in heaven. We just really appreciated the community. We thank each and every person who was there for us and helped the mission of the Salvation Army.”

c.bessette@theday.com