The Mission to Seafarers (formerly The Missions to Seamen) is a Christian welfare charity serving merchant crews around the world. It operates through a global network of chaplains, staff and volunteers and provides practical, emotional and spiritual support through ship visits, drop-in seafarers centres and a range of welfare and emergency support services. Pg 14-15

Work

The Mission to Seafarers is a mission society of the

Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is a Christian Full communion, communion consisting of the Church of England and other autocephalous national and regional churches in full communion. The archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity, ...

which offers help and support to merchant seafarers. The charity provides its services through the chaplains that it appoints to port centres in over 50 countries. Ship visitors supported by volunteers, are able to give free advice about employment issues or personal problems, as well as offer help in maritime emergencies. Through its centres the Mission to Seafarers provides communications, stores, transport services and publishes a bi-monthly news digest for seafarers called ''The Sea''.

Network

The Mission to Seafarers has operations in over 200 ports around the world. In over 120 of these ports, the Mission has seafarers' centres – known as Flying Angel Centres, or Flying Angel Clubs – which offer communications facilities and rest and relaxation areas, and in some cases, accommodation. Sometimes, seafarers' centres are provided in ecumenical partnership with other organisations such as the Catholic Stella Maris. The rest of the charity's presence is made up of part-time or full-time chaplains, who offer onboard support services to seafarers. The Mission to Seafarers is a founding member of the

International Christian Maritime Association The International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) is an ecumenical association of 26 Christian organisations, Protestant and Catholic, representing different churches and Christian communities actively engaged in welfare work for people who w ...

(ICMA), and its members in Canada and the United States are also members of the

North American Maritime Ministry Association The North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) is an ecumenical Christian seafarers’ welfare organization and professional association for seafarers’ welfare workers. History Founding organizations and early coordination The ...

(NAMMA). Its central office is in the church of

St Michael Paternoster Royal St Michael Paternoster Royal is a church in the City of London. The original building, which was first recorded in the 13th century, was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The church was rebuilt under the aegis of Sir Christopher Wr ...

, College Hill,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

EC4R 2RL. This church, founded by Sir

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was rebuilt by

Sir Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren FRS (; – ) was an English architect, astronomer, mathematician and physicist who was one of the most highly acclaimed architects in the history of England. Known for his work in the English Baroque style, he was acc ...

, and contains carvings by

Grinling Gibbons Grinling Gibbons (4 April 1648 – 3 August 1721) was an Anglo-Dutch sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including Windsor Castle, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and Hampton Court Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and other London church ...

. The Church is open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm excluding holidays.

History

The Mission to Seafarers has its roots in the work of Anglican priest, John Ashley who in 1835 was on the shore at

Clevedon Clevedon (, ) is a seaside town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, England. It recorded a parish population of 21,281 in the United Kingdom Census 2011, estimated at 21,442 in 2019. It lies ...

with his son who asked him how the people on ships in the

Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel (, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales (from Pembrokeshire to the Vale of Glamorgan) and South West England (from Devon to North Somerset). It extends ...

could go to church. Recognising the needs of the seafarers on the four hundred sailing vessels in the

, he created the Bristol Channel Mission. He raised funds, and in 1839 a specially designed mission

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named ''Eirene'' was built with a main cabin which could be converted into a chapel for 100 people. His work inspired similar ministries in the UK, and it was decided in 1856 that these groups should be formally organised under the name The Mission to Seamen Afloat, at Home and Abroad. In 1858, this name was changed to The Missions to Seamen, and the organisation adopted its Flying Angel logo, still in use to this day. As shipping transitioned from sail to steam methods, there became a need for places for seafarers to go while they were ashore, as ships could now dock at quaysides because they no longer had to anchor at sea waiting for a favourable wind. In response, the Mission gradually opened centres so that the men could be offered light refreshments, reading and games rooms, good cheap accommodation and a chapel. The Mission now operates over 250 centres in the world.

Notable supporters

The president is

Princess Anne Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950) is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of King ...

. The Mission's secretary general, the Revd Andrew Wright, is the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

's official spokesman on maritime affairs.

References

External links