Sea Sunday will be held on 10 July 2016 and is a time when Mission supporters all over the world come to together to celebrate and remember the lives of those who work at sea. Since 1856 the Mission has faithfully served the men and women of the merchant fleet who have dedicated their lives to seafaring; crews who have in turn served their countries during war and through peacetime.
Andrew Wright, Secretary General, The Mission to Seafarers, said: “This year marks The Mission to Seafarers’ 160th anniversary and we are celebrating the lives of seafarers and their families by holding a special Sea Sunday on 10 July 2016. I very much hope that you will be able to support us by holding a Sea Sunday event on that day. I am proud to have seen our dynamic, global work flourish and grow in the last three years, with new development projects being rolled out from Falmouth to the Philippines; across Asia, the Middle East, USA and Australia, in over 200 ports in 50 countries.
Our theme for our anniversary is The Mission to Seafarers, then and now. In 1856, moved by the needs and struggles of the seafarers toiling in the Bristol Channel, The Reverend John Ashley set up a ministry to seafarers, which lay the foundations of today’s Mission. We have come a very long way since we were founded. We have a dedicated team of chaplains, staff and volunteers providing vital spiritual, emotional and practical advice to the world’s 1.5 million seafarers. Shipwreck, abandonment, piracy and separation from loved ones are just a few of the challenges seafarers face. No matter what the problem, seafarers know they can turn to The Mission to Seafarers.”
A seafarer’s life is often dangerous and lonely. But it doesn’t have to be friendless and without hope. Mission centres provide a ‘home away from home’ where seafarers can relax and use internet and phone facilities to contact their loved ones, while its ship-visitors provide on-board practical and emotional support to crews.
To download Sea Sunday materials and get involved please go to Sea Sunday. Join in the conversation this year via @FlyingAngelNews #SeaSunday or find us on Facebook.
