Seamen’s Church Institute featured

The Seamen’s Church Institute is one of oldest and most storied para-church ministries in the Episcopal Church. If you’ve ever done ministry in port city, you’re probably familiar with the American church’s version of the Mission to Seafarers (the U.K. ministry).


The New York based ministry to international seaman (as opposed to the Kentucky based ministry to domestic barge traffic) is profiled in a PBS piece this week. Here’s a little bit from the transcript:

“GONZALEZ: In the past, seafarers could have looked forward to several days of shore leave to unwind after a long voyage, but both increased post-9/11 security at American ports and the ‘time is money’ pressures of international trade make it difficult for mariners to venture far from their ships.

RIDER: Now the turn-around time is much faster because of automation and cranes, and especially on the container ships they can be in and out of here in 18 hours, where in the old days it might have been four or five days. In 18 hours, you are still working because there is work to do during the time at berth.

GONZALEZ: If sailors do have a few hours of free time, SCI runs a seafarers welcome center in the heart of the port. Sailors can come to relax, use phones, and check in with families on the Internet.”

Video, pictures and full transcript here.

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