Voyages are sometimes long and dangerous, with storms and mountainous waves battering the ship. Some are plain sailing in calm seas.

Whatever the circumstances, when the vessel berths many seafarers give thanks to God for a safe return to port in The Mission to Seafarers' chapel.

Recently, at the centre in Port Kembla, Australia, lay chaplain Lance Puckeridge overheard a seafarer take two shipmates on their first voyage into the chapel saying: "We'll go in and give thanks to God for getting back safely."

Lance says that seafarers are very spiritual people, not always Christian. "But in my centre I often watch the door of the chapel and I'll see lads go in and spend a quiet time with God."

None of them really want to be at sea, he says. They have chosen that way of life to benefit their family, to give their children an education, to be able to clothe and feed them. They sacrifice a lot to bring us our daily needs. "But," says Lance, "every seafarer has a mum waiting for him, or has a wife or his kids who they miss madly."

The world's seafarers, their families and those who minister to them will be remembered in the UK and in other countries at special Sea Sunday services on July 8.

The Mission to Seafarers, one of the main mission agencies of the Anglican Church, and its kindred societies, the Apostleship of the Sea (Roman Catholic) and the interdenominational British & International Sailors' Society, have jointly organised the annual Sea Sunday since 1975.

The Mission has produced a pack of materials to help congregations observes Sea Sunday.

It includes a parish magazine article, sermon notes and suggestions for worship. There is also new material for children in the form of a colourful 4-page magazine called "Ship to Shore" which includes cartoon stories and crossword and word-search puzzles.

For a Sea Sunday pack contact Kathy Baldwin at
The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London EC4 2RL
Tel: +44 20 7248 5202
Fax: +44 20 7248 4761
Email: pr@missiontoseafarers.org