Refreshing lives, transforming faith, at the heart of the community Haere Mai, Piki Mai
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A Brief Address by Dean Charles Tyrrell QSO
Nelson Cathedral
Sunday, 20 July 2008
It is my privilege to say a few words at this service for Sea Sunday. The Mission to Seafarers at Port Nelson is one of the success stories of the church today. The success does not belong to anyone denomination but to people of several churches here in Nelson. The team of volunteers is ably led by the manager at the Mission, Milo Coldren, who is enjoying a well earned holiday with Kimberly and the children. Please pray for them that they may enjoy a real time of R & R – rest and refreshment.
Even so the work goes on. The team of volunteers at the Mission is a great testimony to Christ’s Great Commission to spread the good news of his love at every opportunity. To care for seafarers, away from home and families for such a long period of time, is indeed to extend the love of Christ. These people deserve any effort we can make to be as Christ to them, offering them welcome, support and the benefits of modern day communication to help keep their families intact. Thank God for this privilege which has been given to us.
I was doing a little research about the work of the Mission to Seafarers world-wide and was reminded that seafarers live a life unlike any other. On a constant journey, many miles from home, seafarers face loneliness, danger and spiritual isolation. And so the Mission to Seafarers reaches out to these people in a wide variety of ways. Just note some of the stats. Every year in ports around the world they:
visit almost 700 seafarers in hospital
welcome more than 600,000 seafarers to their centres
connect 220,000 international calls on behalf of seafarers
hold almost 5,000 eucharists for 19,000 seafarers and distribute thousands of bibles and other items of Christian literature
make 70,000 ship visits
advise or help in over 500 justice and welfare cases
The port chaplain chaplain at Durban in South Africa wrote this account:
I find a welcome on every ship I board. This is because seafarers know that chaplains from the Mission are there to help not hinder them, to give them quality service and not rip them off as so often happens, and be their friend, especially in times of need. Often someone from another faith will ask for help, which is freely given because they too are part of God’s creation.
Well, there’s a point for praise if ever I heard one. The work done here in Nelson is equally important and varied. Speak to Milo and he will tell you of the numerous ways he and the volunteers are able to help and encourage transient seafarers. All this is possible because of the gift of time made by the volunteers, yes, but it also comes at a cost. I want to give thanks for the generous support of Port Nelson who have demonstrated their commitment to this work, this ministry. Their generosity has ensured that the work of the Mission is not only maintained but is able to grow and develop.
In my first parish back in Liverpool UK, I had a good friend called David who was an officer on a merchant vessel and spent most of the year travelling the world. I will always remember him sharing some of the stories of the last voyage to what seemed to me exotic places like the Pacific islands and New Zealand.
David shared with me how he found that many seafarers became quite thoughtful and philosophical about life. For some, this was as far as it got but for others, time at sea gave them the opportunity to get nearer to God.
David spoke about the power of the horizon. He would go on deck after all the work was done and gaze at the horizon, seemingly going on into infinity but deep down, knowing all the time that they would go into port and that stage of the journey would be over. It was gripping stuff and as you can tell, meant a great deal to me.
I am sure many sea going people have thought deeply about the question, “Where is God?” Even a massive vessel is only a tiny blip on the radar on the ocean. To help me to answer the question, I want to turn to a little story told by a Jesuit priest, Father Anthony de Mello. The story goes that once there was a fish swimming in the vast ocean. He had heard a rumour about this thing called ‘the ocean’ and he wanted to find it and feel it and see it. And so, in his desire to find the ocean, the fish started to ask other fishes, ‘Have you heard about the “ocean”? Do you know where I can find it?
The answer came back ‘No!’ We have heard the rumour too but we have never seen “ocean” and we don’t know where it is’
From the vastness of the horizon to the very air we breathe, God is present. Sometimes we may feel like that fish, knowing that God exists, forgetting that we are surrounded and supported by his love, yet not understanding the truth. God is not obscure. Sometimes it is we who fail to see God, who fail to acknowledge the power of his love. At least when we reach out to seafarers we can ensure that they know God’s love for themselves, made evident by the care and prayer we offer them.
Please pray for the Mission to Seafarers here in Nelson, in other New Zealand ports and throughout the world. If you are able to give some time to the mission as a volunteer, that would be wonderful. Most of all, talk about this Mission in the community and let people know that the work continues in good heart and all to the glory of God the Holy Trinity.
Amen.
This sermon was written and delivered by Dean Charles Tyrrell QSO at Nelson Cathedral on Sunday, 20 July 2008
