Sometimes Denis comments to us that "nothing spectacular has happened" for a while. Well, we happen to think the sheer fact that God has called people to visit ships on a regular basis is reasonably spectacular. It isn't a glamorous job. But SCFS workers visit ships in all weathers, and occasionally at very antisocial hours. [...]
Author Archives: SCFS
John Barnard from Grimsby tells of a well loved and well travelled Bible
August 25, 2009 – 3:59 pm
"I visited a ship crewed by Filipinos. It was my second visit to this ship and I sat in the mess room talking. I offered a man a Bible, "No! wait!" he said, and left the mess room. It was not long before he had returned, saying, "Do you know Volker?" He then showed me [...]
Sam Cowan reports from Belfast
January 29, 2009 – 4:05 pm
A Baseball Cap, A Tee-shirt, Trousers and Trainers! It was a very cold January day, I saw a Filipino seafarer walking along the harbour. He was only wearing a baseball cap, a tee-shirt, trousers and trainers. He looked lost. I saw him talk to some of the contractors working at the harbour and they shook [...]
Christmas is Coming!
December 8, 2008 – 3:54 pm
This is a busy time of the year for SCFS Chaplains as they get ready to distribute hundreds of Christmas parcels on board ships. Here is a report from Belfast about their activities last year. At the end of November we once again were grateful for the help of our local home church family. Around [...]
The Best Film Ever Made!
October 2, 2008 – 8:33 pm
John Barnard Writes… The large vessel was waiting to discharge its cargo. All the crew were Filipino. I laid out Bibles, tracts and hats on a table. I was told by many of the crew as they came in that they have Bible study and prayer meetings on Sundays, led by a seaman named Robin. [...]
A Floating Video Library!
February 2, 2008 – 10:20 am
Rob Flinders reports about some well travelled DVDs. Faustino is the second mate onboard a ship. He is a Christian, along with Rolando, the ship's Bosun. Faustino told me that last voyage his wife Regie traveled from their home in Iloilo in the southern Philippines to Manila so that she might be with him while [...]
Imprisoned For Seven Months!
January 17, 2008 – 3:16 pm
Some seafarers find it very difficult to get shore leave. This can make them feel like prisoners! I was speaking to a Christian on a fuel carrier who had not been ashore for 7 months. The ship comes in, loads and unloads, and is off again. He has probably stood on the dock side – [...]
Sam Cowan Renews An Old Friendship
January 5, 2008 – 10:15 am
Many will remember I have been praying for Jimmy, the Turkish seafarer who I have been in contact with over the last 3 or 4 years. Jimmy contacted me at the beginning of December to say he was back on board his ship again after being on vacation. While on vacation Jimmy told his family [...]
Where Did That Booklet Come From?
December 28, 2007 – 2:08 pm
Rob Flinders SCFS Port Chaplain in Sydney reports There are many ships that are known as a 'tramp' ship. Tramp ships are those that are chartered (hired), often at very short notice, to carry one-off shipments of cargo from one port to another. As a consequence tramp ships do not have fixed schedules or published [...]
SCFS reports growth in Cruise ship visits
August 10, 2007 – 7:18 am
SCFS chaplains are receiving more and more opportunities to minister to crews on board the many cruise ships visiting our ports. Crystal Cruises and Princess Cruises have given a very favourable response to SCFS visiting their crews again this year. Another company that has been very supportive of our visits this year is Fred Olsen [...]
