An invitation from Mission to Seafarers
The Mission to Seafarers is nearly 160 years old and was 150 years in Northern Ireland in 2010. Known by the seafarers as ‘The Flying Angel’ because of the emblem originating from the Book of Revelation 14:6, it is highly respected by seafarers the world over, being represented in nearly 250 ports throughout the world.
The Mission’s prime purpose is to give Christian care and witness to seafarers coming from many nations – now predominately Eastern European eg. Russians, Ukrainians Polish and Far Eastern eg. Filipinos, Indonesian, Chinese, Indian.
It is unashamedly and unequivocally a Christian organisation which welcomes people of every nationality and creed by visiting the merchant ships arriving in the port and welcoming them to their mission centres.
You too are welcome as individuals and groups to visit the Flying Angel Centre in Belfast (beside the main port gate on Corry Road) to partake of the facilities, which include food and beverages, foreign money exchange, phone and IT facilities, pool and TV facilities, 2nd hand clothes shop and library. The Mission also has conference/seminar facilities for hire and parking is available.
Senior Chaplain, Revd Colin Hall–Thompson, says:
“I deeply appreciate the work and ministry of our staff, mainly volunteers. Thanks to them we are open every night of the year and 10.00am to 3.00pm weekdays. I am always on the lookout for further lay ministry/help, not only in Belfast, but also in the Ports of Warrenpoint, Larne and Lisahally.
“Each of these provincial ports has an Honorary Chaplain attached from amongst the clergy, but with not a lot of time to visit ships. It hardly needs saying that these provincial ports don’t receive the large number of ships that the Belfast one does!
“I am very happy to visit pulpits and church groups around Northern Ireland and to welcome group visits to our Centre – we can even transport you around to view the modern Port of Belfast. Come and see or hear directly about this ministry for yourselves; a ministry to a forgotten community, seafarers, on whom we depend on for 90–95% of our goods.”