’Mission Titanic’ will hit our screens on 30 September
‘Mission Titanic’ on UTV on Sunday September 30 at 10.20pm, tells the story of Revd Chris Bennett and his quest to find a boat that can become a floating shared chaplaincy in the Abercorn Basin.
View the trailer below…
Chris was appointed chaplain to Belfast’s Titanic Quarter when it was still a building site and the story caught the attention of a local TV producer. UTV commissioned the programme and ‘Mission Titanic’ is the result of 7 months filming with Chris and his wife Susan.
‘The Dock’ church and Chris are well known in the Diocese of Down and Dromore and beyond. He spent 10 years as a minister in Larne and Holywood before moving to the area famous for its ship–building heritage. He saw his new post as a chance to challenge Northern Ireland’s traditional approach to religion, where every village, town and city is filled with churches of every denomination. Chris wanted to create a multi–denominational space in which everyone would be welcome, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Titanic Quarter is home to a transient community of residents, workers, students and tourists from all over the globe and Chris’s aim was to offer them a modern approach to faith. He believes that The Dock should be the glue to bring the community together in a shared space, bringing “heart and soul, life and laughter” into the area, and uniting, not dividing, as religion has often done in the past. Chris says: “It feels like the reality of the Titanic Quarter’s original vision and tagline – ‘where once we built ships, today we build community’. This is it.”
Chris began by inviting residents to meet up for coffee on Saturday mornings, mulled wine at Christmas and BBQs in the summer, giving neighbours the chance to get to know each other. Delighted to be part of a community, most are enthusiastic about Chris’s plans.
He also has the support of Bishop Harold who appointed him to the post. He says: “Chris is a highly imaginative person – the kind of person you can put into any situation. He gets to know people and people get to know him. He is a presence in any situation.”
Time doesn’t allow for inclusion in the film of all the developments in The Dock since it was conceived. Methodist minister, Revd Karen Spence has joined Chris in the shared chaplaincy and The Dock Ltd Board of Directors has a breadth of professional experience and denominational background. This is also true of the Board of Management which is responsible for day to day operations. “The company genuinely is the ‘Shared Medley’ that we’ve been hoping and praying towards from the start,” says Chris.
In the programme, Baroness May Blood adds her voice to those who believe the new church can be a positive addition to the Titanic Quarter. She says: “It’s good the church presents itself as a uniting force. I think the whole idea of ‘The Dock’ was just totally different – and Chris himself is very hard to resist.”
Maritime historian, Charlie Warmington reflects on the importance of religion in the area, particularly during the time that Belfast’s shipbuilding industry was at its height. He says: “Churches were a wee bit special down here – brimming over with good old Christianity and religion. But the shipyard was a very dangerous place for men to work and I think that probably gave them a great feeling for spirituality, for the closeness of God.”
The Quest
Chris Bennett’s vision is of a boat that will reflect the past and help shape the future. But his challenge is to find a suitable vessel and have it in place for the Titanic centenary commemorations in April 2012.
Chris travels with a team of experts to view a potential home for ‘The Dock’ – and falls for the charms of a 100–year–old lightship in Scotland. Could this be The One? He also travels to Wales where he is inspired by the founders of an ecumenical centre on a boat in the heart of Cardiff Bay.
There is bad news for Chris on a personal front. As he tries to get the project up and running, he gets a shock medical diagnosis – but is determined that working with the new church is the best thing that he can do with his life.
With only weeks to go until the world marks the centenary anniversary of those who perished when the Titanic sank on her maiden voyage, will Chris and his team realise his dream of a church on a boat? As time runs out, things don’t turn out quite the way he’d planned.
Michael Wilson, UTV’s Managing Director of Television said: “This is a story that simply had to be told and I’m delighted our audience will get to follow Chris Bennett on his very personal mission to set up his church in the Titanic Quarter.”
Producer Patricia Moore, said: “Chris Bennett’s vision of a church on a boat may seem wildly ambitious to some, but for others, it’s the right idea at the right time. Viewers will be inspired by Chris’s enthusiasm and passion and the fact that things didn’t turn out the way he planned adds to the sense of anticipation.”
Mission Titanic was produced by Tyrone Productions with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
Don’t miss it on UTV on Sunday September 30th at 10.20pm straight after Downton Abbey!