Mission to Seafarers Scotland

10/04/2026

Read our Spring 2026 Newsletter, which includes news about what the Mission to Seafarers internationally is doing to support crews trapped in the Persian Gulf, and about the Lerwick Seafarers Centre preparing for the start of the cruise ship season:
https://www.mtss.scot/spring-2026-newsletter/

04/04/2026

Sending our prayers from Scotland that the light of Easter will shine into the lives of Seafarers worldwide.....and particularly holding in our thoughts this year all those crews trapped by conflict in the Persian Gulf ...
"From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go"

31/03/2026

We thank all those in Edinburgh Diocese for their prayers for us and our work with the crews of vessels around all the ports of Scotland.

We encourage the whole Diocese to pray together each day: for and with each other.

Today we pray for Bishop Mark, Bishop-Elect Dagmar, Wilf’s Place, including Tim H, Mission to Seafarers Scotland, including Tim T, and all who work or volunteer as a chaplain.

24/01/2026

As we prepare to celebrate Burns Night on 25th January, commemorating Scotland's national poet, we are not alone in being moved by his words. Beethoven even set one of his poems with a seafaring theme to music - 'Musing on the Roaring Ocean'.

It expresses the wishes of a seafarer's loved one, and is as relevant today as when it was written over 200 years ago:

Musing on the roaring ocean,
Which divides my love and me;
Wearying heav'n in warm devotion,
For his weal where'er he be.

Hope and Fear's alternate billow
Yielding late to Nature's law,
Whispering spirits round my pillow,
Talk of him that's far awa.

Ye whom sorrow never wounded,
Ye who never shed a tear,
Care-untroubled, joy-surrounded,
Gaudy day to you is dear.

Gentle night, do thou befriend me,
Downy sleep, the curtain draw;
Spirits kind, again attend me,
Talk of him that's far awa!

- Robert Burns, 1788

So we shall raise a 'Burns Night' toast to all Seafarers and their loved ones across the world...
.. and you can hear soprano Lynne Dawson sing Beethoven's arrangement of the poet's words here: https://youtu.be/mrUg-F03108

24/12/2025

May the light of Christmas shine on all seafarers and your families, and on the work of our colleagues in The Mission to Seafarers worldwide to support you.

16/12/2025

Our Seafarers Centre in Grangemouth is open 365/24/7 for the crews of ships visiting the port. And our volunteer ship visitors will try and visit ships in the Firth of Forth by prior arrangement.

But what if you are a seafarer who needs support right now, wherever you are in the world, in port or at sea?

Read on!

The international Mission to Seafarers (MtS) of which we are a part offers "electronic visits" through its Happy at Sea mobile app and a 24-hour "Chat to a Chaplain" digital service.

***Happy at Sea App***

Launched in 2023, the free "Happy at Sea" app acts as a digital seafarers' centre, centralizing access to support services.

Key features include:

Pre-ordering Services: Seafarers can pre-order port welfare officer ship visits, transportation to local towns/shopping centres, and specific items like SIM cards ahead of their arrival in port.

Welfare & Mental Health Resources: The app provides access to a range of wellbeing and mental health information and resources, including the "WeCare" e-learning modules.

An AI chatbot named "Flying Angel" provides instant responses to frequently asked questions.

Global Directory: The app contains a directory of all 200+ MtS locations and their available facilities and local contact details.

Seafarers Happiness Index: Users can complete the Seafarers Happiness Index survey within the app, providing feedback on their experiences to help advocate for industry improvements.

Offline Access: The app is designed with a low file size and allows some resources to be downloaded for offline use, essential for poor internet connectivity at sea.

The app is available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store - read more about it and get download links here:
https://www.missiontoseafarers.org/our-app

***Digital Chaplaincy and Support ***

In addition to the app, MtS offers direct, confidential digital communication channels:

Chat to a Chaplain: A 24-hour online chat service connects seafarers with trained chaplains around the world for confidential pastoral and emotional support. Email [email protected].

Email Support: Seafarers can also email [email protected] for welfare or justice issues.

Family Networks: MtS operates family support networks in countries like the Philippines and India, where families can access information and support online.
..

These electronic services complement the traditional face-to-face ship visits and the 'bricks and mortar' seafarers' centres [other building materials are available!] that the Mission operates globally.

02/12/2025

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Our annual Christmas present wrap for Seafarers took place with colleagues from Stella Maris on 1st December at St Mary Star of the Sea in Leith Edinburgh.

200 parcels were assembled, all containing a thermal vest, which is good for keeping warm in Scotland at this time of the year, 2 woolly hats, ball point pens, crisis badge, keyring, toiletries including shaving foam, razors, hair shampoo, deodorant, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, flannels, chocolates and biscuits, a handwritten Christmas card, prayers and rosaries.

The photograph shows some of the Mission to Seafarers and Stella Maris volunteers and the bags which will be very warmly welcomed by seafarers visiting Leith and Grangemouth Docks on the Firth of Forth over the Christmas period.

A number of sim cards, free of charge, are also available for crew members who need to keep in contact with home.

And a Happy Christmas to all our readers!

29/11/2025

We wish all Seafarers and their families a happy St Andrew's Day on 30 November - and for our followers currently in the Western Pacific, that's today already!

But how is it that Andrew became Scotland's patron saint? After all, he was a Galilean fisherman, preached the Gospel in the lands around the Black Sea and in Greece and was eventually crucified on an X-shaped cross, which is commemorated in the national flag of Scotland.

His association with Scotland, a land he never set foot on, is based on legends, one of which is the story of a monk called St Rule (or St Regulus) who had a dream in which an angel told him to take what bones of Andrew's he could gather to 'the ends of the earth' for safe keeping. After an epic journey he was shipwrecked on the east coast of Scotland - which must have seemed like reaching the 'ends of the earth'! Over a millennium later, St Rule's Tower still stands in the city now called St. Andrew's.

Wherever your voyages take you, on this St Andrew's Day we wish you safe passage - and a safe arrival!

10/09/2025

Some snapshots from our Annual Meeting on 6 September, kindly hosted by St Catharine's Episcopal Church, Bo'ness.

The meeting was chaired by Revd. Tim Linkens, our Interim Chair and Chaplain, and speakers included our Vice-Chair Simon Filsell and Deacon Joe O'Donnell from Stella Maris, our partners at the Seafarers Centre in Grangemouth.

It was also the chance to say a formal thank-you to Jeremy Hawkings for all that he has done for the Mission as our departing Chair - Rona Finlayson presented him with a token of our appreciation.

Following the meeting, our liaison bishop, the Rt. Revd. David Railton, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, presided at a shared Eucharist, after which we enjoyed a delicious lunch of soup and sandwiches provided by our parish hosts.

Our thanks go to all who participated and to our wider circle of volunteers and supporters who make our work possible.

29/08/2025

Read a round-up of MtSS news - and your invitation to our Annual Meeting at St Catharine’s Church, Bo’ness, on Saturday 6 September 11.00 am, followed by Eucharist led by our liaison Bishop, the Right Reverend David Railton, Bishop of Argyll and The Isles.

On the occasion of his 80th birthday – many congratulations! – Jeremy Hawkings stepped down from his duties as our Chair and Treasurer. There will be a chance to thank him formally at our Annual Meeting (more below) for the tremendous talent he brought and the time he has given to the Mission.