Following an invitation from the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS), Bishop Terence visited Teesport on Thursday 29th April to see for himself the extent of the port operations and to meet key personnel from the port authority, and volunteers from both the AOS and the Anglican Mission to Seafarers (MtS), with whom the AOS works very closely, and with whom they signed an Ecumenical Covenant in 2000.
Bishop Terence was welcomed to the Seafarers’ Centre where Tony McAvoy, AOS Lay Port Chaplain for Tees and Hartlepool, together with colleague Colin Worswick of the MtS, gave an overview of the work of the joint port chaplaincy. Bishop Terence was able to view what the Centre has to offer including a lounge with television and DVD, a pool table, a beautiful Chapel, bar and, of course, telephone and Internet facilities; the Centre is also WiFi enabled for the increasing number of seafarers who arrive with their own laptops and wish to access the worldwide web.
Later, Tony took the Bishop on a visit to Port Operations where he met Capt Jerry Drewitt, Harbour Master, and members of his team who control all shipping movements both into and out of the port of Tees and Hartlepool. A trip on the Harbour launch followed when Bishop Terence was able to see the extent of the industry along both sides of the Tees and was given a running commentary on how the port has developed over many years.
Back at the Centre, Bishop Terence met several AOS and MtS volunteers during lunch and had the opportunity to chat with them about their own contribution to the work of the port chaplaincy.
Finally, the Bishop visited one of the roll-on roll-off ferries in port that day and met Dutch and Filipino crewmembers who talked about their life at sea, and how they cope with being away from home and loved ones for such long periods.
Bishop Terence remarked at the end of the day how much he had enjoyed the visit, seeing the port, and meeting the network of people who play such a part in offering practical, pastoral and spiritual help to seafarers.
Tony McAvoy