Skip to Content

In Conversation with The Rev’d Eric Phinney, MTS-Canada Regional Director

Jason ZuidemaHello, friends. This is Jason Zuidema, and I am here with the Reverend Eric Phinney, who has been recently named the Director of the Canada region for the Mission to Seafarers. Previously, Reverend Eric was a chaplain at the Saint John, New Brunswick mission and has lots of other pastoral and executive experience. Eric, […]

Strengthening the Network of Maritime Ministry: A Reflection on the NAMMA North-West Regional Meeting in Vancouver

On May 13, 2025, over 25 maritime ministry leaders and volunteers from British Columbia and Washington State gathered at the Mission to Seafarers in Vancouver, BC, for the North-West Regional Meeting of the North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA). While the day began with practical training in suicide prevention through the SafeTALK course, the afternoon […]

In Conversation with Rev Gary Roosma of the Ministry to Seafarers Vancouver

In advance of a NAMMA regional meeting in Vancouver, BC, Dr. Jason Zuidema (Executive Director, NAMMA) met with Rev. Gary Roosma, Chaplain for the Ministry to Seafarers of the Christian Reformed Church. Following their one-on-one conversation, there was also an opportunity to address the full board of M2S Vancouver to discuss the challenges and opportunities […]

Book Notice: Stiftelsen Sjömanskyrkan i Stockholm – Sjömansinstitutet 100 år.

by Jason Zuidema (NAMMA/ICMA) Catharina Silberman, Stiftelsen Sjömanskyrkan i Stockholm – Sjömansinstitutet 100 år. 2017. The 100th anniversary volume of the Stockholm Seamen’s Church and Institute is a rich and detailed account of an organization that has continually adapted to the needs of seafarers over a century. Established during World War I in 1917, the […]

NAMMA Regional Meeting Florida

The North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) regional meeting on March 4 in Canaveral brought together seafarers’ welfare organizations, port chaplains, and industry representatives for a day of discussion, collaboration, and insight into the evolving landscape of maritime ministry. Hosted at the Canaveral Port Ministry, the meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on both the […]

Houston Training 2025

The maritime world is constantly evolving, and those engaged in maritime ministry must continue to develop their skills and knowledge to effectively serve seafarers. From February 23 to 28, a diverse group of participants gathered in Houston, Texas, for a course on seafarers’ welfare and maritime ministry. This program, managed by the North American Maritime […]

Exploring the History of the White Fleet on the St. Lawrence River

On Sunday 19 January, we listened to fascinating presentation hosted by La Bibliothèque Réjean-Ducharme de St-Ignace-de-Loyola, where Louis-Vincent Barthe, a former seafarer and author, shared the history of the iconic “White Fleet” of passenger ships on the St. Lawrence River. The talk, based on his book l’Épopée des Bateaux Blancs (éditions GID), was a journey […]

Book Review: How the World Ran Out of Everything by Peter S. Goodman

Book Review of How the World Ran Out of Everything: Inside the Global Supply Chain by Peter S. Goodman (HarperCollins, 2024). Peter S. Goodman, global economics correspondent for The New York Times, offers a revealing exploration of the fragile and exploitative global supply chain in his 2024 book How the World Ran Out of Everything: […]

“Christ Came to Us and for Us, and He Is Our Hope,”— Father Oleksandr Smerechynskyi on Serving Seafarers

Interview by Viktoriya Mazur, UGCC Information Department on December 24, 2024 (published originally in Ukrainian here) Soon, Ukrainians, along with the rest of the world, will celebrate the birth of Christ. Christmas is always associated with miracles and brings hope. We rush to be with family and loved ones, anticipating reunions, asking for forgiveness, offering […]

Back to top