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Sea Sunday

2nd Sunday in July 

Sea Sunday

The second Sunday in July, is when we come together across the globe to celebrate the role seafarers play in our daily lives. Seafarers are responsible for transporting over 90% of the world’s goods and fuels. Collectively there are an estimated 1.89m seafarers across the world operating on 74,000 ships. These men and women of all nationalities, often face dangerous and lonely conditions, spending months at sea, far from families, friends and loved ones.
Sea Sunday is a special opportunity to reflect, pray, and take action for the brave men and women who work at sea to ensure we have everything we need. Together, we can make a real difference in their lives. [missiontoseafarers.org] 
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The Mission to Seafarers
With a history dating back to 1856, The Mission to Seafarers supports the men and women working at sea when they need us most, as they experience loneliness and mental health issues, combined with limited access to internet onboard ships. We have over 200+ ports in 50 countries, operating day and night, 365 days a year.

​Mission to Seafarers - Sea Sunday Info & Resources

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Mission to Seafarers Wellington - Facebook Page

Intergenerational Worship

​Intergen Year B Pentecost 5: A collection of resources and ideas, on the comfort of Jesus in the midst of stress, conflict and difficulty. Includes the Mark verses on the disciples in the storm. Written and compiled by Elizabeth Waldron Anstice, Intergen Australia. Bible references: 2 Corinthians, 2 Samuel, Mark, Psalms.

Stories to Share

Mark 4:35-41 is a great bible story to link to this week's theme.

Start by sharing about those who work on the sea
at a level appropriate for your kids. This talk (Mission to Seafarers) includes some useful information and there are some powerpoint slides to go with the info. 

The Storm that Stopped
This book is a wonderful retelling of the bible story found in Mark 4, with vivid illustrations and an engaging prose. The Storm that Stopped is a great telling of this story by Alison Mitchell, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri. 
  • You can watch the story on YouTube here​
  • Purchase form the Good Book Company
  • Download FREE images from the book

Jesus and the Storm storybook, by Lost Sheep. Downloads and other resources available on their website

Stormy Seas Interactive Retelling (Mission to Seafarers) - good for little ones.
You will need - a sheet, parachute or large piece of fabric to represent the sea.
Children hold onto the edges of the sheet.  Practice making “calm seas” (holding the sheet still) and “stormy seas” (waving it up and down).

As you narrate the story, have the children make the sea calm or stormy. When Jesus calms the storm in the story, everyone brings the sheet to a gentle stillness.
Talk about - how the disciples felt during the storm and after Jesus calmed it. Reinforce the message that Jesus is powerful and brings peace.
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Boat Games

Box Boats
​You will need - large boxes from the supermarket.
Give each child a box and get them to line up at one end of the room. Get them to kneel inside the box so they can push themselves along with their hands. When you say ‘Go!’ they have to try and get to the other side of the room first!

Crossing the Sea Tag
Choose someone to be ‘In’. Have them stand in the middle of the room. Get the rest of the children to stand at one end of the room.
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The person who is in, calls out ‘Crossing the Sea!’ and all the children have to try and run to the other end of the room without getting tagged. The person who is in tries to tag as many people as they can. If a child gets tagged, they must freeze where they are. They are now also ‘in’ but can only tag people that they can reach without moving. The next round starts when the person who is in calls out ‘Crossing the Sea!’  The game ends when there is no one left to tag!

Quick Questions

  • If you could be one person in the story, would you be Jesus or the disciples? Why?
  • Can you think of a time when you have been really afraid? What did you do?
  • Have you ever prayed for help? What happened?

Boat Themed Activites

  • Storm in a Bottle Craft (Mission to Seafarers)
  • Printable Wheel Craft (Crafting the Word of God)
  • Chalk Storms (Grace and Wondering)
  • Paper Plate Craft (Mommy Snippets)
  • Boat Craft and Game  (123 Homeschool 4 Me)
  • Ocean in a Bottle, Wave Streamers and Storm in a Bag  (Bible School Teachers)
  • Story Stones (Little People Big Faith)
  • Parachute Game (Pinterest)
  • Activity Sheet (Mission to Seafarers)
  • Activity Sheet (Stella Maris UK)
  • Learn to send messages by Semaphore (Stella Maris UK)

Pray it!

Boat prayers
We used these origami boats to pray for those at sea, and for our own stresses and struggles. Here are a few options.
  • Boat instructions and A4 template (Mission to Seafarers)
  • Paper Boats (One Little Project)
  • or for something easier - grab yourself some bamboo food boats and use these instead. 
Write or draw your prayers on the boats and then float them in a water filled container as you say your prayers.
Prayer in a bottle
​You will need - paper, pens and felts, 1 small bottle per child. Paddling pool filled with water, or a piece of large blue material to represent water.

Get each of the children to write/draw a letter (prayer) to God for help with something that scares them or they are having trouble with. Roll up the letter and put it in a bottle. Write ‘SOS!’ in large letters on the bottle.

​Talk about how in the past people would write messages in bottles and throw them out to sea in the hope that someone across the sea would find the message -- either a stranger, or someone they loved (if you were a hopeless romantic!). 

Get the children to one by one put their bottle into the ‘water’ and remind them that God hears their prayers, even in the storms. 
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Media

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