Cruise ship workers added to Christmas at SeaAs Queen Victoria crew members prepared fortheir maiden world voyage from NewYork City in January, Seamen’sChurch Institute chaplains dis-tributed close to 500 Christmasat Sea knitted gifts. The QueenVictoria’s crew were among thefirst recipients of knitted gifts tocruise ship workers arriving at thePassenger Ship Terminals inBrooklyn and Manhattan.

“Providing pastoral care and service tothousands working aboard cruise shipsis indeed a challenge and a joy. We are celebrating the significant increased need for ourservices by cruise ship workers in this harbor and have added them to our list of marinersreceiving Christmas at Sea gifts,” said the Rev. David M. Rider, SCI’s Executive Director.

SCI staff performed routine pastoral care amid an historic visit to New York Harbor byCunard’s Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth 2,and the new Queen Victoria. Because theQueen Elizabeth 2 is retiring in 2008, the viewing of the only scheduled sailing of the three “Queens” from one port offered a maritime history-making moment to thousands ofspectators.

SCI chaplain, the Rev. Jacques Girard, Christmas at Sea Program Manager, Jeanette DeVita,and SCI volunteer, Dennis Genovese brought pastoral care, Christmas gifts from SCI’s volunteer knitters across the country, and the ability to safely wire money to their families in distant lands.

SCI Chaplain, the Rev. JacquesGirard distributes close to 500knitted Christmas at Sea giftsto cruise ship workers prepar-ing the Queen Victoria for

her maiden world voyage in New YorkCity on Jan. 13, 2008.

The Seamen’s Church Institute www.seamenschurch.org

Founded in 1834, the

Institute is a voluntary,

ecumenical agency

affiliated with the

Episcopal Church that

provides pastoral care,

maritime education, and

legal and advocacy

services for mariners.

In this Issue

Knit 4 Lent & new slipper pattern 2

Mariners say ”thank you,knitters“ 3

Meet us for Christmas in July 4

Christmas on the RiverMore knitters + more packers + morecompanies add up to more Christmasjoy to America’s river mariners work-ing on Christmas.

� 62 companies distributed to their vessels

� 8451 crew members received gifts

� over 30 congregations, represent-ing 6 different denominationshelped pack over 1200 boxes

2007 Christmas at Sea gift distributionA new milestone was reached in2007 in the number of crew memberswho received gifts from SCI:

� 8,450 Seafarers (includes 25 giftsfor retired seafarers)

� 750 Cruise Ship Workers

� 3,461 Gulf Mariners

� 4,990 Christmas on the River

� 17,651 Total Gifts Distributed (a record!)

WINTER 2008 VOLUME 2/NUMBER 1

The newsletter of the

Seamen’s Church Institute

Christmas at Sea Program

2 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Knit Before Christmas Winter 2008

Christmas At SeaJeanette DeVita, Program Manager212-349-9090cas@seamenschurch.orghttp://blogs.seamenschurch.org

Winter 2008, Published by The Seamen’s Church Institute of New York & New Jersey241 Water StreetNew York, NY 10038www.seamenschurch.orgThe Rev. David M. RiderExecutive Director

Design & Production by J F Arnold Group

Slipper winner knits on a Westernrange for men on waters

Need...Patterns?

Yarn?

Ready to mail?

Nola Miller, a Christmas at Sea knitter and crocheterfrom Colorado, sent in the winning slipper patternfor our contest announced last fall. The pattern isincluded in this newsletter.

Her unique slipper pattern is well known in her family and will now be tested by hundreds of oceangoing and river mariners. She hopes that mariners,like the men in her family (which includes 54 kids,grandkids, great grandkids, nieces, nephews), willlook forward to getting them.

She makes one slipper nightly. “I like to knit and crochetand to share this gift with whomever needs it.”

Nola recommends using a circular needle or doublepointed needles and says that two strands of yarn makea firmer slipper, which is especially important for knit-ting slippers for men. The pattern can be used tomake slippers of any size by using a thinner or thicker yarn.

Although she has knit this pattern hundreds of times, this is the first time it has been offered as an “official ” pattern by an organization. The pattern is the result of her decades of experience.

Over 70 years ago, Nola’s grandmother taught her to crochet by using a hair-pin and the string left over from packages from the butcher shop. During highschool, she began to volunteer her knitting and crocheting time by makingafghan squares for British servicemen before the US entered the war.

Nola learned to read patterns when her children were born and stitched allthrough their childhood. Fellow knitters and crocheters are most certainlyfamiliar with this “pattern” of life.

4,000 Hats in 40 DaysPlease consider a knitting project as

part of your Lenten Discipline.

Please help us gather 4,000 of the VERY popular hand-knit or crocheted hats for

mariners working in the Gulf Coast of the United States.

These hats will be given as Christmas gifts,along with other items as part of the 2008

Christmas on the River Program.

Spread the word to your knitting and crochet-ing friends and help SCI raise 4,000 hats!

Finished items should be sent by March 30th to:

The Seamen’s Church Institute241 Water Street

NY, NY 10038Attn: Jeanette DeVita

for pattern suggestions and information:http://blogs.seamenschurch.org

Knit 4 Lent

Please visit the Christmas at Sea blog often for special contests, activities andup-to-date information on SCI’s 2008 Christmas at Sea program.

Are you on Ravelry or Flickr? My username is devittles, please drop me a noteand say hello. http://blogs.seamenschurch.org

CAS blog offers more than chat

Knitting Honor RollHere are the names of those honored with donations to Seamen’s Church Institutefrom our last Knit Before Christmas newsletter.

All KnittersAll Mariners on the SeasAll SeamenBarbara ClausonCapt. E. J. DoucettChristmas-at-Sea Knitters

Christmas-at-Sea Knitters,"Knitt Wits"Col. Christine C. CookFlorenceJackie McDonaldJames H. Pershing

M. L. HastingsNephew Phil - In IraqRev. Jean R. SmithRichard W. ElfersThe Rev. Donald Shoub

Dear SCI,

We at Illinois Marine Towing, Inc.

appreciate your efforts. This act of

love and kindness shown to no

t only

our crewmembers but mariners

throughout the nation are truly

blessed to have people like you

who care about us.

Thanks again,

Joe M

The Seamen’s Church Institute The Knit Before Christmas Winter 2008 • 3

Mariners THANK SCI’s knitters

Dear SCI,

I am writing you from sea, just north of the

Azores Islands and

bound for Europe. On behalf of the entire

crew, I thank you for

the generous gift bags you provided for each of the crewmembers.

Both the thoughtfulness and the utility of the

gifts you sent are

genuinely appreciated by all.

Since we are headed for Northern

Europe this week, the knit

ted

items will certainly find ready use on bo

ard this ship.

I personally was moved that so many strangers took the tim

e, not

just to remember merchant mariners w

ho are away from home on

this traditional day of family and fellowship, but to inv

est the

effort to send a handmade contri

bution to your program.

It is encouraging to kno

w that in spite of the raging commercial

exercise that Christmas has becom

e in our culture, there are thos

e

who still understand and sustain the d

ay's original tradition.

Please convey to them

the extent to w

hich we all have been touched

by their kindness.

Best Regards,

Jerome Thomas

Master M/V INTEGRITY

Dear SCI,On behalf of my crew and myself I

would like to say thank you to you

and all the volunteer knitters.

With your presents you help us very

much over the Christmas season

which we have to [endure] without

our love ones.We wish you all the best and a

happy, peaceful year 2008!

SincerelyYork Koch, Master

MV "Pohang Senator"

Dear SCI,

Thanks for t

he Christm

as package

and wonderful p

rayer. Special

thanks to th

e ladies th

at did th

e

knitting. E

very item was g

raciously

accepted. It’s

a really

nice thing

you’re doing fo

r the vesse

l crews a

t

Christm

as time. M

erry Chris

tmas to

ya’ll and your fa

milies.

Blessings to

all,

Crew of the Wayne P. LaGrange Dear SCI,

The Waterways Association of

Pittsburgh along with all our

boat crews appreciates the great

job you did this Christm

as.

A special thanks to the Seamen’s

Church for being there for the

man and woman on our rivers.

Dick Ehringer

Dear SCI,Great job and again thanks for all thework you put in to make our crewmembers feel appreciated and able toenjoy the holidays while on the boats.Greg Peabody, Human ResourcesWaxler Transportation Company

My First Christmas

Christmas at Sea241 Water StreetNew York, NY 10038

You’re invited!Visiting New York City this sum-mer? Live near the Big Apple?

Don’t miss Christmas in July, akickoff event for the Christmas at Sea 2008 packing season!

Activities will include: breakfastwith SCI Chaplains, a fashionshow of the best knits of 2008, agift packing competition, knittingand crocheting workshops andmore.

Registration for this free event isrequired. Space is limited to thefirst 100 registrants so don’t put off contacting Jeanette DeVita:cas@seamenschurch.org or 212-349-9090, ext. 257 to reserve your place.

Christmas in JulyJuly 15, 20089:30am-2:00pmSeamen’s Church Institute’sHeadquarters241 Water Street New York, NY 10038

Visiting New York City a weeklater or earlier? You are still

warmly invited to visit theInstitute week-days—our doorsare always open to our stitchingfriends.

Dear Friends,

Ok. Lots of you realized that I was the new kid on the block. Taking over Christmas at

Sea from Barbara Clauson was a daunting experience. She knew many of you personally

and shared years of correspondence.

It was a struggle to absorb the countless details of running such a large and historic

program. Thankfully each of you made it easier.

I wish I were able to personally thank each of you in person for your handmade contribu

tions

to the Christmas at Sea program in 2007. Thanks to you, 17,651 mariners received

Christmas gifts from the Seamen’s Church Institute.

This past Christmas season was such a joy. From the time I started in October, I was

again and again touched and moved by the generosity that knitters like you from across the

country show to mariners.

Each package was a colorful feast for the eyes. Every gift was so carefully crafted, that

you could instantly see the love, care and prayers that were put into each stitch.

I was fortunate to board several vessels with our chaplains to distribute your gifts. You

have my word that your knitted gift was gratefully received and swiftly used. Seafarers are

touched that these items are handmade for them

by people they will never meet. On vessels

I visited after Christmas I was greeted by crew kept warm your caps and scarves.

I learned from seafarers traveling the cold North Atlantic that their favorite gifts are the

cap and scarf set and the new knitted helmet. The helmet pattern, as well as all of our other

patterns can always be found on our website or blog: www.seamenschurch.org or

http://blogs.seamenschurch.org. If you’ve never tried it, please do; it’s a quick knit and will

keep seafarers cozy on a cold day.

America’s river mariners rep

ort that the mariner’s scarf keeps them toasty on the icy

Ohio River or the upper reaches of th

e mighty Mississippi.

Thank you for making me feel so welcome in the C

hristmas at

Sea knitting circle. If you have any questions or suggestions,

please do not hesitate to drop me a note or g

ive me a call.

Very sincerely,

Jeanette DeVita