Founded in 1834,

SCI is a voluntary,

ecumenical agency

af�liated with the

Episcopal Church that

provides pastoral care,

maritime education, and

legal advocacy services

for mariners.

The newsletter of the

Seamen’s Church Institute’s

Christmas at Sea Program

In this Issue

The Seamen’s Church Institute

Summer 2018 VOLume 12 / NumBer 2

The Perfect BalanceKnitting is about balance. We’ve all had those moments when, halfway through a project, we realize our stitches are too tight and we’re on the way to producing a miniature version of our intended FO (finished object). Or, on the flip side, our stitches are so loose that our project has no definition or structure. When we strike that “just right” balance between the tension of our stitches and breathing room for our fiber, it results in a clean and elegant finished product.

For nonprofits such as SCI, striking a balance when engaging our friends and supporters is important too. Too much attention solely on financial relationships (tight and unyielding stitches) can create a narrow—and ultimately unfulfilling—relationship that has no shared vision. However, concentrating on the fun elements of the program without regard to fundraising (“loosey goosey” stitches), can result in a program that sags and fails to thrive due to lack of support! But the right balance between these elements creates a strong, forward-thinking and sustainable program that embraces creativity and fosters long-lasting, mutually-satisfying relationships.

At Christmas at Sea, we have been blessed with generations of active stitchers and supporters. The hand-made items we receive each week show how committed our volunteers are to this wonderful program. One hundred and twenty years after it all began, we never cease to be amazed by your generosity with time, talent, and skills. We humbly accept these labors of love and are privileged to steward them to the men and women working on the water. We also want to make sure you know all the different ways you can get involved as well as knitting for us.

Some of you are already active donors to SCI and the Christmas at Sea program. Your support has helped this program thrive and

grow, despite its age! Our heartfelt thanks to you.

Every gift counts. Together we can create the “right” balance, resulting in something that is both beautiful and strong. Here are some ways you can enhance your current support:

Make an annual financial giftSCI relies on annual gifts to support its programs serving mariners. Together, all gifts—large and small—have an impact and sustain our work. Please consider a financial gift today. You can make a one-time annual gift or set up a recurring monthly gift. You can write a check or pay by credit card. Whatever your preference, we can work with you. Your support is vital!

Join th e 1898 SocietyThis year, we launched the 1898 Society commemorating the 120th anniversary of Christmas at Sea. This special legacy society honors knitters who include SCI in their estate plans. If you choose to give a legacy gift to SCI, and once you notify us, we will enroll you in the 1898 Society. And as an extra expression of our gratitude you will receive a commemorative Christmas at Sea ornament to treasure for years to come!

For more information, or to enroll in the 1898 society, email cas@seamenschurch.org.

Get oth ers involvedNo program can continue without growth, and here at Christmas at Sea we love to make friends! So please encourage those you know to get involved with SCI. If they can’t knit, there are many other ways to get involved. Please spread the word about CAS, about SCI, and about the often-overlooked maritime workforce who keep our economy afloat. Thank you!

120yearsofChristmas at Sea1898-2018

Joanne’s Letter 2

A Note from michelle mcWilliams 3

Top Picks from Facebook 3

CAS Quiz 4

meet Some Seafarers 5

Get in Touch 6

The Knit Before Christmas Summer 2018 • 2 seamenschurch.org

If you’re active on Ravelry, join the Christmas at Sea group (search for christmas-at-sea)

Need help? Turn to your knitting friends for support. Check out Christmas at Sea’s Facebook page to meet our warm online community.

Looking for a PDF of this newsletter that you can read on your iPad or email to a friend?

Joanne Bartosik Program Manager, Christmas at Sea

Download a copy online. smschur.ch/knitb4xmas

smschur.ch/cas-youtube

Letter from JoanneChristmas at Sea has a new Program Manager! We are delighted to introduce Joanne Bartosik who has been with us since July, and is settling into her new role beautifully. So without further ado, we’ll hand over to Joanne herself...

Dear CAS Stitchers, Friends, and Supporters,

As I settle into my new digs at the International Seafarers’ Center in Port Newark, I consider it a privilege to be afforded the unique opportunity of steering the helm of Christmas at Sea (CAS). This 120-year-old program is woven into the fabric of the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), and I am delighted to be on board. With over 15 years of nonprofit experience, most recently as Outreach Development and Program Manager for The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields in Greenwich Village, what I enjoy most is working with volunteers. Your caring, commitment, and creativity inspire me. I am in awe of the expertly-crafted hats, scarves, cowls, vests, and socks filling the cubby holes on the back wall of my new environs. So much so that I tried my hand at knitting a Seafarer’s Scarf! I plan to work my way through the pattern book and improve my knitting skills with each endeavor.

Growing up, everyone in my family had more than one handmade sweater. My mother, an expert knitter, first taught me the skill when I was in high school. I used to accompany her to the local yarn store when she was about to begin a new project, and she often asked my opinion when selecting colors. She motivated me to pick up my first set of knitting needles, and I used my allowance to purchase yarn for my first scarf. I vividly remember the trip to Woolworth’s where I was instantly attracted to multi colored skeins of yarn in bright, primary colors. I did most of the work on that scarf by myself, but, I confess, my mother added the fringe. It remains my signature scarf, and to this day, I get compliments on it!

I don’t know if my decades old multi-colored, stretched-out scarf had anything to do with it, but my daughter, Ellesse, decided she wanted to learn how to knit too. I don’t remember where we bought the yarn, but I do remember exactly when we began that project…it was her freshman year of high school. Over ten whole years that poor scarf weathered numerous interruptions, until finally, happily, just last month, we completed it! (As you can guess, it turned out to be a joint project...) It changed colors and patterns along the way, it’s much too long and wide, and it bears various dropped stitches, but it’s complete, an original, a conversation piece, and a precious shared memory. It makes me smile thinking about passing a skill to my daughter that was given to me by my mother.

Let’s knit together and share stories! I would love to hear from you and learn about your experiences knitting and/or crocheting, and your connection to Christmas at Sea. In this issue of The Knit Before Christmas you will find a “get in touch” form. I’m hoping you will take a few minutes to complete the form and send it along with your package so we can get to know each other better. If you prefer, you are always welcome to give me a call at +1 (973) 589-5828 or email me directly at cas@seamenschurch.org. If there is anything I can do to enhance your experience with this special program, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Warm regards,

Joanne Bartosik and Michelle McWilliams unpack knits for Christmas at Sea.

Need…

Patterns?

Tags?

Ready to mail?

Christmas at Sea118 Export StreetPort Newark, NJ 07114Joanne Bartosik, Program Manager973-589-5828cas@seamenschurch.org

Summer 2018 Volume 12 / Number 2Published by the Seamen’s Church Instituteseamenschurch.orgThe Rev. David M. Rider President & Executive Director

Editor, Naomi WalkerDesign & Production by BlissDesignThis newsletter is printed on recycled paper.

The Knit Before Christmas Summer 2018 • 3 seamenschurch.org

Anchors Aweigh!

Gwynne from CT you have

been very busy knitting these

27 hats! [Photo E: 3 hats in a line]

Elsie celebrated her 98th

birthday in May!

These are the last batch

of knits she will be sending

in to Christmas at Sea. Our

heartfelt thanks to you,

Elsie, for your many years of

generosity and faithful support—

a real labor of love

A Note from michelle mcWilliamsSCI Ship Visitor Michelle McWilliams is the creative drive behind many of the beautifully-crafted posts on our Christmas at Sea Facebook page. Once she’s finished her day job of visiting ships and supporting seafarers, she is often to be found in the CAS headquarters, unpacking

knits, writing thank you cards, and keeping us up to date with the goodies that come through our doors. Here, she reflects on how her involvement with Christmas at Sea has opened her eyes to the dedication of SCI’s volunteers:

Opening boxes and unpacking knits from all across the U.S. and further afield is truly a labor of love. Not being a

knitter myself, I am constantly impressed with the patterns and creativity of our Christmas at Sea knitters. No hat or scarf is ever really the same!

It is always fascinating to see the variety of knitted, stitched, and crocheted items as I open each box, and I especially love to read your stories. Whether you have a connection to the maritime, a seafarer in your family, or you’re carrying on the tradition of knitting passed onto you by your grandmother—this is the reason why Christmas at Sea is such a special program. It provides a truly personal touch!

I started out unpacking boxes in the fall of 2013 during an SCI internship as a Ship Visitor. After joining the SCI team again full-time in the fall of 2016, it amazed me how many of the names

of knitters I recognized, and continue to do so to this day! It’s like knowing someone without ever meeting them, which shows what a unique community Christmas at Sea is.

In my role as SCI Ship Visitor, being able to give out the knits over the Christmas period is very special. I get to see first-hand how much the seafarers appreciate all the hard work and generosity of our knitters. I am humbled to be a part of the Christmas at Sea team in our Port Newark center.

Some top picks from Facebook!#Volunteer #ShoutOut #ChristmasAtSea

[Photo A: Seafarer scarves on washing line]

Wow! We LOVE the care

and effort that's gone into

making these 13 seafarer

scarves, Margie B. from GA!

[Photo B: Hats and scarves against brick wall]

What a gorgeous collection, Barbara W.

from NJ! Such luminous hues of seafoam

green Thank you for all the knits

you recently sent in: 5 cowls, 4 Oliver’s

caps, 2 seafarer scarves, 2 mariner scarves,

2 scrappy scarves, 2 mariner beanies, 1

seafarer hat and a helmet![Photo C: pyramid of hats with 120 tags against wall]

Gorgeous

hats in

such cheery

colors! Katherine W. from

NJ, thank you for these six

seafarer hat/scarves sets [Photo D: anchor made from hats]

Not found us on Facebook yet? Search for “Christmas at Sea” or type “facebook.com/christmasatsea” into your browser and follow us to keep up to date with all the latest knits and news.

Christmas comes to a container ship mess room!

The Knit Before Christmas Summer 2018 • 4 seamenschurch.org

Christmas at Sea TRUE or FALSE QuizTrue or False: Since most seafarers and mariners are men, only dark, masculine colors are accepted and distributed. Bright colors also pose a security threat.

FALSE! While most of the maritime workforce is male, we find that seafarers and mariners love bright colors as well as the more traditional color palette. Our only recommendation is to stay away from pastels, as those light, delicate colors show too much dirt and grime. Save those hues for the babies!

Bright colors do not pose a security threat. In fact, required safety gear is usually fluorescent!

True or False: Embellishments are encouraged on Christmas at Sea knits—it is festive after all.

FALSE! While we encourage creativity (stripes, bold colors, maybe even a little Fair Isle or color work), we cannot accept items that include tassels, pompoms, braids, fringes, or are too long. These types of variations pose a

safety hazard and if we cannot remove the element, we will donate that piece to another charity. Keep in mind, there are lots of heads and necks to warm on the open waters and we want to gift every single item to one of the seafarers or mariners we serve, so please follow the essence of our patterns if you are using a different one.

True or False: All types of fiber are welcome.

TRUE! Please knit with the fiber that makes you happy and you have available. You may use wool, washable wool, wool blends, or acrylics—again knit with your preference! All are acceptable. If you are knitting with wool or something special like cashmere, we recommend that you attach a tag or note so that the recipient knows not to put it in the dryer. All patterns have a recommended yarn weight and gauge (one caveat: fun fur is not really appropriate for this program!)

True or False: Christmas at Sea patterns must be followed exactly or they can’t be used.

FALSE!

Our patterns are designed to complement the work and safety gear seafarers and mariners wear on board their vessel (as well as look great when not in jumpsuits, safety vests, and hard hats)! While we encourage you to use our carefully-crafted patterns, as long as your knit meets our guideline standards, we don’t mind if you have a preferred method of decreasing, want to incorporate a decorative pattern, or use your favorite cast-on. We evaluate every piece that is delivered to make sure it is appropriate.

All our Christmas at Sea patterns are available on our website and are free to use and distribute. Visit seamenschurch.org/christmas-at-sea

In addition to Christmas at Sea, SCI sends Chaplains and Ship Welfare Visitors onto vessels throughout the year to tend to the personal, practical and spiritual needs of mariners. We run one of the only free legal aid programs in the world for seafarers. Our Center for maritime education trains inland mariners so they can do their jobs more safely and efficiently to the benefit of the whole inland waterway system. Our recently-developed suicide intervention program trains shore-side personnel to help those at risk of suicide in the crews they manage. But none of these programs can continue without financial support.

To learn more, visit our website at seamenschurch.org. Please use the enclosed envelope or visit smschur.ch/scidonate to make your donation today.

An unforgettable shore leave! During her first day as a full-time Ship Welfare Visitor with SCI, Cora Koehler recently met seafarer Joeffrey. He met her at the gangway bursting with joy, and it wasn’t long before he explained that he was due to see his sister for the first time in TEN YEARS!

Once Joeffrey became a seafarer, his sister moved from the Philippines to the U.S. For ten years they were never in the same country at the same time, until now! Joeffrey was also about to meet his three nephews for the first time. Together they coordinated a time for him to come to the center to meet his sister. Joeffrey expressed his sincere gratitude to SCI for helping coordinate this very special meeting.

2nd Officer Chernov hails from the south of Ukraine. Recently he shared the story of the birth of his son, Yaroslav, with SCI Ship Welfare Visitor Cora Koehler….

Just over two years ago, his vessel was calling at the Port of Hong Kong. The night before the ship docked, Chernov couldn’t sleep as his instinct was telling him that his baby was on the way! Chernov was cleared for departure from the vessel and arrived home in Ukraine the next day. His wife, Jekaterina, was overwhelmed with his timely arrival—just hours later the family of two left for the hospital and soon became a family of three! Chernov’s face lit up recalling these events and as he shared what it was like to be the father of a two year old while at sea.

June is a special month for first time Deck Cadet Pavel: not only was it his 20th birthday, but SCI Chaplain James Kollin was also able to wish him a belated “Happy International Day of the Seafarer” and give him an SCI cap while his ship was docked at Port Newark! Loaded with scrap metals, his vessel departed Port Newark bound for Egypt a few hours after James met with him.

Deck Cadet PavelJoeffrey’s sister and brother-in-law, with the two nephews he met for the first time, enjoy a reunion meal with him!

Joeffrey’s sister and brother-in-law, with the two nephews he met for the first time, enjoy a reunion meal with him!

The Knit Before Christmas Summer 2018 • 5 seamenschurch.org

meet Some Seafarers

Cora Koehler (L) with seafarer Joeffrey (R).

2nd Officer Chernov

SCI The Seamen’s Church Institute118 Export StreetPort Newark, NJ 07114

seamenschurch.org

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT #99

NEW HAVEN, CT

C H R I S T M A S A T S E A

The Knit Before Christmas Summer 2018 • 6 seamenschurch.org

✁

Get in Touch!Whether it’s restocking on tags, sending in knits, or just letting us know more about YOU, please use the form below to contact us!For this year only, we have a new tag commemorating 120 years of Christmas at Sea! You can still use any of our standard tags, but if you would like the special anniversary edition just fill in your details below. It can be used with ANY Christmas at Sea project (even in years to come!)

Here at Christmas at Sea we try to acknowledge every single package that comes to us, but sometimes the return name/address is rendered illegible after a package has gone through the mail. Here’s a simple way to make sure we know exactly who you are:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

EMAIL

My address has changed

I am sending on behalf of a group. Yes NoGROUP NAME:

GROUP ADDRESS

GROUP CITY STATE ZIP

Please send me _________ 120th Anniversary tags [# of tags]

Please help us keep our records up to date! If you no longer wish to receive the Knit Before Christmas, check here

This package includes (please enter amounts):

Hats Scarves Vests

Cowls Ditty Bags Slippers

Socks Toiletries (no need to count)

I would be interested in coming to SCI’s International Seafarers’

Center at Port Newark, NJ to help pack gifts for seafarers

(Fall 2018)

I would like a Christmas at Sea representative to give a presentation to my group, in person or over Skype

In our anniversary year, we’d love to find out more about our knitters!Please write to us or email your story to cas@seamenschurch.org. We’d love you to send a photo too! Some questions you might want to consider are:

• Do you have a maritime connection?

• How long have you been knitting for Christmas at Sea?

• Who taught you to knit?

• What project are you most proud of?

• What’s your favorite Christmas at Sea project?

• Who introduced you to Christmas at Sea?

• What has been your biggest knitting flop?!

120yearsof

20Christmas at Sea1898-2018