Religious Service

[RevNeal]

2 hours ago, Mr. Boston said:

So nice to “see” you again Rev Neal. Your work is so important and I hope to attend one of your services someday.  

Thanks.

It’s been a long haul since January 2020, and ministry has changed greatly since then.  Thankfully, I have a sabbatical leave due me at some point on the next few years.  I hope to take part of that and do some significant travel again, and that might include a little chaplain duty.  Until then, I hope to cruise again soon; like many pastors, I haven’t been able to take much vacation time in more than a year, and now I’m moving to a new parish and will have to hit the ground running at the beginning of July.

[St. Louis Sal]

On 6/13/2021 at 2:46 PM, RevNeal said:

 

I am one of the clergy who used to serve as a protestant guest minister on HAL cruises. For my part, I tried to conduct a service that addressed a broad cross-section of denominational backgrounds, including a homily, hymns, and a Eucharistic liturgy which followed the BEM (Baptism-Eucharist-Ministry) guidelines. I conducted services for both protestant passengers and crew (the latter usually took place VERY late at night), and was always told how much appreciated those services were.

 

 In January 2020, just prior to the pandemic, I took a cruise aboard the Konningsdam and was asked by the Cruise Director (whom I knew) if I would conduct services for protestant passengers and crew (the crew, particularly, because most of the protestants among them hadn't had the opportunity to receive communion in several months).  By that time HAL had quit contracting with protestant guest ministers on all but a handful select cruises per-year, and that cruise didn't have one assigned.

 

For several reasons (mostly due to prior poor experiences with other protestant clergy), in the future I will probably offer my services to the Cruise Director via email before boarding.

 

  

RevNeal, I had always hoped to be on a.cruise with you one day and experience worshiping together. It is really disappointing that HAL has eliminated Protestant clergy on their cruises. Do you know if that includes holiday cruises? 
 

St Louis Sal

[HAL4NOW]

21 hours ago, St. Louis Sal said:

RevNeal, I had always hoped to be on a.cruise with you one day and experience worshiping together. It is really disappointing that HAL has eliminated Protestant clergy on their cruises. Do you know if that includes holiday cruises? 
 

St Louis Sal

I am not @RevNeal but I can tell you that HAL does not provide Protestant Clergy for holiday cruises. We were on the Zaandam during Holy Week in 2019. Ship staff were quite flexible with providing a room and including announcements about services. A few of us asked about having a Maundy Thursday service and a Sunrise service for Easter. HAL crew accommodated (no priest was onboard at the time because the priest had been taken off the ship for medical reasons and died in Peru).