Chicago Lodge #3, as part of the International Shipmasters Association, is here to give back to our fellow mariners and to use our resources to help others as well.  Here are a few examples of where we focus our efforts and our donations.

International Seamen's Center at Burns Harbor

Written by Marshal Bundren


International Seamen’s Center at Burns Harbor was established in 1972 as a holistic chaplaincy for men and women who crew the ships that ply the waters of the Great Lakes. We regularly service crews calling at Burns Harbor, Gary Harbor, Buffington Harbor, Indiana Harbor East, Indiana Harbor West, and docks in South Chicago. Additionally, we occasionally make forays to the ports of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and‐‐ every February when frozen off the Great Lakes—Houston, Texas. Our most appreciated ministries are local transportation and supporting economical communication with seafarers’ families all over the planet. We also provide counseling, spiritual support, literacy missions, audiovisual distribution, shopping services, and occasional crisis intervention, as warranted. The ministry fell victim to the great recession and funding was discontinued by the founding denomination about five years ago. The chaplain could not decipher any leading from the Lord to end the work, and has continued to maintain the same level of service historically associated with the organization. He is affiliated with the North American Maritime Ministry Association as a member of the board of directors, and Port Ministries International as their appointed representative to NAMMA. He has served as chaplain for International Ship Masters Lodge 3 for several years. 

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The Lodge and many of its individual members have been very generous in assisting with costs for keeping the ministry afloat. They collect a freewill offering at every regularly scheduled meeting, which the chaplain applies most commonly to fuel costs for the ministry’s fifteen year old Chevy van that now boasts two hundred seventy‐five thousand miles of service to seafarers. This assistance has been instrumental in keeping the ministry viable as seafarers have never been charged for any service rendered: the transportation in the van is free, the WiFi at the office is free, all literature and audiovisuals are free, etc. For more information about the Center and its chaplain, please feel free to Google my name, Marshal Bundren, to peruse literally hundreds of entries. ​

Read more about Marsha'ls work in thie article in the Chicago Tribune.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-12-16/news/8802250086_1_sailors-isolation-ship

Please click the button below if you would like to donate directly to Marshal's mission.

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Chicago's Christmas Ship

Chicago Lodge #3 is a proud sponsor of the Chicago Christmas Ship here  each year.  The Chicago Christmas Ship Committee is an all-volunteer, not for profit organization derived from the marine community of greater Chicago. It acquires and donates Christmas trees to deserving inner city families through their local community organizations. It is dedicated to the betterment of the Christmas Season for families and children who would not otherwise have an opportunity to afford experience and enjoy the Holiday Season with a fresh cut Christmas tree and warm connections with their local community.

To learn more about the Chicago Christmas ship please visit their website at http://christmasship.org and become a part of things next year.

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Chicago Maritime Industry Day

This event is put on by our lodge  in conjunction with the USCG MSU Chicago to bring together several Federal, State and Municipal agencies that have jurisdiction over the waters in and around Chicago. These agencies will make presentations on topics of their expertise that pertain to the local marine community. These agency personnel will be their to answer questions after their presentations and be available during lunch and during breaks for further discussion. This will allow the marine community to meet with members of these agencies with whom they have common concerns, leading to a public/private partnership with them.  This is the chance to inform yourself as to what is on the horizon for our local industry.

Image below is taken by Christy Fell, our President, during opening remarks at the 2016 Maritime Industry Day.

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