Fellowship Afloat grew from a bunch of people who enjoyed sailing and the natural environment, and wished to share the experience with others – particularly young people who otherwise would not have opportunities for outdoor activities. And all in the context of a welcoming, encouraging Christian community that could reach those not normally coming into contact with traditional church life.
Here are a few words on how we’d describe the faith that informs the Fellowship. Naturally, we are Trinitarian (!), while taking Jesus Christ as our reference point. We share his Gospel of eternal life, but are very aware that the ‘Kingdom of God’, as Jesus explained it, is crucially about how life on earth, from day to day, should look and feel. This informs FACT’s desire to encourage and affirm people of all ages, but particularly the young and those with special needs.
The concept of God’s shalom – peace and wholeness of body and spirit – is at the heart of Fellowship Afloat. For us it means peace with the Father through the love, life, work, death and resurrection of Jesus. And it also means a here-and-now expectation that life must have Kingdom-motivated agendas – and that God’s Spirit will work in lives and events.
“Our young people have really become closer as a group and we were really able to challenge them and talk to them about issues of faith and share Jesus with them, while getting alongside them as leaders and having fun with them! It was really something that they all really loved.”
Youth Group Leader
Christians can often find themselves polarised into camps that emphasise either personal salvation and experience on the one hand, or radical social agendas on the other. FACT, however, wants its cake – and it wants to eat it too (our galley staff specialises in making brilliant cakes!). We embrace the radical agenda of the Kingdom, but we know it must be motivated by a living personal faith in Jesus, nurtured in community, and empowered daily by God’s Spirit.
While we keep to this core principle, we very much welcome and value the work and support of those who are in sympathy with our mission, but who may not share our faith viewpoint.