Children's Special Service Mission
Encyclopedia
Children's Special Service Mission was the original name, from 1867, of the organisation now called Scripture Union
. Begun by Thomas 'Pious' Hughes and Josiah Spiers in Islington
, London
, this evangelical
Christian
movement was less formal than the Sunday School
s of the day and attracted children who in turn brought their friends.
CSSM grew into an international movement that included missions in buildings, and beach missions.
Volunteers from different Christian churches go on mission together, set up large tents at popular seaside
sites where people spend summer holidays, typically for two weeks. Missioners typically live in tent and caravan parks, in accommodation tent
s, and have marquees that are used for daytime and night meetings and activities for the children and adults. In certain towns, like Sheringham in Norfolk, the volunteers lived in large houses offered free by the owners.
Parents see the beach mission as a safe place for children to have some time in their day, and give the parents free time. The children have fun, and this and the ongoing program encourages them to return through the weeks of the mission and in successive years when the family returns to that place. A typical week day would start at 8.00am with 'Gold Diggers' where a volunteer and a small class of children would meet and discuss a short section of the Bible. From this section everyone would then pick a 'password' - which was a sentence or part thereof of the section. Throughout the day attending children and volunteers would challenge each other to remember both the password and where in the Bible it came from. Later on in the morning there would be a service on the beach. The pulpit would be made of sand and a text would be added made up of brightly painted metal bottle tops. Instead of hymns, short choruses would be sung by all those attending. A story would be told by the volunteer chosen to host the service of the day. It was so much more fun than Sunday School and children learned about Jesus and the Christian faith through happiness and example.
Some beach missions also make use of nearby church halls for teenage activities, such as a coffee shop
or to stage a dance.
Scripture Union
Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian movement. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world...
. Begun by Thomas 'Pious' Hughes and Josiah Spiers in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, this evangelical
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
movement was less formal than the Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
s of the day and attracted children who in turn brought their friends.
CSSM grew into an international movement that included missions in buildings, and beach missions.
Beach Mission
Arguably the most visible mission operated by CSSM and now Scripture Union has been the beach mission.Volunteers from different Christian churches go on mission together, set up large tents at popular seaside
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
sites where people spend summer holidays, typically for two weeks. Missioners typically live in tent and caravan parks, in accommodation tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
s, and have marquees that are used for daytime and night meetings and activities for the children and adults. In certain towns, like Sheringham in Norfolk, the volunteers lived in large houses offered free by the owners.
Parents see the beach mission as a safe place for children to have some time in their day, and give the parents free time. The children have fun, and this and the ongoing program encourages them to return through the weeks of the mission and in successive years when the family returns to that place. A typical week day would start at 8.00am with 'Gold Diggers' where a volunteer and a small class of children would meet and discuss a short section of the Bible. From this section everyone would then pick a 'password' - which was a sentence or part thereof of the section. Throughout the day attending children and volunteers would challenge each other to remember both the password and where in the Bible it came from. Later on in the morning there would be a service on the beach. The pulpit would be made of sand and a text would be added made up of brightly painted metal bottle tops. Instead of hymns, short choruses would be sung by all those attending. A story would be told by the volunteer chosen to host the service of the day. It was so much more fun than Sunday School and children learned about Jesus and the Christian faith through happiness and example.
Some beach missions also make use of nearby church halls for teenage activities, such as a coffee shop
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
or to stage a dance.