Re: Waves and Worship (surf church)

On Jun 4, 2025, David Dalton wrote
(in article<[email protected]>):

> Tonight on BBC’ Heart and Soul (rebroadcast on CBC Radio One
> from 3:34 a.m. to 4:01 a.m. here in Newfoundland, so probably
> a half hour earlier on the mainland) there was an episode on
>
> Waves and worship: Portugal's surf Church
>
> which can be accessed by clicking Listen now on
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct6vnv
>
> The description is:
>
> In the coastal city of Porto, Portugal, a unique spiritual community is
> making waves—literally. The Surf Church, led by Brazilian-born pastor and
> avid surfer Samuel Cianelli dos Anjos, blends traditional Sunday worship with
> the sport of surfing.
>
> In a country with deep historical and cultural ties to the Catholic Church,
> Portugal—like many other countries in Europe—has seen a steady decline in
> the number of young people engaging with their faith. Many feel disconnected
> from the Church and believe it no longer speaks to them in a way they
> understand. In response to this, the Surf Church movement was born. Every
> Sunday, young people gather on the beach to surf together before walking to a
> nearby church to worship. Their motto: “We love waves, and we love
> Jesus”. Their mission: to connect with young people through a shared love
> of the ocean.
>
> In this Heart &  Soul documentary from the BBC World Service, reporter Colm
> Flynn travels to Porto to discover more about this innovative approach, which
> has attracted a diverse congregation of over a dozen nationalities. Colm
> meets several members of the community, including Ukrainian teenager Uliana
> Yarova, who found refuge and faith within Surf Church after fleeing her
> war-torn country — culminating in her baptism in the Atlantic Ocean. He
> also speaks to Ana Marques, a local Portuguese woman who says she grew up
> watching her mother make sacrifices to please God, suffering in the process.
> Ana says she has now found a home in the Surf Church.
>
> However, this unconventional ministry has not been without criticism. Some
> argue that Surf Church prioritizes surfing and socialising over worship and
> theological depth. There are also concerns about the high turnover of
> members, with some newcomers expecting a looser interpretation of the Gospel
> because of the Church’s casual style. But Pastor Sam is clear: “The
> Gospel is the Gospel, and that will never change.”

In the program they say that there are about 20 surf churches
worldwide and they plan to expand.

From my matchmaking ability, Pastor Sam is lesbianT, as was
Pope Francis, so he is compatible with both bifs and lesbians,
though a lesbian involved with him might think she is bif if
she doesn’t realize that he is a trans woman.

-- 
https://www.nfld.com/~dalton/dtales.html Salmon on the Thorns (mystic page)
“And now the angry morning; Gives the early signs of warning; You must
face alone the plans you make; Decisions they will try to break" (S.McL.)