Figure 1.--This postcard back photograph shows a CSSM beach mission. It is undated. but we would guess was taken about 1930. We have no idea where it was taken, but these beach missions took place all along the English and Welsh seaside. We are not sure about Scotland..

The Children's Special Service Mission (CSSM) became especially known for their very vissible beach missions. They were organized by volunteers from different churches who were called Missioners. They go out and set up tents at popular seaside resorts during the summer holidays. There are sites where large number of people were already present. The beach missions were commonly for 2 weeks. The Missioners to keep expenes low, lived in tents and caravan parks. Marquees were set up for both daytime and night meetings. There were activities for children, teenagers, and adults. A Leader wa in charge of each mission and Sub-Leaders managed the various activities. In some seaside towns like Sheringham in Norfolk, the volunteers had access to large houses for accmodations. Parents on holiday saw beach mission as a safe and wholesome place for children to spend part of thir day. The children were provided with fun activities and the parents had a little free time to be on their own. As the children had fun, they commonly asked to participate while at the resort and when they retuned in sucessive years. One source describes a typical day which began at about "8.00 am 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." Music was an important part of the program. The children did not have to spend all day with the program, but could come and go as they or their parents desired. Often arrangements were made with nearby churches to use their facilities for activites like a dance.

Created: 10:17 PM 12/23/2018
Last updated: 10:17 PM 12/23/2018