SCI recently welcomed its first Chaplain Associate serving the Port of Jacksonville, Florida, an important milestone in expanding the organization’s Chaplain Associate network. Pictured during training in New Orleans, Chaplain Associate Josh Burns (left) joins SCI Chaplain the Rev. Geoff Davis (right) as they visit with a mariner at American Commercial Barge Line.

Expanding SCI’s network of chaplains and chaplain associates is a key strategic priority, ensuring pastoral care and practical support are available closer to where mariners and seafarers live and work. Jacksonville is a natural location for this growth. As one of the nation’s premier maritime gateways, it is home to one of America’s busiest container ports and leading vehicle-processing centers, making it an important hub for SCI’s chaplaincy.