Each year in June, top Scientologists from around the world assemble aboard the Sea Org Motor Vessel Freewinds religious retreat for the “OT Summit.” It comprises a week of briefings, seminars and strategic planning sessions presided over by Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center, Mr. David Miscavige.
| It is aboard the Freewinds Scientologists from six continents avail themselves of Scientology's most advanced religious services. |
The Freewinds serves as the Church of Scientology's advanced religious retreat. The 440-foot motor vessel provides a distraction-free environment for parishioners to study and experience the highest level of spiritual counseling available in the Scientology religion.
In 2008, to celebrate her 20th anniversary, the Freewinds underwent the largest refit in her history. Far more than a cosmetic upgrade, the ship was stripped from stem to stern, below the water line to the top of her stacks, covering all six decks. She is a brand-new, fully redesigned, technologically advanced, cutting-edge vessel serving as a religious retreat for ministering religious services at the highest levels of Scientology.
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"We are about to drive home the message 'This is Scientology ' like you have never seen," said David Miscavige , chairman of the Church of Scientology (sic.) [David Miscavige is actually the Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center.]
So reports Robert Booth on Saturday in the Sunday Times - a story that got picked up internationally.
And Sunday's grand opening was everything Mr. Miscavige promised.
The Scientology Press Office announces the news as follows:
With thousands of Scientologists, local residents and officials in attendance, the new Church of Scientology of London opened its doors.
Mr. David Miscavige , Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center and leader of the Scientology religion , stressed the historical importance of London. "This is the city L. Ron Hubbard himself [founder of the Scientology religion] selected as home to the first Scientology organization. This is also the city wherein he first defined the human spirit as an immortal being possessed of capabilities beyond anything predicted, and so arrived at the axiomatic truths on which the whole of Scientology is founded. Your early London organizations were also the original proving ground for the bulk of Mr. Hubbard’ s social betterment programs which are used to uplift neighborhoods just like this one."
It's a beautiful site -- a recommend a visit.
People paused while looking over the line up of performers for the 2006
Of course, there were the superstars like Al Green and Seal, with the younger ones such as Ciara and Rihanna making their mark on the music scene. Then there was one unusual act, the Freewinds Band.
There were whispers and questions. “Is that the band from the ship, The Freewinds?” many asked. Some wondered what the producers of the festival were thinking. A cruise ship band on the main stage for the Jazz Festival? Would they entertain the crowd with Karaoke-like songs and come dressed in the usual tropical getup of Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts while singing ‘Feeling hot, hot, hot’?
Instead, the band came on stage after Rihanna did her thing and instantly ended all speculation and questions about their position in the Festival. With multi platinum recording artist John Novello leading the group, the Freewinds band had the crowd moving from the start. Two female vocalists including Dominican Michele
Ludwig Alpers, the Port Captain of the Freewinds, spoke to the MIRROR earlier this week to explain why. The Freewinds, which is described as not the smallest cruise ship but the biggest yacht, has been sailing to
“Last year, we were here for the festival and the Chamber of Commerce took a gamble on us and allowed us to perform during Jazz on the Square. We had a great performance last year and this year the festival was part of the ship’s itinerary so we contacted the Tourist board so we could put something together for the mainstage. We really wanted to contribute to the festival,” explained Alpers.
The band performs over 200 concerts a year and invites artists from all over the world to join for months at a time. Most performances are done on board but many times the band takes part in shows in countries where the ship docks. Novello, who played on the ship during the Christmas season, headlined the band for Jazz.
“We wanted to contribute to the 15th anniversary of the St. Lucia Jazz festival and we really wanted to say thank you to the St. Lucian people. So we said let’s do it complimentary and we put a lot of time and work into it. We also brought in Michele (
Bonaire is anothere paradise of an island, part of the Netherland Antilles, which is one of the regular ports for the Freewinds.
Friends of mine told me how they went scuba diving off the coast of Aruba the last time they went to the Freewinds.
