St Paul's bones?

There's a fascinating article in today's Daily Mail by A.N. Wilson about the excavations in the church of St Paul without the walls in Rome, which was built over the spot where it has always been alleged that St Paul's body was buried.
Whether the bones discovered there are Paul's or not, Wilson does a very good job of putting Paul's significance into a nutshell, and talking about his relationship with St Peter too.

PATRONAL FESTIVAL - JUNE 27/28

We are marking our Patronal Festival in several ways this year.

We begin on Friday 26 with a sleepover in the Vicarage garden for our children and young people (8 years and over). I must be mad to have suggested it, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I am hoping there might be at least a little sleep involved … Parents need to fill in a permission form if they want their children to take part.

On Saturday June 27 we have an organ concert by Keith Hearnshaw. He will be bringing a big screen on which the audience will be able to watch him playing, so if you’ve ever wondered how organists manage to produce such a wonderful sound (and play with their hands and feet at the same time!) this is the event for you. The programme will be of popular organ classics, so there’s sure to be something for everyone in it.

Tickets (on the door) cost £5 for adults and £2.50 for children and profits go to church funds.

On Sunday 28^th we’ll be celebrating the feast of St Peter and St Paul in our morning communion service. In the afternoon there’s a Strawberry Tea in the Vicarage Garden from 4- 6pm. We finish the weekend with an evening service of readings, hymns and prayers celebrating the lives of our patron saints at 6.30 pm

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from all at Seal Church. Thank you to all who have helped during Holy Week - musicians, servers, readers, flower arrangers and all who helped at our Good Friday craft activites.Here are some pictures of the craft morning and the resulting displays (many thanks to Tanya who took most of these.)
During Good Friday morning, in case you wonder what was going on, we made Easter Bonnets (a symbol of newness, since people would often wear new clothes or hats on Easter Sunday), painted crosses, made an Easter Garden for the porch, and made a "wall" ,broken down the middle to symbolise Jesus defeating the "walls of hostility" between people. (And there were hot cross buns to sustain us - thank you, Vanessa, for serving these!

Holy Week at Seal

St Peter and St Paul, Seal, welcomes you to its services during Holy Week.
MON, TUES, WED, FRI, SAT
8 pm Compline (Night Prayer)
MAUNDY THURSDAY
8 pm Holy Communion and Tenebrae
GOOD FRIDAY
10 – 11.30 am Children’s craft activities
12– 8pm Time for reflection
Drop in at any point for as long as you like. There will be focuses for prayer around the church for you to ponder.
2.30 – 3pm Good Friday Service
8 pm Compline
HOLY SATURDAY
8 pm Compline
EASTER SUNDAY
10 am Parish Communion for Easter Day
6.30pm Festal Evensong
more detail on www.sealpeterandpaul.com

Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali to step down

This morning it was announced that Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, who has been Bishop of Rochester for the last 15 years is to step down in September.
I have pasted the text of his letter to the clergy and laity of the diocese below:

From The Bishop of Rochester, to clergy and laity in the Diocese of Rochester.

March 2009

"Dear Colleague

I have decided that the time is now right for me to step down as Bishop of Rochester as from 1 September 2009. I will have been Bishop in the Diocese for nearly 15 years and during this time have valued my modest part in the life of the Church locally, nationally and globally.

I am hoping to work with a number of church leaders from areas where the church is under pressure who have asked me to assist them with education and training for their particular situation. Details of this arrangement are still being worked out.

We thank God for his blessings and for friends we have made in the Diocese in the past 15 years. I am so grateful to God for the friendship and loyalty of those around us and ask for your prayers as we take this step of faith 'not, knowing where we are going' (Heb II: 8).

Although I will be around, my official engagements in the diocese will cease after I have completed the Visitations in June, giving time for handover, some holiday and moving. My farewell service for the Diocese will be held at Rochester Cathedral on 12th September 2009 at 3.15 p.m. and further details will be circulated at a later date. Details about the process of appointing a new Bishop and the arrangements during the interregnum will also be published later.

Thank you for your fellowship in the Gospel these many years and I pray that God will continue to bless your own ministry as you proclaim Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Christ's service"

[Michael Nazir-Ali]

New organist needed

Seal Church needs a new organist and choir director - could it be you?

We are a friendly church with a long musical tradition. The organ is good, and there is a robed choir of adults and juniors. The incumbent REALLY ENJOYS good music (and is a passable sop. herself) and is inclined to say an enthusiastic YES to musical ideas. Pay is negotiable within RSCM rates, and over the last few years there have been about 6 weddings per year - 8 this year - and some church funerals too. We are prepared to be flexible if you can only offer part of the package we are looking for.

All in all it is an organist's dream! If you are an organist we'd love to hear from you.

More details here.

Seal school to be "ofstedded"

Seal C of E Primary school is having an Ofsted inspection this Thursday - inspectors now only give a few days notice of a visit. Please pray for the school community at this time - staff, pupils and governors, as it is always stressful to know that you are being observed and judged by others.
You can find out more about our school here