Youth Group takes to the ice...

The Youth group went ice-skating yesterday, with some intrepid parents. The reports that came back to me indicated that no one sustained any major injuries (phew!) and that a good time was had by all.
Here are some photos, taken by Nicky Harvey. Everyone is upright, even if some look more like naturals than others...!

Olympic Torch Plans

Seal Parish Council are making plans to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay through the village on Friday July 20th 2012. I have pasted below their message on the Parish Council website.http://www.sealparishcouncil.org.uk/
(You can also keep up to date on the parish council Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seal-Parish-Council/113409832097422


The Parish Council says:

The Olympic Torch Relay is coming to Seal Village on Friday 20th July 2012.
Seal Primary School took part in the Sevenoaks District launch on Monday 7th November and will play an important part on the 20th with other primary schools.
We are hoping to involve the whole community in celebrating this occassion.

If you or friends lived in Seal during 1948 and still live in the parish and remember the torch coming through Seal please contact us.

If you have a field/carpark in or on the outskirts of Seal that could be used for visitor parking on the 20th July please contact us.

If you live on the High Street we will have a large number of visitors on that day. Therefore if you are in the early stages of planning hanging baskets, tubs for this summer, perhaps consider a couple extra. The village planting in our tubs will be red,white and blue.

Planning is in the very early stages we will put updated information on our noticeboards and this website in the near future. You can visit the website below for info on the relay route.
www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelaymap

If you can  help in any of the ways the Council asks, please contact them sealparishc@btconnect.com
The Know Your Neighbours group will be involved as seems appropriate nearer the time, so watch this space or the Know Your Neighbours blog for more details.

Assertiveness training workshop

Assertiveness Workshop

Wednesday 22 February 2012

9.30 am – 4.00 pm

Vine Evangelical Church,
Hitchen Hatch Lane, Sevenoaks TN13 3AT

Led by Dr Mary Wright, Registered Clinical Psychologist and Maureen King, Counsellor and
Director of Counselling.

The workshop is open to all and is designed for
those who would like to think about their own style when relating to other people, and who would
like to become more assertive.

Cost: £27.00
This includes a sandwich lunch and all other refreshments.

To book a place please complete the form here   

Christmas greetings from old friends

I received a number of messages from former members of Seal Church to whom we had sent cards made in "Messy Church" (I hope that the recipients will eventually get the copious amounts of glitter involved out of their carpets!)

Patricia Arding said:

I was really touched and delighted to receive a Christmas card from the members of Messy Church.   Please will you pass on my warm thanks to them and especially to the gifted artist who created the card, and wish them all a happy Christmas from me.

Angela and Derek Lucas sent greetings too:  

We were so happy to have received your "messy" card which is quite delightful. We miss you all so much and our long association with Seal Church. We shall never forget how much it all meant to us.

 

And Roger and Pat Savage wrote from Thailand:

Thank you very much for sending the Christmas card made at Messy Church.

Yes, we liked it !We send everyone there our love andgood wishes for the New Year.

It was great to see you all again in the Summer.

Attached -

a linocut of women making boats of banana leaves, with a lighted candle and with a wish for the future, these are launched on the sea in November at the full moon festival of Loy Krathong.

 

 

Changes to Evening Worship at Seal

There will be some changes coming to our pattern of Evening Worship at Seal, outlined below. from Feb 2012. The main change is to the first Sunday of the month, which will now be a service of Compline with time for discussion about the readings. This is for anyone - no expertise needed - and will be very informal.

Why not come along and give it a go?

SUNDAY EVENINGS AT SEAL CHURCH

From Feb 5 2012        All services at 6.30pm

1^st Sunday   “OPEN SPACE”

An informal service of Compline (Night Prayer) in the Lady Chapel, including about 15-20 minutes of discussion around the Bible readings, and a time when prayer can be offered for any concerns people may want to bring. Chairs will be set out in a circle, and there will be no hymns. The atmosphere will be informal, and this will be a good place to share thoughts as we look at the Bible together.

2^nd Sunday EVENSONG

From the Book of Common Prayer. Where possible this will be a choral evensong, with anthems and canticles from the choir and hymns. Otherwise as for the 4^th Sunday, but without a sermon.

3^rd Sunday   “BREATHING SPACE HOLY COMMUNION”

A quiet, contemplative service of Holy Communion in modern language, with periods of silence for reflection, music to listen to, (no hymns) and a short thought.

4^th Sunday EVENSONG

From the Book of Common Prayer, with hymns sung to recorded music, and a sermon.

(5^th Sunday Usually Evensong, as for the 4^th Sunday, without a sermon.)