Sunday worship podcast links and other news: April 18

 

April 18  Easter 3 Online Morning Worship podcast   Morning service sheet       Hymn words (both services) Evensong podcast  Evensong service sheet Don't forget that you can also listen to a shortened version of the podcast by phoning 01732 928061 -  if you know someone who doesn't "do" the internet, please pass on the number to them. It costs the same as any phone call to a Sevenoaks number. In Church 10 am Holy Communion  6.30pm Breathing Space Meditative Holy Communion    Numbers limited to 35 people. Facemasks required unless medically exempt. Services are said, with recorded music – there is no singing in church, but we do now have permission to sing outside, so there will be a congregational hymn at the end of the 10 am service outside.   On Zoom this week  email sealpandp@gmail.com for links Zoffee - Sunday morning chat 11:15 AM  Wednesday Zoom Church 11 am. An informal service including Bible reading, prayer and a short talk.   Zoom Children's Choir Wednesday 5 pm Fun singing with Anne Le Bas. Any child welcome. Zoom Adult choir  Wednesday 7.15 pm contact philiplebas@gmail.com for the link. Second Sunday of Eastertide     Each Gospel gives us a slightly different account of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. They are plainly drawing on stories told by those who were there, but, as you might expect, the details differ. Only Luke gives us the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who are joined by a stranger who explains to them how it could be possible that God’s Messiah could be crucified, as their friend had been. They only recognised that it was Jesus when he broke bread with them at the end of the day. In their excitement they ran back along the 7 mile road from Emmaus to Jerusalem to tell their friends what had happened, only to discover that there was Jesus again, in their midst, in the room where they had been hiding away in fear. Today’s Gospel reading tells us what happens next, as Jesus eats with his disciples, showing them that he isn’t an hallucination or a ghost, but someone who is as real and as physically present as they are.  In this week’s sermon I explore why that might matter, not just to them, but to us as well.  James Tissot’s painting is actually of Mary Magdalene announcing the news that Jesus’ tomb is empty to the disciples, but I liked the way he captured the disciples, being woken from their sleep as they lay huddled together in fear. His depiction is clearly based on the traditional site of the Upper Room, known as the Cenacle, in Jerusalem.  ALL AGE IDEAS Here is the story told in today's Gospel.  Would you like us to pray for you? Email your prayer requests to: sealchurchprayer@gmail.com Your email will be read by Anne Le Bas and Kevin Bright, the Vicar and Reader of Seal Church who will hold you in their prayers.  CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS THANK YOU to all who helped to staff the candle-lighting event in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh on Friday. It was much appreciated by those who came. Thanks also to Paul Thompson who tolled the bell in advance of the funeral.   Our ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING will be held via Zoom on Sunday May 30. Only those who are on the church Electoral Roll are allowed to vote at this meeting, so if you are not on the roll, please ask me, or the Electoral Roll officer, Wivine Turner, for a form to join.     From the Know Your Neighbours network   SEAL VILLAGE FUND (from the Seal Village Association and Know Your Neighbours) We continue to receive feedback regarding ideas of ways to spend the money we have to enhance our community . We will continue to collate all the feedback, and there will be a further full Zoom meeting at 8pm on Thursday April 29th to make a decision. In April's edition of Your Local Advertiser, there is a reminder of current ideas, and the opportunity to add further ideas of your own - both by email, or by completing and returning the form inside the paper. Please be as specific as you can. For instance, if you are voting for a Talking Village bench, or benches generally, please specify where you would like to see them. We need to get this right for the whole community.   WILDFLOWER VERGES There will be an illustrated talk via Zoom on Wed April 28th from 7.30-8.30pm, to teach us more about our native flowers and what we can do in the parish, to encourage more of these beauties in our roadside verges. To join the zoom, please contact Chris Tavare christavspc@btinternet.com   SEAL PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL ASSEMBLY takes place via zoom at 7.30pm on May 5th. Please contact sealparishc@outlook.com for your invitation.   LOCKDOWN RECIPE BOOK - please send your favourite recipes which have got you and yours through this last year. We hope to have a book printed to remember this very strange year, in the next few months.   GET MOVING WITH LUCI'S DANCE FOR FUN CLASSES BY ZOOM - contact lucinapleton@gmail.com for more info.   FRIDAY GROUP - As mentioned earlier, this group is meeting weekly on Fridays from 11am on the recreation ground in groups of 6. When the weather is really bad (this is a very tenacious group) you can obtain a zoom invitation by contacting me on this email address.   HYMN OF THE WEEK    Alleluia, Alleluia, Hearts to heaven and voices raise The words of this stirring Easter hymn are the work of Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), who was Bishop of Lincoln, and, in case you were wondering about the surname, he was also the nephew of William Wordsworth, the poet, the son of William’s youngest brother. He was also called Christopher, as was “our” Christopher’s son, which must have been rather confusing. All three generations of Christophers were ordained, and became well-known in their own right as theologians and writers. “Our” Christopher was widely admired as a Bishop, for his dedication and generosity, and is buried in Lincoln Cathedral in a fine tomb. Photo: Stephencdickson - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81566800 While Christopher Wordsworth might share a famous name with his poet uncle, the writer of the tune to which we usually sing this hymn had a famous name of his own: Arthur Sullivan. Yes, the second half of the theatrical partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan, who gave us so many operettas – the Pirates of Penzance, the Mikado and all the rest – which are still performed and enjoyed today. Sullivan may be best known now for the lighthearted popular music of his show tunes, but he was a serious composer too, and a dedicated organist. He composed oratorios and many hymn tunes. Unfortunately, they were mostly not nearly as successful, or memorable as the operettas, and few are performed today. He was possibly too keen to draw a distinction between his secular and sacred works; G & S operas are full of memorable, singable tunes, but many of his hymns were, frankly, a bit dull, and he was adamant that no one should set hymn words to one of his operetta tunes. However, this one, Lux Eoi, is an exception to the slightly four-square worthiness of the others (as is “Onward Christian Soldiers” which is also one of his). It contains big leaps in the tune, and that wonderful downward scale in the last line, which seems to go on and on until it deposits you just where you ought to be.   1       Alleluia, Alleluia!           hearts to heaven and voices raise;           sing to God a hymn of gladness,           sing to God a hymn of praise:           he who on the Cross a victim           for the world's salvation bled,           Jesus Christ the King of glory,           now is risen from the dead. 2       Christ is risen, Christ the first-fruits           of the holy harvest field,           which will all its full abundance           at his second coming yield;           then the golden ears of harvest           will their heads before him wave,           ripened by his glorious sunshine,           from the furrows of the grave. 3       Christ is risen, we are risen;           shed upon us heavenly grace,           rain and dew, and gleams of glory           from the brightness of thy face;           that we, with our hearts in heaven,           here on earth may fruitful be,           and by angel-hands be gathered,           and be ever, Lord, with thee. 4       Alleluia, Alleluia,           glory be to God on high;           Alleluia to the Saviour,           who has gained the victory;           Alleluia to the Spirit,           fount of love and sanctity;           Alleluia, Alleluia,           to the Triune Majesty. Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885)

And here is Sullivan's splendid song, "The Lost Chord", just because I like it... The words are by Adelaide Anne Proctor, a very popular Victorian poet, whose poems were published by Charles Dickens. She was a favourite of Queen Victoria, but her work is now little known.  Sullivan is said to have composed this setting of the Lost Chord as he sat by the deathbed of his brother, Fred. It's a perfect expression of those fleeting moments which come in life when we have a real experience of perfect peace - not something that we can ever find by our efforts, but a gift to be treasured. PRAYER OF THE WEEK Resurrection Light Risen Christ, when darkness overwhelms us may your dawn beckon.   When fear paralyses us may your touch release us.   When grief torments us may your peace enfold us.   When memories haunt us may your presence heal us.   When justice fails us may your anger ignite us.   When apathy stagnates us may your challenge renew us.   When courage leaves us may your spirit inspire us.   When despair grips us may your hope restore us.   And when death threatens us may your resurrection light lead us.   Amen.   Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD   This prayer reminds us that resurrection is not just something which happened to Jesus, 2000 years ago, but something which God offers us day by day, in the struggles we face. AND FINALLY... A “should have gone to Specsavers” moment...? I don't know how the Daily Mirror came across this story, but it's a complete gem. Locals left terrified by 'mysterious headless beast' that turns out to be croissant  By Naimah Archibald-Powell https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/locals-left-terrified-mysterious-headless-23926634 Animal welfare officials were called to reports of a "mysterious headless beast" hanging in a tree but were instead met with a breakfast menu item.  Residents in Poland's Krakow were reportedly refusing to open their windows because they were afraid that the 'animal' would go into their homes. A local resident called the Krakow Animal Welfare Society and reported the mysterious figure to authorities. The concerned resident reportedly said the unidentified 'beast' was brown and sitting in a tree, before adding that the "dangerous creature" had been lurking outside for two days. In a post on Facebook, Adam, the inspector who visited the scene and took the call, said: "I tried to guide the woman, her voice seemed to be growing hysterical." The unnamed resident said in her report that she believed that the figure in question was an iguana. The iguana theory was quickly disproven by officials as the weather in Poland is too cold for reptiles to survive outside. Officials then wondered if the unidentified 'animal' was a lost pet that had wandered off due to boredom. The welfare team also suspected that the animal was an abandoned pet as they had recently responded to reports of a sick cat left in a garage, as well as rats and hamsters which were left in the bin. After taking the call, the team arranged a visit and when the animal welfare officials arrived, they discovered that the scary animal was in fact a croissant.The buttery crescent-shaped pastry was not the threat that residents had expected. Inspector Adam said: "It is difficult to help something that has been previously baked. "He was almost moving, he was getting ready to invade, he was beginning to resemble a dragon child." The post went on to encourage members of the public to continue to report any animal welfare issues or rare sightings, even if they turn out to be incidents of mistaken identity.