Sunday Podcast Worship links and other news July 4

 

July 4 Trinity 5 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 with a hymn outside the church after the service. 4pm Outdoor Church in the churchyard. With two hymns, a Bible story, and prayers. Very relaxed and informal - come along and join us.  6.30pm Evensong 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.   During the week, in person and on Zoom - email for Zoom links ZOFFEE - informal chat on Zoom at 11.15 am Sunday July  Wednesday Zoom Church 11am - email for the link   Wednesday 5-5.30pm Children's Choir  in the church hall garden from 5-5.30pm No Zoom Adult choir this week Friday - 9.30 Morning Prayer. A short, socially distanced service in church. Bible readings, psalms and prayers to start the day Anyone is welcome. You can see the service sheet here. Friday Group - 10.30-12 noon in the church hall garden Trinity 5    Psalm 123, Ezekiel 2.1-5, Mark 6.1-13 In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus sends his closest followers out with his message, telling them to “take nothing” with them. What do you feel is essential to take with you when you travel? How would you feel if you had to “take nothing” – maybe that’s something you’ve discovered if your luggage has ever gone missing en route! The reading invites us to think about how we feel about poverty and need, whether it is affecting us or others. ALL AGE IDEAS   Today's Gospel story. 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 with our CHURCHYARD RECORDING yesterday. It was very much appreciated and will help me to produce a more complete record of burials here.  CHURCH CLEANERS WANTED We could do with a couple more people to come onto the church cleaning rota. This would involve a commitment to cleaning the church with someone else, once a month at a time to suit you. If you think you can help, please contact Marion Gilchrist, marionjgilchrist@gmail.com, 07909 905975. If you would like to know what it might involve there is a description of the role here.       OUTDOOR CHURCH I am hopeful that we will be able to go ahead with Outdoor Church today, but please check the website for updates if the weather looks doubtful.  MORNING PRAYER ON FRIDAYS Jess and I are saying Morning Prayer together on Friday mornings at 9.30 in church. If anyone would like to join us for this small service, you’d be very welcome. You don’t need to bring anything with you – the service sheet will be available when you get there, but if you want to have a look at the service (or pray it yourself at home when it is convenient for you) you can find it here.    FRIDAY GROUP - This group is meeting weekly on Fridays from  10.30 – 12 noon in the Church hall garden, or inside in socially distanced groups of six if necessary. Come along and join them for an informal natter in the sunshine (we hope…) PRAYER OF THE WEEK    Come God Come with the frightened Come with the poor Come with the children Come with those who have always been your friends Come and lead us to where you are living And show us what you want us to do.   Ruth Burgess.   Ruth Burgess is a member of the Iona Community, which has centres not only on Iona and Mull, but also in the heart of Glasgow. It is famous for its focus on peace and justice, and its hymns (one of which features in our podcast today and below, as hymn of the week) and prayers reflect that. This prayer was written for a Mother’s Union day of reflection on the Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise when she knew that she was to bear the Messiah. She praised the God who had “brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly…filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty”. Ruth Burgess' prayer very carefully says that God comes "with" not "to" the poor who have "always been your friends", warning the rich and comfortable against the assumption that is they who own God, and are bringing him to those in need.    HYMN OF THE WEEK  Will you come and follow me? (The Summons)   1          Will you come and follow me             if I but call your name?             Will you go where you don't know             and never be the same?             Will you let my love be shown,             will you let my name be known,             will you let my life be grown,             in you and you in me?   2          Will you leave yourself behind             if I but call your name?             Will you care for cruel and kind             and never be the same?             Will you risk the hostile stare             should your life attract or scare?             Will you let me answer prayer             in you and you in me?   3          Will you let the blinded see             if I but call your name?             Will you set the prisoners free             and never be the same?             Will you kiss the leper clean,             and do such as this unseen,             and admit to what I mean             in you and you in me?     4          Will you love the 'you' you hide             if I but call your name?             Will you quell the fear inside             and never be the same?             Will you use the faith you've found             to reshape the world around,             through my sight and touch and sound             in you and you in me?     5          Lord, your summons echoes true             when you but call my name.             Let me turn and follow you             and never be the same.             In your company I'll go             where your love and footsteps show.             Thus I'll move and live and grow             in you and you in me.   John L Bell (born 1949) and Graham Maule (1958-2019) © 1987 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow, G5 9JP, Scotland. www.wildgoose.scot    This hymn, from the Iona Community, is called “The Summons” and was written by John L Bell and Graham Maule, whose hymns have featured a number of times in our newsletters. Most of the hymn consists of a series of thought provoking questions, and it would be a good one to ponder slowly. Where is the question which hits home to us? What is the challenge we find most difficult in following Christ?   The tune, Kelvingrove, is a Scottish air dating back at least to the early 18th century, and was used as the tune for the folk song “Bonnie Lassie O”, which went through an assortment of changes over the centuries, mostly to sanitize its original tragic tale of a woman made pregnant through rape. There is a piece on this transformation here http://www.ecalpemos.org/2011/02/kelvingrove-iona-and-dark-side-of.html, which suggests at the end, that it’s use for this thought-provoking hymn perhaps restores some of its original power.   Kelvingrove is a district of Glasgow, developed by the Victorians as a park, and housing the Kelvingrove art gallery.

Performed by Joy and Ruth Everingham © 2020 AND FINALLY... Those who have visited the vicarage will know that we are keen owners of a robotic lawnmower, which we call Wilbur, who trundles around the lawn mowing the grass from early morning to evening. The birds and squirrels have mostly got used to him, though human visitors usually do a double take.  Last week I looked out of the window as I went down for breakfast and found one visitor who was still trying to puzzle him out. Our semi-resident fox evidently wondered whether he might be a playmate...  I managed to get a bit of video of the encounter. Enjoy!