Sunday podcast link and other news from Seal: May 15

 

Dear friends Join us for worship online, on the phone or in the building today.  with best wishes Anne Le Bas Online Worship podcast     Order of service You can also access this podcast by phoning 01732 928061

In the church building today - May 15 Easter 5 10 am  Holy Communion 3-4.30pm Messy Church in the hall 6.30pm Evensong During the week Monday             9.30 -11.30 pm Seal Tiddlers in the church hall - parent and toddler group                            2-3.30pm Talking Village in Deniz Cafe in the High Street Wednesday      10 .30 Lavender Fields Communion (residents only at the moment)                            5 - 5.30 Children's Choir                            7.15 - 8.15 pm Choir Friday                9.30am Morning Prayer in Church                            10.30-12.30 Friday Group in the church hall Saturday            2pm Memorial Service                             Next Sunday 10 am   Holy Communion  11.15 am Annual Parochial Church Meeting 6.30pm Evensong Easter 5 Acts 11.1-18, Rev 21,1-6, John 13.31-35 Today's readings are full of visions - visions of heaven, visions of the church as a place of welcome for all, where all are loved. The sermon explores the importance of vision to us, and the way our visions shape our actions.  Diego Velazquez' portrayal of St John on the island of Patmos, (right) captures the exiled Christian leader's longing for a better world..   When you look into the future, how do you imagine it might be? Can you remember what your hopes, dreams and fears were when you were younger? As you look at the reality of your life, how does it compare to the vision you had then? ALL AGE IDEAS Today we hear stories in which people have visions - pictures in their minds - which give them a message from God. St Peter sees a big sheet coming down from heaven with all sorts of food in it which his culture has told him he shouldn't eat. He is then asked to go to visit someone who is very different from him, and who comes from a culture where these foods are eaten. Peter decides to go to see the person, a Roman soldier called Cornelius, and welcome him into the Christian family. It's a story that tells us that God loves everyone, even the people we don't think we'll get along with. In another reading today, St John has a vision of heaven. He has been exiled far away from the people he loves and he is worried about them. God tells him in the vision that this difficult time won't last forever, that God will "wipe every tear from our eyes".  If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would you want to tell them? When you think about the future, what do you think it will be like? What do you think might be good, and what do you think might be difficult about the future? Draw a picture of  what the world might be like in the future and tell God about it. What do you think a perfect world would be like?   If you could write a letter to your grown up self, what would you write?

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS   **MESSY CHURCH** happens today in the Church Hall from 3-4.30pm. Story, craft, worship and tea. All ages welcome – you don’t have to be a child or have a child to come. FIRST COMMUNION PREPARATION.  If you are interested in your child preparing to receive Holy Communion, there will be sessions after church (at around 11.15 am) on June 12,19 and 26.  We hope to admit them to communion at the Patronal Festival on July 3 APCM Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting and Meeting of Parishioners to elect churchwardesn will be on May 22 in church after the 10 am service. The Electoral Roll is now closed, and the draft copy can be seen in the church porch. The Annual Report is available here. JUBILEE LUNCH AND PARTY ON THE REC – SUNDAY JUNE 5. We need more people to help set this up, run games etc. Can you help? Now is the moment to volunteer! WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS FAITH WITH OTHERS? Why not join one of our home groups? They meet on Tuesday evenings (contact Babs Bartholomew or Wivine Turner) or Thursday mornings (Contact Kelly Durrant or Marion Gilchrist). TALKING VILLAGE Monday afternoons between 2pm and 3.30 in Deniz's on the High Street. Buy a cup of tea or coffee and join us on the Talking Village table, for a chat and to make new friends, or catch up with old ones! Saturdays - On the first Saturday of each month in Seal Library from 10.15-11.15am. Join us for a coffee whilst out browsing for your library books. At both these venues, there will always be two hosts to welcome you, and we look forward to meeting with you and getting to know each other better. SEAL HISTORY GUIDE BOOKS Deniz's coffee shop still has some copies of our Seal Historical Guided Walk books for just £5 a copy. All proceeds go to the Seal Village Fund. A perfect time to walk around our beautiful village and see it through new eyes!   SEAL VILLAGE ALLOTMENTS PLANT SALE AND OPEN DAY Today from Midday to 3pm. All welcome - please come along and get your bargain plants and see the best allotments around!! OTHER COMMUNITY NEWS - For more community news from Marion Gilchrist, check out the Know Your Neighbours blog. https://knowyourneighbours.blogspot.com/ or email marionjgilchrist@gmail.com to ask to be put on her mailing list.