Sunday worship podcast and other news from Seal Church

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 - Aug 21 10 am  Holy Communion 6.30pm Evensong During the week Monday             No talking village on Aug 15, 22 or 29 as Deniz cafe is closed for a holiday. Wednesday       No Zoom Church this week                           Friday                10.30-12.30 Friday Group in the church hall Next Sunday  10 am   Holy Communion 2pm      Baptism: Martha Boulton 6.30pm Evensong Trinity 10 Isaiah 59.9b-end, Luke 13.10-17 In today's Gospel story, Jesus heals a woman who has suffered from a disease that causes her to be bent over and unable to stand up straight for eighteen years. This would not only have been painful for her, but also made it difficult to live a normal life, to go about her day to day tasks, and even to look others in the eye when she spoke to them. As well as the physical and emotional burden of her illness, some people might have thought that her illness was a punishment from God - a common idea at the time of Jesus - so she may have found herself treated with contempt too.   Instead of rejoicing that she had been healed, though, all the synagogue leader seemed to care about was that the healing had happened on the Sabbath, and so, he thought, broke the Jewish law which forbade any work on the Sabbath. Today's sermon explores the idea of the Sabbath, and what it means to us.  Disabled people often face discrimination and abuse today - they are ignored, written off, or even blamed for their disability, and can't access the activities non-disabled people take for granted because no one thought of their needs. Often the barriers to living a full life have less to do with the illness than with the attitudes of society, just as the woman Jesus healed found.  If you are disabled and part of Seal Church (whether you worship in the building or online with us) what could we do to help you? ALL AGE IDEAS In today's Gospel story, Jesus heals a woman who had been ill for a long time. Some people were really happy about this, but others were angry because Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day, which was the day when the Bible said people shouldn't work. It was a day of rest. Some people said that healing was work, so it shouldn't happen then. Jesus said that healing people was the most important thing he could do on the Sabbath - just what the Sabbath was for - because it meant that this woman's life would be much easier - she would finally be able to rest and enjoy life as she should.  Jewish people celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday, but Christians celebrate it on Sunday, the day of Jesus' resurrection.  Draw a circle and divide it into seven sections, one for each day of the week. Draw or write what each day means to you - perhaps you do something special on some of those days? You could put a clock hand, or a marker that you can move each day, to make a "week clock" for yourself to mark the days of the week.  Sundays are still meant to be special days for Christians - a day when they take time to worship God together if they can, and to enjoy and care for the world he has made (and themselves). What do you do on Sundays? What could you do to make it special each week?  Jesus said that the Sabbath was a day that was meant to bring joy to people, as it did to the woman he healed. What could you do today to bring joy to someone else's life?

Like many Bible stories, today's Gospel reading poses important questions about living and worshipping with disability. If you'd like to know more, here are some links you might like to check out.  Disability and Jesus . Weekly Youtube service, made by disabled people. Barrier free belonging Church of England resources  https://www.oxford.anglican.org/environment-and-social-justice/disability-and-church/disability-and-church.php http://naomilawsonjacobs.com/  https://www.inclusive-church.org/topics/disability/ https://holding-space.org/ https://www.inclusive-church.org/2022/08/16/book-review-my-body-is-not-a-prayer-request-by-amy-kenny/ https://linktr.ee/heartedge_ Twitter feeds to follow @DisabilityJ,@lydimoo, @RevdJacquiT, @AmazingBrent, @KtTup, @billbraviner, @StThomasPriest, @create_ivish, @Strgl_St_Bible, @YouBelong_2019, @ErinRaffety , @HeartEdge_

THE CHURCH BUILDING WILL BE CLOSED except when there is a service for the next week or so, as we have had another visit from our local vandals. No real damage was done, but they left a mess which had to be cleared up, and we want to discourage them from making a return visit. The police have been informed and we are revisiting our security measures. Please let the vicar know if you see any suspicious activity in or around the church. We are sorry to have to close the building, and will reopen as soon as possible. NO ZOOM CHURCH THIS WEEK. There will be no Zoom Church this week, as I will not be available on Wednesday, but there will be one next week (31st). As always, if you would like to join us for this short, informal worship, just email sealpandp@gmail.com, and I will add you to the email list - an email will arrive on the morning of the Zoom Church with the link in it. ROAD CLOSURE The planned closure of School Lane for sewer repairs has been delayed (no firm date, but possibly not until next Spring), so access to the church should be straightforward! CHRISTMAS LIGHTS Can you help organising the putting up of the Christmas Lights in the village? I know Christmas is a long way off, but we really need some younger people to take on this task It takes all of us to make a community, so if there's anything you can do to get involved, we'd love to hear from you. PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO MONDAY TALKING VILLAGE ON AUG 15th, 22nd or 29th as Deniz' cafe will be closed for a well-earned holiday. You can still drop in for a chat at Friday Group in the church hall each week though! SEAL LIBRARY  Storytime begins again on Friday Sept 2 from 10.30-11am, for pre-school children with an adult hosted by our own Jenni Pascoe. Sessions are free and you don't need to book.  The Library is looking for volunteer/s to help with the Home Library Service specifically with visits to Lavender House. If anyone is interested again, please either pop into the library, email the librarian, Jillian, at seallibrary@kent.gov.uk or give her a call 03000 413131   Kemsing walking group invites anyone to join them. They meet the last Thursday of the month at 10.30am , for a 4 mile walk then have a pub lunch. If you are interested contact francesfish1@gmail.com or phone 01732 760007 / text on 07749240456.  AND - FOR THOSE THAT WOULD PREFER A LITTLE LESS EXERCISE Another Kemsing group, EVERY STEP COUNTS, run by Martin and Yvonne Watt, takes place on Friday mornings from 10.30 each week (rain or shine)!. The group meets in the Kemsing village car park, and walk the common field, which takes about half an hour. They then take coffee in The Bell, where Yvonne passes around a jug for voluntary contributions. If this sounds more like your level, just turn up in Kemsing Village car park for 10.30am any Friday morning and you will be added to the group. All welcome, including dogs! SEAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL FARM has various open days during August, with a chance to walk the goats around the woodland, stroke the pigs or talk to the chickens. See the website www.sealcommunityschoolfarm.co.uk for more information.