Sunday Worship Podcast and other news : May 21

 

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 10 am  Holy Communion 11.15 am Annual Parochial Church Meeting 3-4.30pm Messy Church in the church hall 6.30pm Evensong Next Sunday  PENTECOST (WHITSUN) 10 am  Holy Communion  6.30pm Evensong This week:  Mon     2-3.30 Talking Village in Deniz' cafe Wed      No Children's Choir              7.15-8.15 Adult choir Fri        No morning prayer in church today.             10.30 - 12.30 Friday Group in the church hall Sat        4pm Confirmation service at Westerham. Any of Seal's congregation who would like to come and support our two candidates, Robert and Jessica, will be very welcome.

Easter 7 This Sunday falls between Ascension Day and Pentecost, in the time when Jesus' disciples were waiting for the "power from on high" that Jesus promised would help them in the task he had called them to, to share his Gospel with the world. It is also the end of Christian Aid week, and the day of our Annual Parochial Church Meeting in church, both of which remind us of the calling we have to be Good News in our own time and place. There is always something we can do, however small, to help others know that they matter and are loved.  What do you think is the Good News Jesus came to bring? Who has been Good News to you? Where and how might God be calling you to be Good News to someone else?

This video tells Esther's story. There's a whole booklet of recipes to make with pigeon peas (other dried peas or beans could be substitued) here !

All Age Ideas This year's Christian Aid week focuses on the country of Malawi, and, in particular, on its staple crop - the thing a lot of people grow and eat - the pigeon pea. The video above tells you more about it.  Peas and beans are amazing plants. They can take nitrogen from the air, and fix it in the soil. Nitrogen is an essential plant food, so peas and beans make the soil richer all by themselves. They are also very good to eat and have proteins in them which we need, so they are very important.  I wonder what peas and beans you eat - frozen peas? baked beans? kidney beans in chili con carne? In our Messy Church session this afternoon (3-4.30pm in the church hall) there will be lots of pea and bean related crafts, so come along if you'd like to and join us! The film above tells the story of one grandma, called Esther, who supports her children and grandchildren by growing (and cooking!) pigeon peas. She is a very clever lady, and her pea flour bread looks delicious!  What do you think it might be like to be Esther, or one of her family? If Esther could talk to you, what do you think she would say? What would you like to say to her? You may not be eating something made of pigeon peas today, but whatever you are eating, think about who has grown it, packed it, transported it - where has it come from - and sold it. What might their lives be like, and what might make their lives easier?

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS CONFIRMATION Please pray for Robert Mitchell and Jessica Fox who are to be confirmed next Saturday at Westerham Church at 4pm. Anyone from Seal who would like to come and support them will be very welcome. Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting will take place today at 11.15 am in church. We will be electing churchwardens and PCC, as well as members of the Deanery Synod. Everyone is welcome to come, but only those on the church Electoral Roll can vote. The reports for the meeting are here, and we hope to have some financial statements available at the meeting. HEARING GOD'S WORD - A 6 session course on Zoom from Monday June 12 at 8pm If you would like to dig deeper into the Bible and the way we read it, especially if you are involved, or would like to be involved, in some sort of ministry, like leading a Home Group, or Messy Church, or leading prayers or other worship in church, this Diocesan approved course might be for you. I will be leading it on Zoom, and there will be a strict limit of 12 places on it. I have also offered it to other churches in the Deanery, and have had some interest, so please contact me as soon as possible if you'd like to join the course. I don't want to find I am doing it just for those from elsewhere, when there might be people at Seal Church who would benefit!  Those who complete Hearing God's Word can then progress on to a second course called "Speaking God's Word", which focuses on communicating our faith. If you complete all sessions of both courses, I can, if appropriate, apply to the Bishop for permission for you to lead worship and speak in church on an occasional basis under my supervision - it would be good to equip people to help not only in church, but also to communicate their faith in other settings. Contact me for more details! HOSPICE IN THE WEALD CHARITY SCOOT Ana and Celie, who live in the village are going to scoot 5km to raise money for Hospice in the Weald. You can support them by donating here https://www.justgiving.com/page/anaceliescoot or by wearing green on 10th June.  This amazing idea is their own - 2 young ladies, aged just 10 and 9 years . Let's get behind them and inspire a new generation of 'givers'!  DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOCAL FOODBANK? You may wish to use this link to see what foods are needed right now, and what there would appear to be a surplus of https://www.donation-genie.co.uk  This was featured in this bbc article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65574441 DAVID WILLIAMS' TALK ON SEAL VILLAGE DURING THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH 2ND David delivered a very interesting talk at Seal Library's Tea Set following the Platinum Jubilee last year. There was also, a fantastic display of photographs, depicting Seal village betweeen 1953 and 2022.  For those who didn't make it, you have a second bite at the cherry, as David is repeating this event on  FRIDAY MAY 26TH AT 7.30PM AT ST EDITH'S SMALL HALL FOR THE KEMSING HERITAGE CENTRE. Do go along and enjoy -  Just turn up - it'll be well worth a visit! CALLING ALL KNITTERS AND CROCHETERS AGAIN! So, now we have seen what some of the village talent can achieve, by way of our magnificent pillar box topper, Chris Rampton is making a request - well in advance - for anybody to come forward to make as many poppies as they possibly can please. She says the more the merrier, as we will be needing an awful lot of this this November, so if you get started now, we will be in with a chance of receiving sufficient. I believe these will be used on the pillar box, and to decorate our church for Remembrance Sunday too. Chris says, you can use any pattern you can find - always good to have some diversity - but abundance is the keyword. Sounds like this will be another terrific show.