A Long Look at Advent with Jan Brueghel's Adoration of the Kings

Introduction

We live in a visually cluttered world. Images pass before our eyes constantly on the tv, online and in print all around us. It is all too easy not really to see any of them properly, though.

That’s why I’d like to invite you to join me from Dec 1 in taking a long look at just one picture this Advent. Just one picture? Really? For 24 days? Yes, that’s right, but don’t worry that you will get bored, because this picture is crammed with detail, all very deliberately included by the artist, Jan Brueghel the Elder, to provoke thought and reflection on the story of the birth of Jesus.

Each day’s reflection will appear here on the church blog.

You can see the painting, for free, in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in London – it’s in Room 17 – or online here https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jan-brueghel-the-elder-the-adoration-of-the-kings  where you can zoom in on the details. There is a key to help you find each day's detail in the right hand sidebar.

Sunday Worship podcast and other news from Seal Church : Nov 26 Christ the King

Dear Friends Anne Le Bas Online Worship podcast - Click on picture above Order of service You can also access this podcast by phoning 01732 928061 As usual, the link to our podcast is above - click on the picture to access it. with best wishes In the church building today 10 am Holy Communion 6.30pm Evensong Next Sunday Dec 3 10 am Holy Communion 6.30pm Evensong This week:  Wed    No Zoom Church this week             4.30 children's choir             7.15 pm Adult choir  Fri        9 am Morning Prayer in Church             10.30 - 12.30 Friday Group in the church hall Christ the King: Nov 26   Kevin Bright is preaching today, exploring leadership and the imagery of the shepherd. In today's Gospel reading, Jesus talks about those who may think they are following him, but don't care for others. If we don't care for the "least of these" then we can't claim to love God.  The image I have chosen for this week's podcast is of a teenage Syrian boy, shepherding his small flock. Children and women often acted as shepherds - think of the young David, who had to be summoned from where he was caring for his father's flock to meet Samuel, who anointed him as the future king. (1 Samuel 16)   All Age Ideas   Today is the feast of Christ the King, and it is the last day of the Christian year. Next Sunday, Advent Sunday, the year starts again.  Today we think about what kind of King Jesus is. He doesn't throw his weight around or want glory for himself. He is like a caring shepherd, who looks after his sheep. He expects those who follow him to look after others too.  Helping others is like helping him, because everyone is made in the image of God - God made them and loves them. Make a crown out of cardboard and write or draw on it the kind things that other people have done for you, and the kind things you have done for them. These are far more important than jewels! Advent starts next week. You could start a "reverse Advent calendar", collecting some item of food each day to put in a box and donate to the foodbank. You could also make models of Mary and Joseph or a star or angel, and hide them somewhere different each day for the rest of the family to find until Christmas Eve, when they could arrive at a "stable" somewhere in your house. A LONG LOOK FOR ADVENT We live in a visually cluttered world. Images pass before our eyes constantly on the tv, online and in print all around us. and it is all too easy not to see any of them properly. That’s why I’d like to invite you to join me in taking a long look at just one picture this Advent. Just one picture? Really? For 24 days? Yes, that’s right, but don’t worry that you will get bored, because this picture is crammed with detail, all very deliberately included by the artist, Jan Brueghel the Elder, to provoke thought and reflection on the story of the birth of Jesus.  Each day's post will appear on our church blog, and on facebook and twitter . (There are also some printed versions of the booklet available at the back of church, but if you can follow online you will be able to see the picture in glorious colour.) You can see the painting, for free, in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in London – it’s in Room 17 – or online here https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jan-brueghel-the-elder-the-adoration-of-the-kings  where you can zoom in on the details CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS Annie Lewis' daughter, Lynda, asked me to include this message of thanks in our newsletter today. “We would like to thank everyone who turned up for my Mum’s (Annie) funeral service on Thursday. This made the day more bearable as she was surrounded by family and friends who thought a great deal of her. Thank you for the nibbles that were laid on for all who were there. We appreciated everyone’s kind words and the cards that we received.” CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING  Friday December 1st in Seal Church Hall £30 per head There will be 2 sessions - 3pm and 7.30pm ,providing all you need to make a beautiful Christmas wreath, a glass of wine and mince pie.Please bring your own secateurs! To book, please contact Chris on 07759 808814 or 01732 763585. SUNDAY 3rd DEC 11.15am: Eco Church Swap/ Help Yourself Table!  In Church (after morning service): ALL WELCOME! Please come along to help yourself for no payment, to good quality preloved clothing, household goods, books, games & toys, some of which may be ideal Christmas gifts!   If you have high quality items which you no longer want or need, and wish to declutter, please bring an item/ items to swap, or donate! You are also warmly welcome to come & take something away, even if you have nothing to donate this time. No money is to change hands. The idea is that we all intentionally reuse and upcycle previously loved items, in a bid to reduce waste to landfill, as well as to encourage us all to consider lessening our new product purchases.  Rather than buying into consumerism, could we swap/gift to others in our local community, and spread the love  ❤️ ? The timing of our first Swap Table, before Christmas for potential gifts or a new outfit without expenditure, and following “Buy Nothing Day” on 24th November (to boycott Black Friday), will hopefully be of some value, as well as be thought-provoking. Hoping that you’ll have time to look out some items for upcycling and decluttering, and come along and support our event, with or without  a donation or two! Thank you. Babs, Lise and the Eco Church Team. CHRISTINGLE DEC 10 Our Christingle service will take place on Sunday Dec 10 at 10 am. Everyone is welcome - there will be plenty of Christingles to go around. The cash collection on this day will go to the Children's Society. There will also be some gift and cake stalls after the service, in aid of the church. If you can contribute a cake, or have any small gifts or unwanted items to donate for the gift stall, we would be very grateful for them.  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 - First Saturday of each month in Seal Library from 10.15am-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. FRIDAY GROUP Meets each Friday morning in the Church Hall between 10.30 and 12.30   Coffee, chat, by all means, bring your crafting with you but mostly, enjoy the company.

Copyright © 2023 St Peter and St Paul, Seal, All rights reserved.

Sunday Worship podcast link and other news from Seal Church: Nov 18

 

Dear Friends Anne Le Bas Online Worship podcast - Click on picture above Order of service You can also access this podcast by phoning 01732 928061 As usual, the link to our podcast is above - click on the picture to access it. with best wishes In the church building today 10 am Holy Communion 3-4.30pm Messy Church 6.30pm Evensong Next Sunday Nov 26 10 am Holy Communion 6.30pm Evensong This week:  Wed    10 am Zoom Church             4.30 children's choir             7.15 pm Adult choir  Thurs   11 am Funeral: Annie Lewis - everyone is welcome Fri        9 am Morning Prayer in Church             10.30 - 12.30 Friday Group in the church hall Second Sunday before Advent: Nov 19 The parable Jesus tells today is a puzzling one. Why should the slave be punished for keeping his master's money safe ? (a 'talent' was a unit of measurement for precious metals - about 4 stone/28 kilos of silver, for example, and one talent was equivalent to 15 years' salary for an ordinary worker).  And is the "master" in the story meant to be a picture of God? Today's sermon explores those questions, and the feelings this story might evoke in us, asking what we should do with the things we treasure.    All Age Ideas Jesus tells a story about a man who gave a lot of money to three of the enslaved people he owned to look after when he went away. Two of them used the money to trade with, and made a profit, so they gave him back more than he had given them. The third was afraid he might lose the money if he did that, so he dug a hole and buried it in the garden. When his master came back, he gave it back to him. His master was cross that he hadn't made more money from it, and threw him out. That doesn't seem fair to me, and Jesus knew that those who heard the story first would probably feel like that too.  The reason the slave hadn't used the money to try to make more money was that he was afraid that his master would be angry if he lost any of it. He thought his master was cruel and angry, so he was scared.  The story is really about what we think about God. Do we think he might be cross with us if we get something wrong, or do we trust that he loves us whatever happens? Sometimes people say "If a person never makes a mistake, they will never make anything". Have you ever been scared to try something in case it goes wrong? Make something. You could use scraps of coloured paper or cloth, leaves feathers, or anything else you have hanging around. You could stick them, tie them, paint them, or just arrange them in a way you like. You might not know what you want to make when you start, and sometimes we can be scared of trying, because we think there is "right" and "wrong" way to do things. But it can be really good fun, and a surprise to see how it turns out.  CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS ANNIE LEWIS' FUNERAL Annie's funeral will take place at Seal Church on Thursday Nov 23, at 11 am, and anyone who knew Annie is welcome to attend.   MESSY CHURCH will take place this afternoon in the church hall from 3-4.30pm. It will have an Advent and Christmas theme, so it will be a good chance to get ready for Advent! Everyone is welcome for the usual mix of craft, story, worship and tea. CHURCH HALL GARDEN WORKING PARTY. This should have happened yesterday, but the weather meant it had to be postponed to next Saturday - Nov 25 - from 9.30-12 noon. All welcome to help us tidy up and cut back the area around the church hall, and demolish the shed at the rear of the hall. Please bring loppers, shears, gloves (hedgetrimmers and even chainsaws, if you can operate them safely, would be useful!)  It is also the day on which SEAL'S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS are being put up - sorry about the clash. If you prefer "light-putting-up" to gardening, why not turn up to help with that instead! Contact marionjgilchrist@gmail.com to let her know you are coming to help with the lights.  CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING  Friday December 1st in Seal Church Hall £30 per head There will be 2 sessions - 3pm and 7.30pm ,providing all you need to make a beautiful Christmas wreath, a glass of wine and mince pie.Please bring your own secateurs! To book, please contact Chris on 07759 808814 or 01732 763585. SUNDAY 3rd DEC 11.15am: Eco Church Swap/ Help Yourself Table!  In Church (after morning service): ALL WELCOME! Please come along to help yourself for no payment, to good quality preloved clothing, household goods, books, games & toys, some of which may be ideal Christmas gifts!   If you have high quality items which you no longer want or need, and wish to declutter, please bring an item/ items to swap, or donate! You are also warmly welcome to come & take something away, even if you have nothing to donate this time. No money is to change hands. The idea is that we all intentionally reuse and upcycle previously loved items, in a bid to reduce waste to landfill, as well as to encourage us all to consider lessening our new product purchases.  Rather than buying into consumerism, could we swap/gift to others in our local community, and spread the love  ❤️ ? The timing of our first Swap Table, before Christmas for potential gifts or a new outfit without expenditure, and following “Buy Nothing Day” on 24th November (to boycott Black Friday), will hopefully be of some value, as well as be thought-provoking. Hoping that you’ll have time to look out some items for upcycling and decluttering, and come along and support our event, with or without  a donation or two! Thank you. Babs, Lise and the Eco Church Team. SEAL TIDDLERS FUND RAISING PAMPER EVENING - ENTRY BY PRE-BOOKED TICKET ONLY Pamper evening Thursday 23rd November Seal church hall (TN15 0AR) 7.30 to 9.30pm (Parking is limited so please walk or car share if possible). £5 a ticket with a glass of prosecco or orange plus a goody bag in aid of funds for Seal Tiddlers.  Tickets and bookable appointments from Stephanie_barnes1990@outlook.com (Please bring cash on the night). Hair and make-up demonstrations. Hair, nails, Neal's Yard hand massage, wax melts, Indian Head Massage and stalls include jewellery, cupcakes, fashion, Body Shop and a raffle. Appointments for nails and hair/hand massage Lots of stalls to start your Christmas shopping! THANK YOU to all who donated in cash last Sunday to the Royal British Legion at our Remembrance Service. I was able to send £130 to their poppy appeal.  SEAL VILLAGE ALLOTMENTS Seal Village Allotments are now renewing rentals for the 2024 season, and have some plots available. If you would like to join us and grow your own produce, then please contact: sealvillageallotments@gmail.com 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 - First Saturday of each month in Seal Library from 10.15am-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. FRIDAY GROUP Meets each Friday morning in the Church Hall between 10.30 and 12.30   Coffee, chat, by all means, bring your crafting with you but mostly, enjoy the company.

Sunday Worship for Remembrance and other news from Seal Church: Nov 12

 

Dear Friends Anne Le Bas Online Worship podcast - Click on picture above Order of service You can also access this podcast by phoning 01732 928061 As usual, the link to our podcast is above - click on the picture to access it. with best wishes

In the church building today 9 am   Act of Remembrance at Godden Green War Memorial 10 am Remembrance Sunday service 6.30pm Breathing Space Holy Communion  Next Sunday Nov 19 10 am Holy Communion 3-4.30pm Messy Church 6.30pm Evensong This week:  Wed    10.30 am Lavender Fields Holy Communion             4.30 children's choir             7.15 pm Adult choir  Fri        9 am Morning Prayer in Church             10.30 - 12.30 Friday Group in the church hall

Remembrance Sunday Today's sermon for Remembrance Sunday will be exploring the importance of remembering the individual in the midst of what can seem like the vast and impersonal "machine" of war. Who are all those names on our war memorials? And what about those whose last resting place is unknown?      Do you have direct experience of living through a war, or of a family member or friend who did so. Spend some time recalling their story, and tell it to someone else - or just to God. (God already knows their story, of course, but sometimes we need to tell it!) As you watch the news today, and, no doubt, see images of people caught up war, imagine their individual stories, their past, their present and their future. Pray for them as individuals, whether you agree with which "side" they are on (if any) or not.

Original footage of the journey of the body of the Unknown Warrior from France to  Westminster Abbey, accompanied by the recordings made at the time of the hymns sung in the Abbey, the only sound recording of the event which survives. The film gives a vivid impression of the scale and importance of the event to the nation.

All Age Ideas On Remembrance Sunday we remember all who have died because of war, and we remember that God wants us all to work for peace. In today's podcast I talk about a very special grave in Westminster Abbey, a big church in London (where the coronation of King Charles took place earlier this year!). Many famous and important people are buried in Westminster Abbey, but there is one grave where someone is buried whose name we don't know at all, someone who was killed in WW1, but, like many of those who died, couldn't be identified or given a name. The film below tells the story of how he came to be buried in the Abbey, and why his grave is so important. (Parents - the film is suitable for primary age children but, obviously, contains references to war, to death, and to children whose fathers were killed. Please watch it before you share it with your children, and use your own judgement about whether it is suitable for them.)

Seal Church has been magnificently decorated by Maggie Fox and Chris Rampton for Remembrance, using poppies knitted or crocheted by many people in the congregation and community. Many thanks to all of them! Maggie and Chris said the people could make red, white or purple poppies. We are most used to seeing the red poppy, sold in aid of the Royal British Legion, but as the report here outlines, people can wear poppies in a number of different colours - white, as a prayer for peace, or purple to remember animals caught up in war. In  a new initiative, black poppies edged in red are also becoming popular, to remember the many men and women of colour, whose stories and service in wartime have often been overlooked. Newsround has a good roundup of the meanings of each poppy here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/45975344 There is an interesting film about the contribution of animals during war, made by the Imperial War Museum here. https://youtu.be/jKCs785HqfQ?si=1Hh71btivvCWJ_zM. Animals who served in WW1 are a particularly important part of my husband's family story - he wouldn't be here at all if his grandfather, who fought in WW1 hadn't taken charge of one of the many dogs used to recover bodies from the battlefield when the war ended. Philip's grandfather, still serving in the army, needed to find a billet for himself in Valenciennes where the dog could stay with him. The only place he could find was a house with stables attached, where the owner was happy for the dog to sleep. As it happened, the owner had a daughter, with whom Philip's grandfather fell in love and married... and the rest is history!

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS SAD NEWS ABOUT ANNIE LEWIS    I am very sorry to have to pass on the news, for those who haven't heard it already, that Annie Lewis died earlier this week. Her health had been declining for a while, so this news was not entirely unexpected, but I know we will all feel sad to have lost such a cheerful and colourful character, who was a long-time, very faithful member of our church congregation and other groups like the Friday Group, until she went into Lavender Fields Care Home.  I am sure we will all be holding Annie, her daughter Lynda and all the family in our thoughts and prayers. Her funeral will take place at Seal Church on Thursday Nov 23, at 11 am, and anyone who knew Annie is welcome to attend.   MESSY CHURCH will take place next Sunday afternoon in the church hall from 3-4.30pm. It will have an Advent and Christmas theme, so it will be a good chance to get ready for Advent! Everyone is welcome for the usual mix of craft, story, worship and tea. CHURCH HALL GARDEN WORKING PARTY. Next Saturday - Nov 18 from 9.30-12 noon. All welcome to help us tidy up and cut back the area around the church hall, and demolish the shed at the rear of the hall. Please bring loppers, shears, gloves (hedgetrimmers and even chainsaws, if you can operate them safely, would be useful!) CHURCH CLOCK UPDATE. People have, I know, been wondering what is happening (or rather, not happening) to the church clock, following our fund-raising drive earlier in the year. Here is a brief update on a difficult year! We made a faculty application to the Diocese for the repair of the clock early in the year. This is the process we have to go through in order to undertake any major repairs to a Grade 1 listed church, akin to planning and listed building permission. We anticipated that it would take a couple of months for the application to be approved - these things are never swift. Unfortunately, just as  our application went in, the clock expert who advised the Diocese on such matters, and whose approval was necessary, sadly died very unexpectedly. Our application was then passed to a clock adviser in another Diocese, who wanted further reports from other clock repairers. There are very few tower clock specialists in the country, however, so we were dependent on their schedules as they could only visit when they were in the area. In the end, as we suspected, their reports turned out not to be very informative anyway and eventually, our application was sent back to the newly-appointed clock adviser in Rochester Diocese. We understand that our application is now almost at the point of being approved, and we have the clock repairers, Gillett and Johnston, on standby to remove the mechanism and get to work as soon as we get the go-ahead. It has been a very frustrating year, and we have been very aware that those who generously donated to the work have been wondering why it has not happened - unfortunately we don't necessarily know who those donors are, as donations made online don't have any contact details. We are all longing to hear the church clock chime again, and we have been pushing all year to keep the process moving. I hope for good news very soon, but if anyone is concerned, please contact me and I will be happy to give you more detail. CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING  Friday December 1st in Seal Church Hall £30 per head There will be 2 sessions - 3pm and 7.30pm ,providing all you need to make a beautiful Christmas wreath, a glass of wine and mince pie.Please bring your own secateurs! To book, please contact Chris on 07759 808814 or 01732 763585. SEAL TIDDLERS FUND RAISING PAMPER EVENING - ENTRY BY PRE-BOOKED TICKET ONLY Pamper evening Thursday 23rd November Seal church hall (TN15 0AR) 7.30 to 9.30pm (Parking is limited so please walk or car share if possible). £5 a ticket with a glass of prosecco or orange plus a goody bag in aid of funds for Seal Tiddlers.  Tickets and bookable appointments from Stephanie_barnes1990@outlook.com (Please bring cash on the night). Hair and make-up demonstrations. Hair, nails, Neal's Yard hand massage, wax melts, Indian Head Massage and stalls include jewellery, cupcakes, fashion, Body Shop and a raffle. Appointments for nails and hair/hand massage Lots of stalls to start your Christmas shopping! SEAL VILLAGE ALLOTMENTS Seal Village Allotments are now renewing rentals for the 2024 season, and have some plots available. If you would like to join us and grow your own produce, then please contact: sealvillageallotments@gmail.com VILLAGE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS We have had an amazing offer from a new resident to Seal, Marcus, who is willing to take on the lead role for the Christmas lights this year, taking over from Marion Gilchrist. We are very grateful for this offer, and would welcome at least a few people to put their names forward now, to help Marcus with this task. As usual, they will probably go up on the last weekend of November or first weekend in December. If you can register your interest now, by contacting marionjgilchrist@gmail.com, she will give Marcus your names, and maybe have a little get together before that time.

Sunday Worship podcast link and other news from Seal Church: Nov 5

 

Dear Friends As usual, the link to our podcast is above - click on the picture to access it. with best wishes Anne Le Bas Online Worship podcast - Click on picture above Order of service You can also access this podcast by phoning 01732 928061

In the church building today 10 am Holy Communion 6.30pm Evensong Next Sunday Nov 12 9 am   Act of Remembrance at Godden Green War Memorial 10 am Remembrance Sunday service 6.30pm Breathing Space Holy Communion  This week:  Wed    No Zoom Church this week - apologies             4.30 children's choir             7.15 pm Adult choir  Thurs   8pm PCC meeting Fri        9 am Morning Prayer in Church             10.30 - 12.30 Friday Group in the church hall Sat       10.55 am Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial

Fourth Sunday before Advent Today's sermon explores the word "Apocalypse". The Gospel reading is part of what is sometimes called the Little Apocalypse, a couple of chapters of Matthew's Gospel in which Jesus talks about the terrible times that would come for the people of Israel when the Romans eventually destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, sending the Jewish people into an exile from which they only really returned in any numbers in the twentieth century. It's possible to draw a direct line between the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the events that are unfolding now; conflict beget conflict, hatred begets hatred.  What does the word "apocalypse" mean to you? What associations does it have for you? Have you ever experienced times which have felt like the end of the world for you? What did you learn during those times? You can contribute to aid work in Israel and Palestine through Christian Aid here - https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/emergencies/middle-east-crisis-appeal

All Age Ideas In today's Gospel story, Jesus' friends are amazed by the huge, beautiful Temple in Jerusalem. It's the most enormous, strongest thing they've ever seen. They can't imagine that it could ever fall down, but Jesus says that the Roman Army will destroy it one day, and that's exactly what happened.  It can be very upsetting when things change - moving house or schools, losing friends, family members or pets dying. But Jesus reminds us that whatever changes, God's love never changes, and he will always be with us.  What does it feel like when  you make something you are proud of and then it gets broken? God feels like that when we hurt one another, because each of us is made and loved by him. Make a picture with the words "God is with me" on it. Put it somewhere where you can see it, so that if you feel frightened it will help you to remember that you aren't alone.  The video below, from CBBC Newsround explains what is happening in Israel and Gaza at the moment, something that is very upsetting and frightening for those caught up in it, and which you might have seen on the TV news. You could pray for the people it talks about, and for all those who are trying to help them.

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL will meet on Thursday at 8pm on Zoom. SEAL C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL LOW BANG FIREWORKS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10th ( rescheduled from Oct 20 owing to the weather) Gates open at 5pm and the 1st rocket will be fired at 7.30pm. There will be a bar and refreshments, face painting, a glow stall and more fun and games! Advance tickets available from Seal Supermarket and Seal School PTA - Family (2adults and 2 children), £22Adults, Adult £7 and children £5 - Tickets on the gate - £10, children £5 under 4s free. Entrance via Zambra Way only. CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING  Friday December 1st in Seal Church Hall £30 per head There will be 2 sessions - 3pm and 7.30pm , providing all you need to make a beautiful Christmas wreath, a glass of wine and mince pie.Please bring your own secateurs! To book, please contact Chris on 07759 808814 or 01732 763585. SEAL OVER 60's SOUTHERN STRUMMERS UKULELE GROUP SAT NOV 11th 2.30 SEAL VILLAGE HALL Following last year's resounding success, the Southern Strummers Ukulele Group are returning to Seal Over 60's and all are welcome to come along. The cost is £6 to non-members and includes the usual Over 60's delicious afternoon tea.  To book, please call Chris on 07759 808814.   SEAL VILLAGE HALL FREE SOCIAL INFORMATION SESSION SAT 11th NOVEMBER 5pm-7pm  Come and join the Village Hall Trustees and volunteers, for a free glass of wine, or a soft drink, and nibbles, and find out what is going on in your Village Hall. All are welcome. SEAL TIDDLERS FUND RAISING PAMPER EVENING - ENTRY BY PRE-BOOKED TICKET ONLY Pamper evening Thursday 23rd November Seal church hall (TN15 0AR) 7.30 to 9.30pm (Parking is limited so please walk or car share if possible). £5 a ticket with a glass of prosecco or orange plus a goody bag in aid of funds for Seal Tiddlers.  Tickets and bookable appointments from Stephanie_barnes1990@outlook.com (Please bring cash on the night). Hair and make-up demonstrations. Hair, nails, Neal's Yard hand massage, wax melts, Indian Head Massage and stalls include jewellery, cupcakes, fashion, Body Shop and a raffle. Appointments for nails and hair/hand massage Lots of stalls to start your Christmas shopping! SEAL VILLAGE ALLOTMENTS Seal Village Allotments are now renewing rentals for the 2024 season, and have some plots available. If you would like to join us and grow your own produce, then please contact: sealvillageallotments@gmail.com VILLAGE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS We have had an amazing offer from a new resident to Seal, Marcus, who is willing to take on the lead role for the Christmas lights this year, taking over from Marion Gilchrist. We are very grateful for this offer, and would welcome at least a few people to put their names forward now, to help Marcus with this task. As usual, they will probably go up on the last weekend of November or first weekend in December. If you can register your interest now, by contacting marionjgilchrist@gmail.com, she will give Marcus your names, and maybe have a little get together before that time.