Sunday Worship podcast link and other news: Palm Sunday March 24

 

Dear Friends Listen to today's worship podcast by clicking on the picture above.  Anne Le Bas Worship Online Worship podcast - Click on picture above Order of service You can also access this podcast by phoning 01732 928061 DONATE TO SEAL CHURCH HERE - all contributions gratefully received to keep the church thriving! In the church building today 10 am Holy Communion and Palm procession 6.30pm Evensong (said, with hymns) This week:  Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat 8pm Compline Tues                        12.30pm Thanksgiving service for Barbara Arnold Wed                         NO Zoom Church this week Maundy Thursday   8pm Holy Communion and Tenebrae Good Friday            No Morning prayer in church                                10-11.30am Messy Church in the church                                10.30am Friday Group in the Church Hall                                 2.30pm Good Friday Service                                 8pm Compline Holy  Saturday        8pm Compline Next Sunday EASTER SUNDAY 10 am   Holy Communion  for Easter Sunday 6.30pm Evensong (said, with hymns) Palm Sunday  Mark's account of Jesus entry into Jerusalem spends more time talking about the acquisition of the donkey than the entry itself. Today's sermon explores why that might be. This story is sometimes called the "triumphal" entry into Jerusalem, but in reality, there was very little about it that looked triumphal; it could even be said to parody such grand parades. It points forward to Jesus crucifixion, which would have been regarded as a mark of failure and weakness in anyone who claimed to be a Messiah. The resurrection transforms all that, and tells us that God can, and does work, in what looks like failure.  Anthony van Dyck's depiction of the Entry into Jerusalem captures some of the parodic elements of the event. Jesus' feet almost drag on the ground as he rides, and the bedraggled crowd ambles along beside him with their torn clothes and broken branches.  Van Dyck knew perfectly well how to make kings look kingly, and how to paint them on horseback - his portrait of Charles I ( bottom right) which hangs in the National Gallery is a famous example of the style. It is revealing to contrast it with the image of Jesus on his rather ridiculous donkey!   What do you expect a leader or a king to look like? How do the leaders around us today portray themselves and what effect does that have?  At the end of the podcast today, I quote the poem about the Palm Sunday donkey by G.K. Chesterton.  In case you would like the text, here it is. THE DONKEY When fishes flew and forests walked    And figs grew upon thorn, Some moment when the moon was blood    Then surely I was born.   With monstrous head and sickening cry    And ears like errant wings, The devil’s walking parody    On all four-footed things.   The tattered outlaw of the earth,    Of ancient crooked will; Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,    I keep my secret still.   Fools! For I also had my hour;    One far fierce hour and sweet: There was a shout about my ears,    And palms before my feet.     All Age Ideas The week leading up to Easter is called Holy Week. During this week, we think about the things that happened to Jesus then: riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, sharing his last supper with his friends, praying and then being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, being tried, crucified and then rising from death on Easter Sunday. That's a lot to pack in to one week! We'll be exploring the story on Good Friday at Messy Church from 10 -11.30am, so why not come along then to join us! You might also like to check out some of the craft ideas I've accumulated over the years on Pinterest for Holy Week. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ajlebas/holy-week-and-easter/ Today, how about making the Palm Sunday Spinner which you can find here, https://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2013/03/palm-sunday-spinner.html or some of the other ideas for Palm Sunday on Flame Creative's site. https://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/search?q=palm   CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS FROM SEAL BARBARA ARNOLD'S MEMORIAL SERVICE will take place on Tuesday March 26th at 12.30 in Seal Church, following a private family cremation. After the service in church there will be a reception in the Restoration Pub, off Sevenoaks High Street (formerly the Blackboy). Everyone is welcome both to the service and the reception afterwards.  COFFEE ROTA Clare Jenne would like to pass over the organisation of the coffee rota to someone else - the current rota runs until June. Would anyone be able to take this on? It also involves making sure that the stocks of coffee, tea, sugar and squash are adequate. CONFIRMATION I am planning to organise some confirmation preparation with a view to taking candidates to a Confirmation service at St Giles Farnborough on Sunday June 16 at 4pm. I would need to meet with candidates a number of times for some preparation – in a group if possible, but otherwise one to one. If you would like to be confirmed, please let me know as soon as possible. This will be the last opportunity to be prepared and presented for confirmation before I retire. 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. SEAL VILLAGE HALL NEWS You may remember that last year, we were searching for a team of volunteers, to help out with the running of Seal Village Hall. The Management Committee had reached a stage where the lack of support with the general running of the hall, was leading to its possible closure. The search led to a group being set up - Friends of Seal Village Hall - who committed to helping the management committee (which was grown and consolidated) with various specific projects as they arose. Having spent much time discussing various projects, the Management Committee have decided to pursue 2 exciting projects to bring to the Village Hall this year. The first is something I know many of you have mentioned in the past - a pop-up community cinema. The second, is to look at a project which is provided by a group of actors, who bring a ready made production to community halls. The Friends of Seal Village Hall are already considering how they might get involved in helping with these projects, but before they get too far with their planning, we would like to see how much interest there would be in either of these. Please could you take some time to consider whether you might support either of these projects if they were available to you, and respond via this email address. We are pretty sure there is interest in the pop-up cinema, as it has been mentioned by many of you in recent feedback, but the committee would like to know there is sufficient support before committing too much in the way of funds, and, of course, effort. It is likely, therefore, that this will be the first of the projects to bring to our community. Please let me know if you would be interested in coming along to such an event, or, even, to help with the organisation of it. We all look forward to your responses. SEAL PARISH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY THURSDAY MAY 15TH Seal Pavilion at 7.30pm. All welcome. GARDEN SAFARI REQUESTS New gardens and raffle prizes + plants for the Seal Garden Safari If you have a lovely garden in Seal, please contact me about opening it on Sunday 30th June at the next Garden safari. I would also like any spare raffle prizes and plants (house or garden) for the safari. In the next few weeks … this is the ideal time to divide your perennials. The money raised this year will be going to Cancer and Mind charities. In other years we have raised about £400 for the raffle and plants which is about half of the money! Thanks to the people who have already said YES to me! Many thanks in advance Frances Fish 01732 760007 mob 07749240456