Sunday podcast worship podcast: April 28

 

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 (I am having problems with the phone-in version of this podcast, so have had to suspend it. Spotify is also playing up, so if you subscribe on Spotify,  this week's and future podcasts can be found here. Access to past podcasts here. It is simpler to use the Youtube link in the picture above, however!) DONATE TO SEAL CHURCH HERE - all contributions gratefully received to keep the church thriving!

In the church building today 10 am  Holy Communion 6.30pm Evensong (said with hymns) This week:  Wed                        10 am Good Book Club in the vicarage: The Epistle of James                                 4.30pm Children's Choir in the hall                                 7.15pm Choir Thurs                      1pm Wedding: Emily Reid and Michael Wadsworth Friday                     9am Morning prayer in church                                10.30am Friday Group in the Church Hall                                Next Sunday  10 am  Holy Communion 6.30pm Evensong (said with hymns)

Easter 5 In today's first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, St Philip, one of the Apostles, is told by the Holy Spirit to travel down the Jerusalem to Gaza road, where he comes across an Ethiopian court official, a servant of the Queen, who has been to Jerusalem to worship. He may be Jewish, but living in Ethiopia, or he may be ethnically Ethiopian, but interested in Jewish faith.  Whichever is the case, he is puzzled by what he reads in the Hebrew scriptures, and asks Philip to explain them to him. As I investigate in the sermon, his confusion is probably related to the fact that he is a eunuch. He has either been deliberately castrated, or is infertile through accident or illness, but this will have meant that he wouldn't have been admitted to the Temple, since Jewish law forbade eunuchs, along with many other people with disabilities from taking part in Temple worship.  How can this man square the welcoming God he reads about in the prophecies of Isaiah with the exclusion he has just experienced? The reading invites us all to consider the inclusion and exclusion we encounter around us. Have you ever found yourself excluded from something? What did it feel like?

All Age Ideas In today's first reading, we meet St Philip, who was one of the first followers of Jesus. His feast day, shared with St James the Less, is on May 1st -  this Wednesday. We meet him several times in the Gospels, and then in the stories about the early Church after Jesus' resurrection, where he was one of those given the special job of making sure that everyone had a fair share of the food the Church gave out to those in need.  He was very active, and travelled a lot, telling people about Jesus. In this story he meets a man on a road out in the middle of nowhere travelling through the desert in his chariot. The man, is not sure whether God can really love him. Philip tells him that Jesus showed us that God loves everyone, and the man immediately asks to be baptised - they are near a pool of water - so that he can be a follower of the way of love which Jesus taught. We all need to know that we are loved. Who helps you to know this? How could you help someone know they are loved this week? Could you make a card for someone who might need cheering up?

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS Annual Parochial Church Meeting -  May 12th at 11.15am We will gather for our APCM this year on May 12 at 11.15am in church, to elect new PCC members (and churchwardens if anyone volunteers - contact me if you would like to know more!) and to receive the reports and accounts for the last year. Everyone is welcome, but only those on the church electoral roll are allowed to vote. Reports and Accounts will be available next Sunday. HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR THE PARISH GIVING SCHEME? Back in the Autumn we signed up for the Parish Giving Scheme which is a simple system to replace Standing Orders as a way of giving to the church, and automates the collection of Gift Aid for those who are tax payers, which saves a great deal of time and effort on the part of the volunteers who help to look after the churches finances and means we get the Gift Aid very quickly.  So far, though, only 13 people have transferred from giving by Standing Order to giving through this Scheme. It would be great if more people could give through this scheme, as it simplifies the administrative burden so much! If you are a regular giver to Seal (or would like to become one!) please would you consider using this route for your donations. You can find out more here, or contact us if you would like to know more, by emailing financesealpandp@gmail.com UPDATE ON SEAL CHURCH CLOCK THE PROBLEM The clock was installed in 1854 and has been regularly maintained by Gillett andJohnson (G&J) of Edenbridge. During 2022 it became increasingly temperamental, and G&J advised that some bearings had become worn and some teeth were damaged. They recommended that the clock be removed, repaired and reinstalled. Permission for this from the Diocese of Rochester is required, and was first requested in January 2023. WHERE ARE WE NOW? Unfortunately the Diocesan Clock Adviser, whose advice is required for approval to be given, died just before Christmas 2022. This caused long delays as the work had to be covered by the person holding the equivalent role in Southwark Diocese We were required to obtain several quotes, which was a time consuming process as there are few church clock maintenance specialists in the country. In the event their quotes differed widely, and there were concerns expressed by the Diocese that the possible scale of the work might escalate. It has taken a while to resolve this and to come to a sensible view of what is really needed. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The Diocese has today confirmed that in the next few days it will send the paperwork confirming approval to the works being carried out by G&J, and they have been asked to advise when the work will be completed. Hopefully this long running saga is near its end, and it won’t be long before we have a working clock chiming the hours once again! Many thanks for your patience and understanding! Paul Thompson     12 April 2024 SATURDAY MAY 4TH, VINE GARDENS SEVENOAKS  10.30-4PM SEVENOAKS CLIMATE FAIR Free entry - all welcome! Talks, stalls, workshops, food and drink and much more! Bringing businesses, charities and community groups together, and anybody else who is passionate about the climate emergency to empower Sevenoaks to reach Net Zero. SO.... IS YOUR GRANNY A DAB HAND WITH A LITTER PICKER? HAS YOUR BUSINESS WALKED THE EXTRA MILE TO CUT ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT? This event will champion the local unsung climate heroes, taking grassroot action to save the planet. So if you, or you know of anybody, group or business, meeting this criteria, please get in touch - email sevenoaksclimatefair@gmail.com and give the name, age, and story of your nominee in no more than 200 words. A photo would be great too!Winners will be announce at the S CAN CLIMATE FAIR at the above event. SATURDAY MAY 11TH SEAL VILLAGE ALLOTMENTS MIDDAY - 3PM   Plant Sale and Refreshments - ALL WELCOME! SEAL VILLAGE HALL NEWS The feedback regarding the idea of a pop-up cinema, has been phenomenal - clearly a popular idea, and one that the Friends of Seal Village Hall, look forward to getting set up. If you haven't already, please let me know if you would be interested in coming along to such an event, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ABLE, to help with the organisation of it. We all look forward to further 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 30 th 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