Sunday worship podcast link and other news: June 30

 

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 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                       7.15 am Choir practice Fri                          9am Morning prayer in church                               10.30am Friday Group in the Church Hall                               11.30 am  Baptism: Hamish Sindall Sat                        12 noon: Wedding: Georgia and James                                Next Sunday  10 am  Patronal Festival and Farewell to Anne and Philip, followed by celebrations to mark the day. No Evening service this week (but evening services will continue during the interregnum

TRINITY 5 Today's Gospel reading is the story of two healings, one enfolded within the other. Jesus is begged by a desperate father, an important and probably wealthy man, to heal his daughter who is at the point of death. On the way there, a woman in the crowd, who has a chronic condition, touches his cloak, hoping to be healed without anyone noticing. Jesus stops to find out who she is and to hear her story, declaring publicly that this woman, who has been marginalised by her community as unclean, is healed and blessed. But this means that by the time he gets to the little girl's house, she is already dead. This is not the end of the story, however... The story asks us to consider the subtle, and not so subtle, ways in which we might think of some people as more deserving than others of God's love and help.  As you listen to the story, who do you sympathise with?  When you are in need, do you feel confident about asking for help, or are you apologetic, not wanting to make a fuss, as the woman in the story seems to be? Why do you feel the way you do?

All Age Ideas In today's Gospel story, Jesus is interrupted on the way to heal the little daughter of an important man. A woman reaches out to touch his robe, believing it will  heal her - she had been ill for a long time - without anyone knowing. She doesn't want to make a fuss or draw attention to herself. But Jesus stops to heal and talk to her. That means that when he gets to the child's house, she has already died. Jesus raises her from death, but her family had already gone through the sadness of thinking they had lost her.  I wonder how the people in the story felt when Jesus stopped to heal the woman?  How do you feel if someone takes a long time to do something you have asked them to do? Do you know anyone who is feeling poorly today? God cares about them, even though they don't always get healed as the people in this story do. You could say a special prayer for them, and maybe make them a card too!

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS GARDEN PARTY AT 17 ZAMBRA WAY SEAL IN AID OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL CHURCH LAST WEEK  Well done to Maggie, Chris and their team, for raising £746 for the church - a huge thank you. SEAL GARDEN SAFARI Today - JUNE 30th Sunday 30th June 12-5pm £6 per person £5 if paid in advance Tickets from Seal village stores or Frances Fish 01732 760007 or 07749240456 Children accompanied by adult free Money to go to Cancer and Mind charities Raffle and plant stall at 2 Zambra way Refreshments now at 2A Zambra way ( not at the allotment) Tickets now available from Seal Supermarket FREE ! Children's books in the church porch. I am downsizing my rather ridiculously large collection of children's books. Please help me out by helping yourself, if you have children, grandchildren, godchildren or other small friends... They will be in the church porch until Sun 30th, after which any left over will go to a charity shop! FREE ART EXHIBITION - VILLAGE HALL June 29th and June 30th Donations will go to Seal Village Hall fund Saturday  29th June 12 - 4 pm Sunday 30th June 11 - 4pm Seal Village Hall There will be a lovely selection of artwork from the Thursday U3A art group which meets in  Seal Village Hall each week. We are also having a board with some small pieces of artwork from each of our members for sale costing £5 which will be sold and the money will be going to the Seal Village Hall fund.. Other artwork will be on sale ... please come and browse and enjoy the atmosphere!  ENHANCED LISTENING COURSE 20th and 27th July - 10.30 to 12.30 in Seal Church hall. Two sessions to enable group participants to recognise the listening skills they already have and enhance them with confidence. Please contact Sue Buddin – 07737026701 or 01732 760990 densuebud@aol.com if you think this could be useful to you or want further information   BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT 12th – 14th July. Thank you to Babs and all who came along to help survey the churchyard during this past week. Following on from that, can you spare some time to do some butterfly and moth spotting in the churchyard? If so, please contact Babs Bartholomew to help out - babsvmurray@gmail.com. More details at https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/ PATRONAL FESTIVAL AND FAREWELL TO ANNE AND PHILIP Sunday July 7th between 10 am  and 4pm  Philip and I would be very glad to see anyone who would like to come along and join in the celebrations to mark our last day in the parish before my retirement on July 7.  The day starts with the Patronal Festival and Farewell service at 10 am, but continues with a shared lunch, bbq, music, activities, tree planting in the churchyard, and then strawberries, cake and tea in the church hall. Details in the pic below. If our paths have crossed at all during my time at Seal - weddings, baptisms, funerals, through the school, Know Your Neighbours, or in any other way - it would be lovely to see you, so do drop in! Many, many thanks to all those who have been involved in organising this lovely assortment of activities to mark the day! We are bowled over already by the thought and care that have gone into making this a special day.  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.  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