ServicesServices at St Margaret’s at St Margaret’s Underriver St Lawrence, Seal Chart Parish Magazine during Septemberduring July2012 2012

In the Church, every Thursday at 08:30, Morning Prayer (said) - CW September 2012 Sunday 1 July 11:15 All Age Family Service Sunday 2 Sept 11:15 All Age Family Service Sunday 8 July 08:00 Holy Communion BCP Sunday 9 Sept 18:0008:00 HolyEvensong Communion BCP 18:00 Evensong Sunday 15 July 10:30 Sunday Club meets in the Village Hall Sunday 16 Sept 11:1510:30 SundayAll Age ClubFamily meets Service in the Village H all 11:15 All Age Family Service Sunday 22 July 11:15 St Margaret’s Patronal Festival Sunday 23 Sept 11:15 Parish Communion CW Sunday 29 July 09:45 Joint Songs of Praise at St Lawrence’s Sunday 30 Sept 11:15 All Age Worship Sunday 5 Aug 11:15 All Age Family Service Sunday 7 Oct 11:15 Harvest Celebration Service

ST LAWRENCE CHURCH AND VILLAGE CONTACTS Vicar - Revd Carol Kitchener - 761766 Reader - St Lawrence Church - Mrs Gretel Wakeham - 761534 Admin Asst - Mrs Susie Steyn - 07855 727093 [email protected] . Parish Web Site - www.sealstlawrence.org.uk. Churchwardens Celeste Davis-Watling 820190 S’oaks District Councillors Julia Thornton 07831 234449 Ron Drury 810214 Roderick Hogarth 760325 PCC Hon Secretary Richard Glencross 761202 Seal Parish Council PCC Hon Treasurer Tony Webb xd Chairman Robin Watson 833930 Electoral Roll Clive McLintock 452964 Vice-Chairman Edward Oatley 465905 Covenant & Envelopes John Morris 810227 Clerk Lorna Talbot 763488 Organist Lizzie Veglio 01634 244700 Ward Councillors Peter Granville 763832 Choir Director John Morris 810227 Tony Bulleid Bellringers Hon Secretary Peter Wharton 810388 St Lawrence Village Association Deanery Synod Ron Drury 810214 Chairman Graham Moynes 760640 Peter Wharton 810388 Secretary Carol Smith 763561 Sunday School Hilary Darque 453929 St Lawrence Village Hall Management Committee Vicar Reader Lyn Holness 764210 Chairman Peter Wharton 810388 Child Protection Rep Sam Drury 810214 Secretary Charlotte Sinclair 764285 The Revd Carol Kitchener Mrs Gretel Wakeham deputy Gretel Wakeham 761534 Treasurer Andy Smaggasgale 760552 St LawrencePriest in Charge Vicarage The WhiteReader House Church Flowers Sheila Jackson 811422 Bookings Secretary Patricia Wilson 761282 Mrs Gretel Wakeham Cricket Club Secretary Robin Webster 01892 862017 Stone Street Bitchet Green St Lawrence CE Primary School The White House Badm’ton Club Contact Peter Wharton 810388 Sevenoaks,[Vacancy] TN15 0LQ Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0NA Headteacher Alison Saunders 761393 Bowls Club Peter Granville 763832 Bitchet Green Chairman of Governors Sarah Hudson 810050 Tennis Club Contact Gretel Wakeham 761534 01732 761766 01732 761534 Clerk to the Governors Sarah Brew 761393 Archery Club Secretary Mike Davies 762266 Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0NA St Lawrence Pre-School Becky Stammers 763289 Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators Church Wardens Stone Street Contact Janice Brooker 760843 01732 761534 st 1 St Lawrence Brownies Janet Boswell 01959 523953 Seal Chart Contact Nicola Mitchell 764202 Celeste Davis-Watling Church Wardens Ron Drury Copy for the next issue should be sent, preferably by e-mail, to the editor, Brian Sutton (01732 450873) at C/o St Lawrence Church Garden Cottage, Raspit Hill [email protected] or [email protected] Hilary Denby-Jones Celeste Davis-Watling to arrive by 08:00 on Wednesday 19 September 2012 ChurchBroomsleigh Road, Stone Park Street C/o St LawrenceIvy Hatch Church The next issue of the Parish Magazine will be in Church on Sunday 30 September 2012 Sevenoaks,Seal Kent Chart TN15 0LN Sevenoaks,Church Road, Kent Stone TN15 Street 0PE Edited and Typeset by Brian Sutton, 50 The Crescent, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3QY (01732 450873)Printed by Sevenoaks,01732 Kent 820190 TN15 0ES Sevenoaks,01732 Kent 810214 TN15 0LN Highland Printers, The Barn, Church Farm, Seal, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0AN (01732 762131) 01732 763883 01732 820190 12 1 From our Vicar FOR THE CHILDREN . . . . People can sometimes feel out of touch with God, or the Church. Perhaps something has happened to them, or to someone else, and they have lost confidence in God? Or, their circumstances have changed and going to church on Sunday is no longer possible? Perhaps they have moved house and not found a new church and as time has gone by, the need to do so has faded? Perhaps you can relate to one of those scenarios, because you no longer have the habit of attending church yourself? Perhaps you know someone who is out of touch with the church and with God? At the end of this month on September 30th our churches will celebrate ‘Back to Church Sunday’, this is an opportunity for people to come along and experience worship in their local church. For some years churches across this country have been opening their doors with a special invitation to those who no longer attend on a regular basis. Each year, across the UK, people come to these services and many of them have carried on worshipping in subsequent weeks. This is wonderful for local churches, who are always pleased to see new people, or old friends, but more importantly it must delight God to welcome people back again into a relationship with him. The invitation for 2012 simply says “I’m inviting you” a simple message of welcome. It reflects the invitation of God to his people through the years – he reaches out in love. We cannot earn God’s love, nothing we do, or say and no matter how much we might prepare ourselves, in the end it is God who reaches out to us. Just as we welcome our own sons and daughters and we do not expect them to do, or be, anything other than themselves, for us to welcome them home. God loves us, just as we are today. He sees beyond our faults and flaws and simply loves us for being the people that he created us to be. All of us are flawed, all of us make mistakes - we cannot prevent that from happening it is part of our human nature. We are loved by God and welcomed by him for all that is good in us as well as for the flaws that we have. There is nothing that any of us can do to earn his love, it is an unconditional gift and we might as well accept his gift of love and enjoy a relationship with him knowing that we are accepted and valued. If you have lost touch with God and his church, then come and join us on Sunday September 30th at 9.45 am at St Lawrence’s, or at 11.15 am at St Margaret’s - you will be made very welcome. If you are already a part of these churches, maybe you can think of someone whom you think might like to come back to church, please invite them to come with you on the 30th.

Yours in the love of Christ

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Looking ahead: Some dates for your diaries THE SKIRL OF THE PIPES 4 Sept 7.30 pm PCC meeting THE FUN OF THE FÊTE 15 Sept 2.00 – 5.00 pm: Joint Church Garden Party at Bassetts at Underriver’s and Seal Chart’s Church Garden Party

24 Sept 7.30 pm: Joint Confirmation Service with Holy Communion. to be held on Saturday 15 September from 2 to 5 pm Bishop James will be with us, please come and support at Bassetts, Mill Lane, TN11 9LX our two candidates Claire (SMU) and Katie (SSL) by kind permission of John and Heather Clemence 30 Sept 9.45 am Back to Church Sunday Service 6 Oct Harvest Supper (Village Hall) PUNCH AND JUDY 7 Oct 9.45 am: Harvest Festival Beautiful Garden, Delicious Teas, Stalls, Sideshows, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Crafts and Games for young children, /cont from page 7

On the south wall of St Nicholas, New Romney one can still see mooring rings, a TUG-OF-WAR clear indication of the proximity of the church to the water.The pictures on the And, for the Grand Finale, a Performance by cover are Appledore, Old Romney, Ivychurch, St Mary in the Marsh. Newchurch, New Romney, Dymchurch, Burmarsh, Snargate, Brookland, THE LONDON SCOTTISH REGIMENT Fairfield, Winchelsea, Hythe, Rye and Lydd. Both Lydd and Newchurch claim the title ‘Cathedral of the Marsh’ but it is PIPES AND DRUMS generally accepted that this appellation properly belongs to Lydd. All proceeds from the Fête will go to the Churches. There are also several ruins of medieval churches lost to the ravages of those Donations while the Band plays will be shared with Help the Heroes. devastating storms which beset the area long ago. There is no doubt that this part of Kent is worthy of a visit. Would you consider giving a raffle or tombola prize or donating bric-a-brac, flowers, plants, produce, jams, savouries, cakes or scones? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Please start clearing out your lofts, taking your cuttings and preparing your ingredients to donate to the joint Garden Party? John Donne - The Monarch of Wit We would love to hear from anyone who could give some time to help with a stall or

sideshow or teas or children’s games or with setting up and taking down tables, chairs, etc. This is a unique opportunity to see a fifty minute play, using Donne’s own words: his poems, letters, sermons and To offer help on a specific stall, please contact as below meditations. James Clarkson, stage and screen actor, includes Tombola - John & Carol Lambert - 763415 Donne’s early life, his struggles, his ordination and more. It is Cakes & Produce - Pat Edgehill - 761758 vivid and thought provoking. Bric a Brac - Anthea Carlisle - 761097 There will be wine and cake afterwards in the village hall. Profit will go to Church Urban Fund. Books - Richard Glencross - 761202 Saturday 13 October at 8pm at St. Margaret’s, Underriver Scones/small cakes for Tea tent - Celeste Watling - 820190 or Rosemary Cole - 763107 Tickets £10 from Neil and Jennifer Fair, 01732 832292 Raffle - John Carlisle - 761097 Please make cheques out to St. Margaret’s. Setting up or Taking Down - Ron Drury - 810214

10 3 New Christian Free School Approved by the Government Bitchet Common On a cold night earlier this year a young girl lay asleep in bed in Riverhead. She Thank you to everyone who has contributed thoughts and ideas towards thinking was dreaming about her first day at the new Christian Free School. “I walked in about Bitchet Common. Despite the varying individual views, there is a very through these big gates. Lots of people were there. We were wearing brown strong consensus from the community that it would be lovely to significantly uniforms and my friends were there. I was excited and a bit nervous.” Every open up the areas that are currently inaccessible, to improve existing bridlepaths day since, she has prayed morning and evening that the school would be and footpaths and to generally make the area much more open. Many of the approved by the Government. And on 13th July she heard that her prayers had existing mature woodland trees, open heathy areas would be open for all to enjoy been answered! if we can do this. There will also be wildlife benefits on this piece of land, This exciting news has been the fruition of a lot of hard work by dozens of local which is of course a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), a designation only churchgoers. The team had to prepare a 200 page application including complex given to areas of high special habitat importance. financial projections. They met with church councils and ministers’ groups from A document drawing together the views will be available by the end of August the 25 churches who supported the bid, including St Lawrence’s and St and will be posted on the Seal Parish Council website, sealparishc@btconnect. Margaret’s. They spoke to head teachers of local schools, Kent County Council com. Copies will also be available through Lorna Talbot 01732 763488 or and political leaders. They campaigned among local parents to seek their support Fidelity Weston on 01732 463372. for the school. 825 parents representing 1350 primary-aged children supported We may decide to do another couple of walks so if you are interested please let the bid; about half of them said that they would put this school as their first Lorna or Fidelity know. choice. And most importantly they prayed. The task now is to open a new school from scratch by September 2013. The Once we are confident that the majority of local people are happy with the broad government will provide funding to assist with this but it is still a very daunting proposals we will need to take it on to the next step which will include finding task. The most important priorities are to secure pupils, teachers and a site. The funding for the project. There are a few public funding sources we can go to but school will have to run its own admissions process. Parents will be able to apply they are all competitive and require considerable work to make appropriate in September and will receive offers on 1st March 2013 to consider alongside proposals so please do not expect this to happen quickly. Indeed we do not their offer from KCC. Half the places in the school will be for churchgoing expect any work to start until 2013 at the earliest. families and half will be allocated without reference to faith. If you would like to discuss any aspect of this please do ring Fidelity. The recruitment of the head teacher of the school will start in the autumn so that ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ the appointed person can lead the selection of the other teachers. The most senior teachers will be practising Christians. We do not yet know where the Can you spare 1.5 hours a month ? school will be located. The bid proposes that the school should be at the We are looking for two volunteers to take over assembling the monthly parish Wildernesse site. It will now be for the Government to engage with Kent County magazine. This involves stapling the copies, putting them into bundles and Council and other interested parties to determine whether that can be made delivering them to the church and local distributors, who take them round the available. parish. In addition, before the school can be given the final green light there needs to be We are very grateful to Felicity Corbally who has taken on this task faithfully for a formal public consultation with local people; and the team need to negotiate the many years and to Patricia Wilson who has helped in the past two years. school’s funding with the Government. And then there are numerous other Do please think if you can help. If more than two volunteer then that would matters. How will the churches work together to oversee the school? What cover the absences and holidays. should it be called? What does it mean in practice for a school to be The Parish Magazines are a most important part of our ministry to the Parish and ‘distinctively Christian’? Oh, and should we have brown uniforms, like in the beyond. Do please ask a friend or neighbour and see if you would be prepared to young girl’s dream? volunteer. Thank you very much. Please pray for the team! For more information, please contact Ron Drury on 01732 810214 or email Bill Lattimer, Chairman, Sevenoaks Christian School [email protected]

4 9 ST LAWRENCE HARVEST SUPPER Friends of Kent Churches Ride & Stride

Will be held on Saturday 6th, October at Stone Street Village Hall at 7pm. For those of you not familiar with the Friends of Kent Churches Ride & Stride, it is a sponsored event with walkers and cyclists Two Course Meal, Entertainment, Quiz & Bar trying to visit as many churches as possible on that day. Money A social evening for all of the family. This is very much an All Welcome event, raised is divided between Friends of Kent Churches (which helps but please book your ticket early, as space is strictly limited. support churches who are struggling financially) and the church of their choice. Tickets £10 (adult) £5 (children under 12) For many years my husband and children took part on behalf of St Lawrence.

May be there are some potential walkers/runners/cyclists amongst you? If so, I Please call Carol Lambert (763415) or Rosemary Cole (763107) would be happy to give you the details on how to take part. to book your ticket. This year’s Ride & Stride is on Saturday 8 September, 10am - 6pm. As in ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ previous years I'm just leaving some refreshments and a form for bikers/walkers to sign. Hilary (Darque) (01732 453929) Merry Christmas! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I know it seems a little early, but it will be here before you know it, but please mark the date. Back to Church Sunday 30 September 2012 St Lawrence's Christmas Fayre will be held on Saturday 24th November in Stone Millions of people who don't go to church would Street Village Hall. say yes to an invitation from a friend. What if Following all of the fantastic fun of last years Fayre, please do come along. More you were that friend? Who would you invite? detail to follow next month. Back to Church Sunday has caught on in We would greatly appreciate any donations of white wine (in a green bottle), churches everywhere because it is so simple. Raffle Prizes, or Chocolate of any kind (please ensure the use by date is after Since 2004 a quarter of a million people have 24.11.12) said yes to the prayerful invitation of a friend. Each year more churches take part and more Please call Ron (810214) if you would like to contribute - thank you. Ron people come back per church. In 2011 in the Church of 20 more people ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ came to each church - across all denominations about 77,000 extra people altogether. And at its heart it is the oldest idea of all, the one that made shepherds From the Church Registers leave their flocks, fishermen leave their nets, and tax collectors climb out of 15 June FUNERAL and burial in the churchyard of trees. Someone invited them. Back to Church Sunday can help us to take the Ursula Ingeborg (Poppy) Whaley - 81 years of age shortest step in evangelism: inviting someone you know to come to church with you. We extend our condolences to her family. We will be distributing invitations, for you to use, in the churches at the beginning of September. In the meantime, ask God to guide you to invite a 21 July WEDDING of Shanearron Lee and Michelle Carol Peirce friend, or a neighbour, to come to church with you this year on the 30th 28 July WEDDING of Antoine Louis Joseph Darque and Stephanie Lucille Duff September. Carol 28 July WEDDING of Richard Benjamin Parker and Tamsin Corbally ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We wish them all every joy in their new lives together. Every time I see a church, I pay a little visit; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ So when at last I’m carried in, The Lord won’t say ‘Who is it?’

8 5 Services and Events at The Cover Pictures The Church of St Lawrence Seal Chart “Far away in the south-east corner of Kent is the Romney Marsh, a flat sheep- during September 2012 nibbled kingdom with oak posts and rails and windswept salty churches”. John Betjeman wrote those words to describe what others had called ‘the eighth Every Tuesday at 08:30, in the Church, Morning Prayer (said), (CW) continent’ or ‘the fifth quarter’. Most villages between Hythe in the east and Rye Sunday 2 Sept Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity in the west, have a church, some of them disproportionately large for the 08:00 Holy Communion BCP communities of the twenty first century, but thanks to the work of the Romney James 1: 17-end Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Marsh Historic Churches Trust most are well maintained and are open each day 09:45 All Age Family Service to visitors. Many date from the 11th or 12th centuries with evidence of having Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23 been built on the site of even earlier places of worship.

Sunday 9 Sept Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity The marsh today is mostly land recovered from the sea during the past thousand 09:45 Family Communion CW or so years. The River Rother, which provided the principle drainage system for James 2: 1-10, 14-17 Mark 7: 24-end the marsh, flowed into the sea at New Romney until the thirteenth century. In the

Thursday 13 Sept Prayer Time (lasts about an hour - all are welcome) 1230s the area was ravaged by storms and in 1287 large areas were inundated t b c At Shepherd’s Cottage, Heaverham Road, and the great shingle bank that is now a major feature of the landscape forced its mouth some 15 km westwards to Rye. Saturday 15 Sept Underriver & Seal Chart Church Garden Party /cont on page 10 14:00 At Bassetts, Mill Lane, Hildenborough

Sunday 16 Sept Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity 09:45 Family Communion (with Sunday Club) CW Church Flowers James 3: 1-12 Mark 8: 27-end

Sunday 23 Sept Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday 2 Sept Bridget Stephens 09:45 Matins BCP James 3: 13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9: 30-37 Sunday 9 Sept Bridget Stephens

Monday 24 Sept Joint Confirmation Service with Holy Communion Sunday 16 Sept Annette McKellar 19:30 Bishop James will be with us, please come and support our two candidates Claire (SMU) and Katie (SSL) Sunday 23 Sept Annette McKellar

Sunday 30 Sept Pat Edghill Tuesday 25 Sept Prayer Time (lasts about an hour - all are welcome) 10:00 At St Lawrence Vicarage Sunday 7 Oct Pat Edghill

Sunday 30 Sept Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - Back to Church Sunday 09:45 All Age Worship St LAWRENCE SUNDAY SCHOOL Matthew 5: 13-16 meets in St Lawrence School at 09:45 All children aged 3 and upwards are welcome Saturday 6 Oct Harvest Supper 19:00 In Stone Street Village Hall 16 September Sunday School Hilary & Lesl ey Sunday 7 Oct Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity - Harvest Sunday 21 October Sunday School details will be in next 08:00 Holy Communion BCP month’s magazine Joel 2: 21-27 Matthew 6: 26-33 18 November Sunday School 09:45 Harvest Celebration Service Joel 2: 21-27 For further information contact Hilary Darque (453929) or Lyn Holness (764210)

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