Services at St Margaret’s Underriver St Lawrence, Seal Chart Parish Magazine during September 2016 In the Church, every Thursday at 08:30, Morning Prayer (said) - CW September 2016 Sunday 4 Sept 11:15 All Age Family Service Sunday 11 Sept 08:00 Holy Communion BCP 18:00 Evensong BCP Sunday 18 Sept 11:15 Short Family Communion CW Sunday 25 Sept 11:15 Parish Communion CW Sunday 2 Oct 11:15 Harvest Festival ST LAWRENCE CHURCH AND VILLAGE CONTACTS Vicar - Revd Carol Kitchener - 01732 761766 Reader - St Lawrence Church - Mrs Gretel Wakeham - 01732 761534 Admin Assistant - Tim Pearce - 01732 832408 [email protected] Parish Website - www.sealstlawrence.org.uk Churchwardens Ron Drury 810214 1st St Lawrence Brownies Janet Boswell 01959 523953 Rob Otto 457442 PCC Hon Secretary John Morris 810227 S’oaks District Councillors Julia Thornton 07831 234449 PCC Hon Treasurer Andy Rowell 884950 Roderick Hogarth 760325 Electoral Roll Clive McLintock 452964 Seal Parish Council Covenant & Envelopes Rob Otto 457442 Chairman Edward Oatley 465905 Organist Alex Trigg Vice-Chairman Mike Harvey Choir Director John Morris 810227 Clerk Lorna Talbot 763488 Bellringers Hon Secretary Peter Wharton 810388 Ward Councillors Peter Granville 763832 Sevenoaks Deanery Synod Ron Drury 810214 Tony Bulleid Peter Wharton 810388 Sunday School Hilary Darque 453929 St Lawrence Village Hall Management Committee Vicar Reader Chairman Peter Wharton 810388 Child Protection Rep Kate Clark 810829 Secretary Janice Brooker 760843 The Revd Carol Kitchener Mrs Gretel Wakeham Treasurer Andy Smaggasgale 760552 St Lawrence Vicarage The White House Church Flowers Sheila Jackson 811422 Bookings Secretary Andy Smaggasgale 760552 Stone Street Bitchet Green St Lawrence CE Primary School Cricket Club Secretary Robin Webster 01892 862017 Headteacher Alison Saunders 761393 Badm’ton Club Contact Peter Wharton 810388 Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0LQ Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0NA Chairman of Governors Paul Martin 761393 Archery Club Secretary Mike Davies 762266 01732 761766 01732 761534 Clerk to the Governors Valerie Maunder 761393 Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators St Lawrence Pre-School ??? Stone Street Contact Janice Brooker 760843 Church Wardens Seal Chart Contact Nicola Mitchell 764202 Ron Drury Rob Otto Copy for the next issue should be sent, preferably by e-mail, to the editor, Garden Cottage, Raspit Hill 23 Hillingdon Avenue Brian Sutton (01732 450873) at [email protected] to arrive by 08:00 on Wednesday 14 September 2016 Ivy Hatch Sevenoaks The next issue of the Parish Magazine will be in Church on Sunday 25 September 2016 Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0PE Kent TN13 3RB 01732 810214 01732 457442 Edited and Typeset by Brian Sutton, 50 The Crescent, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3QY (01732 450873) Printed by Highland Printers, Church Farm, Seal, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0AN (01732 762131) 12 1 Our Vicar’s Page For the Children From the 1 st August we have become a joint benefice, with our new status came a new name, we are now the “Parish of St Lawrence Seal Chart with St Margaret Underriver”. It would have been wonderful to announce this in the August magazines, but the notice came out after the printing dates had passed. Our two churches have worked closely together for more than 20 years sharing the same vicar, or the same priest-in-charge. Over the years there have been many joint services on fifth Sundays and during Holy Week, as well as joint All-Souls Services each autumn. There have been lots of Gar- den Parties over the years alternating between lovely gardens in the two parishes. There have been shared concerts and social events and the annu- al Harvest Suppers and Harvest Lunches have had people from both par- ishes enjoying each others company. The new Joint Benefice makes in Law all that has been made by good will, friendship and hospitality through the years. Our two churches will continue to have their own churchwardens and PCCs and the finances of the two churches will continue to be separate. Each church will still be in a position to make their own decisions about buildings, worship and social events. Through the joint Standing Commit- tee, which will meet several times a year, plans will be made about things to be shared and the strengths of each of the churches will be employed to the advantage of the other church. People talk about the past as being like ‘another country’, well that also applies to the future, that too is ‘another country’, which is still to be ex- plored – an adventure awaits. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the process of making two churches into a single Joint Benefice. Thank you to all of the people who have prayed and made plans over the last two years. Bishop James was in the parishes in June and he would like to be part of an event to celebrate our new Joint Benefice and once we have been given a date for our cele- bration I will let you know. Yours in the love of Christ 2 11 8 September - The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT In both eastern and western churches, Mary has always been held as pre-eminent BEWL WATER DRAGON BOAT RACE 2016 among all the saints. The unique, extraordinary privilege of being the mother of St Lawrence's has entered a team in the the One who was both God and Man, makes her worthy of special honour. 2016 Bewl Water Dragon Boat Festiva l. Thomas Aquinas believed she was due hyperdulia , or a veneration that exceeds that of other saints, but is at the same time infinitely below the adoration, or The event takes place on Saturday 10 September 2016 and should be a fun latria, due to God alone. day out for rowers and supporters. The gospels of Matthew and Luke give Mary most mention. Luke even tells the A team of 20 volunteers from our church and wider community and friends, story of Jesus’ infancy from Mary’s point of view. Her Song, or Magnificat are raising funds for charities supported by the church. appears in Luke 1:46-55. The prime beneficiaries will be : The virginal conception of Christ is clearly stated in the gospels. But after Jesus’ birth, Mary fades quietly into the background. During Jesus’ public life, she is DEMELZA HOUSE mentioned only occasionally, as at the wedding at Cana. She reappears at the provides the best care and support for seriously ill babies, foot of the Cross (John’s Gospel), and is given into John’s care. In the early children, young people and their families, chapters of Acts, Mary is with the Apostles, and received the Holy Spirit along across East Sussex, Kent and South East London. with them on Whitsunday. But her role was not the active one of teaching and preaching. THE BRIDGE TRUST Mary’s significance grew with the centuries. By the fifth century she was called supporting single homeless people in West Kent since 1991. Theotokos , The Mother of God, and from the seventh century onwards, she was SEVENOAKS AREA YOUTH TRUST given four festivals: the Presentation in the Temple (2 February), the A youth work charity based in Sevenoaks, Kent, with the aim of training, Annunciation (25 March), the Assumption (15 August) and her Nativity (8 September). employing and supporting detached Christian youth workers in Sevenoaks and its surrounding areas. Marian devotion has played an enormous role in the church down the years. Mary has been the object of countless prayers, accredited with performing many The dragon boat races take place throughout the day, starting at 10 am, and miracles, and the subject of thousands of artistic endeavours. She has had finishing at around 4 pm with the 10 boat grand final. Just come down to hundreds of chapels or parish churches named after her. During the Reformation the water's edge and watch all the colourful action. Teams of 16 paddlers, many images of Mary were destroyed. The Second Vatican Council 1962 made plus a drummer and a helm will be competing for the annual trophy in a an extended statement on her, stressing her complete dependence on her Son, and series of time trials over the 250 metre course. regarding her as a model of the Church. There will also be stalls, and there's no shortage of food and drink! Principal Marian shrines of today include Lourdes (France), Fatima (Portugal), Just head to Bewl Water (TN3 8JH) on 10th September 2016. Walsingham (England), Loreto (Italy), Czesochowa (Poland) and Guadalupe Standard Bewl Water entry fee of £2 per car (for up to 5 people) applies. (Mexico). * * * * * * * * IT’s NOT TOO LATE - PLEASE : Help If you can give any sum to these amazing charities, either visit The holiday season is almost over but memories of the summer must still be www.sealstlawrence.org.uk/dragonboat/ or fresh in minds, both young and old. Did you have a good time? Was there contact our Church Treasurer, Andy Rowell on 01732 884950 something special in your experience? How about sharing that something with to donate by cheque or bank transfer. other readers. On behalf of our charities and people who benefit from their amazing work * * * * * * * * Thank you for your donation. 10 3 Bells Ringing News from the Tower. It is a tradition for bell ringers from across the country to ask permission to ring HARVEST SUPPER another tower’s bells. This applies to most parish churches across the land but not, I hasten to add, for those of St Pauls Cathedral, or Westminster Abbey etc. IN We have several such requests from other bands usually in the Kent and Home Counties. Before our bells were re-hung in 2013, the number of those who came to ring our bells dwindled as they we were beginning to have a reputation for ST LAWRENCE VILLAGE HALL being rather difficult to ring.