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08 December 2024
Baruch 5:1-9

A reading from the book of the prophet Baruch.

Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem,
and put on for ever the beauty of the glory from God.

Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God;
put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting;

for God will show your splendour everywhere under heaven.

For God will give you evermore the name,
‘Righteous Peace, Godly Glory’.

Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height;
look towards the east,
and see your children gathered from west and east
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that God has remembered them.

For they went out from you on foot,
led away by their enemies;
but God will bring them back to you,
carried in glory, as on a royal throne.

For God has ordered that every high mountain 
and the everlasting hills be made low
and the valleys filled up, to make level ground,
so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.

The woods and every fragrant tree
have shaded Israel at God’s command.

For God will lead Israel with joy,
in the light of his glory,
with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.


Philippians 1:3-11

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.

My brothers and sisters,

I thank my God every time I remember you, 

constantly praying with joy 
in every one of my prayers for all of you, 

because of your sharing in the gospel 
from the first day until now. 

I am confident of this, 
that the one who began a good work among you 
will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 

It is right for me to think this way about all of you, 
because you hold me in your heart, 
for all of you share in God’s grace with me, 
both in my imprisonment 
and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. 

For God is my witness, 
how I long for all of you 
with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 

And this is my prayer, 
that your love may overflow more and more 
with knowledge and full insight 

to help you to determine what is best, 
so that on the day of Christ 
you may be pure and blameless, 

having produced the harvest of righteousness 
that comes through Jesus Christ 
for the glory and praise of God.


Luke 3:1-6

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, 
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, 
and Herod was ruler of Galilee, 
and his brother Philip 
ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, 
and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 

during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, 
the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 

He went into all the region around the Jordan, 
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 

as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’
01 December 2024

David Flint – Actor

David toured with The National Youth Theatre in Coriolanus and was in their London production of Zigger Zagger in 1969.   David’s Shakespearian roles include Petruchio, Macbeth, Bottom, Puck, Feste, Mr Ford (Merry Wives of Windsor), Lorenzo (Merchant of Venice) and Lucio (Measure for Measure). He has appeared in venues as diverse as The Ruhrfestspielhouse in Germany, The Roman Amphitheatre of Curium in Cyprus, Polesden Lacey Open Air Theatre, and a variety of theatres in the UK. David directed Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Theatre Royal Lincoln and Merry Wives at the Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe. He won best actor awards as Ken Harrison in Whose Life is it Anyway and Danny in Night must Fall. Over 40 years he has performed in many of Gillian Plowman’s plays. 

In 2014 he appeared in the Selsey Pavilion as the Colonel in The End of the Journey and in 2015 he created the role of the 70 year-old Chaplin in Tonight in the Pavilion – Charlie Chaplin, reprising this in the acclaimed 2016 London run of the Selsey production. David played Jeremy in 2017’s The Ox and the Ass and Jon in Beata Beatrix.  He was well cast as the short dumpy Trotter in Journey's End, a 2018 Arts Dream production to mark the centenary of the end of World War I.  He has continued his association with Arts Dream Selsey, appearing in the recent series of radio plays, memorably as Johnnie in One Last Adventure.


Gillian Plowman – Director 

Gillian won the Verity Bargate award in 1988 with Me and My Friend, a poignantly funny play about the release of four patients from a psychiatric hospital into the community.  It was first produced at the Soho Poly Theatre in 1990 and at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 1992, directed by Ian Rickson.
 
The Purity Game formed part of the opening season of Chichester`s Minerva Theatre Studio in 1989.   Storm was produced in Hastings and London’s Soho theatre by Freehand Theatre Company in 2001. 
 
Radio plays for the BBC include The Wooden Pear in 1991 starring Anna Massey, Philip and Rowena in 1993 with Leslie Phillips and Renee Asherson, A Sea Change  in 1995 with Jenny Funnell and David's Birthday in 2000 with Amanda Root and Clare Holman. Boniface and Me, a radio version of Yours Abundantly from Zimbabwe was broadcast in December 2007, the first in a trilogy of radio plays featuring Dame Harriet Walter.  (Gracey and Me was broadcast in 2010 and Loveness and Me in 2012)
 
Yours Abundantly from Zimbabwe, directed by Annie Castledine, was produced at the Oval House Theatre, London, during Black History Month, October 2008 and was featured in Plays for Today by Women, published by Aurora Metro Books in 2013.  Crooked Wood was produced at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London, in September 2008 and was published by Oberon Books.  Other plays can be licensed from
 https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/search?author=Gillian%20Plowman
A film script Daisyworld was commissioned by Paramount Pictures.  
 
The End of the Journey, Gillian’s full-length play, linked to the start of WW1 was produced in the Pavilion Theatre in Selsey in August 2014, a first production in the near derelict building for over fifty years.  Tonight in the Pavilion –Charlie Chaplin was produced there in 2015 and transferred to The Cinema Museum in London in 2016.   Tonight in the Pavilion – Laurel and Hardy was produced in the Pavilion Selsey in May 2016, The Ox and the Ass and Spindrift in 2017 and Touching Tomorrow and Beata Beatrix in 2018.  The Gillian directed Journey’s End by R C Sherriff in the Pavilion in October 2018, as part of Selsey’s commemoration of the centenary of the Armistice. 

You can get your tickets by accessing the Arts Dream Selsey website or using the sign up sheet at the back of the church. This is an intimate one-man show and seating is limited.



Jeremiah 33:14-16

A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, 
when I will fulfil the promise 
I made to the house of Israel 
and the house of Judah. 

In those days and at that time 
I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; 
and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 

In those days Judah will be saved 
and Jerusalem will live in safety. 
And this is the name by which it will be called: 
‘The Lord is our righteousness.’


1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.

How can we thank God enough for you 
in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 

Night and day we pray most earnestly 
that we may see you face to face 
and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

Now may our God and Father himself 
and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 

And may the Lord make you increase 
and abound in love for one another and for all, 
just as we abound in love for you. 

And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness 
that you may be blameless before our God and Father 
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.


Luke 21:25-26

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, 
and on the earth distress among nations 
confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 

People will faint from fear and foreboding 
of what is coming upon the world, 
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 

Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” 
with power and great glory. 

Now when these things begin to take place, 
stand up and raise your heads, 
because your redemption is drawing near.’

Then he told them a parable: 
‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 

as soon as they sprout leaves 
you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 

So also, when you see these things taking place, 
you know that the kingdom of God is near. 

Truly I tell you, 
this generation will not pass away 
until all things have taken place. 

Heaven and earth will pass away, 
but my words will not pass away.

Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down 
with dissipation and drunkenness 
and the worries of this life, 

and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. 
For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 

Be alert at all times, 
praying that you may have the strength 
to escape all these things that will take place, 
and to stand before the Son of Man.’
26 November 2024

***Tickets for the Selsey performances are sold out **** 



David Flint – Actor

David toured with The National Youth Theatre in Coriolanus and was in their London production of Zigger Zagger in 1969.   David’s Shakespearian roles include Petruchio, Macbeth, Bottom, Puck, Feste, Mr Ford (Merry Wives of Windsor), Lorenzo (Merchant of Venice) and Lucio (Measure for Measure). He has appeared in venues as diverse as The Ruhrfestspielhouse in Germany, The Roman Amphitheatre of Curium in Cyprus, Polesden Lacey Open Air Theatre, and a variety of theatres in the UK. David directed Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Theatre Royal Lincoln and Merry Wives at the Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe. He won best actor awards as Ken Harrison in Whose Life is it Anyway and Danny in Night must Fall. Over 40 years he has performed in many of Gillian Plowman’s plays. 

In 2014 he appeared in the Selsey Pavilion as the Colonel in The End of the Journey and in 2015 he created the role of the 70 year-old Chaplin in Tonight in the Pavilion – Charlie Chaplin, reprising this in the acclaimed 2016 London run of the Selsey production. David played Jeremy in 2017’s The Ox and the Ass and Jon in Beata Beatrix.  He was well cast as the short dumpy Trotter in Journey's End, a 2018 Arts Dream production to mark the centenary of the end of World War I.  He has continued his association with Arts Dream Selsey, appearing in the recent series of radio plays, memorably as Johnnie in One Last Adventure.


Gillian Plowman – Director 

Gillian won the Verity Bargate award in 1988 with Me and My Friend, a poignantly funny play about the release of four patients from a psychiatric hospital into the community.  It was first produced at the Soho Poly Theatre in 1990 and at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 1992, directed by Ian Rickson.
 
The Purity Game formed part of the opening season of Chichester`s Minerva Theatre Studio in 1989.   Storm was produced in Hastings and London’s Soho theatre by Freehand Theatre Company in 2001. 
 
Radio plays for the BBC include The Wooden Pear in 1991 starring Anna Massey, Philip and Rowena in 1993 with Leslie Phillips and Renee Asherson, A Sea Change  in 1995 with Jenny Funnell and David's Birthday in 2000 with Amanda Root and Clare Holman. Boniface and Me, a radio version of Yours Abundantly from Zimbabwe was broadcast in December 2007, the first in a trilogy of radio plays featuring Dame Harriet Walter.  (Gracey and Me was broadcast in 2010 and Loveness and Me in 2012)
 
Yours Abundantly from Zimbabwe, directed by Annie Castledine, was produced at the Oval House Theatre, London, during Black History Month, October 2008 and was featured in Plays for Today by Women, published by Aurora Metro Books in 2013.  Crooked Wood was produced at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London, in September 2008 and was published by Oberon Books.  Other plays can be licensed from
 https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/search?author=Gillian%20Plowman
A film script Daisyworld was commissioned by Paramount Pictures.  
 
The End of the Journey, Gillian’s full-length play, linked to the start of WW1 was produced in the Pavilion Theatre in Selsey in August 2014, a first production in the near derelict building for over fifty years.  Tonight in the Pavilion –Charlie Chaplin was produced there in 2015 and transferred to The Cinema Museum in London in 2016.   Tonight in the Pavilion – Laurel and Hardy was produced in the Pavilion Selsey in May 2016, The Ox and the Ass and Spindrift in 2017 and Touching Tomorrow and Beata Beatrix in 2018.  The Gillian directed Journey’s End by R C Sherriff in the Pavilion in October 2018, as part of Selsey’s commemoration of the centenary of the Armistice. 


24 November 2024
Thankfully Storm Bert hasn't damaged the church, although the strong wind kept opening the south door during the service. The Sunday School made beautiful crowns to celebrate today being Christ the King. They wore their crowns when they came to join us for communion.



Important date for your diary!


See professional actor, David Flint, in an intimate setting in our Parish Rooms bring the Christmas spirit(s), past, present and future in one of Dicken's best known stories. This production is directed by local playwright and director, Gillian Plowman. Tickets as above but if you are unsure you can sign the list at the back of church and someone else will do the hard work for you. Definitely a night NOT to be missed.


Daniel 7:9-10, 13, 14

A reading from the book of Daniel

As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
and an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued
and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousand served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgement, and the books were opened. 

As I watched in the night visions,
I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
and was presented before him.

To him was given dominion and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.


Revelation 1:4b-8

A reading from the book of Revelation

Grace to you and peace from God
who is and who was and who is to come, 
and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, 
the firstborn of the dead, 
and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and freed us 
from our sins by his blood, 

and made us to be a kingdom, 
priests serving his God and Father, 
to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, 
who is and who was and who is to come, 
the Almighty.


John 18:33b-37

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

Pilate asked Jesus, 
‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ 

Jesus answered, 
‘Do you ask this on your own, 
or did others tell you about me?’ 

Pilate replied, 
‘I am not a Jew, am I? 
Your own nation and the chief priests 
have handed you over to me. 
What have you done?’ 

Jesus answered, 
‘My kingdom is not from this world. 
If my kingdom were from this world, 
my followers would be fighting t
o keep me from being handed over to the Jews. 
But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ 

Pilate asked him, 
‘So you are a king?’ 
Jesus answered, 
‘You say that I am a king. 
For this I was born, 
and for this I came into the world, 
to testify to the truth. 
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’


21 November 2024

 A reminder to come and join us in the Parish Rooms for a festive play.





Gillian Plowman is an English playwright. She is the author of more than 20 plays. She won the 1988 Verity Bargate Award for her play Me and My Friend. Originally staged at the Soho Poly, it was later revived at the Chichester Festival and at the Orange Tree Theatre.(source: Wikipedia)

17 November 2024
We had a lovely sunny morning to greet us today. Crafty church was held in the Church Hall whilst in church we had sung Matins. Fr Roger who was to lead us in worship today was unable to attend at the last minute, so Janet and Chris led the service in chuch.

The choir sang "The Call" one of "Five Mystical Songs" words by George Herbert and music by Vaughan Williams.


Daniel 12:1-3

A reading from the book of Daniel

In the third year of King Cyrus a word was revealed to Daniel.

‘At that time Michael, the great prince, 
the protector of your people, shall arise. 
There shall be a time of anguish, 
such as has never occurred 
since nations first came into existence. 
But at that time your people shall be delivered, 
everyone who is found written in the book. 

Many of those who sleep 
in the dust of the earth shall awake, 
some to everlasting life, 
and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 

Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, 
and those who lead many to righteousness, 
like the stars for ever and ever.


Hebrews 10:11-14,19-25

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

Every priest stands day after day at his service, 
offering again and again the same sacrifices 
that can never take away sins. 

But when Christ had offered for all time 
a single sacrifice for sins, 
‘he sat down at the right hand of God’, 

and since then has been waiting 
‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.’ 

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time 
those who are sanctified.

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence 
to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 

by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain 
(that is, through his flesh),

and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 

let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, 
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience 
and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, 
for he who has promised is faithful. 

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, 
but encouraging one another, 
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


Mark 13:1-8

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark

As Jesus came out of the temple, 
one of his disciples said to him, 
‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ 

Then Jesus asked him,
‘Do you see these great buildings? 
Not one stone will be left here upon another; 
all will be thrown down.’

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, 
Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 

‘Tell us, when will this be, 
and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ 

Then Jesus began to say to them, 
‘Beware that no one leads you astray. 

Many will come in my name and say, 
“I am he!” and they will lead many astray. 

When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, 
do not be alarmed; 
this must take place, 
but the end is still to come. 

For nation will rise against nation, 
and kingdom against kingdom; 
there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. T
his is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
10 November 2024
For Remembrance Sunday we had a 10 am Eucharist celebrated by Father Chris and observed the 2 minutes silence at 11 in Church, and read the names from the roll of honour. We then moved down to the War Memorial  were there was an act of remembrance and laying of poppy wreaths by the organisations of the village.
We were blessed with dry but overcast weather.

The Christmas Market will take place in the rooms and the Church on Saturday 30th November from 11am to 2pm. German Christmas Lunch available!

Sunday the 1st of December is Advent Sunday and we shall have evensong at 3:30 in addition to our morning services.

































Jonah 3:1-5,10

A reading from the book of Jonah

The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, 

‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, 
and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ 

So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, 
according to the word of the Lord. 
Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, 
a three days’ walk across. 

Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. 
And he cried out, 
‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ 

And the people of Nineveh believed God; 
they proclaimed a fast, 
and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When God saw what they did,
how they turned from their evil ways, 
God changed his mind about the calamity 
that he had said he would bring upon them; 
and he did not do it.


Hebrews 9:24-28

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, 
a mere copy of the true one, 
but he entered into heaven itself, 
now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 

Nor was it to offer himself again and again, 
as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year 
with blood that is not his own; 

for then he would have had to suffer again and again 
since the foundation of the world. 
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age 
to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, 
and after that the judgement, 

so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, 
will appear a second time, 
not to deal with sin, 
but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.


Mark 1:14-20

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark

After John was arrested, 
Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 

and saying, 
‘The time is fulfilled, 
and the kingdom of God has come near; 
repent, and believe in the good news.’

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, 
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—
for they were fishermen. 

And Jesus said to them, 
‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ 

And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 

As he went a little farther, 
he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, 
who were in their boat mending the nets. 

Immediately he called them; 
and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, 
and followed him.

Service Times

First Sunday in the Month:
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Family Service

Second Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Third Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Sung Matins in the Church or Crafty Communion in Church Hall

Fourth Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Variations can be found in the Parish Magazine or the Calendar at the bottom of this page.

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