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Blog - COPY

Welcome to our journal.  Here you can have a look what we have been doing in the past few months
 

Latest Post

Harvest Festival
15/10/2024
Order of St Richard
09/10/2024
Redecorating the Church Room
07/10/2024
Environment Sunday
03/10/2024
Licencing Pat Brenton
03/10/2024
Silver eco award
03/10/2024
03/10/2024
03/10/2024

Harvest Festival

6th October 2024


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We held our Harvest Festival Service on Sunday 6th, as our informal, and family friendly, First Sunday @ 10 service for the month.  A wonderful and enthusiastic congregation making generous contributions to local charities.

Eternal God,
you crown the year with your goodness
and give us the fruits of the earth in their season:
Grant that we may use them to your glory,
for the relief of those in need
and for our own well-bring;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
 

The order of St Richard

5th October 2024


unnamed

Shirley Squires, our church administrator, was welcomed into the Order of St Richard during a ceremony at Chichester Cathedral on Saturday 5th October.  Shirley is fourth from the right in the front row in the photo.

The Order of St Richard Awards were launched in 2019 by Bishop Martin in recognition of exceptional Christian service in deaneries, parishes and local communities. 

Shirley was amongst a group lay people from across Sussex receiving awards at the ceremony.  Bishop Will welcomed them and presented each one with a lapel badge and certificate.  For more about the event, click here.

In 2023, St Mary's John Stamper was also welcomed into the Order.

 

Redecorating the Church Room

October 2024


2024-10-04 16.45.18

Our Church Room is being redecorated.  The paint work was marked after rain got in through the roofs, thanks to the lead having being stolen.  Now the roof is safely repaired (without lead), and our Church Room deserves to be brightened up.  All being well, it will be available for groups, and coffees after our Sunday services, in the middle of the month.


 

Environment Sunday

16th June 2024

  

Our celebration of Environment Sunday included encouraging us to grow our own food, using local and fairtraded flowers, raising money to 'twin' our toilets with a new community toilet in a developing nation, and through butterfly prayers.


 

Licensing of Pat Brenton

1st March 2024


pat bishop 24

Pat Brenton and her husband Ray recently moved into our parish and, after what we understand to be a good deal of paperwork, we were able officially to welcome her as she was licensed as an Assistant Curate by our Diocesan Bishop Martin. Our picture shows Bishop Martin flanked by Pat and our Vicar David and our churchwardens, Anne and Andrew. It was a very wet night outside, but a very joyful one in the church (and over refreshments in the Church Room afterwards).


 

Silver Eco Award

February 2024


SilverAward24

Some members of the St Mary's Eco Church team with the plaque celebrating the church achieving the Silver Eco Church Award at the start of 2024.


 

28th October 2023

 


The St Mary's Eco Team, working towards our Silver Eco Church award, co-ordinated, for the whole community, an event exploring ways we can all help address the climate crisis. Nearly 350 people were involved during the day to hear advice, consider joining local campaigns, recycling clothes and even sampling wonderful local produce.

 26th September 2023

blue hearts23

Students from Brighton College on their 'Make a Difference' community day worked hard in the churchyards, took on various jobs for the Eco Extravaganza and completed 6 new blue hearts to go in our Eco Churchyards.

 

Keep up to date with the calendar

2024-09-24 15.16.20
It is very easily keep up with all that's going on at church by following the link to our IKnowChurch calendar.

Take a look here.


 
David
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect.

Where and When

Our Church is open everyday between 8.30am and 4pm.  Do just drop in, whether for a time of quiet and prayer, or just to enjoy the historical richness and beauty of the building.

On Sundays we meet, in the Church (details here), for our Sunday Service, which starts at 10:00am. When you arrive you will be given a warm greeting by our sidespersons (who will be wearing lanyards, so you can spot them).  They will give you the hymn book and service booklet, and will happily help with any queries you might have.  Do sit wherever you like! 

By the way, there is no need to dress up (unless you want to).  Informal, comfortable, clothes are very acceptable... but do wear warm clothes on cold days.  Our pew seats are heated in winter, but we no longer heat the church itself, only the  congregation, so the building can be chilly on frosty days.

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Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it.

Our Services

The service begins at 10am.  On the first Sunday of every month we hold an informal family service, with hymns, talks, prayers, and activities (for everyone who wants to join in).  Other Sunday services are more traditional Eucharists.  We follow the modern Anglican liturgy, with hymns, readings from the Old and New Testaments, a sermon, and prayers.  The choir will sing an anthem. 

At the end of all our services there is an opportunity to meet and chat with members of the congregation and the clergy over a tea or coffee (and biscuit or two).

We also hold weekday prayers and services, with a spoken Eucharist on Thursday at 10, and prayers at 8.30 every day of the week.  (For more details, click here.)


 

Groups and Volunteering


You might like to join one of our groups, or becoming involved with our activities for young people.  We also welcome volunteers to help with everything from flower arranging and cleaning to being a sidesperson.  If you are interested, do get in touch using the form below.
 

Getting Connected

 
Get in touch with us to plan your visit or make any other inquiries
 
Name:
Telephone:
Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.
 

Our Clergy

David   Pat
Rev'd David Bouskill   Rev'd Pat Benton
David has been the Vicar in charge of St Mary the Virgin since 2022.   Pat is the Curate at St Mary's as well as being a hospital chaplain.
 
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Revd David

Rev'd David