The Friends of St Mary's

St Mary's church has been part of Ringmer for some 800 years.

Be it the beauty of the building itself, the pleasure of a walk round the church yard, or just the sound of the clock chiming and the bells ringing, St Mary's is a focal point for all, churchgoer or not. As Ringmer expands and we welcome new people to the ever-growing community, the building will we hope remain the heart of this historic village.

church b&w

This monument demands care and maintenance to keep the structure in good shape and thereby allow us to hold both religious and non-religious events in the building.

We hope you would feel able to support the Friends of St Mary's in our ambition to preserve and ensure that the church continues to thrive well into the future.

Click here for our new Friends leaflet. For information about our launch event, which was held on the evening of the 15th March 2025, please click here.

You can become a Friend by making a donation (either a one-off donation - which will give a year's membership from the date of the donation - or through a regular standing order, for membership for as long as the standing order exists). To donate, please click on the Parish Giving Scheme logo below.

As a Friend you will receive a regular newsletter, as well as advance notice of, and priority booking to, the events we organise. These will include concerts, readings, exhibitions, and wine tastings, amongst other activities. Friends will also receive a 10% discount on our cards and other merchandise.

If you wish to receive the full benefits of being a Friend, please send us a message, using this link, with your preferred contact details, or email Chris Gebbie [alvistd21@aol.com], who will be happy to help.

To make either a one-off or a regular donation, please use The Friends of St Mary's Parish Giving Scheme account, by clicking on this logo:
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(Please note that you may encounter a problem if you already have a Parish Giving Scheme account, but have not yet activated it or created a password. If there is a problem, please go to the PGS account activation page here. Once you have activated your account, you will be able to amend your giving and create new gifts.)

You can also make a bank transfer, or set up a standing order to make regular donations, through your bank account, using these details:
Account name: Ringmer Parochial Church Council, Friends of St Mary's
Sort code: 204976
Account number: 00932655

Thank you!

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.

Visitors click here.

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.

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


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