I can’t say that it has been a great start to 2025. We have lost a number of well- loved and familiar figures in our community: Richard Parker, Diana Ward, Alma Platts, Albert Jays and Dr Peter Pratt and, on a personal level, Carolyn, Sam and I had a family bereavement.

It has been perhaps a salutary reminder that death is never far away from any of us, or in the words of Benjamin Franklin, ‘in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes’. It has also been the cause of me being asked on several occasions the perennial question ‘which undertaker should I use? ’ It is a good and fair question, but one that it would be improper for me to answer directly by giving the name of a particular funeral director. I do however think it reasonable for me to comment at a general level about my own experiences, both in my capacity as a minister and as a customer. Quite often by the time I am approached to take a funeral, the undertaker has already been decided upon, so I thought it might be useful for me to answer the question here.

Planning a funeral is a deeply personal and emotional task and choosing the right funeral director can make a significant difference to how smoothly and sensitively the whole process is handled. In my experience independent funeral directors offer a high degree of personalised and compassionate service. They are often well- established family businesses with long-standing commitments to their local community. Unlike large funeral chains, that very often have quite rigid procedures, independent funeral directors tend to be more flexible and attentive to individual needs. Families will typically deal with the same person throughout the entire process, from initial arrangements to the funeral itself. This continuity of care can foster trust and reassurance and ensure that every detail is handled sensitively.

A final comment to make is that if you have a particular wish for your own funeral, write it down and, if you can, discuss it with your family. This will make it so much easier for your loved ones, when they are faced with organising the funeral. I am also available should anyone wish to discuss any aspect of dying, death and funerals.

But enough talk of death for now, Spring is on the way; I am buoyed by the sight of snowdrops, and the emergence of early daffodils are a reminder that it won’t be long before we will be celebrating Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his eternal victory over death.

With my continued prayers for all.

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who contributed towards the 2024 Christmas Appeal, raising funds to buy new resources for children with special educational needs at Sidlesham Primary School. The appeal was very well supported, and I am delighted that we will be giving the school little over £450 (including GiftAid), and I am confident that the new resources will help enormously. 

If you visited St Mary Our Lady Church over the Christmas period, you may have noticed two new ‘objects’ in church; a contactless payment terminal and a pricket or votive candle stand.

The contactless payment terminal, situated just inside the main entrance door, is on all the time the church is open. People are increasingly carrying less cash with them and relying more and more on contactless payments via cards or their SMART phones. The terminal enables visitors, both those passing exploring the building and those attending services to easily donate to the work and mission of the church. I am hoping that the terminal will be well used, especially during the summer months when the church welcomes many tourists.

One of the questions I have been asked several times since I became parish priest here is ‘Is there anywhere I can light a candle in the church?’ Up until recently I have had to reply, ‘sadly no’, but now I can answer in the affirmative! The stand has been purchased using part of a legacy donated to the church in his will by the late John Graves, who died in November 2023. John was for several years a churchwarden at St Mary Our Lady and the candle stand is dedicated to his memory.

Lighting a candle is a long-standing tradition in both western and eastern churches. You may have attended a funeral at St Mary’s during the past two years in which the people present have been invited to light a candle during the service as a living symbol of their presence and prayers. Lighting a candle can be a way of expressing our thoughts and intentions before God. The act of lighting a candle can serve as a small but profound gesture, reminding us of the light of Christ in our lives, even in times of darkness.

The pricket stand, so named after the historic name of a spike which held a candle, is situated to the left of the Chancel as one looks at the altar, it is constructed in black painted iron work which complements the two-freestanding candelabra. On the stand is kept a supply of votive tea lights available for anyone who wishes to light a candle.

With my continued prayers for all in the village.

If you are reading this in 2024, Happy Christmas! (we are either about to enter, or are still within the Christmas Octave), if it is 2025, then Happy New Year! In any either case my warmest wishes and blessings to you and your families and friends. And, if you have contributed to our 2024 Christmas appeal, thank you! It is a long- standing tradition for St Mary Our Lady to have a Christmas Appeal to primarily benefit children in our community so, for example last year we collected presents for the refugees staying in a Chichester hotel, the year before that, gifts of toys were presented to a regional charity who work to support families in need. This year’s appeal is slightly different, but will I believe greatly benefit disadvantaged children in our community.

The appeal is raising money to purchase specialist equipment and learning materials for the newly established nurture class at Sidlesham Primary School, the aim of which is to provide a safe and supportive environment for children facing emotional or behavioural challenges that require special educational support. The demand for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) support is growing across the country and it will come as no surprise that this is a greatly underfunded area of education, but there can be little doubt that this type of provision is needed. The national statistics make sobering reading, for example according to a 2021 NHS survey, l in 6 children aged 5~l6 now experience a mental health condition, and the charity Young Minds reported in 2022 that 94% of teachers recognise that mental health issues among pupils impact their ability to learn in the classroom. Evidence strongly suggests that early intervention through programmes such as nurture provision can lead to significant improvements in 80% of cases, reducing the long-term effects of mental health challenges.

This growing need for SEND support in UK schools reflects a combination of greater awareness, rising prevalence of conditions, societal changes, and systemic pressures. Addressing this demand requires investment in resources, teacher training, and collaboration between education, health, and social care systems to ensure that all children receive the support they need to thrive, but across the educational system resource cannot keep up with demand. The support starts at ‘the coal face’ so to speak, in schools such as Sidlesham, where pupils from different family backgrounds and abilities come together to be taught by hardworking and dedicated teachers, consequently these additional resources are needed now. So the monies raised from this year’s Christmas appeal will be used to purchase specialist items such as sensory tools, therapeutic toys and leaming materials including books, puzzles, and creative art supplies which are designed to build selfconfidence and emotional regulation.

If you have not yet contributed to the appeal, but would like to, it is not too late! Please place your donation in an envelope and mark it ‘Christmas Appeal’ (or use one of the printed envelopes that can be found in church) and return to one of the Churchwardens or me, or place in the Vicarage letterbox. With thanks and prayers for a joyful new year.

Almost everyone I have met during this past week has asked me: “What do you think about the Archbishop of Canterbury's resignation?". I was not surprised when the announcement came; there had been mounting calls, fiom different groups, for his resignation since the publication of the Makin report. But my overwhelming reaction, like so many other people, was how John Smyth, who claimed to be a Christian, could carry out such abhorrent attacks on young people and get away with it. It is beyond me how senior people in the church’s hierarchy have allowed these heinous crimes to be covered up. I cannot begin to imagine how the victims of Smyth must feel, not only did they experience brutality at his hands, but they have had to relive those horrific memories over and over again, while his crimes have gone unpunished and been covered up by an institution which claims to be Christ's church. I think Justin Welby has done the right thing in resigning, but this cannot be the end of it. There are still unanswered questions and other people who need to be held accountable for their actions (or inaction) and their part in this seismic failure of care for the vulnerable.

It is with some sense of irony that I am writing this on "Safeguarding Sunday" multi-denominational initiative for “communities to come together to reflect on their own safeguarding journey, and to highlight and celebrate all the good work that is being done by so many behind the scenes ”to quote the ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ website. But actually, this does highlight the importance of Safeguarding at every level of the church, because Safeguarding is every0ne’s responsibility. I am very grateful to Vanessa Foden who is our volunteer Parish Safeguarding Officer; she maintains a link with the diocesan Safeguarding team and ensures that Safeguarding is considered in all our activities.

In his ministry, Jesus consistently prioritised the vulnerable, the marginalised, and the oppressed. And it is therefore incumbent upon us to ensure that our church is, and feels, a safe place for all. If you have any concems on any aspect of Safeguarding, please do not hesitate to contact either Vanessa or myself.

I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming weeks in the lead up to our Christmas celebrations.

Greetings to you all from the peaceful island of Kefalonia! I am writing this in the warmth of an autumn day, looking out over the olive groves and the shimmering blue sea and it is the feast day of St Wilfrid (12th October) which turns out to be quite appropriate. One of the readings featured as part of today's morning prayer was from 'The Ecclesiastical History of the English People' written by the  Venerable Bede in around 731 AD, and it included these words:

At this time King Ethewealh gave the most reverend bishop Wilfrid eighty-seven hides of land to maintain his exiled followers. The land was called Selsey, that is, the island of the seal. This place is surrounded on all sides by the sea except on the west where it is approached by a piece of land about a sling's throws in width. When Bishop Wilfrid had received this land he founded a monastery there...

So, despite travelling over two thousand miles I can't fully escape the Manhood Peninsula! And actually while the Manhood Peninsula and Kefalonia are distinctly different in terms of geography and cultural backgrounds, they do share a number of common features, such as their coastal beauty, a reliance on agriculture, rich historical legacies, close supportive communities, and a focus on tourism and environmental conservation.

I think it is also interesting that the patron saints of the two areas — St Wilfrid and Gerasimos — also have several things in common, for example they both established monasteries and founded religious communities, and they are both reputed to have performed healing miracles and have to cared for the poor and disadvantaged. So, despite the geographical and cultural differences, their lives reflect similar values of devotion to God, care for others, and enduring legacies within their respective Christian traditions.

Before I return to the serious matter of relaxing, reading and enjoying the local seafood, I must just express my thanks to everyone who helped to make our Harvest Festival celebration such a success; it was a busy, but very rewarding, weekend which included Janet Harland being admitted to the Order of St Richard at the Cathedral — a well deserved accolade for her valuable contribution to St Mary Our Lady Church and the village.

With my continued prayers for all in chilly Sidlesham.

I am often stumped as to what to write in the introduction to the Parishioner and inspiration, if it does come, can originate from some very strange places or situations. This month it is a chance encounter with a visitor to the Parish Rooms. As I approached them, they quite involuntarily looked me up and down with what best can be described as a look.of disdain!

I have to admit that I was a little taken aback until, that is, I realised I was wearing a pair of tatty old jeans, trainers and a T-shirt with holes in it (Mrs Brading has already tried to throw this away on several occasions!). It was hardly the attire one might reasonably expect a parish priest to be wearing in the middle of the day. All was well once I had explained that I had been working in my study all day with my head in my PC, trying to make sense of several data-laden spreadsheets and that I had not expected to meet anyone in person that day.

The incident did remind me of the implications of what I wear when, and the various conversations I have had about clerical dress in the past. In this case, by clerical dress I am not talking about the vestments I wear in church for services -that is something altogether different. I mean the clothes I wear during the day when going about my varied duties as a priest.

These days there are basically two schools of thought as to why a priest should or should not wear identifiable clothes. The more progressive view is that by not wearing clerical dress the priest makes themselves more approachable and is able to better engage with secular society. The more traditional view is that wearing clerical attire allows people to readily recognise the person as a priest, in a similar way that one can recognise a uniformed police officer. And for the priest it is also an act of witness following a tradition dating back centuries. Ever since my ordination I have been firmly in the traditional camp, wearing black clerical attire (whether that is a cassock or shirt and trousers) most of the time. I found it a useful tool in my ministry in the busy towns of Swinton and Haywards Heath where I was a full-time curate or vicar, and when 'off duty', not wearing a dog collar gave me a degree of anonymity when out and about.

So why have I relaxed my own dress rule since moving to Sidlesham? I think it is for two reasons, firstly as part-time parish priest here, half of my week is spent doing my other job, much of which is spent at my PC where no one sees me, and I find jeans and t-shirt more comfortable. Secondly, within the village, an increasing number of people know who, and more importantly what, I am, irrespective of what I may be wearing. On the downside, I do find myself on occasions introducing myself to visitors to the church or churchyard by saying "I am the priest here, I just don't look like it at the moment!" I am still firmly of the view that black clerical attire is the appropriate form of dress for my role as parish priest, but please rest assured that if you do catch me in mufti I am no less of a priest, because the priesthood goes much deeper than any uniform! With my prayers for all in Sidlesham.

In the past I have regarded July as a bit of an uneventful month in which nothing much happens. A month of quiet transition to warmer weather, and a winding down to the summer holidays. Either my memory is playing tricks on me (which is quite possible) or this year it has been an extraordinary July.

At every level it seems to have been fiill of activity, busyness and change: fi'om the General Election to the nail-biting Euro football finals and an action-packed Wimbledon, and soon the Olympics! It continues to be busy at St Mary Our Lady Church too, it is perhaps iromc that as I wnte this, I am also preparing a sermon on Jesus' words in Marks' gospel: "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while "

It is always a-privilege to work with candidates for confirmation, and this year it has been my joy to prepare six adults and four young people to be confirmed by the Bishop of Lewes, in the Cathedral on 24th July. We have a new churchwarden in Chris Blanshard who, together with Chris Field, was sworn in by the Archdeacon of Chichester on 13th July. I look forward to working with Chris and Chris, but I do think we may have to work on what we call each other in meetings!

I am really pleased with how the relationship between Sidlesham School, and St Mary Our Lady church continues to grow. After many months of challenges and uncertainty the school now has an excellent new Head Teacher in Mrs Sophia Koiston. Depending on wh you are reading this, you may have had or will have, the opportunity to meet Sophia when she will open (or opened) the Sidlesham Fete. It has certainly been a hectic first few months for Mrs Koiston, who has already made a discernible difference and has overseen the long-expected Ofsted Inspection.

It was my pleasure to attend one of the last assemblies of the school year and, given everything that is/has been going, it seemed appropriate to talk about change. I talked about the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus who inthe 6th century BCE articulated the notion that "the only constant in life is change". (Of course, as a Christian I would argue that change is absolutely not the only constant, but the idea that life is full of change is a sound one). I also regaled how I still remember my first day at "Big school" and my mother telling me that I would now once again be a "small fish in a big pond", a cycle that has certainly repeated itself many times in my life. Despite my perpetually expanding "to do’ list", I am now going to take Jesus’ advice and "rest a while" but rather than a deserted place, I am going to sit in the oasis of calm that is St Mary Our Lady church. We are so blessed to have such peaceful place in Sidlesham; please remember it is open to anyone, every day as a place for quiet prayer and/or reflection.

I wish you all a refreshing summer when or if it ever arrives!