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!

As anyone who knows me will testify, planning well ahead is not one of my strengths! But over these past few months it has been my privilege to help with the planning of the 2025 diocesan celebrations, which has included me creating a micro website to promote and support the varied programme of activities. So, what's it all about?

On the Feast of Saint Richard (16th June), also known as Sussex Day, the Diocese of Chichester and Chichester Cathedral unveiled plans to mark two important anniversaries coming up next year. In 2025, Sussex will celebrate the Christian faith, marking the 950th anniversary of the Diocese of Chichester and Chichester Cathedral, as well as the l700th anniversary of when the Nicene Creed first emerged.

In 1075 the decision was made to move the seat of the Bishop from Selsey to the more populous town of Chichester, the former Roman settlement known as Noviomagus Reginorum. The original Cathedral and Bishop's Palace were rebuilt on the present site in the early 13th century after a disastrous fire. The Diocese retains its original boundaries, serving the people of East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

2025 also marks the l700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea which resulted in the Nicene Creed emerging — this statement of belief is still widely used by Christians across the world today including, on most Sundays, in St Mary Our Lady Church. A wide range of events celebrating both anniversaries are being organised to appeal to different age groups and churchgoers and non-church goers alike, and there are a number of ways in which people may get involved if they so wish.

For the Diocese, celebrations are under the banner of ‘Celebrating Faith', and will include:

At the end of April, the church held its Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and the Annual Meeting of (AMP) Parishioners, as required by Canon law . These are two separate meetings with different agendas and potentially different attendees with different rights to vote etc. In reality it is the same group of people who attend both meetings which are held at the same time. The purpose of the APCM is to receive the annual report of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) for the previous year, which these days is now a trustees’ report, because the church is bound by the rules of the Charity Commission and consequently every member of the PCC is a trustee. Copies of the Annual Report are available on request. The APCM is also the meeting at which members of the PCC are elected, and at which the Parish Priest has the opportunity to thank people for their support and say something about the opportunities and challenges for the future (more of this at a later date).

The purpose of the AMP is to elect two churchwardens for the coming year. For the past several years this has followed the same pattern: positions available two, nominations two — congratulations Chris Field and Janet Harland! This year however there was a change: positions available two, nominations one — congratulations Chris Field!

As most of you will know by now, Janet has decided to hang up her Churchwarden’s keys, but she will very much continue to be an active member of the church and community, continuing in her roles of sacristan, music librarian and all-round good egg! The following Sunday after the Parish Eucharist, we toasted Janet’s retirement as Churchwarden, and we thanked her forher dedication and commitment for a role well done over the past l5 years. Our appreciation was reflected in a generous collection which Janet, in her typically humble way, has decided she will use to commission a green legilium fall  for use during Ordinary Time. It was my pleasure and privilege, on behalf of everyone, to present her with a lovely green brooch and specially painted watercolour of the church. Janet, in a demonstration of her gentle and droll humour, presented the church with a new sack trolley, a piece of apparatus she had found invaluable in carrying out her churchwarden duties! Meanwhile the search for a new churchwarden continues.

With my continued prayers for all the people of Sidlesham.

A legilium is a folding portable lectern; in St Mary’s it is used for readings ‘etc. The church has a set of legilium falls or frontals with colours to match the liturgical seasons, but currently there is no green fall.

Following a joyous Easter celebration, we now tum our eyes towards late spring with which comes Pentecost (in my opinion a much-undervalued church feast!) and then onto summer and the perennial Sidlesharn Fete on the last Saturday of July.

The Sidlesham Fete was really Carolyn and my first experience of Sidlesham in 2022. We were very impressed with how it brought together residents, families, and visitors fi'om the surrounding area, and the sense of community spirit and fim was palpable.

Last year we got to understand why the Fete was so successful, and that is through the hard work, dedication and contribution of the many people who help in its organisation and running, especially Chris and Janet! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chris and Janet both personally, and on behalf of our community, for all the commitment and time they have given over the decades running the fete. It is a testament to their hardwork that the Fete has continued to grow over the years and is looked forward to by so many. This year Chris and Janet are-quite understandably handing over the organisational baton to a new small group of volunteers, who are busy planning this year's Fete.

The new team's brief is very much to continue with the long established and successful tradition of the fete with all the familiar attactions such as the Chichester Brass Band, refreshment tent, dog show, clothes boutique, book stall, plant stall,bottle tombola etcetera! During the past 12 months-several people have commented to me about the Fete and what a wonderful event it is, but how two hours-was not enough time to enjoy everything on offer, especially given all the effort that goes into the setting up and taking it down.

So, this year we are going to trial having the Fete open for slighly longer and adding the opportunity later in the afternoon for people to enjoy some gentle live music from local talented musicians, together with a range of savoury food. I am really hoping that this experiment will enhance what is already a special day, but to make this successful will require some volunteers to help with the setup, on the-day and with the dismatling. So if you can help, or know someone who may be interested in getting involved, please do be in touch. There is more information about the fete elsewhere in the Parishioner and more details will be available in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please make sure the date is in your diary!

With my best wishes for a blossom-laden springtime!

I wonder how many of you remember Alistair Cooke's ‘A letter from America’ which was last broadcast around 20 years ago. It was a very eloquent and witty social commentary on the many facets of American life, and at over 58 years, it remains the longest running speech radio programme. I only mention this, because it was the first thing I thought of when I sat down to pen this 'letter from Mexico'. But rather than attemp tto write an erudite description of life in Puerto Vallarta — once a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, now transformed into a vibrant and international tourist destination with an eclectic and friendly populace — I thought I would share with you, how and why I came to be here, in what would normally be the frenetic weeks leading up to Easter.

Puerto Vallarta  Wikimedia.

My eldest son, Charles, has lived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for around 4 years. I last visited him in January 2022 when I was in the early stages of discerning our move from Haywards Heath to Sidlesham. Charles is a very fit and an accomplished basketball player, but over the last few months, he had be experiencing an increasing pain in his neck, which was not alleviated by extensive physiotherapy treatment. An MRI scan revealed that he had a hernia in one of the discs in his upper spine which could only be treated with surgery; he subsequently had the operation, and all went to plan until after he left hospital. During his recovery there was a complication caused by some of the medicines he had been prescribed, which resulted in him being in agony and unable-to eat or drink. This continued for a few days by which time we were getting really concerned, and I investigated getting a next-day flight to Mexico. As you can imagine, I was immensely relieved-when I heard that this was not going to be necessary as a change to his medication regime began to have the desired results.

However, when I woke up the following morning, the first thought that came into my mind was that l should still go and visit him to provide some care and support. And, as it turned out,there was a cheap once a week charter flight direct to Puerto Vallarta flying out andreturning o na Monday. So,Ichecked with the bishop, booked the flight, arranged the necessary cover (for which I am very grateful to Fr Roger) and came out to Mexico, from where I am writing this letter.

My reason for mentioning this? Well for me it illustrates the importance of acting on those little subconscious prompts many of us get fiom time to time. Given my faith, my past experiences, and the similar experience of others, I can only conclude that this is the Holy Spirit at work, gently and quietly guiding often manifest in the seemingly unconnected and random coincidences, which only begin to make sense with hindsight.

It has_taken me many years to begin to comprehend this,_and any such promptings continue to be hard to perceive; it is all too easy to getcaught up in the busyness of life, and to not be able to 'hear' above all the many constant distractions. But as the great prophet Elijah found on the mountain sometimes it pays to listen for the 'still small voice'.

I wish you all a very happy and blessed Easter.

P.S. We have just got back from an appointment with Charles’ surgeon who is very pleased with how his recovery is going.

I am beginning to write this March letter on 14 February a date which, when seen written down, most people would think "Ah, Valentine's Day", it is one of those dates embedded into most people’s psyches. But this year the 14 February is also Ash Wednesday and in addition to this monthly task of writing for the Parish Magazine, I am also burning Palm crosses to make ash to daub on the foreheads of the faithful in the traditional service, which marks (if you pardon the pun) the beginning of Lent. While doing this,I was reminded of a cartoon by theologian Bill Donaghy that gives a light-hearted guide to "the different ash marks one might see out and about on Ash Wednesday, I hope that you may also find it amusing.

As I wrote in my letter this time last year, Lent is a time of transformation; I came across the following poem the other day, which I think echoes that sentiment perfectly.

In the hush of Lent, where shadows quietly unfold,
A sacred journey starts, a story to be told.
The winters grasp is fading, as a thawing spirit sings,
In the intertwining dance of Lent and burgeoning Spring.
In fasting's gentle rhythm and contemplative prayer,
A soul sheds winter's burdens, breathes the vernal air.
The barren trees are witnesses to a solemn, humble grace,
As the heart prepares a garden in this sacred, quiet space.

A penitential canvas painted in hues of purple and ash,
Yet beneath the surface, a burgeoning, quiet clash.
For Lent, a solemn journey, and Spring, a whispered hymn,
Together birth a resurrection, new life to begin.

The buds upon the branches, a promise in the air,
Resurrection whispers, banishing despair.
The earth, once cold and hardened, now softens 'neath the rain,
As Lent and together proclaim, "Behold, all things made new again."

In Lenten contemplation, we till the soil within,
Removing stones of bitterness, cultivating love therein.
As petals unfurl slowly, under the sun's warm gleam,
So do we uncover the me beauty of a soul redeemed.

With each step through the desert, each footprint in the dew,
Lent and Spring converge, revealing life anew.
The forty days of fasting, mirrored in the seed,
A promise of resurrection, where brokenness is freed.

So, let the Lenten desert and the Spring light winds blend,
A symphony of hope, where soul and earth transcend.
For in this sacred season, where shadows gently part,
We find the grace of Easter, a resurrection in the heart.

I wish you all a holy and transformative Lent.