tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61140980737378876822024-03-19T08:47:09.647+00:00The MessageUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-76960314451794910522024-03-01T00:00:00.001+00:002024-03-01T00:00:00.149+00:00March 2024<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8obgxjtnHrE5IYhKw1TNhEYJZHeU_-hlRaZ8lJ9MAMq5Nb10G_s87EL9VGHgvegbtg1SRfUjfspGpqOweQck0po6owPOXuu4rnhL7aqCZ-P3TeeBm_DGBgRmxGMpRH88pedSrl7eHF9UmBuLOLm8k1ggswiAQFR4RG6DsY4q4qz-mvdZQI2kMist9aIA/s927/ash.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="927" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8obgxjtnHrE5IYhKw1TNhEYJZHeU_-hlRaZ8lJ9MAMq5Nb10G_s87EL9VGHgvegbtg1SRfUjfspGpqOweQck0po6owPOXuu4rnhL7aqCZ-P3TeeBm_DGBgRmxGMpRH88pedSrl7eHF9UmBuLOLm8k1ggswiAQFR4RG6DsY4q4qz-mvdZQI2kMist9aIA/w473-h428/ash.jpg" width="473" /></a></div>
<p>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.</p><p>
</p><blockquote>In the hush of Lent, where shadows quietly unfold,<br />
A sacred journey starts, a story to be told.<br />
The winters grasp is fading, as a thawing spirit sings,<br />
In the intertwining dance of Lent and burgeoning Spring.<br />
In fasting's gentle rhythm and contemplative prayer,<br />
A soul sheds winter's burdens, breathes the vernal air.<br />
The barren trees are witnesses to a solemn, humble grace,<br />
As the heart prepares a garden in this sacred, quiet space.<br />
<br />
A penitential canvas painted in hues of purple and ash,<br />
Yet beneath the surface, a burgeoning, quiet clash.<br />
For Lent, a solemn journey, and Spring, a whispered hymn,<br />
Together birth a resurrection, new life to begin.<br />
<br />
The buds upon the branches, a promise in the air,<br />
Resurrection whispers, banishing despair.<br />
The earth, once cold and hardened, now softens 'neath the rain,<br />
As Lent and together proclaim, "Behold, all things made new again."<br />
<br />
In Lenten contemplation, we till the soil within,<br />
Removing stones of bitterness, cultivating love therein.<br />
As petals unfurl slowly, under the sun's warm gleam,<br />
So do we uncover the me beauty of a soul redeemed.<br />
<br />
With each step through the desert, each footprint in the dew,<br />
Lent and Spring converge, revealing life anew.<br />
The forty days of fasting, mirrored in the seed,<br />
A promise of resurrection, where brokenness is freed.<br />
<br />
So, let the Lenten desert and the Spring light winds blend,<br />
A symphony of hope, where soul and earth transcend.<br />
For in this sacred season, where shadows gently part,<br />
We find the grace of Easter, a resurrection in the heart.</blockquote>
<p>I wish you all a holy and transformative Lent.</p>
<b>Fr Chris</b>
<p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-83769034041733174822024-02-01T00:00:00.001+00:002024-02-01T00:00:00.143+00:00February 2024<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>As you may be aware, my position as Priest in Charge at St Mary Our Lady is
part-time, as indeed has been the case with my immediate predecessors here.
The other day someone asked me what I did with the rest of my time, and I
explained that I was National Missioner to a group of around 100 Anglo-
Catholic parishes across the country. To which they responded, 'and what does
that mean?'; I thought this wasa very good question and I thought I would
share with you what I do for the rest of myweek, when I am not working in the
parish.</p>
<p>The first thing to say is that ‘National Missioner‘ is too grand a title, and
actually a bit of a misnomer, my role is probably better described as Mission
Enabler or Coordinator, providing resources and support to enable churches to
undertake mission and outreach projects in their communities. Practically
speaking, my work has involved helping to manage a project aimed at moving a
number of parishes ‘from maintenance to mission‘ (an expression used by the
Divine Renovation organisation, on whose methodology the project is largely
based) coordinating the activities of 10 regional convenors who each work with
around 10 parish Priests, I have designed, created and manage an online Mission
Resource Hub, which gives access to a range of various diffierent resources for
mission, outreach and evangelism. The most. intense part of my role has been the
organisation of an annual 3-day conference in November for around 80 priests,
bishops and deacons. The work I undertake in the missioner role is directed by
Bishop Will (the Bishop of Lewes), which means that I inevitably also get
involved with projects within the Chichester Diocese, such as organising the
annual Our Lady of Walsingham Festival. I am currently helping to set up the
first diocesan Family Camp — a weekend of fun, worship and family time in
June this year — taking place in the beautiful South Downs; and the planning of
the 2025 year of faith when the diocese will celebrate the 1700 anniversary of
the Nicene Creed and the 950th anniversary of Chichester Cathedral.</p>
<p>When I became a priest, I thought I had started an completely new chapter of my
life and Christian journey and had loft my previous long career and experience
in marketing and connnuriications behind me, but it would appear that God has
other ideas. Alongside my priestly ministry, I am now making comprehensive
use of the Skills and experience gained in secular employment to serve God's
church and further His Kingdom. One thing is for sure, I am never bored or
lacking in something to do!</p>
<b>Fr Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-74526206339982510412024-01-01T00:00:00.001+00:002024-01-01T00:00:00.143+00:00January 2024<p>There is a good chance that as you read this, it will still be Christmas. You may
have finished off the leftover turkey and last of the Quality Street (except may
be the blue ones — no one likes those!) and the shops will have taken all down
all their Christmas displays (which have been up since October) they may even
be selling Cadbury’s Creme eggs, but for the church at least, it is still
Christmas. And why not? It is such an important feast for Christians, when God
chose to come among us as a fragile, helpless baby who would grow into a
man, go about teaching in Judea before being crucified and then rising from the
dead. But why? Why was it necessary for God to become incarnate, to be born
as one of us? When the question was first posed to me, I struggled to answer it
convincingly. There are of co1n'se well-honed theological and doctrinal answers
to be found in books and in the teaching of the Church, but what helped me was
a simple story — a modern day parable — written in 1959 by Louis Cassells, who
was the religious editor at United Press International. I shared it at Midnight
mass, but I thought it deserved a wider audience, so I am sharing it here.</p>
<p>Cassells’' story is centred on a man, who he describes as ‘not a scrooge’ but a
kind, decent, mostly good man, who was generous to his family and upright in
his dealings with other men. But the man just didn’t believe all the stuff about
God becoming a man — the incarnation. It just didn’t make sense to him, and he
was too honest to pretend that he did.</p>
<p>"I am truly sorry to distress you,"he told his wife, who was a faithful
churchgoer. "But I simply cannot understand this claim that God becomes man.
It doesn’t make any sense to me."On Christmas Eve his wife and children went
to church for the midnight service. And once again, he declined to accompany
them. "I’d feel like a hypocrite,"he explained. "I’d rather stay at home. But I’ll
wait up for you."Shortly afler his family drove away in the car, snow began to
fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and
heavier. "If we must have Christmas,"he thought, "it’s nice to have a white
one."He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his
newspaper. A few minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. It was
quickly followed by another, then another. He thought that someone must be
throwing snowballs at his window. When he went to the front door to
investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the storm. They had
been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly
through his window. "I can’t let these poor creatures lie there and freeze,"he
thought. "But how can I help them?"Then he remembered the barn, where the
children’s pony was stabled. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could
direct the birds to it. He put on his coat and Wellies and tramped through the
deepening snow to the barn. He opened the door wide and turned on a light. But
the birds didn’t come in. "Food will lure them in,"he thought. So, he hurried
back to the house for breadcrumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a
trail into the bam. To his dismay, the birds ignored the breadcrumbs, and
continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the
barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every
direction - except into the wann lighted barn. “They fmd me a strange and
terrifying creature,"he said to himself, “and I can’t seem to think of any way
to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few
minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety..."Just at that moment the
church bells began to ring. He stood silent for a while, listening to the bells
pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow.
“Now I understand,"he whispered. “Now I see why You had to do it.”</p>
<p>I hope you are enjoying a blessed and peaceful Christmas, and I wish you all
a joyful and hope-filled New Year.</p>
<b>Fr Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-73414806340281869352023-12-01T00:00:00.006+00:002023-12-26T11:05:54.995+00:00December 2023<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>Change-is-one of several paradoxes of the church: we are called to proclaim an
unchanging truth in a never-changing world. And yet,as any incumbent of a
parish will tell you, one of the most difficult things to do is introduce change. It
is a balancing act of protecting valuable tradition whilst keeping it relevant for
today’s context. Perhaps one of the best examples of this is Remembrance
Sunday; a well-established and essential feature of the country’s.calendar. For
many it still brings to mind personal experiences and memories but, for today's
youth, 'Remembrance Stmday does not evoke personal memories. To keep the
legacy of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country alive, and "give
thanks for the fieedom andjustice for which they fought, and for which we
enjoy, I think it is necessary involve the emerging generations more fully in the ‘
acts of Remembrance and actively educate them on what it all represents.</p>
<p>It was with some trepidation that I chose to introduce change -to‘ theact of
Remembrance at St Mary Our Lady last year, and then this year further subtle
change to involve our children more fully. During the 10:00 Eucharist, the
sermon took the form of a mini drama depicting the lives of RAF Pilots Basil ‘
and Antony Fisher. Basil was tragically killed in-action on 15 August 1940 over
Sidlesham aged just 23 years. The inter-generational cast included brothers
Freddie and, Sam Merrett playing the parts of Basil and Antony, Anna Swain
narrated the story fiom the pulpit and Mike Allisstone assumed the role of
Winston Churchill. The church was full, and the congregation included Basil's
great niece, Lucinda Croft and her husband Simon.</p>
<p>The drama was put together by Lesley Bromley who, when she became aware
of the tragic story of Basil, contacted Eton College school librarian, Sarah
Warren to find out more. Lesley then worked on bringing the story to life for
our church community. Sarah explained how Kate Pierce, Head of German at
Eton College had seen three war graves fiom her window in 2014 andencouraged her tutor group to help clear them,with no idea that one was the
grave of an Old Etonian. Six months later, Sarah during a piece of research
found Basil’s grave along with Kate's wreath upon it; and they have looked
ater Basil’s grave together since then. The telling of the Fisher brothers’ -story,
brought to life one of so many tragic episodes. Hearing al ittle about the young
men's lives made it altogether more personal and moving for everyone who
heard it. I am pleased (and relieved) to say that this innovation was met with
widespread approval and added to the traditional Act. of Remembrance.</p>
<p>With my prayers for a blessed Christmas.</p>
<b>Fr Chrls</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-36334646067329218502023-11-05T14:46:00.005+00:002023-11-06T09:34:43.861+00:00November 2023<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>Well, my expectations for our 2023 Harvest thanksgiving were well and truly
exceeded. The church looked stunning, and the various celebrations all went
without a hitch; I am extremely grateful to all those who helped in various ways
over the harvest weekend. We certainly have much to be thankful for in
Sidlesham, and it was great to see that reflected in people’s generous gifts of
food and toiletries that were brought to church for the less fortunate in our
community. All the provisions have now been distributed around the village or
taken to either <a href="https://stonepillow.org.uk">Stone Pillow</a> or the local foodbank, where they will be
distributed to those in need. Since harvest a couple of people have mentioned
to me how a number of other churches have a designated area where people are
able to leave food and toiletries throughout the year, and they asked whether we
could have something similar in place at St Mary’s. Actually there has been a
basket at the back of church for some time, but clearly it has been too well
hidden! From now on the basket will occupy a more prominent position and be
more clearly labelled. Also, Val Shrubb has kindly volunteered to regularly
take any donations to Stone Pillow and/or the Foodbank. If you would like to
donate long-life food items or toiletries, please leave them in the labelled basket
in church.</p>
<p>Bats in our belfry? We have just received the results of an audible bat survey
undertaken over two nights in the churchyard a couple of weeks ago, courtesy
of Linda and Ken Smith from the Chichester Wildlife Group. As expected, the
results revealed a considerable amount of bat activity in the vicinity and the
data also indicated the continuing presence of the rare Grey long-eared bat. UK
bats feed on insects and their presence is one indicator that we are successfully
managing the churchyard and its flora and fauna. More details about the survey
can be found in the current edition of the Parish Magazine.</p>
<p>I am writing this month’s letter shortly after our first ‘Crafty Communion’
service in the Church Hall on Sunday 15th October. It was lovely to welcome
around 20 young people and a similar number of adults who enthusiastically
joined in with informal worship, centred around the Eucharist, and the
complementary craft activity. One of the aims of ‘Crafty Communion’ is to
give me the opportunity to spend time with, and teach the faith to, our young
families. So, over the coming months the pattern for the third Sunday of the
month will be: a quiet reflective 8:00 Said Eucharist in church, Choral Mattins
at 10:00 in church for those who favour a more traditional service, and Crafty
Communion at l0:00 in the Church Hall for people (especially families) who
prefer a more informal style of worship.</p>
<p>With my continued love and prayers.</p>
<br/>
<b>Father Chris</b>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-68443262448176986942023-10-01T00:00:00.001+01:002023-10-01T00:00:00.151+01:00October 2023<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>I am writing this as I prepare to take a couple of weeks annual leave, the first
long break I have had for a couple of years. When I return to my parochial
duties the work to transform our beautiful church into a ‘Harvest wonderland’
will have well and truly begun. I am very much looking forward to seeing what
the highly creative team of flower artists (ifI may call them that!) have created
this year. And I look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to the
Harvest celebrations, which this year will begin with an informal drinks and
canapes evening on Saturday 30"“ September (there is a sign—up sheet in church
or you may book a free ticket on ‘Eventbrite’ — Sidlesham Harvest Flowers’).
On Sunday 1“ October, in addition to the familiar Harvest Festival Eucharist,
there will be a service of Choral Evensong at 3:30pm followed by tea and cake
in the parish rooms. I will leave you with a poem to hopefully get you in the
mood for harvest!</p>
<blockquote>In golden fields beneath the endless sky,<br/>
Where nature's bounty stretches far and wide,<br/>
The labour of the year now draws nigh,<br/>
As harvest season tums the countryside.<br/>
<br />
The sun, a mighty golden sphere of light,<br/>
Kisses each stalk of wheat and ear of corn,<br/>
A symphony of colours gleams so bright,<br/>
In this, the season where our hopes are bom.<br/>
<br />
The farmer's toil, both day and night, is grand,<br/>
With calloused hands, he reaps what he has sown,<br/>
He tills the earth and tends to every strand,<br/>
For from this soil, life's sustenance is known.<br/>
<br />
The orchards heavy with their fruit so sweet,<br/>
Bushes laden with berries so divine,<br/>
Each apple, grape, and ear of golden wheat,<br/>
A testament to nature's grand design.<br/>
<br />
The scent of earth and hay fills up the air,<br/>
As wagons laden with the harvests store,<br/>
Roll through the fields with gratitude and care,<br/>
For God’s great gifts, we thank him evermore.<br/>
<br />
Harvest moon ascends, a silver sphere,<br/>
Bathing the land in gentle, silken light,<br/>
A season's labour marked by joy and cheer,<br/>
As nature shares her blessings, day and night<br/>
<br />
So let us gather ‘round the table wide,<br/>
With hearts aglow and gratitude so vast,<br/>
For in the harvest's plenty, we'll abide,<br/>
And in this bounty, find our peace at last.<br/></blockquote>
<b>Fr Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-66115516192009501082023-09-01T12:41:00.001+01:002023-09-01T12:41:48.082+01:00September 2023<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>Tempus fugit! It is astonishing for me that we have now lived in Sidlesham for
over a year. And looking back, it can hardly be classed as an uneventful twelve
months, more one might say, it’s been a case of never a dull moment! Here are a few of the highlights of my first year in Sidlesham.</p>
<p>Almost straightaway I had to look into the appropriate protocol to mark the
death of a monarch and then eight short months later, we were faced with how
to celebrate the coronation of the King. One of the things I was pleased with,
across these two very different events, was how we were able to work with the
school to get children involved with these important national occasions — it was
a particular delight to watch the variously sized young people having a go at ringing the church bells as part of 'Ring for the King'!</p>
<p>The registers tell me that I have presided over 140 Eucharists, conducted twelve
ftmerals, eight baptisms, one wedding and, in April, it was a pleasure to
welcome Bishop Will to the parish when he came to confirm ten candidates from our worshipping community.</p>
<p>As a priest, I think it is always a great honour to take any funeral service, and
since being here, I feel extremely privileged to have conducted the funerals of
several highly respected and loved villagers, where the church has been packed,
and the sense of community and camaraderie has been palpable. Being
responsible for a church yard has been a new experience, and thrown up some
unexpected challenges, not least when the hem of my cassock was chewed by a
bullock as I made my way across the field to let the gravediggers through to the new section of the church yard.</p>
<p>I have enjoyed discovering the beauty of the Sidlesham countryside and getting
to know the wide variety of our ‘animal neighbours’ from bats to buzzards — I
don't think I will ever forget the time I was on my way over to church to say
my moming office and a buzzard flew out of the yew tree a few feet in front of me — I don’t know who was more scared!</p>
<p>The introduction of the Thursday afternoon ‘tea, cake and chat’ sessions seems
to have proved a success. What started out as an initiative to provide a warm
space for people to meet in the depth of winter, has become a sort of micro-
community where folk come together to enjoy each other’s company. As some
of you know, we have been searching for a name for our weekly gatherings,
and from now on it will be called: ‘Mary’s Place’; It is simple, easy to remember, and it has a certain intimacy about it.</p>
<p>Of course, my ministry here is only made possible through the hard work of all
the different groups of volunteers who contribute to the life of the church; my heart-felt thanks to everyone who does help, especially the churchwardens:</p>
<p align=center>Chris and Janet.</p>
<p>I am looking forward (with a degree of trepidation!) to what the next twelve
months has instal for us all in Sidlesham.</p>
<b>
Father Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-19794188077370271172023-08-01T00:00:00.003+01:002023-08-01T00:00:00.136+01:00August 2023<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>In February I wrote about the newly introduced 'Tea in the Warm' sessions on a
Thursday afternoon in the parish rooms, and how well they seemed to have been
received by people in the village. Well, sixth months on, I am pleased to say that
they are still going strong!</p>
<p>What started as a way of providing somewhere warm for people to come and
have a cup of tea or coffee and a chat, has developed into something much
more; there is a wonderful sense of camaraderie within the group which can
range from l2 to 24 people. It is great to see new friendships being made and
old ones re-kindled. Recently one regular visitor said to me: 'I really look
forward to Thursday afternoons, it is the highlight of my week.' Conversations
are wide~ranging, and laughter is never far away, even if I am often the brunt of
some of the jokes!</p>
<p>I estimate that, since we started, in the region of one thousand cups of tea have
been drunk and a hundred cakes baked and eaten (not to mention 50 hands of
cribbage being played!). I am very grateful to everyone who helps with the tea
making, cake baking and giving of lifts.</p>
<p>For me personally it is a welcome relief in the middle of the week to be able to
get out of my study and meet and talk to some 'real' people (as opposed to
talking to the two-dimensional facsimiles on my computer screen), and I
continue to leam more about the history of Sidlesham, the church and the
people.</p>
<p>But we do have a problem. And that is, what should we call our weekly
gathering? We started with 'Tea in the warm', but that hardly seems appropriate
at the moment. So, if anyone has any ideas of what we might call our weekly
gatherings please do let me know. Anyone is welcome to come along to the
Parish Rooms, which are adjacent to the church, on a Thursday afternoon
between 2:00pm and 4:00pm, there is no charge, and you can be assured of a
warm welcome.</p>
<b>Fr Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-54882400231587464942023-07-04T10:33:00.002+01:002023-07-04T10:35:38.984+01:00July 2023<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>Being responsible for a churchyard is a
great privilege, but it is not without its
challenges. One of the greatest of these, is
maintaining an appropriate balance
between the areas which are mown and
well-tended, and the sections where the
grass is allowed to grow freely to provide
a habitat for butterflies, bees, insects and
animals among the long grass and
wildflowers. I think the team of local
volunteers, under the direction of the
Churchwardens, are doing a very good job
in preserving this balance. My heart-felt
thanks goes to all who help with the
upkeep of the Churchyard, both
individually and as part of the monthly Saturday morning working parties.</p>
<p>A welcome development to the Saturday group has been the number of young
families who have started to get involved. Perhaps it's the lure of hotdogs, but it
is great to see children rolling up their sleeves and helping to care for this
wildlife haven. In June we participated in the ‘Churches Count on Nature’
campaign organised by Caring for God’s Acre, a national charity working to
support, investigate, care for and encourage people to enjoy churchyards and
burial grounds and the huge variety of wildlife they hold. Several families
joined in our nature count and on the Saturday morning they spotted numerous
different types of bees, wildflowers, grasses, lichen, slowworms, and a lizard. It
was such a joy to see the children in the Churchyard and Vicarage Meadow
amongst the long grasses and daisies getting up close and personal with the fauna and flora.</p>
<p>On the Sunday morning during the 10:00 service, while we worshipped in
church, another group of children built a 'Bug Hotel' outside of the Vicarage. At
the end of the service in front of all present, I asked one of the young builders
what they had been doing, "Building a Bug Hotel" he said, sensing the
opportunity to take the conversation further I enquired, "what’s a bug hotel?". I
received a look of indignation, followed by "A hotel for bugs". Of course it is.
We are so blessed to have such a beautiful and tranquil place in Sidlesham, if
you would like to come along and help with the upkeep of this special place you
will be very welcome. The next two sessions will be on Saturday ls July and Saturday 5‘ August — hotdogs and drinks included!</p>
<b>Father Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-84966021854101662942023-06-01T00:00:00.001+01:002023-06-01T00:00:00.178+01:00June 2023<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>As I write this month's letter, the memories of the coronation weekend
are still fresh in my mind; what a wonderful weekend it was!</p>
<p>One of the highlights for me was the pre-enactment of the coronation
ceremony at Sidlesham School on Friday afternoon. The planning and
organisation was somewhat last minute on my part, but on the day it
turned out well. The sun shone and pupils, staff, parents and members of
the community gathered on the school field, which was to become
Westminster Abbey for the afternoon. The event begun with deputy head
-teacher, Mr Blake-Lobb, leading the school in singing a song and then,
to the rousing sound of Parry's ‘I was glad', the coronation procession
made its way down the aisle, leading the King and Queen to their
makeshift thrones.</p>
<p>I had the dubious honour of playing the part of the Archbishop of
Canterbury, but I did have fun describing how the ceremony would
unfold on the day, and explaining about the various items of regalia that
would be presented to the King and Queen or used in the ceremony.
These included impressive replicas of an orb, sceptre and rod (thanks to
Mrs Merrell and Mrs Humphreys at the school for making these, and the
robes). There was also a replica of the anointing spoon used at the
coronation in 1953, which had been loaned to us by a member of the St
Mary's congregation and provided a nice link back to the late Queen
Elizabeth II. The ceremony concluded with the National Anthem
followed by the school singing ‘two little birds'. Meanwhile the newly
crowned Charles and Camilla processed off to enjoy an ice cream! Well
done to everyone involved, but especially to William Petch and Amelia
Pym, who played the part of the royal couple with suitable poise and
dignity.</p>
<p>"King Charles and Queen Camilla" will be back in Sidlesham on
Saturday 29th July to open the Sidlesham Fete, which this year is
appropriately themed the "Best of British", more details of the fete and
how you can get involved can be found in the parish magazine.
I wish you all a warm, bright, and blessed June.</p>
<b>Father Chris</b>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-19760755058525783202023-05-01T00:00:00.001+01:002023-05-01T00:00:00.148+01:00May 2023<b>Dear Parishioners,</b>
<p>I’ll start where I finished last month’s letter: Happy Easter! At St Mary Our
Lady we enjoyed a fantastic end to April, with a very special Easter Sunday
service at which we welcomed three new young people into God’s church by
way of their Baptisms. And then, less than two week’s later, four adults and six
young people were confirmed by The Right Reverend Will Hazlewood, the
Bishop of Lewes.</p>
<p>The focus of May will surely be the Coronation of King Charles III, which is set
to be a joyous occasion for our whole nation. As information about the
Coronation has slowly emerged it has been encouraging to see how ‘on
message’ we are in Sidlesham.</p>
<p>As I was writing this a news item came on the radio saying how the Coronation
was to mark a coming together of the Church and secular society in unity, and
how the Service itself would reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards
the future, whilst being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry. Overall,
the Coronation Weekend would provide an opportunity to spend time
celebrating with friends, families and communities; coming together to share
food and fun. It could have been written specifically about our village!</p>
<b>Father Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-19986302758947740872023-04-01T00:00:00.001+01:002023-04-01T00:00:00.225+01:00April 2023<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>I am writing this on the train up to Birmingham for a meeting. Hitherto, in my
National Missioner role, I have not had to travel very much, but this is set to
change over the next few weeks with meetings planned up and down the
country. Travel is nothing new to me, before I entered the priesthood I used to
regularly travel internationally and enjoy meeting new people. But the one thing
I always looked forward to when travelling was coming home. And in my day
trip to the Midlands' metropolis, I was reminded of that distinctive and
comforting feeling of returning home, it highlighted for me how blessed we are
to be living here in Sidlesham. Even our teenage son Sam, who really wasn't
sure about moving to ‘the middle of nowhere' now regards this as his home.</p>
<p>I can hardly believe that we've now been here for nearly 8 months but, for
another 4 months, we will continue to enjoy the series of ‘firsts' that comes with
moving to a new location. At the moment, it is the transformation of the flora
and fauna associated with Springtime. Spring is without doubt my favourite
season, I love the sense of hope and expectation it brings and, of course the
Church's greatest festival, Easter. </p>
<p>And if that wasn't enough, this year we have the Coronation to look forward to!
What a great opportunity for the Whole village to come together and celebrate
the crowning of King Charles and the Queen Consort, Camilla; for many of us
witnessing a Coronation will be a first.</p>
<p>There is a good range of events planned in the village — something for everyone!
On Saturday morning, just before the Coronation service, there will be a quiet
and reflective Said Eucharist for the King and Queen Consort as they prepare to
be crowned. On Sunday morning, it being the first Sunday of the month, there
will be a family Eucharist with a regal theme. In the afternoon there will be an
informal service of Hymns and readings suitable for a King followed by
afternoon tea (please do let us know if you would like to join us for tea so that
we can make sure there is enough cake to go roundl). Starting around midday on
Monday, at the Sidlesham Memorial Recreation Ground, there will be a great
family day out. Bring a picnic and listen or dance to the ‘Big Pyramid‘ band
from 12.30, the children's playground will be open, as will the snack bar for
drinks and ice creams. The day will culminate with the ‘Coronation Cavalcade'
family concert featuring a collection of music and narration that will reflect the
7 decades of King Charles' life — I'm looking forward to letting my hair down
(metaphorically at least!) and celebrating this special weekend in our nation's
life.</p>
<p>Finally, in anticipation of what is to come, Happy Easter</p>
<b>Father Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-52913206815599403372023-03-01T00:00:00.002+00:002023-03-01T00:00:00.206+00:00Gone for Lent<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>The season of Lent is an ancient and important season for the Church
throughout the world. Interestingly the word 'Lent' was originally a secular
word with no particular religious associations. Etymologically, the word can be
traced to the Old English word <i>"lencten"</i> which relates to the word "lengthen",
referring to the lengthening of days, and was used to express the season of spring.</p>
<p>In Europe the penitential season in the Church always fell during the
springtime and over the centuries the Word "Lent" became synonymous with
the liturgical period. The adoption of the word on our shores may also have had
something to do with it being easier to say that the official Latin title,
<i>"quadragesima"</i> meaning 40 days!<br />
</p><p>The observance of a 40-day period of abstinence and penance dates back to at
least the fourth century; when early Christians were inspired to reflect and echo
Christ’s temptation by the devil in the dessert.</p>
<p>The observance of a 40-day period of preparation before the celebration of
Jesus’s Passion, death and resurrection, dates back to at least the fourth century;
when early Christians were inspired to reflect and echo Christ’s temptation by
the devil in the dessert through abstinence, penance, prayer and alms giving, all
with the collective aim to draw closer to God.</p>
<p>These original practices and aims of Lent remain true today, however the things
that people give up are moving with the times. Whereas, in the past, it may have
been sweets and/or alcohol, today one of the most
popular things for people to give up is Social Media. For several years now, as part of my Lenten observance,
I have chosen to come off Facebook, and I change my profile picture to a "Gone for Lent" sign. The thing that
never ceases to amaze me is the amount of time that I save by not being on Facebook. I do feel a little I
disconnected from some of the groups to which I subscribe, but I am not tempted to be drawn into futile discussions, or watch
videos of cute cats or misbehaved Great Danes.</p>
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhDCpNQ4xc3YkBYMX1keS7Nqw2bS_Q_l2qHUKQ-ddqB59cKj2rU3gkAoppfd5uPV6XN9qPw0Q5HL0_Y6hutT8stJEEtIHEQNQ6XEKeolaSgf-jgQIykZcpkAkZi3tYx26DGjKqc3ZamJFaGSHCB3SmSNRghbY54bAd6D9T9Q8vop4AHhjK_OjH9Xn-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="300" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhDCpNQ4xc3YkBYMX1keS7Nqw2bS_Q_l2qHUKQ-ddqB59cKj2rU3gkAoppfd5uPV6XN9qPw0Q5HL0_Y6hutT8stJEEtIHEQNQ6XEKeolaSgf-jgQIykZcpkAkZi3tYx26DGjKqc3ZamJFaGSHCB3SmSNRghbY54bAd6D9T9Q8vop4AHhjK_OjH9Xn-" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p>While seemingly trivial, this does raise an important point about Lent, and that
is what do I do with the time that I save? Or for that matter, what do we do with
the money that we may save by giving up alcohol or chocolate? In my
experience the "giving up" part is the easy bit, how we use our chosen
abstinence to benefit others, and grow spiritually closer to God, can be far more
challenging. But, if we get it right, Lent can be a 40-day period of personal
transformation, and well worth the effort.</p>
<p>I wish you all a very holy and transformative Lent.</p>
<p>Father Chris</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-43158045182832949952023-02-01T00:00:00.003+00:002023-02-01T00:00:00.192+00:00February 2023<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>Well, weatherwise, it has hardly been a great start to the new year; I have been
assured by several long-term residents of Sidlesham that this is not usual, and so
perhaps l do not need to dig out my wetsuit ~ just yet!
However, something good did come out of the severe cold snap towards the end
of 2022 and that is the Thursday afternoon ‘Tea in the Warm' gatherings in the
Parish Rooms.</p>
<p>Starting these sessions was pretty much a spontaneous decision that came out of
a conversation around how cold it was and what could we do to help people who
might otherwise be cold at home on their own. Our beautiful parish rooms
seemed an obvious place to start, and there was nothing to stop us just getting
on with it. So, we did. At the outset we were not sure whether anyone would
actually come but, as I write this five weeks later, the informal sessions are
already proving popular and a welcome addition to several people's calendars.
A growing number from across the village are coming along to enjoy a cup of
tea (or coffee), home-made cake and friendly company. I've joined in with
several conversations which have ranged from personal experiences to past life
on the Manhood peninsula — all have been interesting, and l have learnt a lot
about the history of Sidlesham. </p>
<p>The sessions are open to anyone, and whether you fancy coming along to help
make tea and chat, or simply enjoy a conversation, or even to just sit quietly
whilst in the company of other people, you will be very welcome. If someone
would like to come along but, because of lack of transport, can't get there, we
can arrange a lift.</p>
<p>We will soon be heading towards Spring and hopefully begin to say goodbye to
the extreme wet and cold conditions, however, l think the need for a place with
a warm atmosphere will continue and so therefore will the Thursday afternoon
gatherings from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.</p>
<p>lf you fancy giving it a go, just come along, and/or if you know someone else
who might be interested, please tell them about it. And please do be in touch if
you have any questions.</p>
<b>Fr Chris</b>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-30042378916953100362023-01-01T00:00:00.002+00:002023-01-01T00:00:00.226+00:00January 2023<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>I have greatly enjoyed my first Christmas as Parish Priest in Sidlesham. It was
certainly quite different to how I imagined I would be spending Christmas 2022
at the beginning of the year, but on reflection perhaps that is something that I
should be used to by now based on our collective experiences of the past few
years.</p>
<p>December got off to a great start with the Christmas Market; it was lovely to
meet more people from the village and, in financial terms, it provided some
much-needed funds for the work of the church, so thank you to all who came
and especially to those who helped in any way. Two weeks later, after the I0
o'clock service our Sunday School put on a Coffee morning to raise money for
their nominated charities: one local, one national and one intemational and
again this was a success A well done all!</p>
<p>I had fun attending the Community Carol singing in the Memorial Hall and
then, during the following week, gathering around the impressive Christmas tree
on the Quay for more hearty festive singing. I was moved by the tradition and
simple beauty of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Mary's. I loved
the spontaneity and enthusiasm shown by families at the Pop-up Nativity, and
my first Midnight Mass here was always going to be special as we celebrated
the birth of Christ on that cold but Holy night. And then the following
morning's festivities were full of all the joys and excitement of Christmas.</p>
<p>In the afternoon it was a little strange hearing our new King deliver his first
Christmas message but, true to form, he did so with dignity and sincerity. As has
become customary, lunch in the Vicarage was served very late, my cooking was
powered by a tipple or two, which led to overcooked roast potatoes and lumpy
gravy (but at least Murphy enjoyed itl), and I couldn't help falling asleep in
front of the log fire between the main course and desert.</p>
<p>Now, as many of you will realise, I am typing these words before most of these
events have happened, so really, they were largely my aspirations for Christmas
2022, and l am taking a risk writing them in the past tense, especially given that
one of my favourite maxims is: </p>
<blockquote>"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your
plans."</blockquote>
<p>Things in life do not always go to plan, that is part and parcel of being
human; none of us know what is around the corner.</p>
<p>I am not going to even try to predict what lies ahead of us in 2023. There is a lot
in the world to give us cause for concem, but I think there is also much to give
us hope; that surely is one of the main messages of the Christmas story and, as I
believe, Albert Einstein once said: "Learn flom yesterday, live for today, hope
for tomorrow".</p>
<p>With every blessing to you, your family and friends for a hope-filled year ahead.</p>
<b>Father Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-90040407421458807902022-12-01T18:39:00.000+00:002022-12-01T18:39:13.700+00:00December 2022<b>Dear Parishoners</b>
<p>Happy New Year! No, I’m not getting ahead of myself, or wishing away the rest of 2022, or even trying to avoid Christmas! But as you read this we are now in
the season of Advent, the beginning of which marks the start of a New Year for the Church.</p>
<p>Advent means ‘coming’ (from the Latin word '<i>adventus</i>') and, for the Church, it
is a period of expectant waiting and preparation for the two comings of Christ:
the celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas and the return of Christ at the
Second Coming. To think andireflect about the significance of this, demands
both our time and attention, it is not the sort of thing that can be easily done
while we are engaged in other things.</p>
<p>I think Advent has become a rather overlooked and under-celebrated season,
perhaps because it is somewhat out of step with secular society which, in the
period leading up to Christmas, seems to be a crescendo of busyness and endless
activity: shopping, writing Christmas cards, Nativity plays, parties, visiting
relatives, more shopping, cooking etc. for many of us (me included) it is non-
stop.</p>
<p>But whatever our beliefs, one thing that Advent can remind all of us, is the
benefit of taking time out now and again just to be quiet and still. In my sennon
on Remembrance Sunday, I spoke about the power of silence and how
increasingly it is disappearing from our daily lives. Perhaps because people
regard it as an absence of something, a hole that needs to be filled, rather than it
having its own positive character and purpose. In her book ‘A Gift for God’
Mother Teressa of Calcutta wrote: 'God is the friend of silence. See how nature
— trees, flowers, grass — grows in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun,
how they move in silence'.</p>
<p>Sidlesham is blessed with the church of St Mary Our Lady, it is certainly one of
the quietest and stillest churches I have ever been in. And this oasis of calm is
open every day, during daylight hours, for anyone to come in and momentarily
escape from the noise and cacophony of daily life. Whether you come to just sit,
or to pray or to reflect on the theological significance of Advent doesn’t matter.
Just being still, I can all but guarantee, will lower your stress levels.
As a family, we are looking forward to our first Christmas in Sidlesham, in the
three months or so I have been here, I’ve met a good number of people and I
hope that during December I will meet even more villagers. And if you’ve not
met me yet, please do say ‘hello’ if you see me around.</p>
<b>Fr Chris</b>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-19086538719977903492022-11-01T00:00:00.019+00:002022-11-01T00:00:00.206+00:00November 2022<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>We are now well into the last quarter of the year, and I find myself yet again
asking, where has this year gone? Going from October into November always
strikes me as such a pivotal point in the year. The sunnier days become
markedly less frequent and even I have to admit that having the heating on in
the Vicarage is probably a good idea (and on a serious note I am gratefiil that we
are able to afford to heat our home, and I pray for those who are unable to do
that). </p>
<p>The media and shops constantly try to remind us that the next big thing in our
collective lives is Christmas, but there is so much more to take in and savour
before that. With November comes the arrival of two important periods in the
Church's calendar and in many people's lives. At the beginning of the month
the Church encourages us to reflect on our own mortality with the festivals of
All Saints (1st Nov) and All souls (2nd Nov). I admit to being easily confused
and I always struggle to remember which comes first, All Saints or All Souls.
The calendar at St Mary’s this year makes that task even harder, as we will
celebrate these important feasts the other way round! With a liturgical
performance of Faure’s Requiem for All Souls on Saturday 29th (6pm) and All
Saints on Sunday 30th. Whilst it maybe a little confusing, I don’t think it
matters too much, because What we celebrate comes down to the same thing: </p>
<blockquote>that Christ died and rose again to overcame death, that we might all have a
share in eternal life.</blockquote>
<p>And these two feasts present us with a contrast of emotions
which are present in each of our lives.</p>
<p>We continue to be reminded of the fragility of life by our Remembrance service
(which this year will be held on Sunday 13th November starting in church at
10:00 and concluding at the War Memorial) when we remember the ultimate
sacrifice that men and women have made, and continue to make, for their
country and for our freedom. </p>
<p>Towards the end of the month, the Church’s year is brought to a climax with
the joyous feast of ‘Christ the King’ quickly followed by the dawning of a new
Church year on Advent Sunday, which marks the start of a four-week season of
reflection, before finally leading us into the Season of Christmas which actually
only starts on 25th December!</p>
<p>But finally, with some sense of irony, don’t forget the St Mary Our Lady
Christmas Market is on Saturday 3rd December (11:00 — 15:00)!</p>
<br />
<b>Fr Chris</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-82666768498761817812022-10-01T00:00:00.023+01:002022-10-01T00:00:00.214+01:00October 2022<b>Dear Parishioners, </b>
<p>They say that ‘necessity is the mother of invention ’, well the events at the
beginning of September went to prove that idiom right, in a rather strange and
mildly amusing way!</p>
<p>The death of HM Queen Elizabeth II set into motion ‘Operation _London
Bridge’, the code name given to the national plan to be implemented on the
sovereign’s death. All the basic elements were in hand at St Mary Our Lady,
our churchwardens had made sure of that: a condolence book and framed
photograph were ready to go. It was when we started to go through the newly released detailed instructions
that a challenge came to light. It stated that if a church had a bell, it should be
tolled for one hour at 12:00 noon on Friday, which was the next day. Not only
that, but ideally the bell should be muffled. </p>
<p>This last part of the instruction quickly exposed my lack of knowledge of
campanology. What did tolling a muffled bell mean and how did one go about
it. Through Google (other search engine are available) I found out that some
churches use half-muffled bells during lent and on remembrance Sunday. Half
muffled bells produce a distinctive sound of a ring followed by a softer,
deadened echo-like effect. A fully muffled bell is reserved to be rung only on
the death of a monarch. This sounded like something we should do, and that led
to the next question 'how does one go about muffling a bell?'</p>
<p>It turns out that one muffles a bell with a 'bell muffler' (who'd have thought
it!). A bell muffler is usually made of a piece of leather, which attaches to one
side of a bell’s clapper. This enables the bell to be rung, half muffled. To fully
muffle a bell requires a pair of mufflers available to order from specialist
leather suppliers at about £45 each. Clearly this was not going to be possible.</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0o9JbuPxp8eH7pQ0BA9kmW51K4nVF4mwlGukjRfQj_xJzkCPhJtYKlY2OBz2zxgXXOQkfoKelzjlZAHZHkSbJqsTTOUu7kqjTetQ60Pf5CblhtI9dZcWUlmsuuxtzMgYfnRViFX-fukNUasdxHk7isMDq15e0uloboVd_DC5mtivyRiyWr_p1g6Yy/s180/sock.png" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="140" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0o9JbuPxp8eH7pQ0BA9kmW51K4nVF4mwlGukjRfQj_xJzkCPhJtYKlY2OBz2zxgXXOQkfoKelzjlZAHZHkSbJqsTTOUu7kqjTetQ60Pf5CblhtI9dZcWUlmsuuxtzMgYfnRViFX-fukNUasdxHk7isMDq15e0uloboVd_DC5mtivyRiyWr_p1g6Yy/s320/sock.png" /></a></div>So, thinking caps were put on, and we came up with
the solution of using a pair of old thick woolly socks
attached to the clapper using cable ties. As you can
see from the picture, it doesn’t look very elegant, but
it did do the job. And a few willing volunteers turned
up on Friday morning to ring out the muffled bell at
St Mary’s in honour of the dearly departed Queen
Elizabeth II.<p></p>
<p>I think this whole episode firmly falls into the
category. of things they don’t teach you at Seminary, it
certainly provided some light relief in the midst of
such an emotional and sad time. And who knows,
given that HM Queen Elizabeth was reputed to have had a sense of humour, perhaps she would have found the episode amusing too.
I think it’s fair to say that the start to my ministry here has not gone quite how I
was expecting, but actually it has been a privilege and satisfying to get stuck in
right from the off. </p><p>Thank you to everyone who has made us feel so welcome as
we settle into parochial life in Sidlesham. </p>
<b>Fr Chris </b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-81106005334833919282022-09-01T11:44:00.015+01:002022-09-01T11:44:00.214+01:00September 2022<b>Dear Parishioners</b>
<p>It was lovely to meet a number of you at the successful Sidlesham Fete in July,
it was a joyous occasion (made all the more special for me by winning a bottle
of Pimms on the Tombola stall!).</p>
<p>This month I am writing this from the St Mary Our Lady vicarage, but not as
you may imagine seated at my desk in the study. Rather on an iPad perched at
the end of the kitchen worktop, in an otherwise empty house, in between doing
jobs to get ready for our chattels (and Carolyn) arriving tomorrow. One might
say that Murphy and I are a bit like Joshua and ,Caleb sent ahead to assess the
lay out of the land! In reality, it was more to do with getting the dog settled and out
of the way of the removal men, as they do their job of packing our material life
into a number of vans.</p>
<p>My faithful canine companion and I arrived on Sunday evening (7th August)
and I couldn’t help but be struck by the stillness and peace of the place. Oh, and
how dark it is with no discernible light pollution, I was certainly glad that my
'phone has a built-in torch! I have also been able to spend some time in church
praying for the people of Sidlesham, the people of St Richard's as they enter
interregnum and set about finding a new parish priest, and for us as a family as
we start our new adventure. I also found myself reflecting on what the future
may hold for all of us together as we carry on the very long-established
tradition of worshipping and serving God in this place. </p>
<p>Wind forward 3 days, and I am finishing writing this letter surrounded by piles
of boxes (how can we have so much stuff?!). As I unpacked some of my books,
I came across, somewhat serendipitously, a copy of William Addison’s 1947
book ‘The English Country Parson’, which someone gave me as a joke when I
amiounced I wasmoving to Sidlesham. As many" of you will know rural
ministry is new to me, and I confess I was distracted for a good hour as I
seamed its pages and read some interesting insights on the history of rural
ministry, one paragraph particularly jumped out at me:</p>
<blockquote>‘The village church has kept alive through the centuries the true symbolism of
Christianity, a universal poetry that does not lose its hold on simple
believers...' '...Through all those centuries, lives that were economically,
mean and stunted realised through the calendar of the Church a world of
mystery and beauty. Not an alien beauty, but a beauty that shed the light of
heaven upon the crib in the chimney-comer, and made the herding of cattle and
the ploughing of the brown earth dignified and holy.'</blockquote>
<p>What a wonderful and
thought-provoking passage, full of hope, and highlighting so well, the
incarnational nature of our Lord. And, if the
context of my ministry here is
going to based on such strong tradition, I am very much looking forward to
picking up the mantle of 'English Country Parson'. </p>
<b>Father Chris </b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-22080271979498113072022-08-01T00:00:00.004+01:002022-08-03T15:19:58.396+01:00August 2022<b>Dear Friends</b>
<p>By the time you read this I will, God willing, have been licensed by Bishop
Martin in his chapel to be your parish priest. Also, as you read this, Carolyn,
Sam and I may have moved into the vicarage, and we might even have already
met you at the Sidlesham Fete. But, due to the vagaries of print deadlines, that
still seems a long way off and I write this amidst the chaos that a house and role
move involves, preparing copious hand-over notes, saying sad goodbyes,
visiting the tip, packing etc. During August we will move, unpack, take some
leave (which if Carolyn has anything to do with it will be a euphemism for
decorating!) and I will also be doing some work for my other new role. So, I
think it’s fair to say that August will be a busy and challenging month for us! I
am very much looking forward to 4th September when I will first preside at St
Mary Our Lady; and what a wonderful day to be starting my ministry in
earnest, on your (or perhaps that should be ‘our’) patronal festival.</p>
<p>In last month’s ‘Sidlesham Parishioner’ Fr John wrote about the inevitability of the change that will come with the arrival of a new incumbent. Whilst I agree
with Fr John that change is inevitable, I do not want people to think that I am
going to arrive looking to make big changes straightaway. Why would I do
that? As my late father used tell me: ‘If it ain’t broke son, don’t fix it! ’. When I
was asked to consider becoming parish priest of St Mary Our Lady, one of the
things that impressed me was the relative ‘self-sufficiency’ of the church family
and the strong and essential involvement of the laity; it, is clear that many
people-work hard at St Mary’s. Having said that, and I’m sure Chris and Janet
will agree, there is always room for more people to get involved in the running
and in the work of a church, as Jesus said: ‘the harvest is plentiful, but the
labourers are few’. </p>
<p>Another point I would make about change, is that it should never be made
without good reason. Change for change’s sake is no more helpful than
resisting change because ‘that’s the way it’s always been done’. But being a
Christian requires continual change, both as individuals, as we gradually
conform ourselves to be more Christ-like, and as His Church, as we adapt the
Ways in which we can better love and serve His people. </p>
<p>Finally for now, if the in the next few weeks you see a couple of unfamiliar
faces looking perplexed or lost, it’s more than likely going to be your new
parish priest and his wife, please say ‘hello’ and introduce yourselves. We look
forward to meeting you all, whether you are a church goer or you support the
community in other ways.</p>
<p><b>Fr Chris</b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-34584387359660162112022-07-03T12:20:00.001+01:002022-07-03T12:20:43.082+01:00July 2022<p>When my parents moved from London to Chichester in 1976, they were well
aware that they were to enjoy retirement. They were happy walking and sailing
and enjoying the benefits of life in Chichester and on the coast. They lived in
North Walls, a house which somehow achieved flexibility, allowing my sister
and her husband, and my twin brothers, one of them with his wife, to stay there
whenever opportunity allowed. They would manage large lunches for extended
families of cousins. They worshipped regularly at the cathedral and managed to
involve themselves in all kinds of voluntary work. My father had been for most
of his time la senior executive at the Woolwich Equitable, Building Society,
which is sadly now no more. My mother died in 1998 and my father in 2006.
They are both buried in paradise atthe cathedral.</p>
<p>So, when I finished my thirteen years as Dean of Westminster, in November
2019, aged 70, I had to decide where to live. Why not in Chichester? The
comection with my parents seemed well worthwhile. And so, here I am, in
Little London. At first, the Bishop asked me to be part of the pattern at St
George’s Whyke; they had a new incumbent in December 2021. The Bishop
pointed me towards Sidlesham, and I have much enjoyed being part of the life
of the parish.</p>
<p>Now, we are in the process of looking forward to the new incumbent, Fr
Christopher Brading, who is to be licensed this month and to take up the reins of
office in September. </p>
<p>A new incumbent is bound to want to affect some changes in the way of life of
the parish. This is simply inevitable. My first incumbency was in 1978, when I
was 29. I was incumbent in two parishes in South London, and then became
director of education in the diocese of Blackburn with 192 schools. I then came
back to London, as chief education officer, with 4,800 Church schools. Later, at
Westminster Abbey, we built a staff from 200 to 350 people, all busily engaged.
So, the new incumbent will have his own ideas and will influence the life of the
parish in his own way. That is inevitable. Things will change, although the pace
of life and the variety of approaches will be fresh and inspiring. There will be
much to enjoy. </p>
<br/>
<b>Father John</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-12079545453460899262022-06-01T00:00:00.001+01:002022-06-01T00:00:00.222+01:00Pentecost<b>Dear Friends</b>
<p>This month brings Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and also St Richard's Day on 16th,
which is now observed as Sussex Day. Pentecost, historically known as
Whitsun, comes seven weeks after Easter. Pentecost means 'fifty days'. The old
name of 'Whitsun' has been thought to reflect the 'wit', '(wisdom and
understanding), brought by the Holy Spirit, and also the colour white. White
clothing has been worn at this time, not least by those being baptised at the
festival.</p>
<p>At Pentecost we think of God the Holy Spirit, one of the three personsof the
Holy Trinity. There are many things to bear in mind - here are some. When we
address the Holy Spirit, we are addressing God himself, and need appropriate
respect. The Holy Spirit is a person. A 'he' or even a 'she', but not an 'it'. The
Holy Spirit is not some sort of impersonal power or energy, like electricity,
which we ask God to give us. The Holy Spirit is actually God, and we talk of the
Holy Spirit when we are thinking of God being creative.</p>
<p>When something special happens, we might want to say, 'I'm sure the Holy
Spirit, has done this'. We may believe that, and it may_well be _so. But we should
never reckon to be 100% sure. We are never in a position to have the ways of
God completely taped! Candidates for ordination years ago were asked if they
thought that they were truly called to the ministry, and the correct answer was a
restrained, 'I think it', not, 'I know so.' <p>
<p>There is a popular worship song which goes, 'Spirit of the living God, fall afresh
on me'. That is wonderful, - if we are deeply moved to sing it. But those words
must never be uttered casually. If we address God like that, it must be with
reverence, and we must be genuinely open to our lives being changed - and not
necessarily in ways we immediately fancy?</p>
<p>In his letter to the 'Galatians, in chapter 6, St Paul writes:
'Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap.'</p>
<p>Or, in a newer translation, 'you reap whatever you sow.' There are those,
perhaps in leadership positions in society, or in the Church, who earnestly
pursue a path, an agenda, a career, a course of action which they rather fancy or
seems a good idea. But they may be unaware of the possibility of knowing the
promptings of the Holy Spirit in the right direction, probably a more loving and
self-sacrificial" direction, and one which will query their ultimate priorities. Or
they may be aware of that possibility, but be too much focussed on themselves,
their personal ambitions, or their own agenda to work with God. But St Paul
would insist, 'God is not mocked', - there will be a reckoning, a comeback,
sooner or later. When St Paul speaks about 'the wrath of God', he is not saying
that God has fits of temper, but simply saying that if you get things wrong and
diverge from a' Godly way, then things will inevitably end in tears sooner or
later. Earlier in the letter to the Galatians Paul says, 'If we live by the Spirit, let
us also be guided by the Spirit, - let us walk in the Spirit.' <p>
<b>Roger</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-18350600550078719522022-05-07T18:05:00.002+01:002022-05-07T18:05:33.914+01:00Easter Festival<b>Dear Friends</b>
<p>After the austerity of the Lenten weeks, we find a burst of joy as we celebrate
the blessings of the Easter season. Suddenly, the churches are full of flowers and
the colours of vestments and altar frontals celebrate in white and gold, and all
the beauty of Easter is upon us.</p>
<p>The month of May is always celebrated during the long Easter festival. And a
particular aspect of this lovely month, when the weather is getting warmer and
the rich colours of flowers seem to give us a sense of joy and gladness,
encourages us to think afresh again about the place of Mary, the Mother of Our
Lord. We can think of May as Mary's month.</p>
<p>The Book of Common Prayer gives us ample opportunity to celebrate the life of
our Lord’s Mother. The 2nd February, in the old Prayer Book, marks the feast of
the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. That is regarded as one of the
important feasts. Then on 25th March, we mark the Annunciation of the Virgin
Mary, another great feast, nine months before Christmas. The 2nd July is the
feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when her cousin Elisabeth
recognised that Mary was to have a baby, who would of course be our Lord
Jesus. Then, the 8th September, in the Book of Common Prayer, is the feast of
the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And the 8th December is the feast of
the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And 25th December is, of course,
the feast of our Lord’s nativity, his birth as the Son of the Blessed Virgin.
These five feasts, and Christmas, according to the Book of Common Prayer of
1662, allow us to celebrate the life of Mary, the Mother of the Lord. This is a
generous allocation of feasts and there is nothing to compare with these great
feasts in the Book of Common Prayer.</p>
<p>So, Mary, the Blessed Virgin, becomes for us a model and example, an
encouragement to us in our own Christian life and our Christian journey. No
other saint can mean as much to us as the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary’s life with
Joseph and the Lord himself was quite modest in comparison with our Lord’s
three years of active service cuhninating in his Passion and Death. We can think
of thirty years of preparation. We remember Jesus aged twelve sitting amongst
the learned men in the temple Iin Jerusalem. But we leam little more than
moments like these.</p>
<p>Mary, we are told, pondered these things in her heart. She had come to
understand the importance of the birth of her Son. And she would quietly and
devotedly follow him through his tumultuous final years. She was there at the
end of his life, standing with St John at the foot of the cross.</p>
<p>The Blessed Virgin Mary is a powerful and beautiful example to us and an
encouragement to us as we seek to live out our life as Christians. There are of
course many prayers that help us on our joumey. One of these prayers, the most
important of them, is the Hail Mary. It is a lovely prayer we can all use, in that it
unites us with the heavenly kingdom:</p>
<blockquote> Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among
women and blessed is the fruit of thy Womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of
God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.</blockquote>
<b>Father John</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-28415124455566143382022-04-01T00:00:00.001+01:002022-04-01T00:00:00.234+01:00Easter<b>Dear Friends</b>
<p>On Holy Saturday night, as we begin our Easter celebrations,
together with a baptism, we will hear in Luke‘s Gospel, ‘Why do you look for
the living among the dead?’ The disciples need to look ahead, not back. Is Easter
for us something weird that happened long ago, far away? Is it something about
which we cannot be very clear, and which evades convincing certainty or proof?
If that is all we can say of Easter, then we‘ve missed out! That view of Easter
will not make any real or vital difference to our life, as we address challenges
and opportunities, and sometimes grave threats like serious illness, or even
natural disaster or war? Where do we sense our ultimate security? Is it in our
finances, our medical care, our anned forces, or... in the living God? Do we
actually treat him as God and throw in our lot with him, or is religion an
insurance policy to fetch out again if things go wrong? Do we face life and its
challenges assured - like St Paul - that nothing, even war and death, are actually
powerful enough to cut us off from God or stop him having a good last word
over us?</p>
<p>If Easter is anything to us, it must be about life with God now and going
forward, but - of course - it always has to be about the past too. Getting the right
balance is the thing. Our Faith is rooted in what happened in Old Testament
times, and very much focussed on the coming, and the life, teaching, death and
resurrection of Jesus. These parts of real history speak to us of God being in all
of history and eternity. History and tradition, then, are important for the Church,
but tradition is a tricky one. We must take seriously the ways which God has led
his people to follow through the centuries and should keep to them unless we
have very good reason. That will mean especially matters of Bible, sacraments,’
Creeds and doctrines.</p>
<p>In the earliest days of God's people there seems to have been a tradition of
sacrificing a first-bom son. Abraham was moved by God to spare Isaac and
change the practice. The Jews, however, still continued to sacrifice the first-born
of their animals. The first Jewish Christians were moved by God to abandon
traditional Jewish food laws and circumcision, and to welcome Gentiles into the
Church in baptism. God wanted all drawn in. In the last century, it seems, God
has moved the Church to welcome women into the ordained ministry. He surely
wants all of humanity drawn in to play a pan in that, although the tensions
surrounding it are set to endure another hundred years.</p>
<p>So life is complicated. One thing to be clear about, however, is that
something is not ‘good’ or 'religious' simply because it is old! Modem fabrics
can be splendid for traditional-style vestments. Modern typefaces can be fine,
and desirable, for church documents in the current world. The Church of the
Living God should surely present itself as alive, current, and forward-looking,
not vaguely antique! When it comes to the Bible, a misplaced allegiance to
‘tradition’ is not a good excuse for neglecting to seek true meanings in the best
modern translations. The 1611 Bible was a great achievement, it has permeated
our culture and our affections. But it was a bit old-fashioned and heavy when
it was published. It is not the whole answer now! Someone once said to me
that it was the ‘original Bible’. And that is just wrong at several levels!
When it comes to sen/ices, we must take the trouble to judge them on
structure, quality of language, and theology — appropriately balanced
Christian ideas. For a hundred years we have tried to gradually get the
structure and content and theology better, in the light of the best traditions and
scholarship, and have largely succeeded. Language is another matter. Archaic
English from centuries ago will really not do for general Church use now! But
much in our modern texts might surely bear further literary and poetic
refinement and be more inspirational?</p>
<p>Happy Easter!</p>
<b>Roger</b>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6114098073737887682.post-8021619365292461002022-03-01T00:00:00.002+00:002022-03-08T16:12:39.010+00:00Holy season of Lent<b>Dear Friends</b>
<p>Ash Wednesday this year is on 2nd March, and Easter Day is 17th April, so we
can think of more or less the whole of March and half of April taking up the
holy season of Lent.</p>
<p>I was always impressed, and a little surprised, during my thirteen years as Dean
of Westminster Abbey, to see how seriously people marked Ash Wednesday.
We had a service at 8 am in the Abbey’s Lady Chapel, with about a hundred
people. Then at 12.30 pm another large service also allowed the ashing of
people, and took quite a long time. Finally at 5 pm, another Eucharist, with
somewhere between 800 and a thousand people included the Allegri Miserere,
and a sen/ice of some solemnity and indeed piety. Some six or eight clergy went
out to ash the people, in the transepts, quire and nave. Thus, Lent began with a
high degree of solemnity.</p>
<p>The great services at the end of Holy Week on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday
and Holy Saturday generally included a thousand people at each service. On
Good Friday each year, l preached a sermon at the Chapel Royal in St James’s
Palace at Noon and then presided at 3 pm in the Abbey. On Easter Day, the
Abbey was packed with sometimes well over 2,500 people at the Solemn
Eucharist in the morning and at Evensong at 3 pm. The evening service at 6.30
also encompassed a great crowd. Even at 8 am on Easter Day, surprising
numbers of people arrived. lt was the beauty of the services that attracted the
numbers.</p>
<p>My last service at the Abbey was All Saints’ Day in 2019. Soon afierwards I
moved from Westminster to live in Little London here in Chichester. The
Bishop of Chichester asked me to keep an eye on St George’s Whyke, which
finally was given a new Rector in December last year. And now, the Bishop has
asked me to help out at Sidlesham, alongside Fr Roger. I shall gradually get to
know people and shall be glad to play my part here.</p>
<p>The beginning and end of Lent are the great moments, but the whole season can
be thought of as a little special. We are encouraged to take our Christian faith
during Lent a little more seriously. Part of what that means is to spend a little
more time in prayer and meditation than would be the case normally. To pray
every day should be our aim, and not just to rattle off a few prayers but to spend
some time in thought before we pray, so as to put ourselves in the right mind for
quiet contemplation.</p>
<p>This is a moment for connection with almighty God, a very precious time, if we
can settle gently and be quiet. Our prayers then will allow us more concentration
and greater meaning. Always pray the Lord’s Prayer slowly and allow its words
to mean something as we pray. That should be the heart of all our prayer. But
each element has its power and purpose: adoration, confession, thanksgiving
and supplication, in other words ACTS, that gives us everything we need.
Have a beautiful Lent.</p>
<br/>
<b>Father John</br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hall_(priest)">The Very Reverend Dr John Hall KCVO</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com