Joanna at the organ in her christmas hat



The Organ Loft decorated for Christmas

Our Christmas Crib

The Christmas Eve service saw a full congregation enjoy the anticipation of the birth of Jesus in the traditional way. The church was beautifully decorated, and the crib set up to mark the start of the christmas season.The music included O come All ye Faithful and Hark the Herald Angels sing. The choir sang 'Christmas Night by John Rutter.

Our service on the fourth Sunday in Advent, in which we hear the story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth, and light the last of our 4 Advent Candles, took place on the 23rd of December. The Choir sang 'The Angel Gabriel' a traditional Basque carol arranged by Edgar Pettman as the anthem.

The traditional service of 9 lessons and carols was held at St Mary's on the evening of the 18th of December.
A full congregation heard the Christmas story told in lessons from Genesis, Isaiah, St Luke, St Matthew, and St John.
The Choir and Congregation sang Once in Royal David's City, Long ago Prophets knew, O come O come Emmanuel, The first Nowell and O come all ye faithful.
The Choir sang Adam lay y'bounden By Boris Ord, A Maiden Most Gentle by Andrew Carter, Away in a Manger, Kirkpatrick, arr Wilcocks, In Dulci Jubilo, by Pearsall, Torches,by J Joubert, and Ding Dong Merrily on High, harmony by C Wood.

The children's choir sang the first verse of One in Royal David's City, and the third verse of Away in a Manger unaccompanied. It was a delight to have the children contribute to this service.

Please look at the calender for the other Christmas services at St Mary our Lady, and we wish everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas.

On Sunday November the 25th we held our Advent Wreath making afternoon. The completed wreaths were blessed by Father Roger and everyone partook of an excellent tea. It was a very successful event, enjoyed by every one and also raised £200 towards the New Church Rooms project. Many thanks to Anwyl, Shirley who provided tea, and Chris who donated the candles.

The New Rooms project is going forwards, fund raising has been very successful, please look at the notice board in Church to see the current total, over £200,000 so far. The committee who are guiding the project have had a busy year working with the architects and the authorities including the Diocesan Advisory Committee and English Heritage on what will be practical, aesthetically acceptable, and fulfil the needs of the congregation and the wider parish. We are making progress, and have received useful guidance from the authorities. We are undertaking an archaeological survey of the proposed site, and look forward to moving through the process of design and approval for the New Rooms in the New Year. Please keep watching the website, and attending the fund raising events, which we hope you are also enjoying!

A list of events for 2013 will appear here and in Church straight after Christmas.

St Mary's churchyard is a spiritual and sacred place. We ask all who visit our churchyard to honour it and those who are buried here. Our rural churchyard is a very special place and we do our very best to maintain its nature. There are regulations governing what is and isn't allowed and these do differ from those governing a municipal burial ground. More information »

Last month I wrote a heartfelt plea for people, whoever they are, please not to remove the stick markers which show the grave-digger where he needs to dig. Unfortunately, I must now mention the fact that some 'kind' person has removed a metal spade (which is very old and welded together). For decades it rested against the large yew tree on the eastern side of the churchyard. Since all stick markers had been removed, I put this spade on a grave nearby so the Furneral Directors would know the spot to which the grave-digger should be directed and now this spade, too, has gone. If anyone is aware of its whereabouts, I would very grateful if they could return it to its usual place by the yew tree. With thanks. Fr Stephen

It's that time of year when we have to clear the gutters and drainage runs of the church of leaves etc. 'before the winter storms begin'. As with all of this type of job, many hands make light work and if so could you spare some time to help on the morning of Saturday 12th October, please join us. We will be there between 9:00am and noon.

The Church Wardens

For more information please Contact Us »

Please do not remove any sticks you see popped in at various locations around the churchyard - they are usually there as a marker for the grave-digger of a new grave or cremation plot, or in readiness for an additional interment to be added to an existing grave or cremation plot. The sticks are often of poor quality because the previous, better, versions were thrown away! If in doubt, please ask! Thank you. Fr Stephen

To everyone who supported the Summer fete in any way—allowing us to use your land, tents, tables etc, sponsoring activities, helping to set up and clear away, donating items, entering the mini show, manning activities on the field or coming and spending your money. The financial results are in the church porch and will be published in the September Parishioner. Thank you again.

Father Stephen and the Churchwardens

The Jubilee weekend was marked at St Mary's by a magnificent tea party, thanks to Ann Wade and her Team, and a Songs of Praise service on the Saturday afternoon. We chose our favourite Hymns and the Choir sang 2 favourite anthems, the Mozart Ave Verum Corpus, and 'I will Sing with the Spirit' by John Rutter, and there were three beautifully read readings interspersed between the musical items. A collection in aid of the New Rooms Project was taken up.
 Many residents opened their gardens over the Jubilee weekend, also in aid of the New Rooms project. Between these events we have raised over a thousand pounds towards the new building!

On SundayJune the 10th we held a Gift Service, a Choral Evensong at which we were delighted to welcome the Dean of Chichester Cathedral the Very Reverend Nicholas Frayling. The Dean preached an excellent and inspiring sermon, and joined us for tea and cakes afterwards. The Gifts and Pledges made at this service, added to our existing activities means that we are half way to our projected target for the Building Project. In the mean time, the submission of plans continues and we hope that we will be able to report progress in that direction soon!

Jubilee Tea in the Church Hall

Jubilee flowers in church

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Dr Martin Clive Warner

On 3 May we learned that the priest who is to take over from Bishop John Hind as 79th Bishop of Chichester will be The Right Reverend Dr Martin Clive Warner. Born in 1958 he studied at St Chad's College, Durham and then prepared for the priesthood at St Stephen's House, Oxford, between 1982 and 1984, being ordained Deacon in 1984 and priest the following year. He served as Curate in Plymouth and then became Team Vicar in Leicester between 1983 and 1992. He was then made Priest Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk, where he stayed until 2002, undertaking this role concurrently with that of caring for a group of parishes in rural Norfolk. During this time Fr Martin became an honorary Canon of Norwich Cathedral. Until he became Bishop of Whitby (a suffragen of York) approximately two years ago, Fr Martin was, from 2003, Canon Residentiary at St Paul's Cathedral. He is expected to be enthroned in Chichester Cathedral later this year.
Fr Stephen

The Dean of Wakefield's wife Pamela Greener has written and performed a campaigning ditty in the demolished nave of Wakefield Cathedral as part of the CofE campaign to halt Government VAT plans unveiled in the budget. The YouTube recording has been sent to the Chancellor, George Osborne's Office and HMRC.

The cathedral is one of thousands of CofE buildings that will be affected if the Government goes ahead with introducing VAT on listed building alterations. Campaigners are being urged to sign the two e-petitions to bring back zero rate VAT to alterations to the CofE's 12,500 listed churches.

Access Epetition 1 here »

Access Epetition 2 here »

St Mary Our Lady Sunday School have decorated 'egg candles' which will be on sale after the 10am service on Palm Sunday and both services on Easter Sunday.

Please do come to the Parish Annual Meeting to be held on Palm Sunday, the first of April. This is the AGM of St Mary's Sidlesham, it is held after the 10 o'clock service. There will be an opportunity to hear all the reports from the various activities with in the Parish, discuss what has been happening in the year and we hope to show some very preliminary drawings of what the New Rooms will be like. So come and see what we are working towards!!

On February 5th we had a fantastic concert, in church, with works by Rheinberger, Mendelsson, Stanford, and some Madrigals all performed by the St Richards Singers  in aid of the New Rooms Project. The programme also included instrumental items and solos by members of the singers. £651 was donated, with gift aid to be added to this sum! Many thanks to the St Richards Singers.

Coming up we have an afternoon recital by Tom Cooper Price, a very talented young pianist, on Saturday 3rd of March at 2:30 in the afternoon, followed by Tea. Also do get your tickets for the Pudding Tasting Evening on 17th March from the Church Wardens £10 each.

We have talked alot about the Fundraising aspects of the New Rooms, but behind the scenes your committee have been working on the plans for the rooms. We are hoping to have a set of drawings both outline and perspective drawings of the proposed project from the Architect before the end of March to display in the Church for everyone to see what we are getting for your kindly donated money

Last Sunday was Plough Sunday at St Mary Our Lady. We had a plough ( thanks very much to the Lyttons) and seeds to bless, and a guest speaker from Farming Crisis Network, Leslie Vokes who told us about the work of this Christian Charity supporting isolated farmers in difficult times. After the service we were treated to a Ploughmans Lunch of fresh home made bread, cheese, wonderful chutney and pickled onions!! Keep an eye out for our next themed eucharist on the fifth Sunday of April 2012.

Coming up before that we have the St Richards Singers and Players in church at 6:30pm this Sunday, Tom Cooper-Price will give a piano recital in the afternoon of 3rd of March followed by tea, and do buy your ticket for the Pudding Tasting evening on the 17th of March, available now from the Church Wardens, all in aid of the New Church Rooms!!

A new year, and lots of new events for everyone to enjoy while raising money for the New Church Rooms!
After the great success of our Advent wreath making, this month we are having a Cheese and Wine evening with a silent auction, it is taking place on Saturday 21st January - yes this saturday, in the church hall. Tickets from the Church Wardens, and to date there are over 50 items up for auction!

In February we are being treated to a feast of music and singing from the St Richards Singers and the St Richards Players, come along on February the 5th at 6:30 in the church, there will be refreshments in the interval and a retiring collection for your donations to the fund.

March has two events. First off we have a Piano recital in church from Tom Cooper-Price. This is going to be an afternoon event, 2:30 on Saturday March 3rd in the Church, and will be followed by tea, again a retiring collection, so open to everyone, it will be a lovely afternoon.
Back to the Church Hall on the evening of the 17th of March for an evening of Pudding Tasting!!! 6 Puddings, prepared by Dr Hillary Platts will be available for tasting, each accompanied by an appropriate wine to taste along side. Tickets are available at £10 each come along and have a night off from the Lenten resolutions in aid of a good cause.