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31 August 2015
A fifth Sunday in this month, and our 10:00 am Service was A Celebration of the Eucharist. Father Stephen was the Celebrant. We were delighted to have Alan Thurlow playing for us again this morning, standing in for Joanna. The Choir were still in recession, so a communion hymn was sung.
The Gospel readings are back to St Mark this Sunday, and the passage covered two different stories which Father Stephen explored in his Sermon. Firstly the story of the Pharasees asking why the disciples did not follow the traditional cleansing rituals before eating. The Law, in the first 5 books of the Old Testament has been supplemented by a weight of traditional rituals, In replying to this 'trick' question Our Lord explains that what goes into us does not make us bad, but what is in our hearts, and it is this we must guard against rather than hollow rituals. In the second part of the reading, the story of the healing of the Syro-phonecian woman's child, father Stephen explained that this is a turning point in the Gospel, where Jesus starts to explain the message of the Kingdom to all people not just the Jews. In his human nature he was growing into the realisation that the Kingdom is for all who believe. Quite a lot of thought provoking ideas to take home with us this week!

There was no coffee this week, but we will back in full swing next week.

The very last few tickets for the Boat Cruise around Chichester Harbour are still available for next Sunday evening, contact the Church Wardens.

Alex Palmer and Friends will entertain us with a variety of classical music on the afternoon of Sunday 20th of September, followed by Tea, do come along retiring collection for the New Parish Rooms.

24 August 2015
Our 10 0'clock service this morning was a Sung Eucharist, with Father Stephen as the Celebrant. The promised rain had started and we arrived rather soggy! The first signs of Autumn in the churchyard, Rowan berries and Cuckoo pints in the hedgerow herald the turning of the year.

We remembered in our prayers today those killed or injured, and their families, so near by in the Shoreham Air Crash, as well as our regular intentions for our persecuted Christian Family in the Middle East.

The Gospel reading was from St John's Gospel chapter 6. In this passage Our Lord states that He is the bread of life, all who eat this bread will have eternal life. We are familiar with these sayings, but they must have been very shocking for the Jewish people of first century Palestine, we know the rest of the story, and understand the meaning of this idea, they did not, and many turned away. Father Stephen told us of the many other uses of the analogy of bread in the Bible, the Old and New Testaments, from Exodus and the making of bread from manna in the desert, through Proverbs and Isaiah to the ultimate use of bread at the Last Supper and beyond. Although many interpretations of the earlier references are possible, in the Eucharist we have the one sure and certain route to Salvation and Heaven.

The Choir are in recession in August so a communion hymn was sung.

There was coffee after the service.

Still a few tickets for the evening Boat Trip on Chichester Harbour on the 6th of September starting at 4:30. Tickets £12 from the Church Wardens includes refreshments.

Don't forget Alex Palmer and Friends make Music on the 20th of September at 3:00pm followed by Tea. All proceeds from both events to the New Church Annex, which is now at the stage where we have applied to the Diocese for the Faculty to Build! A sign of progress!




18 August 2015
On a lovely summers morning we met at 10 o'clock for Matins. The festival of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is widely celebrated in the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church, is also acknowledged by the Anglican Church, and as our Patron is St Mary, we also held St Mary in our prays and hymns today. Father Stephen, in his sermon, said that we now have St Mary in perspective with in Anglicanism, an important Saint who's veneration helps us to understand Our Lord better. The New Testament reading of the Magnificat from St Luke's Gospel was his starting point for looking at Her role in the Gospel story and he told us that she ended her days in Ephesus in the Christian community founded by St Paul, so much of what she knew of her Son was communicated to St Peter and St Paul and formed part of the shaping of the early Church.
There was no anthem as the choir is in recession for August.

Please do consider coming on the Evening Cruise of Chichester Harbour on Saturday the 6th of September, tickets from the Church Wardens £12 each to include refreshments.
Also coming up we have 2 concerts, on the 20th of September, Alex Palmer, Family and Friends will be performing followed by Tea, and on the 18th of October we have a concert by our friend and long time favourite, Tom Cooper also followed by tea. details nearer the time but put the dates in your diary!!





11 August 2015
A beautiful summer morning for the tenth Sunday in Trinity, and at 10 o'clock a celebration of the Eucharist. We were blessed with the lovely flowers from the wedding on Saturday, and we had a good congregation for this service. The readings were again from St John's Gospel and Father Stephen preached on St John's account of the people misunderstanding why Jesus had come, not to beat the Romans or to become a King on Earth but to establish the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth as all who believe know well.
There was no anthem as the Choir is in recess and there was no coffee after this service so we could go home straight away to enjoy the sunshine!

Coming up on the social front, there is to be an evening cruise around Chichester Harbour on the evening of the 6th of September, tickets £12 to include canapes and a glass of wine. Places are limited so please see the church wardens for a ticket as soon as possible.
On the 20th of September Alex Palmer, Family and Friends, will give a concert at 3:00pm in the church to be followed by tea, all are welcome. Both of these events will be for the new Parish Rooms.



The Junior Choristers and Father Stephen ringing the bells after the wedding on Saturday a joyful occasion

05 August 2015
The 1st of August is Yorkshire Day, and to celebrate this event we assembled at Janet's house for a fine Yorkshire High Tea provided by choir member and daughter of the county Hilary Platts. It was a wonderful occasion a beautiful summers evening the garden looking marvelous and a fantastic spread of food! A raffle of Yorkshire delicacies, and ticket sales from the 30 plus people there produced a fine sum of over £300 for the New Rooms project. It was a lovely even and many many thanks to Hilary for the hard work to put it together, and the tables and chairs team who prepared the garden!




Sunday the 2nd of August, the 9th after Trinity, being the first Sunday of the Month, was a Family Service.. Father Stephen gave a talk about the underpining of our Faith and gave us a lovely demonstration of the House built on Sand versus the House built on Stone parable
before the storm

after the storm the house built on sand fared badly!!
There was coffee after the service.

Service Times

First Sunday in the Month:
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Family Service

Second Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Third Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Sung Matins

Fourth Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Variations can be found in the Parish Magazine or the Calendar at the bottom of this page.

Useful links


Here are some links to resources you may find helpful:


  1. St Mary's Facebook page
  2. Chichester Cathedral will be live streaming services. For the Eucharist and order of service Click here before 10:00am Sunday and follow the instructions.
  3. The BBC Daily Service is available here.
  4. Prayer for today.
  5. The C of E youtube channel.
  6. Hearing You is a new phone help line launched by the Diocese of Chichester in partnership with Together in Sussex in response to the impact that Covid 19 has had on Just about the whole community. It aims to provide pastoral support and a listening ear to the recently bereaved and people directly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
  7. COVID-19 advice from the Diocese of Chichester here.

Please note that St Mary's are not responsible for the contents of external links

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