Appointment of our new Priest in Charge
We are delighted to announce the appointment of the Rev.Jo King, as the new Priest in Charge of Funtington and West Stoke with Sennicotts, and Chidham.
Jo started as a Primary School teacher in the Portsmouth area, going on to teach GCSE maths to students who had been permanently excluded from mainstream school. She then worked for a charity specialising in supporting similar young people in the Portsmouth and Havant area. She was ordained in 2015, serving in Pagham and since 2018 vicar of Holy Cross Church, North Bersted, part of the Arundel & Bognor Deanery. She has served on the Clergy Team at Bishop Luffa School, Vice Chair of the Governors of Bartons Primary School, Padre Bognor Squadron Air Training Corps and lead chaplain at the Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital.
The interview panel consisted of Bishop Ruth Bushyager and Acting Archdeacon Tom Robson who have known and supported her for many years, together with representatives from Funtington and Chidham. We were unanimous in our selection of Jo as our new Priest in Charge, based on her experience as a priest, her work and connections with young people, her openness to working with the lay community and trying out different forms of worship, together with her calling to work with our two Parishes and we are delighted that she accepted.
As you can imagine, there are a number of practical issues to be sorted out before she can join us full time, including preparing the vicarage at Chidham, so we do not expect her to be in position until after the summer. We will be preparing a full program of welcome for her to smooth her transition and help us all get to know each other. Do please join us in welcoming Jo and her family when the time comes.
Message from Jo
"I’m delighted to be joining you as your new vicar. I currently serve as the incumbent at Holy Cross, North Bersted, where it’s been a joy to share in ministry and community life. I have been part of the Arundel & Bognor Deanery since my curacy so I am looking forward to exploring a new part of the diocese and finding out all about you and the many churches you care for. My background is in education and I currently serve as the joint Diocesen Disability Advisor. I love sailing and walking in the hills—both good ways to find perspective and peace. I’m very much looking forward to getting to know you, worshipping with you, and seeing what God has in store for us all. You’re in my prayers."
80th Anniversary VE Day Celebrations 10th May from 12 Noon
Celebrations will be held at the Cricket Pitch West Ashling, with a Spitfire Fly Past. Bring your own picnic and rugs. Bar, Hot Dogs, Cream Teas, Competitions and Games. Entrance by ticket only. Adults £1 online, £2 on the day. Children free. Tickets available from TicketSource HERE.
Important Anniversaries in 2025
2025 marks the 1,700th Anniversary of the Nicene Creed and the 950th Anniversary of Chichester Diocese and Cathedral. Please see this short video featuring our three Bishops and the Dean HERE.
Click HERE to access the special website "Celebrating Faith" where you can find lots of information about activities in the Diocese during the year.
Sharing the Chalice during Communion
We have been reminded by our visiting priests that Bishop Martin instructed the Diocese last year that we should all be sharing the Chalice during the Act of Communion and not to intinct (dip our wafers in the wine). This is because drinking from the silver Chalice is less of an infection risk than dipping the wafer. We have been told that if we do not wish to drink from the Chalice we can take communion by sharing the bread only.
Parish Magazine Support
The Commissioning Editors of our much loved and widely respected Parish Magazine have received encouraging messages of support to enlarge the production and delivery team. Volunteers are still needed but we are making progress. There will be a Parish Magazine stand at the forthcoming VE Day Celebration Day with some interesting content and hospitality.
Vacancies on the PCC
We now have vacancies on the PCC if you think you may like to be more actively involved in the running of the Churches and Parish in the New Year. No previous experience is needed. Please contact any members of PCC or Carolyn Watt for an application form.
Please see the News and Events section for all other updates
Back numbers of the Parish Magazine are now available online from February 2024 back to April 2021 - see the menu above
