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."