Autumn Study group – Pilgrim Beatitude Course will start on Wednesday 7th October and runs for 6 weeks, (you can still join in after this date). Starting at 12.30 for lunch and finishes at 2.30 pm in the church room at St Mary’s Funtington. Please contact Eloise Rank eloise@sennicotts.com / Neil Watt wattnwatt@gmail.com or Rev Jo revjoking@icloud.com for further information and to book your place
Parish Ploughman’s Lunch in aid of our Charities will be on Tuesday 13th October at 12.30 pm, church room, St Mary’s Funtington -please contact Carolyn Watt wattnwatt@gmail.com
Bridge Afternoon - Tuesday 27th October 2 pm -5pm, all proceeds going to “St Mary’s Project” Chidham. To book contact Juliet 07787 523950 or julietprobert@gmail.com
Concert by The Sienna Singers: featuring English and European choral music, on Friday 30th October at 7.30pm St Mary’s Funtington. Tickets £15: available on the door, from James and Caroline Noble or by email to ndekker@hotmail.co.uk or fwssparish@proton.me
St Mary’s, Funtington Grave Yard Autumn Tidy – Saturday 31st October 10 am to 12 pm, coffee and cake will be provided. Please bring gloves and tools for weeding and edging of paths, and removal of ivy and brambles
Bonfire and Fireworks – Friday 6th November at 6 pm in the Paddock St Mary’s Church Funtington
Remembrance Sunday – Sunday 8th November 10.45 Funtington Please gather at the Lych Gate to parade, followed by the service in church. Wednesday 11th November 10 45 am Act of remembrance St Andrew’s West Stoke
Christmas Fair with Music- Saturday 5th December 1.30 -4 pm Crafts, Music, Food. Tombola gifts and Volunteers to help with Tea etc will be required
2026 Worship Service provision
First Sunday 10 am Funtington Family Service Revd Jo King
Second Sunday 8am Funtington Said Eucharist Revd Jo King
Third Sunday 10 am West Stoke BCP Eucharist Revd Jo King
Fourth Sunday 10 am Sennicotts BCP Eucharist Revd Jo King
Fifth Sunday 10 am Benefice Eucharist alternating Parishes Revd Jo King
- The Prayer Group Meetings: These have moved to Wednesdays from 5-6pm, taking place on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.
- The Ideas Meetings: these will take place on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 5pm to 6pm
- The Lay Worship Planning Meetings: this is a new series of meetings to plan the content of the services on the 3rd Sunday of each month at St Mary's Funtington. These will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Where there is a 5th Wednesday there will be no meetings that day.
All three meetings are open to everyone. There is a growing recognition in our churches of the importance of prayer. We have seen many answers to prayer in the last year. We encourage you to come and join us in this central activity, whenever you are able, as we look forward to the coming year with expectation.
Chichester Food Bank
After the generous collection of food for the Chichester food bank at our Harvest Service last year please don’t forget to donate food on a regular basis. This charity needs our help. Last year we collected the equivalent of 187 meals for the Food Bank. Please continue to donate food generously at St Mary’s church so we can beat this total in 2026.
The Electoral Role is being updated now. If you wish to be included, please contact Sue Smithers at sue@thesmithers.com.
Appointment of the new Archdeacon
The Reverend Dr Tom Carpenter, Parish Priest of Holy Trinity & St Luke's Southport, has been appointed as the next Archdeacon of Chichester.
Westbourne Rural Dean
The Rural Dean is the Reverend Canon Martin Lane, who also serves as the Vicar of Bosham
Please see the Calendar for Church Services
Car Parking
Please can we remind everyone that we officially only have 2 disabled parking spaces and we cannot use the top end of the vicarage drive to turn around. Unfortunately this is still not being respected. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sharing the Chalice during Communion
We have been reminded by our visiting priests that Bishop Martin instructed the Diocese in 2023 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.
Invitation to try Bell Ringing at St Mary's Funtington
Have you ever thought of trying this fascinating hobby? The next "have a go" session is on Sunday 16th June. You need to be 12 years old or over. Come and see if you would like to take up this wonderful activity.
Data Protection Update
So that we are compliant with the Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) please would everyone complete the "Consent to Share" form at the back of each of our churches and return them to Deborah Hughes or the church wardens.
Contactless Giving by Debit/Credit Card
During the Interregnum the website is being regularly updated and any changes and future events will be there so please check from time to time. We also have a “WhatsApp” phone group to which information is also added. If you want to join this group please let Carolyn Watt know.