Who’s Who

Our Vicar

Fr Mark Heather (telephone 01903 879877) has been Vicar of Steyning and Rector of Ashurst since Eastertide 2017. He was prepared for ordination at the College of the Resurrection at Mirfield in West Yorkshire. His previous job was Chaplain to the Bishop of Guildford. Before that he was a curate and then a vicar in Leeds. Before ordination he worked in human resources at the British Council and married Katherine (who grew up in Texas). Their vicarage cats are growing fast but it doesn’t seem long since they were both very small.

Our Churchwardens

Our two wardens, appointed at the 2024 Annual Parish Meeting, are Sarah Lavery (left), who lives in Steyning, is married to Brian, owns a vineyard and takes a lead on front of house duties; and Kate Burnett (right), who also lives in Steyning, is a foundation governor at Steyning Primary CofE school, plays the cello with our music group and sings in our choir and several other local choirs. The churchwardens can be contacted here.

Director of Music and Organist

Brian Sawyer ARCM GRSM FLCM PGCE (01903 816008) previously held a number of organists’ posts, including Hertford Parish Church and Eastbourne College Chapel. He was a founder member of the famous Wandsworth School Boys’ Choir and trained at the Royal College of Music under Richard Latham and Richard Popplewell. He won several major awards for organ playing at the RCM. including the coveted Walford Davies Prize. Brian has given recitals in many venues including Chichester, Portsmouth and Arundel Cathedrals, St Michael’s Cornhill and Shrewsbury Abbey. He has also been soloist with the City of Southampton Symphony Orchestra (Saint Saëns Organ Symphony), Horsham Symphony Orchestra (Poulenc Organ Concerto) and Chanctonbury Chorus Orchestra (Handel Organ Concerto). To contact Brian by email, click here.

Families and Children’s Worker

Gary Pickett joined us in summer 2024, to help grow our congregation younger and reinforce links with our Church schools. He previously had a similar role elsewhere in the diocese.

Our Honorary Clergy

Canon Nigel Hartley (right in photo) ministered in Suffolk for over 30 years. His final post was as Vicar of Aldeburgh, home of the international music festival. Before ordination he worked for the BBC. He served for many years as Radio Officer for the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, presenting and producing breakfast shows alongside his duties as a parish priest. He is married to Jill. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Fr Ray Jones (left in photo) began his ministry as a curate in the Diocese of Exeter and then served as chaplain to a Woodard School. He was a Royal Naval Chaplain for 23 years, including a time as Royal Naval Director of Ordinands. His last post before he retired was as Director of the Divine Healing Mission, now the Crowhurst Christian Healing Centre. He was an Honorary Chaplain to The Queen from 1984 until 1989. Fr Ray has been married to Maureen for over sixty years. They have three sons and six grandchildren.

Fr Peter Attwood is the newest member of our clergy team, having moved to Upper Beeding in 2022 and has now received his Permission to Officiate (PTO) for our parishes. Peter worked in banking for 34 years before ordination. After training part time at SEITE (South East Institute for Theological Education) Peter served his curacy at Langton Green in Kent and then became Priest-in-Charge of four parishes on Exmoor. On retiring, Peter helped out in a six-church benefice in Somerset. Peter and his wife Sue, with two Labradors, have a daughter who lives with her family in Withdean, Brighton, and a son who lives in Henfield with his family. Their eldest son (and family) lives in Barcelona. Peter enjoys sport and music, singing with the Shoreham Oratorio Choir. Steyning’s musical tradition is one reason why he is so pleased to join us at St Andrew’s and St Cuthman’s. He has always been committed to his faith, having been a server, PCC member, Secretary, Treasurer and Churchwarden, as well as on Deanery and Diocesan Synods.

Canon Paul Rampton was Vicar of Steyning and Rector of Ashurst from 1995 until his retirement in 2012. He lives in Shoreham-by-Sea, where he is a member of the Associate Clergy at St Mary de Haura, and we are pleased to welcome him back to Steyning on a regular basis as a visiting priest.

Our Parochial Church Council

The PCC is chaired by the Vicar, Revd Mark Heather, and comprises the churchwardens and the following elected members. The full list of PCC members (as of April 2024) may be found here.