WEEKLY NOTICES FOR SATURDAY 16 MAY

Upcoming Services

See ‘Online Worship Resources’ below for the usual links to Sunday’s Bible readings.

• The reader at Sunday’s 9:30am Music Group Eucharist will be David Lawrence and the intercessions will be led by Vivien Coates.

Choral Evensong

The canticles at Choral Evensong on Sunday will be sung to the setting in D Minor by Thomas Attwood Walmisley (1814–1856). The setting for the responses was composed by John Sanders (1933‑2003), based on the Dresden Amen, a sequence of notes sung in and around the city of Dresden in Saxony since the early 19th century, in particular the version by Richard Wagner (1813‑1883) used in his music drama Parsifal. The anthem is a setting by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) of ‘Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem (the well-known translation by Robert Campbell (1814-1868) of the Latin Easter hymn, novae Ierusalem, attributed to Bishop Fulbert of Chartres, who died in 1028). All are welcome to this peaceful service which will last for 55 minutes or less.

In Loving Memory

We offer our heartfelt condolences to Bill Vine and to Katherine Heather. Katherine’s mother, Esther died last Sunday and Bill’s wife, Regina died on Ascension Day.

Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord:
And let light perpetual shine upon them.
May they rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.

Vicarage Drinks Postponed

As those who signed up will have heard, we have postponed tomorrow’s event in the Vicarage garden because of a combination of the weather forecast, for thundery showers, and Fr Mark’s and Katherine’s trip to Texas this weekend to attend her mother’s funeral. We now plan to hold this event (weather permitting!) on Sunday morning, 19 July.

May Magazine

The magazine for May can be read online here. Printed copies are now available from inside the church and from the other usual distribution points: under the lychgate; the lobby of the Penfold Hall; and the Post Office.

Steyning Festival Events

Our Parish Church is honoured by its long-term collaboration with our town’s biannual Steyning Festival – one of the largest entirely volunteer-run such events in the UK. The 2026 festival has more events in church than ever before, including the opportunity to hear the recorded sounds of local wildlife on weekday mornings. For ease of reference we have provided a list of all the events we are hosting on page 10 of the May church magazine.

Members of our congregation may also be interested to know that two of the Festival events are talks by Church of England clergy, while one of our clergy is involved in another:

• On Monday, 25 May the Revd Sarah Jones, the first transwoman to be ordained in the Anglican Church will be speaking. The talk at Steyning Methodist Church at 6pm is titled ‘The Reality, the Questions and Some of the Answers’. Click here for more details and to book.
• On Tuesday, 26 May the Revd Peter Owen-Jones (Vicar of Firle and Gynde) will be speaking about his long connection, through writing and speaking, about the Sussex Downs. His talk, which includes the showing of a short film, takes place in the Penfold Hall at 6:30pm. Click here for further details and to book.
• Also on Tuesday 26 May, Canon Nigel Hartley is in conversation with explorer, writer and broadcaster Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent. The event is billed as ‘Alone in the Jungle’. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent will speak about tracing the remains of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, exploring the Eastern Himalayas on foot and by motorbike, and various other expeditions, 7:45 pm in the Methodist Church. Click here for further details and to book.

You can pick up a printed Festival programme from Steyning Bookshop, the Museum or the Steyning Centre or search for events online at www.steyningfestival.co.uk  

Concerts in Church

Saturday 6 June (at 7:30pm): Chanctonbury Chorus under its talented new Musical Director, Liz Kirkland, presents ‘Together We Sing!’ The concert features music by Oscar winner, Rachel Portman, Anton Bruckner, Morten Lauridsen, Gabriel Fauré, Randall Thompson and more. Tickets are £15 and are now available from Canon Nigel after most Sunday sung services. Click here to see more details of the concert.

Saturday, 4 July (at 6pm): Jazz Vespers by Riverboat Shuffle in aid of Family Support Work. Tickets £15 to include a welcome drink on arrival, available from Steyning Bookshop or members of the FSW team after services.

Saturday, 11 July (at 4: 30pm): a return visit from the Kaleidoscope Singers under the direction of Zoe Peate.

We will also be repeating our very successful series of lunchtime concerts on Tuesdays in the early summer, starting on Tuesday, 16 June, with a return visit from Kadenza. Click here to see the complete list of performances so you can make a note in your diary.

Children’s Choir from East Africa

The Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda is coming to Ashington and will sing over two evenings next month, Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 June, starting at 7pm.  Tickets are free but places must be booked in advance online here. This one-of-a-kind musical experience promises to inspire and encourage you, your friends, and family. Tickets are FREE.

Family Camp 2026

Our own church Music Group will once again be leading the worship with Bishop Will at the diocese’s second Family Camp which takes place in the South Downs National Park in Stedham over the weekend of 19 to 21 June. The programme is primarily designed with primary-school age children and their families in mind. For details please speak to Gary or see the items on pages 2 and 18 of the magazine (and scan the QR code). If you book early you can enjoy all of this for only £25 per person. Bring your own tent – (or speak to Gary if you might need to borrow one). Please pass on this invitation to anyone you know who might be interested.

Children’s Church

Meetings of Children’s Church continue on first and fourth Sundays. Children should join the congregation at the beginning of the service at 9:30am, then head over to the Penfold Hall for crafts, games, stories and worship before coming back into church for the final part of the Eucharist.

Little Stars!

Meetings continue in the Penfold Hall over the usual two sessions each week:

Monday afternoons from 1pm to 2:45pm
Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30am.

There is no need to apply or book. Just turn up at the Penfold Hall with your children. Any enquiries can be directed to Gary on 07396 963996 or at families@steyningparishchurch.org.

Good Grief Café

The sessions take place every second Friday afternoon from 2pm until 4pm in the Penfold Hall, with the next session scheduled for Friday, 12 June. Those who have experienced any sort of loss are welcome to join us for tea or coffee, biscuits and a listening ear. Come to talk and share, or just listen. For more information, please ring 01903 813276 or, if you prefer, you can email care@steyningparishchurch.org

Wednesday Coffee

Join us at the Penfold Hall on any Wednesday morning between 10am and 11:30am for real coffee or tea, conversation and big smiles. If you are willing to help, please speak to a member of the team.

Midweek Eucharist

All are welcome to our peaceful midweek service which takes place in the chancel of St Andrew’s & St Cuthman’s at 11:30am every Wednesday. The next midweek service with prayers for healing will take place on the final Wednesday of the month, next on 27 May

Board Games Fun

There are now two board games Café events each month at the Penfold Hall. The afternoon session takes place every second Tuesday from 3:15pm until 5:15pm. The evening session takes place from 6pm to 9pm on the fourth Monday of each month. For more information speak to Gary or send him an email – or just turn up on the day. Come by yourself or invite a friend.

Free Food – Three Times a Week!

Steyning Community Fridge now holds three sessions each week, including Sunday mornings so feel free to pop down to the Cottage after the 9:30am service to pick up some fresh food that is close to or has just passed its best‑before date but is still good to eat. Opening times are as follows:

Monday evenings from 6pm to 7pm
Thursday mornings from 10am to 11am
Sunday mornings from 10:45 to 11:45am.

Click here to send an email to the organisers. Donations to help with transport costs are always welcome.

Intercessions for Healing

Please contact the Parish Office (or on 01903 813276) if anyone you know should be added (with their consent) to our public intercessions. To contact or update our Prayer Group, please write to prayer@steyningparishchurch.org

Vacancy for the next Bishop of Chichester

As previously announced, Bishop Martin retires as Bishop of Chichester at the end of May. Those responsible for filling the vacancy are keen to hear the views of as many people as possible across the diocese by asking them to take part in a short and anonymous online survey, which asks participants to describe (in no more than five words) what they hope and pray our new Bishop should be like. You will also be asked to share your perceptions as to the three greatest challenges and opportunities facing the Church across the Diocese of Chichester.

Click here to read some information about the appointment process along with pointers for prayer, and here to begin the online survey itself. Once you have read the information and have thought and prayed about these questions, the online questionnaire should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

ONLINE WORSHIP RESOURCES

The collect and shortened readings (Contemporary English Version) to be used at the Music Group Eucharist may be found here. The full set of readings for this Sunday (in the New Revised Standard Version translation, Easter 7 in Year A) are: Acts 1:6‑14; Psalm 68:1‑10,32‑35; (1 Peter 4:12‑14; 5:6‑11); John 17:1‑11.

The Church of England continues to provide a videoed, pre‑recorded service, available every Sunday at 9am. These services tend to last between 30 and 50 minutes.

Services continue to be streamed live from our Cathedral. The text of each service, including hymns and readings, is usually available as a PDF on the same page.

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Admitted to Authorised Lay Ministry

Gary Pickett, Judie Thomson (commissioned at Chichester Cathedral on 9 May).

Recently Departed

Katherine Hendricks, Susan Campbell, Richard Harries (Lord Harries of Pentregarth, Bishop), Esther Easley Thames, Regina Vine.

Year’s Mind

Diana Green, John Howe, Avril Rogers, Boyd Manton Pendennis, Joan Lillian Smith, Alan Robert Stenning.