WEEKLY NOTICES FOR SATURDAY 2 MAY

Upcoming Services

Tomorrow, 3 May: Fifth Sunday of Easter
8am Holy Communion 9:30am Sung Eucharist 6pm Reflections on the theme of Thankfulness	Fr Mark Fr Mark Reflections Team
Wednesday, 6 May
11:30am Said Eucharist	Fr Mark
Next Sunday, 10 May: Sixth Sunday of Easter
8am Holy Communion 9:30am Sung Eucharist 6pm Fire Pit Service 6pm Evening Prayer	Fr Mark Canon Nigel Gary & Team Fr Mark

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

The reader at tomorrow’s 9:30am service will be Catherine Berry, and the intercessions will be led by Rosie Harrison. Fr Ray will read the Gospel

May Magazine

The magazine for May has now been published and may be read online here. Printed copies are now available from inside the church and under the lychgate. In due course you will also be able to pick these up from the lobby of the Penfold Hall and from the Post Office.

Reflections Tomorrow

Next Sunday’s theme for our monthly informal and quiet service of music, prayer and reflection for the first Sunday of the month is ‘Thankfulness’. These services run for between 40 and 45 minutes. All are welcome.

Flower Festival at Steyning Methodist Church

Our friends at Steyning Methodist Church are holding their flower festival and display of quilts this weekend, with Songs of Praise at 3pm tomorrow (followed by tea). For timings over today, tomorrow and Monday please click here, or see posters around the town and in the church porch.

Thank You for Your Generosity

Thank you to everyone who contributed so generously to our red-bucket collection. £836 was donated, and, after adding Gift Aid and topping-up from our Mission Fund, £950 will be shared 50:50 between the Friends of the Holy Land and the current Christian Aid Middle East Humanitarian Appeal.

Thanks also to everyone who has returned cash from the Family Support Work Lent boxes. The total sum raised was £538.

Situations Vacant

Nina, who has been serving as Office Manager since November has decided that she needs to step down from that role, so we will be recruiting to find someone to replace her. At the same time, after serving as Penfold Hall caretaker for several years, Neil Chappell has decided to retire, so we will be advertising for someone to replace him. The new role will be that of Key-holder with some occasional light caretaking duties. If you know of anyone who may be interested and capable of serving in either of these roles, please either speak to one of the Churchwardens, or you can direct them to the following link:

www.steyningparishchurch.org/situation-vacant

Meanwhile, Nina has kindly agreed to continue to work as Office Manager, mainly working from home, until her successor is appointed.

As you will have seen Nina, along with her husband Darren and daughter, Isla was confirmed by Bishop Ruth in church last Wednesday. We look forward to continuing to have them as part of our church community. We send our good wishes to Neil and his wife in their retirement. 

Concerts in Church

This evening, 2 May: the church will be filled with over 2,000 candles for a return visit from a Lumos string trio, this time playing settings of songs by the band Coldplay. Two one‑hour sittings, beginning at 7pm and 9pm respectively. Tickets from £22 (including booking fee). A discount of 15 per cent is available for church members; use the code WELCOME15 on the checkout when purchasing Gold tickets. Click here to see the poster for the concert.

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.

For events taking place in the Easter half-term week, click here to be taken the 2026 Festival programme page.

We are also planning to hold another series of lunchtime concerts on Tuesdays in the early summer, starting in the middle of June.

‘It is Well with My Soul’

West Sussex (Coast and Downs) Methodist Circuit is hosting ‘It is Well with My Soul the Musical’ next Saturday 8 May at 7pm at Offington Park Methodist Church in Broadwater, Worthing BN14 7TN. This two-hour, professional musical theatre show follows the origin story of the hymn ‘It is Well’ and is described as ‘a story of faith in the most tragic of circumstances’, which will give Christians an opportunity to gently share their faith with friends and family. Tickets are £13, or £20 for two people. Click here to see the poster, and here to book your tickets.

Authorised Lay Ministry

We congratulate Judie Thomson and Gary Pickett who are to be commissioned as Authorised Lay Ministers next Saturday morning in our Cathedral. The lay ministry scheme provides accreditation and training for a range of public ministries that support and enrich parish life and contribute to the Church of England’s mission across the diocese. Judie coordinates our Pastoral Care at Steyning Parish Church on a voluntary basis in much the same way as Gary coordinates our Family and Children’s Work.

Please hold Gary and Judie in your prayers in advance of their commissioning by Bishop Ruth next Saturday at 11am.

For more information about ALMs and ALM training, please click here.

Steyning Bowl Awards 2026

Further to last week’s announcement about the annual awards from the Steyning Society to those who have made a significant contribution to the musical life of our town, the Society’s website has now been updated with photographs of the recipients, including Brian and Marion Sawyer from our congregation. Click here to see them.

Christian Aid Coffee Morning

Elizabeth is seeking more volunteers to serve and help on the annual Coffee Morning to support Christian Aid which is to take place on Saturday, 16 May from 10am until midday. She would also welcome offers for baking cakes. Click here to contact Elizabeth by email or speak to her after church. Please support this event if you can and save the date in your diary. For the poster and further details, please see page 2 of the new magazine.

Vicarage Drinks in May

You are cordially invited for drinks after church in the Vicarage garden after the Music Group Eucharist on Sunday, 17 May, where soft drinks, sparkling wine and nibbles will be served. On that Sunday there will be no refreshments in church. For catering purposes, it will be helpful to know if you hope to attend. Please sign-up online here – and there will also be a sign-up sheet at the back of church.

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.

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, 8 May. 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, 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

ONLINE WORSHIP RESOURCES

The full set of readings for tomorrow’s Principal Service are as follows: Acts 7:55‑60; Psalm 31:1‑5,15‑16; (1 Peter 2:2‑10); John 14:1‑14.

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

Confirmations (Storrington Deanery, 22 April)

James Lee Barrett, Annabella Chaytor, Adrian Dighe, Isla Humphreys, Darren and Nina Humphreys*, Jessilyn Akua Nuamah-Gyambrah*, Jeremiel Kwame Nuamah-Gyambrah, Luna Summer Peat, Daniel Pressley, Barbara Standley, Duncan White, John Yeo. (An asterisk indicates candidates who were both baptized and confirmed.)

Recently Departed

John Hicks, Daphne Parker, Millicent Eaton, Kevin Smith, Katherine Hendricks, Susan Campbell.

Year’s Mind

Geoff Denby, Audrey Buckland, Leslie Chalcraft, Margaret Ettie Goodman, David Richardson, Marshall Downham, Inga-Britt Noren, Ruth Middleton, Walter Bland, Jacqueline Craft, Jacqueline Ivatt, Alfred Cosham, Peter Edwards (priest), William James (‘Bill’) Hayes, Gladys Dumbrell, Allan Alvey, Valerie Anne (‘Anne’) Neves, Frank Cook.