Notices

  You will find all the service times and locations on the website Calendar. 

Benefice Administrator needed

for

the Churches of Alciston, Arlington, Berwick, Selmeston and Wilmington

We are seeking to appoint a Benefice Administrator to support ministry across the five churches of Alciston, Arlington, Berwick, Selmeston and Wilmington and assist in the outreach work at Berwick. In this role you will support the Incumbent Revd Peter Blee, based in Berwick, the Assistant Priest, Revd Shirley Pearce based in Wilmington, the churchwardens, the Safeguarding Officer and PCCs in each parish. The successful applicant will work mainly from home, with occasional sessions at the Parsonage in Berwick.

The workload may vary considerably from week to week and the applicant needs to fully appreciate the need for flexibility.  One factor determining hours is the church calendar, e.g.  around Easter and Advent and the Annual Parochial Meeting (April/May) workloads are generally heavier. The initial average is anticipated to be 15 -20 hours per month. 

Salary - £12 50 per hour plus expenses.  This role is self-employed.

The post requires the ability to work alone and to take initiative.  The successful applicant will need good IT skills to maintain online calendars, to design and format documents/posters for print and social media and maintain websites.  The individual will need to take initiative in ensuring events/services are prepared for in good time and well publicised. The church uses Eventbrite for some events. They will be responsible for maintaining good communication across the Benefice particularly between churchwardens and PCCs. The church uses Mailchimp and mailing lists in its communication with local community and the wider public and the ability to use these and comply with GDPR is necessary.

Websites: www.sussexdownlandchurches.org.uk  & www.berwickchurch.org.uk

An application form and Job specification can be obtained from Janet Matthews on 01323 811380 or email: janet.matthews1@btinternet.com

Closing date for applications July 21st 2022

Hosting Ukranian Families

There are still many, many Ukrainian families and single women and girls who have become refugees, and are hoping to settle in the UK, for at least six months. (They are granted a biometric residence permit to remain here for up to three years, once they have arrived in the UK.)

British people hosting refugees have to offer accommodation for at least six months initially - longer if things work out well. 

Hosting can be an incredibly enriching experience for both the hosts and the guests. When it goes well, it can be a real joy. There is so much to share, and to learn from each other.

The key is to try to find a “match” that fits the needs of both parties, to be realistic about what we as hosts can offer and not to take on more than we feel able to handle.

If you have been considering offering a spare room to a refugee, but are unsure about what is involved, or how to proceed, please get in touch with us, and we can have an informal chat about it, and pass on our knowledge, our own experiences, and a lot of useful links and resources. There are still many lovely Ukrainian people who need somewhere safe to stay, until they can return to their homeland.

Please contact Liz Golden for information on 07791 342928 or email: elizabeth.golden@hotmail.co.uk

CAFÉ UKRAINE

Open every Saturday 10.30-12.30.  Church Hall, Our Lady of Ransom, Meads Street (opposite Eastbourne Town Hall) BN21 4EU.

There is also a café in Seaford open every day Monday to Friday from 2-5pm in the Old Town Hall. 

FAITH, IDENTITY, GENDER & SEXUALITY - ’Church of England National Conversations’

For those of you who would like to hear the talk given at Berwick Church on May 15th by Andy Williamson,

please follow this link - https://youtu.be/seGF5bpdCCI

3 LOCAL ORAL HISTORIES at Berwick Church

Three local oral histories have been installed at Berwick Church as part of the NLHF project. Each has been set to a musical track by a student from the University of Brighton. The three histories are of Don Boys, Lynette Gribble and Peggy Lawrence.

Visitors can select to listen to one. The intention is to encourage visitors to pause and reflect on the nature of change and human experience in a the context of the church and the paintings. The hope is that this will stimulate reflection on the changelessness of God and provide a moment of stillness in their lives.

Safeguarding - Covid 19 Continued Vigilance

• Sanitiser at the door/table inside but no longer necessary to take names and contact details
• Holy Communion will continue to be administered by simultaneous administration as has been successfully practised by Peter recently.
• The wearing of masks inside church is personal choice. Need to continue to be mindful we are in an enclosed relatively small space within our buildings and we have many elderly and vulnerable people attending services.
• We will maintain weekly cleaning and sanitising as before.
• We will continue to take collections either on entry or exit.

A Celebration weekend for a new commission by Julian Bell

You can watch the video of Julian's talk on the 13th June at:

https://youtu.be/EFs4E547URU

Cuckmere Pilgrim Path Talk –

a talk given by Revd Peter Blee given on 18^th Feb

https://youtu.be/w3q7EIhEzCc