The Bishop of Chichester seeks to appoint an Incumbent for an enthusiastic and faithful church in the pleasant seaside town of Littlehampton, West Sussex. The parish offers both the beauty of the coast and proximity to the South Downs, with excellent transport links to London, Brighton, Arundel, and Chichester.

This is a welcoming and supportive community, firmly rooted in the Catholic tradition and affiliated to the Society, where reverent liturgy and music are at the heart of the congregation’s spiritual life.

We are praying for a priest who will:

• Lead us in worshipping the Lord ‘in the beauty of holiness’ while also welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds into our church family.
• Be committed to the Catholic tradition and inspire us to build up our congregation.
• Reach out to those in need within our town, offering comfort and support, and leading us in sharing the good news with them.
• Have an enthusiasm for ministry among families and young people, helping us to revive our historically strong children's provision.
• Encourage the existing gifts within our dedicated laity to be used to their full potential.
• Help us in time to restore our beautiful Grade II listed church building, St Mary’s, to its full glory.

We offer:

• A strong, welcoming, and hospitable church family with deeply committed lay participation, including sidesmen, readers, servers, an organist, and Sunday School leaders.
• The support of two retired priests and a non-stipendiary deacon.
• A beautiful and historic Grade II listed church building, St Mary’s, which requires work but is structurally sound and has seen significant recent progress.
• A fully renovated parish hall equipped with modern audio-visual facilities and a well-equipped kitchen, offering potential for community engagement and income generation.
• A spacious four-bedroom detached vicarage with a garage, refurbished and extended in 2009.
• A PCC that is proactive, committed to safeguarding, fundraising and dedicated to the mission and growth of the church.

If you feel that you could be the priest we are looking for, a man of vision who can lead us and help us fulfil our worshipping and missional potential, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact the Acting Archdeacon of Chichester, Revd Tom Robson at Tom.Robson@chichester.anglican.org

Please apply through the CofE Pathways Website

Closing date: 23 July 2025

Interviews: 1 August 2025

The Diocese of Chichester is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment. For further information, please read our full safeguarding policy.

All appointments are subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks, including a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Check and completion of the Church of England Confidential Declaration Form. To understand how the information you supply in your Confidential Declaration Form is used and your rights with respect to that data please read our privacy notice.

Please note: we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.