Who's Who
Priest-in-Charge
The Reverend Lucy Sullivan
mthrlucy.pagham@gmail.com
Tel: 01243 941551
Lucy was born and raised in Croydon before moving to Chichester to read BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences and has since considered West Sussex her adopted home.
Lucy lived and worked in and around Chichester, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight for 4 years after graduation as a specialist in exercise prescription and during this time she was able to listen to the call to ordained ministry.
As part of the discernment process Lucy spent a year as an Intern on the Church of England Ministry Experience Scheme (CEMES- churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/ministry-experience-scheme ) this took her to the Isle of Man.
While on the IoM she served in the Cathedral Parish of Peel on the west coast, as well as in the East coast historic mining parish of Laxey- home of the Laxey Wheel. It was here that Lucy came to a better understanding of the call on her life to ordained ministry, as a priest in the Church of England.
Lucy trained for ordination at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield (college.mirfield.org.uk/) and completed her BA in Theological Studies at the University of Sheffield. Formation at Mirfield alongside the religious Community of the Resurrection had a powerful impact on Lucy and she finds great comfort and stability in the praying of the Daily Offices, the Eucharist and contemplative prayer.
Lucy is happiest outdoors and close to the sea. She can often be found out running along the seafront or walking up on the downs.
Assistant Clergy
The Reverend Canon Colin Wood
Formerly a Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer, Colin was licensed as a Reader in the Diocese of Southwark in 1980, was ordained in 1989 and served as a Curate and Vicar in that diocese. Amongst other responsibilities in the diocese he was Director of a counselling centre and a Chaplain to the Police. He was made an honorary Canon of Southwark Cathedral in 2005. Colin has been an Assistant Priest at St Thomas à Becket’s since retiring to the area in 2006. Colin is widowed and has 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren. Spare time is often spent doing DIY – at his daughters’!
The Reverend Bill Meyer
Bill was born in Cardiff in 1946 and brought up in Scotland – Peebles and Edinburgh – from 1950. Before being ordained in 1985, he served in the Royal Navy as a Writer, serving in HMS Victorious and 800 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Lossiemouth and HMS Eagle. He also served in the Royal Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant at the headquarters at Pitreavie and Northwood and, after ordination, as a Chaplain. Prior to going to St John’s College at Durham University to train for ordination, Bill worked in the Chief Accountant’s Department of the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh and in the Law Department of the Bank of Scotland in Threadneedle Street, London. Ordained at Guildford Cathedral, he served as Assistant Curate in St John’s Church, Merrow and as Vicar of St Luke’s Church, Grayshott in the Guildford Diocese and as Rector of Binfield in the Oxford Diocese.
Bill retired from full-time ministry in August 2011 and moved to West Meads, Bognor Regis. He became an Assistant Priest at St Thomas à Becket’s in June 2012. Later that year he was appointed Chaplain to the Royal Naval Association, Bognor Branch. Bill is married to Sheena and their daughter Kirsten lives in Hove with her husband JJ and daughter Lily. Bill loves reading and most sport and is a fan of Heart of Midlothian FC.
Contact Bill on 01243 920023 or 07576 367953
bill.meyer@hotmail.co.uk
The Reverend Clive A. Ashley was born in Wiltshire in 1954 and raised in Poole, Dorset. After leaving school he went to an Art School in Surrey and trained as a Graphic Designer before totally changing direction. In 1976 Clive started his nurse training at ‘The (Royal) London Hospital’ in Whitechapel where he met Lesley, a Student Nurse, they married in 1978.
The two of them plus two children left East London in 1984 for Clive to go and train at St John’s College, Durham. Ordination followed in 1986 and a Curacy in Manchester, an Assistant Hospital Chaplaincy in Newcastle upon Tyne then a senior Hospital Chaplaincy post at St Richard’s, Graylingwell and Bognor Hospitals. After nine years as Chaplain Clive became Rector of Fishbourne and Apuldram. In the last eight years before retiring he was Priest in Charge of two parishes near Chelmsford, Essex whilst Lesley was a Breast Cancer Specialist Nurse at Basildon.
After retiring, they spent three years in Southport (Lesley’s home town) near Liverpool but an opportunity to move back to Bognor couldn’t be resisted so now they’re here, closer to family and friends.
Clive and Lesley are very proud of their three children and five grandchildren. They enjoy time away in their caravan and sharing the care of grandchildren as and when required. Clive is very pleased to have been granted the opportunity to assist in the parishes of Pagham and Aldwick.
Reader – Roland Ell
Married to Sally-Ann, Roland has two children – Victoria and Peter – and lives in the neighbouring parish of Aldwick. For many years he commuted by train from Bognor Regis to The City of London in his career with British Telecom. Following voluntary redundancy, Roland joined West Sussex County Council and took on the role of managing school transport for the Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex areas of the county. He is now pursuing his third vocation, namely retirement, ably supervised by Sally-Ann.
Roland was a regular worshipper at St John the Baptist, Old Malden, Surrey from 1957, until moving to Pagham in 1970. On moving to Pagham, he took an active part in church life – bell ringing, singing in the church choir and assisting at church social events. During his worship in the Anglican Church, Roland has been an active member of Servers teams in Old Malden and here in Pagham. He was licensed as a Reader in Chichester Diocese in 2002. In addition, Roland is a voluntary Day Chaplain at Chichester Cathedral. Maintaining the tradition of many notable church people, e.g. Bishop Eric Treacy and Rev’d W Audrey, Roland has an interest in trains, miniature and full size. Together with Sally-Ann, he also engages in the leisurely activity of regular visits to the Catalan area of France, in pursuance of vessels containing locally produced liquid from fruit of the vine.
Churchwardens
Mike Wake
Mike first came to Pagham in 1967 to assist when his father was asked to train local volunteers to ring the recently restored bells. This is when he first met Pat and they were married here in 1970. Although living in Sidlesham for many years Pat and Mike remained involved with bell ringing at Pagham and eventually moved to their present home in Barton Close. He has held various posts in the Sussex County Association of Change Ringers and is a former Trustee.
Mike and Pat ran their own glasshouse nursery for 23 years before selling it to one of the UK’s largest glasshouse companies. He then became their Production Manager with particular responsibility for supplying pot plants to supermarkets, which included a quarter of a million poinsettias for Christmas.
Mike has two daughters and five grandchildren; now retired much of his spare time is taken up with school runs and DIY.
Alex Brockhurst
My formative years were spent in the Reigate area of Surrey. On completion of my further education and training in civil engineering, I was involved in the Built Environment (construction industry!) project-managing civil engineering construction projects throughout the British Isles.
For the last twenty years of my working career, my emphasis changed to training, assessing and verifying construction personnel to meet the new industry competence and safety standards.
I have been married to Jan for over 48 years and we have a son and daughter and five grandchildren. After a career move to Aviemore, Inverness-shire, we moved to Aldwick in 1980. We attended a few churches in the area before settling at St Thomas a Becket in 2000.
I have been an active member of Arun Angels for over 5 years.
Now retired, much of my spare time is involved in running, walking, gardening and DIY, as well as time spent with my family.
Parish Safeguarding Officer
For children, young adults and adults who are vulnerable
Jan Brockhurst
Phone: 01243 862606
Parochial Church Council (PCC Members)
Mike Wake – Churchwarden and Vice-chairman mikewake@talktalk.net
Alex Brockhurst – Churchwarden alex.brockhurst@hotmail.co.uk
Jan Brockhurst – Parish Safeguarding Officer safeguarding@paghamchurch.org
Trudi Kearsley – Treasurer and Deanery Synod Representative trudikearsley@hotmail.co.uk
Roland Ell – Lay Reader and Deanery Synod Representative roland.ell@btinternet.com
Mo Hatzfeld – PCC Secretary and Deanery Synod Representative
Linda Tempest – Deanery Synod Representative
Chris Buckenham Susan O’Neill
Stephen Cox-Rusbridge Allyssia Congdon
Graham Jones David Smith
jenny Ellis Simon Tooley
Margaret Sherwood
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PCC Standing Committee: Mike Wake; Mo Hatzfeld ,Trudi Kearsley; Alex Brockhurst, Sue O’Neill, Chris Buckenham