St Augustine’s Church greets new animal Chaplain appointed for congregation

For many of us, pets play a huge part in family life, and saying goodbye to a beloved companion leaves a huge gap in our lives.

At St Augustine’s Church in Scaynes Hill, the importance of pets in our lives and the trauma of losing them has been recognised as the church has appointed it first Animal Chaplain.

Maria Brett, was authorised as a local chaplain in Chichester Cathedral as part of the Authorised Lay Ministry initiative in the diocese, and has since become St Augustine’s chaplain for people and their animals.

Her role includes co-ordinating support for people undergoing the loss or bereavement of a pet or animal, including horses. “I’m available for all people experiencing pet loss not just for those in our parish but the wider community too,” said Maria.

As part of her ‘day job’ as a manager for a local veterinary practice, Maria has undertaken additional training and holds the Blue Cross certificate in Pet Bereavement. She understands firsthand how the impact of the loss or death of a much-loved animal companion can be a very real and painful experience.

Maria leads St Augustine’s animal friendly programme, which already includes pet services and the creation of a pet memorial garden.

“We have dedicated an area in the front of the church as a pet memorial garden which is available to everyone as a place to remember their beloved pets,” Maria explained. “People can write their pet’s name on a pebble to leave near the statue of St Francis of Assisi.

“This part of the garden is looked after by our church family and all the names of the pets are remembered at our annual pet blessing service. “

She added that the church has recently been accepted for registration with the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA) as an animal friendly church. This complements a silver award from the environmental organisation A Rocha.

“Being accepted for registration means that ASWA has recognised the value we give to the contribution and needs of animals which is reflected in the life and witness of our church community including in worship and prayer,” said Maria.

“All well behaved dogs are welcome to services, whether regular attendees or occasional visitors. We aim to be open to all and it can make a big difference to a newcomer if they can bring their companion, service or therapy dog with them.

“We aim to promote a compassionate attitude towards all God’s creation and creatures and this is embedded within our Eco Church agenda which is at the heart of who we are and what we do,” added Maria. “We believe that we have a duty of care as Christians to look after, nurture, protect and not exploit God’s created order.”

Maria added that, as part of the church’s mission giving each year, donations are made to an animal welfare or rescue society. “This year we are supporting Raystede Animal Sanctuary with a collection at the annual pet service,” she said.

For more information, please contact Maria via the parish office: sash.parishoffice@gmail.com or phone 01444 831013 on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

St Augustine’s Church in Scaynes Hill have signed up for the A Rocha Eco Church Awards.

By Jenny Walker

Members of St Augustine’s Church in Scaynes Hill are exploring ways in which it can help to protect the environment and as a part of this we have signed up for the A Rocha Eco Church Awards. Eco Church is an environmental award scheme for churches run by A Rocha, equipping churches to care for God’s creation through their worship, buildings, land, community engagement and individual lifestyles. There are three award levels - Bronze, Silver and Gold and we are at the point of submitting our application for the Silver award.

Ultimately this work is not about the award itself but about analysing our impact on the environment and making changes to make this a more positive one. We have already made a number of changes including LED lighting, using green electricity, using Fairtrade tea and coffee, toilet twinning, recycling milk bottle tops, organising a communal card scheme at Christmas and planting a native tree in the churchyard to encourage wildlife. Recently we have set up an Eco Church Team who have lots of ideas for further actions that we can consider.

Last September our Vicar, Rev Beverley Miles, started a monthly Eco Church session called 23@3. Through this we have engaged with our local MP, Mims Davies, on environmental matters. She joined us at 23@3 for a walk in nearby woodland and a discussion on local environmental matters. We subsequently wrote to her ahead of COP26 raising our concerns about various environmental issues.

At present our focus is on encouraging our church community to consider how to make their own lifestyles more environmentally friendly. To help with this we have set up an ‘Eco Table’ at church to facilitate reusing and recycling goods. People can bring along unwanted items and take away items that they can make use of and for which they give a small donation. All of these donations are used to help the charities which St Augustine’s Church supports.

We are planning a larger scale event to encourage the reuse and recycling of the clothes which most of us have in our wardrobes and no longer require. Our Spring Pre-loved Clothes Sale will take place on Friday 11th March from 10am to 7pm and Saturday 12th March from 10 am to 4pm in the church. Menswear, womenswear and clothes for babies and children can all be donated as well as accessories. All items must be in good condition. We are hoping to have two enjoyable days with refreshments served and everyone is welcome to come along for a browse. As part of our commitment to caring for God’s creation, St Augustine’s Church is also hoping to hold an ‘Eco Festival’ in September with a range of events and activities aimed at engaging people with eco matters and educating and empowering people in their understanding of how to adopt a more eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle.

St Augustine’s, Scaynes Hill - Covid-19 plans

By Jenny Walker

In these extraordinary and unprecedented times sadly our church building has had to close but the church in Scaynes Hill continues to be alive and active and ready to provide help to anyone in need. At the moment St Augustine’s is in a vacancy but our Assistant Priest, Lucy Hollingsworth, together with the rest of our ministry team and the Parish Administrator, are working hard to ensure that church life is maintained.

 Our services have moved online to our YouTube channel and are being viewed by almost the whole congregation. Steps are being taken to try to set up technology for those who are not currently online. We are gathering in a virtual setting to worship together using liturgy, music, readings, preaching and intercessions that have been recorded in people’s homes. Service sheets are included in the Church Newsletter which is circulated in advance via email so people can join in with the responses and hymns. It is a different way of being a church and is being much appreciated by the congregation especially over Holy Week and Easter. We are also able to do “virtual coffee” after church via BlueJeans and Home Groups are also operating in this way. The Church Newsletter is packed with useful information as well as interesting and fun things to do including weekly competitions to take part in during this stay at home time. Using her creative talents our Youth and Children’s Worker is producing wonderful colouring sheets which appeal to all ages and a range of resources for children and families to use.

 At this difficult time pastoral care is of vital importance and we as a church community hope that we are good at supporting each other. In the current crisis we are making every effort to reach out not only to church members but to the wider community including those who normally visit the church coffee shop. The Pastoral Care Team and other volunteers are keeping in touch particularly with those who are self-isolating and those being shielded. A friendly chat on the phone and words of encouragement are much welcomed and practical help such as shopping and picking up prescriptions is provided where needed. A group of local residents is also offering help to members of the Scaynes Hill community and we are in contact with these volunteers so that hopefully no one will fall through the net. We are thankful for all those, known and unknown to us, who are serving the needs of the community during these challenging times.

Rev Lisa to become an honorary canon

Scaynes Hill vicar The Rev Lisa Barnett has been honoured by the Bishop of Chichester in recognition of her work supporting young women who are exploring ordination.

Rev Lisa Barnett

Lisa, from St Augustine’s Church, has been made an honorary canon of Chichester Cathedral and will take the stall of Prebendary of Woodhorn. 

“It’s an honorary title which is given for service to the diocese,” Lisa explained. “It doesn’t mean any extra responsibilities, but does mean a ‘seat’ in Chichester Cathedral for special services!”

Lisa will be installed as an honorary canon of Chichester Cathedral within a service of Evensong at the Cathedral on Sunday 18th March at 3.30pm. All are welcome!

Since being ordained in 2007 and being given her first parish, Scaynes Hill, in 2011, Lisa has been passionate about supporting other young women considering ordination.

“In spite of it being almost 25 years since the Church of England first ordained women as priests there are still not very many young women offering themselves as candidates for ordination,” said Lisa. “As a young female vicar in this diocese, I have supported several other young women who are newly ordained or exploring ordination, and I have become something of a role model for young clergy women who are pioneering new ways of balancing their vocation to church leadership alongside family life.

“I am enormously grateful to the wonderful church family at St Augustine’s, as well as the wider community in Scaynes Hill, who have been so encouraging of my ‘twin vocations’ as a vicar and a mother, and so supportive during my periods of maternity leave,” Lisa added.

“I will still be vicar in Scaynes Hill, so this title doesn’t change very much, but it is a very special honour and a recognition of the ongoing diocesan commitment to supporting women’s ministry.”

A Pet Service in Scaynes Hill

By Claire Cooper

There were furry paws, waggy tails and twitching whiskers among the congregation at St Augustine’s Church in Scaynes Hill earlier this month when the church held a special pet service.

Vicar Lisa Barnett invited parishioners to bring their furry friends to church for a celebration and blessing and was delighted so see the pews filled with a 25 dogs, a selection of guinea pigs, an enormous rabbit and even a tortoise named Lisa!

The service included specially chosen hymns, such as All Things Bright and Beautiful, a Bible reading read by Thomas Martin, while parishioner Bev Sotiri, accompanied by her four dogs, read a poem for dog owners.

Those unable to bring their pets to church, and those who wished to remember their former pets, brought along photos.

Following the service, there was a chance for pets and owners to mingle and enjoy refreshments in the church hall.

This was the first pet service to be led by Lisa, and is part of the church’s commitment to strengthen community spirit. “I was more than a little bit nervous before the service,” she said. “How many pets would be brought along? Would they behave? But I needn’t have worried!

“The animals all behaved beautifully, staying quiet during the talk and joining in with gusto during the hymns! It was a very special occasion, celebrating the joy that our pets bring us, and committing ourselves to caring for all of God’s creatures. We’re definitely planning to do it again sometime!”