Copthorne to Henfield

Updated with move dates: After 14 great years at St. John’s Copthorne, we are moving to Henfield: remaining in Sussex, and Diocese of Chichester, and even in the same episcopal area and archdeaconry of Horsham, but in a new deanery: Hurst.

The following pdf documents were released as information about the Henfield benefice, and it’s new incumbent.

The text from each of the documents is quoted below.

About the parish of Henfield:

About Henfield
About Henfield

About Henfield‘s new vicar:

Alastair Cutting - Henfield
Alastair Cutting - Henfield

About Henfield:
After 14 years thoroughly enjoying ministry at St John’s, The Rev’d Alastair Cutting, with Kay, Hannah & Laura, are to leave Copthorne. Their last Sunday will be Pentecost, 23 May, starting in Henfield on Friday 2 July 2010.

Alastair has been appointed to the united benefice of Henfield, staying in Chichester Diocese, as vicar of Henfield, rector of Shermanbury and rector of Woodmancote. Henfield is a busy Sussex village between Horsham and Brighton and the two neighbouring hamlets, parishes in their own right, became part of the united benefice in the 1970s. Each of the churches is of ancient foundation; a couple are mentioned in the Domesday Book.

St. Peter’s in Henfield is the main church, with a variety of services and styles. The other two parishes also both still have regular services, mainly of a more traditional nature. Each church building, considering their age, is not only in good condition, but each is about to have, or has recently had some major fabric work done. St. Peter’s had a major reordering in 2008, making the medieval building warm & welcoming in every way. There are two curates, and several retired clergy to support the ministry across the churches; and there is a Church Aided Primary School.

Kay remains at Court Meadow School; Hannah will be continuing at Southampton & Laura will finish off college in Horsham before hoping to go to Bristol University in September. Alastair has also been encouraged to maintain some of his Chichester diocesan and General Synod involvement – his journeys to Hove should be somewhat shorter. We’re all looking forward to it!

About the new incumbent:
The Rev’d Alastair Cutting: to be Vicar of Henfield

Alastair Cutting, vicar of Copthorne since 1996, has been appointed incumbent of the united benefice of Henfield with Shermanbury & Woodmancote in the Diocese of Chichester.

Alastair’s last service at Copthorne will be Pentecost, 23 May; and his collation & induction will take place at St. Peter’s, Henfield on Friday 2 July 2010 by the Rt. Rev’d. Mark Sowerby, Bishop of Horsham, and the Ven. Roger Combes, Archdeacon of Horsham.

Married to Kay, a teacher of children with profound & multiple learning difficulties, at Court Meadow School in Cuckfield; they have two daughters – Hannah, studying Film & English at Southampton University; and Laura, finishing A levels at the College of Richard Collyer in Horsham, before hoping to take the Deaf Studies and British Sign Language degree at Bristol University.

Most of Alastair’s childhood was in rural South India where his parents were doctors at a mission hospital. After secondary school in Watford and a teaching and youth work degree in Birmingham, Alastair trained as a priest in Nottingham before serving two curacies in the Sheffield diocese, and for 5 years running the church-based arts centre The Nave in Uxbridge.

Moving to Sussex in 1996, Alastair’s ministry in Copthorne has been characterised by helping strengthen links between church & village, establishing Naomi’s Friends bereavement group, and fostering vocations, with 4 candidates for ordained ministry in his 14 years as vicar. The planning & commissioning of the Copthorne Labyrinth Memorial Garden (based on Chartres cathedral‘s labyrinth) & it’s spectacular glass sculpture, will remain as a lasting reminder of Alastair’s love for and involvement with Copthorne.

Building on the strong family links with New Zealand, Alastair gained an MA in Christian Spirituality with particular reference to Maori and Celtic spirituality during his time at Copthorne.

Active in the work & structures of the Chichester Diocese, Alastair has long been a member of the Bishop’s Council and was elected to the General Synod in 2005. Recently he was appointed Chair of the House of Clergy & Vice President of Chichester Diocesan Synod.

Surprised and delighted by the appointment, Alastair and Kay, with Hannah and Laura, and Tilly the black Labrador, look forward to sharing in all God’s blessings in their new ministry in the churches of the Henfield benefice.

Our new address will be

    Henfield Vicarage
    Church Lane
    HENFIELD
    West Sussex
    BN5 9NY
    01273 492017
    Parish Office: 01273 495532

Our personal email addresses and mobile numbers will remain the same.

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