Church Organization

The Church of England divides the country into dioceses, each having a cathedral and led by a diocesan Bishop. The United Benefice of Chiddingly with East Hoathly lies within the Diocese of Chichester. The diocese boundaries coincide almost exactly with the county of Sussex. [arms of Chichester diocese]

The logo of the Diocese is its coat of arms, showing Christ enthroned with a sword between his teeth – described by one writer as the strangest arms of any diocese. (For much of the period since the Reformation, the figure was identified as “Prester John” rather than Christ, apparently for fear of accusations of idolatry.)

Bishop John Hind of Chichester (see picture below) is the 101st in line of succession to St Wilfrid in the seventh century. (On Wilfrid, see our history page). Bishop John is assisted by two “Area Bishops”, of whom Bishop Wallace Benn of Lewes oversees East Sussex, including our parish. [Bishop John Hind]

Visitors to Sussex might be interested in an electronic initiative by the diocese, Sacred Sussex, which aims to promote visits to places of worship in our county and to foster religious, cultural, and heritage appreciation.

The Diocese of Chichester is divided into archdeaconries: we are in the Archdeaconry of Lewes & Hastings (the Ven. Philip Jones is Archdeacon). Archdeaconries in turn are divided into rural deaneries: our parish is in the Rural Deanery of Uckfield, and our Rector, Phil Hodgins, is also the Rural Dean.

Church affairs in East Hoathly are managed by a Parochial Church Council, chaired ex officio by the Rector; our sister parish of Chiddingly has its own P.C.C.

Our Churchwardens are Elly McKie-Smith and Michael Lee; Jenny Pellett and Dorothy Cottingham are Deputy Wardens. (See the contact details page for Elly, Michael, and other relevant people.)

The P.C.C. Secretary is Gill Greaves, and Treasurer is David Dobbs.

Apart from the Rector, Wardens, Secretary, and Treasurer, other Council members are: Linda Allen, Jenny Cowling, Sarah Gauntlett, Kate Peckham, and Chris and Jenny Pellett.

Fiona Dobbs, Michael Fairhurst, Andrea Goodridge, and Marie Crawford serve as organists.

[service at War Memorial]

At the War Memorial – Remembrance Day