Coombes Church

The church is open daily from 9.30 am - 4.30 pm.

Christmas Day - 8.45 am
Christmas carols -Jan 1st 2012 3.00 pm

Holy Eucharist is offered on 2nd Sunday of the month 9.00 am.

Even song between Easter and Harvest festival at 6.00
26th June, 24th July, 28th Aug

July 8th Latin Complin
Harvest Thanksgiving - September 11th 3.00

2012
Easter Day Eucharist is at 8.45 am in the morning.
Rogation Sunday May 13th 3.00 - walk on the downs.
July - Latin compline - (TBC) July
Harvest festival -September 3.00 pm (TBC)
Christmas Day - 8.45 am
Christmas carols -Jan ? 3.00 pm (TBC)

Coombes Church is a little downland treasure. The nave dates from 1100 or before and the chancel was built in the 13th and 14th century. The dedication of the church is no longer known. On the slope of the Downs at Church Farm, it has served the people of this tiny parish for nearly a thousand years. It is the endeavour of the small regular congregation to maintain this church as a place of Christian worship and spiritual peace.
The church contains very important wall paintings of around 1100 depicting the gospel story of the birth of Jesus. Re-discovered only in 1949, these are rare survivals from the time when our churches were richly decorated, and taught the Gospel to those who could not read through pictures.
The bell is dated at 1100 or even earlier and possibly the oldest in Sussex. It is believed to have been made in Normandy.
The parish shares a rector with S.James the Less Lancing, but is financially independent and responsible for the up-keep and repairs of this ancient church.

REGULAR SERVICES

Holy Eucharist second Sunday of the month 9.00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist Christmas and Easter Days 8.45.a.m.
Evensong between Easter and Harvest 6.00 p.m.
this years dates - 26th July 24th July & 28th Aug

FURTHER DATES FOR 2010

Rogation Procession Sunday 9th May at 3.00 p.m.
Latin Compline – 8th July
Harvest Thanksgiving Evensong Sunday 11th September at 3.00 p.m.
Carols by Candlelight, Jan 1st at 3.00 p.m.

Rector: The Rev’d Roger Russell, Rector,
The Vicarage
Manor Road
Lancing Tel: 01903 753212
E-mail: Rev Rogor Russell

Churchwardens: Mr Robin Reeve - 01273 452497 Robin Reeve
Mrs Mary Passmore - 01273 452028

PCC Secretary: Mrs Pat Passmore - 01903 200280

Treasurer: Mrs. Jenny Flake - 01273 440336

For further information and a history of Coombes Church see also the web-site of S.James the Less Lancing: St James the less

BAPTISMS AND WEDDINGS

Baptisms are celebrated for those who live in Coombes parish, those who worship there, and those with real connections to Coombes Church.

Weddings are celebrated, according to Law, for those who live in Coombes parish or are on the Parish Electoral Roll or have a qualifying connection with Coombes Church.
Weddings are not conducted when there has been a divorce and a previous partner is living.

THE RESTORATION AND REPAIRS
Over the last years, thanks to a large grant from English Heritage and grants from charities and trusts, together with the efforts of the faithful small congregation and the generosity of friends, major repairs have been completed.

In 2007 the bell-cote was rebuilt and the weather-vane now shines out newly gilded, and topped with a cross based on one carved by crusaders inside the church. The bell was repaired and re-hung, and once again rings out to mark services. A large part of the roof was re-laid and weak old timbers strengthened. Inside ceiling panels were renewed and the nationally important wall paintings received pains-taking attention.

2008 saw the second phase of repairs. The Chancel roof has been re-built with new timber, and together with the rest of the roof, beautifully re-laid with Horsham stone and tiles. Inside the ceilings have been repaired and plastered, and the cleaning and conserving of the wall-paintings completed. Now they have all been cleaned, they look better than we have ever seen them, thanks to the expert care of Ann Ballantyne, our conservator.

Thanks from everybody at Coombes goes to our architect and contractors, who have done a wonderful job. Also to English Heritage and all our generous friends who have made it possible to repair and preserve this national treasure. My own thanks to our churchwardens and treasurer and all on the farm for their help and co-operation.

Fr Roger

A MESSAGE OF THANKS
The Rector, Churchwardens, and PCC of Coombes Church, wish to thank all the local people who have supported this project. At the same time the work could not have been carried out without the backing of English Heritage whose grants largely financed the work. We are immensely grateful to them and to the national and local trusts that also provided further significant assistance. They were:
The Allchurches Trust The Alan Evans Trust
The Garfield Weston Trust The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
The John and Ruth Howard Trust The Mercers’s Company
Viridor Credits (Landfill)
We should also like to record our appreciation and especial thanks to our Architect, Richard Crook, of John D Clarke & Partners, the wall painting conservator, Ann Ballantyne, and to the contractors, Bramber Construction, J.H. Payne & Partners, and Clarke Roofing.

If you can help Coombes Church
please send a donation to

Coombes Church , Church farm, Coombes, Lancing,
Sussex BN15 0RS

We get extra help if you GIFT AID IT .....Thank you

Coombes Church is a Saxon church built in the 11th century and the chancel was built in the 13th and 14th century. The dedication of the church is unknown.

It is famous for its Frescoes (murals), being some of the most important in the country. They were made around 1087 with some, the most modern, in 1753. These were whitewashed over and rediscovered in 1949. These frescoes include 'The Nativity Cycle', 'The Lion of St Mark', 'Christ giving the keys to Peter' and 'the journey into Egypt with the donkey led by St Joseph'.
The church had its own rector, who lived in the rectory across the field until 1900. We now share a rector with North Lancing and hold regular services. Rev' Roger Russell

Check out Wikipedia on Coombes church

CAN YOU HELP
THIS LITTLE GEM OF A CHURCH?

The Rev’d Roger Russell, Rector,
The Vicarage
Manor Road
Lancing Tel: 01903 753212

Coombes Church Bell Thank you for helping the second Oldest bell in Sussex to ring again We have now done this work Thanks for your donations
	This bell - cast in France around 1150 – needs re .hanging; its turret has to be rebuilt; and
The end of the Church Roof urgently needs repairing. The whole work will cost nearly £200,000
	English Heritage has promised Us generous Help, But we have to raise a large sum ourselves
CAN YOU HELP ?
	Send donations to Coombes Church, Church Farm, Coombes, Lancing .Sussex BN15 0RS We get extra help if you GIFT AID IT .....Thank you

Up dated by Jenny Passmore 2010