The Bishop of Horsham, the Rt Rev Lindsay Urwin, is to license Mr Welsman as priest in charge of the new parishes in addition to his current position as vicar of Easebourne at a service in St Peter’s Church at Lodsworth on Wednesday, January 30.
Announcing the news in the latest issue of Outlook, the parish magazine for Lodsworth, Selham and Lickfold, the report pointed out: “One interesting point arising from this joining with Easebourne is that although historically Lodsworth had been part of the Hundred of Easebourne, our connection to Petworth Deanery was made only in recent times.”

Before Christmas Mr Welsman told parishioners at Easebourne: “Easebourne has always been a half-time post, in the past sharing the vicar with the King Edward V11 hospital. Since the closure of the hospital Easebourne has been seeking a new partner to share the cost of ministry.”

He said the links would bring change and Easebourne’s main Sunday services would move to 10.30am.

The church would also lose two 8am Sunday services a month, but there would be 8.30am services at Selham in their place.

Easebourne, he said, would also be dropping its 11.15am service on the first Sunday of each month.

“As a church, St Mary’s will still have nine communion services a month and one all-age service, plenty of opportunity to worship together – Lodsworth will have four services and Selham just two.”

He urged parishioners to see the new links as a ‘wonderful time for change’.