We’re quite a small church - only about eighty members - but we have a big heart. If you came to one of our meetings, we can guarantee you a warm welcome.
What sort of a church are we?
We are Church of England (Anglican or “C of E”)
This means that we are part of a worldwide group of churches that all follow the same basic pattern of organisation and worship.
We are Evangelical
That means that we believe that the Bible is truly God’s Word and that there is only one way to get to know God for yourself - and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.
We are very informal
If you came on a Sunday you wouldn’t find traditional robes. Most of the prayers wouldn’t be read out of a book, but people would talk to God just like they talk to each other. There would be some traditional hymns, but modern worship songs as well.
We aim to be very caring
Our mission statement is, Bringing the love of Christ to a needy world. We believe that, as followers of Jesus, we should care for people just as he did.
We think that worship is really important
We find that, when we worship God, we meet with him and he with us. These encounters can be life-changing!
We want to share what Jesus means to us with other people
We have found that a personal faith in Jesus Christ transforms our lives, giving us security, hope and purpose. Many of us have experienced God’s power to heal. All this is good news, so of course we want to tell others about it!
To help other people find out about Jesus for themselves we run regular Alpha Courses. These ten week courses enable people to discover what it really means to be a Christian.
We’re not just concerned about the people who come to church on Sundays
Far from it!
There are plenty of people who come to weekday events but seldom if ever come on a Sunday. We’ve been able to help all kinds of people who don’t ever come to church.
And we are concerned for the quality of life for all who live in our parish. A few years ago we played a major role in ensuring that a Community Centre was built in Swanfield Park; more recently we helped to prevent a strip-tease club opening up in St Pancras. We are active participants in the annual Noise event that brings a lot of practical help to the local community. The separate congregation that meets at Swanfield Park is very involved in the community life of the estate.
We like working with other churches
We work together with Swanfield Chapel to reach the people who live in Swanfield Park. We run our Alpha Courses with three other churches. We work with about ten other churches on the Noise project. We are a member of Churches Together in Chichester and Richard, our Rector, is their Chairman.
Like to know more?
Drop into the church any Wednesday morning between 9.30 and 12.00. The church is open, the kettle’s on the boil and there are church members there who’ll be pleased to meet you.
We’re always there for at least half-an-hour before and after each Sunday service. You’re welcome to see us then, even if you don’t stay to the service.
And, of course, you can visit the rest of this website. But, if you're in Chichester, there's nothing quite like talking to someone personally!
Getting in Touch
Richard Griffiths is the Pastor (Rector) of St Pancras, and he will always be glad to meet you or talk to you if you get in touch.
You can phone us on:
01243 536387
You can e-mail us at: stpanx@homecall.co.uk
Or you can write to us at:
St Pancras Church Office
101 St Pancras
Chichester
PO19 7LJ
