Home About St John’s
Who we are
About St John’s
A Church of England parish church in the catholic tradition, serving a parish of some 11,000 people in West Worthing.
Welcome
A church for this parish
Welcome to this Church of England parish church serving West Worthing, where everyone is invited to attend any of our services or events.
St John the Divine is a parish church of the Church of England in the Diocese of Chichester, West Sussex. The parish is bounded by the railway line to the north, George V Avenue to the west, the sea to the south, and Grand Avenue to the east. The church itself is situated on the corner of Elm Grove and Ripley Road, just north of Goring Road. The parish has a population of approximately 11,000.
Ours is a parish in the catholic tradition of the Church of England. The Mass is offered every day of the week and the daily round of Morning and Evening Prayer is said in church throughout the year. We keep the seasons of the Church with care, we honour Our Lady of Walsingham, and we try to make the sacraments easy to reach for everyone who wants them.
Around that worship has grown an unfussy, affectionate community. People come here at every stage of life — some for a lifetime, some for a season, some just once, for a funeral or a christening or because the door was open. All of them are welcome.
Everyone is invited to attend any of our services or events.St John the Divine, West Worthing
The parish clergy
Who you will meet
Fr Thomas Cotterill SSC
Priest-in-Charge
Priest-in-Charge of St John’s and St Andrew’s, Clifton Road, with effect from 28th April 2026.
Fr Roger Caswell
Honorary Assistant Priest
Fr Roger writes the weekly reflection on the readings in the parish pewsheet.
Churchwardens & PCC
Those who look after the parish
The Parochial Church Council, working with the churchwardens and the clergy, is responsible for the life, fabric and finances of the parish.
Churchwardens
Martyn Shanks — 07973 422603
Dorothy Smith
The churchwardens are the first people to ask about most parish matters, and about the Social Group.
Acting Treasurer
Alan Caperon — 07802 602322
Please contact Alan about the Parish Giving Scheme or any question about giving.
Hall bookings
Caroline Burke — 07776 192925
To hire the hall or check availability. See hall for hire for rates.
Access
Facilities & accessibility
St John’s has undergone various improvements to its facilities to make life easier for people with disabilities:
- We have an induction loop for the hard of hearing.
- The Hall has an accessible toilet and wheelchair access for the main door.
- The church building has a ramp at the South entrance, where the accessible toilet facilities are situated.
If there is anything else that would make a visit easier for you, please do ring the Parish Office and ask — we would far rather know in advance.
Safeguarding
Everyone’s responsibility
The Parochial Church Council of St John the Divine is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and follows the safeguarding policy and practice guidance of the Church of England and the Diocese of Chichester.
If you have any safeguarding concern or issue, please use the dedicated email address below, or contact the diocesan safeguarding team directly.
Parish Safeguarding Officer
- Ros AshtonParish Safeguarding Officer
- Emailsafeguarding@stjohnwestworthing.org.uk
- Postc/o The Parish Office, Elm Grove, Worthing BN11 5NQ
In an emergency, or if a child or adult is in immediate danger, please contact the police on 999.
The formalities
Parish details
| Dedication | St John the Divine |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Diocese | Chichester, West Sussex |
| Deanery | Worthing |
| Address | Corner of Elm Grove and Ripley Road, West Worthing, BN11 5NQ |
| Consecrated | 8th October 1937 |
| Listing | Grade II listed, 2009 |
| Registered charity | No. 1178660 |
You would be very welcome
Whether you have been coming for fifty years or have never been inside a church before, there is a place for you at St John’s. Come as you are — you will not be singled out or asked to explain yourself, and someone will be glad to see you.