Our Vicar and Associate Clergy
Rev. David Harrigan
Dear all at St. Elisabeth’s and the community of Old Town (or parish of St. Elisabeth’s),
Well it’s great to finally be here with you all. It’s been a crazy few weeks of unpacking lots of boxes, putting up curtain poles, meeting lots of lovely new people who have been so welcoming as we have settled in to this wonderful new community.
Originally, myself and my wife Hayley come from Romford which is on the border between London and Essex. We are home grown and have lived there all our lives. It is the place where we had our children, got married and experienced all that life has to offer. Our first experience of church was attending a toddler group when our son was 1yr. It was there, and in the faces of those we met at that time, where we heard the life giving message of the gospel that is found in Jesus Christ which changed our lives forever.
Moving forward, after attending church for some time, I was selected for ordination in 2015 and began training as a pioneer priest with CMS (Church Mission Society). Having never grown up going to church I have never forgotten what it was like to step across the threshold into a church space.
During my training as a curate I set up a boxing church to allow people to explore faith and what it means to be church in a different way.
We now find ourselves in the wonderful parish of St. Elisabeth’s, for which we are extremely grateful and I know this is where God has called us to love the people and the soil of this place, just the same as we did in Romford.
I realise St. Elisabeth’s has been on a journey with some big changes over the years especially with moving from the church into the hall and then the knocking down of the original church building. In a weird way this was a draw for us to St. Elisabeth’s as it doesn’t look like a church but more like stately home and in a sense this is what we would like to build, not just a church but a home. For me this is what church should be - a home! A home for people from all walks of life, cultures and backgrounds where all feel welcomed, loved and know the grace of God which is freely given to all people regardless of who they are.
I hope to be able to do this with the love and support of everyone within the community of faith a St. Elisabeth’s and beyond. I don’t want to just serve the community but to partner with it in discovering where the goodness of God is at work within the community.
I feel a joyous hope within me that together with everyone we will be able to see and discover what God has waiting for us all.
David
Our Associate Clergy
Rev. Sallyanne Attwater
"I began ministry as an ‘Accredited Lay Worker’ and was a Hospital Chaplain at Eastbourne District General Hospital from 1990 to 1995. I was ordained Deacon in June 1994 at Chichester Cathedral.
I was ordained priest on 24th September 1995, at St Swithun’s, East Grinstead, and served as a Curate there for three years. After that I was appointed as Priest-in-Charge of a United Benefice (three churches) in Wiltshire, near Devizes, where I served from 1998 to 2010. During the last three years there I was also Rural Dean!
I am married to Bob, and we have three adult children, four grand-children and three great-grandchildren – all of whom do their best to keep me young!
Since retiring eleven years ago, Bob and I returned to Eastbourne, where we soon became members of St Elisabeth’s. The Bishop has granted me “Permission to Officiate”, so I am able to help out as needed, which is both a joy and a privilege."