The United Benefice is made up of four beautiful rural West Sussex churches with warm and welcoming communities – St Luke’s Milland, and St Luke’s Linch, St James Stedham with St Mary Iping.
We belong to the Chichester Diocese of the Church of England.
Our rector
Rev Trish Bancroft trained for ordination at STETS (Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme) and continued her training attached to her sending church of All Saints’ Church in Alton.
After her ordination as deacon in 2010 she became a curate, serving her title in the parishes of Kingsclere, Ashford Hill and Headley on the Hampshire, Berkshire border.
Trish was, then, ordained priest in 2011.
Before her post as Rector of Linch and Milland she worked as a priest in Popley, a large housing estate in Basingstoke, and as on call chaplain for Basingstoke hospital.
She has qualified as MA with Merit in Christian Spirituality
Trish came to St Lukes Milland and St Lukes Linch in December 2014 and integrated St James Stedham and St Mary's Iping into the Benefice in 2017
St Lukes Linch with Iping March
St Lukes Milland with Rake
St James Stedham with St Mary's Iping
Each of our Parishes have a Parochial Church Council and Church Wardens elected each year at the relevant Annual Parish Church Meeting:
Details of the current Church Wardens and their contact details can be found in the church SMILE monthly magazine.