The building of a daughter church for Holy Trinity became the pre-occupation of the second incumbent of Holy Trinity, the Rev. C.E. Haynes. In 1898, a plot was secured at the corner of Tarring and Shakespeare roads. Tenders were sought and one from a local builder, W.W. Sandell, for £2680 was accepted. The building was opened for worship on the 7^th of December 1899. As the daughter church to Holy Trinity it was reliant on the Vicar of that parish to lead it forward into the new century.  It was not as we know it today. The south aisle and the choir vestry were added in 1911 when funds had been subscribed by the growing congregation. So the praise and worship of God came to this corner of Worthing.

Holy Trinity parish had the services of four or five curates and no doubt each one took his turn at ministering to the congregation at St Matthews. However, it soon became essential for someone to take charge of the day to day running of the Church and the Revd. George W Boothroyd was appointed as the first Curate in Charge with this responsibility and was installed in 1906, followed by fourteen other ordained men plus one Church Army Captain, up until the time when the parish of Holy Trinity became part of the Parish of Christ the King.

All this is recent history and we are more interested in the early history of our church. When first built our church chancel and the side Chapel were plain red brick. The organist, Mr V Gollmick, saw this bland finish from his seat at the organ week after week and decided to do something about it. He began a monthly 'Service of Music' on Sunday afternoons from which the collection went into the 'Chancel fund' that resulted in the oak panelling, clergy desks, choir stall and the oak pulpit we can see today being installed. The gift of the Eagle lectern added the final touch to the beauty of the Chancel, Sanctuary and side Chapel. Anyone who is interested can view the architect's drawings for the Oak work that are framed and hanging in the choir vestry.

The service of Dedication of the new clergy desks and choir stalls took place in March 1928 lead by Revd. G W Boothroyd, the curate in charge when the 'Chancel Fund' was started.

By 1935 the Church building and the Hall and annexe were completed. A new organ had been built, and all the oak panelling, choir stalls, prayer stall and a new pulpit had been installed. The church's finances were in good order, and with its own curate-in-charge the church was functioning as well as any church in the town. So with the guidance of the Vicar of Holy Trinity it was decided to present to the Lord Bishop of Chichester requesting 'that it be a matter for earnest consideration whether the time is ripe to give to the church of St Matthew, Worthing, a separate and independant existence and so consolidate the work of 35 years.'

The petition was quite extensive as it consisted of nine typed pages, which detailed the facts of St Matthew's church life over the 35 years of its existence. It covered matters of finance including the cost of building in the first place and the annual running cost and how such cost was being met, a glowing report on the people of the congregation and their involvement in missionary work together with its encouragement of two young ordinands from the church in training. To quote from the petition, "Having regard to the vigorous growth and development of St Matthew's there has been for many years a growing desire for a separate existence, which can only be regarded as the natural result of 35 years progressive Growth."

Unfortunately the Petition failed to change the status quo, why? We are uncertain, as a response from the Bishop has not survived in the archive. To a failing memory it is believed that three parishes we were hoping would surrender part of their parish to extend ours refused to agree to our request. Obviously the diocese has a long memory as they agreed to make us a parish some 68 years later without encroaching on any other parish.

To be continued