Welcome to our weekly newsletter for the benefice. If you would like to be notified by email each week, please sign up using the form at the bottom of this page.
If you have any items for next week’s notices, please send them to manager@StGilesStMargarets.org by Wednesday.
Pew Sheets
The pew sheets for our services on 16 February, including the readings, prayers and music details, are available to download below:
Sunday 16 February
Third Sunday before Lent
8.00am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, 1662 BCP)
10.30am – Joint Benefice Holy Communion at St Giles’ (sung, Common Worship)
6.30pm – Choral Evensong at St Giles’ (sung, 1662 BCP)
Almighty God,
who alone can bring order
to the unruly wills and passions of sinful humanity:
give your people grace
so to love what you command
and to desire what you promise,
that, among the many changes of this world,
our hearts may surely there be fixed
where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Worship & prayer this week:
St Giles’ open for quiet prayer: 12pm – 2pm, Monday-Friday
Evening Prayer: 5.30pm Monday-Saturday at St Giles’
Midweek Eucharist: 12.30pm Wednesday at St Giles’
Next Sunday (23 February):
Second Sunday before Lent
8.00am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, 1662 BCP)
10.30am – Joint Benefice Holy Communion at St Giles’ (sung, Common Worship)
6.30pm – Choral Evensong at St Giles’ (sung, 1662 BCP)
Parish News
Update from the Clergy & Churchwardens
Thank you to all those who have been in touch with offers of help, support and words of encouragement in the past couple of weeks – it is really appreciated. We have now been informed by the Archdeacon that Daniel is going to be off sick for longer than first expected. We do not have an exact date for his return at this stage. Please do continue to pray for him and the family.
Worship in the coming weeks
Joint 10.30am Eucharist services will continue at St Giles’ until the 2nd March.
Ash Wednesday (5th March) will be marked in both churches – 12.30pm at St Giles’ and 8pm at St Margaret’s.
We will then all join in a joint service at St Margaret’s on the 9th March for Lent 1.
For more information and full letter from us, click here.
Wednesday Eucharists at St Giles’
We have restarted our weekly services of said Holy Communion at 12.30pm in the Lady Chapel in St Giles’ Church. This simple but beautiful service will last not much more than 30 minutes – perfect to slot into your lunch break!
All are welcome.
Jazz at St Giles’: Donut Kings and GTC Big Bands
The next Jazz at St Giles’ concert is Saturday 1st March 7:30pm: Donut Kings and GTC Big Bands, featuring two of Oxford University’s most accomplished jazz bands.
Benefice Book Group
Following a really wonderful conversation about Orbital, the book group will meet again at 7.15pm on 20th March to discuss For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on my Little Pain by Victoria MacKenzie. Please email Siân Grønlie for full details and to join the mailing list.
St Giles’ Choir Tour
St Giles’ Choir will travel to Bergamo for their 11th international tour. 24-29 July 2025. Please contact Nicholas Prozzillo for further details.
2025 Youth Pilgrimage
This year we are excited to announce that we will be taking our Benefice Youth Pilgrimage to St David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire. We will be taking the train together through South Wales and staying in a beautiful Youth Hostel that has been booked just for us. The dates for this adventure are 4th-8th August. Please talk to Eva, Claire or Lucy for more details. All welcome (as long as you are in school/college Years 8 – 13!!)
New electoral roll for 2025
Thank you to everyone who has already applied to (re)join the electoral roll of either St Giles’ or St Margaret’s. For everyone else: please note the deadlines (for this year’s APCM) of 16th March (St Giles’) and 9th March (St Margaret’s).
If you’re not sure what an electoral roll is or why you should be on it – or if you do know and just want to re-apply – use the buttons below:
Little Fishes
Toddler Group Paused
Little Fishes will be pause for a few weeks until St Margaret’s re-opens. Look out for details of re-opening in March.
Browser Extension to Raise Money
Raise a free donation for St Margaret’s Church, Oxford when you shop online via #easyfundraising. Add the extension to your browser and whenever you shop online with one of 7,500+ easyfundraising’s partners they will make a donation to us! This includes Tesco, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, Argos, Trainline and more! If you’re not supporting us on easyfundraising yet, now’s the perfect time to get involved.
Diocesan News
Winter issue of Pathways is here
The latest issue of Pathways, the Diocesan magazine, is out now – you can pick up a paper copy from church or download it from the Diocesan website below:
Community News
Tea & Talks
This series of Tea & Talks at the St Margaret’s Institute continues on Wednesday 5th March at 1:30pm with a talk from social historian Dr Yasmin Khan on Stories from the history of migration to Britain from the Indian sub-continent. Tickets are £2 on the door.
St Theosevia’s Study Days
All are welcome to study days at St Theosevia’s Centre for Christian Spirituality, 2 Canterbury Road OX2 6LU. Days are free for students, £5 cash for non-students. Free tea and coffee from 10am. Upcoming study days are as follows:
Saturday 8 March 10:30-4: Revd Dr Jane Baun and Dr Elena Narinskaya lead a day on the life and work of Mother Maria of Paris.
Friday 25 April: a day on Etheopian Orthodoc Marian devotion.