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 9 March including the readings, prayers and music details, are available to download below:
Sunday 9 March
First Sunday of Lent
8.00am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, 1662 BCP)
10.30am – Joint Benefice Holy Communion at St Margaret’s (sung, Common Worship)
6.30pm – Choral Evensong at St Giles’ (sung, 1662 BCP)
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
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 (16 March):
Second Sunday of Lent
8.00am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, 1662 BCP)
10.30am – Holy Communion at St Margaret’s (sung, Common Worship)
10.30am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (sung, Common Worship)
6.30pm – Choral Evensong at St Giles’ (sung, 1662 BCP)
Parish News
This Sunday
We are looking forward to welcoming you back to St Margaret’s for the joint service at 10.30am on Sunday. (There will be no 10.30am service at St Giles’). Works are still being completed in St Margaret’s so it will be a return to a familiar, warmer and brighter building, but it may feel a little like camping the first few weeks. In that vein, please bring along a mug for coffee afterwards as we are yet to unbox the china! And we ask that you respect the areas of the church which are cordoned off.
LAST CHANCE: 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:
Benefice Lent Course 2025: Understanding Baptism
Tuesdays in Lent (starts 11 March), 7.15-8.30pm, St Margaret’s Church
This year we are asking questions about what it is to be human and exploring baptism through the pictures of earth, water, wind and fire. Baptism is the start of a journey for life and so it is important to return to the questions about what it means to be a baptised community throughout the whole of our Christian lives. So, join us for open conversation and reflection together during this special season. If you cannot make the sessions but would like to join in, email Claire for the weekly materials (associate@stgilesstmargarets.org).
A grand planting of the taxus trees!
Saturday March 29th 10.30am. Nicholson’s nursery have very generously donated 8 trees to be planted in the parish room gardens under the rose pergola. This will give extra privacy for clients of the Gatehouse to sit whilst waiting to go in for their evening meal.
Can you help to dig? Please join in if you can, to get all eight trees planted on the above Saturday. It should not be too arduous – eight people with spades, only one hole each! We have two spades so more are needed, if you can bring one yourself that would be helpful.
Gardening Group members please note, we shall not be meeting on the 15th this month, but on the 29th for this special planting occasion.
Helping at St Margaret’s
Thank you to everyone who has offered to help with readings, intercessions and post-service coffee once we are back at St Margaret’s. If you haven’t already done so, please could you let me know your availability from 9 March until the end of June, so I can draw up a rota. We would love to have a few more volunteers so please do get in touch with Frances Bagnall-Oakeley (frbagnall@hotmail.com) if you think you might be able to help occasionally- any level of commitment is appreciated! – Frances Bagnall-Oakeley
Sewing help needed
St Margaret’s need more pew bags for the children of all ages during this transitional time and while we wait for the Pray and Play area to be put in. How good are your sewing skills? Could you make a simple A4 sized drawstring bag?? We have ribbon and material. (Including bobbins!) If you think you might be able to help in this way, please contact Eva.
Jazz at St Giles’: Gabriel Latchin Trio
The next Jazz at St Giles’ concert is Saturday 5th April 7:30pm: Gabriel Latchin Trio. Come and see “the best straight-ahead jazz pianist to appear in the past few years.” (The Guardian)
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.
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.
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!!)
Little Fishes
Toddler Group Paused
Look out for details of re-opening in the coming weeks.
Browser Extension to Raise Money
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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 9th April at 1:30pm with a talk from Head Gardener Kate Burtonwood on Sustainable Gardening at Trinity College. 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.