Welcome to our weekly benefice newsletter. If you’d like to be notified by email each week, please sign up using the form at the bottom of this page.
Items for next week’s notices can be sent to manager@StGilesStMargarets.org by Wednesday.
Worship & Prayer
Sunday 23 November
Christ the King
8.00am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, 1662 BCP)
10.30am – All-age Eucharist 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)
Eternal Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit
and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Pew sheets
The pew sheets for our services on 23 November including the readings, prayers and music details, are available to download below:
Vicar’s letter
How can we as Christians respond to the challenges of immigration and the environment?
Coming up this week
Morning Prayer: 8.30am Tuesday-Friday at the Vicarage, Church Walk
Evening Prayer: 5.30pm Monday-Saturday at St Giles’
St Giles’ open for quiet prayer: 12pm – 2pm, Monday-Friday
Next Sunday (30 November):
First Sunday of Advent
8.00am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, 1662 BCP)
10.30am – All-age Eucharist at St Margaret’s (sung, Common Worship)
10.30am – Holy Communion at St Giles’
6.00pm – Joint Benefice Advent Carols at St Margaret’s
Last week’s sermon
Parish News
TODAY: The Hope Street Consort Concert at St Giles’
Nicholas Prozzillo presents a concert from The Hope Street Consort, a Liverpool based ensemble lead by former St Giles’ Choral Scholar Roshan Hall, with programme of choral music centred on the Christ’s journey to the cross. The concert is at 4:30pm Saturday 22 November.
Christmas Events and Services
Exploring faith and spirituality group
The new group on faith and spirituality continues this Tuesday (25 November) at St Anne’s College from 5:15-6:45pm. This group is for anyone in the benefice who is interested in exploring faith and different approaches to spirituality. The only pre-requisite is an open mind and an interest in different points of view. This meeting will be about Julian of Norwich’s Parable of the Master and the Servant (Chapter 51 of Revelations of Divine Love). If you are interested in attending, please contact Siân Grønlie.
Do join us for the Advent Carol Service at St Margaret’s on Sunday 30th November at 6pm.
Christmas Card Deliveries
It is that time of year again! We are looking for help to deliver cards with details of our Christmas services to as many residences in the Benefice as possible. This is a great opportunity to grow our relationship with the local community and we are very grateful for help! If you are able to join in please email associate@stgilesstmargarets.org
Memory Café
Our next Memory Café will be on Wednesday 26 November. If you know someone who might enjoy or benefit from coming along, or if you’d like more details, please contact St Margaret’s Parish Community Worker, Tricia Brant, on 07776 595456 or at triciabrant@stmargaretsoxford.org.
Jazz at St Giles’: The Velvet Tones
The next Jazz at St Giles’ concert is Saturday 6 December at 7:30pm: The Velvet Tones. Come and see these local legends play some classic Christmas swing.
Other Jazz events in the Winter season include Will Barnes Quartet (10 Jan) and New Jazz Artists Eva Fidler and Colleagues (7 Feb).
Musical Help Needed
The Benefice has a developing relationship with Fairfield Care Home and has, for several years, been taking monthly Communion services for residents. We really love to have music at the services. I am looking for some help from someone who can play the piano. Would there be anyone who would be up for recording some hymn tunes for me in lower keys to help support our worship? If you think you can help, please email associate@stgilesstmargarets.org
St Giles’ Toilet Twinning Competition
Guess how many chocolates in the tub: only £1 a turn. At St Giles’ we now have a large tub of Celebration chocolates in the tub (instead of the original idea of marbles). The winner of the closest correct number has the whole tub as a prize! Please join the fun and raise £60 or more. This will go to a fund twinning our new church toilet with a community project in water, sanitation and toilet facilities in the poorest situations worldwide. For more info visit toilettwinning.org. You can enter the competition after Sunday services at a special table under the tower. Please remember your £1 – or hedge your bets and enter a few times.
St Giles’ Christmas table, Bring and Buy
By popular request we will have the table on Sunday December 7th as well as the 14th and 21st Dec. Please come and contribute by bringing and or buying from this Christmas table! Starts after the church service during coffee time.
Benefice book group
The next meeting of the Benefice Book Group will be on Thursday 15th January at 7.15pm, where we’ll be discussing Enlightenment by Sarah Perry.
For more information, contact Siân Grønlie (curate@stgilesstmargarets.org)
Coming up in November…
Monthly “What’s On” leaflet
Download November’s issue below:
Online events calendar
Thanks to our ChurchSuite system, you can now see all of the events that we have coming up in the next few months online, and get more information where relevant. You can view them as a list or in a calendar view:
Join St Margaret’s choir!
If you, or someone you know, might be interested in joining St Margaret’s choir we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch with George: choir@stmargarets.org
Community News
Tea & Talks at St Margaret’s Institute
A new season of Tea & Talks at St Margaret’s Institute continues on Wed 3 December at 1:45-3:30pm with a talk titled Fictional Oxford Detectives from Anna Beer. Entry is £2, including tea and cake. All welcome.
Documentary Screening
Wycliffe Hall presents a screening of brand new film The First Hymn, documenting the restoring of an ancient Christian hymn, at 6:15pm on Friday 28th November at Curzon Cinema in Westgate. Open to all, and tickets are free (booking required).
St Theosevia’s Newsletter
Please see below the latest newsletter from St Theosevia Centre for Christian Spirituality. The next study day is on Saturday 29 Nov. 10.30 am – 4 pm titled Why the Nicene Creed? Exploring its Nature and Impact with Rt Revd Professor NT Wright, Revd Professor John Behr, Tilly Garvey, and Revd Dr Andrew Teal.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is a major priority in our Benefice as we work together to keep everyone in our community safe. It is often said safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, thank you for the part you play. If you are concerned about a person’s or activity’s safety in our community, please contact our Parish Safeguarding Officers (details below) or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team (details below). We are greatly helped by many volunteers, thank you for your time, including for completing required DBS checks, safeguarding training and safer recruitment forms.
St Margaret’s Church PSO Becca Rose: safeguarding@stmargaretsoxford.org
St Giles Church PSO Lorraine Desai: safeguarding@st-giles-church.org
Diocesan Team 01865 208 295 safeguardingreferrals@oxford.anglican.org
Out-of-hours: Thirtyone:eight on 0303 003 1111 for confidential advice, guidance and support.