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Items for next week’s notices can be sent to manager@StGilesStMargarets.org by Wednesday.
Worship & Prayer
Sunday 19 April
Third Sunday of Easter
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)
3.30pm – Evensong at St Giles’ (said, with hymns, 1662 BCP)
6.00pm – Evening Prayer at St Margaret’s (said, 1662 BCP)
Almighty Father,
who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples
with the sight of the risen Lord:
give us such knowledge of his presence with us,
that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life
and serve you continually in righteousness and truth;
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.
Pew sheets
The pew sheets for our services on 19 April, including the readings, prayers and music details, are available to download below:
Thursday 23 April:
St George, Patron and Martyr
12.30pm – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, Common Worship)
8.00pm – Holy Communion at St Margaret’s (said, Common Worship)
Next Sunday (26 April):
St Mark the Evangelist
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)
3.30pm – Choral Evensong at St Giles’ (sung, 1662 BCP)
6.00pm – Contemplative Prayer at St Margaret’s (in the Lady Chapel)
Coming up in April…
Monthly “What’s On” leaflet
Download April’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:
Parish News
Changes to Evening Services at St Giles’ and St Margaret’s
After Easter, starting on Sunday 19 April, there will be changes to the evening services at both St Giles’ and St Margaret’s.
At St Giles’, the Evensong services will have a new starting time of 3.30pm in the afternoon, as is common in many Cathedrals and larger parish churches. The hope is that this will allow more of our young choristers to be able to participate, without such a late finish on a school night!
At St Margaret’s, we will have a new rolling programme of quiet, contemplative services at 6.00pm:
- First Sunday of the month: Said Holy Communion according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (in the Chancel)
- Second Sunday of the month: Taizé service, using chants from the Taizé community in France (in the Lady Chapel).
- Third Sunday of the month: Said Evening Prayer according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (in the Lady Chapel).
- Fourth Sunday of the month: Contemplative prayer / Christian meditation (in the Lady Chapel).
As with all of our services in the Benefice, anyone from either church is very welcome at all of the above.
Annual Meetings and Electoral Rolls
The annual meetings for the churches will take place this year in April:
- St Margaret’s at midday tomorrow (Sunday 19 April)
- St Giles’ next Sunday (26 April) following the ‘Our Church, Our Future Presentation’ (see below)
If you are on the electoral roll, you can both stand and vote for PCC members and churchwardens. Please think and pray carefully about whether this might be something you are called to – particularly at St Margaret’s, where there are currently a number of vacancies on PCC, and will also soon have a churchwarden vacancy.
St Giles’ “Our Church, Our Future” follow-up
Next Sunday (26 April) we will have a slightly shorter service at our 10:30am Holy Communion and, instead of a sermon, we will have a presentation following the service with an update on where we are up to in the process, and next steps.
Everyone on our St Giles’ contact list will receive a more detailed update separately later today – if you don’t receive it (or would like to join the contact list) please email Daniel at vicar@stgilesstmargarets.org
St George’s Day – Holy Communion services
Throughout 2026, we are offering simple, said services of Holy Communion on major saints’ days or holy days which occur during the week.
On Thursday 23 April we will celebrate the feast of St George: 12.30pm at St Giles’ and 8.00pm at St Margaret’s. These will each take place in the Chancel of the respective churches.
All are welcome at either service, regardless of your usual church.
Chorister Taster Singing Afternoon at St Giles’
If your child is interested in becoming a chorister, Nicholas is holding a taster afternoon on Saturday 16 May at 1:30pm. Email to register for a place.
Jazz at St Giles’: Holly Shearsmith Quartet
The next Jazz at St Giles’ concert is TONIGHT (Saturday 18 April) at 7:30pm: The Holly Shearsmith Quartet, who present an evening of Modern Jazz with La Nouvelle Vague. The next JASG concert will be on Saturday 20th June: Jazz Spiritualities: ‘Naissance’ with John Law and Jon Lloyd.
Christian Aid Week Sponsored Walk
This sponsored walk is near Bix, Henley on 25th April (Christian Aid Week is 11-16 May) and is 5 or 10 miles through glorious countryside. Turn back at 2.5 miles if you only want to walk 5 miles. Maps, information and sponsorship forms are at the back of St Giles’ Church.
Weather for 25th looks sunny! Lovely walk for the whole family, however sponsorship money you can raise! You can park in the village hall carpark, start anytime, even say 7am onwards if you like. Last year saw around a 100 walkers and raised over £1000, so every supporter helps.Perhaps a choir walk would be fun?! Do not worry about finding huge number of sponsors – even one is enough in the scheme of things…. – Helen Dodd, CA organiser St Giles’
Memory Café
Our next Memory Café will be on Wednesday 22 April. 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.
Benefice book group
The next meeting of the benefice book group is on Wed 20 May, 7.15pm at St Anne’s; and we are discussing Small Boat, by Vincent Delecroix.
For more information, contact Siân Grønlie (curate@stgilesstmargarets.org)
Youth Pilgrimage 2026
Booking is now open for the 2026 Youth Pilgrimage to Worcester Cathedral from 10-14th August. Spaces are limited so please contact Eva for more details.
House groups
We are exploring potential interest in small “house groups” for those who might enjoy meeting in homes for conversation, prayer, and informal engagement with Scripture. This is something some people will know from other church traditions, but there is no expectation here that anyone “ought” to join.
At this stage we are simply gathering interest. If you might like to attend, host, or help lead a group, please email Daniel.
Community News
Oxford Theatre Guild presents TS Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral
Local theatre group OTG have asked us to share information about their next show, Murder in the Cathedral, at Oxford Playhouse from 21-25 April. They think it may appeal to our congregation, as not only does it recount one of the most significant events in the Church’s history, but that it also has particular resonance at the moment when the first female archbishop is being installed in Canterbury Cathedral. The production will also feature choral singing.
What’s On at Wycliffe Hall
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.