Welcome to our weekly benefice newsletter. If you’d like to be notified by email each week, please click or tap here to sign up.
Items for next week’s notices can be sent to manager@StGilesStMargarets.org by Wednesday.
Worship & Prayer
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)
Almighty God,
who enlightened your holy Church
through the inspired witness of your evangelist Saint Mark:
grant that we, being firmly grounded
in the truth of the gospel,
may be faithful to its teaching both in word and deed;
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 26 April, including the readings, prayers and music details, are available to download below:
Friday 1 May:
Ss Philip & James
12.30pm – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, Common Worship)
Next Sunday (3 May):
Fifth Sunday After Easter / Ss Philip & James
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)
3.30pm – Choral Evensong at St Giles’ (sung, 1662 BCP)
6.00pm – Holy Communion at St Margaret’s (said, 1662 BCP)
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
There have been changes to the evening services at both St Giles’ and St Margaret’s.
At St Giles’, the Evensong services 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 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 Giles’ this 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.
St Giles’ “Our Church, Our Future” follow-up
This 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.
SS Philip & James – 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 Friday 1 May we will celebrate the feast of SS Philip & James: 12.30pm at St Giles’. All are welcome at this service, regardless of your usual church. This feast will be celebrated on Sunday 3 May at the 10:30 service at St Margaret’s.
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 Saturday 20 June at 7:30pm: John Law and Jon Lloyd, who present Jazz Spiritualities: “Naissance”. After that, JASG will return in September.
Christian Aid Week Sponsored Walk
The Christian Aid sponsored walk is taking place today (Saturday)! You can donate to the sponsored walk that some of the parishioners are undertaking by clicking the link below.
Memory Café
Our next Memory Café will be on Wednesday 13 May. 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
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.