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 6 April including the readings, prayers and music details, are available to download below:
Sunday 6 April
Passion Sunday
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, BCP)
6.30pm – Choral Evensong at St Giles’ (sung, 1662 BCP)
Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
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 (13 April):
Palm Sunday
8.00am – Holy Communion at St Giles’ (said, 1662 BCP)
10.15am – Joint Service for Palm Sunday – starting at St Giles’ at 10.15am, procession to St Margaret’s (sung, Common Worship)
6.30pm – Stabat Mater at St Giles’
Parish News
Update from Clergy & Churchwardens
Next Sunday – Palm Sunday – different services
Palm Sunday will be a joint service starting at St Giles’ at 10.15am, we will then process up to St Margaret’s and continue the service there. Anyone is welcome to start straight at St Margaret’s who does not want to walk (c.10.45am). We will be joined by Bishop Steven who will be preaching for us.
Holy Week & Easter
Join us for the most special week of the Christian year as we follow Jesus’ steps towards the cross and beyond in the drama of our services.
Sunday 13 April – Palm Sunday with Procession
Starting at St Giles’, 10:15am, and reaching St Margaret’s for the liturgy of the Passion.
Sunday 13 April – Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, St Giles’, 6:30pm
Beautiful liturgical performance of the ancient hymn.
Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 April – Candlelit Compline, St Giles’, 8pm
Short, reflective night prayer entirely by candlelight.
Wed 16 April – Tenebrae, St Giles’, 8pm
Service of the shadows. Candles are gradually extinguished as the story of the passion is read.
Thursday 17 April – Maundy Thursday, St Margaret’s, 8pm
We remember the Last Supper when Jesus washed the disciples feet. The church is stripped of its decoration and the service ends in a silent watch into the night.
Good Friday, 18 April – Hot Cross Bun Service, St Margaret’s, 10am
Service for families – come and learn about the Easter Story!
Good Friday, 18 April – BCP Choral Mattins, St Giles’, 10:30am
Choral service with Litany from 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
Good Friday, 18 April – The Three Hours of Good Friday, St Margaret’s, 12-3pm
12noon-1:45pm, Reflections and Silence (drop-in); 1:45pm, Liturgy of Good Friday. A stark and moving service as we focus on Jesus’ death.
Holy Saturday, 19 April – Easter Vigil & Eucharist, St Margaret’s, 8pm
The climax of the week. Beginning around a fire outside, we start in darkness recounting stories of God before the light is spread in the church and we have the first Eucharist of Easter to celebrate the Resurrection. Join us for drinks together afterwards. With St Margaret’s Choir.
Easter Day, 20 April –
BCP Easter Service, St Giles’, 8am
Choral Easter Eucharist, St Giles’, 10:30am
Choral Easter Eucharist, St Margaret’s, 10:30am
Followed by Easter Egg hunt!
Annual Parochial Church Meetings
Both churches have APCMs coming very soon. If you are on the Electoral Roll for St Giles’ you will already have received the papers for the meeting which is taking place at 12.15pm this Sunday. St Margaret’s APCM will be on the 27th April at 12noon following the morning service.
TONIGHT: 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)
Thank you
To all those how have helped us with deliveries of Holy Week cards!
Benefice Lent Course 2025: Understanding Baptism
Tuesdays in Lent, 7.15-8.30pm, St Margaret’s Church
The Benefice Lent Group has its final session this coming Tuesday evening at St Margaret’s. Each session is stand alone so please do feel you can join us. We will be thinking about fire. If you would like to join in from home, email associate@stgilesstmargarets.org for the link to the materials.
Christian Aid Speaker
Phil Evans is the Church Engagement and Fundraising Officer for the Home Counties, (Beds, Berks, Bucks, Herts & Oxon). We will be privileged to hear him talk at St Giles’ a week prior to Christian Aid Week (11th-17th May) on Sunday 4th May 2025 at the 10.30am service.
This year we celebrate 80 years since the founding of Christian Aid. Do come along and hear Phil during the Sunday service. During Christian Aid Week itself, we hope to be collecting in Bicester Village. If anyone would like to join me there on one (or more) of three days, please do let me know. – Helen Dodd
Jazz at St Giles’: Oxford University Jazz Orchestra and Friends
The next Jazz at St Giles’ concert is Saturday 26th April 7:30pm: Oxford University Jazz Orchestra and Friends. Come and see the next generation of Jazz stars live at St Giles’ Church.
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!!)
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.
2025 Oxford Lent Concerts – Queen’s College Chapel. – Tuesday March 25thth and Tuesday April 1st. Choral and instrumental music and contemporary icons. For details see http://www.op.net/lent2025 . Donations to Médecins sans Frontières and the Guideposts Trust. Ring 279120 for disabled access.
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:
Friday 25 April: a day on Etheopian Orthodoc Marian devotion.