Holy Week & Easter at the University Church

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Subject: Holy Week & Easter at the University Church

This is Holy Week

by the Revd Canon Dr William Lamb

We hope that you will join us this week at St Mary’s for our observance of Holy Week. This is the most important week of the liturgical year and we hope that you will feel able to participate with us either in person or online. This year we welcome the Revd Canon Dr Dan Inman, Canon Chancellor, Chichester Cathedral, as our Holy Week preacher. Dan was Chaplain of the Queen’s College for a number of years and is no stranger to St Mary’s. It will be very good to have him with us as he offers a series of reflections to guide our thinking in the course of the week.

Following the 8.30am Eucharist, we will begin with our Palm Sunday Procession on Sunday at 10.15am outside the Clarendon Building. We will process through Radcliffe Square to the church and then after the Procession of Palms we will listen to the reading of the Passion. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 8.00pm, Compline will be sung by a small choir in the Chancel and we will listen to a series of addresses by our Holy Week preacher. Then at 8.00pm on Maundy Thursday, we will celebrate the Eucharist of the Last Supper, which will be followed by a Watch in the Chancel. On Good Friday, there will be Stations of the Cross at 10.30am, which will begin in church and then journey around Radcliffe Square before returning to Church. At 12noon, there will be the Good Friday Devotion, which will include a series of meditations on the work of Stanley Spencer. At 2.00pm, there will be the Liturgy of Good Friday, which will include the singing of St John’s Passion and the Liturgy of the Day. The church is then quiet from 3.00pm and open for silent prayer as we contemplate the desolation of the cross.

On Easter Day, we will assemble at three services. The 8.30am Eucharist will be said in the Chancel. Then at 10.30am we will gather in the Nave to mark Easter Day with a Choral Eucharist, which will include the Easter Ceremonies. This year, the Choir will be joined by musicians from Instruments of Time and Truth. The service will be followed by refreshments in church. This is one of the liturgical high points of the year and we do hope that you will be able to join us as we celebrate the good news of the resurrection. At 3.30pm that day, there will be an Easter Carol Service as we sing some familiar Easter Hymns and listen to a sequence of readings and carols. We do hope that you will join us. We would love to see you at our services during Holy Week.

Almighty and everlasting God,

who in your tender love towards the human race

sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ

to take upon him our flesh

and to suffer death upon the cross:

grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,

and also be made partakers of his resurrection;

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. Amen.

Livestreamed Services

at the University Church

We livestream our 10.30am Sung Eucharist every Sunday.

Please follow the links below for our social media channels.

If you have any feedback or questions about our livestreamed services,

please email ana-maria.niculcea@universitychurch.ox.ac.uk

Ecohints of the week

We are heading towards the Ecochurch Silver award and the Green Team at SMV is encouraging whole church participation in taking actions towards caring for Creation. Each week in epistle, we will provide one nudge to help us all live more lightly.

Keep a country which has been badly impacted by climate change in your prayers this week From floods to landslides to drought, there are so many places in the world that are experiencing the effects of climate change. Our prayers could consider how our actions are causing these effects. If you manage to take this action, let us know HERE

Click the image to see services over Holy Week & Easter

Notices

INTRO TO MINDFULNESS - 10AM-12.30PM, SAT 1 APRIL

This workshop will provide an opportunity to deepen understanding of what mindfulness is, and to explore various mindfulness practices that can be supportive in daily life. Chris Cullen is a teacher at the University of Oxford’s Mindfulness Centre, and a member of St Mary’s choir and congregation.

PALM SUNDAY – 10.15AM, SUNDAY 2 APRIL

Next week the service will begin at the earlier time of 10.15am, gathering outside the Clarendon Building on Broad Street from 10am. The route involves travelling over cobblestones. The procession will arrive in Church c.10.30am.

GODLY PLAY - SUNDAY 2 APRIL

Godly Play will take place on Sunday 2 April during the 10.30am service. All children and families are welcome.

CHURCH CLEANING - 10AM, SATURDAY 8 APRIL

On Holy Saturday, we will be busy preparing the church for Easter Day. If you can lend half an hour or more to help make sure the church is looking at its best ready for Easter, please do drop in.

EXPLORE EASTER – 2PM, TUE 4 APRIL

This Easter, we invite children and adults of all ages not just to hear the story of Easter but to become a part of it and to join us from 2.00pm -3.30pm on Tuesday 4th April as we creatively explore it together through words, prayer, craft and play. Places are limited, so please book on the website.

STATIONS OF CREATION – 11AM, WED 5 APRIL

On Wednesday 5th April, from 11am, a group will be walking from St Mary's to Holywell Cemetery (a ten minute walk), to spend time reflecting on the suffering of the natural world. This has been organised by the Green Team; we hope you can join us.

HOLYWELL CEMETERY GARDENING DAY

There will not be a Gardening Day in April. The next one will take place on 13 May.

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING - 12PM, 30 APRIL

The APCM is an opportunity for all who are on the electoral roll to reflect on the past year of life at St Mary's and to vote on important matters and appointments for the year ahead, including the election of church officers such as wardens and PCC members. It will take place after the service on 30th April and all who are on the electoral roll are warmly encouraged to attend.

VICAR’S SABBATICAL

After Easter, the Vicar has been granted a sabbatical for a period of three months by the Bishop. This will be a time of study, travel, and rest. Please keep Will in your prayers and be in touch with Hannah or the Wardens for all Church matters.

ELECTORAL ROLL

If you are baptised and over the age of 16, and are either resident in the parish or have regularly attended worship here for the last 6 months, you are eligible to join the church electoral roll. This enables you to attend and vote at the annual parochial church meeting and to stand as a member of the PCC. We update the electoral roll annually so if you would like to join or to amend your details, please pick up a form from the back of church.

BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION CLASSES

If you are considering taking the next step in faith and would like to be baptised or confirmed at Pentecost (28th May), it would be wonderful to hear from you. Please be in touch with Hannah for an informal chat and put the following dates of baptism and confirmation preparation classes in your diary, all 5.30-6.30pm: 18 April, 25 April, 9 May, 16 May. On 23 May will be a rehearsal. To make it as accessible as possible we will be taking a hybrid approach with some sessions in the Old Library and some on zoom.

SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY
If you would like to support the ministry of the University Church, you may wish to make a cash donation at the offertory or via the contactless card machine by the High Street entrance. You can also make a donation online (please use the QR code) through the Parish Giving Scheme or by sending a text: Text "SMV X" to 70085 to donate £X. E.g.: "SMV 5" to 70085 will donate £5.00. Texts cost £X plus one standard rate message. Thank you!

Faith in Action

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www.universitychurch.ox.ac.uk

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Subject: Holy Week & Easter at the University Church